Bulletin Summer Fall 2024

Belmont Hill

Mr.

REMEMBERING BILL MAHONEY

Dear Readers,

It is an impossible challenge to craft words that will somehow capture all that a person has meant to this community. We lost Bill Mahoney on August 18, 2024 after an aggressive battle with cancer that only lasted a few weeks. While all were grateful that his suffering did not last long, the swiftness of his illness has been difficult to process as we begin the academic year. Bill had been our Director of Communications for 18 years, and he was the first one to hold this role on our campus. He leaves a void as a professional, a colleague, and most importantly as a family man. The irony is not lost on me that I have been tasked to memorialize Bill within the pages of his beloved Belmont Hill Bulletin, a publication that meant a great deal to him.

As Director of Communications, Bill helped tell the story of our school to both internal and external audiences. On a practical level, this included publications, social media, and our website. He was committed to capturing the spirit of this school in new ways; he loved Belmont Hill. That was reiterated to me by his family many times in his final days. Bill was an exceptional writer, and he took great pride in the quality of his work. Whether it was a piece for a publication, the media, or social media—he could balance economy with grace. In many ways, those words and that balance spoke to Bill’s personality. He was quiet, humble, dedicated, and caring. It is heartening to have witnessed these qualities equally present in both his professional and personal lives.

Mahoney heading to School Meeting.

As a member of our Administrative Team, Bill helped manage the general operations of the School. Always willing to pitch in, chaperone, or write up a new version of our safety protocols, Bill was often the first to volunteer when extra hands were needed. Through research and common sense, Bill had a special way of maintaining perspective and humor in our toughest times. He remained in touch with peers at other schools and had a sense of how others were handling challenges we were facing. Bill also oversaw parent and student surveys focused on feedback and improvement, and the data he collected would become central to our work as a team to make Belmont Hill a better version of itself.

As a colleague, Bill was a favorite on campus in the lunchroom or at any other social event. He loved to cook and explore new opportunities within the realm of cuisine. He also was passionate about all Boston sports teams—especially the Red Sox and Boston College, his alma mater. I remember speaking to him about the

occasional nights on which he would bring Richard Brown from our Dining Hall to a game. Bill had a real sense of service and doing the right thing, and he loved to share the joy he found in sports with others.

Of all of Bill’s qualities, we knew him to be deeply connected to his extended family but particularly proud and close with his daughter, Gillian. Nothing made him prouder than telling me about her accomplishments in high school, college, and now life in the working world. Recently, they took a trip together to Portugal, and Bill would just beam talking about the power of having that time together. In this way, he has reminded me of the deep importance of a strong relationship between a father and his daughter—something that will be far more important for me than any professional accomplishment. Ultimately, his legacy involves words that we cherish at Belmont Hill like character, effort, and caring. In a world where more and more professionals incessantly angle for recognition and new opportunities, just a personal sense of a job well done seemed to be enough for Bill. He would rather lobby on behalf of others, especially members of his own Communications Team. While Bill will never be replaced on this campus, I know that these qualities of commitment and character will live on in our culture forever. Somehow this knowledge allows me to know that Bill Mahoney can truly rest in peace.

GREGORY J. SCHNEIDER

Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School

Mr. Mahoney’s obituary appears on page 94.

Bill and his daughter, Gillian Mahoney, on a trip to Portugal in 2023.

Andy Davis ’07, Bill Mahoney, Greg Schneider, George Tahan, and Don Bradley on the sidelines of the Belmont Hill vs. St. Sebastian’s lacrosse game under the lights at Boston University, April 28, 2023.

Richard Brown and Bill Mahoney in the Dining Hall.

Tyson Trautz, Bob Rosenberg, Rick Melvoin, Chris Butler, Bill Mahoney, and Mike Grant riding for “Cliff’s Crew” at the Pan Mass Challenge (2010).

CHAPEL TALK

Remarks delivered by Gregory J.

March 29, 2024

Schneider, Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School

Spring is the time when we begin to focus more squarely on the accomplishments of Form VI, recognizing that their time with us is now fleeting. It is a chance for me to once again thank them for their leadership, humor, and sense of working together as a class.

As a Form VI Advisor, it has been a pleasure to come to know them more closely this year, and I remain so impressed by their care and attention to our school culture and community. It will not be long until we will be viewing their panels on a wall, celebrating their legacy, and launching them from this campus to make the world a better place.

Their pending graduation reminds me that when all of you leave Belmont Hill, you will be asked to help the world navigate the most important challenges of

our time. Each year in the middle of February, I am fortunate to gather with some of the finest Heads of School and public-school superintendents in the country at Duke University for a conference. There, we listen to some spectacular speakers and pause to reflect upon the changing landscape of education at our schools and around the world. For a day or two, we pull ourselves out of the realities of projects, calling phantom snow days, and making admission decisions, to consider the educational horizon. It will surprise no one that one of the most pressing topics this year was the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and what it might mean for our schools. I thought I might share with you a few of my reactions to this topic, as they have been haunting me ever since the conference in February.

Early in the gathering, we were grouped into roundtables, and we were asked to report a bit about how we were considering AI in our schools. Feeling confident that we had a decent plan at Belmont Hill, I went on to discuss the array of conversations we have had here. Mr. Grant has been leading a Board of Trustees task force on this topic all year long as we consider the long-term implications for our school. As you all know, we have tried to offer students clarity about the appropriate use of generative AI. We have worked hard to communicate to faculty that we are entering the new normal and we can’t, as adults, simply see ChatGPT as just a negative thing. Perhaps not unlike the calculator in math class many years ago, it will likely become a tool rather than an enemy. That said, there is no doubt that the emergence of generative AI has raised new questions for the teaching of writing in humanities. Additionally, Mr. LaLiberte offered an excellent workshop to faculty during our professional day about the positive uses of ChatGPT as a teacher. It would not surprise me if some of our younger teachers may be adapting to all of this a bit more quickly in general.

Next to me at my table was a school superintendent, who looked at me like I had three heads when I mentioned some of our policies. He went on to explain that he literally uses the tool daily. Whether it is memorializing a faculty member, writing to parents, or giving a speech like this one his content generation all starts with ChatGPT. He went on to explain that he was recently struggling with his district’s special education department. Within five minutes, ChatGPT had created a five-year strategic plan to overhaul the efficacy of that department. He tweaked it, approved it, and is currently holding those employees accountable to his AI-conceived strategic plan. In the world of Heads of School, I think I used to be considered very young at this gathering, I might be viewed as somewhat young, but at that table in February I felt like a dinosaur. If you are wondering, I have yet to use ChatGPT to create any of my own content. Perhaps it would do a better job than I can at keeping you awake on mornings like this one.

Later on, we heard from a remarkable professor at Duke, Dr. Nita Farahany, who wrote a book called The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology. She introduced us to the idea of cognitive liberty in the context of neurotechnology. Over the course of her talk, she painted a picture that felt both dystopian and terrifying to the dinosaurs like me. Above all else, she convinced us of the billions of dollars being invested by places like Google, Meta, and Apple towards the development of neurotechnology. Here is a relevant quote from the introduction to her book: ….nothing in the U.S. Constitution, state and federal laws, or international treaties gives individuals even rudimentary sovereignty over their own brains. It’s not going to happen tomorrow, but we are rapidly heading toward a world of brain transparency, in which scientists, doctors, governments, and companies may peer into our brains and minds at will. And I worry that in this rapidly approaching future, we will voluntarily or involuntarily surrender our last bastion of freedom: our mental privacy. That we will trade access to our brain activity to commercial entities for rebates, discounts on insurance, free access to social media accounts...or even as a condition of keeping our jobs.

During her talk, Dr. Farahany made it clear that many of these technologies are already here. She reminded us that the “For You” algorithm generated by TikTok on your phones has the sole goal of addicting you with dopamine so that your data can be acquired by Chinese businesses. This resonated with much of what we heard from our guest speaker, Joe Toscano, in this Chapel earlier this fall. But she also described how a number of businesses are now forcing employees to wear smart caps to determine if they might be at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel of a truck or train. She referenced children wearing headbands in schools in China that projected red, yellow, or green. By tracking brain waves, these devices can tell whether or not children are paying attention in class. While it might improve some learning outcomes, it also represents the end of daydreaming for children as we know it.

Apparently, Apple will be coming to market with earbuds that will capture brain data within the next year. Marketers are now actively using brain sensors for market research around video content. By knowing what we are thinking and feeling as we watch, basically how our brains are firing in response to pieces of content, they are able to sell us things more effectively. At one point in her presentation, Dr. Farahany used a metaphor to express the following concern. I will do my best to paraphrase: Imagine your personal data is like a diary. And perhaps you decide that you want someone to read page 32 of your diary to gain a better understanding of how you are feeling or reacting to a situation. When it comes to brain sensors, that can be accomplished except that the entire diary will be read every time. The point is that when capturing this information, companies will take all of it not just the part you want them to take.

We heard that “think to text” is also not so far away the days of keyboards and the computer mouse are numbered. Why waste time using a keyboard when a sensor can translate your thoughts into text? In fact, chips have already been implanted in people’s brains the surgery so complicated that they must be accomplished by robots rather than human hands. There is optimism that this kind of neurotechnology has a chance to cure conditions like depression and Alzheimer’s in the future. We have plans to expand our own neuroscience infrastructure on campus with Dr. Goldberg and others in our Science Department perhaps just in time.

What should we do with these new realities as teachers, and what should you do with them as students? Dr. Farahany asks a number of great ethical questions in her book’s introduction.

• Is it cheating to enhance our brains with drugs or devices that help us learn faster or concentrate longer than we otherwise could?

• Does society have the right to prohibit us from slowing down our brains or extinguishing painful memories?

• Should employers be allowed to use employee data as part of the growing trend of workplace surveillance?

• Is embracing neurotechnology necessary for the very survival of our species to compete against the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence?

These are obviously weighty questions for a Monday morning after Spring Break, and they are intriguing material for someone who is trying to teach a course to Form III boys about Ethics. And yet, like so many things at Belmont Hill, I believe we can all take solace that as much as things change out there in the world, it should be the same timeless values and principles of our school that will position you in this room to be leaders.

I don’t think there is much use in debating whether or not the AI wave is coming, or whether or not it is a good thing. Not unlike social media or the arrival of NIL (name, image, and likeness) in amateur athletics, these are trains that are headed our way; there is no stopping them. The better question is how we, in this room, will choose to navigate them. Of course, the answer is simple.

Trustee Will Forde ’05 said to me once that Belmont Hill is a place that has always prided itself on doing the right thing. If you can do that as the School’s leader, he said, the rest will take care of itself. As I look at the boys in this room, each of you will face choices regarding the products you choose to use and those you do not. You can either be passive consumers of cool new features, or you can be the true critical thinkers and users that we need you to be. Eventually, you will be the ones who are running the businesses, the universities, and the important positions in government. You will need to help vocalize what kinds of limits, regulations, and guardrails will need to be in place to support our rights to my new favorite term cognitive liberty

As teachers, our obligation to show our students how to think critically has never been more important. I don’t believe there is an easy one-sided answer to the emergence of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology in the coming years. But I do think that we must continue to stand for the importance of human relationships. We can still believe in the power of teams, and what it actually means to do the right thing at this school. I suspect it will be the boys, rather than the adults, who will have the most direct impact on the new products, codes, and policies related to these rapid technological advancements. As I look out at Form VI, I know this will all unfold in the context of a college campus for you. You and your peers will be the primary participants in the grand experiment knowingly or unknowingly, and the research emerging from the adults at your institutions will continue to push forward the initiative as a whole.

While it’s impossible to leave this Chapel without some concern about the dystopian potential of AI, we should remain confident that what we cultivate at this school: character, working together, and critical thinking, will ensure that our world never loses sight of the power of human relationships in working towards a common goal. This school believes in the education of your mind, body, and spirit. We are not yet at a point where a computer chip can do all of that for you. They have not yet discovered the algorithm to provide you with your unique soul. Along with our faculty, I will happily choose to remain in the business of soul development for the time being.

So welcome back to spring at Belmont Hill, gentlemen— a time that I truly hope is good for all of your souls. Let’s make this a season to remember. I have little doubt that the day is coming in the future when I may, in fact, succumb to ChatGPT for inspiration related to a Chapel Talk. For better or for worse, today is not that day.

Sixth Form.

TED MARTELLINI: “I FELT LIKE I’D FOUND A HOME”

By Bill Mahoney

In most circumstances, being greeted with a loud “Big dummy!,” “Nincompoop!,” or “Simpleton!” would be considered an insult, affront, and certainly not a term of endearment. But with Ted Martellini, who doesn’t have a mean-spirited bone in his body, it’s his own kindhearted way of simply telling you how pleased he is to see you. For the 40 years Mr. Martellini has graced the Belmont Hill campus, the lives of thousands of students and colleagues alike have been enriched by the warmth and gentle care of this remarkable man.

Mr. Martellini grew up as a military brat, following his father, mother, and three siblings to military bases in Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, New Jersey, Governor’s Island, Fort Carson, and Colorado, to name a few. “It was kind of surreal in a way,” he explains. “One day you’d be in a school in, say, Oklahoma, and the very next day, you’d pack up and be in school in Texas the next day! You’d go into the school and have almost the exact same homework assignment. They were all so similar.”

His father was a prolific high school basketball star, which sparked Mr. Martellini’s love and passion for the sport. While studying at Northfield Mount Hermon, he would play soccer, basketball, lacrosse….“pretty much anything.” When he moved on to Tufts University, he played lacrosse and served as captain, eventually leading the team in goals in his senior year. Years later, he would add a master’s degree from the University of Montana.

Above: Macdony Charles ’18 and Mr. Martellini. Below: Home Varsity game, 2008/2009 season.

Though he studied psychology, with minors in math and education, he admits that he didn’t leave college with clear plans for his future. He and a friend spent close to a year and a half traveling the world. “We had the best time, working odd jobs to pay our way, living on the cheap,” he recalls. “We started in Europe, taking a ferry from Spain to North Africa, where we spent a few months in Morocco. Afterward, we traveled back to Italy, making stops across Western Asia, including Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and India, to name a few.”

When he finally returned home, he started working in the semiconductor business. Suffice it to say, that wasn’t the life for Ted Martellini. “I think it was the single most boring thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he chuckles. He was saved by a friend who taught at Suffield Academy and mentioned that they needed a math teacher just as the school year was starting. “I hadn’t even thought about teaching and had no

While Ted will never be replaced, he has offered us a permanent reminder that should guide our future vision of a teacher-coach for many, many years to come.

– GREG SCHNEIDER, RONALD M. DRUKER ’62 HEAD OF SCHOOL

experience,” he says, “but with the school year starting, the head of school took a chance on me.” He would not be returning to the semiconductor business, and thousands of students would be grateful for that decision for many years. A legendary teaching career had begun.

It took a couple of years for him to find his teaching groove, he recalls. He left Suffield and taught in Italy for two years, an experience he loved. Upon returning, he did a stint at Moses Brown in Providence before learning of an opportunity at Belmont Hill in 1982. “In many ways, it feels like I stumbled into these teaching opportunities,” he explains, “but landing at Belmont Hill was different. I felt like I’d found a home.”

A home indeed. He spent several years living in the dorms with his wife, Janet Smith, whom he met while she taught summer school on campus, and his son, Marco ’10. “Belmont Hill has been such an important part of my life,” he reflects. “I could not have made it without Janet and Marco. They’ve been such an integral part of my time here. I’m so grateful for them.” And, let’s not forget Gus, his faithful companion. He loved the first Gus so much that he bestowed the same name on his newest hound. “Walking to school with my dog is something I’ve cherished,” he says, “though it can take forever because he stops to explore everything….and chase the occasional squirrel!”

In forty years on the Hill, Mr. Martellini has done it all. He laughs that while he taught every course imaginable, he couldn’t possibly remember all the names. “He will always be regarded as one of the best ever to do it here,” Athletic Director George Tahan notes. “Ted is the quintessential teacher-coach. He connects with the boys on so many levels, whether it’s teaching math, coaching

Left: Mr. Martellini in the classroom, spring 2018. Right: Mr. Martellini and Gus.

basketball, soccer, or lacrosse.” Longtime colleague Michael Sherman says, “Ted brings a smile to everyone he interacts with whether it’s a student, player, friend, or colleague. There’s a wonderful buzz in his classrooms.”

Adds Bob Brownell, “There’s an undeniable pied-piper quality to Ted, that is such a gift. His love of teaching, coaching, and working with boys is infectious. It’s a gift for anyone to see.” In 2001, Mr. Martellini was the recipient of the inaugural Trustees’ Chair in STEM.

Established by Chris Clifford, Copey Coppedge, and Ken Richardson ’67, this endowed chair honors a faculty member for excellence in the teaching of mathematics and for a broad commitment to students and school life.

Mr. Martellini has not only earned the respect of his colleagues, but many express that their teaching has been enriched by watching him through the years. “It’s a joy to watch him teach,” Math Department Chair Ann Iandiorio explains. “I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible about teaching from watching Ted work with kids.” Former Belmont Hill math teacher Al Murphy ’98, who remembers Mr. Martellini as a teacher and coach, attributes much of his own teaching journey to his mentor. “He taught me so much about teaching and how to bond with kids,” Mr. Murphy notes. “You see how much he cares and you want to do the same.” Chris Sweeney ’83 also credits Mr. Martellini for shaping his own teaching, especially his attention to detail. “When you watch him teach and are able to absorb the way he prepares, it’s just incredible. All of my lesson plans throughout my career have been shaped by what I’ve learned from Ted.”

While he coached at several levels, his 205 wins as varsity basketball coach stand tall. “My dad was great with x’s and o’s,” Marco says. “But he was even better in terms of culture, instilling confidence, and getting the best out of us.” In January of 2022, Josh Isner ’04, who managed the varsity basketball team while Mr. Martellini coached, made an extraordinary gift to the School with the naming of Ted Martellini Court in the Fritz Gymnasium. “He is the model teacher-coach,” Mr. Isner said at the time. “While I’m not sure my calculus has withstood the test of time, the leadership and team-building lessons I learned on that court were foundational to my career. My family and I are so grateful for the opportunity to recognize Coach Martellini in this manner.” Mr. Martellini remains enormously touched by the gesture. “I had no idea it was coming, and I am both deeply humbled and honored by Josh’s kindness,” he says. “Josh was a remarkable student, an incredible manager, and an even better person. I’m very grateful.”

As he heads off to a well-deserved retirement, Mr. Martellini has many more miles to ride on his trusty bike, and journeys to take with Janet. His love for this school remains as strong as ever. “He will be immensely missed,” Mrs. Iandiorio laments. “He doesn’t think he will, but there’s going to be a huge hole in the Math Department without him.” Greg Schneider, Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School, states, “While Ted will never be replaced, he has offered us a permanent reminder that should guide our future vision of a teacher-coach for many, many years to come.”

Left: Varsity Basketball, 1997/1998 season. Right: In 2022, the court in the Fritz Gymnasium was named for Mr. Martellini by Josh Isner ’04.

RUTH SWEENEY: “I HAVE NEVER STOPPED WANTING TO LEARN”

By Amy Hirsch

Ruth Wright’s goal after college was to apply to medical school. In her senior spring at St. Lawrence, she completed her biology major requirements and had no plans for a job. A couple of friends talked her into an education semester, which included classes and student-teaching at a nearby public school. It will be fun, they said. It was challenging, and yes it was fun, and she loved it from day one.

“Right from my first visit to Belmont Hill, I loved the atmosphere,” said Mrs. Sweeney. She met with a group of science teachers: Dick Hoffman, Cliff Goodband, and Department Chair Hans Wachtmeister in addition to Dan Bridges and Rick Melvoin. She left a strong impression on the group, particularly Dr. Wachtmeister.

“I spoke to Cliff and Rick and I said we need to hire her as the second woman ever in our Science Department, and we need to do it before she leaves the parking lot,” said Dr. Wachtmeister. She returned home to a call from Belmont Hill.

“I had also just interviewed at Dexter, and Mr. Phinney [head of school] said, ‘We don’t really have the perfect job for you, but we’ll make one,’” she explained. After saying “yes” to Belmont Hill, she called Mr. Phinney, who asked what he could do to change her mind. “I said, ‘Nothing, Belmont Hill’s the place for me.’”

“I was a public school kid,” she said and the thought of giving back for a couple of years before applying to medical school was the plan. “But, I just fell in love with it,”

Left: Mrs. Sweeney in her classroom, spring 2007. Right: Faculty member Chris Sweeney ’83 officially met Ruth on her first visit during her interview, but he made a point to welcome her after being on campus for a few days. He said it was love at first sight. The two were married on June 19, 1999. Pictured with daughter Katharine, the reception was held on campus.

she said. “And, 41 years later, I still love it. I have never stopped wanting to learn new things.”

Mrs. Sweeney grew up in upstate New York in Ogdensburg, near the Canadian border. In the sixth grade, her parents bought a farm in a nearby community, Lisbon, NY. At home, her love of learning and curiosity were fostered at an early age, especially in the sciences, by her mother, who was a bacteriologist. She enjoyed school and liked playing softball, volleyball, and soccer. Above all, she cherished horseback riding.

After attending Keuka College, she graduated from St. Lawrence, where rowing was not yet offered. Although she described her student-teaching experience under a master teacher as transformative and inspirational, her first teaching jobs came with challenges. At one public school, she wasn’t allowed to teach evolution. In the classroom, the microscopes didn’t have lights so they had to balance them on the windowsills. Despite the roadblocks, she knew that she had found her passion and continued looking for a place to bring her love of science and learning.

Gradually moving eastward, she taught at a public school near Lake George and then at Darrow, an independent high school near the Massachusetts border. “Darrow was an old Shaker village turned into a private school, and it was like a boot camp,” she explained. “I made so many lifelong friends and learned so much, not just about teaching.”

She finally landed in Massachusetts in 1987 at Worcester Academy, where most notably she welcomed her daughter Katharine in 1991. After several years of teaching, advising, and serving as a dorm parent and director of the Middle School, she began looking for a new opportunity. Her search led her to Belmont Hill, with the help of John MacKenzie, the head at Worcester Academy who had a deep connection to Belmont Hill, having served on the faculty from 1970 to 1981.

“Right from the beginning, Hans made me feel welcome at Belmont Hill. His warmth, generosity, and kindness made me want to be part of the department,” she said. She recalled her first sit-down lunch: chicken nuggets, tater tots, and Jello. “My waiter, when he found out I lived on campus, gave me the rundown on the best places to eat, a place to buy beer, and the best parks for Katharine. And, he was an 8th grader! Very quickly I learned that boys are funny.”

Despite a small hiccup on moving-in day, she and Katharine were thriving in their new home on campus in Underwood. They arrived with a moving truck a day

She came to every single play I was in. She came to every single performance I did with a rock band or with the Glee Club. She really loves the Belmont Hill boys, and she shows it and she shows up all the time.

– FORMER STUDENT, BRENDAN PULSIFER ’16

early, only to find the parking lot closed, with newly paved asphalt. Inside her new apartment, tape marked off the windows and a fresh coat of paint was drying.

“But I walked in and it was beautiful. Katharine had her own space to play. She was running around, and she went outside and said, ‘It’s so beautiful here.’”

Her friends and family wondered why she chose to come to Belmont Hill, especially since Katharine would not be able to attend. “Moving into the dorm as a single parent of a five-year-old might have been hard, but the boys and the rest of the dorm faculty made it easy,” she said. “She and Marco Martellini were buds. And when I saw that she was happy, it made my life so much easier.”

Moving from a 90-person dorm in Worcester to this small dorm in leafy Belmont was the change she needed. “I think for the first time in months, I slept, and I just knew that this was going to be a good place.”

Before teaching Biology and AP Biology, Mrs. Sweeney began at Belmont Hill by teaching 7th-grade Life Science,

In 2023, Mrs. Sweeney was named the Hans F.E. Wachtmeister Chair in Science.

8th-grade Intro to Physical Science, plus an electricity course with Mr. Hoffman. “I felt very comfortable in my classroom. I mean, day one, some kid was giving me grief, and I said, ‘Buddy, you know this is not my first rodeo, right? Knock it off.’ I always felt respected in the classroom and I had so much support from everyone here.”

“She’s a real standard bearer for the things that are the most important,” said Chris Richards. “Ruth is a master of ‘We’re gonna set the bar here in terms of effort and in terms of behavior. And if you don’t get over the bar, then you’re gonna have to keep trying till you do. We’re not gonna lower it.’”

“You walk into her classroom as a student and you know you need to be in dress code, respectful, doing your work, but you also know that you’re going to be met with compassion and inspiration and just in great hands as a teacher and another human being,” said Jeanne Tift. Lauren Hamilton added, “Not only does she bring an absolute passion and knowledge and curiosity for the study of science, but she makes the kids see that, hear that, and feel that in her classroom.”

“She really sat down with me one-on-one and helped me figure out how I was going to do this,” said Brendan Pulsifer ’16. “She’d ask, ‘Are you going to draw out a map of the cell? Are you going to do flashcards at night? Are you going to use a textbook? I mean, how do you learn best?’ And those are study skills I use today in medical school.”

“Ruth is an amazing teacher that cares so much about her students. But another thing she does is show her students that there’s a lot of other parts of Ruth. And

I think that’s really important for kids to see that we as teachers and as adults are very multidimensional,” said Nancy Montanaro. And Mrs. Sweeney does have a host of hobbies and interests. If you’re lucky, you’ve tried her baked goods. She’s also an avid reader, gardener, traveler, and musician. And, for the last 27 years, she’s grown her passion for rowing.

While Mrs. Sweeney felt confident and fulfilled in the classroom, she noticed a gap in her involvement at Belmont Hill. “In my early days, a lot of the women felt that if you weren’t a varsity coach, you were kind of dismissed outside of our classroom and didn’t feel like part of the fabric of the School.” However, Middle School athletics would become a big part of her life, and she would find yet another interest to embrace.

In the winter of her first year at Belmont Hill, Chris Richards and former faculty and crew coach Tim Wood ’71 approached her with an idea: “We know you kayak. Would you like to coach rowing?” Though she didn’t know bow from stern, she agreed to coach thinking she’d just be a helper. “I found out very quickly that wasn’t the case,” she said, “but they did assign me a senior, Will Casey ’98.” Together in the launch, Coach Sweeney had the megaphone. “He would say to me, ‘Tell them to way enough.’ And, I would say, ‘Way enough.’ And they’d stop. I’m like, that was cool.” But Mrs. Sweeney realized that she had to learn the sport for herself and so that summer she took a class at Community Rowing Inc. (CRI), where she learned sweep rowing. She dove in: studied crew drills, watched videos, took a certification course, and talked to people. She was a sponge. By her second season, she didn’t have someone with her in the launch. “I just kept rowing and have been rowing ever since.”

“It’s really fun to coach Middle School,” she said. “And it was a neat connection, to think I just learned a new sport and that it was new to them also. And when they would say, ‘Oh, this is really hard,’ I’d say, ‘I know, because I just did it this morning.’” Bringing a new sport to kids was important to her and watching them grow, watching them love it, was rewarding. “It is so awesome to see the improvement they make from April to May.”

She says she may have picked up quite a few gray hairs watching crews almost hit the shore or see the shell just about to capsize. “And George Tahan likes to remind me about the time I dropped an engine while still running in the river. But being at the boathouse and being part of such a fantastic program has been inspiring and a special experience.”

Mrs. Sweeney working with biology students, Grant Hanser ’26 and Alex Black ’26, during a free period.

Connor Lynch ’27, Jon Dayton ’78, Will Ryan ’17, David Kohler ’11, Andrew Reed ’10, Jamie Hintlian ’78, Vince Mezzanotte ’25, Ruth Sweeney, and George Carroll ’25. “Rowing with some of the boys last October was a real highlight,” she said.

