At Convocation, I shared that excellence is a deeply satisfying process of reaching new heights or punching above your weight. “Pursuing excellence is, at its core, retaining respect, compassion, and empathy for others even in pursuit of being your best.” So wrote Brad Stulberg. He advised us to “pursue goals that challenge us, put forth an honest effort, and endure the highs, lows, and everything in between.” Tellingly, “the real reward for excellence,” he continues, “is…the person you become.”
Recently, a book I first read in the early 2000s clarified this: An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students. In this slender volume, Ron Berger draws on how his vocations as a teacher and a carpenter (to make ends meet for his family) intersected. He learned that there is no greater compliment a carpenter can pay a fellow woodworker than to call him a craftsman. Craftsmanship requires integrity, careful thinking, application of knowledge, dedication to the work at hand, and doing things well. Berger argues that we should cultivate an ethic of excellence in schools through a culture of craftsmanship, where students diligently work on things that matter and produce quality results through habitual effort and benchmarking against professional standards. Imagine classrooms of craftsmen who feel most alive through hard-fought mastery!
This ethos resonates. U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare John W. Gardner, under President Lyndon Johnson, offered a startlingly fresh perspective on excellence: “doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” We pursue a seemingly routine endeavor at SCH: teaching and learning. However, inspiring unbounded curiosity and independent thought, nurturing our knowledge of ourselves and the world, expanding our full academic and personal potential, and preparing ourselves to lead lives characterized by a quest to effect positive change is a tall order. There is no greater virtue or more satisfying aim to which we should be unwaveringly faithful.
In this SCHool edition, we feature alumni authors whose published works (and advice) inspire appreciation for our mission. These authors illustrate that artistry is earned and high-quality work is beautiful. They also remind us that storytelling is an elegant yet fiercely demanding craft requiring unending patience and practice. Like our alumni award winners, these writers’ literary lives are models of excellence.
This edition also highlights our new strategic framework, Shaping Our Future, which prioritizes excellence in academics, innovation, community, storytelling, and finance. One clear thing is that the framework invites us to be stewards of our school. We must feed it with faith and attention, give it room to breathe and grow, and let it assume its shape and take flight. We must keep asking what the current moment and future need from SCH. We must keep answering, through our actions, what our school brings to this moment. This is, at root, how we set ourselves apart, clarify our absolute value, engineer change, and achieve excellence.
As I conclude my tenure at SCH this June, I offer some reflections through a Q&A segment. I am proud and honored to serve this community. Over my three-plus decades in schools, I have never experienced a place as undeterred and resilient. Appreciative of your warm embrace and support, I remain inspired by you and moved by the ethic of excellence and the culture of craftsmanship that Ron Berger so eloquently describes.
Warmly,
Cover:
SCHout Diversity Conference
leaders welcome guests with a cheer at the 10th-anniversary event in February.
Delvin M. Dinkins, Ed.D. Head of School
SCHOOL
Delvin M. Dinkins, Ed.D. Head of School
Marketing & Communications Office
Karen Tracy HA, P’10, P’14, P’23 Director of Marketing and Communications
Laura Richards Senior Writer & Editor, SCH Publications Editor, SCHool magazine
Laura Breen Cortes ’06 Visual Identity and Creative Services Associate
Julia MacMullan Director of Marketing
Office of Advancement
Kristin Norton P’20, P’22 Director of Development
Melissa B. Brown ’87, P’16, P’20, P’21 Director of Alumni Relations
Maggie Boozer Assistant Director of The SCH Fund
Diana Cosgrove Director of Parent and Community Engagement
Natalie Coney Director of The SCH Fund
Carolyn Greenleaf Development Coordinator
Paul Hines H’03, P’06 Special Projects
Jenny James McHugh ’84, P’15, P’19 Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving
James Talbot II H’81, P’86, P’90, GP’26, GP’28, GP’30 Senior Gift Officer
H=Honorary Alumna, Alumnus Design Services
Monica Gilbert, 7ate9 Design
CAMPUSNEWS
Sharing our unique SCH story: This issue of our magazine highlights campus news stories that show how we're putting our strategic framework into action. Read about the framework on page 16.
INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM LAUNCHED
SCH is fostering a culture of forward-thinking creativity with its new Innovation Grant Program. Funded by a generous gift from alumnus Eric Johnson ’77, the program supports "intentionally embedded innovation" within the school community, aligning with SCH's strategic framework.
"The innovation incubator expresses our commitment to ensuring that teaching methods and institutional practices continuously evolve in an ever-changing world," says Head of School Delvin Dinkins.
Twelve microgrants, ranging from $250 to $2,500 thanks to Johnson's gift, were awarded to faculty and staff for projects demonstrating a commitment to pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities. One such project, featured on the new FutureCast podcast, involves transforming the school's Jamie Bell Recording Studio into an immersive sound environment using Dolby Atmos technology. "Dolby Atmos expands the space where you can be making sound and designing music from not just the left, right, and in front of you but all around you and specifically above you as well," explains CEL teacher Adam Butz-Weidner, whose microgrant made the upgrade possible.
Students in music, film, and VR will now gain hands-on experience with this cutting-edge audio technology, learning to create immersive soundscapes.
“So many things that students are interacting with now— whether it's the music they're playing on their Airpods or the video games they play—are really centered around immersion, and a huge aspect of that, of course, is the sound," says Butz-Weidner. "As we step into the future where people will be making content in that space, I would love our students to have experience making, creating, and thinking as immersive creators.”
Initiatives represented by the awardees span a wide range of disciplines, from introducing coding to Pre-K students to bringing Toto to life in the form of a puppet for the Middle School production of Wizard of Oz
"Innovation at SCH Academy is not confined to technologyheavy disciplines—it’s about reimagining what’s possible in any aspect of our work,” says SCH’s CIO, Pete DiDonato, who, along with director of CEL, Ed Glassman ’03, led the grant selection committee.
FutureCast, Featured on The SCHool Podcast
FutureCast, featured on Unbounded Curiosity—The School Podcast, is produced by CEL executive director Ed Glassman and chief innovation officer Pete DiDonato, both of whom have been interviewed on education podcasts on the topic of innovation in schools. Futurecast dives deeper into the 12 faculty and staff projects that were awarded funding.
Listen in by scanning the QR code.
Left: Ed Glassman, director of CEL, and Pete DiDonato, SCH chief innovation officer, who led the Innovation Grant selection process, produced a podcast about the awardees; Right: Adam Butz-Weidner, is interviewed about his microgrant to upgrade the school's recording studio.
SCHOUT DIVERSITY CONFERENCE CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
SCHout Diversity Conference 2016 poster
For a decade, the SCHout Diversity Conference has amplified student voices, and this year's 10th anniversary was no exception. SCH recently welcomed over 150 high school students from across the region to celebrate this milestone, exploring the theme of "metamorphosis." The student-led conference provided a platform for powerful storytelling, engaging conversations, and 13 impactful workshops, solidifying its role as a catalyst for positive change. Among the attendees were several SCHout co-founders, including Singley Risico '16, who shared her post-graduation journey and offered poignant advice: "Change is inevitable," she said. "You will metamorphose many times in life, but make sure you honor your past, respect your present, and give grace to your future."
