Hillbrook School Alumni Journal 2013 by Hillbrook School

Alumni Journal 2013

Missing your old lunch buddies? Save the date for our annual Alumni Celebration! May 10th, at 4:30 pm

RSVP by emailing Karen Levitas, Director of Alumni Relations, at klevitas@hillbrook.org

Table of Contents 14

Enter the iLab FEATURES 10 Excellence Beyond the Classroom 14 Enter the iLab 20 Joining the Game

Excellence Beyond the Classroom

3 6 8 26 28 29 30 33 37

Letter from the Head of School Q & A with Greg Stamos This Year (so far) at Hillbrook Upward Bound Alumni Notes Honored Faculty Emeritus: Richard Casserley Memories of Hillbrook: Francia los Cimientos Memories of Hillbrook: Dave Martin Letter from the Director of Alumni Relations

A journal for the alumni community of Hillbrook School, Los Gatos, California. Head of School: Mark Silver Head of Middle School: Joe Connolly Head of Lower School: Stephanie Deitz Chief Advancement & Enrollment Officer: Tesha Poe Chief Financial Officer: Judy Parks Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations: Karen Levitas Director of Communications: Megan Stevens Director of Technology: Don Orth Photography provided by Greg Stamos or Megan Stevens unless otherwise noted. This journal is published by Hillbrook School. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us. Thank you. Hillbrook School 300 Marchmont Dr. Los Gatos, CA 95032 Phone: 408-356-6116 Email: info@hillbrook.org Web: www.hillbrook.org

2012-2013 Board Members Board President: Steve Benjamin Vice-President: Fiona Greene Secretary: Christine Kennedy Chair, Finance Committee: Tom Archer Chair, Advancement : Nancy Yu Trustees Tom Edsall Andrea Edwards Chuck Geiger Chuck Hammers Vlado Herman Beth Hobbs

Michael Mulcahy Sonia Sangster Jeff Straathof Brian Underwood Issac Vaughn Richard Williamson

3 Letter from the

Head of School

ecent conversations on campus and in the community will have a familiar feel to long-time Hillbrook families. As a school, we have again applied to the Town of Los Gatos to modify our conditional use permit. Unlike earlier applications which involved construction projects—Founder’s Hall in the late 1980s/early 1990s and a campus master plan in the early 2000s—this application is focused on increasing our enrollment from 315 students to 414 students, with the majority of growth happening in grades 6–8. Visit www.hillbrook.org/ discover/stronger for a more detailed outline of our plan.

Echoing the CUP applications from the early 1990s and the 2000s, we are once again engaged in a process in which we are striving to both meet our goals as a school and do everything we can to be good neighbors to the Marchmont community. We have adopted a series of traffic mitigation measures, including the reintroduction of a bus program, increased advocacy for walking and biking, and the hiring of a part-time transportation coordinator to help oversee these important efforts. The results have been impressive, and we have seen a significant decrease in our traffic. Unfortunately, this decrease has not necessarily translated into support from the neighbors, and we continue to seek ways to find common ground. While the CUP application process is challenging, I have found there has been an unexpected benefit. During a recent Town Council meeting, we had several alumni speak, including two alumni from the 1980s—Eric Fox ‘86 and Karen Anderson ‘86—who are now parents of current Hillbrook students, as well as several alumni parents from the 1990s and 2000s whose children graduated from the school several years ago. Hearing these long-time Hillbrook community members speak about Hillbrook’s extraordinary educational experience reaffirms the lifelong value of a Hillbrook education. The following is an excerpt of Eric’s remarks to the Town Council: “Growing up, I—in my wildest imagination—never would have expected that I would have the great fortune to raise a family here in the South Bay or that my children would have the chance to attend Hillbrook. My attendance there was without question the foundation of my educational life at both Los Gatos and at Duke. When my wife and I visited the school as a possibility for our children, we discovered that while some aspects of the school had evolved and changed, many aspects had remained very much the same. Most importantly, Hillbrook’s truest element remained the same: a commitment to learning and a diverse set of programs to build a well-rounded education.”

As Eric so aptly noted, our school remains committed to providing an extraordinary educational program that helps students reach their highest individual potential in school and in life. At Hillbrook, we continue to believe that schools should celebrate creativity, risk taking, and imagination, while also providing a challenging program that equips students with core academic skills. Rather than adopting the either/or mindset of so many schools in our country—a school must be either academic or nurturing, disciplined or creative, traditional or innovative—we have embraced a philosophy that focuses on meeting each child where they are and helping them reach their highest individual potential. Echoing our founders, we continue to believe that “as the twig is bent, the tree will grow.” One of the greatest joys of being the Head of School at Hillbrook has been the opportunity to meet alumni and alumni families as they return to campus. I hope you will join our community on Friday, May 10th for this year’s alumni celebration. During the last few years, we have created a new tradition during the alumni celebration by honoring a former teacher as part of the festivities. Two years ago we honored Peggy McNutt and Charlene Douglass, last year we honored Al Gates, and this year we are excited to announce that we will be honoring Richard Casserley. Read more about Dick and his time at Hillbrook in this issue on page 29. Returning to where I started, the application to modify our CUP is certainly an important initiative at the school. As you can see from this edition of our alumni magazine and as you will discover if you spend time on campus, however, the CUP process is not the only—or even most important—thing happening at the school. As has been true from our beginnings in the 1930s, the most important thing we do each and every day is create a joyful community where children are known, respected, and valued as individuals and where they are challenged to reach their highest individual potential. I invite you to come back to campus and see for yourself that, day after day, Hillbrook remains an extraordinary place to be a child. I know my own children would agree wholeheartedly.

