A MAGAZINE OF GLEN URQUHART SCHOOL
THE TARTAN NOVEMBER 2016
Message from the Head of School On the third day of school this year, September 9, I happily joined the fourth graders as they walked to West Beach for their first field trip. I remember when I interviewed to be head of school in September of 2015 and the fourth grade had just visited the beach to find critters for their saltwater tank. I talked about that over and over with friends and colleagues after I was appointed to be the next head of school. “How perfect,” I thought, “to lead a school where kids learn with both their heads and their hands.” After this year’s walk, I was even more certain that I had come to the right place. As Glen Urquhart’s seventh head of school, I have been given the privilege of becoming the steward of the school’s founding vision, an approach to children, education, and the world that mirrors my own. I love school and academic pursuits, but I also love living what I learn and learning about where I live. Like the founders, I am convinced that young children develop from a focus on self and family and home and then grow to encompass the world in ever widening circles. Reflecting the thematic, spiraling curriculum that founder Lynne Warren and long-serving faculty such as Ruth Conway, Penny Randolph, Susan Coolidge, Merelyn Smith, Linda Bowden, and others developed and enhanced over the years, GUS students still start with “The world around us” and “Who am I” and move slowly and steadily outward. “What is beyond my window?” “What are the names of the trees?” “What do you call the different birds?” Foundational academic skills are learned and practiced. From there, students find themselves exploring the sea in hands-on, interdisciplinary ways (as you’ll read about in our feature on the fourth grade), then the land and, later, its people. “Why is Rockport called Rockport?” “What is a quarry and what happened there?” “What is a cape and, by the way, did you know Cape Ann is a really an island?” (Check a map!) And then, as the middle school years dawn, students return to a focus on self, relationships, and what lies ahead. Makes sense, doesn’t it? It did to the founding teachers in 1977, and it does to me today. I have three main goals as GUS moves forward: ensuring that Glen Urquhart has an outstanding faculty dedicated to delivering an excellent academic program to wellmatched students; building authentic relationships with GUS children, their families, and our alumni and past parents; and ensuring the long-term financial health of the school. Why? The answer is simple. This is truly an exceptional school, one that is unassuming and unpretentious, eclectic and inclusive. What a fabulous community to lead! What fantastic kids to serve! Trust and go forward,
David Liebmann
2016 – 2017 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Martha Burnham P ’16, President Bob Carroll P ’17, ’20, Vice President Mollie Hoopes P ’05, ’08, ’14, Vice President Lisa Romanelli P ’13, ’19, Vice President Stephen Todd P ’20, ’24, Treasurer Carl Graves P ’19, ’20, Clerk David Liebmann, Head of School Emily Collins P ’14, ’17 Melanie D’Orio P ’20 Susan Esty P ’18 Philip Furse P ’16, ’17, ’18, ’20 Kenneth Grant P ’13, ’20 Jodi Klein P ’19 Peter Mason Jay McNiff P ’15 Suzanne Mitchell P ’17 David Patch P ’16, ’19, ’23 Sallie Pottle P ’15, ’19 Zara-Marie Spooner Jacquelyn Swansburg Paulino ’98 Marit von Tetzchner P ’15, ’17 Tamah French P ’17, ’20, Parents’ Association Representative Lynne Warren, Life Trustee, Founder Glen Urquhart School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, mental illness, military status, genetics or sex or any other classification protected under applicable law. Tartan Editor: Judith Klein P ’95, ’00, ’04
Contents Message from the Head of School........................................IFC A, B, Sea in Fourth Grade.......................................................... 2 Putting Math into Words............................................................ 5 Alumni Profile: Andrew Smith ’90............................................. 8 Alumni Profile: Cassie Rotman ’00........................................... 9 Report of Giving....................................................................... 11 Double Doyles.......................................................................... 14 Discovering the World with Sandy Thoms............................. 16
Art Director: Lisa Kent P ’23 Photography: Martha Delay P ’21; Lisa Kent P ’23; Judith Klein P ’95, ’00, ’04; Lauren Poussard; Kristina Young Design: Graphic Details, Inc.
Check out the online version of The Tartan for additional photos and videos!
Printing: Cummings Printing Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in The Tartan is accurate. Please direct any errors to the editor at jklein@gus.org. The Tartan is published for alumni, parents, and friends of Glen Urquhart School. Please send address changes and other communications to Martha Delay, Director of Advancement, at: Alumni Relations Office of Advancement 74 Hart Street Beverly Farms, MA 01915 978-927-1064 ext. 117 mdelay@gus.org
HELP! If we have sent more than one copy of The Tartan to your address or an alumnus has a new address where we should send the next Tartan, please let us know so that we can update our records. Write to Director of Advancement Martha Delay at mdelay@gus.org or call her at 978-927-1064 ext. 117.
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A, B, SEA IN 4TH GRADE
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Fourth graders began in earnest their yearlong study of the sea when they walked to West Beach on the third day of school to collect specimens at low tide for their classroom saltwater aquarium. The experience is just one shining example of the hands-on, experiential, place-based learning that has been the hallmark of a Glen Urquhart education since the school’s beginning. After students brought their specimens back to the classroom, fourth grade teachers Kelly Zaval and Laura Doyle chose representatives of the living and nonliving collection for the aquarium, being careful not to keep so many that they would crowd each other or demand too much oxygen. The overflow were returned to their natural habitat at the beach. The saltwater aquarium is “our own ecosystem brought into the classroom,” says Kelly. “When the students bring the animals in themselves, it really does make a big difference in the level of interest, engagement, and investment.” Two children each week now have the job of aquarium helpers. They check the temperature of the water twice a day, add bottles full of frozen water when necessary, and keep a log of scientific observations. Laura and Kelly have embraced the theme with enthusiasm. “Linda Bowden developed this theme over decades and left a treasure of resources,” explains Kelly. As part of the spiraling and integrated GUS curriculum that was the founding vision for the school, the theme of the sea makes perfect sense since students attend school and live by the sea. “We should study where we live,” say the teachers, almost in unison. “Our study of the world should start with where we are.” The class study of the sea begins with a focus on the ecosystems, moving from the rocky shore to the salt marsh and the barrier
Aquarium Log Observations: Morning Temp: 70 Afternoon Temp: 64 The big crab is scuttling when the ice bottles are put in. We put in a clam and the big crab ate a lot.
