Foote Prints Spring 2024

Foote Prints

Spring 2024

Mission What We Do

Empower children to lead with courage, compassion, and purpose.

Vision | Why We Do It

Inspire the next generation to change the world.

Values | Ideas We Live By Discovery

Curiosity, creativity, and joyful inquiry drive learning. We explore diverse paths to ask and answer questions, generate solutions, and better understand ourselves and our world.

Authenticity

Individuality, expression, and self-acceptance are essential to personal growth and development. True to ourselves, we develop our unique identities and capacity to navigate a complex world.

Community

We are a diverse, inclusive community where everyone belongs. We are leaders – prepared, connected, and responsible to each other and to our local and global communities.

Spring 2024 | Vol. 51 No. 1

The Foote School

50 Loomis Place, New Haven, CT 06511

203-777-3464• www.footeschool.org

“Laete cognoscam et laete docebo | Gladly will I learn and gladly teach."

Foote Prints is published twice a year for alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty, and friends.

Editor

Frances Moore

Class Notes Editors

Mary Beth Claflin

Amy Stephens Sudmyer ’89

Jody Abzug P ’14, ’14

Design

Frances Moore, Lindsay Russo

Photography

Stephanie Anestis, Frances Moore, Michael Valente

Contributors

Elisha Cooper ’86 (illustrations) Rashana Graham, Christina MacLean, Amy Stephens Sudmyer ’89

Board of Directors 2023–2024

Shirin Adelman

Kavitha Bindra, President

Elon Boms

Emily Brenner, Secretary

Mike Caplan

Wick Chambers ’62

Annette Charles, Co-Chair Governance & Nominations

Maryam Chohan

Ronald Coleman ’04

Danielle Ginnetti

Mona Gohara

Rebecca Good

George Joseph, Co-Vice President

Andy Rapkin, Co-Vice President

Geert Rouwenhorst, Treasurer

Jessie Royce Hill

Ty Sullivan

Brett Weiss

Mai Wu ’84

Ex Officio

Aléwa Cooper, Head of School

J. Richard Lee, Immediate Past President

The Foote School complies with all applicable civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristics in any of its educational programs or activities, including employment. Protected characteristics (or protected classes) include race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, alienage, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law. The School is specifically required by Title IX and other applicable federal and state laws not to discriminate in such a manner.

“We are unwavering in our commitment to fostering a growth mindset.”

Celebrating Shared Experiences

Education at Foote has always extended far beyond the classroom. Our learning environment is enriched by real-world experiences, our beautiful campus, and the diverse perspectives that each member brings to our school. As we witness global events unfolding, we strengthen our resolve to foster strong community connections — not just within our school walls but beyond them.

At the heart of our students’ educational journey is curiosity, the drive to explore, and the courage to take educated risks — even when they lead to mistakes — for these are the gateways to growth, and we are unwavering in our commitment to fostering a growth mindset. It is not just an academic ideal, it is the foundation that enables our students to adapt, learn, and thrive in a world that never ceases to change; it is the bedrock upon which we build our community.

Similarly, we recognize that the growth of our faculty directly influences our students' growth. Professional development remains a high priority as we invest in opportunities that equip our faculty and staff with the latest pedagogical strategies. This commitment to professional growth ensures that our educators can continue to inspire, guide, and support our students, irrespective of the changing educational landscape.

We are invigorated by the possibilities that lie at the intersection of tradition and innovation, embracing both the challenges and opportunities that come with change, finding strength in the support from our community, the dedication to our enduring values, and our belief that education is the most powerful tool we have for making a difference in the world.

So, we continue to find opportunities to come together, share experiences, and learn from one another. Our aim is not only to educate, but also to build bridges of understanding and empathy that extend into the wider world.

It is in our unity that we find our anchor, ensuring that we remain a motivated, supportive, vibrant, and engaged community.

News & Events

Follow us on social media to stay on top of the latest happenings at Foote! @thefooteschool

December

Early America Day @ New Haven Museum

January

February

Third Graders make K’nexions!

Alumnus Ian Haile ’18 with an improvised visit!

ON THE SHELVES

Check it out!

Art = Activism

“Stay true to the story you want to tell,” Foote parent and author Rhonda Roumani told Middle Schoolers during her November Twichell Talk. Her new YA book, Tagging Freedom, explores graffiti as a form of activism, set against the backdrop of conflict in Syria and the 2011 Arab Spring revolutions. “Sometimes there are things in our community that we care about and that we need to stand up for. Sometimes a wall is the best place to say something — especially if you can’t control the message anywhere else.”

Read more about Roumani’s Twichell Talk: footeschool.org/news

“When

I purchase books for our library I ask: ‘Does this story provide a voice to someone whose story has not been told or really fully understood? Does this story shine a light on an injustice, a conflict? Are characters moved to find courage and speak their truth in their own way?’ These qualities make for great reading and they open our eyes.”

Soul Power!

Award-winning author Winsome Bingham introduced our Lower School students to her books Welcome to Fort Goode, and Soul Food Sunday, celebrating the power of food, friends, and family.

‘It's

What You Do With What Happens to You’ Elite athlete Chris Waddell leads by example, inspiring our students to do the same. Check out his new children's book: Is it Lonely to be a Four-Leaf Clover? available in the Perrine Library!

— Jennifer Friedman, Foote Librarian

HONORING MLK JR.

‘Bending Toward Justice’

In our words, our actions, our music, and respect for each other, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and keep his message in our hearts and minds.

MOSAIC

We've Got Rhythm!

This fall MOSAIC (Multicultural, Openminded, Supportive, Accepting, Inclusive, Community) hosted an evening of music and movement with West African percussionist Baba Kwamé Henry Jones of Infinite Roots.

Showcasing SEL in the Classroom

Developed at Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, RULER is “a systemic approach to social and emotional learning (SEL).” Though RULER's practices and principles have been in use at Foote for many years, the faculty RULER Committee is taking note of individual initiatives, and sharing them fellow faculty through a monthly newsletter.

Each issue contains tips, ideas for activities, highlights from other schools and institutions, and Foote faculty spotlights, featuring standout RULER practices that they hope might inspire others.

“We hope that this will keep SEL alive, because you do it every single

day, and it can be integrated into anything,” RULER Committee co-leader and Third Grade Teacher Emily Hennick explained to faculty and staff.

Co-leader Kossouth Bradford added, “This is a space where you can go if you need some ideas, or if you want to share with others what you are doing. We know you’re all implementing it, so it would be great for our colleagues to know what strategies you’re using with your students.”

ABOUT RULER:

RULER aims to infuse the principles of emotional intelligence into the immune system of PreK to 12 schools,

informing how leaders lead, teachers teach, students learn, and families support students.

RULER is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence:

Recognizing emotions in oneself and others

Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions

Labeling emotions with a nuanced vocabulary

Expressing emotions in accordance with cultural norms and social context

Regulating emotions with helpful strategies

‘Head’ of the Class

Head of School Aléwa Cooper was accepted into the Klingenstein Center, Columbia University Teachers College's prestigious Heads of Schools Program. This January, Aléwa spent two weeks completing the intensive fellowship program, focusing on themes like educational philosophy, ethics, and reflective practices.

Lower School faculty members Alexandra Wittner (kindergarten) and Kristie Guevremont (fourth grade) were accepted into SEED’s New Leaders Training Program, and will begin training in March. According to its website, SEED creates “conversational communities that drive change.”

Beginning next fall, after completion of the threemonth training, the two will be SEED leaders for Foote

Starters

faculty and staff.

“In this role, we will lead ongoing sessions with facilitated activities and structured conversations as participants explore and learn about their own identities, create a better understanding of the impact of their identities, and explore ways to work towards justice and an equitable school environment,” Alexandra said.

