BCD Today 2018 by Berkshire Country Day School

Berkshire Country Day School

BCDToday C ONNECTING THE DOTS SPRING 2018

2017-18 Board of Trustees Cara Vermeulen PRESIDENT

Theodore Glockner ’82 VICE PRESIDENT

BCDToday C ONNECTING THE DOTS SPRING 2018

John Kittredge ’73 TREASURER

Paige Smith Orloff SECRETARY

Paul Lindenmaier EX-OFFICIO

Susan Benner B. Stephen Boyd Stephanie Buchanan David Hosokawa Danny Lipson Christina Mills Alli Sheehan Eric Wilska Charles Zotique

Administration Paul Lindenmaier HEAD OF SCHOOL

Leigh A. Doherty ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Gwen Connolly DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Alexandra Heddinger

This year, BCD welcomed our youngest students ever! Our new Reggio Emilia-inspired Beginner 2s toddled onto campus last fall and assimilated quickly into the School community. Our older students are always finding ways to mentor and connect with the littlest ones on campus, much to everyone’s delight.

DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION & FINANCIAL AID

Editor: Jessica Provenz Editorial Assistant: Lia Russell-Self Copyeditors: Eugénie Fawcett, Alexandra Heddinger Design: Christine Casarsa Design, www.ccasarsadesign.com Printer: Quality Printing Company, Inc. Cover Photo: Jeff Amezqua Photography: Katharine Allentuck, Jeff Amezqua, B. Stephen Boyd, Mary Daire, Leigh Doherty, John Dolan, Alexandra Heddinger, Sergio Jurado, Julia Kreilkamp, Jilly Lederman, Paul Lindenmaier, Kay Lindsay, Robert Oakes, Andrea Patel, Jessica Provenz, Lia Russell-Self, Kathleen Shortelle, The Berkshire Eagle, The Berkshire Edge, and more.

Contents 1

A Message from the Head of School

Campus News

A Message from the Admission Director

A Message from the Parents’ Association

Intentional BCD: 10 Years of Growth

Serving Others to Grow Within

From BCD Student to BCD Parent

Alumni News

In Memoriam

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

hroughout the year, Berkshire Country Day School has celebrated the many connections in our community – both on and off campus, between families and faculty, and with and among our alumni. It is fitting that this issue of BCD Today focuses on the spirit of these connections as they are experienced each and every day at our School. BCD’s mission is “to inspire the individual promise of every student, that each may become an exemplary citizen of the world.” In keeping with our mission, we have expanded our focus on experiential learning and service learning. We are engaging students to plan, act with intention, and make a difference in our world. Whether it was the drive to support Puerto Rican families in the wake of Hurricane Maria, volunteering at St. Stephen’s Table, supporting animal rights, or undertaking the study of the watershed on campus, our feature “Serving Others to Grow Within” demonstrates how service learning has captured the attention of our faculty and students in new ways this year. As you may have heard, I will be leaving BCD at the end of June to assume the position of Head of School at Buckingham Friends School in Pennsylvania. As I reflect upon my ten years at BCD, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I have loved my time here, and I appreciate the many transformative experiences that we have created and shared together as members of this community. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the many people who have worked collectively to educate our students and care for this special place. I thank our dedicated trustees, devoted administrators, talented faculty, hardworking staff, engaged parents, incredible students, and the wonderful web of alumni that continues to connect us to and spread the spirit of BCD throughout the world. In gratitude,

Paul Lindenmaier

Head of School

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Tots Triumph!

We welcomed our youngest students in BCD history this year. Our inaugural two-year-old program is packed with toddlers learning what it means to be a “community.” Using the Reggio Emilia philosophy of our Preschool, this class of curious, thoughtful minds quickly started thinking not only of themselves, but of the well-being of their classmates. Lead teacher Julia Kreilkamp noted, “When I first observed the group engaged in interactive play, initiated on their own, I was amazed. ‘This is not typical two-year-old behavior,’ I thought. But then I observed it more and more – in pairs and in small groups, the children were ‘cooking’ together, driving to the ‘beach’ together, coordinating their movements as they ran with a hoop, assigning family roles, and on and on.” Julia, as the children call her, was awed by the speed with which the sense of community developed. “They announce the arrival of their classmates with gusto, greet each other with a hug, notice when somebody is sad, and offer a truck or an animal to share,” she said smiling. It is not easy to create caring, global citizens at such a young age, but Julia captured it best. “Our children have made a strong start in absorbing BCD’s priority of being a part of a supportive community. Given the opportunity and the encouragement, two-year-olds are capable of so much!”

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BCD’s Reggio Emilia curriculum is flexible and originates from the children’s thoughts, ideas, and curiosities. Reggio Emilia teachers observe the children carefully, watch them play, discover their interests, and listen to them talk. Topics for study are captured from these observations.

A MESSAGE FROM THE ADMISSION DIRECTOR Berkshire Country Day School has a lot to celebrate! In addition to being voted “Best Private School in the Berkshires”—a testament to the high degree of satisfaction by students, parents, and alumni for their BCD experience—the School opened last fall with 41 new students! Every grade, from the new Beginner 2s through seventh grade, welcomed at least one new student, most grades with multiple new students. This near-record number of additions to our student body is the result of concentrated efforts that include strategic enrollment initiatives, effective messaging that distinguishes BCD from other educational options in the area, ongoing outreach, and strong word-of-mouth from current and past families. These have combined to elevate BCD’s profile in the community, and we are thrilled with the warm, engaged, delightful students who have joined our ranks. I also want to express my sincere appreciation for our current families. As I write this, we have concluded two highly successful “Bring a Parent to School” events, designed to give current parents an insider’s view of how BCD connects the dots in their child’s education. We were thrilled at the response: turnout was incredible; the mood was uplifting among guests, teachers, and our students. We also just held our annual “Bring a Friend to School Day,” allowing area families a closer look at BCD, and we are in the midst of our Little Penguins program, an experiential parent/child class for area toddlers. We are all basking in the glow from all that’s happening! As it has been said time and again, the personal connections that our current parents, alumni, past parents, and everyone else associated with the School make with prospective families is the strongest way we attract new students. So keep spreading the word about what an incredible school BCD is! Thank you,

Alexandra Heddinger

Director of Admission & Financial Aid

We welcome

Mark Segar as the Interim Head of School at BCD on July 1, 2018 and serving through June 30, 2019. Mark has more than 30 years of experience as a head of school, and this will be his fourth interim posting. He holds an A.B. from Harvard College and an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Everyone has been impressed with Mark’s intelligence, insightfulness, and warmth. The search for the long-term Head of School continues uninterrupted.

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MY BCD TREE If you have the fortune to listen in on the combined first and second grade class taught by Kay Lindsay, then you will undoubtedly hear references to “my BCD tree.” Each second grader is partnered with a first grader and given his or her own unique tree. Armed with two photos – one of tree bark and the other a leaf – the pair must first explore our courtyards to locate their tree, and once found, the year-long study begins.

NOS AMIS EN FRANCE Our fourth and fifth graders have new international friends. Students wrote letters and made pictures that were handdelivered by Madame Mary Daire to L’association Marelle & Compagnie in central France and École Montessori d’Uzès in southern France. Madame Daire has a personal connection with these two very different schools and hopes to establish these as long-term penpal friendships abroad. Not only does this allow our students to work on their French skills, it also presents an opportunity to study diverse regions and provides insight into differences in climate, geography, and culture – all within the same country! Plus, the students have forged new friendships. That in itself is très magnifique!

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Students get to know their tree deeply and learn the intricacies of photosynthesis, the purpose of bark, and how to identify parts of a leaf and cone. Then they record their drawings, measurements, experiments, and observations in their “tree books.” The study of trees springboards into other areas of the curriculum: science, math, poetry, and this year, the class learned about artist Gustav Klimt, after studying and recreating his painting The Tree of Life. A field trip to Berkshire Botanical Garden rounded out the education by introducing the students to an even wider variety of trees. Next time you are on campus, be sure to ask a first or second grader about his or her BCD tree; you won’t be disappointed!

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When the Players Play Students at BCD created new and reimagined works for the stage this year under the guidance of Theater Director Lia Russell-Self. The Middle School Theater Ensemble devised an original show, The First Intergalactic Dinner Party, which allowed students to create their own wacky, other-worldly characters that were galaxy-known for their unique talents. As the characters began to understand each other’s traditions and customs, one accidentally offended another’s sacred tradition. This zany show about the importance of diversity and education kept the School buzzing about ravioli for weeks. In the Upper School, students tackled Shakespeare’s The Tempest, with Middle School students joining as the Junior Ensemble. In this production held at the Winthrop Theater in Lenox, the magical island was brought to life to dramatize Prospero’s demise, as students delved deeply into Shakespeare’s rich language. The Tempest featured an original score, with lead composers, seventh graders Miles Goldfarb and Rafi Karpowitz, under the supervision of Ms. Russell-Self.

OFF-FIELD VICTORIES The varsity boys’ soccer season wasn’t what was expected, but it was exactly what was needed.

“The challenge is how to get an athlete to compete. This year was not about winning or losing, but about something much more important: supporting a team and the self-determination it takes to be an athlete.” – Soccer Coach and Spanish Teacher Señor Miguel Silva

Señor Silva knows of what he speaks; he was inducted into the Berkshire County Soccer Hall of Fame in 2014. Under his coaching, last year’s BCD Penguins ended with a triumphant 7-1 and featured a few star players. This year the line-up was significantly changed. The result was three ties, and more importantly, athletes that learned how to use teamwork and competition to push themselves further. For Señor Silva, this was a huge victory. Señor Silva’s coaching philosophy finds a place in his Spanish classroom. “Competition is a motivator for learning,” he said, adding that he uses many games in his teaching to motivate kids, not to win, but to push themselves. “Developing talent in the classroom and on the field is my joy. Wanting to better yourself is part of that competition.” Go, Penguins!

