The Gow Life Magazine - 2016

Gow Life 2016

The Gow School Magazine

News for Alumni and Friends at The Gow School

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3 Message from Board Chair

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Meet the New Staff

3 Message from Headmaster

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Tribute to Dan Kelley

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Remembering Brian Parsons ’85

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Class Notes

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Bill Parsons Digs Dinosaurs

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Spring Parents Weekend

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Gow Embraces Historic Changes

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Class of 2016 College Enrollment

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Rowing Returns to Gow

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Class of 2016

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Tennis

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Esteemed Gow Faculty Members Retire

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Golf

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Farewell Message from Dan Kelley

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Heads of School Gather at Gow for Leadership Retreat

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Board of Trustees 2016-2017

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Rob Marshman Begins Post as Upper School Head

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We Remember

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Fundraising Continues for David Gow Interfaith Spiritual Center

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Gow Life

Gow Life Magazine is published annually by The Gow School Development Office.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Gow Life. Please send any comments to development@gow.org or call 716.687.2075.

TO SUBMIT ALUMNI NEWS: Email news and photos to development@gow.org For Change of Address: Call 716.687.2075 or email development@gow.org THE GOW SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE 2491 Emery Road South Wales, NY 14139 Editorial Staff: Carol Bernat Beth Cardamone

Contributors: Marianne Benjamin Philip Gow Rick Ohler Design: Deb Bishop Photo Credits: Beth Cardamone Mary Beth Giallanza Peggy Austin Bill Parsons Matt Mariacher

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Mission Statement A leader and innovator in dyslexia education with a commitment to the values of kindness, respect, honesty and hard work, since 1926 The Gow School has been helping students with language-based learning differences develop the skills and confidence to succeed in higher education and beyond as creative, compassionate adults and engaged citizens.

Cover photo: “ALL CYLINDERS” by artist Mike Hansel. This sculpture was made possible through a generous gift from Robert Manice, ‘71. Photo by Beth Cardamone.

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Leadership Message from the Board chair Graeme C. Hepburn ‘84, Board Chair

I am honored to be the Chair of The Gow School Board of Trustees and I want to take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself. I spent six years at Gow and am a graduate of the legendary Class of ‘84. I have been a trustee for more than two decades and my son Magnus attended Gow for middle school.

In my professional life I serve as Chairman of Kids and Company, the largest childcare provider in Canada with 2000 employees and 75 locations countrywide; president, Beacon Ridge Homes, Toronto and am a major stockholder, Side Launch Brewing Company Inc., a craft beer brewery in Collingwood, Ontario.

Twenty-plus years ago, when I came to understand that Canadian residents had not previously been allowed to make donations to an American secondary school and receive tax benefits, I helped establish the Friends of The Gow School as a registered Canadian charity. Since both the Canadian Friends organization and Gow wanted oversight to ensure that funds came across the border and found their way into the proper hands, I joined the board.

Over the years, the Friends organization has raised

Message from the headmaster Brad Rogers, Headmaster

Greetings from South Wales!

We are pleased to welcome you to Gow Life, which we plan to publish annually. Gow is thriving and we are proud to tell you about it. Please visit our website often for current Gow news, updates and future events.

Gow’s 90th year will be remembered for a number of reasons, which you will see in this magazine. For the first time, female students boarded at Gow. Nine young women helped introduce a new chapter in the Gow story. 2015-2016 might be re-named “The Year of Dan Kelley,” as he retired after 40 years of service.

We are delighted to welcome 18-year Gow faculty and former Math Department Chair Rob Marshman as Upper School Head.

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millions of dollars and played an integral role in the twentyyear campaign that has seen Gow remain in the top echelon of schools for dyslexic students by adding new facilities and making improvements to existing facilities. We also helped to initiate dedicated funding, so donors can earmark their gifts for individual scholarships, specific academic departments or for specific capital projects.

I’m enormously surprised and pleased about how well things have gone for me, thanks in large part to Gow. It became clear to my parents early on that my schools in Canada had no resources or expertise in helping a dyslexic kid like me or my brother, who also went to Gow. There is no way I’d be where I am today without Gow. I am proud of everything Gow has accomplished and every child and family for whom Gow has been a beacon of light over the years. It is a pleasure to work with our Board and Headmaster Brad Rogers.

There were many accomplishments across campus—our golf and tennis teams were division champions, crew returned as a fall sport, and our Drama students staged a wonderful production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Nardin Academy. We completed construction of our Rogers-Ivie Dormitory and made updates to Cornwall House.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the many donors who supported the Gow Fund, capital projects and our endowment. Our school and students continue to shine and excel thanks to your generosity.

We anticipate another outstanding year at Gow and invite you to stay in touch and to visit campus when you can.

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Remembering Brian Parsons ‘85: Tireless Advocate for ALS Community

By Rick Ohler

Brian Parsons would tell a familiar story when recounting his road to Gow. “I struggled with school,” said the Ottawa, Canada resident. “I failed grade six once and the school wanted to fail me again. I learned that the more questions you ask, the more attention you draw, and the teasing ensues, so you learn not to ask. Consequently you don’t understand lots of things, and you tend to fill the void by letting your mind wander.”

At that time the schools he attended had no concept of learning disabilities and had no plans to recognize or address them. Brian gave credit to his mother for understanding that he had special educational needs and for having the tenacity to find out how to address those needs. He arrived in South Wales in September of 1979 and became a “Gow lifer,” living in Green, Templeton, Willis and Whitcomb before graduating in 1985.

