GFA Spring Magazine 2016

GFA

Spring 2016

GRAND OPENING, FALL 2015 PERFORMING ARTS & GLOBAL STUDIES CENTERS— SEE P21

ARTS CENTER

PERFORMING

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From the Head of School Dear GFA Community, © Naru Photography

Tony Wagner, the first Innovation Fellow at Harvard and respected educator, writes about the “global achievement gap” faced by many American students, and how, by espousing 21st century skills, we can rethink what young people need to know and how they are best taught.

He writes, “In this ‘newly flattened world,’ to borrow a phrase from Thomas Friedman, the universe in which our children must compete and succeed has been rapidly transformed by groundbreaking and rapidly evolving technologies.”

I am certain that GFA students are prepared with the necessary skills and habits of mind to succeed in the global arena, and GFA’s sixth annual World Perspectives Symposium (April 20) is a powerful example of how our students employ these 21st century skills.

During the symposium, students in the Global Thesis, Science Research, and STEAM programs will host more than 50 presentations and panels. In addition, a select group of eighth grade students will present their capstone projects, and Samyukt Kumar ’16 (see page 19) will participate with students from France, Greece, and Jordan in a roundtable discussion on the ongoing refugee crisis. Their conversation will be streamed live to students in multiple countries who can ask questions.

According to Victor Llanque Zonta, the director of the program, “The tremendous growth of this event over the years points to the rich intellectual life that has come to characterize the culture at our school. Our students are not afraid to tackle big questions and to dive deeply into the unknown. They take charge of their own learning and battle their nerves in front of a real audience to share what they discovered.”

Through their presentations, panel discussions, and streamed conversations, our students will demonstrate not only their in-depth learning, but also their deep commitment to being members of the global community.

A new opportunity for our students this year was the partnership with News-Decoder, where they were able to publish their perspectives on some of the world’s toughest issues. (See page 17.) However, GFA’s commitment to a global education is nothing new. On page 14, alumna Iona Thomas ’97, U.K.’s Deputy Ambassador to Libya, says her passion for diplomatic work was sparked in the GFA classroom.

Through our Signature World Perspectives Program, we will continue to empower our students to become global citizens through experiential learning, transcultural exploration, and academic research.

Janet Hartwell Head of School

editorial

Greens Farms

Academy Features Iona Thomas ’97

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WPP Essays from GFA Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Performing Arts Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Greens Farms Academy Spring 2016 Volume 30

STEAM

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Departments

Editor Alison Freeland

Head’s Letter

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Associate Editor

Editor’s Letter

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GFA News

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Sara Glidden

Athletics at GFA

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Alumni Editors

Arts at GFA

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Mary Warner McGrade Aleks Johnson

Faculty News

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Photo Contributors

Alumni Events

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GFA Community

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Milestones

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Frances Moore

Editorial Assistant

Naru Photography Donna Beeman Studios Frances Moore Roger Ferris + Partners Greens Farms Academy 35 Beachside Avenue PO Box 998 Greens Farms, CT 06838-0998 (203) 256-0717 www.gfacademy.org Greens Farms Academy is dedicated to guiding students through a rigorous course of study encompassing academics, arts, and athletics.

In an effort to streamline our mailing list, we are sending one magazine per household. If you would like extra copies, please email afreeland@gfacademy.org.

Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor are welcome and may be edited for clarity and space. Please send all correspondence to Alison Freeland (afreeland@gfacademy.org).

Alumni News We welcome news from alumni, parents, and friends of GFA. Please send your news and labeled photographs to Alumni News at GFA, or email them to alumni@gfacademy.org.

The following minimum digital file size is required to produce a high-quality image 2.5" x 3.5" • # pixels 375 x 525 pixels • 550KB/ .tif • 100KB/ .jpeg

printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks

Board of Trustees

Shelley Goldsmith, Co-Chair Tricia Vanacore, Co-Chair Michael Berman Co-Vice Chair Stephen Lawrence Co-Vice Chair Zac Zeitlin, Treasurer Arlene Howard, Secretary Henry A. Backe, Jr., M.D. Vani Bettegowda Carolyn Cohen Roger Ferris Stephanie Foster Michael Greenberg Janet Hartwell, Ex officio Richard Holzinger Ward K. Horton David Murphy Jeff Nixon Michael Rintoul ’84 Josh Samuelson Nancy Soule Peter Tauck Jim Wolfe

Advisory Council

Michael Berman, Tri-Chair Michael Greenberg, Tri-Chair Jim Wolfe, Tri-Chair Scott Balkan Elizabeth Koldyke Boolbol Lynne Byrne David Durkin Claire Foerster Meade Fogel David C. Friezo Julie Gentile John Humphrey Meredith Hutchison David Magrone Molly McGrath David McKane Tom Murphy Victor Nesi Clarence L. Nunn Kim Raveis ’88 Dan Tishman

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editor

Letter from the Editor Dear Reader, This was our assignment one year ago: “Develop a new mission statement for Greens Farms Academy, and by the way, it should be one sentence long.”

© Naru Photography

The assignment came from the folks at the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), who are responsible to reaccredit independent schools every ten years. The new mission statement was the beginning of our reaccreditation. We looked at the old (lengthy) mission hanging in a frame near the Oak Room, and decided it was best to start from scratch.

When we asked the faculty and staff what they thought were GFA’s prominent characteristics, the most-cited word was “community.” And so, we began with that, and after a six-month process of brainstorming, collaborating, and word-smithing, presented the following statement: Quisque pro Omnibus. Each for All GFA engages students as partners in an innovative, inclusive, and globally minded community to prepare them for a life of purpose.

Both “partners” and “inclusive” are aspirational for us, and give us something to work toward. We further define our terms as follows: Partners: Our students collaborate with teachers to develop their voices to effect change, to become lifelong learners who take ownership of their educations, and to have an instinct for self-reflection that builds character and drives improvement.

Innovative: Building on a demanding curriculum, our faculty seeks innovative and effective methods to help students cultivate the skills and habits of mind necessary to excel.

Inclusive: GFA strives to create a diverse community that values the identities, perspectives, and experiences of all its members.

Globally Minded: We empower our students to discover their place in the world and help them to become globally competent citizens engaged in building a sustainable future.

And we identified passion, integrity, empathy, curiosity, and excellence as our core values.

Our mission defined, we look forward to applying ourselves to the challenge.

