Rippowam Cisqua School Bulletin, Fall 2018 by Good Design

Bulletin R I P P OWA M

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Fall 2018 3 4 5

Letter from Head of School Colm MacMahon Welcome to RCS Head of Lower Campus Erin Callaghan Letter from Head of Upper Campus Matt Hall

Around Ripp 6 7 8 9

Award-winning Author/Illustrator Visits Kindergarten Owls on the Lower Campus Ripp Robotics 2018 Scholastic Awards

Campus News 10 18 20 22 28 30 32 38 39 40 42 43 44 52 53 54 56 58

Graduation 2018 Fourth Grade Celebration Upper Campus Academic & Athletics Awards RCS in Pictures Winter Sports Wrap-up Spring Sports Wrap-up The Art of Performing RCS Honors Richard L. Wade Wadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wall Mural: A New RCS Tradition Faculty Spotlight: Kathy and Chris Perry Faculty Spotlight: Leslie Thivierge Community Partners Annual Report of Donors RCS Foundations of Education Lecture Series with Dr. Emily Weinstein A Message from the PA Chair Retirements New Board Members A Message from the Board Chair

Alumni News 59 60 62 66

Alumni Connections Alumni Roadshow: Boston and NYC Alumni Class Notes In Memorium

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Rippowam Cisqua School Bulletin is published by the Advancement Office:

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CISQUA SCHOOL FALL 2018

Ryan Smith, Director of Advancement Charlene Foy, Director of Special Events Jen Goodhue, Advancement Associate Caroline Vincent Mockridge ’81, Director of Special Projects Karin Smith, Director of Communications Daphne Viders, Centennial Campaign Manager Haley Casper ’14, Daisy Fauver ’16, Advancement Office Summer Interns Credits: Design: Good Design, Deep River, CT Photography: Minush Krasniqi, Rhonda Spevak Printing: Printech, Stamford, CT Board of Trustees Peter B. Freund ’91, Chair Whitney Brown, Vice Chair Charles E. Buckley, Treasurer Ben Harris, Secretary Sonja Bartlett Jonathan Childs Anne Citrin Kelly Coles Nancy Dwyer Eaves ’92 Margot Fooshee Abby Gerry Stuart Kovensky Dr. Angelina Lipman Richard C. Mugler III D. Bryce O’Brien Christopher H. Pachios Will Reeve ’07 Charlene Sy Ryan Sara Slocum Daniel van Starrenburg Ex Officio Colm MacMahon, Head of School Harry Grand ’93, RCSAA Chair Deborah A. Hurrell, Asst. Head, Finance & Operations Ryan Smith, Director of Advancement Antoinette Sullivan, Parents Association Chair

Colm MacMahon Head of School

Centennial years are tremendous gifts to any organization, but particularly to schools. I believe the best schools are made up of the best stories, and our stories come from the generations of students who have graduated from our School in all of its historic iterations. What a great pleasure it was to meet with and hear from alums, past parents, and former faculty and staff members who made it a priority to come home to Rippowam Cisqua School this past year. I hope this proves to be a precursor to even greater engagement in the coming years. In addition to our Centennial, this past April we completed a very successful New York State Association of Independent Schools accreditation process that reinforced the uniqueness and value of our community and its members. It also proved to be the impetus for us to look at the core of what we do at RCS and why we do it. Over the course of many months, and with the involvement of much of the community, RCS undertook an honest review of the Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission. The result of that process is our new mission statement, shown on the opposite page, which celebrates the essential skills we endeavor to instill in all Rippowam Cisqua School graduates. As a PreKindergarten through Grade 9 school, we recognize that equipping students with the skills necessary to thrive in any school community once they have left our halls is essential. By focusing on independent thinking, confident communication, and engaged leadership, we are certain that our students will be fully prepared to become bold difference-makers in all aspects of their lives. And that is exactly what you can expect from RCS graduates; they are perilous in their pursuit of truth and empathetic in their appreciation for all those they encounter in our diverse and increasingly complex global society. To support the completion of our mission, we will continue focusing more on immersive, experiential learning. We have also expanded our athletics offerings to provide more choice for our students, and we will be celebrating the arts far more intentionally, including through our new Visiting Artist series. Additionally, we are making both curricular review and professional evaluation priorities for our immediate future.

At our heart, though, remains what we all consider to be of the utmost importance to our community: the relationships founded, nurtured, and solidified here at RCS. We are a school where our people â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all of them â&#x20AC;&#x201D; define who we are, and I consider us fortunate to have that one-hundred-year legacy of relationships bolstering us as we venture optimistically into our future. All best wishes,

Colm MacMahon Head of School

Welcome to RCS

Erin Callaghan

Head of Lower Campus Dear Families, As you have warmly welcomed me to the Rippowam Cisqua School community, I am honored to welcome you and your students to the 2018-19 school year! Over the summer our teachers were passionately planning for an exceptional year, and it is wonderful to have our classrooms full of learners again. The joy your children bring to school each day is contagious and continually reminds me of the importance of our work together, parents and teachers alike. And it is in both of those roles, as Head of Lower Campus and as a parent of a first and a fourth grader, that I join this vibrant and caring RCS family. Over the summer the Lower Campus faculty read An Ethic of Excellence by Ron Berger, where he discusses the idea of beautiful work, where students are encouraged to create, with passion, work they are proud of. As parents and teachers it is our job to create these opportunities, and it is our privilege to celebrate them each day. Elementary school years are a magical time for children â&#x20AC;&#x201D; their educational journey is full of discovery, taking chances, forming friendships, and growing in dynamic ways. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to celebrate these moments of joy and beauty with you this year. Best,

Erin Callaghan Head of Lower Campus

Matt Hall

Head of Upper Campus After a tremendous first year in the RCS community, I am thrilled to welcome students and families back for another academic year. Reflecting on the past twelve months, there was so much to be thankful for on the Upper Campus â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from starting the year in a new building, to welcoming students who proved to be as engaged and driven as they were excited. My family and I were welcomed and supported by a community that is generous and involved, and the faculty and staff continued to show why they are the most valued resource in creating a superior educational experience for our students. As we head into this new academic year, I am excited by the increased vigor of our faculty to build upon past successes. We spent the summer focusing on three main goals for the 2018-19 school year, and are eager to partner with families to continue to provide outcomes and experiences that are mission specific. The first goal is a focus on curriculum, highlighted by the implementation of comprehensive expectations for writing skills and outcomes across the disciplines. The second is the introduction of an advisory curriculum, with both a formal character education component and dedicated time for advising. The last focus is on community, with the aim to provide students with the framework to understand how respect, collaboration, and inclusion are essential skills for their future success.

I truly believe there is no better time to be a student at RCS. The greatest gift that we can provide our students is an environment where they are challenged and able to grow in a supportive setting. I look forward to partnering with you all in the year ahead. Best,

Matt Hall Head of Upper Campus

Award-winning Author/Illustrator Visits Kindergarten Winner of two Caldecott Medals and author of over 60 books for children, Chris Raschka delighted Rippowam Cisqua School Kindergarteners and their teacher Nicole Putorti when he visited their classroom on June 1. The students had studied Mr. Raschka’s work earlier in the year, and begun a series of written correspondences with the acclaimed author. “Through his many books, students were able to reflect on their own characteristics and what makes them unique; they had

an opportunity to emulate Mr. Raschka’s artistic creativity through a variety of modalities,” Mrs. Putorti said. “We sent him the childrens’ work and became yearlong pen pals.” In one of his letters the author wrote to the class, “Thank you for your wonderful encouragement which, frankly, even older grown-ups like me still need.” He also offered to come to RCS to meet the students. On the day Chris Raschka arrived, the children couldn’t contain their

excitement. “They were bursting with questions about his work!” Mrs. Putorti said. During his hourlong classroom visit, Raschka created illustrations and shared some of his newest work. “Today was such an awe-inspiring day. It was truly an honor to host Mr. Chris Raschka in our classroom and get to experience his talents firsthand,” Mrs. Putorti added.

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Owls on the Lower Campus

“Some of the ﬂock,” Mrs. Heinrich said. “Hard to believe they all started with the same sized gray simple circle of clay!”

With RCS celebrating its Centennial, art teacher Geri Heinrich had each of her classes creating art featuring owls; first graders assembled paper collages, fourth graders created antiqued embossed owls, and second graders made these ceramic owls. The second grade artists all began their project with a disc of clay exactly the same size. They were encouraged to manipulate the clay in a variety of ways to create unique creatures.

“Just when the owl looked like a sloppy “A particular point of interest might be mess, a shower of tap water allowed the alternative clay finishing process any ink sitting on the top of oil pastels to glazing that I found perusing the to wash away, revealing all the colors internet,” Mrs. Heinrich said. “It beneath. Any ink remaining served to turned out to be a really wonderful emphasize the color and give the owls choice for these pieces. Instead of an aged appearance. This step, while traditional glazing, students colored pure science, was quite magical, as each the bisqueware owls with oil pastels. artist watched their owl transform from That was followed by an all-over wash of ink; I offered choices of brown, black, a dismal monochromatic mess, to a brilliant and colorful masterpiece!” and gray.” 7

Rippowam Cisqua School’s robotics team had a strong showing at FIRST LEGO League’s all-day competition at Solomon Schechter School of Westchester in January 2018 — the RCS team placed fourth overall. The School’s two robotics coaches, Director of Innovation Miles Cameron and technology teacher Barbara DiVenuto, began work with the middle school robotics team in September 2017. Students started by building a challenge table for the robots. Coaches Cameron and DiVenuto were with the team every step of the way, but, as the students were quick to point out: “They didn’t do the work — they helped, but we did it.” After the tournament coach Cameron said, “It’s exciting. We learned a lot about how much work we still have left to do. It was a great first year.” How do students prepare for a robotics competition? Students work together to design and program robots; they’re learning all the basics of coding and how to think logically. There’s an emphasis on working together as a team. What happens at a FIRST LEGO League tournament? Each team programs one robot to compete in three “challenge” rounds. After each round, the robot engineers race to the “pitt” to make adjustments. “It’s a lot of thinking on your feet,” is how one of the team members described the fine-tuning between rounds. “You just have 15 minutes to figure it out.” They were quickly rewriting code on their computers and downloading it to the robot. “It was fun,” another student said. “A lot of fun. You have to think of a way to make it work.” The FIRST LEGO League tournament isn’t just about the robot challenge — each year teams are also judged on a project based on a real-world problem, a Core Values poster, and robot design. “I can’t wait to do it again and see what they take from their first year as rookies,” coach DiVenuto said. 8