The event showcased the dedication of the SCH DEIB Council and over 40 student facilitators who led the day's activities, which included student-designed workshops and inspiring keynote speeches. The SCH community celebrated this anniversary with students, faculty, alumni, and guests, recognizing the conference's significant impact over the past 10 years.
Polly Kimberly, the school’s Upper School diversity coordinator and associate director of college counseling, advises SCH’s student diversity leaders and has spearheaded all of the past conferences. She notes, “While schools like ours are always striving to create the most inclusive spaces and most excellent educational experience, I have seen, over decades, the way that the wisdom, insights, and passionate advocacy of our student diversity leaders does critical grassroots work to move our schools forward. We hope that the electric energy of the SCHout conference inspires student attendees to use their voices to push for positive change in their own schools.”
The 2015 Inaugural SCHout Diversity Conference
Polly Kimberly, college counselor and Upper School diversity coordinator, and Maxime Sinal, director of DEIB, at this year’s SCHout
SCHout Diversity Conference leaders welcome guests with a cheer at the 10th-anniversary event.
SCH LAUNCHES BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE TRACK
FOR UPPER SCHOOLERS
In keeping with SCH’s long history of excellence in biomedical and health-related courses and outstanding student successes at local, regional, and state science competitions, this fall SCH introduced an opportunity for students interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences. Beginning this spring, 9th-grade students are eligible to apply to pursue a biomedical science track in their high school years. After completing all requirements, students will earn an SCH certificate of excellence in Biomedical Sciences in addition to their diploma.
RENOWNED CONDUCTOR LEADS WORKSHOPS AT SCH
In January, renowned conductor and clinician Dr. Rollo Dilworth, vice dean of the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University, completed a two-day residency at SCH as the Springside Class of 1957 Artist in Residence. Working with Lower, Middle, and Upper School choirs, Dr. Dilworth led workshops on his original compositions, which students will perform at their spring concerts. He also shared warm-up techniques, met with music faculty, and connected with alumnae from the Class of 1957, who established the residency fund. The Springside Class of 1957 Artist in Residence program brings distinguished performing or visual artists to SCH annually, enriching students' artistic experiences.
The Springside Class of 1957 Artist in Residence, Rollo Dilworth, works with SCH Lower Schoolers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, 20 percent of all college students graduate with biomedical and health-related degrees, and biomedical and health-related professions account for an ever-growing percentage of all jobs in the United States.
“We are excited to help meet this need and the almost limitless opportunities for growth it will provide SCH students,” says SCH Science Department chair Scott Stein HA’98.
“The unique opportunities that this program provides will help connect SCH students to the larger biomedical and healthcare community in the Philadelphia area and to our SCH parents and alumni who work in these areas.”
Highlights of this program include exclusive science events on and off campus, including field trips and guest speakers illuminating the amazing variety of university, pharmaceutical, and healthcare-related industries, science museums, and biomedical professionals in the Philadelphia area; mentoring from Lisa Queeno, the program coordinator; summer and after-school research positions in labs and opportunities for shadowing healthcare professionals; a biomedical-related culminating project; and access to mentoring and connections in the science community.
CAMPUSNEWS
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH SERVICE
This past fall, all SCH Middle School students dedicated a morning to service projects, partnering with local organizations to make a positive impact on the greater Philadelphia community.
"Service learning is an integral part of our Middle School program," says Head of Middle School Meadow Pepino. "By participating in these projects, our students not only develop valuable skills like teamwork and communication, but they also gain a deeper understanding of the needs in our community and the power they have to make a difference."
Fifth graders assembled "Fun Kits" for the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, while 6th graders focused on environmental stewardship at the Riverbend Environmental Education Center. Seventh graders packed thousands of meals with Rise Against Hunger, and 8th graders volunteered at Cradles to Crayons. This commitment to service extends throughout the entire school, with students in other divisions also participating in various initiatives, including projects on MLK Jr. Day.
STUDENTS EXPLORE THE PAST THANKS TO FIRST BALDRIDGE VISITING HISTORIAN
“Today, we’re going to be historians,” Christy Howard told the Lower School students. As the first Baldridge Visiting Historian, Howard shared her passion for history with our younger learners, encouraging them to see… think… wonder… as they move through their day and their lives. She suggested, “If your brain is asking questions, then go ahead and ask more!”
Using cutouts of figures in history—Andy Warhol, Harry Houdini, Simone Biles, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Edison, and more—Howard asked students to place the figures along a timeline according to the year they were born and encouraged students to consider who these people might have known in the arc of history. With the older grades, she provided white gloves, artifacts, and souvenirs to pick up and inspect, just as a museum curator might do. She prompted students to ask themselves: Where might you find this? What is it made of? When might it have been made?
A retired classroom teacher with 30 years of experience, Howard seeks to support teachers with storytelling techniques and activities using primary sources, visual thinking strategies, and other cross-curricular instruction. A fund honoring the late CHA Lower School teacher Carol Baldridge made this visit possible. The fund supports an annual visit from a historian, sharing Baldridge's passion for experiential history learning.
"Carol loved walking around in history," said her former colleague Hadley Jones Ferguson '72, who led the fundraising, "wanting her students to participate, not through memorization but through exploration.”
Middle School students plant at Riverbend Environmental Education Center.
Christy Howard visits SCH as the first Baldridge Visiting Historian.
UNMASKING THE POWER OF VALUES IN THE LOWER SCHOOL
McCausland Lower School has a special force in its fight for good character: the Superhero Value Team. Donning masks and bright red capes, this team of teachers takes a super approach to teaching core values like courage, resilience, integrity, thoughtfulness, and diversity.
"You can walk down the hallway and ask any child what integrity means, and they can tell you," says Assistant Head of Lower School Zaccai Williams, demonstrating the program's impact.
This dedicated squad, composed of Lower School educators Brittany Lawrence, Ciera Britton, Kevin Engleman, Esther Hwang, Mary Ann Domanska, and Terrance Hart, has been working since the summer to develop this unique culture and curriculum project. Their goal: foster a strong sense
of community, reinforce the school's values, and promote positive behavior. Each month, the Superhero Value Team hosts division-wide assemblies, celebrating students who have demonstrated these values. These achievements are visually represented by sparkly pom-poms added to jars in the Lower School lobby, with a different color and jar dedicated to each value.
"We play music, create slides, fill our value jars, and hear from students and staff members about all of the wonderful values we show every day," says Lawrence, a.k.a. Integrity Girl.
Beyond the assemblies, the team delves deeper into one of SCH's values each month, exploring its meaning, how it's displayed both inside and outside the classroom, and even connecting it to books students are reading.
FACULTY BOOK CLUB FUELS CLASSROOM INNOVATION
Forget homework—SCH teachers became students again, launching a year-long book club to sharpen their skills and deepen their understanding of student needs. Instead of grading papers, faculty members are now engrossed in titles like The Anxious Generation and Grading for Equity, sparking lively discussions across campus.
This initiative, spearheaded by school leaders, aims to translate reading into real-world classroom improvements. Teachers are exploring everything from cutting-edge
The Superhero Value Team, back row, from left: Brittany Lawrence, 1st-grade boys; Ciera Britton, Pre-K girls; Kevin Engleman, Lower School music; Esther Hwang, Kindergarten boys; Mary Ann Domanska, 2ndgrade girls; front row: Terrance Hart, Kindergarten girls.
teaching strategies to fostering a stronger sense of belonging for students. One group is even tackling Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides, hoping to build more inclusive classrooms. The teachers will share their key takeaways with the entire faculty this spring. It's all part of SCH's commitment to continuous growth for its educators, ensuring they're always equipped to create the best possible learning environment.