beach. West Beach represents a rocky shore, as does Rye Beach, where the fourth graders visited the Seacoast Science Center on their third field trip of the year. In Rye, they learned about tidal zones and how the water comes up to different levels at different areas of the rocky shore and thereby affects what animals live in various areas of the shore. Between their trips West Beach and Rye, the class visited the salt marsh at Conomo Point in Essex where they explored four zones of that ecosystem— the high marsh, the low marsh, the salt pannes, and the mudflats—searching for different living things in each zone. With data sheets in hand, they marked what they found in each ecosystem. Returning to the classroom, they read more about the living things and played a favorite game—Four Corners—adapted to re-enforce what they had learned, with each corner of the room representing one of the four zones and each child portraying an animal. They also brought back mummichogs (tiny fish that hide) for the tank—“a new addition that is exciting,” says Laura.
A shrimp has a red thing on it. The big crab ate the dead crab. The hermit crabs still are eating the clam!
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Before the weather turned cold, the fourth graders visited Crane Beach in Ipswich to learn more about a barrier beach ecosystem from a guide who also talked to them about beach conservation; went on a plankton trawl out of Maritime Gloucester to pull up plankton from the harbor to study and bring some back to the classroom tank; and took another walk to West Beach for more specimens. In winter, activities will move inside, but include a trip to the Gloucester lighthouse and the Coast Guard Station in preparation for the annual lighthouse project. As in past years, the science of the sea is only part of the focus. “It’s the skills we learn around the content,� explains Laura. She looks forward to bringing more of the theme into the writing and reading for fourth graders this year. In fact, the first writing workshop asked students to write personal narratives about the sea. In another initiative, the teachers plan to introduce a study of climate change and its effect on the ocean coast around Essex County. A representative of Salem Coastwatch will
come in spring to talk to the students. Fourth graders will also walk on the school nature trail once a week to gain appreciation of the local watershed and consider the relationship of the land to the surrounding water. As the two new teachers anticipate integrating the theme ever more thoroughly into all disciplines and plan to introduce current topics of importance, past students and parents need not despair: the extensive study of whaling, the overnight trip to Mystic Seaport, and performing songs of the sea will not be forsaken! They are still valued and beloved traditions for GUS fourth graders.
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PUTTING MATH INTO WORDS Learning mathematics at Glen Urquhart has always been about words. If that sounds illogical or
Can you do upper school problem solving? If m represents the smallest odd number that is the sum of the squares of three distinct one-digit prime numbers, and n represents the smallest even number that is the sum of the squares of three distinct one-digit prime numbers, which is larger, m or n, and by how much?
counter-intuitive, Math Coordinator Maureen Twombly is quick to explain. “Language is essential for understanding mathematics and doing real world math,” she says. “Once you’ve learned the language, you don’t ever lose the skill.” Since founding faculty member Merelyn Smith first created the unique GUS mathematics program in the 1980s, the emphasis on language has been one of its most distinguishing features. “Our mathematics program has three goals,” Maureen says. “To teach children the language behind the mathematics they are learning; to give them a conceptual understanding of the mathematics presented; and, finally, to provide them with the procedures that make mathematics most efficient.” According to Merelyn and Maureen, to get to the second two goals, and thereby develop
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The emphasis on language is paired with the use of manipulatives that allow teachers and students to demonstrate problems and solutions concretely. In the lower grades, Cuisenaire rods are utilized. The rods provide both a physical representation of quantities and operations and a common mathematical language. In the upper school, algebra tiles are introduced because they can be used to represent algebraic equations. As early as kindergarten, students learn to express mathematical problems verbally and concretely. For example, children may learn that “four increased by three” can also be expressed as “four added to three” or “the sum of four and three,” and they can then represent the problem concretely with Cuisenaire rods. This provides students with a deep understanding of the concept which they can access in order to respond to different wordings of the same problem.
mathematics curriculum and students beginning in fifth grade are given five problems to solve every two weeks in addition to their regular homework (see sidebars for examples). “This is a way for them to use their math skills in unexpected ways,” Maureen explains. “They might use a procedure to solve it; they could use art to solve it. There is no prescribed way to solve these problems. Some can take ten minutes to solve; others an hour. Students can work collaboratively or individually, though they can only share ideas and not answers. Working collaboratively helps them develop problem solving skills and communication skills. That is often lost in teaching and learning math—how to communicate what you are doing in tackling or solving problems.” Maureen is amused and gratified by the many eighth graders who express how much easier the problems have gotten over the years. “They don’t realize that their skills have gotten so much better. It’s not that the problems have gotten easier!”
Applying concepts to real life situations is another hallmark of the GUS
Finding textbooks that align with the GUS program was never going to be
deeper mathematical thinkers, the first goal must be achieved.
Can you do upper school problem solving? Mixture A is 30% sugar, 15% cinnamon, and the rest flour. Mixture B is ¾ sugar and ¼ flour. If we combine 2 cups of mixture A with 5 cups of Mixture B and 1 cup of flour, what percent of the resulting mixture will be flour?
