The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
News
March 2014
March 2014
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Inside 2 GSB Players Present
Godspell
3 Hi-Hills Camp Preview
4 School Swap Program
4 Vemuri Sisters Play
Carnegie Hall
5 Student Life Recap: Baby Chicks Hatch in Middle School Classroom
6 Joe Show Mr. GSB Pageant
8 College Spotlight: Stark Kirby '13
9 Auction News: Gill's Saturday Knight Bash
10 Athletics: David Pasquale Selected for Coaches Hall of Fame
10 Varsity Sports Round-Up
15 Dates to Remember
From the Headmaster Although the calendar has turned to March and spring is just a few weeks away, the cold weather does not seem to be changing for the better. In fact, I suspect that most would agree the winter of 2014 has been one of the worst. In addition to record-breaking low temperatures, more than 60 inches of snow have fallen in northern and central New Jersey in January and February alone. Several winter storms, which have occurred almost weekly since the beginning of January, have wreaked havoc on our morning commutes and have caused school delays and cancellations. Gill St. Bernard’s does not take the decision to cancel lightly. While disappointing—especially when the weather disrupts special events and programs on campus—decisions to cancel or postpone school are intended to make sure students, parents, faculty and staff remain safe. In total, Gill St. Bernard’s has lost seven class days due to snow cancellations during the 2013-14 school year. On three of these days—January 3, January 22 and February 13— our governor declared a state of emergency, asking all except emergency personnel and municipal vehicles to stay off the roads. We were able to recapture one class day on Presidents’ Day and many teachers utilized KnightSite to make up other work throughout this time.
counterproductive for those who do attend. Adding school days to the end of the school year following the Spring Unit, will likely have similar results. Two other possibilities, Saturday mornings and extending the day, are problematic at best. A recent study out of Harvard University indicated that when absenteeism exceeds 30 percent, the learning environment is significantly compromised; when it reaches 50 percent it becomes detrimental to learning. Most other area independent schools have chosen to take the same course of action.
The recent weather has caused many schools across the country to grapple with the dilemma of if and when to make up class time due to cancellations. Some are considering taking back vacation days from scheduled breaks or adding school days to the end of the academic year. While both possibilities have been considered by the GSB administration, it has become apparent that additional make up days are really not a viable solution at this point in the school year.
To make up for lost time, our faculty members have been asked to recalibrate their syllabuses accordingly to still meet the year-end learning requirements of students. In addition, teachers have been instructed to post any missed classwork and assignments to KnightSite in the event of any future school cancellations. While not optimal, KnightSite, along with the proper preparation by faculty, enables our students to be engaged in academic activities from home.
The annual spring break (March 10-21) is a time when as many as 75 percent of our families travel, and it would be very impractical to require changes in those plans. In addition, many Gill faculty members have travel planned during the break and four of our varsity teams will be attending spring training programs in both Florida and North Carolina during that time. Reclaiming school days during the vacation would only lead to minimal attendance and make the school days
Although the snow still covers our campus and the surrounding towns, there are a number of signs that spring is coming. The end of the academic year will be upon us quickly, so I hope that all our families will be able to take advantage of this brief respite before the final quarter begins.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Headmaster Sid Rowell.
Warm regards,
Sid Rowell 1.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
Godspell Showcases Divine Talent in GSB Players The award-winning GSB Players presented Godspell, with its upbeat score by Stephen Schwartz and creative book by John-Michael Tebelak. The show, with a multitude of theatrical styles and improvisational techniques, played for five sold-out performances. A favorite among high school and community theater groups, the story of Godspell is based on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew and encourages the value of forming an inclusive community where each individual is equally accepted and respected. Since its debut in New York City in 1971, Godspell has lent itself to the creation of hundreds of original productions, all distinctive and worthy of applause. While various productions have staged the show in inner city alleyways, on playgrounds and in vacant theaters, the GSB Players’ recent rendition of Godspell was set in a turn of the century traveling carnival and medicine show which incorporated an unprecedented “steampunk” theme—a 19th century view of the future as seen by people living in Victorian England and the American Old West. Performing Arts Chairman Paul H. Canada drew inspiration for this unique setting and style from the opening number of the show, “Tower of Babel,” which features numerous historical philosophers and religious leaders who—much like carnival snake-oil salesmen— try to convince the audience that they have the antidote to life’s afflictions. “As I began to explore the concept,” said Canada, “it became apparent that each member of the ensemble could easily be developed as a ‘carnival type’—a sharpshooter (Edward Fischer ’15), gypsy fortune-teller (Kasey Collins ’14), snake charmer
The cast of Gill’s 2014 spring musical, Godspell, from left. Front row: Edward Fischer ’15, Kaitlyn Sleyster ’17, Mycroft Zimmerman ’16 and Henry Holmes ’14; Second row: Kasey Collins ’14, Katherine Coscia ’15, Jamie Goetchius ’15 and Catarina “Caty” Matthews ’16; Third row: Katherine Giordano ’14, Alexandra Baker ’15 and Erin Wetzel ’15; Back row: Paul Dunham ’15 and Maxwell Lieblich ’14.
