KO Fall Magazine 2016

FALL ’16 Introducing Full-Year Coverage of School and Alumni News 2015-16

A Remarkable Gift

Jane Roberts leaves $3.5 Million to KO for Financial Aid

1 Letter from the head of school

34 Varsity sports winter ‘15

2 Largest Gift in School History

36 Varsity sports spring ‘15

6 Commencement 2015

38 Varsity sports fall ‘15

8 Commencement 2016

40 Varsity sports winter ‘16

10 school news

42 Varsity sports spring ‘16

18 Advancement

44 KO Athletes – Five Championships

24 Reunion classes by the 0s and 5s

50 Class notes

26 Reunion classes by the 1s and 6s

65 Weddings/bib babies

28 Athletic Hall of Fame '15 and ‘16

67 In memoriam

32 Varsity sports fall ‘14

TABLE OF CONTENTS Did I Miss an Issue?

A Note about the Publication Schedule of KO Magazine Some members of the KO community have expressed concern about the publication schedule of KO Magazine over the past few years, last published in April 2015. Some wondered if they had missed receiving an issue, or if perhaps we had decided to stop publishing the magazine altogether.

The ensuing 15 months have been among the busiest and most exciting in the school’s history, including the 2020 Vision campus improvement plan and as a result, the publication of the magazine kept getting pushed back in order to include “just one more” important story.

In the meantime, to accommodate alums’ understandable eagerness to keep up with classmates’ personal and professional lives, we “published” an electronic version of the Class Notes in September 2015. This was emailed to all those for whom we have email addresses; if you would like to receive any future eNotes (or any other email from KO), please send your email address to Meghan Kurtich in the Advancement Office (kurtich.m@kingswoodoxford.org). The eNotes also appear on the web site, in the Communications & Marketing section of “About Us.” In order to get back on track, the magazine’s editorial board decided to “close” this issue this mid July. Thus, this ’16 issue of KO Magazine will cover a long period – from Apr. 1, 2015, through the most recent graduation and reunion – and may seem full of “old news.”

Moving forward, the magazine will be published more predictably once a year in the early fall and cover all the remarkable happenings on campus throughout the year as well as updates from our alumni. We deeply regret the interruption in the timeliness of KO Magazine, a publication that is clearly beloved to alumni and a critically important communications and marketing tool for the school today. Please know that we are grateful for readers’ feedback and take it very much to heart. We hope you will continue to share your news, your photos, and your feelings about KO!

contact information

Editor: Jackie Pisani, Director of Communications & Marketing Contributors: Elizabeth Fahy Bellingrath ’78, Meghan Kurtich, Rob Kyff, Michelle Murphy

Please direct inquiries or general comments to Jackie Pisani, Director of Communications & Marketing (pisani.j@kingswoodoxford.org); Class Notes or obituary information to Meghan Kurtich, Assistant Director of Annual Giving (kurtich.m@kingswoodoxford.org); and address changes to Jennifer Faubert (faubert.j@kingswoodoxford.org)

Graphic Design: Ford Folios Inc. Printing: Allied Printing Services, Inc.

Kingswood Oxford School, 170 Kingswood Road West Hartford, CT 06119; 860-233-9631 www.kingswoodoxford.org

Photo Credits: Seshu Badrinath, Clay Miles, David B. Newman ’80

Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy As to Students Kingswood Oxford School admits students of any race, color, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

KO Magazine is published by Kingswood Oxford School. © 2016 by Kingswood Oxford School Inc. All rights reserved.

letter from the head of school Dennis Bisgaard addressed the crowd of 500 plus students, faculty, staff and parents with a meaningful message about the power of community at the opening Convocation.

Identity, Permanence and Belonging Our cover story celebrates the gift of Jane Wardell Roberts, the largest gift in our school’s history earmarked for financial aid. As we laude Jane Roberts’ and her husband’s generosity, I cherish that their gift is truly a narrative of belonging and permanence. Jane on several occasions remarked to me that her husband, Kenneth DeWitt Roberts ’34, felt that his years at Kingswood were among his most formative and significant in shaping who he became, in forming his adult identity. No doubt exists that the School, teachers, friends, and learning itself all imprinted themselves in Roberts’ life journey. His profound sense of connection to the place that helped shape him and his wife’s generous gift on his behalf ensure that his legacy will never leave KO. Their far-sighted vision will allow many more KO students to find their path and place in the world, just as Roberts did.

I recently became a US citizen and went through an emotional swearing-in ceremony at the federal building in downtown Hartford. As many of you in the KO community know, my own path and place in the world is somewhat unexpected: when my mother passed away and I was adopted at age nine, my middle and last names were replaced with my Danish adoptive parents’ last name, making me Dennis Bisgaard. I was born in Germany, became a Danish citizen at age 11 and now more than 40 years later am a dual Danish and American citizen. Needless to say, based on the above complexity made for an interesting interview for my U.S. naturalization test this July. As an adoptee who has had to take on several identities along the way, identity, belonging and permanence are particularly important to me, as they were to Kenneth Roberts.

Kingswood Oxford alumni for the past century know about identity, belonging, permanence and making a profound difference. And today’s students are forging their own identity as they explore their passions, their growing edges, their leadership skills and their sense of place as change agents for the better in our often much too complex and confusing world. I so enjoy to witness firsthand the journey our students navigate from Upper Prep through Form 6 when they are ready to take on college and life far beyond. KO’s 2020 Vision, including our updated branding honoring our past yet masterfully reimagining our bright and improved future, will allow KO alumni of tomorrow to shine as brightly and make a difference in the world like alumni generations before them. Seeds were planted and cultivated many years ago, yet Kenneth Roberts ’34 knew he could permanently influence the future, which to us is today and tomorrow.

Lastly, I want to express my sincerest gratitude for the 16 years of service to the Board of Avery Rockefeller III, serving as Board President from 2011-2016. We were incredibly fortunate to have his insight and expertise as he helped guide the school’s mission and strategic direction.

I welcome I. Bradley Hoffman ’78 to the position as Board Chair, and I am very confident in his stewardship of KO.

Dennis Bisgaard Head of School

170 Kingswood Road West Hartford, CT 06119-1430 T 860.233.9631

www.kingswoodoxford.org

KO SUMMER 2016

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Jane Roberts Leaves $3.5 Million to KO

Largest Gift in School History Is Earmarked for Financial Aid When Jane Wardwell Roberts of New Hampshire passed last year at age 90, she left Kingswood Oxford an extraordinary $3.5 million – the single largest donation in school history.

The widow of Kenneth DeWitt Roberts ’34, Mrs. Roberts included KO in her will to honor a commitment made by her husband in gratitude for “the stellar education” he said he received at Kingswood School, which he credited for his professional success.

“Ken strongly believed that he would not have performed nearly as well in college had he not attended Kingswood, and that his years at the school were among his most formative,” Mrs. Roberts said in the Summer 2010 issue of KO Magazine.

KO received the first $1.5-million installment of the gift, which is earmarked entirely for financial aid, in December 2015. The balance will be paid in installments to follow.

“The Trustees are very appreciative of the enormous generosity of Kenneth and Jane Roberts,” said Avery Rockefeller, Chair of the KO Board of Trustees from 2011-16.

“This single gift represents a 14% increase in the school’s endowment, and it’s especially meaningful that it will go toward tuition assistance.”

A graduate of MIT, Roberts made his living as an engineer and sought-after author, professor, and book publisher. He and Jane Wardwell married in 1965, and the couple moved to New Hampshire in 1970, where they lived for the rest of their lives.

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Kenneth Roberts passed in 2000, and Jane Roberts passed on Feb. 10, 2015.

Head of School Dennis Bisgaard and his wife Monica visited with Mrs. Roberts a number of times after he became Head at KO, the most recent being six months before her death.

“She was lively, had a sharp mind, and a wonderful, dry sense of humor,” Bisgaard recalled. “She was a delight to be with.”

Thoughtful Planned Giving to Help “Pay It Forward”

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The Roberts’ generosity to KO actually began in the 1980s, when they established the Kenneth and Jane Roberts Scholarship to ensure that finances did not prevent “talented and deserving students” from experiencing KO’s “exceptional academic opportunities,” Mrs. Roberts told KO Magazine.

“Ken himself had been on a scholarship at Kingswood,” said Bisgaard. “He and Jane were always strong supporters of financial aid.”

And, they embraced the idea of paying it forward. “When we were young, people took chances on us,” Mrs. Roberts said. “So later on in life, we felt it was time to take chances on others.”

Her unprecedented bequest will help ensure what she called the “future of excellence and opportunities at KO,” which was important to her and her husband.

“Mrs. Roberts’ gift clearly demonstrates the impact one can have by joining the Nicholson-Martin Society,” said Brad Hoffman ’78, who became Board chair in May 2016 and who is himself a member of the Society.

“A simple step of planned giving makes it possible for an individual to affect many future generations of Kingswood Oxford students,” he added. (See sidebar for how you can make an impact through a planned gift to KO, or visit www.kingswoodoxford.org/plannedgiving. For more detailed information contact Stephanie McQueen in Advancement at 860-727-5028.)

Meaningful Ways Your Estate Impacts KO

Making a planned gift can be a satisfying and rewarding way to show your support and appreciation for Kingswood Oxford while also achieving your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals. In some cases you may actually increase the size of your estate and/or reduce the tax burden on your heirs by making a planned gift to KO.

Bequest Gifts from Your Will

Through a provision in your will, you can gift KO a percentage of your estate, a percentage of what remains after other gifts are made, a specific amount of money or an items (property, art, etc.). Known as bequests, they are the simplest and most common planned giving vehicles.

Bequests are fully deductible for estate tax purposes.

Charitable Gift Annuity

A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a gift that provides an income stream.

In exchange for a gift of cash or securities, KO agrees to provide fixedincome payments to you and/or another person for life. Up to two people can receive income from KO through CGA. With such a gift, you can receive an income tax deduction in the year the gift is made. With a CGA, you can also avoid capital gains taxes. The balance of the gift is ultimately retained by KO to be used for the charitable purpose you specify.

Charitable Remainder Trust

A charitable remainder trust (CRT) also provides beneficiaries with life income but with a greater degree of flexibility. A CRT is individually managed by a designated trustee and is established to meet your goals.

The trust is created with your gift of cash, securities or other property.

You and your beneficiary receive income from the trust. You claim an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of your gift. Like the CGA, the balance of a CRT is ultimately made available to KO for the charitable purpose you specify.

Charitable Lead Trust

In many ways, a charitable lead trust (CLT) is the mirror image of a CRT. Income from the trust is paid to KO for a certain number of years. At the end of the period, assets are either returned to you (grantor CLT) or are transferred to someone else (non-grantor CLT). A non-grantor CLT lets you make a significant gift to KO and pass on assets to your heirs in a way that can substantially reduce your estate tax and gift tax burdens.

A grantor CLT arrangement allows you to receive an income tax deduction for payments made to KO.

Because Ken Roberts ’34 and Jane Wardwell Roberts believed strongly in the idea of paying it forward, they designated their bequest entirely for financial aid. “When we were young, people took chances on us,” Mrs. Roberts said. “So later on in life, we felt it was time to take chances on others.”

KO SUMMER 2016

For more information visit www.kingswoodoxford.org/plannedgiving or contact Stephanie McQueen in Advancement at mcqueen.s@kingswoodoxford.org.

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“An Educator at Heart” Jane Wardwell Roberts grew up in Milford, CT, and enrolled in Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. While she was a student there, she lived at the YWCA, working as many as three jobs at a time to support herself.

After graduating in 1950, she moved to New York City and worked as a group leader in a settlement house, and later as the director of a Girl Scout camp and waterfront director of a YWCA camp. She then moved to Chicago, where she served as a group worker for the Jane Addams’ Hull House, an organization that provided social and educational opportunities for children of recent immigrants.

In 1961, Mrs. Roberts wrote and illustrated 10 Cent Crafts for Kids, which was published and reprinted several times by the Association Press of New York. She earned a Master’s in Education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and she then taught middle and high school English and history in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

“We used to trade teaching stories, and I could tell from the projects and activities she did with her students long, long ago that she was clearly ahead of her time,” said Bisgaard. “She was an educator at heart.”

After moving to NH, Jane Roberts opened a 19th-century print shop, where she collected antique printing presses and type – one of her lifelong interests.

She was also very active in the Fitzwilliam, NH, community where she and her husband spent most of their lives; from 1970-2013, she served on the Monadnock Regional School District Budget Committee, the Fitzwilliam Newsletter, and the Zoning Board of Adjustment, for many years as its chairman.

“She truly was a remarkable individual who defied age, read widely, and was engaged in local politics, always trying to help and improve things around her,” added Bisgaard.

Kenneth Roberts Kingswood Class of ’34 Back row, far right Dennis and Monica Bisgaard visited Jane Roberts in New Hampshire a number of times after they joined the KO community in 2006.

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The School would like to recognize the following retiring Board members who have worked tirelessly in support of KO’s mission: Laura Estes P ’98, Laurie Goldsmith P ’11, ’13, ’17, Bret Maffett ’68, P ’02, ’06, Avery Rockefeller III P ’00, ’02, Ashley Washburn P ’08, ’10, ’12, ’15

Nicholson-Martin Society Members William J. Aberizk David W. Ames ’62 Florence Hastings Andrews ’42 + Anonymous (3) Graham Anthony + Walter S. Bailey ’80 Fred W. Barhoff ’48 Mary S. Barnard + Peter J. Berry Richard F. Berry ’59 William C. Boardman ’39 + George G. Bower ’82 James Boyd + Brewster B. Boyd ’63 Robert P. Bradley ’75 Howard W. Brayton ’30 + V. C. Brewer ’29 + Janet C. Buckingham ’85 Eleanor H. Bunce + Richard P. Carney ’57 Mary Garrett Chalfen ’45 + Richard E. Chapell ’45 + David S. Chapin ’43 + Sandra M. Chase Warren D. Chase ’32 + Harold L. Colvocoresses ’68 John A. Cope ’60 Floyd A. Couch ’45 + J. D. Creedon ’47 + Richard S. Cuda Edward H. Deming ’43 + Virginia Denne ’42 Margaret Dewing ’34 + Cornelia Wilde Dickinson ’45 Rodger H. Dickinson ’43 + Richard G. Dimock Beverly Beach Eaton ’38 + George L. Estes ’67 Laura R. Estes Matthew Felson ’77 Francis T. Fenn ’33 + Carlos M. Fetterolf ’44 + Patrick J. Flaherty ’51 Benedict D. Flynn ’72 Elizabeth Bower Foley ’85 Kenneth L. Frank ’76

KO SUMMER 2016

Robert M. Furek Christopher G. Gent Diane Adinolfi Gent ’72 Karen Koury Gifford ’62 Barbara Godard ’48 Dorothy C. Goodwin ’33 + Ellsworth S. Grant ’35 + Virginia Tuttle Grant ’35 + Helen Gray Richard C. Hastings ’40 + Winthrop A. Haviland ’36 + Stephen B. Hazard J. Gregory Hickey ’47 Alyce F. Hild I. Bradley Hoffman ’78 Lucy Eaton Holcombe ’42 + Frederick B. Hollister ’75 Burton L. How ’47 Mary Jeanne Anderson Jones ’52 Nancy Brayton Krieble ’33 + Robert A. Lazear + Dorothy R. Lazear + Caroline Benner Leech ’38 + Paul A. Lewis Thomas D. Lips Michael D. Lipton James B. Lyon ’48 Bruce W. Manternach ’33 + Richard C. Marvin ’77 Nicholas B. Mason ’63 Wilbert E. McClellan ’37 + William M. McCormick ’58 John F. McDermott ’47 + E. M. McDonough ’51 Martin F. McGrath ’56 + Henry R. McLane ’53 Katherine McLane + Adam Meikle Charles W. Merrels ’40 Stephanie K. Michalczyk ’61 Maria Molori Marjorie Murphy Morrissey ’29 + John W. Moses ’63 John D. Murphy ’30 + Robert H. Murphy ’32 + Elliott A. Murray ’30 +

Arnold M. Nemirow ’61 Francis P. Pandolfi ’61 Edith Wilcock Patrick ’56 Louise Galt Pease ’50 + Agnes S. Peelle William R. Peelle ’01 Samuel G. Peelle ’03 Ann Coolidge Randall ’73 Edgar M. Reed ’65 Jane Ribadeneyra ’83 Sali Godard Riege ’43 Heidi Eddy Riggs ’65 Susan S. Roach ’61 + Kenneth D. Roberts + Jane W. Roberts + Ruth Grier Robinson ’49 + Patricia Rosoff + Mary Eddy Schlesinger ’34 + G. W. Seawright ’59 Thomas E. Senf ’58 + Mabel Cheney Smith ’34 + Brenda K. Sommers + Esther L. Spafard ’50 Henry M. Spencer ’36 + W. H. Spencer ’32 + Henry W. Spring ’43 + Karin A. Stahl Roger H. Stephenson ’56 Roxanne Richards Stringer ’54 Brenda J. Sullivan Les R. Tager Ann Beecher Underwood ’42 Donald J. Viering ’38 + Elisa L. Villa Francis L. Wadsworth USN (Ret) ’47 Raycroft Walsh ’41 + Alden Y. Warner ’76 Ruth Smith Washburn Nancy S. Watters ’64 Dotha Seaverns Welbourn ’36 + Paula Whitney John A. Wilson ’56 Martin Wolman Nancie Woodford-Cain James Woods ’59

We are deeply grateful for their service.

Board of Trustees

Trustees Emeriti

Ricardo Berckemeyer P ’19, ’21, ’22 Dennis Bisgaard P ’16, ’22, Head of School Heather Clifford P ’17, ’19 Mark D. Conrad ’96 Christopher G. Gent P ’03, ’08 Joseph R. Gianni ’78, P ’14, ’14 Jeffrey S. Gitlin ’85, P ’11, ’13, ’17 Derek P. Green ’81 J. Douglas Harris ’77 I. Bradley Hoffman ’78, Chair Gilbert E. Keegan III ’88 Frederick J. Krieble ’91, P ’19, ’21 Jean C. LaTorre P ’12, ’14, ’17, Treasurer Paul A. Lewis P ’05 Patrick J. Maloney P ’11, ’14, ’16 Bruce A. Mandell ’82, Vice Chair Ann Coolidge Randall ’73, P ’13, Secretary Michael J. Reilly P ’04, ’08 Marc T. Shafer ’75, P ’08, ’15, ’17 Lori Satell Wetsman ’85, P ’12, ’15 Paula Whitney P ’02, ’04, ’06, ’07 Lew K. Wise P ’94, ’00 Keith J. Wolff ’91, P ’20 Mark Wolman P ’16, ’17, ’19

Sherry Banks-Cohn ’54, P ’78, ’82 Thomas J. Collamore ’77 Allen V. Collins P ’75, ’79, ’82, ’88 Richard S. Cuda P ’79, ’80 George L. Estes III ’67, P ’98 Frederick S. (Fritz) Farquahar ’59, P ’83, ’86 Robert M. Furek P ’96, ’99 Karen K. Gifford ’62 Marilyn Glover P ’05, ’07, ’11 William H. Goldfarb ’64 J. Gregory Hickey Sr. ’47, P ’73, ’75, GP ’04 Alyce F. Hild P ’80, ’82, ’91, GP ’07, ’11, ’14 Lance L. Knox ’62 Eileen S. Kraus P ’84, ’95 Thomas D. Lips P ’93 James B. Lyon, Esq. ’48 E. Merritt McDonough ’51, P ’79, ’81 Agnes S. Peelle P ’01, ’03 Anne Rudder P ’68 G. William Seawright ’59 Les R. Tager P ’00, ’03 John A.T. Wilson ’56, P ’84, ’86 Martin Wolman P ’80, ’82, ’84, ’88 Joan S. Wright ’53

Head’s Advisory Council Gilbert E. Keegan III ’88 President John J. Alissi ’89 Jeffrey Azia ’89 Eric D. Batchelder ’89 William C. Bigler ’80, P ’05, ’09, ’13 Sarah Whitney Blanchard ’87 Jay M. Botwick ’76, P ’04 Brewster B. Boyd ’63 John M. Budds ’56 Andrew M. Chapman ’73 Lynn Mather Charette ’82, P ’14, ’18 Jessica Hild Collins ’91 James W. Eatherton ’79, P ’11, ’14 Eric D. Eddy ’93 Robert M. Elliott II ’91 Scott C. Farrell ’91 Lee A. Gold ’90, P ’23 James Goldberg ’76 Gregory A. Hayes ’80 Charna Bortman Kaufman ’85, P ’14, ’17, ’20

Laurie & Michael J. Maulucci P ’03, ’05 Tyler B. Polk ’99 Ann Coolidge Randall ’73, P ’13 Alison H. Rosenthal ’94 Mary Pallotti Russell ’73, P ’06, ’09 Robert S. Sarkasian ’84 Andrew G. Satell ’79 Glenn M. Shafer ’85, P ’20 Stacey L. Silver ’91 Saeed O. Singletary ’92 Harold A. Smullen Jr. P ’10 William J. Stack Jr. ’72, P ’07, ’11, ’12 Meredith Maffett Taylor ’06 Faith McGauley Whitman ’86 Holly & F. Scott Wilson P ’06, ’09 Keith J. Wolff ’91, P ’20, ’23 Carla Do Nascimento Zahner ’97

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COMMENCEMENT 2015

Class of ’15 Graduates on Picture-Perfect Day

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The 91 members of the Class of ’15 graduated from Kingswood Oxford on a picture-perfect May 22, 2015 – the first outdoor commencement since 2011.

