SCHool Magazine Spring 2019

school

the magazine of springside chestnut hill academy

sharing a piece of pi paying it forward

SCH Robotics Students Pass On Their Passion and Inspire Other Young People about STEM | PAGE 2

what’s on your bucket list?

Our Alumni Share Their Progress on Fulfilling Their Bucket List Dreams | PAGE 4

Three Brothers, Over Seven Years, Take Top Honors in Annual Middle School Boys Pi Memorization Contest | PAGE 17

the places and spaces of our history

Celebrating the Many Buildings That Have Played a Supporting Role in Our School’s History | PAGE 18

SPRING

2019

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL With this issue of SCHool, as we near completion of Phase II of our Campus Master Plan, we honor our past and our future. Looking back, we celebrate our nearly 160 years in Chestnut Hill. Looking forward, we see the exciting promise of a school and community that continues to grow, evolve, and redefine itself.

We are a new school, and we are a very old one. I love this duality, which is not so much a contrast as it is a vibrant synthesis and continuum.

As we prepare to complete Phase II, we are deep into ”transition” planning for the many considerable changes that will take place on campus, including completion of our new Lower School and relocation of the three divisions into their own buildings.

Steve Druggan Head of School

A little background is in order: In 2012, the Board of Trustees of SCH Academy embarked on an ambitious Campus Master Plan that set out a comprehensive, multiphase redesign of our 62-acre campus.

Informed by conversations with our many school constituencies, the renowned architectural and planning firm of WRT mapped out a 10-year plan for the school encompassing new construction, facility renovation, redistribution of academic divisions, and improved traffic flow and parking. They helped us envision a united, realigned campus poised to serve a growing population of students.

This fall, each of our three divisions will have a new home in which they can begin to build a real sense of community. Our divisional faculty, in particular, will benefit from close proximity with each other, leading, I’m sure, to more creative collaborations and best practice sharing. Our Lower School students will be housed in the new McCausland Lower School—with boys and girls occupying separate wings. Our Middle School students will occupy most of the former Springside School campus, and our Upper School students will be based in the Wissahickon Inn on the former CHA campus, with some continuing travel “down the street” for selected art, science, and other classes.

While these changes are indeed significant, and not without a spring and summer of heavy lifting for all, I take comfort in the knowledge that our collective school history is populated with relocations, new edifices, and, yes, even a few demolitions. (See a pictorial retrospective of the school’s many “Places and Spaces” beginning on page 14.)

This fall, we will celebrate our first school year with an intentionally designed Springside Chestnut Hill Academy campus! We will no longer have a Cherokee Campus or a Willow Grove Campus but, instead, one unified campus that is home to several distinctive features, including one of the most historic buildings in Chestnut Hill—the Wissahickon Inn; a baseball field that came into being the same year as the first World Series (1903); our LEED Gold-certified Rorer Science and Technology Building that houses a world-class engineering and robotics program; the stunning schist-clad, natural-light-filled McCausland Lower School adjoining the Wissahickon Watershed; and so, so much more.

COVER PHOTO Lower School girls eagerly await their turn to sign the last truss to be installed in the roof of the new Lower School building. Earlier in the day the Lower School boys had their opportunity to sign.

I think that you will agree that our new SCH campus is well positioned to be a unique and inspirational home for another 160 plus years of learning.

I look forward to welcoming you to your school whenever you might find yourself near.

With warm regards,

Stephen L. Druggan, Ed.D. Head of School

contents

SCHOOL

SPRING 2019

the magazine of springside chestnut hill academy

Stephen L. Druggan, Ed.D. Head of School

Development Office 215-261-6959 Melissa Blue Brown ’87 Director of Alumni Relations Lynn Burke Director of The SCH Fund Nannette DiGiovanni Development Coordinator

ifc message from head of school

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2 paying it forward

SCH Robotics Students Pass On Their Passion and Inspire Other Young People about STEM

4 what’s on your bucket list?

Our Alumni Share Their Progress on Fulfilling

Their Bucket List Dreams

Jennifer James McHugh ’84 Director of Development Leslie Connor Newbold ’86 Director of Parent and Community Relations Pepper Johnson Rexford ’92 Stewardship Coordinator Sue Toomey h’15 Administrative Assistant

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11 campus news

Highlights of Recent School Events

17 sharing a piece of pi

Three Brothers, Over Seven Years, Take Top Honors in Annual Middle School Boys Pi Memorization Contest

Communications Office Deidra Lyngard h’18 Director of Publications and Video Editor, SCHool Magazine Julia MacMullan Associate Director of Marketing and Communications Meghan Ross Senior Communications Associate

18 the places & spaces

of our history

Celebrating the Many Buildings That Have Played a Supporting Role in Our School’s History

25 mccausland fun facts

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17

Karen Tracy ha Director of Communications

27 class notes 31 mystery photos Send your comments, story ideas, and expressions of interest in writing an article for the magazine to Deidra Lyngard, SCHool editor, at dlyngard@sch. org or 215-754-1616.

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32 through the lens SCH Spirit Caught on Camera

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school magazine spring

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PAYING IT FORWARD

by Meghan Ross

Team 1218 mentors Justin Xin ’19 (3rd from left), Dominique Regli ’20 (4th from left), and Corinne Motl ’20 (5th from left) check on the progress of FLL team members.

SCH Robotics Students Pass On Their Passion and Inspire Other Young People about STEM successful in the workforce and knew that technology, coding in particular, was a good avenue to do so. With this in mind, they reached out to SCH in 2017, and a partnership was formed.

Now on Tuesday afternoons in the fall, a group of five or six SCH students travel to PSD where they are paired with Middle School students. Together, they work on the annual FIRST LEGO League (FLL) challenge in preparation for the tournament, which is hosted by SCH each December.

Every student is a mentor. This affirmation in the SCH robotics program’s mission inspires students on the Upper School robotics team to share their enthusiasm, not just with the younger SCH teams, but with groups outside the school as well. Taking their passion on the road, SCH Team 1218 students have developed partnerships in the community, one in Mt. Airy and the other at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD).

Through these partnerships, our students pass on what they have learned to younger students in an effort to spread interest and excitement about robotics and, more broadly, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

Ben Fu ’20, who has been working with PSD students for two years now, says he didn’t really know what to expect the first day he visited the school. Interpreters help the two groups communicate with each other, but Ben recalls he was surprised by how emotional and expressive the kids are when they sign.

“The goal of the robotics program is to have the best STEM available to kids wherever they are, not just to have the best STEM at SCH,” reflects Upper School physics teacher Alissa Sperling, who accompanies the SCH students on their outreach excursions. “We are collaborative in our approach.”

“I’ve gotten to know a new community and to learn how brilliant these kids are,” says Ben. “The FLL experience provides an opportunity to discover some fundamentals about engineering, and it’s low risk. It’s just LEGO pieces, but you still learn a lot,

PSD had been working on positioning their students to be school magazine spring

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and I really believe in this hands-on approach.”

“SCH has been incredibly generous with their time and resources,” PSD transition coordinator Cindy Sawyer says. “The growth in the students between year one and two is evident. We watched students who struggled last year with building with LEGOs easily and skillfully build the missions this year.”

Since this partnership began, PSD has been able to secure several grants to invest in technology equipment and tools, and they have also formed a STEAM team (The “a” is for arts).

Sawyer says their robotics students feel “seen and celebrated.”

“In two years, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf has become positioned to prepare our students for a future in computer science,” Sawyer says. “We would not have been able to do so without the support of SCH.” Two years ago, SCH also decided to offer free Sunday afternoon robotics sessions out of a church basement in Mt. Airy. Any area child whose school did not have a robotics team was welcome to join what is called the Mt. Airy Community Team, made up of one FLL and three FLL Jr. teams.

Hadley Sager ’19 and Victoria Cohen ’21 are two leaders of SCH’s outreach efforts with this group. One thing Hadley loves about working with the Mt. Airy students is watching them have fun with robotics, without necessarily realizing that they’re learning new things.

“I really love seeing them work together and learn how to interact,” Hadley says. “A lot of kids don’t get exposure to this kind of program. It seems to be really meaningful to them to be able to learn and have a lot of fun at the same time.”

Edward Gu ’21, a member of SCH Academy’s Upper School Team 1218, offers some pointers to members of one of the school’s FLL girls teams.

The Mt. Airy students are encouraged to play with LEGOs, build moving robots, and work together to think about open-ended questions like “How would you use energy on the moon?”

These kids also competed at SCH’s FLL and FLL Jr. robotics tournament, where they made a poster and presented their models in front of judges.

on their own.”

Vicki, who is in her second year of mentoring the Mt. Airy students, says she loves seeing the kids’ happiness at watching their ideas come to life and their energy at competitions. One thing she emphasizes with the students is the FIRST robotics team’s core values, such as inclusion, innovation, discovery, and fun.

