Stanwichsummer2014newsletter1

The Stanwich Heart The Quarterly Newsletter of The Stanwich School

Summer 2014

Inside This Issue Rainforests come alive for Grade 3 students Pg. 5

Grade 8 students separate “sludge.�

Pg. 6

Students have a blast at their fabulous Field Days Pg. 8

Trailblazers

+ PLUS so much more!

www.stanwichschool.org

A monumental moment, 16 students become the first seniors to graduate from Stanwich Pg. 14 Summer 2014 1

From the Head of School

Lean Into The Learning

M

omentous’ is an apt term for this sixteenth year at Stanwich.

For the first time ever, Greenwich will have a PreK through Grade 12 coeducational independent school. Our campuses are merging, our educational scope and sequence is now complete.

And as United States Senator Richard Blumenthal asserted with a certain puckish smile during our commencement ceremony, we have graduated the greatest class in the history of the school. We rang the property’s school bell once again to celebrate learning and excellence. Momentous.

The final month was momentous in music as well. No fewer than 11 separate concerts showcased our students — your children — in their singing, playing and performing throughout the Mostly May Music Festival. Excellence abounded; whether it was displayed within the Young Musicians Festival for voice and piano, whether it manifest itself in the musical productions or the spring concerts or the piano recitals, or whether it was showcased with our faculty in their family concert offering. Research has shown the positive relationship between music and academic achievement, and having all students involved in music in such a robust way is distinctive at Stanwich.

Classroom construction and renovations are already underway. By July, the Wildwood Cottage spaces will be ready for us to move in. Administrative offices have been relocated to the former caretaker’s house and improvements are underway there both inside and out. We will be busy all summer preparing for this exciting next chapter in the extraordinary Stanwich story.

Programmatically, we will be expanding our language offerings to begin in PreK, we will expand our accelerated

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mathematics offerings, we will further link our sciences to our exceptional 40 acres of woodlands and wetlands, we will expand our exemplary teacher feedback loop process, and we will further develop our upper school moral leadership program as we expand our educational partnerships both here and abroad. What we have not, cannot, and will not waver from is our commitment to carrying out the Stanwich mission. Our talented teachers will remain focused on excellence, and creating and maintaining a personalized learning environment in which all students can confidently strive to be the best they can be. Recently, a student commented on what made learning at Stanwich distinguished. “People back away when they are uncomfortable. But you don’t want to back away from ideas. Stanwich teachers help you feel comfortable to stay in the group, and to want to learn. They make you want to lean into learning.”

As we lean into the future, we will focus on developing the excellence within each student at Stanwich. There is no single formula for greatness, no one recipe for superb learning, no definitive pathway to excellence. The

“People back away when they are uncomfortable. But you don’t want to back away from ides. Stanwich teachers help you feel comfortable to stay in the group, and to want to learn. They make you want to lean into learning.” term ‘educate’ is itself reflective of this fact, coming from latin roots that connote a bringing forth, a leading out, and a nourishing. In all we have done and will continue to do at Stanwich, nourishing, leading out, and bringing forth the excellence that is within your child remains our collective focus.

The Stanwich Heart

From the Chairman of the Board of Trustees

M

y term as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Stanwich School is drawing to a close at the end of this month. It has been my privilege to serve as Chairman for the past two years, and I thank my fellow trustees for their confidence in me, their advocacy for Stanwich within our community, their good judgment, and their generous commitments of effort and financial support to Stanwich.

I also wish to express my special and personal appreciation to our teachers and staff, who have inspired me every day with their passion for teaching and their devotion to our children.

Strong leadership is important to the success of any organization. It is with great pleasure, therefore, that I introduce Steve Lorenz as our new Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Steve was unanimously elected at the June Board of Trustees meeting, and he will succeed to the Chairman position on July 1. Steve joined Stanwich’s Board of Trustees in 2012, and together with his wife Melinda have been long-time Stanwich supporters. Their son Mark is

Dan Klebes Chairman, 2012-2014

a rising seventh grader.

Steve, Paul and I are working together diligently with the entire board and effecting a smooth leadership transition.

At the Board’s request, I will remain as a member of the Board of Trustees next year. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Steve and my fellow trustees to support Paul Geise, Meaghan Mallin, Jerome Murphy, and Patty Foster as we welcome our students in September back to Stanwich, Greenwich’s only PreK-12 coeducational independent day school.

Steve Lorenz Chairman, 2014

Please join me in congratulating Steve, and please provide him with the gracious support and cooperation that you have so generously provided to me over the past two years.

Respectfully,

Dan Klebes Chairman, Board of Trustees, 2012-2014

Thank You to the 2013-2014 Board of Trustees Daniel Klebes, Chair

W. Gregory Drennen

Steve Lorenz

Paul G. Geise, Head of School

John Esposito

Robert Moro

Tiffany Benincasa

Kathy Candel Epstein

Roger Paradiso

Mark Carbone

Greg Gigliotti

James Raezer

Lisa Bailey Cassidy

Lorraine Gordon

Andrew Richard

Susan Clark

Jan Karst

Richard Sanders

Ara Cohen

Bruce Kiley

Ingrid Winn (PA President)

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2014 3

Life at the Lower School

Ilana Grady

Assistant Head of Lower School

D

uring the spring months, we focus on the value of joy and joy was certainly all around us. Every day, during these last busy weeks of school there were special moments in the classrooms, on the playing fields and even in the hallways.

Friendships and good sportsmanship were on display from May musical events to Field Day. New traditions began, including the kindergarten participation in the first senior class graduation which was both touching and thrilling. The children have taken ownership of lessons learned over the past year and now use their Stanwich Hearts in everything they do.

pened, stopped, turned and waited for their classmate to get up before continuing the race. They finished in a tie. When the child was commended for her sportsmanship, the response was: “Neither of us wanted the other one to lose.”

Some of the most memorable Stanwich Heart moments include: • Students supporting each other through shows, Music Breakout and Shares.

Enjoying the warmth of the spring months, our children can be heard playing and laughing on the hill with fellow housemates.

It brings us immense joy to see different grades and classes playing together, uniting as one Lower School.

The Stanwich Heart is on display every day.