“The senior class has waited patiently for four years to have its graduation outside on the Senior Green,” said Head of School Dennis Bisgaard. “In fact, this is the first time it has happened since they entered the Upper School! Class of 2015, I am glad your wish came true. Today is the perfect day.”

In keeping with KO tradition, the seniors chose a faculty member – math teacher and Form 3 Dean William Gilyard – to deliver the commencement address. Having come to KO the same year the seniors did, Gilyard said he felt a particular connection to the Class of ’15. In his speech to this remarkably successful group, he chose to focus on failure – pointing out that taking risks and making mistakes are the keys to self-discovery. “Failure can give you the opportunity to examine the gap between who you are now and who your authentic self can be,” he said.

Nine members of the Class of ’15 had parents or grandparents who also graduated from KO. Robert Scappaticci received the “Dux Prize,” awarded to the senior with the highest GPA for the year, during the Prize Assembly on May 19. The class included a National Merit Scholar, Julianne DeAngelo of Weatogue, and nine National Merit Commended students. And, the Class of ’15 included eight students who plan to play sports in college, including two – Sharrieff Grice and Melissa Lord – who were headed to Division 1 programs.

In his final charge to the new alumni, Bisgaard encouraged the group to continue on the paths they’d begun at KO. “Do your part to make this a better world, to reach out and lend a helping hand, to do a random act of kindness, and to use your power to be a change agent for the common good,” he said. “I know you will succeed individually, but true success, I believe, is to do good and bring along as many individuals as you can in that success.”

The Class of ’15 chose Math teacher Will Gilyard, far left, who came to KO when they did, to deliver the commencement address.

For more photos and a complete list of graduates and the schools to which they were accepted, visit www.kingswoodoxford.org/classof15.

The future looks bright for the Class of ’15 – the first to graduate outside since 2011.

KO SUMMER 2016

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COMMENCEMENT 2016

Graduation ’16

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Exhorted to always be “yes” people, the 96 members of the Class of ’16 graduated on May 27 in front of a sea of family, friends, faculty, and staff in an upbeat ceremony on the Senior Green.

Head of School Dennis Bisgaard said this year’s celebration was especially meaningful for him personally, since his son, Nicolas, was among the graduates.

“Class of ’16, we’ve seen you, and we’ve known you,” he said. “We saw your efforts, we saw your strengths, we saw your tenacity ... We saw you working hard, we saw your spirit. Today, we see the pride in your parents’ eyes, and we see the hope in your eyes,” he continued. “We see your futures.

And gathered here, we celebrate you.”

The seniors chose math teacher and Theater Director Josh Feder, who’s taught at KO for three years but is leaving to pursue graduate work, to deliver the commencement address. He urged the graduates to be “yes” people.

“As you all go out into the world, I encourage you, no, I charge you, to be YES people,” he said.

“When you are working toward any sort of goal – in a social relationship, a work environment, or personal growth – keep saying YES as you continue down your path. There are so many NO people in the world; don’t be one of them!”

About one-third of the class graduated with honors. This year, two students – Ben Sullivan of Longmeadow, MA, and Benjamin Waldman of West Hartford – received the “Dux Prize,” awarded to the seniors with the highest GPA for the year, during the Prize Assembly on May 24. Sullivan and Waldman were also National Merit Finalists; the class included three National Merit Commended Students, as well. Eight members of the Class of ’16 had parents or grandparents who also graduated from KO. And interestingly, there were four sets of twins among the graduates. The Class of ’16 also includes 19 students who plan to play sports in college, including five who are headed to Division 1 programs.

In his final charge to the new alumni, Bisgaard reminded the students that all of them – regardless of whether they made headlines during their years at KO – had been known and loved while they were students and would always be welcomed back with open arms.

“There are so many reasons to have great Wyvern pride in every one of you,” he said. “But how do we recognize the one who has not yet run cheering across the turf, celebrating victory? How do we cheer the one who has quietly shown up, worked hard, and pushed forward? How do we recognize the level of everyday excellence, of the introvert’s intrinsic analysis and deep thinking? How do we recognize and celebrate perseverance, growth, improvement, hitting one’s stride, turning a corner?”

“When you leave here, the presence of every single one of you remains with us,” he continued.

“You don’t need to hoist a trophy in the air, hit that final shot in overtime, or earn the perfect SAT score. Class of ’16, we see you. We know you. And we will always be here for you.”

Head of School Dennis Bisgaard, outgoing Board Chair Avery Rockefeller III (center) and incoming Board Chair Brad Hoffman ’78 enjoy remarks from math teacher and Theater Director Josh Feder, chosen by seniors as their commencement speaker.

For more photos and a complete list of graduates and the schools to which they were accepted, visit www.kingswoodoxford.org/classof16.

Eight members of the Class of ’16 had parents or grandparents who also The Class of ’16 included four sets of twins (from left) Andrew Lemkuil, graduated from KO: (seated, from left) E. Merritt McDonough, Sr. ’51, Austin Lemkuil, Omar Hashmi, Saif Hashmi, Briana Kirton, Emily Kirton, Joseph Ravalese, Jr. ’51, Beverly Ravalese Yirigian ’80. (Middle row, Jimmy Woods, and Richard Woods. standing, from left): Benjamin Waldman ’16, Natalie McDonough ’16, Robert Udolf ’79, Dylan Udolf ’16, Robert Yirigian ’16, and Jacob Appleton ’16. (Back row, standing, from left): Keith Waldman ’75, Benjamin Steele ’16, John-Henry Steele ’81, Scott Schwartz ’76, Brittany Schwartz ’16, and Elinor Kraus ’16. (Not pictured: Peter M. Appleton ’81; Bonnie Scranton ’88, mother of Elinor Kraus; and Guy M. McDonough ’81.)

KO SUMMER 2016

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SCHOOL NEWS

Summer Camps Are for Teachers, Too

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Even veteran teachers – like English Department Chair Meg Kasprak, who’s taught at KO since 1995 – go to camp sometimes: In August 2015, she spent two weeks immersed in the study of Shakespeare at the University of Cambridge in England.

“I joke that I went to ‘Shakespeare Camp,’” said Kasprak, with a smile and a twinkle in her eye, “but the classes were amazingly rich and high-level.”

Her tuition was paid by a professional development honorarium that accompanies the ‘Edith Evans Distinguished Chair in English,’ which Kasprak was awarded in 2012 and will hold until 2017. The Chair was endowed by Nancy Brayton Krieble ’33 in honor of Evans, a long-time English teacher at Oxford School.

Taught by Cambridge professors, the courses focused on Hamlet, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Cymbeline, and A Winter’s Tale. Kasprak’s classmates included more than 100 teachers and scholars from China, Japan, India, and several other countries.

“Now, when my students talk about how difficult it is to read Shakespeare’s language, I’m going to have to tell them what it was like for many of my colleagues in this program,” she said. “For many of them, English is a second, or often third, language!”

Kasprak spent a lot of her free time in England walking the same streets and visiting the same tea houses frequented by Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, Stephen Hawking, and other British intellectuals.

“My classmates were actors, directors from screen and stage, musicians, theater enthusiasts, and teachers and amateur bardolaters of all stripes,” she said. “It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to look at the plays through the lens of their different experience, and I’m grateful for the way it enriches both my own understanding and the way I will teach Shakespeare to my students.”

English Department Chair Meg Kasprak spent two weeks at “Shakespeare Camp” at the University of Cambridge in England, thanks to a professional development honorarium endowed by Nancy Brayton Krieble ’33.

Google Ninjas Help KO “ Go Google” They met every Tuesday after school, this pioneering band of 11 Middle School technology gurus called “Google Ninjas.”

Their mission: to help the KO community – students and adults alike – understand, embrace, and effectively use all the apps and features available through Google Apps for Education (GAFE), a suite of free Google tools that KO began using in 2015.

In short, the Google Ninjas are themselves becoming technology teachers.

“We knew we had students who were so excited about using Google and, more importantly, technology,” said Ann Sciglimpaglia, Academic Dean and MS Math Department Chair, who organized and mentored the student group along with MS Spanish teacher Kate Reigeluth. “The Ninjas were developed as a way to help us with the transition of becoming a GAFE school.”

Some weeks, they created brief how-to videos – like “How to Google More Efficiently” or “How to Use Google ’Keep’ to Make To-Do Lists” – that were shown at MS assemblies and were featured in their weekly column in the Tuesday Tech Time e-newsletter, which is sent to all faculty and staff.

They also helped out at #koedchat, a tech help desk set up in the cafeteria every Tuesday during lunch. Head of School Dennis Bisgaard, one of the most enthusiastic “customers” of the help desk, tweeted about the great help he got from the Ninjas.

And they also had the chance to learn from guest speakers like Brian Bendett ’08, an analyst at Google Ventures, who met with the Ninjas during his visit to campus in spring 2016 and explained what it’s like to work at the technology giant.

Google Ventures provides seed, venture, and growth-stage funding to technology companies, and Bendett – a Cornell

Google analyst Brian Bendett ’08 gave KO’s “Google Ninjas” the inside scoop about life at the technology giant (from left): Avi Mehta ’22, Hannah Rowland ’21, George Stephan ’21, Evan Banning ’21, Zac Riley ’21, Garrett Mastella ’21, Ben Boyd ’21, and Jacob Scheinblum ’21.

University graduate – is on a team that meets with investmentseeking start-ups including Uber, Snapchat, and AirBnB. He told the Ninjas that he’d recently heard pitches from people with virtual and augmented reality ideas as well as a steady stream of potential phone apps.

Bendett gave the Ninjas the “inside scoop” on life at Google; for instance, he said that no Google employee is ever more than 150 feet away from a food source while at work!

They also learned that familiarity with computer science is critical for students seeking careers in technology, and that Google is always on the lookout for engineers.

“In 2004, Brian was a student at KO’s Middle School; now, he’s a Google Ventures employee who decides which tech startups are worth investing in,” said Reigeluth. “He showed the Google Ninjas what’s possible if they continue to pursue their interest in technology.”

Rappelling for A Cause Kingswood Oxford is always ready to reach great heights. That’s why it comes as no surprise that Head of School Dennis Bisgaard participated in the Shatterproof Challenge Rappel Hartford on Wednesday, July 27 at the Hartford Hilton along with Mark Wolman, Board and Executive Committee member and Chair of the Campus Planning Committee as well as two KO students Nicole Demers ’16 and Celia Jarmoc ’17 to raise awareness about the devastating effects of addiction. KO students Lian ’19 and Gabe ’16 Wolman fundraised enough money for the Shatterproof Challenge to sponsor the two girls.

Shatterproof’s mission is to educate the population about scourge of addiction and to address the conversation in a forthright manner. According to their website, over 22 million Americans suffer from the illness, ranking it the fourth most prevalent disease in the country. Not only does the disease impact the individual addict, but entire families can be destroyed from the fall out.

Bisgaard joined the rappel event by noting that some KO students had already embraced the challenge. Bisgaard stated, “Working in a school setting, we need to take this problem very seriously and also be proactive in shedding light on a complicated topic.”

KO SUMMER 2016

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KO Students Inducted Into Cum Laude Society

In a dignifed ceremony in Conklin Library this February 20 members of the Class of ’16 were inducted into KO’s chapter of the Cum Laude honor society.

The Cum Laude Society is a national honor society for independent schools. Founded in 1906 and modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, it comprises 382 chapters in the U.S., Canada, England, France, Spain, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. To qualify, students must be in the top 20% of the class by the end of the first semester of senior year and must have demonstrated good citizenship.

Cum Laude chapter president Dr. Ann Serow presided over the induction, reflecting on the history of the organization and praising the seniors for the academic diligence that had qualified them for acceptance.

Head of School Dennis Bisgaard congratulated the students as well, remarking that the inductees were not just scholars, but also actors, artists, athletes, and campus leaders.

Following the ceremony, the inductees and their parents, along with several faculty and staff, enjoyed dinner in Mead Dining Hall, featuring keynote speaker Caroline Chiappetti ’07.

A second-year student at Harvard Law School, Chiappetti graduated from Williams College and has worked for a number of organizations focused on civil liberties and reproductive rights.

In her thoughtful and touching remarks, Chiappetti reflected on how well KO had prepared her for college and beyond and reminisced about her own Cum Laude induction – chuckling that she never thought she’d be back nine years later at the same event, in the same location.

She concluded by encouraging the inductees to always “be critical, be creative, and be kind.”

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This year’s Cum Laude inductees are: Alexandra Banasiewicz, Edward Beerbower, Alexa Casale, Ahmad Chughtai, Emma Cowper, Alexis DeLucia, Nicholas Giamalis, Michael Hains, Sarah Kavalkovich, Evan Kelmar, Dohyung Kim, Luke Mills, Mark Sheehan, J. Benjamin Sullivan, Carter Swanson, Benjamin Waldman, Joanna Williams, John Wolf, Gabriel Wolman, Lily Wu

Students Serve Up A Savory Slice of Talent in Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd, the thrilling story of a murderous barber and the baker who gets rid of the bodies by baking them into her pies, brought music, murder and melodrama to the Roberts Theater this past February.

Set in Victorian London, the performance featured Connor O’Loughlin ’17 as Sweeney Todd, who is seeking revenge against the judge who wrongfully imprisoned him for 15 years, and is also trying to find his wife and daughter.

Along the way, Todd meets Anthony (Ricky Ferris ’16), a young sailor who has fallen in love with Todd’s daughter Johanna (Poppy Sheehan ’17). However, Johanna is being held as a ward by Judge Turpin (Tim Bucknam ’17), who has his own plans to marry her. Todd teams up with Mrs. Lovett the baker (Hayley Eicher ’16), who is in desperate need of meat for her meat pies.

The complexity of the music and transforming the KO stage into 19th-century London made Sweeney Todd one of the most ambitions and exciting theatrical performances KO has ever undertaken, said Theater Director and math teacher Josh Feder.

“The set is technically elaborate,” said Feder, who also serves as choreographer.

“It involved a giant, spinning, two-story box with special ‘slides’ to remove victims’ dead bodies, as well as a raised bridge at the rear of the stage. It’s also the most musically complex show we’ve ever done.”

More than 40 KO students, on stage and off, were part of this remarkable show.

The cast included Charlie Coxon ’19 as Tobias, Zack Herz ’18 as Beadle Bamford, Emma Cowper ’16 as the Beggar Woman, Zach Waskowicz ’19 as Pirelli, and Evan Kelmar ’16 as Jonas Fogg.

Featured chamber singers included Olivia Coxon ’19, Carolyn McCusker ’17, Gabrielle Ruban ’18, Dan Carroll ’19, David Marottolo ’18, and Bobby McCabe ’16.

Making up the ensemble were Lauren Barnes ’16, Alexandra Burke ’17, John Ezzo ’18, Shelby Fairchild ’17, Elise Gendrich ’19, Vivian Goldstein ’17, Apara Kashyap ’18, Remy McCoy ’20, Peyton Moore ’17, Mark Sheehan ’16, Janvi Sikand ’19, and James Witt ’17.

KO’s Rebecca Urrutia was the music director, Mark Kravetz was the technical director, and costume designer was Vivanna Lamb.

KO SUMMER 2016

New Faces at KO 2015

Sharon Gaskin Director of Enrollment Management Sharon Gaskin, Dean of Admissions at Elon University School of Law, was named Kingswood Oxford’s new Director of Enrollment Management and began work in August 2015.

Gaskin, a native of North Carolina, holds a BA in French and Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a JD from Campbell University School of Law in Raleigh.

From 2007-14, she held positions of increasing responsibility at Elon’s law school, which opened in 2006. In addition to reviewing applications and interviewing candidates, Gaskin also introduced processes that reduced paper and increased efficiency; managed strategic planning; developed enrollment and retention models; created prospective student events; and increased the school’s social media presence.

And, she was influential in boosting the diversity of Elon’s student body by more than 100% over three years. She was often tapped as a speaker at national law school admissions conferences.

“Sharon brings an impressive, unique, and versatile background as well as exceptional leadership to our already strong admissions office, and at a wonderful moment, as we began the 20152016 school year at full capacity,” said Head of School Dennis Bisgaard. “I am thrilled that she has joined the KO family.”

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Middle School Students Gain Global Perspective with U.N. Visit When the Upper Prep traveled to New York City this past March to visit the United Nations, they were greeted and escorted by a very special host: fellow Wyvern Anthony Banbury ’82, the UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for Field Support.

Most recently, Banbury had been overseeing the UN’s efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola across Africa; over the past decade, he was Director of the World Food Programme, which led humanitarian relief programs across the globe.

During their visit, the students also met with UN officials from several other divisions, including Fatima Khan of the World Health Organization, Lena Savelli from the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, and Frank Schroeder, a member of the Secretary-General’s Climate Change Support Team.

The students participated in discussions about a number of timely topics, including Syrian refugees, global warming, and world health issues.

The field trip was part of an interdisciplinary project called Passport to our World, in which students immerse themselves in the study of a specific country and then present what they’ve learned to an audience. The project culminates with a Model UN activity, in this case, the trip to NYC. “The trip helped to demonstrate the way their research plays out in real-life scenarios,” said Upper Prep Dean Andy Carr, who organized the trip. “It made their Passport project incredibly relevant and applicable.”

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Another Laurel for Kingswood Oxford No private school has ever won this award this many times in a row, according to executive of The Hartford Courant Media Group, which publishes Hartford Magazine.

For an unprecedented eighth year in a row, KO has been named Best Private School in Hartford Magazine’s “Best of” Readers’ Poll for 2016, breaking its own record for the most consecutive wins of this prestigious award. KO finished ahead of Avon Old Farms and Renbrook School in the popular online voting competition that includes dozens of categories. The full list of results appeared in the May 2016 issue of the magazine.

“It is humbling and rewarding that the KO community and Hartford Magazine readers continue to rally around our fine school, now for eight years in a row,” said Head of School Dennis Bisgaard.

“Having been here for 10 years, I so appreciate that Wyverns recognize and celebrate KO’s excellence in academics, athletics, the arts, community outreach, and leadership,” he added.

Wyvern Invitational A Cappella Festival Now Spans Two Nights KO’s Wyvern Invitational A Cappella Festival (WIAF), the largest independent high school a cappella festival in New England, has become so popular it is now held over two nights.

The eighth annual WIAF on Jan. 8-9, 2016, attracted 14 groups with more than 200 singers from high schools in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Hundreds more watched the competition in a sold-out Roberts Theater or at home, via livestream.

Two KO singers were among the top award winners: Carolyn McCusker ’17 was named Outstanding Female Soloist, while Josh Pugliese ’16 came in second in the People’s Choice Beatbox Competition, through which viewers in the audience and on the livestream feed voted for their favorite beatboxer.

Proceeds from the event, which were earmarked for Team Tobati, totaled $13,000; combined with proceeds from Ryan Gordon ’05 Hockey Night, also held on Jan. 9, more than $19,000 was raised for Team Tobati during that one weekend.

“Every year, this festival reminds me why KO is the great community that we know and love,” said History and Creative Arts teacher David Baker ’04, director of the WIAF. “The WIAF is a celebration of artistry, but it’s also a celebration of community – the KO community, the West Hartford community, the New England community, and, considering our connection to Paraguay, the global community.”

(WIAF Boys) Beatboxer Josh Pugliese ’16 (crouching, lower right hand corner) and the Crimson 7 performed “Uptown Funk” at the 8th annual WIAF in January 2016.

Carolyn McCusker ’17 was named Outstanding Female Soloist for her rendition of “Valerie.”

KO SUMMER 2016

New Faces at KO 2015

Debbie Fiske Director of Athletics Debra Baer Fiske, the Associate Athletic Director at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, was named KO’s new Athletic Director and began work in August 2015.

The starting point guard on the UConn women’s basketball team from 198892, Fiske has worked at St. Joe’s for 22 years, first as the Fitness Director and coach of the tennis and basketball teams, and then acquiring additional and more diverse responsibilities over time.

As Associate Athletic Director, she has managed USJ’s fitness, recreation, and intramural programs, including the O’Connell Athletic Center, and has worked with coaches, athlete recruitment, scheduling, NCAA compliance, and the overall strategic direction of the school’s athletic program.

“Debbie is joining our community at a time of real excitement about our athletic program,” said Head of School Dennis Bisgaard. “Her deep and versatile experience is the perfect match for KO at this point in our history, as we focus on significant physical improvements to our athletic facilities, strengthening our interscholastic competition, and deliberately articulating the importance of lifelong fitness as an integral part of our academic program.”

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A Colorful Tribute Even after her death, Creative Arts teacher Patricia Rosoff continues to give back to the school where she taught for 39 years: KO received a $25,000 bequest from Mrs. Rosoff ’s will, earmarked to enhance the creative arts, and on May Day – Friday, May 1, 2015 – her KO family remembered and celebrated her with a day filled with color, music, and joy.

“When you think of Pat Rosoff, you think of her big smile, her enthusiastic personality, and her love for vibrant color,” said Todd Millen, Chair of the Upper School Creative Arts Department. “It seems fitting that we honored her on a day traditionally associated with the colors and spirit of spring.”

On Pat Rosoff Day, the entire KO community – on campus and off – imitated Mrs. Rosoff ’s style by wearing brightly colored clothing and by sharing photos of themselves via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtag #patrosoff. That evening the Upper School Choral Fest performed in Mrs. Rosoff ’s honor and featured a slideshow of her paintings. Singers continued the day’s theme by wearing bright ties and scarves with their choral uniforms.

