Eagle Hill School - Compendium 2023-2024

A Yearlong Exploration with Mason Currey’s Daily Rituals

How one book transformed our school community.

By Zach Turner, English Teacher

This morning, I woke up at five, my wife and I made our bed, and we went through our morning song and dance of tidying up last night’s dinner, making coffee, and reviewing our chores for the day. Once I arrived at school, I spent the first fifteen minutes reading. I spent another fifteen minutes planning my day, and then, since it was still quiet, I spent the remaining fifteen minutes leading up to the bell entertaining the horde of students that seemed to materialize all at once in my room.

After teaching the rest of the day, the final bell sounded, office hours ended, and I am now writing this. I will spend an hour working before returning home, doing the chores outlined this

morning, making dinner, and winding down to go to bed at nine-thirty so that I can repeat this same process tomorrow. I do this every day of the school year. This is my routine.

I bring this up is not just because I think routines are important (though I really do), but because we as a school decided that they were worth talking about for a whole year. Since 2008, Eagle Hill has spent each year working through a common text. In doing so, we amplify our community through the curation of a common language—a shared idea. For this year’s community read, we turned our attention to Mason Currey’s Daily Rituals

Kellie J., a member of the class of 2025, hosted a live Q&A session with visiting author Mason Currey in the Abby Theatre.

and its catalogue of daily routines of famous thinkers, writers, artists, and scientists.

This decision of where to turn our attention began when art department chair, Finleigh Riendeau reccomended it for consideration. After reading it, and liking what they found inside, Drs. Matthew Kim and Michael Riendeau decided it would be worth a shot to email Mason directly and ask him about his interest in partnering with Eagle Hill to be the spring speaker for this year’s community reading.

Daily Rituals is not a “how to” guide. It is not a treatise on the “right way” to spend a day. Instead, Daily Rituals offers a catalog of days lived by some of the most influential figures in the past few hundred years. Reading the title it is easy to let the term “rituals” conjure images of religious rites or casting spells. However, upon investigating the contents, we see that each entry has more to do with routines and habits than any attempt at communing with the divine. So why bring up rituals?

In the interim time of the school year leading up to Mason’s visit, every student took part in a one-term course offered under the same title as the book. These courses were taught by faculty from every department. How each decided to focus their class was up to them. For example, if you were to take a class with our newest faculty fellow, Jane Alwis, in the history department, you might spend time researching a historical figure and imagining what their day might look like in order for them to accomplish the work they did.

One thing would always be certain—you would come to see routine and ritual as fundamental to life and are especially important for creating a life of meaning.

In the merry-go-round of school day schedules, practices, carpools, commutes, and even the songs we listen to therein, we find a natural occurring rhythm. By taking a moment to examine these moments that we tend to autopilot our ways through, we are able to sketch rough portraits of who we are and what we value. As Mason explains in the introduction to his first book, the French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin once wrote, “‘Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are.’” I say, “Tell me what time you eat, and whether you take a nap afterward.” Routines, then, become rituals when examined because they create who we are.

To say Mason was interested in visiting and engaging with our students would be an understatement. As Dr. Kim reflected, “When Michael and I called him, we were prepared to do the expected pitch that we have had to do in years past to convince a speaker to travel all the way out to Hardwick.” (Mason currently resides in Los Angeles, so it was not a small ask.) “But,” continued Kim, “even the initial idea seemed to spark something in him and he eagerly agreed to come and speak, going so far as to start coming up with ideas about his time before we could even begin planning logistics.”

However, if you were in Colleen Groner’s class in the science department, you might instead talk about the biological routines of different species of animals and why these routines benefit each species examined. But no matter how you spent your time in class, one thing would always be certain—you would come to see routine and ritual as fundamental to life and especially important for creating a life of meaning.

As a writing teacher, I am constantly confronted by questions surrounding inspiration. Students justify their procrastination on their work by claiming they are waiting for the muse to show up. Parents claim they want their students “inspired.” Who doesn’t want these things for themselves and the people we care about?

In the past, I would often tell both groups that inspiration rarely comes to those who want it. Now, through Mason’s book, I have proof of that.

Though it may be true that not everyone is a capital “C” creator as a calling, we are all creatives. We design PowerPoints, lead discussions, write papers, and so on. The process of making anything is a process of creation. However, when we think of creators, “There is a popular notion,” writes Mason, “that artists work from inspiration—that there is some strike or bolt or bubbling up of creative mojo from who knows where… but I hope [my work] makes clear that waiting for inspiration to strike is a terrible, terrible plan. In fact, perhaps the single best piece of advice I can offer to anyone trying to do creative work is to ignore inspiration.” We might substitute that nothing of substance is likely to be created without routine. So we learn from this catalogue too, as Isabel Allende puts it, “Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too. If she doesn’t show up invited, eventually she just shows up.”

The end of April rolled around as quick as it always does, and with it came Mason’s visit to campus. To start off his time, he spent his first night having dinner with a small group of faculty and students at the Waller Trustee House. His first comments at that meal were about how excited he was to finally be here and how impressed he was already with the campus and community.

Students and faculty were able to converse with Mason, ask questions, and generally get to know the man whose words they had been reading for almost eight months. Mason, in turn, engaged with us. He responded to questions seriously, asked his own questions, and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know every single person with whom he spoke—a rare habit for writers in general, especially those hired to speak at schools.

The following morning, Mason held

workshops for IB students and other researchcentric classes during the periods leading up to lunch. For the first half of the workshop, he walked students through his research

“I’m not entirely sure what my expectations were in visiting a boarding school in the middle of nowhere, but, on this side of it, I can say I loved it.”

activity based on lived experience. Mason walked students through his own failures, habits of procrastination (this book was actually inspired by a blog Mason began when he was meant to be finishing an article for the architecture magazine he was working for right out of college), overcoming (sometimes succumbing) to writer’s block, wrestling with imposter syndrome, and much more.

Throughout the second half of the workshop, Mason moved the students into conversation by fielding any and all of their questions. He talked about what writing meant for him, where/when he did his best writing, and what his own routines were throughout the different stages of his life. The students were thoroughly engaged throughout the entire time, and, as he mentioned to me later that day, Mason was wildly impressed with them in return.

The end of Mason’s time here at EHS culminated in a question and answer session in the Abby Theatre hosted by one of our students, Kelly J. ’25. Kelly curated a live talk show with our visiting author, and Mason played the part of a seasoned professional. Sitting in his arm chair with his legs crossed nonchalantly, Mason answered her questions with honesty and enthusiasm. He told us the story of how this book came to be, the reason he wrote his second book on rituals, what he was working on, and who his favorite entry was (Kafka).

method (something that he has been perfecting for over fifteen years) and offered tips, tricks, and a wealth of practical advice.

However, this was not the workshop of a pretentious academic but a down-to-earth

Kelly then opened up the floor for anyone in attendance to ask their own questions. Faculty stood up and asked for advice on their own projects, and students asked Mason about everything from what time he gets up in the morning to if there was anyone in the book he didn’t like but felt he was obligated to... (there was one, but we’ll keep that between Mason and the students). Once the last

Griffin C. ’25 and Harrison B. ’25 discuss the book Daily Rituals at a dinner with Mason Currey.

question was asked, Mason walked off stage to a round of applause with a huge smile on his face.

While I know the students enjoyed his visit from the comments they made over the following weeks, I was curious how Mason felt. I asked him what he thought of the school and whether his visit lived up to his expectations. In response, he paused and mused before saying, “I’m not entirely sure what my expectations were in visiting a boarding school in the middle of nowhere, but, on this side of it, I can say I loved it. Working with the students, talking with the faculty, and the Q&A were all delightful, but the most impactful thing

ABOUT ZACH TURNER

for me was seeing this community and how much everyone here cares about what they do and the people around them, that, that made me care about this place in turn.”

Now, I am going to close my computer, lock my classroom, and go home to make dinner while the students go on to their clubs and sports and homework, and we are going to do it all again tomorrow. However, instead of seeing this repetition as some mundane Sisyphean ordeal, we all, thanks to Mason and the time we spent with him and his book, see this cycle in a new light. These routines have become rituals that shape who we are, and Eagle Hill is better for it.

W.Z. “Zach” Turner holds an MFA in creative writing from Boston University as well as a triple BA in English (magna cum laude), history, and creative writing and three minors in Spanish, Medieval and Renaissance studies, and gender studies from the University of Arkansas. Zach’s research and writing interests center on memory, nature, and the dissonances of identity.

As a teacher, Zach focuses on building his students’ abilities in reading, critiquing, and writing through reading, writing, and Socratic dialogue. His methods earned him the “Outstanding Teaching Fellow in Creative Writing” award from Boston University for his work with high school and undergraduate writing students.

Outside of the classroom, Zach is a writer whose work has been published in various literary magazines and earned him a Robert Pinsky Global Fellowship. He is also a published photographer, a PADI Dive Master, and an avid lover of bad jokes.

Above: Students and faculty gather for a group photo with Mason (center) Right: Mason shares his research techniques at a workshop for students.

Lessons in Communication and Classroom Success

Eagle

Hill adds American Sign Language to the

curriculum.

By Amanda Damon, ASL Teacher

This year, Eagle Hill added American Sign Language (ASL) to its language offerings. I have been fascinated with sign language since I was a young child. My aunt taught it at an elementary school where she worked, and I was able to go to class with her and learn it to communicate with her deaf students. I then dabbled in workshops and college classes over the years. I offered ASL during a middle school language exploration course at a former school where I taught.

This past summer, through the generous support of the continuing education benefits supplemented by endowed funds from donors, I had the opportunity to study at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. I was immersed in ASL and Deaf Studies for a month at this renowned university for the deaf. I pledged not to use my voice during my time there.

At first, it was challenging; the campus was so quiet. I missed hearing laughter. It took me a while to get used to seeing my dorm room lights flash on and off instead of hearing a knock

at my door. Each night, my eyes and head ached from focusing so much. Little by little, it became easier and second nature to gesture to someone to get their attention, for example.

Upon my return to Eagle Hill’s campus, I started an ASL club with our summer school students. It was my first exploration signing with students with diverse learning abilities. I knew in my heart that it was going to be a hit with our students, but I never imagined how well my students would remember the signs and be able to communicate.

In September, ASL I started. My classroom was filled with eager students for four periods of the day. We started with learning the alphabet, basic conversation strategies, colors, and numbers: etc. I wanted to start building a firm foundation. Some students struggled and still struggle with finger spelling due to their dyslexia; however, they remember the hand signs with ease. Daily, we play games and add more vocabulary. They can have basic conversations, talk about their likes and dislikes, ask basic questions, and answer them.

We have explored ASL Parameters where and how to form the hand signs. Last term, all my students created Deaf Art in Chuck Baird's style, joining the hand signs with animals as an example. Most enjoyably, we have delved into Deaf History and Culture through the use of interviews, docuseries, readings, and discussions. We have talked about accessibility and lack thereof for the Deaf community.

Excitingly, almost 100% of my currently enrolled students are continuing to ASL II next year, and most want to go even further in their exploration of this language and culture. Several of our seniors have indicated that they hope to continue in college.

In the fall, our girls volleyball team was able to communicate with their deaf opponents from another team due to the ASL they had learned in class. My students shared phrases such as "good game!" with their teammates so they could be more inclusive.

One of my students shared a story of a night out with his family over break; the chef at a hibachi restaurant was deaf and asked the patrons to write how they wanted their steak cooked. Ben T. ’27 instantly signed to the gentleman how he and his family wanted their meat cooked, and then he continued to chat with him in ASL. The chef was impressed, to say the least. Emma B. ’25 is introducing simple sign gestures to her infant twin sisters. And another student is teaching her younger family members ASL. They are deaf and haven’t started learning sign language yet. These are just some examples of how my students use their ASL in the real world.

ABOUT AMANDA DAMON

This summer, I will continue my ASL acquisition with Dr. Niesha Washington-Shepard. She was one of my professors at Gallaudet, and we have continued one-to-one classes since. I am excited to learn more as well as develop a challenging, exciting, and fun ASL II curriculum for the 2024-2025 academic year.

ASL Fun Facts

• ASL is the third most commonly used language in the United States, after English and Spanish.

• Approximately 70 million deaf people use sign language as their first language, according to the World Federation of the Deaf.

• Sign Language is not universal. There are estimated to be over 300 signed languages currently used around the world. For example, the Deaf community in America, and in parts of Canada uses American Sign Language (ASL). The Deaf community in the U.K. uses British Sign Language (BSL).

• ASL is not a “signed version of English”. It is its own unique language, with different structure, grammar, and syntax than English.

• Learning ASL can fulfill the foreign language requirement at many schools.

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a BA in Spanish and Latin American studies, Amanda Damon explored various careers utilizing her Spanish study abroad, police, and teaching. Teaching was and is her true calling. Over the last twenty-five years, she has taught at various area colleges and public and boarding schools. Her favorite students to work with over the years have been those with diverse learning abilities. She has completed graduate coursework in teaching Spanish and English to speakers of other languages and educational technology. Amanda decided to delve into another passion American Sign Language (ASL) to share with her students. Through the generous support of the continuing education benefits supplemented by endowed funds from donors, she has attended Gallaudet University’s ASL Connect immersive summer and year-long program. She is pursuing her associate’s degree in ASL and Deaf Studies at the Community College of Baltimore County. This year, she will continue to teach IB Spanish SL, ASL I, and ASL II. She lives on campus in the faculty village with her three dogs, Cora, Kenzie, and Lola.

Emma B.’ 25 and Rebecca S. ’ 26 have a lively conversation using ASL.

Discovering Sri Lanka

Exploring the Beauty, Diversity, and Culture of an Island Nation.

By Jane Alwis, History Teacher and Academic Advisor

“ May you be blessed with a long life.”

Ayubowan! Palms together, thumbs against your chest. This is the traditional greeting that means, "May you be blessed with a long life." The palms against the chest signify that you mean it from the heart. This is only one of the many things we learned during our February visit to the island nation of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a country of beauty and diversity that has struggled to overcome a problematic past and is now emerging as a desirable tourist destination. It is my happy place, and I am thrilled to be able to share it with the Eagle Hill community.

in the country, but we also planned to visit the schools and homes of some of the people who call this island home.

The worst part of this trip is getting there and back, but who cares about being tired when you feed and bathe an elephant and sit on its back while it sprays you with water on day one? Watching our students, initially hesitant to feed such a large animal, overcome that hesitation and discover that Pooja likes watermelon better than guava, but her favorite is banana, was magic.

On Thursday, February 15, a small group comprising five students, three parents, and two faculty set forth on an adventure designed to create lifelong memories. This trip was all about experiences and doing, not just seeing. Sure, we would visit some of the best-known tourist sites

We explored ancient ruins and rock caves painted with intricate religious stories and saw the difference between the incredible architectural and decorative characteristics of Buddhist temples and Hindu korvils. And we witnessed for ourselves the shrapnel-scarred floor of St. Anthony’s church, attacked by terrorists on Easter Sunday, 2019. We

Five students, three parents, and two faculty set forth on an adventure of a lifetime.

Exploring the ancient Cave Temple of Dambulla, revered in dedication to the Buddha. Miles J. ’27 feeds Pooja her favorite watermelon treat.

I think about our early morning climb to the top of Sigiriya to watch the sun rise over the trees far below. This 1,200-stair climb up ancient rock steps and metal staircases was absolutely worth it. The view is majestic over the land; it is easy to understand why the ancient kings made their palace on top.

We had long discussions about customs and traditions, learning how to wear a traditional sarong to cover our knees when entering Buddhist and Hindu places of worship. At one point, Andrew A. ’27 was so comfortable that he didn’t want to take

his off. We learned about the 108 forms of Shiva, that most people in Sri Lanka understand and respect the fundamental beliefs of their peers of different faiths, and that the position of the moon and the sun and the planets at the time of your birth is essential to Sri Lankans no matter what religion they follow.

I must admit that my quads still hurt when were disappointed that we only saw the impressive Red Mosque from the outside because we arrived at prayer time.

From the ancient capitals, we traveled to the tea capital, Kandy, a beautiful city nestled on the banks of a lake surrounded by mountains. We were treated to exhibits explaining tea production, wood carving, and gemstone setting. We roamed the botanical gardens, mesmerized by the size of giant bamboo and coconuts, and explored a spice garden and an Ayurvedic center. At night, we were enthralled and delighted with traditional music and dance that culminated in fire dancing, eating, and walking. Strict instructions not to try this at home ensued.

For me, the trip's highlight was the day spent at Kuruwita: a small village about forty miles southeast of Colombo, where we had been invited to visit the local school for students in grades one through eleven. Several years ago, I was approached

Descending the steps of the ancient rock fortress, Sigiriya, after the sunrise climb.

Wearing traditional sarongs turned out to be quite comfortable! Evenings were filled with traditional Sri Lankan music, including a show of fire dancing.

In 2020, I received an email from my brother-in-law asking me if my kids had any sneakers they had outgrown, as a friend of his was trying to get shoes for student-athletes in his school who couldn’t afford them. This personal request grew into a much larger project, with Julia Martin ’20 taking on the collection of sneakers as her IB CAS project and a total of sixty-three pairs being collected and shipped from the EHS community. These shoes were distributed to students in twelve different schools so that they could compete in sports.

Unfortunately, COVID inhibited the project the following year, but in 2022, without a lot of effort, a total of seventy-two pairs of sneakers were sent

about sending sports shoes to children there who couldn’t afford them; we have been collecting and sending shoes ever since. We were welcomed as VIPs, presented with a flame flower (the national flower) each, and were entertained by a traditional dance performed by three adorable grade four girls. We were then taken on a tour of the primary school (grades one through six) as the high school students were in the middle of sitting exams. A cup of herbal tea in half a coconut shell followed. While most of our group enjoyed a quick lesson on playing cricket, I spoke with the curriculum director and the English teacher about the needs of the teachers and students. We left after photos, and each of us was presented with a tree to be planted and the memories of smiling children who were so happy to have us visit. We had brought a suitcase crammed

in three separate shipments. These were distributed around the Galle School District and by the Badulla Basketball Association.