Mark Silver, Ph.D. Head of School

Stay

connected to Campus Join the Hillbrook Community @ facebook.com/hillbrook Keep your email address up to date at hillbrook.org/alumni And come to the Alumni Celebration!

Q&A

With Greg Stamos

Q: A:

Greg, you’ve taught a lot of kids during your time here, and all of them seem to really like you—what’s your secret?

Food! Just kidding. Honestly, first and foremost I respect them as individuals and see and celebrate those things that make them wonderfully unique and great. I know this may sound cliché, but I love—with every fiber of my being—being a teacher and sharing that educational journey with each and every one of my students. Not just the joyous times, but the difficult times as well. I guess the final one is that I truly am just an older kid. Most of my students are much more mature than I am!

Photo Credit: Maddie ‘13

Besides your role here at Hillbrook as a teacher, you’re a professional photographer. Can you share any advice for alumni who are also interested in photography?

Your room is always filled with music, which I’m sure many alumni can attest to. What are some of the newer bands that your students have introduced to you recently?

I love hearing new music. There are, of course, bands that I grew up with that I still listen to, but I mostly enjoy hearing new music. Some of the newer stuff out right now that I enjoy are: The Silversun Pickups, Fun (I am loving the song Carry On), The Mowgli’s (they have a current song San Francisco that is great), The Black Keys, Atlas Genius, and Imagine Dragons to name just a few.

Q: A:

Can you share one thing about yourself that you think most alumni don’t know?

Good grief, I am such a blabber mouth they probably know everything about me. I worked a couple of years in Glacier National Park in Montana. Some probably know that, but what they may not know was that I had a run in with a grizzly bear while running on a trail inside the park. I was running when all of a sudden a grizzly ran across the trail in front of me. To say that this suburban kid from the Bay Area got a little scared would be an understatement. I will put it this way, from then on I only ran on the main road.

I don’t know how crazy it is, but there is one thing that occured in my room that is a special memory. My very first year here at Hillbrook I taught 4th grade. I took over for the former fourth grade teacher Donna Plehn who taught for many many years. One of her favorite events was the living history gold rush day. Well I had heard stories about these gold rush bandits that would somehow come in the middle of the night to decorate the classroom with streamers and candy. I thought it sounded like a nice traditon that Mrs. Plehn had with these mysterious bandits and was assured that it would end with her. Well on the morning of my first gold rush, I arrived at the school around 5 am. When I approached my room (which is now Ms. Campbell’s room.) I saw my room was hit by the bandits. They left me a note (along with all of the decorations and candy) welcoming me to the school and wishing me a great day. For a neophyte teacher who had already received a lot of support, I was really touched by their including me in this long running tradition.

Q: A:

Anything else you’d like to say to the alumni?

I am a recent convert to the social media world. I joined Facebook last August and have had some reconnections with some of the alumni which has been great. I just want ALL of them to know, even if we don’t get a chance to communicate that I love them with all of my heart and hope they are doing well for themselves and those around them. My door here at Hillbrook is always open and I would love to see them if they ever choose to come back and see us. I would love to show them around campus and catch up with what they are doing. Love all of you, Take Care!

Be sure to stop by the Hillbrook Office on May 8th to view a collection of Greg Stamos’s work from the past 20 years. He will be showing architectural and landscape photography.

Q&A with Stamos

You will hear this from most photographers or photography instructors, but the best thing you can do is to shoot as many images that you can. It is just like practicing any sport. The more you shoot the more your eye will be trained. There is so much technology out right now that makes photography incredibly accessible. For example I have an alumna right now studying overseas who is capturing some stunning images using her phone. It seems that wherever you are, if you see a scene you can capture an image of it. This technology is creating a much more visual world than the one I grew up in.

Teaching Middle School students, I’m sure you’ve had some crazy things happen in your classroom over the years. Can you share a memorable moment or two?

JK/K 100 days of school party 4th grade bubbles experiment

This Year (so

at Hillb Halloween Parade

Family Fun Night

far)

brook

Faculty vs 8th grade basketball game 6th grade bust project

beyond

Excellence the Classroom

H illbrook

has always sought to bring the best and the brightest to our campus—and that doesn’t just apply to students. Inspired to follow in the footsteps of our school’s founders, a transformative program debuted at Hillbrook this year. The Hillbrook Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), an innovative learning institute that seeks to raise the level of teaching quality and educational experience for children in both public and private institutions, is one of the core pieces of the school’s strategic plan Vision 2015. It may be in its inaugural year, but the CTE already has made a huge impact on education here at Hillbrook. The CTE has three parts—a Resident Teacher Program, a Speaker Series, and a Conference Series. Resident Teacher Program In the Resident Teacher Program, we match educators at the start of their classroom teaching careers with seasoned Hillbrook mentor teachers. The Residents commit to a two-year tenure at Hillbrook, much in the same way that a medical doctor commits to a residency program. They work with their mentor teacher to create lesson plans, build the curriculum, and provide classroom instruction. This year, four Residents joined us on campus—7/8 science Resident Ilsa Dohmen, 4th grade Resident Emily Drew-Moyer, 6/7 English Resident Emily Stekl, and 1st grade Resident Olivia Swan. Spend time in any one of the classrooms with a Mentor and a Resident and you will immediately see the transformative impact this is having on our program. Walk into a 4th grade classroom and you might see students working in small just-right reading groups with support from three 4th grade teachers. A closer look reveals that groups are split among the entire 4th grade, not just one of the two classes. Three teachers—two seasoned educators and a Resident—for one grade level provides powerful individualized attention. Left: CTE Resident Ilsa Dohmen and 8th grade student Brooke hold a student-made paper balloon over a heat source to create lift.

