The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
News
November 2014
November 2014
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Inside 2 A Happy Halloween
at GSB
3 PAN Orientation Breakfast
Clark Presented Lindabury-Thomas Trustee Award 4 Faculty News:
New Director of Parent Relations and Special Events Petkiewich Takes Ideas to the Public Brescher Receives NJAIS Award for Service
5 Fedon Leads Handbell
Performance in Carnegie Hall Marriage Announcement Schmidt Offers Workshop on College Preparedness
6 GSB Librarians to Present at NJEA Workshop
Eighth Grade Transition Program 7 Student IT Group
Formed
Art Outreach Program 8 College Spotlight: Ryan McCluskey ’14
9 Athletics:
Varsity Sports Round-Up
12 Great Pumpkin Run
Dates to Remember
From the Headmaster November and December are the traditional times of the year when our culture more widely considers the importance of giving to those less fortunate. At Gill St. Bernard’s School, community service has always been a part of our culture and it is “year-round.” While many of our peer schools establish a set number of service hours as part of their graduation requirements, Gill has never gone that route. The time that our students give to the greater community has always been voluntary, and reflects a genuine commitment to helping others. Throughout the holiday season, our school’s community service efforts are particularly visible. While some activities have already taken place, such as the varsity girls’ soccer game on October 22 to Headmaster Sid Rowell. support cancer awareness and research, “Ally Week” and the Middle School bake sale to support research On October 28, at the New Jersey Association to find a cure for breast cancer, there is even more of Independent Schools’ (NJAIS) Professional happening in November and December. Development Conference at the Liberty Science This past weekend, GSB organized its annual Habitat Center, Middle School teacher Toni Brescher was recognized with the NJAIS Service Award for her for Humanity trip to Morristown, where eight dedication and more than 20 years’ of service to the students and two parents worked together to help organization. make repairs to a multi-family home. Our annual Turkey Day is on November 21 and through the Director of Studies Peter Schmidt joined Warren BRIDGES activity, we will provide lunches to the County Community College President William Austin homeless in Newark on November 22. In December, on October 23 to present the workshop, Predicted look for our annual coat and can drives, a “Pink Out” to Fail: What if Our Placement Strategy is Wrong?, for breast cancer awareness as well as other initiatives. at the Association of Community College Trustees I am proud of our students, our teachers and what our Leadership Congress in Chicago. The four-day community accomplishes now and over the course of conference is attended by more than 2,000 community the year. Indeed, it is a major part of what makes GSB college trustees, presidents and administrators from such a special school. around the world. I am also pleased to share news with you about several of my colleagues. On Friday, Upper School Librarians Emilia Giordano and Randi Schmidt will present a workshop entitled Teaching the Scientific Literature Review: Collaborative Lessons for Guided Inquiry at the 2014 New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Convention, which draws thousands of teachers and educators from around the tri-state area. In fact, the NJEA Convention is one of the largest educational conventions in the world. Last week, Lower School music teacher Jill Fedon directed the handbell choir, The Trinity Ringers, at Carnegie Hall. Two days prior, the group performed in the Cross Cultural Music Festival at the Moravian Academy in Bethlehem, Pa. before 1,200 audience members.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Earlier in October, Middle School computer teacher Carrie Petkiewich presented a discussion entitled Creating Multimedia Projects: Apple in the Classroom at the landmark Apple Store on the Upper West Side. These notable accomplishments are impressive, as are the many contributions our students, faculty and parents make to the greater community beyond our campus. For these and so many other things at GSB, I am truly thankful. Warm regards,
Sid Rowell 1.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
A Happy Halloween at GSB Students dressed to impress at an all-school Halloween celebration on October 31. The day featured a number of spooktacular costumes, including witches, superheroes, animals and more, which students showcased to the GSB community during division-specific parades. Photos from all three parades are now available in the GSB media gallery.
