M A G A Z I N E A SPRING LIKE NO OTHER 04 |
Brimmer leaders reflect on remote learning, resilient students, and a nation in crisis
10 | Inspiring stories of Brimmer’s caring community
23 | Brimmer receives largest gift in School’s history
14 | Ensuring students of all ages explore instrumental music
51 | Annual Giving Report celebrates committed and dedicated community
20 | Dismantling racist and biased practices
FALL 2020
Co-Editors Sue Cuyler Director of Marketing & Communications Nicky DeCesare Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
Editorial Counsel Judith Guild Head of School
Contributing Writers Luca Antonucci Jessica Christian Joe Iuliano Emily Miller Joshua Neudel P ’30 Caroline Scheibe Carl Vallely
Photography David Barron Oxygen Group Nicky DeCesare
Graphic Design blazar design studio
Alumni Affairs & Development Office Elizabeth Smith P ’17 Director of Development Sharin Russell Director of the Annual Fund Amanda Spooner Frank ’88, P ’22 Director of Alumni Affairs & Special Events
Brimmer sisters take on remote learning this past spring
Connect with us Twitter: @BrimmerandMay | Instagram: @BrimmerandMaySchool Facebook: @BrimmerandMay & @BrimmerandMayAlumni LinkedIn: Brimmer and May | YouTube: Brimmer and May School
Amanda Crater Database Administrator
On the Cover: “Growth” by Michelle Xu ’21, CAP Diploma Program, AP Studio Art student, and Brimmer’s 2020-2021 Artist in Residence. Digital Composite: Watercolor Drawing with Digitally Edited Photograph, 2020.
© 2020 Brimmer and May School. All rights reserved. Published by Brimmer and May School, 69 Middlesex Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (tel) 617-566-7462 | www.brimmer.org | Please send change of address to Amanda Crater: acrater@brimmer.org
IN THIS ISSUE
Table of Contents
30
Features
Annual Report
04 |
52 |
54 | ANNUAL GIVING REPORT
55 | BRIMMER BY THE NUMBERS
56 | OUR COMMITTED DONORS
A SPRING LIKE NO OTHER Brimmer leaders reflect on remote learning, resilient students, and a nation in crisis
10 | BRIMMER’S CARING COMMUNITY Inspiring stories about how our community jumped into action at the height of the pandemic
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
14 | MAKING MUSIC
Brimmer’s vibrant band program ensures students of
all ages explore instrumental music
20 | EQUITY AT OUR CORE Disrupting racism and dismantling biased practices
51
Alumni Happenings
Around Campus
02 | FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
18 |
NEW SPACES
22 |
FACULTY INNOVATION AWARDS
23 |
SCHOOL GIFT
24 |
ATHLETICS
29 |
NEW TRUSTEES
30 |
COMMENCEMENT
40 | BRIMMER READS
42 |
36
36 |
CLASS NOTES
GETTING CREATIVE
22 Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
1
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
responding with adaptability, compassion, and fortitude A letter from Judith Guild
T
wo decades ago, researchers and educators identified a set of seven essential capacities for 21st-century schools. The NAIS publication, A Guide to Becoming a School of the Future, named Brimmer one of seven model schools in our nation that was doing this well. When the global pandemic raged through Boston last March, our Leadership Team found themselves well outside established norms. We required adaptability, creativity, and cross-disciplinary knowledge to reimagine the School both during the quarantine and in planning to reopen the campus. As the work unfolded, it became clear that those seven essential capacities researchers had identified 20 years ago were serving us well. Of those seven,
2
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
several stand out as particularly remarkable and impactful. The ability to “develop flexibility, agility, and adaptability”; to bring a “sense of courage to unfamiliar situations”; to be able to “explore and experience”; “to work effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities”; and perhaps most importantly, to “view failure as an opportunity to learn” define Essential Capacity #6: Adaptability, Initiative, and Risk Taking. In two weeks, our faculty and administrators had to adapt to working differently. We sorted out ambiguities, figured out priorities, and decided what could work in a remote environment. Outside guidance changed weekly, and we revised our work.
Simultaneously, we had to learn how to use new tools: adapting to Zoom, expanding the use of our learning management system, and connecting devices so our relationships with our students could be preserved and prioritized. Before the school year ended, we became comfortable with exploring, experimenting, and risk management. The constant need to initiate new ideas, coordinate tasks, collaborate effectively, and enlist help tested our leadership and teamwork skills (Essential Capacity #3: Leadership and Teamwork). Various leaders at Brimmer initiated new ideas and then found ways to coach others to follow them. Director of Development Elizabeth Smith pivoted from her usual work
and led us through health and safety strategies. Faculty member Matt Gallon joined Head of Middle School Carl Vallely in conducting space measurements throughout the School so we could determine capacity for reopening. Director of Marketing & Communications
’’
and that our theme for 2020-2021 will be Living our Core Values and Building an Equitable Community. In response to this, we made some immediate changes, and then we set goals for the summer and beyond to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our motto, Better and Better, reminded us
The duality of the global pandemic and the effect of systemic racism on our own nation pressed our School to reexamine our own role in unjust and unfair behaviors, and Brimmer launched a call for action.
to challenge ourselves to look outwardly and examine inwardly. In this issue of Brimmer Magazine, you will read about the work we are doing to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. You will read inspiring stories from our community and learn how the spring of 2020 made us reimagine teaching and learning. Some pictures will tell our pandemic story while others will remind us of pre-pandemic times. Unchanged is the story of generosity, support, transformation, and hope. More than ever before, I have witnessed the strength of the Brimmer community. As unprecedented events threatened the mere existence of us all, Brimmer responded with adaptability, compassion, and fortitude. You will learn how we are not just enduring the challenges, but we are emerging stronger than ever. ■
Sue Cuyler and Associate Director Nicky DeCesare reimagined our messaging and looked through the pandemic lens to share what life at Brimmer had become. Our faculty launched their online curriculum and quickly learned to manage groups and use different engagement tools. They met with curriculum leaders to implement decisions to ensure their teaching would produce effective learning results. Their own professional learning shifted to include the application of digital technologies. They sorted through multimedia resources and created media-rich content to communicate ideas effectively (Essential Capacity #4: Digital and Quantitative Literacy). The duality of the global pandemic and the effect of systemic racism on our own nation fueled the importance of Essential Capacity #7: Integrity and Ethical Decision-Making. As our country witnessed violent, unfair, and racist treatment against our brown and Black populations, Brimmer’s Core Values were on the stand. Students, families, and faculty exhibited moral courage and confronted the injustices around us, and they joined the protests in the streets of Boston. Teachers led students through conversations on the emerging ethical issues and called for empathy and compassion for others. The dual crisis pressed our School to reexamine our own role in unjust and unfair behaviors, and Brimmer launched a call for action. We determined it necessary to add Equity to our School’s four Core Values
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
3
A Spring Like No Other Brimmer leaders reflect on remote learning, resilient students, and a nation in crisis 4
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
LOWER SCHOOL
REFLECTIONS ON 2020
A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, ANTI-BLACK RACISM, REMOTE LEARNING, AND A SILVER LINING By Emily Miller, Head of Lower School
When I think back to September 2019, I am reminded of the great hope and optimism of starting the new school year. The cyclical nature of school openings elicits renewal, excitement for novel possibilities, and an openness to what rests ahead. I don’t think any of us could have imagined the global and national crises we would face in the spring of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-Black racism we witnessed in the news and all around us brought hardship and great sorrow to our communities, but they also forced us to dig deep within ourselves and to do what was needed—namely, to find the courage to be strong and steady in our teaching, our support of children, and our commitment to dismantling anti-Black racism. During last year’s Lower School Closing Ceremony, I shared the following story. Years ago, my husband and I stopped in a coffee shop while we were on vacation with our family. As we waited for our coffee, we noticed that local artists had displayed their artwork on the coffee shop walls. My husband, Schuyler Kuhl, found a small painting he liked, and at first, I wasn’t sure why it appealed to him. I thought maybe he liked it because of its many shades of purple, his favorite color, or because it featured a penguin, a multi-year obsession of our then eight-year-old daughter. But as I neared the painting and read its title, I realized right away why my husband was drawn to
Opposite: A Brimmer Kindergarten student embracing remote learning this past spring.
Lower School Creative Arts Coordinator Joanne Clamage made a beautiful, inspirational display to brighten up her remote classroom for students.
this small work of art and why it was coming home with us that day. My husband is an avid kiteboarder, spending many hours on the ocean, doing flips, soaring tens of feet in the air, and landing mostly on his feet. I share this story because Schuyler Kuhl, who has spent his entire life on the water (and that’s a lot of years—almost 50 now), tells me that he is scared every time he goes out in big surf. This is why the painting, which depicts a penguin riding a unicycle and bearing the title “Do Something Every Day That Scares You,” has been hanging on our kitchen wall for over a dozen years. While the artwork itself doesn’t necessarily appeal to me, the sentiment of cultivating courage does, especially as I spent last spring watching the Brimmer community display countless acts of courage. Despite the fear, uncertainty, and fatigue, our teachers carried on, and did so in a manner that was supportive, personalized, and grounded in close observation and feedback.
Our students also carried on. Theatrical performances meant for the stage were presented virtually from bedrooms and living rooms, musical presentations typically with accompaniment were solo acts, and culminating Exhibitions of Knowledge required greater creativity and out-of-thebox thinking and were broadcast to large audiences via Zoom. While the spring months offered many examples of our community members standing up to their fears and the obstacles before them, and possibly doing something every day that scares them, I realize that to be brave, to embody the many qualities of courage, it must be modeled, practiced, and activated in the right moment. I am grateful for the excellent example set by our teachers and our families. continued on page 6 Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
5
A Spring Like No Other continued from page 5
MIDDLE SCHOOL
There is no more apt time than today to use our collective courage to navigate the uncertain landscape of this global pandemic and to help our country and our communities become stronger and better than the racial injustice we have witnessed in recent months and throughout history. Let it be our personal call to action and a reminder of Dr. King’s wise counsel, “Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles.”
NAVIGATING A CHALLENGING SPRING By Carl Vallely, Head of Middle School
This spring, our School community was tested in a way it hadn’t been before. We were faced with an unprecedented task—to shift completely to a remote learning environment. The Middle School Leadership and Brimmer’s Administrative teams spent countless hours working together over the March break to develop a remote learning plan to guide our transition to our new way of learning together. I am
incredibly proud of what we created, and I wanted to share a few key takeaways I gleaned from these challenging times:
’’
students to demonstrate what they have learned in a way that goes beyond traditional forms of assessment.
Our teachers carried on, and did so in a manner that was supportive, personalized, and grounded in close observation and feedback. —Emily Miller
1) Our community transcends physical space. The spring showed that, although we were not in the same physical space, our Middle School community continued to move forward together and blossom. Our teachers and students showed their care and respect for each other in so many ways—our Senate President and Vice-President inspired us during morning meetings, our teachers gave a record number of commendations for students exemplifying our Core Values, and our student hangouts were fun and wellattended. 2) Our exhibitions are important. Exhibitions of Knowledge have long been a cornerstone of Brimmer’s educational philosophy. These demonstrations allow
The Grade 8 humanities exhibitions translated especially well to our reimagined learning environment. Our Grade 8 humanities courses center on themes of identity, leadership, and social justice. The capstone project is a multi-modal assignment in which students research a social changemaker and synthesize that research into an informational and creative display for an exhibition. Subjects have ranged from historical figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rachel Carson, to contemporary social justice heroes such as Greta Thunberg and Emma Watson. Students create presentations about their subjects’ lives and accomplishments and then devise modern-day plans of social action to honor or continue their subjects’ work and legacy. At a time when our society faced substantial upheaval—from COVID-19 to the long overdue reckoning with systemic racism—hearing about these changemakers was poignant, timely, and uplifting. 3) Growth comes from meaningful feedback. Skilled educators understand the importance of feedback as a tool to guide student growth. As we navigated remote learning, we, too, benefited from feedback from our stakeholders. We repeatedly surveyed students, parents, and the faculty to hear what they were thinking and how they were feeling. Their thoughts
This Page: Middle School faculty brought positive energy and plenty of Brimmer spirit to their remote learning environment. Opposite Page: Greenline, the Upper School Choral Ensemble, provided a memorable virtual performance from their homes this spring.
6
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
4) A dynamic learning management system is key. After researching several different learning management systems during the 2018-2019 school year, we ultimately decided to move forward with Canvas last summer, and what a great choice that turned out to be. The dynamic and modifiable nature of the system proved to be invaluable as we worked on how to not only best structure our academic classes, but also how to best provide students access to important resources like our Learning Center, visits with Dr. Beth Meister, and health and wellness activities to participate in at home. 5) Our Middle School faculty are incredible. While I’ve always known this to be true, a school’s remote learning plan is only as good as the teachers delivering it. Our teachers were, in a single word, amazing. They kept students at the center
of all their choices, reached out when they had concerns, and did whatever they could to make their classes, advisories, and our Middle School meetings fun and positive. The faculty shirts that Middle School teachers received last fall were featured often on Zoom! 6) Kids are incredibly resilient. All children are capable of extraordinary things. While we can’t change that they will face challenges along the way, including a global pandemic, what we can do is give them the skills to learn from them. As we found our footing with remote learning, I was struck by how resilient our students were. Despite the challenges, they kept a positive outlook. Our eighth graders impressed me with their perspective as many of their capstone events, including their annual rafting trip and an in-person eighth grade dinner, were not able to happen in the traditional way. However, despite these losses, they remained optimistic and grateful for the work we did to re-create these experiences to the best of our ability. It was remarkable.
UPPER SCHOOL
and suggestions were incredibly helpful, permitting us to adjust remote learning to meet our goals and to inform our strategies for remote learning should the need arise in the future.