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Ava Slocum ’19, Honorable Mention, Lucy McGinnis ’18, Honorable Mixed Media Mention, Drawing & Illustration

Writing Tiya Arvati ’19, Honorable Mention, Poetry Katie Braden ’20, Honorable Mention, Critical Essay Claudia Citrin ’20, Silver Key, Poetry Maggie Coyle ’19, Honorable Mention, Humor Aidan Cullen ’19, Honorable Mention, Short Story Hailey Doniger ’20, Silver Key, Critical Essay Amelia Frelinghuysen ’18, Gold Key, Short Story Sophie Greve ’19, Honorable Mention, Critical Essay Clara Guettel ’20, Honorable Mention, Critical Essay Clara Guettel ‘20, Silver Key, Poetry Sophie Guettel ’18, Honorable Mention, Short Story Brandon Hackett ’20, Silver Key, Poetry Maddy Israel ’20, Honorable Mention, Poetry Elizabeth Jones ’19, Honorable Mention, Poetry Luke Kovensky ’19, Honorable Mention, Science Fiction/Fantasy Nicolas Kychenthal ’18, Honorable Mention, Journalism Nicolas Kychenthal ’18, Silver Key, Poetry Dylan Landau ’20, Honorable Mention, Critical Essay Nathaniel Levinson ’20, Honorable Mention, Humor Lucy McGinnis ’18, Silver Key, Poetry Rowan McGinnis ’20, Honorable Mention, Short Story Nina Mukhametzyanov ’19, Honorable Mention, Poetry Tatiana Restrepo ’19, Honorable Mention, Short Story Frances Ryan ’18, Honorable Mention, Personal Essay/Memoir Zach Sherman ’20, Honorable Mention, Critical Essay Ava Slocum ’19, Silver Key, Poetry Camille Smith ’19, Honorable Mention, Poetry Katerina Trantzas ’20, Gold Key, Personal Essay/Memoir Luke Yerkes ’19, Silver Key, Humor

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2018 Scholastic Awards Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented each year to students in Grades 7-12 with exceptional artistic and literary talent. Some of our nation’s most accomplished creative leaders have been recipients of the Awards, including Ken Burns, Lena Dunham, Stephen King, Sylvia Plath, and Andy Warhol. Congratulations to the Rippowam Cisqua School students whose work is shown here for being among the 2018 Scholastic Art & Writing regional award winners for their vision, ingenuity, and talent.

Nina Mukhametzyanov ’19, Gold Key, Sculpture

Maddy Carlson ’18, Honorable Mention, Painting

Art Maddy Carlson ’18, Honorable Mention, Painting Owen Hayes ’19, FIVE Honorable Mentions, Photography Lucy McGinnis ’18, Honorable Mention, Drawing & Illustration Lucy McGinnis ’18, Honorable Mention, Painting Lucy McGinnis ’18, Gold Key, Photography Nina Mukhametzyanov ’19, Gold Key, Sculpture Tatiana Restrepo ’19, TWO Silver Keys, Photography Ava Slocum ’19, Honorable Mention, Mixed Media 9

G R A D UAT I O N Rippowam Cisqua School concluded its one-hundredth academic year on Thursday, June 7, with a moving and memorable Graduation ceremony at which Head of School Colm MacMahon and Outgoing Chair of the Board of Trustees Kirtley Cameron bestowed diplomas and certificates of completion to the RCS Class of 2018 and to members of the RCS Class of 2019 who were departing after eighth grade. Fittingly, the beautiful white Graduation tent was erected in the same spot where over 620 members of the RCS community had gathered in October for the record-breaking Centennial Gala. At 5:00 p.m., members of the rising ninth grade class led a procession of fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students followed by the entire Rippowam Cisqua School faculty. Once everyone was in place, music teachers Keith Robellard and Bill Fornara launched into “Pomp and Circumstance,” heralding the arrival of our graduates. Mr. MacMahon welcomed the graduates, their families, alumni, faculty, students, and staff and began the ceremony by acknowledging the recent passing of RCS alum Will Maerov ’12 with a moment of silence followed by the traditional recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

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Addressing the graduates, Mr. MacMahon noted, “You all are remarkable individuals who have tremendous capacity for good and the skills to achieve that capacity. As a school, our goal is for you to be independent thinkers, both confident in your own beliefs, but also open to and intellectually curious about those whose worldview does not align with yours. So as you enter your next schools, ask questions. All the time. Find different perspectives. Empathize. And seek the truth. Always.” As is tradition, the graduating class asked a faculty member to give the commencement address. This year, that honor fell to Grades 7 & 8 humanities teacher Tim Hart, whose heartfelt and humorous speech led to a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd. Mr. Hart’s speech focused on teaching. “I take seriously the role of teacher,” he said. “I feel it is a sacred trust. We enter these halls every day charged with acting in loco parentis for your children. We all wear different hats to accomplish continued

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that goal — from instructor to confidant, from counselor to drill instructor, right down to being a speed bump in the fifth grade hallway — all aimed at having the students complete the day a little older and wiser when they return home. I went to school to learn how to do this job where I read about John Dewey, who suggested that the most effective learning was directed by student interest, that it be experiential, that it have rigor, that students experience ‘the other,’ and that they help.” Addressing the graduates, Mr. Hart continued, “You graduates are fortunate to have gone to this school where the ninth grade portfolio project affords you opportunities to do what interests you, what you love.” “It should be noted,” Mr. Hart added, “that along the way all of you — of your own accord — became teachers. What you may not know is that you have always been teachers, that we are all teachers — always. At the very least we teach those who come into contact with us who we are by what we do. How we react when

stressed, when angry; what we take care of, what we neglect — all serve to teach people who we are. Your actions teach all who come into contact with you — every day — just who you are.” Another favorite graduation tradition is the presentation of the class gift. This year, ninth grade Class Presidents Sophie Guettel and Addie Teolis, on behalf of their classmates, announced that the RCS 2018 class gift would go toward providing more accessible outdoor seating around campus. Noting their role as the graduating class of Rippowam’s Centennial year, they said, “We feel beyond grateful to be here to witness the culmination of an entire century of graduates, and be here for the dawn of countless new accomplishments of upcoming classes.” In describing the class gift, they added, “There are already a few Adirondack chairs surrounding the Ninth Grade House, and we feel that they offer a sort of calming sanctuary in which students are able to reflect, meditate, study, and spend quality time with friends and

teachers. This gift is also extremely relevant due to Rippowam Cisqua School’s recent focus on wellness and mindfulness, because throughout our experiences, these chairs have brought serenity and peace into our occasionally chaotic school lives. We hope that future students will be able to find similar tranquility in these seating areas, and will be able to enjoy them for many years to come.” After being officially welcomed into the RCS Alumni Association by RCSAA Chair Harry Grand ’93, who as a former Red Team captain was thrilled to congratulate his fellow Red Team members on their commanding win in the 2017-18 Red/Blue Competition, the graduating class stood together one last time to sing a rousing rendition of Billy Joel’s “For the Longest Time.” Then, with diplomas in hand, the graduates processed out of the tent to a reception on the terrace outside the new Upper Campus Dining Hall. What better way to celebrate the end of this historic school year than with lemonade and cookies in one of our amazing new spaces?

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Welcome to the

ALUMNI A S S O C I AT I O N Harry Grand ’93

RCS Alumni Chair Harry Grand ’93 welcomed the Class of 2018 to the Alumni Association with the following message: My name is Harry Grand and I graduated the same year as Ridley Sperling, in 1993 — 25 years ago. In fact, she was the Blue Team captain and I was the Red Team captain… but let’s focus on you! Congratulations to the Class of 2018 and to all of the departing eighth graders. You are officially members of the Rippowam Cisqua School Alumni Association, a group of more than 3,000 excellent Red or Blue individuals living across the country and around the world, all united by the common bond we share as former students of this School. The Alumni Association is a network that you can tap into for career

guidance, support, and advice, but most importantly it exists to keep you connected to each other and to the School. After all, it is the relationships you have developed here that are most significant — with your teachers, with your coaches, with the staff members — and most importantly, with each other. Ripp has impacted my life in so many ways; of course during my time at Ripp, but also afterwards and many years after that. I’m going to keep this short, but here are a quick four examples of the lasting legacy the School has had on my life. LOYAL FRIENDS My Ripp friends are and have been the most loyal friends in my life. They have helped me every step of the way since graduation. In fact, three Ripp graduates serve as godparents to my three children. The friendships you have found here will last you a lifetime. IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SPEAKING After leaving Ripp, I began to understand why Ripp placed such importance on public speaking. It is a skill that will set you apart in your continuing education and careers. It’s a skill I learned here at Ripp in the extremely competitive hyperbole contest. Eventually I was so passionate about it that I won the contest three hundred and sixty two

times in three years... okay, okay, I only won it twice. TRAVEL At Ripp I discovered a passion for languages and travel. A wonderful French teacher instilled in me a passion for the language and encouraged me to travel abroad. This continued into a double major in French and World Politics after spending two years abroad living in France. I hope RCS has sparked an interest in traveling (especially from your recent trip to Italy, which I heard was amazing) but also because it is so important to understand different cultures and languages as we become increasingly connected in this globalized community. COMMUNITY Having enjoyed being a student at Rippowam, it is a privilege to now be a parent here at the School and realize that the values, the legacy, and the support structure from when I was growing up still exist. In fact, there is no other school that I wanted my children to attend to gain the confidence, support, and education. So, travel the world, share your incredible thoughts, and even if you live far away, remember you always have a home at Rippowam. Congratulations again!

