Calhoun Chronicle, Spring 2019

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Calhoun Launches Strategic Plan

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The School Year in Social Media

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Calhoun Faculty on the Art of Teaching

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Alumni Class Notes

SPRING 2019

Contents Feature In Their Words: Calhoun Faculty on the Art of Teaching

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Departments VIEWPOINT

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by Steve Solnick

SCHOOL NEWS Calhoun Launches Strategic Plan

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The School Year in Social Media

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Sports

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Onstage

ALUMNI NEWS Alumni Profile: Miguel Guadalupe ‘94

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Alumni Class Notes

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SPRING 2019

PHOTO: NAHUEL FANJUL-ARGUIJO

The Calhoun Chronicle is created by the Communications Office: Michelle Kiefer Director of Communications Nahuel Fanjul-Arguijo Digital Communications & Website Manager Candace Silva Communications Coordinator Alumni news by Bart Hale ‘00 Director of Alumni Relations

Design by Christine Zamora ‘81, CZ Design Thank you to all of the community members who shared their stories, lent a hand, and helped bring the Chronicle to life.

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Photo : GARY JOSEPH COHEN

Editorial assistance by Amy Edelman

O N T H E COV E R

Fourth graders visited the Cold Spring Hatchery to retrieve trout eggs to raise in their science classroom.

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SCHOOL NEWS

Viewpoint

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BY ST EVE SOLNI CK , HE A D OF SC HOOL

Teachers as Partners in the Learning Journey A hallmark of Calhoun’s progressive approach to education is that we understand each child has a unique set of interests and tastes, and a boundless potential to grow.

Every student’s journey through the school will be different because we celebrate the ways in which each student is different. We pride ourselves on knowing our students well so that we can excite their passions and trigger their curiosity, letting those powerful forces drive the learning process.

At the center of our learning model are the strong bonds between our students and teachers, beginning in the youngest grades and continuing all the way through high school. Teachers at Calhoun are never the “sages on the stage”—the definitive dispensers of authoritative knowledge. They are partners with our students (and families) in the learning adventure: probing, guiding, supporting and mentoring. Our open classrooms and tight-knit community ensure that these relationships can remain strong over many years.

In February, I had the pleasure of attending a reunion concert of a Calhoun high school band from the early 1980s.

The four alumni bandmates came together to release their album after 35 years, performing before a packed house of fellow alums, friends and family. Their first song—written when they were students—used just the name “John” as its lyrics. It was a tribute to their physics teacher, John Roeder.

“ At the center of our learning model are the strong bonds between our students and teachers, beginning in the youngest grades and continuing all the way through high school.”

John still teaches at Calhoun, and he was in the audience for this performance, surrounded by a loving throng of his former students. Those extraordinary bonds between teachers and students, lasting 35 years or longer, are spotlighted in this issue of the Chronicle. I hope you enjoy it.

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SCHOOL NEWS

Calhoun Looks to the Future with New Strategic Plan

Calhoun has launched a new strategic plan that will chart the course of the school’s future. Calhoun 2025 was formally adopted by the Board of Trustees in December 2018 after a nearly year-long strategic planning process.

The plan rededicates Calhoun to its core mission of being a learner-centered, forward-looking institution committed to student success, teacher excellence and a progressive educational philosophy.

Echoing this learner-centered approach, the plan is organized around four themes, presented from the perspective of the student: My Calhoun, Our Calhoun, Calhoun Everywhere and Investing in Calhoun.

Under each of these themes, the plan spells out eight initiatives that represent the school’s objectives for the next five to seven years. Teams of faculty, staff and administrators will develop implementation plans for these initiatives, which will be

MY CALHOUN—UNIQUELY SUPPORTING AND CHALLENGING EVERY STUDENT

OUR CALHOUN—CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY, CULTURE AND VALUES

GOAL:

GOAL:

Develop for each student an individualized, dynamic academic plan, with competencybased and other milestones, that encourages a growth mindset, stimulates intellectual curiosity, and supports partnership and constructive communication among students, faculty and families.

Nurture a proud, diverse and supportive community of collaborative learners and engaged citizens that puts values of equity, inclusion, social justice and community engagement into practice.

INITIATIVES:

• Learner-centered rigor: a transparent and dynamic mastery-based curriculum and assessment framework across all divisions serving all students

INITIATIVES:

• Learners with purpose: incorporating social justice competencies into our educational framework • Ensuring a diverse community: expanding resources available for need-based tuition assistance

• Educating the whole student: incorporating social-emotional learning into our educational framework

approved by the Board.

To read the full text of the plan, visit calhoun.org/calhoun2025

“ When I look at Calhoun 2025, the word I would use is engagement— fired-up faculty, students who are highly engaged with each other and their own individualized learning experience, and interwoven into all of that is our bedrock values.”

— Mike Conboy, chair of Strategic Planning Committee and Trustee

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SCHOOL NEWS

CALHOUN EVERYWHERE—ENGAGING WITH NYC AND THE WORLD BEYOND

INVESTING IN CALHOUN— SUPPORTING INNOVATION

THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS

GOAL:

GOAL:

Expand our use of excursions and partnerships—both physical and virtual— to deepen students’ exposure to socio-economic and culturally diverse communities, expand the gamut of cross-disciplinary, inquiry-based learning and enhance our curricular engagement with local and national communities.

Dedicate resources to ensuring that our faculty and staff have access to cuttingedge research and innovations and that our facilities, systems and technology fully support our programming.

The vision of the plan was the result of a collaborative effort, reflecting the many voices of the Calhoun community. The process was facilitated

by Carla Silver and Christian Talbot of Leadership+Design.

INITIATIVES:

• The classroom around us: expanding the use of New York for experiential learning and a deeper integration of travel beyond New York into our curriculum • Civic and media literacy for the 21st century: developing competencies for working with information in the internet era

INITIATIVES:

• Investing in our faculty: expanding and strategically guiding faculty professional development to support mission-driven innovation • Investing in our facilities: revitalizing our teaching spaces to support experiential, project-based and joyful learning

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• The Board appointed a Strategic Planning Committee of faculty, staff, alumni and Trustees, chaired by Mike Conboy (vice-chair of the Board) and co-chaired by Steve Solnick (Head of School). The committee met monthly and conducted a range of constituent interviews to develop the plan’s key themes.

• A parent satisfaction survey was distributed in spring 2018.

• More than 90 members of the community gathered at Community Design Day in April 2018 for a full day of creative brainstorming and group work.

• Administrators and Trustees drafted the plan in summer 2018, which was reviewed by the Strategic Planning Committee, the Board, faculty and parent groups.

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SCHOOL NEWS

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The School Year in Social Media Here’s a roundup of some of our favorite moments of the school year so far, as seen on Calhoun’s social media feeds.

Calhouners were all smiles for the first day of school!

The annual camping trip offers a wonderful community-building opportunity for ninth graders, as they begin their high school journeys.

First graders kicked off their self-study by drawing self-portraits.

