Acorn -Spring 2018

North Shore Country Day School

· Spring 2018

the

bell mystery In launching the research phase for a School Centennial coffee table book in 2019-2020, we stumbled upon a mystery surrounding the bell now displayed outside the Auditorium. Where did this bell come from and in what year? How many bells has North Shore Country Day School had over the years?

Did we have a bell in 1919 when the School was founded? Who donated the bells? What happened to all the bells? We heard that the one donated in 1963 was stolen.

So many questions—so few answers! If you know anything about the history of the bells at NSCDS, please get in touch with Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Green Whiteman ’71, nwhiteman@nscds.org or 847.881.8848.

in this issue

a c o r n · Spring 2018

features 4 The Making of a Great Teacher 8 Penn Fellows 10 A Teacher Inspired by North Shore Teachers

depa r t men t s 2

SPRING 2018 The Acorn is published by the Marketing and Communications Department of North Shore Country Day School three times a year 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 North Shore.

North Shore Country Day School 310 Green Bay Road

Winnetka, Illinois 60093 847.446.0674 Tom Flemma

Head of School

Tura Cottingham Director of Marketing & Communications, Co-Editor tcottingham@ nscds.org Christine Wachter Communications Associate, Co-Editor cwachter@nscds.org Jay Young

Communications Associate jyoung@nscds.org Molly Ingram McDowell ’80 Director of Development mmcdowell@ nscds.org Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 Director of Alumni Relations nwhiteman@ nscds.org

HEAD’S LETTER

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ACADEMICS

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

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EVENTS

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BOOK REVIEWS

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FA C U LT Y

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LIVE AND SERVE

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VISUAL ARTS

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PERFORMING ARTS

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AT H L E T I C S

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ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

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S AV E T H E D AT E S

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P H O T O S F R O M O U R PA S T

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CLASS NOTES

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ALUMNI REFLECTION

Photographers Miguel Candia Ceballos Tura Cottingham Christine Wachter Jay Young

On the front cover North Shore Country Day School faculty members.

On the back cover If you have information about this photo, contact Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Green Whiteman ’71, 847.881.8848, or nwhiteman@nscds.org.

Margaret Ringia Hart Design, www.mermadeart.com Graphic Arts Studio Printing, www.gasink.net

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HELPING TEACHERS GROW AND THRIVE classroom farther and farther. Our teachduring a free break, a willing ear. We ers will help graph a line and conjugate a have all had teachers at some point verb, of course. They might also help build who have created a true connection, a bridge in Science Olympiad, drain a free who have seen something in us that throw, represent a country at Model we don’t even see ourselves.

United Nations and even build a huge axoSometimes it’s impossible to know lotl! Learning happens everywhere at when or how you are having an impact. I remember one former student—brilliant, North Shore, and our teachers are the a bit cocky—who prided himself on being guides for the 540 different journeys of a contrarian in class, especially to me. He our 540 students.

It’s a team effort for sure. A great didn’t like when I critiqued his writing or his arguments but we had a good relation- school is like a great symphony, everyone plays a role and combines to make someship that was mutually respectful. When thing beautiful, something greater than he graduated he wrote me a lovely letter the sum of the parts. We are here for our that had nothing to do with the year we students, of course; that’s why we exist. spent together in class. For him, the moment that stood out to him was simply Their energy and wonder, their curiosity and passion, are the engine that drives us a time in the hall when I passed him and could tell that he was upset. I stopped and along. The faculty and staff at North Shore create the environment for transformative asked him how he was doing and how learning through all of the things I menI could help. He didn’t accept any help, tioned above. Over many years, they build but he said in his letter that knowing the culture of the place, the unwritten someone knew him well enough to see expectations of how we engage each other, he was struggling meant the world.

1 Brenna Cotter ’22 and Kaitlyn Olson ’23 learn from each other and care for each This is why we work with kids. in The Music Man other. We have teachers at North Shore As you’ll see in these pages, North 2 Samantha Halbower ’25 and who are teaching the children of their Shore is dedicated to ensuring our teach Becky Winkler ’25 with 5th Grade former students! What a testament to ers have all the tools to do these things.

Teacher Ellen Rasmussen 3 Science Olympiad Head Coach and Middle We invest in what matters most: learning, “Live and Serve” and a humbling reminder of the School’s long history. Parents have relationships, growth. Our Strategic Plan School Teacher Lee Block, exhorts us to make sure that North Shore always been strong partners at North Ellia Yarandi ’23, Howard Jessen and Sun is a vibrant, nourishing place to work, and Shore and that continues to be true.

Yoo at Science Olympiad practice 4 The cast of the winter play, Too Much Light I take that charge very seriously. Training Finally, our North Shore supporters— alumni, parents and grandparents of young teachers, supporting graduate Makes the Baby Go Blind school, expecting continual innovation in alumni, friends of the School—continue 5 Grace Bartell ’20, Liam Sauvage ’18 and to allow us to do our work through donadisciplinary and interdisciplinary work— Maura Markowitz ’20 watch tions, mentoring and volunteering their these are all ways to help our teachers Nick Kohler ’19 leap across the floor grow and thrive. They also model the life- time and advice. Together we have built during an X-day teambuilding activity long learning that North Shore has always this place for almost 100 years.

6 Upper and Middle School Music Teacher When one of my mentors retired from embraced. and Choral Director Will Hester in the my old school after 40-plus years, he You’ll see throughout this issue of the orchestra pit during Morning Ex Acorn the various places our teachers work declared with tears in his eyes, that 7 Emma Sansoterra ’29 harvests basil with students, in the time-honored North because he loved teaching so much he from the 1st grade aquaponics system Shore tradition of considering every learn- felt that he had never worked a day in his 8 Head Librarian Jenna Nemec-Loise and life. I’m not sure I could say the same— ing space a classroom. Our fields and Director of Early Childhood and Junior teaching IS hard work—but it is the best courts, the stage and the studio—these Kindergarten Teacher Kathy Irvin remain central to the North Shore experi- kind of work.

9 Braden Jones ’22 puts the finishing —Tom Flemma, Head of School ence, extending the “traditional” touches on his group’s boat for ArtLab

How does one sum up the role that teachers have at a place like North Shore? How could I possibly capture all of the ways that our teachers support our students every day? It’s a daunting task, even for someone who likes to write like I do.

Perhaps the way in is the truism that teaching—the best teaching, North Shore teaching—is more of a calling than a job.

What does that look like in practice?

Well, it means that teachers always keep learning. They are always on the lookout for the next great book to teach, a new way of approaching material, or a new topic to add to their repertoire. The best teachers I know are self-reflective, they embrace changes that will nourish them professionally and, above all, serve their students.

Teachers are always giving of themselves: time before school for extra help, two rough drafts, an open classroom

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The Making of a GREAT

TEACHER

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Our teachers have to be lifelong learners who care about the values that North Shore embraces— things like character, community, diversity and participation.

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eing a great teacher at North Shore Country Day School takes more than just being an expert in a particular field of study. It also demands an ability and willingness to build strong relationships with students, colleagues and parents.

A person can know their subject matter inside and out, but if they aren’t skilled in connecting with others, they probably aren’t a good fit for the School.

“Teaching roles at North Shore are multidimensional,” explained Assistant Head of School and Academic Dean Chris Boyle. “As we’re thinking about hiring, we’re looking for individuals who are teachers of students, not just information.

The student experience is built on the foundation of their relationships with their teachers. Those relationships are a catalyst for student engagement and student success. When our students feel like they have relationships with the faculty, they’re going to dig a little deeper, try a little harder, jump out of their comfort zone.

That’s an essential part of the student experience at North Shore.”

Teachers here also have to be invested in being a part of a JK-12 community, where responsibilities sometimes extend beyond the traditional scope of a classroom. Coaching, mentoring, advising and chaperoning are all integral roles that teachers play. Our teachers have to be lifelong learners who care about the values that North Shore embraces— things like character, community, diversity and participation.

“The best predictor of future approach to a person’s work is past experience,” Chris said. “So we’re looking for individuals who have taken kids on trips, who have done outdoor education, who have been advisors for clubs and organizations, and who have been good colleagues.”

In order to find those perfect candidates, administrators look widely both inside and out of the immediate Chicago area. Every search to fill an open position at North Shore is a national one, or in some cases, international. Head of School Tom Flemma, division heads and other administrators travel to hiring conferences and actively engage with candidates from all over the country. Jobs are also posted on websites like the National Association of Independent Schools career center.

Casting a wide net in hiring is “important to us because as a well-renowned independent school, we’re going to look for the best candidates across the nation,” explained Head of Lower School Tim Sheehan. “We always love to see people who have independent school experience.

It’s not a necessity, but it’s something that can be really helpful because they tend to understand the culture of an independent school quicker.”

Diversity is also of utmost importance.

Having faculty who come from different experiences and who have different interests is really important.

“We all, in our own educations, found ourselves connected to some teachers more than others,” Chris explained.

“That could be because they taught a

favorite subject, because of a shared interest or background, or because they had a sense of humor that engaged us. In some way, there was just a stronger connection there. And we want all of our kids to have that strength of connection— not just with one but with multiple teachers every year. Given the breadth of our student body, that’s only going to happen if we have faculty with significant diversity and dimension, so we are working really intentionally to build a faculty that creates multiple significant connection points for each student.”

YEAR ONE PROGRAM When new faculty and staff are hired, they are expected to participate in the Year One Program, which was implemented a number of years ago to help newcomers gain an understanding of and connection to the School, develop a cross-divisional and cross-departmental support system, become effective in all of their roles and responsibilities and, ultimately, create a sense of long-term happiness as a member of the North Shore community.

The Year One cohort meets a dozen times between August and March, to discuss things like time management, goal-setting, professional development and the evaluation process. Guest speakers are invited to give overviews of their various roles at North Shore. This year, new faculty and staff heard presentations from the heads of all three divisions and the Early Childhood program; members of the

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Young teachers are not the only ones who North Shore invests in. There are a myriad of opportunities for professional and personal development that faculty and staff are both encouraged and expected to pursue.

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Over the past two years, the program has expanded to include four assistant teachers who circulate between classrooms: one for junior and senior kindergarten, one for 1st and 2nd grade, one for 3rd and 4th grade and one who works with the two 5th grade classes. Typically these assistant teachers are recent college graduates, and some are pursuing graduate degrees in education as they obtain hands-on classroom experience.

New this year is an assistant teachers seminar, where veteran teachers can share their wealth of knowledge and supplement assistant teachers’ education with practical information they may not have received in the classroom. Seminar topics range from technology in the classroom, to assessments to parent/teacher conferences, and are, in part, guided by the assistant teachers’ interests.

“We need to be able to give back to the teaching profession as much as we take DEVELOPING NEW TEACHERS from it,” Tim explained. “So giving the Lower School faculty the opportunity to Since its founding in 1919, North Shore has been keenly interested in the develop- mentor, support and guide pre-service teachers is great for the assistants, but ment of young teachers. Founding it’s equally great for the faculty. One of Headmaster Perry Dunlap Smith even co-founded the Graduate Teachers College the best ways to reflect on your own practice is to have a mirror in your classof Winnetka in 1932 to instruct teachers room that’s trying to do the same thing in progressive education. as you’re doing.”

While the School no longer runs a In essence, the program functions as a graduate program, North Shore is one of residency for young teachers, similar to 10 independent schools to partner with what doctors go through as part of their the University of Pennsylvania Graduate studies. The assistant teachers are in the School of Education this year to pilot the Day School Teaching Residency program. field doing the work every day with master teachers to help guide and support them.

(Read more about the Penn Fellows on “As scary as that can be, you’re never page 8.) ready to have your own classroom until Another way North Shore invests you do it,” Tim said. “You can think you in young teachers is through the Lower are, but until you’re in the front, until School Assistant Teachers Program. you’re in there, it’s not real. So to have this counseling department; learning and reading resources; the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Council; the Board of Trustees; as well as the admissions, marketing and communications, and development departments. The meetings, which were facilitated by Chris, also included a few veteran faculty representatives—Lower School Music Teacher Linda Kiracibasi, Middle School Counselor Jen Goldstein and Upper School Math Teacher Vinny Cousineau—who served as additional resources for the newcomers.

Early in the year, new faculty and staff were matched with a mentor. In some cases, this was another teacher from the same department, but in many cases, mentors spanned departments and even divisions. While the mentor relationship is only intended to continue through the first year, many new teachers continue the relationship informally after that period ends.

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experience as an assistant teacher, versus simply 10 or 15 weeks student teaching in a classroom, is night and day.”

And while the assistants gain invaluable experience, they also add a lot to the classrooms in which they work. In addition to being an extra set of hands and allowing more small group work and individual attention, they also bring in energy and new ideas, and they keep the more experienced teachers on their toes.

“We’re better teachers when we have to be mentors,” explained Director of Early Childhood and Junior Kindergarten Teacher Kathy Irvin. “From working with the children, to working with the parents, to writing an email, to conferencing—we have to be on our game all the time. If they are picking up on the language and if they are watching how you manage the classroom and you see that come back without having to instruct it, that’s a really neat feeling.”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Young teachers are not the only ones who North Shore invests in. There are a myriad of opportunities for professional and personal development that faculty and staff are both encouraged and expected to pursue.

Because of ongoing fundraising initiatives and the generosity of donors in the School community, North Shore has been able to support faculty enrichment through professional development and curriculum development that directly impacts the students.

“We’re in a strong position today because of our previous loyal and generous donors—parents, grandparents,

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alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of the School,” explained Director of Development Molly Ingram McDowell ’80.

“Now it’s our responsibility to pay it forward, not only for the current School community but for the next generation.”

As detailed in the 2017-2022 Strategic Plan, North Shore strives to be a balanced, vibrant place to learn, work and grow.

“The quality of the student experience at North Shore is inextricably linked to the skills, talents and commitment of our faculty and staff,” it reads. “Creating the conditions and opportunities for these esteemed educators to thrive and grow is essential to achieving our individual and institutional ambitions.”

In order for that growth to happen, the School is committed to investing in a best-in-class professional development program.

First Grade Teacher Anya Leist has taken advantage of a number of professional development opportunities in her three years at North Shore, most of which have been centered around service, or equity, inclusion and diversity. Some she has sought out on her own, and others have been recommended by colleagues.

“Tim Sheehan, Chris Boyle and Tom Flemma have been mentors to me and have been able to help me better define what it is that I want to do, what skills I want to pursue and what areas I want to grow in,” she explained. “It’s so nice to know that your bosses and other people you work with are really invested in your growth.”

This past summer, Anya attended a weeklong seminar on cross-cultural facilitation through an organization called StirFry, based in Berkeley, CA. The workshop offered tools and techniques for

engaging in difficult conversations about difference and helping people work through those conversations, especially when there are strong feelings involved.

“I was able to bring that back to my classroom and use it with my students to help them navigate conflicts with one another,” she explained. “Rather than giving them the words, I’ve been helping them develop their ability to use their own words to solve conflicts with their friends by asking them guided questions.”

SUMMER CURRICULUM GRANTS Another important goal as outlined in North Shore’s Strategic Plan is to cultivate greater professional collaboration across departments and divisions. One way that happens is through summer curriculum grants, which are awarded to provide financial support to teams of faculty working collaboratively in ways that would otherwise be impossible during the academic year.

Last summer, 5th Grade Teacher Ellen Rasmussen, Middle School Mathematics Teacher Grace Wood, Upper School Mathematics Teacher and Math Department Head Brian Frederick, and former 3rd and 5th Grade Teacher Annie Scribner received a summer curriculum grant to bridge the math curriculum and create seamless transitions from Lower School to Upper School—from 4th grade math all the way up to algebra.

“There is so much progression in math,” Brian explained. “So if there are gaps in the instruction or if students haven’t been placed appropriately, if they’ve been advanced too quickly or if they were held back and were bored stiff, it can have a

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huge impact down the road. What happens when they’re younger is so important.”

