Paw Prints Winter 2018

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Paw Prints

winter

2018

lake forest country day school

The LFCDS Experience —

Inspired Learning Beyond the Classroom

Inside this Issue:

Taking School Outdoors Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes Learning Outside the Box


Our Mission 102 HEADline here Inspired teaching, academic rigor, attention to winter 2018

individual needs, a commitment to responsible citizenship—these principles infuse every aspect of life at Lake Forest Country Day School and define our dedication to producing students of strong character with a passion for learning.


Inside Lake Forest Country Day School PAW PRINTS 2 | 4| 7| 8| 10 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 34 | 36 |

Message from the Head of School Living the Mission The Nature of Learning Exploring the Great Outdoors Learning Outside the Box Sole to Soul Inspired Design in Action Together Everyone Achieves More Alumni Spotlight LFCDS Presents Alumni Spotlight All In Class Notes In Memoriam Planned Giving LFCDS Homecoming 2017 LFCDS in Pictures Annual Fund

Lake Forest Country Day School

1 Head of School Bob Whelan President, Board of Trustees Ahmed Farag 2017-18 Board of Trustees Kimberly Beans Christen Bishop Jeffrey Brincat Sameer Chhabria ’88 Pedro DeJesus Ahmed Farag Kate Fitzgerald ’87 David Fleisch William Giambrone Lauren Gorter Rebecca Graf Jamee Kane ’90 David Keller Zareena Khan ’89 Ted Kovas Marianne Silver Jonathan Sisler Robin Stuart Mavi Thakkar Bob Whelan Managing Editor Lisa Gilcrest Design Peapod Design, Norwalk, CT Photography Tim Coffey

7 The Nature of Learning

Contributors Judith Arnstein Robin Baasen Kim Bell Amyanne Cope Carly Harvey Lisa Horstmann John Kinzer Marcia Mann Ted Steward Sarah Thomas Nancy Watson Sara Walsh


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winter 2018

HEAD OF SCHOOL

A Message from Head of School “ It’s not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will withstand the test of time.” - david allan coe If you have been on campus recently, you have witnessed the addition of a sleek innovation lab in the heart of the School and the renovation of a well-loved but dated gymnasium to an incredible light-filled space. Talented architects helped us reimagine our current spaces and brought to life a plan for the future. The spaces are inspiring and reflect a commitment to honoring 130 years of tradition, while simultaneously looking forward—determining how we can most effectively meet the needs of students for years to come. The new areas have elevated instruction in ways that have already far exceeded our initial vision. It has been energizing to see teachers respond by redesigning lessons to afford students the opportunity to take even greater ownership of their learning. The word “architect” has Greek roots that translate as “chief builder.” In many ways, we are in the business of cultivating architects—young people who are encouraged to be at the helm of their education, a construction project that is the very foundation upon which they will build the rest of their lives. Our students begin in an apprenticeship role, working under the careful tutelage of parents and teachers. Our ultimate goal, however, is to have students create meaning themselves; interpreting the world around them, building academic, social, and emotional skills, and crafting durable foundations that will provide them with the essential skills required for a life of purpose. While the campus will continue to grow and evolve, the strength of our School has always been centered around our faculty and staff; a group of dedicated

professionals who create and preserve our exceptional culture of teaching and learning. When our students graduate, they won’t be able to take the physical campus with them; they will take the most important element that animates our School—the relationships they’ve developed with teachers and friends, and the transferable life skills they’ve built for themselves. In the pages that follow, you’ll find examples of faculty integrating the latest research as they reimagine curriculum and strive to be the best they can be for our children. From hands-on learning in our newly created preschool outdoor classroom to experiences gained by our championship varsity soccer team as well as countless examples of our teachers presenting and refining their craft, the School is constantly building upon an already strong foundation. In fact, a series of “under construction” signs placed throughout the School would seem to be quite fitting as we will always be working to provide our students and families with the best educational experience. As ever, our faculty’s focus remains on the most important building projects we have the privilege of being involved with at LFCDS—the lives of our kids. Best regards,

Bob Whelan



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Living the Mission

How Are You Feeling? During the summer of 2017, five members of the LFCDS faculty and staff traveled along with Head of School Bob Whelan to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence in New Haven, CT, where the center’s founder and director, Dr. Marc Brackett, led an intensive training on the RULER approach to social and emotional learning (SEL). RULER stands for Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions. The opportunity to engage with and learn from top experts in the field of the social and emotional development of children goes to the heart of LFCDS’s commitment to the individual needs of each and every student. “At LFCDS, we are committed to helping our students develop fundamental, social and emotional competencies: self-awareness, social awareness, self-regulation, responsible

decision-making, and relationship skills,” said Nancy Watson, the School’s social worker. “The School chose RULER because it is one of the few SEL approaches that focuses on emotional development, and decades of studies show us that the skills connected to emotional intelligence are essential to effective teaching and learning, sound decision making, physical and mental health, and success in school and beyond.” According to Director of Early Childhood and Parent Relations Sara Walsh, the main goal of the RULER approach is to create a healthier, more compassionate, and more productive environment for our students. Two key components of the RULER method are the Charter and the Mood Meter. “Beginning with senior kindergarten and continuing throughout the Lower School, classes have adopted a Charter—a displayed document listing descriptive words of how the children want to feel when they are in class, i.e., safe, happy, respected,” said Mrs. Walsh. “If children are not ‘living’ the Charter that they created together, they work to hold each other accountable for helping to create a positive place for learning.” The Mood Meter is an emotional intelligence chart which is divided into four quadrants — red, blue, green, and yellow — each representing a different set of feelings. Various feelings are grouped together on the Mood Meter based on their pleasantness and energy level. Emotions in the red are characterized as unpleasant and high in energy, such as anger. Emotions in the blue are ordinarily unpleasant and low energy, such as boredom. Emotions in the green are pleasant and low energy, such as tranquility, and emotions in the yellow are pleasant and high energy, such as excitement. Our LFCDS attendees brought back their knowledge and led training for the rest of the School’s faculty and staff during opening meetings in August. In September, LFCDS featured Dr. Brackett as part of the Special Speaker Series, and following his lecture, he spent the afternoon working more intensively with the School’s faculty. Below are reflections from the Yale group on both the RULER training, and its impact at LFCDS since this fall.


