Quest The Magazine of King School
Students are empowered by their natural curiosity in King’s new Reggio-inspired Early Childhood program / p4
A LETTER FROM DR. KAREN ESHOO
Dear King Community, How might you describe the essence of King School to someone who doesn’t know us yet? Perhaps you would use adjectives like nimble, ambitious, and collaborative to describe our School’s attitudes and personality. You might point to our proud history of invention and reinvention; of inclusion as we celebrate and learn from our differences; or of our commitment to teaching students how to think, not what to think. You might characterize our singular community as one that is dynamic, authentic, and joyful. Now that I am well into my second year as Head of School and have learned about our past and present from literally thousands of members of our community, all of these portrayals are wonderfully accurate and resonant. All of these qualities are the reasons why all King students are able to forge their own unique paths to excellence, and why they are best prepared to thrive in our complex, rapidly changing world. This edition of Quest magazine offers myriad examples that bring this essence to life. The alumni profiles herein demonstrate the many ways that our graduates are making an impact on the world - whether they are working locally, internationally, or right here on the King campus. You will meet our new Head of Middle School, Dr. Josh Deitch, as well as our new Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Dr. Rachel Jean-Baptiste – two extraordinary educators who bring deep experience and strong vision to the school. Our new programs – from our Reggio-inspired early childhood program, to the Grade 8 Leadership Lab, to Upper School research opportunities – continue to distinguish us as a forward-thinking institution. And as always, we celebrate the deep commitment that our generous donors have shown to our beloved school in the Annual Report, and express our gratitude for the trust that families place in us to keep King School true to our Mission and Virtues. Sincerely,
Dr. Karen E. Eshoo Head of School
MEET THE 2019-2020 BOARD OF TRUSTEES “King School accomplished so much during Karen’s first year as our Head of School. We have a strong, committed group of Trustees and a new ambitious strategic plan to continue to build on our momentum. We look forward to working with everyone in the King community in the coming year.”
– Tom King Board President
We are so grateful to current and past Board members for dedicating their talent, time, and treasure to advance and celebrate King School’s Mission. We invite you to read bios for each Trustee on our website.
(L to R, front row) Dan Ozizmir (Second Vice President), Lynn King, Eric Gerster, Nancy Armstrong, Carmen Failla (Secretary), Tom King (President), Alisa Savitz, Mi-Sun Freeman, Matthew Allard, Nancy Heaton, Rich Goldman ’79 (back row) Doug Perlman (Vice President), Stacey Gaine, Rob Holtz (Treasurer), Jessica Drbul, Claude Amadeo, Ella Cohen, Tom Conheeney, Kyle Miscia Clark, Miriam Kaggwa-Mwenda, Greg Jansen, Ed Mulé, John Stanise, Peter Resnick (Not pictured) Beau Taylor
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OUR MISSION
King is dedicated to preparing its students to thrive in a rapidly changing world. We provide an excellent, progressive education, grounded in the traditional disciplines of the arts and sciences, committed to the nurturing of individual potential, and designed to promote critical thinking and reasoned reflection. Using rich and innovative methods, our Teachers facilitate each student’s fullest academic and personal achievement. We champion the development of character, self-confidence, and talent through challenging intellectual, creative, athletic, leadership, and service opportunities. King believes that individual accomplishment must go hand in hand with respect for others. Our culture of respect fosters collaboration as well as independence. We embrace human and cultural diversity. We value responsible citizenship. King graduates are well equipped to succeed in college and to pursue lives of ongoing inquiry, learning, accomplishment, personal fulfillment, and social responsibility.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Kathleen O’Rourke Editor/Photographer Caitlin Halle & Stephen Sheehan ’07 Development and Alumni Relations Printech Printing Printing Heads Up Marketing & Promotion Design Keelin Daly Alumni Writer and Contributing Photographer
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King’s Reggio-inpired Early Childhood program
8-9
Creating Opportunities Outside of the Classroom
12-13
Community Engagement through Music
6-18
Alumni Profiles Valerie Bolling LHT’83 / p6 Ahmed M. Fattouh KLHT’91 / p10 Bernard Edwards KLHT’91 /p14 Rosinne Chlala T’68 /p18
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IN THIS ISSUE
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Alumni Class Notes
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Students are Empowered by Their Natural Curiosity in King’s new Reggio-inspired Early Childhood program.
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The project was just getting started when PreK students realized the construction of their classroom forest faced a problem: they had eleven builders and only one hammer. This was unacceptable. The team, including their teacher Jennifer Agro, gathered to consider solutions. They examined the tool: What is the hammer made out of? Do we have materials to make more hammers? What tools might we need? They got to work sketching mockups, taking measurements, and mapping plans. They gathered sticks and blocks. They tasked Mrs. Agro with finding a drill. In no time the flurry of activity produced ten hammers and the team headed back to the forest. Students eluded the confines of a traditional classroom and employed art, math, team building, and collaboration skills to overcome an obstacle. This process of following natural curiosity and wonder throughout the day, with guidance from the teacher, is central to King’s use of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. The curriculum is self-guided, as students learn through experience in a relationship-driven environment. “Students are empowered by their natural curiosity and wonder to be researchers first,” said Amy Vorenberg, Head of Lower School. “They are scientists who are being supported by the skills of a teacher who understands emergent curriculum.” This Reggio approach is exactly what drew Mrs. Agro to early childhood education. “Little children being able to take tools and make things and learn from their own experience and their own doing really made a lot of sense. The idea of being a teacher whose central role was that of a facilitator resonated deeply with me.” The child-centric approach is evident in the setup of the classroom itself. In the shadow of the forest construction, children have access to activities that serve as vehicles for skill development including a watercolor station, a sewing machine corner, a light laboratory, and a cozy library nook. The setting allows children to practice fine and gross motor skills through creative expression.
“When you are teaching a four-year-old child to have a correct pencil grip, part of having the correct grip is having the dexterity and the fine motor skills to hold the pencil correctly. You can do that in a thousand different ways,” explained Mrs. Vorenberg. “One way is to have a child hold a pencil over and over and over again. That is monotonous and sometimes painful and does not lead to the child falling in love with holding a pencil. Whereas if you work with children in a way that encourages them to ask questions and empower them to try all sorts of activities to build their fine motor skills, including using writing tools, they will acquire the same skills as children in other classrooms. But the difference is they will also have confidence in their ability to ask questions, to gather data and form answers, and to become experts in their areas of interest. And that is incredibly empowering when you are four years-old.” This student-led approach to curriculum is not restricted to King’s PreK. The Kindergarten class recently took an autumnal nature walk on campus collecting items that they found interesting. When they returned to class to sort their bounty of leaves, rocks, and acorns, a conversation ensued with students wondering ‘what is alive? and what is a seed?’ Students pursued their inquiry by planting seeds. In a separate classroom, Grade 1 students focused on the community of Stamford which led
to primary source interviews with Mayor Martin and members of the police and fire departments. “We trust in the intellect of young children and our teachers believe in the relationship between themselves as the teachers and the children as the learners. In the classrooms at King, relational work is about the interaction between the student and teacher to build skills, knowledge, and expertise,” said Mrs. Vorenberg. Back in the PreK classroom, the richness of the forest reflects the many questions and conversations that the construction process presented. Wind chimes spin in the breeze and beads shimmer off the leaves with light; a student wears a knit cap resembling an owl and another dons a bat hat, while fox tails pop up as well. The study leads to a lesson outside where Mrs. Argo distributes umbrellas and sprays students with water as they discuss the waterproof nature of a beaver’s coat.
“The learning experience is so joyful and happy, and it is also empowering children by honoring their natural curiosity. I am very excited about the environment and the future of our youngest students as we continue to develop this amazing program.” – Amy Vorenberg Head of Lower School Quest 2019 5
VALERIE BOLLING LHT’83 WRITER, COACH, AND TEACHER
I was always a writer and I won awards even in elementary school. The writing instruction I had at LHT helped my writing improve exponentially. My understanding of language and grammar are grounded at LHT.” 6 Quest 2019
mostly male? Is it mostly female? How many kids of color are there? Are there any kids standing out as needing extra attention whether it be behavior or ability? In order to be successful we need to know how our behavior and comments will resonate with people in the room, so the first step is to identify who is in the group.”
When Valerie Bolling’s principal suggested she consider a new position that would take her from being a teacher to coaching them, she hesitated. Valerie had done some writing coaching but the idea of shifting into a full time coaching role seemed radical. She was 17 years into her teaching career, had been celebrated as a Greenwich Distinguished Teacher, and loved her job. Sensing Valerie’s hesitancy, her boss sweetened the deal by promising to hold her teaching position for a year while Valerie tested the change. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Valerie took the offer. Ten years later, the Greenwich school system has evolved into its own department of eight coaches serving teachers throughout the district of 16 schools. Ironically, what seemed like a shift away ultimately heightened her impact on the classroom landscape. “First and foremost, coaching is about the students. Everything is centered on improving student performance,” Valerie said. “I partner with teachers as we work together to improve their classroom practices and, most importantly, what their students achieve.” When Valerie collaborates with teachers at the high school and middle school levels, she finds out what they want to work on. Depending upon a teacher's response, Valerie has numerous instructional strategies in her "toolkit" that she can share. But for the tools to work, the environment has to be healthy, and the cultural sensitivity that Valerie cultivates is the foundation of her success. “If I go into a classroom, the first thing I am looking at is who is in there. Is it
At a very young age, Valerie decided she would spend much of her life in a classroom, and her arrival at LHT solidified her resolve. In Grade 7 at the time, Valerie enjoyed the teachers she had at LHT and the high-quality instruction they provided.
about all of her academic and professional experiences, she developed a keen sensitivity to culture and the barriers that come with being different. “I am so used to being in settings where I am the only black person in the room. Though I'm used to it, it doesn't mean that I don't wish for other people of color to be in the room with me,” she said, crediting the experience as leaving her highly tuned for bringing cultural awareness and sensitivity to the learning space.
Throughout her academic career Valerie shined, particularly as a writer. She was a prolific poet, and her work garnered attention. Her poetry was published in LHT’s literature magazine Pot Pourri. After graduating cum laude with an alumna award recognizing her wisdom and maturity, she headed to Tufts where her writing continued to be published. The accolades also continued as she was recognized with the Langston Hughes Literary Award, the Golden Poet Award and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award to name just a few. After graduation, Valerie traveled to London where she worked with homeless youth. The experience deepened her resolve to teach as it presented a unique opportunity to influence the growth and progress of kids. “I could not help but think that if these kids had been exposed to great mentors, maybe their homeless status could have been averted. I wanted to be part of a solution and recognized teaching as a way that I could help prevent this outcome.” When she returned from London, she enrolled in the Teachers College at Columbia University after which she was recruited by the Greenwich Public Schools, where she has been ever since. Despite knowing from the outset that she wanted to teach, it was the quiet cultivation of empathy that happened along the course of her life that would make the biggest difference in her career. As one of very few people of color in just
Valerie’s message of cultural sensitivity is about to further its reach in the form of a children’s book called Let’s Dance!, a celebration of children from diverse backgrounds and their different cultural dances. The book can be pre-ordered through IndieBound, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.
“I want kids of color to see themselves in the book. I want to communicate that everyone can dance in their own way. So there are boys dancing, a child dancing in a wheelchair, and another child dancing while wearing a hijab. It is more than just a fun rhyming book because it has a global perspective with a non-fiction touch.” For Valerie, the book joins her passion for writing with her experience as a teacher and coach in a vehicle she hopes will serve as a tool for teachers, librarians, and parents. “The key is communication. If we can approach our differences with honesty and a willingness to admit that our differences do indeed exist, then we can talk about them and build community from there.”
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CREATING OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM
Who do you want to be and how do you want to impact the world? These are essential questions at King. With these essential questions as our compass, our faculty work to develop programs where students pursue meaningful research, boldly intertwine academic subjects, and share their learning in diverse formats. We create experiences that encourage students to see learning as a personal adventure; one without a defined beginning, middle, or end, and make it a priority to teach students how to think not what to think.