• During Field Day, about halfway through the hurdles and the last heat, a child tripped on a hurdle and fell down.

A competitor, witnessing what had hap-

MOVING ON UP To celebrate their first year as Stanwich students, members of the PreK class performed for their parents and received accolades from their teachers.

• A child grabbing the hand of a teacher and thanking the teacher for giving her the confidence to act in a play.

SEA WORLD From seals to sharks, kindergartners had the opportunity to see many sea creatures at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk.

HIGH TEA To conclude a unit study of England, Grade 1 students enjoyed an afternoon tea — complete with a visit from the queen.

CLASSIC DRAMA Grade 2 students brought the childrens’ tales of Hans Christian Andersen, such as The Princess and the Pea and The Ugly Duckling, to life.

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The Stanwich Heart

GET READY FOR TAKE OFF Grade 4 students were excited to see the space shuttle Enterprise during their trip to The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

LET IT RAIN Grade 3 students created amazing diorama projects as part of their science unit on rainforests.

ART, ARCHITECTURE & ARTIFACTS As part of their Learning to Look curriculum, Grade 6 students visited the Cloisters in Upper Manhattan.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

From “Gates of Orion to All Night, All Day, IH students gave a wonderful performance at their spring concert.

ANCIENT GREECE Grade 5 students donned togas and gave a smashing performance of Theseus & The Minotaur.

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2014 5

Life at the Upper School

Jerome Murphy

Head of Upper School

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lthough we are now a few weeks removed from Closing Ceremony, when reflecting on the end of the school year, I can’t help but marvel at all of the opportunities our Upper School students were able to experience and enjoy, before departing for a well-deserved summer break.

Consider, for example, how wonderful it was to see the talents of our kids on stage during their May performances of Cinderella, Fame, and High School Musical …all in one month, no less! When taking into account the time required to prepare for these performances, and knowing that at the same time, our student performers

were also balancing all of the responsibilities associated with their academic, athletic, and personal lives, one develops a better understanding of how special those musical performances really were. Our students clearly rose to the challenge and demonstrated a level of commitment that reflects the genuine Stanwich spirit.

Our students were also afforded the exciting opportunity to visit and engage with different communities, nationally and internationally, vis a vis their class trips in the spring to Boston, Washington DC, Costa Rica, and Italy. In addition to having the chance to make curricular connections with what they were learning in class, these field based experiences allowed our kids to depart from their “comfort” zones and interact with different cultures and broaden their awareness of the world around them.

In the midst of these engagements, including class trips, musical performances, the wonderful spring concert and art show, Career Day, and student internships, our students hunkered down and demonstrated their commitment to finishing the year

SLUDGE TEST Grade 8 students studied solubility, flammability and density and were then given test tubes of “sludge” filled with several liquids, dissolved solids and some undissolved solids. The students were then required to separate them and report on the characteristics of the sludge.

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strong in the classroom. Whether it was managing the AP exam experience, the all day sludge test in science, completing projects, or preparing for end of the year exams, our students again showed their Stanwich spirit by successfully navigating through a busy and challenging end of the year. Their successes serve as a testament to the growth they have experienced since being in the Stanwich community.

Lastly, this end of the year reflection would not be complete without paying due respect to the significance of our school’s first graduation! Knowing how long it has taken to actualize our founder’s dream and how many challenges were overcome along the way, when it came time to celebrate our seniors’ accomplishments at our graduation ceremony, it was impossible to not feel the immense sense of pride and joy emanating from the community. This prominent and celebratory moment will forever be part of our school’s history, as we witnessed the validation of the school’s ethos and mission through the seniors’ successful completion of their experience at The Stanwich School.

IN CONCERT The Upper School Spring Art Show and Concert highlighted the talent and enthusiasm of each student.

The Stanwich Heart

PROM Stanwich’s Senior House students danced the night away at their prom, which was held at the Water Club of Greenwich.

WORLD TRAVELERS This spring, students traveled to cities along the East coast, Costa Rica and Italy.

Grade 7 - Boston, Mass.

Grade 8 - Washington, DC Grade 9 - Costa Rica Grades 10 - Italy

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2014 7

Lower School Physical Education

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tudents in grades PreK through 6 wrapped up their year in physical education with their annual Field Day celebrations. Whether it was for the annual Hop-a-thon in the PreK, the Primary House Field Day for our K-3 grade students, or the Intermediate House Field for our 4th -6th grade population, the Lower School students practiced throughout the month of May for their special day.

In preparation for Field Day, the Lower School worked hard learning proper techniques and strategies for their fun filled day of PE. The PreK through Grade 1 worked on their agility, speed, rolling and communication skills for games like Scat Cat, Bocce Ball and Turtle Tag. Students in Grades 2 and 3 worked on their running form, throwing and catching skills, and teamwork for events like the sprints, target throw, slingshot challenge and chest pass relay. Lastly, the Intermediate House students worked out hurdling technique, scissor kicks, baton hand-offs and agility for events like the hurdles, high jump, Chantal Angelis Director of Athletics sprint relay and shuttle run.

With the addition of a few events and a change in the format, the Lower School Field Day was one of the most exciting and competitive Field Day’s in Stanwich history. In addition to the great display of athleticism exhibited on Field Day, we saw great camaraderie, sportsmanship, teamwork and team spirit displayed by all. In one of the closest Field Days to date, the blue and yellow team narrowly skated by the red and green team to earn the title of Field Day Champs.

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The Stanwich Heart

Upper School Athletics Spring Sports Recap

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he Upper School athletes wrapped up their 2014 spring seasons with an array of individual and team accomplishments. Fielding seven instructional and competitive teams this spring, Stanwich took to the fields and courts to represent the Cougars for the last time in Stanwich history. While each individual season was filled with highs and lows, what remained constant were each team’s collective effort, camaraderie and passion for the game.

Throughout all three seasons this year, teams improved, individuals tested their limits, but most importantly, everyone gave their all during competition as they represented Stanwich. Keeping true to the Stanwich mission, our student athletes strived to be their best and to help their teammates be their best on the playing fields throughout the year.