Coaching Middle School also provided a bridge, especially in later years, when she was only teaching sophomores. “Getting a chance to coach Middle School was really important to me, because that’s a really different relationship to be coaching and not have any connection on the academic side.”

Mrs. Sweeney was involved in all aspects of life at Belmont Hill: teaching, advising, coaching, and running senate. After the academic day was over, she and Mr. Sweeney could be found at games, plays, concerts, art shows, alumni events, and ASR poster nights. “You would be hard-pressed to find any other faculty member at the School that gives more time to their students outside of the classroom than Ruth Sweeney,” said Chris Butler. This sentiment is also echoed by former student Brendan Pulsifer ’16: “She came to every single play I was in. She came to every single performance I did with a rock band or with the Glee Club. She really loves the Belmont Hill boys, and she shows it and she shows up all the time.”

Mrs. Sweeney is just as passionate about supporting her students and colleagues as she is about her hobbies. Being able to play the French horn in the orchestra was a pleasure, she said. “I had never played with strings before. My high school didn’t have them. It was a real treat to play with such talented musicians. I walked into the music building and felt like part of the orchestra, not a teacher.” In retirement, Mrs. Sweeney plans on practicing and playing with a community band.

“I have never stopped wanting to learn new things. My colleagues pushed me to read articles, to try a new lab, or to take risks. I especially want to thank Nancy

O’Connor for this. I have a feeling that I will still be getting articles from her well after I have left,” she said. Even after 41 years of teaching these same topics or labs, it never got old. “One of my best friends had just retired from teaching, and it was in the back of my mind. I felt I wanted to retire while I still loved coming to work.” She recalled a conversation she had with Cliff Goodband after he had been diagnosed with cancer. “He said to me, ‘Your family’s more important, you know; they can get along without you here.’ I woke up one day and decided it was time.”

“She has given herself wholeheartedly to this place for so many years,” said Dr. Tift. John McAlpin reflected, “Working with Ruth has been one of the great joys of my career. She has been a pillar of this department and she will be sorely missed.” Dr. Wachtmeister noted, “I know she’s not really retiring. She’s going to go on and do something else.” Nancy Montanaro added, “Ruth’s going to be traveling, gardening, baking, and cooking. She’ll be discovering new things she loves and having a blast with them.”

Belmont Hill is deeply grateful for Mrs. Sweeney’s service, support, and inspiration to everyone around her. Her colleagues and students echo our collective sentiment: “It will be a different place around here without Ruth,” remarked Dr. Tift. William Weiter ’16 added, “She will be remembered as one of the legendary Belmont Hill teachers.” Brendan Pulsifer ’16 expressed, “She was an amazing teacher, and I’m really sad that the next generation of Belmont Hill boys won’t have her. She is truly special.”

VISITING SPEAKERS

Dr. Karan Thakur.

dr. karan thakur—kageyama-hunt global lecture series | February 16, 2024

Dr. Karan Thakur, a renowned healthcare administrator and sustainability expert, delivered the 13th Annual Kageyama-Hunt Lecture. Dr. Thakur, based in New Delhi, India, is the Group Lead for Sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance for Apollo Hospitals, India’s largest hospital group. With over 15 years of experience, he specializes in hospital operations, healthcare policy, and public-private partnerships. In 2022, Dr. Thakur was selected as an Eisenhower Fellowships Global Fellow, studying how American healthcare institutions are tackling climate change.

In his address, he began with a traditional Indian greeting, Namaste, and shared his multifaceted identity: father, son, husband, doctor, and activist. He emphasized his core ethical principles, referencing Hippocrates’ maxim, “First, do no harm,” and the Ashoka Chakra, symbolizing harmony and balanced actions.

Dr. Thakur recounted how India’s severe air and water pollution prompted him to rethink the Hippocratic Oath’s relevance in modern healthcare. He realized that merely treating patients was insufficient if the healthcare sector’s practices were environmentally harmful. This introspection led him to align his professional actions with his ethical beliefs, driving his commitment to sustainability within the Apollo Hospital Group.

Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and the Boston Medical Center’s transformation, Dr. Thakur spearheaded the Apollo Sustainability Action Plan (ASAP) in 2021. Initially implemented in eight hospitals, ASAP now spans 43 hospitals, over 5,000 pharmacies, 23 clinics, and 700 telehealth centers. The initiative focuses on reducing emissions, enhancing efficiencies, and fostering organizational commitment to sustainability. His efforts extend beyond Apollo, advocating for nationwide health sector sustainability and speaking at international forums to promote a net zero goal. He concluded his address by urging the audience to let their core beliefs guide their actions and to always be open to reevaluating their choices. In closing, he quoted Henry David Thoreau: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

jerry craft—dr. jeffrey a. fast visiting authors and writers fund | March 1, 2024

Jerry Craft, an acclaimed American author, illustrator, and cartoonist, best known for his work in children’s literature, particularly graphic novels, recently spoke to the boys in a fascinating School Meeting. Mr. Craft detailed the journey of his career: the failures, the successes, his work process, and how ideas evolve into powerful stories that touch lives. He also gave wonderful demonstrations of how his illustrations come to life.

“I realized early on what my passion was, and my passion was drawing comics,” he explained. “So with everything that I tell you, I want you to pretend that there’s a ladder. And at the top of the ladder is your goal, and it may change over your lifetime. Mine has changed a few times. And each step will get you closer to whatever your goal is.”

Mr. Craft’s most notable work to date is New Kid, published in 2019. This graphic novel tells the story of Jordan Banks, a young African American boy navigating life at a prestigious private school where he is one of the few students of color. New Kid received widespread praise for its thoughtful exploration of identity, race, and belonging. In 2020, it became the first graphic novel to win the prestigious

Jerry Craft with a few of the illustrations he created during his visit.

Newbery Medal. Mr. Craft’s contributions to children’s literature have earned him numerous awards and accolades, and his work continues to resonate with readers of all ages. He remains an influential figure in the literary community, using his talents to promote empathy, understanding, and inclusivity.

Following the School Meeting, a discussion session with Form I students delved deeper into Mr. Craft’s themes and process. In Form I English, students engage with a wide selection of literature exploring the theme of heroism. They examine what characteristics define a hero and what values are esteemed in themselves and others. The curriculum challenges students to look beyond events and analyze dimensions such as voice, tone, theme, character, and style. Besides New Kid, the reading list includes The Diary of Anne Frank; The Pearl; The House on Mango Street; The Call of the Wild; Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths; and Warriors Don’t Cry

david wallace-wells | April 22, 2024

Author and New York Times columnist David Wallace-Wells spoke in Chapel on Earth Day, reflecting on the progress the world has made in addressing climate change and the challenges that still exist. Mr. Wallace-Wells was previously the deputy editor of New York Magazine, where he wrote a column on climate change and where his viral cover story, “The Uninhabitable Earth,” was met with widespread acclaim, paving the way for his book of the same title.

“I do think the progress [we’ve made] is worth [mentioning],” Mr. Wallace-Wells told the boys. “Not just because it’s true, and not just because it’s a kind of antidote to feelings of despair; it may actually fill you with some hope for the future and our climate’s future.” He stressed that the progress made reminds us simply how much can change and that what seemed impossible ten years ago to a climate activist is now fairly normal. “What seems impossible now may be normal ten years from now. And that’s a lesson well beyond climate, that the systems we see as permanent and unchanging end up changing only when we choose to change them and only when we try to take control and force the hand of those in charge. But they can be changed.”

Mr. Wallace-Wells impressed upon the boys that we’ve made the progress we’ve made because millions of people, many of them teenagers, decided to make it happen, to listen to their conscience and refuse to be silenced in taking the action that they knew was right. “So what action should you take…at the School and your lives going forward?” he asked the boys. “Of course, that’s up to you….Everyone has a role, though, whether it’s through politics, or social justice, or entrepreneurship, or engineering. The future will be transformed by all of these forces.”

Charlie Maws ’26, Alex Maws ’89, and Greg Schneider.

alex maws ’89 | April 29, 2024

Alex Maws ’89 addressed the topic of the Holocaust. Mr. Maws, who was introduced by his nephew, Charlie Maws ’26, is the Head of Education and Heritage at the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR). He champions and evaluates Holocaust educational programs across the UK and is also the producer and host of the AJR’s podcast, “Kindertransport—Remembering & Rethinking.” He is a member of the UK delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and regularly trains teachers and policymakers internationally on issues relating to the Holocaust and antisemitism. After graduating from Belmont Hill, Mr. Maws earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in social justice and education from the UCL Institute of Education.

Mr. Maws spoke to the School about the Holocaust in the context of his own family history. “The family of almost every Jewish person you know has trauma in it,” he explained to the boys. “Our family trees are missing entire branches.” He closed by explaining that a key theme in Jewish history has been the struggle for Jewish people in many countries to peacefully exist there as Jews. “Are we allowed to be Jewish at the same time as being Polish or Russian or American without those identities being seen as in conflict with one another?” he asked. “Without it being seen as a problem that needs to be corrected, I don’t expect you to be able to easily answer that. But maybe you will leave here with some new questions to think about. I very much hope that you will.”

Mr. Maws took questions from the audience and then met with students for a deeper discussion.

David Wallace-Wells, John McAlpin and Greg Schneider.

Commencement 2024

senior family picnic

May 23, 2024

1. Lukas Lenkutis and family, Lilia, Jennifer, and Gintaras.

2. Nolan Bibbo and Sean Scales.

3. Davin Roy with parents Deb and Rupal.

4. Cole Sparks and family.

5. Nan and Garrett Theberge.

6. CJ Winchenbaugh and family.

7. William Flaherty and Matt Flaherty.

8. Finn Fox, Charlie Walsh, Luke Travaglini, and Nick Ascione.

9. Rafael Rodriguez Montgomery (second from right) and family.

10. Nick Andersen and his family.

Form VI Yearbook Dinner

May 16, 2024

1. Ruth Sweeney (Sundial dedicatee) and yearbook editor Lev Tolkoff.

2. Yearbook editor Daniel Xie and Ted Martellini (Sundial dedicatee).

3. Alumni President George Lynch ’88 addressed the students.

4. Riley Goodman.

5. Ian Schmidek, Duncan Kilbride, Ted Martellini, Max Glick, Tobias Jonas, Daniel Xie, Nathan Pappas, Aaron Stanger, and Jake Kornmehl.

6. Seated: Jack Luehrman, Andrew Bittner, and Jackson Pagán. Standing: Ian Hendrix, Jack Sheehan, Lev Tolkoff, Mark Price, Anthony Galvagna, and Gabe Simmons.

7. Jack Sheehan and Jack Luehrman.

8. Nick Ascione and Peter Fiumara.

9. Ibrahima Barry.

10. Brady Miller, Haden Bottiglieri, and Ian Hendrix.

11. Zach Khozozian and Sean Horkan.

12. Seniors enjoying their first look at the 2024 Sundial

Class of 2024

Cum Laude Society

May 9, 2024

A breakfast was held on May 9 to honor the Class of 2024 Cum Laude Society members. The Cum Laude Society is dedicated to honoring scholastic achievement in secondary schools. It is a fellowship of scholars that recognizes students for their excellence in academic work and personal integrity. Belmont Hill’s Cum Laude chapter was established in 1929 and is one of just 382 worldwide. Approximately 4,000 students are inducted into the Society annually.

1. Students who were present for the Cum Laude breakfast pose on the sundial steps: First step: Nathan Pappas, Luke Guleserian, Mark Price, and Andrew Bittner. Second step: Aaron Stanger and Haden Bottiglieri. Third step: Duncan Kilbride, Brian Lee, Alex Behn, Nate Voss, and Luke Trevisan. Back row: Aidan Lee, Angus Harrison, Kevin Weldon, and Jackson Pagán.

2. Members of the College Counseling office, Jamie Phinney, Walker Coppedge ’94 (speaking), and Charlie Doar.

class of 2024

Cum Laude Society Members

Alexander Behn

Andrew Bittner

Haden Bottiglieri

Samuel Davis

Luke Guleserian

Angus Harrison

Duncan Kilbride

Aidan Lee

Brian Lee

Jackson Pagán

Nathan Pappas

Mark Price

Aaron Stanger  Luke Trevisan

Nathaniel Voss

Kevin Weldon

recruited athletes breakfast

May 23, 2024

Students who were recruited for athletics during the college process were honored at a breakfast on May 23 at the Alumni House. Kit Hughes ’97, the athletic director at Holy Cross, was this year’s guest speaker.

1. Kit Hughes ’97.

2. Head Coach Tim Sullivan, Declan Reilly, Finn Fox, Jack Schneider, Ben DiBattista, Sean Horkan, Will Stewart, and Coach Dixon Hargrove.

3. Kneeling: CJ Winchenbaugh, Will Stewart, Cord Vallis, Ben DiBattista, Jake McManus, Brady Miller, Sean Horkan, and Will Yakoobian. Standing: Peter Fiumara, Miles Sandoski, Nick Hart-Nibbrig, Alexander Vittal, Nick Andersen, Declan Reilly, Finn Fox, Haden Bottiglieri, Charlie Walsh, Jack Schneider, Nolan Bibbo, Brendan Young, and Aidan Monahan.

May 30, 2024

1. The Prize Day procession is led by a bagpiper.

2. The B-Flats, led by Donnell Patterson, perform “The Star Spangled Banner.”

3. Sam Dean ’24.

4. Class of 2029 members Kyle Ayres, Damian David, Finn Davis, and Roy Jackson.

5. The awarding of the Charles Kenney ’06 Prize by Anne Detmer and Charlie Kenney to Finn Fox ’24.

6. Middle School award winners.

7. Ruth Sweeney.

8. Ethan Sidman ’24 and Greg Schneider.

9. Andy Davis ’07 and Ted Martellini.

10. Todd Davis and Gabe Umlas ’25.

11. Upper School award winners.

faculty & staff recognition

40 Years

Ted Martellini

30 Years

Steven Kaplan ’83

Michael Thompson

25 Years

Christopher Butler

Eileen Foley

Shelly Kroll

Betsy Parrot

20 Years

Ann landiorio

June Schmunk

Paula Wright 15 Years

Stephen George

Grayson Holland ’05

10 Years

Rebecca Beltz

Lora Farkas

Kerry Friedman

Michael Jones

Jeanne Tift

5 Years

Jennifer Baker

Christopher Bracken ’15

Cameron Chittock

David Cunningham ’12

Maya Gorman

Bernadette Keough

Graham Masiiwa

Elton Matos

Anna McDonald

Tobias McDougal

Sharon Patton

George Sullivan ’07

Annie Westlund

1. Rebecca Beltz, Maya Gorman, Kerry Friedman, Anna McDonald, Jeanne Tift, Cam Chittock, Lora Farkas, June Schmunk, Chris Bracken ’15, Ann Iandiorio, Ted Martellini, Jen Baker, Paula Wright, Chris Butler, Graham Masiiwa, Grayson Holland ’05, Betsy Parrot, Bernadette Keough, and Shelly Kroll.

2. Steve Kaplan ’83.

May 31, 2024

1. Aidan Lee ’24 center, with his parents, Brian and Jinmy.

2. Luke Trevisan ’24.

3. Members of the B-Flats: Luke Travaglini, Ian Hendrix, Nick Ascione, and Declan Reilly.

4. Scott Black ’24 was awarded the Panel Prize by Steve Kaplan ’83.

5. Ruth Sweeney.

6. Greg Schneider.

7. TJ Cannistraro ’24.

8. Ted Martellini.

9. Vallis brothers: Colin ’19, Christian, and Cord ’24.

10. Cord Vallis and Nick Acsione.

11. Picking up the official graduate tie.

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

Address delivered by Field Yates ’05 on June 1, 2024

Belmont Hill School’s Class of 2024 was treated to an inspirational Commencement address from an alumnus whose journey to a fulfilling career in sports media exemplifies the values of hard work, perseverance, and community support.

Field Yates, a 2005 Belmont Hill graduate, is an NFL Insider at ESPN known for his analysis, breaking news, and fantasy football insights. He has written for ESPN.com and participated in ESPN’s Fantasy Football Marathon and NFL Draft coverage. Before ESPN, Yates spent two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and interned for four summers with the New England Patriots. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Wesleyan University.

Addressing the graduates and their families, Mr. Yates began by recognizing the pivotal roles played by his family, friends, and the faculty of Belmont Hill. He also recalled Andy Cadiff ’73’s Commencement address from 2005, noting the profound lessons he took to heart and shared with today’s graduates.

Reflecting on his own journey since sitting among his classmates 19 years ago, Mr. Yates shared four invaluable life lessons that have guided his path and continue to inspire those around him.

The following remarks are an excerpt from the Commencement address.

Field Yates ’05.

LESSON ONE: PAY YOUR DUES

Recalling his early days as an entry-level football scout, Mr. Yates emphasized the importance of humility and hard work. “I learned the importance of doing things right the first time,” he recounted, “and the difficulty of earning trust.” Despite the challenges and meager pay, he credited this foundational experience as pivotal to his growth and success.

LESSON TWO: BET ON YOURSELF

Transitioning from a career path in football scouting to sports media, he faced uncertainty and skepticism. “If I didn’t believe in myself, no one was going to believe in me,” Mr. Yates asserted. Through perseverance, he navigated a competitive industry, eventually securing a position with ESPN—a testament to the power of determination.

LESSON THREE: HEED THE CALL

“I found that many defining opportunities in life come during unsuspecting moments,” said Mr. Yates. “There’s fear in not knowing what is going to happen if you fail in those moments. But there is promise in the hope of what those opportunities can become. Never let the fear of failure guide you. Instead, heed the call.”

LESSON FOUR: ASK FOR HELP TO PAY IT FORWARD

Acknowledging the support of mentors like Adam Schefter and Peter King, Mr. Yates underscored the value of seeking guidance and giving back to one’s community. “Never hesitate to ask for assistance,” he urged the graduates, emphasizing the interconnectedness and strength of the Belmont Hill network. “And when you do, pledge to yourself that you’ll one day help out a fellow Belmont Hill graduate when it’s your time to do so.”

1. Tobias Jonas and Jack Schneider.

2. Nate Voss.

3. Nick Fiumara.

4. John McAlpin.

5. Ian Hendrix.

6. Michael Sherman.

7. Zack Khozozian, James Mullowney, Lucca Micciche, Alexander Vittal, CJ Winchenbaugh, and Derek Potamis.

8. Turned toward camera: Noah Farb, Ethan Sidman, and Jack McWeeny.

9. Greg Schneider, Luke Travaglini, and Field Yates ’05.

10. Greg Schneider and Luke Travaglini lead the Class of 2024 and faculty into the Commencement Tent.

11. Nolan Bibbo, Andrew Bittner, Scott Black, Haden Bottiglieri, and Julian Boutin.

12. Chris (’83) and Ruth Sweeney.

13. School President Luke Travaglini.

14. Ibrahima Barry, Nick Ascione, and Nick Andersen.

15. Brothers Jaiden Lee ’26 and Brian Lee.

16. The Class of 2024 entering the Commencement Tent.

18. Board of Trustees President Jon Biotti ’87.

19. Marty Williams, Dan Fulham, Ted Martellini, and Don Bradley.

20. The graduates lined up on the Head’s Hill to be congratulated by faculty members.

21. Carver Porter, Nate Pappas, Cal Peterson, Julian Boutin, and TJ Cannistraro.

22. A new tradition of a graduates’ receiving line. Offering congratulations: Jon Biotti ’87 and Greg Schneider.

17. Ceiba Wild and Will Stewart.

CLASS OF 2024 MATRICULATION

Bates College (2)

Bentley University

Boston College (6)

Bowdoin College

Brandeis University

Brown University

Bucknell University

University of Chicago (3)

Colgate University (2)

College of the Holy Cross (2)

Columbia University

Connecticut College (2)

Cornell University

Dartmouth College

Davidson College

Duke University (2)

Fairfield University

George Washington University

Georgetown University (2)

Hamilton College

Harvard College (5)

Indiana University

Johns Hopkins University (2)

Lafayette College

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

University of Michigan

University of Notre Dame

University of Pennsylvania

Penn State University

Pomona College

Princeton University (2)

Purdue University (2)

University of Richmond

Skidmore College

Southern Methodist University

St. Lawrence University (2)

Stonehill College

Syracuse University

University of Texas at Austin

Trinity College (4)

Tufts University (3)

Tulane University (2)

Union College (2)

Vanderbilt University

Villanova University

Wake Forest University

Washington and Lee University

Washington University in St. Louis

Williams College (2)

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Yale University (3)

Arts on the Hill

A painting of Dr. Calloway by Daniel Xie ’24.

1. Ryan Chang-Wu ’27.

2. James Keefe ’25 and Kyle Ayres ’29.

3. Kyle Ayres ’29, James Keefe ’25, Boston Ezedi ’26, Andrew Agular ’28, and Jayden Chen ’26.

4. Charlie Crowley ’25 and Henry Hagedorn ’25 singing “Home” by Edward Sharpe.

5. Morgan Rich ’27, ceramics.

6. Upper School Jazz performing “How Insensitive” at the final Spring Concert.

7. Ryan Chang-Wu ’27, woodworking.

8. The B-Flats under direction of Donnell Patterson at the final Spring Concert.

9. Yareh Constant ’25 and the Symphonic Orchestra.

10. Will Achtmeyer ’26 and Jayden Chen ’26.

11. Photo by Jack Schneider ’24.

12. Emma Beswick (Winsor), Tyler Aronoff ’28, and Leila Pan (Winsor).

13. Spring 2024’s Coffee House Performers, including Ms. Rylee Allen.

14. Kyle Ayres ’29.

15. Photo by Daniel Slatkavitz ’24.

16. Brady Paquette ’25 reciting “Love Poem” by Rudy Francisco.

17. Ethan Xie ’26, Brandon Li ’26, and TJ Cannistraro ’24 playing and singing “You Are My Sunshine.”

18. Arun Lenhart ’29, Hugh Wylie ’28, and Matthew Williams ’28 of Middle School Rock with Ms. Allen on bass guitar, performing “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” by John Mayer.

19. Charles Phillippe Jean Pierre, visiting artist, works with students on a collaborative project.

20. Clockwise: Mr. Paul DiResta, PJ Nolan ’27, Sebastian Colberg ’27, Kyle Ayres ’29, Ovie Ojeni, James Keefe ’25, Ms. Sarah Bradley, Ms. Rylee Allen, Will Achtmeyer ’26, Boston Ezedi ’26, and Jayden Chen ’26.

21. Will Achtmeyer ’26, Kyle Ayres ’29, Jayden Chen ’26, and James Keefe ’25.

22. Photo by Will Sandor ’27.

23. The B-Flats under direction of Donnell Patterson at the final Spring Concert.

24. Photo by Liam MacLean ’27.

25. Ty Jarvis ’27, ceramics.

26. PJ Nolan ’27, Andrew Agular ’28, James Keefe ’25, Kyle Ayres ’29, Jayden Chen ’26, and Boston Ezedi ’26.

27. Andrew Agular ’28 and Kyle Ayres ’29.

28. TJ Cannistraro ’24 and Riley Goodman ’24 performing “Uprising” by Muse.

29. Photo by JJ Pena ’26.

NEWS FROM THE MAKERSPACE

By Matthew Ziff

It was an exciting year in the Bolles Makerspace. After 2.5 years since the space’s opening, Making at Belmont Hill has truly hit its stride, with success in extracurriculars and collaborations across all of the academic departments.

Projects extended to every academic department and in every form, a huge accomplishment that could only happen due to the amazing faculty and their willingness to always keep learning and adapting. The Classics Department brought many interesting projects, such as the laser cut villas in Latin Alpha and the “Caesar Project” in Latin Gamma, where students act as broadcast reporters to show “exactly” how reporters of the time might have covered battlefield reporting. Students made use of every area of the Makerspace, from 3D printing props to learning to use the green screen room in the Recording Studio.

The English Department brought back their Odyssey Boardgame project, which tasked students with creating their own take on classic boardgames with trivia related to “The Odyssey.” The Math Department once again gave some students an opportunity to apply their skills to “real world applications” with some demos in robotic kinematics and advanced math using the two 6-axis collaborative robotic arms in the Makerspace. In the Science Department, many amazing projects were completed across several classes. The Form III Introduction to Engineering final project tasked students with joining the “Maker Movement” to create a solution to solve a problem for a real person. While every project was impactful in its own way, two in particular stood out this spring semester. The first project created 20 low-cost “Gaze Boards,” a device to help

someone communicate by interpreting eye movements, that were shipped out to a school district in Texas to better support the learning of students with disabilities. The second project created a simple “thumb prosthetic” using 3D printing and various supplies found around the Makerspace for a student’s father who had lost the upper portion in an accident. The students used skills they learned in class throughout the semester to create simple, yet incredibly meaningful and impactful solutions, and provided a fantastic example of what it means to be a “Maker.”

Outside of the classroom, the Robotics and Drone teams achieved success throughout their respective seasons. BH Robotics hosted our first home tournament back in November 2023, and will be hosting an even larger tournament this year on November 2, 2024. The US Robotics team performed well, receiving an Excellence and a Judge’s Award, ending their season with a strong run at the Southern New England Regional Championships. The MS Robotics team’s incredible season led to a return trip to the VRC World Championships after multiple Excellence, Tournament Championship, Tournament Finalist, and Design Awards. Both MS and US programs are positioned for success with the program more than doubling in size, increasing from two teams to five across both levels. Additionally, I was awarded the “Mentor of the Year Award” for the Southern New England region, something I am incredibly proud of, but couldn’t have done without the extremely motivated students I am so fortunate to work with.

After the graduation of all members of the 2022 National Championship-winning Drones in School team BH Drones, the program started fresh with a very motivated group of Form IV students, who worked hard throughout the season and earned a spot at the National Race in San Diego this April, where they were able to capture 4th place overall and win the Judge’s Choice Award. I know they are excited to come back next season as they try to win it all, and may have some friendly internal competition as a second BH Drones team is in the works as well.

1. On November 12, 2023, Belmont Hill hosted its first Vex Robotics tournament on campus, bringing 24 teams from around New England to compete in a full day of robotics.

2. The US Drone team attended the Drones in School National Race, April 23–26. They placed 4th overall and won the Judge’s Choice award. From left to right: Nicky Jones ’26, Brody Lindstrom-Chalpin ’26, Boston Ezedi ’26, Jai Somani ’26, Mason Iandiorio ’26, and Jayden Chen ’26.

3. The MS Robotics team attended the Vex Robotics World Championships, April 27–May 5. From left to right: Mr. Ziff, Ben Qin ’29, Suhas Kaniyar ’28, Arun Lenhart ’29, Henry Price ’29, Kai Fuse ’29, Patrick Snail ’28, and Ryan Ho ’28.

4. Belmont Hill’s Upper School robot.

After 2.5 years since the space’s opening, Making at Belmont Hill has truly hit its stride, with success in extracurriculars and collaborations across all of the academic departments.

Coaches’ Corner

Alpine Skiing

PETER CREEDON, Head Coach

The Alpine ski team completed an incredible championship season. Battling adverse weather, intense competition, and endless challenges, both varsity and junior varsity groups showed their talent and resiliency in clinching the ISL Championship in their final race. The consistency of our varsity skiers was outstanding, and in the end, when added to our depth, it sealed our first ISL championship in years. It seemed like each week we had standout performances from our athletes; it was quite a season.

In addition to the weekly ISL showdowns at Nashoba Valley, the varsity team traveled to Waterville Valley, NH where they competed with the top schools in New England at the NEPSAC championships. Over the course

of one of the coldest, most brutal days, the boys continued their season of success, posting scores that earned them second place. This was an incredible finish against competitive schools.

Not for one instant did the level of intensity and competitiveness wane. The team practiced in the same manner that they competed; focus and intensity were consistent. For our graduating seniors, we wish nothing but the best as they begin their collegiate journeys. They set the example that our skiers will continue to follow when it comes to sportsmanship, dedication, and drive.

