Perspectives, Spring 2024

Perspectives

Down on the Farm

HOW I TEACH THE SCIENCE OF LITERACY

Ready to Unite 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

Katharine Atkins

Spencer Clair ’09

Jennie Creason

Shannon Drosky

Alexis Hall

Kato Nims

Rebecca Patterson

Natalie Pruett

Kasey Short

Steve Wall

Drew Witman ’06

PHOTOGRAPHY

Lee-Anne Black

Spencer Clair ’09

Shannon Drosky

Nikki Dunn

Alexis Hall

Lisa Hernick

The Professional Photography Group

Sophia Pruett ’18

Steve Wall

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

Second-graders Ella McRae and Stella Johnson took part in a scavenger hunt during their class visit to Weddington Farm.

School Leadership

2023–24 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS:

William H. Zimmern ’95, Chair

Dr. Lauren I. Browne, Vice Chair

Stoney D. Sellars, Vice Chair

R. Glenn Sherrill Jr. ’89, Vice Chair

Scott R. Stevens, Vice Chair

Andrew W. Tate, Secretary-Treasurer

MEMBERS:

Howard C. Bissell*

Luther J. Blythe Jr. ’96

Samuel B. Bowles ’93

Brian F. Chambers

Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer

Pontea F. Dixon

Ronald E. Eliasek Jr.

Samuel E. Farnham Sr.

Samuel B. Hood ’96

Shanon Jones

Dr. Tiffani M. Jones

Dr. Gary L. Little

Su Ping Lu

Michael B. Maguire

J. Scott Mattei

Stanton D. McCullough

Sally Cannon Saussy ’67*

Lisa M. Toppin

Jennifer J. Ward

Ann E. Willey

*Life trustee

2023–24 ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

David Mancos, Interim Head of School and Chief Financial Officer

Katharine Atkins, Director of Advancement

Shannon Drosky, Director of Marketing and Communications

Nancy Ehringhaus, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid

Joe Hernick, Director of Educational Technology

Matthew Less, Head of Upper School

Bill Mulcahy, Head of Lower School

Warren Sepkowitz, Head of Middle School

Masanori Toguchi, Director of Athletics

Scott Waybright, Assistant Head of School

Brian Wise, Director of Diversity Planning

Message from the Interim Head of School

AAS CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL navigates a time of transition, I am reminded of my time in the military when I learned the importance of trust. It’s the foundation upon which success is built, and the key ingredient that fosters collaboration and resilience in the face of challenges.

In serving again as your Interim Head of School, I ask for your trust in knowing how committed I am to the success of our great school and to serving our students and our Mission. Country Day is in a position of incredible strength as evidenced by many of the stories in this issue of Perspectives. The profiles of six of our teachers exemplify the excellence delivered every day in the classroom, along with a focus on lifelong learning. This school year has brought exciting developments and expanding programming at Weddington Farm. Our students continue to excel in athletics and the arts, winning numerous state titles. And we remain focused on developing a community where a sense of belonging enriches the learning experience for all our students.

Our strength as a school is fortified by the leadership of our Board of Trustees. Thanks to prudent financial management, our endowment stands at nearly $70 million. Additionally, enrollment continues to be robust with record applications and a reenrollment rate of 97 percent. I unquestionably support the Board’s priorities for the remainder of the year. These include conducting a far-reaching search for our next Head of School and delivering the broad, guiding goals of our next Strategic Plan.

The commitment of our parent groups also plays a pivotal role in the strength of this great community. I want to congratulate the Parents’ Association on their highly successful Celebration & Auction. In addition to raising $200,000, specifically for security enhancements and theater upgrades, they created a memorable community-building event.

In closing, know that I am sincerely appreciative of this tremendous Country Day community. We are forever united in our legacy of excellence. I am confident that with your trust and support, together, we can make our great Country Day even better for our students and generations to come.

Respectfully,

David Mancos Interim Head of School and Chief Financial Officer

Jerry Craft’s Inspiring Visit: A Journey from New Kid to Award-Winning Author

By Kasey Short, Middle School Director of Studies

OON OCTOBER 16 AND 17, we welcomed award-winning author Jerry Craft as our 2023 Diversity Guest Author. His book, New Kid, is the only book to win the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers. It is also the first and only graphic novel to win a Newbery Medal.

Mr. Craft uses humor to entertain and engage readers while also tackling important issues. His books feature diverse characters that provide students from various backgrounds an opportunity to see themselves in the stories and develop empathy and understanding for those who are different than them. His visit left students in grades 3–12 inspired to read, write, and create visual art while also broadening their perspectives and understanding of the world.

During his two-day visit, Mr. Craft engaged in four large group presentations and five small group meetings with students and faculty. In addition, he spontaneously spent a sixth-grade PE period shooting hoops with students. The students were in awe of his basketball skills and thrilled with the opportunity to get to know him better on the court. This unplanned moment of his visit turned out to be a highlight for him and the students.

In Lower School, Mr. Craft presented to third- and fourth-grade students and shared his experience as a graphic novel writer and illustrator by giving insight into his creative process. Students loved seeing him create art in real time and were amazed at how he could combine simple shapes to make complex art. He did a similar presentation for fifth graders. These students enjoyed meeting someone who creates graphic novels and seeing how the words and pictures come together to make a story.

Our Middle School students (grades 6–8) had all read and discussed New Kid prior to the author’s visit. This shared reading experience increased excitement around the visit and allowed Mr. Craft to have a more meaningful and complex presentation, knowing that students were already familiar with the story.

In Upper School, Mr. Craft presented to the entire student body and connected his journey from being a student who hated reading to an award-winning author and illustrator. These students appreciated his humor, honesty, and talent. His work as an artist was especially intriguing for many of our students. A small group of Upper and Middle School art students participated in a comic drawing workshop, in which he shared his technical and creative process while also guiding students to create their own art.

Mr. Craft also met with the Middle School African American Affinity group and the Upper School Diversity Awareness Forum.

Since 2006, our Diversity Guest Author Series has welcomed numerous literary giants, including Walter Dean Myers, Sonia Levitin, Jacqueline Woodson, Justina Chen, Joseph Bruchac, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Neela Vaswani, Kekla Magoon, Matt de la Peña, Charles R. Smith Jr., Nina LaCour, Nic Stone, and Alicia D. Williams.

For her Podcast II course, senior Tiana Miller interviewed Jerry Craft in the recording studio. As he shared how he creates his stories, he also revealed that his personal story includes a school a lot like Country Day, and Tiana discovered she has a lot in common with this award-winning writer. Listen in here: https://spoti.fi/3TSlNwm

“My kids gave absolutely RAVE reviews! Thank you for bringing this talented author in to speak with our students!”

–Comment by parent Alise Porter on our Instagram post about Jerry Craft’s visit.

Bravo to the Cast and Crew of Private Peaceful NCTC STATE CHAMPS

CCONGRATULATIONS TO THE award-winning Upper School OneAct Play Private Peaceful for winning the North Carolina Theater Conference (NCTC) state competition! Country Day’s production has won the state competition five years in a row!

The company was awarded:

• Distinguished Play

• Daniel Seaman Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Acting

• Outstanding Achievement in Acting: Jack Cooper, $100,000 in scholarship offers

• Outstanding Achievement in Design and Production for Stage Management: Abby Wood, $100,000 in scholarship offers

• Excellence in Acting: Magdeline Fraser

• John W. Parker Award for Excellence in Directing: Jenny Goodfellow

At the NCTC regional competition, Private Peaceful was awarded:

• Distinguished Play

• Excellence in Choreography

• Outstanding Ensemble

• Excellence in Acting: Magdeline Fraser

• Excellence in Stage Management: Abby Wood

• Excellence in Directing: Jenny Goodfellow

They will take their talents to the Southeast competition in the spring.

Learning Through Failure

Longtime Lower School art teacher Kandise Hayes explains how a simple lesson helps develop grit and perseverance in her students: “Second-grade students created ‘Delicious Designs’ by using lines and shapes to produce three-dimensional forms to ‘trick the eye.’ Embracing their mistakes by unlocking new ways of working their art, I reminded them that learning from failure brings the sweetness of life to fruition. As our artists worked, we shared this American painter’s words. “The nerve of failure I think is paramount. Learning by mistakes, modifying, reconstituting, reorganizing.”

—Wayne Thiebaud, American painter

By Harris Russ, second grade

Middle School Gets Creative with Mask Making

Thanks to our Artists in Residence Program, our seventh- and eighthgrade drama students had the unique and exciting opportunity to collaborate with Donovan Zimmerman, the artistic director of Paperhand Puppet Intervention, a renowned puppetry and mask theater company based in Saxapahaw, North Carolina. Supported by the Parents’ Association, the Artists in Residence Program brings outside artists to campus to teach and share their craft and work directly with our students and faculty. Since 2011, Middle School students have either worked with or benefited from local, national, and international artists visiting campus.