Alison Freeland Director of Communications

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GFA news

Battle at the Beach The GFA Dragonoids earned a berth into the finals in the Battle at the Beach, an annual robotics competition hosted here on campus each winter. By forming an alliance with i2 Robotics, the Staples High School team, together they won the day-long competition, and advanced to the East Super-Regional Tournament in Scranton, PA.

Illyria @ Performing Arts Center The Upper School Spring Musical, Illyria, will be performed April 14-16, 7:30-9:30PM, in our new Performing Arts Center. With book and music by Peter Mills, Illyria is a musical version of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a comic tale of mistaken identity and love.

Top Down: Students celebrate victory in annual robotics competition at the Battle at the Beach.

Students rehearse a musical number for the US musical, Illyria.

Long-time GFA costume designer Mary Strohm fits an actor for his costume.

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GFA news Current English Department Chair Andrew Jones has been named the new Head of the Upper School at GFA. Jones has a BA from Middlebury College and an MA from the University of Colorado. He has taught at the University of Colorado as well as in charter and public schools, and came to GFA in 2011 as a member of the English Department.

We asked Mr. Jones about his philosophy of education and found that the atmosphere he encourages in his classroom is most predictive of his plans for the Upper School.

Q. What is your philosophy of education?

A. Philosophy refers literally to the love of wisdom, and the wisdom I love most about education comes from Parker Palmer: “To teach is to create a space, and not to fill it.” I have watched the most eager students lose interest when the teacher has been intent on filling all the space himself, and I have seen the unlikeliest students come alive upon first encountering a space a teacher has created.

Q. What does that “space” look like?

A. It’s an openness to—even an appetite for—knowledge, ideas, a life of the mind. Teachers model this kind of space when we show students the limits of our own knowledge, when we affirm a student’s question, or when we pursue our own intellectual interests as a part of our teaching.

Q. What is your leadership style?

A. When a leader handles the day-to-day challenges of school efficiently and includes others in the process, faculty have the energy and confidence to go out on a limb. I have loved helping faculty sketch out big plans, and love just as much diving into the details, bringing plans into reality. I work hard to make the most of meeting times, and I have found that when I lay the groundwork ahead of time, the people in the meeting have an enormous capacity to listen to each other, really dig into a question, and take on a bold initiative.

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Q. Who has been influential to you in your teaching career?

A. One person in particular was Patty Taylor, an instructional coach at my former school in Colorado. We met every week and she would observe my class or teach with me. She never gave advice, but instead asked questions: “Why did you present the material in that way? What were you hoping would come of this?” She had a stubborn refusal to do something that didn’t make sense just because someone else thought she should do it. She refused to “go through the motions.” I learned from her to consider what should happen, and then to be patient and perceptive in letting it come to pass.

Q. We’ve heard you’re an accomplished musician.

What has been the value of music in your life?

A. Both my parents are professional musicians, and I learned the value of what my mother called “going to the woodshed.” It has to do with sitting down and drilling the music with intense focus and discipline, not until you get it right or master it today, but because if you don’t, you will never master it next week. When a class is disciplined and alert, they are like a jazz combo: everyone is swapping leads, listening closely, pushing each other, and absolutely on their toes.

Q. What are you planning for next year?

A. In the Upper School, we have many ideas and logistics to address, but as for the opening of school, I’m thinking about hospitality. The faculty will set the table for the kids as one does for a really good dinner party. Teaching can be an act of hospitality; welcoming students into the discourse, into the excitement the faculty have for the work that they’re doing. In doing so, we welcome the students into their own potential, their future selves.

photo © Michael Mahoney

Coyle Visiting Scholar “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” Thinking creatively, learning faster, and leading change—these abilities are at a premium in a highly competitive world. What if you could call on history’s greatest genius, Leonardo da Vinci, to be your personal mentor?

Annual Giving…

It All Starts Here!

To all who have given…

Thank you!

On April 26, GFA will host speaker Michael J. Gelb, whose interactive presentation brings da Vinci’s genius to life. Gelb will introduce seven principles for thinking “a la Leonardo,” which can be applied through practical exercises to overcoming life’s challenges.

To those who haven’t…

Please do!

The program, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30PM in the Performing Arts Center.

Co-Chairs

Robert Evans , Ed.D. “Helping Kids Manage and Prevent Stress” Across the country, but especially in high-achieving communities, children are showing more and more signs of stress.

From an early age through to high school, rates of anxiety are rising. How can parents strike a good balance between preparing kids for a highly competitive world, yet protect them from damaging pressure? How can we help them develop the skills to cope with the challenges they face? Dr. Robert Evans will offer concrete suggestions for managing this key dilemma.

Dr. Evans is a psychologist and the Executive Director of The Human Relations Service in Wellesley, MA. A former high school and preschool teacher, and a former child and family therapist, he has worked with schools and families for 35 years. He has consulted to more than 1,700 schools around the country. His presentations are known for their lively wit and plain talk. He is the author of many articles and three books, including, Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope with The Crisis in Childrearing.

Location:

Darien Library

1441 Post Rd, Darien, CT 06820

APRIL

19 ‘16

7:00PM

Special thanks to our team:

Michael Greenberg and Stacy Steponate Greenberg

Leadership Co-Chairs Elizabeth Koldyke Boolbol and Robert Boolbol Julie and Tom Gentile

New Parent Co-Chairs Celia and Rich Canning And of course, our Class Captains who go above and beyond to support GFA.

Please Give.

It’s up to each family to support Annual Giving to the extent you can.

Questions? Call Christy Ball in the Advancement Office (203) 256-7552.

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athletics Volleyball finished its regular season with a record of 10-9, earning a bid in both the FAAs and New Englands. The boys soccer team won FAAs for the first time since 2008. Co-captain Ben Strait ’16 was named to the FAA All-Star team.

2015-16 Fall Sports With a 13-4-4 record, the GFA girls soccer team earned entry into both the FAA and New England tournaments. Sophie Staeger ’19, Clare Mengel ’17, and Erin Reilly ’16 were named to the FAA All-Star team; Ingrid Backe ’16 was FAA Honorable Mention.

Boys soccer captured their first FAA title since 2008, with a 5-2 win over Masters in the semifinals, and a 1-0 win over Rye Country Day School in the final game. Receiving FAA All-Star accolades were Ben Strait ’16, Charlie Mounts ’16, and goalie Henry Holzinger ’18.

Michael Medvedev ’17 received FAA Honorable Mention.

Volleyball finished its regular season with a record of 10-9, earning a bid in both the FAA and New England tournaments. Allie Carrey ’16 was named to the FAA All-Star Team; Olivia Sullivan ’17 received FAA Honorable Mention.