Top row: (l. to r.) Nina Carrar ’20, Skylar Macak ’20 and Logan Stetz ’20; Middle row, from left: Sixth graders (from left) Owen Hand and Connor Udoff dress as Harry and Lloyd from the motion picture Dumb and Dumber; Juniors (from left) Michael Del Priore, Ryan Chestnutt and Gregory Niccolai dress as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to become co-winners of the Best Group Costume category; Bottom row, from left: Primary 3/4 assistant Courtney Puglisi escorts Calder Frederick ’29 (l.) and John Tuohy ’29 (r.) in the Lower School’s Halloween parade; Robert DeCarlo ’27; Justine Murray ’17 as Barbie™.
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
November 2014
Parent-Admission Network Discusses Qualities that Make GSB Soar Exceptional leadership, strong balance and well-rounded academic offerings; these represent just some of the many qualities that position GSB at the forefront of competing schools. The dozens of members of the Parent-Admission Network (PAN) express all of these values, and more, when describing Gill St. Bernard’s School to prospective families at open houses and events. On October 3, Middle School Director Kyle Armstrong asked Gill’s PAN volunteers to list the unique characteristics that make Gill St. Bernard’s School so successful. PAN (L. to r.) Tenaz Vemuri P ’19, ’22 discusses member Monika admission strategies with Assistant Kroon P ’19 noted that Director of Admission Heather Brown. the road to success at GSB begins in the classroom. “The teachers take a great interest in my child and care about looking after and developing her. When people care about your child as an individual, it really pulls at your heartstrings,” she said.
Along with Kroon, 28 PAN members attended the organization’s annual orientation breakfast this past October, to prepare for another year of volunteer opportunities ahead and formally greet GSB’s new Director of Admission and Financial Aid Sarah Rowland. “Our PAN parents are invaluable partners in spreading the word about Gill and I’m looking forward to working with each and every one of them,” said Rowland. “They’re such an important and integral part of the success of the GSB admissions program.” Director of College Guidance Kerri Small also joined in the breakfast to review the college admissions process and discuss future changes in national testing procedures. Meanwhile, Director of Communications and Marketing Allyson Daly debuted Gill’s latest promotional video, Through their Eyes, a six-minute film featuring three current students, Brian Quispe ’16, Michael Tafaro ’15 and Erin Wetzel ’15, as well as recent alumni Kristin Murtha ’14, James Reiner ’14 and Taylor Rooks ’14. “Everything begins in the classroom, with a fantastic group of teachers, strong curriculum and great group of students,” Headmaster Sid Rowell told the group. “The story I hope will be told [by all] focuses on community and embraces the idea of balance in all that we do.”
Fifth Annual Lindabury-Thomas Trustee Award Presented to Former Parent Clark Gill St. Bernard’s proudly presented its fifth annual Lindabury-Thomas Trustee Award to past parent and honorary trustee Brandon Clark P ’02, ’06. The annual formal reception for current, former and honorary board members was held on October 17 in the Verdile Dining Room. Clark and his wife, Carol, have promoted, supported and worked for the benefit of the school since 1992. Throughout his 12-year tenure as a member of the board, including three as chair, Clark provided leadership during two capital campaigns, resulting in the expansion of the Conover Middle School and completion of Gill’s Athletic Center and Hockenbury Academic Center.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Headmaster Sid Rowell and board of trustees Chairman John Howard P ’17, ’21 present the 2014 Lindabury-Thomas Trustee Award to honorary trustee Brandon Clark P ’02, ’06.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
FACULTY NEWS
New Director of Parent Relations and Special Events Appointed On October 13, the GSB Development Office officially welcomed its new Director of Parent Relations and Special Events Jennifer Doherty. Doherty joins Gill St. Bernard’s School from Eva’s Village in Paterson, N.J., where she served as a volunteer coordinator over the past five years. In her most recent role, Doherty developed and maintained strong relationships with all levels of the Eva’s Village staff—including volunteers and community partners—to support the hungry and the homeless. New Director of Parent Relations and Special
Prior to that, Doherty spent 15 years supervising volunteer services and managing Events Jennifer Doherty. projects for healthcare institutions including the Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey and CIGNA Healthcare. She holds a Bachelor of Science in business management from William Paterson University and currently resides in Succasunna, N.J. with her daughter, Bridget, and husband, Bobby. “All the parents I’ve met so far have really impressed me with their commitment and enthusiasm toward Gill St. Bernard’s mission,” said Doherty. “I look forward to supporting the many special events and seeing the impact of all the great energy parents and staff dedicate toward the school’s success.”