Over the course of a few days, our students delved into the world of puppet and mask-building techniques under Mr. Zimmerman’s expert guidance. “This unique experience allowed our students to gain valuable insights and skills in this captivating art form of puppetry,” explained Aaron Mize, Middle School drama teacher. “This partnership has enriched our drama program, fostering creativity and expanding our students’ horizons in the world of theatrical arts.”

FROZEN KIDS IMPRESSES

In December, the fourth grade presented Frozen Kids. It was by all accounts an impressive production with wonderful acting, singing, and choreography. Lower School drama teachers Krista Maggart and Kate Bankston continue to bring out the very best in our students. As Head of Lower School Bill Mulcahy wrote in an e-mail to parents, “One of the joys of working with students is seeing them grow up over the years, and the play was a wonderful reminder of how much our students have grown during their Lower School years, while still maintaining their youthful joy and enthusiasm.”

Robin Riggins and Verl Purdy

Inducted into the Honorary Alumni Association

OON FEBRUARY 22, Verl Purdy, a 1941 Society and Loyal Giving Society member, and Robin Riggins, associate director of Admissions, were inducted into the Honorary Alumni Association. Founded in 1981, the Honorary Alumni Association celebrates faculty and staff, parents, trustees, and friends of Country Day, whose distinguished service and generous support have made a lasting impact on the school. At this event, we also recognize the David L. Hood Jr. Award for Volunteer Service and the Alumnus of the Year. Congratulations to Anand Shah, MD ’98—read his story on page 34.

“Verl Purdy is someone who has a magic touch. The most important thing is that he wants to make a difference. He wants young people to thrive.”

— E. Gordon Gee, president of West Virginia University

Honorary Alumnus for Philanthropy: Verl Purdy

For many years, Verl Purdy has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to supporting excellence in education. Verl’s generosity continues to empower generations of Country Day students who benefit from the innovative programming offered in the Purdy Center for Science and Mathematics, which opened in 2018. Designed to drive innovative instruction and research, the Purdy Center allows students to conduct primary research onsite. As a nationally recognized philanthropist, Verl has served Country Day in some capacity for over 40 years. He has been a Board of Visitors member since 2010, serving as the longest-tenured chair from 2020-23. Beyond Country Day, Verl served as chairman of the Board for the West Virginia University Foundation and co-chaired a national campaign for the university that raised over $1.2 billion.

From modest means, Verl worked hard to become a successful business leader, founding or co-founding Agdata, MedData, and Cadrillion Capital.

In honoring him, E. Gordon Gee, president of West Virginia University, said, “Verl Purdy is someone who has a magic touch. The most important thing is that he wants to make a difference. He wants young people to thrive.”

Honorary Alumna for Faculty and Staff: Robin Riggins

For more than 35 years, Robin Riggins has brought her love for children, upbeat personality, warm demeanor, listening ear, attention to detail, and so much more to make Country Day the welcoming community it is. As associate director of Admissions, she makes everyone feel important and valued— whether meeting a family for the first time or visiting with students about to graduate. A true professional, Robin puts her heart and soul into everything she does—usually with a kind word and a big smile. At a minimum, Robin has touched at least 5,000 families as they navigate what can be, for some, a daunting admissions process. For over 30 years, Robin has continued to manage Admissions’ official testing sessions, and under her leadership, her team has tested at least 125 children annually (3,750 in total, but who is counting?). Her warmth and thoughtfulness in choosing proctors to shepherd children through the morning make even a weekend testing day palatable.

The impact Robin makes on our community is evidenced by the families who come to visit long after their admissions process concludes. Notes of

“When I think about who epitomizes love and community at Charlotte Country Day School, it’s Robin Riggins”

— Brian Wise, director of Diversity Planning

gratitude from all generations, photos throughout the decades, and Country

David L. Hood Jr. Award for Volunteer Service: Wes ’90 and Anjie Waters

This award recognizes volunteers who have given exemplary service to Country Day.

Love for Country Day runs deep for Wes ’90 and Anjie Waters. For nearly 15 years as parents and supporters, the Waters have been quietly and humbly setting an example for others and making a difference through their volunteer service. Together, they have supported the Boosters Club through ticket and merchandise sales. Anjie has served in several of the Parents’ Association’s most important leadership roles, including as chair of the Projects Board, Big Saturday, and the Upper School Board. Wes has spent years serving on Country Day Fund committees, including many leadership roles such as chair of the Leadership and Upper School Divisions and

parent grade level representative. As Leadership chair, Wes was responsible for recruiting and leading volunteers to raise at least half of the Country Day Fund’s annual goal.

Day mementos cover the shelves and walls of Robin’s office.

“Elegance, compassion, and thoughtfulness, those are the words that describe my dear friend for the past 25 years,” said Brian Wise, director of Diversity Planning and fellow Honorary Alumni Association inductee. “When I think about who epitomizes love and community at Charlotte Country Day School, it’s Robin Riggins.”

Board of Trustees Chairman Bill Zimmern ’95, said, “Through their leadership in the Parents’ Association and the Country Day Fund among many other roles, they have given their all to make Country Day better.”

Robin is pictured before the ceremony with her three sons Tyler ’05, Ryan ’03, and Cameron ’08.

Celebration & Auction 2024: An Evening to Remember

TTHE 2024 COUNTRY DAY Celebration & Auction was a resounding success, bringing together nearly 700 parents, faculty, staff, and community members in a remarkable display of support and camaraderie.

Held on February 3, 2024, in Harris Performance Gym, the Parents’ Association’s largest fundraising and parent community-building event was filled with excitement. Guests enjoyed a silent auction filled with enticing and unique items, gourmet food stations serving delectable food and beverages, lively music by DJ Charles Sledge, a professional auctioneer leading the live auction with exceptional opportunities, and large screens scattered throughout for the UNC/Duke basketball fans!

Harris Performance Gym was transformed into an elegant space, thanks to the creativity, dedication, and attention to detail of this year’s auction co-chairs, Megan Klein and Amanda Harry Stauffer ’94, and the hard work of many

volunteers involved in ensuring an unforgettable evening of entertainment, fundraising, and celebration.

The $200,000 in proceeds from this year’s auction will primarily be allocated toward enhancing security measures on Cannon Campus and updating technology in Gorelick Family Theater.

The 2024 Celebration & Auction was a night to remember, and the event’s success was due to the collective efforts of everyone involved, from organizers and volunteers to sponsors and attendees.

GIRLS' SWIM BRINGS HOME STATE TITLE AND NUMEROUS NEW RECORDS

Bucs Wrap Up:

Seasons of Success

TFor the first time since 2011, our Girls’ Swim team secured the NCISAA Division I Title. The undefeated Bucs brought energy, teamwork, and pure athleticism to the NCISAA Swimming Championships. This was a huge meet to cap off a historic season for the Bucs, with plenty to celebrate. Our boys’ team came in third, making it possible for the Bucs to finish in second overall out of 16 teams. 27 Bucs competed at the championship meet (16 girls, 11 boys). 39 athletes set personal best times, and the team set 22 new records. The Bucs secured 11 out of 22 events, leading the Bucs to the podium 18 times.

THE BUCS HAD successful fall and winter seasons with three teams securing state championships, two teams finishing as state runners-up, and several student-athletes winning individual state championships.

Wrestling Wins

On February 16, Country Day hosted the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) State Wrestling Championship in the Harris Performance Gym. The Athletics Office put on a great event, welcoming 18 teams from across the state and close to 400 spectators. Congratulations to Bucs state champion Nicholas Arado (138 weight class), runner-up Dante Graham (157 weight class), and third place finishers Pope Shuford (132 weight class) and Jacob Johnston (190 weight class).

Hall of Fame for Touma and Davis

Two longtime Country Day coaches recently inducted.

In November, Brad Touma was inducted into the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association. Coach Touma came to Country Day in 1987 to teach history and coach lacrosse. Over the past three decades, he has built an exceptional Bucs program and been instrumental in building the sport’s statewide popularity. During his tenure, his teams have won the most games in state history while capturing nine state championships and 19 conference titles. Coach Touma has over 500 career wins and is a member of the North Carolina Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

In January, Calvin Davis Jr. was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Association Hall of Fame. In his 34 years at Country Day, Coach Davis has built a winning program—including 35 state championships, being named Coach of the Year five times by the Professional Tennis Registry, and a Charlotte Observer “All-Time Top 10 Coaches for All Sports.”

Coach Davis also works to expand access to the game of tennis in the Charlotte region through the Davis Foundation, which has provided programming to more than 500 underserved youth who have been able to learn the game of tennis, not to mention important life skills for pursuing pathways to higher education.

Congratulations to these two coaches for all they do to support student-athletes at Country Day and beyond.

FIELD HOCKEY EARNS THIRD TITLE IN FIVE YEARS

Varsity Field Hockey won its third NCISAA 4A State Championship in five years. Last year, the Bucs were State Runner-Ups, a year after clinching the championship. Going into this season, the Bucs used much of that momentum to bring home the trophy—they allowed just one goal in three playoff wins, including a 2-0 shutout of Cary Christian in the NCISAA state championship game. Additionally, Coach Kayleigh Ferlan was named the Charlotte Observer Coach of the Year.

