GEORGETOWN D
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It’s Not Gym Class, It’s Physical Education JASON PUTSCHÉ PHOTOGRAPHY
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Future of Diversity Symposium
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Community Read: Parent Book Club
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Makers Conference FALL 2014
OUR MISSION DRIVES ALL THAT WE DO. Georgetown Day School honors the integrity and worth of each individual within a diverse school community. GDS is dedicated to providing a supportive educational atmosphere in which teachers challenge the intellectual, creative, and physical abilities of our students and foster strength of character and concern for others. From the earliest grades, we encourage our students to wonder, to inquire, and to be self-reliant, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.
REBECCA PROBIS
Thank you to all of our staff and alumni writers for your contributions to the magazine. We welcome submissions from all Georgetown Day School community members. Please contact agrasheim@gds.org to learn more. Alumni are encouraged to send their news with photos to alumni@gds.org for inclusion in the Georgetown Days magazine.
FALL 2014 GEORGETOWN DAYS REBECCA DROBIS
Head of School Russell Shaw Assistant Head of School Kevin Barr
MAGAZINE STAFF Director of Institutional Advancement Kendra Brown Director of Communications Alison Grasheim Web Director Florri DeCell Storyteller and New Media Associate Kimberly Damm Magazine Design Think 804
2014–2015 GDS BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Trustees Jenny Abramson ‘95 Stephen Bailey Emily Bloomfield Philip Bronner Monica Dixon Lisa Fairfax Marc Glosserman ‘92 Jennifer Klein Jill Lesser Reid Liffmann Leroy Nesbitt Jr. ‘78 Pamela Reeves Lucretia Adymy Risoleo Scott Shepperd ‘79 Jeff Shields Hanker David Smith Anu Tate David Wellisch
CONTENTS FEATURES
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR JASON PUTSCHÉ PHOTOGRAPHY
Officers Michael Gottdenker, Chair Brad Vogt, Vice Chair Eric Koenig, Treasurer David Leary, Secretary Cheryl Johnson, At Large
29 (On Cover) It’s Not Gym Class, It’s Physical Education
AROUND CAMPUS
5 In the Classroom 10 Beyond the Classroom 18 Arts & Performances 24 Faculty 26 Athletics 34
MEET THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 36 ALUMNI REUNION &
10 Community Read: Parent Book Club 16 Future of Diversity Symposium 40 25 Makers Conference
NOTES
2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT
2 FROM WHERE I STAND A Message from Head of School Russell Shaw
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At GDS this year’s all-school theme, which we are calling our “green thread,” is reflective practice. Reflective practice is the act of paying careful attention to what we do and how we do it in order to learn continually and move forward with intention. The notion of reflective practice has gained prominence in recent years in Anders Ericsson’s research on excellent performance and, more broadly, in Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers. Reflective practice means not merely acting, but noticing the impact of your action, and changing future action accordingly. For teachers, reflective practice means the difference between having a true 30 years of experience (where teachers grow and adapt, learning from previous years) versus experiencing your first year of teaching, 30 times (where each year is like the last, reflecting no growth or learning). What does reflective practice look like at GDS?
JASON PUTSCHÉ PHOTOGRAPHY
Reflective practice is a veteran teacher tinkering with and refining a unit even if it’s already “successful,” taking care to ensure that the desired outcome is achieved for each and every student.
Russell Shaw, Head of School
It is the gathering of data—including the feedback that students provide to teachers, completing online surveys in every class twice a year; the feedback that faculty and staff provide to me, completing an annual online survey; and the feedback that parents provide to the school, which we will collect in our biannual ISM Parent Survey this spring. And it is, importantly, the analysis and sharing of that data, so that it can inform intentional change, both at the individual and institutional levels.
FROM WHERE I STAND
Last month, I had lunch with Gladys Stern at her home. Gladys, GDS’s third head of school, recently celebrated her 97th birthday. Gladys is remarkable—sharp, funny, passionate, and still deeply in love with GDS (a romance that has endured for more than half a century). Over lunch she regaled me with stories of Aggie O’Neil and Edith Nash, GDS’s first two heads; Leroy Nesbitt ‘78 and Scott Shepherd ‘79, two of her favorite students, both of whom are current GDS parents and trustees; and Ben Bradlee and Frank Mankiewicz, alumni parents whose funerals took place prior to our lunch. Each time I see Gladys, I leave enriched by her wisdom, insights, and priceless GDS lore. In Gladys’s living room next to her favorite chair sits a coffee table, towering with books and magazines. Gladys is a voracious reader. Mixed in amongst the novels and biographies are a handful of books and articles on education. When I ask her about them, Gladys replies nonchalantly, “I like to keep up.” What does it mean to “keep up” at 97 or, in the case of Georgetown Day School, at 70? It means to count your blessings, honoring your rich history and deep strengths. It also means not being afraid to cast a critical eye both internally and externally, relentlessly asking, “What does better look like?”
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It is the convening of a Critical Friends Group, a voluntary, faculty-led professional learning group that focuses on continuous improvement of classroom instruction, assessments, curriculum, and more. It is an upcoming all-faculty read of Elizabeth Green’s new book, Building a Better Teacher: How Teaching Works (and How to Teach it to Everyone), to be followed by a visit from the author at our February In-Service Day. It is a new faculty mentoring program designed to ensure that teachers in their first three years at GDS receive adequate support and feedback in order to develop into thriving teachers. It is a professional learning cycle that includes goal-setting, regular classroom observations, peer-to-peer collaboration, and more, all designed to foster a vibrant culture of faculty learning—and therefore a vibrant culture of student learning. At GDS, following Gladys’s example, we are fortunate to be part of a culture and tradition in which our love of learning is not just central to our mission for students, but for adults in our community as well.
Letters to the Editor The piece by Julia Fisher ’11 in the Spring 2014 edition of the Georgetown Days Magazine elicited multiple responses from you. We’re so happy to have heard from you and welcome other notes. Email editor@gds.org.
Dear GDS Family,
I always enjoy reading about GDS, and just finished reading the article “The Writing Bug: What Makes a Hopper Writer?” by Julia Fisher. Because Ms. Fisher was doing research about how many GDS alums became writers, I thought I should weigh in. I didn’t graduate from GDS, but my 5th and 6th grade years there inspired me to learn and to write in ways that all my years of public schooling never did. My 5th grade teacher was Barbara Friedman. (She was subbing for Carolyn Reeder, who had a baby that year.) I still remember vividly the red ink pen comment from Barbara on one of my stories: “You might want to consider writing stories for children.” And so, many years later, I did. I am the author of nine award-winning novels and two picture books, with one on the way, for young readers. Joe Mitchell, my 6th grade teacher, also had a hand in steering me toward my writing career, as he encouraged me to indulge my passion for historical research. Most of my books are historical fiction, based on true stories. I sorely miss fellow children’s author Carolyn Reeder. We sat together often at Children’s Book Guild luncheons and at book signings. I always had fun telling people she would have been my fifth grade teacher if she hadn’t had a baby that year, and she always laughingly told me to stop making her feel old :) For inspiration, for encouragement, for love of learning, and for confidence, I believe if it had not been for my two years at GDS I never would have become a writer. Sincerely,
Elisa Carbone Pre-1972
REBECCA DROBIS
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Dear Editor,
It was a pleasure to read about the wonderful writers that GDS is producing in “What Makes a Hopper Writer?” in Georgetown Days, Spring 2014. The High School and Middle School teachers mentioned have inspired many students, including my own sons, with their passion, expertise, and knowledge. They are master teachers who have given GDS graduates the skills and desire to become professional writers. However, making great writers doesn’t begin in middle and high school. From the very beginning of each student’s academic career at GDS, he or she is taught the basic skills, strategies and techniques to become a good writer. Students are exposed to rich literature, both prose and poetry, and they have the opportunity to really practice their craft, building their capacity for writing as well as their confidence to do so eloquently and expressively. The very first steps to becoming a great writer take place in PK/K, as students learn to form their letters and their ideas, which are often dictated to teachers. Our youngest students learn to connect letter sounds to the words they speak and discover how they can use those characters to represent their fantastic ideas. A multitude of stories from a variety of cultures and experiences are read to them to expose them to excellent writing and vocabulary, many of which they may choose to act out in dramatic play or draw in art. In first grade, which I happen to teach, we nurture the students’ love for storytelling by introducing them to an array of writing elements to aid them in telling their stories as they write personal narratives focused on the small moments in their own lives. They experiment with hooks and leads to open their stories, and identify a clear beginning, middle, and end. They are introduced to the thesaurus to expand their vocabulary and learn to use “describing words” to tell about the characters and the setting with increasing details. Their stories include poetic elements like lyrical threes and onomatopoeia, as well as “showing not telling,” in which they describe how a character looks or feels without naming the emotion. Models of these story elements are shared with the students in oral and independent reading. Our year of writing culminates with Authors’ Brunch, when every first grader stands at the podium in front of parents and proudly reads his or her “published” book. Second grade introduces the students to fiction and poetry, allowing their creativity to blossom as they put their active imaginations to good use. The young writers use story maps to develop outlines and
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create “story mountains” to understand the building drama in a story. They write character sketches and challenge a friend to draw the character to ensure that their descriptions are detailed. For poetic inspiration, they observe their surroundings in nature and connect their writing to their service-learning projects. The students also create Identity Books, using the Big 8 identifiers (ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class) to guide them as they write about who they are and the people, places, events, and characteristics that helped to shape their lives. In third grade, writing is thoroughly integrated with the social studies curriculum as the students learn to take on different perspectives in their writing during their pilgrim simulation. They are encouraged to visualize, empathize, and synthesize information as they write letters in the voice of the pilgrims. In their immigration project, young journalists conduct interviews and research as they write about families coming to America. Fourth Grade introduces students to their first long term projects (LTP) as they are carefully guided through the steps of writing research papers, including note taking, identifying and using a variety of sources, editing and revising, producing a final draft, and creating a bibliography. The LTPs are cross-curricular and include a social studies country report and a science project to incorporate writing across the disciplines. In fifth grade, in addition to many other writing assignments, students embark on the travelling biographies. In this multi-layered, long-term project, they must thoroughly research and write a paper on a notable figure, then memorize their report to deliver a monologue in costume as the character they have studied. This exercise allows them to take on another person’s perspective and write for an audience, as well as hone the research skills they develop throughout the process. Of course, the nurturing of wonderful writers continues across the middle school and high school grades, but it begins in the Lower School. For even the great masters had to begin somewhere—Michelangelo had to first learn to paint a single stroke before he could create his masterpiece, the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.