The Advanced Science Program for Independent Research and Engineering (ASPIRE) offers students the opportunity to participate in a real project with A REAL OUTCOME
THAT CAN LEAD TO REAL CHANGE IN THE REAL WORLD. IT DOESN’T GET MUCH MORE PROJECT-BASED WITH A COMMUNITY END PRODUCT THAN THAT. – Dr. Victoria Schulman Science Faculty, Director of Student Research
The US Faculty reading list last summer included ‘In Search of Deeper Learning’ by Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine, who offer the following, “In 1970, the top three skills employers asked for were reading, writing, and arithmetic; in 2015, they are complex problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Thus the education that would have sufficed in 1970 will not prepare students for the workforce today.” Dr. Victoria Schulman, Science Faculty, Director of Student Research, comments, "The Advanced Science Program for Independent Research and Engineering (ASPIRE), supported by the Advanced Mathematics and Science Study Program fund, offers students the opportunity to participate in a real project with a real outcome that can lead to real change in the real world. It doesn’t get much more project-based with a community end product than that.” Established in 2018 by Margharet, Frank, Bea ’15 and William ’17 Nash, the Advanced Mathematics and Science Study Program fund supports select students with demonstrated ability and interest in achieving true excellence within science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics in global competition preparation, and/or laboratory research experiences. Each year, a small group of students who clearly demonstrate an ability and interest in achieving true excellence within science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics are selected for independent study and competition preparation, and/or a laboratory research experience, based on the rigorous standards of the program. The Nash family, pleased with the program so far and excited by its future potential on students’ lives, has recently increased their commitment to $1,000,000. King School is extremely grateful to the Nash family for partnering with King to develop this program. Portia Cummings ’19 was one of four
students accepted into the inaugural program last year. Portia supplemented her college applications by having her lab mentor at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) write a letter of recommendation on her behalf, and it was that letter that specifically drove her acceptance at both Yale and Columbia. Moreover, she gained access into the three-year research program at Columbia and will now spend each summer between academic years in college abroad in Europe doing research in various fields and countries. Twelve students were accepted into this year’s ASPIRE, including Wafa Nomani ’21 who began her research over the summer at MSKCC. “I’ve realized that, in research, you learn and discover something new every day, which is different from the clinical MD route. I’m really looking forward to pursuing research in my life. This is something I really want to do and it feels like a dream. I am so happy to be working at MSKCC and I never want to leave.” Dr. Schulman adds, “This is precisely why internships are so critical in helping students shape their path. The fact that Wafa thrives on the inquiry and challenge of research indicates that it is a great field for her to pursue. I see a prize-winning scientist developing in front of my eyes!”
The Tom Main Liberal Arts Fellowship was established in 2018 by the Millerchip family when they approached the school with a thoughtful idea and a generous gift. This prestigious award honoring former Head of School, Tom Main, offers an additional opportunity for US students to pursue meaningful opportunities outside the classroom and deepen their understanding through the give and take of different perspectives. The Fellowship is an annual research project awarded to one or two
outstanding sophomores who are required to research, write and present a paper on a liberal arts topic of major global interest. Thomas Mandel-Mantello ’21 and Samantha Berman ’21 were the first students to receive the fellowship and conducted research and interviews in Southeast Asia (Thomas) and Europe (Samantha) focused on one essential question, “In what ways and to what extent is the rise of nationalism around the world transforming the global political scene?” Thomas and Samantha worked under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Ian Lear-Nickum to conduct their research in Summer 2019. “This fellowship attracts students who are capable of moving away from a concrete way of thinking and who are interested in a wider variety of people, places, and things. I hope Thomas and Samantha gained an appreciation for how complicated the problem is and understand the multivariable complexity of what is happening. These students have a deep caring for the health and well-being of society,” comments Mr. Lear-Nickum. Samantha conducted her research and interviews while traveling in England and Italy on a travel/academic program with New York Times Student Journeys last summer. “This opportunity for research driven by genuine passion allowed me to actually commit myself to a pursuit of knowledge. I was able to dive deeply into contemporary, international issues and learn how problems facing politics actually get solved. I loved being able to learn the facts and the faces behind abstract political concepts. While conducting my interviews and research, the essential question evolved and shifted to different focuses. The ideas that I originally started with are not the ones that I ended with because I let the people I talked to guide the conversation,” adds Samantha. Providing students with experiences outside of the classroom will not only strengthen their research and critical thinking skills but will undoubtedly enhance their socioemotional development, which is essential in today’s age of technology. “Students need to be emotionally and socially adept: good at listening, able to engage in conversations and interviews, and connect to other people. That is the key in order to bring the world closer together,” adds Mr. Lear-Nickum. Quest 2019 9
AHMED M. FATTOUH KLHT’91 IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND, NOT OR, FOR AHMED
I think the emphasis the school places on producing well rounded graduates who have diverse interests in and out of the classroom helped me develop the ability to genuinely relate to many more people, which has been key to my career and my life.
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Ahmed M. Fattouh is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of InterPrivate LLC, a private investment firm that invests on behalf of a consortium of family offices in partnership with emerging and established private equity firms.
diaspora around providing financial and mentoring support for entrepreneurs and local development causes. Unfortunately, political concerns around foreign aid became a roadblock so we had to step away.
Main was my academic advisor and English teacher, as well as my football and wrestling coach. There were many others who wore several hats at once including Bob Burns, Bob Benjamin, Eric Pauli, Anne Ostrow, and Paul Van Vechten.
In 1998, he founded Baron Advisors LLC, a boutique mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, and in 2000 he co-founded Landmark Value Investments, an alternative asset management firm active in hedge fund and private equity strategies. Ahmed is a former member of the private equity group at Investcorp International and the M&A Department of Morgan Stanley & Co. in New York.
You were a standout leader from the outset, and a high achiever throughout your education and career. Where does that drive come from? What is it that inspires you?
As you look at the world today, and as someone who has had quite a bit of global experience and exposure, what character trait do you think is most important in becoming a citizen of the world?
Mr. Fattouh received a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and is currently pursuing a Masters of Liberal Arts degree in the humanities at Stanford University. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, Elizabeth Pogue Fattouh, and their children Farrah (7) and Ramsey (2). We caught up with Ahmed in October and discussed his time at King and what he’s been doing since then. While you were at King, you lobbied for a change in the structure of student schedules to enable athletes to participate in performing arts, a rule that became permanent and had a great impact on student life long after you left. Has lobbying for changes that improve the experience of those around you served as a theme throughout the course of your career? I’m attracted to complex problems where relatability and perseverance can bridge gaps that foster compromise and change. I’ve spent my career in the “deal-making” business where success relies on the ability to negotiate to create win-win outcomes for all involved. I’ve tried to apply that skill to pursuits outside of the business world as well. In 2011, I took a break from my work and traveled back to Egypt during the Tahrir Square uprising. It was a very fascinating time with a lot of energy amongst young people trying to effect change, but with no practical experience or leadership. I started a non-profit organization focused on mobilizing the
My family immigrated to the United States when I was four. While we certainly were not fleeing any dramatic hardships, it was not lost on me that my life might have been very different if my parents had chosen to stay in Egypt. As a result, I have always felt some level of responsibility to never take for granted the opportunities they created for us by making that move. Now you are studying philosophy: what are you seeking? Do you have a favorite philosopher, one who has impacted or shifted how you think or approach things? The Stanford MLS is an interdisciplinary graduate program in the humanities. We just re-read the Odyssey, thirty years after I first read it at King. My intention is to focus on philosophy and in particular ethics, public policy, and economic justice. At Georgetown, I was exposed to John Rawls, whose work “A Theory of Justice” proposed a philosophical framework centered on fairness. Rawls’ principles have influenced my perspective on everything from Wall Street to the Arab Spring; I look forward to exploring his work more formally after all this time. Was the Odyssey different after 30 years? It’s different to read it because you want to, not because you have to. But the theme, of course, has been the same for a couple of thousand years. The dangers of hubris and over-confidence echo perhaps even louder these days. What role did King play in your development and direction?
Empathy. Despite all the political tension here in the U.S., most of us are still very lucky. It’s hard to find the perspective to truly understand the motivations and feelings of others who live under very different circumstances that they cannot easily change.
You were lobbying specifically for athletics and performing arts; how did the two enhance each other in your experience and why did you think it was important to give students access to both? At King, mandatory athletics, which then meant three seasons a year, were a hallmark of the school; I can say with certainty that the discipline and camaraderie the requirement created was central to my own development. At the same time, performing the lead role of a musical theater production my senior year with no prior performance experience sparked my interest and confidence in public speaking. This was also important to my career and civic involvement. Even then, I did not think we should have to choose between these two valuable opportunities, and I probably feel more strongly in retrospect.
I was at King for six years, from Grade 7 through my senior year. The teachers and coaches I had were friends and mentors who were incredibly motivating. Tom
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Community
engagement through
music
It was early April and the doors to the theater in the Performing Arts Center were closed. Inside, a chaotic mix of horns, strings, and drums permeated the space as a group of students practiced for their evening performance. When the doors opened hours later and guests took their seats, the disorderly mix was transformed into a beautiful collaboration of musical and social harmony as King hosted the fifth annual El Sistema Concert, when talented musicians from our Middle and Upper Schools perform with visiting musicians. El Sistema is a social action music program that was founded in Venezuela in 1975 by Maestro José Antonio Abreu. Since 2014, King has hosted the El Sistema Residency to give our students the opportunity to participate in intensive music workshops over three days with visiting students of multiple programs, including Stamford's own Project Music, a non-profit after-school music education program that uses the transformative power of music to effect positive social change. By practicing and performing music together, students learn from each other and inspire a deeper connection.
AT KING, WE BELIEVE WHEN STUDENTS WORK WITH COMMUNITIES NEAR AND FAR AS RESOURCES AND ALLIES, THEY BETTER CONNECT WITH THEIR ROLE AS CITIZENS AND FELLOW HUMANS, GROW IN EMPATHY, AND COME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF ENTRENCHED SOCIAL CHALLENGES. Music is the vehicle that can transcend these challenges. Garrett Mendez, Performing Arts Faculty, adds, “We live in a complex and diverse world and there are many ways to lead and contribute. Our students can use the skills they’ve learned while making music, to become the next group of leaders, innovators, and creators. When you experience diverse social settings, it can shape the way you act and think. Some of the other safety nets we create in our society may not be as necessary if we all play a deeper role.” Sam Gleason ’19 volunteered at the Project Music summer camp after his first year at King and was inspired to further connect through music. This inspiration lead to his creation of the King Music Festival, which benefits Project Music. Now in its third year, the Festival brings together local bands and musicians for a day of music and collaboration.
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5
TH
ANNUAL EL SISTEMA CONCERT & KING MUSIC FESTIVAL
The King Music Festival is more than just a fundraiser. It is a community event that brings people together through their love of music while giving others the opportunity to experience that love. To me, the Festival and the El Sistema Residency cement the idea that music is a universal language that can overcome any barrier to connect people and build communities. – Sam Gleason ’19 “Since King works so closely with Project Music, I set out to organize a "jazz night" fundraiser when King students could showcase their music and talents to our community. The idea quickly grew into an entire music festival, which included bands and musicians from other surrounding communities, all to benefit Project Music,” comments Sam. As King continues to build meaningful partnerships in our community and around the world, we create a community that asks “what can I learn from this new experience, person, and culture?" and this keeps us on a path of continuous growth.
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TURNING LANGUAGE INTO MUSIC
BERNARD EDWARDS KLHT ’91
Bernard has worked with industry titans including Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dog, Kendrick Lamar, John Legend, Marsha Ambrosius, and more. In a nod to the personal characteristic that helped him get to the top, he adopted the professional name “Focus…” That trademark concentration still lends itself to personal and professional growth.