In 2023 I was able to send another three shipments totaling seventy pairs. Again, the representatives from Galle School District helped with the distribution to needy students, many of them children in Kuruwita.

As of June 2024, a total of seventy-one pairs of sneakers and soccer cleats have been sent and distributed to children who would otherwise be playing sports in bare feet or shared footwear.

There continues to be the need for more.

with composition books and second-hand sneakers that may as well have been filled with gold. For many of these youngsters, we were the first white people they had ever seen, and the shoes in that suitcase represented the reality that you could own more than one pair.

The rest of the day was spent on the family-owned estate where we could see how cinnamon grows and is processed for sale, learn to pluck tea, and see how latex is harvested for making rubber. We discovered who likes mangosteen and just how smelly durian is. A home-cooked meal was followed by an adventurous jeep ride to the local creek, where we could cool off in the water and watch tiny fish nibble on our toes if we stayed still long enough. I loved sitting back and listening to the conversation of fifteen-year-old boys from two cultures enjoying their time together.

A visit to Sri Lanka would only be complete with a turtle conservation and hatchery tour, learning about the different species of turtles that frequent the beaches, and holding a turtle in your hands. Zoe W. ’28 didn’t want to handle a turtle, but we handed it to

Eagle Hill School Community Sneaker Donation Project

Girls from the Galle School District perform a traditional dance.

her anyway, and despite the worried look in the photos, she was giggling between camera shots.

There were no giggles at our next stop. On December 26, 2004, Sri Lanka was devastated by the same tsunami that hit Indonesia and as far away as Madagascar. The tsunami left Sri Lanka with over 30,000 people dead and almost a million displaced, and an estimated 150,000 people lost their primary source of livelihood. The coastline has never gained its pre-tsunami line. There is a small museum in memory of those who lost everything, and it was there that our students heard stories about the fragility of life, with the owner telling of the loss of his entire family. Later that night, we sat at a table on the white sands and watched the waves roll in as we ate a seafood dinner, starkly contrasting to the earlier images.

The following day, we headed for the beach again, but this time, it was to the stilt fishermen at Weligama, where all of the students learned how to climb the wooden stilts and perch there, jiggling their fishing lines up and down in the hopes of catching a fish. We learned how this skill is essential to the welfare of the people in the local villages, especially when the monsoon winds stir up the waves, making outrigger canoes unsafe for fishing. More beach time followed. What better way to enjoy the ninety-degree weather than to cool off in the ocean, splashing around and

An Island Nation

Sri Lanka measures just 255 miles from north to south and about 135 miles from east to west, with a total land area of about 25,300 square miles, making it slightly smaller than the state of Maine and just half the size of New York state.

Yet it has a population of just over 23 million, making it quite densely populated. It is culturally diverse, with Sinhalese as the majority and sizable Sri Lankan Tamil, Sri Lankan Muslim, Indian Tamil, Sri Lankan Malay, and Burgher minorities. While Sri Lankans practice a variety of religions, it is officially a Buddhist country, with 70 percent of Sri Lankans being Buddhists, 12 percent being Hindus, 9 percent Muslim (mainly Sunni), and 7 percent Christians (mostly Catholics).

riding toward the hot sands on the waves? The boys frolicked in the water while we relaxed under umbrellas on the beach, just observing tourists and locals swim, surf, and enjoy the day. At lunchtime, we packed up and headed for the historical Portuguese fort area of Galle, where we sat and ate lunch with an ocean view.

A short bus ride later, we were honored to be guests in another private household garden; this family was a recipient of Project Outreach sponsorship. Project Outreach is a Sri Lankan Foundation that sponsors individual families and communities in economic need to become self-sustaining and knowledgeable in organic gardening. Households receive free seed, young trees, a goat or beehive, and education for thirty months. We were invited to see a garden established within the last year and learn how supporting these families in this manner benefits the greater community.

Despite her worried look, Zoe bravely held a sea turtle!

Learning stilt fishing on the shores of Welima Beach.

Exploring the private garden of a family benefiting from Project Outreach.

The advantage of traveling with a small group (there were only twelve of us, including our guide) is that we could have conversations to which we could all contribute. On one bus trip, somehow, we veered on to the topic of AI and, in doing so, began an exploratory conversation about the benefits and perils of its use in education and the professional world. Paul O. ’29 was a novice ChatGPT user and decided to test its capabilities en route. The result is a fun six-stanza poem immortalizing our trip.

It is always interesting to visit places that can be viewed through the comparative lens with which you are familiar; one such comparison was the visit to St. Thomas’s College in Mt. Lavinia, one of the top schools in the country. This private boys' school has a long and prestigious history dating back to 1851. We were fortunate to be given a private tour. Although the sports grounds are comparable, and we oohed and aahed over the outdoor pool, we couldn’t help but think that our familiar learning spaces of Eagle Hill had the edge and that our campus overall was more inviting.

We talked about our trip so far while chilling over homemade Kottu Rotti and ice cream and sitting around the dining table in a Sri Lankan friend's private home. To hear each participant articulate highlights, from watching the sunrise from the top of Sigiriya to the visit to the school in Kuruwita and the tour of the modern city of Colombo with its impressive Lotus Tower, one thing remained constant: we live in a privileged world when it comes to material things, but the world is about more than mere things.

Our trip was so complete that it is hard to believe we covered all we did in just eight days. Grungy street markets and swanky hotel buffets, the ancient and the new, the commercial and the spiritual: we covered it all. I hope that everyone learned something about Sri Lanka. More importantly, I hope we all learned something about ourselves and our role in this world in which we live and the importance of being a global citizen, where giving and receiving are equal qualities.

ABOUT JANE ALWIS

A Journey Through Sri Lanka

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT.

Upon Eagle Hill, where scholars roam, Their journey takes them far from home.

To Sri Lanka’s shores, a vibrant hue

Where tales untold and friendships grew.

Boarding souls with dreams set free, In isle’s embrace, a symphony. Amidst lush hills and ancient lore, Eagle wings soar, explore.

In classrooms adorned with island's grace, Wisdom exchanged a cultural embrace. Tropical whispers, lessons unfold Eagle Hill’s spirit, bold and untold.

From Sigiriya’s heights to Galle’s old walls, They tread on history’s echoing calls. Through tea plantations, verdant and grand, Eagle Hill’s presence, like golden sand.

Beneath the palms, where Ceylon gleams, Shared laughter echoes in moonlit beams. Sunset hues, a vivid array. Painting memories that forever stay.

So, on this journey, Eagle Hill’s name, Entwined with Sri Lanka’s storied fame.

A chapter written in an island’s quill.

A tale of learning, atop Eagle Hill.

Jane grew up in a small town in regional Victoria in Australia. She completed an arts degree, with majors in history and philosophy and a minor in literature, and then obtained a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching at a regional campus of what is now LaTrobe University. After relocating to the United States, she completed a Master of Education in Learning, Teaching, and Education Transformation at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Her teaching experience includes seventeen years in Australian public schools teaching history and English and one very interesting year at a small Catholic school teaching everything, including cake decorating. After relocating to the United States in 2005, she spent five years working in Massachusetts public schools—teaching, amongst other things, history, social studies, and special education. She joined the Eagle Hill teaching faculty in 2011 and now teaches classes in world history, IB history, social justice, and writing.

Jane lives in Clinton with her husband. She has three adult children. She likes to read, cook, and work in her garden, and she is an enthusiastic tea importer and drinker.

The Niagara Totality

A spectacular adventure: witnessing the solar eclipse at Niagara Falls.

By Dr. David Leahy, Science Teacher and Academic Advisor

My first memory of a solar event comes from elementary school in Massachusetts. Fifth grade. Our teachers told us we would get to see a solar eclipse. I remember it was warm and sunny, but we did not go outside. Something probably crossed our teachers’ minds that maybe they shouldn’t tell a bunch of ten-year-olds to run outside and stare at the sun. I thank Mrs. Curly for her wisdom. So, we watched from indoors. Around noontime, I remember everything becoming very dark. I found the experience awe inspiring. NASA tells me the date was May 30, 1984. They identified it as an annular solar eclipse: when the moon covers most, but not all of the sun.

My next memory of a solar event occurred in college, upstate New York. Finals week. That would place it sometime in May.

My best approximation is that I was a sophomore or junior at the time. NASA found a matching event that occurred on May 10th, 1994, my sophomore year. Another annular eclipse. This event did not make as much of an impression upon me, as my college was so strict about finals, they would not delay or pause testing. I viewed the event through a tiny window in Corson-Mudd Hall and was deeply disappointed to miss so much of the experience.

The year is now 2024. Forty years since my first solar experience. As a scientist, I teach astronomy to our students at Eagle Hill School. During my class research several years ago, I found that we had an eclipse coming very close to us. Not just an annular eclipse. A total eclipse. These events are extremely rare. I have never experienced such an event. I tracked the course of the eclipse, not surprised to see that it missed Massachusetts.

The closest it came was Burlington, Vermont. But as I scrolled back along the path of the totality, my eyes widened more than a little as I watched the eclipse pass almost directly over the New York-Ontario border between the United States and Canada.

Niagara Falls

I was beyond grateful when Eagle Hill approved of my trip to witness this once in a lifetime event. I remember the hearty laugh our late Head of School PJ McDonald gave when I told him that the eclipse for which I was planning would not occur for another three years.

Thank you, PJ. We all miss you. And thank you Ms. Wynne, Dr. Riendeau, and Mrs. Kelly for seeing this trip through to the totality.

I visited Niagara once during college. The American side. However, I have heard consistently over the years that the Canadian side is vastly superior. And while a border crossing certainly adds complications to any trip, I felt it well worth the additional difficulty, so I booked our one-night stay at the Hilton/Fallsview Hotels in Ontario.

We arrived on April 7, 2024, a Sunday. After a surprisingly easy border

crossing with no traffic, we arrived at the Hilton and quickly unpacked before heading down to view the Falls at night. The kids enjoyed hearing the roar of the water as all of the Horseshoe Falls were lit up and illuminated for viewing at night.

The next morning, Monday the 8th, the day of the eclipse, our kids took part in multiple adventures and experiences. We began our early morning with “Zipline over the Falls.” Certainly an exhilarating way to start our morning, our kids completed their “drop” in under forty minutes.

We reboarded our bus and headed to the northern edge of Niagara Parks, where the kids next enjoyed one of the most impressive butterfly gardens I have ever visited. Thousands of butterflies from dozens of species fluttered around and landed on our students, much to their enjoyment.

From there, kids enjoyed the Niagara Garden Café for lunch, after which we took the WeGo Shuttle back into the heart of Niagara Parks to view the totality.

Nature does not always want to cooperate. Early on during the eclipse, kids were looking a bit upset at the solid cloud cover. However, again and again as the eclipse progressed, cheers

The American Falls lit up at night in red, white, and blue.

A thrilling launching off the Niagara Falls Zipline | WildPlay.

Colorful butterflies fluttered freely throughout the pathways inside the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory.

broke out amongst our kids as they saw the eclipse emerge from the clouds and approach totality. Numerous students took extremely impressive photos of the event. Our own marketing director, Chris Komenda, was present to capture as much of the event as possible for all of you to enjoy.

The totality occurred on April 8, 2024, at 3:18 p.m.

The solar totality overtook Niagara Parks, and the Falls were plunged into darkness. Canada once again lit up their Falls for all to enjoy and cheers resounded from all around. Over on the American side of the Falls, we even saw a momentary burst of fireworks!

After the eclipse was complete, our students were still able to experience several great attractions including one of the most popular Niagara Park features, giving our students a wonderfully new perspective of the Falls: a view from behind. Travelling by underground elevator, our students all saw the waterfall crashing down from above them as they stood in protected viewing ports.

Other students took part in a tour of Niagara’s old power plant, descending to the very base of the falls via an

old access tunnel, recently renovated and opened to the public for the first time ever. From the end of the access tunnel the spray from the Falls was everywhere and the experience was amazing.

But “all good things must come to an end,” and with impressive speed, a very large group of students and chaperones quickly and quietly loaded back up onto our bus, flew through the border crossing yet again, and were back in time for classes on Tuesday. I cannot adequately express my gratitude for how great the conduct of our students and our faculty was to help make this trip a success.

ABOUT DAVID M. LEAHY, Ph.D.

This trip has been a truly magnificent and unique experience for all of our students. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of our parents, past and present, for their continued support of Eagle Hill School, helping to make these amazing experiences possible for our kids. I have spent my entire career in education, working to help create the greatest learning experiences possible for our children. Here at Eagle Hill School, thanks to your continued generosity, we continue to make it happen together.

Originally a native of Framingham, Massachusetts, David is a career educator who has served as an educational instructor and administrator in New York, California, and Florida before returning to his home state to raise his son, Lincoln Bernard, around his family.

David is an alumnus of Cornell University, where he received both his bachelor’s in chemistry and his master’s in teaching. After instructing science for many years, David attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he received his PhD. in educational administration and policy.

David joined the Eagle Hill family in the fall of 2019 as a science instructor offering courses in physical science, chemistry, and physics. He has also helped our science department expand its course offerings to include the unique experience of beekeeping for students.

Everyone shared a truly memorable experience-all of the splendor of Niagara Falls and a rare total eclipse.

Touring the old power plant by way of the newly restored access tunnel .

Meanwhile, back on campus...

Visibility in Hardwick was excellent for viewing the eclipse, with only a few wispy clouds. By 3:29 p.m., the eclipse reached a deep partial phase, with a magnitude of 94.2 percent. Students and staff gathered at the Alsop Amphitheater to witness this celestial event, experiencing the awe-inspiring alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth.

The next total solar eclipse in the United States won’t happen until August 23, 2044. Hardwick will experience only a partial eclipse on that occasion, making the awe-inspiring event in 2024 even that more memorable.

Scan this QR code to view more solar eclipse photos.

with Dr. Eric Stone, Assistant Head of School QA

Known for his practical jokes, Eric Stone’s sense of humor has always been a defining trait, bringing laughter and warmth to those around him. A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Eric was raised by his father and grandparents alongside his playful accomplice and younger sister. Eric’s wit and friendly demeanor have made Eagle Hill School a much more enjoyable place where he has spent most of his career.

Eric’s early journey began at Suffolk University in Boston. However, he soon left school to join the military, hoping to gain life experience and maturity. Eric spent four years as a crew member on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise as a machinist mate, followed by several years working in construction. During this time, he took advantage of the GI Bill to return to school, earning a B.A. in English and a teaching certification from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in 1997.

That fall, Eric began his teaching career at Eagle Hill as a member of the English department. His passion for education challenged him to pursue a master’s degree in education, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Doctorate in Education from Cambridge College.

Eric’s commitment extends beyond the classroom. In the same year he joined Eagle Hill, he reaffiliated with the Naval Reserves Seabees, dedicating himself to twenty-four years of service before retiring as a chief petty officer in 2015.

For twenty-five years, Eric served as Eagle Hill’s dean of education, influencing curriculum and instruction for both

the summer sessions and academic year programs. In 2024, he was named the assistant head of school for student life. In his new role, he will oversee various student activities and support programs, striving to enhance the overall student experience.

Reflecting on his life’s journey, Eric often recalls the navy chief’s rallying cry, “Are you ready? ALWAYS READY!” This rallying cry sums up his approach to life—ever prepared and always willing to serve.

In this Q&A, Dr. Stone, the newly appointed head of school for student life, shares his insights and perspectives on what makes Eagle Hill unique and how students can thrive in this environment.

Having served as an English teacher at Eagle Hill School since 1997, the dean of education for the past 25 years, and previously as a naval chief in the United States Navy Seabees, how have your experiences equipped you for your current role as assistant head of school for student life?

My diverse experience has equipped me to handle any situation that comes my way. It has instilled in me the importance of

for Student Life

listening first and carefully assessing the circumstances before acting. This approach enables me to identify the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

For new students coming to Eagle Hill, this is often their first experience being away from home and living at a boarding school. Can you share your vision for student life programs and ideas you’re planning to promote student well-being, personal growth, and community engagement?

My goal is to broaden the horizons of the students, helping them to forge new friendships and connections. I plan to give them greater autonomy in managing their responsibilities and to introduce more extracurricular activities. These initiatives will provide everyone with the opportunity to discover new interests on campus and, hopefully, to take social risks, fostering a more inclusive community.

chance to try things they’ve never experienced before. The more faculty engage with students outside the classroom, the more comfortable students become inside the classroom. Both students and faculty benefit from interactions after school, as faculty can potentially observe students struggling with some of the same challenges they have in the classroom, but more importantly, faculty and students can share their own interests, leading to greater understanding and support.

At Eagle Hill, the spirit of community and involvement is encouraged both in and out of the classroom. Guided by our four core values—honesty, respect, kindness, and purpose, how does student life help to instill these guiding principles within the community and cultivate that spirit?

Student life really starts after the academic day ends, in the afternoon, into the evenings, and on weekends. What are your thoughts on extracurricular activities and initiatives, both student- and faculty-led, aimed at enhancing the overall student experience?

I believe that offering a variety of activities will give students the

Art and Drawing Club

Apple Picking, Cider & Donuts

Baba Sushi

Basketball Hall of Fame

Bogey Lanes

Boston Museum of Science

Boston Ballet

Bruins Games

The Big E

Chess Club

Celtics Games

Cinemas /Movies

Competitive Gaming Club

The first step toward embracing our core values is helping students understand how those values can be applied in their lives. It first starts on the dorm floor and in the classroom and then moves to other areas like home and community. Student life provides numerous opportunities for students to demonstrate these values within the community through volunteer activities, such as working at soup kitchens, collecting toys for underprivileged children, and assisting at the local elementary school.