“Pat always had KO very close to her heart, and now we know she was thinking about us even in her will,” said Head of School Dennis Bisgaard. “We were so moved by this gift from Pat that arrived almost exactly a year after her death. It is our honor and our privilege to thank her publicly for her generosity and to celebrate her unforgettable personality with this day of color and joy.”

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Gish Jen Is 33rd Baird Symposium Author Before she knew better, said award-winning author Gish Jen, the 33rd Baird English Symposium author, she always thought that “a writer writes.”

“Now I see that a writer listens,” she said, during her visit to KO on Jan. 14 and 15, 2016. “Listens and listens and listens and listens.”

That refined ear and distinctive voice are what Jen uses to convey, with intelligence and wit, what it’s like to grow up and discover one’s identity as a first-generation American. A prolific writer, she’s published novels and non-fiction, short stories and articles.

The 16 Symposium students read all four of her novels (Typical American, Mona in the Promised Land, The Love Wife, and World and Town) plus her short story collection, Who’s Irish?. Middle School students read a number of the short stories, and the entire Upper School read Mona in the Promised Land.

“I chose Mona for the Upper School to read because it is the most relatable for teens, since major themes involve finding one’s identity and defining oneself as separate from parents,” said Lynne Levine, who taught the Symposium class.

Jen’s two-day visit to KO included the traditional events that have been part of the Baird Symposium for more than three decades – as well as something new: An alum, Joe Nicorici ’99, was invited to create the artwork given as a memento to Jen; in the past, the artwork had been made by a KO art teacher.

“I am honored to have been a part of the Symposium,” said Nicorici. “I remember being a student and sitting in Roberts and listening to these amazing authors talking about their work and their process. So to create this print and be up there talking about the process of creating was a real special moment.”

“This was a special experience for the writer, as well,” said Jen. “I’ve been to many campuses, and I’ve never experienced anything like this. I feel completely at home.”

Joe Nicorici ’99 created a 32x24 silkscreen print based on Mona in the Promised Land as a memento for its author, Gish Jen, the 33rd Baird English Symposium author.

KO SUMMER 2016

New Faces at KO 2016

Jackie Pisani Director of Communications & Marketing Jackie Pisani has been named the new Director of Communications & Marketing at Kingswood Oxford School this effective July.

She will be responsible for KO’s internal and external communications, including the web site, advertising, media relations, e-newsletters, social media, photography and videography, KO Magazine, and strategic marketing. She will also serve as the school spokesperson and will be responsible for ensuring adherence to KO’s newly refreshed branding, both inside and outside the school community.

A graduate of Marist College and Columbia University, from which she earned a Master’s degree in Modern European Studies, Pisani comes to KO from The Independent Day School in Middlefield, where she had been the Associate Director of Marketing and the Assistant to the Head of School since December 2011.

She also has more than 20 years of marketing experience with such consumer brands as Mattel, Swatch Watch, HBO’s Comedy Arts Festival, Tanqueray, and Dewars.

Joining the KO staff is a homecoming of sorts for Pisani, a Farmington resident: Her daughter, Sophia Harrison, graduated from the school in 2015.

“I truly believe the teachers and advisors helped Sophia identify her strengths and challenges to become the person she is today,” said Pisani. “KO helped our family immeasurably, and we are forever grateful for the experience.”

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Alumni Receptions held in New York and Boston

ADVANCEMENT

NEW YORK RECEPTION From left: John Sherfinski, Brian Lee ’00, Meg Kasprak and Dick Caley ’62

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BOSTON RECEPTION From left: Joan Edwards, Scott Cheyne, Vashti Brotherhood ’76

BOSTON RECEPTION From left: Scott Steinert-Evoy ’83 and James Maynard ’84

NEW YORK RECEPTION From left: Tucker Bellingrath ’09, Whitney Clark ’06, Anna Morrison, Steve Quish ’06 and Jess Vogel ’05

Black & Crimson Gala Raises Nearly $100K Just over 300 people gathered on April 16 to celebrate Head of School Dennis Bisgaard and the entire KO community at the festive Black & Crimson Gala – one of the most successful fundraisers in school history. Another 100 or so tuned into the event via a livestream broadcast, which was managed by Media Arts teacher Greg Scranton ’94. “The Gala’s positive energy and excitement were palpable,” said Bisgaard. “The joy, celebration, and sense of Wyvern and community spirit were truly uplifting.”

Held at the Hartford Marriott Downtown and emceed by Fox News reporter Jim Altman P ’17, the Gala grossed about $136,000 from sponsorships, silent and live auctions, the sale of unique table centerpieces, and a “raise the paddle” effort dedicated to KO’s Black Box Theater, which will be renovated and renamed in honor of the late Patricia Rosoff. Mrs. Rosoff, who was also an artist and writer, taught Creative Arts at KO for 39 years before passing away in a car accident in March 2014.

Fifteen companies and families stepped up as Gala sponsors.

Hoffman Auto Group, of which Brad Hoffman ’78 is co-chairman, was the Presenting Sponsor. For the first time ever, an electronic event-management tool called BidPal was used for the Gala, enabling far-flung alumni, parents, and others to support the Gala even if they could not be physically present. Net proceeds will support the Parent Association, the Kingswood Oxford’s 2020 Vision Building Fund, and the Black Box Theater renovation. According to Gala Co-Chairs Mary Carangelo P ’16, ’18 and Heather Clifford P ’17, ’19, who organized and ran the event with other parent volunteers, the Parent Association will dedicate its profits to student programs and speakers.

A highlight of the Gala was the celebration of Bisgaard’s tenth anniversary as Head of School. Former Board of Trustees Chair Agnes Peelle P ’01, ’03, who hired him in 2006, reflected on his accomplishments during her warm and moving toast, followed by a video. Another highlight was the atmosphere at the event, which was determined in large part by the cheerful, colorful artwork of Mrs. Rosoff. Her talent was evident in almost every corner of the ballroom: from her prints, to centerpieces and poems about Mrs. Rosoff that were written by retired KO teacher Harper Follansbee.

“The Gala was a wonderful opportunity for Monica, Grandma, our kids, and me to reconnect with current and past parents, alumni, faculty, staff, family, and friends – all of whom have been a important part of our KO journey,” Bisgaard concluded. “The Gala Committee deserves tremendous kudos for putting together a glorious and grand event.”

KO SPRING 2016

Back row left to right: Leslie Civitello, Jodi Pimentle, Gail Goddard, Elaine Leshem, Susan Lemkuil, Denise Kalkstein Front row left to right: Monica Dallahan, Katharine Miller, Maria Swift, Sally Knowles, Marilena Miano, Heather Clifford, Jennifer Albanesi, Mary Carangelo, Sandy Brown, Carrie Waskowicz, Lesli Schwart, Coleen Antico Not pictured: Lara Poulios, Meryth Andrews, Medina Jett, Leslie Silvers, Maria Correa, Lynn Ezzo, Cathleen Shine, Heather Pease, Laurie Goldsmith, Jannine Leshem, Roberta Singer, Karen Diaz

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Chase • Tallwood Science and Math Technology Center 5th Anniversary Celebration

o

Last September a leadership reception was held to celebrate the vision and support of our donors at the Chase • Tallwood Science and Math Technology Center, marking the building’s fifth year.

The evening included the dedication of All Life Interrelated, a sculpture by Kate Cheney Chappell ’63 to Michael X. Fryer, Director of Buildings and Grounds (1966-2010) for his loyal service to the school community.

Cheney Chappell created the artwork over three years, however, its roots actually date back to the 1950s, when Chappell

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remembers sitting in an Oxford classroom and being excited to learn about the recently discovered double-helix DNA structure.

In her hanging sculpture, three DNA-like armatures that represent Earth, water and air hang from a starfish; they are filled with birds, frogs, horseshoe crabs and other animals.

“Kate’s moving and deeply meaningful masterpiece is a wonderful gift to our campus and to our students,” said Head of School Dennis Bisgaard. “It depicts the stunningly beautiful way in which art and science intersect.”

Hoffman Family Gives $1 Million to 2020 Vision Adding to the excitement of graduation week late May, the Hoffman Family announced a $1-million unrestricted gift to Kingswood Oxford’s 2020 Vision – the five-year campus improvement plan that began in 2015.

“I am truly humbled and beyond grateful for this extraordinary gift,” said Dennis Bisgaard, who just celebrated his 10th year as KO’s Head of School. “The Hoffmans’ generosity demonstrates their trust in the strategic direction and priorities of the school’s leadership and ensures that we will continue to take KO to higher levels of excellence.”

“We are thrilled to be able to support this wonderful school in such a meaningful way,” said Bradley Hoffman ’78, Co-Chair of the Hoffman Auto Group and the Chair of KO’s Board of Trustees as of May 19. “I knew it was a great place when I was a student, but now it’s at an entirely new level – every day, it seems, there is another piece of incredible news coming from KO.” “There is palpable excitement about the 2020 Vision throughout the school community -- and beyond,” said Jeffrey Hoffman, Co-Chair of the Hoffman Auto Group. “We’re happy to be part of a gift that will benefit future generations.”

On May 19, Bisgaard and the Board of Trustees held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the transformation of the Brayton Athletic Center into a multipurpose field house athletic complex and a state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center – Phase Two of KO’s 2020 Vision.

(Phase One – the renovation of the ground floor of the Roberts Building to create new College Advising and Student Life offices as well as an enormously popular student commons – was completed in December 2015 – see inside back cover story.)

Over the years, the Hoffmans have been generous benefactors of many non-profits, and they said the time seemed right to make another meaningful gift.

“We are inspired by the Hoffman gift and truly honored by their remarkable generosity and support of our school,” said Randy Stabile, Director of Advancement. “This amazing gift is a symbol of confidence that the school will continue its extraordinary trajectory -- confidence that speaks volumes to our other supporters.”

Including the Hoffmans’ gift, Stabile said that more than $10 million has now been raised for KO’s 2020 Vision.

I. Bradley Hoffman KO SPRING 2016

Jeffrey S. Hoffman 21

Chips Off the Old Block Back Row (L-R): David Seymour ’84, Dennis Bisgaard, Debbie Fiske and Paul Stephan ’81 Middle Row (L-R): Mia Seymour ’19, Samuel Mazo ’19, George Stephan ’21, Michael Aronson ’19 and Craig Aronson ’88 Front Row (L-R): Lindsay Bailey ’22, Judith Lindsay Bailey ’82, Mia Brown ’22, Steven Brown ’83, Andrew Krugman ’86, Sam Krugman ’22, Edward Schwartz ’22 and Adam Schwartz ’85

KO Fund Thanks

ADVANCEMENT

This was an amazing year for the KO Fund and we have all of you to thank! We finished the year with $1,071,000 in unrestricted cash and new pledges.

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• BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

• WHAT IS THE MONEY USED FOR?

The quick answer is that it covers the 11% of the budget which tuition does not. The longer answer is much more exciting!

This money is used in all sections of campus and benefits every student on KO’s campus. From our winter production of Sweeney Todd, travel to and from our five New England Championships, becoming a Google school and the Upper Prep field trip to the UN: none of this would have been possible this year without your support and commitment to our School.

Mark Your calendars!

KO’s annual Giving Day will be held on February 9, 2017.

Stay tuned for more info!



Lucy Eaton Holcombe ’42 A 1942 alumnae of Oxford School, Lucy Eaton Holcombe grew up in Hartford and went on to graduate from Connecticut College. She worked at Connecticut General (CIGNA) and also taught first grade in the Bloomfield Public Schools.

Lucy was a long-time volunteer, serving as the former Secretary of the New England Morgan Horse Association and was an active member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Connecticut where she served several terms on its Board.

Lucy was a member of the Friends of Cossitt Library, former member and Secretary of the Granby Library Board, and member of both the Granby Historic Properties Study Committee and Salmon Brook Historical Society.

When Lucy passed away in January of this year, she gave Kingswood Oxford a very generous gift that will benefit our current students for years to come.

Dennis and Lucy’s niece, Nancy Hinman

Hazel Vail ’44 In 1991 when Hazel Vail (Oxford ’44) retired, she found she had a lot of free time. She decided she would increase the amount of time she volunteered for two groups – Hartford Hospital and The Cathedral of Saint Joseph. She soon joined the Hartford Hospital Auxiliary Board. During the many years on the Board, Hazel was Treasurer, Membership Chair and helped where she could. After many years of volunteering, in the spring of 2015, Hazel decided it was time to reduce the number of hours she volunteered. She resigned from the Board. The Board surprised and honored her by naming one of the Sons and Daughters Scholarships for her – The Hazel Vail Scholarship.

The annual scholarship is for $10,000 and is awarded to a son or daughter of a Hartford Hospital employee. The first one was for the 2016-2017 school year. Maura Donahue was the recipient of the initial scholarship. She is the daughter of Stephen Donahue, who is program director of CESI (Center for Education, Simulation, and Innovation). Maura has started her freshman year at UConn.

Hazel is Distinguished Alumna of Kingswood Oxford (2004). For her volunteering at The Cathedral of Saint Joseph, she received the Medal of Appreciation from the Parish (2006) and from the Archdiocese (2010). Although she has cut back, Hazel is still volunteering at HH and the Cathedral. She enjoys bringing communion to the residents of Immanuel House. This senior housing is across the street from Immanuel Church where Oxford held its commencement exercises.

KO SPRING 2016

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Classes by the 0s and 5s

’60

Kingswood 1960

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Oxford 1960

REUNION ’15

Front Row (L-R): Jennifer White Pennoyer ’85, Elizabeth Stedman Russell ’50, Coach Anthony Dennis, Kevin Tyler ’75, Lisa Tulimieri Thibodeaux ’90, Heather Walsh ’91, Jo-anne Alissi Cosgriff ’90 and Coach Andre Lacroix Back Row (L-R): Daniel Goldberg ’85, Jared Jordan ’03, Frances van Huystee Morris ’90, John Sitarz ’65, Kathryn Antos Mikkelson ’91, Chantal Lacroix Ayers ’90 and S. Clark Peaslee ’69

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’65

’45

Oxford 1945

’65

Kingswood Class of 1965

Oxford Class of 1965

For more reunion photos, visit www.kingswoodoxford.org/reunion15.

’75

KO 1975

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KO 1995

’80

KO 1980

’00

KO 2000

’85

’90

KO SUMMER 2016

KO 1985

KO 1990

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KO 2005

KO 2010

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Classes by the 1s and 6s

REUNION ’16

’56

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Oxford 1956

June Alumni Soccer Game 2016

’66

Oxford 1966

’76

KO 1976

For more reunion photos, visit www.kingswoodoxford.org/reunion16.

’81

KO 1981

’96

KO 1996

’86

KO 1986

’06

KO 2006

’91 KO SUMMER 2016

KO 1991

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KO 2011

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Athletic Hall of Fame 2015

Seven outstanding alumni athletes, a beloved coach, a distinguished alumna, and the 1990 Girls’ Ice Hockey team were inducted into KO’s Athletic Hall of Fame on June 13, 2015, during the “Honoring Excellence” ceremony in Roberts Theater.

Chosen for their tremendous athletic achievements, as well as their integrity, sportsmanship, and character, the new inductees were: Elizabeth Stedman Russell ’50 Elizabeth Stedman Russell ‘50, a 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, is a dedicated Oxford graduate who exemplifies commitment to her alma mater. A UConn graduate, she remained active in the Kingswood Oxford alumni community along with her husband, the late Peter Russell ‘44, and three of their four children: Morgan Russell ‘77, Peter Russell ‘80 and Virginia Russell Emme ‘82. Her loyalty and support have helped to build and sustain the foundation of our Oxford alumnae.

Chantal Lacroix Ayers ’90 Chantal was an outstanding three-sport athlete (field hockey, lacrosse, ice hockey) from the moment she transferred to KO as a sophomore.

Field hockey captain and MVP as both a junior and senior, she was also a key player on the undefeated 1990 Girls’ Ice Hockey team.

Chantal went on to play D1 field hockey and lacrosse at Holy Cross, where some of her

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school records still stand. As a senior, she led the field hockey team to the ECAC tournament.

She was Patriot League Player of the Year in field hockey in 1993; was named to the AllPatriot League team several times in both sports; and won several other school and league honors.

Coach Joseph E. Gargan (posthumous) A graduate of the University of Illinois, Coach Gargan was Athletic Director from 1925-31 and again from 1934-45 (after completing his Master’s at Columbia University), and he also coached football, baseball, basketball, and soccer -- including ten teams that went undefeated. He later worked for the Hartford Board of Education; helped to create and manage the Central Connecticut Football Officials Association; and officiated football and baseball games for 10 years. He was a member of the Northern Connecticut Chapter of the National Football Foundation and its Hall of Fame. Coach Gargan passed away in 1996 at the age of 98.

Daniel E. Goldberg ’85 A standout tennis player, Daniel was a two-year captain on KO’s team and was ranked #1 in singles and doubles in New England (and #12 nationally) for 18-and-under boys when he was a senior. In 1985, he won the Timothy Berman ‘78 Memorial Award for Sportsmanship from the New England Tennis Association. At the University of Michigan, Daniel again served as captain; was a three-time All-American and four-time Big Ten Conference member; and playing at #1 singles in 1988, he was a finalist in the NCAA singles tournament and was named Big Ten Player of the Year. In 1989, he won Big Ten Sportsman of the Year. His career record for singles wins at Michigan remains intact. From 1986-90, Daniel also competed in the ATP tour, achieving a #276 worldwide ranking in 1988.

In 1989, he was the Bronze Medalist in the Maccabiah World Games in Israel. In 1997, he was inducted into the Greater Hartford Jewish Hall of Fame.

Jared A. Jordan ’03 Jared was a two-sport star at KO: In soccer, he was All-State as a junior and senior, and captain as a senior. In baskeball, he was captain in both junior and seniors years and All-State both years, as well. At graduation, he won the Merritt Prize. Jared quickly became a star on the Marist College men’s basketball team, too, earning conference recognition in freshman and sophomore year. As a junior, he made the MAAC First Team and the All-MAAC Tournament Team, led the nation in assists, and served as team captain. And as a senior, he again led the nation in assists, and he was named MAAC Player of the Year, won the Haggerty Award for All-Met Division 1 Men’s College Basketball, and was tapped for the All-District First Team of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. In 2007, the LA Clippers picked him in the 45th round of the NBA draft. Jared has since played for a number of teams internationally, including in Lithuania, Greece, and Germany.

S. Clark Peaslee ’69 A three-sport athlete, Clark excelled at skiing, football, and lacrosse, serving as captain of the latter team his senior year. Among others, he won the MacDonald Award, the Larkin Skiing Trophy, and the Williams College award. As a senior, he was named All Conference in lacrosse and the Scholar-Athlete of the Northern Connecticut Chapter of the National Football Association. At Princeton, Clark captained the lacrosse team and represented the Tigers in the North-South All-Star Game in June 1973. In 1975, he was named MVP in the Connecticut Valley Lacrosse Conference.

Jennifer White Pennoyer ’85 A star in three sports (soccer, lacrosse, and ice hockey), Jen earned 9 varsity letters; as a senior, she was captain of the ice hockey team, MVP, and shared the Robert Lazear Award for the senior girl who contributed most to athletics. She continued playing hockey at Harvard, where she was All-Ivy for four years and earned All-ECAC Honorable Mention. Harvard was Ivy League champs in three of her four years on the team. As a senior, she was team captain and received the Joe Bertana Award for Leadership and Dedication.

KO SUMMER 2016

John W. Sitarz ’65 Jack was a three-year starter on the varsity football, basketball and baseball teams; he was class president and captain of the basketball team as a junior and senior; and captain of the baseball team as a senior. During junior year, he scored 35 points in a single game, tying the school record, and in senior year ranked second in all-time scoring and was named AllState. He received the Anthony Prize, the Irving Prize, the Williams Club of Hartford Prize, the Class of 1958 Award, and the William R. MacDonald Prize for the outstanding athlete in the senior class. Frosty Francis said he was “the most complete player he had ever coached.” At Wesleyan, Jack started on the basketball team all four years. And, in 1970, he played baseball for a Boston Red Sox Minor League team.

Kevin N. Tyler ’75 A key member of the undefeated 1973 Varsity Football team, Kevin set records that season for rushing (1,376 yards), touchdowns (19), and points (120). He was named a high school All-American when he was a senior. He also competed on KO’s track team. Kevin played football for two years at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a starting kick and punt returner.

1990 Girls’ Ice Hockey Team The remarkable 1990 Girls’ Ice Hockey team made school history by winning the first-ever New England Prep School Championship in that sport -- the crowning achievement of a season in which they went 17-0, continuing a 47-game winning streak. Led by Coach Anthony Dennis, Coach Joelene Butress, and Coach Andre Lacroix, along with co-captains Jo-anne “Joey” Alissi Cosgriff ’90 and Michele K. Amidon ’90, the team included Margot Moses ’91, Jessica Devine ’90, Chantal Lacroix Ayers ’90, Heather Walsh ’91, Dana Finkelstein ’91, Kathryn Antos Mikkelson ’91, Lisa Tulimieri Thibodeaux ’90, Frances van Huystee Morris ’90, and Thalia Ghiglia ’91.