6th/7th English teacher Julia Rubin (far left) and CTE Resident Emily Stekl (far right) can now spend more one-on-one time with students.

Walk into an 8th grade science classroom and you might see students intensively working in teams building a rocket. The challenge? Get the rocket to stay up in the air as long as possible. The two teachers—a Mentor and a Resident—move among the groups offering advice and feedback, a level of personal attention not possible in previous years. Walk into the library classroom on a Thursday afternoon and you might see the four Residents, program director Aimee Giles, and a member of our faculty or administration actively discussing an important topic in education as part of the Residents’ weekly seminar. Topics might include supporting a range of learners, adolescent development, or building your own professional learning network. The seminar shows that curiosity and lifelong learning are happening all across our community, not just with our students. The evidence is strong—the program works and it is allowing

us to better meet our mission as a school to help each child reach their highest individual potential.

of knowledge, critical thinking, and exchange of ideas on cutting-edge best educational practices.

As 6th/7th grade English teacher Julia Rubin says when talking about her teaching experience this year with Resident Emily Stekl, “It’s like everything is better. Everything is in technicolor.”

The series kicked off last summer with the Innovative Leadership Conference, which Hillbrook hosted in partnership with the Santa Fe Leadership Center. Educators from across the country gathered at an off-campus site near Los Gatos to spend five days stretching their minds and their skill sets. Several

Looking ahead to next year, we expect to hire a second cohort of four residents to join our initial cohort of residents. With eight residents on campus, we will be able to have one resident each in grade K–4 and three residents in the Middle School. Every student will benefit from the increased individual attention, the active collaboration of teachers, and the energy that this program is infusing into our campus. Conference Series The CTE Conference Series offers an academic and intellectual exchange among Hillbrook faculty and their peers in education around the world. The Conference Series is committed to cultivating a forum

Facebook guru and Hillbrook parent Arturo Bejar speaks to students about what Facebook is doing to support younger users.

The evidence is strong—

the program works and it is allowing us to better meet our mission as

their

each child

highest individual potential.

a school to help

Hillbrook administrators attended and presented at the various sessions.

took his conference learnings to a whole new level (see Joining the Game, page 20)

The second conference last summer, the John Hunter Master Class, was the result of a partnership with the Martin Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. Several Hillbrook teachers attended the conference and returned inspired. Be sure to check out the article on 5th grade Humanities teacher Vin Gingery who

Speaker Series The CTE Speaker Series seeks to bring thought leaders from both the educational and professional worlds to the Hillbrook campus and allow them to engage with students, parents, and faculty. We’ve had several extraordinary speakers present this year, ranging

reach

from geophysicist Sheldon Breiner, to Hillbrook parent and Director of Engineering at Facebook Arturo Bejar, to astronaut Mary Ellen Weber. They each shared what they are working on with our community, inspiring those gathered to listen. We look forward to lining up next year’s speakers soon. The new Center for Teaching Excellence may be in its fledgeling year, but as we have already seen— this institute will help keep Hillbrook on the cutting edge of educational best practices and set the school and its students up for great future success. We look forward to seeing what the CTE will bring to campus in the coming years. And there is no doubt that the founders of the school would be pleased with our devotion to their quest of creating the perfect environment to educate children. Hillbrook has always been a school founded on the principles of progress and innovation. We continue with those high goals in mind today.

For more on the CTE, including registration for any of our 3 upcoming summer conferences or Resident Teacher application, visit: www.hillbrook.org/cte

What happens when you extend curiosity to the learning space?

ENTER THE

iLAB ...

By Don Orth Director of Technology

hink about the places where you learn, you work, you play, relax and find inspiration—your car, for example, or your home office, your kitchen, a chair you call “Ralph” that has a perfect view of the yard... These are not spaces that anyone makes you go—they’re spaces you choose, you imagine, you build, you arrange, you create. And possibly, they give you some comfort, or inspiration, or even a sense of belonging. The simple truth is, we are deeply affected by the spaces in which we live and breathe and work and play. Making the jump to apply that truth in an educational context is not a big leap. In fact, many educators refer to the classroom environment as the “third teacher,” and that concept is picking up steam. A few years ago, we made the decision to bring technology into classrooms to be used in immediate ways relevant to curriculum. This was the death knell for the old computer lab, but the lab’s rebirth proved game-changing. We reimagined the space around the questions: What does a 21st century classroom look like? What kinds of teaching and learning happen here, and what tools exist that we can supplement with the right kind of environment? And just asking the questions got us curious about the possibilities. Could we create a space that complements and enhances teaching and learning, curricula, and the tools we had at our fingertips? Design thinking, iPads, laptops and project-based learning are just a few of the components of a Hillbrook education that could help shape a new kind of classroom. A new kind of classroom that we’ve dubbed the iLab. The iLab Project is an experimental classroom where we hope to more clearly understand how students and teachers can create learning spaces that enhance teaching and learning. And we’re not in this alone. Bretford, a company specializing in educational furniture, has donated the latest in mobile classroom furniture—including chairs and tables with wheels that can be configured countless ways, two-sided whiteboards on wheels, and a mobile Smart Board. Research scientist Tim Springer (founder of HERO, Inc—human environment research organization) is also on board, combing through data we’re collecting on the usage of the space and eagerly interviewing teachers for their take on this new classroom. (For more on our partnership, see the iLab website: hillbrookilab.com )

