Acorn - Spring/Summer 2023

SPRING/SUMMER 2023

The Acorn is published by the Marketing and Communications Department of North Shore Country Day for alumni, parents, grandparents and friends. Its goal is to connect our school community, celebrate recent accomplishments and capture the essence of life and learning at NSCD.

North Shore Country Day

3 1 0 Green Bay Road Winnetka, Illinois 60093

84 7 446. 0 6 74

Reimagining the Mac Gym

Hoops4Health Founder Brendan Kolton ’01

Tom Flemma Head of School

Gia Anayas

Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications ganayas@nscds.org

Christine Wachter

Associate Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications, Acorn Editor cwachter@nscds.org

Jonathan Gibby Digital Content Manager jgibby@nscds.org

Molly Ingram McDowell ’80 Director of Development mmcdowell@ nscds.org

PHOTOS

Tracie Frederick Senior Associate Director of Development tfrederick@ nscds.org

Ashleigh Palmer Weathers ’04 Development Associate— Major Gifts and Alumni Relations aweathers@ nscds.org

Photographers

Jonathan Gibby

Rob Hart

Joel Lerner

George Pfoertner

Christine Wachter

WCS Photography

Jay Young Writers

Christine Wachter

Kathy Routliffe

Margaret Ringia Hart Design, margaretringiahart.com

Graphic Arts Studio

Printing, www.gasink.net

On the cover

A rendering of the re-imagined Mac Gym, courtesy of architects

Kahler Slater

Inside front cover

Artwork by Eleanor Chodera ’26

On the back cover

A 1959 architectural drawing by Robert Parker Coffin

If you have information about any of the archival photos in this issue, contact Archivist Kenleigh Howard at 847.881.8844 or khoward@nscds.org.

WHOLE CHILD EDUCATION

We work tirelessly to create the culture, build the programming and provide the physical spaces where students can be themselves, engage with others and learn most effectively. The transformation of the Mac Gym into a center for health and wellness will serve all of these objectives.

It could not have been common back in the day for school heads to speak at medical conferences, but our Founding Headmaster Perry Dunlap Smith did just that in 1935. In a style all his own, he spoke to the American Academy of Pediatrics, gently prodding the assembled doctors to partner with schools and teachers and families to understand children, not just their ailments. He reminded the physicians, “Just as in medicine, in education it is not possible to handle the child in pieces; to try to build his character at one time, his physical attributes at another and to pay attention to his mental qualities at a third time. He is learning and growing all of the time and in almost every direction. In fact, just as in medicine, that child who grows in a most well-rounded manner in all directions seems to be the most satisfactory personality in the end.”

It was an expression of Perry Dunlap Smith’s hallmark vision of “whole child” education, the core belief that schools

must tend to the intellectual, physical and emotional elements of students in equal measure. He was an avid proponent of physical fitness and athletic competition because he recognized the integral connection between physical, emotional and intellectual health. He was way ahead of his time, and his approach has shaped our program, pedagogy and culture ever since.

I am confident that Perry Dunlap Smith would applaud the way our wellness program has grown at NSCD and would be enthralled by the plans to renovate the Mac Gym in support of that program. He would surely be aware of the voluminous research in neuroscience and cognitive psychology that shows again and again that when students feel included, engaged and healthy, both physically and emotionally, they learn more effectively, resulting in higher levels of achievement and satisfaction. Research also shows that this happens best when school cultures are connective, positive and healthy.

That’s why the Mac Gym project you’ll read about in the pages to follow has taken the shape it has and why it reflects so much more than just a court and locker rooms. Yes, it will address deferred maintenance, add air conditioning and reflect the latest ways that athletes and coaches train and grow physically. It also will be a community gathering space, a place for kids to study or relax before and after prac-

tices, and a way to reinforce for students the crucial link of physical and emotional wellness. In a time when students face unprecedented challenges and stresses, this project could not be more timely.

Schools like NSCD lead the way in teaching students the skills they need to thrive personally and academically. We work tirelessly to create the culture, build the programming and provide the physical spaces where students can be themselves, engage with others and learn most effectively. The transformation of the Mac Gym into a center for health and wellness will serve all of these objectives.

The Mac Gym has hosted literally thousands of special Raiders moments, and it will continue to do so. With this work, we will ensure that succeeding generations of students will have the tools they need to grow physically and mentally, to learn teamwork, sportsmanship, fitness and health, and to grow in selfunderstanding, self-regulation and selfcare. These are all life skills, ones that help students—and the adults they grow into— navigate life’s challenges in school and out. When they are combined with the traditional academic skills NSCD always has taught, our graduates thrive in the world. That’s the North Shore way.

—Tom Flemma, Head of School

Reimagining the Mac Gym

Good schools strive for strong academic outcomes. Great schools recognize that shaping young people into the best versions of themselves requires a more holistic approach. Here at North Shore Country Day, we believe the strongest academic outcomes demand— and can only occur—if we prioritize and nurture the wellness of our students and the entire school community. To that end, school leadership has decided it’s time to make some significant upgrades to the Mac Gym—NSCD’s primary JK-12 wellness facility.

Since the school’s founding in 1919, health and wellness has been an important part of a North Shore education. Founding Headmaster Perry Dunlap Smith was committed to educating the whole child—something that we still emphasize today. In the early days, that primarily took the form of mandatory athletic participation for all students and routine physical checkups, but over the years, it has expanded to encompass a JK-12 program that integrates both the mind and body.

In 2017, the school released a strategic plan that included a charge to design and build a comprehensive JK-12 health and wellness program. “While there are some constants, what the world will demand of the future leaders we educate today shifts with daunting regularity,” the plan explains. “That reality requires us to approach our work deliberately, intelligently, collaboratively and boldly.”

In order for students to develop the skills necessary to thrive personally and academically, they need adequate facilities—physical spaces where students can be themselves, engage with others and learn most effectively.

“The physical connection to the mind is really significant, so that’s where we’re working to bolster the curricular portion of our wellness project with a facilities portion,” explained Head of School Tom Flemma during his State of the School address in January. “That’s something we’ve done in this school for a hundred

years. If you’ve been in our different buildings, you’ll recognize there is an intentionality to them that reflects our pedagogy and our curriculum. There are certain elements of education that our renovated spaces highlight and emphasize, like collaboration and project work. We’ve done a lot of work on this campus except for our wellness and physical activity facilities. And that has to change.”

Over the past two decades, the school has upgraded its facilities one building at a time. In 2003-2004, the $10 million campaign, “Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future,” resulted in the construction of the Louis J. Conant ’11 Science Center and the renovation of the lower and middle school buildings. In 2010-11, architect and futurist Trung Le transformed the upper school, kicking off the $30 million “Small School, Big Plans” campaign. In 2013, the Nathaniel French Arts Center was renovated, followed by the auditorium in 2014 and the cafeteria in 2015. Then in 2019, with early funds raised from the current campaign, the Hall Library was transformed—the project fast-tracked after a burst pipe flooded the existing space. The Mac Gym, first built in 1960 and renovated once in the late ’90s to add girls locker rooms, is one of the few remaining JK-12 spaces left to be modernized.

During its most recent campus master planning process, NSCD examined its JK-12 health and wellness program— curriculum, content, skills and facilities— and determined that updates to the 63-year-old facility were necessary. “For decades NSCD has been committed to developing and maintaining a learning environment that instills a passion for active, lifelong learning, and recognizing the centrality of physical and emotional wellness to a world-class education,” Tom says. “We have an opportunity now to focus and elevate this work.”

One key element has been evaluating whether the school’s current physical spaces reflect the growing centrality of health and wellness to the NSCD experience. Now, after years of planning, NSCD is beginning the process of renovating and expanding the Mac Gym and

adding an additional practice court and multipurpose wellness spaces.

Former Board Chair Molly Shotwell Oelerich ’87 volunteered to help shepherd the Mac Gym project. During her 20-plus years as a trustee, she served on a number of committees, including finance, buildings and grounds, development and strategic planning, and as both a current parent and an alumna of the school, she brings a really well-rounded perspective.

“The Mac Gym is probably the single most used building on campus,” she says. “Students are in there from the minute school starts until long into the evening. And it’s a JK through 12 learning space. We do Morning Ex in there, summer camp, and of course PE classes. It’s not just about serving our athletes, it’s about serving the entire school. It’s a workhorse—and it’s time to bring it into the modern era.”

The renovation will improve accessibility, security and fire protection, as well as modernize the HVAC systems, explains Director of Operations Cindy Hooper, the administrative lead on the project who has been working closely with the Village of Winnetka through the permitting process. The expansion will provide additional space for physical education and wellness classes, as well as an indoor space for the lower and middle schools to use during inclement weather for recess. Additionally, the new and renovated facilities will include a state-of-the-art fitness center and training room for student-athletes and provide more practice space for the volleyball and basketball teams.

“Our lofty goal is to build a world-class wellness program that will allow us to fulfill our mission and serve our entire student body—and generations of students to come—by elevating our physical fitness, wellness and interscholastic athletic programs,” Tom says. “Updated facilities are a key part of realizing this goal.”

The school enlisted the renowned architecture firm Kahler Slater, which incorporated feedback from parents, alumni, former student-athletes, faculty, staff, coaches and trustees to come up

We believe the strongest academic outcomes demand— and can only occur—if we prioritize and nurture the wellness of our students and the entire school community.

with a design for a multiphase plan to improve both JK-12 physical education/ wellness programs and athletics by providing:

• spaces that are safe, secure and accessible for all users,

• outdoor and indoor spaces at NSCD that are in top condition,

• spaces that offer flexibility for program and schedule,

• and spaces that allow for progression of skill-building for all ages.

“Physical education has evolved since the current gym was built, so it’s been really cool to have input, in terms of what makes sense given the way our school and our department and our students function,” explains Physical Education

THE PLAN

Department Head, Teacher and Coach Kyle Jones. “You can tell from the drafts and the images we’ve seen that they’ve listened, and I’m really excited to see all of that input come together to create something that’s pretty special.”

According to teachers and coaches alike, one of the most exciting aspects of the reimagined space is its flexibility. In addition to the renovation of the existing gym, the second phase of the plan calls for the construction of a second full-size gym. Both of these spaces will have movable partitions, so four different classes or practices could be held simultaneously— five if you include the West Gym. The current weight room on the lower level will be transformed into a functional

fitness space with free weights, cardiovascular machines, lots of open, flexible space and a small turf area with enough room for agility and speed work. “It’s going to allow us to do so much more in there,” Kyle says.

Increasing the amount of usable space is also top of mind for Athletic Director and Coach Patrick McHugh. When he started in the mid-1990s, athletics was a nine-month program with significant breaks in the winter, spring and summer. Now there is something going on with at least one team every single week of the year—whether it’s a practice, a game or conditioning during the off-season. The daily schedule is shifting later, too. While most games used to start at 3:45 or 4 p.m., many now start at 4:30 or 5 p.m., and that pushes practices later as well.

North Shore Country Day’s Director of Operations and Summer Programs Cindy Hooper has assembled an expert team to tackle this $28 million Mac Gym renovation and expansion project, led by the architecture firm Kahler Slater, with civil engineers SpaceCo, landscape architects the Lakota Group and general contractors Valenti Builders.

The first phase, slated to break ground during the 2023-24 school year, will include a complete interior and exterior renovation of the existing gym, plus two required additions to bring the building up to code. Safety and security will be a focus, with a more secure entrance, sprinklers and an up-to-date fire alarm system, as well as improved indoor air quality that includes air conditioning and heating.

The west quad addition will widen the current balcony viewing area and add a lounge and ADA-accessible bathrooms. The south addition, which will extend out toward where the swimming pool is now, will include a main stairwell and an elevator, which will greatly enhance accessibility.

The renovation will also address $3.5 million of deferred maintenance with functional and environmental upgrades, including a new green roof. The first phase is expected to take a maximum of 12 months to complete.

The second phase of the project, expected to begin once the first phase is complete, will build out the new space to make room for a second gym, additional meeting rooms and offices. It also will include a stormwater detention vault in the far southeast corner of campus, near where administrative office building Leicester Hall now sits.

“Perry Dunlap Smith was groundbreaking at the time when he talked about the physical wellbeing of children,” explains former Board Chair Molly Shotwell Oelerich ’87, who is helping to spearhead the project. “He emphasized athletics and arts just as much as academics. And so even though this is a very forward-looking, futuristic building, it does harken back to our roots and speaks to our mission, which is teaching the whole child.”

“Most days in the winter, we’re going until 7:30 p.m. just to fit in practices on days with no games. The joke has always been that it’s not North Shore Country Day School, it’s North Shore Country Day and Night School,” he laughs. “And it certainly does seem that way in athletics at times.”

The renovation also will include a lounge area where students can socialize and study in between games or practices. The lounge could also be used as additional space for wellness classes—many of which currently are held in regular classrooms in the upper school building.

As a PE teacher, Kyle says it’s obvious a lot of thought has been put into the way students will flow in and out of the new space. When classes are held back to back, having adequate storage and the ability to adapt and change the space quickly makes a big difference. He also appreciates how inviting and appealing the design is, and says it’s going to become a real epicenter for the NSCD community.

“When students leave North Shore, we want all of these physical education and wellness experiences to have been so positive that they want to continue to be healthy or practice a sport or activity they’re passionate about,” Kyle explains. “Having additional great spaces is going to help us do that. This is going to have a lifelong impact on our students beyond the walls of North Shore.”