See more Calhoun stories: Follow @calhounschool on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and subscribe to our blog: calhoun.org/blog SPRING 2019

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SCHOOL NEWS Third graders interviewed Calhoun chefs to find out how much math they use on a daily basis to prepare nutritious lunches for the school community.

Exploring science, technology, art and math, kindergartners had a blast in the Discovery Lab.

Seniors in Advanced Biology visited Black Rock Forest for hands-on learning in the great outdoors.

Touring El Museo del Barrio, Upper Schoolers practiced their conversational Spanish.

The entire Calhoun community came together at Harvest Festival for a day of spirit and service.

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SCHOOL NEWS

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Upper Schoolers in Differential Calculus built marble runs to investigate the principles of continuity and limits.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball team took on UNIS during the Whiteout Calhoun Spirit Day game.

Interactive activities at the National Museum of Math helped Middle Schoolers deepen their knowledge of mathematical concepts.

Seventh graders gained a new perspective on the complex topic of race by examining their own DNA.

After a successful toy drive, fifth graders delivered the collected donations to West End Residences.

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SPORTS

Greenkill Weekend Camp Fuels Athletes and Builds Culture This past August, Calhoun’s Upper School student-athletes spent a few days of dedicated training at the Greenkill Retreat Center in Huguenot, New York, where they quickly got to work laying the groundwork for the fall sports season.

The Greenkill program started six years ago with the Upper School Volleyball teams, and has since grown to include all fall Upper School sports teams (Cross Country, Soccer and Volleyball).

What began as a way to give athletes extra practice time before the start of the season has expanded to encompass much more than physical skill development. In addition to three-a-day practice sessions, the teams participate in workshops on topics such as growth mindset, motivation, positive self-talk and communication.

“We’ve come to learn that the hours between practice sessions prove just as important as, if not more important than, any

technical work that we do,” says Sabrina Zurkuhlen ’06, Calhoun’s Athletics Director and Varsity Volleyball coach. The camp’s programming provides Cougars with the tools to be leaders and build a strong, positive culture both within and across teams.

Ultimately, it’s this culture creation that is vital to a team’s success, and the Calhoun athletics program has already reaped the benefits, most notably in the progress made by the Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Soccer teams this fall.

“Watching the growth and transformation that takes place at Greenkill is really amazing,” says Kevin Randazzo, Girls’ JV Volleyball coach and Middle School math teacher. “When we leave, everyone’s skills have improved, but most importantly, they believe in themselves more after the experience.”

Fall Season Highlights

X X X X NEWSMAK ERS

The Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team won a championship for the 11th year in a row, bringing home the NYCAL postseason tournament trophy with a 3-2 win in the finals over season rival Trevor Day.

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The Girls’ JV Volleyball team took dual NYCAL championships this season, storming through the postseason tournaments with 2–0 wins in the semifinals and finals. The team has been undefeated in NYCAL for two years running!

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Calhoun’s Varsity Cross Country team finished in second place in the NYCAL season, earning 10 out of 12 runners a spot in the NYSAIS State Championship Meet.

The Girls’ Varsity Soccer team saw significant scoreboard improvements this season, ending the season with an exciting 2–1 win against Avenues.

The team can look forward to building on this year’s successes next fall.

The Boys’ Varsity Soccer team continued to develop its skills this season, fighting some fierce battles on the field not seen in recent Cougar soccer history.

The Girls’ Volleyball program was recognized for the third year in a row with the Service Ace Award for raising more than $1,500 at their annual Dig Pink fundraiser to support breast cancer research.

Sydney Ashton ‘20 made Cougar Nation proud by participating in the ECVA Senior Championships as a member of the Grenada national women’s volleyball team.

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SCHOOL NEWS

Onstage

UPPER SCHOOL THEATER

The Man Who Came to Dinner The Upper School theater program produced a laugh-out-loud performance of The Man Who Came to Dinner, the Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman comedy classic. Senior Fernando Rueda shone in his portrayal of eccentric New York radio personality Sheridan Whiteside.

MIDDLE SCHOOL THEATER

Middle Class Middle School thespians staged a production of Middle Class, the story of a group of students in a modern middle school. The young actors deftly tackled the play’s themes of identity and personal relationships, shedding light on this complex stage of life.

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SCHOOL FEATURE NEWS

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MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL STRINGS, AND UPPER SCHOOL PERCUSSION Middle School and Upper School strings players filled the theater with holiday joy and spirited tunes during this year’s Winter Concert.

The musicians played classics like Tchaikovsky’s “Andante from Symphony No. 6,” as well as more modern favorites such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

LOWER SCHOOL WINTER SING (Far left) The Winter Sing is always the season’s most anticipated concert for Lower School 81st families—and this year did not disappoint!

The young performers took the audience on a journey through modern pop and childhood favorites, making for a festive, memorable morning for all.

FIFTH GRADE PLAY (Near left) The student-written production Freedom and Fluff Beyond the Stars told the story of the Planet of Fluff, whose inhabitants must decide whether to welcome a spaceship of mysterious strangers or turn them away.

UPPER SCHOOL CHORUS CONCERT The Upper School Chorus and the Vocal Workshop class treated the audience to a lovely variety of music, from songs about social justice warriors like Harriet Tubman and Nelson Mandela to popular tunes from films like A Star Is Born and Toy Story.

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FEATURE

In Their Words: Calhoun Faculty on the Art of Teaching If teaching is an art form, then Calhoun teachers are masters of their craft. And while, as with any masterpiece, there’s no single formula for great teaching, our teachers do share some commonalities in their approach.

Calhoun teachers are deeply passionate about what they do, both as educators and engaged citizens of the world. They are lifelong learners, continually fine-tuning their skills. Above all, they are fiercely student-centric, dedicated to creating a personalized experience for each student who enters the classroom. This approach allows teachers to ignite students’ curiosity, empower them to take risks, and guide them to new and unexpected places in their intellectual growth.

To understand what this looks like in practice, we turned to the artists themselves —our teachers—speaking to a range of faculty members from across divisions and subjects.

Here, in their own words, is an inside look at the art of teaching.

As told to Michelle Kiefer and Candace Silva

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FEATURE

UNIQUELY CHALLENGING EACH STUDENT Carl Bellamy, Lower School Head Teacher In his years at Calhoun, Carl has taught pre-K through second grade, and has had an impact on countless students. His focus on interdisciplinary learning and emphasis on individualization has laid a strong foundation for Little Calhouners’ educational journeys.

In my classroom, subjects intertwine quite often. For instance, we worked on a project that at first glance might seem like just an art project, but it reinforces the concept of place value, as well as language skills. Another example of interdisciplinary work is our study of different cultural holidays, which incorporates reading, writing and world language.

Individualized learning is the best weapon we have. One hat doesn’t fit everyone. We take the same concept and try to find different ways to meet each individual’s needs.

As an example, in math, if we’re learning addition and children are ready for more, I’ll change the format or give them a word problem to see if they can read and understand the context of the problem. If they move through the work

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“

Individualized learning is the best weapon we have.”