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an easy—or, necessarily, desirable— endeavor. Consequently, there are no math textbooks for grades K–5. For grades six, seven, and eight, Merelyn found texts published by the University of Chicago that complement the GUS curriculum, though teachers have never used them in the same order as the books are arranged. “The textbooks are NOT our curriculum,” explains Maureen. “We use them to support our curriculum
and as developmentally appropriate in our curriculum. They are great for practice and for language development. I let the kids use them as a resource after we’ve gone over something and as a review or for extra problems.”
Can you do upper school problem solving? T and V in the four-digit number T37V represent different digits, and T37V is divisible by 88 without remainder. What digit is represented by T? (Hint: Find the value of V first.)
Maureen, in her eighth year at GUS and third as Math Coordinator, continues to build on what Merelyn created. “Merelyn did an amazing job creating this program. She had such a passion for the way we teach mathematics.” She had great foresight, too. “Merelyn put in transformational geometry which other schools are just starting to do now,” says Maureen. As new research and ideas from mathematics schools become available, however, “We continually look at the program and evaluate it to make sure our students don’t graduate missing anything.” In addition, teachers are encouraged to come up with new ideas, as long as essential aspects of the GUS math curriculum are not eliminated. For example, there is now a library of 150 “flipped classroom” instructional videos (where students learn lessons at home
and do “homework” in class) created by GUS faculty. In addition, Mahesh Sharma, the director of the Center for Teaching/Learning Mathematics and an early mentor to Merelyn, recently returned to GUS to present a workshop for teachers on new teaching methods. When Maureen first started teaching mathematics at GUS, she was thrilled to develop a deeper understanding of the higher mathematics she studied in college because of the approach through language. Now, Maureen’s favorite part of her job is when she “can get a student to have an ‘aha’ moment about math. You don’t get an ‘aha’ moment when a procedure works; you get it when you’ve made a connection to mathematics, when you’ve developed an understanding of what you’re doing.” Needless to say, at GUS, those “aha” moments come pretty often.
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Alumni Profile
Getting Rid of the Drag Andrew Smith ’90 When Andrew Smith was in sixth grade at GUS, his friend and classmate Evan Cross gave him a copy of Car and Driver magazine. It wasn’t long before Andrew became obsessed with sports cars. One might say that Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Ferraris fueled his imagination. In fact, Andrew recalls creating multiple sixth grade projects and book reports about sports cars. Then seventh grade science teacher Marti Di Anguera took the metaphorical air out of Andrew’s tires. Fast cars did not get good fuel mileage and were bad for the environment, she told him. Initially a bit crestfallen, Andrew absorbed this information and turned his attention from Lamborghinis to the Andrew in front of a crate of TrailerTails. challenges of making technology more responsible to the planet. His interest in the environment really wasn’t something new. “Growing up, I was always very much focused on the outdoors,” he recalls. “I spent time with my family in the White Mountains and at Squam Lake in New Hampshire.” At GUS, Andrew and his friends also spent plenty of time outside. “We always went off the soccer fields and into the marshes to explore.” Graduating from Pingree School in 1994, Andrew went on to major in physics at Middlebury College because he “wanted to understand the science behind green technology—solar power, fuel cells, electric cars, etcetera.” During his college summers, he managed an electric vehicle demonstration project at the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources, and during his junior year abroad he had an internship at the International Institute for Energy Conservation in Santiago, Chile. Andrew understood early the importance of combining business skills with environmental sustainability goals. After graduation, he took a position with a private consulting firm and did economic development work in 10 countries, spending time in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia. He then attended Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College to earn an MBA, already committed to the idea of starting a green technology company.
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A few months into his MBA program, Andrew launched ATDynamics, Inc., committed to the task of improving the aerodynamics of semi-trailers used to ship freight worldwide. Andrew and his colleagues invented TrailerTails®, an innovative and ingenious device to improve fuel economy by reducing the aerodynamic drag generated at the rear of semi-trailers. The drag occurs because of the low pressure turbulence created by the squared-off back of the tractor-trailer. TrailerTails are bolted behind the trailer, tapering inward to the rear and collapsing automatically when truckers swing the doors open to access their cargo. Studies show that TrailerTails can improve truck fuel economy by over five percent at 65 mph. More than 50,000 TrailerTails are now on the road, circulating on the country’s long-distance freight corridors. If all two million long-haul semi-trailers in America had TrailerTails, the industry could save almost two billion dollars of diesel fuel and seven million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. To see how TrailerTails work, view a video at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=NDlbLGs__-U . In 2015, Andrew sold ATDynamics to Stemco, a large truck and trailer supplier. Which leaves him, as he likes to joke, currently unemployed, except that he advises a number of cleantech companies (cleantech being the new buzz word for green continued on page 10
Alumni Profile
Hooked on Space
Catherine “Cassie” Rotman ’00 Cassie Rotman ’00 first became interested in space when her kindergarten class transformed a refrigerator box into a rocket ship. She was hooked. From then on, every project and book report allowed was on the topic of space travel. Famous person report topic? John Glenn. Fifth grade research project? Space. She even attended space camp (twice!) and was hoping to become an astronaut. But, as with many childhood dreams, Cassie’s faded as she grew older. When she got to college, following a year in Spain during high school Cassie hiking in Patagonia last year. at Brooks, Cassie became more interested in our own world. She majored in International Relations and studied abroad in Beijing, learning to speak conversational Mandarin. At Colgate College, International Relations included language, history, and economics; Cassie particularly enjoyed studies in diplomacy. Following graduation, she joined the Boston office of Bank of New York Mellon in the Wealth Management division, staying there for four years before deciding to pursue an MBA at the Sloan School of Management at MIT. But first, Cassie took a turn towards space again, deferring her acceptance to Sloan to take an internship at Marshall Space Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “I applied to NASA on a whim,” says Cassie, “and got one of the internships at Marshall.” Her job was two-fold. She worked with the same space camp she had attended as a child and she endeavored to license the camp to other countries. For this, she traveled the world and demonstrated some of the space camp lessons to entice investors to open the camp elsewhere. In addition, Cassie helped open an exhibit in Israel
of artifacts of the space program; this exhibit is still traveling around the world. Did she ever consider dumping the idea of business school and staying with NASA? Yes, she says, but she really didn’t want to miss going to Sloan. So, after her internship, Cassie traveled in Europe for the summer, went to Costa Rica to learn to surf, and then visited South Africa with a friend from school before entering Sloan in 2013. After graduation in 2015, Cassie landed a job with Deloitte, consultants to 80 percent of the Fortune 500 companies. She works in strategy and operations on a number of different projects in the San Francisco office. As a new employee, she joined as a generalist in strategy and operations to try out different areas such as mergers and acquisitions, to see what she prefers. Her work with huge multinational corporations sometimes takes her cities around the world. “Companies hire us to solve problems they can’t solve themselves,” Cassie explains. “I’m a generalist so I deal with any kind of problem at the client’s site.” In her spare time, Cassie likes to do “lots of outdoor stuff like hiking.” She rowed in college and hopes to join a rowing group in San Francisco. Cassie feels that GUS gave her confidence to “pursue the things that were of interest to me even if they weren’t following the standard discipline that others were doing. It gave me the continued on page 10
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Andrew’s third grade GUS class picture: he’s one row down from top, far right!