Drawn to Politics While many of Brian’s fellow alumni might share similar stories about getting to Gow, his post-Gow adventures were unique and compelling. In the 1990s, after university, he went to Ottawa, Canada’s capital, and started working as a political staffer and legislative assistant for Members of Parliament (MPs). “I was originally drawn to politics because at the heart of it was the concept of advocacy,” he said.

Brian fashioned a brilliant career over the next two decades in and around Canadian politics as a communications, IT, media and website expert. He became a familiar face on Parliament Hill, working side by side with Canada’s most influential men and women.

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Brian Parsons and his good friend Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau worked together to help families of those with ALS.

Fighting ALS Then in 2013, married with two teenage children, he was diagnosed with ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. At that point he asked himself: “who is fighting for me and who is advocating for those with ALS?” The answer was that Brian Parsons 2016

Alumni would advocate not only for himself, but for the whole ALS community.

In the last several years he’d become a passionate, tireless and effective advocate for ALS sufferers. He leant his support to ALS fundraising walks and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. He even managed to finagle a few moments with U2’s Bono, who had learned of his efforts. Where he put most of his energy, however, was getting relief for the families of ALS patients.

“ALS is sometimes called the bankruptcy disease because many families face losing their life savings, or their home or children’s education fund because of the financial drain this illness imposes,” said Brian. “The economic burden for a Canadian family is between $150,000 and $250,000 in direct and indirect costs and in the U.S. it's significantly worse. Imagine for a moment, knowing that you are dying from a horrible illness, but before you go, you know you will also destroy your family financially. This is a particularly upsetting thought for those of us with ALS.”

Compassionate Care Benefits Using his many contacts on Parliament Hill, Brian went to work for compassionate care benefits—paid leave of absence from work and other financial relief—for families. The CEO of ALS Canada asked Brian to participate in ALS Hill Day, where they met with MPs from across Canada. In succeeding months he lobbied for compassionate care legislation for families of ALS patients with cabinet ministers, representatives of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister of Canada. In April 2015 he learned that the Canadian government had agreed to extend compassionate care benefits of up to $500 a week from six weeks to six months.

Last fall, as Brian continued his campaign for more extensive compassionate care benefits, he gained a powerful ally in the federal government. On October 19, 2015, his good friend Justin Trudeau was elected prime minister of Canada and vowed to include increased funding for families of those with ALS and other debilitating conditions in his upcoming budget.

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U2’s Bono congratulates Parsons on his efforts.

As a special tribute to his efforts and his courage, a park in Brian’s Ottawa neighborhood was named for him.

Life-long Impact of Days at Gow From his days at Gow, Brian often recalled the lifelong friends he made editing the yearbook, developing and printing photos in the darkroom and then cutting and pasting—literally—text and photos onto graph paper pages. Influential teachers for him were Mr. Kelley and Mr. Rose.

Brian noted that Headmaster David Gow “saw potential in me and gave me everything that a person could ask for in a second chance life: education, manners, grace, confidence, humility, culture, compassion, purpose, respect and class.”

Brian credited Gow for giving him the discipline to adapt and organize his learning skills. “It also gave me my foundation in confidence, which is essential in everything,” he said. “You never stop learning in life.”

(Editor’s Note: Brian Parsons passed away in June after a courageous battle with ALS. This story is a tribute to Brian and his legacy of service.)

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Bill Parsons Digs Dinosaurs

By Rick Ohler

For The Gow School’s Senior Master and Art Department chair Bill Parsons and his wife, Kristen, digging for dinosaur bones in Montana during Gow’s summer recess is a family affair. Bill first ventured west to join a dinosaur dig in July of 1988 with famed paleontologist Jack Horner.

Parsons began unearthing dinosaur bones on his own Montana sites and in 1990. Three years later he brought his new wife Kristen, a volunteer he had met at the Byron, NY, mastodon digs, with him as they shared a paleontological honeymoon. Their twin girls, Samantha and Charlotte, joined the team as infants in 2009 and today, are already skilled in the art of combing the rugged Rocky Mountain landscape for millionsof-years-old bones and centuries-old Native American artifacts.

Ren Tsuchida ‘09 with a dinosaur leg bone.

The Parsons expanded their expedition to include members of The Gow School family as well.

Reconstructive Language teacher and Gow alumnus John Simms ‘02 and his wife, Elizabeth; first Gow female student Shelby Balcom ‘15; and Philip “Gully” Gow, Jr., grandson of third headmaster David W. Gow, then a sophomore at Lawrenceville Academy in New Jersey, joined the team in 2015. Rounding out the crew were Vince Martonis of the Hanover History Center and Rochester paleontologist Michael Grenier.

A Parsons & Parsons-led dig tends to be a mixture of good fun, hard physical work and serious research in vertebrate paleontology. Team members spend 6

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much of each day using shovels, picks, spade bars, hammers and whisk brooms to reveal skeletal remains or fragments of bone in areas that Parsons has laid out (frequently on hillsides) as potential bone beds.

Last year, they discovered remains of prehistoric birds; bones of members of the genus Tenontosaurus or “sinew lizards,” the 20-foot-long orthipods that lived 115 million years ago; and a portion of a sauropod skull. These they donated to a local museum.

For Simms, a dinosaur dig veteran, and Balcom, their 2016

Spotlight

Summer 2016 Dig This summer’s dig included Ren Tsuchida ‘09, an alumnus from Japan who has participated in several digs.

The group has convened at this site for 23 years and, according to Parsons, have really just scratched the surface.

The group’s exploration itinerary included a site that produced a cat sized mammal. “It is a remarkable creature, quite outside any easy designation as to what it is related to,” said Parsons. “It is the primary focus of our current research and it would be great to find more of it as we publish by this time next year.”