WHAT IS CORE TO THE BRIMMER EXPERIENCE? By Joshua Neudel P ’30, Head of Upper School
On March 11, 2020, with spring break looming and uncertainty on the rise, I stood in front of the Upper School community to talk about a remote learning schedule and the basics of online learning. At the moment, it was clear we were heading into uncertain times, but we could not have predicted what actually lay ahead. Without knowing how long we would remain in a remote learning environment, we needed to look critically at work through the lens of our mission. Questions like: “What are essential aspects of our curriculum?” and “What is core to the Brimmer experience?” were the guideposts that helped shape our conversations. Teachers made important decisions about the skills and content that were most important for students to demonstrate by continued on page 8 Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
7
continued from page 7
the end of the year, and they adjusted their courses accordingly. They began using new tools to create online discussions and display artwork for critiques, and they brought experts from across the country into their classrooms via Zoom. While we certainly felt the loss of being together in the same place at the same time, the addition of new learning modalities created new learning opportunities. Knowing that our teachers were focused on the teaching and learning that would enable our students to progress academically allowed us to shift our focus to the second question: “What is core to the Brimmer experience?” The answer? Relationships. As a small school, we have ample opportunities to build meaningful relationships and a strong sense of community. The strength of our community is in large part why remote learning went well. Teachers and students had built a foundation of trust over the course of the year, and this helped carry their work forward. At the same time, we were keenly aware that being physically apart and disconnected for an extended period of time could threaten to erode the relationships we had worked so hard to build. For this reason, we prioritized finding ways to offer regular check-ins for our students with our health team. Upper School Counselor Emily Luckett and School Nurse Beth Escobar hosted drop-in sessions, met oneon-one with students, and held grade-level meetings. These connection points helped to build a safety net for students and gave them an outlet to talk about their concerns. We extended these resources to parents and guardians as well, with parent group meetings that offered family members the opportunity to share their concerns.
the routines of Morning Meeting with music playing as students arrived from the Zoom waiting room brought a sense of familiarity and comfort at the start of the day. Affinity groups continued to meet. The Class of 2020 created a virtual senior lounge to share lunch, just as they would on campus. Student leaders created trivia games for homeroom as a way to re-create moments of grade-level bonding. New student programming also emerged during this time. Weekly lunch trivia with prizes provided an opportunity for students to connect. Prom shifted to a game night with pizza delivered to every student’s home. Senior Week was filled with a Scavenger Hunt, virtual Escape Room experience, and a movie night, which took the place of Senior Dinner. The pandemic also birthed this summer’s online learning experience— Brimmer Summer Refresh! Our faculty offered 12 online classes covering a breadth of topics that were well enrolled across the board. As a school, we collaborated to create normalcy during a time of disruption, which helped us connect in meaningful ways during times of celebration and struggle. One memory that will remain with me is how we were still able to come together in response to the racist acts of violence against the Black community that we witnessed in our country this spring. The physical distance between us could not prevent us from gathering to talk about the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. Across the distance and through our devices, we shared our thoughts and feelings, and we started creating a plan and steps to do more and do better as a community. March 11, 2020, feels like a lifetime ago. However, with continued uncertainty ahead, taking time to reflect on the last few months—where we have been and the work that we have done—will only help us move forward and build upon our collective strengths in the coming year.
We worked hard to reimagine Brimmer programs and traditions online. Maintaining Opposite: The Class of 2020 came up with a creative way to create the traditional “college shirt” photo that is normally taken during Senior Week.
8
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
OUR ALUMNI
A Spring Like No Other
OUR RESILIENT AND RESOURCEFUL GRADUATES
By Joe Iuliano, Assistant Head of Academic Affairs
This past spring, the pandemic let some air out of the college admissions balloon. That initial venting was disconcerting and disappointing, to say the least, and the impact on our students was evident: no in-person announcements of acceptances with applause, high fives, and smiling faces; no college visits for the accepted seniors; for some, it meant extended deadlines for making that final choice; no in-person college visits, information sessions, and interviews for the juniors seeking to build their prospective college lists and get on the radar screen of their high-interest schools; postponed and canceled standardized tests (it’s stressful taking them and it’s stressful not taking them—that should be a sign); and no definite answers about what college life might look like in the fall. But as graduation approached in May, that balloon still had the vast majority of its air inside it. Still aloft, intact, and coaxing the young high school graduates to follow it to the joys it had to offer in the fall just around the corner and in the years ahead. Then over the summer, the pandemic, which had its index finger and thumb on the valve stem of that college admissions balloon, let it loose. And off it flew in every direction, blowing the spray and sound of a New Yorker’s raspberry as it commenced in full the exhausting of a large portion of its oxygen. For as many colleges as exist, there were seemingly as many different opening plans for our graduates: stay closed until January; open fully remotely; open live for the juniors and seniors while the freshmen and sophomores learned remotely; or the reverse—bring in the freshmen while everyone else learns from home; have the first semester go until Thanksgiving followed by a five-week hiatus; bring all of the students to campus and go fully live, just
like in the past; or even have the students on campus but the professors teaching remotely. With these options in play, some Brimmer graduates mulled over taking a gap year. Others who had been granted admission not for the fall semester but for the following spring semester found what once seemed disappointing suddenly became quite fortuitous. Most, however, held on to the belief that their college would open, and they would go off to their campus as expected, albeit with several masks in hand. They’d give it the old college try—social distancing would be in play in the dorm and the classroom, and one would have to take a significantly more cautious
approach to sports and clubs, social life, road trips, and the other essential elements of the extracurricular college life. Throughout the spring and summer, Brimmer’s current seniors, latest seniors, and recent graduates all have contended with a historic event that put a pinprick into each one’s college “Hopper Balloon”—a small, one-person hotair balloon, very similar to standard hot-air balloons but with one seat or a harness. The slight exhalation of air leaking out for them was a semester abroad, a summer internship, an orientation weekend, a summer course on campus, a sports season.
But Brimmer students and alumni are resilient and resourceful. They have found ways to work, study, connect, and explore in a 25% live and 75% virtual world. They are motivated to learn, to work, and to create new opportunities and experiences for themselves. They have the tools and skills to patch their own balloons and to continue to soar upwards. The School will continue to prepare its students for a successful college experience among the similarly refurbished fleet of excellent colleges and universities our students seek to attend. The college admissions process was adversely impacted in the short term, but education is a long-term prospect, and Brimmer graduates are the agile, inspired, lifelong learners we cultivate from PK-12. ■
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
9
INSPIRING STORIES
brimmer’s caring community Inspiring stories about how our community jumped into action at the height of the pandemic
Standing Up to Fight Tayler Stander ’14
Developing a Vaccine Hilary Malone P ’22 I was previously the Chief Regulatory Officer for a European-based, global pharmaceutical company called Sanofi for the past six years; however, I left last December to pursue a new opportunity and I am now the COO of a biotech startup called Valo (valohealth. com) here in Boston. Like a number of global pharmaceutical companies, Sanofi has two COVID vaccines under very active development. Earlier in the pandemic, the company was also researching if some of their other drugs would work in alleviating COVID symptoms, one was a treatment for malaria and another for rheumatoid arthritis, but both proved to be ineffective. At Valo, we briefly explored the possibility of using our platform to conduct clinical trials with two potential new COVID drugs, both targeting the breathing/lung complications of COVID. Due to the fact that Valo is a machine learning, artificial intelligence–based biotech, we spent time modeling/designing in silico (using computer models/approaches) a number of new potential COVID treatments and collaborating with other companies to potentially design new drugs to treat COVID. We decided not to pursue this work. However, one of our sister biotech companies, Moderna (based in Cambridge, MA), has a COVID vaccine in clinical trials and if effective and approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the U.S. drug and vaccine regulator) it might be available before the end of the year. Moderna’s vaccine is one of a number of vaccines currently in late-stage clinical trials and, given that it usually takes 5 to 10 years to develop a vaccine, the collaboration between the biotech/pharmaceutical industry, regulators, academics, hospitals, and doctors to find treatments for this pandemic has been amazing!
Working with Veterans
“It’s an unprecedented time. It can be easy to become weighed down with anxiety or fear in the face of truly difficult events. A fact that should ease this fear is the truth that there are many amazing healthcare professionals and essential workers who have remained steadfast in the face of this virus. I am lucky to call these workers my colleagues. I have worked as an EMT at Armstrong Ambulance for over a year and a half. I still find myself facing new challenges every day...whether that be when I respond to a particularly complex call, or when we as a company learn how to adapt in the time of this pandemic. I am incredibly proud of this job, and I am proud of all of those who have stood up to fight.”
Samantha Cacciatore ’13
“I have been working at the Boston VA HealthCare system since August 2019—I was hired after interning throughout my master’s degree in education. I go into the hospital every day to provide veterans resources and care to ensure safety once they discharge from the hospital. I work predominately with geriatric veterans who are considered high risk for COVID-19. My team has provided me immense support during this challenging time, and we are working long hours in hopes of treating as many people as we can during this pandemic.”
10
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Brimmer Students Take Initiative to Help the Community Avery Alperin ’21, Henry Wong ’33 “When I heard of the shortages of PPE, I wanted to do something to honor and respect all the doctors that have taken care of me, particularly in the past six years. When it became likely that we may not return to school this past semester, I asked if our Science Dept. had supplies that could be donated. Amazingly, I was able to deliver 800 gloves to Newton Wellesley Hospital. Then I asked for anyone in our School community to get together virtually and make as many masks as possible. We were even able to offer some of the School’s sewing machines for anyone who needed one to be able to make the masks. Thanks to the efforts of many in our community, we are in the process of making masks to also be donated to those in need.” Henry Wong ’33 donated 150 N95 masks to Brigham & Women’s Hospital on his 5th birthday.
Donating Masks to the Front Line Mahlon (Marlo) Williams P ’20, ’23 Current parent Mahlon (Marlo) Williams P ’20, ’23 has taken his business I LOVE BOSTON SPORTS to the front line of first responders during this COVID-19 pandemic. “This is a tough time for everyone, but the humanity being shown by people in the community has been incredible to see. We purchased 1,000 KN95 masks through a connection with our banner supplier in China, then realized we could offer a T-shirt sale in which proceeds would help us buy more masks to donate to area medical staff. To date, we have purchased 3,000 KN95 masks that have been donated to first responders and local medical facilities. In addition, my company I LOVE BOSTON SPORTS (ilovebostonsports.com) has donated 6,000 T-shirts for local mask makers who were running out of material. These masks are being donated by these incredible individuals to first responders and nursing homes.”
Providing Essential Care to Children with Developmental Disabilities Rachel Pepe ’14 “I am a Behavioral Healthcare provider at the New England Center for Children in Southborough, MA. I provide essential residential treatment to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder along with other developmental disabilities. The care I provide is essential for the health and safety of these children. In times of change like this, especially when routine is such a crucial part of these children’s lives, it can be extremely scary to them, leading to an increase in challenging behavior in the forms of aggression, environmental destruction, and self-injury. I love my job and what I provide each day. Especially now, I am more blessed than ever to still have a job to continue to go to.”
continued on page 12 Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
11
Caring Community continued from page 11
Lower School Hearts for Healthcare Workers Brimmer Lower School
Essential Work of a First Responder Bem Claiborne P ’21, ’24 Being a first responder is just part of Bem Claiborne’s job. It’s what he signed up for. When everyone else is asked to shelter-in-place, he goes to work: in blizzards, in crises, in a pandemic. He walks the three miles because, sometimes, that’s what it takes. Following a potential exposure at work last month, Bem isolated himself from the rest of the family on a separate floor of the house, and because he wasn’t having symptoms himself, he continued to go to work as scheduled. Bem’s wife Victoria writes, “Our family, as well as many others, have been lucky enough not to have this infection in our homes. Bem’s parents were kind enough to buy the firehouse dinner from Blue Ribbon BBQ to thank them for their work. We’re all in this together, and we can contribute to the well-being of our communities by staying home and being safe.”
12
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Our Lower Schoolers participated in the nationwide “Hearts for Healthcare Workers” initiative as part of their remote art curriculum. These beautiful hearts were displayed in their homes as a symbol of support for healthcare workers and essential workers and a token of love and care for friends and family. Students shared responses to the following questions during their weekly virtual Share assembly: Who is your heart going out to? How do hearts make people feel? Why is putting up hearts important? How does it spread joy?
The
Enormous
Impact of Your Annual Fund Gift
The 2020–2021 Annual Fund In an unprecedented year, Brimmer’s Annual Fund will be more critical than ever to the continued excellence of a Brimmer and May education. Whether our students and faculty are in person, remote, or a combination of both, Brimmer’s ability to deliver a top-notch education to all of our students will continue on. Our Annual Fund helps us to attract and retain the very best faculty; create state-of-the-art classrooms with all of the technology needed to reach our students here and at home; create a strong, diverse community of learners through financial aid; and offer a well-rounded blend of academics, arts, fitness, and athletics. This year you may give to the Annual Fund or the Brimmer Community Fund, which will directly impact additional community and classroom needs due to the pandemic. We are forging forward together for today’s students and faculty. Thank you.
You make this possible! Consider a gift today at brimmer.org/give Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
13
GETTING CREATIVE
making music
Brimmer’s vibrant band program ensures students of all ages explore instrumental music
S
top by a Brimmer band rehearsal and you might see third graders playing their first notes on a new instrument, Middle School students thinking critically about ways to improve their group sound, or Upper Schoolers learning to improvise in 5/4 time. With three concert bands and two jazz/rock combos rehearsing a total of nine times each week, the Brimmer band program offers a vibrant environment for students of all ages and skill levels to explore instrumental music.
14
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Second graders prepare for the band experience through studies on the soprano recorder, a year before the program officially begins in Grade 3. The recorder is easily accessible to young musicians, and students learn to express music through a wind instrument for the first time with relatively simple technique. In studying recorder, students hone their note-reading skills and begin to develop the fine motor skills needed to play a band instrument. By spring, they are excited to learn about the instrument families and explore
the instrumental options that await them in the coming year. Grade 3 students kick off their Beginning Band experience when they meet their chosen instruments for the first time. Under the careful guidance of Lower School Music Teacher Caroline Scheibe and the After School Music Program faculty, students meet weekly in small groups to learn the fundamentals of their instruments. By the end of the first semester,
“Before performing in the showcase, I felt nervous because it was kind of weird to be performing in front of the screen. But playing on Zoom felt similar to playing in the classroom because it did not feel like I was playing all alone!” Next comes Intermediate Band, where fourth and fifth graders learn music requiring a higher level of independence and technical skill. Guest instrumental teachers and Upper School student mentors make special appearances in class, helping students hone their ensemble skills as they explore new and exciting repertoire. Both the Beginning and Intermediate Bands perform for an audience of families and peers at the end of each school year.
’’
continues to be a guiding principle. Students rehearse weekly both as a full band and in smaller sections by grade, enabling them to benefit from one-on-one attention and opportunities for small-group collaboration and mentorship. The Middle School Band performs twice during the year—once in the fall and once in the spring, preparing a new program each time. Working together to rehearse and perform with peers from Grades 6-8 is an exciting way to build connections across the Middle School. Students from different grades, family backgrounds, and social groups are often placed next to each other in a section, and the resulting camaraderie and teamwork are a joy to behold. “I think one of
Brimmer students are lucky in that they don’t need to choose between band and chorus, they can do both, which allows them broad opportunities to explore different ways of making music.
“Brimmer’s band program is unique in that it does not sit in isolation,” says Head of Lower School Emily Miller. “It is very much a part of students’ school experience, as opposed to being an after school or extracurricular program. This signals the School’s commitment to its success and support of the arts.”
they get their first taste of playing in a full band with their classmates, and in the spring, they perform on the stage for the first time. This year’s Beginning Band class had the unique experience of performing their first concert remotely in a Virtual Music Showcase. Beginning clarinetist Meher Paul ’29 shared, Opposite Page: Flutist and composer Ilona Kudina taught a masterclass and performed with the Upper School Band this past spring.