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Athletic Hall of Fame 2016

Nine outstanding alumni athletes, a beloved coach, and the 1956 Boys’ Basketball team were inducted into KO’s Athletic Hall of Fame on June 11, 2016, during a morning ceremony in Roberts Theater.

Chosen for their tremendous athletic achievements, as well as their integrity, sportsmanship, and character, the new inductees were: Jonathan D. Bees ’76 A three-sport athlete at KO (cross country, wrestling, and outdoor track), Bees was captain of two (cross country and wrestling).

He set a course record at Suffield Academy with a time of 14:29 for 2.7 miles. In 1974, he finished second at the Canterbury Invitational with a time of 14:29 (one second under the previous Division I record) and finished 4th in New Englands. He received the Jonathan Downs Prize in 1975 and the Prefect Award in 1976. At Colby College, he ran cross country and indoor track for four years and outdoor track for three (then sustained an injury). He and his wife Abigail have two daughters, Emily and Sarah; they live in Glastonbury, where Bees works as a research editor at Health Leaders Media.

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Trevor S. Brown ’66 Brown played three sports (football, wrestling, lacrosse) for six years at KO, and was captain of the wrestling team and lacrosse teams his senior year. In 1964 and 1965, the wrestling team won the Western New England Independent School Wrestling Association (WNEISWA) team championship, and Brown was All State in 1964 and 1965 and the CT State Champ in 1966. He was also an All New England Lacrosse goalie in 1966. At Princeton University, he was on the wrestling and lacrosse teams, and received All Ivy Goalie Honorable Mention in 1969. Brown and his wife, Margaret Ferree Brown ’68, live in Denver, where he is a senior vice president at Cushman & Wakefield. They have two sons, Christopher and Trevor.

Josh A. Caley ’91 Josh Caley was a four-year member of the baseball, soccer, and ski teams. He was captain of the soccer and ski teams as a senior and captain of the baseball team as a junior and senior; as a senior, he was also named MVP and won the McDonald Award as best overall athlete. Caley holds the KO record for career home runs. At Williams College, he played Varsity baseball for four years and served as captain as a senior, when he was named MVP. He was also named second team All-New England in his junior and senior year. A resident of Stonington, CT, he is a Commercial Project Development at C-TEC Solar, LLC.

Kevin P. Griswold ’78 Kevin Griswold played football, basketball, and lacrosse at KO, but truly excelled in lacrosse. As a senior, he was named All American and MVP of the KO lacrosse team and played in the New England East vs. West All-Star game. At UNC/Chapel Hill, Griswold contributed to two NCAA lax national championships; won the Jay Gallaher Award as the outstanding freshman player; and was named first team All American at midfielder in 1980 and second team on attack in 1981. He was also named All-ACC in 1980 and 1982 and to the ACC 50th Year Anniversary Team. A director at T-Mobile USA, he lives in Montclair, NJ. He and his wife Tara have two daughters, Keira and Natalie.

Gordon S. Hamilton ’91, P ’22 (posthumously) Gordon Hamilton played soccer, tennis, and basketball at KO. An All Conference and All State soccer player, he was also captain of the tennis team. He truly excelled, however, in basketball: His buzzer beater helped the Wyverns win the New England Prep School Class B championship against Cushing Academy in 1991. At Holy Cross, Hamilton played basketball all four years, served as team captain, and was named Patriot Player of the week several times. He went on to play professionally in Belgium and South Africa before returning home to work with students for the City of Hartford. When he passed away in a car accident in 2005, he was also serving as Head Coach of the boys’ basketball team at Watkinson. Along with his KO teammate Keith Wolff ’91, Hamilton was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. His widow, Chastity Rodriguez Hamilton ’91, is a school counselor at KO and their son, Noah, just completed his first year in Upper Prep.

Michael R. Jeresaty ’81 Another three-sport athlete (football, wrestling, baseball), Jeresaty was a captain of two (football and baseball). As a senior, he had an undefeated season (18-0) and was named All-State. During his years at KO, he earned nine varsity letters. He went on to play football at Bates College, where he earned ECAC honors in 1983 and 1984, and earned an MBA at the University of Texas. President of Ralston Health Group, he now lives in Charleston, SC, with his wife, Elizabeth, and their teenage sons Luke and Blake.

Katherine Cahill Shultz ’96 A star in four sports (soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, softball), Shultz earned a total of 14 varsity letters during her years at KO. A goalkeeper on the soccer team, she posted 42 wins (34 shutouts), and was named a State Select Goalkeeper in 1990 and 1991. Shultz truly excelled, however, in ice hockey: She scored 80 goals in four years; was captain in 1996 and MVP in 1995 and 1996; and was named to New England Prep School All-Star team. She attended the U.S. National Olympic Development Camp (1994-95) and was a U.S. Olympic Development Finalist from 1992-95. At Providence College, she was a starting defenseman on the Division I ice hockey team for four years and ranked 19th out of 130 ECAC D1 defensemen in 2000. A product developer for Timberland, she lives in Portsmouth, NH, with her husband Charlie and their children, Addy (2) and Cody (6 months).

KO SUMMER 2016

Normand F. Smith III ’61 A three-sport athlete (football, wrestling, lacrosse), Smith was a co-captain of the wrestling team in 1960-61; was the CT Champion in 1960 and 1961; and was New England Champion in 1961. Awarded the Jonathan Downs Prize to the boy in Form 5 who has contributed most to the class in helpfulness, good fellowship, and humor, Smith went on to Hamilton College, where he served as captain of the skiing team in 1964-65. He earned a law degree and a Master’s of Law from Boston University and is a partner with Burns & Levinson. He and his wife Judy have two sons and live in Boston.

Keith J. Wolff ’91, P ’20, ’23 Keith Wolff certainly left his mark on KO basketball. In addition to being the alltime leading scorer (1,515 points), he was captain and co-MVP of the team in 1990-91. He was also named MVP of the 1991 Class B Prep Championship, which KO won on a buzzer-beater, and of the 1989-90 KITs. At Trinity College, Wolff is 3rd all-time leading scorer and was the leading scorer on the team that went to the Final Four (the only Trinity team ever to do so). He was captain and MVP of Trinity’s team in 1996-96; the NESCAC co-player of the year in 1995-96; an NCAA All-American and Academic All-American; and won Trinity’s award for best male scholar-athlete in his junior and senior years.

He was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. The owner of Wolff Financial Group, he lives with his wife, Kris, and their children Jackson Wolff ’20 and Devin Wolff ’23 in Ellington, CT. Coach Robert J. Stiehler, P ’87, ’91 Bob Stiehler taught math and coached four different sports – wrestling, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, and Middle School soccer – during his 39-year career at KO, but he will be most remembered for the impact he had on the wrestling program. During his tenure, which lasted from 1969-2008, he turned the struggling program around and led the varsity team to four championships.

He was also the assistant coach on the 1973 and 1978 championship boys’ lax teams that went undefeated. Now the owner of his own contracting business, he and his wife Nancy Weinstein live in Madison, CT, and have two daughters, Wendy Stiehler Bargoil ’87 and Whitney Stiehler ’91.

The 1956 Boys’ Basketball Team The amazing 1956 Varsity Boys’ Basketball team finished with an 18-1 record – its only loss was to Hotchkiss on “Black Friday” – and won the New England Championship by beating Belmont Hill, 61-46, in a memorable game in front of wildly enthusiastic fans at Boston Garden.

The members of the team were Donald Burgess ’56; Roy Shannon, Jr. ’56; Duncan Knapp ’56; Richard Cunningham ’56; Captain, posthumously; Edgar Shirley ’56; Bruce Nation ’57; Co-Capt.-Elect, posthumously; Morton Dunning ’57, P ’86; Co-Capt.-Elect; Coach Robert Barrows; Edward McAlenney ’58, P ’88, ’89, ’95, Asst. Manager; Pete Hough, Jr. ’56, posthumously; Wayne Westbrook ’57; Daniel Murphy ’58; Richard Drew ’57; Robert Galvin ’56, Manager; Coach Paul “Frosty” W. Francis P ’73, ’76, ’82, posthumously; Richard Banbury ’56, P ’81, ’82, ’84, ’85.

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VARSITY FALL SPORTS ’14 32

GIRLS’ SOCCER Coaches: Tracy Deeter, Chloe McKay Record: 10-5 Captains: Kennelly Allerton ’15, Gwyneth McDonald ’16, Olivia Whirty ’15 Seniors: Kennelly Allerton, Meghan Kennedy, Olivia Whirty Most Improved: Samantha March ’17 MVP: Marissa Aniolowski ’16 BOYS’ SOCCER Coaches: Peter Jones, Travis Rains Record: 3-11-4 Captains: Dan Melody ’15, John Wolf ’16 Seniors: Dan Melody, Joseph Ravalese, Salvatore Caruso Most Improved: Eoghan Coyle ’16 M.W. Jacobus MVP Award: Dan Melody VOLLEYBALL Coaches: Scott McDonald, Carolyn McKee Record: 5-10 Captains: Joanie Grano-Burzymowska ’15, Melissa Lord ’15 Seniors: Joanie Grano-Burzymowska, Melissa Lord, Amanda Loughran, Julia McGowan, Mary Mort, Lina Volin Most Improved: Haley Carangelo ’18 MVP: Melissa Lord

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY Coaches: Fritz Goodman, Ron Monroe Record: 3-1 Captains: Jack Reich ’15, Nate Washburn ’15 Seniors: Jack Reich, Nate Washburn, Max Obourn, Cole Adams, Matt Guerrera, David Shafer Most Improved: Michael Hains ’16 GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY Coaches: Trish Watson and Scott Rodilitz Record: 0-4 Captain: Lauren Barnes ’16 Most Improved: Kathryn Adams ’16 MVP: Emily Tran ’17 FOOTBALL Coaches: Jason Martinez, Matt Kocay, Marco Pizzoferrato, Will Gilyard, Steve Angiletta, Matt Dumont, Jack Murphy, Will Amarante, Brandon Batory ’10 Record: 6-2 Captains: Sharrieff Grice ’15, Koby Quansah ’16, Greg Norsigian ’15 Seniors: J’Ron Barrett, Casey Barter, Mason Harvey, Luke Swanson, Michael Scappaticci, Justin Saint, Sharrieff Grice, Payton Krupp, Greg Norsigian, Andrew Watson, Ian Judge MVP: Koby Quansah Most Improved: Mason Harvey FIELD HOCKEY Coaches: Nikki Blake, Amy Albert Record: 1-12 Captains: Nicole Demers ’16, Alex Breen ’15 Seniors: Alex Breen, Lindsay Paszczuk, Molly Sullivan MVP: Alex Breen Most Improved: Abby McGuire ’17

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BOYS’ ICE HOCKEY Coaches: Ben Adams, Alex Holmes, Greg Scranton Record: 6-1-16 Captains: Tristan Morin ’15, Chris Adamsons Seniors: Tristan Morin, Sam Kelly, Bryant Aylward, Max Bash, Chris Carley, Nick Bridges, Justin Genga, Evan Sliker, Luke Swanson, Andrew Watson MVP: Tristan Morin MIP: Brendan Lantieri ’16 GIRLS’ ICE HOCKEY Coaches: John Hissick, CJ Kenney Record: 2-17 Captains: Erin Persico ’16, Nicole Demers ’16 Seniors: Alex Breen, Marisa Henry MVP: Georgia Kraus MIP: Lindsay McNeill ’17 BOYS’ BASKETBALL Coach: Garth Adams Record: 1-17 Captain: T.J. Nesbit ’15 Seniors: T.J. Nesbit, Mason Harvey, Trey Liburd MVP: T. J. Nesbit MIP: Richard Woods ’16 GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Coaches: Jim O’Donnell, Judy Bailey, Nikki Blake, Ron Monroe, Danielle Hoff Record: 4-16 Senior: Meghan Kennedy MVP: Kayla Glemaud ’18 MIP: Kelly Maloney ’16

GIRLS’ SQUASH Coach: Andy Carr Record: 7-8 Captains: Corinne Florian ’15, Sophia Harrison ’15 Seniors: Corinne Florian, Sophia Harrison, Noa Silverstein MVPs: Corinne Florian, Sophia Harrison MIP: Faith Pease ’17 BOYS’ SQUASH Coach: Robby Lingashi Record: 7-6 Captain: Joe Ravalese ’15 Seniors: Joe Ravalese, Ryan Westman, Chris Marcello, Dan Miller MVP: Joe Ravalese MIP: Ryan Westman GIRLS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING Coaches: Kata Baker, Alex Kraus, Clay Miles Record: 7-4 Captain: Lauren Cooper ’15 Seniors: Alli Balcezak, Lauren Cooper, Melanie Doot, Jenna Frankel, Katie Smith MVP: Lauren Cooper MIP: Grace Amell ’17 BOYS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING Coaches: Alex Kraus, Clay Miles, Kata Baker Record: 8-2-1 Captains: David Lessard ’16, Jack Reich Seniors: Max Obourn, Jack Reich MVP: Andrew Zimmerman ’16 MIP: Harry Krause ’18

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VARSITY SPRING SPORTS ’15 36

GIRLS’ TRACK AND FIELD Coaches: Alex Kraus, David Baker, Will Gilyard, Fritz Goodman, Scott Rodilitz, Natalie Lynd, Trish Watson Record: 12-6 Captains: Claire Halloran and Emily Kirton ’16 Seniors: Jenna Frankel , Marisa Johnson , Liann Waite , Luisa Lestz, Claire Halloran MVP: Emily Kirton ’16 MIP: Ellen Goddard ’18 BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD Coaches: Alex Kraus, David Baker, Will Gilyard, Fritz Goodman, Scott Rodilitz, Natalie Lynd, Trish Watson Record: 9-7 Captains: Mick Hains ’16, Koby Quansah ’16, and Jack Reich ’15 Seniors: Peter Baczyk , Nick Bridges, Dan Melody , Jack Reich MVP: Mick Hains ’16 MIP: Rob Yirigian ’16 Coaches Award: Kylee McLaughlin ’16

SOFTBALL Coaches: Ron Savino, Danielle Hoff Record: 11-5 Captains: Nicole Demers ’16, Cameron Dias ’15 Seniors: Cam Dias, Sydney Legagneur MVP: Cam Dias MIP: Kelly Carucci, Noah Stanton ’17 BASEBALL Coaches: Steve Cannata, Ryan Radmanovich Record: 7-7 Captain: TJ Nesbit ’15 Seniors: Bryant Aylward, Casey Barter, Chris Giottonini, TJ Nesbit MVP: Chris Giottonini MIP: Ryan Nesbit ’16 GOLF Coaches: Scott Dunbar, Peter Jones Captains: John Beckerman ’15, Evan Sliker ’15 Seniors: John Beckerman, Evan Sliker, J’Ron Barrett, Tristan Morin MVPs: John Beckerman, Evan Sliker

GIRLS’ TENNIS Coaches: Ronald Garcia, Chris Grace ’01 Record: 13-3 Captains: Melissa Lord ’15, Morgan Risinger ’16, Alexandra Perron ’16, Olivia Shea ’16 Seniors: Melissa Lord MVPs: Melissa Lord, Morgan Risinger, Alexandra Perron, Olivia Shea MIP: Julia Goldsmith ’17

GIRLS’ LACROSSE Coaches: Tim Allerton, Nikki Blake, John Hissick, Tori Hooker Record: 14-4 Captains: Kennelly Allerton ’15, Corinne Florian ’15, Julia McGowan ’15 Seniors: Kennelly Allerton, Corinne Florian, Julia McGowan, Sophia Harrison, Julianne De Angelo, Addie Waskowitz MVP: Kennelly Allerton and Corinne Florian Coaches Award: Sophia Harrison

BOYS’ TENNIS Coach: Andy Krugman ’86 Record: 13-4 Captain: Jacob Appleton ’16 MVPs: Jacob Appleton, Matt Lord ’17 MIP: William Appleton ’18

BOYS’ LACROSSE Coaches: John Gormley, Will Amarante Record: 0-13 Captains: Justin Saint ’15, Payton Krupp ’15 Seniors: Justin Saint, Payton Krupp, Andrew Watson, Max Obourn, Michael Scappaticci, Chris Carley MVP: Justin Saint MIP: Payton Krupp

KO SPRING 2016

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VARSITY FALL SPORTS ’15

FOOTBALL Coaches: Jason Martinez, Matt Kocay, Marco Pizzoferrato, Will Gilyard, Jack Murphy, Will Amarante, Brandon Batory ’10, Noah Lynd Record: 7-1 Captains: Andre Jett ’16, Andrew Lemkuil ’16, Koby Quansah ’16, Isaiah Wright ’16, Nye Deskus ’16, Jacob Hallenbeck ’16 Seniors: Jared Bolden, Nye Deskus, Nicholas Giamalis, Jacob Hallenbeck, Andre Jett, Andrew Lemkuil, Austin Lemkuil, Koby Quansah, Alex Smoolca, Dylan Stewart, Isaiah Wright Joseph E. Gargan M.V.P. Awards: Isaiah Wright Joel Lorden M.I.P. Award: Clayton Barnes ’17 Coaches Award: Christian Vitti

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BOYS’ SOCCER Coaches: Peter Jones, Travis Rains Record: 5-9-3 Captains: Zach Hoffman ’16, Jack Wolf ’16 Seniors: Bradley Bowers, Austin Briggs, Eoghan Coyle, Richard Ferris, Griffin Gildersleeve, Zachary Hoffman, David Lessard, Jack Wolf, Gabriel Wolman, Alexandra Perron (manager) M.W. Jacobus M.V.P. Award: Jack Wolf M.I.P. Brad Bowers ’16 Coaches Award: Zach Hoffman GIRLS’ SOCCER Coaches: Tracy Deeter, Chloe McKay Record: 10-2-4 Captains: Marissa Aniolowski ’16, Kelly Maloney ’16, Gwyneth McDonald ’16 Seniors: Marissa Aniolowski, Miranda Bascetta, Nicole Demers, Briana Kirton, Emily Kirton, Kelly Maloney, Gwyneth McDonald, Mackenzie McDonald, Brittany Schwartz M.V.P. Marissa Aniolowski M.I.P. Noa Boyd ’18 Coaches Award: Abby Eberle ’18 FIELD HOCKEY Coaches: Nikki Blake, Amy Albert Record: 2-9 Seniors: Sarah Kavalkovich, Alison Klute, Elinor Kraus, Rebecca Powers Joanne Alissi M.V.P. Award: Grace Amell ’17 M.I.P. Emilie Sienko ’17 Coaches Award: Alexandra Burke ’17

VOLLEYBALL Coaches: Scott McDonald, Carolyn McKee Record: 4-9 Captains: Morgan Risinger ’16, Emma Smith ’18 Seniors: Natalie McDonough, Jacqueline Raymond (manager), Morgan Risinger, Olivia Shea M.V.P. Emma Smith ’18 M.I.P. Madison Henry ’19 Coaches Award: Olivia Shea

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY Coaches: Fritz Goodman, Ron Monroe Captains: Michael Hains ’16, Kyle McLaughlin ’16 Seniors: Michael Hains, Kyle McLaughlin, Andrew Zimmerman M.V.P. Kyle McLaughlin M.I.P. Prithvi Gunturu ’18 Mark Doyle Award: Kyle McLaughlin Coaches Award: Connor O’Loughlin ’17 GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY Coaches: Tricia Watson, Scott Rodilitz Captains: Kathryn Adams ’16, Lauren Barnes ’16 Seniors: Kathryn Adams, Lauren Barnes, Alexis DeLucia, Kaleigh Sanders M.V.P. Chloe Ezzo ’17 M.I.P. Ariba Memon ’17 Coaches Award: Kathryn Adams

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VARSITY WINTER SPORTS ’16 40

BOYS’ ICE HOCKEY Coaches: Ben Adams, Joe Dabkowski Record: 8-10 Captains: A.J. Przystawski ’16, Carter Swanson ’16 Seniors: Isabelle DeFlippo (manager), Jared DeFlippo, Zachary Hoffman, Kyle Keenan, Brendan Lantieri, A.J. Przystawski, Benjamin Steele, Carter Swanson M.V.P.: A.J. Przystawski M.I.P. Sean Hurley ’19 Coaches Award: Drew Nemirow GIRLS’ ICE HOCKEY Coaches: John Hissick, C.J. Kenney Record: 5-15 Captains: Nicole Demers ’16, Erin Persico ’16 Seniors: Alison Klute, Elinor Kraus, Nicole Demers, Rachel Maselli, Erin Persico, Rebecca Powers, Joanna Williams M.V.P. Nicole Demers M.I.P. Lyndsey McNeill ’17 Coaches Award: Dakota McMahon GIRLS’ SQUASH Coach: Andy Carr Record: 10-7 Captain: Julia Goldsmith ’17 M.V.P. Faith Pease ’17 M.I.P. Ananya Alleyne ’19 Coaches Award: Cassie T.-Pederson ’17 BOYS’ SQUASH Coach: Robby Lingashi Record: 4-9 Captains: Ryan Albanesi ’17, Joshua Pugliese ’16 Senior: Joshua Pugliese M.V.P. Matthew Lazor ’20 M.I.P. John Livingstone ’19 Coaches Award: Josh Pugliese

BOYS’ BASKETBALL Coaches: Garth Adams, Brad Seaman Record: 7-15 Captains: Ryan Nesbit ’16, Vinz Umali ’16 Seniors: Thomas Fitzgerald, Ryan Nesbit, Koby Quanash (manager), Vinz Umali, Richard Woods O.F. Peyser M.V.P. Award: Jackson Meshanic ’18 M.I.P. Nicholas Bray ’19 Coaches Award: Mark Billingsley ’17