There’s a lot of overlap in the development of math between Lower and Middle School especially. Teachers are often hitting the same topics, but they’re just going deeper each year.

“Now that I understand what’s being done in 4th and 5th grade, I can make better decisions,” Grace said. “It’s allowed me to adjust what I’ve pushed to 7th grade and what I’ve moved down to 6th, so now I can say, ‘OK, then they’re ready for this,’ and they can be more prepared for algebra.”

Having uninterrupted time over the summer to work on these transitions was critical. Because the project spanned all three divisions with completely different schedules, it’s virtually impossible to find common time to hash out projects like this during the school year.

“As teachers, we always want the best curriculum, so wherever we’re placed we’re always going to work on it,” Ellen explained. “But I feel appreciated here and it’s nice that administrators acknowledge that this is important and extra work. In other schools, there’s just this expectation to get it done and figure it out on your own time.”

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Josh Fidler Anya Leist Brian Frederick Jake Kann ’12 Sara Pyne Rebecca Reátegui ’12 and Kathy Irvin Anya Leist Ellen Rasmussen Grace Wood

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Penn Fellow in Mathematics Zach Blickensderfer

PENN FELLOWS

Zach Blickensderfer and Brian Sarfo This year, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education selected North Shore Country Day and nine other highly regarded schools to launch the Day School Teaching Residency program, an innovative two-year program that allows aspiring teachers to earn a master’s degree while completing an intensive teaching fellowship at a partner school. Out of the 10 schools chosen for the program, North Shore is the only one outside of the East Coast. To kick off the program, North Shore brought in two Penn Fellows: Zach Blickensderfer and Brian Sarfo.

Zach, who completed his undergraduate studies at Yale University, came to North Shore as a Penn Fellow in mathematics. Brian, who studied urban studies and political science at Columbia University, is a Penn Fellow in social studies. And while this is their first year teaching full time in a school, both had some previous experience working with students—Zach taught improvisational theater at a summer school as well as a series of seminars for first-year students when he was a senior at Yale, and Brian completed a summer internship at a charter school teaching a credit recovery course.

“Coming into my senior year of college, I was fairly certain I wanted to focus my 8

career on education in some way,” Zach explained. “And while I wasn’t sure if that meant teaching forever or if that meant going into policy or into curriculum design or into leadership, I knew that it had to start with a strong foundation in teaching.”

As he started exploring various graduate education programs, Zach realized that most of them tended to be either deeply theoretical or extremely heavy on the application but light on theory. It was difficult to find a program that did both well. And that’s where the Penn Fellows program fit in.

“I wanted something that would teach me about both education and teaching,” he said. “I didn’t want to just be in a classroom without a theoretical foundation underneath me. The Penn Fellows program elegantly combines a theoretical understanding of teaching and the scholarly community that you have in a teacher education program with the application and immediate feedback I get from my in-the-classroom teaching.”

The day school residency was modeled after a similar program at the University of Pennsylvania for boarding schools.

Head of School Tom Flemma was one of the original architects of that program when he worked at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut before coming

to North Shore. “The Penn program was transformative for Hotchkiss in many ways,” Tom said. “Having North Shore join the new Day School cohort was a nobrainer to me. It’s that powerful.”

Like the boarding school residency, the day school program began with an intensive weeklong seminar at the University of Pennsylvania where all of the fellows engaged in coursework around three strands: teaching and learning; the history and culture of independent schools; and reflective practices. They also had a winter meeting at Penn and weekend meetings in the fall and spring at partner schools. In between the four in-person meetings, fellows participate in regular video chats with their cohorts, and have a long syllabus of coursework to complete.

Over the course of the two-year program, fellows complete 10 graduate-level course units. In their second year, they complete an inquiry project and construct a portfolio. During this time, they also teach in one of the partner schools. Upon successful completion of the program, the fellows receive a Master’s of Science in Education.

One faculty member from each partner school is designated as a dean of the program, charged to partner with Penn faculty to create and implement the curriculum. At North Shore, Upper School Dean

Penn Fellow in Social Studies Brian Sarfo

of Students Erik Cooper serves in that role.

Fellows meet with Erik and their subjectspecific mentors regularly— Zach with Brian Frederick, Upper School mathematics teacher and math department head, and Brian Sarfo with Kiernan Aiston, Upper School social studies teacher and social studies department head.

Zach and Brian observe their mentors teaching a class, and then they turn around and teach the same class while their mentors observe them and give them feedback.

This year, Brian is teaching World History 1 and World History 2. He is only required to observe Kiernan’s World History 1 class, but he will often observe Erik’s World History 2 class to gain even more insight and get a feel for what the shape of the lesson should look like.

“That’s really true to form for Brian,” Kiernan said. “He’s looking ahead, doing everything that he needs to do—and more—to be prepared for whatever is coming next. I think back on my first days teaching and I was drinking out of the fire hose, just trying to stay a day or two ahead of the students and not put my foot in my mouth too often. Brian is light years ahead by virtue of his preparation, his thoughtfulness and the empathy he has for his students.”

Zach is teaching Precalculus 15 and Algebra 1. He observes Brian Frederick’s precalculus class, but he’s doing algebra on his own. However, Brian still observes Zach’s algebra class and offers feedback as necessary.

“I’m so grateful to have Brian Frederick as a mentor,” Zach said. “It is a perfect partnership. I think we operate in similar ways. We really see eye to eye when it

comes to our goals for our students and the outcomes we’re looking for. And I feel so safe putting out my best lesson or taking a risk because I know that no matter what, Brian’s going to give me encouragement and criticism and he’s not going to pull any punches.”

That gratitude goes both ways. The fellows are not the only ones gaining from the program. Both Brian Frederick and Kiernan said they have grown tremendously because of their role as mentors.

“For me, it’s been the single best professional experience I’ve had as a teacher,” Brian Frederick said. “From what I’ve personally gained from doing it—I’ve been very fortunate in having someone as smart and thoughtful as Zach to partner with on a daily basis.”

Because of various other obligations, the mentors have been switching off attending the meetings. Kiernan accompanied the fellows to the summer meeting at the University of Pennsylvania and Brian accompanied them to the fall meeting at Gilman School in Baltimore.

“I was impressed from top to bottom with all the people involved,” Brian Frederick explained. “Going there and talking to other experienced educators who were in the same situation, working as mentors. It was great to hear their ideas and to hear their experiences. You’re with a group of people who are passionate educators, so the conversation quickly moves from your work as a mentor to what you do in your classroom. It was just a great opportunity the School provided.”

Both Zach and Brian Sarfo say the transition to life at North Shore has been a

good one, and both were pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and helpful everyone has been. Brian said the amount of support he received from the very first day was “overwhelming” in a good way— from techniques to incorporate into lessons, to tips on navigating the School, to Thanksgiving dinner invitations.

“People I don’t interact with all the time were making sure I was comfortable and getting situated,” Brian said. “To me that was reassuring and made me feel like this is a small family. I don’t think I would’ve received that level of support anywhere else.”

North Shore is hoping to expand the program next year with the addition of one or two new fellows. Students and faculty alike are excited about the prospect of adding a few more young teachers into the mix. Erik said feedback from the students about Zach and Brian has been overwhelmingly positive. And other faculty have been benefiting from the program as well.

“There’s so much in addition to having a fresh, young perspective,” Erik explained.

“Here are teachers coming right out of college who have incredible energy and enthusiasm. But also they’re getting so much through the Penn program—all of this incredible experience in educational theory that really has a trickle-down effect.

We’re talking about some of these theories in our faculty meetings now. They’re introducing new styles and techniques into their classrooms. So I feel like in many ways the master’s program is impacting more than just the fellows.”

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BUDGE COOPER ’83 A Teacher Inspired by North Shore Teachers

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It’s a wonderful thing teaching abroad. I really believe the doors to this opportunity opened to me because of North Shore. That is a gift.

Growing up in the northern Chicago suburbs, Sharon “Budge” Cooper ’83 attended public school as her family moved to several different communities. By the time she was ready for 5th grade, her parents felt there was something better out there.

“They knew North Shore was a special place,” she recalled.

“I remember all my teachers. Those who impacted me most were and are dynamic, passionate people. If my work wasn’t up to the mark, they said so, and they were always spot on,” she admitted. “I thank every single one who pushed me to be better. The work ethic I have now is the direct result of that. I am so grateful.”

Following graduation from North Shore, Budge’s plans to attend Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA, were deferred when she applied for and won a one-year English-Speaking Union scholarship to attend St. Lawrence College, a British boarding school. Budge completed the senior year program, culminating in A-level exams, which she compared to college-level academics.

Returning to the States, she went to Mount Holyoke but didn’t want to stay. “It was a small school of 1,800 women where I learned how to be a proactive and vocal student in the classroom,” she explained.

“The academics were fabulous but I was ready for something noisier and closer to a city.” So she transferred to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, graduating in 1988 with a major in English literature and minor in biology.

Her next move was to Chicago for a job in investment banking. It didn’t take long until she realized it wasn’t for her. “It didn’t activate my brain or my heart,” she explained. “My imagination went dry. To be fair, I was probably lacking in the skill set needed to be successful and happy there. You get on this track and need to get the next promotion and that felt hollow. I couldn’t find the soul of the experience.”

As she pondered her next steps, she instinctively contacted her North Shore teachers for advice. “They were the ones I trusted the most—the ones who were the most worldly, wise and honest with me.

Bill Goss, Jack Ingram, Michael Conroy.

All spoke encouraging words about pursuing teaching. So, I went back to Michigan and got my masters in education.”

Budge credits Larry Chiappetta, her North Shore physics teacher, for inspiring her interest in science. “I like science from a teaching perspective,” she explained. “I also love literature but I don’t have the kind of charisma that can infect a group of non-reading young people and motivate them to dive into the stories. In the science classroom, we have more physical movement and interesting toys. Students can link arms, pass along vibration and become a human sound wave. Using your body to learn and extending your senses with fun gadgets allows for wonder on a completely new level.”

She and her husband Park both began teaching high school science in Oregon public schools 25 years ago. But then the dynamics of public schools started changing. Class sizes were growing, budgets were shrinking, and the couple was concerned about their daughter Sophia’s future in Oregon public schools.

In 2015, encouraged by friends who had left the United States to teach internationally, they decided to give it a try. “We signed up with a placement agency.

Former NSCDS Head of School Dick Hall is an emeritus Head of the International School of Brussels and, thanks to valuable conversations with him and a few contacts, we flew to Bangkok for a big educator job fair that draws schools from around the world. Dick advised us to choose the school, not the country. Look for a wonderful place to work, where people enjoy what they do. No country will be enjoyable if you are suffering at your job,” Budge recalled.

They were fortunate to find an amazing school—the International School Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile, that offered Budge and Park science teaching positions.

One of the most important things she learned from her North Shore teachers, especially John Almquist, was to break down the barriers. “These teachers didn’t just stand in the front and lecture students,” she said. “They changed the

context of what we were learning all the time. So I got comfortable with change, different perspectives, having class outside and imitating the waves. Everyone was unconventional, really thoughtful and intentional. It made a difference in how we interacted with the curriculum and each other and it elevated our learning.”

Since 2002, Budge has been employing some of those same techniques she learned from her teachers to teach physics and environmental science in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program for high school juniors and seniors. It’s a very interesting and rigorous program that is standardized worldwide, and designed to cover the last two years of high school.

But at her school in the U.S., the program was condensed to one year making it very challenging to teach.

Now, not only is she teaching juniors and seniors the IB two-year program in Chile, she is involved with creating the international standards for the Environmental Systems curriculum and travels to The Hague for the work. She is also an examiner who evaluates the students’ submitted IB work from other countries. “Grading IB exams for other schools really improves your teaching; you can work backwards from the exams to deconstruct your own teaching methods when you see how students from other schools are articulating what they learned from the same curriculum. It’s a lot of work, but really interesting.

“I thank North Shore, its caring teachers and staff and my lifelong friends for my being so happy doing what I’m doing,” Budget admitted. “North Shore was a safe, creative place, where we all felt empowered to ask hard questions and do unconventional projects. It’s a wonderful thing teaching abroad. I really believe the doors to this opportunity opened to me because of North Shore. That is a gift.”

Note: Budge’s mother is Sharon Cooper, former North Shore college counselor, and her father Dick was a Trustee of the School.

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n ioctse s ac cl a sdse m

The On Democracy Project: Kendall Vallas ’22

Juliet Ainsley ’22 and Lily Ainsley ’22

The On Democracy Project While most North Shore Middle School students are rolling out of their beds on a cold and snowy Thursday morning in January, twins Lily and Juliet Ainsley ’22 are already walking into English teacher Susan Schinleber’s second-floor classroom.

A handful of students are scattered throughout the room, waiting—their iPads sitting out on their desks and their earbuds plugged in.

Although the school day is only just beginning at North Shore, across the pond, as they like to say in England, the day is winding down at Halcyon London International School, where Stephanie Cooke teaches history to Grade 9 students.

Despite the six-hour time difference between the two schools, a similar scene is occurring in Stephanie’s classroom where a handful of students are gathered with their tablets. Soon, the London students begin placing video calls to their American peers at North Shore.

Back in Susan’s classroom, only a few minutes have passed when Lily shouts out, “I’m connected!” She begins by asking her London counterpart how his day is going.

After a few minutes of chitchat, the conversation shifts to a more serious topic— politics. For the next 30 minutes, the pair discusses the fundamentals of democracy and how they relate to current events around the world.

“I call it the On Democracy Project,” Susan explained. “The point is to have kids think about the country in which we live and the values we live by.”

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The On Democracy Project matches up 8th grade students at North Shore who have just finished reading Animal Farm, by George Orwell, which reflects on the events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917, with Grade 9 students at Halcyon, who are studying the Russian Revolution.

Together, the American and English pairs discussed their ideas, perspectives and beliefs about democracy, current events and politics in general.

“We’ve been talking about the democracy we have here and how it’s good and how it’s bad,” said Max Bury ’22. “And they’ve been telling us about their governmental system.”

“For about 30 minutes we talk about democracy, what we’re doing in school, the similarities and differences of who we are as a country and as a person,” Lily explained. “We get to meet new people and talk about our political opinions and democracy.”

Despite not receiving a grade or credit for participating in the voluntary program, the students who have chosen to participate really enjoy it.

“Whenever you bring up politics, say at like the dinner table, usually there’s always a heated discussion and your heart rate goes up a little bit,” Lily said. “But I noticed while talking to them, even though we had different opinions, it was totally fine and we listened to each other and we agreed and disagreed, which was really cool.”

“It’s nice to know the world is so interconnected that we can have peers across the world and we can talk with them and share opinions and ideas,” Juliet added. “This project has really helped me understand the power of technology and the power of having connections all around the world.”

The London-based students seem to agree. Stephanie said her students really enjoy conversing with their American peers and they’ve come to see their partners not as people they have to talk to, but rather as friends.

“I think what has been surprising is the level of commitment by so many of the students,” Stephanie continued. “They were really thirsty to learn more about how our democracies learn.”

Potentially polarizing topics like politics and world affairs were not the only things discussed during these weekly 30-minute sessions. The students also took time to learn about each other’s lives.

“I’ve had this one boy who has been my partner and we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well,” Juliet explained. “I have a twin and he has a twin, so we talk about being twins, and then we talked about the Oscars and the Super Bowl, and he tells me about the Royals, which I find really cool. So we talk a lot about pop culture because he’s still a kid my age so it’s fun to hear his view.”

“It’s been very funny because I honestly thought we would be super, super different,” Lily added, “but we’re not actually that different. They watch the Super Bowl and they see the same movies that we do

A Student Conferences In From Halcyon London International School

New Upper School Courses and they’re learning the same things that I’m learning in math class right now. So even though we’re a really, really long way from them, we still have similarities.”

