Buzzer Fall/ Winter 2014 by The Browning School

Fall/Winter 2014

Governor Howard Dean ’66

RETURNS TO BROWNING ALSO INSIDE: THE HIDDEN GEMS IN BROWNING’S COLLEGE GUIDANCE PROGRAM Fall/Winter 2014

a rt i n f o c u s

UNTITLED Henry W. Loeffler ’24 12” x 9” Watercolor

THE

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contents

Fall/Winter 2014 FEATURES

The Hidden Gems in Browning’s College Guidance Program

The Components of Good Citizenship

Construction Update: Three Discrete Buildings Become One

2014 Browning Book Fair

Summer Stipends

Annual Fund News

DEPARTMENTS

3 From the Headmaster

29 From the Archives 30 The Local Buzz 42 Fine and Performing Arts 54 Athletics 58 Alumni Events 66 Class Notes

Art in Focus (facing page): Art Department Chair Nik Vlahos explains, “Third Grade boys studied paintings by the New York-based artist Brice Marden. Together we talked about the difference between a scribble and a mark that has meaning. The class worked on some exercises with marker and then moved on

76 Capital Campaign Update

to using watercolor to produce these works. Through these lessons, the boys learned to have more control over their marks while properly handling a brush. They also were introduced to the ideas that make ‘abstract art’ different from ‘realistic art’ and made interesting observations during these discussions.”

Fall/Winter 2014

ON THE COVER Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean ’66 was the featured guest at this year’s Class of 2000 Distinguished Speaker Series (page 58). Michael Zuppone ’16 (above, left), interviewed Gov. Dean for an article in the student newspaper, The Grytte.

MISSION STATEMENT Founded in 1888 as a college preparatory school for boys, The Browning School continues its commitment to the goals of John A. Browning: the pursuit of academic excellence and

BUZZER STAFF Stephen M. Clement, III, Headmaster Melanie S. McMahon, Director of Publications, Buzzer Editor Laura N. Lanigan, Director of Alumni Affairs

a lifelong love of learning,

the belief in the dignity of the individual, and the development of personal integrity and responsibility to the broader community.

FALL-WINTER BUZZER CONTRIBUTORS Rachel Gerber, Second Grade Teacher Jeff Lisciandrello, Fifth Grade Teacher Susan Kehoe, Third Grade Teacher Andrew H. West ’92, Athletics Director Contributing photographers: Christine Bramble, Rossa Cole Photography, Marty Hyman Photography by Lifetouch, Jeremy Katz ’04, Melanie McMahon, Laura Lanigan, Sanford Pelz ’71

The Browning boy develops amid these values. The Browning alumnus is a good citizen, sensitive to the needs of others, and respectful of divergent yet informed opinions. He is, in the best sense of the word, a gentleman.

Design by Misty Wilt Graphic Design LLC BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2014–15 James S. Chanos, President Stuart J. Ellman, Vice President Valda M. Witt, Vice President Richard L.N. Weaver ’75, Treasurer R. Thomas Herman ’64, Secretary Celeste A. Guth, Assistant Secretary H. Kenneth Metz, President, Parents Association Lisa Orange Elson, Vice President, Parents Association Michael P. Beys ’89, President, Alumni Association Stephen M. Clement, III, Headmaster Laura Z. Barket Wendy W. Brooks Paul A. Burke David E. Glaymon Elizabeth Granville-Smith Philip A. Hofmann Federico Infantino Ling S. Kwok Jeffrey M. Landes ’83

David J. Liptak Jeffrey S. Olson Alka K. Singh Raul Pineda Ellen Stafford-Sigg David N. Steck Sanjay Swani Deborah van Eck Robert D. Ziff

Mildred J. Berendsen, Honorary Trustee Allan L. Gropper, Honorary Trustee

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DIVERSITY STATEMENT The Browning School strives to create a diverse community in which all members are safe, respected and valued. We believe that in actively promoting a diverse learning environment, we are fostering intellectual, social and emotional growth for all. Recognizing and pursuing diversity, however, are not enough; we seek to transcend mere tolerance of differences and aspire to a celebration of the varied appearances, abilities, perspectives and values that characterize our community.

The Buzzer is published three times a year by The Browning School. The School may be reached at 212 838 6280. Website: www.browning.edu. The Browning School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, religion, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-directed programs, or employment practices.

from the headmaster

An Appetite for Books at Any Time of Year Among my many

pleasures of the fall

season is the Parents

home in Buffalo. He and his three brothers were swept away with the desire to make the world safe for democracy.

Currently I am engrossed in reading a newly released

Association’s Browning

book about another kind of war, the Cold War. Following

within this issue and on

among the British, French and Americans against the Soviets,

Book Fair. The photos

our back cover convey

the excitement shared by our boys, their families

and our faculty and staff who enthusiastically

attend this annual event. “Feed Your Need to

Read,” the theme of

this year’s Book Fair, expresses so well the enjoyment that our community and I gain from turning the pages of an

the aftermath of World War II when Europe was divided

the Cold War led to an uneasy détente between the East and

West. Henry Kissinger’s magisterial volume, ”World Order,” is a brilliant analysis of the world in standoff mode. Clearly

the more cordial rapport that characterized American-Russian relations in the past Soviet era has gradually unraveled, a topic that Chair of the History Department Dr. Gerald Protheroe addressed at a fall

Upper School Assembly (see page 30 of this issue).

In my own desire to

engrossing book.

better understand the

origins of World War I, since the centennial anniversary of

unleashed in the Middle

This past summer I decided to focus my reading on the

its outbreak in Sarajevo was on June 28. That is the date that Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, and

Europe quickly fell into war with itself. Earlier in the spring I had visited the Imperial War Museum in Vienna, which houses the car in which the Archduke was riding when

he and his wife were shot. Max Hastings, in “Catastrophe

1914: Europe Goes to War,” provides a brilliant description

of the scene in the prologue of his book published last year, nearly 100 years, in fact, since the assassinations occurred.

In addition, I decided to re-read Barbara Tuchman’s “Guns

of August,” originally published in 1962. This book has held up wonderfully well, especially with Ms. Tuchman’s vivid

verbal portraits of the protagonists on both sides of the battle. In addition, I gave myself a treat at the end of the summer

when I read my grandfather’s diary from World War I for the first time. A dedicated letter writer and diarist, he employed his secretary to transcribe the material on his return in 1918 and had it bound with maps, clippings and photographs

as an archival trove for his family. My grandfather enlisted

I gave myself a treat at the end of the summer

revolutionary forces

when I read my

East and the increasing

grandfather’s diary

able to see larger patterns

from World War I for

I recommended the book at

the first time.

aggression of Russia, I am evolving in Kissinger’s work. the Browning Book Fair in

November, as well as to my colleagues in the Headmasters Association. As president of this national organization for

one year, I am making the unusual move of recommending reading before attending the conference. This shared

exercise, similar to Browning’s Common Book program as described on page 34, provides a way to tie together the

disparate speakers who will address us in February. As the

participants are busy public and private school heads, both male and female, I can’t require “World Order,” but I can

recommend it! I recommend it to you as well. It is helping me conceptualize order from the seeming chaos which occurs around us.

voluntarily at the age of 30, leaving a wife and three sons at

Stephen M. Clement, III Headmaster Fall/Winter 2014

f e at u r e

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in Browning’s College Guidance Program: AN INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE GUIDANCE SANFORD PELZ ’71

IN OCTOBER I SAT DOWN WITH DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE GUIDANCE SANFORD PELZ ’71 TO DISCUSS HIS COLLEGE PREP PROGRAM, EXPECTING THAT HE WOULD PROVIDE A SORT OF GUIDE TO “WHAT A BOY NEEDS TO DO TO START AND FINISH THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS.”

Melanie McMahon

Instead, in his wisdom, Mr. Pelz chose

that make us different, such as the college trip we take each

to take another stance during our

year in the fall, the expository writing class that helps the

interview session, elaborating on what

boys learn how to write a good college essay, the face-to-face

makes Browning’s college guidance

time I have with them beginning in Form III, how I manage

program “different.” After all, as he

parental expectations, and the January sessions I conduct

explained, college guidance programs

with the Form VI boys to prepare them for their transition

are as much alike as they are different,

to college.” With that in mind, I formulated questions that

especially in the New York metro

generated a 90-minute, in-depth discussion; read on to learn

area: “Most things I will do much like counselors at other

more about Mr. Pelz’s college prep curriculum.

schools. So I’d like to talk about things we do at Browning

–Melanie McMahon

Fall/Winter 2014

THE FACT THAT WE CAN FIT THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODIES OF FORMS V AND VI ON A BUS AND SPIRIT THEM AWAY FOR THREE DAYS IS SPECIAL.

MM: The college trip appears to be “uniquely Browning” and

MM: You indicated that you teach the boys to ask the kinds of

something that our boys are fortunate to experience. What

questions that are “useful.” Can you tell me more about what

makes it such a valuable tool for both the boys and you?

you mean by a “useful question?”

SP: First of all, yes, the college trip is unique to Browning.

SP: The boys and their parents often ask what the most

country that offers this. It’s what I call “a pleasure of a

a fair and correct question. But it doesn’t produce a

In fact, we may well be the only high school in the

small school.” Former Head of Upper School Keith Frome conceived of the trip 21 years ago, and we have taken

it ever since. The fact that we can fit the entire student

bodies of Forms V and VI on a bus and spirit them away for three days is special. The trip is designed so that

Forms V and VI boys may explore a variety of colleges, ranging from small private institutions, to mid-size

schools, to large city universities, all in different settings.

Furthermore, the trip allows me to visit a lot of colleges –

that is not an insignificant part. It keeps colleges fresh in

popular majors are at any given school. I explain that’s

useful answer. The reason is, I can write down English, Biology, Political Science, Government (if they have it),

Psychology, Business Administration and/or Economics,

and Communications. At every school we visit, most tour guides will pick five of these majors when asked that

question. They are basically all the same! It doesn’t matter if it’s Williams or Johns Hopkins, these are the most

popular majors. So the question, “What are your most popular majors” does not produce a useful answer.

I ask, and the boys now ask, a “Mr. Pelz question.”

my mind.

That is, what’s a hidden gem of your school? What’s one

part of my college prep curriculum. Essentially, I am

reps usually have to stop and think; they don’t have an

So we get the boys on college campuses; that’s a vital

teaching the boys how to visit colleges. We cover the kinds of questions should they be asking. I teach them about the

kinds of questions that are actually useful. During the trip, I walk around with them, tell them to look at the bulletin boards and see what the students are doing. I tell them,

“Look at the posters on the walls. They look like what you did in sixth grade for Math-Science Night at Browning. Now look at these posters; they show what the students

learn with their professors, and maybe they get published. See what’s going on and look around you. Notice things!”

of those little departments that is just amazing? College automatic answer. I love how they have to dig down,

just like the boys! I get the Classics a lot. Nobody has a

big Classics department, but often they have a great one. Or Archeology. So you find out interesting stuff, which

leads to ways of differentiating a school. Once in a while a college rep, like one from Skidmore, will already do that. At this small liberal arts school, you can major

in Performing Arts or Business Administration, but

Skidmore is unique in that those are their two biggest

majors. Instantly it is something that sets them apart. This is what I want kids to learn to do – to find differentiators and figure out how to tell schools apart. For example, I

like to plant them down at places like Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg, two small rural schools in central

Pennsylvania. Or Bowdoin, Bates and Colby, small liberal arts schools in Maine. When they come back, I ask them

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what they loved or did not love about these places. The

WHEN THEY COME BACK,

they can’t say why. It’s something about the feel. So there’s

I ASK THEM WHAT THEY

boys will say they loved one and did not like another, but a discriminator; something that’s going on inside them.

But they need to figure out what’s going on. I ask, “What

are you doing in your head? What’s happening inside you, inside your heart?”

MM: So it seems as though “following your gut” might be at play here. Is that a valid way to approach the selection process

LOVED OR DID NOT LOVE ABOUT THESE PLACES. THE BOYS WILL SAY THEY LOVED ONE AND DID NOT LIKE

for some boys?

ANOTHER, BUT THEY CAN’T

SP: Sometimes the boys come back from a college visit

SAY WHY. IT’S SOMETHING

didn’t approve of or didn’t like. Parents might go on these

ABOUT THE FEEL.

and they may say they saw kids doing something they

info sessions and tours and, after a while, it all starts to

sound or look alike. The tour guides all walk backwards.

The admission officer is always looking for the “shtick” to tell the boys that will make them all want to apply. Some talk about the outcomes of their alumni. Sometimes the tour guides talk too much about non-academic aspects;

they all have clubs and organizations. So as prospective parents and students, you’re looking for distinguishing characteristics. My wife was really good at walking

around a campus, then standing there and saying, “Yes, our boys could come here.” For her it was all “gut.” And it’s that way for some boys, too.

Fall/Winter 2014

The college trip is a rare experience

Ben Weiner ’15

Going on the trip for a second time in Form VI, you start

for students, as you get to see a range

to think of the colleges not just as other schools to visit but

of schools. One day you can be looking

also as possible places that you will be living at for the next

at a small liberal arts college in a small

four years. “Can I see myself here?” is the one phrase I would

town, and the next day you can look

say after all of the college visits. In your senior year, you have

at a large university. By the end of the

mainly finished all of your standardized tests, already have

college trip, you can compare the small

some sort of college list going, and maybe even have some

liberal arts college from day one to the

ideas of where you want to go. This second trip provides you

big university you saw on day three.

with some new options to consider. Also, since you have

In Form V, the college trip is really good at opening your

been on the trip before, you notice some different things than

eyes to what is out there in the choice of colleges. It helps you to start to think about what kind of schools you might want

you did the first year on the trip. The college trip is a great way for us to learn what we

to attend. While college is only two years away, in Form V

want and don’t want in a school. If you like a certain school

you could go into the college trip thinking you want to attend

you’ve visited, you can then research schools that are similar

a big school but, after the trip, you realize you like a medium

to that school. The trip is a great buffet of schools, as you see

or smaller school. It helps to streamline your vision on what

schools of all different types.

schools to focus on.

–Ben Weiner ’15

TWO YEARS OF EXCURSIONS REVEAL WHAT’S IN STORE The college trips have been very informative. They have not only given me a sense of the kind of atmosphere in which I would like to spend the next four years, but they have also given me an idea of what different universities and colleges have to Arthur Mensah ’15

offer both in and outside the classroom. These trips put us, as students, in a better

position to make decisions with which we will be very satisfied. –Arthur Mensah ’15

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MM: What else should the boys consider when they visit

MM: But choosing a college can be such a daunting process.

these campuses?

How do you guide the boys in this process of discovery and

SP: The environment comes into play, of course. Some

self-discovery as they find out what really matters?

think they want an urban setting. Our college trip shows

SP: I meet with them regularly, and we discuss all of this.

own, they may see Boston or Atlanta or Chicago or L.A.

Now I need something bigger like Penn State or the

them there is no urban setting like Browning’s. On their

And nothing is like Browning in New York City! So I want them to see those places. Some want to be in the country, some don’t. But very few know the options. They don’t

know what a small or medium school in the country looks or feels like because they have been here at Browning for so long. They may have seen Trinity or Dalton or

Collegiate for sports, dances, plays. But most of them

have not visited a lot of colleges unless they have an older sibling.