“These athletes have worked extremely hard to produce positive outcomes, team culture, and spirit. That hard work is a testament to the strength, growth, and future of our program.”

— Director of Athletics Masanori Toguchi

GIRLS’ TENNIS GOES UNDEFEATED

Our Girls’ Tennis team dominated their season. After going undefeated, they secured the NCISAA 4A Championship at home on the Rankin Tennis Courts. The Bucs controlled the match against Providence Day, securing doubles, and giving us a large advantage as they moved into singles, just like they had during much of the regular season.

This is Coach Calvin Davis Jr.’s 35th state championship of his career at Country Day. (See side story on page 13)

Our JV Girls’ Tennis team also had an undefeated season, finishing with a perfect 13-0. The future is bright for Country Day tennis!

Cross-Country and Track Honors

Cross-Country had another impactful season, ending on a high note. The girls’ team has been a pillar of consistency these past four years finishing as state runner-up in 2020, 2022, and 2023, after winning the title in 2021.

The boys’ team tied their best performance ever at the State Championship meet, also finishing as runner-up.

The Bucs also brought home some hardware from the NCRunners Independent Schools Indoor Championships, where our girls’ team placed second. These student-athletes finished in first place: Boys 500m Dash: Kobey Riley; Girls 1600m Run: Abby Kerrins; Girls Shot Put: Kate Stajos; Girls 4x200m Relay: Jada Erwin, Olivia Graves, Ava Goggin, Lindsey Kerrins; and Girls 4x400m Relay: Olivia Graves, Lindsey Kerrins, Ava Goggin, Abby Kerrins.

Swim Lessons Open to Community

Country Day’s Swim Program offers private and semi-private swim lessons for children ages 2–12 in the Klein Aquatic Center on Cannon Campus. We offer a safe and inclusive environment for young swimmers in the Charlotte area to thrive.

Here are three reasons to sign up for summer swim lessons:

•Indoors: Swim lessons take place rain or shine.

•Water Safety: We’re committed to teaching essential water safety skills that can save lives.

•Confidence: Our experienced instructors focus on building self-confidence and promoting a love for the water.

If you’re ready to dive in, visit charlottecountryday.org/swim

William Byron ’16 got his 2024 season off to a great start by winning the biggest prize in racing on February 19–the Daytona 500. The victory was the 11th of William’s career in his seventh season at the Cup Series level.

Driving the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports, William has been working his way up to this moment since he first began racing during his Upper School days at Country Day. He won the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship and the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award in the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. The following season he won both the 2017 NASCAR

William Byron ’16

WINS DAYTONA 500!

Xfinity Series Championship and 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year. William also won the 2018 MENCS Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. And William starred in Netflix’s five-part docuseries NASCAR: Full Speed, which profiled the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

Despite living in the fast lane, William continues to share his time and energy with his alma mater. Whether attending the Homecoming Alumni Tailgate, hosting his former teachers at Hendrick Motorsports, taking time between races to return to campus for a visit, recording a podcast with students in our state-of-the-art recording studio, or popping a confetti

cannon to honor his favorite teacher during Bucs Together Days of Giving, William’s service to Country Day remains steadfast.

As William finished the last, exciting lap of the Daytona 500, former Country Day teachers, classmates, and fellow alumni took to Instagram to celebrate his win. Longtime teacher Beth Brady commented, “William’s second-grade teacher is so incredibly proud!!” and fellow alumnus Thomas Ingram ’04 posted, “Honored to be a Buc right now!”

We remain one of William’s biggest fans and could not be more proud to call him a #BucsforLife!

“The students walk away realizing that learning can be entertaining and practical, and that they have real agency in creating solutions the world will appreciate.”

–Post by parent and entrepreneur Rebecca Watson, who served as a judge for the Shark Tank style pitches that culminate Upper School’s Entrepreneurial Studies class.

–Advice from Maya Bharti, eighth-grade Student Council president, at the All-School Convocation.

“WHAT? YOUR PARENTS WERE JUST IN MY FOURTH-GRADE CLASS! HAVE A GREAT YEAR—GO, BUCS!”

–Comment by beloved retired teacher Libby Helms on a photo of Neely Gilbert Whiteside ’05 with her son starting kindergarten.

Overheard

Mamas and Dads sure appreciate all the efforts the teachers and cafeteria staff are making to make this possible!! And what cuties!!!!

–Comment made by parent Carroll Rogers Walton ’88 regarding kindergarten students learning to navigate the dining hall for the first time.

“Country Day is definitely all about community. I have known the teachers, staff, and fellow students for 31 years. I still keep in touch with some of my teachers. I’m thankful for the friendships and thankful to see everyone continuing to thrive as they grow their families.”

–Response from Anchia Kinard ’01 to a video about our strong Country Day community. TODAY, SET A GOAL AND GIVE AT LEAST ONE MEANINGFUL COMPLIMENT. THIS IS MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU. BY DOING THIS, YOU ARE PERFORMING A SIMPLE YET IMPACTFUL ACT OF KINDNESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

“We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support and belief in the power of the arts to inspire and empower young minds. Thank you for making this event a success!”

–The Arts Empowerment Project in a post about Country Day volunteers gathering to help assemble art supplies for underserved communities.

It’s hard to pick a favorite moment, but 400+ students doing progressive muscle relaxation with me, followed by recording a student podcast called ‘Mental Health Matters’ with an absolutely remarkable young woman, for sure topped the list.

“One of the best coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of learning from, and I didn’t even play lacrosse. You have molded multiple generations of leaders.

Thank you, Coach Touma.”

–Comment by Matt Cochrane ’98 in response to our announcement about Brad Touma’s induction into National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

–A post by Dr. Katie Hurley, author and expert in child and adolescent mental health and development, after visiting with students, faculty, and parents in November. LOVE, LOVE NURSE WENDY. SHE IS THE SCHOOL MOM WHEN THINGS DON’T GO WELL. SHE IS THE BEST.

“A big thank you to Meredith Eyler and to the Lower School PE Team for making this special opportunity for our students happen!!”

–Head

of Lower School Bill

Mulcahy’s

response to an e-mail regarding the start of swim lessons for fourth graders (we now extend to third grade, too).

–Comment by parent Raquel Tillman on a post about Middle School nurse Wendy Barber, recognized as a Bucs Hero.

Butterfly Project Fosters Empathy and Social Responsibility

By Shannon Drosky, Director of Marketing and Communications

At Country Day, we value a deep sense of belonging for all. Belonging means that students, faculty, and staff feel secure and supported because there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity. By actively engaging with different perspectives and intentionally learning different cultures, we not only enrich the educational experience for all our students but also nurture empathy and compassion.

One example of how we strive to go beyond textbooks and lectures to create a learning experience that cultivates empathy, compassion, and critical thinking is The Butterfly Project.

In 2012, under Head of Middle School Warren Sepkowitz’s leadership, our entire Middle School faculty visited the Levine Jewish Community Center (LJCC), where the personal story of a Holocaust survivor left a lasting impression. This visit sparked an annual tradition for our seventh-grade students, who participate in this meaningful experience, The Butterfly Project, with the LJCC each year. The Butterfly Project was developed as a call to action through education, the arts, and butterfly making, which uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate about the dangers of hatred and bigotry and cultivates empathy and social responsibility. As stated on their website, the goal of the LJCC’s Butterfly Project is to teach each participant to remember the past, to act responsibly in the present, and to create a more peaceful future.

The program includes interaction with a local Holocaust survivor, a lesson on the importance of names and identities, and the painting of ceramic butterflies. Each butterfly is created in memory of a specific child who was killed in the Holocaust, with the goal of

butterflies have come together in a beautiful mosaic at Shalom Park.

Adding to the richness of this connection, Country Day was honored to have alumna Nancy Levin Kipnis ’77 and her husband, Bob, contribute a stunning butterfly mosaic to the Bissell Campus. Amid “kindness rocks” crafted by our seventh graders over the years, this mosaic serves as a beautiful and enduring reminder of the profound impact of The Butterfly Project on our school community.

THE LEGACY PROJECT: A DANCE OF HOPE

A Dance About Survival, Resilience, and Memory

Wednesday, May 8, 7 pm

Gorelick Family Theater

In honor of Holocaust Education and Awareness Week, Country Day is hosting an impactful performance by Carolyn Dorfman Dance, a New Jersey-based dance company dedicated to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This special program is in partnership with:

•Carolyn Dorman Dance, Move Human

•Jewish Family Services

•Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

•Levine Jewish Community Center

•Levine JCC Butterfly Project

•NC Council on the Holocaust

•Temple Beth El

•Temple Israel

• Queens University Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center

To learn more and RSVP, visit charlottecountryday.org/ carolyn-dorfman.