If you walk into every experience open to learning, and immerse yourself in it, it is 100% beneficial. I do not set expectations. I try to stay open to every opportunity so I continue to learn.” 14 Quest 2019
The ringing phone cracked the tranquility at Bernard Edwards’ home on February 8, 2004. The voice coming over the line changed his life forever as it brought with it news that Bernard had just won a Grammy for his work on Beyonce’s album Dangerously in Love. Perhaps more shocking than the news itself was the reality that Bernard was so unprepared for the call.
All of these things were needs that shaped my decisions.” Bernard’s family began to grow alongside his career, and by 1997 he wanted to find a place conducive to both his work and family. Atlanta was quickly becoming ground zero for hip-hop production, so he headed to Georgia where he started working with Jason Weaver and rising stars including Kandi Burress from Xscape. But it was his collaboration with the artist Daks that would change Bernard’s life as their work caught the ear of Dr. Dre, who soon signed Bernard onto his Aftermath Entertainment.
The truth is, Bernard is hyper-focused. At six, he decided he would be a music producer and he never wavered. Over the course of his career, he learned to submerge himself so thoroughly in the craft of making music that not even a Grammy nomination could throw him off his game. “I knew about the nomination, but it just did not resonate. The idea of a Grammy seemed so far-fetched,” he said from his studio in Los Angeles where he produces for Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment label. Today the studio is adorned with not one, but three Grammy awards among other accolades. “In retrospect, I realize that it was the work that thrilled me - what I was producing, which was yielding big moments in the form of collaborations. The awards were not really on my radar.” Bernard’s mastery of music was fueled by a personality that lends itself well to art. An introvert by nature, his teachers at KLHT, where he was a student from Grade 2 through high school, reinforced his resolve to follow a creative path by encouraging him to use art as a way to gain access to the world. He knew his higher education would take place in the production studio rather than the traditional track of college. After graduating in 1991, he landed in a home studio in Manhattan. Needing an artist to produce, he began recording himself in order to create material with which he could hone his techniques. This drive generated broad skills that would set him apart from others in the industry. “I am not just a producer who sits in the room and directs. I make the music as well. I direct the artists on how to sing, where to do the harmonies, all of it. I cover the gamut in terms of production. In essence, I take language and turn it into music.”
“I was different. I was one of few African American students at the school at the time, and being a minority in the community was hard, particularly during those formative years. Immersing myself in art served as an escape from my interior world and helped me connect in a new way.” The work he was producing with his partner at the time, DMac, ended up drawing Bernard west. In LA, Bernard began working with a variety of rap artists, eventually landing a booking on a radio station owned by Stevie Wonder. A big executive meeting followed and, just two years out of KLHT, Bernard’s career took flight. His journey was not without setbacks. Shortly after arriving in LA, his collaborating partner disappeared with their earnings, leaving Bernard on his heels. “It was a moment when I had to decide whether to cut and run or to stay and dive deeper into the work and into myself.” He chose the latter and credits the obstacles he faced along his career with keeping him focused. “Need is a good thing because it creates drive and forces introspection. You have to assess where you are in your life and make choices accordingly. Sometimes my needs were financial. Once I had kids, their needs drove my decisions. I also had a deep need to create art and to be honest in what I was creating.
After seven years at Aftermath Entertainment, the intensity of the industry started taking a toll. He began to withdraw and found a disconnect between himself and the world around him, much like he had during his formative years. “When I was at KLHT, I was in search of myself and screaming for individuality. My teachers nurtured that by guiding me toward art,” he said. The professional demands of the industry had drained him of the emotional benefits he came to rely on in the creative process. He took a huge risk and walked away from the industry to regroup. “I needed to do it for myself, for my soul. I needed a spiritual and emotional break, to quiet the noise that had started to cloud my thinking.” He spent five years away, raising his kids and creating music for himself that was free of commercial requirements. His success had afforded him the break, and his creativity flourished. In time, he needed to get back to work. Dr. Dre, who Bernard calls “Coach,” soon re-signed Bernard to Aftermath where he has been ever since. Throughout his career, Bernard has navigated high-powered circles of celebrities and music moguls, yet he has maintained a sense of authenticity. Art is central to his ability to stay centered. “You have to focus on your inner self and stay true to that,” he said. “Everybody’s walk through life is different. But art is so powerful; it is a way of communicating and connecting that is universal. If you do it right, creating art will keep you grounded.”
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MEET DR. RACHEL JEAN-BAPTISTE DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
What about King School first appealed to you?
How do you define ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’
It’s something that several students said in one of the Admission videos on the King website: King is a place that encourages each student to discover their passions and gives them the tools to delve into them, develop them further, and become the person that they’d like to be. That’s pretty powerful. That drew me in and made me want to become a member of such an exciting learning environment.
There is a well-used metaphor in the world of DEI professionals that equates the work we do with planning a party. The saying goes that diversity is making sure that everyone is invited to the party. For me, diversity is about representation – ensuring that people across a wide spectrum of worldviews, ability, race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, religious beliefs, and political affiliation – are part of a community. Research has shown that a diversity of viewpoints and life experiences leads to innovation and creativity. Connecting the dots from a passive place of having diversity to leveraging diversity for innovation and creativity is: equity. This means ensuring fairness in access to information and resources for all, which entails acknowledging that different students have different needs to achieve success and putting those tools in place. To continue the metaphor, it means that every invitee plays a role in party-planning. Many DEI professionals define inclusion as being asked to dance when you arrive at the party. I think inclusion is more than that. It requires intentional practice on everyone’s part. Inclusion means that everyone at the party does a new dance, one that they didn’t know before and became aware of through their interactions with each other. Inclusion entails leveraging diversity in order to make it so that all students, staffulty, and families experience King as a safe, welcoming community to which they belong. It means I believe that it is this type of culture that will ensure that King continues to be at the cutting-edge of delivering innovative education for the long-term.
What is your top priority for your first year at King? I don’t have just one, but three. All are tied to expanding cultural competence - the ability to understand, communicate with, and work and learn with people across a wide range of cultures. My first area of focus is to develop recruitment, hiring, and professional growth & development processes that ensure that we attract a deep pool of talented staffulty that reflect the diverse makeup of our 21st century world. The second is to work with teachers across all divisions on inclusive curriculum development and pedagogy, which means integrating social, emotional, and cognitive skills that allow for academic excellence. The third is to curate community-building events for parents and caretakers to acquire knowledge and tools that encourage children’s social-emotional literacy, which will help provide a full circle of support for students from school to home.
How does King challenge and inspire students? King does this in so many ways! I’ll focus on just a few developmentally appropriate examples that I’ve seen in my short time here. Our Global Studies trips aren’t just occasions where students Instagram their way through the world; they actually experience life and culture and problem-solving. In the Upper School, students who want to learn about a topic or subject matter that isn’t offered in a course can write a proposal to do an independent study project, and a teacher will advise them through the completion of that project that includes the presentation of their findings to the community. In the Middle School, students elected by their peers to the student council take the lead in working with the King Cares program to bring meaningful opportunities for community engagement to other students. And, it has been delightful to witness the youngest members of the King community, our PreKindergarten and Kindergarten students, puzzle through the process to build and fly planes. 16 Quest 2019
"There is a well-used metaphor in the world of DEI professionals that equates the work we do with planning a party. The saying goes that diversity is making sure that everyone is invited to the party."
"I WILL ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IS KNOWN, HEARD, AND UNDERSTOOD." What do you feel distinguishes King from other schools? The belief that the experience of education is just as important as the outcome - indeed, that an educational experience that is learner-centered cultivates an intrinsic motivation to learn, and that benefits students for the rest of their lives.
How would you like to influence the student experience at King? Using thoughtful and collaborative cultivating practices, policies, and processes that align to our educational philosophy, I will ensure that every student is known, heard, and understood.
Tell us one thing about yourself that someone might not know. I started taking piano lessons a few years ago. I have zero background in musical training, and I wanted to learn something new. I was terrified at my first recital! The six-year olds who followed me played better than me. I find that taking up new things, even though scary, is a humbling practice that leads me to be a more empathetic and effective educator.
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ROSINNE (“ROE”) CHLALA T’68
CREATING COMMUNITY ONE MEMORY AT A TIME
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Social occasions in Fairfield County are a competitive sport, with success measured by the buzz heard long after an event has ended. Follow that buzz and odds are it will lead to Rosinne Chlala, the force behind Festivities, a special event design and catering company she founded with her brother Bill Kaliff. The buzz she has generated while perfecting the art of entertaining for more than 35 years is reflective of the great memories she sets out to create with every occasion. “Celebrations provide a foundation for shared memories on which relationships and community are built,” said Roe from her 6,000 square foot Norwalk “campus,” which houses a full kitchen, warehouse, and store. “Memories make us who we are. People stop me all the time to talk about a party I planned, and they tell me details that resonated with them. It might have been 25 years ago, but they remember me and they remember the details. Creating that memory is central to everything we do.” Roe’s success as a hostess belies a personality trait that is at odds with her profession. A natural introvert, her discomfort in social situations nurtured a unique sensitivity to the guest experience. “As we built this business, the empathy we had for people who feel left out was always at the front of our minds and we worked to translate that empathy into a business philosophy. Hospitality is everything. I want every person that comes through the door to have a wonderful time.” The oldest of six children in a family of Lebanese descent, she grew up in a home where hospitality was part of the culture. “I learned by watching. In a Lebanese home, there is always food and drink on hand for guests whenever they should visit. The consideration hosts have for their guests stayed with me.” Merging that hospitable nature with her timid personality took time and traces
back to her arrival at Thomas School in Grade 9. “There were 23 girls in the class, and being Lebanese, I felt different. In retrospect, it was more my insecurity than anything else because the girls were great, but it took me until the end of the year to let my guard down and make friends.” Once her wall came down, the friendships flourished: she and her classmates still gather regularly and Roe is currently planning a weekend getaway with classmates. The celebrations and memories she shares with her Thomas School friends have yielded deep connections and inspire every event she creates. “We all became close friends and are close still; we celebrate milestones together. I really keep that shy girl in mind when I am creating events.” After high school graduation, Roe headed to Sweet Briar College and then to the American University of Beirut. “It was interesting because there I was different in that I was the only American, but I did not feel different. Everyone could pronounce my name. So I really wasn’t different there.” She met her husband in Lebanon and returned to the United States where they were married on a beach in Providence. “True to Lebanese form, my dad kept inviting everyone he saw that day to the reception. By the time we got to the buffet, there was no food left and I didn’t know anyone. It was very funny.”
used table top items benefit local families. We created the foundation to do that. If someone has a party and uses 50 paper lanterns, often the lanterns end up in a basement closet never to be used again. With the foundation, people can donate those extras and receive a tax receipt. We sell them in our store, and all of the profits go to the Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport, which works to end domestic and sexual abuse and violence in our communities.”
Roe’s commitment to community extends beyond her foundation as she partners with several nonprofits in Fairfield County. The community, in turn, has celebrated her generosity: Near and Far Aid presented her with the 2018 Jeannie Fay Award for volunteerism. For Roe, everything she does is in the name of community. “What else is there? Relationships and our shared memories and the impact we have on each other is all we have.”
Though her father’s approach was extreme, every event Roe plans is meant to ensure that nobody is left out. “As humans, we all have a need to connect and a need for traditions that keep us connected. Celebrations provide that. We have that shared wedding, that Christmas Eve, the various milestones that bring us together. We have those shared occasions in common. That is the basis for community.” In addition to building community through special occasions, Roe and her brother have created ways to give back to the greater community by establishing Pass on the Love, a Festivities Foundation with a mission of supporting safe and healthy homes. “We wanted to find a way to make lightly Quest 2019 19
MEET DR. JOSH DEITCH HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
What do you feel distinguishes King from other schools? King’s recognition that academic excellence does not come at the expense of personal development feels important. The fact that students are encouraged to move beyond their comfort zones, to never define themselves by one metric – good at math, artistic, athletic, etc. – and that they are instead seen as more than their individual parts is incredibly meaningful. While other schools may help students develop into strong students, King does so while also ensuring that they become good people.