A few years ago, I had a boy on the trip who, when

we were stopped at a red light on a tour in Boston, finally looked at me and said he couldn’t do this, he couldn’t

wait on a corner to get to class. But another boy on the same trip will actually like the traffic and come back from seeing BU and say he loved it; he will not even

have noticed the five lanes of traffic he had to cross. The trolley tracks did not bother him! In Boston, the boys

discover that there are colleges with very different kinds

Some may say, “Mr. Pelz, I have been in a small school.

University of Washington or the University of Wisconsin.” What the boys don’t realize is that a small college is

enormous compared to Browning; there are 2,700 students

at Gettysburg, for instance! That’s why I like to plop them

down on a bunch of different school campuses. Later, after they’ve seen some colleges, I’ll ask them again about what they want. I may hear, “I have to have a coast. And I liked Franklin & Marshall!” So I respond, “Well, you have to

explain that one to me!” On some level, there is something going on. Maybe there is a particular program at F&M,

or maybe his mother went there. But I tell him to do more than scratch the surface. He must figure out what it is

about F&M that’s OK, even if it’s not on the coast! The boys don’t know what’s driving them, and I try to get them to realize what is. If they’ve seen Bowdoin and liked it, but say it’s too cold in Maine, I tell them to visit Davidson where it’s warmer but the school is similar.

of campuses. I try to show them the mass transportation

system so they can start to come up with what’s going to matter when they choose a school.

WHAT THE BOYS DON’T REALIZE IS THAT A SMALL COLLEGE IS ENOR MOUS COMPARED TO BROWNING; THERE ARE 2,700 STUDENTS AT GETTYSBURG, FOR INSTANCE!

Fall/Winter 2014

I HAVE A LIST OF 1,000 SCHOOLS THAT OUR BOYS COULD GET INTO, BUT THEY NEED TO HAVE A SCHOOL THAT FITS THEM WELL. THAT WORD “FIT” IS CRUCIAL.

MM: What about some of the more pragmatic aspects of college life and academics? How do you cover the terminology the boys will need to know to best determine what’s right for them? SP: We discuss the importance of minors, majors,

concentrations and what each of these means, along

with the differences in calendars – things they might not necessarily choose a college for. So I explain quarters,

semesters, trimesters, etc. I explain that maybe a trimester

system will be a better fit for them, with fewer classes for a shorter period. Some will prefer to work that way.

Often they are unclear on the meaning of a “liberal

arts” school. I explain that every liberal arts college teaches physics, too… that they can take almost anything. Often

they may believe, because of the way the media presents it, that a liberal arts school is a place to learn, while a

“real” college is where you learn a profession, a career. The problem with that logic is that most of the jobs and careers our boys will have in 20 years don’t exist yet, so you can’t

go to school to learn them. But you can go to school to learn how to write well, how to land on your feet, how to think critically, so you can adapt and do almost anything.

MM: Realizing that teens can be sensitive to peer pressure and criticism, it must be tough to find the right words to convey advice and steer them in the right direction. How do you handle all of that with the Browning boys?

As for being sensitive to their feelings, I do have to be

careful. For example, I may feel strongly that a boy is not going to get into his “dream school,” according to what I

know of his grades, SAT scores, etc. And even if he does get in, he may not be a strong candidate. Yet he’s in love with the school because he hasn’t seen anyplace else! So I ask why he likes it so much. And often times he just doesn’t

have much of an answer. That’s true of many boys. Because

it’s like the first person they danced with at the dance. They are so young, after all. They meet someone they never met

before and something clicks and they fall in love. And now they don’t want to meet anyone else. “I’ve met the person.”

But you want to say, “Well, there are other people out there.” It’s the same with colleges.

So they have to go see other colleges. And I have to be

careful because I don’t want to tell them to give up their first choice. If that’s their dream, they will hold on to it. I have

to work around that. Here’s the given: A boy will apply to his dream school because he loves it. And I can be wrong

sometimes; I don’t know everything. So I let him go for it.

But I also say, “Please look around and let me see if I can find some other similar schools that might interest you.”

And I really have to balance the self-esteem piece.

On the one hand, I understand they don’t really know

what they’re doing. Guiding them are other voices, like

parents or peers, maybe Browning classmates. Their peer group around the city influences them. If I suggest a

SP: I’m very big on vocabulary and metaphor. When

school they have never heard of, they instantly jump to a

on their list, I use the words “wish, target and comfort.” I

either, so it’s not worthy of them. And that’s a tough one.

be applying to colleges they would not feel comfortable

a sheet of paper and told them to write down the name

to a wide enough selectivity range of schools. But for

30. The kids who get 40 are the ones who watch a lot of

comfortable going to, and one I am comfortable knowing

know its name. So these kids know names, but there are

that our boys could get into, but they need to have a school

of naiveté. They lack knowledge at their age. They just

describing the three types of colleges they need to have

conclusion that if they never heard of it, no one else has

use the term “comfort” because I don’t believe kids should

I did an exercise a few years ago with them. I gave them

going to. I do believe that kids don’t always give credence

of every college they knew. Most get a dozen to 20. Some

me, “comfort” means a school that a boy would feel

college sports. They have no idea where Gonzaga is but

he has a chance of getting in. I have a list of 1,000 schools

4,000 schools out there. They are operating from a position

that fits them well. That word “fit” is crucial.

don’t know what’s available.

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MM: What about the few boys who are not happy with the

MM: As a counselor, you are not only dealing with the boys

college they chose once they get there? Do you help them

but with their parents as well. How do you manage everyone’s

with the transfer process and/or guide them in deciding if they

expectations while, at the same time, educate them on the

really want to transfer?

college search process?

SP: If boys are unhappy, they will eventually want to

SP: There is a lot of “Henry Kissinger” going on in this job!

put a school they love on the list, along with some that are

Managing parental expectations can be a challenge,

transfer. In starting the college search, I tell the boys to

starting places. Some selective schools want boys to try

another school somewhere, then transfer to them. I need

to protect the boy’s self-esteem by leading them to believe

they are “getting ready to attend their dream school.” And sometimes they find that where they first go off to, they like, so they stay and don’t transfer. Overall, they don’t

always get into the place they want to go, but they get into the places they ought to be going to.

Nevertheless, I have to nurse them along and not say

A lot of diplomacy and therapy. And family counseling. especially if those expectations are high. Fortunately, I

think I have an advantage over some of my peer guidance counselors. Our parents did a lot of looking and finally

chose Browning for particular reasons. They appreciate

our small classes and all the other factors that make boys

excel here. Many of those same factors lend themselves to

the parents’ understanding that the relationship between a college and their son is critical.

In general, with parents and boys, I talk about the

no, because they will just want to transfer more. I do

nature of the competitiveness of the process. Sometimes

are a freshman, but as a transfer, that’s not the case. They

an Ivy?” I say that, of course, excellent grades, SAT scores,

remind them that colleges make a big deal over you if you will have to re-establish a social presence. So maybe, they think, “I am better off where I am now, where I know the ropes, where people like me.”

boys (and parents) ask, “What do I have to do to get into activities, etc., all matter. Each of those gets you a space

on the “roulette wheel,” but ultimately, there is simply an enormous amount of luck involved. It’s a numbers game.

For every 10 boys who are filing at an ultra-selective college, eight of the 10 are qualified. Six or seven of the 10 are highly

FOR EVERY 10 BOYS WHO ARE

qualified; they have everything covered. But the schools

each have space for only one of the six qualified applicants.

FILING AT AN ULTRA-SELECTIVE

There it comes down to “luck of the draw.” You can do a few

COLLEGE, EIGHT OF THE 10 ARE

there’s still a good amount of luck. I tell the boy, “You need,

QUALIFIED. SIX OR SEVEN OF THE 10 ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED,

extra things, like letters of recommendation, but in the end,

therefore, to add this extra application, because though you are qualified, your number may simply not come up on the roulette wheel. You need to look at a place where you have more slots on the roulette wheel.”

BUT THE SCHOOLS EACH HAVE SPACE FOR ONLY ONE OF THE SIX QUALIFIED APPLICANTS.

Fall/Winter 2014

THERE IS THIS LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT WHEN THE BOYS WILL BE LEAVING HOME, AND THEY DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT’S ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

MM: In all the excitement and anticipation of going off to college, do the Form VI boys ever reveal to you that they are also scared of what lies ahead? How do you alleviate some of their fears? SP: Sure, they are terrified of the process… terrified but

looking forward to being out on their own. So in January, we begin an exercise together. By then they are over the

hump of the application process, and now we need to talk about next year. I give them index cards and ask that, on one side, they tell me what they are looking forward to

with positive anticipation. On the other side, they tell what they are looking forward to with negative anticipation.

They write some interesting stuff! Choosing courses often comes up on both sides. They are so excited to have a book of 400 courses to choose from. At the same time, they are

terrified of making the wrong choices. They are particularly looking forward to getting away from adults. But at the

same time, they are terrified at leaving all the adults they know. And so it’s two things that come together. There is

this life-changing moment when the boys will be leaving home, and they don’t really understand what’s about

to happen. The magnitude of the shift in the change in

relationship with their parents is something they don’t yet

understand. Michael Thompson spoke here a few years ago

about boys’ education. He gave a really nice talk to Form VI

boys and their parents. He asked the boys to name the great transition moments in a person’s life. They said getting

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married, having children, buying their first house, going off to college. They never see that for parents, having their sons go off to college is a momentous change. They don’t realize that it’s a stressful time in their relationship.

I emphasize to the boys that independence does not

mean unbridled freedom. I make the point that when they write on their index card that they are “looking forward to independence,” they really mean not having all these

adults around telling them what to do. They will be free

to make their own decisions. I explain (though they really already know it) that the problem is, the adults actually

serve useful functions in their lives. The parent who gets you out of bed in the morning is an alarm clock. You

need to eat, period. Especially a well-balanced meal with vegetables. The person who told you that serves a useful

function in your life. The teacher who sees you in the hall and says, “You were not in class; we had a quiz, and now you need to make it up” is serving a purpose. I tell them that when they go off and all of us adults are gone, the

only person to do all those things is them! The boy often

just doesn’t recognize the function of the adult. He thinks

he doesn’t need an alarm clock because he can pick classes

that don’t meet before 11 a.m. But when you get to a college and your major requires that Anthropology 101 meets at

8 a.m. three days a week, now you do need an alarm clock. It’s not a bad idea to go to bed earlier on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday so you can get up for class on time.

(L to R): Sandy with his sons, Chris and Jon ’12, and wife Adele.

While the boys may know him as Mr. Pelz, Director of

recently, proud parent of twins Chris and Jon ’12. He

at Browning (some of whom were his teachers!)

also oversees all scheduling of classes.

College Guidance Sanford Pelz ’71 is known to adults as Sandy. He arrived as a Form I boy at Browning

not only directs the college guidance program but Sandy is a long-time trustee at Grace Church

after attending P.S. 6, matriculating to The Colorado

School in Manhattan where he was instrumental in

Social Research.

Adele, is a foreign language teacher at The Little

College and earning his M.A. at The New School for Since 1975, Sandy has played a huge role at The

Browning School in a variety of positions, including teacher of mathematics and science, and, most

the addition of the high school division. His wife,

Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School

(LREI), a preK-12 coeducational independent school in Greenwich Village.

Fall/Winter 2014

COLLEGE ESSAYS ROOTED IN HEADMASTER’S ADVANCED EXPOSITORY WRITING CLASS Form VI boys take an Advanced

re-doing, but I view it as a process

they write essays that prepare

course is about community building,

Expository Writing class in which them for college application

requirements. For the past 10

years, this mandatory course has

rather than an end product. This

part of the course, as the boys

and it’s also part of the overall

and offer helpful criticism.

experience of being in Form VI.”

As far as the “nuts and bolts”

been taught by none other than

of the class are concerned,

Headmaster. He is pleased to say

boys must write three essays, all

Mr. Clement, Browning’s own

that he took on the task after its

originator, former Head of Upper School Kolia O’Connor, became head of Sewicky Academy.

Mr. Clement noted, “We thought it might be best if our English

faculty taught the class, but, of

course, they are busy with their

own curriculum, so I succeeded Mr. O’Connor.”

After 10 years of teaching the

boys, Mr. Clement has not lost his enthusiasm for the project in the

least. “I love it! It’s hard work,” he

said. “There is a lot of revising and

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BUZZER

Peer review is an important

Mr. Clement explains that the

of which might be submitted to

colleges. The first essay they write

share their essays with one another Mr. Clement noted, “I ask that the

boys be thoughtful and kind in this process. I advise them to listen to

what their peers have to say about

their essay but not feel obligated to totally re-write it.”

While the course ends right

is based on the choices given to

before Thanksgiving with

for colleges and universities.

community that Mr. Clement

them on the Common Application “They choose one from the list to write about,” he said, “and

for their second essay, they may choose another of these options

or come up with an idea on their own. Finally, for their third and final essay, they are welcomed

and encouraged to choose a topic offered by an actual college they are interested in attending.”

a “last class” breakfast, the

“built” among the boys lives on. Stevie Rachmuth ’10 misses his days at Browning and recalls

this particular course with great

fondness: “Mr. Clement’s class on

advanced expository writing built camaraderie. My classmates and I felt supported by one another

during that ever-stressful college application period.”

I ADVISE, “DON’T FABRICATE OR PRETEND YOU ARE SOMEBODY YOU’RE NOT.”

I spend a lot of time talking about transition issues.

How to pick meal plans. How to manage declining debit cards. They go into the bookstore to buy $300 worth

of books, and while they’re there, they think, “Wow, this is awesome; I can buy anything with this card!”

But then it’s suddenly Thanksgiving, and they are out of money for food. The boys need to understand what

their responsibilities are. They never had to do their own laundry, choose their own food, and now all of a sudden

they do. This also comes as a shock to those parents who

micromanage. Parents are often surprised to discover they

can’t get grade reports from certain colleges unless they’ve been given permission to do so. In May, I advise them to

make a deal with their sons that, since they are paying for their education, they want to be authorized by the college to receive grade reports.

It may seem obvious, but I tell the boys that once they

get to college, there isn’t anybody there to tell them to go to the doctor or take their temperature. They think they’re immortal. We talk about all this in the spring, before graduation.

When I speak to applicant parents, I describe these

meetings that occur between the boys and me once every other week. That’s one of the great things about a small school, that I can follow their progress from Form III to

VI. They have regular contact with me and I with them. So they have a familiarity with me because they’ve seen me,

and I’m approachable. That kind of contact, I think, makes

the boys a little more comfortable talking to me about their fears and concerns. They have heard a lot, even though

they have not processed it all. I’ve had a chance to show

them the vocabulary. By the time they are in Form VI, they have a chance once a week to talk about issues of concern.

