BCD Today 2017

Berkshire Country Day School

BCDToday SPRING 2017

2016-17 Board of Trustees Cara Vermeulen PRESIDENT Scott Schiff ’74

BCDToday SPRING 2017

VICE PRESIDENT

Chris Ferrone TREASURER

Paige Smith Orloff SECRETARY Paul Lindenmaier EX-OFFICIO

Grace Barlow Susan Benner B. Stephen Boyd Stephanie Buchanan Lisa Kantor John Kittredge ’73 David Hosokawa Danny Lipson Colin Mathews Tom O’Neil Alli Sheehan Mark Smith

Administration Paul Lindenmaier HEAD OF SCHOOL Leigh A. Doherty ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Gwen Connolly DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Alexandra Heddinger DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION & FINANCIAL AID

Editor: Joanne DelCarpine Editorial Assistants: Gwen Connolly, Eugénie Fawcett, Alexandra Heddinger, Michele Levy, Jessica Provenz Design: Christine Casarsa Design, www.ccasarsadesign.com Printer: Quality Printing Company, Inc. Cover Photo: Joanne DelCarpine Photography:Susan Benner, Jake Borden-The Berkshire Eagle, Joanne DelCarpine, Leigh Doherty, John Dolan, Alexandra Heddinger, Paul Lindenmaier, Robert Oakes, Jessica Provenz, Victoria Sideropoulos, Lucie Stites, Criss Troast

From a very young age, Kevin Hirt ’06 instinctively knew that libraries have the power to transform and inspire learning.

In 2001, at age 10, Kevin learned that he was dying from a rare pediatric cancer. In a remarkable act of courage and generosity, he asked his parents to gift his college fund to Berkshire Country Day School to help build a new library.

After years of thoughtful stewardship and planning, we have expanded upon Kevin’s vision, and on April 7, 2017, we celebrate the completion of two new spaces on our historic campus: the Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons; and the Kim and James Taylor Music / Performance Room.

Designed by Flansburgh Architects and built by Allegrone Construction, the state-of-the-art learning hub and the dedicated music room allow us to enhance our intentional curriculum, inspiring even more campus-wide creativity and experimentation. Kevin’s mother, Lynn Campana, said of the new facility, “I think Kevin would be so happy and proud to know this is happening.”

Contents 2

Campus News

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Campaign Success: Promises Fulfilled!

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Alumni News

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In Memoriam

INTENTIONAL INDEPENDENT INSPIRED

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fter a comprehensive and inclusive communications planning process last year, we chose these three words as a new tag line because they effectively communicate what sets us apart. A consensus emerged from our discussions that our curriculum, our values, our vision for teaching and learning, even our campus, are all intentionally designed to allow each individual to grow in a deeply personal way. After thoughtful reflection, the faculty refreshed our philosophy statement, as presented on the back cover.

I see countless examples of our philosophy in action every single day here on campus—in the way our Latin scholars win big year after year at the Pioneer Valley Classical Association’s Classics Day at Mount Holyoke College, in the way our fifth graders will use what they learned on a trip to Mass MoCA to inspire their own works of art, in the advanced analytical skills and habits of mind acquired in our math and sciences programs, or in the qualities of character that emerge in our students, having been carefully developed and nurtured throughout the lower school years.

This issue of BCD Today also tells the story of nine years of intentional effort to further develop our people, the program, and this special place. Our 2009 Strategic Plan charted a course to “improve and steward BCD’s campus to accommodate and reflect the quality of BCD’s program” while strengthening our financial position. As a result, we created a master facilities plan and a vision for the future of our most treasured resource, our dedicated and talented teachers. Hundreds of community members responded to the case for support, and our capital campaign has exceeded expectations.

It is exciting to share with you that the renovation of Furey Hall was completed this February. The Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons and the Kim and James Taylor Music / Performance Room are state-of-the-art spaces that will allow us to enhance our intentional curriculum while fueling creativity and experimentation.

An open-space learning hub designed for use by multiple stakeholder groups, the Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons, will foster connections between students and faculty, with the Berkshire community, and with teachers and learners worldwide. The Kim and James Taylor Music / Performance Room will enhance our robust arts program, while acting as a possible venue for outside events and performances.

Just as our teachers connect the dots and provide a series of transformative learning experiences that develop the whole child, learner, and person each day, our vibrant community continues to build upon the legacies of those before us. I invite you to stay in touch by visiting the campus and/or following us on social media, and to consider how you can join us in our future endeavors.

With gratitude and excitement,

Paul Lindenmaier Head of School

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Campus NEWS Grade 6 Hulbert Trip Mr. Robert Oakes On a crisp October morning, the sixth grade class piled into a yellow school bus and, with goodbye waves to parents, headed off into the unknown. Not that we didn’t know our destination: we’d seen the Hulbert Outdoor Center brochures and slideshows from last year’s trip; we’d listened as our teacher told us what to expect and how to prepare; we thought we knew what we were in for.

What we didn’t know is how it would feel to wander under those dusky orange leaves in the golden autumn sun; to fire arrows at straw targets by the lakeside in the morning; to be led blindfolded on a night journey and let our hearing become attuned; to watch the sky breathlessly to catch a falling star; to learn to build a campfire and a lean-to shelter; or to reach the summit of a mountain after a long and arduous climb and be greeted by the most amazing vista of evergreen trees and sky.

Each day, the Hulbert guides led us through team-building activities that challenged us to communicate and collaborate in order to overcome obstacles and solve mind-teasing puzzles. They coaxed us out of our comfort zones, and up into the treetop ropes course, where we tested our mettle against challenging climbs and dizzying tight-rope walks. We played together, we worked together, and we shared meals, laughs, and stories. When we returned home, we were filled with memories, lessons, and experiences we will not soon forget.

A winning season for the Boys Varsity Soccer team BCD Today interviews Sr. Miguel Silva Soccer is Señor Silva’s passion. “I’ve played soccer every day since I can remember. It’s what I love to do.” So, when the native Spanish speaker and 2014 Berkshire County Soccer Hall of Fame inductee joined BCD as both a world language teacher and the varsity soccer coach, our students won in the classroom and on the soccer field. “My coaching goal is to teach the game right,” said Sr. Silva. “I was lucky to have good coaches when I was young who trained me with a disciplined approach. It was still fun, but serious enough so that we could be competitive.

I love teaching basic skills and developing players,” he continued. “Coach Ben Evans and I worked hard to train the team to use the whole field, cross the ball, and, most of all, to trust all of their teammates because soccer is never a one-person game.”

It was apparent to everyone who came out to see a game last fall that the team trusted their coaches’ system – and each other. “We really had a great time playing for Sr. Silva,” said grade 8 right midfielder Gabe Rich. “We learned how to communicate without talking, so we knew what he wanted us to do for the team.

Everyone experienced it and everyone got better.

It was so fun!”

“They were just doing what we asked them to do in practice, and in the end they only lost one game. It was awesome!” said Sr. Silva with a smile. “The kids were happy to win by playing with a good style where everybody participated.

It created a positive vibe that brought pride for both the team and the whole school.”

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Campus NEWS Classics Day Awards Once again, Berkshire Country Day School's Upper School Latin students joined the Pioneer Valley Classical Association annual Classics Day at Mount Holyoke College.

They enjoyed participating in workshops and contests with their peers from Academy Hill, Amherst Middle School, Belchertown, Herberg, Lenox Memorial High, MacDuffie, Pittsfield, Taconic and Williston. The BCD students were accompanied by teachers Eugénie and James Fawcett, Associate Head of School Leigh Doherty, and Head of School Paul Lindenmaier. BCD students received the following awards:

Art Contest SCULPTURE: First Place: Lanna Knoll, grade 9 PAINTINGS & DRAWINGS: First Place: Lanna Knoll, grade 9 MOSAICS: Second Place: Fiona Ferrone, grade 9; Third Place: Esmé Lazar, grade 7 MILITARY: Second Place: Anje Capala, grade 7

Costume Contest First Place: Esmé Lazar, grade 7 as Artemis Third Place: Julia Mammen, grade 8 as Persephone

Oral Interpretation INTERMEDIATE: First Place: Colby Lederman, grade 8 Second Place: Fiona Ferrone, grade 9 Third Place: Beck Mathews, grade 8 NOVICE POETRY: First Place: Keely O'Gorman, grade 7 Second Place: Chase Vermeulen, grade 7

Certamen LATIN 2: Second Place: BCD team of Fiona Ferrone and Lanna Knoll, grade 9, and Beck Mathews and Gabe Rich, grade 8 LATIN 1: Second Place: BCD team of Roberto Barron, Cass Combs, and Colby Lederman, grade 8, and Henry Van Schaick, grade 7

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Campus NEWS Fifth Grade Makes Mummies!

Dr. Jilly Lederman The Fifth Grade History class takes a hands-on approach to exploring world religions and ancient civilizations through myriad projects. From batiking Buddhist-inspired prayer flags to trying their hand at Chinese calligraphy, students engage in the material beyond just reading and writing.

One highlight is the extended project of mummifying chickens during the exploration of ancient Egypt. The central theme of this unit is the role that religion played in the daily lives of Egyptians, who believed that one’s body required preservation in order to travel to the afterlife.

To simulate the complex process, we perform basic steps of mummification on raw chickens.

Students create a sarcophagi, clean and dry the chicks, and pack them into zip-lock bags with salt.

This simulates the use of natron for dehydration.

The chickens then sit in our classroom for about a month. This method is so effective that a visitor to our room cannot smell the mummification process! The chickens are wrapped mummy-style in layers of gauze and nested back into their shoebox “tombs.” Spells from the Egyptian Book of the Dead are chanted to ensure protection from evil.

