Acorn - Spring 2016 by North Shore Country Day

North Shore Country Day School

路 Spring 2016

in this issue

a c o r n · Spring 2016

features 4 Athletics 6 Upper School Advanced Studies 8 Bob ’85, Joel ’87 and Benjie ’93 de la Fuente

depa r t men t s 2

SPRING 2016 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 Doar III

Head of School

Tura Cottingham Director of Marketing & Communications, Editor tcottingham@ nscds.org Art Jessen ’70

Webmaster and Photographer ajessen@nscds.org Dani Chung Communications Associate dchung@ nscds.org Molly Ingram McDowell ’80 Director of Development mmcdowell@ nscds.org Nancy Green Whiteman ’71

Director of Alumni Relations nwhiteman@ nscds.org

TOM’S LETTER

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

ACADEMICS

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

EVENTS

FA C U LT Y

LIVE AND SERVE

PERFORMING ARTS

VISUAL ARTS

AT H L E T I C S

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

HOMECOMING

BOOK LIST

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

CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI REFLECTION

Photographers Marshall Betterton Dani Chung Tura Cottingham Art Jessen ’70

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

On the front cover Firouz Niazi ’17, Brian Cook ’16 and Samara Kohn ’18 perform in Pirates of Penzance. Inside front cover Drawing by Sophia Medvin ’25 inspired by portraits created by Amadeo Modigliani. On the back cover 1934 North Shore performance of Pirates of Penzance.

Scan the Q R codes in this issue with your smart phone to access expanded content, or use your keyboard to type in the website address provided.

http://goo.gl/ktK kW1

t om ’s l e t t e r

THE POWER OF MODELING Aren’t we fortunate that the North Shore community has a wealth of models who contribute and give and teach? There exist so many compelling individual stories that all combine to make up the collective story that is North Shore.

My dad is struggling a bit at the age of 95 and is on my mind every day. He is the person in the world I admire most and I have been fortunate to have him as a constant in my life—to model living a principled life and to guide my development as a young person, as a not so young person, and whatever it is that I am now. Thinking about him in a more focused way these last weeks has reinforced and strengthened my belief in the power of modeling. I’ve talked and written about this before and pointed out to my colleagues, to school parents and even to our students the incredible power of their example and how it has been, in many respects, people’s daily examples that have helped North Shore be the powerful learning environment that it has always been. While it may be 2016, we still talk of Perry Dunlap Smith’s example as well as the examples of Mac McCarty, Ginnie Deane, Vin Allison, John Almquist and more recently Bob Kramer, Shirley Smith Johnston and Patty Washburn. We talk of how they engaged and connected with others, how they cared and how much

1 Julia Doyle ’18, Claudia Hayward ’18,

2 3 4 5

Margaret Chandler ’18, Abby Gifford ’18, Alex Arenson ’19, Sophie Hiland ’18 Margaux Major ’22 and Ella Ristic ’21 prepare a rocket to launch Holocaust survivor Larry Shelton visits with 8th graders Brent Rolfes ’16 works on his drone for Advanced Open Research Seniors celebrate 100 days until graduation

they gave of themselves to others and, ultimately, the School. Thankfully, inspired modeling is alive and well at North Shore today and I trust that it will remain a critical element going forward. My dad has always been known as quite a storyteller. His memory has always been amazing, and so has his connection to his family and community. Over the years we have been the beneficiaries of his perspective and insight, often communicated through a story. As he has aged, he has had a tendency to tell the same stories time and again. Since they are such good stories, and set an example, and since he tells them so well, we find ourselves quite happy to hear them again… and again. As I approach my last days at North Shore, I have begun to realize that I too have repeatedly shared some of the same examples with students, colleagues, trustees and others to make a point or to offer perspective. With this realization that I may be repeating the “same material,” my reaction was initially to be a bit concerned. Was I losing my edge? And then I thought it may be I am just following my dad’s example, and made me feel much, much better. Often my go-to stories focus on my genuine belief in the power of the teaching-and-learning dynamic and, ultimately, my overwhelming belief in schools, in North Shore and in the power of education. Interesting, each of the examples I share focus on people— individuals, young or old—who step up, engage meaningfully, often giving of themselves to connect with others. At North Shore, students and adults are “in it” together; we depend on and count on one another. Two examples from the last

two days: Upper School Head Dave Potter commented to me about how terrific North Shore students were at the prom on April 16. Here is an adult who spent his Saturday night chaperoning the prom into late in the evening and by 11 a.m. Sunday was sincerely acknowledging what a great group of students we have enrolled at North Shore—all comfortable engaging with one another, their teachers and appear to “embrace their responsibility to their school.” This morning, a Middle School Science Olympiad coach who spent all day Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, at the state tournament in Champagne, IL, remarked how terrific, well behaved, cooperative and aware our Middle School students were. Even the two most wiggly ones were great and, in fact, helped lead the way to cooperation, teamwork and the progress that followed. In this issue of the Acorn, you will see a wide variety of North Shore experiences our students have access to, along with stories highlighting their accomplishments and growth. Critical to all of these stories and all of our successes are the relationships that exist and the giving that takes place—young to old and old to young. Aren’t we fortunate that the North Shore community has a wealth of models who contribute and give and teach? There exist so many compelling individual stories that all combine to make up the collective story that is North Shore. The North Shore story will surely remain a continuing and inspiring one, worthy of a storyteller like my dad.

