Stanwich Summer Newsletter

The Stanwich Heart The Newsletter of The Stanwich School

Summer 2015

Tennis Team Celebrates Undefeated Season Project is a Blessing Spartan Strong Grandparents Day Traditions Rise of The Robots

Center Stage

Gathered on one campus, students shined on stage for a springtime season of spectacular performances Pg. 20

Contents 20 Center Stage

Gathered on one campus, students shined on stage for a springtime season of spectacular performances

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From the Head of School

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From the Chairman of the Board

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From the Interim Head of School

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Life at the Lower School

Paul G. Geise

Steve Lorenz

Charlie Sachs

Meaghan Mallin, Associate Head of School and Head of Lower School

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Life at the Upper School

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Lower School Physical Education

Jerome Murphy, Head of Upper School

Rob Higle, Director of Athletics

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Upper School Athletics Spring Season Wrap-up

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News

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Stanwich Traditions

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Rise of the Robots

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From the Parent Association

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Interesting items and current events

Grandparents Day

Stanwich Robotics Team takes impressive eighth place in regional Botball Tournament

Naomi Azrak, PA President 2014-15

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From the Head of School

Head of School Transition

Reflections

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t this year’s closing ceremony, we took some time to reflect upon this year and the ongoing remarkable changes at Stanwich. A year ago we took the historic step to graduate our first senior class. A year ago at this time we moved the entire Upper School out of Stamford and prepared for a unified campus at 257 Stanwich Road. We began renovating classrooms, labs, lavatories, art rooms, entrances, PreK and Kindergarten spaces, music rooms, assembly rooms, and media/tech spaces.

In this year we have added Spartan Hall, Wildwood Cottage, our Stanwich Express, the Triskelion Cup, our robotics team, and our fledgling partnership with Teton Science School. We now have pleasing Intermediate House and Upper School entrances, a renovated administrative office cottage and its associated walkway. In a year’s time we’ve made our Stanwich campus roadside appearance far more attractive and clear, and our driveway smooth and clean.

We kept our commitment to implementing Singapore math and expanding our accelerated math program in the Lower School. We took our first bold steps into a Shakespearean competition, expanded our STEM EXPO, introduced an art show, continued to present many memorable musical productions while sweeping the competition at the Young Musician’s Festival. This year we boasted two undefeated interscholastic teams and introduced our Stanwich fight song to the world.

All in all, it has been another remarkable year of growth at our unified Stanwich. We are now well positioned to press forward to grow in space and grow in numbers.

At closing ceremony, we also spoke to the children about the indefatigable Stanwich spirit that has remained vibrant and strong throughout the past 17 years. A great school’s soul is not defined by the

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physical spaces nor by any one individual.

That spirit is found in the spaces between each of us and given life and energy by all of us learning and living within the physical spaces provided. That joyous spirit distinctive to Stanwich is kindled and fueled by myriad activities aligned with the school mission. It is reflected in the smiles and cheers and songs and laughter so prevalent in our daily assemblies, at sporting events in our gym or on our turf field, in Triskelion Cup downhill sledding competitions, during Music Breakout and Spirit Day and Field Day, on the playground, or at Trivia bowl, or projects, or at concerts, or musicals, or talents shows, or while watching a faculty video spoof. Our Stanwich spirit seeks to make everyone shine; it needs everyone to shine. And it should be no surprise that 83% of our parent body has been ‘very’ to ‘extremely’ satisfied with their child’s overall Stanwich experience this year.

It is with that spirit that we welcome our Interim Head Charlie Sachs as well as earnestly engage in the search for our new permanent Head of School. It will be your collective positive energy that will carry the Stanwich spirit through the school’s next exciting chapter and fuel the fires of great growth. Onward and upward, and Godspeed to you all.

A great school’s soul is not defined by the physical spaces nor by any one individual. That spirit is found in the spaces between each of us and given life and energy by all of us learning and living within the physical spaces provided.

Summer 2015 1

From the Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Head of School Transition

Welcome to Charlie Sachs

O Steve Lorenz Chairman, Board of Trustees, 2014-2016

TRANSITION COMMITTEE Steve Lorenz (Chairman) Naomi Azrak (PA President 2014-15) Tiffany Benincasa Lisa Bailey Cassidy Susy Clark Greg Drennen Kathy Epstein Lorraine Gordon Joli Gross Jan Karst Richard Sanders

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n behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Charles Sachs as the Interim Head of The Stanwich School for the 2015-2016 academic year.

The Transition Committee, working with our consultants, Carney, Sandoe & Associates, conducted a focused national search during the spring. Beyond a distinguished resume and many notable accomplishments, Charlie clearly stood out as the top candidate from a highly qualified field of applicants during a rigorous interview process with the Board, academic and administrative leadership, and our Parent Association Board.

Charlie’s credentials and background are impressive. After graduating from Colgate University, Charlie began teaching in the Peace Corps and thereafter taught in middle and upper schools on both the East and West coasts. Charlie received his M.A. degree in English from Middlebury College. He completed additional graduate-level coursework in education at Harvard and the Universities of Kansas and Connecticut. Throughout his academic career, Charlie served in roles of increasing levels of leadership including English Department Chair, Dean of Students, Upper School Director, and Associate Head.