— Carl Bellamy, Lower School Head Teacher

quickly, I’ll scale it up more. I want to keep the kids engaged, challenged and stimulated.

Another student may be on the other end of the spectrum, and so we’ll spend more one-on-one time together to reinforce the concept. I have a small group, so I have the time to sit down with a student who may need extra time, and I definitely take advantage of that.

I have a goal for every student and want everyone to meet certain criteria—but not everyone will respond to things in the same way. That’s why manipulatives [physical teaching tools such as Cuisenaire rods, models or puzzles] are a big part of what we do—some children can understand a concept auditorily, while others need the visual stimulation. Learning should be individualized because we’re all individuals.

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FEATURE

Examples of plays produced by Nina’s classes: Make Them Hear You: fourth grade play, April 2018 In a museum showcasing current-day Native Americans, the exhibits suddenly come to life, revealing that the indigenous people are not just a people of the past.

The Mystery of Normal: third grade play, June 2018 At a summer camp called Camp Normal, campers share personal experiences that reflect their version of “normal” when it comes to appearance, family, gender and traditions.

EXPLORING SOCIAL JUSTICE THROUGH THEATER

INVESTIGATING MATH THROUGH A REAL-WORLD LENS

Nina Harmande, Third-to-Fifth-Grade Theater Teacher

Ben Schwartz, Eighth Grade Math Teacher

Nina Harmande uses her theater curriculum as a vehicle to help students grapple with complex social issues. This approach is a natural extension of her passions: Besides her background in acting, she is a dedicated anti-racist activist and educator.

The plays staged by Nina’s classes emerge from a unique creative process, in which she combines conversation, improv and collaborative writing to create scripts drawn from the students’ own words. The resulting stories reflect how students have deepened their understanding of nuanced topics—and inspire audiences to do the same.

Ben Schwartz situates his curriculum within real-world contexts in order to bring math to life for his students and help them make fundamental connections between math and other subjects.

My goal in teaching drama to kids has always been about learning through theater. All of the research points to the fact that if kids are able to have age-appropriate conversations and experiences around racial identity early on, they’re better equipped to understand what equity and justice look like as they get older. My overarching objective is to give kids these experiences so that they are ready for the harder conversations later.

Theater has the power to change people’s minds, and my goal is for our plays to make both the children and the audience consider new perspectives. I don’t need students to come to my point of view. I need them to be willing to change their own point of view, if something moves them to.

We learn better when we collaborate. Learning how to listen, compromise and bring together different ideas are important skills that students will need in the world. Ultimately, if we’re thinking about how to create an anti-racist society, then shared leadership needs to be part of it.

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

I think it’s more valuable (not to mention more fun) to investigate mathematics in real contexts, be they historical, statistical, financial, environmental or whimsical.

For example, in one unit we looked at the topic of invasive species, using an algebraic formula to calculate the populations of invasive species in ecosystems around the world. Math is designed to solve real problems, so the problems we’re solving have to be real.

In math, it’s key to have good tasks that provide both extensions for high-fliers and mediations for those who are struggling. A good task has an entry point for everyone.

It’s like a hop-on, hop-off tourist bus: Everyone can come into it somewhere and exit it somewhere else. Students may be moving at different paces or achieving different things, but everyone is moving forward.

Every unit culminates with a two-week research project in which students take the math we examined in class and relate it to a topic that they’re passionate about. I like kids to find their own data. If someone else is handing you the data, you’re missing a critical step of being a mathematician and a solver of puzzles. We want kids to find agency and collaborate, to learn to find the answers for themselves.

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Math is designed to solve real problems, so the problems we’re solving have to be real.”

— Ben Schwartz, Eighth Grade Math Teacher

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FEATURE

DEVELOPING PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS THROUGH ART Auguste Elder, Upper School Art Teacher Whether or not Calhoun students plan to pursue art as a vocation, they’re bound to learn invaluable lessons from any of Auguste Elder’s art classes. Auguste uses art as a tool to stimulate different ways of thinking, fostering problem-solving skills that can be applied to any field.

Auguste is a ceramicist whose work has been exhibited across the country, yet despite his professional success, he continues to learn alongside his students. His partnership with them has made him both a better educator and a better artist.

INSPIRING A PASSION FOR SCIENCE Hadda Ait Oukdim-Conte, Upper School Chemistry Teacher “If you see yourself as a science person, you are.”

After years of working as a chemical analyst, Hadda Ait Oukdim-Conte became a teacher, wanting to share her passion for science. In her fourteenth year as a science teacher, she is continuing to do just that.

I think there’s no such thing as just chemistry. It relates to biology, physics, history—everyday life, really. It’s important for students to see those connections. You need to have an understanding of not only the foundation of chemistry, but also how it relates to our environment—your environment.

Every summer I do research at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. Last summer I went back to do my own research project. There are so many exciting things happening in the world of science, and it’s really wonderful to be able to bring that back to class.

Inspired by my passion for research, I developed a course called Experimental Design, in which students design and conduct their own scientific research projects based on a personal area of interest.

Individualized learning means that every student can reach his or her own potential. I think the reason a teacher becomes a teacher is to support students’ own learning path. What I ultimately hope is that my students leave here curious, and that they keep asking questions and observing the world around them through that lens.

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

I believe art is a physical form of thinking and a holistic way of problem-solving. It’s multi-sensory, experiential, analytical and sequential. It’s very sophisticated work that students will be doing in whatever field or discipline they go into outside of this school. We have different kinds of learners, and art reaches a lot of different kinds of minds. It’s essential.

Often in my reports I’ll write, “It’s been a real pleasure to work and learn alongside you”—because I’m also learning.

Teachers and students are thinking and working around similar challenges. We might be in different places on that spectrum, but we both still have something to learn. My hope is that it’s an exchange.

I try to get my students to be very comfortable with failure and “mistakes” because that’s where our deepest learning comes from. It’s not in accomplishing something right the first time, but having it fail and working through that. When I encounter challenges, I ask myself what I ask my students— “What did you learn from that?” The conversations I have with students come back to me when I’m facing challenges, and it’s made me a better artist.

For those who want to pursue art down the road, my goal is to give them fluency, even mastery with the materials. But for those who have no intention of continuing with the arts, I want them to learn how to think sequentially, and how to work through problems as opposed to being paralyzed by them.

If I had to choose one word to describe myself as an educator it would be empathetic. I try my best to get into the shoes of my thinkers and doers. Doing that has made me a better educator in terms of bringing our school’s commitment to social justice to life. Knowing that our students have different backgrounds and experiences, you cannot be a cookie-cutter teacher in any respect.

FEATURE

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A sampling of classes taught by Auguste: Digital Photography: The Microscopic World Science and photography unite as students examine objects under a microscope to create compelling images of the natural world.

Cameras Inside Out Students become both artists and engineers as they build functioning cameras from repurposed materials and objects.

Anatomy for Artists Young artists examine the form and function of the human body through figure drawing and sculpture, as well as study of scientific, anthropological and historical texts.