MM: Earlier you mentioned that the boys take an expository writing class in preparation for writing their college essays. Can you comment on the essay in general, what to do and not do? SP: I warn them to be truthful. If they pick something

they think “sounds good” to write about, for instance,

“War and Peace,” what happens if the admission office

reader majored in Russian literature and later asks them a pointed question they can’t answer? It’s better to say they

like to read Japanese anime, assuming that’s true, because then at least they can carry on a conversation. I advise,

“Don’t fabricate or pretend you are somebody you’re not.” This applies to the process in general. Parents and

kids often say, “Tell me who I need to be to get into this

particular college, and I will pretend to be that person.” There are a few problems with that! The college wants to see the oddballs and interesting students, and then

they get to pick. Maybe they want what you are! What you

pretend to be, they may already have! “Last year’s fashion” comes to mind: Perhaps flute players were “in” last year, but this year they want trombonists instead! And if you

pretend to be someone you’re not, then you get there and you are not that person…so you are miserable! The boys need to be genuine; they need to be themselves. That said, the boys need not “tell everybody

everything” in their essay. Too much information is

not good either. You want them to have a brag sheet

and not be too humble, but on the other hand, there is

a kind of etiquette involved. Some things they say may be misconstrued. They need to be careful. I recall a

rather timid boy, a smart, good student who went off to

a summer Outward Bound-type of camp. He was rather

naïve and humble. His counselor told him to try things, to

step out of his comfort zone. Explore. So he wrote a terrific

Fall/Winter 2014

essay (“carpe diem”-themed), but the way he wrote it, he never said what he meant exactly. He said he would try

things he never tried before, would experiment and live life to its fullest. I had to gently tell him that he needed

to be specific about what he meant, lest the college reader thinks he is going to take drugs or walk along subway

tracks! “Don’t leave it to their imaginations,” I told him.

“Everyone can imagine an awful lot more than what you

are thinking about.” It simply never crossed his mind that he needed to provide concrete examples. And he did get in “early decision.” So the boys often just don’t see what they’re saying. We all have trouble to some extent with

stepping out of our place and looking at what we write from a different perspective.

In short, they need to write these essays themselves,

but not pour out their souls on a piece of paper and send it away before showing it to a few adults. I suggest they strike a balance. They need a few pairs of adult eyes on

their essay. [See sidebar on page 16 for details on Browning’s expository writing course, taught by Headmaster Clement.]

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MM: I know you are an alumnus of Browning. Having forged a career here, has that helped you in your current capacity? Can you share what you like best about your job? SP: As an alum and counselor, I think it works to my favor that I’ve been in the boys’ shoes, that I have been in their

place. My Form VI English teacher is their Form V English teacher, in many cases. So I understand a boys’ school, a small school, the parental issues, all of which give me a

perspective that’s helpful to the boys and their parents. It’s certainly helpful to me!

I most enjoy being a boy’s advocate. I would have

trouble being an admission officer! I like working with

the boys and advocating for them. And I like the “Henry

Kissinger” part, as I said earlier… the diplomacy and the managing of expectations. MM: Thank you, Sandy!

Fall/Winter 2014

f e at u r e

Components of Good Citizenship

The

THE

BUZZER

s is tradition, boys in Grade One through Form VI, along with the entire school community, gathered in Christ Church for Opening Assembly on September 8. During the course of the assembly, Headmaster Clement asked all Form VI boys to come forward,

state their name and tell how many years they have been at Browning. “This class created its own new tradition,” he said with pride. “Each of them received a Citizenship Award last year, something that has never happened in my years as Headmaster and perhaps never before that. How impressive!”

Headmaster Clement explained that Browning faculty nominate the boys

for Citizenship Awards based on promptness, neatness, respect, scholarship,

sportsmanship, integrity and cooperation. He then asked the boys to tell how the award applies to them as individuals and what they “bring to the table.” Their

responses covered the gamut: “I like to make others happy; I hope to make their lives and mine better at the same time.” “Compassion and passion.” “Passion and perseverance.” “Being a good listener and taking what others say into

consideration.” “Solidarity.” “Integrity.” “A safe school environment in which we

The Browning alumnus is a good citizen, sensitive to the needs of others, and respectful of divergent yet informed opinions. –Excerpted from The Browning School Mission Statement

Fall/Winter 2014

learn together.” Much to everyone’s amusement, one boy replied that he brings “a boatload of charm!” A compilation of their responses appears at right.

As reported in the Summer Buzzer, last spring teachers Dan Ragsdale

and Megan Ryan, along with Middle School Council members, inaugurated the “CitizenChip” Initiative promoting the ideals of the Citizenship Awards

presented at the end of each school year. The objective of this initiative, which ran from April 7 through May 16, was to acknowledge and reward Middle School boys for displaying the qualities of a good Browning citizen. Every

The objective of this “CitizenChip” Initiative was to acknowledge and reward Middle School boys for displaying the qualities of a good Browning citizen.

Middle School faculty member received a few CitizenChips, each of which they could choose to distribute to a Middle School boy or group of boys “caught” displaying exceptional citizenship. The fifth and sixth grade boys were the victors in what proved to be an extremely exciting and close competition.

Headmaster Clement also spoke to the fourth grade boys early in the new

school year about the importance of good citizenship and what it means to

them. More than one felt that “honesty” and “sportsmanship” were essential

components in what it takes to be a good citizen. Form VI appears to have set a fine example for the younger boys. –M.M.

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BUZZER

In Their Own Words

Prompted by Headmaster Clement at Opening Assembly, the Form VI boys, all of whom received Citizenship Awards last year, explain how the award applies to them as individuals and what they “bring to the table.”

Passion and perseverance. We understand each other.

Helping to comfort others when they are struggling.

Family and respect.

A sense of brotherhood.

Being a good listener and taking what others say into consideration.

Assuming responsibility for our actions.

I bring integrity to the table.

Supportive. We all help each other out without expecting something back.

Hard worker and a gentleman.

Solidarity.

Making other people happy by making their lives better and mine at the same time.

Respect and honesty.

Honesty and respect.

Compassion and passion.

A safe school environment and learning together.

A boatload of charm. Openness and conversation.

Willing to do what’s right.

Respect, but being able to bring a smile to someone’s face is important, too.

Helping each other out. Participating in activities outside the classroom, such as sports and clubs.

Being a leader. Fall/Winter 2014

f e at u r e

Construction Update: Three Discrete Buildings Become One “A Dream Come True” for Headmaster Clement

H EADM A ST ER C LEM ENT PROU DLY APPEA R ED I N A V I DEO PO ST ED ONLI NE I N SEP T EM BER DETA I LI NG T H E CONST RUCT ION that occurred during the summer months when most all the Browning community was away. As you may well imagine, when the boys and teachers returned for the new school year, their positive reaction was not to be missed! Mr. Clement took great pleasure in recounting the many transformational changes to date and describing what lies ahead. His video appears on the home page of the Browning website (www.browning.edu); a transcript appears here, along with corresponding photos.

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Right: Architect Peter Gisolfi and Headmaster Clement

Fall/Winter 2014

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I am just so excited to be able to welcome

everyone back into this amazing new school

house that’s been so dramatically transfigured over the summer.

To me it’s like a dream come true to have a

central staircase and clear story skylights with

bright, south-facing light. It’s really exciting! We

put in a very intricate staircase and transformed

To me it’s like a dream come true to have a central staircase and clear story skylights with bright, southfacing light. It’s really exciting!

every classroom on the west side (40) of the

I think. From the beginning, he has had a vision

for art and two science rooms for physics and

could be transformed and become one to work for

building. We completely rebuilt two studios

biology. This is one of four prototypical third and fourth grade classrooms, not large but elegantly appointed for 16 or 17 boys per space.

I want to start with the big picture and talk

about our architect, Peter Gisolfi. He is a visionary,

that this tight space of three discrete small buildings everybody. All of this began four years ago with the transformation of the Lower Gym; it was pushed

out and expanded with some clear story lights. We have recently received a wonderful gift (a naming opportunity) that will make the gym crisper and

Fall/Winter 2014

even more effective. We will also make the Lobby

Next year at this time, this is

look in keeping with the aesthetic of the new

going to be a very different

slightly larger and give it a more contemporary classrooms, which pleases me very much.

We will eventually transform all of the rooms

on the “52 side” to look more like this classroom. The finished product is going to be spectacular!

me is that it’s already a new

new elevator installed, which will be right

school in an old space.

As for what else is ahead, we need to have the outside the classroom I’m sitting in.

To give you some sense of the volume we were

dealing with, we had eight very intensive weeks

was here very late the night before school started

$1 million per week to get this project where it is

around. So there’s that one kind of grit, but

this summer during which we spent $8 million; now. That’s a pretty astounding number!

So back to what still needs to be done. As I

said earlier, there will be work done in the Lower Gym and Lobby, and we will continue into 52.

The central staircase will be taken out and a core installed on every floor consisting of bathrooms, lockers, supply closets and slop sinks.

Next year at this time, this is going to be a

very different school. What’s exciting to me is

– so were a lot of other people – pushing boxes there’s also the other kind of “Mr. Browning”

grytte, spelled g-r-y-t-t-e. The whole community has worked so hard to make this happen. There are people who have given money, people who have given time, the architects, contractors,

maintenance staff, carpenters, plumbers. It’s

been an amazing job! I would say we are maybe

75% there at this point. And that is very exciting! So thank you for your patience to date,

that it’s already a new school in an old space.

and I hope you’ll show your enthusiasm and

because I got a lot of dirt and grit in my

but I look forward to making a similar video next

The word “grytte” comes to mind, partly

fingernails and on my skin as I was moving! I

THE

school. What’s exciting to

BUZZER

appreciation. I’ll see you many times before then, September when the job is done. Thanks a lot!

from the archives

On October 29, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean ’66 returned to Browning as the guest speaker for the Class of 2000 Distinguished Speaker Series. (See details, page 58.) Gov. Dean is pictured here in the

front row, far right, in a photograph from the 1961 Grytte yearbook, along with

classmates in Form IB. The facing page

the following: “Because of Form IB’s superb citizenship record, we have no need of the hall monitor in the second term.”

Gov. Dean, in fact, continued to

of the yearbook states, “The students of

conduct himself as a “good citizen” long

hobbies.” Gov. Dean, it notes, was a stamp

honored with the Class of 1938 Alumnus

this form have some extremely interesting

collector. Perhaps even more noteworthy is

after he left Browning. In 1992, he was

Achievement Award presented each year to an alumnus or alumni displaying

the finest qualities of citizenship and distinguished achievement, either in

the private or public sector. This award was established in 1991 by the Class of 1938 in honor of Charles W. Cook ’38, the school’s Headmaster for 36 years. Browning’s current Form VI

boys are apparently following in the footsteps of Gov. Dean and

his classmates, with each having

received a Citizenship Award last

year. (See page 20 for more details on their achievement.) Headmaster Clement and Vermont Governor Howard Dean ’66 at a 2004 fundraiser held at the home of Sam and Katherine Weinhoff.

Fall/Winter 2014

the local buzz

WEEKLY ASSEMBLIES AT ALL DIVISION LEVELS COVER CURRENT EVENTS, History Department Chair Dr. Gerry Protheroe,

history of our past is essential to grasping the present state of global affairs.”

In respect to the Middle East situation today,

who teaches

Dr. Protheroe noted that back in 1918, there were one

and advanced

it must destroy the Ottoman Empire. The British, he

world history

European history

at Browning, along with advising the Model UN, is an

assistant professor

at NYU’s Center for Global Studies. His keen knowledge

of world history and current affairs was evident as he

addressed the Upper School boys at an October assembly.

While his presentation covered the gamut, his main focus

million soldiers in the Middle East because Britain thought explained, hoped to get the Arabs on their side against the

Ottoman Empire. He discussed the Sykes-Picot Agreement

of May 1916, a secret agreement that was concluded by two British and French diplomats, Sir Mark Sykes and Georges

Picot, as well as the Balfour Declaration of November 1917, which led the Jewish community in Britain and America into believing that Britain would support the creation of a Jewish state in the Middle East. In short, to better

understand the Arab-Israeli conflict, he advised the boys to first study those two topics.

In turning to the threat of ISIS, Dr. Protheroe talked

was the important legacy of World War I as we face issues in

about Iraq in terms of its creation and historical figures

War seemed easy paradigms for older generations to grasp,

time), T. E. Lawrence (better known as Lawrence of Arabia)

the 21st century. He explained that while WWI and the Cold today’s students are often unclear as to what is happening

globally. Furthermore, back in the 1990s, “everything looked good.” “There was a great feeling of optimism,” said Dr.

Protheroe. “Now that’s disappeared, so understanding the

THE

BUZZER

Winston Churchill (Britain’s colonial secretary at that

and Gertrude Bell (sometimes referred to as the “female

Lawrence of Arabia.”) He called Iraq “Churchill’s folly,”

referring to the creation of this monarchy after World War I

that forced three “unfriendly” groups to live under a single

Browning boys of all ages have enjoyed a host of assemblies this fall, focusing on various topics and themes, which are recapped as follows: In September, the boys in Grade Six and Form I enjoyed

One of the news item discussed by the fourth

a Middle School Assembly consisting of a team-

graders concerned an accomplishment many Browning

together in small groups to successfully complete nine

with 3-D printers in technology class. Local Motors, a

building challenge in Central Park. The boys worked challenges hosted by their teachers. By participating in physical contests, as well as ones requiring more

cerebral problem-solving skills, the boys tested their patience, leadership and team spirit.

A September Lower School Assembly provided an

opportunity for Assistant Headmaster/Lower School

Head Laurie Gruhn to ask the boys to volunteer what they had been reading lately. Another highlight was

boys might relate to based on their own experience

Phoenix, Arizona-based company, recently introduced the electric Strati car, built from a 3-D printer onsite at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in

Chicago. The name of the car means “layers” in Italian, giving a nod to the fact that most 3-D printers work by

repeatedly layering and building up material to achieve the final product.

Another item highlighted news that California intends

hearing from Grade Four boys who provided a synopsis

to ban disposable plastic bags. Since then, California

inspired by Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds’ advice

ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery and convenience

of some current events. Perhaps they were partly

during Opening Assembly in September when he said, “You are the future of this country and the leaders of

tomorrow. Become engaged in the world around you.”

Governor Jerry Brown signed the nation’s first statewide stores. The Browning School’s Green Team has been involved with a similar initiative by New York City Council members.

WORLD AFFAIRS AND LEADERSHIPS SKILLS

ruler. Christopher Catherwood’s book, “Churchill’s Folly”

Before a final Q and A segment with the Upper School

explores the creation of Iraq which consisted of Sunni

boys, Dr. Protheroe addressed the continuing dispute over

imposed Hashemite King Faisal.

Japan and Diaoyu by China. These islands are controlled

Muslim Kurds and Arabs, and Shiite Muslims under the Adolph Hitler and Vladimir Putin were also discussed

and assessed by Dr. Protheroe in regard to their aggressive

the group of East China Sea islands called the Senkakus by by Japan but claimed by China and Taiwan as well.