Overall, both Susan and Stephanie are pleased with the results of the twoyear-old project that started when the two met at an international Facing History and Ourselves seminar hosted on North Shore’s campus in 2016.

“The enthusiasm of the kids is what I really love to see,” Susan said. “I was hoping that we would forge real connections across the ocean with this other community and lifelong friendships might be developed in this way.”

Susan feels there is a genuine need to connect our students with their peers around the world in order to foster discussion about our similarities and differences.

“I’m very disappointed with the level of cultural conversation about democracy and some of the cynicism that floats around about our country, our government and our institutions,” Susan explained.

“This is a counterbalance to that. It’s a huge experiment in making a good community, a good national community. It focuses us back on what’s good about the country and what the kids should be proud of in the country, and also what needs improving. It’s rewarding beyond belief to do this.

“Our status in the world is changing,” Susan continued. “We need to know more about other countries, not just our own. This project is a way to spur that discussion.”

A number of new courses will be offered next year, giving Upper School students the opportunity to explore their interests in English, history, math, performing arts and world language.

Advanced Open Creative Writing will give students interested in writing creative fiction and nonfiction a chance to work intensively on a specific long-form piece like a novel or memoir, or a collection of poetry or short stories in a writer’s workshop format. While students will complete and share some common writing exercises to strengthen and expand their creative writing skills, the curriculum will largely be determined by students’ proposals and specific interests.

There will be two new history classes: The Holocaust and Human Behavior (first semester) and A Cultural History of the Atlantic World, 1400-1800 (second semester). The former will lead students through an examination of the catastrophic period in the 20th century when Nazi Germany murdered 6 million Jews and millions of other civilians, in the midst of the most destructive war in human history. It will also guide students on a parallel journey through an exploration of the universal themes inherent in a study of the Holocaust that raise profound questions about human behavior. The latter will use a broad perspective—the Atlantic Ocean— to examine the various contacts and interactions among West Africans, indigenous Americans and Europeans to provide a rich and deep understanding of key developments that shaped history in Latin

America, the Caribbean, North America, Africa and Europe. Uniquely, this course will emphasize the role of West Africans and indigenous Americans as active and equal participants with Europeans in fashioning a distinct Atlantic culture.

AP Computer Science Principles will give students the opportunity to use technology to address real-world problems and build relevant solutions. Through projects and investigations in computer science, students will explore both the impact and ethical implications of new technologies in order to methodically and collaboratively design and test computational solutions.

Class Voice is designed for students with interests in music, theater or dance who want to become more confident as solo singers. Students will study principles of vocal technique and learn a repertoire suitable for college and professional auditions. Students will study classical and musical theater styles, and there will be opportunities for public performance.

Special Topics in French will give students who have completed French 5 or AP French an opportunity to continue their French studies, focusing on areas of Francophone culture that are of specific interest to them. The group format is designed to enhance the communicative approach, with students exploring inquirybased content in clusters. To this end, it will be primarily project-based, with a specific focus on providing an experiential approach to the areas of study.

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cl a ss notes

Lower School students inside the axolotl

Ukulele: Sophie Jaffe ’26

Biology Students Turn Science Center Atrium into Underwater Habitat First, a large wooden structure began to take shape in the atrium of the North Shore Country Day School Science Center.

A few days later, it was wrapped with chicken wire. Then the inside was covered with a black plastic tarp, while the outside was layered with pieces of pink and white plastic sheeting. Next, arms and legs emerged, and finally, the head. Sheets of blue cellophane were draped from the ceiling and arranged on the floor with river rocks. Empty cans and bottles were strung from the ceiling. Finally, the internal organs were added and tours began.

This wasn’t an elaborate art project or part of a set from the recent Spring Musical. Students in Jen Pfannerstill’s Biology 10 class were building an organism. Every few days, they would post a hint on the science department’s Instagram account. “It’s critically endangered, lives in the water, has a tail.” Then they released some cultural clues: papel picado (a decorative craft made of cut paper), some colorful buildings, more trash.

After researching a handful of animals, including starfish, sea turtles, angler fish and even a lion, students chose the axolotl, a small amphibian native to Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City that may hold clues to major advances in stem cell research and even a cure to cancer.

Also known as a Mexican salamander, axolotls are usually between six and 12 inches long and come in a variety of colors and patterns, including tan with gold speckles, gray, white and pale pink. They 14

have wide faces with lidless eyes, short limbs and long digits, and they are one of few amphibians that reach adulthood without going through metamorphosis. They have gills and underdeveloped lungs, and spend their entire lives underwater. But they can do something that most other amphibians cannot.

Axolotls are capable of full regeneration of limbs, Jen explained. But unlike starfish, which can also regenerate tissue, axolotls are much more complex and can regrow bones, muscles and nerves. “So kids are starting to think about what that means,” she said. “What could that mean for somebody with a neural injury, or a spinal cord that’s severed?”

Scientists recently finished sequencing the organism’s genome, which is 10 times larger than a human’s and the largest ever to be sequenced. By studying this organism, they hope to discover how adult cells are able to revert back to stem cells and regenerate limbs and repair spinal tissue.

“Cell division is controlled by certain genes,” Jen explained. “If scientists can use axolotls to learn more about the genetic switches that turn cell division on, they should also be able to figure out how to turn cell division off. In the next unit we talk about genetics and cancer and this is the foreshadowing of that.”

There’s also an environmental component to the project. Axolotls are currently classified as critically endangered, meaning they face a high risk of extinction in the wild. Much of that is because of human interference—both through the

introduction of invasive species like carp and tilapia into their natural habitat and through pollution.

“Part of the reason the axolotl is endangered is because of habitat destruction,” Jen explained. “Humans are impacting natural ecosystems by polluting the lakes and rivers with industrial fertilizers and garbage. It’s important for [the students] to see that humans have a hand in that.

There’s also a cultural aspect when we think about the overpopulation in Mexico City. So, we can go across disciplines and not only think about it from a biological sense, but also with a social science lens, and ask why are we polluting the rivers?

Well, one of the reasons is that too many people live in Mexico City and they have no place to put their garbage.”

Justin Hartley ’19 focused mainly on the human interaction piece of the project and spent most of his time working on the posters and wall art that represented Mexico City and the underwater habitat of the axolotl.

“I know that we as humans do a lot of things that aren’t OK, but learning that we could end such an amazing species that is the best example of evolution is really sad and unfortunate,” he said.

To help bring awareness to the plight of the axolotl, the students hope to design and sell t-shirts, and donate the proceeds to an organization that works to protect endangered species. They also invited the Lower School students and the Middle School science classes to tour the organism they built, explaining its anatomy and

Ukulele: Quinn Macejko ’26

Aquaponics: Upper School Science Teacher Jen Pfannerstill with 1st graders

what I did to make it easier for them is place the dots where your fingers go for various chords, and they’re different colors because it’s different chords.”

As she leads her class through the first few chords of the song, her students purposefully concentrate on getting their small fingers on the correct strings Despite the sounds of buzzing strings and missed notes, she presses her class to keep trying. Slowly, their hard work and persistence begin to pay off—the mess of Lower Schoolers garbled sounds melds into a harmonious Learn the Ukulele tune. The students smile as they are able If you’ve happened to wander through the to recognize the song they’re playing.

Although learning to play an instruhalls of the Lower School recently, you’ve ment is a lot of work, the 4th graders are probably heard an unfamiliar sound resoready for the challenge. nating from Linda Kiracibasi’s music “Several of the kids are very excited and room on the first floor. Starting in January, have said they’ve already asked for ukulethe longtime North Shore music teacher les for their birthdays,” Linda said. began teaching her 4th grade classes how to play a new instrument—the ukulele.

“It’s something a lot of elementary Senior Lends a Hand teachers are doing,” Linda explained. “It to Repair 1st Grade just sounded like a new, fun way to have the kids doing some ensemble learning.

Aquaponics Pump It’s a different way of doing music where When 1st grade students returned to their they’re singing as well as playing.” classroom following winter break, they Currently, the students are learning a were surprised to find that the pump for simplified version of Bruno Mars’ hit song, their aquaponics system was no longer Count on Me. To help her young musicians working. The pump is an essential learn the proper chords, Linda uses a dot component that cleans the water for the system in which different colored dots are fish and fertilizes the plants growing placed on the fretboard that correspond to on the top. finger placement.

With the water already getting cloudy, “It’s four strings and the kids learn to the teachers knew it was urgent to fix the read a chord chart,” Linda explained. “So pump to save the fish. The only problem physiology as well as teaching the importance of taking care of the environment.

Winder Holeman’s Lower School Spanish classes also took part in the project, writing stories and learning about the cultural significance of the axolotl.

“The idea in the end is they become the experts and spread this word on to others,” Jen said. “They are the ones to affect change.”

was, they didn’t know how to do it.

“Being a JK-12 school, we contacted Jen Pfannerstill, Upper School science teacher and scientist-in-residence, to see if her 12th grade science class might be able to help,” explained 1st Grade Teacher Cristy Athas.

Sure enough, Caroline Later ’18 was eager to take on the challenge. She immediately ordered and installed a new pump to get the system up and running as quickly as possible. Then Caroline took apart the broken pump and began designing a replacement part that she could print on the 3D printer.

But Caroline didn’t stop there. She and Jen visited the 1st grade classroom to explain the science behind the problem pump. The students learned that the pump was old and rusted, and a broken propeller caused the failure. Caroline taught the students why things rust and how a propeller works to move water.

“This is a perfect example of what makes North Shore special,” Cristy reflected. “We were able to take this problem and turn it into a cross-divisional service learning opportunity. Only at a school like North Shore can you find 6- and 7-year-olds gaining real-life learning experiences alongside a student who is 10 years older.”

The week ended with Chef Brendan McDermott coming to the room and harvesting the basil and parsley for that day’s special, pasta primavera.

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accomplishmen t s

Bye Bye Birdie: Kaitlyn Olson ’23

Science Olympiad: Sophie Gerdeman ’22 and Sophie Green ’23

Scholastic Writing Awards: Justin Hartley ’19, Emmy Cho ’20, Betsey Freiburger ’19, Izzy Cho ’20

Science Olympiad This marks the 20th year that the Middle School has fielded a Science Olympiad team. And while much has remained the same, much has also evolved. Lee Block, Middle School math and science teacher, and founder of the Science Olympiad program at North Shore, recalled that in the early years, there were more boys than girls involved and more 7th and 8th graders participated. “This year, we have about 60% girls and very few 8th graders,” he said. “Many of our older students just don’t have the time because of other interests and involvement in travel and club sports.”

To be on the Science Olympiad team, students must commit to participating in a minimum of three events and a maximum of five. Each event practices for an hour and a half after school one day a week from October to April—a total of six months.

Lee said the team involves about 30 students each year, half of whom make up the varsity team. “Those students tend to

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live and breathe Science Olympiad,” he explained. “They don’t have to be a great science student, but they have to show up to the practices every week and pour their heart and soul into it. It takes lots and lots of practice.”

No two years feature the same events either. Every year, a third are completely new, a third have the same title but have changes in rules or content, and a third are tweaked to make them more difficult.

New this year were hovercraft, roller coaster, battery buggy, potions and poisons, herpetology, mystery architecture and solar system.

The structure of the Science Olympiad coaching staff has also evolved. “This year, we have nine Upper School students coaching. That’s the most ever we’ve ever had,” Lee said with a smile. “They essentially are running a 90-minute class after school and they are doing a great job. It’s really helped out a lot because trying to get adult coaches can be difficult.”

So what stands out to set this year apart from the rest? “This is the first time that every single member of our team

competing at the regional event received at least one medal. They were so excited,” recalled Lee. The second notable accomplishment is that NSCDS won the spirit award at one of their invitational meets.

“It’s only the second time that’s ever happened. The spirit award is given to a team that shows the most sportsmanship.

In this case, North Shore students competing in the plane event, offered some advice to a competitor whose plane crashed into the wall during flight. The advice helped correct the problem and the competitors were really appreciative of our students for their help.”

After spending six months together, practicing nearly every week, there is a social component and real camaraderie that develops among the students. To build on that team spirit, Lee has organized an event to follow their trip to the state tournament in April at the University of Illinois. The group will visit iFLY for indoor parachuting, participate in a STEM experience and go out for dinner.

Scholastic Writing Awards Four North Shore Country Day School Upper School students were recognized with a 2018 Scholastic Writing Award at the Chicago regional level, and one of them received national recognition as well.

This year’s regional gold key winners were Emmy Cho ’20 (poetry), Izzy Cho ’20 (short story) and Betsey Freiburger ’19 (personal essay/memoir and short story).

Betsey’s short story was also an American Voices nominee. Silver key winners were Emmy Cho (poetry) and Justin Hartley ’19 (journalism, personal essay/memoir, poetry and science fiction/fantasy).

Justin also received an honorable mention (poetry).

In mid-March, Betsey found out that her two pieces were also awarded gold medals in the national competition.

“I was very surprised to receive these awards, especially given the amount of applicants,” Betsey said. “My creative writing is very personal and I was a little afraid to put it out there. To be recognized for my voice is really an honor.”

For 95 years, the Scholastic Writing Awards have recognized some of America’s most celebrated writers while they were teenagers. Past recipients include Sylvia Plath, Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King, Truman Capote and Lena Dunham.

Middle Schooler Stars in Local Production of Bye Bye Birdie Kaitlyn Olson ’23 played the lead role of Kim MacAfee in the Performer’s School production of Bye Bye Birdie at the Skokie Theatre in December.

Last spring, she appeared in the spring musical Seussical, and since it was her first year at the School, she was thrilled to be able to interact with students from all three divisions. Kaitlyn has been singing, dancing and acting on stage since the age of 3 in theaters in Scottsdale, AZ, and Seattle, but Birdie was her first featured role in the Chicago area.

A loving send-up of the late 1950s, small-town America, teenagers and rock ‘n’ roll, Bye Bye Birdie tells the story of teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie, who has been drafted into the army. Before he goes, he chooses all-American girl Kim MacAfee for a very public farewell kiss on national television. Featuring a high-energy score and a hilarious script, Birdie remains one of the most popular shows across the country. Hit songs include Put on a Happy Face, One Last Kiss, Kids! and Rosie.

competitive. Xas is the only member from her region and the midwest to make the national team.

Xas, a midfield player, also credits her experience on North Shore’s varsity field hockey team to her success. “My freshman year was really fun,” recalled Xas. “I loved being a part of my high school team and I definitely learned a lot that was different from the club experience. NSCDS is a more cultivating environment and I like the intensity here. I think it’s also helped me with my leaderships skills. My club experience combined with my North Shore experience has really melded to make me a stronger player.”

Another advantage to playing for the School team is having access to additional training and support. Her hard work on Alexandra “Xas” Morgan ’20 the field, paired with hard work off the field and during the off season really paid Student Named to National off. “She set her mind on these goals and worked incredibly hard to get there,” added Field Hockey Team North Shore Field Hockey Coach and Alexandra “Xas” Morgan ’20 doesn’t Associate Director of Admissions Mullery remember a time when she didn’t play Doar. “She’s in the gym all the time durfield hockey, or at least hold a stick in ing the off-season and works with the her hand. Both of her parents were School trainer Mark Medhurst.” members of the South Africa National Xas admitted that balancing her Team, and her dad played with her in the education and field hockey can be chalbackyard when she was little. “My family lenging. “My teachers are so incredibly is field hockey crazy—it’s basically our understanding and they definitely help me life,” she said. juggle the demands.” Again, Mullery also Her dedication to field hockey and her gave credit to Xas. “The notion that the family’s support has been a successful teachers are all very understanding and combination. In January, Xas was named supportive is true, but Xas is also very to the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team. proactive and gets her work done when Her journey to national standing began in and how it’s supposed to be done.” earnest when she became involved in a While Xas is only a sophomore, she is Futures field hockey program in middle already thinking about what she will do school, helping members develop their after she graduates from North Shore. She skills. From there she joined the Windy has a verbal commitment to play at the City Field Hockey Club—where her father University of Virginia. “I just love the was also a coach—that ultimately led to school and was immediately drawn to it. competing against thousands of girls They have some of the top coaches in the under the age of 17 from different clubs country and they are one of the strongest across the country. She made the cut and teams—ranked in the top 10 in the U.S.” was selected for one of 12 regional teams.