CAMPUSNEWS
SCH STUDENTS AND GRADUATES PRESENT AT
PRESTIGIOUS ASTRONOMY CONFERENCE
Four SCH juniors joined faculty and alumni at the prestigious American Astronomical Society (AAS) winter meeting, presenting their research alongside professional astronomers and students from around the globe.
“We spent the week talking with experts in the field of astrophysics, going to talks on up-and-coming research, and presenting our own research that we have been working on this fall,” said SCH student presenter Leo Cohen '26. “This was a great experience for me; it allowed me to see realworld applications of what I want to do in the future.”
The SCH team delivered two presentations, one on astronomy education research and another, by the students, on high-altitude ballooning for muon detection.
“Although the prospect of presenting within a respected, comprehensive astronomical organization populated with distinguished professors and researchers seemed daunting as a high schooler, my peers and I didn’t feel separate but integrated into that scientific community,” said Reed Knoblock '26.
Several SCH alumni, including Kara Kniezewski '19, Devin Gibson '24, and Jonathan Berkson '23, also presented or attended the conference, showcasing their continued success in space science.
"By guiding our students through authentic research experiences like this one, we empower them to become confident, impactful scientists,” says faculty member Alissa Sperling. “I am so proud of the trajectory of these students, and I’m completely convinced of the power of teaching science by having kids do real science."
Alumni and students attend prestigious astronomy conference. Back row: Devin Gibson ’24, Swarthmore College; second row, from left: Leo Cohen '26 and Reed Knoblock '26; front row, from left: Aaron Jia '26 and Judah Meyer '26.
CITY FUNDS SCH'S SUSTAINABLE GARDEN PROJECT
The City of Philadelphia awarded SCH a Green Schools Grant in February, highlighting the school's ongoing dedication to environmental sustainability. Philadelphia Recycling Program director Kyle J. Lewis presented the $1,500 check to support the implementation of a hydroponic garden in the Middle School cafeteria. This initiative, aligning with Mayor Cherelle Parker's vision for a greener Philadelphia, will fund a Nutraponics Tower Shelf capable of growing 72 plants. The project is a collaborative effort involving the student-run Community Plate, engineering students, Chef Budd Cohen, facilities, science, CEL, and engineering and robotics faculty, with CEL faculty member Julie Knutson playing a key role, building upon her upcoming Fulbright research in Morocco. Beyond the grant, SCH's food services team is actively minimizing the school's environmental footprint through food donation and composting, contributing to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Student engineers have also
designed a modular, vertical hydroponic garden prototype, aiming to house over 200 plants for educational purposes. The school will showcase these projects to city officials in April and participate in an Earth Day celebration.
Team receives $1,500 for a hydroponic garden at SCH.
CAMPUSNEWS
KEOUGH WINS IZZARD AWARD
Caitlin Keough '25 was honored as the 2024-25 female recipient of the John and Parthenia Izzard Award for Athleticism, Service, and Achievement at Undine Barge Club’s Annual Captain’s Dinner at Castle Ringstetten this past fall. This prestigious award is given in memory of John Izzard Jr. of Undine Barge Club on Boathouse Row and his legacy of “remembering what you learn and using it in life."
THREE GIRLS NAMED ALLLEAGUE MVPS IN FALL
SCOTT
RECEIVES STATE FOOTBALL AWARD
Senior Grayson Scott was named a Mini Max winner by the Maxwell Football Club for the state of Pennsylvania and was a finalist for the state and regional player of the year. He was honored at the Mini Max Award Dinner in Drexel Hill in February.
The Springside Chestnut Hill Academy varsity girls soccer team's hard work and dedication paid off on October 29 as they clinched the Inter-Ac League title with a decisive
win over Notre Dame.
Led by coaches Aaron Tritch and Delaney Kustra, the Blue Devils finished the league season with an impressive 10-2 league record.
MORE THAN A DOZEN STUDENTS COMMIT TO PLAYING A SPORT IN COLLEGE
SCH's first two rounds of senior DI and DII studentathletes have committed to play their sport in college and participated in an
on-campus signing events in November and January. More to come in the spring.
Congratulations to SCH's senior-athletes!
SCH is celebrating a historic achievement as three of its star athletes have been named All-League Most Valuable Players. Colleen Conlan '25 for field hockey, Leah Thomas '26 for tennis, and Ryleigh Bakley '27, who also received All-State, AllSoutheastern PA honors, for soccer were selected by Inter-Ac head coaches, making this the first time SCH has had three MVPs in a single season. Conlan also received All-Region 2nd team and 1st team All-State. Her teammates Devyn Conlan, Veronica Goettner, and Nadia Gross were also 1st team AllState, and Molly McGinn and Amelia Clements received Honorable Mention.
Forty-two SCH fall and winter student-athletes were named All-League.
This is just a sampling of SCH’s fall season. Get more details and the latest athletic news at sch.org/athletics! Follow Athletics on Facebook @SCHAcademyBlueDevils, Instagram @schbluedevils, and X @SCHBlueDevils.
From left: Julia Rorer ’05, director of rowing; Caitlin Keough, and Dave Wilson, director of Athletics at the Undine Barge Club’s Annual Captain’s Dinner.
GIRLS SOCCER WINS INTER-AC TITLE
From left: Matt McTamney and Xavier Jones, track and field, West Chester University; Jolie Kaoma, Loyola University, track and field; Stefon Dodoo, track and field, Texas A & M University; Grayson Scott, football, Lehigh University
Back row, from left: Tony Hicks, track and field, University of Wisconsin; Keni Williams, basketball, East Stroudsburg University; Trevor Saccomandi, lacrosse, University at Albany; front row, from left: Colleen Conlan and Devyn Conlan, field hockey, University of Massachusetts; Veronica Goettner, field hockey, Quinnipiac University; Ava Lanzetta, volleyball, Marist University; Haley Hamsher, lacrosse, Flagler College
DEVELOPMENTNEWS
GAME CHANGERS INVITATIONAL RAISES FUNDS FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
On October 14, SCH’s Game Changers Invitational at Sunnybrook Golf Club raised over $350,000 for the Wissahickon Scholar-Athlete Fund, which will prioritize a deserving First Tee Game Changer. The scholarship will provide the recipient with a transformative educational opportunity at SCH beginning this fall.
“I saw firsthand how an SCH education empowered our girls. I’m proud to be a part of this game-changing opportunity,” said Jean Fitzpatrick P’05, P’09, chair of the event.
Fitzpatrick delivered remarks after 108 golfers made their way through the course. Michael Brown, First Tee–Greater Philadelphia board chair, Emery Case '28, an SCH student and First Tee participant, and Ryan McDonald, fundraising cochair, also spoke at dinner.
Through the First Tee program, kids learn skills that stay with them for life, from managing emotions to planning for the future. Students who have spent time developing these skills at First Tee will be a transformational addition to the SCH Academy community.