Paula Young Shelton GDS First Grade Teacher
Around Campus IN THE CLASSROOM
MUD MUCKING, CRITTER CHASING,
and Other Adventures of the 7th Grade Class Trip to the Chesapeake Bay
F
or the past 22 years, GDS seventh grade students have participated in an overnight class trip to the Chesapeake Bay. Over the course of three days and two nights, students immerse themselves in one of four sites where they experience ecology and bay studies first hand, learning from the experts at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. This year’s trip took place during the second week of school in September, which provided an incredible introduction to the ecology and bay studies unit in seventh grade science. MS science teacher Lynne Mackay-Atha shares, “In order to care about the Bay you have to be fully immersed.” Reliving memories of the trip, Lynn shared anecdotes about students digging their hands in the mud, squealing as they touched critters for the first time, and bonding joyfully over escorted boat rides throughout the Bay.
Beginning in their Lower School years, students eagerly anticipate the famous Chesapeake Bay Trip, where they will get to sink their feet and hands into a massive field of mud. When asked what his top takeaway from the trip was, seventh grade student Josh Orszag responded without a hitch, “The mud mucking!”
“In order to care about the Bay you have to be fully immersed.”
Students come away from this experience with a tangible understanding of ecology and a memory that they can return to as they continue learning about environmental issues throughout the year in their science class. In true GDS form, this trip ignites students with a passion for resource conservation and a stronger conviction in the ability of individual actions to make a difference in the world. GEORGETOWN DAYS FALL 2014
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Around Campus IN THE CLASSROOM
Trailblazing Collaboration G
DS High School and Lower School students along with teachers and chaperones gathered in a gravel parking lot at the trailhead of the Billy Goat Trail at Great Falls, in Potomac, MD, as the early morning mists lifted on October 20. Bundled in puffy coats and fidgeting to stay warm, the group huddled in circles and chatted about the exciting day of scientific exploration ahead. For the first time, the entire GDS third grade along with the High School Evolutionary Biology class were embarking on a fieldtrip where the students would collaborate on a scientific endeavor. Lower School science teacher Eric Friedensen and High School science teacher Bill Wallace designed this field trip around the question, “Why are ecosystems biodiverse?” Together, the students gathered authentic data about ecosystems using realworld scientific field methods. For this field trip, HS students learned to think like scientists and gained experience in leading teams of researchers. A key part of the field trip was analyzing the data that their inter-age teams collected. Bill Wallace explained, “It is through this analysis that the HS kids will understand that evolution is the explanation for the presence of specific species of trees.”
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With their extensive knowledge about tree identification, third graders served as indispensable team members in the field. Eric Friedensen shared, “For this trip, it was a chance to show that they were learning really important skills that were not only important for our own learning objectives, but also could be used to support older students trying to do scientific research.” While on their field trip, third-graders invited their new high school friends to see Great Falls through their eyes: a tree stump presented a challenging platform for practicing tree pose and rocks morphed from a fort into the perfect perch for snack time. By mid-day, HS students and third graders were scurrying to the top of the highest mound of rocks together, smiling, laughing, and learning from one another. “It’s nice to be able to reflect on what I was like as a third grader and see our similarities. You realize we’ve been studying science for so long and have learned so much,” said Zita Moghadam ’17. The field trip also served as a reminder to HS students to continue to bring imagination, curiosity, and a sense of playfulness to science. “Hey, this quadrant has a trip wire!” joked third grader Dalton Beach ’24, as his group finished marking off a section of the park for investigation.
ROGER COLAIZZI
Graduation 2014 The Georgetown Day School Class of 2014 graduation was held on June 8 at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC. Retiring GDS HS English teacher Louise Brennan served as the faculty graduation speaker, and Dean of Georgetown Law School and GDS HS parent Bill Treanor delivered the graduation address. Rachael Schneiderman ’14 and Nicholas Biniaz-Harris ’14 were selected by their fellow graduating class of 124 students to address the students. Rachael and Nicholas also presented the Senior Class Gift, which will provide funds to benefit GDS financial aid and to purchase new lounge and study furniture for the HS. GDS looks forward to following the many successes of the Class of 2014, and to welcoming you back into GDS’s doors as alumni.
“You have brought many wonderful and memorable moments to the GDS community. As you leave us with innumerable accomplishments both in and out of the classroom, know that you head into a world that is in need of you. And thus we do let you go—because we know that so much lies ahead of you.” GDS High School Principal C.A. Pilling, in her remarks with the GDS Class of 2014. 7
GDS Uses New Flexible Space To Fuel Academic Innovation The fall 2014 semester kicked off with a naming contest for the High School’s innovation lab—a new space on the second floor where students and faculty can work on interdisciplinary projects using the latest technology. After considering a wealth of ideas, students voted on their favorite names. In the end, members of the senior class persuaded the student body to name the innovation lab “Odradek” after the mysterious figure in the Kakfa story they were studying, “The Cares of the Family Man.” In an email to the High School, HS English teacher Anna Howe explained the background to the innovation lab’s new name, “After beautiful discussions, the students in both of my classes came to similar conclusions—that Odradek is the spirit of intellectual discovery itself. Odradek is the conversation, the creation, the exploration.” In its first semester of use, Odradek has seen a wide and varying range of activities, and students and faculty alike have enjoyed engaging in projects in the lab. Thanks to new technology and flexible space, Odradek has already housed over a dozen projects including launching a model rocket, building a quad-copter, designing and printing 3D sculptures, and mapping local landscapes.
For the local landscapes project, 9th grade local history classes worked together in small groups to brainstorm and physically map out a new design for our nation’s capital. “Your task today is simple...start from scratch and literally build DC!” said HS history teacher Marjorie Clark. Using tape, cardboard, paper, glue, and other recycled art materials, students worked together to build their own 3-D versions of DC that incorporated transportation, defense, natural resources, and other important aspects of the city. Ninth grade student Zachary Stern shared, “We had been learning about the design and construction of the city so this project was a fun, interesting, and new way to reinforce what we knew from the classroom.” As GDS moves into its second semester of the 2014-2015 school year, the calendar for Odradek is already filling up with innovative activities. For more information and to follow the latest stories unfolding in Odradek, visit www.gds-odradek.com.
GDS STRATEGIC PLAN
GOAL 5– INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS 8
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Facilities: Develop a strategy in support of optimal student learning.
Around Campus
JASON PUTSCHÉ PHOTOGRAPHY
IN THE CLASSROOM
PK/K Sandwich Shop is Open for Service What does service learning look like during a student’s earliest years in a classroom? On Tuesday mornings in the PK/K classrooms at GDS, service takes the form of sandwich making for Martha’s Table, a local nonprofit that provides healthy food, affordable clothing, and quality education to DC residents. GDS veteran PK/K teachers Barbara Buonora and Joanna Phinney share that this ritual has been a part of their curriculum since their first years at GDS nearly three decades ago. PK/K teacher Nichelle Dowell explains, “Each week students also draw pictures for Martha’s Table. They are sending the sandwiches with love.” Piecing together a PB&J or meat and cheese sandwich may sound like a simple process, but for those youngest learners who are still strengthening their dexterity skills, it’s more than an act of service. Sandwich-making is a lesson in following directions, using your hands, and understanding order. Every Tuesday, students also learn about who and where their sandwiches go once they leave GDS and why there is a need for their donation. They discuss community service, the reality of need and hunger here in DC, and how individual actions, like making sandwiches weekly, can make a difference. With their weekly donation of more than 120 sandwiches, the collective efforts of GDSers over the years have benefitted Martha’s Table and fed thousands of DC residents.
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Around Campus BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
C O M M U N I T Y
R E A D
THE GDS PARENT BOOK CLUB It’s a Wednesday at GDS, and in a High School English classroom, a rapt group of learners is studying the latest book from the curriculum. A teacher leads the class through a book discussion, covering themes, weaving in author’s intent, and using student perspectives to shed light on the text. The sun is down; it’s a night class. The students are not working steadily toward graduation; they’ve done that long ago. The teachers are GDS English teachers, in a secondary role: leading the GDS Parent Book Club, a meeting of minds that has been going on for more than two decades. In its time, the English department’s efforts have raised in excess of $90,000 for GDS’s financial aid fund through annual membership fees. Meeting seven times a year, and led by HS English teachers, participants have read more than 125 books, short stories, poems, and plays, most of them straight out of the curriculum GDS students are following themselves. Parent coordinator Nancy Chasen (whose children, Laura and Ricky Spero, graduated in 1998 and 2000 respectively) has led the club going on 17 years. The club has grown from a nascent club of six parent members who purchased their participation through the School’s auction to the current 30+ members who gain paid entry after leaving a waiting list.