With so much strife going on globally, Dr. Protheroe

moves into Czechoslovakia and Ukraine, respectively. The

recognizes it is difficult to make sense of the world as it

were “products of perceived humiliation.” “Putin is not

David Brooks and Thomas Friedman who cover politics

hostile actions of both men, according to Dr. Protheroe,

interested in a Soviet Union,” he said, “but rather, a Czarist Russia.” He mentioned the destruction of Malaysian

Airlines flight 17 in Ukraine this past July as an act of terror and an example of the serious crisis faced by Ukraine

under Putin’s threat. “Just how far is Putin prepared to go?” he mused.

is right now. He mentioned New York Times columnists and foreign affairs, which led to this advice to the boys:

The key to understanding all that’s happening in the world is to study history and read newspapers as closely as we can, especially as U.S. political parties and their leaders ultimately affect and, indeed, can hamper solutions to many of the world’s crises.

Fall/Winter 2014

BROWNING’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES WELCOMES FIVE NEW MEMBERS Wendy W. Brooks previously worked

Currently, she is first vice president of

of Emerging Markets Structuring

De Reya’s family law practice in

Elsons have two children, Allan ’24

Securities’ Global Markets Division.

for 10 years as an attorney in Mischon London and served in various

finance-related positions in New York and London for 17 years. Ms. Brooks

Browning’s Parents Association. The

and Lillian, who entered kindergarten at Hewitt this fall.

David E. Glaymon is managing

earned a B.S. in engineering from

director and global head of research

The University of Law in London. She

joining Kynikos in 2002, Mr. Glaymon

Cornell University and an LL.M. from created the weekly e-newsletter of the Browning Parents Association and

is a class representative for the Class of 2016. She and her husband, Tim

Medland, have two sons, Andrew ’16 and Connor ’18.

Lisa Orange Elson has 15 years

of experience in the design field as creative director, art director and

graphic designer. She is the founder

of Orange Design, a firm specializing

in unique print materials and creative advertising strategies. Ms. Elson

graduated from the Rhode Island

School of Design. Her husband, Harry, is founder and principal of a multi-

disciplinary architectural firm bearing

at Kynikos Associates LP. Prior to

worked as a senior equity research

analyst at JP Morgan. He also served

in finance from ESEADE. He and his

wife, Soledad, both hail from Argentina and have three sons, Tomas ’23, Marcos ’25 and Francisco ’27.

Alka K. Singh recently re-joined

Internal Acquisitions Group to assist

was a member of the high yield

research department at Scotia Capital Markets. He holds a B.A. from The George Washington University

University of North Carolina, Chapel

of the Juvenile Diabetes Research

co-chaired Browning’s 2014 Spring

Benefit, co-chaired the School’s Book Fair this year. The Glaymons have

Federico Infantino heads the Fixed

was managing director and co-head

2020. Ms. Singh earned a B.A. from The

She previously served as president

Business. His wife, Kathleen, who

group at Bank of America Merrill

EY in their goal of doubling in size by

from The University of Chicago.

University’s Graduate School of

two sons, Wyatt ’25, and Griffin.

Services Office. She co-leads the

Hill, and an M.B.A. in accounting

and an M.B.A. from Northeastern

Lynch. Previously Mr. Infantino

BUZZER

business administration and a master’s

Team at Salomon Smith Barney and

Association Benefits, as well as the

THE

Catolica Argentina with a C.P.A. in

Ernst & Young in their Financial

Bond Research Telecommunications

Income Structuring Latin American

125th Anniversary Celebration in 2013.

He graduated from Universidad

as vice president of the Corporate

his name. She has held leadership

positions in the 2013 and 2014 Parents

in Latin America at Deutsche Bank

Foundation and was PA president

of the International Preschools. She

recently completed a two-year term as president of Browning’s Parents Association, helping to direct the

School’s 125th Anniversary celebration and the 2013 Spring Benefit. She and her husband, Ajay, have two sons, Rohan ’18 and Akshay ’20.

(L to R): Federico Infantino, Wendy W. Brooks, David E. Glaymon, Alka K. Singh, Lisa Orange Elson

Emily Boudreau

Mike Cohn

Adam Giordano

Anderson Harp

Julia Kingsdale

Meghan McDermott

Taylor McKenna

Ruth Smith

Abby Stern

Zachary Williams

NEW FACULTY JOIN THE BROWNING SCHOOL Emily Boudreau, third grade associate teacher, is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and earned a B.A. from

the University of Michigan. She was a teaching assistant at Greens Farms

Academy prior to her work at Browning and also served as director of the

EdTech program. He has worked as

helped develop a curriculum for the

in Knoxville, Tenn., and as a third

academy’s after care program. She

study of Shakespeare at the fourth grade level as well as advised the keyboarding and kindergarten art clubs.

Mike Cohn, physical education

and health teacher, most recently taught at Lawrence Woodmere

Academy where he planned and facilitated the lower and middle

an adjunct instructor at South College

earned a B.S. from the University of

City independent schools and most

School, also in Tennessee. Anderson Georgia and an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University. He

has served as a presenter at several professional conferences.

Lower and Middle School science

technology integrator and interim

recently at Achievement First Crown

also worked at the academy’s summer day camp as well as coached their

boys’ varsity baseball team and girls’

varsity baseball, basketball and soccer teams. He earned a B.A. from

Binghamton University and an M.A.

the United States and abroad, most

a B.A. in English from Oberlin

College and is currently pursuing

an M.A. at the Bread Loaf School of

English, a summer graduate school of Middlebury College.

Technology Integrator Anderson

Harp most recently taught in The School at Columbia University’s

University and an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she was a literacy practitioner and

an assistant teacher at the college’s Hollingworth Science Camp. Abby Stern, admission

Heights Synagogue Preschool. She

Julia earned her B.A. from Harvard

University where she was a member of the Radcliffe Choral Society.

Meghan McDermott joins

Hackley School, she earned a B.A.

into a teaching career. He earned

Center. She earned a B.A. from Hofstra

levels, from first grade through 12th.

Giordano spent most of the last 20 and film and is now transitioning

recently at The Churchill School and

associate, served most recently as

She has experience teaching at all grade

Browning as assistant to the

years working as an actor in theater

teacher at a number of New York

Heights Elementary School in Brooklyn.

from Queens College.

Assistant Librarian Adam

Ruth Smith, Pre-Primary associate

teacher, has served as a substitute

teacher Julia Kingsdale has taught in

math and science teacher. Michael

Manhattanville College.

grade teacher at Eaton Elementary

school physical education curriculum and served as the lower school

University and an M.A. from

division heads. A graduate of the

from Ursinus College and an M.A.

an associate teacher at Brooklyn

is a graduate of The Brearley School. Abby earned a B.A. from Macalester College and M.A. from Teachers

College, Columbia University, where she served as an administrative

assistant and teaching assistant in various departments.

Middle and Upper School English

from Teachers College, Columbia

teacher Zachary Williams comes to

girls’ basketball and served as a camp

where he served as an eighth grade

University. Meghan has coached

counselor as well as camp director. Taylor McKenna, first grade

associate teacher, served most recently as a first grade associate teacher at

The Chapin School, where she also coached basketball and lacrosse.

Taylor earned a B.A. from Villanova

Browning from the Brunswick School English teacher, coach and advisor.

Zachary also taught at The Kildonan School and Roland Middle School. A graduate of Wilmington Friends

School, he earned a B.A. from Johns

Hopkins University and an M.A. from the Bread Loaf School of English.

Fall/Winter 2014

BROWNING WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT James E. Simon, director of institutional

of development at the Stern School of

this past July. He served most recently as

he was capital campaign director. Mr. Simon

advancement, joined The Browning School chief development officer at the University of Southern California’s Gould School

of Law, overseeing the launch of a $150 million capital campaign as part of a

broader $6 billion effort for the university.

He also held fundraising positions at New York University, where he was director

Business, and at the Dalton School, where also held positions at the University of

Pennsylvania and at Salisbury School, his

alma mater. Prior to his work in development and alumni relations, he was a journalist at ABC News. He earned a B.A. from

Bowdoin College and an M.S. from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

“UNCOMMON” COMMON BOOK 2014: COMMITTEE SELECTS GRAPHIC NOVEL As is the case each year, Browning Trustees, faculty and boys

in Forms II through VI join together in reading the Common Book during summer recess. The hope is that this mutual endeavor will be “a basis for conversation and discourse across disciplines and divisions, as well as the means to share knowledge, understanding and join together as a community of curious individuals,” according to Head Librarian Sarah Murphy, who leads the Common Book

selection process. This year’s choice is “Boxers and Saints” by Gene Luen Yang. Ms. Murphy elaborated, “Sixteen

faculty members in all three divisions, as well as Browning staff members, met to choose this year’s Common Book,

exploring fiction and nonfiction, new books and classics.

Our primary goal was to find a work that would act as both a window broadening our students’ world views, as well as a mirror reflecting their personal experiences or inner life.” Ms. Murphy added, “ ‘Boxers and Saints,’ a National

Book Award Finalist, is a two-volume graphic novel

following young characters on opposite sides of the 1900 Boxer Rebellion in China. The book brings up issues of

religion, identity, gender, extremism, violence, belief and family, and it also sheds fascinating light on a conflict that continues to influence China’s relationship with the West.”

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2014 Common Book Committee members, L to R (front row): Mike Ingrisani, Dan Ragsdale, Aaron Grill, Sarah Murphy, Elizabeth Suárez, Susan Kehoe; (back row): Melanie McMahon, Pat Flynn, Emilie Wolf, Janet Lien. Not pictured: Zack Davis, Susan Levine, Jeff Lisciandrello, Jim Reynolds.

FIFTH GRADE TRIP TO MYSTIC SEAPORT PROMPTS CURIOSITY AND TEACHABLE MOMENTS Again this year, the fifth grade

Mashantucket Pequot Museum.

Danish Jews escape the Nazi

Mystic Seaport, Mystic, Conn.

were incredibly invested in

boys read a book called “Number

boys enjoyed a class trip to This historical port, once a

whaling community, has been painstakingly preserved. Accompanied by Messrs.

Mr. Dunham noted, “The boys

learning and made their teachers proud with their thoughtful questions and curiosity.”

Mr. Lisciandrello added,

Lisciandrello, Ragsdale and

“Mr. Ragsdale and I discovered

the Mystic Aquarium and the

boat that had been used to help

Dunham, the boys also visited

that the seaport was housing a

invasion during World War II. Our the Stars,” which chronicles the ways that non-Jewish Danish

citizens helped Jewish citizens

evade capture. We were fortunate enough to have the boys attend a brief lecture about this ship and the role it played.”

GRADE SIX BOYS BOND DURING TRIP TO CAMP GREENKILL The sixth grade boys, along with teachers Zack Williams, Emilie

Wolf and Head of Middle School Chris Dunham, spent two days

in the Delaware Water Gap forest at Camp Greenkill. Mr. Dunham notes, “We were treated to wonderful fall foliage and brisk but invigorating temps. The boys studied birds of prey,

hiked, constructed

survival/emergency shelters and did lots of team-building on ropes course

elements. As in prior years, we enjoyed a terrific group bonding trip!”

Fall/Winter 2014

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FORM VI BOYS TAKE ON CHALLENGES DURING CLASS RETREAT On the first Friday of the school year, College

Guidance Counselor Sanford Pelz ’71 and Upper

School Head James Reynolds accompanied Form

VI boys on a retreat to the Sal J. Prezioso Mountain Lakes Park in northern Westchester County for a day of activities, including low- and high-ropes challenges. Mr. Pelz took a series of incredible photos, while Mr. Reynolds (top row, far left)

reported on the experience: “The weather was gorgeous, and the boys were enthusiastic and

fully engaged with both the activities and each

other. Under the guidance of facilitators from the

Mountain Workshop, the ropes challenges gave the boys the opportunity to operate in teams as well

as to challenge themselves individually. The class worked cohesively on the low-ropes courses and

fully supported each member as he pushed himself to try to complete the high-ropes elements.”

Mr. Reynolds added, “It was a perfect start for

what we all hope will be a very successful year for

the Class of 2015. The boys demonstrated all of the

qualities that have made this class standouts already: courage, ambition, empathy and ‘grytte’.”

Fall/Winter 2014

SESSION ON CYBER SAFETY APPLAUDED BY PARENTS In October, Browning parents were invited to attend an information session at the School on the subject of “cyber safety” and what they can do to be sure their sons are safe. The topics covered included the online dangers children are susceptible to and what to be aware of; teens and “sexting,” popular apps and how to use them safely; quick and easy settings to increase child safety online; how to set restrictions on iPhones, iPads and iPods, and cell

APPLE AND PUMPKIN PICKING FUN FOR BROWNING BOYS First grade boys were fortunate to spend the better

part of an October day at the Queens County Farm,

a 47-acre working farm in Queens, N.Y., dating back to 1697. The boys took a close look at how food is grown and saw many farmyard animals before

heading to the pumpkin patch to pick an orange orb of their own.

phone monitoring.

Presented by Liz Repking, founder of Cyber

Safety Consulting, the program addressed these issues in such a way that parents who might

have been uncomfortable and even intimidated by the technology their sons use felt a bit more empowered.

Parents Association President Ken Metz

commented, “I think what I took away from

the presentation, and what I hope most of the

attending parents took away as well, is that there is no silver bullet in regard to this issue of cyber

safety. There is no master website we can employ to keep our children safe in the cyber world.

It will take knowledge, commitment and real

work to stay involved with, and to stay ahead of, the constantly developing technology that our

children are exposed to and use daily. It will take real effort on our part as parents.”

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Pre-Primary boys enjoyed a hayride and apple-picking in October with their teachers and parent chaperones at Dr. Davies Farm in Congers, N.Y.

TRIP TO BROOKLYN BRIDGE SUPPLEMENTS SECOND GRADE STUDY OF SUSPENSION BRIDGES Second grade boys, accompanied by teachers Rachel

Gerber and Jackie Pellenberg, associate teacher Hallie Fischberg and parent chaperones, took a bus to the

Brooklyn Bridge in early October. With the East River

below, the group walked across the pedestrian promenade of this iconic feature of the New York City skyline. A link between the two boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn,

the Brooklyn Bridge, which serves approximately 150,000 vehicles and pedestrians every day, was the longest steel suspension bridge of its day when it opened in 1883.

Every year, Browning’s second grade class pays a

visit to this bridge, learning about it beforehand as part

of their year-long study of all the city’s boroughs. Thanks to a stipend from the Parents Association, Ms. Gerber

traveled to San Francisco this past summer to study the

Golden Gate Bridge. (Please read more about Ms. Gerber’s travels in the summer stipends section of this Buzzer; to

view a video on Browning’s website about her trip, go to www.browning.edu/search?q=stipend). Because of that

opportunity, she was able to share what she learned with

the boys. She noted, “I asked them to compare and contrast the Brooklyn Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge as part of this social studies lesson. They learned, for instance, that both are suspension bridges; each one spans more than 4,000 feet.”

pleasant surprise for the boys. According to Ms. Gerber,

they saw during their crossing of the Brooklyn Bridge.

bridges, and this particular trip still proves to be one

The boys carried clipboards with them to record what

The size of the cables and sheer length of the bridge are a

they are always enthusiastic about their study of of their favorites.