The boys cross country team came in sixth place overall in the NEPTSA Division III Championships, led by Alex McCall ’16, who came in sixth and earned All-New England honors. The girls team finished 13th overall, with Maggie Boudreau ’16, Carmen Martin ’16, and Madi McCreesh ’19 finishing in the top 20 to earn All-New England honors.

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Clockwise from top left: The boys squash team finished second in the New England Class C Tournament. Lexi Kimball ’17 set a school girls basketball record for scoring 1,000 points during her junior year, and tied a record for most 3s in a game. Fencing: Teddy Gartland ’18.

2015-16 Winter Sports Three wrestlers, Sam Stuart ’18, Hans Forland ’17, and Simon Stone ’16, qualified for the New England Championships. Forland took second in the 120-pound category, which allowed him to advance to the National Tournament, where he went 2-2. Forland finished the season with a 33-4 record.

Lexi Kimball ’17 joined the 1,000-point club during the girls basketball season this year. She is the second female athlete to hit this mark, and the only athlete in school history to do so by her junior year. The team made it to the quarterfinals of the FAA Tournament, finishing with a record of 11-10.

Despite an injury-plagued start to the season, the boys basketball team came back to finish with a record of 14-11. The team made it to the semifinals of the FAA and New England Tournaments.

Fencing gained the attention of the local media this year, with an in-depth profile on the team featured in the Norwalk Hour.

Featured in the story was senior Taiylor Nunn ’16, who led the team again this year, and for the second year in a row won States in girls epee.

Both the boys and girls squash teams went to the 2016 New England tournament. Katie Mackle ’18 finished second in her flight, as did Ingrid Backe ’16. The boys team took second for Class C, with Duda Voldman ’18 and John Selkowitz ’16 winning their respective flights.

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Alumni Spotlight: A Banner Year for Driscoll ’89 It’s been a whirlwind year for GFA alum Sean Driscoll ’89. It began with a move last January from Fairfield County, where he had lived for “40ish years,” to New Jersey to take over as the Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Princeton University. A few months later, he was taking his team to the second round of the NCAA tournament, winning the Ivy League along the way.

“To be successful you have to be good, you have to be consistent, and you have to be a little bit lucky,” Driscoll said. “We had an incredible year.”

The road to success wasn’t always easy. For one thing, he had to spend the first seven months there without his family. The welcoming nature of his new colleagues and players went a long way. But he was also able to draw upon the life experiences he’s been collecting since his GFA days.

Driscoll attended GFA from 1983 until his graduation in 1989. Though at first he wasn’t crazy about going to this new school (he had to commute each day from Ridgefield with a Latin teacher who never did get his name right), it didn’t take long for a change of heart—in large part because of the support he felt from his coaches and teachers. He remembers in particular his soccer coach Dave Perry, basketball and tennis coach Paul Groves, and Upper School Dean (and notorious basketball fan) Ed Denes, who would let Driscoll skip study halls to work on his jump shot.

Groves recalled, “Even back then I could sense Sean was a guy you could go to. He was the balancing sense between me and the team. It makes sense now that you see him coaching.”

After graduating from Denison University, Driscoll returned to GFA as Assistant Coach of the boys varsity team in 1994, and Head Coach of the varsity girls in 1995 and 1996, finishing with an impressive 10-5-3 record in 1996.

“GFA was a comfortable place to work for those three years. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life so coming back and having a home was what I needed. There are times when your life is being shaped without you realizing it. That experience was really Step 1,” he explained.

From there he moved on to larger high school teams, and eventually to the college level, first as an Assistant Coach at Western Connecticut State University (2004), then Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Manhattan College (2005-2009), and finally to Fairfield University (2010-2014), where he served as Associate Head Coach for five seasons. Along the way he co-founded the Connecticut Football Club in 1999, which is still going strong today.

To say that he remembers his days at GFA fondly is to understate it. “When I look back at all the teachers and coaches —Angela van Acker, Ed Denes, Dave Perry, Paul Groves—they all cared about the person more than anything else. Once you get [to GFA] you 10 | GFAMAGAZINE SPRING2016

cannot fail if you put forth any sort of effort because the people are there to support you.”

He still has his high school soccer jersey, and his all-time favorite sports memory took place on the GFA soccer field junior year.

After losing to The German School 8-0, GFA was determined to redeem themselves in the teams’ next meeting. This time, tied at 0-0 until the final seconds of the game, Driscoll scored the winning goal. “I remember everyone piling up on me,” he said.

Last fall, Driscoll returned to GFA once more—this time with his Princeton team. They were on the way to Harvard University and needed a break from the road. For the team, it was a chance to use the turf to work out the kinks after a long bus ride. For him, it was a chance to reminisce.

“The people who reside within those walls care about the students they teach. Because of how I was treated there and how it made me feel, that is what I try to do with my team. Hopefully, after they have graduated, they will look back on their time with me with the same fondness that I do with the teachers and coaches at GFA.” Top Down: Sean Driscoll ’89 leading the Princeton women’s soccer team’s victory over Cornell in 2015. Among the players he coaches are junior All-American Tyler Lussi, who is currently playing with the U-23 U.S. National Team, and Ivy League Rookie of the Year freshman Mimi Asom, recently named to the U-20 National Team.

In October, Sean Driscoll ’89 stopped by GFA to let his team work out on the turf. He took the time to talk to current GFA soccer players and his former tennis and basketball coach Paul Groves.

arts

The 26th Annual Harmony for the Homeless this year had a chance to use the brand-new stage in the GFA Performing Arts Center, highlighting the theme: “Broadway.” Each year proceeds from Harmony for the Homeless benefit a charitable organization. This year’s funds will help support The Neighborhood Studios Project, a Bridgeport-based organization that provides after-school and summer arts programs to children of varying economic, physical, or emotional needs.

The Middle School and Upper School Coffeehouses (and MS Art Show) have become annual traditions, both showcasing a variety of talents ranging from visual arts to performing arts, from poetry to prose.

1

4

3

1. An eighth grader acted as a living work of art in the MS Art Show.

2. The Harbor Blues acapella group sing.

3. & 4. The Akademix covered songs by the Black Keys and Boston.

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RECOGNITION

STUDENT

NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC WINNER

Noah Ross ’21

This image by Noah Sonnenberg ’17 has been awarded the National Scholastic Silver Medal.