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Nancy said there’s a reason the club is so popular: “The book club allows for a strong and continuing connection for parents to the school. It’s an opportunity for them to see their kids’ teachers in action and understand first-hand just how amazing the GDS teachers are.” For Nancy, maintaining that connection is one of the reasons she’s stayed long after her kids have graduated.
“And what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversation?” “Parents consistently say that they feel they are getting a taste of what their kids get—a really intellectual conversation about books,” said former GDS English teacher and past faculty book club coordinator Louise Brennan, who retired last year. It’s not just a way for parents to feel connected to this place, according to Louise. “These participants are drawn together by their intellectual natures and GDS spirit.” Nancy echoed that sentiment. “A lot of trust has built up over the years. The book club has become a real community within a community. Parents and teachers are willing to share life experiences and how these experiences affect their understanding of the books.”
The club is now coordinated by English teacher Michael Wenthe, who led the club’s first discussion of this year about The King by Donald Barthelme, an alternate history in which King Arthur and his knights take on the Nazis in World War II. Though the book club often reads the same books faculty teach in class, both Louise and Michael said there are key differences in their preparation for and guidance of the book club. “In the book club, everyone has read the entire book already. It’s not piecemeal like it often is in class. On the one hand, we have this longer block of time for discussion, but on the other we only have 90 minutes to talk about the entire book,” said Michael.
A taste of some of the
“In class, it may seem free-form and spontaneous,” said Louise. “The truth is, you have an endpoint in mind, a thesis you’re trying to steer the conversation toward. For parents, it’s much more subtle. It’s about finding the right question, the one that intrigues them all, the one that unlocks a big conversation.”
• The King - Barthelme (2014-15)
“I have a much more carefully mapped out lesson plan for the High School classroom, in which I want to hit certain points in a certain order,” said Michael. “With the book club, I might come in with the same points, but not so much on a roadmap saying I have to follow a certain itinerary. Instead, they’re points I’d like to visit before the conversation is through.” And the parents are enthusiastic participants on the trip. “They give a lot,” said Michael. “As a teacher, what I find compelling about running these classes is you have adults who are very successful in their own line of work, bringing a perspective which is uniquely infused with their life experience as a professional adult. Those perspectives push the conversation in interesting and often surprising ways,” said Assistant Head of School Kevin Barr, who has taught the parent club many times since its beginnings. Nancy acknowledged that she and other members of the club have been pushed beyond their comfort zones in happy ways, from being asked to write a poem to reading graphic novels and discussing a range of books, from classics to contemporary. “There have been so many books and discussions that have been truly outside of my sphere and made tremendous impressions on me,” she said. She remembers her feelings after reading and discussing classics like Alice in Wonderland, Moby-Dick, and Wuthering Heights: “When we read those books, for some it’s as though we are reading them for the first time. Others remember how differently they reacted to the same material as college students. Those have been truly memorable evenings.” As a thank you for more than 20 years of memorable evenings, in the English department office hangs a gift from the Parent Book Club. In the tiniest of print requiring a magnifying glass to read, an artist has rendered the words to Alice in Wonderland in a swirling whirlpool pattern. Under it hangs a plaque: To the Wondrous GDS English Department From Your Devoted and Delighted Fans –The GDS Parent Book Club (20 years and Counting). “And what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversation?”
THE GDS PARENT BOOK CLUB READS SINCE 2000 • City of Glass – Auster (2013-14) • “Songs of Innocence” and • “Songs of Experience” – Blake (2012-13) • The Book of Job (2011-12) • Alice in Wonderland - Carroll (2010-11) • Hamlet – Shakespeare (2009-10) • Paul’s Case - Cather (2008-09) • As I Lay Dying - Faulkner (2007-08) • A Wild Sheep Chase – Murakami (2006-07) • Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Foer (2005-06) • In the Lake of the Woods - O’Brien (2004-05) • Howards End – Forster (2003-04) • Maus I - Spiegelman (2002-03) • The Odyssey – Homer (2001-02) • Their Eyes Were Watching God – Hurston (2000-01) • Six Parables of Jesus (1999-2000) • Moby Dick - Melville (1998-99)
Find the full list online at www.GDS.org/Publications
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Around Campus BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Global Health Fellows Document Experiences This past summer GDS launched the Public Policy Institute, a pilot program for high school students to learn about policy and advocacy through service-learning, research, and experts in the field. In its inaugural year, the Public Policy Institute offered three tracks: Advancing Global Health, Increasing Diversity in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Fields, and Housing DC’s Homeless Veterans.
During the course of the internships, fellows had the opportunity to attend global health events, Congressional hearings, and strategy meetings with senior staff at their selected organizations. GDS HS teacher Sue Ikenberry, who led the Global Health Policy Institute, shared, “The Global Health fellows enjoyed interacting in an adult world—taking on responsibilities they had never had before and learning how the organizations ran and were funded.”
A central and unique feature of the Global Health Policy Institute was an internship component, where students independently interned for three weeks with one of the following eight organizations: Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; 1,000 Days, Kaiser Family Foundation; Population Council; Eastern Congo Initiative, Center for Strategic and International Studies, American Cancer Society – Cancer Action Network; and Gavi – The Vaccine Alliance.
In addition to holding regular breakfasts where students could share their internship experiences, Sue also asked students to keep daily journals as a means of reflecting on and documenting their experiences (at right).
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GDS STRATEGIC PLAN
GOAL 3– CURRICULUM EVOLUTION:
PK-12 Social Impact Curriculum: Building from Strength
Monday, June 21
Student intern at GAVI Alliance I spent the day rounding out my research with more statistics from UNICEF (which for some reason had one or two minor conflicts with the WHO data), typing up a lot of my notes in preparation to write a two-page paper, seeing a seminar at the World Bank (with a startling graph displaying union membership over the years as a near perfect reflection of income inequality over time)….
Tuesday, July 15
Student intern at Kaiser Family Foundation I also met with three different people on the HIV/ AIDS team to talk about what they do—one had a background in epidemiology, one in applied math, and one in anthropology with an MBA in International business, which just goes to show the wide variety of people who work in what we call “Global Health.” My mentor … has been great about accommodating me and setting up all these meetings so that I can get a sense of different things people do in the field.
Thursday, July 17
Student Intern at Population Council I was working with 304 pages of raw data so I had to learn some new Excel skills, which are actually really cool. I think I’m more excited about Excel tools than any normal person reasonably should be. At the end of the day I was given a survey to go over. I corrected it and made suggestions as well as setting up the question flow. This was really exciting because I feel like I’m actually influencing research here. I think today was my best day so far.
Monday, July 21
Student Intern at 1,000 Days Today I also got to sit in on a meeting with 1,000 Days’ advisors and my coworker Mannik, who does advocacy on the Hill. I never realized how much strategy goes into a simple 10-minute meeting with a senator or congressman!
Friday, July 25
Student at Eastern Congo Initiative Another great day at ECI! I spent the day working on my document summaries, and I’m pleased to say that I’m almost done. I was able to sit in on a meeting between the four directors discussing upcoming fiscal plans and upcoming events.
AROUND THE WORLD IN AFTER-SCHOOL In the Lower School Multipurpose Room one Monday afternoon, three kindergartners are focused on slicing vegetables to add to their salad niçoise. “Coupez comme ceci, avec votre couteau,” says after-school French teacher Karin Rosnizeck. And the students dutifully cut their cucumbers into smaller pieces with their plastic knives, all the while practicing their French skills. “Je m’appelle Maimouna!” shouts one of them mid-chop, when asked her name. “I wish I had French cooking every day of the week.” In Chinese music, kindergartner Christian sings a complete song in the language, while Riley shows magnets they’ve used to create animals and then learned the associated Chinese words. As GDS plans for integrated school-day language instruction for PK–2 students in the coming years, the after-school program is getting a head start with the youngest grades. Students can participate in language exposure classes in Chinese, French, and Spanish through art, cooking, and music. “Our after-school teachers are bringing these languages to life through interactive, experiential learning,” says Gregory Henderson, GDS after-school program director. The program’s goal is to expose students to the accent, vocabulary, and cultures associated with each language to get them well on their way toward language acquisition. It also helps students have realworld experience with the languages, building an association with them and an understanding of other cultures. “Language is a skill our students need, and it is also a window into other cultures. Programs like these reflect the GDS mission and help our students embrace and communicate across difference,” said Lower School principal Laura Yee. To sign up for After-School Language Fun, go to www.GDS.org/AfterSchool.
GDS STRATEGIC PLAN
GOAL 3 – CURRICULUM EVOLUTION:
Modern and Classical Languages: Create a school wide integrated strategy and program for languages instruction.
REBECCA DRODIS
A Sample of Journal Entries from Global Health Fellows’ Journals
Around Campus BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
45 Years in the Making:
Cake Walk
Sweet Shop
International Cafe
Music World
Dining Area
Prizes
Flu Shots
High School Jazz Band Performance
Haunted House “That was seriously scary,” 30-year-old GDS faculty member. Any other adults get spooked during their jaunt through the haunted house? Dunk Tank “My favorite part of Country Market Day is the dunk tank. But, also, what’s in the dunk tank?” —PK Student Welcome & Alumni Tent Perhaps the most happening tent of the day, the alumni tent saw a steady flow of GDS graduates throughout the years.