On previous page: 3rd grade Scratch Video lesson. Clockwise from top: 5th grade Bridge Day presentations to parents; 1st grade green screen Math Movie project; 7th grade History team project.

uch like at a college campus, there is no ownership of the iLab and a wide range of subject areas are taught in the space. All teachers and classes have access to the iLab, and are encouraged to ask the question: How does environment affect learning? The iLab Core group—teachers Ken Hay (Art), Christa Flores (5/6 Science), Julia Rubin (6/7 English), Ilsa Dohmen (Resident Teacher for 7/8 Science), Greg Stamos (Photography), and Eden Maisel (Spanish and Service Learning)—is helping to look at the question, test out the space, talk to peers, and observe how student ownership of classroom space (in the iLab and in the classroom) affects engagement, confidence, and proficiency. One hypothesis is this: If a student can create her own environment for the work at hand, she will already be more engaged before the work has begun. Active engagement and interest leads to deeper exploration, leads to confidence, leads to greater understanding. What does it look like? A teacher walks into the iLab with a class and explains the task at hand. For example: “Today we are going to learn about gravity. Here are a few resources to help you investigate (imagine a table or resources and perhaps a few web links and videos). You’ll split up into four groups of four, and discover all you can. Record what you learn. At the end of class, we’ll come together and discuss. Ready? Go!” Students then split into groups, arrange their spaces in the iLab with the intention of creating distinct areas that will contain their group and their work. They have access to prototype materials to build if they need to, laptops if they need them, whiteboards, lots of whiteboard markers, whiteboard tabletops, and more. We believe that a dynamic learning space has a positive impact on student learning. What we learn in the iLab will inform the design and structure of other classrooms at Hillbrook in the coming years. The information we gather, we believe, will help schools around the world understand the importance of a child’s learning environment. Already, several teachers and I have spoken about our findings at conferences across the nation. Our data is being analyzed and shared with hundreds of other schools. And this is just the beginning. The iLab project is an example of just one more way that we are living Above: 7th grade prosthesis project presentation. this year’s theme to be curious. Asking questions always involves taking a risk. There’s a balance between what we know and depend on, and the possibilities that might open up new opportunities. I’d be willing to bet that the classrooms, teaching, and learning going on at Hillbrook are very different than what most of us recognize from our own childhood. I also think that Hillbrook is a place where, if we could be children again, we would love to be enrolled. Asking questions, reexamining, reinventing, redesigning—all in an effort to serve our students—is vital to keeping education relevant to this generation of potential paradigm shifters.

Don Orth is the Director of Technology at Hillbrook and was recently named an Apple Distinguished Educator. He received his BA from Tufts University and EdM from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Don has been working in public and private schools, both in the US and Europe, for over a decade as a teacher and administrator. In the last few years, Don has focused on bringing meaningful innovation into education, not simply in the form of technology, but by way of better understanding student needs, learning styles, and the shifting landscape of our world.

Joining the Game Game play in the classroom brings history alive

oh n Hunter is a giant in the world of educational innovation. Voted TED Talks’ “most influential speaker” of 2011, he has consulted with the US Secretary of Defense and the UN. “World Peace and Other 4th Grade Achievements,” a documentary produced about John and his game, has aired on national television in countries including Norway, Israel, and South Korea. He is now an advisor to TED-Ed, and probably has several more projects in the works—and last summer, he spent time with our teachers as part of the CTE summer conference. When a chance to partner with the Martin Institute and bring John Hunter to Los Gatos arose last year, the newly formed Hillbrook Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) jumped at the opportunity.

diplomatic talks. Students immerse themselves in the game as John steps back and facilitates. He starts off each game with his 4th grade class by giving them only one rule: Consider the consequences.

Through his World Peace Game, John has brought attention and weight to the idea of game-play as a classroom tool. Growing from a 4’x5’ plywood game board that first debuted in his 4th grade classroom in 1978, the World Peace Game now takes place on a complex 4-level plexiglass game board. Students are assigned a country and take on roles like prime minister, defense minister, and other cabinet positions. They create treaties, invade neighboring countries, deal with scarce resources, and conduct

This game-play and studentcentered teaching method fit perfectly with the CTE’s focus on innovation in the classroom. In August of 2012, as part of the CTE Conference Series, Mr. Hunter came to Los Gatos—along with educators from California and even Canada—for an intensive 2-day workshop. Several Hillbrook teachers were also at the conference, ready and eager to pick up a few tricks. They all got more than they bargained for. John came prepared to not only

Above: John Hunter talks with Hillbrook 6th grade Humanities teacher Jenn Gingery at the CTE summer conference. Right: Students discuss landing spots on Day 1 of the Colony Game.

share about what he is doing in his classroom, but to work with others to take his idea and adapt it to their own curriculum. His passion for this gameplay method of teaching was contagious. And it didn’t take long for Hillbrook’s 5th grade Humanities teacher Vin Gingery to find the perfect fit for his class. Vin was inspired by the game concept and—in a few weekends of hard labor—soon had his own plexiglass and plywood game board. Then came the real difficulty of creating the concept, rules, and dossiers for each team. Settling on a colonial theme for his version of the game—which dovetails nicely into the 5th grade curriculum of early US history— Vin began to refine the details. He

created teams of settler groups, each from a different country with a detailed and unique backstory. Some teams were fleeing religious persecution, others were on a quest for land and resources, and one team was a group of Native Americans who were fleeing from a stronger tribe and new to the area. “I’ve always tried to bring history out of the textbook for my students,” Vin explained. “We have Gold Rush Day and several events throughout the year when students dress up and encounter history in the classroom. Creating a colony game was an obvious next step.” Students chose roles that varied from minority representative to spiritual leader, and were given their first task—figure out where to land on the game board. Like the actual colonists, students were restricted in their view of the entire game board and could only see the coast. Only the Native American team was given a peek at the entire board, providing them with a sizable advantage. Each team rolled the dice to see who would go first in selecting their landing spot. On each turn, a weather wheel was spun and teams could only proceed if the weather was favorable. Teams then used a decision organizer to decide their next step, and learn the consequences of it. “I wanted to give my students an opportunity to truly experience what the colonists did—including that not-so-great feeling when they made a decision that didn’t work out as expected,” says Vin.