Making connections

Among the many perks of a K–9 school is the opportunity for students of all ages to learn from each other. Above, seventh-grade scientist/author/artists turned their astronomical research into a multimedia experience for our youngest learners. Below, sixth- and ninth-grade science classes teamed up for DNA analysis in the lab.

Our whole-child program integrates mind, body, and heart! Kindergartners practice mindfulness, meditation, and movement with yoga instruction by Foote parent Birke Gregg.

MathCounts in Middle School!

If you pop into the Twichell Room on a Thursday during the study hall block, you might find students engaged in a feisty game of Jeopardy!, coloring group name tags, drawing on windows, and excitedly engaged in group conversations. This energetic atmosphere is, in fact, a mathematics club.

The MathCounts Club is not new to Foote, but this year its leaders, Alora Hanson ’26 and Samir Iydroose ’25, were determined to mix things up. For example, in an effort to make the club as inclusive as possible, Alora said she intentionally creates groups of students whose paths don’t regularly cross, encouraging them to work together to solve a problem.

“I wanted the MathCounts experience to be more engaging for everyone involved,” she explained. “Sometimes we structure it in a way that matches people who want extra help with people who have a stronger skill set. We want it to be enjoyable for everyone.”

That includes the activities they choose. Alongside advisors John Hay and Timothy Norman, the leaders devise games, problems, and challenges that focus on more than mere skill-building.

“We’ll explain concepts, and I’ll teach little tricks at the beginning of the club meetings, and if someone has trouble, I’ll help them break it down,” Samir said. At the same time, he clarified, there’s no particular skill level required to participate.

When they make their weekly club announcement at Morning Meeting, Samir and Alora have made the club so appealing, that they’ll often host far more students than the club's 18 members.

For Samir, the math opportunities at the school cemented his decision to come to Foote last year. After hearing about the club at a Morning Meeting during his admissions visit, he was excited to know that there were other students who shared his passion.

“I find math to be really interesting because there is a way to figure out how to solve every problem,” he said. “When I was a new student last year, MathCounts was a great way to get to know people.”

Alora’s interest in math runs deep, too.

She said, “I’ve always found it interesting to challenge myself, and I like that there's a definite answer to a problem. I can build off the topics and skills I've previously learned, and at our club, I can do this with my friends and meet new people.”

9TH GRADE PRESENTS:

Theater Abridged

Fall Sports

Winter Sports

After a nearly two-year self-study process — conducted by Foote faculty/staff, board members, and parents/guardians — followed by an in-depth, on-campus evaluation by the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), Foote’s accreditation was renewed for another 10 years.

The CAIS visiting team reported: “[We] commend the school for the evidence of its mission in action, notably in the student-centered approach that permeates the school.”

In reporting the news to the community, Head of School Aléwa Cooper acknowledged that the re-accreditation is not merely an official stamp of approval, it is an acknowledgment of Foote’s commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience.

“It is a testament to the quality and integrity of our institution,” she continued. “Together, we scru-

tinized every aspect of our school's operations, from academic excellence to administrative efficacy, ensuring that we meet, and where possible, exceed the benchmarks set by CAIS.”

To read more about the re-accreditation process, including commendations and recommendations, visit us online: footeschool.org/news

Student Voices

MIDDLE SCHOOL: Courage, Compassion, Purpose

If you know Middle Schoolers, you know they have opinions! In sharing some of their thoughts with us, we see how effortlessly they embody Foote’s mission. Here’s what they think:

WHO THEY MOST ADMIRE (AND WHY):

I admire my mom. She has always been there for me and is my favorite person. I admire her passion and drive to accomplish anything she wants to and how confident she is. (Ava ’25)

My moms are my heroes for raising my sister and me as true feminists. (Zazie’26)

Taylor Swift, because she can do anything and donates to charity. (Izzy ’27)

Someone I admire is Sarah J. Maas, the author of Throne of Glass. I learned that her writing was rejected by multiple publishers but she still perseveres, and now she has more than 10 books published! (Natalie ’27)

WHAT THEY’RE READING (AND WHAT THEY RECOMMEND):

Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Space Race by Douglas Brinkley

The Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman

WHERE THEY LIKE TO HANG:

My favorite spot on campus is the gym. This is because I like playing basketball in my free time. (Anonymous ’25)

I really like the Tech Lab because it's a very fun place to be in and I like all the technology in there like the 3D printers and laser cutters. (Aiden ’25)

The balcony of the JM building because you can see the whole playground and field. (Anonymous ’27)

My favorite spot on campus is under the stairs in the JM building, because it's comfortable, it feels secure, and my friends and I like to be there. (Anonymous ’25)

I love the library because it is a trove of literature, where I can always find something to satisfy my reading needs. (Tristan ’27)

Illustrations by Elisha Cooper ’86

THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING A FOOTE STUDENT:

Here’s the best thing about being a Foote student: The flexibility to learn what you want and use the school resources in whatever way you want. (Zachary ’25)

The best part about being a student here at Foote is how good of an education we get. I was in a public school for three years, and I will admit it was hard. But at Foote, they are more accommodating, and we also learn to be better people. (Ella ’25)

WHAT SUPER POWERS THEY’D LIKE:

Flight

Teleportation

Invisibility

Mind-reading

Time travel

Shapeshifting

The ability to make any thought real, not restricted by the laws of science. Anything from a piece of paper, to a magic box that gave me infinite cookies, to a pill that gave you photographic memory if you eat it. Anything could be real with just a thought.

To be a fly on the wall and see other people’s lives when they aren't worrying about what impression they make on others.

ADVICE FOR NEW STUDENTS:

Always follow your dreams even if no one else has the same dream. Be your own person, believe in yourself, and do the right thing, even if no one is watching.

— Ava ’25

Always follow your dreams, even if no one else has the same dream. Be your own person, believe in yourself, and do the right thing, even if no one is watching. (Ava ’25)

I would tell them that it might be hard to transfer to a more rigorous curriculum, but they must stay strong. For younger students, I would tell them to never forget how lucky they are to be at an amazing school. (Ela ’26)

Be organized and pay attention. You'll thank me later. (Aiden ’25)

Spend your Study Hall time wisely. (Dar ’27)

1. Don't worry about the workload. Everything is more manageable than you think.

2. Have something outside of school that is guaranteed to bring you joy and make your day better, even if it's only a few times a week. (Avocet ’25)

You got this, so don't worry too much! (Sophie ’26)

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. (Tristan ’27)

Illustrations by Elisha Cooper ’86

Student Voices

LOWER SCHOOL:

Discovery, Authenticity, Community

If we ever need a refresher on our values, we can always look to our Lower School students, who so readily embrace discovery, authenticity, and community. In a quest to better navigate a complex world, and to make connections within our diverse and inclusive community, Hilary Pearson’s second grade class devised questions for different people they encounter on campus every week

HILARY PEARSON, SECOND GRADE TEACHER

Q: What are you scared of?

Hilary: Bats in my house!

Q: What is your favorite jelly or jam?

H: My favorite jam is raspberry. I love it because it is sweet and tart and reminds me of my grandmother.

ALÉWA COOPER, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Q: What was your first favorite toy?

A: My Speak and Spell!

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

A: Talking to students! I love when students stop by my office just to say hi!

Q: What is your favorite dance move?

A: The Cha-Cha Slide.

CARA HAMES, HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

Q: What is your favorite weather?

C: The hotter, the better! Summer is my favorite season. I even like humidity!

Q: What scares you?

C: Balloons scare me! I don’t like the sound they make, and I’m always waiting for them to POP!

Q: What is your favorite song?