Nancy Levin ’77 and Bob Kipnis: Dedicated Alumni Family

Meet the dynamic duo, Nancy and Bob Kipnis, whose roots in the community run deep and have left a beautiful mark on our school. Nancy, an alumna herself, and Bob, the proud parents of four Country Day graduates, recently installed a stunning mosaic on Bissell Campus as part of The Butterfly Project in collaboration with the Levine Jewish Community Center (LJCC). For them, this project goes beyond art; it’s a powerful statement against rising antisemitism globally. “At a time when antisemitism is increasing throughout the world, we hope that this mosaic reminds people of the tragedy of the Holocaust and the need to stand up against prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination,” they said.

The couple’s commitment to community engagement stems from their diverse Jewish backgrounds. Bob’s upbringing in Clayton, Missouri, surrounded by a vibrant Jewish community, shaped his perspective on Judaism. Despite not belonging to a synagogue, his family maintained strong ties to Jewish traditions and organizations. On the other hand, Nancy’s childhood in Charlotte involved close-knit connections within a small Jewish community, with her family playing a pivotal role in local Jewish leadership.

Their journey continued at Brown University, where fate brought them together in the same freshmen dorm. Fast forward to Charlotte, where they became pillars of the local Jewish community, with their family deeply involved in the LJCC, Charlotte Jewish Day School, Temple Israel, and BBYO. Bob, who helped found Arthritis and Osteoporosis Consultants of the Carolinas, practiced medicine for 36 years before retiring. Nancy’s family legacy, spanning generations of Jewish leaders, instilled in her a sense of responsibility. She spearheaded initiatives like the Create Your Jewish Legacy program, emphasizing the importance of sustaining Jewish institutions for future generations.

The couple’s passion for preserving the rich history of Jewish traditions, combined with their renewed interests in ceramics and mosaics, led them to take The Butterfly Project at the LJCC to area schools. Country Day is honored to be the first school to display one of their installations, which will be one of many throughout the city. “Bob and I offered to create and install mosaics at all the schools participating in The Butterfly Project. We were thrilled that our first one was at Country Day. It is very meaningful to give back to the school where I graduated, as did our four boys!”

By Jennie Roberts Creason, Lower School Reading Specialist; Kato Nims, Lower School Director of Studies; and Rebecca Patterson, Early Childhood Director

The findings of over 50 years of brain research informs our understanding of how best to teach reading and writing to our children.

Unlike learning to talk, learning to read is not innate to the human brain. And since our brains are not pre-wired for reading, there is tremendous opportunity in understanding the neural circuitry that happens for a child to turn sounds and symbols into words. For more than 50 years, brain research has informed our understanding of how children best learn to read and write, why some have difficulty, and how we can effectively assess and teach our students. New research about the brain and how it learns is always evolving, and as educators we are crafting and modifying our instruction accordingly.

It is a common misconception that science-based reading focuses entirely on phonics instruction. Research clearly demonstrates that students require skills in several different domains, including phonics, to read proficiently. In the Lower School, we adhere to the National Reading Panel’s five pillars of reading instruction, each playing a critical role in developing young, skilled readers.

1PHONEMIC AWARENESS

Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate the individual speech sounds (phonemes) in spoken

words. Phonemic awareness forms the building blocks for linking sounds to letters, and it is a critical foundational reading skill because it helps children understand how sounds combine to form words.

Through various instructional activities, students learn to hear, blend, segment, and manipulate those sounds. For instance, in a junior kindergarten class, activities are intentionally planned to target specific skills. As the teacher supports students as they play a sorting game, she may prompt, “Tell me the last sound in the word ‘map’?” or “Let’s stretch the word out so we can hear all the sounds. What sound do you hear at the end?”

In older grades, teachers guide students to manipulate the medial sounds in a word—often in subtle ways throughout the day. For example, as students in a second-grade class transition to recess, their teacher might take that time to prompt them, “Say the word ‘cat.’ Now say cat but change the /a/ to /o/.” Practice like this for just five to 10 minutes a day is enough for students to grasp the skills needed to continue building a strong foundation.

2

PHONICS

Phonics instruction teaches students that

letters represent the sounds of spoken language. Research shows that explicit, systematic phonics instruction is critical to developing proficient readers, and students in our Lower School have ample opportunities to learn and practice phonics. For example, kindergarten teachers lead students through the Orton-Gillingham “Three-Part Drill.” During this multisensory lesson, their students orally identify letter-sounds, practice blending three- and four-letter words, and write letter-sounds in sand trays. They then go on to independent practice in decodable texts, where they can apply the phonics skills that they are learning to their reading in context.

By third grade, teachers are explicitly teaching in a few groups while their classmates are independently practicing skills they have already been taught. To support decoding and encoding, teachers provide manipulatives to help students break apart and more easily analyze how multisyllabic words are put together. And charts displayed around the room help students gain a stronger understanding of how vowels work within small parts of words. This level of differentiation and support is no easy feat, and our teachers work to tailor instruction in phonics even as students move through syllabication into more complex word work.

3 FLUENCY

in first-grade classes, students reread texts, act out their favorite part, and read together as a group or class.

Fluency is the ability to read text accurately at an appropriate rate with proper expression. It’s often referred to as a bridge to comprehension because, when a child can read fluently, it frees cognitive resources to attend to meaning. Our youngest learners work to develop fluency at the word level followed by the sentence level. Students learn to “scoop up” words and attend to punctuation as they read. For instance, With technological advancements, we no longer have to theorize how the brain acquires language. Neuroscientists and researchers are now privy to Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans that allow us a front row seat to brain activity as children develop their reading skills.

By second grade, many students can read longer texts with confidence. To support comprehension, teachers dedicate time for reading with expression. They share that hearing students giggle as they read because their character is laughing or speak as a stern parent because this is what the text is telling them to do, brings joy to the learning process. The connection between fluency and comprehension is an important

THE SCIENCE OF READING

Here is what we know: Readers receive the “visual” input in the Occipital Lobe. Coined by French neuroscientist Dr. Stanislas Dehaene as the brain’s “letterbox,” this

relationship and one that our teachers in older grades work to foster.

VOCABULARY

As children read more complex texts, they must learn the meaning of new words that may not be a part of their speaking vocabulary. Our teachers use direct and indirect instruction to teach vocabulary. Through indirect instruction, teachers intentionally weave new and interesting words into their classroom

area is responsible for packaging the letters into visual units. This allows readers to avoid scanning individual letters. From here, the information is transmitted to the Frontal Lobe, or Broca’s Area. This area is responsible, in part, for the oral units, or phonemes, in words. As the brain matches the visual units to the phonemes, it is simultaneously accessing meaning in the Temporal Lobe. We know that the neurons additionally travel through the Parietal Lobe where they make additional sound-symbol connections. We’ve discovered that this sophisticated circuitry is not present at birth but rather evolves as humans receive literacy instruction.

Jennie Roberts Creason, M. Ed, Carolina Orton-Gillingham

The connection between the visual units (graphemes or letters) to the oral units (phonemes or sounds) is crucial to the overall development of a skilled reader.

instruction and discussions. For instance, first-grade teachers recently read their students a book that allowed them to learn the words nourished, foretold, rally, and stewards. Students had fun trying to incorporate this new vocabulary into conversations with their peers!

In the Lower School, direct vocabulary instruction happens daily as students learn specific words that are important to subject matter content and comprehension. For instance, in fourth grade during social studies instructions, teachers expose students to unfamiliar words like loyalist and patriotism within the context of the American Revolution. Understanding the base word, how students might use it in everyday conversation, practicing how the meaning might slightly change depending on the form of the word, and then inserting the word back into the historical context is one way they explicitly teach vocabulary.

5

COMPREHENSION

We read to understand. To comprehend a text, students must use their background knowledge, decoding skills, vocabulary, and critical thinking strategies. Like the other pillars of literacy instruction, comprehension skills are explicitly modeled, taught, and practiced in junior kindergarten through fourth grade.

For instance, junior kindergarten teachers recently read Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim. The classes discussed the main character’s actions and how they give the reader clues about what emotions she is experiencing during her first day of school in a new country. They analyzed character traits like brave, playful, and kind. As the teacher reads, students made connections between the text and their own lives and predicted what would happen next in the story.

A favorite learning experience in third grade is the mystery unit. This unit explicitly teaches how to analyze a character, attend to clues that the author includes throughout the book, and synthesize all this information to solve the mystery.

A MULTIFACETED JOURNEY

Phonemic awareness lays the foundation, phonics bridges the gap between sounds

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Lower School teachers are well-versed in their understanding of the brain science behind reading instruction. Recent professional development has included:

and letters, fluency paves the way for comprehension, vocabulary enriches understanding, and comprehension brings it all together. By embracing these science-based pillars and tailoring instruction to the individual needs of each student, Country Day teachers empower young learners to unlock the world of literature and knowledge with confidence and proficiency.