He has 16 years of experience as Head of School at three prominent U.S. independent schools. For the last two years, Charlie has served as Head of School at Chadwick International School in Songdo, South Korea.

Charlie commented, “I appreciate Stanwich’s remarkable progress and success since its founding. In my visits to the school, the Stanwich Seven core values are palpable in every interaction I observed and particularly evident in the remarkable relationships between the students and the faculty. The blossoming, dynamic energy of Stanwich ranks high among the many other attributes that attracted me to this wonderful school leadership opportunity. Having graduated myself from a young and relatively small independent school, I can personally appreciate the enormous educational potential of such a community. I welcome this opportunity to support and advance Stanwich’s bright future

during this time of transition and look forward to forging relationships with the extended Greenwich and Stanwich communities.”

Charlie, who began his role at Stanwich in late June, is joined by his wife, Kim, who has served in schools in development, admissions, and college counseling. She is passionate about and currently focuses on providing design services for construction - a talent that will benefit Stanwich as we pursue our capital plans. For the coming school year, Kim will support Charlie as he gets to know the Stanwich community. Charlie and Kim have four sons ranging in age from 19 to 32. We are happy to welcome them to the Stanwich family.

With this important step now complete, the Transition Committee is moving forward with the search for our next Head of School.

Our search consultants have been hard at work compiling a list of highly qualified candidates. We will bring the strongest candidates to campus as finalists in the fall to meet our Faculty, Administration and Parent Association members. We currently target announcing our next Head of School by December, with an anticipated start date of July 2016.

As always, we welcome your questions, suggestions and feedback. Please feel free to contact me or any member of the Transition Committee. Please join me in welcoming Charlie Sachs to Stanwich as our new Head of The Stanwich School.

The Stanwich Heart

Head of School Transition

From the Interim Head of School Stanwich’s Bright Future

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fter initially reading the position description and perusing the Stanwich website, I felt an immediate and clear affinity for the Stanwich mission and the community it guides. Previously I have led both large and small schools; PS-Grade 12 schools and elementary/middle schools; independent schools in the West, Midwest, and South. All have shared with Stanwich a commitment to academic excellence and the development of not just successful students but also good human beings prepared to contribute meaningfully as successful citizens of our world. I prepared the necessary application materials and contacted the consultant within minutes afterward.

Since then the information I gleaned on my visits about the school’s educational success, current needs — as well as the gracious welcome I received from the many fine Stanwich community members — confirmed the reality of this wonderful leadership opportunity for me.

Consequently when offered the position as Stanwich Interim Head for 2015-2016, I was honored and enthusiastic to accept.

The first-hand input I received from the Stanwich parents, faculty, administration and particularly the Board has been integrated into my emerging leadership goals and objectives for the coming year. I look forward to refining and prioritizing the annual agenda with Board Chair Steve Lorenz with whom I will work closely. Having served successfully in an interim capacity twice before, I

www.stanwichschool.org

Charlie Sachs, Interim Head of School

All have shared with Stanwich a commitment to academic excellence and the development of not just successful students but also good human beings prepared to contribute meaningfully as successful citizens of our world. fully appreciate the importance of a fast start and a strong finish.

My wife and stalwart companion, Kim, is equally thrilled at our opportunity to contribute to and learn from the Stanwich community. I am only sorry that our four children are too old to take advantage of the holistic educational experience provided Stanwich students and the

supportive context of its community.

I look forward to meeting you soon and working to ensure the best learning, teaching, and growing experience on our way to Stanwich’s even brighter future.

Summer 2015 3

Life at the Lower School it would be almost impossible to count the boundless blessings we were given. It was a year filled with spirit, joy, and Stanwich Heart. From momentous milestones, like our first year sharing a campus with our Upper School, to the smaller but equally important moments that we have the pleasure of witnessing each day, such as watching a child crack the reading code, seeing our students speak with confidence at assemblies, or hearing the joy of play each day on our hill.

We are blessed in a million ways each day within the walls of Stanwich.

Perhaps of all of our blessings, though, the most profound and important is the connection we share as a community. Stanwich is a special place filled with people sharing a common bond and mission.

There are strong connections amongst every facet of our school; we see it in our bonded parent community and in the incredibly strong parent-school partnership.

However, the most heartwarming connection to witness is that between our students and their teachers. Witnessing the interaction between Stanwich teachers and the children in their care is one of the greatest

Meaghan Mallin

Associate Head of School Head of Lower School

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ount your blessings. It is a small phrase, only three words, but what great might and power it has in sentiment.

Throughout the year, we have talked to our Lower School students countless times about the importance of being grateful for our blessings. At the Primary House and Wildwood assemblies, we even have our young ones volunteer to stand up to help us create gratitude prayers as our closing.

We remind them often to focus on all of the blessings that we are given on a daily basis.

When looking back on this school year,

joys of my job. I am awed daily at the ways in which our teachers go above and beyond to bring out the best in their students and to make them feel connected and cared for.

There are the big ways: a Lower School teacher happily escorting a student to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a day off because her student was absent on the day of the Learning to Look trip, or a teacher spending a Saturday evening out to dinner with a Stanwich family because his student requested his presence at a birthday dinner.