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The following is a list of the secondary schools that our graduating ninth graders and departing eighth graders will attend in September 2018. Archbishop Stepinac High School Berkshire School (3) Briarcliff High School Brunswick School (2) Byram Hills High School Deerfield Academy Dwight School Emma Willard School Fox Lane High School (2) Greenwich Academy

The Gunnery Hackley School (5) Hotchkiss School Kennedy Catholic King School Lawrenceville School (3) Masters School (3) Millbrook School Peddie School Pleasantville High School

Sacred Heart Greenwich (2) St. Andrew’s School (DE) St. George’s School (3) Suffield Academy Taft School (2) Thacher School (CA) Westminster School (2) Wilton High School Wooster School

Congratulations to the Rippowam Cisqua School Class of 2015 The following is a selection of colleges and universities at which RCS students have matriculated in the last five years. American University* Amherst College Bates* Berklee College of Music Boston College Boston University Bowdoin* Brown* Bucknell* Colgate University* College of Charleston* College of the Holy Cross* College of William & Mary Colorado College* Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University* Dartmouth College Duke University* Elon University Fordham University* Franklin and Marshall College* George Washington University* Georgetown University* Georgia Tech* Hobart and William Smith Johns Hopkins University Kenyon College Lafayette College Lehigh University Middlebury College* New York University* Northwestern University*

Oberlin College* Parsons School of Design Princeton University* Providence College Rensselaer Polytech Institute Skidmore College Southern Methodist University* St. Lawrence University* Syracuse University* Trinity College* Tufts University* Tulane University* Union College* University of California Santa Cruz University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder University of Connecticut University of Denver* University of Michigan*

University of Notre Dame* University of Pennsylvania* University of Rhode Island* University of Richmond* University of St Andrews, in Scotland* University of Vermont* University of Virginia* University of Wisconsin Vanderbilt University* Villanova University Wake Forest University* Washington & Lee University* Wesleyan University Williams College* Yale University*

*indicates two or more students

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Michelle and Roger Hodge

Rachel and Mark Szycher

Cheryl and Gerald Coyle

Farewell to RCS Families

Each year at Rippowam Cisqua School we celebrate departing students, but we must also say goodbye to those families whose youngest child is departing as well. For the following families, their time at RCS has come to an end:

Three Years

Suzanne and Eugene Pope Michele and David Rosenbloom

Four Years

Marie Duverneau Roxanne Lagano and Jeffry Neidhardt Cathy O’Brien Yaffa Richard Yaffa

Five Years

Kyra Feldman ’85 Veronica Segall and Miguel Kychenthal Anthony Paris

Six Years

Swapna and Naresh Arvati Tamlyn Nathanson ’85 and Bradley Nathanson Heather Susac and Michael Torkin Andrew Yerkes

Jaswinder and Sukhwinder Singh

Tracy and Scott Fauver

Seven Years

Sandra Santiago and Mario Garland Margaret and Gregory Gibson Felicia Peterson

Eight Years

Amy and William Hayes

Nine Years

Nicole and Stuart Kovensky Sophia and Dwayne McCallum

Ten Years

Sharon and Glenn Berger Stephania and Ron Greve Michelle and Roger Hodge Andrea and Steve Jones

Eleven Years

Alison and Jim Kallman Loren and David Teolis

Stephanie and John Small

Twelve Years

Susan and Gus Carlson Rachel and Mark Szycher

Thirteen Years

Cheryl and Gerald Coyle Nga and Mark Pedretti Jaswinder and Sukhwinder Singh Stephanie and John Small

Fourteen Years

Natasha and Jorge Restrepo

Fifteen Years

Tracy and Scott Fauver

Sixteen Years

Mary and Tim Evnin Caroline Vincent Mockridge ’81 and Oscar Mockridge

Natasha and Jorge Restrepo

Caroline Vincent Mockridge ’81 and Oscar Mockridge

F OU RT H GR A D E

CELEBRATION The annual fourth grade performance that celebrates the end of a student’s time on the Lower Campus and their move to the Upper Campus is a treasured tradition at Rippowam Cisqua School. “You have to say goodbye before you can say hello,” Head of School Colm MacMahon said to students and their families and friends in the Sky Room on June 5. “So today is your opportunity to say goodbye to the Lower Campus before the Upper Campus says hello to you.” And with that, the Class of 2023 — gathered together one final time on their elementary

school stage — shared a beautiful program of music and poetry. “You are at the beginning of a new journey,” Head of Lower Campus Penny Jennings, who retired in June, said to the students as the bittersweet morning came to a close. “Ahead is a new campus where you will continue to learn about your new world and your place in it.” When the applause ended, the School’s incoming group of fifth graders made their way to waiting parents and cameras, and with smiles, hugs, and a few tears, they celebrated their last moments on the Lower Campus.

Upper Campus

Academic & Athletics Awards Presented to Members of the Eighth and Ninth Grade Classes Academic Awards

The Rippowam Cisqua Prize Sophie Guettel

Presented annually on behalf of the family of Mrs. Francis W. Welch to the student who is outstanding in qualities of leadership, character, and general school citizenship. This is the highest award conferred by the School.

Jane Brooks Robbins Science Prize Frances Ryan

Prudence B. Read History Prize Chase Mockridge for exceptional understanding and appreciation of history

for genuine interest and enthusiasm in the field of science

Stanley M. Feret Mathematics Prize Shan Sandhu 20

for exceptional interest, initiative, and accomplishment in mathematics

Laura D. Paddock English Prize Amelia Frelinghuysen

for outstanding ability in all phases of English

Melanie J. Kraft French Prize Franny O’Brien for excellence in French

Spanish Prize Sophie Guettel

for excellence in Spanish

Wadleigh W. Woods Latin Prize Arielle Szycher for excellence in Latin

Sarah F. Fowler Drama Prize Maddy Carlson and Naomi Gibson for outstanding contribution to drama

Paul and Audrey Fisher Art Prize Maddy Carlson for outstanding ability in art

Ristorcelli Music Prize Wes Neidhardt

Walter F. Wyeth Prize Bennett Braden and Hilary Block

Awarded to members of the graduating class who have displayed the greatest consideration for others.

Waldo B. Jones Prize Maddy Carlson

Awarded to a member of the graduating class who has exhibited creativity and original thought in a variety of media.

for the greatest improvement in music

Ann Thacher Faculty Award of Distinction Nick Kychenthal

Awarded to a member of the graduating class who the faculty feels deserves special recognition.

Trustees’ Prize George Fauver, Amelia Frelinghuysen, and Addie Teolis Awarded to the students in Grades 7-9 who have shown the greatest scholarship improvement during the school year.

Susan Fiala Music Prize Addie Teolis for outstanding contribution to the musical life of the School

Athletics Award Gertrude Pell Bishop Memorial Award Tim Evnin and Franny O’Brien Awarded to those members of the graduating class who have displayed outstanding athletic proficiency, together with the highest qualities of good sportsmanship and team play, and who have maintained high standards of scholarship.

RCS in Pictures Field Day

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Walk to Cisqua

Lower Campus Grandparents & Special Friends Day

Upper Campus Grandparents &

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Special Friends Day

Fourth Graders Sing at Mets Game

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Ninth Grade Trip to Italy

Winter Sports Wrap-up

Boys Basketball

Most Improved Players: Stefan Darmanovic, Rocco White Coaches Award: Chase Mockridge, Brandon Peterson Most Valuable Players: Tim Evnin, George Fauver

Girls Basketball

Most Improved Players: Gayle Miranda, Camille Smith Coaches Award: Lila O’Brien, Ava Slocum Most Valuable Players: Franny O’Brien, Frances Ryan Team Manager Award: Scarlett Small

Boys Ice Hockey

Most Improved Players: Nick Paris, Oliver Stafford Coaches Award: Bryce O’Brien Most Valuable Player: Will O’Callaghan 28

Girls Ice Hockey

Most Improved Players: Maggie Coyle, Sophie Guettel Coaches Award: Maya Berger, Naomi Gibson Most Valuable Players: Ashley Pontillo, Arielle Szycher Goalie/Sportsmanship Award: Will Ghriskey

Squash

Most Improved Players: Amelia Frelinghuysen, Devin Kwarula Coaches Award: Lucy McGinnis Most Valuable Players: Maddy Carlson, Nick Garland, Luke Kovensky, Johnny Torkin

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What made the girls varsity basketball team so unstoppable this season?

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Fairchester League Champs!

“One of the things that I feel made our team so strong this basketball season was each person’s ability to contribute to the game. Whether your skills were more prominent in passing, making steals, shooting, or dribbling, each individual gave their all each and every time they stepped on the court. And I believe the bonds that we formed over the weeks helped to enforce our playing and fluidity as one cohesive team.” – Girls Varsity Basketball Co-Captain Franny O’Brien ’18

“I think we were so successful because we’re really well coached, and instead of playing as individuals, we played as a team. And we had a pass-first mentality, looking for the best shot every possession. Every player filled out their role, big or small. That really helped out the team.” – Girls Varsity Basketball Co-Captain Frances Ryan ’18

“The reason we did so well? Team ball. The girls supported each other and shared the ball. Everybody contributed. What this team also did well was that they worked hard in practice. That carried over into the game. I enjoyed it because the girls wanted to learn the game, and wanted to get better.” – Coach Max Moise (parent of Gabrielle ’07 and Dominique ’11) 29

Spring Sports Wrap-up

Varsity Baseball

Varsity Softball

Boys Varsity Lacrosse

Boys Track & Field

Girls Varsity Lacrosse

Girls Track & Field

Most Improved Players: Logan Jones, Zach Sherman Coaches Award: Nick Gimbel, Christopher Sciacca Most Valuable Players: Aidan Aybar, Walton Burdick

Most Improved Player: Josh Boies Coaches Award: Chase Mockridge, Nick Paris Most Valuable Player: Tim Evnin

Most Improved Player: Nora Rodgers Coaches Award: Maggie Coyle Most Valuable Player: Sophia Pedretti

New Sports at RCS Cross Country Squash Volleyball 30

Most Improved Players: Hilary Block, Anna Ziegler Coaches Award: Nseya Hodge Most Valuable Players: Maddy Carlson, Sophie Guettel

Most Improved Players: Maison McCallum, Wes Neidhardt Coaches Award: Charlie Gordon, Brandon Peterson Most Valuable Players: George Fauver, Rocco White

Most Improved Players: Sophie Greve, Ava Slocum Coaches Award: Lizzie Diamond, Elizabeth Jones Most Valuable Players: Tatiana Restrepo, Camille Smith

“We’ve been trying to do this for a long time,” Athletic Director Tom Morrissey said about athletics additions in 2017-18. “Adding cross country, squash, and volleyball gives alternatives to our student athletes.”

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RIPPOW CISQU SCHOO

And the Winner Is...

There was excitement at the student assembly on May 25, 2018, as these spring sports awards were given out! Gillian Roth Softball Award

John Odden Lacrosse Award

Harry Barber Award

This award is given in memory of Gillian Roth, whose enthusiasm, determination, and dedication to softball is an inspiration to us all.

For the most valuable player, this award is given to one boy and one girl.

The Harry Barber Award was instituted in memory of longtime RCS umpire Harry Barber. It is awarded to those ninth graders who have shown the greatest athletic improvement during their time at RCS.

Maddy Carlson ’18

(for the second year in a row) “Maddy is a trusted natural leader and a talented softball player leading both on and off the field.” – Coach Katie Wrinn

Stephen Miller Baseball Award This award is given annually in honor of Stephen Miller, a young man whose exuberance for the game transcended athleticism. The recipient must be driven, passionate about the game, and above all else, must represent the team and the sport in the finest possible manner.