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FEATURE

FORGING THE PATH TO GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP Xiaolin Lin, Upper School Mandarin Teacher What does it take to learn a foreign language? Xiaolin Lin gives students authentic, purposeful experiences to help prepare the next generation of global citizens.

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I always think about what kind of world I want for my children—one that is cooperative and multicultural.

This motivates me to teach my students to become responsible and thoughtful global citizens.”

— Xiaolin Lin, Upper School Mandarin Teacher

To read the full-length versions of our conversations and see more teacher profiles, visit calhoun.org/blog

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

I learned English in China through a very traditional approach, using isolated memorization or grammar drills.

That experience inspired me to teach in a communicative and progressive way, so that students can truly use Mandarin to communicate with others and cultivate their voices in a new language.

Experiential learning is essential for foreign language acquisition—learning by using Mandarin in purposeful work.

For example, students made a series of videos in Mandarin to introduce their high school lives. This type of project not only helps them review linguistic elements, but allows them to apply their language skills in authentic and personalized ways.

I love Calhoun’s focus on using New York City as our campus.

I often take my students to Chinatowns in both Manhattan and Flushing, where they engage in Mandarin conversations with native speakers or practice reading and writing Mandarin characters in real-life scenarios.

When I teach my students, I always think about what kind of world I want for my children—one that is cooperative and multicultural. This motivates me to teach my students to become responsible and thoughtful global citizens.

One of my students did her senior work internship for Congresswoman Grace Meng’s campaign, using her Mandarin skills to facilitate Q&A sessions with immigrants in Flushing.

I’ve also had students teach ESL to children or seniors in Chinatown. These experiences have helped them not only polish their language skills, but also develop a sense of empathy and justice.

ALUMNI NEWS

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Alumni Profile Miguel Guadalupe ‘94 From Wall Street to the Bowery

At Wesleyan, Miguel studied government and Latin American studies. Meanwhile, he continued to perform onstage, and began a Latino dance troupe with his soon-to-be wife. Life took hold after graduation. Miguel had internships on Wall Street every summer during college, which snowballed into an offer of a full-time job. He spent nine years on Wall Street, working in marketing, operations and sales, mostly at Merrill Lynch. Next, he worked for seven years at the technology market research company Gartner.

But corporate life was beginning to lose its appeal. Miguel started an LLC, thinking he might focus on consulting and freelance writing. He became a blogger and began a novel.

Then Hurricane Maria hit, and Miguel’s energies went into overdrive, fundraising and organizing relief efforts for Puerto Rico. His work soon caught the eye of the folks at BRC, who wanted a passionate person to help with their fundraising.

“ The community accepted me for the person that I was, and celebrated that For Miguel Guadalupe ’94, leaving his comfortable job in finance and technology for the nonprofit sector was, in retrospect, the natural path.

Miguel, who lives in North Bergen, NJ, with his wife, Maria Sanata—a reporter for CNN in Español—and their two daughters, Gabriella (11) and Veronica (six), started his journey as a boy from the South Bronx. He came to Calhoun through Prep for Prep, and went on to graduate from Wesleyan University before embarking on a 20-year career in the corporate world. Now he is the director of donor relations at the Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC), a leading nonprofit that provides services to homeless and vulnerable New Yorkers.

Miguel describes himself as having had low self-confidence as an adolescent—but, he says, “Calhoun totally changed that.

The community accepted me for the person that I was, and celebrated that difference—which allowed me to tap into what I was comfortable doing.”

Surrounded by a supportive community, Miguel discovered a passion for both theater and forensics. He performed in every single Upper School play, beginning freshman year and continuing to his senior thesis, when he mounted John Leguizamo’s Mambo Mouth. In forensics, he and classmate Gregg Licht ’94 teamed up for duo interpretation, winning the state competition and going to nationals. In addition, Miguel was elected student government president at Calhoun, and at Wesleyan, he was voted vice president of student government in his freshman year—the first time at the school that an underclassman had ever been elected to that position.

difference—which allowed me to tap into what I was comfortable doing.”

In his current role, Miguel is thrilled to be working with a wide range of individuals and organizations to inspire them to make change, whether through volunteerism, fundraising or advocacy. It’s a transition that Calhoun prepared him well for. “I learned the skills of mobilizing and talking to people at Calhoun,” he reflects.

Miguel also helps coordinate the BRC Impact Scholars program, which partners with schools throughout the city for days of service learning. As part of this project, Miguel returned to his alma mater, meeting with students in the Upper School Hunger and Homelessness class to introduce them to BRC’s mission. Students were eager to make a difference—and for Miguel, this response came as no surprise. “There’s some grittiness to wanting to help the homeless and the unsheltered,” he says. “But Calhouners are prepared for that. They like to roll up their sleeves, no matter how uncomfortable [the situation].”

It’s hard to predict where Miguel will land next, but his path has shown that passion drives his every turn. Through the multiple transitions in his career, Miguel’s leadership stems from his voice and determination to make change around him.

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CLASS NOTES

Alumni News MARRIAGES Carey London ’97 to Matt Cross Paloma Woo ’01 to Samuel Farhi Sam Breier ’02 to Yuli Shushan Roberto Soto-Carrion ’03 to Amanda Martinez Laval Bryant ’04 to Rahj Mason Rosanna Volchok ’04 to Aaron Roy Wade Brill ’07 to Quintin Barnes Cody Lewis ’07 to Allison Sullivan

BIRTHS To Ed Freiberg ’88 and Sherisse Freiberg, a boy, Jaxon Robinson To Brian Peters ’97 and Yael Leopold, a girl, Odyssey To Steve Feldman ’00 and Ariella Feldman, a boy, Nathaniel Brooklyn To Annemarie Newman Jeffries ’00 and Aaron Jeffries, a girl, Florence To Rebecca Stein Rogers ’00 and Will Rogers, a girl, Nina Ruth To Emily English Dimon ’03 and Patrick Dimon, a boy, Rowan Alexander To Michelle Schindler Williams ’03 and Franklin Williams, a boy, Sutton Grey To Scotlan Ryan Goldbeck ’04 and John James Goldbeck, a girl, Georgia Eloise To Sonia Balaram ’06 and Saad Yousuf, a girl, Sarina

IN MEMORIAM Natalie Coplan Whisler ’41 Marilyn Lambek Leeds ’50 Laurel Weingarten Paymer ’52 (2010) Stephanie Lichtblau Pinson ’54 Carolyn May Koper ’66 Nico Millican ‘88 Daniel Whedon ‘89

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

1940s

Natalie Coplan Whisler ’41 passed away on April 13, her eldest daughter, Edna, sadly reports. “My mother had a lifelong passion for learning…

[Calhoun] must be an amazing school,” reflects Edna.

Pat Miller Schoenfeld ’46 lives in New York City and pursues her passions through her work in theater and with the International Center of Photography. She is currently working on a documentary about contemporary theater inspired by Mr. Broadway, a book written by her late husband, Gerald Schoenfeld.