Petkiewich Takes Ideas to the Public On October 7, Middle School computer teacher Carrie Petkiewich headed to the Upper West Side Apple Store to present her ideas before a crowd of educators and shoppers. Her discussion, entitled Creating Multimedia Projects: Apple in the Classroom, was part of the company’s Best of Field Trips program. It covered easy ways for children to produce exciting videos, polished presentations and engaging Multi-Touch books from the comfort of their own classrooms.
While at the NJAIS biennial professional development conference in Jersey City, N.J., Carrie Petkiewich presents her poster on iBooks Author.
Petkiewich also represented Gill St. Bernard’s at the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools’ biennial professional development conference on October 27. Her presentation on iBooks Author signified the only topic presented by a GSB faculty member in the Innovation Share-A-Thon segment of the conference.
Brescher Receives NJAIS Award for Service Middle School science teacher Toni Brescher received the NJAIS Service Award on October 28 during the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools’ biennial professional development conference at the Liberty Science Center. The award annually recognizes that teacher or administrator who has provided dedicated service to the association for an extended period of time. Brescher has served as a valuable member of the NJAIS Professional
Development Committee (PDC) for more than 20 years, acting both as chair and as cochair of the PDC. “Behind the scenes, Toni has worked tirelessly on the Conference Proposal Committee and on editing of program copy,” NJAIS Director of Professional Development Irene Mortensen said while presenting the 2014 Service Award. “She has been passionate about bringing a range of appropriate offerings to our educators and about supporting the growth of NJAIS professional development.”
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Middle School science teacher Toni Brescher.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
Fedon Leads Handbell Performance in Carnegie Hall Lower School music teacher Jill Fedon directed the handbell choir, The Trinity Ringers, while playing in Carnegie Hall on October 30. Fedon, a director of handbell choirs since college, has led the 13-member Trinity Ringers over the past eight years. The group—part of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Hackettstown, N.J., where Fedon is also a member—accompanied the 120-member youth orchestra known as the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, and more than 200 singers, on stage at Carnegie Hall. The Trinity Ringers received a personal invitation to perform from Dr. Ciarán O. Grant, co-founder and co-executive director of Camp Rhythmo, a nonprofit organization that Lower School music teacher Jill Fedon and her teaches children health and wellness through music, science, movement son, Benjamin ’27, outside of Carnegie Hall. and the visual arts. “As preparation for the experience, The Trinity Ringers worked all summer and performed a concert at our church,” Fedon said. “I’m very proud of them and how far they’ve come.” The Trinity Ringers opened the second half of the show at Carnegie Hall with a processional composed by Fedon, making it the first handbell group to perform with a full symphony orchestra in the prestigious venue’s 123-year history. Two days prior, the group performed in the Cross Cultural Music Festival before 1,200 audience members at Moravian Academy in Bethlehem, Pa.
Schmidt Offers Workshop on College Preparedness Director of Studies Peter Schmidt presented his workshop, Predicted to Fail: What if Our Placement Strategy is Wrong?, at the Association of Community College Trustees Leadership Congress on October 23 in Chicago. The four-day conference hosted more than 2,000 community college trustees, presidents and administrators from around the world. Its theme, Winds of Change: Staying the Course to the American Dream, focused on access to college for students of all backgrounds and income levels, and addressed how to achieve college readiness for students who did not perform well during high school. Schmidt’s joint presentation with Warren County Community College President William Austin covered the assumption that college readiness placement exams—established by organizations such as the College Board—may not accurately assess the specific needs of entering students. “National statistics demonstrate that students who are required to take more than one semester of remedial coursework have a 22 percent graduation rate for the two-year associate’s degree,” explained Schmidt, board of trustees chair for Warren County Community College. “At our community college we tried a different approach and, rather than three semesters of coursework, had a sample group of 20 ‘not college ready’ high school juniors receive 25 hours of oneon-one tutoring, which resulted in 70 percent of these students being placed into credit bearing courses and thus skipping three semesters of remediation.” Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Marriage Announcement Gill St. Bernard’s Major Gifts Officer Matthew Marsallo wed Courtney Roosa on September 13 on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts.