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ATHLETICS

An Integral Part of a North Shore Education and Life

“The ultimate goal is to give kids opportunities to participate in athletics and then, through those opportunities, teach them how to perform at the best level they can.” — PAT R I C K M C H U G H , AT H L E T I C D I R E C T O R

thletics are a cornerstone of the North Shore experience, complementing a rigorous academic program along with a strong emphasis on the arts and dedication to “Live and Serve.” They are part of the School’s educational mission, combining a comprehensive physical-education curriculum with a robust and competitive interscholastic athletic program. While athletics have always been an integral part of North Shore’s identity, the changes made in the past 20 years have elevated the programs to new levels of competitiveness. Athletic Director Patrick McHugh has been the architect of many of those changes. When he stepped into the role in 1994, Patrick saw an opportunity to improve on the strength of the past— a program that had served students and the School so well—and expand the athletic programs. He focused on attracting more experienced coaches, having more consistent team offerings from year to year, and providing more choices for students by expanding the sports offerings. “The ultimate goal is to give kids opportunities to participate in athletics and then, through those opportunities, teach them how to perform at the best level they can,” Patrick says. To achieve that goal, the athletics program is now structured as a progression to build upon skills.

Lower School students take PE classes that focus on basic movement skills, teamwork and friendly competition. In Middle School, students have the opportunity to build upon those basic skills by learning functional movements and how to train for specific sports— participation in interscholastic athletics is required in grades 6-11. Finally, Upper School students continue to participate in expanded sports programs that are complemented by PE classes that focus on wellness. Patrick explains that the philosophy of North Shore’s athletic program is more about the long-term development of the whole person than on just winning or losing. Athletics is considered just one piece of that puzzle. “The question is,” he adds, “how will these children be in their forties? Will they be physically broken, injured and sick of sports, or will they be healthy, active adults? “An essential step in helping our students become those well-rounded adults is using athletics to instill important values. We teach life lessons: the value of teamwork, the necessity of showing up on time, to know what your best effort really is, and learning to develop confidence through new physical skills.” For Patrick, seeing students realize they are capable of changing their physical narrative, and becoming the people they want to be, is key. “There’s something about the story we all have about ourselves…one of the most powerful

things I like to see students experience is to change their narrative,” he says. “Whether they think ‘I can’t play tennis,’ and then put the work in and find they are capable of doing that, it’s a way that students see themselves differently than when they enter the physicaleducation program.” And that is what North Shore’s athletic program is all about—providing competitive programs and giving students the opportunity to succeed in sports in a multitude of ways. For some, that may mean winning championships and competing at the college level after North Shore. For others, success might be measured by stepping out of their comfort zone to try a new sport or gain new skills. North Shore’s athletic program focuses on providing a strong physical component in service of educating the “whole child.” And while it is just one piece of the puzzle, it is an essential piece that the School hopes stays with students long after they leave North Shore.

1 Brendan Doyle ’16 and Patrick McHugh 2 Antonia Theodosakis ’16 (center)

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Sam Bottum ’16 makes a hapkit in Advanced Open Research.

Pelle Melio ’16 designed and built the mushroom prop for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the winter play.

Students Dive Deeper with Self-Made Curricula I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D I E S A N D A D VA N C E D O P E N C O U R S E S

Jen Pfannerstill, Reese Formolo ’16 and Joan Ryder review Reese’s research of adolescent sleep cycles and circadian rhythms.

Kaylin Schiller ’17 works on her project for Advanced Open Studio.

orth Shore Country Day School cultivates a desire in students for a broad range of experiences. In fact, one of the School’s values is participation: “Realizing that students discover and develop their talents and passions through action, we require full participation in arts, athletics and service. Engagement in multiple disciplines expands our students’ understanding, commitment, teamwork and potential.” Allowing students to assist in directing children’s plays, participate on an athletic team and excel in their academics better prepares them to explore and identify their passions. Some students identify those passions sooner than others. Sometimes those passions can be as specific as film studies, or influential American expatriates in France, or makeup and costume design in theatre—as it was for Michael Valenti ’16, Rachel Cantor ’16 and Pelle Melio ’16. For these students and many more, North Shore offers Independent Study courses to dive deeper into a singular topic based on student interest, alongside a faculty advisor.