Shelby Balcom ‘15, John Simms ‘02, Bill Parsons and Philip Gow, Jr. work together on a dinosaur dig.

involvement was a direct result of having spent hours listening to their art teacher’s many tales of dinosaur hunting. “One of the first things John Simms asked me when he was hired as a teacher was if he could go with me on a summer dig,” Bill remembers. “He and Elizabeth have proven to be excellent diggers.” Balcom confided that one of the many reasons she insisted upon joining the Gow student body was the hope that one day she could be involved in a dig. “Shelby is simply a great adventurous spirit,” said Parsons, referring to her pioneer status as the first girl student at Gow. “Who knows what impact dinosaur hunting will have on her art career, but it’s a reflection of her character that before she even got to college she had already found skull material from as yet unknown sauropod.

Pretty good resume item for an 18-year-old.”

As the driving force behind Gow’s much-expanded and heralded art program for 43 years, Bill is the first occupant of the William L. Parsons Fine Arts Chair. He worked on exhibits at the Buffalo Museum of Science and his efforts have been featured in Discover, Time, Popular Science, The New York Times and others.

A few years ago the Parsons were granted the unusual privilege of bestowing the Latin name on a new species of ankylosaur they unearthed in Montana. The species name they chose, Tatankacephalus cooneyorum, means, roughly, “bison head,” but if you want to see a reference to the Parsons’ hometown of Buffalo in the name, they won’t mind.

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One site is a complex assemblage of turtle, fish, mammal and reptile materials all concentrated in a narrow layer. Two other sites include bird material which Parsons says is almost unheard of for this age in North America.

A new site has produced at least a few good bones from Parsons’ favorite dinosaur Deinonychus, the classic “Raptor” dinosaur (referred to as Velociraptor in Jurassic Park movies).

There are also dinosaur trackways, a newly discovered fossilized tree several feet long and a field of small nodules each containing some small bones and partial skull elements.

“Part of the excitement of a dig is finding something we had no idea we would be finding until we got out there,” said Parsons.

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Gow Embraces Historic Changes A brand new dormitory and first time girls boarding.

Gow campus renovations accompany exciting transition to coeducation.

Last September, after a year-long construction, the new Rogers-Ivie Dormitory, situated behind Warner House, opened to 28 boys and three faculty families.

Cornwall House, the 19th-century farmhouse on the other side of campus that has housed Govian boys for 75 years, welcomed the first girl boarders in the school’s history after a summer-long remodeling project.

very deliberate move into coeducation,” said Gow Headmaster Brad Rogers. This move addresses the educational needs of girls as well as boys. Cornwall’s dormitory parents, Associate Director of Admissions Matt Fisher and his wife Kelli, newly appointed Dean of Female Students, were chosen because of their

“With the ‘softening’ of Cornwall into a more appropriate space for girls, we continued our slow,

Above caption: Govian girl students with Dean of Female Students Kelli Fisher.

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GOW News

previous experience at Stoneleigh-Burham, an allgirls school in Massachusetts.

Longtime Director of Building and Grounds, Paul Rose, and his crew were responsible for much of the remodeling work at Cornwall. However, Rose says that they did leave one element of the old Cornwall in place. For decades there has been a squeak in the stairs going up to what is now the girls’ quarters.

Out of respect for history, and perhaps with a nod to security, he says only half joking, “We decided to leave the squeak.”

All of these changes are part of the long-term plan put in place by Headmaster Brad Rogers and the Board of Trustees. “Our goal isn’t to increase our enrollment numbers, but rather to improve the residential experience for both students and faculty members and their families,” he said. “By adding Rogers-Ivie to our housing inventory, we are able to 2016

phase out some of the older buildings on campus and give more students modern living quarters with up-to-date date technology and amenities. And we can provide high-quality housing for faculty that encourages them to stay at Gow and raise their families here.” The 16,500 square-foot Rogers-Ivie Dormitory joins a lengthy list of successful campus projects at Gow. Rogers-Ivie Dormitory takes its name from Terri Rogers Ivie, mother of Aaron Ivie, ‘13. Ms. Rogers Ivie surprised Headmaster Rogers two years ago by offering a very generous gift to the school and agreeing to earmark the money for the new dormitory. Her gift had the added impact of allowing 28 students to relocate from existing dorms, allowing girls to board in Cornwall.

While the dormitory’s lead gift came from the Continued on page 11.

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Rowing Returns to Gow Crew is back! After a three year absence, rowing was reintroduced, by demand, for the fall 2015 season. The team quickly filled 16 spots.

Before ending its 18 year run from 19942012, the Gow crew team went to state championships three times under the tutelage of their coach, Doug Cotter and his assistant coaches including Lindahl, Maier and Rob Marshman. As part of the success of Gow’s team, Ian Briggs ‘11, went on help his team win collegiate rowing titles while at Washington College. The Gow crew team hopes to repeat its past successes in the coming seasons!

According to Lindahl, the key to success for his team will be “skill, endurance, strength, and teamwork.”

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photos by John Lindahl

John Lindahl and Dave Maier coached the 2015 inaugural return season. The team rowed out of Westside Rowing Club in downtown Buffalo and competed in the Hogan Fries Regatta October 31st. Lindahl will return as head coach this fall and Jake Podyma ‘12, a former Govian rower, will begin his first year working at Gow as the assistant coach. There is even talk of adding a spring season.