Then there are the small things: a teacher volunteering to stay after school to help a student master a tricky concept, or tossing a football around with kids at recess.

This is the Stanwich difference. It goes beyond great teaching, to teachers who are personally invested in the success and well-being of each child in their care. Our teachers all bring to Stanwich a universal knowledge that your children are our greatest blessing. It is our joy and privilege to bring out their best each and every day. We will miss them all, and you, this summer and wish you all a summer filled with blessings!

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PreK reading time

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G rade 1 iPad enrichment

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Grade 2 rhyming lessons

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Grade 4 Immigration Simulation

9-10 Grade 6 Medieval Day 11-12 Grade 5 Lake Placid trip 13-14 G rade 3 Native American studies 4 Summer 2015

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Life at the Upper School

Jerome Murphy

Head of Upper School

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s we begin to settle into our summer routines, I can’t help but reflect on and marvel at all the wonderful enrichment opportunities our students had the chance to engage in during a busy end to the year.

Our Grade 7 and 8 students continued to learn more about the importance of service learning and how to invest themselves in helping others who are less fortunate.

Between our partnerships and engagement with organizations like the Yerwood Center, Kids Helping Kids, St Luke’s, and the Hope project, to name just a few, our kids continued to learn different ways to affect a positive change in the world around them.

During the spring, many of our 7th graders were fortunate to experience a journey to the Marine Lab Center in Key Largo, Florida. When I consider the time and effort that went into planning and making this opportunity happen for our kids, I am reminded of how special this school is.

Thanks to the planning efforts of Jen Weyant, 7th grade Life Science teacher, and the support of colleagues Anais Latimore and Jeff Magliola, our 7th graders were afforded a wonderful opportunity to make genuine connections between their science curriculum and real life.

Our 7’s and 8’s also had the opportunity

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H ale House: Winner of the inaugural Triskelion Cup competition

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Upper School bonfire

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U pper School spring concert

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to see their curriculum come to life vis-a-vis their class trips to Boston and Washington, DC, respectively. In Boston, our kids had the opportunity to see first-hand all of the historical sights they learned about in US History class, while the 8th graders also enjoyed the opportunity to make connections with their history curriculum during their trip to the nation’s capital. Getting a tour of the White House and enjoying a dinner cruise on the Potomac also served as highlights of the DC trip.

In their first year in the Senior House, the 9th grade had the opportunity to experience the importance of serving others, via the school’s annual week-long freshman trip to Costa Rica. Undeterred by the eruption of a volcano (!) during their stay, students were able to continue their connection with and support of the local Bri Bri tribe. Providing the 9’s with the chance to put their moral leadership skills into action is an important part of the Grade 9 experience, and the Costa Rica trip serves as a wonderful example of experiential learning.

Further validating our commitment to making God’s world a better place, our sophomores spent part of the year engaged in their Moral Leadership Projects. In only its second year, our 10th graders responded well to this initiative, as each student researched and reflected on a cause, idea, or organization that they chose to commit to supporting for the remainder of their time at Stanwich and beyond. As part of the MLP

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Grade 9 - Costa Rica

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G rade 10 - London and Paris

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Grade 7 - Boston, MA

initiative, each student presented their research and action plan to an audience of students, teachers, parents, and board members.

Following a week-long trip to the Teton Mountain School in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in which our juniors enjoyed the opportunity for experiential learning outside of the classroom, students returned to school and continued to focus on preparing for the college admissions process. While benefitting from several consultation meetings with our college counselors, Howard and Matthew Greene, our juniors also had the opportunity to engage in a 10 week class in preparation for the April SAT’s.

As our seniors sorted through all of their college acceptances and numerous offers of merit based scholarships, they also took the time to engage in some meaningful internship opportunities. After engaging with different professionals in the fields of marketing, live TV, fashion, software, and psychology, our seniors came back to school and presented their experiences to a rapt Senior House audience. Following a wonderful graduation ceremony, we wish our seniors the best as they head off to college in the fall.

On behalf of all of us in the Upper School, I wish you and your children a well-deserved summer break. We cherish the time we had guiding your children and enriching their lives this year, and we thank you for continuing to entrust them with us at Stanwich.

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G rade 8 Washington, DC 1

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The Stanwich Heart

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Lower School Physical Education

Rob Higle

Director of Athletics

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he PreK to Grade 6 students capped off the school year with our annual Field Days. In physical education class, the month of May is dedicated to introducing and practicing most of the events that the students will encounter at their Field Day. Our youngest population participated in the first ever PreK Field Day, the

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Kindergarten to 3rd grade students made up the PH Field Day, and IH Field Day unified the 4th through 6th graders. All of the children left smiling, sweating and ready for some ice cream. I feel it is safe to say the PE Department finished off the year on a positive note.

The PreK Field Day incorporated the following events: Turtle Tag, Bocce Ball, Hula Huts Challenges, and our gigantic parachute.

The PH Field Day included the following events: Hula Hut Challenges, Turtle Tag, Cross Fire, Pop-A-Shot, Bocce Ball, an Obstacle Course, Shuttle Run, Sack Race, Hippity Hop Relay, Lax/Scoop Relay, Tar-

get Throw, Chest Pass Relay, Frisbee Run, Standing Broad Jump, Skipping, Sponge Relay, High Jump, and Sprints.