Independent Study

Advanced Theatre Studio

Michael worked with Upper School French Teacher Beatrice McKenna before the school year began to create the structure for his Independent Study on film, a topic that has always been of interest to him. Beatrice had never taught a course on film studies before but had some previous experience with professional development in teaching Advanced Placement French through film. Over the course of this year, Michael has watched, studied and analyzed many films, with the guidance of Beatrice, and created a blog. (To visit his blog go to mvalentimovies.weebly.com password: nscds) The Independent Study model works for many students looking to follow creative passions not currently offered as structured courses at the School. According to Assistant Upper School Head Lynsey Wollin-Casey, more than five students a year choose to participate in an Independent Study course in many departments, from history and languages to creative writing.

raise students here and how we encourage After seeing the success of Independent Study art classes transition into Advanced them to think outside of themselves.” Reese Formolo ’16 is one of those Open Studio, the Performing Arts and students. As a graduating senior, she Science departments noted their own increasing number of students interested wants to use this opportunity to help make in Independent Studies. Performing Arts a difference for other students, to make school a better experience for them. She Department Chair Julia Macholl echoes studied adolescent sleep cycles and Kate’s praise of the program in that circadian rhythms with the help of Jen, collaboration between the students has Upper School Science Teacher Joan Ryder been the biggest improvement over multiple Independent Studies. “While the and Northwestern University students use the semester or year to work Neurobiology Professor Martha Hotz Vitaterna, Ph.D. “I am curious to learn on their own chosen topics—whether that’s directing, design, film, costume or how something as simple as sleep could makeup—they can research together, work be affecting my academic and even nontogether and grow together, as peers,” she academic performance,” Reese explains. says. “As the teacher, I’m a guide, but they Jen stresses the importance of personal investment and passion in these projects. make the commitment to themselves to “I think Reese is the epitome of why you drive their year.” In some cases, the level of commitment have to be passionate about your research and time may lead to a bigger passion for topic. If she wasn’t, she wouldn’t be staring at a spreadsheet late at night that the topic of choice. Pelle has been acting on stage from a young age. Her freshman contains hundreds of columns of data, year at North Shore, she decided to check looking for trends, asking more questions off one of her graduation requirements by and saying ‘This is fun!’ She has tied in her project so specifically to herself—it’s participating backstage in the show Into the Woods. “I worked costume crew for the very personal.” And while these courses offer students show and I absolutely loved it. Ms. Macholl saw that and suggested I study that in the a chance to learn more about their selected Advanced Theatre Studio class,” Pelle says. focus of research, whether in science, performing arts or visual art, the She chose to work on makeup design the first semester and then costume design for independent nature of the course also develops key skills, says Assistant Head of the second. “I loved the class and School and Academic Dean Chris Boyle. backstage work so much, that with the “Independent Studies and Advanced Open help of Ms. Macholl, I applied for and Courses combine the content area where a attended an intensive theatre design and student might have a passion that the production program at the Interlochen School wants to support with the Center for the Arts. The studio class and the program helped me realize that I want opportunity to develop key skills in an to do theatre tech for the rest of my life, so independent and autonomous way. Those skills include a student being able to when applying for colleges, I specifically articulate his or her passion; selfapplied to BFA Theatrical Design and management of time and work; and Technology programs.” communication skills with adults, as well as those outside of the North Shore community,” he says. In the 2014-15 school year, Upper School In both Independent Studies and Science Teacher and Scientist-inAdvanced Open Courses, students are Residence Jen Pfannerstill offered the required to put these skills into practice. first Advanced Open Research course in One way is to conclude their semester or science at North Shore. Now in the second year by sharing the work with the School year of this course, Jen notes that as a community or even a wider more public group, the projects have grown in audience. “The overall goal is for the ambition and community impact. “We students to use what they’ve been doing in had students come into the class with real life. It goes beyond school. It could be pretty distinct passions and really great in college, but ‘real life’ is the thing that ideas. They also really want to make a matters to them the most,” Beatrice says of difference—most of the projects this year her current Independent Study students. branch out into a service component,” “To have a different audience from what she says. “It’s an unintended, wonderful they’re used to is something so consequence, and a byproduct of the North empowering for them.” Shore experience. I think that’s how we

Advanced Open Studio In the 2008-09 school year, Visual Art Department Chair Kate Puccia found herself with more than six Independent Study artists, and while she was excited for the interest and talent shown in her department, all the student artists were meeting with her at different times during the day. Kate knew there must be a logistically and pedagogically better way of allowing each and every student to pursue all of these different passions. This gave rise to the first in a series of Advanced Open Courses now offered at North Shore. Advanced Open Studio is an opportunity for students to design their own course in studio art and/or art history, alongside other students. “I would see these great processes happening in isolation during Independent Studies, and I felt it was time to join these students and have them work in the same space. Now, rather than working alone, they bounce ideas off of each other, advance together, push each other and share thoughts, while still working on each of their individual projects,” Kate says. “Through this course, the students really start to understand what it means to have a contemporary and be influenced by someone who is working in your time, space and place.”