5 Robin Baasen

Learning Development Specialist

Kim Bell

Upper School English Teacher Every moment of the RULER conference made a lasting impression on me. I remember, for example, the warm, sunny evening before it officially began, and how we waited in a line outside an iconic New Haven pizza joint (where, indeed, the pizza would live up to its celebrated reputation). At that moment, our only shared understanding of RULER came from the online course we had completed in preparation for our training. Already, though, the content sparked enthusiastic discussion. As I reflect on why even this initial experience had such an impact on us, I am struck by a couple of thoughts: 1) The opportunity to discuss emotion and its role in all our lives is a powerful thing and 2) Such discussions amplify the human bonds we feel with each other. This training deepened my understanding of how essential it is that, as educators and parents, we broaden our own emotional vocabularies as well as those of the children in our lives. One of our favorite phrases from our training, “If you can name it, you can tame it,” underscores the value of knowing how to accurately label—and therefore better understand—a broad range of emotions. I am reminded of Mark Twain’s observation,

“ The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. [It is] the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” When it comes to the words we use to represent our emotions, that distinction seems all the more critical.

The experts at Yale who trained us were beautiful storytellers who made it easy to connect the fundamental principles of RULER to situations we encounter each day with our students. The instructors pushed each of us outside of our comfort zones using a series of activities intended for us to learn from and then share with the faculty back at LFCDS. Through these exercises, I gained a better understanding of how I could most effectively express, manage, and regulate my own emotions in an effort to cultivate and strengthen relationships with my students, colleagues, family, and friends. I also gleaned a deeper appreciation for the invaluable gift we are giving our students and families here at LFCDS by teaching children emotional literacy. I have found RULER to be an invaluable tool in helping me differentiate instruction and meet students’ individual emotional needs. Whether it’s helping children move from the yellow to the green or from the blue to the yellow, RULER has enabled me to create the most optimal learning environment for my students. I have seen RULER come to life through our students, and I’m excited about the ongoing impact RULER will continue to have on our School community.

Carly Harvey Grade 2 Teacher

While I consider myself an educator who has always valued and recognized the importance of social and emotional learning, the RULER training at Yale opened my eyes to a new approach that fosters emotional intelligence in both adults and children alike. What’s exciting about RULER is that it’s not a curriculum with prescribed lessons. More authentically, it’s a way in which we can enhance emotional intelligence, cultivate emotional literacy, and naturally embed social-emotional learning into our existing curriculum. It has become part of the culture of my classroom and aligns with our mission at LFCDS. For example, in my classroom, each child has an image of the Mood Meter at his or her workspace. As we transition throughout our day, perhaps from recess to math, each student takes a moment to determine where he or she is on the Mood Meter, and which skills can best be employed to settle in and focus on the next task. I am amazed at the rich vocabulary my students have already developed to describe their feelings, and I see RULER as an invaluable tool moving forward.


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Living the Mission Sara Walsh

Director of Early Childhood and Parent Relations There are representations of the Mood Meter throughout the School—in classrooms, common areas, even staff offices. Daily, I see the success we are having with RULER. The Early Childhood Center faculty have been extremely creative with the implementation of the Mood Meter through books, stories, finger plays, and in addressing reallife interactions. Assigning emotions in easy-to-understand color quadrants has helped even our youngest learners begin to recognize, understand, and label their emotions.

Nancy Watson, LCSW School Social Worker

“ A 1st STEP student was listening to his teacher read a book that described a squirrel misplacing his nut. The student quickly observed that the squirrel was “in the blue” because he was sad about misplacing his nut. In addition to helping our students Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate, this approach has increased their empathetic thinking and their emotional vocabulary.”

In my role as the School’s social worker, every day I see first-hand how emotions can either enhance or compromise attention, decision making, relationships and overall well-being. The implementation of RULER has created opportunities for students to gain awareness of themselves and others, which cultivates their ability to adapt, and ultimately leads them to the understanding that they have the capacity to manage their own emotions and behaviors in positive and productive ways. As research tells us, these competencies are the most important indicators of success at school and in life. I am encouraged and inspired by the way our faculty and students have embraced RULER thus far. I am equally excited that we have extended this approach beyond the classroom by providing RULER resources to families. My hope is that we as a community can more acutely value the role of emotions in all of our interactions and continue to use the frame and common language that RULER provides.


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Outdoor Lab

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The Nature of Learning Now in its fifth year, the Greene Outdoor Laboratory, with its gently rolling woodlands and teeming vernal pond, has become a curricular touchstone at LFCDS. Whether it’s junior kindergarten students hiking on their Caminata, the fourthgrade students performing water-quality analyses, a Grade 5 English class writing about nature while being in nature, or the Upper School students continuing work on the Conservation Center, the Outdoor Lab provides students myriad opportunities to learn and grow in an interactive setting. Across grade levels and across subject matter, faculty employ the Outdoor Lab as a tool to expand students’ connections to the natural world around them and to draw deepening understanding of not only science, but literature,

history, engineering, art, and music. Chair of the Fine Arts Department and 2017 Golden Apple Award Winner Scott Baeseman said, “The Outdoor Lab has even become a space for reflection and meditation for teachers and staff. The opportunity to so easily take a walk in nature for a few moments each day is grounding, calming, and invigorating all at the same time. It is an incredible gift.”


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A Passion for Learning

Exploring the Great Outdoors The Early Childhood Center Outdoor Classroom The overwhelming success of the Greene Outdoor Laboratory inspired the creation of a similar space for our youngest learners. Preschool teachers Jen Baurer and Erin Jantsch envisioned an outdoor classroom that little legs could reach quickly each day in the sunshine, rain, or snow.

Research shows that play is crucial to brain development, helping children achieve proficiency in fundamental tasks such as fine and gross motor skills, exploring, risk taking, word comprehension, and quantitative conceptualization. Specifically, playing outdoors engages all five senses: seeing animals and colorful flowers, hearing the wind rustle through the trees or a bird’s song, smelling freshly cut grass, touching the rough bark of a tree, and tasting raindrops or


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snowflakes on their tongues. Our early childhood faculty have long known that play is the work of children and that children thrive when given time outdoors. Developing a plan to extend the classroom outside to include an outdoor kitchen, a story area, tree swings, and bridges that span the tiny brook that runs through a gentle knoll, was a natural progression of the already robust play-based ECC curriculum. “We are fortunate to have a variety of equipment and tools with which we can engage the students no matter what the weather brings,” said Mrs. Baurer. “For example, we have clear bubble umbrellas for the children to use when it is raining. It was remarkable to see the different ways the children experimented with the umbrellas, even floating them in the brook to see how the current would carry them.” Just like nature, the space will continue to evolve over time. In the meantime, our younger students will continue to learn and grow each school day in their very own Outdoor Classroom.


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10 Inspired Teaching

Learning Outside the Box Long before the term “experiential learning” became embedded in the current lexicon of early childhood and elementary school education, learning through all five senses was a cornerstone of the LFCDS educational experience. Examples of exploring a concept through sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell take form each day across the School. For instance, guided by the School’s mission and core values of responsible citizenship and diversity, students learn about the holidays and traditions of cultures throughout the world by experiencing those traditions first hand. Whether it is Diwali, Rosh Hashanah, Christmas, or Dia de los Muertos, students may hear the music and see customary dress in Community Meetings, taste and smell traditional dishes in world language classes or in the School lunchroom, and touch artifacts or create artwork representative of these celebrations in their fine arts classes.