The scholarship will be supported by ongoing community engagement, including SCH student volunteerism and program participation at First Tee’s Walnut Lane facility, to help build awareness of both organizations and their aligned missions, encourage relationship building among SCH and First Tee scholar-athletes, and foster an inclusive and supportive environment for incoming scholarship recipients.
Support this scholarship and learn more: www.sch.org/golf
Alumni, parents, parents of alumni, student-athletes and First Tee supporters participated in the October 2024 Game Changers Invitational benefitting the Wissahickon ScholarAthlete Fund for a First Tee student scholarship.
GILLY LANE ’03 HONORED AT CHESTNUT HILL CLASSIC
By Eloise Levin ’26 Squash player and Campus Lantern writer
SCH and the Philadelphia Cricket Club (PCC) brought world-class professional women's squash to Chestnut Hill in the second edition of The Chestnut Hill Classic, a Professional Squash Association (PSA) bronzelevel tournament.
CHA alumnus and College Squash Association men's champion University of
PLANNED GIVING
Pennsylvania head coach Gilly Lane ’03 was honored with the inaugural Chestnut Hill Classic Legacy Award at the event for the passion he brought to the Blue Devils as coach of the CHA boys squash team during their most successful years.
The return of professional squash to Chestnut Hill just 18 months after the first
Planned gifts aren’t just for a few special people—they are for anyone who wants to leave a lasting mark without writing a check today. It’s like giving a gift to future generations.
A planned gift allows you to make a lasting impact on the future while maximizing your financial benefits today. By including Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in your estate plans, you can support the programs and people you care about most—ensuring your legacy lives on for generations to come.
tournament coincided with the launch of the partnership with SCH and PCC. Director of squash at PCC, Rich Wade, and his diverse team of top professional coaches inspired players of all ages to support “hometown hero” and PCC alumna Olivia Fiechter Weaver ’14, who finished the tournament in first place.
"Were it not for trailblazers like Gilly inspiring the younger generations, it’s unlikely the American presence on the global stage would be as strong as it is today,” she said. The tournament was free of charge for spectators, allowing many members of the community to see 24 of the world’s top squash players in an accessible venue.
“I put Springside Chestnut Hill Academy into my estate plans quite a while ago. I can’t think of a better way to honor my exceptional class, wonderful teachers, and the deep and abiding friendships that I still value today almost 50 years later. Additionally, I was lucky enough to send our three children to SCH, and I watched them grow and learn with their dear friends and inspiring teachers. I see my planned giving as an investment in the continued success of SCH and the future of all the students.”
–Ellen Nalle Hass
’77
"The main reasons for including Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in my estate planning are that it not only had a significant positive impact on my life but continues to have that impact on its current and future students. I owe much of the academic success I had as an undergraduate and graduate student to the experience I had at SCH. I made many lifelong friends there and wanted to be sure to specifically include SCH as a beneficiary."
–Art Kodroff ’79
Left: Gilly Lane ’03; Middle: Chestnut Hill Classic winner Olivia Fiechter Weaver ’14; Right: PCC and SCH after the tournament
THE POWER OF MOMENTS
“At my first Convocation, I experienced firsthand what I’ll describe, quite simply, as a radiant community. I could feel people’s attachment to a shared history. There was a profound connection that came from the heart.”
inspire impactful leaps. I hope SCH continues to pursue its mission with fire and devotion.
Q: On that note, can you tell us about a powerful moment you experienced as head of school here?
The 2022 Convocation was a compelling moment for me. It was my first at SCH and the first time I stood before the entire school community as head of school. The ceremony started with uplifting student performances and thoughtful words from the student leadership, board, and alumni. I can still hear the Lower School students singing “Welcome Here.” Their sweet, angelic voices that rose above that breezy September morning will always ring in my ears. That day, I could not escape the warm smiles, knowing nods, held-open doors, and the “we’re all in this together” vibe that so very much defines SCH. The affection people had for the school was clear and present. I felt it deeply. I remember sharing that my own affection for SCH had swelled throughout my many visits during the headof-school search process. I explained how I took a chance and let love happen. At my first Convocation, I experienced firsthand what I’ll describe, quite simply, as a radiant community. I could
feel people’s attachment to a shared history. There was a profound connection that came from the heart.
Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing during your tenure?
Having come to know the community through deep listening, devoted service, and full-court-press engagement, I am proud of all we have accomplished together. I was repeatedly asked about my vision and plans when I arrived at SCH. These questions came from all corners of the campus and many points beyond. Having met individually with well over 200 community members by the dawn of 2023, I immediately understood that any vision and plans should be of the community, not from one individual or one body. When the time seemed right, the process for envisioning our future would be broad, inclusive, and rigorous. The result? A guiding framework that you can read about on page 16 of this magazine.
Q: Was there a thrilling athletic moment or achievement that you witnessed?
There have been so many, but the one I reach for most readily is the 2022 girls' soccer PAISAA championship game against Episcopal Academy. It was contested at the Proving Grounds in Conshohocken.
Going into the game, our girls' team had been undefeated in the league, had claimed the league championship—its third in a row—and owned an impressive 18-1-3 record. It was Abby Kenkelen '23 who scored the winning goal, thanks to an assist from Lisa McIntyre '23 and Alex Reilly '24. Being back-toback state champions, the team delivered an incredible win and season that made school history! Notably, the seniors had never lost an Inter-Ac game in four years.
Q: Is there a school tradition or event that you enjoyed/ represents SCH well?
There are so many, but I especially enjoy Convocation. Our official welcome to the school year, it’s a defining occasion that relies on the energy of the whole community. Technically speaking, it’s the only time when we all come together in person. The procession from the Lower School,
with bagpipers leading the way, is something to behold. Like many others, I enter every school year with an immense sense of possibility and ambitious goals. Perhaps one of the most elevated examples of school pride, Convocation is an occasion for connection, inspiration, and aspiration heading into the school year.
Q: As you mentioned, you prioritized implementing a strategic framework, diving into important surveys and research from the moment you arrived. Can you elaborate on why you wanted to leave a framework as your legacy?
It was clear to me when I arrived that the strategic priorities could not be presumptuous or selfindulgent. Instead, they needed to reflect our community's shared hopes and dreams. To better position our school for sustainable growth and success, we must promote our core strengths, further
“The strategic framework serves as a guiding light and an enduring focal point as we anticipate tomorrow's demands while delivering the most impact today. Why pursue this work when I won’t be here to see things through? With schools at an inflection point, I care deeply that the SCH community flourishes.”
distance ourselves from the pack, and address areas requiring attention. The strategic framework's priorities, commitments, and initiatives can be traced back to insights gleaned from the data we collected from what the community shared. They represent the right choices— the right things to do, not all things. The framework serves as a guiding light and an enduring focal point as we anticipate tomorrow's demands while delivering the most impact today. Why pursue this work when I won’t be here to see things through? With schools at an inflection point, I care deeply that the SCH community flourishes.
Q: What “action items” resulting from the framework are most exciting to you? Why are you proud of what’s already being done?