Examples of After School Clubs and Weekend Activities

Craftmaking Club

Creative Writing

Crochet Knitting Club

Dance Party Club

Dog Walking

Equine Affair

Film Club

Fishing Club

Friendly Fire Paintball

Glamour Nail Salon

Golf Simulator

Great Wolf Lodge Water Park

Heritage Museum & Gardens

Ice Skating

Institute of Contemporary Art

Karaoke Night

Level 99

Live Action Escapes

Magic Wings—Butterfly Conservatory

Makerspace

Mall at Ingleside/Holyoke

Master Chef Club

Mountain Biking

Open Mic Night

Othello Club

Outdoor/Hiking Club

Patriot Place/Games

Photo/Yearbook Club

Pioneer Valley Indoor Karting

Pioneer Robotics

The Quarters (Arcade)

Red Sox Games

Role Playing Games Club

Roll on America

Runners Club

Second Chance Animal Shelter

Sign Language

Six Flags New England

Skate Park

Ski/Snowboarding Trips

Student Council

UMass BasketBall/Football

Volleyball Games

Walmart and Target Trips

Weaving Club

White Water Rafting

Worcester Art Museum

Wood Shop

WooSox Games

Yoga & Meditation

And many more!

Dr. Stone having fun with Dr. Miller on Valentine’s Day.

One of the hallmarks of boarding school life is living in the dorms. What resources and support does the student life department provide our dorm counselors to ensure a positive experience for students living in the dormitories and helping them prepare them with life skills while at Eagle Hill and after they graduate?

We are committed to supporting dorm counselors, which enables them to perform their roles more efficiently and help students navigate difficult social situations better. By encouraging counselors to interact more with students in their living spaces, we increase the likelihood that students will seek help and ask questions. Dorm counselors will emphasize getting to know the students, creating a more supportive and engaging residential community.

Every dorm counselor is a certified life coach, and any new faculty member is required to pursue this certification through Eagle Hill. This ensures that our residential curriculum can be tailored to meet each student’s individual needs. Students have the opportunity to meet with their dorm counselors one-on-one, fostering personalized support.

More than 70 percent of Eagle Hill’s boarding students typically spend their weekends on campus. What are some of the extracurricular activities, traditions, and unique opportunities students can look forward to during their weekends at Eagle Hill?

Students can look forward to activities like apple picking, Red Sox games, and Walmart/Target runs. More importantly, students and faculty can propose their own trips (another way faculty can connect with students) if they can generate enough interest.

As you step into this new leadership position within Student Life, what exciting opportunities and changes can we look forward to?

There are so many great things already happening at Eagle Hill. My hope is to continue to enhance the student experience on campus, be that on the dorm floor or on campus, by increasing student engagement and autonomy. There are plans underway to streamline access to sports and clubs while also affording students greater free time and agency beyond the school day.

GET TO KNOW DR. STONE

FAVORITE FOOD

“Dr. Stoney’s Day” is a lunch time tradition at EHS. Every year for his birthday, the dining common serves his favorite meatloaf and Chef Stone...Ardee!

CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

Iced coffee! Dr. Stone runs on Cumby’s, and he is made of at least 50 percent iced coffee.

OFFICE DECOR

Proudly on display in his office is Dr. Stone’s shadow box. The medals, American flag, and symbols are reminiscent of his service, friendships, and time spent overseas.

HOBBY TIME

FAVORITE TRADITION

Dr. Stone has led the annual senior class trip to Disney World for twenty-five years. For one long weekend, adults and students become kids again!

Dr. Stone finds solace working in his yard and relaxing by listening to numerous audiobooks, including marathon sessions of Stephen King’s novels and other world-building stories.

FAVORITE READS

John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany (the importance of friendship, difference, and faith). And, of course, Stephen King’s epic novels: The Stand (classic good vs. evil) and The Dark Tower series (reminiscent of old Westerns, knights, and a quest). What’s better than that!

In the classroom with Dr. Stone.

Land of Fire and Ice

A journey to discover the beauty and vitality of Iceland.

By Andrew Ward, Science Teacher, Academic Advisor, and EF Tours Trip Coordinator

Ithought it might be clever to attempt to write this year’s article in the form of a Viking saga until I realized that one of the requirements of this would be to remove myself from any part of the story and take on a purely narrative voice. This was the twentieth overseas trip I’ve organized, and in all that time I’ve come to realize that my experience is quite different than that of any particular student, staff person, or parent who attends the same tour. It is not lost on me that while we all went to the same place, there were forty unique tours happening at the same time. I can only describe what our group experienced from my own perspective, so I’ll have to cast the saga aside for now and take a more, or less, traditional approach.

As we stepped outside from the shelter of the airport into the frigid arctic wind, it was clear we had arrived during the season of hope.

Choosing a destination for our annual international tours can be as daunting as organizing them. We look to travel to unusual places, and Iceland, while not so unusual to tourists, is certainly a unique place to be. A large volcanic island situated just miles south of the Arctic Circle in the middle of the North Atlantic is perhaps a risky choice for a tour at the beginning of April. This time of the year turned out to offer us a number of advantages that paid dividends when we arrived. Most of the more popular destinations were absent the hoards of tourists that flock during the summer months. The nights were still dark enough for us to have the opportunity to see the northern lights more on that later. Our timing didn’t come without consequence. According to one of the locals, Iceland only has three seasons: summer, which turns to winter, which is followed by “hope.” As we stepped outside from the shelter of the airport into the frigid arctic wind, it was clear we had arrived during the season of hope.

There’s a popular story out there that the names of Iceland and Greenland were reversed to dissuade potential invasion from Viking marauders. We learned this to be untrue both by our guides and again with our own eyes as the entire northern

component of our tour was shrouded in snow and ice. This was certainly a land with plenty of ice. Our winter blood would thicken through the tour as we were treated to a somewhat relentless North Atlantic wind that would test our winter gear at every turn. It became clear who paid careful attention to the packing list as students exited the heated tour bus and were exposed to the ever-changing elements. We started our journey in the capital city of Reykjavik, the only place in Iceland I can pronounce correctly with some confidence. Hours after touching down at the airport at 6 a.m., we found ourselves taking the first group photo in a rather authentic Viking ship that was mounted above the dining area of our breakfast venue. On our way from the airport we could see fleeting glimpses of lava spraying from the most recent eruption near the Blue Lagoon that received so much press in the months preceding our tour. The roads leading to it were closed, and an entire community in the south of the peninsula had been evacuated for months as the predictability of the eruptions remained uncertain. Our planned tour to the Blue Lagoon was scrubbed, and we would instead enjoy a different group of thermal baths in the north. A memorable moment on our first day in Reykjavik was

a visit to Bessastaðir, Iceland’s presidential residence. You could walk up to the front door and knock without being interrupted by anyone. The president’s son was walking down the driveway to catch the bus to school when we arrived. Iceland is regarded as one of the safest and most secure countries in the world. Our experience here validated that claim.

After some time touring around the city of Reykjavik, we headed north to Iceland's “second city,” Akureyri, nestled at the end of the longest fjord in the country. On our way, we would exit the bus to hike along extinct volcanic craters and take in the otherworldly terrain inhabited by far more geese and Icelandic horses not to be confused with ponies than people. It’s hard to grasp the sheer size of Iceland as it looks deceivingly small on a map. Only by driving across this vast landscape can one appreciate its grandeur. As the bus pushed further north, we would pass through tunnels and climb mountains under and between fjords, where the vegetation would disappear under feet of windswept snow that would often cover the road so only tall yellow markers would indicate its boundaries. Our hotel was a quaint family-owned venue perched on a hillside overlooking the fjord and the “city” of Akureyri. Students were quick to find the hotel’s sauna and small thermal pool to escape the chilly air. On our very first night in the north, a few chaperones stayed up after curfew to keep an eye out for the northern lights. Just minutes after the kids were all tucked in bed, the sky blew up with ribbons of green light. Chaperones ran up and down the hallways rousing the students to come and see the fleeting show. For me, the aurora would be one of the highlights of the tour. Our time in the north included a visit to the local university, where the students learned how clever engineering could be used to make ecologically sustainable products. We visited several museums dedicated to Iceland's rich fishing history, which were located in Iceland’s northernmost

Adapting to the season of hope outside the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik.

Seeing the aurora borealis was one of the highlights of the tour.

Geared up with ice axes and crampons to climb the Sólheimajökull glacier. town of Siglufjörður. Here the windswept snow produced nearly whiteout conditions as the group walked like penguins from one building to the next. The ocean in the adjacent fjord with building whitecaps looked rather uninviting at the time. As the group was hunkered down in a local restaurant enjoying the freshest fish and chips imaginable, the thought of boarding a whale-watching vessel in these conditions seemed outrageous. Earlier in the museum visits, students were sampling bits of rotting fermented whale shark, an Icelandic delicacy, and now we were considering throwing them on a ship in an angry fjord with additional fried fish to serve as gastronomic ammo on what was sure to be a disastrous seafaring adventure. The local Icelanders didn’t seem at all concerned with the conditions, and before we knew it, the group was outfitted in some pretty heavy-duty survival gear and pushing out to sea to find our whale. The old wooden vessel along with the bulletproof survival suits worked well enough to keep the group’s spirits up long enough for us to get a close encounter with a lone humpback whale.

At this point in the tour, the group was keen on traveling back to the southern section of the island where the weather was warmer and we could see the ground again. The trip south would include one last chilly adventure as we visited the Mývatn baths which consisted of large thermal pools connected by a bridge fed by natural hot water from the geothermal activity just underfoot. While the water was better than 90°, the windchill was likely in the teens. Moving from one pool to the next was done with haste, and nobody was in a hurry to get out and run back to the showers. Along our route returning to the south, we would frequent many other geothermal areas, each with unique features including boiling mud pots, steaming vents, or exploding geysers. Other natural wonders including enormous glacier-fed waterfalls, each one more spectacular than the last, were frequented in Iceland’s Golden Circle in the south. Here in the south, we tested our hiking boots at Thingvellar National Park, where the North American and European tectonic plates are moving apart, creating the enormous fissure that served as the centerpiece of this geologic wonder. The coolest hike required ice axes and crampons as we geared up to climb the

Learning about Iceland’s fishing industry and seeing the racks of dried saltfish.

New members of the Rotten Shark Club, an Icelandic delicacy.

Sólheimajökull glacier. Not so many years ago, the park entrance was built in the valley right against the side of the glacier. Today the glacier has melted better than a half-mile walk from the entrance. Left behind was a glacial lake that, while beautiful in its own way, was a stark reminder of an ever-warming climate that will ultimately result in the loss of the entire glacier.

There are so many other small adventures that were included in this tour that you won’t read about here. Each of our student travelers has a story to tell and a unique perspective of this otherworldly place. I can’t help but think of future generations that will see the waterfalls and glaciers of Iceland very differently than what we were fortunate enough to witness. Next year we are keen on traveling to

ABOUT ANDREW WARD

a warmer climate as we set off to Costa Rica and Panama, where once again students will have the opportunity to experience a host of adventures that, in this ever-changing world, may be fleeting. While glaciers recede in the north, so too do rainforests and reefs in the south. I want to show these things to our students while they still exist. I’m hopeful that they will remain for longer than we know, but I can’t help but feel a sense of urgency to travel with our students so they can witness all the things we need to preserve for future generations.

Interested in joining any of our annual overseas tours, including this year’s tour to Central America? Scan the QR to learn more. If you have ideas about places we should go in the future, email your dream destinations to anward@eaglehill.school

Andrew grew up in Sterling, Massachusetts, and his family has been a part of the Eagle Hill community since 1984 when his older brother first attended the school. Andrew studied anatomy, microbiology, and social sciences at the University of Florida and earned his master’s in education and curriculum development from Fitchburg State University. Andrew has taught courses in biology, anatomy & physiology, and many others at Eagle Hill School since 1999 and has been the school’s international trip coordinator since 2003. He also serves as an IB faculty member, academic advisor, and head coach of the varsity golf team. Andrew lives in Hardwick with his wife, two daughters, and his son Aiden, who is a member of the Eagle Hill class of 2028.

The Sólheimajökull glacial lake, a stark reminder of a warming climate.

all in TOGETHER

At Eagle Hill, our mission statement says that “every person who interacts with a student is a teacher.”

From the classroom to the playing fields and courts, to the dormitories and dining commons, every venue where life happens is where learning happens.

The Annual Giving Fund exclusively supports these wonderful men and women. This unique structure allows Eagle Hill to offer competitive compensation, benefits, and professional development opportunities to the entire professional community.

Scan to make your gift today.

Annual Giving The Fund

Honoring Dana “Harb” Harbert

Forty years of lessons learned on dedication, teaching, and learning diversity.

By Dr. Michael Riendeau, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs

IIn 1989, when I met Dana Harbert— “Harb”—I was twenty-two years old. I had graduated college in May and, in September, was hired to teach English at Eagle Hill School.

Predictably, being twenty-two and a recent college graduate, I had a lot of ideas about how schools should operate, what teaching was like, and about so-called “learning disabilities.” Some were ideas I had cobbled together from a few courses in education theory, but truthfully, most of my ideas had come from being a student myself and from watching those wonderful, terrible teacher-hero movies like Dead Poets Society—which is to say, I knew virtually nothing about being a teacher and even less about the remarkable students I was encountering at Eagle Hill.

these buildings can be found on the campus today. There were six classrooms on the first floor; mine was the largest then and could accommodate six or seven students and a small teacher’s desk, as long as we filed into our seats in a predetermined

sequence and didn’t try to get up or move around during class. Harb’s room—two or three steps away at the other end of the hall—could comfortably accommodate two: Dana and one student learning to read, though he often managed to cram a few students there.

My first classroom was across and down the hall from Harb, in a building called the Tutorial Center—“the TC” to the initiated. Those of you with only more recent experience of the campus may imagine something somewhat grander and more state-ofthe-art than what the TC of 1989 was. To call it the center of anything is a bit misleading. It was the farthest outpost from the core of the academic program, a hike up the hill from the more coveted classrooms, the dining hall, the academic offices, and the dormitories, and just across from the old gymnasium. None of

Even then, having been at Eagle Hill for only five years, Harb was the authoritative presence among the faculty, more so than teachers with longer tenure at the school and certainly more so than the academic administration with whom Harb seemed to maintain a precarious détente. I don’t mean to suggest that it has ever been difficult to work with Harb; it has always been easy to get along with Harb—as long as you were inclined to see things his way. This has been the source of not a little frustration for

Dana Harbert in 1989.

many of us over the years, but that frustration, at least in my case, has always come primarily from realizing that Harb was right all along.

Dana has always been inclined to take seriously a student’s perspective and experience. More than anyone else, he makes it his project to understand why a student may have the difficulties he has, reacts the way he does in class or in the dorm, or—for what appears to be no reason at all—is having a bad day. Nothing is inexplicable or even surprising when you have a full enough understanding of the situation, and Dana has always been the person most likely to have that understanding and to have judged a situation rightly.

One reason that Harb is always right is that he has always made it his business to know everything about students and the school. Sometime in that first week of school in 1989, I encountered Harb standing in the hall between our classrooms, holding his hand over the mouthpiece of the hall phone and listening intently. As I approached, with a conspiratorial finger to his lips he indicated that I shouldn’t say anything. At the time, I had no idea what was going on and chalked it up to the quirkiness that had already become a feature of Harb’s campus persona. Sometime later, having seen this a few more times, I must have asked another veteran teacher what was going on and learned that, back then, the school had only one telephone line with the few extensions, like the one in the TC, operating like old-fashioned party lines. Harb had been gathering critical information from a call that just happened to be for someone else…

Dana’s vast knowledge of the school and of its students, though, has come primarily from countless hours spent with and on behalf of students and faculty. I have long known that there is no sense in calling Harb during evening study hall hours, whether he is officially on duty or not, because he will invariably be found in a dormitory checking in on those students having the most difficulty. He’ll be sitting in a dorm common room with a student struggling with basic math or writing an essay or practicing reading fluency. He’ll be delivering a longed-for pizza or returning a favorite sweatshirt freshly laundered. In short, he’ll be making the campus a home for the students he knows so well. And he has done the same for so many of us as faculty.

Over the last thirty-five years, I have learned more from Dana Harbert about teaching and learning—and certainly about students and how best to relate to students—than I have from years of graduate school or countless books. I have learned from Dana what it means to live and, in fact, to embody the mission of this school. There is no more steadfast commitment to what we now call learning diversity than Dana’s, and for the rest of us, his example is one to which we aspire despite the certain knowledge that we cannot possibly achieve what he seems to do so naturally.

Dana in the classroom over the years.

SCHOOL NEWS - Top Stories

Neighborhoods Come to Life

As evidenced by our expansive campus and an ever-growing number of endowed funds, Eagle Hill has long enjoyed wonderful support from its benefactors of the past. Today’s family and friends have proven every bit as committed to the school, and the outpouring of generosity towards the ongoing home@eaglehill campaign has been heartwarming, inspiring, and humbling.

A comprehensive effort to enhance faculty and student housing as well as endowment, home@eaglehill kicked off at fall family weekend in 2022. From the moment it was announced, families enthusiastically demonstrated their investment in Eagle Hill’s future, rapidly funding the design and construction of eight new faculty houses.

Flash forward to the end of the ’23-’24 school year, and those eight homes are now happily occupied. The faculty therein are enjoying brand new homes, community, and proximity to campus. This amazing benefit befits the work they do, and we are all beyond grateful for the families that brought this dream to reality.

been ordered. Scheduled to be built just down the hill from the “Village in the Woods,” they will further expand the professional and social community of the campus.

Big Things Planned on the Hill

The faculty villages aren’t the only housing talks that have the campus buzzing. The design-planning for two new dormitories has continued to progress. To be constructed at the top of campus adjacent to Jordan Field, the new senior student housing complex will feature one new boys’ dorm and one new girls’ dorm with a shared social and community space between them.

Envisioned with greater opportunities for independent living such as kitchenettes and laundry areas and a prime location next to the turf field and Baglio Center, the complex will also feature improved residences for faculty and staff. The early images of the design have been met with approval and excitement from students, faculty, and families alike.

Student housing is where some of the fondest memories of boarding school life are made. Diving into the design and layout of these new structures has us excited about the programming therein and the lasting impact it will make on the Eagle Hill student experience. See page 64 for more on the design philosophy.