How does King challenge and inspire students? King’s educational philosophy recognizes that there is as much – if not more – value in the process of learning than in the product. While our results are strong and our students achieve excellence, we recognize that learning is not simply about the accumulation of knowledge. The most important moments in a child’s journey are not always the moments when they get the answer right, but instead are those when they have learned to ask “why,” “why not,” and perhaps most importantly, “where is my responsibility in making change.” In order to do that, we challenge students to go beyond the basic facts and to express their own well-formed and fully-researched opinions in increasingly complex ways.
What are the benefits of King’s Middle School program? Because we are so devoted to our students as individuals and we recognize the importance of providing different paths to excellence, it is essential that our students understand that their voices are valuable and have power. Community is not simply something adults talk about and define from on high. Instead, a strong community like King’s Middle School builds as a culmination of every interaction, action, and decision, each of which is built around our virtues of integrity, kindness, perseverance, and respect. When we look at our community from that lens, every member of our school has power – the power to change someone’s day, to impact the foundations of the school environment, to do something that’s never been done before. During a time in life where children don’t feel seen, heard, or recognized for who they are, we create a program built around a plethora of learning experiences designed to help our students find their voice.
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How would you describe the Middle School experience at King? In King Middle School, students start to understand how they learn so they see learning as a tool to understand the world. This enables them to understand where they fit in the world, which, in turn, enables them to understand how they can impact the world. King Middle School students also understand who they are as a person and how they work within a community. They learn that a community is built upon differences and that this is a strength.
How do we prepare Grade 8 students for Upper School? New this year, the Grade 8 Team developed the Leadership Lab workshop that meets once a rotation designed to provide students with an established time to discuss leadership and the various ways that manifests itself both in our community and our society as a whole. Too often we find that we expect our Grade 8 students to act as leaders in the Middle School simply because they are the oldest. While that is the case, it should also be the case that we guide their development in this area. The result is a workshop series, which asks students to investigate a variety of perspectives on, and ways that, leadership manifests itself in individuals and communities. Because leadership is also a personal quality that reveals itself differently in every individual, these investigations include an exploration of self in relation to the world.
What is your main goal for your first year at King? I hope to continue to build a learning community in the Middle School based on experimentation, design, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. This holds true for both students and staffulty. When we put the needs of our students at the center of our practice and decision making, we build a culture of answering questions through the mindset of “yes, if…” as opposed to “no, because…”. When we create a learning community that values divergent opinions, perspectives, experiences, and styles, we ensure that every member feels confident in the power of their voice and their own experience.
Tell us one thing about yourself that someone might not know. There are a few things, but the first thing that pops to mind is that I love and have loved comic books deeply. I love reading them and have even spent some time writing them. Batman is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. More importantly, I believe that the comic book medium is one of the most fascinating ways to tell a story, and when it’s done well, nothing – not movies, books, or music – can compare to its unique combination of visuals, text, and reader interaction. In fact, if you look hard enough on the internet, you could probably find my name on a few short stories.
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PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS EDUCATION & CELEBRATES OUR COMMUNITY
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We are so grateful to the Parents’ Association (PA) for their strong leadership in providing educational opportunities for parents and in celebrating the King School community. Among many contributions in 2018-2019, the PA spearheaded an expanded Global Fair, a thought-provoking PA Speaker Series, and a spirited, community-building Spring Fling party.
SAVE THE DATE 2019-2020 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION EVENTS
Please join the many exciting opportunities for our community to support our children and celebrate our dynamic community.
December 9-13: PA King Cares Midnight Run Drive
January 24: PA General Meeting 25: PA King Cares Midnight Run 30: PA Speaker Series
February 21: PA Lower School DJ Jam 29: PA King Cares Building One Community Afternoon at the Movies
April 3: King Global Fair 18: King School Gala
May 5-8: PA Lower and Middle School Book Fair 15: PA General Meeting
HIGHLIGHTS 2018-2019 PA Global Fair brings the world to King and celebrates diversity and inclusion
PA Speaker Series shares advice on raising responsible, ethical children
The Global Fair, sponsored by the Parents' Association King Inclusion and Diversity Committee (KInD), celebrated our diverse community with volunteers proudly sharing their heritage, traditions, and tasty foods from over 36 countries and U.S. states represented in our school family. Co-Chair Miranda Linders exclaimed, “We all proudly have a heritage and traditions to share, no matter where in the world we come from.”
The PA Speaker Series committee, chaired by Sarah Black, brought experts who shared valuable advice for parents in helping children and families thrive.
Spring Fling, just for the fun of it!
King parents and staffulty danced, feasted, and laughed among friends at the Stamford Yacht Club, relishing the fun and camaraderie of our new Spring Fling event.
• Cristina Young encouraged celebrating teens’ success and keeping open lines of communication. • Chris Herren described his successful basketball career and how he lost it all due to substance abuse. • Dr. Jessica Hoffman discussed building skills for life with an ‘emotions matter’ mindset to parenting.
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Assessing Success for the Class of 2019
There is no better measure of success than a confident, happy graduate with aspiring goals and the drive to pursue them. Each student in the Class of 2019 made intentional decisions about the future, and where best to spend the next four years as they pursue lives of ongoing inquiry, learning, accomplishment, personal fulfillment, and social responsibility.
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In May, Nedgine Paul Deroly ’04 returned to King as the Commencement speaker and she provided insight on her personal path to success: "Since graduating from King in 2004, I am struck by how often I get asked questions about what, where, why and sometimes, how much. But what I am rarely asked are questions about who I am as a person and what I care about most. Yet, questions about my personal identity have pushed me the most and have afforded me the greatest opportunity to stand for something. It has been the foundation on which I have built my career, my passion, and my purpose." Three Valedictorians, which included two King "Lifers," reflected on their time at King and provided advice to their classmates. Grethe Andersen, Washington University in St. Louis: "Through the pursuit of academic excellence, you build valuable relationships with your teachers and classmates. You learn about your community, and you learn to support each other, cultivating valuable social currency. That academically driven, yet supportive environment is what makes King so special." Mallory Ehlers, Brown University: "In college, I will look for professors who mirror the teachers I had at King. Teachers who are so passionate about a topic that they sparked that same interest in their students, or helped them to develop an interest they never knew they had before."
Global Studies Certificate of Distinction
The certificate of distinction in Global Studies is awarded to those students who successfully completed a rigorous program of study in global studies over the course of their high school career. The 2019 recipients were Emily Barnard, Hannah Berrick, Elizabeth Essaid, Riley Hicks, Alex Kearns, John Kennedy, Henry Meyer, Paul Noujaim, Dean Pigott, Jack Reilly, Amelia Whiteley, and Justin Zide.
STEM Certificate of Distinction
The certificate of STEM Distinction is awarded to those students who have fulfilled the requirements that include, in part, rigorous coursework, club activities, and the completion of a capstone project. The 2019 recipients were Portia Cummings, Mallory Ehlers, and Ashley Xu.
Leadership Certificate of Distinction
The certificate of distinction in Leadership Studies is awarded to students who successfully complete a rigorous program of study in leadership theory. In addition, these students have taken on numerous leadership roles, community leadership projects, and the completion of a capstone project. The 2019 recipients were Grady Boruchin, Victoria Crowe, Caroline Eagleton, Josh Figueroa, Chrissy Nelli, and Sam Rabassa.
Annie Michalski, Dartmouth College: "The King culture has given me the courage and confidence to ask questions, to make mistakes, to be wrong, and to explore and discover new possibilities. In the classroom, my teachers have encouraged me, and others, to challenge our opinions, think for ourselves, and listen to each other."
The Class of 2019 Matriculation List: • Belmont University • Boston College (2) • Boston University • Bowdoin College • Brandeis University • Brown University (2) • Bryant University (2) • Bryn Mawr College • Bucknell University (2) • Chapman University • Clemson University • Colby College • Colgate University • College of William and Mary (2)
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Columbia University (2) Cornell University Dartmouth College (3) Davidson College Dickinson College (2) Duke University (2) Elon University (5) Fairfield University Florida Institute of Technology Florida Southern College Fordham University George Washington University Georgetown University Gettysburg College Hamilton College
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Indiana University Ithaca College Lafayette College Macalester College Manhattanville College Marist College Merrimack College Middlebury College Muhlenberg College Nazareth College New York University Northwestern University (2) Oglethorpe University Pace University Pepperdine University
• Princeton University (2) • Providence College • Purdue University (2) • Sacred Heart University • Santa Clara University (2) • Savannah College of Art and Design • Southern Methodist University • Stanford University • SUNY Morrisville • Syracuse University (3) • Trinity College (2) • Tulane University
• Union College • University of Chicago • University of Delaware • University of Miami (2) • University of Michigan • University of New Haven • University of Pennsylvania • University of Richmond (2) • University of South Florida • University of St. Andrews (2) • Vanderbilt University • Villanova University (2) • Wake Forest University • Washington University in St. Louis (2) Quest 2019 25
COMING HOME Summer (Segalas) Lackey KLHT ’10 PreKindergarten Assistant Faculty "It feels great to be back at King. It was my second home for 15 years, so it is an amazing experience to come back on campus and feel right at home again. King is an incredibly special place and the teachers that I had made a huge impact on my life. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to do the same thing for kids and work alongside some of those same teachers that I had growing up. King is a community filled with so much history that you can see on every corner of the campus. While parts of the school have changed and grown over the years, the values of King and what makes it such a special place remain the same. My advice to today’s students: remember it all and never take it for granted because King will shape who you are."
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Stephen Sheehan ’07 Alumni Engagement Officer and Athletics Liaison "I am incredibly excited to have started the next chapter of my career back at King. It is pretty special to be in this dual role with our alumni and athletics departments. I get to reconnect with alumni from all eras of King! Plus I help our student athletes pursue their passion for sports; I appreciate the importance of this since it fueled my success when I was a student. There were a number of staffulty during my time who saw something in me that I did not see in myself and it is my hope that I can pay that forward working with our students. I feel the school has adapted to the ever-changing educational landscape and the staffulty are incredibly educated and experienced to prepare our students to be successful in college and in life. Even though there are a number of new spaces and faces on campus since my time, the community hasn't changed; we are a family. The staffulty and students care about each other, work together to challenge one another, learn from one another, and grow together. I encourage alumni from all eras: LH, King, Thomas, LHT, KLHT, and King, to come back and see all of the exciting new things happening on campus."
Matt Johnson ’13 Kindergarten Assistant Faculty "It is amazing to be back at King! A lot has changed at King but much remains the same. The changes and upgrades in the facilities have truly amazed me and I was very excited to see a lot of familiar faces on my first day. The teachers still possess a commitment to excellence and getting to know each student and who they are as learners and people. Returning to King and working with the youngest students on campus is extremely fulfilling, challenging, and fun. I could not be happier that my career has brought me back to King, a place that meant so much to me growing up. I am excited about our new Early Childhood program and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings. My advice for today’s students: be confident and follow your passion."
Lindsay Stone ’11 English Faculty "As a student, I felt King was the type of place that made me want to come to school. The same holds true as a teacher – I am so happy to be here each and every day. King feels like home to me. My time at King is what made me want to be a teacher in the first place, and I am honored to now be able to call my former mentors my colleagues. King has certainly changed physically since I graduated, but the ethos of the school remains the same. Students and teachers alike are still kind, caring, and more than willing to help each other. King remains the community-centered school it was during my time here; the only real difference is that there are now even more opportunities for connection and compassion. My advice for today’s students is to take more risks, knowing that an amazing staffulty is there to support and guide you."
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How do you describe the strengths and impact of a King School education? Sharing King School’s story How do we communicate our confidence, pride, and hopes for our beloved School? Over the past year, we’ve worked to clarify the beliefs and values we hold most dear so we can share our story with both current and prospective community members. Through extensive outreach and conversations, we gathered input from our broad community to help us understand ourselves more completely – how we are perceived and the reputation we want to be known and embraced for. Our outreach included:
• Inviting our community to evaluate the King School
experience. Over 1,000 students, parents, trustees, alumni, parents of alumni, and staffulty shared their input via an online survey.