C: This is a VERY difficult question because I LOVE music so much! My favorite songs often change with my moods and what’s happening in my life. So one of the songs I love right now is “Bejeweled” by Taylor Swift.

Illustrations by Elisha Cooper ’86

“

[My favorite thing about Foote] is the unstoppable amount of friends you can make.

— Amelia ’31

SEVENTH GRADE BUDDIES

Second and seventh graders partner up each year as part of Foote’s Buddy Program. Second graders asked their buddies:

Q: What is your favorite holiday?

Lucas: I love New Year’s because it is a chance to have a fresh start.

Ibrahim: April Fool’s Day

Slater: My favorite holiday is Rosh Hashanah.

Q: Have you ever had a job?

Sophia: Making coffee at a local coffee shop.

Alora: Yes, I was in a commercial.

Q: Where is your favorite place to get a haircut?

Milos: I normally get my hair cut on my porch.

Eli: I don’t have one, because I hate getting my hair cut.

Q: What is your favorite game/board game?

Pablo: Magic: The Gathering

Alex: Farmer’s Bridge

TURNING THE TABLES

Our question-answerers thought it was only fair if the second graders had a chance to answer questions about themselves:

Alex ’26: If you had a llama, what would you name it?

Soren: Tina, like in Napoleon Dynamite

Caroline: Cuddles

Amelia V: Fluffy. Unless it had no hair. Then I would call it Baldy.

Ms. Hames: What is your favorite thing about Foote?

Kepler: There’s not just one thing on the playground. Everyone should feel lucky that you have all this stuff.

Amelia C-T: The unstoppable amount of friends you can make.

Aarav: Very nice teachers. Even in the 1900s this was a pretty good school.

Illustrations by Elisha Cooper ’86

DYLAN FARRELL

’11

Education Happens Everywhere

Whenever you’ve been asked, “What did you do this summer?” it’s unlikely that your response comes close to what Dylan Farrell ’11 would say about his summer in 2023.

Dylan’s adventure started last March. Well, really, it started in 2001 when his grandfather, Roger Peel, sailed his 45-foot Island Packet 420, Island Magic, from Florida to Barbados, where he would live for the next 20 years. When the time came for Roger to move back to the Northeast, a decision had to be made about the boat. Who would take it and how would they get it up north? Dylan decided to step up.

“I've been sailing most of my life, so I told him I'd be interested in keeping the boat in the family and sailing it up from Barbados to Connecticut. I've been planning the trip for the past year,” Dylan told The Foote School from a marina in Norfolk, VA, last August.

A competitive sailor since age 5, Dylan went to Choate Rosemary Hall after he left Foote in eighth grade. At Choate he captained the sailing team, leading them to victory in the Connecticut State Fleet Racing Championships in 2014. Dylan then moved on to Harvard, where, while earning a joint degree in math and statistics, he also captained its sailing team. Yet he knew that a strong background in competitive racing didn’t necessarily mean that he could safely helm the much larger, much heavier Island Magic through the Caribbean Sea and up the East Coast of the U.S. Plus, Dylan had a full-time job as a Machine Learning Engineer — in San Francisco.

His company let him transition to part-time so he could have this opportunity, and Dylan enrolled in a number of safety and certification classes, prepping for off-shore passages and celestial navigation. He also spent a week sailing around the Caribbean to gain experience.

“That was really helpful in giving me some actual experience in doing those types of passages in the area where I was going to be sailing,” he said. “And then having the certifications was a nice bonus as well.”

There were boat repairs to be made, and hundreds of

tiny logistics that had to be lined up, but ultimately Dylan realized he needed to follow the wise words of one of his instructors: “Just leave the dock.” He left the dock in March 2023 — waiting until after the dreaded “Christmas winds,” an emboldened and often dangerous version of the Caribbean’s consistent trade winds. He also needed to leave early enough to hopefully avoid hurricane season.

Along the way, Dylan was joined by his friends and family — including his mother and all of his siblings (Garret ’09, Caitlin ’12, and Tagan ’17) — picking up different people at different stops along the way. At one point, he even offered to transport a stranger from one island to another. The stranger not only recognized the boat, but had sailed with Dylan’s grandparents 19 years before. The ability to strengthen these connections with his family, his friends, and the outside community is part of what attracted Dylan to the trip in the first place.

There were trials, of course. Yet Dylan’s experi-

ence allowed him to captain his crew safely, turning 8-foot waves near Turks and Caicos into an enjoyable ride — and an opportunity to move a little faster. It also became a standout moment in his journey. To hear him reflect on his sail across the banks in the Bahamas, atop just 15 feet of clear, blue water, but with no land in sight for miles, makes even the most land-locked-lubber ache for a chance to glide across the sapphire sea for a moment.

“It's been a great experience being out on the open ocean for many miles, doing something that very few people do nowadays. Just that feeling of experiencing nature — both the beauty of it and then all the challenges with weather — having that kind of learning experience has been really cool,” he beamed.

He has also enjoyed the time to bond with his grandfather over this shared experience, though his grandfather had done the journey in the other direction. The two kept in close contact throughout the trip.

“We want to provide some of the elements that we know and love from our own education — going to schools like Foote and Choate — and bring those to areas of the world that don’t have access to it.”

“You just need to ‘get off the dock’ instead of waiting for everything to be perfect.”

“Going into the trip, there were some of the things he was talking to me about that I didn't fully appreciate until doing them myself,” he acknowledged. “He has been very excited about this, and he is definitely happy that the boat will stay in the family, and that we will be able to have great experiences sailing on her for years to come.”

Dylan docked in Connecticut in late August, after stopping in New Jersey to compete in the International Lightning Class Association North American Championship. Then he’ll return to San Francisco, but that’s not the end of his adventures.

Alongside his father Stephen (retired Dean of Faculty/English Teacher at Choate) and sister Caitlin, Dylan is opening an online international high school, called High Aspirations. Founded on the principle of “elite education for everyone,” the school believes that “education is the best tool for unlocking human potential. We are building an online community that connects highly motivated students all over the world with elite teachers to help them turn their dreams into realities,” according to its website.

“We want to provide some of the elements that we know and love from our own education — going to schools like Foote and Choate — and bring those to areas of the world that don’t have access to it,” he explained.

The school is in its beginning stages, and the Farrells are building up their course offerings and faculty, but they hope to be fully underway this year. To learn more, visit highaspirationsschool.com

“I definitely feel inspired to do some more adventurous things in the future, with that mentality of — you just need to ‘get off the dock’ instead of waiting for everything to be perfect,” Dylan said.

Reunited, and it feels so good!

Members of the Class of 2019 gathered to celebrate of their fifth-year reunion this winter! The event included: Eesa Sabooh, Chris Mudry, Suthi Navaratnam-Tomayko, Paley Adelson-Grodberg, Zoe Sessine, Michelle Grutzendler, Kwabena Adae, Alex Lee, Ayelet Kaminski, Marley Hansen, Stella Wareck, Maya Aviles, Noelia Garcia, Gabby Dellacroce, Taylor Morris, Sophie Vulpe, Miya Imaeda, and Ella Hopfner.

Young Alums Day 2023

Our celebrated Summer Theater Program gives students the opportunity to be part of a major hit musical, and learn valuable skills like acting, singing, costuming, set construction and technical theater. footeschool.org/theater

DATES: July 1–Aug. 4, 2024

There is no program on July 4 or 5 DAYS & TIMES: Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

AGES: Incoming 7th–12th graders

PERFORMANCES: Aug. 2, 7:00 p.m. Aug. 3, 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. Aug. 4, 2:00 p.m.

Theater summer

Class Notes

1937

My message to all Foote students, present, past and future is to feed your mind with things that fascinate you and you’ll be amazed at where life can take you.