Access, Opportunity, and Empowerment

Always an institutional priority, endowed funds are a key to Eagle Hill’s permanence and continued strength. By providing financial aid, endowed scholarships expand the opportunity to attend Eagle Hill to a broader spectrum of families and increase socioeconomic diversity on our campus. By supporting faculty initiatives and programs, endowed funds support innovation and continued academic excellence.

We are fortunate to now be reaping the benefits of endowed funds created during previous campaigns. These accounts are now contributing meaningfully through their annual earnings. Endowed funds that are conceived during home@eaglehill will have a similar effect in the years ahead and beyond.

The next four of a planned total of twenty new homes have Scan to view campaign details.

New faculty resident Molly Gray is thrilled to be home.

Eagle Hill Advances in Mock Trials

Since 1985, the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) has provided high school students a unique opportunity to explore the intricacies of law, court procedures, and the legal system itself. This year, the Eagle Hill School Mock Trial team enthusiastically

participated in the 38th annual statewide High School Mock Trial program. Guided by attorneys and judges, thousands of Massachusetts high school students engaged in preparing a hypothetical case and honed their skills as both lawyers and witnesses in simulated courtroom battles.

The case, Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Maiyer Wahl, presented a complex scenario that demanded strategic thinking and adept courtroom tactics from the participants. The Eagle Hill School team began their journey with an impressive victory over Mahar Regional School, finishing with a resounding score of Eagle Hill 83, Mahar 41. Led by Emma B. ’25 as their opener, the team showcased remarkable performances from attorneys Maddy A. ’24, Ayden B. ’24, Hudson R. ’24, Olivia F. ’27, and Eli K. ’25. Olivia F.’s skillful cross-examination and the clear, detailed testimonies of witnesses Chip B. ’24, Daniella M-M. ’25, and Sofia L. ’24 left a lasting impression on the judge. Maddy A.’s closing arguments highlighted the team’s strong defense strategy and sportsmanship, setting them on course for the competitive State Championships, where they faced top-tier teams across the state.

Despite intensified competition, the Eagle Hill team rose to the challenge. Their solid performances showcased their rigorous preparation, strategic acumen, and ability to adapt swiftly to evolving courtroom dynamics.  As the students reflect on their experiences in the 38th annual High School Mock Trial program, they have deepened their grasp of the law and cultivated valuable life skills, propelling them toward future success.

Kintsukuroi: Building with Purposeful Empathy

Eagle Hill welcomed renowned slam poet, author, and speaker S.C. Says to campus to lead workshops on empathy and to speak at an all-school assembly.

The workshops were an interactive journey where students were encouraged to express their assumptions and fears through writing. The exercises, designed to cultivate empathy in the students’ daily lives, provided an emotional outlet for self-reflection and understanding. During each workshop, S.C. shared personal anecdotes and thought-provoking metaphors, laying the groundwork for enhanced empathy and understanding on Eagle Hill’s campus.

The highlight was S.C. Says’s captivating performance of “Kintsukuroi: Building Purposeful Empathy.” Through his slam poetry, S.C. Says shared personal stories and metaphors and the power of empathy, keeping the audience spellbound with his poignant verses and compelling narratives.

In reflection on S.C. Says’s performance, the dean of equity, inclusion, and leadership, Dr. Sabrina Perez, remarked, “S.C.’s powerful message was conveyed through poetry with touches of humor that allowed our community to absorb a difficult subject matter. Since COVID, many people are struggling to find their footing again, so his openness about his issues shined a light on mental health in a way that we all were able to understand that we’re not alone. His empathic message drove home the point that we never know what another person is going through. We are all human, so take a step back and consider others without judgment.”

Says’s visit to Eagle Hill highlights the importance of empathy in education and the power of art in inspiring positive change. As students and faculty reflect on their experiences, they carry forward valuable lessons in empathy, compassion, and the impact of storytelling.

S. C. Says with students at one of the interactive workshops.

The mock trial team is ready to litigate in the Eastern Hampshire Court House.

SCHOOL NEWS - Top Stories

Championships Dominate!

The Ronald M. Baglio Sports and Fitness Center unveiled an unprecedented seven new championship banners this year, celebrating the outstanding achievements of our dedicated athletes.

• 2023 – RVAL | Girls’ Cross Country

• 2023 – SENEISAA | Girls’ Cross Country

• 2023 – SENEISAA | Boys’ Cross Country

• 2024 – Northern New England Wrestling Tournament

• 2023-2024 – Eastern Independent League (EIL) Wrestling Tournament

• 2023-2024 – RVAL Boys’ Varsity Basketball

• 2024 – SENEISAA Ultimate Championship

Fall Athletics Recap

Sam P. ’24 has been named the 2023 SENE Girls’ Cross Country Runner of the Year, recognizing her outstanding performance throughout the season.

As we celebrate Sam's accomplishment, it marks just one chapter in the story of athletic success at Eagle Hill during the Fall 2023 sports season.

Varsity Cross Country

The EHS varsity cross country team saw its highest participation levels in recent years. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams secured SENE Championships, with the girls’ also clinching the RVAL Championship. Despite challenging conditions, including a snowy start during the RVAL Championship, the team excelled. Notable performances included Olivia F. ’27 finishing a race with a missing shoe, and standout athletes Sam P. ’24 and Ethan H. ’25.

Varsity Rowing

This season showcased the resilience and accomplishments of the Eagle Hill crew team. With many new rowers, the team excelled in races against Lenox Memorial and at the Jack-Row Lantern Invitational. Key achievements included first-place finishes in singles, boys’ doubles, novice four, and varsity four categories. The team's dedication and talent were evident throughout the season.

Volleyball

The girls’ volleyball team had a transformative season, exceeding expectations with new and returning players. The team demonstrated determination and defensive tenacity, highlighted by intense five-set matches and historic victories, including their first win against Northfield Mount Hermon. The departure of five seniors will leave a void, but the promising performance of new players sets a strong foundation for the future.

Varsity Girls’ Soccer

Despite a challenging season marked by injuries, the girls’ soccer team showcased resilience, finishing with four wins and nine losses. They showed grit and determination, and along with their commitment provided a solid foundation for future success.

Varsity Boys’ Soccer

The boys’ soccer team had a terrific season, with a record of nine wins, six losses, and three ties. They secured second place in the RVAL regular season standings and competed in the championship game for the seventh time in nine seasons. The team also advanced to the SENE Championship, securing a third-place position in their inaugural appearance. Notable moments included impressive comebacks and significant victories against rivals. The departure of seasoned players will be missed, but rising stars promise an exciting future for the team.

SENE All-League Honors:

• 1st Team All-League: Alex H. ’24, Mengistu E. ’24

• 2nd Team All-League: Jack R. ’24, Reese C. ’25

• Honorable Mention All-League: Jeremy S. ’25

JV Boys’ Soccer

The JV soccer team displayed passion and growth throughout the season. Led by captains Cole F. ’27, Martin O. ’26, and Booker E. ’25, the team showed competitiveness against tough opponents. Despite finishing with two wins, six losses, and two ties, standout moments included a last-minute hat trick goal against Bancroft. The team's offensive prowess and resilience signal a promising future for Eagle Hill soccer.

Winter Athletics Recap

Wrestling

The Pioneers wrestling team excelled with victories across multiple tournaments, including a decisive championship win at the Northern New England Tournament, where nine members earned medals. The team also defended their title at the Eastern Independent League Tournament for the third consecutive season, led by Harrison B. ’25, who was named Outstanding Wrestler. Five wrestlers qualified for the National NE Prep School Wrestling Championships, where Brianna W. ’25 made history as a consolation semi-finalist. The team achieved its bestever finish at Nationals, tying for 66th out of 125 teams.

Varsity Boys’ Basketball

With only one senior, Hudson R. ’24, the young team showed remarkable growth, culminating in a standout performance against Bancroft and winning the RVAL Championship against Four Rivers. Key players Alex M. ’26, Ben E. ’27, and Ethan H. ’25 led the team, which looks forward to next season with eleven returning players.

JV Boys’ Basketball

The JV team doubled its victories from the previous year, highlighted by strong performances from Jackson W. ’26, Jack S. ’27, Danny D. ’27, and James P. ’28. The team anticipates a competitive future as players move up to varsity.

Varsity Girls’ Basketball

The girls’ team secured nine wins, their second-highest ever, and reached the RVAL Championship game. Key players included Brielle K. ’25, Kate H. ’24, and defensive anchors Mikaela C. ’24, Emi G. ’24, and Maddie E. ’24. The team showed promise with significant contributions from younger players and newcomers.

Varsity Swimming

The swim team had an exceptional season, breaking seventy-five personal records and four team records. Standout performances at

the NEPSAC Championships included Allegra L. ’25, Gabrielle L. ’26, and Gabriel W. ’25. The Boys’ 200 Freestyle relay team secured seventh place in their inaugural race. Seniors Ayden B. ’24 and Sam P. ’24 leave a lasting legacy of leadership and sportsmanship.

Varsity Squash

The squash team, led by Gordon H. ’26, achieved a 6-5 record, with notable victories over Deerfield Academy. Standout performers Liam F. ’24 and Henry R. ’25 were instrumental in critical matches. The team bids farewell to seniors Otto M. ’24, Eitan W. ’24, Todd R. ’24, Liam H. ’24, and Quincy D. ’24, whose leadership and experience will be missed.

Spring Athletics Recap

The Pioneers had an outstanding Spring sports season, featuring new championships and several individual accolades.

Varsity Golf

Teddy H. ’26 was named 2024 SENE Varsity Golf “Player of the Year” after shooting one under par 70 at the SENE tournament and winning by eight strokes. Teddy also set a school record with an average score of 36.0 for the season.

Varsity Ultimate

Sam J. ’24 earned the title of 2024 SENE Boys’ Varsity Ultimate “Player of the Year.” His leadership and adherence to the spirit of the game were instrumental in the Varsity Ultimate team winning the 2024 SENE Championship, defeating Dublin School, CATs Academy, and MacDuffie School in the finals.

Varsity Lacrosse

Freshman co-captain Cole C. ’27, who scored 48 goals in 12 games, was named 2024 SENE Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse “Player of the Year.” The team showed promise, winning five matches, including a victory against Dublin School during Family Weekend, before falling to St. Andrews in the playoffs.

Varsity Rowing

The crew team, despite facing weather and injury challenges, had a successful season with three first-place finishes and four secondplace finishes across various events. They set seven personal records during their final 2K race.

Varsity Tennis

The varsity tennis team, consisting of six freshmen and four seniors, won three out of seven matches. At the SENE Tournament, Mikaela C. ’24 and Todd R. ’24 delivered standout performances, with the doubles teams showing great promise for the future.

Northern New England Wrestling Champions.

SCHOOL NEWS - Top Stories

JED Foundation Comes to Eagle Hill School

Eagle Hill School is pleased to announce its partnership with The JED Foundation (JED) to promote and protect students’ mental health and wellness. Supported by a generous grant from the ORTUS Foundation, Eagle Hill will collaborate with JED a leading nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to “empower teens and young adults by building resiliency and life skills, promoting social connectedness, and encouraging helpseeking and help-giving behaviors.”

Beginning September 2024, Eagle Hill will become a JED High School and begin a three-year process of strategic planning and implementation of a mental health and wellness plan. The first step in this partnership is to assemble a team to assess Eagle Hill’s mental health and wellness support systems. JED’s experts will provide the team with a comprehensive study illustrating strong points in our programming and identifying opportunities for growth. Then, through a community-wide commitment of administration, faculty, staff, and students, Eagle Hill and JED will work together to implement the recommended enhancements for student programs and services.

Head of School Erin Wynne stated, “We are deeply grateful to the ORTUS Foundation for introducing us to JED and supporting this initiative. We are committed to strengthening our school to enhance the overall well-being of our students and look forward to experiencing the positive impact this grant and our partnership with JED will have on our entire school community.”

New Faculty Arrivals at Eagle Hill School

Eagle Hill School announced the arrival of several new faculty members for the 2023-2024 academic year, each bringing unique skills and fresh perspectives to enrich our academic and wellness programs.

Eagle Hill’s new visual arts teacher, Mowen Guo, hails from Beijing and joins us from the Bay Area. Skilled in filmmaking, comics, painting, and illustration, Mowen guided students in various artistic pursuits and passions. He taught Desktop Publishing, and Screen Printing for Commercial Graphics, as well as, Etching, Block Printing, Photoshop, Digital Drawing,

Comic Making, and Basic Painting. Mowen aims to help students find confidence in authentic expressions, creating an inspiring environment for newcomers and experienced artists. You likely also found Mowen happily sketching and drawing caricatures during Family Weekend. Mowen holds a BA in filmmaking from UC Davis and an MFA in comics from California College of the Arts.

A familiar face at Eagle Hill is Miranda LaCoste, the new director of membership and wellness at the school. Influenced by her personal experiences, Miranda LaCoste is dedicating her passion to fitness and holistic well-being with others.

Formally a graphic designer with a degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she discovered her love for fitness at D&D Fitness Factory, becoming an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach. Transitioning from graphic design to personal training, she now leads various fitness classes at Eagle Hill. She envisions a broader wellness program such as highenergy and stress-relief workshops, meditation sessions, burdenko swimming classes, and ongoing fitness initiatives, making her role the first of its kind at the school.

Jonnie Coutu, the newly appointed makerspace coordinator at Eagle Hill School, brings a wealth of experience in graphic arts, photography, and functional art to his role at Eagle Hill’s makerspace. Jonnie’s artistic journey began in high school and continued at the New England School of Photography in Boston. He has since seen his work featured across New England. He founded Blank Canvas Magazine in 2005 to support emerging artists and co-founded Hundred Acre Design in 2010 to create functional art from recycled materials. With a hands-on approach, Jonnie fosters a collaborative and innovative environment for students, encouraging them to explore their imaginations and turn their ideas into creative projects.

English teacher Zach Turner joins Eagle Hill with a passion for teaching and writing, bringing creativity and innovation to the community. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Zach holds triple BA degrees in English, history, and creative writing from the University of Arkansas, with minors in Spanish, Medieval and Renaissance studies, and gender studies. He also earned a master’s in creative writing from Boston University. Zach’s teaching philosophy emphasizes individuality and creativity, encouraging students to explore personal interests and understand that “to write well is to communicate well,” especially in today’s digital age. Beyond the classroom, he led the literary journal club, teaching students to write for publication and share their stories.

Learn more about the JED Foundation.

Faculty Recognition and Achievements

English teacher Matthew McCann earned his master’s in critical and creative thinking from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Theater director Will Gelinas can now add award-winning director to his accomplishments. He received Best Direction of a Musical award from Broadway World Rhode Island for his direction of “Newsies” performed at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, RI.

Music teacher Isabella Gentleman graduated from the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland, with a Master of Science in Education.

Eagle Hill’s librarian, Patty Upshaw, earned her Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at the University of Denver, CO.

Amanda Damon, Eagle Hill’s ASL teacher, is continuing her education with ASL interpreting with Dr. Niesha Washington-Shepard at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC (see pages 6-7, “Lessons in Communication and Classroom Success”).

Science teacher Ashley Green is working on her graduate degree in curriculum and instruction at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Dr. Tony McCaffrey’s scientific report, “BrainSwarming, blockchain, and bioethics: applying Innovation Enhancing Techniques to Healthcare and Research” was published in Nature Scientific Reports in January 2024.

College counselors Karen Goudey and Nohea Mahan attended the Career Planning for College Admissions program from the Ext. Dept and UC Berkley Extension.

English and literature teacher Jessica Geary is pursuing her graduate degree in Education Leadership and Management Program at Fitchburg State University.

Student Life’s overnight staff Cameron Dupuis earned his Bachelor of Science from Ashworth College.

New Faculty Fellow Announced

Eagle Hill is excited to announce that Jane Alwis has been named a faculty fellow—a well-deserved recognition for her outstanding contributions to the school. The unanimous decision was made by the teaching fellow committee, who praised Jane for her leadership, mentoring newer teachers, and dedication to teaching excellence.

Jane teaches US and world history, social justice, and econimics classes and is an invaluable member of the International Baccalaureate (IB) teaching faculty. She voluntarily took over the roles of Extended Essay (EE) Coordinator and CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) Coordinator. Jane holds a master’s in learning, teaching, and education transformation from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Jane’s impact extends beyond the classroom. She has facilitated faculty professional development courses at Eagle Hill, written multiple articles for Compendium, the school’s Learning Diversity blog, and authored a chapter in Dr. Kim’s published work. Most recently, Jane organized an educational trip to Sri Lanka, giving students a unique opportunity to explore an island nation rich in cultural diversity (see accompanying article “Discovering Sri Lanka” on pages 10-15).

In addition, Jane has helped bring a respectful appreciation and awareness of cultural diversity on campus. She has organized traditional festivities celebrated from around the world, including the celebration of Diwali and the Lunar New Year along with Eid al-Fitr (the end of fasting for Ramadan). Each event reflected the diverse traditions of different cultures represented amongst our student body.

As the newest faculty fellow, Jane embodies the core values of Eagle Hill School, demonstrating a deep commitment to educational excellence, innovation, and student-centered learning. She shares this honor with current Fellows Kim Bonica, MEd, Matt Kim, PhD, and Jason Przypek, MA.

Congratulations, Jane!

Read Dr. McCaffrey’s scientific report.

Will Gelinas

Isabella Gentleman

SCHOOL NEWS - Top Stories

Eagle Hill School Presents

Eagle Hill’s performing arts presented three productions this year. Following months of rehearsals throughout the year, the EHS Theater Department brought to life three plays: The Laramie Project, High School Musical, and the one-act Horse Girls.

Kicking off the season, students delved into the compelling narrative of The Laramie Project. It’s been a decade since Will Gelinas first brought The Laramie Project to the stage at Eagle Hill. This year, the production commemorated the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s tragic murder in Laramie, Wyoming. Delving once again into the lives of the town’s residents, the play unfolds in three acts, each revealing a unique perspective on Shepard’s death.

In March, the spotlight shifted to the school’s one-act play, Horse Girls, a dark comedy about a group of pre-teens and their obsessions and insecurities, with a wicked twist at the end. Students performed the school’s one-act play at the METG Massachusetts High School Drama Festival preliminary round. Although EHS did not advance to the qualifying rounds, the performers and technical team produced a highly entertaining play. Student perform in the drama, The Laramie Project. Horse Girls entertained the audience with theatrics and laughs.