Fall 2015 Crew Team

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GOW News Golf The 2015 Varsity Golf team led by coaches Jim Kaufman and Brian Thompson and team captain Simon D. ‘17 compiled an impressive 8-0 record in their division.

They outscored their opponents 148-44 earning the Division A regular season title and winning their first ever Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association division championship. This fall is certain to be another exciting season as the team hopes to introduce their first female golfer to the league!

Tennis Spring 2016 was another great season for Coach Mark Szafnicki and the Varsity Tennis team. They earned their seventh consecutive Division 2 championship in the Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association. Will H. ‘17 finished the season with a berth in the semifinals and a 38-13 career record for singles placing him second all-time in Gow’s record books. Laurent B. ‘17 played second singles and now ranks ninth in Gow’s record books. Grace O. ‘18 also became the first female competitor in Gow’s history to play for the Tennis team.

Historic Changes,

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Rogers Ivie family, many Gow alumni, parents and friends helped reach its goal.

Special thanks to Creighton Murch ‘63 and his wife Janice Smith, who generously challenged Govians to complete fundraising with a $100,000 matching gift.

Improvements and expansion to the residential footprint have opened the door for historic changes on campus. Now as Gow celebrates our 90th year, girls with dyslexia can fully benefit from Peter Gow’s vision for educating students with language based learning disabilities. With the successful first year of girls boarding, demand has necessitated continued renovations now as Ellis House is slated to become the second girls’ dormitory this fall.

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The new Rogers-Ivie Dormitory

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Heads of School Gather at Gow for Leadership Retreat How do we nurture current educators and future generations of leaders of schools specializing in the education of students with learning disabilities?

That was the question on the mind of Headmaster Brad Rogers when he came up with the idea of hosting a Heads’ Retreat at The Gow School. For years, Rogers had thought the community of men and women who lead LD schools had too little face-to-face time with each other. Rogers decided to do something about that. He put together a multi-day program of events, engaged some speakers and invited his colleagues to Gow.

Bill Clough, Head of School, Nichols School led a session on “Headship & Leadership: Making the Leap to Lead,” and Steve Wilkins, Head of School, The Carroll School spoke on “Building Better Brains for Learning.” Also featured was Dan Blanch, Head of School, Camperdown Academy with a talk on “Leadership and Familyship” and Ned Clark, VP Travel for Teens with thoughts on “Travel & Multisensory Teaching – Mastering the World.”

Heads of school, from as far away as Texas, Maine and California participated in the first retreat in 2015. Thanks to a generous multi-year commitment from The Tower Family Fund, Gow was able to host a second Leadership Retreat in June 2016.

Rogers said the opportunity to share experiences and challenges with old and new friends was priceless.

“There are issues we all deal with: parental anxiety, problem students, quality of instruction, finances, enrollment, the future direction of our schools. It was nice to hang out in flip flops and shorts, let our hair down, network and spend time with people who get it.”

Guests toured the campus and participated in several social events. Conference educational session speakers included Rick Lavoie, M.A., M.Ed., educator, author and motivational speaker, who spoke on “The Head as a Moral Leader,” and “Parents and Ethics – What We Encounter.” Also featured were Gow Trustees Mary Ann Coulson, who spoke about “On the Minds of Parents; What We Want to Ask, but Don’t,” and Bob Vail ‘68 who offered information on “Operations & Leadership: Leaders Must Have a Plan for People and Plant.”

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Wilkins thanked Rogers and wrote: “Your theme— bring along the next generation—is vitally important.

We loved the associations with other school people who think about precisely the same things that we do. No other conference or gathering achieves that as well as the Gow event.”

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GOW News

Rob Marshman Begins Post as Head of the Upper School This summer Rob Marshman officially took over the post of Head of the Upper School at Gow. The former Math Department Chair has spent the past year transitioning into the role vacated by Dan Kelley.

“I’m honored to be Head of the Upper School and very grateful that I have been able to spend time with Dan learning the ropes of the role this year,” said Marshman, who came to Gow as a new teacher fresh out of college more than 18 years ago. “I really enjoyed working with Dan,” he says.

“He is a talented, experienced, wise individual who does everything with dignity and humor. It has been an absolute joy for me to be part of his final year here.”

Marshman is particularly excited to work with the faculty in his new role. “In this position it will be

important for me to be a support and guide for teachers,” he says.

“I will be exploring ways to give them more avenues for professional development.”

The Kitchener, Ontario, Canada native was completing his teacher training at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland when he learned of a teaching opening at Gow. He accepted the position, immersed himself in Gow life and, within four years, was named Math Department Chair.

He and former Gow teacher Jennifer Cannon have been married since 2008 and have three children.

He is grateful for all the opportunities he has at Gow to grow personally and professionally.

Meet the New Staff This year, Gow welcomed several new administration staff members: Carol Bernat, Director of Development; Beth Cardamone, Alumni Relations & Development staff member and Julie Wysocki, Assistant to the Headmaster and Registrar.

Bernat and Cardamone staff the Development Department, the main liaison between Gow, alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends. The department cultivates philanthropic gifts that help support the school in the areas of financial aid, faculty salaries, technology and art, and capital projects. Wysocki supports Headmaster Brad Rogers and serves as the school’s Registrar.

They all enjoy being part of Gow. “I have learned in the last year that Gow is much more than a boarding school,” said Wysocki. “It’s a place where boys and girls are able to be themselves and start to become the people they were meant to be.”

Cardamone agrees. “We really do make an impact, 2016

Beth Cardamone, Julie Wysocki and Carol Bernat are new administration team members.

helping transform students’ lives and giving them the confidence to pursue their dreams,” she said.