The athletic year officially came to an end with the annual presentation of the Seven Award at closing ceremonies. The Seven Award was established last year to recognize Upper School athletes whose actions throughout the year manifest the ideals at the heart of the school’s mission. The Seven Award acknowledges an athlete’s commitment and compassion, his or her courage and honesty, and his or her wisdom, forgiveness, and joy. It is with these character qualities by which Stanwich athletes distinguish themselves and serve as an example for others throughout competition and throughout their seasons. Congratulations to Katie Caffrey, Barbara Duncan and Charlie Rote who were the 2013-2014 Seven Award recipients.

Fitness

Golf

Baseball www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2014 9

News Three Upper School Athletes Are 2014 Recipients of the Seven Award

T

Rising Senior Wins Prestigious Book Award

hree Upper School students received the school’s Seven Award this June. The award is presented annually to deserving Upper School athletes whose actions throughout the year manifest the ideals at the heart of the school’s mission. The Seven Award acknowledges an athlete’s commitment and compassion, his or her courage and honesty, and the competitor’s wisdom, forgiveness, and joy. It is with these qualities of character by which Stanwich athletes distinguish themselves and serve as an example for others in honorable competition.

The Seven Award provides a wonderful opportunity to validate the mission of the school by recognizing the important moral elements of athletic excellence, and the distinction helps to remind us of all that is good in sports. In order to be eligible for the award, students must participate in at least one interscholastic sport and must be recognized by more than one coach.

According to the Jefferson Scholars At the school’s Closing Ceremony in June of 2013, the Seven Award was preFoundation at the University of Virginia, sented to three students, eighth grader Katie Caffrey, Freshman Barbara Duncan the goal of the organization is to nurture and eighth grader Charlie Rote. future leaders. Recognized as a true Katie Caffrey was chosen for her compassion. “Every day, our first recipileader, rising Stanwich senior, Victoria ent starts off practice by showing compassion toward her coaches by asking Slater, was recently chosen as a recipient how they are doing and how their day was. That compassion spilled over onto of the university’s Jefferson Book Award. the playing fields where she was always the first to help someone up or to completely stop play, regardless if Stanwich had possession, to make sure her The honor is given to a high school opponent was okay,” said Chantal Angelis, Stanwich’s Director of Athletics and junior considered to best represent the coach. “Whether running onto the field to play goalie on the fly, volunteering to Jeffersonian ideals of scholarship, leaderplay multiple positions in basketball or stepping up to the mound to try pitching ship and citizenship. The most wellfor the first time, Katie Caffrey showed tremendous courage throughout all three rounded student, rather than the person seasons this year.” with the highest GPA, is chosen.

Barbara Duncan was chosen for her leadership abilities. “It was her leadership Ms. Slater was given a copy of and commitment that enabled Barbara to become the glue that kept teams close Quotable Jefferson, and said, “I was so and together throughout each season. Whether it was partnering with a sixth surprised and was not expecting this grader to help welcome her to the team during the soccer season, or partnering award at all!

I have been wanting to go to with someone who just couldn’t find a partner, Barbara was committed to being the University of Virginia for so long and her best and helping others be their best,” said Ms. Anagelis. “She was always cannot wait to apply this fall.” pushing herself in the conditioning portion of practice and encouraging her teammates the second she finished. Not only is Barbara a terrific athlete, it was her attitude, her effort and her welcoming personality that stood out on our teams.”

Charlie Rote was chosen for his attitude of being a team player. “Throughout all three seasons, Charlie was committed to his team and the sport in which he was participating. Whether coming off a win or a loss, he came to practice with the intention to be better than the day before.

He took charge and ownership in the success of his team during practices. He was consistently the first player on the field or court ready to get practice going and was often found organizing his teammates for a warm-up, pushing them and encouraging them to give more during drills, and keeping them on task,” said Ms. Angelis. “Throughout competition, Charlie served as a great example for his teammates, handling controversial calls with poise and exhibiting great respect towards his opponents and the referees. He never blinked when the coaches asked him to play any position on the field and ended each practice and game with a thank you. His respected leadership style earned him the title of captain throughout all three Katie Caffrey, Charlie Rote and Barbara Duncan seasons this year.”

Seven Award Recipients

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The Stanwich Heart

Stanwich student Recognized by Johns Hopkins University for Academic Excellence

I

n June, Mark Levitov, a rising Grade 6 student, was honored as one of the brightest young students in the nation at a regional awards ceremony for academically advanced children sponsored

by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.

The organization honored Mark, a participant in the CTY Talent Search, for his exceptional performance on a rigorous, above-gradelevel test given to academically talented second-through-eighth-grade students. He was one of two students in Connecticut to score high enough on the “Spatial Test Battery”to be included at the ceremony.

Mark was one of more than 38,000 students from over 120 countries who participated in the CTY Talent Search. According to CTY, because of the difficulty of the tests, only about 30 percent of students who participated earned an invitation to a CTY Awards Ceremony where they were individually honored for their academic performance.

“The CTY awards ceremony congratulates students for their academic achievement, and it recognizes the defining roles that parents, educators, and others play in developing the academic talents of our outstanding honorees,” said Elaine Tuttle Hansen, executive director of CTY. “For these advanced learners, as with all children, there

should be no gap between their capabilities and the opportunities open to them.”

This spring, some 9,700 CTY Talent Search honorees were invited to participate in 43 CTY Awards Ceremonies across the country, and one in Hong Kong. Connecticut’s 2014 ceremonies were held in June at Yale University.

Let It Rain The incredible, edible schoolyard!

The Stanwich school is building an Edible Schoolyard program and Summer Rain’s JP Pizzarello has donating his expertise in designing and installing an irrigation system for The Stanwich School garden.

Making a difference, the Summer Rain company has been a concerned about water conservation, education and supporting the Greenwich community. At Stanwich, students learn about exploring nature and life cycles, measurement and healthy habits, food tasting and garden-to-table cooking. Using the Stanwich organic outdoor classroom and the indoor science laboratories, Stanwich students are learning to make healthy choices and make God’s world a better place.

Thank you Summer Rain for your generous support to the Stanwich Edible Schoolyard Program.

www.stanwichschool.org

Welcome to Greenwich Youth Lacrosse Adding to the school’s commitment of partnering with leading athletic associations, The Stanwich School has chosen Greenwich Youth Lacrosse to be its only partner to use its synthetic turf athletic field for the 2014-2015 school year. “We are honored to be partnering with Stanwich as they host our well-respected program at their impressive facility,” said Patrick Coleman, President of Greenwich Youth Lacrosse.