ANDREW SMITH ’90: cont. from page 8
technology companies), is working on a new start-up company focused on autonomous zero-emission freight transportation, and is writing a book about the entrepreneurial experience of building ATDynamics. Andrew believes more than ever in the opportunity for business to be a positive force in saving the environment. “I think that the greatest business opportunity of our generation is to redefine how we live—all aspects of how we live—in a more sustainable way,” he says. “It’s a fantastic career opportunity—to create and promote cleaner transportation, recyclable materials, more sustainable construction materials, renewable energy, safer food production, expanded wildlife areas…every aspect of our society is ripe for innovation.” Looking back, Andrew values his years at GUS for many reasons. “In retrospect, my GUS education was cutting edge at the time, and other institutions are trying to follow the model now,” he believes. “I
learned so much in the intimate learning environment of GUS. I have memories of almost every activity and project we did. I loved building a boat out of egg cartons with Lindsay Pearce (’89) in first grade, building a Native American longhouse in second grade, constructing a rain forest where we covered the walls with animal and plant cut-outs, going to Mystic Seaport in fourth grade, and on and on. I loved having access to both sports fields and marshes. I learned fundamental concepts at GUS that have stuck with me throughout my life. When I think about what I want for my
CASSIE ROTMAN ’00: cont. from page 9
confidence to take on risks. It was a small and nurturing environment—it really was like a family—and that set a great foundation for me. I still remember a lot of my teachers from GUS. They really were memorable.” She stays in close touch with GUS friends Lexie Winslow, Kelsey Quigley, and Meredith Gendreau.
Cassie at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
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children’s education, it is to replicate the experience I had at GUS—which means searching for a school like GUS or moving back to the North Shore.” Since Andrew and his wife, Emily, and their three small children, Ryan (1), Lily (3), and Kyle (5), just moved from California to Chattanooga, Tennessee, GUS may prove a long commute in the near term. Andrew does, however, plan to come visit school this winter. Like so many GUS alums, he stays in touch with many of his old classmates too. So what does Andrew think about sports cars these days? “Tesla fulfills my elementary school dream! Anyone would be crazy to buy a Porsche, Lamborghini or Ferrari with Teslas now available.” For those who don’t read Car and Driver, the Tesla X SUV, which can go 0–60 in 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph, is all electricallypowered. Even GUS science teachers could approve of that!
If you would like to read more profiles of GUS alumni, please go to gus.org/ alumniprofiles
REPORT OF GIVING Plein air painting of West Beach by 4th grade student.
2015 – 2016 Honor Roll of Donors Our community is fortunate to have families who care deeply about the value and impact of a Glen Urquhart School education. We are grateful for the many ways families and individuals have participated in and enriched the life of the school: from engaging in volunteer opportunities both on and off campus to supporting our kids and programs and holding leadership positions on the board of trustees and the parents’ association. Your efforts and generosity are always inspiring!