1950s

Marilyn Lambek Leeds ’50 passed away on June 19, which we learned from her daughter, Jodi, who told us, “My mother always talked so highly about her years at Calhoun!”

Suzanne Weiss Klatch ’53 is a proud great-grandmother of five. She currently acts as the treasurer for her local temple in Port St. Lucie, FL, where she resides.

Marilynn Glick Talal ’55 recently released The Blue Road, a collection of autobiographical poems inspired by her years spent as a wife and caregiver.

Merryl Morris Traub ’56, along with her husband, Alan, announce that they are proud great-grandparents for the second time, welcoming Clara, sister to three-year-old Javie.

1960s

Tedra Levine Schneider ’64, who resides in Connecticut, works in interior design on a part-time basis. She frequently spends time with her four grandchildren, and is looking forward to one more on the way! Tedra also acts in community theater, writes a decorating column for a newspaper and keeps in touch with Calhoun friends.

Marian Kornicki ’66 continued her travels this past September, beginning with a hiking trip along the Amalfi Coast with friends, followed by a trip to Bermuda in November for her 70th birthday.

Her next stops are Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

1970s

Helene Solomon ’70 recently celebrated two professional milestones. The Boston-based PR firm that she founded, Solomon McCown & Company, earned its 100th industry award and celebrated its 15th year in business. Besides serving as CEO at the company, Helene is on the boards of a number of mission-focused organizations that promote women in business and solutions to social issues.

She is often on the Upper West Side, visiting her parents on West End Avenue, where she maintains a pied-à-terre.

Elyse April ’72: “2018 brought many challenges and blessings.

I have experienced the rewards of years of labor with a fantastic publishing company devoted to the needs of children and parents everywhere, the announcement of my son’s wedding to a beautiful young woman, and the pure

delight in finding a life partner who is my champion and sanctuary.”

s Amy Goldin ’75 is a multimedia artist whose new book, Flowstones: Beautiful Creations from Polymer Clay, came out in hardcover in February 2018. In the book, available on Amazon, Amy shares beautiful photographs of the many flowstones (art objects made by molding polymer clay around smooth river rocks) she has created—captured in nature, where their striking appearance contrasts with landscapes of smooth river rocks, grassy parks and sandy beaches. Amy lives in New York with her partner, Nancy, and children, Joseph and Rebecca. She holds a BA from Brown University in religious studies and art. [Reprinted with editor’s correction] Page Willson ’75: “In my new career as an English teacher, I recently taught seventh and eighth graders who were in juvenile detention. This year, I accepted a position at my children’s former high school, where I teach ninth grade English and [supervise the] yearbook. My husband and I will be climbing the Lemosho route of Mt. Kilimanjaro with a tour group this summer.”

CLASS NOTES

Amy Stiller ’79 took the stage in a semi-autobiographical one-woman show this past fall, Just Trust, performed at the TADA! Theater in Manhattan.

A lifelong actress and comedian, Amy has performed in regional theater and Off Broadway shows, and has landed roles in films and television, including The King of Queens, Bored to Death and Inside Amy Schumer.

1980s

s David Edelman ’80 shares that 2018 was another exciting year.

His two children, Annabel and Antoine, are in school at James Madison University. Antoine, who is studying integrated science and technology and is interested in computer modeling, will graduate in May. Annabel recently spent a semester at the University of Leicester in England, giving David and his wife, Yahne, an opportunity to travel abroad.

“Yahne and I took a trip around England and Scotland with Annabel before she started her studies. We visited friends near Manchester, then headed to Scotland to Loch Lomond, Blair Atholl and Edinburgh before going to London.”

Dana Pollan ’80 is looking forward this spring to the publication of her second cookbook, Mostly Plants: 101 Delicious Flexitarian Recipes from the Pollan Family. The book is co-authored by her sisters, Tracy and Lori, and their mother, Corky, and features a foreword by Dana’s brother, Michael Pollan. Mostly Plants is the follow-up to The Pollan Family Table: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom for Delicious, Healthy Family Meals.

Caroline Cory ’82: “My son, Ezra, is in his second year of college at Oregon State University, studying public health policy and business.

I’ve joined the racing part of my whaleboat rowing team and we’re having a blast on San Francisco Bay. In the last two years, I’ve co-chaired a quilt show for the San Francisco Quilters Guild, and co-chaired a three-day retreat for the group. Life is fun. I’d love to see any Calhouners who are either in the Bay Area or passing through!” Caroline is also the program coordinator for the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute.

basketball teams in Glen Ridge, NJ. He and his wife, Lisa, enjoy watching their middle son, Willem, play on his high school soccer and ice hockey teams. “Special K” returned to Calhoun in January to reunite with his back-court mate Bobby Rue ’85 in the school’s Alumni Basketball Challenge.

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Calhouners from the late 1980s was in full force this year, with over a dozen alums converging at Mason Jar in New York on November 29. On the family front, his oldest daughter, Sophie (age 15), was recently sourced and quoted twice in a new book, Decoding Gen Z: 101 Lessons Generation Z Will Teach Corporate America, Marketers & Media, by Mark Beal.

1990s

Candace Cavalier ’90 recently joined the board of the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Greater Boston. She resides in the suburbs of Boston with her husband, Andrew, and her daughters, Rachel, Eva and Danielle. s Ed Freiberg ’88 and his wife, Sherisse, celebrated the arrival of their baby boy, Jaxon Robinson, at 7:30am on October 9. “He was named after one of my heroes, Jackie Robinson, and in honor of my greatest hero, my mother, Janet,” Ed writes. A real estate agent at Compass, Ed lives with his growing family in Brooklyn, along with their dog, Buddy. t Ross Kleinberg ’88 reported that the annual Thanksgiving gathering he helps organize of

Ian Judson ’96 has been a managing partner since 2008 at Valence Ventures, a New York firm that helps entrepreneurs gain access to capital and invests in companies at early stages of development. Ian holds a degree in international relations from Tulane University.

Carey London ’97 married Matt Cross on July 28 in their backyard in East Hampton. Classmate Lauren Shebairo ’97 served as

s Neil Kleinberg ’85 was proud to see his oldest son, Kyle, start his freshman year at Endicott College in Beverly, MA, this past fall. Neil coaches his youngest son, Oliver, on his travel soccer and

SPRING 2019

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CLASS NOTES

the maid of honor. Since 2017, Carey has worked for New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Jr. Matt is the owner of Third Perspective, an East Hampton– based web design company.

s Dana Messinger ’97 is the director of graduate admissions for The New School for Social Research in New York, a post she took in 2015 following her work in the admissions office at Columbia Law School. She is also a proud mom to Abby, now three.

2000s

and his big sister, Avia (now three), couldn’t be happier—just like us,” Steve reports from their home in Los Angeles. Steve practices law as a partner at the firm Hueston Hennigan.

s Rebecca Stein Rogers ‘00 and husband, Will, welcomed their baby daughter, Nina, on October 2.