(R. to l.) Major Gifts Officer Matthew Marsallo with his new wife, Courtney.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
GSB Librarians to Present at NJEA Workshop Upper School Librarians Emilia Giordano and Randi Schmidt will present a workshop, Teaching the Scientific Literature Review: Collaborative Lessons for Guided Inquiry, at the 2014 New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Convention on November 7 in Atlantic City, N.J. The annual NJEA Convention represents one of the largest educational gatherings of its kind and offers more than 300 seminars, workshops and programs to teachers and educational support professionals over a two-day span. Throughout their presentation—sponsored by the New Jersey Association of School Librarians—Giordano and Schmidt will teach the methods for leading a scientific guided inquiry unit, which requires high school juniors to complete a scientific literature review on any self-chosen topic. Together, Giordano and Schmidt recently co-authored the article “Structured Comprehensiveness and Compassion in Guided Inquiry,” which appeared in the April 2014 issue of School Library Monthly. In addition, Schmidt is the coauthor of two books on academic research, including A Guided Inquiry Approach to High School Research and Teaching the Scientific Literature Review: Collaborative Lessons for Guided Inquiry. Giordano is currently completing her master’s in media studies from The New School for Public Engagement in New York City.
STUDENT LIFE RECAP
Class of 2019 Leads Day in the Life of an Upper School Student For an eighth grade student, the thought of attending high school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. As soon-to-be freshmen, Middle School students often wonder whether they’ll fit in, what their teachers will be like, and how easily they’ll adjust to a new academic environment. To address these questions, and more, the GSB Admission Office hosted its second annual eighth grade transition program on October 15. Alicia Nwandu ’19 discovers the fun behind Upper School science during an introduction to physics lesson led by teacher Len Grabowski.
Before making the long-awaited journey to the Upper School, Middle School Director Kyle Armstrong assured the group, “I know the unknown can create a bit of anxiety, but I can guarantee there will be people to guide you along the way.” Throughout the morning, students and their guides followed a mock academic schedule including shortened history, science, English and math lessons with Upper School instructors. Before long, they were laughing and learning. While English teachers Allyson Burke and Sharon Poticny led their students through a short story and assigned a brief in-class writing assignment, history teachers Bill Diamond and Candace Pryor Brown separated their students into groups of three to answer thought-provoking questions such as: “What challenges do people face in today’s interconnected global economy?”
Sabastian LaBoy ’19 (f.) gains a deeper understanding of the world at work through a lesson conducted by history teachers Bill Diamond and Candace Pryor Brown (b.).
Similar to the typical schedule of an Upper School student, the Class of 2019 took a break in the Hockenbury café between classes. During this recess period, the eighth graders enjoyed apple cider and doughnuts, and lent their ears to a panel of five GSB seniors who answered questions about high school homework, sports, academics and more. The morning concluded with a few words about exploration in the arts and athletics from Performing Arts Chair Paul H. Canada, Fine Arts Chair Sarah Isusi, Director of Athletics David Pasquale and Upper School Choir Director David Southerland.
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
November 2014
Student IT Group Formed
(L. to r.) Sunny Liu ’15 receives assistance from Kelsey Guo ’15 at the Technology Help Desk.
This fall, Gill St. Bernard’s technology team expanded to include nine student volunteers! The newly formed group, known as Student IT, will be responsible for providing assistance to fellow peers in The Matthews Family Library. To prepare for their role, Student IT members Nathan Crystal ’17, Kelsey Guo ’15, Katherine Huang ’16, Malika Jones ’16, Bruce Li ’16, Ravi Malik ’16, Jonathan Moore ’18, Mathieu Petit ’17 and Christian St. Germaine ’17 received one month of training with Director of Academic Technology Michael Chimes. As a result, they can now provide troubleshooting to students using Gill’s core systems such as KnightSite and Office 365 on PC and Mac operating systems.