In Grade 6, students enter the Middle School Band, an advanced concert band that includes string, woodwind, brass, keyboard, and percussion instruments. Students in the Middle School Band participate in two rehearsals per week and receive academic credit for their participation. As in the Lower School, students taking band also take a general music class. They also have the option to participate in chorus, providing a range of musical opportunities rarely encountered in small schools. “When I was in middle school, we had to choose between chorus and band,” says Scheibe. “Brimmer students are lucky in that they can do both, which allows them broad opportunities to explore different ways of making music.” Individual attention to each student’s needs
my favorite parts of my job is watching students form lasting friendships with peers as a result of their time together,” says Luca Antonucci, Middle and Upper School Band teacher. “It’s wonderful to see members of a section working together and sharing their expertise. Often, older students will help younger ones, but sometimes a younger student with more musical experience will help an older student with tricky rhythms or fingerings!” In Grade 8, students begin their preparations for the next stage of their musical journey. In addition to playing in the Middle School Band, where they often serve as section leaders and benefit from solo opportunities, eighth graders rehearse once a week as an independent 8th Grade Band. At Brimmer, where students are encouraged to develop into well-rounded global citizens, this type of solo and smallensemble opportunity is not restricted to a competitive circle of “band kids,” but is instead open to all. As a result, Brimmer’s bands often feature students with many other talents, continued on page 16 Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
15
Making Music continued from page 15
including champion athletes, equestrians, visual artists, or computer gamers. Students who show significant interest and extracurricular investment in music are offered options to participate in additional opportunities to extend their learning. They may be selected to participate in the Massachusetts Music Educators Junior and Senior District Festivals,
perform in the pit for the Upper School musical, or create original compositions or arrangements for the ensemble. The 8th Grade Band puts a high emphasis on independence, as each musician—for the first time since beginning the instrument in Grade 3—must play their own part at all times. Percussionists are challenged to learn to play the drum set, while other instrumentalists encounter chords and improvisation for the first time. Students also enjoy a higher degree of independence as a group; they are allowed to choose one song to perform for each of their concerts, working with Mr. Antonucci to create an arrangement tailored to their unique combination of instruments. “The
16
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
makeup of the band changes every year,” notes Antonucci. “As a result, every year is a completely different experience. Over the past few years, our repertoire has varied from jazz to hard rock to traditional Brazilian music. I always enjoy finding out what the students want to play, and often it’s a great way for me to discover music with which I was not familiar.” Student Dieter Gartner ’22 agrees. Looking
back on his time in the Lower and Middle School program, he comments, “In the beginning, I got to be in a band with my old friends, but as I got older, the mix of people started to change. It’s different almost every year, but it’s always a lot of fun!” In addition to learning a song of their choice, eighth graders dig into what it means to play music with appropriate style, making rock sound different from jazz and vice versa. Outside the rehearsal room, they get a glimpse of life in the Upper School Band by contributing a short set to the Upper School outreach performance at Chestnut Park Senior Life, where they perform for an appreciative audience of senior citizens. “It’s a win-win,” observed Gartner, of the
annual outreach performance. “It makes the residents happy and gives us a chance to play.” Now prepared for the independence, improvisational skills, and stylistic ability required by a more intensive small-ensemble environment, ninth graders join the Upper School Band. This elective class meets three times a week for a total of 180 minutes. Unlike many schools, Brimmer’s Upper School Band counts for full class credit and
meets during the school day—infrastructure essential to its success. “Having the opportunity to meet three times a week allows us to learn an incredible amount in a short time,” says Antonucci. “Other schools have to contend with after-school or before-school rehearsals and a lack of support from the administration. But the Arts Department goes out of its way to support the band program, and the program lives up to the high standard we set for it.” Students in the Upper School Band have a leading role in shaping their own experience, from voting on a setlist to creating arrangements and learning by ear. It is a chance to learn firsthand what it means to be in a small
ensemble, requiring a commitment to mastering an instrument and working as a team. The Upper School Band is the School’s most visible instrumental ensemble, performing at events such as Harvest Fest and Earth Day, as well as assemblies, the Holiday Concert, the Academy Awards, Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and two official band concerts—one in the spring, and one in the fall. In between these major events are a number of smaller outreach opportunities.
These include visits to the Sumner School, a nearby elementary school, a trip to Chestnut Park Senior Life, and a new mentoring program that brings Upper School musicians to the Lower School Band to share their expertise. Upper School Band rehearsals are supplemented with visits from acclaimed guest performers who give masterclasses on subjects such as improvisation, composition, blues and jazz style, or the career path of a professional musician. This past spring saw the first in what will hopefully be an annual series of guest performer residencies. The Upper
School Band welcomed flutist and composer Ilona Kudina for a series of masterclasses and a concert at Upper School Assembly, where Kudina shared the stage with the Band. “Ultimately,” says Antonucci, “the most important lesson the Upper Schoolers learn during their time in the band is how to collaborate as artists. Each band member must learn their part, understand how their part fits into the whole, and learn how to
make musical decisions that help the group tell a compelling musical story together.” Even after the move to distance learning in March, Brimmer musicians continued to make music together online. Music classes were held online in both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (independent) formats, and band classes continued to meet in all three divisions of the School. Lower School musicians checked in to discuss their weekly practice goals, share new pieces, and even “play” together over Zoom. Both Lower and Middle School instrumentalists practiced their parts with the help of SmartMusic. This
innovative app allows musicians to play with a virtual accompaniment, record themselves, and even ask questions. Members of the 8th Grade Band worked on improvisation and taking videos of solos with and without backing tracks. The Upper School Band created a video presentation to showcase the ensemble. Said Antonucci, “Well, it’s certainly not how anybody would have expected to end the year, but it has been a great new challenge, and it has
been very gratifying to watch our students rise to the occasion. They have done an amazing job in continuing to work hard and stay motivated.” ■ Middle & Upper School Music Teacher Luca Antonucci believes that through music, students not only cultivate creativity but also hone their critical thinking and active listening skills and become confident leaders and attentive collaborators. Lower School Music, Choral & Band Teacher Caroline Scheibe aims to guide students toward becoming tuneful, beatful, and artful human beings. She hopes students leave her classes with a joyful appreciation for music-making in all its forms, and that they will seek out musical experiences in their adult lives.
Above: Upper School Band members Alex Boch ’21 (L) and Ugonnaya Adiele ’23. While the Lower and Middle School bands are online this fall, due in part to state guidelines restricting the use of wind instruments in schools, the Upper School Band reformed this fall in a smaller configuration and will livestream their Fall Concert from the Corkin Theatre on November 19. Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
17
NEW SPACES
Introducing the Mugar Family Playground & Outdoor Learning Space Many thanks to Jennifer Mugar ’88 and our other generous community members for donating to this wonderful project! Special recognition to Trustee Garth Smith P ’25, ’27 for his visionary guidance during the planning and design process.
18
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
19
SPOTLIGHT ON EQUITY
equity at our core Disrupting racism and dismantling biased practices
B
rimmer and May, an institution steeped in tradition that has been educating students for over 100 years, is seeing the dawn of a new age in its existence and practices. 2020 has been, if nothing else, a year of rapid change, constant and alarming news cycles, and experiences with anxiety that many of us never thought we would experience. In March, as COVID-19 began its hard attack on our state and our country, we embraced and protected our community by developing, with near superhuman speed, programming and protocols that would ensure that our students were safe while continuing to experience the Brimmer education in which they have invested. We did a good job, and we confidently promoted our
20
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
students to the next levels in their learning. Just as COVID-19 hit us, however, another pandemic, one that has existed for hundreds of years in America but has not yet found a cure, was forced upon us: racism. Images of racist violence and murders, along with the names of far too many victims—because even one is too many—flashed before our eyes on television, social media, and other outlets on the internet. Protests, in the name of justice for innocent Black lives lost, exploded across the country. As of the writing of this article, protests continue for Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her home by police officers executing a no-knock warrant. They continue because unlike Ahmaud Arbery
(shot by a civilian while jogging down the street in Georgia) and George Floyd (killed by a police officer who knelt on his neck for more than seven minutes after arresting him for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit bill), Breonna Taylor’s killers have not yet been charged with any crime. Spring of 2020 hit the Brimmer community with waves of hardship and difficulties. We had to witness our students react first to the news of a global pandemic spiraling out of control, and then to news story after news story of innocent Black people killed by either police officers or civilians. Responding to COVID-19 was and continues to be a challenge. However, we have hard science on our side. We live in a state with
phenomenal medical resources. We feel confident about knowing what works to prevent this virus from spreading, and we are working overtime to acquire all necessary equipment and to employ all essential practices to make Brimmer a safe place to educate students this fall. But racism? There’s no hard science behind that.
level. I chose How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, and it was an excellent choice for me. Others chose based on where they are in their own personal and professional journeys with identity, race, and bias. Most endeavor, as I do, to read the entire list of books as soon as they can; many have already done so.
As we put into place our COVID-19 protocols, it became glaringly, alarmingly, and embarrassingly clear that we, as an institution, have not properly done our part to address racism in our country and bias in our practices at school. It was a turning point, and we are now embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in ways that we never had before.
A major goal of the required faculty and staff reading is to add to groundwork being laid that will bring us to a new institutional level in our commitment to and practice of equity work. Plans include identifying ways to bring the inspirations and lessons learned from these books into individual classroom practices and interactions on campus. Each book promotes uncomfortable introspection, regardless of race, that is essential if we are going to move the needle in our efforts and practice. It is essential if we are going to serve our students in the way we promise to every day. It is essential if we are going to live our newest Core Value, Equity, in a way that is true and genuine.
In the early part of the summer, we, like many other schools and businesses, engaged and communicated with our students and families to address the racially charged killings shared by the news in this country. We named and recognized racism as a systemic problem in America. This is something that we believe to be true as a school. We called ourselves out on our lack of faculty of color and our lack of comprehensive cultural representation in our curricula. We had faculty and staff meetings in which we talked about having “pathologized student behavior,” when really, perhaps, we were being biased and attempting to assimilate students into our environment based on traditions and values that we have upheld for generations. We identified institutional support for students, families, faculty, and staff of color as being weak. Then we created action steps. One of the first steps taken was to add me in my position as Director of Equity and Inclusion to the Administrative Team so that the importance of DEI work could be appropriately recognized and placed front and center as an essential part of how we operate as a school. We also immediately decided that required faculty and staff reading in the summer months would have a strong focus on DEI work. Each faculty and staff member chose one book from a list of five (see page 40). The list itself was generated through faculty, staff, and family input and was meant to be able to connect personally and professionally to each member of the faculty and staff. As a DEI practitioner, I felt it was appropriate to choose a book that would inform my practice as well as fulfill me on a personal
To guide us in our work, we have partnered with Lawrence Alexander, who will work as a consultant with our entire community—our Board of Trustees, the Administrative Team, faculty, staff, and students—for the duration of the 2020-2021 academic year. Together, we will spotlight what we are doing well and enhance it. We will also identify what we are not doing or what we are doing wrong and address it. We hope that the outcome is a community that instinctively considers equity in everything it does.
Brimmer welcomes Lawrence Alexander, who will be
consulting with us for the 2020-2021 academic year as we work to develop more equitable, anti-
biased practices within our community. He will
be working closely with
Jessica Christian in DEI work to identify, address, and
dismantle systems at Brimmer that have perpetuated
institutional bias and anti-
Black racism. For updates on
Brimmer’s commitment to this critical work, visit the Equity & Inclusion page on our website.
The best thing about the Brimmer community right now is that we are ready and excited for this work. It is being deeply embraced, and there is a level of enthusiasm for engaging in DEI work that I have found heartening and empowering. I have never been prouder of where we are as an institution, and I am inspired to help lead our community to a stronger place. ■ Jessica Christian, Director of Equity and Inclusion, leads Brimmer’s efforts to ensure that our community honors its diversity and fosters equity, mutual respect, appreciation, and the ability to embrace difference. Jessica Christian (top 2nd from right) with Brimmer students at the AISNE Upper School Student Conference in the spring of 2019.
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
21
INNOVATION AWARDS
Our 2020-2021 Faculty Innovation Award Winners S
ince 2012, our Faculty Innovation Awards have been funding innovative programming and next-level curriculum in all three divisions of the School. In addition, a prestigious Edward E. Ford Grant for Innovative Educational Programming awarded in 2015 has allowed us to provide a dedicated Upper School Faculty Innovation Award each year in addition to the original Faculty Innovation Award. “The Administrative Team was thrilled to have received such a large number of high-quality proposals this year, especially with the workload teachers had on their plates with remote learning,” said Director of Development Elizabeth Smith. “This program is in its ninth year, and the panelists who read the proposals and made the decisions found the entries very impressive.” Congratulations to this year’s winners! ■
Andrew Beal, Director of Middle School Student Life; Math Julia Jennings, Middle School Math & Science Faculty Innovation Grant A Yoga/Pilates/Mindfulness program within the Middle School Wellness curriculum to be woven into the existing Life Skills curriculum, extended into afternoon clubs, and incorporated into assembly scheduling and homeroom meetings.
Luca Antonucci, Middle & Upper School Music EE Ford US Innovation Grant The purchase of two digital pianos, five MIDI keyboards, and Sibelius notation software that will allow students to create and record their own digital compositions, play along with backing tracks, and practice performing on high-quality instruments. For more on Luca Antonucci and Brimmer’s vibrant band program, see pages 14-17.
22
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Brimmer Announces Largest Gift in the History of the School $5,000,000 donated in support of faculty salaries and teaching excellence by Elizabeth Smith, Director of Development
W
e are pleased to announce that this summer we received a donation of $5,000,000 designated for increasing faculty salaries and rewarding excellence in teaching. This transformational gift is the largest single donation in the history of the School. This impactful gift will both reward teaching innovation and excellence as well as increase our ability to retain our valuable faculty over time. “Our faculty is the heart and soul of a Brimmer education,” says Head of School Judy Guild. “I am humbled and grateful for this generous gift that will help us compensate, retain, and reward our faculty at a level that is worthy of their talents.” In late April of 2020, the Board of Trustees released Brimmer’s Strategic Priorities 2020 and Beyond as a road map for the next five years. These priorities are the result of a multi-year process that began with the opening of the Hastings Center in 2017 and reflect input from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) as well as Brimmer’s many constituencies, including administration, faculty, the Board of Trustees, and the greater parent and alumni community. During the strategic planning process, four key priorities rose to the surface: (1) enhance the academic program while maintaining our distinct culture and educational philosophy; (2) improve athletic, wellness, and play facilities in accordance with our mission and size; (3) support and enrich our faculty through competitive compensation, commitment to diversity, and professional development; and (4) provide appropriate resources to deliver on all aspects of our mission.
’’
The $5 million gift, together with a plan to obtain an additional $1 million in future donations for the same purpose, ensures that the third priority will be fulfilled and provides Brimmer with a strong start toward fulfilling the fourth priority as well. This gift will create an Endowment for Faculty Salaries and Teaching Excellence initially funded with $4.5 million and will designate $500,000 as funds for current use during the next two academic school years. Of the current use amount, $200,000 will be used to increase faculty salaries each year where it is most needed, $25,000 will be set aside each year for stipends to reward faculty innovation and curriculum design, and an additional $25,000 will be set aside each year for faculty retention through our Faculty Longevity Program.