“Every day I am privileged to witness the transformative effects of Gow,” said Bernat. “This is a special place with an incredible staff where students learn that they can thrive and succeed.”

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Tribute to Dan Kelley

On April 30, more than 200 Gow alumni, faculty, staff, parents and friends gathered at the Orchard Park Country Club to honor Dan Kelley for his 40 years of service to Gow. The celebration served as the kick off for the Dan Kelley Scholarship fund which has raised nearly $35,000. Alumni from the 1970s through the 2000s joined in the event. Guests presented Dan’s wife Jody with flowers and a snow shovel (since the couple hasn’t had to shovel much snow for the past 40 years!) and a group of alumni from the 1980s presented Dan with a Gow class ring. Dan and Jody will be missed and the Gow community wishes them the best!

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“I owe my strong back and freedom from backaches to the maintenance team at Gow, who for so many years took care of the snow removal duties and other jobs at our many Gow residences. We are forever grateful to our good friends and colleagues who did so much for us.”

-Dan Kelley

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1. Brad and Anne Rogers 2. Alice Gow and Mary Batt 3. Sam Cosmano ‘84 and Steven Ibbotson ‘80 4. Tom Murphy ‘82 and John Karpus ‘82

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5. Matt Kleinberg ‘07, Parker Alleman ‘06, Mario Illanes ‘06, PJ Chmura ‘06, Pete Thomas ‘07

6. John Bullock ‘80 and Steven Ibbotson ‘80 7. Steve Paisley ‘78, Mike Lennie ‘81, Eric Halls ‘82, John Karpus ‘82 8. PJ Chmura ‘06, Erin Kelley Chmura, Dan, Jody and Seth Kelley

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9. Brian Talma ‘84 and Dan Kelley

11. Adam Oberkircher ‘83, Jeff ‘83 and Viviane Swann

14. Sam Cosmano ‘84, Bill Parsons and Andrew Thompson ‘85

10. Jennifer Cannon, Rob Marshman, Tim Wells ‘08, Brad ‘95 and Rebecca Rausch, Rory Castrogiovanni ‘10

12. Tom Cook ‘11 and Tim Wells ‘08

15. Susan and Ed Bean

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13. Ted Constantine ‘94, Jeff Sweet and Connie Constantine

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16. Jay ‘79 and Lorena Mandarino

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Class Notes Stay connected all year on Gow’s alumni Facebook page: facebook.com/gow.connect

1950s J. Peter Frenzel III ‘54 and his wife Alene have been enjoying retirement for the last 10 years in their “showstopper red” house on a 55 acre lake in Brown County, Indiana. Peter was given the highest civilian honor of Sagamore of the Wabash Native American Indians by the former Governor of Indiana, Mitch Daniels for his contribution to the arts as a founding member of the Penrod Society.

William “Bill” Hoke ‘58 from Bremerton, Washington is putting the finishing touches on a new book of haiku poetry called Olympic Mountains Haiku. It is based on Bill’s experience while hiking and climbing in Olympic National Park. He has also written another book, River Voices on the Duckabush.

1960s Frederick “Fritz” Seifert ‘65 is semi-retired. He and his wife, Anne, moved to Florida in the fall of 2015. Fritz started an advisory company, InsuranceIndustry Aimed Marketing LLC. He is a grandfather to two, with a third on the way in early 2017.

Fritz and Anne spend summers in Seifert ‘65 East Hampton, NY and Peapack, NJ.

1970s

I just...

Pritchard S. Garrett ‘71 retired in 2015 after working for 21 years as a teacher, administrator, and most recently as Head of School at the Delaware Valley Friends School. He spent his 37 years in education working to help students with language-based learning differences.

graduated or went back to school found my calling saw the world got married had a baby developed or produced _____________ started a new job retired to….

Whatever you have been up to, we want to know. Send us an email or share your stories and photos and we will include them in class notes. gow.org/alumninews 16 Gow Life

Pearlman ‘79 Russell Pearlman ‘79 is seen here with Dan Kelley during a 2015 trip back to campus.

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1980s

1990s

Peter G. Houghton ‘82 is now living on Vancouver Island in Comax, British Columbia.

Colin Roy Legge ‘90 lives in Calgary, Alberta and is starting his 16th year at the Chinook Home Depot as a seasonal sales associate. He is close to receiving his diamond platinum service award for excellence in customer service. In addition to his seasonal sales role, Colin runs children’s workshops and takes care of the three year olds at his First Alliance Church in Calgary. He is also a member of a professional 5 pin bowling team.

Talma ‘84 Brian Talma ‘84 was just named Official Sports Tourism Ambassador for Barbados. Brian is a tireless supporter and promoter of Barbados and surf sports internationally. He recently finished his most successful project, The Beach Culture World Tour, World Championships for windsurfing, surfing, stand up paddle boarding and kite surfing that took place in Barbados February 24-March 4. He is also the owner of deAction Beach Surf Shop and Apartments and is currently working on a new project, Organic Tourism Project. This project hopes to promote local businesses to create a safe, healthy and prosperous community from the bottom up.

Jennings ‘92 Stuart C. Jennings ‘92 started working for ASC Group in 2015. He specializes in Ecology and Archaeological services as a wetland scientist and ecologist. Stuart and his father Stuart O. Jennings, took a trip to Panama and the Costa Rican rainforest where they saw an army of Leaf Cutter Ants in early 2016.

Walter E. “Ted” Constantine ‘94 and his mother Connie run Abino Mills Glassworks, a family owned custom-etched crystal glassware business that ships globally. They are now located in downtown Buffalo at 255 Delaware Avenue.