Summer 2014 11

News S-T-A-N-W-I-C-H W-I-N-S S-C-R-A-B-B-L-E T-O-U-R-N-A-M-E-N-T

T

he Hyatt Regency Greenwich was the setting for the recent Literacy Volunteer’s 14th annual Scrabble Challenge. More than 200 wordsmiths tried their best to earn DLSs, TLSs and TWSs. For the uninitiated, those are double-letter scores, triple-letter scores and triple-word scores.

Minding their Ps and Qs were corporate teams, school teams and individual players, all determined to spell v-i-c-t-o-r-y. At the end of the competition, Stanwich’s team brought home the school trophy for playing a game of vocabulary, spelling, and Scrabble strategies! The winning Stanwich team was comprised of Paul and Robin Geise, Diane LaSala, Joli Gross, Erin Bellusci (friend), Victoria Slater, Sarah Alva, and Katrina Black.

According to Diane LaSala, Stanwich piano teacher, the team scrambled to find high scoring words with only a couple of minutes per turn. “It took teamwork as all hands rapidly shuffled the tiles and our intensely-focused eyes quickly scanned the board for places to build high scoring words,” said LaSala. “There was a 7-letter word built to add the extra 50 points. After the first game, the Stanwich team, scoring over 300 points, was about 100 points ahead of our area schools. In the second game, the opposing team’s plan was to find a word so quickly that we had no extra time to study our letters. We put down “grouse” - which they challenged and lost their turn when the dictionary confirmed that our spelling was correct. We won the game with a high scoring “quod,” on a double word bonus square.”

All proceeds from the friendly competition supported Literacy Volunteers’ English Language, literacy and education services, a program of the Family Centers.

BONJOUR! CA VA? Three Upper School students were given Awards of Excellence in the French language this spring.

Frenchies throughout the school should applaud the three winners, Alice Belshaw, Victoria Slater and Caroline Drennen.

Eighth grader Alice Belshaw won first place for Stanwich at the Middle School level, for excellence in French while junior, Victoria Slater, won second place for Stanwich High School.

Senior Caroline Drennen had won the excellence award last year, and moved up to first place of excellence along with a scholarship. The credit is due to the nominations and support of Upper School French teacher, Madame Latimore.

“Alice, Victoria and Caroline deserve to be recognized for their exemplary work, and I am very proud of them,” Ms Latimore said.

Très bien!

-Victoria Slater

People to People Sends Stanwich Teacher to Japan Upper School history teacher, Chris Hughes, will soon be visiting the “Land of the Rising Sun” as part of the People to People Ambassador program. The People to People Student Ambassador Program, a national global education program for students in grades 5-12, is designed for young people to represent their communities through homestays with host families, briefings with government officials, and

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visits to historical and cultural sites. President Eisenhower created People to People International in 1956 in a White House initiative.

The organization plans to travel about 18,000 students from across the country this summer, to over 40 countries.

The organization reached out to Stanwich this spring and offered the 10-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Japan to a member of the school’s faculty. Mr. Hughes was chosen because he will eagerly incorporate his experience into the school’s curriculum. Going forward, Stanwich will serve as the East Coast flagship school in collaboration with People to People.

The Stanwich Heart

Comings and Goings Stanwich gratefully acknowledges our retiring faculty, sends well wishes to faculty members moving on, congratulates our graduating associate teachers, and welcomes new faculty members.

New Positions

Fond Farewell

Paula Brock New position: Grade 4 Graduate Associate

Michelle Boccuzzi New position: Grade 4 Teacher Previous: Graduate Associate Teacher Michael Clark Librarian

Becca Comizio School Psychologist

Chantal Angelis Director of Athletics

Olivia Barbieri Associate Teacher

Nick Carter IH & US Music Teacher

Maryellen D’Amico Nurse & Main Office Elizabeth Crawford PH Music & Drama Kreg Gotschall Additional position: PH Music & Drama

Rob Higle New position: Director of Athletics

Susan Fuller Nurse & Main Office

Previous: Physical Education Teacher & Coach

Katelyn Houlihan Physical Education Teacher & Coach

Jennifer Gilch Associate Teacher

Tom Mooney Additional position: Grades 7 & 8 Choir Director Previous: Piano Teacher

Erica Silbert New position: Wildwood Cottage Teacher & Music

Kate Lanfer Graduate Associate Teacher

Previous: Associate Teacher

Caroline Worra Additional position: PH Music & Drama

www.stanwichschool.org

Liz Oestreich Librarian

Summer 2014 13

Commencement 2014

Trailblazers

A monumental moment —16 years in the making — 16 students become the first seniors to graduate from Stanwich.

A

n event sixteen years in the making, the first graduating class from The Stanwich School accepted their diplomas at a standing-room-only commencement ceremony after hearing a call from the school’s founder to, “Keep tight to your Stanwich heart. It will serve you well. It will fill your soul, and, indeed, there are journeys you might not have realized also waiting for you.”

The graduates comprised the inaugural class from Stanwich, which was founded by Pat Young in 1998 as a Grades K through 2 school which quickly expanded. Stanwich is now Greenwich’s first coeducational, PreK through Grade 12 independent school.

Each of the school’s seniors have been accepted to attend 4-year colleges this fall — most of them schools of their “first choice.” It is extremely impressive to note that more than 40 schools offered our students merit-based scholarships totaling more than $500,000.

After receiving commemorative gifts from the school’s kindergartners, the graduates walked across the stage at the school’s Stanwich Road campus during the May 29 afternoon commencement ceremony.

Paul Geise, Head of School, told those gathered, “I am both filled with joy and humbled by the collective accomplishments of so many and the immense commitment, compassion and courage it has taken to make this day a reality.”

Echoing the Head of School’s comment, Jerome Murphy, Head of Upper School, asked the rhetorical question, “Would we all be here right now if it were not for Pat Young? We are all here because of a dream that Pat Young had 16 years ago.”