A gift of this magnitude for faculty compensation is a dream come true for the School.” says Board Chair David Kreisler
During the first two years, when the current use funds are being spent, the Endowment will be invested for growth. Thereafter, the Endowment will be used in perpetuity for the same purposes. Brimmer will raise an additional $1 million to supplement the Endowment for Faculty Salaries and Teaching Excellence to ensure continued growth over time. “A gift of this magnitude for faculty compensation is a dream come true for the School,” says Board Chair David Kreisler. “The Endowment and the income generated over time will ensure that Brimmer can retain and reward its outstanding faculty, without putting pressure on other parts of the budget, for years to come.” ■ Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
23
ATHLETIC AWARDS
24
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
WINTER 2019-2020 Varsity Girls Basketball
Varsity I Boys Basketball
Independent Girls Conference (IGC)
Kyrell Luc ’21
Second Place Finish
NEPSAC AA Player of the Year
#4 Seed for NEPSAC Tournament
Gianni Thompson ’21
Class E & Semifinalist
NEPSAC-AA All League
Marianne Alagos ’21 IGC All League
Varsity II Boys Basketball
NEPSAC All Star
Leo Wen ’21
Molly McHugh ’21
MBIL All League
IGC All League Angeline Nur Dervisevic ’21 NEPSAC All Star
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
25
ATHLETICS
26
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR 2019-2020 ATHLETIC AWARD WINNERS! Outstanding Athlete
Spirit & Leadership Award
Adia Kirwan Smith ’25, Johnny Walsh ’25
Xavier Claiborne ’24, Jazzy Lang ’24
Middle School
Middle School
Kaylee Little ’23, Charlie Marconi ’20
Breanna Durand ’20,
Upper School
Tristan Durocher ’21, Karly Hamilton ’21, Paxton Wong ’20
Scholar-Athlete Award
Upper School
Ryan Hurst ’25, Kayla Pierre ’24 Middle School
Athletic Association Award
Olivier Khorasani ’20,
Hanna Ahearn ’20
Miles Munkacy ’20, Hanna Spivak ’20
Paxton Wong ’20
Upper School
Claire Masterson ’20
Never Give Up &
Susan A. Edwards Booster
Never Give In Award Mimie Manigat ’26, Judah Siff ’25 Middle School Marianne Alagos ’21, Brian Gamble ’23, Kyrell Luc ’21, Anja Westhues ’21 Upper School Sportsmanship Award Raymond Baez ’24, Maddie Pogoda ’25, Sofia Shih ’26, Thacher Purdy ’26 Middle School Claire Masterson ’20, Owen Williams ’23 Upper School
John and Melinda Tarbox P ’26 Panos and Sara Demeter P ’24, ’27 Kenneth and Karen Munkacy P ’20 Hubert and Keri Wong P ’20 Mike and Sue Masterson P ’20 Staff Member: Danielle Bartone Collegiate Athletic Recognition Caroline Champa Tennis and Squash Anja Westhues Cross Country and Track Richard O’Keefe Cross Country and Track
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
27
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Commencement: Then and Now
C
ommencement has always been an exciting springtime rite of passage for our Upper School students. Back in the ’70s, when Brimmer was still an all-girls school, seniors gathered outside of Thompson G ym ready to walk across the former stage to receive their diplomas. As this excerpt from a decades-old issue of The Ambassado r (now called Brimmer Magazine ) described, traditional awards such as the Betsy Joy Roberts Award, the Alumnae Award, and the Blazer Award were given, students shared memories of their time at Brimmer, and the Head of School gave an inspirational address. “For years this Class of 1973 has been cohesive, spirited, individually talented,” said former Head of School Mr. St. John. “For years they have buoyed the School with their humor and zest and imagination.” It may have been spoken 47 years ago, but those words could easily describe the Class of 2020. While their graduation was anything but traditional (see pages 30-35), their spirit, humor, and enthusiasm buoyed the day and made Commencement 2020 an event for the history books!
28
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
WELCOME
Welcome New Trustees T
his fall, Brimmer and May welcomes two new members to its Board of Trustees. As parents who have been actively engaged in the School community, they are excited to take on this important volunteer leadership role and serve the School.
Jon Grenzke P ’31
Jon Grenzke joined Bracebridge Capital, an absolute return, fixed income hedge fund, as a summer analyst before his senior year at Harvard University and continued there for nearly twenty years after graduation, becoming a Principal of the firm in 2002. As a portfolio manager, his focus was on developed-markets investments and structured products, including commercial mortgage-backed securities, consumer asset-backed securities, and other non-residential securitized product. In addition to being involved in risk management for the overall portfolio and the firm, he also oversaw the CTO and technology. He retired from Bracebridge in 2016, and now enjoys being able to continue to put his investing, analytical, and computation skills to work in other arenas.
He is currently President of the Board of Trustees at Eaglebrook School, the middle school he attended in western Massachusetts, and was previously Chair of the Finance Committee at Eaglebrook. He enjoys day hikes of 4,000 footers in the White Mountains, downhill skiing, and occasionally devoting a day or weekend to cooking with modernist techniques. His wife, Elizabeth Kensinger, is Chair of the Psychology Department at Boston College. They have a daughter, Juliet, in Grade 2 at Brimmer, who excitedly looks forward to each new day at school. The Board is excited to tap into Jon’s finance knowledge and Board experience at Eaglebrook and his appreciation for Brimmer. Welcome, Jon!
Chris Chou P ’29, ’33
Chris Chou and his wife Jessica came to the School as new parents in the fall of 2015 and immediately got involved with the School community. Amongst other volunteer positions, Chris and Jessica have been parent representatives, buddy families to incoming parents and students, and Admissions Open House tour guides. Chris is currently a Vice President at McCall & Almy, Inc., a full-service commercial real estate firm that provides strategic real estate advisory services to mostly institutions and nonprofits. A natural-born problem-solver, Chris possesses the natural ability to create order out of chaos. Chris believes that a good handle on the quantifiable aspects of a real estate engagement early on will help drive strategic decisions further down the line.
Chris has served as a strategic advisor and development project manager for many institutions, including secondary schools (BC High, BB&N, and Boston Renaissance Charter Public School), community centers (Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and Dorchester), colleges (Harvard University, Northeastern University, Suffolk University, and Berklee College of Music), and healthcare institutions (Lahey Health, Maine Medical Center, and Partners Healthcare). When not working, Chris can be found doing what he loves most: doting on his wife and two kids. The entire family has been bitten by the travel bug and that means there is always the next trip on the horizon, at least under normal circumstances. Chris holds an M.B.A. from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College and a B.S. from Boston University Questrom School of Business. The Board of Trustees is eager to tap into Chris’s experience with educational strategic and project management at other institutions as we navigate the action items from the new Strategic Priorities 2020 and Beyond. Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
29
COMMENCEMENT
congratulations class of 2020 W
hen the global pandemic closed campus in March, many traditional spring events needed to be reimagined and Commencement was no exception. The Brimmer community rose to the challenge and found a special and unique way to celebrate and honor our seniors. On the morning of Commencement, families arrived in the gym parking lot to begin a congratulatory drive-by parade, their cars decorated in celebration of their graduating senior. With faculty and staff in masks and cheering them on, families first stopped at the Alumni Office tent for some fun alumni swag and a Yeti gift engraved with Class of 2020. Next stop was the Yearbook tent and Lifer Award gifts for those seniors who have been at Brimmer since Lower School. The car parade culminated in front of McCoy Hall where seniors received their diploma from Board Chair David Kreisler and posed for family photos. That evening, Head of School Judith Guild virtually addressed the Class of 2020, their families, and the entire Brimmer community with a multimedia production that shined a spotlight on each senior and their accomplishments. We could not be any prouder of our graduates and their resilience and positivity during this unexpected year. It was an unusual time, but with flexibility and creativity, the Class of 2020 celebrated their historical moment with pride.
Miles Best ’20 and family
Approaching the Alumni Office tent during the car parade
30
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Paola Mammano ’20 and family approach the diploma station Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
31
Brimmer faculty cheer on the graduates
William Apostolica ’20
32
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Elizabeth Weber ’20 and family
Amalia Ali ’20
Megan Stander ’20 and family approach the diploma station
Libby Foley ’20
Ze Wang ’20 and family
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
33
Catherine Leeder ’20 and family
Breanna Durand ’20
Nayely Peña Lara ’20
Olivier Khorasani ’20 and family
34
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Elias Kazin ’20
Displaying Gator pride
ONWARD…THEIR JOURNEY CONTINUES Karizma Baez ’20
Barnard College Bentley University Boston University Brandeis University Brown University Clark University Colgate University College of the Holy Cross Connecticut College Franklin and Marshall College Grinnell College Harvard University Kenyon College Mount Holyoke College New York University Occidental College Pomona College Rochester Institute of Technology
Skidmore College St. Lawrence University Temple University Trinity College University of Central Florida (Burnett Honors College) University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth University of Miami University of Richmond University of Washington Wake Forest University Wentworth Institute of Technology Wheaton College Williams College Xavier University
Richard O’Keefe ’20
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
35
Class Notes
ALUMNI
1945
Patricia (Folts) Dooley “I am safe and well. I returned from California earlier than usual and my son stops by regularly with provisions! I talk with Doreen (Davis) Gove ’45 regularly. As you probably know, she does not know when they will be in Rockport this year. I tried to call Peggy Cooper ’45 and her sister told
me she had passed away. I had lunch with Peggy before I went to California in January. Needless to say, I was shocked.”
1950
Nancy (Biddle) Lemcke “I’m doing okay. The weather at least is good so I can get out and walk except there are too many people that are staying down here so there are clusters of people I have to stay away from. Actually, I’m kind of a hermit by nature so I don’t mind being by myself. Hopefully we’ll be able to have the Alumni Luncheon next summer. My daughter says it’s much harder to teach remotely than to be in the classroom. She misses the kids - especially at the end of the school year. Stay well!”
1958
Catherine Spinale Rieger “Hi Everyone! Love to hear from you. Hope all of you are well and happy. I have wonderful memories!”
1966
Leslie (Fitzgerald) Fallon
Brimmer does Hollywood! Members of the Class of 2003 had a mini reunion in California, including (from left) Polina Frantsena, Carolina (Beltzér) Carter-Johnson, Runeko Lovell, and (in front) Luke Patton.
36
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
“I am in Florida. Good place to be. They are just reopening our pool today (May 2020). Signup sheet. One family at a time. I have missed it so much. My son told me not to come home May 6. So, I have a reservation June 3. Who knows? I don’t want to be here for hurricane season. One day at a time. It seems like we had lunch years ago. It is all so surreal.”
Anthony DiNicola ’03 and his wife, Monica Thomas.
2003
Anthony DiNicola “I am doing well, all things considered! I got married to an incredible person, Monica Thomas, in 2018; recently bought a brand new home in Fayetteville, Arkansas; and I am entering my 9th year of working for Catharsis Productions where I have the privilege of traveling nationally and internationally talking social justice to colleges, military installations, and companies large and small. I get to use
ALUMNI and opportunities I’ve embraced this year. In sum, continuous learning, self-improvement, and community care has been quite the theme of 2020! Meanwhile, I’m thankful to remain in touch with a number of Brimmer peers and colleagues (especially #Classof09!) as it has been a rewarding experience to this day. Stay well and go Gators!”
2010
Stephen Carrigg Stephen launched his business, Liquid Capital, in early March with a party attended by former Brimmer students, parents, and faculty. He is a Wealth Manager-Senior Planner for the company. Michael Langlois and Joe Iuliano attended Stephen’s business launch party on March 3 and ran into his mom, Lesley, his sister Annee Carrigg ’12, Kristi Ross (mother of Jeffrey ’09 and Chelcie ’10), Jane Petersen (mother of Ben ’10 and Maddie ’14), and Bruce Fisher (father of Ali ’12). Stephen Carrigg ’10 with fianceé Maria Messina.
humor to break down barriers to difficult conversations such as sexual harassment, violence prevention, micro-aggressions, and bias crime. I thank Brimmer for preparing me to do this work!”
2009
Phoebe Cooper After finishing her third year working in the Media Relations department at the Sundance Film Festival, Phoebe has moved back east and is beginning her Masters program at Simmons University in the fall for Library and Information Science.
Molly (Tobin) Diamond “I am still living in Washington, D.C. and working at the Embassy of Israel. I have recently gone back to school part-time to pursue a Masters in Global Studies and International Relations. My husband and I got married last November in Providence, RI and Phoebe Cooper ’09 was my maid of honor!”
Maya Ginga Jabril Robinson “Now in my fourth year as an Assistant Director for Career Education and Diversity Initiatives at the Boston College Career Center, this will be my second round of specializing in the business, consulting, and finance (BCF) industries, offering individual and group student coaching and programming, and cultivating on/off-campus partnerships and resources to ensure all members of the BC community can “pursue meaningful careers and lives”, our core vision. Outside of work, no significant travel plans due to COVID-19 (the Caribbean islands will have to wait!), yet I’ve kept myself sharp--and sane--by taking online skill classes, lots of independent reading and book club collaborations on self-development and racial/social justice topics, and long walks mixed with Spotify and Audible podcasting along the way. A commitment to balancing self-care, while staying informed and an active part of the movement for socioeconomic justice--especially given the disparate ramifications of COVID-19 and the senseless murders of innocent Black individuals and mistreatment of people of color--has been one of the biggest challenges
“I graduated from law school at Washington and Lee University in Virginia in 2019 and currently work at Nutter McClennen & Fish, a midsize firm located in the Seaport, as a litigation associate. Although starting my career in the midst of a pandemic is less than ideal, I’m selfishly happy that it brought my Brimmer friend, Chelcie Ross ’10, back to the Boston area for the summer. We recently had a chance to get together along with another Brimmer friend, Sam McColl ’10.”
2014
Aaron Yemane “Hey, Brimmer Fam! Hope everyone is staying sane, safe, and healthy during these unprecedented times. Everyone is safe and healthy on my end, so no complaints here! I just completed my summer program with a law firm here in Boston, Ropes & Gray, as a Roscoe Trimmier Jr. Scholarship recipient. I feel very lucky that the firm decided to invite me back after graduation! I’ll be finishing up law school at Georgetown this spring. Despite the “hybrid” learning system this fall, I’m thinking of heading back to DC to hopefully work on the Hill, before coming back to Boston after graduation. I was hoping Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
37
ALUMNI
Class Notes cont’d to travel to Europe this summer and visit family (and some Brimmer family—shout out Javier!!), but obviously plans have changed. I hope to go next summer and catch the Euros! Excited to get back together with everyone at our reunion in 2022!”