Matthew Yarborough ‘96 is the Food Services Director at Morning Pointe of Lexington, Kentucky.

Ross Litman ‘99 married Michelle Lazarciuc on November 14, 2015. They live in Toronto, Ontario.

A photo from Drew Ceperley’s ‘89 100-mile tour of Nebraska.

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Class Notes 2000s

Avenue, has left to become sous chef at The Western Door Steakhouse at the Seneca Niagara Hotel in Niagara Falls, NY.

Reed ‘01 Taylor Reed ‘01 and his wife Paulette had a baby girl, Violet Eloise on June 20, 2016. She is the baby sister to Isabelle Marie.

Drew R. Donaldson ‘06 of New York, NY visited campus in April 2016. He presented at Assembly to the students, faculty, and Trustees “On How To Be A Creative and Pay Your Bills.” He is a creative director helping brands and businesses Donaldson ‘06 market and advertise.

Henry H. Minis, Jr. ‘09 is now Junior Art Director at Epsilon, a global marketing company in their Chicago, IL office.

Alexander Schwarzer ‘09 is working in a “Free Trade Zone” in Bogota, Colombia with Toyota and Porsche as part of his family’s business.

Cotha ‘05 Nelson ‘03 Lee C. Nelson ‘03 stopped by campus in July 2015 with his dog, Rouxdi. He is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Chaitanya V. Cotha ‘05 and his wife Yagnika have a son Vyaan. Chaitanya has been busy expanding his family’s jewelry business as well as starting his own various businesses.

Patrick J. Chmura ‘06 of Buffalo, NY and his wife, Erin Kelley Chmura are the proud parents to John David who just turned one. PJ, previously at CRaVing on Hertel 18 Gow Life

Jacob Tucker ‘09 is starting a catering company, Tucker’d Out, in Anchorage, Alaska with his girlfriend, Amanda Celia. They have a 3 year-old son, Noah. He also works as a hydroponics expert and is studying hospitality and business management online.

Tucker ‘09

2010s Brandon Fields ‘10 graduated from Morehouse College in 2015 with a degree in Political Science, and is working for a firm called Modern Advertising in Atlanta. He plans to go back to school to study Marketing.

Chmura ‘06

Tyler Bischoff ‘11 graduated with a BFA from Wells College in May 2015. After graduation, he was the Head of Installation for art work and a sales person 2016

at Silverwood Home and Gallery in Saratoga Springs. He also assisted in coaching lacrosse for varsity, JV, modified and grades 5-6 in Johnstown, NY. Currently, he is an apprentice to Regis Brody and Jill Kovalchik, both internationally renowned ceramics Bischoff ‘11 artists at the Saratoga Clay Arts Center. Tyler is planning on returning to school for his MFA and would like to teach at the collegiate level.

Patrick Emerling ‘11 won the Lancaster National Speedway race on June 30, 2016.

John Kearns ‘11 graduated from Notre Dame in 2015 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

John won the Jerome L. Novotny design award for “design of a heat sink for maximizing the performance of a photovoltaic cell with concentrated solar radiation.” In the fall of 2015 he started a graduate program at Kearns ‘11 Georgia Tech.

Tyler A. Moxey ‘11 is studying arboriculture at Paul Smith’s College.

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Jacob Zirinsky ‘12 , Ronald Capone II ‘14, Ibrahim Kalla ‘13, Sasha Evans ‘15, Lelaina Sullivan ‘15, Thomas Oggier ‘15, Christopher Powell ‘14, and Jacob Podyma ‘12 Jacob J. Podyma ‘12 graduated in May of 2016 with a double major in Business Economics and Finance from Mercyhurst College. While at Mercyhurst, he started the martial arts and fitness club. This summer he worked as a counselor at The Gow School Summer Program. This fall he starts a full-time job as an Instructional Assistant at Gow. John B. Ebersole ‘13 is entering his junior year at Boston College with a German studies major and an environmental science minor. This summer he participated in a work-study with developmentally disabled children on Boston College’s campus. In August, John took a rock climbing trip to Yosemite National Park.

Ronald M. Capone II ‘14 finished his sophomore year at Niagara University where he earned a GPA of 3.28, qualifying him for the Dean’s List. He has also worked at The Gow School Summer Program as the Day Student Coordinator for the past two years.

This fall Ron will be teaching his first lesson plan at a school in the Niagara Fall School District.

A. Spencer Goddard ‘15 of New Brunswick, Canada completed his first year at High Point University in North Carolina, where he is studying Psychology.

Thomas Oggier ‘15 finished his freshman year at Ohio Wesleyan University. He is triple majoring in International Relations, Politics and Government, and German Literature. In the fall, he will be a Resident Assistant. He worked for the second year as a Gow Summer Program counselor.

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Spring

Parents Weekend Close to 200 parents and alumni attended Spring Parents and Alumni Weekend April 29th and 30th. The weekend’s events included the student awards and cresting ceremonies, a presentation by Gow Trustee Bob Vail ‘68, and lacrosse games. Parents also engaged with Gow grads during the Alumni Panel discussion and the Ice Cream Social honoring Dan Kelley.