Blair Marine ’17

Jack Sondag ’17 12 | GFAMAGAZINE SPRING2016

Joe Bentham ’17

CT Scholastic Art Awards Jack Sondag ’17

Photography, Gold Key

Noah Sonnenberg ’17

Photography, Gold Key

Miles Feuer ’17

Photography, Silver Key

Claire Jansen ’17

Photography, Silver Key

Adriana Foster ’20

Painting, Gold Key

Rari Bellingeri ’21

Mixed Media, Silver Key

Saira Munshani ’20

Painting, Silver Key

Noah Ross ’21

Mixed Media, Silver Key

Joe Bentham ’17

Photography, Gold Key

Milo Becker ’18

Film & Animation, Silver Key

Blair Marine ’17 Drawing and Illustration,

Honorable Mention Saira Munshani ’20

CT Scholastic Writing Awards Charlie Courtemanche ’18

Humor, Honorable Mention

Alida Deutsch ’19

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Alida Deutsch ’19 Personal Essay/Memoir,

Honorable Mention

Adriana Foster ’20

Caroline Eckert ’17

Poetry, Gold Key

Clara Goulding ’21

Poetry, Silver Key

Claire Jansen ’17

Poetry, Silver Key

Daria Locher ’16

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Grace McGonagle ’19

Poetry, Silver Key

Flynn Murtaugh ’20

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Flynn Murtaugh ’20

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Flynn Murtaugh ’20

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Flynn Murtaugh ’20

Poetry, Silver Key

Lucy Nelson ’21

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Kaitlin Reed ’20

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Caroline Rintoul ’17

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Gabe Simon ’16 Personal Essay/Memoir,

Honorable Mention Megan Sinnott ’17

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Sarah Wagner ’20

Poetry, Gold Key

Sarah Wagner ’20

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Sarah Wagner ’20

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Lila Wells ’19

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Rachael Lin Wheeler ’21

Poetry, Honorable Mention

Rachael Lin Wheeler ’21

Flash Fiction, Silver Key

Rari Bellingeri ’21 GFAMAGAZINE SPRING2016 | 13

feature

W

hen Iona Thomas worked in New York City in 2013, she kept a 10th grade photo of herself pretending to be part of the Security Council during a Model UN Conference.

Every morning she nodded to the photo as she headed for her job at the real UN as Spokesperson and Head of Press at the U.K. Mission to the United Nations.

Her interest in diplomacy began at GFA, and continued when she attended Oxford University, studying Latin and Greek.

“People ask me if it wasn’t an old-fashioned discipline,” she said.

“But, the skills I learned of analysis and judgment— how to argue points of view both in writing and orally, and how to digest and express information in front of senior audiences— has been ideal training for my current work.”

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Iona Thomas ’97 is the U.K. Deputy Ambassador to Libya After Oxford, Iona taught in South America and Africa. She got her master’s at the London School of Economics, and returned to Africa to work for an NGO in Namibia.

“I could see the local impact of the work I was doing,” she said, “but I was ready to have a broader impact.” She moved into government work, focusing on counterterrorism in the U.K., and then transferred to diplomatic service. For two years, she was Londonbased, traveling to Afghanistan. That led to her job at the United Nations in 2013.

On her role as a woman in the diplomatic service, Iona says, “At the senior level, there are still not as many women as men, but I was encouraged at the UN to see that six of the 15 ambassadors were women. Whatever one thinks of Hillary [Clinton], when she was Secretary of State, she had a clear vision of where she wanted policy and relationships to go, and she was dogged about pursuing them.”

Iona is also clear about her work, now as Deputy Ambassador to Libya since 2015. “I was looking to be at the heart of a really dynamic priority for the government, where I can help shape policy. It’s most interesting to me to be at the center of international decision-making on a current and challenging crisis.”

One might argue that the situation in Libya, post-Qaddafi, puts Iona at the very center of a crisis that will demand every skill she has gained since her days in Model UN at GFA.

DIPLOMACY, DAY TO DAY By Iona Thomas ’97 The U.S. State Department defines diplomacy as the management of relationships with foreign governments, international organizations, and the people of other countries. It is ambassadors who are charged with carrying out these tasks, located in foreign countries, representing their own governments.

I am now three months into my role as the U.K.’s Deputy Ambassador to Libya and I am discovering that the neatly encapsulated State Department definition barely begins to cover the diverse and challenging job that diplomats for all governments around the world have.

I am currently based in Tunisia as the instability in Libya does not allow foreign embassies to be based there. It is our objective to support the formation of a unity government in Libya—bringing together the two opposing sides to build a secure, stable, and prosperous Libya. This matters to the U.K. and other international partners because there is an increasing threat from terrorism with its roots in Libya. Last summer 30 British nationals were killed at a Tunisian beach resort in just such an attack. We need a Libyan government that can be a partner in the fight against terrorism and can also address crucial issues like the flow of migrants through Libya to Europe; regional stability in North Africa; and a peaceful future for the people of Libya who suffered under 40 years of Qaddafi rule.

While the aims may seem clear, achieving them is far from it. The UN has been leading a peace process for over a year. The U.K. Libya Office Tunis (as our embassy in exile is called) is working closely with the UN and with other embassies—including the U.S.—to encourage the Libyans to take this process forward. What this actually looks like day-to-day is a mixture of formal meetings—often held in hotel rooms in Tunis— informal conversations in the corridors, conference calls with colleagues back in the capital to discuss policy, and even WhatsApping between contacts to exchange views. A lot of time is spent “coordinating” with our embassies to share information and analysis and make sure we agree on our policy and messages.

There was a memorable evening at the U.S. Embassy shortly after I started. It looked like the peace process was going to be derailed by leaks alleging that the UN mediator had not acted impartially. The U.S. invited the ambassadors from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Spain for a video conference with the State Department to discuss how we would respond to this—what we needed to ask the UN to do to contain the issue and how we could reassure the Libyans that they needed to focus on the longer-term issue of agreeing to a peace deal.

Over pizza (from a nearby Tunisian pizzeria), we discussed the risks the leaks posed and strategized on how we could recover the situation. We agreed who would speak to the different parties and what messages we would use. After several more wobbles along the way, a month or so later, a UN-brokered peace agreement was signed by the two sides.

We’re still in the process of trying to implement that deal, but it was an important milestone in achieving our objectives.

In addition to all the “formal diplomacy,” the responsibilities of a Deputy Ambassador extend to running the embassy itself. This includes everything from setting the budget for the next four years (hard to do when we do not know if we will be located in Tunis or Tripoli), recruiting staff from the Diplomatic Corps in London, as well as local Tunisian and Libyan staff, ensuring all our diplomats have somewhere safe to live, maintaining an overview of our security procedures and crisis plans, and knowing whom to call to fix the computers when they (inevitably) break.