“It’s been a lot of fun for me to learn how to coach younger kids and be supportive of them as they’re trying to figure out their ideas,” Hadley says. “We teach them how to articulate and share their thoughts to let other people know what they’re building and what they’re interested in.”

“It’s not all about building robots, and it’s not all about coming up with a solution to the problem,” Vicki says. “It’s about teamwork—working together and finding out who has what strength and how you can use that.”

She adds that it’s rewarding to see the kids demonstrate what they have created to their parents. They learn how to explain how they built a machine that moves materials from one place to another, or why they wanted to design a spaceship in a particular way.

These outreach programs, along with several others the school runs, demonstrate how SCH students are actively living out the school’s charge to lead lives characterized by thoughtfulness, integrity, and a quest to effect positive change. Whether casually connecting LEGO pieces over conversation in the basement of a church or standing shoulder to shoulder to cheer on students in the midst of a tournament, SCH students are carrying out the promise of the SCH robotics program: building better students one robot at a time.

“We’re trying to teach the kids, but at the end of the day, we want them to have fun and learn the joys of being able to build things and design things together,” Hadley says. “And I definitely think that I’ve grown personally through the program.

I feel like I’ve become a better teacher. I’ve learned the skills to be able to help students while still letting them learn and grow

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WHAT’S ON YOUR

BUCKET LIST? FROM FLYING A HOT AIR BALLOON TO PETTING A BABY KANGAROO, MORE THAN 150 OF OUR ALUMNI SHARED WITH US THE AMAZING EXPERIENCES THEY’VE HAD AS THEY FULFILL THEIR BUCKET LIST DREAMS. WE’VE ASSEMBLED OUR OWN LISTS OF JUST SOME OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND THEY’RE NOT FINISHED YET!

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Write a Book

anor Roosevelt e written two plays, one on Ele MARY LEE MCINTYRE ’50: “I’v signed into ting equal pay for equal work, get ’s ood kw Loc va Bel on one and law in 1870.“ ity Cast, published his fifth novel, Celebr just has ry Har : ’55 ME OO GR HARRY iet Union’s the precarious days of the Sov “a suspenseful thriller set during collapse.” a book called LIN ’58: “I have just published CHARLOTTE HEYL MCLAUGH ryone in h some dialogue encouraging eve Say Cheese, a picture book wit age would towards children but I think any the world to smile. It is targeted iting reading it to a grandchild. An exc enjoy it, especially grandparents age of 77!” accomplishment at my ripe old was published ’60: “My seventh history book SUZANNE ELLERY CHAPELLE ” (Johns Hopkins University Press). this year: Maryland: A History of poems, Here, h book, and his 13th collection SYDNEY LEA ’60: Sydney’s 20t C, next year. is due from Four Way Books, NY necticut pleted an overview of the Con FRAZIER BRINLEY ’64: “I just com American Legion, 1919-2019.” istance of happy to say that, with the ass ALEXANDRA LOGUE ’70: “I’m dents stay ying some new ways to help stu rigorous research, we are identif change their ting colleges and universities to in and complete college. But get e some of practices is another story. I describ remedial and transfer policies and hways Pat g such changes in my 2017 book: the difficulties inherent in effectin (Princeton the City University of New York to Reform: Credits and Conflict at ng donated to es from sales of this book are bei University Press). All of my royalti ncial aid.”

CUNY undergraduate student fina g and hored Prison Pedagogies: Learnin JOE LOCKHARD ’71: “I co-aut 8).” s (Syracuse University Press, 201 Teaching with Imprisoned Writer Kitchen, s executive author on The Fox’s wa “I : ’81 IL NE MC N SO JUD NIA toric Radnor Hunt.”

Recipes from Philadelphia’s His The Tragic, book: The Prodigal Rogerson: a te wro “I : ’88 TT NE BEN ER HUNT er al Story of Circle Jerks Bassist Rog Hilarious, and Possibly Apocryph lishing). ” Punk, 1979-1996 (Microcosm Pub LA of e Ag n lde Go the in on Rogers

“The first time I remember doing service was at Springside when we went to clean up the Wissahickon. Now I consider service to be an important part of my life.” ~ JENNIFER S KETLER ’87

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ture n e V n w O r Start you a company that Med Services,

a “I started Canad ced price.”

SHMORE ’62: U K ER N at a greatly redu N ns RE io at ic ed DULCY m n criptio Project, to s get their pres , The Lemong’o fit helps American ro np no e th ded provides “In 2011, I foun a. The project ic 0: fr ’8 A , E U ya G en TA K l N rura CAROLY ing many aasai village in r salaries, allow he t for a small M ac or te pp ys su e pa id d ov pr ily an ation.”

500 students da receive an educ to to s ol he ho nc sc lu ol nd free scho unable to atte aine, and ld otherwise be ou w ho w ts in Lewiston, M en m ra stud og pr se os d a youth lacr me in 2018.” ’82: “I develope ampionship ga ch e at st e LESLIE KLENK th ram to rm the high school prog e UK called Fo th in re coached a new he ss ne si a nonprofit bu spire them to ’83: “I started possibilities, in er re ca of ld ANNE BAILEY or le to a w ect young peop l.”

Future to conn ll their potentia er them to fulfi w po ing flowers and em d an n, keeps me do dream big, ig es D g rin Lo ss, Bibby ’84: “My busine BIBBY LORING events.” s, parties, and ng di printing ed w r fo scanning and 3D decorations 3D g in us e ar and and I inside.”

E ’87: “My husb a person loves r ve te ha LISA DONAHU w ith es w ck create snowglob d with a giveba technology to d lifestyle bran ire sp in ase a ’97: “I launched ERIN WILSON uses technology d A Salty Soul.” calls.org) that (5 ls component calle al C 5 d lle re a nonprofit ca es that they ca ’03: “I started important issu on es tiv ta en NICK O’NEILL es their repr t citizens with to help connec le mobile apps tes customizab about.” ea cr , te ra C ilk M ise siness, r impact, and ra AN ’04: “My bu ence, track thei di au r MORGAN BERM ei th ge ga to help them en for nonprofits h, Finch funds.“ robiome biotec ic m a ch un la lped arted NICO ’04: “I he otherwise unch an BRIAN MIGLIO in th pa a e orking to blaz unmet disease Therapeutics, w modulate many to e ap sc nd la cteria!” therapeutic ome and gut ba bi ro ic m e th h ug in indications thro degree at Penn eted a master’s pl om C , 6: ss ’0 ne busi TOM SAMPH ted a software ar st , ip sh ur ne epre Education Entr n Diego.

Sa to and moved

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Discove

r a New Hobby

EMILY STARR ’55: “Here at Cathedral Vill which involv age I put out es (among o a monthly ne th er tasks) my my forte. Fo wsletter doing all the r years I had layout, which a Dog of the competition, is not M onth feature but after a w , which incite hile we ran o d great ut of dogs— ROBERT ING and cats, too ERSOLL ’56: !”

“A t age 80, I hit since I starte a cycling mile d keeping tr ack of such th stone of 75,0 and many Eu 00 miles in g s. ropean and o That include s cycling in 2 ther foreign 9 locales.” states ERNESTA BA LLARD ’63: “I am a black b combination elt in taekwo of strength a ndo. I admire nd mental dis vitality as I ti the cipline it req ed on my firs u ir es. I felt an e t white belt. and coordina xplosion of A career of co tion had app nciliation, co arently corke knelt before m p romise, d this energy the grand m tightly. Five aster and rece years later I ived my black SALLY REICH belt.”

NER MAYOR ’6 7: “I have my have flown in hot-air balloo several Euro n pilot’s licen pean countrie I’m presiden se and s as well as in t of the hot-a the U.S. and ir balloon clu C anada. b where I liv MARGARET e in Switzerl GOLDEN ’74 and.” : “I left the co I make Hanu rporate worl kkah menora d and becam hs. I don’t kn but they’re w e an artist. ow where th himsical and e inspiration ca fun and you Menorahs.” me from, can see them on Etsy unde r Margaret’s KWELI ARCH IE ’89: “At th e age of 45, challenge wit I completed h my son, Ba a 30-day hot k ari Porter ‘16 impact on m yoga . This experi y health and ence had a p overall well-b yoga studio ositive eing. I am no and take 2-3 w a member classes per w o f a local hot eek. I feel w NATHAN CA onderful!”

RR-WHEALY ’03: “I release rock band, F d a full-length amous & Falle album with m n, in 2018, w mine since 7 y punk hich has bee th grade.” n a dream an d goal of MORGAN BE RMAN ’04: “I started train Brazilian Jiu-J ing over two itsu and have years ago in competed in winning gold my first athle medals both tic competiti times. A long where I was ons, journey from one of the le my days at S ast athletic st S udents in my SAMANTHA class!”

FERRIS ’05: “S ta rt ed ballroom was the top dancing and new student in less than a at a national year competition GRACE ORT th ELERE ’08: “I is past Nove m re b a e d 52 books in r!” year.”