Outreach Program Connects Eighth Grade Students to Professional Artist This past month, members of the GSB Class of 2019 joined the “You’re U.S.” movement led by California painter and visionary Emile Klein. Klein’s multi-media traveling exhibition debuted at The Center for Contemporary Art (CCA) on September 5. The final week of the exhibition included GSB students’ works alongside Klein’s own. In 2010, Klein began a cycling journey to each state nationwide, painting portraits of selected individuals in exchange for the opportunity to document their lives. Part one of his mission to collect stories of people across the entire nation featured 30 “American Profiles”—oil portraits accompanied by literary and audio biographies— on subjects from 10 states. The CCA’s art outreach program—a collaboration between Gill St. Bernard’s Fine Arts Department and Klein— allowed students from GSB to work with the well-known artist by sharing the story of select New Jerseyans. In order to prepare their pieces, Gill’s students attended the “You’re U.S.- At Home with America” exhibit followed by a lecture and Q&A session with Klein in early September. Using Klein as their muse, they later worked in pairs to create both visual and verbal works of art inspired by the show. Klein visited the Gill St. Bernard’s campus to help students develop their ideas throughout the process. In addition, he discussed steps for interviewing and documenting one’s findings. “The program presented a great way for students to experience art outside of Gill, offered hands-on opportunities to work with artists and external galleries, and allowed students to show their work alongside a professional’s,” said Fine Arts Chair Sarah Isusi. “Although the ‘You’re U.S.’ exhibit has moved on, all of us here at Gill St. Bernard’s School hope that this new partnership between The CCA and Gill will continue to grow and develop in the future.” On November 23, both Middle and Upper School students’ artwork will be on display in Founders Hall as part of the Fine Arts Department’s annual winter art exhibition. An opening reception will be held following the GSB open house earlier that afternoon.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
During class, Amy Newman’s eighth grade students work together on their pieces for the “You’re U.S.” exhibit.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT Ryan McCluskey ’14 Ryan McCluskey Class of 2014 Indiana University, Bloomington Major: Finance Intramural basketball 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. It’s amazing how much Gill St. Bernard’s School prepared me, both for my classes and in a non-academic way. Lots of kids struggle with the free time and responsibility they’re given in college. Coming from Gill where I had the opportunity to structure my own time over the past four years, however, provides an advantage. Q. What do you like the best about your college so far? A. What I love most about college so far is the school spirit. Everyone wants to be here, and being able to watch Big Ten sports teams has been incredible. This season, our football team upset Missouri. This was the first time a B1G team ever beat an SEC team on the road. Our soccer team also started the year unranked and has now risen to number five in the country. The buzz that sports and spirit create around campus is incredible and reminds me of my time at Gill. Q. What’s your favorite class and why? A. My favorite class is political controversies in the United States. It’s a combination of AP U.S. government and debating social issues, both classes I enjoyed during my time at Gill. Combining them creates a current events type of class that allows for debate by addressing the government’s role in controversies and the history of controversies themselves. Q. How have your education and experiences at GSB helped to prepare you for this first year of college? A. My education and experiences at Gill have been a large contributor to my success so far in college. Academically, I’m doing very well and I think it’s because of how much I was challenged at Gill. Moving on to college has been a relatively smooth transition and although the material is Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Ryan McCluskey ’14 in front of The Sample Gates at the entrance to the Indiana University, Bloomington campus.
more complex at the collegiate level, my ability to understand and comprehend information is much higher than when I first entered high school. Q. What do you miss the most since starting at college? A. The things I miss most about home are definitely my family and friends. I miss my siblings and parents a lot, as well as my classmates. Q. If you could offer the Class of 2015 any advice, what would you say? A. My advice to the Class of 2015: it’s ok to be stressed out (it would be weird and concerning if you weren’t). You should be nervous about getting accepted to your favorite school. But, at the same time, don’t let that anxiety take away from your senior year. It’s going to be incredible and the worst thing you can do is let the “waiting game” ruin the time you have left at Gill.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
ATHLETICS Varsity Girls’ Soccer Supports Cancer The varsity girls’ soccer team exchanged its blue and white jerseys for lavender on October 21 in support of cancer awareness. Gill St. Bernard’s fourth annual cancer awareness game against Bound Brook was organized by seniors Kaila Gong, Brianne Hanafin, Alyx Schrecengost and Elizabeth Todd, and resulted in the donation of more than $375 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The team hosted a bake sale and sold bracelets with the goal of raising money for the nonprofit. “We felt that this foundation was perfect,” said Todd, “because it takes people who are going through hard times, and makes some of their wildest dreams come true.”