It means that no day is the same. There are days I find myself flitting between meetings with the Libyan Foreign Minister on the political process, to emailing HR to discuss the best way to attract talented Arabic speakers to join the team, then heading to the UN to discuss with an Italian General the plans to secure Tripoli, finally heading back to the office to check the latest batch of receipts for expenses linked to our armored vehicles.

Every day I learn something new—from how diplomacy works in practice to the myriad of decisions that need to be made every day to keep an embassy running. It’s a challenge, but it’s also a privilege to be able to play my (small) part in managing the U.K.’s relationships overseas.

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STUDENTS WITH A WORLD PERSPECTIVE For students who are truly passionate and serious about global studies, GFA offers a Diploma with a Concentration in Global Studies. The following excerpts are from articles written

by GFA seniors who are pursuing this concentration.

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STUDENTS WITH A WORLD PERSPECTIVE

Samyukt Kumar ’16

Celia Bottger ’16

Maggie Boudreau ’16

Taiylor Nunn ’16

ND N E W S – D E CO D ER

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News-Decoder is a nonprofit organization working with 11 academic institutions around the world to foster understanding of international relations.

Since its partnership with GFA began in December 2015, News-Decoder has published essays from four students. The following excerpts are from articles written by GFA seniors who are pursuing a concentration in Global Studies. To read the complete articles, visit www.news-decoder.com.

Avoiding Mistakes in Syria

Climate: Can China and the U.S. Keep Their Pledges?

By Samyukt Kumar ’16

By Celia Bottger ’16

Nearly five years after it started in March 2011, the Syrian conflict has become far more than a civil war. It involves global powers including the United States, Russia, and France; regional antagonists Iran and Saudi Arabia; and a host of non-state actors with growing, international reach. What we are witnessing is a regional conflagration with myriad implications for the Middle East, the United States and the world. …

The end of 2015 saw a successful conclusion to the Paris Climate Change Conference. Weeks later, clouds are already on the horizon.

Turning to Syria itself, the prolonged civil war reflects an utter failure in diplomacy. In early 2012, the United Nations attempted to implement a ceasefire that was quickly scuttled by Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who continued to fight.

After this failure, the United States and Russia intervened by supporting, respectively, Free Syrian Army rebels and Assad.

Quizzical GFA students wondered, if diplomacy failed in 2012 when the conflict was in its early stages, how could it resolve a struggle that now involves regional and global players? In my view, peace initiatives such as those set out at recent international talks in Vienna are destined to fail if Assad and Islamic State, two primary belligerents, are excluded.

As an observer of unfolding events, I envision two possible scenarios. In the first, fighting could simmer down, leading to an unresolved but relatively low-intensity clash such as we see in Afghanistan and in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The second scenario is bleak: an escalation of fighting until it reaches an international boiling point that ultimately forces serious and successful negotiations, but at devastating cost.

Will it take direct fighting between regional powers including Saudi Arabia and Iran, or Islamic State, or another non-state actor gaining possession of a nuclear weapon, to spur international mediation?

In the United States, we should be careful to avoid repeating past mistakes and sacrificing American values in the name of national security.

Nearly 200 countries sketched a path in Paris toward global carbon reductions, offering a glimmer of hope that the earth can avoid a climatic disaster. But threats to the implementation of the emission reductions have already emerged: The price of Chinese shares of oil have plunged, while Republican candidates for the U.S. presidency have vowed to resist measures to curb carbon emissions.

What do these developments mean for climate policy?

Ultimately the success of the Paris Conference is in the hands of participating countries, which pledged individually to take steps to cut carbon emissions. As the world’s largest emitters, the United States and China must set examples for the rest of the world with ambitious climate agendas if global disaster is to be averted. …

Surprisingly low oil prices have thrown a wrench in China’s investment in clean energy and its hopes of shedding coal dependency and meeting its promise to increase its share of renewables. The market shocks may momentarily shift the Chinese government’s focus away from climate policy toward a perceived need to stimulate economic growth.

With low oil prices jeopardizing many coal and oil companies, the Chinese government could seek to support carbon-intensive industries in the hope of stabilizing the economy. That could place long-term efforts to de-carbonize the Chinese market on hold. …

The United States and China are still a long way from phasing out fossil fuels, largely due to political obstacles that hamper implementation of emissions-reducing policies. Human ingenuity is capable of surmounting these obstacles. We can only hope that it doesn’t take catastrophic climatic events to propel us into taking meaningful action.

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The Danger of Pushing Putin into a Corner

By Maggie Boudreau ’16 Falling oil prices and Western sanctions have eaten away at Russia’s economy, posing a challenge to Vladimir Putin’s once-popular bid to reinstate Russian power through military adventures in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. …

As Russia’s economic woes deepen, Putin is now showing willingness to meet with the United States to discuss peace in Syria. But the West should be cautious of a Russia that feels backed into a corner. The economic crisis can fan the flames of nationalism as Russians struggle through hard times. Putin relies on national pride to bolster his popularity. He excels at reinvigorating Russian nationalism in the face of economic adversity. …

Due to sanctions and recession, Russians have been unable to purchase foreign goods, so they are turning to traditional food. Putin has said he hopes all food will be produced domestically by 2020. Economic isolation has awakened an incipient nationalism that strengthens Putin’s hand. If he employs the political cunning for which he has gained a reputation, he could turn an economically struggling Russia into a Russia prepared to lash out against external competitors. …

Russia’s apparent vulnerability makes the nation a capricious adversary to Western ambitions. The West might want to think twice about celebrating Russian weakness while ignoring the growing sense of Russian identity. Unpredictability can be as dangerous as established power.

Ebola Exposes Flaws in Public Health Policies

By Taiylor Nunn ’16 Historically, outbreaks of Ebola have resulted in no more than 300 cases. The most recent outbreak, concentrated in three West African countries, resulted in nearly 100 times as many infections by November of last year.

Liberia was declared Ebola-free three times, but twice the virus was found to have been reintroduced into the country. Sierra Leone, too, was declared free of the disease after new infections ended. But then a woman was diagnosed with Ebola after death, and 100 people were quarantined. Guinea and Sierra Leone were finally declared Ebola-free in December, and Liberia in January of this year.

What drove the longevity of this outbreak when previous ones were so short-lived?