The IH Field integrated the following events: Leaderball, Target Throw, Standing Broad Jump, Chest Pass Relay, Hurdles, Lax Relay, Shuttle Run, Sack Race, Sponge Relay, Skipping, and Sprints.

All of our Field Days were successful due to the fantastic participation of our students, support from the faculty, and organization from the PE Department. We would like to thank everyone for another terrific school year and encourage everyone to stay physically active over the summer!

The Stanwich Heart

www.stanwichschool.org

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Upper School Athletics Spring Season Wrap-up Boys’ Lacrosse This spring was one of our most successful seasons of Boys’ Lacrosse ever at Stanwich. The boys finished with a 5-2 record and won two one-goal games, one of those victories coming in overtime against Resurrection. Several of our eighth grade students have played on the team since 6th grade, and they showed tremendous leadership throughout the year, guiding younger players and newcomers each day in practice and games, and setting the tempo and expectations. It was a pleasure to watch those older boys take on those roles and contribute positively to the team dynamic. Throughout the spring we battled with difficult weather, lots of conditioning, and tough losses, and the boys prevailed through all of it and finished the season having gotten much better as lacrosse players, but also as athletes in general. The players prided themselves on sportsmanship and respect for their opponents from the start of the season, and we consistently heard from opposing coaches and parents, along with referees, how the Stanwich boys were a “first class” team. Aside from the winning season, that is certainly something to be very proud of.

Girls’ Lacrosse The girls’ club lacrosse team had a lot of fun this season. We were able to introduce new lacrosse skills which they worked on developing and improving. Their favorite part of the lacrosse season was learning new stick tricks that they could go home and practice.

During the season we were able to introduce new PE games. The girls really enjoyed the new spike ball game which was often the game of choice. It works on the girls’ teamwork, agility, hand-eye coordination, and communication. The girls also were introduced to team building activities where they were faced with challenges they needed to overcome as a group. Overall, we had a great season, and the girls learned a great deal about themselves, one another and most importantly had fun.

Softball The Stanwich softball team completed a fun and rewarding season with a 1 - 2 record, while continually improving their skills and game play throughout the spring. Built around a core of experienced and returning players, the softball squad quickly gelled to form a cohesive group. They rallied around their tri-captain leaders Lauren Collins, Olivia Lapine, and Cullen Murphy for a decisive rout of Whitby in the first game. They met their match in each of the next two games against talented pitchers, but the girls played with spirit and sportsmanship throughout each game and worked hard in every practice to improve not only their skills, but also their knowledge of the game. Best of all, they all had a lot of fun and were truly a pleasure to coach.

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Golf It was a beautiful spring on the links for the Stanwich golf program.

The boys enjoyed playing golf on Monday afternoons at the Millbrook Club. The golfers also had the opportunity to hone their golf skills at E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course in Stamford. Under the watchful eye of the golf pros at E. Gaynor Brennan, the golfers were able to work on their full swing, putting, and chipping. The pros at Brennan also stressed the importance of golf etiquette and relayed their love for the game of golf. The Stanwich golf program closed out the season playing some holes with members of the Greenwich Country Day School golf program. A great time was had by all.

Tennis

Undefe

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The Stanwich Spartans tennis team finished their 2015 season with an undefeated record of 5-0. The team was victorious against Rye Country Day, Whitby, Resurrection, Eagle Hill-Greenwich and Greenwich Catholic. It was a pleasure watching the boys’ skills and camaraderie develop over the course of the spring season.

Please join us in congratulating: Marcus Ng, Max Orwicz, Thomas Goundrey, Rutger Zenner, Nikita Kovalev, Matthias Otto, Jonathan Aquino, Scott Yenor, AJ Male, Ben Weinstein, and Blake Newcomer for representing The Stanwich School on the hard courts in such great fashion.

Recreational Tennis Stanwich’s recreational tennis team had a great spring season. We all enjoyed the beautiful weather, got a little better each day, and had a lot of fun in the process. During a typical week, we would work on improving fundamental tennis skills by completing forehand drills, backhand drills, and serving drills. On Thursdays, we would play in intramural competitive matches. The most memorable part of our team’s experience was playing Around the World.

Each member of the team would participate in one big game at practice. It was always refreshing to see everyone smiling and laughing while remaining very competitive throughout the game. I had a great time coaching this team. I am proud of everyone’s efforts and am thankful for all of the great memories!

Fitness Another successful season for fitness! The team traveled to the Greenwich YMCA where they were able to utilize the weight room and various workout machines. When the spring weather rolled around, the team took their workouts outside and continued to build upon their healthy gains from the winter. I’m very proud of how each student was able to work hard every day.