• Holding interviews, workshops, and listening sessions with students, parents, trustees, alumni, and staffulty. • Reviewing language and visual cues we send through communication.
• Partnering with Mission Minded, a firm that helps schools reach their highest potential through brand identity and message clarification.
Community-wide input and strong alignment Over 1,000 parents, trustees, US students, alumni from across the years, parents of alumni, and staffulty shared their perspectives with King by participating in a survey that got at the heart of what we value as a community and who we are as a school. Dozens of people also thoughtfully explored these topics in one-on-one interviews and group workshops. There was strong alignment across our broad and diverse community. You told us, of course, that you value educational excellence. You particularly value how King enables students to think for themselves and learn from their differences, while allowing students to embrace every part of their King experience as they chart their own course for the future. You described us as ambitious, collaborative, spirited, and authentic.
Tell me about King School The soul of King is our shared commitment to setting better standards for education by empowering students to confidently pursue their passions, and by celebrating their educational voyage as much as their destination. We provide a transformative educational experience for every student by uncovering their talents, interests, and passions.
At King School, we seek more than achievement for our students. We open minds and spark courageous thinking. Every day, our students discover and forge their unique paths to excellence as we teach, guide, and cheer them on. Because when we set better standards for both the experience and outcomes of education, students cultivate the insights and heart to own their future. Thank you for sharing your pride in King today and into our future!
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Thank you to our long-time and beloved staffulty who left King last year: Cathy Mishkin, History Faculty 43 years of service “I felt so lucky to be teaching in the classroom next to Cathy. She was the best example I have known of an inspired teacher. She gave other colleagues and me as much encouragement and support as she gave her students. Cathy was always ready to listen and help. I learned so much from her, even the practice of cooking breakfast for my advisees. There's nothing like the smell of bacon wafting down the hallway to start the school day off right! Thank you, Cathy, for everything!” Eleanor Christensen, Former Faculty
Connie Nichols, Visual Arts Faculty 38 years of service “Connie has a refreshing sense of humor, but is also a deeply professional educator and shares her love of art with her community. I've learned a lot from her, having observed her classes: it was a worthwhile experience to witness students engrossed and motivated to persist at their work. They trust in Connie's feedback. I enjoyed working with Connie at our "unconference" session on decoupage, sharing a classroom with her when the Publications class worked out of her room, and I will miss early morning conversations!” Laura Bowe, Visual Arts Faculty
Alex Weiner, Dean of Faculty, Interim Head of Middle School 19 years of service “When I think back over the twenty-something years I've been at King, Alex Weiner stands out as one of the most warm, patient, and professional educators with whom I've worked. Everything about him -- his contagious smile, his ability to listen carefully, his focused attention, his careful honesty -- speaks to his ability to be fully present to any person he is with, whether an adult, three-year-old, or teenager. When I say any person, I mean any person; after all, I have known him as a MS teacher, an US teacher, a Dean of Faculty, Associate Head of School, and Interim Head of Middle School, and of course as a supportive colleague and friend. And King's Virtues — they are his legacy. The work he did to shepherd our community through the adoption of such a central part of our culture is incredibly powerful. We all miss him very much, but we think of him when we hold up our Virtues!” Marnie Sadlowsky, Associate Head of School for Program, Head of Upper School
Michelle Sotire, College Counseling Registrar 18 years of service “Throughout her tenure at King, Michelle played a key role in the day-to-day functioning of the College Counseling Office, doing everything from sending transcripts and letters of recommendation to the colleges to coordinate college visits on campus to processing and maintaining student records. However, Michelle's true legacy at King was in the form of the connections she made across campus to nearly every single member of the faculty and staff. Michelle had a smile for everyone and was always eager to help in ways that often went far beyond her expected duties; she truly embodied King's virtue of Kindness.” Jessica Landis, Director of College Counseling
Judy Valentine, Assistant to Head of School 16 years of service "Judy Valentine was one of the first people I hired when I arrived at King, and one of the best hires I ever made. She was always professional, highly competent, and deeply loyal. She kept me together and focused. I simply could not have done without her. And, around the holidays, Judy brought in the very best cookies I have ever had. 'Judy cookies' are still legendary for my children. My baking skill will forever be inadequate!" Tom Main, Former Head of School
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Setting the Standard for Giving Starting in 2019-2020, King School is honored to recognize the generosity of our benefactors with new and updated giving societies and clubs. Through them, we celebrate the generosity of staffulty, trustees, parents, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni, and friends whose gifts at all levels each year support school operations and whose lifelong commitments help secure King's future. We hope you’ll continue to make King a philanthropic priority and set the standard for others to follow by considering joining a new, higher level this year.
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1865 Society
King's premier giving society recognizes benefactors who have made cumulative lifetime gifts of $250,000 or more.
The Head of School Society
By joining the Head of School Society, you signal your unwavering support of our students and the wider King community. Members of the Head of School Society are invited to a private reception hosted annually by the Board of Trustees and the Head of School. Members will also be recognized for their leadership in each Annual Report.
Groundbreakers Catalysts Benefactors Vikings Challengers
$100,000+ $50,000 - $99,999 $25,000 - $49,999 $20,000 - $24,999
Pathfinders Patrons Partners
$10,000 - $19,999 $5,000 - $9,999
Alumni
King School today draws on and is inspired by the ideals of all of our predecessor schools: Low-Heywood, Thomas School, King School, Low-Heywood Thomas, and most recently KLHT. We value how a deep connection with our alumni family enriches our entire community. Leadership alumni gifts to The King Fund make it possible to attract and retain the extraordinary faculty members who create expansive opportunities and set better standards for education. Your investment creates access for families who enhance our community and depend on tuition assistance.
Alumni Leaders $1,000+ Homecoming Circle for Young Alumni 2015 - 2019 2010 - 2014 2005 - 2009
Giving Circles
$60 and above $240 and above $480 and above
These gifts form a foundation of support for King. Donors who support King at each level play a critical role in the life of the school through their commitment. Founders Circle $1,865 - $4,999 Simon House Circle $1,000 - $1,864 Friends up to $999
Champion Society
We welcome and deeply appreciate leadership tuition assistance giving. When you make this specific type of designated gift, which requires a multi-year commitment of more than $10,000 per year, you become a member of champion and ally for a specific, deserving King student.
Circle of the Bells
King is deeply grateful to our Circle of the Bells members, as their carefully considered future giving is crucial to bolstering our endowment and thereby ensuring our long-term financial stability. Also known as legacy giving or deferred giving, consideration of a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for King School and its mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals.
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King School to redesign and turf middle campus athletic fields thanks to breakthrough lead gifts from Nancy and Tim Armstrong P’20, Lynn and Tom King P’20,’20,’23, and an anonymous family. The newly-turfed fields will be used for all types of school and campus activities, including US and MS athletics, Physical Education classes, LS and MS recess, after-school programs, and the Summer Institute. Athletes will enjoy enhancements including dugout areas and batting cages while spectators will enjoy the experience just as much from dedicated bleacher seating.
King School families and students will greatly benefit from these new fields for years to come and we are so grateful to our benefactors for “changing the game” for all students at King! Join this generous group and make your gift to this impactful initiative. For more information, contact Lauren Fredette, Director of Development, (203) 322-3496, Ext. 324 or lfredette@kingschoolct.org. 32 Quest 2019
To be completed in Fall 2020, this significant upgrade and park-like setting in the middle of our campus will benefit our entire King community. We are extremely grateful to Nancy and Tim Armstrong, Lynn and Tom King, and a family who wishes to remain anonymous. This facility is being made possible by the generosity of these three lead donors who have each provided $1,000,000 gifts, and a number of other donors who will partner with King School to help make this exciting vision a reality. Turfed fields help support enhanced game play as well as student health and safety. The surface depth, infill material, and infill weights have been chosen for optimal field and playing conditions, including injury prevention. It will also significantly limit the amount of indoor training time and the number of rescheduled games because these fields will be playable in all types of weather conditions, including rain and even snow. This will provide significantly more training, coaching and teaching time, so our teams and athletes will be better trained and prepared, and ultimately more competitive.
Your Gift Matters! Your giving, at every level, has a direct impact that: • Enhances the programs that give PreK-Grade 12 students real-world experiences. • Hires, develops and retains the finest faculty who facilitate rich and innovative learning opportunities for all students. Your generosity enables King to offer competitive salaries and robust professional growth and development opportunities. • Creates community strength through need-based tuition assistance and extracurricular opportunities to ensure a vibrant, diverse community. • Enables us to offer King students the best, including state-of-the-art facilities that help attract the next generation. • Strengthens our School and builds our reputation, making a King education more valuable and impactful.
Ways to Give Give cash All cash gifts to the school are fully tax deductible and may be made by check, credit card, or electronic fund transfer. These gifts can be made in person at the Simon House, by calling (203) 588-3010, by visiting www.kingschoolct.org/give, or by mail: King School Development Office 1450 Newfield Avenue Stamford, CT 06905
Give Stocks Increase your giving impact by making a gift of securities and get double tax benefits! Gifts of appreciated securities which have been held for more than 12 months entitle the donor to an income tax deduction equal to the average of the high and low values on the date of transfer while allowing the donor to avoid the capital gains tax that would have applied had the stock been sold. Contact Max Dixon in the development office at mdixon@kingschoolct.org or (203) 588-3010, for securities transfer instructions.
Have your gift matched Many companies match gifts made to King School by an employee or an employee's spouse. To determine if your company will match your gift, please visit www.kingschoolct.org/match. Donors who initiate matching gifts from their companies will be credited with the combined amount of their own gift and the matching gift in the Annual Report.
Join the Circle of the Bells Join our planned giving society and include King in your estate plans. With thoughtful and considered planning, you can create win-win solutions for you and King School. Members of the Circle of the Bells provide far-sighted support of King for future generations to enjoy via their commitment to our endowment needs.
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LEAVE A LEGACY Honoring our founding schools' tradition of excellence begins with you. The Circle of the Bells society recognizes those individuals who wish to support King School by making some provision in their estate arrangements such as through a bequest. Your thoughtful planning today can be transformative to future generations of students and faculty. To learn more about including King School in your estate plans, or to discuss current plans, please contact: Christy Burkart Senior Associate Director of Development
(203) 322-3496, Ext. 348 giftplanning@kingschoolct.org kingschoolct.org/giftplanning
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It was a weekend to celebrate the deep history of King School; our competitive athletics; a spirited community; and giving back. Homecoming 2019, which took place in late October, welcomed families, staffulty, alumni, neighbors, and friends for a fun-filled weekend.
KING COMMUNITY A CELEBRATION OF THE
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We are extremely grateful to our Parents' Association for the dedication, time, and effort they contributed to make Homecoming 2019 a tremendous success.
We were particularly excited to welcome back to campus a large, engaging group from the King School and Low-Heywood School Classes of 1969! It was a perfect weekend and wonderful to see so many alumni on campus, which is a great representation of the important history that makes up the fabric of today’s King. The weekend kicked off on Friday afternoon with the all-school Pep Rally followed by the first annual Upper School Talent Show. Our JV teams competed later that day and enjoyed an array of food trucks in the PAC courtyard. Saturday's weather was absolutely perfect and Cross Country opened the day with a non-competitive race around campus. Field Hockey, Volleyball, and Football were victorious over our opponents and Girls Soccer walked away with a tie over GFA after a well-fought battle. Boys Soccer fell to GFA but exhibited great sportsmanship and tremendous effort. Our campus was a bustle of activity and community spirit the entire day with games, inflatables, food trucks, face painting, a s'mores pit, baked goods, shopping at the school store tent, a petting zoo, and our talented LS Spirit Squad's halftime show during the football game. Our student talent was on display with several students soloing alongside our US choir to sing the National Anthem and our US jazz band performing for the crowd. The weekend closed out on Sunday with our King Cares 5K. Over 100 families participated in the event, despite the rain, to benefit two worthy causes: the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford and Greenwich, as well as the Orphaned Starfish Foundation.