Stanwich’s founder addressed the graduates, and the 500 in attendance, introducing the ceremony’s keynote speaker, US Senator Richard Blumenthal. Mrs. Young said the Blumenthals of Greenwich were

among Stanwich’s charter families in 1998.

The two youngest Blumenthal children, David and Claire, attended Stanwich’s Primary House. “Mrs. Blumenthal was our library volunteer,” Young said.

Senator Richard Blumenthal said it was an honor and thrill to speak at the ceremony. “I have been a longtime admirer of Pat Young,” he said, before thanking the school founder for her leadership and perseverance.

“This is the best graduating class, ever,” Blumenthal joked. “I can also tell you as a parent of four children, that there is no way today that you would be graduating without your families and loved ones. But you have earned it,” he said.

Continued ›

“You are trailblazers and ceiling breakers.”

Richard Blumenthal, US Senator

14 Summer 2014

The Stanwich Heart

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2014 15

Commencement 2014 The Stanwich School Class of 2014 “You are trailblazers and ceiling breakers,” Blumenthal said, describing the seniors as part of a generation obligated to leave this world richer – culturally, ethically and morally. “That bond of shared responsibility is all important,” he said.

Because the melodic sounds of students raising up their voices in song have served as a signature of Stanwich since the school’s founding, three groups performed during the ceremony. Following Senator Blumenthal, the Lower School Choristes group sang, Tous Les Chemins (All Paths), the Intermediate House Voice Class sang Child of Tomorrow, and the Upper School Advanced Vocal Ensemble performed Graduation; Friends Forever, all to rousing applause.

After much pride and exuberance, the crowd of faculty, family, dignitaries and alumni heard from two of the school’s trailblazers, Garsy Presumey-Leblanc, valedictorian, and Caroline Drennen, salutatorian.

Ms. Presumey-Leblanc, who will be studying medicine at Vanderbilt University in the fall, said, “We owe so much of who we are to this faculty — to this environment — to this school. I will always cherish the time I had here. My wish for the future is that we all find our paths. We are all capable of changing the world. We don’t have to wait for luck. Instead, we can take control of our own destinies. I guarantee that one day, the world will be a better place because of we sixteen.”

A Stanwich student since kindergarten, Ms. Drennen, who will be attending Washington and Lee University, said, “We have reached a glorious ending … I am not in a position to offer life advice, especially to a group of my teachers who have collectively taught me everything I know. I am here to pause and recognize the moment.”

Recognizing that she and her fellow graduates were pioneers, Ms. Drennen said, “The road was clear, but the path was unpaved. Our impact has laid the groundwork for something great. We were blazing a trail and leaving a legacy.”

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Sarah Alva Lehigh University

Randy Maldonado Wesleyan University

Chantal Benavidez Sacred Heart University

Katherine Medina Manhattanville College

Katrina Black College of the Holy Cross

Roderick Mullins Quinnipiac University

Caroline Drennen (Salutatorian) Washington and Lee University

Garssandra Présumey-Leblanc (Valedictorian) - Vanderbilt University

Gregg Febbraio Southern Methodist University

David Rivera Quinnipiac University

Esther Hoekstra Salve Regina University

Allyson Tracey University of Rhode Island

David Lau Yi University of Connecticut

Gordon Ziegler Wentworth Institute of Technology

John Lombardo University of Connecticut

Juancarlos Zumaeta Fordham University

The Stanwich Heart

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2014 17

Mostly May Musicals

Center Stage From a classic 1980 musical to the tale of Cinderella, close to 200 students took to Stanwich’s stage this spring.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY BLESSINGS

and inspiring “firsts” at Stanwich this year.

As we began planning for the school’s firstever high school graduation, we thought it would be exciting for the 4th through 8th grade students to perform in musicals based on the common theme of being in high school: Fame, High School Musical, and High School Musical 2.

We took this idea one step further and decided to create a “Mostly May Music Festival” to highlight this joyous time of year with a series of other monumental performances. We decided to add a new group, the 2nd and 3rd grade Stage Dazzlers to the Senior House production of Cinderella which created another first and yet another beautiful new tradition!

With the heavily anticipated completion of the stage on the Stanwich Road campus, plus the additional extended stage platforms, lights, curtains, and state of the art sound system, we were able to create an epic “Center Stage” experience unlike anywhere else.

Beyond the 120 student performers and 12 student crew in the 4th through 12th grade musicals, the festival also included the Upper School and Intermediate House Spring Concerts that included performances by the Upper School handbell choir, the Intermediate House and Upper School Orchestras, the Intermediate House and Upper School Bands, the Intermediate House Voice Class Singers, The Upper School Advanced Vocal Ensemble, as well as the all school Intermediate House and Upper School choirs.

We also included a first ever Music Faculty Showcase. There were 12 Music Faculty Show18 Summer 2014

case participants who performed a variety of music from classical piano to a modern trombone solo, from operatic arias to jazz trios, from guitar and ukulele to pop songs to the Hallelujah Chorus. It was a lovely afternoon event enjoyed by all ages with audience members sitting at tables with refreshments provided by the Parent Association concluding with the ever-so-appropriate Beatles message “All you need is love!”

In “Mostly May Music” we even hosted a first year children’s concert series called “Curiosity Concerts” and over 450 people from Greenwich and the surrounding communities attended.

Beyond the “Center Stage Series,” there were also Primary House performances for Grandparents Day, 3 piano recitals, an honors recital featuring the Young Musicians Festival participants and Upper School students, a 5th grade musical, Doughnut Dinner Theatre performances featuring vocal solos by the Voice Classes, Music Breakout featuring all kinds of vocal, instrumental, and dance performances, and incredible performances at the beautiful graduation ceremony by the Choristes, the Voice Class, and AVE. We absolutely could not have done all of this performing without our amazing student/teacher crew and parent helpers. Your dedication to helping tirelessly behind the scenes is another special part of the Stanwich community. From running spotlights to setting up chairs to passing out programs to planning and hosting cast parties to finding and sorting costumes, and sending positive emails, we thank you

all immensely and love that your Stanwich Hearts help to create a true family event.