Using modeling clay, fabric, and paper, students create books, furniture, mini-iPhones, and other items necessary for the afterlife and place them in the tombs. Then the sarcophagi are buried in the woods. Someday an archaeologist might uncover them and wonder exactly what were the students at Berkshire Country Day School up to?

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Early Childhood Pedagogy BCD Today interviews Ms. Vicky Sideropoulos The Reggio Emilia approach, which puts an emphasis on the creative and expressive arts, inspires Ms. Sideropoulos to learn more, experiment more, and dive deeper with her students. “Art is not a separate subject in Preschool,” she says. “It is one of the ways the children learn. It is equal in status to academics because it provides my students with valuable opportunities to explore, discuss, problem solve, and express themselves ‘with great liberating merriment.’ (Malaguzzi).”

Recently, the Preschool class began looking closely at similarities and differences among people, especially skin color. “At the beginning of the conversation the children believed that we are all the same color," Ms. S. said. "I challenged that and asked everyone to put their hands next to each other. With excited squeals they exclaimed that ‘We are all different!’” The students then began the process of creating their own skin color paint, “since you can't just buy an ‘Anika-colored’ paint in a tube,” Ms. S. continued. “I offered them red, blue, yellow, and white paint, and it took two days of mixing and testing before each student was satisfied with their personalized skincolor paint. This project, like many of the topics we explore in Preschool, delivered a multitude of learning experiences: about similarities and differences; about experimentation and persistence; and about the sheer joy of learning in a collaborative environment.”

Campus NEWS Upper School Students Immersed in the Act of Composition BCD Today interviews Mr. Charles Martin In addition to his role as an educator and music director, Berkshire Country Day School’s new music teacher, Mr. Martin, loves to compose.

“The act of starting with blank manuscript paper and–mysteriously–arriving at a completed piece is such an enjoyable artistic practice for me,” says Mr. Martin. “The final score becomes a complete set of instructions for the performer to interpret. Many consider this to be extremely challenging, but our young composers at BCD have approached this daunting task with an open mind and good sense of humor.

“Working with Mr. Martin is a pleasure,” said grade 8 student Roberto Barron. “He’s fun, he’s interactive, and we get our work done. We’re composing with ‘Garage Band,’ and he can do just about anything in that program and answer any question. He’s really an inspiration.”

The Music Composition Studio class takes place during Arts Block and combines intensive one-on-one study with group explorations of contemporary music. Participants also take time to provide peer-to-peer feedback during group sharing opportunities. Arts Block composers typically complete a portfolio of 3–5 finished works by the end of the trimester. “Their work was showcased at BCD’s Arts Night in December, and we are looking forward to providing incidental music for the Upper School theater production in the spring,” Mr. Martin continued. “It has been such a pleasure to work with our current composers, and I am looking forward to the next generation (our current grade 6 students) who will join the class next year.”

Penguins, penguins everywhere!

Mrs. Andrea Patel During the month of January, the Kindergarten class takes the BCD school mascot to heart as we study penguins.

We learn about their habitat, the kinds of colonies they form, and how they care for their eggs and young hatchlings in rookeries.

Hands-on experiments show us how blubber keeps them warm, even in the icy waters.

Here are a few of the facts we discuss:

• There are 17 kinds of penguins in the world.

• All of them live south of the Equator.

• Even though penguins are birds, they cannot fly, but they sure can swim!

• Male Emperor penguins balance their eggs on their feet until the eggs hatch. They balance them for two months, during which time they do not eat at all!

One of the highlights of our unit is the annual visit by the award-winning photographer, Sally Eagle, who has traveled all over the world with her photographer husband Dan Meade.

Sally generously visits every year to share her knowledge with the Kindergarten class. The children are fascinated by her extraordinary photos and always have many questions for her.

As part of the study unit, Mrs. Patel reads Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater, and the class is immersed in art projects, songs, and poetry about penguins.

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Ninth Grade Caving Lanna Knoll ’17 and Fiona Ferrone ’17 Berkshire Country Day School’s low student-to-teacher ratio allows for great flexibility in lesson plans, and dayto-day activities are often tailored to students’ specific interests. Grade 9 student Lanna Knoll has been exploring caves for as long as she can remember. Eager to share her passions with her classmates, Lanna and her father, Phil Knoll, arranged for the class to embark on a cave exploring adventure with geologist/environmental artist Jon Piasecki.

On a cool November morning, the class set out supplied with headlamps, hard hats, and gloves.

During the short hike to the cave, Mr. Piasecki discussed the geology of the area and how the caves were formed. This informative lecture ranged from the prehistoric movement of glaciers to the pH levels of the surrounding rock. We examined the flora and the various animal bones we came upon on the way to the cave’s entrance, then followed a riverbank littered with various pieces of limestone. This was our first clue to the subterranean activity of the region.

Looking into the entrance of the cave we could not see where it ended; it was small, dark, and coated in mud and dead leaves. To enter we had to slide on our stomachs, feet first, which felt daring and reckless since we didn’t know where we would end up! Once our feet touched solid ground, we realized that caving would be more complex than we could have imagined. Each rock displayed its own unique and intricate history through weather marks and fossils.

Throughout the cave, we found bones of rodents and paw prints in the endless layers of mud; all evidence of a world under our feet about which we had never been aware. The cave was not spacious; to fit ourselves through the tightest openings we had to crawl on our stomachs and once or twice we even had to roll. We had planned to enter through one hole and exit through another, but when we found our exit, past a subterranean pond, we realized that only rodents would be able to crawl through it comfortably.

When we came out, the brightness of the sun, the spaciousness of the woods, and the sensation of walking on 6

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our feet again were all pleasant surprises. We walked around the forest to look at other caves. These were located on a farm where cows that die are just left to decompose, so we found many cow bones strewn throughout the woods. We tried to identify each bone that we encountered and collected our favorites. They have become the ninth grade’s treasured souvenirs of a great day. Though we were left with wet shoes and clothes covered in mud, at the end of the day we had clear minds and smiles on our faces.

Admissions OfficeUPDATE Ms. Alexandra Heddinger, Director of Admission and Financial Aid It’s been a busy and exciting time in admissions, with renewed eagerness to share the many ways Berkshire Country Day School offers an exceptional education.

Our refreshed tag line Intentional. Independent.

Inspired. neatly captures BCD’s educational philosophy and communicates that BCD balances a comprehensive curriculum with the culture and spirit of the Berkshires. Ads have appeared in a variety of local and regional publications, as well as in local movie theaters, and we have created a Viewbook which brings together the benefits and strengths of our program as a whole.

Our families are our best advocates, and we especially want to thank our dedicated Admission Ambassadors for attending Open Houses to share their perspective as parents, spearheading specific outreach to area businesses, clubs, and organizations, and posting flyers throughout Berkshire and Columbia County.

I welcome your suggestions on how to connect with families who would be a good BCD fit. Please contact me at aheddinger@berkshirecountryday.org.

Campus NEWS The following day the students excitedly reported their results. “In my show there were 29 put-downs!” “My show had 18, but my mom tallied too and she counted 24 and said some were ‘over my head.’ ” One student reported that his show included 34 put-downs: more than one per minute!

Kindness Assembly Ms. Leigh Doherty, Associate Head of School Back before the Internet was ruler of all entertainment, I asked my fourth grade students to conduct some research. They were to watch a current, half-hour TV sitcom and tally the amount of “put-downs” they heard during the course of the show.

When we discussed how many put-downs they thought they would they encounter, most predicted five or six; the highest prediction was eleven.

When I asked the kids why they thought putdowns are so prevalent in TV shows one answered, “Cause being kind of mean is funny. It’s cool.”

Gulp! Why can’t kindness be cool?

Today we are up against much more than TV shows as fodder for so-called “cultural norms.”

Messaging focused on insulting other people can be found in pop music, media, memes, hashtags, and other Internet trends. Let’s face it, the recent election season did not feature exemplary modeling of kindness either. So, last fall, the teachers and I came together and asked, "How can we raise the kindness flag here at BCD?" On November 18, we held a whole school Kindness Assembly. Each grade engaged in classroom discussions that explored what “kind” means to them and then charted those ideas on large pieces of paper which they brought to the assembly hall. We hung these posters chronologically from Preschool to Grade 9 across a large wall. There were different ideas on how to be kind per grade; there were many similarities, too.

SPRING OPEN HOUSES Tuesday, April 4, 9:00-11:00 am Friday, April 21, 8:00 am-3:00 pm “Bring a Friend to School Day” Thursday, May 11, 9:00-11:00 am Check out our website for more information berkshirecountryday.org/events/

The student body was divided into four multiaged groups, each led by a ninth grade student and provided with markers, glue, and colorful cut-out hearts. Each group worked collaboratively to choose their favorite descriptions of kindness from the posters, decorate the hearts with those descriptions, and paste them together to create four 30-hearts-long kindness trains. The room was filled with the spirit of community, the groups demonstrated cooperation, patience, and kindness, and the faculty and I were moved by this collective action.

At the close of the assembly, we hung the four kindness trains for the students to reflect upon.

The trains are now on display in the four main buildings at BCD. They serve as reminders that we are members of community that knows the value of kindness. At BCD kindness is cool. berkshirecountryday.org

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Campaign Success: PROMISES FULFILLED! Thanks to the generosity of over 400 donors,, Fulfilling the Promise, the Capital Campaign for facilities and faculty endowment has already raised over $3,200,000, far surpassing the $3 million goal! We celebrate the completion of two new spaces on our historic campus: a state-of-the-art learning hub and a dedicated music space, which will inspire even more campus-wide creativity and experimentation.

Sixteen years ago, a young boy dreamt of a new library...

Today, that dream is real.

Originally a cow barn built in 1895, FUREY HALL has had many looks and functions...

