The Calhoun Chronicle, Summer 2014

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Through the Lens of a (Super) Lifer

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US: Choice & Opportunity

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Class of 2014 Takes Center Stage

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Time Capsule Revealed

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Calhoun’s Mission To inspire a passion for learning through a progressive approach to education that values intellectual pursuit, creativity, diversity and community involvement.

Board of Trustees 2013—2014

Pa r e n t s A s s o c i at i o n 2 0 1 3 — 2 0 1 4

Eric Potoker ’85 Chair

Steven J. Nelson Head of School

Officers

Vice Presidents, Middle School

Jon Brayshaw Vice Chair

Co-Presidents

Life Trustees

Chris Rothermel Rosa Sabater

Nicole Frankel Susan Dubin

Robert L. Beir* Eric B. Ryan

Dylan Hixon Treasurer

*deceased

Melissa Liberty Secretary

Vice Presidents, Lower School/81st

Sara Jane Held Louise Litt

Secretary

Lynda Roca

Vice Presidents, Lower School/74th

Treasurer

Trustees

Honorary Trustees

Susan Barkey Jonathan Bauman Stefanie Bhalla Andrea Booth Lori Fleishman Dorr ‘92 James Glasgow Melanie Griffith Dorian Herron Michael Marra Bernadette Mitchell Marc Murphy Brooke Parish Colleen Pike Blair Shaiza Rizavi Chris Rothermel, PA Rep Rosa Sabater, PA Rep Karen Segal Steven Sinatra Susan Thomson

Gertrude Marden Bacon ‘34* Edwin Einbender* Constance Stern Flaum ’39 Ronald M. Foster, Jr.* Sally Goodgold* Lawrence S. Harris Mark S. Kaufmann Anne Frankenthaler Kohn ’39* Peter D. Lederer Stuart Levin* Florence Yachnin Liebman ‘38* Helene Simons Mark ‘32* David C. Masket* Joan Masket Arthur S. Olick Elizabeth Parmelee* June Saltzman Schiller ’42 Jesse S. Siegel* Mary-Ellen Greenberger Siegel ’49 Allen B. Swerdlick Edward S. Tishman

David Hawkins Carolyn Tierney

Barbara Pyles Vice Presidents, Upper School

Ellen Cohen Marc Corpron

T H E CA L H OUN SC H OO L Main number

Alumnae/i Relations

212-497-6500

646-666-6450

Lower School/74th

Annual Giving

212-497-6550

212-497-6579

Admissions/81st

Communications

212-497-6534

212-497-6527

Admissions/74th

Please send changes of address, phone or email to familyupdates@calhoun.org

212-497-6575

*deceased o n t h e cov e r

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Calhoun’s Lower School, through the eyes of (super) lifer Alison Max Rothschild ‘85

The Calhoun Chronicle is published twice each year by the Communications Office for alumnae/i, current and former parents, staff and friends.

Editorial Assistants

Beth Krieger beth.krieger@calhoun.org

Angela Fischer Michelle Raum

NEWS Editor

Copy Editor

Photographers Jim Byrne Beth Krieger Camila Otero Lauren Marsh Michael Rothschild Larry Sklar Karl Woitach

Amy Edelman

Design

Jim Byrne jim.byrne@calhoun.org Alumnae/i News

Bart Hale ‘00 bart.hale@calhoun.org

Photo: Rothschild Photo Michael : GARY JOSEPH COHEN

Editor

Page 28

Iris A. Brown Design, LLC

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Contents summer 2014

Features

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10

US: Choice & Opportunity

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Class of 2014 Takes Center Stage

18 24

Calhoun’s Lower School: Through the Lens of a (Super) Lifer

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Calhoun Breaks Ground for Two-Story Renovation

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36

Time Capsule Revealed

Departments V i e w p o i n t

by Steve Nelson

School News

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36

Benefit 2014

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3

Grandparents Day

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Board Welcomes New Trustees

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Faculty/Staff Newsmakers

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Cooper’s Troopers

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Sports

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Onstage

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Alumnae/i News

Class Notes

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Voices: Mariah Fredericks ‘84

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Voices: Pia Marcus ‘09

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Reunion Photos

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Viewpoint

by St even J. Nelso n , He a d of School

Defying the College Frenzy A recent New York Times column described the utter insanity of the college application process, particularly the essays. One enterprising Yale applicant wrote about wetting her pants rather than leave an after-school conversation with a French teacher she particularly admired. She apparently wished to highlight her deep commitment to intellectual discourse.

Perhaps a self-confession of pant-wetting is extreme, but many students seem willing to do whatever it takes to get a slot at an “Ivy” or other highly selective institution. Millions of teenagers are taking every possible AP course, doing five or more hours of homework per night and sacrificing their physical and emotional health to be among the five percent who get the coveted spots.

Just days before writing this, I presided over my 16th Calhoun graduation. Among the 47 graduates were some students who made the five percent cut at the most selective colleges. I can’t imagine them, or any other Calhoun students, humiliating themselves as a means to an end. They also didn’t take every possible AP course, because even one AP course is not possible at Calhoun.

We just don’t play the game. No pant-wetting, no AP-collecting.

Our graduation had no valedictorian. Our Upper School Director flung the faculty commencement speaker over his shoulder and carried him across the stage, mid-speech (you had to be there). Instead of celebrating conspicuous, competitive achievement, we celebrated conspicuous humanity. Watching our graduates on the risers in Symphony Space on June 13 reminded me that our greatest accomplishment is keeping these young women and men vibrantly, uniquely alive. If we do that, the rest takes care of itself.

Many parents of Calhoun applicants report some ambivalence as a result of their school visit. They usually recognize the warmth and openness of the school and its students, faculty and staff. They comment on the comfortable relationships, the lack of pretense, and a sense of joyful engagement. Unless their minds are closed or hearts are callused, they can imagine their own children in such a place.

And then the ambivalence: “This is lovely, but now I have to pick either this wonderful community or the kind of place where my child

The Calhoun Chronicle

will be propelled into Harvard, Yale or Princeton.” We have been culturally conditioned to believe a “no pain/no gain” version of education. Thus, many parents and schools virtually torture children in the service of this ambition. And just whose ambition is it? (A brief digression: Our community is not immune from craziness. Some years ago, a Calhoun senior was accepted to a college she didn’t know she applied to. Her mother had applied on her behalf.)

There is nothing valuable about sleep deprivation, stress, depression or self-confessionals. (It is worth noting that the pantwetter with perfect grades and SAT scores didn’t get into Yale.)

Research proves that any more than a few hours of homework per night is unnecessary or counterproductive. Calhoun and many

“...our greatest accomplishment is keeping these young women and men vibrantly, uniquely alive.

If we do that, the rest takes care of itself.”

other schools have abandoned the AP curriculum without any impact on college placement. We offer more interesting courses with greater intellectual depth. So why do any schools or parents put kids through all of this? It beats me.

I am convinced that even the most selective colleges and universities are looking for students just like ours: fully alive, funny, curious, hungry to learn more, ready to lead and contribute in college.

And when they arrive on campus they can look at some of their new, burned-out, highly stressed classmates, and smile and say, “Geez, I’m sorry. You really didn’t have to do all that.”

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Benefit Looks to the Future; New Leadership to Take Helm

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Benefit 2014 was one of the best attended in Calhoun history—with more than 600 parents, friends, faculty, staff, alumnae/i and grandparents coming out to celebrate and support the school.

Held at Cipriani Wall Street on the evening of March 7, the event raised nearly $1 million—thanks to the incredible generosity and support from our community. Literally hundreds of people helped to make the event so successful, from volunteers to auction donors, auction buyers, corporate sponsors, advertisers, underwriters, guests, and people who purchased faculty tickets.

The school owes gratitude beyond measure for the incredible volunteer efforts of Melissa Liberty, Benefit chair, and her four vice chairs, Jennifer Arcure, Maribeth Battino, Melani Bauman and Pamela Schein Murphy. Benefit 2014 marks the fourth and final year for this outstanding leadership team. Their work took the event to unimaginable heights, all in the name of promoting Calhoun’s mission and supporting our students.

Stepping into the role of chair for next year’s Benefit is Erica Hong, Board Trustee and mother of two Calhoun students (Grayer, entering first grade; Lila, entering the 3’s program). Erica is excited about reimagining the event for next year with her new team of vice chairs, including Susie Barkey, Liz Conboy, Leigh Gerstenblatt, Laura Glick, Michelle Lipkin, Lilly Pino and Carolyn Tierney.

1. Melissa Liberty, Benefit chair and Board Trustee, extended a tearful thank-you to her vice chairs, volunteer committee and generous donors at this, the last of the four incredibly successful benefits she’s led.

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6. Kira and Alan Copperman relished their win as one of this year’s successful auction bidders.

2. Danny Pino and Marc Murphy raised the stakes for this year’s live auction with “futuristic” pizzazz!

3. Trustee Jim Glasgow and his wife, Patty, enjoyed a rare moment of calm before the bidding.

4. Trustee Susie Barkey, here with her husband, Peter, has already signed on as one of the vice chairs for next year’s gala.

5. Adam and Alyse Mandel, parents of a new Middle Schooler, enjoyed their first Benefit.

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Calhoun Kids Welcome Grandparents and Grandfriends Grandparents came from across the country and as far away as Brazil and Australia for this year’s Grandparents and Grandfriends Day. And for the first time, we opened our doors this year not just to Little Calhoun, where our 3’s through first graders reside, but also to our Lower School at 81st Street, where our second, third and fourth graders are happily engaged. It made for two very magical days in our classrooms!

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1. Ethan Weinstock (first grade) was happy to pose with grandparents Stanley and Ellen Weinstock.

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2. Bonnie Stanley came in from Florida to spend the morning with her granddaughter Samantha Kind (third grade).

3. Natalie Babej (4’s) with her grandmother Charlotte Chase.

4. Kindergartner Haroun Prospere proudly showed his work to grandmother Gladys Prospere.

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5. Eli Deutsch (fourth grade) and his grandmother Fran Zamler were all smiles!

6. Lyla Changar (second grade) engaged her grandfather Ramlal Changar in a favorite math game.

7. Second grader John Freitag shared his latest “book” with his grandparents Peter and Edel Freitag.

8. Ella and Nathaniel Landis (3’s) enjoyed showing off the pet snails to grandparents Bob and Anne Marshall.

Sign Up for Future Grandparent Events!

Throughout the year, grandparents are invited to classroom activities, Calhoun’s Performing Arts Series and special cultural events and tours. If you are a Calhoun grandparent and would like to receive notifications about upcoming events, please contact Nicole Nelson, Director of Special Events, 212-497-6533, nicole.nelson@calhoun.org, or go to our website at www.calhoun.org/grandparentemails.

school news

Calhoun Welcomes New Trustees At its annual dinner in June, Calhoun’s Board welcomed four new members while honoring the service of three departing trustees. Among those leaving are Brooke Parish, whose daughter Grace graduated this spring, and Dorian Herron. Alum parent Karen Segal, whose children, Xander and Rebecca, graduated in 2009 and 2012 respectively, is leaving after having served six years on the Board—some of which were as vice chair. The Calhoun community owes them each a great deal of gratitude for their deep commitment to our school.

New Trustees joining Calhoun’s Board include: Michael Conboy Michael brings financial experience and enthusiasm to his new role on Calhoun’s Board. A 1997 graduate of Georgetown University with a BS in finance, he is currently a partner and the co–portfolio manager at Luxor Capital Group in New York. He came to Luxor in 2002 from ING, where he was a distressed analyst for a proprietary trading desk.

Michael and his wife, Liz, have three children: Harper, entering Calhoun’s first grade; Nola, entering the 3’s; and Gus, one year old. “I’m excited to work with a talented and dedicated group of people with diverse opinions for the betterment of my children and future generations of children,” says Michael. “I hope to learn much and contribute some along the way. Plus I get to tell my kids that ‘Daddy works for the school’…which they get a real kick out of.”

In addition to his new role at Calhoun, Michael sits on the boards of JDS Silver, Innovate Auto Finance, and Searchlight Minerals, and is the chairman of CML Metals.

Jay Sugarman Jay and his wife, Kelly Behun-Sugarman, parents of Arno (entering ninth grade) and Miles (entering sixth), have been supporters of Calhoun since Arno arrived as a kindergartner in 2005.

They were among the first to contribute to the advancement of the school’s technology initiatives, and took an active role in past lobby and library renovations.

Jay is chairman and chief executive officer of iStar Financial, one of the largest finance and investment companies focused on real estate in the United States. Prior to forming iStar and its predecessors in 1993, he managed private investment funds on behalf of several high-networth families. Jay is also the chairman and majority owner of the Philadelphia Union, a Major League Soccer team, as well as chairman and managing partner of Keystone Sports and Entertainment, the franchise’s ownership group.

A summa cum laude graduate of Princeton University, Jay received the Paul Volcker Award in economics. He earned his MBA with high distinction from Harvard Business School, graduating as a Baker Scholar with academic prizes for both finance and marketing.

Claudia Singleton Claudia Singleton has volunteered at Calhoun as a member of the Annual Fund and Benefit committees since her daughter, Sydney, first came to Calhoun three years ago as a kindergartner. Now Calhoun is thrilled to welcome her to her new role—one she will add to her professional career as a director at the Human Resources Administration (HRA) for the City of New York, where she oversees 100 temporary staff members, 25 Work Experience Program (WEP) interns and four analysts.

Claudia was born and raised in the Bronx and still resides there, with her husband of

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nine years, Derek; their daughter, Sydney, and their two-year-old dog, Cooper. A graduate of Cathedral High School, she completed her undergraduate degree in sociology in 1999 and her master’s in early childhood education in 2010—both at City College of New York. Claudia is fluent in Haitian Creole and enjoys line dancing, knitting, crocheting and traveling.

Erica Hong Erica, her husband, Shae, and their two children, Grayer (entering first grade) and Lila (entering the 3’s), returned to New York from Los Angeles three years ago and say they are happy to be back!

Erica graduated from NYU with a BS in chemistry, going on to work at the NYU Child Study Center, focusing on autism spectrum disorders. After college, she lived and worked in Los Angeles as owner of an event production company, planning countless weddings in addition to events for the Los Angeles Design Center and Wolfgang Puck.

After her family made the big move back to New York, she began working again with the Child Study Center, leading to her current role as a crisis counselor for a pregnancy crisis center and facilitator for single–mother support groups. She took a short break from the center last October to launch a Hurricane Sandy–based holiday toy drive, helping to distribute gifts to more than 500 families.

Erica’s event-planning experience and her strong commitment to children and families will be a great asset for Calhoun—especially in her added role as next year’s Benefit chair!

What’s Happening at Calhoun?

For the latest news, photos and videos, go to www.calhoun.org/newsmedia

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school news

newsmakers

MS Teacher Runs for CT Lieutenant Governor Ebony Murphy-Root doesn’t just teach civics, she lives it! The Middle School humanities teacher is running for lieutenant governor of Connecticut with Jonathan Pelto, who threw in his hat for the governor’s race. The running mates, who declared their candidacy on June 6, are challenging the Democratic incumbent, Governor Daniel P. Malloy, and six Republicans, as thirdparty candidates under the newly formed Education and Democracy Party.

Jon Pelto, a communications strategist and former five-term Democratic state legislator in Connecticut, is described as the most vocal critic of Malloy’s administration. He frequently criticizes the governor as the most “anti-teacher, anti-public education, pro–charter school Democratic governor in the nation.” Diane Ravitch, an educational policy analyst and professor of education at New York University, agrees, calling Malloy “one of the worst governors in the nation” on issues related to education.

Ebony shares her running mate’s outrage at the treatment teachers have received at the hands of Malloy, and hopes that, at the very least, the message that the two are sending might generate some positive change.

