The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
News
March 2015
March 2015
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Inside 2 Once Upon a Mattress 3 Speaker Addresses Issues
on Bullying
Upper School Artists Shine in Statewide Exhibitions 4 Student Life Recap: Meteorologist Meets Lower School Students
5 Middle School Stuffs a Bus with Supplies
Snakes-n-Scales Assembly
6 Faculty News: The Schmidts Announce their Retirement Pasquale Appointed Dean of Student Life
7 Lower School Names New Director
Corona Joins Morris County Coaching Legends Hall of Fame School Librarians to Share Expertise at National Conference & Exhibition Petkiewich: A Certified Common Sense Digital Citizenship Educator
8 College Spotlight: Henry Holmes ’14
9 Auction News 10 Athletics: Varsity Sports Round-Up
13 Dates to Remember
From the Headmaster At long last, the winter has begun its transition to spring. The warmer temperatures have started to melt the piles of snow and lift spirits in the community. I suspect that the imminent arrival of a two week break has also helped. The last few weeks have been incredibly busy ones at GSB academically, athletically and in the arts. PLAN and PSAT results are in, which will help inform 10th and 11th graders as they begin the college process. The third quarter has come to a close, signaling that we are about to enter the “homestretch” of the academic year. Our athletic teams enjoyed a busy winter season. Among the highlights were the boys’ varsity basketball team, which won the county championship, defeating Ridge High School in the finals. Coach Sina’s squad was quite successful this year despite some key injuries and one of the toughest schedules in the state. The varsity indoor track teams were both runners-up in the Prep B competition. Individual milestones were achieved by Armani Comick ’15, Sahara Ensley ’16, Patrik Andersen ’15 and Mathieu Petit ’17, who all qualified for the Meet of Champions. Julien Esposito ’15 once again qualified in swimming as well and finished seventh in the state! As always, I want to thank all of our student-athletes and coaches for their efforts. This year’s spring musical, Once Upon A Mattress, was performed last weekend and showcased the talents of 22 of our students. Once again, the chair of our Performing Arts Department, Paul Canada, did an outstanding job. Thanks to all of our parent volunteers and operations staff, the costumes and sets were once again exceptional. I had the opportunity to attend the Saturday matinee with former NJ Governor, Tom Kean. Governor Kean is the honorary chair of our capital campaign, which has as its
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Headmaster Sid Rowell.
centerpiece a new performing arts center. To no one’s surprise, he was quite impressed by the show and, subsequently, feels even more enthusiastic about Gill St. Bernard’s School. This past week, the last of our presenters in our Winter Speaker Series, Maggie DiPasquale, was on campus to talk to both parents and students about the unique dynamics of parent-teen relationships. It is our hope that these guest speakers have been helpful to our school community. By providing a fresh perspective, information and concrete suggestions, they have all had a positive impact. My thanks to all who made this possible, especially our Parents’ Association. The busy nature of the past several days has offered ample testimony to the importance of downtime. We all need the chance at certain moments to slow down the pace of life. I do hope that everyone in our school community will have the opportunity for both rest and renewal in the next two weeks. Keep in mind, the week we return brings us into the month of April! Warm regards,
Sid Rowell 1.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2015
A Happily Ever After Production Once Upon a Mattress The GSB Players opened its spring 2015 musical, Once Upon a Mattress, with a sold out show on March 6 and presented five separate performances in the Theater. A stage adaptation of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea, Gill St. Bernard’s production of Once Upon a Mattress charmed audience members with its unforgettable storybook characters and sidesplitting plot, as family, faculty and friends traveled back through time each afternoon and evening in search of the perfect bride for Prince Dauntless the Drab (William Conlan ’16). This spring’s 22-member cast and crew included 10 seniors from the Class of 2015, including Edward Fischer as the minstrel, Peter “Alec” Johnson as Sir Studley, Alexandra Baker as Queen Aggravain, Jamie Goetchius as both Lady Mary and Lady Mabelle, Katherine Coscia as Lady Larken, Erin Wetzel as Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, Kelsey Guo as Lady Dora and Xauen Zirpolo as King Sextimus the Silent, as well as Jonathan Sonnenberg and Sunny Liu as stagehands. Once Upon a Mattress was co-produced by Lee Amoroso P ’11, ’13, ’19 to whom the play was also dedicated. This spring marked Amoroso’s 10th production as a member of the GSB Players’ creative team. Since 2010, she has volunteered with sewing, painting, and feeding the cast and crew, has worked as an award-winning make-up artist, and has served as one of the most organized and efficient producers the program has ever known. “Lee is a true believer in all that an education rich in the arts can do for a student. We are eternally grateful for all that she has done for our program and our students, and we look forward to many more years of creative excellence,” said Performing Arts Chair Paul H. Canada.