Wrapping up the season during Spring Family Weekend, the theater department showcased High School Musical, a production that captured the spirit of youthful dreams and aspirations at East High School. The story revolves around the budding relationship between Troy, a popular high school athlete, and Gabriella, the brainy new girl. Their worlds of basketball and academic pursuits intersect when they both try out for the school’s musical, setting the stage for teenage drama to unfold.

Turtle Program Celebrates Anniversaries

Four northern red-bellied cooters and one wood turtle embarked on their new life in the wild this year, culminating a twenty-year success story at Eagle Hill School. As part of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program run by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, these turtles were fostered since fall in the zoology lab at Eagle Hill. For the past twenty years, at the beginning of each school year, science teacher Andrew Ward has collaborated with Dr. Michael Jones, the state herpetologist Yoni B. ’24, Liba V. ’27, and Aiden W. ’28 prepare the cooters for release.

Song and dance moves brought High School Musical to life.

from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, to nurture and monitor the growth and health of four to six endangered hatchlings. The turtles raised in the zoology lab can grow to adult size, which should increase their survival rate when released into their native habitat.

This year was particularly noteworthy as

MassWildlife celebrated forty years of the Northern Red-bellied Cooters HeadStart Program. Eagle Hill students Liba V. ’27 and Aiden W. ’28, Mr. Ward, and a hundred other volunteers participated in the turtle transfer and celebration at the MassWildlife office.

The northern red-bellied cooter is among the rarest turtle species in the country and is native to only twelve ponds and lakes in Plymouth and Bristol counties. In the 1970s, biologists estimated that only 200 northern red-bellied cooters were left surviving in the state and have been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1980. Today, due to the successful efforts of the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) and student volunteers across the state, including Eagle Hill, there are now more than 2,000 of them.

Thanks for the Memories Prom 2024!

Every year, one of the most eagerly awaited events is the prom, a magical night filled with high fashion, laughter, and dancing. This year’s memoriesthemed bash, held on May 11, lived up to all expectations.

The festivities began earlier in the day at the WHIKS, where Eagle Hill’s special Glam Squad assisted attendees with hair, makeup, and tux adjustments.

At around 5:15 p.m., the senior promenade exited from the Chapman Dining Common, strolled down a red carpet, and paused for formal photos at a beautifully decorated wooden arbor.

It was a perfect evening for capturing memories before heading to Hardwick Crossing, a nearby venue providing an ideal event setting. The restaurant and its surrounding golf course offered a wonderful place to gather and reminisce about the past years at Eagle Hill.

Many attendees first enrolled at Eagle Hill during COVID, forming tight bonds that were celebrated throughout the evening. The venue walls were adorned with photos showcasing significant moments snapshots from the COVID year, bell-ringing ceremony and gatherings to sports highlights, school events, and group shots throughout the years encapsulating the many memories shared. A photo booth near the dining area provided a fun way to capture new memories of the evening and take some fun candid photos.

Our thanks to the prom committee and all the individuals who worked tirelessly to make this celebration a memorable and special experience.

See more prom photos by scanning this QR code.

Volunteers celebrate the 40th anniversary with MassWildlife.

The COVID class cherishes close bonds through shared memories.

Rising underclassmen are ones to watch!

The “math class” gathers for one last group photo.

Baccalaureate 2024

Six Words of Wisdom

A transcript of the faculty address.

By Mr. Doug Koczur, Mathematics Teacher and Academic Advisor

Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the 2023-2024 baccalaureate ceremony honoring this wonderful group of young adults. At least I thought they were wonderful until I was the target of their senior prank. Twenty or so kids thought it would be funny to invade my house at 5:30 a.m. and wake me up out of bed.

Good prank, but I owe you guys one! And Mrs. Koczur for helping make this happen. You better check every corner of the house and sleep with one eye open.

Anyway, including this morning, because everyone knows I love a good prank, I couldn’t be prouder to stand here and provide you students with all my thoughts and wisdom. And provide the audience with a sense of this class’s accomplishments.

First, I need to educate you about why I am here. I was chosen by this class because of the specific history and bond we have together. Many

of you remember me as the dean of students. Some of you have some fond memories; others, well maybe not so much. However, I must remind you that regardless of our interactions, what we did as the Eagle Hill family is one of the reasons we are here today.

An early morning wake up at the Koczur home the morning of the baccalaureate ceremonies.

So, several months ago a group of seniors came into my classroom and said, “Koczur we took a poll, and you should be our class speaker this year.” I paused, wondered if they had the right Koczur, then looked at them and said, “Really, me? The one who suspended you and you and you. Actually, and you and you. Gave you detention four times, and I made you call your parents at 10:30 at night to explain why you were in my office.”

We all laughed and one of them said, “Yes, that’s exactly why.” The group went on and explained to me how they now understand and appreciate, and I quote, “the blank stares, the evil stares, and your loud voice when you needed to make a point, but most of all the honest conversations, even if we didn’t want to hear it.”

Growth: The development of the mind in the way you think and learn.

Transformation: How we change the aspects of who we are and the life we lead.

Self-Discipline: The ability to control feelings and overcome one’s weakness and continue to pursue what is right despite the temptation to abandon it.

“ As an educator there is nothing more satisfying than the growth of your students.”

Responsibility: Having to deal with something while being accountable and acting independently to make a decision.

Commitment: Being dedicated to reach a goal.

Perseverance: The persistence to do something despite the difficulty to achieve success.

As much humor as there was in the reminiscing, the last part of the conversation really hit home. I made a difference; I made an impact. Not only did I make a difference, but more importantly they recognized and took our conversations to heart and exhibited growth.

“

How much we accomplish in life depends on our ability, our opportunity, and our application.”

As an educator there is nothing more satisfying than the growth of your students. So, when they left the classroom, I sat back and began to think about this group as I want all of you to do as well.

Remember opening day? The emotions, being scared, nervous, and unsure about EHS. Some of you cried, laughed—some you wouldn’t get out of the car. Now look at all of you here on stage, a place many of you thought you would never be.

School wasn’t a strong point for many of you. You struggled, some of you failed, some of you eked by. College wasn’t even a thought. After all that, you come to EHS, a new place, new people, new concepts, expecting to be productive and follow a new theory of learning. After what you have been through, that’s not asking too much, was it?

But again, here you are. This development you have all gone through I feel can be summed up with the following six words.

Now what I want you to do is take these words and write them down. Better yet, in the true spirit of Eagle Hill, I wrote them down for you. Read them before you head to class in the morning next year. Read them before work, or just whenever you are going through life’s struggles. Read them and remind yourself of who you are and what you can accomplish.

Along those same lines, my grandfather gave me a book when I started working here in 1996. It is called Portraits and Principles and was published in 1897. The book is filled with writings by fifty of the leading thinkers of the time, discussing practical lessons that will lead to a successful and productive life.

One writing I want to share is The Results of Application, by William Henry Scott. Mr. Scott spent his entire life in education and finished his career as the third president of Ohio State University from 1883 1895.

He writes,“How much we accomplish in life depends on our ability, our opportunity, and our application. Our natural ability was determined before we could exercise any choice over what our acquired ability is now. We once had a large determining power; but for our present use it too is fixed. However we may modify it, but we can do nothing to make it at this moment

different with one little jot. The past was the time to mold the present, but the past is gone, and we have no power in it.”

Seniors, in other words: don’t be idle. Don’t wait for success or it won’t happen. Go out and grab it, be thoughtful, be insightful, use your time wisely, be productive, and create your own opportunities.

“

Seniors, don’t be idle, don’t wait for success or it won’t happen.

Mr. Scott goes on to say, “we may determine what amount of application we will join with our ability and opportunity. It is by our application therefore that the result is always measured. The only question that concerns anyone is how should I use the gifts and occasions I now have to perform my duty in life and attain my proper destiny?”

Go out and grab it, be thoughtful, be insightful, use your time wisely, be productive, and create your own opportunities.”

of you didn’t want to get out of your parents’ cars: now you don’t want to get back in. Some of you are athletes who didn’t know you were. Some of you are artists who didn’t realize you could even draw a stick figure. Others are actors and actresses who had no idea how comfortable the stage is. Some of you are student government members who didn’t realize the power of your voice. There are craftsmen who had no idea they could weld or shape wood into masterpieces. And we even had twins walking in but leaving as individuals on separate paths. And what we have, the Eagle Hill community, is a very proud family of all of you.

Now, in the spirit of my former self, I am going to give you one last office speech.

Seniors, find your true end and apply yourselves. It may take an hour, a day, a year or longer. Applying yourself is a form of growth, and like all growth, it may take time. Let your application be steadfast and consistent. Commit yourself and be devoted to all you do, and you will succeed. Most importantly, be honest with yourself.

All of you have begun this process, believe it or not. For example, six of you applied to be the class speaker on graduation day. I couldn’t imagine any one of you, four years ago, considering speaking in front of 400 people.

Some of you cried every night for the first few weeks of school, and now your parents complain they never hear from you. Some

ABOUT DOUG KOCZUR

It’s time for a reality check, you are headed into the real world. No one is going to wait around for you. No one cares if you’re having a bad day, and no one wants to hear that you have the sniffles. Life is tough, you have to be tough back. If you want something, go after it and be everything you want to be.

So, this concludes my voice of wisdom and reason for you seniors tonight. I will leave you with one last quote from some unknown, unpublished educator who spent a lot of time with all of you. He gives this same quote to his four boys when they have goals to pursue in life.

“It’s time to get after it.”

Doug Koczur has been a champion of and for the Eagle Hill student voice since arriving on campus in 1996. Mr. Koczur began his EHS career as a teacher, academic advisor, and coach, and his ability to easily and naturally earn the trust of the student body allowed him to develop meaningful relationships and engage in impactful conversations with students.

In September 2013, Mr. Koczur took the opportunity to move to the student life side of the school, assuming the role of dean of students, which afforded him the opportunity to continue helping students in the areas of positive decision-making, interpersonal skill development, and the realization of the best versions of themselves. In September of 2022, Mr. Koczur rejoined the teaching faculty.

Mr. Koczur earned his bachelor’s degree from Springfield College with a teaching certificate for grades 5 through 12 and later went on to receive his master’s degree in curriculum development.

Mr. Koczur grew up primarily in nearby Ware, Massachusetts and currently resides in Eagle Hill housing adjacent to campus with his wife Germaine, who is also a member of the Eagle Hill faculty. Together, they enjoy spending time with their four wonderful sons Andrew, Kurtis ’16, Zachary, and Brodie.

Watch Mr. Koczur deliver the faculty address.

COMMENCEMENT 2024 - End of Year Awards

NBS Outstanding Faculty Award:

Tyler Blais and David Leahy

The Norma B. Shields Outstanding Faculty Award is named for one of the founding members of the Eagle Hill School community and is given each year to the faculty member who best exemplifies Mrs. Shields’s unyielding, heartfelt dedication to the students of Eagle Hill School.

Kneeland Distinguished Service Award: Jessica Geary

The Thomas A. Kneeland Distinguished Service Award is awarded annually to a member of the faculty or staff who consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty and who continually strengthens the EHS community in a quiet, dignified, and unassuming way.

Student Council Faculty Appreciation Award:

Charles Crossan and Cherylann Skrocki

The Student Council Faculty Appreciation Award is presented to a faculty member who has built a mutually respectful relationship with students, challenges them as individuals, and has taken the time to stop and pick them up when they needed it.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Arts Department: Huck Riley ’25

Classical Language Certificate: Hudson Ridall ’24

Classical Literature Certificate: Nicole Hernstein ’24

College Counseling: Ayden Bhagwati ’24

Computer Science Department: Quincy Davis ’24

Diversity and Social Justice Department: Sam Panzeri ’24

English Department: Liam Farhangi ’24

History Department: David Ford ’26

Makerspace: Merrin Andrews ’28

Mathematics Department: Sam Jones ’24

Physical Education Department: Merrin Andrews ’28

Pragmatics Department: Gordon Humber ’26

Reading Department: Chloe Zens ’27

Science Department: Reese Cohen ’25

World Languages Department: Hudson Ridall ’24

Our Core Values:

Life at Eagle Hill is driven by the observance of our four key values: honesty, respect, kindness, and purpose. Whether it be in the classroom, on the athletic field, or socially among friends, our belief is that decisions and growth are best navigated with strong underlying ethics. These core values are the foundation on which our students build lives of decency, consequence, and pride. We are pleased to recognize these students for their embodiment of these values.

KEEPERS OF CORE VALUES

Honesty Respect

Bea DeMontfort Walker ’25

Evan Turcotte ’25

Kindness

Amy Almonte ’25

Bri Wood ’25

Daniella Martin-Moreno ’25

Jeremy Schapiro ’25

Purpose

Emma Bullock ’25

Reese Cohen ’25

FACULTY MILESTONES OF SERVICE

5 Years

Stephen Ahearn

Elaine Gauthier

Isabella Gentleman

David Leahy

Stephen Mitus

Molly Romaker

10 Years

Melanie Doherty

Nancy Lagrant

Tim Shaughnessey

15 Years

Katherine Thompson

20 Years

Kimberly Bonica

Kristyl Kelly

Rebecca Miller

25 Years

Andrew Ward

30 Years

Jeff Myra

To view the Baccalaureate, Award Ceremony, and reception photos, scan the QR code.

35 Years

Cindy Coughlin

Mary Ann Riendeau

Michael Riendeau

40 Years

Dana Harbert

Commencement 2024

Confidence Will Carry Us Forward

A transcript of the senior class address.

By Ryan Borski, Class of 2024

Good morning. I am up here today in front of you all to represent what we have experienced together during our time on “The Hill.” We all have our emotions running high on this day. However, without this one key attitude, we wouldn’t have made it this far.

That attitude is confidence.

With confidence, we made it a day here. It shows up in many ways: the people we befriended, where we chose to sit and eat, our decision about what to do after high school, and, finally, to receive our diploma today.

it’s our teachers, dorm counselors, or support staff. I mean it: all the staff. I would never have imagined being able to talk to such a large number of people at this school.

“ We have received support from every member of our community, whether it’s our teachers, dorm counselors, or support staff . ”

The staff have made it easy to become more confident. We have received support from every member of our community, whether

Throughout our time here, we have been able to express ourselves to anyone. Each morning when I left the dorm, I usually received my first “good morning” from the maintenance staff. During the school day we could also count on our advisors for a daily check-in, like what Mrs. Bobka has done for me. It made my day every single time.

In the afternoon, our coaches and mentors took the time to teach us about our interests, like what Mrs. McCutchen has done for me with our shared passion for athletic training. At night, our dorm counselors have given us a

chill space to decompress. Every inch of this campus has given us a welcoming feel that lets us feel confident to be ourselves.

Our class adapted to the culture here right away, despite a more challenging start than most classes before us. We let our “COVID year” bring us together when it would have been easy not to. With so much time quarantining by house, we had the chance to bond deeply with our fellow classmates. We made it count, even with those Saturday classes. Ever since that year, we not only continued to embrace each other, but we also were open and inviting to the new students who came along. After being forced to be separate, we chose to remain together.

this moment I got the first taste of confidence since I left campus for surgery.

However, my next fear popped up at lunch. Sound familiar?

It was something we’ve all thought: “Where am I going to sit? I have to find someone. I don’t want to be alone!” Then Mrs. Samuels came up to me and helped me find a seat, and offered to get me food.

On this day, though, I joined the friend group that I am in today, and I hope I stay connected to it. My closest friend, Alex Hickey, whom I have known since middle school, saw me sitting with my crutches alone. He insisted on taking me over to his table, and just like that, he carried my tray while I hobbled loudly behind him. I was so grateful to have his generosity and his confidence to grab me and change my life in a big way.

“ After being forced to be separate, we chose to remain together.”

However, I barely knew what I was in for, and that scared me. I had seen the kids at this table before, but not all together, and I did not know what to say. Actually, I didn’t have to say anything. Every single one of them knew who I was and accepted me right away. It turns out that we have been learning from our friends, too.

We have all learned from many people in our lives, but what is

This was as true during COVID as it was afterward.

Challenges kept popping up in our lives. For me, it was returning to campus after I had knee surgery sophomore year. My mom took me back to campus for the first time. She knew only a few people, since this was the first year we were able to have visitors. We entered the Cultural Center worried about how I was going to get around on this campus. Then, we were greeted by the graphic arts teacher, Mr. “Rich.” His warmth made us smile and calmed both of us down. At

most difficult is to learn from ourselves. I have found for myself it is so tough to be confident in the face of fear. And yet, life is simplest when you just nose-dive into a new situation. The person who did this the best was my freshman-year roommate, Liam Holgate. Like all of us at the time, we wondered who we would be sharing a room with. I feared for the worst, but it was completely different for him. Liam found me before dinner, even before we met in our room, and said, “We will be sleeping together.” His confidence caught me so off guard that I forgot about my fears.

“

Confidence will come and go, but when challenges in our lives pop up, we have proven that we have the ability to face them.”

We ended up playing all the same sports, building forts in our room, and then watching movies in them. He made it so I couldn’t put a wall up in my room. I hope I can be the “Liam” with my future roommates.

We will take this confidence with us into the next phase of our lives. Confidence will come and go, but when challenges in our lives pop up, we have proven that we have the ability to face them.

My best memories come from moments when I didn’t think but just acted. Eagle Hill has made it easy to do that. Surrounded by all my friends and mentors, I could do much more than I ever expected. I would not be on the path to my dream school without overcoming challenges. My biggest lesson has been to adopt this mindset of believing that I can accomplish anything through confidence. I wouldn’t trade knee surgery, my learning disability,or all the times I had to advocate for myself the bad things for the confidence I gained from them. It’s finally

time, after all the years we’ve spent together, to walk across this stage confidently into the next chapter of our lives. I hope we will cross paths again.

Thank you, Class of 2024!

Watch Ryan deliver the senior address.