2015
Chardon Brooks Chardon earned her Master’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Glasgow, Scotland and has been working this summer as an English Teaching Assistant at Boston University.
Susanna Calhoun Susanna is living in the San Francisco Bay area and working as an Associate Multimedia Producer at Coupa Software. Members of the Class of 2015 held a Zoom reunion for their 5th!
Keenan Iuliano In the spring of 2020, Keenan completed a 5-month internship at the Fund for Peace in Washington, DC. The Fund for Peace “is
focused on understanding and addressing issues of violent conflict, state fragility, and security and human rights. We work with a variety of partners in government, multilateral organizations, security forces, foundations, corporations, civil society organizations, and local communities in dozens of countries around the world.” Much of his work centered on research and writing a portion of the Fragile States Index published by the organization annually. At the same time that he started his internship, he began his Master’s degree studies at American University pursuing an MS in Counterterrorism and Homeland Security through their online program.
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
2016
Nathan Greene “This summer I worked on a Congressional Campaign and am currently finding a fulltime job. I am still living in Boston but hoping to move to New York soon. I am still just as close with my Brimmer friends as I was in high school. It doesn’t matter if one of us is home or all of us are home. We still find time to see each other.”
Sarah Smith
IN MEMORIAM
38
David is pursuing his Master’s degree in Business Management at Newcastle University Business School in Newcastle, England and continuing his basketball career for Newcastle’s club team.
2017
Keenan Iuliano ’15 during his Fund for Peace internship last spring.
Marguerite Cooper ’45 Pamela Wick Lincoln ’68
David Labossiere
Deborah “Deb” Terzian ’74
“This summer I was interning remotely at the Clean Air Council, an environmental organization that supports sustainability and public health initiatives in the Philadelphia area. I worked under resident Staff Attorney Logan Welde and was able to learn about
ALUMNI Philly-specific environmental litigation and nonprofit work. As a rising senior in college, it is rare when all of my Brimmer friends are home at once, but with everyone working remotely this summer it was the perfect time to catch up! I spent a lot of the summer social distancing with friends from the Class of 2017 and Class of 2018.”
Raymani Walker “Last fall semester I was able to partake in an amazing study abroad opportunity to London at the University of Westminster, through my current college, Skidmore. While there, I also visited both Paris and Amsterdam. Overall, I had an amazing experience and although it was cut short due to the current pandemic, I was able to fully enjoy the entire trip. I am very grateful for being blessed with that opportunity.”
Raymani Walker ’17
From the archives: a recently discovered 1917 issue of the Brimmer Magazine.
2019
Cara Rittner After working once again with the Brimmer College Counseling Office this past winter, Cara sent out several college transfer applications and was happily accepted to NYU Tisch School of Arts where she will pursue her passion for theater. Tisch offers one of the top three or four prestigious musical theater programs in the country. Cara was a mainstay on the Brimmer stage throughout her Middle and Upper School years.
Recent graduates (L-R) Matthew Hastings ’18, Emma Hastings ’19, and Michael Hastings ’18, this summer at Montcalm in New Hampshire Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
39
FACULTY & STAFF SUMMER READING
brimmer reads
Summer reading leaves Brimmer faculty and staff energized to consciously consider equity in their work.
“The author captures the complexity and multiple layers of racism, as it operates on so many cultural and societal levels. It is so important to be mindful of how so many types of racism are interconnected and affect all of us. Especially as teachers, we must be compassionate and continually strive to listen to and guide our students as they navigate this complicated web.” Hali Hellmuth, Grade 4 Teacher “One of the ideas that has stuck with me is, ‘...children do not simply take on the views of their parents or their environment…All young people, regardless of their race, actively participate in the production of their own ideas.’ This idea reminds me of the importance of working with children to create a classroom community where real conversations happen and where multiple perspectives and life experiences are shared, explored,
“One of the author’s quotes that resonated with me was, ‘...the heartbeat of racism is denial, the heartbeat of antiracism is confession.’ As those who practice different forms of religion know, confession/ repentance/atonement is a necessary first step to living in the truth that we are all flawed, and all called to repent - so that we start with humility, an excellent foundation for truth-seeking.” Nicole Rudolph World Languages Department Chair
and discussed.” Julie O’Neill, Grade 3 Teacher “This book resonated deeply with me as a parent and as an educator. The author gave concrete examples from her research about how white children develop their views on race not only from what their parents say and do, but also from what they see and hear outside of their home in their day to day activities and interactions. Hagerman’s research sends a strong message about how we need to be thoughtful and purposeful in our daily actions, since those actions contribute significantly to how our children/students view race and racism.” Rachel Wolf Heyman Lower School Drama Teacher
“Reading Waking Up White is painful at times. The author allows herself to become completely vulnerable with the reader, so we experience many of her assertive, well-intentioned, but poorly received efforts of equitable goodwill in a very personal manner. There were several times I thought, ‘Oh, no, did you really say that?’ and then realize that she did, others have, and I may have too. Her description of life in suburban Winchester, her attempts to diversify the leadership of Boston’s First Night event, and the genuine observations on her own marriage, as she evolves, are well worth the read.” Ellen Foley Lower School Admissions Director
40
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
“This book provided a compelling, succinct,
HEADER GOES HERE
and straightforward summary of the history of being Black in America and the generational trauma that comes with that journey. DeGruy’s personal reflections on visiting southern Africa were particularly illuminating as she contrasted what she saw there with the racist structures and social expectations in the United States that are uniquely American, and the longterm impact of those expectations on Black Americans. I was struck by how her book was so comprehensive in the historical narrative it traced and that it provided specific ways that history has manifested
“I loved this book. My main take-away is that I have been teaching my students the
itself in contemporary behaviors, social patterns, and structures. I also
wrong definition of racism. The correct
appreciated how it was more than anthropological--it offered actionable ways
definition of racism, as written by Robin
to exercise compassion and to confront and question present norms.” Nick Malakhow Grade 8 English & Middle School Drama Teacher
DiAngelo, is ‘When a racial group’s collective prejudice is backed by the power of legal authority and institutional control, it is transformed into racism,
“I read a powerful comment about Dr. DeGruy’s thesis that I wanted to share. ‘The essential thesis is that slavery, that most brutal and lucrative of American institutions, is a historical watershed event regarding which black Americans would be loathe (and dangerously ill-served) to soften memory, but toward which they should, indeed, purposefully stride as an area of rigorous study and research.’ – Randall Robinson”
Director Highlight
Sharin Russell, Annual Fund Director
a far-reaching system that functions independently [...] of individual actors.’ Racism is not on a one-to-one level. It is truly systemic and needs to be labeled as such.” Brian Binkowski Grade 5 Teacher
“O
ur Faculty Summer Reading choices this year addressed several aspects of the institution of anti-black racism. Two books’ authors communicate explicitly that the intended
readers are white, as understanding one’s own whiteness plays a major role in dismantling antiblack racism. The purpose of some of the other books is to explain to all readers the consequences of history that have plagued the experiences of many Black Americans for centuries. Finally, each book, in its own way, is meant to leave the reader with an understanding of how every day interactions with colleagues, students, and the community beyond Brimmer can be and often are affected by race. Ideally, these lessons will translate to the classroom and our relationships with Brimmer families so that we may create a more equitable Brimmer experience.”
—Jessica Christian, Director of Equity & Inclusion
For more on the important work of dismantling racist and biased practices at Brimmer, see pages 20-21.
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
41
HEADER GOES GETTING CREATIVE HERE
Upper School Production of “Urinetown”
Urinetown: The Musical was one of those shows I have always wanted to direct, since I first saw it in 2001. Especially after I started working with high school students, I was confident the Brimmer community would connect with the arch and ironic tone of the production as well as the pro-conservation message it serves up. The unfortunate title, however, did nothing to endear the show to the administration, but after twelve years of trying, they were willing to take a chance on it and trusted me and the creative team to take it on. It was a fantastic show to follow last year’s production of Newsies, since they both have essentially the same story line. While the Disney show is utopian with an underlying strain of sadness, Urinetown is dystopian yet oddly happy at the same time. And the timing! If our production had been one week later, our performances would have been cancelled due to the onset of the pandemic. But we made it just under the wire, singing and dancing our hearts out, portraying a society that dooms itself because it fails to follow the science. For a show that is nearly 20 years old, it has aged well and is just as relevant as ever. —Bill Jacob, Director
42
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
43
GETTING CREATIVE
Grades 4 & 5 Production of “The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse”
The Fourth and Fifth grade musical production of The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse was scheduled to be performed the evening of March 12 and the morning of March 13. As news of the pandemic unfolded, we wanted to ensure that our hard-working performers would have an audience for their fantastic production. We invited the Lower School community to watch our final dress rehearsal, which ultimately served as the final performance. It was an extraordinary display of leadership from our fourth and fifth graders, and a joyful connection point for the Brimmer community just before the school closed in March. Throughout the uncertainties of our production week, the students met every challenge that came their way with perseverance, resilience, creativity, and a tremendous collaborative spirit. —Rachel Wolf Heyman, Lower School Drama Teacher
44
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
45
GETTING CREATIVE
reimagining our
arts-filled spring
With a mixture of pre- and post-quarantine events, including an Instagram presentation of student work, Brimmer students celebrated the arts in style
46
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
8th Grade Perspective Collaboration
Opposite Page: Bottom left: “The Staircase” by Leili Singer ’26; Bottom right: Kai Wen ’22
During remote learning, students explored the properties and principles of 2-point perspective to create their own individual “cube” in space, with details about Brimmer that hold significance to them. Everything from the gym roof to architectural details of the Hasting Center were included within the students’ designs. Each drawing was then composited into one large piece representing both Brimmer and the Class of 2024.
This Page: Top Left: Jayden Okorougo ’22; Middle Left: Lily Goodman ’22; Bottom Left: Katherine Knox ’26 Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
47
GETTING CREATIVE
Upper School Drawing Class
For their first remote learning project this past spring, students addressed the concepts of 1-point perspective, compositional balance, and light and shadow. They used a variety of pencils to add various values to their work.
48
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
coffee house live & remote
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
49
GETTING CREATIVE
Coffee House Goes Virtual!
Brimmer students showcased their talents live in January before moving the beloved event online in the spring
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Annual Report 2019–2020
Brimmer students participate in community and team building exercises with Project Adventure Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
51
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Message from the Head of School & the Chair of the Board of Trustees students took the initiative to consider what the world will look like in 2050 and what they might do about it; all grades learned and experimented with the augmented reality sand table in the Design Lab; there was excitement on the court as fourth and fifth graders competed interscholastically in basketball; insect robots and Mindstorm rovers roamed through Grade 3 and Grade 5; and Kindergarten students explored endangered animals and Earth’s unique land and water forms.
A
s we begin the 2020-2021 school year, things look different at our historic campus due to health and safety protocols, universal mask wearing, and smaller class sizes. What has not changed is the excitement and focus of our students and teachers as they come together to learn and grow. Unlike previous summers where there was time for reflection on the year just ended, this summer our Administrative Team immediately transitioned into preparations for the fall and its complexities. We are energized by these efforts, including weekly Administrative Team meetings, an expanded commitment to professional growth in both diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) matters as well as hybrid teacher trainings, and the work of committees including leadership from various members of our Board of Trustees. Some highlights of the 2019-2020 school year in the Upper School include: another outstanding year for college placement; an impactful Bissell Grogan Symposium on Environmental Stewardship and Impact featuring keynote speaker Jake Auchincloss, Newton City Council; several varsity team championships, including Varsity Boys Soccer winning the MBIL Championship; the Gator Robotics team reaching the
52
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
quarterfinals at their regional competition; the Class of 2020 graduating in a slightly different way due to the pandemic; several students traveling with faculty to the NAIS People of Color Conference; and Neuroscience students creating and modeling their own Brain Hats that identified different regions in the brain. In the Middle School, Carl Vallely, Middle School Head, along with some faculty continued work they began in Greece in the summer of 2019 with Anatolia College. This partnership connects students and faculty for curriculum building and collaboration as we continue our focus on global relationships. The Middle Schoolers committed another year of Community Service with frequent visits to the Boston Food Bank. In the science classrooms, students used Bridge Designer software to test and optimize bridge models before construction, and in the arts students were highlighted in May Chorale, Middle School Band, and onstage in Women Who Weave. All throughout the year, including in the winter months, students harvested lettuce and more from our indoor Tower Gardens. In the Lower School, our faculty launched several new programs. For example, inspired by Youth Climate Summit, Grade 5
As we look forward to the year to come, we wish to thank all members of our community—faculty and staff, parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, friends and Trustees—for the extraordinary generosity and incredible support that continues to make Brimmer a place for students to learn and thrive. During this past fiscal year alone, more than $2.4 million was donated to Brimmer through Annual Fund gifts, Playground Fund donations, payments on Realizing the Vision campaign pledges, and new capital and major gifts. In addition, Brimmer was able to raise a special Brimmer Community Fund, which enabled the School to provide specific aid to families who were particularly impacted by the pandemic. The Annual Fund exceeded its goal of $850,000, raising over $975,000! We are confident that our community will rise to the challenge again this school year to reach our Annual Fund goal of $900,000. The goals we set for Brimmer in our recent “Call to Action: Disrupting Inequities and Institutional Racism” are ambitious. We have redesigned the DEI Task Force under Director of Equity and Inclusion Jessica Christian’s leadership in order to meet the needs of all three divisions of the School. We are excited for the work ahead as we delve deeply into the systemic racism our country and community faces and look for solutions to this problem. In addition, our recently published Strategic
As you know, Brimmer has a rich history as
a PK-Grade 12 school and we expect this year to be a continuation of reinforcing our guiding principles: creating lifelong learners who are inspired to learn, encouraged to explore, and empowered to lead. We are aware that the continued excellence of fulfilling Brimmer’s mission is a direct result of the generosity of all of our donors— past, present, and future. Thank you for your continued confidence in our programming and commitment to
providing a strong, healthy school today and for future Brimmer students.
Judith Guild Head of School
David P. Kreisler President, Board of Trustees
Message from the Chair of the Development Committee
L
ast year’s School theme, Responsible Leadership and Student Voice, reinforced Brimmer’s commitment to its mission to educate our students PK-Grade 12 through opportunities in the classroom, on the field, onstage, and in our global community. Our faculty was purposeful in teaching students how to find and use their voice in individual and collaborative settings. The closing few months of the academic year took an unexpected turn globally with COVID-19, requiring us to move to a remote teaching and learning environment. Our faculty and students pivoted quickly to design a creative, stimulating learning experience for all of our students. The pandemic also brought out student voice and responsible leadership in helping those in need within our community.