The international community, especially the World Health Organization (WHO) and Doctors without Borders (MSF), received considerable criticism for the timing of their responses. Although the outbreak began in December 2013, the WHO did not respond until August 2014.

Conversely, MSF was overeager in its response and quickly exhausted its resources. It set up clinics to supplement the limited capacity of West African hospitals, but this is a costly endeavor. And the number of clinics needed was too large for MSF to handle on its own.

Meanwhile, the WHO’s recommendations to the international community relied almost entirely on ending international transmission.

Although this kept Ebola contained, except for a handful of exceptions, it also meant that West African governments relied primarily on national resources and non-governmental organizations such as MSF. …

The international community was not the only one to make mistakes. The governments and people of West Africa also played a part in this outbreak’s longevity. While the governments focused on treating their peoples, the response was shortsighted. Instead of trying to increase the number of local healthcare workers, they remained reliant on foreign workers during the outbreak. Furthermore, all increases in hospital bed availability were achieved through temporary care centers, not permanent ones. …

None of the responses to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa targeted its potential long-term effects. Now, as external aid winds down, West African countries will be left to cope with the less obvious consequences. To avoid future errors, policymakers need to treat epidemics as events with both long- and short-term consequences.

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feature

Thanks to the generosity of parents, past and present…

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Takes Center Stage In October 2015, GFA cut the ribbon on its new building, one that has been decades in the making. The 18,000-square-foot Performing Arts Center now gives the school a theater with state-of-the art sound and lighting to host plays, concerts, and talks for the school and outside community. In addition, the new construction includes a lobby that doubles as an art gallery (The McGrath Gallery), a Scene/STEAM Shop, and four new classrooms comprising a Global Studies Center.

Westport architect Roger Ferris, of Roger Ferris + Partners, headed up the project, and incorporated many sustainable features into the construction and design: solar panels, recycled building materials, and a “living” roof, where various sedum species act as pollutant filters and restrict the amount of rainwater flooding the drainage system. Along with the native plantings that fill out the landscape, these features were put in place to support and protect the nearby salt marsh. All have contributed to a building with minimal carbon footprint.

Working with sight lines, situating the theater into the hillside, and placing a colonnade across the front of the building, the architects were also able to come up with a new design that references the traditional architecture of the school.

Since the ribbon-cutting last fall, the Performing Arts Center has hosted a variety of school-wide assemblies, theater performances, movie screenings, public speakers, and student art shows.

Clockwise from top left: New Global Studies classroom; A student controls lighting and sound in the new control booth; Building in the new scene shop; Student art on display in The McGrath Gallery; The first production on the new stage, You Can’t Take it with You

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Lower School In early February, the Lower School hosted its first-ever STEAM night for students and their families, highlighting this GFA Signature Program.

Teachers set up STEAM stations throughout the dining hall, inviting parents and students to rotate through a variety of hands-on activities.

RIGOROUS AND C O L L A B O R AT I V E In its first year as a GFA Signature Program, STEAM connects the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to foster students’ enthusiasm for using design to solve real-world problems, preparing them for college and beyond in a technologydriven world.

All GFA students have the opportunity to pursue their passions for STEAM in a rigorous and collaborative learning environment, exploring coursework across STEAM disciplines, and working with faculty members who share their passions.

Students who complete the course requirements and an independent project from conception, to design, to realization, earn a diploma with a concentration in STEAM.

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GFA incorporates STEAM projects in the Lower and Middle School curricula, but students begin the formal STEAM concentration in the ninth grade.

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Upper School Matthew Lichtenberg ’16 has undertaken a semester-long STEAM project at Yale University to analyze how much soot comes from the burning of different biodiesel mixtures. He tests market biodiesel fuel as well as mixtures made up of fats from plants, meat, or algae. The clear cylinder on the right is the chimney, which houses the flame (image above). The parallel beige cylinder on the left measures the intensity of the light from the flame. He compares the intensity of the flames to understand how environmentally friendly each mixture is.

Middle School This semester, Mrs. Watson’s eighth grade science classes embarked on a STEAM project. The students partnered up to first construct robots and then program them to carry out specific actions. The challenge was to get their robots to navigate a pre-determined path.

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FACULTY AND STAFF RECOMMENDED READING We asked our faculty and staff to send us their list of recommended reading and were impressed by the variety of responses. The most recommended title was Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Nonfiction, 2015).

We think you’ll be surprised and inspired by their other recommendations. To see the full list, visit us online: www.gfacademy.org/RecommendedReading Emilio Zarco: Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges (Short Stories, Fantasy, 1944) Nina Yuen: The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson (Creative Nonfiction, 2015) Ben Gott: 11/22/1963 by Stephen King (Alternate History, Science Fiction, 2011) “King’s story about a man who travels back in time to try to prevent the assassination of JFK is miles away from the ‘horror’ genre for which he is known. Instead, it’s a beautifully written meditation on life, love, memory, and the power of the individual to affect change.”

Kristjiana Gong: salt by Nayyirah Waheed (Poetry, 2013) Jeremy McWhorter: The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs (Biography, 2014)

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Andrew Jones: Middlemarch by George Eliot (Historical Fiction, 1871-2) “I read Middlemarch for the first time last summer and it made me feel like the world isn’t such a bad place, or doesn’t have to be.”

Stephen Stout: Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger (Novella, 1961) “I remember so vividly how old I was and where I finished it and how much Salinger understood the soul of performers and the connection they have with their audience, even though they rarely get to know them at all as individuals.”

Andrea Sullivan: A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Greene (Fiction, 1960) Justine Fellows: Orphan Train by Christine Klein (Historical Fiction, 2013) Sangeeta Dhawan: The Meursault Investigation by Kamel Daoud (Fiction, 2013)

Robert Guffin: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozaki (Fiction, 2013) Griffen Stabler: Little Bee by Chris Cleave (Fiction, 2008)

Charles King: 1944: FDR and the Year That Changed History

by Jay Winik (History, 2015) Chris Kolovos: Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco (Fiction, 1989) “Da Vinci Code with an intellectual bent. Rest in peace, maestro.”

Ginny Balser: Gilead and Lila, both by Marilynne Robinson (Historical Drama, 2004 and 2014, respectively) Katie Mack: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

by Kate DiCamillo (Young Adult Fiction, 2006) “This is my all-time favorite book because it teaches about the importance of love. It is packed with adventure and action, but the meaningful kind. Edward is a character who is impossible not to relate to and root for as he experiences love and loss. I cry at least twice whenever I read it to my students.”