2017 and I’m reading 60 th is

“I was ready to learn new things.

I was a beginner

in the unscripted part of my life.” ~ Ernesta ballard ’63

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rld o over w led all e e v a h r t d Fe, e t year an ess in Santa r a r o o f Now Paris pl busin

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in nia. ing “I lived Califor n tutor : in 8 w ing.

5 o s ’ t r y E o dm e danc res OBL e n t li V N r R a — K t e e s C e. I thre for m IE BE tor hom to managing new activity BONN o m a A in ted a aching trip the US nd star rom te f a t Z n ur fifth A e o w in d I a g . h fari in I NM and liv erful sa er and t d d h n e ” g o ir ! u t ! w a e e I’m r veral “My d all hav E ’60: a, to se L un we ic f L r f t E a A P h W CHA outh ree a and S end th ELLERY y p E n s e N o K t N o in land SUZA time t ew Zea d two weeks N a, this ic d r n f a A n e we lia to to spe en sinc Austra e le s b o t t a ’ ” . k s n our s c a e park Got ba dies. W s that we hav ey items from “ d : u 1 b 6 ’ g wo k RITTS thing golfin GUY F rased t le and ith old e p w o e e e w r p , e th short eeing r. I weeks ilely.” ies! In tland s t o n c e S summe ce as v vel fac n e a is r r S h e t t e h o t h t r t m no in old id on st ite the UK ot too hich I d ucket li w as, b , a t s d u lived in t before we g hich w ug w lishe A , p in d s m s li ie o k c t my he Alp and s : “I ac bucke mmer ski in t e with RR ’73 u d s O im n t . is a t G h s k t r IA y fi kids o bac CYNTH after m of my ed to g h o t t n w n t a o h w m ck wit o the always ent ba years t w 0 I 5 . d ly il a ch exact h the and.” ntally, e id c throug rs.”

Holy L e in ly y e h e h t co t o iv r s d ite db et man ten n is x m a v e d I s d t “ n n a : le pare tries D ’76 trave y coun STROU n “I have . a : D 0 m 8 ’ d M e visite ROWN WILLIA s e I hav TON B r P e h o, Swis M w m O , o R C ia C s e RUTH y to A e, Lak ???” speciall le cruis e s I , s h r “ ‘s next is a t . it a le r ye h p B o , W ket. baby erdam rful pe Nantuc I held a “Amst e wonde : in e 1 r y 8 e ’ e h k w oc s Marin a h OLF li le , t a W s e r t o L is s p u E to Au lve A ean cr MICHA nt trip he Twe iterran t e c d r e e e R v M “ o , Alps T ’85: flight UMON copter li D e E h N a JOHAN and went on e!” lifetim oo a r a f alia in o g n a ip k Italy!” . Tr f Austr k o o r t a t n P d e l le a contin “Trave Nation eventh IE ’91: s !”

K y C m M years, ed onders KE it w is O V O ld r two “ r R o : o f B 7 w 9 n ’ a n of YLE seve in Jap RY CO the art ps: the living g o n t n i s e r t e e JANUA t x b s e very “I’ve d ma ber! N R ’01: ’s been age an t E u I T Septem g .

S s n r a O l e the TZ F dinn nd N KLO arning anese e p l a y J l i y rving a d LILLIA h e a t s l e b a t s e o but and h re by slowly e cultu bentos h t e t t u u c o g.” making g to learn ab choolin s n ’s i t n s o my s intere ting in a p i c i t par

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volunteer you r time

BILL WASSERMAN ’45: “T he YMCA of the North Sh ore honored my ‘three de leadership and support’ cades of last week and dedicated a renovated fitness cente I replied that I owed my r in my name. life to the Y many times over in enabling me to ke fit, despite artificial hips ep relatively and other aging handicaps .”

LOUISE R. JOHNSTON ’58 : “I am volunteering for Fri ends of the Wissahickon board. Also am helping at on its Face to Face, which provid es meals and other services food-insecure people.” to ROB PILLING ’69: “After graduating from Washing ton and Lee, I moved to and have taught French Nashville and dabbled in administra tion in private schools. I French at a local commun still teach ity college, volunteer he lping Alliance Française, and Percy Warner Parks, Ra dnor Lake the local library, and Chee kwood Museum and Garde ns.”

LINDA DUDLEY MUTCH ’78: “The bucket list grows as we speak, but in the meantim volunteering, raising mo e, ney, and distributing foo d to our homeless has be passion. The needs in Ph co me a iladelphia are tremendou s and I am praying this cit day be held up as we tak y can one e care of so many without homes or nourishing foo d.”

PAUL KATES ’87: “I volun teer coached a travel ba ske tba ll team of all local 12- to 13-year-old boys, including my oldest son, Noah, ag ainst some tough teams Whippany, NJ, region of in the Hoop Heaven.”

JENNIFER S. KETLER ’87 : “I am the pre=sident of a small nonprofit called the Women’s Association in Lo Makefield wer Makefield, PA. The firs t time I remember doing was at Springside when service we went to clean up the Wissahickon. Now I consi be an important part of my de r ser vice to life.”

JUSTINE STEHLE ’89: “I have been serving on the board of directors of the for Advocacy for the Rig Center hts and Interests of the Eld erly (CARIE) for the the pa years.” st four ALLIE COLINA ’10: “I go t to go back to Honduras to volunteer for the 10th summer.”

ARIANNA SHAHIN ’17: “A fter starting at Elon Unive rsi ty last fall, I began atten volunteer shifts with Habit ding at for Humanity and even tually became a service cap for the organization. I no tai n w lead groups weekly to build or restore sites withi Alamance County, in ord n er to work towards unco vering a solution for housing insecurity.”

TAGUE HARMATY ’18: “I have volunteered at multip le soccer camps that teach kids with menta l and physical disabilities ho w to play soccer.”

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Go for a Run or a Climb

hons and have completed marat “I : ’66 EY IZL BA CK JA school untains, gone back to triathlons, climbed mo ked ess, changed careers, pic sin bu a d rte sta , A) MB (BA, lunteered.” up new hobbies, and vo d completed the Carlsba CHRIS CAVENY ’68: “I and only: ago at age 60. My first Triathalon eight years enter/ ill work as a finish carp 2 hours, 43 minutes. St w, and expensive.” door installer—old, slo ed the MEL ’82: “I’ve complet SUSAN MATLACK TROE times.”

Broad Street Run three : “Marathon (1995).”

BRENDAN QUINN ’89 uple of N ’05: “Summited a co MA TY AU BE L AE CH MI halft Asia. Completed two mountains in Southeas ining for a full.”

Ironman events and tra hool : “Got into Duke Law Sc STEPHANIE HAENN ’15 hobeth Marathon.” and training for the Re

“It is a great surprise to me that, post retirement age, I have returned to my first love—research—And that the research I now do can directly improve that part of the world about which I care the most— higher education.” ~ Alexandra Logue ’70 school magazine spring

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CAMPUSNEWS

| GENERAL

sch lower school boys and girls help top off the new mccausland lower school & commons SCH celebrated a long-standing building practice called a “Topping Off” ceremony in December, marking the symbolic completion of the structural phase of the building. With more than 300 students and faculty bundled up to witness this milestone moment, the last roof truss was raised into position with a small evergreen attached to the crane to “appease the tree-dwelling spirits” displaced in the construction. In preparation for the event, a board was attached to the truss and painted yellow with a large “SCH.” The truss was placed on the ground so that the boys and girls could sign their names.

Students and faculty cheered as the truss bearing the names of the future occupants of the new building was lifted into place.

“We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this moment in time with the very students and faculty for which it is being built,” noted Head of School Steve Druggan.

bio students present wissahickon research at community event Eleventh grade biology students participated in the Connecting Communities for a Clean Wissahickon meeting this fall, cohosted by Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association. The students, who have conducted extensive research on the creek, impressed community organizers, teachers from other schools, and professionals involved in its monitoring and study. Each year, as part of their biology class, SCH students perform water-quality tests at the creek, complete an assay of macroinvertebrate species present, and discuss how to reduce runoff on campus and at their homes.

sch congratulates national merit scholarship students This year, five seniors were recognized as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists and commended students. Semifinalists (Goudy and Koscica) represent the highest-scoring students in each state—less than 1% of high school seniors—who took the PSAT test in the prior year. Commended students are among the top two-thirds of highest-scoring seniors.