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ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
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2019 1943
1942 MARY BARTON WILLIAMS LH’42 Mary shares, “Age 94, I am still alive and still doing some volunteer work. I am a botanist and assist the Lake Stewarts of Maine record the flora of our lakes. I live with my daughter Margaret Williams and have four children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Who else in the class is left? Best wishes, Mary Barton”
1943 TED BROWN K’43 Ted shares, “I just got the news that my grandson James has been accepted at Columbia! I graduated from King in 1943 and went on to Yale, the Navy Air Corps, and received my MA from Columbia. Thank you, KING. I spent my life in the field of education as an elementary school principal and summer camp owner and director.” TED HILTON, IV K’43 Ted shares, “I graduated from King in 1943 and after the Navy, graduated from Yale in 1948. My grandson, James Hilton, graduated from King in May! He was accepted at Columbia, early admission, and it was his first choice. What a great place King School continues to be. I remember that my first year at Yale was a snap because of my education at King. Thank you, King!”
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SUE CESARE LH’48 At Homecoming this year, we celebrated the Class of 1948’s 70th reunion! Sue Cesare LH’48, P’78, GP’12,’26, who was Head of School during both mergers and is an active member of King’s Archive Committee, represented her class and said a few words about her time here.
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JOAN TINKER SWIFT LH’45 AND JOANNE LEWIS SCHREIBER LH’45 Tink and Jo met in Norwalk, CT to reminisce and share fond memories of their days at Low-Heywood. Their favorite memory? Singing the LH Class Song!
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JOAN TINKER “TINK” SWIFT LH’45 Joan shares, “Another grandson was married in September. They’re a great couple. A great team. These young people are wonderful!”
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1965
1965
FRED RICHARDS K’65 Before taking off to Thailand, Fred stopped by his Alma Mater to share stories with the Alumni Office of his time at the School, laughed over photos from his Senior yearbook and toured the former King School — now the Lower School building for Grades PreK-5 — which originally housed all boys Grades K-12.
1970 MORGAN AMES K’70 Morgan shares, “I had a wonderful scuba diving trip to the Maldives aboard the luxury liveaboard dive vessel MANTHIRI in late September and early October. Great diving on this bucket list trip with tremendously abundant reef life, including huge manta rays; several species of sharks and moray eels; octopus; and macro photography subjects, like nudibranchs, as well as a few deep shipwrecks! On our return trip to Washington, DC’s Dulles International Airport, we had a 16 hour layover at Dubai with twelve hours to explore that amazingly beautiful city and its world class attractions, including the world’s tallest building, Dubai Mall, the gold and spice souks (open markets), and historic district. All fascinating!!! Truly among the (if not the) most beautiful cities on Earth—it’s amazing what matchless wealth can build!”
"Great diving on this bucket list trip with tremendously abundant reef life, including huge manta rays; several species of sharks and moray eels; octopus; and macro photography subjects ... "– Morgan Ames K’70
1973 & 1976 BEN STEIN K’73 AND TOM SHAHNAZARIAN K’76 From Denver, where they both work and live, Ben and Tom send greetings to their classmates and all Front Range-based alums!
1980 JAMES BECKER, JR. K’80 James shares, “I have been fortunate to create a new type of philanthropic tool based on a new version of a social impact bond. We use the private capital investments from this new bond structure to rebuild boarded up, abandoned homes and provide opportunities for homeownership for low income families. The project has appeared in several national and international publications and has been recognized by the EPA as an effective project for redeveloping small urban infill lots. I will be presenting the program at the EPA National Conference this year. Because we build to Zero Net energy standards, we have also been nominated for the National Sustainability Award. It has been an exciting year.”
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1982 1982 MARTY REISER K’82 Marty is the Chief of Staff for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. Marty visited campus on October 25, 2018 and spent the day at King speaking with the Young Republicans Club and Young Democrats Club, participated in an Economics/Investment Club podcast and attended a few classes!
1984 JANEANE BERNSTEIN KORISKY LHT’84 Janeane Bernstein is a writer, on-air personality, voice actress, and researcher. She earned a doctorate from Boston University and received degrees from Syracuse University. After losing her fellow classmate, Shannon Leigh Smith LHT’84 in 2010, Janeane belly flopped into a horrible funk. She turned to all sorts of outlets, but realized that she needed to throw herself into something meaningful and inspiring. In 2011, she started hosting and producing a talk radio show called “Get the Funk Out” on KUCI 88.9 FM, where she had been a DJ since 2007. Janeane's guests shared stories and advice on how they overcame life’s funks, personal and professional, and what great things happened after they overcame a tough time. The show helped her heal and provided an outlet for others to share their stories and advice. These meaningful conversations became the foundation for her book "Get the Funk Out! %^&* Happens, What to Do Next!" in June 2019. LISTEN: at getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org or visit www.janeanebernstein.com.
1986 GREG PESKY K’86 AND STEVE DEVEREUX K’86 Greg and Steve joined forces to launch AmplifyDMC - a Development, Marketing, and Communications firm based in Minneapolis that helps nonprofits and small businesses drive increased funding brand awareness, messaging, donors and more. Check them out at amplifydmc.com.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
MEQUITTA AHUJA KLHT’94 is a painter who turns the artist’s self-portrait, especially the woman-of-color’s self-portrait, which has long been defined by identity, into a discourse on picture-making.
Of South Asian and African American descent, the artist positions herself boldly within her compositions. She visually catalogs painting conventions, established over centuries, while using those conventions to make new meanings. We recently caught up with Mequitta to learn more about her time at KLHT, her inspiration, and what she is up to now!
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What is something you enjoyed or appreciated the most about the KLHT community? What drew you to KLHT? When I was ten, my family moved to Weston to access the public schools. However, after watching my older sister go through Weston High School, my parents wanted me to be in a more diverse environment, both racially and socioeconomically. KLHT fit what we were looking for, so I joined my freshman year. Is that when you discovered you wanted to be an artist? I always wanted to be an artist. When I was only five, I remember being jealous of my sister when she started taking art classes. My interest strengthened at KLHT. I brought in a painting I made at home to show my KLHT art teacher and she responded, “You’re a natural.” I felt a lot of pride and at that point, some of my anxiety about sharing work minimized. I also felt very encouraged and reassured. Our teacher created an atmosphere that was a safe space. I felt free to express myself artistically and socially. Where did life take you after KLHT? I spent a year at Bard College. I studied art and creative writing, but I left part-way through and transferred to Hampshire College in western Massachusetts where I received my degree in the winter of ’98. I continued on to graduate school at the University of Illinois Chicago in 2001 and earned an MFA in 2003. I stayed in Chicago after school. Did you begin working as an artist right away after you finished your degrees? I worked with After School Matters, a non-profit organization that provides life-changing after-school and summer program opportunities to Chicago high school teens. It was a fascinating job. Chicago had gutted funding for art programs in schools, but they brought in teaching artists for short stints who would design their own curriculum. I did their assessments. I visited schools across the city and observed the artists in the classroom. I administered a test at the beginning and end to determine how much students had learned during the artist’s visits. I wrote reports on what I had observed. It was part-time, but it paid well. That, combined with an arts award I won during graduate school allowed me to keep working in the studio. Were you painting and continuing your artwork on the side? My landlord at the time was very generous and gave me a free space in the basement to use as a studio. It had leaking pipes and no heat, but I used it as my studio and painted more or less fulltime. In the winter, I would run up to my apartment to warm up! What happened after your time in Chicago came to an end? I was an artist in residence at the Core Program, a program of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and I taught a drawing class at Rice University. The artist in residence program gave me studio space, peers, mentors and afforded me time to focus on my art. It was a great introduction to peers, curators, art writers, collectors, and to the art market. After the Core Program, I was able to make a living from my artwork.
It was very meaningful to be in a more diverse environment. Some friends from KLHT are still friends today. I remember hanging out in the art room a lot. The teacher at the time made the art room a welcoming environment.
Where did you end up after your fellowship concluded? I joined another artist in residence program at The Studio Museum in Harlem. It was a one year program, and I stayed in Harlem for another year. I left Harlem when I was invited to be an artist in residence at the Maryland Institute College of Art. That is what brought me to Baltimore. It was a one year position and while there, I met my now husband. He was an Assistant Scientist at John Hopkins. We were married in 2015. I came for art and stayed for love! I now have a studio in my home. It is seamless to go between work and family life - they are blended. Where do you gather inspiration and how do you continue to evolve? Self-portraiture has always been a focus, not exclusively at first but more so now. I started in high school with it and it became more formalized in college. It wasn’t until my time in Houston that self-portraiture became the focus. I explored a lot. Even within self-portraiture, my work has changed over time. I was very identity-focused at the start. With my mom being black and my dad Indian from New Delhi, my artwork became a way to create a cohesive, unified identity. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve shifted away from identity. Now I’m not just making self-portraits, I’m addressing the genre of self-portraiture, its history and its forms. I felt like I had reached the end of an artistic project. I was at an age where I didn’t care about fitting in any more – take me for what I am. Some of those adolescent issues fell away and thus were no longer the central focus of the work. There were other things that I wanted to talk about. I began a personal self re-education of art history by reading art history textbooks. I was interested in how art and art history were taught. I started with “Gardner's Art Through the Age” by Helen Gardner. I read 15 pages a day. It sounds dry and boring, but within three days I was hooked. It started as an exercise but turned into a passion. After I finished, I just kept reading different books. I keep evolving and adapting my work. What’s next for you? Well, I’m moving back to Connecticut! Some happy and some difficult things have taken place over the last year, and I want to be near my family. I have a child now and I want him to spend time with my parents and see them every day. Once I am settled, I would love to come visit campus! Quest 2019 71
1996 BRENT SIMON KLHT’96
Brent shares, “In 5th grade, I was given a tiny little sapling branch in a PVC tube to plant in honor of Earth Day. Here it is in my parents yard now. Amazing!”
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2000 DAVID TRENCHER KLHT’00 David is thrilled to be working at reddit, in NYC, as a Sr. Sales Manager / Head of International Sales. He’s managing a sales team, growing their international presence, and excited for the new challenge!
2004 ZAC SIEVERT KLHT’04 Zac shares, “I live just outside Salt Lake City. Working on a Masters in Mechanical Engineering and doing research for the University of Utah. My parents are great and enjoying lots of time with their grandchildren.” PETER MAGRATH KLHT’04 Peter shares, “I moved to Park City in January 2017 with my fiancée, Nikki Bongaerts of New Canaan, and our dog, Bilbo. I've been working as an Associate at Goldman Sachs, in Salt Lake City, for one year. Nikki and I were married in September 2017, at the Alta Peruvian Lodge, and left for a delayed honeymoon to South Africa on January 12, 2019!”
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2006
KHALED ALLEN KLHT’05 AND ANNA PUSACK ALLEN KLHT’06 Anna and Khaled celebrated their wedding nuptials in Boulder on October 9, 2016. They are now both going back to school at CU-Boulder to pursue advanced degrees: Anna in astrophysics and Khaled in math. While school takes up much of their time, Khaled also works as a tutor and a software developer, and Anna is an editor in a content software and services company. Anna also writes, “We enjoy living so near the mountains and are planning to adopt a dog in the summer!”
2006 AMANDA METVINER KLHT’06
Amanda Metviner, and her husband Scott Schimmel, welcomed a baby girl, Scarlett Fire Schimmel, on September 4th, 2019!