Advanced Open Research

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THREE BROTHERS, THREE PASSIONS,

ONE NORTH SHORE BOB ’85, JOEL ’87 AND BENJIE DE LA FUENTE ’93

The de la Fuente brothers all credit North Shore and their teachers for igniting their passions. All appreciated the culture that required them to participate in things they never would have chosen. All carry on the “Live and Serve” motto and all still consider North Shore part of their family. And North Shore is happy to call them our own.

he year is 1979 and the de la Fuente family has recently moved from Morton Grove to Evanston, IL along with their three sons Bob ’85, Joel ’87 and Benjie ’93. The older boys are in 6th and 4th grades and youngest is only three years old. The mid-year move is an upheaval that thrusts Bob and Joel into changing public schools, teachers, friends and routines. It wasn’t long until the Filipino family realized they wanted to explore other schools beyond their Evanston neighborhood. Since they weren’t interested in sending their children to an independent school in Chicago, they began visiting private schools in the local suburbs. When they visited North Shore Country Day School, they knew immediately it was the right fit. “North Shore was an easy sell,” remembers Bob who started in 7th grade. “We liked the small classes and the personal attention to students. I was focused on the Middle School and saw that the teachers knew their students and seemed personally invested. And, it was a beautiful school.” “When we looked at North Shore—the campus, the motto—we were excited at the possibilities,” says Joel who entered the School in 5th grade. “When we began attending and started to create a life here, we realized how fortunate we were. The older and older I get, so much of who I am comes from North Shore.”

Benjie, a Lifer who started in junior kindergarten, although only four at the time, vividly recalls his first visit to North Shore. “T. C. Whiting ’92, who was one year ahead of me, was my host and made me feel really comfortable. He graduated from North Shore and is still a friend today.”

Fast Forward 30 Years Bob is a founding shareholder of Lehtinen Schultz Riedi Catalano de la Fuente, PLLC (LSRCF) and head of the firm’s Land Use, Zoning and Local Government Group. He formed the firm after a 10-year partnership at Tew Cardenas LLP where he was a partner in the Miami law firm. A graduate of Amherst College with a B.A. and Boston University School of Law with a J.D., Bob began his career as an Assistant State Attorney, hired by Janet Reno who was the Miami-Dade County State Attorney at the time. After being a prosecutor for four years, he practiced commercial litigation land use and zoning law, and also served as Director of Florida Development for one of South Florida’s largest landowners from 2004-06. Joel is now a professional television, film and stage actor. He graduated from Brown University with a degree in theater arts and from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a master’s in acting. He is currently starring as Chief Inspector Kido in Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle, and is also known for his roles as Dr. Johann Pryce in Netflix’s

Hemlock Grove, 1st Lieutenant Paul Wang in Space: Above and Beyond, Peter Davies in 100 Centre Street, and recurring appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Ruben Morales. Joel’s most recent stage appearances have been in the one-person play, Hold These Truths, based on the life of Gordon Hirabayashi. Nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his performance, Joel has performed the play all over the U.S., including New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Hawaii and Washington. Benjie is a Vice President of Global Technology at J.P. Morgan in New York, responsible for technology risk management. He too graduated from Amherst College with a B.A. and also the Manhattan School of Music. Prior to his technology career, Benjie was a selfemployed classical bass-baritone singer for eight years. His biggest and favorite experience was when he spent the summer of 2004 at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA. He played Ethias in A Midsummer Nights Dream. “I and 30 other singers from North America were making music every day. It was the greatest musical experience I’ve ever had.” Three brothers. All successful. All passionate. All accomplished. All respected for their talents and expertise. All credit North Shore for preparing them well, igniting passions, instilling a mindset of service, and forging lasting connections to the School on Green Bay Road in Winnetka.

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The Common Thread North Shore’s commitment to service has stuck with him. He is on the boards of two Miami non-profits—Zoetic Stage and The Miart Foundation. “I’ve always liked the theater, and Joel and his wife, my sister-in-law, Melissa, get full credit for growing my affection for theater. I’m happy to help Zoetic raise money and get people in the seats. As the Chair of Miart, Bob was instrumental in donating warehouse space used to curate art from all over the world for the Omniart event in 2005. He also spent eight years on the Best Buddies Miami board, several as Chairman.

