Curtis School Magazine & Annual Report 2023-24

GROUNDBREAKING

Editor Dede

Contributors

Dede

Brian

Dede

Director

Hilary

Director

Jennifer

Dr.

CURTIS APRENDE Spanish department created their own textbook and workbook

CLIC Groundbreaking

OUR ALUMNI

4

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

From innovations in teaching and curriculum to creating a space for collaborative learning, Curtis is always “breaking ground.”

6 PERSPECTIVES

A continuing feature about our families illuminates who we are as a community.

8 FEATURES

Aligning Anti-Bias and Social-Emotional Learning

Recognizing the intersectionality of anti-bias work and social-emotional learning is key to progress.

Curtis Aprende

Want a better textbook? The Spanish Department did, so they wrote their own.

Curtis Students Are Taking Action, One Outfit at a Time 5th Graders launched an eco-conscious effort aimed at reducing waste by reusing and repurposing their clothing.

Integrated Learning in 3rd Grade

How integrating social studies and language arts curricula boosted student mastery and engagement.

CLIC Groundbreaking

Celebrating the creation of a new space that will inspire innovation in our educational programs.

20 FACULTY, STAFF & FRIENDS

In Memoriam

Celebrating Our Leaders

Milestones of Service Retirements

Travel Fellowship

27

6TH GRADE

Student Voices

Secondary School Outplacement

6th Grade Awards

30 ALUMNI

Community Service Grant News

Celebrating Our Alumni

Matriculation of the Class of 2018

Senior Send-Off

40 2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

42 BOARD

Letter from the Board Chair

Board of Trustees

Board Committees

New Board Members

48 SCHOOL FINANCES

50 PARENTS ASSOCIATION

Letter from the PA President

PA Committees

Curtis Fair

Curtis Celebrates!

60 CURTIS FUND

Curtis Fund Leadership

Curtis Fund Donors

Honorary and Memorial Gifts

Donors by Constituency

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

breaking Ground Together

On Monday morning of the last week of the school year, students and their parents, faculty and staff, and current and past trustees squeezed through the construction site gate that fenced off the far end of the Singleton Quad. On that otherwise ordinary morning, we marked an extraordinary milestone in Curtis’s history: we broke ground for the future Collaborative Learning and Innovation Center (CLIC). The June gloom and chilly air was tempered by the warmth of our community joining together. It was a remarkable day, indeed.

From the Ahmanson Building (completed in 1983), to Tuttle (1985), to the Willard Badham Administration/Library Building (1988), the Kissick Pavilion and classrooms (1996), the expansion of the Ahmanson Arts Complex (2013) (including the von Furstenberg Auditorium, Hal Gaba Music Center, Littman Performing Arts Classroom, and Friedman Arts Plaza), and the Geodesic Dome greenhouse (2022), the Curtis community has witnessed numerous groundbreakings. But groundbreakings aren’t limited to physically growing our facilities. In fact, breaking ground in the form of innovative initiatives is a regular occurrence at Curtis and something that makes our school a leader in elementary education. Curtis faculty continually research new ways to teach curriculum and grow our students’ understanding about the world around them and how they take their place in it. Our educators strive to be at the forefront of knowledge about early childhood development. All of us at Curtis work hard to ensure that we are living out and stewarding our school’s mission to nurture sound minds, sound bodies, and compassionate hearts in young people who will confront an evolving society and world.

Curtis has always been a groundbreaker. Since the founding of our school, Curtis educators have been leading the way by striving to understand how students learn best and guiding them to be upstanding citizens and community members. A Curtis education provides a multi-faceted physical education and athletics program that builds healthy life habits and character, a robust robotics and coding curriculum that challenges the mind, inspiring visual and performing arts experiences that foster students’ innate creativity, and servicelearning and leadership opportunities that prepare students to live with purpose.

In the pages that follow, our teachers and students share some of the most recent initiatives and programs that break ground in the way we teach, the way students learn, and the way our community serves others.

We are eternally grateful to the many visionary Curtis leaders, families, faculty, and friends of the school who “broke ground” before us so that we are able to continue to provide the exceptional educational foundation for students and the inimitable Curtis experience for our community that constitute our school’s unique and prized legacy.

With deep gratitude,

Dr. Meera Ratnesar Head of School

Finding Purpose through education

BY MILI PATEL AND SRINI PANGULURI, WITH DR. BHARAT PATEL

Stories shared by members of the Curtis community foster the compassion for and appreciation of others that we strive to nurture in our students, strengthening our sense of shared purpose. We are grateful to Mili Patel, Srini Panguluri, and Dr. Bharat Patel for sharing some of their family’s history and values, and contributing to our effort to tell the larger story of who we are as a community.

Please share a bit about your upbringing, your educational journeys, and what shapes your life choices today. What or who have been the strongest influences in your lives?

Mili + Srini: Our parents’ bold choices modeled the transformative value of education, resilience, and hard work, and instilled in us a deep appreciation for the opportunities we’ve been afforded. These gifts gave us the security to explore personal passions, build fulfilling lives, and better understand the importance of giving back.

Mili: As a first generation American, I’ve been deeply influenced by my parents’ story of immigration and resilience. They modeled the power of education and its ability to change lives and legacies for generations. Both of my parents were born and raised in India, worked hard, and borrowed money for medical school in hopes of creating a better life for themselves and their families. Their American Dream motivated them to move to New York and build a new life. My father was a urologist, and my mother was the first female ENT surgery resident at NYU. They worked tirelessly to lift up their families, moving from the only life they knew for the opportunity of financial and personal freedom.

Education was a priority in our home; however, my parents also encouraged and modeled building a life full of experiences. We were lucky to travel regularly, which offered new perspectives and appreciation for the life we had. My mother, a surgeon and artist, fiercely advocated for us to be well-rounded, encouraging us to try new sports, take art classes, and go to new camps each summer. I, too, became an artist, which led to a career in advertising. From taking me to see their childhood homes in India, to enabling me to attend Marlborough, my parents elucidated the power of hard work, resilience, and determination.

Srini: I was born in India and spent a few years in Nigeria before moving to the U.S., where my parents practiced medicine. My family strongly emphasized academics and, thankfully, I was lucky enough to be “good at school.” In my free time, I loved to tinker, first with calculators (remember those “games” on the TI-85?) and later with computers, which naturally led into studying computer science at Stanford. My experience since has taught me the value of being driven, well-spoken, and well-written. I believe that being open, curious, and passionate is just as important as, if not more important than, being “good at school.”

Specifically, looking back at my elementary school experience, my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Randolph, played an early and crucial role in broadening my world beyond academics. By encouraging me to join the student council, she helped me appreciate the value of leadership, civic engagement, and being open-minded about new experiences.

A more recent teacher has been the experience of founding multiple startups, which has provided invaluable lessons in teamwork. It reiterated, in often high-stress situations, the importance of communication, and reinforced the underlying importance of emotional intelligence in enabling connection and belonging.

What values do you prioritize as a family?

Mili + Srini: Kindness, individuality, and impact are key values we work hard to instill. In our home, we talk a lot about differences—about how everyone has a different brain, a different body, and different strengths and areas for improvement. This has encouraged our family to remember that differences make us special and to use our strengths to help others.

ABOVE: Dr. Bharat Patel with grandchildren Dylan and Mia Panguluri.

BELOW: Drs. Bharat and Ninna Patel with their children, Mili and Vikram.

As we look ahead, we hope each member of our family ventures into the world with confidence and curiosity, to find purpose and flourish. What this looks like for each of us is wildly different, and we find that beautiful. We will continue to work to support those in need, creating warmth, understanding, and positive change in the world. Whether grand efforts or quiet, persistent efforts that go unnoticed, our goal is to make a positive impact.

What do you find the most distinguishing characteristics of your experience at Curtis?

We all truly feel at home at Curtis. Over the last three years, Mia has thrived socially and academically, and even asked if she could go to Curtis all summer! She is seen, understood, and valued in the Curtis community, and we are beyond grateful for that.

As parents, we have found lifelong friendships at Curtis. From family playdates and dinners out with other parents, we have developed meaningful and lasting friendships at Curtis. This has become an immeasurable support system for us and covers everything from carpool logistics to sharing our hopes and dreams for ourselves and our families.

Dr. Bharat Patel: I love Curtis! I am overjoyed that my granddaughter, Mia, is happy and well supported at school. She has grown so much in the last three years at Curtis!

“We will continue to work to support those in need, creating warmth, understanding, and positive change in the world.”

Coming from India, I knew first-hand the transformative nature of education. I wanted to lift my family up and change our lives for the better. My wife, Ninna, and I became surgeons and moved across the world to find new opportunities. We wanted the American Dream! We spent our days working hard and raising both of our children, Mili and Vikram, in Los Angeles. We achieved our goals of making a better life for ourselves and our families, and this is why we need to help others. For the last two decades, I have run a non-profit providing free surgeries to those who cannot afford them. We have seen thousands of patients and completed hundreds of surgeries—all at no cost to the patient.

If we are able, we should do our best to make a difference and make life better for others. We all have the opportunity to support our kids, our communities, and those in need. I am proud that Curtis is instilling a strong work ethic while encouraging compassion for others.

I feel at home when I visit Curtis, see grandparent friends, and connect with Dr. Ratnesar. I am counting down the days until Grandparents Day 2025!

The Patel/Panguluri family (l-r): Mili Patel, Mia ’28, Srini, and Dylan Panguluri, Dr. Bharat Patel, and Vikram Patel

Breaking CURTIS SCHOOL IS

Ground

The 2023-24 school year brought innovation and achievement. Faculty in Grades DK through 3 completed Orton-Gillingham phonics training, enhancing learning foundations. The Spanish Department created textbooks for Grades DK through 6, tailored to our students’ needs. The 3rd Grade team combined social studies and language arts, boosting their students’ understanding and skills in both subject areas. The Anti-Bias Task Force integrated social-emotional learning with an equity focus. We also broke ground for the Collaborative Learning and Innovation Center, supporting interdisciplinary learning and forward-thinking curricula.

Aligning Anti-Bias and Social-Emotional Learning

BY EARLEEN KENNEDY, SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR DEI, AND JANET LEE, DIRECTOR OF EQUITY, CURRICULUM, AND INSTRUCTION

As a faculty, in our mission to cultivate belonging at Curtis School, we have been working to integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) with anti-bias work. Our Social-Emotional Learning program follows our school’s mission and seeks to develop, in every child:

• a sound mind (self-efficacy). Students develop skills to demonstrate emotional ownership and to believe in their ability to succeed.

• in a sound body (self-regulation). Students learn to exhibit, recognize, and understand the impact of feelings on the body and find appropriate ways to express their feelings/emotions.

• governed by a compassionate heart (action & kindness). Students show respect and concern for the feelings of others and embrace others with kindness. Students link their identity and how they “show up” in the world to the impact of their actions on other people.

Dr. Dena Simmons, the founder of LiberatED, a collective focused on developing school-based resources at the intersection of social and emotional learning, racial justice, and healing, writes, “There is an urgency to expand the definition and practices of social-emotional learning to ensure that we serve all students more effectively and equitably. To do so, we must teach and create socialemotional learning content within an equity literacy lens.”1 She makes three recommendations for schools:

“ There is an urgency to expand the definition and practices of social-emotional learning to ensure that we serve all students more effectively and equitably.”

• To collect data and devise action plans from their own listening tours about what belonging means for their school communities;

• To check in often with students through surveys and one-on-one conversations to ensure that the school is meeting their needs; and

• To take inventory of their curricula, pedagogy, and policies to ensure they prioritize student safety and belonging.

We continue to follow these recommendations as we structure and evaluate our efforts to teach and create SEL content. For the last three years, we have collected data through our Pulse Survey on Belonging and analyzed the results to determine new action steps. For example, in response to survey feedback, in some grade levels, we have been increasing conversations around body diversity and body positivity. In addition, the thrust of our Social-Emotional Learning Task Force has been to align SEL and anti-bias lessons and learning opportunities that include regular “emotion check-ins” with students.

In the area of taking inventory, several years ago we embarked on a curriculum audit, looking at the types of books and materials we present to our students that include both reflections of the people in our community and avenues to learn about diverse perspectives. The inventory of our curricula, pedagogy, and policies is an ongoing effort. We have trained our teachers and staff to consider equity implications in decision-making in all aspects of our educational programs as a community. Examining our existing practices and evolving our Anti-Bias and Social-Emotional Learning programs are ongoing efforts in our mission to ensure and foster safe, nurturing, and productive spaces for all our students.

As part of the 5th Grade’s anti-bias learning, students read and made paintings based on The Best At It

¹Simmons,

In a lesson about recognizing beauty in our communities, 1st Graders read Last Stop on Market Street and created snack bags for at-risk youth served by My Friend’s Place.

3rd Graders read about Jackie Robinson as part of their Black History in America social studies unit.

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Collaborative Learning and Innovation Center “CLIC”

An interview by Emily Nida ’26, Carlin McCaffrey ’26, Satara Stewart ’26, and Jonah Javaheri ’26

We recently interviewed Casey from the team working on the CLIC. He says that the job is hard work but enjoyable, and that the building will take about a year and a half to complete.

The work is done in a safe manner, as long as you are careful! When working on something like a building, it is important to always wear goggles, gloves, and a hard hat. You must also wear a neon vest to ensure that you are seen by everyone around you.

The CLIC will have two stories and a basement, even though not many buildings in California have basements. There will be stairs, but they might add an elevator! At the moment, the workers are doing the demolition and preparing the site, which should be finished by January 31. All of the people working on the CLIC are very kind and work very hard, so if you ever see someone who is working on the CLIC be sure to introduce yourself and ask them how they are doing.

As the project progresses and our campus improves, we can look forward to the CLIC and a better place to go to school!

4TH GRADERS LAUNCH CURTIS CHRONICLE

In January 2024, a group of 4th Graders, guided by Ms. Karen Ivy, started a student-driven school newspaper called Curtis Chronicle. They interviewed adults around campus, covered current events, and wrote about student interests. The first issue of the Chronicle was published digitally in the spring, and budding journalists plan to continue this initiative in the upcoming school year.

Curtis Aprende

BY FELI DOMÍNGUEZ, 6TH GRADE SPANISH TEACHER AND WORLD LANGUAGES COORDINATOR; VICENT MENDIETA, UPPER ELEMENTARY SPANISH TEACHER; AND AMERICA TRINH, LOWER ELEMENTARY SPANISH TEACHER

The inspiration behind our ambitious project stemmed from two primary reasons. First, we noticed a growing need in our school community for educational materials that not only meet academic standards but also resonate with the diverse backgrounds and learning preferences of our students. While traditional textbooks serve their purpose, they often lack coherence between grade levels, failing to establish connections or continuity in learning. Recognizing this, we set out to create a more inclusive solution tailored to students from Developmental Kindergarten through 6th Grade.

Secondly, our motivation came from a heartfelt desire to go beyond the limitations of conventional language education. We aimed to craft textbooks that aren’t just tools for learning Spanish but also serve as gateways to the rich tapestry of Spanish-speaking cultures. By incorporating authentic literature, cultural anecdotes, and contemporary themes, we endeavor to foster a profound connection between our students and the Spanish language.

The result of our hard work is Curtis Aprende, a series of eight textbooks meticulously designed to match the specific learning objectives of our courses. Covering everything from basic lessons to advanced linguistic concepts, our textbooks provide a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.

“ We aimed to craft textbooks that aren’t just tools for learning Spanish but also serve as gateways to the rich tapestry of Spanish-speaking cultures.”

As we continue to improve Curtis Aprende, our commitment to providing excellent language education remains strong. It’s a lifelong project where our students’ language skills develop each year, and thus, our materials must evolve alongside their success. We’re dedicated to ongoing learning and growth because we believe that every student deserves the best tools to explore different languages and cultures.

Spanish language teachers Feli Domínguez (above), Vicent Mendieta (right), and America Trinh created a series of sequenced textbooks tailored to teaching Curtis students from Developmental Kindergarten through 6th Grade.

Building Blocks of Literacy

BY JANET LEE, DIRECTOR OF EQUITY, CURRICULUM, AND INSTRUCTION, AND HARUKA MORI, DIRECTOR OF LOWER ELEMENTARY

Over the summer of 2023, all of our teachers in Developmental Kindergarten through 3rd Grade were trained in the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach to literacy instruction. This research-based method combines direct, multi-sensory teaching strategies with systematic, sequential lessons focused on phonics.

Through this 35-hour course of training, our teachers became more knowledgeable about how students develop awareness of the segments of sounds in speech and how those segments link to letters. They learned how students decode words, analyze word parts, write, and recognize words. They talked about how important it is that students read texts that connect to the phonics rules that they are learning every day to support reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. Teachers also learned ways to use diagnostic tools to monitor, assess, and differentiate lessons to meet the needs of each student.