Walton Burdick ’20

“Throughout this baseball season, Walton has been our most valuable player. He has made timely plays on both sides of the ball, and is one of our top pitchers.” – Coach Jamie Mendelsohn

Scarlett Small ’18

“Tenacity, dedication, and excitement are her go-to traits when she is playing lacrosse, which is why this award is most certainly well-deserved.” – Coach Brooks Eleck

Tim Evnin ’18

(for the second year in a row) “Tim’s passion for the game is clear in the way he approaches the field every day. With a smile from ear to ear, endless energy, and contagious enthusiasm — we are all lifted to try and match his game.” – Coach Miles Cameron

George Fauver ’18

“In addition to being an absolute force on the basketball court, leading the ninth grade team this year, George is an accomplished crew man, waking up before school to do pre-dawn workouts on the Norwalk River — not to mention his gold medal finish in the year’s high jump at Field Day.” – Athletic Director Tom Morrissey

Lucy McGinnis ’18

“...bursts of speed, feisty second efforts to loose balls, and red-faced determination to win in the last seconds of the game. This year Lucy’s talent showed itself on the field hockey field, the squash courts, and the lacrosse field. Every one of her coaches has praised her efforts.” – Athletic Director Tom Morrissey

Our great coaches for the new sports: Cross Country: Squash: Volleyball:

Katrina S. Harriman Jen Sednaoui Analia Pizzi 31

f e o h t T Ar

g n i m r Perfo When you think about the Performing Arts, theater productions and music concerts typically come to mind. But at RCS, we believe in the art of performing, where all the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a stage and student performances serve as a lever to amplify themes students have been working on in the classroom â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and prepare them for life after middle school. Here, students are cast in a series of roles throughout their tenure that challenge them at every grade level. They are encouraged to become storytellers, and are intricately involved in crafting their own narratives. As such,

students not only develop their skills as singers and poets, cellists and actors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they also become technicians and coders, class presidents and captains who can motivate their team or lead a crowd in a school cheer.

Think about the unique public speaking opportunities the STEAM Fair or the Spring Art Show provide Lower Campus students. What about Lyrics on the Lawn or the Iroquois Nation Gathering? Or the fifth grade D.A.R.E. presentations or the sixth grade Greek Agora? And what about the Hyperbole Competition, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, or ninth

grade TED Talks? These are just a small sampling of how our programming helps students develop the self-confidence and poise necessary to speak in front of an audience. The art of performing also teaches students to adapt and persevere through even the most unexpected situations. Over time, students learn to clearly express ideas, debate their point of view, and hold their own in group discussions. These are essential skills that will last a lifetime whether it be on a stage, around the dinner table, or in the boardroom.

The Art of

Performing

Grade 5 Musical Hairspray

Set against the backdrop of the Sixties, Hairspray JR. celebrated inclusion, courage, and big dreams. The family-friendly musical tied into the fifth grade history program, too; students also read Christopher Paul Curtis’s The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963. It “fit the curriculum perfectly,” Head of Upper Campus Matt Hall said.

Grade 1 Performance In the first grade performance Around the World, students demonstrated their knowledge of the world through facts, mental maps and tools, and ways of thinking — which are the components of the National Geography Standards employed by modern-day geographers.

Grade 2 Performance The Gathering

Hands-On, Project-Based Learning The Sky Room was transformed into the site of an Iroquois Nation Gathering as RCS second graders shared their understanding of all they had learned about Native Americans through song, dance, art, and storytelling. As a part of language arts, students wrote their own legends, which they confidently shared in the performance. Storytelling skills were supported through the murals the children created in art to illustrate the details of their legends. And, finally, the costuming was done by the students. They created turtle shell rattles, false face masks, necklaces, and wampum belts. 34

All projects were connected and woven into the curriculum. The wampum belts, for example, provided the perfect opportunity to use math skills to create patterns and weave symmetrical designs.

Costume Design Talented faculty and staff have been bringing the Performing Arts to life at RCS for 100 years. And the elaborate productions wouldn’t be the same without dedicated costume designer Debbie Hurrell, who has worked behind the scenes for 12 years so that RCS thespians are magically transformed into the characters they are portraying on stage.

The Art of

Performing

Grade 6 Musical Guys and Dolls

“My goal is to make the kids happy,“ Ms. Hurrell said. “To have them appropriately dressed for the part. To make them feel good about being in the performance.” As the Assistant Head of School, Director of Finance, Ms. Hurrell may not seem the likeliest of candidates to be sewing costumes. But she’s actually a talented seamstress with a B.S. degree in Accounting and Clothing Textiles Debbie Hurrell and Interior Design. She and Eileen Lambert (Head of School 19992009) had started a sewing class, and when a need arose for costumes, “We thought it would be fun!” Ms. Hurrell said.

Sixth grade gangsters, gamblers, and hot box girls sang and danced in Guys and Dolls JR., a Broadway favorite that gave every student in the grade an opportunity to share their talent on the stage.

She started with Hello, Dolly! in 2006 and hasn’t stopped sewing. “Visually, The Lion King was one of my favorites, with all the African fabrics. Art teachers Marnie McLaughlin and Evie Albert got so involved. It was so collaborative,” Ms. Hurrell said. Ms. Hurrell fondly remembers other shows as well. “The year we did Mulan, we made hats for 15 Huns using fake fur, and fake leather.” She recalls some of the student actors were so surprised faculty and staff had created them. “If we need them, we make them.” Something people don’t know about Debbie Hurrell? “I enjoy working with materials other than fabric, like clay and glass. Currently I’m experimenting with fused glass jewelry. I wish I had more time for it!” 35

Lower Campus Lyrics on the Lawn April showers didn’t dampen Lyrics on the Lawn. Every Lower Campus student stepped onto an outdoor stage to share in a morning of poetry. “Language is used to serve a deep purpose, inspiring heart and soul and building resilience and community. Poetry moves us,” former Head of Lower Campus Penny Jennings said.

Lower Campus Holiday Concert The Lower Campus Holiday Concert is a songfilled celebration performed by first through fourth graders that brings the RCS community together in a powerful way.

The Art of

Performing

Revels This December will mark the forty-fifth performance of Revelry, a favorite School tradition that includes skits, songs, and dance in celebration of the winter solstice that dates back to medieval times.

RCS Honors

Richard L. Wade

Upper Campus Gym Renamed: Wade Gymnasium Last November, Rippowam Cisqua School shared the sad news that former Head of School Richard L. Wade had passed away. Dick Wade served as Head of School from 1983-93, and was an integral part of our School’s 100-year history. During this past Centennial year, we honored RCS’s past, celebrated its present, and looked to the future. In doing so, we saluted Dick with immense gratitude for all he did to strengthen the School during his decade of leadership.

to the community. As a teacher, coach, mentor, and friend, his leadership and unquestioned high ethical standards embodied the mission of the School, celebrated collaboration and character development, and strengthened the community. He built a cohesive administrative team and empowered everyone around him to think creatively and act decisively. He also oversaw the construction of and fundraising for the Lower Gym on the

Upper Campus, as well as five new classrooms on the Lower Campus. “As RCS celebrates the bright future ahead, it is important to recognize the people who have made our School what it is today,” said Roger Vincent ’59, P ’86, ’88, ’90 and former RCS trustee. “If you have not been on the Upper Campus to see the renovations, come on by, as there are many exciting things underway at RCS.”

Former trustees who either served during Dick’s tenure or worked closely with those who did, joined with us in honoring Dick’s legacy. “As the RCS Board looked to build on the School’s positive momentum energized by the exciting, new Upper Campus, it is only fitting to honor Dick by renaming the Upper Gym the Wade Gymnasium,” said Kirtley Cameron, P ’20, ’23, ’30 and Outgoing Chair, RCS Board of Trustees. Funds contributed to this effort enabled muchneeded improvements to the gym as well as supported the School’s current Centennial Campaign, ensuring Rippowam Cisqua School’s ongoing vitality. Dick joined the RCS community in 1983. Throughout his tenure as Head he placed great value not only on the student as an individual, but also on each student’s contribution

Headmaster Dick Wade early in his tenure. “His strategic planning with the Board and faculty was the catalyst for vast improvements in the core educational programs and in our school’s financial and physical condition,” P. Benjamin Grosscup III, then President of the Board, said upon Dick Wade’s farewell in 1993. “He was always seeking to upgrade Rippowam Cisqua’s capabilities.”

Wade’s Wall Mural A New RCS Tradition

2016

In 2016, the idea of celebrating School spirit by painting a mural on Wade’s Wall was proposed to the art department by former Upper Campus Head of School Bill Barrett. The recess wall is named for Dick Wade, the Head of Rippowam Cisqua School from 1983-93.

The 2017 mural highlighted the School’s Centennial and the construction of the new Upper Campus. That design was a composite of sketches created by Jackie Autorino ’17 and Haley Gross ’17.

Finally, this year’s mural celebrates wellness, the two campuses, and our beautiful natural surroundings in Bedford. Hank Mattison ’18 is responsible for the original composition with large contributions from Amelia Frelinghuysen ’18, who drew the school buildings, and Lucy McGinnis ’18, who created trees and horse farms.

2018

Haley ’17 and Maddy Gross ’17 (left) Jackie Autorino ’17 (right)

2017

The first year’s design was the work of Ryan Low ’16, and featured outlined figures representing each of the School’s sports at the time. RCS is woven through the figures in large red script reminiscent of a Coca-Cola logo.

“For the past three years, ninth grade artists have been thrilled by the challenge of transforming this great big surface into a work of art,” art teacher Marnie McLaughlin said. “The process begins early in the school year with brainstorming themes for the design, and from there, students sketch.” Each year, the winning design has celebrated a current aspect of School culture, incorporating strong line work and creative use of typography for the letters “RCS.” In the last two years several students’ sketches have been worked into the final plan. Once completed, the original line drawing is scanned and edited in Photoshop to plan how color will be used. “We have tried to limit the color scheme to School colors — red, white, and blue,” Marnie McLaughlin explained, ”but each year a few more colors creep into the finished mural!” Work on the actual wall begins in May during class times and free periods, when students transfer the drawing using the grid method — the drawing is scaled from inches to feet on the wall. Ninth graders spend the final two weeks before they leave for Europe painting in small groups. This year, due to rain, a few eighth graders stepped in to help finish up the painting. 39

Faculty Spotlight: The Perrys

Kathy and Chris Perry By Ridley Sperling ’93

their two sons, Ben, now 28, and Erik, now 25, became quickly and deeply immersed in Rippowam Cisqua School, which the boys attended through eighth grade. Ben, married in November 2017 (see Class Notes, page 64), was ordained as a minister at Bedford Presbyterian Church in January 2018, and serves as the assistant director of communications of Union Theological Seminary. Erik recently returned from two years in Nicaragua where he was an overseas volunteer coordinator for Bridges to Community; he currently assists with the youth program at Bedford Presbyterian Church, works remotely for Bridges to Community, and is a full-time server at ABC V, a vegetarian restaurant in Manhattan, where he shares an apartment with his brother and another RCS alumnus.