Ebony says that, among their demands, they are asking that a State Education Commission include teachers and former teachers; that the Common Core be looked at more carefully by a committee that includes teachers and former teachers (not just business leaders); and that education be comprehensive—not tailored just to a specific test outcome.

Ebony—whom Jon Pelto lauds for her “breadth of experience”—was raised and educated in Connecticut, where she also taught in a progressive independent school, a public magnet school and a community college before coming to Calhoun in 2013 as a Middle School humanities teacher.

But even while pursuing her career in education, Ebony has always been involved in progressive politics and has been, as she puts it, “dabbling for a while.” In 2012, she attended the Women’s Campaign School at Yale, an international leadership boot camp for women interested in public affairs.

More recently, she’s been helping organize the 2014 National Organization for Women New York City Activist Alliance for emerging female leaders.

Ebony has also served on the boards of the Hartford Friends and Enemies

Getting ready for her grassroots of Wallace Stevens and The Cove campaign for lieutenant governor Center for Grieving Children. of Connecticut, Ebony Murphy-Root Ebony and her running mate enlisted some of her fifth and sixth need to collect 7,500 signatures grade students! (from Connecticut residents only)

by August 6 in order to appear on the ballot. And while they’re collecting names, they’ll be speaking to lots of groups and fundraising in preparation for the November election.

But Ebony has every intention of being in the classroom this fall, where she hopes to bring some real-life politics into her fifth and sixth grade humanities classes.

“This will be the perfect opportunity to show democracy and civic engagement in action,” she says. “Last fall we started the year with discussions about the mayoral race and the civic process. Maybe this year, I can have the students do some speechwriting or persuasive writing, and talk about how to tailor a message to different audiences!”

Asked what she would do if she does win in November, Ebony is taken aback for just a moment. Third-party candidacies, we all know, are tough.

But she smiles and says, “Well, I guess I’ll have a lot of Middle School humanities students visiting the governor’s mansion!”

Lisa Bianchi Named New College Counselor; Sarah Tarrant Leaves for Deerfield After an extensive search involving a team of faculty, administrators and students, Calhoun has hired Lisa Bianchi as Calhoun’s new Director of College Counseling, replacing Sarah Tarrant, who has accepted a position at Deerfield Academy, in western Massachusetts.

Pointing to her extensive experience in both college admissions and independent school college counseling, US Director Lorenzo Krakowsky observes that Lisa is “wonderfully prepared to guide Calhoun’s Upper School students through the college

The Calhoun Chronicle

process.” She comes to Calhoun from Trinity School, where she served for six years as associate director of college counseling. Prior to her position at Trinity, she was a member of Columbia University’s admissions team and, before that worked in New York University’s undergraduate admissions department. She graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and the Green Key Society, and won the Ehrlich Prize in the Dramatic Arts.

Lisa will be assisted in the college counseling office by Jarrad Nunes, who joined Calhoun last year as Associate Director of College Counseling, and by Victoria Eatman, Senior Administrative Assistant.

The Calhoun community will miss Sarah, who began at Calhoun in 2001 as an Upper School English teacher and was named Director of College Counseling in 2005. In her new post at Deerfield Academy, an independent boarding school, Sarah will be part of a team of college counselors and will also be able to

(Left) Lisa Bianchi, new Director of College Counseling; (Right) Sarah Tarrant leaves Calhoun after 13 years.

resume one of her passions— playing and coaching water polo.

She, her husband, David Madden, and their son, Austin (three years old), say they are looking forward to rural family life!

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Anthony Yacobellis Receives Uhry/Thompson Award Anthony Yacobellis, LS math teacher, was named this year’s recipient of the Uhry/Thompson Award. Established in 1992, the award is given annually to a teacher who “demonstrates excellence in the classroom and a commitment to progressive education” and best exemplifies the spirit of two former Calhoun faculty members, Joanna Uhry and Barbara Thompson.

Anthony began at Calhoun as a first grade teacher in 2000, but quickly and effortlessly moved into his current position, teaching third grade math. He is also one of the lead mentors in PEL (Progressive Education Lab)—Calhoun’s teaching fellowship program—and has been a speaker at the Progressive Education Network (PEN) conference and the Blue School Teaching Innovation Conference.

Earlier this year, Head of School Steve Nelson promoted Anthony to the position of Assistant Director of the Lower School 81st Street, effective this fall. He will report to LS Director Alison Max Rothschild ’85, who will be overseeing Lower School programs at both buildings.

“There’s no question that Anthony deserves the recognition proffered by the award,” says Alison. “He is one of our most talented and dedicated progressive educators. Kids love math because of the program he has helped create in our Lower School.“

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IT Director Jonathan Haff Takes on Building Operations Jonathan Haff has been promoted to Director of Technology and Building Operations. The announcement was made earlier this year by Head of School Steve Nelson, who said, “The added responsibility acknowledges Jonathan’s thoughtful and efficient leadership of Calhoun’s technology efforts.” As part of his new position, Jonathan will be orchestrating this summer’s renovation, working closely with contractors and the design team from FXFOWLE. Jonathan joined Calhoun as Director of Technology in 2011.

Annual Tea Honors Faculty and Staff Following a long-standing tradition at Calhoun, the Parents Association honored faculty and staff again this year with a special end-of-year Annual Tea that celebrated their dedication to the community and Calhoun’s students.

In addition to the festive decorations and delicacies (all prepared by parent volunteers), faculty and staff who were marking milestone years were awarded monetary gifts (and personalized cookies made by parent Maribeth Battino!). This year, 26 teachers, staffers and administrators were among those recognized.

In addition to the 22 who celebrated their 5th, 10th and 15th years at Calhoun, there were some notable longtimers: Amy Brown joined the 30+ club this spring! The physical education teacher has enjoyed a

(L-R) Amy Brown, Meena Parekh, Diane Benedict Ryan (top) and Jean Taitt were among the many teachers and staffers honored at this year’s Annual Tea for their years of service to the Calhoun community.

career that has benefited hundreds of Calhounders at every grade level.

Beginning at 81st Street in 1984, Amy oversaw the physical education program of all three divisions in that building and coached many awardwinning varsity teams—including gymnastics, tennis and volleyball.

She also served as advisor for the sailing team. In 2005, LS Director Kathleen Clinesmith asked her to move to 74th Street to develop the physical education program for

Calhoun’s youngest. “Amy has great expertise; she’s done an incredible job here,” says Kathleen.

Diane Benedict Ryan (3’s teacher), Jean Taitt (4’s assistant teacher) and Lower School Director Alison Max Rothschild ’85 all celebrated their 25th anniversaries at Calhoun this spring. The three came to Calhoun for the opening year of the Robert L. Beir Lower School at 74th Street.

Another LS/74th colleague, Elissa Kompanek, was recognized for her 20th year as a Lower School teacher. Meena Parekh was one of the seven employees celebrating 15 years at Calhoun, but, sadly, was also making it her last; the much beloved Lower School teacher retired this June. She will be missed!

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For more photos from the Calhoun Carni val , go to www.calhoun.org/media; search for Carnival 2014!

51st Calhoun Carnival Welcomes Spring’s Arrival After the worst winter in memory, the day of the Carnival was truly a “spring awakening.” Calhounders and neighborhood folks came out in droves to celebrate the warmer weather and a day of New York City fun. Kids of all ages enjoyed the great food, rides, games and crafts, while dancing to the sounds of our DJ’s rock and roll, and the US jazz ensemble.

More than 200 volunteered for the day—moms, dads, grandparents, alum parents, teachers, staffers and an unusually large number of Middle and Upper School students—all enthusiastically working the booths, offering to get dunked, raising money for a host of philanthropic causes, and handling the thankless tasks of setup, clean-up and accounting.

Many thanks to this year’s new Carnival chairs, Carmelita Chavez and Nicole Quiros, their cohort of co-chairs, and the many volunteers who made this another extraordinary community extravaganza!

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1. Carnival co-chairs Nicole Quiros and Carmelita Chavez had big smiles at the end of the day.

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2. By popular demand, alum parent Ira Deutchman was back at his old DJ-ing gig.

3. Jarrad Nunes, Assistant Director of College Counseling and US English teacher, showed his artistic side.

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4. Eighth grader Sam Horn gathered signatures for a petition in favor of Vision Zero legislation, to lower the speed limit in New York City neighborhoods.

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5. Fifth grader Casey Kalfus put in a good day‘s work as a volunteer on the Carnival rides.

6. After her visit to the Lower School on Grandparents Day, Wendy Pauk was motivated to volunteer!

7. Calhoun dad Derek Singleton—all decked out in Calhoun Spirit gear—enjoyed the carnival with his daughter, Sydney.

8. Upper Schoolers Jeremy Crayton ‘16 and Jonah Sherman ‘16 kept the popcorn popping.

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The Calhoun Chronicle

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Yearly Theme 2014–15

Creativity and Innovation: Designing a Better World

This year’s PA execs­—Rosa Sabater and Chris Rothermel, co-presidents; Barbara Pyles, outgoing treasurer; Lynda Roca, secretary and volunteer coordinator­—took a much needed moment’s break at the successful conclusion of this year’s Annual Tea, a thank-you celebration for Calhoun’s teachers and staffers.

PA Welcomes New Execs; Reflects on Past Year Message from Rosa Sabater and Chris Rothermel, PA co-presidents

Parents Association Officers for 2014–2015

This was a strong year for the Co-Presidents Parents Association. The commuChris Rothermel Rosa Sabater nity continues to appreciate and support old stand-bys like the Spring Secretary and Volunteer Coordinator Carnival, the Book Fair, the Annual Lynda Roca Tea, grade cocktail parties, Back-toTreasurer School picnics and Calhoun’s ComBarry Cohen munity Action activities.

US Division Vice Presidents The Book Fair was especially Mark Corpron notable this year. In addition to the Jackie Kern money raised at the Barnes & Noble MS Division Vice Presidents event—topping $22,000 this year!— Susan Dubin the school community purchased and Barbara Pyles donated more than 1,600 new books LS-81 Division Vice Presidents Louise Litt for the Cooper’s Troopers library Lora Vaccaro initiative (see page 10).

LS-74 Division Vice Presidents To kick off the year, we hosted Carolyn Tierney the first Parent Cocktail Party and Paul Vinger Community Fair to introduce parents to Calhoun’s myriad volunteer opportunities. It was a terrific success, with more than 200 parents in attendance and many signing up to get involved. In fact, we already have next year’s date for the event, Thursday, September 18, 2014.

The PA also plans to launch some new traditions—including divisionwide cocktail parties, and Middle and Upper School Parent Education Forums.

We are especially thrilled that next year’s group of officers is so representative of the entire Calhoun community; among them are at-home moms and dads, parents who work from home and office, Calhoun “lifers” and “newbies.” We’re looking forward to working with you all!

In a vote by students, faculty and staff, “Creativity and Innovation” was chosen by a landslide to be the 2014-15 yearly theme.

The yearly theme is designed to create a common learning experience for students in preschool through 12th grade, inspiring curricular and co-curricular activities and programming at all divisional levels.

Based on suggestions submitted by community members, topics of interest that the theme may address include: n Brain research/science and how the creative mind works n Multiple intelligences: why different skill sets need to be nurtured and valued n Technology: on the cutting edge of invention and innovation n Project-based learning focused on problem-solving through innovation n Art/design and how it is integral to the way we create/invent (STEAM) n Using innovation to combat injustice and improve our world

Send Us Your Ideas! Please send any suggestions you may have regarding speakers or projects for class or school-wide activities to Megan McDonnell, megan.mcdonnell@calhoun.org.

Join Calhoun’s CSA and enjoy the best locally grown produce, brought in each week by our upstate partner, Paisley Farm.

The 2014 season runs

Sept 9 — Nov 18.

Get details and sign up today! www.calhoun.org/csa

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school news

in t he classroo m

Cooper’s Troopers Honor Classmate with Day of Service The inaugural Cooper’s Troopers Day of Service on June 4 was a fitting tribute to a beloved classmate, Cooper Stock, who was killed by a taxi earlier this year at the corner of 97th Street and West End Avenue. After donning their Cooper’s Troopers T-shirts, 135 Lower School students, 8 to 10 years old, put the finishing touches on a new children’s library at West End Residences, a nearby homeless shelter for young mothers and their children. The new space has been officially named West Side Troopers Library.

“It was hard to imagine almost five months ago that anything positive would come from Cooper’s tragic death,” says Lower School Director Alison Max Rothschild ‘85. “But because of Cooper, our community joined together to help another community. And now, when we think of Cooper, we will do so with pride and joy.”

It was actually the words of Cooper’s mother, Dana Lerner, that inspired the idea for some kind of annual community service project to honor Cooper. “Dana expressed the hope that Cooper’s legacy would be associated with helping others,” recalls Alison. “We decided the best, most appropriate way for Cooper’s spirit to stay alive at Calhoun was by creating an annual Day of Service in his honor.”

This year’s Day of Service project engaged a team of enthusiastic helpers in the cause.

Beverly Lane, Calhoun’s LS librarian, created a wish list of hardcover books for the new library and led the book drive at the Annual Book Fair, which ultimately amassed more than 1,600 new children’s books. Kerry Wholey, LS teacher, served as liaison between the school and the shelter, and—along with LS woodshop teacher Matt Vidmar—spent countless hours painting, spackling, ordering and installing carpet, and putting together bookshelves. LS teacher Kyle Anderson supervised the book distribution process while LS associate teacher Hannah Scarritt-Selman ’05 created bookplates and bookmarks for the children to color. Calhoun parent Melani

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(Top) Third graders gathered in the new “West Side Troopers Library” that they helped create at West End Residences, a local homeless shelter.

(Right) Fourth graders Anastasia Theofanous, Julia Petkov and Destiny Wilson were among the Cooper’s Troopers who recorded children’s songs for the new library’s listening center.

Bauman designed the official Cooper’s Troopers logo, and the Calhoun Parents Association donated a portion of its proceeds from the Annual Book Fair to miscellaneous expenses.

The school also donated gently used shelving, pillows and carpeting.

On June 4, Lower School clusters took turns delivering and shelving the donated books at the new library. Back at school, they rotated through a series of activities to create additional materials for the children: They made math flash cards and alphabet books; recorded songs for a listening center; and decorated bookmarks and bookplates.

“The Cooper’s Troopers project is the perfect way to remember our son,” says Dana.

“Cooper had a deep love for Calhoun and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. As he grew up, we made a point of helping him to understand how fortunate we are as a family, but that many were not. He loved the idea of helping those in need. That his classmates would dedicate a day in his memory to create a library where others can learn and grow is the very embodiment of Cooper and provides a great deal of comfort.”

Read more about Cooper’s Troopers: www.calhoun.org/cooperstroopers.

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in the classroom

(Above, left) David Hyman and MS Sustainability Club members arrive at FLACS II, a charter school in the South Bronx, to help second graders set up their first aeroponic Tower Garden; (Above, right) A FLACS second grader listens for the sound of water in the aeroponic Tower Garden.

Bridging Communities with a Tower Garden Roles were reversed in the South Bronx on May 29, as five members of the Middle School Sustainability Club traded in their “student” hats for better-fitting “expert” caps. They were tasked with helping second graders at Family Life Academy Charter School (FLACS II) build an aeroponic Tower Garden of their own, just like the one the Sustainability Club installed at Calhoun in the fall.

The Tower Garden at Calhoun, a self-contained, closed system that uses about 20 gallons of water and doesn’t require soil or sun, has led to an abundance of harvests at Calhoun, with most of the vegetables being put to delicious use in Chef Bobo’s Eat Right Now lunch program. In less than a year’s time, Sustainability Club kids had mastered the construction and harvesting process to the point where they were ready to share their expertise with second graders at FLACS II, a

partner school of Calhoun’s.