The School created a special fund within the Annual Fund called the Brimmer Community Fund. With all the fundraising efforts throughout the year and the challenges of living in a new normal, I am proud to report that we had an overwhelming response from the entire Brimmer and May community for the 2019-2020 Annual Fund. With the success of surpassing our goal, we were once again able to ensure continued excellence for today’s students, provide our teachers with educational materials, fund professional development, fund financial aid, support the arts and athletics, and maintain a first-rate physical plant for teaching and learning. As a Board member and proud alumna of the School, it is an honor for me to oversee the fundraising initiatives for Brimmer. I am thrilled with the results and proud of the community effort to support the School. Your dedication to contributing to the Annual Fund this past year is key to the financial health of the School and demonstrates your dedication to the Brimmer community of which we are all an important part. The record of support is extremely important, too, as we reach out to foundations, which look for strength in the percentage of parent and alumni support. As the cost of independent school continues to climb, your contribution bridges the gap in the operating budget; helps us attract and retain the best faculty; keeps our classrooms equipped with the most up-to-date technology; ensures that all
students have a well-rounded program in the academics, arts, and athletics; and attracts a strong and diverse community of educators and learners. The Development Committee and I would like to extend our sincere thanks to our dedicated parent volunteer team, particularly 2019-2020 Annual Fund Parent Chairs Cindy and Paul Gamble P ’23, ’24 and our Leadership team of Sara and Panos Demeter P ’24, ’27; Howard Leeder P ’15, ’20; and Katie and Joe Terino P ’24, ’29. This leadership group and several additional parent volunteers along with alumni, alumni parents, and grandparent volunteers helped us surpass our goal of $850,000, raising over $975,000. Thank you so much. On behalf of our students, faculty and staff, and the Board of Trustees, I am deeply appreciative for all the contributions and volunteer efforts that make this School thrive and allowed us to once again surpass the Annual Fund goal for 2019-2020. Sincerely,
Kenyon Bissell Grogan ’76 Trustee, Chair of the Development Committee
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
53
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Priorities 2020 and Beyond presents several challenges to the Brimmer community at large. In response to parts of this strategic plan, we opened this fall with a new Lower School Playground and Outdoor Learning Space where students can explore, play, and learn. This would not have been possible without the support of several committed donors.
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
annual
giving report
july 1, 2019–june 30, 2020
Annual Fund Unrestricted
$900,485
Named, Restricted, and Scholarship Funds For Athletics, Birthday Books, Brimmer Community Fund, Creative Arts, Financial Aid, and other Restricted Current Use Funds
Special Funds
$1,471,658
Playground Fund, Realizing the Vision (RTV) Payments, Other Endowments, and Other Capital and Major Gifts
2019-2020 Total Annual Fund Raised: $975,114 6 4, $7
2019-2020 Total Raised for Annual Fund, Endowments, and Special Funds Giving: $2,446,772
29
thank you
Brimmer and May maintains its high standards of excellence in large part because of the extraordinary generosity from the many individuals and organizations noted in the Annual Report. We are most grateful for your continued support. Giving circles reflect all gifts to the School made between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. Heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers who helped make phone calls and write notes on behalf of the 2019-2020 Annual Fund. Your time, effort, and enthusiasm helped us significantly surpass our Annual Fund goal, especially during the unexpected pandemic. This would not have been possible without your support.
Annual Fund
UNRESTRICTED, NAMED, RESTRICTED, AND SCHOLARSHIP
Athletics, Birthday Books, Brimmer Community Fund, Creative Arts, Financial Aid, General Restricted, STEAM, Albert Borkin, Nancy Drourr, Mary Jane Hoey, Barbara Shoolman, Al Simms, and Ruth Whalen.
Endowments and Special Funds
PLAYGROUND FUND, RTV PAYMENTS, MAJOR GIFTS, AND BEQUESTS
For a complete list of named endowments, please contact the Development Office.
Participation Board of Trustees: 100% Faculty & Staff: 100%
54
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Current Parents: 68% Alumni: 9%
100%
BOARD,
FACULTY & STAFF SUPPORT THE ANNUAL FUND
world language program (PK-12)
SCHOLAR SOCIETY DIPLOMA
PROGRAMS
80%
STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO
48 donors GAVE
$10,000
OR MORE TO BRIMMER IN FY ’20
OF FACULTY
HOLD ADVANCED DEGREES
Priceless
COURSES OFFERED
GRADES OFFERING
UPPER SCHOOL
3
(PK-12)
14
6:1 AND
17
AP
GRADES OFFERING A
100%
OF STUDENTS ARE
INVOLVED IN SCHOOL-SPONSORED COMMUNITY SERVICE
GIVING TO BRIMMER AND MAY AND SEEING HOW YOUR GIFT IMPACTS EVERYONE! Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
55
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
14 globally focused curriculum
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
thank you
to all of our dedicated and supportive donors!
All constituents are listed here by society, and current parents are also listed by class.
Giving Circles
The Head’s Circle ($25,000 + )
Anonymous Jeff and Jody Black Michael and Maureen Champa Robert Lloyd Corkin Charitable Foundation Marjorie Corkin Kaplan ’65 Janice Corkin Rudolf ’66 Cornelia Cook ’84 Walter and Sarah Donovan John and Suzzara Durocher Carrie Farmer ’70 Jennifer Mugar Flaherty ’88 John Greene Jonathan Grenzke and Elizabeth Kensinger Yongkuan Hao and Bao Hong Zhao Mark and Lisa Hastings Caroline Levine Jixi Li and Hailing Sun Gad Liwerant and Rebeca Zichlin Jim and Jane Orr Eric and Laurie Slifka Garth Smith and Susan Kirwan David and Tatyana Souza
The Chase Circle ($10,000 + )
Anonymous Ernest Boch, Jr. Tom and Joan Feeley Sean and Anne Gavin Jeff and Kennie Grogan Emily C. Hood Fund Wyss-Jaramillo Family Gajen and Elisabeth Kandiah Bernie and Faith Kaplan David and Stephanie Kessler Thomas and Kristin Knox David Kreisler and Gwyn Williams Howard and Carla Leeder Richard and Jennifer Mynahan The Nichols Trust Parents’ Association of Brimmer and May Pam and Steve Rosenberg Derrick Rossi and Nina Korsisaari Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Kate and Raleigh Shoemaker, Jr. Charitable Fund Robert and Sara Spalding
56
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Joe and Katie Terino Jeff and Chrissy Teschke Cynthia Brown Thaxter ’64 Daniel Waintrup and Linda Shapiro Waintrup ’72 Jeffrey and Marla Wolk Liwei Zhao and Wen Chen
The Cummings Circle ($5,000 + )
Charles Altschul Baokun Bai and Ke Liu Alain and Jessica Bourgeois Eleanor Bright ’74 Suzanne Del Vecchio ’60 Panos and Sara Demeter Stephen and Elizabeth Foley Paul and Cindy Gamble Lang and Irina Gerhard Kristen Gillis Bill and Judy Guild Todd and Liz Hammer Christopher and Nicole Hurst Farouc Jaffer and Kathy Economy Qi Jiang Nathalie Boileau and Ramin Khorasani Alexander and Jennifer Kozhemiakin Yizhen Li Robert and Helen Lockhart Peter and Cheryl Marconi Jordan and Evonne Meranus Michael and Maya Mindlin Samuel Pang and Andrew Pang Danny Pi and Jenny Chan Dong Qiang and Ya Wen Geng Allison Foote Reif Leonard Rosen Michael Singer and Baharak Asefzadeh James and Liza Tague Eliot and June Tatelman The Hawk Foundation Chu Wang and Haijing Deng Guichao Wen and Guiping Liu Jiguo Xing and Fei Zhu David Young and Michelle Mayer Qin Zhu and Yong Cao
The May Circle ($2,500 + )
Raja Elie Abdulnour and Julie Nijmeh Gareth and Lisa Amaya Price Shakil Aslam and Erica Gonella Hussam and Arghavan Batal Steven and Michelle Bearak Chris and Jessica Chou Dennis Dean and Carla Molina-Dean Charlotte Dixon Kevin Johnson and Linda Lynch Joy Kaplan and Becky Brooker Rusty and Betsy Kellogg Mark Landis and Mary Singleton John Lewis and Suzanne Sheirr Jack and Alexandra Lull Hilary Malone James and Monica Mammano Mike and Sue Masterson Blaine and Krista McKee Ben and Tonya Mezrich Art and Nicole Papas Adrian Priesol and Nurhan Torun Chenyi and Lei Qian Eden and Lauren Siff Deon and Peggy Stander Joshua and Tanja Tatelman Xufeng Tian and Weiwei Cui
The McCoy Circle ($1,000 + )
Micah and Rebecca Adler Paul and Veronica Apen Matthew Berlin and Simone Liebman Paul Bernon Damian and Cigdem Betebenner Carson Biederman and Susan MacPherson Mollye Lichter Block ’66 Alexander Bourgeois and Emily Anesta The Bower Family Charitable Fund Andrew Brzezinski and Ashley Tarokh Elizabeth Cleveland ’71 Carol Rohl and Amy Coe Carol Tesone Croffy ’67 Andres Estrada and Sarah Brooks Patrick and Janet Eastwood Henry and Niki Fayne The Feaster Family John Fitzgerald and Peggy St. Clair Kevin and Carla Fitzgerald Amanda Spooner Frank ’88
The Middlesex Circle ($500 + )
Pascal and Irina Aguirre Barry and Susan Ahearn John and Betsy Allen William Allen and Marianne Lindahl-Allen Anonymous Vicky Ann Thoma Barrette ’61 Andrew and Sarah Bishins David and Byrna Bornstein Bob and Julie Brayboy Peter and Robin Cheung Bem and Victoria Claiborne Teresa Cochran English ’64 Jim and Renee Coughlin
Rob and Pam Cutler Julie Eilber Brian and Susan Enyeart Emmanuel and Karine Ernest Kelami and Didem Ertan Daniel and Erica Esrick Julia Feinstein ’00 Esther Feldberg Steven and Josie Foote Kristine Forgit Gail Gabriel ’71 and Donald Kaiser James Gammill and Susan Alexander Peter and Wendy Gordon Lei Han and Tieying Yu Neal and Susan Heffron Lyrae Johnson ’80 Eric Kamen and Cynthia Bell Eileen Kiley Eduwardo and Rosemelia Kirikihira Chappell and Elizabeth Lawson Lorenzo and Nelida Lepore Joseph Levinger and Elizabeth Murphy
’’
Stanley Szwartz and Jacqueline Washburn Jukka and Suzanne Westhues Joanne Seale Wilson Wen Hui Zhu
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Peter Gamble Michael and Meghan Garcia-Webb Harry Glorikian and Katrina Menzigian Liam Patrick and Tricia Glynn Ilan and Alexandra Goldberg Vicki Graboys Leslie Stimmel Guggiari ’73 Elisabeth Schneider Hall ’55 Laurie Hall Jason and Julia Hamilton Allan Heff and Francine Laden John Hernandez Jeff Hesselbein and Amy Bland Justin and Natacha Hupp Heidrun Jacobi Charles P. Jones Robert Kass and Shayne Gilbert Christian Klacko and Sandra Vrejan Aaron and Lauren Lapat Mark and Ines Merolli David and Heather Myers David Pellman and Margaret McLaughlin Jim and Cathy Rafferty Nancy Starr Raphael ’53 Daniel and Melanie Rudoy David and Sharin Russell Richard P. and Esther Salinsky Fund Stephen and Darlene Sallan Rod and Elizabeth Smith John D. Spooner Alexander and Caroline Stangle Helen Sulkowski Christopher Suraci and Laura Suraci John and Melinda Tarbox Jay and Lainie Wagner Monte Wallace and Anne Wallace ’48 Chuan Wang and Minghua Gu Limin Wen and Guiling Su Bob Whalen Hubert and Keri Wong Simon Wong and Wincy Fong John and Judie Wyman Haibo Zhang and Yanfang Jin
The Green and White Circle ($100 + ) Cassie Abodeely Denge and Megan Agola Sita Alomran ’19 William and Sally Arnold Angela Baggett Hirut Balcha and Dereje Balcha Aliaa Barakat Elizabeth Baud ’49 Brian and Shannon Beale Virginia Beech Kenneth and Carol Bello ’74 Merithew Hills Benington ’48 Josh and Amy Berman Jane Bestor Jason Bock and Miriam Gates
As expected, Brimmer rose to the occasion in what can only be called a challenging time for everyone. While other schools grappled with how they could respond to Covid-19, Brimmer put a plan of action in place that allowed our daughter to receive her diploma and much more. It should come as no surprise that Brimmer was able to accomplish what others could not. Their commitment to their students never waivers, and we will continue to support Brimmer’s Annual Fund as it is crucial to the well-being of our school. Susan and Barry Ahearn, P ’20
Rossanna Lizama-Soto Holly Malin-Murray ’91 Scott McIsaac and Suzanne Durrell Ammar and Barrie Naji Jason Park and Cindy Na Jennifer Perry Potter ’81 Garrett and Ludy Shih Anna Shine
Moli Luo and Michelle Borkin ’02 Sheera Bornstein ’03 Nancy and Peter Bradley Tom and Patty Bray Andrea Brayboy ’99 Robert Brayboy ’98 Maxwell and Jeannie Brenner
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