Right: Students set their pieces up on the game board. Each colonial group was given a different number of colonists, supplies, and livestock, mimicing the resources of various colonial groups that came to settle in America.

Far right: Mr. Gingery walks through a decision organizer with a student. The colonial groups had to weigh all their options for each decision, then choose one and have the whole team sign off on it. Left: Colonial groups began each turn by spinning the weather wheel. If they landed on good weather, they could proceed with their decisions. Bad weather would cause them to loose a turn.

He used an iPad to help him reveal the decision tree that students encountered, showing them only the effects of their team’s decision and keeping them in the dark about what other teams were up to. Vin added a spiritual level to his game, where teams drew a card from the deck and learned what spiritual phenomenon—ranging from the birth of a two-headed calf to a rumor that witches are present—will be effecting them. Another roll of the die cast their future: whether the rumor of witches meant that 5 colonists deserted the settlement, or that none of them did. Students were eager to take their chances and play the game. And then suggest their improvements. Vin took the game a step further—after the game was over he looked to the players to help him re-write it. He may have created the first version of the board, the teams, and the scenarios, but it certainly won’t be the last. To wrap up the students’ game experience, Vin had them write a paragraph about what they would do differently if they ran the game. Emmy suggested adding a territory level: “The territory level would be where the groups fight for land. They wouldn’t always FIGHT for land though. They could practice their bargaining skills by bargaining for land.” Another student, Clark, thought the game could be improved by tweaking the supernatural level. He suggested that, regardless of

weather, teams should encounter the spiritual level. “If you got good weather you would pick from the good pile and if you got bad weather you would pick from the bad pile and end your turn there.” Next year, the game may include some of their suggestions. Many teachers and administrators stopped by during the game play, eager to see how it was going. Then, at the recent NAIS conference in Philadelphia, one

of our teachers who had been at the summer conference bumped into John Hunter and shared what Vin had introduced in his class. John beamed and was eager to hear more about how it went. Though Vin’s game is still in the early developmental stages, there is no doubt that this one will become a 5th grade favorite.

Upward Bound Class of 2012 High Schools Christos Achilleoudis

Bellarmine

Molly Ball Jacob Bergstrom Isabel Braham Madhunila Chandra Allison Crowley Jay Deshpande Nicole Edsall Kyle Epsman Sophie Greene Lilja Gudmundsdottir Eric Horn Eric Kateley Chase Kerley Curtis Lloyd Maya Mizuki Bailey Moore Claire Mulcahy Caleb Pleasure Ryan Roggenkemper Ryan Rozenberg Caroline Schumb Kieran Shaw Logan Stevens Rowyn van Miltenburg Jacqueline Vaughn Jackson Williams Jack Zukin

Los Gatos High Bellarmine Saratoga High Presentation St Francis Bellarmine Los Gatos High Dunn St Francis Menlo Archbishop Mitty St Francis Bellarmine Bellarmine Notre Dame Archbishop Mitty Presentation Lincoln Bellarmine St Francis St Francis Bellarmine Bellarmine Los Gatos High Castilleja Saratoga High Bellarmine

27 Class of 2008 Colleges Saira Ahuja Tim Bloch Paulina Choh Aaron Chun Griffin Cook Megan Crane

Santa Clara University Unknown Middlebury College Milwaukee School of Engineering University of Colorado Santa Clara University

Jackson Denney Will Dennis Jarod Diaz Nicholas DiMaria Andrew Dzurko Andrew Eldredge Raphael Fils Allison Goldman Jennifer Harriman Sarah Hebeler Sam Holton Chase Horn Emily Jones Ligia Law Rachel Magnan Madison Moore Austen Noh Brittany Oudewaal Sean Reilly Nicole Richards Kelsey Rife Byron Striepe Phillip Talieh Allegra Thomas Hannah Toloui Marta Weisler Remi Wilder

Southern Methodist University Seattle University Loyola Marymont Belmont University UC Santa Cruz University of Oregon Boston University Sonoma State University Arizona State University Gap Year University of Oregon Sonoma State University Gap Year Gap Year Washington University at St. Louis University of Arizona Babson University UCLA Santa Clara University Cal Lutheran University Loyola Marymont DePaul University Arizona State University Santa Clara University Cal Poly West Valley UC Santa Cruz

Alumni Notes ’11 Hanna Knowles

Hannah has earned a gold medal and national recognition in The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards of 2013 for her short story entitled “Paper Cranes for Japan.” She says: “The title comes from a memory I have of my 6th grade class folding cranes as part of a fundraiser for Japan’s recovery from natural disasters.” This year, 230,000 works of art and writing were submitted to the competition, and only the top 1% were recognized on the national level. Hannah has been invited to attend an award ceremony at Carnegie Hall on May 31.

