Perspectives
Ready to Care Country Day READY
Our Mission
Through excellence in education, Charlotte Country Day School develops the potential of each student by fostering intellectual curiosity, principled character, ethical leadership, and a responsibility to serve.
Affirmation of Community
Charlotte Country Day School is committed to living as an authentic, inclusive community. Our pursuit of this commitment to community recognizes and affirms the richness brought by difference and discovered through commonality.
For more information about our Mission, Key Values, and Affirmation of Community, please visit charlottecountryday.org/mission
Perspectives
EDITOR
Lee-Anne Black
CONTRIBUTORS
Shannon Drosky
Danielle Ferguson
Merrill Mills
Natalie Pruett
PHOTOGRAPHY
Lee-Anne Black
CCDS Archives
Shannon Drosky
Lark Elliott
Danielle Ferguson
Alexis Hall
Dani Nicosia
The Professional Photography Group
Lori Townsend
Cameron Triggs
DESIGN
Windtree Studios/Robert Locklear
Perspectives is published twice a year by the Marketing and Communications Office for alumni, parents, staff, and friends of Charlotte Country Day School. Please send questions, comments, or story ideas to lee-anne.black@charlottecountryday.org.
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On the Cover
Senior Carson Russo in the new John and Claudia Belk
Upper School Learning Center.
Inside Cover
Seventh-grade students painted rocks to add to the Bissell Campus kindness garden. This followed their Zoom visit with Holocaust survivor Irving Beinstock, helping to magnify the ideals of community, respect, and unity.
School Leadership
2020–21 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OFFICERS:
Scott R. Stevens, Chair
David M. Benson ’85, Vice Chair
Edison Cassels ’87, Vice Chair
Dr. Ameesha P. Kansupada, Vice Chair
A. Wellford Tabor Sr., Vice Chair
Andrew W. Tate, Secretary-Treasurer
MEMBERS:
Dr. Adelle Anthony-Williams
Howard C. Bissell*
Dr. Lauren I. Browne
Christina N. Byron
George S. Dewey IV ’90
Ronald E. Eliasek Jr.
Samuel E. Farnham Sr.
Alex D. Funderburg
Kenneth V. Garcia
Todd A. Gorelick ’82
Shanon Jones
Dr. Tiffani M. Jones
J. Scott Mattei
Leigh F. Moran
Stanton D. McCullough
Mary Claudia Belk Pilon ’92
Sally Cannon Saussy ’67*
Stoney D. Sellars
R. Glenn Sherrill Jr. ’89
Stephenson P. Shuford
Catherine S. Stempien
Dr. Lisa M. Toppin
Jennifer Ward
William H. Zimmern ’95
Mark E. Reed (Ex-officio)
*Life trustee
2020–21
Mark Reed, Head of School
Scott Waybright, Assistant Head of School
Matthew Less, Head of Upper School
Warren Sepkowitz, Head of Middle School
Bill Mulcahy, Head of Lower School
Joe Hernick, Director of Educational Technology
David Lynn, Director of International Studies
Brian Wise, Director of Diversity Planning
Abe Wehmiller, Director of Athletics
Nancy Ehringhaus, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
Katharine Atkins, Director of Advancement
David Mancos, Chief Financial Officer
Message from the Head of School
How Do I Say Good-Bye to this Community?
FOR THE past 12 years, I have had the great privilege and honor to be a part of this extraordinary school—a time that has been filled with joy and pride for all that we have accomplished in service to our mission and students. So as my tenure ends, the question for me is “How do I say good-bye to leadership in a community where I served with both my head and my heart?” The only way I see to move forward is to look back and say thank you for the many wonderful experiences and relationships this community has provided to me for more than a decade.
Thank you to my wife and daughter for your unwavering support, patience, and understanding when my workdays often carried over into evenings and weekends. Even in the most challenging times, your enduring love has given me strength.
Thank you to current and retired faculty, staff, and administration. I will forever cherish the sincere and warm welcome I received when I arrived in 2009, and your continued support over the years. Every day, I have been in awe of your excellence in serving the mission and your never-ending dedication to giving your students the very best education.
Thank you to students, from the seniors who honored me in my first year by putting my face on a popsicle stick during Spirit Week to the Class of 2021, many of whom I’ve seen grow up here. You make me proud, along with all students this year, for showing tremendous adaptability. My days were always more joyful when I visited your classrooms, watched you perform, or cheered you on the athletic fields.
Thank you to parents for your trust and partnership and for the countless hours you put in to help make Country Day the best school for our students. Our dedicated and amazing parent support groups are always committed to doing what’s right for this community. And so many parents stepped up and stretched over the past few years to help us fulfill a dream to make our campuses all they could be for our children.
Thank you to the Board of Trustees for your endless support of me and for the forward-thinking vision you bring to the school. Importantly, you have always taken an intentional, student-first approach to your decision making. Over the years, I’ve forged strong friendships that I will continue to cherish in the years ahead.
Thank you to alumni for the many conversations I’ve had with you about your alma mater. Your pride helped me to relive your wonderful moments on campus and gain a sense of our enduring legacy. Whether just a few years out or an alum for decades, so many of you stand by the school and continue to offer your vision so that we may continuously improve.
Thank you to everyone who gave your time, talent, and treasure to help Country Day grow into a school that stands apart in the educational experience we offer our students. Our school could not serve students the way it does without your support.
Twelve years ago, Margaret Gragg Bissell left this school in an excellent place, and I’ve done my very best to continue Country Day’s legacy of continuous improvement. I am confident that this community and the Board will select the right leader to keep us moving forward.
As I look ahead to the next chapter in my educational career, as the managing director of the John M. Belk Endowment, I will forever cherish my time at Country Day and my 32 years in education. I will miss seeing students daily. Each one has a story, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to have played a role in helping them become their very best selves. I leave satisfied and proud of all that we’ve accomplished together. And I am excited to see what’s next for Charlotte Country Day School.
With deepest gratitude,
Mark Reed Head of School
Listen. Reflect. Act
DEI Progress Update from the Board of Trustees
In June 2020, the Board of Trustees took the unprecedented step to address the community to acknowledge the deep-seated pain, fear, and sadness across our nation and encountered by many members of our community, particularly our Black students, alumni, faculty, staff, families, and friends. The Board also shared its support of the school’s efforts in this work and committed to listen, reflect, and act. Over the course of the 2020–21 school year, the Board undertook an intentional process to deliver on that commitment in numerous ways.
Listening Sessions
A series of facilitated listening sessions were intentionally and thoughtfully created to provide adequate safe space and time for community members to share their experiences, both positive occurrences and/or challenges; share constructive ideas and solutions; and inform the long-term diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) objectives. The school partnered with psychotherapist Myque Harris and psychologist Bryanna Campbell of Southeast Psych to facilitate a series of conversations with different groups of Country Day community members, including Middle and Upper School students, parents, faculty and staff, and alumni.
We heard a broad array of stories ranging from peer relationships and social hierarchy to training and accessibility, with some similar overlapping experiences across affinity groups. The following themes emerged:
u Mental and Social Health and Wellness
u Representation, Retention, and Accessibility
u Professional Development and Training
u Curriculum/Exposure
u Accountability and Repercussions
19692019
Alumni Classes Represented
Participants
300+
3 Affinity Group Opportunities: BIPOC | White All Inclusive
16 Listening Sessions
Constituencies: Faculty/Staff, Students, Parents, Alumni
4
23 Hours of Video Content
Reflecting on AIM Survey
For more than 10 years, the NAIS Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM) has provided schools with a deep understanding of the climate of inclusion on their campuses, from current and past students to teachers, administrators, and trustees. The Board’s goal with the AIM survey was to assess and benchmark our school’s current climate and advance other strategic equity goals.
OVERALL SCHOOL MORALE
The whole school morale measured a mean score of 3.9, which is a priority concern. The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) overall morale measured a mean score of 3.7, which is also a priority concern.
SATISFACTION WITH MULTICULTURALISM
The whole school's satisfaction with multiculturalism measured a mean score of 3.8, which is a priority concern. The BIPOC satisfaction with multiculturalism measured a mean score of 3.3, which is a high-priority concern.
SATISFACTION WITH INCLUSIVENESS
The whole school's satisfaction with inclusiveness measured a mean score of 3.8, which is a priority concern. The BIPOC satisfaction with inclusiveness measured a mean score of 3.4, which is a high-priority concern.
Nearly 2,000 community members participated in the survey, including Middle and Upper School students, trustees, faculty and staff, parents, and alumni from the classes of 2017–20. In analyzing key drivers, a score of 4 0 and higher is considered healthy, 3 50–3 99 is a priority concern, and 3 49 or lower is a high-priority concern.
Taking Action
As a Board of Trustees, we collectively believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are central tenants to excellence in all students’ education, and we stand by the principles embodied in the Affirmation of Community. While much progress has been made, we recognize the need to continue to improve, and the course of action we began as a Board in the summer of 2020 represents another step in that process. During the 2020–21 school year we have:
u Established a DEI Committee of the Board
u Facilitated Listening Sessions and the AIM Survey
u Participated in three DEI Training sessions with NAIS DEI leadership
u Added external expertise to the Culture and Community Committee work
u Assessed financial aid policies and practices in partnership with DEI leadership from NAIS
“The listening sessions were extremely powerful and emotional. To hear and compare the experiences of students from 1969 to today was eye-opening and invaluable. This qualitative feedback is instrumental in the evolving DEI strategy for the creation of effective and sustainable solutions.”
– Shanon Jones, Co-Chair, DEI Committee of the Board
u Conducted a Strategic Planning Session with NAIS leadership that resulted in five areas of strategic focus
u Reaffirmed commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and provided support for school leadership to put the next chapter of DEI into action at Country Day.
“While the summary survey results indicate strong school morale, we would be remiss not to mention the individual responses, along with the cross-tabulated data, show that we do still have a lot of work to do.”
Dave Benson ’85, Co-Chair, DEI Committee of the Board
While our listening steps affirmed academic strengths and validated certain DEI improvements, the feedback reveals our work is not complete, and we have opportunities for improvement. The feedback reveals that an important focus for our next chapter needs to be on inclusion and culture, and we have a renewed focus on intentional initiatives to positively affect the student experience. These areas of strategic focus emerged from our Strategic Planning Session:
u Diversity Representation
u Continuous Improvement and Accountability
u Equity
u Communication
u Community Wellness/Student Experience
These strategic focus areas have been given to the school’s administrative team to, in turn, create a short-term and long-term action plan. In the next issue of Perspectives, you’ll learn more about the intentional steps school leadership is taking to continue our efforts to change our campus climate to best serve our students and our mission.