(Henry Holmes ’14), puppeteer (Kaitlyn Sleyster ’17 and Mycroft Zimmerman ’16), chorus girl (Katherine Coscia ’15, Jamie Goetchius ’15 and Catarina “Caty” Matthews ’16), belly dancer (Alexandra Baker ’15), male impersonator (Erin Wetzel ’15), lion tamer (Katherine Giordano ’14) and carnival barker (Paul Dunham ’15). Once the characters were established, the ‘steampunk’ concept began to come to life.” The GSB Players’ spring production premiered on February 27, combining a talented ensemble of actors, crew members and musicians, including five seniors— Kaitlyn Avery, Collins, Giordano, Holmes and Maxwell Lieblich, the latter of whom portrayed Jesus with an endearing charm and gentle spirit.
Above, from left: Henry Holmes ’14 and Edward Fischer ’15; Catarina “Caty” Matthews ’16, Katherine Coscia ’15 and Jamie Goetchius ’15; Erin Wetzel ’15 and Maxwell Lieblich ’14.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
The scenery, full of gears, levers, knobs and clocks that drew inspiration from an old-time traveling carnival, was accomplished with the help of Laura Ludlum P ’01, ’03, ’05, a longstanding volunteer and contributor to the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award for Outstanding Scenic Achievement received in 2008 for her work on The Secret Garden. Godspell was dedicated to Ludlum in recognition of her contribution to the performing arts program since 1996. “It is truly gratifying to know and work with someone who maintains such high standards in her work and shows such selfless devotion and good humor,” Canada said. “Long after her children graduated, she continued to paint beautiful back-drops, exquisite finishes and handsome faux floors of wood, marble, slate and tile.”
March 2014
(L. to .r) Katherine Giordano ’14, Kaitlyn Sleyster ’17 and Mycroft Zimmerman ’16.
The Best Summer Ever Awaits at Hi-Hills Day Camp With spring just around the corner, Hi-Hills Day Camp is gearing up for another great summer that will offer a wide array of activities and enrichment programs for campers ages three through 15. Camp begins with two weeks of “Summer Fun” on June 9. Following “Summer Fun,” eight weeks of traditional Hi-Hills Day Camp activities will begin on June 23. For GSB families only, Hi-Hills will offer a special 15 percent off discount on traditional day camp registration. As always, flexible options allow campers to combine enrichment programs with traditional day camp activities to create a summer just for them. Check the mail later this month for a Hi-Hills postcard with more details on special GSB discounts! Yesterday, GSB students met with some of the camp staff and counselors during a special Hi-Hills luncheon featuring fun music and summertime favorites like hot dogs and funnel cake in Founders Hall. More than ever before, this year’s Hi-Hills camp staff will use social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to help campers and their parents keep track of happenings around camp. Through Facebook contests, Instagram photos and weekly tweets, social media outlets are sure to keep everyone up-to-date with Hi-Hills all summer long. With exciting activities like a splash pad, low ropes course and AquaClimb, staying active and having fun has never been easier at Hi-Hills. “Hi-Hills is best known for its beautiful campus, skilled staff members and flexible programs,” said Director of Summer and Auxiliary Programs Cindy Wyatt. “All of us here at Hi-Hills can’t wait to welcome new and returning campers, and officially get the summer of 2014 rolling.” Join the Hi-Hills camp crew during Open House sessions on April 6 and May 18 or visit hihills.com to learn more about the incredible summer that awaits!
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
“School Swap” Program Nurtures Respect in Students From public to non-public, nine Franklin High School students experienced a day in the life of a Gill St. Bernard’s student on February 19, as both schools participated in The American Conference on Diversity “School Swap” program. The visiting group accompanied select students from the GSB organization H.E.R.O. (Helping Everyone Respect Others) during regular class time and at lunch to quickly become acquainted with Gill St. Bernard’s School. “Our students are proud of the sense of community found here at Gill,” said Director of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Amy Mai Tierney. “They relished the opportunity to share their outstanding school, its students, faculty members and facilities, with others.” Host students and their guests openly addressed the differences and similarities between both public and non-public schools, compared their initial expectations with final impressions gathered throughout the day and discussed the impact of certain factors such as geographic location on the overall culture of a school. John “Jack” Lowe ’15 found the first portion of the “School Swap” program to be truly rewarding, and is currently looking forward to taking a tour of Franklin High School with his assigned partner, Sam Connell, on
Participants in the 2014 school swap program including GSB students, from left, Sandra Gooen ’15, Brianne Hanafin ’15, Alessandra Haversat ’15, Nita Diverio ’15, John “Jack” Lowe ’15, Oscar Gomez ’14, Elizabeth Todd ’15, Jonathan Sonnenberg ’15 and Ludi Zhu ’16.
March 26. “The opportunity to visit a school like Franklin holds multiple benefits,” Lowe said. “It not only helps us appreciate the things that we have here at Gill, but also allows us to examine the different characteristics that make other schools so great.” Although this winter marked Gill’s first-ever experience in the program, it is a relationship that Tierney hopes will continue. She said, “Participating in the ‘School Swap’ program allows students to develop an underlying respect for others and an understanding of community.”
Vemuri Sisters Play Their Way to Carnegie Hall Iyanah ’19 and Isha ’22 Vemuri have played their way into the hearts and souls of judges of the Crescendo International Music Competition for several years, advancing three times to the stage in Carnegie Hall as part of this prestigious contest.
Sisters Isha ’22 and Iyanah ’19 Vemuri.