Humility, grace, kindness, and compassion are just four of the qualities that capture the essence of Kathy and Chris Perry, RCS faculty members, parents, colleagues, and friends since 1992 and 1991 respectively. The remarkable impact that the Perrys have made on the hundreds of students who have crossed their paths is undeniable, and the love they have in their hearts for all that Rippowam Cisqua School embodies is, quite simply, unique. During her nearly-three decades of teaching at RCS, Kathy has taught all grade levels and sections of Spanish, grade-level biology, and fifth grade computer, while Chris has taught seventh grade science, Honors Biology, fifth and eighth grade Spanish, woodworking, and has served as both the seventh and ninth grade Dean. Chris joined the RCS community in the fall of 1991, followed by Kathy a year later. The entire Perry family, including

Kathy and Chris, like their sons, are active in the Bedford Presbyterian Church community. Chris has been on the Mission Committee for many years, and in 1998 joined the Church’s first trip to Nicaragua with Bridges to Community. In subsequent years, both Chris and Kathy have each taken four mission trips to Nicaragua as adult leaders, and have also engaged in activities that include work with Midnight Run, the Mount Kisco Food Pantry, and A-HOME. Kathy notes that they both “believe that it takes a village to raise our youth and Bedford Presbyterian is our second home and family.” It is also the sense of community at RCS that has been so important to Kathy and Chris for the nearly sixty collective years that they have devoted to the School and that keeps them returning to RCS year after year. Kathy has loved having the opportunity to teach both Spanish and biology, as she feels it has allowed her to think more creatively about teaching techniques and

approaches to learning, and she also loves that RCS “celebrates all aspects of the student” from art to drama to athletics to the classroom. Chris appreciates the same holistic vision of students that he encounters every day, as well as the “privilege of working with teachers who want to work with middle school students, who actually choose to spend their lives with youth at a really awkward and yet wonderful age.” It is, perhaps, a gift that both Kathy and Chris share, that rare and wonderful ability to see a student for their whole self and all that they offer to the world, even in the most challenging moments of adolescence. The Perrys are energized by the freedom to create and adapt the curricula for their courses, always aiming to meet their students where they are developmentally and with regard to their passions. Both Chris and Kathy appreciate and encourage creativity, whether through thought or action, and because they each take the time to get to know their students — and in fact as many students as possible in the entire school — they are able to encourage the best and deepest learning from them because they can connect on a meaningful level with each individual child. Whether putting in long hours after school setting up the Portfolio show, hosting advisory lunches, traveling to Italy, supervising class meetings, developing curriculum, connecting with young alumni, laughing and talking with colleagues over lunch, or occasionally meeting with students on Saturdays, Chris and Kathy Perry are undoubtedly the unsung heroes who have helped make RCS what it is today. They have left indelible impressions on RCS graduates, many of whom return to visit claiming, “I have to see the Perrys!”

Photos on facing page, clockwise from top: Chris Perry and Maddy Carlson ’18 at Portfolio Night 2018; Kathy Perry in 2005; Amelia Frelinghuysen ’18 in Mr. Perry’s lab; catching up with Jack Vallar ’09 at the Centennial Celebration

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Favorite RCS Traditions Kathy and Chris honor the traditions that make RCS the place it is and has been for the last century. Kathy loves Walk to Cisqua, “where [the Upper Campus] students see how they are simultaneously much bigger and more capable, and yet still joyful enough at heart to join in and play actively with the younger students.” Chris is especially passionate about ninth grade Portfolio, which culminates with the celebration on Portfolio Night, as he loves to see the “Nines be the masters of their own ships, standing there and discussing their TED Talks, theses, projects, and doing so with the authority that stems from having lived the journey for a year.”

Faculty Spotlight:

Leslie Thivierge Leslie Thivierge, who transitioned from the role of Kindergarten teacher to Director of CAT and After School Classes in the fall of 2017, is beloved by both parents and students. She is patient (“patience is huge,” she says), fun (“Learning should be fun!” she laughs), and engaging — she truly takes the time to figure out what makes her students “click and tick.” And what she has figured out is that academic play is an integral piece of the learning experience. “Students in JPK did a big unit on jungle animals,” Ms. Thivierge said. “At CAT, students were taking blocks and MagnaTiles and building a jungle. And I could overhear the discussion when one of the children brought in a cow. Another child said, ‘No, that’s a farm animal. We can’t have a cow because the jungle animals are carnivores.’ That’s a word the students had learned about. So then they were talking about building a farm next to the jungle — until a child said, ‘But jungles are in Africa.’ So then they were talking about geography, too. This is academic play.” “It’s invaluable that children get the chance to play. Fred Rogers said play is the work of children. It’s how children learn,” Ms. Thivierge said. “When you say they’re ‘just playing’ — they’re not! They’re taking in the world around them, and trying to figure it out.”

After children in JPK and SPK. have a snack, “They always look at a book,” Ms. Thivierge said. “We call them ‘picture walks.’ It’s a part of reading readiness. They’re starting to connect the words to the pictures. That’s just one tiny example of academic play.”

Community Partners Forging New Friendships on the Lower Campus

Last year, students looked forward to a monthly gathering called Community Partners, a new program introduced and coordinated by first grade teacher Christy Glynn. Each partner group consisted of two or three students from each grade level, starting the year with representatives from SPK to Grade 4 and then welcoming the smallest members of our community, JPK, in January. Groups focused on community and inclusion, celebrating our School as well as each other. Some activities included making leaf rubbings in the fall and noticing that each leaf, like each of us, was unique, and reflecting on a Martin Luther King Jr. quote that inspired us to think of small things that we could do to make our School a welcoming place for everyone.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Martin Luther King Jr. Teachers delighted in watching cross-grade friendships form, as well as seeing the oldest students take on leadership roles. Third and fourth graders assisted the youngest students as they completed the activities and escorted them, hand-in-hand, to and from each homeroom. Everyone is excited for groups to start again this fall!

RCS Foundations of Education Lecture Series with Dr. Emily Weinstein

Beyond the Headlines: What Your Child Is Really Doing on Social Media

The most recent installment of Rippowam Cisqua School’s critically acclaimed Foundations of Education Lecture Series tackled social media with guest speaker Dr. Emily Weinstein. Parents of children ranging from toddler to teenager packed the Upper Campus Playhouse on May 17 for an engaging, interactive discussion that went “beyond the headlines” to explore what adolescents are really doing on social media. Dr. Weinstein is a postdoctoral fellow at Project Zero, a research center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a visiting research scientist at Franciscan Children’s

Hospital in Boston. Since before the existence of Snapchat, Dr. Weinstein has studied how adolescents experience daily life with social media. During her talk, Dr. Weinstein shared insights from her research that challenged assumptions and tackled the following questions: • How can parents even begin to understand all the things kids are doing on social media? • How can parents help their teens build an online life that supports — rather than detracts — from their well-being? • Should parents (attempt to) keep their teens off social media completely? • Are there skills parents can help their kids cultivate to equip them for digital life?

After a 40-minute presentation filled with both research findings and anecdotal evidence, Dr. Weinstein addressed specific questions from the audience before making her way back to Cambridge. For the last decade, Rippowam Cisqua School’s Foundations of Education Lecture Series has featured informative lectures on how to raise successful, lifelong learners. The lectures are free and open to the public. Previous Foundations of Education speakers include Dr. Michael Thompson, Dr. Ned Hallowell, Dr. Kyle Pruett, Peg Tyre, Ashley Merryman, Ron Lieber, Jessica Lahey, and Dr. Lisa Damour. A full slate of FES events is being planned for the 2018-19 school year beginning with a return visit from Dr. Lisa Damour on Thursday, October 18.

Rippowam Cisqua School Parents Association

A Message from the PA Chair Hello RCS Families, We hope you are enjoying your fall. The Parents Association has been busy planning events for the 2018-19 school year, and we are excited about what we have scheduled. We are always looking for volunteers for all of our events. Some things to look forward to: • • • • • •

Candy Houses Holiday Raﬄe Ripp the Box Book Fair Grandparents & Special Friends Day Faculty/Staff Appreciation (throughout the year)

If you have any questions, comments, or just want to say “hi,” you can reach us at parentassoc@rcsny.org. We hope your school year is off to a great start and we’ll see you around campus! Happy Fall!

Antoinette Sullivan PA Chair

Our fabulous RCS PA Executive Committee (left to right): Upper Campus Chair Lisa Kaufmann, PA Chair Antoinette Sullivan, Lower Campus Chair Jen Steffen, and Treasurer Brian Bubb. This team serves as the primary liaison between the parents and the administration, meeting monthly with the head of school and the division heads to share insights, views, and information.

About the Parents Association Parents are an invaluable part of the Rippowam Cisqua School community who selflessly give of their time and talent to make the School a vibrant and welcoming place for families. As valued partners, we rely on the Parents Association to serve as a conduit between the parent body and the

faculty, staff, and administration in support of the School’s mission. Every family automatically becomes a member of the Parents Association from the first day their child is enrolled in the School. The Parents Association provides many opportunities for

parents to get engaged throughout the year. Whether you attend an event or organize one, your participation in the Parents Association adds to the vitality of the Rippowam Cisqua community and enhances the overall experience for your entire family.

Retirements

Ashley Harrington

RCS: Why did you initially choose to work at RCS? What year did you start? AH: I started in 1982, right out of college. I chose Ripp because of the community, the feel of the School, and the passion I felt when I visited. I always knew I was going to work in an independent school. RCS: Favorite memories? AH: Fifth grade Alpha Beta Gamma — that was our introduction to culture back then. Favorite memories are all my students. The laughter, those aha moments that the students would have.

RCS: What are you most excited for as you look to the future? AH: I’m so excited for the future of the School. With the new Upper Campus and all the excitement, I look forward to seeing the next generations of students being able to take advantage of the new opportunities that Rippowam will now have to offer — including the new, beautiful arts space, the incredible Innovation Center, and the incredible

group of faculty who still remain and who the School will continue to attract.