I’m so proud of the athletes and everything they accomplished this year. They were a remarkable group and one that I had fun coaching and skiing with every single day. Whether the top skier on varsity or an improving JV competitor, the athletes were comfortable being challenged, hungry for improvement, and ready to take the next step in their skiing development! I’m excited to see what the future holds for this incredible championship team! Look for them to defend their ISL title next winter.

Basketball

COREY COFIELD, Head Coach

The 2023–2024 basketball team finished 10-15 overall and 6-9 in the ISL. The team ranked 11th in the ISL, which was by far the strongest and most competitive the ISL has been in a decade. Our goals this year were to continue to grow our culture and our program in addition to focusing on improving as a team; one which values each other and competes for one another. Through adversity, we learned how to connect with and trust one another, which enabled us to pull off some great wins. We opened our season with a thrilling double OT home victory against a tough Class A opponent St. Paul’s. From there the boys traveled to Marian, MA to play against two other Class A schools, Choate and Avon, going 1-1 as we headed into the Winter Break. This was an amazing opportunity for the boys, during which they bonded and matured as a team.

As the year progressed, we had a few setbacks as many teams do, but perhaps the most impressive aspect of this year, and what makes me most proud as a head coach, was the way these boys fought through adversity, stayed mentally strong, and focused on being a team. In January,

we had some difficult, frustrating losses but also some exciting wins. Key wins included Suffield, Deerfield, St. Mark’s, and Middlesex, but none more exciting than the two Friday night away victories against RL and St. Seb’s. During these games, everyone contributed and played a key role in our success. As is the culture of Belmont Hill basketball, the boys illustrated grit and toughness and were able to come out on top. This year also was a special year for several individuals, but one in particular. On January 27, Isaiah Langham ’25 scored his 1,000th point for the Hill, an accomplishment not shared by many and perhaps most impressive was that this was accomplished during his junior year. Next year, Isaiah has a chance to add to his total and become one of Belmont Hill’s top performers on the hardwood.

Thank you to our seniors, Tyler Hanson, Daniel Slatkavitz, and Will Yakoobian (captain), who provided great leadership and toughness throughout the year. They were not only vocal leaders but also individuals who led by example each day in practice and throughout each game. A special thank you and shout out to Will, who throughout his four-year tenure displayed discipline and a tremendous work ethic. The program will miss such a committed and consistent young man like Will, but we wish him good luck as he heads to Union next fall to compete for the Garnet Chargers.

We grew this year, not only as individuals but as a team. We learned to trust each other and encourage each other to give our all consistently. The future is bright for the program and we will continue to push each other, trust each other, and compete for one another. Boys, thank you for a fun year!

Hockey

BRIAN PHINNEY, Head Coach

Similar to the past year, the 2023–2024 season offered many new opportunities to both returning and new players after graduating ten players from the previous year. Seniors Stephen Kilcoyne, Ben Hack, Lucca Micciche, Marco Beshere, and Captain Jake McManus led the way. The team also featured two returning goalies, Keagin Wilson ’25 and JJ Thibodeau ’26, who both provided quality goaltending, including some miraculous saves, throughout the season. Helping to solidify the defensive structure for the team were Grayson Cohen ’25, Lindan Verville ’25, Evan Dresser ’25, Jack Duffy ’25, and newcomers Louie Marobella ’26 and Brady Sloper ’27.

An early loss to Nobles grabbed the team’s attention and sparked a run of success through the holiday season, including winning the Lawrenceville Tournament. As the calendar turned to 2024, the team embarked upon its journey through the bulk of the ISL schedule. While there were some losses along the way, the team continued to improve. Some of the January highlights included an exciting win against St. Sebastian’s at home and a 2-1 OT win at Governor’s, where Stephen Fabiano ’25 scored a powerplay goal in the final seconds of regulation to tie the game and again scored on the powerplay to win the game early in overtime. February saw a run of five-straight

significant wins, a streak that would help the team qualify for playoffs, driven by the offensive output of players like Jake Tavares ’26, David Bosco ’27, Andrew Waugh ’25, Patrick Woods ’26, Jin Lee ’25, Andrew Giguere ’27, Luis Kuehberger ’25, and Matt Carolan ’26. Most notable were a come-from-behind win against Milton and a full-team effort that won the day against a talented Nobles team. The team also received a late-season boost with the return of Mikey Sullivan ’25, who had broken his leg during the Nichols Tournament. As noted earlier, the team was able to qualify for the end-of-the-season Large School Tournament but lost a hard-fought battle in the opening round at Dexter. In true Belmont Hill fashion, the team represented the School with pride and bought into the concept of “team.” Their growth throughout the season was a testament to the group’s strong work ethic and eagerness to improve.

Many thanks go to coaches Robert Wright, John Halverson ’02, Brett Abel, Jerry Pawloski, and managers Chris McEvoy, Ryan Pohl, and Jack Mazur. Extra special thanks to everyone who supported the team, including faculty and staff, family and friends, Athletic Director George Tahan, Assistant Athletic Director Anthony Fucillo, Willis Negron, Dennis Chin, John King, Keith Carey, Joe Reynolds, Shawn Anderson, and the staff at the Jordan Athletic Center. Thank you to the sub-varsity coaches Andy Davis ’07, Mike Cherpek, Jon Burgess, Jamie Phinney, Dixon Hargrove, Dave Cunningham ’12, George Tahan, Mark Paré, Wayne Griffith, and Jim Peck ’77. Best of luck to next year’s team.

Nordic Skiing

JAKE DEC APRIO ’16, Head Coach

The 2023–2024 Nordic Ski season was very much defined by the team’s response and resilience to the adverse conditions of the winter as the team returned to competition in the Lakes Region League in New Hampshire and against local independent schools at the Weston Ski Track. With both a strong nucleus of returning skiers and some promising young skiers, the team hit the pavement of the Weston Bike Path and even the School’s campus for some early-season roller skiing. This dry-land training acted to reinforce good ski technique—both freestyle and classic—and teach better form.

The team’s season began in earnest during its annual Winter Break training trip to Craftsbury, VT in midDecember. New skiers Alex Chen ’27, Johannes Eikeboom ’27, Kai Fuse ’29, Riley Marth ’27, Tyler Smith ’26, Patrick Snail ’28, T.Z. Snail ’26, and Will Trautz ’27 donned their skis for the first time on the Craftsbury trails, and skiers

new and old were challenged with three daily practices and a culminating time trial before heading back to Belmont. The early-season training produced improved performances in all areas of the team. Will Walton ’25, Fitz Courtney ’27, Jack Kastner ’25, T.Z. Snail, Nate Voss ’24, and captain Lev Tolkoff ’24 rounded out the team’s top-6, setting the pace for the team in each race. Also gaining momentum and speed through the season were J.P. Fernandez del Castillo ’25 and Davis Woolbert ’25, and Eita Fuse ’26, Tyler Smith ’26, Ethan Xie ’26, and Alex Zhang ’26.

Entering the two-part championship season in late February, the team was poised for its best performances. In the Lakes Region League, the team finished in 2nd place with seven boys ranked in the top 20: Will Walton (2nd), Fitz Courtney (9th), Jack Kastner (11th), T.Z. Snail (12th), Nate Voss (13th), Lev Tolkoff (15th), and Eita Fuse (18th). At the NEPSAC Championship held at Proctor Academy, Walton finished 7th out of the top 71 male prep school skiers in New England, helping to secure a 3rd-place finish for the team. The team will sorely miss seniors Brian Lee, Jack Luehrman, Alex Schmidek, Jack Sheehan, Lev Tolkoff, Nate Voss, and Daniel Xie. At the same time, the future is bright; congratulations to captains-elect Jack Kastner and Will Walton!

Squash

ROBERT BROWNELL, Head Coach

We are a young team and we enjoyed a tremendous season. Our accomplishments read most impressively:

Jackson Tournament Champions

Undefeated ISL Champions

Class B New England Champions

Second Place Team U.S. D2 High School Nationals

Captain Leighton Calhoun ’25 was outstanding at the #1 position all year.

He anchored our team and was an excellent leader. He deservedly earned all-league ISL and all-NEPSAC honors. His win over the Green Farms #1 at the national semifinals was truly impressive and our collective performance in that round was as strong a team effort as I have seen.

Jai Karande ’25, our #2, was brilliant all along and his win against a higher-rated Choate opponent was sensational. He earned ISL all-league as well. No one works harder than Griffin Calhoun ’26, our #3, and his win at the

national finals was as gutsy a performance as I have ever witnessed. Luke Clifford ’27 had a single loss all season, an amazing accomplishment. He is prodigiously talented and we are counting on him to get even better in the years ahead. Veteran Hayden Okurowski ’25 was stalwart at #5 and he won the deciding match at the New England’s. He had a terrific season. Matthias Liem ’28 was our most improved player and he ran the table at Nationals, a stunning achievement. Griffin Ramirez ’28 played the bulk of the season at #7 and he was instrumental in our team’s win at New England’s. He and Colton Jacobs ’27 were crucial for our collective success and they will continue to be cornerstone players for us in the next few years. Our future is bright indeed. Departing senior Angus Harrison has been a delight to work with for years and I shall miss him dearly. All told, every boy was pivotal to our collective success and they all experienced an exhilarating win and a tough loss over the course of the season, good life lessons to be sure.

I’d also like to thank departing senior Sam Davis for being such a positive presence on our JV’s. He set a great example for his younger brother Lucien ’26 as well as teammates Gabe Umlas ’25, Stephen Agular ’25, Brandon Li ’26, and Teo Rivera-Wills ’27. I also can’t thank assistant coach Jason Wellemeyer enough for his help and support every day. I am grateful to him for his daily company and the hugely important role he plays. Our athletic director, George Tahan, has tirelessly supported our program behind the scenes for year, and I am forever indebted to him and his staff. Most importantly, I thank the boys and their parents. I am honored to stand beside them throughout this truly memorable championship season.

Wrestling

DON BRADLEY, Head Coach

The Belmont Hill 2024 wrestling season concluded on the final Saturday in February in several different athletic arenas. Three hundred miles from home at Lehigh University, Haden Bottiglieri ’24, Jack Dragoumanos ’25 and Isaac Novod ’27 became All-Americans at the National Prep Tournament and led Belmont Hill to a 13th-place finish out of 123 teams from across the country. Haden placed 3rd as Isaac and Jack both took 6th. Closer to home and a couple of towns over, the Middle School team—one of mostly novices 12 weeks earlier—triumphed in the junior New England Tournament at Fessenden as Milo Davis ’29 was recognized with the Bill Bourne Award as the Outstanding Middle School wrestler of the season. Meanwhile, the varsity-two team hosted the JV New England Tournament and placed eight wrestlers including three champions. In sum, it was an outstanding last weekend for the many boys who have worked so hard and improved so much this season.

The varsity squad, 41 strong, was led by senior captains Haden Bottiglieri, Cord Vallis, and Will Stewart. Fortunate as we were in both numbers and skill, we once again wrestled two varsity schedules this year over 25 matches and nine tournaments. Compiling an overall 22-3 dual meet record, the two teams lost those three matches all on the same day as varsity-one traveled to New Jersey to wrestle Blair Academy and Northfield Mt. Hermon while varsitytwo narrowly lost to a Trinity-Pawling squad that turned out to be a top-five team at the New England tournament.

After once again winning the ISL dual meet title, by defeating Roxbury Latin in a showdown at Harvard University, our victorious hosting of the Graves Kelsey Tournament was certainly a second highlight of the season as 13 Belmont Hill wrestlers advanced to the finals.

Champions included Brody Sayers ’28 and Henry Santini ’28 at 106 and 120, Isaac Novod ’29 at 113, Jack Dragoumanos ’25 at 126, Andrew Pimental ’25 and Alex White ’25 at 132 and 190, and seniors Cord Vallis, Will Stewart, and Haden Bottiglieri at 138, 165, and 175. Placing second was Nick “Moose” Fiumara ’26 at 285, Wesley Zhu ’25 at 145, and senior Aaron Stanger at 113. At the conclusion of the tournament, the league coaches recognized Haden Bottiglieri as the outstanding wrestler in the ISL and voted him the Globe All-Scholastic Award.

One week later, at the New England Prep Wrestling Tournament, the team placed third behind overall champion Greens Farm Academy and runnerup Northfield Mount Hermon. Eleven out of our 13 qualifiers placed including champions Isaac Novod and Haden Bottiglieri, with 2nd places to Jack Dragoumanos and Henry Santini, third places to Andrew Pimental and Cord Vallis, 4th to Aaron Stanger, 5th to Myles Beckett, and 6ths to Wesley Zhu and Alex White.

All of this success would not have been possible without the leadership of all of our seniors including Riley Goodman, Duncan Kilbride, Derek Potamis, and Kevin Weldon as well as our managers Mark Price and Rafael RodriguezMontgomery. Nor would it ever have happened without the skill, passion, and dedication of the Belmont Hill wrestling coaches—Dave Leonardis, Todd Davis, Steve Kaplan ’83, George Sullivan ’07, Will Ryan ’16, Marty Williams, and Bryce Anderson ’19. Great thanks also to our Athletic Director George Tahan, his assistants Andy Davis, Anthony Fucillo, and Peter Creedon—and to Willis Negron in the cage—and to Dennis Chin and John King our superb athletic trainers.

At the season-ending banquet, a number of our wrestlers were singled out for special team awards. Seniors Aaron Stanger, Cord Vallis, and Haden Bottiglieri were recognized with the Gilbert S. Jordan trophy for “Greatest Contribution.” Juniors Wesley Zhu and Alex White received the William “Bingo” Emerson Award for “Most Improved.” Fellow juniors George Carroll and Myles Beckett received the Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award. We also announced Captains and look forward to the leadership next year of Andrew Pimental and Alex White.

My final thanks is to our wonderful parents.

Baseball

DAVE CUNNINGHAM ’12, Head Coach

With a 7-4 ISL regular-season record, an overall record of 12-9, and an appearance in the semifinals of the inaugural postseason tournament, the varsity baseball team concluded an overall successful season out on the diamond. While we entered the season with a bevy of unknowns and question marks, the group’s bond was apparent from the first practice. In addition to the obvious connectedness, the coaching staff was immensely proud of the team’s unwavering competitiveness, buy-in of the program’s mission of sportsmanship, and serious pride in donning a Belmont Hill uniform.

A veteran group with depth and versatility, the boys were challenged by some of the top programs and individual players across New England. In fact, the team learned very quickly of the league’s prowess, splitting a doubleheader with eventual Central New England champion Deerfield Academy, followed by a home-opening loss to Bridgton Academy. While the early two losses might have been insurmountable for some, our squad refused to accept complacency, using the defeats as learning opportunities and fuel for future success.

Once the team hit ISL play, they were prepared and started off the conference schedule with a defining 3-2 win over Milton Academy, spearheaded by our three captains, Brady Miller ’24, Charlie Walsh ’24, and Nick Andersen ’24, who combined for two home runs and a complete game victory on the mound.

Following a commanding 4-1 league victory over Tabor Academy, the boys then set off for two games against St. George’s and Austin Prep, where the chaos really ensued. Although we went 1-1 in the contests, our pitching staff combined for back-to-back combined no-hitters, a feat which one would be hard pressed to match. Nick Hart-Nibbrig ’24, Sam Dean ’24, Jack O’Brien ’26, and Nick Fantasia ’27 were the hurlers who earned a piece of Belmont Hill history.

In the final four games of the season, the boys willed their way to a 3-1 record, highlighted by Brady Miller’s and Jack Duffy’s ’25 complete-game shutouts of Nobles and Middlesex, respectively. The team finished ISL play in 4th place, good enough for a home game quarterfinal matchup against Governor’s Academy.

In the first inning of the game, the bats came alive and we jumped out to an early 5-1 lead, capitalized by a bases-clearing triple from Brian Seo ’26. In the bottom of the 4th inning, Nick Andersen blasted a towering home run pushing us to a 7-3 lead, but that was quickly lost following a 5th inning three-run bomb by the opposition. In the top of the 7th inning, the home squad found themselves up by one run, with the bases loaded and zero outs. With a little love from the baseball gods, we escaped the jam with a 6-1-3 double play between Charlie Walsh, Eric Willi ’26, and Zach Khozozian ’26, followed by a swinging strikeout delivered from Jack Duffy. The excitement was palpable.

Unfortunately, our championship dreams would come to an end the following Saturday against eventual champion St. Sebastian’s in a hard-fought 3-2 loss. The group still had the opportunity to spend one more week together en route to a Senior Day victory over Brooks and rivalry win against BB&N.

With such a successful squad filled with talented players, Belmont Hill garnered much-deserved recognition from the ISL coaches. Three players were named to the ISL All-Conference team: pitcher Brady Miller, outfielder Nick Andersen, and third baseman/pitcher Nolan Bibbo ’24. In addition, three players were given ISL Honorable mention recognition: shortstop Charlie Walsh, first baseman Zach Khozozian, and pitcher Jack Duffy.

Two of our players also earned spots on the All-New England teams. Reigning ISL MVP Brady Miller was selected as a member of the first team, while Nolan Bibbo earned a place on the second team for his outstanding two-way performance all season long.

The team also honored several players at our year-end Athletics Awards Chapel. Nick Andersen and Charlie Walsh won the Langdon Prouty Jr. Baserunning trophy. Jake McManus earned the Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award, Nolan Bibbo and Zach Khozozian shared the Most Improved Player Award, and our Team MVP Award was earned by Brady Miller.

The talented and deep senior class will surely be missed by the baseball program next year. Captains Brady Miller, Nick Andersen, and Charlie Walsh were amongst the strongest leaders the program, and the School, have to offer. We genuinely thank these three for their service to our beloved baseball community, as well as our graduating seniors Nolan Bibbo, Jake McManus, Zach Khozozian, Stephen Kilcoyne, Matthew Flaherty, Luke Travaglini, Sam Dean, Nick Hart-Nibbrig, and Brendan Young.

The 2023–2024 season was a great one for Belmont Hill crew and included a number of firsts for our team: our first-ever squad of over 50 members, our first trip to the Northeast Regionals (and first time competing in the 4-), and our first JV Championship regatta (thanks to Brooks School). From the 1V4+ to the 5V8, all of our crews had very successful racing seasons. We won our fifteenth NEIRA team title since 2003 and both our 1V4+ and 1V4- had strong A-final finishes at Youth Nationals.

We followed a productive and encouraging opening in early March with a solid vacation training week on the Charles. Though Mother Nature was not especially cooperative through the early spring, the guys made good progress in terms of both fitness and technique. Soon enough, racing season was upon us, and all of the crews performed admirably in our early-season scrimmages with the top schools from the 8s league (Exeter, Kent, Deerfield, and Andover) before our top two eights split into fours. The 1V4-4V4 all went undefeated through the season, including Bassett Cup victories over our rivals at Nobles. Our 5V4 caught fire at the end of April and proceeded to work their way swiftly up through the ranks of our team over the course of the next few weeks—

ultimately ending up as our 2V4. At NEIRAs, our top three crews all won gold while the 4V4 rowed to a strong silver; the team scored 47 of the maximum possible 49 points and won the Team Championship for the second consecutive year. The 1V4+ and 1V4-, having qualified at Northeast Regionals the week before NEIRAs, wrapped up the season at Youth Nationals in Sarasota, FL, where both rowed impressively but fell just short of the medal stand.

Our lower boats (3V8-5V8) also had fantastic results.

With a “we will take on anyone” attitude, the crews ventured all over to race—from Hanover to Andover to Deerfield to Brooks and elsewhere. Our 3V8, which definitively handled both the NEIRA Gold & Silver medalists (Exeter and Deerfield, respectively), made a compelling argument to be the fastest schoolboy 3V8 in New England. The 4V8 and 5V8 were also impressive.

The seniors on the team really set the tone and were great leaders and key contributors to our success this spring, in particular, captains Andrew Bittner, Alex Schmidek, and Aaron Stanger. Our coaching roster—Steve George, Graeme Calloway, Lawrence Lopez-Menzies, Rich Sampson, David Parker, Ray Parejo, and Gregg Stone— remained peerless. The 2024–2025 team will be led by the three veterans of this spring’s first boat: Jack Kastner ’25, Vince Mezzanotte ’25, and Will Walton ’25. We have a terrific group of returning rowers and coxes and are already excited about next spring for Belmont Hill Crew!

Crew

CHRIS RICHARDS, Head Coach

CHARLIE DOAR, Head Coach

The Belmont Hill golf program has fielded very strong teams in recent years. The 2023–2024 squad was no different. Led by two cornerstone senior captains, Aidan Monahan, and CJ Winchenbaugh, our lineup was deep and experienced this year. After an undefeated regular season (19-0-2), Belmont Hill won the Walworth-Sullivan Trophy as ISL regular season champions for the third year in a row. With the chance to win the Kingman Cup for the second consecutive year, however, the work was not yet done.

On May 20, five players traveled to Red Tail Golf Club to compete against 13 other ISL schools in the Kingman Tournament, an 18-hole stroke-play contest. Despite a challenging layout, Belmont Hill shot a team score of 283 (-5), likely the lowest score in the history

of the Kingman. Leading the way was CJ Winchenbaugh with a 69 (-3), followed by Doran Gibbs ’27 (-2); Aidan Monahan, Ryan Hoffman ’25, and Joey Monahan ’28 each shot 72 (E). Belmont Hill was 16 shots better than the second-place team and each of our five players earned All-League.

For the second consecutive year, Belmont Hill swept both the regular season and postseason championships, uncommon to achieve in one year, let alone consecutively.

Before our emphatic finale at Red Tail, this group of nine young men—also including Alex Behn ’24, Jack Mazur ’25, Alex Laidlaw ’25, and Marcus Huang ’27—competed at the highest level throughout the season while representing themselves and the School exceptionally. They shared a chemistry born of a mutual love of the game, each other, and their school.

Seniors Alex Behn, Aidan Monahan, and CJ Winchenbaugh will leave a lasting legacy on our program; however, those who will return next year and those who will join them will be eager to leave their own mark on a proud program.

Golf

Lacrosse

Finishing the season with an overall record of 17-1 and a 14-0 league record, the 2023–2024 varsity lacrosse team battled its way through an especially intense and challenging schedule to secure the program’s league-leading 14th ISL Championship. In doing so, the team finished 10th in the U.S. Lacrosse National Rankings, the highest finish for any Belmont Hill lacrosse team, ever. Captains and four-year letter winners Will Stewart and Finn Fox, along with Declan Reilly and fellow seniors Ben DiBattista (4-year letter winner), Mac Greene, Ian Hendrix, Sean Horkan, James Mullowney, Cal Peterson, Jack Schneider, and Jack Sheehan all worked together to set the standard of excellence for championship play and team togetherness both on and off the field.

The team kicked off the season taking on its most challenging preseason schedule in recent memory with scrimmages against Salisbury, Duxbury, BC High, and St. John’s Prep. The game experience from these early season challenges was invaluable in preparing the team for the gauntlet it would face to start the season of perennial Western New England lacrosse powerhouses in Deerfield, Westminster, and Avon Old Farms. The team sent a message across prep school lacrosse with a thrilling 13-12 overtime victory over Deerfield to start the season. An explosive offensive effort led by the attack trio of Ben DiBattista (6g), Will Stewart (1g, 2a ), and Preston Evans ’25 (2g, 2a) led the way behind Eli Friedman ’25 (25/29 FOs) and lockdown defense by Finn Fox, Louie Marobella ’26, Declan Reilly, Drew Gannon ’25, Brady Boudreau ’25 (2g), and Cal Peterson (1a) in front of first-year starter James Mullowney (15 saves) in goal. At 1-0, the team felt confident and fully committed to each other and to playing the up-tempo, creative, aggressive, and unselfish style of play that characterized this team all season. Wins over Westminster (13-7), led by midfielders Dylan Casillo ’26 (1g, 3a) and John Lynch ’27 (1g, 2a), and Avon Old Farms (13-6), led by Sean Horkan (2g, 1a) and Jack Schneider (1g, 2a), had the team poised and ready to

take on any challengers in the ISL. The team began its season with three victories over Milton, Lawrence, and Tabor. The victory over Milton saw the emergence of Topher Batchelder ’26 (3g) in the midfield and featured the impressive two way midfield play of Lindan Verville ’25. At 5-0, the team took on national powerhouse IMG on a Monday afternoon. In a back-and-forth battle, IMG prevailed 9-8, but the defeat galvanized the team in their pursuit of a championship and would prove to be the only loss of the season. Four straight victories against St. George’s, Groton, RL, and St. Mark’s set up showdowns with Nobles and St. Sebastian’s. Against Nobles, the team would battle back from down multiple goals to win 13-12. Evans (4g, 3a), DiBattista (3g, 6a), Stewart (2g), Casillo (1g, 2a), Verville (1g, 1a), and Friedman (1g, 15/28 FOs) would lead the way on offense. On defense, Charlie Crowley ’25, Boudreau, Peterson, Gannon, Teddy Stonestreet ’25, Reilly, Chad Sidel ’25, Louie Marobella, and Fox stood tall defensively in front of Mullowney (12 saves) in net. Less than 48 hours later, the team headed to Needham to take on St. Sebastian’s, winning 14-12 and allowing the senior class to finish a perfect 6-0 against their rivals. Firing on all cylinders, the team beat Middlesex 15-11 and BB&N 18-6 to close out their regular season and secure the #1 seed for the ISL championship tournament for the third straight season. In the playoffs, the team faced a deep and talented Thayer Academy team in the first round. In front of a large and supportive home crowd, the team prevailed 13-11, highlighted by DiBattista (4g, 1a), Stewart (4g, 1a), Evans (1g, 3a), and the defensive and offensive play by Marobella (1g, 1a) and Crowley (1g, 1a). Next at home versus RL, the team won again, 13-8, highlighted by Finn Fox holding the ISL’s top midfielder essentially scoreless and Casillo (2g, 3a) and Evans (2g, 4a) leading offensively. A quick turnaround saw the team facing off against a white-hot Middlesex team with the ISL Championship at stake. A back-and-forth effort had Belmont Hill with the lead 6-1 at the half. Out of halftime, the team played its best lacrosse all season and in quick fashion found itself leading 19-4 late into the fourth quarter, punctuated by goals by Carson Yoo ’26, Peterson, and Hendrix. As the final horn sounded after the 19-6 victory, the team celebrated its well-earned ISL title with the Loop and wider school community.

Will Stewart, Ben DiBattista, and Finn Fox were awarded the Team MVP. James Mullowney earned Team MIP and Declan Reilly earned the Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award. Lindan Verville, Eli Friedman, Finn Fox, and Ben DiBattista were named All League and Will Stewart, Preston Evans, Declan Reilly, Drew Gannon, Dylan Casillo, and James Mullowney received All-League Honorable Mention Honors. Additionally, DiBattista, Stewart, and Fox were named All-NEPSAC and Friedman, Evans and Reilly were named All-NEPSAC honorable mention. Finn Fox, for his excellence on the field, was awarded All American by U.S. Lacrosse and named the Ned Herter Player of the Year by the Independent School League. Next year’s captains, Preston Evans, Eli Friedman, and Lindan Verville, as well as a strong and experienced nucleus of 17 returning letter winners, will lead the team in 2025.

TIM SULLIVAN, Head Coach

Sailing

PETER CREEDON, Head Coach

The varsity sailing team completed a challenging, but rewarding season. The team competed for their first year in the Mass Bay League, finishing the season with a winning record and a berth in the playoffs.

Competing in Boston Harbor on a cold and rainy spring day to start the season, the team took home 4th place in the Team Racing Championship. The following week they wrapped up their fleet racing season with a 7th place overall finish at the League Championship, competing against 25 other qualifying schools. Both were fantastic finishes led by a strong Middle School contingent beating competitors three to four years older.