2015 – 2016 GUS Annual Fund URQUHART CIRCLE A nod to the Highland Scottish clan “Urquhart,” which translated from Gaelic means “fort on the knoll,” this circle recognizes the leadership of those individuals who have given $10,000 or more. Bob and Brooke Carroll P, TR Tim and Emily Collins P, AP, TR Carl Graves and Julia Mahoney-Graves P, TR David and Laura Quirk P, AP Steve and Joan Rosenthal AP, TR Jon and Marit von Tetzchner P, AP, TR
SUSTAINER’S CIRCLE This giving circle recognizes the commitment of individuals who maintain the well-being of the school at $5,000 or more. George and Paulette Balich GP, AP Rick and Martha Burnham P, TR Michael and Clare Byrne AP, TR
The GUS Annual Fund, in particular, makes a direct impact on the school’s available resources and programs. Our 2015 – 2016 effort provided stability and growth, helping the school meet yearly operating expenses not fully covered by tuition. A full 6% of the school’s operating budget is met by gifts from many members of the extended GUS family: current parents, alumni parents, alumni, former trustees, former faculty, current faculty and staff, grandparents, and friends. Thank you! The GUS Annual Fund will continue to be the number one giving priority for our community in nurturing academic growth and supporting achievement. Kenneth Grant and Carol Paczkowska P, AP Paul and Lauren Gudonis AP, TR Tom and Mollie Hoopes AP, TR Dan and Leslie LeVan AP, TR Sandy and Mary McGrath AP, FT Anonymous P
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE A salute to the school’s founding innovative and thoughtful educators, this circle supports the school with gifts of $2,500 or more. Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Mike and Rollyn Bornhorst P Eric and Melanie D’Orio P Phil and Donna Furse P, TR Oliver Klein and Jodi Llacera Klein P, TR Mark and Patricia Landgren P Raymond and Debbie Nance AP Former Head of School Greg and Sallie Pottle P, TR David and Yvette Putnam GP Wrightson Ramsing Foundation Jeffrey and Sheara Brand Seigal AP
P = Current Parent AP = Alumni Parent AL = Alumni AG = Alumni Grandparent GP = Grandparent FA = Faculty TR = Trustee FT = Former Trustee ST = Staff FR = Friend FF = Former Faculty
TARTAN CIRCLE The familiar Scottish pattern, “Clan Urquhart” has its own tartan. This giving circle recognizes gifts of $1,000 or more. Andrew Brown and Anita Meyer P David Cancel and Lise Carrigg P Shaun and Sidney Clarke P, FA Susan Coolidge AP, FF Peter and Joan Fortune GP Jim Gardner and Lesley Mottla-Gardner P
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Brian and Sherri Garvey P Eddie Gomez and Suzanne Mitchell P, TR Heidi and Craig Gorton P Brehon and Kathryn Griswold AP George and Mary Harrington P, FT Dave and Abby Ingemi P Charlie and Marnie Ives GP Nick and Lisa Kent P, FA, AL Thomas Gschwendther and Stephanie Kermes P Loren Kessel and Alison Gibbs P Jason Kopcak P Peter and Babette Loring AP, FT Guy and Leslie Marchesseault FA, AP Jay and Leslie McNiff AP, TR David and Deirdre Patch P Evan and Penny Randolph FT, FF Don and Lisa Romanelli P, TR, AP Denny and Heather Ryus P Alen Yen and Cheryl Tivey P
FRIENDS CIRCLE Everyone needs friends, and so does GUS. This group of supporters support the school with gifts up to $999 Daryl Achilles and Meghan Weir P Rob and Marlowe Almeida P Harry and Marcia Aptt GP Jason Aptt P Cheryl Arsenault ST Emilie Arthur AL Jason Balich AL Barbara Barnes FT Christine and Mark Barry P Jake Bartlett AL Annie Barton FA Tom Bernardi and Christine Baxter P Peter Terrat and Ruth Bayer P Margaret Beaudoin P Andrew and Suzanne Benfield P Tom Beyer and Yoshi Campbell P Pam Binnie AP Kathleen Birkeland FA Britton Bistrian AL Linda Bowden AP, FA Mary John Boylan AP Kathleen Bracken AP Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Brown, Jr. GP Elliot Buck FA Steve and Andrea Butler P Elaine Byrne AP Michaela Byrne AL Alison Cady Martin AP Michaela Byrne AL Lindsay Calef ST, AL Liza Calkins FA Peter and Virginia Carr GP Joe and Lisa Caruso P Cristin Chafe Rose AL Maggie Clark FA Patricia Clark FA Charlotte Collins AL
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Elaine Collupy ST Corliss Brothers Susannah Cramer-Greenbaum AL Holly Curtis P Brian and Kristen Cutler P Frank and Elaine D’Orio GP Tom Daniel and James Zaremba P Martha Delay FA Nicolasa Deschamps P Pamela Deschamps GP Margery Dimond GP Christine and Joshua Doxsee P Jessica Waters Duryea FA Don Deveau AG Chris Draper FA Carolyn Eliet FA Roan Elliott-Higgins AL Bruce Emerson FA, AP Dominic and Tammy Endicott AP Max and Shannon Engelhardt P John and Susan Esty P, TR Matt and Kim Fogelgren P Christy Fong P Michael and Kerry Foraste P Gretchen Forsyth FA Rocky and Jane Forsyth GP Denby Fortune AL Rob and Victoria Fortune P Charles and Meredith Free GP Martha Garvin AL Michael Geringer and Nicole Moses P Kevin and Nicole Glass P Simon Glass and Susannah Ketchum Glass P Nat and Jodi Gorton P Dennis and Deborah Grubbs GP Susan Herman GP Michael Higgins and Julia Elliott AP Jonathon Hitesman, Jr. AL Amy Hoopes AL Lisa Hoopes AL Timothy Hoopes AL George Horner and Amy Sullivan P Austin Hughes AL Christopher and Kimberly Hutchinson P Frank Infante GP Geoff and Stephanie Irvine P Doug and Kristen Jacobsen P Annalee Johnson AP James and Laurie Kean AP Courtney Kelly FA Stephen Kent and Nancy Sullivan AP, FT, GP, FF Edward and JoAnn Kirwin GP Gerhart and Brisitte Klein GP Alexander and Emily Kontos P Tom Sarah Kotwicki FA, P Kristian and Katrina Kristensen P MaryAnn LaCarubba FA David Lane and Candace Reynolds AP Bruce and Jessica Lewis P John and Amanda Lockerbie P Robie and Meghan MacLaughlin P