It’s natural to wonder if someone so Fellow Raiders, Jessica Hourihane ’18 mature and driven for her age has her life (U-19) and Julia Fortier ’20 (U-16) were planned for college and beyond. “I thought also selected for the regional team. The about studying medicine but I’ve decided regional teams competed against each against it,” she said. “I have two years to other to earn a spot on the national team, declare a major at Virginia, so I think I’ll which started with 60 girls, was then cut just see what I like. They have a great busidown to 36 and then cut again to the 25 ness school so I’m definitely interested players who comprise the national team. in that.”

Most recently, Xas was one of 18 girls And how about a field hockey career? selected to travel to Uruguay over spring “That would be a full time job,” Xas admitbreak, touring the country playing against ted. But is there a possibility she would other teams. be interested in playing in the Summer Even now, the team is dominated Olympics? “It’s pretty out there, but by girls from the east coast where field maybe,” she said. hockey is much more popular and

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dis t inguished gues t s

Harold Hines Visiting Fellow: Beth Murphy

2018 Harold Hines Visiting Fellow: Filmmaker Beth Murphy North Shore Country Day School welcomed filmmaker Beth Murphy as the 2018 Harold Hines Visiting Fellow on January 23. She spent the day on campus, meeting with students from all three divisions and talking with them about her work.

Beth’s first stop at North Shore was the Auditorium, where she gave a keynote address to students in grades 6 through 12 during a special Morning Ex. “The most incredible thing I’ve learned about you so far is the mission you have,” Beth explained to the students, faculty and staff who had come to hear her speak. “The words you use to define your mission are words that I believe in so deeply—the mission to live and to serve. I live to make documentary films, but I do that only because I believe they can serve. I want my films to generate more than an audience and really contribute to generating social change.”

Beth began her career in broadcast news, but after a while, began to feel the 18

negative impact that news can often have on a person’s psyche. “The term I began to apply to it was compassion fatigue,” she explained. “When you’re overloaded with emotional hits and there are a lot of nameless faces coming at you, there’s not a lot of depth, not a lot of context for really understanding what the problem is. You know there are a ton of problems out there and a lot of people suffering, but there’s really no sense that you can do anything about it.

I didn’t want to feel hopeless and didn’t want to contribute to anyone else feeling hopeless either.”

Beth founded Principle Pictures in 1999 to do what she loves most: meeting inspiring people, telling great stories and using media as a catalyst for good. Beth has led production crews to all corners of the world, often in war-torn or developing countries in order to focus on human rights and international issues. She said the people whose stories she tells are the greatest antidote to compassion fatigue.

One of the projects Beth shared with the North Shore community was a documentary she worked on called What Tomorrow Brings, which takes a look inside the Zabuli Education Center—the very first girls’ school in a small Afghan village 30 miles outside of Kabul in the district of Deh’Subz. From the school’s beginnings in 2008 to its first graduation in 2015, the film traces the interconnected stories of students, teachers, village elders, parents and the school’s founder.

But she didn’t stop there. As the first Zabuli class prepared to graduate, she realized this could mark the end of the girls’ educational journey. Most of the students came from poor families with limited or no transportation, and the idea of sending the girls to Kabul and paying college tuition just wasn’t feasible. So Beth decided to bring college to them. She started a crowdfunding campaign and in about seven weeks helped to raise $130,000 to start a women’s college in

David Hines ’81, Beth Murphy, Tom Flemma, Mary Pick Hines ’49 and Anne Hines Young ’77

Beth Murphy

their village. Now, 22 young women are studying to become midwives and they will be the first trained female health care workers to ever come out of the community.

Beth has directed, produced, written and, in some cases, narrated nearly 20 documentary films for national and international media outlets including The Sundance Channel, The History Channel, Discovery International, Lifetime Television, Discovery Health, PBS, NHK and numerous international outlets. For her work on Beyond Belief (Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance Channel), Beth received the One Shared World International Outreach Award from American Women in Radio and Television.

She’s now running a nationwide impact campaign with the film designed to foster cross-cultural understanding in collaboration with the Fledgling Fund, Teachers College of Columbia University, PBS LearningMedia and the Mass Humanities Council.

Beth Murphy and Mary Pick Hines ’49

Aidan Zavala ’19 and Beth Murphy

Beth is the author of Fighting For Our Future (McGraw Hill, 2002), a companion book to her film with the same title. The book was heralded by the Library Journal as doing the cancer community “a vital service.” She is a contributing author of Open My Eyes, Open My Soul.

In 1986, the Harold Hines Visiting Fellowship was established in memory of longtime trustee Harold H. Hines Jr. Harold provided exceptional leadership to North Shore as a trustee, having chaired numerous Board committees, including the Long Range Planning Committee and the 50th Anniversary Endowment Fund Campaign, as well as serving as Board Chair from 1971-1973. In addition, his three children graduated from North Shore as “Lifers” and his wife, Mary Pick Hines ’49, is a distinguished alumna of the School and has served the School at the highest level for many years as a member of the Alumni Board, Benefit Board and Board of Trustees. This year, Mary

Pick Hines and two of her children, Anne Hines Young ’77 and David Hines ’81, attended the program.

The Fellowship has brought distinguished individuals to our campus who have exemplified the School motto, “Live and Serve.” There’s a special emphasis on the ethical consideration of societal issues, giving students the opportunity to define their responsibility to society. Past Harold Hines Visiting Fellows include former president of Yale University and Commissioner of Major League Baseball, the late A. Bartlett Giamatti; Dr. Jane Goodall; Chinese dissident Harry Wu; founder and president of Habitat for Humanity Millard Fuller; award-winning poet, essayist, fiction writer, activist and professor Marjorie Agosin; and, most recently, Georgia Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, co-author of the award-winning graphicnovel series March.

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dis t inguished gues t s

Shadow Puppets: Pilar Alexander ’27, James Forrest ’27 and Cooper Larsen ’27 with two members of Spinning Dot Theatre Company

Ruff: Kelly Joyce Fielder and the junior kindergartners

A Mouth With Flame: Tae Hoon Yoo

Sofia Green ’26

2018 Franke Family Fund: Spinning Dot Theatre Company When most people think of children’s theater, they imagine sugary sweet fairy tales infused with carefree songs and silly dance moves, geared toward preschoolers or very young elementary school children.

But in other parts of the world, children’s theater deals with serious, real-world issues and is aimed at young people as old as 25.

This was the type of children’s theater that was introduced to North Shore when the Spinning Dot Theatre Company visited the campus for this year’s Franke Family Fund project, and while there were animals and music and dancing involved, the performances were much more than that.

The troupe, founded by former NSCDS Choreographer and French Teacher 20

Jenny Sawtelle Koppera, is based in Ann Arbor, MI, and its mission is to change the world through theater—one play at a time.

Spinning Dot’s name grew out of the idea that the world is just a tiny, spinning dot in the universe, and by focusing solely on international works, they try to “make the world feel bigger and smaller at the same time,” Jenny explained.

“I saw all this work when I went abroad, that was kind of daring,” Jenny said. “They were dealing with topics that could never be brought out on stage here—maybe having violence or a gun, talking about death.

Those aren’t usual things that are in children’s theater in the United States. But this work that I saw was so good. So I started to think, what could I do?”

The group spent three days at North Shore, and performed three different plays in addition to conducting a variety of hands-on workshops and guided discussions on important issues like cultural appropriation and playwriting.

Spinning Dot company members Tae Hoon Yoo, a singer, mime and digital storyteller also known as Big Fire, and Kelly Joyce Fielder, a puppeteer, musician and visual artist, worked closely with the Lower School students. They taught 3rd graders how to make shadow puppets and tell their own stories with them. Then, Big Fire taught Korean song and dance to 4th and 5th graders.

Jenny Sawtelle Koppera and the junior kindergarten class

The Kids From Amandla Street: Spinning Dot actors

Kelly performed Ruff, a one-person show about a dog and a stranded sailor, for the junior and senior kindergartners.

North Shore’s littlest Raiders piled into a whimsical tent and sat on colorful throw rugs while Kelly used shadow puppets, music and lights to tell about their magical adventures.

Big Fire also shared his one-man show, A Mouth With Flame, with all 1st through 5th graders. He used digital media, music, movement and dance to explore big topics like race relations between China, Korea and Japan throughout history, immigration and finding identity.

The third play, The Kids From Amandla Street, was written by Spinning Dot Artist-In-Residence and South African

Emmett Cotter ’27, Jack Ford ’27, Adam Kalil ’27 and Stribling Koster ’27

The Kids From Amandla Street: Spinning Dot actors

playwright Lereko Mfono. Six characters were portrayed by 16 Spinning Dot actors from all three of its divisions—the youth company, teen apprentices and adults.

Each character was played by two, three or four different actors of different ages and ethnicities who brought their own spin to the roles.

A powerful story of racism, immigration, violence and hope, The Kids From Amandla Street brings a South African neighborhood alive through the eyes of four children. Much like North Shore students, these youth want to change the world, live their fullest lives and dream of all they can become. This comes in stark reality to the racism, fear, and potential violence that surrounds them and threatens to steal their dreams. The

Middle and Upper School students who watched the play had an opportunity to share their impressions with the cast and playwright after the performances.

And while the play was set on the other side of the world, they realized that Amandla Street was not as different one might think.

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. The Fund 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.

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dis t inguished gues t s

Lauren Bondy and Karen Jacobson

Tom Gindorff and Ray Berg

Natalie Lloyd

Parent Education celebrated by the different religions and the challenges with belonging to a faith that is less known and understood.

The program is part of a three-year Middle School equity, inclusion and diversity curriculum, created by Middle School Humanities Teachers Dana Specht, Sarah Walsh and Elizabeth Kindig. Each month, the different grade levels engage in lessons based on various diversityrelated topics. When they planned the curriculum, they decided the best way to teach effectively and correctly about religion is to invite representatives of different faiths to campus.

Last year, the program’s first year, a Jewish rabbi, a Lutheran minister and Loyola’s Muslim chaplain visited. Next year, the teachers plan to invite representatives from other religions. As a result, each student has the chance to learn about eight to nine religions over the course of their time in the Middle School.

reading and you keep writing, then you can do that.’” And so she did.

Natalie, who is now a New York Times bestselling author, visited North Shore on March 9 and spoke to 2nd through 5th graders about her life and career.

So far, she’s published three books and has several more in the works. Her debut novel for young readers A Snicker of Magic, was an ALA Notable Children’s Book, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and an NPR, iBooks and Parents Magazine Best Children’s Book of 2014.

Amazon named her second novel, The Key to Extraordinary, one of the best Children’s Books of 2016. Her newest book, The Problim Children, is the first in a series about seven siblings growing up in the swampy woods “and they’re a little bit strange,” she said.

Natalie shared an excerpt from The Problim Children, which she said was inspired by her childhood adventures in her home state of Tennessee with her brother and cousins. The North Shore Religious Diversity Panel Bestselling Author Speaks students were one of the first groups to The entire Middle School gathered on to Lower School Students hear about the new book, which was March 8 for a religious diversity panel. just released at the end of January. She When Natalie Lloyd was in 2nd grade, Guest speakers Tom Gindorff from the answered all sorts of questions from the she loved Star Wars, pizza, animals and Baha’i Temple and Ray Berg from the audience—from how long it takes to write her family—even her annoying little Ethical Humanist Society answered quesbrother. She also really, really loved books. a book (usually a year or longer) to where tions from Middle School Humanities she gets her inspiration (everywhere) to The Goosebumps series, The Baby-Sitters Teacher Elizabeth Kindig before the what books she’s working on next (a Club, anything by Roald Dahl, The session was opened to questions from Problim Children sequel and a fantasy Chronicles of Narnia. She couldn’t get the students and faculty. novel about a girl who races flying horses). enough of them. By 3rd grade, she knew Students learned about the basic tenets “It makes me so happy that people can she wanted to be an author. of the faiths, and each speaker shared read something that came out of my imag“I loved to make up stories and I loved about their spiritual journey and how they to read,” she said. “So I told [my 3rd grade ination,” Natalie said. “It’s kind of weird, changed their beliefs as an adult. Students but it’s awesome.” teacher] Mr. Watson that I was going to also inquired about the traditions be an author. And he said, ‘If you keep

With all the advantages of a technological world, there are also many concerns as kids are tuned in electronically but tuned out emotionally. To help North Shore parents deal with the challenges technology can present, the Parent Education committee of the Parents’ Association hosted a workshop on March 5, led by co-founders of Parenting Perspectives, Karen Jacobson, MA, LMFT, LCPC, and Lauren Bondy, LCSW, Certified LifeLine Practitioner.

The program was designed to help Lower School parents discover effective ways to acknowledge their children’s feelings, set limits, and empower children with responsibility and coping skills essential for success in life. Karen and Lauren have shared other parenting sessions at North Shore, always leading with passion and humor. Parents left the program with practical tools and action steps for promoting healthy development and strong family connections.

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Searching for NSCDS Memorabilia Our quest for items to add to our archives continues...

We are looking for tangible items such as issues of the Purple and White and Diller Street Journal student newspapers, personal correspondence with teachers and staff, candid photos or historic uniforms, letter jackets and mementos that can be part of our Centennial display in 2019-2020. Among the donations we’ve received so far are a baseball signed by Athletic Director Martin J. “Mac” McCarty from Joe Blecker ’52 and a North Shore pin with a set of miniature decorative leather footballs from Louise Konsberg Noll ’40.

The clock is ticking! If you have items you would like to donate or loan us, please contact NSCDS Archivist Siera Erazo at serazo@nscds.org or 847.881.8844, or Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 at nwhiteman@nscds.org or 847.881.8848. Thank you.

events

Paddle raise for scholarships: David Greer (center)

Inaugural Scholarship Dinner Raises More Than $400,000 Parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of North Shore Country Day School raised more than $400,000 for student scholarships and supplemental support at the School’s inaugural Scholarship Dinner “O’er the Fields We’ll Go!” on February 24.

The energy at the dinner, held at the Michigan Shores Club in Wilmette, demonstrated the School community’s passion and commitment for making a North Shore Country Day School education accessible to all deserving students, no matter their economic means.

Providing scholarships has been a priority at North Shore since its founding nearly 100 years ago.

“To me, our inaugural Scholarship Dinner demonstrated the best of who we are as a school,” said Head of School Tom Flemma. “We’re a caring community that values education highly and believes that each of us plays a role in making the School, our community and our world a better place.”

In addition to several live auction items, the premiere event of the evening was a 24

paddle raise for scholarships. Alumna Quinnetta Bellows-Miller ’04 gave a moving speech (see transcript of her remarks on page 26) about the importance of scholarship to her and her family, and thanked the benefactors who made a North Shore education possible for her.

A North Shore education is distinguished by personal connections; participation in the arts, athletics and service learning; and an engaging curriculum with a global focus. This requires an educational investment. As Qui explained in her remarks, a North Shore education is a gift of a lifetime that provides priceless and life-changing returns. For those families who cannot afford the full cost of tuition, a need-based financial aid program was established to ensure access and opportunity to families from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. This year, 19 percent of the student body received about $2 million in scholarship support.