L to r: Rowan Goudy, Jamieson Wade, Lillian Forrest, Sarah Edelson, and Alexander Koscica

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CAMPUSNEWS

| GENERAL

sch student creates app for ancient game Freshman Zach Schapiro had his app accepted by the Apple Store—a first for an SCH student. Zach spent well over a year building Mahjongg Accomplice, which analyzes players’ tiles and suggests the top five hands they should play. Zach started his app project in the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Venture Incubator program, an extracurricular offering that supports students interested in bringing a venture idea to life. Dr. Vincent Day, program director for computer science and interactive technologies at SCH, served as Zach’s Venture Incubator mentor, helping him learn the basics of how to create an app, then tailor its features and functionality to his preferences. In the few short months since it became available online, Mahjongg Accomplice has been downloaded by people from around the world: the United States, China, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, and India.

sch physical education department chair wins state coaching award In recognition of her coaching and physical education efforts, PE Department chair Betty Ann “BA” Fish ha received the HERitage Award from the Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. This award recognizes women who have made outstanding contributions to women’s sports. Fish has coached many SCH sports teams: field hockey, lacrosse, softball, tennis, basketball, squash, and volleyball. She has worked at SCH for 32 years and in that time has seen many changes in her field, including more of a focus on wellness.

senior bobby hill organizes political engagement forum with local elected officials

Bobby, center, enlisted (l to r) SCH parent and Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker (D), Councilman at-Large Al Taubenberger (R), State Representative Christopher Rabb (I), and State Representative Steve McCarter (D) to join him for the panel discussion.

Inspired by his AP Government assignment to take on a civic action project, Bobby Hill ’19 organized a political engagement forum at SCH with four elected officials who talked about their path into politics and how individuals can make an impact. The panelists each described how and why they got into politics, took questions from the audience, and left the group with some take-away messages. The purpose of the event, according to Bobby, was to help students become more informed about the political process and how they can effect change.

gacm honors lower school for boys at its annual gala SCH’s Lower School for Boys faculty and students were honored at Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry’s (GACM) annual gala this fall for their years of service and dedication as a community partner. For two decades, Lower School boys have donated over 1,000 items monthly to the GACM food cupboard. GACM is a community-based nonprofit that provides food, emergency housing, and poverty management services to those in need.

Each week, the boys’ donations supply over 50 households with packages including fresh and nonperishable foods. Prior to Thanksgiving, their service ramps up (even more!) and they gather over 5,000 items.

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inn’s historic exchange shines after restoration This past summer, the venerable Exchange enjoyed a total historic renovation, returning it to much of its original grandeur.

The project was funded by a generous grant under the leadership of John Soroko, the William B. Dietrich Foundation, which previously helped restore the Henry Library just down the hall, and a gift from the students and parents of the Class of 2018. The Exchange, the old lobby of the Inn, is named after “the exchange” of money that took place as hotel guests checked in and out. This entrance, and the two halls that extend on either side of it, retain the same dark wood paneling that Inn guests would have seen in the 1880s. Restoration work included refurbishment of the millwork, installation of period lighting, refinishing of the original hardwood floors, reconstruction of the reception desk, and replacement of all doors and transoms to replicate the original design. Other work included plaster repair, painting, and significant electrical work. Head of School Steve Druggan—who enjoys an office right off The Exchange— notes, “It’s exciting to see one of the school’s unique campus gems restored with such detail and care. Our students and the whole school community will be the beneficiaries for years to come.”

sch wins preservation recognition award from chestnut hill conservancy This January, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy was a recipient of a Preservation Recognition Award from the Chestnut Hill Conservancy. This award honors outstanding restoration projects within the Chestnut Hill National Register Historic District that serve as “a striking gift to Chestnut Hill today— and far into the future—and an inspiration for others as they care for their own buildings.” The award was for SCH’s historic restoration of the Wissahickon Inn’s Exchange. “We are fortunate that SCH made this commitment to one of Chestnut

Hill’s most treasured buildings,” said Shirley Hanson, chair of the Preservation Committee. “In addition to the grant you received for the restoration, we appreciate the extra care and thought that you and others contributed to the results.”

Pictured, back row l to r: Justin Dougherty ‘20, Sena HouessouAdin ‘19, Alexia Lindsay ‘19, Head of School Steve Druggan. Front row, l to r: SCH Director of Development Jennifer McHugh ‘84, Conservancy Board President Eileen Javers, Bobby Hill ‘19 , and chair of the Preservation Committee, Shirley Hanson.

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CAMPUSNEWS

| ATHLETICS

Top left: Sarah Edelson ‘19 was selected to represent Team USA for field hockey at the 15th European Maccabi Games in Budapest, Hungary, this past summer. Top right: Whitney Taylor ‘22, right, took 1st place in the Anytime Fitness U17 Squash Irish Junior Open, held in Dublin, Ireland.

Elliott Cunningham ’19, left, and Eliot Rusk ’20 represented SCH in the school’s first-time showing at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston.

The boys rowed in the Men’s Youth Double race.

Students who signed with colleges in November 2018.

senior athletic college commitments 2018-2019 (as of 2/1/19)

Boys soccer was ranked #1 in PA, #7 in the Region, and #44 in the Nation via Top Drawer Soccer Rankings! The team won its second straight PAISAA championship this past fall.

Olabisi Adams - Track and Field - La Salle University (DI) Sam Aslansan - Baseball - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (DIII)

middle school teams rule!

Jesse Balcer - Basketball - Chestnut Hill College (DII) Phil Burckhardt - Soccer - Drexel University (DI) Caroline Clark - Basketball - Babson College (DIII) Carter Davis - Baseball - Franklin and Marshall College (DIII) Mo’ne Davis - Softball - Hampton University (DI) Sarah Edelson - Field Hockey - Amherst College (DIII) Owen Elliott - Soccer - Penn State University (DI) Brandon Gibbs - Baseball - Delaware State University (DI) Jahli Hendricks - Baseball - Southern University (DI) Colebe Oliver - Softball - University of PittsburghJohnstown (DII)

Middle School for Girls fielded three powerhouse teams during the fall and winter seasons. Girls soccer completed its second consecutive season undefeated, accumulating 20 straight wins. In January, the girls varsity squash team competed against 80 other teams to secure the championship at the Middle School Squash Nationals! And this winter, the girls varsity basketball team also went undefeated, beating Germantown Friends School 24-16 in the final game to finish 12-0!

Our Middle School boys varsity squash team also enjoyed a successful completion to the season, winning their division at the Middle School Squash Nationals.

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Kylie Quinn - Soccer - Bard College (DIII) Riley Redpath - Lacrosse - Davidson College (DI) Brian Richardson - Football - Millersville University (DII) Delaney Sweitzer - Lacrosse - University of Southern California (DI) Savannah Sweitzer - Lacrosse - University of Southern California (DI) Kianah Watson - Lacrosse - The George Washington University (DI)

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CAMPUSNEWS

| ARTS

students win national scholastic art gold key awards Seniors Destiny Weal and Joe McDermott were notified in March that they won national Gold Key Awards, Joe, for his Danish style coffee table, and Destiny, for her painted construction called “Street Quilt.” There will be a ceremony in New York in June at Carnegie Hall to honor all the national award winners. Earlier this winter, Destiny and Joe, along with Elizabeth Shoup, Katherine Huggett, and Giulia Giordano, won regional Gold Key awards.

From l to r: Joseph McDermott ’19, Elizabeth Shoup ’22, Katherine Huggett ’20, Giulia Giordano ’20, and Destiny Weal ’19.

upper school student wins scholarship to train with charlotte ballet From 3:30-8:30 pm six days a week, you can find senior Juan Castellanos leaping, lifting, and spinning at the Metropolitan Ballet Academy after a full day of challenging academic schoolwork at SCH. For Juan, who has been dancing since the age of 5, the hard work has paid off. He has earned a fully paid summer intensive with the Charlotte Ballet under artistic director Laszlo Berdo and will spend next year as an academy trainee, also with a full scholarship. In addition, the SCH senior recently served as a visiting dancer at the Juneau Dance Theatre for a week this February. As a guest artist, Juan helped prepare students for several shows in April.

Dance scene from the 2018 production of Mamma Mia!

“This is probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done in terms of guesting for another school,” Juan said. “Getting to work with other people and new schools is really exciting. I want other people to see me, and with Alaska, it’s an entirely new audience.”

arts and new media department announces launch of players hall of fame This new Hall of Fame will honor those players of the past who have continued to do impactful and important artistic work, either within the SCH community or the greater theater world.

What Juan loves about ballet is its intensity. He especially enjoys contemporary ballet, where dancers can have more personal, artistic freedom with their movement. “I love how hard it is,” he said. “When you’re able to master it and when it looks and feels good, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Nominations will be solicited of alumni who graduated in 2008 or earlier as well as past adult leaders of Players (e.g., directors, assistant directors, technical directors, or choreographers). The Hall of Fame will also include a special service award for which we will also be accepting nominations.

Look out for a nomination form in May!

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CAMPUSNEWS

| ARTS

crawford gallery exhibit features pieces from the school’s extensive art collection By Meghan Ross

Left: Section of a Sol LeWitt wall drawing. Center: The Calder mantle in the Henry Memorial Library. Top right: Leo Sewell’s “Scottie.” Bottom right: A painting by John Philip Falter of former Springside School head of maintenance and beloved crossing guard Lou DeAngelo.