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“My favorite part of Country Market Day is a half smoke with mustard and onions,” —LS Assistant Principal Rose Bednar
Field Student Soccer Games, Faculty vs. Students Flag Football Game, HS Jazz Band Performance
Book Sale
“Can I PLEASE get this physics book?” —4th Grade Student
New Hopper swag sold to spirited students, parents, alumni, and others. You can now purchase your Hopper gear online at www.GDS.org/SchoolStore
A very warm thank you
to the 45th Annual CMD Co-Chairs Connie Lindenauer and Leila Bremer ’90, who made this quintessential GDS event possible.
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Around Campus
REBECCA DROBIS
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
R E F L E C T I O N
Future of Diversity Symposium by Crissy Caceres
Every realization of a beautiful and worthwhile vision begins with a dream, and The Future of Diversity Symposium held at GDS September 28 to 30 was no different. The Symposium began with an ambitious purpose: “to robustly position diversity and equity as foundational touchstones and luminous beacons for independent schools.” As we designed the Symposium, our agreed upon starting points were that broad diversity is essential to a school’s learning and living community and that independent schools’ very survival, in light of rapid demographic shifts, requires successful navigation of the diversity/ equity landscape. In all, GDS welcomed 145 leaders from 43 schools around the nation who came together in teams that included heads of school, trustees, and diversity practitioners. We also welcomed special guests from the National Association of Independent Schools, The United States Department of Education, Independent School Magazine, and more. Our own GDS team consisted of Russell Shaw, as Head of School, David Leary, as Chair of the Board Diversity Committee, and me, as the diversity practitioner. We
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truly enjoyed working together and delving into the core mission grounding our GDS world. Participants communicated experiences in our schools; we thought about the correlation between our schools’ missions and actions; we learned about the art of “Participatory Leadership” (an approach that cultivates shared ownership and voice around equity and diversity work) as a leadership tool to positively guide our work; and we brainstormed together, sharing best practices. By the three-days’ end, each team had developed an action plan connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion that they were enthusiastic about and invested in launching within their school communities (see right for GDS’s action plan). The energy in our library was palpable, and it spoke to the effervescent, collective commitment from all! The common theme expressed in our plan (and in that of many schools) centers on the continuation of authentic learning, growth, and critical analysis of what is working and what demands attention. I have been and continue to be encouraged by the earnest commitment from our leadership, families, faculty, staff,
We are now starting to collect and analyze the feedback from Symposium participants, seeking to inform our next Future of Diversity Symposium experience. One thing we’re working on for next year: alongside a Symposium for visiting schools, we are seeking to have a concurrent abbreviated experience for our own students, faculty, staff, and family to explore key issues and ideas related to our journeys and truths, in our school, within our contemporary time and experiences. As we come closer to defining this, we will update you and engage your thoughts.
REBECCA DROBIS
and students to the mission-led work that is the heartbeat of the GDS family. As such, we aim to continue leading this effort of sharing forward best practices with schools throughout the nation, while also establishing points of accountability for one another that help us to be constructively critical about commitments made.
Crissy Caceres, GDS Director of Diversity, Equity, and inclusion with LS Principal Laura Yee.
REBECCA DROBIS
As I stated during my Opening Reflection to all Symposium participants about the role of Diversity Practitioner and the work that we do each day, “We are on the ground level of this experience, holding the heartbeat of our schools in our hands and speaking to the mission from a practice-oriented lens. Our aim is to build the capacity and consciousness within each member in our community to feel compelled to join us in true and unrelenting partnership in this critical and life-saving work. To do anything less is simply not an option. Therefore, thank you for taking this step towards a shared vision, shared dialogue, shared accountability, and shared resolve.” Truly, thank you all.
GDS STRATEGIC PLAN
Crissy’s opening remarks to the Symposium are available online at www.GDS.org/Diversity.
Next steps in engaging difference, equality and access to build foundations for success.
G D S ’ S 1 A commitment to transparent communication and action around diversity and equity for every member in our community - We will identify points of need and attention and create intentional action steps to address them (i.e., continued focus and action connected to the hiring and retention of faculty and staff of color and deepened attention on the social, emotional, and academic health of our students).
GOAL 4 – DIVERSITY:
A C T I O N 2
An approach to our work that engages all members of our community - Through strong professional development experiences, increased opportunities for dialogue and leadership development among our students, and a continued partnership with current and alumni families in the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion at GDS, we will practice the notion that this important work belongs in the hands, hearts, and minds of everyone.
P L A N
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Working towards ensuring that our student/family population reflects the greater DC Metro Area One of the points of connection to our Strategic Plan continues to be the increased diversification of our student body in ways that reflect the breadth of diversity found in our surrounding communities. Our students’ need for windows and mirrors in which they can see their lives reflected continues to be a priority.
Building on our strong points of connection – Within the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we are working to build authentic connections with various departments and leaders that allow for the diversity, equity, and inclusion work to be fully integrated into what we do (i.e., Teaching and Learning and Community Service/Service Learning).
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Around Campus
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ARTS & PERFORMANCES
The visual
Arts
AT GDS
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esigned to develop students’ ability to approach creative
experiences with self-confidence, the LMS visual arts program introduces students to a broad assortment of media and techniques. And in the HS, the program seeks to continue that work, instilling a love of the visual arts and offering a wide range of opportunities, for beginners to the accomplished, to be creative, innovative, and successful. Here is a small sample from some of our magnificent students artists from fall 2014.
ENJOY!
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Art provided by (from top left): 1. Elena Pastreich ’17 2. 4th Grade Tempura Painting 3. Julia Smith ’15 4. Nicole Greenberg ’15 5. Michael Avery ’16 6. Miriam Koenig ’20 7. Kyland Smith ’17 8. Claire Cooper ’22 9. Dalton Beach ’24
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10. Jazzmin Cox-Cáceres ’19 11. Callie Solomon ’25 12. Paige Sonada ’18
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Around Campus ARTS & PERFORMANCES
JORDON ROSNER
In a World Cup year and in the midst of America’s growing love affair with soccer, “football” was in the air last year at GDS. In Fall 2014, the GDS High School staged Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Boys in the Photograph, a musical set in Northern Ireland, during the political and religious violence in the early 70’s.
have a deep understanding of the period so that they could portray the passion, fear, and commitment to the cause on stage.
To prepare, the team of students and faculty who pulled off this daring American premiere went beyond getting their lines down and nailing the music. What sets GDS productions apart is the work done to look at it from all sides.
Students also read histories and other books, including How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization by GDS alumnus Franklin Foer ‘92. “This sort of work was especially important because football in the show is not only a metaphor for politics, but also a symbol of hope of a way out for children living in war-torn countries,” said Laura.
Understanding the History and Soccer
Implementing the Technology
As director/faculty lead Laura Rosberg noted in the playbill, “GDSer’s are blessedly removed from the daily onslaught of death, terror, and hopelessness with which many children cope,” particularly as it relates to this troubled time in Irish history. A true understanding of the period was crucial for the actors.
The sheer number of locations in the musical pushed set design to a creative level for our completely student-designed set, costumes, and props. For the first time at GDS, the set incorporated video technology and projections, integrating historical footage and scene-setting projections (including the patterns on an apartment’s wallpaper or raindrops to simulate a storm or bars in prison).
Laura traveled to Belfast the summer prior to the show to witness the lay of the land first-hand; cast member Michael Teirnan ’14, of Irish descent, and other cast members brought their family’s experiences to bear; former HS Assistant Principal Bill Young shared with the cast his experiences working with young people in Northern Ireland during that time period. The goal was for students to 20
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“Designers Teresita Galarce ‘14 and Myles Smith ‘14 used video technology, the newest art in theater, in a variety of ways,” said Laura. “Students learned all new equipment and integrated the films into the production—using film in theater speaks to the world our students are now living in.”
Other technical feats this year: FX. Rain on stage and explosions on set all added to the musical’s aura and professionalism. Perfecting “The Beautiful Game” Amidst all of historical context and storytelling, there remains the game of soccer itself. The cast spent hours watching “endless footage of footballers,” according to Laura, while also workshopping with soccer player Jenny Riemer ’15, and working with choreographer Maria Watson. “Soccer is definitely very hard to translate to the stage,” said Jenny. “I think the [cast] caught on pretty fast and it was a fun and hilarious experience for both myself and the actors.” Laura said that the mix of soccer tricks and choreography took the physicality of the production to a whole new level. “Maria’s choreography integrated true football moves with a series of soccer tricks, to create a complex and very physical dance,” said Laura. Triple Threats Happy with the outcome, Laura said GDS wouldn’t be able to do such a show without “triple threats”—students who are singers, dancers, and actors. “We’ve got serious kids studying across theater disciplines, including designers, and gaining skills in complementary arts.”
Around Campus ARTS & PERFORMANCES
During their rehearsals, a cast and crew of 49 GDS MS students sang about inequality in the 1960s, listening carefully to the meaning of the music and asking thoughtful questions about equity and justice in the U.S. Facilitated by conversations with GDS LMS performing arts faculty and Hairspray Jr. directors Keith Hudspeth, Brooke Houghton, and Crystal Davis, the students talked about challenging social and cultural stereotypes to gain a true understanding of the serious topics that lie beneath the show’s lighthearted music.