In order for students to develop the skills necessary to thrive personally and academically, they need adequate facilities— physical spaces where students can be themselves, engage with others and learn most effectively.

BRENDAN KOLTON ’01

Brendan envisioned programs nurturing four goals for participants: their minds, bodies, nutrition and discipline. In 2010, he founded Hoops4Health.

When Brendan Kolton ’01 talks about surviving a brush with death as a high school junior and living thereafter with the rare disease that caused it, he’s cheerfully matter-of-fact. When he talks about his subsequent journey—from high school and university basketball courts to the Chicago Board of Trade, to heading his own business—he’s calm and thoughtful.

But talk about basketball or about Hoops4Health, the youth basketball enterprise he founded in 2010, and his face lights up. His words tumble out as he describes how much he loves the sport, and how dedicated he is to helping kids learn to love it as much as he does. He’s also more than happy to talk about how much he’s dedicated himself to teaching them self-discipline and a healthy, mindful lifestyle that can enrich their lives off the court.

“I just loved working with kids and seeing them smile,” Brendan says, before breaking into his own broad smile. “I’m a big kid myself, I guess!”

Much of what he and his coaching team at Hoops4Health teach has roots in what he learned growing up in Winnetka and later on the North Shore Country Day boys varsity basketball team, he says.

Brendan says he enjoys sports in general, but basketball has always been his first love. “It’s always been relaxing and fun for me. I like the team aspect, and the bonding with teammates. That’s really cool, the process of building a unit.”

He’s the latest member of his family to excel at the game. Brendan’s grandfather, Manny Begun, played at Chicago’s Crane High School; his dad, Bradley Kolton, was a top player at Chicago’s Bowen High School, an All-City player there and earned a basketball scholarship to Northern Illinois University. While Brendan followed in the footsteps of those before him, he also competed with a unique challenge. Brendan played the game while fighting Diabetes Insipidus, the rare condition with which he was diagnosed as a child.

Unlike Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, which damage a person’s ability to create insulin, Diabetes Insipidus, sometimes called Water Diabetes or DI, is usually caused by damage to someone’s hypothalamus or pituitary gland. Someone with the disease produces too much urine and sufers from feeling constantly thirsty, tired and rundown. In Brendan’s case, doctors couldn’t find the cause.

He was diagnosed as a young child, but still managed to play basketball. When Brendan came to NSCD as a freshman, he continued playing. However, he says DI made every day a struggle, both in the classroom and on the court, even with medication.

Things finally came to a head in Brendan’s junior year when he fell into a coma shortly after coming home from a family Passover dinner. Doctors later determined that his DI had made him drink so much water that his sodium level dropped to life-threatening lows. He went to bed that night feeling ill, and when he woke up in the hospital two days later, basketball was the first thing he thought about: “I asked, ‘When can I play again?’” he now laughs.

The episode had a silver lining: It allowed his medical team to better treat his condition and create a regimen to keep him healthy. He now takes medication regularly, and each day he measures every ounce of fluid he takes in. He weighs himself nightly to account for any excess fluid, and gets his sodium levels tested monthly.

Brendan was back in school in three months, and with a trainer’s help, he was able to rejoin the NSCD basketball team at full strength in his senior year.

After graduating from North Shore, he chose DePaul University because he wanted to win a spot on its NCAA Division 1 basketball team. He made the team as a junior, only to have an injury that prevented him from playing.

Brendan graduated with a communications degree and wanted to go into sports broadcasting. Instead, he wound up working at the Chicago Board of Trade for a little over two and a half years.

“It wasn’t my cup of tea,” he says. “But it was a challenge to learn, so the experience helped me.”

At the time, he was playing pro-am basketball, allowing him to work with professional NBA and European league players.

While working out at a local gym, he noticed basketball trainers whose practices didn’t impress him. That’s when Hoops4Health was born.

“It wasn’t right. I’d see camps where trainers weren’t teaching the kids; they’d be on their phones or not paying attention to the kids. And none of them talked about things like actual basketball fundamentals or the health aspects I thought were

important. I felt like I could do something better, like I could coach kids and do a better job,” he says.

Brendan envisioned programs nurturing four goals for participants: their minds, bodies, nutrition and discipline. Exposing boys and girls to yoga and Tai Chi, to meditation and to healthy nutrition habits could serve them well as they learned fundamental basketball skills, he thought. So would emphasizing education and introducing them to special guests like current and former NBA players.

In 2010, he founded Hoops4Health. (The “4” stands for the aforementioned goals.) It operates from the Winnetka Community House, and Brendan has a team of 16 coaches. He estimates Hoops4Health camps, clinics, teams and other programs serve more than 1,000 young people every year.

Brendan says learning to coach and to run a successful business put him on two steep learning curves. But he says it’s been worth it and adds that he learned to love the learning process itself. He looked to former NSCD basketball coach John Schneiter for inspiration.

“He taught me to respect your coaches and elders, to learn to respect the game,” he says.

Now Brendan himself coaches middle school boys basketball at NSCD, and he’s an assistant girls varsity coach. “Coming full circle to coach at NSCD was very humbling and very cool,” he says.

Even in his down time, Brendan’s thoughts rarely stray from basketball, and he says he’s always thinking about how to stay sharp as a coach. He reads about coaching and the sport in general; he touts books by Phil Jackson, the Chicago Bulls’ title-winning coach and “Zen master,” as well as late basketball superstar Kobe Bryant as among his favorites.

“I’m a low-key guy; I watch a lot of basketball, college basketball for example, because I just love the game so much. And I really like spending time with my family and girlfriend. I’m also a big movie guy, and I play golf,” he says.

From finding a route to personal health, to growing his basketball and business skills, to creating basketball programs for boys and girls from Chicago and the North Shore, Brendan’s life has been a series of steep learning curves. And he loves it.

“It’s been a gift. It’s been an amazing journey.”

parents’ association

Heritage Celebration

On Sunday, January 29, the NSCD community gathered together for the first annual Parents’ Association Heritage Celebration, hosted by the PA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. The school cafeteria was virtually unrecognizable, decorated with flags of the world and paper globe centerpieces, and it was filled to overflowing with families. Attendees enjoyed a spectacular potluck buffet that ran the length of the cafeteria consisting of homemade dishes from many different regions, including Korea, India, Poland, China, Pakistan, England, Scotland, Ukraine and even a few Midwestern casserole favorites! While enjoying the amazing food, children and parents played international trivia and listened to a playlist of musical artists from around the world. The littlest guests colored pictures of famous landmarks and filled in their own “passports” with flags of the world. We

were then treated to a vibrant and interactive music and dance performance by Surabhi Ensemble Chicago, which featured a combination of Indian, Arabic and Spanish style music. Surabhi had everyone up dancing and clapping! Many thanks to the EDI Committee who did an incredible job of organizing and decorating: Lamis Abulkhair Tabbara, Basma Babar and Adrianna Grimsley, and Director of Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement Lauren Collins. It was an amazing afternoon celebrating the rich diversity of our NSCD community.

Sip and Paint with Francis Allende-Pellot

The Parents’ Association hosted two “Sip and Paint” events, in March and May. Parents from all three divisions gathered in the NSCD Arts Center to socialize, eat snacks, and—of course—sip wine. Upper School Visual Arts Teacher Francis

Allende-Pellot then led a laughter-filled painting lesson. Each participant came away with their own masterpiece to be proudly displayed at home. A special thanks to Danielle Vanden Heuvel for making this wonderful new event happen and to Francis for her exceptional instruction (and sense of humor). We plan to host several more cross-division parent social events in the near future.

Parent Ed: Talking to Tweens and Teens about Tech Use

Parenting in the digital era can be tricky. At a Parent Ed event on April 18, clinical psychologist Dr. Renee Dominguez, Co-Executive Director of the Family Service Center in Northfield, offered guidance on how we as parents can provide structure, guidance and mentoring around technology. Here are some key takeaways:

Heritage Celebration

Sip and Paint: Francis Allende-Pellot

Anna Simpson and Trisha Byrne

Heritage Celebration: Kelly Callon-McLean, Lauren Collins, Adrianna Grimsley, Lamis Abulkhair Tabbara, Basma Babar and Jessica Shinn Heritage Celebration

Heritage Celebration: Surabhi Ensemble Chicago

• When introducing technology to younger children, consider digital training wheels. Just like when they’re learning to ride a bike, children need extra support and guidance when learning to manage digital devices. Show them how you interact on social media as an adult, talk about what you’re going to post and what implications it might have once it’s posted. Set concrete, mutually agreed-upon expectations. Having that structure and support in place will go a long way once the training wheels come off and they’re navigating technology more independently as teenagers and young adults.

• Think about mentoring versus monitoring. Kids might be savvy when it comes to technology, but parents are wise. It’s important to purposefully communicate when issues arise, identify specific problems and come up with solutions together. It’s our job as parents to be

curious about what their challenges are and then model the type of behavior we want to see. Talk about the way you handle your own digital communication, what you do when conflicts arise, or how you deal with social comparisons. We need to help our kids develop perspective and empathy.

• Prioritize relationships and communication. Inevitably, technology will bring about conflict from time to time, and our response as parents will affect communication with our children down the road. It’s important for us to create a safe environment with open communication. Validating your child’s emotional experiences is critical. It doesn’t mean that we agree with them or that we approve. It demonstrates that we understand how they feel. We don’t cause the problems, but we can be part of the solution.

Family Fun Fest

After a two-year hiatus, the Lower School Family Fun Fest returned to the Mac Gym on March 12. More than 100 lower schoolers and their families enjoyed Homer’s Ice Cream, music and bounce houses, as well as a special guest entertainer—The Headspin Guy. During his interactive show, he dazzled students and parents alike by literally spinning on his head and performing other gravity-defying breakdancing moves, and he got the whole room up on their feet. Many thanks to Christine and Ron Wachter for spearheading this event and to all the parent volunteers. And a special thanks to Dorothy Biel and the rest of the maintenance department, who helped make the day special for the students.

Parent Education: Dr. Renee Dominguez

Lower School Family Fun Fest with The Headspin Guy

Lower School Family Fun Fest: Heather Pinkett, Adam Held and Carissa Schultz ’24

Honors Performance Series

Performing at Carnegie Hall in New York is a dream for most musicians, and for two NSCD students, it’s one that came true. Ella Cesca ’24 and Nicolette Fox ’23 were nominated by Middle and Upper School Music Teacher Timothy Mah for the Honors Performance Series, a program that brings talented young musicians from around the world to perform together in iconic spaces like Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

After receiving the nomination, Ella, who studies classical voice, auditioned and was accepted into the honors treble choirs in both New York and Sydney, although she declined the invitation to Australia because of the distance. Nicolette only auditioned for the program in New York, and she was accepted into the honors string orchestra for violin. They each took to the stage in February.

Nicolette remembers vividly the moment the acceptance email came in. “I was sitting in PILLOWS, our open mic night, and I saw the notification on my phone, but I wasn’t allowed to touch it,” she said. “The whole time I could see the beginning of the first line, ‘Congratulations, you’ve been accepted…’ It was so surreal. Violin is not something I’ve considered as a career path—it’s something I do for my soul because I love music, and playing the violin makes me really happy. I had never been in a traditional orchestra, just smaller instrumental ensembles at school, so this was a really exciting opportunity for me.”

Ella, on the other hand, is hoping to pursue classical music or classical voice in college. She appreciated the opportunity because it gave her the chance to connect with other musicians with similar interests. “It’s so rare that I’m in one room with so many people who have the same passions and interests as me,” she said. “And I never meet classically trained singers my age, so it was so nice being able to talk with them about our passions.”

American Red Cross Youth Heroes

Siblings Nayomi Melton ’31 and Caleb Johnson ’34 were honored on May 11 by the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago as Youth Heroes. At just 10 and 7 years old, Nayomi and Caleb are already seasoned volunteers. In the past two years, the siblings have prepared more than a thousand lunches that they have donated to shelters and handed out to people experiencing homelessness, often using their own allowance money to buy the supplies. They got the idea after they saw a man on the side of the road with a sign and a cup and asked their mom what he was doing. Once she explained he was experiencing homelessness, Nayomi and Caleb wanted to help because they recognize the importance of helping others in their community. For the past 20 years, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago has honored individuals and groups for acts of immense bravery, dedication and service to the community at its annual Heroes Breakfast.

Science Olympiad

The middle school Science Olympiad team finished off another successful season with a trip to the state tournament in April. Out of 42 middle school teams from across the state, NSCD finished in 10th place overall, and ninth in its division at the Illinois Science Olympiad State Tournament at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Medals were given to the top five participants. The following are the individual medal winners: fourth place, Bridges (Alexander Roy ’27 and Cooper Larsen ’27); fourth place, Experimental Design (Elliot Andersen ’27, Eli Gallaga ’28 and Alexander Roy ’27); fifth place, Anatomy and Physiology (Shirley Ni ’27 and Pratyay Rao ’27); fifth place, Crave the Wave (Eli Gallaga ’28 and Claire Zeigler ’28); Trial Events, fourth place, Optics (Ezra Grossman ’29 and Sahil Tarsney ’29); Trial Events, third place, Write It, CAD It (Saisha Sharma ’29 and Sophia Storino ’29).

“What a fantastic finish to a wonderful Science Olympiad season,” said Head Coach Lee Block, who also teaches middle school mathematics, science and robotics. “We could not be more proud of this team for their accomplishments. All year long they have been very coachable, shown great sportsmanship, been excellent citizens and really fun to work with.”