The Stanwich Heart

Rye Sports Photos • www.ryesportsphotos.com

Upper School Teams Boys’ Lacrosse — Coach Radcliffe Softball — Coaches Abbott and Alper Tennis — Coach Higle

Additional Upper School Sports Offerings Girls’ Club Lacrosse — Coaches Steinberg and Houlihan Golf — Coach Cardarelli Fitness — Coach Dunn

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2015 11

News Second Annual Commencement Celebrates Stanwich’s Seniors

Senior Internships During the month of May, Stanwich Seniors spent time exploring a range of career paths from marketing for a national fashion retailer to a center for diagnostic, therapeutic, and educational testing and tutoring services for children and teens.

Christian DiModica

Oracle/Software Development Stamford, CT

Daniel Gusinski

Live with Kelly and Michael New York, NY

Michael McKelvie

Live with Kelly and Michael New York, NY

Jose Maita

Victoria’s Secret/Marketing New York, NY

Clark Nettles

Oracle/Software Development Stamford, CT

Victoria Slater

Macy’s/Merchandise New York, NY

Sam Varshisky

Southfield Center Darien, CT

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A Stanwich student since Kindergarten, valedictorian Victoria Slater had the honor of addressing those gathered at The Stanwich School’s second commencement ceremony on May 28, 2015. “Size isn’t a question, it’s actually a benefit. Because of the small class room setting and in some cases, one-on-ones with my teachers, I can boast to everyone at college that I top them all when it comes to class size,” said Slater who plans to attend Connecticut College.

Ms. Slater graduated from Greenwich’s only PreK through grade 12 coeducational independent school along with her classmates Christian DiModica, Daniel Gusinski, Jose Maita, Michael McKelvie, Clark Nettles, and Samuel Varshisky.

Paul Geise said that he hopes the graduates would follow the school’s seven core principles long after graduation.

“May they continually show compassion in their connected lives, commitment to those things that really matter, as well as the courage and the wisdom to discern them and act upon them,” Geise said. “I pray that each of our graduates can look honestly within themselves to seek and accept forgiveness amidst the fallibilities of life and to live joyously.”

Stanwich School parent Draggan Mihailovich, a “60 Minutes” producer for CBS and an 11-time Emmy Award winner, was the graduation speaker.

Mihailovich earned one of his Emmys for a feature on Louis Zamperini, an Olympian and World War II airman who survived a crash in the Pacific, spending 47 days on a raft in the ocean and two brutal years as a prisoner of war in Japan. His story became the inspiration for Laura Hillenbrand’s bestselling biography of Zamperini, Unbroken.

“It’s not likely that any of you will be forced to survive a plane crash or endure 47 days in the central Pacific,” Mihailovich said. “But all of you will face adversity in some form at some point. Even if you aren’t looking for it, adversity will find you. Life doesn’t come in the form of a pre-arranged script. Success is often determined by how you rebound from defeats, how you improvise when forced off course.”

Feeling prepared for college and life beyond, salutatorian Jose Maita echoed the feeling in the auditorium by thanking his teachers and stating, “It’s more than just a community, it’s a family.”

The Stanwich Heart

Three Upper School Athletes are 2015 Recipients of the 7 Award Three Upper School students received The Stanwich 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 an 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.

At the school’s Closing Ceremony in June, the Seven Award was presented to three students: senior Jose Maita, and eighth graders Kelly VanHoesen and James Winn.

Art Show Celebration

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t the end of April, the school’s visual art department was proud to host the school’s first-ever art show celebration on campus. Stanwich students came together to create artwork for a spectacular art show! Students had their own masterpiece framed and on display. All students in the Lower School, as well as Junior House and Upper School studio art students had their own masterpieces framed and displayed at the one-day event. Proceeds from the event benefited Hope Project India, an organization that Upper School teacher Nina Nacher works with in New Delhi.

Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge On an afternoon at the Italian Center in Stamford, 50 teams from 6 schools in the area competed in the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge. According to Upper School history teacher Jackie Wood, there were two 30-minute trading sessions, where one minute was equivalent to one day of trading. “Fictitious news stories broke every few minutes, causing students to run throughout the room to pick up their updated news reports. When teams wanted to make a trade, they would have to call over a trader (a volunteer from Deloitte & Touche wearing a green vest) who would make the trade on a handheld device,” said Wood. “It was very similar to a real trading floor. Three large screens displayed the leader board, as well as stock information and news stories.”

In the end, Team Stanwich – Jose Maita (team leader), Jenny Matute, Aidan Sebold, and Helen Wang – finished in a respectable 21st place out of 51 teams. www.stanwichschool.org

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News

Project is a Blessing

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t the beginning of June, a group of sixteen Stanwich students and alumni traveled to Cybatanzit, Rwanda, along with Upper School science teacher Shaun Fletcher. During their 12-day trip, the students visited a genocide memorial museum, built and painted classrooms, distributed supplies to local villages, went on a safari, and taught at Kigali City School.

Project Blessing is the school’s long term initiative that includes the creation of a water system and a school in Cybatanzit, a rural Rwandan community.

Stanwich students and alumni Jackson Boolbol, Lukens Boolbol, Ted Carbone, Kenton Cooper, Camille Daigle, Rector Davol, Barbara Duncan, Isabelle Jackson, Jaden Kennedy, Mason Lapine, Olivia Lapine, Charlie Recchia, Charlie Rote, Gaby Wakim, Sam Walker, and Andria Warren spent time living in the community that they helped raised funds for.

gfrom reetings WYOMING In June, 18 rising Grade 7 and 8 students joined teachers Libby Kappler and Peter Abbott at the Teton Science Schools in Jackson Hole Wyoming. The group spent six days together studying the greater Yellowstone ecosystem and hiking in the Grand Teton National Park.