From Top: Prince Dauntless the Drab (William Conlan ’16) implores his father, King Sextimus the Silent (Xauen Zirpolo ’15), to tell him more about love; (L. to r.) Lady Beatrice (Amity Matthews ’18), Lady Dora (Kelsey Guo ’15), the Jester (Kelly Schiesswohl ’17) and Lady Larken (Katherine Coscia ’15) await the results of the “Princess Test.”
Correction (L. to r.) The wizard (Mycroft Zimmerman ’16), Sir Harry (Aniello “Neil” Ianniello ’16), Queen Aggravain (Alexandra Baker ’15) and Prince Dauntless the Drab (William Conlan ’16).
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
In the “January-February 2015” issue of GSB News, Luke Blanc was inadvertently excluded from the seventh grade Honors List. A student must receive a B- or higher to achieve Honors List status.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2015
STUDENT NEWS Inspirational Speaker Addresses Issues on Bullying On February 5, actor, psychologist and poet Dr. Michael “Mykee” Fowlin encouraged Middle and Upper School students and parents to discover and embrace what makes them unique and to appreciate what makes others unique as well. Dr. Fowlin marked the first of three guest speakers selected to offer expertise in character development, social media, anti-bullying, empathy and self-confidence this winter at Gill. Throughout his presentation, You Don’t Know Me…Until You Know Me: A Dance with Diversity, Dr. Fowlin discussed the race, discrimination and personal identity issues faced by many today. “We are so powerful in our harm, but we can be just as powerful in our good,” explained Dr. Fowlin, while using multiple made-up characters to stress the negative and positive impacts words can have on others. As a healthy form of exercise, Dr. Fowlin asked the members of the audience to repeat aloud the words, “I am beautiful,” at first to themselves and again to the people seated beside them. In addition, he challenged each individual to say “hello” and give a smile to at least 10 people during the remainder of the day.
Dr. Michael Fowlin.
Both students and parents were brought to tears by Dr. Fowlin’s moving performance, as he transitioned through a total of five personalities while on stage. “I thought he did an excellent job of getting into each character and bringing some difficult issues to light,” Tom Jurewicz P ’19 said.
Upper School Artists Shine in Statewide Exhibitions Two Upper School art students stole the spotlight this spring after learning that their work would be on display at two different prestigious exhibitions in New Jersey. This winter, GSB’s Fine Arts Chair Sarah Isusi—also a member of the association, Art Educators of New Jersey—submitted eight student works for inclusion in the Youth Art Month exhibition at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster, N.J. Of these eight submissions, one piece by Sadie Loeber ’17 advanced to the State Youth Art Month Exhibition at the State House in Trenton, N.J. Loeber’s work was on display from February 28 until March 6 in the state capitol building, where she was also honored at a formal reception during the final day of the exhibition. Ludi Zhu ’16 will make her public art debut in the 2015 Fresh Perspectives Exhibition at Morris Museum next month. The show will open on April 9 and continue until June 7, with an opening reception and award presentation to be held on April 15. “I’ve never done this before, but so far it’s been a really nice experience,” said Zhu, who completed the chosen oil on canvas self-portrait as part of a first semester project in Gill’s portfolio II art class.
Top: Sadie Loeber ’17 surrounds herself with several of her own pieces at home; Bottom: The oil on canvas self-portrait by Ludi Zhu ’16.
Though Zhu will not pursue an art degree in college, she does hope to showcase her works in additional exhibitions in the future. Aside from working with Isusi at school to perfect her talents, Zhu has found a mentor in artist and teacher Jamie Lindholm, owner of The Martinsville Studio in her hometown.
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 2015
Kruger Named National Merit Scholarship Finalist On February 23, Headmaster Sid Rowell (l.) formally congratulated Jacob Kruger ’15 (r.) on his qualification as a finalist in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Kruger represents one among 15,000 finalists in the running to become a National Merit Scholarship winner. This year’s winning candidates will be announced between March and July, and receive more than 8,000 awards totaling $32M from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
STUDENT LIFE RECAP Lower School Students Explore Day in the Life of a Meteorologist Last month, students in grades three and four were inspired to explore one of the many career opportunities available to them as adults during an assembly with meteorologist John Marshall. Marshall, a former anchor for both NBC and CBS, has presented school weather assemblies to students from as early as elementary school to eighth grade since 2012. During the demonstration, Marshall talked with students about the various weather systems, explained how they form, and described differences between the four cloud families. He also explained the process of becoming a weather man and gladly answered questions from the crowd. Afterward, students stepped into the shoes of a real-life newscaster and used a green screen to forecast the week’s upcoming weather.