“The Scholarship Dinner was a memorable evening that exceeded all expectations,” said Benefit Board President Sarah

Geist Rosen ’86, who organized the event, along with Co-Chairs Susan Canmann and Nina Yoo. “A capacity crowd was inspired by the powerful words of our alumna speaker and scholarship recipient, Qui Bellows-Miller, and we doubled our financial goal! The success of the event is truly a reflection of the generosity of North Shore’s parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends, and reinforces who we want to be as a diverse School community.”

Although this was North Shore’s first scholarship dinner, the Benefit Board has supported the School through an annual fundraising event for more than 36 years.

In total, the Benefit Board has raised more than $5 million to fund areas not covered by the annual operating budget, such as curriculum and teaching fund grants, student scholarships and faculty enrichment grants. They have also helped fund major capital projects including the renovation of the Lower School, construction of the Conant Science Center and renovation of the Auditorium and Arts Center.

Susan Canmann, Sarah Geist Rosen ’86 and Nina Yoo

Clayton Durning ’18, Richard Austin ’18, Rachel Block ’19, Morgan Small ’19 and S.J. Gray ’21

Lisa Doi ’09, Linda Kiracibasi, Lee Block, Barrington “Barry” Fulton Jr. and Mary Doi Howard Jessen, Diana and Tom Flemma

Tom and Louise Flickinger

Bong and Jessica Shinn with Janelle and Andrew Wood ’90

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Quinnetta Bellows-Miller ’04

Cassandra Hiland and Quinnetta Bellows-Miller ’04

Gregory Bellows, Quinnita Bellows ’11, Yvette Bellows, Quinnetta Bellows-Miller ’04 and Josh Miller

Scholarship Dinner Remarks By Quinnetta Bellows-Miller ’04 Good evening ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, faculty, staff, family and friends. Tom, thank you for that gracious introduction. I’m humbled tonight by the invitation from Molly and other members of the Benefit Board to speak on the importance of scholarship.

Several years ago, I stood in the theater at North Shore (which I must say has had some pretty awesome upgrades since my days as a student) and I said when I looked at my school, I felt as if I were looking into a mirror. All that North Shore represented (represents)—community, love, service— I saw and still see in myself.

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Tonight though, I stand on the shore— both literally and figuratively (ha!)—and when I look across the sea of this journey, I still see my family, teachers, the North Shore community. But I also see the benefactors that carried me here. It was your benevolent gifts, direction, encouragement and investment which sustained and propelled me to this place. Like my mom and dad, it was your foresight that saw the blossom and glory of the land when I couldn’t see it—when all I could see was the turbulent tide. Your gifts and foresight helped me—and so many young people like me— see lands and actualize opportunities our

parents dreamed for us. Your tools made the journey navigable even when the waves felt overwhelming. Your gifts made me and so many others like me believe more fervently in equity; that every child, without shame and regardless of their background, can reach their fullest potential when people invest in the voyage.

But how could I have seen this shore at 13 years old with the fog of everyday rising at 5:30 a.m. to make it to school on time?

Like any parent in here, you know that it is an arduous, monumental task getting a teenager out of bed before 9, so just imagine my momma and daddy wrestling with

me at 5:30 every morning as a teenager.

Even my sisters, Quinnita and Quinnyata remember this walk. Every morning at 6 we would wake to prepare for what seemed, at the time, like an Odyssean journey to North Shore. We would leave the comforts of our loving home, traverse an economically depressed neighborhood (my beloved West Side), endure the hustle and bustle of early morning commuters on the green line and Metra, battle the brittle Chicago cold in the winter to arrive at North Shore. But the journey didn’t stop there. The fog of sleep deprivation from studying, writing papers, solving equations shadowed much of those early years.

But what I didn’t see in the fog, like most teenagers, were my captains. My parents. My father and my mother. “O Captains! My Captains!”—who manned the oar of my early years. Thank you for steering the ship in the fog. In the fog of my tears from struggling with assignments, grappling with the wealth of this community in the deprivation of my own.

Thank you for seeing the shore of an education despite the weather of your own humble beginnings, of teenagers with dreams for their firstborn. You steered me beyond the three-mile radius of my community because of your fervent belief that education is power and access to opportunity.

How could I have seen the shore at 13 while grappling with the waves in the stark differences in my community and the wealth of this one, falling asleep in some my classes, and the slipping of some of my grades? How could I have seen it when the rigor of classes and balancing assignments seemed as if it would swallow me whole?

What I didn’t see was the kiss and the loving nudge of the wind. Beth Keegan, Drea Gallaga, Kathaleen McHugh, and countless number of educators and staff at North Shore—you were my gentle winds and compass. Your direction, your gentle nudges and persistent pushes challenged me to move forward despite the surge. To Beth who saw me drowning as a freshman, sinking beneath the waves of not just homework, tests and studying, but being a teenager. Your breeze encouraged me to give my sinking a song through poetry. To Drea and Kathy, who challenged and taught me how to hear and understand the voices of great writers—from Phillis Wheatley, Countee Cullen, Gabriel García Márquez, Maxine Hong Kingston, to Lucille Clifton. You taught me how to analyze their diction, syntax, narrative style, rhetorical effect, to synthesize their work in weekly critical reading-response journals. To apply and mimic their style in my

own writing in order to eventually create and perform my own work, with my own voice. To North Shore, whose wind carried me, as well as my sisters to places we had never seen before. To the shores of Knox College, to the shores of Grinnell College and now the shores of Milliken University, to auditions, to summer research and study abroad programs, to careers in the arts and education, to a lifelong commitment to service.

But how could I have seen the shore?

The shore of being the first person in my family on both sides to graduate not only from college but with a master’s degree.

The shores of spending the last 10 years pouring into students on the South and West sides the education and opportunity that was gifted to me, and now working with an organization that believes in systems level change to redress persistent inequities. How could I have seen this shore when my beginnings in this world started as what many people believed at the time to be a tragedy, another statistic that plagues the black community?

What I didn’t see, and see more clearly tonight, are the benefactors who gave to my sisters and me the boats that aided us here. To the benefactors, who purchased with joy the vessels that made the journey navigable, that helped me sail to here, supported my mother and father, and undergirded my sisters’ dreams, I say thank you.

How could we have seen the diversity of the world and the contribution we could make to it, if it had not been for your investment in the ships? Those vessels you purchased allowed my sisters and me to take interim trips to retrace the civil rights movement, to engage in service learning projects to support initiatives in education, housing and health, to discover the power of the arts through Broadway theater in New York, to see and experience other cultures in Mexico and London. Your investment in tools like books, transportation fare and tuition helped us discover the power of language/art, the complexity of math and science, and the connection through a foreign language. Your purchase of the ships speaks ardently to North Shore’s commitment to building bridges, connectivity across communities rather than building walls.

Your contributions equipped a young voyager and adventurer with exceptional promise with all the tools to charter a sea bound toward opportunity because you believed in eliminating the barrier and changing the arc and the trajectory of my life and the life of my family. My husband, an assistant principal at Epic Academy on the far Southeast Side of Chicago, begins

every school year reminding his staff of why they prepare young people to go and finish college. He reminds them of the ripple effect of a college education. He says going to college for our students not only changes the trajectory of their lives, but the lives of their family and their children to come. Your investment in me made a ripple—matter of fact, it made a splash.

Because of your investment in my sisters and me, not only did I go and graduate from college, but multiple cousins on my mother’s side have gone and graduated from college as well. That investment in me created a norm in my family that did not exist before then.

I’m excited tonight for what you are about to do and have already done, which is equipping the new sailors with exceptional promise. It is your foresight that sees the blossom and the glory of the land even though the new adventurers won’t fully see it yet. It is your benevolent gifts— vessels, tools—which will sustain and propel the new North Shore adventurers to places, lands their parents dreamed of.

And their presence on the North Shore, which will enrich the lives of the students already here, will also show our community’s commitment to equity that every child, regardless of their socioeconomic status, deserves opportunity.

Drea Gallaga gave the words of the poet Lucille Clifton to me as a present on the day of my high school graduation. Clifton’s poem “blessing the boats,” inscribed on a wall at St. Mary’s College and often read during commencement to students departing into the unknown, takes on the spirit of a benediction, a parting blessing the minister bestows on the congregation at the end of a religious service. The poem goes as follows: may the tide that is entering even now the lip of our understanding carry you out beyond the face of fear may you kiss the wind then turn from it certain that it will love your back may you open your eyes to water water waving forever and may you in your innocence sail through this to that Only now do I realize its meaning.

She, like my mother and father, teachers, and like you—the benefactors—blessed my boat. Thank you tonight for blessing the boats of the North Shore students to come.

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events

Walkout: Alicia Isasi ’23, Junnah Quraishi ’23 and Hadley Ake ’23

Students Organize Walkout for Gun Reform A group of Middle and Upper School students organized a walkout on March 14—one month after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, that left 17 dead and many others wounded. The walkout was part of a national movement to honor those killed in Parkland, and also gave students an opportunity to raise awareness and call for action to make schools safer and stem the rising tide of gun violence.

“The reason that nothing has happened is because the voices who say, ‘Do nothing,’ have been louder than the voices who say, ‘Do something,’” explained Jed Graboys ’19.

“But they haven’t heard our voices yet. They are just starting to hear the voices of our generation. Now is the time for our voices to be heard. This is the tipping point. We students are the senseless victims of these hideous shootings. That’s why we students must be the ones to drive the change.”

Prior to the walkout, Middle and Upper School students heard a presentation from attorney Talin Hitik ’00, who gave a brief overview of Second Amendment jurisprudence. (She also led an X-day presentation in the Upper School the previous week on First Amendment law). Then the student organizers spoke briefly and called on their fellow students to join them.

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By Kai Zavala ’25 (top) and Katie Loeb ’25

Collages Inspired

by Romare Bearden “Some of you may think you don’t have a voice. Some of you may think you can’t make a difference. But we are the next generation and it is our job to make the world what we want it to be,” said Junnah Quraishi ’23. “If our elected officials are just going to stand by and watch children die, we will take the matter into our own hands. If we want gun reform, we will get gun reform. If we want to stop the slaughter of our generation, we will stop it. If we want the world to hear our voices, we will make them listen.”

At 10 a.m., those who chose to participate marched up Forest Street and over to the corner of Green Bay and Willow roads and observed 17 minutes of silence in honor of the 17 Parkland victims. Participation in the walkout was entirely voluntary.

As students stood in silence, holding signs that said things like “Stop Killing Our Generation,” “Protect Kids, Not Guns,” and “One Child is Worth ALL the Guns,” cars driving up and down Green Bay Road slowed down and honked in support.

North Shore was one of thousands of schools that participated in the walkout.

The nationwide event was organized at 10 a.m. across every time zone by Women’s March Youth EMPOWER. Many of those protesting wore orange as a symbol of solidarity in the movement to stop gun violence.

In 5th grade, students in Libby Ester’s class are introduced to the Harlem Renaissance. Lower School Art Teacher Montserrat Alsina, aware of the curriculum, decided to create a unit to compliment the 5th-grade unit by introducing the students to Romare Bearden, an African-American artist who was involved in the Harlem Renaissance and whose art was influenced by the music, art and social change of this period.

Montserrat began by introducing her students to life drawing. Students took turns posing and drawing each other, studying body proportions and movement.

These were used as a departure point to create sketches for a work of art inspired

by Romare’s collages. Finally, 5th graders were asked to create collages using a number of dry materials and techniques to incorporate the human figure, as well as a variety of materials including magazines, newspapers, crayons, oil pastels, markers and yarn. The students were challenged to make an interesting composition using the elements and principles of art.

Students concluded by writing a final artist statement.

The finished pieces were exhibited alongside a video of Romare and his artwork in the John Almquist Art Gallery for the entire School to view.

Payne Wood ’30

Jim Davis ’64 and Ches Manly ’89

Spring Connectathon

Grace Brennan ’30, Elizabeth Shinn ’30 and Ramona Shaw ’30

Lower School Family Fun Fest This year’s annual Lower School Family Fun Fest was held on Sunday, March 11.

More than 150 people attended, including 90 Lower School students. Children enjoyed running, jumping and dancing.

There was fun for all ages, including an obstacle-course style bounce house and a smaller bounce house for the younger crowd. DJ Leo and his crew entertained everyone with games, hula hoop competitions and dance-offs. Parents mingled while the kids played, and there was an opportunity to purchase Raider gear from the School Store.

Homer’s ice cream with chocolate sauce and sprinkles topped off a wonderful afternoon. The event would not be possible without the support of the Parents’ Association leadership and the amazing parent volunteers who scooped endless bowls of ice cream and patiently refereed spirited bounce-house races. The event was co-chaired by Laura Steinhandler and Jessica Shinn.

The Alumni Board and other dedicated alumni, parent and staff volunteers gathered for an evening of friendship and outreach in support of Annual Giving. Their phone calls, emails and notes helped to keep the North Shore community informed and connected. They were joined by many volunteers off campus whose collective efforts are critical in raising funds to support the innovative programs that make the NSCDS experience exceptional.

There is still time to contribute, and all donors will be listed in the Acorn Annual Report. Please use the envelope in this issue or visit www.nscds.org/give for online gifts. NSCDS is grateful for your meaningful support of current students and teachers. Give Annually.

Impact Daily.

Thank you to the following volunteers for your Raider spirit and help in making it a successful event: Annie Aggens ’88 Kelsey Andersen ’06 Jay Bach Cathy Bell Bartholomay ’79 Phyllis Beattie ’72 Benjy Blenner ’02 Karen Block ’09 Sarah Cody ’04 Katie Whittlesey Comstock ’94 Budge Cooper ’83 Jim Davis ’64 Lisa Doi ’09 Cece Ewen Durbin ’67 Bob Elisha ’77 Jeff Foreman ’80 Katie Freiburger Tom Geraghty ’62 Naomi Hattori ’02 Hall Healy ’59 Betsy Perkins Hill ’70 Elizabeth Ingram ’82 Charlie Ingram ’75 Bruce Jarchow ’66

Bob Kopple ’61 Janie Koster Suki Lipman ’70 Danny Lowinger ’08 Ches Manly ’89 Suzanne Folds McCullagh ’69 Ciara McDonagh ’90 Ted Notz ’53 Heather Axelrod Oliver ’89 Scott Olson ’79 Jeannie Peters ’12 Sarah Geist Rosen ’86 Hilary Bishop Scott ’96 Jeannie Lea Scully ’63 Todd Searle ’05 Courtney Williams Shelton ’88 Alex Silets ’87 Carol Smeja-Gailen Katie Todd ’96 Alice Pirie Wirtz ’49 Andrew Wood ’90

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book re v ie ws

Janesville, An American Story The Nightingale

by Amy Goldstein

by Kristin Hannah

Scythe

by Neal Shusterman

PUBLISHED 2017

PUBLISHED 2015

PUBLISHED 2017

SIMON & SCHUSTER

S T. M A R T I N ’ S G R I F F I N

SIMON & SCHUSTER

Janesville, WI, is not only the hometown of U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, it was also home to the oldest operating automobile manufacturing plant in America until 2008 when the General Motors plant closed for good. When these well-paying jobs went away, it caused a devastating ripple that affected the entire community.

In Janesville, An American Story, Amy Goldstein tells the story of three families directly affected by the closing of the plant and the struggles they endured to preserve their standard of living. Goldstein also describes how the broader community responded to the crisis, including the local technical college, which invested heavily in offering courses to retrain laid-off workers for the modern economy.

Places like Janesville used to provide the base of support for the Democratic Party, but the decline of the manufacturing industry and the union-backed jobs they supported has caused a political shift, opening the door for a conservative Republican like Paul Ryan. Janesville, An American Story is a thoughtful portrayal of how the loss of well-paying union jobs has profoundly altered the middle class in America. It also provides a template for how communities can adapt to the demands of our changing economy.