I am proud of and excited about all the strategic priorities and the commitments and initiatives spun out from them. Our efforts devoted to intentional and embedded innovation, in particular, have gained momentum. Buttressing our existing commitment to innovation, we are fostering and sustaining a culture of experimentation among our faculty and staff by promoting a bottom-up approach to innovation. Our newly launched innovation incubator (see page 2) encourages faculty and staff agency and ownership. Designed to champion, incentivize, and reward
innovation, this incubator invites faculty and staff to submit proposals for ideas that align with SCH’s mission and values. Microgrants are available to fund ideas, providing the resources and support needed for faculty and staff to experiment and implement creative solutions. We’re talking about new approaches to teaching, new ways of thinking, new ways of working, and new applications of technology that advance our mission. A dozen faculty and staff have been awarded microgrants, with their proposals ranging from outdoor education to human resource management. We cannot underestimate the potential for these sandbox projects to be scaled for a more significant impact. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to sustainable innovation, long-term growth, and investing in our people.
Q: How do you hope that the strategic framework continues to guide SCH Academy and its community in the years to come?
The environment is competitive, and the future of work is evolving. The downstream impacts on independent schools are evident. Amid inevitable and constant change, the time is ripe to consider what lies ahead for SCH. Strategy involves making an integrated set of choices that collectively positions the school to achieve its desired results. Focus on areas of strength and areas that should be strengths. Unlike a plan, which mimics a to-do list, the strategic framework is a tool to align critical decisions about the institution’s future with its mission, values, vision, priorities, commitments, and initiatives. As the pace of change in the world accelerates, strategy has become less about planning
and more about positioning and persistent execution in response to both seen and unforeseen circumstances. Think compass, not map: What are those things we need to do now to move in the right direction and toward “future us?” Thus, the strategic framework is a living document designed to be agile, aspirational, and responsive as needs arise and conditions change. Societal shifts, the changing landscape of education, and new thinking from leadership, faculty, and staff may inspire updates over time. Therefore, the commitments and initiatives should be continuously evaluated and revised to meet evolving needs. Dr. Dinkins will take on his role as head of school at Gill St. Bernard's School in July.
Beyond the Headlines
SCH's Innovative Journalism Track Empowers Students to Find Their Voices and Shape the Narrative
At SCH, journalism isn't just about reading (or watching) the news— it's about making it. From Pre-K to Upper School, students dive headfirst into the world of fact-based storytelling, learning the core principles of reporting and developing the skills to become active creators of news. Fourth graders broadcast from an office in the Lower School for Spark , Middle Schoolers write for the online The Torch , and Upper Schoolers contribute to The Campus Lantern , both in print and online. With an eye toward the future, SCH’s "journalism track" also emphasizes new media and technology. SCHers are not just finding their voices, they’re discovering innovative ways to connect with their audience through traditional and digital media.
The Spark of Curiosity
In 2012, reading specialist Christy Yaffe HA'15 encouraged and worked with 4th-grade girls to embark on a weekly news show with “real purpose for a real audience,” she said recently. She had heard about 12th graders using smart boards, a new technology at the time, to project the news at a different school.
“I felt pretty sure that 4th grade girls could also do it,” she said. For seven years leading up to the pandemic, the weekly news team covered everything from beekeeping to the McCausland Lower School building construction. “It was thrilling to see students be so engaged and take such pride in their work,” says Yaffe.
During that first year Avi Oliver ’25, now a senior at SCH, interviewed Olympian Taylor Ellis-Watson Washington ’11. “My interview with Taylor was amazing. I was only a 4th grader, and I remember feeling so special to have been given that role as she was a celebrity to us,” said Oliver, noting that, even though Taylor is her cousin, she took a professional approach. “As I have gotten older, I have come to realize the huge role and responsibility that journalists have in society. Being an interviewer at only 10 years old allowed me to reflect now, as a 17-year-old, and recognize the importance of asking the right questions.”
Now, 4th graders spend weeks preparing for their newscast, with help from several faculty and staff, including Yaffe. Gellhorn, during her lunch, is guiding them from behind the camera.
“Students who have participated in the 4th-grade news understand that their performance on the newscast will impact how others see them,” says Gellhorn, who is also running a journalism camp at SCH this summer. “I hope this translates when they get their own social media accounts. I also think that students do their best work when they have an authentic assignment and an authentic audience.”
Carrying The Torch
Students arrive in Middle School with a strong foundation in reading and writing, a sense of how stories and facts shape our world, and they're ready to explore these concepts
in exciting new ways.They continue to develop their journalistic skills through hands-on experience with traditional and digital media, both in the classroom and elsewhere. Out of class, they can join the newspaper club and write or produce for The Torch, and in class, they hone their writing skills and learn more deeply about the power of unique voice and vision.
To be able to look around your world and see that everything has value, to want to tell everyone about everything, that's passion, right?
Jenny Gellhorn, Upper School English and Journalism teacher, Campus Lantern Adviser
“Students practice writing, interviewing, critical thinking, and collaboration skills,” says Jessica Tiffany, Middle School English teacher and Torch adviser. “They learn planning, organization, accountability, and resilience. In a world where it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine fact, truth, or authenticity, The Torch is a hands-on way to teach media literacy skills.”
Jenny Gellhorn, English teacher and news adviser, records 4th graders Isla Powell (left) and Maia Toomey (right) for Spark, the Lower School news.
Students apply what they’ve learned beyond the newspaper and English rooms. Through the CEL curriculum, they each develop and deliver a TED Talk in 7th grade and, in Digital Publishing in 8th grade, they not only are responsible for researching, writing, and producing an online magazine, but they also consider a wider audience.
“In Digital Publishing, we strive to build these skills by investigating the world around us, asking questions of our surroundings, recognizing the dangers of a ‘single story,’ and considering the perspectives that multiple audiences might bring to a piece of media,” says CEL teacher Julie Knutson, a global education advisor for PBS News Student Report Labs and author of a series of books on media literacy. “Empathy for one’s audience is a key tenet of the CEL program.”
The Digital Publishing classroom thrives on discussion and compromise, fostering a strong sense of belonging. “For a magazine to look and feel cohesive, students must listen to each other and consider tone, intent, audience, and purpose,” said Knutson. “This skill—of being able to collaborate, negotiate, pivot, and build consensus—is imperative for life as a student and beyond.”
This collaborative environment empowers students to produce engaging stories that delve into diverse subjects, from dress code to politics, with both depth and interest. The result is two digital magazines (one by girls, one by boys) each semester. The questions, shares Knutson, are as important as the answers: “Collecting varied student voices into a single volume allows us to ask: ‘What story does this—as a whole— tell about our community? How can we better, more fully, more inclusively, and engagingly share these stories?’”
An Interdisciplinary Nature
Knutson is just one faculty member helping students to understand the future of storytelling and its diverse forms. Another is fellow CEL teacher Adam Butz-Weidner who teaches a course on producing documentaries and implores students to ask “essential journalistic questions,” including, Who is involved? What’s at stake? and Why does this story matter?
“These questions encourage students to dive deeper into their topics, engage thoughtfully with the details, and focus on the bigger picture of why their story is important,” he says. The course provides a strong foundation in both storytelling and video editing skills even creating “story spines” based on Pixar’s method.
“During the editing phase,” he says, “students gain handson experience with professional software like DaVinci Resolve and learn essential post-production techniques. Most importantly, though, they learn the art of the cut. By practicing with industry-standard tools, they not only develop technical proficiency but also learn how editorial choices can shape a compelling narrative.”