11 What further differentiates LFCDS is the inspiring way faculty and staff come together across subjects and disciplines to formulate lessons and projects that not only engage students’ senses, but also help them make meaningful connections to the world around them. Below are a few of the highlights from the past year that illustrate how LFCDS breaks the boundaries of the traditional onesubject-at-a-time classroom to inspire critical thinking and active learning in extraordinary ways that push the limits of hands-on learning.

Balloons Over Broadway

In the book “Balloons Over Broadway” by Melissa Sweet, Grade 2 students learned about the life of Tony Scarg, who at the age of six began inventing and working to solve the problems he encountered. The youngster fashioned a machine to feed the chickens so he wouldn’t have to get out of bed each day. Mr. Scarg went on to design and create the first larger-than-life balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. The second-grade students modeled the design thinking processes to sketch, ideate, and create their own scaled-down balloons. Using any materials they could think of (except balloons), each child brought his or her design to life by creating 3D balloon prototypes.

Fairy Tales – English and Art

English teacher Kim Bell and art teacher Mark DeBernardi teamed to ask their seventh-grade students, “What is a Fairy Tale?” Students spent intensive time in both classes where they wrote and illustrated their own fairy tales which became self-published books. This fall, the now eighth-grade students traveled to Forrestal Elementary School in North Chicago to share their original books. They then assisted the Forrestal students who wrote and illustrated fairy tales of their own. At the end of the visit, the Forrestal students went home with their own books as well as a published book created by one of the LFCDS student.

Google AR – Art, History, Science

Google brought their Augmented Reality (AR) program to LFCDS which made the Innovation Space come alive with wonders from works of art to tornadoes. AR differs from Virtual Reality in that Virtual Reality brings the individual into a different space. AR brings an element into the student’s world. Our students experienced being in the eye of a hurricane, standing in and around some of the world’s great art and architecture, and soaring through the solar system.


Designing Video Games and Controllers

Students in Steve Robnick’s fifth-grade science class used the Design Thinking process to develop computer games. The goal was to use the five elements of game design (space, components, mechanics, goals, and rules) to create a well-balanced game—something fun and challenging yet beatable. Students were encouraged to view games as a system (a group of inputs that yields certain outputs) and to evaluate how changing one part of the system affects other parts of the system. With the help of Innovation Space Coordinator Greg McDonough, the students designed controllers for their games as they learned about electrical conductivity, circuits, and how these elements come together to make a video game controller. As a result, the students learned both the hardware and software side of game design. As the culmination of the unit, the fifth-grade students set up an arcade and invited the Grade 6 class to play the newly designed computer games. Who would have imagined playing video games would be encouraged during school?

JK Town

What four-year-old doesn’t like to play with blocks for hours? Blocks are a staple in most early childhood classrooms as block play helps young students develop social and emotional, spatial, and critical thinking skills while encouraging creativity, attention to detail, working cooperatively, and complex problem solving. Junior kindergarten teachers Jennifer Farrell, Anna Harrison, Marlo LaCorte, and Bobbie Serafini decided to take learning outside of the classroom—literally. In the ECC Atrium, the students used their Design Thinking skills to construct a town which ultimately filled the Atrium space. Naming their construction site “JK Town,” the students developed plans and combined an extensive variety of classroom materials with the blocks to create structures they deemed essential to their town. JK Town boasted a haunted house, a zoo, a bakery, a pet store, a castle, and much more. The town continued to evolve over the course of the week, leading up to Family Visiting Day when guests were treated to tours guided by the architects and builders themselves.

Los Guacaolimpicos!

Nan Caldwell’s seventh-grade Spanish language students were studying food and markets, and during the course of a discussion, not one or two, but five students claimed to have the ultimate guacamole recipe. So naturally, they decided to hold a guacamole competition inspired by their favorite cooking shows. The lunchroom was converted to the LFCDS Iron Chef stadium, and the student chefs, organized into teams, assembled their ingredients and got to work with only ten minutes on the clock. Each recipe was surprisingly different-red onions vs. yellow, jalapeño peppers vs. tabasco sauce, gourmet salt vs. table salt, garlic vs. none, etc. One daring group included papaya and pineapple! A team of judges assessed each group on teamwork and sportsmanship and then on their guacamole. In the end, the winning guacamole was from the team of Daniel Crawford, Mary Lee, Ben Arthurs, and Felicity Whidden. The overall winner, based on both teamwork and guacamole, was Team Avogadro, comprised of Abby Trejo, Posy Connery, and Justinian Alexos.

Ghost Shoes

Upper School English teacher Ami Polonski’s students came up with the idea of constructing an art installation based on Jayson Reynold’s novel “Ghost.” After teaming with art teacher Mark DeBernardi, the group’s discussions centered on how to visually represent the central message of the text—recognizing that art is a language just as English is a language. The students decided to use the pages of disassembled (and annotated) books to line the walls of the Green Bay Atrium gallery space, creating the feeling of the viewer being inside the book. They hung pages of the book overhead, and employed imaginative ways to use the pages to represent the main character’s journey throughout the book. “As a book, “Ghost” literally and figuratively became a different form of art as they understood it more deeply and connected to it more genuinely,” said Mrs. Polonsky. “So the pages within the installation underwent a metamorphosis designed to parallel how the novel evolved.” Mr. DeBernardi added, “The students came to understand that one concept can be represented through different types of art—from writing to a 3D art installation.”


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Academic Rigor 13

Sole to Soul

Freshly back from a reinvigorating summer break, science teacher Amy Hintzman and English teacher Kim Bell were both looking forward to working with the imaginative and eager incoming Grade 8 class. They discussed new ideas cultivated over the course of the last few months.

“When Amy first told me about her shoe project, she mentioned that she was going to have her eighth-grade STEM students create soles,” said Mrs. Bell. “When she said ‘soles,’ I heard (just for a split second), ‘souls,’ and thus our collaboration began!”