The students at the K-8 public charter school welcomed Matthew Glimcher ’19, Oscar Llodra ’20, Katie Draeger ’20, Sam Draeger ’20, Sydney Clarke ’21 and sustainability coordinator David Hyman with open arms—literally, for hugs—and were eager to get working. What ensued was an inspiring morning of experiential learning and community building.

Thanks to Calhoun second graders, who provided seedlings for the project, the Tower Garden was up and running in less than two hours. But well after the Sustainability Club members had departed, the FLACS kids were still buzzing. “We walked back up to the classroom and they could not stop talking about the amazing experience they’d had,” says Jennifer Kennedy, a teacher at FLACS II. “One of my students said, ‘They really were experts!’

And it’s true. The Calhoun students were so knowledgeable,

kind and patient; some of them seemed like future teachers!”

Kathy Ortiz, assistant principal at FLACS II, notes that one of the FLACS students ran up to her and said, “I love them, Ms. Ortiz. I want them to come back and eat salad!”

and I felt so smart when they asked questions and I was able to answer them. I’ve always admired people who visited our school to talk about different subjects, so to flip it over and be one of those people is really cool.”

David was understandably

“ It made me feel really good, making these new friends while doing something to help the environment.” ­­­— Oscar Llodra ’20 For the Sustainability Club members, it was an equally enriching experience. “Seeing the happiness that we caused was inspiring, and it makes me want to do something even bigger,” says Oscar. “It made me feel really good, making these new friends while doing something to help the environment.”

Katie was surprised at how much knowledge she had to share with the FLACS children. “It was amazing to be relied upon,

proud of the Sustainability Club, which was later honored with the Middle School’s Special Service Award, given to a student or group that demonstrates a special commitment to the greater good of the Calhoun community.

Observes David, “As ambassadors for the school and for the sustainability work we’re doing, our kids left a positive and lasting impression on the second graders at FLACS and represented Calhoun in the best possible way.”

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school news

in t he classroo m

(Left) Olivia Abrams ‘17 had her first Op-Ed printed in The Huffington Post.

(Right) Kazumi Fish ’15 received multiple honors for her photography in this year’s NYC regional competition of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Freshman Sounds Off in HuffPo Olivia Abrams ‘17 made her Huffington Post debut in May with a passionate argument in favor of the progressive education model.

Her column, titled “A Different Perspective on Education,” begins with the observation that most HuffPo education posts are limited to traditional approaches to teaching and learning. “I suppose this is because educators, parents and students frequently question progressive education,” writes Olivia, who suggests that “they should be

questioning traditional education instead.”

Olivia points out that “when discussing education, our society seems to recognize that we need citizens who are innovative, critically thinking, well-developed, self-directed and who are not only inquiring, but love learning.” But she observes that, while a “love of learning” is the pillar of Calhoun’s philosophy, friends in other prestigious NYC schools don’t demonstrate that same desire for educational growth. “When thinking about the future leaders of our country, shouldn’t all parents want their children to go to progressive schools, where establishing these qualities is guaranteed?”

The Op-Ed piece was originally written for Olivia’s journalism class, taught by Head of School Steve Nelson.

Six Win Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Congratulations to the five Upper School students and one eighth grader who earned a variety of accolades in the New York regional competition of the 2014 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Carlotta Kane ‘14, Kazumi Fish ‘15 and Lindsay Jackman ’18 headlined the group with submissions that emerged as Gold Key winners from a deep pool of thousands of New York City submissions. Carlotta snagged Gold in the personal essay/memoir category for her work “Fat Girl”; Lindsay, an eighth grader, won Gold in the poetry category with her piece “Light, Death, Porcelain Doll.” Kazumi grabbed a Gold Key for one photograph and Honorable Mentions for three more.

Jack Javer ’15 won a Silver Key and Honorable Mention in the photography category. Sofia Jain ’15 earned Honorable Mention in three different art categories: ceramics and glass, photography, and sculpture. Honorable Mention also went to Tania Calle ’16 in the poetry category for her piece “Salvage Your Balance, Rest in Hell.”

MS Playwrights Make Debut at Sarah Lawrence Festival Scenes written by five Calhoun eighth graders were hand-picked to be performed at the Sarah Lawrence College Young Playwrights Festival on April 12. The students’ work, penned in Ed Schloth’s playwriting and Jono Hustis’s comedy classes, were directed, staged and performed by members of the PlayGround at Downstage, the college’s student-run theater company. After the production, the eighth graders participated in a talkback with the audience.

The event came on the heels of an open search for student

The Calhoun Chronicle

material. Remarkably, the theater company decided to produce all five scenes submitted by Calhoun.

“Giving over a slot in your performance season to produce the work of students from one school speaks to the level of confidence and quality shown in the writing,” observes Ed, who (justifiably) took it as a remarkable compliment to the students and the MS playwriting program.

We look forward to seeing more from the talented playwrights whose works debuted in the Sarah Lawrence production:

Ethan Lichtenstein (“Blind Date”), Lindsay Jackman (“Fearfully Unrequited”), Romi Konorty (“Blind Date Scene”), Tallulah Woitach (“A Trip to the DMV”) and Noah Copperman (“The Twitch”).

Ed Schloth, MS theater and playwriting teacher (center), poses with Romi Konorty, Tallulah Woitach, Ethan Lichtenstein and Noah Copperman at PlayGround at Downstage, the Sarah Lawrence theater company that mounted the students’ work [missing: Lindsay Jackman].

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read the latest news www.calhoun.org/newsmedia

Science Olympiad Award Goes to Calhoun An enthusiastic team of 15 Middle and Upper School students returned from March’s NYC Regional Science Olympiad as winners of the New School Award, given to the team scoring the most points among firsttime participants.

Calhoun competed in nine of 22 events, and impressively placed tenth or higher among 26 schools in five of those contests. “It was a lot of fun and a good first experience despite the fact that we went in not knowing what to expect,” says MS science teacher Kristin Bozymowski, who was assisted by admissions coordinator Shameena Khan and MS humanities teacher Chelsea Stilman-Sandomir ‘05.

This year, all of the pre-competition preparation for the Olympiad was conducted as an extracurricular activity, but the plan for next year is to make the preparation part of the students’ in-class work. US biology teacher Francesco Filiaci will be added to the leadership team, and MS woodshop teacher David Hyman will serve as an advisor. David assisted this year as a consultant and helped in the woodshop with the boomilever project, which ultimately led to a sixth-place finish in the corresponding Olympiad event.

A round of applause to all involved, especially the students who participated: Avalon Scarola ‘20, Sam Draeger ‘20, Oscar Llodra ‘20,

Calhoun earned the “New School Award” in the NYC Regional Science Olympiad when its team of 15 Middle and Upper Schoolers scored the most points among all first-time entrants.

Evan Changar ‘20, Katie Hade ‘18, Noah Copperman ‘18, Tomio Filiaci ‘18, Michael Nelkin ‘18, Max Babej ‘18, John Rosenthal ‘18, Gabby Chapman ‘17, Caitlin Leung ‘17, Oumy Kane ‘17, Lily Edelman-Gold ‘17 and Zak Wegweiser ’17.

Students Absorb Lessons from Hiroshima Survivor A yearlong exploration of the ways that nuclear power has affected our world culminated for seventh and eighth graders in May, when Calhoun hosted Hibakusha Stories, an initiative that aims to pass on lessons learned from the atomic bombings of

Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Tina Chrismore, Director of Library and Learning Resources, has worked with the Hibakusha Stories group for several years, and believes the project allows students to fully “understand the devastating power of nuclear weapons.”

Students listened to the testimony of Shigeko Sasamori, who was 13 years old and living in Hiroshima when the first of two nuclear bombs was dropped on Japan. She recalled seeing the B-29 that dropped the bomb, and feeling the tremendous impact of the bomb before being knocked unconscious. When she finally came to, the burns she suffered left her unrecognizable. “Both

students and adults were moved

by Shigeko’s story,” says Kristin Bozymowski, MS science teacher.

“The fact that she was 13, the same age as the audience, made it more real for the students.”

The Hibakusha Stories presentation was a way to offer a counterbalance for the students, who have been studying nuclear energy as part of their science curriculum on sustainable energy resources. Explains Kristin, “As scientists, we need to understand not only the physics behind the nuclear technology, but the benefits and challenges, and the destructive power it represents.”

Shigeko Sasamori talked to seventh and eighth graders about her experience as a 13-year-old during the bombing of Hiroshima.

“...the project allows students to fully understand the devastating power of nuclear weapons.” ­­­ — Tina Chrismore, Director of Library and Learning Resources

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sports

Undefeated Middle School Team Wins Championship

This year’s MS Baseball team became the first in nearly a decade to win a NYCAL baseball championship for Calhoun.

The Middle School Baseball team made history this spring, becoming the first Calhoun squad in nearly a decade to win a NYCAL championship on the diamond. The Cougars secured the crown—and an undefeated season—with an exciting 6–2 victory against Trevor Day. In a season dedicated from day one to former head coach Mike Worth, the Middle School counselor who passed away suddenly in July 2013, the Cougars left everything they had on the field. “It’s been a special season,” says head coach Andrew Hume, who was assisted by LS teacher Carlyle Lincoln. “Mike had been the head coach for years, working with Carlyle, and had a very close relationship with the players.

We talked about him before every practice and game, and wore armbands with his initials. We even brought barbecue potato chips to every game because they were Mike’s favorite.”

The title-clinching game was tied 2–2, with two outs left in the bottom of the fifth, when Oliver Smith ’19 delivered a bases-loaded hit that drove in the go-ahead runs. Joey DeRolph ‘19 finished off the Dragons in the top of the sixth, completing a dominant performance from the mound that included nine strikeouts. Joey was aided in that final frame by Teo Torrado ’18, who helped engineer a 1-6-5-8 game-ending, doubleplay pickoff that had to be seen to be believed.

Jason Kauppila ‘18 and Aiden Griffith ‘19 also The Calhoun Chronicle

Boys’ Volleyball Finishes First in Division Sacha Rogosin ‘16, Bennett Hagemeier ‘16 and Jack Javer ‘15 were among the young Boys’ Varsity Volleyball team players who pushed the Cougars into the PSAA tournament finals.

played key roles by scoring a pair of runs each.

“It was important to us to support each other and represent Calhoun the way Mike taught us to,” adds Andrew. “The championship banner in our gym will remind us of Mike and the special season we shared.”

The Boys’ Varsity Volleyball players, whose on-court talent was matched only by their own eccentricity, followed up last year’s campaign by firmly proving their place at the top of the PSAA heap in 2014. Calhoun finished first in the

league’s West Division, with a 14-4 mark. And while they lost the PSAA Tournament championship 3–1 to top-seeded Brooklyn Friends, they accomplished it all without a single senior on the roster. In other words, the Cougars will be back in the title hunt in 2015.

“Assistant coach Kevin Randazzo and I couldn’t be more lucky to work with this incredibly special, unique, and sometimes—in the best way—really strange group of young men who call themselves the Soup Boys,” says head coach Sabrina Zurkuhlen ’06, referring to the team.

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“They have the ability to understand the balance of hard work and fun—and they demonstrate that whenever they are on the court together.”

What’s perhaps most amazing about Calhoun’s success, in a testament to Sabrina’s coaching, is that the majority of the Cougars have been playing only since 2013. In fact, five of 15 players on the roster never played before this season.

The Cougars punched their ticket to the championship game by dominating York Prep 3–0 in the PSAA Tournament semifinals. The victory encapsulated a memorable season that included an 11-game winning streak. While this incredibly deep team featured an assortment of talented players, a few stood out statistically: Sacha Rogosin ’16 was a passing maestro, averaging a 2.2/3; Omar Kabbaj ’15 was the team’s most effective hitter, with a .350 average; and in the semifinal victory, freshman Zak Wegweiser’s setting percentage was .426%, which resulted in 25 assists and just two errors.

“It’s a long season, and teams can lose their way toward the end,” notes Sabrina. “But the Soup Boys never wavered, only worked harder with every practice, and played as a family that focused on the bigger picture.”

Sports Highlights This past winter, Boys’ Varsity Basketball delivered one of its signature moments in Calhoun sports history when junior sharpshooter Brad Onokogu banked in a game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift the Cougars over Lycée Français, 53–50, in the NYCAL Tournament quarterfinals. Although Calhoun fell to Columbia Prep in a close-fought semifinal contest, the young Cougars (12-10) provided a window into what 2014–15 may hold. According to head coach David Bartolacci, most of the players return next year—making them one of the early favorites to win the NYCAL championship.

Led by Brad, All-League player Zeus Rocancourt ’15 and the talented Jeremy Quezada ‘16, Calhoun will field its most gifted team in well over a decade. “With this being the third year this group has played together, and us having as much talent as anyone on our schedule, it’s now or never,” says David. “This team has the potential to be the first Calhoun Boys’ Basketball team to make it into the NYSAIS State Tourney.”

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Taj Cutting ‘14 earned All-League honors for basketball and volleyball, and was named NYCAL Player of the Year for Girls’ Varsity Volleyball.

Brad Onokogu ’15 is embraced by teammate Jeremy Quezada ’16 after nailing a game-winning three-pointer in the NYCAL Tournament quarterfinals.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball team expected that the 2013–14 season would be a challenge after last year’s senior class moved on. But a new generation of players—including Lia Barnhard ’16 and Lily Edelman-Gold ’17—stepped up to assist senior leaders Taj Cutting, Rebecca Marcus and Sydney Kapelus, and helped claw their way to several victories. Cougars notched their first win against LFNY in January’s 55–53 double-overtime thriller, and eventually defeated LFNY again in the NYCAL Tournament quarterfinals for their final victory of the year. In addition to team highlights, Taj set a new Girls’ Varsity Basketball record for all-time career points with 961. All in all, it was a banner year for this graduating senior, who learned in June that she was named the NYCAL Player of the Year for Girls’ Varsity Volleyball, and was tabbed with All-League commendations in both volleyball and basketball.

Matt Vidmar, who will miss his three seniors, Reece Robinson, Grace Parish and Ben Minerva.

Calhoun’s Varsity Golf team had a successful 2014 season, competing in nine matches, posting the lowest team score in years, and winning one match outright. Comprised of nine players from seventh to twelfth grade, the Cougars had a nice combination of youthful enthusiasm and veteran leadership. “We had a dedicated team that gained valuable experience,” says head coach

With the addition of an indoor Varsity Track & Field team this past winter, Cougars were well prepared for the rigors of the spring season and battled their way into the championships— reaching team and personal bests along the way. Massimo Costantini ’15, Matthew Rozanoff ’16, Ana Finnerty-Haggerty ’17, Dylan Jacobs ’16 and Jackson Griffin ’15 qualified for the NYSAIS Championship meet. “I’m proud to have coached this team,” says head coach Prince Gomes, “and with some athletes having already committed to returning next year, I know that we will be ready for the challenges that 2015 presents.”

The Varsity Baseball team had a rebuilding year, but learned much and should see improvement in 2015 as several players will play summer and fall ball as a precursor to the spring season.

Says head coach Hernán Ortiz, “We are looking to add a few pitchers to the rotation, so if you can throw, you should join!”

The Girls’ and Boys’ Middle School and JV Basketball teams all showed promise this school year, and we look forward to more great strides next year. summer 2014

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school news

Onstage 1

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U PP ER SC HOOL T HEAT ER : P L AYi ng arou n d Upper School Theater presented a collection of 12 new works written by students from the US Spring Workshop Production class and last fall’s Playwriting class. All scenes except one were directed by Upper School students.