Peter Mason TR Cheryl Mazer AP Pam McCoy FA Mark McDonough AP David McKay and Marjory Robertson AP Kevin and Elizabeth McKelvey AP Phebe McKelvey AL John and Lauren Michaud P Meriln and Carlotta Miller AP Brian and Nikki Miller P Sean and Anna Monahan P Tim Moreland and Lisa Marciano P Loren Morgan AL Luke Morgan AL Richard Morgan and Cherri Sperr AP Robb Morgan AL Thomas Moriarty and Kathleen Johnson P Gordon and Amy Morrison P George Moses GP Thomas Mountain and Megan Cuddy P Frank and Maura Murphy P Laurie Nardone P Steven and Jenny Naylor P James and Susan Nelson AP Raymond Novak FA Rachel Obremski P Sean and Roberta O’Connor P Heidi Paek P Sanford Paek P Timothy and Elaine Palmer P Salvatore and Molly Parisi P Eric and Charlene Patey P Dan and Diana Patterson P McKenzie Perkins AL Duncan Peckham AL Tom Peckham and Ellen Petersen AP Charles and Leslee Peterman P Adam Portnoy AL Grant Proops and Tamah French P David Provost AP Gretchen Putnam and Melissa Dimond P William Quigley and Leslie Cargill AP, FT Thomas and Marian Quin P Nicholas Richon and Carol Hong-Richon P Beth Riley FA Johan and Kelly Rostad P, FA Daniel and Laura Rutledge AP Dorothy Ryan FF Sean Scanlan FA Phil Samson and Martha Sperry P Ruth Scheer GP Marc and Marlene Shaedle P Jeremy and Ellen Schiller P Christopher and Holly Shepherd P Tom Shirley and Sarah Kaull AP Frank and Sandie Sienkiewicz P Roger Smith and Emily Weissblum Smith P
Stan and Jody Smith AP, FT Louis and Ann Somma P John Soursourian and Judith Klein AP, FT Zara-Marie Spooner TR Dianne Stephan P Carol Stewart AP, FA Peter and Susan Stokes AP David Strouss AP Marcia Strouss AP Jacqueline Swansburg Paulino AL, TR Barbara Sweeney AP Verdun Thaemert and Victoria Rolf P Gregory and Caitlyn Thomas P, AL Davis and Louise Van Winkle GP Alan and Jenifer Wall AP Aliza Wall AL Rebecca Wasserman AL Peter and Laura Waxdal P Kristen Weber P Hans and Janet Weedon AP Sarah Weisman AL John Whalen and Jennifer Graf P Michael and Candace Wheeler AP Alec and Anne White AP Julie Whitlow and Olga Merchan P Curt Wilson P John and Amberly Wood P Kent and Lara Wosepka P Kelly Zaval FA Keith Zellman and Melissa Buchanan P
GUS 2015–2016 REPORT OF GIVING
P = Current Parent AP = Alumni Parent AL = Alumni AG = Alumni Grandparent GP = Grandparent FA = Faculty TR = Trustee FT = Former Trustee ST = Staff FR = Friend FF = Former Faculty
ENDOWED FUNDS GUS Endowment, a perpetual source of support, is essential in sustaining the school’s mission. Each year, a portion of the endowment is paid out as an annual distribution to support the school’s budget. Any appreciation is retained in the endowment so it can grow and bolster the school in all kinds of economic weather.
THE RAYMOND NANCE FUND The Raymond Nance Fund was established in honor of Raymond C. Nance and his 15 years of service to Glen Urquhart School as head of school. The fund is dedicated to strengthening the faculty and expanding the program so that GUS remains a leader in educational innovation. Karen Cady AP, FT Bob and Brooke Carroll P, TR Tim and Emily Collins P, AP, TR Paul and Lauren Gudonis AP, TR Hurdle Hill Foundation Jane Kelly AP, FT Jamie and Tori Macmillan AP, FT Will and Sandy Phippen AP, FT Mr. and Mrs. J. Wright Rumbough AG Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Tsao GP
THE NORTHRUP-WARREN NATURE FUND Named after founding students Molly Northrup ’86 and Lisl Warren ’86, this fund endows the study, interpretation, and preservation of the natural resources located on the Glen Urqhuart campus.
THE AUGUSTUS P. LORING LIBRARY FUND Established in 1986 to honor pastgrandparent Augustus P. Loring’s firm belief that the strength of an educational institution is reflected in its library, this fund is used for the acquisition of books to the school’s library. Peter and Babette Loring AP, FT
THE KELLY STOTZ WYCKE FUND FOR SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY “PADDLE-RAISE”
Established in 1999, this fund is dedicated to the memory of a loving parent who expressed a strong desire and commitment to enhance science education for GUS students.
Elkin Arredondo and Suzanne Loheac-Arredondo P Mark and Christine Barry P Peter Carr and Lisl Warren P Melodie Jeffrey-Cassell FA Michael and Clare Byrne AP, TR Craig and Lindsay Calef ST, AL David Cancel and Lise Carrigg P Shaun and Sidney Clarke P, FA Daryl Colden and Kristin Tallman P Tim and Emily Collins P, AP, TR Martha Delay FA Phil and Donna Furse P, TR Brian and Sherri Garvey P Chandlee Gore P Kenneth Grant and Carol Paczkowska P Carl Graves and Julia Mahoney-Graves P, TR Paul and Lauren Gudonis AP, TR Robert and Victoria Fortune P Nick and Lisa Kent P, FA, AL Loren Kessel and Alison Gibbs P Craig and Heidi Gorton P Timothy Knicker and Kara Peters P David and MaryAnn LaCarubba P Dan and Leslie LeVan P, TR Bram and Lori Lutton P Guy and Leslie Marchesseault FA, AP Olga Merchan and Julie Whitlow P Brian and Nikki Miller P Thomas Moriarity and Kathleen Johnson P Raymond and Debbie Nance AP Former Head of School Stan and Kirsten Norton P David and Deirdre Patch P Jacqueline Swansburg Paulino and Victor Paulino AL, TR Andrew Preston P Grant Proops and Tamah French P Beth Riley AP, ST Don and Lisa Romanelli P, AP, TR Steve and Joan Rosenthal AP, TR Sean Scanlan FA Louis and Ann Somma P, AL Johan and Kelly Rostad P, FA Stephen and Linda Todd P, TR
RESTRICTED GIVING GAIN@GUS SUMMER PROGRAM FUND This fund supports our vital summer academic enrichment program serving children (at no cost to their families) from the cities of Beverly, Lynn, and surrounding areas. Elaine Byrne AP Michael and Clare Byrne AP, TR David Cancel and Lise Carrigg P Bob and Brooke Carroll P, TR Tim and Emily Collins P, AP, TR John and Chrysa DaCosta AP Eric and Melanie D’Orio P Richard and Caroline Fitzpatrick AP, FT Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo The Highland Street Foundation Peter and Babette Loring AP, FT Guy and Leslie Marchesseault AP, FA Kyle Marchesseault and Marisa Howe AL McKenzie Perkins AL Carson Pottle AL Greg and Sallie Pottle P, TR Sean and Roberta O’Connor P Steve and Joan Rosenthal AP, TR Peter and Carol Stewart AP, FA Marcia Strouss AP, FT Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Tsao GP
GAIN@GUS SCHOLARSHIP FUND The GAIN@GUS Scholarship Fund supports the summer program’s commitment to enroll a percentage of qualified GAIN@ GUS students in Glen Urquhart School. This scholarship provides tuition for an eligible GAIN@GUS student to attend Glen Urquhart for grades six through eight.