There was an extra-special group of parents that became part of our production team and we will never be able to thank them enough. Elli Bai, who took over communications and organizing the dress week schedules for High School Musical, Lori Murphy who became our new light board guru and spotlight communicator, Ingrid Winn who was the “Costume Goddess” for all of the shows as well as the parent organizer, and of course George Belshaw whose expertise in the theatre allowed Stanwich to have the lights, sound, stage, curtains, and complete theatrical experience. You are all Stanwich angels.

There is no other school around that works this hard to be sure that every student that wants to create these life-long musical memories has this opportunity while still being able to participate in all of their other academic and extra-curricular activities.

At other schools, the students must choose either music or drama or sports which means that no student will have the positive and lifelong experiences of all three. We refuse to be limited by scheduling conflicts.

We work hard to be sure that the Stanwich student is celebrated for their many abilities and talents. If we stifle their opportunities now, how will they ever know what is possible? We are thrilled to be a part of a balanced school that strives to provide these creative opportunities for all.

Congratulations to our Stanwich community for this monumental Mostly May Music Festival. It was fabulous!

— Dr. Caroline Worra

The Stanwich Heart

Fame Starring Grade 7 THE ACTORS: Olivia Lapine as Serena Katz James Winn as Nick Piazza THE DANCERS: Cullen Murphy as Carmen Diaz Yusef Abaza as Tyrone Jackson Isabelle Jackson as Iris Kelly Andria Warren as Mabel Washington THE TEACHERS: Kayla Foster as Miss Esther Sherman Kelly Van Hoesen as Ms. Greta Bell Marit Kalverkamp as Ms. Myers Gaby Wakim as Ms. Sheinkopf THE MUSICIANS: Caroline Thomas as Grace (Lambchops) Lamb Jeremy Smallenbroek as Schlomo Metzenbaum Paula Bender as Joe Vegas/Goodman (Goody) King Student Helpers Michelle Wakim (9th grade)— Stage Manager Lily Grady (7th grade)— Spotlight, production assistant Cameron Paradiso (6th grade)—Spotlight Caroline Drennen (12th grade)— Costume Assistant Staff Helpers Laura Dianis—Publicity & Photography Reggie Parron—Auditorium set-up Parent Helpers George Belshaw—Stage, Sound, Light Designer/Assistance Ingrid Winn—Costumes /Props/ Make-up/Party/Coordinator Lori Murphy—Costume Assistant Jessie Drennen—Costume Assistant Charlotte Jackson—Cast Party Valerie Smallenbroek—Cast Party

High School Musical Starring Grade 8 THE JOCKS: J.J. Evans as Troy Bolton Chris Flippin as Chad Danforth Joel Davis as Zeke Baylor THE THESPIANS: Anna Tateishi as Sharpay Evans Caroline Robinson as Ryan Evans Olivia DeNicola as Kelsi Nielsen Isabel Vigale as James/Jason Caroline Baird as Cathy/Ms. Tenny Callie DiModica as Cyndra/Moderator Maeve Sebold as Crissy THE BRAINIACS: Alice Belshaw as Gabriella Montez Calla Bai as Taylor McKessie Valerie Romo as Martha Cox Grace Agro as Jackie Scott THE SKATER DUDETTES: Camille Daigle as Ripper Katie Caffrey as Mongo

THE ADULTS: Alex Touzot as Ms. Darbus Jackson Boolbol as Coach Bolton Student Helpers: Michelle Wakim (9th grade)—Stage Manager Lily Grady (7th grade)—Production Assistant Cameron Paradiso (6th grade)—Spotlight Nikita Kovalev (6th grade)—Spotlight Helpers: George Belshaw—Stage, Lighting Designer, Coordinator Ingrid Winn—Parent Coordinator Elli Bai—Costumes, Cast Party, Communications Chris Greco and Greco Audio—Sound Cliff Bruno—Sound Peter Katona—Backstage Laura Dianis—Publicity & Photography Production Team: Caroline Worra—Conductor, Music, Set, Coordinator Kreg Gotschall—Director, Sound, Set, Light set-up Kerry Gotschall—Choreography, Props, Set, Light set-up

Production Team Caroline Worra—Conductor, Music, Set, Coordinator Kreg Gotschall—Director, Music, Sound, Set, Light set-up Kerry Gotschall—Choreography, Music, Set, Light set-up

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2014 19

Mostly May Musicals Cinderella Grade 12 Katrina Black as Cinderella Garsy Presumey- Leblanc as the Fairy Godmother & the Queen Gordon Zeigler as the Prince Katherine Medina as the Stepmother Chantal Benevidez as Grace the Stepsister Sarah Alva as Joy the Stepsister Grade 9 Rachelle Frederic as Leila the Royal Stewardess Grade 8 Henry Hittle as the King Grades 2 and 3 Mice/village people Allegra DaPuzzo Keaton Evans Evelyn Fitts Blaine Gerson Sydney Gigliotti Mackenzie Grady Morgan Kennedy Brooke Andrews-Peden Natasha Quirk Charlotte Richard Production Assistants Victoria Slater (Grade 11) Michelle Wakim (Grade 9) Production Team Caroline Worra—Music Director, Set, Coordinator Kreg Gotschall—Stage Director, Sound, Set Kerry Gotschall—Choreographer, Props, Set, Backstage George Belshaw—Stage set-up, Lighting Designer, Coordinator

Piano Recitals Primary House Pianists Isabella Long, Alexander Raezer, Addison Shaw, Shaun Kim, Matthew Martello, Zachary Rosenbaum, Alexander Simko, Tyler Yantz, Natasha Samant, Darcy Leonard, Kathleen Lentini, Charles Clark, Maxwell Colella, Niccolo Carrasquero, Raymond Perez, Matthew Colella, Maia Somma, Almond Nickerson, Holly Richard, Gilad Wiegenfeld, Shayna Jampole, Alexander Stuebe, Natan Wiegenfeld, Hayden Kuppenheimer, Luca Corsano-Leopizz, Leo Corsano-Leopizzi, Charlotte Richard, Todd Rosenbaum, Anders Hoemann, Kurt Stuebe, Grace Althoff, Eliana Maloney, Phillip Stabinsky, Jordan Grady, Kathryn Benincasa, Chloe Sneddon, William Bennett, Olivia Karanikolaidis, Keaton Evans, Luciana Paradiso, Jackson Gerardi, Adelaide Althoff, Zachary Vitanza, Mitchell Parron, Charlie Benincasa, Thomas Messina, Jessica Edward, Allegra DaPuzzo, Josephine Bai, Claire Yu