BROWNING TIES TO NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNERS Aadir ’15 and Fazeel Khan ’21 met Malala Yousafzai, one of the 2014 Nobel

Peace Prize co-winners, in New York City this past spring. In October of 2013,

Michael Zuppone ’16 attended Ms. Yousafzai’s presentation at the 92nd Street Y when she appeared and was interviewed with her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. All three Browning boys are pleased to note

they have autographed copies of her book, “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.”

Browning parent Leymah Gbowee P’17, a peace activist and Nobel Laureate

who, like Ms. Yousafzai, advocates for women’s rights and education, was

recently featured in a New York Times online video. Her segment, Part 1 of

“Three Short Films About Peace,” appeared on October 9, followed by videos

featuring former Polish president Lech Walesa and rocker Bob Geldof. All three subjects spoke about their campaigns for peace.

Fall/Winter 2014

CENTRAL PARK: A RESOURCE FOR STUDY OF SCIENCE Fourth grade Browning boys, along with science

teacher Emilie Wolf, took a field trip to Central Park

Primary boys to Central Park. As she explained, the

Ms. Wolf explained, “The boys will continue their

the field’ for their study of trees. She added, “We

recently to collect water samples from the pond. experiment back in the lab, where they will use

compound microscopes to determine the nature of the invisible organisms that live in pond water.”

THE

Science teacher Julia Kingsdale also took the Pre-

BUZZER

purpose of their trip was “to collect information ‘in gathered leaf and bark rubbings and estimated the age of a tree by measuring its circumference.”

THIRD GRADE BOYS EXPLORE TEATOWN LAKE RESERVATION On October 24, the third grade boys headed to Teatown

Lake Reservation, a nature preserve and education center in Ossining, N.Y. Teacher Susan Kehoe reports:

“The boys were immersed in the culture of the Eastern

Woodland Natives. Specifically, they learned about their history at the period of contact with Europe. The boys

enjoyed the opportunity to view what daily life in a Native American village might have been like. They visited a

reproduction of a wigwam, allowing them to feel like they really stepped back in time. Replicas of items such as deer

skin leggings, moccasins and native tools were shown and explored. The boys were allowed to touch and interact

with each one. Traditional games were played, so each boy had the chance to practice his hunting skills! It was a great learning experience and one which complemented our studies quite nicely.”

According to the reservation’s website, “The name

Teatown dates back to 1776 when tea was scarce due to

British taxation. A man by the name of John Arthur moved

siege to the farmhouse.

tea with thoughts of selling it at a huge profit. A group of

to sell the tea at a fair price

to the northern Westchester area hoarding a chest full of

women found out about the tea and demanded Mr. Arthur sell it at a reasonable fee. After refusing, the women laid

Mr. Arthur finally agreed

in exchange for a peaceful withdrawal. Hence, the area became known as ‘teatown.’ “

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS RAISE FUNDS FOR “SAVE THE CHILDREN” For the second consecutive year, Browning Middle

could not dampen the boys’ enthusiasm. They succeeded

Save the Children to raise awareness of World Food Day.

members of the New York Road Runners, the boys ran laps

School boys participated in a marathon sponsored by

The event promotes the urgent need to fight childhood hunger and malnutrition.

While inclement weather forced this year’s race to take

place in the Upper Gym, the switch to an indoor venue

in raising $7,750 for this most worthy cause! Coached by

around the gym, finishing in 2:25. Head of Middle School Chris Dunham was pleased to note, “The enthusiasm to

help the Save the Children effort was incredibly inspiring for us all. I am SO proud of our boys.”

Fall/Winter 2014

fine and p e r f o r m i n g a rt s

LATIN STUDENTS EXPLORE GALLERIES AT MET Chair of the Classics Department John Young and

Form I boys took a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greek and Roman galleries in October to inspect

ancient architectural pieces. The boys, duly impressed by the many artifacts in these galleries, sketched pieces of particular interest.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS PRESENT FALL SHAKESPEARE PLAY Browning’s Middle School boys presented “Romeo and

noted, “The production, which featured four actors from

with the girls from The Brearley School. This well-known

through Form II, and six Browning musicians from Forms

Juliet” as their fall Shakespeare production in conjunction play was directed by Head Librarian Sarah Murphy, who

The Brearley School, 19 Browning actors in Grade Five

II through VI, was a massive community undertaking.”

GRADE FOUR DELVES INTO STUDY OF EGYPT WITH VISIT TO MET Fourth grade boys spent a morning at the Metropolitan

Museum of Art in the Egyptian wing in conjunction with their study of Ancient Egypt. Art Department Chair Nik Vlahos

spoke to them about drawing sarcophagi from observation,

advising them to focus on the major parts first and the details later. He asked them to pay special attention to the overall shape, face and placement of the hands. The boys will use

these drawings as reference to make a more detailed drawing in the classroom. After that, they will build a sarcophagus using clay.

BROWNING BOYS JOIN CAST OF “A BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY” The Browning-Brearley fall play, “A Bright Room Called Day,” was staged in October. One of Tony

Kushner’s first plays, this drama is the story of Agnes

and a group of artists living in pre-World War II Berlin just as the Nazis are coming into political power.

Director Michael Baldwin noted, “As is Kushner’s

style, the play is fiercely political and imaginative, at times surreal, very human and relatable. The young men from Browning were wonderful and turned in

stellar performances.” Mr. Kushner also wrote “Angels in America” and “Lincoln.”

Fall/Winter 2014

b o o k fa i r

2014 Book Fair

THE BROWNING COMMUNITY “F E E D S I T S N E E D T O R E A D !”

he Parents Association’s

Browning Book Fair is an annual tradition enjoyed by all members of the

school community, including the boys, their families, teachers and

staff. An evening cocktail party has lately featured a panel of authors, and this year was no exception

(see photo, right). Head Librarian Sarah Murphy moderated, while

panelists regaled the audience with fascinating details of their books

and the process of creating them. Ms. Murphy also arranged for a

number of guest authors, including Michael Soluri, father of Gabriel ’18, to visit classrooms and describe what it is like to write and/or illustrate a book.

The next day, the fair offered face painting and ice cream, as well as a chance

to get cozy in a plush blue chair to read with a friend or just to oneself. On the following Monday, families were invited back for more book browsing and buying with the boys during Class Visiting Day.

Parent volunteers, along with Parents Association Liaison Christine Bramble

and the Browning maintenance staff, are to be congratulated for successfully “feeding our need to read!”

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Moderator and Head Librarian Sarah Murphy with panelists (L to R): William B. Helmreich, author of “The New York Nobody Knows: Walking 6,000 Miles in the City;” Susannah Cahalan, author of “Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness;” John Bemelmans Marciano, who continues the series of “Madeline” books written and illustrated by his grandfather, Ludwig Bemelmans; William Doyle, father of Brendan ’26 and author (with Dick Couch) of “Navy SEALs, Their Untold Story;” Chris Russo ’15 and George Grimbilas ’18, authors of “Lens.”

Fall/Winter 2014

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Fall/Winter 2014

summer stipends

EACH YEAR, THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION AWARDS stipends to faculty members who apply for specific projects, such as summer travel, research or study. Recipients may choose to produce a video (visit Browningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website to view online) or write an article for the Buzzer about his or her project. Three faculty are featured in this issue.

Study of Suspension Bridges Enriches Social Studies Curriculum For the six years that I have been

who began the construction, and Emily Roebling, his

I have sought new ways of enriching

with Mr. Keany, the boys further their study on bridges

teaching second grade at Browning,

our social studies curriculum. Grade Two focuses on New York City, with

an extensive look at the five boroughs.

wife, who saw the bridge to completion. In science class by creating models. They use materials such as popsicle sticks and string to construct their bridges.

While studying the specific New York City bridges,

Living in New York City, which we

we expand our lessons by looking at different types of

field trips and units. The social studies curriculum is a

my summer stipend funds to travel to San Francisco to

Rachel Gerber

study, provides us a host of interesting

solid base for all of our other subjects, as we often weave our lessons about the city into reading, writing, science and art classes.

Our first unit on transportation involves an

bridges that exist in various cities. This summer I used

study the Golden Gate Bridge. By looking at bridges in other cities, specifically one on the opposite side of the

country, I can now plan on asking the boys to compare

examination of the bridges in New York City. We talk specifically about the different types of bridges that

connect Manhattan to the other boroughs. We take a

Ou r first unit on tr a nsportation

structure; specifically, that it is a suspension bridge.

br idges in New Yor k Cit y. We talk

field trip over the Brooklyn Bridge and learn about its

in volv es a n ex amination of th e

(See story in Local Buzz section of this issue.) Reading

specifically abou t th e differ en t

books about the Brooklyn Bridge, watching videos, and seeing the bridge first-hand are all ways the boys gain knowledge about this massive structure.

We also focus on the construction of the Brooklyn

Bridge by learning about John Roebling, the architect

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t ypes of br idges th at connect Ma nh atta n to th e oth er boroughs.

By look ing at br idges in oth er cities, specifically one on th e opposite side of th e coun try, I ca n now pla n on ask ing th e boys to compa r e a nd con tr ast th e Brook lyn Br idge to th e Golden Gate Br idge as a w ider social studies lesson.

and contrast the Brooklyn Bridge to the Golden Gate

favorites. For that reason, I decided to focus my summer

for instance, that both bridges are suspension bridges that

boys the many pictures I took of the Golden Gate Bridge

Bridge as a wider social studies lesson. They will learn, span more than 4,000 feet.

The boys are always enthusiastic about our study of

bridges, and the Brooklyn Bridge trip is often one of their

research on this subject. I look forward to showing the

on my trip and thank the Parents Association for making it all possible.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;By Rachel Gerber, Second Grade Teacher

Fall/Winter Summer 2013 2014

How Instructional Technology Transforms Classroom Teaching This summer, I was privileged to study

maps tracing the journey of characters in the story.

New York Institute of Technology. The

boys’ understanding of this novel and its context, while

instructional technology through the

two courses I took were Social Studies and Technology as well as Science Jeff Lisciandrello

I believe these activities will enrich and deepen the making the story more intriguing.

For the science course, I designed a number

and Technology. Though I don’t

of activities focusing on the measurement side of

professors were very flexible in their

math and technology. I believe that measurement-based

teach social studies or science, my

project requirements, which enabled me to design lessons and resources that I can make use of in my fifth grade language arts and math courses.

For the social studies course, we were to design a

complete unit that incorporated technology. I chose

to focus on the history and geography of “Bud, Not

Buddy,” a novel from our fifth grade curriculum. The

activities I designed included an online research project

on the Great Depression, as well as the creation of digital

mathematics. This enabled me to incorporate science,

lessons will help make the numbers and operations we

study feel more real. I am also excited to incorporate the iPads the boys will use this year into our measurement activities. In one activity, I have designed experiment stations where the boys will discover different

mathematical principles through experimentation. These explorations will include measurement tools such as

scales, light meters, voltmeters, velocimeters and more.

As they circulate the room, the boys will enter their results into Google Forms using their iPads. This will allow me to collect and process the data almost instantaneously,

allowing for a discussion about our findings as soon as the

I believ e th ese activ ities w ill enr ich a nd deepen th e boys’ understa nding of a nov el a nd its con tex t, w hile mak ing th e story mor e in tr iguing.

boys finish.

I really enjoyed the fact that my summer coursework

did not simply focus on how to add a layer of technology over our current teaching practices; instead we examined how technology can transform our teaching. While

we read about cutting-edge apps and devices, we also

learned the psychology and learning theory that provided the rationale for using different technologies. When used as an afterthought, technology can become a gimmick

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or even a distraction in the classroom, but when done thoughtfully, technology integration can empower us

Wh en done though tfu lly,

as teachers to deliver efficient, differentiated education

tech nology in tegr ation ca n

student. I feel that my work this summer has prepared

efficien t, differ en tiated education

that responds to the unique needs and potential of each

empow er us as teach ers to deliv er

me well to take the next steps, and I am excited to see

th at r esponds to th e uniqu e needs

how technology can enrich the experience of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incoming fifth grade class.

a nd poten tial of each studen t.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;By Jeff Lisciandrello, Fifth Grade Teacher

Fall/Winter 2014

Singapore Math Delves Deep to Build Firm Foundation As a student, I always had a strong

dislike for math. First and foremost, I lacked confidence in my abilities

Browning to teach.

Under the direction of Singapore, I found that

and really never grasped a deep

my students had a solid number sense and a strong

so easily memorized and executed. For

challenging of mathematical problems. Singapore math

understanding of the algorithms I had Susan Kehoe

teaching with this method for a year prior to my coming to

me, the emphasis was on getting the

correct answer, not necessarily being

able to explain my answer or demonstrate the process I used to get to the right answer.

It was not until I started teaching

mathematics that I finally began to

understand the reasoning behind the

many algorithms I memorized. Having

taught for 25 years, I have seen and used many math programs, both successful ones as well as not so successful ones.

confidence in their abilities to tackle even the most

uses the clear progression of beginning with the concrete, then moving to the pictorial and finally to the abstract –

exactly the method I had admired and mentioned earlier.

Singapore math gives students a solid math foundation upon which to build increasingly complex skills, making it less likely that they

In honing my craft of teaching math, I

will forget and have to

a variety of strong educators. The ones

concept in later years.

have had the benefit of working with

be re-taught the same

who resonate with me are the ones who

believe in beginning with the concrete, then moving to the pictorial and, lastly, moving to the abstract.

In using my summer stipend funds, I was committed

to designing the best math program I could for my third

graders. I looked closely at the “common core” standards for math, as well as at several different exemplar school systems’ math curriculums. The Singapore method of

teaching consistently surfaced. I also had the pleasure of

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In addition, it slows down the learning

process, teaching fewer concepts within a given year but delving deeper into

concepts taught. Singapore math gives

students a solid math foundation upon which to build increasingly complex

skills, making it less likely that they will

forget and have to be re-taught the same concept in later years.

Along with my research, I created

a scope and sequence for the third

grade math curriculum. I also extended

that scope and sequence from second through fifth

grades. This year, Grade Three is using the textbook

series, “Primary Mathematics,” written by the Ministry of Education in Singapore and published by Marshall Cavendish. In August, I attended a Singapore math

workshop through East West Math Company, which further guided me in designing my curriculum and lessons. I have created several teaching binders

It is my hope each boy performs well because they understand the material on a deeper level, not just because they learned it for the test.

which outline the first four units of instruction. I soon

students. It is my hope each boy performs well because

that would spill over into my 2014-2015 school year. It is

because they learned it for the test. Getting to the right

discovered that this summer stipend project would be one a project that will continue to grow and expand as I begin to implement it into my classroom.