On February 17, the sisters joined nearly 50 first place honors musicians from as far away as Canada, Germany and Russia in Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall. Iyanah, a pianist since age seven, delighted the audience with J. Massenet’s Aragonaise while her sister Isha, who began playing at just five-years-old, performed A. Ellmenreich’s Spinning Song with ease. Both sisters earned board certified diplomas as well as Best Performance Awards within their respective age groups despite competing alongside some of the world’s most elite five- through 21-year-old musicians. “Win or lose, I always think about what I’ve done wrong, or could have done better,” said Isha Vemuri. “It helps me to become a better performer.”
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
While more than 2,000 musicians auditioned for this year’s annual music competition, only first and second place honors recipients were selected to perform at the New York City venue. “It’s pretty nerve-wracking, playing at Carnegie Hall,” said Iyanah Vemuri. “Although no one is judging because you’ve technically already won by advancing to the Winners Concert, all of your friends, family members, teachers and the rest of the audience are there, hanging on your every note.” Both sisters attribute lessons with the Julie Reina School and parental support as key factors in their success at not only the Crescendo competition, but also the Music Educators Association of New Jersey Recital, the Prima Festival, the Russian Music Festival and more. “Although they can’t always win first place,” said their mother, “competing makes our girls realize that consistent work and practice is necessary in order to succeed at anything in life.”
STUDENT LIFE RECAP Counting Their Chickens Science Students Welcome Baby Chicks to the Classroom Middle School science students acquired 12 temporary class pets this winter when a farmer from Quiver Farm in Pennsburg, Pa. delivered a dozen chicken eggs to Teri Cosentino’s classroom on January 29. The farmer also brought a mille fleur bantam rooster and hen along with him to GSB, and explained differences between the eggs in the incubator (already 15-days-old) and eggs purchased in a store. After turning the eggs three times a day and adding water to create humidity for three consecutive days, students were able to hold their very first baby chicks on February 4 and watched a video of one chick that hatched during the February 3 snow storm. “Having chickens in our classroom is always such a neat experience for the sixth grade students, as many have never held a chicken before,” said Cosentino. “It is amazing to see how delighted the children are to hold the soft, fuzzy birds.” Tamia Chaney ’20 holds one of 12 newborn baby chicks in her sixth grade science classroom on February 4.
The Class of 2025 also stopped by Conover for a visit with the chicks, as teacher Anne Wilson used the lesson to explain the difference between birds that have feathers when born—called precocial—and birds without feathers when they are born, also known as altricial. Although the newborn chickens returned to Quiver Farm on February 7, Cosentino’s students will soon inherit another class pet, 120 Bobwhite quail eggs, this April. “The sixth graders were sad to see the chicks go, but used the experience to explore how atoms make up molecules, how molecules then make up cells, and how cells can make up chickens,” Cosentino said. Kerry Colford ’20 practices holding a mille fleur bantam hen.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
Third Annual Joe Show Turns Up the Heat The third annual Joe Show exposed a number of hidden talents within 12 Upper School student-musicians who performed before family and friends in the Chapel on February 8. Audience members enjoyed a variety of popular songs by modern-day artists such as Lana Del Rey (Bryce Neville ’14), Imagine Dragons (Raena Dell’Ermo ’14) and Ed Sheeran (Emma Clayton ’14), as well as show tunes from hit Broadway musicals including Hairspray (Katherine Giordano ’14) and Follies (Justine Murray ’17).
Sharon Jin ’17 presents Franz Liszt’s Rigoletto on piano.
Above, from left: Gill’s 2014 Joe Show participants, from left. Back row: Henry Holmes ’14, Katherine Giordano ’14 and Bryce Neville ’14; Middle row: Sharon Jin ’17, Sunny Liu ’15, Kelsey Guo ’15, Jessica Torgovnik ’16 and Raena Dell'Ermo ’14; Front row: Carly Meyers ’14, Gabrielle Breuer ’17, Justine Murray ’17 and Emma Clayton ’14; Kelsey Guo ’15 performs the duet version of When You Believe, written and composed by Stephen Schwartz, alongside Sunny Liu ’15; Bryce Neville ’14 sings Video Games by artist Lana Del Rey while also playing the ukulele.
Oscar Gomez ’14 Crowned 2014 Mr. GSB Beauty and grace were just some of the many attributes displayed by eight Upper School students, who battled it out over five challenging rounds for the chance to become Gill St. Bernard’s 2014 Mr. GSB. Established in 2011, the annual Mr. GSB pageant marks one of the highest class honors any male student—grades nine through 12—can achieve throughout his time in the Upper School. Participants in this year’s competition included sophomore Andrew Noll, juniors Jacob Kruger, Michael Tafaro and Xauen Zirpolo, and seniors Joshua “Jay” Corbett, Brendan Dougher, Oscar Gomez and Ryan McCluskey, who showcased numerous unique clothing styles and talents for a three-person panel of judges on February 6 in the Athletic Center. Oscar Gomez ’14 is crowned the 2014 Mr. GSB.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
“I thought the talent in this year’s show was impressive,” said Upper School Spanish teacher Brittany Casser, now a judge for three straight years. “It takes a lot of guts to perform in front of the school and they all handled themselves like seasoned performers.” Also determining this year’s winning contestant were fellow faculty members Allyson Burke and Leo Janas, who combined with Casser to offer several perfect scores in the talent portion of the show. “Highlights of the talent round were Oscar’s incredible vocal and piano performance, alumna Savannah Schechter’s ’12 surprise cameo and Jay’s fervent patriotism, which brought the crowd to its feet while singing America the Beautiful,” Burke, Upper School English teacher, said. After earning some of the best scores of the night, including a perfect 16 for his musical rendition of Bruno Mars’ It Will Rain, Gomez—a first-time contender in the running for the crown—joined predecessors Andrew Bednarsky ’10, Dominic Hoffman ’12, Jack Markham ’12 and Theophilus Timothy ’13 as the coveted Mr. GSB. “I originally signed up for the pageant because I thought it could be something fun to do with my friends,” said Gomez. “I never imagined I’d actually win, but now that it’s over, I’m glad that I did.”