1960s The Gymnasium

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1990s Music Room & Band Room

Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons

Kim and James Taylor Music / Performance Room 2015 Campaign launch

2016 Groundbreaking

2017 The new Furey Hall

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Class of '76 REUNION

Back row: Jason Marcus, Matthew Tivy, Gregg Petricca, Lester Cobin, Michael Henry, Per Arienti, Kelton Burbank, Ben Barrett, Kirk Blair, Seth Krosner, Stephen Bell, Jamie Kapteyn Front row: Timolin Cole, Casey Cole, Taiyi Greaves, Gille Petersen, Roxanne Robbins, Ginger Deely, Patty Buttenheim. Cynnie Glockner, Mary Potter, Hank Bergmans

The BCD Class of 1976’s 40th reunion was held the weekend of October 1, 2016.

Talk about herding cats! Connecting with classmates from decades ago is no easy task, even in today’s world of social media, and then try to choose a weekend that everyone agrees on! Many of our classmates are scattered across the country and beyond, (Gille Petersen is all the way in Hawaii) but those too far away assured us that they would be there in spirit. In the end we persevered and it was well worth the effort.

Friday night a handful of early birds had a dinner at Firefly in Lenox. Then, on Saturday afternoon, we were treated to a private tour of campus with Head of School Paul Lindenmaier and Development Office Coordinator Joanne DelCarpine. The changes on campus were many, as well as impressive. We got to spend time looking through our yearbooks – what a hoot!

Lots of laughter, recollections, and stories were shared about our wonderful history as students in the ’60s and ’70s. That evening we gathered at Berkshire Veneer in Egremont for a dinner party hosted by my wife Cheryl and me that went well into the night. Sunday morning featured brunch in a private room at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, where we raised a glass to those unable to join us, and those members of the Class of 1976 no longer with us.

I’d like to raise a proverbial glass to all those who made the effort to attend. When I told friends and associates that we were having our 40th reunion from elementary school, they all raised their eyebrows in disbelief. This only confirms just how special a place BCD is and how much impact it has on its students well past graduation. There is already talk of the 45th and 50th reunions!

Ben Barrett, ’76

L to R members of the Class of 1976: Ginger Deely Halstrom, Katerina Jensen, Karen Lindstrom, Patty Buttenheim, Ben Barrett, and Head of School Paul Lindenmaier

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Kapteyn Endowment COMPLETE

The proceeds from The James C. Kapteyn Endowment for Environmental Studies are used to help underwrite an annual field trip on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. During their maiden sail on a perfect autumn day last October, BCD eighth and ninth graders, along with members of Jamie’s family and some of his former classmates, engaged in a variety of water conservation activities. They also enjoyed a hands-on sailing experience, where they helped to raise and lower the sails, navigate the boat, and set and haul in a fishing net. They also visited learning stations around the sloop to examine the day’s catch, perform water quality tests, explore the living quarters, and study plankton and other vertebrate life under field magnification.

The endowment will make this annual educational experience a reality for generations of Berkshire Country Day School students, add a meaningful and joyful component to the biology curriculum, and honor the memory of Jamie and his passion for environmental studies and water conservation.

Thanks to the generous support of the following donors:

Jamie Kapteyn ’76 was a poet, educator, and avid fisherman. He was an ardent conservationist and environmentalist. To honor Jamie’s life and his passion for rivers and conservation, friends and fellow BCD classmates created The James C. Kapteyn Endowment for Environmental Studies.

We are thrilled to report that the endowment goal of $50,000 was achieved in June of 2016.

Margaret Kendrick Blodgett Foundation Mrs. Margaret Hall Whitfield Per Arienti ’76 Ben Barrett ’76 Catherine Barrett Peter Barrett ’66 William ’61 & Patty Barrett Hank Bergmans ’76 Kirk Blair ’76 Tamara Bloch ’76 Kelton Burbank ’76 Patty Buttenheim ’76 Cynthia Glockner ’76 Gardner Taiyi Greaves ’76 Eric Hudson ’77 Jill Barrett ’63 Johnson Sue Localio Gregg Petricca ’76 Adam Reeves ’76 Mrs. William Ryan Mary Potter ’76 berkshirecountryday.org

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AlumniNEWS 1962

1949 Bill Young: stopped by campus last fall and had a wonderful visit with Mr. Lindenmaier. He shared stories about being in the first class in the school house on Walker Street. He and five of his classmates rode to school in a limo every morning and walked into town to lunch at a Lenox restaurant every day. He fondly remembered classmates Peter Wilde and Tina Foster and his teacher Adeline Cowhig. Bill went on to Cranwell School and then Babson College where he studied marketing and business. He’s had many jobs but never settled on one thing. He is also the father of six. He is currently a collector of many items —but has yet to have a garage sale!

1951 Fran Colt Schneidau: I went from BCD to Miss Hall's then graduated from Foxhollow in Lenox. My first real job was as a stockbroker at Hoppin Brothers on Wall Street, and then headed into broadcasting. I have been the CT Bureau Chief with WCBS Newsradio 880 in NYC for decades, and I love my job. I loved BCD...wonderful teachers and terrific friends there. I couldn't have asked for a better life, kicked off for sure by my teachers and pals at BCD.

Anne Morgan: At 66-years-old, I am a parent to two sons and two stepdaughters, and a grandmother to six.

I am happily married to my second­— and last— husband Jim Kelley. We spend winters in Atlanta, GA, and April–October in Cameron, MT, where we fly fish to a fare-thee-well.

I retired from non-profit fundraising, I still sing occassionally, and I make a serious commitment to piano practice in the classic repetoire.

As trustee emerita of the Norman Rockwell Museum, I have maintained my affection for the Berkshires.

faculty member and Director of The Learning Center. I began working at Miss Hall's School in 1981 and I am still there! Teaching students at MHS is one great joy of my life. Bill and I are delighted to be new grandparents of Josephine (daughter of our son, Lyon, and his wife, Alice, in Austin, TX). Our other two children are in New England, Sam and Maddie are near Burlington, VT, and Sarah is in Portland, ME, so we see them a bit more often.

1965 William Campbell: We have two young children and live on a small farm in the Ozarks. It looks a lot like the Berkshires here and the kids love it. I am working as a financial advisor and often have pleasant thoughts of BCD and the great kids in my class. I hope all are doing well.

1966 Vaunie Bell Graulty: My time as a student at BCD was eons ago. I attended half of 2nd grade and all of 3rd, and then my family moved to PA. I moved back to the Berkshires for college and worked at BCD as a

1968 Jonathan Aronoff: is the sports psychologist and coach for Monument Regional High School Varsity Soccer and Basketball teams and he was nominated into the Berkshire County Soccer Hall of Fame in 2017. He is working on a book, The Lost Generation of Boys, which he hopes to complete by the Fall 2017. Jonathan also works as a fitness trainer and guest lecturer on "The Power of Change" at Canyon Ranch.

1954 The Berkshire Eagle

Jay Hatch: We continue our “major trip a year” tradition but doubled it in 2016 with a focus on Vikings and cosmology in Scandinavia and a visit to the desiccated Galapagos. December 2017 should find us driving about Alaska.

BCD Annual Fund 12

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Give every year.

Make a difference every day.

AlumniNEWS

Dan England: came by for a visit in June of 2016. He was thrilled to find his image of Lady Liberty, for which he won a Merit Award in the 1966 US Navy Art Show, still adorning the wall of Albright Hall. He also got a big kick out of looking through the 1968 yearbook.

1970 Jim Brooke: I am busy here on two fronts. In January I launched the Ukraine Business Journal, an online, all-Ukraine, all-business, all-English subscription news site. My business partners and I feel that Ukraine is shaping up as Europe's new 'Frontier Economy.' For me, it is a good brain stretcher to go from paper and ink to online. On the personal front, in 2015, when I was living and working in Phnom Penh, I married the lovely Pen Soy. Last May, our son, George Soy Brooke, was born. Fatherhood in your 60s is another wonderful challenge! I get to the Berkshires at least once a year to catch up with my sister, Nini Brooke ’63 Gilder and her family, in Tyringham. Always lots of fun. Best to all my BCD classmates!

1972 Alan Collins and Deborah Knight Snyder: share the interesting coincidence of their sons meeting!

Dan Collins, Alan’s son, graduated from Cornell University in 2010 with a degree in mathematics and earned his PhD from Princeton in 2015.

While serving in the role of visiting mathematics professor at Cornell for the 2015/16 academic year, he met Deborah’s son Jason Snyder. Jason is a member of Cornell's class of 2018 and also a mathematics major. Alan and Debbie prevailed upon their sons to take a selfie and forward it along!

Nicholas Gilman: I am a journalist based in Mexico City where I have lived for 20 years with my partner, Jim. My website is www.goodfoodmexico.com.

I write freelance, mostly about food and travel. My most recent article was for The Guardian - see: www.bit.ly/ngilman.

Stacey Brown Hand: My first grandchild was born in November, a baby girl named Natalia Maria. I am finishing my final year of preparation to be certified to teach Validation (a method of working with elders with dementia)...anticipating that by the end of this year. I made my first visit to Scotland last summer and was amazed at the beauty of the flowers and gardens, how good food and the drink were, and how fascinating the history is, as well.

Every gift counts.

Jane Whittlesey Winn: I am still living in Pittsfield, MA with my husband, Bruce Winn. Our son, Jesse Winn ’00 is living in Los Angeles, CA working as a computer programmer, and our other son, Jeremy Winn ’01, is living in Pittsfield and working at Neenah Specialty Materials. I work for Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). Last year BEAT and many volunteers and partners defeated the Northeast Energy Direct frackedgas pipeline that was proposed to run across Massachusetts from Richmond to Dracut before sending gas through Canada for export. We continue to fight to protect Otis State Forest in Sandisfield from another fracked-gas pipeline that would deliver more gas to Connecticut.