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MONEY MATTERS

Our eighth grade girls traveled with Math teacher and Athletic Director Kathleen Shortelle to Miss Hall’s School to attend “Money Matters,” a financial literacy workshop. At Miss Hall’s, where BCD parent Julia Heaton is Head of School, students watched a presentation with Smith College Economics Professor Dr. Mahnaz Mahdavi and participated in a hands-on workshop where teams explored budgets, credit cards, and how interest accrues. Once teams settled on how to set a budget based on living expenses, the challenges increased as girls were asked what would happen if you suddenly needed a dental crown? Or if you were asked to be the Maid of Honor in a wedding and had to travel? Would you have enough in savings to cover these expenses? Our girls had a fantastic experience; plus, they learned valuable life skills. Since many of them will have jobs this summer, this newfound financial literacy will be put to good use quickly.

Kindergarteners Sign! Kindergarten students were introduced to sign language last year, when Shayna Kantor ’18 and her American Sign Language (ASL) tutor Maureen Lenti visited weekly to teach sign for Shayna’s IWitness video project. (You can read more about IWitness in the feature on Service Learning, “Serving Others to Grown Within.”) Kindergarten teacher Andrea Patel delved into ASL over the summer, taking online seminars on Multisensory ABCs, Phonics Immersion, and Kindergarten Handwriting. Meanwhile, Shayna’s video caught the eye of the director of Riverbrook, a home for developmentally-disabled women in Stockbridge. She contacted Ms. Patel to see if one of their deaf residents might connect with the class. As a result, a young woman, along with her interpreter, began visiting the Kindergarten twice monthly to teach sign language and sign stories and books to the children. For five-and-six year olds, ASL evoked big questions: “How do people communicate with each other?” “What are challenges that some people face?” And more specifically: “How do we make our visitor feel comfortable?” “How do we become friends?” One thing is certain: in Ms. Patel’s Kindergarten, sign language and service learning – BCD’s big focus this year – go hand-in-hand!

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Since September is when students feel apprehensive about their capabilities based on past experiences, fifth grade teacher Dr. Jilly Lederman decided it was the perfect time to make an impact. The class studied how to strengthen brain muscles with a myriad of activities from discussing videos about neuroplasticity and playing tiered memory games to creating a brain model. After learning

TRIMESTER 1: MISTAKES GROW YOUR BRAIN

Fifth graders are exploring Growth Mindset—the belief that abilities are not fixed, but developed through a process of challenging tasks, effort, feedback, and reflection. Launched by psychologist Carol Dweck, Growth Mindset is supported by educational research, and posits that the most significant factor impacting a student’s success in school is not IQ, but rather the student’s belief in his/her ability to succeed.

how the five-year-old brain has more synapses than an adult’s (as each interaction impacts brain development), the class visited the Kindergarten to observe them learn a pattern through stringing a beaded bracelet. Then, the fifth graders set themselves goals linked to a math or critical thinking activity. The class worked on these weekly, monitoring their progress. By January, some had reached their goal!

Growth Mindset

Our eighth grade boys traveled to Boyd Technologies, where they heard a presentation by BCD parent and Trustee B. Stephen Boyd and engineers at the company. The engineers shared their lab notebooks and, much to the delight of the boys and science faculty Susan Benner and Tim Gore, the protocols were similar to those used in BCD’s science classes. The presentation was followed by a factory tour; it was an eye-opener to see the hi-tech facility and “clean” rooms in operation. The trip was capped with lunch at Theresa’s Stockbridge Cafe, owned by BCD parents Joe Sonsini ’84 and Theresa Sonsini. There the boys got a taste of another business-in-action as well as delicious chocolate cake.

BOYS TAKE ON TECH

TRIMESTER 2: RETRAIN YOUR BRAIN After watching a documentary on how the ubiquitous Post-it note developed through a series of mistakes, Dr. Lederman’s class discovered innovations that similarly rose from the ashes of failures: Slinky, potato chips, and Michael Jordan! Students took a quiz to determine their own growth mindset about learning. The self-scored quiz posed questions about receiving teacher feedback, the nature of intelligence, and approaches to challenges. The takeaway: mindsets affect learning. A complementary component of retraining the brain involves limiting negative self-talk. The class generated a list of comments commonly heard in class and proposed more encouraging replacements. Students learned that when things don’t go perfectly, instead of labeling ourselves as failures, why not ask, “What can I do differently?”

TRIMESTER 3: THINKUBATE Heading into spring, the class is considering how to teach others about Growth Mindset. Through sharing discoveries, the fifth graders hope to expand ideas about intelligence, the impact of positive thinking, and the power of change. Dr. Lederman said, “I’m not sure what shape it will take, but the fifth graders can jump outside their comfort zone, and I’m not going to be left behind!”

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Carpe Diem! BCD has offered Latin since the School’s founding in 1946, and Eugénie Fawcett has been teaching the subject at BCD since 1973. Mrs. Fawcett’s unparalleled training has infused generations of students with a passion for a language lost at many other schools, and many graduates continue their study of the Classics well-beyond their BCD years. “It helps that Latin is in the mainstream at BCD and not an isolated or weird subject,” said Mrs. Fawcett. Latin is so popular here that every year our Upper School Latin students compete – and dominate – at the Pioneer Valley Classical Association annual Classics Day at Mount Holyoke College. It was no different this year when our seventh and eighth graders demonstrated advanced skills in a field of mostly older students (from grades 7 through 12). Our Latin students participated in workshops and competed against peers from Academy Hill, Amherst Middle School, Belchertown, Herberg Middle School, Lenox Memorial High, MacDuffie, Pittsfield High, Taconic High, and Williston.

CLASSICS DAY 2018 AWARD WINNERS CERTAMEN LATIN I 2nd Place: Team of Samuel Creelan Rafi Karpowitz, Henry Van Schaick and Chase Vermeulen LATIN I “2” 1st Place: Team of Daniel Ciejek Halle Davies, Esmé Lazar and Eli Mamousette MYTH 2nd Place: Team of Aurora Benson Donald Miller, Keely O’Gorman and Samantha Seeley ORAL INTERPRETATION ADVANCED POETRY 1st Place: Chase Vermeulen 2nd Place: Keely O’Gorman 3rd Place: Henry Van Schaick LATIN INTERMEDIATE PROSE 2nd Place: Halle Davies ART CONTEST MOSAICS 2nd Place: Esmé Lazar SCULPTURE 2nd Place: Norah Smith MILITARY 2nd Place: Jack Ballinger MODELS 2nd Place: Esmé Mamousette and Gevi Syrett 3rd Place: Lana Messinger and Lilah O’Neil

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“Wonder Certified Kind Classroom” Third through sixth grade students were all-in on forming a “Wonder Certified Kind Classroom,” before Visual Arts Program Coordinator Sasha Sicurella even finished explaining the concept. Based on The New York Times bestselling children’s book, Wonder, a story celebrating acceptance of diversity, the Wonder Certified Kind Classroom is a national initiative that focuses on bringing acts of kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to life for the students. Teaching materials that embrace themes of empathy are included as part of a year-long lesson plan through curated challenges, including art projects, group discussions, and class unity activities. Most BCD students had already read Wonder, so when Ms. Sicurella brought the book into class, they were ready to put the program into practice. Students engaged in conversation about what kindness means to them, their peers, and their larger community. They even designed kindness T-shirts and submitted them for a contest to create a new GAP Kids T-shirt.

“Anytime I’m in the classroom, I’m learning and I’m getting something from teaching...Everything you make has value, whether that’s a value to yourself or a value to something bigger” – Visual Arts Program Coordinator Sasha Sicurella

HOW DOES OUR GARDEN GROW? With the vision and support of BCD parent Cynthia Pansing, Berkshire Botanical Garden, and BCD parent Arlin Wasserman, our School made an old tradition new by planting a garden on campus last year. Led by green-thumbed Associate Head of School Leigh Doherty and teachers Katharine Allentuck and Victoria Sideropoulos, students planted the seeds for a garden that will bear fruit – and vegetables! – for years to come.

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Teachers Teaching Teachers While students were home relaxing one day last fall, the campus was still abuzz with exploration. Instead of the kids, it was our faculty and staff who went back to school for a day of inservice learning. Teachers led each other in classes on how to increase emotional support for our students, what are the best practices for navigating social dynamics throughout the different grades, and how BCD as a school can best serve the community. Adults had the opportunity to walk in our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shoes and take Arts Block classes led by three of our multi-talented Studio Arts faculty. Our signature Arts Block offerings for Upper School students (grades 7-9) include elective courses in music, visual arts, and performing art, so it was fitting that our faculty and staff had the same options. Music Teacher Charles Zotique formed the Faculty Ensemble meeting participants where they were in vocal technique, sight-reading, ensemble skills, and music theory. Visual Arts Program Coordinator Sasha Sicurella shared her experience traveling to 20 different countries to work with students and adults to create mixed-media self-portraits. In 45 minutes, faculty and staff combined elements of photography, drawing, painting, and, of course, imagination and created self-portraits that were as revealing about the artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; identities as they were colorful. Theater Director Lia Russell-Self got everyone moving and collaborating as faculty and staff played theater games, practiced improvisation, and devised short performance compositions. Creativity in action!