— Anna York Mulkey ’39 “

Please note that we report news about Foote alumni, as well as their passings, as we become aware of them.

1944

We received a note from Deb Vaida that her mom, Julia Wallace Taussig passed away peacefully on January 20, 2023 at the age of 98. Deb sent this note “for the record, Foote School was her favorite school. Thank you for helping her to become the wonderful woman that she was.”

1939

Anna York Mulkey (photo below) wrote, “I will turn 99 in August! My life was enriched by the education I received at Foote. I went on to get a degree in Zoology. My USAF pilot husband, Reed, and I raised five children as we traveled the world. After my husband’s retirement, I spent almost 40 years as a docent at the New Mexico Biopark in Albuquerque. Lately I’ve been fascinated with ancient Egypt. My thirst for knowledge continues even now. My message to all Foote students, present, past, and future is to feed your mind with things that fascinate you and you’ll be amazed at where life can take you.”

We are sad to report the passing of Timothy LaFarge. We send sincere condolences to his brother Benjamin LaFarge ’46 and sister Celestine Nicolas ’53.

1950

Class Correspondent: Mary Pigott Johnsen jlmpjohnsen@west-point.org

We are sad to report that Tom Forbes passed away on May 12, 2023, we extend our condolences to his wife Elizabeth.

1952

Class Correspondent: Harald Hille harald.hille@gmail.com

Members of the class of 1952 will be sad to learn that Franklin “Toby” Farel passed away on February 8, 2024. Our condolences to his wife Christine and his children. We also send condolences to his sister Lisa Totman ’56

1953

Class Correspondent: Robert Wing wing.1@osu.edu

1954

A note from Stephen Mendillo included the following update: “Attending writing workshops, acting workshops, and being a member of The Actors Studio. Still play tennis 4–5 times a week. Trying out for a play in NYC. Hopeful!

1955

Class Correspondents: Nawrie Meigs-Brown grannyn13@gmail.com

Lee Dunham wlhdunham@gmail.com

We extend condolences to the family of Doug Crowley who passed away in January. Doug and his wife Erin were parents of four former Foote School students Nicolas Crowley ’81, Pierre Crowley ’83, Melanie Mullan ’84, and Georgia Leiber ’88.

1956

Class Correspondent: Will Amatruda willtam88@hotmail.com

Sally Loeaser wrote, “All is well with my girls, Cullitans and Knueppels. Both Tim and Mark changed jobs this year. And the grandchildren are also thriving, working and or studying. Emily, a graphic designer, is living in an apartment in the Lakeview neighborhood in Chicago. Alex is in Boston working and studying at Tufts on his way to earning his master’s in Food Policy. Sara, an interior design major, will graduate in May from the University of Wisconsin in Stout. Emma, pursuing a degree in nursing, is waiting to hear about her college applications. I keep busy doing some caregiving, book club etc.”

1957

Class Correspondent: Kevin Geenty kevin@geentygroup.com

Kevin Geenty sent a note reporting he is working full-time. “Trying to Travel more: Florida in March, Kansas in March, and Scotland in June.”

1958

Class Correspondent: Barry Stratton barrystratton@yahoo.com

A note from Edward Johnson came letting us know his thoughts on the past year. “2023 was a difficult year for many of us; two wars overseas does not help. But, on the plus side we had a new roof installed at our house.”

We are sad to report that Roz Farnam passed away on September 27, 2023. We send condolences to her family, which includes Nancy Charles ’55, Margo McKnight ’60, George Farnam ’63 and James Farnam ’65

1960

Class Correspondent: Happy Clement Spongberg happyspongberg@earthlink.net

Happy Clement Spongberg sent greetings from her classmates, along with photos of their grandchildren (above clockwise from top left): Bill Henning, John Kleeman, Margie Howe Emmons (with a photo of the three generations), and Pat Oakes

1962

Class Correspondent: Donald O. Ross doross48@gmail.com

1963

Class Correspondent: Susan Stratton susanstratton4@gmail.com

1964

Class Correspondent: Verdi DiSesa verdi.disesa@gmail.com

1965

Class Correspondent: Eric Triffin eric_triffin@aya.yale.edu

It is with sadness that we report that George Lord has passed. We extend condolences to his wife Gail and his brother Henry Lord ’70 and sister Pauline Lord ’64

1966

Class Correspondent: John N. Deming Jr. jndjr@yahoo.com

Grace Hammond Boss wrote to say: “God willing in early February 2024 I will become a first-time grandmother!” At that time Grace hopes to make a trip to visit her son, daughter-in-law, and their newborn daughter in their new home in Massachusetts.

1968

Class Correspondents: Leland Torrence lelandtorrence@optonline.net

Rob Clark rclark@perrigo-inc.com

Dean Phillips ’72 sent this note, “I am sad to report that Ted Spirakis passed away on December 21, 2023. Ted always considered attending Foote to have been one of the best gifts any child could receive. He often spoke of how his Foote experience, and Frank

CLASS NOTES

Perrine in particular, had made a monumental difference in his life. Ted attended Foote with his two cousins John Aristotle Phillips ’69 and Dean Aristotle Phillips ‘72. We will miss him terribly.”

Doug Davie (photo above) wrote, “Wow, wow, wow; I don’t know how to live with the excitement. Like many of us, I celebrated my 70th this summer, which also coincided with Father’s Day. (I was born on Father’s Day and you can’t have one without the other! I have been blessed with good health that has sustained me for the last decade.) We enjoyed a rare family gathering at the southernmost tip of Finland. Liisa, of course, is a Finnish native and our son, Julian, is a first-year B-school student in Helsinki. We pray he follows through safely in his fouryear program (withstanding the NATO / Putin predicament). To our delight, No. 1 son, Arlan, moved back to Hamden and is prospecting the potential of the third generation of the Internet (details of which are beyond me). We have downsized from the 12-acre forest, Xanadu — in the shadow of Sleeping Giant’s belly — to a gem of a MCM home across from Ridgetop Racquet Club, North Haven. Currently, I am adjusting to the changes in life that keep surprising me.

This winter’s cathartic challenge is archiving three generations of family photos, along with personal and professional papers. Five years ago my mom passed and we sold the family home that hosted 54 years of Thanksgivings and Christmas holidays. I walked my entire childhood to the dumpster and yet still have a mountain of memories to sort through. Good tip is to start now and certainly label each photograph for distant descendant benefit.

Hope you can visit my new digs for

fireside fun or summer soiree on the new deck. This July we will finally follow my heritage to Northern Scotland. (Will see if I can understand the language.) Otherwise, I would be here to see my Foote School friends.

Cathy Cuthell wrote, “I have enjoyed reading everyone's comments so much, I thought I would join in. I am still loving being retired and living in NYC. I have started to travel again and in addition to my yearly trips to Turkey with family and friends, made a much delayed trip to Sicily in October and plan to go to Azerbaijan and Georgia in April. With two artificial hips and one artificial knee, I spend a lot of time at the gym trying to stay in shape to keep up with my kids on skis. Christmas morning found my brother Roger and me at the top of Whiteface with our families. I'm making up for being a chubby lazy kid!

Sadly, my husband Dave, who attended many reunions and got to know and enjoy our class, has advanced Alzheimer’s so he is no longer part of these adventures.

Friends and family have been very supportive and I keep busy with bridge tournaments, a book group, and lots of theater (keeping a Foote tradition). No grandchildren yet, but two engagements planned for the spring. A 60th party sounds awesome. We will put Martha in charge of dancing!"