• Coursework with The University of Virginia: Components of Skilled Reading (Science-Based Reading), Explicit Instruction, Advanced Word Knowledge

• Yearlong professional development in Components of Explicit Instruction, Lesson Design, Assessment, and Small Group and 1-on-1 instruction

• Orton-Gillingham Approach

• Ongoing professional development with Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach

• Phonological Awareness Workshop

• Jennifer Serravallo Coursework: Strategies in Action-Reading and Writing Methods and Content

D.3own on the Farm.3

A Place of Exploration, Wonder, and Learning

By Steve Wall, Director of Educational Programming at Weddington Farm

Nestled in Union County, North Carolina, a remarkable 330-acres of land serves as an expansive outdoor learning lab for our students in grades JK–12.

Given generously by Smoky and Margaret Bissell in 2022, the property is an exemplary model of sustainable farming and offers vast and varied natural surroundings, such as wooded expanses with native trees and plants, open natural spaces, a pond, and a stream. It includes vegetables, goats, chickens, beekeeping, mushroom farming, an eight-mile trail system, and so much more.

Since being appointed director of educational programming at Weddington Farm last spring, it’s been my privilege to investigate and develop the many unique opportunities for experiential education that this diverse landscape offers. Along with Ewan Macaulay, farm site manager, and the creativity and imagination of our talented faculty, staff, and parent community, we have already provided students with numerous hands-on lessons in agricultural education, ecology, biology, environmental science, and the arts.

Studies show that outdoor learning delivers many benefits—from reducing stress and improving moods to boosting concentration and increasing a child’s engagement at school. Additionally, the ability to embed nature and the great outdoors into our curriculum offers today’s students a respite from the technology that is intertwined in their daily lives. In many ways, programming at our farm is an extension of the philosophy and work that is already happening on our current campuses through our community gardens and

greenhouses on both Bissell and Cannon campuses. Weddington Farm enables us to take these concepts and grow more effectively, deliberately, and uniquely.

Programming at Every Level

To date, we’ve hosted more than 50 different field trips across all grade levels and divisions.

For instance, the 22 seniors in my Entrepreneurship course, which I’ve been teaching for seven years, used the farm as their learning laboratory this year. After visiting the site and experiencing the land firsthand, they collaborated in teams over the course of a semester to extensively research future possibilities through an entrepreneurial and business lens. Their ideas included a high- and low-ropes course, sports complex, summer camp, and special events venue—all of which were thoughtfully and enthusiastically presented to an audience of school administrators, faculty, and guests at our culminating Shark Tank style activity.

In October, eighth-grade students took the classroom outdoors for some inquiry-based learning that ties to the crop lab, water-quality sampling, and tree surveys conducted for many years on Bissell Campus. Each student participated in three of six rotations designed to enhance their classroom learning about the natural world and sustainability. The rotations included:

• Harvesting and packing crops with our onsite farmer,

• Testing surface water quality with

eighth-grade science teacher Sarah Klingler,

• Surveying tree populations with eighth-grade science teacher Simon Keilty,

• Building birdhouses for the property with Rockler Woodworking,

• Conducting a bird walk survey with retired Upper School AP Psychology teacher Tony Lombardino, and

• Learning about beekeeping and mushroom farming with Queen City Bee and Urban Gourmet Farms.

Lower School students have used our farm in a variety of ways to make connections across our school programs. For example, fourth graders engaged in community building activities like taking

a hayride throughout the property and roasting s’mores, along with engaging in hands-on science and art classes—they planted in the gardens and painted birdhouses that the fifth- and eighthgraders built to adorn the property. Other activities have included students harvesting pumpkins to decorate as their favorite book characters, practicing the scientific method through bird walks, and creating leaf print art, a nature-inspired and eco-friendly art form.

A highlight for me was the December Lower School Holiday Farm Fest. We partnered with the Parents’ Association and Upper School Interact Club to bring the entire Lower School out to the farm for a festive day that included the PE department’s traditional Reindeer Run on the trails and service learning opportunities benefitting Aldersgate and Baby Bundles.

In the coming months, students in Honors Chemistry classes will participate in blacksmithing through a partnership with the Penland School of Craft to explore metallurgy.

Additionally, produce that is grown and harvested by our students is served in the school dining halls; the 2024 All-School Celebration and Auction included a farm-to-table private dinner experience and a parent-child fly fishing experience; we will be piloting two, fourweek summer camps beginning in June; and next year, School in the Woods for our fifth-grade students will take place at Weddington Farm.

Enriching the Student Experience

Through my continued research, I have intentionally interviewed both adults

and students alike to hear their vision for the property, and how we can engage and enrich our students’ experiences. My ultimate goal is to help Weddington Farm become an extension of the Country Day classroom, while allowing us to focus on wellness, leadership, innovation, agriculture, and community.

FARM Activit.2ies

•Agricultural Education

• Harvesting, washing, packing, canning, herbs, preserving

• Floral Education (growing, arranging, and pressing)

• Plant Propagation (cutting and seed starting)

• Archery

• Arts and Crafts

• Bee Education

• Blacksmithing

• Bird Box Woodworking

• Bird Watching

• Cooking and Baking

• DEIB

• Environmental Education

• Fishing

• Hay Rides

• Livestock (goats and chickens)

• Long-term Studies (birds, forestry, and surface water)

• Low Elements Course

• Mountain Biking

• Mushroom Education (foraging and inoculation)

• Nature Art (murals and painting)

• Poetry and Writing

• Raptors and Reptiles

• Science Experiments

• Service Learning

• Summer Camps

• Tree Identification

• Water Testing

• Wellness/Meditation/Yoga

H W I TE CH

Our community often cites the excellence of our faculty as one of the qualities they value most about a Country Day education. While the methods of delivery may change and the ways students acquire new information evolve, the enduring qualities of highly impactful teaching and learning remain the same. Exceptional teachers build trusting relationships with their students, and they never stop learning themselves.

In the pages ahead, six Country Day teachers reflect on how they infuse their classrooms and curriculums with these foundational values that truly make a difference for the students they teach. They are representative of the magic that happens between teachers and their students at every grade level in every division. As you will learn, common threads to their success include flexibility, humility, creativity, and a genuine love for being around kids.

HOW I TE CH

MATH

Chelsea Evans

Upper School Math

Why is it important to build strong relationships with students?

If you’re learning something for the first time, there is a sense of vulnerability. And if you don’t feel safe, you won’t feel that you can trust the person who’s delivering the information. You can’t learn deeply enough, because too much of your head space is taken up with nerves and anxiety. Getting to know my students on a personal level—what’s happening in their lives outside of the classroom—builds the trust needed for them to take risks, to know that grace will be shown if they fail, that we are in this together.

How are you a lifelong learner?

When you’ve done something for a long time, I think it just becomes second nature to want to improve on your craft. It seems like every day something inspires me that I can tie into my classroom to keep the content fresh and engaging—I know math content can be dry! For instance, my children received the strategy game Qwirkle as a gift. We had so much fun with it as a family, I decided to incorporate the game into the power functions lessons I was teaching at the time in my Honors Algebra 2 classes. I’ve done that with Battleship and other games. Even though playing games in class doesn’t involve equations and solving algebraically, my students are learning or reviewing concepts in fun and memorable ways.

I also like to bring art into the classroom, even though I don’t necessarily see myself as an artist. As part of our unit on transformations, which entails mapping a preimage of a shape or a function to an image of the same shape or function, we made stained glass windows. It involved glue and the tearing of tissue paper. It’s a hands-on activity where the students can fail and try again, use a different part of their brains, and still make those important connections to the content.

I hope my students remember what I am teaching them in terms of the math, but I think the experiences I am creating and the way they felt in my class are what they are going to remember years from now and that will bring back the math.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started teaching?

There’s no one way to do anything. Early in my career I thought I had to be in lock step with my mentor. It’s great to have mentors to show you the ropes when you first get started, but you can also change the method while still delivering the same content. I’ve learned that if you’re authentic to what feels good and right to you, it’s more effective for the students.

How does making kids feel comfortable in the classroom benefit their learning?

The more comfortable they feel with me, the more likely they are to participate in class. In an English class there are many opportunities for discussion and sharing written work. The more students feel they have a relationship with their teacher, the more comfortable they feel, the more likely they are to participate.

I also want my students to feel I’m on their side. So, when I create a difficult assignment or it’s on a tight deadline, it’s really important for me to have actually completed the assignment myself. I’ve found over the years that it helps me to do a better job of explaining to them what I am expecting. By providing examples from my own work, it shows them that, “Ok, this is feasible, and I can manage it.” I try to guide them along the way, because as a student I would need that guidance, too. I think I’m a better teacher when I walk in my students’ shoes a bit.

After 30 years, how do you keep your content fresh?

I think that just picking up last year’s lesson plan is cheating the kids in a way. There’s probably always a little more that I haven’t thought about or a better way we can deliver the material. For instance, just this past year, we completely updated the core of our instruction around punctuation. Pedagogy says you should teach it within the writing and not in isolation and that’s something we’ve struggled with over time. Last year on the very last day of school, I happened to pick up a book that another teacher had left after cleaning out her room. Well, this was the dream book for how to incorporate punctuation and grammar rules into your writing.