Through examining and rethinking my math program, I

always came back to two important goals at the core of my program: 1) to instill a deep mathematical understanding

and proficiency within each of my students and 2) to give each one a sense of themselves as capable mathematical

they understand the material on a deeper level, not just answer is important, but more importantly, knowing WHY

it is the right answer is what needs to be valued. I believe it is in the elementary grades where important mathematical concepts and skills are built, where students begin to

develop their mathematical reasoning, and where the

foundation for future success in mathematics is nurtured. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;By Susan Kehoe, Third Grade Teacher

Fall/Winter 2014

at h l e t i c s

2014 Fall Wrap-up

Andrew H. West ’92

The school year opened with a very

fall, I recall that one of the concerns was not having

successful pre-season soccer camp at

enough boys interested and devoted to soccer to field

Camp Mah-Kee-Nac, where we had

both a varsity and a JV team. I’m so glad we decided

a record number of athletes join us,

to stick with the JV program after the reassurance from

partly due to the addition of the cross

Coach Lisciandrello that the team was headed in the

country runners who started their

right direction. The JV team not only made the NYCAL

training early but also because of the

Playoffs, but they also equaled their win total from the

boys’ eagerness to get started. When I think back to last year and some of the discussions about changes we might make for this past

last four years combined! Although often not the face of the franchise, the JV teams are a good indication of things to come!

VARSITY SOCCER The varsity soccer team had a successful season finishing

date, the future looks bright for varsity soccer next year.

players unable to play for some of the season. After losing

League Soccer Players. Coaches from all the varsity soccer

Français, the boys produced an impressive win against

the all league team. Coaches are not permitted to vote

with a 6-6-2 record despite having a number of injured

their first game against eventual league champions Lycée a talented alumni team. From that game forward, the

Panthers played some skillful soccer, coupled with the right amount of aggression that eventually secured a

playoff spot in the final game of the regular season. With injuries to key players throughout the season, and at

times only having one or two subs on the bench, the boys showed some real “grytte” in their performances. Led by captain Karsten Monteverde ’16 and

supported by top scorer Arthur Mensah ’15, the Panthers almost pulled off a surprise victory

against Columbia Prep in the semifinals of the post-season playoff

tournament. The squad is only losing four

Form VI boys next

year, and with the JV

team having one of its strongest seasons to

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Karsten and Arthur were also selected as NYCAL All

teams rank the players in the league, and the top 11 make for their own players. Karsten also received the coaches’ highest ranking of all the players in the league, making

him the NYCAL League’s MVP, the highest honor a player in the league can receive!

–Coaches Watson and Zeuner

JUNIOR VARSITY SOCCER After spending much of last season

Spellman ’17, Jake Germano ’17 and

saw its efforts reflected in their record.

strategy and on-field communication

rebuilding, the JV soccer team finally They were .500 in regular season

league play, finishing in third place.

Though they lost in the first round of the playoffs, it was their first playoff appearance in some time. The key to the team’s progress lays in the

dedication of its players, especially

those returning players who helped set

the tone of sportsmanship and constant improvement. Over the course of the

season, the boys, led by captains Luke

Connor Medland ’18, focused on fitness, to become an increasingly formidable

opponent. Every boy on the team made

valuable contributions to the squad and

ended the season a better player than he

was when he began. We look forward to seeing each boy return next year (except those being promoted to varsity), and we expect an even stronger showing against our rivals both within and outside of our league.

–Coaches Lisciandrello and Cohn

Fall/Winter 2014

SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE SOCCER The Middle School soccer team enjoyed a successful season.

We are pleased with the way the boys conducted themselves

put forth a great effort. Though we finished the season with

of mostly Form I boys. We look forward to this young team

From day one of soccer camp until the final whistle, the boys an overall record of 4-6, we achieved our number one goal, which was to improve both individually, as well as a team.

both on and off the field. This year’s team was comprised being extremely competitive in the league next year. –Coaches Brown and Protheroe

MIDDLE SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY The Middle School cross country team took off with a bang this fall. The enthusiasm and eagerness of our runners were unmatched.

Form II was represented by two boys, Michael Kassis ’19 and Patrick McAllister ’19, while five boys from Form I filled out the pack,

including Ryan Aotani ’20, Logan Flynn ’20, Alexander Kwok ’20, Sharif Nsouli ’20 and Giovanni Taveras ’20. We practiced twice a week in Central Park, one day for distance, one day for speed. On Thursdays the team trekked to Van

Cortlandt Park to compete

against other middle school teams in a 1.5 mile co-ed

race. Patrick’s name could

always be found among the top 10 finishers, for which

reason he earned MVP. Each runner’s time improved over the course of the

season, which ended leaving us wanting more. –Coach Young

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VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY In late October, on a bright and

beautiful fall afternoon, the 2014 varsity Browning cross country

team headed to the challenging race course, Van Cortland Park, to once

again take part in the NYCAL Varsity Championships. Browning and

Trevor Day tied for second place, with Columbia Prep winning. One of our

top runners was not able to participate

despite a very difficult start, was at his

fall, thanks to the hard work and

harrier had run, we would have placed

field. His comrades finished further

Michael O’Connor ’16, Brandon Keno ’16,

in the championship. If this injured

second overall and perhaps been able

to challenge the winning “blue team.” The scoring was as follows:

Columbia: 31; Trevor: 51; Browning:

51; Calhoun: 100. Lycée Français, Unis

and Staten Island Academy were quite far behind despite a good effort.

Captain Christopher Keyko ’15,

the team’s best runner this season

finest, finishing fifth in a competitive back in the race, but all embodied

the best of what Browning brings to

our athletic contests: sportsmanship, engagement and, as always, “grit.”

These past two years we had excellent individual results. There is room

for improvement, and I have shared

the details with the boys to continue to improve more next season. This

dedication of Christopher Keyko ’15, Diego Lopez-Liranzo ’15, Yvan

Maslennikov ’16, Peter Florescu ’15, Julian Orillac ’16, Darion Harris ’17, Alex Barnard ’17 and Alex Lopez-

Velasco ’17, a cohesive team was born. Remember, “No one knows a park, its smells and seasons, its contour and

crannies, like a cross-country runner.” –Coach Bernard

Fall/Winter 2014

alumni events

More than 125 members of the Browning community returned to hear Governor Dean ’66 speak in the Lower Gym on October 29.

GOVERNOR HOWARD DEAN ’66 RETURNS TO HIS ALMA MATER

n October 29, the Alumni

Association welcomed back

Governor Howard Dean ’66 as

the featured guest of this year’s

Class of 2000 Distinguished Speaker Series.

Upon arrival at Browning, Governor Dean’s

first stop was a visit with Key Society students and an interview with The Grytte, the student newspaper. He then spoke in the Wilson

Room to a private roundtable for alumni

Annual Fund donors. The Chatham House Rule was in effect, so the Governor spoke

freely and off the record on a range of topics

including Ebola, the NRA, medical marijuana and more.

Following the roundtable, more than 125

alumni, parents, trustees, faculty and friends

gathered in the Lower Gym to hear Governor

THE

BUZZER

Michael Zuppone ’16 (right) interviewed Governor Dean for The Grytte, Browning’s student newspaper.

L to R: Brendan Walsh ’15, Philippe Laffont ’16, Governor Dean and Michael Zuppone ’16.

Governor Dean in the Wilson Room, during the alumni roundtable.

L to R: Justin Kingson ’98, Stuart Orenstein ’00 and Governor Dean, during Stuart’s introduction of Governor Dean to the alumni roundtable.

Dean’s keynote address, “Insights on the 2014 Midterm

Elections,” including a Q&A discussion at the end. With

the midterms happening the following week, the timing of

L to R: Headmaster Clement, Katherine Weinhoff P ’10 and Sam Weinhoff P ’10.

L to R: Bryan Boisi ’00, Stuart Orenstein ’00, Governor Dean, Benjamin Melting ’00 and Headmaster Clement.

chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a practicing physician.

He attended Browning for seven years, followed by

Governor Dean’s talk could not have been better and the

St. George’s School, Yale University and Albert Einstein

the tightest races, the best campaigns and the differences

Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award, the highest

audience had a number of questions for him. He outlined in messaging from the Republican and Democratic

parties. He also praised Headmaster Clement’s leadership of the School and reminisced on some of his favorite

Browning memories, which included stories about former Headmaster Charles W. Cook ’38, and former faculty members Clair J. Smith and Margaret MacMillan.

Governor Dean currently works as a part-time

independent consultant focusing on healthcare, early childhood development, alternative energy and the

expansion of grassroots politics. He is also the founder

of Democracy for America, a contributor for MSNBC and a board member of the National Democratic Institute. Formerly, he was Vermont’s second-longest serving

governor for 12 years, a presidential candidate in 2004,

College of Medicine. In 1992, he received Browning’s

distinction awarded to Browning alumni. His brother,

James H. Dean ’72, is also a Browning alumnus, as is his late father, Howard B. Dean, Jr. ’38 and his late brother,

Charles M. Dean ’68. Governor Dean is married to Dr. Judy Steinberg, and they have two children, Anne and Paul.

This event was established by the Class of 2000 upon

the occasion of its 10th Browning Reunion, in an effort to bring interesting speakers to the community. Prior

guests include renowned short-seller James S. Chanos in

2012, and former Wall Street Journal columnist R. Thomas Herman ’64 in 2013. We are grateful for Governor Dean’s participation, and to all who attended in support of this Alumni Association event!

Fall/Winter 2014

An intimate roundtable with Governor Dean was held in the Wilson Room for alumni Annual Fund donors.

Headmaster Clement and Evan Levey ’00.

Headmaster Clement showed Governor Dean the way to the reception in the cafeteria.

L to R: Martin Levenglick P ’26, Director of Admission for Middle and Upper School Janet Lien, Andrew Regier P ’26 and Edward Hartzog P ’26.

THE

BUZZER

Governor Dean gave his insights on the 2014 midterm elections.

Maximilian Saint-Preux ’11 and his mother, Ludmilla Ferdinand P ’11.

L to R: Valda Witt P ’20, ’22, ’26; Bill Reed ’85 and Director of Institutional Advancement Jim Simon.

Governor Dean reminisced on his days as a Browning student, including memories of Headmaster Cook playing basketball in the Lower Gym.

Elias Trahanas ’06 and Sharif Tanamli ’87.

L to R: Anik Akhund ’10, Governor Dean, Stevie Rachmuth ’10 and Nicholas Perkins ’08.

L to R: Steve Schott ’72, Elias Trahanas ’06, Juan Reyes ’86, Sharif Tanamli ’87 and Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan.

L to R: Peter Allen ’03, Sean Russell ’02, Edward Kent ’02 and Zachary Oberman ’02.

L to R: Andy Sandberg ’01, Bryan Boisi ’00, Paul Boisi ’97, PA Liaison and Director of Special Events Christine Bramble and Director of College Guidance Sandy Pelz ’71.

Fall/Winter 2014

Back row (L to R): Rohan Wijegoonaratna ’10, Gregory Davis ’10, James Preiss ’10, John Dearie ’99, Steven Rachmuth ’10, Edward Kent ’02, Christopher Jennings ’99, John Hadden ’87, Nicholas Versandi ’01, Joe Metzger ’02, Alexander Bank ’05, John Hutzler ’86, Marc Cali ’89, Sean Russell ’02, Christopher Brandt ’09, Andrew Ponzo ’98, William Reed ’85, Peter Stavropoulos ’82. Front row (L to R): Director of Communications Design Jeremy Katz ’04, Sharif Tanamli ’87, Richard Helgason ’82, Michael Beys ’89, Stuart Orenstein ’00, Justin Kingson ’98.

SEPTEMBER ALUMNI COUNCIL MEETING The first Alumni Council meeting of 2014-15

Annual Fund; the Alumni Council once again

September 15, with a total of 25 alumni in

effort. Following the meeting, Mr. Simon and

was held in the Wilson Room on Monday, attendance. The meeting began with an introduction of Director of Institutional

Advancement Jim Simon, who started working at Browning in July. Following Mr. Simon’s

presentation, Alumni Association President Michael Beys ’89 appointed 25 members to

the 2014-15 Alumni Council, including all 23

members from the previous year and two new members. The group was congratulated on a record year of alumni participation in the

THE

BUZZER

reached 100% participation in this fundraising Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan

toured the alumni throughout the new areas

of the School, showing off the central staircase and recent classroom renovations, including the new art studios and science labs. All

alumni (regardless of whether or not one

serves on the Alumni Council) are invited and encouraged to participate in these meetings.

The Alumni Association is looking forward to another great year!

ALUMNI SOCCER GAME On Tuesday, September 16, the 24th Annual Alumni Soccer Game was held on Randall’s Island. As is tradition, a team made up of alumni and faculty

took on the varsity team. The varsity team emerged

Above photo, back row (L to R): Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan, Director of Communications Design Jeremy Katz ’04, Fifth Grade Teacher Jeffrey Lisciandrello, Nicholas Christy ’09, Devin Yalkin ’00, Ahmed El-Razi ’08, Robin Lewis ’05, Christopher Perkins ’08, Harry Tucker ’08, Christopher Holme ’03, Director of Athletics Andrew West ’92. Front row (L to R): Alexander Mykyta ’03, Asif Uddin ’05, Michael Glasser ’08, Martin Arnabal ’01, Berk Sonmez ’03, Fifth Grade Teacher Daniel Ragsdale.

victorious with a final score of 3-1. Alumni ranging from the Classes of 1992-2009 attended, with a

particularly strong showing from the Class of 2008. Special thanks

to faculty members Dan Ragsdale and Jeff Lisciandrello who played in the game, and also to Christine

Bramble, Jeremy Katz ’04 and Jim

Simon who attended. The Alumni

Association wishes the varsity team a wonderful season. Go, Panthers!

Alumni, faculty and members of the Varsity Soccer Team enjoyed beautiful fall weather for this year’s Alumni Soccer Game on Randall’s Island.

L to R: Michael Glasser ’08, Harry Tucker ’08, Ahmed El-Razi ’08, Christopher Perkins ’08.

Robin Lewis ’05 moves the ball away from his team’s goal.

Fall/Winter 2014

Top row (L to R): Del Schunk ’16, William Jacob ’16, Michael Zuppone ’16, Connor Medland ’18, Grant Thompson ’18, Philip Raftopoulos ’18, Dylan Springer ’16, Patrick Lopez ’17. Front row (L to R): David Eisman ’18, Ben Weiner ’15, Chris Russo ’15, David Callaway ’82, William Abelt ’15, Caleb Sussman ’18, Daniel Kravitz ’18, Jackson Richter ’18, Director of Communications Design Jeremy Katz ’04, George Grimbilas ’18.

USA TODAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID A. CALLAWAY ’82 RETURNS TO BROWNING On October 29, the Grytte student

Grytte advisor Jeremy Katz ’04

newspaper staff enjoyed a

reports, “Mr. Callaway offered a

alumnus David A. Callaway ’82,

and ‘words of wisdom’ to the

luncheon in the Cook Room with editor-in-chief of USA Today.

Prior to starting at USA Today

in 2012, Mr. Callaway was editorin-chief of MarketWatch; before that, he worked at Bloomberg

News and The Boston Herald.

In 2012, Browning honored both Mr. Callaway and his brother,

number of interesting anecdotes Grytte staff, and they, in turn,

Mr. Callaway was a student

VI graduation. He then went on

on the evolution of journalism and

offered invaluable advice to the next generation of budding journalists.” Form III Student George

was a member of the Grytte staff

BUZZER

with us about his career.”

a reporter and editor, gave insight

of him. He shared his experience as

Achievement Award, the Alumni

THE

from his day to come and speak

at Browning for 13 years, from

Grimbilas ’18 added: “The meeting

Association’s highest distinction.