Rob Clark and his wife continue to work fulltime, which they enjoy! As his knees are good, Rob plays paddle tennis twice a week and enjoys walking too. “June and I continue to both work full-time, but we travel a lot to California to visit our children Spencer and his wife Abby, and Eliza and her husband Zack and our grandchildren in L.A. Eli is a writer/ producer and Spencer is an actor so the last year, with the entertainment industry on strike, has been an interesting one. June has been teaching skating for more than 50 years and has been revitalized by the new sport of synchronized skating. Many of her skaters participate in this sport and compete all over the world which is fun for the coaches. I sell high-end sanitary pumps to all the major pharmaceutical manufacturers so antivirals and COVID have made life extremely interesting for my

industry. I still have lunch with Leland Torrence almost weekly. We spend a lot of time telling Foote stories.”

Rob and wife June are excited to welcome a third grandchild. On a sad note Rob shared that Jamie Johnston passed this winter and that he and George Holden attended the service in Cooperstown, N.Y. The Foote School extends its condolences to Jamie’s family and sister Carol Galpin ’63.

A note from George Holden (photo above) updated us that he and Anne are now happily retired in northwest Connecticut. For 36 years, George taught and conducted research as a developmental psychologist at UT-Austin & SMU. His research focused on parenting (Google "George W. Holden"). He stays involved in the field through his role as the co-founder and president of the U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children (www.endhitting.org). Besides loving the natural beauty of the area, they moved to Sharon to be near two of their three children and their (now) five grandchildren (including twins born in August). His retirement was prompted, in part, by a severe bout of tick-initiated Guillain-Barre Syndrome that left him paralyzed from the neck down for four weeks and in the hospital for 10 weeks. Fortunately he has almost completely recovered and now can be seen cycling, hiking, kayaking, vegetable gardening, cross-country skiing, and… chasing grandchildren. He’s looking forward to the class reunion in four years.

Tony Pasqualini has been partially retired but in the past year he performed in three major roles, in three plays with the last one ending in mid-December. The play was Lines in the Dust by Nik-

kole Salter, a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Tony says he played the part of a somewhat despicable Italian-American former detective. “Really terrific piece. So, my thinking is that as long as I can still learn the lines (and am still ambulatory) I’ll keep at it. Otherwise I’ll be watching too much baseball.” Tony and his wife have lived in a house in the Los Feliz area of L.A. for about five years now and find the location perfect for them. Daughter Maddie is a 10-minute walk away and son Joel is 10-minute drive away, stores and restaurants are walkable.

Karen Dibblee wrote, “Very fun to hear what everyone is up to! I was sorry to have missed the last reunion, but it's a long way from Northern California... Maybe if there's a 60th.” Karen and her husband Tom have been living in Bolinas, Calif. (just north of San Fran), for the past almost 15 years. “We love the quiet and nature out here and the opportunity to take our little dog to the beach often as it's only a short distance from our house. We will be moving, probably back east, in the summer of 2025. California is beautiful but sooo expensive and they keep coming up with new taxes and kooky laws that drive us crazy. We still have a place in the Adirondacks that will be our summer/fall locale and are looking in the southeast for a place to winter. We're taking a trip to Charleston, S.C., and several areas in N.C. this February to see if there's a place that would work for us after being spoiled by the beautiful landscape of where we currently live. I'm still working in fundraising and have been doing a lot of volunteer work to create affordable housing in West Marin. It's a problem everywhere, but in spite of the many roadblocks, we've had some successes and have housed over 65 people in the last few years. I got my license to be a psychotherapist about 14 years ago and practiced for a few years until we lost one of our sons. It's taken about 12 years for me to find the desire to restart that path, but I'm now taking CEU courses to renew my license. In the meantime, we owned a little hardware store that we sold about four years ago. I loved having the store and learned so much about plumbing, electricity, lumber, etc., and how to deal with employees and customers!

We have one son who is married and lives in Larkspur, Calif. They have a girl and a boy, 9 and 6 respectively. Another son lives in Altadena, Calif., and he and his wife had a baby girl 8 months ago, so I am a three-time grandmother. Our third son lives in Portland, Ore., and I have a granddog through him.

I saw Elizabeth Prelinger last summer in the Adirondacks and it was great to get together and reunite. Dr. Prelinger has had an amazing career as a professor at Georgetown University. Even though we were at Foote 50+ years or so ago, the connections are still there and that shared experience with my classmates will always be important to me — more so the older I get.

Can't believe we're all 70 — or soon to be that age — and it seems strange to be looking at a shorter time in this life than we've already lived. I don't spend much time thinking about how old we are but I definitely notice the ravages, particularly when babysitting rambunctious grandchildren! Happy 2024 and look forward to reading more from everyone.”

From Martha Vietor Glass came this note, “Hi, Yes, it’s wonderful reading everyone’s news! My most exciting news is that our third granddaughter was born on Friday, January 19, 2024! Our daughter and son-in-law now have three girls 4, 2 and the newborn. Our son and his wife live in London. They have no children but two dachshunds. Otherwise John and I are still living in New York and get to Martha’s Vineyard for most of the summer. I am president of a genealogical group called the Daughters of the Cincinnati, descendants of George Washington’s officers. We give scholarships to daughters of current military officers. I am having an interesting time getting to know many new people throughout the country. Otherwise the basic time-fillers: book club, movie club, and ballroom dancing! Life goes on with many grandparent events. Foote was a very special place looking back. Let’s try for a 60th! Wishing everyone all the best!”

Holly Morse wrote, “Hello again, classmates! How very nice all this communication has been — a window into our varied lives at this stage of things. I

would say a solid note, repeated across our group, is sustained pluck as we approach, and pass, the seven-decade mark. My 70th was earlier this year. It was accompanied by a whole string of celebrations, small and less small, with a highlight at a local Berkshires spa. There was a heated indoor/outdoor pool. I cannot highly recommend swimming in winter air. Michael Lipson ’72 and I remain a very happy team. Michael (just 66) is still working. A recent title of his, BE: An Alphabet of Astonishment, received a nice shout-out in the New York Times from the actress Lauren Ambrose. It caused a surprising leap in sales. He's at work on a new book about the transformation of his practice during COVID, when he abandoned the office to see clients exclusively outside on the trails and meadow paths of this area. The book's working title is The Walking Cure.

I have given myself the deadline of May to complete the MS of a book I've been working on for the last few years. It's a hybrid business, a collection of unlinked stories followed by a novella. The long form story is populated with the progeny of the characters from the short unlinked stories. Its working title is The Here, After

Other than writing, I keep myself busy guiding a grassroots group I founded in 2016 that works narrowly on congressional races. I've stepped back from work as Interim Director of a small media PAC, which had been great fun, but was spreading my creative energies too wide. The only direct work I'll do this cycle is in partnership with a national organization I like very much called Field Team 6. Great fun partisan group that registers Democrats with a singularly upbeat technique.

This past year, we had the chance to travel quite a bit, seeing friends and family in many places: New Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, and Holland. Wonderful trips all. Hard to say which was the best. San Sebastian, Spain, was a glorious seaside time with friends, and Switzerland was special as different friends gave us their beautiful chalet in Les Mosse for a stretch in the fall. Hiking in the Alps — spectacular and challenging!

We are not yet grandparents. Our son Thomas, whom we still call Rody, went

CLASS NOTES

to Las Vegas for vacation with friends. We believe he would like to settle down, but, at 28, seems not to be in a hurry. We look forward to participating in a June wedding of his cousin Lucy Morse. She is Gardiner's (class of ’72) talented daughter. Lu, a neurologist finishing her training at Mass General, is marrying the most splendid guy. Michael will officiate and I am in charge of the flowers. Peonies everywhere!