School play—I was terrible in shop, but with Roger Shipley’s encouragement I found a surprising home back stage in in S H O R E G A V E H I M T O G E T I N V O LV E D , 7th, and 8th and 9th grade.” including some that he wouldn’t have After serving as light-board operator chosen. “I didn’t want to be in a musical, and stage manager, Carol Radloff and Mr. but I did stage crew and I’m glad I did— Shipley encouraged Joel to try acting, it was a valuable experience. I’m also giving him the full range of experiences thankful for mandatory fall sports and my in the theater. But because there were so two years of JV soccer. In Upper School, few Asian American students at North the small class sizes and the teachers were Shore, he wondered what his friends really important to me. Jack Ingram was would think of him. my constitutional law teacher. Even in law “I was cast in a student-directed one-act school, I thought about how relevant that play, and that changed everything. class was. I was already familiar with the Everyone really supported me. I ended up Socratic method because that’s similar to acting all through high school. A group of how Mr. Ingram ran his class and it gave J O E L S AY S T H AT “ N O R T H S H O R E us even started a theater group doing me a good basis for law school. STILL HAS THE SAME PHILOSOPHY things outside the department. We “At Amherst I started pre med, but after O F A L L H A N D S O N D E C K , A N D YO U freshman year I decided it wasn’t the path H A V E T O B E A PA R T O F I T. It’s bigger performed several times for Morning Ex. I knew I had found my passion. for me. Then I shifted my focus. Going to than who you are. Even if you are scared “I also loved that I could take part in law school was so much more comfortable. of playing sports, other people are anything I wanted to do at North Shore. It had a lot to do with the classes I enjoyed counting on you. That cultivated a I didn’t go home a lot. From yearbook to the most at North Shore. bravery in me because I was required to football to rehearsal—I stayed at school Today, Bob enjoys assisting his clients be involved. We all did it. When you’re until 8 or 9 at night. All of that feeds into with land-development issues in Miami young and you’re trying to figure out what I do for a living—you are serving and helping them work through a your place in the world, there can be a something bigger than yourself. You face confusing and complicated process to get fear about everything. You find ways to uncertainty and do the best you can. The the results they need. “I love my work now, face your fears.” process of being exhilarated by challenges but a professional highlight was when I While growing up, Joel always loved is something that started at North Shore. was assistant state attorney. I liked that job going to the theater on field trips, seeing When he is not away from home because it was more about public service. performances in Morning Ex, and with his While that job also burns you out, during family outside of school. “The theater was working and filming, he enjoys being involved with New Dramatists, an that time I had some really satisfying wins a magical place but I never saw anyone and the feeling that I did some good for that looked like me on stage,” he explains. organization in New York that supports playwrights with seven-year residencies. the community. “I didn’t think being an actor was something an Asian American could do. “They provide housing and give I ended up on stage crew for a Middle 10 BOB REMEMBERS ALL THE

O P P O R T U N I T I E S T H AT N O R T H

“For me there were great opportunities and we had wonderful teachers and friends.” Benjie performed in the spring musical all four years in the Upper School but the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof was a formative experience. Benjie continues singing at his church FOR BENJIE, THE NORTH SHORE St. Cassian in Montclaire, NJ as a cantor E X P E R I E N C E W A S A L L H E K N E W. “I have very fond memories of it,” he says. and the New York Gilbert & Sullivan “Over time, I’m reminded that I not only Players. He is a member of the shared it with my brothers, but with what organization dedicated to operettas, and performed Pirates of Penance, Mikado and became my extended family—students, Yeoman of the Guard with them. “That was teachers, administrators, coaches. Tom special because I knew those pieces so Doar was Head of Lower School when I well from my time as a student at North started and he has known me my whole Shore and had the chance to approach life. Linda Kiracibasi was my first music teacher. The year I graduated was Michael them as an adult. Gilbert and Sullivan has been a thread that’s run through my Querio’s first year at the School. Lifelong childhood and adulthood.” threads started there.” While all three brothers learned to play the piano along with other instruments, Reflection Benjie says it was in Middle and Upper “North Shore is a great place for families,” School with Music Teacher Danny Wallenberg when he really got into singing Bob says. “It’s a special thing my brothers and singing on stage in shows. “There was and I share. When I came back for my ample opportunity. Chorus was an elective recent reunion I ran into people who were and my freshman year there were only two friends with my brothers. Even though I hadn’t attended a reunion since my 10th or other boys, Tom Tankin ’93 and Josh Quinn ’91. I was the only one singing bass, 15th, it still felt comfortable. It’s not just which played a big part in developing my your class—you see a lot of other people too. It was nice to come back.” skills as a musician. Joel recently went to an alumni “Maturing as a person in the context of gathering in New York where Eileen the School, over time you figured out the things you enjoyed and it gave you plenty Donghue, (former head of the math department) recognized him and Benji of opportunity to do it. who was there, and remembered Bob. “It’s that sense that you share a history together—you are accountable to and playwrights access to all the best actors and directors. It’s such a great joy to spend time doing that. It’s collaborating with others for pleasure and helping writers realize their vision more fully,” explains Joel.