Brendan Dougher ’14 joins other Mr. GSB contestants in an opening dance routine.
Above: Xauen Zirpolo ’15 earns a perfect score for his rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine; Top left: Mr. GSB judges (from left) Brittany Casser, Leo Janas and Allyson Burke; Bottom left: Michael Tafaro ’15 (m.) shows off some dance moves, while performing to Beyoncé’s Single Ladies with fellow classmates Erin Wetzel ’15 (r.) and Jordan Schreer ’15 in the talent portion of the show. Middle: Jacob Kruger ’15 struts his stuff while wearing Gill’s varsity track uniform in the sportswear portion of the pageant.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT Stark Kirby ’13 Stark Kirby, Class of 2013 University of Richmond, Richmond, Va. Major: Undecided Member of the University Players, employee with the Department of Theatre and Dance Electrics Crew Q. Entering college is all about new experiences. Can you tell us about one or two that have really stood out for you since entering school earlier this fall?
A. This past fall, I had an amazing opportunity to perform in the main stage departmental production, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Landing a supporting lead role really stands out as one of the highlights of my freshman year. The opportunity to work alongside fellow students and professional actors from the city of Richmond, and the amount that I learned from them, was amazing. Through this I actually got hired to work for the department’s electrics crew, which manages all load-ins, focuses and strikes for departmental shows. Even more recently, in one of my classes, we were lucky enough to have a member of the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company and a member of the Anne Bogart and Tadashi Suzuki-founded SITI Company give 15 of us an hour-long one-on-one workshop!
Stark Kirby ’13 (r.) in the Bertolt Brecht play, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.
to evaluate what needed to get done, when and how to do it right. My time at Gill equipped me with the confidence to ask my professors questions and, at times, even ask for help. I am able to have conversations with them and have formed connections where I am not afraid to ask for their help or feedback.
Q. What do you miss the most since starting at college?
A. I miss having my own room and a shower that consistently has hot water. But, even more than that, I miss the best friends I made at GSB and even though Q. What do you like the best about your college so far? we don’t see each other every day anymore, I know that A. Well, first off, the desserts. A lot of my friends complain I could still call them at any time, day or night, and they about the food at their schools and, fortunately, I cannot would always be willing to talk. Oh, and of course I relate. Overall, I love the campus. On a stressful day, it miss my mom’s home-cooked meals! really makes a difference to be able to walk back from my Q. If you could offer the Class of 2014 any advice, classes, cross over a lake, and just relax for a bit. what would you say? Q. What’s your favorite class this semester and why? A. My advice to anyone heading off to college is that A. Leadership and the social sciences was a class I took last it’s okay to be nervous. Not everything is going to go semester. It approached the science of leadership and what smoothly. You’re going to hit a few rough patches. But, makes people want to follow someone from numerous everything will work itself out. Don’t be afraid to sign up viewpoints, in numerous fields. Approaching the idea from for every club that sounds interesting to you, and know a psychological, anthropological and sociological aspect that there’s nothing wrong with dropping out of them really allowed me to explore the idea of what leadership is, when you realize you don’t have the time. Get organized while exposing me to fields of study I would never have and get into a routine. When you set time limits and even considered. goals for yourself it makes everything go much smoother. Q. How has your education and experiences at GSB Make sure you work out in some fashion; the “Freshman 15” is, sadly, a real thing. And, most importantly, find helped to prepare you for this first year of college? that balance between having fun and doing well in school. A. Coming from Gill, I was definitely more prepared to manage the workload than many of my friends. I was able
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