In October this year, we will host a reunion of The Immediate Gratification Players, the improv troupe that formed Asher's closest friendship circle at Harvard. It will be the 10th year since we lost Asher. These fantastic young people, now spread across the world pursuing fascinating things, have continued to be just such an enormous support and gift to us. It is a mark of their brilliance and goodness that they help us keep Asher's singular spirit alive.

That's it for me. As one of the rare Foote couple origin-stories, I feel we owe a great deal to the school. I definitely hope to be there to see you all at our 60th!”

Molly McCabral shared, “We still live on the Vineyard. We sold the paper about 10 years ago. Not a moment too soon and a few moments to be too late actually.

All our kids are great and their kids are great. I have five step-grandchildren and a new grandson coming in the spring. ‘Ob-La-Da, Ob La Da, Life Goes On,' as the Beatles once sang!

I am still a guidance counselor at the little elementary school in West Tisbury. Actually, the school reminds me a lot of Foote everybody knows everybody and it’s small and kids get pretty individualized attention for a public school. It sure is different though as far as behavior goes and what is tolerated, and what never would’ve been tolerated when we were going to school.

I’m supposed to retire next year, but my guess is I’ll be a working stiff till the day I die and they’ll have to carry me out of their feet-first.

Carry on everybody. I think of you all often.”

William Wolfgang: “Thanks, Rob, for starting this email chain. It has been great hearing about friends from a time

I remember clearly and with great fondness. I did make it to the 40th reunion but missed the 50th. I'll definitely try to make the 60th.

I retired a year ago after 20 years at the New York State Dept. of Health in the Infectious Diseases Dept., where I was a scientist in the bacteriology group. Prior to that I spent 15 years at the Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland, after completing graduate studies at the University of Washington in Seattle and a postdoc at Berkeley. While I enjoyed the west coast, the northwest particularly, after 30 years it was great to be back east. It's been fun to read about all the places I overlapped with classmates and their offspring, never suspecting.

My wife Kathy and I live in Albany, N.Y., where she works at the Health Dept. We have a son, Will, who will turn 6 three days before my birthday at the end of March. We celebrate our birthdays by going to Lake Placid and skiing at Whiteface. I remember clearly having arguments with Karen about which ski resort was better, Whiteface (Karen's favorite) or Sugarbush (mine). I now realize she was perhaps correct. In the summer we go to the Finger Lakes and rent a house on Keuka Lake. We fish, boat, swim, and of course go wine-tasting. We also visit Boston regularly where Kathy did research at Mass General and of course NYC. While there is not much to recommend about the city of Albany the surroundings are fantastic and the city is easy to live in.

I also have a beautiful daughter, Layla, from a previous marriage who is 32 and lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with her boyfriend. They have a great apartment on a nice block and I visit a number of times during the year. While I love to visit and take in the offerings of the city, I find I am always happy to get back upstate. I guess I'm too old for all the excitement.

I spend my days volunteering at a nearby hospital, which is OK, and at a state nature preserve education center where I am getting trained to take elementary school kids on nature walks to learn about the natural history of the area's plants and animals. The kids' favorites of course are wading around in streams and ponds finding little critters under rocks, etc. This is my favorite ac-

tivity and the kids always bring back memories of Foote. I also do a lot more skiing and cycling now, although I am not as adventurous as I once was.”

James Bigwood wrote: “I have been trying to retire but keep getting pulled back in (kinda like Michael Corleone in The Godfather). My most recent project was Kingdom Business for BET+. For anybody who's watching it, I also had a small part as a doctor in season 2, episode 2. If there's a season three, I will probably get pulled in yet again (although the doctor is not likely to return). I was sad to see that we lost Frank Perrine. I was sure he would outlive us all. But we still have Bob Sandine!*

From Peter Pap we have this note: “I’m a great grandfather! Need I say more? Both my daughter and granddaughter followed in my footsteps (LOL) of being a young parent. Our son Jared from my second marriage graduated UVM this past May and has gone back to live and work in Burlington. I’m in my 46th year in business with no signs (sadly) of slowing down. I’m lucky to have found a vocation I could be passionate about. The ongoing need for me to reinvent myself led me to Instagram which has proven to be a phenomenon! (@peterpaprugs). I’m actually getting younger people interested, and acquiring. I’ve gotten my N.H. residency back but continue to go back and forth to San Francisco, where my wife Terry is the Assistant Head of Admissions at The Bay School, Jared’s former high school in the Presidio."

Leland Torrence wrote this note in response to Peter, et al, “My goodness –great-grandfather!! I am still waiting for the Grand. Son Leland is getting married in June and he tells us it is because they are going to have kids. Corbett (brother) and Serena (sister) are both in the Burlington area. Corbett was in town for a couple of days and while dining at Café Bravo we bumped into Bob Sandine — and Amy and Jody from the Foote School Alumni Office. Bob’s daughter left her principal job in Colorado and is now teaching in West Haven and loves it. Bob is directing a play – no one retires!

Rob (Clark) and I continue to have lunch every Thursday when he is not in

L.A. Son Leland is to be married in June. I went with him and his fiancé to Columbia in November to visit her family. Have worked out a five-year transition plan to have Leland take over the business. (Basically I work for him already.) By the time you read this, Mum (92 years young) and I will have returned from our eco trip to Costa Rica. Laura, my patient wife, continues to overfeed me with incredible cuisine and care for our menagerie of animals (including four black-headed vultures). Grier ’69 still holds down the Head of the Art Department at Porters (longest tenured faculty at the school), with daughters at college in Connecticut and L.A. Corbett ’75 lives near Burlington, VT, with a son (8) and daughter (5). Yikes! Sister Serena ’78 is in Lincoln, VT, with the last name of Fox. Visitors are always welcome.”

1969

Class Correspondent: Meg McDowell Smith megsmithvt@gmavt.net

1972

Class Correspondents: Rob Gurwitt robg@valley.net

Greta Nettleton gretan@optonline.net

Michael Lipson wrote that he just published a new book: BE: An Alphabet of Astonishment. Available on Amazon.

1973

Class Correspondents: Peter Hicks phicks@websterbank.com

John Persse johnpersse@bhhsne.com

1975

Class Correspondent: Jessica Drury sjsaz@optonline.net

1976

Class Correspondent: John Holder johnholder@comporium.net

1977

Class Correspondent: Elizabeth Daley Draghi gdraghi@sbcglobal.net

1978

Class Correspondent: Stephen Fontana stevef1701@aol.com

Pam Westerfield Bingham sent a note that she has been living in Utah since 2020. Pam recently had a visit from college friends who are former Foote School parents. “Fun to hear their shared experiences with the school along with my memories. An amazing coincidence.”

1979

Class Correspondent: Bonnie Welch bonniewelch@taftschool.org

1980

Class Correspondent: Liz Geller Brennan gelbren@aol.com

1981

Class Correspondents: Jennifer LaVin jen2766@gmail.com

Nicolas Crowley nyjcrowley@hotmail.com

1982

Class Correspondent: Bethany Schowalter Appleby bethany.appleby@gmail.com

1983

Class Correspondent: Brinley Ford Ehlers brinleysf@aol.com

1984

Class Correspondent: Ann Pschirrer Brand annie.brandt@rocketmail.com

1985

Class Correspondent: Carter LaPrade Serxner lapserx@gmail.com

Alexandra Fayen: "I have been a school social worker for over 20 years. I am planning to retire from this career phase in 2025 and I am excited for new adventures. I recognize what a privilege it was to attend Foote and be part of the community. I am grateful to my parents and grandparents for making that happen."

Sarah Netter Boone has been traveling! Recently she visited Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna with Foote friends.