1. Shoshana Baraschi-Ehrlich ’14 (left) and Emma Newman ’14 in Resentment Never Fades, written and directed by Abby Jean-Baptiste ’14 2. Backstage, written by Leila Jacobsen ’14, featuring (L-R) Jamie D’Cruz Young ’16, Emma Morrow ’16 and Lucy DeCarlo ’16 3. Jules Starn ’16 in Barry, written by Tiffany Poon ‘14 and directed by Jamie D’Cruz-Young ’16 4. Hit the Snooze, written by Jason Alejo ’14 and directed

by Shoshana Baraschi-Ehrlich ’14, featuring (Clockwise, top left) Abby Jean-Baptiste ’14, Juliana Cordero ’14, Carlotta Kane ’14 and Jason Alejo ’14

SEV ENTH GRAD E T H E AT E R : A Midsummer N i g ht’s D ream Bard enthusiasts rejoiced as Calhoun’s seventh graders performed a modern version of this Shakespeare classic, adapted and directed by Middle School theater teacher Ed Schloth.

(L-R) Maya Wissak, Cameron Dunn, Juliette Lillywhite, Fernando Rueda, Stephanie Vaccaro, Geena Janovsky, Aiden Griffith, Lucia Prinzi and Charlie Stone (standing)

The Calhoun Chronicle

more photos www.calhoun.org/media

FO U RT H GRA D E T HEAT ER : E dwa r d T u lan e Fourth graders performed an original adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s novel The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, which they helped write during a series of improvisational workshops.

(L-R) Ingrid Wernstrom and Simone Lipkin

TH IRD GRAD E THEAT E R : Just A noth er Day i n the Pa r k Third graders worked with theater teacher Giovanni Pucci to write this original play about a boy struggling with a new school in a new city.

(L-R) Rafe Pasquini, Pierce Brookins, Zach Colosimo, Ava Carter, Jason Liberty and Jackson Sinatra (on floor).

M U S I C : Spr in g Orc h est ra Con c ert The annual Spring Orchestra Concert featured strings players from fifth through twelfth grades, as well as Upper School chamber winds musicians. (L-R) Fifth graders Daniel Komiss, Jude Thompson and Joan Playford

S I XT H GRA D E T HEAT ER : Tales f rom China , P e rsia an d As ia With a script comprised of scenes adapted from The Arabian Nights along with various Chinese and Persian folktales, sixth graders delighted the audience in this workshop performance.

(L-R) Phoebe Pyles and Noah Shaub

FIFTH Grade Theate r : M ag i cal M on key K i n g This staged adaptation of Chinese folk tales, integrated with the students’ humanities and Mandarin studies, included props designed and built by the students themselves.

Julia Filiaci (center) and fifth grade ensemble

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Choice & Opportunity: Upper Schoolers Blaze Their Own Trails Calhoun’s academic and co-curricular programming is designed to provide students myriad opportunities to experiment and take risks, discover new interests and pursue passions.

In the Lower School, these choices come in the form of play, club time and Special Courses; as the children move through the grades, those decision-making opportunities increase, with an ever-widening range of elective academic courses and extracurricular activities. In Upper School, students become increasingly self-directed, with the flexible mod schedule allowing them to enrich their core curriculum with choices from almost 125 electives—including independent, advanced study. A domestic exchange program gives interested students a chance to experience life at a school in another part of the country. And in their last two years, students participate in the Junior Workshop and Senior Work internship programs. These last, says US Director Lorenzo Krakowsky, are intended to guide upperclassmen to “really take ownership of their own education and their future career paths.”

SENIOR WORK | Abby Jean-Baptiste ‘14

Senior Answers London’s Call It’s not uncommon for seniors to accept internships that take them to the outer fringes of New York City. Some must even travel beyond, into the suburbs. And then there is Abby Jean-Baptiste, who completed her Senior Work internship some 3,500 miles away, at Halcyon London International School.

Although far from the comfortable confines of Calhoun, Abby was familiar with the city, having lived in Being open-minded, inquisitive London from 2008 through and thoughtful were some of the mid-2012. “It was a huge virtues that came in handy during Abby’s Senior Work internship at part of my life and I wanted the Halcyon London International to return for the end of my School. high school experience,” she says. “Going abroad for my internship was also enticing because it offered a change of environment, which is something I have to become accustomed to as I leave Calhoun.”

Halcyon, which serves students in grades six through nine who are preparing for their international baccalaureate, The Calhoun Chronicle

opened only last September, so Abby was able to experience life at a school getting off the ground. In other words, her responsibilities included whatever was necessary on a given day—from administrative offices to classrooms. “It was fun because I was always doing something different,” notes Abby, who assisted with database work, helped teachers who needed an extra hand, and gave school tours. She also wrote for and edited the school yearbook and newsletter, set up school projects, assisted the receptionist, and even aided the librarian in constructing a “hanging thesaurus” for the library.

“Calhoun taught me how to interact successfully with others, and my position required a lot of that.”

The Princeton-bound graduate does not wish to pursue a teaching career, but has always been fascinated by the different styles and approaches to education, and recognizes that “teaching is present in nearly every facet of life.” She adds, “This internship exposed me to the endless work that’s necessary for a school to run well, how meticulous everything must be. And I believe this experience will help me adjust to life outside of high school, where not everything is handed to you and things are not as explicit.”

Abby acknowledges that several virtues that Calhoun imparted—being open-minded, inquisitive and thoughtful—were crucial to the success of her Senior Work experience. “I learned to evaluate each aspect and take

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something from whatever I was doing,” she notes. “Additionally, Calhoun taught wonderful writing skills that I made use of multiple times in various tasks. But the most important thing that my time at Calhoun helped me with is people skills. Calhoun taught me how to interact successfully with others, and my position required a lot of that.”

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manned the sign-in desk, recording who had interest in the company while explaining how to get hired.

The most challenging aspect of the position, says Adam, was figuring out how to be useful at all times. Nevertheless, he says the experience lines up with his plans for the future: creating a company of his own with a similar mission of dealing in environmental sustainability. “I wouldn’t even have this position if it weren’t for the progressive curriculum that enabled a Politics of Food class to lead to my discovery of MCG,” says Adam, who plans a double major at the University of Vermont in environmental studies and business. “At work, I was constantly going out of my comfort zone to learn more and help out with projects, and Calhoun’s philosophy enabled me to do so.”

SENIOR WORK | Robin Sklar ’14

Writing Her Way to a Career

Thanks to his Politics of Food class, Adam Horowitz ’14 snagged an internship at the Majora Carter Group in the Bronx. He hopes to have a career in environmental sustainability.

SENIOR WORK | Adam Horowitz ’14

The Economics of Sustainability The seeds of Adam Horowitz’s internship with the Majora Carter Group (MCG) were sowed during Chef Bobo’s Politics of Food class. James Chase, vice president of MCG, visited Adam’s class to talk about the consulting firm’s work to revolutionize the infrastructure of the American inner city, which they do by providing sustainable solutions to communities in economically stagnant neighborhoods. Adam, who interned last summer for Eco Brooklyn, was fascinated by the economic aspect of sustainability. “By looking into MCG, I learned that ‘sustainability’ is more than just recycling and solar panels,” he says. “It’s about how our communities interact in the environment we all share, and how to ensure that the environment provides equal opportunity to all its inhabitants.”

For his internship, Adam’s day-to-day responsibilities depended on the projects that MCG was focused on at any given moment. He formatted applications that aimed for funding, and worked on letters of intent to win corporate support. At an open house event for StartUp Box: South Bronx— a startup incubator and tech education center—Adam

Persistence pays off. That’s what Robin Sklar ’14 learned when attempting to land an internship at NY1. By repeatedly emailing the station’s executive producer, who is also in charge of organizing internships, Robin eventually earned a position working for the 24-hour cable-news network.

During her time at NY1, Robin served in a variety of roles.

She answered phones at the assignment desk, ran the teleprompter for Shelley Goldberg’s “Parenting Report,” transcribed interviews and worked in “the POD,” which is the production unit where writers transform raw information into stories for viewers. After practicing for a few weeks, Robin

Working in a 24-hour cable-news environment provided Robin Sklar ’14 with a host of exciting new challenges­—and the confidence to pursue a career in writing. summer 2014

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was able to write a few pieces that made it on air. “Being able to experience so many different aspects of NY1 helped me figure out what I am most interested in—writing,” says Robin.

“This knowledge will definitely help me when I go to college, because I’ll have a path. The type of work I did in the POD at NY1 is definitely in line with what I hope to do in the future.”

In addition to writing, Robin was tasked with editing video on NY1’s software system, Dalet, and she even operated the cameras from the control room for a segment on the Spanish version of NY1, Noticias. “The technical director in one of the control rooms helped me use the cameras to focus on the subjects and then set up the shots,” says Robin. “During the taping, I was able to switch back and forth between the different people who were speaking; I played an important role!”

Robin believes that Calhoun’s approach to treating teachers and students as equals helped her expertly navigate her experience at NY1. “Throughout my years at Calhoun I developed the ability to talk to teachers confidently and without reluctance,” she says. “I feel very comfortable approaching my supervisors with questions, or even asking for help from adults who I do not know. It’s a skill that will definitely be useful in all of my life endeavors.”

SENIOR WORK | Mac Nicholas ’14

Supporting Our Immigrant Community With two separate jobs in different programs at Neighbors Link, a Westchester-based organization that aims to integrate immigrants into the community, Mac Nicholas’s day-today responsibilities were rarely routine. Three days a week he worked in the office, doing everything and anything from data input to decorating for big events. The other two days he worked as a tutor for the Learning Links program, helping underprivileged Hispanic fifth graders with their reading, writing, science and math.

“I was able to keep up with every project assigned to me at Learning Links,” observes Mac, who says the broad range of classes he took at Calhoun were invaluable preparation. He also credits his comfort level with the younger children to his experience during Cluster Family days, which put him into close contact with little Calhounders, “It definitely helped me get settled in when I began teaching.”

It was Mac’s responsibility to help the fifth graders who were learning English as a second language to complete their school assignments, which sometimes required an English-toThe Calhoun Chronicle

Mac Nicholas ’14 helped Spanish-speaking fifth graders learn and practice English as part of his internship with Neighbors Link, an organization that helps integrate immigrants into the community.

Spanish translation. The purpose of the program, however, is to make the students practice and use their English, so speaking Spanish was prohibited unless absolutely necessary. “This was definitely the best part of the internship; I really enjoyed seeing the kids begin to learn and understand the material,” says Mac. “My favorite moment was when one of the students, who had been struggling with reading, was able—after weeks of one-on-one practice with me—to get up in front of the class and read an entire story in nearly perfect English.”

One of Mac’s most important jobs in the office had to do with editing and analyzing a new online course Neighbors Link had created for police officers. Mac had to make sure the course, which shared important information regarding misconceptions about and discrimination against immigrants, was ready to be shared in police stations across the country. Adds Mac, “This was probably the most rewarding experience in the office, because it really felt like I was doing something that would make a difference in the world.”

Mac, who would like to pursue teaching in the future, thinks the internship helped him “grow into a more mature adult” because it taught him what it’s like to have a job and to work a full day. “It was a great experience, especially coming right before college,” he says. “Now I understand what I need to do in college to be ready for the world after school.”

For his Junior Workshop presentation, Elijah Cabrera ’15 explained the different ways in which multilingual people experience the world.

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JUNIOR WORKSHOP | Elijah Cabrera ’15

Analyzing the Multilingual Brain In the final mod of junior year, eleventh graders plunge into a six-week independent study called Junior Workshop. They are asked to “create” something—knowledge, insight, beauty or function—that did not exist before. At the conclusion, students discuss their process and present their discoveries to faculty advisors and fellow students.

Citing a deep personal interest in linguistics, Elijah Cabrera ’15 embarked on a qualitative analysis of the multilingual experience on the neuroscience of second-language processing.

His hope was to determine whether people who speak more than one language have any intellectual or cognitive advantages. “I’ve always been interested in the conceptualization of various languages and I often reflect on the complexity and nuances of the different languages spoken around the world,” says Elijah. “My fascination with the study of language has also led to a profound interest in the neurological processes that occur with language processing and development, and the overall structure and workings of the human brain—which is the most advanced and complex of all.”

Elijah’s fascination with linguistics dates back to his days in the seventh grade, when he enrolled in Mandarin. At first he was intimidated by the difficulty of the language, but soon discovered he enjoyed the intellectual challenge it posed.

The experience inspired him to enroll in Upper School electives in both French and Spanish.

For his Junior Workshop project, Elijah interviewed seven multilingual people between the ages of 17 and 59.

Ultimately, he was unable to determine whether or not the subjects possessed additional mental prowess. But he was able to conclude that “being able to speak more than one language allows you to see the world in a different way; you’re not limited by the cultural or political implications of one language.”

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The Junior Workshop process itself provided a valuable lesson for Elijah, who admitted he was attempting to complete something in six weeks that would likely take six years of research. “I learned a lot about myself, my interests and how I work as a person,” he says. “Junior Workshop allows students to really pursue what they are passionate about. It was such a relief knowing that I had one to two hours out of the block schedule to focus on my own intellectual pursuits.”

“Being able to speak more than one language allows you to see the world in a different way; you’re not limited by the cultural or political implications of one language.”

Elijah intends to pursue this topic in the future. “Scientific research is not easy, but this is something that I’ll bury for now, preserve, and then dig up in graduate school. I can revise, continue and expand upon the work I’ve started, using knowledge I have gained.”

STUDENT EXCHANGE

Expanding Horizons When Lavern McDonald, US Associate Director, called a meeting at the beginning of the school year to gauge interest in the Network of Complementary Schools’ domestic student exchange program, nearly 20 Upper Schoolers enthusiastically responded. Ultimately, Calhoun was able to send four students to various schools across the country: Sal Goldblatt ’16 visited the Putney School in Vermont; Kyler Murria-Castro ’16 spent time in suburban Rochester, NY, at Pittsford Sutherland High School; Leah Rice ’15 attended the Pinewood Preparatory School, a private school outside of Charleston, SC; and Leah Saberski ’16 experienced farm life in Kansas while going to class at Quinter Public School. Meanwhile, Calhoun sophomore Maryam Chishti and her family hosted a student from Northampton, MA, who attended Calhoun for a week.

“The domestic exchange program allows students to take advantage of learning opportunities in schools and communities that are far different from Calhoun,” says Lavern.

For Kyler, participating in the program was all about stepping outside of her comfort zone. She wanted to attend a school that was nothing like Calhoun, and in Pittsford Sutherland summer 2014

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feature F or more information about the Network of Complementary Schools Exchange Program, go to www.calhoun.org/ncse.

A week in the suburbs of Rochester, NY, was a way for Kyler MurriaCastro ‘16 (left) to step outside of her comfort zone.

she got exactly that. Kyler took the big yellow bus to school and followed a traditional schedule, with a period system and classes that occurred daily. The rising junior was also able to experience some of the local culture, and traveled with her host family to Niagara Falls, which was in a partially frozen state, as well as to Buffalo for a taste of its famous chicken wings. Says Kyler, “One thing I took home was the value in taking advantage of what’s made available to me. The girl I stayed with was very involved in everything she could get her hands on, both at and out of school. I was very impressed, because it’s harder for her to do all those things when you consider that Rochester is a smaller community. The possibilities for me here are endless, and she really opened my eyes to this.”

Maryam Chishti ’16 (center) and her sister (right) enjoyed hosting and showing off New York City sites to Michaela Lindsey (left), an exchange student from Massachusetts.

The Calhoun Chronicle

Bottle-feeding calves was just one of the many new experiences Leah Rice ‘15 enjoyed while in Kansas.

“Our domestic exchange program allows students to take advantage of learning opportunities in schools and communities that are far different from Calhoun.”

— Lavern McDonald, US Associate Director

While Kyler’s experience no doubt differed from her life at Calhoun, Leah Saberski’s exchange trip to an agricultural community in Kansas provided a week that simply cannot be replicated in New York City. And that’s exactly what she had hoped for when she selected her destination. Leah helped feed lambs at a sheep farm, visited a dairy and a grain elevator, and attended a cattle sell—complete with an auctioneer and more than 700 cows up for purchase. “I got to hear, see and smell so many new things,” says Leah. “I think that adapting to my new surroundings came easily because I made sure not to expect anything. I wanted to keep an open mind and really embrace the experience with no prior assumptions.”