Sabrina Marques ’17.
Since 2010, the GSB girls’ soccer program has raised more than $1,000 and awareness for diseases, including cervical and breast cancer. Gong was honored to carry on the tradition as a senior. “Cancer affects all of us in some way and it felt good to know that our team was able to help support those who are battling through this disease,” she said.
Varsity Sports Round-Up *RESULTS AS OF 10/27/2014 Cross Country: Boys’ Record: 6-0 Girls’ Record: 5-1 Season at a Glance: Patrik Andersen ’15 (1st/17:14) and Mathieu Petit ’17 (2nd/17:49) finished with a one-two punch to give the boys a dual meet win over South Hunterdon on October 1. Jacob Kruger ’15 (4th/18:14), Edward Fischer ’15 (5th/18:58), Michael Iannaconi ’16 (6th/18:59), Landon Braemer ’17 (9th/19:59) and VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY Edward Fischer ’15. Ronald “Joe” Johnson ’18 (10th/20:01) also added points to help the boys remain undefeated (4-0). The girls sustained their first loss of the season against South Hunterdon despite Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
top times from Sahara Ensley ’16 (2nd/21:31), Nicole Johnson ’18 (5th/22:19), Lillie Wilson ’16 (6th/22:19), Hope Fluet ’16 (7th/22:42) and Samantha Bittman ’17 (8th/23:22). GSB had a fabulous showing at the Shore Coaches Invitational in Holmdel Park on October 4. The boys placed third in a field of 35 schools competing in the “Varsity F” race. Andersen (17:13) led his squad with a bronze medal in the meet. Petit (17th/17:56), Kruger (27th/18:27), Fischer (47th/19:03), Iannaconi (49th/19:04) and Braemer (96th/20:58) were among the top half of runners in their race, while Bobby D’Angelo ’18, Johnson, Christopher “CJ” Licata ’18, Jackson Ensley ’18, Paul Kruger ’16 and Stephen Hassett ’17 displayed fine performances in subvarsity races for the Knights. The girls took sixth in a field of 25 teams at the Shore Coaches Invitational behind Ensley with eighth overall in 21:42. Johnson (36th/23:21), Wilson (42nd/23:34), Bittman (51st/24:21) and Ludi Zhu ’16 (58th/25:02) rounded-out scoring with top 60 finishes as well. 9.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
Andersen, Petit, Kruger, D’Angelo, Iannaconi, Fischer and Johnson were the top seven male finishers in a tri-meet sweep of Bound Brook and Belvidere on October 8, as the boys’ team finished the dual meet season undefeated and clinched its first-ever Mountain Division Championship since joining the Skyland Conference in 2009. The girls placed runner-up in their division after also sweeping the tri-meet behind Ensley (1st), Johnson (2nd), Fluet (3rd), Bittman (4th), Wilson (5th) and Zhu (7th).
at one in the 32nd minute, however, Saint Benedict’s knocked in three late goals to pull away 4-1.
At the Somerset County Cross Country Championships in Pleasant Valley Park on October 15, Andersen (16:26) took gold in a field of 96 runners to become Somerset County champion. J. Kruger (18:38), Fischer (19:15) and Iannaconi (19:16) also ran well in Gill’s first championship race of the season. Hassett, P. Kruger, Sebastian Pampalone ’16 and Samuel Zimmer ’16 represented the boys in the JV race, while D’Angelo (2nd), J. Johnson (9th), Licata (35th) and J. Ensley (40th) each posted fine finishes at the sub-varsity level. From the varsity girls’ squad, Ensley placed 23rd (21:17) in a field of 88. She was followed by Johnson (22:13), Fluet (22:29), Wilson (23:28) and Bittman (23:49).
The Knights defeated Immaculata 1-0 on October 14 behind one goal from Mrkulic and an assist by Miller. Mrkulic also scored twice, and Miller added another, in the boys’ 3-1 win over Warren Hills on October 16. Bednarsky, Mozaffari and Sivolella contributed assists to keep the team’s title hopes alive in the Valley Division of the Skyland Conference.