GIRLS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING Coaches: Alex Kraus, Kata Baker, Clay Miles, Kristen Barry ’11 Record: 3-7-1 Captains: Olivia Shea ’16, Gwyneth McDonald ’16 Seniors: Kate Betts (manager), Briana Kirton, Gwyneth McDonald, Olivia Shea, Alexandra Zilahy M.V.P. Olivia Shea M.I.P. Gwyneth McDonald Coaches Award: Alison Meizels ’19

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Coaches: Mark McCaleb, Judy Bailey ’82 Record: 6-15 Captains: Kayla Glemaud ’17, Kelly Maloney ’16 Seniors: Kathryn Adams, Kelly Maloney M.V.P. Kayla Glemaud M.I.P. Isabel Kaufman ’17 Coaches Award: Kathryn Adams

BOYS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING Coaches: Alex Kraus, Kata Baker, Clay Miles, Kristen Barry ’11 Record: 11-1 Captains: David Lessard ’16, Kyle McLaughlin ’16, Andrew Zimmerman ’16 Seniors: Christopher Carangelo, Michael Hains, David Lessard, Kyle McLaughlin, John Wolf, Andrew Zimmerman M.V.P. John Barry ’17 M.I.P. Thomas Betts ’19 Coaches Award: Carter Castanza ’18

KO SPRING 2016

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BASEBALL Coaches: Steve Cannata, Ryan Radmanovich Record:10-6 Captains: Ryan Nesbit ’16, James Woods ’16 Seniors: Nicholas Giamalis (manager), Matthew Goldman, Andrew Lemkuil, Austin Lemkuil, Ryan Nesbit, Holden White, James Woods Robert S. O’Brien M.V.P. Award: Ryan Nesbit M.I.P. James Woods Coaches Award: Andrew Lemkuil

GIRLS’ LACROSSE Coaches: Tim Allerton, Nikki Blake Record: 8-7 Captains: Alison Klute ’16, Kelly Maloney ’16, Gwyneth McDonald ’16 Seniors: Kendall Allerton, Isabelle DeFlippo, Alison Klute, Kelly Maloney, Gwyneth McDonald, Gabriella Sullo M.V.P. Abigail Eberle ’18 M.I.P. Haley Carangelo ’18 Coaches Award: Celia Jarmoc ’17

SOFTBALL Coaches: Jay Bradley, Danielle Hoff Record: 9-7 Captains Nicole Demers ’16, Isabella Pratt ’17 Seniors: Nicole Demers, Sarah Kavalkovich, Joanna Williams M.V.P. Nicole Demers M.I.P. Brigid Bernier ’19 Coaches Award: Joanna Williams

BOYS’ LACROSSE Coaches: Mark Conklin, Will Amarante, David Hild ’80 Record: 2-12 Captains: Jacob Hallenbeck ’16, Brendan Lantieri ’16, David Lessard ’16 Seniors: Nye Deskus, Griffin Gildersleeve, Jacob Hallenbeck, Brendan Lantieri, David Lessard M.V.P. Jacob Hallenbeck M.I.P. Griffin Gildersleeve ’16 CT Valley Lacrosse Club MVP Award: Jacob Hallenbeck Coaches Award: David Lessard

GIRLS’ TRACK AND FIELD Coaches: Alex Kraus, David Baker ’04, Will Gilyard, Scott Rodilitz, Fritz Goodman, Trish Watson, Natalie Lynd Captains: Emily Kirton ’16, Ellie Kraus ’16, Laura Polley ’17 Seniors: Emily Kirton, Elinor Kraus, Jenna Scarpantonio, Alexandra Zilahy M.V. Runner: Emily Kirton M.I.P. Erin Bowen ’19 Coaches Award: Elinor Kraus

GIRLS’ TENNIS Coaches: Ron Garcia, Chris Grace ’01 Record: 16-0 Captains: Alexandra Perron ’16, Morgan Risinger, ‘16 Olivia Shea ’16 Seniors: Alexandra Perron, Morgan Risinger, Olivia Shea M.V.P. Alexis Kubas ’19 M.I.P. Alexandra Perron Coaches Award: Morgan Risinger

BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD Coaches: Alex Kraus, David Baker ’04, Will Gilyard, Scott Rodilitz, Fritz Goodman, Trish Watson, Natalie Lynd Captains: Michael Hains ’16, Kyle McLaughlin ’16, Koby Quansah ’16 Seniors: Michael Hains, Kyle McLaughlin, Koby Quansah, Robert Yirigian M.V. Runner: Michael Hains M.I.P. Patrick Taylor ’18 Coaches Award: Rob Yirigian

BOYS’ TENNIS Coach: Andy Krugman ’86 Record: 17-0 Captain: Jacob Appleton ’16 Seniors: Jacob Appleton, Austin Briggs M.V.P. Matthew Lord ’17 M.I. P. William Appleton ’18 Coaches Award: Jacob Appleton

GOLF Coach: Scott Dunbar Captain: Carter Swanson ’16 Seniors: Kyle Keenan, Joshua Pugliese, Carter Swanson, Mark Dixon Mark Dixon M.V.P. Award: Carter Swanson M.I.P. Jacob Brown ’17 Coaches Award: Josh Pugliese

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Winning Isn’t Everything. It’s a KO Thing.

One Year. Five Championships.

Maybe it was something in the water? Or maybe you could point out plenty of grit, collaboration and sheer talent. Whatever the reasons (and there were plenty), this year KO’s sports teams accomplished a stunning series of athletic successes the school has ever seen by winning five championships: varsity football, one in boys’ swimming and diving, boys’ and girl’s tennis, girls’ track and field.

VARSITY FOOTBALL KO’s first championship was served up by the Varsity Football team that made school history on Nov. 21, 2015 beating Berkshire School, 49-29, to win the NEPSAC Mike Atkins New England Championship Bowl – KO’s first Bowl win ever.

The prior evening, after the final practice of the season, two KO football veterans – Greg Hickey ’47 and Bo Brown ’06 – had offered the team words of inspiration as the squad prepared to achieve a goal no other KO team had ever achieved before.

Red-and-black clad fans packed Hoffman Field and witnessed some sensational plays including a 19-yard touchdown by Isaiah Wright ’16, a 57 -yard touchdown by Koby Quansah ’16, and Jacob Hallenbeck’s ’16 beautiful 27 yard touchdown pass to Andrew Lemkuil ’16.

The victory marked the culmination of a five-year turnaround for Wyvern football. When Coach Martinez took the helm in the fall of 2011, the team went 0-8. Since then, the records improved to 2-6, 6-2, 7-2, and 7-1 this year. This was the second year in a row that KO earned a Bowl bid and the third year in a row that the team was co-champs of the Fairchester Athletic Association.

“These kids love and respect each other so much,” Martinez said. “It’s evident in the way they fight for each other, the way they represent themselves in the classroom, the way they conduct themselves on and off the field. From the very beginning, the guys said they wanted to win a championship, and I said: let’s hold our horses a little bit. Let’s come together as a family first, and the winning will come. And that’s what these kids are, what this program is – it’s a real family.”

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SWIMMING The Boys’ & Girls’ Varsity Swimming & Diving team performed extremely well at the Division II New England Swimming and Diving Championships on Mar. 5: The girls placed 5th, and the boys brought home the title. Plus longtime swimming and diving coach Clay Miles received a special honor – the NEPSSA Distinguished Service Award. Clay, a swim coach for the past 26 years, is the first coach in KO history to win this award The Boys’ team – which came in 2nd for the past two years – won this year’s meet handily, amassing 469 points to St. George’s 375 and Kent’s 366.

KO’s top finisher was Jack Barry ’17; he won the 200 Freestyle (setting a meet record of 1:46.86) and the 500 Freestyle. His strong performance was supported by all six seniors on the team, each of whom recorded two individual finishes among the top eight places — “an extraordinary achievement at a large meet,” said Coach Alex Kraus.

Captain Andrew Zimmerman ’16 took 2nd in the 200 IM as well as the 100 Butterfly, while Captain David Lessard ’16 finished 7th in the 100 Butterfly and 8th in the Backstroke. Jack Wolf ’16 placed 4th in the 50 Free and 5th in the 100 Butterfly, and Captain Kyle McLaughlin ’16 swam to 7th-place finishes in the 200 Freestyle and the 500 Freestyle. Chris Carangelo ’16 excelled in the sprints, placing 6th in the 50 Freestyle and 4th in the 100 Freestyle, and Mick Hains ’16 took 8th in the diving and 5th in the 100 Breaststroke.

Other standout performers were Tim Petit ’18 (7th in the 50 Freestyle and 7th in the 100 Breaststroke) and Stephen Pang ’17 (3rd in the 200 IM and 3rd in the 100 Backstroke). Noah HawksLadds ’17 showed strength and endurance, taking 3rd in the 500 Freestyle and 5th in the 100 Backstroke.

GIRLS’ TRACK & FIELD

BOYS’ TENNIS

The Girls’ and Boys’ Track & Field teams had an outstanding day at the New England Div. III Championships on May 21: The Girls placed 1st; the Boys came in 6th; KO came in first in six different events; and Emily Kirton ’16, a triple New England winner, was named the girls’ MVP of the entire meet.

It’s the first New England title for the Girls’ team since 2008, and the best finish for the Boys’ team in four years.

“KO Track & Field had a spectacular day,” said Varsity Head Coach Alex Kraus. “ Athletes rose to their competitive moments with courage, with terrific effort and confidence, and with great success. Their sportsmanship and enthusiasm were exemplary, and they had terrific leadership from the seniors!”

Out of 21 girls’ teams competing in the meet at Hyde School in Woodstock, CT, the Wyverns placed first with 86 points, thanks to remarkable teamwide performances, led by Tri-Captain Kirton.

Kirton repeated her 2015 title as New England Champion in the Long Jump, with a season-best 16’ 10.25”. She also won the High Hurdles (16.35) and was part of the New England Champion 4x100m Relay team that won in 50.95 – a season best and new school record run by Tri-Captain Ellie Kraus ’16, Kirton, Sam March ’17, and Kayla Glemaud ’17.

March was also New England Champ in the Triple Jump with 35’ 7.50” – her season’s best and a school record – and Glemaud was New England Champ in the Shot Put with a 32’ 1.75” throw (her personal best).

By winning New England Championships on May 22, the Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Tennis teams earned the final jewels in their “triple crowns” – and made school history in the process: For the first time ever, both teams went undefeated, won Founders Championships, and won New Englands in the same year.

In the finals of the New England Class A Championship at Choate, the Boys’ team beat Taft, 4-3, in a nailbiter that came down to a tiebreaking singles match won by Luke Riemann ’19. It’s the first New England Championship for the boys.

After winning points at #1 and #2 doubles (the #3 doubles match, locked in a 5-5 tie, was pulled when the doubles point was decided), the Wyverns turned to singles.

Matt Lord ’17 won at #1 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 victory, capping an undefeated season in which he never lost a single set. “This is truly remarkable, and he did it in a classy, humble manner,” said Boys’ Varsity Head Coach Andy Krugman ’86.

UConn-bound Jacob Appleton ’16 won 6-0, 7-6 (7-5 tiebreaker) in a back-and-forth match, and then KO’s #4, #5, and #6 players all lost to Taft, tying the match at 3-3.

This meant that Riemann’s would be the deciding match; it was the third time this season that he was in this pivotal situation.

The final score of 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 gave the Wyverns their victory, preserving their unblemished season (17-0 – the first undefeated season since 1973), and made them New England champs.

Meanwhile, the Girls’ team beat Hopkins, 5-0, in the Class B New England Championship at Westminster. It was the third time the team won the title; the prior wins were in 2011 and 2014.

The Wyverns got off to a great start: Morgan Risinger ’16 and Allie Perron ’16 won at #1 doubles; Lexi Kubas ’19 and Olivia Shea ’16 won at #2 doubles, and Faith Pease ’17 and Ahana Nagarkatti ’21 won at #3 doubles.

After Risinger and Perron won their singles matches, the victory was secured – as was the undefeated season (the first since 2009) and the New England Championship.

“This was exactly how these three seniors deserved to finish their high school careers,” said Girls’ Varsity Head Coach Ron Garcia.

“They are the best group of seniors I’ve had in my 19 years of coaching. I’m so glad that they will graduate as champions.”

GIRLS’ TENNIS KO SUMMER 2016

45

Quansah Played in Semper Fidelis All American Bowl Star linebaker and running back Koby Quansah ’16 had been chosen to play in the Semper Fidelis All American Bowl sponsored by the U.S. Marines, and during a formal ceremony in Roberts Theater this past September he received a jersey to commemorate his selection.

“This honor could not have been bestowed on a better person,” said Will Gilyard, KO math teacher and Assistant Football Coach. “In addition to being an exemplary football player, student, and athlete, Koby is discplined, self-reliant, and holds himself and others accountable, if necessary. He doesn’t look for praise when the team has success, and he’s willing to take the blame when the team struggles, added Gilyard.

He fully embraces the phrase ductus exemplo – lead by example.

Quansah, the son of Naana Boakye of Manchester, was one of only 100 students nationwide (and only two in CT) to be chosen for this elite Bowl. The nationally televised game was played in the StubHub Center in Carson, CA, on Jan. 3, 2016.

The East defeated the West in the game.

The Marines said their selection of athletes for this bowl was based on “their athletic prowess, academic success, and embodiment of the Marine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment.”

Quansah, will play football at Duke University this year. He was born in Ghana and came to the U.S. when he was four years old. A student at KO since 8th grade, he has distinguished himself not only as a football player, but also in other areas of school life.

’91 Basketball Team Honored on 25th Anniversary The Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Basketball teams got the 53rd annual Kingswood Oxford Invitational basketball tournament off to a great start this past December, as each team won its opening game in front of a raucous and supportive crowd.

“It was wonderful to see our gym packed on Friday night, and to see our teams competing with heart, style and success,” said Athletic Director Debbie Fiske. “There was definitely a buzz created that carried over into the remainder of the weekend.”

A highlight of the tournament’s first night was the recognition of the 1991 Boys’ Varsity Basketball team, which won the NEPSAC Class B title 25 years ago after an exciting, down-to-the-wire win over Cushing Academy.

From left: Debbie Fiske, Justin Walsh ’93, Keith Wolff ’91, Scott Farrell ’91 and Dennis Bisgaard

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Big Wins and Big Cheers on Hewett Day 2015 On top of a number of big wins, this past fall’s Hewett Day on Oct. 24 was marked by a unique midday ceremony honoring Dennis Bisgaard on his 10th anniversary as Head of School. Coordinated by Athletic Director Debbie Fiske, the ceremony began at 12:15pm on Hoffman Field, during a break between the morning and afternoon home games.

“It seemed very fitting to us in the Athletics program that we honor Dennis Bisgaard on Hewett Day, on this field, for his 10 years of leadership,” said Fiske. “Installing this turf field in 2007 is one of the very first things he did after coming to KO. And over these past 10 years, he’s often been here on the sidelines, cheering for the Wyverns.”

Before the event began, hundreds of athletes from every interscholastic fall sport, Middle through Upper School, gathered at the far end of the field, past the library. After a stunning rendition of the National Anthem by the Outlook chorus, led by David Baker ’04, the teams were called out, one by one, to midfield.

Hundreds of athletes then formed two long rows, side by side, stretching from the stage at midfield back around toward the library. Escorted by KO-KO the mascot, Bisgaard then jogged between the two lines, high-fiving and shaking athletes’ hands on his way to the stage.

Three fall coaches – science teacher and Head Boys’ Cross Country Coach Fritz Goodman, Assistant Head of School for Student Life and Assistant Volleyball Coach Carolyn McKee, and Head Football Coach Jason Martinez – each offered words of tribute on behalf of all fall teams.

“When Dennis arrived at KO in the fall of 2006, he brought with him a strong belief that we must focus on the entire student experience – in and out of the classroom,” said McKee. “He knew, and he encouraged all of us to remember, that athletics, clubs, activities, and performances are as vital to a student’s (and the School’s) success as academics are.

“Yet, Dennis doesn’t just talk the talk about student life; he walks the walk,” she continued. “He supports our students in all of their endeavors by attending games, plays, concerts, and assemblies whenever he can. And, he is the personification of school spirit! How could we forget that when when KO was competing in USA Today’s Most Unique High School Mascot Contest a few years ago, it was Dennis who riled us all up to win?”

Football captains Koby Quansah ’16 and Nye Deskus ’16 presented Bisgaard with a glass-encased football signed by everyone on the team, and Fiske made the Head of School an

KO SUMMER 2016

honorary fall athlete by presenting him with a personalized jersey with the #10, a quarterback’s number, commemorating his decade at KO. Donning the jersey, Bisgaard expressed his gratitude for the recognition and his joy at having been at KO for 10 years. Then, in keeping with the academic year theme of “mosaic,” representatives of each fall team came to the stage with pieces of paper on which they’d written single words that characterized Bisgaard – and then placed their papers on a large piece of wood, in the shape of a Wyvern.

“When you see these pieces of paper, these individual words, you start to get a sense of what Dennis is like,” said Fiske. “But when all of the words are put together as a whole, they together make up a beautiful Wyvern mosaic that is a truer, more wonderful picture of Dennis than any one of the individual words.”

To end the ceremony, Bisgaard led the huge crowd of athletes, parents, alumni, and friends in a robust version of the cheer – “Give me a W! Give me a Y!” until the word Wyverns is spelled out – that has already become Fiske’s trademark at KO.

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Summer 2016 Shelter Harbor

Members of the Kingswood Oxford community enjoyed an end-of-summer reception at the Shelter Harbor Golf Club.

(L-R): Katie Godbout Hurley ’93, John Godbout ’91, Heather Clifford P ’17, ’19

Board Chair Brad Hoffman ’78, Tim Holt P ’99, ’02, ’07, Trustee Paula Whitney P ’02, ’04, ’06, ’07, Parent Association President Heather Clifford and Head of School Dennis Bisgaard P ’16, ’22

Our gracious hosts: Brian & Paula Whitney, Dennis Bisgaard, Bennett Hires ’06, Jeff & Donna Hires P ’06 and Monica Bisgaard.

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End of an Era It is the end of an era: After 25 years as Head Coach of the Boys’ Varsity Soccer team, Upper School History teacher Peter Jones decided to hang up his cleats this past fall. Over those years, he coached 414 games -- more than any coach in any other sport in school history -- and about 1,400 practices.

During a midmorning assembly in November, Jones was honored by students, colleagues, and alums -- including State Rep. Matthew Ritter ’00 (on left in photo), who presented him with an official citation from the CT General Assembly. The citation, in part, read: “The Connecticut House of Representatives hereby offers its sincerest congratulations to Peter Jones in recognition of his 25 years as the Head Coach of the Kingswood Oxford Boys’ Soccer team; for his commitment and dedication to sportsmanship and fair play; and for the hundreds of lives he positively impacted as a coach and mentor.”

Those lives, Ritter said, included his own: He played for Jones for four years, on teams that made it to the New England semifinals three years in a row.

In fact, during his tenure, Jones coached four teams to the New England quarterfinals and four to the semifinals. The 1992 team was a New England finalist, and the 2002 team on which Ritter played won the WNEPSSA Class M Championship.

“It has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to coach this team at this school over the past 25 years,” Jones said. “I will certainly remember the great wins, the hard work, and the overall dedication of the teams and the players with whom I have worked; but mostly I will remember with lifelong fondness the special people that I have had the sincere pleasure to coach and to coach with. To quote the great baseball writer Grantland Rice, ‘For when the one Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, he writes, not whether you won or lost, but how you played the game,”’ Jones concluded.

“And oh, how you all played the game!”

KO Football Jersey Displayed at N.E. Pats’ Hall The New England Patriots requested a KO football jersey to hang in The Hall at Patriot Place, the interactive museum adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. The jersey will be on display later this month, and will remain there until the next high school New England champions are crowned in 2016.

The pro team has a tradition of displaying the uniform and a season writeup from each of the New England Champion high school football teams in the Patriots’ region.

The special request from the Patriots was the latest in a long list of postseason honors for the Varsity Football team, which went 7-1 in the 2015 season, winning the third Fairchester Athletic Association title in a row and the first New England Championship in school history.

“We are flattered and grateful for the opportunity to display our football jersey in Patriots Place,” said Head Varsity Football Coach Jason Martinez. “Our success this year was due to one thing: each member of our football team gave up his own personal goals for one team goal. When that happens, great things materialize. Postseason accolades are just another example of hard work paying off.”

KO SUMMER 2016

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OXFORD 1951

Sara Barr Palmer Class Correspondent Vivian Hathaway Crouse and husband, Craig, have completed their first year in their new home in Naples, FL, and love where they now live. Viv visited Maine and Cape Cod last summer and had lunch with Pem Donegan Schultz, who seems to be well recovered from her stroke last winter.

Pam Snow Lovejoy reports that she is about half settled in her new house, with daughter Heidi on her way from California to help her finish up. Pam says she’s still going strong and enjoying life.

The Palmers had a great trip last spring to the UK and Malta. Off again to the UK last fall for more Royal Navy reunions and visits to children, grandchildren and friends.