The Board of Trustees stands firm in our belief and trust in the school’s leadership to continue to take action toward meeting our DEI goals. To learn more about this important work, please visit: charlottecountryday.org/dei
Meet Director of Athletics: Masanori Toguchi
IN JULY, Masanori Toguchi Jr. will join Country Day as our next director of athletics after serving as the founding athletic director at William Amos Hough High School for 11 years. Masanori spent his 17-year career in the CharlotteMecklenburg Schools system, first as an exceptional children’s teacher and football and wrestling coach at Harding High, followed by athletic director at West Charlotte High, and assistant principal for a brief period at Hough.
Masanori earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in history at Wake Forest University, where he excelled as a student-athlete and lineman for the Deacon’s football team. He received a master’s degree in executive leadership from Queens College, and also participated in the School Executive Leadership Academy. A member of many associations and actively involved on many state committees, Masanori has received numerous awards, including Athletic Director of the Year twice, and won the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2018. He served as president of the North Carolina Athletic Directors’ Association from 2018-21, and currently serves on the Executive Board. Masanori enjoys spending time with his wife, who is also an educator, and his children.
? for Masanori
Q: What excites you most about joining Country Day?
A: The outreach from the Country Day community has already been so welcoming! Some might even say overwhelming, but I’m excited to be joining this community. To me, community is like family, which is very important to me and a part of who I am. I also look forward to sharing what I’ve learned at the national, state, and local levels and bringing my experience to Country Day.
Q: How do you hope to bring school spirit to Country Day?
A: I plan on being a walking billboard for Country Day! At six feet three
inches, I’m a big guy—and I’m also the biggest cheerleader! I think it is important for our student-athletes to know I am their number-one fan (other than family). I try to attend every home event and cheer on our students and support all our fans.
Q: Favorite professional sports team?
A: Growing up, I was a huge San Diego Chargers fan and Junior Seau was who I wanted to be and emulate. But I am also a home team guy through and through and support the Carolina Panthers. The truth is, I love all sports and learn a lot about culture and team building from watching many different sports.
Q: What is the most impactful lesson you have learned through athletics?
A: Failure is okay. Failure is just as good as victory because you take lessons from both and improve.
Q: Who is your favorite sports figure?
A: Mohammed Ali. In 1996, I was a teenage kid in high school, and I will never forget watching him light the Olympic torch. I was in tears. To me, it represented American sports. Fun fact: one of my daughters is named Laila after Ali’s daughter, and my other daughter is named after retired professional soccer player Mia Hamm.
Critical Leadership Capabilities
u Strategic Vision
u Institution Building
u Community Building
Moving a Great School Forward
Update on a broad-based, inclusive, and thoughtful head of school search
THE BOARD of Trustees began a comprehensive search for Country Day’s next Head of School last winter when Mark Reed announced his departure at the end of the 2020–21 academic year. After 12 years at Country Day, Mark will leave a tremendous legacy, and so the challenge is to find an outstanding successor to lead our community going forward.
The Board formed a search committee composed of current and former members of the Board of Trustees, and co-chaired by Shanon Jones and Bill Zimmern ’95. Additional guidance will be provided by a 10-member Faculty and Staff Advisory Subcommittee with participants representing all areas of the school. The Committee selected the highly experienced and well-respected executive search firm of Spencer Stuart to support the Board in running a comprehensive process and attracting talented and diverse candidates to the school.
Spencer Stuart spent much of the winter getting to know our community and conducting an open survey. From there, they developed a Head of School Position Statement, which is currently being used to solicit nominations and recruit excellent applicants. The Search Committee will narrow the list of candidates to a recommendation for approval by the Board of Trustees. We expect the next head of school to be announced early in the next school year.
As stated in the Position Statement, created from our community’s voices, “the Head of Charlotte Country Day School has the opportunity to move a great school forward, inspiring a motivated and a highly engaged community to build on its history and strengths while being mindful of the rapidly evolving world. With a deep commitment to education, innovative and thoughtful mindset, and natural ability to form authentic relationships, the Head will assume
leadership of a school committed to academic excellence, principled character, diversity, equity and inclusion, and an abiding connection to community.”
Given the anticipated timing of a thorough search process, the Board of Trustees expects that the new Head of School will likely join after the 2021–22 school year. David Mancos, Country Day’s Chief Financial Officer, will serve as Interim Head of School until the new Head of School is named and begins. David has served Country Day faithfully for over 22 years, earning the immense trust and respect of the Board of Trustees and his colleagues. With David’s leadership, the strength of the school’s administration, faculty, and staff, and our school’s exceptional financial stability, Country Day is well-positioned to find the caliber of leader that the school deserves.
For updates on the Head of School search, please visit charlottecountryday. org/about/head-of-school-search
Meet David Mancos:
CFO and 2021–22 Interim Head of School
DAVID MANCOS joined Country Day in May 1999 and has proven himself to be an excellent Chief Financial Officer and integral member of the school’s management team. As a committed and hard-working leader, he has shaped and developed a “best practices” culture that touches every aspect of the school’s operations—from investment to accounting to property and grounds to ancillary services. Under David’s leadership, our school’s endowment has grown substantially, and he has overseen the construction or renovation of 12 buildings over the course of three capital campaigns.
David holds a BS in business management from the University of Maryland, an AS in criminal justice from Gadsden College, and an MS in human resource management from Chapman College. Prior to joining Country Day, David oversaw business operations at Charlotte Area Catholic Schools. A U.S. Army veteran, David served for 21 years at various locations throughout the world.
In 2015, David was inducted into Country Day’s Honorary Alumni Association. In honoring David, Head of School Mark Reed, said: “A highly capable leader, David sets the strategic direction for the school’s operations, and also collaborates closely with the Board chair and members of the Finance, Investment, Audit, Property and Grounds, and Head’s Advisory and Compensation Committees. Through his loyalty, honesty, candor, straightforward communication, humility, and hard work, David has been a trusted partner to the school’s leadership for over 22 years.”
“When I retire, I want people to say Mancos was honest and he did a good job.”
Get to know a little more about
David.
In your role, you walk through every classroom before the first day of a new school year to make sure we’re ready to go, as well as oversee multimillion dollar construction projects and a $55 million operating budget. Which do you prefer?
I enjoy both aspects of my job and have always viewed my role as doing whatever it takes to ensure the smooth operations of our school—whether that’s the safety of our students or the wise and prudent management of our financials. My responsibilities don’t often intersect directly with students and their families, but I would say serving students well is always my goal.
How do you lead and manage others?
I have led men and women for over
50 years. I think they would tell you I lead by example, modeling the behavior I expect from others. I let my deeds, not my words, say who and what I am. I also live by the motto to never ask a person to do something that you will not do or have not done yourself. When it comes to school leadership, I was fortunate to be hired and trained by Margaret Gragg Bissell, one of the best heads of any school.
As a leader, I recognize that I do not know everything, especially when it comes to the academic side of running a school like Country Day. I plan to leverage the educational expertise we have in Bill Mulcahy (head of Lower School), Warren Sepkowitz (head of Middle School), Matt Less (head of Upper School), and Scott Waybright (assistant head of school). They are four well-equipped academic leaders, and I will rely heavily on their experience and recommendations. That said, while I am
comfortable delegating my authority to those who may know more, I can never delegate my responsibility.
What do you value most about Country Day?
Country Day is truly a caring community. I know it’s easy to say that, but when my wife, Kyong, had breast cancer, the school community went above and beyond to support us. I will be forever grateful for what this community did for us.
The Honorary Alumni Association Celebrates 40 Years
By Merrill Mills, Director of Leadership Giving
ESTABLISHED IN 1981, the Honorary Alumni Association serves as a meaningful and longlasting way to honor parents, trustees, faculty and staff, and friends of the school whose distinguished service and generous support have made a lasting impact. Forty charter members were inducted as part of Country Day’s 40th Anniversary celebrations, and many of the charter members are still deeply tied to Country Day today.
The common thread among all 40 years and 175 members of the Honorary Alumni Association is an authentic love and appreciation of Country Day. They share that it’s more than a school—it is a family, an opportunity, a lifelong relationship, an extraordinary gift. Their reflections show a special sense of gratitude and heartfelt commitment, not only to innovation and strengthening the institution but also to maintaining its heart and soul.
Every year the Honorary Alumni Association inducts a volunteer and a faculty/staff member who have rendered loyal and dedicated service to Country Day through outstanding generosity of their talents and resources.
Country Day inducts new Honorary Alumni every year at a special event called the Honorary Alumni Association Dinner. This tradition includes awarding the Alumnus/Alumna of the Year and the David L. Hood Jr. Award for Volunteer Service, so the evening is a celebration of distinguished service to Country Day. All award recipients, the Oak Society, the Country Day Fund
Head’s Circle, major donors, and special guests of the school are invited to this special event. Because the Honorary Alumni Association Dinner was postponed this year, Country Day created a commemorative look back with reflections from members of the Honorary
Alumni Association. The video and the list of the members of the Honorary Alumni Association, the Alumni of the Year, and recipients of the David L. Hood Award for Volunteer Service can be viewed at charlottecountryday.org/ alumni/honorary-alumni-association.
Smoky Bissell is a charter member who was inducted in 1981 Reflecting 40 years since his induction he notes, “You
can’t get any closer to an institution than being an alum, and this was a tremendous honor for all of us. Country Day represents a batch of happy memories for our family, and it is wonderful to reminisce and remember.”
Smoky and Margaret Gragg Bissell, 2015
Paulette Beatty helped create the Honorary Alumni Association in 1981 and was inducted in 1991
“Members of the Honorary Alumni Association have devoted themselves to Country Day and pushed the school forward. This is a family and even though there is innovation in everything, these leaders have kept the core and the soul of the school. The Honorary Alumni Association is a really meaningful way to recognize and honor these leaders by making them part of an organization that will survive all of us.”
Donna Witman and her husband, Bob, were inducted in 2006.
David Mancos was inducted in 2015
“Since I started in 1999, the physical plant has changed tremendously, and the financial stability of the school has grown because of this exceptional community. The school’s dedication to excellence and the caring of this community has not changed, and I hope it never does. I am humbled and honored to be part of the Honorary Alumni Association; it means that my work and dedication have been noticed and recognized.”
Wellford Tabor was inducted in 2020
“There are lots of ways to lead at Country Day, and thankfully we’ve had wonderful people over the last 40 years make the school what it is today. When you look at this crowd, you see people who have walked before you and have made a massive difference as educators, as leaders, as philanthropists; it is certainly humbling, and I am honored and grateful to be part of it.”
Donna reflects, “Country Day is a special place. It has been a home away from home for me and my family for a long time, and I was touched to be named an Honorary Alum. I feel very lucky to be a part of this association, which honors and celebrates Country Day constituents for their gifts of time, talents, and resources above and beyond, and for their true love for the school.”
(continued next page)
Pat Clayton and Paulette Beatty, 1984
Wellford Tabor and Mark Reed, 2020
Alvin Pearman ’01, Drew Witman ’06, and Bob and Donna Witman, 2006
Watts Hamrick ’77, Scott Perper, Carl Showalter, and David Mancos, 2016
Honorary Alumni Association Members
Ernest A. Anderson Jr.