Since I had some time during my third maternity leave to get some reading done, I chose The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

A piece of historical fiction, it is an intense read, especially for someone post pregnancy, and it was one of the most impactful and emotional books I’ve ever read.

After having my second daughter, I was looking for a book about women empowerment—this one checked that box. The two heroines are sisters struggling to lead worthwhile lives during World War II in France. Their journeys to not only survive but to bring those around them to safety demonstrate a kind of courage I hope none of us ever have to face. One woman tries to keep children safe while Nazis invade literally every area of her life, and one continuously risks death by defying the Third Reich right under its nose. Their experiences are unfathomable. During one part, I wept openly while my infant lay beside me, so taken by what one of the women went through as a mother. From start to finish, this book takes you into the depths of sadness. But it is incredibly inspiring, this glimpse into the lives of women who endured heartache, hardship, loss and grief year after year, but continued to wake up each day and serve in their role as mother, friend and hero.

As a middle school teacher and a selfproclaimed book nerd, I read an absurd amount of young adult novels. YA often gets overlooked by adults, so I’m highlighting an exceptional novel by an author who has recently become one of my favorites in the YA world.

In Scythe, Neal Shusterman questions what happens to humanity when we become so technologically advanced that we can cheat death. Sophisticated enough to heal all injuries and illnesses, humanity was forced to create an alternative way to control population growth—The Order of the Scythe. Scythes are specially trained individuals who serve as literal Grim Reapers, following a set of commandments to sow death and balance out immortality. The story follows two teenagers, chosen as apprentices to a Scythe. They must come to terms with what it means to take a life and must learn how to fulfill the office of Scythe with compassion and equity.

Shusterman brilliantly turns the “dystopian trilogy” trend on its head by creating a utopia and slowly exposing its cracks.

He explores humanity, technology, grief and corruption through a unique lens and it is well worth the read.

tim curren

tracie frederick

Middle School Learning Specialist

Upper School Social Studies Teacher

Senior Associate Director of Development

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christine ritchey

facult y Faculty Profile: Drea Gallaga UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER; UPPER SCHOOL DIRECTOR OF SERVICE LEARNING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

When the food education opportunity arose I was excited to be a part of it, and it fulfills something to connect food, cooking, outside time and the environment. I also enjoy seeing the students have that experience—being in the garden, tasting something that has grown from a seed they planted—and facilitating that handson learning brings me so much joy.

Q. What inspired you to become a teacher?

A. I always wanted to be a teacher. I went

Q . You arrived at North Shore 19 years ago.

What drew you to teach here?

A. When I was in high school at Friends’ Central in Philadelphia, I came into contact with three teachers who would later come to North Shore. Athletic Director Patrick McHugh was my history teacher and track coach, Upper School English Teacher Kathy McHugh was my 11th grade English teacher (this was before they were married), and former Head of Upper School Paul Perkinson was my advisor and also my history teacher!

After college, I moved to Chicago and needed to borrow some musical equipment for a concert. So I called Paul because I knew he had become the Head of Upper School at North Shore. He said that was no problem, but then asked, “Don’t you want to be a teacher?” I said yes, and he invited me to come in for an interview for the first Middle School Music Teacher position. Then Julie Hall, who was the Head of School, called and asked if I would be interested in teaching 10th grade English, too. They took a total leap of faith with me and mentored the heck out of me.

Q . What is it like to be an English teacher at North Shore?

A. What I love best about teaching English

is that I get to hear my students’ stories.

I’ve always been a reader and loved stories, but I can’t think of any other subject where you really get to know people.

Assignment after assignment, they’re

to a public school for kindergarten and my parents took me out when they discovered the teacher was putting me in the hall with the good kids and letting me read to them while she dealt with the difficult kids. They didn’t want me to be the teacher at 5 years old! So they put me in private Quaker schools that were focused telling me what they think, their histories, on peace, justice and collaboration. their feelings and what they’re passionate My education is so much a part of who about. What I really appreciate most about I am—including the values that my North Shore is the emphasis on individual schools and teachers gave me. They cared student-teacher meetings. I can eke out for me very much and made sure I had different things from different students what I needed, especially in middle school because it’s about the relationship with and high school when I was on scholarthem. I learn about their approach to life ship. I think that gives me a real point of and that’s really interesting. relation with some students here too.

Q. You are not only a teacher, but also the Q. What do you love about your job and Upper School Director of Service Learning being a teacher at North Shore? and Community Service, and a member of the Food Education Committee.

A. There are a lot of things I’m grateful for—the support and freedom I have here.

A. Yes, and just this year I was asked A couple years ago, I reconfigured English to coordinate the JK-12 Service Learning 12 to be really centered on the mission Council. It’s modeled after the Equity, statement instead of just general world litInclusion and Diversity Council with erature. I also tied it in with senior service, faculty representatives from all three which I’m also in charge of. And the studivisions. Our charge is to integrate serdents here are really wonderful. I apprecivice learning throughout the three diviate them and my colleagues too. My best sions and also to have better information friends are here and I feel so lucky. sharing between all the different people The other thing I’m grateful for is both doing service at North Shore. the ability to do so many things that I love and the willingness of the School to see Q. You can often be spotted in the gardens me as a whole person. We work so hard to on campus during the growing season. see the kids as whole people—and I’m also When did you develop your interest in valued as a full person, not just an English gardening and food? teacher, but allowed to follow my passions A. It really happened “organically.” In midin the gardens, doing service, being dle school, I became a vegetarian, at first involved with music. And the sabbatical I not in a healthy way, but then I started was granted a few years ago was so imporcooking for myself and something clicked. tant to me in terms of my teaching. All of I became more interested in food, environthose things are what I really value about mental issues and the food industry. being here.

My family always had gardens when I was very little and I liked being outdoors.

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facult y Professional Development Lower School Visual Art Teacher Montserrat Alsina, College Counseling/ Upper School Administrative Assistant Jody Elliott-Schrimmer and Head of Middle School Barrington “Barry” Fulton Jr. attended the National Association of Independent School’s People of Color Conference in Anaheim, CA. Montserrat Alsina’s artwork was featured at The Art Center in Highland Park’s exhibit entitled Contemporary Native American Art & Journey to America: How Stories of Immigration Shape Our History and Culture. Additionally, and in collaboration with Middle School Visual Art Teacher Keith Sklar, Montserrat also performed a piece during a show entitled Underground Railroad of Butterflies at the Midland Warehouse.

Science Olympiad Head Coach and Middle School Science, Mathematics and Robotics Teacher Lee Block attended the National Science Teachers Association Conference in Atlanta.

Lee Block and Science Olympiad Coach and Middle and Upper School Computer Science Teacher Arturo Garcia attended the Illinois Science Olympiad Coaches Clinic.

Academic Dean and Assistant Head of School Chris Boyle, attended the Independent School Experiential Education Network Winter Institute in Victoria, British Columbia.

Middle School Administrative Assistant Sheila Burke completed a 10-month Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity class.

Upper School Spanish Teacher Barbara Castilla was awarded the Wavering Sabbatical for the 2018-19 Academic Year and will take the sabbatical during the second semester.

Middle School Mandarin Teacher YunChu Chen, Middle School French Teacher Anne-Marie Dall’Agata and Middle School Spanish Teacher Alejandra Mendoza attended the Institute for Educational Development Seminar on Improving Student Performance in the Target Language.

Upper School Dean of Students Erik Cooper coordinated conversations among Upper School faculty on the book What Made Maddy Run. Participants included Penn Fellow in Mathematics Zach Blickensderfer, Upper School Biology Teacher Becky Corrigan, Upper School Visual Art Teacher Rita Crocker-Obeillero, Middle and Upper School Admissions 32

Artwork by Lower School Art Teacher Montserrat Alsina at the Art Center in Highland Park

Associate Mullery Doar, Jody ElliottSchrimmer, Associate Director of College Counseling and Upper School English Teacher Lizzy Giffen, Middle and Upper School Choral Director and Music Teacher Will Hester, Upper School Visual Art Teacher Laura Hsieh, Director of College Counseling Kristen Kaczynski, Athletic Director Patrick McHugh, Athletic Development Coach Mark Medhurst, Upper School Biology Teacher Jen Pfannerstill, Upper School Mathematics Teacher Brian Posner, Head of Upper School Dave Potter, Upper School Physics Teacher Jerry Rietveld, Penn Fellow in Social Studies Brian Sarfo, Director of Counseling and Upper School Counselor Terri Webb, and Assistant Head of Upper School and Upper School French Teacher Lynsey Wollin-Casey.

Mullery Doar and 1st Grade Teacher Anya Leist attended the Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy workshop on Coaching for Equity: Learning Strategies in Maximizing Student Achievement.

Fifth Grade Assistant Teacher Josh Fidler attended the Opening Minds Early Childhood Education Conference.

Jody Elliott-Schrimmer, Barry Fulton, Dave Potter, Head of Lower School Tim Sheehan and Lynsey Wollin-Casey attended the Independent Schools Association of the Central States’ Academy for Division Heads.

Head of School Tom Flemma, Chris Boyle, Upper School English Teacher and Upper School Service Learning Coordinator Drea Gallaga, Anya Leist, and Middle School Mathematics Teacher Grace

Wood attended the OESIS Mastery, Skills, Standards and 21st Century Assessment Conference at the Chadwick School in Los Angeles.

Tom Flemma and Tim Sheehan attended the National Association of Independent Schools Conference in Atlanta.

Upper School English Teacher David Grossman attended the Bard Institute on Writing and Thinking workshop entitled Pain, Voice and Form—Claudia Rankine’s Citizen and “The Pain Scale” by Eula Biss.

David Grossman, Upper School English Teacher Kathy McHugh and Middle School Humanities Teacher Sarah Walsh attended Kerry Kennedy’s talk entitled Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders at the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

Assistant Director of Educational Technology Patrick Healy attended the EdTechTeacher Summit in Palm Springs, CA. Director of Operations Cindy Hooper worked with Winnetka police and fire department leadership to coordinate a “tabletop exercise” for members of North Shore’s administrative team and members of the police and fire departments as a part of the ongoing training around school safety. Attendees included Chris Boyle, Director of Marketing and Communications Tura Cottingham, Director of Finance Sue Downing, Tom Flemma, Barry Fulton, Director of Admissions Jason Giffen, Maintenance Department Manager Jim Lechowicz, Director of Development Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Patrick McHugh, Manager of Information Systems Mike Peccia, Dave Potter, Tim Sheehan, Assistant to the Head

Lower School Music Teacher Linda Kiracibasi (far left) with Sarah Bartolome (far right) and the Lower School Chorus

of School Izzy Steach, Terri Webb and Lynsey Wollin-Casey.

Lower School Reading Specialist Sharon Lieberman and Lower School Counselor Debbie Youderian attended a workshop by Jerome Schultz, Ph.D., on the negative impact of stress on learning and behavior in children with learning disabilities and ADHD at the Cove School in Northbrook.

Kathy McHugh and Middle School Humanities Teacher and Model United Nations Program Coordinator Dana Specht serve on the Facing History and Ourselves Chicago Teacher Leader Team.

Upper School French Teacher and Interim World Languages Department Head Beatrice McKenna and Tim Sheehan attended the Independent Schools Association of the Central States workshop entitled What Great Teacher Leaders Do Differently.

Head Librarian Jenna Nemec-Loise attended the American Library Association (ALA) Mid-Winter Meeting to fulfill her responsibilities as a member of the ALA’s Council and the Executive Committee of the Association for Library Service to Children. Additionally, Jenna was appointed to the inaugural ALA Policy Corps, a group tasked with shaping policies that positively impact the needs of libraries and their patrons.

Upper School Learning Specialist, and Learning and Reading Resources Department Head Ceil Scanlan and Trustee Lisa Doi ’09 attended the National Partnership for Educational Access Conference in New Orleans.

Middle School English Teacher Susan Schinleber is a member of the Echoes and

Reflection Educator Advisory Committee as well as the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s Generation to Generation program.

Additionally, she has participated in several Echoes and Reflections webinars, has been asked to speak at the annual meeting of the Anti-Defamation League and had a paper accepted as a part of Facing History and Ourselves’ Partner School Network Conference held in Chicago.

Lower School Academic Integrator Jeff Shaw attended the Illinois Computing Educators Conference and the International Society for Technology in Education Conference, both in Chicago.

Dana Specht attended the Global Education Benchmark Group’s Global Educator Conference in Cleveland.

Sarah Walsh attended the Facing History and Ourselves workshop entitled Chicago: The House We Live In, as well the workshop entitled Making a Difference: Teaching about the Syrian Refugee Crisis at the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

The JK-12 World Languages Department faculty participated in an American

Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages workshop held on campus focused on building and assessing writing proficiency in students. Participants included Barbara Castilla, Upper School Spanish Teacher Maria Elena Centomo, Yun-Chu Chen, Anne-Marie Dall’Agata, Lower School Spanish Teacher Winder Holeman, Upper School Mandarin Teacher Di Li, Beatrice McKenna, Alejandra Mendoza, Junior and Senior Kindergarten Spanish Teacher and Junior and Senior

Kindergarten Assistant Teacher Rebecca Reátegui ’12, Upper School Spanish Teacher Catalina Rincón-Bisbey and Lynsey Wollin-Casey.

Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 and Development Associate—Annual Giving Maureen Wilde attended the Council for Advancement and Support of Education/National Association of Independent Schools conference in Annaheim, CA. Lower School Music Teacher Linda Kiracibasi and Northwestern University Music Education Professor Sarah Bartolome presented a session entitled, From Zero to Everything: Exploring a composer-in-residence songwriting workshop for elementary choristers, at the North Central/Central Division conference of the American Choral Directors Association in Chicago.

Members of the faculty participated in the Independent Schools Association of the Central States webinars on the following topics: Designing Effective Questions for Assessing Cultural Competence—Issues, Consequences and Strategies for 21st Century Hiring with Chris Culinan; Having Hard Conversations with Parents with Jennifer Abrams; Helping Students Show What They Know—Enhancing Executive Regulatory Effectiveness with Steven Guy; Project Based Learning Gets a Make-Over: Prompts, Scaffolding & Assessment for the Maker Classroom with Sylvia Martinez; and The Changing Independent School Parents with Rob Evans.

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live and serve

Dunk Alzheimer’s Basketball Bash: Middle School girls basketball team

Jump Rope for Heart: Colin Wiercinski ’27, Cooper Larsen ’27

Dunk Alzheimer’s On January 20, North Shore Country Day School held its annual Dunk Alzheimer’s Basketball Bash fundraiser to support Alzheimer’s research. Donations are still coming in, but so far, North Shore students have raised more than $8,500 for the Alzheimer’s Association. This is the sixth year the School has partnered with the organization to raise money and awareness for the disease, which affects 5.4 million Americans and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

The event was conceived by Jonathan Segal ’15, and is now carried on by a new group of students, including his younger sister Caroline Segal ’20. Their grandmother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s 15 years ago at age 60. She now resides in a care facility in Los Angeles and can no longer walk or speak.

At this time, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and federal funding for research is at risk of being cut, so fundraisers like this one are needed now more than ever. Since 2013, the North Shore community has raised more than $40,000 for Alzheimer’s research.

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“This year’s Dunk Alzheimer’s event was a great success, both in our fundraising, but more importantly, as a community event that raised awareness of a horrible disease and brought our School together,” explained Sophie Hiland ’18, one of the organizers. “It was so incredible to hear students share their own experiences with the disease and come together to acknowledge the tremendous damage it has on a loved one’s memory and personality.”

In addition to a full schedule of basketball games from Middle School to Upper School varsity, students held fun halftime contests and raffles all day. The Snack Shack offered a variety of concessions and all proceeds went toward the cause.

Leading up to the event, students also sold t-shirts and sweatpants.

Donations are still being accepted online at bit.ly/DunkAlz2018.

money for the American Heart Association (AHA). This was their fifth year supporting the AHA through Jump Rope for Heart (JRFH) and the work it does fighting heart disease while encouraging healthy lifestyles.