Our teachers had a choice of how they wanted to engage in the summer training— through a virtual online platform or in-person instruction, both with certified OrtonGillingham Academy trainers. In addition, a cohort of about eight teachers has decided to continue with Orton-Gillingham certification, working with an OG trainer to complete and obtain the prestigious Level 1 Teaching credential.

Curtis Students are Taking Action, One Outfit at a Time

ISLA BOHLE ’25, KEATON “POPPY” FOX ’25, JADE JASPER ’25, JAMES LASMAN ’25

After returning from winter break, our 5th Grade class was tasked with creating an expository writing piece on the topic of sustainability. During our brainstorm, we talked about ideas such as water conservation, renewable energy, and eco-fashion. After much thought, a couple of us decided to explore eco-fashion and its potential for shaping a more sustainable future. Eco-fashion, through the use of biodegradable materials that break down naturally, is a major strategy we can use to maintain a lush and beautiful environment. This is better than polluting the soil and ocean with microplastics from synthetic clothing. Furthermore, green fashion also is better for humans because it doesn’t seep harmful chemicals into our bodies unlike synthetic materials, which can cause diseases such as cancer and arthritis.

“ Seeing the value of the Swap and Share, we hope to expand this project to our entire grade level because this could have an even larger impact.”

As we worked on our research in our homeroom, we were assigned an action project in science class that would support a cause related to sustainability. In this activity, we were to design a solution to an issue affecting the environment. This is where our idea of the Swap and Share was born. The Swap and Share would be like a mini thrift shop, where, to participate, our peers would bring at least one article of clothing that was no longer in use. Additionally, all the clothing would be free and accessible to everyone. If clothes were not taken during the event, we would repurpose them into fingerless gloves, tote bags, and dog toys so nothing went to waste. Everything needs a new life. To initiate this plan, we emailed our teachers to schedule a time for the activity in our homeroom class.

When it finally came time for the Swap and Share, it was a huge success. We gave so many clothes a new life with another owner. Old clothes once headed to landfills were now in a new closet. Seeing the value of the Swap and Share, we hope to expand this project to our entire grade level because this could have an even larger impact. We would also like to include Roots and Shoots, Curtis School’s community service learning program, in the Swap and Share. The Swap and Share was an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Most importantly, we came to the realization that small ideas can spark big change, and hopefully, this project will do the same for you.

LEFT & MIDDLE: By exchanging items and repurposing the leftovers, 5th Graders extended the life of unwanted clothing rather than sending it to landfills.

RIGHT: Jade Jasper, Poppy Fox, Isla Bohle, and James Lasman, authors of this article about the eco-conscious Swap and Share.

Integrated Learning in 3rd Grade

BY KATE CARONE, ASHLEY KOLBE, JAYME KRITZLER, AND DONIELLE LEMONE (3RD GRADE TEACHING TEAM)

This school year, the 3rd Grade teaching team embarked on a journey to integrate our students’ social studies learning with English language arts. The hope was that teaching social studies content through ELA skills—and vice versa—would mutually reinforce students’ learning in each subject.

We began by supporting students through their first-ever exposure to a social studies textbook. Students explored the text not only as social studies researchers but also as close nonfiction readers. They mined the text for key information and discussed how text features contributed to their understanding. We were pleasantly surprised by how employing the textbook-as-nonfictiontext teaching strategy boosted our students’ understanding of the material. Students even began asking to take the textbook home to read in their free time!

“ We witnessed firsthand that as our students’ schema developed via social studies content, so did their confidence and engagement with complex texts.”

A field trip to Leonis Adobe, during which students’ research came to life at a simulated Chumash village, was the cherry on top. The unit culminated in students creating a field guide, using their notes to write informational paragraphs about California’s regions and indigenous peoples. We were able to partner with the art teachers, who helped our students turn their field guides into books and add beautiful illustrations. Students loved including photos of themselves and family members visiting California’s various geographic regions.

Students continued flexing their research and nonfiction reading muscles in an African American history unit. Students enjoyed diving into texts about important figures such as Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Jennings, and the Little Rock Nine. Students delved into events including the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, Brown v. Board of Education, and the March on Washington. As the unit progressed, students created a shared timeline of African American history that they made come alive by adding their own images, well-crafted summaries of events, and descriptions of important figures’ character traits. Students took pride in their timeline and enjoyed referring to it during whole-class discussions.

Our African American history unit was bolstered by a close reading of the novel The Hero Two Doors Down, a wonderful true story written by Jackie Robinson’s daughter about her father’s mentorship of a young boy in his Brooklyn neighborhood in the 1940s. Students had many “aha” moments in which their prior learning enriched and contextualized their understandings of Jackie’s own experiences growing up as an African American boy in the time of Jim Crow and later as the first African American player in major league baseball. We witnessed firsthand that as our students’ schema developed via social studies content, so did their confidence and engagement with complex texts. As the 3rd Grade teaching team reflects on the outcome of the year’s integration of social studies and language arts, we are thrilled with the immense growth we witnessed in our students as readers, writers, researchers, and thinkers.

LEFT: A trip to Leonis Adobe brought the 4th Graders’ social studies curriculum to life with hands-on experiences in a simulated Chumash village.

BELOW: The 3rd Grade teachers used The Whale Child, a novel about Native Americans of the Northwest, to integrate language arts with social studies. Students illustrated and wrote summary sentences for each chapter and drew comparisons to the local Chumash of Los Angeles, recognizing how both groups relied on and respected the land and resources around them.

ABOVE: Descriptions of influential African Americans were crafted as part of a timeline of African American history.

RIGHT: Students created field guides to California’s geographic regions and included photos from their own family trips.

CLIC GROUNDBREAKING

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Collaborative Learning and Innovation Center (CLIC) was held on Monday, June 3, 2024. The event constituted a significant milestone in the school’s ongoing goal of thinking forward about elementary education. Several hundred parents and guests, along with the entire student body, past and present members of the Board of Trustees, and Curtis faculty and staff, crowded into a fenced section of the north end of the quad, where the building will take shape over the coming months. The flag salute was followed by remarks from Board Chair Craig Varnen, Head of School Dr. Ratnesar, and Field Deputy Ricky Angel, representing Los Angeles City Councilmember 4th District Nithya Raman. The science and art teachers entertained us with a skit. They have been instrumental partners in designing a building that will promote collaborative learning across disciplines and support a forwardthinking curriculum in science, engineering, and visual arts. The ceremony concluded with a 6th Grade quote from Kaden Smiley ’24 and the ceremonial turning of the soil by student representatives from each grade.

John H. Kissick

1942 - 2024

On February 29, 2024, Curtis lost an extraordinary member of our community with the passing of John Kissick. A former Curtis parent and member of the Board of Trustees (1994-2001), John was a successful and respected leader in the world of finance, a philanthropist with a passion for helping others, and one of our school’s most generous and supportive friends and benefactors. John was the devoted husband of Kathy Kissick and the loving father of Ryan Kissick ’97 and Kasey (Kissick) Duarte ’02.

John earned a B.A. in Economics from Yale University, served as a Naval officer during the Vietnam War, and later earned an M.B.A. with highest honors from Stanford Graduate School of Business. John co-founded and led Apollo Management from 1990 and Ares Management from 1997 until his retirement in 2019. Curtis parent and trustee Ann Kono, a colleague of his at Ares, shares, “John was the embodiment of generosity. Whether he was sharing a story about a leveraged buyout, parenting, or the importance of education, John always combined humor with brilliance and imparted a meaningful lesson. My family and I were incredibly lucky to know him.”

As a member of the Curtis Board of Trustees, John supplied critical business acumen and led with the philosophy of doing what is right. Fellow trustee Andy Miller ’65 recalls, “I saw firsthand how much Curtis benefited from John’s financial expertise. John set up a strong portfolio for the school, and thanks to his guidance, we were able to get through the 2008

financial crisis relatively unscathed. John also commissioned a study for faculty compensation to ensure that our faculty was competitively paid compared to our peer schools.”

John was an enthusiastic participant in Curtis life. Kathy recounts how John and his buddies ran the mouse game every year on Fair Day, reveling in their camaraderie. John was also a big supporter of Curtis athletics. “No matter the team or sport,” says Kathy, “John cheered on the coaches and children,” adding, “His fondest memory was of our daughter, Kasey, scoring the winning soccer goal against JTD, Curtis’s rival, on JTD’s dreaded home field.”

A lasting testament to John’s generosity is the gift to Curtis of our fabulous Kissick Family Pavilion, made through the Kissick Family Foundation that John created to benefit numerous non-profits. This iconic building is embedded in the joyful memories of generations of Curtis students and families as the site of countless athletic competitions, concerts and shows, assemblies and graduations. Kathy says John “beamed with pride to have the Kissick name on that building” and was so proud to dedicate it to the memory of his father, Harold Kissick.

John Kissick’s impact on Curtis has been immeasurable. We are forever grateful for John’s life and his lasting contributions to the education we are able to provide to young people.

Barbara Kobrin

1935 - 2024

Our community lost a wonderful friend of Curtis and a beloved former teacher when Barbara Kobrin passed away on June 20, 2024, at the age of 89. Barbara Alexy Kobrin arrived at Curtis in 1982, just as the school was preparing to relocate to its current, permanent home on Mulholland. She taught 6th Grade for two years and then transitioned to 4th Grade, which she taught until her retirement in 1995. During her 13 years at Curtis, Ms. Kobrin prepared hundreds of young people for continuing academic success, inspiring them to reach their highest potential and to find joy in learning. A former student of Ms. Kobrin, Melissa Barshop ’92, remembers her as “a wonderful and caring teacher who genuinely made an effort to understand and connect with all her students.”

because Barbara was walking into my room with an answer and/or a plan. Barbara was a no-nonsense person. She didn’t suffer fools or foolish behavior. She held a high bar for her students and colleagues alike. She made sure that every one of her students knew that she cared greatly for them and that they were expected to do their very best at all times. Barbara also had an insatiable love of books. She devoured them by the dozens. She was the person you turned to if you needed a good suggestion for yourself or your students. Her book reviews could have been posted in The New York Times ! I do appreciate the years that I taught alongside Barbara Kobrin. She was a class act who added much to Curtis School.”

Curtis 4th Grade Teacher Karen Ivy, a colleague of Ms. Kobrin, recalls that she “made sure that I made a positive transition to Curtis when I first arrived at Curtis as a young newlywed in 1985. Any time that I had a question about school protocol or had a student with a particular need, I only had to look up

Ms. Kobrin will be missed by the many students, families, and colleagues at Curtis whose lives she touched. We celebrate the impact she had within our learning community and are forever grateful for her profound dedication to educating young people and preparing them for their futures.

Milton L. Miller

1932 - 2023

The Curtis community lost a dear friend with the passing of Milton L. Miller on December 19, 2023. Mr. Miller was an important advisor to the Curtis Board of Trustees, serving as its legal counsel, a member of the board, and its vice chair during the critical years when the school established its non-profit status and a new campus on our permanent site on Mulholland. We are deeply grateful to Mr. Miller for his guidance and dedicated service so generously given for more than three decades that helped make Curtis the exceptional school it is today.

Celebrating Our Leaders

This biannual event honors the incredible leaders who have shaped our Curtis community over the years. Current and former presidents of the Parents Association and members of the Board of Trustees came together in March to hear Dr. Ratnesar express our community’s deepest appreciation for their years of dedication and guidance.

Past & Current Trustees

Back row (l-r): Alex Nehorai, Leslie Vermut, Andy Miller ’65, Vanessa Keith-Garcia, Dr. Dana Coleman, Phil Holthouse, Arnetta Vannuki-Notkin, Dr. Sharoni Little, Harshith Ramesh, Dr. Meera Ratnesar

Front row (l-r): Lee Chu, Carol Goldberg, Judy Codding, Marcy Miller (Milt Miller), Karla Diaz Sayles, Dilip Bhavnani, Thea Wolf

Celebrating Milestones of Service

This year, Curtis faculty, staff, and the Board of Trustees celebrated 17 long-serving employees for their many contributions to our school, students, and families. We are grateful to these dedicated individuals for all they do to support our mission to inspire engaged, healthy, and empathetic young learners.

30 YEARS

Loren Sobul

25 YEARS

Ashley E. Kolbe

Raylene Mayer

Gale Robitshek

Deborah Seidner

20 YEARS

Patricia L. Escolin

Christine Sorfazian

10 YEARS

Mark Gutierrez

Rose Hubbard ’99

Joe Navarro

Greg Patterson

Amy Wiggins

5 YEARS

Kevin Figueroa

Daniela Guardia

Earleen Kennedy

Ripsi Margaryan

Wilbert Umana

Back row (l-r): Gale Robitshek, Earleen Kennedy, Deborah Seidner, Greg Patterson, Mark Gutierrez, Amy Wiggins, Ashley E. Kolbe, Daniela Guardia, Joe Navarro Front row (l-r): Rose Hubbard ’99, Christine Sorfazian, Ripsi Margaryan, Patricia L. Escolin, Loren Sobul, Raylene Mayer, Kevin Figueroa, Wilbert Umana

Retirements

In June, we bid a heartfelt farewell to two highly respected and valued members of our learning community, Educational Therapist Gale Robitshek and Director of Advancement Corinne Schulman. Gale and Corinne have served Curtis long and well, with deep caring for our students and families and dedication to the school’s mission and values—all the while taking joy in their work.

Gale Robitshek

Gale reached a remarkable 25-year milestone as a Curtis employee this year. She began her time here as a learning specialist and teacher of study skills to Curtis 7th and 8th graders and transitioned to working as an educational therapist for our elementary students after the middle school was discontinued in 2007. With infinite patience and sensitivity, she has used her understanding of the development of young children and her expertise as an educational therapist to literally change the lives of many hundreds of students who, for any number of reasons, would benefit from additional support to do well in the classroom.

Throughout her years of teaching, Gale has been sustained and inspired by seeing her students succeed. She observes, “When a kid is feeling successful, their confidence grows, they become more independent learners, and they are more willing to tackle complex assignments than they might have been before—they are much happier. I like to see them happy.”

The self-confidence and mastery to which she guides students has an immeasurable impact. Danny Chu, director of student support services,

says of Gale, “Twenty-five years of unwavering commitment to supporting countless students has certainly left an incredible mark on the Curtis community. Her patience, thoughtfulness, and understanding have helped so many students overcome academic challenges and develop a love for learning, but more importantly, a belief in themselves. She provided a safe space for students when they felt vulnerable.”

Fourth Grade Teacher Karen Ivy says about Gale, “We send her our children who have trouble focusing, feel defeated, and/or feel like they aren’t good enough. She gives us back children who have gained confidence, knowing that with hard work and perseverance they can accomplish great things.” Dr. Meera Ratnesar shares, “It is rare to find an educator who can work effectively with students who span such a wide range of ages—as young as 5 and as old as 13. Gale is uniquely talented in this way. I don’t think Gale realizes the reassuring and supportive impact she has had on so many parents as they navigated their first experience of their child being in school. Gale’s calm way engenders parents’ confidence and allows them to focus on their number one priority—loving their child.”

Gale truly has the lasting gratitude of hundreds of Curtis families, and we wish her every happiness as she transitions from Curtis.

“When a kid is feeling successful, their confidence grows, they become more independent learners, and they are more willing to tackle complex assignments than they might have been before—they are much happier.”

1st Grade Teacher Sue Nihiser (left), who retired in 2022, with Educational Therapist Gale Robitshek (right), at a 2019 faculty event.

Corinne Schulman

Corinne Schulman has retired after a career spanning nearly 40 years serving non-profit organizations in fundraising and advancement—eight of them as Director of Advancement at Curtis.

Corinne’s directorial umbrella included the school’s fundraising, communications, constituent relations, and events—a robust share of our school’s operations. She was integral in helping our Parents Association coordinate its activities with the school’s goals in the service of our mission. It is a role she cherished. “Whole families are growing at Curtis,” she says, “not just children in the classroom, but parents as they go through their journey. To be a partner in helping them support our school and the experience their children are having in the classroom is truly rewarding.” One of Corinne’s many impactful contributions was educating our community about the role of fundraising in a standalone independent elementary school. She cultivated in all of us a strong sense of pride for giving back to the school in time and treasure.

In addition to the many areas she so deftly administered routinely, Corinne had important roles in the development of several of the school’s major initiatives. These include laying foundational work that culminated in our Envision Our Future strategic plan, helping bring our new geodesic dome greenhouse to campus, and contributing to the vision and messaging for our current capital campaign to construct the CLIC.