1986

Class Correspondent: Jody Esselstyn jesselstyn@gmail.com

1987

Class Correspondent: Jonathan Levin jdlevin@stanford.edu

1988

Class Correspondent: Sara Mulligan Farina saramulligan13@gmail.com

In 2023 Jessica Pritchett was awarded a seat as part of the 2023 cohort for ULTA Beauty’s MUSE Accelerator. The MUSE Accelerator is one of many ways Ulta Beauty ensures its unique assortment is inclusive, truly representing All Things Beauty for all beauty enthusiasts, bringing them the opportunity

CLASS NOTES

to further build their beauty brand and learn from and engage with industry experts. Hopefully you will see OOLI in ULTA in the near future!

1989

Class Correspondent: Toya Hill Clark trose7@hotmail.com

Amy Caplan wrote, "Although it was bittersweet to leave my job at Foote after 17 years and my amazing alumni and development crew (Jody P ’14, ’14, Amy Sudmyer ’89, and Mary Beth), I am happily leading the advancement efforts for Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden while getting used to a new community and colleagues, all of whom have been so welcoming and warm. I will become an empty-nester this fall when my twins, Sophie Gangloff ’21 and Julien Gangloff ’21 (photo above), start college (together!) at Lehigh University. Looking forward to cheering on the Mountain Hawks!"

1990

Class Correspondent: Amy Cohn Crawford amycohncrawford@mac.com

1991

Class Correspondent: Bo Bradstreet ebradstr@gmail.com

1992

Class Correspondent: Katie Madden Kavanagh katieblee@hotmail.com

1993

Class Correspondent: Jenny Keul jennykeul@gmail.com

1994

We extend our condolences to Shelby Ahearn Bisi on the passing of her father Donald Ahearn.

1995

Class Correspondent: Jack Hill seaburyhill@aol.com

1996

Class Correspondents: Brett Nowak nowak.brett@gmail.com

Katy Zandy Atlas katy91@gmail.com

1997

Class Correspondent: Eliza Sayward elizasayward@yahoo.com

1998

Class Correspondents: Andrew Lebov aklebov@gmail.com

Elisabeth Sacco Klock saccopotatoes@gmail.com

1999

Class Correspondent: Jeremy Zuidema jmzuidema@gmail.com

2000

Class Correspondents: Alex Kleiner

alex.m.kleiner@gmail.com

Shannon Sweeney smsweeney07@gmail.com

Congratulations to Pete Granquist on the birth of his baby Josephine.

Sam Pepe and his wife Melissa welcomed a baby, Linus, this past December. Congratulations to Sam and Melissa and their families.

2001

Class Correspondent: Cassie Pagnam cassie.pagnam@gmail.com

2002

Class Correspondent: Hope Fleming hope.fleming@gmail.com

Jennifer Millikowsky (photo above) told us that she and Tylan welcomed a child, Calvin, this past September. Congratulations Jennifer and family! Thank you for reaching out to share such wonderful news!

2003

Class Correspondent: Adam Shapiro adamshapiro1488@gmail.com

2004

Class Correspondents: Dillon Long know33@gmail.com

Dana Schwartz danaschwartz5@gmail.com

Leah Pepe ’04 (photo above) is working with Allyx Schiavone ’85 on a new project.

2005

Class Correspondent: Gabriella Rhodeen gabriella.rhodeen@gmail.com

2006

Class Correspondents: Audrey Logan logan.audrey@gmail.com

Adam Gabbard adamdgabbard@yahoo.com

2007

Class Correspondents: Kenny Kregling kregke01@comcast.net Symphony Spell symphony.spell@gmail.com

2008

Class Correspondents: Michael Milazzo michael.milazzo12@gmail.com

Kate Reilly Yurkovsky kate.yurkovsky@gmail.com

Members of the class of 2008 and some spouses had a great time catching up and eating pizza at Bar in New Haven (see photo at right): Footies pictured John Kerin, John Gallalee, Jackson Shaw, Danny Berman, Kate Reilly Yurkovsky, Louise Newman, Lucie Ledbetter, and Bo Peard

Andrew Haskell is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Motion Media at Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD).

2009

Class Correspondents: Chris Blackwood christopher.blackwood@tufts.edu

Eva Kerman edk2123@barnard.edu

2010

Class Correspondents: Brandi Fullwood brandi.n.fullwood@gmail.com

Clay Pepe cpepe@guidepoint.com

Paolo Perez wrote: “I am a Behavioral Health Provider for adults at a federally qualified health center in south Central Connecticut. As a provider, I collaborate with the Latino Behavioral Health System by providing monolingual Spanish-speaking patients with culturally and linguistically appropriate treatments.

2011

Class Correspondents: Nate Barton natebarton95@gmail.com

Britney Dumas bdumas13@gmail.com

2012

Class Correspondents: Harrison Lapides jharrisonlapides@gmail.com

Cassidy McCarns cassidy.mccarns@yale.edu

2013

Class Correspondents: Lawson Buhl lbuhl@umich.edu

Anika Zetterberg ahzetter@syr.edu

2014

Class Correspondents: Robinson Armour rarmour22@amherst.edu

Sophia Matthes Theriault sophiamtheriault@gmail.com

2015

Class Correspondents: Anli Raymond anliraymond15@gmail.com

Will Wildridge william@wildridge.org

2016

Class Correspondents: Omid Azodi oazodi1@gmail.com

Evelyn Pearson evie.pearson11@gmail.com

2017

Class Correspondents: Graley Turner graleyturner@gmail.com

Hilal Zoberi hzoberi20@choate.edu

2018

Class Correspondents: Alexandra Collins alexandrabcollins03@gmail.com

Pablo Rollán pabloo.rollan@gmail.com

We received a note from Andrew Crews that he is attending Skidmore College and is an Art History major.

2019

Class Correspondents: Josie Cancro josie.cancro@gmail.com

Malachai York malachai@yorkfamily.net

Rufus McCleery is currently a freshman at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. Rufus plays tennis for fun and enjoys traveling and hopes to do more travel very soon!

2020

Class Correspondents: Zainab Khokha zmkhokha786@gmail.com

Tristan Ward tristan103417@gmail.com

2021

Class Correspondents

Camilla Granda cgranda25@choate.edu

Faculty & Staff News

Congratulations to Security Guard Terrell Grimes on his recent engagement!

Congratulations to Felicia Gotta and her husband Nick on the birth of their healthy baby girl Stella, born Feb. 23 at 12:40 a.m., and weighing 7 pounds 2 ounces.

Henry Ferguson hankferguson2006@gmail.com

Kurt Boone wrote that he is studying Physics and Calculus after taking an aerospace manufacturing internship last summer. Kurt is also enjoying a Latin class at Yale offered through his high school.

2022

Class Correspondents

Emile Kraus ekrauss26@choate.edu

Nora Brock norab7777777@gmail.com

2023

Jake Fasano fasjac08@icloud.com

Amalia Romero molly@0524@gmail.com

* We will be honoring Bob Sandine's service to Foote with a Community Award, presented to him during Alumni Weekend (May 3 & 4).

In Memoriam

Douglas Crowley ’55

January 18, 2024

George de Forest Lord ’65

June 30, 2023

Rosalind (Roz) Farnam ’58

September 27, 2023

Franklin “Toby” Farrel ’52

February 8, 2024

Thomas Forbes ’51

May 12, 2023

James Johnston ’68

November 14, 2022

Timothy LaFarge ’44

June 14, 2023

Laura Altshul

January 30, 1941 – January 17, 2024

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Laura Altshul on January 17, 2024, in New Haven. She was a long-time member of The Foote School faculty and staff.