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LETTER FROM THE PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION The Parents’ Association (PA) has been busy this year! We thank our parent volunteers who, through their generosity of time, organizational skills, cooking and baking additions, and positive energy, have helped to support regular annual PA-sponsored events, including Grandparents’ and Grand Friends’ Day, Thanksgiving Soup, the Lenox Bookstore-sponsored book fair, and the holiday gift drive. This year the PA teamed up with the Student Council and the Schoolhouse to participate in the national Make A Difference Day through a collection of food and needed supplies organized by BCD parent Mayra Rodriguez and mailed directly to many families affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. What an incredible experience for all of our families! The PA is also thrilled to share the revival of several favorite events, including the Salon Series and Speaker Series. For our Fall Salon Series event, author Brendan Mathews read from his novel, The World of Tomorrow, and engaged in a lively Q&A with dozens of members of our parent community in the warm and inviting home of the author’s brother and BCD parents, Colin Mathews and Stephanie Iverson. In February, Speaker Series guest, Dr. Stephen Brand, held an energetic and interactive presentation about Raising Innovative Children for parents and educators from the larger Berkshire community. There are many planned PA events this spring, including Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week, Fun and Field Day, and the Spring Salon Series event with current parent Christina Lowery, CEO of Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls’ education and empowerment. Thank you to all of our parent volunteers for making these BCD events possible! Warm regards,

Natacha Dockery Livak

Andrea Gerber

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“Paul has led our school and community with his quiet confidence, exceptional leadership, and thoughtful conviction. He will leave this school better and stronger for his time and contributions.” – President of the Board of Trustees Cara Vermeulen

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In10 tional BCD A closer look at the tenure of Head of Berkshire Country Day School Paul Lindenmaier

hen considering what one word best encapsulates Paul Lindemaier’s tenure at Berkshire Country Day School, the common response is “Intentional.” With a holistic approach to the day-to-day operations, as well as a bird’s eye view of the long run, Mr. Lindenmaier maintains a steady gaze on developing the three elements he deems inseparable at BCD: the People, the Program, and the Place, or the “three Ps” as he calls them. Whether it’s commencing with a capital campaign or restructuring the Studio Arts Program, decisions made during Mr. Lindenmaier’s tenure were met with careful deliberation and consideration. “Paul has proven himself a passionate educator whose drive for excellence and care for community have affected every aspect of life at BCD,” said Cara Vermeulen, President of the Board of Trustees. After his decade as our Head of School, Mr. Lindenmaier has accepted a new position as Head of School at Buckingham Friends in Pennsylvania. A lifelong Quaker and an experienced Friends educator from Pennsylvania, this marks a return to Mr. Lindenmaier’s roots and a positive transition for his family. His departure also represents a new chapter for BCD. Mr. Lindernmaier’s leadership and vision will be missed when a new Head of School assumes the role, yet with this transition comes the opportunity to reflect on Mr. Lindenmaier’s tenure and take stock of the last decade at the School.

Fiscal Sustainability The Berkshire economy was hit hard by the Wall Street financial crisis. BCD faced its share of tough decisions during this period, most significantly, the closing of the high school in 2007. It was on the heels of the high school’s closing that Mr. Lindenmaier assumed the role of Head of School in the summer of 2008. “It is not easy to make the difficult and necessary decisions, even when you’re at a school like BCD with a tremendous legacy and reputation,” said Sion Boney, BCD’s President of the Board of Trustees from 2006-2009. “Paul met the challenges with energy, vigor, and a tremendous amount of confidence that he and we could get the job done.” Mr. Lindenmaier hit the ground running. “He started by immediately helping us raise the necessary funds to restore our endowment and make urgently-needed improvements to the Brook Farm campus,” said Mr. Boney. What followed next was Paul’s oversight of a strategic planning process to outline the School’s future direction. “Paul recognized the need for a new vision and led the Strategic Plan in a way that brought together hundreds of different constituents,” said Paige Smith Orloff, BCD’s Board President from 2013-2016. The Strategic Plan charted a course to “improve and steward BCD’s campus to accommodate and reflect the quality of BCD’s program,” while strengthening the School’s finances. A Master Facilities Plan followed and outlined the priorities to improve and maintain the campus. “Because of Paul’s steadfast competence, BCD has taken great care to plan for the School’s long term sustainability and innovation, which the students of today and the future will benefit from,” said Ms. Vermeulen. He has made BCD a more intentional school.

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Dramatic Facility Upgrade and Stronger Endowment With a new and clear direction, BCD embarked on the first capital campaign in nearly two decades to enhance facilities, while also growing the endowment to raise faculty salaries to attract and support BCD’s dedicated and talented teachers. Mr. Lindenmaier held an unwaivering commitment and conviction that Fulfilling the Promise: The Campaign for BCD was the right campaign at the right time for this school. In 2017, the Campaign surpassed its goal by raising over $3.2 million with 468 community members responding to the case for support. In April of 2017, BCD celebrated the opening of the Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons and the Kim and James Taylor Music / Performance Room with 250 friends present. The new facilities, designed by Flansburgh Architects and built by Allegrone Construction, have quickly become an integral part of teaching and learning on campus and represent the most dramatic upgrade to the Brook Farm Campus in almost twenty years. The Campaign also paved the way for the School’s new pathways, courtyard, and green spaces, which beautify the campus, while also better managing water runoff and reducing the environmental impact of the campus on surrounding properties. Behind the scenes is the Campaign’s unsung hero, a new boiler, which heats five buildings at a dramatic savings each year. Equally as vital, the Campaign strengthened the endowment for faculty salaries, a component held as primary by Mr. Lindenmaier and the Board. The Campaign did all of this without the School taking on any debt. After ten years of balanced budgets, this is yet another sign that Mr. Lindenmaier is leaving BCD’s fiscal house in order.

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Under Mr. Lindenmaier’s tenure, there have been numerous academic changes and improvements. Perhaps most signature was BCD’s expansion of the robust Studio Arts Program in 2014. Mr. Lindenmaier said, “The goal was to expand the culture of creativity by connecting our program to art and artists in the larger community, and to allow our students to create in well-appointed and materials-rich studio spaces.” Four years later, that program is thriving. BCD’s art teachers are also full-time professional artists who create their own work alongside students, as opposed to a more traditional art teacher. While all of BCD’s art teachers have their own unique discipline, they share an ability and willingness to examine their own artistic processes alongside our students. As overseen by Visual Arts Program Coordinator Sasha Sicurella, creativity is always in action at BCD. While in the Ceramics Studio, Ben Evans and the first graders examine the glaze on their new bowls fresh out of the kiln, at the same time in the Drawing & Painting Studio Max Spitzer leads eighth graders in an exploration of methods for creating the illusion of space and depth, while Ms. Sicurella guides kindergarteners with their own Picasso-esque self-portraits in the Mixed Media/Sculpture Studio. Each of these spaces has been intentionally designed to support the vision of the Arts Program which also includes woodworking teacher Joe Katz, theater director Lia Russell-Self, music teacher Charles Zotique, band director Jon Suters, and artist Dana Piazza ’06 2S.

A Path Forward Part of Mr. Lindenmaier’s focus in recent years has been on communications and more clearly defining the promise of a BCD education. The core brand messaging – Intentional, Independent, & Inspired – has been applied across all of the School’s communications, creating a consistent, compelling story. After a great deal of planning and research, BCD introduced a series of new enrollment strategies designed to make the BCD experience available to more families and to grow the community. The result includes new outreach initiatives to area businesses, a bus from Columbia County, NY, and the brand new – and full – two-year-old program. Mr. Lindemaier’s impact on BCD’s three Ps, the People, the Program, and the Place has been profound and deeply felt. “Paul worked incredibly hard with the Board and the whole BCD community, communicating, promoting, and achieving his vision for the School in the 21st Century,” said Mr. Boney. “We all owe him a great debt of gratitude for the tremendous job he has done as our Head of School. Paul’s legacy is secure as one of the great ones in the long history of outstanding BCD Heads.” Mr. Lindenmaier’s goals have always focused on the students. “During the past ten years, I’ve simply tried to do my best, advance this special school, and in some small ways leave it better than I found it – all with the needs and support of the children first and foremost. It has been my privilege to work with so many talented, smart, creative, and dedicated people. Credit for any accomplishments rests squarely on their shoulders,” he said. For Ms. Orloff, the other trustees, and the community at-large, it is mission accomplished. “Paul came to a place that had a lot of strengths and helped cohere them around the vision of making all of the students become the best version of themselves,” said Ms. Orloff. “In the end, the School is living up to its promise.”

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Robust New Arts Program

Serving Others to

Dozens of letters, drawings, and photos of gratitude poured in from the 78 families in Puerto Rico who received aid from BCD’s community-wide drive on Make a Difference Day, the largest single day of service nationwide held annually. The October 28th drive was supported by the Student Council, the Parents’ Association, and the wider BCD network of alumni and community members who passionately agreed that aiding families devastated by Hurricane Maria would be the focus of the BCD’s day of service. BCD students and families donated necessities and inside each box, students included cards, letters, drawings, and even tissue paper flowers made by the students. They also enclosed stamped envelopes so that recipients could reply, which they did in droves. “It was love in a box,” said Associate Head of School Leigh Doherty. “It was a very proud moment for me to be part of the BCD community and to see a small idea become a very impactful one.”

“This year each grade has incorporated its own age-appropriate year-long service learning project designed to foster growth which looks different at each grade level, but some things are consistent throughout: curiosity, teamwork, communication skills, independence skills, and an awareness outside of themselves.” – Associate Head of School Leigh Doherty

This day of service coordinates aptly with BCD’s expanded service learning curriculum and “takes it up a notch,” said Ms. Doherty. For decades, BCD has participated in community service activities and continues volunteer work with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Table meal program, a holiday gift drive to children in need, singing carols at senior centers, and more. These new efforts go deeper than one-time activities and include ongoing research, links to academics, and school-wide participation.

sixth grade advisors Robert Oakes and Mary Daire, the class is studying animal rights and raising funds to support three local animal shelters. Under the direction of Gill Romano, Tim Gore, and Kathleen Shortelle, third and eighth graders are collaborating on the importance of wetlands and their impact at BCD and in the world at large. Students have deepened their understanding of environmental impact, invasive species, and preservation by constructing models of water filtration in BCD’s wetlands, clearing invasive vegetation, and making the campus more environmentally conscious.

Fourth graders have been learning about waste and visited a waste management facility with teacher Katharine Allentuck. Under the guidance of teacher Kay Lindsay, first and second graders work in teams to identify and study the many species of trees on campus and to create a guide of their findings for the School. With

At the end of the year, the classes will come together to share their work. “I look forward to the service learning showcase, when each grade will share what they have explored and learned this year,” said Ms. Doherty. “The teachers and I will then reflect together on where we want to grow the overall focus on service learning for the new school year.”

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HOW DO STUDENTS GROW?

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At its core, service learning provides a forum to communicate, to empathize, to make connections with classmates, teachers, and others around a specific issue. Students are given license to explore a variety of issues that they care about, whether it’s in their classroom, on campus, in the local community, or nationally. They then engage in rich, ongoing discussions about these issues and propose and consider meaningful action.

WHAT DOES SERVICE LEARNING MEAN TO YOU?