1973 Sara Alberti: I am a Providence, RI, based interior designer with Alberti Design Studio, but have recently enjoyed the opportunity to spend a great deal of time in the Berkshires, which will always feel like home.

Even more special was partnering on some wonderful projects there with other members of the BCD family, including current BCD parents Marianna Poutasse and Rob Akroyd.

My daughter, Jennie, is a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College, and though it has been an adjustment being an “empty nester,” it is an equally exciting new chapter for both of us.

Facebook has been a wonderful venue to reconnect with many old BCD friends and I must say that the bond we all share from our experience at Brook Farm so many years ago remains deep.

Everyone can celebrate the incredible results that BCD cultivates in each of its students.

Your gift has an impact on young lives now and on our community over the long term.

Please make your gift today.

www.berkshirecountryday.org/giving

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Students Interview ALUMNI

Emily Carmel & Michelle Lazorko ’73 Fiona Ferrone & Andrew Crane ’07 2S How did BCD help you at your next school?

I was incredibly well-prepared for Hotchkiss, and later for Brown. My drive for learning was inspired by BCD, and the math and engineering work that I have done since was thanks in part to Mr. Gore, Mr. Douglas, and many of my teachers. I’ve a voracious appetite for knowing how things work: people, or car engines, or watches…

I find the inner workings of things fascinating.

What is your fondest memory from BCD? On our 9th grade trip to France, we spent one weekend in Real, the gastronomic capital of the world. There was a lot of tasty food! We stayed with host families and went to school while we were there, so it wasn’t all fun and games.

I hear you are starting a brewery, Shire Brue-Hous, in Dalton with your classmate, Nick Whalen ’07 2S. Who came up with the idea?

During that trip to France, Nick and I were walking around Pérouges and we decided that someday we would start a business together. I learned how to brew beer in an engineering classes in college, and continued home-brewing as a hobby. Then I ran into Nick, and we realized that we were both brewing beer. We decided to make good on our conversation in Pérouges. Here we are, thirteen years later, doing just that!

How do you think your time at BCD influenced the choices you’ve made?

BCD developed a love of community in me. There aren’t many people in their 20s putting everything aside to promote the local Berkshire economy. Having lived in a couple of cities, I can say it's easier to live here because the stress is practically nonexistent and it’s beautiful. I really came to appreciate that growing up at BCD. 14

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Who was your favorite BCD teacher?

Madame Grad, who taught French. She was strict but I liked that; she wouldn’t allow us to speak English in her class. At Ninth Grade Graduation, I got the French prize.

I live in Texas now near the Mexican border and work as an Educational Diagnostician (I hold a Bachelor’s in teaching and two Master’s degrees: one in Special Education and one in Counseling). There’s much more Spanish in Texas, so I don’t get to speak French, but I still love it, and I read it often.

Do you have a favorite BCD story?

The headmaster, Mr. McNaught, was brilliant, and he loved to do The New York Times crossword. He subbed for our Latin teacher once and created a Latin crossword puzzle for the class. It was hard, so the class was focused on trying to solve it. Well, he was smoking his pipe (teachers used to smoke in class back then!), and he threw a match into the trash can. But the match hadn’t gone out, and it started a fire! Don’t worry, it was a controllable fire in a metal trash can, but it was hysterical.

Were there aspects of your BCD experience that unexpectedly came in handy after you left?

I always knew that BCD didn’t give up on me, so why would I ever give up on myself? That’s what this school did for me, and that’s what I try to bring into my work in public schools, where a lot of my students have obstacles that are born of fear. BCD gave me the security to know that there is always another way and to not give up.

What advice can you offer current students at BCD? Everything your parents do to send you here is phenomenal. When you’re young it’s hard to appreciate it, but when you get older you can see the big picture.

The big picture is that the kids at BCD are very fortunate.

Anything you wish you had paid closer attention to at BCD? The property and how beautiful it is! I arrived today and thought, “Wow!” When you're in the middle of it all the time, you don't recognize it. I took a lot of pictures today, because my friends in Texas aren’t going to believe this!

Students Interview ALUMNI

Lanna Knoll & Peter Chase Williams ’69 How did your years at BCD influence your next steps?

BCD gave me a love of learning, which is why I continued on to law school after college. Later in my career, I decided to become a teacher and attended Columbia Teachers College while continuing to practice law.

Which teachers at BCD influenced you the most?

Phil Potter, who taught Latin, would say, “Question one, Mr. Williams!” and your answer was either “A” (completely right) or “F” (completely wrong). If you got something slightly wrong he would say, “That's an ‘F’!” You would blurt out, “But, Sir!” and he would say, “Sorry!” Mr. Potter’s wife was the Physical Education teacher, so he would have us exercise while conjugating Latin. It was great fun.

What are you most proud of?

My father got in a serious auto accident and my mother is handicapped, so 15 years ago, I left NYC to live with them. I also do a lot of volunteer work. I am the Chairman of the Committee of Trustees at The Norman Rockwell Museum; I am on The Historical Commission and The Historic Preservation Commission in Lenox; I am an officer of Dartmouth’s LGBT Alumni Organization; I am a Trustee and Treasurer of the Stockbridge Land Trust; and I am a Trustee for the Fitzpatrick Family Trust, which donates money to charitable causes including BCD. There is a sense of service and community at BCD that carried forward in me.

Please tell me about your home.

I live across the street from BCD. In 1893, an extremely wealthy man named Anson Stokes built a mansion where Kripalu now stands called the Shadowbrook Estate. This was the largest private home in America. The school campus, built in 1895, was the farm to Mr. Stokes’s estate. Back then there were cows and horses in the BCD buildings! Mr. Stokes had a horseback riding accident, so he sold the mansion to Andrew Carnegie in 1917 and the Stokes family kept the farm. When BCD first opened in 1946, it was housed in a Victorian building in Lenox.

That building burned down, so BCD bought the Brook Farm campus from Mr. Stokes in 1964. The same year the Stokes family offered a small cottage across the street from the school and my parents bought it. We have lived there happily ever since.

Emmett Wotkiewich & Nick Whalen ’07 2S How did BCD stay with you through the years?

BCD is a place that never leaves you. I want to send my kids here. It's hard to put too fine a point on BCD’s quality of education. There's a philosophy, a moral code, and values that the School is bringing into the world, beyond the book-learning. You’re taught to be a global citizen and I think, now more than ever, it is important to be cognizant of our responsibilities to each other.

How do you think BCD influenced your choices?

On the first day of 6th Grade History, Mr. Ashworth wrote “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.” on the board. That phrase stuck with me, and I moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to work as a freelance photographer for AP and Reuters. Also, in 9th Grade, Andrew Crane ’07 2S and I decided that we would go into business together, and now we are doing just that.

How did BCD help you adjust to life after BCD? When I moved to Haiti I already spoke French and I picked up Creole quickly, which granted me access I would not otherwise have had. To come out of BCD with some degree of fluency in a foreign language is a big deal.

What are you most proud of?

I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished as a photographer, including stories that have helped people and have been seen in newspapers all over the world. I also organized the soccer club Kombi Futbol Haiti with School Psychologist John Evans, and I'm proud that it continues to do that important work.

Could you offer advice to current BCD students?

The most important qualities to develop are diligence and perseverance. Have a drive and a passion behind everything you do. If you can figure out a way to do what you love, then you’re going to have a successful, happy life. berkshirecountryday.org

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AlumniNEWS 1974 Alan Cooperman: is living in Washington, D.C., where spring is the most beautiful season, and invites old friends and classmates to visit.

Over the winter, he coached two youth hockey teams, taking inspiration from having seen David Crane ’74 in action as a fun-loving coach in years gone by. Off the ice, Alan oversees a wide array of polling and demographic studies for the nonpartisan Pew Research Center.

1976 Kelton Burbank: The BCD Class of 1976 was busy this past fall. First, we had an impromptu 40th reunion, hosted by Cheryl and Ben Barrett at his company's headquarters in Sheffield. It was great to see Patty Buttenheim, Cynnie Glockner Gardner, Ginger Deely Halstrom, Katerina Jensen Graham, Jack Toffey, Taiyi Greaves and Karen Lindstrom.

Next, due to the perseverance of Ben and the generosity of many classmates, but most notably Adam Reeves and his family, we were able to launch The James C. Kapteyn Endowment for Enviromental Studies, honoring our beloved classmate. Ben and I, along with Jamie's sisters, Molly ’69, Amy ’72, and Kate ’78, were fortunate to be able to accompany the BCD students on their inaugural trip to the Sloop Clearwater on a beautiful October day. Read about it on page 10. It was a great fall. Photo: Class of 1976 outside Red Lion Inn.

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1981

1978 Elizabeth England: My daughter Liv graduated from Oberlin and wants to “save the world” using her double biology and environmental studies degree— if anyone has job advice for her, she's all ears! My son Cam is a sophomore at Wesleyan and interested in “big data” and applying it to “good causes,” and my husband is still trying to make time for creative pursuits. I'm as three-pronged as always: college counseling and essay coaching for high school and college applicants satisfies my love of working with young writers and minds; generating content for innovation/tech gurus and non-profits keeps my marketing brain Bizzy; and writing fiction nurtures my soul. I think of BCD often and how it made me feel like I “can do it all.” Photo: Elizabeth England and Kate Baldwin.

1979 Charlotte Jones Blome: A big accomplishment this year was seeing our eldest son Max off to college—a milestone for child and parents alike!

We took a break and walked the Tour du Mont Blanc starting in France to celebrate. One down, one to go.