Sylvia C. Ashcraft
David S. Ball
Paulette N. Beatty
Carolyn M. Bechtel
Gary H. Bechtel
Katherine and Thomas M. Belk Foundation*
Howard C. Bissell*
Margaret Gragg Bissell
William F. Blue Jr.
The Blumenthal Foundation
Erskine B. Bowles
Janet Y. Bradshaw
Elizabeth D. Brand
R. Alfred Brand III
Robin R. Branstrom
William J. Branstrom III
John M. Burke
The Martin L. Cannon Family Foundation*
J. Patrick Clayton
Louise B. Cobb
Larry J. Dagenhart
Kevin S. Daly
Calvin C. Davis Jr.
Erica U. Deshaies
Patrick L. Diamond
The Dickson Foundation, Inc.*
The R. Thomas Dooley Jr. Family
The Dowd Foundation, Inc.*
Kay S. Earnhardt*
Nancy R. Ehringhaus
Charles L. Fonville
Gary B. Forbis
The Shelton Gorelick Family
The William Gorelick Family
Beverly S. Hance
James H. Hance Jr.
Henry A. Harkey
Libby Z. Helms
Robert A. Heyer
Debra H. Hickman
Jennifer H. Hinote
David L. Hood Jr.
Annette S. Hunter
G. Patrick Hunter Jr.
Jacqueline J. Hunter
James E. S. Hynes
R. Michael James
A. Emerson Johnson
F. Franklin Justice
Edward E. Kelly
Dianne Lawing
Leon Levine
Sandra P. Levine
Mary Beth M. Luxton
Douglas A. MacGregor*
Norma N. Mackenzie
David L. Mancos
Christopher B. Martin
Rebecca L. Martin
Albert L. McAulay Jr.
Lillian D. McAulay
Susan M. McConderee
William B. McGuire Jr.
James H. McLawhorn
H. Woodward Middleton
John S. Miller Jr.*
Ronald W. Miller
Carol C. Morris
Margaret P. Otey
Beth Shaw Penegar
James J. Penegar
Anne B. Perper
Scott B. Perper
Walker L. Poole
Patsy G. Ratterree
Sandra H. Raymore
The Rea Family*
Sallye T. Richards
James W. Roberts
Russell M. Robinson II
Art C. Roselle
R. Downie W. Saussy Jr.
Kathleen W. Shaw
Kirk A. Shaw
Laura N. Shaw
Tamara O. Shaw
Whitney R. Shaw
J. Carlton Showalter Jr.
Jane V. Showalter
Aubrey M. Springer III
H. Keith Stoneman Jr.
A. Wellford Tabor Sr.
Martha C. Thorne
Frank W. C. Timson Jr.
Mary Allen Todd
Charles V. Tompkins Jr.
Bradley C. Touma
The J. Mason Wallace Family*
Clare V. Walton
L. Edgar Walton Jr.
Gilbert G. Webb
Eugenia N. White
Donna S. Witman
Robert C. Witman
1991: Erskine Bowles, Gary Bechtel, Nina Dooley McLean ’77, Carolyn Bechtel, Bob Johnston
IN MEMORY
Virginia K. Abernethy
Wilbert Alexander*
William H. Barnhardt*
Bruce A. Beery*
Claudia W. Belk
John M. Belk
Louis A. Bledsoe Jr.*
F. J. Blythe Jr.*
J. Chadbourn Bolles*
Marjorie M. Bray*
Richard V. Bray Sr.*
John C. Bristor
Julia M. Britt
Louise J. Brown*
Thomas C. Burton*
John C. Camp*
Henrietta C. Cannon*
James G. Cannon*
Marion W. Cannon
Florence C. Chapman
Gladys T. Coddington
John R. Cook*
Nancy F. Cox
Stuart Warren Cramer*
Harry L. Dalton*
Mary K. Dalton*
William H. Dougherty Jr.*
Sally C. Dowd*
John T. Fielder Sr.*
Joyce P. Hackney
Angelia M. Harris*
James J. Harris*
Martha W. Haywood*
Dolly S. Hickman
David L. Howe*
Frances S. Hyatt
Edwin L. Jones Jr.*
Mary C. Jones*
John F. Ladley*
J. Harold Lineberger
Joseph W. Lineberger
Alice Litwinchuk*
Eleanor K. Martin*
James H. Martin Jr.*
Ross S. McElwee Jr.
Doris B. Miller*
Edward M. O’Herron Jr.
Margaret B. O’Herron
Allison H. Pell Sr.*
Ellyn G. Pell*
William R. Pitts*
Jimmie P. Pritchard*
John G. Pritchard*
Nancy E. Rea*
Zeb M. Rea*
Elizabeth G. Reddig*
Horton C. Reed
N. Winthrop Robinson
Paul W. Sanger*
Susan M. Saunders
C. Ray Shaw
Shirley E. Shumake
Julia Cramer Smith*
Judith F. Sutker
James R. Tice
William K. Van Allen Sr.
Charles R. Willard Sr.*
Mimi M. Wood*
William Wade Wood*
Herbert M. Woodward
*Charter Member
1987: Doris Miller, John Miller, Martha Bledsoe, Louis Bledsoe
2010: James Roberts and Nancy Ehringhaus
There’s Still Time to Support the Country Day Fund
Lee Norelli Pedersen ’04, Alumni Division Chair, shares her school pride
Lee Norelli Pedersen ’04 has an infectious energy, passion for Country Day, and drive to make a difference When Lee was asked to chair this year’s alumni efforts for the Country Day Fund, she had this to say, “Even alums who are not in Charlotte, and those who are in Charlotte but not sending their children to Country Day, are watching and paying attention to what the school is doing right now. I think it’s a great time to get involved at Country Day because I am proud of our school.”
Who had the biggest influence on you at Country Day?
Though I was not a Spanish prodigy or a basketball star, “Coach Doc” aka Michael Dougherty was my Upper School advisor and my biggest cheerleader. His steadfast faith in me gave me the confidence I needed to succeed and overcome challenges. He provided a judgmentfree space for me, and no topic was off the table. It was the first time I felt unconditional support and advocacy from an adult other than my parents, even when I maybe did not deserve it. Every year, my gift to the Country Day Fund is in honor of him.
How have you stayed connected to Country Day?
My Country Day girlfriends remain one of my life’s greatest blessings. Even though we are scattered all over the country, we still chat every day. Many of us are mothers of young children and help each other solve problems. I seek their advice on everything—parenting, my career, business referrals, etc. I have yet to stump my Country Day community with an issue they couldn’t help me solve. I truly don’t know what I would do without them.
How did Country Day help you shape and pursue your goals?
As an executive in Human Resources at Bank of America, I attribute my accelerated career success to my ability to distinguish myself among my peers in two key areas—I can craft a compelling argument and I am a skilled communicator. Though I continued to refine these skills in college and law school, Country Day prepared me with an iron-clad foundation in writing with a purpose. As alumni, we probably all share similar memories of late nights
writing history term papers, only to have them returned “bleeding” with tough love from Mr. Kelly, Mr. Plyler, or Mr. Anderson. But some of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever learned were from deep within those red lines.
“Country Day has a pivotal role to play as it educates the next generation of leaders in our society to be empathetic, kind human beings who value equality and inclusion and give back to our community. I’m honored to play a small part in ensuring the continued vitality of Country Day through my involvement with the Country Day Fund.”
—Lee Norelli Pedersen '04, Alumni Division Chair
To participate in the 2020–21 Country Day Fund, please visit: charlottecountryday.org/giveforcountryday. Gifts must be received by June 30, 2021.
Lee Norelli Pedersen ’04, her husband Eric, and their sons George and Charlie
Overheard
Charlotte Country Day is a superior independent school. The care and concern for each student’s academic growth makes CCDS one of a kind. I can truly say that the Charlotte Country Day family is a major contributor to our world, by encouraging and shaping each child to make their mark and fulfill their purpose with excellence!
“Go Calvin!! Best coach around period!! He meant everything to my career and so many others. I could have never known when I showed up at age 14 what an influence he would have on my life.”
Comment by Tripp Phillips ’95 on a post about the Calvin Davis Foundation. March 9, 2020
Comment by Karen Alcorn on a post
Facebook recommendation submitted by Trudy Boskie. February 13, 2020
Comment by Laurie Smith on a post written by Ms. Preslar about Lower School’s research foundation. October 30, 2020.
I was just telling a coworker about this tradition of us gathering in Mrs. Gragg’s living room to sing Christmas carols and being handed gingerbread cookies when leaving, and she said, ‘What kind of fairy tale childhood did you have?!?︐
the
2020.
These are amazing! I especially love the resilience and gratitude I hear in many of these statements. I’m going to print these out and post them to our family board to reflect on.
In class, I am surrounded by students who will defend Edna Pontellier’s strength just as vehemently as I will her weakness. We assert our points not to negate those of others, but rather to investigate with open-minded passion.
While life in 2020 is complicated, and we sometimes see increased contentiousness among adults, children are innately good, and are consistently thoughtful and good to one another.
“AS ALWAYS, JENNY’S CREATIVITY AND VISION CAME TOGETHER BRILLIANTLY! BRAVO TO THE CAST AND ESPECIALLY THE SENIORS WHO MADE LEMONADE WHEN LIFE GAVE US LEMONS!”
Comment by Risa Miller on a post showing a kindergarten class watching “Moments,” the virtual musical showcase directed by Upper School Theatre Director Jenny Goodfellow. February 7, 2020
I had orchestra with Ms.
Rydel for 4 years. One of my favorite teachers ever!
Written by Head of Lower School Bill Mulcahy in his weekly message to parents. October 5, 2020
Comment by Berri Flood ’12 on a throwback post about
Lower School’s annual holiday visit to the Head of School’s house. December 3,
Written by Lilah Peck ’21 in an essay about the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in the student digital newspaper The Hook, issue no. 17. December 17, 2020
Comment by Brittany Powell ’11 on a post about the strong performance program and close ties Chris Rydel, director of Upper School Instrumental Music, has created with her talented students. October 7, 2020
Comment by Katie Panduro in response to a post shared by fifth-grade teacher Patti Daniel, whose students reflected on 2020 themes. December 10, 2020
I I N A B O V E G S R
IN-PERSON LEARNING AND A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
After a springtime emergency transition to remote learning and lockdown because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, August 2020 brought a palpable sense of joy on campus as students and teachers, friends and colleagues, coaches and players, reunited in person—albeit masked, socially distanced, and with many new protocols in place. Despite the uncertainties of the 2020–21 school year, our community rose above the challenges to give students the best experience possible and continue to meet our mission.
By Lee-Anne Black, editor
How do you safely deliver the benefits of in-person learning to 1,700 students? How do you equip faculty with the expertise needed to navigate both in-person and remote teaching? How do you keep current parents informed and prospective parents engaged when they can’t visit campus? How do you allow students to safely take part in pursuits such as athletics, theater, or academic clubs? These were just a few of the looming questions that faced Country Day administration a year ago when they committed to doing everything they could to have students and teachers on campus for the 2020–21 school year, while mitigating risk from the global pandemic.