Maryam said she hosted one of the exchange students because of a life-changing experience she had last summer, living with a family in Uruguay. Although that summer visit wasn’t under the network umbrella, she felt it necessary to pay it forward: “I think that sometimes we forget how lucky we are to live in New York City, and how amazing it can be to people who don’t live the city life,” notes Maryam. “I loved playing tour guide and having the opportunity to show Calhoun off.”

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COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING

Students Step into Teaching Roles Upper School students who are interested in teaching don’t usually get the opportunity to take the profession for a test drive in an actual classroom; many years of additional schooling separate them from the experience. At Calhoun, however, a pair of freshmen in Debbie Aronson’s new Community Action-Student Teaching class elected to volunteer at a local public school, and blossomed in their roles as teaching aides.

Allie Leavitt ’17 and Emma Griffith ’17 both knew they wanted to work with special-needs children. With the help of Debbie, they arranged for twice-weekly visits to the Mickey Mantle School, where they assisted in classrooms with elementary school–aged students on the autism spectrum. The rising sophomores helped the children with their ABC’s, art projects and handwriting exercises, and played educational games with them on SMART Boards. “My favorite part about this experience was seeing how much the children improved with spelling, math and other skills after I began volunteering,” says Allie, who is “extremely interested” in one day teaching children with special needs. “It’s so inspiring to see them make progress.”

“In the beginning, I was very nervous to talk to the children for fear of saying something wrong, but Calhoun helped me get past that and become comfortable very quickly.“ —EMMA GRIFFITH ‘17

As a project for their Student Teaching elective, Allie Leavitt ’17 (top) and Emma Griffith ’17 worked with autistic students at the Mickey Mantle School.

For Emma, the most memorable part of the experience occurred when she was working with a student who was having difficulties circling answers on a worksheet. Taking note of how other teachers helped their students, Emma implemented some of the approaches she had observed. In the end, the student was able to understand and complete the worksheet. Adds Emma, “When I left, she gave me a big hug, said goodbye, and remembered my name.”

speak in public or in uncomfortable situations. She adds, “In the beginning, I was very nervous to talk to the children for fear of saying something wrong, but Calhoun helped me get past that and become comfortable very quickly. Calhoun also taught me how to focus even when other, possibly loud things are going on around me. Because we have no walls, Calhoun students learn from a young age to focus in any situation and tune out the background noise.”

While the work was undoubtedly challenging, Emma and Allie understood from the start that the key would be to remain calm and composed. Emma noted that Calhoun prepared her for the experience by teaching her not to be afraid to

Our young student-teachers both intend to return to Mickey Mantle next school year if their schedules allow. Says Allie, “I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I never knew working with children with special needs was going to become a passion of mine.”

summer 2014

“Calhoun has presented us with the tools we need to view the world with equal eye, exposing us to injustice and to the power we have to change it.”

– Stella Lemper-Tabatsky ’14, graduation speaker

Class of 2014 Takes Center Stage Graduation is one of life’s treasured milestones, a moment of triumph. And Calhoun’s 47 graduates certainly had the fitting heralds to celebrate the occasion: A world-class performance by award-winning pianist Tiffany Poon; a guitar duet by accomplished magician/musician Reece Robinson and published composer Jack Gulielmetti; a powerfully moving vocal by Noelle Clark…not to mention two eloquent graduation speeches that included a call to action by lifer Stella Lemper-Tabatsky, replete with references to Moby-Dick (Thank you, Kristen!), and a smashingly brilliant monologue

by Emma Newman, who evoked unbridled laughter with her comparison between Calhoun’s progressive mission and the words of “Mr. Cent.”

Chosen as commencement speaker by seniors, US art teacher Gary Cohen got “carried away” by US Director Lorenzo Krakowsky.

The extraordinary talent demonstrated by these presentations—all by graduating seniors—was a mere sampling of the breadth and depth of the individuality, originality and leadership these students take with them on their future adventures. The Calhoun community will miss them deeply, and looks forward to applauding their future accomplishments on whatever road they travel.

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Where They’re Going Members of the Class of 2014 will be attending the following colleges, universities and conservatories: Bates College Boston College Boston University Carnegie Mellon University College of Charleston Clark University (2) Columbia University* Connecticut College University of Delaware Earlham College Eckerd College Emory University Eugene Lang College Fairfield University Fashion Institute of Technology Franklin & Marshall College The Juilliard School (2)* Kenyon College Lafayette College (2) Lehigh University Loyola University New Orleans Manhattan College University of Maryland Maryland Institute College of Art University of Michigan Mount Holyoke College Muhlenberg College (2) NYU-Polytechnic Northeastern University Pace University Princeton University University of Rochester Sarah Lawrence College Skidmore College (4) SUNY Binghamton SUNY at Buffalo SUNY Geneseo Trinity College Union College University of Pennsylvania University of Vermont University of Wisconsin * one student in dual degree program, Columbia/Juilliard

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1st Grade

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4th Grade

8th Grade June is a time for celebration at Calhoun!

For more photos from the Class of 2014 Graduation, First Grade Summer Send-Off, Fourth Grade Moving-Up and Eighth Grade Commencement, see www.calhoun.org/media.

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2014-2015

Calhoun Performing Arts Series Sept 20 K I D STUFF | 2pm-3pm

Curious George Live musical production for kids pre-K through third grade, from TheatreworksUSA Oct 20 MUS I C | 7pm

Atom & Eve Composer Lisa Ralia Heffter’s epic rock musical with pop operatic score, Broadway stars and concert presentation.

Oct 23 TAL K | 7pm

“Ireland Rising,” with Colum McCann A conversation with Colum McCann, award-winning author of Let the Great World Spin, about the role of literature and music in the formation of Irish identity.

Oct 28 TAL K | 7pm

The War on Women Town Hall discussion with panelists* Suzanne B. Goldberg, Alicia McGill Johnson and Ileana Jiménez Tickets: $5/students & seniors, $10/adults.

Buy tickets online at www.calhoun.org/tickets Mary Lea Johnson Performing Arts Center 433 West End Avenue @ 81st Street *Panelists in formation

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Alison Max Rothschild ’85, newly named LS Director, talks about what makes Calhoun’s Lower School unique, and how she wants to continue the strong foundation laid by former LS Director Kathleen Clinesmith and build for the future.

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W

hen someone refers to a “lifer” at Calhoun, most kids and alums know what that means—a student who started at Calhoun in preschool and went all the way through to graduation. But no one matches the “super” lifer status of Alison Max Rothschild ’85. Since the age of three, Alison has spent only four years away from Calhoun—to get her BA at Skidmore College. She returned in 1989, starting as an assistant teacher in the Lower School, and worked her way to head teacher, Assistant Lower School Director and then Co-Director of the Lower School’s second through fourth grades. Now, having just celebrated her 25th year as a teacher and administrator at Calhoun—adding up to a total of 40 years at Calhoun—Alison begins a new phase this September as Director of Calhoun’s entire Lower School program. Here she talks about what she values most about the Lower School’s progressive approach to teaching and learning, and her hopes for the future.

How did your experience at Calhoun as a student inform your role as a teacher?

Photo: Camila Otero

From my early years in Lower School until I graduated, I loved coming to school. I discovered that school can and should be a happy and positive place.

I attribute much of that to the relationships I had with teachers. I felt that they knew me, understood me and would accept and encourage me no matter what. I know what a gift that was for me, and I try every day to return the favor to the kids at Calhoun today.

I didn’t really know I wanted to teach until I actually began teaching. I was working with Lil Lulkin [head teacher in kindergarten]

and it was probably weeks after my first day when I said, Wow—this can be a job! This could be my work! I fell in love and immediately enrolled in the master’s program at Teachers College.

Lil was, without question, the first role model I ever had; she was a wonderful human being and she really took me under her wing.

What’s kept me at Calhoun all these years is the community—the people who work here, the families who send their children here, and of course the students. It is a really special place.

What makes Calhoun’s early childhood program different from others? How does it reflect our progressive mission?

At first glance, our early childhood program may not look that different from others; most good early childhood programs understand and incorporate a lot of the same hands-on materials and concrete learning experiences. But what is different about Calhoun is the lens through which we view children: We have a broader appreciation of different abilities and kinds of intelligences. I attribute that to Kathleen Clinesmith—the other person who I consider a great role model in my life, both professionally and personally. Kathleen has a way of looking at the world and at people that is much more accepting than most

of us. She taught me that we shouldn’t pigeonhole young children; you really don’t know how someone is going to grow and develop.

Now that I have seen so many children move through Calhoun, from preschool through high school, college and even grad school, I know how right she is. It’s not something I could have seen or understood when I was a young teacher. So I’m really careful to pass that knowledge on to everyone who comes to work at Calhoun.

It’s hard to create a curriculum that meets a lot of different needs and challenges, but, certainly, our very small classes and talented teachers help us do this more successfully. We create classrooms that enable children to experience success in a range of activities and experiences at developmentally appropriate times.

Because we are an ongoing school, we’re not preparing kids for an “exit” or to take a test to enter into another institution. That creates a very different experience in our Lower School; it allows us to provide a much broader-based education for our students, attending to their social and emotional needs. We really get to know and understand these children as students and as learners, and can create an experience that meets their individual needs throughout their schooling. We don’t look at children through just a very narrow lens regarding

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“Along with our emphasis on process, we also stress product and presentation... so we talk about students becoming young authors.”

their ability to read, write, add and subtract. Those are critical skills, and we help our students master those skills.

But those are not the only measures of development and/ or success for a young child.

How do you create experiences that meet different needs, cognitively and developmentally?

One of the ways in which our “wider lens” plays out is in regard to our approach to teaching reading and writing to our youngest children.

We’re really trying to establish a love for reading and writing.

We believe, and have seen, that the fastest way to squash that love and desire is to turn these into “chores,” something that a child might not be ready for or successful at.

We also know that children learn differently; Howard Gardner* refers to it as “multiple intelligences.”

Some children are visual learners, some auditory learners, some learn better through kinesthetic activities. So, as progressive educators, we provide dif* Howard Gardner is an internationally recognized developmental psychologist, author and professor of cognition and education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

His theory of multiple intelligences critiques the notion that there exists a single human intelligence; instead, he maintains that humans have as many as nine different kinds of intelligence that reflect different ways of interacting with the world. Each person has a unique combination, or profile, though no two individuals have them in the same exact configuration: linguistic, logic-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic and existential.

ferent kinds of experiences to help our children learn in the way that best suits each of them. For example, in a kindergarten class, when we’re doing a phonics lesson, some children will learn aurally by hearing the letters and words spoken by the teacher. Ot­hers will benefit from a paper and pencil activity, where they’ll actually write the letters; that’s both a kinesthetic and visual experience. Some children will benefit from a solely kinesthetic experience, tracing letters in the sand. Our “Sing It, Say It” early reading program essentially teaches children about syllables—the phonetic makeup of words— through familiar songs.

How do you develop reading and writing skills as the children move through Lower School?

We begin by placing a great deal of value on the stories that the children want to tell—whether they are able to write them down yet or not. So we provide a lot of opportunities for them to share their stories in whatever form is developmentally appropriate for that child.

Sometimes that happens orally, with a child telling a story to a friend or a teacher.

Other times, children will dictate a story to a teacher, who will write it down. The children who are ready will do the writing themselves.

By the time the children enter second grade, they are writing stories and “publishing” books-in-progress.

We begin to focus on some of the structural, complex elements of writing—grammar, punctuation and spelling—in third grade, when the students edit their work together with the teacher.

By fourth grade, children are making corrections and edits to their work on a daily basis. They’re beginning to edit their work independently, writing first drafts and second drafts, and then “publishing” their pieces in book form.

At any point, students who are ready to advance to the next stage in their reading, writing and editing are encouraged to do so, with ample guidance and support from their teachers. That’s one of the huge advantages to having small classes.

Along with our emphasis on process, we also stress product and presentation, to encourage children to be proud of their work. So, in second grade we talk about students “becoming young authors.” We do have them write stories and create books that will be presented at an “Author Share Day,” when family members are invited to come in. The students also share their books with the older third and fourth graders. We have a different version of an Author Share Day in third grade, when the presented work is a portfolio of more

polished pieces of writing.

Fourth grade students have a variety of opportunities to share fully edited and published work.

The arts are very important at Calhoun. Is that because of the “wider lens” you mention?

Creativity is key to many of the “multiple intelligences” Gardner mentions. So the arts—and the skills they nurture—are central to the Lower School experience.

In music and theater classes, children learn the art of practice, being part of an ensemble, being a good listener, being a good audience member. In fine art, woodshop and media arts, they gain spatial and technical skills while honing their abilities in observation, interpretation, design and creative problem–solving.

These are all skill sets that come so naturally with the arts programs.

The arts are also interwoven throughout the academic disciplines. Many curriculum units in social studies, language arts, science and math culminate in final presentations that include written work as well as art projects—from drawings and mixed-media sculptures to videos and original song productions.

You often talk about the importance of play and student choice. Can you elaborate?

We give kids a great deal of time to make choices, begin-

31 1 1 Calhoun’s early childhood program is designed to allow for a great deal of playtime, to stimulate intellectual curiosity and nurture socialization skills.

2 Teachers in second through fourth

grades are specialists—whether it be in math, social studies, literary arts or, in the case of Raul Hernandez, science. Here, Raul works with second graders on Calhoun’s Green Roof.

3 Formal instruction in spelling and punctuation begins in third grade.

4 Art is interwoven throughout the academic curriculum. This papiermâché lion was created for a first grade mammal research project.

5S tudying the geography of the United States, third graders take pride in the reports and visuals they create after months of independent research on the states of their choice.

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“The priority at Calhoun will always be the [students’] interactions [with other] children, with teachers, and with hands-on materials.”

ning with our very youngest students.

Our preschool program is designed very intentionally to allow for a great deal of playtime for young children.

In addition to the socialization value, it is great practice for future learning, stimulating brain growth and intellectual curiosity.

Student-directed playtime is also an essential element in helping to develop interests and passions. So we build time into each school day for students to make choices based on their own interests.

For second, third and fourth graders, we have a program called Special Courses. Three times a year, the children get to choose a course they’d like to take from a range of topics—usually proposed by the teachers—in areas of interest that often have nothing to do with the standard curriculum.

An exciting development that’s taken place in the last few years is that students have begun to suggest and “teach” their own special courses.

The first thing that surprises, and sometimes shocks, outsiders, is the open classroom space in the 81st Street building. What is the educational benefit to that design? How do you use it?

Cognitive studies show that brain function is higher when children are moving.

So, unlike a more traditional setting where the kids stay all day in one classroom, our second through fourth graders move, as a group, from class to class and from teacher to teacher. It’s great for the kids to have a “reset” button for each new class.

The open space also creates a sense of community and inspires a great deal of independence and confidence— the kids get a real “command” of their space. And all of this is great preparation for the transition to Middle and Upper School, when kids move from specialist to specialist, but do it independently rather than as a group.

Each of our Lower School teachers specializes in a particular discipline. Would you say that’s unusual?

Yes, I’d say that’s very unique to us. When teachers are responsible for teaching all the disciplines, curriculum frequently gets short-changed—and very often, it’s math that gets short-changed, because a lot of early childhood or elementary education teachers are not that comfortable teaching it. So instead of that traditional model, we have dedicated math, language arts, and social studies teachers for each grade, as well as division specialists teaching science, art, woodshop, Spanish, theater, media arts and music.

It’s wonderful for kids to have multiple teachers.