Maxwell Lutz ’24 presents the five-day forecast.
Grandparents and Great Friends Day Scheduled for May 22 Save the Date The GSB community will host its biennial Grandparents and Great Friends Day on May 22 in the Cox Lower School. This special day recognizes all grandparents and friends, and the roles they play each day in the growth and development of GSB’s youngest students. During the event, Gill’s VIP guests will attend specially-planned programs and activities, as well as a concert and luncheon with their hosts. 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 2015
Middle School Stuffs a Bus with Supplies for Local Food Pantry For two weeks this past January, the Middle School division collected nonperishable items such as pasta, tea and canned goods for the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris Plains, N.J. Since 2002, the GSB Middle School has provided supplies and support to the local food pantry, which distributes more than 15,000 pounds of food to approximately 325 families per week. “Year after year, GSB’s Middle School students and their families have supported our food pantry drives, often beating the previous year’s totals,” said Middle School Dean of Students Brett Mershon. This February 11, students came together to help stuff a Gill St. Bernard’s mini bus with 1,856 pounds—roughly 5,000 items—of supplies for delivery to the pantry. The Class of 2021 led the way for the Middle School, as it collected a total of 4,525 items. Currently in the works is a fifth grade field trip to the pantry as well, for an in-depth look at daily operations and volunteer efforts.
Lillian Cannon ’19.
Assembly Alters Students’ Stigma of Reptiles On February 18, members of the Class of 2024 experienced a change of heart toward reptiles, thanks to a visit from Bill Boesenberg of Snakes-n-Scales in Wanaque, N.J. Though reptiles often rank among some of the most feared creatures on the planet, Boesenberg eased the worries of students through demonstrations aimed at showing they are not nearly as dangerous as they appear. During the visit, he introduced students to a real-life American alligator, Asian water monitor, South American turtle and boa constrictor, emphasizing that reptiles do not always make the best pets because of their large size. “Every year, one or more children will say they are scared of snakes, but by the end of the program none can resist sitting with the rest of the class to pet the 15-foot-long boa constrictor,” said third grade teacher Sue Hone, whose students will also complete an animal report this semester. The Class of 2024 pets a 15-foot-long boa constrictor.
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 2015
FACULTY NEWS The Schmidts Announce Decision to Retire at End of School Year Last month, longtime faculty members Peter and Randi Schmidt announced that they will retire at the conclusion of the 2014-15 academic year. Peter joined Gill St. Bernard’s School as a history teacher in 1976. Over the past 39 years, he has transitioned from head of the History Department and head of the Upper School to director of academic studies as well as director of community service. Randi began her GSB tenure in the Upper School library in 1993. She is a highly regarded author, whose books cover the guided inquiry approach to research. Upon learning of the Schmidts’ retirement, both current and former GSB community members sent an overwhelming response. Alumna Bari Kaplan Smith ’83 said, “The Schmidts are and will always be GSB to me! They both changed my life; taught me lessons of such value. Peter and Randi [have] set the standard for all that is good and deserve the best of everything as [they] embark on this new chapter in [their] lives.” More on the Schmidts and their GSB careers will be featured in the June 2015 issue of GSB News.
Top: Peter Schmidt; Bottom: Randi Schmidt.
Pasquale Appointed Dean of Student Life Gill St. Bernard’s School recently announced that its Director of Athletics David Pasquale would assume a new position as dean of student life beginning on July 1.
David Pasquale.
Pasquale was appointed director of athletics at Gill in 2005 and has since played a significant part in the growth of the school’s athletic programs and facilities. Throughout his tenure, GSB successfully transitioned its competitive reach from the all-independent school Patriot Conference to the Skyland Conference (2009) and expanded the number of its interscholastic athletic offerings to include swimming, fencing, ice hockey and lacrosse. Athletic participation has nearly doubled at Gill over the past 10 years and roughly 80 student-athletes have moved on to college programs in 12 different sports. In addition, the Knights have won six state championships, seven county titles and 15 Sectional crowns since 2005, and accepted their firstever ShopRite Cup as a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Non-Public B division in 2012.