SCH celebrates the arts in many ways. Most recently, under the leadership of artist, curator, and SCH parent Melissa Maddonni Haims and members of the newly formed Crawford Art Gallery Committee, a part of the school’s Arts Council, the school hosted an exhibition of pieces from its diverse and expansive permanent collection.

As the newly appointed curator for exhibitions in the Crawford Gallery, Haims wanted to take stock of SCH’s diverse art collection and launched a comprehensive survey across all of the school’s buildings. This survey culminated in a first-of-itskind exhibition featuring works from the collection by worldrenowned artists, SCH faculty, and alumni.

During their inventory of the school’s collection, Haims and the committee uncovered five Barbara Crawford paintings that had been put in storage; traveled to New York and garnered a promised donation of works by artist Sam Feinstein, Crawford’s husband; and unearthed a number of forgotten or never known stories about pieces in the collection.

“Sometimes it’s hardest to see those things you live with every day,” said Ellen Fishman ha, chair of the Arts and New Media Department. “We knew we had notable works like the Sol LeWitt wall drawings and the Violet Oakley mural, but as we cataloged the works throughout the school, we found other treasures that helped tell the story about the history of our community and the school’s longstanding commitment to the arts.”

LeWitt was a world-renowned mid-20th-century conceptual artist famous for his minimalist works. SCH is one of the few institutions in the world with a large collection of his pieces.

One of the artist’s wall drawings was produced by Upper School

students according to the artist’s written instructions, providing them with a unique experience and interaction with the artistic process. The LeWitts were brought to SCH, thanks to a generous gift from art collector and CHA alumnus Hank McNeil ’61.

Another piece in the exhibition is the marble fireplace mantel in the Henry Memorial Library inscribed with the phrase known by generations of students, “Kyndle Yr Awne Ffyre.” The mantel sculptor was Alexander Stirling Calder, who created Philadelphia’s Swann Fountain. His father, Alexander Milne Calder, created the William Penn statue on top of City Hall and his son, Sandy Calder, was a famous kinetic sculpture artist.

Another, more personal, piece in the exhibit is a painting of beloved Springside School employee Louis “Lou” G. DeAngelo, former head of maintenance and a crossing guard. The artist was John Philip Falter, not well known today but famous in his time for creating 129 covers for the Saturday Evening Post.

“Putting together the show from the permanent collection proved to be more than discovering the abundance of art at SCH that dates back to the 19th century and includes artists of today,” said Pia Druggan, a member of the Crawford Art Gallery Committee and wife of Head of School Steve Druggan.

“It was fascinating to hear the wealth of interesting stories that emerged, from the simple and cherished story of the guard, Lou, to the rich and historical significance of pieces by artists such as Violet Oakley and Sol LeWitt. The generosity of our donors throughout the years and the support of our community is truly impressive.” ~ by Meghan Ross

Learn more about each piece in the exhibit in the show catalog, available online at sch.org/arts. school magazine spring

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16

sharing a slice of pi

by Karen Tracy ha

Think middle school geometry…

don’t all use the same grouping method. “You’ll see the boys pause while they access the different parts of their brain where they’ve stored the numbers,” he states. “And then, suddenly, they find that compartment and start spitting out a bunch of digits.”

think pi­—the numerical expression that represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, extending into infinity as a non-repeating decimal. Most folks can recall that it begins with 3.14. But for the purposes of this story, imagine a random string of 529+ numbers—in no recognizable order— following that .14.

Wolf recalls fondly the 2015 Pi Contest; it was a special year in the world of numbers. It was the year when the next two digits after 3.14, i.e. 15, provided a special occasion for the numberhungry devotees of Pi Day. On March 14, 2015 (3/14/15), The Upper School Service Council organized a 5K run, with a foot race whose length was the closest approximation to 3.1415 miles, and they scheduled the race to begin at exactly 9:26 am, which are the next three digits in the infinite series.

That’s what a remarkable trio of boys from SCH Middle School have recited by memory to land in the school’s annual Pi Contest Hall of Fame. What’s more, that trio of boys all come from the very same family. Meet pi wonders Charlie, Phil, and Michael Wrede, holding firm at the top of the list of winners for the last seven years.

With a bemused smile, Wolf recalls a highlight of the event. “It was raining that year,” he says, “and we were on the track, just getting ready to hit the starting gun for the 5K, when then 5th grader Zach Schapiro came running up to me. With an umbrella over his head, at exactly 9:26 he starts reciting, going all out in the pouring rain. He went on to complete 515 digits. Now, that was a memorable year!”

Phil, now an SCH senior, is top dog amongst the band of brothers with 635 digits to his credit, earning the title in 2014 as a 7th grader.

Michael, now a sophomore at Tufts University, is next with 607 digits. Michael was also the first student to break the 600-digit barrier in 2012, almost doubling the previous record holder and setting the new gold standard for those to follow.

Whether a celebration of a freakish capacity for memorization or a glimpse at the next Isaac Newton, the Pi Contest lingers with Middle School boys and its participants. In fact, recently Phil delivered his senior speech (an SCH rite of passage) by rattling off the next 50 digits after 3.14 in rapid fire order. And, five years after Michael participated in the contest, he dedicated one of his college application essays to the experience. He shared, “a passion can be turned into anything you want it to be.

As long as that passion drives you and brings you happiness, it’s worth it. Pi is an insignificant number and plays no major role in my life, yet I will never forget its story, nor will I forget the numbers that started it all, 3.1415926535...”

And last year, Charlie, now in grade 9, kept the family streak going by claiming 3rd place after logging an impressive 532 digits.

How does this happen? Ask SCH math teacher Andrew Wolf who modestly owns the #1 spot in the Hall of Fame with 704 digits of pi. Yes, over a period stretching close to 10 minutes, Mr. Wolf recited 704 digits of pi!

h’16,

The Pi Contest started in 2006, as a random challenge for Wolf’s math class at the time. “How many numbers can you memorize in 10 minutes?” he asked. After seeing light bulbs go off and the competitive juices flow, he launched a proper contest and opened it up to the whole Middle School. He begins the month leading up to the day—always 3/14, of course—by handing out a sheet printed with the 300 digits that follow 3.14. “The longer sheet, with 1,000 digits, is reserved for those who stand a chance to exceed 300. I don’t want to scare them off right away!” Wolf says.

Wolf has now worked with legions of Middle School boys, listening to them ramble off digits in order to climb up onto the leaderboard he keeps on the whiteboard in his classroom. Then, as boys deem themselves ready, they approach Wolf, ready to recite.

“It’s fascinating,” he says, as he watches them squirm and twist and struggle in the throes of reciting. “I really try to keep a poker face once they are underway. If they realize they need to back up, I let them, I don’t want to reveal anything with my expression.” Wolf notes that kids memorize in different ways, grouping or seeing patterns to help them remember, often using strings of 10 digits, like those of a phone number. They

Philip ’19, left, and Charlie ’22 Wrede with their math teacher, Andrew Wolf h’16. Not pictured: Michael ’17, now a sophomore at Tufts University.

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school magazine spring

2019

THE PLACES & SPACES OF OUR HISTORY Springside School and Chestnut Hill Academy were founded in 1879 and 1851 respectively and were among the oldest schools for girls and for boys in Philadelphia. The schools’ long history includes campuses throughout Chestnut Hill and buildings no longer extant.

But the common thread remains

constant of a school with active spaces in the life of the community. As we prepare to add a new beautiful facility to the landscape, we wanted to take a moment to honor the places and spaces of our history.

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BEGINNINGS

chestnut hill academy The original Chestnut Hill Academy was established in 1851 by Roger and Joshua Owen at 8030 Germantown Avenue (where the Venetian Club is now located). The school was restructured and incorporated in 1861.

springside school In 1879, Mrs. Walter D. Comegys and Miss Jane Bell announced the opening of a French and English Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies and Little Girls on Summit Street in Chestnut Hill. In 1884, the school incorporated as Springside School and moved to Norwood and Chestnut Hill Avenues, where it remained for the next 73 years. Springside School was named for the spring that ran along the property on Norwood and Chestnut Hill Avenues.

Miss Bell

Below, the original CHA school building at 8030 Germantown Avenue, the location of today’s Venetian Club, right.

The Wissahickon Inn, eventual home of CHA, was commissioned

by Henry Howard Houston, a leading Philadelphia businessman and philanthropist, who lived in the Druim Moir mansion (behind the Cherokee Campus). The Inn, designed by the Hewitt brothers, opened in 1884. In 1897, the Inn’s business began to decline when the Philadelphia Horse Show moved to the Main Line, becoming the Devon Horse Show, and improved transportation enabled Center City families to seek more distant vacation spots.