On the career front, my ecological garden design business continues to grow and gets more interesting every day. www.charlotteblomegardens.com

Kevin Sprague: I'm living full-time in Miami, FL, now— who would have imagined! Still running my business, Studio Two (studiotwo. com) and serving clients all over the country with marketing, design, branding, and consulting services. We “virtualized” the business in 2016, and now my employees are working from home in MA, WA, FL, wherever!

My two sons, Nick ’12 and Matt ’15, are now in Southern California with Kristine. Nick is in his second year at UC Irvine studying computer science and Matt is wrapping up his last year at San Clemente High School with his sights set on UCLA. You can find me on Facebook. Please connect!

Barbara Stratton: is living in southern MD. She has two boys (ages 10 and 17) who come to sleep-away camp at Camp Becket in the summers, giving her the opportunity to come back to visit the Berkshires. She keeps up with some of her BCD pals on Facebook.

1984 Katie Blum Berryhill: I successfully defended my doctoral dissertations, so I now have an EdD from the University of Wyoming, focusing on astronomy education. I’m continuing as an assistant professor in space studies at American Public University System, as well as teaching astronomy as an adjunct at Los Medanos College and Solano Community College in Northern California. My husband, Jon, and I are rather surprised that our kids are now 16 (Brian) and 12 (Deanna).

AlumniNEWS Wick Sloane ’68 went from Berkshire Country Day School to Exeter

and on to Williams and Yale. He has served as a trustee of BCD, an elected member of a public school board of education, and chief financial officer of a Research I public university. Currently, he helps students transfer to four-year colleges and teaches expository writing at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston.

Events of Fall 1964, when I arrived at BCD for sixth grade on Walker Street, did start the path to my cameo in Frank Bruni’s Sept. 7, 2016 column for The New York Times, entitled “Where Are Veterans at Our Elite Colleges?” The first twelve years of my life, all in Manhattan, were calamity-free. In that dark and dangerous city, I walked to school, went to Central Park, and even rode the subway alone to and from a night game at Shea Stadium. Then my family moved to the “safety” of the Berkshires, and by Halloween our dog had eaten rat poison and died, and I had caught my left hand in the gears of an apple-cider grinder. From this injury, which brought mostly attention and little trouble to me, I soon discovered I was "4-F", or ineligible for the draft.

Worries about the Vietnam War passed me by. My father and the other World War II veteran dads I knew did not talk about their wars. I did not know anyone in the military. To me as a child, war was movies and toys. Only after I reached my 40s did I even meet people serving in the military. I emailed and sent care packages to Iraq and Afghanistan, and I learned what families and friends of soldiers have known for centuries—delays in replies from troops at war may signal very bad news to come. Thankfully, those I knew all returned home.

At work, veterans began showing up in my College Writing I classes at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. As a person, never mind as a professor, I did not know how to respond to the horrors these veterans often wrote about.

(Please, find and read Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming by Jonathan Shay.) With a jolt I realized young men with canes at BHCC were wounded veterans. One, who wanted to be a high school teacher, kept missing class for medical appointments; he had been turret gunner on a Humvee that flipped over on top of him after hitting an improvised explosive device. Another student, also wounded by an IED, counts ten suicides from his Marine unit and another ten from fellow patients at Walter Reed, so far.

I looked but could not find any advice for teachers with veterans in their classes; I realized I had to write the article myself. I began by calling my alma maters, Williams College and Yale, to ask, “Who could give me advice on teaching veterans?” “Huh?” both replied. “Why are you asking us?” These schools have incredibly sophisticated recruitment teams. They recruit quarterbacks. They fill the physics lab. They visit high schools. I wanted to know how many visits they made for veterans. I began to publish an annual Veterans Day census totaling the number of undergraduate veterans who are attending Ivy League and other selective colleges. The results in 2016? Williams, three. Harvard, three. Yale, eleven. Princeton, one. The total for 32 highly selective colleges, 641. In contrast, BHCC has more than 400 veterans enrolled.

These veterans exist because we have wars. I believe not-for-profit private schools should feel a powerful obligation to support the men and women who volunteer to serve in these wars. After all, these schools are exempt from all sorts of taxes, and donations to them are tax-deductible, so they’re getting enormous help from the country. The all-volunteer military means students at BCD do not face being drafted.

I am a Quaker. My wish, and my mission, is that BCD and other great schools impart an education so that their graduates can solve problems without sending other people’s children off to war.

For more information on Wick Sloane’s work please see: www.bit.ly/wsloane1 www.bit.ly/wsloane2 Article - Human Hearts, Jewel Wasps, Robotic Bees and the Frontiers of Science www.bit.ly/wsloane3 berkshirecountryday.org

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AlumniNEWS On January 1, 2017, Rebecca van der Meulen ’13 boarded a plane bound for Israel, where she would spend the next three weeks filming interviews for her documentary on Arab and Israeli youth. The following day, her brother Isaak van der Meulen ’10 began a cross-country journey to Los Angeles, where he is spending his final college semester interning at a camera equipment rental house and working on film sets. Two siblings, 10 time zones apart, living their dreams. Both are students of video filmmaking at Ithaca College; both attended Buxton, a progressive independent high school in Williamstown, MA; and both caught the film bug at Berkshire Country Day School.

They began at BCD in 2004, Isaak in grade 4 and Rebecca in grade 1. They studied math, science, geography, language, and literature; they played trumpet with renowned jazz musicians, met a giant python and baby tiger, planted a peace pole, and dressed as ancient Greek gods; they soldered stained glass, sang in chorus, served soup, skated and skied; and ventured with classmates to the Florida Everglades, Washington, D.C., and France and Spain.

“I'm thankful for teachers such as Mr. and Mrs. Fawcett, Mr. Ashworth, and Mr. Douglas, to name a few, whose passion for their subjects drew me in,” Rebecca said. “They inspired me to make the most of my education. Being in a unique learning environment, having a voice in my classes, and participating in intriguing extracurricular activities, I was able to explore my own ideas and develop my creativity.”

Film teacher Jesse Howard inspired Isaak in BCD’s Film and Theater Program and set him on his chosen path. Rebecca learned her techniques studying with Amy Brentano. Not surprisingly, both won film awards at graduation. Even after leaving BCD, these teachers advanced the van der Meulens’ film careers. Mr. Howard hired Isaak to video and edit Berkshire School theater productions, and Ms. Brentano recommended Rebecca for a key production assistant position on a feature film. They also gained experience working as extras and crew on films shot in the Berkshires by directors Ang Lee and Karen Allen.

“Jesse Howard is why I am where I am today,” Isaak acknowledged. “Due to his teachings, I brought a thirst for filmmaking with me to Buxton and then Ithaca.”

“Don’t be afraid to try new things,” adds Rebecca. “If you are given an opportunity to be part of something, try it. Who knows, you might discover something you love!”

Isaak began video production studies at Ithaca College in 2010 and, when it was time to film his senior thesis, he returned to the Berkshires to film the project. He will leave college with a significant résumé. With other Ithaca classmates, he founded the production company “FiveXFilms,” which services clients across the northeast; and NBC hired him to support a camera crew covering protesters at the political conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia.

Last fall, Rebecca joined him at Ithaca after winning the Park Scholar Merit Award for socially conscientious, global-minded communications students. The full four-year scholarship covers all expenses, including two semesters abroad, a new computer, and project travel grants.

Ithaca, in partnership with a Hollywood-producer alumnus, also offered Rebecca financial and production support for her Middle East documentary.

This project was inspired by the three weeks she spent in Williamstown at “Artsbridge,” a program where high school-aged Israelis and Palestinians dialogued and created art together. “I want to ensure their unique perspectives on the conflict are being heard,” she said.

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Both Isaak and Rebecca credit Berkshire Country Day School with setting the course for their futures.

AlumniNEWS

1994

1985 Jessica Goldberger: My husband, Eric, and I took sabbaticals from our professor jobs at Washington State University and spent nearly five months traveling with our son (Eli) in Australia, the Netherlands, France, England, and Iceland during 2016.

We had an incredible adventure! Eli unfortunately broke his arm on our first day in Australia. This photo was taken on our last day, right after Eli's cast was removed. He was so excited to swim in the ocean! Next up: an extended stay (6 weeks) in the Berkshires this summer. Looking forward to catching up with BCD friends!

Cara Petricca: I am currently living in Cheshire, MA, with my husband, Marc, and two sons, Nicholas and Tyler.

I am the director and founder of Bluebird Farm Animal Sanctuary and Wildlife Rehab. I rescue farm animals from abusive homes, hazardous situations, slaughter houses, etc., and also rescue, rehabilitate, and release orphan or injured wildlife.

I work in the community bringing therapy animals to different venues such as nursing homes, community corrections facilities, schools, and group home settings. I am also an artist and utilize my skills to fund various animal programs. You can find me on Facebook under Bluebird Farm (Cara Petricca/animal sanctuary)

1989 Kate Loyd Asher: is married and has two boys named Liam and Aidan. She works as a reading specialist.

Danielle Gulick: I am an assistant professor of Molecular Medicine at the Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida.

My focus is medical student education, but I was also recently awarded a grant for Alzheimer's disease research in collaboration with my husband, Josh. My stepson, Nathan, will be ten in March, my daughter, Ellie, will be two in April, and we are expecting another girl in May. In other words, we are keeping busy! Photo description: Me, my husband, Josh Gamsby, dad Donn Gulick ’60, mom Claire Gulick, stepson Nathan, sister Heather Currier, and brother-in-law Patrick Currier, at Thanksgiving 2016.