After 41 years at Foote, Laura retired in 2013 with the title of Admissions Director. Her title was wildly insufficient, hiding years of teaching kindergarten, directing the summer program, and creating community collaborations. She was a jack-ofall-Foote-trades, possibly as capable of snaking a drain in the faculty room as she was of making pizza with 5-year-olds or dressing up to teach phonics as the “Letterland Lady.” The endeavor for which she was most proud — no easy choice in a career filled with happy achievements — was her contribution to a more diverse student body at Foote — from 15 percent students of color when she first arrived in 1970, to 36 percent upon her retirement. “I wanted to get to one third,” she stated, and true to form, she surpassed the goal.

As a kindergarten teacher Laura is remembered for her boundless energy and enthusiasm: “I really loved teaching kindergarten,” she said. “Parents would come in and share recipes, grandparents would visit, a father

came in and built a loft in my classroom. We cooked a different bread every Friday, we did a lot of hands-on projects and took many field trips, we had mice and guinea pigs. I wanted kids to feel respected and safe so they could take risks and grow; that was very important to me. It was a humming, happy classroom.”

Laura became the Assistant Admissions Director and took on the title of Summer Program Director in 1971, expanding it to include hiking and bicycling. In 1993 Laura became Director of Admissions at Foote but remained active in early literacy at Foote through her role as “Letterland Lady.”

As Director of Admissions, Laura saw an opportunity to offer a Foote School education to a much larger share of the broader New Haven community. Laura was well ahead of the curve in embracing and understanding the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She made it her work and passion to expand the reach of Foote’s mission.

She wrote: “I really feel that what we have at Foote should be available for every child, and when I came into Admissions I wanted collaborative programs.” In 1994 she founded STARS (Schools Together for Arts Resources) a Saturday morning cooking,

crafts, multi-media and cultural collaboration between Foote and neighborhood public schools.  Two years later she co-founded Footebridge, which combined training for New Haven public school teachers and high school interns with a fiveweek summer program for kindergartners and first graders from New Haven public schools.

After retiring from Foote, Laura served as the founding Board Chair of Horizons at Foote. Laura’s impact on diversity at Foote and on the education of children throughout the city cannot be understated.

In retirement Laura found an opportunity to dedicate more time to her skill as a poet, publishing three col-

lections of poetry between 2017 and 2021. Her poems are those of a talented writer and full of great humanity and courage.

We are deeply grateful for Laura’s influence on our lives, on the broader Foote School community and on the education of New Haven students. We are all the better for her enduring work, love, and tireless dedication to the values she held so dear.

Reflecting on her 41 years at Foote, Laura wrote: “I am really proud of Foote’s socio-economic diversity. We live the mission everyday; we learn from each other and our diversity enriches us all. It’s an exciting place to be and teach, and it’s an exciting place for kids to be. That’s what school is all about.”

Please join us in expressing sympathy to Laura’s family: her husband Vic and her children and stepchildren: Seth Osborne '85, Mark Osborne ’82, Matthew Osborne ’81, Katherine Altshul Darci ’90, and Jonathan Altshul ’88; and her grandchildren, Samuel Osborne ’18 and Sydney Osborne ’15.

Celebrating Our Supporters

By Rashana Graham Executive Director

As stated by the esteemed Coretta Scott King, "the greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." At Horizons at Foote, our community has been measured by the actions of our Junior Advisory Committee (JAC). Kiran Makam (Foote ’21) and Zainab Khokha (F ’20) co-chair this hard-working group of high school Foote and Horizons at Foote alumni. They volunteer their time and talent to Horizons, organizing activities like our Trunk or Treat in October and White Elephant party in December. We celebrate the JAC on Facebook and Instagram every ‘Juniorary!’

Horizons at Foote’s Saturday STRONG Academy, a tradition put on hold during the pandemic, returned in fall 2023. Students attended a four-weekend “mini-Horizons”:

strengthening their reading and math skills through hands-on learning, expressing themselves creatively through art or physically in zumba, and ending each day with a nourishing lunch. Among our fabulous educators were Foote School teachers Elayah Grant, Kaila Ablao, Tiana Williams-McCray and Audrey Morrow-Krone, and teaching assistants in training Emilia Adams (F ’23), Arjun Agarwal (F ’23), Lucy Dreier (F ’21), Sophie Gangloff (F ’21), and Anthony Guzman-Tecpa (Horizons ’22).

One highlight of STRONG Academy was our weekly Book Fairy! Volunteers passed out books for students to build their home libraries. We're grateful to the Foote School, Laura Altshul, Amy Sheehan, and many others for generously donating books. Shout out to our fairies for donning wings to share our love of reading: Katie Pachkovsky, Dody Osborne Cox, Lucy Sheehan (F ’23), and Dr. Gretchen Vaughn, founder

and principal of Vaughn Associates.

At STEAM Day in February, Horizons students gathered at the Eli Whitney Museum for a day of scientific exploration. We learned about gravity, magnets, ecosystems and more — all with the goal of inspiring our students to join in the New Haven Public School science fair. JAC members Emilia Adams (F ’23), Arjun Agarwal (F ’23), Anthony Guzman-Tecpa (H ’22), Caidence Nonossi (H ’23), Mathais Nuñez (H ’21) and Joey Shields (H ’23), who volunteered their Saturday in the name of science!

Throughout the school year, and as we plan for our 10th summer ahead, we keep Laura Altshul’s light in our hearts. Laura (pictured below) co-founded FooteBridge in 1996, together with her colleague Saylor Heidmann, and in 2014 that program became Horizons at Foote. As our founding Board Chair, Laura led Horizons with grace, strength,

and an aspiration to give back to her community. We are eternally grateful for Laura and everyone in the Foote School community for sharing our belief that all children should have access to joyful learning and opportunities to grow confident as scholars and people.

Horizons at Foote is an academic and enrichment program dedicated to creating opportunities for New Haven public school students from under-resourced communities. It provides a joyful, safe, inspiring learning environment and empowers students to thrive in school and engage in an ever-changing world. Follow @ horizonsatfoote on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with exciting news and events!

Giving Day

H is for History

2.14.2024

IN OUR SIX GIVING DAYS FOOTE HAS RAISED OVER $370,00 FOR CURRICULUM, PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND ATHLETICS.

I is for Investment

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR CLASS CAPTAINS, ALUMNI COUNCIL CO-CHAIRS, AND OTHERS WHO PROVIDED CHALLENGES FOR THE DAY, AND COLLEAGUES AND VOLUNTEERS WHO INVESTED THEIR TIME IN MAKING GIVING DAY SUCH A SUCCESS!

J is for Joy

THE JOY WE SEE IN THE FACES OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS DURING THIS FOOTE SPIRIT DAY; AND THE JOY THE STUDENTS FEEL WHEN THEY RECEIVE FOOTE LOLLIPOPS AND MAROON AND GRAY FOOTE M&MS AND VALENTINE COOKIES, HEART STICKERS AND BRACELETS.

K is for Kids

ALL THE MONEY FOOTE RAISES ON GIVING DAY ENABLES US TO LIVE OUR MISSION TO EMPOWER CHILDREN TO LEAD WITH COURAGE, COMPASSION AND PURPOSE.

L is for Love

MORE THAN 300 MEMBERS OF THE FOOTE COMMUNITY — ALUMNI, PARENTS, PARENTS OF ALUMNI, GRANDPARENTS, FACULTY/STAFF, STUDENTS AND FRIENDS SHARED THEIR LOVE FOR FOOTE BY DONATING ON 2-14-24. THANK YOU!

A gift to The Foote Fund is the best way to immediately impact the programs and people that make the Foote experience special and unique. With your support we can better empower our students to lead with courage, compassion, and purpose.

The Foote Fund

The Foote School

50 Loomis Place

New Haven, CT 06511

www.footeschool.org (203)777-3464

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