Corinne kept the school’s mission and values at the center of all that she and her team did. She was a humble leader who deflected well-earned praise, reminding us of the contributions of others in our community and the value of collective effort. Longtime member of the advancement team Dede Haglund says, “Corinne is a singular human being. Her generosity of spirit, personal warmth, insistence on inclusiveness, fairness and respect for others, and her steadfast integrity are qualities that inform her every interaction and decision.”

Corinne was an invaluable thought partner in the administrative team. “Most importantly,” says Head of School Dr. Ratnesar, “Corinne has been a mentor and a wonderful counsel to me as I learned the ropes of being a head of school and as I established my own leadership voice at Curtis.”

While her warm, ready smile and positivity will be missed by our community, we say farewell with respect, affection, and excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead of her.

Corinne Schulman (center), with Ashley Williams and Shelby Slayton, celebrates students as they reach the finish line in the annual Turkey Trot. Director of Advancement for the past eight years, Ms. Schulman retired in June 2024.

FACULTY & STAFF HIGHLIGHTS

Explore, Research, and Connect

The Educational Travel Fellowship Program offers our teachers a unique opportunity to engage in fieldwork, conduct research, and collaborate with educators and organizations anywhere in the world. These experiences enrich our learning community by creating new perspectives, promoting cross-cultural competency, and fostering global thinking in our classrooms.

Francesca Gerbino

IRELAND (Summer 2024)

Upper Elementary Science Teacher Francesca Gerbino will explore Ireland through experiences she has designed to expand and enrich the Curtis 6th Grade science curriculum. One of her goals is to further integrate the use of the school’s greenhouse and plantings on campus into the science curriculum. Ms. Gerbino will visit a variety of gardens in different parts of the country to grow her knowledge about maintaining and cultivating a space intended to be shared for years, as well as to learn about plant varieties in multi-use botanical spaces. She will also look at Irish geological structures with an eye to expanding the current geology unit focusing on southwest U.S. structures, including the Grand Canyon, to incorporate additional geologic world wonders and how their history is shared in other cultures.

Jayme Kritzler

SWEDEN AND FINLAND (Spring 2025)

Upper Elementary Teacher Jayme Kritzler will travel to Sweden and Finland to explore those countries’ world-renowned education systems. In Helsinki, she will shadow a Finnish teacher for three days while observing daily life in elementary classrooms and have the opportunity to interview Finnish teachers and educational experts. In Sweden, she will visit a school that excels at serving a large population of refugee students with the aim

of learning new ways to create an ever more inclusive, equitable, and engaging environment for all learners. Ms. Kritzler believes that these experiences will introduce her to new perspectives and ideas related to instilling student agency, community stewardship, and equity that she can apply in her classroom at Curtis.

Zelisha Zigler

ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND SWITZERLAND (Summer 2024)

Lower Elementary Teacher Zelisha Zigler will embark on an immersive exploration of deaf culture in Europe. She will visit the Institut National de Jeunes Sourds de Paris to learn about its influential teaching methodologies and the challenges and triumphs of the deaf community. She will explore the vibrant deaf community of London by

Scan the code to see our teachers’ travel blogs.

Finding Home and Heart at Curtis School

BY SHAMI NYARWAYA ’24

“What’s your name?” the brown-haired girl asked eagerly. “Shami,” I responded with hesitation. “Come sing with us!” the blonde one said, matching her friend’s enthusiasm. I just stood there, frozen, anxiously watching as the two girls fought over which Descendants characters to portray. I reluctantly took one step forward. Then another. Then another. Until I was one step away. “Come play with us! You can pick your own character!” they said. Leaving my uncertainty behind, I gathered my courage and took one final step and said, “Hi.” Little did I know that their small act of kindness would spark years of friendship. Seven years later, those two girls are my best friends, who have taught me the true meaning of friendship and acceptance.

“Curtis School has provided me with a high-quality education that serves as a solid foundation for my future academic endeavors in secondary school.”

I speak straight from the heart when I say that my experience at Curtis School has been transformative. From my earliest days in Kindergarten, I learned the importance of inclusivity, kindness, and empathy. These lessons have not only shaped my character, but they have also served as a powerful tool for building meaningful connections with others. The friendships I’ve developed at Curtis are truly one-of-a-kind, unlike anything I have ever experienced before.

Curtis School has provided me with a high-quality education that serves as a solid foundation for my future academic endeavors in secondary school. The 6th Grade department functions more like a middle school, helping students make a smooth transition and equipping us with necessary tools to manage schoolwork while providing incredible educational experiences. My teachers at Curtis have played a crucial role in helping me navigate conflicts by providing guidance and support.

Curtis will forever be a place where love and wholesomeness create a sense of belonging and a true feeling of being part of one big family. My experience has been wondrous, enhancing my academic abilities and enabling me to fully embrace the opportunities for growth and learning. While my time at Curtis has come to an end, nothing has changed. Curtis School will forever be my heart and home.

I’ll never forget you, Curtis School.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

6th Grade Awards

ACADEMIC AWARD

This award recognizes the students who have continually displayed outstanding effort and achievement in all subject areas of academic work. Faculty selection.

Priscilla Hu

Brooks Resnikoff

CONTRIBUTION AWARD

This award recognizes the students who have continually contributed to the betterment of Curtis School and its student body. Faculty selection.

Asher Bhavnani

Shami Nyarwaya

THREE-RULE AWARD

This award recognizes the students who exemplify the school’s motto of “kindness, honesty, and respect for oneself and others.” Faculty selection.

Violet Favre

Noah Raiman

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AWARD

The 6th Grade students were asked to reflect on their time at Curtis and to identify two peer students who consistently inspired them, through their actions, to become better people themselves.

Priscilla Hu

Charles Laffitte

Secondary School

AWARDS & GRANTS

“SheStyles ”:

Bringing Clothing and Confidence to Underserved Teens

Cleaning out their closets and filling trash bags with clothes to donate during early Covid, sisters Brooke ’18 and Jolie ’20 Friedman tried to imagine who would receive them, and as importantly, how they would be offered. They wanted to make sure that their donations and those of others would go to people who really needed them, in a fun and dignified way. From their brainstorming, the two created SheStyles, a clothes shopping experience focused on serving low-income and unhoused teens that pops up around Los Angeles in partnership with a variety of non-profits.

SheStyles offers groups of teens a carefully curated and personalized shopping experience. The sisters understand that clothing can play a big part in one’s self-confidence, and they aim to help boost that feeling by providing free, high-quality apparel that fits the individual’s taste, size, and needs. The process begins even before an event with a questionnaire issued to each person who plans to attend. The answers they receive help Brooke and Jolie ensure that they will have items on hand that are tailored to all participants.

The first pop-up took place in June 2022 in partnership with the Saban Community Clinic. Since then, SheStyles has partnered with United Friends of the Children, an organization that prepares foster youth for self-sufficiency, Project SOAR, a college counseling and academic support service embedded in Los Angeles public housing communities, and KIPP Scholar Academy in South L.A., among others.

In 2023, the Curtis School Alumni Community Service Program was proud to award a $500 grant to support the Friedman sisters’ work to live out our school’s objective of preparing Curtis graduates to “have purpose beyond themselves…and understand their responsibility to the greater good.” This seed

money allowed them to buy clothing and shoe racks, portable changing rooms, mirrors, and custom SheStyles shopping bags. This year, the sisters were honored to be recipients of a Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award of $36,000. This award “recognizes young changemakers who have significant impact in leading initiatives that embody the values of tikkun olam, repairing the world.”

In its short existence, SheStyles has helped hundreds of teens, and plans are underway to expand and help many more. Brooke says, “It is so important for girls, anywhere from 5 to 18 years old, to love the way they look and feel good about themselves when they put on an outfit each morning.” Brooke and Jolie agree: “We love to see a girl smile when she looks at herself in the mirror. That’s how we know we’ve really fulfilled our mission of helping to connect the girls with clothing that authentically represents who they are.”

Sisters Brooke ’18 and Jolie ’20 Friedman load a van with racks of pre-sorted, high-quality clothing in preparation for a SheStyles pop-up event.

Community Service Grant News

The Curtis Alumni Community Service Grant is a competitive award designed to recognize and help support the community service efforts in which our alumni in Grades 7-12 are engaged. The Alumni Council is grateful to the young alumni who participated in the grant application process for giving so generously of themselves to so many worthy causes and for stewarding Curtis’s mission of a compassionate heart within the Los Angeles community and beyond.

2024 Alumni Community Service Grant CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S GRANT WINNERS

HENRY ARINSBURG (Curtis ’24, Harvard-Westlake ’30) was inspired by his brother’s bar mitzvah project supporting Hope the Mission. He plans to share his passion for karate with the children at Woodlands Family Shelter, a program administered by Hope the Mission. Through karate, he hopes to instill values like perseverance and discipline. Henry plans to utilize his grant to purchase supplies such as belts, gloves, punching bags, and kick pads that will ensure a fun and authentic experience for the kids.

CHASE KLEIN (Curtis ’20, Brentwood ’26) is a theater enthusiast who plans to share her love of musical theater with underprivileged youth at Upward Bound House. She will use her grant to organize a three-day summer camp offering theater-focused games, singing, dance, crafts, and a showcase. Chase plans to recruit high school counselors and hopes to expand the program’s reach in the future.

HAILEY MILLER (Curtis ’21, Brentwood ’27) is following in the footsteps of her younger sister, Leah ’23, a recipient of the Curtis Alumni Community Service Grant in 2023. Hailey performs volunteer work at OC Rescue Mission and will utilize her grant to purchase snacks and supplies for the summer camp her sister organizes for unhoused women and their children.

THANK YOU to these generous donors for supporting this program.

Jill ’85 & David Carmel

Darren ’88 & Michelle Cohen

The Jacoby Family (Allison ’83) Shana Levin Zarcufsky ’85

Curtis graduates have a purpose beyond themselves: they recognize how their contributions can bring about change and positivity, and understand their responsibility to the greater good.

2024 Award Winners (l-r): Henry Arinsburg ’24, Chase Klein ’20, Hailey Miller ’21

Celebating our Alumni

President Jared Cohen ’88, Secretary Ashley Warne ’96, and members of the Alumni Council supplied vision and energy that made Curtis School’s alumni program flourish in 2023-24. The Council hosted a series of events that fostered community engagement from our alumni throughout the year.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jared for his three years of dedicated service as President of the Alumni Council. His leadership has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Council and the school’s alumni program.

ALUMNI COUNCIL 2023-24

Jared Cohen ’88, President Ashley Warne ’96, Secretary Natalie Boren ’02

Darren Cohen ’88

Marshall Cole ’96

David Gross ’90

Kat Haydarzadeh ’88

Allison Jacoby ’83

Cat Krantz Benner ’85

Emily Levin ’00

Margaux Lushing ’96

Max Mednik ’96

Mimi Paley ’00

Jeff Porter ’91

Shana Zarcufsky ’85

Interested in joining the Alumni Council? Email mmalone@curtisschool.org to learn more.

BEYOND CURTIS

To help prepare our 6th Graders and their families for the transition to middle school, in late spring we hosted a panel of young Curtis alumni to speak to our students about what to expect. At the same time, a panel of parents of young alumni, moderated by Dr. Ratnesar, provided a similar forum

PIN CEREMONY

The Pin Ceremony is a cherished tradition held at the end of the school year that warmly and officially welcomes our soonto-graduate 6th Graders into the Curtis alumni community. During this year’s event, Alumni Council representative Patricia Weg ’94 delivered a heartfelt address to the Class of 2024, encouraging the students to maintain strong ties with our school and with one another.

for the parents of our graduating Class of 2024. The event included time for the students to write letters to themselves that they will receive when they return in six years for their high school Senior Send-Off and time to socialize, with dinner for all from the Pie ’N Burger food truck.

ALUMNI COUGARS AND CUBS BREAKFAST

Previously known as the Legacy Breakfast, this event, introduced in 2016 by Dr. Ratnesar in her first year as head of school, has become a cherished Curtis tradition. The occasion brings together alumni who are parents of current Curtis students, along with their children, to enjoy a delicious breakfast before school at the Head’s house. The breakfast is an opportunity for alumni and their children to bond over a meal while sharing memories of their time at Curtis and is one of the ways in which the school works to foster lasting relationships among its students.

ALUMNI SOCIAL HOUR

This year, we began a new tradition of hosting alumni aged 21+ for a relaxing evening sharing their common bond as Curtis Cougars. The first of what we hope will be many Curtis Alumni Evenings, held at the classic and storied Hillcrest Country Club, brought alumni from classes spanning 30 years together to reminisce about “old” Curtis days and to make new connections and friends. The event highlighted what so many alumni feel, which is how their experience as Curtis students formed friendships that last a lifetime and continues to forge fast bonds between those who have only just met.

SPORTS NIGHT SPEAKERS

Each year, the Curtis Athletics Department invites alumni studentathletes to speak at Sports Night, the much-anticipated awards and games event that celebrates the year in athletics for students in Grades 4-6. This year, Reese Kagan ‘18 and Ethan Prager ‘18 addressed our families and shared valuable insights on what it truly means to be a supportive and effective teammate, both on and off the court.

ALUMNI AT CURTIS CARES DAY

Curtis alumni and their families joined Curtis Cares Day on Saturday, April 27, helping make the event a tremendous success. Working alongside current Curtis families, our alumni families contributed to meaningful service projects that benefited local non-profits and beautified our campus. Curtis Cares Day is a special tradition that strengthens our community’s bonds and serves our mission of nurturing compassionate hearts.

PRE-FAIR

In the second year of this new alumni tradition, we welcomed alumni 21+ to campus on the night before Curtis Fair to enjoy a happy hour on the library terrace while getting a behind-thescenes look at what it takes to put on such an amazing event.

ALUMNI COUGAR CONVERSATION

This spring, the Alumni Council hosted an online panel discussion for Curtis alumni and the adults in our school community on “Living with Purpose,” one of Curtis School’s core values. The panel was moderated by Ginger Healy ’97, director of grades 3-5, and Coach Jeff Albert, director of facilities. It featured three Curtis alumni who have distinguished themselves in careers that serve the public interest: Chrissy Hubbell Braibanti ’97, Heather Kun ’86, and Nick Melvoin ’98. The speakers shared how they chose their career paths and how Curtis helped inspire their commitment to work for positive change in the world and to be of service to others.

MEET OUR SPEAKERS

CHRISSY HUBBELL BRAIBANTI ’97

Chrissy Hubbell Braibanti, LCSW, PPSC, has been a clinical social worker since 2005 and specializes in working with children aged 5-18. Her diverse experience includes clinical case management, mental health development, and psychotherapy. She has provided services for the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Children and Family Services and currently is a clinical counselor for students in the Culver City Unified School District. Chrissy earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a master’s degree in social work from USC.

HEATHER KUN ’86

Heather Kun serves as CEO of F**k Cancer, a 501(c)3 nonprofit focusing on the prevention and early detection of cancer and supporting those affected by it. As CEO, she oversees organizational and public health strategy. She is also the executive director of The Cameron Boyce Foundation, leading epilepsy research, education, and awareness. Heather earned a Ph.D. from the Harvard School of Public Health, an M.S. in environmental science and management from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a B.A. in biology and environmental sciences from Yale University.

NICK MELVOIN ’98

Nick Melvoin was elected in 2017 to the LAUSD Board of Education and proudly serves District 4. As a board member, he prioritizes community engagement, transparency, and resource allocation to schools. He is known as a champion of vulnerable students who fosters accountability in the board’s work. Nick is a graduate of Harvard College (of Harvard University), NYU School of Law, where he was a Root-TildenKern (public interest) Scholar, and Loyola Marymount University’s School of Education.

6th Grade Class Of 2018

We celebrate the achievements of the Curtis 6th Grade Class of 2018, who graduated from high school in 2024. We are proud of these exceptional individuals who have shown dedication to their education. We are confident that they will continue to excel in their academic pursuits, using their knowledge, talents, and compassionate hearts to make a positive impact and contribute to the greater good.