Aside from jumping rope, activities for the day included dance breaks, lessons for a healthy lifestyle, special guests and more.

The students also made team posters with JRFH-related team names (Jazzy Jumpers, Healthy Heart Heroes etc.) along with heart-healthy messages such as “Get 60 minutes of exercise each day” and “Eat less sodium in your diet.”

Their efforts raised more than $10,000 for the AHA, boosting the total raised over the last five year to nearly $50,000.

JK/SK Mitten Drive

This winter, junior and senior kindergartners once again collected socks and mitJump Rope for Heart tens as they learned what it means to “Live and Serve.” The items were donated to the On Valentine’s Day, the holiday synonyOunce of Prevention Fund, which strives mous with hearts, Lower School stuto provide quality early childhood experidents—junior kindergarten through 5th grade—once again laced up their sneakers, ences for all children—particularly those living in poverty. grabbed their jump ropes and raised

Mitten Drive: Amy Shuldiner and the senior kindergartners

Feed My Starving Children: Joan Ryder and Becky Corrigan

School Director of Service Learning and Community Service Drea Gallaga, Visual Art Teacher Laura Hsieh, Mandarin Teacher Di Li and Head of Upper School Dave Potter—spent time volunteering at Feed My Starving Children, where they packed meals for families around the world.

Becky organized the spring break adventure for the faculty after previously leading a group of Upper School students to the nonprofit during a January X-day.

During that cold January day, Becky felt moved by the experience and wanted to get others involved.

“I really enjoyed my time there and I thought it was really meaningful,” Becky explained. “I thought it would be a nice thing to do over spring break and Feed My Starving Children I thought, well, everyone else will be While many in the North Shore commuoff, too, so maybe it would be a cool nity spent spring break relaxing at home bonding experience.” or escaping to warmer locations, a small For two hours, the volunteers group of Upper School faculty members packed and sealed plastic bags, called devoted part of a day to a meaningful MannaPacks, with life-giving vitamins experience. Guided by the School’s “Live and nutrients, including dried vegetables, and Serve” motto, the group—which soy protein and rice that will feed between included Spanish Teacher Barbara Castilla, six and 12 people. Volunteers are stationed Science Teachers Becky Corrigan and around work tables in groups of eight to 10, Joan Ryder, English Teacher and Upper allowing them to talk and have some fun.

“The generous supply of mittens and socks for our children at Educare goes a long way to keeping everyone warm and comfortable during the winter months,” explained Ounce of Prevention President Diana Rauner in a thank you letter to the children. “Thank you for including us in your generosity and for providing such a wonderful, relatable act of kindness for the children and families we serve.”

As the socks and mittens poured in, SK students turned it into a math activity, graphing what they had collected before sending everything on to the Ounce.

Overall, the two classes collected more than 300 pairs of socks and mittens for children in need.

“There’s music playing at a pretty high volume and there are typically people working at a table who you haven’t met, so there are funny interactions,” Joan explained. “You get all kinds of warm fuzzies while you’re there.”

At the end of the two-hour session, the volunteers were given statistics of how much food they packed and how many people will be fed by their work.

“It felt like we did something really important,” Becky said. “In two hours, we fed a couple hundred children for an entire year and that just resonated with me.”

Joan especially enjoyed receiving that data, as she felt it made the whole experience more meaningful.

“It is quantifiable. You can look at the packages and know how many meals there are and how many servings,” Joan explained. “As science teachers, we like having that data. A lot of times we do service projects and we know in general we have some sort of positive feelings about it, but we’re not able to quantify what the impact is. So being able to see what we did is really cool.”

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v isua l a rt s

Emily Yoo ’22

Sam Stoll ’18 and Alessandro Colzi Risaliti ’19

Lucas Kalainov ’25 Sheridan Tyson ’19

Konstantina Kalyviaris ’29 Alicia Isasi ’23

Elise Gupta ’20

Kendall Vallas ’22

Lucy Skinner ’25

Ava Farhat ’26 Junnah Quraishi ’23

Ellen Flannery ’20

perfor ming a rt s Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind This year’s Upper School Winter Play was performed on January 11-13. Having opened in 1988 and still playing today as the longest-running show in Chicago history, Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind by Greg Allen is an ensemble experiment in presenting “30 plays in 60 minutes.” Each two-minute play is performed in random order with an interactive audience. An onstage 60-minute timer keeps everyone honest. For this production, the stage was arranged as a black box theater with the audience seated on stage. Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.

Cabaret Night “The Cabaret is an opportunity for Upper School students in chorus to demonstrate what they have learned about singing in solos and/or duets,” explained Will Hester, Middle and Upper School choral director and music teacher. This year, the theme of the Cabaret was musical theater, and students were responsible for selecting their own songs from that repertoire. After choosing their songs, students had to analyze and memorize them in preparation for the public performance.

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: Joy Zhou ’20

The evening was very well attended, and the audience enjoyed a wide variety of pieces, from ballads to comedic songs. A few examples include My Funny Valentine, Don’t Rain on My Parade, I Could Have Danced All Night and My Favorite Things.

“My hope is that the students come away from the Cabaret with an understanding of what it takes to prepare a piece of music from beginning to end, as well as what it means to prepare for being on stage alone with an audience,” Will added.

Middle School Winter Performing Arts Showcase On January 31, Middle School students demonstrated their acting, dancing and musical ability at the annual Performing Arts Winter Showcase. Acting students performed a series of short vignettes, ranging from two-minute scenes to 10-minute mini-plays.

“For the majority of our students, this may be their first time performing onstage,” explained Julia Macholl, performing arts department head and theater teacher. “We shared smaller scenes to showcase the skills learned in the first semester and will ‘graduate’ to a full production in the spring, showcasing more characterization, projection, diction, and experience with blocking and prop handling.”

Dance students performed a hip-hop piece to Born This Way

by Lady Gaga, as well as a musical theater piece to Grand Hotel.

During the transitions, instrumental ensemble members played selections on violin, viola and piano. Technical theater students ran the sound and light boards, fulfilled stage crew and handled costumes.

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S.J. Gray ’21 Jordan Williams ’23

Zach Barker ’19

Carlo Castellano ’18 and Flynn Hersh ’18

Middle School Performing Arts Showcase: Hadley Ake ’23, Niabelle Comeau ’23 and Meonda Collins ’23 Brenna Cotter ’22 and Lily Ainsley ’22

James Weyhrich ’22

perfor ming a rt s Band Concert The Lower and Middle School instrumental ensemble and band concert had to be rescheduled due to a snow storm that canceled events the evening of February 8 and closed school on February 9.

The concert held on February 21 delighted the audience with classics and contemporary pieces performed by students in grades 3 through 12.

The Bremen Town Musicians Each year, it is a tradition for the 2nd grade to learn and perform a 20- to 25-minute musical play at Morning Ex for their parents and the School community. The story is either a published musical based on a children’s story—like this year’s version of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The Bremen Town Musicians—or a folk tale with music added by Lower School Music Teacher Linda Kiracibasi.

Students learn how to read a script, follow a line of words and music for a song, and how to speak and move on the stage.

Some roles have multiple actors allowing each 2nd grader to fully participate.

Band Concert: Rithik Khanna ’23

The Music Man The Upper School presented The Music Man on March 8-10 for the annual Spring Musical.

The story follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, IA, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys band that he vows to organize—this, despite the fact that he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall.

“We like to vary up our musical offerings each year so students have a nice balanced experience of modern-day musicals, classics and light opera (Gilbert and Sullivan),” explained Julia Macholl, performing arts department head and theater teacher. “The Music Man is a feel-good show where the audience is allowed to escape for 2 1/2 hours and immerse themselves in a world of beautiful music, comedy and a semi-predictable plot. It also touches base on the societal norm, and how judgement/predetermined opinions about people and their careers, social status, etc. can really hold us back from getting to know each other deep down. Harold and Marian demonstrate this from beginning to end, both showcasing their own growth.

“The students really enjoyed the time period and researching some of the terminology, references, etc. As an actor, you really have to know why you are saying the line and what it means in order to be as clear as possible to the audience. They also enjoyed many of the songs, especially The Wells Fargo Wagon and Shipoopi.”

The cast and ensemble included nearly 60 Upper and Middle School students, with a crew of 12 students. The Spring Musical is a tradition dating back to the School’s earliest years. Founding Headmaster Perry Dunlap Smith believed strongly in performing arts and the first Gilbert and Sullivan operetta was performed in 1924.

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The Bremen Town Musicians: Julia Capozzi ’28 The Music Man: Clayton Durning ’18 and Morgan Small ’19

Brad O’Connor ’18, Braden Adamson-Tate ’18, Trevor Yamada ’18 and Ethan Stump ’21

Bennett Koster ’28, Emmett Sheehan ’28 and Charlie Hilton ’28

Front Row: John Sprenger ’18, Gerald Leesch ’20 and Tyler Doornweerd ’20; Back Row: Owen Hiland ’18, Teddy Bradshaw ’21 and Brad O’Connor ’18

Evelyn Smirl ’28, Sadie Haupt ’28 and Ethan Yoo ’28

Samara Kohn ’18, Paula Fiegl ’19, Emmy Cho ’20, Pressley Smith ’18 and Grace Bartell ’20

Braden Adamson-Tate ’18

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at hle t ics All-Conference

Boys Basketball

B OY S B A S K E T B A L L Braden Adamson-Tate ’18, First Team; Peter Miles ’18, Honorable Mention; Mazeed Oluewu ’19, First Team

The varsity boys basketball team finished the season with a 13-13 record. With a senior-laden club, the boys kept their games close in nearly all contests. And despite finishing in the lower half of the league, three Raiders were selected for the Independent School League’s AllConference Team.

Co-captain Braden Adamson-Tate ’18, point guard, dropped 20 points twice this year and stood out in the regional semi-final with 20 points, five assists and six steals, sparking a 24-3 run to oust Walcott School in the first round.

Peter Miles ’18 recorded career highs of 28 points and seven steals in a heated conference battle against Morgan Park Academy, capping a terrific three-year varsity career that saw him and his back court running mate Braden compete in 2A as well as 1A action against a bevy of talent.

Junior standout Mazeed Oluewu ’19 led the Raiders in scoring, averaging 14 points pergame, while grabbing four rebounds and one block per contest. Mazeed burst onto the scene with 26 points in his season debut against Ida Crown. He stood out in Christian Liberty’s Fourth Annual Winter Tournament, averaging 19 points per contest, including a career high 22 points in a single half against a strong Northtown Academy. Mazeed led the Raiders to a 3-1 mark over break and picked up AllTournament honors along with Braden.

The team saw strong play from a muchimproved senior class of William Dart, Sam Leiter, John Mangel, Thomas McDowell and Cameron Rizai. The group provided rebounding, blocks, energy and stability throughout the year.

Both Sam and Cameron notched double-doubles during the course of their senior campaigns.

Next season, the Raiders will look to Jake Wolfe ’21 who showed his ability to score with his back to the basket. His footwork, passing and soft touch from the perimeter should be on full showcase next year. The team will count on Jake and Mazeed to execute the majority of the decision-making responsibilities offensively and defensively, as the ball will touch their hands early and often if the Raiders are to succeed. Juniors Henry Probst, Christopher Aderupatan and Packy Murdock should bring versatility and length to a big lineup.

G I R L S B A S K E T B A L L Julia Doyle ’18, First Team; Caroline Segal ’20, First Team ISL GIRLS BASKETBALL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Mazeed Oluewu ’19

Peter Miles ’18

Varsity boys basketball versus Ida Crown Jewish Academy

Girls Basketball

Sam Leiter ’18

Braden Adamson-Tate ’18

The varsity girls basketball season came to a close with a 61-37 sectional semi-final loss to Chicago’s Hope Academy. “We prepared well but their quickness and basketball skill was at a really high level,” explained Raiders Coach Bruce Blair. “We lost to a very good team.”

The Raiders’ final record of 19-5 comes on the heels of a 20-4 campaign in 2017 and marks the

first time the program has won a regional championship in back-to-back years. It was also their highest finish since the Independent School League merged into one division 10 years ago. The Raiders had been tied for first with Chicago Latin going into the last game of the season, but Latin won that game and secured the first-place position.

“After losing four of our top six players from last season to graduation, and then losing our starting front line the third week of the season, it would have been unfair to expect us to have the type of season we had last year,” said Bruce, who was also without starting guard and third leading scorer Ally McKeown ’20 during the playoffs. “Yet, the girls never looked back and went on to win several close games and beat our next three strongest league rivals on the road where we hadn’t won in anyone’s recent memory.”

The Raiders will graduate Julia Doyle ’18, Alliya Rumbolt-Lemond ’18 and Haniya Ghazi ’18, a former state 3-point shooting finalist.

The team will also lose starting forward Emma Smirl ’20, whose family is moving to Wisconsin. Caroline Segal ’20 and Ally will return next season as starters.

Winter Track A record number of Raiders participated in winter track in 2018. Competing in seven meets throughout the state, many top performances were recorded. The 4x800-meter relay team of Caroline Hagerty ’21, Jordan Humphrey ’21, Hannah Gunnarsson ’19 and Julia Doyle ’18 broke a 13-year-old record formerly held by Mullery Doar ’06, Kelly Powers ’08, Lili Shaw-Reynolds ’06 and Caitlin White ’07. New freshman records were set by Sam Roszak ’21 and Caroline in the 400-meter, Caroline again in the 800-meter and Jordan in the 1600-meter. Allie Charnas ’20 set a new sophomore record in the 60-meter dash.

Much potential was displayed and North Shore is well-positioned heading into the spring and outdoor track season.

The varsity girls basketball team with the regional trophy

Mia Askew ’19

Julia Doyle ’18

Caroline Segal ’20

Field Hockey Coaches Mullery Doar ’06 and Alyssa Dudzik

Faculty Recognition Senior Kindergarten Teacher and Coach Alyssa Dudzik was named MAX Field Hockey Illinois High School Coach of the Year after leading the varsity girls in a record-breaking season.

With a final record of 19-3, the girls were Independent School League conference champions and finished second in the state—the highest finish in North Shore history. This year, the MAX Field Hockey recognition was expanded to include a state coach of the year for each of the 22 states that have programs.

Previously, only regional coaches of the year and a national coach of the year were awarded.

Winter Track: Jordan Humphrey ’21, Julia Fortier ’20, Ava Khan ’20, Joy Zhou ’20, Ethan Levin ’21, Jonas Levin ’21 and Trevor Yamada ’18

a lumni connec t ions December Young Alumni Events Two annual young alumni events were held on December 22. College-age alums returned to campus for a morning breakfast and to visit with faculty and students. Following the breakfast, they attended the all-school Winter Celebration in the Mac Gym, joining faculty for the traditional Winter Wonderland sing-along. Later that evening, young alumni gathered at Firehouse Grill in Evanston to enjoy visiting, catching up with each other and connecting with a number of faculty.

Annual Alumni Blackhawks Event North Shore’s Annual Blackhawks event was held January 12. Alumni from the classes of 1970 to 2015 joined Head of School Tom Flemma and Jay Bach for a great evening cheering on the Blackhawks to a win!

North Shore on the Road The 2018 Alumni and Friends regional gatherings have included Los Angeles on January 21, hosted at the lovely home of Carole and Bob Kopple ’61, and Atlanta on March 7. Head of School Tom Flemma provided a comprehensive School update. Those who attended included Price Deratzian Arana ’81, Marcos Mateo Ochoa and Frank Cermak-Ochoa ’00, Dimitria Cook ’87, Frederic Andre Fortune ’69, Dawn and Steve Geering ’70, Carole and Bob Kopple ’61, William and Ginger Foltz Lincoln ’66, Jamie Reidy ’64, Susan and Stuart Rogers ’74, Beth Vrotny ’10 and Vinnie Vrotny, Thomas Smith ’89, Ryan Randolph ’04, Bob Ryshke, Yvonne Zusel ’99 and Head of Lower School Tim Sheehan. Also, Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 had visits with Marnie Paul ’64 and Kevin Randolph. Other regional events were held in April in Fort Lauderdale and Naples, FL.