57
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Rochelle Burgos Robert and Pat Cantin Daniel and Britt Cavalletto Barbara Chandler ’65 Charles Cherney and Candace Bott Patsy Cherney Victor Chin and Stella Lee Charles and Carol Cissell David Conklin and Regina O’Neill Marguerite Cooper ’45 Susan Feldman Copeland ’58 Diana Clark Crookes ’65 Nicholas Cross and Kelly Lindert Susan Cuyler Nicole DeCesare Harold Dennis and Elizabeth Gerlach Steven and Heather DePaola Shirley-Ann DePeiza Gail Devlin Moradi ’64 Megan and Daniel Dolan Aurilus Durand and Jermain Joseph Thomas and Judith Easton Julie Eaton Ernst ’05 Holly Eaton ’09 Marilyn W. Edgerton Susan A. Edwards Tom Engellenner and Carol Stolberg Ken and Patience Epstein Leslie Fallon ’66 Paul C. Fay Miroslava Fitkova Raymond W. Forgit Frances Fremont-Smith ’75 Thomas and Beth Fuller Patrick Gallagher and Eliza Truscott Gallagher ’10 William and Janette Gartner Nina Giambro ’80 Hans and Leonie Gieskes Barbara Glazerman ’55 Constance Abramson Golden ’61 Tibebe Goshime and Felege Rahel Doreen Davis Gove ’45 John Green and Sue Green Sara Green Mary Ellen Grossman ’65 Michael Hastings ’18 David Heller Richard and Marcy Hirschen Steven Hoffman and Michelle Hoffman Mark Howland Sam and Amanda Hsiao Constance Huebner ’50 Brian Hurley and Christine Cignoli Joseph and Jill Iuliano Yuhong Jia and Lingsheng Dong Dale and Jeannette Kensinger Stephen and Oie Kistner
58
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Kazumi Kobayashi Stephanie Kosmo ’73 Cooper Kream ’17 Jeremy and Reedy Kream Meenakshi Kumar Sung Jong Kwak and Younsoo Kim Jeffrey Lahens and Charmain Jackman Phillip Lane and Sharifah Niles-Lane Matthew Lebowitz ’10 Nancy Lemcke ’50 Erica Ivers Lopez ’65 Craig and Dorothy Mael David Mahlowitz and Jessica Harkiewicz John Maynard David and Phyllis McDermott Courtney McGillicuddy ’89 Avalon and Nicole McLaren Michael and Geralyn McLaughlin Sheila Meek ’53 Beth Meister Alan and Natalie Miller Emily Miller Vance and Dananai Morgan Kenneth and Karen Munkacy Scott and Ying Murdoch Joshua Neudel Mary Olian ’70 Michael Onderdonk and Roslyn Pedlar Cecelia and Davis Pan Joseph and Melissa Panto Susan Peirce ’53 John and Erin Pels Diana Luce Plunkett ’62 Patty Poulin Carl Rapisarda-Vallely and Patrick Vallely Eric and Anne Reenstierna Richard and Rosamond Reiber William and Olivia Dyer Reyelt ’90 Catherine Spinale Rieger ’58 Barry and Audrey Robbins Martin Roura and Veronica Picon Stephen and Sara Scolnick Robert Seaver and Tracey Bolotnick Steven and Feby Sesar Edward and Oksana Shapiro Bill and Cynthia Sibold Sandra Siler Linda C. Smart ’75 Star Market Stop and Shop William Stork Theodore and Yuri Sung Hank and June Szretter Kate Thurmond Souren Tourian and Leila Prelec Solomon Tsegai and Stella Rupia Christopher and Elizabeth Walsh George Washko and Diana Gallagher
Josephine Wechsler ’54 Abraham and Mahlet Woldeselassie Prentice Zinn and Gabrielle Cobbs
Friends
Simon Acevedo ’16 Butti AlMheiri and Iman AlSuwaidi Amazon Smile Luca Antonucci Nikki Atkins Suzy Balles Ted Barker-Hook Josephine Barron ’80 Danielle Bartone Andrew Beal Barry and Susan Benjamin Bill Bonaparte Nia Boutwell Paul Brauchle Dianne Leavitt Brooks ’69 Barbara Carey Gloria Cassey Joseph and Phyllis Chartor Jessica Christian and Josh Weinger Bill Chun and Sarah Crane Adam Cissell and April Nelson Joanne and Marc Clamage Chloe Cochener ’19 Deisy Coronel Parker Curtis David Cutler ’02 Brian Diescher and Alyssa Kazin Steve Doldt Helen Du Craig and Juliet Eastland Justin Ernest ’09 Beth Escobar Melany Ferrimy Ali Fisher ’12 Ellen Foley Matt Gallon Cathy Gardner Jeff and Mary Gates Wendy Thorsen Gifford ’53 Michael and Elizabeth Girioni Jennifer Glazer Stephanie Golas Mirna Goldberger Kyla Graves Joan Greer ’62 Chris Hardman Emma Hastings ’19 Matthew Hastings ’18 Margery E. Heins ’68 Hali Hellmuth Linda Hiller ’64 Lindsay Horbatuck Rupa Houndegla
Tom Schmottlach Michael Sconce Helen Selle ’76 Corley Sims Peter Slaski and Ann-Marie Holland Eric Smith ’99 Kenley Smith Sarah Smith ’17 Eric Snyder and Maria Milekic Larry Stahley Lisa Summergrad Janet Sweezey Steeve and Marie Texas Gretchen Thompson ’54 Willa Grant Trevens ’58 Madeline Snow Typadis ’71 Matt Vaughan Jiajia Wang Neal Waters Jody Weinberg Elizabeth T. Wicks ’62 Hubert and Evandra Williams Sarah Wyllie Rachel Zeig-Owens ’00 Melanie Zibit ’66
Young Alumni 2004–2019 Gator Club
Simon Acevedo ’16 Sita Alomran ’19 Chloe Cochener ’19 Holly Eaton ’09 Justin Ernest ’09 Julie Eaton Ernst ’05 Ali Fisher ’12 Eliza Truscott Gallagher ’10 Emma Hastings ’19 Matthew Hastings ’18 Michael Hastings ’18 Andrew Kassis ’15 Cooper Kream ’17 Matthew Lebowitz ’10 Michelle Levinger ’19 Kentaro Marchionni ’08 Ju’Quan Mills ’17 Sarah Smith ’17
Board of Trustees 2019–2020
David Kreisler, Chairman, P ’17, ’19, ’23 Suzzara Durocher, Co-Vice Chairman, P ’18, ’21 John R. Fitzgerald, Co-Vice Chairman, P ’07 John R. Allen, III, Clerk, P ’12 Lisa R. Hastings, Treasurer, P ’18, ’18, ’19
Judith S. Guild, Head of School Johanna Black P ’14, ’19 Eleanor Hoey Bright ’74 Ulrik Christensen P ’18, ’23 Carol Tesone Croffy ’67 Karine Ernest P ’09, ’14, ’19 Gail S. Gabriel ’71 P ’05 Kenyon Bissell Grogan ’76 Leslie Stimmel Guggiari ’73 Gajen Kandiah P ’23 Bernard E. Kaplan P ’05, ’07 Thomas Knox P ’26, ’28, ’32 Howard Leeder P ’15, ’20 Richard Mynahan P ’19 Regina O’Neill P ’12, ’19 Derrick Rossi P ’24, ’26, ’28 W. Garth Smith P ’25, ’27 Linda S. Waintrup ’72 P ’02, ’06
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Kristen Howard and Ivy Krull Tiesha Hughes Anya Huston Stephanie Brown Iannone ’97 Jonathan Irick and Claudia Araujo Anne Price Iverson ’61 Bill and Kerry Jacob Julie Johnson ’90 Andrew Kassis ’15 Sami and Jacqueline Kassis Gemma Kevaney Christian Kiley Deborah King ’72 Myra Korin Scott Koven Scott and Eden Kriss Jen Kunkel Michael Langlois Elizabeth Leahy Kathryn and Brian Lee Michelle Levinger ’19 Jaime Lin Marie Lindahl Mary Cooper Little ’59 Emily Luckett Paulina MacNeil Nicholas Malakhow Anonymous Kentaro Marchionni ’08 Bonney Mastaby Dana Mathews Alexandre J. Maximilien ’01 McCormick & Priore, P.C. Koreen McQuilton Ju’Quan Mills ’17 Nicole Morin Ashley Mosley Paul and Sara Murray Geraldine and Alfred Nadaff Mallorie Nai Kelly Neely Tom Nelson Liz O’Leary Deborah O’Malley Angela Park Cindy Pendergast Gus Polstein Dante Poole and Sherrell Pierre Rachael Rabinovitz Donald Reese Brent Ridge and Patricia MacKenzie Janeata Robinson Craig Roman Claudia Romero Nicole Rudolph Rafael Salazar-Zapata Diana Scharrer Caroline Scheibe
Board of Visitors Michelle Borkin’ 02 Byrna Bornstein Julie Brayboy Robert Brayboy, III Robert Brayboy, IV ’98 Pam Cutler Julie Eaton Ernst ’05 Sally A. Eaton Marilyn Edgerton Carrie W. Farmer ’70 Paul C. Fay Jennifer Mugar Flaherty ’88 Shayne Gilbert Wendy A. Gordon Victoria Baker Grayboys Mary Ellen Grossman ’65 Laurie Hall David Heller Mark Howland Eileen Kiley Lauren Lapat Carla Leeder Nancy B. Lemcke ’50 David McDermott Susan Peirce ’53 Jim and Cathy Rafferty Leonard A. Rosen Cynthia Sibold Garth Smith and Susan Kirwan Kathy Taylor Robert Whalen Sara G. Withington ’55 Helen Wright Nancy Venti Yonge
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
59
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Parents by Class Class of 2020 - 68%
Barry and Susan Ahearn Heiam Alsawalhi Matthew Berlin and Simone Liebman Rochelle Burgos Michael and Maureen Champa Charles Cherney and Candace Bott Brian Diescher and Alyssa Kazin Aurilus Durand and Jermain Joseph Julie Eilber Andres Estrada and Sarah Brooks Stephen and Elizabeth Foley Yongkuan Hao and Bao Hong Zhao Eric Kamen and Cynthia Bell Nathalie Boileau and Ramin Khorasani Howard and Carla Leeder Jixi Li and Hailing Sun James and Monica Mammano Peter and Cheryl Marconi Mike and Sue Masterson Jordan and Evonne Meranus Kenneth and Karen Munkacy Deon and Peggy Stander Chu Wang and Haijing Deng Guichao Wen and Guiping Liu Jukka and Suzanne Westhues Hubert and Keri Wong Liwei Zhao and Wen Cheng
Class of 2021 - 53% Ernest Boch, Jr. Peter and Robin Cheung Bem and Victoria Claiborne John and Suzzara Durocher Kristine Forgit Kristen Gillis Jason and Julia Hamilton Rupa Houndegla Joy Kaplan and Becky Brooker Christian Klacko and Sandra Vrejan Robert and Helen Lockhart Avalon and Nicole McLaren Christopher Suraci and Laura Suraci Souren Tourian and Leila Prelec Limin Wen and Guiling Su Kelah Worrell Qin Zhu and Yong Cao
Heidrun Jacobi Kevin Johnson and Linda Lynch Meenakshi Kumar Gad Liwerant and Rebecca Zichlin Rossanna Lizama-Soto Hilary Malone John Maynard Michael and Geralyn McLaughlin Jason Park and Cindy Na David Pellman and Margaret McLaughlin Martin Roura and Veronica Picon Steven and Feby Sesar Jeff and Chrissy Teschke Guichao Wen and Guiping Liu
’’
The most important value of a teacher is not the wealth of knowledge, but the ability to transfer the knowledge and inspire. Brimmer teachers know how to educate and inspire students to learn and grow. They are committed to each and every student while teaching the core values of respect, responsibility, kindness, honesty, and equity. The Brimmer experience for my children is transformative even during the pandemic when creative measures to educate remotely had to be implemented. All of this would not be possible without a strong Annual Fund and it is why I volunteer my time on the Annual Fund Parent Volunteer team.
Class of 2022 - 63% Mosa and Laila Alomran Gareth and Lisa Amaya Price Andrew and Sarah Bishins Rochelle Burgos Kevin and Carla Fitzgerald Amanda Spooner Frank ’88 William and Janette Gartner Tibebe Goshime and Felege Rahel
60
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Paul and Cindy Gamble Harry Glorikian and Katrina Menzigian Todd and Liz Hammer Neal and Susan Heffron Richard and Marcy Hirschen Samuel and Amanda Hsiao Farouc Jaffer and Kathy Economy Gajen and Elisabeth Kandiah Robert Kass and Shayne Gilbert Alexander and Jennifer Kozhemiakin Robert and Helen Lockhart Jack and Alexandra Lull Paul and Sara Murray Ammar and Barrie Naji Art and Nicole Papas Dong Qiang and Ya Wen Geng William and Olivia Dyer Reyelt ’90
Abraham Woldeselassie and Mahlet Gessese, P’ 30, ’32
Class of 2023 - 55%
Ulrik Christensen and Christina Ellervik Bill Chun and Sarah Crane Deisy Coronel Nicholas Cross and Kelly Lindert
James and Liza Tague Jukka and Suzanne Westhues David Young and Michelle Mayer Prentice Zinn and Gabrielle Cobbs
Angela Baggett Bem and Victoria Claiborne Panos and Sara Demeter Paul and Cindy Gamble Allan Heff and Francine Laden Ed Jaramillo and Amy Wyss Eduwardo and Rosemelia Kirikihira Yizhen Li Anson and Sandra Mancebo David and Heather Myers Dante Poole and Sherrell Pierre Chenyi and Lei Qian Alison Foote Reif Derrick Rossi and Nina Korsisaari Joe and Katie Terino Xufeng Tian and Weiwei Cui Jiguo Xing and Fei Zhu Haibo Zhang and Yanfang Jin
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Class of 2024 - 64%
Garrett and Ludy Shih Anna Shine Raleigh and Kate Shoemaker Michael Singer and Baharak Asefzadeh David and Tatyana Souza John and Melinda Tarbox Jeff and Chrissy Teschke Solomon Tsegai and Stella Rupia Chuan Wang and Minghua Gu