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
CAMP POWER
MELISSA ROSS KLHT’06 AND STEVI FEINBERG KLHT’06
Stevi always had a passion for working with adolescents. She Upon graduating from Skidmore College in 2010, Melissa Ross ’06, spent her college summers working as a camp counselor at a knew she was going to pursue a career in education. In fact, it sports camp in Westchester, NY and upon graduating from the was her experiences at King that fueled her passion for working University of Colorado at Boulder in 2010 with an undergraduate with children. Melissa earned her undergraduate degree degree in Communications and Sociology, she continued to in Education and went on to receive her MA from New York work with children and teenagers. She moved to Aspen where University in Special Education and Teaching, followed by she coached a girls soccer team and taught young students her MEd in Educational Administration and Supervision from how to ski and snowboard. It was during this time when Fordham University. After completing her masters from NYU, Stevi’s passion for social work was born. After gaining her Melissa met the founder of Camp Power at a Seder, and decided first experience as an intern at Attention Homes, where she to work that summer as a general counselor. Her first summer helped refer at-risk adolescents living in a at Camp Power was incredibly rewarding A CONNECTION REBORN AT A NEW YORK group home to social work services, Stevi and from that summer on, Melissa began to take on more responsibilities at camp, CITY KLHT ALUMNI EVENT SIX YEARS interned at the Aspen Hope Center. climbing the ranks to Girls Head Counselor AGO IGNITED A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN Stevi returned to the east coast in 2013 and now Assistant Director. For Melissa, TWO ALUMNI AND CAMP POWER. CAMP and after reconnecting with Melissa, her work at camp is a way to pay forward started her volunteer work at Camp Power POWER IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT the support, care, and mentorship she PROVIDES NEW YORK CITY STUDENTS as a bunk counselor and social worker received throughout her secondary school FROM THE MOST UNDERSERVED AND for the girls’ side of camp. She attended years. During Melissa’s time at King, she graduate school at NYU’s Silver School built relationships with many faculty UNDERFUNDED AREAS OF THE CITY of Social Work and spent nine months members, particularly Cathy Mishkin and WITH A SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE. interning at Rocking the Boat, providing Jackie Martino, that would extend far both individual counseling and group beyond the classroom and her time as a student. For Melissa, programming. After graduation, she continued working with Jackie and Cathy were positive role-models and mentors on the organization as a full-time social worker. whom she could lean, and she aspired that one day she could Similar to Melissa, Stevi’s career in Social Work and volunteer be a “Jackie” for someone else. No matter the school or space, work at Camp Power is attributed to her experience at King. Melissa believes every child should be able to have someone like She was incredibly appreciative of the kindness and support Jackie or Cathy in their lives. It is Melissa’s hope that through her she received from her classmates, coaches, and faculty during summers with Camp Power and her work during the school years some of the toughest years of her life. Specifically, she is as an instructional coach in Harlem, she will be able to provide grateful for the support and mentorship of Ines Thieme and those opportunities for all students. Marnie Sadlowsky during her high school years. When Stevi Feinberg ’06, re-connected with Melissa in the fall Stevi and Melissa would love for more people of 2013 and heard about her experience with Camp Power, she to get involved with camp. Please contact Steve immediately knew she wanted to get involved. Like Melissa,
Sheehan in the Alumni Office for more information.
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2007
2007 RACHEL IVANHOE-MITCHELL KLHT’07 Rachel graduated from medical school in California in early May. She married Will Mitchell, her partner of 7 years, at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx on May 26. He works as a software developer in Manhattan, and she works as a resident physician at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ, where she will complete a 5-year residency in General Surgery. They live in South Orange, NJ. Rachel shares, “Here is a family photo from our wedding. From left to right are my brother, Matthew Ivanhoe KLHT ’05, sister-in-law Leah Ivanhoe, my husband Will Mitchell, myself; my father, Rob Ivanhoe and mother, Anne Ivanhoe."
2019 AMANDA REINEMANN KLHT’07 AND ERIC REINEMANN KLHT’08
Amanda and Eric Reinemann welcomed their daughter Charlotte “Lottie” Mae in the world on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 2:27 p.m. at Dartmouth-Hitchcock hospital in Lebanon, NH. She was 7 lbs. 12 oz.
2008 ASHLEY ALEBIOSU KLHT’08 In February 2019, Ashley started a completely new role and joined Fortune Magazine as a Senior Manager, Most Powerful Women, Memberships at Fortune Media Group! RUTHIE HUBBARD KLHT’08
Ruthie, who celebrated her 10 year reunion this year, came to visit her former teachers and coaches on campus last Fall 2018!
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ALEXANDER DOERING KLHT’08 AND ERIC REINEMANN KLHT’08 Eric Reinemann and Alex Doering, both King lifers, received their MBAs from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. They graduated on June 8. Here is a photo from their graduation ceremony.
2008 2008 PETER REILLY KLHT’08
Peter shares, “Declan Camille Reilly was born Wednesday July 17, 2019 at 12:16 p.m.
Kirstin and I are thrilled to welcome the future Viking to the family!”
COLIN MCQUILKIN KLHT’08 Colin is living on and managing a small farm in Valleyford, WA and working as a Director of Live Sports Broadcasting, so he doesn’t quite remember what free time is like. He recently got married to his beautiful wife Kali, and they are excited to see what the future holds.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
patient advocate living with cystic fibrosis. Since then, Vincent has participated in events and organized fundraisers– in support of the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which raises awareness and support for cystic fibrosis. Vincent has completed approximately 50 road races, triathlons, and other endurance events including running the Boston Marathon (2010) and climbing Denali (2018), the highest mountain peak in North America. The two joined forces to run the Berlin Marathon on September 26 and raised a target of $12,000.
If you would like to get involved and learn more, please reach out to Vincent (vincent.joseph.love@ gmail.com) and Andrew (amarcelle9@gmail.com).
ANDREW MARCELLE KLHT'09 AND VINCENT LOVE KLHT'09 This past September, classmates Andrew Marcelle KLHT'09 and Vincent Love KLHT'09 ran the Berlin Marathon to raise awareness and funds for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF). Andrew has been involved with the organization since his father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in July 2016. Jesse Buccolo ’09, another King graduate and close friend of Andrew and Vincent, convinced Andrew to run the New York City Marathon to motivate him to raise money for MMRF following his father’s diagnosis. To date, Andrew has raised approximately $150,000 running multiple road races and triathlons, including the New York City Marathon (2016), London Marathon (2017), Chicago Marathon (2018), and Ironman 70.3 CT (2019), which he completed with Vincent. It was at the Ironman race this year where Andrew and Vincent struck upon the idea to tackle the Berlin Marathon together for MMRF in support of Andrew’s dad. Vincent began competing in marathons and triathlons in 2009 when, as a freshman at Boston College, he befriended and roomed with Gunnar Esiason, a
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2009 ALEXANDRA SMYTH STRUCKMEYER KLHT’09 Alex celebrated her wedding nuptials to husband, Aaron, in Walt Disney World on March 16, 2019. Alex shares, “Disney has always been an important part of my life. Fulfilling my childhood dream of getting married at the Happiest Place on Earth was a dream come true.” Alex and Aaron live in Orlando, Florida with their dog, Hercules. Alex is an Associate Director of Media and Analytics for Pearson, and will complete her MBA from the University of Florida in April 2020. WESLEY TRYHANE KLHT’09 Wesley works for Clarkston Consulting, a boutique consulting firm out of Raleigh, North Carolina, focused on providing IT services to the retail and life sciences sectors. He has recently enrolled in Babson’s MBA program and moved to Ft. Meyers, Florida. AMY MITCHELL KLHT’09 Amy shares an exciting announcement! “When you live in the greatest city in the world, with historic buildings, modern high-rises, and everything in between, how could you not want to work in residential real estate! As a leader in luxury real estate in New York City, The East End and South Florida, Corcoran has achieved sales over $21B annually due to superior brand strength, powerful marketing tools and innovative technology. With such an influential company behind me, I have access to the best talent in the industry and unparalleled resources to enhance my clients' experience and success. For those who have known about this from the day of inception know how excited I am to finally be here.
2009 2010
2009 "I invite you to join me in this exciting new chapter of my life and as always, thank you for your continued support! Let the fun begin.” – Amy Mitchell
2010 CALI FAULKNER KLHT’10 Cali graduated from Wake Forest in 2014 and the Institute of Culinary Education in 2016. After working in NYC at 11 Madison and The Modern, Cali now lives in Paris and is a line chef at Verjus.
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2011
2011 ELLIOTT MORRILL KLHT’11 After receiving a Master's in Natural Hazards and Catastrophe Analytics from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Elliott is enjoying living in Cranford, NJ and his work at Guy Carpenter in NYC. TAYLOR THOMSON KLHT’11 Taylor is excited to work at Custora, a cloud based retail customer analytics software company, as a Customer Development Manager and to be living in NYC!
2011 RYAN LASNICK KLHT’11 Ryan is back in the States after living in Ghana. He writes,
“In the last 10 months I have been struck by the unbelievable difficulty, remarkable beauty, and unwavering support that makes up Ghana as well as its citizens. This country has forced me to see the world in a different light and to appreciate all that I have in the world. Life here is never easy and at times it seems as though the whole world is crashing down. However, watching Ghanaians traverse the obstacles that make up everyday life has made every second worth it. This country is far from perfect and has to close a gap that at times seems insurmountable, but I believe they have the ability to do it. They understand their shortcomings and work every day to fix them. The people here are not developed or undeveloped, there is no perfect human identity they are chasing. They live every day like the rest of us, one at a time. They love their country and will do anything to help it succeed.
Change takes time and far too often people forget this in search of quick solutions. If I have learned anything in the last year it is that there is no magic bullet for development. We must empower people to succeed and stop looking at them as developed or undeveloped, because none of us are perfect.”
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Mikey Serricchio KLHT’11 Congratulations to Mikey Serricchio and his fiance, Christina Klepper, on their engagement!
2012 AMELIA ARNOLD KLHT’12 Amelia shares, “I’ll be attending the University of Chicago in the fall to receive a Master’s degree in English! I’m thrilled, and I couldn’t have done it without my great experience at King.”
2013 HANNAH FOLEY KLHT’13
Hannah is having fun living with Chloe Potter KLHT’13 in NYC and is also enjoying working as a Client Success Specialist at Yext, a NYC tech company. CHLOE POTTER KLHT’13 Chole is busy working as an Account Services Fellow at Havas Health Plus. KATIE TRYHANE KLHT’13 Katie works for Credit Suisse in NYC where she also lives. She is an equity research analyst focusing on the healthcare sector. MAYA KRYSICKI KLHT’13 Maya is taking advantage of a really great and unique opportunity at UFLP (Unilever Future Leaders Programs) which allows her to rotate jobs every year. In October, Maya headed to Switzerland and will be working as the Supply Chain Business Waste Lead. ALEX HAENDLER KLHT’13 Alex is celebrating a new position as Director, Capital Markets at Newmark Knight Frank and will be based in Stamford, CT.
ALEX MIRZA KLHT’13 Alex recently moved to NYC and is enjoying doing freelance video production and editing work. His recent assignment was a Production Assistant at BBDO working on commercials for AT&T and Dunkin Donuts.
2014 GERARD POZZI KLHT’14 Gerard shares, “After graduating and taking a well-deserved break in Greece and Italy, I moved to Washington, DC where I started work at the World Resources Institute. I am focused on the Cool Food Pledge, a platform that works with companies, cities, universities, and hospitals to lower their food-related greenhouse gas emissions. I'm loving it so far and am excited to be involved in such a rewarding and innovative field.” PAIGE VOIGT KLHT’14 Paige is a recent engineering graduate at Stanford University with a minor in Economics and is thrilled to stay local as an Analyst at Angel Island Capital in the San Francisco Bay area.
2015 NICHOLAS SMITH KLHT’15 Nick enjoys being in the Philly area and is busy as a Co-op Intern in Technology in Medical Education (TIME) at Drexel University College of Medicine.