A conversation with Associate Head of School Leigh Doherty

Grow Within Under the dedicated mentorship of History and English teacher Sarah Pitcher, the eighth grade class participates annually in the national IWitness Video Challenge. IWitness is an educational website developed by USC Shoah Foundation that provides access to over 1000 testimonies from survivors and witnesses to the Holocaust and other genocides. The challenge is for students to submit short videos demonstrating how they were inspired by testimony to make positive choices and create value in their community. Ms. Pitcher’s students have been finalists for all four years that they have entered, a feat made even more impressive given that many of the other contestants are high school students. “The IWitness project has become an integral part of the eighth grade curriculum; first, because of its connection to the Holocaust, which the students study in both seventh and ninth grades, and second, because of its connection to service,” said Ms. Pitcher. Shayna Kantor ’18 placed third nationally last year with her documentary “Are you Listening?” which raises awareness and empathy for the deaf community. Jasmine Light ’18 distinguished herself by becoming a national finalist with her video “Knowledge is Power,” after donating over 900 books to area non-profits and sparking a dialogue on access to literacy and learning. Other past BCD finalists are Ruby Merritt ’15, Ayva Schiff ’15, Sam Ferrone ’16, and Lanna Knoll ’17.

While the growth looks different in each grade level, the underlying values remain steady: teamwork, communication skills,andindependence. Among the most valuable insights for students has been g reater awareness outside of themselves.

WHY IS SERVICE LEARNING IMPORTANT TO BCD? BCD is committed to cultivating the whole child: the academic, the artist, the athlete, as well as one’s own character. As students broaden their ability to look outside themselves and their own needs and wants, they begin to build compassion, empathy, and the sense that they can be of service in ways that are meaningful. Service learning provides opportunities for social and emotional development by looking at the world, working collaboratively, and feeling empowered that young people can have an impact.

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From BCD Student to BCD Parent Whether it’s attending reunions, volunteering, or donating to the Annual Fund, there are many ways our alumni give back. Some alumni give the strongest endorsement and send their kids to BCD! Here are interviews with five alumni who are also, happily, BCD parents.

Maggie Mailer ’86 parent of Nicholas ’25

Why did you choose BCD for your son? I was asked to be an Arts Block Studio Artist for the Upper School students, when Nicholas was in kindergarten. While spending time on campus, I remembered my love for it. Then it all just clicked! My husband, John Wendling ’88, attended BCD in kindergarten and first grade, and we started talking about it and realized it would be great for our son. He had been going to Montessori and we had thought that was a good fit for him, but when he came to the interview at BCD, he was a different person. He was visibly excited, and we had never seen him like that. He looked at me and asked, “Mama, is this my school?”

You’re a painter, and at age 8, your son is already a talented artist. Is that important to you? I didn’t want to force it at all, but he ended up picking it all up on his own. I think it’s this kind of immersive experience that has as much of an effect as what a parent can teach. The Studio Arts classes here have been really important for him, having ceramics with Ben Evans and multi-media with Sasha Sicurella, and changing every few months. He loves the arts!

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Your major takeaways from your time at BCD? I was allowed to be a curious and engaged student and revel in it, and that had not been my experience before or after BCD. I got full feedback from the teachers at BCD; I really felt like they saw me. There was just such thorough and rigorous discussion, and it absolutely prepared me for high school at Phillips Academy Andover. In some ways, I was actually over-prepared when I went to boarding school.

Was there a moment that confirmed this is the right school for Nicholas? When he interviewed, the Director of Admission made a drawing of Star Wars, and Nicholas corrected her with an adjustment. In that one moment, she understood his intelligence and saw so much about him, and that’s what I was talking about when I said the teachers here really saw me. At BCD, Nicholas is taken as his own person. His quirkiness is valued, his mind is valued. Last year, when they started studying colonial script, his page looked different from everyone else’s, his alphabet was arrayed across the page and it wasn’t linear. Instead of correcting the difference, he was applauded for it! During our conference, Kay Lindsay and Katharine Allentuck pointed out that difference to me and John as a positive!

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Lauren Yarmosky ’87 Ballinger

es in life to my experience at BCD. BCD is a school that leans into your individuality, and truly nurtures your strong points. The School taught me to be responsible, to be a leader, to be self-confident, and those are traits I carry with me today.

Parent of Jack ’20 and Libby ’23

Why BCD for your family? I want my children to have the same rich and wonderful experience that I remember. I really love the PreK-9 grade model and that bigger kids mix with younger kids. BCD’s size, intimacy, and the relationship that the kids are able to form among themselves and with their teachers is wonderful. BCD keeps the kids young, and I mean that in the best way. They try to keep their childhood as pure as possible, exposing them to worldly ideas and thoughts, but without over-exposing them to things that may be overwhelming. It’s a really nice balance.

What is your favorite BCD tradition? I really choke up at the end-of-year assembly. It’s when everyone is wrapping up and sharing what was accomplished during the year. It always brings tears to my eyes and makes me feel so good that my kids are here.

What are you most thankful for at BCD?

Like most people, when I lived in the Berkshires, I did not appreciate what I had until it was gone. I lived in the Maryland area for almost two decades, where I went to University of Maryland Dental School and began my dental practice. My husband Matt Ballinger and I then lived in Germany, which reminded me of the Berkshires. When we finally moved to the Berkshires, we just knew it was a great place to raise a family. It has a small town feel yet it is culturally rich, and it is a beautiful place to take advantage of all of the seasons.

I work as a contractor today, and wouldn’t you guess that the wood shop with Gary Miller was huge for me? I wanted to make a foosball table, and Mr. Miller supported me. I sawed out each of the guys. I even made spare guys as replacements for when we broke them. It was fantastic; we used it in the classroom for two years! Today I do masonry, digging, excavating; I like to build a fireplace one day and build a roof the next. I have diverse interests, and I attribute that to BCD.

What are your kids getting from BCD?

I’m grateful that every day my kids wake up excited and enthusiastic about going to school. When I drop them off, they always have a smile on their face. As a parent, I couldn’t be any happier.

Why did you decide to raise your family in the Berkshires?

What was your favorite class?

Joe Sonsini ’84 Parent of Tyler ’12, Ryan ’19, and Ashley ’23

You gave back in a creative way — you built the GaGa Pit. Why?

My wife Theresa Sonsini and I agree it’s giving them a great confidence and sense of self, while exposing them to such diverse offerings! Tyler graduated from Cushing Academy and now he’s at Union College. I attribute much of his success to the confidence he got at BCD. Ryan is thriving at BCD, and I’m really proud of Ashley. She plays the piano, the drums, sings, skis, plays lacrosse and soccer, plus, she loves her studies! I’m so proud of all of my kids!

My son, Tyler, and his friends wanted a GaGa Pit, so I got the lumber, and all of the kids helped make it happen. It became the gift from the Class of 2012.

Why are your kids at BCD? They’re at BCD because they love it, and they’re at BCD because I loved it. I attribute much of my success-

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Ted Glockner ’82 parent of Ben ’24 and Sam ’24

Why do you serve on BCD’s Board of Trustees? I had the recognition that everything I achieved professionally – everything – stems from the skills that I learned when I was a student at BCD. That’s a profound thing to realize as an adult. BCD was a safe, warm, and loving environment and a tremendous place for me to learn analytical skills. I gained the ability to break down issues into their component parts, analyze them, look at them from each angle, and state my conclusions. BCD gave me the foundation to get my points across on paper, which directly feeds into the work I do. I recently became the Interim Chief Compliance Officer for Group and Worksite Products at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, where I have worked for 13 years as an in-house attorney.

Why do your sons attend BCD? The essence of BCD is that it’s a great and unique learning environment – there’s nothing else like it that I’ve ever seen. BCD is full of happy, engaged kids who are self-confident and inquisitive. Plus, thanks to Head of School Paul Lindenmaier, it’s a better school now than it was for the 10 years that I was there: the arts have improved; BCD does more to develop kids as creative thinkers; and from the Board perspective, the governance is stronger than how I perceived it to be when I was a student. But most importantly the teachers today are incredible. When we attended the tour, my wife, Jennifer Glockner and I met with Paul and he said the boys’ teacher in third grade, Gill Romano, was “a rockstar.” After they started school, I sent an email to Paul saying that he had undersold

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her. Mrs. Romano is relentless in her commitment to knowing our kids and how they learn. The difference was noticeable right off the bat.

Spring Fair, and even after I left BCD, they were really active. Now that I’m a parent, I get it. Giving back to the School is the ultimate way to be involved. I have been Co-Chair of the Parents’ Association, the Treasurer, the Class Parent Liaison, worked on countless committees, and this year, my husband Pieter Van Schaick and I are co-chairing the Spring Soirée, Down & Derby, with Ashley Junod. It’s a lot of work, but so worthwhile!

Why did you send your sons to BCD?

Suzannah Zeif ’84 Van Schaick parent of Tobias ’16 and Henry ’19

Why is it important to you to be actively involved at BCD? When I was at BCD, my parents were very involved. My dad, Jay Zeif, was on the Board. They chaired the

We decided to move to the Berkshires because we met in the Berkshires in 1984 at Berkshire School. We had lived in Philadelphia for 16 years, and when we were moving back to this area, Peter asked what we were doing about school, and I was like, “I got that covered!” We wanted to be part of the community here at BCD. Our boys have both blossomed as students here. They have become community-minded. I am blown away by the academics. And now that our older son, Toby, is in high school, he has really come into his own with the foundation he received at BCD.

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Elizabeth Morgan ’65 Graf: “We are still living in Georgia and spending time in the mountains of North Carolina, which reminds me of the Berkshires. We have been retired for a few years now and are enjoying the freedom to travel (especially hiking with friends in the National Parks), volunteering, time with family (especially grandchildren), and trying to keep in shape and healthy. I still think BCD was one of the best experiences, educational and social, of my life.” Rich Noonan ’66: “Given the request for just a few lines, a Mason Williams poem seems most appropriate: ‘Isn’t life beautiful, Isn’t life gay, Isn’t life the perfect thing to pass the time away?’ I’ve been teaching skiing at Big Sky for 21 years, although the six-year-old granddaughter changes EVERYTHING for the better.”