Rebecca shares, “Big brother Miles loves showing her the ropes and everyone is doing well!”

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

Paloma Woo ’01 married Samuel Farhi on August 25 at the Fontainebleau Inn in Alpine, NY. The wedding was attended by Calhoun alums Gavi Bogin-Farber ’01, Lizzy Tepper ’01 and Francesca Mirabella-Davis ’01. Paloma and Sam live in Brooklyn. She is the senior manager of crisis services at The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth. Sam is a screenwriter, and earned his MFA in creative writing from Long Island University in 2017.

s Emily English Dimon ’03 and her husband, Pat, welcomed their son, Rowan Alexander, into the world on October 4.

“Everything is going well and he is an amazing little guy!”

Emily writes. Emily, Pat and Rowan live on the Upper West Side along with their dog. Emily and Pat are both producers; Emily has been a producer for Leopard, High Noon Entertainment and Departure Films, among others, while Pat =is a creative producer for HBO Sports.

Peter Concannon ’01 made the trek to New York from Gaithersburg, MD, with his wife, Serafina, and their two-and-ahalf-year-old son, Tommy, during the season’s first snowstorm in November— just in time for Peter to join the Alumni Pub Night.

Peter is a manager and instructor at Montgomery County Historical Fencing, a nonprofit martial arts school that teaches medieval fencing. Peter also competes at tournaments, and recently placed first for sidesword at the Lord Baltimore’s Challenge in 2018.

s Steve Feldman ’00 and his wife, Ariella, welcomed their second child, Nathaniel Brooklyn, on August 30. “He’s doing great

WFA Award last year for best paper on financial institutions.

He lives on the Upper West Side with his wife, Kristin, and their two sons, Adrian (age six) and David (age three).

Alexi Savov ’01 is an associate professor of finance at New York University Stern School of Business, while also serving as a faculty research fellow for the National Bureau of Economic Research. Alexi received the

s Sam Breier ’02 and Yuli Shushan jetted off to Tel Aviv, Israel, to celebrate their wedding on June 17. They were joined by a Calhoun delegation that included Andrew Booth ’03, Jose Ortiz ’03, Trevor Schechter ’03 and Sasha Schechter ’08. Back in New York, where the newlyweds live, Sam is the chief operating officer of Breier Group Concepts, a management consulting company.

s Roberto “Tito” Soto-Carrion ’03 married Amanda Martinez on January 18 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a celebration attended

by Carlos Quintana ’02, Daniel Mantas ’02, Jessica Mantas Leaver ’02, Basil Wajdowicz ’02, Daniel Eddy-Quintana ’02, Ian Law ’03, Gianni Cionchi ’03 and Salehe Bembury ’04. Tito is a research and evaluation manager at the Center for Racial Justice in Education and an instructor at the Hunter College Graduate

CLASS NOTES

School of Education. Tito also works as an equity-oriented consultant for schools and organizations.

Michelle Schindler Williams ’03 and her husband, Franklin, welcomed their baby boy, Sutton Grey, on October 26. Writes Michelle, “Sutton makes every day more amazing than the last. I’m over-the-moon to be surrounded by such an awesome family (which of course includes our pup, Arleigh Wilde)!”

Stacey Anderson ’04 was featured on a panel at The Brooklyn Historical Society in February, Grassy Grassroots: Citizens Creating Parks, speaking to how everyday citizens can organize to bring vacant land and unrealized landscapes into the public realm. Stacey is the co-founder and executive director for Tanks at Bushwick Inlet Park, an urban design plan for adaptive reuse on the Brooklyn waterfront.

Since October, she has also been associate director for the Van Alen Institute.

Laval Bryant ’04 tied the knot with Rahj Mason on October 4, at a ceremony and reception at The Grandview, in Poughkeepsie, NY. The two connected through their shared love of music and songwriting. Rahj is a musician and entertainer who was performing in Greenwich Village when they first met. Laval works at the Brooklyn Museum, where she is senior manager of tourism and visitor experience. They live in Brooklyn and have a puggle named Gus Banana Foster.

Scotlan Ryan Goldbeck ’04 and her husband, John James Goldbeck, welcomed a baby girl,

Georgia Eloise, on December 27.

Georgia joins a sister, Clementine, who was born July 3, 2017.

Gaia Rikhye ’04 recently started a doctoral program in clinical psychology at Trinity College in Dublin. “This program is quite heavy in neuroscience, an area I have been able to navigate successfully thanks to the strong foundation in biology I received at Calhoun!” Gaia says. She also shares the exciting news that she’s getting married in June. Her engagement party on December 29 was attended by Jessamin Swearingen ’89, who taught Gaia computer science in seventh grade, and her wife, Sasha Koren.

Katie Slade ’04 recently moved back to Philadelphia, where she works as an emergency veterinarian. Katie previously lived there from 2011 to 2015, when she earned her VMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

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Spring Reunions ALUMNAE TOUR & REUNION LUNCHEON Friday, May 31, 2019 10:30am – Tour & Class Visit 12pm – Luncheon Celebrating the classes of 1944, 1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974

ALUMNI REUNION Friday, June 7, 2019 6:30 – 9pm

s Rosanna Volchok ’04 married Aaron Roy on October 13 at the Prospect Park Picnic House in Brooklyn. Calhoun friends in attendance included Scotty Ryan Goldbeck ’04, Ally Feldman ’04, Stacey Anderson ’04, Blake Brie ’04, Katie Slade ’04, Ella

Celebrating the classes of 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014

SPRING 2019

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CLASS NOTES

Glaser ’04, Emily Deutchman ’04 and Gianni Cionchi ’03. Rosanna also recently took on a new role at the New York Academy of Sciences, serving as the associate director of network engagement.

She earned an MPA in international public policy and management from NYU’s Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Service in 2015.

s Kristin Jordan ’05 has co-founded Birthright, a writing and community theater program in the spirit of African and African-American ancestry for ages 12 to 21. “I have also published a new book, titled Water & Light: Choose Love Now,” says Kristin. “The book takes the reader on a spiritual journey that includes keen observations of the world we have collectively manifested today and ends with questions about personal and collective human/humane point and purpose. The goal of this work is to open the floor to deeper and richer dialogue about humanity.” For more: kristinrichardsonjordan.com

Peter is working on new business ventures, and Tommy continues with his acting career—currently starring in a play with Alan Cumming in New York, and recently starring as Ryan Shaver on the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why.

s Wade Brill ’07 tied the knot with Quintin Barnes at a celebration in Santa Barbara, CA, on November 10. The ceremony and reception were outdoors at El Capitan Canyon. Amy Blackman ’07 and Rachel Bekkerman ’07 were among the Calhouners in attendance.

The couple lives in Seattle, where Wade works as a certified professional coach, energy leadership index practitioner, and meditation and Pilates instructor.

Read her blog at wadebrill.com.

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

s Cody Lewis ’07 and Allison Sullivan were married on October 6 at the Willowbend country club

a return to Columbia for Lili, who received her BA in English language and literature from the university in 2012.