Butz-Weidner also mentors student podcasters, including two whose CEL Capstone project highlights Black voices within a predominantly white institution (PWI), directly supporting the school's strategic focus on belonging. Izzie Ford ’26 and Mmalita Echewa’s ’26 podcast, “Diversity Dialogues,” which won the CEL’s New Media Studio Award last year, invites SCHers and others to join the duo as they “share stories, strategies, and insights to empower Black students and educate allies.”
Knutson, CEL Digital Publishing Teacher “ ”
Collecting varied student voices into a single volume allows us to ask: ‘What story does this— as a whole—tell about our community? How can we better, more fully, more inclusively, and engagingly share these stories?’
Julie
“I think the most important thing I've learned is that your story matters because there might be other people out there just like you who are afraid to speak up or feel as though they have no one to relate to,” says Ford. “Mmalita’s and my goal is to uplift and unmask Black voices that may be silenced.”
Authentic voices like Ford and Echewa’s are being heard and celebrated at SCH and in the wider community.
The Light Burns Bright
As a sophomore, Brendan Flatow ’25 conceived of a new way to connect with his peers. He would report and commentate
Cover of the fall 2024 Middle School girls-produced magazine for Digital Publishing
Recent cover of Pub, SCH’s literary magazine
from the sidelines at SCH sports matches and interview athletes for his venture, GameTime Sports, for which he won the top CEL prize, the Sands Entrepreneurial Mindset Prize. In the years since, he has launched his project, even recruiting others to report alongside him and covering 148 athletic competitions and nearly every SCH sport.
Michael Goff ’26, junior editor-in-chief for The Campus Lantern, recently won a “Best of Student News Organization” (SNO) Award for his profile about retiring photography teacher and longtime yearbook advisor Pete Capano. SNO hosts thousands of K-12 news websites, enabling "media advisers and student journalists to focus on journalism." This is a meaningful award for Goff, who said he wanted to do justice to Capano's 41-year career. His profile covers everything from Capano's early years of teaching to his friendship with Philly’s own Kevin Bacon.
"I knew how much Pete has meant to the community over the years, and I wanted to do everything I could to tell his story as best as I could," says Goff. "Throughout the interviewing process, it became clear to me that Pete was more than just a teacher to his students; he was also a mentor who built his students into strong photography students and stronger humans."
Powerful writing, fueled by empathy and community connection as Goff exemplifies, is a lifelong asset. Alongside The Campus Lantern, Pub literary magazine offers students hands-on publishing experience. Upper Schoolers collaborate on all aspects of the magazine, from curating submissions and editing to design and multimedia, which provides real-world experience, giving students a taste of media and creative careers. It also serves as an important platform for students to showcase their writing, art, and audio creations, fostering artistic expression and confidence.
This foundation and these skills are crucial, especially now, says Ed Glassman, executive director of the CEL, who is keenly interested in preparing students for the future.
“If we want to equip students for an uncertain future and prepare them for meaningful careers, while also ensuring the survival of thoughtful, measured journalism in the age of AI, then the skills developed through these extracurriculars and courses really matter,” he says.
Whitman, editor of The Lantern, makes regular visits to the Middle School, inspiring aspiring reporters and writers and emphasizing the relevance of traditional skills in a digital world. The faint flicker of his idea for a newspaper, two years past, now burns brightly.
“The Lantern,” he says, “is too big, too bright to turn off now.”
Read The Campus Lantern, Pub, The Torch, and more by scanning here.
Avi Oliver ’25, then a 4th grader (center, right), interviews Taylor EllisWatson Washington '11 (center, left), Olympian, in the first year that the 4th-grace news was in existence. BA Fish HA'02 (left), now-retired PE chair, and Christy Yaffe HA'15 (right), reading specialist, started the news in 2012
Philadelphia Inquirer features reporter Zoe Greenberg ’09 speaks to journalism students.
Alumni Authors on Display
Get to know some of our alumni authors.
Springside School, Chestnut Hill Academy, and SCH boast over 40 alumni authors including the poet laureate of Vermont, a former cast member of the “West Wing" whose book spent its first three weeks in the top three of the New York Times best-seller list, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, CNBC’s senior Washington correspondent, and a world-renowned athlete who was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated—twice!
What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service (Nonfiction, 2024)
Melissa Fitzgerald ’83
What's Next: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing (2024), was No. 3 on The New York Times best-seller list for its first three weeks. Best known for her sevenyear role as Carol on the “West Wing,” Fitzgerald penned What’s Next, a behind-the-scenes look into the creation and legacy of the TV show, alongside “West Wing” actor Mary McCormack.
Fitzgerald co-founded a mentoring program that uses theater to work with historically underserved teens which was eventually
the subject of an awardwinning documentary, After Kony: Staging Hope. She also championed justice system reform through an organization called All Rise of which she is now the director of strategic engagement. She has been published in The New York Times and The Washington Post and is a recipient of the Secretary of the Army’s Public Service Medal.
Fitzgerald, who has been committed to SCH as a member of the Springside National Alumnae Council and the Restore The Rec
campaign, was a member of Players and president of Springside's service organization as a student. She was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award in 2008.
“Springside gave me the confidence that with dedication, hard work, and perseverance I could do almost anything,” says Fitzgerald. “Springside (and my parents) helped me develop a strong work ethic and that has served me throughout my life in many areas.”
An excerpt: “Winding in and out of hallways and offices, passing the baton from this character to that, and then to another … and another, Aaron (Sorkin) and his director endowed the ‘world’ of the show with a whirlwind feel.” –What's Next: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing
Mo'ne Davis: Remember My Name: My Story from First Pitch to Game Changer (Memoir, 2016)
Mo’ne Davis ’19
At the age of 13, Mo'ne Davis, then a Middle Schooler at SCH, became the first female pitcher to win a game in the Little League World Series and the first little leaguer to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated Kids as “Athlete of the Year.”
She became an overnight sensation, earning a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame a month later, appearing on the “Tonight Show,” and meeting the president. Just a year later, she published her memoir. She is now pursuing a sports management degree at Columbia University as an HBCU fellow.
Davis has periodically spoken to SCH Middle and Upper School students on the topics of leadership, athletics, and social media. Most recently, she returned to campus to discuss her experience at Hampton University as part of SCH’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Panel.
An excerpt: “One hot August night that summer, I, Mo’ne—a girl who loves Disney movies, is afraid of the dark, and keeps change in her baseball pants pocket for good luck— stood on the pitcher’s mound in front of 34,950 people and five million people from around the world who were watching on TV.”
–Remember My Name
Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy: The Secret World of Corporate Espionage (Nonfiction, 2010)
Eamon Javers ’90
Eamon Javers is CNBC’s senior Washington correspondent, focusing on the role of money and influence in Washington, D.C.
Previously, he was a White House reporter for Politico, where he covered the intersection of Wall Street and Washington. He has appeared as an analyst on each of the major broadcast networks, all of the major cable television news networks, the BBC, and National Public Radio. This nonfiction book reveals a never-before-reported CIA
A Glorious Enterprise: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and the Making of American Science (Nonfiction, 2012)
policy allowing active-duty officers to moonlight in the private sector.
In 2014, Javers was named a finalist in the Gerald Loeb Awards explanatory category for his coverage of how market-moving financial data is released. In 2006, he received an Award of Distinction in investigative journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
Javers, who was editor of The Campus Lantern as a CHA student, received the CHA Roll of Fame Award in
2022 and has dedicated his time to SCH as a speaker for various events. He recently spoke to journalism students at SCH to focus on "true and important" stories.