Sung Jong Kwak and Younsoo Kim Jeffrey Lahens and Charmain Jackman Class of 2025 - 77% Mark Landis and Mary Singleton Raja Elie Abdulnour and Julie Nijmeh Ben and Tonya Mezrich Charles Altschul Danny Pi and Jenny Chan Paul and Veronica Apen Adrian Priesol and Nurhan Torun Shakil Aslam and Erica Gonella Derrick Rossi and Nina Korsisaari Baokun Bai and Ke Liu Michael Singer and Baharak Asefzadeh Ashley Bernon Eric Snyder and Maria Milekic Paul Bernon Robert and Sara Spalding Steven and Heather DePaola Class of 2027 - 79% Steeve and Marie Texas Charlotte Dixon Micah and Rebecca Adler George Washko and Diana Gallagher Sean and Anne Gavin Shakil Aslam and Erica Gonella Jeffrey and Marla Wolk Lang and Irina Gerhard Alexander Bourgeois and Emily Anesta Christopher and Nicole Hurst Amy Coe and Carol Rohl Class of 2029 - 79% Qi Jiang Panos and Sara Demeter Raja Elie Abdulnour and Julie Nijmeh Alexander and Jennifer Kozhemiakin Craig and Juliet Eastland Denge and Megan Agola John Lewis and Suzanne Sheirr Daniel and Erica Esrick William Allen and Marianne Lindahl-Allen Jack and Alexandra Lull Ilan and Alexandra Goldberg Gareth and Lisa Amaya Price Joseph and Melissa Panto Sam and Amanda Hsiao Hussam and Arghavan Batal Eden and Lauren Siff Brian Hurley and Christine Cignoli Andrew Brzezinski and Ashley Tarokh Garth Smith and Susan Kirwan Yuhong Jia and Lingsheng Dong Chris and Jessica Chou Jay and Lainie Wagner Alexander and Jennifer Kozhemiakin Daniel and Erica Esrick Christopher and Elizabeth Walsh Chappell and Elizabeth Lawson Phillip Lane and Sharifah Niles-Lane George Washko and Diana Gallagher Samuel Pang and Andrew Pang Blaine and Krista McKee Hubert and Evandra Williams Danny Pi and Jenny Chan Brent Ridge and Patricia MacKenzie Renata Zaniratto Pam and Steve Rosenberg Eden and Lauren Siff Garth Smith and Susan Kirwan Joe and Katie Terino Class of 2026 - 69% Alexander and Caroline Stangle Hubert and Evandra Williams Pascal and Irina Aguirre Joshua and Tanja Tatelman Rachel Wolf-Heyman and Jeffrey Heyman Aliaa Barakat Carson Biederman and Susan MacPherson Class of 2028 - 80% Class of 2030 - 85% Andrew Brzezinski and Ashley Tarokh Steven and Michelle Bearak Butti AlMheiri and Iman AlSuwaidi William and Janette Gartner Ashley Bernon Hussam and Arghavan Batal Jeff Hesselbein and Amy Bland Paul Bernon Carson Biederman and Susan MacPherson Rupa Houndegla Carson Biederman and Susan MacPherson Amy Coe and Carol Rohl Jonathan Irick and Claudia Araujo Kelami and Didem Ertan Brian and Susan Enyeart Thomas and Kristin Knox The Feaster Family Sara Green Scott and Eden Kriss Jeff Hesselbein and Amy Bland Lei Han and Tieying Yu Derrick Rossi and Nina Korsisaari Thomas and Kristin Knox Ben and Tonya Mezrich Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
61
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Edward and Oksana Shapiro Deon and Peggy Stander Abraham and Mahlet Woldeselassie Class of 2031 - 76% Josh and Amy Berman Damian and Cigdem Betebenner Alexander Bourgeois and Emily Anesta Walter and Sarah Donovan Michael and Meghan Garcia-Webb Ilan and Alexandra Goldberg Jonathan Grenzke and Elizabeth Kensinger Jeffrey Lahens and Charmain Jackman Dana Mathews Blaine and Krista McKee Mark and Ines Merolli Vance and Dananai Morgan Daniel and Melanie Rudoy
62
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Class of 2032 - 67%
William Allen and Marianne Lindahl-Allen Hussam and Arghavan Batal Adam Cissell and April Nelson Miroslava Fitkova Jeff Hesselbein and Amy Bland Thomas and Kristin Knox Kathryn and Brian Lee Solomon Tsegai and Stella Rupia Abraham and Mahlet Woldeselassie Rachel Wolf-Heyman and Jeffrey Heyman Class of 2033 - 75% Chris and Jessica Chou Miroslava Fitkova Justin and Natacha Hupp David and Stephanie Kessler David Mahlowitz and Jessica Harkiewicz Michael and Maya Mindlin Scott and Ying Murdoch John and Erin Pels Simon Wong and Wincy Fong
Alumni Simon Acevedo ’16 Sita Alomran ’19 Elizabeth Baud ’49 Vicky Ann Thoma Barrette ’61 Carol Bello ’74 Merithew Hills Benington ’48 Mollye Lichter Block ’66 Michelle Borkin ’02 Sheera Bornstein ’03 Andrea Brayboy ’99 Robert Brayboy ’98 Eleanor Hoey Bright ’74 Dianne Leavitt Brooks ’69 Barbara Chandler ’65 Elizabeth Cleveland ’71 Chloe Cochener ’19 Cornelia Cook ’84 Marguerite Cooper ’45 Susan Feldman Copeland ’58 Carol Tesone Croffy ’67 Diana Clark Crookes ’65 David Cutler ’02 Suzanne Del Vecchio ’60 Holly Eaton ’09 Teresa Cochran English ’64 Justin Ernest ’09 Julie Eaton Ernst ’05 Leslie Fallon ’66 Carrie Farmer ’70 Julia Feinstein ’00 Ali Fisher ’12 Jennifer Mugar Flaherty ’88 Amanda Spooner Frank ’88 Frances Fremont-Smith ’75 Gail Gabriel ’71 Eliza Truscott Gallagher ’10 Nina Giambro ’80 Wendy Thorsen Gifford ’53 Barbara Glazerman ’55 Constance Abramson Golden ’61 Doreen Davis Gove ’45 Joan Greer ’62 Kenyon Bissell Grogan ’76 Mary Ellen Grossman ’65 Leslie Stimmel Guggiari ’73 Elisabeth Schneider Hall ’55 Michael Hastings ’18 Matthew Hastings ’18 Emma Hastings ’19 Margery E. Heins ’68 Linda Hiller ’64
Grandparents Alain and Jessica Bourgeois Juliana Bourgeois ’31 Margueritte Bourgeois ’27 The Bower Family Charitable Fund Libby Foley ’20 Patsy Cherney Camille Cherney ’20 Charles and Carol Cissell
Owen Cissell ’32 Henry and Niki Fayne Elliot Fayne ’30 The Feaster Family Jaedin Feaster ’28 Tom and Joan Feeley Madeleine Pogoda ’25 Steven and Josie Foote Connor Reif ’19 Tyler Reif ’24 Raymond W. Forgit Ana Forgit ’21 Peter Gamble Paige Gamble ’24 Brian Gamble ’23 John Green and Sue Green Elliot Fayne ’30 Jack Hernandez Tesa Ehlers ’31 Rachel Ehlers ’27 Henrik Ehlers ’23 Dale and Jeannette Kensinger Juliet Grenzke ’31
’’
Sandra Siler Ella Eastland ’27 John D. Spooner Marlo Frank ’22 Eliot and June Tatelman Petyon Tatelman ’27 Joanne Seale Wilson William Lawson ’27
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Emily Hood ’49 Constance Huebner ’50 Stephanie Brown Iannone ’97 Anne Price Iverson ’61 Julie Johnson ’90 Lyrae Johnson ’80 Constance C. Jones ’42 Trust Marjorie Corkin Kaplan ’65 Andrew Kassis ’15 Deborah King ’72 Stephanie Kosmo ’73 Cooper Kream ’17 Matthew Lebowitz ’10 Nancy Lemcke ’50 Michelle Levinger ’19 Mary Cooper Little ’59 Erica Ivers Lopez ’65 Holly Malin-Murray ’91 Kentaro Marchionni ’08 Alexandre J. Maximilien ’01 Courtney McGillicuddy ’89 Sheila Meek ’53 Ju’Quan Mills ’17 Gail Devlin Moradi ’64 Mary Olian ’70 Susan Peirce ’53 Diana Luce Plunkett ’62 Jennifer Perry Potter ’81 Nancy Starr Raphael ’53 Olivia Dyer Reyelt ’90 Catherine Spinale Rieger ’58 Janice Corkin Rudolf ’66 Helen Selle ’76 Linda C. Smart ’75 Eric Smith ’99 Sarah Smith ’17 Cynthia Brown Thaxter ’64 Gretchen Thompson ’54 Willa Grant Trevens ’58 Madeline Snow Typadis ’71 Linda Shapiro Waintrup ’72 Anne Wallace ’48 Josephine Wechsler ’54 Elizabeth T. Wicks ’62 Sara Withington ’55 Rachel Zeig-Owens ’00 Melanie Zibit ’66
Past Parents John and Betsy Allen John and Betsy Allen William and Sally Arnold Hirut Balcha and Dereje Balcha Andrew Beal Jane Bestor Jeff and Jody Black David and Byrna Bornstein Nancy and Peter Bradley Tom and Patty Bray Bob and Julie Brayboy Maxwell and Jeannie Brenner
Brimmer and May holds such a special place in both of our hearts. True to its mission of developing lifelong learners, Brimmer has provided our three young men with an exceptional education. As a result, we’ve had the pleasure of watching our children develop their voices and consistently strive for their personal best. We’re pleased to continue witnessing the fruits of a Brimmer education, and the benefits of being part of such a nurturing and inclusive community. —Trustee Karine Ernest and Emmanuel Ernest, P’ 09, ’14, ’19
Marie Lindahl Jazzy Lang ’24 Barry and Audrey Robbins Zoe Kaplan ’21 Benjamin Kaplan ’21 Richard P. and Esther Salinsky Fund Ruby Bearak ’28 Stephen and Sara Scolnick Chloe Rose Scolnick ’25
Peter Brown and Susan Vogt Brown Robert and Pat Cantin Barbara Carey Gloria Cassey Victor Chin and Stella Lee Joanne and Marc Clamage David Conklin and Regina O’Neill
Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
63
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
Jim and Renee Coughlin Rob and Pam Cutler Harold Dennis and Elizabeth Gerlach Shirley-Ann DePeiza Megan and Daniel Dolan Tom Engellenner and Carol Stolberg Ken and Patience Epstein Emmanuel and Karine Ernest Paul C. Fay Esther Feldberg John Fitzgerald and Peggy St. Clair Gail Gabriel ’71 and Donald Kaiser James Gammill and Susan Alexander Jeff and Mary Gates Hans and Leonie Gieskes Michael and Elizabeth Girioni Vicki Graboys John Greene Peter and Wendy Gordon Laurie Hall Mark and Lisa Hastings David Heller Hali Hellmuth Mark Howland Tiesha Hughes Joseph and Jill Iuliano Bill and Kerry Jacob Bernie and Faith Kaplan Sami and Jacqueline Kassis Rusty and Betsy Kellogg Eileen Kiley Stephen and Oie Kistner Kazumi Kobayashi Jeremy and Reedy Kream David Kreisler and Gwyn Williams Aaron and Lauren Lapat Caroline Levine Joseph Levinger and Elizabeth Murphy Craig and Dorothy Mael David and Phyllis McDermott Scott McIsaac and Suzanne Durrell Koreen McQuilton Richard and Jennifer Mynahan Geraldine and Alfred Nadaff Michael Onderdonk and Roslyn Pedlar Jim and Jane Orr Cecelia and Davis Pan Cindy Pendergast Jim and Cathy Rafferty Carl Rapisarda-Vallely and Patrick Vallely Richard and Rosamond Reiber Janeata Robinson Stephen and Darlene Sallan Bill and Cynthia Sibold Eric and Laurie Slifka Rod and Elizabeth Smith John D. Spooner Theodore and Yuri Sung Hank and June Szretter
64
Fall 2020
Brimmer Magazine
Kate Thurmond Christopher Yonge and Nancy Venti Yonge Daniel and Linda Waintrup ’72 Helen and Tim Wright John and Judie Wyman Wen Hui Zhu
Faculty and Staff Cassie Abodeely Luca Antonucci Nikki Atkins Suzy Balles Ted Barker-Hook Danielle Bartone Andrew Beal Brian Beale Virginia Beech Bill Bonaparte Jason Bock Nia Boutwell Nancy Bradley Paul Brauchle Patty Bray Tom Bray Jessica Christian Joanne Clamage Parker Curtis David Cutler ’02 Susan Cuyler Nicole DeCesare Megan Dolan Steve Doldt Helen Du Beth Escobar Melany Ferrimy Ellen Foley Amanda Spooner Frank ’88 Frances Fremont-Smith ’75 Matt Gallon Jeff Gates Mary Gates Stephanie Golas Mirna Goldberger Kyla Graves Judy Guild Chris Hardman Hali Hellmuth Lindsay Horbatuck Rupa Houndegla Anya Huston Jill Iuliano Joseph Iuliano Bill Jacob Yuhong Jia Gemma Kevaney Christian Kiley Myra Korin Scott Koven
Jen Kunkel Michael Langlois Elizabeth Leahy Kathryn Lee Jaime Lin Emily Luckett Paulina MacNeil Nicholas Malakhow Bonney Mastaby Courtney McGillicuddy ’89 Beth Meister Joanna Mesa Emily Miller Nicole Morin Ashley Mosley Paul Murray Geraldine Nadaff Mallorie Nai Kelly Neely Tom Nelson Joshua Neudel Liz O’Leary Deborah O’Malley Cecelia Pan Angela Park Ina Patel Patty Poulin Rachael Rabinovitz Carl Rapisarda-Vallely Donald Reese Brent Ridge Janeata Robinson Craig Roman Claudia Romero Bob Rooney Nicole Rudolph Sharin Russell Rafael Salazar-Zapata Diana Scharrer Caroline Scheibe Tom Schmottlach Michael Sconce Bela Sepulueda de Restrepo Corley Sims Peter Slaski Elizabeth Smith Eric Smith ’99 Jared Smith Kenley Smith Larry Stahley Lisa Summergrad Janet Sweezey Stanley Szwartz Matt Vaughan Neal Waters Rachel Wolf-Heyman Sarah Wyllie
In Memoriam
Heiam Alsawalhi In honor of Diana Scharrer and Brimmer faculty Jane Bestor In honor of Bill Jacob Mollye Lichter Block ’66 In honor of Rebecca Gordon and Montgomery Miller Charles and Carol Cissell In honor of Owen Cissell ’32 Bem and Victoria Claiborne In honor of the supportive Brimmer community Charlotte Dixon In honor of Brimmer faculty and staff David Heller In honor of Jared Heller, Brimmer ’19 Haverford ’23 Joseph and Jill Iuliano In Honor of Sharin Russell and Thomas Fuller Eric Kamen and Cynthia Bell In honor of Beth Escobar Robert Kass and Shayne Gilbert In honor of Marlie Kass ’23 and Brimmer faculty and staff Eileen Kiley In honor of Kerry Kiley Byrne ’06 Joseph Levinger and Elizabeth Murphy In honor of Virginia Beech Jordan and Evonne Meranus In honor of Paul Murray and Anya Huston Ben and Tonya Mezrich In honor of Arya ’30 and Asher ’28 Mezrich Gus Polstein In honor of Sharin Russell Pam and Steve Rosenberg In honor of Rachael Rosenberg ’25 Edward and Oksana Shapiro In honor of Edgar Shapiro ’30 and family Elizabeth Smith In honor of Virginia Beech Deon and Peggy Stander In honor of Megan Stander ’20 and Brimmer faculty Jody Weinberg In honor of Brimmer faculty, staff, and the admin team Abraham Woldeselassie and Mahlet Gesses In honor of Brimmer faculty and staff Sarah Wyllie In honor of Michelle LouSun ’31 Melanie Zibit ’66 In honor of Karen Porcella
Virginia Beech In memory of Kerim Hadiziahmetovic 99’ Carol Tesone Croffy ’67 In memory of Louis (Lou) A. Rieffel, Esq Thomas and Beth Fuller In memory of Kerim Hadiziahmetovic ’99 Michael and Geralyn McLaughlin In memory of Sandra E. McLaughlin (Grandmother of CJ McLaughlin ’22) Emily Miller and Schuyler Kuhl In memory of Jean Kuhl Ju’Quan Mills ’17 In memory of Safi Aziz ’17 Patty Poulin In memory of Barbara Shoolman
Eric and Anne Reenstierna In memory of Miles West ’97 (formerly known as Sabra Muir ) Donald Reese In memory of Toni Morrison The Wright Family In memory of Ann Burke Perik
ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020
In Honor Of
In Memory of Amy Shoolman Gordon Virginia Beech Barry and Susan Benjamin Joseph and Phyllis Chartor Thomas and Judith Easton Jennifer Glazer Bill and Judy Guild Alan and Natalie Miller Eric and Anne Reenstierna McCormick & Priore, P.C. Josephine Wechsler ’54 and Joel Wechsler
Gifts in Kind Chris and Jessica Chou Bill and Judy Guild Gad Liwerant and Rebeca Zichlin Garth Smith and Susan Kirwan Brimmer Magazine
Fall 2020
65
69 MIDDLESEX ROAD | CHESTNUT HILL, MA 02467
1880
BRIMM R
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 1008 BOSTON, MA