Look for more details in the next issue of The Stanwich Heart.

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The Stanwich Heart

Water World

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or seventeen of Stanwich’s seventh-graders, mankind’s gift of “wonder” was explored for four days and three nights on the trip of a lifetime. The students spent Memorial Day weekend participating in a marine science experience at MarineLab, an educational marine science facility located in Key Largo, Florida.

At MarineLab, students participated in discussions, hands-on lab activities, and snorkeling-based field observations to learn about the interdependent, holistic nature of the marine ecosystem of the subtropical Florida Keys. Lessons and activities were based on coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass ecology.

Lab activities conducted by the students included invertebrate diversity, sponge spicule identification, sea turtle stranding discussions, and a plankton identification lab. “Students made strong connections between the Grade 7 Life Science curriculum and their field experience,” said Upper School science teacher, Jen Weyant. In addition to the time spent at MarineLab, students also had an opportunity to go off campus and receive a private tour of Theatre of the Sea, a marine mammal park located in Islamorada, Florida.

Wonderful Wildwood The wonderful world of Wildwood Cottage is getting even better over the summer! We have contracted with Smart Playrooms, a local and well established design firm, to create additional enhancements in our PreK and K spaces.

There will be a redesign of all spaces, including brand new and expanded Kindergarten classrooms, dynamic play center areas, and enhanced playground offerings.

We are excited to unveil the redesign this fall and to welcome our young ones with love and joy on the first day of school!

www.stanwichschool.org

Febbraio Welcomed to National Society of Collegiate Scholars Stanwich alumnus Gregg S. Febbraio ‘14 has been welcomed to The National Society of Collegiate Scholars as a new member.

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is an honors organization that recognizes and elevates high achievers. Membership in NSCS is offered by invitation to first- and second-year college students with GPAs of 3.4 and above. Additionally, fewer than 10 percent of students at colleges with a chapter are invited to join the society. NSCS is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.

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News 2015 Summer Reading List Wildwood Cottage and Primary House Big Al by Andrew Clements Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal Grade 3 The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Grade 3

Grade 4 The Real Thief by William Steig The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate Grade 5 Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper The Secret School by Avi

Wildwood & Primary House

Grade 6 Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi Wonder by R.J. Palacio Grade 7 Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool Who Was First? Discovering the Americas

by Russell Freedman

Grade 8 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Where Death and Glory Meet: Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry by Russell Duncan

Grade 4

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Grade 9 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Grade 10 All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

Brunelleschi’s Dome: How A Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture by Ross King

Grade 5

Grade 11 Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinken Grade 12 Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict between America and Al-Qaeda by Peter Bergen Parents & Faculty The Biggest Job We’ll Ever Have by Laura and Malcolm Gauld

16 Summer 2015

Grade 6

The Stanwich Heart

FACULTY COMINGS AND GOINGS Stanwich gratefully acknowledges our departing faculty, congratulates our graduating associate teachers, and welcomes new faculty members.

NEW POSITIONS Charlie Sachs, Head of School; Olivia Barbieri, Grade 5 Math Teacher; Paula Brock, Head Teacher, Kindergarten; Craig Colavito, Math Teacher, Grade 6; Jaime Falk, Head Teacher, Kindergarten; Alex Fornaciari, Graduate Associate, Kindergarten; Jenn Giametta, Head Teacher, Grade 1; Jen Gilch, Grade 6 English Teacher; Ilana Grady, Assistant Head of Lower School and Director of Wildwood Cottage; Libby Kappler, Lower School Math Enrichment; Beth Kiefer, Director of Associate Teachers; Nikki Miller, Student Assessment Coordinator; John Ramahlo, Director of Technology; Barrie Richmond, Office Assistant; and Cristin Robb, Student Services Coordinator.

FOND FAREWELLS Paul Geise, Head of School; Gail Althoff, Kindergarten Teacher; Jordan Alper, Upper School Math Teacher; Gaby DelVecchio, Associate Teacher; Jen Hendricks, Upper School English Teacher; Devon Hickey, Kindergarten Teacher; Tom Mooney, Junior House Choir Teacher; Adam Pacchiana, Director of Technology; Laurel Peterson, Director of Assessment and Student Services; and Marisa Siegal, Admissions and Seminar.

SPARTAN

STRONG

STANWICH SENT NINE SPARTANS TO A SPARTAN RACE at the end of May in Tuxedo, NY. Faculty members Will Colombo, TJ Ramirez, Danny Combatti, Jaime Falk, Linnea Davis, Paula Brock, Alex Fornaciari, Betsy Pacey, and Nikki Miller battled an uphill, 4.7 mile course with 22 obstacles and survived. Some of the obstacles included spear throwing, wall climbing, a barbed wire crawl over 100 meters, and falling into the mud several times. The Spartans had to carry sandbags and buckets of rocks up and down the mountain and through the woods. “Overall, it was a challenging event that we all conquered together as one. The Stanwich spirit was in full effect as we literally lifted each other over walls and helped strangers carry buckets of rocks,” said Stanwich’s team organizer, Jaime Falk.