’08 Nicolas DiMaria

Nicolas is now in his freshman year at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He just performed at the university’s annual Country Showcase 2013 concert, attended by over 5,000 people (a few more than were in attendance when he last played the Hillbrook talent show!). About 50 acts submitted, 8 were chosen for live auditions and only 4 make it to the showcase.

’03

Elaine Levia

Elaine graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2010 with a BA in Feminist Studies, researching development and empowerment for women in the coffee industry. Her passion for reading and information literacy (fostered early at the Hillbrook library, many thanks to Mrs. Douglass!) has brought her to UCLA, where she is pursuing a Masters of Library and Information Science with a concentration in Gender Studies. She plans to use her library training, combined with a love of helping people, to work in youth or community services with an emphasis on literacy instruction and training. She considers her Hillbrook teachers to be her role models.

In Memoriam Bryan Epps

Crandall “Bryan” Epps (Class of ‘46) passed away in February of this year. He arrived at The Children’s Country School for the Pied Piper’s Call summer camp in 1942. Bryan was a kind, gentle, and introspective soul who would later earn a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from UC Berkeley.

Florence Houser

Florence passed away in early February of this year. She taught for many years at schools around the Bay Area but chose to spend her final teaching years prior to retirement at Hillbrook. Florence was very involved with the production of the yearbook during her years here. Former Head of School Robin Clements remembers her fondly.

Maggie

’97

Maureen Casey

’96

Sanjeet (Eric) Mann

Maureen is currently finishing up her Early Childhood Special Ed credential at SJSU and is a special ed teacher for preschoolers with autism in the Franklin McKinley School District in San Jose.

Eric lives in Redlands, CA with his wife and their two Siamese/tabby mix cats. They work as librarians at the University of Redlands, where they maintain the library’s website and online information resources. They also teach students the skills they need to make effective use of information in their classes and throughout life. When he has free time, he enjoys playing piano and composing, getting things done around the house or in the yard, watching TV with his wife, or trying to keep their furry, mischievous boys entertained and out of trouble. Send us your updates! Email klevitas@hillbrook.org or submit via the alumni page.

This past November, we lost a dear friend who has been a much-loved part of Hillbrook since her arrival in 1999. Maggie, Lower School art teacher Susie Heeter’s longtime friend and companion, will always be remembered for her devoted attitude and sweet demeanor. She accompanied Susie to school most days, and was a fixture on campus.

This year’s honored Faculty Emeritus:

Richard Casserley Q:

Hi Richard, Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions. You spent many years teaching at Hillbrook. When did you first begin teaching here?

I started in 1981.

I’m sure you’ve seen lots of interesting things happen around campus while you’ve been here, can you share a favorite memory or two?

I enjoyed watching the building of the gym. I’ve also got fond memories of the old adobe Upper School building.

How has retirement treated you? Have you accomplished any of your life goals or big dreams?

Retirement is great!! I’ve been able to travel to many places - England, France, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Trinidad, Peru, Ecuador. Loved them all. I’ve also spent a lot of time practicing photography, reading, and cooking.

Be sure to join Richard at the Alumni Celebration on May 10th at 4:30 pm!

Q: A:

What are you looking forward to most at the upcoming Alumni Celebration? Meeting old friends.

Memories of Hillbrook: Francia Los Cimientos, Class of ‘46 At The Children’s Country School, now known as Hillbrook, children were the center, the heart, the reason, for it all. It was a world made for us, from adaptable classrooms to the Little Village that was just our size. We were free to explore each blade of grass, trace minerals in rocks, count stars in the night sky, run leaping across meadows, make music and song, and question the reason for everything that touched our lives. The presence and guidance of the four founders— Aunt Ann, Miss Glassford, Mrs. Orem, and Mrs. Wollin— solid as earth, sensible, sensitive, and wise, kept us inspired and aware that we had responsibilities to our community and ourselves. All around us were fields and trees. They were all ours, to protect and care for. We slept in fresh air tents, ate healthy food, were encouraged to become confident and happy and discover our talents. Gender equality? That was of no concern for us. Boys and girls were obviously equal. We were friends, companions in work and play. Working together, we could accomplish anything from building a sturdy boat to sail across the swimming pool (Columbus discovered America year after year in that pool!) to creating stage sets that sometimes toppled down on top of us. Digging in the garden, we were all equal, in our khaki green shorts, perspiration, grimy faces, and smiles. Class meetings were often anywhere we happened to be. There were indoor classrooms, where I spent as little time as possible. The classrooms I learned best in were by the side of the pool, or under the oak trees by the brook, or a comfortable living room cuddled up at the feet of—was it Aunt Ann? She delighted us with animated recitations of history, bringing ancient beings to life.

Glassford taught us to be champion swimmers. Legend had it that she could not swim. She never wore a bathing suit or dipped a toe in the water. She just prowled around the edge of the pool in her slacks and farm shirt, giving us the count. Her gift to me was convincing me I could always do better, move those arms more smoothly, kick stronger, and swim the final lap I was more than certain I could never make. That determination has served me repeatedly in this lifetime.