After reading the book several times early in the summer break, I wrote to my colleagues and told them I’d really like to incorporate these methods into our curriculum this year. We have, and the experience for us and the kids has been radically different and so rewarding.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started teaching?

When you first start out, you don’t have to know everything to be an effective teacher. In fact, you are always going to need to adapt. You can’t just read a book once and expect to teach it well. Even if I’ve read the book four times a day for years, I still always feel I should read it again before the next day’s discussion because there is always something new the kids will bring up. There’s always more I can learn from them. Teaching English gives me a daily opportunity to share my love of words, literature, and writing with young people. Teaching at Country Day allows me the flexibility to collaborate with my colleagues to design the most effective and beneficial curriculum we can.

HOW I

ENGLISH

Ian Dennis

Eighth-Grade English

30 years teaching at Country Day

LANGUAGE

How do you structure your class to build strong relationships with your students?

I believe students come before content, and relationships before teaching. Every student is different, every class is different. When students sense you really care about them, they are motivated to learn. I really listen to my students—it’s not just me saying what I think or dictating how the teaching will go. I think of my students as the “hosts” of their classroom; we teach and influence each other. And because we have strong relationships, they feel comfortable telling me how they want to learn. For instance, when they are learning vocabulary, they may tell me it’s not sticking and ask if we can turn it into a game. I always welcome their suggestions because we’re in this learning process together.

The kids at Country Day are all very sweet. I love seeing their faces every day. They want to share about their lives outside of school, and I want to hear it. Sometimes I can use it in my teaching. They are happy when they come into my classroom and they’re happy when they leave. On the back of the door, I have signs in Chinese that say, “Thank you,” “Good-bye,” and “Remember to Smile.”

How are you a lifelong learner?

If you want to be a good teacher, you also have to want to learn. You have to model that for your students. Technology can be used to enhance the lessons and really engage students. Recently I began exploring the website Canva, where you can get creative with designs and illustrations. I converted the textbook lessons on vocabulary and grammar into a story book on the website. The students are also creating their own stories on this website, and they are teaching me how to use the tools better.

I also engage students with games. Everyone loves games and the students don’t feel like they’re learning language acquisition. It’s subconscious but they are gaining knowledge. And they teach me games—I’ve learned Jeopardy, Connect Four, Who’s the Spy, and many more.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started teaching?

Slow is fast; less is more. Fifteen years ago, when I started my career, I gave students all I had and didn’t stop to think about what they needed. I would think “they should know this. Why can they still not get it?” Now, as I’ve grown comfortable as a teacher, I know that I can teach less, and spend more time getting to know my students. In the end, the students get the knowledge they need to be prepared for the next level because they feel happy and safe, and they know we are on the same journey.

GEOGRAPHY

How do you build strong relationships with your students?

I really want students to feel comfortable in my class, so I listen to them. I trust them. I support them even when they doubt themselves. I want them to know it’s OK to take risks in my class, and it’s OK to mess up and to fail. That’s the glory of seventh grade.

I think it’s important to carve out time to get to know my students outside of the classroom. I love to read, and I’ve hosted book clubs so we can read together. I have Breakfast Club where kids can come and just hang out before school, eat doughnuts, and we’ll talk about life. I really enjoy writing notes to my students. I love stationery, pens, and paper, so I’ll write notes to my students as a way to connect and practice gratitude. My job is to journey with these students, and I want them to know they are important to me, and that I see them. In this digital age, it’s fun to receive an “old fashioned” note, and I cherish the notes they give me in return.

How do you keep students engaged?

I keep my students engaged through structure, balance, and a ton of creativity. I change my curriculum each year and with that comes the opportunity to do new things in my classroom. For instance, over the summer I had a vision for how to bring more of my passion for reading into my classroom. I created First Chapter Fridays. This is when I read the first chapter of a new book that is set in the region we are currently studying in class. I’m growing my classroom library, introducing books, and reading to my students weekly. Not only am I reading more, but my students are reading more, too, while we study the world. When I started this, my goal was to foster their interest in reading and further the goal of inclusivity in my classroom. By using these read-alouds, I am also creating an environment of belonging that just happens organically as I read about different countries.

What do you know now that you wish youknew when you started teaching?

I wish I knew that I should write in pencil in my calendar and on my lesson plan, because sometimes the best plans are not the best plans for the day. There’s always a gem in a discussion or an opportunity that presents itself. I wish I had the confidence then that I have now to know that I don’t have to be perfect. I can roll with it when a lesson plan flops and be flexible. It’s OK to keep the pace of the students and not necessarily my own pace. The students know what’s best sometimes. Listening to them is important.

Kelly Patterson

Middle School World Geography

13 years teaching, 10 at Country Day

HOW I TE CH

LEAD

Andy Nicolleti

Fourth-Grade Lead Teacher

26 years teaching, 9 at Country Day

What do you like about teaching?

You don’t get into teaching if you don’t love working with kids. Seeing them learn something new or figure out something that has challenged them is highly rewarding. And to truly be influential as a teacher, I think you have to get to know them as more than your students. You have to take time to learn about their hobbies and interests, what’s on their minds, and even listen to Taylor Swift songs since that’s what most of my girls are talking about right now. I also coach for the Varsity Football team. So, I get to see my students as little kids and then reconnect later when they’re young men on their way out and turning into amazing adults.

Country Day is truly an amazing place to share my love of teaching. It’s a combination of a small town meets small college. It’s a friendly and safe place to learn and be yourself and evolve into the person you’re going to be. I feel like I’ve evolved into a better teacher because of the culture that is cultivated here.

How are you a lifelong learner?

I think collaboration is one of the most important tools to help people grow as learners. My teaching has evolved through conversations with my fellow teachers. By learning how someone else approaches a lesson or strategies for classroom management, I get inspired. I may not take the idea as is. I often put my own spin, my own style on it, but it’s helping me to stay fresh and keep my students engaged.

I also like to use a balanced amount of technology in the classroom. By fourth grade, we’re preparing students for the iPads they’ll be using in Middle School. I like exploring how to incorporate apps into the lesson so that the kids feel like they’re having fun, but they are still learning. But you also have to recognize that some kids do better with paper and pencil. Others learn best with manipulatives, or they are oral listeners. Every child’s learning path is different. I think the more you play around with delivery methods, the more techniques you use, you’re going to find what works for each student.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started teaching?

Question everything. Why am I teaching this? Why am I doing it this way? I think that’s the way you learn. You’re doing yourself and your students a disservice if you deliver a lesson the way you were told to by someone else or just because you’ve always done it that way. You really become a great teacher and a great learner by asking questions. That’s what I strive to teach my kids. Question, question, question, and you’ll keep evolving.

Why is building strong teacher/student relationships important to you?

In the arts, we’re asking people to be vulnerable and show this other side of who they are; not just the academic part, but asking them, in my case, to sing. You have to build a relationship of trust and respect for each other so they’re willing to put themselves out there. One of the special things about teaching choir is that I may have a student for all four years, so I get to experience their growth, to see how they mature and gain confidence, how they learn that their voice is their power. Teenagers are really interesting people. They wear their emotions on their sleeves, so you learn a lot about them, especially if you build that trust. They’re fun to be around and they teach me a lot, too.

I’ve also started a faculty choir and that has helped to build some wonderful relationships across departments and disciplines.

How are you a lifelong learner?

I’ve always enjoyed school. I got my undergraduate degree in piano performance, then a master’s in performance and pedagogy. A little while later I got a doctorate in education. And a little while after that I was ready for something else, so I moved to Ireland and got a second master’s in Gregorian chant and Irish singing. Recently, I’ve started taking harp lessons and hope to eventually be certified as a therapeutic harpist. There’s so much to learn; you can never know it all.

Since being at Country Day, I was able to offer students a new class in Piano. We have a lab with six keyboards and headphones. Students work at their own pace, but also play for each other to build confidence. It’s a popular class, I think, because students can learn how to read music without having to be in a larger ensemble, or they just don’t feel comfortable singing.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started teaching?

Relax! When I came out of graduate school, I was so intense. When you’re a new teacher, you’re so eager for your students to learn and eager for them to be their best, that you’re not always your best. I haven’t lowered the bar, but I’ve learned to be more empathetic and understanding of what my students have going on in their lives. They’re not in college, they’re not majoring in music, they have other classes and commitments. It goes back to relationship building. When you know your students, you know what they need, and it makes for a better experience for everyone.

MUSIC

Dr. Robin Garner

Upper School Music

Alumni Matters

Dear Alumni,

With each passing year, Charlotte Country Day School Alumni continue to strengthen in number and various ways of impact. We have always stood out for our commitment to making a positive difference beyond our campuses and into the world. Essential to our Mission is fostering a responsibility to serve. Within our Key Values and Affirmation of Community, we emphasize our commitment to empowering students to address social, environmental, and global issues and to realize the obligation

and value in giving of themselves for public good. On the following pages, we spotlight our alumni’s incredible acts of service, kindness, and impact on campus and all over the world. Whether it is our College Forum panelists talking about the importance of campus involvement, or Art Pue ’96 and Patrick Brady ’13 sharing their stories of service at our Veterans Day assemblies, we are honored to share the meaningful ways in which our alumni continue to leave an indelible mark.