Tom Barry: Planting in a Post-Wild World

by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West (Gardening, 2015) Sherry Rago: The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure (Fiction, 2013)

Gail Gibb: The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins (Cookbook, 1989) Michaela Pembroke: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Murial Barbery (Novel, 2009) Corinne Kennelly: Far from the Tree by Andrew Solomon (Nonfiction, 2012) “This opened a window into a number of fascinating worlds— ones of which we are blissfully ignorant unless we find ourselves with a child ‘far from the [family] tree.’ Each chapter describes the impact of a family member who is ‘other’ in any number of ways (prodigy, autistic, deaf, transgender, schizophrenic, etc.).

The entire family is immersed into a new world and a complex culture with specific knowledge and sorrows and rules.”

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Biography Day—Who Am I? Third graders came to school dressed as historical figures, past and present, for their annual Biography Day. Can you guess who they are? (Answers are below) 1. Benjamin Franklin; 2. Frida Kahlo; 3. Elvis Presley; 4. George Lucas; 5. John Glenn; 6. Malala Yousafzai

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Faculty Update

We invited some former faculty members to share an update with the alumni community:

Amy Schwartz: My favorite days are those when I meet former colleagues or students for a cup of coffee or have them come to my house for a visit. I am grateful for a loving family, Netflix, Facebook (with lots and lots of former students as “Friends”), and a good sense of humor!

Lynne Laukhuf: Since retiring in June 2013, I’ve been busy traveling, taking classes, volunteering at an inner-city school in Bridgeport, and doing an archives project for the Pequot Library. I love keeping up with the GFA community on Facebook!

Elizabeth Cleary, Dean of Academics and Faculty at Miss Hall’s School: I’m so touched by how many alums have been in touch since my leaving GFA. My time in the classroom there remains one of the best experiences of my life, and the students I taught during those years at GFA continue to amaze me with the wonderful people they have become.

Amy Schwartz in 1995

Nancy McTague-Stock: I have been busy in my South Norwalk studio, with current exhibitions in Connecticut, Ireland, and Denmark. Recent collectors of my work include Yale University, who acquired a collaborative fine art and writing project created with former fellow GFA colleague, Elizabeth Cleary.

Last summer, I was interviewed for New England Home’s summer issue as their featured artist. I also lecture, jury, and curate exhibitions. Curating Pequot Library’s 2015 summer exhibition, “Plein Air Revisited,” was featured in Plein Air Magazine. I was very pleased to have a number of GFA’ers, including Lynne Laukhuf and Martha Lord, amidst the attendees at the “Curator’s Talk” in July. The exhibition also coincidentally included three generations of former GFA artists!

Retirement has enabled me to travel several times a year to the U.K. (where I enjoyed lunch with Mrs. Mapstone), France, Italy, and India. I still work with students, bringing art education to underserviced communities several times a year and mentoring former and new students to the BFA and MFA university process from my South Norwalk studio.

Lynne Laukhuf (r) with former faculty Nancy Fishkin (l) and Dianne Schlosser.

I miss my many friends at GFA! I hope everyone takes a little time to do something they are passionate about each day, and wish everyone at GFA a wonderful, healthy 2016!

Jim Coyle: Marg and I moved to Tucson in 2000, and have enjoyed a comfortable retirement since.

Age has slowed me down, and I have recourse to a cane for any extended forays. We lost our older daughter Christi to cancer in December. The expressions of sympathy from so many of our friends from my GFA years have been of great comfort to Marg, Jill and me. I keep abreast of the school through its excellent website, and have been excited to see the progress GFA has made under Janet Hartwell’s leadership. I’ve been delighted to reestablish contact with hundreds of those whom I taught and from whom I learned through Facebook and email (jmcoyle122@gmail.com). My 26 years at GFA remain my

Elizabeth Cleary

happiest memories.

Dave Perry: Since leaving GFA in 2006, I have been immersed in the world of competitive sailboat racing. I have worked as a coach for two Swedish America’s Cup teams (Victory Challenge for the 2007 Cup and currently for Artemis Racing); the next America’s Cup begins in May 2017 in Bermuda. I was also a U.S. Olympic Sailing Team coach at the 2008 Olympics in China and the 2012 Olympics in England. I have kept up my own racing, and this past fall won the U.S. Match Racing Championship for a record fifth time; I have now officially retired from that event! Other than that, my wife, Betsy, and I still live in Southport and enjoy watching the journeys of our two adult children. Alex ’06 is working for Patagonia and living in Ventura, CA, and Eliza is currently living in Australia.

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Nancy McTague-Stock

Peter Esty: My five exciting years as Head of GFA went by rapidly, 1998-2008. I came to love the place and its people. My wife and I moved back to our home in Sausalito, CA, and I became quickly involved in helping launch the brand new 9-12 Bay School of San Francisco. My primary task was to hire the founding faculty; it was fun and exhilarating. Clearly, I was not meant to retire! At year’s end, I was asked to be the Interim Head of the School Year Abroad’s program in Viterbo, Italy. My yes decision took about 10 seconds. Following that wonderful year close to Rome, I was yet again asked to be the Interim Head of the fine Branson School (9-12) in Ross, CA, and one year turned into two. Then rather quickly, I was back at The Bay School leading a long self-assessment of their opening three years and a focused projection for their next 30 years. Again, a stimulating consulting experience and now it was

Dave Perry

[like] 2008, opening to some other projects while considering serious retirement. But there I was, now the Board Chair of School Year Abroad, and a sitting duck to be the head of the inaugural year of their new program in Hanoi. Again, a marvelous experience and opportunity for some Southeast Asia travel.

Today, we live in a beautiful retirement community in gorgeous Sonoma County, an hour north of San Francisco. My principal extracurricular activity is as a board member of an exciting nonprofit, Global Citizen Year, which offers a bridge year for American high school graduates before entering college. It is like a “junior” Peace Corps, with sites in Ecuador, Brazil, Senegal, and India. Happy and I are healthy, happy, and busy, with our grown children and five grandchildren in nearby San Anselmo, CA, farther Seattle, and much farther Boston. GFA days will always be a splendid memory for us both.

Charlie Dietrich: After nearly six years of retirement here I sit broken-hearted! Well, not really. But living in the world of juveniles until age 70 did zero to prepare me for life as a geezer. Quickly, I joined

Happy and Peter Esty

a stag bridge group and within two years we had to invite wives: men had died off. Two years later we had to disband: women had died off. Oh, the joys of an adolescent environment; how I miss it.