Mrs. Comegys

In 1898, Chestnut Hill Academy began occupying the Inn during the school season. During the summer months, the Inn continued to be used as a resort until 1900, when Chestnut Hill Academy took permanent, full-time possession of the property.

Above: Springside School at Norwood and Chestnut Hill Avenues, which it occupied until 1957. Below: The spring after which Springside School was named.

Top: View of the Inn’s Carriage Entrance from what is now the location of the Rorer Science and Technology Center.

Right: The Philadelphia Horse Show with the steeple of St. Martinin-the-Fields in the background.

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EARLY 1900S

The CHA baseball field, created in 1903, is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, baseball diamonds in continuous use in the area. Left: View in 1924.

Below: View in 1970.

chestnut hill academy In 1905, the outside marble swimming pool was enclosed and a gymnasium was built. That same year, the Inn ballroom was converted to a chapel, and the floor was lowered. In 1937, the pool was covered over but still remains under the floor of what is now the Willow Grove Campus cafeteria.

Wealthy and prominent residents of the Hill lived on the west side of Germantown Avenue, much of which was developed

by Henry Houston and George Woodward, including the Wissahickon Inn.

Above: The Chapel, ca.

1914. Above right: The orginal gymnasium, ca. 1950, with track.

Right: The swimming pool, in what is now the Willow Grove Campus cafeteria.

In 1906, the Inn dining room was converted to the Charles Wolcott Henry Library, named in honor of a prominent supporter of the school. In 1901, the building that is now known as the Rec, originally the Inn’s stable, was converted to a sports practice facility. It was briefly occupied by the Wissahickon Badminton Club starting in 1945, but by 1953 the building had deteriorated. It was not renovated until 1974 when it was converted into a performing arts space and home of the school’s Upper School drama troupe, Players. The Rec continues to serve in this role today.

View of West Chestnut Hill in 1926, showing the school’s baseball diamond near the center of the photo. Much of this area was developed by Henry Houston (above), a director of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and his son-in-law, George Woodward (below), who married Houston’s daughter, Gertrude.

springside school Springside’s Junior School, located at Seminole and Willow Grove Avenue, across from St. Martin’s train station, was opened in 1918, replacing Miss Landstreet’s Wissahickon Heights School that had closed.

Above: the Henry Library.

Below: the Rec when it was a sports facility.

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1950-1968

chestnut hill academy CHA’s Kline Science Building, completed in 1959, was made possible by a gift from C. Mahlon Kline and named in honor of his father, Mahlon N. Kline, president of Smith, Kline & French, who briefly taught science before he went into pharmaceuticals.

springside school Grey Arches, at 432 West Moreland Avenue, was Miss Zara’s School from 1919-1954. Built in 1891, the school was demolished in 1958. Miss Zara’s School merged with Springside in 1954.

The Jordan Building, built in 1963, was funded by Mahlon Kline’s sister, Mrs. T. Carrick Jordan, a grandmother of several CHA students. The Jordan Building was created to house Chestnut Hill Academy’s Primary School for Kindergarten–2nd grade students.

In 1954, Edith Houston Brown gave the Druim Moir front lawn to Springside School to build a new Middle/Upper School, which was completed in 1957.

Top: The Kline Science Building. Above left: The Jordan Building for Lower School boys. Left: Mrs. Jordan at the building’s dedication.

In 1960, the “new” or “big” gymnasium next to the Woodward was expanded, adding a second floor with basketball court and stands.

Squash courts and a wrestling room were added in 1968. The gym was named for Headmaster Robert Kingsley in 1973.

The Springside Widener Upper School Library and adjacent Grandmother’s Garden were completed in 1966.

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1969-2000

chestnut hill academy

springside school Springside’s new Lower School was built in 1969, realizing the school’s long-term goal to be on one campus.

The construction of a new Lower School enabled Springside’s youngest students to move from their existing facility and join their older schoolmates on campus.

The McNeil Center for the Arts, encompassing classrooms and a recital hall, opened in 1989. The new facility expanded the space available for students to pursue visual and performing arts.

The Arcade at CHA was built in 1971 as part of the school’s campus master plan to connect the Inn with the gym complex and offer a sheltered place for after-school pick up. It was torn down in the early 1990s.

The school’s signature red roof was reinstalled in 1983, after years of being painted in battleship gray, the result of a surplus supply of WWII paint.

The Inn with its signature red roof restored.

In 2000, CHA opened its new art wing, including classrooms and a gallery named in honor of beloved art teacher, Barbara Crawford.

In 1994, a new student dining hall, featuring the octagonal McCausland Pavilion, were added to Springside’s existing building.

Top left: a rendering of the new art wing. Top right: the Barbara Crawford Art Gallery.

Bottom right: Barbara Crawford with a student.

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2000-2010

chestnut hill academy In 2006, CHA built a new Woodward Gym and renovated and expanded the cafeteria area (the Commons).

springside school In 2000, Springside launched a campaign for a new Upper School and library, and for renovations to the Middle School.

During demolition of the old Upper School and construction of the new, the Springside Upper School moved to the third floor of the Wissahickon Inn, which was renovated for its use.

This space later became CHA’s Middle School. The project was completed in 2004. In 2013, the library was converted and currently houses the classrooms, meeting spaces, and offices of the Sands Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL).

Right: Demolition of the old gym. Above: The new Woodward Gym and Commons.

View of the new library, right, now used for CEL activities, below.

CHA added the LEED Gold-Certified Rorer Science and Technology Center in 2008 to house Upper and Lower School science classrooms.

Left: Workers prepare to install the student-signed beam in the Rorer roof.

Below: Students and faculty gather for the Rorer building’s official opening.

Springside opened its 55,000-square-foot Vare Field House in 2006, housing squash courts, a fitness facility, indoor rowing tank, athletic offices, and a large gym.

In 2009, Springside School installed 440 solar panels atop the Vare Field House roof—a 94kw array that was the largest in the city at the time of installation. ­ Below: View of the Vare Field House roof with solar panels.

Above: Students and science teacher Ellen Kruger celebrate installation of new solar panels.

2011: SCH OPENS

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2011-2019 sch academy SCH began implementing Phase I: Common Ground of the Campus Master Plan in the summer of 2012 to unify and enhance the campus green space, pathways, and athletic fields.

This phase included installation of two new turf fields, and construction of brick and bluestone pathways connecting the two campuses and the new athletic facilities.

During this period, the signature spaces of the Wissahickon Inn underwent major restorations. In 2013, the Chapel was renovated, with woodwork, pews, and stained glass windows repaired and restored, the space beneath the Chapel moisture proofed, and a new projection/audio system installed.

The Chapel before, left, ca. 1960s, and in 2013, below right.

Maguire Stadium, with locker rooms, storage, snack bar, and bathroom facilities, was constructed on Landreth Field and completed in 2012, thanks to a major gift from alumnus James J. (Jamie) Maguire Jr. ’78.

As the final piece of Phase I, a new sports pavilion was built on the Athletic Green and named in honor of former head of school Francis (Frank) P. Steel Jr. ’77.

In 2014, the Henry Library received a major facelift to return it to the way it looked at the time it was converted to a library. This included extensive cleaning and repair of the leaded windows and woodwork, new lighting and wiring, and removal of the old carpeting to reveal the original hardwood floor.

Henry Library below left, ca. 2005, and in 2014, below right.

In 2018, the main entrance to the Inn, known as The Exchange, and the two hallways leading off it, were also brought back to their original condition with walls, woodwork, and floors repaired and restored, and new historically accurate doorways, transoms, and period lighting installed. The library and Exchange restorations were made possible thanks to generous grants from the William B. Dietrich Foundation.

The Exchange, left, ca. 2010 and in 2018, below right.

Top: Bird’s-eye view of the new athletic complex and pathways. Center: Maguire Stadium. Bottom: Steel Sports Pavilion.

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MCCAUSLAND FUN FACTS

2019: MORE COME 2019: TO TO COME Phase II of the Campus Master Plan began this past fall with the groundbreaking for the new McCausland Lower School & Commons, which will open its doors in the fall of 2019.

IT TAKES A LOT OF MATERIAL TO BUILD A 75,000-SQUAREFOOT BUILDING. SCH’S CFO, FRANK ALOISE HA, HAS KEPT ASSIDUOUS RECORDS OF JUST HOW MUCH, INCLUDING

As part of Phase II, the existing Lower School for Girls will be taken down to make way for a new Middle School Entrance, new parking lot, and off-street turnaround for pick up and drop off. The reconfigured building, which will become home to the two Middle Schools, will end at the current school cafeteria.

KEEPING COUNT OF THE 262 CEMENT TRUCKS THAT RUMBLED THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD EARLY IN THE MORNING ON THEIR WAY TO THE BUILDING SITE.

551 cubic yards of schist

removed in order to put in foundations, water, sewer, and electric lines

The girls Lower School ca. 1970, below left, and in 2018, right.