1999 Hannah Giles: Hello! I really enjoyed reading the last BCDToday. Then I saw a Facebook notification of a BCD event in Brooklyn and it led me to get in touch. After I graduated from BCD, I finished high school at the local public school in Chatham, NY, went to college at Middlebury in VT (along with fellow alumni Zack Snyder ’99 and Tony Belanger ’98) and have since become an elementary school teacher, first in Washington, D.C., and now in West Harlem in NYC.

in Las Vegas next October. Silver is a litigation attorney in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She is also an accomplished triathlete, recently completing an Ironman in the San Francisco area and a half Ironman in Cartagena, Columbia. She is sponsored by City Bikes of Miami. Photo: Silver Jade Deutch, first in age group, Aug 2016 Mack Cycle Triathlon, Miami, FL. Richard Gilder: After nearly three years supervising the airport operation for Etihad Airways, Richard recently joined American Airlines as a customer service manager, responsible for overseeing all airport customer service at JFK Airport for AA's international flights.

Jess Ryan: After completing three years with the Peace Corps and graduating with a Master's Degree in International Education, I moved to New Orleans, LA, and started a new job as an asylum officer with the Department of Homeland Security.

2004 Mike Bloomberg became involved in local and state politics while a student at Pittsfield HS. He studied Political Science at UMass Amherst but left a semester early to intern with the Games Planning Team of the US Olympics Committee. He went on to work as a member of the Team USA Games staff for the 2012 London Olympics. In 2016, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Massachusetts legislature, losing to the incumbent 54%-46%.

He currently sits on the board of Berkshares, Inc. and is a member of Strong Towns, a planning advocacy group that promotes sustainable neighborhoods.

2003 2S Silver Jade Deutch: became engaged to Craig Bohn of Hollywood, FL, and Las Vegas, NV. Their destination wedding will be berkshirecountryday.org

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AlumniNEWS Brandon Feder: is now a personal trainer at Planet Fitness helping people get (back) in shape and live longer, healthier lives.

Emily Harrigan: After leaving BCD, Emily graduated from Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA, and Endicott College in Beverly, MA. She then earned a law degree from Boston University, and is currently working as a lawyer in Boston. Emily was married last summer to her longtime boyfriend, Sasa, whom she met at Berkshire School while they were students there. Photo: Emily Harrigan with mom, Carolee Harrigan.

live band and dance party, which had every guest dancing until the very end.

2005 2S Hunter McCormick: ended 5 1/2 years with the Western Massachusetts Council, Boy Scouts of America, as District Director of the service area encompassing Hampden County. In this role, Hunter oversaw all Scouting operations in Hampden County, along with two district executives, part-time program aides, and the operations of the council's two retail locations in Pittsfield and Westfield. On March 1, 2016, Hunter accepted the position of Territory Sales Representative for the National Council, Boy Scouts of America. In this new role, Hunter oversees all wholesale sales of merchandise in the northeast US.

Charlotte DeLeo: A whole crew of BCD alumni celebrated the marriage of Dr. Charlotte DeLeo to Dr. Scott Walrath on June 11, 2016 at Seranak in Lenox. Jessica French ’96, Kathryn Hollister ’04 2S and Gwen Miller ’04 2S were bridesmaids, and Michael DeLeo ’96's three daughters (Isabelle, Charlotte and Bridey) were flower girls, along with Jessica's daughter Olive. Alexis Picheny ’04 2S gave a lovely toast to the happy couple, as did Ryder and Elliott DeLeo ’08. It was a happy and beautiful wedding, with the sun coming out just in time for the ceremony, and an awesome

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Thomas Harrigan: went on to graduate from Berkshire School and Syracuse University with a degree in Civil Engineering. Tom is currently at Northeastern University in Boston studying for his master’s in Civil Engineering.

Sarah Lister: works for an advertising firm and lives in Brooklyn.

2006 Anna Lucia Lister: is working for JP Morgan and living in Manhattan.

2008

2004 2S

working on his Masters from New England College in NH and working with the family business at Barnbrook Realty.

John Frelinghuysen: is currently working for IBM as a digital producer in NYC. He comes back to the Berkshires frequently and stays in close touch with some members of his graduating 9th grade class.

He still exhibits the troublesome behavior first reported on his BCD report cards and wishes nap time was a part of his daily schedule.

Michael Harrigan: went on to graduate from Berkshire School and Syracuse University, where he earned a degree in History. He is currently

Eli Merritt: graduated from Berkshire School in 2012, and is presently a sophomore at School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Eli recently won the Remet 2017 “Shaping the Future Award.” He is a professionally represented artist who has had solo exhibitions of large-scale sculptural works in Chicago and New York. Eli travelled throughout Spain in 2015 and participated in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona with his brother Sam ’10. “The deep personal connections I made at BCD, with both students and faculty, have withstood time. Having the confidence to be myself, to express my creativity, and to appreciate authentic relationships is rooted in growing up at BCD.” Photo: Eli, Ruby, and Sam Merritt.

AlumniNEWS 2008 2S Rosie Taylor: received her master’s degree from UC Berkeley in the spring of 2016, and is in the third year of a six-year program at Berkeley to get her PhD in Scandinavian Studies/ Vikings. She graduated from Smith College in 2012.

Prague, and the many friendships he has forged with his peers and professors.

2010 Katherina Lister: is a Junior at McGill University studying medicine.

Sam Merritt: graduated from Berkshire School in 2014, and is currently a sophomore studying engineering at Swarthmore College.

He is a member of Swarthmore College Men's Varsity Lacrosse Team, and he participated in on-site architectural installation internships in California and New York with the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture. Sam spent the 2016 fall semester studying engineering at Jacob's University in Bremen, Germany. He travelled throughout Spain in 2015 and participated in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona with his brother Eli ’08.

“During my twelve years as a BCD student, I had the privilege to form meaningful bonds with friends and faculty. I remember great teachers like Mr. Perkins, who helped me find my strength in mathematics and my passion for lacrosse. Now, as I continue to study engineering and play lacrosse at Swarthmore College, I am able to fully understand the major role my experience at BCD has had on my life.”

Harry Rich: is completing his senior year at Middlebury College where he has been an honors student majoring in economics and minoring in music. Some of the highlights of his college career include the MIDD Core Leadership and Innovation Summer Program in Lake Tahoe, his junior year abroad at Charles University in

2012 Nicole Speranzo: I am a sophomore at Roger Williams University where I am a resident assistant in one of the dorms, I work in Admissions, and I am on the Varsity Equestrian Team. I am an Undecided Business Major, leaning towards marketing or management, with a possible double major in Criminal Justice. I am super thrilled about my upcoming years here at Roger, and definitely couldn't have done it without BCD! Photo description: Nikki who came and helped at BCD’s Harvest Festival booth. She was a great ambassador!

Nick Sprague: is a sophomore at UC Irvine majoring in Computer Science.

2014 Jackson Rich: is a senior at Pittsfield High School. During his 4 years at PHS, he has been a varsity starter on the boys soccer team, was named pre- and post-season Super Seven in Western MA, All Berkshire MVP/First Team, and Western MA First Team in 2016. He is also on the track team and was the MVP of Berkshire County in 2016. He is loving his first season as a member of the Cross Country Ski team, enjoys competing on the quiz team, and is the reigning “Mr. PHS!” He was accepted early decision to Dartmouth College, Class of 2021.

2015 Noah Beckwith: is a busy junior at Pittsfield HS. He is participating in the 2016-17 Berkshire Youth Leadership Program (YLP). The YLP is a 10-month-long program which challenges students to examine both the functional areas of business and the career pathways found in their own backyards, seeking to develop young individuals to be the next generation of community leaders in Berkshire County. In addition to this work, Noah received a scholarship to attend the Alexander Muss High School International in Tel Aviv for two months beginning in January 2017. We look forward to hearing about his adventure in next year’s magazine!

Rachel Kantor: is now a Junior at Loomis Chaffee boarding school, and she continues to enjoy her post-BCD school experience. After a rough start to the year with a badly sprained ankle (there aren't many elevators at Loomis, and she was on crutches!), she returned to support her soccer team and didn't allow her spirits to be dampened. She is Co-president of the Jewish Student Union, along with two other students. This term she's taking yoga, doing community service tutoring with local elementary school children, and beginning her college exploration. She enjoyed returning to campus for Thanksgiving Soup again this fall, and she continues to stay in touch with her classmates from her 11 years at BCD.

berkshirecountryday.org

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AlumniNEWS Stephen Taglieri ’15 is a Junior at Pittsfield High School. Since

leaving BCD three years ago, he has written and published his first novel, Asphodel. Through his perceived moral duty to benefit the nation and people around him, and his happy-golucky attitude, Stephen writes to send a message about his civic and societal views and how they can affect the world we all live in. Asphodel opens with the following inscription: I dedicate this book to James and Eugénie Fawcett, the two teachers in my life who originally imparted within me a love for Greek Mythology.

Wow… Third Grade is so far back in my life now, I can’t look at my image and see that person in the mirror. I do not see the small, vibrant child who had run from his bright yellow school bus on the first day of school towards his first handshake with Mr. Lindenmaier (which would be soon followed by many more, every morning, for the next few years) and who had nervously, yet spiritedly, walked up to Mrs. Romano’s classroom to begin the next five years of his schooling. Instead, now I see a young adult who is growing his first beard, who has been a foreign ambassador for the United States to countries such as France, England, and Japan, who has sailed a ship through the Chesapeake Bay during a week-long environmental study with John Hopkins University, and who will soon be traveling to Washington, D.C., to partake in the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment at George Mason University, where he will be able to voice his opinions on big business and its impact upon the natural world. All of these changes, all of this growth, and all of these experiences I can, in some way, link back to my time in Berkshire Country Day School.