COMMENCEMENT 2024 - Graduating Class

Madeline Kelly Adorney

Marist College

Charles Thomas Banks

Xavier University

Joshua Jethro Beinner

High Point University

Yoni Aton Bernstein

Syracuse University

Ayden Thomas Mookken Bhagwati

Parsons School of Design at The New School

Ryan Michael Borski

Coastal Carolina University

Mikaela Pearl Colvin

University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh)

Ayan Kumar Dalal

Austin College

Quincy Kimball Davis

Rochester Institute of Technology

William Edward Donahower

High Point University

Mengistu Pawlos Eisenberg

Flagler College

Madeline Faith Elder

University of Georgia

Liam Omar Farhangi

Stevens Institute of Technology

Lucinda Gray Gilsdorf

EF Gap Year

Emilia Scarlett Glass

Southern Oregon University

Theodore Stuart Goose

Syracuse University

Olivia Michelle Gregory

University of Arizona

Nicole Ares Herrnstein

The George Washington University

Alex Sean Hickey

Roger Williams University

Kate Corcoran Higgins

Marist College

Liam Burr Holgate

New England Institute of Technoogy

Justin Wang Hu

Rollins College

Myah Lauren Johnson

Creighton University

Samuel Owen Jones

University of New England

Rohan Jay Kabra

Dynamy

Angelia Felicia LaMagna Stonehill College

Andrew John Lisciotti

Emmanuel College

Sofia Adelina Lopez

Johnson & Wales University (Providence)

Otto Ludwig Dieter Morlock University of Vermont

Tyler Gabriel Nessim

The University of Tampa

Victoria Caldwell Nootbaar

University of New Hampshire (Main Campus)

Phoebe M. Pak

Gap Year

Samantha Rose Panzeri Westfield State University

Kaitlyn Autumn Podolski Westfield State University

Jack William Reeves

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Hudson Jones Ridall

Elon University

Todd Spencer Rubinstein

Marist College

Alec Peter Schwartz

Marist College

Samuel Jacob Staffenberg

High Point University

Anthony Salvatore Toscano Jr. Westfield State University

John Gabriel Valentino V

High Point University

Audrey Elizabeth Wallace

Syracuse University

Bridget Mary Wallace

The University of Alabama

Eitan David Weizman

University of Southern Maine

Sophia Rose Werner

Elon University

Scan QR code to view graduation photos.

Commencement 2024

Working Backwards

A transcript of the commencement address. By Mr. Jeff Mendelsohn ’03, Principal Business Lead at Amazon

Wow, thank you, Marilyn Waller, for that introduction. It is truly an honor to be standing here today. Thank you to my fellow trustees, distinguished faculty, honored guests, proud parents, alums, and most importantly… CONGRATS to the graduating class of 2024.

It feels like yesterday that I stood on the graduation podium, proudly wearing my Eagle Hill cap and gown. It’s been twenty-two years since I graduated, which is mind-blowing.

What’s more mind-blowing is that I got invited back! The odds were WAY better that I would be invited to leave here, likely in handcuffs…with the right to remain silent.

I didn’t get here because I was a success story. I was given an opportunity of a lifetime. Despite my striving downward, someone believed in me anyway. No, not my parents…but PJ and Erin Wynne.

After Erin gave me the campus tour, she returned us to PJ’s office, where he told me, “Jeff, if you come to Eagle Hill, you’re going to succeed.”

No one had ever spoken to me like that. Put it this way: when I asked my father his thoughts, his response was, “Well, Jeff, Eagle Hill is a better option than prison.”

It was. I spent the next four years at Eagle Hill growing up and learning it’s never too late to change directions or make better choices. Eagle Hill changed my life, helping me un-become the person I was and become the person I am today, and I am forever grateful.

In the mid-’80s, very little was known about developmental challenges or learning and attention disorders, certainly as they related to academic achievement. ADHD was just becoming a thing; all I knew was that I was busy and couldn’t sit still to save my life.

When it came to school, I was bored. No, not just a little bored. I was fidgety, impulsive, and worthy of that ADHD diagnosis BORED. Behave, follow directions, sit with hands neatly folded in my lap? Yeah, OK.

During my pre-school graduation, which we have on VHS tape, I started goofing off to see if I could make people laugh. It turns out I could!

One of the teachers saw, but before she could pull me out of my graduation ceremony, my fight-or-flight reflex must have kicked in. AND I TOOK OFF. I did a few hundred-meter laps around the room, with a final sprint out the back door exit.

By fourth grade or so, I was fullblown out of control. Since there were no fidgets or sensory chairs, I started flipping a pencil through my fingertips to distract myself. I was pretty good at it until the pencil accidentally flew out of my hand, headed straight for Justin Cline’s head. It, sadly, was the perfect bullseye.

wrong? Not even a little. Mistakes were the kiss of death. He never explained why your response might be incorrect or how you might rethink or rework the problem. When you gave the wrong answer, the response was, “See you at 1:50 today.”

No “good try” or “almost” or “hey, maybe next time” – just “see you at 1:50 today” so that everyone could hear. You know the character Miss Trunchbull in the movie Matilda? The one who threatens to send kids to “the chokey” if they make a wrong move? “See you at 1:50 today” was Mr. Miller’s “chokey.”

“ Here’s what I want to say about failure, though. It is an inevitable part of growth and success.”

Do you know what he made me do that afternoon? I had to write “I don’t get it” 150 times on the chalkboard. To make matters worse, I had horrible handwriting back then, and he left my sentences on the board so everyone could see them the next day in class. “I don’t get it…” Moments like that change a person. They just do.

Here’s what I want to say about failure, though. It is an inevitable part of growth and success. Everyone in this room, raise your hand if you’ve made a mistake. See? No one is alone here.

You know how your parents always say, “Don’t play with your pencil; you could poke somebody’s eye, out?” it turns out they were right!

From age four to foureen, life was hard. I had very little confidence in my academic ability. I sat in multiple parentteacher conferences and overheard the negative things the teachers said about me.

When you’re a kid especially, and you hear adults say these kinds of things to you repeatedly, you start to believe it. At fifteen, I was eighty pounds overweight, depressed, and anxious.

Learning was not easy for me. It was complex and challenging. I also lacked the maturity, self-regulation, and basic coping skills needed to work things out. The struggle was real.

One teacher was particularly rough. He was my fourth-grade math teacher, Mr. Miller. It went something like this. You’d be in class, and Mr. Miller would ask a question. It didn’t matter if your hand was raised; he called on people randomly. You did your best to answer.

Was Mr. Miller’s classroom a safe and supportive environment? The kind that makes a kid want to volunteer answers, right or

Have you heard of the company Etsy? Before launching the site, its founder, Rob Kalin, failed every course in high school. This guy is worth over $35 billion today.

Did you know Thomas Edison was expelled from school for being “unteachable?” Fortunately, his mother believed in him and encouraged him to continue his education. Things didn’t get any better for Edison when he entered the workforce, and he was fired from multiple jobs because of his lack of productivity. Even his first thousand attempts at getting the light bulb to work were failures. Despite his defeats, Edison was a prolific inventor who amassed 1,093 patents, including the light bulb and movie projector.

How about Amazon’s CEO, who is also my former boss, Jeff Bezos? When he started an e-commerce company out of his Seattle garage, no one knew about the internet. According to market expectations, there was a less than 30 percent chance Amazon would ever make it.

It created a culture at Amazon where failure is expected. HR invests millions of dollars to help employees get over themselves when it happens.

You follow these five steps, which we call “Working Backwards”:

Listen. This is about pausing and getting quiet to hear what you might be missing. Why didn’t you get this right the first time?

Define . Say it out loud. Define the challenge before so you’re clear about the goal.

“

GPA in my first year.

They helped me build the foundation I needed. It started with doing homework, keeping a planner, and learning to study and prioritize. Most people assume these skills are intuitive in kids, but they aren’t always. I built them at Eagle Hill.

Opportunities are in the dark. You just might have to crack open a window to see them better.”

Reinvent. Develop a new solution instead of staying stuck in what you’ve been doing. Heck, try hundreds of new solutions. Things are only impossible until you find another way.

Refine it. Keep chipping away.

Test and iterate. Now, test this out. How’s your strategy now? Does it work better? Did you solve the problem you intended to solve? If yes, good for you. If not, work backward and start again.

“

I’m not saying everything will be easy, or you won’t have to face unknowns. But don’t fear them. Opportunities are in the dark. You just might have to crack open a window to see them better.

Achievement was and still is a powerful motivator for me, and it was something I hadn’t experienced before Eagle Hill. I also discovered my drive and ambition here. I learned to trust myself and, most importantly, value my self-worth.

So, with my Eagle Hill education, did I go on to do everything right? Of course not. Let’s see: I graduated from Eagle Hill, thrived in college, and got hired immediately. I also got fired from my first job, which was mortifying.

Think of this next stage of life like a bungee jump, and just dare to leap. Whether you fly or face-plant, just pay attention and learn something from it ”

“Work backward” resonates strongly with me because it’s a philosophy I learned at Eagle Hill. PJ, Erin Wynne, and the rest of my teachers didn’t focus on right or wrong answers, per se. They focused on developing our thinking, reasoning, and communication skills. They taught me to ask more questions and consider diverse perspectives. “Always put yourself in another person’s shoes,” they said. “Consider their point of view.”

They expected me to show up, be accountable for my work, and give credit to other people’s great ideas. They reminded me that for every challenge or crisis I encountered, there was always the reverse side: an opportunity.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the start of my Eagle Hill turnaround. If you can believe it, I went from a 1.7 GPA to a 3.8

Long story short, my Achilles heel was my ego. Since I graduated from school, I assumed that meant I also graduated from having learning difficulties. I couldn’t have been more wrong because you never graduate or outgrow those.

At my first job, I didn’t use what I had learned at Eagle Hill and college. And when my boss said, “Jeff, I just don’t think you’re cut out for this industry,” suddenly I was a fourth grader again who didn’t get it.

Let me tell you, nothing motivated me more to succeed. I saw failure as fuel, and it became my secret weapon. Throughout my life and career, I’ve been inspired by my family, my teachers, mentors, bosses, colleagues, and countless others.

The following are some guiding principles they’ve shared with me that I know and wish to share with you.

• There’s no one way to succeed, no magic formula.

• Think of this next stage of life like a bungee jump, and

just dare to leap. Whether you fly or face-plant, just pay attention and learn something from it.

• Approach situations with an open mind.

• Your attitude and integrity are everything. Follow through on what you say you’re going to do and respond to other people promptly. It shows respect and responsibility.

got you to this place. Eagle Hill is not just any education. You know, you have the tools to meet challenges and reach your greatest potential.

“ There are no bounds to what can be achieved; you know that better than anyone.”

• And don’t just show up. Show up and work three times harder with total commitment.

• Show respect to everyone you meet along the way. Today’s assistant is tomorrow’s CEO.

• Surround yourself with the right team. We can’t do things alone, and this is true for work, marriage, and everything else. Seek out the people who challenge you and improve you.

• Listen to your gut. Every single time, listen to your gut. If something feels wrong, there’s a good chance it probably is.

• Know who you are. If you don’t know who you are, find yourself. The world needs you.

But not everything is about you. Make a difference. Be a mentor if you can. Lead by example, then teach others what you know.

Lastly, thank your parents, family, teachers, and everyone who

There is a responsibility that naturally comes with all you’ve been given. Set an example for those who look up to you. Pave the way for the next generation. Give back to your community. There are no bounds to what can be achieved; you know that better than anyone.

Class of 2024, go get ’em!

ABOUT JEFF MENDELSOHN ’03

Jeff Mendelsohn is a veteran tech executive who leads high performance teams and, most importantly, a member of Eagle Hill’s class of 2003. Currently serving as Principal Business Lead at Amazon, Jeff leverages technology solutions to help CPG brands build brand awareness, increase sales, and drive profitability. He formerly worked as a Principal Account Executive at IMDB building strategic partnerships and new advertising products, and before that managed advertising partnerships for Forbes Media.

After graduating from Eagle Hill and later Hofstra University, Jeff served as an EHS Trustee from 2009 2018. He is a valuable advisor of students, alumni, and parents alike, providing guidance on college matriculation, higher ed success, and career trajectories. Jeff embodies what we mean when we say that commencement is not the end of connection with Eagle Hill - merely the start of the next chapter.

STUDENT COMMENCEMENT AWARDS

Ronald M. Baglio Student Life Leadership Awards: Liam Farhangi ’24 and Angelia LaMagna ’24

Headmaster’s Cup Award: Maddie Adorney ’24

Thomas A. Schneider Entrepreneurial Award: Quincy Davis ’24

Egenberg Character Award: Liam Farhangi ’24

Be Like Brit Award: Sam Panzeri ’24

Citizenship Award: Lucy Gilsdorf ’24 and Ayden Bhagwatti ’24

Watch Mr. Mendelsohn deliver the commencement address.

ALUMNI/AE SPOTLIGHT - Danielle Leppert-Simenauer ’15

Danielle Leppert-Simenauer is a member of the Eagle Hill class of 2015 and a graduate of DePaul University. Currently working for Thoughtworks—a global technology consultancy—she is a technology consultant specializing in data and AI projects. Her duties include assembling teams to design and build technical products for clients who lack the necessary in-house capabilities.

Danielle is no stranger to finding novel solutions to overcoming obstacles. After an ADHD diagnosis in her junior year of high school, she and her family decided that a change of scenery and strategy was needed. Willing to take drastic measures, she came to Eagle Hill School all the way from the San Francisco Bay area.

Danielle Leppert-Simenaur solving a physics problem.

set her up for success. Navigating the challenges and academic pressures at DePaul with confidence, she excelled in her studies and developed critical skills for her future career.

In Hardwick, she found the support she needed and an educational environment that was perfect for the way she learned. The faculty, most of all, were the biggest difference.

“

I was surprised how well-prepared I was for college.”

Danielle fondly remembers Mr. Gaskill's physics class as a standout among many great courses. He made the subject fun and accessible, employing various teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles.

After graduation, Danielle enrolled in DePaul University, where she ambitiously pursued a major in physics alongside secondary majors in philosophy and mathematics. Reflecting on her college experience, Danielle notes, "I was surprised how well-prepared I was for college." Eagle Hill’s focus on writing, across many subjects, was particularly helpful in preparing for university life and the more immersive work she would encounter. That, coupled with already being adept at living away from home, gave her a distinct advantage over her peers and

Like many aspiring graduates and young professionals her age, Danielle found very real challenges looking for a path forward during the COVID pandemic. Shutdowns, hiring freezes, and economic uncertainty came at the most inopportune time. However, her determination and resourcefulness propelled her forward. She attended a coding bootcamp to acquire practical skills to help her stand out in crowded applicant pools and tapped into her network to explore job opportunities. Utilizing a connection made through a DePaul career fair led her to her current role.

Now firmly set on her path as a technology consultant, Danielle is quickly making a name for herself. She has contributed to significant and noteworthy projects working with Thoughtworks, the nature of the company’s client base keeping her on the cutting edge of technology and innovation. One remarkable project included building a machine learning engine called DaVinci on the platform Sustainchain. This was

.

Her session was titled,

“What Does it Mean to Create a Public Utility?”

designed to connect academics, activists, investors, and others to collaborate on sustainability and Sustainable Development Goal projects outlined by the United Nations. She has also had the unique experience of contributing to work in aerospace defense (the details of which are under a non-disclosure agreement).

Danielle has excelled in problem-solving and leadership, enjoying the process of breaking down complex technical concepts for clients and solving both technological and interpersonal challenges. She finds satisfaction in bringing innovative ideas to life, creating intricate systems from scratch, and witnessing the results of her team's efforts.

Looking ahead, Danielle aims to climb the leadership ladder and tackle larger problems. She is currently focused on executive leadership, driven by her passion for both technology and people.

Danielle exemplifies what it means to be an Eagle Hill alumna, diligently finding paths to success and overcoming obstacles. In addition to being a shining example of the unlimited potential of our students and alumni, Danielle also remains engaged with Eagle Hill. As an advocate and ambassador for the school, she has been an active and leading member of alumni activities and councils. She has been available as a mentor to students and other alumni/ae, assisted with networking and event planning, and more.

We are incredibly proud of Danielle, grateful for her continued engagement with our school, and beyond excited for her future!

1967 Society Gift of Distinction

Former Alumnus Commits to Scholarship Legacy.

Dave Roach, who attended Eagle Hill School during the early 1980s, lives in the San Francisco Bay area and recently retired after a rewarding career in social services. This past summer during a trip back to the East Coast, he returned to campus for the first time.

Dave toured the campus with Velvet Chestnut and Brittany Horne of the alumni/ae and development office and was amazed by the growth of the school. “Thank you again for giving me such a wonderful tour. It was a tour I will never forget; as you noticed by my facial expressions, I was in awe of what the campus has become.” As one can imagine, the grounds and facilities are hardly recognizable from what they were when he attended.

Additionally, Dave reconnected with Dana Harbert, the current director of admissions and one of his former teachers. The reunion was both nostalgic and enlightening, as Dana shared the history and significance of the campus developments, including a tour of the Waller Trustee House sited atop the campus.

Reflecting on his formative years and the impact of Eagle Hill, Dave informed the school that he will be generously designating funds for a scholarship through his will. He states, “I want to give back to places that molded who I am today”.

With his intention to create a scholarship through his estate plan, Dave is enrolled in Eagle Hill’s 1967 Society. Harkening back to the year of the school’s founding, this group recognizes those individuals and families who make Eagle Hill a part of their legacy through a deferred gift. We are eternally grateful to Dave and the other members of this important circle of benefactors. Eagle Hill stands to remain a leader in the education of diverse learners thanks to their far-sighted generosity.

Danielle presented at the XConf NA 2022

ALUMNI/AE NEWS - Class Notes

1980s

David Roach

David Roach stopped by campus and reminisced about the early days of Eagle Hill. So much has changed! He credits EHS for much of his success. David just retired after running a foster care home for forty years. He lives in California with his wife.

David is shown in the photo to the the right with Brittany Horne, associate director of development and stewardship, and alumni/ae associate Velvet Chestnut.