Matriculation of the Curtis Alumni High School Graduates of 2024

ADAM BEHROOZAN

University of Miami

TALIA BRODER

Colgate University

CONNOR BUNNAK

Amherst College

MYLES CHAYET

Tulane University

AVERY DEGUS

Colgate University

NATHAN DUDLEY

University of Southern California

ALEXANDER EICK

Brown University

ETHAN EISENSTEIN

The University of Arizona

JOSH ENGELBERG

Carleton College

DYLAN ESKOVITZ

New York University

LEXI ESKOVITZ

Cornell University

JT FEDERMAN

Middlebury College

WILSON FEDERMAN

Georgetown University

BROOKE FRIEDMAN

University of Michigan

CASWELL FRIEDMAN

Wesleyan University

BROCK GETSON

Harvard University

AVERY GOUGH

University of Southern California

GLORY HO

Wellesley College

DANIKA JHAWAR

Loyola Marymount University

REESE KAGAN

University of Southern California

ISAIAH KAHN

University of San Francisco

NICCOLO KALISCHER-STORK

Southern Methodist University

CAMPBELL KLEIN

Vanderbilt University

NICOLE LEE

Wesleyan University

ALEXIS LOW

Indiana University Bloomington

LOLA LUGASH

University of Miami

JACOB MAGNA

New York University

JACOB MATLOF

Stanford University

KAI MAYER

Tulane University

ETHAN PRAGER

University of Miami

MYLES PRATHER

Southern Methodist University

AYDEN RAMJI

University of California, Berkeley

MAXIMILLIAN SAGHIAN

New York University

PIPER SAKEN

University of California, Berkeley

MATT SANI

University of California, Berkeley

AVA SEIB

University of Wisconsin-Madison

ADITYA SHOKEEN

Cornell University

LAUREN STOLL

Syracuse University

LAYLA TEHRANCHI

Stanford University

DYLAN UNGER

Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of The Arts

MAXWELL WAINWRIGHT

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

CAMILLE WEINSTEIN

Dartmouth College

JACK WELSH

University of Michigan, LSA Honors Program

ANDREW WESEL

Stanford University

Class of 2018

Senior Send-off

Annually, each spring, we celebrate our Curtis alums who are set to graduate from high school and mark this important milestone in their lives with a heartwarming send-off. This year’s Senior Send-off of the Curtis Class of 2018 had a huge turnout of former students and their parents, who were eager to be back on the Curtis campus. Students were excited to reconnect with teachers and classmates, and it was an emotional time for all as they relived precious memories of their childhood days at Curtis.

MISSION

To develop, in every child, a sound mind in a sound body, governed by a compassionate heart.

VISION

By pioneering programs that inspire engaged, healthy, and empathetic young learners to embrace the next phases of their education and lives with joy, confidence, and purpose, Curtis School sets the standard for elementary education in the Greater Los Angeles area and beyond.

PURPOSE

Our graduates are dexterous learners: they have learned how to learn and are intellectually curious, agile, and inspired to be problem seekers as well as problem solvers.

Our graduates have healthy, sustainable habits of body and mind: they understand that the mind and body connect and take responsibility for living healthy lives.

Our graduates know and understand the impact of their own character on others: they are aware of their feelings, regulate their actions, and empathize with others.

Our graduates have purpose beyond themselves: they recognize how their contributions can bring about change and positivity, and understand their responsibility to the greater good.

VALUES

Educate in balance

Equal emphasis of academic, physical, social-emotional, and character education is the guiding principle that defines a Curtis education.

Improve, always

The Curtis community has a growth mindset, which is modeled by faculty and staff who dedicate themselves to the best practices in their craft.

Roam freely

Curtis students have space to learn and play on their campus and feel safe and secure.

Embrace diversity

Students learn best, and flourish most, when they encounter perspectives, people, backgrounds, and experiences other than their own. Diversity, equity, and inclusion speak to our highest ideals for a just society.

Cherish childhood

Childhood is brief and precious, a time of limitless potential and essential development. It is also a time to be savored for its own wonders, as it will not come again. A Curtis education honors these truths.

Live with purpose

In all we do, a Curtis education strives to provide students with the skills, tools, and sense of purpose they need to be good people.

“Your tremendous support, which made the 2023-24 Curtis Fund and school year so successful, has not gone unnoticed. Your contributions, financial and of your time and talents, have made a significant difference in our community, and we are truly grateful.”

— Craig Varnen Chair, Board of Trustees

Annual Report 2023-24

Board of Trustees

2023-24

Craig Varnen, Chair

Tracy Minker ’88, First Vice Chair

Dilip Bhavnani, Second Vice Chair

Steve Chang, Treasurer

Harshith Ramesh, Secretary

Erikson Albrecht

Kavitha Bhatia

Ryan Boccuzzi

Lee Chu

Marshall Cole ’96

Dr. Dana Coleman

Casey Federman

Rob Friedman

Nicholas Matus

Kevin Newman ’83

Karla Diaz Sayles

Leslie Vermut

Jon Wimbish

Thea Wolf

Rachel Yang

2024-25

Craig Varnen, Chair

Lee Chu, First Vice Chair

Harshith Ramesh, Second Vice Chair

Steve Chang, Treasurer

Karla Diaz Sayles, Secretary

Erikson Albrecht

Kavitha Bhatia

Dilip Bhavnani

Marshall Cole ’96

Dr. Dana Coleman

Talib Fakhri

Ann Kono

Nicholas Matus

Kevin Newman ’83

Dr. Sarah Shulkind

Leslie Vermut

Jon Wimbish

Thea Wolf

Rachel Yang

FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Celebrating community

Dear Curtis Community,

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the Board of Trustees to all Curtis families, past and present, as well as to our exceptional faculty and staff. Your tremendous support, which made the 2023-24 Curtis Fund and school year so successful, has not gone unnoticed. Your contributions, financial and of your time and talents, have made a significant difference in our community, and we are truly grateful. I also want to extend thanks to the Parents Association for its countless contributions to creating a supportive and inclusive community and to Parents Association President Sharon Eshaghoff for her exceptional leadership throughout the year.

In June, we bid farewell to three invaluable board members. Ryan Boccuzzi, upper school director at Lakeside School in Seattle, contributed a wealth of experience from his career as an educator in independent schools. Tracy Minker, a Curtis alumna of the Class of 1988, served us exceptionally for the past seven years, five of them as vice chair of the board. Tracy was a long-time valued partner on the board’s Advancement Committee and brought extensive strategic and communications expertise to the work of the full board. Rob Friedman, a member of the board since 2014, and board chair from 2020 to 2023, has provided unsurpassed leadership. As chair, he stewarded the school through the challenging years of the pandemic. Among many strengths, Rob will be remembered for being a tireless champion of our master plan. He helped steer the school through the rigorous and complex approval process of this plan that charts the vision for our campus that will distinguish Curtis as a leader in elementary education for decades to come.

As we say farewell to Ryan, Tracy, and Rob, we extend a warm welcome to three new board members who will join us in the coming school year: Talib Fakhri, Ann Kono, and Sarah Shulkind. We are truly fortunate to have the benefit of their unique talents and diverse experience. I encourage you to learn more about each of them in their brief bios in the pages that follow.

As I reflect on the past year, both as the father of two members of the graduating class and as board chair, I am filled with immense pride. Seeing my sons graduate from the school they loved so much was an amazing experience. And, of course, there were many accomplishments this past year of which we can all be so proud, including that we successfully broke ground on the Collaborative Learning and Innovation Center (CLIC), a testament to our community’s commitment to meeting evolving educational needs and fostering a spirit of exploration in our children. This achievement is a result of the collective efforts of our community—our administration and our art, science, and technology teachers, whose vision will benefit generations of students to come—as well as all of you. We are on this journey together. Your belief in this project, your financial support, and your championship continue to be deeply appreciated.

It is a privilege to serve as board chair and to work alongside Dr. Ratnesar and our extraordinarily dedicated and thoughtful Board of Trustees and school administration. I am forever thankful for all that this amazing school has meant to me and my family.

Go Cougars!

Craig Varnen Chair, Board of Trustees

The Varnen family (l-r): Ashley, Hunter ’24, Luke ’24, and Craig

2023-24

Board of Trustees Committees

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Craig Varnen, Chair

Tracy Minker ’88, 1st Vice Chair

Dilip Bhavnani, 2nd Vice Chair

Steve Chang, Treasurer

Harshith Ramesh, Secretary

ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Dilip Bhavnani, Co-Chair

Thea Wolf, Co-Chair

Lee Chu

Tracy Minker ’88

Leslie Vermut

Rachel Yang

Robyn Atwater, Non-Trustee Member

Kimberly Borman, Non-Trustee Member

Talib Fakhri, Non-Trustee Member

Courtney Fennimore, Non-Trustee Member

Lindsey Gordon Rey, Non-Trustee Member

Jaya Hathaway, Non-Trustee Member

Monica Johnson, Non-Trustee Member

Rebecca Mall, Non-Trustee Member

Brad Schwartz, Non-Trustee Member

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

Corinne Schulman, Director of Advancement

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Marshall Cole ’96, Co-Chair

Rachel Yang, Co-Chair

Kavitha Bhatia

Oliver De La Hoz, Non-Trustee Member

Chris Lau, Non-Trustee Member

John Peters, Non-Trustee Member

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

Brian Hollis, Chief Financial Officer

Kate Fox, Director of Accounting

BUILDINGS & GROUNDS COMMITTEE

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Casey Federman, Co-Chair

Harshith Ramesh, Co-Chair

Erikson Albrecht

Marshall Cole ’96

Karla Diaz Sayles

Jon Wimbish

Chuck Block, Non-Trustee Member

Deepti Patel, Non-Trustee Member

Aziz Rahimtoola, Non-Trustee Member

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

Brian Hollis, Chief Financial Officer

Sarah Tinsley, Chief Operating Officer

Jeff Albert, Director of Facilities

COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Dilip Bhavnani, Co-Chair

Karla Diaz Sayles, Co-Chair

Kavitha Bhatia

Lee Chu

Dana Coleman

Tracy Minker ’88

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION COMMITTEE

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Erikson Albrecht, Co-Chair

Dana Coleman, Co-Chair

Ryan Boccuzzi

Kevin Newman ’83

Karla Diaz Sayles

Thea Wolf

Jordan Church, Non-Trustee Member

Sherri Martin, Non-Trustee Member

Iva Shah, Non-Trustee Member

Srini Panguluri, Non-Trustee Member

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

Sarah Tinsley, Chief Operating Officer

Janet Lee, Director of Equity, Curriculum & Instruction

Earleen Kennedy, School Counselor & Community Liaison for DEI

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Steve Chang, Co-Chair

Harshith Ramesh, Co-Chair

Lee Chu

Casey Federman

Nick Matus

Kevin Newman ’83

Leslie Vermut

Jonathan Levine ’88, Non-Trustee Member

Michael Toure, Non-Trustee Member

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

Brian Hollis, Chief Financial Officer

Kate Fox, Director of Accounting

CLIC TASK FORCE

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Rob Friedman, Chair

Dilip Bhavnani

Casey Federman

Nick Matus

Tracy Minker ’88

Thea Wolf

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

THINK FORWARD CAMPAIGN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Dilip Bhavnani

Rob Friedman

Tracy Minker ’88

Leslie Vermut

Thea Wolf

Rachel Yang

Kimberly Borman, Non-Trustee Member

Brian Bumbery, Non-Trustee Member

Courtney Fennimore, Non-Trustee Member

Stacey Fish, Non-Trustee Member

Monica Kirchner, Non-Trustee Member

Randie Kleinman, Non-Trustee Member

Ann Kono, Non-Trustee Member

Rebecca Mall, Non-Trustee Member

Katherine Meyer, Non-Trustee Member

Mili Patel, Non-Trustee Member

Amita Ramesh, Non-Trustee Member

Iva Shah, Non-Trustee Member

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

Corinne Schulman, Director of Advancement

Meet New Board Members

We are excited and honored to introduce three outstanding individuals who will join the school’s Board of Trustees in the 2024-25 school year. Their exceptional skills and diverse backgrounds will further enhance the expertise of our already distinguished board. We are grateful to all our trustees for their commitment to serving Curtis and our community.

TALIB FAKHRI

Mr. Fakhri is a Curtis parent who has already contributed as a member of the board’s Advancement Committee. He brings extensive experience in finance, development, and corporate strategy to the work of the full board.

Born and raised in Southern California, Mr. Fakhri began his career in finance with UBS Investment Bank. He continued working in private equity with Apollo Management, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, with an investment focus in the consumer product and food retail industries. In 2010, Mr. Fakhri joined his family’s manufacturing business, International Trading Company, and utilized it as a platform to acquire distribution partners across the hospitality, healthcare, fitness, and auto care markets. These various entities merged to become A1 American, of which he is the CEO. He is also the Managing Director of his investment firm, ALTAA Invest ments, which invests in early growth-stage businesses and alternative projects within the real estate, technology, healthcare, and food retail markets. Mr. Fakhri’s commitment to philanthropy and community service began in his childhood when his cultural and family ties to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and East Africa gave him exposure to the importance of education and those in need. He and his family support a number of organizations, including Developments in Literacy, UNICEF, Newground, Miry’s List, and the Independent School Alliance. Outside of work, Mr. Fakhri enjoys pickleball, skiing, live music, modern art, the Lakers, interesting foods, and travel.

Mr. Fakhri holds a BBA degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business. He and his wife, Leena, have three amazing Cougar children: Alayna ’23, Ashar ’26, and Aydin ’29.

ANN KONO

Curtis parent Ann Kono has served Curtis as a valuable member of the board’s Finance and Campaign Advisory Committees. She is also a dedicated Parents Association volunteer, who has generously given of herself to our community for many years.

Ms. Kono is a seasoned C-Suite executive with over 25 years of experience, whose career has focused on increasing enterprise value for management, operating, and portfolio companies. She is the CEO and founder of Leda Advisory Group, a firm focused on the asset management industry. Ms. Kono also currently serves as an independent director for Cathay General Bancorp, Siepe LLC, and Sabra Healthcare Real Estate Investment Trust. Prior to her work on corporate boards, Ms. Kono was the Chief Information and Risk Officer at Ares Management LLC. She was part of the foundational team that helped transform Ares from a private domestic credit firm to a public global asset manager.

A passionate advocate for education, Ms. Kono has served as a past Chairperson of Junior Achievement Southern California and is the Co-Founder of TeachAAPI. She is a proud USC Trojan holding an MBA from the Marshall School with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Boston University.

Ms. Kono and her husband, Sean, are the proud parents of current Curtis student Blake ’27 and recent graduate Kyle ’24.

DR. SARAH SHULKIND

Dr. Shulkind is an engaged Curtis parent who brings valuable experience as an educator and leader in independent school administration.

Dr. Shulkind is the Head of School at Milken Community School in Los Angeles, California, a nationally recognized independent Jewish community school with over 750 students in 6th through 12th Grade. Before coming to Milken in 2019, Dr. Shulkind served as the Head of School at Sinai Akiba Academy for seven years, and she served as the Middle School Director at Milken prior to that. She also helped to start Wildwood School’s secondary school campus and worked as a teacher and division leader there for five years. Dr. Shulkind completed her undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, her master’s degree in teaching and curriculum at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, and her doctoral degree in UCLA’s Educational Leadership Program. She received the National Association of Secondary Schools Dissertation Award for her research on Middle Level Advisory Programs. Dr. Shulkind has presented at local and national conferences on a wide variety of topics, including curricular integration, reading comprehension, student-led conferences, advisory programs, academic achievement, parent education, personalization, differen tiation, and service learning. Her published work appears in Education Leadership, Princi pal Leadership, and The Middle School Journal. She is the incoming president of the Board of Directors of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and serves on the board of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin as well as on the advisory board of UCLA’s Women’s Executive Leadership Academy.

Dr. Shulkind and her husband, Andrew, have four adored children, Lucy, Olivia, Sadie, and Curtis Cougar Oscar ’28.

School Finances

OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2023 - JUNE 30, 2024

Financial figures in this report reflect the board-approved 2023-24 school year revised budget and exclude CLIC Project expenses excepting Debt Service.

1Other is Investment Income. The budget reflects bank interest only estimate. Curtis School’s operating budget does not include investment fund (endowment) growth or interest estimates.

2Unrestricted Gifts reflects Annual Fund goal.

3Operating Expense includes fixed-asset purchases and excludes depreciation. Facilities includes planned PPRSM funding. Financial Access Program includes tuition remission.

FROM THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

Building Lasting Connections

Dear Curtis School Community,

As I reflect on this past year, I am filled with immense joy and pride. My primary goal was to continue to strengthen our community at Curtis by fostering a sense of togetherness and active involvement. Looking back, I can confidently say that we have achieved this and more, with record-breaking participation from parents and guardians.

One of the highlights of this year was our Cultural Celebrations. Our beautifully diverse community came together to share traditions and culture through food, music, and storytelling. Our students had the unique opportunity to experience the first Sukkah on campus, hear a Mariachi band, witness Lion and Korean fan dancers for Lunar New Year, enjoy Iranian dancers for Nowruz, and groove to a jazz band for Mardi Gras, among many other vibrant performances. Our International Lunch Day was a feast for the senses, showcasing delicious dishes from our families’ diverse backgrounds. Curtis Celebrates! Studio ’24 was a night to remember. We raised funds for our school and danced the night away.