In his new role, Pasquale will succeed longtime faculty member and administrator Gerry Cirillo who, in January, announced that he would be stepping down as Upper School dean of students. Cirillo—an employee at Gill St. Bernard’s School since 1975—has served as dean of students for the past 24 years and will remain at the school as a member of the Fine Arts Department. Under Pasquale’s leadership as dean of student life, the Upper School Dean’s Office will be restructured to better meet the needs of students. The office will expand in scope, formal duties and responsibilities, and include one dean per grade level to more closely resemble a university model. 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 2015
Lower School Names New Director This July, the GSB community will welcome a new Lower School director for the 2015-16 academic year. Honor Taft comes to Gill with nearly 20 years of experience in the independent school world, most recently serving as assistant head of the Caedmon School in New York City. She holds an undergraduate degree from Hobart & William Smith Colleges, an M.S. from the Bank Street College of Education and an M.Ed. from Columbia University Teachers College.
Corona Joins Morris County Coaching Legends Hall of Fame On February 28, Upper School math teacher Fred Corona was inducted into the Morris County Coaching Legends Hall of Fame. Prior to becoming a GSB faculty member, Corona spent 25 seasons as head coach of the West Morris Mendham High School girls’ basketball team. Under his leadership, the girls’ program netted over 500 wins, claimed eight straight Morris County Tournament crowns, and earned storied success at both the conference and state levels, including a Tournament of Champions title in 1998.
West Morris Mendham High School Head Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach Fred Corona in February of 2001. Photo courtesy of Gail K. Tramontano, freelance photographer.
Corona represents the sole inductee to the 2015 Coaching Legends Hall of Fame. As a “coaching legend,” Corona will be responsible for soliciting current Morris County coaches to nominate their senior athletes, managers, trainers and statisticians for athletic scholarships. Since 2009, the Morris County Legends Basketball Foundation, Inc., has offered thousands of dollars in prizes to deserving high school seniors who demonstrate the highest dedication, devotion and commitment to their programs.
School Librarians to Share Expertise at National Conference & Exhibition Upper School Librarians Emilia Giordano and Randi Schmidt will give a joint presentation at the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) 17th National Conference & Exhibition. Their half-day workshop, Extending Guided Inquiry into the Interrogation of Sources, will be held on November 5 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio. This past December, former AASL President Sharon Coatney recommended Schmidt for membership in the AASL standards committee. “She has the current
Upper School Librarians Emilia Giordano (l.) and Randi Schmidt (r.).
knowledge, skills set, collaborative attitude and goaldriven personality that is needed to revise and rewrite the AASL standards,” Coatney told the American Library Association in her letter recommending Schmidt.
Petkiewich: A Certified Common Sense Digital Citizenship Educator For the second straight academic year, Middle School computer teacher Carrie Petkiewich became a certified Common Sense Digital Citizenship educator, for her devotion to teaching young people the proper methods for practicing digital safety. Since 2010, Petkiewich has organized digital citizenship lectures for students and parents of all ages at Gill St. Bernard’s School, with the goal of reinforcing responsible Web and monitoring practices. 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 2015
COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT Henry Holmes ’14 Henry Holmes Class of 2014 University of Virginia Major: Pre-Commerce Monroe Society Member, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Member, Intramural Sports Participant
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. One of the most memorable experiences of my first semester was the ‘Lighting of the Lawn.’ In November, the university strings hundreds of lights on the Rotunda and up and down the Lawn in preparation for one night. On this night, a cappella groups perform before turning on the lights and beginning the light show. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and I’ll never forget it. Q. What do you like the best about your college so far? A. I have not been disappointed about anything since I started here. One thing that has stood out to me is the people. I know it sounds cliché, but I feel like I have known some of my friends for years rather than just a few months. Everyone is so friendly and I could not have asked for a better group of people to start college with. Q. What’s your favorite class and why? A. My favorite class during the fall semester was German. I had always been interested in taking German because my grandmother was born and grew up in Germany. Beginning to learn the language has helped me connect with my family members who still live there, and has opened my eyes to the German culture even more than I previously knew. Q. How have your education and experiences at GSB helped to prepare you for this first year of college? A. I thought that going from the small tight-knit community of GSB to a university as large as UVA was going to be overwhelming. But, after the first few weeks I realized how well GSB had truly prepared me for college. The rigorous academics and the responsibility I was given as an Upper School student gave me all the tools I needed to succeed during my first semester. Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Henry Holmes ’14.
Q. What do you miss the most since starting at college? A. After eating some very mediocre, fairly bland food for a few weeks, I began to really miss my mom’s cooking. There is almost nothing better than having a good meal when I come home for break. Q. If you could offer the Class of 2015 any advice, what would you say? A. Cherish every moment that you have left at home. Before you know it, all of your classmates will be leaving for school and everything will change. Don’t get too worried about leaving GSB behind because it has prepared you in every way you could need. Enjoy the rest of your senior year and get excited for the future!