The community I met at BCD allowed me to grow in ways I had never thought imaginable. I was able to, in a safe and secure environment, play around with my own perception of self and then draw a better picture of who I actually was. During my five years at the School, I was able to figure out what I believed, and what I thought was right and wrong in the world. Also, just as importantly, I was able to grasp many opportunities which I am certain would never have come my way, if I were at any other school. Because of my high scores on the ERBs (even when I only begrudgingly spoke of standardized testing), I was accepted into the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. From there, after using the programs offered to me to their fullest potential, I was nominated and accepted to be a Student Ambassador for People to People International.

After that, I went into a public high school, became inordinately bored, began writing a book, finished said book, edited it, and then published it as my first official novel, Asphodel. Along the way I’ve also been a part of the Berkshire Youth Leadership Program, many community events through the county, and the George Mason Summit. But, don’t let this all fool you. It wasn’t just about the ERBs and their scores; it was about the community which raised me, and the prominent personalities which guided me, through my adolescent years. I can say that my facility for academics and my attitude towards the world have matured tremendously because of figures such as Mr. Douglas, Mr. and Mrs. Fawcett, Ms. Pitcher, Mr. Gore, Mrs. Benner, and others whom I have met along the way.

If I could choose but two major lessons I learned from BCD, it would be these: never get bored, and never grow up. I was shown that you should always continue on the path of self-betterment and you should always think about ways in which you could do something better. Never get bored with something—make everything interesting. Find new ways to look at things and, if you can’t, instead just shed a different light on whatever it is. The world is ever-changing, and I personally believe that you must change with it, as you walk your path through life. And, if worst comes to worst and you do get bored of something, don’t let that defeat you. Find something else to do, go for a hike, play a game, or spend time with family and friends. There is so much to do in life that you shouldn’t let time waste away. Also, going along with the “look at everything differently” motto, never let yourself grow up. Childish exuberance and defiance is the key to keeping yourself sane in a harsh world, and seeing things with child-like optimism allows for greater innovation.

You always see children doing things adults have never thought of, and that’s because their determination is not swayed by adult matters or other thought. Because of this, all in all, I owe so much to BCD and how it shaped me for my future.

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AlumniNEWS Jeff Dufour ’05 2S spotted Arielle Picheny ’07 2S at basketball practice during his sophomore year at BCD2S. “It was actually the year before Arielle was a freshman, which I know doesn't make me sound great,” said Jeff. But the seeds were planted. The next year, when they returned from summer break, Jeff saw Arielle again and, “Sure enough, she was still cute,” he recalled. He spent the year determined to win her over and on February 20, 2004, he announced to her that they were going out. “Yes, I told her, because I was so nervous that I said the wrong word,” he said.

Arielle recalls that her high school math teacher, Mr. Clifford, made a bet with Jeff that his relationship with Arielle wouldn’t last through spring break.

After spring break, Mr. Clifford handed Jeff a dollar.

Fast forward eleven years - Jeff proposed to Arielle in an elaborate scavenger hunt in Boston, where they both went to college. The hunt took her to all the locales that held significant meaning for the couple, and at each stop someone (including her sister Alexis Picheny ’04 2S and her parents) surprised Arielle with the next clue.

Jeff and Arielle married on October 15, 2016, with a beach-front wedding at LaPlaya Beach Golf Resort in Naples, FL. The couple wrote their own ceremony, and Toni Front of Great Barrington officiated.

Arielle recalled the most moving part of the beautiful day was the people.

“There will never be another time in our lives when everyone we know and love is there to be with us,” she said.

Many friends from their BCD days attended including Sara Frantz ’07 2S, Nina Friedman ’07 2S, who did a reading, Andrea Nathan ’04, and Jamie Kraut ’04 2S. There were also the guys they referred to as the “junior boys” (because they were juniors when Arielle was a freshman), Sean Timpane ’05 2S, Algy Gregory ’05 2S, Mike Ross ’05 2S (who just got married himself), and Kevin Bendis ’05 2S. Arielle and Sara claim the honor of being BCD students for the longest duration in the School’s history. Both started in Pre-K and remained through their graduation from grade 12. “I don’t think you could send your kids to a better place,” Arielle said. “With the small classes, BCD really taught us how to get along with every single person.”

Today, Arielle and Jeff live in Long Island City, NY. Arielle works in the buying and marketing departments for INTERMIX, and Jeff works in real estate.

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AlumniNEWS the founder of "The 100 Blanket Project," an outreach program that raises funds to provide blankets for Pittsfield organizations that serve the homeless. "While I was at BCD, the experience of being a part of community service projects like St. Stephen's Table and the Shoah Foundation IWitness Challenge really stuck with me. Learning that I could actually make a difference inspired me to start my own project this year.

Thank you, BCD!"

Charlie O'Neil: is a Junior at Berkshire School where he has taken a keen interest in math and science and is playing soccer, hockey, and lacrosse.

Matt Sprague: We don't have a final college choice to report for Matt but he has applied to UCLA, Berkeley, UCSD, and USC. He is in his senior year at San Clemente High School with a 4.4 weighted GPA. He often sees James Jurney ’15 who is a junior at Idyllwild Arts Academy.

James Korenman: made a move from Pittsfield High School to The Forman School in Litchfield, CT this fall.

There he is a member of the alpine race team, has learned the fine art of boat building, and generally loves boarding school life. During vacations

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and summers, he continues to work at Guido's Marketplace in Pittsfield.

Ruby Merritt: is a sophomore at Berkshire School and is achieving high-honors grades. She is a member of the Varsity Lacrosse Team, and

Evan Sylbert: is enjoying his junior year at Northfield Mount Hermon, where he is on the Dean’s list and plays Varsity Lacrosse.

AlumniNEWS 2016 Taylor Slonaker: I'm enjoying my sophomore year at MMRHS. I participated in my second year of The Shakespeare Fall Festival, made it to the school finals in Poetry Out Loud, and I'm currently rehearsing the part of Gabriella in the school's production of High School Musical.

I'm a producer for MMTV, the school TV show that airs weekly. During freshman year, I skipped a year of English, and now I am in the AP English course. I am so thankful to BCD for preparing me for higher level courses. I’m looking forward to traveling to Ecuador this summer with my Spanish teacher and other Spanish class students.

2017 Josh Berg: I'm good. Going to Costa Rica soon.

Diba De: is a freshman at Emma Willard School. She has achieved D3 rating in Pony Club, and is the proud sister of Jaidev De ’21.

Ria Kedia: I'm attending Miss Hall's School as a freshman. The environment there is very welcoming, and I give credit to BCD for helping me adjust to high school and feel comfortable in a big community. I'm continuing to take Spanish and Latin at MHS, and though my journey at high school has just begun, I feel like an accomplished individual as I work through success and hardships. I still play the violin and am finding more time to play tennis as well. I am very happy since the new chapter in my life has begun, and I am glad to have started out positive!

Viggo Blomquist ’14, a day student at Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA, has been selected as a semifinalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. The STS is considered the nation's most prestigious science competition for high school students.

Viggo, who was born with a heart arrhythmia, researched a novel gene therapy technique to counteract why arrhythmia happens. “It’s a cool experience for me to work on something that I can relate to at this level,” he said of his research.

To apply for the award, students must complete a 20-page research paper and provide several short and long essays on their philosophy about scientific discovery and their future direction. Throughout the process, Viggo was mentored by Dr. Christopher Ahern, University of Iowa.

Every year, about 1,800 high school students enter the contest.

When he learned he was among one of only eight students from Massachusetts selected as a semifinalist Viggo said, "It's an awesome feeling. It's great to be able to complete a body of work that not only accurately depicts one's efforts, but also tells a story in science. I'm just happy to have had the mentorship and opportunity to do the work that I've done. The award process has been incredibly rewarding, and I couldn't be happier."

Viggo was selected as one of the top 300 science scholars in the nation. He worked hundreds of hours during the academic year and his summer vacation on this project. His work, which will be included in a publication later this month, provides proof that genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and hERG (a type of heart disease) can be treated with special molecules that correct the genetic mutation and restore function.

When asked how his experience at BCD played a part in his work, Viggo replied, “I must say, BCD instilled in me the work ethic required to complete a project like this. I also got my first taste of the sciences during my time at Berkshire Country Day School. In all honestly, science was not easy for me in middle school, but the faculty was encouraging and patient enough that I was able to grow into the individual I am today.”

Thanks to Berkshire School for contributing to this article.

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In Memoriam Donald M. Estabrook, 88, of Pittsfield, MA passed away on May 29, 2016.

Don was born in Pittsfield on April 3, 1928, the son of Donald and Elizabeth Estabrook.

Growing up he attended a one-room school house in Crary Mills just outside of Canton, NY. In 1947, he graduated from Clarkson University. He worked at GE in Pittsfield until called for the Korean War in 1950, and then returned to GE Pittsfield in 1954.

On October 26, 1956, Donald was married to the former Joan Virginia Gilroy, who predeceased him in 2001. He earned his MBA from UMASS in 1975 and retired from GE in 1993. From 1947 to 2015, he ushered at Tanglewood. He also served as a board member for the Pittsfield Symphony and was a long-time sailing enthusiast on Pontoosuc Lake. He is survived by his sons: Brian, and his wife, Margaret, and Alan ’77, his wife, Karen, and their children.

Mr. Estabrook was a volunteer superstar at BCD from 2000 through 2015. In 2009 the yearbook was dedicated to him with the following inscription: “He can do advanced algebraic equations or help with fourth grade math. He is seen at every BCD special function. He and his briefcase are a constant presence with a calm smile and a helping hand. We unanimously dedicate this yearbook to Mr. Donald Estabrook. Mr. Estabrook was first a BCD parent. Then in 2000 he returned to BCD2S as a library volunteer. He tutored anyone who needed a little extra help and spent many hours with Mr. Howard at the theater. When 2S closed, Mr. Estabrook moved down to the Brook Farm campus as the Substitute Coordinator. He deals with all the planned teacher absences; and those that aren’t so planned. Some of the best days are when you are lucky enough to get Mr. Estabrook himself as your substitute! Mr. Estabrook has been called “my right-hand man” by teachers, he is adored by students, he is a gift to BCD – and he does it all as a volunteer!”