"I hope that as you do this, you learn about the importance of facts and fact gathering,” he said. "I've always been interested in gathering and reporting information to the community, especially information that people may not want me to."
Dr. Robert McCracken Peck ’70
Curator of art and artifacts and senior fellow of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Robert McCracken Peck is a writer, naturalist, and historian who has traveled extensively in North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. He is the author of seven books and has written for newspapers and a wide range of popular and scholarly publications. Peck has served as a guest curator for and consultant to museums and libraries in the U.S. and has lectured widely at home and abroad.
He has been honored by the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Explorers Club, the Garden Club of America, the Society for the History of Natural History, the University of Delaware (with an honorary degree), and other organizations for his contributions to exploration and the interpretation of natural history through his many lectures and publications.
A dedicated alumnus, Peck has donated his photographs of Mongolia’s pastoral nomads for display at SCH. A former SCH trustee, he is part of the
Restore The Rec campaign and has won both the CHA Alumnus of the Year Award (2020) and Roll of Fame Award (2001). As a senior at CHA, he was president of Players.
“CHA was blessed with a great library when I was there,” he says. “The librarian, Anne Swain, and my 6th-grade teacher, Perot Walker, instilled in me a love of books. I would never have imagined then that one day some of my own books would be in that library helping to inspire another generation of students!”
Cole Brown ’14
Cole Brown is an author, producer, and political commentator. His first book, Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award and selected for Steph Curry’s “Underrated” book club. His first co-authored book, First Impressions, was released in May 2022. His anthology collection, Black Love Letters, was published in October 2023 from John Legend’s Get Lifted Books.
Brown was formerly an onair political commentator for the ABC, Australia's national broadcaster, and he led nationwide coverage for watershed moments like the 2020 election and the storming of the Capitol on January 6.
Brown is the creator and executive producer of Magic City: An American Fantasy, produced alongside Drake's DreamCrew Entertainment and Jermaine Dupri.
Dr. Alexandra Logue ’70
Professor Emerita in the Center for Advanced Study in Education of the Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Alexandra Logue is responsible for research and scholarship concerning college student success.
An internationally known behavioral scientist, she has published close to 200 books, articles, and chapters on higher education, quantitative models of choice behavior, and food aversions and preferences, and has served on the
“I was blessed to have incredible teachers at CHA who gifted me a love of words. Ms. Waleson taught me most of what I know about reading and appreciating exceptional writing. She introduced the concept of craft. Ms. Allen was the first person outside of my family to show me that Black stories—my stories—were worthy. I'd be a different person without their influences,” he says.
editorial boards of many prestigious journals.
Logue was a member of the Springside National Alumnae Council and won the Distinguished Alumna Award in 2011.
Dr. Diana Chapman Walsh ’62
Diana Chapman Walsh is President Emerita of Wellesley College, her alma mater, and an emerita member of the governing boards of MIT and Amherst College. She was a trustee of the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and the Mind and Life Institute,
and she also chaired the Broad Institute's inaugural board and cofounded the Council on the Uncertain Human Future.
Her memoir, The Claims of Life, is “a book as much about living a meaningful life as it is being an effective college president,” according to Forbes. She is
also the author, coauthor, and editor of numerous other books.
Walsh, who was part of the National Alumnae Council for Springside, also won the Springside Distinguished Alumna Award.
Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World (Memoir, 2020)
The Psychology of Eating and Drinking (Nonfiction, 2014)
The Claims of Life (Memoir, 2014)
Spanning the Gilded Age: James Eads and the Great Steel Bridge (Nonfiction, 2024)
Dr. John K. (Jack) Brown ’76
For 23 years, John K. (Jack) Brown taught history, applied ethics, writing, and public speaking in the Department of Science, Technology, and Society at the University of Virginia. In 2024, he published Spanning the Gilded Age: James Eads and the Great Steel Bridge. The book details the origins, design, financing, construction, and enduring impact of an
iconic arched bridge, the first in the world to rely on structural steel. It illustrates how Americans built their urban infrastructures during the 19th century. The supporting cast includes J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, U.S. Grant, Jay Gould, and Theodore Roosevelt. His next book focuses on a turning point late in World War II.
His award-winning history of a famous Philadelphia company, the Baldwin Locomotive Works, was published in 1995. He has also written articles on many topics in business, legal, and technological history. A graduate of Emory University, he lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.
An excerpt: “While Captain Eads and his bridge were unique, this history of the project expands our understanding of a much broader story: how America became urban, industrial, and interconnected. Modern.” –Spanning the Gilded Age
Acts of Forgiveness (Fiction, 2024)
Maura Cheeks ’05
Maura Cheeks’ Acts of Forgiveness (2024), a novel, was named a most anticipated book by Elle, The Root, Real Simple, and The Millions. This book, her first, imagines the country has just passed the nation’s first reparations bill for Black families.
Owner and general manager of Liz’s Book Bar in Brooklyn, NY, Cheeks was named one of “10 Writers to Watch” by Publishers Weekly. Her other work
Times, The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, Tin House, and others. In 2019 she was awarded the Masthead Reporting Residency for The Atlantic’s first residency program where she worked on the feature article that would later inspire the idea for her novel.
Cheeks received the Springside Outstanding Young Alumna Award in 2014.
“My earliest memory of falling in love with writing was after my 4th-grade
teacher, David McCullough, assigned everyone to write a play for the Young Playwrights Contest,” says Cheeks. “My play, Mr. T.P.'s Deal, ended up winning first place and I distinctly remember working with Mr. McCullough on the revision and loving every minute of the process. If it weren't for his encouragement or for that assignment, I don't know if I would have realized that my calling was to become a writer.
I'm forever grateful.”
Scan the QR code to learn more and find links to these books!
CLASS NOTES
1940s
1944
Kitty Ash Freeman, 98, cites the successful marriages of her five children and her 15 grandchildren as her primary source of pride.
1950s
1952
Eugene M. Cheston Jr. retired as managing director of Equity Capital Market Services at Morgan Stanley in 1989. After 60 years of marriage, his beloved wife Elsie Lovering passed away in 2023. At 90, Cheston finds inspiration in Aristotle's emphasis on character and virtue and has spent the last decade studying aphorisms. He says, “I would note that the word 'philosophy' is based on the Greek words that mean love of and respect for wisdom. Given my age of 90, the two generations after mine are in charge of expansion. I will be ever grateful for the blessing of having attended SCH.”
1957
Babbie Baldwin Miller’s husband Ludlow Miller died in November 2024. Ludlow was an honorary/ emeritus trustee for 36 years and was well known for his generosity and steadfast support of SCH. She says, “Our family has gotten a little smaller.”
Frankie Foley Jueds, Ann Merrit Hunter, and Sherley Young from Springside’s Class of 1957 who support the Class of 1957 Artist in Residence visited campus
to meet this year’s artist, composer Rollo Dilworth, vice dean of the Boyer College of Music and Dance. In 2024, the alumni association honored the women with the Springside School Distinguished Service Award for their longtime commitment to the arts.
1959
Mary-Page de Bordenave Jones retired and is now a silversmith. Her husband Bob is the 7th Episcopal Bishop of Wyoming.