2007

Dan Rashkoff

’80

2012

Lex Zee

After graduating from Eagle Hill, Dan Rashkoff ’07 attended Springfield College, where he graduated in 2011. A year later, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During his initial training in San Antonio, TX, Dan served as a security forces airman. He was then stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany for four and a half years, during which he undertook missions and assignments in various locations, including Africa, Romania, and Israel.

In 2017, Dan was medically retired from the Air Force after suffering a cerebral brain hemorrhage. Although he fully recovered, he was no longer eligible to serve. Since returning home in May 2017, Dan has spent time with family and focused on staying healthy and active.

In June 2024, Dan visited Eagle Hill for the first time in seventeen years, since his graduation in 2007. He says, “It was really great to be back!”

2011

Jo Cutrona

Lex Zee ’12 is the founder and creative director of Studio Luddite . In New York City, Lex’s company specializes in designing custom lighting within the design trade industry. Architect and Interiors

2014

Caroline Curtis Congratulations to Caroline Curtis ’14 for earning a master’s degree from Northeastern University with a Master of Science in corporate and organizational communications.

Ryan O’Leary

’14

Ryan O’Leary ’14 is pursuing his doctoral degree at Brandeis University, studying cognitive science and neuropsychology.

’12

India recently ran a feature article about Lex and Studio Luddite. Scan the QR code to view his website.

Ramani Kapur

Ramani Kapur ’12 recently had her second child, a girl. Currently living in Dubai, Ramani also has a son who is happy to be a big brother.

2013

’15

2015

Danielle Leppert-Simenauer

Danielle Leppert-Simenauer ’15 is engaged to Dylan Duplont and is planning a May wedding in Austin, TX. See her feature in the alumni/ae spotlight on page 50.

Joe Forest

Joe Forest ’15 was married to Ana Agostinoni on July 27, and they currently reside in New York—congratulations Joe and Ana!

Jo Cutrona ’11 is a Brooklyn-based actor, singer, and filmmaker. Check out Jo’s website by scanning the QR code to see his reels and impressive list of productions. ’11

Tyler Brown

Tyler Brown ’13 works at a San Francisco based commercial film company-Avocados and Coconuts. Tyler is pursuing his passion for filmmaking and is excited to be on track to becoming a director of photography. Scan the QR code to see Tyler’s work on his website. Tyler is shown on the right with his grandfather and stepdad.

’13

2015

Grant Svarre

Eagle Hill was an incredible experience, says Grant Svarre ’15. Growing up, he struggled academically but thrived creatively, spending hours in the darkroom and art room, which sparked his passion for photography.

Now, he’s a music photographer in NYC, shooting some of the most prominent musicians in the world, and he runs a creative agency called Housematic with his DJ partner Mate. Housematic, known for its parties, music programming, event curation, and PSR Records, has performed at prestigious venues like The Four Seasons, The Ritz Carlton, The Soho Grand, Star Child, CATCH, Nikki Beach, and Ibiza. Grant says he is forever grateful for the skills he gained at EHS, which have shaped his success and who he is today.

2016

Keara McCartney

Congratulations to Keara McCartney ’16 for earning a master’s in Early Childhood Education from Dean College

Chris Ricca

Chris Ricca ’16 is currently an Aviation Firefighter in Bermuda.

Hanna Rust

Congratulations to Hanna Rust ’16 for graduating from Northeastern Illinois University

2018

Julia Mahoney

Julia Mahoney ’18 shares her running news –she’s run in the New York, Chicago, London, and Berlin marathons!

Arianna Sharpe

Arianna Sharpe ’18 earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a concentration on Creative Writing and African American Studies. She is now attending Columbia University and is enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts Writing program. Arianna plans to graduate in the fall of 2024.

Ademide Ogunwuyi

Congratulations to Ademide Ogunwuyi ’18 for graduating from Rollins College

Dre Calvert

Congratulations to Dre Calvert ’18 for graduating from Sacred Heart University

’15

’15

’16

2019

Katherine Lodge

Kate Lodge ’19 is earning her Emergency Medical Technology/Technician degree at City College of New York

Zach Archipley

Zach Archipley ’19 graduated from High Point University with a bachelor’s in theater performance. At HPU, Zach thrived academically, making the Dean’s List and receiving numerous awards, such as Outstanding Theater Performance and Best Lead Performance. He also served as the President of his Improv Club.

Jake Green

Congratulations to Jake Green ’19 who earned a Bachelor of Arts in in Media Arts Production from Emerson College. He also made the Dean’s List honors for the spring 2024 semester.

Maksymilian Robidoux

Maksymilian Robidoux ’19, a member of Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s class of 2025, was part of a student team (along with Dylan Hoffman ’21) that recently completed an intensive research project titled Agricultural Tool and Process Assessment. Maks is majoring in mechanical engineering.

Arlington Cooke

’19

Congratulations to Arlington Cooke ’19 for earning a master’s degree from Sacred Heart University

Hannah Katz

Congratulations to Hannah Katz ’19 on being named to the Muhlenberg College Dean’s List for the Spring 2024 semester.

’18

2020

Julia Martin

Julia Martin ’20 graduated from Sacred Heart University with a BS in Biology!

Classmates Chumani Heard ‘20, Penn Lehman ‘20, and EHS mathematics teacher Mrs. Linnehan were cheering her on! Julia is off to law school at Delaware Law School—Widener University

Ashley Mintz

Congratulations to Ashley Mintz ’20 on earning her degree from Lasell University She was also named to the spring 2024 Dean’s List for her academic performance.

Lily Beitle

Congratulations to Lily Beitle ’20 for graduating from the College of Charleston with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.

Taryn Del Valle

Congratulations to Taryn Del Valle ’20! She graduated from Queens University of Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Elementary Education.

Angus Lodge

Congratulations to Angus Lodge ’20 for graduating from Dean College

Sasha Brown

Sasha Brown ’20 was named to the Champlain College Dean’s List for his academic performance.

Alex Balduzzi

Congratulations to Alex Balduzzi ’20 for graduating from Manhattanville College with honors. Alex also spent a semester studying in Italy.

2021

Dylan Hoffman

Dylan Hoffman, ’21, is majoring in Data Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and recently completed an intensive research project titled Agricultural Tool and Process Assessment with a team of students (along with Maks Robidoux ’19).

Gracyn Roberts

Gracyn Roberts ’21 is attending Sacred Heart University and recently took a semester to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa.

Layth Shehadeh

Layth Shehadeh ’21 is attending Belmont University and recently studied abroad in Iceland.

Liza O’Brien

Congratulations to Liza O’Brien ’21 for completing the 2024 Boston Marathon

Nathan Rosenlev

Nathan Rosenlev ’21 was named to Clark University’s Dean’s List for his academic performance.

2022

Helen Sanford

Helen Sanford ’22 is attending Dean College and is studying abroad in Italy.

Audrey Plumb

Audrey Plumb ’22 was named to the Dean’s List at Rochester Institute of Technology for her academic perfomance.

2023

Spencer Charrington

Spencer Charrington ’23 was recognized for outstanding achievement by being named to the McDaniel College spring 2024 Dean’s List with high honors.

Schuyler Palmer

Schuyler Palmer ’23 was named to the Champlain College Dean’s List for his academic performance.

Micaela Williams

Micaela Williams ’23 is attending Nassau Community College. Micaela’s original artwork was selected to be featured in the Student Exhibition at the Plaza Art Gallery

Jacob Fendler

Congratulations to Jacob Fendler ’23. After taking a GAP year, Jacob was accepted to the University of Chicago , and with an interest in molecular engineering, he anticipates exploring the intersection of science and innovation.

Olivia Gordon

Olivia Gordon ’20 stopped by campus for a visit. She’s shown below with Mrs. Kelly.

ALUMNI/AE BREAKFAST

Alumni/ae around the world and from different classes returned to campus to celebrate with the class of 2024 during their baccalaureate ceremony and graduation day. They were also invited to attend the alumni/ae breakfast.

Andrew Beers ’23

Laurel Bloch ’13

Wyatt Boyd ’23

Lucia Calvert ’23

Velvet Chestnut ’14

Ashton Crump ’23

Michelle Czuber ’17

Daniel Feinblatt ’14

Sabrina Feinblatt ’21

Marisa Gracias ’23

Rosemond Haseltine ’14

Abby Kirby ’23

Will Krauss ’23

Owen Long ’23

Sam Marabella ’23

Collin McDade ’23

Gabby O’Hearn-Veloza ’23

Schuyler Palmer ’23

Hannah Pareles ’18

Tuva Parson ’23

Olivia Passafaro ’14

Jesse Redstone ’04

Bella Rucci ’23

Joe Sabin ’14

Margot Sauter ’23

Nick Sproul ’02

Zach Van Luling ’04

Mackenzie Wolf ’23

Whether you have a new job, big announcement, wedding, outstanding achievement, fun photos, or just want to say hi, we want to know!

Email alumni@eaglehill.school or scan the QR code to tell your story!

Hannah Pareles ’18 and Michelle Czuber ’17.

Left to right: Marisa Gracias ’23, Bella Rucci ’23, Ayden Bhagwati ’24, Lucia Calvert ’23, and Tuva Parson ’23.

Left to right: Laurel Bloch ’13, Rose Haseltine ’14, Dan Feinblatt ’14, Velvet Chestnut ’14, and Olivia Passafaro ’14. Joe Sabin ’14, Nick Sproul ’02, and Dan Feinblatt ’14.

Mr. Myra with Jesse Redstone ’04.

Ashton Crump ’23 with Mr. Flint and Mr. Mercier.

Will Krauss’23 and Andrew Beers ’23 with Mr. Ward

Laurel Bloch ’13, Sabrina Feinblatt ’21, and Velvet Chestnut ’14.

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Lipman P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Morein P ’20

Ms. Camille Samuels P ’27

Head of School’s Circle - Bronze Leader

Annual Giving

The Fund

Thank you for your 2023-2024 contribution.

Eagle Hill School Loyalty Club

The Loyalty Club recognizes our most dedicated donors. Membership is granted to donors who make gifts of any amount to support the annual giving campaigns in three or more consecutive years, including the current year.

Founder’s Circle

($50,000 and up)

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Beinner P ’24

Head of School’s Circle - Gold Leader

($25,000 - $49,999)

Mr. and Mrs. Matt Andresen P ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Archipley II P ’19

Elizabeth and Simon de Montfort Walker P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. David A. Hoyt P ’15

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher P. Halpin P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Korros P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Peter R. Merriam P ’15

Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Owens P ’26

Mrs. Abigail F. Steller ’08

Mr. and Mrs. Matt Tucker P ’25

Mrs. Qian Yu P ’28

Head of School’s Circle - Silver Leader

($15,000 - $24,999 )

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew H. Berman P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Evan Damast P ’27

Mr. Max Herrnstein and Ms. Danielle Curi P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. William Higgins P ’24

Ira M. Resnick Foundation, Inc.

($10,000 - $14,999)

Anonymous

Mr. Thomas R. Banks and Ms. Candace Banks P ’24

Sarah L. Boles and Family P ’15

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher J. Boova P ’25

Mr. Raymond Chan and Ms. Katherine Yang P ’27

Dr. Jason L. Charnley and Dr. Erin M. P. Charnley P ’25, P ’27

Sarah Lambert and John Dolan P ’26 - The Longview Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. David W. Donahower P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Jason W. Dreisbach

Ms. Catherine C. Fisher P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Gerson P ’22

Ms. Heath Koch and Mr. Dod Wales P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. John Hernandez P ’27

The Howard Bayne Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Howarth P ’27

Rob and Nina Kaufelt P ’25

Mr. Christopher R. Larson P ’14

Mark and Christa Lopez P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Nootbaar P ’24

The Springcreek Foundation

Oak Society

($7,500 - $9,999)

Mr. William Kennard and Ms. Deborah Kennedy P ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Roffler P ’22

Pioneer Society

($5,000 - $7,499)

Ms. Candace Alsop P ’00

Mr. Robert Andrews and Mr. Keith Largay P ’28

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Behenna P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Bernstein P ’21, P ’24

Ms. Marcy Brown P ’22

Mrs. Peter Campbell P ’21

Mr. and Mrs. Christian Chute P ’26

Ms. Suzanne Dockery P ’24

Mr. James B. Richardson

Ms. Donna L. Dubinsky and Dr. Leonard J. Shustek P ’10

Fleming Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Goose P ’24

Mr. Charlie Humber P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Joseph P ’13

John & Weezie Gates Charitable Trust

Steve and Sharon Judge P ’07, P ’10

Dr. Elizabeth K. Krimendahl P ’25

Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Louie P ’00

Mr. and Mrs. David Merjan P ’16

Mr. and Mrs. Sung Pak P ’24

Mr. Harold Schwartz and Ms. Elisa Pollack P ’24

Dr. and Mrs. David Staffenberg P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Kent Stryker P ’23

Ms. Marilyn A. Waller and Mr. Doron Weinberg P ’07, P ’10

Mr. Keith Waryas and Mrs. Amy Waryas P ’26

Benefactor’s Society

($2,500 - $4,999)

Anonymous

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Audette GP ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Bafaro Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Timbre Bernard P ’28

Mr. Alden J. Bianchi and Ms. Mary Kett

Ms. Helane Z. Brachfeld-Colvin P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Howard A. Brecher P ’13

Mr. Donato C. Capobianco and Ms. Kimberly C. Capobianco P ’25, P ’28

Mr. Neil Chopra and Ms. Monica Rios P ’26

Mr. Alexander T. Dike and Ms. Siobhan S. Flynn P ’22

Ms. Kimberly Dreier P ’21

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Elfner P ’27

Mr. Alexander Essing and Mrs. Martina Janovic P ’27

Mr. Ali Farahnakian and Ms. Beth Saunders P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fiore P ’26

Mr. Ying Hu and Mrs. Qin Wang P ’24

Mr. Charlie Ike and Ms. Elizabeth J. Fedele P ’25

Mr. William Intner and Dr. TJ Intner P ’27

Mr. Aron Knickerbocker P ’26, P ’28

Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Lent P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Manizza P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Mazurczak P ’15

Mrs. Deb Odom Stern P ’20

Dr. Michael P. Riendeau and Mrs. Mary Ann Riendeau

Rollstone Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin H. Saunders P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Hamburg Tang Jr. P ’22

Christopher and Karen Welsh

Mr. and Mrs. David Wood P ’27

The Wynne Baglio Family

Hardwick Society

($1,000 - $2,499)

Ms. Elizabeth W. Alsop ’00

Mr. John P. Amershadian and Ms. Denise Hanlon P ’06

Ms. Jennifer Anderson P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Aronica P ’12

Mr. Bruce W. Baber P ’08

Mr. and Mrs. David M. Balducci

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander J. Barrera P ’26

Mr. Eric Blumencranz and Ms. Jessica Berner P ’21

Brown Electric Co.

Mr. and Mrs. David Cranford P ’22

Dr. E. Jane Cronin

Rich and Erin Cummings P ’19

Davidowitz Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. James DeCillo P ’27

Ms. Amee Desjourdy P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. David Feinblatt P ’14, P ’21

Mr. Christopher Fender and Dr. Anne Fender P ’27

Designates member of the Eagle Hill Loyalty Club

Ms. Stephanie Frost P’21

Ms. Norma Greenberg GP ’27

Mr. Alexander M. Gregory and Ms. Jessica K. Scott P ’24, P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Gruber P ’21

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen D. Hoyt P ’28

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson III P ’27

Mr. Grant Jones P ’25

Mr. George Joseph P ’26

Nancy and Wade Judge P ’06

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Kemmerer P ’26

Ms. Stacey A. Kinnamon P ’16

Mr. and Mrs. John LaMagna P ’24

Rick and Jessica Macdonald

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel F. Mahoney III P ’20

Dr. and Mrs. James A. Marvin P ’22

Ms. Abby Mintz P ’04, P ’05

Dr. Susan Mooney and Ms. Tish Mooney P ’21, P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Terrence W. Olson P ’18

Mrs. Katherine G. Rabbe P ’26, P ’28

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Racine P ’25

Mr. Jason L. Richardson ’83

Dr. and Mrs. Mitchell Rubinstein P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rust P ’16

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sanford P ’22

Mr. Samuel H. Slosek and Mrs. Rachael S. Freeman P ’28

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Soep P ’23

Mr. and Mrs. David Spath P ’99

Dr. and Mrs. Eric Stone

Mr. Mark Tally and Ms. Teresa Andre P ’18

Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Torrans P ’20

Mr. and Mrs. Domenic P. Triola

Zacharie and Louis Vinios P ’07

Dr. Douglas C. Waite and Dr. Martha B. Waite P ’17

Mr. Nils Wilson

Dr. Eugene Zappi and Dr. Laura Buccheri Zappi P ’22

Mr. and Mrs. Jason M. Zorfas P ’12

Green and White Club

($500 - $999)

Dr. Harlan F. Bittner and Dr. Rebecca B. Bittner P ’07

Mr. Bruce T. Boccardy

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Brophy

Mr. and Mrs. Greer Brown P ’26

Mr. Charles Crossan

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Dube

Oscarlyn and Todd Elder P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory T. Fair P ’21

Mr. Jed Geary and Mrs. Jessica Geary

Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Goldman P ’06

Mr. Laurence Green and Ms. Karen Hershey P ’19

Dr. and Mrs. Lonnie Hanauer

Mr. Dana Harbert

Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Haseltine P ’14

Garry and Sharon Hennessy GP ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Shannon P. Holgate P ’24

Mr. Robert Isabella

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Katz P ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Scott H. Kenig

Mrs. Angela C. Kitzmiller

Mr. Sam Lambert and Mrs. Marie Sheffield P ’27

Lamoureux Ford, Inc.