answer to these people. They have seen you at your best and your worst. Today, there can be very little room for dialogue with strangers, and to walk into the gathering like that, and see people you have known for a long time like Head of School Tom Doar and Director of Development Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, there is a sense you can be yourself and you are home again. To be in that community again is invigorating,” Joel explains. “We are very proud to be a family that went there because we love the place and it works both ways. We served and contributed there and it feels really good. We held up our end of the deal. We were really enriched by the place.” Benjie strongly believes in the value of participation. “At North Shore there is an expectation to challenge students to step outside their comfort zone. That is a really valuable skill and mindset. It really encouraged the full development of young people as full people.” The de la Fuente brothers all credit North Shore and their teachers for igniting their passions. All appreciated the culture that required them to participate in things they never would have chosen. All carry on the “Live and Serve” motto and all still consider North Shore part of their family. And North Shore is happy to call them our own.

a c o r n · Spring 2016

accomplishmen t s

Sharon Dole Retires After 38 Years “Consistent with North Shore’s values and critical to our day-to-day functioning, is the strong sense of community that has always been such an important part of our school. Those who have been connected with North Shore know that it is the people who are key to creating our sense of community. Individuals who personalize their North Shore connection by bringing a professional commitment and dedication; who make a personal investment through their energy and relationships; people who contribute by doing their jobs and so much more. Sharon Dole, in her 38 years with North Shore, has been a parent (Brian ’88 and Scott ’85), colleague and friend. She has been charged with understanding, contributing and protecting this sense of community. Sharon embraced that role while serving five Heads of School and 38 years of students, faculty, parents, alumni and trustees. She has made a difference in multiple ways and leaves a legacy of caring, connecting and contributing.”

tom doar • Head of School

“Contemplating Sharon’s retirement is not easy. I have always counted on the continuity that she represents. She has been key to North Shore’s stability—a force of strength for the Head’s office and more broadly within the School. But it appears that it is the right time for her to move to a new life. NSCDS will surely miss her infectious good humor, warm and caring personality, and especially her ability to see through the nonsense—especially valuable to the heads of school!”

dick hall • Former Head of School

“For me, Sharon was indispensible from the very beginning. I was announced as Interim Head on a Thursday, moved into the office on Friday and school began on Monday. I couldn’t have done it without her. We have always shared a love of poetry, and knowing I especially loved Shakespeare’s sonnets, in a casual conversation just before I retired, she found out my favorite and passed it on to Michael Querio, who set it to music. The chorus completely surprised me by singing it at a Morning Ex in my honor.”

julie hall • Former Head of School

In Celebration of A Mentor She was always just down the hall. Steady, unflappable, patient, smiling. She was the entry point for me back in 1990. I was lucky enough to get to know the person on the other end of the line who first answered my phone call. In good times and not she was resilient and brave, Ever searching for the goodness in people. Retirement beckons but, She will always be just down the hall for me.

kevin randolph • Former History Department Chair and Teacher

“Sharon is a special person in many ways and she embodies the School’s value of lifelong learning. She is an avid reader, a lover of the arts, and an active participant in the world around her. Sharon brings positive energy to everything she does and her sensitivity, kindness and support have touched the lives of many throughout her 38 years of service to North Shore.”

barbara castilla Upper School Spanish Teacher

“Sharon and I first met in the autumn of 1978 when I joined the faculty of NSCDS. What became so evident to me in those years were the gifts of character and temperament that Sharon brought to her special role. When teachers or students needed an advocate, they knew who to approach. When any of us shared a confidence with Sharon, we knew it would be safeguarded. When there was a particular challenge in our life, we knew that Sharon was a wise sounding-board and counselor. When any of us experienced a success, Sharon was the first to rejoice and celebrate with us. And she has continued to keep in touch with those of us whose lives have taken us away from the School to other parts of the world.”

nancy christopher • Former Upper School Faculty and School Historian “I met Sharon, my best friend Brian Dole’s mom, during my first year at NSCDS in 1985. I soon came to realize Sharon was also a part of the School administration. Throughout high school and college Sharon became my second mom. She has offered me wisdom in times of trouble, shelter when I needed a temporary place to stay, guidance as I became an adult and laughter throughout it all! I most recently saw Sharon at my wedding and it was wonderful. I will always value our genuine friendship, and I love her.”

dwight scott ’88

“Sharon has given with great depth to the North Shore community through a very caring heart, high intelligence, sensitivity, keen awareness, good humor coupled with an ever-present welcoming spirit and accessibility to students, faculty, parents, alumni, and parents of alumni and all who have crossed her path. She embodies a “Live and Serve” life in all she does and pursues and for North Shore she has been a treasure.”