2,613 yards of concrete for the foundations and floors

150

tons of rebar to strengthen the foundations

564 pieces of structural steel 220 smaller steel connectors

The new parking lot and pick up/drop off loop will occupy much of the space where the current Lower School for Girls is located.

25,460 concrete masonry units 600 tons of schist from the quarry 34 miles of electric wire

McCausland LS

Vare Field House

213 core holes

Middle School Building

4,880 feet of copper pipe 6,400

The new 75,000-foot McCausland Lower School will be filled with glass and faced with Wissahickon schist, a building material that has been used in the school’s most recent buildings.

feet of soil pipe

15,840 roof shingles 993 pieces of glass and

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1evergreen tree

school magazine spring

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C L A S S NOTE S NEWS FROM OUR ALUMNI NEAR AND FAR

R

= REUNION YEAR

1940s 1944

get older but that are vital to the immune system and to repairing and replacing damaged cells, thereby keeping us healthy.

R

Kitty Ash Freeman graduated from Nazareth College the very same day she received her first Social Security check. She is thankful for her continued good health!

1964

SS Class Agents: If interested, contact Melissa Brown at mbrown@sch.org.

1945 Connie Earle Pilling reports that she has lived a full life, having reached the age of ninety two!!

1965 John Fruncillo and his wife continue to teach adult ed at Mercy Neighborhood Ministries in North Philadelphia. John writes, “I teach math (which would be a tremendous shock for several of my instructors at CHA) and Cornelia teaches English to folks who wish to pass the GED exam.”

1950s 1954

R

SS Class Agents - Kate Night Hall

1959

R

CHA Class Agents - Terry Clattenburg, Dick Malmed, Cliff Swain, John Tuton, Dudley Warwick SS Class Agents - Judy Anderson, Anne Hord Coste, Susan Randall MacBride, Molly Cornelius Turman

1960s 1962 David Peake has discovered a breakthrough technology that replenishes cells with signaling molecules that we don’t make as many of as we school magazine spring

R

CHA class Agents - Joseph Baldi, Frazier Brinley, Bob MacColl, Sam Madeira, Stewart Spahr

Tim Zenker retired at 72 after a 50-year career as a teacher/administrator at five universities and an equal number of secondary schools. Though his life has been reshaped by Parkinson’s Disease, he was fortunate to have visited/ lived in several dozen nations on five continents while

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working as an educator.

Tim lives in a town of 12,000 on the Columbia River in north central Oregon and is still working part-time as an American University consultant at Brentwood College School, an international boarding school in British Columbia. For the past two decades, he has completed the local triathlon each year.

1970s 1970

1968 Tim Greenwood, one of the founders and former board chair of Philadelphia Outward Bound School, helped to celebrate the 25th anniversary and opening of the new Outward Bound Discovery Center.

1969

R

CHA Class Agents - Jono Frank, Steve Pearson, Peter Randall SS Class Agents - Hildy Armour, Tay Aspinwall, Kay Tucker Franklin, Margel Putney Graham, Peggy Klein Mandell, Edith Newhall, Sandra Gilbert Evans, Ellen Reath

KEEP IN TOUCH Wedding bells? New baby? Career change?

Share your news at alumni@sch.org

John Affel and his wife, Ellen, welcomed Lilith Affel Hodess, their fourth grandchild on 2/14/18. She joins her older brother, Sam, and two cousins, Jack and Eugenia.

John is semiretired from World Finer Foods. He was recognized in 2017 by the Specialty Food Association with induction into its Hall of Fame. With more free time, he is breeding, raising, training, and showing his many champion Newfoundlands in the US and

Canada. He enjoys his RV for his dog show road trips. Ellen has recently received her quarter-century award from the Board of Realtors. They live in Cranbury, NJ. Bob Eisenstaedt and his wife, Carole, became grandparents for the third time. Jack Marx joined his twin sisters, Nora and Julia, on June 14, 2018.

Bob and Carole live in the greater Tampa area.

Deborah Kahn Kalas relocated to Santa Barbara, California in the fall of 2018.

older brother, Ethan, and cousins Caitlyn and Isabelle.

Barry is recently semiretired from drug and vaccine development in oncology. Free time includes volunteering for fundraising for several nonprofit institutions, including SCH. This past year, he worked with classmate Bruce Morgan to identify and recruit CHA class agents. As a result, both shared CHA’s 2018 Alumnus of the Year Award. Barry and his wife spent time this fall visiting Ohio nature preserves and the Metro Park system. They live in the Columbus, OH, metro region.

1972

Barry Shannon and his wife, Linda, welcomed Evelyn Dickey, their fourth grandchild on 10/3/18. She joins her

Anne Register Whitehair wrote, “After 30+ years in healthcare marketing, I pursued a passion for anthropology and went back to school. I earned a master’s degree in bioarchaeology from California State University, Northridge.”

1974

be nominated and approved.

I am incredibly honored to be a part of this group of skilled advocates.”

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CHA Class Agents - Warren Beideman, Stan Miller, Dave Rhoda SS Class Agents - Gina Conrad Black, Beth Lewis Thorp

1979

1984

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CHA Class Agents - Joe Castle, John Harris, Michael Longfellow, Joe Maher, Jeff Rickenbach SS Class Agents - Ruthie D. Strong Ferraro, Kathy Byers Smilow

David W. Hall retired from the military after 34 years in uniform.

1980s 1980 Joseph L. Messa Jr. writes, “I’ve been offered (and accepted) a fellowship with the International Society of Barristers—an elite group of prestigious trial lawyers recognized for their professional integrity and advocacy work. The group has less than 700 members worldwide and fellows must

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CHA Class Agents - Charlie Hutchinson, David Leach, Karl Spaeth, Taylor Thomas, Chris Wright SS Class Agents - Becca Humenuk Anderson, Lisa Lloyd, Tina Seving McDonald, Jenny James McHugh, Sarah McMenamin

1985 Katrina Browne presented her award-winning film, Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, at Cathedral Village in Philadelphia.

1986 Florence M. Phillips writes, “I have successfully attained almost all my goals in life, but I do have a few more to do before I throw in the towel. I live in Jackson Hole, having the ability to ski, mountain bike, and golf. I am raising a family with two kids: my son is 14 and studying ballet in Salt Lake City; my daughter is a happy 10-year-old. We have a very cool dog, cat, and guinea pig. I have also been running a portrait photography studio for 23 years and I am just loving it! Now, at 51, I have set three more goals for myself.

I feel that I have stepped into the fifth chapter of my life and feel more inspired than ever!”

1988

Powell Wedding Brings Together Alumni Kip Powell ’07 married Katie Mooney on September 29, 2018, at the Woolverton Inn in Stockton, NJ. Many of Kip’s classmates and friends were in attendance (l to r): Sean Fitzpatrick ’07, Delia Langan ’06, Philip Pié ’07, Sam Lichmira ’07, Joe Trinacria ’08 , Kevin Dougherty ’07, Kip Powell ’07, Will Rhoda ’07, Josh Haber ’07, and Dave Rhoda ’74.

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Sara Detweiler Loughman moved to Farmington, CT. She is still busy in the arts via her husband, Dr. Thomas J. Loughman, who is the director and CEO of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in

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lives in Los Angeles.

Hartford.

1989

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1994

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CHA Class Agents - Chip Swain, Chris Harris

CHA Class Agents - Brendan Flatow, Matt Paul

SS Class Agents - Leslie Smith, Tara Sullivan Trapani, Justine Stehle, Ruth McIlhenny, Beth Bryson Beers, Leslie Wolff

SS Class Agents - Melanie Fox Borisoff, Nancy Haines, Rory McDevitt Jenks, Lexi Beatty Morris, Amanda Miller Schriver, Sara Brady Stewart, Kim Ongaro Sullivan

Elizabeth Beers is an active member of the Princeton community. She’s on several committees such as the BRAVO committee, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and the Civic Projects Committee for The Garden Club of Princeton.

She and her husband recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. She is excited to reconnect with her classmates during this reunion year!

2002

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CHA Class Agent - Patrick Toomey SS Class Agents - Liz Strauss Hagarty, Emily Hill, Sarah Stevenson

1995

Jay Boothby and his wife, Chauncey, welcomed a second child. Pierce was born on October 11, 2018.

Nicole Pittman is the 2019 recipient of the Juvenile Law Center’s Leadership Prize, awarded to outstanding individuals working in any field who are fighting for the rights and well-being of youth in the child welfare and justice systems. Nicole is an expert on the abusive practice of placing children on sex offender registries and has successfully changed policies in a dozen states as well as the federal level. She is the vice president and director of the Center on Youth Registration Reform at Impact Justice.

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1999

19, 2018!

1990s

Alicia Johnson married Craig Tull, “my best friend and soulmate,”on August 25, 2018, at Cescaphe’s Downtown Club in Philadelphia. “The day was absolutely perfect!”