Answering these questions meant a very busy summer for everyone. Teachers took part in a minimum 20 hours of professional development to hone their skills in delivering remote learning. The Administrative Council counted desks, measured spaces, thought creatively, and developed a blended learning plan that allowed for students to be on campus every other day in Middle and Upper School, and in pods of 10 in Lower School.
Plant Operations staff outfitted classrooms with distanced desk set-ups and plexiglass, while Information Technology installed speakers, cameras, and increased bandwidth to support blended learning. The nurses, informed by the knowledge and advice of our partners at Atrium Health, developed new
policies, including a compliance pledge, and daily screening app and temperature checks. The Admissions team created all new events and Web resources for its virtual season. And the list goes on.
The first weeks of school were especially challenging as teachers and students adjusted to new routines and schedules, juggled new technology, and generally worried if this was even going to work. Parents, who couldn’t walk their children to class, visit for lunch, or attend an athletic event, placed their trust in the school in a way never asked of before.
In a letter to parents, faculty, and staff, Head of School Mark Reed wrote: “One of the strongest aspects of Country Day is our shared sense of community. After 13 days of school, I have nothing but profound respect and appreciation for how this Country Day community has responded to the pandemic’s challenges
and uncertainties. Faculty and staff have devoted great time and energy into transitioning and adapting to enable us to maximize learning both on campus and remotely. In fact, I consider them heroes. Our students are showing resiliency and confidence as they accept the differences and embrace the new academic year. And, our families have stepped up to provide support, compliance, and partnership that allows us to serve our mission and students.”
For most of the academic year, Country Day operated within our blended learning model and we learned a few things along the way. Here are perspectives from a few faculty and staff on this historic year:
BILL MULCAHY, Head of Lower School: This school year I have seen our Lower School students thrive. Why? Because of the exceptional social-emotional instruction
Our partnership with Atrium Health provided an additional layer of confidence and health expertise in developing our plans and making decisions to keep our community safe. Daily health screenings were a key component in our community’s vigilance in keeping our positivity rates well below the city, state, and national averages.
and support in classrooms, and the joy brought by being together. Academic learning doesn’t occur separately from social-emotional learning. The two are deeply intertwined. When students feel safe, connected, and happy, they are most successful academically.”
KAREN SULLIVAN, Lower School computer science: “After 30+ years of teaching, this year of being assigned as a kindergarten support teacher has been stunning! I have learned so much about the amazing kindergarten curriculum and the innovative minds and energetic spirits that teach our youngest learners. The care and love this team has for their students is visible in everything they do, and I have stood in awe, day after day, watching them teach and our students learn. I will be happy to return to the computer lab, but I will always be grateful for the experience I have had this year. With admiration and appreciation, I thank Sherry Harris and Ellen Thomas for welcoming me onto their teaching team for this remarkable year.”
DARRELL BACH, Upper School Math Department chair: “I have made countless videos of my lessons this year, and they will serve as resources for future students—mostly for those who miss class or need to hear and see an explanation again. I also have a much greater appreciation for my time in class with my students. I will definitely structure more lessons next year that don’t use technology so students will interact with each other directly and build those important relational skills.”
KELLY PATTERSON, seventh-grade social studies: “Each year we match students with local liaisons who represent the countries they are studying in class. Obviously, that was not possible this year, but David Lynn and Jessica Newman in International Studies offered to make those points of contact and facilitate the Zoom calls. By going virtual, we were able to broaden the experience to a greater
Joe Gardner leads his in-class (Alpha Day) and at-home (Omega Day) ninth-grade students in a synchronous discussion on their recent poetry readings.
range of countries and liaisons living in those places, thus allowing the students to engage more deeply. This year made us realize our liaisons don’t have to be able to come to campus.”
ADA CARLEVATTI, Middle School art: “Because I didn’t know what sort of art supplies students had at home, I initiated more choice-based projects. For example, for our design career unit, I had students who chose to make LEGO stop-motion videos, sew dresses, and interior design dioramas. This model of learning completely transformed my teaching forever. I will always include choicebased projects for my students.”
CATHERINE ODUM, associate director of College Counseling: “While we much prefer to meet with students in person, rather than virtual, we have seen higher than usual attendance at all our evening Zoom parent meetings. Also, recording those sessions has been a great benefit; it has allowed many more parents to ‘attend’ the information sessions, which gives everyone more flexibility.”
Masks, social distancing, and parents-only attendance at games were a part of the athletics program for most of this year.
STEWART PEERY, IB coordinator and Upper School science: “Overall, I think this year helped remind me of the importance of empathy and showing you care as a teacher. That’s something that’s been on my mind the last few years, but it was especially important this year.”
SIMON KEILTY, Middle School science:
“Challenges like those created by remote and blended learning created opportunities to rethink and invent publicly. I find the frequent, classroom technical problem-solving adding value to our classroom dynamic. Both teachers and students are learning and adapting together. It’s good for students to see me struggling with sound or troubleshooting presenting from multiple devices.”
KASEY SHORT, Middle School English: “As a pivot from our usual in-person debates, we introduced an ‘Elevator Pitch’ video assignment that provided students an opportunity to explore critical issues, while practicing research, writing, and speaking skills. This assignment provided my students with positive examples from their peers of how to use facts to support a claim and how to listen to various perspectives and even strongly opposing views with an open mind. It’s a virtual activity I definitely plan to continue after we return to full in-person instruction.”
PATTI DANIEL, fifth-grade LA/SS: “I’m a Luddite when it comes to technology and I was admittedly nervous about being on campus, but I am so very thankful for this year. People have truly worked together like never, ever before. It has been a blessing working during this time.”
NANCY EHRINGHAUS, director of Admissions: “Our team helped with carpool for the first month. I think it really helped to calm nerves among our new families as they saw us helping their little one out of the car, masks on, and making their way to an unknown classroom. This year has been challenging but also so rewarding in seeing how everyone stepped up in so many ways for our children and families.”
Fortunately, by April 6, as a result of diminished positivity rates and widespread vaccinations, we were able to ease some social distancing protocols and bring all students together again for daily on-campus learning, much greater attendance at athletic events, and modified events such as Spirit Week, Senior Prom, and Commencement and Moving Up ceremonies. We are grateful for everyone in our community for rising above to make this extraordinary year possible!
Bestselling young adult author Nic Stone joined us via Zoom for our annual Diversity Guest Author Series. In addition to presenting to our Middle School students, 400+ CMS middle and high school students joined the call. This was one of many, many, many Zoom and Teams calls held this year to engage groups of students, parents, alumni, and prospective parents.
This year, the Interact Club could not host their annual luncheon for guests without permanent housing, and the Parents’ Association couldn’t hold the Holiday Breakfast. So they partnered on a campus drive-thru donation for Roof Above. The students delivered hundreds of donations of hats, gloves, and socks to Roof Above, along with boxed lunches courtesy of Aladdin Foods.
The Upper School Theater department got creative by using the campus as their stage to safely film “Moments,” a collection of numbers from various musicals that showcased student talent.
Leading Hwithead and Heart T
Mark Reed will step down as Head of School on June 30, 2021. During his 12-year tenure, his inspired leadership and unwavering commitment to the Country Day community have made a transformational impact on our school.
By Lee-Anne Black, editor
welve years ago, the June 2009 issue of Perspectives included a feature story about Mark Reed, Country Day’s newly appointed head of school. In reviewing that story, what’s most striking is how the vision that Mark set out in that initial interview clearly coincides with the programs and school progress achieved during his tenure. By leading with his head and his heart, Mark Reed accomplished what he had envisioned for the future of Country Day.
Take for instance, this quote from the 2009 story: “A personable and friendly man, Mr. Reed began our meeting by enthusiastically demonstrating his new Kindle 2—the latest digital reading device from Amazon. ‘Imagine students one day carrying something like this to class, rather than lugging heavy backpacks,’ he suggested.”
There is no question that innovation was amplified and integrated across the school over the past decade. In 2014, after two years of careful study of best practices and student outcomes related to technology use, Country Day
Lower School students regularly visited Mr. Reed in his office.
implemented our 1:1 technology initiative. In addition to providing all students in grades 4–12 with a personal computing device, the school ensured faculty were well equipped to blend technology with traditional learning and we became the first area school to be named a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School.
A year earlier, in 2013, the Summer Science Outreach Program was created to connect Upper School students with internships in university lab settings. Since then, nearly 100 graduates have participated in these primary research opportunities and the corresponding Science Symposium to present their findings. (Read more about some of these graduates on page 28.) Additionally, programs like Hour of Code Week, 3D printing initiatives, and dedicated Makerspaces on both campuses help to deepen and connect learning across subject areas and disciplines.
A Focus on What’s Most Important
Hired toward the end of the 2008–09 economic recession, Mark recognized the challenges facing all independent schools at the time. He said back in 2009, “This is an opportunity for the school to look closely at what’s important, why
it’s important, and what we need to do to make sure we are being good stewards of tuition dollars. If you focus on the most important things—the teaching, the learning, and the care for students—the rest of it can fall into place.”
In 2011, he launched a student-focused and community-involved Strategic Planning process, which led to the development of four Shared Visions that guided the school’s continuous improvement over the past seven years. In addition to the advances in educational technology, other significant outcomes stemming from Mark’s leadership in developing and implementing a strategic vision include:
• $92 5 million raised over the past five years in the largest comprehensive campaign in the school’s history.
• The transformation of the Cannon Campus including the addition of 72,000 square feet of educational space for the construction of Purdy Center for Science and Mathematics, Hance Lower School Learning Center, Dowd Student
(continued next page)
Under Mark’s leadership, so many committed and generous community members have come together to play critical roles in our school’s success.
This broad and enthusiastic engagement in the present and future of Country Day is a key part of his legacy and will be the springboard for our ongoing success in the years ahead. On behalf of the entire Country Day community, I extend heartfelt gratitude to Mark for his exceptional service.”
—Scott Stevens, Chair Board of Trustees
In March 2011, Country Day’s Hance Family Gallery was an exhibition site for the citywide Romare Bearden 100th Birthday Celebration. Mark, along with Patrick (former trustee) and Judy Diamond, loaned works from their personal collections.
During Spirit Week, the Class of 2010 had fun dressing up as Mark Reed, their new head of school.
Mark cares deeply about the well-being of every member of the school community.
I witnessed this as a teacher, as a parent of Country Day alums, and as his daughter’s 4th grade teacher. He is approachable and action driven— whether discussing literacy at a JK-12 Academic Council meeting or during an impromptu meeting about the well-being of teachers at the beginning of the 2020–21 COVID school year. Mark has served as a role model for me; motivating me to push myself professionally and participate in school life beyond the responsibilities of a classroom teacher.”