AUCTION NEWS Gill’s Saturday Knight Bash Join fellow parents, faculty and other members of the Gill St. Bernard’s community for the school’s most important fundraising event of the year on Saturday, April 12 at the Bridgewater Marriott. The 32nd annual GSB Auction, Gill’s Saturday Knight Bash, will include a cocktail reception, dinner, dancing, Live and Silent Auction bidding, and a few new features from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. All proceeds from the Auction will benefit educational programs and equipment for students, classrooms and teachers. Several exciting surprises await party goers to this year’s Auction, including an inaugural Wine Pull event—co-chaired by Hanan Anwar P ’18 and Kassandra Hayes P ’18—which guarantees each participant a winning bottle of wine valued at anywhere from $25 to over $100. “In addition to adding some brand new items like the Wine Pull to the 2014 Auction agenda, former Auction offerings have undergone minor changes to ensure that this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever before,” said 2014 Auction Chair Tracy Silverschotz P ’18. “These include new electronic bidding for Silent Auction participants and a shorter Live Auction event.” Lower School students as well as parent volunteers have been hard at work creating personalized Silent Auction items with Special Project Co-chairs Marcella Criscola P ’25, ’26 and Kathleen Brown P ’24, ’26. Middle School woodworking classes are also busy constructing a one-of-a-kind picnic table along with matching benches for this year’s Live Auction event,
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
which is co-chaired by Kim Ferruggia P ’12, ’14, ’16, Jill Gateman P ’17, ’20 and Karen Walsh P ’17, ’21. Meanwhile, the Silent Auction committee, co-chaired by Lisa Bothwell P ’16, ’18, Ann Matthews P ’16, ’18, ’24 and Dawn Richardson P ’17, ’23, has already compiled several Wish Lists with items in categories such as electronics, young artist’s materials, American Girl® and Lego® Movie, as well as fashion and jewelry selections for him or her. The 2014 Silent Auction Wish List can be viewed by searching GSB 2014 Auction, under the heading Find a Wish List at Amazon.com. Additional committee chairs at this year’s Auction include Sharon Bittman P ’17, ’23 (Publicity/Invitations), Jaime Goodrich ’01 P ’27 (Associate Chair), Patty Jones P ’21 and Valerie Raymonds P ’21 (Volunteer Coordinators), and Kaya Magee P ’19 (Decorations). Those interested in donating an item, or joining a committee, should contact Director of Parent Relations Ginny Needham-Doyle in the Cox Lower School, room 222, at gneedhamdoyle@gsbschool.org or 908-234-1611, ext. 219. Please note: The winning $10,000 GSB Tuition Raffle ticket will be drawn the evening of the Auction. The new Parents’ Association raffle will grant one lucky winner 10K in credit toward tuition for the 2014-15 GSB academic year. Tickets for the drawing can be purchased through Tuition Raffle Chair Tanya Sameth P ’25, ’27, or Ginny Needham-Doyle. Only 525 tickets will be sold at $100 each.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
ATHLETICS David Pasquale Selected for NJSCA Hall of Fame GSB’s Director of Athletics David Pasquale has amassed more than 400 varsity wins throughout his near 20-year career as head basketball and baseball coach at Newark Academy and Gill St. Bernard’s School. Pasquale, who has led his teams to numerous conference, prep and sectional championships, boasts multiple Coach-of-the-Year accolades for his outstanding leadership. News of Pasquale’s most recent coaching distinction came last month, when the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association (NJSCA)—a partner with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association—announced his 2014 induction within the NJSCA Hall of Fame. Each year, the Hall of Fame recognizes those coaches with 10 years or more experience who have demonstrated a high level of ethics and integrity, possess outstanding skills on the sidelines, and have contributed to a wide range of team successes. Pasquale will officially gain induction within the NJSCA Hall of Fame at a formal ceremony on March 30.
David Pasquale, director of athletics, in his role as head varsity baseball coach with the Knights.
Varsity Sports Round-Up *RESULTS AS OF 3/2/2014 Varsity Boys’ Basketball: Record: 19-7 The varsity boys’ basketball team defeated BridgewaterRaritan High School 49-47 in overtime on January 28. Jonas Stakeliunas ’15 contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds in the victory. Winning continued on January 30, as the boys defeated Immaculata 84-49 to remain unbeaten in the Delaware Division of the Skyland Conference. Julius Stoma ’16 scored a game-high 16 points, Adam Mitola ’16 added 10 points and John Michael Mea ’15 posted a “doubledouble” (11 points/10 assists) for the Knights.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
GSB fell 55-50 to St. Peter’s Prep at the Newark National Invitational on January 31 despite solid efforts from Ian Demarest ’15 with 13 points and 10 rebounds, Mea with 10 points and five assists, and Harrison DeMaira ’15 with 12 points on four three-pointers. The boys quickly recovered with a 76-42 rout of Hunterdon Central on February 4, as Stoma tallied 13 points and nine rebounds and Cole Moriarty ’14 earned 12 points on four three-pointers. The team sustained its first Skyland Conference loss of the season on February 6. Mea scored a team-high 14 points and DeMaira (nine points) went three-for-three from behind the arc in the 48-46 loss to Hillsborough.