Peter Chase Williams ’69: “The photo was taken in Furey Hall, now the much more beautiful Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons(!), and it shows me at graduation in 1969. My last few years at BCD, I edited an unofficial school newspaper, the URMI News. URMI was a club of about ten boys; among our activities was the paper, which cost five cents per issue and was published eight or ten times per year. By graduation, those nickels had added up, so we bought the school a Yield House wall clock (and installed a plaque on it that read, ‘Gift of URMI – 1969’) which I presented at graduation. The clock hung in the main big lobby for many years, but unfortunately disappeared when there were some renovations there some years back.”

Terry Hall ’65 has been the back beat in The Arlo Guthrie Band for 42 years. He formed Shenandoah in 1974 with David Grover, David Carron, and Danny Velika. In 1975, while performing in Stockbridge, MA, Arlo Guthrie saw them playing, and invited the band to tour with him. Terry said, “We thought about it for two seconds and said, ‘yeah!’” With Guthrie, he has performed in all 50 states and Europe and Australia and toured the world to celebrate the 100th birthday of Woody Guthrie. He has recorded with numerous artists, including Pete Seeger, and appeared with Carly Simon, Bonnie Raitt, John Denver, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp among others. He has been performing for children for over 30 years at venues from The White House to The Museum of Natural History to The Today Show. Terry’s songs are available on his YouTube channel: Alaberry1.

Bill Graesser ’63 visited the Brook Farm Campus when he was in the Berkshires last summer for his 50th reunion for the Lenox School for Boys, which he attended after graduating from BCD. Bill reminisced about his BCD years, “Nine of us boys boarded in Lenox in eighth grade, lived in St. Martin’s Hall, and attended school up the hill in Bassett Hall.” The nine included Bill, Larry Briggs ’63, Jon Bashor ’63, Chris Eddings ’63, Roger Chamberlain, Bob Hall ’63, Walter Palmer ’63, Vernon Samoorian ’63, and Bob Winston ’63. Bill taught Math in grades 7-12 for over 40 years. He is married for a long time with two kids and three grandchildren.

1960s

Dan Hatch ’55: “Seems hard to believe it has been over 70 years since I started kindergarten at BCD in the fall of 1946! The journey since has included a graduate degree from University of California, Berkeley in Primate Communication, two years as part of the first group of Peace Corps to go to Fiji in 1968, where I taught Fijians how to grow coconuts while my wife, Sue, taught elementary school, and then home in 1970 with our son, Ted. Daughter, Meg, was born in Hawaii in 1970, where we lived and worked until going to seminary in California in 1983. After serving United Church of Christ churches in California, Missouri, and Hawaii for 25 years and after my wife died in 2008, I retired to California to enjoy grandchildren and remarry. I became a volunteer community activist and enjoy rowing crew several times a week. I am living proof that ‘Life is what is happening when you are out making other plans,’ all built on a BCD foundation.”

Alumni News 1950s

1970s

James Brooke ’70: “I live in Kyiv, Ukraine, with my wife, Pen Soy, and our son, George Brooke (age two on May 1). I founded The Ukraine Business Journal, a digital site and news service that is all Ukraine, all Business, and all English -- www.theubj.com. Kyiv is a lovely place to live with a lot of parks, pleasant people, and excellent cultural events. We live behind the National Opera on a quiet central street overlooking, oddly, a pear orchard. As you can see in the photo, my son George is dealing with his first snow, preparing to become a Berkshirite! The other is of me on the studio set of UATV. If any classmates or BCDers come to Ukraine, look me up: jimbrookeukraine@gmail.com. Best to one and all!” Stacy Brown ’72 Hand: “I recently became certified to teach the Validation Technique to work with elders with dementia (vfvalidation.org). It

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marks the end of a six year study and practicum! I will be teaching a Seattle-based class this year.” Jane Whittlesey ’72 Winn: “My son, Jesse, married his long-time partner, Alex Larocci, last summer. They held the wedding at my brother’s house in Maine. Mary Talbot ’72 is back living in the Berkshires, and I had a great time at her 60th birthday party.”

the sailing trip on the sloop Clearwater is for the BCD students each year. It is sponsored by the James Kapteyn Endowment for Environmental Studies provided by the Class of 1976. Please keep your eyes on the schedule for the sail this fall and join us – all alumni are welcome, and you will not be disappointed!”

turn to move out; and Emily is 21 and in her junior year at Fordham in New York. I am currently working as a freelance medical and health writer, primarily producing stories for Cape Health News (a service of Cape Cod Healthcare). I am happily following the happenings at BCD, as my twin nephews, Ben Glockner ’24 and Sam Glockner ’24, started third grade there this fall. I was also in the third grade when I switched schools, so it’s been fun hearing of their experiences. They are doing way better than I remember doing, when I think of how I cried almost every day for a year. One thing that seems to have stood the test of time is the tradition of cultivating creativity and curiosity. These are two things we need more of in this world today!”

Kelton Burbank ’76: “I am an orthopedic surgeon working at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester, MA. I specialize in Shoulder and Sports surgeries. My medical career was inspired by my BCD science teacher, Beverly Capers. This is a picture of my twin daughters (now 11-years-old) and me outside The Red Lion Inn at our 40th BCD reunion.”

Mark McInerney ’78: “I have been living in San Francisco for the past 18 years. I am married with three kids. Two are out of college and one attends Middlebury. I run a real estate private equity firm called Albany Road Real Estate Partners.”

Siri Michele Wright ’74 Zwemke: “I’m Currently the Executive Director of the Siamese Cat Rescue Center, a nationwide internet organization that is now 20 years old. I’m a new grandmother! Happy and loving life!” Michael Katz ’75 returned to campus from his Florida home and shared stories of how the campus has changed in 40 years (and how it stayed the same). He spoke of his favorite teacher, Susan Localio, “Who put up with my nonsense AND taught me English.” He also loved Latin with Eugénie Fawcett, who is happily still at BCD. He is a renowned clockmaker of Mike’s H&E Clocks.

Ben Barrett ’76: “I celebrated my 20th anniversary as owner of Berkshire Veneer Company in 2017, located in Egremont, MA. My wife Cheryl and I reside in Great Barrington, MA. I found this photograph of Jamie Kapteyn ’76 and me from June 1976 and thought it merited inclusion in this issue of BCD Today in honor of Jamie. And in that light, I would reiterate how wonderful

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Claudia Glockner ’78 Dolphin: “I am living in Hingham, MA, with my husband of nearly 28 years, Peter Dolphin. I have three daughters who are in various stages of leaving the nest. Katherine is 24 and living on her own in Boston; Annie is 23 and a recent college graduate working in Boston and anxiously awaiting her

Robert Tivy ’78 visited BCD last May with Christopher Tivy ’82 and their mother Janet Tivy, who worked as BCD’s Registrar for over 20 years. Their late father is Desmond Tivy whose obituary is in the In Memoriam

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Jessica Ryan ’81 Lapinski: “I went to high school at Buxton School in Williamstown, then to UMASS Amherst for college. I graduated with a BA in Anthropology. I moved to the Boston area for a number of years, returning to the Pioneer Valley after my first child was born. For the last 20 years, I have been living in Northampton, MA, where I am a residential real estate agent with Delap Real Estate. My older son, Ned, is 21 and a junior at Keene State College. My younger son, Nikolai, is 18 and an active musician here in the Valley and taking classes at Greenfield Community College. My mother, Pat Ryan, is well and lives in Great Barrington, MA. I enjoy hearing news on Facebook about the lives of some of my old friends at BCD. Sending my best to all.” Eric Bujak ’83: “I admin a Facebook group called RennShopAndExchange - a place for people to buy, sell, or give away items: rennfest, Celtic, steampunk, faerie, pirate, etc. We have over 15,000 members. Also I am a level five shooter in APA eight ball league. My various teams and I have won patches, trophies, money, and more.” Alison Buttenheim ’84 is a tenured professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Erica Auerbach ’88 Fine: “I am living in Newton, MA, with my husband, twin 13-year-old daughters and 9-year-old son.

1980s

section. From Rob, “Just hit 30 years in SoCal, mostly in Ventura, CA. I moved to nearby Ojai to live the country life, chickens and all, along with my wife, Toni, and daughter, Lauren, who is a freshman at Nordhoff High School. I’ve worked at Texas Instruments near Santa Barbara going on 24 years, slaving away as a Software Engineer. Hi to all my classmates!”

I am a finance lawyer but recently stopped practicing to start a new venture running a tax law conference. I still try and ski whenever the kids’ sports schedule permits, and I have become addicted to tennis.” Amanda Cromwell ’88 Hansford: “I am an executive producer for stills and moving image shoots for fashion and lifestyle brands. I live in London and have two girls, age six and eight.”

Rachel Berlin ’98: “I’m currently living in Boston with my husband, Rob, and our daughter, Shoshi (short for Shoshanna), who is 17 months old. I’m finishing my last six months of adult psychiatry residency (yes, I went into the family business!). We are planning to stay in Boston for now, but I would love to move back to the Berkshires so Shoshi could go to BCD!”

1990s

David Thomas ’93 was on the cross-country and crew teams at Bowdoin College, and then went to the Henley Regatta in Oxford, England. He is the Director of Research and Development and Distributor for Stellar Kayaks, whose equipment is built in China for U.S. distribution. David finds himself back on this continent five months a year. In April, he will be running in the Boston Marathon on the Teddy Brewski Team, which sponsors a team of young stroke survivors. Tony Belanger ’98 lives in Nagoya, Japan, with his wife, dog, and almostone-year-old daughter, Tai Colette. He runs his own English learning circle and plays music with his band, The Jerks.

Molly Cosel ’98: “Wow. Hard to believe it’s been 20 years! I am a fourth grade teacher at Muddy Brook in Great Barrington. I was actually on campus recently touring the new 2-year-old room! I have two boys now, 18 months and three years old. Cheers!” Joshua Fine ’98: “I’m a freelance writer for film, TV, video games, and comic books and have been living in Los Angeles for the last 12 years. I most recently finished working on an animation project for CAPCOM that had me visiting Japan for the first time!”