And then there was Mathematics. Math was my nemesis! Day after day, Aunt Ann insisted I finish my sums before she set me free to run to the stable to saddle my horse for the best time of the day—riding around and around the ring, learning to become a competent equestrian. Afterwards, brushing down the sweaty horses before giving them alfalfa and oats. Even shoveling steaming manure from the stalls was a great time to share with best friends. Then we’d heading back to the pool where tall, thin, stern-faced Miss

Then there was the time California celebrated a reenactment of the arrival of the Spaniards who had ridden their horses north all along the Pacific Coast. We rode out to meet the historic riders coming in from Los Angeles. Trotting out from our Children’s Kingdom, down Marchmont and through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the top of Summit, we were a jolly yet seriously responsible posse. We celebrated when we met the guest riders on the Summit—there was mutual admiration, I believe—then, guided them back down the

31 Below: The four founders. From left to right, Nathalie Wollin, Mary Orem, Elizabeth Glassford, and Ann Boge.

generation was keeping the tradition alive. They invited me to teach Nature Studies in exchange for my young son’s tuition. We created a barnyard and a petting zoo. They gave me everything I needed to make it a meaningful adventure for the children. Oh joy! I was doing what I loved most in the world in the place I loved most on earth.

winding mountain road, escorting them in a parade down Main Street in Los Gatos while bystanders cheered us on. My faithful chestnut mare with two white socks, pranced and danced, bucked and reared. It was a magical, glorious day and, frankly, that was the “norm” for our golden school days. Small wonder that when my parents decided to put me in a neighborhood public school, confined inside four walls with chalk dust and blackboards, I wilted like an uprooted lupine. They quickly sent me back again to my school! Then came the age when there was no more choice, I had outgrown The Children’s Country School. First, I went into a stricter-than-strict Catholic boarding school, then graduated from an elegant and stifling private girls school. Years later, I returned to The Children’s Country School as a young mother. Some beloved people were gone. A new

Time moved on, and so did I. In 1976, I became seriously ill. Acute Systemic Lupus, they said. For 11 years, I fought for my life—a full time job. I sought healing in the fresh air of the mountains and deserts and learned how to use healing herbs and natural medicines from American Indian Shamans and meditation from Tibetan Masters. In 1987, my health improved. I re-entered the work-a-day world, feeling like Rip Van Winkle waking up to discover that everything I did before now required a university degree. Therefore, I worked as a volunteer with refugees from the Central American War. Right at that time, my mother died. I learned that an investment broker had re-written Mother’s will and robbed me of my home and inheritance. With the “Never Give Up” spirit I learned from the Four Founding Women, I resolved to do exactly what I would have done if I had received my inheritance. That was a solemn pledge. It brought me to work for human rights in Guatemala in 1989 and eventually to the Los Cimientos K’iche. A Maya K’iche village, robbed of its legally owned land, 6,000 acres with five rivers, arrived at my door. I knew how they felt! Using the inquiring mind and research skills that I learned in the Country School, I delved into Guatemalan land law. Together, year by year, for 14 years, we faced the Guatemalan government in all its forms, and finally, won. Friends and I had created a non-profit in the US, with the mission to return those Mayan families to their land. They became the first Mayan community in history here to regain their land rights. Guatemala, like the rest of the world, is fast becoming an environmental disaster zone. The youth of this country, as in so many countries today have been forgotten, abandoned, without jobs, with little dignity. Many are living in endemic poverty, tortillas and salt, plodding through days without hope. What are their choices—scraping depleted earth

to feed the family or turn to delinquency, join the drug dealers? When my service with the K’iche was successfully completed, I decided to work, always as a volunteer, living on my small Social Security check. Someone at The Children’s Country School taught me, “Work not, eat not.” I receive my monthly Social Security check as my salary from the universe for my work to save the planet and our young. A beautiful little bit of land was available, surrounded by forests and 100 year old avocado trees. It was—it is—a perfect place to bring children and youth to help them remember where they come from, what beauty is, and how to protect it. There it is today, K’aslem Mandala Center. The forest around us is gone. Now, 450 houses for the poorest of the poor surround the K’aslem Mandala Environmental Education and Youth Leadership Center. In the Mayan dialects, K’aslem means Life, a name given us by a Mayan Elder as a sacred trust. From world traditions that healed me, Mandala, the circle–The Sacred Circle of Life—K’aslem Mandala. A child of the FDR generation, with memories of a precious school tucked in the Los Gatos foothills I designed a program that provides work-study stipends for unemployed, earnest youth. First, they learn the basics of caring for the environment—reforestation, water quality, grow food without agro-chemicals. We polish their natural teaching skills then they teach in schools, grades pre-school to 8th and help form youth groups with young Mayas roaming the streets. Our marginally literate team designed a threemonth curriculum on their own for the holistic Environmental Appreciation course they teach in local schools. A Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from Spain placed his curriculum side by side with theirs and they were nearly identical! The team has taught more than 3,000 children since K’aslem started in 2005. Guatemalan youth teaching Guatemalan youth—always working as a team. The Children’s Country School and the Los Cimientos Maya K’iche taught me the many benefits of team work. Now, I am in my golden years, as some might say; though others would perhaps say, declining years. I am enjoying being an Elder in a culture that still honors Elders. K’aslem program is in economic doldrums, like the rest of the world. We are planning my final project with the team, an ecological composting toilet for K’aslem Center. The K’aslem Ajpu Team will continue teaching local children there. The eco-latrine will be a learning and teaching experience for the team and a group of sixth grade students—and, it is a model for the 450 families moving in around us.

It was a long journey from The Children’s Country School to Los Cimientos to K’aslem Mandala. Most steps were aweinspiring, some moments more comfortable than others. And, in reflection, everything I am today I owe to four women who loved and celebrated children so much they gave us our own world. - Francia

Memories of Hillbrook: Dave Martin, Class of ’69

y time began at Hillbrook in 1966. I had a awful experience in public school, so my parents enrolled me to attend Hillbrook. They were attracted to the small class size, and the special attention the teachers gave the students. I had attended summer camp previously, so my parents decided to enroll me and see how it might work out. It was different in many ways, but what I remember most is at Hillbrook a school uniform was required. The uniform consisted of grey pants and a white dress shirt. On Fridays we wore the grey pants and white shirt, but in addition a tie and dark blue blazer were added. Later on we had “free dress” days, and everyone always enjoyed them.