OXFORD 1953

CLASS NOTES

Vitty O’Connell O’Toole Class Correspondent

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Greetings, ’53! Remember when “Greetings!” used to mean “You’re in the Army now”? I’ll admit that I do remember the 40s. Should I admit that in 2016? Traveled to LA (too many cars, thruways) for a brief family visit. I was onstage in the Madison Beach Club “Follies,” 73 years strong. My first show was in 1950, and I’ve appeared off/on through the years. Best years were when I sang “I’m Still Here” and “Ladies Who Lunch,” both Elaine Stritch songs by Sondheim. No singing voice after throat cancer, so I do skits. (Shades of Mrs. Gavert, Paint & Putty, Our Town, Gilbert & Sullivan). At Renbrook, I asked the music director if they ever did G&S now, and she said it’s High School Musical now; I didn’t know that G&S had become dated. Tom, age 55, and Owen, age 54, are on the far coast. Ellen, age 53, is

JUNIOR LEAGUE INVITES OXFORD ALUMS TO TOUR HOME OF SHIRLEY STORRS ’44

In May 2015, Oxford alumnae enjoyed a private tour of the Junior League of Hartford’s 2015 Designer Show House, a 21-room mansion on Orchard Road in West Hartford that was the home of Shirley Storrs ’44, math teacher at Oxford and then Kingswood Oxford from 1947-81. As they walked through the beautifully decorated home and enjoyed the lush gardens, alums reminisced about “Miss Storrs,” an only child who never married and lived in the house until her death in 1983. Phyllis Chapman Fenander ’57 could not attend the tour, but recalled having Miss Storrs, a Vassar graduate, for math and geometry: “It was she who inspired me to go on to architecture at the ripe old age of 40! Her father, Dr. Ralph Storrs, delivered me at Hartford Hospital, and he probably delivered a lot of Oxford alums.”

in Norfolk, CT, and Peter, age 49, is in DC. Ellen’s daughter, Emily, is a sophomore at St. Lawrence University, and Annie is a senior at Berkshire School. I am signed up to take some classes through the Shoreline Institute for Lifetime Learning. One will focus on the voyages of Sinbad. We will visit an historic opera house in Thomaston to enjoy “the 1940’s Radio Hour.”

As a Prairie Home Companion listener, it was a natural for me.

I take my leave, wishing you lots of clever ways to enjoy the predicted hard New England winter.

(California and Florida residents – think of all you’re missing!)

Nancy Faust Sizer writes, “My job coaching new teachers for the Harvard Graduate School

gaming and general camaraderie.

So, as long as we have the Block Island magnet, we’re pretty certain that we will continue to see our children, grandchildren and their dogs at least once a year, no matter where they or we may reside. How great is that!”

KINGSWOOD 1953

Harlan Underhill has published a young-adult fantasy novel titled Lords of Kerballa, volume No. 1 of his Morduc Trilogy.

OXFORD 1954

OXFORD 1950

Class members gather for a photo at their 65th reunion. of Education and my ‘school’ – Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement – are the same.

What’s new are the weddings of two granddaughters and two great trips: one hiking in the Rockies with two 16-year-old grandsons, and the other to Quebec City, where my daughter Judy and I learned more about an 18th-century ancestor who was captured by Indians and later joined a French order – very resilient, and in that respect a role model for us both. One of my courses this last year was in memoir writing, so I have been thinking about a lot of you.”

Barbara McBride Christie writes, “Life is good; Vermont is beautiful.

I feel blessed; my children are my treasures . . . but almost 80-years old is hard to get my head around!”

Molly Davis DePatie writes, “I have a nice life helping out at church, staying put, Red Cross, playing tennis, doing housework.

One newish thing I do is take ukulele lessons. It’s great, and our class has had a couple of gigs at retirement homes. Many laughs are had by all. Dick is fine, and New Canaan is where we hope to stay put.”

KO SPRING 2016

June Heard Wadsworth writes, “I’m sure that those of us living in Connecticut during the winter of 2015 would agree that it was one of the worst winters we’ve seen in a very long time. It seems we spent it dealing with the neverending snow and the consequential ice dams. What a mess! Here it is September, and we’re finally getting our kitchen painted after the remediation done to handle the leaks. Not fun. We did go to Florida for a much-needed break in March. But our biggest event was when our entire family joined us at Block Island over July 4th.

Those included were our son, Rob’s family (Terry, his wife; Katie and her husband, Michael; Andy and his long-time girlfriend, Liz Meredith; Mike and Scratch, their dog, named for Andy’s very first stuffed toy with the same name); Steve’s family (his wife, Lora; Christina, and Drew); and Jay’s family (his wife, Laura; Joseph, Margaret, and Bear, their golden retriever). And of course the senior Wads: Frank, June and their dog, Ranger. A large (18 adults plus three dogs) gathering to say the least, but the weather couldn’t have been better, and everyone enjoyed the fishing, sailing, swimming,

Marjorie Harvey Purves writes from Worcester, MA, “I’m doing OK. Keeping busy with meetings of all sorts. I really enjoy being with my grandson Rodeo, now 8-years old, and being with friends and family.”

Gail Myers Rider writes, “Bob and I are enjoying life in Bentley Village, a retirement community, in Naples, FL, nine months of the year and return to Otis, MA, in the Berkshires (summer) for three months in our island cottage that we’ve had for 50 years!”

KINGSWOOD 1955

Fred Swan reports that, “Over the past two years, Pat and I have enjoyed two week tours of Hawaii and Spain with Road Scholar.”

OXFORD 1956

Sandra Martin McDonough is still working 60 years after her Oxford graduation. Both grandchildren are now married. She still has Samoyeds - a new pup coming from Canada next month.

OXFORD 1957

Phyllis Chapman Fenander Class Correspondent

Linda Murphy Richardson called while on vacation in Groton Long Point, and she’s busy keeping track of two “generations” of grandchildren: one grandson at

Northeastern, and a granddaughter who is a senior in high school; and then grandchildren who are 5-yearold twins, and another 15-month old grandchild!

KINGSWOOD 1957

Dick Drew reports that Jack Grant participated for the third year in the over-70 division of the Bay Area Senior Games, which hosted the world’s first over-70 soccer tournament in 2013. Jack lives in Sebastapol, CA, and has written and published a number of books.

Dick writes that he is still involved in secondary education, lives near Jack in Sonoma, CA, and meets with Jack at least annually so they can swap stories about children, grandchildren and recent events.

Both within the last year celebrated 50 years of marriage.

OXFORD 1958

Sue Mather Dabanian Class Correspondent Penny Hoffman McConnel reported that all’s well in Vermont.

They were having the most beautiful summer in years. The gardens were lush and veggies plentiful. Pen was recovering from Lyme Disease, which seems to be a hazard of living in her area. Her big news is that her youngest son, age 47, and his 42-year old wife had a baby girl in June. She is tiny and beautiful and is named Emily, Penny’s mother’s name. This is the first girl in several generations! They live in Scottsdale.

Sarah Duffield reported that she was expecting daughter Emily and grandchildren Audrey and Julian for a couple of weeks again this summer. Sarah is still working at the library and really enjoying it. Anything relating to books, right, Sarah? She is trying to get more hours, but the waiting list to volunteer is long.

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KINGSWOOD 1948 AND 1967 AND OXFORD 1954

CLASS NOTES

Dennis Bisgaard kicked off his 10th year as Head of School by having lunch with every living Chair of KO’s Board of Trustees – past and present (from left): Geo Estes ’67, P ’98 Jim Lyon ’48, Les Tager P ’00, ’03, Allen Collins P ’75, ’79, ’82, ’88, Sherry Banks-Cohn ’54, P ’78, ’82, Avery Rockefeller P ’00, ’02, Martin Wolman P ’80, ’82, ’84, ’88 and Agnes Peelle P ’01, ’03.

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Blair Smyth Lang reported that she took a trip to Niagara Falls (for the first time!) with her daughter and grandchildren. They also visited Lockport (boat trip through the locks on the Eric Canal), Howe Caverns and Hunter Mt. The lift and everything else were quite interesting to Floridians.

It was nice to hear from Anne Proctor! She doesn’t recognize herself in the mirror when she realizes that her kids are in their 50s and grandchildren are in college.

How do you like that BIG number 75, Annie? She recently read a book called My Father’s Footprints by Colin McEnroe ’72. Much of it takes place in the West Hartford area.

Colin went to Kingswood around the time of the merger with Oxford and at one point was the only boy in some classes at Oxford. He was in

Miss Hall’s American history class and Miss French’s French class.

He also writes about the dreadful gray uniforms and sitting in the sun in the spring; (of course we were also sitting in the sun with our foilcovered cardboard trying to get our faces tan – YIKES!!)

Pat Waring wrote a nice long note. She has been living on the Vineyard all this time working for the Martha’s Vineyard Times as a news reporter, feature writer and most recently as the arts and community editor. Daughter Diana graduated from Lewis and Clark College in Oregon and, after some traveling, returned to the Island. She is in a happy relationship, and they have an 18-month-old daughter, Hazel – cute, witty and always on the go. Pat is also very involved with Grace Episcopal Church. Church

activities are an important part of her life, as well as meditation, study and prayer. She mentioned that she attended a memorial service for Mme. Yvonne LaBreque last fall. Pat even spoke at the service about how wonderfully tolerant she was in dealing with us at Oxford.

OXFORD 1958

Sue Mather Dabanian reports that her granddaughters Rachel, 19 (left) and Nicole, 21, are both doing well in college.

Mme. LaBreque even tutored Pat’s daughter in high school French!

Pat’s mom died in Connecticut in 2008, and Pat enjoyed her visits to Connecticut (as I did with my mom). Two years later, Pat’s former husband (and Diana’s father) died tragically in a house fire. His loss was devastating for the family as well as the entire Island community.

May brought your secretary’s BIG birthday and also three weeks in Venice, FL – paradise on the Gulf Coast. Three days before we left, we received a phone call saying that, while coming back from a vacation, our daughter, her husband and our granddaughter, Nicole, had been hit head-on by a drunk driver. This meant a broken rib, fractured collarbone and several surgeries (for Nicole), but now everyone is doing well. It was definitely the worst day of my life, but of course it could have been a lot worse. We also managed to get in a couple of trips to Lake Tahoe and in September will spend a little over a week on Maui.

Now, isn’t it fun to read about our classmates? We would also love to hear from the rest of you – anytime of the year. Just email me at sdabanian@gmail.com. Thanks in advance!!

OXFORD 1959

Zélie Calvocoressi Tourais Class Correspondent Xanny Learned Preston writes, “Last April I sold my house and moved seven blocks away to a new, but old house: new to me, but parts date to the 1700s. It is smaller than where I had been living, but it has both a very nice feel and flow to the rooms. Also, there is a very pretty garden with pool. I didn’t buy it for the pool; it just came with the house. I have had horrible problems with the KO SPRING 2016

roof leaking, despite numerous inspections. It has been worked on, and I am waiting for a strong and prolonged rain to see if all is really fixed. Eventually it will all get sorted out. In the meantime, I am getting to know my neighbors, all very nice and quite a mix of “our” age and students. In June I sold my house in Keene Valley to friends. I have known the wife, Holly, all my life. They are a most interesting couple who live in Guatemala and have a coffee plantation. Much as I loved the house, looking after two places was becoming more work than I wanted. It is now in good hands, and they are quite content with it. My cancer continues to be in check! Nothing short of a miracle, and I am so deeply grateful for each and every day. I have been truly blessed. Martha Moore, Ellen Jones Wood and Julie Peck are regularly in touch, and Julie and I had another fun Christmas last year.”

Debbie Mahoney Swenson writes about a Boca Grande reunion last March with Julie, Ellen, Susan McClure Harris and Charlotte Buck Miller: “Julie and I did our annual bike ride there. Wonderful cruise on the Elbe River from Berlin to Prague, including Wittenburg, Meissen, Dresden.

Busy in Chatham with lots of tennis, biking and gardening, which is a daily battle with the deer, who use my hostas and lilies as appetizers. Jack is still working, so we have a condo in Weston.

Grateful for good health, but those joints and bones are weary!

Getting a total knee replacement in October.”

Charlotte invited me to visit her and David in Maine at the end of July. We spent several days touring beautiful coastal Maine and eating lobster.

OXFORD 1960

Jane Anderson Innerd Class Correspondent From Arizona Jennifer Ripple Akridge says that her son and his wife moved to Santa Rosa, CA last February and are enjoying it very much. She and Ed plan to stop for a short visit early in April on their way home from Arizona to Washington. Her daughter Anne is in the home stretch in her second year of home schooling her two children. Jennifer just acquired a Fitbit Flex which she finds challenging but fun and she is in the process of lengthening her daily walks.

Barbara Hamilton Almy was unable to attend our 56th reunion in June because her daughter, Kate is pregnant and due that very

weekend. This will be Barbara’s first biological grandchild although she has five step grandchildren who are much older. Her daughter Kate and husband, Chris Bane, live in Beverly Farms just two miles from her home. Her son, Nick is living in South Boston and working at Brown Brothers Harriman. Barbara plays tennis three times a week, and walks her dog to keep fit. She has a studio/ gallery in Manchester where she exhibits her photography and her business partner exhibits mixed media art. Their web site is www. beachstreetstudios.com.

This has been a year of exhibitions for Prilla Smith Brackett and of traveling. She and George had fun visiting friends in Utah and old haunts in the Berkeley/Bay Area, ending up in Pasadena for

KINGSWOOD 1959

On June 5, 2016, a Kingswood reunion of sorts took place at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox, at the behest of Rick Berry ’59 and Webb Nichols ’59, treated Sabin Streeter ’59 and 19 family members and friends to an afternoon game against Toronto. The event was a celebration of Sabin’s lifelong, somewhat fanatical devotion to the Sox and included his getting a locker room visit and his presence acknowledged on an electronic display above center field. In addition to those mentioned, the classes of ’58 and ’59 were represented by Hobey Hyde ’58, John Stout ’58, Jim Woods ’59, Doug Wright ’59 and Fritz Farquhar, ’59 Trustee Emeritus. A nice sum of money was raised for the Red Sox Foundation in Sabin’s honor. On a down note, the Sox lost.

Pictured are Sabin Streeter ’59 seated, Rick Berry ’59 standing left, Sabin’s three sons, grandson and daughter-in-law.

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OXFORD 1960

CLASS NOTES

Jennifer Ripple Akridge and husband, Ed

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George’s 50th reunion at CalTech.

Their big trip was six weeks in the South Pacific on two trips with Overseas Adventure Travel, two weeks in Java and Bali, followed by four weeks in Australia and New Zealand. Prilla enjoyed connecting briefly in Melbourne with Ginnie Luxton (Sandy Lee). Prilla appreciated that Ginnie kindly came into Melbourne to Prilla’s hotel for their visit as Prilla had very little free time on the tour. Prilla has a good memory and reminded Ginnie that when they were around 12-years old Prilla spent Halloween night with Ginnie and they went around ringing people’s door bells and running away, thinking themselves naughty and daring. Ginnie didn’t remember this episode but seemed amused by the story.

Prilla also sent news of Pitircik Acar Uler who with her husband Yildirim had just had a wonderful week in Girne, N. Cyprus, with their daughter Asli and her husband and mother-in-law. Asli lives in Geneva.

Pitircik has two grandsons. Sinan visited them for a week late in 2015.

He is studying computer science in Lyons, France. Renan still lives in the flat (apartment) that Pitircik and her husband own, which is next to the one they live in. He is in his third year of the University in Nicosia where Yildirim is still dean of the law faculty. Pitircik has retired from teaching law at the university. She and her husband are well but very worried about the war in Syria and how it is overflowing into Turkey.

Carolyn Goodrich reports that life is still good as she is healthy, active, working, playing and traveling. In March Carolyn and her daughter are going to Australia to see her

OXFORD 1960

The children of Jane Anderson Innerd: Charlotte Innerd, left, Jane Eleanor Rueckert and Andrew Innerd. grandson who lives and works there and then on to North Island, New Zealand, for a 100-km walk for Oxfam. Her daughter is going to do the walking and Carolyn is support crew. She has also planned a trip to Bariloche, Argentina in July to ski and celebrate the same daughter’s 50th birthday. Several members of the family are going, so Carolyn thinks it will be a great trip. Carolyn hopes that the 56th class reunion she and Tina have planned in June will be well attended.

Jane Keller Herzig and Ed moved from Connecticut to Englewood, NJ, on October 1. Jane says that the move was bittersweet. They left behind much that created memories spanning 44 years of good living – friends, gardens, a lovely lake home, etc. As Jerseyites they have the advantage of living less than two miles from their son, his wife and their three small grandchildren.

And they are just across the Hudson River from their daughter, Carolyn and granddaughter, Viola, who reside in NYC. Needless to say, it is thrilling for them to be both surrounded by family and close to the city. Viola will be attending Kenyon College in the fall. In the meantime she has created an

adventurous gap year. She was in Nicaragua with Amigos de las Americas for several months, and presently is living in Bangkok, teaching English to a two-year old.

A pleasant surprise was an email from Lucia Burks Horner. She is still living in Piedmont, CA. She and Jeff have two daughters and four grandchildren. Their older daughter is a DA in Alameda County and has two boys, eight and twelve-years old. Their younger daughter is a teacher in an independent school, Katherine Delmar Burkes, and she lives in San Francisco. She has a boy four-years old and a girl 21 months. Jeff is still working as a Superior Court judge and Lucia is working part time as an office manager for a physical therapist.

Lucia says that she hasn’t been back to Connecticut in a long time as her family is all in the West.

Mary-Lew Sterns Kelly and her husband Bill are busy with their children, many grandchildren and mini Aussie, Kai. Mary-Lew walks Kai two to four miles every day. She is also doing agility training with him and he loves it. Right now they are dog sitting for Kai’s mother for a week while their daughter Bridget

and family are in Steamboat Springs, CO, skiing. Their firstborn grandchild, Billy IV, graduated from Emory University and was hired right out of school by Google!

They are so proud and happy for him. They missed him when they had the family (all 17 of them) for their Christmas celebration on Dec. 27. Their daughter, Bridget, now has an exchange student (Lucy) who is from China. Lucy will be with them for her four years in high school. (Mary-Lew wonders if five kids weren’t enough for Bridget.)

The rest of the family is doing well.

Tim and Ellie’s second will be going off to Denison University in the fall.

Their oldest, Dillon, is a sophomore at Hamilton College. Bill and Holly’s daughter, Kathleen, will be graduating from Sewanee College.

Mary-Lew and Bill believe that they are very fortunate to have their 11 grandchildren and they count their blessings every day.

About to be a grandmother, Sue Matorin writes that her son and his wife who live in LA are expecting in April. Her son and his writing partner landed two big film script jobs just in time to finance a family, as her daughter-in-law is a low-paid psych/social worker like Sue! Sue and Rick visited LA twice recently and Rick was able to visit his brother in Hawaii. Rick is very busy with work: he edits a journal and has his medical practice. Sue writes for professional journals and works with patients in a hospital, which she finds rewarding, but regrets the health care obsession with regulations and documentation.

From Florida, Dorothy Mooney McAlenney says that they have had an unusually cold winter.

She prefers warm weather! Her youngest son and his family will be visiting in June and her brother-

KO SPRING 2016

KINGSWOOD 1963

(Left to right) Peter Janus, Ted Butler, Brewster Boyd, Fred Hillier, Nick Mason, Joel Cohen, Peter Prestley, and Tom Hine gathered last year at a restaurant in Hartford.

OXFORD 1963

Kate Cheney Chappell with her family at the 2015 Leadership Reception, dedicating her sculpture, “All Life Interrelated,” in the atrium of the Chase • Tallwood Science, Math, Technology Building.

OXFORD 1967

During lunch at The Pond House, classmates planned their next adventure together! Standing: Lory Hervey Pearson; seated, Anne Holcombe, Allyson Holtz, Kate Trafford Smith, Deni (Betty Anne) Denton Garabedian, Terry Cavalier Trapani, Lyn Patton Simmer, Saige (Sally Stearns) Behart, Bela (Nancy) Breslau.

55

in-law and wife visited in February when it never got above 50 degrees.

Dotty has three married sons who live in Denver CO, Westport CT, and Danville VT, and seven grandchildren, three boys and four girls aged from a year-and a-half to 13 years old.

CLASS NOTES

Ann Faude Newbury says that she continues to be busy with volunteer activities in the greater Hartford area. Recently she attended a luncheon for Oxford graduates. KO is trying to make sure we Oxfordians know how important and vital we are to the school. They are collecting all sorts of Oxford memorabilia and encouraging us to give items to the school for the archives. Ann and Sam are looking forward to spending as much time as possible in Maine this summer.

56

Roger and Gay Willcox Squire celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 18th by throwing themselves a big party at Squire House. Over 70 friends attended. Their son, Bill, was the bartender and catering was by a favorite local restaurant. Gay says it was one of the best parties she ever attended. Otherwise she says she has not much news to report. They are experiencing an exceptionally slow business winter season after a crazy busy foliage season. Gay continues to plug along on the Dorset Planning Commission, trying to keep the peace between those who want to see economic growth in the area and those who want to bubble wrap the town to keep it just the way it is. Roger is still President of the Dorset Chamber of Commerce (because nobody else will volunteer to take it over!) and they both still love to play bridge and attend the occasional tournament.

They are heading south in March for their annual get-away-from-mudseason vacation.