—Brooks Williams, Lower School Lead Teacher
Center, and John and Claudia Belk Upper School Learning Center. Additional campus improvements still underway include the new Performance Gym and the Klein Family Natatorium, new athletic turf upgrade, and the development of the recently acquired property on Carmel Road.
• Strength in admissions and enrollment evidenced with an increase in inquiries and applications every year over the past six years, an average 96% re-enrollment rate, and the largest enrollment in the history of the school.
• Significant diversity, equity, and inclusion programming added to our curriculum; increased faculty and leadership of color; increased the Board of Trustees to 23% people of color, enrollment to 20% students of color overall, and 27% of newly enrolled students in the past year; created a Board Diversity Initiative to allocate $1.4 million per year to recruiting, retaining, and supporting diverse students.
• A renewed focus on student wellness in recognition that the well-being of our students is core to their abilities to lead healthy, productive, and joyful lives both now and far beyond their time at Country Day.
Mark with Sandra and Verl Purdy in September 2018, at a ceremony to recognize the opening of the Purdy Center and Hance Lower School Learning Center.
Mark always prioritized student events, like the Middle School Spelling Bee. He is pictured with retired PE teacher Kevin Daly and 2010 Spelling Bee winner Manu Amin ’15.
Students never knew where they might see Mr. Reed... sometimes he was chef for the day.
Other programs and events developed under Mark’s tenure include the Annual Community Art Exhibit, featuring works from special artists, such as Romare Bearden, W. Louis Jones, and others; the Parent Speaker Series, bringing national experts to our campus; the Senior Externship program, which gives students exposure to real-world career settings; the All-School Convocation, which brings the entire academic community together to set goals for the year; and the development of a new school logo and the Country Day Ready messaging to summarize how educators fully prepare our students for the future.
Student-Centered Approach
Building relationships and a constant focus on what’s best for students have been key to Mark’s leadership style at Country Day. Early on he said he planned to get to know the culture of the school one story at a time. That might have come in the form of opening car doors to greet kindergarten families, hosting a luncheon for retired faculty, working out with the varsity girls’ volleyball team, popping into a Parents’ Association meeting, attending an alumni event in New York City, keeping his door open to all faculty and staff, or chatting with a prospective family in the lobby of Levine, just to name a few of the many kinds of community touchpoints he worked into his average day.
In all these conversations, mission and serving students well were always front and center for Mark. He often emphasized the importance of educators going beyond exceptional academics to help shape students to become adults who lead purposeful lives—instilling traits like empathy, moral courage, kindness, grit, and perseverance. This student-centered approach to the work Mark achieved during his tenure has propelled Country Day into a position of incredible strength for the future.
Thank you, Mark Reed for your leadership, your dedication, and your remarkable body of work. We are Country Day Ready!
When searching for a high school to call my home, Mr. Reed’s warm and infectious personality made Country Day stand out from all the local schools. As a student, Mr. Reed’s hellos and friendly visits across campus always brightened my day and personified the administration and faculty’s love for its students. As Student Body president, our monthly meetings not only allowed me to grow as a leader, but showed me the true value of communication. He always helped me dissect seemingly unsolvable problems and perceived barriers. Mr. Reed truly exemplifies Country Day’s willingness to go above and beyond for its students. His presence will be greatly missed.”
-Kimai McPhee, ’20
Mark Reed with Head of Upper School Matt Less, Marcel Souffrant ’12, Eryn Ratcliffe ’13, and Alex Kim ’13, all recipients of highly selective merit scholarships. During Mark’s tenure, 14 Morehead-Cain, Robertson, Park, or Jefferson Scholarships were awarded to Country Day students.
Mark with the Girls’ Golf team on Senior Night in 2018.
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY
Across all grade levels, innovative and intelligent use of technology helps to deepen learning, foster collaboration, and provide students with real-world, problem-solving skills.
By Lee-Anne Black, editor
INa classroom in the lower level of the Purdy Center for Science and Mathematics, Country Day’s strongest STEM seniors work in small teams to further an ongoing novel research project that began in 2016 as an independent study with nine students under the direction of Tom Collins, Science Department chair. Now offered as a second semester capstone course for seniors, Physical Computational Biochemistry includes 17 students who draw on their strong backgrounds in chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science to collaborate on moving the primary research forward. The long-term goal is to 3D print an interactive model of the hormone insulin that accurately depicts the structure and flexibility of the protein.
The class is taught by chemistry teacher Dr. Brittany Lott, but supervisor is a better word to describe her role with these motivated and dedicated students. The students use a variety of software programs, including writing some codes themselves, to search an online protein database to find the correct angles and distances between the atoms of the protein. They also design the atoms and print the pieces in the Upper School 3D Printing Lab. Then Makerspace equipment is used to attach magnets and bushings to the atoms to allow them to rotate around each other in a way that mimics how the
protein would behave inside a cell.
“We run the class very much like a real college research lab, with the students working in small teams on various aspects of the overarching goal,” Dr. Lott explains. “We come together at the end of the week during class to update and collaborate with the full group on the progress made and challenges encountered.”
Their Friday updates are impressive as the students speak with confidence and passion about their work. If you didn’t know better, you might think you walked in on an upper-level college chemistry course. In fact, this project extends research conducted at Berkeley Lab to create a physical model of the polypeptide chain.
“Many medical disorders are thought to involve the misfolding of proteins,” explains Mr. Collins. “This is an exciting area of active research. The results of our research will be used in our classrooms and shared worldwide, so others can reproduce and print our work.”
According to Mr. Collins, major milestones in the research over the past five years include completing the characterization and construction of the cysteine residue, developing the “Southern Gent” equation to describe how potential energy varies with dihedral angle and magnet position, initially characterizing the proline and printing of B chain vs D chain variants, and meeting with the original research author by
Zoom. Dive deeper into the science here: ccdsbiochem.com
The 2020 team was interrupted in its work due to the pandemic, however, the 2021 team has been able to collaborate well within the blended learning model. As they finish the year fully on campus, it’s expected they will make some real progress toward construction.
“Not only will they leave the project in a great place for next year’s group, but they are also gaining priceless experience that will help them in whatever science-related field they choose to follow in college,” says Dr. Lott. “What they are learning by using engineering-based software, tackling a new and challenging programming language, and working collaboratively with others in a real hands-on environment—including the frustrating trouble-shooting component—will undoubtedly give them a leg up in any applied college course or research lab.”
See page 28 to catch up with some founding members of the 2016 team.
Digital Classroom Enhances World Studies
The virtual bitmoji classroom projected onto the monitor in Jessica Demeter’s seventh-grade social studies class looks a lot like a “choose your journey” type online game. It’s colorful, fun, and effective in engaging middle-grade students, which has been especially challenging for the past year as teachers innovated to bring their physical classrooms online.
“Not only will they leave the project in a great place for next year’s group, but they are also gaining priceless experience that will help them in whatever sciencerelated field they choose to follow in college.”
- Dr. Brittany Lott
Mrs. Demeter, who collaborates frequently via social media groups with other like-minded social studies teachers across the country, recognized back in the spring that the student wellness piece was most disrupted because of lockdown. “I sort of went down a rabbit hole when it came to professional development and exploring all the ways I could use technology,” says Mrs. Demeter. “Figuring out a way to improve wellness is what really got my attention.”
She familiarized herself with the idea of a bitmoji virtual classroom as part of the self-directed summer professional development initiative that all teachers took part in to prepare for blended learning. The initial goal was to create a virtual wellness room for students with resources like breathing exercises and stress relievers. From there, Mrs. Demeter, along with Kelly Patterson, who also teaches seventh-grade social studies, built out the virtual classroom to support their global geography and culture curriculum. “One of the big takeaways from my learning was that with online learning we needed to be
more uniform; kids really do need some sort of plan,” she says.
The teachers spent time over the summer identifying and mapping the essential components of each unit and organized these into three categories—basics, readings, and case studies. So when students click on a drawer in the virtual classroom they will always see the tabs to these categories. As they move into the case studies, for instance, they head into a new breakout room full of videos, websites, graphs, and other supporting material.
She says students like the accessibility of the material and knowing how every unit is organized. “I see them more engaged because we are building a digital classroom together, as opposed to viewing a one and done video or website.”
And when it comes to technology, Mrs. Demeter embraces the idea of learning together. “The kids are constantly on top of it,” she says. “You’re never going to be a master, so you have to go ahead and learn along with the students; be open to taking risks in front of them, failing in front of them, and let them know it’s OK.”
Smart use of technology also enables Mrs. Demeter and Mrs. Patterson to move away from the minutia that can bog down the process of getting to deeper, more meaningful synthesis of ideas. Years ago, they eliminated spelling tests because Google will get Mediterranean correct as students begin typing. This year, for their water wars unit, they have migrated students from the iPad’s Numbers app to Excel to distill their data because that is what they will need for the future. By allowing technology to facilitate the basics, they can focus on how what the students are learning applies to the bigger picture of world issues.
“As challenging as this year has been for students and teachers, a lot of good has come from it,” concludes Mrs. Demeter. “Even when we are all together in class, we’ll be keeping our virtual classroom, too.”
Strengthening Student Connections
Our special area classes in Lower School truly shine. “We have the incredible opportunity for children to be exposed to so many different kinds of content areas, especially the arts, science, and physical education,” says Lori Townsend, Lower School science teacher and Special Area coordinator. “Offering two additional languages, besides their literacy instruction in English, with French and Spanish in our modern language program is really one of the most opportune experiences that our children can have.”
When faced with the challenge of holding special area classes in their typical format due to COVID-19 restrictions and precautions, our teachers immediately went to work. They recorded their lessons, supplied materials to the classroom teachers, provided feedback to students through recordings, and brought their content and joy to our students through reimagining and innovating.
Lower School teachers use SeeSaw, an online learning and communication portal that allows for the sharing of lessons and assignments and student responses. For instance, art teacher Kandise Hayes created detailed instructional videos for her students, who then uploaded photos of their creations to SeeSaw. In turn, Mrs. Hayes used SeeSaw’s built-in tools to provide individual feedback to students on their work. A similar process of frontloading, followed by student work and individualized feedback occurs with languages, music, and science.
Similarly, drama teacher
Krista Maggart created engaging YouTube videos for her second,
third, and fourth graders.
Since March 2020, faculty have had to step up, create, innovate, and use technology more intelligently than ever before. Our exceptionally strong STEM foundation was one element in our ability to successfully implement blended learning this year. As always, we combined the best elements of traditional teaching and strong student/teacher relationships with the inventive nature of digital learning.
W GIRL CODE COMPUTER CLUB
hen Alexandra Lostetter ’21 (above left) took Computer Science as a sophomore on the advice of her older brother, she was admittedly “somewhat lost” in the class of mostly seniors.
Despite the challenge, Alexandra found the material interesting and wanted to learn more. She says, “We live in a digitally driven society; it’s where we will continue to be headed and code can be applied to almost anything. It’s not just science and math. Computer code is infused into almost everything we do.”