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Tyus Battle ’16 was named Most Valuable Player with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, in the 50-37 victory over Plainfield at the Prime Time Shootout on February 8. Demarest had 11 points and nine rebounds, Mea scored nine points and Michael Morreale ’17 chipped in with seven points. Battle also recorded 30 points and VARSITY BOYS’ BASKETBALL Michael Morreale ’17. six assists in a 79-53 conference win over Watchung Hills on February 12. Points from Stakeliunas (10), DeMaira (nine), Mea (seven) and Stoma (seven) helped keep GSB tied for first in the Delaware Division as well. In the Somerset County Tournament (SCT) quarterfinals on February 15, the boys defeated Somerville 80-47 behind a 30-point effort from Battle. Stakeliunas and DeMaira also scored nine points apiece, while Mea and Morreale combined for 15 points and eight assists to take the top-seeded Knights to the semifinal round against Ridge High School, where the boys earned a resounding 77-58 victory on February 22. Battle filled the stat sheet with 30 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while Mitola scored a career-high 23 points and Mea added 12 to take the boys to their fifth straight appearance in the county final. Before heading to the final game, both Battle (24) and William Saks ’15 (10) were leading scorers in the 81-46 victory over Watchung Hills, giving the Knights a share of the 2014 Skyland Conference championship. The boys suffered a 53-52 overtime loss to Hillsborough in the SCT final on March 1. Battle earned 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and DeMaira scored 12 points on four three-pointers.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
March 2014
Varsity Girls’ Basketball: Record: 23-3 Taylor Rooks ’14 (25 points/13 rebounds), Trevena Bennett ’14 (22 points/13 rebounds), Samantha Kramer ’16 (17 points) and Jasmine Sina ’14 (12 assists) led the varsity girls’ basketball team to a 74-62 win over Bridgewater-Raritan on January 28. Bennett and Rooks also combined for 27 points and 20 rebounds, and Sina and Kramer totaled 19 points and 12 assists in the 70-28 Skyland Conference win over Immaculata on January 30. The Knights earned their 11th straight victory (62-57) on February 1 at Life Center Academy, where Rooks scored 29 points and secured 10 rebounds, Sina scored 11 points and dished out eight assists, and Kramer added 10 points. The Knights improved to 15-2 with a 60-40 victory over Hunterdon Central on February 4, as Rooks, Kramer and Sina paced the offense with double-digit scoring efforts. Rooks had 34 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in the 82-42 triumph over Hillsborough on February 6. Also helping the girls to their 13th straight win on the season was Sina with 12 points and Kramer with 11. In addition, Alexia Allesch ’17 chipped in with eight points and nine rebounds, and Bennett, Alexandra Ferreira ’14 and Morgan Rooks ’15 combined for 14 points and 18 rebounds to keep the girls tied for first place in the Delaware Division. The girls earned yet another conference win on February 12, when T. Rooks (27), Sina (14), Kramer (12) and M. Rooks (10) each scored in double figures to defeat Watchung Hills 80-45. Despite a season-high 23 points from Bennett, the girls had their 14-game winning streak snapped in a 68-56 loss to Blair Academy on February 14. GSB quickly recovered, defeating Montgomery High School 81-38 in the quarterfinal round of the Somerset County Tournament (SCT) the very next day. T. Rooks scored 29 points and secured 10 rebounds to lead the girls through a 23-2 first quarter. In addition, Bennett (10 rebounds) and Allesch (6 rebounds) scored 10 points apiece, Sina and Kramer dished out seven assists each and
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Madeleine Gallic ’16 and M. Rooks combined for 16 rebounds to advance the top-seeded Knights to the semifinal round. Following wins over Lodi-Immaculate (61-51) and Watchung Hills (74-46), the Knights earned a 74-47 VARSITY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL victory over Rutgers Madeleine Gallic ’16. Prep in the county semifinal on February 22. T. Rooks scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Sina had 20 points and seven assists, Allesch had 11 points and Kramer dished out seven assists to lead the girls to the SCT championship against Franklin. After defeating Bridgewater-Raritan 52-46 to claim a share of the Skyland Conference Delaware Division crown, the girls headed to the SCT final on March 1. Sina scored 16 points and dished out nine assists to earn tournament MVP honors in the 55-51 overtime victory against Franklin. T. Rooks also had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Allesch and Kramer combined for 15 points and M. Rooks and Gallic spearheaded a fantastic defensive effort to give the team its third consecutive county title. Varsity Fencing: Samuel ’15 and Luke ’17 Solondz swept their individual bouts, and Kenneth “Casey” Meyer ’15 and Stefan Lambert ’15 chipped in as well, to lead the boys’ sabre squad to a 7-2 win over Hunterdon Central on January 28. Luke Fischer ’16 also went 3-0 at boys’ epee. From the girls’ squad, Devon Kaiser ’15 finished 3-0 at sabre and Charlotte Walsh ’17 went 2-1 at epee. Colette Bilynsky ’16 (foil), Alexandra Udoff ’16 (foil), Nichole Morley ’17 (epee) and Zeel Patel ’15 (sabre) added crucial points as well.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
March 2014
While Fischer and S. Solondz swept their opponents 3-0 at epee and sabre, the boys fell 16-11 to Voorhees on January 30. Lambert (two), Samuel Zimmer ’16 and Ross Pollack ’16 also added points at foil, while Meyer went 1-0 at sabre. Morley led the girls’ effort with a 2-1 victory at epee. Meanwhile, Bilynsky and Udoff earned points at foil, and Kaiser teamed with Emma Corbett ’16 to score points at sabre for the girls. Morley won a gold medal in girls’ epee and Fischer took silver in boys’ epee at the Montclair Invitational for freshman and sophomore fencers on February 2. Pollack (boys’ epee), Jada Davis ’16 (girls’ epee) and Bilynsky (girls’ foil) also earned bronze medals, while top-10 finishes were posted by L. Solondz (7th/boys’ sabre), Paige Stewart ’17 (7th/girls’ epee), Ruben Kivits ’17 (9th/boys’ epee), Corbett (9th/girls’ epee) and Amanda Miller ’17 (10th/girls’ foil). The boys’ team defeated St. Benedict’s Prep 17-10 on February 6 behind 3-0 finishes from Pollack at foil and Fischer at epee. Zimmer (2-1) and Lambert (1-2) combined with Pollack to give the foil squad a 6-3 overall victory. Meanwhile, the Solondz brothers, Landon Braemer ’17 and Meyer combined for a 7-2 win at sabre, and Lachlan Wright ’17 rounded-out scoring with a point at epee. The girls hosted Oak Knoll on February 6 as Walsh went 2-1, combining with Stewart, Davis, Morley and Marisa Guo ’15 for a 5-4 victory at epee. Kaiser (two), Jacqueline Luberto ’16 and Corbett also scored at sabre, while Miller and Bilynsky earned points at foil.