Often in sports, how we respond to the challenges thrown at us defines our character, both individually and as a group. There wasn’t an athlete on the team this year that had even a modicum of “give up,” regardless of the score. We had multiple Saturday regattas with three or more teams. On these days, the boys are in their boats without rest for four to six hours. When you’re winning this can be easy; when things aren’t going your way, or it’s 40 degrees out and you’re wet and cold, it can be grueling.

Not for one instant did the level of sportsmanship wane. Not even for one practice session did the boys’ competitive spirit die. For our two graduating seniors, we wish nothing but the best as they begin their collegiate journey. They set the example that our sailors will continue to follow when it comes to sportsmanship.

I’m so proud of the athletes and everything they accomplished this year. They were an incredible group and one that I had fun coaching and competing with every single day. They’re comfortable being challenged, hungry for improvement, and ready to take the next step in their sailing development! I’m excited to see what the future holds for this awesome young team!

Congratulations to the award winners this year; you earned them ten times over:

The Sailing Trophy: Roger Wellington ’28 and James Chaytors ’28

Most Improved: Ty Jarvis ’27

Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award: Captain Jake Kornmehl ’24

Tennis

WILL SPEER, Head Coach

The 2023–2024 tennis team finished with an overall record of 11-7, placing fourth in the ISL with an 11-4 league record. The team qualified for the NEPSAC postseason tournament for the 19th straight year, falling to eventual champion Roxbury Latin in the quarterfinals.

After a challenging early-season schedule that included losses to nonleague powers Deerfield and Andover, the team hit its stride in late April, winning six of the next seven matches to jump into the top tier of the ISL. We enjoyed a massive home-court advantage, with an 8-1 home record thanks to excellence in both singles (45 wins, 9 losses) and doubles (25 wins, 2 losses). On the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, the team finished the season with a flourish, as Ernest Lai ’25 clinched a 4-3 victory against BB&N in a battle that lasted well over three hours.

Morgan Rich ’27 and Ernest were awarded All-ISL honors for their outstanding records at #1 and #2 singles.

Morgan earned All-NEPSAC honors as well. We were fortunate to have three seniors anchoring the middle of the lineup: Ethan Sidman ’24 led the team with 23 total wins, while captains Carver Porter ’24 and Aidan Lee ’24 provided excellent leadership and superb play from the #4 and #5 positions (20 and 18 wins, respectively).

This year’s team featured a number of up-and-coming younger players, led by Will Sandor ’27, who locked down the #6 singles and #3 doubles spots to the tune of a 22-11 record. Will Jones ’26 and Will Greenhill ’28 were first off the bench, always ready when called upon and eager to make the most of every opportunity. Jack Nolan ’25 was a formidable doubles specialist, playing in a variety of lineup positions to prepare for a major role next season.

We look forward to Ernest and Jack leading the team as captains in 2025.

ADAM HARDER, Head Coach

The 2023–2024 track and field team had a stellar campaign overall, compiling a 15-2 meet record in the regular season and finishing up in second place to a talented and impressive Milton Academy squad at ISL’s. At the Class A New England Championships, we finished in 4th place behind Exeter, Loomis Chaffee, and Milton. We scored over 109 points in the ISL’s, and our 63 points at Class A’s are the most we have ever scored since moving up to that division a few years ago.

Once again this year, our greatest strength in terms of scoring significant points at the championship meets came from our throwing contingent. Co-captain Josiah Gomes ’25 broke the school record in the shot put during a regular season meet (57' 6"), and he also broke the ISL championship record with a toss of 184' 0" in the discus. He took first place in both the shot put and the discus in both championships. Classmate Sampson Onuoha ’25 was nearly as impressive in both the shot and discus, scoring in the top four in both events at both championship meets.

Senior javelin throwers Scott Black and Nick Ascione took first and second place, respectively, at ISL’s, and Scott placed a respectable 5th at NE’s. Tommy Rupley ’25 was better than nearly every other discus thrower in the league, finishing in 4th place at ISL’s. Other good news is that Nicholas Fiumara ’26 had an impressive first season in both the shot put and the discus—he is going to be a force down the road for us. At ISL’s, our throws squad garnered 52 of our 109 points, a testament to their hard work and competitive zeal.

In the horizontal jumps, Marcus Griffin ’26 made an immediate impact for us in the league. During the regular season, he broke the school record in the triple jump (44' 8.5") and went over 22' in the long jump. He secured second place in the long jump and fifth place in the triple jump at ISL’s, and followed that up with another second place in the long jump and a fourth place in the triple at NE’s. Impressively, we had two other boys over 20' in the long jump this year (Justin Li ’26 and Max Ramanathan ’25).

Senior pole vaulter Rafael Rodriguez-Montgomery earned a fifth-place finish at NE’s, and Noah Gleason ’26 and Tiago Matos ’26 made steady progress during the season and should be vying for top-6 finishes at both championship meets in 2025. High jumper James Lyon ’25 was just out of the top 6 at ISL’s, and we hope he will be over 6' next year.

On the track, distance phenom Will Trautz ’27 was the ISL champion in the 3000m, and his future is bright. Senior hurdle specialist and co-captain Jackson Pagán earned important top three finishes in the 110h and 300h events at ISL’s, and he finished second in the 300h’s at NE’s, just 1/100th of a second off the school record. In the 400m and 4 x 400m relay, newcomer Adonai Samuel ’26 made his presence known with a second place at the ISL’s in the 400m, and he anchored the 4 x 400 squad to a season-best 3:28.32 and fifth place finish at NE’s. He ended the season with the second-fastest 400m time in the league. In addition to the long jump, Justin Li also contributed a 6th place finish in the 100h hurdles at ISL’s, and a 5th place finish at NE’s. Senior co-captain Miles Sandoski, out with an injury for much of the season, came back to take fifth in the 800m at ISL’s, followed closely by teammate Eita Fuse ’26 in 6th position. 100m specialist Ashton Cruz ’25 improved his times significantly this year, earning an impressive 4th place finish at ISL’s. We have several younger runners in the pipeline who will help us in the next few years, and they gained valuable experience training and competing in the championship meets this year. Our 4 x 100m relay team took sixth place at both championship meets, and all four runners are back for next year. The 4 x 400m team loses a few members to graduation this year, but somehow, we manage to put together a solid quartet that finishes in the top six each year.

As always, I want to highlight the stellar coaching, enthusiasm, and expertise my fellow coaches tirelessly contribute each year. Jake DeCaprio ’25 is a guru with our distance guys, Maya Gorman is spectacular with the sprinters, Fran Kirby continues to produce stellar horizontal jumpers and hurdlers, and Warren Fowler continues to make certain that our throws group is the envy of the league each season.

Once again, a number of our athletes hit qualifying standards to compete in one of the national invitational championships, and five boys competed at Nike Nationals held at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in mid-June against some of the best track and field athletes in the country.

We’re looking forward to 2025, and we relish the opportunity to regain the ISL title. We look forward to spirited leadership from captains-elect Gomes, Cruz, and rising seniors Davis Woolbert and Jordan Summers.

CORPORATION NEWS

2023–2024 COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES

TAGGART M. ROMNEY ’88, CHAIR

JON M. BIOTTI ’87

FLORENCE T. BOURGEOIS

JOHN T. GRADY ’66

DANIELLE A. HEARD

JASON H. HURD ’90

NEW TRUSTEES

EMMETT E. LYNE ’77

AMY B. MADDEN

CARL J. MARTIGNETTI ’77

GREGORY C. PAUL ’09

GREGORY J. SCHNEIDER

MORTIMER J. BUCKLEY III ’87

Tim Buckley ’87 is the chairman and CEO of Vanguard. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 1987 and earned an A.B. in economics from Harvard College in 1991, and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1996. Tim and his wife, Elizabeth Norris, live in Wayne, PA, with their sons Declan, Evan, and Finn. At Belmont Hill, Tim has given a Sherman Lecture, spoken on a Global Investments Webinar with Winsor parent Jean Hynes in a joint Belmont Hill-Winsor event, and most recently Tim was the keynote speaker at Belmont Hill’s 2022 Commencement. He is a member of the FINRA Board of Governors and a Board and Executive Committee Member of the Investment Company Institute. Previously, Tim served as the chairman of the board for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and vice chair of the board of The Shipley School.

JOSHUA M. ISNER ’04

Josh Isner ’04 is the President of Axon Enterprise. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 2004 and graduated from Harvard College in 2009, majoring in government. Josh resides in Scottsdale, AZ, with his wife, Christina, along with their daughters Hadley, Penny, and Ellie. Elected to the Belmont Hill Corporation in 2023, Josh is also actively involved as a Class Agent and Reunion Committee member. Additionally, he holds a position as a board member of RollKall Inc. His enthusiasm lies in golf, and he is a member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds, a non-profit organization established to manage funds raised through the Waste Management Open Golf Tournament.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND CORPORATION CANDIDATE RECOMMENDATION

Throughout the School’s history, Trustees and Corporators have been men and women of vision, energy, and wisdom. They are selected for their special interests and talents, for their abilities to bring informed advice to the School, and for their commitment to the School’s mission. They take an active role in philanthropic support of the School and represent Belmont Hill in their communities. In that spirit, the School continues to seek candidates from a range of backgrounds, experiences, and areas of expertise.

Please send your recommendations to alumni@belmonthill.org

Thank you for taking the time to identify individuals who could provide strong leadership for Belmont Hill.

MARGARET M. DUNN P ’10 — Margy Dunn was a vice president of Institutional Research at Goldman Sachs. She also founded Edibles, a gourmet food and catering establishment, and was previously an oncology and intensive care nurse. Margy is a graduate of the Academy of St. Elizabeth and earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Boston College and an MBA from Simmons College. She lives in Weston and has six children: Deirdre, a graduate of Milton Academy and MIT; Meredith, a graduate of Dana Hall and Columbia University; Patrick, a graduate of Dexter School and Columbia University; Tressa, a graduate of Weston High School and Fordham University; Mariele, a graduate of Mt. Alvernia and Columbia University; and William (Colby) Dunn, Belmont Hill Class of 2010 and MIT Class of 2014. Margy is co-chair of the Katharine Wrisley Atkins Women’s Series at Belmont Hill. She also serves as a Museum of Fine Arts associate and docent, as a member of the Weston Golf Club Women’s Golf Executive Committee, and as a member of the MIT Council for the Arts Executive Board.

TIMOTHY W. FULHAM ’74 — Tim Fulham ’74 is a partner at Fulham & Co., a private equity firm. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 1974 and earned a B.A. in English from Boston College and an M.B.A. from Columbia University. He and his wife, Lise Olney, live in Wellesley, and they have two daughters, Mary Olney Fulham and Elizabeth Olney Fulham. At Belmont Hill, he is a Class Agent and a Reunion Committee member. Tim also serves on several non-profit boards, including the Head of the Charles Regatta, the New England Conservatory of Music, the Boston Lyric Opera, and the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills.

SARAH D. GREENHILL P ’28 — Sarah Greenhill is a math tutor at the Brimmer and May School. Previously, she worked in endowment management and private equity. She earned an A.B. in economics from Princeton University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and an Ed.M. in mathematics education from Boston University. Sarah lives in Brookline with her husband, Josh, and their three children: Will, Belmont Hill Class of 2028; Abby, at The Park School; and Caroline, at The Chestnut Hill School. Sarah is a member of the Parents Fund Committee at Belmont Hill. She currently serves on the board of trustees of The Chestnut Hill School and is a member of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's board of advisors. She was previously the chair of the Boston Advisory Board and a member of the National Board of Directors of Room to Grow.

JACQUELINE L. HENDRIX P ’24 — Jackie Hendrix earned a B.A. in political economy from the University of California at Berkeley and started her career in direct mail marketing and advertising. She and her husband, Blair, live in Wellesley and have three children: Lindsay, Northwestern University Class of 2023; Rachel, Duke University Class of 2025; and Ian, Belmont Hill Class of 2024 (Wake Forest). At Belmont Hill, Jackie is the President of the Parents’ Council and has served as vice president and as a parent form representative. Jackie serves on the board of advisors at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and as a trustee of the Wellesley Scholarship Foundation. She was previously involved as a board member for the Natick Montessori School (now Riverbend School) and as vice chair of the Parents’ Association at Dana Hall School.

MARC W. HURDLE ’08 — Marc Hurdle ’08 is a seasoned professional in the media entertainment industry, currently serving as a senior product manager at ESPN, focused on the fantasy sports experience. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 2008 and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in business administration with a focus on management information systems and an M.S. in computer information systems. Marc and his wife, Tabitha, live in Concord, CA, and welcomed their son, Lennox, in February of 2024. At Belmont Hill, he serves as a director of the Multicultural Alumni Partnership (MAP), a leader of the MAP Mentorship Program, and a Class Agent and Reunion Committee member.

SAMUEL H. KENNEDY P ’22 — Sam Kennedy is a partner of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), a global sports, marketing, media, and real estate company, and serves as CEO for three of the company’s holdings, the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Sports Management, and Fenway Sports Group Real Estate. He became a partner in FSG in March 2021, formally joining the ownership group alongside new investors RedBird Capital, LeBron James, and Maverick Carter. Since that time, Sam has established and led a team made up of FSG executives and partners charged with researching and exploring opportunities for the company’s future growth. He is also an investor in Strategic Sports Group (SSG), a consortium of American sports team owners who have made a minority investment in PGA TOUR Enterprises, the commercial arm of the PGA TOUR. Sam and his wife, Amanda, live in Boston and have two children: Allison and Jimmy, who is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 2022. Sam was a featured speaker in a Belmont Hill-Winsor Webinar Series. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Winsor School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Camp Harbor View.

CARMEN M. RODRIGUEZ P ’24 — Carmen Rodriguez is an educator in the Boston Public School system, currently serving as a Kindergarten Multilingual Teacher at William E. Russell School. She graduated from Cathedral High School and earned her B.A. degree from Emmanuel College and an Ed.M.from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Carmen has three children: Antonio Rodriguez Spotts, who attended TechBoston Academy and the Foundation Year Program at Northeastern University; Julian Rafael RodriguezMontgomery, Belmont Hill Class of 2024; and Amirah Rodriguez, attending Cathedral High School. She has also contributed to academic discourse with her published article in the May 2019 issue of Young Children, titled “Can We Talk? Creating Opportunities for Meaningful Academic Discussions with Multilingual Children.” At Belmont Hill, Carmen is co-chair of Parents Fostering Diversity.

MATTHEW D. RYAN ’14 — Matt Ryan ’14 is a director of digital advice product strategy at Fidelity Investments. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 2014. Matt earned his Bachelor’s degree in economics from Columbia University where he was a member of the heavyweight varsity crew team and captain his senior year. In addition to his professional career, Matt is engaged at Belmont Hill, serving as a Class Agent, a Reunion Committee member, and the Young and Recent Alumni chair. He has also been a speaker for the “Things You Should Know” (TYSK) speaker series.

April 25, 2024

2.

3.

5. George Tahan and Jamie Hintlian ’78.

6.

7.

8.

1. Rick Melvoin (former Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School), Josh Isner ’04, Christina Isner, and Tyson Trautz.

Greg Paul ’09, Sarah Pelmas, Amy Schneider, and Greg Schneider.

John McAlpin and Dan Curtin ’87.

4. Annie Balikian and Jo Cleary.

Walker Coppedge ’94 and Kevin Connors ’97.

Dave Bordeau ’96 and Ted Madden ’88.

Karthik Ramanathan and Ron Hsin ’07.

9. David Wanger ’80 and Bob Blacklow ’51.

10. John Grady ’66, Florence Bourgeois, Kristin Forbes, and Bob Crowley ’90.

Alumni & Family Events

Grandparents and Honored Guests Day for Forms I and II

May 10, 2024

1. Brooks Zug, Garrett Zug ’29, and Linda Zug.

2. Thomas Boudreau, Nehemiah Boudreau ’29, and Rosany Boudreau.

3. Thomas Flynn and Joan Flynn.

4. Nancy Whitaker and Barrett Whitaker ’28.

5. Ren Larsen ’28 and Sarah Fujiwara.

6. Greg Schneider.

7. Students and their guests.

8. Paul Roy, Jackson Roy ’29, and Tim Corkery.

9. Form I and II Glee performance, led by Donnell Patterson.

10. Finley Hassell ’29, Rob Hassell, Donna Hassell, Rita Seaman, and Michael Seaman.

11. Felicia Azzun and Ryan Azzun.

12. Maria Cordero and Ben Jones ’29.

13. Blake Carr ’29 giving a presentation in class.

May 10, 2024

Belmont Hill honored Ted Martellini and Ruth Sweeney with a reception and program during Alumni Reunion Weekend.

1. Elisabeth Wilder Richards, Megan George, and Stephen George.

2. Ted Martellini, Janet Smith, and Marco Martellini ’10.

3. Bob Cleary ’83, Chip Tarbell ’76, and Warren Cross ’83.

4. Bobby Paré ’19, John Gaudian ’19, Ben St. Peters ’19, John Hadley ’19, Matt Goguen ’19, Rishi Banerjee ’19, and Kevin O’Neil ’19.

5. Ajay Zutshi ’89 and Rebecca Hamel.

6. Rick Melvoin and AT Desta ’05.

7. Chris Richards and Silas Howland ’04.

8. Matt Murphy ’00 and Steve Kaplan ’83.

9. Anne Wachtmeister, John McAlpin, Hans Wachtmeister, Tyson Trautz, and Elizabeth Davis.

10. Aidan McCormick ’21, June Schmunk, and Casey Rockett ’21.

11. Todd Bland and Nancy Bland.

12. John Kelly ’87, Ted Martellini, and Ray Hunt ’17.

13. Josh Accomando ’04, Matt Kane ’04, Alex Brustowicz ’04, and Andrew Salzman ’04.

14. Greg Schneider.

15. Jon Smith ’62 and Connie Smith.

16. Ruth Sweeney.

17. Ted Martellini.

18. Front row: Brenna Sullivan, Greta Joos, Chris Sweeney ’83, Ruth Sweeney, Cathay Carlise, Ann Imes, Joanne Sullivan. Back row: Julie Sousa, Pat Sullivan, Marianne Wright, Jim Wright, Katharine Sweeney, Tavish Pegram, and Billy Joos.

19. Ted Martellini with friends and family.

20. Ruth Sweeney and Ted Martellini.

reunion saturday

May 11, 2024

1. DJ Hynes ’01 and Melissa Chittle with their children Ava, Michael, and Christopher.

2. Lauren Abend and Joe Regis ’02 with their daughter, Zora.

3. Jeff Hamilton ’01 and daughter Ellie.

4. Tory, Paul, and Ugo DiBiasi ’09.

5. Kaitlyn and Tony Uglietto ’09 with their children, Madison and Cameron.

6. Alyssa and Matt Ronan ’09 with their daughters, Remi and Vivian.

7. Caeleigh and Mike Condon ’09 with their daughter Jamie.

8. Lauren and Steve Gogolak ’01 with their children, CC and Bear.

9. Reunion fun.

10. Welcome Alumni!

11. Kelly, Carter, and Ryan Walsh ’09.

12. George Lynch ’88, Jim Peck ’77, and John Stonestreet.

13. Jack Schneider ’24, John Lynch ’27, and Topher Batchelder ’26.

14. Meghan and Matt Tosto ’04 with sons, Zachary and Graham.

15. Dave Bordeau ’96 with sons, Henry and Andrew.

16. Sheila Durkin, Rich Ronan ’74, and Michelle Ronan.

17. Dan Gaynor ’06, Bob Gaynor ’59, and Sam Gaynor ’04.

18. Carolyn LaQuaglia, Robbie LaQuaglia, Mike Sherman, and Rob LaQuaglia ’99.

19. Mariah and Nolan Brennan ’14.

20. Dan Ronan ’94, Christina Ronan, Katy Fleming, and Brian Fleming ’94.

21. Christen Paras and Zander Farkas ’04.

22. Matt Savage ’19, Ben Awtrey ’19, Lawson Morris ’19, Ben Ward ’19, Joe Goguen ’19, Teddy Wynn ’19, and Jared Ravech ’19.

23. Groom Dinkneh ’09 and Greg Paul ’09.

24. Tracey Cannistraro and John Cannistraro ’79.

25. Robert Fitzpatrick ’79 and Rob Porell ’79.

26. Eric Dinardo ’99, Walker Coppedge ’94, and Rob Mara ’94.

27. Chuck Sheehan ’04, Matt Tosto ’04, Meghan Tosto, Xiujuan YuanSalzman, and Andrew Salzman ’04.

28. Kathleen Ball, Mike Ball ’04, and Dennis Chin.

29. Harold Prenatt, Rob LaQuaglia ’99, and Carolyn LaQuaglia.

30. The B-Flats.

10, 2024

1. Grand Reunion

Seated: John Starr ’64, Maggie Starr, and John Krikorian ’64. Standing: Peter Gilpatric ’65, Ann Petrone, and Jack DennyBrown ’64.

2. Class of 1954 — 70th Reunion

Seated: Bobbi Perlmutter, Burt Perlmutter ’54, Pat Stevens, and Ben Stevens ’54. Standing: Dan O’Hara ’54, Julie O’Hara, Don Helms ’54, Jane Helms, Paul Doherty ’54, and Nancy Doherty.

3. Class of 1959 — 65th Reunion

Bob Gaynor ’59, Rob Russell ’59, Barry Solar ’59, and Judith Solar.

4. Class of 1964 — 60th Reunion

Seated: Charlie Whipple ’64, Ed Chase ’64, Jim Anagnoson ’64, and Paul O’Conor ’64. Standing: Jeff Palmer ’64, Fred Quinn ’64, Kent Parrot ’64, Billy Gilpatric ’64, and Jannie O’Conor.

5. Class of 1967

Seated: Alan Woodward ’67, Tina Browne, Lincoln Holmes ’67, and Holly Holmes. Standing: Jack Olive ’67, Elise Woodward, Charlie Browne ’67, and Patsy Olive.

6. Class of 1969 — 55th Reunion

Seated: Mary Summers, Mary Shasta, Laurie Shahon, Ken Meister ’69, Sylvia Smith, and Harry Powers ’69. Standing: Greely Summers ’69, David Weeks ’69, Ted Shasta ’69, Chris Woodcock ’69, Jay Broadhurst ’69, and David Delong ’69.

7. 1970s — Grand Reunion

Jim Aiken ’72, Kim Aiken, Bill Samuelson ’70, Richard Giles ’70, Dan Dorian ’71, Lisa Dorian, Ken Hintlian ’71, and Julie Hintlian.

8. Class of 1974 — 50th Reunion

Seated: Buddy Bates, Craig Johnston ’74, Cary Donahue ’74, Mona McKindley, Jan Stewart, Don Stewart, George Seeley, Steve Sheehan ’74, and Dan Sullivan ’74. Second row: Dave Foster ’74, Gita Foster, Susan Nakagawa, Bill Harris ’74, Jim Smyly ’74, Dana Smyly, Dan Pierce ’74, Jacqui Sullivan, Pam Sheehan, and Beverly Peirce. Third row: Susan Hanlon, Sheila Durkin, Rich Ronan ’74, David Sidman ’74, Marjorie Landa, Mark Cauchon ’74, Jay Harvey ’74, Beth Lyons, Mike Lyons ’74, Jack Sullivan ’74, Debby Green, and Sue Sullivan. Fourth row: Dan Hanlon ’74, Kathy Martini, Peter Martini ’74, Charlie Davis ’74, Kathy Hollenbach, Alain Ades ’74, Chip Phinney ’74, Joy Cline Phinney, David Blair ’74, Laurie Wingate, Mark Chandler ’74, and Sue Seeley. Fifth row: George Howe ’74, Brad Rowell ’74, Lise Olney, Tim Fulham ’74, John Mazzone ’74, Ellie McGrath, John McGrath ’74, Steve Weeks ’74, Mary Weeks, Bob Bachelder ’74, and Tony Green ’74.

9. Class of 1979 —45th Reunion

Front row: Billy McDonough ’79, Bob Croston ’79, Paul Casey ’79, Andrew Botti ’79, Tracey Cannistraro, and John Cannistraro ’79. Middle row: Jimmy McDonough ’79, Ellen McDonough, Ted Farnham ’79, Carlos Salib ’79, Rob Porell ’79, and David Edlin ’79. Back row: Maria Kenney, Chris Avery ’79, Ken Chipman ’79, and Robert Fitzpatrick ’79. In attendance, but not pictured: Anne and Chip Kelley ’79 and Katie McDonough.

10. Class of 1984 —40th Reunion

Front row: Joe Tully ’84, Lisa Brown, Eric Brown ’84, Bill Pike ’84, Dan Griffin ’84, Chris Brown ’84, Brian McCarthy ’84, and Ian Levine. Second row: Bruce Wimberly ’84, Todd Jackson ’84, Doug Wolf ’84, Adrian Blake ’84, and Jon London ’84. Third row: Randy Catlin ’84, Tad Guleserian ’84, Fred Cohen ’84, and Costi Chinoporos ’84. Fourth row: Sylvia Zurlo, Paul Zurlo ’84, Kelley Devaney, Rick Brace ’84, Adam Krinsky ’84, Mark Martines ’84, Kristin Martines, and LeeEllen Jones. Back row: Matt Crozier ’84, Chip Hamann ’84, Sherri Wolf, Wayne Fitzpatrick ’84, Jon Smollen ’84, Michael Najjar ’84, and Bob Jones ’84.

11. Class of 1989 — 35th Reunion

Front row: Art Gleason ’89, David Hack ’89, Rob Missasi ’89, Ajay Zutshi, Rebecca Hamel, and Dan Rosenblatt ’89. Back row: Catherine Hack, John Fahmy ’89, John Carroll ’89, and John Sarrouf ’89.

12. Class of 1994 — 30th Reunion

Front row: Pat Murphy ’94, Pete Kawada ’94, Brian Fleming ’94, Katy Fleming, Jill Coppedge, Walker Coppedge ’94, Chris Senna, and Sam Johnston. Second row: Sharon Shaff, Eric Shaff ’94, Jim Eisenberg ’94, Dan Ronan ’94, Christina Ronan, Ron Mallick ’94, Seth Cargiulo ’94, Mike Haven ’94, and Kirk Chisholm ’94. Third Row: Topher Bourdeau ’94, Michelle Lev, Eric Lev ’94, Jeff Oppenheimer ’94, Kirk Chisolm ’94, and Margo Chisolm.

13. Class of 1999 — 25th Reunion

Front row: Steven Goldsmith ’99, Brian Higdon ’99, Jesse Faneuil ’99, Erik DiNardo ’99, and Justin Ward ’99. Second row: Edward Chaglassian ’99, Jeff Ryan ’99, John Tocco ’99, Chris Bragdon ’99, and Mike Frissora ’99. Third row: Alan Topalian ’99, Chun-Fai (Colin) Chan ’99, Rich Gillis ’99, and Jamie Hunt ’99. Back row: Rob LaQuaglia ’99, Carolyn LaQuaglia, Hillary Tipping, and Ryan Tipping ’99.

14. Class of 2004 — 20th Reunion

First row: Toby Banta ’04, Erin Banta, Ernie Siciliano ’04, Julian Dormandy ’04, Aaron Sawitsky ’04, Matt Kane ’04, and Chuck Sheehan ’04. Second row: Andrew Corkin ’04, Estee Fleischman, Xiujuan YuanSalzman, Mike Mcguire ’04, Mike Ball ’04, Kathleen Ball, Erica Kane, and Josh Isner ’04. Third row: Alex Brustowicz ’04, Andrew Salzman ’04, Matt Tosto ’04, Meghan Tosto, and Steve Dilanian ’04. Fourth row: Silas Howland ’04, Jessica Giles, Matt Giles ’04, Peter Evans ’04, Elena Mascarenhas, Sam Howe ’04, Jeff Hadzima ’04, Freya Meyer, Nora Dunn, Christen Paras, and Denys Levin ’04. Back row: Melissa Eloshway, Josh Accamondo ’04, John Meyer ’04, Juliana Manzi Syron, Brendan Syron ’04, Scott Dunn ’04, Sam Gaynor ’04, and Zander Farkas ’04.