Boys’ Soccer: Record: 15-2-3 Season at a Glance: Steven Bednarsky ’17, Dylan Blackman ’16, Tyler Kwaak ’16 and John “Jack” Lowe ’15 scored one goal apiece in the 4-0 trouncing of Delaware Valley on September 30. Jordan Schreer ’15 made five saves to secure the shutout, while Kevin Brito ’17, Armeen Mozaffari ’17, Anes Mrkulic ’17 and Daniel Sivolella ’16 each added assists. The boys sustained their second loss of the season against national power Saint Benedict’s on October 2. Cameron Miller ’17 scored off an assist by goalkeeper Schreer to tie the game VARSITY BOYS' SOCCER Alexander Schachne ’18.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Maxwell Aunger ’17 scored off a pass from Sivolella to help the Knights to a 1-0 overtime win at Somerville on October 9—Schreer’s ninth shutout of the season. Miller opened the scoring, and Mozaffari snapped a 1-1 tie shortly before halftime, to help the boys to a 2-1 victory over Ridge in the second round of the Somerset County Tournament on October 11.
Gill advanced in the Somerset County Tournament with a 3-1 triumph over Bridgewater-Raritan on October 18. Kwaak, Brito and Schreer all scored goals. Bednarsky and Aunger added assists as well to take the boys to the semifinal round against a top-seeded Montgomery. Brito assisted on a Bednarsky goal in the first half, and later converted a pass from Miller to give the Knights a 2-0 lead over Montgomery on October 25. The Cougars scored twice in the second half to force two scoreless overtime periods, followed by a penalty kick shootout. Aunger, Brito, Kwaak, Mrkulic and Schreer each converted penalty kicks to give GSB the victory and help the team to the county championship against Pingry. In Prep B Tournament play, the Knights defeated Rutgers Prep 1-0 in the quarterfinal round on October 23. Kwaak scored off a pass from Mozaffari in second overtime to take the win. Meanwhile, the back line of Aunger, Luke Fischer ’16, Andres Gonzalez ’17, Miller and Nicolas Ricciardi ’16 helped Schreer post his 11th shutout of the season. The boys concluded their regular season with a 4-2 triumph over Blair Academy on October 27. Mrkulic scored twice, Sivolella added two assists and Nicholas Cooper ’17 knocked in his first varsity goal. Alexander Roch ’18 and Aaron Hinton ’16 also saw several minutes each in goal for the Knights. 10.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
November 2014
Girls’ Soccer: Record: 9-9-0
Girls’ Tennis: Record: 14-2-0
Season at a Glance: Varsity girls’ soccer earned a 2-1 Skyland Conference win over Manville on September 30 behind goals from Amelia “Mia” Kirby ’18 and Jane O’Connor ’16. The winning continued with a 4-0 defeat of Ranney on October 2—goalie Alyx Schrecengost’s ’15 second shutout of the season. Defenders Colette Bilynsky ’16, Emma Dean ’17, Ava Diggins ’18, Amanda Lazar ’18 and Jennifer Lowe ’17 played a VARSITY GIRLS’ SOCCER critical role in holding the Alyx Schrecengost ’15. Panthers at bay. Offensively, Elizabeth Todd ’15 scored twice and assisted once for the victory, Kirby and O’Connor added one goal apiece, and Diggins and Lowe dished out assists.
Season at a Glance: Gill St. Bernard’s tennis triumphed 5-0 over Franklin on September 29. Lucille Dunn ’16 and Devon Kaiser ’15 earned a straight set win at first doubles. The second doubles duo of Larisa Drzik ’17 and Martine DiDomenico ’17 earned a point as well for the Knights. Later that week, Krishna Patel ’16, Sharon Jin ’17 and Carolyn Najarian ’16 helped the girls earn back-to-back victories over North Hunterdon and Bernards to remain unbeaten in the Raritan Division of the Skyland Conference.