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7 8 1. TK, ‘21 and his Mom

4. Mario Illanes ‘06

2. Kaleigh Davidson ‘16 and her parents

5. Seniors at the Alumni Panel

3. Alumni visit with Dan Kelley 20 Gow Life

6. Seniors after the Cresting Ceremony

7. Zach Hubenak ‘16 and his parents 8. The Alumni Panel and Brad Rogers 2016

Class of 2016 College Enrollment 33 students accepted to 92 colleges Philip Addabbo - University of Denver

Charlie Heathcott - Gap year

David Anazodo - Brock University

Ryan Hopkins - Villa Maria College

Patrick Argy - Paul Smith’s College

Brian Horan - Paul Smith’s College

Batuhan Aydin - University of New Haven

Zach Hubenak - High Point University

Trenton Bailey - West Virginia University

Zack Laczkowski - Clarkson University

Yared Balcha - Villa Maria College

Devin Lejeune - Texas State Technical College

Timothy Bates - Baldwin Wallace University

Nicholas Milich - Guilford College

Michael Bednarski - Xavier University

William Murphy - Westminster College

David Chen - University of Arizona

Andersen Negley - New England College

Kaleigh Davidson - Canisius College

Thomas Nielsen - Mount Allison University

Justin Faillace - Xavier University

Trey Shattuck - University of Arizona

Thomas Franklin - Limestone College

Ryan Sullivan - Curry College

Daniel Freiberg - University of the Ozarks

Tony Tewes - Villa Maria College

Fletcher Greer - Curry College

Sam Uliana - Randolph-Macon College

Rosalie Halls - Brescia University

Jonathan Woo - Santa Clara University

Noah Harris - Marquette University

Harry Zhang - University of Rochester

Blake Hatch - Lynn University

Grad Class Fun Facts Of the 33 graduates: • The average length of time at Gow is 3.3 years • There are 3 “lifers” (students who have been here since 7th grade) • Overall, the class has been awarded $3.2 million in merit scholarships!

2016

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Class of 2016 On May 19th, our senior class and their families gathered in downtown Buffalo at Asbury Hall, Babeville for the Senior Dinner to celebrate their accomplishments and futures.

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5 1. Asbury Hall, Babeville 2. Rosalie Halls and Kaleigh Davidson 3. Class of 2016 following Cresting Ceremony

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4. Marissa Faillace, Justin Faillace, David Anazodo, Thomas Franklin, Zach Hubenak

5. Batu Aydin, Trey Shattuck, Michael Bednarski, Thomas Franklin, Thomas Nielsen, Charlie Heathcott 6. Nick Milich, Noah Harris, Yared Balcha

2016

Commencement

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On May 20th we celebrated the graduation of 33 Govians.

Congratulations to the Class of 2016!

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2 5 1. Class of 2016 2. Kaleigh Davidson 3. Thomas Franklin, Trenton Bailey and Trey Shattuck

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4. Elizabeth Raiff ‘17, first female Student Council President,

receives her Crimson Blazer 5. Dan Kelley receives an honorary doctorate from Bill Patterson, Graeme Hepburn and Rob Marshman

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Esteemed Gow Faculty Members Retire The Gow School congratulates Walter and P.K. Sanieski on retirement from life-long careers devoted to teaching students with dyslexia.

Walter began his career at The Gow School in 1974, fresh out of college. Gow was a long drive from Walter’s home in Connecticut, but the Boston College graduate was hired almost on the spot to teach English and Spanish.

Two years later he married P.K. and the two settled at Gow and began their family.

The Sanieskis lived in what is now the Infirmary, were close friends with faculty members like Dan Kelley and have many memories of events like the Blizzard of ‘77 when helicopters had to deliver food to campus.

In 1978 the Sanieskis moved back east. Walt and P.K. took teaching positions at Linden Hill School in Northfield, Massachusetts.

P.K. also became a Fellow in the Orton-Gillingham Academy and taught the method to other teachers.

Over the years the Sanieskis stayed in touch with friends at Gow. So when the Linden Hill School closed in 2012 the couple accepted offers from Headmaster Brad Rogers to move back and work at Gow again before retirement.

“I was blessed to have started my career at Gow with Walter and P.K. and to end it here with them as well,” said Dan Kelley, fomer Assistant Headmaster and Head of the Upper School. “We have been great friends for years and will continue to be.

Congratulations to them on outstanding careers in education.”

At Gow P.K. taught Reconstructive Language (RL) and coordinated the Executive Function Coaching 24 Gow Life

Program (EFC), which teaches tools like time management, organization and study skills. Walter taught Spanish and English.

“It has been a pleasure to work in this environment,” said Walter. “Everybody—faculty, staff and students are very friendly and supportive.” The couple is moving back to Connecticut to be closer to their family.

The Sanieskis agree that huge gains have been made over the years to improve teaching methods.

“Research has been phenomenal to diagnose dyslexia and determine what can help the students to do better in reading, writing and math,” said P.K. “The methodology used at Gow is still very much what students need. We are on the right track here and I know methods and results will continue to improve.”

2016

Farewell

Farewell Message from Dan Kelley For the past 40 years—my whole career—I have been blessed to be part of The Gow School, not only as a teacher and administrator, but as a friend, colleague, mentor, and in many ways, as a student myself.

Throughout the years I have been surrounded by great people:

Colleagues who I appreciate so much for their devotion to our students and for bringing out the best in me.

Alumni and Students who I loved working

with. They have given me as much as I could give them, and I learned from them every day.

Gow Trustees who I have worked with and

come to know and respect over the years. They have been tremendous supporters of the school and of me. They have done so much to make Gow an outstanding school.

Dan Kelley, 1978

spend good times with our many friends. Jody and I also plan to travel. I hope to play a lot of golf and get caught up on my reading.

Parents who make enormous sacrifices to send

their sons and daughters to Gow. Thank you for your belief in us and for sharing your wonderful children with us.