“We live in a digitally driven society; it’s where we will continue to be headed and code can be applied to almost anything."
With the help of teacher Rick Hackett, she started Girl Code Computer Club in her junior year to serve girls by hosting coding lessons and sharing knowledge of STEM-related fields. The 20 girls in the club follow online lessons through Code Academy, compare what they have learned, and support one another. “We are all learning together,” says Alexandra. “I can offer insight, but I don’t know that much more than the others.”
Since last March, they have continued to meet online. And before Alexandra graduates and passes leadership onto junior Jayden Buckley (above right), she hopes to have alumnae who are studying code speak with the club. Alexandra earned her Girl Scout Award for her work in creating this club.
Catching Up with Science-Minded Alumni
Offering students hands-on, experiential primary research opportunities has been a hallmark of the Upper School science programming for many years. College-level classes like Organic Chemistry and Computational Biochemistry, along with programs such as Science Outreach and Science Symposium, have prepared Country Day graduates well for advanced studies in the sciences. The opening of our state-of-the-art Purdy Center for Science and Mathematics further enhances our ability to provide the highest caliber of STEM education. We caught up with a few alumni who took full advantage of Country Day’s science offerings while they were students.
“As a lifer, I enjoyed every part of the Country Day science journey—from the Dino Dig in Lower School, to model rocket launches in Middle School, to Organic Chemistry in Upper School.”
Cabir Kansupada ’16
College: University of Pennsylvania, BSE in Materials Science and Engineering and BS in Economics
Current: Analyst, Engineering Finance, Tesla
“
As a lifer, I enjoyed every part of the Country Day science journey— from the Dino Dig in Lower School, to model rocket launches in Middle School, to Organic Chemistry in Upper School. “Through Country Day’s Science Outreach Program, I was introduced to UNC-Charlotte’s Dr. Rabinovich and the
world of solar energy research. I spent 10 amazing weeks in his lab alongside graduate students, synthesizing novel copper complexes for improved solar cell materials. Additionally, as part of Country Day’s first venture into primary research on campus, our team collaborated with college researchers through an independent study with Mr. Collins to 3D print physical models of proteins to better understand how they fold (see page 25). These research experiences better prepared me to work effectively in a lab at Penn as well as understand and clearly communicate my findings.
“I also thoroughly enjoyed each science class that I took at Country Day. Intrigued by sustainability after my time with Dr. Rabinovich, I enrolled in AP Environmental Science, which in my
mind is the essential ‘connecting science’ that brought together everything I learned in biology, chemistry, and physics. The challenging AP science curricula prepared me with the knowledge and tools I needed to succeed in college-level academics.
“Currently, I work on the Engineering Finance team at Tesla. The team collaborates directly with engineers, global supply chain managers, and other business partners across the organization to reduce the material costs of our products and inform R&D investment decisions. I rely heavily on my science background in this role because we evaluate an investment not only on its financial payoffs, but on its engineering practicality as well. It helps that many times, complex energy technologies can be broken down into the simple machines we learned in Lower School for more fundamental analyses. But, even more than that, my science training gives me a rigorous way to ask questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes for the various decisions our team informs, which is a valuable skill set in any field.”
Christien
Williams ’16
College: MIT, BS in Computer Science and Engineering
Current: MIT, completing Masters of Engineering in Computer Science; awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to conduct research at ENS Paris-Saclay “
All of the math and science classes I took during Upper School were important for me performing well in the STEM classes I had in college. And
fortunately, I was able to take many courses: Biology 1, Honors Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Honors Physics, AP Physics, AP Computer Science, my computational biostatistics independent study, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus BC, and Calculus 3
“All of the math and science classes I took during Upper School were important for me performing well in the STEM classes I had in college.”
“My master’s research focuses on machine learning for satellite imaging to contribute to an automatic Earth perception system. More specifically, I’m building an annotation system to enable researchers to more quickly create satellite imagery datasets by granting them the ability to annotate a few pixels in an image (i.e. giving them a label); the system proceeds to learn from these limited annotations and processes the rest of the images, providing classifications for all other pixels. In practical terms, what this could look like is taking an image over California, labeling a few pixels as clouds or non-clouds, and the algorithm takes over from there segmenting the rest of the entire image into either the category of cloud or non-cloud.
“I’m also an incoming associate product manager at Schmidt Futures and will begin work full-time in the fall. Schmidt Futures is a philanthropic initiative that creates public value from private philanthropy through risk transfer— making bets on talent that others, such as government or business, can follow to scale up efforts that make the world better. As an APM, I’ll have the opportunity to partner with Schmidt’s portfolio companies, such as Recidiviz (a nonprofit organization building a common, extensible platform designed to power data-driven interventions in criminal justice), to help them build socially impactful products at scale.”
Vinati Kaul Potash ’10
College:
MIT, BS in Chemical-Biological Engineering
Current: Automotive Territory Manager, ExxonMobil
“
AStates Lee ’12
College: MIT, BS in Mechanical Engineering (focus in design); Royal College of Art & Design/ Imperial College, MA/MSc
Innovation Design Engineering
Current: Design Engineer, Daye “
Since leaving Country Day, it’s been really great to see a push to revamp the science buildings on campus.
“My work is very exciting. Daye, a female healthcare and R&D startup in London, aims to eliminate the gap between innovation and research in female healthcare by examining the status quo. I work on the development of new physical products, manufacturing processes, and machines to make those products in a reliable and quality manner. When making or designing a product or a machine, many disciplines come together to take an idea to reality. There is involvement of chemistry, electronics, mechanics, mathematics, and materials to just name a few. The knowledge and perspectives I have been able to gain through a variety of courses in a few institutions, including my start at Country Day, are things that I bring to my work every day. Beyond this, the people around me during my education have helped instill values in me that make my work fulfilling.”
t Country Day, I took numerous AP science classes, including physics, chemistry, and biology. The excellent teachers and rigorous curriculum in these classes allowed me to earn credit for intro college classes and place into higher-level courses within my first year at MIT. My most memorable science experience was being a part of the inaugural Organic Chemistry class. This was a truly incredible opportunity. The hands-on lab experience I received in this class was key to securing an undergraduate research position at a preeminent bio-engineering lab and subsequent corporate research internships at several Fortune 200 companies.
“For the past seven years, I have worked for ExxonMobil in our downstream business. I currently manage a multimilliondollar sales territory for our automotive engine oil portfolio. I primarily spend my time consulting for small/medium business owners and large national clients on how to meet their customers’ automotive needs. One scientific element of this job is understanding and educating clients on industry engineering specifications, new chemical formulations, and product performance. I really enjoy balancing this scientific element with sales skills and an understanding of consumer marketing.”
“The excellent teachers and rigorous curriculum in these classes allowed me to earn credit for intro college classes and place into higherlevel courses within my first year at MIT.”
Country Day Ready for
EDUCATION
ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
As our mission states, “through excellence in education, Charlotte Country Day School develops the potential of each student by fostering intellectual curiosity, principled character, ethical leadership, and a responsibility to serve.” The combination and intentionality of those four tenants truly demonstrate the meaning of Country Day Ready. From leading by example and respecting others to innovating to create positive change, we are proud of all our alumni who personify the meaning of ethical leadership in their work and personal lives. Here are three examples of graduates using their passions and expertise to not only succeed professionally but truly make an impact in their communities.
By Shannon Drosky, Director of Marketing and Communications
A Life of Opportunity Begins with a Love of Reading
Eric Law ’76, who has built a life and career dedicated to education and community service, combines them to impact our community.
At Country Day, Eric formed friendships, played sports, earned a National Merit Scholarship, and graduated near the top of his class.
With a passion for modern languages developed by teachers at Country Day, he taught Spanish at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) after earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Wake Forest and Duke universities.
After earning tenure, one would think this would be the end of the story. But Eric wanted to do more. “Charlotte has become a magnet for people to come for economic opportunity,” he says. “We’ve become challenged to provide enough resources for everybody, and part of what keeps me going in my work is to see to it that everybody gets the resources they need, especially children, to do well in school and to give them a chance to have successful lives. Because I love my own town, I want people to enjoy being here as much as I have, and for the quality of life for all of us to be better.”
After working at several nonprofit organizations tied to education and youth development, Eric is currently the executive director of Promising Pages. This nonprofit collects new and donated books and shares them with children in underserved communities. Eric calls the job a perfect fit.
“Coming from a family of educators and having my first summer job as a teenager working at the JCSU bookstore, I've been around books all my life,” he says. “My brother and I were able to take for granted that books were there, and we had an opportunity to read early. In
retrospect, not all my peers had that same advantage. Making books available to those who are underserved is a mission that really speaks to me.”
Having expanded recently, Promising Pages distributes 200,000 books annually. Eric says the group needs to distribute as many as 400,000 books a year to meet the need, a goal he plans to achieve by 2025.
Continuing to Connect with Country Day
In 1970, Eric became one of the first Black students to attend Country Day, and in 1976 became the first Black graduate. In February, Eric spoke with Middle and Upper School students via Zoom about his experience at Country Day. He also discussed his career in education and nonprofits and why it’s important to address literacy in solving
“Coming from a family of educators and having my first summer job as a teenager working at the JCSU bookstore, I've been around books all my life.”
socioeconomic mobility. The conversations overflowed to hallways as students and teachers sought out Eric for continued dialogue about equity, upward mobility, and service. Eric reminded students, “To be thankful that you have the privilege of a Country Day education. This was a great gift my parents gave to me. Not all kids have that blessing.”
Eric has served on the school’s Board of Trustees in the past, and last fall, he signed on as co-chair of Country Day’s BIPOC (Black Indigenous and People of Color) Alumni Committee, whose mission is to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion on the Country Day campus.
Visit charlottecountryday.org/EricLaw to see a recent article on Eric published in QCity Metro.
Transforming Landscapes, Transforming Lives
Erika Rumbley ’03 knows the importance of finding and building community wherever she goes.
By Danielle Ferguson, Director of Alumni Relations
As a Country Day lifer, Erika found joy and lasting friendships with Bucs in the theater and arts programs. At Vassar, she enjoyed an “academically rigorous environment that also made space for the joyful and weird.” It was there that Erika learned to “appreciate the openness to interdisciplinary research, which led her to community organizing in urban green spaces and ultimately to working directly with plants.” Erika is currently the director of horticulture at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and co-founder of The New Garden Society, a nonprofit that trains incarcerated students in the art of growing things.
The Gardner Museum is sometimes described as “an inside-out Venetian palace.” Before working there, Erika visited the museum as a place of solace and respite. “It’s a dense collage of paintings, furniture, textiles, and objects from different cultures and periods; among them are well-known European paintings and sculpture.” Her team grows and installs floral displays in the museum’s central atrium. From orchids in January to November’s ‘Kiku’ (mums meticulously pruned in a Japanese tradition), they grow impossible, otherworldly, flowering gardens at the center of the museum 365 days a year.