Nicolette Fox ’23

Caleb Johnson ’34

Ella Cesca ’24

Honors Performance Series

Honors Performance Series

Nayomi Melton ’31

Invention Convention

Four North Shore Country Day fifth graders competed in the Invention Convention U.S. Nationals after finishing first in the fifth grade division and beating out 2,500 participants for the grand prize across all grades K-8 at the Chicago/ Illinois Regional competition in April.

Sonam Kotte ’30, Tara Rai ’30, Anika Venu ’30 and Ella Wilson ’30 rang the bell at the end of lower school closing and immediately jumped in their cars and headed to The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, for the competition, June 7-9.

This year, Invention Convention was incorporated into the fifth graders’ technology class. Lower School Technology

Teacher and STEAM Integrator Julie Tuten gave students a choice: They could either build smart houses, or come up with an invention of their own. The group of girls decided to invent a smart recycler.

Already passionate about the environment and inspired by the lower school recycling program that kicked off in the fall, the girls started doing some research and found out that 75% of all the trash that goes into landfills could be recycled. They also learned that in the United States, landfills are the No. 1 source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. They decided they wanted to invent something that would make it easier for people to recycle to reduce the impact of climate change.

The students used an artificial intelligence program called Teachable Machine and trained it to identify two different categories—trash and recycling—by showing it more than 500 images of each category using image recognition. Then they wrote a computer program to control a motor that opens the lid to a trash can with two compartments. When a person walks up with something to discard, all they have to do is hold up their item in front of a wificonnected webcam. If the item is identified as garbage, the program tells the motor to open the side of the can marked “trash,” but if it sees something that can be recycled, the side marked “recyclable” opens—thus taking the human guesswork out of what can and cannot be recycled. It is currently patent-pending.

“These girls worked so well together as a team,” Julie said. “Through all the iterations, even when things got really difficult, they never gave up or got discouraged. Everybody had strengths that they brought to the table. They were always willing to come in for recess or after school and put in the hard work to complete an amazing end product.”

Model United Nations

This year’s Model UN season was a great transition back to real conferences after the pandemic. With the support of faculty advisors Kirk Greer and Erin Aiston, and the Secretariat team of Alícia Isasi ’23,

Neil Behl ’23, Danielle Isasi ’23, Sophie Green ’23 and Danielle Savin ’23, students had the opportunity to participate in the local Saint Ignatius conference (SIMUN) and travel to California for the Berkeley Model UN conference (BMUN). SIMUN and BMUN were excellent opportunities for NSCD upper school students to explore their passion for current and historical events and to foster important negotiation, collaboration and public speaking skills. Students who participated in BMUN spent three days on the UC Berkeley campus in their respective committees, with Emi Comeau ’24 winning commendation as Afghanistan in the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM). The Secretariat team also hosted the annual North Shore Model UN (NSMUN) conference for middle school students on Sunday, April 16. “We were blown away by the dedication and work our 30 middle school students put into preparing for and participating in their respective committees,” said Neil and Alícia. “Delegates from the Red Scare, Ministry of Magic and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) committees did an amazing job embodying their positions and worked together to pass resolutions. We look forward to next year and are excited to participate in more local and national conferences.”

Invention Convention: Anika Venu ’30, Tara Rai ’30, Sonam Kotte ’30 and Ella Wilson ’30

Model United Nations

Science Olympiad

Franke Fund Brings Native Voices into the Conversation

We are on Native land.

Hundreds of years ago, before Europeans made their way to Chicago, what is now 310 Green Bay Road was home to the Council of Three Fires—the Ojibwa, Ottawa and Potawatomi—as well as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sauk and Meskwaki peoples.

And while some of us have read about these things in history books, not everyone realizes that the Chicagoland area is still home to about 65,000 Natives from 175 different nations—it’s actually the thirdlargest urban Native community in the United States. The goal of this year’s Franke Fund programming, entitled Native Narratives, was to give North Shore Country Day students a glimpse into the Native community in and around Chicago to help them gain an understanding of what it means to be Native; how Native worldviews and perspectives differ from the prevailing Western culture and perspectives with which they are familiar; who lived here first, what happened to those people and—most importantly— who is here now.

The Native Narratives programming revolved around the idea of storytelling, which is a fundamental component of Native identity and culture. Who tells the story is just as important as the story itself. For too long, Natives have had stories told about them, rather than having an opportunity to speak for themselves. To counter that, the school invited a number of Native artists to come in and talk

with the community.

The Harold Hines Visiting Fellowship also aligned with the Franke Fund theme this year. NSCD welcomed Dr. Anton Treuer, a prolific author and professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University in northern Minnesota. During his time on campus in the fall, Anton gave a Morning Ex presentation about how Native Americans changed the world. He also met with students in all three divisions and led a professional development session with faculty and staff.

(See Acorn, Winter 2023.)

This year’s Franke Fund theme was inspired by a middle school Community Engagement Week project centered around indigenous communities that Middle School Learning Specialist Christine Ritchey co-led last year with former Communications Associate Jay Young, an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. “We had 14 kids who learned about the Native community, thinking deeply about what it means to be Native today, and it went really well,” said Christine, who also serves as the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for the middle school. “They were super engaged and made some really great projects, and Jay loved how curious they were, wanting to learn more about his culture. So we wanted to find a way to do that on a larger scale with the whole community.”

Native Narratives kicked off with an art exhibit in the John Almquist Gallery in September. Curated by Dave Spencer, Director of Arts and Culture at the American Indian Center of Chicago, “RE:Solving Permeated Perceptions”

featured Native artists from around Chicago whose works examine topics such as identity politics, misrepresentation and Native first-voice experiences. Throughout the year, many of the featured artists returned to campus for a Morning Ex and spent the day visiting with students in all three divisions.

Several other guests visited throughout the year, including Ronnie Preston, Cultural and Education Programs Director of the American Indian Center (AIC) of Chicago. Ronnie, who is an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Nation, first visited NSCD last school year for the Native American Heritage Month Morning Ex with Redline, a Chicago-based intertribal drum group. They performed traditional songs and dances, including a men’s Northern Traditional Dance, a Jingle Dress Dance, a Diné Basket Dance and a Hoop Dance. During that Morning Ex, Ronnie also shared stories and played a traditional flute while teaching students about Native life and culture, both traditional and contemporary. During his visit this year with the lower school, he focused on storytelling.

Jay, who is now the Director of Media, Marketing and Communications at the AIC, also returned to campus to work with middle school students on community mapping. The students compared historical maps of the North Shore area with present-day ones and learned how trade routes, villages and even burial mounds existed on the very same land where North Shore Country Day was built.

In addition to speakers on campus, students in all three divisions also had

Noelle Garcia Chris Pappan Negwes White J. Kae Good Bear

opportunities throughout the year to visit the new “Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories” exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago, a permanent exhibit that replaced the old Native North America Hall. Unlike the old hall, which was created without the input of Native people themselves, “Native Truths” was created with the guidance of an advisory council of Native American scholars and museum professionals, and in partnership with 130 collaborators representing more than 105 tribes.

“We wanted this Franke Fund to be a yearlong experience,” explained Lower School Spanish Teacher Winder Holeman, who also serves as the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for the lower school and helped organize this year’s programming. “The most successful Franke Fund projects always seem to be the ones that have continued engagement with the theme, that allow for a lot of time and different types of engagement for the students. It’s a big topic that a lot of our community—myself included—did not know a lot about. I hope people walk away with a knowledge that Native peoples are a present and vital part of our country and culture. And as many of the artists have said, it’s not a thing of the past.”

The Franke Family Fund was established in 2008 by Barbara, Richard, Katherine ’77 and Jane Franke ’80 to support programs that enhance students’ experiences during the academic year. It encourages faculty to develop creative and unique ideas that are schoolwide in scope, broad in interpretation and application, and significantly and positively impact the school community.

About the Featured Artists

Noelle Garcia is a Chicago-based artist and educator who focuses on themes of identity, family history and recovered narratives in her work. She is an indigenous artist from the Klamath and Paiute tribes. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Her paintings, drawings and soft sculptures have been exhibited in galleries and institutions across the United States. Noelle has earned awards and fellowships at various institutions such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Nevada Arts Council, the Illinois Arts Council and the American Indian Graduate Center.

J. Kae Good Bear is an award-winning multimedia artist and conservation technician of Navajo, Mandan and Hidatsa heritage. J. Kae has toured nationally with Native American dance troupes, performing song, dance, flute playing and storytelling. She also works at the Field Museum as a conservation technician and cultural liaison, and had significant involvement with the Native Hall redesign. J. Kae has provided cultural workshops and consulting for various groups such as the Arizona public school districts, the Arizona Commission of the Arts and Cirque Du Soleil and served as artist-inresidence for the National Park Service. She organized the first Native American Heritage Month initiative at Field Museum in 2018 and continues to serve as co-chair of the committee. J. Kae was elected to serve on the Field Museum’s Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion staff council. She earned her B.F.A. at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016.

Chris Pappan is an American Indian artist of Osage, Kaw, Cheyenne River Sioux and mixed European heritage. He prefers the term Indian over Native American, but uses both. He says his art reflects the dominant culture’s distorted perceptions of Native peoples while proclaiming that “we are still here!” A graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe and a nationally recognized painter, Chris calls his art “Native American Low Brow.” Chris’s work is largely inspired by ledger drawings of the 19th century, but with a modern twist. His work was featured as part of an “art intervention” titled “Drawing on Tradition” in the Field Museum’s Native Hall prior to the renovation and opening of the new “Native Truths” exhibit. He overlaid his art over the old exhibitions to highlight their problematic nature. Some of his work continues to be on display at the Field in the current “Native Truths” exhibit. His work Land Acknowledgement Memorial was also featured in the New Monuments for New Cities project, which traveled to different locations around the country in 2019, including the 606 in Chicago.

Negwes White is an Ojibwe and Navajo artist, teacher, coach and advocate based in Chicago. Negwes studied art at the University of New Mexico, and his work has been shown at venues such as the American Indian Center of Chicago, Steppenwolf Theater and the Mitchell Museum. “Art for me is therapy; it’s an expression of the moment I am in,” he said. “I let the piece create itself. … My goal is to create positivity and awareness of my culture and the importance it plays in the world.” Negwes has a long history working with youth in both sports and the arts. He is currently the Youth Coordinator at the St. Kateri Center, a ministry of the St. Benedict parish in Chicago that serves the Native American community.

Ernest M. Whiteman III is a Northern Arapaho filmmaker, artist and writer. Since taking over the directorship of First Nations Film and Video Festival in 2005, he has been doing free presentations on Native American Cinema in classrooms and at festival events. Ernest has worked as a media mentor in Chicago Public Schools since the fall of 2012 as a part of Adobe YouthVoices, where he helps CPS teachers instruct their students in creating media that speaks with their voice. He assisted in the pre-planning, production, postproduction and exhibition of student videos and print designs. Ernest was also an adjunct lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Parkside, where he taught the upper level course entitled “No One Ever Sees Indians: Native Americans in Film.”

Ernest M. Whiteman III

Britt Hawthorne

New York Times bestselling author and educator Britt Hawthorne visited campus in February to talk with parents about her new book, “Raising Antiracist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide.”

Britt, who has been working with lower school faculty to help integrate age-appropriate anti-bias and anti-racist practices in the classroom, has worked with families around the world to transform their understanding of parenting, and partner with them to help strengthen their child’s selflove and help them to embrace people, identify unfairness and act justly in their homes and out in the world.

She talked about how parents can help reinforce some of the concepts teachers focus on in the classroom. For example, when Britt works with teachers, she talks a lot about the importance of using accurate, affirming language. That’s something parents and caregivers can also practice with their children at home. “One of the reasons we raise anti-racist children is so they can be empowered to act justly and know

how to advocate for themselves and their peers,” Britt explained. To do that, children will need language.”

One example she gave was how we talk about people who are not white. It’s not uncommon to hear people talking about “minorities” when referring to people of color. But in reality, they are people of the global majority and represent more than 80% of the world’s population.

“Our brains work off of generalizations, off of patterns, and what is centered is what people see,” she explained. “By using ‘people of a global majority,’ it helps you have a conversation about a book, a movie, a board of directors—whatever we’re talking about—to notice if it’s an honest representation of the world or even of the United States.”

Britt said that, when she was growing up, her parents always talked about race and racism, and they did a great job preparing her for both the world of diversity and also for discrimination. But while she was very comfortable talking about discrimination, she said she was less

prepared for the social justice piece. Between 2012 and 2015, after the murders of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Sandra Bland, she started thinking more deeply about how to act justly and how to advocate for herself and for her community.

Diving into this work can be daunting, and parents also wrongly assume either their children are too young or the parents are too late in having the discussions.

“When children are young, it’s about modeling and creating experiences to show them we value diversity and inclusion in our everyday moments, whether it’s the purchases that we’re making, the books and the toys we bring into the house or the way we are engaging in our wider community,” she explained. “Other times, folks think it’s too late. Their children are in middle school or high school and they think, ‘I’ve missed the moment.’ And you have not. When our children are older, it’s about starting the conversation with curiosity. Ask them what they have heard, what questions they have. It’s never too late.”

Britt Hawthorne

Highland Park Mayor

The upper school Students Against Gun Violence club invited Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and City Councilmember Tony Blumberg ’76 to discuss gun control at an upper school Community Gathering in April. The mayor, who is a seasoned advocate against gun violence, urged attendees to take action in their community by learning more about the issue, writing and calling their elected representatives, and collaborating with others by joining existing organizations that share the same values.