Michelle Kaufman ’08 is in her seventh year working as director of events for Brooklyn Grange, a leading rooftop farming and green-roofing business that grows more than 50,000 pounds of organically cultivated produce each year. Michelle has a BA in environmental studies from Pitzer College.

Travis Harris ’07: “This year, in addition to leading a voter registration drive with Michelle Obama, I wrote, produced, directed and edited my first TV series with BET, HBCU Tailgate Turnup. You can see it on demand through the BET app, YouTube and Facebook.”

Andrew Sklar ’07, who has been working as a video producer at the NYPD since 2017, released a short film called The Journey that premiered at the DOC NYC film festival in November. Andrew was the film’s director and editor.

The film tells the story of the Gay Officers Action League and the struggle for LGBT rights within the NYPD and the broader law enforcement community.

Liza Garrin ’08 started a new job in June as a wholesale marketing associate with J.Crew, after six years as an account executive for the Carole Hochman Design Group.

Sonia Balaram ’06 and her husband, Saad, celebrated the one-year birthday of their second child, Sarina, back in August.

The family lives in the Bronx along with their oldest, Samir, age four.

Peter Zurkuhlen ’06 is now living in Los Angeles with his husband, Tommy Dorfman.

in Mashpee, Cape Cod. A host of Calhouners helped celebrate, including Max Bosch ’07, Dean Dioguardi ’07, Tom Segell ’07, Patrick Solomon ’07, Guthrie Lewis ’09 and Tanner Woods ’09.

Also in October, Cody took on a new job as sales executive for North America for Freshpoint Quality Assurance, a tech company that manufactures smart labels for food and pharmaceutical products.

Allison is a strategy director at The New York Times.

Lili Burns ’08 is in her first year at Columbia Law School, following her experience as a paralegal for Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and legal and intellectual property specialist at Kickstarter. This is

s Francesca Aborn ’09 is training to be a therapist and completing her second master’s in social work at New York University, after earning a master’s in social psychology from The London School of Economics and Political Science.

Francesca is also a life coach, focusing primary on love, dating and relationships. She works with individuals and couples and is starting a coaching group on an online platform. For more details: francescaaborn.com Terry Horowitz ’09 began working as a software engineer in January for MikMak, a small Brooklyn-based start-up that aims to create, scale and measure video commerce. Terry notes, “It’s a big transition from American Express,” where she previously worked as a software engineer.

CLASS NOTES

2010s

Amanda Bogacz ’10 lives in New York and has worked at the Film Society of Lincoln Center as a development systems associate since 2015. Amanda has a dual degree in theater and creative writing from Pitzer College.

She adds, “I have a passion for community engagement and organization, as well as art for social change.”

Erika Brinzac ’10 and Destiny Orr ’10 are two of the newest alums working at Calhoun.

Destiny is in her second year teaching kindergarten at Calhoun, and Erika joined this year as a first grade teacher.

Ben Ellentuck ’10 moved to San Francisco this past fall and has worked at Google as a software engineer since November.

Before switching coasts, Ben was selected for a teaching fellowship at Fullstack Academy of Code in New York, where he spent last summer delivering lectures and leading review sessions for students on web development, algorithms and data structures.

Sarah Mozeson ’11 reports: “In November I returned to my college town, Syracuse, to shoot my first feature film, Sid Is Dead, produced by American High.

I’m also eligible to join SAG!” She adds, “When I’m not acting, I work as a lead teaching artist and project manager for the DreamStreet Theatre Company, a Brooklyn-based, nonprofit performing-arts organization for adults living with developmental disabilities.”

Julia Sub ’11 is hitting the ground running after earning

her bachelor’s degree in media theory and video production from Bennington College in 2015. She is now in her third year with VICE Media, working as post-production manager for VICE News on HBO.

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Cougars Reunite at Alumni Basketball Challenge & Reception

Sean Kawakami ’12 self-published Punctured Japan: A Story of Survival During the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, a novella he first wrote for his Calhoun Junior Workshop project in 2011. “I decided to publish it not only to share [my work], but to inspire the next generation of Calhoun juniors,” says Sean.

Zuri Pavlin ’12 has been traveling the country and globe as part of his work for the National Basketball Association, where he works in emerging media and production. Since he began working for the NBA in 2017, Zuri has visited arenas across all of the league’s franchises.

In his free time, he manages to find his way to the Calhoun gym for alumni basketball, where his talent as a former Cougar athlete still shines brightly.

Tyler Tegen ’12 transitioned careers last May, starting a new job as the sales operations manager for the North American business-to-business division of Alibaba Group, an e-commerce tech company in New York.

He was part of a strong showing of classmates who attended Calhoun’s Alumni Pub Night in November.

Jasmine Vaughan-Atkinson ’12 visited Calhoun last fall, filling in former teachers about her recent career transition to Care Design New York, where she serves as a case manager for children with mental disabilities.

This past January, alums competed in a battle of the decades at the Alumni Basketball Challenge. Five decades of former Calhoun athletes came together for the competition, which was followed by a reception celebrating the 45th anniversary of Calhoun Boys’ Basketball.

Calhoun hosts weekly community basketball for alumni, parents and faculty. Email Bart Hale ’00, Director of Alumni Relations (bart.hale@calhoun.org) to be added to the email list.

Jasmine regularly gathers for dinner with classmates Kim Vivas ’12, Olivia Hamilton ’12 and Khaleeq Alfred ’12.

Emmanuel Ntow ’13 is in his second year at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He also works as a clinic student at the Innocence Project, a nonprofit that works to exonerate wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing, and is a staff editor for the Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution.

Carner Round ’13 moved to Denver in the fall, and earned a promotion as an associate on the social-impact team of Weber Shandwick, a communications and marketing firm. She writes,

“I’m working remotely for my same team from Denver.

[My boyfriend] Tony and I also got engaged in December!”

Congratulations on all the exciting changes, Carner!

Tim Gruber ’13 is a global analyst at Ogilvy Consulting in New York, following his 2017 graduation from Kenyon College, where he earned a BA in English. Tim joined classmates at Alumni Pub Night and still gets occasional time on the court during alumni basketball nights at Calhoun.

Heidy Rodriguez ’13 has returned to New York after a year in California, where she was an English teaching fellow at the Urban School in San

SPRING 2019

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ALUMNI EVENTS

F RIDAY, DEC EMBE R 2 1

Holiday Homecoming Luncheon

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Calhoun grads from the classes of 2015 to 2018 kicked off their college winter break by reuniting with classmates and teachers at the annual Holiday Homecoming Luncheon, one of Calhoun’s oldest alumni traditions.

Alums enjoyed a Chef Bobo favorite, “brunch for lunch,” and basketball and games of Ping-Pong rounded out the day.