“Sharon’s wisdom, integrity and awareness of the institutional ‘big picture’ have been an enormous asset to the School especially in times of transition. Always a good listener who put the interests of the School as a top priority, she tuned in to assess who needed to know what in order to effectively do their job. Always the consummate professional, Sharon adeptly juggled numerous requests and tactfully negotiated them with ease and a distinctive dollop of humor.”

nancy green whiteman ’71

pam whalley

Director of Alumni Relations

Former Head of Lower School

“One of the coolest things about having your mom work at the school you attend, is getting to know your teachers and other staff members on a personal level outside of the typical school environment. While this dynamic could be a bit complicated at times, it added an incredible richness to my overall learning experience and ultimately led to a more profound education than I may have had otherwise. It also provided deeper insights and understanding to all that goes on behind the scenes. This gave me a greater appreciation for the tremendous caring, dedication, tireless effort and commitment to excellence demonstrated across all levels at NSCDS. Experiencing this first hand was indeed a privilege. It has created an extended family with memories that are simply irreplaceable. For this and much, much more, I thank you Mom!”

brian dole ’88

a c o r n · Spring 2016

Katie Karmin ’17

Upper School Model UN delegation at the University of Michigan

Andrew Xing ’22 and Lily Ainsley ’22 demonstrating the Elastic Launch Glider Science Olympiad event.

Rachel Cantor ’16

Upper School Model UN delegates at the St. Andrew’s International Model UN Conference in Ireland

Middle School Science Olympiad team at the Regional Finals

accomplishmen t s Illinois National Geographic Bee In the fall of 2015, North Shore’s Lower and Middle Schools hosted a National Geographic Bee for 4th-8th grade students. The Bee uses materials prepared by the National Geographic Society to test students’ knowledge of world geography. This year, Kevin Duffy ’20 won North Shore’s Geographic Bee and went on to qualify for the Illinois competition, scoring in the top 100 in the qualifying exam.

American Mathematics Competitions This year, six Upper School students participated in the annual American Mathematics Competition in February. Cynthia Mao ’17 won the school-wide competition with a score of 87, the secondbest score by a NSCDS student in the last three years. Other participants were Katie Glew ’17, Charlie MacVicar ’16, Evelyn Nava ’18, Katie McCarren ’16 and BoHoon Shim ’17.

Her essay focused on the personal challenges her family faces since her brother was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. “After having spent the past year watching my younger brother struggle with the frequent demands of blood sugar maintenance, it became quite clear to me the improvements that needed to be instituted,” Karmin told the AAMI. “Healthcare should be efficient, it should be accurate and, most importantly, it should alleviate stress rather than contribute to it. While diabetes treatment has come a long way, there is so much more room to grow.” Her essay was chosen from 250 student essays and will be featured in an AAMI publication.

Upper School Model United Nations

Upper School Model United Nations delegates have attended eight conferences since the beginning of the 2015-16 school year. They began with a team of 14 at the St. Ignatius Model UN Conference in Chicago. Illinois Top 100 Then, a delegation of 12 students High School Innovators attended the Chicago International Model UN Conference in December, where Rachel Cantor ’16 has been named one Maurits Hondmann ’16 was recognized of the “Top 100 High School Innovators as the Outstanding Delegate for his in Illinois” by the College of Engineering performance as the First Deputy Prime at Illinois for her work on The Dawtor— Minister in the Cabinet of the Kingdom a news site she co-created for teenage of Saudi Arabia (2003). Approximately girls. Together with her friend Sophia 1500 students attended this conference Dawn from New York, Rachel wanted to from more than 50 schools, making it a encourage young people, especially girls, competitive environment. to connect to current events and social and A team of 13 delegates attended the political issues. Rachel believes that clear Conference at the University of Michigan and creative communication allows young in Ann Arbor, where more than 600 girls to have a greater understanding of delegates from 34 schools were in attentheir worlds and be more informed in dance. For her work in the Doha their daily lives. This is the second year Development Agenda committee reprefor the Illinois High School Innovators senting Gabon, Francesca Block ’17 was program that celebrates high school given a Verbal Commendation. The Joint students who have implemented creative Crisis Committee simulated the Wars of ideas to solve problems. the Three Kingdoms (1638 - 1660), and Maurits Hondmann, representing Richard Healthcare Butler, Third Viscount Mountgarrett, was recognized as the Best Delegate. Technology Essay Fifteen delegates attended the Ivy Katie Karmin ’17 won second place in League Model UN Conference, sponsored the Association for the Advancement of by the International Affairs Association of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) the University of Pennsylvania in January. “Healthcare Technology of the Future” It was the largest and most competitive essay contest for high school students. Model UN conference North Shore has ever attended.

In February, 14 students attended the North American Invitational Model UN, sponsored by the Georgetown International Relations Association, and in March, North Shore and Beacon Academy sent four students to participate in the Model UN Illinois Conference hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Over Spring Break, five North Shore students traveled to Ireland, along with five Beacon Academy students, to the St. Andrew’s International Model UN. Francesca Block was recognized as a Distinguished Delegate for her work representing Cuba in the Political 1 Committee. Approximately 750 students from 44 schools in 21 countries attended SAIMUN. North Shore’s last Model UN conference of the academic year was held at Northwestern University in April. Five North Shore students attended.