1960s
1964
Baylor Trapnell is still enjoying life in Santa Fe, NM.
1967
Sally Reichner Mayor is a career counselor and does training for Les Roches Global Hospitality University, Switzerland.
1963
Gay Engels Simpson recently moved back to Philadelphia from Buffalo, NY, and is living in Cathedral Village. She enjoys being closer to her granddaughter so that she can attend her concerts and squash matches.
1966
In October, Springside classmates and their
spouses traveled together on a Danube River cruise, stopping in Budapest. From left: Merf McWilliams Andruss, Linda Stanley, and Cathy McLaughlin Glazer.
1968
Tim Greenwood and his wife Sandy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to New Zealand.
1969
Henry Carnes and Kay Tucker Franklin participated in the Black History Hall of Fame in honor of diverse Black pioneers, from transportation innovator Rodney Earl Slater to NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson. SCH families viewed the classroom
doors during the event, which also included Carnes, our first Black CHA graduate, and Franklin, who was among the first three Black students to enter Springside in the fall of 1964. During the evening, they shared their yearbook photos with Lower School families.
1970s
1971
The boys are back in town! Dave Sims, who is the new radio announcer for the New York Yankees on WFAN (101.9 FM), was in Philadelphia to broadcast the Villanova basketball game and met classmates Mark Stout and Bill Levy and lifelong friends Jim Talbot
H’81 and Paul Hines H’03 for lunch at a Chestnut Hill favorite, McNally’s.
1979
Clare Edwards Myer has been honored with the Beyond the Bell Award for her significant contributions at Universal Audenried Charter High School in Philadelphia. As the English language development coordinator, she teaches three classes to a diverse student body representing 18 languages. Myer also serves as the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) test Coordinator, overseeing annual online English language learning assessments. According to the award announcement, her “deep love for her students shines through in her nurturing approach, creating a safe, fun, and supportive environment.”
1980s
1981
Jefferson Kise, a lifelong sailor since age 8, achieved a personal milestone last summer by completing a doublehanded ocean race, in which only two people crew
a boat, from San Francisco to Oahu aboard his 28-foot sailboat, Calphurnia.
1984
Charlie Hutchinson, who is 60 this year, is embracing the “empty nest” phase in Los Angeles, with both children now college graduates. While many recognize him from his role in Home Alone 2, his 15-year acting career ended in 2001, and he now works in wealth management. Hutchinson fondly recalls his years at at CHA, writing, "To use a Players analogy, I'm looking forward to what comes next in the third act."
1986
Richard Bonsall is a parttime farmer at a former sugar plantation built in 1683. He writes, “The plantation was built in 1683 in Gingerland on the island of Nevis. Restoring the property and turning it into a working fruit farm—growing bananas, soursop, mangos, limes, lemons, oranges, dragon fruit, cherries, jabuticaba, coconuts, guava, guinep, avocados, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and fresh eggs from our hens and pet rooster, George.”
1990s
1992
Andi Toll Whiting continues her distinguished career in the Foreign Service, currently in Washington D.C. focusing on visa and immigration policy. Following a detail to the National Security Council as director of Immigration and Visa Security, she recently assumed the role of director of Field Operations in the State Department’s Visa Office, where she leads a team providing policy guidance to 230 consular sections worldwide.
2000s
R
2000
Michael Malone reports that his team at Los Alamos National Laboratory has developed a novel fentanyl detection method. This breakthrough technology enables detection through opaque packaging, a significant advancement over current law enforcement tools that has the potential to substantially impact the opioid epidemic.
Felicia Jadczak was appointed to Easthampton, Massachusetts City Council as the newest city councilor representing Precinct 2. 2003
Nick O’Neill and Rebecca welcomed Petra into their family on July 4, 2024. She loves gardening and bugs.
2004
Morgan Berman reports, “I am concluding 3.5 years in my role as executive director at Life Science Cares Philadelphia to take on the president role at Glitter, where I will be joining my business partner and our growing team of 25 incredible staff who are helping address the litter crisis in Philadelphia.”
in memoriam
JULY 15, 2024 - FEBRUARY 28, 2025
We wish to express our sincere condolences to all family and friends of the deceased.
ALUMNI
1938
Emilie Rivinus Bregy*
Virginia Strong Newlin*
1942
Edgar M. Sheppard Jr.*
1946
Mary Cheston McAdoo
1949
Joanna Turner Burgoyne
Emily Landenberger Forsyth
1955
Joan P. Snowden
1956
Marcia Weaver Campbell
1957
John L. Randall
1958
Clarence Z. Wurts
1959
Charles D. Dilks
N. Dudley Warwick
1963
Candace Baldwin Richards
1967
Carol Sinn Fritzinger
Kathy DeWitt Yost
1968
John G. McCurdy
1970
Louise M. Manly-Power
1979
Thomas B. Fleming
1982
Mimi Ashmead Robinson
FORMER TRUSTEES
Craig N. Johnson
Raymond C. Lynch Ludlow Miller
FORMER FACULTY
Jennifer Culbert N. Dudley Warwick
*Remembering Three of Springside and CHA's Longest-Living Alumni
The alumni office is grateful for three members of our alumni community and their longtime commitment to Chestnut Hill Academy and Springside School.
Emilie Rivinus Bregy ’38 died on December 31, 2024, at age 104. Bregy was a talented artist whose work featured several hundred portraits, dramatic watercolors, and large oil-based abstracts.
Virginia Strong Newlin ’38 died on September 8, 2024, at age 104. Newlin received the Springside Distinguished Alumna Award in 2016 for her work as a talented writer and poet.
Edgar M. Sheppard Jr. ’42 died on October 19, 2024, at the age of 100. Sheppard served as president of the CHA Alumni Association and received the Francis P. Steel Jr. ’77 award for his longtime commitment to the school.
CLASS NOTES
KEEP IN TOUCH
Wedding bells? New baby? Career change?
Share your news and notify us of any address changes at alumni@sch.org.
message to our los angeles alumni
During this challenging time, we want you to know you are not alone— the SCH community continues to think of you and your families. Los Angeles is a wonderful, vibrant city. Your community's resilience inspires us. Please know that your alumni network is here for you.
Alexis Giovinazzo ’12 married Jordan Leopold on July 13, 2024, at the Chapel of 4 Chaplains at the Navy Yard. A beautiful reception was held at the Pen Ryn Estate in Bensalem.
Courtney McElwee ’15 and Alec Greenhalgh ’14 were married at the Waterworks by Cescaphe in Philadelphia on September 14, 2024.
Christine Putney ’82 married James Johnson in a private ceremony on December 31, 2024. A family luncheon was held at Liberty Hill on January 4. Classmate Suzy Matlack Troemel '82 officiated the ceremony.
Richard Bonsall ’86 married Dr. Daria Hordiichuk on the island of Nevis in November 2024.
Erica Sneer ’12 married Eric Sciorilli on September 13, 2024, on Long Beach Island.
Carolina Millard ’06 married Benjamin Brotman on October 18, 2024, at The Pomme in Radnor, PA.
SCH Lower School girls cheer on the Eagles prior to the Super Bowl as part of a campus-wide celebration.
Horizons at SCH provides hands-on summer learning for over 75 elementary students from underresourced communities. Learn about Horizons and support the program by scanning the QR code.