The GDS MS Production of Hairspray Jr. the Musical Speaks to Our Mission Beginning as early as the second week of school, the MS was buzzing with the fall musical’s (Hairspray Jr.) upbeat, catchy lyrics and retold anecdotes from bi-weekly rehearsals. By opening night, parents of MS students knew Hairspray Jr.’s songs by heart and could jump in as an understudy for any part. One GDS parent shared that while her student wasn’t even in the MS, the musical was the topic of conversation at the dinner table every night.
“Besides being a fun show with great music, Hairspray Jr. speaks to the school’s mission because of its topic of integration in the 1960s. During rehearsals, we talked about the fight for equity and justice in the 1960s and how it related to GDS then and now. It allows students to see how far we have come in the past 50 years,” shared GDS LMS arts coordinator and music teacher Keith Hudspeth, who directed the production’s music. At the start of their rehearsals, the cast and crew wrote letters to John Waters, the writer and director of the 1988 film Hairspray from which the musical was adapted. John Waters graciously responded to their letters by sending the group a signed can of hairspray with a note saying, “Knock Em Dead.” With a solid three months of rehearsal, a talented cast and crew, and sold-out seats, the students did just that.
www.GDS.org/Giving
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Around Campus
SEAN FINE ‘92
FACULTY
Strong Currents with Danny Stock Late this past October, GDS second grade students lined the Great Falls Overlook, scanning the massive waterfalls that shimmered in the morning glare. They were looking for someone. A cool wind whipped through the crowd as a cheer suddenly surged up from 50 young voices. There!
As Middle School principal Nancy Kaplan has said, “Our openness about who we are and acceptance at GDS helps kids feel more comfortable with who they are and what they can do in the world.”
A kayaker began launching the waterfalls, each landing punctuated by a renewed cheer and the distant spray of water. Moments later, now out of his boat, he was their teacher again, Danny Stock, climbing up to them and into an onslaught of excited questions. “Did you love it?” “Were you scared?” “How did you learn to do that?” “Did you almost die?”
With this field trip and other work, second grade teacher Danny has brought his passion for kayaking and his love for the “amazing national treasure” that is the Potomac River to students, parents, and alumni. From on-the-water lessons to in-school, service-learning opportunities focused on cleaning up the park, his love of the water—and the area that surrounds it—is infectious.
Within minutes, students were transferring that enthusiasm into the hearty, rhythmic pounding of hammers and scrape of sandpaper as they wrangled nails and banished graffiti all along the overlook boardwalk.
According to Danny, his love for kayaking also translates into his classroom work. “Some of my strengths as a teacher come from my engagement in kayaking and other outdoor activities,” he said.
By mid-day, the students themselves had climbed into two giant canoes to experience the historic C&O Canal first-hand. Fall leaves tumbled around them as they dipped their fingertips into the water. Shouts of “Yay, William Douglas!” and “Was that a canal shark?” rang out over children’s steady chant of “Heave, Ho!” as parents and teachers pulled paddles through the water.
“On the water, I want my kayaking students to always have a safety net and the tools to feel like they belong on the river. That approach rings true in the classroom as well—my students feel like they belong as they learn from their classmates and teachers. When I teach, I make sure there is always an element of fun and novelty, challenge and risk, while still ensuring there is a strong current of safety and security.”
At other schools, when students greet their teachers each day, their understanding of the person in front of them seldom takes into account who they are outside of school. What makes the GDS difference? Students have a chance to truly know their teachers, and teachers use all of who they are to teach and inspire. Surely, it takes a whole teacher to teach the whole child. 22
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In October 2011, with a Pan-American Championship title already under his belt that year, Danny was ready for the US National Championships. Before leaving the classroom that Friday, he teased, “If I win, I’m not coming back.” Instead, he drove through the night to meet them Monday morning, a gold medal in the glove box. GDS’s own strong currents brought him back.
Around Campus
KATHLEEN DAWSON
SEAN FINE ‘92
FACULTY
“Being an alum of GDS, I think the thing I most enjoyed was that we were encouraged to get our hands dirty, as the teachers immersed us in the world around us. Often times we forget to take the time to learn from our surroundings and our city. Danny’s second grade field trip is an amazing experience and carries on the GDS tradition of experiential learning. I feel lucky that both my sons got to go on the Great Falls service field trip. Not only do they learn about helping out and protecting our parks, but they get to connect their experience to their teacher. Words can’t express how excited the kids were when they saw Danny kayak the falls. I think it made them feel “wow this place is special.” Danny’s love for the water and the park is infectious and the kids’ excitement truly mirrored that. A great day that culminated in a great canoe trip down the C&O Canal. It’s an experience I know both my boys will never forget.” —Sean Fine ‘92
SEAN FINE ‘92
“The best thing I saw was everybody cheering and being together.” —Georgia Lindenauer ‘25
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Around Campus FACULTY
Director of Enrollment & Financial Aid Barbara Eghan came to GDS this summer, bringing with her a wealth of experience in independent schools. Though there have been many stages of her life that led her here, these four exemplify the unique vision and experience she brings to her role.
STOP #1
A product of an independent school Born in Britain and raised in America, Barbara discovered a love of learning while attending her local public school before finding her way to The Lawrenceville School, a boarding high school in New Jersey. Her first experience in independent schools “totally blew out of the water the idea of what a school could be for me,” said Barbara. “I just fell in love with the place. It was such a great benefit for me. Someone was saying ‘Your voice matters, speak! Your presence is important, come into the room!’”
STOP #2
A rich tradition After graduating from Harvard, Barbara’s first job was at Groton School, a boarding school in Massachusetts, as an admissions officer. While there, Barbara served on the board of a local Montesorri school and immersed herself in all-things Groton, including a two-year stint as an English teacher, which she took on in addition to her admissions duties: “I felt that teaching would make me a better admissions ambassador for the school.
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REBECCA DROBIS
The Journey that Brought New Director of Enrollment & Financial Aid Barbara Eghan to GDS
Admissions isn’t just about getting as many applications as you can, it’s also about the quality of the kids’ experience when they honor you by joining your school.”
STOP #4
An understanding of her role Her work at Groton and serving as a local school board member changed her understanding of how different levels of school leadership can align to make change at a school. That led her to the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s School Leadership program with a focus on urban public education reform. “I wanted to come to a real understanding of my purpose in independent schools. As an educator of color, people ask, ‘What are you doing here in a school where kids will be “fine,” when you’re needed in other places more?’ I wanted to assure myself that there was a necessary purpose for my role as a person of color working in independent schools,” said Barbara. One assignment in particular gave her the perspective she needed. When she was asked, “What is your vision of what it means to be a leader in your school and ensure that all students will learn and have an equitable shot at success?” Barbara understood that independent schools required that lens as well: “I realized I had a role to play in supporting equity in independent schools.”
STOP #4
Now at GDS after a stint as the Director of Community Outreach at Polytechnic School in Pasadena, California, Barbara is delighted to be a part of a school committed to equity and social justice and to be leading our admissions department. “Admissions is about communicating a unique sense of place to prospective families as they are just beginning to know our school; it’s about telling stories that other people can see themselves a part of; it’s about supporting the incredible work of my colleagues and our school leadership by ensuring that the students and families who come here benefit from the experience and enrich our school community. “As it turns out, these are the very reasons why it is especially rewarding to be doing this work at Georgetown Day School. GDS is rooted in the transformative quality of a learning environment in which children representing a diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, talents, and experiences are given opportunities to work together across differences, to be critically empathic, to be creative, and ultimately to develop a broad and inclusive world view that compels them to take action in the world. I feel inspired every day to be part of a school community that is animated by these notions,” she said.
The Pursuit of Something Made While notebooks and tests were a distant memory to most students over the summer of 2014, GDS faculty were pursuing hobbies, enjoying some relaxation time, and honing in on professional development opportunities.
In early July, one intrepid seven-person faculty team attended the Constructing Modern Knowledge Conference 2014 (CMK14) in Manchester, New Hampshire. Billed as “not a conference,” it is instead a “minds-on institute for educators” looking for an opportunity to work alone or collaboratively on projects of interest while being supported by experts in their fields. The authors of one of our staffs summer reading choices, Invent to Learn, served as conference leaders. The “maker’s movement” is currently taking the education world by storm with the supposition that students learn best through doing, through trial-and-error, by building and inventing something based on multiple subjects all at once, and by activating their imaginations and having... fun. Students across the country are becoming immersed in this innovative model that turns the teacher-as-authority directive on its head and instead builds upon a teaminspired, cross-curricular approach to learning. GDS faculty and staff have eagerly embraced the approach. From the High School’s newly launched iLab (see page 8) to a nascent maker’s space in Gary Cutler’s fifth grade class (stay tuned for more on this) to the GDS faculty/staff summer reading choices (at right), GDS is creating intentional spaces for teachers and students to invent, create, problem solve, and innovate.
GDS participants pursued projects of both personal and professional interest, from understanding and using computer-programming languages, like Scratch and Turtle Art, to constructing electronic devices, like Matt’s stopaction moving camera constructed entirely of legos. And they brought back newfound energy for helping students construct knowledge at GDS. Marti has launched a morning coding and Scratch lab before school, and Gregory is building intentional technical opportunities into the afterschool curriculum. Dresden reflects, “At GDS every classroom is a maker space, as I see myriad examples of students and teachers creating, iterating, and doing across their school days. What made this professional learning experience so great for teachers in our community is that it cultivated cross-divisional, interdisciplinary projects and conversations and allowed our teachers to step out of their classrooms in (re)imagining how to bring creativity back into those spaces in much more intentional, current, and directed ways. It was also powerful for us to become students again, challenged by the unknown and encouraged to take intellectual risks and direct our own learning. In continuing to cultivate teacher leaders as makers, we look forward to sending another GDS cohort to Constructing Modern Knowledge in the summer of 2015!”