Catherine Whittemore Bixby Barrett, 92, former trustee of Berkshire Country Day School, died on

June 15, 2016. Born on May 28, 1924, in St. Louis, MO, to Harold and Elizabeth Bixby, Cat had a very fulfilling life and lived every day with an uncommon joie de vivre, instilled by her parents. Her family lived in China from 1933-38, where she had private tutors, and upon her return to the US in 1938 she attended Bronxville public schools, Foxhollow School in Lenox, MA, and Katharine Gibbs School in New York. Her interest in helping with the war effort inspired her to take a job at the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, and later at Revere Copper and Brass Co. making shell casings. She then moved to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy Civilian Civil Service employee. She married William F. Barrett, Jr. on October 12, 1946, and moved to their home in Great Barrington where they resided for the next 50 years. Cat was a consummate crafts person who knitted voraciously, did needlepoint, painted with watercolors, had a ceramic studio, was an avid sailor, enjoyed gardening, and was a gifted floral arranger. She served on the Conservation Commission in Great Barrington, and served as president for both the Great Barrington and Lenox Garden Clubs. In addition to BCD, she sat on the boards of Chesterwood, Berkshire Botanical Garden, Massachusetts Audubon Society, The Catboat Association, Foxhollow School, and the Rudolf Steiner School. She is survived by her 5 children: William F. Barrett III ’61; Margery (Jill) B. Barrett ’63 Johnson; Peter S. Barrett ’66; Samuel C. Barrett ’69; and Benjamin C. Barrett ’76, their spouses, 7 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, William F. Barrett, Jr., for whom BCD’s Barrett Pond was named.

Joseph Storer Wheelwright ’62, died September 28, 2016, after a

determined, but peaceful, struggle with cancer. He was 68. The second of six siblings, Joe was born in New York City to Dr. H. Jeff Wheelwright, past trustee at Berkshire Country Day School, and the former Mary Matthiessen. He grew up in Lenox and attended BCD and St. Paul’s in Concord, NH, before attending Yale University. After graduating in 1970, he relocated to Vermont to begin working as an artist. He then enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design to study sculpture, and graduated in 1975 with a master’s in fine arts.

In 1971, he married Susan MacGregor. They bought land in East Corinth, VT, and had two daughters, May of Washington, D.C., and Tess of Ithaca, NY.

Joe co-founded the Boston Sculptors Gallery and the Humphreys Street Studios. His own work was either monumental or miniature, and was wryly imaginative. His best-known 26

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In Memoriam public art is “Sleeping Moon” at Peabody Square, Dorchester. As he sculpted, Joe coaxed life into granite crescents — each face training an enigmatic gaze at those who visited his shows. His sculptures, he once said, were “sentient beings that are there communicating with you, if not cavorting.” For him, the humanity of the art and the audience were inseparable. “What is art?” he asked aloud in 2014, pausing while working in his Humphreys Street studio in Dorchester. “It’s the elevation of the human spirit and joy of the aesthetic.”

In addition to his wife and two daughters, Joe is survived by his brothers Jeff ’61, his twin, George ’62, Peter ’63, and Nathaniel ’65, his sister, Molly ’69, his mother, Mary, and two grandchildren. A private gathering was held in Vermont. Joe was buried in a casket made by his twin, who is a woodworker. Small pieces of Joe’s art were affixed inside. www.bit.ly/jwheelwright

Elizabeth (Bethe) Arnold Chatterley ’72 Hackett

was the daughter of Remsen Arnold Chatterley and Mary Frances Hinman Chatterley. Born in 1957 in Cohasset, MA, her family later moved to Lee and Lenox, where she attended Berkshire Country Day School. Upon graduation from BCD she went on to Berkshire School, Lenox High School, and UMass. She met Kent Wesley Hackett, her husband of 41 years, while attending UMass, and they were married on September 7, 1975. The Hacketts lived in many places including Cape Cod, MA, Kodiak, AK, and Dallas, TX. While in Dallas, Bethe was a survey abstractor in the title business until she was disabled in a car accident in 1998. In 2000, she and her husband purchased property in rural Oklahoma that they christened “Lord’s Hill Farm,” and started living in a “homestead/ off-grid” style. Bethe loved animals and their rural life. Her final years were spent homesteading, taking care of chickens, dogs, and cats, and being a caregiver to her mother, Mary. She was also an avid music fan with a particular fondness for the Beatles and the Texas Blues Scene (Stevie-Ray Vaughn, Doyle Bramhall, etc.) Above all, Bethe loved the Lord, her family and her country. She was a wonderful wife, soulmate, best friend, mother, and daughter. She is sorely missed by all. In addition to her husband, Bethe is survived by her son Joshua Michael Arnold Hackett, her grandson Gabriel Joshua Hackett, her mother Mary Frances Hinman Chatterley, and her brother Remsen (Skip) Ellsworth Chatterley ’79.

Martin Henry Deely of Lee, MA, past Trustee and past parent at Berkshire Country Day School, passed from the

earth on June 26, 2016. He was born on November 15, 1933, the son of John M. Deely and Mary Sedgwick Deely. Mr. Deely believed in and lived a life of family, love, and service. He earned a BA in Literature and American History from Williams College and a MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Deely also faithfully served his country for four years, earning the rank of Captain in the US Air Force.

On August 13, 1960 Mr. Deely married Jessie Doyle. Mr. and Mrs. Deely were devoted to each other. Their great pleasure was travel; they visited each continent at least once. Mr. Deely told many tales of their exotic trips through Asia, Africa, Antarctica, and other far flung locales.

His career was dedicated to the family business, Lee Lime Corporation, which he ran with his father, his brother Jack, his cousin Frank McQuade, and his son Michael, before the business was sold in 1997. Mr. Deely derived satisfaction serving the Town of Lee. He was elected to four terms as Selectman, he sat on the Planning Board for eight years, and was a town representative for decades. He also served as Vice President of the Massachusetts Selectman Association. In addition to BCD, Mr. Deely held numerous board of director positons for such organizations as Lee Bank, Freedom Bank, Austen Riggs Center, and Berkshire Natural Resources Council. He also helped operate the TriTown Youth Hockey Program.

Mr. Deely will be missed for his warm nature, gregarious sense of humor, and fierce devotion to his family. His was a life well led. He is survived by his wife, Jessie, and their three children: Virginia Deely ’76 Halstrom and her husband, Howard Halstrom, of Darien, CT, Michael David Deely ’80 and his partner, Geralyn Anderson Arango of Bethlehem, PA, and Ann Doyle Deely ’77 and her partner, Richard O'Leary, of Lee, MA.

Matthew Tivy ’76, died in November 2016 of complications from a brain tumor. He was a graduate of the Buxton

School and the Culinary Institute of America, a celebrity chef who had appeared on the Food Network show Chef Du Jour, and the owner of the French bistro Cafe Du Soleil located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Matthew is survived by his partner Keith Jameson, his parents, Desmond and Janet Tivy, and his siblings, Catharyn ’73, Robert ’78, and Christopher ’82. berkshirecountryday.org

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We celebrate the completion of

Fulfilling the Promise: THE CAMPAIGN FOR BCD and the opening of the

Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons & Kim and James Taylor Music / Performance Room Friday, April 7, 6-8 p.m.

RSVP: www.tinyurl.com /April-7-2017 or call 413.637.0755 x144

Join us!

BCD is happy to welcome our newest faculty and staff members.

From left to right: Kathy Shortelle, Grade 6 advisor, US Math, MS Phys Ed, & Athletic Director; Miguel Silva, Spanish & Varsity Soccer Coach; Jordan Storti, LS Phys Ed; Jennifer Green, Grade 4; Alexandra Heddinger, Director of Admission & Financial Aid; Leigh Doherty, Associate Head of School. (Charles Martin, Music & Afterschool Music Director, is pictured with his Music Composition arts block class on pg. 5)

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FinalLOOK

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Berkshire Country Day School PO Box 867 Lenox, MA 01240 Change service requested

MISSION Berkshire Country Day School exists to inspire the individual promise of every student, that each may become an exemplary citizen of the world.

Quality: We promote academic excellence and

PHILOSOPHY

Respect: We empower acts of inclusion and

Berkshire Country Day School’s intentional approach of inquiry, discovery, and discussion blends proven methods with emerging best practices to draw fully on the experiences and contributions of our entire school community.

Our comprehensive curriculum, which includes project-based and experiential learning, leverages the talents of our exemplary educators and the natural resources of our extraordinary campus to inspire independence, academic excellence, and mutual respect.

VALUES Our values guide us to engage members of the school community in the shared responsibility of fostering students’ growth and supporting their individual talents and passions.

scholarship so that each student can flourish and succeed through a vigorous curriculum and an extensive offering of arts and athletics.

acceptance with due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, and traditions of others.

Sustainability: We educate our community about the impact of our actions and behaviors on the environment and instill practices that protect its long-term viability.

Community: We establish trust, cooperation, and accountability within an atmosphere of belonging where we all invest in the success and well-being of each other.

Wellness: We ensure the physical, social, and emotional health of each community member.

Citizenship: We guide all members of our diverse school community to become ethical, engaged, and informed global citizens.

Originality: We provide learning activities that inspire creativity and thoughtful reflection in an environment where each student is nurtured, celebrated, and encouraged to take risks.

Every effort was made to present the information in this edition of BCD Today as accurately as possible. If you notice any errors, omissions, or misrepresentations please contact the Development Office.

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June 2009 Philosophy revised by the Faculty-May 2016