Jackson Berner ’24 founded the Students Against Gun Violence club in the spring of his freshman year, and since then it’s grown to include more than 30 members. He said he had wanted to bring Mayor Rotering to campus ever since the aftermath of the Fourth of July shooting in Highland Park. “Her grace and poise under hardship was an inspiration,” he

explained. “I felt the North Shore community would benefit immensely from the mayor sharing her story, as I fear we are too comfortable in our environment, and we need to commit to ensuring we do everything in our power to make crucial change in our society. I thought her presentation and town hall panel was so informative and sparked something within all of us.”

Bridgette Ugarte ’18

NSCD alum Bridgette Ugarte ’18 returned to campus in May to share her recent TEDxEdina talk with middle and upper school students. Bridgette is a champion for positive mindset and body empowerment. As a signed curve model, she uses her social media platforms and podcast “Hey By The Way” to inspire others to redefine their self-worth. She shared in her talk about how she came to some realizations right around the time of her 20th

birthday, when she celebrated with a kale salad, rather than a cake.

She wondered, “What if I tried reshaping my mind, not my body to find my confidence?” To find the answer, she had to dig into her subconscious. “I had to figure out what I had done to get to this place where I had become so defined by my body image that it shaped my entire lifestyle and sense of worth. Then I had to unravel it all—piece by piece.”

She called the journey “absolutely terrifying,” but each day, little by little, she started practicing healthier habits. “Soon I really did begin to focus more on shaping my goals and my future and less on my body shape,” she said. “Dreams first, body second. And while those health habits were important and relevant every day, they were no longer at the forefront of what defined me.”

Ned Sprenger ’25, Jackson Berner ’24, Nancy Rotering, Tony Blumberg ’76 and Charlotte Graham ’25

Highland Park mayor’s visit

Bridgette Ugarte ’18

Susan Marshall ’76 Memorial Concert Features Acclaimed Flutist Anthony

Whenever Anthony Trionfo meets someone who says they want to be a professional musician, his first instinct is to shout, “Go for it!” But then he takes a step back and explains that you have to remember the “why.”

“The career of a musician can be daunting,” explained the 28-year-old flutist, who was the featured artist for this year’s North Shore Country Day Susan Marshall ’76 Memorial Concert. “There will be times where it feels like there’s nothing happening or that you’re failing. You have to remember what it is that makes you get out in front of all these people, why you practice so much, why you say no to other things.”

For Anthony, the “why” is all about connection. “I love that the thing I love to do allows me to be able to meet so many great people of all sorts of backgrounds,” he explained. “I love connecting with people and knowing that for even a few moments, I can help them have a better day.”

Even though the majority of the music he plays has no lyrics, storytelling is still an incredibly important part of his work. He explained that music has a way of transcending everyday life. “Music is powerful,” he said. “Through music you can transport people to a new world in their imagination, and you have so much more freedom. Music can resonate with so many people on a variety of levels. It’s always personal to the individual, and that’s one thing I love about it.”

In May, Anthony spent the day on campus, beginning with a performance during Morning Ex. Then he met with a seventh grade music class, followed by third graders, and ended his day in the upper school. The students had plenty of opportunities

to ask questions, and they quizzed him on everything from whether he has pets (no, but his roommate does), his favorite meal to cook (salmon filet) and the scientific aspects of the flute. The lower schoolers, in particular, were interested to learn how the sound is generated, what happens when you press the keys and how the notes change.

“The kids were amazing,” Anthony said. “There was never any dead space, and they’re not afraid to ask about anything.”

The annual Susan Marshall ’76 Memorial Concert was established in 1983 by Susan’s parents, Irl and Barbara Favill Marshall ’46, in memory of their daughter and her lifelong love of music. Susan played the violin and piano, enjoyed singing and graduated from North Shore in 1976. She continued her studies at Dartmouth College and in graduate school at the University of Denver. Each year, a young emerging musician is invited to perform a concert and visit with students and faculty. This year, two of Susan’s three siblings, Bucky Marshall ’71 and Alice Marshall Vogler ’69, were in attendance.

Growing up, music was always a part of Anthony’s life. His family listened to and loved all types of music, not just classical; Frank Sinatra, Motown favorites like the Temptations and the Supremes, Elvis Presley, Elton John and Michael Jackson were just a few of their favorites.

“You don’t always notice it, but there’s actually a lot of flute in the background of Motown music and what I was liking and listening to with my family and friends,” he explained.

In elementary school, Anthony started learning how to play the recorder, and then transitioned to the flute in sixth grade. “We did recorder karate and I was obsessed with it,” he explained. “I wanted

to be a black belt in recorder so bad, so I practiced all the time. I was so obsessed with my plastic recorder that my dad even had it engraved for me. I liked practicing, and I loved performing. So when I saw the piccolos and the flutes were in the front row of the ensemble at the middle school open house, I thought: They’re the rock stars. I want to do that!”

And so he did. He started studying flute at age 11 before appearing as a concerto soloist three years later with the Las Vegas Philharmonic. In 2016, Anthony won First Prize in the Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions.

Anthony has performed as a soloist with the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. In recital, he recently presented programs alongside pianist Albert Cano Smit for the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, Morgan Library & Museum and Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. He is second flutist of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and has played with the Columbus, Knoxville, Princeton and Seattle symphonies.

Anthony is a founder of the Umoja Flute Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to providing flutists of African descent with the tools needed to succeed and thrive at all levels of music-making. He serves on Aspen Music Festival and School’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee and has collaborated with the Sphinx Organization, DC Youth Orchestra Program and Harmony Program.

He also teaches private lessons and has presented master classes for Florida State University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Ithaca College and the Juilliard School.

Trionfo

Flutist Anthony Trionfo Anthony with the third grade, Marshall family and guests

SAVE THE DATE

Homecoming Weekend

SEPTEMBER 29 – 30

Classes celebrating special reunions include: 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018

Questions? Contact Ashleigh Palmer Weathers ’04 at aweathers@nscds.org or 847.881.8848

This year’s recipient, Ted Notz ’53, was chosen for his service to his community and communities with limited access to resources. Ted is a lawyer whose impact has stretched far beyond the courtroom and into the lives of many. Most notably, he served as president of B.U.I.L.D, Inc., one of Chicago’s leading gang intervention, violence prevention and youth development organizations. He also was a co-founder and board member of the Spirit of 67 Foundation, a public charity formed to support and endow local public elementary school programs in Lake Forest. Ted’s life exemplifies the school’s motto “Live and Serve.” The presentation will be given during the Raider Review on Saturday morning of Homecoming weekend in the auditorium.

2023 Francis R. Stanton ’27 Recognition: TED NOTZ ’53

The Benefit 2023—Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

More than 300 parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the school gathered in the Mac Gym on February 24 for North Shore Country Day’s annual fundraiser, bringing in more than $385,000. Proceeds from The Benefit 2023—Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds will support the school’s health and wellness initiatives.

“What an amazing night,” said Head of School Tom Flemma. “Our community rallies every year to support our strategic initiatives, and this year’s focus on health and wellness resonated for everyone. And of course, the chance to spend time together and enjoy each other’s company is a key element of wellness in itself!”

The Benefit annually supports NSCD’s strategic initiatives. This year, these funds will support experiences focusing on health and wellness that happen both inside and outside the school day. Since the school’s founding in 1919, health and wellness has been an important part of a North Shore education. Over the years, the idea of health and wellness has expanded to encompass a JK-12 program that integrates both the mind and body.

The paddle raise during the event specifically supported a new functional fitness space in the soon-to-be renovated gymnasium. (See story, page 4.) Other funds raised during the evening will support all kinds of health and wellness initiatives, such as mental health education provided for students. This fundraising

effort allows NSCD to be responsive to evolving program needs and those opportunities the school can’t yet anticipate.

The evening featured cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dinner, with a musical performance by parent Katie Todd ’96. In addition to a live auction and a paddle raise, the program featured keynote speaker Peter Callahan ’09. Peter was a high school All-American and ran the third-fastest high school mile in the history of Illinois. He went on to have a nationally recognized running career in college and beyond.

Peter shared about his time at North Shore and about the vulnerability he learned on the field under the direction of Athletic Director and Coach Patrick McHugh. After he graduated from Princeton University with his undergraduate degree and the University of New Mexico with his master’s, Peter returned to NSCD to train with Patrick—which confused a lot of people in the professional running world, he noted. “In track and field, your life is entirely defined by numbers. You are a 5:57-miler. You are a fiveflat miler. You are a four-minute miler,” Callahan said. “I was so lucky to know that here on this campus—or anywhere in the world for that matter—when I was with Coach McHugh, I was far more than that.

I was never just a number. Whether I succeeded, whether I had a personal best, whether I made the Olympic team, what mattered is that I tried. What matters is that we were vulnerable together.”

Over the years, NSCD’s annual benefit has raised more than $7 million to fund areas not fully covered by the operating budget, such as curriculum and teaching fund grants, student scholarships and faculty enrichment grants. It has also helped fund major capital projects including the renovation of the lower school, construction of the science center, and renovation of the auditorium and arts center.

A very special thanks to the Host Committee; the Benefit Planning Committee, consisting of Chen Che, Hannah Chung, Elizabeth Graettinger ’94, Jill Greer, Gray Hulick, Lynn Kahla-Ryan, Erika Milbratz, Mayja Pastrana, Betty Fisher Wiggins ’93 and Janelle Wood; and the Benefit Co-Chairs Kelly Callon McLean and Kim Frezados.

“It was an honor for us to co-chair The Benefit 2023 and raise funds for the health and wellness programs at the school,” said Kelly and Kim. “We couldn’t have done it without the hard work of our Planning Committee and, of course, the amazing support of our NSCD community who attended the event and made it a great success!”

Finally, a big thanks to the evening’s corporate sponsors for their generous donations: Premier Valenti Builders; Premium Breakthru Beverage Group, Byrne, Byrne & Company, Hindman and Northern Trust; Patron LuLu (Learning Unity, Living Unbiased); Friend Pasquesi Sheppard LLC.

The Benefit 2023: Keynote Speaker Peter Callahan ’09

Atour and Peter Sargon, and Ashvini Keswani

Rebecca Reátegui ’12, Kristen Allen, Janet Lord, Kristi Kamen, and Mary and David Fielder Tom and Liz Sherwood, and Matt and Kathryn A’Hearn

Matt Downe ’04, Tim Callahan ’04, Mullery Doar ’06, Lisa Doi ’09, Eric Langowski and Hannah Walchak ’09 Joe and Ann Settimi, and Erik and Julie Falk

Katie Todd ’96

Pete Tarsney, Emily Zhang and Johnny Hou

Lamis Abulkhair Tabbara, Toya Chatman and Nichole Wilson

Dorothy Biel, and Mark and Diane Williams

Peter Callahan ’09 and Patrick McHugh

Benefit Planning Committee

Senior volunteers

Grandparents and Special Friends Day

More than 150 loved ones came to campus for Grandparents and Special Friends Day May 5. The event started with a program in the auditorium, featuring a welcome from Head of School Tom Flemma, an update from middle school students about their recent trip to the Science Olympiad state finals (See story, page 12.) and a second grade performance of the heartwarming song “Grandmas and Grandpas” by Joe Scruggs. From there, grandparents were delighted to peek into their grandchildren’s classrooms and then join them for a walk through the Live+Serve Lab and the student art show in the John Almquist Gallery. They also had time to peruse the book fair. This was the second year the annual book fair has overlapped with Grandparents Day, and students enjoyed having additional time to browse the large selection of books. Before heading home, students and their grandparents or other special friends enjoyed a reception outside the auditorium with lemonade and freshly baked cookies.

Mini Tussaud’s “Facts” Museum

For one day only, the Acorn section of the Hall Library transformed into a Mini Tussaud’s “Facts” Museum, where historical figures came to life. This was a new spin on the second grade’s annual “Gathering of the Greats,” which has traditionally served as the culminating event of the biography unit. Over the years, it’s taken many different forms, but this year, Second Grade Teachers Cristina Torres and Heidi Black, along with Assistant Teacher Sophie Hiland ’18, wanted to change it up, giving students the opportunity not just to study their subject but also to become them, at least for 45 minutes. Parents, teachers and students visited the interactive museum, where they encountered a variety of famous figures, both living and dead—from Walt Disney to Shakira, Abraham Lincoln to Michael Jordan. When the visitors pressed a button, the figures sprang to life and answered questions about themselves. “Our second graders have gleaned so much information about their subject,” the teachers said. “It

was impossible to put all of their knowledge into just four questions! However, they were very excited to share just a small part of what they have worked so hard to learn these past few weeks. They did an amazing job interpreting their subjects.”

Third Grade

Hot Chocolate House

The cafeteria was transformed into a Beatnik coffee house—or hot chocolate house, to be more precise—for the third grade’s 29th annual event on May 19. Families were invited to watch their children take the stage in an intimate, open mic format. Dressed in black in the Beatnik fashion, with many sporting berets, goatees and mustaches, each student had an opportunity to share pieces they had written throughout the year—not only poetry but also personal narratives, persuasive essays, informational books and more. Action paintings, made by the students in collaboration with Lower School Art Teacher Emily Culbert, decorated the room, and as a special treat, Lower School Science Teacher Annie Collins dedicated the third grade cooking chemistry unit to creating homemade marshmallows and whipped cream to top the hot chocolate. New this year was a special mascot created by a few students— Marshall the Marshmallow!