Mr. Callaway took valuable time

asked many intelligent questions

John P. Callaway ’84, with

the Class of 1938 Alumnus

The Grytte staff is very thankful that

was inspiring because Mr. Callaway when he was a student at Browning.

Pre-Primary through his Form

to receive a B.A. and M.A. from

Northwestern University’s Medill

School of Journalism. Mr. Callaway splits his time between the San

Francisco Bay Area and McLean, Va., where USA Today is based.

He and his wife, Nanci, have one daughter, Alexandra.

1888

2015

AL UMNI REUNION

Save the Date!

Browning looks forward to welcoming back its alumni for the Alumni Association’s biggest event of the year: Alumni Reunion. On April 17, 2015, classes ending in “5” and “0” will celebrate milestone reunions. All alumni, regardless of class year, are invited and encouraged to attend this annual event. Special reunion events include: • True Grytte Society & Consecutive-Year Donors Luncheon • Alumni Career Panel • Reunion Cocktail Reception for alumni and faculty, featuring the presentation of the Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award to Alexander “Lex” Haris ’88 • Induction of Alexander “Xander” Paumgarten ’90 to the Athletic Hall of Fame • Announcement of the Stephen S. Perry ’76 Memorial Class Representative Awards and the Class of 2005’s 10th Reunion Gift For more information, please contact Director of Alumni Affairs Laura N. Lanigan at llanigan@browning or 212-838-6280 Ext. 192. We look forward to celebrating with you in April! Lex Haris ’88 is executive editor of CNNMoney. He began working for Time Warner (CNNMoney’s parent company) in 1999 as a senior editor for Money Magazine’s website. In 2011, he joined CNNMoney for the site’s launch. Previously, he worked at Individual Investor, ultimately serving as executive editor. He holds an M.A. from Fordham University and a B.A. from Lake Forest College. Mr. Haris was born and raised in Manhattan, and attended Browning for nine years before leaving for boarding school at Choate Rosemary Hall. He and his wife, Helen, live in the same apartment he grew up in (and walked to Browning from each day!). When not working, he can be found on the Central Park softball fields or at a poker table.

Fall/Winter 2014

class notes

TO SHARE NEWS WITH THE Browning community, please contact Laura N. Lanigan, director of alumni affairs, at 212-838-6280 Ext. 192 or Laura N. Lanigan

llanigan@browning.edu.

50s

banking and real estate

advisory firm specializing in sourcing debt and

equity and mezzanine

Peter R. Decker ’52 has

financing for commercial

written a new novel titled,

and residential projects

“Red, White and Army

in the Metropolitan area

Blue.” This is Mr. Decker’s

and around the greater

fourth novel on western U.S.

United States. Please

history subjects. For more

e-mail me at gbowden@

details, please visit www.

chesterfieldfaringltd.com

westernslopepress.com.

Andrew Dillon ’54 is

Headmaster Clement ran into Leon Dalva ’58 commuting home by bike outside of Browning in September.

“I would not have had so

60s

I did not have in the back of

recently submitted the

a retired English professor

currently residing in Florida. Over the summer he told us, very nice a time teaching if

my mind Mr. [Charles W.] Cook ’38 and Dr. Roberts,

among many other excellent [Browning] teachers.”

Mr. Dillon taught at Flagler College for 33 years.

In December, Thomas E.

Lovejoy ’59 received the

Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service. An award of the Woodrow Wilson

John H. Ballard, Jr. ’63 following news: “Some good news! Random House is

releasing the novel, ‘Hoops’, based on my feature film

screenplay, with a brandnew cover and a lengthy

750,000 copies!”

Godfrey C. Bloch ’63

in June at the Players Club in ing Browning alumni were

present: Julian L. Bivins ’63, Garrett R. Bowden ’69 and Steven G. Schott ’72.

Linton Wells II ’63 sent

in the following news in

BUZZER

years with the Department of Defense. I encourage

all Browning students to

consider spending at least part of their careers in public service.”

In September, Andrew

of Governors, a federal

New York City. The follow-

THE

exceptionally rewarding

the film. The book has sold

about the preproduction for

awarded 10 times and this a scientist.

‘#newadventures’ after 51

Lack ’64 was named CEO

celebrated his 70th birthday

is the first to be presented to

leave federal service for

interview with yours truly

International Center for

Scholars, it has only been

June, “On June 30, I will

of the Broadcasting Board agency that oversees U.S.government supported

civilian international media

outlets. Previously, Mr. Lack was chairman of Bloomberg Media Group.

Garrett R. Bowden ’69

sent in the following news over the summer: “I have

recently joined Chesterfield

Faring Ltd., which is a small

if you are looking for

alternative solutions.”

70s

Jaime Carey ’72 is a

managing partner of the law firm Carey, based in

Santiago, Chile. In 2014, the Chambers Latin America Awards for Excellence

named the firm “Chilean Law Firm of the Year.” Over the summer,

Steven G. Schott ’72 and his youngest daughter, Meredith, traveled to

Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for the 145th Travers Stakes

at Saratoga Race Course

(also known as Saratoga’s “Mid-Summer Derby”). Mr. Schott tells us that

Godfrey C. Bloch ’63 and Richard L.N. Weaver ’75

were also in attendance. In 1981, the Schott family’s

horse, Willow Hour, won

the Travers race by a nose,

defeating Pleasant Colony,

York. We cycled about 50 miles per day.”

Wickford Welden ’73

the horse that won both

sent in the following news

the Kentucky Derby that

recently finished writing a

the Preakness Stakes and same year. In October,

Mr. Schott celebrated his 60th birthday at the 21

Club in New York City;

P. Barlett Wu ’72, Thomas D. Werblin ’72 and Godfrey C. Bloch ’63 attended.

Matthew E. Eliott ’73

recently submitted the following news, “If you are considering becoming a

horse veterinarian, I have

been an equine veterinarian for over 25 years! Addition-

ally, my wife and I own and manage a 40-horse boarding facility in Westchester

County, N.Y. Working daily with horses and their owners is and has been both

wonderfully challenging

and fun. If any students in the Browning community

are considering becoming

a large animal veterinarian,

over the summer: “I have massive short story, ‘The

Watch.’ I’m currently writing a story called ‘The Statue.’ My 14-chapter fairy tale

called ‘The Sand Castle’ is to be printed later this year.”

In November, Theodore

Dimon, Jr. ’74 presented at a New York State

Association of Independent Schools workshop titled, “Mindfulness: Putting it to Work in Independent

Schools.” Dr. Dimon is the founder and director of

The Dimon Institute as well as an adjunct professor at

Columbia Teachers College. His work focuses on the

study of the human mental and physical “operating system” as a holistic

entity and how it works in activity.

by all means come spend Horse Farm with us. We

out with the daily care of

Mark Hurd ’74 is CEO of Oracle. (Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP.)

Mark V. Hurd ’74 was

named co-CEO of Oracle

cycling trip down Lake On-

starting at Oracle in 2010,

tario from Toronto to Alfred, N.Y. We checked out all of

the wineries around Niagaraon-the-Lake, Niagara Falls

and the Finger Lakes of New

Roberts & Co., where he led capital raising and investor

relations for the Asia Pacific Region. He is a member of the Market Development Committee of Financial

Construction Group

and Cambium Learning

Group, as well as a senior advisor to Neuberger

Berman Group and Angelo Gordon & Co. Previously, he served as a managing

director of JP Morgan Asset Management and Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup.

Additionally, he is a director of the Hospital Authority’s Tseung Kwan O Hospital

and St. James Settlement, a member of the Investment Committee of the West

Kowloon Cultural District Authority, and serves on

used at 720 colleges and universities in 2014.”

Jeffrey H. Sado ’76

news in October: “Still

The Story Behind the Face.’ Happy to report that my partner and I had a new documentary film open

October 9 at the Montauk Theatre on Long Island. The film is called ‘Reel Montauk,’ and will be

playing on eastern Long

Island, available in Blu-ray

at the Lighthouse and other Montauk landmarks.

And, finished my next

script entitled, ‘The First

Name Club/The Secret of Jekyll Island,’ where The

Federal Reserve was born

in 1910. Best to my brothers from Browning!”

Jeffrey S. Blanchard ’77

of the University of Chicago

reports that Christopher F.

and the Weingarten

restaurant called Jockey

Pennsylvania. He is also

a member of the Clinton

Cannon ’79 has opened a Hollow Bar & Kitchen,

located in the Vail Mansion in Morristown, N.J. In

Global Initiative.

Alexander C.

the summer: “Still on

and senior advisor to

of undergraduates –

shopping ‘Lady Liberty:

director of the Hsin Chong

Mr. Hurd was CEO of

Clifford K. Chiu ’76 is

educational experiences

He is a non-executive

McCormick ’76 submitted

a public company director

national survey on the

submitted the following

Council, Hong Kong.

in September. Prior to

Hewlett Packard.

National Survey of Student

Services Development

Center of the University of

mitted the following news in July: “Just returned from a

Engagement, the largest

Learning Resources

the horses as well as mak-

David G. Holleb ’73 sub-

partner at Kohlberg Kravis

He recently retired as a

Booth School of Business

will have you helping us

other barns in the area.”

program. I also direct the

the global advisory board

a couple of days at River

ing veterinary farm calls to

private financial firms.

the following news over the faculty at Indiana

University, where I teach in the higher education and student affairs doctoral

Chris Cannon ’79, as featured in a New York Times article in September.

Fall/Winter 2014

September, a New York Times article titled “A

Grand Stage for a Second

Act” detailed Mr. Cannon’s plans for this latest

restaurant venture, which

will showcase New Jersey Mr. Blanchard passes along

Matthew Caws ’85 is lead singer of the band Nada Surf. Please see the Class Note on page 70 for more details.

wishes: “May the force

recently left the [New York]

produce and seafood.

his greetings and best be with you, Chris.”

80s

Charles T. Enders ’82 sent in the following news over the summer: “In

March, my wife, Jennifer,

and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary at

the hospital by welcoming our youngest daughter,

Olivia Talcott Enders, who was born the day before.

She joins Sabrina Elizabeth Enders, her four-year-old big sister, and Zoe, our

eight-pound Chihuahua. We are very well and

excited about the future.” Daniel R. Alonso ’83

submitted the following

news over the summer, “I

where I served as the Chief

James Lasry ’85 (second from right) recently launched the Gibraltar American Chamber of Commerce. He is pictured here with (L to R): Gibraltar’s Minister for Financial Services Albert Isola, Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo.

became General Counsel

in the presence of former

to share the experience

Ken Salazar. A follow-up

participative way. Guys

District Attorney’s office – ADA for four years – and of Exiger LLC, a new

consulting firm focusing on corporate governance, risk and compliance.”

Amory H. Sharpe ’83

visited Browning in Sep-

tember. He and his family

live in San Francisco, Calif.,

where he works as the chief

philanthropy officer for The Asia Foundation.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior trade mission will be held in Washington, D.C., and New York.

In September, Brian

Fass ’86 had several of his

photographs featured in a

9/11 tribute show at Baboo Gallery in Chelsea.

James G. Lasry ’85

program at Browning

having expanded to Grades

Four, Five and Six. The word has spread as librarians

from around the U.S. have contacted Ms. Levine to develop their own

Guys Read, based on her

received full accreditation

90s

Commerce. The organiza-

in the following update in

American Chamber of

Commerce, which recently

Spencer Rothschild ’90 sent

from the U.S. Chamber of

tion held its first trade mission in Gibraltar last May,

June: “Following up from John Hadden ’87 (left) and his son, Johnny, Browning Class of 2024.

Reja Sabet ’82 submitted the above photo in October, with this caption: “Best friends since 1977!” L to R: Reja Sabet ’82, Lorenzo Lorenzotti ’82, David Callaway ’82 and Anthony Addison ’82, pictured at Draught 55 in New York City.

Barrio Foods’ re-launch of the world famous Copa-

cabana in 2011, I founded

Hadden, II ’87 and his

Barrio Spirits. This summer,

participated in Grade

Copacabana 1940 Anejo

meeting of the 2014-15 year.

associated with the world

years ago by Browning

inception 75 years ago.”

an opportunity for boys and

submitted the following

uncles or big brothers)

the summer off to backpack

son, Johnny Hadden ’24,

Barrio Spirits is launching

Three’s first Guys Read

Rum, the first product launch

Guys Read was started three

famous nightclub since its

Librarian Susan Levine as

BUZZER

Read is now an institutional

great concept.

launched the Gibraltar

In October, John W.

THE

of reading in a fun and

their dads (or grandfathers,

Ian B. Weiss ’93

news in October: “I took

In October, Headmaster Clement spent time with Brian Kraus ’91 (center) and his wife, Heather, as well as their two sons, Matt and Will. The Kraus family was visiting Browning from Concord, N.H., where they currently reside.

L to R: Sandy Pelz ’71, Christian Reade ’97, Kelsey Reade (Tracy’s wife) and Tracy Reade ’00 at Browning in October.

a vinyl sign company called

White House and focusing

is now serving over 70

economic, financial and

Art World Sign, which

galleries, institutions and non-profits with quality

be starting an art project

admissions, “Application

Transportation.”

Philip Blake ’95

including Hong Kong,

Vietnam, Thailand, the

Philippines, Cambodia,

Borneo Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. I then went scuba diving in Utila,

Honduras. Besides doing 85 scuba dives in four months, notable experiences

included touring Angkor Wat in Cambodia, motor

biking between Hoi An and Hue in Vietnam, diving

with thresher sharks 110

feet deep in Malapasqua,

the Philippines, and cage diving with Great White sharks in Port Lincoln,

Australia. The world is an amazing place and I have

now officially been bit by the travel bug. I took this

opportunity to take a miniretirement and see what I

could before a new career opportunity brought me

back to the U.S. I returned

submitted the following news: “I recently took a

position at the New York

Genome Center (NYGC) as the manager of desk side

engineering. The NYGC is at

the forefront of transforming biomedical research and

clinical care with the mission of saving lives.”

of Arlee Home Fashions,

00s

This is a new business for

announced in October that

owned company and will

will be joining the

abilities in new and very

desk as a policy editor.

to assume the position of

vice president of sales for the pet specialty division based in New York City.

The Washington Post

this 40-year-old family-

Zachary A. Goldfarb ’01

test my knowledge and

company’s financial editing

exciting ways.”