VARSITY FENCING Devon Kaiser ’15.
On February 11, the boys’ and girls’ sabre squads each defeated The Hun School 7-2. S. Solondz and Braemer went 3-0 and L. Solondz added one point for the boys. Corbett led the girls’ sabre squad with a 3-0 effort, while Kaiser went 2-1 and Luberto added one point.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Additional points were earned by Pollack (two) and Lambert at boys’ foil as well as by Fischer at epee. Bilynsky also won 3-0 at girls’ foil and Morley earned a 2-1 victory at epee. Bronze medals were awarded to the girls’ sabre and epee squads at the Prep B Championships on February 19. Kaiser, Corbett, Samantha DeRing ’16, Luberto and Patel comprised the third place sabre squad. Davis, who placed second in the girls’ individual epee competition, teamed with Morley, Stewart and Walsh. Also rounding out the competition for the girls were Bilynsky, Udoff, Mary Frances Howard ’17, Miller and Katherine Huang ’16 at foil. Taking fifth place overall for the boys at the 10-team competition were sabreists L. Solondz, S. Solondz, Braemer and Meyer as well as Lambert, Pollack and Zimmer at foil. Kivits, Wright and Mycroft Zimmerman ’16 joined Fischer, who earned third place in his individual bout, for seventh overall at epee. In the regular season matches that followed, Howard (foil) and Morley (epee) earned points against Ridge on February 24, and sabreists Corbett and Kaiser led their respective squad to a 5-4 victory over Montgomery on February 26. On February 27, S. Solondz, L. Solondz and Braemer led the boys’ sabre squad to a 5-4 victory over Pingry. Fischer (two), Wright and Kivits also earned points at epee, while Zimmer, Pollack and Lambert did the same at foil. Meanwhile, Corbett (3-0) teamed with Kaiser, Luberto, Patel and DeRing in a sabre victory for the girls against Pingry. Varsity Ice Hockey: The Knights earned a 3-0 victory over Morris Hills on January 29 as Christopher Ward ’14 had two goals and one assist, and Kiliaen O’Connor ’14 scored one goal on an assist by Alexander Bauer ’14 (two assists). Defensemen Christian St. Germaine ’17, John “Jack” Lowe ’15, Alexander Ferruggia ’14 and Bauer helped goaltender Gunnar Valentine ’15 (13 saves) record the shutout.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
March 2014
GSB fell 2-1 to Bayonne at Mennen Arena on February 1. Trailing 1-0, Ferruggia tied the score with five minutes left in regulation, but Bayonne earned the game-winning goal one minute later. Jennifer Lowe ’17, Devin Hohman ’17 VARSITY ICE HOCKEY and Ferruggia each Harald Parker ’14. earned goals for Gill in the 11-3 loss against Newton on February 8. The Knights recovered on February 9, when Ward scored three goals and Valentine made 20 saves to bring the team to a 5-2 victory over Morris Hills. Ferruggia and O’Connor also added goals for GSB, which scored three times in the third period to break open a 2-2 tie. Assists were had by Harald Parker ’14, Bauer and St. Germaine in the win. Varsity Indoor Track & Field: Alexandria Benoit ’14, Ludi Zhu ’16, Sahara Ensley ’16 and Dana Klein ’14 won the girls’ distance medley relay in 12:45 at the Poreda Invitational in Lawrenceville, N.J. on January 29. Zhu also finished fifth with a new school indoor distance record of 16’6.5” in the long jump, while Armani Comick ’15 placed fifth in the girls’ shot put (32’2”). The boys’ distance relay team of Patrik Andersen ’15, Amechi Nwandu ’17, Mathieu Petit ’17 and Felix Andersen ’17 finished 13th in 11:16 as well. The Knights returned to Lawrenceville on February 9, when Prince Adablah ’16 won gold medals in the 55-meter dash (7.26 seconds) and 200m (25.3 seconds) to give the boys the 2014 Prep B crown. P. Andersen (2:00/800m), Joshua “Jay” Corbett ’14 (35’7”/shot put) and the 4x400 relay squad also won gold medals to help the boys to their first Prep B indoor track title since 2007. Michael Tafaro ’15 and Gregory
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Niccolai ’16 took second and fourth, respectively, in the shot put, and both F. Andersen (800m) and Jacob Kruger ’15 (1600m) chipped in with third place finishes. In addition, Nwandu was fourth in the 200m and fifth in the 55m, and Paul Kruger ’16 took fourth in the 400m and seventh in the 200m. Other top-10 contributors from the boys’ team included Petit (4th/1600m), Michael Iannaconi ’16 (6th/1600m) and Will Dadouris ’17 (8th/55m). The girls placed second overall behind gold medal times from Benoit in the 1600m (5:28) and Klein in the 800m (2:19). Zhu earned multiple medals as well, taking second in the 55m, third in the 200m and fourth in the 400m. Comick was the runner-up in the shot put, Ensley finished third in the 800m, Lillie Wilson ’17 took seventh in the 1600m and Samantha Bittman ’17 placed 10th in the 1600m. Klein swept all three distance events (800m, 1600m, 3200m) at the Non-Public B Indoor Track Championships in Toms River, N.J. on February 19. Benoit also took second in the 1600m, fourth in the 3200m and fifth in the 800m to help the girls to second place overall at the group event. The boys finished eighth behind a gold medal from P. Andersen in the 1600m as well as silver in the 800m. Other top-10 performers included Ensley (5th/girls’ 3200m; 6th/girls’ 1600m), Comick (3rd/girls’ shot put), Zhu (8th/girls’ 55m), Corbett (10th/boys’ shot put) and Kruger (10th/boys’ 3200m). In addition, Tafaro (11th/boys’ shot put) and Petit (13th/boys’ 1600m) finished just outside the top-10 ranking for the boys. Iannaconi (19th/ 800m) and Niccolai (17th/ shot put) also performed well for the boys, while Wilson finished VARSITY INDOOR TRACK & FIELD 21st in the girls’ Ludi Zhu ’16. 