Musical Tea

Junior and senior kindergartners once again delighted their parents and other guests with a variety of songs at this year’s Musical Tea, held May 4 in the Mac Gym. This was the 36th and final Musical Tea for Lower School Music Teacher Linda Kiracibasi, who retired at the end of the school year. In the spring of 1988, Linda wanted to give the JK and SK students— who happened to be really great singers— a chance to showcase all they had learned in music class throughout the year. So they invited the parents to what was then the lower school music room and sang a few songs for them, she explained. And that was the beginning of the North Shore tradition now known as the Musical Tea.

While the location and some of the logistics have changed over the years, the spirit of the day remains unchanged. This year, students sang a number of Mrs. K’s favorites, and as has been the tradition for many years, ended with a sweet rendition of “Love Grows,” complete with American Sign Language. Students also presented gifts to their families and to the lifers in attendance. Instead of making paper flowers, they decorated flower pots and planted marigolds and zinnias, which they’ve been watering and watching grow, and presented them at the end.

Grandparents Day: Jie Zhu, Janie Xi ’35, Kamlesh Saini and Dhilan Suri ’33

Grandparents Day: Emily ’34, Cate, Annie ’36 and Rick Waddell

Musical Tea: Zeyan Wu ’35, Kayleigh Weathers ’35 and Janie Xi ’35

Rebecca Reátegui ’12, Evan Li ’36 and Mya Byrne ’35

Grant Simpson ’36, Maddox Haupt ’35, Anna Dadakis ’35 and Dylan Engel ’36

Third Grade Hot Chocolate House Brody Grimsley ’32

Mini Tussaud’s “Facts”

Museum: Eli Feingold ’33

Dawson Engel ’33

Alex Shinn ’33

Margaret Rioja-Rasmussen ’33

Vinny and Gia Melvani ’36

Lindapalooza

So I say thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing

Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty What would life be?

Without a song or a dance, what are we?

So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me

Those words from Swedish supergroup ABBA reflected the sentiment of more than 150 alumni, parents, students, current and former faculty, and friends who packed the auditorium for Lindapalooza—a celebration of Lower School Music Teacher Linda Gibson Kiracibasi, who retired at the end of the school year after 45 years of teaching at North Shore Country Day.

“Miss Gibson, Mrs. Kiracibasi, Linda— whatever you want to call her—has spent 45 years building a testament to the power of music to transform lives,” said Lisa McClung Ristic ’87, one of four emcees for the evening. “It’s not about singing in Swahili or learning to play the xylophone or learning to waltz. She has a knack of understanding people from the inside, and she has that special talent of finding that kid who needs a little extra something and helping them find it. She transforms lives, and music is one of her magic wands— although I’m very sure she has a whole book of spells. Because I not only watched her do it for me; she did the same thing for both my daughters in different ways.”

Jonah Levi-Paesky ’13 recalled meeting Linda when he came to NSCD in lower school. “School can be a difficult place for a second grader when you don’t really know where you belong,” explained Jonah, as he introduced “For Good” from the musical “Wicked”—a song he had

performed with Linda more than two decades ago when he was her private voice student. “Every day, the one thing that really got me through these doors was remembering that at some point each day I was going to have class with Mrs. K., and I was going to get to sing. For 45 minutes a day I got to go into a room and sing songs about acceptance and love and peace, and there was nothing I needed more than that. Since then, music has been at the center of my universe.”

One after another, current and former students and colleagues got up and shared the many ways Linda had touched their lives. Rachel Jaffe ’02, who sang ABBA’s “Thank You for the Music” at the concert, explained that she only attended NSCD through second grade, but she continued to drive up to campus to study piano and voice with Linda for more than 15 years. Rachel, who is now a music teacher herself, credits Linda for steering her toward that career.

“Linda knows how to make music transform people to think better of themselves and to become better for others. It’s a very special gift,” said Lisa. “We will miss it here at North Shore, but the legacy she leaves behind is not just the people in this building or the people in this ZIP code, but it’s all around the world.”

The concert concluded with a singalong, led by Linda herself, with the help of current lower schoolers in attendance. She led the audience in some of her favorite songs, including “The Marvelous Toy,” “Don Gato” and the NSCD favorite, “Love Grows”—a song originally brought to the school by artists in residence Rives Collins and the late Julie Shannon. Rives, a professor of theater at Northwestern University and an acclaimed professional storyteller, interpreted the song in American Sign

Language while Linda sang and played her guitar. She closed the sing-along portion with the first song she ever taught—Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

To honor Linda’s legacy, an endowed fund to support artists in residence for the performing and visual arts will be established in her name.

LINDAPALOOZA SET LIST

Emma Guerra Pastrana ’32 / “Tomorrow”

Jonah Levi-Paesky ’13 / “For Good”

Emi Comeau ’24, Mariel Flickinger ’24 and Alli Smith ’24, with Niabelle Comeau ’23 on piano / “When I Close My Eyes”

Rachel Jaffe ’02 / “Thank You for the Music”

Courtney Williams Shelton ’88 / “It Was Almost Like a Song”

Maria Elena Centomo with Tori Blair ’19, Mariel Flickinger ’24, Leif Steele ’24 and Noah Youderian ’24 / “Un Amigo Es Una Luz”

Christine Perkins ’06 / “Come to My Garden”

Rives Collins / A Sufi Creation Myth

Sing-Along with the Middle School Chorus / “Irish Blessing”

Sing-Along with Linda Kiracibasi

EMCEES

• Chris Avery ’87

• Dana Brown Davenport ’96

• Lisa McClung Ristic ’87

• Devon Levy Siegel ’96

Dana Brown Davenport ’96, Devon Levy Siegel ’96, Linda Kiracibasi, Chris Avery ’87 and Lisa McClung Ristic ’87

Rachel Jaffe ’02

Emi Comeau ’24, Alli Smith ’24 and Mariel Flickinger ’24

Noah Youderian ’24, Leif Steele ’24, Tori Blair ’19, Mariel Flickinger ’24 and María Elena Centomo

Linda Gibson Kiracibasi (center) with former and current NSCD faculty and staff

Jonah Levi-Paesky ’13

Courtney Williams Shelton ’88

Rives Collins

Emma Guerra Pastrana ’32

Christine Perkins ’06

Middle School Chorus

Professional Development

This year, faculty and staff have been reading the book “Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators” by Elena Aguilar. “Onward,” described as “a practical framework to avoid burnout and keep great teachers teaching, … offers a path to resiliency to help teachers weather the storms and bounce back—and work toward banishing the rain for good.”

Faculty and staff read the first three chapters of the book over the summer and then met in small, cross-divisional groups regularly throughout the school year to discuss the book a few chapters at a time.

School Learning Specialist Vimla Patel attended a conference in San Francisco in February entitled, “Teaching Behaved Brains,” which offered strategies for dealing with challenging, disruptive behaviors, as well as autism, ADHD and executive function.

Lower School Science Teacher Annie Collins and Lower School Music Teacher Molly Phelan received training in Responsive Classroom in a workshop for special areas teachers in Chicago on March 8.

Junior Kindergarten Teachers Kristi Kamen and Rebecca Reátegui attended the Alliance for Early Childhood Preschool Kindergarten Summit in Glencoe.

Upper School Chinese Teacher Di Li and Middle School Chinese Teacher Dorothy Wu virtually attended the 2023 National Chinese Language Conference. Middle School Learning Specialist Christine Ritchey and Middle School Humanities Teacher Sarah Walsh attended a Facing History & Ourselves workshop entitled, “Race and Schools: Facing the Complexities of Today.”

Athletic Trainer Kristen Allen attended the Great Lakes Athletic Trainer Association (GLATA) annual meeting and symposium March 9-11 in Wheeling.

Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS) and the Midwest Chinese Teachers’ Alliance (MCTA).

Sharon Lieberman participated in a number of Responsive Classroom webinars.

Lower School Learning Specialist

Amy Luckey completed coursework in January to be endorsed as an Educational Therapist/Professional (ET/P) by the Association of Educational Therapists (AET).

Lower School Counselor Montse

Lusaretta received a Lifelong Learning Grant to complete a six-week online course through the Stanford Center for Health Education entitled, “Child Development: Behavior and Mental Health.” Separately, she also enrolled in self-paced course entitled “Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma” and completed a hands-on virtual workshop entitled, “Enhancing Clinical Treatment Through Art.”

Performing Arts Department Head and Theater Teacher Julia Macholl participated in The Drama Teacher Academy, an online community that offers lessons, units, plays and professional development classes from theater teachers and professionals around the world.

During the February In-Service Day, faculty spent the morning in department and grade-level groups mapping the Essential Skills NSCD aims to instill in students and articulating how these skills are reflected in curriculum. The school’s “Live and Serve” motto is the central pillar of these Essential Skills, which include thinking critically and flexibly, approaching challenges with creativity and confidence, engaging with others equitably and ethically, caring genuinely for themselves and others, and communicating effectively in multiple ways. Then in the afternoon, faculty and staff led workshops on a variety of topics, from 3D-printing and lasercutting to watercolor painting to project-based assessments to food chemistry to CPR certification.

Development Associates Troy Chirico , Ashleigh Palmer Weathers ’04 and Maureen Wilde attended the 2023 CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conference in New York City January 29–31.

Fourth Grade Teacher Jackie Haug , Lower School Reading and Learning Specialist Sharon Lieberman and Lower

Upper School Visual Arts Teacher Francis Allende-Pellot attended the National Arts Education Association (NAEA) National Convention in San Antonio April 13-15.

Director of Technology Rob Drake attended the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS) Annual Conference in Grand Rapids, MI, April 29 to May 3.

Archivist Kenleigh Howard attended the Midwest Archives Conference (MAC) in Chicago April 12-15. The experience included a DEI “Unconference,” hosted at the Newberry Library, and sessions covering topics like reparative description, burnout and self-care, records management, outreach, management and stewardship.

Physical Education Department Head, PE Teacher and Coach Kyle Jones attended the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia in January.

Di Li was invited to judge the 2023 National Chinese Speech Contest and the 2023 Midwest University Chinese Speech Contest in April. She also attended various virtual workshops organized by the

Upper and Middle School Music Teacher Timothy Mah served on the Community Singing Advisory Board of the Youth Chorus of the North Shore, an Evanston-based nonprofit whose mission is to elevate the voices of young singers and to spark artistic connections with the community.

Assistant Head of Lower School Caitlin McLennan attended the ISACS Academy for Division Heads in Chicago in February.

Upper School Spanish Teacher Catalina Rincón-Bisbey participated in the Race Institute Chicago March 2-4.

Lower School Technology Teacher and STEAM Integrator Julie Tuten attended the National Future of Education Technology Conference in New Orleans January 22-25. She also attended IDEACon 2023 in Schaumburg February 13-15. The national conference by the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance draws in presenters, thought leaders, exhibitors and partners from all over the world.

Second Grade Teacher Cristina Torres attended an ISACS workshop in Chicago in March, entitled “The Brain in the Classroom: Uniting Research and Practice.”

McHugh ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, COACH

Faculty Profile: Patrick

Q. How did you make your way to North Shore Country Day?

A. I had been a history teacher and a three-season coach at an independent school in Philadelphia, and I loved working with students and coaches. I started thinking I wanted to be more involved in athletics, so I went and got my master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts in sports management. At the same time I coached at Amherst College. While I was in graduate school, I was weighing this idea of continuing as a college coach or going back to independent schools as an athletic director. A lot of people from my program were going into the sports entertainment business, and while I enjoyed college coaching, the pay and benefits were so low I didn’t know if I could keep doing it. I initially went into arena and stadium management and worked in Worcester, MA, Albany, NY, and Jacksonville, FL. When I was in Jacksonville, I married a woman I had met at Friends Central School in Philadelphia, whom everybody now knows as Kathy McHugh. She was the one who told me I was doing the wrong thing and that we needed to get out of Florida.

That year the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) conference was in Orlando. A former colleague told me to come to the conference to meet Julie Hall, the new head of school at North

Shore Country Day at the time, and interview for the athletic director position. I used to tease Julie and say the Magic Kingdom truly was magical for me. It was one of those interviews where you really click with somebody. Anyone who worked closely with Julie knows that she was really a remarkable person—so dedicated to the school, and she saw North Shore as a place that magically transformed kids.

Q. A lot of people say they live at their office. You literally live at your job, in the farmhouse on the northwest corner of campus. What’s that like?

A. I was an inconsistent student in high school. My father had attended Phillips Academy Andover, and I had gone there for a summer session and had one class where I was finally relatively successful. My dad encouraged me to go to Andover for a post-grad year instead of going right to college. While I was there, I had a girlfriend—it didn’t last, obviously—but she was the daughter of a history teacher and her mother was a dorm parent. I loved their family, and I thought to myself: You know, that’s a nice life. That was my inspiration for initially getting into schools: I wanted that kind of life. When Kathy and I came to North Shore, we moved into the apartment on the third floor of Leicester Hall. Our family started growing, and we were up there with two boys. When Wavering House opened up, we were able to move over there. My two sons were born

here and lived every day of their lives on this campus, from the day they came home from the hospital until they left for college. It’s been really special being able to fulfill that initial aspiration for my life, and the school’s always been really supportive of our family.