15. Class of 2009 — 15th Reunion

Front row: Groom Dinkneh ’09, Greg Karelitz ’09, Tony Uglietto ’09, Sam Duker ’09, Colette Chretien, John Leddy ’09, Caroline Tocci, and Daniel Kenary ’09. Second row: Matt Ronan ’09, Michael Blake ’09, Kiara Dziama, Bibi Gray, Woody Klemmer ’09, and Katherine Klemmer. Third row: Greg Paul ’09, Ty Dziama ’09, and Will Gray. Fourth row: Gabrielle Lewine, Matt Cannistraro ’09, Drew Canniff ’09, Henry Meyer ’09, and Ryan Walsh ’09. Fifth row: Emily Luke and Jimmy Harvey ’09. Back row: Dawson Luke ’09, Eric Hailer ’09, Kevin Tarbell ’09, Ryan Ganong ’09, and Mike Condon ’09.

16. Class of 2014 — 10th Reunion Front row: Joe LaLiberte, Tom Kenary, Nolan Brennan, and Cole Durbin. Middle row: Tucker Hallowell, John Curtin, Greg Plumb, Drew Morrissey, and Matt Ryan. Back row: Tyler Granara, Ryan McConnell, and AJ Vazquez.

17. Class of 2019 — 5th Reunion Front row: Joe Goguen, John Hadley, Teddy Wynn, Lawson Morris, Tommy Smith, and Brodie Rayment. Second row: Matt Savage, Mike Piazza, Shane Rockett, Matt Smith, and Cal Cross. Third row: Thomas Ryan, Rishi Banerjee, Jackson Stone, Michael Wade, Thomas McEvoy, and Kevin O’Neil. Fourth row: James Perullo, Leighton Dolan, Patrick Walsh, Colin Braun, Matt Goguen, Ben Ward, and Robby Griffin. Fifth row: Bobby Paré, Colin Vallis, Mitch Tor, Josh Wax, Michael Dutile, Josh Fairman, Ben Awtrey, and Nick Daley. Sixth row: Kevin O’Boy, Gabe Peckler, Robert Radochia, Ben St. Peters, and John Gaudian. Seventh row: Jared Ravech, Thacher Formisano, Jack Flynn, Connor Hopkins, and Andrew Holland.

Class Notes

ALUMNI, FACULTY, AND STAFF: We would love to hear from you and share your latest news with the Belmont Hill School community. Please email your notes and photos to alumni@belmonthill.org. Length and content are subject to editorial approval; some submissions may appear as excerpts. The deadline for the Winter/Spring Bulletin is December 1, 2024.

VETERAN’S PROFILE: Have you served in the military? To be publicly recognized in the Belmont Hill School Military Register, please complete the online form found under “Alumni” on the website. If you have any questions, please call the Alumni Office at 617.993.5203.

Distinguished Alumni Award

The purpose of Belmont Hill School’s Distinguished Alumni Award is to honor men who have exemplified in life those qualities that the School seeks to instill: honesty, excellence, integrity, respect, and caring for others. These qualities may be reflected in outstanding service, sacrifice, courage, hard work, or other ways by which the recipient has made a significant contribution to society. Contact the Alumni House to submit a nomination at alumni@belmonthill.org.

GRAND REUNION: MAY 2–3, 2025. CLASSES WHO HAVE CELEBRATED THEIR 50TH REUNION ARE INVITED BACK EACH YEAR.

1950

75 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1954 – 70 TH REUNION NOTES

RENE AVIGDOR ’54 writes: “I’m happily retired living in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, California. My physical health appears fairly good for an eightynine-year-old and my current infirmities are macular degeneration (dry type) and

I’ve just upgraded my eye glasses and hearing aids. I do a great deal of reading these days on my Nook that makes my MD less challenging. My mental health remains a matter of opinion. When I discovered late in life through ancestry and DNA that I’m actually 50% Irish and 30% British, I developed an interest in exploring my roots. I have learned that my early ancestors arrived in the colonies in 1638 and an early great-grandfather became a deputy governor from Charleston of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and his grandson served as a captain from New Hampshire in the Revolutionary War. Since retirement, I’ve enjoyed traveling the world. I have been up the Haul Road to Kaktovik, AK, in the Arctic Circle to watch Polar Bears and Bowhead whales, and a trip abroad the Ortellius exploration ship to South Georgia and Port Lockroy in Antarctica to watch penguins, seals, and whales. My most exciting trip was to Tanzania and Kenya to see the amazing wildlife in its natural habitat and then on to Rwanda to visit the Silverback Mountain Gorillas. Now I just relax and enjoy my children, grandsons, great-granddaughter, and life and hope our country’s leaders will develop character and a spine and will honor their oath of office. My fond memories of Belmont Hill and my Class of 1954 will always remain most cherished by me.”

DAN O’HARA ’54 shared a rundown of his accomplishments since graduating from Belmont Hill:

Education: Dartmouth A.B. 1958. Thayer School of Engineering M.S. 1959

Military: U.S. Navy 1959 to 1963.

O.C.S., Lt jg. (stateside)

Engineer at Thermal Dynamics 1963–1991; at General Abrasives 1993–2008

Adventures: Sailing—TransAtlantic on 40 footer and ice boating in DNs

Flying: Flew to Alaska in Piper Cherokee and owned Piper Cub floatplane

Skiing: Telemarked down Tuckerman Ravine

Miscellaneous: bicycling, hiking, and canoe trips

1955

70 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1957

TED (CLAUDE) WELCH ’57 shared that in April he traveled to Cuba with an educational tour operator, Road Scholar, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Cuba has intrigued him since he saw Fidel Castro while in college in 1959 and has taught about Cuba for many years in a course on 20th century revolutions. Next spring, he plans to join an educational tour to iconic cities of the American civil rights movement. “Spike Downes would have been proud of Martin Luther King’s crusading spirit and inspired by those who followed him despite the brutality meted out on them,” he wrote.

1959 – 65 TH REUNION NOTES

NAT FLECK ’59 shared: “I have lived in five countries and ten states. I have had yearbooks dedicated to me and received

Will Mack ’57 stopped by the Alumni House.

many accolades. I have backpacked 1,000 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail and ridden my bikes over 60,000 miles. I speak some Twi, Arabic, Greek, Italian, and German. I have taught myself three computer languages and taught C++ at the college level. However, I have never made much money, so I know that I am not a model BHS graduate.”

BOB GAYNOR ’59 shared a digest of his accomplishments:

• Captain of Belmont Hill Football, Baseball, and Wrestling Teams

• Boston University ’63

• Washington College of Law J.D. ’66

• Army National Guard

• Attorney for MA Labor Relations Board

• Attorney for MA Registry of Motor Vehicles, Marine Division

• Five-term Alderman, City of Newton

• Fifty-year career as an immigration attorney

• Bronze sculptor, 2006 to present

• Member Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, 2008 to present

• Dad of two BHS grads (Sam ’04, Danny ’06) and grandfather of two little girls

CHARLIE HURD ’59: B.A., Boston University, 1964. Peace Corps Brazil 1964–1966. M.S.W. in 1972 Fresno State University. Volunteer AIDS Service Organizations, SoCal and NorCal, 1970–2004. Phoenix Hospice Volunteer NorCal, 2002–2015. First marriage, Diane Sandri, 1967. Second Marriage, Russell Alan Minor, 7-1-13 (commitment ceremony 8-4-07). Parent of two daughters by adoption beginning 1975.

Russell ’59.

This from ROBERT RUSSELL ’59: “At age 83, I am doing pretty well healthwise. My two wonderful daughters are living and working in New York City, not too far away from me in Gloucester, MA. I love visiting them in New York, and they come up frequently to be with me, particularly in the warmer months, as I live by the ocean. My four grandchildren are a delight, and I am only very sorry that my wife, Sherry, has died and won’t see how they have grown up in their interests and pursuits. My work life has been as a physician (gastroenterology and nutrition), much of which was involved in research and

research administration. After Columbia Medical School, I was at the University of Chicago, then the University of Maryland, and finally (since 1981) at Tufts University Medical and Nutrition Schools and Hospitals. I’ve worked overseas in Vietnam as an army doctor, in Iran with nomadic peoples and with UNICEF after the first Gulf War, and have played a role in helping to develop our national nutrition public policies.”

GEORGE WYMAN ’59 writes: “After graduation I attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Great choice. After graduation, I was in sales and management with IBM for 14 years. IBM took me to Dallas. The most fun was being involved with their sales school for three years. After IBM, I joined Gwinn Slaughter Securities Company in Dallas as president. Several years later when the economy faulted, we moved to Raleigh, NC, and purchased some apartments. My last day at the office was in 1994. We had a power boat and during the winter months we traveled southern waters. After several years we traded the boat for a motorhome. Part of the time we were ‘Wagon Masters’ for Yankee RV Travels. We guided tours throughout the United States and Canada. In 2013 we moved to The Villages, FL. Another great choice.

1. Nat Fleck ’59 and Debby Pigman in Pierre.

2. Gaynors: Danny ’06, Bob ’59, and Sam ’04.

3. Art Norton ’60 stopped by the Alumni House over the summer.

Robert

One can only explain The Villages by living here! Belmont Hill gave me a great start, for that I am grateful. Cheers.”

1960

65 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1964 – 60 TH REUNION NOTES

PETE BRUNO ’64 writes: “EDDIE CHASE ’64, KEN MARTIN ’65, and the hockey team befriended me while I was a long way from home living in Mr. Sawyer’s and Mr. Maxwell’s dorm. Being from Arizona, I could barely stand on skates but they were amazing friends on and off campus— necessary to survival. And, wow, could they play hockey!”

PAUL O’CONOR ’64 shared: “The last 77 years I was an only child, with three siblings. Three prewar babies and then father came home when the war was over and I arrived nine months later, making us a family of six. My first and best friend was TOM KOSLOWSKI ’65 (who I don’t spend enough time with). His father built a house next to ours. After a rough start, Tom always had my back and was my guardian angel, which I needed since I was usually the youngest and smallest in my class.

My first educational memory was at a Catholic school where the nun/teacher felt I was not paying attention and tried to whack my hand with a ruler. I grabbed her ruler and broke it. I was back in public school the same day.

I started Belmont Hill in the fifth grade. My brother HARVEY ’58 was six years ahead of me and a tough act to follow. I gave up trying and remained myself through most of my time at Belmont Hill.

Slowly, I grew taller and stronger as the years went on. Riflery was my best ‘sport’ at Belmont Hill—not hockey or football. It turned out to be useful. One maturing experience was two summers at a survival camp in Wyoming in the summers of

my 12th and 13th years where I learned important things such as catching and cooking fish and assorted small animals and how to survive. I improved my shooting skills as well.

The summer after graduation, I met Jannie, my first true love and current wife, on the Belmont Hill football field, where she was working on a summer program with John Henry.

I graduated (somehow) and got accepted to Harvard (the Alma Mater of my grandfather, two uncles, father and brother). The admissions department at Harvard gently suggested to my father that, given my age, an extra year to mature would make sense. I was shuffled off to Lugano Switzerland at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) to mature.

I didn’t realize it then, but I had finally begun to grow up. Among other things, I learned that hangovers are bad and that no one cares if you were stupid enough to drink too much. I wrote to Jannie every day. I learned that the years of Jenney Latin were great for learning Italian as well as French, German, eventually Dutch and other languages. Max was good for Math and other stuff as well.

That year, I learned how to ski and was recruited to play semi-pro soccer. My Italian improved. I broke every finger at least once, several toes and other bones, but we won the division.

At the end of the school year, I was hired as a guide for the TASIS summer program and enlightened 17- and 18-year-old girls and guys into the history and culture of Europe, traveling around in VW buses. What was not to like?

At summer’s end, my choices were Harvard or staying in Europe. I opted for Europe and got a job teaching math at TASIS. Bad decision. My father arrived in Switzerland unannounced and, after a pleasant chat refereed by the head of school, we decided that I wouldn’t immediately go to Harvard, but would go

to Gettysburg College (the head of TASIS knew the Dean at GBurg) for a year and then Harvard. Harvard never happened. I arrived at Gettysburg a little late. When I got there, instead of studying I joined the swim team. I almost flunked out and quit the swim team. Instead, I tutored math, physics, chemistry, and a bit of Italian. I became fraternity house manager and got the job to run the linen supply contract for the campus. All this paid for my four years and a bit more. I did go to exams and did well enough to graduate—with the help of my advisor, who made sure I had enough credits. It was close.

Somehow, I got into HBS and Columbia. Somehow, Jannie and I broke up. (Years later, neither one of us could remember why.) I chose Columbia’s 18-month program, which I completed in 16 months because I wanted to get on with my life. It was a good decision. I accepted an offer from a Dutch consulting firm, Berenschot. I bought a house next to a canal in downtown Amsterdam. I made a lot of friends, traveled the world for clients, and even had a couple of high-end clients in Holland.

I had a nasty surprise a year into my new job due to massive pains. My friends in Holland and the directors of Berenschot brought together Europe’s best doctors who declared that I had a cancerous tumor in my upper spine. The Dutch medicine men urged me to go back to Boston to die—the mass was inoperable and the freight costs for a body were high. Fortunately, the Boston medicine men at M.G.H. found it was an operable cyst. It was a long convalescence, leaving me with inevitable nerve damage, but I am alive and that’s what counts.

The second year in Amsterdam I met Elizabeth and married her two years later. In my eighth year in Holland, we decided to go back to the U.S. and start a family. We took the long way home and did all the things we thought we might not be able

to do when we got old. We spent a year doing great stuff. Elizabeth got pregnant in Bangkok.

Arriving back in Boston, I went to work with my father in his M&A business. I brought in some of my European and international clients and life was good. We bought a house in Wellesley and started a more normal life.

Then I bought one of the client’s businesses through an L.B.O. I got a bit carried away and bought 28 more companies. I joined the Young President Organization (Y.P.O.) and eventually became the Chairman of the international group (then 24,000 members). In 1988, I opened a plant in China. Frequent flier miles would have been great. In 1990, the great banking crash crashed my empire with it. Alas.

My son Andrew was born in 1977 and my daughter Margaret in 1980. I made sure I was around for them, even if it meant being a bit more nuts in my travel schedule. The kids have turned out exceptionally well.

The next years of business involved starting up a couple of companies, helping friends with their teetering businesses or medical problems. I ended up caring for my wife, mother, sister-in-law and brother-in-law all of whom got cancer within a period of a few months. I learned a lot about cancer and being a caregiver. Thanks to the amazing M.G.H. and Sloane Kettering, they all survived and were cancer free for at least eight years, some to this day. I got prostate cancer in 2010 which was removed with haste. I am still alive, thanks again to the M.G.H.

Elizabeth, whose family was in Richmond, VA, decided we should move south. I thought Charleston, SC, would have been great (my son lives there, and it is awesome) but Elizabeth decided that Richmond was a better place and bought a very large condo. She then called me up and told me where to wire the funds. Soon thereafter she decided we should get a divorce.

It was relatively amicable. I gave her all the money, the house, and a car. I moved in with a nephew in Weston, MA.

Six months later I got a ping on Facebook, which I had thought was restricted only to my family. But fortunately, that was not so. It was Jannie. She had gotten a divorce at about the same time and was looking into past friends. We met for lunch, and all the years disappeared. Very romantic.

We got married a year later and bought a condo in Milton. Her two daughters live within five miles of us, and they have five kids. My two are still in the south—Charleston, SC, and Durham, NC. Between them, they have five kids and one in the oven. All the kids and grandkids are doing really well. We are blessed.

I am still playing with startups. One is saving the world (Radical Combustion Technologies, radcomtec.com) and the other is a fintech that my nephew created that is aimed at replacing the bond market. We think BIG.

Jannie and I have spent a good bit of time traveling the world. For the last few years, COVID and post-COVID years, we have slowed with the residual effects of old age: memory issues, arthritis, etc., but we are together and having fun, spending as much time as we can with grandkids and enjoying getting together with old friends. Best to all.”

This from FRED QUINN ’64: “A bit of a history update from the 25th and 50th, a salting of expected ego, and a recap of what has already been shared.

I left Belmont after graduation for Mexico City, where our family company (K.J. Quinn) had a facility and my uncle resided. I attended the University of the Americas and played hockey for the ‘El Tigres,’ made up of

expats living in Mexico, students, and short-term visitors like myself. Mr. Smith, and certainly Finch Keller, would have been amused to see me on the ice.

At summer’s end I departed for my freshman year at the University of Southern California, the only university or college in the country willing to admit me. I didn’t have the advocates of the recent scandals, but I did have a sister Madeline, living in L.A., who advocated for my admission to one Dr. Conrad Wedberg, who after initially refusing me admission, took a chance. Today, we have created a scholarship in Madeline’s and Dr. Wedberg’s name assisting two to four students annually on whom the university also took a chance. Dr. Wedberg followed his gamble through my four years and in my final semester sought my plans for the future and guaranteed me admission to the Graduate School of Business should I choose to return to USC.

The ‘we’ is my bride of fifty-four years, Gyoengyi (Gingy) whom I met through her brother and fellow fraternity brother, Geza. We married after my graduation from Officer Candidate School (Ft. Belvoir Engineers) in 1969 and journeyed together through my three years in the army. We went back to L.A. and USC for my M.B.A. in entrepreneurship, its second class since its inauguration in 1971.

I joined the family business in 1973, spent a year in Germany, where Gingy became pregnant with our daughter, Meghan (1974) and returned to the U.S. We welcomed our son, Brian, not long after getting resettled (1976). They have outperformed me in all respects for which I am justifiably proud.

The family business sent me around the world from Latin America, Europe, and the Far East where my brother LEIGH ’74 and I were in Beijing in February 1979 to witness the elevation of the U.S. Mission to an Embassy by Secretary of the Treasury Blumenthal. We numbered two

Fred Quinn ’64.

out of, perhaps, twenty-five Americans then in China. I repeated the excitement in 1989 when I was again in China during the events of Tiananmen Square and across coastal China.

The family business also sent me on to join Morton International with the sale of one of the company’s divisions which I was leading. From there I returned to K.J. Quinn only to be sold once again to Sovereign Specialty Chemicals where I took on the leadership of one of its subsidiaries headquartered in Buffalo, NY. The weather, the commute, and the hostility of being a Patriots fan led me to the decision to launch my own company, named Quest Specialty Chemicals, which I did in 2001. Mr. Richardson would, no doubt, be astonished to find me so immersed in the chemical industry. I was backed by a private equity firm out of Detroit and with that backing built a specialty coatings company through acquisitions with business in automotive paints, architectural coatings, and general industrial coatings, becoming the tenth largest coatings company in North America by 2010. It’s never done alone and the people whose companies I acquired and those who joined me along the way were the drivers of our success. By 2014 we were a mid-market company of $300 million and we reached the decision that it was time to sell.

We were already established in Florida when I retired, so it was an easy transition. Over the years, I bought into a small company making mold remediation retail sprays, obtained my private pilot’s license with instrument rating, became President of our Gateway Country Club and led its sale to a private investor, joined the Board of Advisors at Florida Gulf Coast University’s School of Entrepreneurship, and the advisory board of its Military and Veterans Success program, and joined the board of a family-owned marine coatings company. Gingy had told me that without a plan I could not retire!

On a personal note, when I reflected on Belmont Hill, I came to realize that I was not qualified to be at the school. Were it not for legacy considerations, I was unlikely to have been admitted. It took considerable time to grasp an understanding of learning disabilities, an unknown science in the 1960s, and that ‘process’ and not ‘intellect’ was the issue at the heart of my limited academic achievements at BHS. I learned selftaught habits in college and later an exposure to the sciences of how minds process information. I cannot but praise those who patiently struggled to teach me from the fifth to the twelfth grade. It was a Herculean challenge for them. What I took away, however, was perseverance and the conviction that I could, once I figured out ‘the how.’ I was also fortunate to be witness to many, many exceptional classmates who went on to achieve notable successes in their own lives. I paid attention though I couldn’t move a puck as fast, do math in my head, play an instrument, or act my way out of a paper bag! It was a privilege.”

JOHN STARR ’64 writes: “Not much to tell since our 50th. I retired. Starr Construction was closed down. I have more than enough to do for a day working in my wood shop or mechanics shop, repairing and improving the house, and working on the property. I still ski some and completed the NH 4000’ peaks last year. More of the same in the future hopefully. Wife, kids, and grandkids are all healthy and engaged in life.”

DR. RICHARD E. STILES, JR. ’64 shared: “There’s simply too much to tell. My wife ‘Mimi’ and I will celebrate our 49th anniversary in May. Still in love. Still best friends. Still clapping for joy every day. We’ve been lucky in life, although the casual observer could easily overlook all the extremes of effort and resilience that were required. We’re healthy so far. We cruise the Salish Sea into British Columbia during the summer and take off with

Seattle snowbird flocks to Palm Desert every winter. I used to be the best golfer in the family, but Mimi has now taken that title. However, I’m still out there climbing mountains (900 miles and 300,000 vertical feet last year), making art, and learning new things. Lately, I’ve been doing some road running but sadly, there are hardly any competitors left in my age class. Best wishes to the Class of 1964.”

CHARLIE WHIPPLE ’64 writes, “Same old stuff.”

1965

60 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1970

55 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

This from GARRETT EDMANDS ’70: “I was manager for our Belmont Hill varsity soccer team who tied Governor Dummer for the fall crown in 1969. Lucas Edmands is blazing new trails in State College in Pennsylvania while his lifetime partner, Emily, is getting a doctorate in outdoor education at Penn State. They both love life and are safe and happy and filling their minds full of relevant and useful information for teaching and computer science. I continue to complete all kinds of painting jobs in Oregon and I hit the eastern U.S. as much as possible.”

1972

BOB ROWLEY ’72 writes: “Our daughter Liz and new husband, Gui Brito, were married at the Round Barn in Waitsfield, VT, a glorious setting and a picture-perfect wedding, on June 15. Even the sunny weather cooperated. Liz is a deputy executive producer at Business Insider, and Gui is from Brazil and a multimedia newsman and entrepreneur. Carolyn and I have had a cabin in the woods near the Sugarbush resort for 51 years, and it is the only permanent address our two daughters have that has been here since they were

toddlers. I dragged them around the world so much for journalism, they moved a lot, were born in Mexico, and lived in Canada and Israel—but this place is special. Liz and Gui lived here during COVID, working remotely, and it was a sanctuary and perhaps a place of tranquility where their love grew stronger. The Green Mountains embraced them and they fell in love with Vermont—and even more with each other.”

1974 – 50 TH REUNION NOTES

DAVID BLAIR ’74 writes: “After 20 years on the Lower East Side in Manhattan, moved to Tokyo for a few years and then settled in Paris. One daughter is a topologist, the other is a theater director. My first theatrical release, a movie called Wax (1991) was the first movie streamed across the internet in early 1993, and the first movie website. A shout-out to Mr. Thomas, who taught film and novels in the 10th grade, and had a first edition of Expanded Cinema on his shelf in the classroom.”

MARK CAUCHON ’74 shared: “Five years ago JAY HARVEY ’74 called out of the blue and we have reunited a great friendship. Hopefully Reunion Weekend will produce a few more great times with more classmates.”

1., 2. Bob Rowley’s ’72 daughter Liz and husband Gui were married on June 15. Pictured with Bob’s older daughter Mary arranging Liz’s train for photos. Carolyn and Bob Rowley ’72 celebrated their 39th anniversary on the same day as their daughter’s wedding. They hope their example is good karma for the happy couple.

3. Erica and Henry Emmet ’73 with their daughter-in-law and son.

4. Kathy and Tony Starr ’73 hosted the Class of 1973’s 51st Reunion on May 10, 2024. Front row: Tony Starr ’73, Deb White, Henry Emmet ’73, Alan Glickman ’73, Jim McGrath ’73, Ann Chiacchieri, Kathy Starr, Joyce Robbins, Mary Flanagan, and Erica Emmet. Back row: Andy Schley, Polly Knowles, Jim Burnham ’73, Austy Lyne ’73, Joe Knowles ’73, Dan Schley ’73, Jon White ’73, Jim Stratton ’73, and John Taylor ’73.

Jay Harvey ’74 and Mark Cauchon ’74 at Old Head Golf Links in Kinsale, Ireland.

This from MARK CHANDLER

’74 : “In 2021, I retired after 20 years as chief legal officer at Cisco. Over a period of 33 years, I’d been general counsel for three public technology companies, where I had the chance to build great teams and play a bit role in a great technological revolution.

Laurie and I have migrated from Washington, D.C., and Northern California, where we spent most of our time over the past 15 years, to Snowmass Village, CO, where Laurie has deep roots. Coincidentally, I discovered a shrine on Aspen Mountain memorializing STEVE BUTTS ’74, which connected life here back to our time at Belmont Hill. TONY GREEN ’74, whose sister lives nearby, is frequently with us here, too.

My three children are all launched in the careers they want, and two are married and the third engaged. My three stepdaughters are also doing well. All six are feeling enabled to pursue their dreams. We spend as much time with my granddaughters as we can, and I could not ask for more on that front.

Shortly after retiring from Cisco, I launched a policy lab at Stanford Law School, aimed at solving a problem that vexed me for years as a legal aid volunteer and board member of a large legal service organization: why court processes are so unnecessarily complex for matters like domestic violence, eviction defense, debt collection, etc., that affect so many people. We’re working with courts in seven states on a program for simplification. I have the chance to work with great people, including amazing students and faculty.

From my students, I’ve learned how little I know. I especially don’t know how to assimilate information and analyze data the way students today do. As a result, this fall Laurie and I will begin a year at Stanford taking a full load of courses. I hope to study data science, while Laurie plans to dive deep in the urban issues that have shaped her career and experiences for 30 years, as a teacher in Oakland and D.C., charter-school founder, and education non-profit leader. Where that leads, who knows!

I continue to be optimistic about our world and our opportunity to work toward a better future. Two years ago Laurie and I walked the last stretch of the Camiño de Santiago in Spain, and found a spiritual engagement that we hadn’t expected. It’s been said that pilgrims have a direction and destination. We weren’t there as pilgrims, but that message was

clear to us. So out of this time of change, we hope to have both a direction and destination that will help us build something better than where the world is today.

A singular pleasure over the past 15+ years has been serving as a trustee at Belmont Hill. I’ve had the chance to support two great leaders, Rick Melvoin and Greg Schneider, reminding me of what a special place Belmont Hill is. Even with the giant changes in the world over the half century since we left, the values which focus on character, and transformed us from boys to men, remain intact.”

STEVEN DUTTON ’74 shared: “Following graduation, I attended UNH (along with classmates STEVE WEEKS ’74 and BILL FINNERTY ’74). After UNH graduation, I moved to Florida and worked at the Golf Studio at Lake Buena Vista at Disney World, then spent one year as an assistant golf professional at Hatherly Country Club in Scituate, MA. After accepting golf was not going to be my career path, I entered the electronics manufacturing industry, starting and then selling a manufacturing business called SMT East in 1995 (sold to a company with Johnny Unitas as an executive). I then finished my 40-year electronics manufacturing career at Jabil, a $35B EMS company, where I traveled extensively to their 100+ factories located across the globe. I have formally retired but continue to do some part time consulting work in electronics. My wife Diane and I settled into a new house we designed and built in Scituate, MA. My son works for the Federal Reserve in NYC and my daughter works with disabled children.”