“We finished together and wore our mud-stained Stanwich jerseys with pride. We can’t wait for the next one!”

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2015 17

Stanwich Traditions Grandparents Day

Grandparents and Special Friends Day is a treasured Stanwich School tradition.

This annual favorite allows students in grades PreK through Grade 3 to share some of their Stanwich Spirit with grandparents and/or special friends.

Our visitors enjoyed classroom visits and a thrilling patriotic concert!

18 Summer 2015

The Stanwich Heart

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2015 19

Center Stage

ONE

Singular Sensation

Gathered on one campus, students shined on stage for a springtime season of spectacular performances

U

nder the spotlights, more than 280 students had the opportunity to put their performance talent to the test in the auditorium this school year. Highlighted during the month of “Mostly May Musicals,” students took to the stage for the multi-grade level productions of Beauty and the Beast, Camp Rock, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Producing these multi-grade level performances would have been an obstacle in past school years when students were divided among campuses. However, this is no longer the case.

“We are so lucky to be on one campus at a school that allows each and every student the opportunity to be on stage, to sing a solo, to dance, to act, to play an instrument, to be in an ensemble, and to be a part of a performing team. It is not only for the chosen and lucky few. Stanwich sees

the value in students working together in this team sport,” said Dr. Caroline Worra.

“We all see the leaders shine and the novices emulate their peers. To top it off, in the game of music there doesn’t need to be just one winner ... everyone wins. In a world of competition and stress, that’s a beautiful thing.”

One student who particularly enjoyed his time as part of the school’s production crew was sixth-grader Graham Ornstein who ran the light board for all of the yearend productions.

“I really appreciate and enjoy the ability of my Stanwich teachers to recognize my talents and interests and the way they encourage me to get involved. It was great being behind the scenes as I am not an actor, but I do love working with all of the electronics and special effects,” said Graham.

Highlighting Talent

Stanwich Performances 3 Multi-age Musicals

8 Grade-level Musicals 1 Drama

1 Faculty Showcase

20 Summer 2015

2 Concerts 4 Recitals

The auditorium was not only home to grand musicals; there were numerous plays, concerts, and recitals that wowed audiences.

In the Primary House, students performed Peter Pan (Grade 1), The Little Mermaid (Grade 2), and The Wizard of Oz (Grade 3). Throughout the year, Intermediate House students put on musicals related to their social studies curriculum: The American Revolution (Grade 4), Theseus and the Minotaur (Grade 5), and Shakespeare Unshackled (Grade 6).

Highlighted as a new tradition during Grandparents Day, all of the Primary House

students took to the stage for a patriotic concert titled I Hear America Singing.

Included in the concert were renditions of The Star Spangled Banner, You’re a Grand Old Flag and The Spirit of America. Each student put their public speaking skills to good use and took to the microphone in the front of the stage and helped tell the story of how the American flag was created.

In May, parents of Intermediate House and Junior House students enjoyed concerts highlighting a year of achievement in band, strings ensemble, hand bell choir, advanced vocals, and choir.

With more than 75 students taking piano lessons, four Lower School recitals were given at the end of the school year featuring works ranging from Ode to Joy to Toccata Fantasia and Minuette in F. Entering into the world of drama, Stanwich sophomores stood center stage and performed a 20-line monologue from one of Shakespeare’s works in front of a three-judge panel, fellow Upper School classmates, faculty and parents. Matt Shindel and Aidan Sebold went on to compete at the Cole Auditorium of Greenwich Library for the 31st annual Shakespeare Competition.

Not to be outdone by their schoolmates, a group of Senior House students put on a dramatic performance of Waiting for Godot for the entire Upper School population. Director Bruce Mandia said, “I was impressed by the level of mastery the students brought to this absurdist play. Not many students this age can appreciate the complexity of such a work.”

The Stanwich Heart

www.stanwichschool.org

Summer 2015 21

Innovation

Rise of the Robots Stanwich Robotics Team takes impressive eighth place in regional Botball Tournament Keep it simple.

For members of The Stanwich School’s Robotic’s team, that saying is truth. It proved to be a winning mantra that paid off with a solid eighth place showing during the 2015 New York/New Jersey Botball Tournament in Rahway, NJ, on May 9, 2015.

Relying strictly on their technical wizardry, sophomore Aidan Sebold and freshmen Brandon McClean and Henry Hittle managed to exceed their own expectations in their inaugural robotics competition. The team was formed in January under the tutelage of The Stanwich School’s education technologist, Craig Bolotin. Called Team Spartans, the trio of C programmers perfected its game plan during its twice weekly morning class time and between two and four weekly afternoon planning lessons.

Explaining their strategy, Aidan Sebold said, “We didn’t go complex, and that helped us. We could go a little more complex next year, and spend some more time in the planning process. That could help us score higher.”

Brandon McClean credited his team’s success to “staying simple.”

Botball Each January, February, and March, the Botball Educator Workshops provide team leaders with technology training and introduce the details of that year’s game. Then, after a build period of about 7 weeks, students bring their robots to their regional tournament to compete against other students in the current season’s game challenge.