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Lincoln Lipsky ’98: “I am still serving as a U.S. Army Special Forces Medic. I have been married for four years, and have a three-year-old daughter. I have been living in Stuttgart, Germany for almost two years now in order to work closer with NATO partner forces building more capacity for survivability of combat related injuries among NATO forces. I currently work on a mountaineering detachment that specializes in combat search and rescue, as well as working in remote and austere locations far removed from traditional medical infrastructure.” Chelsea Pollen ’99 Cohen, her husband, and their two children enjoyed spending time in the Berkshires last summer. During the visit, it was especially fun to bring her oldest daughter to art camp at BCD’s campus!

Parkin New York. As a writer, her plays have been performed at Berkshire Playwrights Lab, Shakespeare & Co., WAM Theatre, and Pittsfield Shakespeare in the Park. Her short plays were featured in the Radius Festival in Great Barrington in 2017 and 2018. Maizy is co-founder of the theater company Emergent Ensemble.

Jane Burns ’07 2S and Theodore Pulfer-Terino ’99 married on July 16, 2017, on Martha’s Vineyard.

Oliver Schulze ’00 is a Partner with Curo Pet Care in San Francisco acquiring and operating small companion animal hospitals on the West Coast (www.curopet.com). Max Bambery ’01 is off to China to begin teaching ASL.

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Eli Merritt ’08 graduated from Berkshire School and is currently a junior at The School of The Art Institute in Chicago. He continues to exhibit and curate art in Chicago and New York. Thaddeus Pinakiewicz ’08 is living in Jacksonville, FL, working as an investment banker in equity capital markets for Deutsche Bank. He attended Tulane University.

2000s

Maizy Broderick Scarpa ’04 is busy telling stories. Sometimes she does this with her voice, sometimes with her body, sometimes with words, and occasionally all three. A New York University/Tisch graduate with degrees in drama and creative writing, Maizy trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and the Experimental Theatre Wing. She’s performed a t L a Mama E.T.C., The Sidewalk Cafe, and The High Line

become a Berkshire hot spot and boasts live music and brunch on top of craft beer and farm-to-table fare.

Andrew Crane ’07 2S and Nick Whalen ’07 2S: While wandering the streets of Pérouges on their BCD trip to France more than a decade ago, Andrew (on right) and Nick hatched the idea that one day they would like to start a business together. They went their separate ways and when they ran into each other years later, they discovered they both were brewing beer. Their dream became a reality when they opened Shire BreuHous in the former Stationary Factory in Dalton, MA in August 2017. The popular watering hole has quickly

Emily Tobin ’08 is in her first year of graduate architecture school at Columbia University. She is working toward a Master of Architecture degree. Isabel Piazza ’08 2S: “I am working as a textile designer for Cowtan & Tout, focusing on creating collections of drapery and upholstery weight fabrics for the high-end home market. Our studio is located in Manhattan, but my job takes me around the country and the world to visit different mills and suppliers. I’m lucky to be a part of such a creative and successful team... and going on six years, I really love what I do! My husband, Dan, and I got married nearly two years ago and are enjoying life in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I still consider myself to be a country mouse. Dan is a Chief of Staff for the New York City Parks Department, so we are always getting out and taking advantage of all the nature that the city has to offer!

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Tessa Kelly ’00

Tessa is forever building and challenging herself and the status quo! Upon graduating BCD in ninth grade, Tessa attended Williams College and Harvard Graduate School of Design. She and her husband, Chris Parkinson, both architects, returned to the Berkshires to create an ambitious and far-reaching public humanities project and writers’ residency in Pittsfield, The Mastheads. Plus, the architects built a new addition to their family, their daughter Eve!

What brought you back to the Berkshires? I came back to the Berkshires to create The Mastheads in October 2015 after receiving an Our Town Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the city of Pittsfield, my hometown. The mission of The Mastheads is to celebrate Pittsfield’s cultural heritage while providing real opportunities for today’s residents to engage with that heritage. We borrow our motto from George Orwell: “We must add to our heritage or lose it.” To this end, we run a writer-in-residence program that operates out of five mobile writing studios. We provide poetry programming in the Pittsfield Public Schools during the academic year and organize a summer lecture series that brings speakers across the fields of literary scholarship, history, creative writing, architecture, and urban planning to Downtown Pittsfield. Each fall, the Mastheads’ studios move to a cultural institution where they are available for visitors. Last fall they were at MASS MoCA, and this fall they will be at the Hancock Shaker Village. Chris and I initially thought we would move back to the Berkshires just long enough to build the Mastheads’ studios and get the program off the ground, but we soon learned that to keep a project like this alive

requires 100% presence and commitment. Also unexpectedly, we started to find the idea of practicing as young architects in a de-invested, largely de-industrialized city an exciting prospect. Increasingly, population, wealth, and resources are aggregating in a few urban centers, which leaves an open question of what will happen to America’s smaller cities. We now see the issues in Pittsfield— the need for considered urban planning in the face of economic challenges, the desire to create walkable downtown centers, the opportunity to embrace new technology in the built environment— as ones that are relevant to a broad array of smaller American cities and that can connect rather than disconnect them from larger national and global conversations.

Who was your favorite teacher at BCD and why? The teacher who made the most lasting educational impact on me was Jim Fawcett. I remember a moment in fifth grade writing a paper about The Crucible when I first recognized the feeling of having “an idea” and being able to express it through writing. When the paper came back, that particular paragraph had a series of check marks or exclamation points beside it, and I understood that the purpose of writing was to find your own ideas and present them clearly— not to summarize in pretty language or restate what you had been taught. The hunt for ideas and struggle to put them into language led me to become an English major at Williams College, and for me, architecture is an extension of this thinking. Every project I do I begin by searching through the historical context, the given

program, the building site, to find the idea, and then develop it paragraph by paragraph, or space by space, checking each new move back to the central thesis. I have taught three courses to second-year graduate students at the Yale School of Architecture, and I always urge them to write constantly while they are figuring out their project, because finding the language for what you are doing helps you figure out why you are doing it, which helps you do it well and explain it to others. Architecture is such a public art— to

be successful at it requires getting people’s support, which requires your being able to state clearly what you are trying to do and why.

What plans do you have for the future? I have become fascinated by the idea of people working in their hometowns at a micro level of what their hopes would be for change at a larger scale. There is something special about the relationship with one’s hometown in the sense that you are inherently an expert on it. While being a parent makes it feel daunting, I would love to get a PhD in Architectural History and Theory, to become sharper at understanding how places like Pittsfield fit into the big picture of how our cities have developed and where they might go through smart planning.

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Joshua Shapiro ’10

The Land Use Director and Town Planner of Lenox got her start learning about nature and landscape in Tim Gore’s class at BCD. After graduating from BCD, Gwen attended the Berkshire School, followed by the Rubenstein School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Vermont. Gwen joined Americorps VISTA in Syracuse and then obtained a Master’s in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She then returned to the Berkshires for what she thought would be a brief time, when she began her work for the town of Lenox.

Josh is finishing his final year at New York University, where he received a grant from the Gallatin Student Resource Fund to host a symposium around K-12 education reform. In advance of this Spring’s symposium, Josh is using Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington as a sample test case, when considering the redesign of the architectural model and curriculum of a 21st Century School. He returned to the Brook Farm Campus, to get further inspiration from the School where he spent Grades 1 through 9. He saw the Kevin Hirt Library and Learning Commons and said that the new facility confirmed his findings about the importance of communal spaces, open floor plans, and the use of natural wood and lighting.

What was your favorite class at BCD and why?

What can you share about your symposium?

Gwen Miller ’04 2S Dana Piazza’06 2S When Dana was a student at BCD, he was awarded the Winthrop Campus Janie Goldenberg Studio Art Prize. A decade later, Dana has returned to his roots, only now the student is the teacher. Dana began to teach Conceptual Drawings to BCD’s Upper School students this year. After graduating from BCD’s high school, Dana studied art and graphic design at SUNY Purchase. Dana worked five years as a Senior Web Designer for Victoria’s Secret, before relocating to the Berkshires. Today, he also works at the Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Lenox, MA, and he has done website design for MASS MoCA and the Elsberg Kelley Foundation. Dana’s recent artwork consists of handmade ink drawings on paper. Dana’s work can be seen at www. danapiazza.art and on Instagram @ danapiazza.

What was your favorite experience at BCD? My favorite class was with Sasha Sicurella, my former teacher and now my colleague! Sasha organized an Art Trip to New York City where we visited the studios of real working artists. Seeing someone making art professionally, in person, helped prove to me that art can be a career.

What plans do you have for the future? I’m working on drawings for Art on Paper, an art fair in New York City in March. I’m showing with Muriel Guépin Gallery, who will continue to represent my work in her SoHo gallery. 26

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Tim Gore’s science class presented early opportunities to connect with place and learn about how nature and the landscape work. I have vivid memories of dissecting owl pellets and putting the little mouse skeletons back together, the egg drop, catching crayfish in the pond.

Why give back to BCD? I hope that my modest gifts to the School help make the opportunity of a BCD education accessible to students of all incomes and backgrounds.

What plans do you have for the future? I hope to continue serving the Berkshires through public service or private practice. I hope to raise my own family here in the Berkshires. Lenox will be updating its 1999 Master Plan, and I’ll be participating in the American Planning Association’s national conference in New Orleans, discussing affordable housing in multi-million dollar markets.

Our hope is that the symposium will serve as an opportunity for the Gallatin and broader NYU community to have a public conversation on the importance of education reform, specifically in the face of looming global threats facing the next generation, like climate change, accelerating income inequality, and exponentially advancing technology. We’ve organized two spring classes that are working towards producing the program, curriculum, and architectural designs for a future K-12 school. Gallatin professor Mitchell Joachim, former architect under Frank Gehry, will lead the architectural design of the school, and we are working to secure James W. Fraser and Diane Ravitch as panelists to speak. The 3D model and written program descriptions of the school will be exhibited.

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Four years after departing BCD, we are proud that the Class of 2014 is spreading their wings and heading in exciting directions! We applaud their new beginnings and wish them well as they embark on their next chapters.