This from BOB EATON ’74: “After Belmont Hill I went to Colby College, graduating in 1978 with a B.A. in history. In the summer of 1977, I went on a five-week camping trip across the United States with ANDY MAGEE ’73. I worked for two-plus years as a paralegal in Washington, D.C., where I met my future

Laurie and Mark Chandler ’74.

Mark Chandler ’74 and his family.

wife, Betty Anderson. I started law school at the U of San Francisco in 1981, then transferred to BC, graduating in 1984. After a two-month tour of Europe, I joined Sloane & Walsh, focusing on insurance law and appellate brief writing. Betty and I married in 1990, moved to Rye, NH, and started a family. I opened my own practice in 1997. In 2000, I started mediating in the New Hampshire courts. In 2003, we got into town politics. Betty served on the Rye school board for six years; I was on the budget committee for three years, before being elected town moderator, a position I held for 16 years before retiring in March. I still golf and fire cannons for the Concord Independent Battery. In my spare time, I published a book of my Dad’s (JOHN EATON ’35) WWII letters.”

ANDREW EDGERLY ’74 shared: “This will be my 50th anniversary of arriving in Alaska where I went feral for five wonderful years until being taken in by the community of Kodiak. Yep, still here. Loyalty, lack of imagination? Couldn’t say. The rest is history to be embellished and shared over cocktails, around a fire, or at the galley table. I was excited to see some faces and hear some comments from the anniversary. The best to all of you. You were all so damn smart.”

PETER GOSNELL ’74 writes: “For the 2011–2012 academic year, I received my first-ever sabbatical after teaching at the university level for 17 years. Having finally received tenure from Muskingum University where I still teach as a professor of religion, I looked forward to the opportunity to finish work on a book on biblical ethics that I had begun several years previously. For my discipline, one of the best libraries in the world is in Cambridge, England. Tyndale House Library had nearly every volume I needed. It is the kind of library where, when scanning a footnote, I could go directly to the stacks and find the book being referenced. One time I needed a book of Ugaritic prayers in translation and transliteration, necessary because that ancient Hebrew-like language used a cuneiform alphabet. I can’t read cuneiform. Sure enough, the book was there.

Finding a place to stay in a foreign country can be daunting, but in 1988 I had taken my wife and three children (we subsequently added two more) to Sheffield, England, where I studied for my Ph.D. in Biblical Studies at the university there. We knew how to navigate the country. I applied for the list of available places to stay for visiting scholars at Cambridge

University and found a fabulous flat ‘to let’ near the railway station, and only a mile from the library. I reached out to the owner, one Charles Mosely, an accomplished Cambridge University scholar with attachments to several of the Cambridge Colleges. He proved to be a wonderful landlord. Toward the end of our lease with him, he invited us to his home in the countryside for a nice meal. As we were chatting about our lives, I mentioned that I had grown up in the Boston area. He replied, “Have you ever heard of a school called Belmont Hill?”

It turns out that Don Stewart had spent some time in Cambridge a number of years previously and had connected with Charles. The interaction was so successful that he arranged for Charles to come to Belmont Hill as a visiting instructor for a year. A Belmont Hill fan in Cambridge, England? Who knew?

Life is full of surprises. I never could have imagined that, after leaving Belmont Hill and entering Princeton University as a chemical engineer, I would graduate with a degree in English Literature, that I would be married three months later, that my wife and I would eventually have five children, and now thirteen grandchildren after more than 45 years

1. Andrew Edgerly ’74, Nira Givon, and children Maya, Eleanor, and Elan.

2. Gosnell family, summer 2023.

of marriage, that our path together would take us from Princeton to New Orleans to Portland, OR, back to New Orleans to Sheffield, England, to Tucson, AZ, and to our present location in Appalachian Ohio. Four of my five children are married, all committed church people with their spouses. Everywhere they go they make life better for others, and as a father I couldn’t ask for more.

I am now enjoying my third and likely final sabbatical, again in Cambridge. We have astounding friends here through the church we began attending during the first sabbatical in 2011. We also have fine friends to return to at our home in New Concord, OH. We are grateful for so much.”

This from BILL HARRIS ’74: “After 25 years in Silicon Valley, I moved to Miami Beach a while ago for the sunshine. I’ve got a cute little cottage by the bay and a fast bike and a beautiful ride to the office. I started a number of companies in California, and am now starting one here called Evergreen Money. My wife Merrilee and I divorced a while ago, my son Wills is working on his Ph.D. in astrophysics and quantum mechanics (the infinite and the infinitesimal) at UCI, and my daughter Anna got her masters in structural engineering at Stanford. She and I now have a little business exploring software-assisted construction processes (just ideas, for now). I look forward to seeing everyone at Reunion.”

JOHN VINCENT HARVEY, JR. ’74 shared: “Since leaving Belmont Hill, it has all gone by too fast. Another dozen years of school, 43 years of marriage to my best friend Lisa yielding a delightful daughter, Elaine. We moved about a fair bit, worked hard, and finally settled in retirement. We split time between Hilton Head and Cape Cod, with lots of golf and sailing. It

was the lessons and discipline learned at Belmont Hill which led to a successful and enjoyable life, and now, retirement. Thank you, Belmont Hill!”

DAVID HESTER ’74 writes: “Upon graduation I attended Lafayette College and enjoyed a great experience over my four years there. I was able to walk on and participate on the soccer team all four years. I also joined a fabulous fraternity and was an officer of the house for my three upper class years.

In 1978, I spent a quick year in the retail business, then embarked on a great journey of working in the toy business for 42 years. I traveled all over the world and was introduced to many creative and interesting people. In 1984, I met my wife on a blind date—that was arranged by my boss’ daughter! We were married in St. Louis in 1985 and have three beautiful grown children that are all happily married. From St. Louis we moved to Michigan in 1998 and spent over 20 years there. As of March 2022, we have begun our retirement in Bluffton, SC—just outside of Hilton Head Island. Let us know if you are in the area!”

This from GEORGE HOWE ’74: “Matriculated at Duke University which was a great cultural and new geographical experience. Started the Duke Club Ice Hockey team. Being a good Boston boy, I came home and started my career with Gillette selling razors in Denver. Next move was to Los Angeles where I worked for Standard & Poor’s and met my wife on the beach. I have been in Austin, TX, for 25 years where I helped take an internet company and have been in the investment management business since. I live on Lake Austin and am expecting my first grandchild in April. We do lots of great family trips oftentimes with my brothers PETER ’79 and DAVID ’82.”

CRAIG JOHNSTON ’74 shared: “As my classmate BARRY WALD ’74 often reminds me, I’ve had more than my share of good fortune since leaving Belmont Hill. He puts it more a bit more crudely

than that, but the point is the same—and accurate. I am about to finish my 33rd year of teaching at Lewis & Clark Law School here in Portland, where I specialize in environmental law. I hope to enjoy at least five more years at the podium, but we’ll see how it goes. I have loved every minute of my academic career, except the grading of exams. Many former students have become lifelong friends.

My three ‘kids’ are long since out of the nest. All are in the Bay Area, and all are both happy and thriving. Another of the great joys of my life has been the ‘Run America’ relays I put together to raise money for medical research on myotonic dystrophy, in Barry’s honor. It was fantastic to have several former Hillies join Barry and me in those efforts, including especially TONY GREEN ’74, MARK CHANDLER ’74, SKIP FEIST ’74, and TIM FULHAM ’74. Best to all!”

JOHN MCGRATH ’74 writes: “Fifty years ago is a long time, I guess. I’d always figured I’d be old and decrepit by the year 2000. To my great astonishment, I am both alive and active in 2024. Things could be worse.

I am grateful that my family valued learning and reading, which have been consistent themes in my own life. Attending Belmont Hill was perhaps the best thing I could have done to encourage and stimulate my own passion for learning.

The BHS faculty gave me the most amazing role models to learn from. For these things, I feel incredibly lucky.

After BHS, I attended Harvard, a school even closer to home for me. I had a lot of academic and other interests, but not much focus. I changed my major from Linguistics to Folklore & Mythology, and finally Economics, which is what I got my degree in. This represented less of an intellectual evolution than a growing sense that I had no idea what to do when I graduated. I took a lot of interesting classes, but most of the valuable stuff I learned

Bill Harris ’74.

in college came from all the interesting people I got to know.

Still, I often think my most worthwhile educational experience was a summer job working as a laborer in a silica mine in Idaho, which was a great experience for numerous reasons. Since then, no matter how uncomfortable, painful, exhausting, or mind-numbing a situation I have found myself in, I have been able to console myself with the thought, ‘At least I’m not in that g.d. mine.’

Graduation left me with a desire to get out and see the world, with romantic ideas influenced by George Orwell and Jack Kerouac. I finally figured out that there were some things I was good at and a far greater number of things I wasn’t good at. I learned a lot while engaged in management training, retail sales, waiting tables, telephone collections, entrepreneurship, and maintenance work, in various locations and in no particular order.

Ultimately, I figured out that I should do something I didn’t find abhorrent for a living, and that evidently included most of the careers where one had a chance to make a considerable amount of money. I went back to school and got a Ph.D. in Early Modern French History. Within a few years I had cobbled together enough experience, publications, and professional connections to become Professor of Social Science at Boston University’s College of General Studies. My research increased on the 16th C. Atlantic World, as people from various European states competed to explore, settle, and exploit the New World. Both research academic conferences and occasional summer teaching gave me the chance to visit many places I never would have thought to visit. During my 25 years at CGS, I also co-wrote and edited a college text that looks at modern European history from a perspective of social change and modernization. It is now in its 3rd edition.

CGS was a great place to teach. I had great colleagues and a lot of great students.

During most of that time I lived in Milton with my wife Ellie (Milton Academy ’74), our two children, Katie and Sam, and various corgis. Ellie and I were both actively involved in town affairs, especially with the schools. In particular, I served for 10 years on the Conservation Commission, protecting wetlands and open space. It removed any remaining doubt that in the United States, one’s ability to ignore the law correlates pretty directly with the size of one’s financial resources.

I was named Chair of my academic division in 2013, and that was the beginning of the end. Like most of my BU colleagues, I was already no fan of the BU administration due to the incessant emphasis on marketing and ‘strategic plans.’ Early on in that position, my dean requested me to make our division’s curriculum ‘better resemble what’s described in the admissions brochures.’ After that rather extraordinary instance of ‘the tail wagging the dog,’ I had to admit to myself that higher education had changed in ways that did not entirely agree with me.

I resigned the position of chair at the end of that year, then spent my last couple years as a professor helping transition CGS according to the latest Strategic Plan. Under this newest scheme, our liberal arts program became a revenue-enhancing ‘international program,’ taught by (cheaper and more exploitable) ‘Lecturers’ instead of tenured professors. I retired right before Covid in 2019.

Ellie and I live in Jamaica Plain near the Arboretum. My primary occupation is trying to keep as healthy as I can. The rest of the time, I try to learn about all the stuff I always wanted to know but never had the time for. The internet is pretty wonderful.”

This from CARL NELSON ’74: “As Steve Jobs said in his famous Stanford Graduation Speech, you can’t connect the dots looking forward—only when looking back. I would never have guessed that my early exposure to computers at Belmont Hill—

first with Mr. Bates over a dial-up modem in the classroom under the headmaster’s house and then later with the newly arrived Mr. Sherman—would determine my career trajectory. Looking back 50 years later, the chain of dots is obvious.

A lot of time during my four years at Colby was split between skiing at Sugarloaf and a student job in the basement college computer center. Later, while at MIT’s Sloan School getting an M.B.A. the introduction of VisiCalc made Boston ground zero for the business revolution of spreadsheets. It was an exciting time to be involved with personal computing. At Sloan, I also met my wife Chris—we’re still going strong 43 years later with two sons and one grandson (hopefully more of the latter to come).

I spent most of my career as CEO of three startup software/internet companies—a minicomputer spreadsheet company, an interactive video training company, and most recently, a legal services company that provides ethics and compliance training via the internet.

Thanks to Enron and Arthur Andersen’s failures due to compliance violations, my compliance training company was ‘in the right place, at the right time’ and was wildly successful. It was acquired 10 years ago with 300 employees and offices in the U.S. and Europe.

I decided not to roll the dice again on another startup so I retired early, switching to board of director roles and angel investing in clean-tech. I’ve invested in over 25 clean energy startup companies as diverse as energy efficient wastewater cleanup for breweries (little known fact making one gallon of beer creates seven gallons of wastewater), to a company making blown-in cellulose building insulation from cardboard boxes instead of the newsprint traditionally used (and now increasingly hard to find).

Throughout these years, Chris and I split our time between houses in Weston and

later Cambridge with four to five months a year spent on our cruising sailboats. I’m writing this aboard the current one—a 50ft sailing catamaran. We spend July and August in Maine and February through May in The Bahamas. To my great regret, it appears that during Reunion Weekend I’ll be somewhere off Cape Hatteras sailing back to New England.”

DAN O’CONNELL

’74: “Lived in Hong Kong for three years 1988–1990. Career in financial markets, foreign exchange trading, investment management, and alternatives fund management. Two hip replacements in 2018. Still active with tennis, platform tennis, and golf. Four daughters and two grandchildren ages five and three. Living in Milwaukee along Lake Michigan since 2005 and before that in Chicago. At Belmont Hill, our Chapel mornings were pretty unique and I doubt it’s the same today. The entire school standing to sing Jerusalem; ‘till we bring Jerusalem to England’s green and pleasant land,’ with Mr. Prenatt piping that organ in the rafters. And then the dismissal: ‘Sixth Form.’ That’s a memory not to be replicated.”

This from DAN PEIRCE ’74: “From my first days at Belmont Hill, the lyric ‘A thousand ages in thy sight are like an evening gone,’ has echoed in my mind. Over five decades later, I’m beginning to relate: I feel privileged to own a lifetime of memories, even if they seem fleeting in retrospect.

After Belmont Hill, math and science studies at Harvard led me to pursue engineering disciplines at Brown. Beverly and I married during my first summer in grad school, and our first child arrived a few months before I finished my doctorate. I took a job with the materials staff at

Arthur D. Little in Cambridge, but after five years I grew restless and sought to turn my fascination with investments into a new career. The pension fund at DuPont gave me a shot, and with three young ones in tow, Beverly and I decamped to Wilmington, DE. DuPont got plenty of attention from Wall Street, and I learned much from top financial experts. Working in both stocks and bonds, I developed a particular affinity for the latter. In 1995, when BankBoston was building a dealer operation in the debt of developing countries, I signed on there and our family moved back north. The home we found in Lincoln, MA, the town to which my parents had moved in 1964, has now been our residence for over 25 years. My position at BankBoston got shakier after Russia defaulted in 1998, and in early 2000 I joined an international equities team at State Street Global Advisors. I remained with State Street for more than 14 years, enjoying work in a variety of investment areas, but ruining my inability to mitigate fallout from the financial dislocations of 2007 and 2008. While recovery from those depths was steady, my responsibilities felt increasingly burdensome, and when retirement seemed like a sensible option, I took it. We had three grandchildren at the time, and we now have eight, none of whom are too far away.

I remain captivated by the financial markets, for better or worse, and I still read physical newspapers. I do lots of word puzzles and math problems, and I try to keep in shape by walking, hiking, and chopping wood. Beverly and I have attended Grace Chapel in Lexington since we moved back to Massachusetts, and our three children met their spouses through relationships formed there. Grace’s stated purpose is discovering life with God for the good of the world, and I love that our kids and their families are now living out this aspiration in their own communities. Retirement has afforded me more time in Scripture, where I have found renewed af-

Dan Peirce ’74 and three of his granddaughters.

fection for the Psalms and Old Testament prophets. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him, and the more I think about it, the more I believe that extension of that grace to others is truly timeless.”

CHIP PHINNEY ’74 shared: “I remember hundreds of voices singing Jerusalem in the Chapel; our shell gliding on the Charles to the rhythm of the oar blades squaring and cutting into the water; poring over the first page of A Farewell to Arms under the guidance of Mr. Myers in the corner classroom of Bolles; debating legal issues in Mr. Seeley’s extraordinary Constitutional Law class. More than 50 years later, my memories of Belmont Hill remain among the most vivid in my life.

More indelible still are the lessons I learned from my teachers, coaches, and classmates, though they were not always apparent until later on: a commitment to doing your best, whether it was writing an essay or executing a football play; the value of inquiry and debate; the importance of teamwork; the obligation to use the gifts we have been given to benefit others; the centrality of character and integrity in all that we do. I am enormously grateful to my late parents for making the decision, and the sacrifice, to send me to Belmont Hill.

Inspired by our teachers, I left Belmont Hill with the goal of becoming a teacher

Dan O’Connell ’74.

myself. Toward that end, I studied history, literature, art, and philosophy at Yale (and also continued rowing); lived in Paris for two years while studying at the Université de Paris III—Sorbonne Nouvelle and teaching English; taught for two summers at Northfield Mt. Hermon; and earned a Ph.D. in comparative literature at Princeton.

At 27, I was hired as an assistant professor in the Harvard English department. I loved teaching, and it was exhilarating, though sometimes daunting, to be surrounded daily by so many brilliant people. But sometimes I wondered if an academic career was the right path. During the summer of 1988, I volunteered for the presidential campaign of Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. I was energized by the hustle of the campaign and the chance to work on policy issues that could have a concrete impact on improving people’s lives. That experience, and conversations with my younger brother PETER ’79, who was already completing a law degree, led me to go to Harvard Law School with the goal of working in government.

A still more momentous change in my life took place during my first semester of law school, when I met a beautiful, vivacious, and gifted pianist named Joy Michele Cline. We were married in 1991 and are still going strong more than three decades later. Joy has lived up to her name and has immeasurably enriched my life in so many ways—through music, through the delights and challenges of parenting our twins Lauryn and Lincoln, through the experience of being a biracial family, and through thousands of daily conversations.

After law school, I clerked for the Honorable John Ferren at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and then joined Senator Ted Kennedy’s staff as Counsel for the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. I worked on projects involving education reform and health care reform, and occasionally had the thrill of seeing the results of these efforts mentioned on the front page of The New York Times or The Boston Globe Although working on Capitol Hill was fulfilling, I had significant education loans to pay off and we were hoping to have children and to buy a home. So I accepted a position in the litigation department of the Boston law firm Mintz Levin, eventually becoming a partner and staying for more than two decades. I had great colleagues at Mintz, including TONY STARR ’73 and JOE CURTIN ’80, and worked on some fascinating cases over the years. I also got to undertake interesting assignments for the firm such as co-chairing the appellate practice group, writing a blog, and launching a practice rotation for associates with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

From time to time, I explored returning to government work, but the opportunity and timing never seemed right until I accepted an offer from Chief Justice Ralph Gants to join the legal staff at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 2016. I was attracted by Chief Justice

Gants’ vision of the work of the courts as ‘repairing the world,’ and, although he unfortunately passed away in 2020, that vision continues to guide me in my current role as Chief Counsel for Judicial Policy. I have appreciated the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects including criminal justice reform and restorative justice, addressing the needs of litigants who are dealing with substance use disorders and mental health conditions, and improving access to justice for the many people who cannot afford counsel for civil cases. It has been inspiring to work for a group of judges who are genuinely collegial, collaborative, and dedicated to improving the legal system.

And speaking of inspiration, it has been profoundly inspiring to spend time with my classmates at Reunion and in the Zoom meetings leading up to it. I have been so impressed by the evidence of the values mentioned above in your lives and conversations. At a time when there are many reasons to despair about the state of our society and the world, that has given me hope.”

RICHARD RONAN ’74 shared a run of his accomplishments since graduating from Belmont Hill School:

• State House Legislative Aide - two years

• Operations manager at a marketing firm16 years

• Owner and head instructor of a martial arts studio - 20 years

• Job Coach for autistic adults - five years

• Police dispatcher for Norwell PD - five years

• Given the variety of jobs over the years, my kids call me Forrest Gump.

• Got my 6th degree black belt, ran five Boston Marathons, lots of biking and hiking.

BRADFORD ROWELL ’74 writes: “Greetings to all the classmates who could not

Chip Phinney ’74 with daughter Lauryn, wife Joy, and son Lincoln at Lauryn’s college graduation.

attend our 50th Reunion or to those I failed to have a chance to speak with at the Saturday evening dinner. Our gathering was a great success and the state of the school seems strong all around, which I am proud to see. Since leaving Belmont Hill School in 1974, and then college at Hobart, I have led a fairly varied life which includes stints in the art and antique business, corporate communications and development work for a healthcare company and a Boston non-profit institution. I have been primarily involved in real estate in downtown Boston since 1988, employed by Coldwell Banker Realty and its predecessors, involved in the sales and marketing of residential properties.

Currently, the residential market in Boston and environs is strong based on the lack of inventory and the strong and diverse economy bolstered by the healthcare, education, and biotech sectors. Let’s hope recent initiatives by state and local governments do not put the Commonwealth in an uncompetitive environment.

Other activities of a non-business nature which I have been involved with include serving for 11 years on the Beacon Hill Architectural Commission, which is one of the three oldest historic district commissions in the United States, Secretary and President of the St. Botolph Club in the Back Bay, and Governor of The Society of Colonial Wars in the Commonwealth. I was also the Founder and Chairman of the WGBH Channel 2 Wine Auction, which was seriously tough to take.

Most importantly, I am a very lucky husband to my beloved wife Abbe since 2006. It took a while but it was worth it in so many ways. Abbe punches above her weight and currently serves as an Associate Justice in the Probate and Family Court sitting in Suffolk County. Abbe and I divide our time between Beverly Farms and far off Ipswich and try to travel as often as possible. We are off to London and Edinburgh in a few days, but our favorite spot is Provence where we have spent

much time. With best wishes for good health and fortune to our 1974 classmates until our next gathering on Belmont Hill, and feel free to reach out if you care to reconnect in any way. Best, Brad”

This from STEVE SHEEHAN ’74: “The 50 years since our 1974 graduation from Belmont Hill have served to make the appreciation I have for all the faculty/ teachers/coaches and staff greater, and the memories from the good times with classmates fonder. Attending Belmont Hill for two years was a privilege, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity. The highest quality education and the shared values and friendships uniquely prepared me to approach life enthusiastically and with meaning.

I want so much to mention every member of the faculty and classmates today, but fear I will unintentionally forget someone. I must say that Newt Morton was special to me as I met him growing up in the Town of Reading where he gave so much to the youth programs, and he drove me to school Fifth Form year. Roger Duncan taught me more in a single writing class than I received in 10 years in public school.

My two favorite memories of Belmont Hill came about 30 years after our graduation when our two sons attended Belmont Hill. The first was when I attempted to quietly slip into my son’s biology class for parent/teacher night and Cliff Goodband glanced at me and shook his head muttering with his indomitable spirit, ‘Are you kidding me, Sheehan.’ Cliff told me that night that he was honored that my son MATT ’05 and I were his first parent/son students. Cliff was my biology teacher in ’73, and I was the one honored to see Cliff that night. My second favorite memory was watching my two sons, CHARLES ’04 and MATT ’05, become the first brothers at Belmont Hill (perhaps the only brothers) to play significant roles in winning back-to-back ISL varsity baseball championships under the dedicated

Pam and Steve Sheehan ’74 with grandsons Andrew, Logan, and Nicholas.

coaching of the great ED GALLAGHER ’66. This provided me closure with having to accept two second place finishes in ’73 and ’74 alongside my friend and star athlete, JIM REYNOLDS ’74, and our senior teammates. I was delighted to be able to introduce my two sons to Jim one day after a homecoming game win. Jim and I played varsity football, basketball, and baseball together during my two years at Belmont Hill. I am saddened by his passing this year.

Retiring after 30 years in the business world, I taught a graduate level leadership course as an adjunct college professor for five years. My wife, Pam, and I are enjoying our three grandsons all under the age of two, Andrew and Nicholas (our daughter Amanda and Greg) and Logan, (Charles and Megan).

My family knows that I have three favorite places I enjoy most—the three Bs— Beach, Baseball field, and Belmont Hill. My hope is one or more of my grandsons may one day experience Belmont Hill as one of their favorite places, too.

Life is truly just a blink of the eye and Belmont Hill contributed greatly to my being able to enjoy every moment in between it. A special thank you to each and every faculty member, past and present, who dedicate themselves every day, year after year, teaching and guiding us to prepare for the future.”

DAVID SIDMAN ’74 shared: “Graduated Harvard ’78 in Near Eastern Languages &

Civilizations. Intended to go to law school along with now-wife Marjorie Landa (also Harvard ’78) after a couple of years off, and even applied and got in, but then decided to be a jazz musician instead, so we came to New York when Margie got a full scholarship to NYU Law School. Worked with the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, Leroy Jenkins, Rahn Burton, Ken McIntyre and many others, and led my own band Speak of the Sun which played all original music, issued several commercial recordings, and performed internationally at major festivals and clubs such as the Kool Jazz Festival and The Blue Note. But it became clear that music was never going to pay the rent, so when we started a family, I flipped my computer day job into a full-time career, starting at Shearson Lehman Hutton, then Barclays Bank, then Moody’s Investors Service, and eventually leading new publishing technologies at the publisher John Wiley & Sons. When the internet hit, went entrepreneurial by founding a company that tried to commercialize a new linking platform for the internet that was created by the primary inventor of the internet (not Al Gore—Dr. Robert Kahn). But it never took off, so I pivoted the company into digital advertising, and its current focus (under the name Video Storm) is to enable interactive ads on TV. The company hasn’t made money yet, but that was only in its first 24 years; tomorrow is another day. I could write a book about my wonderful wife, but suffice it to say we have two marvelous sons, and now two grandchildren: a granddaughter who is 3 years old, and now a grandson who is about 3 weeks old—and they all live in my old house in Belmont. I still play Jazz occasionally, but spend much more of my time playing traditional Irish and Old-Time music, including co-leading a weekly Irish session in NY and playing in the band for my wife’s sword-dance team.”

BARRY WALD ’74 writes: “Greetings fellow classmates from Oregon Territory!

My travels have taken me from Boston to D.C., to Pittsburgh, and to Boca Raton, FL, before settling in Portland, OR—my home for the past 35 years.

After BHS and college, I began working in the environmental field, first a year in Boston and then three years in Washington, D.C., working on industrial air pollution control regulations for the EPA. When Reagan was elected, I concluded it was a good time to go to grad school, and chose the MBA program at Carnegie Mellon University and moved to Pittsburgh in 1981. I was eventually offered a job by IBM in Boca Raton, FL, where they had this new division making these things called ‘personal computers,’ which seemed pretty cool, so I packed off south for the next six years.

While in Pittsburgh, I had met my future wife, Ruthie, who worked in the arts. We were friends for a year before things turned romantic a few months before I moved to Florida. We dated long distance via People Express for three years before marrying in 1986. (People Express subsequently folded.)

Working at the start of a fledgling, but booming, industry was exciting and

challenging. I bought a Hobie Cat, sailed off Delray Beach after work, and played a lot of hockey with all the Canadians and northerners who had fled south. It was surprisingly good hockey. One day at work I had occasion to go over to our legal team’s offices and was introduced to the newly hired lawyer. I walked in, and who was sitting there but...MAZZONE ’74! What a shocker!

In 1988, I was offered a three-year assignment at IBM in Paris and prepared to go with my bride to France for three years. Life seemed pretty sweet, but then things went a bit haywire. I had been experiencing vision/ glare issues at the beach and on the ice at the rink. I eventually learned I had cataracts that were diagnostic for myotonic muscular dystrophy (DM), a degenerative condition I inherited from my mom’s side of the family. Meanwhile, IBM decided to move the PC operation (and my job) to North Carolina. And there was an option to take a buyout and leave the company. Facing a big unknown about my health, I didn’t want to move overseas, nor did I want to move to NC, so...see you later!

I heard the call to go west and landed a job at Intel Corp. in Portland, OR. Ruthie and

1. David Sidman ’74 and family.

2., 3. Rachel, Ruthie, and Rebecca Wald—circa 1995. Ruthie and Barry Wald, celebrating their recent 38th anniversary.