New Upper School Head Rob Marshman has already had a highly successful career at Gow. It will only get more impressive. He will do an outstanding job. I couldn’t be more pleased that Rob will be in this role.

As I retire, I plan to volunteer to help youth and adults who have reading challenges. My wife Jody and I bought a home in Hamburg. We look forward to staying connected to Gow and continuing to

I’ve been quoted often as saying “The farther away I get, the better I look.” Remember me Gow as I will remember you—with deep fondness and admiration.

Rethinking Learning Reigniting Lives Support The Gow Fund today.

www.gow.org/donate 716.687.2074 2016

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Board of Trustees 2016-2017 John Pulvermann ‘64

Executive Committee

Trustees

Graeme C. Hepburn ‘84 Chair

David W. Gow, Jr.

Walpole, NH

Steven J. Ibbotson ‘80

Bethlehem, PA

Robert W. Ittmann ‘62

Moreland Hills, OH

K. Peter Knudsen ‘59

Cuba, NY

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

John R. Bullock II ‘80 Vice Chair Cincinnati, OH

Al R. Chircop Treasurer

Belmont, MA

Canmore, Alberta, Canada Gulf Stream, FL

Northfield, IL

Harbor Springs, MI/ Palm Beach, FL

Lawrence M. Ross

Wayne LaRue Smith

SECRETARY Williamsville, NY

Newton D. Baker ‘53 At-large Maineville, OH

Mary Ann Coulson At-large Orchard Park, NY

Key West, FL

Katherine M. Mohney Holland, NY

Creighton Murch ‘63 Cleveland Heights, OH

Lowell G. Powers, Jr. ‘59

Daphne Uliana Robert Vail ‘68 Skip Wilday Honorary Board Members

Liam Devine, ‘84

Ex-Officio

M. Bradley Rogers, Jr. Headmaster The Gow School South Wales, NY Emeritus

Edwin T. Bean, Jr. Buffalo, NY

Joseph Giallanza Elma, NY

President Alumni Association Toronto, Canada

Dean H. Jewett ‘61

Lynn Bilodeau

Lincoln University, PA

President, Parents Association Toronto, Canada

East Aurora, NY

J. Gibson McIlvain, III ‘66 George M. Reid ‘43 Minneapolis, MN

Middletown, RI

K. Carson Jones ‘92 At-large Dallas, TX

We Remember...

W. Douglas Goldsmith ‘78 of Roanoke, Virginia. We were recently notified of his passing in December 2012.

Eugene C. Coan ‘42 of Kirkland, Washington, passed away on November 15, 2015.

John B. Coleman ‘84 of Gillette, Wyoming, passed away on March 3, 2016.

Brian J. Parsons ‘85 of Ottawa, Ontario, died on June 4, 2016 after battling ALS for three years.

Martyn J. Roberts, Alumni Parent, of Toronto, Ontario, died on September 5, 2015.

Bernard Speedy, Alumni Grandparent, of Ridgeway, Pennsylvania, passed away on January 28, 2016.

Carlisle B. Van Meter, Friend, died at her home in Winchester, Kentucky, on February 22, 2016.

Suzanne Langworthy, Friend, of Orchard Park, New York, passed away March 22, 2016.

Victoria Negley, Alumni Parent, of New Canaan, Connecticut, passed away on May 25, 2016.

Govians from the 1980s visited the Ottawa Park named for Brian Parsons ‘85.

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Dickinson G. Wiltz, former Trustee, died in Atlantic Beach, Florida, on April 3, 2016.

2016

Campus Update

Fundraising Continues for David Gow Interfaith Spiritual Center

By Philip Gow

My father, David Gow, spent years observing and innovating the Govian experience, focused on an exceptionally intelligent and capable group of students and keenly aware of the challenges of arriving in South Wales after navigating other classrooms and schools as dyslexics.

Brad Rogers and David Gow, 2011.

For Dad, Sunday morning chapel was meant to provide students with the context, confidence and humor to “pick up the ball and run with it” at the beginning of each new week. Sunday morning was not meant to be an exercise in religion, but more an experience to find strength, spirit and to help students to grow and identify those things that excited them and moved them to success.

When we think of an Interfaith Spiritual Center (IFSC) at Gow, some may not see why this was so important to dad, but in fact it was the most important final project that he had in mind. Many remember the white-haired man with tweed jacket, bowtie, quick wit and uncanny memory. What many never saw or knew was a man whose life was marked by tragedy, setbacks and an unyielding spirit to prepare Govians for both life’s successes and challenges. To dad, the IFSC was meant to be a place where students could rest, reflect and collect themselves during the rigors of the Gow experience.

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Over the last few years, I have had the opportunity to speak with many Govians about their experiences at Gow and their memories of dad. These recollections are remarkably similar and wonderful reminders of the success of dad’s vision for his students and their experience at Gow. As a final tribute to David Gow and to provide for the experience of future generations of Govians, we are pleased to be moving ahead with the David Gow Interfaith Spiritual Center.

Our thanks to the Govians, friends and family that have the initiative off to a strong start. To learn more contact The Gow Development Office at 716.687.2075 or visit our website at GOW.org.

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NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1175 BUFFALO, NY

The Gow School Development Office PO Box 85 South Wales, NY 14139

2016 Varsity Spring Lacrosse

Save the Date 2016/17 School Year Monday September 5, 2016 • First Day of Classes Friday September 16, 2016 • Grandparents Day Friday & Saturday October 14-15, 2016 • Fall Parents Weekend Friday & Saturday April 21-22, 2017 • Spring Parents Weekend Thursday & Friday May 18-19, 2017 • Commencement Festivities

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