Growing Plants with A Purpose
Erika always dreamed about growing plants with a purpose to bring people joy. Her nonprofit helps make that a reality.
The New Garden Society brings landscapers, horticulturists, and farmers together with
incarcerated gardeners to transform landscapes in Boston prisons and jails. She started the work in 2013 with Renée Portanova because incarcerated people in Greater Boston were requesting access to gardens and horticulture classes.
To date, they have trained over 500 incarcerated students in the art and science of plants. Adult students go to the garden for lots of reasons—to build skills for a future career, to find stress relief, to expand their access to fresh vegetables, to be outside more.
“When things are overwhelming, go outside, feel the sun, and do something tangible.”
“Prison gardens are one small intervention to reduce the harm of mass incarceration,” she explains, “but we need a wide range of strategies to heal the violence inflicted disproportionately on our neighbors of color and who are LGBTQ.”
Country Day Influence
Erika says that Chris Gawle’s Environmental Science class “drastically changed her world view to include climate change and non-human life in an urgent way.” Country Day also taught her how to take effective notes. Erika says, “This may
sound small, but this skill helps me listen and take a more facilitative, collaborative approach to working in groups.” It’s those skills that will help her reach the goal of raising $35,000 this year. That would allow The New Garden Society to teach in three state prisons, one city jail, and one youth facility. By working in pre-release and reentry facilities, Erika hopes to help people “land as softly as they can.”
When not toiling in the soil, Erika enjoys walks with her spouse, Jonna Iacono, and their poodle. She says, “I love being outside, noticing the incremental signs of the seasons changing and slowing our pace.”
The work of the New Garden Society has been primarily supported by individual donors and Green Industry businesses. To learn more about the organization, visit thenewgardensociety.org
An Innovative Solution for the Affordable Housing Crisis
Mark Ethridge ’06 is helping to dramatically increase the availability of affordable housing in Charlotte and beyond with his innovative and profitable approach.
Mark picked up his interest in real estate in Chris Martin’s English class his junior year at Country Day.
“I remember the books we got to read my junior year,” he recalls. “They helped establish the way I think about the relationship between place and identity and how it can shape our lives. That intersection is something I explored in college and is a part of why real estate has always been so attractive to me as a career.”
Combining his love of history and real estate with his values of social justice, Mark went on to Princeton and studied history, particularly urban development, place and identity, and social stratification. While working in real estate finance, it occurred to him that the vast majority of people who make less than median income rent in private, unrestricted properties.
“So, I got really curious about what folks were doing to maintain affordability at these properties,” he says. He made a database of every apartment complex in Charlotte that was built before 1990, including who owned it, how much they bought it for, and what they were charging for rent. The database soon had more than 20,000 units worth of housing within a few miles of downtown.
“Lo and behold, what I found was these properties were slowly changing hands,” Mark shares in his interview with Fast Company, which recently profiled his success and innovation. Private equity firms, often from outside Charlotte, were behind many of the sales. From years inside the business, he knew this would
likely lead to displacement.
But Mark had an unusual solution: he wanted to buy properties, fix them up, and keep the rents affordable through a 20-year deed restriction that places legal rules on how the property can be used and priced. They’d provide a slow and reliable return, with the added benefit of helping to combat the city’s affordable housing shortage.
After some small successes, Mark and his firm Ascent Real Estate Capital (founded by Jon Dixon ’98) connected with former Country Day trustees Erskine Bowles and Nelson Schwab, along with a group of mostly local organizations. Together, they created the Housing Impact Fund, dedicated specifically to buying properties with affordable rents and preserving them as affordable housing.
“While he’s got a heart as big as this room I’m sitting in, and a desire to do the right thing, and a belief in helping these people that need the help, he’s also realistic, practical, and effective.”
–Erskine Bowles
Key to making the fund work, Erskine says, is Mark Ethridge. “While he’s got a heart as big as this room I’m sitting in, and a desire to do the right thing, and a belief in helping these people that need the help, he’s also realistic, practical, and effective,” he says. “I think he’s truly an extraordinary person.”
Mark sees the work as simply meeting a need that wasn’t being met by the old way of building affordable housing. “Altruism and philanthropy can’t be the only venue for us to solve our problems,” he says. “We need all the financial discipline, all the entrepreneurship, all the expertise the private sector can bring and find a way to do altruistic things. We think this is a healthy balance of that.”
To learn more about the Housing Impact Fund, visit charlottecountryday. org/MarkEthridge
431 TOTAL GIFTS MADE TO COUNTRY DAY
Bucs Together Days of Giving 2021
Our 2nd Annual Bucs Together Days of Giving took place on April 21 22. Alumni rose to the occasion and gave back in support of all the ways Country Day influenced their personal and professional lives. This schoolwide effort included class competitions for Spirit Week, athletic competitions, an alumni blood donation drive, a donation drive for Roof Above, and hundreds of Bucs coming together to uplift our Country Day teachers and the greater Charlotte community.
Brad
No matter what area of the student experience most impacted you— athletics, clubs, academics, scholarships, friendships, mentorships— your gift supports the teachers who made that experience possible.
35 Advocates Inspired 121% Participation Goal 100+ Teachers Honored by Alumni
Touma, Upper School
history, boys’ lacrosse coach: “There are so many possibilities when former students give back to the Country Day Fund.”
Dr. Denise Spruill, Upper School history, diversity coordinator, class dean: “The Country Day Fund does great things for professional development. It is one way we know that teaching at Country Day, we will have all the resources we need. Thank you for giving back during Bucs Together Days 2021.”
Thank You to the Class of 2004 for the Highest Participation.
Ed Kelly, retired History Department chair: “I think at the heart of the school is a love for the kids. And that’s what we tried to instill in them is that we loved them. It was a joy for me to go and teach every day.”
Educated Here, Employed Here
There are currently 28 alumni employed in every division of the school who represent a span of class years from 1973 to 2014. Follow the alumni Instagram account (@ccdsalumni) to read bios on the wonderful alumni who chose to return to their roots and work at Country Day.
Here are reflections from a few:
STACY COLLINS LYNCH ’79: Stacy returned to Country Day in 1989 as director of Upper School Educational Resources. She went on to serve as our director of Alumni Affairs for five years, before returning to the classroom as a lead fourth-grade teacher in 2005
Stacy’s favorite Country Day memory is winning the J. R. Williams travel grant and traveling to study in the Galápagos Islands. She and her husband, Stephen, have two Country Day alums, Brittan ’11 and Thomas ’14. In her spare time, Stacy enjoys reading, Pilates, and hiking.
MAGGIE DANIEL ’07: Maggie returned to campus as a substitute teacher in 2012, coach in 2013, and then began working as a third-grade assistant teacher in 2014
She now wears many additional hats, including Varsity Girls’ Soccer assistant coach and Girls’ Soccer goalkeeper coach. Tied for best Country Day memory are winning the 2006 State Championship in soccer and the annual holiday visits to Ms. Gragg’s house in Lower School. Maggie loves to follow various sports teams and collect sports memorabilia. She also tries to golf when she can. As time permits, she loves to travel to new places. During the pandemic, Maggie has enjoyed finding time to read for pleasure.
OTHER ALUMNI EMPLOYEES AROUND CAMPUS:
Holly Hitchens Patton ’73, Extended Day teacher
Beth Knauff Ellis ’82, JK assistant teacher
Robbie Shannonhouse Whisnant ’87, JK assistant teacher
Ashley O’Neill Kleiderer ’88, 7th grade teacher
Elizabeth Brand Letts, ’88, LS permanent substitute
Samantha Hance Bosco ’90, US director of Counseling Services
Sherry Stuart Harris ’90, K lead teacher
Stephanie Neill Harner ’91, US Latin teacher, Girls’ Golf program head
Sally Eubanks Brown ’94, JK assistant teacher
Nicki Nemitz Porter ’94, JK lead teacher
Virginia Whitney McBryde ’96, 1st grade assistant teacher
Karen Hutchinson Ridout ’96, director of Advancement Services
Stewart Peery ’98, IB coordinator and US science
Jonathan Woog ’98, associate director of College Counseling
Pryor Dawson Rayburn ’00, director of LS ERP
McRea Daniel Brakefield ’03, 2nd grade lead teacher
Emily Brown Maxwell ’05, LS music teacher
Colby Trenkelbach ’06, tutor
Drew Witman ’06, assistant strength and conditioning coach and Football program head
Maggie Daniel ’07, 3rd grade assistant teacher
Lacey Ford Hester ’08, 4th grade assistant teacher
Vicky Waldthausen ’08, US English teacher
Sarah Lovatt Johnson ’09, JK lead teacher
Jánice Roberts Brown ’10, 5th grade teacher
Antonia Keen ’13, Cheerleading/dance program head
FAITH ANTHONY MEJIA ’14: In 2019, Faith returned to the Upper School as a Freshman Seminar instructor. She has since taken on the additional role of advisor. One of her motivations for returning to Country Day is to create safe spaces that she did not have as a student and to be a place to land for students who are having a similarly challenging journey as she did. Faith’s outside interests include reading, laughing with friends until she cries, listening to podcasts while cooking, and traveling. Faith is newly married and resides in south Charlotte with her husband, Alejandro.
Young Alumni Share Perspectives on College Search and Transition
Each year, the junior class looks forward to hearing from their older friends at the Alumni College Forum. The Alumni Office treats the juniors to pizza and students ask questions to a panel of young alumni. Due to the pandemic, the program shifted to an evening Zoom session, but one thing remained the same; our impressive alumni shared wonderful insights on the college search and transition process. You can watch the video at https://vimeo.com/503141995.
The panelists included:
Marcus
Woods ’19
Marcus came to Country Day his sophomore year and spent his three years on the track trying to run fast and in the Robotics Club having fun. He is currently at Yale, where he is trying to run even faster and is pursuing a degree in computer science so he can get paid to play with more robots.
Ellie McIntyre ’18
Currently in her third year at Rhodes College, Ellie is an English literature major with a double minor in political science and French. On campus, she is involved in student government, her sorority, the French club, and volunteers as a student facilitator for Rhodes’ Liberal Arts in Prison Program, which offers college courses to women at the local prison.
Adina Peck ’18
A sophomore at Emory University, Adina is pursuing a degree in psychology. Before matriculating at Emory, she attended a gap year program in Israel where she learned about Jewish philosophy, law, and traditions. Adina is passionate about mental and physical health and is currently cultivating her appreciation for the environment. She put her passion into practice by working on a hydroponic farm this fall since she was online for college.
Daniel Tierney ’19
Since graduating, Daniel attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and Belmont University. Daniel now attends Vanderbilt University where he plans on declaring as a law, history, and society major with a minor in either theater arts or music. Daniel plans on studying law with hopes of becoming a lawyer in the music industry.
Julia Meyarzum ’17
Julia is a graduating senior sociology student at North Carolina A&T. She has studied abroad in both Paris and Madrid, served as president of the NCAT pre-law chapter of NBLSA, volunteered with various mentoring programs, and much more. Julia plans to teach abroad, an experience she fell in love with while at Country Day, before transitioning to law school.