Another remarkable highlight of the year was the Parents Association’s realization of Dr. Ratnesar’s vision of the Interfaith Panel. This enlightening event featured esteemed leaders from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. We opened our hearts and minds to engage in profound and meaningful conversations that fostered a deeper understanding and appreciation of some of our diverse spiritual traditions.

Serving as the Parents Association president has been an honor and a privilege. I have been continually inspired by the generosity and dedication of our remarkable families. The commitment of the Executive Committee has been particularly uplifting, and I cherish the friendships and connections we have built. The administration, faculty, staff, and maintenance teams at Curtis are exceptional, always putting the children first. Their thoughtfulness and dedication have been evident time and again throughout the year.

From the moment our family joined Curtis, we felt an overwhelming sense of welcome and belonging. This community is a true gift. We have made incredible friends, our children have received an outstanding education, and we have all found a second home at Curtis.

Thank you for an unforgettable year. Here’s to continuing our journey together and building an even stronger and more connected Curtis community.

Sharon Eshaghoff Parents Association President 2023-24

The Eshaghoff family (l-r): Oliver ’22, Sharon, Jack ’24, Chad, and Aaron ’26

BOOK SPREE has something for every interest and age. Parent volunteers helped students choose “just right” books from a myriad of appealing titles.

CURTIS CARES DAY COMMITTEE (l-r): Katherine Meyer, Randie Kleinman, Christine Zenjiryan, Katie Gebhard, and Kathy Laxer

PA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2023-24 (l-r): Corresponding Secretary Courtney Fennimore, 1st VP Sherri Martin, Immediate Past President Jennifer Hilton, 5th VP Katie Gebhard, President Sharon Eshaghoff, 4th VP Danyel Lau, Recording Secretary Hannah Yang, 3rd VP Stacey Fish, Treasurer Christine De La Hoz, 2nd VP Annabelle Apley, and Assistant Treasurer Beverly Galashan

2023-24

Parents Association Committees

Curtis is incredibly fortunate to have a robust community of families who consistently contribute to our school through the Parents Association. Their selfless dedication and generosity of time, talent, and resources enhance the learning environment and overall experience for our students, families, faculty, and staff. We are deeply grateful to these committed volunteers for partnering with us to ensure that Curtis remains an extraordinary place.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Sharon Eshaghoff, President

Sherri Martin, 1st Vice President - Communications

Annabelle Apley, 2 nd Vice President - Admissions Liaison

Stacey Fish, 3rd Vice President - Fundraising

Danyel Lau, 4th Vice President - Community

Katie Gebhard, 5th Vice President - Enrichment

Christine De La Hoz, Treasurer

Hannah Yang, Recording Secretary

Courtney Fennimore, Corresponding Secretary

Jen Hilton, Immediate Past President

1ST VP COMMITTEES - COMMUNICATIONS

Grade Representatives

Courtney Mack, Developmental Kindergarten

Dianna Sternberg, Kindergarten

Sue Tran, 1st Grade

Mili Patel, 2nd Grade

Danyel Lau, 3rd Grade

Danielle Molina, 4th Grade

Rakhee Alston, 5th Grade

Roya Ghafouri, 6th Grade

Carolyn Huang, 6th Grade

Marla Raminfar, 6th Grade

Jenny Smiley, 6th Grade

Lost & Found

Lisa Goh

Jaclyn Golditch

Karoline Hilu

Nadia Javaheri

Practically New Uniforms

Meghann Altman

Phatthana Johnson

Carlye Morgan

INTERNATIONAL LUNCH DAY

PA volunteers (l-r) Lada Engchawadechasilp, Julia Chang, Mia Liu, and Monica Jin

2ND VP COMMITTEES – ADMISSIONS LIAISON

New Parent Liaisons

Audrey Anhood, Developmental Kindergarten

Iva Shah, Developmental Kindergarten

Hannah Yang, Developmental Kindergarten

Holly Lake, Kindergarten

Stephanie Lee-Felker, Kindergarten

Julia Richter, Kindergarten

Lauren Ross, Kindergarten

Ciara Castro, 1st Grade

Lindsay Herman, 1st Grade

Joyce Komori, 1st Grade

Tayler Park, 1st Grade

Lee Chu, 2nd Grade

Dianna Sternberg, 2nd Grade

Galit Donnelly, 3rd Grade

Kelly Gafni, 3rd Grade

Elina Wineburgh, 3rd Grade

Lara Dolecek, 4th Grade

Karoline Hilu, 4th Grade

Christine Zenjiryan, 4th Grade

Rakhee Alston, 5th Grade

Dave Hilton, 5th Grade

Angelo Sanders, 5th Grade

Meg Resnikoff, 6th Grade

BIG SUNDAY Curtis parent volunteers (l-r) Ann Kono, Nina Beizai, Sharon Eshaghoff, Ariane Klein, Cara Rich, and Hannah Yang

3RD VP COMMITTEESFUNDRAISING

A ssistant Treasurer

Beverly Galashan

Boutique

Candice Naysan

Desiree Neman

Syldy Nida

Sanaz Tavakoli

Cougar Wear

Alexis Alban

Daniel Branscome

Galit Donnelly

Amy Kestenbaum

Wendy Luan

Youyang Xu

Curtis Celebrates! 2024

Hila Farasat

Eunice Kahm

Cara Rich

Dianna Sternberg

Orly Tabibi

Curtis Fair 2023

Jackie Harman

Danyel Lau

Michelle McGruder

Karla Sayles

Patricia Weg

Fundraising Members-at-Large

Katherine Meyer

Jenny Smiley

Party Book

Leena Fakhri

Stephanie Lee-Felker

Ariane Klein

Iva Shah

April Topp

Christine Zenjiryan

4TH VP COMMITTEESCOMMUNITY

Book Spree

Michelle Etebar

Jill Peters

Zaheeda Rahemtulla

Amita Ramesh

Laura Schumer

Salimah Shamji

Yelena Vayner

5TH VP COMMITTEESENRICHMENT

Blooms (Grades 5-6)

Courtney Fennimore

Katie Gebhard

Stephanie Kleinjan

Ryan Komori

Buds (Grades 3-4)

Audrey Anhood

Stacy Cohanim

Natalie Javaheri

Yasmine Maghami

Rayna Marz

Natasha McCaffrey

Cultural Celebrations

Stacy Cohanim

Stephanie Lee-Felker

Iva Shah

Lindsey Simon

Curtis Cares Day

Randie Kleinman

Kathy Laxer

Elsie Mendoza

Katherine Meyer

Christine Zenjiryan

Families Helping Families

Kelly Gafni

Jackie Harman

Cassie Holmes

Michelle McGruder

Meredith Rettinger-Silver

Ali Weinberger

Seedlings (Grades DK-2)

Meghann Altman

Audrey Anhood

Maryam Afrashteh Burchett

Maisha Pajardo-O’Neal

Freddie Richards

Lindsey Simon

Jud Tylor

STANDING COMMITTEES

Admission Tours

Lee Chu

Hila Farasat

Jaya Hathaway

Katherine Meyer

Syldy Nida

Zaheeda Rahemtulla

Meredith Rettinger-Silver

Iva Shah

Hannah Yang

Shana Zarcufsky

Curtis Celebrates! 2024

Sapna Abrol, Wine Cella r

Rebecca Feiz, Design & Decor

Courtney Fennimore, Sponsorship

Cody Fuhrman, Auction; Tickets; Wine Cellar

Amy Kestenbaum, Auction

Loryn Kolbrenner, Design & Decor

Stephanie Lee-Felker, Auction; Check-in/Check-out; Tickets

Katherine Meyer, Auction

Maisha Pajardo-O’Neal, Design & Decor

Mili Patel, Auction

Foujan Sakhai, Design & Decor

Elizabeth Schwartzman, Design & Decor

Historian

Orly Tabibi

International Lunch Day

Sapna Abrol

Rebecca Feiz

Jaya Hathaway

Jin Sun Lee

Carolin Michel

Christine Zenjiryan

Library Chairs

Daniel Branscome

Syldy Nida

PA Members-at-Large

Jung Lee

Rachel Ogulnick

Past PA Presidents

Jennifer Hilton

Katherine Meyer

Student Lunch Service

Michelle Brubaker

Jennie Kwon

Cara Rich

Regina Rudyak

Treasury Committee

Daniel Branscome

Lisa Goh

Stephanie Lee-Felker

Wendy Luan

Syldy Nida

Mili Patel

John Peters

Yelena Vayner

Ali Weinberger

Christine Zenjiryan

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Jen Hilton, Chair

Renee Cheng

Courtney Fennimore

Jenn Hillman

Sherri Martin

Katherine Meyer

Orly Tabibi

Sue Tran

Suzanne Watson

Christine Zenjiryan

ROOM PARENTS

Developmental Kindergarten

Alison Arzac

Iva Shah

Kindergarten

Meghann Altman

Michelle Brubaker

Anna Josephson

Stephanie Lee-Felker

Lauren Ross

Lindsey Simon

1st Grade

Hila Farasat

Lindsay Herman

Jenni Kwon

Fredricka Richards

Dorie Weiss

Laura Zahrawi

2nd Grade

Lara Dolecek

Lisa Goh

Nadia Javaheri

Syldy Nida

Lily Rasouli

Orly Tabibi

3rd Grade

Audrey Anhood

Galit Donnelly

Cara Heckenberg

Joyce Komori

Ann Kono

Danyel Lau

Katherine Meyer

Jill Peters

Elina Wineburgh

4th Grade

Alexis Alban

Seda Bayrak

Monica Johnson

Yasmine Maghami

David Press

Amita Ramesh

Amy Siegel

Christine Zenjiryan

5th Grade

Jenny Cole

Sandra Fox

Jen Hilton

Randie Kleinman

Elsie Mendoza

Amanda Miller

Johnnetta Sanders

Salimah Shamji

6th Grade

Roya Ghafouri

Carolyn Huang

Marla Raminfar

Jenny Smiley

The Block Party ’23 Curtis Fair was an unforgettable celebration filled with laughter, joy, and a true sense of community. From the thrilling rides to the exciting games, mouthwatering treats, and priceless memories, the 2023 fair captured the spirit of our beloved Curtis tradition. Your support lit up the Curtis campus, and we couldn’t have rocked this party without you!

Curtis Fair Event Sponsors

The Agrawal Family

The Alban Family

The Albrecht Family

The Alston Family

Barika Bell

The Bernshteyn Family

The Blencowe Family

Brielle & Charles Block

The Borman Family

The Braiman Family

The Branscome Family

The Brubaker Family

The Reagan Bryant Family

Maryam & Peter Burchett

The Buss Family

Jack Choi & Julie Jang

Lara Dolecek & Tyson Condie

The Copeland Family

The Daneshgar Family

The Dantzler Family

The Dar Family

The De La Hoz Family

The de Neufville Family

The Del Prete Family

Larry, Prachi & Beatrice Dumas

The Ellenbogen Family

Sharon & Chad Eshaghoff

Bob & Michelle Etebar

The Ewald Family

The Ezer Family

Jessie & Greg Ezor

The Fakhri Family

Tom & Courtney Fennimore

The Fish Family

John & Sandra Fox

The Fuhrman Family

The Galashan Family

The Gao Family

Todd & Jaclyn Golditch

Heidi & Lawrence Grey

The Griffin Family

The Gu Family

The Harman Family

Cara & James Heckenberg

The Heckendorf Family

Nicole & Scott Hill

The Hilton Family

The Hong Family

The Hsu Family

The Hu Family

Bella Bai & Ray Hu

Lina & Jeff Jasper

The Benjamin & Natalie Javaheri Family

The Jazaeri Family

The Everly Joe Family

Gabriel Johnson & Ciara Castro

Jermaine & Phatthana Johnson & Family

The Kennedy Family

The Brandy & Moe Keshavarzi Family

The Eugene Kim & Jin Lee Family

EJ & Jay Kim

Tiffany & Bennett Koo

The Kreymer Family

Holly R. Lake & Roger Chen

Daniel & Michele Lasman

The Dominic & Charlotte Lee Family

The Sofia & Elena Lee Family

Lee Chu & Jongmin Lee

The Jin & Jun Lee Family

Jung & Ted Lee

The Li Family

The Li Family

Yunpeng Li & Yan Yu

The Luan/Lu Family

The Magee Family

The Mall/Miller Family

Mia & Milo Martin

The McCaffrey Family

The McGruder Family

The Meyer Family

The Middleton Family

Amanda & Andrew Miller

Jason & Samantha Milner

Carlye & Michael Morgan

Lisa & David Neman

The Nida Family

The Noecker-Robert Family

The Nyarwaya Family

Rachel & Ryan Ogulnick

The Parnes Family

The Partridge Family

The Pelland-Norskog Family

The Perrette Family

Jill & John Peters

The Pincus Family

The Poursalimi Family

The Press Family

Zaheeda & Nav Rahemtulla

The Raiman Family

The Ramesh Family

The Rasouli Family

The Resnikoff Family

Fredricka & Brian Richards

The Rupp Family

The Sanders Family

The Sayles Family

Elizabeth & David Schwartzman

Alexander & Casey Shaftal

The Shuwarger Family

The Silver Family

The Sternberg Family

de Winter, Seema & Satara Stewart

The Struck Family

Sarah Mlynowski & Todd Swidler

The Tabibi Family

The Tang Family

Andrew R. Tennenbaum & Dr. Ali Strocker

The Toure Family

The Vargas-Seay Family

Dr. Dorie Weiss & Ryan Weinstein

The Williams Family

The Wineburgh Family

Stacey & Stephen Worth

The Yamin Family

The Yeargin Family

Courtney & Kirill Zagalsky

The Zarcufsky Family

The Zenjiryan Family

Curtis Celebrates! A Night at Curtis Studio ’24, on March 2, was an evening of magic and joy thanks to the commitment and effort of our devoted Parents Association. We danced and dined under the glittering light, while celebrating our amazing community and supporting our beloved school.

EVENT SPONSORS

The success of Curtis Celebrates! A Night at Curtis Studio ’24 is owed to the thoughtful support of these family and corporate sponsors:

Anonymous (2)

The Abrol Family

The Alban Family

The Albrecht Family

The Alston Family

Meghann & Howard Altman

Alexis & Eric Arinsburg

The Beaubaire Family

Barika Bell

The Bernshteyn Family

The Bhavnani Family Foundation

Brielle & Charles Block

The Braiman Family

The Brubaker Family

The Bulochnikov-Paul Family

Stacy & Ted Cohanim

& Debra Cohen

The Dantzler Family

The Dar Family

The De La Hoz Family

The de la Lama Family

The Del Prete Family

& Galit Donnelly

The Ellenbogen Family

Sharon & Chad Eshaghoff

The Esmaili Family Bob & Michelle Etebar

Jessie & Greg Ezor

The Fakhri Family

The Farasat Family

The Feiz Family

Tom & Courtney Fennimore

Louis Fermelia & Shane McCoy Fermelia

The Fish Family

Karen & Eli Frankel

The Fuhrman Family

The Fujikawa-Kwon Family

The Gabel Family

The Galashan Family Yanka Burgos & Brad Gluckstein

Kwon & Nami

The Schackne Family

The Schutzbank Family

The Schwartz/Weiss Family

Elizabeth & David Schwartzman

Iva & Vishal Shah

The Shuwarger Family

Amy & Adam Siegel

The Silver Family

The Simon Family

The Smiley Family

The Sternberg Family de Winter, Seema & Satara Stewart

The Struck Family

Sarah Mlynowski & Todd Swidler

The Tabibi Family

Pajardo-O’Neal

Patel & Srinivas Panguluri David & Tayler Park The Parnes Family The Partridge Family Ajay & Renu Patel The Perrette Family The Peters Family The Poursalimi Family The Pozarny Family Zaheeda & Nav Rahemtulla

The Raiman Family

The Ramesh Family

Marla & Arash Raminfar

Hannah & Luke Redfern

Fredricka & Brian Richards

The Richter Family

The Rogers Family

Lauren & Bradley Ross

Bradley Ross & Linda McDonough Lawrence Rozenberg & Regina Rudyak

The Sayles Family

The Tang Family

The Tanner Family

Debbie Taus-Kahn

Andrew R. Tennenbaum & Dr. Ali Strocker

The Toure Family

Melissa Barshop & Steven VanDeBogart

Craig & Ashley Varnen Venable LLP

Haley & Adam Weidenbaum

Ali & Alex Weinberger

Dr. Dorie Weiss & Ryan Weinstein

The Williams Family

The Wineburgh Family

Thea & Jay Wolf

Renee & David Yang

Hannah & Eric Yang

Jennifer Yen

The Zarcufsky Family

TEXT-TO-GIVE DONORS

Thank you to these generous donors, whose gifts made during the event increase access to a Curtis School education for all students:

The Abrol Family

The Alban Family

The Albrecht Family

The Alston Family

The Bayrak Family

The Beizai Family

The Beker Family Barika

The

Brielle &

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The

The Ramesh Family

Marla & Arash Raminfar

Hannah & Luke Redfern

Fredricka & Brian Richards

Bradley Ross & Linda McDonough

The Sayles Family

The Schackne Family

Corinne & Jory Schulman

The Schumer Family

The Schutzbank Family

Alexander & Casey Shaftal

Dr. Nirav Shah & Mrs. Anuja Gupta

Iva & Vishal Shah

Cathy Shin

The Shin Family

The Shuwarger Family

Amy & Adam Siegel

The Silver Family

The Smiley Family

The Sternberg Family

The Struck Family

Youyang Xu & Yifei Sun

The Tabibi Family

Andrew R. Tennenbaum & Dr. Ali Strocker

The Toure Family

Craig & Ashley Varnen Jorge Velazquez

The Viswanath Family

The Weg Family

Haley & Adam Weidenbaum

Dr. Dorie Weiss & Ryan Weinstein

The Wineburgh Family

Thea & Jay Wolf

Hannah & Eric Yang

Jennifer Yen

The John & Jaehee Yen Family

Laura & Mo Zahrawi

The Zarcufsky Family

The Zenjiryan Family

Think Forward Campaign

Curtis has embarked on a multi-phased initiative that begins with the Collaborative Learning and Innovation Center, a hub for collaborative excellence, co-designed by Curtis teachers, where teaching and learning will intertwine between the scientific, artistic, and physical. The new 21,000 square-foot, 3-story building will house all arts, science, and technology classrooms and is designed to allow students to seamlessly follow their passions, wherever they lead. Curtis School is grateful to the volunteer campaign cabinet members for their partnership and guidance, as well as to the following donors for their early and generous commitments to our Think Forward Campaign.