RCS: Anything you want to add? AH: I just want everyone to know that I enjoyed every single day of my 35 years at Rippowam. RCS has been and always will be in my blood.

RCS: Favorite RCS traditions? AH: I’m passionate about Revels and I also love Walk to Cisqua. I actually remember the days of the Turkey Bowl, I go back so far! All of the Red/Blue Competitions. There was nothing more gratifying than watching our ninth graders speak so prolifically about their passions at Portfolio as they finished their tenure at Rippowam, emerging as self-confident learners and advocates for themselves. RCS: What do you miss the most? AH: My interactions with the students and with my colleagues.

“That’s when I had just started. I was 23 in that picture!” Ashley Harrington said.

RCS: When I think RCS, I think… AH: Red and Blue, but I’m a Red at heart!

Carol Gahagan

RCS: Why did you choose to work at RCS initially? What year did you start? CG: It was in 2003 that I decided to return back to an independent school community. At that time, I was working in a public school as a Special Education teacher and having experienced both public and independent schools in my career in education, I preferred an independent school where the emphasis was on spending more time teaching students. Why RCS? It was during my interview discussions with Marylea Franz, the division head at the time, when I realized that being a part of the RCS

community would consist of faculty, staff, and students connecting in a caring, supportive, and academic manner. RCS would become my final stage as a teacher and administrator. RCS: Favorite memories? CG: As a Learning Specialist on the Lower Campus, a favorite memory would be the rewarding feeling after working with the students to improve their reading and hearing a student say, “I really love to read now, Mrs. Gahagan.” As Head of Lower Campus, some of my favorite memories were working with the faculty to create an all-school video with

Penny Jennings Hundreds of parents, students, faculty, and staff members gathered together on June 4 in the Pole Barn to honor Head of Lower Campus Penny Jennings on her retirement. Penny joined the RCS community as the Lower Campus division head in 2014 after serving as an educator and educational leader for more than three decades. During her time at RCS, Penny worked together with her faculty, staff, and fellow administrators to develop and implement numerous improvements to the academic program on the Lower Campus. She introduced Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project to the School, and she shared lessons of resilience and the wonder of exploration with students through her celebration of the Vendée Globe sailing race each year. She also shared her love of language and poetry with the community — and

students singing and dancing outside on the field to the lyrics of “Gotta Keep Reading,” motivating the students to read. Fun beyond! At the Holiday Concert each year I always loved the students and faculty singing “The Christmas Canon.” I still get goose bumps thinking about it. And joining in the fun with the students as we paraded around the school for Halloween, dressed in costume. As a Learning Specialist on the Upper Campus, my fondest memories were watching the students academically grow and mature into becoming fine young adults. The Centennial celebrations last year were amazing,

she helped the students develop their own love of the written word — with the introduction of Lyrics on the Lawn. She greeted the children and their families each morning with a hug and a friendly smile, and her weekly messages to the parent community were always warm, welcoming, and informative.

as well as the School performances. I have fond memories of Grandparents Day and having discussions with the grandparents as they enjoyed being with their grandchildren in a school setting. That’s something I can do now with my own grandchildren! RCS: What will you miss the most? CG: The daily interactions/conversations with the most dedicated teachers and staff as well as teaching the students in the classroom. The “thank you, Mrs. Gahagan” as the students left my classes. My conversations with an amazing group of parents who want

At her retirement celebration, the Rippowam Cisqua community had the opportunity to thank Penny for all she has done for the School over the years. Head of School Colm MacMahon expressed his gratitude to Penny for all her good work on behalf of the teachers, students, and parents, and Outgoing Board of Trustees Chair Kirtley Cameron offered some personal words of thanks, as well as some words of gratitude on behalf of the Board. Parents Association Chair Antoinette Sullivan presented Penny with a gift from the families, students, faculty, and staff. Penny capped the event with some remarks of her own, where she thanked her colleagues, the students, and the entire RCS community for making her four years at the School so special. We will miss Penny as she embarks on her retirement, but we are grateful to her for all that she has done for RCS. Thank you, Penny, for having such a wonderful impact on our School!

only for their children to be happy, confident, and academically successful. RCS: What are you most excited for as you look to the future? CG: Getting up in the morning and having that second cup of coffee without saying “I gotta go” and enjoying the sunrises and sunsets by the ocean or through the leaves blowing in the trees. Traveling, volunteering, and discovering America; visiting old friends; and being with my children and grandchildren. Eventually, perhaps, at some point writing and consulting on my own schedule. Living each precious moment to its fullest!

Rippowam Cisqua School

Board of Trustees Board of Trustees Peter B. Freund ’91, Chair Whitney Brown, Vice Chair Charles E. Buckley, Treasurer Ben Harris, Secretary Sonja Bartlett Jonathan Childs Anne Citrin Kelly Coles Nancy Dwyer Eaves ’92 Margot Fooshee Abby Gerry Stuart Kovensky Dr. Angelina Lipman Richard C. Mugler III D. Bryce O’Brien Christopher H. Pachios Will Reeve ’07 Charlene Sy Ryan Sara Slocum Daniel van Starrenburg

Ex Officio Colm MacMahon, Head of School Harry Grand ’93, RCSAA Chair Deborah A. Hurrell, Asst. Head, Finance & Operations Ryan Smith, Director of Advancement Antoinette Sullivan, Parents Association Chair

Rippowam Cisqua School Creates Independent Thinkers, Confident Communicators, and Engaged Leaders Who Respect and Contribute Meaningfully to a Diverse and Increasingly Complex Global Society.

New Board Members Kelly Coles

Harry Grand ’93

A graduate of Millbrook School and then Middlebury College, Kelly spent the first year after college living in Perth, Australia, working in equine breeding and management on one of Australia’s largest breeding farms. She returned to New York City to join Teeman, Allison & Perley, a financial services recruiting firm, and spent several years hiring for the equity sales and trading desks of large financial services companies in New York. From there she moved to the client side and managed all the hiring for a large technology firm. In 1997, Kelly founded K2 Resources, an executive search firm that specialized in identifying and hiring some of the early pioneers in the internet technology realm. She later sold her business to spend time raising her children.

Harry is a managing director at Chilton Trust Company, where he advises high net worth families, individuals, foundations, and family offices. He chairs the Executive Committee, works on growth oriented initiatives for the firm, and sits on the External Managers Investment Committee. Previous positions include Senior Vice President at Lazard, and Chief of Staff at Rockefeller and Company.

Kelly has been actively engaged in the Harrison school board, and she has served on numerous committees at Middlebury College including the alumni admissions interview committee and the reunion committee for her class. Kelly is additionally an alumni annual fund volunteer at Middlebury.

Harry is an alum of RCS and succeeds Cynthia Branch Mas ’71 as Chair of the RCS Alumni Association Board. He and his wife, Emily, live in Bedford with their three children, Lily ’25, Win ’27, and Beatrice ’29.

Aside from involvement with schools, Kelly has been involved with fundraising for the Carver Center, a family services community center in Port Chester, New York. Kelly has hosted numerous RCS events in lower Westchester and recently joined the Campaign Steering Committee. Kelly and her husband, Richard, live in Harrison and have three children, Isobel (Millbrook ’19), Corbin ’19, and Teddy ’21.

Harry received a B.A. from Hamilton College where he pursued a double major in International Politics and French, with a minor in Art History. He earned an MBA from Columbia Business School. He is fluent in French and holds the Certificat Pratique de Langue Française from the Sorbonne in Paris.

D. Bryce O’Brien

Will Reeve ’07

Charlene Sy Ryan

Bryce is a Principal and Portfolio Manager at Douglass Winthrop Advisors, LLC, a New York Citybased SEC registered investment advisor firm. Previously, Bryce was a senior portfolio manager at Nicholas Advisors, Inc. (NAI) for eight years. Prior to NAI he worked at Lazard Frères Asset Management as an analyst in the Fixed Income Group.

Will is a media personality and philanthropist. He is a multiplatform commentator for ESPN, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, for which he has the role of multigenerational ambassador and community advocate. At ESPN, Will appears on platforms including SportsCenter, E:60, and ESPN Radio. He also hosts the weekly MSG Hockey Show on the MSG Network in New York City.

Charlene is currently a Partner at Chart Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. She has had an extensive career within private equity and corporate finance. During her fifteen-year tenure at Chart Capital, Charlene has led investments within the health and wellness, energy infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors. She has also served as a Board Director and/or Board Observer of multiple portfolio companies at various stages of growth and maturity. In addition to investment responsibilities, Charlene oversees Chart Capital’s compliance and finance functions, and manages relationships with the firm’s investors, which include major state and city pension funds, leading educational endowments, and family offices. Prior to joining Chart, Charlene executed senior and mezzanine leveraged credit transactions at Credit Agricole, a French financial institution.

Bryce was appointed by the Governor of New York to serve as a Commissioner of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in 2013, the fifth generation of his family to do so. He currently serves on the Boards of Glynwood, a nonprofit focused on regenerative agriculture and Hudson Valley farming; the Palisades Park Conservancy; and Wave Hill, the New York Public Garden and Cultural Center. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Mianus River Gorge Preserve. He has served on the Board of Part of the Solution (POTS), an organization helping low-income individuals move from crisis to stability in the Bronx. He attended The Taft School and Eaglebrook School, and received a B.S. from the University of Vermont and an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Bryce and his wife, Samantha, live in Bedford and have three children, Findley ’17 (Millbrook ’20), Bryce ’19, and Hudson ’26.

At the Reeve Foundation, Will’s personal experience with his father’s spinal cord injury gives him unique insight into the challenges faced by the 5.4 million Americans living with paralysis. He works to improve the quality of life for those affected by paralysis through his involvement in the Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants Program, and is the captain of and board liaison for Team Reeve, the Foundation’s athletic events-related fundraising arm. Will speaks nationwide on behalf of his family and the Reeve Foundation to harness support and mobilize community involvement around critical advances in the field of spinal cord research, and to honor the legacy of his late parents, Christopher and Dana Reeve.

Charlene is an active member of the Bedford community. She volunteers at local organizations including Healing the Children North East, an organization that provides critical medical and surgical care to children around the world. Charlene also serves as a member of the Rippowam Cisqua Campaign Steering Committee.

After nine years at Rippowam Cisqua, Will graduated from Brunswick School in 2010. Will is a member of the Class of 2014 at Middlebury College, from which he holds a B.A. with honors in English and American Literatures. Will lives in New York City.