I spent a few months in the Caribbean and moved in January of 1989, joining CRAIG JOHNSTON ’74 (CJ) in the PacNW. I spent the next eighteen years at Intel—in finance, marketing, and new product development—before eventually founding an internal start-up. Ruthie and I had two daughters in 1991 and 1993. In addition to continuing with hockey, running, and biking, I coached my daughters’ youth soccer and softball teams. As they progressed into competitive years, I enjoyed traveling with them to elite tournaments across the West. We bought a Forest Service cabin on Mt. Hood, about an hour’s drive from our home, and enjoyed wonderful times there for over twenty years. My parents also moved to Oregon in 1999 and spent fifteen years close by.

At Intel, I traveled the world, but my stamina and strength diminished over time. After a particularly demanding trip to Japan, I took a short-term leave and never returned to full-time work. I retired from Intel under long-term disability in 2008.

In the 1990s, I also began a second chapter of sorts, taking a deep dive into myotonic dystrophy and establishing a working relationship with researchers at the University of Rochester. CJ, who had been looking for a reason to run across the U.S.A., had this crazy idea to form a team to do just that—while also raising money for DM research. So, the Run America Foundation was formed. Over the next ten years, we held four long-distance

endurance relays around the country including: Oregon to Boston, 2002; Portland to San Francisco, 2005; Atlanta to D.C., 2007; and a circumnavigation of Lake Michigan from Chicago, 2010. CJ headed up a group of about thirty runners while my sister and I biked. We had an eclectic group of sponsors including Nike, Red Bull, Cliff Bars, Cannondale Bicycles, and The Grateful Dead. We slept in rural high school gyms, made a lot of friends, and raised several hundred thousand dollars, which funded seminal research at Rochester which ultimately led to major funding at the National Institutes of Health. Today, thanks to all that research, there are five biotech companies conducting drug trials that hopefully will lead to treatment within the next five years. BHS classmates TONY G., MARK C., SKIP F., and TIM F. joined for parts of these tours, while DAN O. and TIM opened up their homes to sweaty travelers. ANDY E. sponsored a wild-caught salmon BBQ in Boston upon completion of the first tour, which ended at Fenway Park courtesy of the BoSox. Quite memorable. Thanks to all of you who contributed to the cause, which later led to my co-founding the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation, which today is an international nonprofit advocacy and research foundation.

Looking back, I recall kicking and screaming about the prospect of leaving my protected world in Newton for the First Form at BHS. It turned out to be the best thing that could have happened

1. Following the Graves-Kelsey Tournament – Patty Davis, sister of Jim Davis, ’77 hosted Jim’s family and friends for dinner and a toast to Jim. Tony Green ’74, Peter Sullivan ’75, Emmett Lyne ’77, Steve Lubrano ’77, Sherri Davis, Paul Alfano ’77, and Tom Green ’77.

2. Beth and Randy Mahoney ’79 with their children, Caitlin, Kevin, and Meghan, in St. John in December.

to me. As I sat in on the recent Reunion Zoom call and listened to the class video, I heard about all the fascinating places life has taken everyone and realized how much I cherish my enduring Belmont Hill friendships. Here’s hoping to get back to BHS someday!”

1975

50 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1979 – 45 TH REUNION NOTES

ANDREW BOTTI ’79 shared that he has been practicing law for 33 years doing business and employment litigation. He started his own firm two years ago and has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, WGBH Boston, and Ma Lawyers Weekly on FTC proposed ban on noncompetes.

This from RANDY MAHONEY ’79: “After graduating from Middlebury College, I traveled Europe for a month before starting the BayBank corporate manage-

ment training program. After finishing the program, I worked in the Burlington tower doing middle market and then large corporate lending. During my 11 years there, I met my wife, Mary Beth, who had come over from Bank of Boston’s program. Once married and given the rumors about BayBank as an acquisition target, we thought it best that one of us go work elsewhere. I went to Citizens Bank and then Cambridge Trust where I’ve been for the past 28 years. Long story short, we ended up back working together when Cambridge Trust acquired Wellesley Bank in June of 2020. We’ve raised three wonderful children in Wellesley during that time—a 5th-grade teacher (Meghan), a commercial real estate broker (Caitlin), and Kevin who will be graduating from college in D.C. the same weekend as our 45th Reunion, so I’m sorry not to be there.”

1980

45 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1984 – 40 TH REUNION NOTES

TAD GULESERIAN ’84 shared: “Forty years is a long time. But for the benefit of myself and all the readers, I’ll be brief. Much has changed since I transitioned from Belmont Hill student to alumnus. Work replaced homework. Meetings took the place of milk and cookies. Belmont became Sudbury. Brown hair transitioned to (some) brown hair and (more) gray hair. Family and responsibilities grew. However, much has remained the same. I maintain close ties with a number of Belmont Hill classmates. Be it a formal gathering or an impromptu meeting at a local restaurant, bar, or classmate’s house, the bonds remain deep and everlasting. The annual post-Thanksgiving Day touch football game at Belmont Hill concluded its 43rd consecutive edition; Game 43 was extra special as we paid tribute to JON GOLDBERG ’84. All attendees look forward to Game #44 on November 29,

2024. I have returned to campus many times over the last six years as my son LUKE ’24 is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 2024; he and I will be on the same reunion cycle. Enjoy each and every day. Make the most of your interactions with family and friends—they are the most important things in life. I am forever grateful to my wife, Kelley, and our two children/ young adults. My daughter Ava is an avid outdoorswoman, STEM major, and rising junior at Bates. My son Luke is a varsity soccer player, varsity skier, varsity rower, and recent Belmont Hill graduate. Kelley puts up with me. Ava and Luke always bring a smile to my face. I look forward to reading the Reunion Profiles of my classmates and to reconvening again as a group in May 2029 for our 45th Reunion. But there is no need to wait five years to see each other.”

This from TODD JACKSON ’84: “I had the good fortune to be drawn back to campus when my son, SCOTT, attended Belmont Hill, graduating in 2017. It was a thrill to be back during Rick Melvoin’s final years and enjoy campus life, performing arts and sports—Scott was the only drummer in the Upper School so we went to every show! I’m also proud of my ’84 diehard alumni soccer mates: JOE TULLY ’84 and DOUG WOLF ’84. As the team gets younger, our shifts get shorter but we never stop showing up! The passing of ROB HALLAGAN and GOLDY was hard, but it was also great to see so much support from the class. Looking forward to the Reunion!”

MICHAEL NAJJAR ’84 is in private equity. Managing Partner of Cortec Group.

ROGER NOWAK ’84 writes: “I have been living in Southern New Hampshire since 1999. I have been skiing and snowboarding at Killington Mountain since 2002 and have skied with RANDY CAITLIN ’84 and his family as well as TAD GULESERIAN ’84 as well as MARK MARTINES ’84 and CHRIS BROWN ’84. Occasionally see DOUG WOLF ’84 up there as well. Also been doing some fishing and boating off

1. Congratulations to Kerry Lyne ’80 whose team had a great CIF Tournament out in California including a champion at 215.

2., 3. Scott Strome ’83 traveled to Boston in March from his home in Memphis, TN. While here he visited with Sean Coughlin ’83 and also visited campus, where he caught up with faculty members Chris Sweeney ’83, Steve Kaplan ’83, and Michael Sherman.

the coast of New Hampshire and Massachusetts and Maine.”

This from PAUL ZURLO ’84: “Moved back to Boston after college, living in the city, working in consulting and then at a couple of tech companies. For the past 17 years, I have been with Bain Capital Ventures. Love my job, but more importantly, I love my family. Married an awesome person named Sylvia. We had our first daughter, Ella, and promptly moved to the suburbs, Duxbury on the south shore. Katie came quickly after Ella. Now the girls are in high school and eighth grade, respectively, and doing great. See the Boston area guys frequently. What a great school we went to.”

1985

40 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1989 – 35 TH REUNION NOTES

GEOFF BLANCK ’89 shared: “What’s up people!? Don’t think I will make the Reunion but if I do, I can tell you all this in

person. Short story of the past 35 years... Hobart College, New York City, Babson Business School. Kellogg’s in MI. Engaged. Married. Worked in the beer business for seven years in the U.S. (Labatt) and U.K. (Stella Artois). Had one daughter on each side of the pond. Took six months off and traveled New Zealand and then settled in Vermont. Been in Vermont for 19 years. Currently own the summer camp I grew up going to with a friend from Babson—16 years and counting. We run camp, corporate retreats, weddings, school groups, etc. Got cancer seven years ago and all clear now! Still live in Vermont but now that we are empty-nesting we spend half our days traveling. I cannot sit still and love to explore new places. Emma is a sophomore at Eckerd studying marine biology and Annecy is at Northeastern studying environmental science. Our two dogs still get us outside constantly and we now live in Stowe very close to the mountain. Visit any time!”

AARON KAPLAN ’89 writes: “UC Davis for undergrad and have been on the West Coast ever since graduation. UCLA for

1. The Guleserian family: Tad ’84, Ava, Kelley, and Luke ’24.

2., 3. Then and Now: Chris Brown ’84, Roger Nowak ’84, and Randy Catlin ’84 on Graduation day and Chris Brown ’84 and Roger Nowak ’84 out for a short cruise off the coast of New Hampshire.

4. Eric Lowrey ’85, Luke Lowrey ’30, Robert Popeo ’30, and Bob Popeo ’85.

5. Phil Privitera ’86 is still a practicing attorney, enjoying his current term as President of Boston College Law School Alumni Association. Fellow alumnus Mark Michalowski ’15, serves on his Board. Phil is also a Sergeant in the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, the oldest chartered military organization in the Western Hemisphere. June 3, 2024 after being commissioned by Governor Maura Healey at the annual “June Day” Ceremonies on the Boston Common.

6. Tim Kelly ’88 stopped by the Alumni House in March to say hello and tour campus.

7. Geoff Blanck ’89 and family.

Med school and diagnostic radiology residency. Finished my radiology training in Seattle at the University of Washington for neuroradiology fellowship. Practiced full time in radiology for 15+ years in California. Lived and practiced in Oakland, moved to Davis, and eventually stayed in Chico for many years until leaving California back in 2019 when we sold my private practice to private equity and a local hospital and moved to Vancouver, WA, in the metro Portland, OR, area and intentionally moved from full time to part time as I wanted to grow my roles and interest in commercial real estate. Currently general partner on eight large scale apartment complexes in Texas and Arizona metros; starting a real estate fund on Flex/ Industrial commercial condos; and doing master planned communities in Vail Valley, CO. My goal is to entirely replace my clinical income with income outside of medicine and transition to only four to six days per month, clinically for fun.”

DAVID KATSNELSON ’89 is an International Tax Consultant at Ernst & Young.

ROBERT MISASI ’89 shared: “Marjorie and I are living in Southborough, MA. Our oldest, Anna, is now at Rensselaer (RPI). Gavin and Sara are a junior (in college process now) and freshman in high school, respectively. I sold a business I founded and ran for 18+ years (going from me at my kitchen table to 30+ people), the Mercator Advisory Group, to an STG Partners portfolio company in 2022. My entrepreneurial drive remains and I am currently exploring other business opportunities.”

DAVID SCHLEIFER ’89 writes: “I’ve been in the biotech and medical device space, primarily cardiology, for most of my career. Our kids were born in Boston but got very tired of the weather so my wife found an incredible job as a physician at Miami Children’s Hospital in Florida. We have been here for over a decade and I spend most of my time on a plane going somewhere. If you are in Miami, give me a buzz.”

AJAY ZUTSHI ’89 is a math teacher at Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine.

1990

35 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

JOSH CUTLER ’90 has been appointed as Undersecretary in the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development by Governor Healey. He is a former six-term state lawmaker who recently served as House chairman of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee in the Massachusetts Legislature. In his new role, he will help lead efforts around apprenticeship, work-based learning, and labor policy.

1994 – 30 TH REUNION NOTES

JON CALLANAN

’94 is a veterinarian/ owner of Callanan Veterinary Group.

JIM EISENBERG ’94 writes: “After leaving Belmont Hill, I attended Hamilton College and later Suffolk University Law School. After several government internships and one statewide campaign, Jim Eisenberg ’94.

1. Mike Flynn ’92 visited campus in April and stopped by the Alumni House.

2. Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies our Transportation System, by Wes Marshall ’94.

I began working in the Massachusetts State House in 1999. I served as Staff Director for the House Ways and Means Committee from 2005–2009, and in 2009 I became the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives where I served until 2017. I met my wife Tara (2005) and we now live in Lexington with our three daughters (Maura, 14; Meagan, 12; and Maeve, 10). I currently work for the government relations firm Preti Strategies in Boston.”

This from WES MARSHALL ’94: “All good living and working as a college professor in Denver. Wish I could be at Reunion— but will have to suffice with watching Boston-related sports with COLIN HYNES ’94 (who lives a few blocks away) on the regular. In case anyone is interested, I have a new book coming out in a few weeks: Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies our Transportation System.”

PATRICK MURPHY ’94 is a partner at the real estate law firm of Harris and Murphy, LLP and lives in Belmont with his wife and three children.

ERIC SHAFF ’94 is President and Chief

Executive Officer of Seres Therapeutics.

1995

30 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1999 – 25 TH REUNION NOTES

ED CHAGLASSIAN ’99 shared: “I have been living in the Washington, D.C. area for most of my time since graduating Belmont Hill—first for college at Georgetown and then for work at JBG SMITH, a local owner/operator/investor/developer of commercial real estate, where I stayed from 2003 until the middle of 2023 with just a two-year gap when I went to business school in Philadelphia. Last summer I changed jobs for the first time ever to go to Bernstein Management Corp., another commercial real estate firm in the D.C. DMV, to ultimately succeed the CEO. I live in Bethesda, MD now with my wife of 10 years and our 5-year-old son who will be starting kindergarten in the fall.”

This from STEVE WRIGHT ’99: “I live in Nashville, TN, with my wife, Lindsay, and three kids, Evelyn, Millie, and Benny. We are all very involved in the Nashville community. For me, it’s mostly through my involvement with Jackalope Brewing Company, which we opened in 2011. Lindsay is the chief talent officer at Nashville Kipp charter schools and is in and out of eight schools helping serve students. Our kids keep us busy participating in several activities, mainly soccer, basketball, softball, and T-ball. They are looking forward to learning to skate this spring. I am eager to return to the Belmont Hill campus and see all the changes (I haven’t been back in 10 years). Some of my fondest memories were on the athletic fields.”

2000

25 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

1. Kit Hughes ’97 with his father, David Hughes, at the Belmont Hill Recruited Athlete Breakfast on campus in the spring. Kit is the athletic director for Holy Cross and was this year’s featured speaker.

2. T’Shango Mbilishaka ’98 visited campus in April and caught up with faculty members, including Caleb Collins ’93.

3. Al Murphy ’98 stopped by the Alumni House in March to say hello.

4. Asher Sawitsky, son of Denice and Aaron Sawitsky ’04.

5. Jackson Leighton Baker, son of Katie and Sam Baker ’07, born on June 3, 2024.

6. Michael Heath at Homecoming, son of Lauren and Zach Heath ’07.

2004 – 20 TH REUNION NOTES

MICHAEL BALL ’04 is a Senior Project Manager, Walsh Brothers, Inc. MGH Ragoon Building Project.

MATT GILES ’04 is a VP at Roivant Sciences/VP, Roivant Health.

MATTHEW KANE ’04 is a Vice President, Group Director, Analytics at Digitas.

2005

20 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

Ed Chaglassian ’99.

2009 – 15 TH REUNION NOTES

GREG KARELITZ ’09 writes: “I live in Dover with my wife Amberly, and daughter Rosabel. Working hard on my lawn game and keeping the garden fresh. I’ve been working at HubSpot for ten years (it’s the only company I’ve worked for, which is wild.) I occasionally go back to watch some Belmont Hill wrestling matches and tournaments. I miss the glory days, but the teams nowadays would beat our teams (even the New England Championship team). It’s awesome to see! I would love to connect with any of y’all—Zoom breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks—you name it.”

2010

15 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

2011

STEPHEN “JACK” O’LEARY ’11 and Maryann Kusmer were married on June 15 in St. Augustine, FL. NED O’LEARY ’15 and JULIAN KIRBY ’11 served as groomsmen.

2014 – 10 TH REUNION NOTES

ROBERT SAYEGH ’14 is a Vice President at Bain Capital.

MYLES SPENCE ’14 is a co-founder, chief brand officer at DeLorean Next at General Motors.

ALEXI THEMELIS ’14 is a manager of Specialty Coffee/Café Hagen and living in Seattle.

ALEXANDER VAZQUEZ ’14 is in Commercial Real Estate.

2015

10 TH REUNION | MAY 2–3, 2025

2018

Congratulations to PHIL CONIGLIARO ’18 on his wrestling accomplishments at Harvard. Named the 2024 Ivy League Wrestler

and Lana

and

2. Rachael and Mike Kinnealey ’08 with their children: Patrick (7 months), David (2), Mick (6), and Mary Kate (7).

3. Ricky Li ’09 and his fiancée Jennifer Evemeyer visited campus in July from their home in San Francisco.

4. Congratulations to Dara Alizadeh ’11 for racing in his second Olympics, again representing Bermuda in the men’s single.

5. Mudit Tandon ’13 paid a visit to the Alumni House in April.

6. Tim Brown ’20 stopped by campus in April.

7. Grant Litchfield ’21, Michael Marinello ’21, Brooks Rayment ’21, Casey Rockett ’21, Zach Travaglini ’21, and Ryan McGuire ’21 visited campus.

1. Darren

Hsin, son

daughter of Liza and Ron Hsin ’07, on Lunar New Year.

of the Year, he is leaving the program as one of only five Harvard wrestlers to ever do so in the team’s 131-year history. Closing the door on his wrestling career, he will receive one final accolade: The Crimson’s 2024 Male Athlete of the Year.

2019 – 5 TH REUNION NOTES

MIKE PIAZZA ’19 graduated from Amherst College in December and is an associate at Investor Group Services.

BRODIE RAYMENT ’19 graduated from Amherst in May 2023 and is now an associate for Berkeley Research Group’s health analytics practice.

WILL NEISSA ’19 shared: “I am living in Austin for my first-year post-graduation on the east side of Austin. I work in the hospitality student travel industry which I love. I am pursuing the dream of starting my own company in the hospitality field!”

KEVIN O’NEILL ’19 is a technology consulting associate at RSM.

MATT SAVAGE ’19 writes: “After Belmont Hill, I graduated from Colby College. At Colby, I balanced academics with athletics, studying economics, science, and technology while playing on the men’s lacrosse team. Now, as an investment analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York City, I am exploring the city, building new relationships, and connecting with old friends. My experiences, teachers, coaches, and mentors at Belmont Hill taught me my work ethic, interpersonal skills, and how to be intellectually curious, for which I am grateful.”

LAWSON MORRIS ’19 is a restructuring associate at Ankura.

CADE NAGAHAMA ’19 is an analyst with Ironwood Capital.

In July, a contingent of Belmont Hill faculty and staff and spouses attended the International Boys School Coalition Annual Conference at the Harrow School in London. In addition to productive workshops and inspirational keynote remarks, a special event was held at the National Gallery. Belmont Hill eagerly anticipates hosting the conference on June 22-25, 2025!

1., 2. Mark Chandler ’74 and Don Stewart. At the 50th Reunion in May, Mark dedicated the Form II study hall to faculty members who had a great impact on him: Don Stewart and the late Jack Myers

3. Donna David, former director of health services, paid a visit to Hans Wachtmeister in Broad Run, VA.

4. Hannah Pham and faculty member Paul DiResta welcomed their son, Leo James DiResta, in April.

5. Former librarian and archivist Caroline Kenney and her husband, Ian, welcomed their son, Otis, in June.

Matt Savage ’19.

MARC CIBELLI

Belmont Hill welcomes Mr. Cibelli to the History Department and as a coach of hockey and baseball. He joins us from Lawrenceville School where he taught World History and Native American History. At the Millbrook School, he was the interim History Department Chair. He has extensive coaching experience as well and was the assistant boys’ varsity hockey coach at both Lawrenceville and Millbrook and the assistant boys’ varsity baseball coach at Millbrook. Mr. Cibelli holds an M.A. in liberal studies with a concentration in social science from Wesleyan University and a B.A. in political science with minors in history and education from Skidmore College. At Skidmore, he captained the hockey team.

MAUREEN COURTNEY

Dr. Courtney is very familiar with Belmont Hill as a current parent, former dorm parent, and spouse of former faculty member Jared Courtney ’97. She joins Belmont Hill’s Science Department, where she will teach four sections of science and coach robotics. Dr. Courtney has seventeen years of experience teaching upper school biology, chemistry, neuroscience, human anatomy and physiology, psychology, and robotics courses with levels ranging from introductory to Advanced Placement. Dr. Courtney has taught at the Cambridge School of Weston and then at Hill School and Rivers School and was the department chair at both institutions. She has published many scientific papers and is a health and wellness speaker on topics including vaping, drug and alcohol awareness, and video and social media addiction. She holds a Ph.D. in psychological and brain sciences and an M.A. and a B.A. in psychology, all from Boston University.

DANIEL DEFRAIA

Dr. DeFraia joins Belmont Hill as a one-year interim English teacher providing sabbatical coverage. With experience as a visiting professor and journalist-in-residence at Emerson College, his teaching portfolio includes history, literature, essay writing, journalism, and narrative non-fiction. He will also coach soccer and assist with extracurricular student clubs. Previously, he was a Steiger Fellow at the Committee to Protect Journalists and worked in their journalist assistance program. Prior to that, he reported for GlobalPost and other news outlets. He holds a Ph.D. in American studies from Boston University, an M.L.A. in English from Harvard Extension, and a B.A. in writing and literature from Emerson College.

SAM MESSINA

Mr. Messina joins the Belmont Hill faculty as a one-year teaching fellow in the Science Department. He is a recent graduate of Middlebury College where he earned his B.A. in environmental geology with a minor in education. As a football offensive lineman, he was named to the NESCAC All-Academic squad four times. He was inducted into the Vermont Collegiate Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame, named to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, and received Middlebury’s John P. Stabile ’40 Memorial Trophy which is awarded to a member of a men’s team who best exemplifies the Middlebury spirit. Mr. Messina will also coach in our football and wrestling programs. He will live on campus and be a part of the residential life team.

Nelson Jarvie Darling Jr., of Swampscott, MA, died on June 18, 2024. At 103, he was the oldest living alumnus of Belmont Hill School.

Born in Erie, PA, on December 27, 1920, to the late Nelson Darling Sr. and Jeannette Craig Devine, he moved at a young age in 1922 with his family to Swampscott, where his father was the manager of General Electric’s West Lynn and Riverworks facilities. He met the LaCroix family, also residents of Swampscott, and later wed his sweetheart, Ruth Ward LaCroix, in 1948, sharing 64 years of marriage.

Mr. Darling went on to Harvard College, earning his A.B. in 1942. In December of that year, he received a commission as an ensign after completing Officer Candidate School at Northwestern University. He served in the U.S. Navy in WWII from 1942 to 1946. In December 1942, he was assigned to Submarine Chaser 1029. After service at the Sub Chaser Training Center in Miami, FL, he took part in the landings on Sicily and in Italy and the underwater demolition teams in Southern France preparing for landing in August 1944. He served in the Pacific in 1945 on the aircraft carrier USS Vella Gulf until VJ Day. Retiring from the Navy in 1946 with the rank of Lieutenant, Mr. Darling was proud of his naval service. He recently wrote, “I preferred to remain a veteran who is uncomfortable with the current world’s inability to settle differences by peaceful negotiations.” [2024] He also wrote, “The peace memorial at Hiroshima provides

the world with a tragic look at the past and inspiration for the future.” [1987]

After the war, Mr. Darling graduated from Harvard Law School in 1948. He appreciated his education at Harvard and Harvard Law School as well as friendships developed during these years. He was convinced that his studies had a great deal to do with making the next 55 years of his life happy and rewarding.

In 1950, after an interval practicing law at Ropes and Gray, he joined the investment banking firm of Paine, Webber, Jackson, and Curtis, which was a member firm of the New York Stock Exchange. He retired after 29 years from Paine Webber, Inc., and continued in trustee and financial advisory activities with family-owned Agawam Trust and Management, LLC, and Woodstock Corporation. Mr. Darling found business pleasurable and enjoyed his work.

He lived his life aware of, and asking questions about, keeping abreast of change. Involvement with educational institutions gave him the opportunity to engage across generations to explore the critical questions of our time. Mr. Darling served on the board of trustees of Wellesley College from 1962 to 1980, for a time as its president. He was also a trustee of Belmont Hill and was honored with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 1987.

Mr. Darling loved classical music and served five three-year terms on the Boston Symphony Orchestra board of trustees as member, president, and eventually chairman. He retired as a life trustee.

He was an avid tennis player, hiker, sailor, angler, and vegetable gardener. He also was an enthusiastic skier and helped to form the Drifters Ski Club in the White Mountains. He enjoyed traveling to destinations worldwide. He watched his son, Thomas Darling ’77, row in three Olympics around the world, and he enjoyed travel with the Boston

Symphony Orchestra, Harvard University, and Wellesley College. He wrote, “There seems a lot to do and too little time to do it.” [1987] Most of all, he appreciated being at home and walking Preston Beach in Swampscott. He was a thoughtful, remarkable, intelligent, and successful man, and he had a rich and rewarding life.

Mr. Darling was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, in 2013; his son, Morris Felton Darling ’74, in 1991; his daughter, Sarah Darling Pruett, in 2021; his grandson, Samuel Nelson Darling, in 1984; and his sister, Phyllis Darling White, in 2019. He is survived by his son, William H. Darling ’67, and his wife, Betty Breuhaus; his daughter, Esther, and her husband, Michael Mulroy; his son-in-law, Robert Pruet; his son Morris’s widow, Kathy Walker; his son, Thomas W. Darling ’77; his daughter-in-law, Jillian Darling; and his daughter, Jeannette, and her husband, Peter McGinn.

He is also survived by his grandchildren; children of William Darling: Rebecca and her husband, R. Manuel Hauswirth; Benjamin Darling ’03, Ph.D.; Julia and her husband, Steven Goldman; Charles Darling and his wife, Margo; and Betty’s daughter, Katherine, and her husband, Matthew Norton. Esther Mulroy’s children: Conor Mulroy, Ph.D.; Thomas Calder-Mulroy, M.D., and his husband, Patrick; and Robert Mulroy, Ph.D., and his wife, Andja. Sarah Pruett’s children: Walker Pruett and his wife, Madeline; Amy and her husband, Adam Hirt; Nicholas Pruett and his wife, Maribeth; and Jena Pruett, engaged to David Leonard. Thomas Darling’s child: Lia Darling. Jeannette McGinn’s children: Anna McGinn and her husband, William Kochtitzky, Ph.D., Morris McGinn, Daniel McGinn, and Lydia McGinn. He is also survived by 16 great-grandchildren, and he was the brother-in-law of the late William P. LaCroix ’37, Bigelow Crocker Jr. ’42, and John H. Knowles ’44

NELSON J. DARLING JR. ’37

PETER N. HARVEY ’54

Peter N. Harvey, of Littleton, MA, died on March 23, 2024. He was 88.

Born in Cambridge, MA, in 1936 to the late James and Ethel (Rivers) Harvey, he grew up in Belmont, MA, the youngest of four children. A 1953 graduate of Belmont High School, Mr. Harvey spent a formative preparatory year at Belmont Hill School in 1954 where he captained the junior varsity hockey team, played soccer and baseball, and made lifelong friends.

He graduated with a B.A. in English literature from Tufts University in 1958, following which he moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a production assistant for CBS News, where he had the opportunity to work with well-known journalists and even meet a former U.S. president.