VOLUNTEERS Special thanks to the cadre of enthusiastic volunteers who supported the school this past fiscal year. GUS is a stronger and more vibrant place thanks to the optimism and dedication of:
PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Anita Meyer, Co-Chair Tamah French, Co-Chair Sherri Garvey, Treasurer Leslee Peterman, Secretary
WILD BOAR GOLF TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE Carl Craves Eric D’Orio Holly Shepherd Sanford Paek
“THE PRIDE OF GUS” SPRING EVENT + AUCTION COMMITTEE Lise Carrigg Sherri Garvey Andrea Knight Kathleen Johnson Anita Meyer Leslee Peterman
Jake and Ellen Bartlett AL Charlie Dunne and Elizabeth Lenart AP Henry Ferrini and Susan Steiner P Margaret Seamans AP Alen Yen and Cheryl Tivey P Stephen and Linda Todd P, TR Nicholas and Abigail Trotman P Barry and Oblio Wish FR
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Double Doyles Married Duo at Helm in Third and Fourth Grades Glen Urquhart has always considered itself a family school —a place where teachers and parents and students establish close relationships, some that last a lifetime. At times, the term family school gains new meaning, particularly when a former student returns as a teacher, or the child of an alumnus enrolls as a student, or when both members of a married couple become GUS employees and colleagues. Enter Chris and Laura Doyle, third and fourth grade teachers, respectively. The couple met when they both worked in Washington, DC in the Education and Human Development division at American Institutes for Research. As part of their jobs, they went into the field and carried out observations in classrooms across the United States. They would come back and prepare reports that were sent to the US Department of Education with feedback and recommendations about how money was being allocated and dispensed. Their work convinced them both that they wanted to be in the classrooms themselves rather than just observing. They applied and were accepted to Bank Street College of Education in New York City. After earning their degrees, they remained in New York for several years teaching. Chris started at GUS last year while
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Laura was taking a year off after the birth of their second child, Anne, who joined big brother Henry, now four. Chris had been teaching fourth grade at Brooklyn New School, PS 146-K, in New York, a job he dearly loved. But with two kids and rising childcare costs, he and Laura decided they wanted to move to New England near where she grew up in Newton. The goal was to find a progressive independent school. The opening at GUS was just what he was looking for. “I did my interview during February school vacation in Brooklyn,” Chris recalls. When he was asked to come back and do a demonstration, he had to take a day off from school, so he left New York at 4 a.m., did the demo at 10, received a job offer from Raymond Nance, and was on the road back
home by noon. “I had to turn down the offer of lunch to get back to the Upper West Side and help Laura with Henry and one-month-old Anne,” he says as they both laugh. What was the lesson that won him the job? “I did a poetry lesson on William Wordsworth’s poem ‘Daffodils.’ I brought daffodils to the class for the students to look at, and I had them analyze and act out the first stanza of the poem.” It’s easy to understand why he won over the hiring committee! As for Chris, he is very happy he made the move. “I felt overwhelmed sometimes in the biggest school district in the country. It was a challenge meeting all students’ needs in the classroom. Here, with two teachers, in this smaller setting, it is easier for me
to get to know students and to develop close relationships. I loved teaching in New York City, but it is a different experience here. GUS is a really good match for me.” Besides the small, intimate community, Chris values being able to bring the outside into the curriculum. “The nature trail and the fields are a great resource for kids and teachers,” he says. He mentions a recent “read aloud” he did with his class outside in the garden about a woman who liked to plant flowers. Yes, it was Miss Rumphius. Laura joined Chris on the GUS faculty this year as a co-teacher in the fourth grade. She has been thrilled to find that the school lives up to its mission. “It is hard to find schools that really match up with their goals,” she says. “A progressive philosophy—really looking at social studies, a study of the world, integrating reading and music—it takes commitment. It is very hard to find in a meaningful way.” Laura was immediately struck by how GUS community members look out for each other and are welcoming. “It’s a special place. This kind of education is different not just from public schools but also from other independent schools: the high academic expectations, the focus on the whole child, on how to work with each other, and how to be kind to each other.”
The opportunity to be creative in the classroom and “to do what we’ve been trained to do—to make rich learning experiences for children” make Laura a very happy teacher. She is further “energized” by the co-teacher model that, she believes, differentiates GUS while it benefits both students and teachers. “It brings the level of teaching up,” she explains, “to have another teacher who is well-trained in the classroom. You can bounce ideas off each other and work separately in small groups.” She adds, with her quick smile, “And it’s really fun!”