Janna Abdelkhalek, Madeline Rosenbaum, Grayson Bennett, Carter Boykin-Holland, Sophia Urbina, Marina Zelenz, Ben Milhailovich, Jack Reed, Nicole Winn, Jesse Boolbol, Zoe Goldberg, Drew BoykinHolland, Graham Ornstein, Elizabeth Raezer, Mira Lukazik, Julia Roth, Ainsley Hoemann, Madeleine Vitanza, Elizabeth Colligan, Marcus Hodgson, Teddy Rosenbaum, Owen Colligan, Declan Long, Kathryn Brydson, Ellie Clark, Ashley Hatstadt, Harrison Azrak, Jackson DaPuzzo, Charlotte Brauer, David Wood Piano Teachers Mrs. Diane LaSala, Dr. Caroline Worra, Ms. Melanie Sasaki, Mr. Thomas Mooney, Mrs. Eunice Glafke, Mr. Richard Glafke, Mrs. Robin Geise, Mr. Kreg Gotschall, Ms. Kerry Gotschall

Intermediate House Pianists Sydney Goldstein, Edward Weld, Isabella Paradiso, Sydney Pittignano, William Plummer, Jordan Mirabile, Reis Halpin, Jonathan Aquino, 20 Summer 2014

The Stanwich Heart

High School Musical 2 Starring Grade 6

Crew

Production Team

Zoe Goldberg as Gabriella Montez Max Orwicz as Troy Bolton Winnie Marion as Sharpay Evans Scott Yenor as Ryan Evans Sydney Pittignano as Miss Fultona Kirsty Winn as Taylor McKessie Ben Weinstein as Chad Danforth Jesse Boolbol as Kelsi Nielsen Blake Newcomer as Jack Scott Elizabeth Colligan as Martha Cox Mark Lorenz as Zeke Baylor Cary Rivera as Violet Celia Daigle as Peaches Namugenze Mpemba as Blossom Grayson McIntyre as Lily Elizabeth Raezer as Roses Grayson Bennett as Daisy Veronica Turek as Buttercup Nichole Roldan as Sweettart Mira Lukazik as Sunshine

Cameron Paradiso (6th grade)— Spotlight, Nikita Kovalev (6th grade)— Spotlight ... with Marcus Ng (6th grade), Will McLaren (6th grade), Ethan Bastianich (6th grade), Nick Simonsen (6th grade), Talie Daetwiler (6th grade), and Graham Ornstein (5th grade) ... and all the IH teachers!

Caroline Worra—Music Director, Set, Coordinator Kreg Gotschall—Stage Director, Sound, Set Kerry Gotschall—Choreographer, Props, Set, Backstage T.J. Ramirez—Rehearsal Assistant, Backstage George Belshaw—Stage set-up, Lighting Designer, Coordinator Ingrid Winn—Costumes, Props, Parent Coordinator Lori Murphy—Lights Laura Dianis—Publicity & Photography Nikki Miller—Teacher and Crew Coordinator Chris Greco and Greco Audio—Sound Cliff Bruno—Sound Rolf Eberlein—Light set-up

Parent Helpers Katey Goldberg—Cast Party Winnie Marion—Cake for Cast Party Julie Newcomer—Rehearsal help Melinda Lorenz—Rehearsal help Maureen Vitanza—Rehearsal help

Featuring Grade 5 Lucia Altmann, Jordan Ament, Chris Benincasa, Lulu Brauer, Delilah Brien, Katharine Brydson, Ellie Clark, Jackson DaPuzzo, George Drennen, Charlie Grady, Reis Halpin, Jonnie Jackson, Leena Jhamb, Mark Levitov, Declan Long, Lily Mayer, Ben Mihailovich, Lily Russian, Madeleine Vitanza, and Sonia Whitman Introducing Grade 4 Janna Abdelkhalek, Lucie Bai, Rebecca Boolbol, Owen Colligan, Will Esposito, Jameson Gerson, Sydney Goldstein, Camila Jablonski, Ryan Lamhaouar, Sophie Male, Jordan Mirabile, Logan Murphy, Lucas Orwicz, Allegra Peardon, Jordan Pittignano, William Plummer, Maddy Rosenbaum, Julia Roth, Delaney Servick, Eliza Stein, Lainey Sushon, Piper Treacy, Sofia Urbina, and Nicole Winn

www.stanwichschool.org

Faculty Showcase Caroline Worra

Kerry Gotschall

Kreg Gotschall

Diane Lasala

Mike Soprano

Thomas Mooney

James Bettincourt

Eunice Glafke

Nick Carter

Richard Glafke

Elizabeth Crawford

Robin Geise

Summer 2014 21

Parent Association

A

nother fabulous year at Stanwich has come to a close and as I pause to reflect, it resonates so clearly for me the community we have at Stanwich. Our many school and PA events were significant team efforts and we are very grateful for the energy and dedication of our parent community, faculty and administration. As the African proverb highlights (and which Hilary Clinton used for her book title) “It

takes a Village ... to raise a child” Whether it’s the Benefit committee, Book Fair, the Learning to Look parent teachers, the spring clean up, the communications team, the grade reps and even the class parents (the list is endless), the overall theme is teamwork. Without the many teams that Stanwich has, it could not progress. Thank you to ALL our parent volunteers, and our amazing faculty team that help Stanwich move forward in it’s mission, and thank you to Paul Geise and Dan Klebes for ‘steering the ship’ so capably,

with focus and direction.

I am very pleased to confirm that the person taking over from me for next year is very much a community organizer who will lead this team effort forward. I wish Naomi Azrak a strong and successful presidency next year.

Best wishes everyone, for a wonderful and hopefully restful summer.

­—Ingrid Winn Parent Association President, 2013-2014

Announcements from the PA 2013-2014 Parent Association Board Thank you to everyone who gave so generously of their time and talents!