Q. A lot has changed with the athletics program since you came here in 1994. What are some of the things you did to improve the program?

A. It all comes down to people. We had longtime coaches like Jay Bach and Jim Deuble ’76 who are incredibly dedicated to the school and have always served the school really well, but they can’t do it all. Early on we hired a coach by the name of John Schneiter. He had been the longtime boys and girls basketball coach at New Trier and one of the winningest coaches ever in the state of Illinois. He’d retired from New Trier and was looking for another coaching job. He was the first step to really transform a boys basketball program that had been struggling for a long time. Personally, he was a real mentor to me and showed me what it would take to change things in some of the other programs as well.

Q. What’s one of your proudest moments as a coach?

A. In 2009 at the state track meet, Peter Callahan ’09 was returning as the state champion at 1600-meter. A lot of people in the track and field world said that was a fluke and there was no way he’d win again. But I knew how special he was and how talented he was. The 800-meter run, which you can still watch on YouTube, is one of the greatest high school races that I’ve ever watched. All three boys, including Peter, broke the state record. It’s been 14 years and nobody has come within a second of Peter’s time. I had had a lot of years here where people doubted we could do anything like that. And it took a while, but I knew what could happen. That was a real turning point for us. If you look at the stats compared to any other high school with enrollment under 400, nobody has done better over the last 13 or 14 years as far as individual and state championships. A lot of people look at New Trier and Loyola and say they’re really good. And they are. But we’re really good, too.

Live and Serve Fest

North Shore Country Day once again celebrated Live and Serve Week, beginning May 15 and culminating with Live and Serve Fest on May 20. Each day had a theme, and throughout the week there were opportunities for all ages to take action through service and to learn more about NSCD’s community partners and the issues they face. Then on Saturday, the entire school community came together for a joyful celebration of community and service—a joint effort of the Parents’ Association, the Alumni Board and the school’s Live and Serve programs. There was something for everyone, including hands-on service projects, bounce houses, a social impact fair, a henna artist, a special interactive performance by Polynesian dance troupe Aloha Chicago, delicious food from Soul & Smoke and free Kona Ice!

On-campus projects included painting kindness rocks, making dog toys, building birdhouses, assembling Connections for the Homeless breakfast boxes, and making cards and placemats for Meals on Wheels. There was also a special “Write a Raider” project for alums and students. Several alumni joined in the spirit of

service by organizing events in their hometowns, from nearby Glencoe all the way to Manteca, CA.

Live and Serve Week grew out of an initiative from the alumni office. It started six years ago as Live and Serve Day, an opportunity for alumni from around the world to put the school’s motto into practice collectively by organizing service projects in their local area. Since then, it has expanded to include current school families, faculty and staff.

Middle School Community Engagement Week

For the second year in a row, middle school students participated in Community Engagement Week, which aimed to give students an opportunity to more deeply engage with a community different from their own. Sixth and seventh grade students had a choice of one of six themed groups: Mental Health Access, Intentional Gaming and Design, Music and Arts Access, Sports Access, Environment, and Community Mapping. Eighth grade students explored different Chicago neighborhoods, connecting with their studies of Chicago this year.

Each day featured a variety of field trips, guest speakers, service projects and a deep dive into their specific topic. Then at the end of the week, families were invited to campus for a community showcase. This walk-through, interactive gallery gave students the opportunity to share with the broader NSCD community what they learned and worked on all week.

Kavya Keswani ’29 spent the week learning about access to mental health services. The group visited two social service organizations, Haven Youth and Family Services in Wilmette and the Josselyn Center in Northfield. She said the experience helped her grow in her compassion and empathy toward people who are struggling.

“Community Engagement Week is really important because it enriches our student experience and allows us to help our communities in positive and impactful ways,” she explained. “Mental health is a big issue and should be addressed more because an alarming number of people are suffering from mental health challenges and not getting the treatment they need. That’s why it is important to help spread awareness.”

Melia Long ’29 and Mak Shelley ’29

Middle School Community Engagement Week

Trisha and Ayla Byrne ’36

Live and Serve Fest: David Becker ’32, Veera Surakanti ’32, Melia Long ’29 and Meera Reid ’24

Phyllis Beattie ’72, Elisa Gutierrez and Anne Hines Young ’77

Dunk Alzheimer’s

Back in the Mac Gym for the first time since 2020, North Shore Country Day’s Annual Dunk Alzheimer’s Basketball Bash on January 21 brought in more than $10,000 to support Alzheimer’s research. This year marks the 11th year NSCD has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise money and spread awareness for this important cause.

“Being back in the Mac this year was super exciting because the student body’s energy and the atmosphere around the basketball games are a large part of what Dunk Alz is and how it was started,” explained Emma Greer ’23, one of five NSCD seniors on the Dunk Alz student planning committee. “My favorite part was the varsity boys basketball game because the spirit of the student body was so high!”

Although it’s her third year on the committee, which includes sophomores, juniors and seniors, it was her first time helping to organize a Dunk Alz Basketball Bash that actually included basketball or took place in the school’s gym.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the fundraiser took a different shape over the past two years as it shifted to an outdoor, springtime event. But this year,

Dunk Alz returned to its roots with a full slate of upper school basketball games— with free-throw fundraisers during each halftime. The day capped off with an upper school dance. Leading up to the event, students also sold Dunk Alz t-shirts and sweatpants.

“The Dunk Alz Committee would like to thank everyone who donated and supported the event,” Emma said. “We’re already excited for next year!”

Emma is one of the many people in the NSCD community who has a personal connection to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and she said she got involved because she wanted to be part of something that was making a real difference. Since 2013, the NSCD community has raised close to $90,000 for Alzheimer’s research.

Dunk Alzheimer’s was started by Jonathan Segal ’15, in honor of his grandmother, who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at age 60. It was carried on by his younger sister Caroline Segal ’20. And while there are no longer any members of the Segal family enrolled at NSCD, upper school students have stepped up to continue the work they began.

Heritage Society Spotlight: Susan Matejka

We were fortunate to be in a position to offer our children, Hannah Bottum ’13 and Sam Bottum ’16, a choice as to where they attended high school. In the end, they both ended up at North Shore—but for very different reasons. For Hannah, North Shore represented an opportunity to design a unique education, which included studying for a semester at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, D.C. This experience, coupled with her Model UN participation and the strong relationships she developed with faculty, charted the course for college and beyond.

For Sam, North Shore became a second home. The faculty and staff were committed to his success and well-being; they held him accountable when necessary and supported him always. He, too, was able to create his own path with a yearlong independent study in science and the opportunity to partner with Northwestern University on this endeavor.

During their time at North Shore, they also developed lifelong friendships with classmates and faculty. I will always remain grateful for our years as part of the North Shore family.

Individuals who have made provisions in their will or estate plans to benefit North Shore Country Day are recognized in the Heritage Society. For more information, please contact Director of Development Molly Ingram McDowell ’80 at mmcdowell@nscds.org or 847.441.3316.

Dunk Alzheimer’s Basketball Bash

Mullery Doar ’06 Varsity boys basketball

Susan Matejka

Grace Brennan ’30

Zeyan Wu ’35

Max Flemma ’26

Ned Sprenger ’25

Lucia Bullock-Puzon ’28

Weronika Majewska ’26

Elizabeth Laabs ’27

Ana Naratadam ’32

Liam Gallagher ’26

Mak Shelley ’29

Mateo Elias-Holeman ’34

Junnah Quraishi ’23

AJ Millner ’30

Spring Musical: ‘Chicago’

The upper school cast and crew of “Chicago: Teen Edition” razzledazzled audiences at three packed performances March 9-11. “It was fantastic to see so many community members come out to support the production!” said Performing Arts Department Head and Theater Teacher Julia Macholl.

The show, set in roaring twenties Chicago, tells the story of Roxie Hart, who murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband, Amos, to take the rap—until he finds out he’s been duped and turns on her. Convicted and sent to Death Row, Roxie and another “Merry Murderess,” Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the American Dream: fame, fortune and acquittal.

“The entire cast was so committed. To take on something as specific as the dance style of Bob Fosse required a strong ‘yes, and’ attitude,” Julia said. “Everyone had this. There was electricity when everyone performed and the cast was ready to tell the story. They were not afraid to bring this show and famous Broadway style to life.”

Middle School Performing Arts Showcases

Middle school acting, improvisation and stagecraft classes demonstrated their growth and celebrated their journey over the course of the school year with two performing arts showcases: one in January and one in May. This was the first time since the 20182019 school year that both showcases were performed in front of live audiences in the auditorium. In the spring, stagecraft assisted with lights, sound, props and set pieces, essentially running the production. Acting students were among the first to perform “The Return of the Script,” a new comedic play by Don Zolidis, while the improv class ran a number of games and worked on actively listening and reacting to a live audience.

‘Bremen Town Jam’

The second grade play was back in the auditorium this year with a lower school favorite, ”Bremen Town Jam.” Based on the folk tale by the Brothers Grimm, students transformed into donkeys, hounds, cats and roosters making their way to Bremen Town to join other musicians in an unforgettable jam session. Along the way, they meet a band of robbers who need to be taught a lesson. The Grimms narrate the tale. In the end, they all learn the value of sticking together and ultimately making beautiful music together. This 25-minute musical featured five original songs and

easy-to-learn rhyming dialog. Throughout the process, students learned how to read a script, follow sheet music and move comfortably on the stage. Their performance during Morning Ex wowed the entire school community, especially the second grade parents in attendance.

‘The 39 Steps: A Live Radio Play’

This year’s spring play, “The 39 Steps: A Live Radio Play,” was put on entirely by the upper school acting ensemble and stagecraft classes. Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s classic tale, this romantic thriller was a fast-paced ride through the signature world of the Master of Suspense. Richard Hannay is visiting 1930s London when he meets Annabella Smith, on the run from foreign agents after a disturbance at a music hall. Later that night, Annabella is murdered and Richard must then try to break the spy ring and prove his innocence. From an epic train chase to a feisty love interest, Richard has his work cut out for him as he searches for the truth about The 39 Steps.

“We chose this piece since we had a lot of comedic actors who were skilled with storytelling and using their voices,” Julia explained. “It was wonderful to see everyone buy into the time period and understand why radio was so crucial at this point in our history.”

Instrumental Ensemble and Chorus Concerts

The beginning band and the middle and upper school instrumental ensembles held a winter concert in the auditorium for families and friends, playing everything from folk songs to show tunes, from Black Sabbath to Michael Jackson. Then in the spring, a combined instrumental ensemble and chorus concert featuring musicians from all three divisions also was held in the auditorium.

Band and instrumental ensemble members again played music from a variety of genres, demonstrating their progress over the course of the year. Each chorus also performed a broad selection of music, from lower school favorites like “Buy Me Chocolate” to classic Beatles to contemporary singers like Billie Eilish. The concert concluded with a moving rendition of “In Our Village…You Belong,” a piece that composer Jim Papoulis originally wrote for the NSCD Centennial but never debuted because of the pandemic. The choruses from all three divisions—including the Singing Raiders—came onstage together to sing the final song, accompanied by upper school instrumentalists.

Spring Musical: The cast of “Chicago: Teen Edition”

Middle School Performing Arts Festival

J Hsu ’26 and Addie Stillman ’25

Charlie Ver Eecke ’25

Emi Comeau ’24

Lily Aiston ’29

Bremen Town Jam: Alexander Herzog ’33

The 39 Steps: Vida Castro ’25, Izzy Greenstein ’26, Carly Lissner ’25 and Addie Stillman ’25

Spring Concert: Linda Kiracibasi and the lower school chorus

Levi Golson ’24, Christian Coleman ’25 and Margaret Fitzgerald ’26

Kelly Wyne ’25

Myra Sharma ’33, Piper Held ’33, Margot Rioja-Rasmussen ’33 and Dean Gatziolis ’33

Winter Concert: Claire Ziegler ’28

Girls Basketball

The North Shore Country Day girls varsity basketball team had an impressive season, finishing with a 17-9 record. Although they fell short in the Regional Championship, their strong performance throughout the season showcased their talent and determination.

A standout player on the team was Bethany Bulwa ’23, whose skills on the court earned her recognition as ISL All-Conference player and a place on the Illinois 1A Second Team All-State. Her remarkable performance earned her the highest honor any female basketball player has ever received for North Shore Country Day. Bethany’s talent was further highlighted when she was selected to participate in the 1A/2A All Star Game in June, solidifying her status as one of the top players in the state.

The team’s success was bolstered by contributions from Margarite Richardson ’23, who was recognized by the ISL as Honorable Mention All-Conference.

Although their journey ended at the Regional Championship game, the NSCD girls varsity basketball team can reflect on a season filled with remarkable accomplishments, individual accolades and the forging of a legacy that will be remembered for years to come.

Boys Basketball

The boys varsity basketball team ended its season with a 14-10 record. Their fifth place finish in the ISL with a 5 and 8 conference record demonstrated their competitiveness and resilience throughout the season.

A season highlight was the team’s impressive opening round playoff victory over Yeshiva, showcasing their ability to perform under pressure and excel in crucial moments. This victory served as testament to their hard work and dedication.

The team boasted an impressive roster with a record number of 16 seniors, each bringing unique skills and contributions to the court. Leading the way was Johnny Pappas ’23, who was selected for First Team ISL All-Conference. Johnny’s exceptional performance solidified his status as one of the top players in the conference.

Several other players were recognized as Honorable Mention AllConference. Bo Stevenson ’24 in particular brought a dominant presence to the court and made significant contributions to the team’s performance.