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14 Academic Rigor Shoes by the Door

by Grayson Salata, Grade 8

At the doorway Work Boots Going in and out Of the house Until one day They just stood still Those boots never moved But gave me constant memories Of what happened He went to work, then back Work and then home But that one day My father died He was a construction worker Those boots got caked with more mud And more mud Day by day Day by day Those shoes would disappear and come back Disappear and reappear Until they stopped leaving and just Waited for him, for my dad To come back They waited And waited Until they couldn’t wait any more Until those boots were thrown into the back of the closet And stayed there for the rest of their lives

Over the summer, Mrs. Hintzman ran across a lesson series published by the MIT-Lemelson Center. The series offered ideas to help students explore invention through the ideas of biomechanics and biomimicry as they are applied in shoe-sole design. After consulting with professionals at MIT and the Chicago School of Shoemaking, she decided to implement a shoe project with her eighth-grade students. The students started with a “take apart,” dissecting a variety of shoes donated by the LFCDS community. Their goal was to discover the materials and the construction strategy employed in making each individual shoe. Working in the Innovation Lab, students used seam rippers, cardboard cutters, and even hacksaws to methodically remove each piece of their shoes. They consulted published patents to discover the names and functions of each shoe segment. At the same time, in Mrs. Bell’s English class, the students were looking at shoes as symbols of humanity. They read Ghost by Jason Reynolds which closely tracks how shoes represent the main character’s development. “He is trying to figure out who he is or if he is more than his apartment in the projects, his poverty, and his tendency to get in fights,” said Mrs. Bell. “He wears ragged, no-name shoes, which he tries to cut into something better. When that doesn’t work, he steals a pair of shoes that he calls his “silver bullets,” in an attempt to fit in. He gets caught and must face his past which ultimately helps him find both himself and a sense of belonging as part of an elite track team.” Once they finished reading the book, each student wrote a critical essay exploring the symbolism of shoes in the book. The Grade 8 Washington D.C. trip took place during the outset of the “Shoe Project,” so when the class visited


“ A shoe is the only garment of clothing that can stand independently, like the living being inside the shoe. A worn shoe has the presence of the person who wore it, and the changing styles of shoes are markers of time and history, symbols of age and gender.”

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– from the Jewish Museum in the Venice ghetto

the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the shoe exhibit had even deeper meaning for the students. The exhibit features more than 4000 shoes: worn shoes, stylish shoes, leather shoes, cloth shoes, and baby shoes. The shoes are all that remain of the men, women, and children from whom they were taken immediately upon arrival at the Nazi concentration camps. The students learned that shoes are intensely personal items, symbols of our

civilizations, demonstrations of our unique personalities, and indications of our paths in life. These were themes both Mrs. Hintzman and Mrs. Bell hoped their students would absorb through the museum exhibit and the text of Ghost, and then reflect in their work with the physical shoe materials. Back in STEM class, the students formed groups that were tasked with designing a shoe sole for a specific activity. “They first researched the biomechanical demands placed on the body by various activities, as well as the strategies they might use to support the body in an intended motion,” said Mrs. Hintzman. “They then researched current products on the market, as well as examples in nature, which might provide solutions already honed by years of evolution.” Each team identified their target market and polled potential customers on the pros and cons of shoes currently available and then prepared a design sketch and a clay model. The final step was to cast their soles to form a prototype. Making use of the prodigious array of tools and cutting-edge technology available in the LFCDS Innovation Lab, students developed their prototypes from slime molds, clay, 3D printers, and CAD graphic design software.


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16 Academic Rigor While the soles took shape in STEM class, the English students journaled about the meaning of their own shoes. From their journaling came intricate and beautifully layered poetry. On page 14, eighth-grade student Grayson Salata shared his touching prose. As each aspect of the Shoe Project evolved and was displayed for the School community to experience, other classes traveled further with the theme. English teacher Ami Polonski and art teacher Mark DeBernardi teamed for a shoe project of their own, which is detailed on page 12. Both Mrs. Hintzman and Mrs. Bell agreed that through this project, their students put something lasting of their souls in the soles they created.

swimming with the sharks In a textbook example of the inspired teaching taking place every day at LFCDS, Mrs. Hintzman graded each team’s final shoe sole through Shark Tank-style presentations. Our budding young scientists and entrepreneurs developed a “pitch” based on their research, prototyping, knowledge of competitors, business plan, and, of course, presentation skills. Many of the teams looked to their own experiences with shoe challenges from lack of traction when sailing or on the soccer field, to uncomfortable flats and potentially dangerous paddock boots. The creativity and attention to detail the teams employed to solve these wideranging problems was impressive as was their passion for their products. The judges, called the Titans of Education, included Head of School Bob Whelan, Director of Enrollment, Marketing and Financial Aid Judith Arnstein, Head of Lower School Pete Moore, Associate Director of Finance Michele Stancil, and teachers Nan Caldwell (Spanish), Marie Donke (LA and Math), Marcia Mann (English), Laura Matuszweski (PS), and Steve Robnick (Science). “Shark” Robert Herjavec has said numerous times on the popular show, “Find a problem, solve a problem,” and the eighth-grade students did just that showing remarkable creativity and tenacity throughout the Shoe Project.


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Gymnasium Renovation 17

Inspired Design In Action This summer the LFCDS “Big Gym” underwent a complete renovation that transformed the home of the Panthers into an exciting new venue. For many years, the multi-purpose gymnasium has been tasked with hosting everything from sports games and daily physical education classes to treasured events such as the Thanksgiving and Holiday Assemblies, Music in Our Schools on Grandparents’ Day, and even Graduation when the weather was uncooperative. Thanks to the design talents of current parent and architect Doug Pasma and his team at the Pasma Group, Altounian Construction, and the All In capital campaign, our students, athletes, families, and guests will experience a broad range of community-building moments in comfort and style.

Highlights of the gym renovation include the following:

•A large picture window that introduces natural light

throughout the gym •T wo motorized shades over the window and a second

“blackout” shade that will allow light levels to be controlled for assemblies/lectures • New, energy-efficient LED lighting that can be dimmed •C ustom theater-quality, collapsible seating for more than 300 people. •A fabric mural along the east wall, beginning at the top of the seating system and reaching to the ceiling. This design feature highlights our Core Values, images of athletics from our past and recent history, and the last ten words of our Mission Statement • New state-of-the-art sound system • New air conditioning system • New scoreboard • New gym floor • A carpeted gym foyer • New paint (a new color scheme) throughout the gym • Refreshed locker rooms


TEAM 18

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Students of Strong Character

Together Everyone Achieves More

The LFCDS renovated gymnasium provides a gleaming new space for physical education for all grade levels, but it is also home to the School’s unique athletics program. Upper School students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of no-cut yet highly competitive athletics that will prepare them for a lifetime of sustained physical activity and health. From golf and squash to basketball and lacrosse, students learn critical life skills including teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and leadership. While voluntary in Grades 5 and 6, in Grades 7 and 8 participation on an athletics team each season is required. “We believe that an essential part of the education we provide to students is to grow as a member of a team before heading to high school,” said Athletics Director Ted Stewart. “Each student receives one-on-one

instruction tailored to his or her skill level. Our athletic program develops our students’ self-confidence and selfesteem, and it hones their ability to make decisions quickly, to cope with challenges, and to learn from mistakes.” Even though athletics is not required for students in Grades 5 and 6, ninety-two percent choose to participate on an LFCDS sports team. In preparation for participation in the Upper School athletic program, fourth-grade students are offered the opportunity to play golf in the fall, basketball in the winter, and track & field in the spring. This year, nearly half of the fourth-grade students chose to play golf in the School program. With the combination of expansive outdoor facilities, a renovated gymnasium, and dedicated coaches, LFCDS provides students with an ideal backdrop for both competitive sports and a rich athletic experience.