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
AUCTION SPOTLIGHT Sand & Sea Gala to Add Touch of Paradise to Campus Invitations for the Gill St. Bernard’s School Sand & Sea Gala have been mailed! What better way to bid good riddance to the cold and snow this winter than by joining fellow parents and friends at the “beach” on April 18, 2015? The Gill St. Bernard’s Auction will return to campus this spring. With professional events planning assistance from David Ellis Events (visit davidellisevents.com to learn more), the 33rd annual Auction committee will transform the GSB Athletic Center into a fabulous beach resort right here on campus! Celebrate the upcoming summer, and support GSB’s students and programs, by attending Gill’s largest fund-raising event of the year. Auction co-chairs Sharon Bittman P ’17, ’23 and Jennifer Meenan P ’24, ’27 have been hard at work preparing for what is sure to be a spectacular night for all. “We want to thank the entire school community for its support; the Auction chairs, Auction advocates, Auction representatives per grade level and solicitors. The support has been huge from the school and the Auction committee, especially,” said Bittman. Rather than a sit-down dinner, the Sand & Sea Gala will include passed hors d’oeuvres and gourmet food stations. In addition, several new experiences, such as the opportunity to win a dress-down day, will replace the usual Lower School class projects available for bidding each year at Auction time. Other Silent Auction items will range from baskets for all age levels to high school internships and more. Meanwhile, the Super Silent Auction will feature fabulous getaways to Boca Raton, Fla. and Newport R.I., all of which can be bid on straight from attendees’ own mobile devices. To donate to the Silent Auction, please visit www.gsbschool.org/auction and check out Gill’s Amazon.com “Wish List” or Bed, Bath & Beyond registry online. For those interested in donating a
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
March 2015
bottle of wine to this year’s Wine Pull as well, both Select Vintage Wines in Basking Ridge, N.J. and cambridgewinesnj.com of Morristown have agreed to give 10 percent of each purchase back to the school. For the third year, NBC Sports Anchor Bruce Beck will serve as auctioneer during the Live Auction portion of the evening, which will include concert tickets to see Ed Sheeran and U2, as well as other great surprises. In a unique twist, Beck will be joined by current parent and comedian Jim Breuer P ’17—a former SNL cast member—on stage so get ready for a great time filled with tons of laughter. DJ Valentino will also provide musical entertainment throughout the night. Please visit www.gsbschool.org/auction for more information on the Sand & Sea Gala. The deadline to R.S.V.P. is April 1, 2015. Each week until then, the Auction committee will draw one R.S.V.P. for the chance to win a fabulous prize, so respond today!
R.S.V.P TODAY!
Sand & ea THE GILL ST. BERNARD’S
ga l a
Saturday, April 18, 2015 - 6:30 P.M. 9.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
ATHLETICS Varsity Sports Round-Up *RESULTS AS OF 3/4/2015
March 2015
to a share of the Skyland Conference Delaware Division Championship and a 64-45 win over Bridgewater-Raritan on February 14. Mea (14 points), DeMaira (10 points) and Mitola (eight points) likewise contributed to take the boys to 13-8 on the season.
The third-seeded Knights defeated Bridgewater-Raritan 72-54 in the Somerset County Tournament (SCT) quarterfinals on February 19, behind 25 points from Battle Despite double-digit scoring from both John Michael and 19 by Mea. Stakeliunas and Stoma also chipped in Mea ’15 (26) and Harrison DeMaira ’15 (11), GSB fell with six points apiece, as the boys headed to Montgomery just short to Rutgers Prep in overtime on January 29. Ian Demarest ’15, Adam Mitola ’16 and Michael Morreale ’17 High School for the SCT semifinals on February 23, where chipped in with seven points apiece in the 64-61 upset. The Morreale (13 points) had a spectacular game to help Gill defeat Rutgers Prep 58-34. Mitola and Demarest also added boys swiftly recovered with a 70-37 thrashing of Ridge on six points apiece to advance their team to the championship January 31. Mea added 19 points and DeMaira knocked game against a top-seeded Ridge. Down by eight in the first down four three-pointers in the victory, which included quarter, Gill rallied with a 10-0 run to take the lead and a 24-2 third quarter run. Tyus Battle ’16 also scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds while making his debut on never looked back. Solid defense from the