GDS SUMMER READING LIST
for Faculty & Staff
The attendees of the CMK14 included: Judy Brown (5th grade humanities), Matt Eddy (HS science), Gregory Henderson (Director of After-School Programs), Dresden Koons (Dean of Teaching and Learning), Angela Sanford and Joanna Phinney (kindergarten team teachers), and Marti Weston (LMS Technology Coordinator). The GDS attendees thoroughly enjoyed being pushed out of their comfort zones and experiencing their “collaborative togetherness,” as Marti put it.
• The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy and Imagination in a Digital World (Howard Gardner and Katie Davis, 2014)
“I do not know of any other professional development opportunity like CMK14, with its focus on learning new things and examining how our learning processes parallel that of our students,” said Marti. “I now comprehend—more fully—the importance of discovering what areas my students are passionate about and then making it possible for them to pursue those interests as they master new skills.”
• How Children Succeed: Curiosity, Grit, and the Hidden Power of Character (Paul Tough, 2013)
• Brain Rules: (Updated and Expanded) 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School (John Medina, 2014) • Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity (Andrew Solomon, 2013)
• Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom (Gary Stager and Sylvia Martinez, 2013) • Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences That Make a Difference (Howard C. Stevenson, 2013) 25
Around Campus ATHLETICS
Sports Saturday - GDS Hoppers ALL TOGETHER Mid-September at GDS is a mix of newness and nostalgia as students dive into new classes and reconnect with old friends. As the temperatures begin to drop, there’s also an air of excitement that moves through the halls as students and faculty get ready for historical and inaugural GDS events up ahead—and Sports Saturday is at the top of that list.
“This is BY FAR my favorite day of the year,” said Mac Andrews ’15. On behalf of the GDS Fan Section, a student-run organization devoted to Hopper pride, Mac emailed the HS a humorous tall tale about the history of GDS’s Men’s Varsity Soccer program and shared links to music videos aimed at getting the GDS community pumped for Sports Saturday.
A trademark event at GDS, Sports Saturday brought the schoolwide community together on September 27 for a full day of sports and recreation. This year’s lineup of athletic events included Men’s Varsity and JV Soccer, Women’s Varsity and JV Soccer, and Women’s Varsity and JV Volleyball. The six games concluded with a soccer clinic for LMS students hosted by GDS coaches and HS students. Hoppers led with strong performances all around, and the Women’s crushing victory over Sidwell’s volleyball team was a highlight.
A roaring success, this year’s Sports Saturday awarded free GDS Fan Section t-shirts to the first 250 HS and MS students and the first 50 LS students to attend the games. Students lived up to the tagline on their t-shirts and demonstrated just how rowdy GDS has been keeping it since 1945. Thanks to the fun t-shirts and GDS fan section, parents, alumni, and teachers also caught the Hopper spirit.
The Do-It-Yourself Club also got to work on the field constructing picnic tables, thanks to technical assistance from HS deans Quinn Killy and Bobby Asher. The event also featured a carwash and bake sale held by the Class of 2015 to benefit the senior gift, a BBQ, and a half-time round of bowling, with massive blow-up bowling pins and balls. 26
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Sports Saturday is a blast every year, and on Monday, students were back in classes, balancing their excitement for what’s ahead with their satisfaction for the memories they made the previous weekend. It’s a full year until the next Sports Saturday, but only moments until the next memorable event at GDS.
Women’s Varsity Soccer Makes First Appearance at ISL AA Championship
Hannah Natanson NAMED ALL-AMERICAN
This fall, senior Hannah Natanson was named one of 42 AllAmerican girls soccer players—one of the nation’s elite girl’s high school soccer players selected to take part in the Second Annual High School All-American Game on December 13, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina. A soccer player from her pee-wee years, Hannah simply loves the sport. “I love the lessons it’s taught me—how to be a good teammate, respect coaches, get up and keep going. I also love the relationships I’ve built on both of my teams.”
This fall, the GDS Women’s varsity soccer team competed for the first time in the DC State Championships after an 8-5-1 season, losing to Sidwell in the last, hard-fought match. Before meeting Sidwell, they had to beat ISL powerhouse NCS—which they did on the way to the championships, for the first time in ten years—scoring the winning goal in the last three minutes of the game. “GDS is now a contender for the title,” said head coach Katie Redmond. “This team has had some amazing on-field achievements—and a lasting affect on our athletic culture.” Seniors Zoe Aarons, Madisyn Augustine (co-captain), Emilia Kaslow-Zieve (co-captain), Kalila Morsink, Hannah Natanson (co-captain), Jenny Riemer, Shayna Solomon, and Jadine Sonoda led the team in setting a winning attitude. “This year’s seniors taught us to want something and go after it with everything you have, and how to take chances and put your heart and soul into the game,” said Katie.
A forward for the High School varsity team, Hannah also plays club soccer and is committed to play for Harvard next year. “We’ve seen Hannah grow into a thoughtful and passionate team player and leader while maintaining every bit of her competitive nature. It has been a delight to work with her,” said one of her GDS coaches, Anna Rhymes. Hannah echoed that sentiment: “My GDS coaches—from Middle School to varsity—have helped me develop as a player from the start. They are a huge reason why I’m a better player.” And her mother, Lisa, appreciates the support Hannah has received at GDS. “GDS may not be known as a ‘sports school,’ but its programs prove that you don’t need fancy athletic facilities to be a place where serious athletes can grow and learn.” During soccer season, Hannah plays after school for about two hours a day. Then it’s home for homework and dinner before leaving most nights for practice for her travel team, which runs from 8:30-10 p.m. On weekends she’s traveling for games or continuing practice. Post-GDS-season, she spends her “extra” time weight training. “Does it get exhausting? Sure. But when I’m playing, everything else goes away. I’m not thinking about that physics assignment, just the game,” said Hannah. 27
Around Campus ATHLETICS
Track Seniors Lead The Way! By Anthony Belber
Erin Rust-Tierney ’14 topped off his remarkable career by earning the MVP award for his broad range of jumping and sprinting skills, not to mention his quality leadership. The triplet trio of Ahmad, Khalil, and Malik Jones ’14 each brought his individual talents and fraternal energy and inspiration to every practice and meet. Neville Palmer ’14 not only left the school with a pair of shot put and discus records, but a legacy of having trained and coached his throwing teammates for most of the past few years. Julia Winkler ’14 carried her passion for running to the farthest reaches of the nearly 100-person team. Good friends Sam Boardman ’14 and Griffin Colaizzi ’14, along with classmate Julia Ernst ’14, were integral members not only of the four spring track banners, but also the four cross-country banners that were won every fall by last year’s senior class.
ROBERT COLAIZZI
All in all, there were 20 amazing seniors on the spring track team who set the tone day in and day out for their younger teammates. The men in the Class of 2014 won every MAC banner they ever contested. The women in that grade brought the team from the middle of the ISL standings when they arrived into the realm of the elite private school track teams in the region over their four years. The seniors graduated in June having mastered the sport and can rest assured that those who follow will uphold their legacy.
Last Year’s GDS High School outdoor track teams had another banner year! Not only did the men’s track team win its fourth consecutive Mid-Atlantic Conference title and the DC State Championships, but the women’s team finished third in the city championships and second in the Independent School League Championships (matching the highest finish ever for GDS in any women’s sport)! The track team at GDS is focused primarily on educating its young athletes through their exposure to the sport. Athletes learn that they perform their best when they run for their team rather than just “for themselves.” They see first-hand that hard work pays off and that the choices they make away from the track and classroom are as important as those they make on it and in it. The GDS track athletes have come to understand that good results and fast times come to those who tackle the challenges the sport throws their way. Ultimately, the seniors are the leaders and role models for the next generation. Among the countless personal bests, relay triumphs, and stories of perseverance, the contributions by the team’s seniors led the list.
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FALL CROSS-COUNTRY CONTINUES STREAK The fall 2014 GDS High School cross-country teams continued to perform at a high level. After finishing a close second to Georgetown Visitation at both the ISL Championships and the DC State meet, the women’s team ran inspired races to win the Championships for Maryland and DC Private Schools, finishing 20 points ahead of Visitation’s varsity and coming in second for the JV race as well! The men won a fifth consecutive MAC banner and were once again one of the top five cross-country teams (including all public, independent, and charter schools) in the Greater DC region! Pretty exciting stuff for a small independent school without a track.
REBECCA DROBIS
m y G IT’S NOT
CLASS IT’S PHYSICAL EDUCATION
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By Peg Schultz, LMS Physical Education Department Chair
The mere mention of “gym class” to a group of adults can conjure up some uncomfortable feelings from their childhood. Descriptions of the old school physical education teacher begin to emerge: a rather imposing football coach who used physical exercise as punishment; a gruff-voiced, washed-up athlete who encouraged the strong to pummel the weak in a game called Dodge Ball; a disengaged classroom teacher who was assigned the duty of blowing a whistle and rolling out playground balls.