Sports Offerings

Boys Varsity Soccer Team Wins Division Championship The LFCDS Varsity Boys Soccer team finished the 2017 season as the Northeast Illinois Catholic Conference Champions. Within the NICC division, the team played against a wide variety of competitors which required them to improve from playing on a team to playing as a team in order to succeed. In the playoffs, a last-minute penalty kick led LFCDS into overtime with Frassati Catholic Academy. The Panthers ultimately prevailed 5-4, then moved on to defeat No. 1 seed Most Blessed Trinity Academy 3-1 in the finals to earn the NICC Championship title.

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Fall Boys Flag Football Boys Soccer Girls Field Hockey Girls Volleyball Co-Ed Cross Country

Spring Girls Lacrosse Girls Soccer Boys Lacrosse Co-Ed Track & Field Co-Ed Golf

Winter Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Co-Ed Squash Co-Ed Tennis

Grade 4 Athletics Fall—Golf Winter—Basketball Spring—Track & Field

“Our athletes worked hard all season to develop team work, game skills, and sportsmanship,” said LFCDS Head Coach and Grade 4 teacher Paul Hedlund. “I am extremely proud of how selfless each player was this season and how they relentlessly supported each other both on and off the field.” Head of School Bob Whelan added, “Research shows that children who participate in team sports fare better both academically and socially in school.” He noted, “At LFCDS, our students learn to think critically, assess problems, and learn from mistakes—all essential factors in the building of character.” Congratulations to Coach Hedlund and the entire Panther team!


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20 alumni spotlight

Nathalie Pierrepont Danilovich ’00 You can bet your boots that fashion and business enthusiasts everywhere would love to walk a mile in Nathalie Pierrepont Danilovich’s shoes. She currently works in Brand Communications at Tory Burch. Previously, she was a freelance writer and editor for lifestyle and fashion publications as well as a business reporter for ALM Media. She earned a M.A. in Business and Economics Journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. from Brown University. She lives in New York with her husband, John Charles, and an eighteen-month-old daughter, Mary Louise. We caught up with Mrs. Danilovich recently and here is what she had to say:

PP: What is the biggest innovation so far in your lifetime?

Paw Prints: What is your favorite LFCDS memory?

ND: Make time to question, wonder and dream.

Nathalie Danilovich: Pioneer Days PP: What was your favorite class at LFCDS? ND: History PP: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? ND: A journalist or an explorer PP: Who were your most memorable LFCDS teachers? ND: Mrs. Mann, Mr. Haight, and Mr. Genger

ND: The iPhone PP: If you could live anywhere, where would it be? ND: Between New York, Los Angeles...and Istanbul PP: What is your favorite piece of technology? ND: My mophie PP: What inspires you? ND: Travel, diversity, and Mother Nature PP: What advice would you give our current LFCDS students? PP: Cubs or Sox? ND: Cubs


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Our Faculty 21

LFCDS Presents! It has been a busy conference year for both faculty and administrators at LFCDS as our in-house experts have been invited to share their expertise on a broad range of topics at both regional and national conferences and events. These speaking engagements are a direct reflection of the dedication to

excellence in teaching and learning that our educators aspire to daily. Our faculty and staff are among the best and brightest in the country, and we are proud to have them represent LFCDS in the greater educational community. Below is a glimpse into what our LFCDS thought leaders have been sharing.

2016 Annual ISACS Conference: “Doing, Designing, Connecting & Thinking, 2” November 2016, Columbus OH Building Community in your School: The LFCDS House System Presented by Cindy Edwards, Lisa Horstmann, and Ty Stuckslager

Hoffman Estates High School November 2017, Hoffman Estates, IL Family Engagement Event: Social Emotional Learning to Foster Academic Growth Presented by Nancy Watson, LCSW

Developmentally Appropriate Academic Rigor in Kindergarten Presented by Megan Dziekan and Carly Harvey All-City Waukegan Middle School Choral Festival May 2017, Waukegan, IL Guest Choral Clinician and Conductor Scott Baeseman John Burr Elementary School June 2017, Chicago, IL Embracing and Celebrating Your Personal Diversity Story Keynote Graduation Speaker Scott Baeseman 2017 Annual NAIS Conference: “Make Your Mission Matter from Vision to Values” February 2017, Baltimore, MD Back from the Brink: Use Your Mission to Transform Enrollment, Governance and Fundraising Presented by Bob Whelan, Wendy Weil, Judith Arnstein, and Pete Moore Happy Faculty, Vibrant School: Key Considerations Regarding Faculty Wellness Presented by Judith Arnstein

2017 ISACS Annual Conference: “Blazing a Trail to Learning” November 2017, Chicago, IL Cultivating a Growth Mindset through Mathematics Presented by Pete Moore, Paul Hedlund, and Ty Stuckslager The Quest for Empathy and Relevance in the English Classroom Presented by Kim Bell, Mark DeBernardi, and Ami Polonsky SEL & Mindfulness in Curriculum Presented by Nicky Pitman When Social and Emotional Learning Merge with Student-Led Conferences Presented by Nancy Watson and Andy Sperling


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22 alumni spotlight

Christopher H. Warner ’93 After graduating from LFCDS, Christopher H. Warner ’93 attended Lake Forest High School and then studied Music Business at The University of Miami as a vocalist and pianist. During the summer before his senior year, Mr. Warner applied for and received an internship at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. After graduating in 2000, he left the East Coast and moved to the West Coast. For the first ten years of his career, Mr. Warner worked in scripted television, climbing up the production ranks on numerous projects including: Gilmore Girls, CSI: NY, and Nip/Tuck. He then shifted his talents to feature films working on Mr. & Mrs. Smith; Official 2012 Cannes Film Festival Selection Mud - starring Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon; Academy Award winning Whiplash - staring Miles Teller and JK Simmons; and Rob Reiner’s LBJ starring Woody Harrelson. In 2015, Mr. Warner had a brief return to television traveling to Colombia to film the internationally acclaimed Colombian produced Narcos for Netflix. In 2016, he fought the elements shooting Wind River, an American, neo-Western, murder-mystery film starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. Most recently Mr. Warner re-teamed with Rob Reiner to executive produce and production manage the politically charged Iraq war drama, Shock and Awe starring Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Jessica Biel, and James Marsden. Mr. Warner currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Malia, son Reid, daughter (due in April 2018), and their miniature dachshund, Sasha.