I can remember many of my teachers. For English, Mrs Gathergood; Math, Ms. Jane Adams; Music/Choir, Mrs Bartz. We had classes in the Middle School classrooms. Mrs Gathergood was my home room teacher. She was a teacher that had come from England, and had a great sense of pride and humor. In her class we could often sidetrack her and get her to talk about England and what it was like during World War II during the blitz. In 1965, she was voted Teacher of the Year, and I can see why. Jane Adams was a great math teacher. Math was always (and still is) a rough subject for me. Like all my teachers, they took time and helped you understand the concepts. Thanks to her I got A’s and B’s in her class and loved math. She was liked so much that when our class graduated in June of 1969, we asked her to be the guest speaker. Mrs Bartz was another gem. When I attended Summer School, she had been my teacher. From that first meeting on she always made a point of saying “Hello” to me no matter where we were on campus. She played the piano so well. I was not very good at singing in the choir (and am still not a great singer) but she would inspire all of us to try. Mr. Young was the science teacher. He always gave us six words to define for the next week’s class. He made it easy, because if you listened we discussed those words in class. For physical education, our teacher was Mr. Kesselering. There are many memories of him, some I would rather forget, and some I remember and am proud of. The one memory I think of most is the day we had an inter-class track meet. On that day, I was running in the 50 yard dash, shot put and 220 run. I came in first in all three events. That year I earned my letter in track and gymnastics. On the day of my graduation, I was awarded the Sportsmanship Award. No doubt the trophy is somewhere in the offices at Hillbrook. Some of the most memorable events at Hillbrook were the bake sale fundraisers, but there is one fundraiser in particular I often think about. In the spring of 1968, Hillbrook was trying to raise money to make improvements on the campus. Each class had bake sales, but as a school we did a BIGGIE. During our weekly Friday Assembly we watched movies on regular basis. This particular Friday the student body got a sneak preview of a new movie coming out, Chitty, Chitty, Ban Bang, staring Dick Van Dyke. After the preview it was announced that Hillbrook was going to have a Champagne Premier for the movie at a local Century Theater. All of the students and teachers were very excited and were looking forward to it with great interest. It turned out to be lots of fun, but I’m not sure how much money Hillbrook raised... Dave currently lives in Stockton, California with his wife Shirley. They will be celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary this year. They have a daughter, Jessica. If you would like to get in contact with Dave, he can be reached at dmartin021354@gmail.com

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the...

History of Hillbro Good Question.

Current PE teacher and unofficial Hillbrook Historian Paul DiMarco decided to find out.

If you would like to share your memories of The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Country School, now Hillbrook, with Paul, email him at pdimarco@hillbrook.org

ook?

y searching though old photos, records, newspaper clippings, and contacting all the alumni he could find, Paul wrote what we consider to be the definitive history of our school in his book As the Twig is Bent. The book is available on Amazon, with signed copies available if you contact the school.

e also worked with a former Hillbrook parent and documentary film maker Felice Leeds to produce As the Twig is Bent: The Story of Hillbrook School. Watch the award-winning 45 minute film online by clicking the link found on our webpage: www. hillbrook.org/anniversarybook

Come re-live those carefree kindergarten years

RSVP for the Alumni Celebration on May 10th at 4:30 pm by emailing Karen Levitas at klevitas@hillbrook.org now!

Letter from the

Director of Alumni Relations

ver y day I get the privilege to interact with the most inquisitive, creative, and happy students that I’ve ever met. Especially on Mondays and Fridays, when I have morning yard duty for the 1st and 2nd grade pod at Hillbrook. I swing the jump rope, observe friendships being forged, and enter a world of imaginative play. By the time I ring the bell at 8 am, these students are eager to enter the classroom to begin learning and discovering.

When I began at Hillbrook last June as the Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, I had no idea that I would be so inspired by the confidence and energy displayed by our students each and every day. I was initially drawn to Hillbrook because I connected to the school’s mission and vision, and I enjoy coming to work every day because I constantly see its mission in action. The children at Hillbrook motivate me to be my best. Not surprisingly, I feel driven in the same way whenever I interact with Hillbrook alumni. Whether I am talking to an alumnus from 1942 or 2012, it is clear that Hillbrook’s mission has stayed consistent throughout the years—Hillbrook molds children into confident, curious, and passionate adults. Every time I hear an alumnus warmly reflect on their time at Hillbrook, I am reminded how important it is for me and the rest of the Advancement Office to achieve our goals. It is crucial that we ensure the financial health of the school so that students will have the opportunity to create these vital memories for years to come. Thank you for being my daily inspiration. I hope that you know how important you are to the Hillbrook community, no matter how long ago you graduated or how far away you have moved. You are an important piece of Hillbrook’s history and its future. Please stay connected through our website, Facebook page, and each other. Come back to campus for our annual Alumni Celebration, and if you can’t make it that day then come back whenever possible. I am always available to give tours and chat about Hillbrook past and present. They may be too young to understand, but I want to tell my 1st and 2nd grade friends that they will be in great company one day once they leave Hillbrook. I know that their fellow alumni will embrace them as they enter high school, college, and adulthood. Together, they will join you and hundreds of other Hillbrook grads in helping to make a difference in the world. Sincerely, Karen Levitas Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations

300 Marchmont Drive Los Gatos, CA 95032 info@hillbrook.org