2014-2015 Parent Association Board Position Chair

President Naomi Azrak

Position Chair

Vice President

Janine Kennedy

President Ingrid Winn

Treasurer Co-Chair

Kristen Rosenbaum Maureen Vitanza

Vice President

Naomi Azrak

Treasurer Kristen Rosenbaum

Secretary Kara Gerardi Arts & Entertainment

Kristin Taylor

Secretary Monique Bluhm

Communications Anastasia Brien

Arts and Enrichment

Rachel DaPuzzo

Community Building

Kristine Gigliotti

Communications

Anastasia Brien

Community Building

Janine Kennedy

Grade Representative Chair Co-Chair

Cindy Hatstadt Karen Richard

Faculty Appreciation

Helen Servick

Family Relations

Kristen Beckman

Drama Chair Ali Ornstien (IH) Grade Representative Chair

Cindy Hatstadt

Faculty Appreciation

Helen Servick

Library Jenn Frascella Co-Chair Lynn Schwartz

Family Relations

Karen Richard

Service Learning

Kimberly Kuppenheimer

Library Staffing

Maureen Vitanza

Service Learning

Kimberley Kuppenheimer

Special Events Co-Chair

Amy Andrews Jen Servidio

Sustainability/Transport

Hope Mihailovich

Special Events

Lara Laitala

Upper School Advocate

Diane Sebold

Sustainability

Hope Mihailovich

Yearbook

Melissa Bennett

Ways and Means Co-Chair

Caroline Weiser Lara Sanders

Ways and Means

Stephanie Nedzamar

Yearbook Karen Colella

TRANSPORTATION UPDATE FOR 2014-2015 The Stanwich School is pleased to announce a school-supported shuttle service from Greenwich train station to campus beginning in the 2014-2015 school year. This shuttle will depart the Greenwich train station each morning at 7:25am for those who choose to travel by train and will bring them to campus.

There will also be one shuttle after school, Monday through Thursday at 5:00pm to return the students to the Greenwich train station. On Fridays, the shuttle will depart Stanwich at 12:45pm to take the students to the train station. Please be aware that once your child is dropped off at the Greenwich train station, there will be no adult supervision. This service is on a first come, first serve sign-up basis. To sign up, please complete the updated transportation form in the “Current Familes” section of the website. If you are a family who happens to live close to the Greenwich train station, please continue to use your scheduled bus provided by the town as we need to reserve seats for those students who are not provided with bus service.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Hope Mihailovich, Transportation Coordinator for the PA - emihailovich@yahoo.com 22 Summer 2014

The Stanwich Heart

PA Highlights of the Year!

Pooch Walks Arts & Enrichment Assemblies Book Fair

Family Hoedown

Service Learning

Spirit Day Football Game Annual Benefit

LIBRARY I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as the Library Chair for these past two years. I would like to thank all of the Book Exchange volunteers. Your enthusiasm and patience has made my job very easy. The children so enjoy when parents and even grandparents share a part of their day; Thank you to Jennifer Frascella, Karen Richard, their talented Book Fair Committee and our dedicated Stanwich Faculty for creating a Winter Wonderland at this year’s Book Fair. Thank you to the Stanwich Community for your love of reading and support for both the school and our Library. To Annie McCurdy and Mia Simonsen, a job well done on the Fourth Annual IH Trivia Bowl. Thank you to you, your committee and all the faculty for dedicating their time to the event. The students had a blast! To Lauren Stein, thank you for coordinating the PH Birthday Book program for a 2nd year. The children not only love donating books, but also like to see who else has donated.

It is so wonderful to have a library that has literally been built book-by-book.

Thank you to Adam Pacchianna and Laura Dianis for all of your countless hours of assistance from you and the IT Department. Your dedication to this school is paramount to its success. Stephani Nedzamar and Gretchen Foran, Thank you for your assistance with the Summer Read Sale again this year. Thank you to my fabulous co-chair Jennifer Frascella, who will take the reins next year as Library Chair. It has been wonderful working with you. Lastly, thank you Liz. It has been a true pleasure working with you these past two years. Thank you for all of your help, plethora of wonderful ideas, which you seem to have an endless supply of, humor and support. You make everything delightful; so thank you for making this job such a joy. I, along with many others will miss you, and will make sure to see you those weeks you are Stateside.

Safe travels! —Maureen Vintanza, Library Chair www.stanwichschool.org

FACULTY APPRECIATION Thank you to all the parents who so generously gave wonderful gift cards and event tickets for faculty appreciation’s pop-up raffle and the monthly staff raffles. The feedback from the staff has been tremendous, they truly appreciate the small gestures of thanks throughout the year. A further thank you to all who contributed their time, energy and culinary skills to make the faculty luncheon a continued annual success. As always, we welcome your thoughts on ways we could show our support for our tremendous faculty. Have a wonderful summer and we look forward from hearing from you all in the fall.

—Helen Servick, Faculty Appreciation Chair

Summer 2014 23

The Back Page

Administrative Offices A new space to call “home.”

As part of the move to bring the school’s two campuses together, Stanwich is happy to be relocating a number of administrative offices to the Greenwich property’s caretaker’s cottage. Following some renovations and a “face-lift” to the curb appeal, this charming cottage will be home to Administrative offices building under renovation the school’s Business Office, Office of Advancement, Shipping and Receiving Department and Maintenance Department.

Welcome home!

Dr. Worra to Perform at Tanglewood Thursday, July 31 at 8:00pm Lizzie Borden On July 31st, Stanwich’s own Caroline Worra will be performing at Tanglewood in the opera Lizzie Borden by Jack Beeson. She performed this world premiere production at Boston Lyric Opera this past fall and will be reprising her critically acclaimed role of Abigail Borden, the stepmother, this summer. “...it was Caroline Worra who really should have come with some kind of a warning label.

As Abigail Borden ...Worra was riveting ... proving herself one of the finest singing actresses around.”

(Opera News February, 2014) Get your tickets now to see her at Tanglewood this summer! www.bso.org

U LT I M AT E FRISBEE Former Stanwich students gathered to reconnect with old friends

24 Summer 2014

The Stanwich School • 257 Stanwich Road • Greenwich, CT 06830 • www.stanwichschool.org

The Stanwich Heart