Emily Yeager ’14 is attending Wellesley College. She graduated valedictorian from Williston Northampton School in 2017. Emily also received the Dorothy Bement Prize, honoring a co-founder of The Northampton School for Girls, which is given to the young woman who has exhibited excellence in her academic endeavors and in her contributions to citizenship and the overall life of the School.

How has BCD contributed to your overall success? I would not be where I am today, if it were not for the impact BCD had on me at a critical stage in my life. BCD taught me what it means to love learning and how with hard work, passion, and a bit of creativity, anything is possible. I am so grateful to the BCD community for all it has done for me and for the incredible faculty I met, lessons I learned, and memories I made during my time there.

Meg Beaven Viggo Blomquist Jesse Cassuto Neeka Daemi Henry Dolan Jack Gibson Alec Goffin Will Harris-Braun Emme Hauck Elizabeth Hinds Ruth King Jesse Kramer Donovan Lally Zephyr Maliki Chris Massini Asa Mervis Teddy Michaels John McNulty Cooper Parker Kendall Pollart Jackson Rich Sam Seckler Cam Sweener Sophie Usow Andrea Velez Molly Weinberg Emily Yeager Hanna Yurfest

George Washington University Columbia University U. of Wisconsin, Madison U. of Massachusetts, Amherst Columbia College in Chicago St. Lawrence University Bowdoin College Gap year in Portugal Hobart and William Smith Colleges Boston University Hunter College Northeastern University Gap year in NYC Gap Year in NYC Sacred Heart University Bard College Columbia University Gap year; Champlain College in 2018 St. Lawrence University Providence College Dartmouth College University of Michigan Skidmore College Brandeis University St. Lawrence University Sarah Lawrence College Wellesley College Skidmore College

Jesse Cassuto ’14 is studying at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He graduated from Williston Northampton School in 2017 where he was recognized as one of 10 exemplary seniors. Elizabeth Hinds ’14 is at Boston University and really enjoying it! She went in as a Psychology and Neuroscience major. Ruth King ’14 is attending Hunter College. She is interested in Political Science, international and U.S. She especially enjoys the diversity of Hunter and New York City. Jackson Rich ’14 is a freshman studying physics at Dartmouth College where he plays on the club soccer team.

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New directions for the Class of 2014

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Ben Tobin ’09 is in his second year of an MFA program in cinematography at Brooklyn College’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.

2010s

Sam Merritt ’10 graduated from the Berkshire School and will graduate from Swarthmore College this May with a B.S. with a concentration in Structural Engineering. Sam is in the photo with his brother Eli ’08 and sister Ruby ’15.

Isaak van der Meulen ’10 2S graduated from Ithaca College in spring 2017 and has since been working avidly, freelancing in the grip and electric departments of the Los Angeles film industry. He has worked on numerous commercials, music videos, and feature films, and was Gaffer on “Hell Is Where the Home Is,” to be released in 2018. Most recently he spent a month on location in New York City working as Best Boy Electric on the feature film “We Are Unsatisfied” starring Billy Crystal. Michael Wessel ’10 aspires to become a psychologist and is applying to finish his B.A. He returned to BCD’s campus this winter where his former teachers were delighted to see him. He is pictured with Ned Douglas. Kelt Wilska ’10 has been on campus recently in order to discuss his future teaching career with faculty

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members and Head of School Paul Lindenmaier. Kelt completed his apprentice teaching duties last December at the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, CO. He is currently living in Denver with some fellow Hamilton graduates and casting about for work. Rebecca van der Meulen ’13 spent her sophomore fall semester at Ithaca College working as second camera operator on a documentary about the West Virginia opioid epidemic, part of the rigorous flagship Documentary Workshop production class primarily taken by seniors. Over the summer she worked on multiple professional films including the feature “When We Grow Up,” produced by an all-female crew in upstate New York. She also assisted with live trackside TV broadcasts from Watkins Glen racetrack for NASCAR Productions and IMSA. She continues to collaborate with Hollywood producer Dan Heffner on her documentary about teenagers in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict.

Lukeus Gore ’15 played basketball this winter at Darrow School. It was his first time back on the court since playing for Coach Starr Nader ’07 2S at BCD.

Alex Lederman ’15: In fall of 2017, he entered Yale University as a junior and is majoring in Ancient Near East Studies. Alex received an Associate of Applied Science degree from Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

Julian Lindenmaier ’15 is completing his senior year at George School in Newtown, PA, where he has been a prefect, has earned recognition on the Honor Roll and Head’s List each trimester, and has been a starting player on the Varsity Lacrosse team each year. He will attend Vassar College next fall. Ruby Merritt ’15 is a junior at Berkshire School where she plays Varsity Lacrosse, is a member of the Black Rock Scholar program, and has created her own charitable initiative in conjunction with the School’s Global Leadership and Sustainability program. Charlie O’Neil ’15 is currently a senior at Berkshire School and will be attending Trinity College in the fall.

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Emily Carmel ’17 made the Head’s List for her first semester at Miss Hall’s! She had a lead role in the fall theater production and is currently preparing for her role in the spring musical. She is looking forward to continuing with lacrosse in March. Jeri Hautzig ’17 will transfer to Simon’s Rock in the fall where she will major in Creative Writing. She has been studying at Darrow School, where she is in both theater and chorus. Lanna Knoll ’17 loves Miss Hall’s! She has been offered a very cool job this summer working in the Laboratory of Enrique M. De La Cruz in the Department of Molecular

Emmett Wotkiewich ’17 is loving Albany Academy! He enjoyed playing Junior Varsity Soccer this fall and is looking forward to the lacrosse season. Academically, Emmett is excelling; he is meeting the workload and challenges of honors classes, thanks to his BCD experiences. He has joined The American Red Cross Club and Ski Club. He volunteers during his free periods for blood drives. He likes twilight snowboarding at Jiminy Peak Mountain. Beck Mathews ’18 (left in photo with Cass Combs ’18 and Harrison Seeley’18) is a freshman at Monument Mountain Regional High School and is off to a good start. In addition to rowing for the crew team, he has been helping Ben Evans coach the BCD cross-country ski team. This summer, he’ll be traveling to Chile as part of Camp Becket’s International Camper Exchange Program.

Former Faculty & Staff News

Dorree Ndooki ’16 (on right in photo) is a junior at Concord Academy. She loves Concord and her roommates.

Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University.

Melanie Dugan taught at BCD from 1969-1975 (her first job!). She has worked in education her entire career – at the American International School in Austria, at Bank Street College, at the University School in Ohio for Boys, as Head of Lower School at Santa Cantalina School, and finally, at Mary Institute in St. Louis where she worked for 14 years. In 2002, she moved to Sante Fe to retire, but she now tutors and is a literacy coach. Susan deeply misses her lifelong friend and former BCD faculty member Susan Merrill (see In Memoriam). Susan Localio: “I read through the list of donors from the 1970s in BCD’s Annual Report and remember them all. I was a new teacher and they taught me so much. I now live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and am happily busy with gardening, grandchildren, and hiking in these lovely mountains. Snezana Miskovic taught Physics and Physical Science to Middle and Upper School students from 1992-1999. She went on to a career as a chemist. She visited BCD’s campus from her home in North Palm Beach, FL, last September, and said, “I loved everything about BCD but the weather.” Janet Tivy visited BCD with her sons, Robert Tivy ’78 and Christopher Tivy ’82. Janet’s four children attended BCD, where she worked for over twenty years as the registrar. Today, she lives at Kimball Farms in Lenox. Her husband, Desmond Tivy, passed away in December (see In Memoriam).

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Dozens of BCD graduates participate on-stage and off in Shakespeare & Company’s Fall Festival every year. Hamlet at Monument Mountain Regional High School was a Who’s Who of former BCD students including Charley Rusk ’16 as Horatio, Ben Zoeller ’15 as Claudius, and Tibor Lazar ’16 as Laertes (all pictured), Taylor Slonaker ’16 as Marcellus, Jack Glantz ’17 as Rosencrantz, and Colby Lederman ’18 on drums, of course! Working behind-the-scenes were Finn Mathews ’16 (Running Crew Chief) and Sammy Rusk ’19.

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Susan LeRoy Merrill

died serenely at home in her husband’s arms on October 24, 2017, surrounded by her family, devoted friends, and her beloved corgis. Susan worked as the Lower School Art Teacher at BCD from 1975 to 1983, where she touched the lives of hundreds of children with her inimitable teaching style. Her many students still remember finger painting with chocolate pudding, building spaceships, and being taught to believe that anyone can be an artist. Susan was born June 4, 1942, daughter of Dr. George Grenville Merrill, Jr., a psychiatrist and Episcopal minister, and Anne Totten Merrill, an artist and farmer. At ten, Susan contracted polio, which left her with a slight limp and a focus on drawing and reading. She graduated in 1964 from Bennington College with a B.A. in Literature and Arts. She earned her Master’s Degree in Art Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1987. During college, Susan won a guest editorship at Mademoiselle in Rome. She returned to Italy with childhood friend and former BCD third grade teacher Melanie Dugan.

Susan studied at L’Accademia di Belle Arti and reconnected with fellow artist Jarvis Rockwell, eldest son of Norman Rockwell. Susan and Jarvis first met in the Berkshires at an art contest where young Jarvis was judge. Susan, about 13 at the time, had submitted a drawing in lipstick on newspaper. Jarvis gave her first prize. They were married in 1966. After seven years they amicably divorced. Susan and Jarvis are the parents of Daisy Rockwell ’84, a translator of South Asian literature and a writer and artist herself. In 1986 Susan married Carl Sprague ’77 of Lenox, a film and theatre designer. They adopted their son Ruslan Sprague ’05 in Yaroslavl, Russia, in 1993, and their daughter Elena Teal in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, in 2001.

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Susan’s autobiographical stories delighted many audiences, notably at Williamsville Inn, where she read for over a decade. In 2005 Susan pioneered showing contemporary art at the Hancock Shaker Village in connection with the baby animals on the grounds. Susan’s art show has continued every spring and will be on display in 2018. Her final series of paintings, a dozen pictures of bugs beneficial to gardeners, was completed last summer after she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an incurable type of brain tumor, and given three months to live by her doctors. Her work can be seen at etsy.com/shop/ SusanMerrillPainting. Susan is survived by husband Carl, daughter Daisy and son-in-law Aaron York, son Ruslan, daughter Elena, and four grandchildren, also, first husband Jarvis Rockwell and his wife Nova Rockwell, sisters Pepperell Crofoot and Margery Cuyler, and brother Michael Merrill. Susan’s brother George Merrill died in 2012.