We feel strongly that kids benefit by having relation-

ships with lots of adults. This model also enables teachers to become experts in their fields. It allows for teachers to collaborate in their area of specialty and develop best practices.

Our teachers are constantly engaging in professional development, both in and out of school. Calhoun sends teachers to workshops as well as hosting our own. Several of our faculty members are asked to speak at conferences or lead workshops.

So our teachers are all very much on the cusp of what is happening in progressive education. I think it’s exciting for our families and their children to be part of a community with that kind of academia associated with it.

The school talks extensively about its commitment to diversity and multi– culturalism. What does that look like in the Lower School?

Very often schools assemble a diverse community and then expect everyone to conform to the culture of the school. At Calhoun, we see that differently; we want to create a diverse community and then have the school community conform to that diversity. One of the ways we do that in our Lower School is to invite families to come in to share and celebrate their holidays and traditions.

I think it helps make our families feel very included.

We also have a diverse population of teachers in the Lower School—including a very large number of male teachers. This has been one of Kathleen’s real intentions as the Lower School Director. We believe it’s beneficial for children to have men and women supporting them as learners, for the same reason that we believe that cultural diversity enriches the learning environment.

What changes do you envision for the future?

Most of what’s going on here in the Lower School is really wonderful. But as with any good institution, we need to be open to looking at how we do things, finding out what needs tweaking and trying new things. I plan to examine all areas of the curriculum and program and make adjustments if and when they are needed. One area of interest of mine is technology. The priority at Calhoun will always be the [students’] interactions [with other] children, with teachers, and with hands-on materials.

We’re not going to provide every student with an iPad in Lower School, because we know that it’s important for young children to have limited screen time. But we’re going to be thoughtful about this and look at ways to use technology that will be powerful and appropriate for our older [81st Street] Lower School children. I’m looking forward to that.

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Calhoun Breaks Ground for

Two-Story Renovation at 81st Street

Calhoun Commons is a Game Changer!

1974…2004…2014 Great things come in fours!

In our first major modernization and building expansion since 2004—and 40 years since the completion of the original five-story building on 81st and West End Avenue—Calhoun is “blowing out” the façade of the first floor and lower level to expand our footprint and repurpose the resulting 13,500 square feet of space. FXFOWLE, the architectural firm that won the 2007 DesignShare Merit Award for our four-story expansion, is overseeing this latest project.

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Head of School Steve Nelson first explained this summer’s renovation plan to parents at the State of the School Address in April. “The first floor will be converted into a state-of-the-art food service facility, which will serve double or triple duty as a commons and community events center. It will seat 200 for lunch and more for performances or educational events. The lower level will be developed as a superb, contemporary library/learning-support center. The exterior walls of the lobby will be extended outward to envelope the plaza. The entrance to the building will be modernized and the new glass façade will connect the building more directly to the neighborhood.”

Estimated completion date for the first floor is Labor Day; the lower level, including the library, should be completed sometime in the fall.

STREET VIEW The new exterior design features a wall of clear glass that expands the footprint of the building, allowing for a larger lobby where there was previously outdoor space. The wrought-iron gate surrounding the building is coming down and the sidewalk expanded, creating a more attractive façade and welcoming entryway to the building. A special-access entrance with mechanical lift is to the right of the main door.

LOBBY The new lobby will be designed with a more functional reception area and a wall of glass that will look into the Commons, which becomes “a very visible center of the school, and a common space that belongs to the whole community,” says Head of School Steve Nelson.

The Calhoun Chronicle

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CALHOUN COMMONS Lunchroom/Event Space and Lobby The new Commons lunchroom will seat an entire division at one time—200 students and faculty. This will solve the problem caused by the pre-existing lunchroom, which accommodated only 70 students and required short, splitlunch sessions for each division. Most important, our academic schedule will no longer be constrained by the size or capacity of our lunchroom.

In addition to serving as the lunchroom, the Commons will be a “four-season” gathering space for early-morning drop-off and after-school pickup, as well as providing a venue for various community events, presentations, concerts and receptions. “It’s a space that doesn’t currently exist at Calhoun,” says Steve, who expects the Commons “will have a profound effect on the school.”

NEEN HUNT LIBRARY (Lower Level) The library design provides for abundant natural light and a clean, open, gracious space that offers flexible seating and risers to accommodate group work and discussions. Enclosed spaces will house offices, meeting places for classes and authors’ visits.

The Neen Hunt library will offer high digital capacity, more laptop computers for research needs, and extensive online research resources. The print collection will continue to be an important resource in the library; in addition, many books are being moved to classroom libraries.

For more photos, go to www.calhoun.org/building

summer 2014

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From the Archives

Capsule e m i T n u o h l Ca

d e l a e v e R

Forty years ago, on May 15, 1974, the Calhoun community buried a time capsule. The communitywide ceremony that day was a festive one, marking the almost-completed construction of the school’s long-awaited facility on the southwest corner of 81st Street and West End Avenue—a fivestory building that would finally be able to house all the students, from the 3’s to the twelfth grade.

The expectation was that the time capsule would be excavated and its contents revealed 50 years later, in 2024. Time moves quickly, but change moves even faster. Calhoun is embarking on yet another expansion—only 10 years after the last was completed and four decades since the original construction of the building. So a bit earlier than expected, and before bulldozers tore down the plaza for our summer facelift, we were determined to uncover the time capsule, which was buried behind a marble slab.

Herewith, some photos from the May 15, 1974, burial ceremony and the 2014 reveal!

Dig through more of the artifacts uncovered in the time capsule at www.calhoun.org/timecapsule.

s t c a f i art

May 12, 2014: Time Capsule Artifacts Revealed

1. A construction crew removed a marble slab from the concrete wall where the time capsule was buried, at the corner of 81st Street and West End Ave. 2. A piece of the last brick removed from demolition of Calhoun’s Lower School brownstones on West End Avenue was contributed by the Calhoun Parents Association.

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3. Zach Wiener ’14, interning with the school’s communications office for his Senior Work project, uncovered a photo taken in March 1947 of Calhoun guests at the Plaza Hotel, where they were celebrating the school’s 50th anniversary.

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4. A A copy of the book The White House Transcripts (by the editors of The New York Times) was one of the few artifacts in the time capsule—a telling reminder of the Watergate era. b List of faculty/staff on the front and the 1973–74 “Schedule of Tuition and Other Fees” on the back (Upper School was $2,200/year; Lower Division was $1,900/year). c The Calhoun Story, published on the occasion of our 60th anniversary, traced the school’s history and revealed a plan for a new school facility to house all grades—to be located in Morningside Heights!

uth School Gene R then Head of by t en m cu a prescient do Excerpts from

Predictions

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School ., Head of t D. Ruth, Jr ite a shor

by Eugene asked to wr en be ve ha 24.... n School I the year 20 The Calhou range of ght be in As Head of mi ol ho Sc e ring a full of what Th —2024—offe me on ti ti ic is ion, ed th at pr hool is by and to educ community that The Sc e t th ic ed to pr es I and servic l programs educationa It is: ndary in general. rough seco ion e-school th pr : en dr uing educat for chil ugh contin ro th e 1. a school eg ll Eugene (Gene) : junior co for adults 2. a school work Ruth, former te ua ad gr : an rs g he in for teac Head of School ng incorporat ni , ar le Le du e he Th 3. a school ning sc ict that (1973—1980) -month lear ct, I pred ng on a twelve s. In effe eby enabli es ng at di er il op bu e a day, ther th s of ur e ho us r Further, it enty-fou ily time eds. s almost tw flexible da dividual ne individual extremely his/her in of s rt it so su l st tional used by al way that be l organiza Center is ies in such a to its tota opportunit in The Center es e at us si or to es onals rp of co pr in l er na everyone nt io arning Ce and educat in-service Calhoun Le dividuals ects, and t that The terested in pment proj ic in lo ed ve ng pr de ri d so fe of I al research an ce Center, e series, a Conferen ops, lectur sh structure rk wo ng ur systems, oi of curricul ate in on-g h the types to particip ng ri fe of re in whic is truly courses. for “a futu er nt al ed Ce on at si uc ng es ed prof oun Learni er to be at The Calh in The Cent tly hope th l involved en al rv ng fe li I ab .” ems, en In short, w among us pport syst e wisest no ems, and su even by th d te pa social syst ci be anti s ... cannot the choice

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s r a e y 40

May 15, 1974: 40 years ago

1. Invitation to the burial ceremony on May 15, 1974

2. Head of School Gene Ruth (left) and Board of Trustees President Robert L. Beir (right) inserted the time capsule in the cement wall that was hidden behind the engraved marble slab facing West End Avenue.

3. Joan Simon Hollander ’60, alumnae representative speaker at the ceremony, contributed several historical Calhoun documents to the time capsule.

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4. Tenth grader Muffin Gifford [1977] spoke at the ceremony on behalf of Upper School students.

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From the Archives

s e g a mess ture u f e h t to

Time Capsule: Messages to the Future from the Past

“To Future Administrators of Calhoun: This message comes to you on an IBM Selectric typewriter from the Administrative Staff of the Lower Division of The Calhoun School. We are looking forward to our first year in the new building this coming September. We hope that our dream has been fully realized by this time. Greetings to all who read this!”

–Jane Rohan Kloeker, Mary Statz Rosenberg, Winifred Petrie

“Note to students Nina Rosenblatt, Ben Lloyd, Tony Coleman, Eric Coleman, Margaret Riegel and Glen Bruinswick: I your teacher, Terry, confess I lost your contribution to the T.C. I’m long gone now and you can’t get me for it.”

[Ed: Phys ed teacher Terence Barrell to Lower Schoolers Nina (’80); Margaret (’80); Tony (’82)]

ading this or “Hi, are people re ing this?” are computers read

“Our president is shitty, how is yours?”

_Tierney Gifford [Low er School]

“We think that in 2024 you will have flying cars, food pills, a subway that rides in a plastic tunnel, underwater cities, robots, and sciences that are more intelligent. We think trains will move inside glass or plastic tubes.”

— Mark Rodriguez [Lower School]

ower School] -Martin Relburn [L

“When we grow up, we hope that this school will still be here, and that children will continue learning and enjoying it as much as we did.”

— Bonnie Drath, Susan Belsky, Emily S. Cooperstein (’83), Gerald Foston, Merrill Gura, Pauline Imberman (’83), Lisa B. Jones, Steven Suphia, Juliette Schonfeld, Ben Stiller (’83), Meredith Strauber [third graders]

“I remember when I first saw Calhoun I went Hippity hop. I love it!”

— Mariah Fredericks (’84) [second grade]

“In 2024, we think Calhoun will be a very modern school. Maybe it will still look like a toaster. It might be old and rusty. We think children will study more about aerodynamics, flying in space, the sea and the earth.”

— Ben Green, David Berg [Lower School]

“I’ll cherish Calhoun in my thoughts always.” _ Patti Lederer (’82) [second grade]

Alumnae/i News BIRTHS To Stefanie Dreiblatt Wotton ’95 and Rob Wotton, a boy, Jack Hunter To Vanessa Shuster-Raizberg ’99 and Serge Shuster, a boy, Peter Elliot To AnneMarie Newman Jeffries ’00 and Aaron Jeffries, a girl, Nora To Mark Rentschler ’00 and Lindsay Rentschler, a girl, Cadence Catherine “CC” To Adam Messinger ’01 and Marina Messinger, a boy, Daniel

IN MEMORIAM Shirley Lubell Black Kash ’39 Edith Wilson Wolf ’39 Lee Mayer Flegenheimer ’44 (d. 2009) Ruth Goldberg Wagner ’45 Babette Low ’61

NOTE: Though many updates shared in Class Notes come directly from alumnae/i themselves, not every item is self-submitted. In cases where information is published elsewhere or obtained from a classmate or parent, every effort is made to contact the alum to confirm accuracy. We apologize for any errors and welcome corrections for our records. Submissions for an upcoming issue can be directed to alumni@calhoun.org.

1930s

1950s

Edith Wilson Wolf ’39 passed away

Francine Posner Baras ’59, Westport, CT, recently co-authored a book on divorce with her daughter, Nicole Baras Feuer. Titled 37 Things I Wish I’d Known Before My Divorce, the book offers lots of tips, lists and how-tos, but one of the main themes, says Fran, is “children first.” Fran continues to work as director of Start Over Smart Divorce Advisors.

at the age of 93 on April 11, 2014.

A beloved alumna, she and her husband of 70 years, Richard Wolf, lived in Worcester, MA, where Dick was in the textile business and Edith worked as a copywriter for a department store. She served for four years as president of the League of Women Voters of Worcester, and as a result of her civic activities, was awarded a public achievement award from UMass Amherst in 1960. Edith and her husband moved to Coral Gables, FL, in 1962, where she worked as a volunteer social worker for the American Red Cross for more than 15 years and received an emergency survival award for assisting military personnel and their families in times of crisis.

Edith was an avid golfer and tennis player. She will be greatly missed within the Calhoun community.

1940s Claire Winston Diamond ‘42, New York, still has a lot of dance in her!

At least that’s how we saw it, when Claire showed up at this year’s Benefit ready to party. She was escorted to the school’s gala at Cipriani Wall Street by Samantha Hakim, a regular substitute teacher in Calhoun’s Lower School who Claire says is “like a granddaughter” to her.

Myrna Richardson Goldman ’49, who still lives in Manhattan, enjoyed her visit back to Calhoun to celebrate her 65th Reunion with former classmates. “I am doing well—other than this horrible winter!” she said. “My family all lives nearby, so I see them a lot.”

Sheila Demb Lewis ’59, Miami, FL,

has been working as a national medical and pharmaceutical sales recruiter for the past 32 years. “I met my husband while at Calhoun; he had gone to Columbia Grammar, but I met him in his senior year at Penn. He is involved with market research and has his own firm,” says Sheila, who caught up with us at her 55th Reunion. “I have two children: My daughter teaches gifted children and my son is in business development as a director for his firm. In addition, I have two wonderful grandsons, aged four and six.”

Nancy Pelz-Paget ’59 lives in New

York and continues her work at the Aspen Institute, where she has been director of the education and society program since 2000.

Her work is focused on improving educational leadership. Nancy writes that she is “still traveling to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Europe and other global adventures with my adorable husband of 42 years.”

1960s Nancy Erlanger Feller ’64 was

sorry she couldn’t return for reunion; instead she attended her oldest grandchild’s graduation from the University of Wisconsin.

But she sends well wishes to

class notes

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Claire Winston Diamond ‘42 had a great time at her first Calhoun Benefit this year, which she attended with Samantha Hakim.

classmates with this update: “Still living in Plantation, FL; working as a health care/pharmaceutical recruiter. My, how time ‘passes at Calhoun School’—and where did those ‘carefree days go by’? Well, like some of you, I got married, like others I got divorced and married again. What was my original family of three kids, is now a blended family of another three grown-up kids, and believe it or not, 13 grandkids. I think there is an equation there, but I was never great in algebra. I have my own publishing company (thank goodness for learning good writing, spelling and organization skills), and work together with my husband, Ron.” Barbara Friedman ’64 is still practicing as a solo attorney in New York City. She also teaches tai chi and tai chi sword—having been awarded her black belt in karate at the age of 64—and also keeps busy as a member of a jazz choir.

Melinda Gilman Kanter-Levy ’64,

who flew in from San Francisco for her 50th Reunion, has had quite an interesting career path since graduating from NYU as a special education teacher. Ten years after moving to San Francisco in 1971, she created a nonprofit organisummer 2014

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class notes

Voices Author Mariah Fredericks ’84 Taps into Teen Angst

persona—which matters a lot when you’re a teen—with who you know yourself to be. I’m writing about transgender issues in my next book, so that’s taken on a whole new meaning.