Charlene attended Phillips Exeter Academy and received a B.S.B.A. from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Charlene and her husband, Daniel Ryan ’93, live in Bedford with their two children, Reed ’27 and Morgan ’29. 57

To the RCS Community,

A Message from the Board Chair Peter B. Freund ’91

What an exciting and transformational time to be a part of Rippowam Cisqua School! As both an alumnus of RCS and a current parent, it is my privilege to serve as the next Chair of the Board of Trustees and help to steward us forward into our next one-hundred years. We have been quite busy over the past few years and have worked closely with the School to help solidify what makes RCS such a special place. Led by Kirtley Cameron, my predecessor, the Board has played an integral role in the Centennial Campaign, which has raised more money for the School than any other fundraising effort in our history; in the renovation/construction on the Upper Campus, which provided the facilities to match our already incredible faculty; and for the RCS administrative leadership team, which is committed to helping the School continue to grow and thrive. And throughout, we have remained true to our mission as a PreKindergartenGrade 9 school with an emphasis on creating independent thinkers, confident communicators, and engaged leaders. Our Board is made up of dedicated volunteers who I am thrilled to call both colleagues and friends; they care deeply and passionately about the future of RCS. In the end, our main responsibilities are to protect the mission and philosophy of the School, support our Head of School Colm MacMahon, and maintain the School’s long-term financial stability so that RCS remains a leader in independent school education for generations of families to come. Go Red Team!

Peter B. Freund ’91 Chair, Board of Trustees

The 2018-19 Board of Trustees (Front row, left to right): Kelly Coles, D. Bryce O’Brien, Colm MacMahon, Abby Gerry, Stuart Kovensky, Peter B. Freund ’91, Charles E. Buckley, Antoinette Sullivan, Jonathan Childs, Will Reeve ’07, Harry Grand ’93. (Back row, left to right): Anne Citrin, Sara Slocum, Angelina Lipman, Sonja Bartlett, Daniel van Starrenburg, Christopher H. Pachios, Whitney Brown, Ben Harris, Richard C. Mugler III, Nancy Dwyer Eaves ’92, Margot Fooshee, Charlene Sy Ryan 58

I’m pleased to be serving as the new Chair of the Rippowam Cisqua School Alumni Association. I would like to thank Cynthia Branch Mas ’71, who served from 2015-18 in this capacity. She has been a terrific leader and made the Alumni Association a fun and special group. I look forward to continuing to leverage off her work, enthusiasm, and energy and will certainly rely upon her wisdom and perspective as we march forward into another chapter of the School. For those of you who do not know me, I graduated from Rippowam Cisqua School in 1993, served as Red Team captain, and played soccer, hockey, and baseball. I attended The Taft School, received a B.A. from Hamilton College, and earned an MBA from Columbia Business School. Those academic achievements all pale in comparison to my two-time Hyperbole wins while at RCS. Rippowam Cisqua School is a special place for my family and me. My third child, Beatrice ’29, joined her older siblings, Win ’27 and Lily ’25, on the Lower Campus this year. Together, they represent the fourth generation of the Fowler/Grand family to attend the School. RCS has provided the educational foundation for many generations of our family, and I am honored to build upon the legacy and maintain proactive outreach to the alumni community.

Letter from Harry Grand ’93

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Alumni Connections

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The RCS Alumni Association Board 2018-19 Harry Grand ’93, Chair Richard Cahill ’92, Treasurer Dan Ryan ’93, Secretary Dana Johnston Brooks ’89 Storrs Lamb Cote ’79 Katie Prezzano Durfee ’82 Cecily Fowler Grand ’65 Randy Wilson Hall ’94 Jenny Heath ’91 Gus Levy ’98 Forrest Mas ’04 Sydney Mas ’07 Bill Meyer ’84 Philip Ohler ’75 Vanessa Seide ’93 Annie Stickney ’96 Marilen Grosjean Tilt ’57 Alexandria van Starrenburg ’07 Christopher Wirth ’94

I encourage you all to come back and visit Rippowam Cisqua School, tour the newly built Upper Campus, and continue to support a school that served as the foundation for all of us! I look forward to working with you all and, most importantly, staying in touch. Sincerely,

Harry Grand ’93 harry.grand@gmail.com

Keep in touch with RCS and alumni. Connect, communicate, catch up, and celebrate with your classmates from RCS. It has never been easier to reconnect with fellow alumni. Facebook: Join the “Official Alumni Group for Rippowam Cisqua” Instagram: rippowam_cisqua LinkedIn: Rippowam Cisqua School Twitter: @rippowam_cisqua

www.rcsny.org 59

Alumni ROADSHOW Boston

Franklin Foster ’91 and Angela Grand Cavallo ’91

Georgia Goodhue Reath ’94, Harry Grand ’93, and RCS parent and Board member Anne Citrin P ’20, ’22, ’23, ’26, ’29

Claudia Reynders, Chat Reynders ’81, and Charles Spofford ’81

Alumni gathered on March 1 at the Alibi Bar & Lounge on Charles Street in Boston for a fun evening. The event hosts included Angela Grand Cavallo ’91, Alexander Reath ’93, and Georgia Goodhue Reath ’94. In reflecting on the evening, Angela Grand Cavallo shared, “We had a great alumni gathering in Boston this past March. It’s always nice to see old faces and have a chance to catch up and reconnect with fellow alumni. If there is a Ripp event coming to a city near you, go and learn about all the incredible things happening at our little school in Bedford! Go Red!” Alums and their spouses gathered for an “official” photo with Head of School Colm MacMahon. Included are (front row, left to right): Georgia Goodhue Reath ’94, Jake Citrin, Anne Citrin, Harry Grand ’93, Colm MacMahon; (middle row): Ben Cavallo, Whitney Berns, Jordan Berns ’91, Angela Grand Cavallo ’91, Franklin Foster ’91, Charles Spofford ’81; and (back row): Chat Reynders ’81, Debbie (Atkin) Haggerty ’78, Margaret Louise (Green) Wheeler ’71, Claudia Reynders

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New York

Cynthia Branch Mas ’71, Harry Grand ’93, and Jenifer Rajkumar ’97

Alex Hauspurg ’03 and Max Jaffe

Brian Reidy ’90, Sam Polk ’90, Harry Grand ’93, and Dan Ryan ’93

Christine Colley ’06, Elizabeth Sednaoui ’06, and Christina Proctor ’06

Over 75 alumni gathered on April 12 at The Lambs Club in Midtown Manhattan. Event hosts Sam Polk ’90, Peter Pell ’92, Christine Colley ’06, and Sydney Mas ’07 brought so many friends together from the greater New York area. “Not only were our classes of ’90, ’92, ’06, and ’07 in attendance, but also so many other alums came out for a great night in the city,” said Ms. Mas. She added, “Fun stories filled the air as we had a chance to reconnect with great friends.”

A phenomenal turnout of RCS Alumni in NYC!

Alumni CLASS NOTES

Girls field hockey in the forties

Nancy and Roger Vincent ’59, honorees at the Bedford Hills Free Library’s Spring Gala

Randy Goodhue ’64 and wife Lyn

(Robin Eden Photography)

1940

1964

1997

Ooops! Our mistake in accidentally misidentifying the picture above in the Centennial Issue as a photo from the ’30s! Thank you Joan van Cleek ’48 for bringing this to our attention. If you are one of these field hockey players, please email ksmith@rcsny.org — we would love to hear from you!

Francis “Randy” Abbot Goodhue III retired from a long career within the financial services industry at UBS in 2018. He spends his summers in Marion, Massachusetts, with his wife, Lyn, and lives on a boat in the Bahamas during the winter. Randy still keeps in close touch with classmate Cecily F. (Fowler) Grand ’65.

Sam Goodhue and his wife, Jen, welcomed second son, Miles, into the world in June. Jen describes the newest addition to the family as “peaceful and adorable,” and said that “Graham has fully embraced his new role as a big brother! He says good night to Miles every evening and shares his favorite stuffed animals by placing them in the baby’s bassinet.”

1979

Zoe Haydock McKnight and her husband, Cameron, welcomed their second son, Oliver Guest McKnight. He was born on March 16 at 10:22 a.m., weighing 8 pounds 8 ounces.

1959 Nancy and Roger Vincent were honored by the Bedford Hills Free Library at the Library’s Spring Gala on April 26. Roger and Nancy were recognized for their leadership, engagement in cultural and educational endeavors, and commitment to giving back to the Bedford community. Numerous members of the RCS community were on hand to celebrate Roger and Nancy including Head of School Colm MacMahon, Outgoing Chair of the Board of Trustees Kirtley Cameron, and alums Roger Vincent Jr. ’88, Caroline Vincent Mockridge ’81, and Page Vincent ’79. 62

Page Vincent participated in the tenth annual Nantucket Triathlon on July 21. This was her fifth triathlon. Additionally, two of her daughters (Missy ’07 and Dorothy ’16) also participated, so it was a real family fun event!

Tristan Perich, a renowned modern classical composer and sound artist, premiered his most ambitious project to date on May 9 at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan. The project, “Drift Multiply,” was a piece for 50 violins and 50 self-built 1-bit speakers. Tristan investigates the spaces where the physical world meets the abstract world of computational electronics, writing intricate arrangements that blend lo-fi

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Page Vincent ’79

Born June 22, baby Miles is the newest addition to the family of Jen and Sam Goodhue ’97

Oliver Guest McKnight, son of Zoe Haydock McKnight ’97 and Cameron McKnight

Abby Kunhardt Zinn with her husband, Iann, and daughters, Kick and Josie

2003 1-bit sound — the lowest possible digital representation of audio — with cascading melodies performed by classically trained musicians.

1999 Abby Kunhardt Zinn has started her own business in West Palm Beach. The company, Palm Beach Prints, carries hand-printed pillows that Abby creates herself, having learned the art of handprinting from her mother. “Each pillow is unique. My designs are whimsical and bright,” she said. They reflect her life near the ocean in Florida, where she moved with her husband, Iann, six years ago. Abby also prints for children. Her great-grandmother was Dorothy Kunhardt, author of Pat the Bunny, the original illustrated baby book. She recently created a Pat the Bunny pillow line. “I’ll be expanding my business to produce more products, but for now the pillows are keeping me busy.” Abby is the mother of two daughters, Kick

and Josie, and finds time to print during their naps. To find out more or place custom orders visit her website www.palmbeachprints.com or email Abby at abby@palmbeachprints.com.