CAMPAIGN CABINET 2023-24

Dilip Bhavnani

Kimberly Borman

Courtney Fennimore

Stacey Fish

Rob Friedman

Monica Kirchner

Randie Kleinman

Ann Kono

Rebecca Mall

Andrew Meyer

Katherine Meyer

Tracy Minker ’88

Mili Patel

Amita Ramesh

Allan Schweitzer ’79

Iva Shah

Leslie F. Vermut

Thea Wolf

Rachel Yang

DONORS

Martin & Alison Arzac

Drs. Sunny & Kavitha Bhatia & Family

The Bhavnani Family Foundation

Brielle & Charles Block

Ryan Boccuzzi

Ashita Shah & Arun Bohra

Kimberly & Casey Borman

The Bumbery-Lazarus Family

Julia & Steve Chang

Jack Choi & Julie Jang

Ché & Dana Coleman

Curtis Parents Association

J.J. & Adela Dudum

Heather & Michael Ezer

The Federman Family

Tom & Courtney Fennimore

The Fish Family

Rob & Shari Friedman Family

Katie & Phil Holthouse

The Hotchandani Family

Samuel Im & Julie Kim

Eunjeong & Jay Kim

The Kirchner Family, in honor of Justin ’21 & Milena ’23 Kirchner

Randie & Alan Kleinman

Sean & Ann Kono

Minseok Kwon & Nami Kim

The Lau Family

Lee Chu & Jongmin Lee

Jun & Jin Lee

Yunpeng Li & Yan Yu

The Mall-Miller Family

Amanda & Nicholas Matus

Andrew & Katherine Meyer

C&R Newman Family Foundation, in honor of Kevin Newman ’83

The Panguluri Patel Family

Maureen & Don Querio

Zaheeda & Nav Rahemtulla

The Rahimtoola Family

Amita & Harshith Ramesh

The Sayles Family

Allan ’79 & Lily Schweitzer

Iva & Vishal Shah

The Shaw Family

The Shuwarger Family, in honor of Debra ’87, Michele ’89, Ryan ’97, and Natalie ’30

The Tang Family Education Foundation

The Varnen Family

Leslie Vermut & Tom Weinberger

The Wimbish Family

The Wineburgh Family, in honor of Meyer & Adler Wineburgh

Thea & Jay Wolf

Jennifer Yen & Jaehee Yen

Ninna & Bharat Patel Family Foundation

Sol & Stephanie Poursalimi

John Querio & Meera Ratnesar

Curtis School gratefully acknowledges donors who pledged or contributed to the Think Forward Campaign between November 1, 2022, and June 30, 2024.

2023-24

Curtis Fund Leadership

Thank you to the Curtis community for your support in making the 2023-24 Curtis Fund a success! Through the generosity of parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, administrators, faculty, staff, and foundations, we surpassed our goal of $1.8 million. Your commitment each year advances the mission of Curtis School and has an immediate and lasting impact on our students. Our heartfelt gratitude to the Advancement Committee, Curtis Fund Grade Ambassadors, and the Advancement Staff for their exceptional vision and leadership that made this achievement possible.

Advancement Committee

Dilip Bhavnani, Co-Chair

Thea Wolf, Co-Chair

Robyn Atwater

Kimberly Borman

Lee Chu

Talib Fakhri

Courtney Fennimore

Lindsey Gordon Rey

Jaya Hathaway

Monica Johnson

Rebecca Mall

Tracy Minker ’88

Meera Ratnesar, Head of School

Corinne Schulman, Director of Advancement

Brad Schwartz

Craig Varnen, Ex Officio

Leslie Vermut

Rachel Yang

ADVANCEMENT OFFICE SUPPORT

Sandra McGarry, Advancement Manager

Curtis Fund Grade Ambassadors

Co-Chairs

Robyn Atwater

Monica Johnson

DK

Alison Arzac

Lily Ghafouri

Kindergarten

Anna Josephson

Julia Richter

1st Grade

Beverly Galashan

Laura Zahrawi

2nd Grade

Jaya Hathaway

Hannah Yang

3rd Grade

Rebecca Mall

Yelena Vayner

4th Grade

Jaclyn Golditch

Danielle Molina

5th Grade

Jessie Ezor

Amanda Miller

6th Grade

Karen Frankel

Zaheeda Rahemtulla

Meg Resnikoff

WELCOMING JENNIFER JOHNSON TO THE CURTIS COMMUNITY!

After 11 years at Chandler School in Pasadena, where she served as the Assistant Director of Advancement and Community Engagement, Jennifer joins Curtis as our new Director of Advancement. At Chandler, she led numerous campaigns, directed the annual giving program, and established thriving community engagement initiatives. We’re excited to welcome her to our team at Curtis!

Message from Jennifer

I am thrilled to join Curtis School as your Director of Advancement. From my first day on campus, it was evident what makes Curtis so special—a dedicated community that truly believes in and invests in the school’s mission, vision, and values. I am grateful for the warm welcome and eager to get to know each member of the Curtis community, learn about the school’s culture and traditions, and collaborate with you to create meaningful experiences for students, families, and alumni, building upon Curtis’s strong foundation. As we approach Curtis’s 100th anniversary and beyond, let us think forward together and embrace the exciting opportunities ahead. Thank you for your commitment to Curtis School!

Curtis Fund

The Curtis Fund is vital to the school’s financial strength. Gifts to the Curtis Fund provide support for nearly every area of school operations, including educational programs, salaries and benefits, financial access for qualified students, and maintenance and improvement of the campus and facilities. Importantly, gifts to the Curtis Fund also enable the school to take advantage of new opportunities in all areas of programming and operations as they may arise.

VISIONARY CIRCLE

($100,000+)

The Curtis Parents Association 

The Diller-von Furstenberg

Family Foundation 

Alex von Furstenberg & Alison Kay 

FOUNDER CIRCLE

($50,000-$99,999)

The Ahmanson Foundation 

Louis & Fenfang Hsieh

Tiffany & Bennett Koo

Yunpeng Li & Yan Yu

BENEFACTOR CIRCLE

($25,000-$49,999)

Brielle & Charles Block

Jack Choi & Julie Jang

Tom & Courtney Fennimore

The Galashan Family 

Jessica Kavanaugh 

Ryan Kavanaugh ’87 

Jun & Jin Lee

The Otis Booth Foundation

Ninna & Bharat Patel Family Foundation

The Poursalimi Family 

Elizabeth & David Schwartzman 

Tamaqua Foundation

Leslie Vermut & Tom Weinberger

Thea & Jay Wolf

PARTNER CIRCLE

($15,000-$24,999)

Amy & Adam Bass 

Linda Guerrero & Brett Berkowitz 

The Bhavnani Family Foundation

Michelle & Jay Brubaker

The Buss Family

The Capital Group Companies

Charitable Foundation 

Howard & Lada Cheng

Coby Cares Foundation

Dr. Lawrence & Jane Z. Cohen 

Julia & John Donnelly

The Dudum Family

The Edmonds Family 

Rob & Shari Friedman

Jaya & Jordan Hathaway

Dr. Fan Dong & Woody Hu

Minseok Kwon & Nami Kim 

Lee Chu & Jongmin Lee 

Tracy ’88 & Scott Minker

Ann & Greg Myer

Meera Ratnesar & John Querio

Zaheeda & Nav Rahemtulla

Harshith & Amita Ramesh

Grant & Sara Ross 

Peter ’95 & Stephanie Shaw

Marcia & Bob Shuwarger

The Shuwarger Family (Ryan ’97)

HEAD OF SCHOOL CIRCLE

($10,000-$14,999)

Anonymous

Alfred E. Mann Charities

Martin & Alison Arzac

The Bhatia Family

Ashita Shah & Arun Bohra 

The Borman Family

Steve & Julia Chang

Devon & Sean Corrigan 

Allison & John de Neufville

Gavin & Galit Donnelly 

The Esmaili Family 

WE GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO THESE DONORS WHO

increased their gift to Curtis School in 2023-24

made a gift to the Financial Access Program in 2023-24

The Ezer Family

The Fakhri Family

Louis Fermelia & Shane McCoy Fermelia ’84 

Karen & Eli Frankel 

Todd & Jaclyn Golditch 

Cara & James Heckenberg 

Lindsay & Ben Herman 

Dr. Rachel Yang & Mr. Don Ho 

Dr. Cassie & Mr. Robert Holmes

The Timothy Hotchandani & Ruth Luhukay Family

William Jiang & Karen Wu

Monica & Cory Johnson

Alana & Matt Kagan

Drs. Jin Sun Lee & Eugene Kim 

EJ & Jay Kim

Randie & Alan Kleinman

The Kolbrenner Family 

Sean & Ann Kono

Danyel & Chris Lau

The Mall/Miller Family 

Amanda & Nicholas Matus

Robert & Syldy Nida 

Amy & JB Perrette

Amina & Aziz Rahimtoola

The Rasouli Family 

Hannah & Luke Redfern

Roxiticus Foundation

The Ruga Family

The Schwartz/Weiss Family 

Dr. Nirav Shah & Mrs. Anuja Gupta 

Anthony & Lee Shaw 

Satara, Seema & de Winter Stewart

The Tang Family

The Tanner Family

The Tomsic Family

The Tu Family

Craig & Ashley Varnen 

The Walt Disney Company Foundation 

Julie & Eric Yamin

Jennifer Yen & Jaehee Yen

COUGAR CIRCLE

($5,000-$9,999)

Anonymous

The Abrol Family

The Agrawal Family 

Meghann & Howard Altman  Apple, Inc.

Vinod & Nimmi Assomull

The Bayrak Family

The Beker Family 

The Blencowe Family

The Boeing Company 

The Bulochnikov-Paul Family 

The Cole Family

The Del Prete Family

The Ellenbogen Family 

Bob & Michelle Etebar

Expedia Group

Jessie & Greg Ezor 

Brian Fox

John & Sandra Fox

Yanka Burgos & Brad Gluckstein

Elizabeth Goldstein ’95 & Christopher Franjola 

The Gross Family (David ’90) 

Kelly Hale

Jacqueline & Daniel Harman

The Hilu Family 

HP, Inc.

Bella Bai & Ray Hu

Lina & Jeff Jasper

Benjamin & Natalie Javaheri Family

The Jazaeri Family

Gabriel Johnson & Ciara Castro

Brandy & Moe Keshavarzi Family

Mark & Amy Kestenbaum

Matthew ’91 & Ariane Klein

Holly R. Lake 

The Sofia & Elena Lee Family 

Jung & Ted Lee

The Levin Family

Jason Levin ’89

The Lugash Family

William & Courtney Mack 

Mr. Steve & Dr. Yasmine Maghami

The McCaffrey Family 

Deepak Mehta 

Amanda & Andrew Miller 

Jennifer & Aaron Mintz

Carlye & Michael Morgan 

The Naysan Family 

Northwestern Mutual Foundation

Mili Patel & Srinivas Panguluri

David & Tayler Park 

The Parnes Family

Ajay & Renu Patel

The Pelland/Norskog Family

Jill & John Peters

Marla & Arash Raminfar

Lawrence Rozenberg & Regina Rudyak

Samantha & Jonathan Seltzer

Eddy & Kathy Simonian

The Sternberg Family 

The Temple Family

Melissa Barshop ’92 & Steven VanDeBogart 

The Vargas-Seay Family 

The Watson Family

Watson Family Foundation

The Wineburgh Family 

Renee & David Yang

Shana ’85 & Matt Zarcufsky

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

($3,000-$4,999)

Anonymous

The Begland Family

Maryam & Peter Burchett 

Susie & Timothy Cheng

Jared Cohen ’88

The Cole Family (Marshall ’96)

Lara Dolecek & Tyson Condie

The Daneshgar Family 

Marvin & Patti Demoff

Sharon & Chad Eshaghoff

The Farasat Family 

The Fish Family

The Fisher Family (Katelyn ’96)

The Fujikawa-Kwon Family

Andrew Gindy ’01 

The Griffin Family

The Harbert Family Trust

The Hong Family

Sue & Charles Hsieh 

The Hua-Lee Family

Carolyn & Danny Huang 

Nadia & Josh Javaheri

Yizhou Sun & Ning Jiang 

The Everly Joe Family

Brent & Anna Josephson 

The Kahm Family

The Klein Family

The Kreymer Family

The Lee-Felker/Felker Family 

The Lei Family

Mia Liu & Jason Li

Katherine & Andrew Meyer

Carolin & Kia Michel

Lisa & David Neman

Desiree & Kiarash Neman 

The Palumbo Family

The Partridge Family

The CLIC construction fence was enlivened during our annual STEAM Maker Day in March with a colorful fence-weaving project carried out by all grades and a display of self-portraits created by the 6th Graders in their visual arts classes.