Knights, coupled with strong shooting by Mea (14), Stoma (11), Mitola the GSB court this winter. (eight) and Morreale (six), led the boys to a 48-39 victory The Knights routed Franklin 70-34 on February 3, as Battle and their third Somerset County crown in the last five years. led the way with 20 points and Mitola followed with 13. The boys sustained a heartbreaking 67-66 loss to Holy The boys then earned their third consecutive victory Spirit on March 4 in the Non-Public B South Sectional (76-46) on February 5 against Bridgewater-Raritan, as Battle (22) and Mea (19) scored in double figures and Jonas Tournament to finish the season with a final record of Stakeliunas ’15 combined with Morreale for 12 points and 16-10. 10 rebounds. Girls’ Basketball The boys fell 60-52 to Linden in the Prime Time Shootout Samantha Kramer ’16, Morgan Rooks ’15, Lauren at Roselle Catholic on February 7. Battle and Julius Stoma ’16 had 12 points and six rebounds apiece, DeMaira McBride ’16 and Alexia Allesch ’17 combined for 43 points in Gill’s 61-49 loss to Rutgers Prep on January 29, knocked down three three-point shots, and Mitola and but the girls recovered quickly with a 73-54 victory over Mea added eight points each. On February 10, DeMaira Phillipsburg on January 31. Both Allesch (19 points/ (22 points) hit five threepointers to lead the Knights 14 rebounds) and McBride (20 points/12 rebounds) posted double-doubles for the Knights, while Kramer scored 19 to a 59-47 victory over points and dished out eight assists in the triumph. Rooks Hillsborough. Meanwhile, added 11 points and eight rebounds as well, as the girls Battle scored 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and rallied for a 24-9 fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. dished out five assists on February 12 in a 72-36 win After dropping a contest to division-leading Franklin over Montgomery. Stoma (58-45) on February 3, GSB rebounded with a and Demarest combined for 57-27 Skyland Conference win at Bridgewater-Raritan 22 points and 12 rebounds on February 5. Allesch (22 points/nine rebounds) and against the Cougars. Madeleine Gallic ’16 (14 points/seven rebounds/six assists) Boys’ Basketball
VARSITY BOYS’ BASKETBALL Adam Mitola ’16.
Battle scored a game-high 24 points to guide the boys
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
paced the Knights on offense to take the win. The girls defeated Marist 58-36 on February 7 behind Kramer with 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Allesch also
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
filled the stat sheet with 18 points, 20 rebounds and eight blocked shots, and Rooks added 10 points and 10 rebounds to help the girls improve to 11-6 overall. Allesch (21), Kramer (16), Allison Coffey ’17 (14) and Nyla Mulcahy ’17 (10) scored in doubledigits to secure an 83-42 thrashing of Hillsborough VARSITY GIRLS' BASKETBALL Madeleine Gallic ’16. on February 10. And the winning continued on February 12 with a 60-37 victory against Montgomery. Kramer (15 points/five rebounds/six assists) and Allesch (12 points/10 rebounds) led the balanced offensive attack. Meanwhile, Rooks, Katherine Howard ’17 and Coffey combined for 23 points, and Gallic grabbed 10 rebounds. Kramer scored a game-high 17 points, while both Allesch (11 points/15 rebounds) and Rooks (11 points/10 rebounds) posted double-doubles for a 58-46 quarterfinal win over Ridge in the Somerset County Tournament (SCT) on February 19. McBride and Gallic also combined for 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Coffey dished out seven assists. GSB fell 74-57 to top-seeded Franklin in the SCT semifinals on February 21 despite 17 points and 12 rebounds from Allesch. The girls recovered with a 51-39 win over BridgewaterRaritan on February 23. Allesch scored 17 points, and Kramer added 15, as the Knights rallied for a 20-7 fourth quarter in their final Skyland Conference match-up of the season. Gill concluded the regular season with a 77-40 rout of Somerville on February 25. Rooks led the way with 18 points and six rebounds, while both Allesch (14 points/ 12 rebounds) and McBride (13 points/17 rebounds) posted double-doubles for the Knights. The trio of Emma Dean ’17, Gallic and Kennedy Whitehead ’16 also combined for 15 points and 10 rebounds in the contest. GSB fell to Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public B State Tournament on March 4 to finish the year 17-8.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
March 2015