“ Do not be afraid to ask for help— One thing LFCDS taught me better than any other institution is how to communicate. No matter what professional path you pursue, there are people willing and wanting to help you be successful. All you have to do is ask.”


23 Paw Prints: What is your favorite LFCDS memory?

PP: What is the best advice you have received?

Chris Warner: I always liked Father’s Day. Being able

to always keep in mind that your way isn’t the only way to complete the task. While your way will get the job done, it isn’t necessarily the best way or the only way, and by listening to others around you, it might reveal a better way.

to invite my dad into my universe by showing him my achievements and challenges for that year.

PP: What was your favorite class at LFCDS? CW: Bob Bullard’s history class gave each of us $5,000

for pretend and told us to invest in the stock market. He taught us how to read the share prices from the newspaper and evaluate each company’s position. Everyday he’d post the best earners on the chalkboard. Real-life scenarios and friendly competition. So fun!

PP: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? CW: Most kids always say “policeman, doctor, fireman,” But not me. I wanted to be a chef. I loved cooking in the kitchen with my mom and grandmother.

CW: I was once told, when it comes to problem solving,

PP: If you could live anywhere, where would it be? CW: LA for work. Chicago for family. Colorado for fun. South Florida for sun.

PP: What is your favorite song? CW: “Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney PP: What is your favorite piece of technology? CW: My electric car.

PP: Who were your most memorable LFCDS teachers?

PP: What inspires you?

CW: Holly Windon was by far my favorite. She taught

when someone tells me “it can’t be done,” or “there is no possible way,” it only encourages me more to find a way. It doesn’t always work, but I love the challenge.

me practical math for everyday use. Plus, she laughed at all my jokes. Others influential teachers include: Jim Sullivan – No one prepped us better for “what to expect” after LFCDS and even high school. Conversation, lecture, note taking, and tests. Very straight forward, and I learned a lot. Mike Steffens – He showed me how to push myself and the value of teamwork. Don Bortz – He showed me how to communicate and attack our problems head on. His door was always open.

PP: What is the biggest innovation so far in your lifetime? CW: The internet. Being able to look up something at the push of a button is a tool I wish we had in the LFCDS computer lab.

CW: Making the impossible possible. In my line of work,

PP: What advice would you give our current LFCDS students? CW: Do not be afraid to make mistakes—my vocal

professor in college once said, “I can only fix the wrong notes if I can hear them.” Do not be afraid to ask for help—one thing LFCDS taught me better than any other institution is how to communicate. No matter what professional path you pursue, there are people willing and wanting to help you be successful. All you have to do is ask.

PP: Cubs or Sox? CW: Today? Cubs. But c’mon…baseball? I was part of the Michael Jordan era!


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24 Capital Campaign

ALL IN

LFCDS For more information on the LFCDS Capital Campaign please visit allin.lfcds.org

Investing in the Future

Our community-wide fundraising effort will support a carefully considered vision for the School that takes into account the skills, knowledge, and character traits our students will need to become productive members of society. At the heart of the campaign are our four main priorities: endowment for faculty support, an Innovation Space, gymnasium renovations, and Performing Arts Center updates. This $12 million ALL IN endeavor aims to dramatically enhance Lake Forest Country Day’s legacy of distinction in educating students from age two through grade eight.

Campaign Pillars Endowment for faculty support

$7 million

Innovation Center

$2 million

Gymnasium Renovation

$1.5 million

Performing Arts Center Updates $1.5 million Total Campaign Goal:

$12 million

For more than 130 years, Lake Forest Country Day School has cultivated a reputation for excellence in its teaching, an innovative approach to its curriculum, and the inclusiveness of its community. With a dynamic learning environment comprised of more than 400 students and 80 faculty and staff, we have a proud past and promising future. ALL IN LFCDS, our campaign to both preserve and advance this standard of excellence, will sustain the School’s emphasis on scholarship, civic engagement and collaboration, while integrating new learning strategies that position our students, and the School community for success in the years to come.


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class notes 25 William G. Brown ’56

After leaving the Day School in 1956, Bill Brown spent four years at Andover, then a year in France where he met his future wife, Solange, followed by three years at Princeton. Next, Bill headed north to Harvard Law School where he and his wife welcomed their first child, daughter Solange ’82, just one week before his graduation. They returned to live in France for another year, then relocated to Long Island while Bill worked with a law firm in New York. Their growing family moved to Lake Forest, where they brought up their three children. Bill and Solange moved to Hobe Sound, Florida in 1991 where for the past 26 years, they have spent half of the year while dividing the rest of their time between their residences in Illinois and France.

Amy Conger ’56

Amy Conger (Ph.D., UNM 1982) taught art history for many years, and it was while teaching at University of California - Riverside that she met and married her husband, a professor and administrator. He passed away last November after thirty years together. Amy has written and published several books and articles and currently lives in Riverside, CA. ​

George M. Covington ’56

George Covington practices law in Lake Forest where he has developed a specialty in conservation easements. He has been involved both professionally and as a volunteer with a number of conservation organizations including Lake Forest Open Lands Association. George, who has lived in Lake Bluff since 1981, recently remarried. He has three daughters – Karen, Jean, and Sarah ’94 – from his first marriage to Shelagh in 1966.

Howard F. Gillette ’56

Since retiring, Howard Gillette has remained active as a historian and co-editor of the online Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. As a fitting conclusion to his teaching career, Howard spent the past two spring semesters teaching a course in urban studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Both of his children work in New York City, one as a feature writer for Businessweek and the other as a manager in New York City’s Department of Homeless Services.

Appleton A. Mason ’56

Tony Mason teaches part time at the Tufts School of Medicine. Tony spends his free time playing golf, sailing, spending time with his three grandchildren who live close by in Beverly, and working with a local program to support immigrants.

Donald M. McKellar ’56

Don McKellar and his wife, Mary, enjoy both river and ocean cruising and have completed more than ten cruises with various lines. They are active in their churches in Phoenix and Prescott, AZ, where they have lived for almost forty-five years. Their most recent adventure was a cruise to South America.

Leilani Philips ’56

Leilani Philips and her husband, Bill, have gone coast to coast in their motorhome at least four times. They have spent each fall for the past eighteen years in Baja, Mexico, where Bill likes to kite surf and Leilani spends her time reading and quilting. When back in Seattle, Leilani still skis and enjoys her family which includes four granddaughters.