We continue to invite you to engage with us on campus and share your story or the story of someone you know in our community. There is a tremendous legacy of impact at Country Day and through service, you continue to make a positive impact on our mission. Go Bucs!

Drew Witman ’06 Director of Alumni Relations

ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR: Anand Shah, MD ’98

For anyone who knew Anand Shah, MD ’98 as a Country Day student— when he founded several organizations, received top academic honors, and landed prestigious summer internships at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) —it’s no surprise that today, he is a nationally recognized physician leader and policy expert. His extensive influence extends to the senior-most levels of the U.S. government, industry, academia, and as an oncologist. As the deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Anand was responsible for developing and leading high-priority FDA policy initiatives such as the FDA’s pandemic preparedness and recovery efforts. Today, Anand serves as the chief executive officer of Aster Insights, the leading provider of scientific and clinical intelligence for oncology discovery. He is also an operating advisor to global private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, where he focuses on the healthcare and pharmaceutical services sectors.

Prior senior leadership roles include leading critical patient-based initiatives at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Anand specializes in the early detection, surveillance, and treatment of prostate cancer and previously developed and led a survivorship clinic for patients in cancer clinical trials at the NIH. He is an adjunct professor of medical ethics and health policy and an adjunct senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, both at the University of Pennsylvania.

After Country Day, Anand graduated from Duke University with a degree in economics. A Canada-U.S. Fulbright Scholar, he concurrently earned his MD from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPH in health care management and policy from the Harvard School of Public Health. Anand served as chief resident during his radiation oncology residency at Columbia University.

“He had a passion in the beginning for medicine, but then his mind shifted to ‘how many people can I help, how can I maximize my impact on the world,’” said Drew Witman ’06, director of Alumni Relations. “To have him back and to share his story with our community is incredible because we’re trying to prepare the next generation of Anands to go out and make the world better.”

Anand Shah ’98 with his Upper School advisor Brad Touma.

ALUMNIspotlight

Art Pue ’96: SERVING IN CIVILIAN LIFE

As a member of operation Detachment Alpha with a focus in military freefall insertion, Art served as the senior weapons specialist (18B), employing conventional and unconventional warfare tactics and techniques in individual and small unit infantry operations. Art was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge as well as the Bronze Star for actions while serving in Afghanistan. Today, Art is president of veteran-owned Engineering Sales Associates and a Board member at Veterans Bridge Home. Art spoke to our Upper School students during the Veterans Day Assembly. As an alum, his message truly resonated with the students–talking about his time at Country Day, in college, and then the transition to the military and back to civilian life. His path to service has led him to continue to serve our greater community.

Patrick Brady ’13: THE CALL TO SERVE

With no family history of military service, Patrick felt the call to serve. He wanted to be a part of a team working toward common goals. After graduating Country Day, Patrick attended the United States Naval Academy and played baseball. For the Middle School Veterans Day assembly, Patrick spoke with students and teachers about the impact of his time in service and what lessons he learned along the way. He shared the importance of selflessness, and that no decision is ever made based on the potential impact on oneself. Most profoundly, Patrick emphasized rising to the occasion and what leadership looked like for him at such a young age in a high-impact environment. Veterans Day is a dedicated time to reflect on his experiences and to keep in touch with fellow service members.

Will Pitts ’04: TEACHING GRIT

In his 13th year at the Charlotte Sports Foundation, Will currently serves as the chief operating officer. The Sports Foundation is an organization dedicated to driving economic impact and adding to the quality of life for the Charlotte region through high profile sporting events. They bring some of the biggest sporting events to Charlotte each year that range from the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and ACC Championship in football to the Ally Tipoff and Jump Man Invitational. Will spoke with our seniors and their parents for Senior Convocation and shared a powerful message on GRIT. “A characteristic that can be defined as a person’s perseverance but also used as an acronym for keys to success. Goal-oriented, Resilient, Integrity, and Teamwork.” Putting real life examples to each one, Will proudly encouraged our seniors as they began their last lap at Country Day.

Don Johnson ’05, Michael Radford ’13, and Patrick Brady ’13

Drew Witman ’06 and Art Pue ’96

Coach Alvin Pearman and Will Pitts ’04

REVIVAL OF THE ATHLETICS HALL OF HONOR: Honoring the Past, Building for the Future

By Spencer Clair ’09, Director of Leadership Giving

Over generations, the impact of athletics on the Charlotte Country Day School community has been profound. Coaches, members of the Boosters Club, studentathletes, fans, parents, and even grandparents find a collective foundation for service through sports, making it one of the most significant avenues through which our community engages and gives back.

To perpetuate the rich tradition of athletic excellence and service to Country Day, the Athletics Hall of Honor has been reignited! This resurgence builds upon the legacy of the initial inductions in 1998–99 and 2003–04, when the Athletics Hall of Honor welcomed its inaugural classes.

Director of Athletics Masanori Toguchi expresses, “From conversations since my arrival here, I began to understand the depth of legacy at Country Day. These particular teams,

student-athletes, and coaches have left such an indelible mark on the foundation of our community and our athletics program and deserve the highest recognition. In tandem with honoring them, the revival of the Hall of Honor provides deeper connection within our community and our alumni.”

Supported by Country Day’s Advancement and Athletics Offices, the Athletics Hall of Honor Committee, spearheaded by Chair Kelly Walton Miller ’90 and Co-Chairs Luke Blythe ’96 and Brad Touma, has thoroughly devised a comprehensive plan. This plan focuses on establishing a sustainable process, including nomination criteria and the selection process, and realizes a physical and archival space. This space will house individual and team accomplishments, memorabilia, digital information, and additional branding to serve as a source of pride and connection for alumni while also acting

as a source of inspiration for current and future students.

With the rekindling of the Athletics Hall of Honor, there is a communal hope that this endeavor will not only celebrate the achievements of the past but also serve as a catalyst to elevate our Athletics program to new heights. The revitalization induction class(es) will coincide with our 2024 Fall Homecoming events (stay tuned for dates).

Our community continues to rally behind fundraising efforts to ensure the feasibility of the Athletics Hall of Honor physical space. Support for the Athletics Hall of Honor will enhance and further brand the physical spaces within the Harris Performance Gym and the Bruton Smith Athletic Center. Additional support will allow us to

Alumni athletes, legendary coaches, committed Boosters Club presidents, and decades of generous partners who support Country Day athletics gathered in the Harris Performance Gym for an Athletics Hall of Honor Legacy Lunch.

establish an Athletics Endowment to ensure the sustainability of this initiative while supporting the Hall of Honor and athletics program for years to come.

In honoring the legacy of athletic excellence, the revival of the Athletics Hall of Honor not only pays tribute to the past but also lays a foundation for a vibrant future. The spirit, camaraderie, and commitment to excellence will continue to shape the character of Country Day’s athletic community, fostering a legacy that extends far beyond the playing fields.

Learn More

Induction into the Athletics Hall of Honor is reserved for nominees whose achievements and contributions exemplify the principles of sportsmanship and character as expounded in the school’s philosophy and guidelines. To learn about the Athletics Hall of Honor, including the nominating process, please visit charlottecountryday.org/ alumni/hall-of-honor. For questions or information about the Athletics Hall of Honor fundraising or process, please contact Director of Leadership Giving Spencer Clair ’09 at spencer.clair@charlottecountryday.org or 704-943-4540.

Kelly Walton Miller ’90

Kelly’s deep connection to Country Day and commitment to service is evident— from growing up on the baseball field with her dad Coach Ed Walton to attending countless Country Day sporting events watching her sons Connor ’21, Owen ’24, and Pierce ’28. Her intimate understanding of the heartbeat of our parent volunteer community through her leadership as chair for Big Saturday, the Alumni Council, and various Boosters Club roles uniquely positions her to appreciate the mission and role athletics plays at Country Day. Kelly’s leadership has harnessed that very spirit and commitment to service to help lead the effort to revive Country Day’s Athletics Hall of Honor.

Alumni Matters

Welcoming Bucs back on campus and hearing updates about your lives fosters connections and builds community.

#BucsBackonCampus Michael Stutts ’98 delivered the very first copy of his book to history teacher and coach Brad Touma. As Michael shared with our senior class, his hope for There’s No Room Service at the Psych Ward: From Boardroom to Breakdown and Back is to help others with their mental health journey.

College Forum

Preparedness was just one of the key themes our young alumni raised with current juniors and seniors as they shared diverse experiences with the anxiety-inducing college application process and beyond.

#BucsBackonCampus Chelsea-Starr Jones ’19 returned to the College Counseling Office, this time as an admissions ambassador for Dartmouth College. Assigned to the North Carolina territory, Chelsea-Starr shared insights and advice with our students as they embark on the college admissions process.