Fencing Devon Kaiser ’15, Emma Corbett ’16 and Jacqueline Luberto ’16 led the girls’ sabre squad to a 7-2 victory over Pingry on January 29. Danae Aslidis ’18, Nichole Morley ’17 and Jada Davis ’16 earned epee points, and Colette Bilynsky ’16 added one at foil, as the Knights fell 16-11 to the Big Blue. Despite an outstanding 3-0 effort from Samuel Solondz ’15 at sabre, the boys dropped their match against Pingry, 18-9. Lachlan Wright ’17 and Luke Fischer ’16 each went 2-1 at epee, while Samuel Zimmer ’16 and Landon Braemer ’17 contributed points at foil and sabre. GSB hosted the Lawrenceville School on February 6. The girls lost 21-6 despite a 3-0 sweep from Bilynsky at foil. Corbett (two points) and Kaiser rounded-out the scoring with sabre points for the girls. Fischer, Wright, Nicholas Bhimani ’18 and Patrick Reilly ’17 led the boys’ epee squad to a 6-3 victory. Ross Pollack ’16, Zimmer and Jack Riccardo ’18 earned a 5-4 win at foil, and the sabre squad of Luke Solondz ’17, S. Solondz and Braemer finished 6-3 to take the boys to a 17-10 victory in the match. Sabre fencers Kaiser, Corbett and Luberto defeated West Windsor-Plainsboro South (WWPS) 6-3 on February 10 to help the girls to a 15-12 victory. Bilynsky joined Samantha DeRing ’16, Mary Frances Howard ’17, Katherine Huang ’16 and Alexandra “Allie” Udoff ’16 for the win at foil, while Aslidis and Davis captured two points apiece at epee. The boys also defeated WWPS 16-11 after a successful performance from all three weapons. Stefan Lambert ’15 (3-0), Pollack, Riccardo and Zimmer earned the foil win, Bhimani, Fischer (3-0), Reilly and Wright won at epee, and Braemer VARSITY FENCING joined the Solondz Ross Pollack ’16. brothers for a victory at sabre.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
The girls secured their second straight win (15-12) on February 12, behind sabrists Corbett, Kaiser and Luberto with a 9-0 sweep. Bilynsky likewise swept her foil opponent 3-0 at Somerville, while Jessica Abowitz ’18 and Davis chipped in with epee points. Although Lambert (3-0), Pollack and Riccardo secured a 5-4 victory at foil, the boys fell 16-11. Bhimani, Fischer (two points) and Wright also earned epee points, while Braemer went 2-1 at sabre. Morley had a 3-0 sweep, Davis finished 2-1 and Aslidis scored one point to lead the girls’ epee squad to a 6-3 win over Voorhees on February 20. Corbett (two points), Kaiser and Luberto chipped in with points at sabre, while Howard (two points) and Zoe Quan-Shau ’16 did the same at foil. The boys’ sabre squad of S. Solondz, Braemer, L. Solondz and Andrew Silverschotz ’18 earned a thrilling 5-4 victory. Fischer went 2-0 at epee, followed by Wright and Bhimani with one point apiece. Riccardo also finished 2-1 at foil, and Pollack chipped in with a point. Ice Hockey The GSB ice hockey team rallied from a 3-1 deficit to even the score (3-3) against Newark East Side at the Prudential Center on January 30. Ryan Turse ’18 scored two goals, Alyx Schrecengost ’15 assisted twice, Nathan Crystal ’17 had a goal and goaltender Gunnar Valentine ’15 made 25 saves.
VARSITY ICE HOCKEY Alyx Schrecengost ’15.
Despite two goals from Devin Hohman ’17, and an assist by Schrecengost, the Knights fell 5-2 to Oratory Prep at Mennen Arena on January 31. Hohman continued to shine on February 4, as he earned the first hat trick of his career while leading GSB to a 5-3 win over Dayton Regional. Tyler Schrecengost ’18 added one goal and two assists, and Turse contributed a goal and an assist to defeat the Bulldogs. Both Christian St. Germaine ’17 and Graham Valentine ’17 chipped in with assists, and Gunnar Valentine made 36 saves in the cage.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
March 2015
T. Schrecengost found the back of the net with 2.7 seconds left in the third period to give GSB a dramatic 3-2 victory over Newark East Side on February 11. Turse led the scoring with two goals and one assist, and both A. Schrecengost and St. Germaine had assists. A. Schrecengost and St. Germaine, along with Graham Valentine and Nathaniel Bess ’17, also provided staunch defense in front of goaltender Gunnar Valentine (16 saves). Indoor Track & Field Patrik Andersen ’15 finished first in both the 800-meter run (2:05) and 1600m (4:37) at the Prep B Indoor Track Championships in Lawrenceville, N.J. on February 7. Gregory Niccolai ’16 (1st/39’2”), Michael Tafaro ’15 (3rd/36’10”) and William Metzler ’16 (4th/34’8”) earned valuable points in the shot put, as the boys’ team finished second overall. Amechi Nwandu ’17 scored in three events for Gill as well, taking third in the 400m, and sixth in both the 200- and 55-meter runs. Mathieu Petit ’17 (3rd/800m;4th/1600m) and Michael Iannaconi ’16 (3rd/3200m) shined in their distance events, while Will Dadouris ’17 secured