2000 Teddy Kunhardt and his brother, George Kunhardt ’02, are producers at Kunhardt Films and work with their father, Peter, the executive producer. The Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York, hosted the Kunhardts for a Q&A and screening of King in the Wilderness on April 4, a new HBO documentary that had its world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

Charlie Lodge married Cornelia Wolcott at the Myopia Hunt Club in Hamilton, Massachusetts, on June 16. Mary MacGill was featured in the March 24 issue of the New York Times, highlighting her jewelry business. As mentioned in the article, Mary was just 14 when she realized “that jewelry was definitely her calling” (Bronwyn Cosgrave, “3 Women Grew Up Surrounded by Art. Guess What Their Jewelry Looks Like.” www.nytimes.com). Various artists are featured in the front gallery of Mary’s Germantown, New York, gallery; her jewelry studio, which is open to the public, is in the back.

2004 Forrest Mas married Mackenzie Kersen on June 9 in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. continued

Alumni CLASS NOTES

Mary MacGill ’03 in her Germantown, New York, studio

Ben Perry ’05 and Erin Mayer at their wedding

2005

2008

Ben Perry married Erin Mayer on November 4, 2017. He was recently ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church and has taken a new job at Union Theological Seminary, where he does rapid political response and organizes with the New York state chapter of the Poor People’s Campaign.

Rachel Kanegis married Efry Ahdut on January 14. Ms. Kanegis said, “We met at a fundraiser for the Friends of the Israeli Defense Force (FIDF) to support the Israeli army.” She added, “Instead of asking our wedding guests for gifts, we asked them to donate to the FIDF, and we raised enough money to build a recreation center for the soldiers on the main base in Israel.”

2007 Sydney Mas and seven of her classmates (Brian Cox ’07, Penn Sednaoui ’07, Missy Walker ’07, Parker Gilbert ’07, Alexandria van Starrenburg ’07, Peter Michaelis ’07, and Ben Colley ’09) had an amazing weekend at the Gilbert’s residence, Mulberry Plantation, outside of Charleston, South Carolina. Activities included fishing, hunting, ATVing, treasure hunting, shooting, and plenty of amazing eating! They reminisced about good times at RCS and had plenty of laughs. It was very special to be with such old friends for a truly incredible weekend at Mulberry. 64

Forrest Mas ’04 and Mackenzie Kersen on their wedding day, with sister Sydney Mas ’07 looking on

Now living on the Upper East Side in New York City, Ms. Kanegis is a founding teacher at WeGrow, a new school in partnership with WeWork.

2009 Theater director Sammi Cannold visited RCS on April 24, to discuss careers in professional theater. She watched fifth graders perform portions of Hairspray JR. and also viewed the Beauty and the Beast JR. rehearsal. Sammi’s recent credits include Ragtime on Ellis Island and Violet on a moving bus at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.). Sammi recently served as the

associate director on the Broadway production of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (dir. Rachel Chavkin) and is currently the associate director of In the Body of the World (dir. Diane Paulus/MTC) as well as Lempicka (dir. Rachel Chavkin/ Williamstown). Sammi has directed numerous concerts, workshops, and readings at A.R.T., 54 Below, Playwrights Realm, The Montalban Theater, New York Theatre Barn, (Le) Poisson Rouge, Don’t Tell Mama, and Primary Stages. She has also served as an Artistic Fellow at the A.R.T. and a Sundance Institute Fellow (for which she directed a developmental workshop of a new musical by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire). She holds a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.A. from Harvard University.

2013 Chloe Barshay writes: “I spent the summer with my family before attending UPenn this fall. I’m planning on studying something having to do with biology. After a stressful senior year, I was super excited to be able to just relax for a bit!”

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(Left to right): Good times in South Carolina with Brian Cox ’07, Penn Sednaoui ’07, Missy Walker ’07, Parker Gilbert ’07, Sydney Mas ’07, Peter Michaelis ’07, Alexandria van Starrenburg ’07, and Ben Colley ’09

Rachel Kanegis ’08 married Efry Ahdut

Sammi Cannold ’09

2014 Kendall Burdick writes: “My freshman year at Lehigh was amazing! I loved my classes and I studied at the London School of Economics over the summer.” Haley Casper writes: “I just finished my first year at Bucknell University and loved it! I haven’t yet decided what I want to study, but as of now I think I will be majoring in psychology. This past summer I built my modeling portfolio with State Management in New York City and also interned at Rippowam helping with marketing and advertising initiatives.” States Langham writes: “This summer I worked on a construction crew building houses in the local area. My year at Colgate was amazing; I took a lot of classes that I had no experience in and learned a ton. I haven’t had to decide on a major yet but I am thinking about being an economics major, possibly with a minor in art.” Kyla Spence writes: “I finished my freshman year at Bucknell University and loved it! This summer I attended the London School of Economics for three weeks where I studied marketing. Then when I returned to the States I worked

as a hostess at a restaurant in Quogue, Long Island.”

2016 Blair Clayton writes: ”Last summer I interned at Frederick Douglass Academy, an intercity school in Harlem, New York, tutoring and coaching. I also worked for a program called Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership, where I coached middle school and club lacrosse.” Blake Cote writes: “I currently attend Westminster School where I am on the prefect board and play lacrosse and soccer. Last summer I worked at a summer camp in Bedford as a camp counselor.” Daisy Fauver writes: “Last summer I went on a month-long service trip where I lived with host families in three different hill tribe villages in the mountains of Northern Thailand. While there I did various community service projects including building water tanks to provide water for the village during

dry season, building part of a school, and teaching english in a local Karen school.” William Hennig writes: “Last year I was the Junior Honor Board representative at St. George’s School. Over the summer I worked as a landscaper. This coming winter I will be sailing on the school’s 69-foot cutter, Geronimo, from Florida to the Bahamas.” Maggie Nespole writes: “Last summer I took a creative writing workshop at Gettysburg College and worked as a mother’s helper. This past year I coordinated and managed my school’s annual blood drive, I was a leader for the school’s feminist club, and I also was a member of the varsity basketball team. Along with all that, I played the role of Wednesday Addams in the spring musical.” Paige Nespole writes: “Last summer I worked for a tour cruise company in Annapolis, Maryland, and also babysat.” continued

Alumni CLASS NOTES

Rippowam takes London! Charlotte Fleming ’14, Jackson Corrigan ’14, and Kendall Burdick ’14 convened across the pond, where they each spent the summer studying at the London School of Economics.

Hannah Burdick ’14, Haley Casper ’14, Ryan Galli ’14, and Kyla Spence ’14 at Bucknell University

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In Memoriam We offer our condolences to the family and friends of the following members of our school community.

Since graduating from Rippowam, Eric Ochsner has competed in the National High School Ethics Bowl competition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “I was also part of the Fairfield Prep varsity rugby team that won State Championships,” he said. “This summer I backpacked across Europe with my cousins.”

Phyllis Eifert, mother of Laura Lee (Eifert) Montross ’73 and grandmother to Whitney Montross ’07, Scott Montross ’09, and Nina Montross ’13, died on March 12.

“This summer I interned at MSNBC Live for the 9, 11, and 3 o’clock news. Then I interned at NBC Breaking News,” Lucy Pittman writes. “Following those internships, I attended a creative writing program in New York City and then had another internship at the Flywheel Sports corporate office.”

Humphrey Statter III ’62 died in Melbourne, Australia, on April 30. He is remembered with love by his sister, Phyllis Statter Oxman ’61.

Alumni CLASS NOTES

Charles Morosini, grandfather to Will Reeve ’07, died on April 24. He was 84 years old.

William Morgan Maerov ’12, brother of Charlotte Maerov ’16, died on June 2. Willie died along with his grandparents, Bonnie and Ben Krupinski, when their small plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Amagansett, New York. RCS faculty members Kate Daly, Brooks Eleck, Michael Florio, Paul Ragonesi, and Missy Swan, as well as many of Willie and Charlotte’s RCS classmates, parents, and friends, were in attendance at a memorial service honoring Willie and his grandparents, which was held on Friday, June 8, in East Hampton, New York.

Class of 2018 Reps Timothy Evnin, Nseya Hodge, and Bennett Braden Sheila O. Murray passed away on Monday, June 25. She was the mother of Kevin Murray ’98. Former faculty member Cathy Stadler died in June. Cathy was a beloved first grade teacher at RCS for 25 years. During her time on the Lower Campus, she made a difference in the lives of countless children, parents, colleagues, and friends. Cathy left RCS in 2012 to join her husband at the Spence School in Manhattan, where she served as the Assistant Head of Lower School until her retirement in 2016. Joanne Marston Lauder, mother of Samuel Meek ’69, Nina Meek ’71, Fleuri Meek MacIntyre ’74, and Dorothy Meek Porter ’79, died peacefully with her family by her side on July 2. Harold A. O’Callaghan Jr., father of Karen O’Callaghan Horan ’76 (both an alum and a former faculty member), Cal O’Callaghan ’77, Michael O’Callaghan ’80, Brian O’Callaghan ’83, and Dan O’Callaghan ’86 and grandfather of Will O’Callaghan ’19, Jack O’Callaghan ’20, and Maggie O’Callaghan ’22, died July 4. George B. “Spike” Beitzel, father of Skip Beitzel, and grandfather to Mac Beitzel ’04, Chase Beitzel ’06, and Ryder Beitzel ’13, died on June 26.

THE ANNUAL FUND LIGHTS THE WAY FOR EVERY CHILD AT RCS. These are some of the programs you will support this 2018-19 school year: Team Building Experiences Walk to Cisqua Visiting Artist Series Athletics Mindfulness & Yoga Workshop Reading Pals Program (Grade 4) Immersive Travel Experiences Geography & History Bees (Grades 4 - 8) Learning Immersion Days (Grades 7 - 9) Revels

The Greek Agora Creativity Cohort for Faculty Innovation The Secondary School Placement Process Midnight Run STEAM Fair Jazz Band Holiday Concert Field Day Field Trips Grade Performances

Kindergarten Night Party Boat Races at the Boys & Girls Club (Grade 8) Hyperbole TED Talks Earth Day Halloween Celebration RIPP Rally Day and so much more

Donate to the Annual Fund today. The Annual Fund raises funds that flow directly into the RCS operating budget. These gifts impact the day-to-day life for RCS and provide direct support for our academic, athletic, and arts programming that strengthen aspects of your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RCS experience.

ONLINE: www.rcsny.org/annualfund MAIL: 439 Cantitoe Street, Bedford, NY 10506 PHONE: (914) 244-1291/1293

RIPPOWAM CISQUA SCHOOL P.O. Box 488, Bedford, NY 10506 www.rcsny.org