By Bart Hale ‘00, Director of Alumnae/i Relations

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

A: I always made up stories. I was a big one for getting my dolls and stuffed animals to “act out” various dramas. I wrote a lot of Star Wars fan fiction, which I have to get around to burning one day. I can remember making a bet with a boy in seventh grade, when we were both in John Roeder’s class. The guy said, “I bet when you’re 30, you won’t be making a living as a writer.” I responded, “Oh, yes, I will!” And I was earning a living [from] writing at 30, although I hadn’t sold a novel yet. I decided to write fiction full-time the year I sold my first novel and the company I was working for offered us a nice buy-out to quit. I thought, “Well, if I’m ever going to take this risk, now’s the time.”

Q: How did Calhoun influence your stories and characters?

A: All my novels are set in New York, and most of them take place in private schools. The kids tend to be comfortable, some of them affluent. A lot of the time, they’re dealing with issues some people consider “too mature” for young readers. But the kids I knew dealt with these very issues. And they’re still dealing with them today.

Q: Did Calhoun prepare you or support your creative process?

A: Not to suck up to my alma mater, but yes, absolutely. I give huge credit to David Wasser, who was my English teacher and the advisor for The Issue [the Upper School student newspaper]. He put one of my class assignments in the paper, and after that, I wrote a column for every

The school described in Mariah’s book, The True Meaning of Cleavage, might sound familiar to many Calhoun alums:

“A lot of teachers are into ‘relating.’

They don’t yell, they talk. They don’t punish, they find out what’s going on. They want us to feel that they’re one of us—like that’s such a great thing to be.”

Mariah Fredericks ’84 (second from left) returned to Calhoun to talk to Upper Schoolers about her life and work as an author, then smiled for her photo op with librarian Tina Chrismore, English teacher and fellow alum Bobby Rue ’85, and her former science teacher John Roeder.

Q: What drew you to writing novels for an audience of young adults?

A: I had written three novels for adults that I couldn’t sell—I suspect because they were not very good. Then my husband, who worked in children’s publishing, suggested I try young-adult work. It felt very natural and compelling to me. Kids don’t have full power over their lives, and that makes them very sympathetic characters to me.

Q: You’ve had 10 books published. What inspires your work?

A: I write what’s called realistic fiction—very much the personal drama of everyday life. So, yes, I draw a lot from my own experience, and those of people around me. (Thank you to everyone at Calhoun in the eighties for providing material!) I tend to start with an episode or a question that, for lack of a better word, still bugs me. Why did I do that? Why did he do that? If there’s a theme that links my books, it’s reconciling your public

The Calhoun Chronicle

issue. People liked them, and they told me so. I was a shy, weird kid, so to have other kids respond positively to what I wrote was a huge boost.

It was also excellent experience in putting my work out there for public reaction, which is a nerve-wracking thing all writers have to get used to doing.

Q: What advice do you have for writers who want to get their work published?

A: I knew success as a writer was a long shot. And I knew that people can despair when they don’t achieve their dreams. So, I decided that I couldn’t control whether I got published or not. The only thing I could do was everything required to have success. Write a good book. Send it out. If that doesn’t sell, write another book, send that one out. One kind of book not working? Try another kind. And that worked eventually. Most important, enjoy the writing process itself, because for most writers, that’s the real thrill of it all.

class notes

zation called Marin Day Schools (MDS), providing full-time earlychildhood education to children of working parents. MDS became affiliated with Bright Horizons Family Solutions in 2003. “I continue working with great zeal in my role as director of external affairs for both entities,” says Melinda, who adds, “I feel very fortunate to have lived, and still enjoy, the best of times in two of the greatest cities on the planet. I have a terrific husband, two daughters and two step-daughters, five grandchildren and one nephew who I adore.

I appreciate my education at Calhoun, as it started my wonderful journey that is ongoing to this day.”

Peggy Maibrunn Klein ’64,

Irvington, NY, joined classmates on a tour of the old 92nd Street building during the spring reunion, and was overwhelmed with nostalgia for her volleyball days.

Her latest news: “I’ve been happily married to my husband, Ken, for 43 years and counting…Our daughter, Nicole, married Dennis Isenhour last October, so now we also have a son! We continue to work part-time as psychotherapists, enjoying four-day weekends every week. Life is good. I keep in close touch with my Calhoun friends, who are an important part of my life still—50 years later!”

Irene Blum Packer-Halsey ’64,

Middletown, MD, is celebrating her twelfth year as senior vice president for programs at the Center for Leadership Innovation, following decades of work for civil rights organizations. She currently leads a portfolio of equity and social justice initiatives in Latino and American Indian communities.

She is also a happy grandmother to Benito, age eight, and loves spending time with her daughters, Niki and Nyja, and son-in-law, Mayobanex.

Tedra Levine Schneider ’64,

Orange, CT, continues to build her business in interior design/ decorating while satisfying her passion for theater by acting in local productions. Naturally, she still finds ample time to spend with her three grandsons!

Joan Kaye Wishkoff ’64 traveled from Wilmington, DE, to reconnect with classmates for her 50th Reunion in May. Joan tells us she “enjoys time with her son, Ari, and granddaughter, Abby, who is almost two.”

1970s Faith Surkin Sherman ’74, Ridge-

field, CT, sent this note: “We have three dogs, two wonderful children, lots of fun and terrific friends. I love seeing everyone. Still working, and have enhanced my advertising 3 marketing skills as a business and consultant for First Data.” Faith has twin daughters, Rachel and Gerry, who graduated from Brandeis University and Skidmore College, respectively.

Mary Engel ’79 writes: “I’m thrilled that my son, Zac, is continuing the legacy and is starting high school at Calhoun in September. I recently started a nonprofit for my archive group, American Photography Archives Group (www.apag. us), and my recent documentary film, Ordinary Miracles: The Photo League’s New York, is currently available on iTunes. I love still having Calhoun alumni in many parts of my life as friends, neighbors and in business.”

Anton Hart ’79 had news to

match classmate Mary Engel’s (above). Says Anton, “I’m excited to announce that my son Lincoln will be starting in the tenth grade at Calhoun next fall!”

1980s Christine Zamora ’81, a graphic

artist since college and principal of her own business, CZ Design, for the last 13 years, claims Calhoun as one of her lead clients—and Calhoun is lucky to have this dedicated alum help design all development and alumni materials!

Other top clients include Columbia University’s film department, Kaufman Music Center, and a number of other indie schools and businesses. Christine lives on the Upper West Side with her husband, Steven Phillips, and their two children, Evan and Sophie.

Andrea Newhouse Moynier ’83

is the owner of a boutique bedand-breakfast on Block Island, RI, called the Sea Breeze Inn (www. seabreezeblockisland.com), which she has managed since 2008 while also continuing her work as a freelance film editor.

Elyse Upbin Deleski ’84 writes, “I am living in the Dallas area of Texas with my two amazing children. I own a private counseling group practice, New Perspective Counseling Services, where I serve as director and have enjoyed providing psychotherapy services for the last 20 years!”

Rama Wiener Dunayevich ’84 says

she’s “still loving life living in the San Francisco Bay area with my wonderful family—my husband, Bernard, and our beautiful six-yearold daughter, Kika. Back in March, I celebrated a fun dim sum birthday lunch with Michael McCormick ’84 and Erika Milvy ’82. Really loved catching up with old friends at our 30th Reunion—and Dublin House!”

Neal Perchuk ’84, Bethel, CT, works

as vice president of sales for Radio Computing Services, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment.

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Kate Uhry ’84, Bethlehem, CT, has

run her own photography studio, Kate Uhry Photo, since 1997. After some sleuthing, we found that she was voted the “best of weddings” photographer by The Knot magazine in 2012 and 2013, and received the Bride’s Choice award by Wedding Wire. See kateuhryphoto.com.

Samara Harris Anderson ’89, Chicago, IL, has been working since 2007 as a theatrical and film literary agent for the Robert Freedman Dramatic Agency, reading and developing scripts with clients. For the past two years, she has also been working with Cortland Preschool as an earlychildhood dramatic arts teacher.

Aaron Levinthal ’89, Hudson,

NY, has been in the live-event production business for the last 20 years. Since 2007, he has “taken responsible environmental action as owner of GreeNow LLC, the only generator rental company in the country that provides machines that run almost entirely on biodiesel.” See www.greenow.com.

Catherine Guggenheimer Pearlman ’89, New Rochelle, NY,

is teaching social work at the College of New Rochelle while building her business as a family coach. www.thefamilycoach.com.

Nessim Watson ’89, South

Deerfield, MA, has a new position!

Writes Nessim, “After a dozen years as a college professor teaching about mass media, politics and race (during the Iraq war, no less), I am now assistant director for career planning at UMass Amherst, using my strategic communication skills to help students write targeted résumés, practice interviewing, and make use of social media to develop their career paths.”

summer 2014

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class notes

Voices What Moves You…

Reflections from Rwanda

By Pia Marcus ’09 I believe in shared responsibility, critical engagement, the power of community, and health as a human right. These values, and the belief that small actions can have global effects, brought me to work for Gardens for Health International (GHI) in Ndera, Rwanda, as their program and development associate. In this role, I support the program manager and country director on program implementation, coordination and strategic planning.

I also manage our visitor and volunteer program, working specifically on how visitors, volunteers and donors can support and engage with our program and the families we work with in authentic and empowering ways.

violent systems that sustain cycles of poverty, disease and the destruction of ecosystems. What is often overlooked is that what we eat—what foods we have access to—is embedded in these systems. From food deserts in the United States to a lack of access to seed and nutrition education in Rwanda, systems of power impact what we eat and directly affect our bodies and our health.

GHI’s mission is to provide lasting agricultural solutions to chronic childhood malnutrition by integrating agriculture into the clinical treatment of malnutrition. GHI invests in a holistic approach to malnutrition by working with the complex challenges families face at the nexus of health and agriculture. Food insecurity is not an issue families face in a vacuum; a family struggling with malnutrition may also be facing health challenges like HIV or gender-based violence that further limits their ability to become food-secure on their own. Our program is designed to empower the families we work with to break the cycle of malnutrition in their own backyards and to become advocates in their communities.

“ I am driven by the belief that we cannot overlook the effect each of our actions has on one another and the world, our shared environment.”

I graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2013 with a degree in international studies and public health. As a white American, my decision to work in the Global South on issues of poverty and malnutrition was not made lightly—the proverbial image of the white “savior” can too easily be called to mind. But I have no ambitions of being a savior. Instead, I am driven by the belief that we cannot overlook the effect each of our actions has on one another and the world, our shared environment.

We live in a global economy with finite natural resources, but our connections across continents and cultures are driven by an inequality of power rather than by mutual collaboration and respect. Our world is fed by

The Calhoun Chronicle

In Rwanda, 44 percent of children are malnourished.

This is caused not by a complete absence of food but from a lack of consistent dietary diversity. The current medical solution to malnutrition (in Rwanda and worldwide) is food aid in the form of Plumpy’Nut, a highly nutritious pre-packaged peanut-butter-like substance. Plumpy’Nut quickly restores a child’s weight, but when the supply runs out, the child goes back into the same environment in which the malnutrition took hold. If the root causes of malnutrition are not addressed, children end up back in health centers with more complicated illnesses. This is a burden on families and the economy, and creates a countrywide dependency on food aid. Thus, conventional approaches to malnutrition fail to invest in sustainability or the agency of mothers and families.

When a child is brought to one of GHI’s partner health centers and diagnosed with malnutrition, he or she is given a prescription for emergency food aid (shortterm intervention) as well as a prescription to our program (long-term intervention). Families enrolled in our program receive 14 weeks of integrated health and agriculture training, one year of home visits, a home garden package of seeds, fruit and agroforestry trees, and livestock that is designed for dietary and agronomic diversity. Through this individualized and empowerment-based approach, families graduate from our program able to make informed decisions about their planting, purchasing and consumption practices.

Global health currently faces complex and systemic challenges. So let’s start small: Let’s feed our bodies from the earth. At GHI, we are working not only to treat and prevent childhood malnutrition, but also to draw us all closer to the earth, our communities and our bodies. Turi kumwe (“We are together” in Kinyarwanda).

class notes

1990s Nnabuihe Maduakolam ’95 [a.k.a.

Buihe Madu] was selected to be the commencement speaker for the Class of 2014 at Northwestern College, a small, career-oriented school that offers associate degrees and certificate programs.

As an author and social-enterprise marketing consultant, Nnabuihe is also the founder and executive director of the HEROmanity Project in Chicago. He has guest-lectured at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s business school and SUNY at Buffalo’s Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, and is a consultant to local nonprofits and entrepreneurs.

Stefanie Dreiblatt Wotton ’95 and her husband, Rob, welcomed the birth of their second child, Jack Hunter, on April 18. Jack joins his older brother, Nate, who will be four in October. Stefanie continues to work as director of marketing at Covington Fabric & Design.

Alex Cordova ’97 is vice president

of marketing for Hakkasan Group, an entertainment real estate company located in Las Vegas, NV. Alex has been working on Hakkasan’s newest venture into the hospitality industry—joining with MGM Resorts to design, develop and manage luxury non-gaming hotels, resorts and residential offerings in international cities and prime resort destinations.

Jordan Peele ’97 was named to

the Time magazine list of one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the May 2014 issue. For the past three seasons, Jordan has been the co-star of the hit Comedy

Central sketch comedy series Key & Peele; his collaborator on the show, Keegan-Michael Key, was also named to the list of “Titans, Pioneers, Artists, Leaders and Icons.” In the Time profile, titled “The New Faces of Funny,” Key and Peele were lauded for being “smart, satirical, ridiculous, pointless, political, subversive, immature and important all at the same time. They know what they are doing and are ready for their moment.”

Yael Shulman ’97 was one of the cinematographers of live performance footage in Tom Berninger’s acclaimed documentary film Mistaken for Strangers, which was released in select theaters this past March. The film was named a New York Times Critics’ Pick!

Dina Plotch ’99 lives in New York

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1. Big brother Nate Wotton, son of Stefanie Dreiblatt Wotton ’95, poses with his newborn little brother, Jack.

2. Yael Shulman ’97 was one of the cinematographers on the doc film Mistaken for Strangers.

3. Peter Elliot Shuster-Raizberg was born last December to Vanessa Raizberg ’99 and Serge Shuster.

and works as a social worker for the Jewish Child Care Association.

In her free time, she still keeps busy with acting and comedy.

Vanessa Shuster-Raizberg ’99 has been working as a publicist at The Wall Street Journal. She and her husband, Serge, are also enjoying their new life as parents! Peter Elliot Shuster-Raizberg was born in December, and Vanessa reports that all are well: “Motherhood is a blessing!”

Mario Sturla ’99 is an assistant

chief counsel for the Department of Homeland Security in Boston, MA, where he has worked since October 2008. “I primarily prosecute the removal of noncitizens before the immigration courts, under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which mostly include convicted criminals, individuals who gained legal status by fraud, visa abusers or suspected human-rights violators,” says Mario. Meanwhile, he and his wife, Elizabeth, are

celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary in August with their three children—William, age six; Evangeline, three; and Helena, one—and Elizabeth is pregnant with their fourth child, due this October! “We live in Barrington, RI, where quick access to local beaches in the summer and the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire in the winter provide a range of fun outings for the family.”

2000s AnneMarie Newman Jeffries ’00

and her husband, Aaron, are now the proud parents of a baby girl, Nora, born in March. The three live in Atlanta, GA, where AnneMarie is

a licensed psychologist in private practice after having earned her Psy.D. in clinical psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology in 2012.

Mark Rentschler ’00 and his wife,

Lindsay, welcomed a baby girl to the world on April 24. Cadence Catherine “CC” Rentschler, weighing in at seven pounds, seven ounces, is named after Mark’s maternal grandmother. The three live with their dog, Bailey, in Portland, OR, where Mark works in tech marketing.