The tidal East River in Guilford, CT abuts our property, and across the river are about 400 acres of Audubon wetlands to admire: no homes in sight, sort of Edenic. Birding is big time, and I even volunteer to help erect Osprey platforms for the Menunkatuck Audubon Society. What else? Reading, playing on the iPad and computer, visiting ten grandchildren as much as possible, hitting the Florida Keys in our timeshare in March, playing bridge twice a week, and sailing on Long Island Sound.

As many of you know, I have forever visited friends or students in hospitals when times are tough for them. A year ago, however, I notched it up and decided to volunteer at Connecticut Hospice. I visit twice a week, talk to strangers on their deathbed, and have been told by nurses and doctors how helpful that has been for these terminal patients. I knew that anyway; I could tell; but it is very comforting

Charlie Dietrich

and rewarding to hear it from the pros.

Then there are the semi-annual luncheons with Joe EVERARD, Ed DENES, Roger TRUE, and OJ BURNS. The first topic of the day? Health, naturally. And then we drop the serious stuff and have a ball...and the jaw aches for two days afterwards.

Roger True: It’s hard to believe that I retired from teaching almost ten years ago. I certainly miss the classroom and GFA relationships. Anita and I still live in Fairfield. Upon retiring many years ago, we began weekly trips to my elderly mother’s home outside Boston to help her with meals, chores, etc.

More recently, we go twice a week as she nears 98! Lots of car seat time, but we still manage to get to Cape Cod as much as possible in the summer. However, I was boatless (and fishless) for the first time in sixty years last summer. Quite a change. Free days are spent attending local sporting events, walking for exercise, and reading lots of books. Best to all GFA alumni and friends, past and present.

Roger True

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Alumni Pub Night alumni/ae

Now an annual tradition at the Southport Brewing Company, the Alumni Pub Night has been a way for alumni and faculty to reconnect over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Cocoa & Cookies For the second year, recent GFA grads were invited back to campus just before break to reconnect with former classmates and faculty.

Jon Matte, Charles Proctor ’10, and Bridgette Foster ’12.

Andrew McCarthy ’14, Ian Bell ’15, and Rose Ann Martinez

Michelle Cole ’01, Michelle Backus ’00, and Rich Del Bello ’02

Van Barnet ’13 and Victor Llanque Zonta

Rose Ann Martinez and Emily Caldwell ’12

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Alumni Weekend and Homecoming Highlights from the 2015 weekend included the Friday Alumni Reception at the Saugatuck Rowing Club, where Tom Sachs ’85 received the Distinguished Alumni Award, Alumni Soccer vs GFA JV, and an Alumni Lunch where GFATalks allowed attendees to get a glimpse into the current lives of alumni.

Alumni at GFA Talks

Tom Sachs ’85 received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Sarah Biggers ’05 and Carlos Guzman ’04

Sissy Cargill Biggers ’75, Ed Denes, Jayne Hood ’75, and Maggie Moffitt Rahe ’75

Christiania Whitcomb ’10, Francesca Murray ’10, Sarah Verrill ’10, and Chris Buonanno ’10

Brandon Velez ’13, Grace O’Connor ’10, Christina Phan ’10, and Jeffrey Velez ’10

Carlos Guzman ’04 and a friend

Leys Bostrom ’98 and Meredith Klein-Hertzel ’98

Sarah Brandon ’99 and Sasha Mack ’09

Daniel Sinrod and Laura Sinrod ’00

Gillian Graves ’95 and Courtney McCue ’95

Robert Pannicia ’04

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Milestones Arrivals Robin Grasso ’92 Brooklyn Marie Dobbs born 8/3/15

Jenny Chiapetta Albin ’01 William John Albin born 12/1/15

Lee Innes Rolf ’01 Talbot Ellen Rolfe born 8/11/15 pictured with brother, Nicholas, age 3.

Douglas Aaron ’95 Anna Aaron born 8/15

Katherine Nieroth Ghirardelli ’01 Emma Marie Ghirardelli born 8/13/15

Mark Valkenburgh ’97 James McAllister Valkenburgh born 1/18/16

Adare Lindsay Kiely ’01 Spencer Catherine Kiely born 10/2/15

Robin Grasso ’92 Brooklyn Marie Dobbs born 8/3/15

Douglas Aaron ’95 Anna Aaron born 8/15

Mark Valkenburgh ’97 James McAllister Valkenburgh born 1/18/16

Jenny Chiapetta Albin ’01 William John Albin born 12/1/15

Katherine Nieroth Ghirardelli ’01 Emma Marie Ghirardelli born 8/13/15

Adare Lindsay Kiely ’01 Spencer Catherine Kiely born 10/2/15

Lee Innes Rolf ’01 Talbot Ellen Rolfe born 8/11/15 pictured with brother, Nicholas, age 3.

Charlie Sussman ’01 Wyatt Elizabeth born 12/6/15

Ben Paul ’02 Charlotte Paul born 5/9/15

Charlie Sussman ’01 Wyatt Elizabeth born 12/6/15 Ben Paul ’02 Charlotte Paul born 5/9/15

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Weddings

Lisa McEnery ’02 and Phillip Holder • June 2015 Brendhan Haas ’08 and Christina Whittaker ’08 • July 2015

Passings

Christi Coyle ’85 Jayne Stevenson Wallbrun ’72 Elizabeth Ulrich ’76 Lynn Gabel Brockelman ’59 David E. Eaton (former Middle School math teacher) A GFA alum-filled wedding party celebrating the marriage of Christina Whittaker ’08 and Brendhan Haas ’08. From left to right: Gavin Haas, Sarah Whittaker ’11, Dylan Haas ’09, Christina Whittaker ’08, Brendhan Haas ’08, Galen Haas ’10, Mark Whittaker ’14, and Regan Haas.

2016 ALUMNI CALENDAR OF EVENTS APRIL 27 SENIOR TRANSITION LUNCH GFA FRONT TERRACE OCTOBER 22 REUNION, HOMECOMING & ALUMNI DAY NOVEMBER 23 ALUMNI PUB NIGHT SOUTHPORT, CT DECEMBER 16 COCOA & COOKIES COLLEGE-AGE ALUMS DINING HALL

Alumni Soccer & Hospitality Tent: 1:30PM Reception and Distinguished Alumni Award Presentation: 5:30–6:45PM Alumni Performance: 6:45–7:30PM

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VISIT OUR WEBSITE for news, updates and to RSVP to Alumni Events www.gfacademy.org/ alumnievents

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