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JASON PUTSCHÉ PHOTOGRAPHY
W
hile it would be unfair to attach such negative stereotypes to all professionals in our field (and especially not to the founders of the GDS program, namely Harold McNeil, Joan Warburton-Phibbs, and Rick Coffin), it’s true that memories of a few challenging experiences can lead to the misunderstanding, de-valuing, and ultimately the dismantling of physical education in our nation’s schools. So what’s the difference between PE past and present? EVERYTHING! And at GDS, we’re proud of being a leader in the field at demonstrating that difference. Exceeding Standards – The Science Behind Our Approach GDS’s physical education curriculum is fully aligned with the SHAPE National Standards. The CDC recommends that school-age children participate daily in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity. With four days of PE classes and five days of recess periods per week, GDS ensures that Lower and Middle students come very close to achieving this goal. Additionally,
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a 2010 CDC review of 50 studies spanning 23 years found that children who are physically fit and active often do better in the classroom than those who are sedentary. We also know that physical activity increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain and may boost the growth of nerve cells in the hippocampus, the brain’s center of learning and memory. Research continues to show that physical activity can help students in all sorts of ways: achieving higher grades, getting a better night’s sleep, improving social skills, adopting lifelong fitness habits, increasing self-esteem, and reducing stress. Though the findings of this research are generally accepted, in many of our nation’s schools, the reality is that it is not reflected in practice. At GDS, it is— because we believe engaging students in physical education supports the GDS mission of teaching the whole child. It Takes a Team Our administration enthusiastically supports our eight full-time LMS PE faculty members in their quest to meet the fitness and health needs of each
student in innovative and creative ways. As the head of the department, I am fortunate to work with a professional and talented group of teachers. William Miezan, Katie Redmond, David Gillespie, Cally Chakrian, Brian Lonardo, Jodi Jackson, and Jeff Trembly share their energy and expertise with students each day. Our structured curriculum is only a framework; it’s the teacher-student interaction in PE that makes each class an authentic experience. “I feel respected and valued as a physical education teacher at GDS, and I enjoy trying to get the best effort out of each of my students,” said William. Lower School principal Laura Yee added, “At no other school have I found a team so committed to supporting children’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth in such a way that strongly aligns with the school’s mission and develops in our kids a love for moving and being active. What they do daily is just astounding and very, very intentional.” Fit for Life The GDS focus on a “lifelong love of learning” meshes well with our program’s
JASON PUTSCHÉ PHOTOGRAPHY
“fit for life” principle. With an emphasis on participation and an exposure to a variety of physical activities, our students experience freedom of movement and intentionality of skill. Through it all, we never lose sight of the element of fun. Alumna and GDS Trustee Jenny Abramson ’95 reflected on her experiences as a past student and current parent, “While I always loved PE as a Hopper, I must say GDS’s PE curriculum has evolved in amazing ways since my school years and makes me wish I was back to join in. A week doesn’t go by without Zoe ’26 and Ella ’28 coming home to recount some amazing part of their PE class…from obstacle courses, to dance units and show, to other creative inventions, PE has taken on a whole new meaning.” At the core of the program lies this reality: not every student will be an athlete, but every student can be physically fit. Bridge the Gap To enhance a child’s PE experience, we bridge the gap between Core I and Core II subjects by incorporating math, science, reading, geography, history, and technology into our classes.
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At no other school have I found a team so committed to supporting children’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth in such a way that strongly aligns with the school’s mission and develops in our kids a love for moving and being active. What they do daily is just astounding and very, very intentional.
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Passing a volleyball becomes a geometry lesson, as students learn how 45- and 90-degree arm angles can keep a ball in play. As students run laps, they track miles, following class progress on local maps through historic sites in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. As they measure vertical jumps, students solve math problems by subtracting their touch from their reach scores. When students throw light and heavy objects, they discuss science as well as sports. Tracking balls through the air reinforces a young student’s ability to track words on a page. When teachers pose essential questions, they help all students explore a PE unit intellectually, even before they begin to move and strategize. Our teachers modify and vary games and equipment in order to help each child achieve individual levels of success. Finally, our PE program focuses more on the process than the outcome; we provide our students with the problem-solving skills necessary to persevere through difficult situations. We teach students to move through our PE classes like they will move through life: individually, collectively, and collaboratively.
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A Living Tapestry One of our most beloved—and unique— programs is our annual Dance Assembly. While the origins of this event remain a mystery, this tradition is an integral part of a Lower School living tapestry; GDS students moving to music are like individual fibers woven together into class dance design. Dance is a unit that allows us to focus on student fitness while also highlighting balance, strength, and coordination. Putting the assembly together is a monumental task, but each year our PE faculty rise to the challenge. The process begins with choosing a theme, then selecting developmentally and
increasingly sophisticated patterns they are asked to develop and explore in math.” Scaffolding the Moves As they learn how to count beats of music, PK through 5th graders advance in memorizing and sequencing more complex dance steps. Dresden continues, “What struck me most about the preparation for the assembly was the way in which the teachers have masterfully spiraled skill development from PK through 5th grade. As LS students move from one grade to the next, the associated cognitive
Every student participates, and every student is proud to share the final product with parents and special friends. On the Friday in February, the LMS dance party commences. The excitement of the students and the joy of the audience is palpable. Since dance is a life-long activity, it is our hope that students leave the Lower School with a love of movement, an appreciation of music, and the confidence and ability to bust out three or four dance moves at a social event!
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WHEN STUDENTS ARE IN MOTION, their active working memories are more stimulated, better equipping them to maintain focus on the task at hand and to transfer that skill to long-term memory, lyrically appropriate upbeat music, and choreographing each grade’s dance. Students spend the month of January preparing for the assembly: learning the steps and beat counts from teachers, using technology, physical demonstrations, and written instructions. Students pull it all together in rehearsals, threading their moves to the music and in time with each other. Music becomes a natural motivator, and the students begin to dance freely through their PE spaces. “When students are in motion, their active working memories are more stimulated, better equipping them to maintain focus on the task at hand and to transfer that skill to long-term memory,” said Dean of Teaching and Learning Dresden Koons. “The music further heightens this ability, as students recognize patterns in their song that correspond with the ways in which their bodies are moving, not unlike
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and physical demands of the dance routine become more sophisticated, elucidating a scope and sequence that is neuro-developmentally compelling. For example, a basic rhythmic pattern in the first grade dance becomes a more complex, repeated pattern by third grade.” Students are encouraged to bring their self-expression and creativity to their dance, along with their cooperation skills. “Watching a grid of 50 5-year-old PK/K students moving their bodies in a coordinated way—their faces either lit with happiness or held in concentration— gives you goose bumps. The students’ pride in their accomplishment builds the self-esteem they will apply to difficult tasks and challenges throughout their academic and athletic careers,” said Kendra Brown, GDS parent and Director of Institutional Advancement.
We are proud of our comprehensive physical education curriculum and appreciate our long-term connection with our students as they move through the grades at GDS. The health and wellness of our students is, and always will be, at the forefront of our program.
Active Minds
Healthy + Active Bodies = Hoppers!
GDS STRATEGIC PLAN
GOAL 3– CURRICULUM EVOLUTION: Athletics: Enhance program to optimize student experience, health, and well-being.
For More Information: SHAPE National Standards www.shapeamerica.org/standards/pe/ CDC Standards http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/ everyone/guidelines/children.html 33
MEET THE TRUSTEES Get to know four of our trustees.
GDS is fortunate to have a diverse, distinctive, and involved Board of Trustees working in partnership with our administration to support the GDS mission. For the 2014-15 school year, we are pleased to announce the addition of these four new Board members, who join an active Board focusing on strategic planning, campus planning, and financial goal-setting. For more information about other members of our board, go to www.GDS.org/Board.
Anu Tate
Serves on the Diversity and Advancement Committees GDS’s reputation for academic excellence initially drew Anu and her family to the school, and it’s the people who have kept them here. She admires the faculty’s ability to guide students—including her three, Amit (first), Ashok (fourth), and Akshay (sixth)—to wonder, self-advocate, and collaborate. “When we started at GDS, I assumed that my children would find lots of friends, but I am amazed at how much I enjoyed working with the community, including faculty, administration, and fellow parents,” Anu explained. In addition to her roles at GDS, Anu serves as a Trustee to the Board of the Healthy Smiles Healthy Children Foundation, President Elect of the District of Columbia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and Co-Director of the District of Columbia Pediatric Health Coalition. Anu is the Director of Oral Health Advocacy and Research at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the Goldberg Center for Community Pediatric Health at the Children’s National Medical Center. She is a graduate of Harvard’s School of Dental Medicine and holds a Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Lisa Fairfax
Serves on the Diversity and Advancement Committees As a current and alumni parent to Nadia, a fifth grader, Regina, an 11th grader, and Fatima ’12, Lisa is excited to help steer GDS toward the fulfillment of its mission in a changing financial and educational environment. “I believe deeply in the GDS mission, and I am passionate about finding ways to support that mission,” said Lisa. “GDS has a commitment to educating students in a way that enables them to find their own unique voice, while appreciating, respecting, and embracing difference.” Lisa is the Leroy Sorenson Merrifield Research Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School. In addition to her responsibilities on the GDS Board, Lisa is the co-chair of DirectWomen Board Institute, a member of the Executive Committee of GW’s Center for Law, Economics, and Finance, and the chair of the Securities Regulation Section of the Association of American Law Schools. Lisa has a B.A. from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
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Jeff Shields Hunker Serves on the Finance and Governance Committees
Jeff is honored to expand his role in the GDS community this year. “What I think is most special about GDS is that the students are the center of the entire school community and the teachers, administrators, parents, and trustees function around them on the periphery to support an outstanding education. [GDS supports] the opportunity for each student to be their most authentic self and to go out and make the world a more just and equitable place for everyone,” said Jeff. Jeff is the President and CEO of the National Business Officers Association. He also serves as an active member of the American Society of Association Executives and a trustee for the Online School for Girls. Jeff received a B.A. from Shippensburg University and an M.A. from The Ohio State University. “My daughter, Samantha, has attended GDS since Kindergarten. She is currently in the 3rd grade. Every year when we visit her new classroom, the first thing she wants to do is visit her teachers from previous years,” shared Jeff. “I think that’s a great tribute to the GDS faculty.”