Curtis Fund

Dr. Christos Photopoulos & Dr. Alexandra Stavrakis 

The Pincus Family

Pioneer Precision Parts, LLC 

The Pozarny Family 

Fredricka & Brian Richards 

The Richter Family (Julia ’94)

Bradley Ross & Linda McDonough

The Schackne Family

Alexander & Casey Shaftal 

Iva & Vishal Shah 

The Silver Family

The Simon Family 

The Snow Family

Sarah Mlynowski & Todd Swidler

The Tehranchi Family

Sean & April Topp

Haley ’99 & Adam Weidenbaum 

Ali & Alex Weinberger 

Dr. Dorie Weiss & Ryan Weinstein

Wells Fargo Foundation

Laura & Mo Zahrawi

The Zenjiryan Family

ASSOCIATES ($1,500 TO $2,999)

Anonymous (2) 

William & Floriana Anhood 

The Atwater Family

The Beaufort-Grinnell Family

Jordan Bender ’02 

Ryan Boccuzzi

The Braiman Family 

The Codding Family

Barbara & Jon Cole

Ronghui Cui

D. E. Shaw Group 

Michelle & Amir Dar

Oliver & Christine De La Hoz 

Earl B. Gilmore Foundation

Rachel & John Edwards

Epic Games

The Federman Family

Michelle T. Vannoy & Steven Foonberg

Cody & Jeffrey Fuhrman

Robert & Susan Fuhrman

Heidi & Lawrence Grey

William & Nancy Gubin 

Jennifer & David Hillman 

Diane & Henry Hilty

The Ho Family

Katie & Phil Holthouse

The Kilstein Family

Mr. & Mrs. Yong Ku Kim

Joyce & Ryan Komori

The Lahiri Family

The Li Family

The Luan/Lu Family 

The Marciano Family 

Travlin & Nicole McCormack

Kacey & Peter McCoy

The Mednik Family (Max ’96) 

The Mendoza Family

Joan & Wayne Miller

Linda & Vincent Nicoletta 

The Noecker-Robert Family

Deepti & Pank Patel

The Resnikoff Family

Lauren & Bradley Ross

Peggy Saferstein

Charlene & Vic Sands

The Sarris-Preventza Family 

The Sayles Family (Matt ’94)

The Schutzbank Family

The Seib Family

The Shamji Family

The Sharma Family

Sarah & Andrew Shulkind 

Amy & Adam Siegel

The Slootweg Family 

The Smiley Family

The Tennenbaum Family

The Viswanath Family

Stacey & Stephen Worth

Hannah & Eric Yang

The Liang Yang Family

Jane J. & Tien T. Yang

FRIENDS (TO $1,499)

Anonymous 

Anonymous (2) 

Anonymous (16)

The Alban Family

The Albert Family

The Alston Family

The Apley Family

Alexis & Eric Arinsburg

Maniya Arnold-Brownlee ’20 & Family

Navin & Misha Assomull

Alexandra Baeurle

Billy & Sarah ’03 Ballas 

Michael & Nancy Basofin

Drew Beckmeyer 

Barika Bell

The Bendikson Family

Jordan Benudiz ’04

Gail & Neil Berlant 

Adam Blackman ’15 

Stacy ’83 & Uri Blackman 

Jennifer Weiss & Jay Blecker

The Bohle Family (Jason ’88)

Brian Border ’85 

The Braiman Family

Autumn Brannon

The Branscome Family

Janet Brief (The Shaftal Family)

Dr. & Mrs. William L. Campbell

Jennifer Cansick 

Trina Capka

Jill ’85 & David Carmel 

Devon Carmel ’15 

Sydney Carmel ’17

Kate Carone

Mr. & Mrs. Barry Cayton 

Derek Cayton ’15 

Margaret Lee & Donald Chang

Megan Chang ’13

Mark & Christine Chapman

Alexandra Chavez ’15

The Chu Family

Dan Chuba & Katherine Holmes-Chuba 

Sue Chung 

Andrew & Debra Cohen 

Darren ’88 & Michelle Cohen

Joan & Ken Cohn

The Coleman Family

Stacy Colwell

Anne-Marie Cordingly ’77

Joseph Coyne

George & Sandy Creznic 

The Cutter Family 

Louise Cutter ’15 

Bennett Daneshrad ’15 

The Daneshrad Family 

The Dantzler Family

The de la Lama Family 

The Dueñas Family

Scott & Fiona Ehrnschwender

The Escolin Family

Oliver Eshaghoff ’22

Gail & Jack Eskenazi

The Ewald Family

Gregory Favre

Jeff & Gina Favre

The Favreau Family

Judie Fenton

Kevin Figueroa

Peggy Zone Fisher & Lee Fisher

Karly Fontaine

Michael Fourticq ’15 

Mike ’82 & Teresa Fourticq 

Fox Corporation 

Samuel Fox & Gail Ellis 

Coco Francini ’98 

Nanette Francini

David E. Frank & Susan Dickinson 

Caswell Friedman ’18

Jaxx Friedman ’21

Scott Friedman & Catherine Gopaulsingh

The Gafni Family (Adam ’89)

Teri Garcia 

Alison Gardner

The Gatins Family

Samy Harbert Gelfand ’07 & Ben Gelfand

The Gloege Family (Tyler ’23)

Joann & Terry Gloege

The Goldberg Family

Carol & Neil Goldberg

The Gontier Family

Grace Gordon ’15 

The Gordon Family 

The Gould Family

Annie Grimes

Deborah & Chandler Grinnell

Samantha Moray Grossman ’01 

Groundswell Charitable Foundation

The Gu Family

Daniela Guardia

Jayshree & Shailendra Gupta 

Andrew Gussman ’15 

Deena & David Gussman 

Mark Gutierrez 

Tom & Dede Haglund

Ginger Healy ’97

Janna & Neil Healy

The Heckendorf Family

Manny Henriquez

Heather & Patrick Henry

Eladio Hernandez 

Scott & Nicole Hill

The Hilton Family 

Maya Hinkin ’12

Shanti Hinkin ’16

Brian Hollis

Christopher Holthouse ’05 

Kathryn & Con Howe

Karen & David Hubbard

Karen Ivy

Susan Burnap Janneck ’66

Art & Mel Johnson

The Jones Family 

Alli & Austin Katz

Presley Katz ’23

Walker Katz ’22

Elizabeth Kaufman ’98

Kayne Anderson Capital

Advisors Foundation

Laurie & Paul Kelson

The Kennedy Family

The Kettner-Solomon Family

David & Jennie Kim

Kayla Kim ’22

Ryan Kim ’20

Ashley Kolbe

KPMG Gives c/o

Bergen County United Way

Emily (Loze) Kreshek ’80 & Howard Kreshek

Janie Kreshek ’12

Katie Kreshek ’10

Daniel Kromolowski ’99

Jerzy Kromolowski & Mary Olson-Kromolowski

Judith Lacher

Jagger Lambert ’15 

Scott & Alexandra Lambert 

Daniel & Michele Lasman

Donielle Lemone-Bulmer 

Katie Lenis

Carole & Arthur Levine

Jonathan ’88 & Britt Levine

Dara ’89 & Butler Looney

The Low Family

Margaux Lushing-Kob ’96

The Ma Family

Ashley & Thomas Ma

Deena & Bill Mack

Kristen Magner

Susan & Jay Mall

Melissa Malone & Leo Vela

Hilary Manners & Eric Solton

The Mannheim Family

The Marenberg Family (Megan ’04)

Ripsi Margaryan

MassMutual

Joan A. McDonough

Sandra McGarry

The McGruder Family

The McInnes Family 

The McKnight Family

Olivia McMahon

Ruth Rachlin Menard

The Middleton Family 

Andy ’65 & Suzy Miller

Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Rita Miller 

Marie & Michael Millman

Carol & Richard Minker

The Mirahmadi Family

The Curtis Chess Team debuted in 2023-24 after a successful pilot program the previous year. This exciting new extracurricular, coached by Nick Pedretti and open to students by try-out, attracted a large number of players in its first year. The team practices together weekly and competes in tournaments throughout the year.

Allison & Jeff Mirkin

The Molina Family

Meredith Montano-Lorick

Oscar Montoya & Anabella Perez

Max Moray ’04 

Kathy & Michael Moray 

Haruka Mori

Sandra Naftzger ’72

Joe Navarro

Julia Nehorai ’19

Lauren Nehorai ’14

Kevin Newman ’83

Susan Nihiser

The Noble-Creznic Family

Tanner Nott ’15 

Daniel Novikov ’15 

Dmitri & Eugenia Novikov 

The Nyarwaya Family

Karen Ochoa

Samantha O’Gorman

Sara Okolie 

Francis & Mary O’Leary

Mercedes & Luis Ontanon

Ava Park ’19

Kimberly Parker

Greg Patterson

Angela Pennington ’87

The Peters Family

Mimi & Don Petrie 

Drs. Michele & Lance Pozarny 

The Press Family

Don & Maureen Querio 

Elizabeth Rahi

Curtis Fund

The Raiman Family

Tim Rancont 

Rajendra & Queelan Ratnesar

The Reiner Family

Richard Rey & Lindsey Gordon Rey

The Rich Family

Sarah H. Richardson

Tobin & Elizabeth Richter 

The Ro Family

Gale Robitshek

Brendan Rose ’11

Ethan Rose ’16

Justin Rose ’11

Stephen & Meli Rose

The Rudoy Family

The Rupp Family

Kent ’75 & Christine Russell

The Sanders Family

Kyoko Sasaki

Marla Schlom, Jenna Spinks ’01 &

Hunter Spinks ’03

Max Schrage ’08

Corinne & Jory Schulman

The Schumer Family

Deborah Seidner 

Karin Sheldon 

The Shin Family

Stacy Shirk ’03

Terra Shirvanian

Ava Shore ’15 

The Shore Family 

Alexandra Shveda ’09

Mary Sidell 

SiriusXM

Shelby Slayton

Loren Sobul

Charles Sophy & Bruce Voss

Ryan Spencer

William “Willie” Sprague ’59

Dr. Robert & Jennifer Sternberg

The Struck Family

Kristen Sullivan 

Liam Sullivan ’15 

The Tabibi Family 

Pina Tararo

Alex Thibiant ’15 

Michele & Patrick Thibiant 

Brian & Laurey Treiger 

Jackson Treiger ’15 

The Tribull Family

Meryl & Michael Tuchin 

Wilbert Umana 

James Vahradian ’22

Chelsea & Mark Vahradian

Wes Vahradian ’20

The van Vlijmen Family 

Norm & Lorraine Varnen

Effie Wallen

Ashley Warne ’96 & Jeffrey Schild

WarnerMedia

The Weg Family (Patricia ’94)

Eli Weinbach ’17 

Mirabelle Weinbach ’14

Camille Weinstein ’18

Charlotte & Art Weiss 

Candace & Barry Weisz 

Vicki & Bill Whitney

Griffin Whitney ’87 & Dana Miller

Ashley Williams

Drs. Quinton & Tracee Williams

The Wimbish Family 

Adele Wineburgh 

Lorri Seibert Woodacre

The Yeargin Family

Zelisha Zigler

Jay & Idyth Zimbler

Cliff Zimmerman ’03 

Douglas & Lucie Zimmerman 

ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24

The Annual Report gratefully acknowledges gifts received in the fiscal year July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the listings and other information in this publication. If, however, an error or omission has been made, please accept our apology and contact Jennifer Johnson, Director of Advancement, at jjohnson@curtisschool.org.

Honorary & Memorial Gifts

IN HONOR OF Karina ‘27 & A. Agrawal

The Agrawal Family

IN HONOR OF Karina ‘27 & A. Agrawal

William & Floriana Anhood

IN HONOR OF Jeff Albert

Shana ‘85 & Matt Zarcufsky

IN HONOR OF the Class of 2024

Drs. Quinton & Tracee Williams

IN MEMORY OF Valerie Dickinson

David E. Frank & Susan Dickinson

IN HONOR OF Jeff, Gina, & Violet ‘24 Favre

Gregory Favre

IN HONOR OF Jameson ‘24 & Logan ‘28

Fennimore

Lorri Seibert Woodacre

IN HONOR OF Violet Fisher ‘30

Peggy Zone Fisher & Lee Fisher

IN HONOR OF Audrey Fox ‘02

Samuel Fox & Gail Ellis

IN HONOR OF Coco Francini ‘98

Nanette Francini

IN HONOR OF Ginger ‘97, Jack ‘04, Sean ‘26, & Gigi ‘27

Janna & Neil Healy

IN MEMORY OF José Jimenez

Karen & David Hubbard

IN HONOR OF Walker ‘22 & Presley ‘23 Katz

Alli & Austin Katz

IN HONOR OF Darius Kennedy

The Kennedy Family

IN HONOR OF Matthew ‘26 & Alex ‘29 Lee

Mr. & Mrs. Yong Ku Kim

IN HONOR OF the Lower Elementary Faculty

Haruka Mori

IN HONOR OF Chase ‘29 & Sam ‘30 Matus

Joan & Ken Cohn

IN HONOR OF Lola ‘27 & Levi ‘27 Miller

Susan & Jay Mall

IN HONOR OF Ainsley Minker ‘24

Carol & Richard Minker

IN HONOR OF Meera Ratnesar

Lee Chu & Jongmin Lee

IN HONOR OF Meera Ratnesar

Sarah & Andrew Shulkind

IN HONOR OF Dr. Ratnesar & Ashley Ma

Julie & Eric Yamin

IN HONOR OF Penny Shaftal ‘30

Janet Brief (The Shaftal Family)

IN HONOR OF Ayan ‘28 & Jaya ‘30 Shah

Jayshree & Shailendra Gupta

IN HONOR OF Tara Sono

Satara, Seema & de Winter Stewart

IN HONOR OF Noa ‘26, Ayla ‘28, & Jacob ‘30 Sternberg

The Mannheim Family

IN HONOR OF Noa ‘26, Ayla ‘28, & Jacob ‘30 Sternberg

The Sternberg Family

IN HONOR OF Scarlett A. Struck ‘30

The Gould Family

IN HONOR OF Lucy R. Tennenbaum ‘30

Judith Lacher

IN HONOR OF Miri ‘28 & Brie ‘31 Weinberger

Candace & Barry Weisz

Donors By Constituency

We gratefully acknowledge these donors for their record of sustained giving to the Curtis Fund for five or more consecutive years.

CURRENT FAMILIES

Anonymous (12)

The Abrol Family

The Agrawal Family

The Alban Family

The Alston Family

Meghann & Howard Altman

The Apley Family

Alexis & Eric Arinsburg

Martin & Alison Arzac

Navin & Misha Assomull

The Atwater Family

Amy & Adam Bass

The Bayrak Family

The Beaufort-Grinnell Family

The Begland Family

The Beker Family

Barika Bell

Linda Guerrero & Brett Berkowitz

The Bhavnani Family Foundation

Jennifer Weiss & Jay Blecker

The Blencowe Family

Brielle & Charles Block

The Bohle Family (Jason ’88)

Ashita Shah & Arun Bohra

The Borman Family

The Braiman Family

The Branscome Family

Michelle & Jay Brubaker

The Bulochnikov-Paul Family

Maryam & Peter Burchett

The Buss Family

Steve & Julia Chang

Howard & Lada Cheng

Jack Choi & Julie Jang

The Cole Family

The Cole Family (Marshall ’96)

Lara Dolecek & Tyson Condie

Devon & Sean Corrigan

Ronghui Cui

The Daneshgar Family

The Dantzler Family

Michelle & Amir Dar

Oliver & Christine De La Hoz

The de la Lama Family

The Del Prete Family

Allison & John de Neufville

Gavin & Galit Donnelly

Julia & John Donnelly

The Dudum Family

The Dueñas Family

The Edmonds Family

The Ellenbogen Family

Sharon & Chad Eshaghoff

The Esmaili Family

Bob & Michelle Etebar

The Ewald Family

The Ezer Family

Jessie & Greg Ezor

The Fakhri Family

The Farasat Family

Jeff & Gina Favre

The Favreau Family

The Federman Family

Tom & Courtney Fennimore

Louis Fermelia &

Shane McCoy Fermelia ’84

The Fish Family

The Fisher Family (Katelyn ’96)

Michelle T. Vannoy & Steven Foonberg

John & Sandra Fox

Karen & Eli Frankel

Cody & Jeffrey Fuhrman

The Fujikawa-Kwon Family

The Gafni Family (Adam ’89)

The Galashan Family

Yanka Burgos & Brad Gluckstein

The Goldberg Family

Todd & Jaclyn Golditch

The Gontier Family

Heidi & Lawrence Grey

The Griffin Family

The Gross Family (David ’90)

The Gu Family

Jacqueline & Daniel Harman

Jaya & Jordan Hathaway

Ginger Healy ’97

Cara & James Heckenberg

The Heckendorf Family

Lindsay & Ben Herman

Scott & Nicole Hill

Jennifer & David Hillman

The Hilton Family

The Hilu Family

The Ho Family

Dr. Cassie & Mr. Robert Holmes

The Hong Family

The Timothy Hotchandani &

Ruth Luhukay Family

Sue & Charles Hsieh

Louis & Fenfang Hsieh

Bella Bai & Ray Hu

Dr. Fan Dong & Woody Hu

The Hua-Lee Family

Carolyn & Danny Huang

Lina & Jeff Jasper

Benjamin & Natalie Javaheri Family

Nadia & Josh Javaheri

The Jazaeri Family

Yizhou Sun & Ning Jiang

William Jiang & Karen Wu

The Everly Joe Family

Monica & Cory Johnson

Gabriel Johnson & Ciara Castro

The Jones Family

Brent & Anna Josephson

Alana & Matt Kagan

The Kahm Family

Jessica Kavanaugh

Ryan Kavanaugh ’87

The Kennedy Family

The Brandy & Moe

Keshavarzi Family

Mark & Amy Kestenbaum

The Kilstein Family

Drs. Jin Sun Lee & Eugene Kim

EJ & Jay Kim

The Klein Family

Matthew ’91 & Ariane Klein

Randie & Alan Kleinman

The Kolbrenner Family

Joyce & Ryan Komori

Sean & Ann Kono

Tiffany & Bennett Koo

The Kreymer Family

Minseok Kwon & Nami Kim

The Lahiri Family

Holly R. Lake

Daniel & Michele Lasman

Danyel & Chris Lau

Lee Chu & Jongmin Lee

Jun & Jin Lee

The Sofia & Elena Lee Family

Jung & Ted Lee

The Lee-Felker/Felker Family

The Lei Family

The Levin Family

Jonathan ’88 & Britt Levine

The Li Family

Mia Liu & Jason Li

Yunpeng Li & Yan Yu

The Luan/Lu Family

The Ma Family

William & Courtney Mack

Donors By Constituency

Mr. Steve & Dr. Yasmine Maghami

The Mall/Miller Family

The Marciano Family

Amanda & Nicholas Matus

The McCaffrey Family

Travlin & Nicole McCormack

The McGruder Family

The McInnes Family

The Mednik Family (Max ’96)