They Came. They Zoomed. They Painted.
On January 21, retired faculty member Paul Murphy led a unique, virtual Sip and Paint event for roughly 50 attendees. Alumni, retired faculty and staff, and parents of alumni joined from across the country to connect and create. Over the course of two hours, Paul taught the group how to set up their palette, mix colors, and paint their interpretation of a beautiful landscape.
Artists ranged from very beginners to experienced professionals, and everyone shared in their enthusiasm for art and love for Country Day. Sabrina Fadial ’85 shared how fun it was to use a different size medium from her largescale work with Norwich University School of Art and Architecture. Becky Johnson Headon ’82 shared how this event inspired her to pick up a paint brush for the first time in over 30 years.
Participants delighted in the time to catch up with their old teachers and classmates. For example, Paul asked one of his first students Nora Drew Josephs Weiderhaft ’01 about a photograph he remembered from her time in class, and Nora Drew shared that it is still hanging in her childhood home. Paul summarized it well when he smiled and said, “This is pretty cool!”
Stay tuned for more engaging programming with retired faculty members in the future.
Painted by Laura Steinweg
Painted by Sabrina Fadial ’85
CLASS NOTES
Stay in Touch
We want to know and help you celebrate your big and small milestones. Share your professional, volunteer, and community news in a variety of ways:
Tag your social posts #BucsforLife
Join BucsConnect and post updates: bucsconnect.org
E-Mail us at alumnirelations@charlottecountryday.org
Update your information and send photos via the form at charlottecountryday.org/alumni
1971
1 Dede Townsend Barr Dunst is an advocate for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) where she serves as a peer reviewer as well as a consulting editor for their journal, Young Children. Before retiring in 2018, Dede served as interim executive director for the Iredell County Partnership for Young Children. She presented at numerous conferences and workshops over her 35-year career in education as faculty and program coordinator at Montgomery Tech, York Tech, and Mitchell Community College. Dede’s granddaughters, Allie (7) and Emma (4), who love to read and play, encouraged her to write a book called Grandee and Her Silly Birds, based on the silly things they do! The book is published by Bookbaby.com and can be enjoyed by 3-6 year olds due to the silliness that a child can have with their parents or grandparents. Dede encourages everyone to let go, have fun, and be silly in life!
1976
2 Eric Law returned to campus in February as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day speaker for Middle and Upper School. Eric spoke to our students about his time at Country Day leading up to being the first Black graduate of the school. Eric is also a member of the Alumni Council as co-chair of the BIPOC Alumni Committee. Eric serves as executive director of Promising Pages, a nonprofit organization that brings books to families/children in our region. Read more about Eric on page 31.
1980
3 The Class held a Zoom event in place of its 40th reunion—they look forward to seeing everyone in person soon!
Greg Baer is currently the president and chief executive officer at the Bank Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., a follow-up to his legal career in banking law. He enjoys tennis and golf, and
found time to write two books: The Great Mutual Fund Trap and Life: The Odds (And How to Improve Them)
Jay Martin and his wife of 35 years, Jeanne, live in Washington, North Carolina, where Jay is a pastor as well as a realtor. Jeanne is the director of the Accelerated BSN program in the ECU nursing program. The Martins are empty nesters, having had three sons attend UNC-Chapel Hill, where their youngest son is currently a sophomore.
Marla Shapiro continues to work in neuropsychology and sports medicine at Unity Point Health in Urbandale, Iowa. Her daughter, Dana, recently transferred from college in Scotland to Iowa State, which is just a little closer to home!
4 Karen Culbreth Weatherly’s son, Sam Poole ’11, married Cristina Rodriguez on June 27, 2020, in a beautiful (socially distanced) ceremony in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Robyn Stacy-Humphries, as a Woman of the Year candidate with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, along with her team, raised over $263,000 to further cancer research. Ozzie Ayscue’s son, David, a Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter, donated his talents via a Zoom fundraiser on Robyn’s behalf.
1982
Susan Levin Schwaber moved to Florida and started a new business, Personal Priorities Yoga and Wellness. She is known as the authentic yogi who makes health simple, fun, and accessible to everyone. As a certified yoga teacher with a degree in nutrition, Susan designed a wellness approach that only takes 11 minutes a day with two key ingredients, yoga and eating healthy. Follow Susan and her dog, Jaxon, on Instagram (@personalprioritiesyoga) for strategies to a heathier lifestyle. For more information visit SusanLevin11.com.
1987
Kitty Mattocks Bray is one of several women who played a significant role in launching the new nonprofit Furnish for Good, a charity showroom created to help people out of poverty. The full story can be found at http://bit.ly/3btwkY7.
1994
Charlie Swanson and his teammates at Park Commercial Real Estate relocated their office in April into a new adaptive reuse project in Lower Southend, allowing them to better serve clients and provide an engaging and interactive work environment for their entire team. Charlie and his wife, Leighann, have a ninth grader, Natalie, who played tennis in the fall, participated in winter cheer, and is now running in track at Country Day. Their son, Charlie, in the sixth grade is looking forward to spring flag football. Go Bucs!
1999
Katie and Ralls Finch moved in May 2020 to Charleston, South Carolina, and love the new location as well as being closer to their extended family.
In January 2021, Pavel Molchanov established the Molchanov Sustainability Internship Program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (also known as Chatham House) in London. This program, at one of the world’s leading think-tanks, will support students who have interest in pursuing careers in environmental and other sustainability issues. Read the press release at: http://bit. ly/3quf4Xz.
2001
Kathryn Thompson Bailey and her husband moved to Dothan, Alabama, five years ago for her husband’s job and they love it! David is an owner/ operator of Chick-fil-a, East Dothan. Kathryn works for Ally Bank as a sales account executive.
Casey Simonton Dalene has lived and worked in East Hampton, New York, since 2007 and has been very involved in the historic art community.
Textile design originally brought her to the East End of Long Island, but she has since moved into the visual art space, from developing an e-commerce art website, to running her own gallery. She joined Guild Hall Museum in 2017 as curatorial assistant, and this year was promoted to Lewis B Cullman associate curator of Learning and Public Engagement.
Alvin Pearman, former NFL player, has taken his talents to the classroom as a professor at Stanford. He received a fellowship to help launch a center focused on urban redevelopment and educational inequality.
2003
5 Brooke Daly Adler started her own design firm on the side in 2015 and grew it to a full-sized business over the last few years. Services include new builds, renovations, full-service design, and consulting. Her work was featured in the March edition of Charlotte magazine.
6 Alden Alexander and her husband, Kevin Costello, left their New York City apartment on March 13, 2020, to spend what they hoped would be a month or two in Stonington, Connecticut. Nearly a year later, they are looking forward to getting back to the city. Kevin and Alden are thankful for their new pup, Henry, and for the quality (albeit socially distanced) time they were able to spend with their local Stonington friends and family this year, free from the distractions of travel and an often-overcommitted calendar. Their thoughts are with those who have experienced severe challenges and loss this difficult year and they are hopeful for the future.
2004
7 Dr. William Daniel spoke with fifth-grade classes via Zoom about the British perspective on the American Revolution. Will is currently a professor of Comparative European Politics residing in Nottingham, England. It was quite a treat for him to connect with students in his mom, Patti Daniel’s, 5th grade Language Arts/Social Studies classes.
Sarah Bell Farber and Adam Stuart Farber ’05 welcomed a son, Paul McGirt Farber “Mac” on December 20, 2019.
Annie Smith Warlick and husband, Davis Warlick, welcomed a son, Willard Duke Warlick on August 13, 2019.
2006
Mark Ethridge, a partner at Ascent Real Estate Capital, is working to help Charlotte crack the code on affordable housing. Read the story on page 33 and at http://bit.ly/3bhsLTl.
8 Drew Witman and his wife, Chelsea, welcomed their first child, Emmett Hughes Witman, on January 14, 2021.
2008
9 Lucas Fries and Becca Ratcliffe Fries married on May 30, 2020. They are happily residing in Plaza Midwood.
2010
q Lauren Geisel earned her medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in May 2020. She works as a general surgery resident at Orlando Health in Orlando, Florida.
Abby Winn married Cody Roberts on April 17, 2020, in a private ceremony at the height of the pandemic. The couple met while attending medical school at Virginia Tech Carilion. After graduating last spring, they relocated to Minneapolis for their residencies—Abby’s in emergency medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, and Cody’s in anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota.
2012
w Raina Johnson’s job with Techtronic Industries (TTI) has relocated her to Hong Kong. A former University of South Carolina soccer standout, Raina was interviewed by the NCAA as part of a Black History Month project. In the article, Raina discusses how she learned to navigate life after college athletics. http://bit.ly/3b8zBfm
2013
e Scott Philips is completing his residency in orthodontics at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, after completing dental school at UNC-Chapel Hill in May 2020. During the pandemic, he and other 2020 J. Bradley Wilson Schweitzer Fellows from the UNC School of Dentistry “secured funding and scarce PPE (personal protective equipment) for a clinic that provides dental care and dentures at no cost to patients struggling with homelessness.” Read the story: https://bit. ly/3pylZhg
2018
r Justin Ayotunde took first place in the fall 2020 Oratory Competition hosted by the Rhetoric and Public Advocacy Program in the Department of Writing Studies and Rhetoric at Hofstra University.
t Ameena Kapadia is a rising junior at Yale University, studying economics and molecular biology. Ameena is a current Girls Who Invest Scholar; the captain of Yale Jashan Bhangra, a dance team; and she teaches health education to New Haven high schoolers. She is also the director of communications of Females For Finance, a group that “believes in providing every girl with the necessary foundation to be financially literate and the opportunity to invest and break into the finance industry.”
2019
y Sienna Joseph was named to the dean’s list for the 2020 winter/spring term at Centre College. Founded in 1819, Centre College has been named a Forbes top-15 college/university in the South seven years in a row. Outside of the classroom, Sienna plays for the Centre Colonels field hockey team.
Marcus Woods, a computer science major at Yale University, was one of just three men who earned individual All-Academic Athlete honors.
BUCSNOTES
A ROUND-UP OF FUN FACTS EVERY BUC MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW.
371
Number of collective years of experience at Country Day among the members of the Administrative Council.
1,320
8,139
The number of gingerbread cookies Mark Reed handed out to Lower School students over the course of 12 years. See page 20 for more about his impactful tenure.
95
Number of students who have participated in the Upper School’s Science Symposium program since 2012. Find out what some are doing now on page 28.
The volume of linear square feet of plexiglass installed in classrooms and offices on both campuses to mitigate risk for students, teachers, and staff. See page 16 for a closer look at how we managed through a pandemic.
2016
The total number of survey responses and active listening session participants on diversity, equity, and inclusion-related experiences and stories shared by our community members across all constituent and affinity groups this fall. Read more on page 4.
Photo
taken: September 2010