GSB defeated South Hunterdon 2-0 on October 7. Diggins and Todd each scored one goal, while Renee Turner ’16 chipped in with an assist. The girls continued their mid-season surge with a 2-1 win over division leader Belvidere on October 9. Todd assisted on goals by Lauren Renna ’17 and O’Connor to give the girls their fourth consecutive victory. Todd scored GSB’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Rutgers Prep on October 14. Meanwhile, Samantha Delehanty ’16 and Diggins knocked in second half goals to help mount an impressive comeback against North Plainfield on October 16. The girls fell just short (3-2) to the Canucks. Renna had one goal and one assist, Kirby added a goal and Todd chipped in with an assist to give Gill a 2-1 Skyland Conference win over Bound Brook on October 21.Renna and O’Connor scored a goal apiece to lead the girls to their second straight win (2-0) at Manville on October 27. Schrecengost also earned her final shutout of the regular season with help from defenders Bilynsky, Dean, Diggins, Lazar and Lowe.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
GSB opened the NJSIAA Non-Public B South Sectional tournament with a 5-0 shutout of Mater Dei on October 7. All three singles positions, along with the second doubles team of DiDomenico and Drzik, earned points in Gill’s 4-1 semifinal victory over Rutgers Prep on October 9. On October 13, the Knights triumphed 5-0 over Voorhees to take the Skyland Conference Raritan Division crown. Kaiser teamed with Demontigny for a doubles win, while Jin chipped in with a singles point. The girls captured the NJSIAA Non-Public B South Sectional title with a 4-1 win over Moorestown Friends the following day. Demontigny and Dunn secured the first doubles point and DiDomenico combined with Drzik to take the win at second doubles. Patel and Najarian earned victorious in their singles matches as well. The girls made their third consecutive appearance in the State final on October 17. Despite a first singles win from Patel, the girls fell 4-1 to Newark Academy in the Non-Public B State Championship at Mercer County Park. Patel conquered the first singles flight in the Prep B
VARSITY GIRLS’ TENNIS Martine DiDomenico ’17.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Championships at the Garden State Tennis Center on October 23. Jin and Najarian also reached the finals at second and third singles to guide the girls to a runner-up team finish among 10 schools competing in the event. Demontigny and Dunn advanced to the semifinals at first doubles, while DiDomenico and Drzik did the same at second doubles. Middle School Hosts 16th Annual Great Pumpkin Run Gill St. Bernard’s Middle School cross country program hosted its 16th anniversary Great Pumpkin Run on October 30. Fourteen area teams competed in the annual event, with the top 10 finishers from both the boys’ and girls’ races receiving a pumpkin as prize. The top three individual finishers in each race also received a medal, while the top two teams with the lowest gross score were awarded trophies. The GSB boys’ squad finished second overall behind Eric Wang ’19, who completed the 1.7mile course in 10:57 for bronze, and behind Matthew “Max” Alexy ’19 who took fifth (11:09) in a field of 133 runners. The girls were led by Lily Fischer ’19, as she placed 13th in 12:43.
November 2014
Dates to Remember Wednesday, November 5 Grade Eight to Nine Parent Program Wednesday, November 5 – Friday, November 7 Book Fair Thursday, November 6 – Saturday, November 8 Upper School Fall Production The Learned Ladies (Tickets on sale now!) Friday, November 7 Parent-Teacher Conferences - No Classes Tuesday, November 11 Fashion Event Friday, November 14 Middle School Musical - Sleeping Beauty Tuesday, November 18 Community Blood Drive (Register online at gsbschool.org/blood-drive) Lower School Musical - The Jungle Book Wednesday, November 19 Piano/Guitar Recital Friday, November 21 Turkey Day Sunday, November 23 Middle & Upper School Open House Tell A friend! Winter Art Exhibition Opens Wednesday, November 26 – Friday, November 28 Thanksgiving Break - School Closed
From left: Gill St. Bernard’s top male finishers (from left) Eric Wang ’19 and Matthew “Max” Alexy ’19; Lead runner for the girls’ squad, Lily Fischer ’19.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
To view more school events, or for information on the above, please see GSB’s online calendar.
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GILL ST. BERNARD’S SCHOOL
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
St. Bernard’s Road P.O. Box 604 Gladstone, NJ 07934 908-234-1611 gsbschool.org facebook.com/gsbschool
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
November 2014
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