Sara J. Thorne-Thomsen ’56

After retiring from teaching English at Virginia Tech, Sara (Jessopp) Thorne-Thomsen started a design/install landscape business with a friend. She notes that having too many physical aches and pains caused her to retire again, so she began work as a writing consultant, assisting foreign Ph.D. students with their dissertations. She continues gardening happily at her home in Pittsburgh, PA, where she retired a year and a half ago. She has two sons, Eli, a carpenter in western Massachusetts, and, Carl, a restauranteur in Kansas City. Sara mentions, “If any of you find yourselves in Kansas City, I recommend dining at his restaurant, Story.”


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26 class notes Gardiner B. Van Ness ’56

Gary Van Ness retired in 2001, and since then he and his wife of fifty years, Jessie, have built a winter home in Tucson to enjoy the warmth and ride horses. Jessie and Gary have three grown children who attended Lake Forest Country Day School – Gardner ’86, Bradley ’88, and Chapin ’93. Gary spends his free time playing golf and tennis, skiing, and more recently, biking. Gary hosted the Onwentsia Club dinner for the class of 1956 reunion this past June at LFCDS.

golfing, fishing, entertaining, and cooking. Winston reports that he loves bringing people together around the dinner table together as he cooks a delightful three- to four-course meal with a good selection of wines. Winston enjoys fly fishing, especially saltwater fly fishing, around the globe. He has also enjoyed thoroughbred horse racing for most of his life. Winston was the former chairman of the Arizona State Racing Commission in the ’80s and early ’90s. Winston reports that most of all, he enjoys a life of helping others.

April D. Wilson ’56

Helen S. Reed ’66

April (Donald) Wilson lives with her husband, Gordon Wilson ’48, in Hillsboro Beach, FL. April is the grandmother of recent graduate, Alec Wilson ’14.

Robert E. Spiel ’56

Bob reports, “Andy ’99 is graduating from his medical fellowship, Jenny ’04 is graduating from business school, and I am graduating from shoulder surgery.” Bob report that the rest of his family is happy and healthy.

Ann Sylvester ’57

Ann Sylvester currently lives and works in Ohio. Ann specializes in clinical social work at Connections Health Wellness and Advocacy in Beachwood, Ohio, and has more than twenty-eight years of experience in the field of medicine. Ann reports that she is still very busy with work and continues to accept new patients.

Winston McKellar ’65

Winston McKellar has been a licensed Arizona real estate broker and a CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) for more than forty years. Specifically, Winston has worked as an investment banker operating under McKellar & Company over the last twenty years, specializing in angel investments to series A rounds for companies primarily in the Southwest. His companies range from AtmosAir Solutions, and YipTV, to Vizi Health Solutions and Lendaily. His hobbies include running, hiking,

Helen Reed joined a French tour group and traveled to Israel in September. She mentions, “A trip to the Holy Land is definitely worthwhile for anyone interested in history and religion. I visited many cities, Roman ruins, churches, synagogues, mosques, a kibbutz, the Dead Sea, the Jordanian desert, the river Jordan, and more.” Helen currently lives in Eugene, Oregon and spends many hours volunteering as a landscape gardener at Hendricks Park, Eugene’s oldest park. Helen also sits on the Board of the Friends of Hendricks Park.


27 Charles Denby ’67

Charley Denby lives in Rhode Island, where he is transitioning out of the practice of medicine and into a late-life career supporting an emerging non-profit for public outdoor art in Providence. He welcomes any and all referrals of sculptors living in New England who would have an interest in marketing their work in collaboration with this endeavor.

Nelson P. Lane ’67

Nelson Lane mentions he is excited for an upcoming 50th reunion with his classmates from the graduating class of 1967. He reports he is happy in southern Colorado on his “Doubloon Ranch.”

Leo J. Rudberg ’08

Leo Rudberg works on the Cloud Build Team at Google in New York City. He is currently involved in a service program through CUNY (City Universities of New York) where tech professionals, including Google employees, engage in several “Hack-a-thons” targeted to current college students across the New York metropolitan area. At previous CUNY Hack-a-thons, Leo has conducted in-depth workshops with students on Angular and Golang, two modern technologies used at Google, an opportunity not routinely available to students. During these workshops, Leo works directly with students to help them solve technical problems, such as installing tools or debugging code. He also offers his advice on how students can find their passion in the tech world and navigate the job market after college.

Alec H. Bozorgi ’10

Alec Bozorgi is a junior at Colgate University where he is majoring in economics. He is taking the spring semester off to continue his pursuit of his athletic passion: horseback riding and grand prix show jumping. He will be working and competing in Holland, where he trained last summer, throughout this winter, spring, and summer. Alec continues to build on his prior experiences representing the US and the Midwest in national and international competition and as an invited participant in development programs sponsored by the United States Hunter Jumper Association and the United States Equestrian Team.

Joseph T. Wacker ’10

Tate Wacker is currently taking a gap year to travel through South America and work at the Argentinian guest ranch Estancia Ranquilco. His duties on the ranch include building cabins, chopping firewood, saddling horses, and putting trout on the table. Ranquilco specializes in trail riding through the Andes, fishing, and sharing the rustic, local gaucho culture. Tate reports that the ranch is only active during the summer season (our winter season), so he will leave at the end of March.

Amanda M. Bozorgi ’11

Amanda Bozorgi is a junior at Middlebury College where she is majoring in neuroscience. This past fall, she finished her third season on the varsity field hockey team which won their second Division III NCAA National Championship in three years. Amanda, who also won a championship as a freshman, was chosen as a captain for next year’s team. Amanda will spend this coming summer in Copenhagen studying neuroscience during a semester-abroad program.

Joyce A. Caldwell ’12

Joyce Caldwell is a sophomore majoring in Public Health at the University of Illinois. She reports that she loves college and plans to study abroad next year.

Rachel Cantor ’12

Rachel Cantor is enjoying her sophomore year at Northwestern University, studying Communications, Entrepreneurship and Integrated Marketing. She spent her summer interning for Refinery29, a digital media company in New York City, where she worked on video projects and co-produced a food series. On campus, Rachel is involved in a student-run marketing agency, Form & Function, and with the Northwestern University Dance Marathon, where Rachel is on the media and marketing committee. She directs her sorority’s team, managing 120+ dancers


winter 2018

28 class notes who this year raised more than $160,000. Rachel reports, “I am looking forward to the rest of the year and seeing what opportunities lie ahead.”

Julia P. Dixon ’12

Julia Dixon is currently a sophomore at Cornell. She recently joined Cornell Marketing Organization (CMO), a student-run organization that provides consulting services to local companies. For her first project, she is working with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier to improve their website and increase food-drive participation. Julia is also a social-media ambassador for Cornell Admissions and last summer worked as an intern at Miller Media Sales, Inc.

Preston Anderson ’14

Preston recently completed his final fall semester at Beacon Academy where he will graduate this spring with his International Baccalaureate diploma. Preston notes that it has been a very exciting year, and one of the major highlights for him was traveling to Connecticut with his school’s sailing team to compete in the Lawrence A. White U.S. Coast Guard Academy Regatta. He is looking forward to the next chapter of life!