800-meter run.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
March 2014
Klein made school history on March 1 at the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions, where she became the first Gill St. Bernard’s female ever to win an event, earning gold in the girls’ 3200-meter run in a school record time of 10:37. P. Andersen earned a medal as well for the Knights, taking seventh in the boys’ 1600m (4:19). Also shining for GSB at the championship event were Benoit (5:25/1600m), Ensley (5:39/1600m) and Comick (29’9.5”/shot put). Varsity Swimming: Joseph “Julien” Esposito ’15 (500y freestyle/200y freestyle) and Jennifer Montejo ’16 (200y individual medley/100y butterfly) won two events apiece during the varsity swim team’s first-ever “home” meet at Raritan Valley Community College on January 28, while Carter Silvey ’16 took first and second in the boys’ 100y and 200y freestyles. Esposito, Montejo and Silvey also teamed with Gabrielle Breuer ’17, Emily Supron ’17 and Carolyn Brand ’17 to win both the medley relay and 400y freestyle relay in the meet against Perth Amboy. At the Somerset County Swim Championships on February 1, Esposito was the runner-up in the boys’ 500-yard freestyle (4:47) and took fifth in the 200y freestyle (1:46). Silvey also posted personal best times in both the 100y (1:00) and 200y (2:28) freestyles to help the boys to11th place overall. Montejo led the girls’ squad to 17th (1:06) in the 100y butterfly, while Kathryn Bednarsky’14 and Elisabeth Middleton ’16 won their heats in the 100y freestyle and 100y breaststroke, respectively. Both Brand and Breuer also posted season-best times in the 100y breaststroke, while Nita Diverio ’15 shined in the 50y freestyle. Supron teamed with Brand, Middleton and Montejo to take two full seconds off their top medley relay time this season, and the 200m freestyle relay squad of Cricket Treanor ’14, Morgan Margolis ’16, Madeline Quinn ’15 and Bednarsky earned points as well.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
The boys’ squad headed to the Prep B Championships in Lawrenceville, N.J. on February 4, where Esposito was named Swimmer-of-the-Meet after finishing runner-up in both the 200-yard freestyle (1:46) and 500y freestyle (4:47). Fine performances from Silvey in the 100y and 200y freestyles as well as from Michael Urowsky ’16 who swam well VARSITY SWIMMING in the 50y Michael Urowsky ’16. freestyle also helped the boys to seventh place overall. Montejo paced the girls’ effort at the Prep B Championships on February 6, earning top-20 times in the 200y individual medley (2:36) and 100y butterfly (1:11). Treanor, Quinn and Margolis also represented GSB in the 50y freestyle, while Brand and Breuer highlighted the 100y backstroke. In addition, Middleton, Supron, Diverio and Treanor swam well in the 100y breaststroke and 100y freestyle, and Bednarsky joined Breuer, Supron, Montejo, Middleton and Brand for solid times in the 200y medley and 400y freestyle relays. Esposito competed in the NJSIAA Swim Championships for the second straight season beginning on March 1. After taking fourth in the 500-yard freestyle (4:42) and 10th in the 200y freestyle (1:45) on March 1, Esposito advanced to the finals in each of his respective events on March 2 and achieved a Y National cut for his performance in both.
March 2014
Dates to Remember Friday, March 7 Spring Athletic Practices Begin Monday, March 10—Friday, March 21 Spring Break No Classes Saturday, March 29 Philippine Relief Event, Harana at GSB Saturday, April 12 GSB Auction, Gill’s Saturday Knight Bash Wednesday, April 16 Community Blood Drive (Sign up at www.gsbschool.org/blood-drive) Friday, April 18 Good Friday School Closed Tuesday, April 29 Upper School Choir Concert Thursday, May 1 Lower School Concert Middle School Concert Friday, May 2 One Act Plays To view more school events, or for information on the above, please see GSB’s online calendar.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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Gill St. Bernard’s School
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2014
St. Bernard’s Road P.O. Box 604 Gladstone, NJ 07934 908-234-1611 www.gsbschool.org
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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