CLASS OF 2016 Just arriving home from college in May, some alumni from the Class of 2016 gathered at the Sign of the Whale in Stamford. Back row from left: Conrad Lindenberg, John Foley, Andrew Mercine, Riley Howe, Brook Bantle, Charlie Dill, Will Nellis Front Row from Left: Bella Sappio, Idalis Figueroa, Lauren Gimpel, Jane Widder, Amanda Calmon, Liam Quigley, Scottie Perlman, Rob Yasky
2016
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2016 BRADLEY GALVIN K’16 Bradley started a new position as a Video Editor in the Cooper Athletic Leadership Program for the Georgetown University Hoyas.
MAX HELMAN K’18 Max spent the summer after his freshman year of college working for a boutique blockchain-focused investment bank in Tel Aviv, Israel. He can’t wait to supplement what he learned with his studies as a sophomore in Columbia’s Computer Engineering program.
IDALIS FIGUEROA K’16 Idalis is pursuing nursing at Villanova and spending two days working in hospitals for clinical rotations. She’s getting a great experience with the 70+ hospitals and health care facilities in Philadelphia who’ve partnered with Villanova Nursing.
2018 OONA NASH K’18, CAROLINE STROM K’18, AJ DEGRADO K’18, AND RACHEL BISSELL K’18 We’re thrilled Oona, Caroline, AJ, and Rachel joined our Cross Country team for the Army Ten-Miler at the Pentagon in October. These four alums all participated on King’s cross country team as students.
2018
CAROLINE STROM K’18
2018
Caroline shares, “For the second half of my gap year, I travelled throughout Southeast Asia with a gap year program called ‘Where There be Dragons’. We followed the Mekong River, traveling through Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and China. We had homestays in each country where we took part in the families’ daily routines, even though we didn’t speak the same language. Following the Mekong River, we studied the development in each of the countries along with the religion and language. It was an incredible and eye-opening experience!”
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MEMORIAM Jane Consolino Flounders LH’54
October 21, 2018 In 2011, Jane Consolino Flounders LH’54 took on the challenge of archiving the attic treasures to ensure that the stories of Low-Heywood, Thomas, Low-Heywood Thomas, King, and King Low Heywood Thomas live on in perpetuity. Once completed, the final archives were housed at the Stamford Historical Society, to be accessed by the public and the School community at any time. Additional materials are housed at the Simon House on King School’s campus.
Jane Whitehill Rotch T’49
Edward M. "Mick" Leonard Jr. K’67
September 18, 2018
April 3, 2019
Samuel Dewey Cushing K’51
John M. Geddes K’72 September 13th, 2019
Adam Goldenberg KLHT’91
Wynne Noble T’73
John “Dudley” Clark, III (former English Teacher and Head of Middle School) May 26, 2018
May 13, 2019
Saul “Spike” Rothman K’63
July 13, 2019
July 10, 2019
Kathleen Knox LHT’87 October 30, 2019
October 12, 2018
Mike Huebsch K’76
January 16, 2019
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ALUMNI2018-2019 GATHERINGS
ALUMNI HOMECOMING TAILGATE & RECEPTION - October 20, 2018 Thank you to everyone who joined for our annual Homecoming celebration October 2018! It was a beautiful day to welcome back so many alumni and their families. At the Alumni Tailgate held on campus, we highlighted the Class of 1948's 70th Reunion. Alumni from all years were invited and representatives from all founding schools attended! Immediately following our tailgate, a full eight decades of alumni - featuring representatives from the Classes of 1947 all the way through 2012 and many more - attended an evening event at Bar Rosso in downtown Stamford.
LARAMIE PROJECT ALUMNI PANEL November 15, 2018 What an amazing day! On November 15, King’s original cast of The Laramie Project from 11 years ago joined with current cast members on a special alumni panel to discuss their shared experiences. Guest speaker Leigh Fondakowski, the original creator of The Laramie Project, also participated. The alumni panel and Ms. Fondakowski spoke with Upper School students about their perspectives on both the play itself, as well as the overall subject matter and its impact on society. A lively lunch and discussion followed the assembly, during which the alumni, current cast members, and Ms. Fondakowski shared their thoughts on how the subject matter has not only evolved, but also remains as relevant as ever. Thank you to our Alumni Panelists Noah Fouad '09, Micaela Scully '08, Julia Bonnell '10, Safiya McMillan '08, and Michael Toy '09. 82 Quest 2019
THANKSGIVING SPORTING EVENTS - November 23, 2018 In what is now a post-Thanksgiving annual tradition, alumni from a wide range of years gathered on campus and at Twin Rinks in Stamford to join pick-up athletic contests. On a very chilly Friday, November 23, alumni participated in girls and boys soccer, football, and ice hockey. If you are interested in learning more about these events, please email us at alumni@kingschoolct.org.
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY PARTY - November 23, 2018 This year, we hosted our inaugural Thanksgiving Holiday Party at Flinders Lane in downtown Stamford. Alumni and their families enjoyed a night of cocktails, delicious passed appetizers, and an opportunity to catch up! We will be hosting this event annually on the Friday after Thanksgiving from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in downtown Stamford. Please reach out to Steve Sheehan ’07 at ssheehan@kingschoolct.org for more information!
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ALUMNI GATHERINGS 2018-2019
10TH REUNION FOR THE CLASS OF 2008 November 24, 2018 The Class of 2008 celebrated their 10th reunion at Monarch Rooftop in New York City on November 24. It was a lovely night and a great chance for the Class of 2008 to reconnect! This year, we celebrated alumni classes which end in ’9s and ’3s.
ALUMNI COLLEGE PANELS January 9 and 10, 2019 We’re incredibly grateful to Sonali Burns ’18, Max Helman ’18, Riley Jones ’18, Matt Roer ’18, and Maeve Snover ’18, who returned to campus during their college Freshman breaks to serve as Alumni College Panelists and answer questions for King’s Junior and Senior classes. The Junior panel focused on the college application process do’s and don’ts, while the Senior panel discussed what to expect during the transition to college. Emma Snover ’14, King School Alumni Association Future Alumni Chair, was instrumental in the success of this event co-hosted by the Alumni Office and College Counseling.
PARENTS OF ALUMNI CARE PACKAGE PARTY February 19, 2019 In February, parents of alumni from the Classes of 2018 and 2017 gathered to help the Alumni Office assemble care packages for King graduates now in their freshman and sophomore years of college. Together, we packed 172 envelopes and boxes which included Valentine’s Day candy and notes from Lower School students!
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ALUMNI GATHERINGS 2018-2019
CAREER DAY - March 29, 2019 Career Day is back! Ten of our incredible alumni visited campus on March 29 for an expanded and rebooted Career Day as they shared their professional backgrounds, experiences, and career paths with Grades 11 and 12. Featured speakers included Michael Pappalardo ’92 (Government), Micaela Scully ’08 (Social Work), Nick Bass ’11 (Finance), Dru Serkes ’07 (Performing Arts), Ashley Alebiosu ’08 (Marketing/Advertising), Michael Sheehan ’03 (Marketing/Advertising), Jesse Buccalo ’09 (Education), Max Orenstein ’11 (Design), Steven Menking ’06 (Entrepreneurship), Peter Karayiannis ’97 (Law) and two faculty members Dr. Victoria Schulman and Dr. Joe Ryan (Scientific Research). If you are interested in returning to campus for Career Day in the future, please reach out to Steve Sheehan ’07 at ssheehan@kingschoolct.org.
NEW YORK CITY ALUMNI RECEPTION - April 11, 2019 FAIRFIELD COUNTY ALUMNI RECEPTION - April 18, 2019 We had another wonderful year of Spring events with our New York City Reception at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar and our Fairfield County Reception at Cask Republic in Stamford. Attendees enjoyed the chance to catch up with familiar friends and new faces. Faculty member Cathy Mishkin, who retired in June 2019, was the special guest of honor at each event. Keep an eye out for invitations to our 2020 Spring events!
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ALUMNI GATHERINGS 2018-2019
ALUMNAE LUNCHEONS THOMAS — May 7, 2019 LOW-HEYWOOD — May 14, 2019 LOW-HEYWOOD THOMAS — June 18, 2019 We hosted our inaugural Alumnae luncheons on campus this spring, welcoming graduates from Low-Heywood, Thomas, and Low-Heywood Thomas to visit the school, meet Head of School Dr. Karen Eshoo, and reconnect with fellow alumnae. Each luncheon allowed alumnae from multiple decades to share stories and memories and reconnect with old friends while learning about how the strength and histories of their alma maters blended into the King School of today. We will be hosting gatherings again this year; please keep an eye out for invitations! Thomas Alumnae Luncheon - June 19 Low-Heywood Thomas Alumnae Cocktails - June 25 Low-Heywood Alumnae Luncheon - June 26
BOSTON ALUMNI RECEPTION - June 25, 2019 Boston-area alumni gathered to socialize with each other and King’s Director of Development, Lauren Fredette, at Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen in Boston. It was a great evening of swapping stories and memories, and plans are already underway for the next Boston-area get together.
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ALUMNI GATHERINGS 2018-2019 REUNIONS October 26, 2019 Low-Heywood Class of 1969
joined us on campus Saturday for their 50th reunion, and later celebrated at the home of Anne Upson Marcus. pictured: Robin Saunders Anne Upson Marcus Donna Zalichin Sue Johnson Walters Pam Goldman Kesselman Joan DeGarmo Mashburn
KLHT Class of 1989
gathered together to celebrate their 30th reunion. pictured: Sandi Kahn Sufrin Read Hubbard Jeff Blomberg Jason Konidaris Debbie Bahna Chrabolowski Lisa Policastro Masotti Dan Leppo Pauline Moller Daglio Pilar Rabassa Jessica Page Dubner Judd Malin
16 of King School’s Class of 1969 traveled to campus to celebrate their 50th reunion at the Homecoming Tailgate. They spent the evening reminiscing and catching up! pictured: Steve Barrett Peter Johnson Tony Battles Chris Chevins Rob Chrane, Denis Cleary Scott Dunbar Scott Ericson Doug Goble
Peter Johnson Rick Kinnaird Peter Levine John Lowman John Middleton Peter Newman Andy Randall Cy Wilcox
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SAVE THE DATE 2019-2020 ALUMNI EVENTS
Please join us for our exciting alumni events this year! We have many opportunities for our alumni to get together, so please mark your calendars! THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
SPRING EVENTS
SUMMER EVENTS
Fairfield County Alumni Event
Alumni Day
Alumni Hockey Game
Wednesday, March 4, 2020 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. TBD
NYC Alumni Reception
Thomas Alumnae Luncheon
Friday, November 29, 2019 2:00 p.m. Twin Rinks, Stamford
Alumni Holiday Cocktail Party Friday, November 29, 2019 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Stamford
Alumni Soccer Game
Saturday, November 30, 2019 12:00 p.m. Turf Field, King School
WINTER EVENTS #GiveKingTuesday
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 12:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. Online
Alumni Basketball Game
Saturday, December 28, 2019 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Upper School Gym, King School
State of the School II
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Career Day
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 12:00 - 3:15 p.m. Upper School, King School
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Thursday, April 2, 2020 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. NYC (TBD)
King School Gala
Saturday, April 18, 2020 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Hyatt Regency Greenwich
Alumni Golf Outing
Saturday, April 25, 2020 10:00 a.m. Tee Off Sterling Farms, Stamford
Community Softball Game Saturday, April 25, 2020 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Middle Field, King School
Saturday, June 6, 2020 12:00 p.m. King School Friday, June 19, 2020 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Rowayton Community Center & Graham Capital
Low-Heywood Thomas Alumnae Cocktail Reception Thursday, June 25, 2020 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Performing Arts Center Lobby
Low-Heywood Alumnae Luncheon Friday, June 26, 2020 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Dr. Karen Eshoo's Home
Answer the call for The King Fund!
Make a gift today: www.kingschoolct.org/give Our community needs your help to reach our $2.25 million goal! Bold new initiatives, expanded collaboration, and inclusive access are just a few ways we’re working to set better standards for education, and your annual investments in The King Fund make this happen! Support our School’s Mission by making a gift or pledge today. For more information, contact Max Dixon at mdixon@kingschoolct.org or (203) 588-3010.
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