Be My Valentine—College Care Packages The Upper School Community Service Club assembled Valentine’s Day care packages that were mailed to college-age NSCDS alumni. In addition to being a great way to stay in touch with our young alums and send them some seasonal cheer, this annual effort gives current students a fun opportunity to get involved in alumni outreach.

Firehouse Grill: Lisa Doi ’09 and Drea Gallaga

For more information on events or to get involved, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 at 847.881.8848 or nwhiteman@nscds.org.

Firehouse Grill: Jake Kann ’12, Kaitlyn Johnson ’14 and former faculty Michael Querio

Firehouse Grill: Jamie Leslie ’07, Jack Reedy ’07 and Lynsey Wollin-Casey

Young Alumni Breakfast

Blackhawks: Charlie Vogel, Tracy Bach Vogel ’85, Bob Vieregg ’82, Todd Vieregg, Patti Bach and Jay Bach

Los Angeles: Dimitria Cook ’87, Tom Flemma and Stuart Rogers ’74

Valentine’s Day Care Packages

Los Angeles: Frederic Andre Fortune ’69, Dawn Geering and Steve Geering ’70

Valentine’s Day Care Packages: Upper School Community Service Club

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Atlanta: Bob Ryshke, Tom Flemma and Ryan Randolph ’04

Atlanta: Thomas Smith ’89 and Tom Flemma

ALUMNI NETWORKING EVENT Save the Date! June 21, 6-8 p.m.

The Roof Crop 1516 West Carroll Street, Chicago Invitation to follow. To RSVP contact Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 at 847.881.8848 or nwhiteman@nscds.org

The North Shore Alumni Board Young Alumni Committee has organized a career networking event to support young alums as they seek, explore and learn about different work arenas, as well as assist them in making connections. All alumni are invited to attend. The evening will include a panel of hiring managers discussing career planning. Additionally, there will be representatives from a range of businesses and organizations, including fellow alumni as resources to learn about their careers.

Representatives from the Young Alumni Committee: (Clockwise from top left) Jonah Levi-Paesky ’13, Madelaine Kukanza ’08, Karen Block ’09, Leigh Kukanza ’11, Melissa Jesser ’09, Julia Price ’10 and Nora Philbin ’11

The event is sponsored by Happy Spectacular. The firm, co-founded by Nora Philbin ’11, is a virtual career coaching business that was born out of the deeply rooted belief that it is never OK to have a bad job. Their team has a series of customized coaching programs with a “Happy Spectacular Way,” chock-full of fun and meaningful experiences, exercises and tools to help people figure out what’s really right for them at work and in life. For more information and to register for this event, please contact Nancy Green Whiteman ’71.

HOMECOMING/REUNION WEEKEND Save the Date! September 28-29

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend our 2018 reunion weekend.

It is a great time to see the School in action and connect with friends while attending special events and programs.

Alumni classes celebrating their reunions this fall include: 1938, 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013.

Reunion committees are forming, so please contact Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 in the Alumni Office if you want to help. Go Raiders!

pho t os from our pa s t “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 Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Green Whiteman ’71, 310 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL 60093, nwhiteman@nscds.org or call her at 847.881.8848.

cl a ss notes

1940s Lee Holliday Hascall ’46 reports on her activities and interests that include walking every day in a nice park. She is also an artist who expresses herself through drawing and painting.

Wendy Smith Buchen ’47 went to Mendocino, CA, and saw the beautiful Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden.

1950s Suzanne Mack Blecker ’52 says her granddaughter will be getting married in June and looks forward to this special family occasion.

Courtney Bryant ’58 has been retired for a while. He enjoys and pursues continuing education opportunities studying French, attending classes and group gatherings.

1960s Courtney Kling Luddeck ’67 sent along an update to the Alumni Office, “We have moved to Ponte Vedra, FL!” Anne Searle Bent ’69 is ballroom dancing

competitively in Barcelona, Hawaii, Las Vegas, etc. She is winning many awards.

Amy Kopple ’69 recently retired from

law and real estate. Her daughter is a veterinarian and her son is in the medical field. Her brother Bob Kopple ’61 recently hosted a Los Angeles alumni and friends gathering in his home.

and Northwestern Railway in May 1971 (Remember May Project?) with the full intention of making this a career! Well, in August of 1971 I found out my draft number was 80, so I joined up for what was supposed to be a three-year stint in the military. Counting active reserve, I ended up staying more than 21 years!

After May 1979, I did a number of things, including six years as a cab owner/operator with Three-O-Three Taxi. In May 1988, I began what became a 30-year career in the hotel industry as a hotel night auditor.

I had three two-year breaks from this career, but always ended up back in it.

I have spent the last the last 10 years at The Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Roselle, IL, a hotel I actually helped open!

I still love NSCDS dearly and you can usually find me at Homecoming and the Spring Musicals.”

Phyllis Beattie ’72 writes, “I had a

blast at our recent reunion, and hung out with Ellen Harwich Mautner ’72 and Holly Rodgers ’72 recently on a Florida bayou. Finishing up a book (Honoring Children: A CommonSense Guide for People of Faith, #pleasebuythreecopies...), due to be launched this summer.”

1980s Alison Leeds Puth ’81 writes, “NSCDS is

a wonderful school and I’ll always treasure my memories there!”

works with individuals and groups on developing healthy eating habits for all ages. Her most popular program is a detox program which many NSCDS graduates have participated in.

Aaron M. Koral ’88 writes, “Briefly, on the

news front, I work for a community health center (“Live and Serve”) as a medical auditor and educator. I like the nonprofit medical facility I work for and love my job.

Just started performing stand-up comedy at open mic nights here in town this year.

One of my goals for the year is to become a professional stand-up comic. I’ve always loved telling stories, and this seems like a good fit for me. Comedy is hard, though!

Finally, I gained some weight since you last saw me in high school. Needless to say, Wendy’s was, for a while, my mistress at lunch time!”

Jeff McCarter ’88 recently gave a presenta-

tion for the Friday Club in Chicago entitled On Transforming Chicago’s Narrative: Opening Doors and Minds. After leaving behind a meteor-rise of a career in New York making feature films with Steven Soderbergh and Ron Howard, Jeff returned to Chicago, compelled to bring opportunities in mainstream media to young people in under-resourced neighborhoods. The name of his company, Free Spirit Media, says it all, and the creative accomplishments of his students testify to Jeff’s determination and enthusiasm.

Courtney Williams Shelton ’88 emailed, “In March, Annie Aggens ’88, Maggie Annie Aggens ’88 recently guided another O’Connor Wade ’88 and I flew out to expedition to the South Pole for San Diego to have a girls weekend with PolarExplorers and showed her NSCDS Hilary Kaplan Loretta ’88.

Betsy Perkins Hill ’70 spirit at 90 degrees south.

Betsy recently wrote an article entitled Congratulations to Bridget Zieserl “Cognitive Skills and Math: There is no Carolyn Kerr Armstrong ’88 reports, Mogged ’89 and her husband Gary consensus on how math works in the “My debut kids’ book, a middle-grades who are celebrating their 25th brain.” It was a third in a series published novel (which means it’s for ages 10 and wedding anniversary. on edCircuit. http://www.edcircuit.com/ up), comes out in June 2018! It is a coming cognitive-skills-math/ of age story about an African-American 12-year-old living on the Serengeti at the Rob Dehlinger ’71 emailed: “After 47 height of the elephant poaching crisis.” years in the workforce, I have decided that Congratulations to Dr. Gabriel Levi ’95 I am going to retire from full-time work in Binay Cahn Curtis ’88 is living in San on his great accomplishments! He is the October 2018 and find something I want Francisco with her family. She is an entre- new chief of orthopedics at Presence to do for fun—or maybe a little stipend. preneur, owning two businesses, one St. Francis Hospital.

I started my first job with the Chicago focused on executive media training and the other as a nutritionist. In this role, she

1970s

1990s

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2000s Aaron Regunberg ’08 married Katie

Cielinski on August 19, 2017. Alumni in attendance included Shreve Fellars ’08, Billy Gendell ’08, Tommy Brown ’08, Gaurav Ajmani ’08, Ben Swartz ’08, Jordan Reyes ’08, and his sister Jessie Regunberg ’05, who served as best man.

Aaron, a two-term state representative in Providence, RI, is currently running for Lieutenant Governor.

2010s Clayton Cottingham ’14 is “currently

Courtney Williams Shelton ’88, Maggie O’Connor Wade ’88, Annie Aggens ’88 and Hilary Kaplan Loretta ’88

taking the semester off and worked on an organic farm just outside of Asheville, NC. I got the connection through a friend I met in Panama. He happened to be the farm manager there and I saw it as an opportunity to learn outside of a school environment. I helped get ready to start planting and set up the infrastructure for a new herd of sheep.” Clayton also continues to provide his expertise working on some NSCDS archives projects.

Hannah Lumberg ’15 is currently working at Massachusetts General Hospital as an intern in the translational precision imaging lab.

Xander Mitchell ’15 shared, “I’ll be spending the summer in Venice, Italy, completing an internship with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. I will be responsible for leading public tours of the museum and working in the museum’s education department. I’ll also have the opportunity to conduct research for my senior thesis. I’m looking forward to acquiring some inside knowledge on international art fairs and museums (and on where to find the best Aperol spritz).

I was also named as one of eight first-year counselors in my college for the 2018-2019 school year. I will live on Old Campus and help the first-years transition to life at Yale.

I loved my experience as a freshman advisor while at North Shore, and I’m hopeful that this mentorship experience will be just as rewarding.”

Annie Aggens ’88 at the South Pole

a c o r n · Spring 2018

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cl a ss notes

Kevin Randolph and Shirley Smith Johnston

Evan Charles Biemer

Adrienne Weisse and Shirley Smith Johnston

Blair Hunt ’09 and her NSCDS alumni and faculty friends

Marriages

Former Faculty

Aaron Regunberg ’08 to Katie Cielinski

Barbara Modisett reports, “We have three great-grandchildren—twins (a boy and a girl) and another baby boy. All 3 are under 2 years old! They are the grandchildren of Anne Modisett ’80.”

August 19, 2017 Blair Hunt ’09 to Dan Bobier January 6, 2018 Sarah Cody ’04 to Mark Gallas

April 7, 2018

Births evan charles biemer October 23, 2017 Rachel and Garrett Biemer ’07

In Memoriam john w. straub ’44 January 13, 2018 Brother of Anita Straub Darrow ’38

phoebe raymond flickinger Sarah Cody ’04 and Mark Gallas (photo credit: Cling & Peck)

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February 4, 2018 Grandmother of Anna Flickinger ’10, Grace Flickinger ’12, Tommy Flickinger ’22, Geoff Flickinger ’24, Mariel Flickinger ’24 and Smith Flickinger ’24

Shirley Smith Johnston emailed, “We did a road trip to Georgia a few weeks ago.

Check out these two former NSCDS teachers! Everyone is doing well.” Pictured are Shirley Smith Johnston with Adrienne Weisse and Shirley with Kevin Randolph.

Send in Your News!

THE DEADLINE FOR THE SUMMER A C O R N I S J U LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 8 .

Email nwhiteman @ nscds.org or call Nancy at 847.881.8848 .

a lumni r efl ec t ion stuart rogers ’74

N O R T H S H O R E WA S S O VA L U A B L E T O M E BECAUSE I CAME TO U N D E R S TA N D T H AT LEARNING IS A LIFEL O N G A C T I V I T Y, N O T A M E A N S T O A N E N D.

Stuart Rogers ’74 Marnie Rogers ’68 and Rob Rogers ’71

I

was a student at North Shore from middle school until graduating in 1974; my brothers and sister also attended. We all were following in the footsteps of our mother, Janet Rogers, who graduated from NSCDS in the class of 1943. She came back to teach reading in the Lower School for 18 years, and I taught algebra in the Upper School in the early 80s after a year of graduate school in theater history. I served as a Board member for eight years and was Board Chairman in 1999-2000.

Student, teacher, Trustee...very purple and white.

My earliest NSCDS experience was of a performance of The Mikado when my sister, Marnie Rogers ’68, was part of the chorus. Little did I know that a few years later I would be on that same stage in H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, The Gondoliers and Mikado. I came to understand what made North Shore so different.

Being a product of the progressive education movement that contributed to the School’s founding in 1919, North Shore reflected the words of one of the movement’s founders, John Dewey. In Dewey’s view, “Education is the process of living and is not meant to be the preparation of future living.” A process of living (and serving)—that is the concept. The triumph of NSCDS is that it has remained true to its original founding values and character and yet it has grown and continues to evolve by assimilating new technology, methodologies, thought and people.

North Shore was so valuable to me because I came to understand that learning is a lifelong activity, not a means to an end. I have always been curious, and North Shore helped amplify that curiosity. North Shore provided access—

Stuart Rogers teaching at North Shore

to opportunities, experiences, and great people (students, teachers, administration and visitors). North Shore was a community, and helped me to understand both how to be a part of a community and also to seek beyond my community. And being on the Board was a way of giving back (“Live and Serve”).

To this day, I think of North Shore in terms of my connection with some pretty special people: teachers, staff, parents and students. I have worked with and around technology for most of my life, including helping to start up an artificial intelligence company focused on language. I was an excellent math student when I started at North Shore, but my 6th grade math teacher, Virginia Ingram, was the one who really propelled me along that path. Like so many excellent teachers, she made the subject both interesting and compelling. I was first introduced to computers at NSCDS in the early 1970s, and my first job in computers at an investment bank came as a direct result of being at North Shore.

Beyond math, I love both theater and opera, and these passions also were due to my very early participation at North Shore.

Activities period in the Middle School provided an opportunity to engage in a whole host of interesting subjects, but for me it was learning about and performing in plays directed by Lew Davis. Lew was our social studies teacher but he had an interest in theater. The two plays I remember were Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (first act only) and Shaw’s Androcles and the Lion, both presented during Morning Ex. Imagine: we tackled Waiting for Godot as 14-year-olds (I am not sure if anyone at the time understood how revolutionary it was to choose that play for Middle Schoolers.) Access to opera came from

Vin Allison, who took us to Wagner’s Die Walkure at the Chicago Lyric in 1971 (with the spectacular Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson)—I have been hooked ever since.

Leadership at North Shore has always been strong. I was a student under Nat French, George Eldredge and Doug MacDonald; a teacher under Dick Hall; a Board member under Julie Hall and Tom Doar. This winter, I met the new Head of School, Tom Flemma at a West Coast reunion, and it is obvious that the tradition of strong leadership continues. I was closest to Dick and Julie and learned so much from my time with them. When Dick was Head of the Independent School of Brussels, my business travels took me to Europe often enough to see him there from time to time. Dick and Carol were gracious hosts, and for one meal I remember going with Dick to the local open air market to seek out the “mushroom man” for wild mushrooms. The friendship continued when I moved to Washington, D.C., in 2009 where they were living. I still keep in touch with Dick and Carol, and I very much miss Julie.

When I reflect back on those seven years of attending North Shore on top of my teaching experience and years on the Board, the images evoked are immediate and vivid. I was a math guy when I came to North Shore and I built a career on that, yet I think of myself today more in terms of the books that I read, the blogs that I write, the operas and plays that I listen to and see, and the food that I cook and serve to family and friends. My advice to the students currently attending: take advantage of the wonders of the place as these opportunities to learn and explore will be some of the best experiences of your life. It starts the process of lifelong learning.

North Shore for evermore, indeed.

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