Ginnie Lee Luxton says she has not much to report other than George and Prilla Smith Brackett were in Melbourne for a few days during a whirlwind tour of Australia and New Zealand. They met in the city and tried to pack 53 years into an hour or so. Quite a feat but great fun. They met in the lobby of Prilla’s hotel. “I have to say I was anxious I might have changed to unrecognizable and thought about taking the Oxfordian or making a name tag. Neither transpired, but we knew instantly! It helped being the only two in the lobby and I had seen a recent photo of Prilla at a reunion dinner. All the family are well; our eldest granddaughter is in her final year at secondary school. Stress is a prerequisite- exams, exams and more exams.”

Sue Lowe Redfield begins her news by announcing the death of one of our classmates. Martha Lee Pratt Brumby died on October 29, 2015, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born on March 27, 1942, and lived most of her adult life in Marietta, GA, where she was married to her beloved Otis for 44 years. Otis died in Sept., 2012. They had five children, four daughters and a son, and 11 grands.

“Martha Lee and I were two of the new members of our class in our sophomore year, and we became fast friends. Many a Saturday night was spent at her house watching her favorite actor, James Garner, in Maverick! She was our class president our senior year and led us down the aisle at Immanuel Church.

(Miss Graf insisted she tuck a bit of lace into the back of her dress because she thought her dress was too risque!) Her happy life was cut way too short. She was a fine, loyal friend.

“This July is the 10th anniversary of my retirement. The years have melted away, but I have enjoyed my gardens, my volunteer work at a food pantry in the North End of Hartford and also at a soup kitchen in the basement of Immanuel Church! I have loved being a member of the Junior League of Hartford for 48 years, counting my blessings for all that I have learned there and for the true friendships that I have found. I also belong to a book club and the College Club of Hartford. I have been in my house for 42 years now!

“Beth and Todd are in Chicago, and Beth will receive her Master’s Degree in June. She works at Rosalind Franklin Medical School.

My grand, Megan, is in her second year of teaching Special Ed, and Zach will graduate from Ohio Wesleyan in May. Danny is a retired Special Forces Army LTC, who now works as a civilian for the Air Force in NC. Our very special news is that his daughter, Maggie, will attend West Point! Trey is a freshman in high school, loving all sports statistics.

“It was wonderful to celebrate our 55th reunion with those of you who could attend. It was a small group, but we certainly had a lot of fun! We are planning to meet again soonJane will know the details! And, Jane, thank you for keeping us all together as our class secretary!

You are doing a fabulous job!”

We also threw a big party this year but ours was to celebrate Wilf’s 80th birthday. Our venue was a beautiful garden on the Hiram Walker estate. Our older daughter and her family came from St. Louis, our son from Vancouver and our younger daughter from Waterloo.

Most of our guests were local but some from far afield. Wilf’s oldest friend from his undergraduate days

at Durham University came from England. Mary Ellen and Jim Keller (Kingswood ’62) came from Pittsburgh, Prilla and George, from Boston and Jane and Ed from Connecticut. I keep busy with various committees, pickleball and quilting. We look forward to visiting our grandsons in St. Louis in March.

Carolyn and Tina will host a reunion in Jamestown in June. I wish I could attend but will be in Germany. I send my greetings and best wishes to all who attend and look forward to our next bulletin.

OXFORD 1961

Yvonne Chabrier writes, “I’m grateful to be alive, in good health, and enjoying life in Newburyport, MA. I’m beginning to write my memoirs, as a way of harvesting my life. I’m continuing to paint as well. I would love to hear from classmates.”

KINGSWOOD 1962

After many years of living in Boston and running a Century 21 franchise, Tom Taylor has retired and moved to Williamsburg, VA, on a small lake near William & Mary where his daughter Lindsey graduated and presently resides.

He also had both knees replaced and is playing tennis again.

KINGSWOOD 1963

Don Barlow reports that he is “enjoying the warm Florida weather this winter. Other classmates close by when we visit are the Tommy Hines, the Jon Battersons, and the Jim Saccos.”

OXFORD 1965

Ingrid Gram writes from Sutherlin, OR, “As of June 26, 2015, my wife and I are legally married in every state! Of course, we know we’ve been married for nine years. We’re happy on our small farm, and KO SPRING 2016

looking forward to adopting two children.”

OXFORD 1967

Kate Trafford Smith reports that she, Terry Trepani and Deni Denton Garabedian headed to Scotland last June to hike the West Highland Way. According to Terry, five members of the class (herself, Lory Hervey Pearson, Deni, Lyn Patton Simmer and Saige (Sally Stearns) Behart) traveled to Oxford, England, on May 12 where they’ve rented a house for a week.

The impetus for the trip was “The Oxford Class of ’67 Turns 67” seemed appropriate to visit Oxford!

OXFORD 1968

Sarah Clark Gerrett reports, “On Friday, February 5, Brooksie Koopman, Jan Rush Just and I had a mini ‘class’ reunion in Maryland. The years just ‘melted’ away at the front door. We do ‘look’ the same as we did graduation day.

I bought a ‘selfie stick’ just for the occasion and so we could share a photo with you.”

OXFORD 1970

Betsy Rockwell Booth Class Correspondent Continuing our recent tradition of gathering informally in the spring, Oxford Class of ’70 met in Concord, MA, the first weekend in June to celebrate our 45th reunion.

The rendezvous point was Walden Pond, where we were welcomed by Holly White Cowan and Priscilla Wilcox (whose local knowledge really made this event the success it was). This was followed by lunch in town, visits to the Concord Museum and the Old North Bridge.

The day was capped off by dinner on a pontoon boat while cruising the Sudbury River during which we were serenaded by Kate LeRoyer

OXFORD 1968

From left Jan Rush Just, Sarah Clark Gerrett and Brooksie Koopman

on the fiddle she made herself.

Magical hardly describes it! We all left on Sunday with huge smiles and wonderful memories.

Joining the fun were Deborah Beebe, Betsy Rockwell Booth, Gwyn Morcom Charles, Martha Spaunburg Church, Nina Hughes Delaney, Emily Holcomb, Saralee Howard, Wendy Brown Lincoln, Nancy Putnam, Priscilla Tucker, and Nancy Wood.

To those of you who were unable to join us for one reason or another, we thought of you and truly hope you will be able to join us next time.

Martha Spaunburg Church was named director of the West Hartford Public Library last August.

Martha grew up in West Hartford, received her master’s degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin in 1975, and moved back to West Hartford with her husband, John, in 1976. In 1977, Martha returned to Kingswood Oxford to teach English, serve as Middle School librarian and work in the development office. Martha has served in various capacities at the West Hartford Public Library for 37 years. She began as a

part-time reference librarian at the library in 1977, worked 25 years as a part-time employee followed by 12 years of full-time work. In that time, she has overseen the local history collection, led multi-cultural programs, held book discussions, written grants and offered computer training. As the library’s director, she supervises a staff of 25 fulltime employees and 75 part-time employees. Martha and John’s three grown children, all graduates of Carleton College in Northfield, MN, live in the Twin Cities area.

Heartiest congratulations to Martha on her appointment as director of the West Hartford Public Library.

You are our favorite librarian!

KO 1974

Jennifer Putnam reports that she married Chris Methany in 2000 and they have two children. Jen works as a career counselor at a high school near her home.

KO 1976

Jay Botwick and his wife Cindy report, “We became grandparents!

Alexander ’04 and Andrea became parents to Nathan Levi on January 7, 2016.”

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Jim Waldman is a candidate for the Florida Senate and previously served for eight years in the Florida House.

KO 1978

Congratulations to Chuck and Elizabeth Fahy Bellingrath on becoming grandparents. Chas ’03 and his wife, Allison, welcomed Emily Fahy Bellingrath into the world on January 29, 2016.

KO 1980 KO 1974

Michael Missal is now Inspector General of the Department of Veteran Affairs, after being nominated by President Barack Obama and approved by the Senate. A partner at the law firm of K&L Gates in Washington, D.C., Missal earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Washington and Lee University and a law degree from Catholic University.

Hiram Maxim writes, “I still live with my wife of 26 years and our 12-year-old daughter in Atlanta, GA, where I’m a professor of German Studies and Linguistics at Emory University.”

KO 1981

After 27 years with large law firms, Steven Falk has created Falk Law Firm, P.A., located at 7400 Tamiami Trail North, Suite 103, Naples, FL 34108. He can be reached at (239) 596-8400 or sfalk@falklawpa.com.

He’s very excited about his new endeavor for 2016!

CLASS NOTES

KO 1982

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Elizabeth Hallisey Norris writes from Waterford, CT, “I have been busy raising four girls. This past year, I have been the art teacher at the Gengras Center at the University of St. Joseph, a school for special-needs children. I am looking forward to moving into our new building.”

KO 1986

Bill Shea and his wife, Chena, welcomed Abigail Cleopatra Shea on November 17, 2014. Abigail joins her two-year-old siblings, twins Liam and Lilly. They live in Honolulu, where Bill is a practicing physician.

Bill is the brother of Gabby ’87, Tony ’90, Nicki ’92 and Kevin ’95.

KO 1988

An interview with expatriate extraordinaire Gina Nelson on the travel website BrownGirlsFly reveals that Gina has lived in or visited 33 countries and is currently an education advisor for the government of Abu Dhabi.

Previously Gina has trained educators both on the high-school and university levels, has done consulting work in New York and Connecticut, and served on the superintendent’s instructional leadership team for a school district that serves primarily Latino and African-American students.

She says that she has adjusted to the slower pace of business transactions in the United Arab Emirates and that she is thoroughly enjoying her time there. “My primary reason for deciding to settle in Abu Dhabi is that here I would receive an insider’s look at the Arabic people and culture, which are often misunderstood and erroneously portrayed.” Also a gifted painter, Gina designed the poster for the Fort Green Jazz Festival last summer in Brooklyn.

She is currently creating a new series of paintings titled “1 in 10: Womanchild in a Man’s World.”

“As one of two girls in a family of 10 children,” she said, “I grew up with eight brothers. So the series, which will be completed by late fall 2015, captures my reflections and musings on growing up female in a predominately male household.” The full text of the interview with Gina is available at www.browngirlsfly. com/4823/traveler-interview-withexpat-in-abu-dhabii-gina-nelson/.

KO 1993

Ryan D’Agostino’s new book The Rising – Murder, Heartbreak, and the Power of Human Resilience in an American Town, recounts the murder of three members of the Petit family in Cheshire, CT, in July 2007 and the recovery and

resilience of the surviving family member, William Petit. The Rising has received strong praise from several book reviewers. “Through his years of painstaking research,” wrote Kim Curtis of the Associated Press, “D’Agostino tells the story of Petit’s journey. We learn about the man, as well as the power of family and community, and, along the way, we see evil and its opposite.”

Curtis called the book “a searing family tragedy that allows readers to analyze, ponder and learn from it . . . a thought-provoking, insightful and highly compelling read.” Buzz Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights, wrote, The Rising lingers long after you have read it. It raises fundamental issues about the human condition – our ability to move on in the face of unspeakable tragedy. Bill Petit lost his wife and two children in a crime beyond imagination. In the hands of Ryan D’Agostino what emerges is a pitch-perfect story of grace, eloquence, and renewal.” Ryan, the editor-in-chief of Popular Mechanics magazine, was previously an articles editor at Esquire, and he has written for The New Yorker, Ski and other publications. In mid-September, Ryan’s parents, Sheila and John D’Agostino, hosted a book-signing party at their West Hartford home that was attended by friends, neighbors, KO Head of School Dennis Bisgaard and several veteran KO teachers.

KO 1994

Judy Clark Babin welcomed daughter Alice Caroline Babin on May 16, 2015. She joins big sister Olivia, six. Judy lives in Portland, ME, and is the children’s librarian at Merrill Memorial Library in Yarmouth, ME.

KO 1996

Melissa Milish Cabrera reports that she and her husband, Desmond, welcomed daughter Mila Grace

OXFORD 1970

45th Reunion in Concord, Mass. in June 2015 Front Row: Martha Spaunburg Church, Holly White Cowan, Gwyn Morcom Charles. Second Row: Sara Lee Howard, Emily Holcomb, Betsy Rockwell Booth, Wendy Brown Lincoln. Third Row: Debbie Beebe, Priscilla Tucker, Priscilla Wilcox, Nancy Wood, Kate LeRoyer, Nan Putnam, and Nina Hughes Delaney

OXFORD 1970

Martha Spaunburg Church has been named director of the West Hartford Public Library, where she has worked in various capacities for the past 37 years.

KINGSWOOD 1973

Allen Petersen, Dave Reynolds, Scott Haskell, and Bill Civitello enjoyed a round of golf at the Hartford Golf Club in July 2015.

Alumnae from 1956 through 1973 attended an Oxford alumnae luncheon in January 2016 hosted by Ann Coolidge Randall ’73 at the Town & County Club in Hartford. Back (L-R): Katherine Sherts Civitillo ’73, Debbie Fiske, Mary Pallotti Russell ’73, Ann Faude Newbury ’60, Ann Coolidge Randall ’73 and Claudia Swett Gwardyak ’63. Front (L-R): Nancy Austin Reed ’56, Jane Brandon Pfaff ’56, Betsy Rockwell Booth ’70, Wendy Brown Lincoln ’70, Carlene Dahill Bush ’73 and Lynne Lumsden ’65 KO SPRING 2016

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KO 1976

CLASS NOTES

Kate Emery, Founder and CEO of The Walker Group, offered keynote remarks at the “Power of Philanthropy” event sponsored by the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation and held at the Governor’s Residence in June 2015. Kate spoke movingly about the importance of CT emerging as a key social enterprise state.

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KO 1993

KO 1987 AND 1990

In November 2015, Jim Doran, father of Wendy Doran-Paley ’90 (left) and Beth Doran Putnam ’87, received the prestigious AARP Connecticut Andrus Award for Community Service, in recognition for his work in reviving the non-profit Seniors Job Bank of West Hartford and for his outstanding efforts to help provide seniors with employment security. His daughters were on hand to congratulate him.

The Andrus Award, named for AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, honors an outstanding Connecticut volunteer age 50 or older who is sharing his or her experience, talent, and skills to enrich the lives of their community members.

AARP Connecticut donated $3,000 on behalf of Doran to the Seniors Job Bank.

In September 2015, KO Head of School Dennis Bisgaard and numerous faculty and KO alumni parents attended a book-signing party at the home of Sheila and John D’Agostino, in honor of the second book by their son, Ryan D’Agostino. The Rising – Murder, Heartbreak, and the Power of Human Resilience in an American Town.

KO 1988

During a visit to the U.S. in September 2015, John Wang stopped by campus and had lunch with (from left) Head of School Dennis Bisgaard, Ted Levine, Wayne Pierce, and Rob Kyff.

KO 1986

Bill Shea welcomed Abigail Cleopatra Shea born on November 17, 2014.

KO 1977

Doug Harris (top) and Phil Moran were inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2015 in recognition of their many accomplishments on KO’s courts.

Moran, who scored more than 1,000 points during his KO career, was known for thriving in pressure situations; three times in one season, he scored game-winning baskets in the last second of the game, according to Hall of Fame officials.

He was also the MVP of the KIT and was inducted into KO’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. Harris was known for his all-around play and tenacious spirit, according to the Hall of Fame. Harris and Moran both went on to play basketball at Tufts; Harris served as team captain.

Harris is now CEO of the Chicagobased Kaleidoscope Group, a national firm that helps businesses manage change and become more diverse and inclusive, while Moran is a private wealth investor for Merrill Lynch in Manhattan.

KO SPRING 2016

KO 1991

Ed Wasielewski, a Philadelphia lawyer and founder of EMG Sports, was one of the sports agents featured in “The Agent,” a docuseries on the Esquire Network that chronicled the lives of NFL sports agents. A graduate of Villanova and Temple Law School, Wasielewski represents 24 NFL players, including Cody Latimer of the Denver Broncos.

KO 1993

KO 1992

Caesar Anderson, MD, a physician in San Diego, returned to campus in February, 2016, as the Stroud Science Symposium speaker. Students were riveted by his presentation on his use of hyperbaric chambers to heal serious injuries. A graduate of Brown University, he earned his medical degree at Howard University and completed residencies at UConn and Yale. He also completed a fellowship in hyperbaric medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. A New England champion in the 400 and 800 and an All New England cross country runner, he was thrilled to reunite with his former coaches, Marie Bernatchez and Fritz Goodman.

Katie Godbout Hurley, LCSW, was back in Alumni Hall in November 2015 – this time as a guest speaker for KO’s Parent Association. A Los Angeles psychotherapist, Katie spoke about her new book, The Happy Kid Handbook: How to Raise Joyful Kids in a Stressful World.

She is a regular contributor to EverydayFamily, Momtastic, mom. me, Yahoo Parenting, The Huffington Post, and Practical Parenting.

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KO 1998

Dan Clark was named to the Hartford Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list of promising young businesspeople in 2015.

Cabrera on Oct. 29, 2014. “We also have a son, Chase Cabrera, who is eight years old,” she writes. “My husband and I have lived in North Carolina for about 12 years now after moving down from Connecticut on a job transfer. We actually both work in clinical research at the same company now (totally not planned).

In our spare time (of which we have very little), we enjoy watching our son play in his soccer, baseball and flag football leagues and volunteering for an animal rescue, and even find time to play softball for our company.”

KO 2003

Michelle Reinke Neblett says, “My husband, Ron, and I welcomed our son William W. Neblett on May 1, 2016. All are doig well and we are enjoying watching him discover the world around him each day. Wish we could have been there for the 20th. Hope everyone had a good time!”

KO 2004

CLASS NOTES

KO 1998

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Dan Clark has been named one of Hartford’s young business stars in “40 Under 40,” an annual tribute published by the Hartford Business Journal. Dan, a partner at Clark Insurance/May, Bonee & Co. in Hartford, serves the property and casualty insurance needs of his clients through Clark Insurance, and the life and health needs of his clients through May, Bonee & Walsh. In 2010, Dan and his wife, Kelly, co-founded Johnny’s Jog for Charity, an event that has raised more than $150,000 for local children’s charities. He also serves on the board of directors of Covenant Preparatory School in Hartford. Dan and Kelly live in West Hartford with their two sons.

Chris Mark has been named Assistant Director of The Center for Law and Economics at Columbia University Law School.

Jonathan Blitzer writes regularly for The New Yorker, including two recent “Talk of the Town” pieces.

One trailed former NBA star and Sherlock Holmes aficionado Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as he attended a meeting of a Sherlock Holmes society called “The Baker Street Irregulars” at the Yale Club in New York City, and another profiled vintage car enthusiast Lenny Shiller, who provides classic cars for use in movies by directors such as Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Robert Redford and Woody Allen.

Family Business Magazine recently profiled John Sommers, who, at age 29, has become president of Allied Printing Services in Manchester, CT, the largest familyowned commercial printing company in New England. John succeeds his father, John Sommers, Sr., who died unexpectedly in 2013. Founded in 1949 by John’s grandfather, John F. Sommers, Allied Printing Services has grown steadily during the past 66 years and now serves clients in a wide spectrum of industries. “When my dad passed away,” John told the magazine, “I felt a bit like I’d lost my security blanket. He had always been there, and then suddenly he wasn’t. It was a tough time.

But I know myself, and I went into overdrive during Dad’s brief illness, and also after he died. I knew that if I stopped and took time off, that wouldn’t work for me. So I just kept on going. I plunged right back in.”

Under John’s leadership, Allied has invested $17 million in new printing equipment and has installed solar panels to provide more than 20 percent of the company’s power.

Allied has hired 50 people during the past 18 months, and now has 291 employees.

KO 1997

Joseph Spinella’s family announced the news of his passing this April 10, 2016 from a brain aneurysm at the age of 36 and shared with the community the full life that he led.

After his six years at KO, Joseph went on to study technical theatre at the University of Colorado, graduating with honors in 1997.

He went to live in Italy for two years, becoming fluent in Italian and practicing his love of cooking.

When he returned to NYC he pursued his passion for music as a drummer and honed his talents as an artist and craftsman, designing and building sets for photo shoots, film, and television. A memorial was held for Joseph on May 1, 2016, at the Shambhala Buddhist Center in Manhattan, where he was a regular attendee.

KO 2007

Second-year Harvard Law student Caroline Chiappetti was the keynote speaker at the Cum Laude Society induction in February 2016. A Williams College graduate, Caroline has worked for a number of organizations focused on civil liberties and reproductive rights.

KO 2001

Professional violinist Monica Davis was back on campus in September, 2015, working with her former techer, Richard Chiarappa, and the Middle and Upper School orchestras. Monica has appeared on many tv shows, including Saturday Night Live (with Michael Buble and Pearl Jam), The Tonight Show (with Bette Midler), and The Ellen Show, with Sam Smith.

KO 2005

KO 2007

KO 2011

KO 2009

KO math teachers Danielle Hoff (left) and Will Amarante flank their teammates Dayna Lord ’13 (left) and Melissa Lord ’15 at the “Ryan Gordon ’05 Circle of Giving Golf Classic” in May 2015. Proceeds from the event, organized by Ryan’s parents, Phyllis and Barry Gordon, benefit a fund set up in Ryan’s memory at The Community Foundation of Middlesex County.

Caroline Lange, a 2015 graduate of Barnard, is now an assistant editor at Food52.com. During college, she honed her skills as a food writer by interning at Sweets and Bitters Quarterly; writing for The Daily Meal; and serving as digital promotions coordinator for ediblebrooklyn.com and ediblemanhattan.com.

KO SPRING 2016

When Cody Paladino won his first professional golf tournament, the CT Open, in July, 2015, his KO teachers Marie Bernatchez (left) and Stacey Tomkiel were there to congratulate him!