After moving back to Massachusetts, Mr. Harvey began work for the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC), the Commonwealth’s agency that supports people with disabilities in providing training, employment, and community building. He started with the agency as a rehabilitation counselor, obtained his M.A. in counseling psychology from Assumption College in 1973, and rose through the ranks at MRC, becoming its human resources director, a role he retained until his retirement in 1998.

In 1965, Mr. Harvey married Carol Keenan, with whom he shared 58 loving years of marriage. They eventually settled in Littleton, MA, where they raised two daughters. Mr. Harvey loved his family

above all else. He spent endless afternoons with his girls teaching them board games, playing baseball, and taking them on outings, including countless Red Sox games. He supported his daughters with their activities in their youth and provided wise counsel and companionship throughout their adulthoods. In later years, he and his wife enjoyed their retirement, traveling to the U.K., Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Ecuador.

Golf was a passion, and he enjoyed playing on a regular basis, whether at home or on vacation, and he especially enjoyed participating in the annual family golf tournament, the Harvey Open. His love of golf extended to faithfully watching tournaments on TV. He also enjoyed crossword puzzles, reading—especially mysteries and history, his cherished Red Sox, movie musicals, and cooking. He enjoyed annual summer vacations with his family by the ocean in Moody Point, Wells, and Ogunquit, ME. Sunday was not complete without the newspaper, typically several, and he never met a library book sale he didn’t like. Mr. Harvey’s constant companion in his later years was his dog, Babe. He had a wonderful, witty sense of humor that brightened everyone’s day and won him many loyal friends.

He was the beloved husband of Carol, devoted father of Kathy Harvey-Ellis (Craig) of Sharon, MA, and Laura Harvey Iglesias (Maurice) of North Yarmouth, ME, and the cherished brother of Joan Burns of Stow, MA. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Benjamin and Sofia, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews, all of whom he enjoyed catching up with at the Harvey Christmas Eve Party, another of his favorite annual events. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers James Harvey ’48 and David Harvey ’49.

John (Jack) Carr Woodbury, of Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, died on May 22, 2024. He was 84.

Born in Dover, NJ, he was the son of the late Barbara (Carr) and Glen P. Woodbury. While at Belmont Hill, he captained the basketball team and served as president of his class. He went on to Wesleyan University, acquired a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1964 and a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts in 1970. Dr. Woodbury spent most of his life working in public education in New Jersey.

His admiration for teachers at Belmont Hill and professors at Wesleyan led him to join the faculty at Tilton School in New Hampshire in 1961, where former Belmont Hill teacher Bert Moore was headmaster. He later taught at the North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka, IL, then embarked upon a career in public school administration. Most of his leadership years were spent as superintendent of schools in three suburban New Jersey school districts, South OrangeMaplewood, Ho-Ho-Kus, and Rumson.

Dr. Woodbury was drawn into the civil rights movement in the 1960s, and racial equality and urban education became major concerns for him. Hearing Martin Luther King Jr. speak at a rally of 25,000 people at the capitol in Montgomery, AL, and again at a small church on Chicago’s west side, were unforgettable moments for him, and he became personally involved in these issues while training teachers in Hartford in 1969, as superin-

JOHN C. WOODBURY ’57

tendent in South Orange-Maplewood, as chief-of-staff for the chancellor of the New York City schools in the 1970s, and while serving as New Jersey deputy commissioner of education in the early 1990s.

In retirement, Dr. Woodbury followed the fortunes/misfortunes of the New York Jets and Giants, tracked news stories, and enjoyed reading, travel, and seeing every Oscar-nominated film. He had a talent for making people feel like they were the most important person in the room. He was sincere in his desire to connect with people authentically.

He is survived by his wife, Janet, and their blended family of five children, Lynne W. Gentry, Glen L. Woodbury, David T. Woodbury, Allison J. Woodbury, and Sarah Woodbury; seven grandchildren, Yahn, Caylin, Anne, Aidan, Andrew, Esther, and Abe; and a great-grandson, Luke. He was preceded in death by his brothers Robert L. Woodbury ’56 and Ronald G. Woodbury ’61

L. Richard (Dick) Littlefield, of Jaffrey, NH, died on July 27, 2024. He was 83.

Mr. Littlefield was born in Boston on January 31, 1941, to Dr. Leland A. and Alice (Sangster) Littlefield. Raised in Cambridge, he was a graduate of Belmont Hill School and later earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

After a short tenure in the human resource arena, he moved into academia in the field of counseling and student personnel, first at SUNY, Oswego and then at the University of Delaware. As an assistant director of residence life in Delaware, he helped nurture several specialty residences, including immersive foreign language houses, a women’s studies residence, and an academic honors house.

In 1976, he married Liz Moser and they settled in New Hampshire. Always a collector with a sharp eye for bargains, he founded Littlefield Antiques and became very knowledgeable in the field of antique firearms. Though he always enjoyed the search for rare or unusual pieces, his true self was most apparent as an educator and mentor. Widely known as an expert in antique American gun manufacturing, he answered all questions asked of him with patience, humor, and clarity.

An inveterate traveler, Mr. Littlefield was known to put 50,000 miles per year on his minivan, attending trade shows, exploring back roads, and visiting friends all over the U.S.

After 40 years of research, he co-authored the book Frank Wesson, Gunmaker, the definitive work on the subject.

Mr. Littlefield was predeceased by his parents and his sister, A. Eleanor Hunter. He leaves behind his wife of 47 years, son Aaron, daughter Rachel (Ross) Faska, three granddaughters, several nieces and nephews, and many friends and colleagues.

At the time of publication, the Bulletin learned of the death of Marvin P. Kosow ’59 on August 28, 2024 at age 84. His obituary will appear in the next issue.

Christopher Scott, of Boscawen, NH, died on June 6, 2024. He was 81.

Born in 1942 in Peterborough, NH, Mr. Scott was the son of the late Thomas J. Scott II ’39 and Virginia R. Scott. He went on to the University of Vermont, graduating in 1966.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from 1962 to 1970, having attended basic training at Paris Island, SC, and combat infantry training at Camp Lejeune, NC.

Mr. Scott worked for Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, MA from 1967 to 1969 and then in Geneva, Switzerland from 1969 to 1974 as head of advertising and sales promotion for Europe. Upon his return to the U.S. in 1975, he worked for Thermal Dynamics Corporation in Lebanon, NH. In 1978, he founded New Image Advertising in Lebanon, NH, which he operated until 1983.

Thereafter, he worked for Cuneo, Sullivan & Turner Advertising in Boston. The pull of the Upper Valley brought Mr. Scott back to New Hampshire in 1986 when he founded Laserlab Electronic Graphic Design, which he owned and operated in Hanover. He also worked as creative director for Nomad Communications in Norwich, VT, and as an account executive for Franklin Printing out of Farmington, ME. He founded CS Marketing & Design in 2001 in Concord, NH, which he owned and operated until declining health forced him to retire.

L. RICHARD LITTLEFIELD ’59

CHRISTOPHER SCOTT ’61

Mr. Scott was always happiest when he was on the water, either sailing, windsurfing, or learning to scull at age 55, and when he became treasurer and assistant regatta director of the Amoskeag Rowing Club. He was an avid fan of his children’s and grandchildren’s sports, enthusiastically cheering them on at any chance he had. He also had a special place in his heart for his two Irish terriers, Zaira and Rowen, and was particularly proud of Zaira for becoming a champion in AKC Confirmation.

He is survived by his sons, Christopher C. Scott, Alexander W. Scott (wife Kathryn and daughters Hannah and Elyse), and Kevin A. Scott; his stepson, Leon Gudel; his partner, Ann G. Hourigan; his former spouses, Constance A. Jones (mother of Christopher and Alexander), Janna R. Lubbers (mother of Leon and Kevin), and Carol Pierson; his brothers John (wife Sage), David (wife M.J. and son Drew); his sister Linell; and other nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Thomas J. (Jim) Scott III ’64.

Thomas (Tim) Crocker Cross, of Arlington, VA, died on May 28, 2024. He was 76. Born in Boston in 1947, Mr. Cross was the son of the late Patricia Crocker Cross and Harold Cross Jr. He went on to Harvard College and graduated with an A.B. degree in social sciences in 1970. He furthered his education by earning a master’s degree in criminology at the University of California Berkeley in 1972 and an M.B.A. from Stanford University in 1977. In addition to his graduate programs, he joined the U.S.

Army Reserves, in which he served as a medic for six years.

From an early age, Mr. Cross knew he wanted to dedicate his life to public service. He spent his 35-year career as a dutiful and respected employee of the Justice Department, State Department, Small Business Administration, and, lastly, the National Science Foundation, where he served as deputy inspector general. Outside of work, he continued to support his community, spending 16 years as a volunteer for the Arlington County Auxiliary Police, and, most recently, volunteering with the SPCA at their dog adoption events.

Not only was he able and ambitious, but he also had a keen sense of adventure, which led him on a solo motorcycle tour of Europe. He loved to travel and connect with people everywhere he went. Mr. Cross was a man of kindness, integrity, and generosity, and he left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. In 1984, he met his wife, Paulette Parker Cross; they were married two years later in 1986, and welcomed their only child, Courtney Parker Cross, in 1988.

A man of many hobbies and skills, he was an amazing craftsman and woodworker. He delighted in building furniture and repairing almost anything for family, friends, and neighbors, always ready to lend a helping hand. In his downtime, he was an avid tennis player, winning tennis tournaments on Cape Cod as a boy, and later teaching his daughter, Courtney, how to play. He also developed a love of photography and returned from every trip with an impressive array of photographs.

He is survived by his wife, Paulette Parker Cross; daughter, Courtney Cross and her husband, Jesse Price; granddaughter, Parker Price; sisters, Tia Cross, Katherine Peters and her husband Timothy Peters, Darthea Cross and her husband Michael Leacher, Rosalie Nelson, Marion Kerr and her husband Stephen Kerr; as well as two nieces, three nephews, two great-nieces, and three great-nephews.

Thomas J. Petersen, of Manchester by the Sea, MA, died on June 2, 2024. He was 72.

Born in 1952, Dr. Petersen was the son of the late Jean S. and James A. Petersen. He went on to Wheaton College and later earned his Ph.D. at Northern Illinois University. For over 35 years, he practiced as a psychologist in a private clinic and in the Lynn, MA Public Schools.

A brilliant psychologist, he also had a rich life outside of his work. He was a devoted father and loved spending time and sharing adventures with his daughters, Mia and Lisa. He was also deeply committed to prison ministry and often accompanied prisoners, ex-prisoners, and hospitalized persons to their appointments or when needing companionship.

He had a deep love for music and played in various bands, including at the First Presbyterian Church Northshore, in the Distractions, the Loose Associations, Bottles & Cans, and Honky Tonk Heartache. In college and after, he played in a band called Nashville West. He was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of chord charts and 1960s and ’70s music. He was an active member of the Ipswich Presbyterian Church and a committed volunteer in many Christian organizations, including New Brothers Fellowship, Inc.

Dr. Petersen experienced a spiritual rebirth in 2002. He lived his life as a reflection of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount and in so doing, he enriched the lives of everyone he met. He was exceptionally kind and is remembered for seeing and

THOMAS C. CROSS ’66

THOMAS J. PETERSEN ’70

loving the essence of everyone he encountered, as well as for his unashamed innocence, his great capacity to feel and show joy and love, and his uncanny playfulness. He is missed by all his circles—his family, colleagues, bandmates, fellow volunteers, his church, and neighbors.

He is survived by his daughters, Lisa and Mia Petersen, of Manchester by the Sea, MA; his sister, Kristine Armstrong (Frank), of Maynard, MA, and his brothers, Paul Petersen ’73 (Jane) of Winter Springs, FL and Dan Petersen ’75 (Kathy) of Goodyear, AZ; and many nephews and nieces

CHARLES

G. GOODHUE ’72

Charles Gorse (Chip) Goodhue, of Tewksbury, MA, formerly a long-time resident of Wayland, MA, died on July 9, 2022. He was 67.

Born in 1954 in Boston, he was the son of the late Priscilla Hall and Charles E. Goodhue III. He went on to Colgate University, where he excelled in tennis and was a proud brother of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He graduated with a degree in philosophy and religion in 1976.

Mr. Goodhue began his career in sales selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door for Kirby. He became a partner at R&J Packing Co. in Winchester, MA, distributing American meat and seafood before ending his career restoring old houses and running a power washing company.

In addition to tennis, he enjoyed skiing and golfing in his free time. He also read history, regularly contributing politically slanted letters to the editor, and creating politically humorous bumper stickers. He was a hardcore Boston sports fan, coached his niece, Kathryn Goodhue, in the Special Olympics, and enjoyed watching high

school soccer at Nashoba High School, where his daughter, Marissa, played, and Wayland High School, where his son, Charles, played and currently coaches.

Mr. Goodhue married Lisa Dana, of Wayland, MA; together they had three children, Marissa B. Goodhue, of Miami, FL, Charles E. Goodhue IV, of Wilmington, MA, and the late Caroline E. Goodhue. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Catherine T. Goodhue, and three grandchildren, Charlie E. Goodhue, Grace E. Goodhue, and Aiden M. Goodhue, all of Wilmington, MA, as well as his brother, David L. Goodhue ’75 and wife Louise, his nephew, David J. Goodhue, and his niece Kathryn Goodhue. He was preceded in death by another brother, Stephen Goodhue.

Owen Reid Coté Jr., of Charlestown, MA, died on June 8, 2024. He was 63.

Born and raised in Winchester, MA, Dr. Coté was the son of Ann (Fulton) Coté, former assistant to the director of the Middle School at Belmont Hill, and the late Owen R. Coté Sr. He went on to Harvard College as a national merit scholar finalist, graduating in 1982. Then he earned his Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology after specializing in U.S. defense policy and international security affairs. He became the assistant director of the International Security Program at Harvard’s Center for Science and International Affairs. He was also the co-editor of the Center’s journal, International

Security. He joined the MIT Security Studies Program in 1997 as associate director and principal research scientist.

Dr. Coté is the author of The Third Battle: Innovation in the U.S. Navy’s Silent Cold War Struggle with Soviet Submarines, a book analyzing the sources of the U.S. Navy’s success in its Cold War antisubmarine warfare effort and considered the definitive work on the subject. He was the co-author of Avoiding Nuclear Anarchy: Containing the Threat of Loose Russian Nuclear Weapons and Fissile Material. He has also written on the sources of innovation in military doctrine, the future of war, nuclear and conventional force structure issues, and the threat of nuclear terrorism. Within the Security Studies Program at MIT, Dr. Coté mentored several generations of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows on all aspects of military technology and the implications for international security.

His friendships within the MIT community were very important to him and ran deep. He enjoyed dining out with friends, colleagues, and family, and relished many dinners at his brother’s home in Topsfield, MA. There were many long and enjoyable conversations to be had on those nights, not all serious. He was always up for a good discussion about Star Wars or Harry Potter movies. Motorcycle magazines and the New York Times Sunday crossword remained lifelong passions. He was a devoted uncle and had a deep love for his nieces Eliza Coté, Sofia Coté, and Livia Coté as well as for his self-proclaimed “fake” niece and nephew, Sam and Nina Harrison.

In addition to his mother, Ann, he is survived by his siblings, Mark T. Coté ’79 of Blacksburg, VA, Peter H. Coté ’88 and his wife Nina of Topsfield, and Suzanne Coté Curtiss and her husband Robin of Cape Neddick, ME, as well as his adored nieces, Eliza Coté of Blacksburg, VA, and Sofia and Livia Coté of Topsfield, MA. He was also the brother-in-law of the late Tina Coté.

OWEN R. COTÉ JR. ’78

FACULTY AND STAFF

PETER P. BRITTON

Peter Price Britton, of South Hamilton, MA, died on April 26, 2024. He was 81.

The son of the late John Delaplaine and Margaret (Ferguson) Britton, Mr. Britton was born and raised in Hartford, CT. He graduated from St. Paul’s School in 1961 and then pursued a pre-baccalaureate program at Upper Canada College in Toronto. After graduating from Yale University in 1965 with a degree in American Studies, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a repair diver and as gunnery officer on a Navy repair ship.

Mr. Britton married Beatrice Totten in 1970 and joined the faculty at Belmont Hill at that time while in Lexington. He joined the History Department, teaching the Fifth Form U.S. History course, and also coached football. He later introduced a semesterlength introductory course in anthropology open to Third and Fourth Formers.

When the School became the recipient of a grant from the Edward Ford Educational Foundation to fund construction of a media center, Headmaster David Aloian asked Mr. Britton to spearhead the project. Under his leadership, a number of faculty members collaborated in the design and implementation of the scheme, which occupied what had been a language lab in the Morse Building. For 20 years, the media center, overseen by Don Stewart, would provide much needed-studio and projection space for faculty and student projects.

In 1975, Mr. and Mrs. Britton left to build their family home in South Hamilton, where they lived with their two children, Nathan and Willoughby. He became a civic leader and was involved in numerous local and international non-profit environmental organizations. He served on the Hamilton planning board for many years and was a supporter of The Trustees of Reservations as well as the Essex County Greenbelt. He also was a long-term board member of Outward Bound International and helped to establish programs for youth wilderness education in countries like Oman and Rwanda. Mr. Britton founded Brick Ends Farm in Hamilton with the vision of restoring fallow lands along the North Shore to agricultural production. His commitment to land restoration continued as he transitioned the farm into a pioneering operation for the processing of organic waste into usable compost. His track record finding water using only a dowsing rod was locally renowned.

Mr. Britton was an avid athlete. He was an enthusiastic equestrian and a long-term member of the Myopia Hunt. He ran the Boston Marathon and was once the only person in his age group to complete the Sea to Summit Triathlon. He loved to kayak in the ocean all around New England, and he was particularly proud of having skied more than one million vertical feet of untracked powder in the Canadian Rockies in his lifetime.

He is survived by his loving wife, Beatrice (Bea) Totten Britton; his son, Nathan Britton, and his wife, Sara Dunsky, and their daughter, Tabitha Dunsky-Britton, of Seattle, WA; and his daughter, Willoughby Britton, and her husband, Jared Lindahl, of Jamaica, VT.

WILLIAM D. MAHONEY

William Dowd Mahoney, of Arlington, MA, creator of the modern Communications office at Belmont Hill and its director since 2006, died on August 18, 2024. He was 62.

Born in 1961, Mr. Mahoney was the son of the late Ann and John Mahoney. He majored in English at Boston College, where he earned his B.A. in 1984, and in 2001 was awarded an M.Ed. in educational management by Cambridge College. From 1993 to 2000, Mr. Mahoney served Babson College as an admission officer and senior strategic writer, then joined Harvard Business School as associate director of marketing communications, serving until 2006 when he was appointed to Belmont Hill.

As the School’s first designated director of communications, he established practices and channels for the sharing of information about Belmont Hill and its programs to the community at large, with particular attention to growing and enriching the School’s website. He also took charge of the Belmont Hill Bulletin, a publication graced by his talents as an editor, interviewer, and writer.

Mr. Mahoney is survived by his daughter, Gillian; his loving life companion, Diane MacDonald; and Gillian’s mother, Elvira Venturina. He also leaves his siblings, John (spouse Lenor) and Pat (spouse James O’Brien), and his nieces, Alison, Emma, Emily, and Erin. His loving family includes his godmother, Mary Louise Hegarty, and her husband, Neil; his cousins, Julie Hamm (spouse Richard and

children Brian, John, and Lauren), Ray Angelone (spouse Stephanie and children Aeden and Lilia), Kate Mitchell (spouse David and children Owen and Abigail), Margaret Hegarty (daughter Elizabeth Carey), Maria Hegarty (spouse Nate Herpich and son Declan), Elizabeth Hegarty (daughter Katie McCabe), and Douglas J. Roberts, Jr.

WALTER M. MCGINNITY

Walter M. McGinnity, a longtime resident of Arlington and Cambridge, MA, died on March 22, 2024. He was 83.

The son of the late Bernard M. and Alice M. (Sullivan) McGinnity, he grew up in Cambridge and was well known for his athletic accomplishments in both baseball and hockey, particularly as a pitcher in high school. He followed his passion for baseball playing for the San Francisco Giants farm team in El Paso, TX. He continued to demonstrate his love for the sport by coaching many young athletes in various age groups in Belmont Youth Baseball and at Belmont Hill, where he was coach of the fourth and fifth teams in the Middle School as well as assisting with the varsity. Mr. McGinnity also served as assistant equipment manager for the school for four years.

Apart from baseball, he was an enthusiastic runner for many years. He instilled the love of sports in all his children, ran road races with his daughters when they were young, and completed multiple Boston Marathons. Mr. McGinnity also loved spending time with family and friends and watching baseball, football, and hockey. He was also an avid movie watcher.

For most of Mr. McGinnity’s adult life, he worked at Brine’s Sporting Goods shop in Harvard Square. He loved working there and helping fitness enthusiasts of all sports. He was well known in the Cambridge community and always eager to help the locals find whatever they were looking for. He was the ultimate people person and loved interacting with anyone who came into the shop.

He is survived by his wife, Judy, and their children, Bob (Christine) McGinnity, of Northborough, MA, Karen McElligott, of Gold Coast, Australia, Deb (Tom) Walsh of Boston, and Sue (Derek) O’Grady, of Northborough. He also leaves ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was the brother of Bernie (Jean) McGinnity, the late Ronnie McGinnity (MaryLou), George McGinnity and his late wife Anne, and Alice (Kevin) Fitzgerald.

ROSS R. ROBERTS

Ross Richardson Roberts, of Lincoln, MA, formerly of Concord, a member of the faculty from 1967 until his retirement in 1994, died on May 9, 2024. He was 96.

Born in Hartford, CT, in 1927, Mr. Roberts was the son of the late Douglas J. and Hope E. (Richardson) Roberts. He grew up in Hartford and Vernon, CT, and after graduation from Philips Exeter Academy in 1945, he served in the U.S. Navy. After World War II, he went on to earn a B.A. in geography from the University of Vermont, an MBA from Columbia University, and an MALS in mathematics from Wesleyan University.

Formerly a teacher at St. Michael’s School, Newport, RI, and Tilton School in New Hampshire, Mr. Roberts joined the Belmont Hill mathematics department and taught the subject at all levels with dedication for 27 years. He aided in the introduction of computer technology into the curriculum and actively attended professional conferences and seminars to bring benefit to his department.

In addition to coaching football and hockey at lower levels for decades, Mr. Roberts was a devoted school man of reliability and cheerfulness behind the scenes in performing tasks that needed to be done. He took charge of the lunch seating rotations for a long period and also assisted in creating the schedule of teaching assignments and class enrollments each spring. He sang in the faculty chorus in the 1970s and was a regular participant in the annual holiday spectacle of the Facultones, appearing once, memorably, as Santa Claus.

Known for his dry wit and wry New England humor, his love of nature and outdoor activities, adventuresome world travels, his kindness and generosity of spirit, and his enthusiastic volunteerism, Mr. Roberts was a model of community mindedness. He was a regular participant in Concord Town Meeting and a longtime parishioner of Trinity Episcopal Church in Concord.

Mr. Roberts’s wife of 56 years, Nancy Elizabeth Allen, preceded him in death in 2009. He is survived by his son, Ross Richardson Roberts Jr. ’72 (Robin), of Fernandina Beach, FL, and daughter, Susan Allen Roberts Shultz (David), of Sheboygan, WI; his grandchildren, Brianna, Bridget, Brittany, and Jonathan Roberts, and Douglas, Cassie, Michael, and Randy Shultz; and eleven great-grandchildren. He was the brother of the late Jane R. Pastel and Douglas J. Roberts, Jr.

2024–2025

Board of Trustees

Jon M. Biotti ’87, President

William F. Achtmeyer ’73, Vice President

Gregory J. Schneider, Secretary

Anthony W. Ryan, Treasurer

Samuel P. Bartlett

Florence T. Bourgeois

Mortimer J. Buckley III ’87

Mark D. Chandler ’74

Gretchen R. Cook-Anderson

Warren Cross, Jr. ’83

Carl D. Dawson ’72

Groom Dinkneh ’09

Jeffrey D. Drucker ’90

Ronald M. Druker ’62

Jean C. Egan

Daniel S. Farb

William A. Forde ’05

John T. Grady, Jr. ’66

Christopher J. Hadley

Danielle A. Heard

Jason H. Hurd ’90

Joshua M. Isner ’04

Stephen R. Karp ’57

Jonathan A. Kraft ’82

George W. Lynch II ’88 ex officio

Emmett E. Lyne ’77

Todd A. MacLean

Amy B. Madden

Carl J. Martignetti ’77

Patricia O’Neill Nolan ex officio

Gregory C. Paul ’09

Sarah H. Pelmas

Taggart M. Romney ’88

Jill M. Shah

Brian J. Shortsleeve ’91

Herbert S. Wagner III

Belmont Hill School

350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478

617.484.4410 www.belmonthill.org

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please address all correspondence to the Bulletin Editor at the above address, or email us at communications@belmonthill.org

managing editor

Amy Hirsch

editors

Lindsey Taylor

Cameron Chittock

class notes & in memoriam

Eileen Foley

Harold Prenatt

photography

Dan Duarte, John Gillooly, John Gillooly Jr., Kristie Gillooly Dean, Neal Hamberg, Amy Hirsch, Adam Richins, Matt Risley, and the Belmont Hill School Archives.

©2024 Belmont Hill School. All rights reserved.

Design by: amn brand + design amnbrand.com

On back cover: Led by the talented and energetic Donnell Patterson, more than 60 performers from local groups, including Joyful Voices of Inspiration, Millennium Gospel Choir, Sharing a New Song (SANS), St. Paul African American Methodist Episcopal, Cambridge, and Belmont Hill’s B-Flats came together in harmony in a powerful performance in Hamilton Chapel on February 22, 2024.

Below: Duncan Kilbride ’24 working on his panel.

remembering jack connors p ’85, ’97 Honorary Trustee

Belmont Hill mourns the July 23, 2024, passing of Jack Connors, a true legend in the City of Boston. His philanthropic work has deeply impacted our region’s hospitals, schools, and young people. His remarkable commitment to places such as Camp Harbor View, Boston College, and Partners HealthCare exemplified his dedication. We remember Mr. Connors as a transformational trustee and friend to Belmont Hill School.

Mr. Connors joined our Board in 1993 and remained involved as both an active and Honorary Trustee. His sons John ’85, who also served as a trustee, and Kevin ’97 are engaged members of our community and outstanding alumni. His bold voice drove philanthropic success over multiple decades, inspiring others with his family’s generosity and involvement to a school that he so clearly loved. He believed in Belmont Hill’s special culture, and he reminded us that we were all privileged to support it in whatever way we could. Yet his leadership went far beyond philanthropy, offering wise counsel and guidance to our executive committee, and board presidents, as well as to a number of fortunate heads of school. His impressive leadership experience at Hill Holliday and the world of marketing and advertising

was invaluable. Mr. Connors believed deeply in the values of character and working together; he led by example and remained focused upon doing the right thing.

Mr. Connors offered kindness, inspiration, and wisdom, becoming a trusted and compassionate mentor. He continually expressed gratitude for the hard work of others, deflecting the spotlight and placing credit elsewhere. His leadership made others around him better, a quality we deeply appreciated and one that will live on in the leaders he impacted.

In 2023, Belmont Hill honored Mr. Connors with the Distinguished Alumni Award, a recognition seldom granted to nongraduates. He has been an essential member of our Belmont Hill family for decades. We write this letter with deep sadness, remembering his optimistic smile, encouraging wink, and empathetic warmth that emanated from his soul.

Sincerely,

gregory j. schneider jon m. biotti ’87

Ronald M. Druker ’62 President of the Head of School Board of Trustees

350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478-2662

617.484.4410 www.belmonthill.org