Deepak Mehta

The Mendoza Family

Katherine & Andrew Meyer

Carolin & Kia Michel

The Middleton Family

Amanda & Andrew Miller

Tracy ’88 & Scott Minker

Jennifer & Aaron Mintz

The Mirahmadi Family

The Molina Family

Oscar Montoya & Anabella Perez

Carlye & Michael Morgan

Haruka Mori

The Naysan Family

Lisa & David Neman

Desiree & Kiarash Neman

Linda & Vincent Nicoletta

Robert & Syldy Nida

The Noble-Creznic Family

The Noecker-Robert Family

The Nyarwaya Family

The Palumbo Family

Mili Patel & Srinivas Panguluri

David & Tayler Park

The Parnes Family

The Partridge Family

Ajay & Renu Patel

Deepti & Pank Patel

The Pelland/Norskog Family

Amy & JB Perrette

The Peters Family

Jill & John Peters

Dr. Christos Photopoulos & Dr. Alexandra Stavrakis

The Pincus Family

The Poursalimi Family

The Pozarny Family

The Press Family

Meera Ratnesar & John Querio

Zaheeda & Nav Rahemtulla

Amina & Aziz Rahimtoola

The Raiman Family

Harshith & Amita Ramesh

Marla & Arash Raminfar

The Rasouli Family

Hannah & Luke Redfern

The Resnikoff Family

Richard Rey & Lindsey Gordon Rey

The Rich Family

Fredricka & Brian Richards

The Richter Family (Julia ’94)

Lauren & Bradley Ross

Bradley Ross & Linda McDonough

Grant & Sara Ross

Lawrence Rozenberg &

Regina Rudyak

The Rudoy Family

The Ruga Family

The Rupp Family

The Sanders Family

The Sarris-Preventza Family

The Sayles Family (Matt ’94)

The Schackne Family

The Schumer Family

The Schutzbank Family

The Schwartz/Weiss Family

Elizabeth & David Schwartzman

The Seib Family

Samantha & Jonathan Seltzer

Alexander & Casey Shaftal

Dr. Nirav Shah & Mrs. Anuja Gupta

Iva & Vishal Shah

The Shamji Family

The Sharma Family

Peter ’95 & Stephanie Shaw

The Shin Family

Sarah & Andrew Shulkind

The Shuwarger Family (Ryan ’97)

Amy & Adam Siegel

The Silver Family

The Simon Family

Eddy & Kathy Simonian

The Slootweg Family

The Smiley Family

The Snow Family

The Sternberg Family

Satara, Seema & de Winter Stewart

The Struck Family

Sarah Mlynowski & Todd Swidler

The Tabibi Family

The Tang Family

The Tanner Family

The Tehranchi Family

The Temple Family

The Tennenbaum Family

The Tomsic Family

Sean & April Topp

The Tu Family

Melissa Barshop ’92 &

Steven VanDeBogart

The van Vlijmen Family

The Vargas-Seay Family

Craig & Ashley Varnen

The Viswanath Family

Alex von Furstenberg & Alison Kay

The Watson Family

The Weg Family (Patricia ’94)

Haley ’99 & Adam Weidenbaum

Ali & Alex Weinberger

Dr. Dorie Weiss & Ryan Weinstein

Drs. Quinton & Tracee Williams

The Wineburgh Family

Thea & Jay Wolf

Stacey & Stephen Worth

Julie & Eric Yamin

Renee & David Yang

Hannah & Eric Yang

The Yeargin Family

Jennifer Yen & Jaehee Yen

The John & Jaehee Yen Family

Laura & Mo Zahrawi

Shana ’85 & Matt Zarcufsky

The Zenjiryan Family

ALUMNI

Anonymous

Anonymous

Billy & Sarah ’03 Ballas

Melissa Barshop ’92 & Steven VanDeBogart

Jordan Bender ’02

Jordan Benudiz ’04

Adam Blackman ’15

Stacy ’83 & Uri Blackman

The Bohle Family (Jason ’88)

Brian Border ’85

Devon Carmel ’15

Jill ’85 & David Carmel

Sydney Carmel ’17

Derek Cayton ’15

Megan Chang ’13

Alexandra Chavez ’15

Darren ’88 & Michelle Cohen

Jared Cohen ’88

The Cole Family (Marshall ’96)

Anne-Marie Cordingly ’77

Louise Cutter ’15

Bennett Daneshrad ’15

Oliver Eshaghoff ’22

Louis Fermelia &

Shane McCoy Fermelia ’84

The Fisher Family (Katelyn ’96)

Michael Fourticq ’15

Mike ’82 & Teresa Fourticq

Coco Francini ’98

Caswell Friedman ’18

Jaxx Friedman ’21

The Gafni Family (Adam ’89)

Samy Harbert Gelfand ’07 & Ben Gelfand

Andrew Gindy ’01

Elizabeth Goldstein ’95 & Christopher Franjola

Grace Gordon ’15

The Gross Family (David ’90)

Samantha Moray Grossman ’01

Andrew Gussman ’15

Ginger Healy ’97

Maya Hinkin ’12

Shanti Hinkin ’16

Christopher Holthouse ’05

Susan Burnap Janneck ’66

Presley Katz ’23

Walker Katz ’22

Elizabeth Kaufman ’98

Ryan Kavanaugh ’87

Kayla Kim ’22

Ryan Kim ’20

Matthew ’91 & Ariane Klein

Emily (Loze) Kreshek ’80 & Howard Kreshek

Janie Kreshek ’12

Katie Kreshek ’10

Daniel Kromolowski ’99

Jagger Lambert ’15

Jason Levin ’89

Jonathan ’88 & Britt Levine

Dara ’89 & Butler Looney

Margaux Lushing-Kob ’96

The Marenberg Family (Megan ’04)

The Mednik Family (Max ’96)

Andy ’65 & Suzy Miller

Tracy ’88 & Scott Minker

Max Moray ’04

Sandra Naftzger ’72

Julia Nehorai ’19

Lauren Nehorai ’14

Kevin Newman ’83

Tanner Nott ’15

Daniel Novikov ’15

Ava Park ’19

Angela Pennington ’87

The Richter Family (Julia ’94)

Brendan Rose ’11

Ethan Rose ’16

Justin Rose ’11

Kent ’75 & Christine Russell

The Sayles Family (Matt ’94)

Max Schrage ’08

Peter ’95 & Stephanie Shaw

Stacy Shirk ’03

Ava Shore ’15

The Shuwarger Family (Ryan ’97)

Alexandra Shveda ’09

William “Willie” Sprague ’59

Liam Sullivan ’15

Alex Thibiant ’15

Jackson Treiger ’15

James Vahradian ’22

Wes Vahradian ’20

Ashley Warne ’96 & Jeffrey Schild

The Weg Family (Patricia ’94)

Haley ’99 & Adam Weidenbaum

Eli Weinbach ’17

Mirabelle Weinbach ’14

Camille Weinstein ’18

Griffin Whitney ’87 & Dana Miller

Jake Zarcufsky ’22

Shana Levin Zarcufsky ’85

Cliff Zimmerman ’03

PARENTS OF ALUMNI

Anonymous (4)

The Albert Family

Alfred E. Mann Charities

Maniya Arnold-Brownlee ’20 & Family

The Bendikson Family

Gail & Neil Berlant

The Bhatia Family

Stacy ’83 & Uri Blackman

Jill ’85 & David Carmel

Mr. & Mrs. Barry Cayton

Margaret Lee & Donald Chang

Mark & Christine Chapman

The Codding Family

Andrew & Debra Cohen

Darren ’88 & Michelle Cohen

Dr. Lawrence & Jane Z. Cohen

Barbara & Jon Cole

Joseph Coyne

The Cutter Family

The Daneshrad Family

Marvin & Patti Demoff

Rachel & John Edwards

Mike ’82 & Teresa Fourticq

Samuel Fox & Gail Ellis

Nanette Francini

David E. Frank & Susan Dickinson

Rob & Shari Friedman

Scott Friedman & Catherine

Gopaulsingh

Alison Gardner

The Gatins Family

The Gloege Family (Tyler ’23)

Joann & Terry Gloege

Carol & Neil Goldberg

The Gordon Family

William & Nancy Gubin

Deena & David Gussman

Tom & Dede Haglund

The Harbert Family Trust

Janna & Neil Healy

Diane & Henry Hilty

Charles Hinkin

Dr. Rachel Yang & Mr. Don Ho

Dan Chuba & Katherine

Holmes-Chuba

Katie & Phil Holthouse

Kathryn & Con Howe

Karen Ivy

Susan Burnap Janneck ’66

Alli & Austin Katz

Laurie & Paul Kelson

The Kettner-Solomon Family

David & Jennie Kim

Emily (Loze) Kreshek ’80 & Howard Kreshek

Jerzy Kromolowski & Mary Olson-Kromolowski

Scott & Alexandra Lambert

Carole & Arthur Levine

The Low Family

Ashley & Thomas Ma

The McKnight Family

Andy ’65 & Suzy Miller

Marie & Michael Millman

Allison & Jeff Mirkin

Kathy & Michael Moray

Ann & Greg Myer

Dmitri & Eugenia Novikov

Mimi & Don Petrie

The Reiner Family

The Ro Family

Stephen & Meli Rose

Peggy Saferstein

Kyoko Sasaki

Marla Schlom, Jenna Spinks ’01 & Hunter Spinks ’03

Anthony & Lee Shaw

The Shore Family

Marcia & Bob Shuwarger

Mary Sidell

Loren Sobul

Donors By Constituency

Charles Sophy & Bruce Voss

Kristen Sullivan

Michele & Patrick Thibiant

Brian & Laurey Treiger

The Tribull Family

Meryl & Michael Tuchin

Chelsea & Mark Vahradian

Vicki & Bill Whitney

The Wimbish Family

The Liang Yang Family

Douglas & Lucie Zimmerman

GRANDPARENTS

William & Floriana Anhood

Vinod & Nimmi Assomull

Michael & Nancy Basofin

The Braiman Family

Janet Brief (The Shaftal Family)

Dr. & Mrs. William L. Campbell

Susie & Timothy Cheng

Joan & Ken Cohn

Barbara & Jon Cole

George & Sandy Creznic

Scott & Fiona Ehrnschwender

Gail & Jack Eskenazi

Gregory Favre

Judie Fenton

Peggy Zone Fisher & Lee Fisher

Brian Fox

Robert & Susan Fuhrman

The Gould Family

Deborah & Chandler Grinnell

William & Nancy Gubin

Jayshree & Shailendra Gupta

Kelly Hale

Janna & Neil Healy

Heather & Patrick Henry

Karen & David Hubbard

Art & Mel Johnson

Mr. & Mrs. Yong Ku Kim

Judith Lacher

Carole & Arthur Levine

The Lugash Family

Deena & Bill Mack

Susan & Jay Mall

The Mannheim Family

Kacey & Peter McCoy

Joan A. McDonough

Ruth Rachlin Menard

Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Rita Miller

Joan & Wayne Miller

Carol & Richard Minker

Ann & Greg Myer

Francis & Mary O’Leary

Mercedes & Luis Ontanon

Ninna & Bharat Patel

Family Foundation

Mimi & Don Petrie

Drs. Michele & Lance Pozarny

Don & Maureen Querio

Rajendra & Queelan Ratnesar

Sarah H. Richardson

Tobin & Elizabeth Richter

Charlene & Vic Sands

Anthony & Lee Shaw

Karin Sheldon

Marcia & Bob Shuwarger

Dr. Robert & Jennifer Sternberg

Norm & Lorraine Varnen

Effie Wallen

Leslie Vermut & Tom Weinberger

Charlotte & Art Weiss

Candace & Barry Weisz

Adele Wineburgh

Lorri Seibert Woodacre

Jane J. & Tien T. Yang

Jay & Idyth Zimbler

EMPLOYEES

Anonymous (7)

The Albert Family

Alexandra Baeurle

Billy & Sarah ’03 Ballas

Drew Beckmeyer

Autumn Brannon

Jennifer Cansick

Kate Carone

The Chu Family

Sue Chung

Andrew & Debra Cohen

Stacy Colwell

The Dantzler Family

The Escolin Family

Jeff & Gina Favre

The Favreau Family

Kevin Figueroa

Karly Fontaine

David E. Frank & Susan Dickinson

Teri Garcia

The Goldberg Family

Daniela Guardia

Mark Gutierrez

Tom & Dede Haglund

Ginger Healy ’97

Manny Henriquez

Eladio Hernandez

Brian Hollis

Karen Ivy

The Jones Family

The Kennedy Family

Ashley Kolbe

Donielle Lemone-Bulmer

Katie Lenis

Ashley & Thomas Ma

Kristen Magner

Melissa Malone & Leo Vela

Hilary Manners & Eric Solton

Ripsi Margaryan

Sandra McGarry

The McInnes Family

Olivia McMahon

Meredith Montano-Lorick

Haruka Mori

Joe Navarro

Karen Ochoa

Samantha O’Gorman

Sara Okolie

Kimberly Parker

Greg Patterson

The Peters Family

Mimi & Don Petrie

Elizabeth Rahi

Tim Rancont

Meera Ratnesar & John Querio

Gale Robitshek

Kyoko Sasaki

Corinne & Jory Schulman

Deborah Seidner

The Shin Family

Terra Shirvanian

Shelby Slayton

Loren Sobul

Ryan Spencer

Pina Tararo

Wilbert Umana

Ashley Williams

Zelisha Zigler

FOUNDATIONS & CORPORATIONS

Anonymous

The Ahmanson Foundation

Alfred E. Mann Charities Inc.

American Endowment Foundation

Apple, Inc.

Aspen Enterprises

B3 Media Solutions Inc.

Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund

The Bank of America Foundation

The Benevity Community

Impact Fund

The Blackbaud Giving Fund

The Boeing Company

California Community Foundation

The Capital Group Companies

Charitable Foundation

CESE

Charities Aid Foundation of America

Coby Cares Foundation

Curtis Parents Association

D. E. Shaw Group

The Diller-von Furstenberg

Family Foundation

Earl B. Gilmore Foundation

Epic Games

Expedia Group

Fidelity Charitable Gift

The Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies

Fox Corporation

Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund

Groundswell Charitable Foundation

HP, Inc.

Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund

Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors Foundation

KPMG Gives c/o Bergen County United Way

MassMutual

Merrill Lynch

Morgan Stanley Global Impact

Funding Trust, Inc.

National Philanthropic Trust

Northwestern Mutual Foundation

The Otis Booth Foundation

Pioneer Precision Parts, LLC

Roxiticus Foundation

Schwab Charitable Fund

SiriusXM

Spike, Inc. Hollywood Body Jewelry

Tamaqua Foundation

Uneek

Vanguard Charitable

The Walt Disney Company Foundation

WarnerMedia

Watson Family Foundation

Wells Fargo Foundation

Westside Realty Group Inc

dba Beverly Glen Realty

Ways to Give

Giving to the Curtis Fund is the best way to show your confidence in and support of this beloved school and our students.

Online: www.curtisschool.org/give

Check: Made payable to Curtis School (noting it is for the Curtis Fund)

Curtis School Advancement Office 15871 Mulholland Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90049

Matching Gift: Your employer may match your gift, doubling its impact.

Stock: Please visit www.curtisschool.org/support. Please email Sandra McGarry, Advancement Manager, at smcgarry@curtisschool.org to inform us that we should expect your transfer.

LEGACY SOCIETY

Remembering Curtis in your estate plan is a meaningful way to ensure the school’s ability to continue to fulfill its mission into the future. Planned gifts honor the lasting impact that Curtis has in the lives of our alumni, families, and friends. Please let the Advancement Office know if you have included or are considering including Curtis School in your estate plan. To learn more, please visit www.curtisschool.org/legacy

For more information about supporting Curtis School, please contact the Advancement Office at advancement@ curtisschool.org or (310) 889-3740.

*Some employers match gifts made by our donors, doubling their impact. This list includes organizations that made matching gifts to the Curtis Fund in 2023-24.

curtisschool.org/support-curtis/ways-to-give