Zach has worked for The

the following news over the

2006, most recently as a

Dave Eppley ’94 sent us

summer: “I recently started

Andy Sandberg ’01

has written a new comedy

with the Department of

through nine countries

fiscal policy.

lettering and graphics for

their exhibitions. I will also

Ian Weiss ’93 spent the summer of 2014 traveling around the world; he is pictured here during a cage dive with Great White sharks in the Southern Ocean off the coast of Port Lincoln, Australia.

on President Obama’s

Washington Post since

staff writer covering the

about kindergarten

Pending,” which will be

premiering Off-Broadway

in 2015. Browning classmate Colin McGurk ’01 will be designing the set; this is

their second professional collaboration. For tickets

or additional details, visit applicationpending.com. Andy recently directed a remount of his musical,

“Shida,” at the prestigious

American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., and he was invited to present his play, “Craving for

Travel,” in Mexico. For more information about Andy’s

upcoming projects, you can check out andysandberg.

com or email Andy directly

at andy@andysandberg.com. Jonas F. Borra ’03 is the

VIP Director at Webster Hall. He also competes in MGA section golf

tournaments and has been

Fall/Winter 2014

Alex Sheridan ’04 (left) visited Browning in September and spent time catching up with Director of Athletics Andrew West ’92.

working on a music project

Joseph M. Suquet ’04

years that is due to be

Tech this fall. Previously,

for over two-and-a-half finished soon.

On September 23,

Jeremy D. Katz ’04 and

Scott J. Uffner ’04 went to

began his MBA at Georgia he graduated from the

University of Virginia and Tulane Law School.

Jesse P. Bogner ’05 wrote

see Matthew Caws ’85, lead

a book titled “The Egotist,”

pop rock band Nada Surf,

July 2014. Amazon.com

vocalist and guitarist of the in concert in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Hosted at the

music venue Rough Trade, Nada Surf was promoting the worldwide release of

their latest record, “B-Sides.” Scott was an avid drum-

mer in high school and has

followed Caws’ career ever

since he spoke at Browning

on the Alumni Career Panel in 2004, when Scott was a

which was published in

describes the book as one that “tracks its author’s development from a

hedonistic New Yorker to a Kabbalist, on a path to find the meaning of life. This

book offers a glimpse into the misunderstood world

egos of individuals and the

from New York City to

has the power to correct the

has a Kabbalah student,

under Michael Laitman.

collective plea of Kabbalists

Alexander A. Sheridan ’04

in August. This fall, he will

writing; he is now pursuing

After working for

BUZZER

development.” Following

received a B.A. in creative

Country School.

Sam Morril ’05, as featured in a September interview with splitsider.com titled, “Living the Standup Life with Sam Morril.”

Samuel E. Morril ’05

recently performed a

Bard College where he

Admission at Riverdale

study Kabbalah in Israel

detail, illuminated the

Browning, Jesse attended

co-director of Upper School

THE

in such excruciating

his graduation from

accepted the position of

Rodriguez in New Orleans,

world at large. Never before

nature of his own spiritual

Over the summer,

York and Paris, and Fowler

Brian Jeong ’07 (right) and his former varsity soccer coach, David Watson, spent time catching up at Browning in October.

of Kabbalah and how the

student in Form VI.

Dewey & LeBoeuf in New

David Kimball-Stanley ’05 works for NYC Council member Dan Garodnick. In June, the Gardonick team rang the trading bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange.

stand-up set on “Conan”

appear on Comedy Central’s “Adam Devine’s House

Party.” Sam is a comedian based in New York City.

Brian Jeong ’07 visited

a degree in education.

Browning in October. At

screenwriter, he moved

interning in New York for

A freelance writer and

the time of his visit, he was

the Permanent Missions of

unique Indian regulations

UN. Brian was a student at

access to things such as fire

the Republic of Korea to the Browning for one year in

Form III, before he and his family moved to China. In January 2014,

M. Anas Uddin ’08 took office as the assistant to

New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer.

10s

Stephen A. Fleischer ’10

while also maintaining easy escape and utilities. Part of my work here includes a

research project to hopefully use towards my thesis next

year; it involves investigating the effect of the construction

boom on the overall fabric of Mumbai. I am looking

at factors such as change in traffic patterns, the

resulting social development and job creation.”

Jason T. Bader ’11

submitted the following

recently sent in the following

rently volunteering in Nai-

marked the beginning of

news in October: “Cur-

robi, Kenya. Teaching math and English at the ‘Our

Lady of Nazareth’ school

located in a slum – Mukuru Kwa Njenga.”

Pranay N. Advani ’11

wrote to us over the summer: “I’ve been in Mumbai for almost two weeks now, working with a project

management consultant.

Most of his clients are big builders in the city, and I

have had a chance to sit in on several meetings, getting a

chance to see things such as rate negotiation, budgeting and prioritization of

various activities during the construction process. Apart

from that, I have spent a lot

of time doing design review, looking over architectural and structural plans. I

have learned to look out

for things such as physical

placement of parking spaces, constructing floor plans

to accommodate the very

L to R: Dean of Faculty Michael Ingrisani, Kyle Johnson ’12 and Director of College Guidance Sandy Pelz ’71 at Johns Hopkins University during the Form V and Form VI College Trip. Kyle is a junior at Johns Hopkins, majoring in mechanical engineering, and he joined the College Trip group for lunch during their fall visit to the University.

news: “January 2014

recruiting season for summer internships following my

junior year at NYU Stern. Going to Stern, I knew

early on that I wanted to

pursue a career in business,

particularly banking. At the

onset of the recruiting season, I reached out to Browning

to speak with alumni from

Maximillian Saint-Preux ’11 and Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan at Browning in September.

the firms I was interested

officially accepted! I am

helpful and proactive to put

there, and am looking

in. Browning was extremely me in touch with a number of outstanding members of the community. I received

excited to begin my career forward to this next chapter after college.”

Jesse M. Rost ’11 sent

great advice on how to

in the following news over

insight into what roles would

launched a new website

prepare for interviews,

be the right match for me, and introductions to key

people. By the end of the process, I had landed an

internship at Morgan Stanley within the prime brokerage client service group. I had

an amazing summer there

and was offered a full-time position, which I have

the summer: “I recently

called schwicity.com, which

Zack Zarrillo ’11, as featured in The West Milford Messenger in August.

culture. Additionally, a

currently a student at

curates fashion, music and marketplace to purchase high-end clothing and

Dartmouth College.

Zackary M. Zarrillo ’11

accessories will accompany

was featured in an article

Maximillian Saint-

Messenger in August. The

the site this fall.”

Preux ’11 visited Browning in September. He is

in The West Milford

article details Zack’s love of music and his punk music

Fall/Winter 2014

L to R: Aaron Parisier ’14, Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds, Anthony Builder ’12 and Dean of Students Michael Ingrisani at the University of Richmond in September, during the Form V and Form VI College Trip. Both Aaron and Anthony are students at the University of Richmond.

Michael Gabrellian ’13 (left) and Michele Gama Sosa ’10 competed on the same 4x400 relay team in a New York Road Runners race over the summer.

blog, propertyofzack.com,

gathered the following

worked in the mechanical

in Japanese. We had a

Buzz Media. Zack remains

classmates: Andrew M.

Johns Hopkins University;

with them. After Japan,

that he recently sold to

founder and CEO of the

blog and is responsible for all content. Additionally, he co-owns the record

label “Bad Timing” and is working to reboot a

once-famous record label

called “Jade Tree.” He also works for management

company Synergy, where he manages two bands and is

an assistant for two others. Zack is a senior at Drexel University, where he is a music industry major.

news from a number of his Amarosa ’12 worked as

a windsurfing instructor; Ibrahima D. Diallo ’12

worked in corporate finance at 21st Century Fox;

Remy N. Fortin ’12 worked in the political department

at BIPAC (Business Industry

Political Action Committee); Nicholas W. Hexner ’12

worked in entertainment

finance and management at Engel Entertainment; Kyle C. Johnson ’12

engineering fluids lab at Henry H. Newberry ’12 worked as a product

manager at UrbanDaddy. Chris also submitted the following news about

how he and his brother, Jonathan E. Pelz ’12,

spent the summer: “Jon

and I began our summer by spending two weeks in Japan with the host

families we stayed with in

eighth grade. This time, we were able to communicate

wonderful time staying we returned to Maine and worked at Robin

Hood Camp as programs directors. I am staying at

Bates for the whole school year, but Jon is currently

studying abroad in Japan

for the first semester, where he is studying Japanese

language, grammar and a couple of Japanese

history courses. I still

continue to trudge along in neuroscience.”

Members of the Class of

2012 had a very productive

summer! Class Representative Christopher M. Pelz ’12

Sandy ’71 and Chris Pelz ’12 at Browning in October.

THE

BUZZER

Farouk Oni ’13 (third from right) with members of Form V at Gettysburg College during the annual College Trip.

L to R: Noah Regen ’13, French Teacher Dominique Bernard and Ben Jacobs ’13 spent time catching up at Browning this fall.

Michael J. Gabrellian ’13

tells us that he and Michele Gama Sosa ’10 were on

the same New York Road

Runners’ 4x400 relay team this summer. In August,

visited Franklin & Marshall College and spent time catching up with Ani

Akpan ’14, who is currently a freshman at F&M.

Benjamin D. Jacobs ’13

Michael reported to his

and Noah S. Regen ’13

track coach, Dominique

Noah is in his sophomore

former cross-country and Bernard, that “Browning cross-country and track

team bonds are stronger

than any college rivalries.”

L to R: Jack Morris ’15, Jeremy Sambuca, David Valentin ’15 and Brendan Walsh ’15.

visited Browning in October. year at Oberlin College

and Ben is a sophomore at Yale University.

In October, David J.

Emily Boland (left), former learning specialist, visited Browning in October and spent time with Kristen Sheppard, current learning specialist.

Michael is a sophomore

Dent. Jr. ’14 was featured

Mr. Sambuca is now director

Michele graduated from

“Write for the Future”

at the Hewitt School.

at Cornell University and Yale University in 2014.

In September, the second

stop on Browning’s Form V and Form VI College Trip was Gettysburg College, where Farouk Oni ’13 is

currently in his sophomore year. He dropped by the

dining hall to say hello to

all and was greeted warmly by members of Form V,

many of whom remember his contribution to their

Browning experience as a peer leader of their Form III class. Prior to visiting Gettysburg, the group

on the Huffington Post’s blog with his essay,

of educational technology

In April, Christopher M.

“Pokémon to Mediation.”

Haack ’14 and Browning’s

Northwestern University.

institutional advancement,

He is a freshman at

Former Faculty News Jeremy M. Sambuca,

former director of academic technology, visited

Browning in September.

Chris Haack ’14 (left) and Marty Haase at Polytechnic School in April.

former director of

Caltech, adjacent to

Martin T. Haase, spent

Mr. Haase is director of

time together in Pasadena, Calif., when Chris visited

Polytechnic School where advancement. Chris is a freshman at Caltech.

IN MEMORIAM Zahira Catano (wife of Victor Catano ’94) Sherland Corbin P ’93 Antonio Gebauer P ’86, ’88 Kevin J. Walsh P ’15 Murrell R. Werth P ’69, P ’73

Fall/Winter 2014

RECORDS ARE MEANT

to be broken!

2013-14 Annual Fund Raises Over $1.8 Million

s indicated in our recent

Report of Giving, Browning’s loyal supporters outdid

themselves by setting a new record for annual giving in 2013-2014. Clearly,

the “Art of Giving,” the theme of our financial report, thrives within our

community! We are pleased to report significant increases from the prior

year with our Annual Fund raising over $1.8 million.

Every donor helped the Annual

Fund reach new milestones for dollars

raised. This achievement would not be possible without strong participation across all Browning constituencies. We are happy to report 100%

Thank you for your extraordinary

an all-time high with 88% participation, including 100%

contributions and for making

alumni maintained their momentum by achieving a record

Browning a philanthropic priority!

of 2014 and the Alumni Council. Parent giving reached participation from the Classes of 2014 and 2023. Our level of 19% participation.

THE

BUZZER

09-10

10-11

11-12

$ 1,619,187

$ 1,528,797

08-09

$ 1,551,148

07-08

$ 1,444,858

06-07

$ 1,373,696

05-06

$ 1,442,145

$ 1,242,175

04-05

$ 1,222,200

$ 1,163,026

ANNUAL GIVING 2004-2014

12-13

$ 1,825,510

participation from Browning’s Board of Trustees, the Class

13-14

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2014-2015

rowning continues to be a school for boys who

aspire to succeed. Every

dollar raised by the Annual Fund

advances our mission: the pursuit of academic excellence and a lifelong love of learning.

To maintain our commitment to

excellence in education, Browning depends on resources above and

I am…a scientist.

I am…an athlete.

I am…a maker.

I am…a teacher.

beyond tuition every year. Annual giving bridges the funding gap

between tuition and the total cost of

educating each and every Browning boy. Last year, generous support to

the Annual Fund accounted for 12% of the School’s operating budget.

As outlined in the Fall appeal, your

contribution ensures that all Browning boys are given the opportunities to find success and explore their

passions. Whether it’s in an Advanced Robotics Class, on a field trip to Black Rock Forest, on the basketball court

or in the classroom, the Annual Fund helps Browning provide the best

educational experience possible for each boy.

Supporting annual giving serves as a powerful testament

to our School’s strength and reflects our community’s

commitment to Browning. Your gift sends a message that

you value the Browning experience and want to invest in the

Support Browning’s Annual Fund and proudly say:

I am…a Browning donor!

continued financial health and stability of the School.

To make a gift, please use the return

giving? We base our confidence on all those who have

visit www.browning.edu/giving.

envelope enclosed in this Buzzer or

Will you help us break last year’s record for annual

shown their confidence in Browning: current and past

For more information, please

parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty and organizations.

contact Director of Annual Giving

The Browning community hopes you will again find

the Annual Fund worthy of your support. Thank you in advance for your consideration!

Soo Mi Thompson at (212) 838-6280, Soo Mi Thompson

ext. 160, or sthompson@browning.edu.

Fall/Winter 2014

I: Program and Technolog y

II: Financial Assistance

III: Faculty Compensation and Professional Development

IV: Endowment

THE

BUZZER

STRONG & TRUE: IS N E A R I NG I T S G OA L!

Since the public launch of STRONG & TRUE: The Campaign for Browning, we as a community have been fortunate to have generous and broad-based support for our top priorities: Program and Technology, Faculty Compensation and Professional Development, Financial Assistance and Endowment. We are nearing our historic goal of $30 million which, once completed, will help provide Browning with the foundation for success in the coming decades.

CAMPAIGN PROGRESS 2007 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2014

There is still work to be done. We are grateful for

$30,000,000

$29,000,000

TOTAL GIFTS TO DATE

$20,000,000

your consideration $10,000,000

and support of this special effort.

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

When you receive your invitation to support STRONG & TRUE, please consider joining the many parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty and friends who have made a special investment in the future of The Browning School and the future of our boys. Jim Simon

For more information, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Jim Simon at (212) 838-6280, ext. 150.

Fall/Winter 2014

77 C

T H E BROW N I NG SC HO OL 52 East 62nd Street New York, New York 10065

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

PAID AUGUSTA, ME PERMIT NO. 121

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

TO PARENTS OF ALUMNI If this magazine is addressed to your son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office at 212 838 6280 x192 with the correct mailing address. Thank you.

BOOKS TO PLEASE

Every Palate!

Browning boys (and their sisters) got comfy with some of their favorite books during the Parents Association’s 2014

Browning Book Fair that carried forth the theme, “Feed Your Need to Read.” Turn to page 44 for more details and photos. THE

BUZZER