Now that Chris, Laura, Henry and Anne have moved to Beverly, the couple feels more a part of the community, they say. “Last year, the kids in class were talking about Captain Dusty’s, going to Lynch Park, and skating at the Roller Palace,” Chris explains. “Now I know what they are talking about.” So keep an eye out for the young family exploring the neighborhood. And how is it working together again? “It’s great so far,” says Laura, especially since they love being at a school that brings to life their educational philosophy and goals.
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Discovering the World with Mrs. Thoms Since 1988
For hundreds of little children over nearly 30 years, kindergarten teacher Sandy Thoms has been the port of entry to GUS, guiding them into the community of learning, thinking, caring, and growing that defines our school. Over the years, Sandy has worked with a number of co-teachers, mentoring many new educators. Since 2008, she and co-teacher Amy Billings have forged a partnership that brings to life their mutual goals for GUS kindergarteners. To be a student in their classroom is to know you are valued and trusted, but that you are also expected to try hard and be nice; that you should express your own opinions, but you must listen to those of others; that you should have fun and be silly, but you must be respectful and serious too. To all of Sandy’s colleagues and parents of students, Sandy is a master teacher with a gentle touch that belies her strong influence and impact on the children in her class. setting; experience skills work and experimentation in the various disciplines, as compatible with their levels of development and expertise; begin to gain mastery over the tasks they struggle with; and begin to understand themselves as learners.
When you look at kindergarteners, what do you see? I see children who are full of possibility, energy, curiosity, a desire to know about their world and how it works, and the wish to be both independent and interdependent. What do you want them to gain from kindergarten? Although society changes and our knowledge of how children learn advances, the essence of who children
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are and how they develop remain constant. My goals for kindergarteners have remained fairly consistent over time. I want kindergarten to stimulate children’s natural desire to learn and make sense of the world. I also want to help them gain confidence in themselves as competent learners; experience being valued group members; have opportunities for creative self-expression; move toward greater independence and responsibility in a classroom
When I meet students I taught many years ago, what they remember are the projects they did in kindergarten. The skills fade into the background, but they recall the projects that helped them synthesize those skills. There is something deeply satisfying about those projects in that they are real work, such as making a castle out of cardboard they can then play in or cooking a favorite recipe they can then eat and enjoy. People remember the emotions around the experience, especially when there are processes and
outcomes that show them their own competence. What is distinct about GUS kindergarten? The way we approach learning is different. We lay a foundation for academic success and skill acquisition in kindergarten and in the future by building children’s social-emotional skills in a safe and positive learning environment. Children will take educational risks if they trust their teachers and peers with their possible mistakes. In addition, our small group learning process encourages children to expand their thinking and learn from each other. After so many years of teaching, how do you continue to evolve your teaching practice? For the last three summers, I have attended institutes at
“If the rest of my child’s education is as exceptional as her kindergarten year at GUS, she will have a very bright future.” – A GUS Kindergarten Parent Harvard University. The first was entitled “The Arts and Passion Driven Learning,” which informed my work in developing an arts collaboration between Glen Urquhart School and schools in Nevis, West Indies. The second was Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, which keeps me current on the latest research on how to make thinking and learning visible. One example of our making thinking visible to children is a game we call, You Can Change Your Mind. It is adapted from a protocol learned at Harvard. Using the Smartboard, we put up a picture showing only a small segment of an image. We ask the children to guess what it is. Gradually, we zoom out to expose more of the image. As more of the image is visible, we remind them that they can change their minds based on the greater information that they are seeing. As the children learn that they can modify their thinking, they begin to generalize this understanding to many areas of learning. Talk about literacy in kindergarten and your approach? Our literacy program combines multiple approaches and is based on individual profiles and small group instruction. We focus on the many strands involved in acquisition of pre-reading and reading skills. In addition,
intentional opportunities for literacy experiences are integrated across all disciplines. First, we do a careful assessment of each child’s place on the literacy continuum. Some students enter kindergarten near the beginning of this continuum; others are already reading fluently. Through this intimate knowledge of each child’s learning profile, we can focus on areas of strength as well as areas that need support, and guide children toward their individual reading goals. Do you really teach probability and statistics in kindergarten???
what comes next. I think that misses on two counts. One, it sets up a uniform standard to be attained by all children that misses where children are currently. With careful assessing, we can discover where children are in a variety of areas including literacy and numeracy. The goal is to help each child make a year’s progress in a year, keeping in mind the depth and breadth that is required for a strong foundation in each area. Secondly, instead of taking the short view of what’s next,
let’s take the long view. Who do we want these children to be as graduates of GUS, as high school and college grads, as adults? I am privileged to help children begin their educational journey at GUS and see who they become further down the road. We want our graduates to be competent, skilled, generous, thoughtful, engaged people who have integrity, people who continue to learn and grow. That is what I have in mind when I think about what is important in kindergarten.
We cover a wide range of topics in mathematics as the students learn to think mathematically and make sense of our number system. And, yes, that includes probability and statistics. For example, we ask questions such as, “Do you always, sometimes, or never have an apple in your lunch? When you roll a die, what number do you think will come up? Is there any way to know with certainty which number will come up? In a simple way, they begin to understand probability concepts. So much is said about getting children ready for what comes next. But what else is important? I’ve never framed my work with children in kindergarten as getting them ready for
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Glen Urquhart School 74 Hart Street Beverly Farms, MA 01915 978-927-1064 | gus.org
Remember Medieval Morning at GUS? There is so much happening on campus and off this year! Be sure to visit gus.org to see what’s new. Then stop by for a visit. Our doors are always open!