Dr. Nikolajs Lapins and Mrs. Denise Lapins

Mr. and Mrs. Francis F. Leaf P ’16, in memory of Nathan Leaf

Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Lorion

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Lynch P ’25

Ms. Elizabeth G. McGee P ’25

Ms. Carolyn H. McGrory GP ’13

Mr. Bryant McInnis and Ms. Rochelle Jordan-McInnis P ’22

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Moody P ’23

Mr. Afshin Mottaghi P ’27

Dr. RoseAnn Murray P ’23

Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Nastasi

Mr. and Mrs. Frank O’Brien III P ’21

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis M. O’Leary P ’14

Mr. and Mrs. David F. Oury P ’14

Mr. Lucius Palmer and Ms. Sloane Lederer P ’23

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Parrish P ’17

Mr. and Mrs. Bob and Deb Pillsbury Jr.

R. J. McDonald, Inc.

Mr. Andrew C. Right and Ms. Isabel Brewster P ’26

Rich Rosen and Millie Zweir P ’18

Mr. Richard A. Rosenlev and Ms. Larni S. Rosenlev P ’21

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Schneider P ’01

Mr. Vance I. Thurston and Ms. Karen B. Loewenstern P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Trudeau P ’27

Mr. Marc Ulep and Ms. Nisa Gosselink-Ulep P ’27

Mr. Marc Van Der Hout and Ms. Jody LeWitter

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Wallace P ’24

Andrew and Tesha Ward P ’28

Mr. and Mrs. Didier Weizman P ’24

Mr. E. J. White and Rev. Kathryn White

Mr. Andrew Wingate and Dr. Tanya Bilchik P ’16

Mr. and Mrs. Neil Zelekowitz P ’12

Friendship Club

($1 - $499)

Mr. Alessandro H. Abys ’12

Mr. and Mrs. William F. Aldrich P ’04

Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Allen P ’15

Mrs. Sandra Allen P ’24

Mrs. Jane Alwis

Mr. David Annunziata

Anonymous

Dottie Bachtold

Dr. Juan A. Bacigalupi

Mr. Jonathan G. Baker

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Barker P ’25

Mr. James Barkus

Mr. and Mrs. George M. Bartlett GP ’27

Mr. Patrick A. Beers P ’23

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Begin

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Begin

Mr. Fausto Benavides and Ms. Suzanne Holden P ’27

Ms. Marcia Bobka

Mrs. Kimberlee Bonica

Braman Termite and Pest Elimination

Mrs. Kacie L. Breeds

Ms. Cira L. Brown ’04

Mr. Christopher Buelow and Ms. Jenna Garvey P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Burke GP ’26

Mr. Cole Callahan and Mrs. Sara Callahan ’02 P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Callahan P ’16

Mr. Robert A. Caplan ’04

Mr. Brandon J. Carone ’08

Ms. Susan A. Casey P ’08

Ms. Noreen Cassidy

Ms. Velvet Chestnut ’14

Mr. and Mrs. David S. Christie P ’07

Ms. Carolyn I. Ciccotelli ’08

Designates member of the Eagle Hill Loyalty Club

Mr. and Mrs. Tamir Clarke P ‘27

Mr. Jason T. Cohen and Ms. Lori Palace P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Condakes P ’14

Mr. and Mrs. Martin F. Connors Jr.

Mr. Jonathan Coutu

Mr. Chanceller C. Curd ’20

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Curry GP ’24

Mrs. Jeanne M. Cutrona P ’11

Mr. Adam R. Davidowitz ’03

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dawson

Mr. Frank Diliddo

Mr. and Mrs. Brad Doherty

Ms. Erin Dohn GP ’24

Mr. Eddie Dowdell and Ms. Michele Edelstein P ’25

Mr. Jonathan M. Eisenberg and Ms. Denise M. Faneuff P ’24

Mr. Albert Elfner III GP ’27

Mr. Daniel J. Feinblatt ’14

Ms. Sabrina D. Feinblatt ’21

Mr. and Mrs. George M. Fenton P ’15

Shane and Becca Francoeur

Ms. Morgan M. Frost ’21

Ms. Jen Gallant and Ms. Nancy Doby P ’27

Mr. Owen R. George ’22

Mrs. Jean F. Geraghty P ’11

Ms. Jeanne Goldberg and Ms. Deborah N. Gottesman P ’18

Dr. Stanley A. Goldman and Cantor Frances Goldman GP ’24

Ms. Karen Goudey and Mr. Kurt Staven

Ms. Molly Gray

Ms. Ashley Green

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis R. Grimes P ’12

Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Groman P ’04, P ’07, P ’09

Mrs. Colleen E. Groner

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Halpin GP ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Hamburger

Mr. Christopher C. Hammond and Ms. Polly Clapp P ’07

Mr. Christopher J. Hancock

Mr. and Mrs. David A. Haynes II P ’11

Mr. Brian P. Heneghan

Mr. Brian Hetzel

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Holden P ’21

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hopper

Mrs. Jenna Hubacz

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas H. Ingraham

Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Jackson Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Jacobsmeyer P ’12

Mr. and Mrs. Donal Jamieson P ’25

Ms. Allison M. Johnson P ’28

Ms. Shannon Johnston

Mr. Cean Jones and Mrs. Diana A. Melhado-Jones P ’27

Ms. Tricia Joseph P ’26

Mr. Matthew H. Joseph ’13

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Joubert

Ms. Taylor A. Judge ’07

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Kanozek

Mr. David Kaplan and Ms. Christine Brown P ’02

Ms. Ann C. Kauffman

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Keller GP ’25

Mr. Scott T. Kelley

Mr. and Mrs. Ian M. Kelly

Mr. Richard D. Kendrick ’23

Dr. and Mrs. Christopher M. Kenney P ’22

Rich Kmiec and Mary Elizabeth Messier

Ms. Chris Komenda

Mr. and Mrs. Gary C. LaCoste

Nancy and Marc Lagrant

Dr. David M. Leahy

Ms. Danielle M. Leppert-Simenauer ’15

Mr. Kenneth Leyva

Mr. Scott M. Lincoln and Mrs. Amy A. Auman-Lincoln P ’15

Ms. Donna Linnehan and Mrs. Joyce Ward

Mr. Gustave Lipman GP ’25

Mr. Jeffrey Y. Louie ’00

Mr. and Mrs. Richard O. Lucht P ’25

Ms. Carmela Lucich Villarreal

Mrs. Diana T. Mackiewicz

Mr. Daniel H. Mackinson ’08

Mr. Claude Maechling and Ms. Carrie McNally P ’22

Mr. Peter M. Mahoney ’20

Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Mahony P ’18

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Marabella P ’23

Mr. James F. Marrs

Ms. Elizabeth May P ’26

Dr. and Mrs. Anthony McCaffrey

Mr. Matthew McCann

Mrs. Emily McCutchen

Todd C. and Julie L. McDonald

Ms. Wendy L. McFaul

Mr. Andrew B. McGee P ’25

Ms. Nicole McNulty

Mrs. Judith Medeiros GP ’25

Ms. Catharine S. Mehl P ’16

Mr. and Mrs. Paul F. Mickey Jr. P ’23

Mr. John Miller and Dr. Rebecca Foley Miller

Mr. Douglas H. Minich GP ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew C. Moreland P ’19, ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Morelli P ’23

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Mosca

Mr. and Mrs. George P. Munsey IV P ’10

Mr. and Mrs. Leo N. Murray P ’25

Mr. Jeffrey E. Myra

Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Myra

Ms. Laurel Nahorniak

Dr. and Mrs. John P. Nicholson Jr. P ’18

Dr. Nancy Nitenson P ’28

Ms. Carol Novick P ’03

Mr. Paul Oppenheimer ’29

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Orphanos P ’26

Mrs. Alicia J. Quigley and Mr. Ryan Merrill

Mr. Daniel I. Rashkoff ’07

Rick and Dawn Raymond

Ms. Julia N. Raysman ’08

Ms. Caryl Rice

Mr. Wesley A. Richardson

Ms. Finleigh R. Riendeau

Mr. Stephen Riendeau

Mr. and Mrs. Jay Rooney P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Alan G. Rubenstein P ’12

Mrs. Devon Ruud

Mr. and Mrs. David Sabini P ’03

Mrs. Robin L. Samuelson

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Shanks

Mr. Daniel Shapiro and Mrs. Argiro K. Shapiro P ’25

Ms. Nancy J. Skamarycz

Mr. and Mrs. D. V. Smith Jr. P ’13

Mrs. Cheryl A. Southwick

Mr. Gary R. Sporn ’96

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Staiti

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Stein P ’27

Mr. Harrison Stern ’20

Mr. Carl W. Stockwell ’00

Mr. and Mrs. David and Lea Sylvestro

Ms. Annie Talmage P ’28

Dr. Ellen Telzer GP ’25

Ms. Lisa Tighe P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Tocci P ’06

Mr. Eric Treadwell and Ms. Erica Richards P ’28

Mr. and Mrs. Karl J. Turcotte P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Philip O. Urbano P ’09

Ms. Gina M. Urbano ’09

Mr. Zachary M. van Luling ’04

Mr. and Mrs. Barrett Weiss P ’99

Mr. and Mrs. Jochen Welsch

Ms. Carla H. Westcott P ’12

Ms. Stephanie Whitaker

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony R. Winter P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Witt

Ms. Liberty Yancey P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Zens P ’27

Mr. Benjamin E. Zorfas ’12

Learning Never Stops

Endowed gifts of distinction.

At Eagle Hill, our faculty benefit from recently created endowed funds that support professional development and enrichment. These funds underwrite continuing education, allowing our teachers to pursue new or advanced degrees, professional certifications, and more. Faculty constantly striving to learn embody the same drive for self-improvement that they inspire in their students. The end result is a vibrant community where everyone is motivated to reach their full potential and has the support to do so.

Additionally, the ability to offer such meaningful benefits is a significant advantage for Eagle Hill School. Attracting and retaining top-tier talent is made easier when prospective faculty members see that the school prioritizes their ongoing development and well-being.

The faculty are immensely grateful to those benefactors who have made this support possible.

Scan to plan your endowed gift.

Organizations and Matching Gift Companies

Ameriprise Financial

Graham Holdings Company

MFA Financial, Inc

Starr Companies Matching Gifts Program

Truist

The 1967 Society

The 1967 Society harkens back to the year of Eagle Hill School’s founding and recognizes those generous and farsighted friends who have made the school’s future a part of their personal legacy. Whether made by will, annuity, trust, or another fashion, planned gifts are often a school’s most significant means of support and can have a profound impact.

Ms. Candace Alsop P ’00

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Archipley II P ’19

Ms. Mary Ruth Beaumont P ’11

Mr. Alden J. Bianchi and Ms. Mary Kett

Mr. and Mrs. James Bustamante P ’18

Ms. Suzanne Chapman P ’09

Mr. and Mrs. John M. Cobb P ’13

Mr. Ricardo Escobar ’81 and Mrs. Ingrid Escobar P ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin B. Fish P ’21

Ms. Maura FitzGerald and Mr. Allen Carney P ’08

Mr. Erik Fleming and Ms. Torrance Watkins

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Fortin P ’16

Mr. and Mrs. John S. Gee P ’11

Mr. Michael Haskett P ’22

The David and Janyce Hoyt Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Joseph P ’13

Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Judge P ’07, P ’10

Mr. Arthur N. Langhaus and Mrs. Kathy Marlin-Langhaus P ’14

Dr. and Mrs. PJ McDonald P ’18

Mr. and Mrs. David Merjan P ’16

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Morein P ’20

Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Reynolds P ’01

Mr. James B. Richardson

Mr. Michael P. Riendeau and Mrs. Mary Ann Riendeau

Mr. Dave Roach

Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Rogers GP ’04

Mr. Fred Van Lennep

Endowments

Endowments are the financial bedrock of an institution. Permanent funds, they speak to the donors’ unwavering belief in Eagle Hill School. With income providing leading support for scholarship, student life, faculty development, and more, these funds and the families and foundations behind them are forever a part of our school’s journey and growth.

The Moriah Fund Endowed Scholarship

The Larson Endowed Fund

The 1434 Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Hadley Family Endowed Scholarship

The Rodney and Janice Reynolds Endowed Fund for Financial Aid

The Janice and Rodney Reynolds Endowed Fund for Faculty

The Beinner Family Scholarship Fund

The Lynyak Family Fund

The PJM Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Michael Riendeau Endowed Fund for Excellence

The Joseph Family Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Otto-Bernstein Endowed Scholarship

Community, In-Kind, and Special Contributions

Support for Eagle Hill comes in many forms. Whether it is hosting a reception for EHS families at their home (or virtually), welcoming Eagle Hill School staff and friend to their country club, volunteering on or away from campus, or any number of things in between, the Eagle Hill family is generous beyond measure. For the year 2023-2024 a special thanks to:

Anonymous

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Archipley II P ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Matt Andresen P ’19

Dr. Jason and Dr. Erin Charnley P ’26 P ’27

Brown Electric Company

E&R Cleaners

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin B. Fish P ’21

Gracias Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald M. Lodge P ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Mazurczak P ’15

Melissa and Alex Milne-Pott P ’25

Mr. James B. Richardson

Mr. and Mrs. Leo N. Murray P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Stein P ’20

Mr. and Mrs. Hamburg Tang Jr. P ’22

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Van Pelt P ’17

Mr. Keith Waryas and Mrs. Amy Waryas P ’26

PJM Scholarship (gifts made in the 2023-2024 year)

A.T. Leonard and Associates

American International Group, Inc.

B. J. Bertram Foundation Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Luis Baez

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Bassick

The Commercial Lending Team at Country Bank

Davidowitz Foundation

E&R Cleaners

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher P. Halpin P ’26

Hanover Insurance Company Payroll Campaign Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Hausser GP ’09

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hopper

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Katz P ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Mazurczak P ’15

Mr. and Mrs. George P. Munsey IV P ’10

Ms. Sarah J. Raunecker and Mr. Robert H. Alberts

Mr. Griffin H. Rouse ’04

Mr. and Mrs. John N. Tannebring P ’10

United Health Group

The Unum

Mr. and Mrs. Philip O. Urbano P ’09

Mr. Keith Waryas and Mrs. Amy Waryas P ’26

Campaign Gifts home@eaglehill

Anonymous

Mr. Matt and Mrs. Teri Andresen ’19

Mr. Thomas R. Banks and Ms. Candace Banks P ’24

Mary Ruth Beaumont P ’11

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Behenna P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Beinner P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew H. Berman P ’27

Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Bernstein P ’21, P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Christian Chute P ’26

Elizabeth and Simon de Montfort Walker P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. David W. Donahower P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fiore P ’26

Ms. Catherine C. Fisher P ’26

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Friedman P ’25

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Gerson P ’22

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew S. Gilsdorf P ’24

Gracias Family Foundation

Mr. Max Herrnstein and Ms. Danielle Curi P ’24

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Howarth P ’27

Ray and Anne Hyer P ’23

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Lipman P ’25

Ms. Ali Long P ’23, P ’26

Mark and Christa Lopez P’24

Mr. Claude Maechling and Ms. Carrie McNally P ’22

Mr. Stephen E. Maharam and Ms. Camila Pastor

Karen McCulley

The Moriah Fund

Mr. Par-Jorgen Parson and Ms. Annika B. Sten Parson P ’23

Mr. James B. Richardson

Dave Roach

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Smith GP ’22

The Springcreek Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Stein P ’22

Mr. and Mrs. Kent Stryker P ’23

Thesseling Family Charitable Fund

Mr. Christopher Turner P ’24

Fred Van Lennep

Zacharie and Louis Vinios P ’07

Five Stages of Dormitory Living

By Dr. Eric Stone, assistant head of school for student life

For many students, switching from task to task, managing time, or organizing, prioritizing, and activating for tasks are often challenging. These challenges can cause students to want to give up and parents to look for answers or “fixes” to help their children discover ways to be more organized or accomplished students and, more importantly, happy. Faculty at Eagle Hill work with students to help them find ways to organize themselves—from backpacks to dorm rooms, from paragraph structure to multi-page essays, and from waking up to preparing for bed.

These executive functioning skills are not mastered all at once or in a specific order; instead, faculty meet the students where they are and build from there. Teachers help teach/practice these skills in the classroom, and resident counselors teach them in dormitories. Moving into my new position in student life having spent twenty-seven years in the classroom with only occasional interactions with students in the dormitories, I began to think of how faculty in student life could better assist students in developing these skills. Serendipitously, Michael Riendeau shared Cal Newport’s book Deep Work with me.

It was with this concept in mind that we began to collaborate with ARC (Architectural Resources Cambridge) in planning for a new senior dormitory. The dormitory will house seniors and perhaps a few lucky juniors, allowing them more independence and a college-like atmosphere to better prepare them for their post-high school lives.

Newport describes a concept developed by architect David Dewane called the Eudaimonia Machine. The Eudaimonia Machine, according to Dawane, is a linear series of spaces or stages that takes the occupant through increasingly deeper levels of examination, culminating in what he calls “deep work” (see diagram above).

Dewane envisions the five stages as sequential rooms meeting the needs of specific tasks, starting with the gallery, a place for inspiration. The second space is the salon used for socialization, creativity, and inspiration. Third is a library used for research. Fourth, a more or less traditional office space used for light work. And finally, the chamber for deep work.

My intuition was that the concept of Eudaimonia Machine could be used to design a living space that allowed students to pass through various stages—from entering the dorm, through communal spaces, through resident counselor areas, through collaborative study spaces, and finally to their dorm rooms and feel like they were passing into a space where they could achieve deep work.

While the design is in its early stages, care has been given to Dewane’s idea of moving intentionally from public to private spaces to prepare students for deep work. Our thinking is that moving through the carefully designed spaces will help students activate for school tasks. The function of each space, while intentional, will also be intuitive. Transitioning from communal to private spaces will both consciously and subconsciously help students switch from task to task as they are physically transitioning to a space with different expectations and appointments in our version of the Eudaimonia Machine.

The new dormitory complex will be the latest installment of Eagle Hill’s efforts to create the very best learning and living environment for our students and faculty. Our strategic development has been driven not by getting bigger, but by continuously getting better. Every previous campus improvement, made possible by the generosity of the Eagle Hill community, has brought with it real and impactful enhancements to our programming- including academics, the arts, athletics, and more. We are excited to begin this journey with the next cohort of benefactors in the home@eaglehill campaign.

The Eudamonia Machine diagram illustrating the linear spaces or stages of dormitory living.