Young Alumni Luncheon & Basketball Game On Friday, December 15, young alumni across several classes gathered together for the annual Young Alumni Luncheon at LFCDS. After enjoying a Potbelly’s catered lunch in the Library with friends and teachers, students engaged in an all alumni basketball game in the newly renovated Gymnasium. Plenty of holiday cheer, healthy competition, and reconnecting took place during this festive afternoon at the School.


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in memoriam 29 Iftikhar Ul Haq

Grandparent, Dr. Iftikhar Ul Haq, passed away peacefully at his home in Lake Bluff on June 22, 2017, surrounded by his family, loved ones, and friends. He was 82. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sureya, three children, including Sakeena ’87 and Nur ’89, four grandchildren, including Ifti ’23, three great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Dr. Haq was Chief of Anesthesia at Victory Memorial Hospital, a position he held for over 30 years, as well as chief of Critical Care and principal of the Respiratory Therapy School. He was also involved in the establishment of Islamic Foundation North, one of the first community centers for Muslims in Lake County, ultimately resulting in the building of Libertyville’s first mosque. He also supported two dispensaries with his younger brother in order to provide much needed medications to the poor in Pakistan.

Elizabeth K. Johnson ’62

Alumna, Elizabeth Kelley Johnson, a devoted mother and grandmother, died suddenly on October 20, 2017. She was 69 years old. The second oldest of six children, Liz spent her childhood in Lake Forest, IL, attended Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, and graduated from Smith College in Northampton, MA. She was an avid golfer and competitor, winning golf club championships at both the Chevy Chase Club in Bethesda, MD, and the Sakonnet Golf Club in Little Compton, RI. Most of all, Liz was known for her devotion and loyalty to family, in particular to her children, Kelley Johnson Boyd and Collister (Coddy) Ward Johnson, and then to her grandchildren, Brooks and Chase Boyd and Savannah, Lane, Wade, and August Johnson, whom she loved deeply. She is survived by her two children; her five siblings: Mary Swift ’60, Pam Kelley, Susan Kelley ’65, Jay Kelley, and Wick Kelley ’73; her six grandchildren; and her nine nieces and nephews.

Albert Pawlick

Alumni Parent, Albert Pawlick, died on August 16, 2017. He was born to Otto Albert Pawlick and Marie Edna Mauss on August 31, 1923, in New York City. Al was a veteran of the Second World War. In 1955, he and his wife, Peggy, along with their two young children moved to Lake Forest, IL and later Lake Bluff, IL, where they had a third child. Al worked as a marketing executive for many years at the Gillette Company, including VP of Marketing for Gillette of Canada. He was predeceased in 1995 by his first wife of 41 years, and he later married Marian (Phelps) Douglass Tyler ’40. Together, they traveled extensively, occasionally with their combined family of more than 40 people. He is survived by his second wife, three children, Lock ’68 (Ann), Rob ’69 (Katherine) and Peter ’72 (Mary), and six grandchildren, along with five step-children, Louise ’64, Scott ’65 (Susan), Tim ’69 (Joanne), Rob ’71 (Sue) and Kathy ’74, eleven stepgrandchildren and four step-great grandchildren.


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30 planned giving Planned Giving:

THE APPLETON MASON SOCIETY Lake Forest Country Day School has prepared and inspired generations of students to live lives of character and purpose. Now in its 130th year, Lake Forest Country Day School continues to provide an extraordinary educational experience in a community of devoted students, faculty, and alumni. Thanks in large part to the prudent foresight and generosity of prior generations, LFCDS is able to continue its tradition of excellence. The Appleton Mason Society celebrates those who have included LFCDS in their future plans. By leaving your own

legacy and making the School an integral part of your estate plans today, you will have a direct and enduring impact on the School and its students in the future. Build a lasting legacy with a planned gift to LFCDS today by becoming a member of the Appleton Mason Society. The commitments of Society members constitute one of Lake Forest Country Day School’s most valuable assets.

For more information

please contact Sarah Thomas, Director of Development at sarah.thomas@lfcds.org or (847) 234-2350


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Homecoming 2017 31

lfcds homecoming 2017 Not even driving rain could dampen the Panther spirit at Homecoming this year on October 14. More than 500 students, families, alumni, and friends enjoyed burgers and brats at the faculty food tables, arts and crafts, games, and bounce houses in the gym. While Football and Field Hockey were rained out, the teams rallied to cheer on the Volleyball and Soccer teams as well as the fearless Cross Country runners, who braved the elements. Games and activities were held inside the newly renovated Gymnasium, which our returning alumni gave rave reviews. We thank all the coaches, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends for their generous help and support in making Homecoming a success. We can’t wait to see you next year!


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32 Homecoming 2017


33


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34 lfcds in pictures convocation

family movie night

first day of school

december house event


veterans day

october house event

holiday sing-a-long

family reading night

holiday assembly

family visiting day


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HEADline fund here 36 annual

What is the Annual Giving Fund? Annual Giving is the cornerstone of all fundraising activities at the School. LFCDS relies on gifts to the Fund to maintain its excellence year after year. The Fund refers to tax-deductible gifts collected during the fiscal year, beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30. Specifically, contributions to the Fund allow LFCDS to do the following: Retain and hire talented faculty members Ensure a low student-to-teacher ratio • Provide cutting-edge technology in the classroom • Maintain state-of-the-art infrastructure • Fund professional development opportunities for faculty and staff • Support the School’s athletics, arts, and music programs • •

Why Give? Gifts to the Annual Giving Fund are of vital importance to our School as they help secure the margin of excellence that makes the LFCDS experience so extraordinary. Since tuition only covers eighty percent of the cost of educating our students, donations to the Fund bridge the gap between revenue and operating costs. Ultimately, the students and faculty are the primary beneficiaries of gifts to the Annual Fund. Participation with a gift of any size allows LFCDS to attract the support from foundations and corporations and has a direct and immediate impact on our people and programs.

How Do I Give? For more information on giving, please contact John Kinzer at john.kinzer@lfcds.org or (847) 615-6233. Gifts can be made online at www.lfcds.org/giving, via the envelope included in this magazine, or check mailed to Lake Forest Country Day School to the attention of the Annual Fund.


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STEM + 37

Core Values: Excellence Partnership Responsibility Participation Diversity


Lake Forest Country Day School 145 South Green Bay Road Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 (847) 234-2350 | www.lfcds.org

save the date Saturday, March 3

LFCDS Auction The Great Outdoors

Friday, May 4

Grandparents & Special Friends Day

Thursday, June 7 Graduation

NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAID LAKE FOREST, IL Permit #90


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