The team’s journey was marked by the collective efforts of its talented senior players and the dedication they displayed throughout the season. Their leadership and commitment set the tone for the team and left a lasting impression on the program.

Boys Baseball

The boys baseball team continually demonstrated flexibility and adaptability as the coaches worked to fit in competitions with the uncooperative spring weather. Led by seven seniors, the team continued to improve throughout the season and was playing its best baseball heading into the Regional Tournament.

All season long, consistent pitching by Trafton O’Brien ’24, reliable catching by Buckley Oelerich ’23, and smart fielding by Aram Dombalagian ’24, Jackson Baker-Katz ’23 and Evan Fortier ’23 fortified the team’s defense.

A highlight of the season was the team’s second game against U-High in which Aram hit a come-from-behind grand slam, and smooth and steady pitching by Matthew Shelley ’26 spoiled the Maroons’ chance of being named conference champion.

The Raiders advanced to the Regional Championship game and fell to a tough Chicago Hope Academy team.

Girls Soccer

The girls soccer team started the season with the highest turnout of first-year players in the past 10 years, providing an opportunity to build a base for the years to come.

In a very competitive ISL conference, the Raiders were able to score 26 goals in nine conference games. While that is an average of nearly three goals per game, more impressively, 11 different players contributed to the scoring efforts.

During the Regional Semifinal, the Raiders were taken down by Regina Dominican. One attribute of this year’s team was its ability to compete until the final whistle. Although the Raiders were losing in their last game, the players continued to fight together to score their final goal of the season in the last 10 minutes of play.

The Raiders were led by four seniors: Ellia Yarandi ’23, Suraiyya Omar ’23, Meonda Collins ’23 and Lauren Gallagher ’23. Their tremendous leadership and selfless play helped the team to improve consistently throughout the season.

Boys Tennis

The varsity boys tennis team was bolstered by both returning players and newcomer Nathan Smith ’26. The team started strong and continued to play inspired as the season progressed.

In an extremely competitive conference that is home to many state champions, the Raiders held their own in the ISL conference tournament. The Raiders finished the tournament with four consolation champions and a third-place finish for the first doubles pairing of Neil Behl ’23 and Konrad Lundstedt ’23.

The top six varsity players competed in the state sectional in May at Vernon Hills High School.

Track and Field

Upper school girls track and field had one of its best seasons ever, finishing third in an incredibly competitive ISL conference meet. The girls also finished second as a team in their sectional meet, which was the largest in the state. Five girls qualified for State in six events: Ella Capozzi ’23 in the 100-meter high hurdles; Emi Comeau ’24 in shot put; Danielle Isasi ’23 in the 1600 and 3200; Reese Meyers ’26 in the 400-meter dash; and a 4x4 relay team of Ella, Emi, Danielle and Dani Savin ’23

The boys team finished fifth in the ISL. Sophomore Brian Smith ’25 was the team’s high scorer at the conference meet, scoring in the 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter and 4x100-meter relay. Five members of the team qualified for the State meet in three events: Owen Keyt ’24 in the 1600 and 3200, and a 4x800 relay team of Aramis Thai-Garcia ’24, Clark Murphy ’23, Christian Coleman ’25 and Edgar Romero ’25

Boys basketball seniors

Margarite Richardson ’23

Bethany Bulwa ’23

Teddy Gallun ’23

Marina Bullock-Puzon ’26

Neil Behl ’23

Varsity girls soccer

Track and field

Johnny Pappas ’23

Suraiyya Omar ’23

Luke Avedisian ’23

Reed Metzler ’25

Varsity boys baseball

Joshua Lemons ’26

Ella Capozzi ’23 and Emi Comeau ’24

photos from our past

“A picture is worth a thousand words” and tells an important and interesting story. If you can identify any of these photos or tell us a story about them, please contact Archivist Kenleigh Howard, 310 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL 60093, khoward@nscds.org or call her at 847.881.8844.

Raiders Connect Week

Our annual Raiders Connect Week was a great success! Raiders Connect Week is a special time for alumni, offering fun ways to connect with each other, share stories and photos, and connect with the school through social media.

Thank you to all alumni who shared your favorite North Shore memories or captured moments with the Raider community on social media throughout the week. It was a great week of fun moments and memories, Raider spirit and nostalgia.

An integral part of Raiders Connect Week is the Alumni Spring Connectathon and Thankathon. It’s a time for the Alumni Board and other volunteers to reach out to alumni—sharing memories, thanking donors, providing school and alumni news, gathering class notes and contact updates, and reminding alumni to donate to Annual Giving. They shared what they love about NSCD to inspire others to join them in “Give to What You Love!”

“What I love about North Shore are the traditions that are unique to our school and bond our community members in our years at the school and beyond.” —Kelsey

Andersen ’06, current parent

“What I loved about North Shore was Mac McCarty and the athletic program. Everyone is so close—the students, teachers and parents. It really is a close-knit school and alumni community.” —Jim

Davis ’64

“What I love about North Shore Country Day is the academic and social education I received. Good study habits can lead to good work habits! North Shore Country Day is an outstanding college preparatory school.” —Larry

Williams ’87

Thank you to all our donors who gave from their hearts in support of students and teachers, which helps provide the exceptional NSCD experience. Give Annually. Impact Daily.

Alumni on Campus

We had several alumni connecting with students on and off campus these past few months.

Five members of the 1969 varsity boys basketball team that finished 25-1 in the ISL and their Assistant Coach Jay Bach attended the varsity girls basketball game on January 17, all to support their teammate Bruce Blair ’69, now the head coach for the girls basketball team.

Juniors spent their X-Day, which is a day for an experiential opportunity to connect to their curriculum, exploring the process of conducting, filming and editing oral histories with people who were essential workers during the pandemic. This prepared them for conducting their own oral histories as part of Project 2023 for English 11. Upper School English Teacher Kathy McHugh invited several alumni and one parent of an alum to partner with her on this project. Professional filmmakers Ben Kegan ’05 and Matt Downe ’04 led the workshops throughout the day. Their interviews included Blair Hunt Bobier ’09, a frontline hospital nurse who worked the COVID-19 floor during the pandemic. In addition, students heard from Mary Doi, parent of Lisa Doi ’09, who has been gathering and preserving oral histories for the Japanese American National Museum about the resettlement of Japanese Americans in Chicago after their internment during World War II.

Bill Collins ’05 and Hannah Walchak ’09 worked with middle school students who were learning about environmental issues during Community Engagement Week. (See story, page 28.)

Hannah works for Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, and she taught the kids about ecological succession and prairie restoration. Bill works for the Forest Preserves of Cook County, and students met him at Erickson Woods where they learned about invasive plants and repurposed invasive buckthorn into hiking sticks.

Regional Gatherings

New York City Alumni and Friends Gathering Alumni, former faculty and friends came out in New York City on January 30 for a fun and casual gathering at The Winslow. Attendees shared some of their favorite NSCD memories, connected with new and old friends, and heard an update from members of the Alumni/Development Office about some of the exciting happenings on campus.

Boston Alumni and Friends Gathering

NSCD headed back to the East Coast, this time to Boston on Friday, April 21, for an evening reception at the St. Botolph Club hosted by Cathy Askow Thompson ’69. Alumni gathered to hear Head of School Tom Flemma share news from back on campus as we began wrapping up another successful school year.

Alumni Board Dinner

The year-end Alumni Board dinner was held at Hackney’s on Lake in Glenview to celebrate a productive year. The following outgoing Alumni Board members were thanked and recognized for their service: Carlos Angeles ’12, Cathy Bell Bartholomay ’79, Phyllis Beattie ’72, Grace Flickinger ’12 and Naomi Hattori ’02. The board also welcomed new members Dan Bloedorn ’87, Jonah Levi-Paesky ’13 and Lucy Sievers ’80.

CONNECTATHON. Sarah Geist Rosen ’86, Rebecca Andreou Sabri ’86 and Allison Kaplan Bosco ’03

ALUMNI ON CAMPUS. Bill Collins ’05 (right) with middle school students

CONNECTATHON. Craig Johnson ’70

RAIDERS CONNECT WEEK

ALUMNI BOARD DINNER. Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Tom Flemma, Ashleigh Palmer Weathers ’04, Katie Todd ’96, Phyllis Beattie ’72, Naomi Hattori ’02, Sarah Geist Rosen ’86, Larry Williams ’87, Cathy Kleiman Bartholomay ’79, Jim Davis ’64 and Dan Bloedorn ’87

Mimi James ’24, Anna Beth Woolf ’24, Gabriel Rosen ’24, Leif Steele ’24, Noah Youderian ’24 and Mary Doi

Jay Bach, Art Jessen ’70, Bruce Blair ’69, Jack Loomis ’69, Craig Johnson ’70 and Andy Philipsborn ’69

Matt Downe ’04, Blair Hunt Bobier ’09 and Ben Kegan ’05

NEW YORK. Lew Davis, Zara Klaff ’06, Joanne Golden ’74, Bridgette Ugarte ’18, Rob Angert ’89, Ashleigh Palmer Weathers ’04, Rob Rogers ’71, Danny Lowinger ’08, Jim Golden ’70

BOSTON. Pompey Delafield, Tom Flemma, Margi Morse Delafield ’65, Matt Leibowitz ’84, Jonathan Strong ’62, Barbie Wells Carton ’68, Judy Brew McDonough ’62, Cathy Askow Thompson ’69, Jeremy Wood, Molly Ingram McDowell ’80. Not Pictured: Charlie Doar ’03

1940s

Cornelia Wallace Caldwell ’42 proudly announces, “This September I will be 100 years old! With seven grandchildren and three great-granddaughters!”

brother Andy. Survived by children: Craig (Maureen) and their family; Elizabeth (Olav) and their family; grandchildren Drew (Carrie), Tara (Rob) Cain and their children, Katie (Benjamin) Dillon and their children; daughter-in-law Judy; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. The family wishes to express its utmost gratitude to her caregiving angels: Laurie, Brittney, Jacqueline (Lucky), Alicia and Sue for the loving, wonderful, diligent and sensitive care and company they provided to Polly in her last years.

played a vital role in enabling this important philanthropic institution to emerge stronger than ever and poised for the growth that would follow.

Pauline “Polly” Goodrich O’Brien ’41 died peacefully at home March 17, 2023. In addition to excellent genes, Polly lived the triumvirate of good health and long life; she was intellectually inquisitive, athletically active and socially supreme. Polly was a genuinely good and capable person who respected people of all ages and walks of life. She didn’t hesitate to step up when help was needed. She was a kind, generous, steady soul who was loved by many. Polly grew up in Winnetka and attended North Shore Country Day and Smith College. She often remarked later in life that she didn’t see her twin brothers, Bud and Chuck, once during her four years at Smith as they were in World War II in General Patton’s army. Her future husband, Michael, convinced her to come with some friends to Madeline Island in the summer of 1945. Polly remarked that that summer was wonderful; the war was over and the young ladies were invited to numerous cocktail parties as they were young, fun and cute! That was the beginning of her long relationship with Michael and Madeline Island. Polly and Michael raised their family in Highland Park. She was a lifelong avid tennis player, golfer and volunteer. When her children were in school all day in the late 1960s, she went to work at Quality Book Shop, then the Old Mexico Shop and then started her own interior decorating business. Preceded in death by husband Michael A. O’Brien; son Sandy O’Brien; parents Alonzo C. and Pauline Goodrich; twin brothers Bud ’38 and Chuck ’38, and

Margery Lloyd Hexton ’44 Her daughter writes, “this letter saddens me to inform you that my mom Margery Hexton class of 1944 has passed peacefully at the age of 96 on January 21, 2023. She always praised your school and was proud to have graduated from there. Your school made my mom so happy with all of her memories, especially field hockey! Thank you for making my mom’s memories so happy.”

Jean Cullin Mertz ’47 writes, “Charlie and I have been married 73 years. We have four children plus their mates, seven grandchildren plus mates, and 17 greatgrandchildren that bring the Mertz family to 41—and I’m sure there will be more! Lots of fun!”

1950s

Jim grew up on Chicago’s Northwest Side, the son of Daniel D. and Sylvia (née Goldstein) Glasser. He was a graduate of Harvard Law School, Yale University and North Shore Country Day. After serving three years as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney straight out of Harvard, Jim joined what was then known as General American Transportation Corporation, now GATX. He moved his family from Arizona to Northern California and back to Chicago.

He became GATX’s CEO and chairman in 1978, positions he held for 18 years until his retirement in 1996. Jim at the time of his death was a life trustee of the University of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. He was a life director of Lake Forest Hospital, where he was a former chairman, and was on the Field Museum of Natural History’s National Board of Trustees as well as a founding co-chair of its Collections Committee. He also was a trustee of the Tucson Museum of Art and a director of the Chicago Horticultural Society, the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona and Tucson’s Contemporary Art Society. Jim stayed in touch with many NSCD alums and the school, and was a supporter of current students, establishing a named scholarship.

Elizabeth Washburn Borozan ’57 reports she is “ still happily living in the desert with my golden retrievers! I have two of three children and three grandchildren in Tucson also!”

1960s

Jessica Harper Rothman ’67 appears on the new “Fatal Attraction” series on Paramount+.