After graduating from Berklee College of Music as a songwriting major in 2013, Melissa Collins decided to focus on a career as a performing artist.

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Marsha Mather graduated from medical school in May 2016 from Avalon University School of Medicine.

KO 2006

Allie Lowe is a student at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Business and will graduate with an M.B.A. in June, 2016. This past summer she completed a 12-week internship with Nike in Portland, OR.

KO 2011

A graduate of Washington and Lee, U.S. Army 2nd LT Joshua Paldino graduated on March 4, 2016, from Ranger School at Fort Benning in Columbus, GA.

KO 2008

James Dowling-Healy spent the fall semester of 2014 at the National University of Ireland, Galway, School of Law. Upon his graduation from the University of Maine School of Law in May, 2015, he received an Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award for excellence in international and oceans law.

CLASS NOTES

Michael Whalen continues in a Ph.D. program at State University of New York School of Enviromental Sciences and a master’s degree program at Syracuse University Maxwell School.

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KO 2009

In 2013, Melissa Collins graduated from Berklee College of Music as a songwriting major. After pursuing opportunities in her field, Melissa decided to focus on a career as a performing artist. Following a belief that everything is possible with right mind and right action, Melissa’s goal is to inspire a hunger for hope in those filled with doubt and despair.

On October 28, 2015, Melissa released a five song, alternative-pop EP titled, The Bright Side, under her artist name, SHIRR. Melissa hopes to travel to Europe in spring and summer of 2016 to perform and record new music. For more information visit: www.SHIRRmusic.com.

KO 2011

Lexy Vecchio ’11 is in The Disney College Program as a professional photographer at Disney World in Orlando.

KO 2012

After graduating in 2011 from Washington and Lee University, 2nd LT Joshua Paldino, US Army, graduated from Ranger School March 4, 2016 at Fort Benning in Columbus, GA. Ranger School is one of the toughest training courses for which a soldier can volunteer.

Army Rangers are experts in leading soldiers on difficult missions and to do this they need rigorous training. For over two months, Ranger students train to exhaustion, pushing the limits of their minds and bodies. The purpose of the U.S. Army’s Ranger Course is to prepare these Army volunteers – both officers and enlisted soldiers – in combat arms related functional skills. The Rangers’ primary mission is to engage in close combat and direct-fire battles.

On December 24, 2015, five Kingswood Oxford alumni (left to right: Nat Bedford, Todd Fichman, Justin Bram, Jason Stein, and Jonah Lazowski) set out for a 10-day birthright trip to Israel. They had a great time and remain the best of friends.

KO Weddings KO 2003

Celebrating the marriage of Alex and Laura Maulucci (and showing lots of Wyvern Pride) were (front row) Chris Gent ’03, Matt Maulucci ’05, Carolyn Marziali Houlihan ’04, Laura Maulucci, Alex Maulucci, Rachael Bubbs ’01, Dave Marshall ’03, (back row) Chris Houlihan ’04, Emily Marziali Shea ’00, Chas Bellingrath ’03, Kevin Froeb ’00, Eric Malinowski ’03, Ben Nulsen ’03, and Marek Barwinski ’03.

KO 2005 AND 2008

Many Wyverns were on hand when Rob Stone ’05 married Catherine Way ’08 on May 14, 2016, at Anne Arundell Mannor near Annapolis, MD. From left: Kathryn Parry ’08, Eamon Dworkin ’08, Brian Bendett ’08, Catherine Way ’08, Oliver Taylor ’08, Greg Bendett ’08, Hannah Repp ’08, Kurt Sundberg ’08.

KO 2005

Katie Reddy ’05 married Dan Brett on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, at St. Thomas the Apostle in West Hartford, with many Wyverns in attendance: (from left) Lisa Reddy ’09, Brent Speed ’05, Stephanie Vogel ’09, Leah Boysen ’09, Dan Brett, Katie Reddy Brett, former KO administrator Jane Seaberg and her husband Doug, Barry and Phyllis Gordon P ’05. Katie and Dan live in Pittsburgh.

KO SPRING 2016

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bib babies

KO 2015

CLASS NOTES

In October 2015, Sydney Legagneur ’15 was honored as an Emerging Philanthropist at the 10th Annual Breakfast of the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls, in recognition of her efforts with “Petal Power USA,” the non-profit service group she founded when she was a sophomore at KO. Petal Power started when Sydney noticed a big pile of beautiful fresh flowers in the dumpster near the Whole Foods in Blue Back Square.

Curious about why they were being thrown out, she learned from store management that the flowers had to be discarded because they’d passed their expiration date. Sydney came up with a better idea: With Whole Foods’ cooperation and financial support from a Jamie Garfield ’00 grant, she began to pick up the “expired” flowers each week and deliver them to nursing homes, domestic violence shelters, transitional housing sites, and other locations where she felt free, fresh bouquets of flowers might brighten someone’s day. The project was such a hit it was featured on the local NBC News affiliate. Now a rising sophomore at Providence College, Sydney established a Petal Power service club at KO, enabling the free flower deliveries to continue even after she’d graduated.

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KO 1994

Judy Clark Babin welcomed daughter Alice Caroline Babin on May 16, 2015.

KO 1996

Melissa Milish Cabrera and her husband, Desmond, welcomed daughter Mila Grace Cabrera on Oct. 29, 2014.

Marion Hallinan, math teacher and registrar at Oxford and KO from 1970-2001 (left), spent an afternoon on campus in February 2016 with current Spanish teacher and archivist Brenda Semmelrock. Marion now lives in VA with one of her daughters.

IN MEMORIAM Kingswood Oxford expresses condolences to those who passed away between April 1, 2015, and July 25, 2016, or whose deaths we learned of during that time. To ensure accuracy, we require that In Memoriam notices be accompanied by a physical or electronic newspaper obituary. Please notify Meghan Kurtich (kurtich.m@kingswoodoxford. org) in the Advancement Office of any errors or omissions.

Alumni 1930s

Prudence Pease Cutler ’35 November 15, 2015 Wife of R. Dennis Cutler ’31; and mother of Thomas P. Cutler ’63 Elisabeth Gleason Humez ’37 December 16, 2015 Sister of Harold W. Gleason ’41 Llewellyn “Lew” Powell ’37 December 19, 2015 Husband of Peggy Smith Powell ’43; stepfather of Allyn R. Marsh ’69 and James W. Marsh ’76; and brother of Eunice Powell Grover ’41 Martha Davis Soper ’38 January 19, 2016 Sister of Edith Davis Taylor ’28 Susan Strong Wayne ’38 May 27, 2016 Sister of James M. Strong, Jr. ’45; and cousin of Eunice Strong Groark ’56 Martha Deming Flanders ’39 January 19, 2016 Mother of Thomas C. Taylor ’62, James D. Taylor ’64 and Sarah T. Taylor ’66

1940s

Stanley W. Dimock ’40 May 13, 2015 Father of Pamela G. Dimock ’70 and Stanley G. Dimock ’73; brother of Priscilla Dimock Andrews ’53; and uncle of Kathryn D. Andrews ’78 Robert D. Gills ’40 June 5, 2015 Brother of William L. Gills ’37 and Richard R. Gills ’44 Robert L. Caulfield ’41 November 8, 2015

Lucy Eaton Holcombe ’42 January 6, 2016 Sister of Harriet Eaton Wicke ’39; aunt of Joan Holcombe Prior ’63, Anne S. Holcombe ’67, Michele E. Holcombe ’68, Thomas H. Holcombe ’70 and Emily G. Holcbome ’70; and great-aunt of Talitha Holcombe ’19 Ralph S. Rarey ’42 February 26, 2016 Grandfather of Eloise A. Rarey ’02 and Jack S. Rarey ’06; and brother of Helen Rarey Wyckoff ’38

Bettina Batterson Hall ’61 and Jonathan E. Batterson ’63

Arthur L. Wasserman, Jr. ’47 July 13, 2016 Grandfather of Samuel C. Goddard ’14 and Ellen M. Goddard ’18

Martin F. McGrath, Jr. ’56 March 9, 2016 Father of Martin F. McGrath IV ’90

Fred M. Lougee ’48 September 24, 2015 M. Harrison Clark, Jr. ’49 June 4, 2015 Brother of Jean Clark Eysenbach ’49

John A. Benham ’43 July 16, 2015

Kenneth A. Rondeau ’49 April 7, 2013

David Chapin ’43 June 27, 2015

1950s

Walter P. Gorman, Jr. ’44 February 13, 2016 Brother of Raymond E. Gorman ’41 and Edmund J. Gorman ’47 John McLean ’45 January 29, 2016 Lee D. Bellmer ’46 April 30, 2016 Brother of Claire Bellmer Archer ’51 Frank L. Eblen ’46 October 6, 2015 Brother of Roy E. Eblen ’37, Claudia Eblen Fischer ’39 and William R. Eblen ’43 Mary Prince Ewens ’46 September 20, 2015 Janet Baker Tenney ’46 March 19, 2015 Sister of Shepard W. Baker ’47

Elvia Hanson Goggin ’47 Vincent W. Jones, Jr. ’41 October 26, 2015 November 27, 2015 Wife of John D. Goggin ’44; mother Brother of Elizabeth Jones Houghton ’43 of David B. Goggin ’79; and sister of Cynthia Hanson Heyde ’53 Grace Ingraham Espey ’42 April 1, 2015 John “Jack” F. McDermott ’47 December 6, 2015 KO SUMMER 2016

Charles R. Root ’47 December 29, 2015

Rachael Thompson de Rham ’50 February 8, 2016 Mother of John M. de Rham ’83; and sister of Sally Thompson Bissell ’46 Stephen I. Hart ’50 July 31, 2015 Brother of Elizabeth J. Hart ’48 Herbert L. Ross ’50 September 29, 2015 Frances Vail Russell ’50 June 18, 2016 Wife of David D. Russell ’50; and sister of Hazel Vail ’44

William M. Wichman ’56 December 12, 2015 DeWitt C. Page ’59 January 17, 2015

1960s

Martha Lee Pratt Brumby ’60 October 29, 2015 Myra Yellin Outwater ’60 November 2, 2015 Cynthia Fuller Davis ’62 November 2, 2015 Richard J. Alibrio ’65 March 3, 2016 Kathleen Palm Devine ’65 January 29, 2016 Susan E. Reynolds ’66 April 25, 2016 Daughter of Gay Mitchell Reynolds ’43 Elizabeth R. Truslow ’66 July 4, 2015

Edgar M. Palmer ’52 April 17, 2015

Lewis G. Schwartz ’68 January 29, 2016

Elizabeth Sisbower Bush ’54 May 2016

1970s

Dixie White Kaslick ’54 March 2015 Sister of Peter G. White ’62; and aunt of Ellen R. White ’93 Suzanne Hammond Corkin ’55 May 24, 2016 James G. Batterson V ’56 August 9, 2015 Brother of Anne Batterson ’57,

Peter M. Naboicheck ’70 June 26, 2015 Alice English Johansson ’75 November 8, 2015 Daughter of Isabelle Cox English ’50; and sister of Margaret English Unsworth ’77

1980s

John Fiske III ’82 January 7, 2016

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1990s

Joseph M. Spinella ’97 April 10, 2016 Son of Joseph A. Spinella ’68; brother of Maria K. Spinella ’93 and Laura Spinella Lovett ’00; nephew of Anthony J. Spinella ’66 and Edward F. Spinella ’70; and cousin of Josephine Spinella Graff ’94, Anthony J. Spinella ’96, Edward B. Spinella ’01 and Kevin B. Spinella ’04

Alumni Families Andrew W. Baron March 6, 2016 Grandfather of Tristan Morin ’15 Gerard P. Barrieau, Sr. June 10, 2016 Father of Gerard P. Barrieau, Jr. ’75; father-in-law of Joan McGovern Barrieau ’77; and grandfather of Gerard P. Barrieau III ’01 David T. Chase June 1, 2016 Grandfather of William H. Chase ’98, Sara E. Chase ’00, Allison H. Chase ’05, Landon D. Chase ’07 and Melissa C. Chase ’07

Thomas M. Giardini September 3, 2015 Father of Sarah M. Giardini ’10 and Thomas A. Giardini ’12 Cynthia H. Gordon February 24, 2016 Mother of Kirsty Gordon Collins ’02 and James G. Gordon ’07; aunt of Lindsay Diehl Wilson ’00 and Andrew J. Diehl ’04 Jay I. Grossman November 20, 2015 Father of Michael S. Grossman ’95 Naomi M. Hammer November 25, 2015 Mother of Joseph L. Hammer ’78; grandmother of Samuel Hammer ’13 and Elizabeth R. Hammer ’18 Marshall P. Hoke June 19, 2015 Father of Alexander P. Hoke ’68 and Howard B. Hoke ’74; father-in-law of Katharyan Risley Hoke ’74 Gaylord G. Horn January 18, 2016 Father of Schuyler G. Horn ’06

Verna T. Cheney March 24, 2015 Wife of Richard A. Cheney ’51

Victoria G. Ives May 23, 2016 Wife of Ralph E. Ives ’77

Phillip T. Davidson Sr. November 27, 2015 Father of Merry Davidson Bush ’70, Anthony H. Davidson ’78, Wendy E. Davidson ’90 and Phillip T. Davidson ’93; father-in-law of H.C. Bush ’69

Simon Konover October 20, 2015 Father of Michael C. Konover ’70

George N. Ferris May 8, 2013 Grandfather of Richard H. Ferris ’16 and Meredith H. Ferris ’17 Francis L. Finley, Jr. March 26, 2015 Father of Francis L. Finley ’71 and Liza H. Finley ’73 Marjorie M. French September 17, 2015 Wife of Arthur B. French ’46 Judi & Lou Friedman July 25, 2016 Parents of Kimberly J. Friedman ’80, Dana E. Friedman ’82 and Seth L. Friedman ’86; and in-laws of Thomas J. Redden ’73 68

Jeanne F. Lazor May 18, 2016 Mother of Catherine Lazor Bunting ’76, Diane Lazor Elkins ’79 and Lawrence Z. Lazor ’80; and grandmother of Jack M. Lazor ’18 and Matthew J. Lazor ’20 Jean B. May February 19, 2016 Grandmother of Kevin D. May ’03 Joan H. Morcom February 4, 2016 Wife of Richard J. Morcom ’37; mother of Richard E. Morcom ’70; sister-in-law of William M. Morcom ’39 and Betty Messenger Morcom ’42; aunt of Gwyn Morcom Charles ’70 and William M. Morcom ’73

George B. Odlum November 26, 2015 Father of Geroge B. Odlum ’83 and Geoffrey M. Odlum ’85; and brother of Brenda Odlum Dailey ’61, Jerome F. Odlum ’64, Judith Odlum Pomeroy ’66, and Michael G. Odlum ’70 Barton W. Pease November 22, 2015 Son of Robert W. Pease ’67; brother of Samantha Pease Doering ’96; grandson of Alfred M. Pease ’49 and Patricia Witbeck Pease ’42 Carol P. Preston January 17, 2016 Mother of Thomas R. Preston ’72, Mary E. Preston ’79 and Carol Preston Barry ’81; mother-in-law of David R. Francis ’73 Mary-Jean Ridout April 17, 2016 Mother of F. Jeff Ridout III ’71 Betty Salner October 15, 2015 Grandmother of Emily Salner Bolton ’02 and Elisabeth L. Salner ’07 Rosemaria M. Schneiderman January 11, 2016 Mother of Joseph N. Schneiderman ’04 Anne T. Shafer November 24, 2015 Mother of Joan M. Shafer ’72, Lisa Shafer Vandenburgh ’73, and Marc T. Shafer ’75; grandmother of Andrew C. Jones ’08, David C. Shafer ’15, and Jane M. Shafer ’17; mother-inlaw of Laura Jones Shafer ’75 Maryellen Shafer May 19, 2016 Mother of Glen M. Shafer ’85; and grandmother of Joshua W. Shafer ’18 Hopeton K. Simons May 27, 2016 Grandfather of Ian M. Judge ’15 Margaret W. Sitarz January 27, 2016 Wife of John W. Sitarz ’65 Marilyn Sohoel January 10, 2016 Mother of Deborah L. SohoelGoldberg ’81 and Robert C. Lamson ’83

Brenda K. Sommers November 11, 2015 Mother of Bettina Sommers ’04 and Gerald N. Sommers ’08; aunt of John G. Sommers ’04 and Rachel E. Sommers ’07 Angelo Tomasso, Jr. September 18, 2015 Father of Michael W. Tomasso ’71, William A. Tomasso ’83 and Carol A. Tomasso ’87; brother of William J. Tomasso ’50; uncle of Victor P. Tomasso ’86 Gerald N. Venetianer February 8, 2016 Grandfather of Emily L. Rosenthal ’09, Julia Rosenthal ’11 and Hannah R. Rosenthal ’12 Tucker H. Warner April 30, 2016 Husband of Joan McCance Warner ’52; father of Tucker H. Warner, Jr. ’75 and David M. Warner ’78; brother-in-law of Anne Robinson Warner ’48 and Pauline McCance ’54; and uncle of Alden Y. Warner III ’76, Peter M. Warner ’80, Jonathan P. Warner, Jr. ’81 and Elisabeth Warner Mayer ’82 Paul H. Weinstein March 24, 2016 Grandfather of Whitney Stiehler ’91 Edmund T. Welch May 28, 2015 Father of Kelly A. Welch ’86; grandfather of Meghan L. Rogers ’15 Joanne B. White February 24, 2016 Mother of Jennifer White Pennoyer ’85; grandmother of Sophie M. Pennoyer ’14, Nina W. Pennoyer, and Grant Pennoyer ’22

Administration, Faculty and Staff Margaret W. Reynolds December 20, 2015 Mother of Kathryn A. Dunn

Roberts Revealed With Head of School Dennis Bisgaard and West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka presiding, the newly renovated ground floor and entrance to the Roberts Building was officially opened to the public on Dec. 10, 2015. Standing under the just-hung canopy spanning the expansive new entrance to the decades-old building, West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka and Head of School Dennis Bisgaard officially welcomed guests to the renovated ground floor by joyfully cutting a bright red ribbon.

Slifka commented that although West Hartford Center continues to expand and change, KO and First Church remain an oasis in our busy town. “We have a series of aerial photos in town hall that depict the evolution of West Hartford over the years. Through it all, and especially through all the changes of the past few years in the Center and Blue Back Square, there are two constants in the photos: KO and First Church of Christ,” Slifka said.

The light, bright open area that greets the students, faculty and staff from the Roberts entrance sets the tone for the KO experience. Once a dark and enclosed space, the Roberts renovated entrance enhances student life by providing comfortable and welcoming student spaces. Where students used to sit in the hallways, they now fill the student lounge area and the lobby, doing homework, collaborating on projects, waiting for rides home, printing out papers, playing board games, listening to music and/or simply hanging out. It’s all about community.

Another major enhancement in the Roberts space was the suite of offices and areas built for the college advising office. The clean open design and plentiful glass imbues a modern and professional feel without sacrificing the welcoming atmosphere that the school wanted to maintain. Jessica Fowler, Assistant to the Office of College Advising, oversees a roomy and comfortable reception area where students, parents, college representatives and other visitors can ask questions, get information or just take a moment to breathe as they go about their busy day. Our student resource room (a.k.a. “the fishbowl”) and 16-person conference room, with adaptable and moveable furniture, allows the flexibility to turn our suite into a meeting space, a learning space, a quiet space, a group space or anything else that we might need. In short, our new space allows us to better serve our students and families as they navigate this important part of their KO experience.

Roberts Fast Facts: - Roberts total renovation - 8,834 square feet - Work was completed exactly on schedule in just under six months - The canopy, which defines the entrance, weighs 10,000 lbs.

Its temperature-sensitive embedded heating element will prevent buildup of ice and snow

- Supporting pillars have built-in drainage system to carry away water from melting snow or heavy rain - Two large benches flanking the entrance doors weigh 9,000 lbs each; two smaller ones at either end weigh 3,500 lbs each - Artwork was created and donated by our own Creative Arts faculty - Digital sign in lobby was a gift from the Class of ’15

Phase II of the KO 2020 Vision commences At a ceremonial groundbreaking in May, Trustees celebrated the July 2016 start of the work on the Brayton renovation Phase II of the KO 2020 Vision.

If this magazine is being delivered to a child who no longer lives in your home, please send an updated address to Jenn Faubert at, faubert.j@kingswoodoxford.org. Thank you!

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KO has a new look!

If you’ve been perusing this latest issue of the KO Magazine you might have thought, “Something looks different.” And, you’d be right. It is.

Just as the campus is being refreshed as part of Kingswood Oxford’s 2020 Vision, our five-year campus improvement plan, so too, is the school’s graphic identity that’s been peppered throughout this publication.

The graphic designers of Good Design in Deep River immersed themselves in KO’s archives and history and photographed architectural and other distinctive details on both the main campus and the original Oxford School to build a portfolio of inspiration. This 18-month collaborative process involved the feedback of alumni, faculty, staff and students to arrive at our fresh new look.

“I believe this branding captures and conveys what KO is today: an excellent academic institution that is proud of its history and true to its roots, but also modern, adaptable and poised to compete and succeed in this constantly changing world,” said Head of School Dennis Bisgaard.

We hope you agree!

Save the date:

June 9-11, 2017 Reunion Weekend Celebrating the 2s and 7s