Lesley Wolff was the casting director for the documentary about Fred Rogers, Won’t You be My Neighbor? She currently

harpist Maryanne McCann and Dogs of Honor in attendance: Oakley, the Honey Bee, and Phil the Beagle.

Sarah Stevenson and her wife, Libby Peters, welcomed daughter Findley Elizabeth in October 2018. Finn is a sweet, happy, and healthy baby girl who loves walks around the city. Sarah is a deputy commissioner at the Philadelphia Water Department and Libby is policy director at the City’s Commerce Department.

Sarah and Libby are looking forward to the class of 1999’s 20th reunion in May!

2000s 2001 Kirsten Landreth writes, “2018 was a busy year. I became an aunt, earned my Behavioral Finance Advisor accreditation and Wealth Management Specialist designation with PAX Partners of Raymond James while planning for a wedding.”

The wedding took place on October 6, 2018. It was blessed with joy by the Rev. Cliff Cutler at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chestnut Hill. Serenaded by

2019

Maria Sordoni Hudacek and husband, Stephen, along with their great dane, Dikembe Mutombo, welcomed first child Catherine Reese Hudacek on August 31, 2018.

Catharine Natterman is working on her MBA at Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

Lizzie McCausland Salata and her huband, Kyle, welcomed a second child, Graham Christopher, on January 7, 2019.

Lilli Klotz Foster has been living in Japan for two years.

She and her husband, Cary, welcomed their second child, Aya Willow Foster, born October

28

2003 Zachary Franklin recently began his second year as a licensed assistant referee with USRowing, the national

governing body for the sport in the United States. He currently referees select races for the Mid-Atlantic region during the racing season.

Lydia Mandell married Jake Clark on September 15, 2018, at Ridgeland Mansion in Fairmount Park.

Photo, l to r: Dan Mandell, Jake Clark, Lydia Mandell ’03, and Peggy Klein Mandell ’69.

2004

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2008

intelligence, sexual respect, diversity and inclusion, career skills, mental health, and substance abuse. She has also started a business as a career consultant for professionals navigating career transitions. She is looking forward to traveling this year and volunteering in Honduras again.

Greg Lobanov is an indie game developer now living in Vancouver, BC. He has been making video games since high school. Through his company, Dumb and Fat Games (dumbandfat.com), he created “Perfection,” a puzzle-solving meditative game that won the 2014 Philly Geek Awards Game of the Year. Greg’s latest game, “Wandersong,” is a musical adventure that tells the story of a singing bard on a quest to save the world. In November 2017, Wandersong was signed by Nintendo, and in September 2018, it was released on Nintendo Switch, as well as STEAM, PC, and Mac—a major achievement and a professional milestone for any independent game maker.

Taylor Ferry married Alexandra Boorse on November 3, 2018, at the Horticultral Center in Fairmount Park.

Pictured from l to r: Andrew Ferry ’05, Taylor Ferry ’08, Alexandra Boorse, and Hunter Ferry ’16.

CHA Class Agents - James Crumlish, Sean Plunkett, Robert Purple, Bryan Quigley, Phil Rhym SS Class Agents - Kara Daddario Bown, Zan Morley, Lili Sharpless, Nicole Allen White

2005 Francis P. Steel III and his wife, Caroline, welcomed twin girls, Mailey Elizabeth and Olivia Kay, on January 8, 2019.

2009

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CHA Class Agents - Tom Gargan, Phil Thomas

in memoriam

SS Class Agents - Natalie Bartlett, Kelsey Trueblood

Williams Agate married Samantha Delosada on October 6, 2018, in Sonoma, California.

1944 Margaret “Peg” Phillips

2010

2011 Emily Auerbach writes, “I’ve accomplished all of my goals following graduating high school and college—graduate, find a job in my field, move to my own apartment, and hold all this down while maintaining friendships and a balanced life. I’ve also been able to volunteer, doing work for a cause I care about—I’m the communications director for the Philadelphia Tenants

(9/30/18-3/31/19)

ALUMNI

2010s

Natalie Smith, above center, starred in the theater production of The Wolves at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.

“From the safety of the suburbs, a girls soccer team navigates life’s big questions and wages their own tiny battles—with all the ‘bark and bite’ of a pack of adolescent warriors.” The Wolves was named one of the best plays of 2016 by The New York Times.

1965 Emily Tilghman Goodwin 1967 Thomas G. Haight

1951 Nancy Lee Dismukes MacEslin 2009

Andrew W. McCauley 1958 Diana Warren Wells FORMER FACULTY/STAFF Elsie Shanda-Miller 1960

William B. Edwards

Allie Colina graduated from DePaul University with her master’s of education in counseling/college student development this spring and now works as a leadership curriculum designer. She writes workshops and retreats, educating college men on leadership, emotional

1963 Mary Randall Hopkins

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Union, a grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to upholding tenants’ rights.”

2012 Kendyl Spearing has moved to London and found a great job!

2014

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CHA Class Agents - Mason Blake, Jack Grasso,Tom Hogan, Tasso Karras, Philip Kelly, Ben Rubin SS Class Agents - Winter Chernak, Weatherly Saunders

Rachael Carter is currently serving an 11-month fellowship with Quaker Voluntary Service in Atlanta.

She is living in an intentional community with seven other fellows to understand the ways in which we can learn to live in a better community together. Rachael is a Harold C. Smith Fund Fellow for Christian Studies, which is a grant that allows her to research the intersection of eco-theology and earth stewardship practice in communities of color. She is also a Racial Justice Fellow at the Partnership for Southern Equity, which focuses on transitions in health, energy, economics, and development with a racial equity lens.

2017 Melanie Graves writes, “In a few short weeks I will be declaring my majors at Wellesley College! They will be economics and Africana studies. The accomplishment here is finding fields of study that spark my interest and will allow me to continue to develop as an individual in the years to come.”

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DO YOU KNOW THEM?

BE THE FIRST TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER AND WIN AN ALUMNA/ALUMNUS GIFT! Here’s what we need to know: Who’s in it? What are they doing? When did it happen? Send your responses to Deidra Lyngard, SCHool editor, at dlyngard@sch.org or call 215-754-1616 and we’ll publish your reminiscences in our next issue.

Allison Scott ’74, Althea Bradbury Bullard ’74, Susanna Randall ’74, Elizabeth Pincus Rubin ’74, and Beth Lewis Thorp ’74 all responded to the girls Mystery Photo. Allison identifies the photo as the Springside Senior Room sometime in 1973-1974. “On the couch are Lisa Anderson and Jean Anderson. I am sitting on the floor. Jean, myself, and Stacy Perper ‘75 spent our pre-calculus math period in the Senior Room doing independent study as we had been kicked out of the class for the entire year for being disruptive.

Stacy (now a geologist and Shell Oil executive) and I (mechanical engineering, orthopedic surgery) went on to have STEM careers, so we did okay being self-taught.”

Of course Senior Rooms are notorious for the “non-approved” activities that take place there. Elizabeth reports: “I believe some people in our class used to smoke up there.”

Beth adds: “We hung out there to chat, eat lunch, drink sodas (Tab!), and do homework. It was a cool perk to have a place where only our classmates were allowed to go! The photo brings back great memories of spending LOTS of time in that room!!”

And thanks to Susanna for taking the photo, which appeared in the 1974 yearbook.

There were no responses to the boys Mystery Photo.

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school magazine winter

2019

Photo by Lisa Queeno

through the lens

INTEGRITY | COURAGE school magazine spring 2019 | DIVERSITY | THOUGHTFULNESS | RESILIENCE

MARK YOUR CALENDARS UPCOMING SCHOOL EVENTS april - october check website calendar for details

Blue and Blue Day Friday, April 26

Academy Guard and Milestone Luncheons

School Opening Day Tuesday, September 3

Friday, May 10

Parents Association Fundraiser Gathering for the Green Saturday, April 27

May Day Friday, May 10

Alumni Weekend Friday, May 10 & Saturday, May 11

Blue and Gold Day All-Alumni Cocktail Party Friday, May 10

Friday, October 4

Athletic Hall of Fame Induction

End-of-Year Awards Ceremony Friday, June 7

Thursday, October 10

Homecoming Saturday, October 12

Commencement Saturday, June 8 11 am, Athletic Green

SAVE THE DATES ATHLETIC

GATHERING FOR THE

OF AUCTION & CELEBRATION

MAY 10 & 11, 2019

SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019 to benefit

4’s & 9’s

springside chestnut hill academy’s outdoor spaces sponsored by the parents association

IBRAHEIM CAMPBELL ’10

YOUTH

FOOTBALL CAMP HIGH SCHOOL SHOWCASE

SATURDAY, JUNE 15 SCH ACADEMY LANDRETH FIELD | Maguire Stadium

SCH DON’T MISS IT!

OCT. 10 2019

SATURDAY

HOMECOMING! OCTOBER & FAMILY FUN 12

school the magazine of springside chestnut hill academy

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