22 Summer 2015

The Stanwich Heart

To rank the teams, seeding rounds took place before double elimination. After the first of three rounds, Stanwich earned enough points to gain an initial fifth seed spot. After three rounds of holding steady, the team entered the double elimination round seeded sixth out of 20 schools, finishing the day tied for eighth place overall.

“There were a lot of teams there,” said Henry Hittle. “Because this was our first time entering [the competition], we didn’t expect to do as well as we did.”

Unlike many competitions which rely heavily on the team’s coach, Botball relies on the students working together to generate computer-programmed analysis in order to execute its desired effect.

“There was no adult interaction allowed during the actual competition,” said Jerome Murphy, Head of Upper School at Stanwich. “This required the kids to take ownwww.stanwichschool.org

ership of what they were doing. In the end, they displayed good sportsmanship and accomplished a fantastic achievement.”

At the start of the spring season, all 20 teams sent representatives to a two-day workshop and received a kit of components with enough material to build two completely autonomous robots. The mechanical components used in Botball are Lego technic bricks and other metal structural supports as defined by this year’s tournament kit contents.

“The object of the game is to build a robot that will earn the maximum amount of

points by collecting and distributing poms or ping pong balls across the board at various locations,” said Mr. Murphy. “The students wrote programs and built the robots to successfully complete the various tasks laid out for them.”

Feeling confident with their computer programming abilities, Team Spartans will return to the Botball Tournament next year. In preparation for the competition and to expand his knowledge, Henry Hittle plans to attend a 5-day workshop this summer held in New Mexico, which will include international students.

Summer 2015 23

From the Parent Association

Naomi Azrak

President, Parent Association

T

he Parent Association finished the year with a flurry of activity starting in late April into the final days of school. The “Night At the Casino” Annual Benefit on April 24th was truly a triumph, and the night’s great results were a product

of the impressive (and painstaking) efforts of Kara Gerardi, Kristine Gigliotti, Karen Richard, and their committee of volunteers.

Congratulations to this great team.

The action continued during the month of May with the Spring Parent Luncheon, Spirit Day, and Field Days, where numerous parent volunteers helped to bring organization, food, and cheer to the Belle Haven Club and our athletic field for these events. Thank you to Amy Andrews for her coordination at the Parent Luncheon and Field Days, and to Jennifer Frascella and many others who made Spirit Day a success.

It has been a very busy, but enjoyable

and fulfilling year for me as PA President.

The PA Board who served this year delivered beyond expectations with consistent and spirited work in their areas of focus. In managing this Board over the year, I used the words “you’ve raised the bar” many times over as I observed their leadership and drive. Thank you to this great team and to the many parents in the community who supported PA efforts over the year.

And now onward to a new year of even more progress under the great leadership of Janine Kennedy, the 2015-16 PA President, and her capable new Board. Best of luck to all of you!

The Stanwich School Parent Association 2014-2015 Parent Association Board

2015-2016 Parent Association Board

Thank you to all those who served the school so well this year!

Position Chair

Position Chair

President Naomi Azrak

President Janine Kennedy

Vice President

Janine Kennedy

Vice President

Treasurer Co-Chair

Kristen Rosenbaum Maureen Vitanza

Treasurer Maureen Vitanza

Jennifer Frascella

Secretary Kara Gerardi

Secretary Kara Gerardi

Arts & Entertainment

Arts & Entertainment

Kristin Taylor

Kristin Taylor

Communications Anastasia Brien

Communications Annika Kennon

Community Building

Kristine Gigliotti

Community Building

Helen Servick

Grade Representative Chair Co-Chair

Cindy Hatstadt Karen Richard

Grade Representative

Karen Richard

Faculty Appreciation

Helen Servick

Faculty Appreciation

Gretchen Foran

Family Relations

Kristen Beckman

Family Relations/Transportation

Melissa Raezer

Library Jenn Frascella Co-Chair Lynn Schwartz

Library Lynn Schwartz Parent Education

Saskia Corsano-Leopizzi

Service Learning

Stephani Nedzamar

Special Events

Jennifer Servedio

Service Learning

Kimberly Kuppenheimer

Special Events Co-Chair

Amy Andrews Jen Servidio

Sustainability/Transport

Hope Mihailovich

Sustainability Caroline Paradiso

Upper School Advocate

Diane Sebold

Upper School Advocate

Diane Sebold

Ways and Means Co-Chair

Caroline Weiser Lara Sanders

Ways and Means

Lara Sanders

Yearbook Karen Colella

24 Summer 2015

Yearbook Mia Simonsen

The Stanwich Heart

Rye Sports Photos • www.ryesportsphotos.com

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1-4 A nnual Benefit “A Night at the Casino” 5-7 P arent Association Luncheon 8 F aculty Luncheon Summer 2015 25

The Stanwich School 257 Stanwich Road Greenwich, CT 06830

Open House • Wednesday, October 28 at 9:00am Thank you for another wonderful year!

Gifts to the Annual Fund support faculty making a positive impact.

There is always time to give‌ go to www.stanwichschool.org and give a gift in appreciation of faculty today!