Stephen Bailey Stephen is excited to serve as the first Georgetown Day School board member that is neither a parent nor an alumnus. Initially introduced to GDS by Board Chair Michael Gottdenker, Stephen was immediately impressed by the school’s reputation for providing an excellent education, for its forward-looking mindset, and for its commitment to diversity and access. As a Trustee, Stephen says that he is still learning the ropes. He explains, “I know enough to get excited about participating, but I certainly come in with the presumption that I have a lot to learn about the school and how it operates.” Stephen’s connection to independent schools pre-dates his involvement with GDS. In his home state of Louisiana, Stephen graduated from a similarly-sized independent high school in New Orleans that also exhibited a strong commitment to diversity and access. Professionally, Stephen is the founder and CEO of ExecOnline, an online education company that works with top business schools to take their executive education programs online. Outside of GDS, he also serves on the board of the Truman National Security Project and the Glenn Pelham Foundation. Stephen holds a B.A. from Emory University and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
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Alumni Notes 1970
Robert Wilkoff and his small, awardwinning architectural firm in Cabin John, MD were recently featured in The Washington Post. The article showcases one of Robert’s special needs projects that is based on Universal design, making buildings accessible for people with disabilities and prepared for aging in place. www.washingtonpost.com/local/ oakton-parents-build-a-house-twodisabled-boys-can-live-out-their-livesin/2014/04/04/de21d61c-b4fa-11e3b899-20667de76985_story.html
1986
Catherine Anderson and her family are featured in an article titled “The New American Family” in the June/July 2014 edition of The AARP Magazine. The article details the lives of six families who are embracing evolving ideas about what family means in the U.S. www.aarp.org/ home-family/friends-family/info-2014/newamerican-family.2.html
1991
2001
Rachel Yavinsky and her husband Will welcomed a new baby girl, Juliana Grace Yavinsky, into their family. Three weeks early, but already 6 pounds 15.5 ounces.
2002
Ben Dean is in the midst of an MD/ PhD program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. This summer he successfully defended his PhD dissertation in neurobiology, and now he returns to medical school for the final two years of clinical training.
Michael Schaffer was named as the fourth editor of Washingtonian Magazine in June of 2014. www.washingtonian.com/ blogs/capitalcomment/washingtonian/ michael-schaffer-named-editor-ofwashingtonian.php
Laura Dean ’06 recently left her position as a speechwriter at the White House, got married in Block Island, Rhode Island, and started medical school at Brown University, where she is joined by another former GDS student Sarah Magaziner. Gianmarco Soresi ’07, a proud alum of GDS’s theatre program, is still pursuing theater along with stand-up comedy and writing in New York City. The first season of his web series An Actor Unprepared was recently nominated for a Toobie award. www.youtube.com/ watch?v=85zpGQxaJRc
2010
Jessie Christian graduated in May 2014 from the University of Notre Dame, where she was actively involved in campus sports and clubs. Her involvement on campus included Varsity Track and Field Team Co-Captain, Student Athlete Advisory Council President, Member of Track Team, and co-founder of IrishOn3, a studentathlete blog. www.ndirisheyes.com/irishon3
1993
After graduating from Columbia University and spending ten years in book publishing, GDS “lifer” Sarah Rosenbloom moved to Tanzania, East Africa to volunteer and eventually work for an NGO in Kilimanjaro. In 2011, Sarah started her own charitable organization called the Toa Nafasi Project (meaning “provide a chance”) aimed at supporting children with learning difficulties in public primary schools. www.toanafasi.org
2003
Morgan Kennedy married Tobias LossEaton on May 3, 2014 in Washington, D.C. Meghan Winston and Davlyn Grant, also class of 2003, were two of Morgan’s bridesmaids.
2006 & 2007
Morgan Heller ‘07 married David Kanarek ‘06 on September 6, 2014 on Martha’s Vineyard. One GDS classmate officiated the wedding, and several others were in the wedding party.
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Alumni Board
Rachel Winnik Yavinsky ‘01 President Tamara Wilds Lawson ‘92 Vice-President Melanie Brissett Nix ‘87 Sondra Novick Wolff ‘89 Matt Solomon ‘90 Jeffrey Goldberg ‘94 Nina Ritch ‘95 Jonathan Drobis ‘98 Jesseca Salky ‘99 Ben Nussdorf ‘00 Liz Levine ‘02 Alex Golding ‘03 Elena Lobo ‘04
Please send us your news! Have a new job or volunteer position? Welcomed a new baby or pet into your home? Attend a meet-up with other alums? We want to know! Send photos and all the details, and we’ll make sure the GDS community knows how cool you are.
Email alumni@gds.org
Getting to Know Nataki Corneille, New Director of Alumni Programs This fall, Nataki Corneille joined GDS as the New Director of Alumni Programs. As she gets to know GDS and our amazing alumni, you should get to know her, too! Here are eight things to get you started: 1 I have worked in higher education for
the past 15 years at different institutions throughout the mid-Atlantic, most recently at Georgetown University and University of Virginia. I loved being surrounded by academia, the wealth of knowledge from professors, and the inspiration of the students. I began in admissions wanting to make a difference and moved on to work with alumni because I wanted to see where those bright minds ended up!
2 I am originally from Virginia Beach. Summer
is my favorite season, and I’m a beach girl through and through.
3 I was ALMOST(!) a lifer at an independent
school, missing that status by one year.
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I graduated from the College of William and Mary and majored in Art History and minored in Sociology.
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I come from a large family where education played a strong role.
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I was a competitive gymnast for 15 years. I loved the athleticism and discipline that the sport provided me. I now stay fit by running and hitting the gym on a regular basis.
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My favorite animals are anything in the ape family. Chimpanzees, Orangutans, Gorillas. I love their little faces!
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I am looking forward to meeting with members of the GDS community and becoming a part of the family. Email me at ncorneille@gds.org or alumni@gds.org.
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I still have many, many wonderful friendships and relationships with faculty at Norfolk Academy.
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Special celebrations for the classes of 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, 1980, 1975. Watch your mail and email for more information on Reunion weekend! Contact us at alumni@gds.org or 202-295-1062. Poto
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GDS ALUMNI REUNION
For the Alumni Dance Party and Reception on May 3, the High School’s art gallery space was transformed into a hip, colorful reception that was filled with student and alumni art, complete with velvet ropes and red carpet. The Art Show Installation featured work from Marqueo/Chris Curry ’88, Denise Odell ’84, Victor Sparrow ’85, Laura Spero ’98, Caitlin Greenhill ’10, and David Mould ’13. The fun extended beyond the GDS organized events as several alumni classes held cocktail receptions and happy hours throughout the weekend, some going into the wee hours of the morning. The weekend ended on a high note with alumni and faculty eager for next year’s 2015 reunion.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT GDS REUNION 2014 “It was a lot of fun seeing all of the different reunion years in the same room, with their classmates and the teachers interacting and reminiscing. Toward the end of the reunion, a core group of us from Class of ‘84 went to the lounge. We sat around and looked at old yearbooks, laughed, and informally caught up on each other’s lives. Priceless.” —Denise Odell ‘84
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“My favorite part was seeing that GDS has retained its GDS-ness, even though it has transformed externally from my time there. There were still backpacks in the hallways, the cast and crew of the Spring Musical were still hustling through Strike with Laura leading them, the main staircase still has the underwater mural painted all around it. It’s GDS 2.0, but still very recognizable to us GDS 1.0 alums.” —Julie Broder ‘04 “The reunions are a great opportunity to reconnect with friends, in some cases to give new life to old friendships, and in some cases to make friends with old acquaintances. The people who knew us in our formative years know us in ways that our newer friends and even newer family don’t. And our years away have given us new insights into our shared experiences. For some of us, the GDS reunions double as both a high school reunion and as a K-8 reunion. I thought it was great that after 25 years, a third of our class was both interested in attending and able to do so…I’m already looking forward to the next reunion and to seeing more of the different paths our lives are taking.” —Dan Wilson ’89 I most look forward to catching up with my former “ students, many of whom I haven’t seen in years. I love hearing about their lives, both personal and professional—spouses, significant others, kids, careers, careers changed, lives changed.” —alumni parent and alumni GDS faculty member Bruce Vinik
FREED PHOTOGRAPHY
More than 150 alumni from across the U.S. and as far away as France visited GDS for their Reunion during the weekend of May 2, 2014. The weekend’s schedule of events was packed with Hopper favorites, including an Alumni Art Show Installation and Art Walk, Student vs. Alumni Soccer Game with Harold Newton, It’s Academic! game with student players hosted by GDS HS teacher Sue Ikenberry, and a performance of the GDS production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Boys in the Photograph.
FREED PHOTOGRAPHY
SATURDAY, MAY 3RD, 2014
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4530 MacArthur Boulevard, NW Washington, DC 20007-4297
REBECCA DROBIS
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