James “Jim” Glasser ’51 , chairman emeritus of Chicago-based GATX Corp. and a former chairman of The Chicago Community Trust’s Executive Committee, died March 14 at his home in Tucson, AZ. He was 88, and split his time between Tucson and Lake Forest. Jim’s stewardship of The Chicago Community Trust originally was to be a two-year term but ultimately lasted seven critical years. He

1970s

Ann Howard Hanna ’71 in response to the Live and Serve Fest outreach shared, “Thirty years ago, my husband and I were out looking at cattle and we saw a man pulling out mature trees and burning them. My husband stopped to ask what he was doing. He had planted them too close.

My husband asked if we could have them. He said, ‘Sure, but they have to be out by the weekend.’ We got a crew together and transplanted 350 mature trees to a 35-acre piece of land that the local school had bought to expand, but had decided against it. After my husband died, we became a nonprofit, applied for grants and created the Kirk Hanna Memorial Park. We hold Easter egg hunts, a Halloween party, rummage sales, and every June, we hold Hanover Days with an antique tractor pull. It has given this small place a sense of community.”

1980s

Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Liz Miller Leonard ’80, Jane Franke ’80 and Howard Goldblatt ’80 gathered at Stormy’s Tavern to welcome Jane, who was visiting Chicago. More friends from the Class of 1980 gathered at Stormy’s for a get-together.

Molly Ingram McDowell ’80 and Liz Miller Leonard ’80 visited at Stormy’s Tavern with Courtney Spore Clift ’80 when she was in town visiting her father.

Jory Vinikour ’81 shares, “I am immensely pleased to announce that I will be returning to Ravinia Festival on September 2, at 2 p.m. My program will include the French Overture (Partita in B minor) of J.S. Bach and the 1724 Suite in D Major/D minor of Jean-Philippe Rameau.”

Andrea Wright ’88 started The Wright Path in 2014. She is a life and executive coach. New programs for 2023 include: “Wright Your Book,” “Get to the Next Level” and, of course, “Trusting the Tingles.” “Knowing” will be published later this year. She is currently accepting new clients.

1990s

Shirin Pope ’94 is excited to announce, “I finally got my law degree from Washington University in St. LouisI! It has taken me a very long time to get here, and I’m beyond exhausted and proud of my accomplishments. I put my career and goals on hold for more than 18 years so I could raise my children and help my husband with his military career, and I have no regrets as it’s never too late to go back to school and restart your career! Thank you to my family and incredible friends and especially my husband, who drove us in an insane thunderstorm safely to be here and who pushed me to go back to law school and to finally finish my degree!”

She dedicates this moment to the late wonderful John Ingram. She recalls, “When I was a senior [he told me] I should really consider studying the law, and that I could make a real difference in the world.”

CLASS OF 1980: Lucy Sievers, Matt Weisenberg, Courtney Spore Clift, Molly Ingram McDowell, Miller Bransfield, John Appelbaum and Jeff Foreman

Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Liz Miller Leonard ’80 and Courtney Spore Clift

Liz Miller Leonard ’80, Jane Franke ’80 and Howard Goldblatt ’80

2000s

Leigh Dailey Cross ’01 is an upper school English and history teacher at Brooklyn Friends School.

Emily Yates ’02 shared, “I have embarked on a new chapter as an eating disorder recovery coach at Grö Recovery. I help my clients find food and body freedom by breaking through the challenging eating disorder thoughts and behaviors that often have us feeling stuck in recovery. With my passion for helping others, education in recovery coaching, and the knowledge and experience I gained through my own recovery, I work with my clients to accomplish their goals and help them find fulfillment and joy! Follow me on Instagram @grorecovery to learn more about healthy ways to fuel our minds and bodies!”

Georgia Rose Munns ’05 was named to the Northwestern University Sports Athletic Hall of Fame for women’s tennis.

Aracely Vasquez ’08 shared that she is starting a new position as Senior Candidate Development Specialist at Discover Financial Services.

2010s

Several Raiders attended the October 2022 wedding of Kaitlyn Johnson Weinstein ’14 : Maid of Honor Sydney Shafer ’14 , Bridesmaid Sara Hondmann ’14 , Julie Block ’13 , Malini Valliath ’14 and Jonah LeviPaesky ’13 , who sang the first dance song.

Tess Considine ’17 , the artist best known as Tess Clare, released her new video for her new single “Don’t You Ruin Everything.” Her full EP was released June 2.

Emma Flannery ’17 ran the Boston marathon this year (her third marathon)! She lives in Los Angeles and recently wrapped up working on Apple TV’s third season of “The Morning Show.”

Sophie Hiland ’18 graduated from Middlebury College in February. “A few weeks later I was back in the classroom— as the second grade assistant teacher at North Shore! I loved every minute of it! It’s been wonderful to reconnect with old friends and faculty, and to get to know my students and co-workers.”

Henry Probst ’19 joined Kimco Realty Corporation in their New York City office as a summer ESG intern.

2020s

Allie Charnas ’20 accepted a position with Chicago Sky WNBA as a game day operations intern this summer. “At such an incredible time to be in women’s sports, I could not be more enthusiastic to join this organization. Go Sky!”

Tyler Doornweerd ’20 is starting a new position as an investment banking summer analystat Goldman Sachs.

Adam Terhaerdt ’20 started a new position as a cloud engineer at Oracle.

Alex Freiburger ’21 had the opportunity to join UBS as a corporate cash management intern this summer.

Eun Hae Lillig ’21 accepted an offer to join Magnetar Capital as an alternative credit & fixed income analyst for summer 2023.

Sam Roszak ’21 broke the 7-meter barrier in the long jump and had the seventh-best performance of ALL TIME for Boston University in the long jump!

Former Faculty

Former social studies teacher Lew Davis went to the gallery opening of friend and former student Adam Van Doren ’80 at Adam's studio on 57th Street in Chicago. An architect by training, he specializes in architectural watercolors and teaches at Yale. Accompanying Lew was Joanne Golden ’74 , also a friend and former student. They had a very enjoyable dinner afterward at Felice 56.

Engagements

Haniya Ghazi ’18 to Saabir Mallick

Marriages

Melissa Jesser Ayre ’09 to Harry Ayre

July 16, 2022

Kaitlyn Johnson Weinstein ’14 to Justin Weinstein

October 22, 2022

Jordy Blenner ’09, Caroline McCarthy ’09, Danny Nolan ’09, Emily Gavin ’09, Lisa Doi ’09, Harry Ayre, Melissa Jesser Ayre ’09, Blair Hunt Bobier ’09, Karen Block Thomas ’09, Matt Thomas ’09, Alex Kaplan Keefe ’09 and Kenna Sullivan Johnson ’09

Emily Yates ’02

Shirin Pope ’94

Justin and Kaitlyn Johnson Weinstein ’14 (Nakai Photography)

Haniya Ghazi ’18 and Saabir Mallick

Emma Flannery ’17

Lew Davis, Adam Van Doren ’80 and Joanne Golden ’74

Charlotte Irwin

Births

charlotte irwin

March 25, 2023

Alexandra Appelbaum Irwin ’11 and John Irwin

brennan james thomas

April 9, 2023

Karen Block Thomas ’09 and Matt Thomas ’09

addie grace randolph

April 21, 2023

Ryan Randolph ’04 and Megan Randolph

In Memoriam

patrick fitzgerald

February 3, 2022

Grandparent of Liam Sauvage ’18 and Gannon Sauvage ’19

eugene s. stern

May 13, 2022

Grandparent of Molly Ledden ’17 and Sam Ledden ’22

joan smith brown ’48

May 25, 2022

Sister of the late Barbara Gardener ’47

clyde slocum

July 3, 2022

Grandparent of Paul Slocum ’13

martha tuttrup

September 22, 2022

Grandparent of Anna George ’13, Emily George ’17 , Carter George ’17 and Ian George ’21

fred lickerman

September 28, 2022

Grandparent of Emma Shawver ’12

patrick c. tower ’78

November 12, 2022

barbara steinschneider

December 23, 2022

Parent of Barb Steinschneider Stahl ’72, Tara Steinschneider Vossough ’74 and Deirdre Steinschneider Klepacz ’76, Grandparent of Chloe Stahl ’09 robert “bob” theodore matthei

December 30, 2022

Grandparent of William Matthei-Schmidt ’23 and Caroline Matthei-Schmidt ’26

barbara van de motter

January 3, 2023

Parent of Dean Van De Motter ’79

richard l. humphrey ’56

January 5, 2023

margery hexton ’44

January 1, 2023

jane fenninger

January 15, 2023

Former Faculty

john mccarthy

January 28, 2023

Grandparent of John McHugh ’14 and Thomas McHugh ’17

roman weil

February 1, 2023

Grandparent of Isabella Ogbolumani ’18 and David Ogbolumani ’26

nicholas sievers

February 2, 2023

Parent of Lucy Sievers ’80

andrew mckenna

February 7, 2023

Grandparent of Robert Sullivan ’08 and Kenna Sullivan Johnson ’09

nancy golden fahlstrom ’70

February 16, 2023

Daughter of the late Dick Golden ’44 , Sister of Jim Golden ’70 and Joanne Golden ’74

mark wollaeger ’75

February 19, 2023

Brother of Karen Steinmetz ’69 , Frank Wollaeger ’71 and Michael Wollaeger ’73

mary s. schnering ’63

February 21, 2022

Sister of the late Robert Schnering, Jr. ’56 , the late James Schnering ’58 and the late John Schnering ’60

Aunt of Caroline Schnering Etzkorn ’77 , James Schnering, Jr. ’84 and Elizabeth Schnering ’87

thomas arthur marshall

March 10, 2023

Parent of Thomas Marshall, Jr. ’81

james j. glasser ’51

March 14, 2023

Sister of Joyce Glasser, Ph.D. ’55

pauline “polly”

goodrich o’brien ’41

March 17, 2023

Sister of the late A. Charles Goodrich, III ’38 and the late Arthur D. Goodrich ’38

barry weinstein

March 22, 2023

Grandparent of Olivia Scheyer ’13 , Camille Scheyer ’16 and Nina Scheyer ’21

peter d. nelles ’80

April 12, 2023

elinor notz foltz ’51

April 13, 2023

Sister of John Notz, Jr. ’47 and Ted Notz ’53

Great-Aunt of Penny Fiore ’27

alan edelson

April 13, 2023

Grandparent of Samuel Gendell ’06 , William J. Gendell ’08 , Michael Gendell ’10 , Samantha Edelson ’11 , Lizzy Gendell ’13 , Jenny Reinsdorf ’13 , Joey Reinsdorf ’15 and Harrison Reinsdorf ’18

Father-in-law of Michael Reinsdorf ’85

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THE DEADLINE FOR THE FALL ACORN IS AUGUST 1. Email aweathers@ nscds.org or call Ashleigh at 8 4 7 8 81 8 848

Brennan James Thomas

Addie Grace Randolph

I spent a lot of my time as a North Shore student in a circle: seated in desks arranged in an O in classrooms, and on the ground on the playing fields or standing in a U around a science experiment or a final piece of art discussing process and results.

As the upper school underwent renovation, I recall the architects sharing how the principle of the Third Teacher served as the design motif. Environment as the Third Teacher is an educational design concept that the space in which one learns or teaches influences learning outcomes. So this experience, perhaps, primed me and others to think about how we used space considering functionalfixedness (and lack thereof) in the classroom and outside, how we worked together and alone, and literally, into what shapes we organized ourselves.

And much like the Third Teacher centered the new upper school design, circles pattern my memories of being a Raider. This I see as a reflection of my North Shore education: a series of lessons in joining and building circles of community.

In Mrs. McHugh’s classroom, all of the desks were arranged in a ring, such that everyone could see everyone else in the room with similar vantage points. No one was in the middle or behind anyone else. Setting up the classroom this way conveyed a message that everyone belonged. Additionally, Mrs. McHugh clearly communicated that it was every student’s responsibility to prepare and contribute to class, be it through speaking, listening and responding to others in discussion or thoughtfully providing input on group projects or others’ written work. Of course, it would be delusional to imagine that everyone in my classroom felt like they belonged everyday. Yet, the room arrangement paired with her clear expectation that students had vital, daily responsibilities taught me that community requires fostering a sense of belonging for all and ensuring shared expectations, including high standards. This pairing further illustrates the importance of each individual to the whole and puts success in the hands of the community members, and not one person.

In fact, this community-first style of leadership transcended my North Shore academic experience: extending from my North Shore teachers to how students

approached group projects in the classroom, teamwork on the field and beyond. For example, after every field hockey game, our team—coaches and athletes—would form a circle to recap the game, not unlike discussing results from an experiment in Ms. Ryder’s or Ms. Pfannerstill’s science classes or critiquing a student’s piece of art in Ms. Puccia’s printmaking class. After debriefing the game, each member of the team would take turns around the circle giving a player a shout out who was a leader that day: scoring a goal, sharing insight from the bench that players on the field couldn’t see, making a save, subbing in for a hurt teammate, supporting a teammate by giving them a pre-race snack or pep talk. And we always closed with “Raiders, in three…”

Thus, tradition and celebration were also vital parts of these circles of community: overlapping and encompassing one another, each contributing to the overall richness of the North Shore community. I can now see how these circles of community extend across all three schools to alumni, families and community partners. I remain grateful for having had so many experiences wrapped in these circles of classmates, teammates, teachers, mentors, coaches and families. They were integral to my education, instilled a deep appreciation for the strong bonds of community and equipped me with the skills to seek out, support and build community wherever I find myself.

This I see as a reflection of my North Shore education: a series of lessons in joining and building circles of community.