Ben Seldon ’00, who received his MBA from Babson College, launched Seldon Marketing four years ago and is now working alongside classmate David Merrill ’00 on the venture. The four-year-old agency is enjoying rapid expansion, says Ben, with 100

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class notes

Careers Alums Share Knowledge at Cougar Career Symposium

Thank you to the following alumnae/i for participating in this year’s Career Symposium: Amanda Baker ’05, photographer and actor Rachel Bekkerman ’07, assistant account executive, Ruder Finn Shira Berk ’87, founder, Goodie Girl Tribeca Glace Chou ’82, director of digital media, Sesame Workshop Brian Daniels ’98, user experience designer, Mcgarrybowen Chris Foster ’95, director of digital business development, National Hockey League Elie Gamburg ’97, senior associate principal, KPF Architects Adam Gerson ’97, director of technology, Columbia Prep Jason Green ’83, independent photographer

(Top, L-R) Andrew Otton ‘07, Sasha Schechter ‘08, Glace Chou ‘82, Chris Foster ‘95 (Bottom, L-R) Jason Nadell ‘95, Adam Gerson ‘97, Shira Berk ‘87, Roey Mizrahi ‘03

Alumnae/i spanning three decades and diverse career paths returned to school on Friday, Feb. 21, for the fourth annual Cougar Career Symposium, a special networking event geared toward sharing experiences and advice with Calhoun Upper Schoolers.

The event, arranged by Calhoun’s Alumnae/i Office, is held each year for juniors and seniors in preparation for the Senior Work project, a required six-week internship for twelfth graders that takes place during the last mod of the year.

Many of the panelists talked about how random projects, classes or extracurricular activities in their time at Calhoun sparked early career interests; others came to their professions circuitously—through college studies, internships or a series of jobs. But all had valuable tips and insights. Bart Hale ’00, Director of Alumnae/i Relations, observed that “the Upper Schoolers were inspired to learn what alumni are doing and enjoyed meeting professionals who were once in their same shoes at Calhoun. I think it was particularly powerful for them to see firsthand the alumni network they will soon be joining.”

If you are interested in participating as a panelist for the 2015 Career Symposium, please contact Bart, bart.hale@calhoun.org.

See photos and videos from this year’s Career Symposium at www.calhoun.org/alumevents.

The Calhoun Chronicle

Hazel Gurland ’95, producer, Ark Media Marcy Isaacson ’09, event assistant, NYC Mayor’s Office of Special Projects and Community Events Ross Kleinberg ’88, earned media relations specialist/strategist, KBERG Media Eric Levy ’05, co-founder, YourNeighborhood Peter Milburn ’84, digital products marketing manager, John Wiley & Sons Roey Mizrahi ’03, founder, Roey Mizrahi Events Jason Nadell ’95, director of information technology, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Andrew Otton ’07, business analyst, Bluewolf Consulting Evan Peters ’06, law student, Stanford University Hannah Scarritt-Selman ’05, founder, Little Boo Boo Bakery Sasha Schechter ’08, community engagement coordinator, Channel 13 Yael Shulman ’97, cinematographer, Yael Shulman Films Rosanna Volchok ’04, MPA graduate student, New York University Lafiya Watson ’97, coordinator of electronic media, Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts Nicole Wilson ’99, art director and artist

class notes

percent growth for two years in a row and an expectation to double that growth in 2014. www.seldonmarketing.com.

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Jack Hale ’03 started a new job

in May at NBCUniversal, where he is an account executive handling direct-response advertising sales for MSNBC. Jack had been at the Hallmark Channel for nearly six years, where he had most recently been an account service representative.

Maddy Thaler ’03 earned her bachelor of science degree in environmental biology from Columbia University’s School of General Studies this spring and will continue her education this fall at Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, UK, in a program for her master’s of science (MSc) in primate conservation. Maddy’s summers have been filled with adventure while she has pursued her studies. Last summer, she went scuba diving and spear fishing in Fiji as part of her senior thesis, titled “A Morphological Phylogeny of Pomacentrids Endemic to the South Pacific.” This summer, she is volunteering at the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (CARE), a rehabilitation center for baboons located on a nature reserve in Phalaborwa, South Africa.

Blake Brie ’04, who has been

pursuing her master’s in clinical nutrition at NYU while working full-time as an assistant to a group of doctors at NYU Langone Medical Center, is finally reaping the rewards for her hard work: She was accepted into the highly selective dietetic internship program offered by the University of Virginia Health

1. Mark Rentschler ’00, his wife, Lindsay, daughter, CC, and Bailey relax at their home in Portland, OR.

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2. Emily Deutchman ’04 reflects on her new furniture designs, at the Messler Gallery, Rockport, ME. 3. Katie Jackson ’09 welcomed surprise guest Chef Bobo on the occasion of her graduation from the International Culinary Center.

4. Maddy Thaler ’03, on a nature reserve in Phalaborwa, South Africa, heads to England this fall to study for her master’s in primate conservation.

System. Once she completes the ten-month program, she’ll be ready to take her exam and graduate from NYU as a registered dietitian (RD). Blake says she hopes she can return to her former job at NYU Langone Medical Center in this new capacity. In between working and studying, she continues to write about food and nutrition for an RD blog.

Emily Deutchman ’04 recently completed a nine-month intensive study in fine furniture making at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, ME, which culminated in an exhibit at the school’s Messler Gallery. Before enrolling at the school in Maine, Emily was in New York working at an advertising headhunting

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company while pursuing her fine art (one watercolor series was featured in New York magazine).

But she knew she wouldn’t find satisfaction until moving on to a more creative career, and—having had some experience with theater tech—she was inspired to learn furniture-making out of a desire to work with her hands. Now back in New York, Emily hopes to pursue a career making fine furniture and custom cabinetry, applying her “creative, physical skills to creating useful and beautiful objects.”

Katie Slade ’04 will graduate from

University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine in May 2015,

after which she hopes to land an internship for a career in smallanimal emergency medicine. Katie shares her home with her boyfriend and their three dogs, adding that she still has “the same horse that I got in high school, DJ!” Kristin Jordan ’05 runs Pens Up Press, a publishing company aimed at empowering writers of color. The company also hosts free poetry events in Harlem and the Bronx. As a 2009 Brown University graduate in black studies and literary arts, Kristin has remained passionate about writing and social justice, and the history, politics and cultures of African Americans. www.pensup.com.

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class notes

2014—15 Alumnae/i Events Save the Dates!

Alumni Pub Night Tuesday, November 13, 2014 6:30–9:30pm, Location TBA Meet up with Calhoun friends and faculty at a local pub!

Holiday Homecoming Luncheon Friday, December 19, 2014 Luncheon for recent graduates, catered by Chef Bobo

Will Levine ’05 has been living in West Hollywood, CA, since April 2012, where he relocated from New York to take a job working as an agent trainee for United Talent Agency (UTA).

Hannah Scarritt-Selman ’05

and her gourmet marshmallow company, Little Boo Boo Bakery, were featured in a segment with Mr. G on PIX 11 in mid-April.

Hannah spoke about her business venture, which she started while also working in Calhoun’s Lower School as an associate teacher, on an “Entrepreneurs in Action” panel of alums at this winter’s Calhoun Career Symposium. Next year, Hannah is moving from her Lower School post to the position of assistant to the director of the After School Program (ASP).

Casey Shane ’06 takes the reins

Alumni Basketball Tournament January 2015 Date TBA Be a spectator or player!

Cougar Career Symposium Winter 2015 Date TBA Alumnae/i panelists speak to Upper School students and fellow alums about career paths and opportunities.

Alumnae/i Reunion 2015 Friday, June 5, 2015 81st Street Green Roof All alums welcome, with special celebration for classes ending in 0’s and 5’s Plus more surprises to come!

For more information about upcoming events, please contact Bart Hale ’00, Director of Alumnae/i Relations, 646-666-6450.

The Calhoun Chronicle

as head coach of Calhoun’s Boys’ Varsity Soccer team this fall! Casey has been serving as an assistant to the team for the past three seasons. In addition to playing on Calhoun’s varsity team when he was a student, Casey was on the varsity team at Emerson College.

Lauren Jordan ’07 is currently

living in San Francisco, CA, where she has worked as a junior architectural designer for Ashbury Construction since July 2012.

Lauren, who graduated from Cornell University with a BArch. in 2012, works on both residential and commercial projects, helping design project concepts, CAD drafting, and 3D modeling.

Lili Burns ’08, who graduated from Columbia University magna cum laude with a BA in English literature and departmental honors, has been working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as executive

assistant in the office of senior vice president and general counsel.

Sam Scarritt-Selman ’08 is moving

in the fall to Ann Arbor, MI, to attend law school at the University of Michigan. He’d been working as a paralegal at Schlam Stone & Dolan LLP since his graduation from Vassar College. Notes Sam, “I’m looking forward to this new chapter in my life!”

Katie Jackson ’09 received a culinary arts degree in French cuisine this spring from the International Culinary Center (formerly known as the French Culinary Institute). It was a six-month program that started with the basics and ended with cooking in the school’s public restaurant, L’Ecole. During her final project, Chef Katie was surprised by a special guest appearance by Calhoun’s Chef Bobo, who is also an ICC graduate and former instructor.

Katie is now working as a line cook at a restaurant in the West Village called Annisa.

2010s Michaela Burns ‘11 finished her junior year at Johns Hopkins University, where she is doublemajoring in writing seminars and psychology. She received a Luis Azrael Fellowship in communications for her work in journalism and interned as an editorial assistant at Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast, WYPR in Baltimore, MD. Additionally, Michaela serves as senior producer on Johns Hopkins’s first online political discussion forum and is co-founder of Word Planet, an online literary magazine.

class notes

Jackie Katz ’10 graduated from

Brown University magna cum laude and was inducted into the Pi Sigma Alpha and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies. “So bittersweet to be graduating!” she reflects. This fall, she relocates to Cambridge, MA, where she’ll be attending Harvard Law School.

is only the third athlete in the University at Albany’s history to be selected for the team. Sean says he’s been practicing taekwondo for 15 years, starting at age four, and is currently a second-degree black belt. In his studies at the University at Albany, he has declared a major in journalism.

Andrew Luzmore ’11 and Ryan

Kyra Louie ’12 completed her

Parker ’11 are just two of Calhoun’s recent graduates who enjoyed spending part of their junior year in study abroad programs. Andrew, who attends Cornell University, spent his spring semester studying in France, while Ryan completed his term away from Dickinson College in Spain.

sophomore year at Boston University, where she is keeping busy with extracurricular activities as a radio DJ and as a staff writer and photographer for the independent newspaper on campus.

Sarah Mozeson ’11 studied abroad in London last fall as part of her college program at Syracuse University. “It was an incredible experience,” Sarah reflects. “I studied intensely at Shakespeare’s Globe for three and a half months; all the classwork amounted to a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the Globe stage.”

For her spring semester back at school, she worked on The Good Woman of Setzuan as part of Syracuse’s drama mainstage season. Next fall, she’ll perform in Stepping Out, also on the university’s mainstage.

Sean Kawakami ’12 was selected

to be a member of the 2013–14 Eastern Collegiate Taekwondo Conference All-Star Team. The ECTC is a collegiate-based taekwondo organization that hosts five tournaments each school year, with more than 20 northeastern colleges participating. “This year, I was able to travel to California with talented teammates to train with some of the best athletes in the world,” shares Sean, who

Zuri Pavlin ’12, former Calhoun varsity basketball star, made an immediate impact on the court for Connecticut College this season, pulling down 249 boards in his freshman campaign to break the school’s 32-year-old single-season rebounding record. Zuri averaged 10.8 rebounds per game, which was top in all of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). As a Cougar athlete, Zuri scored more than 1,000 points in his career.

James Basuk ’13 kept busy in his freshman year at Union College, where he was a member of the varsity crew team. In April, his team was one of four finalists that competed for the national championship title in Philadelphia.

Michael Luzmore ’13 completed his first year at Cornell University, where he has been studying information science and sitting on the executive board for the Cornell University Program Board (CUPB) as the administrative chairperson.

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six Ways to Connect Online with the Calhoun Community 1.

Calhoun website www.calhoun.org

2.

Facebook www.facebook.com/calhounschool www.facebook.com/calhounalums

3.

twitter @calhounschool

4.

Instagram @calhounschool

5.

YouTube www.youtube.com/calhounschool

6.

Linkedin http://bit.ly/calhounlinkedin

summer 2014

reunions

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May 1 6, 20 1 4

Alumnae/i Reunions

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Alumnae/i from 12 classes gathered this spring to celebrate their respective reunions at Calhoun. Women from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s enjoyed a luncheon at Kefi Restaurant, followed by an escorted “walk down memory lane” at the original school building on 92nd Street. Later that evening, all the anniversary classes convened for drinks and dinner at the school, meeting up with old friends and celebrating their Calhoun roots.

Head of School Steve Nelson also shared plans for the school’s newest renovation (page 33), coupled with a special surprise—a first-time display of the contents of a time capsule originally buried in 1974 (page 36).

Sadly, a number of alums missed the evening due to inclement weather that forced the shutdown of area airports. We missed you!

65th REUNION | 1949

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65th REUNION | 1949

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55th REUNION | 1959

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4. (Back Row, L-R) Cheryl Zimmerman Birnbaum, Karen Biffer Horn, Susan Bonomo Catalano (3rd Row, L-R) Caryl Lowenstein Komornik, Peggy Maibrunn Klein (2nd Row, L-R) Irene Blum PackerHalsey, Tedra Levine Schneider (1st Row, L-R) Joan Kaye Wishkoff, Melinda Gilman Kanter-Levy (Front) Barbara Friedman 5. (L–R) Jane Sigmund Cohen, Lenore Kutlow Tobin, Olivia Scheuer Ferrarini 6. Fifteen members of the Class of ’84 assembled for this year’s reunion, with three coming all the way from California!

60th REUNION | 1954

1. (L-R) Minerva Friedman Daitch, MaryEllen Greenberger Siegel, Gail Shepard Bokor 2. Myrna Richardson Goldman (left) and Penny Tumpeer Trenk 3. (Back, L–R) Nancy Pelz-Paget, Mary Ann Sondheimer Weisser, Diana Clark, Judy Frankle Bardack, Judy Kleinberger; (Front, L–R) Bebe Weingarten Booth, Sheila Demb Lewis, Susan Jankoff Beatus, Judith Levy Waldman, Suzi Eikov Green, Fran Posner Baras 50th REUNION | 1964

The Calhoun Chronicle

7. (L–R) Stephanie Nunez, Margot Silverstein, Amalia Safran, Terry Horowitz, Xander Green 8. (L–R) Debbie Havas Aronson, Peter Fidler, Anton Hart, Mary Engel 9. The partying could have gone on all night for alums from ’89!

10. (L–R) Former US Director and history teacher Loretta Ryan, with Mario Sturla, Nicole Wilson and Dina Plotch 11. Grads from the Class of 2004 won the evening’s Champagne Challenge for highest participation in gift-giving to the Annual Fund.

12. (L–R) Lisandra Canales Cronce, Phil Bender (MS math teacher) and Alejandra Navarro-Benbow

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more photos www.calhoun.org/alumnae_ievents

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30th REUNION | 1984

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35th REUNION | 1979

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5th REUNION | 2009

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25th REUNION | 1989

15th REUNION | 1999

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20th REUNION

10th REUNION | 2004

| 1994

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage

PAID SOUTHAMPTON, PA

433 West End Avenue New York, NY 10024 www.calhoun.org

PERMIT NO. 225

address service requested

To the Parents of Alumnae/i: If this issue is addressed to your daughter/son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumnae/i Office with the correct mailing address.

Call 212-497-6579, fax 212-497-6531 or contact by e-mail: alumni@calhoun.org.

Class of 2014 Takes Center Stage, p. 24