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1. (L-R) Romi Konorty ‘18 and Sylvia Jane Krueger ‘18

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2. (L-R) Julia Weissman ‘18, Stef Sarantis ‘18, Jake Roshkow ‘18 3. (L-R) Lily Edelman-Gold ‘17, Tyler Battino ‘17, Jake Bart ‘17 4. (L-R) Victoria Eatman (College Counseling Offi ce Manager), Sumaira Perez ‘17, Janice Coston (US Administrative Assistant), Laysha Mata ‘19

5

5. Lisa Merritt (Director of College Counseling) and Zac Zudeck ‘18 6. (L-R) Nadia Eguchi ‘17, Gabby Chapman ‘17, Ellen Kwon (US English teacher)

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

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ALUMNI CLASSEVENTS NOTES

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M O R E P HOTOS O NLINE calhoun.org/alummedia STU NT NEWSMAKE TH UDE RSDAY, NOVEMBERRS 1 5

1

Alumni Pub Night A hearty group of alums braved the first snowstorm of the year to attend the 12th annual Alumni Pub Night, held at Jake’s Dilemma on the Upper West Side. It was a chance to kick off the holiday season, reconnect with classmates and former teachers and hear updates from Head of School Steve Solnick.

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1. (L-R) Paloma Woo ‘01 and Lizzy Tepper ‘01 2. (L-R) Destiny Orr ‘10, Robin Sklar ‘14, Sasha Krantz ‘14, Stella Lemper-Tabatsky ‘14, Tim Gruber ‘13, Bart Hale ‘00 (Director of Alumni Relations), Max Lemper-Tabatsky ‘12, Jesse Lippin-Foster ‘14 and Amani Orr ‘13

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3. (L-R) Rachell Morillo Reyes ‘10 and Destiny Orr ‘10

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4. (L-R) Terry Horowitz ‘09, Jack Asimov ‘09, Amalia Safran ‘09 and Marcy Isaacson ‘09 5. (L-R) Bart Hale ‘00 (Director of Alumni Relations), Gabe Berenbaum ‘12, Heidy Rodriguez ‘13 6. (L-R) Lily Weinberg ‘11, Tess Harris ‘11, Rachel LippinFoster ‘11, Lizzie Gass ‘11

WINTER 2015 SPRING 2019

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CLASS NOTES

Francisco. Since the fall, she has been a ninth grade English teacher at Trinity School on the Upper West Side, and is also working toward a master’s of science in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sasha Krantz ’14 moved back to New York following her graduation from Muhlenberg College last year, and is now teaching pre-K at the Dwight School.

Stella Lemper-Tabatsky ’14 and her brother, Max LemperTabatsky ’12, both moved across the country to San Francisco last summer. Stella graduated with a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania last year and is now working in sales for Adyen, a payments platform. Max was promoted in December to an associate at PJT Camberview, where he has worked since 2016.

Jesse Lippin-Foster ’14 landed a new job in January, in the baseball operations department at the New York Yankees. His current position follows his work as a replay operator and baseball operations intern for Major League Baseball. Jesse earned a BA in sport management last spring from the University of Michigan.

Robin Sklar ’14 started work as a segment coordinator for The Rachel Ray Show last August, following her graduation from Boston University with a degree in film and television. She started out as a production intern for the show in the summer before her senior year.

Alex Horsley-Redding ’16 began a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan in July with the 158th

CALHOUN CHRONICLE

Infantry Battalion Alpha Company of the Arizona National Guard. He graduated from Fort Benning, GA, in May 2017, and is a student and member of the ROTC program at the University of Arizona.

Jaelyn Wingard ’18 is in her first year at Barnard College, where she plans on majoring in neuroscience and political science. She is already proving to be a trailblazer on campus, publishing an op-ed article in the Columbia Daily Spectator, “Why Is It So Hard to Access ODS?” which shed light on services needed for students with disabilities.

Carole: hulseconsulting.net/ carole-everett

his home in St. Louis. During his tenure, Ted guided more than 300 Calhoun students through

Jenny Han (Librarian, 2007–2012) is proud to announce the film adaptation of her book P.S. I Still Love You. The Netflix-produced film is a follow-up to last year’s hit To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, a film adaptation of Jenny’s book of the same name. More on Jenny: jennyhan.com

the college process—navigating it all with patience, warmth and humor. He was a mentor, role model and friend, and his extraordinary kindness touched all who knew him. Even in retirement, he returned to Calhoun often for alumni reunions and events, always remarking how much his Calhoun family meant to him. As part of his legacy, Ted is honored each year on Class Day with the E. B. McDonald Prize, which recognizes a student with outstanding character who, like Ted, has supported others with wisdom and compassion.

FORMER FACULTY/STAFF Rosetta Cohen (US English, 1980–1985): “It’s now been 33 years since I was an Upper School English teacher at Calhoun, but it was such a pleasure to see the faces of the Class of 1983 at their reunion— many of whom I remember with deep affection! Since 1990, I have been on the faculty at Smith College in Northampton, MA. I would welcome news from any of my former students at rcohen@smith.edu.”

Carole Everett (College Placement Director, 1980–1984) has been serving as executive director for the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, a position she was appointed to in July 2010.

In her work, Carole oversees all independent school accreditations within New Jersey and advises school administrators, heads of schools, and boards on all aspects of school management and operations. More on

s Brendan Kiely (US English, 2006–2014) is a New York Times bestselling author, having published his fourth book, Tradition, in the spring of 2018.

Brendan was back at Calhoun this past fall, sharing his work and experience as a writer with seventh grade English classes.

FACULTY IN MEMORIAM

s Ted McDonald (Director of College Counseling, 1989–2003) passed away on September 1 at

Jan Miller (Lower School Director, 1989–1993) passed away on July 29. The memorial service was held on August 11 in Charlottesville, VA, where Jan had been living for the past few years, near her sister, Peg. Jan was Lower School Director when the 74th Street building first opened its doors, and her warmth and leadership paved the way for the hundreds of children and teachers who have passed through ever since.

SHARE YOUR NEWS! Please share updates on family, jobs, new adventures or your favorite Calhoun memories by writing to Bart Hale ‘00, Director of Alumni Relations, The Calhoun School, 433 West End Ave, New York, NY 10024, or alumni@calhoun.org

Aaron Dunn (Trustee, chair of the Calhoun Annual Fund) reflects on what Calhoun has meant for his family.

It’s always hard to move to a new city, but our first two months in New York were particularly challenging. But when we found Calhoun, things changed quickly.

My wife Carla and I felt so welcome walking our daughter, Noa, into Little Calhoun. The positive feedback we had received about Calhoun rang true from the day we first toured the school.

It was a feeling we never found in a dozen San Francisco schools or several others in New York.

It’s been four years since we moved to New York, and it’s hard to imagine where we would be without the Calhoun community. We’re so happy to be a part of it and look forward to many more memories with old and new friends we’ve made along the way.

Together, we are #OneCalhoun.

Give or pledge today at calhoun.org/onlinegiving.

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To the parents of alumni: If this issue is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office with the correct mailing address. Call 212-497-6579 or email alumni@calhoun.org.

Upper School students in Digital Photography: The Microscopic World used microscopes to create colorful, abstract photographs of objects in nature.