Homecoming Alumni Tailgate Alumni and their families enjoyed food and fellowship, connected with lifelong friends, coaches, and teachers; recognized state championship teams from the ’3’s; and cheered on the Bucs to victory. Original Pink Posse members Clary Hilliard Gray ’00 and Liz Verhagen Houston ’00 joined forces with our current Pink Posse seniors for an unforgettable moment of shared spirit!

#BucsBackonCampus Cam Fagan ’23 (Indiana University), Derrick Boskie ’23 (University of Missouri), Johnathan Hicks ’21 (North Carolina Central University), Billy Bossong ’21 (Clemson University), Kimai McPhee ’20 (Scripps College), Mikenna Williams ’23 (South Carolina State University), Linde Fonville ’22 (Yale University), Michael Woodard ’23 (Appalachian State University)

Jonathan Woog ’98, Chelsea-Starr Jones ’19, Drew Witman ’06

#BucsinBiz Eric Law ’76,

director of Promising Pages, partners with Lower School teachers on service learning opportunities for our students. Most recently, he took part in Fourth-Grade Bingo Night, which resulted in hundreds of books for Promising Pages to deliver to underserved communities.

Madame Eldredge’s French classes.

#BucsinBiz Co-Founder and director of Blue Marble Henry Davis ’14 facilitated a session with our student-athletes to address the importance of mental and emotional health.

#BucsBigDeals Madison Letts ’15 wrote I Don’t Want You to Regret Anything, an incredibly vulnerable self-portrait of life, death, grief, love, regret, and adolescence relayed with poignancy and humor. English 12 classes read her debut memoir and Madison joined our students in the classroom and recorded a podcast in our studio.

English Department

Chair Mike Roark with Madison Letts ’15

Alumni Vs. Alumni Thanksgiving Basketball Game

Over 20 alumni dusted off the old sneakers for our annual post-Thanksgiving Day Alumni vs. Alumni basketball game.

#BucsBound Sammy Ferris ’18 (left) and Brooks Riley ’18 (right) reunited with Upper School French teacher Béatrice Eldredge in Paris, France, this summer. Subsequently, Sammy visited campus to recount her experiences to

executive

ALUMNIgiving back

Scenes from Campus and the 2023–24 School Year

Kristin Sturges Hair ’95

Parents’ Association President

GOne of the special aspects of our Country Day community is when our graduates come back as parents at the school. We are fortunate that many Country Day alumni are making a significant impact on our campus experience today through their service and leadership. We could easily fill the following pages with numerous volunteer spotlights. Below we highlight a few!

rowing up, Kristin Sturges Hair ’95 vividly remembers her mother Claudia Sturges serving Charlotte Country Day School as a volunteer. Claudia volunteered in a variety of capacities including as Big Saturday chair during the 1986–87 school year and as president of the Parents’ Association in 1991–92.

Witnessing her mother’s commitment to school service inspired Kristin to also give back to Country Day. As a young alumna, Kristin became involved with her reunions, alumni phonathons, and our Young Alumni Selwyn Society.

Most recently, Kristin has served in a variety of leadership roles that include serving as chair of the Middle School Country Day Fund, Lower School Parents’ Association Board, and co-chairing the April 2022 All-School Celebration and Auction.

This year, we are fortunate to have Kristin’s strong and steady leadership as president of the Parents’ Association— 33 years after her mother served in that very role.

Kristin and her husband Sean are the parents of Wesley and Everett ’26 and Ivey ’30.

Sammy Hood ’96 Trustee

At Country Day, Alumni Relations falls under the umbrella of all-school Advancement. Sammy Hood ’96 currently serves not only as a member of the school’s Board of Trustees but also as chair of the Advancement Committee of the Board.

As we continue to strengthen our alumni programming, Sammy has been an instrumental partner in our Bucs Together Days of Giving and overall alumni efforts.

Sammy and his wife Jane were also the inaugural chairs of our Fall in for Country Day Fund efforts. They championed a condensed Annual Fund drive for our parents and set this new approach up for success.

Sammy got his start volunteering for Country Day as a young alum in 2010 through our Young Alumni Selwyn Society efforts.

Sammy and Jane are the parents to William ’28, Katherine ’30, and Eleanor ’32.

Amanda Harry Stauffer ’94

All-School Celebration and Auction Co-Chair

Every two years, the Parents’ Association All-School Celebration and Auction is an opportunity for our parents, faculty, and staff to come together for a fun-filled evening of delicious food and drinks, dancing, and bidding in support of our school. This year, Amanda Harry Stauffer ’94, alongside her co-chair Megan Klein, pulled off a magical night in our new Harris Performance Gym. Amanda and Megan tirelessly planned for over 18 months and ultimately 700 attendees raised over $200,000 for the school.

However, the success of the event was no surprise! Amanda is no stranger to hard work having chaired Big Saturday during the pandemic with several starts and stops (and serving as chair for three years until we could safely host!)—Amanda and her co-chair Erin Cook planned and executed a great event in April of 2022.

Amanda and her husband Chuck have also served on the Country Day Fund Parent Cabinet, chairing the Middle School Division in 2023–24.

They are the parents to Charlie ’27, Anna Keels ’28, and Witt ’31.

Each year in athletics, program heads work hard to outfit the best coaching staff they can at each level of the program. In many cases, we rely on off-campus coaches to bring their energy and knowledge of the game to our programs. In a few cases, coaches are lucky to bring on an alum who spent their days at Country Day on the same field or court. For Coach Brad Touma and his lacrosse program, hitting the jackpot is an understatement. Jeff Pilon ’92 came back to the program in 2011 to volunteer on the Varsity Lacrosse staff. For 13 years, Jeff has been a staple in our coaching community and as a parent of children at Country Day.

“One of the highlights of my career at Country Day is the opportunity that I have been afforded to not only work with tremendous families, but because of my longevity, to now have the opportunity to teach and coach my former athlete’s children,” says Coach Touma. “It is so gratifying to coach alongside Jeff Pilon for the past 13 years, and to now be able to share this experience with his son Jack, who is a junior on the team. Sharing the sideline with Jeff, who lived our mission of Family, Faith, Academics in the early 90s, makes such a meaningful connection for our student-athletes.”

Jeff Pilon ’92 Lacrosse Coach

Alumni Matters

2023–24 Alumni Council

The 2023–24 Alumni Council has been hard at work, bringing many meaningful events and engagement opportunities to our community this year as well as strategic planning for the Country Day Alumni infrastructure’s future. We are extremely grateful to this group for volunteering their time to be advocates for Country Day on and off campus.

Executive Committee

Lee Norelli Pedersen ’04: President

Hayes Ashcraft ’06: President-Elect

Matt McAulay ’01: Past President

Drew Witman ’06: Director of Alumni Relations

Standing Committee Chairs

Alumni Weekend: Ben Dobson ’99

BIPOC: Eric Law ’76, Earl McLaurin ’10

Country Day Fund: Clary Hilliard Gray ’00

Faculty Reps: Patsy Ratterree (Retired), Brad Touma (Current)

Homecoming /Alumni Engagement: Robert Shaw ’04, John Stevenson ’06

International: Sebastian Ekberg ’06

Student-Body Reps: Alex Connors ’24, Senior Class President;

Alston Murphy ’24, Student Body President

Student Engagement: Ivan Mothershead ’03, Matt McLanahan ’01

Young Alumni: Megan Schlernitzauer ’14, Wake Hamilton ’11

At-Large Members

Robbie Branstrom Adams ’06

Frank Adams ’06

Mary Claire Blanchat Anderson ’12

John Ash ’09

Leah Andress Brady ’08

Betsy Bryan Pitts Mandl ’09

Rebecca Adams Starrs ’09

Caroline McGuire Winslett ’04

Anne Howard Dooley Wright ’08

MEMORIALS

As we become aware of the passing of our alumni, former faculty, and special friends, we continue to share tributes and memorials in our monthly Alumni Newsletter sent via e-mail. Our condolences and hearts remain with the family and friends of those listed below.

Bill Broadway ’85

Wayland Henry Cato ’67

Reid Harkey Jr. ’81

Mayreese Koraly

Cackie Morrow ’09

Brian A. O’Leary

Deborah D. Pacetti

Anderson Page ’92

Our sincerest hope is to honor and remember the passing of alumni and former faculty respectfully and accurately. Kindly share updates to alumni@charlottecountryday.org

A ROUND-UP OF FUN FACTS EVERY BUC MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW.

Kindness

550+

600+

Lower School students visited Weddington Farm to celebrate the holiday season with fun and festive activities, while also participating in service projects benefiting local organizations.

25+

Parent Education events covering a wide range of topics for parents of students in all grades.

10,000

Toothpicks used by 80 physics students to design and construct 29 sturdy and efficient truss bridge structures that could carry a load at least 20 times its own weight.

700

parents, faculty, and staff attended the 2024 biennial Parents’ Association Celebration and Auction held on Cannon Campus.

rocks written by Middle School students to help spread kindness on Bissell Campus.