two points in the 400m (5th). Stephen Hassett ’17 and Ken Zhang ’17 also ran well in the 200m and Jackson Ensley ’18 did the same in the 800m. The girls’ team placed second overall at the Prep B Championships behind banner performances from Armani Comick ’15 in the shot put (1st/31’3”), high jump (2nd/4’6”) and 55m (4th/7.96 seconds). Ludi Zhu ’16 earned points in the 55m (2nd/7.73 seconds) and 200m (3rd/28.58 seconds), as did Erica Phiansunthon ’17 in the shot put (4th). Lillie Wilson ’16 was the runnerup in the 3200m and Sahara Ensley ’16 took third in both the 1600m and 3200m. Samantha Bittman ’17 posted a solid time for Gill in the 800m as well. Comick (shot put/high jump), Ensley (3200-meter run), Andersen (1600m) and Petit (800m/1600m) earned top-six medals at the
VARSITY INDOOR TRACK & FIELD Lillie Wilson ’16.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
NJSIAA Non-Public B Indoor Track Group Championships in Toms River, N.J. on February 14 to qualify for the prestigious Meet of Champions. Nicole Johnson ’18 also placed seventh in the 800m and Wilson eighth in the 1600m to help the girls to a seventh place team finish. Phiansunthon (shot put), Bittman (800m) and Zhu (55m) likewise logged fine performances in the girls’ meet. From the boys’ team—which placed seventh overall—Metzler, Niccolai and Tafaro threw well in the shot put event, Nwandu and Zhang competed in the 400m, and Iannaconi (1600m) and J. Ensley (800m) represented GSB well in their distance events. Varsity Swimming Joseph “Julien” Esposito ’15 finished fifth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:47) and sixth in the 500y freestyle (4:50) to lead Gill St. Bernard’s boys’ swim team to 11th place overall at the Somerset County Swim Championships on January 31. Carter Silvey ’16 took first in his 50y freestyle heat, while Michael Urowsky ’16, Leo He ’17 and Alan Chen ’18 swam personal bests in the same event.
March 2015
Dates to Remember Monday, March 30 Classes Resume Wednesday, April 1 R.S.V.P. for Sand & Sea Gala www.gsbschool.org/auction Friday, April 3 Good Friday School Closed Thursday, April 9 Parents’ Association Coffee Chat Community Blood Drive Register at gsbschool.org/blood-drive Saturday, April 11 Joe Show
VARSITY SWIMMING Alan Chen ’18.
The girls finished 13th overall behind the 200y freestyle relay squad of Sophie Connell ’16, Jennifer Montejo ’16, Sabrina Sukhin ’18 and Emily Supron ’17, which dropped seven seconds off its personal best time. Nita Diverio ’15 (50y freestyle), Giselle Garcia ’18 (200y backstroke) and Carolyn Brand ’17 (100y backstroke) all posted season-best times in their respective events as well. In addition, Gabrielle Breuer ’17 and Elisabeth Middleton ’16 joined Montejo and Sukhin for a fine performance in the 200y medley relay. The season continued on February 3, as Esposito was second in the 200y freestyle (1:47) and third in the 500y freestyle (4:48) during the Prep B Championships in Lawrenceville, N.J. Esposito also finished seventh in the state while competing in the 500-yard freestyle event at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions on March 1. He advanced to the state final after securing a 4:44 finish in the 500y freestyle on February 28. Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Saturday, April 18 Sand & Sea Gala R.S.V.P. online by April 1 Tuesday, April 28 Upper School Concert Wednesday, April 29 Piano/Guitar Recital Friday, May 1 One Act Festival Friday, May 1 – Saturday, May 2 Alumni Weekend Sunday, May 3 Lower School Ice Cream Social To view more school events, or for information on the above, please see GSB’s online calendar. 13.
Gill St. Bernard’s School
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
March 2015
St. Bernard’s Road P.O. Box 604 Gladstone, NJ 07934 908-234-1611 gsbschool.org facebook.com/gsbschool
Build life-long friendships, learn new skills and have fun!
Since 1966
Enrichment Programs From athletics to academics, Hi-Hills offers a broad range of enrichment programs for all ages Kinder Camp A fun and nurturing environment for 3-5 year olds Traditional Day Camp Making friends and learning new skills for 6-11 year olds Teen Travel Fun day trips and week-long overnights for 12-14 year olds CIT Program Counselor-in-Training – Transition from camper to counselor for 15 year olds
Ages 3 - 15
June 8 - August 21 in Gladstone, New Jersey
Visit us at our 2015 Camp Open House Dates from 11am - 3pm: Sunday, April 12th Sunday, May 17th
Call for Information: 908-234-0067 • hihills.com www.facebook.com/hihills Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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