Desmond Tivy died on December 5, 2017, in Lenox, MA, while sleeping peacefully. For over 60 years, Desmond was husband to Janet Tivy, BCD’s registrar in the 1970s and 1980s, and past parent to alumni Robert Tivy ’78, Christopher Tivy ’82, Catharyn Tivy ’73, and eldest son Matthew Tivy ’76 who predeceased him. Desmond was born on February 3, 1928, in Lusaka, N. Rhodesia, to Ryder and May Tivy. His father was a land surveyor and his mother was a teacher of music. After five years in Africa, his family returned to England, where Desmond later attended Blundells School in Devon, and studied medicine at Kings College, London, earning his MBBS degree. He served for two years as a physician in the British Royal Air Force, stationed in Germany. He began his civilian medical career at Enfield General Hospital and at Maidstone General Hospital as a surgical resident. In 1957, Desmond married Janet Piper, a classically trained singer. They lived in London and Kent before immigrating to the U.S. in 1965 and settling in Berkshire County upon arrival. Desmond was a medical resident at Pittsfield General Hospital, and he and three other physicians formed Suburban Medical Associates, a family practice in Lee, MA. From 1967 to 1997, Desmond was physician to Boston Symphony Orchestra members and guest artists performing during summers at Tanglewood. Besides his wife Janet, he leaves sons Robert (Toni) and Christopher (Anna), daughter Catharyn (Jonathan), and six grandchildren.

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former BCD Trustee died April 1, 2017, in Canaan, CT. He was a past parent of BCD alumni Hannah Toffey ’74 Peters, John Toffey V ’76, Joseph Toffey ’77, and Edward Toffey ’79. A long-time resident of Great Barrington, MA, John was born May 24, 1931, in Brooklyn, NY to Helen

John James Toffey IV

of Lenox, formerly of Dalton, died unexpectedly on his way to a Yale hockey game in New Haven, CT, on Friday, February 23, 2018, at 89. Parent to Caroline Furey Kittredge ’74, Christopher J. Kittredge ’77, and Judith Kittredge Anderson, he served as a BCD Trustee from 1970-1977. He was predeceased by his first wife Martha Jane Furey Kittredge, for whom the library in Albright Hall is dedicated. His nephew, John Kittredge ’73, serves as BCD’s Treasurer. Born in Pittsfield, MA, on December 18, 1928, son of Elizabeth Dutton Kittredge and Charles James Kittredge of Dalton. He leaves behind his beloved wife Judith Hill Kittredge of Lenox. John attended elementary school in Dalton, graduated from The Hotchkiss School and earned a B.A. in English and History from Yale University. After serving in the Counter Intelligence Corps of the United States Army, he went to work for Rising Paper Company followed by Strathmore Paper Company. In 1971 he joined the family business, Crane and Company. John was Vice President of Paper Manufacturing and Engineering and managed U.S. Currency operations, retiring in 1994 after 22 years. He was a passionate and respected community leader of the Berkshires and active on countless boards and committees. John was a member of the Yale 1951 Whiffenpoofs, The Oratorio Choir at The First Church of Christ Congregational in Pittsfield, The Berkshire Choral Festival in Sheffield for nine summers, and longtime member of the choir at The First Congregational Church of Dalton. He was a sports enthusiast and played ice hockey, tennis, and golf and loved skiing and sailing. He is survived by his wife Judith, children Caroline, Christopher and wife Nancy, and Judith and husband Brian, his four grandchildren, brother and BCD past parent and grandparent Frank D. Kittredge and wife Joan Kittredge. He was predeceased by his two brothers Charles J. Kittredge Jr. and Gilbert D. Kittredge.

Howard and John James Toffey, III. John attended the Columbus Academy, where he eventually taught, and Phillips Exeter Academy. After Army service in Korea, he graduated from The Ohio State University and received a Master’s in English from Columbia University. His long academic career began at The Kent School in 1958 where he taught English and coached baseball and football. In Kent, he met and married Irene Tobin; they and their four children eventually settled in Great Barrington, where John taught at Simon’s Rock Early College. In 1975, he joined Berkshire School and taught English and served in various administrative and coaching capacities until his retirement in 1995. John was predeceased by his beloved Irene. He leaves his children, Hannah (Cameron), John (Deb), Joseph, and Edward (Katie), 13 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and sisters Anne Cushman and Barbara Bonner.

John Kittredge

John D.W. Kingston former shop teacher at BCD from 1973 and 1976, died on December 5, 2017, at age 85, at his home surrounded by his loving family. “Mr. Kingston was patient and great at providing guidance and confidence to a then cautious and unsure young teen,” said Virginia (Ginny) Halstrom ’76. “How he kept us all from serious injury around power tools still amazes me today!” John was born in Wanganui, New Zealand, on February 6, 1932, to the late Jack and Doreen Tunnicliffe Kingston. He was in the Army Corps in New Zealand and attended schools in New Zealand, France, and the United States, where he earned his Master’s degree in Art. He and his wife, Marjorie “Gege” Wilson were married on February 11, 1967, in Woodside, CA, and recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. After teaching at BCD, John taught three-dimensional design, drawing, and ceramics at Simon’s Rock College. His son, Manu Kingston, step-father to BCD third grader Raleigh Simmonds ’24 said, “I have good memories of coming to BCD with my dad when he taught there. The administration building still smells and feels the same as when I was a kid so many years ago. I never attended BCD, but it’s a privilege to have Raleigh there.” He is survived by his wife, Gege, children Manu and Palu, brother Robert Kingston and his wife Helen.

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Rick Petricca the former CEO of Petricca Industries, and founder of Unistress died on March 7th at the age of 86 in Pittsfield, MA. Basil “Rick” Petricca was a BCD Trustee, parent to Perri Petricca ’72, Richard Petricca ’73, Gregg Petricca ’76, Tina Petricca ’79, and Cara Petricca ’85 Carnevale, and grandparent to Nathan Petricca ’16, Cole Moriarty ’06, Ryder Moriarty ’10, Nicholas Carnevale ’15, and Tyler Carnevale ’16. Born October 2, 1931, in North Adams, MA, Rick was the son of Basilio Augusto and Rose Mancuso Petricca. He graduated from Williston Academy in 1950 and Tufts University in 1954. He later served in the U.S. Army, stationed at Ft. Belvoir, VA. Rick started his business career as a child, raising and selling chickens and eggs to help support his family. When his father died unexpectedly in 1962, Rick stepped into a leadership role in the family business. Over the years he founded or acquired over a dozen businesses ranging from pre-stress concrete to telecommunications and travel. Rick was a communicant of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church and St. Marks Church and attended mass every day. In 2007 he was honored for his years of service to the church with indoctrination into the Bishop’s Circle of Stewards. He was also involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations, including The Boys and Girls Club; Berkshire Healthcare Systems; The Berkshire Museum; The Berkshire County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association; UNICO; and The Catholic Youth Center. He will be remembered by his family and friends as a man of boundless energy and enthusiasm who always had time to hear and help with a problem. He leaves his beloved wife and best friend of 61 years, Rosaland Bishop Petricca and five children, Perri (Michelle Thorpe-Petricca), Richard (Priscilla), Gregg (Lisa Dachinger), Tina, and Cara (Marc), 14 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren. He is survived by his brother Robert Petricca (Lyn). Rick was predeceased by his brother Peter, sister Virginia, and granddaughters Talia and Alora Grace.

Joseph William Marco ’69 of Fairplay, CO, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 2, 2018 in Breckinridge, CO. He was 63 years old. Born December 25, 1954 in Pittsfield, he was the son of the late William E. and Verne E. Marco. Joe was a graduate of BCD and Williston Academy and attended Worcester Poly Tech and Bucknell Universities. Joe’s love of skiing drew him to Colorado where he worked as 32

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a ski instructor and guide, as well as a skilled carpenter, owning J. Marco Construction. Joe is survived by his wife of 39 years Kari (Bjornstadt), daughter Hilary (Dave Hassan) and granddaughter Clara, sister Joan (Bob Little) of Pittsfield, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws along with friends and clients from all over the world. Joe was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Leslie.

Paul Rich

Co-Founder of Paul Rich & Sons Home Furnishings, passed away peacefully March 6, 2018. Paul is parent of Tom Rich ’66 and Matthew Rich ’69, who predeceased his father, and grandparent to Harry Rich ’10, Jackson Rich ’14, and Gabriel Rich ’18. Born to Harry G. Rich and Anna (Klein) Rich in New York City on June 18, 1927, Pittsfield became his lifelong home at a very young age. A graduate of Pittsfield High School, Paul earned his Bachelor’s degree from Williams College following his service in the army as a medical technician. The world of retail beckoned and after working alongside his father at the North Street fixtures, The Palace News and The Berkshire News, Paul joined his father-in-law and brother-in-law at New England Furniture. In 1983 Paul, his wife Betty, and son Tom founded Paul Rich & Sons Home Furnishings in downtown Pittsfield. A success from the start, the business blossomed to become an anchor of North Street occupying an entire city block. Son Matthew brought his talents to the business in the 1990s until his passing. Pam Rich joined the business in 1995 and is now co-owner with her husband Tom. All who knew Paul experienced a man with incredible curiosity who loved to both talk and listen. Paul’s needs were simple: a burger on the grill, a glass of wine, a book in hand, and a fire in the fireplace. Life is good. Paul loved his family: Betty Rich, his wife of 67 years, his children Tom (Pam) of Pittsfield, Andrew of Portland, OR, and Joseph (Skip Paynter) of Easthampton, MA and Milan, NY, and he was awed by his three grandsons Harry, Jackson, and Gabe. Paul was preceded in death by his son Matthew, his brother, Warren, and parents, Harry and Anne.

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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.

Philosophy Berkshire Country Day Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Originality. Quality. Respect. Sustainability. Community. Wellness. Citizenship.

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.