Middle School Science Olympiad The Middle School Science Olympiad team kicked off their season in December at the Marie Murphy School in Wilmette. The team went on to compete in the South Middle School Invitational in January where the varsity team placed in three events and the JV team placed in seven events. In February, the team competed in their last invitational before regionals at Grayslake Middle School. In all, the team received 18 medals–nine for the varsity team and nine for JV. The team finished sixth out of 24 teams, in the top 25%. At the Regional Science Olympiad Finals at the College of Lake County on March 12, North Shore received a total of 23 medals in varsity and JV. Overall, North Shore placed 4th, qualifying the team for State Finals for the 18th year in a row. In their best performance in four years at the state competition, the team won 8th place out of 46 middle schools at the University of Illinois. The team medaled in three events, including the Scrambler, Elastic Launch Glider and Bridges.

a c o r n · Spring 2016

ac a demics Invention Convention In February, the 1st grade class learned about George Washington Carver. The scientist and inventor was an inspiration for students to identify different problems they encounter in their own lives and brainstorm inventions to solve the problems. Students drafted breadboards of their inventions, identified the necessary materials and created models of their inventions complete with an original logo and name. During Lower School Community Time, the class hosted an “Invention Convention” where they shared their inventions with other students and teachers. Some favorites include: “The Super Cool Water Bike”—a bike with snorkeling gear attached to allow you to bike and swim at the same time; “The Cheezy Controller”—a video-game controller that also spits out Cheez-Its while you play; “The Clothes-Maker”—a machine that makes clothes and dresses you in the morning so you never have to worry about what to wear; and “Robot ‘Oz’ The Organizer”—a robot that cleans up and organizes all of your messes for you.

Modeling Natural Selection Silhouette portraits were created using a bright light to cast the shadow of a subject’s profile onto a piece of paper, while students traced the shadow to create the pioneers’ version of a photograph. Other students used old salt dough recipes to create, decorate and cut out ornaments that look like cookies but are not edible. Another student duo used feathers to create quill pens and berry juice to write notes.

Holocaust Survivor Visitor

In February, as part of the curriculum on “Bystanders and Upstanders,” 8th grade Social Studies Teacher Dana Specht and English Teacher Susan Schinleber invited Holocaust survivor Larry Shelton, of Morton Grove, to speak to students on his experience growing up in Nazi Germany. He spoke to students about his memories as a child in Nazi Germany, being arrested in Italy, discovering the news of his parents’ death, escaping to Great Britain on the Kindertransport and finally moving to America, and the historical context of world events occurring at that time. Although students learned about the Holocaust in class, read 1 The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank, studied artwork by Samuel Bak, and even visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., Larry’s presentation connected with the students on a personal level. “Reading about one’s story or an event from the boundaries of a textbook is so different from learning about it in person from Mr. Shelton,” says Elinor Keehn ’20. “Hearing about the unspeakable tragedies he experienced during the Holocaust went straight from his heart to ours; we are all deeply sorrowful for him after hearing about the deaths of his parents. The Pioneer Exploration Day thought of not knowing where his family The annual 4th grade Pioneer Exploration was and not knowing if they were even alive is truly terrible, and I can’t imagine Day showcases everything the students living with that uncertainty.” have learned about westward expansion Larry also emphasized the importance through hands-on activities. In February, of seeing injustices in the world and the students hosted the event for parents changing those things, through volunteer and other teachers to learn about the work. “Our curricula is very much different ways pioneers lived and did invested in helping students understand daily tasks. Groups of students prepared both their rights and their responsibilities presentations to explain the utility of as members of a democracy,” Dana says. each activity and the materials used. “And Larry’s visit really connects that for the students.” 16

Upper School biology students learned about natural selection as a mechanism for evolution. Over time, populations of species, both the predators and prey, evolve based on the individual species’ traits that allow them to survive. Students were challenged to model an evolving population with some parameters: a population of birds with different beaks as the predators, and a population of “prey” represented by different colored- and sized-beans. Students showed the evolution of the birds, the prey, or both, through data collection in a video. One model utilized a fish tank as the habitat, with fish models suspended in water as the prey, to illustrate how the bird population has to evolve to better catch their prey.

Bio 15 Projects (YouTube Playlist)

1 1st grade “The Cheezy Controller” invention 2 Julia Kolbe ’17 and Jack Pierre ’17 make a

habitat model 3 Holocaust survivor Larry Shelton and

Sebby Biggs ’20 4 Meg Pfannerstill ’24 making salt dough ornaments 5 Annika Churchill ’17 designing a habitat model 6 1st grade “The Clothes-Maker” invention 7 Pioneer Day 8 Bo Stevenson ’24 and Marshall Hyman ’24

make “ink” from berry juice. 9 Zeke Edwards-Mizel ’17 and Ben Potter ’16 build

their habitat model

a c o r n 路 Spring 2016

dis t inguished gues t s

Bryan Stevenson

Lucilla Richards

Bryan Stevenson This year’s Harold Hines Jr. Visiting Fellow was Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit legal organization that focuses on social justice and human rights in the context of criminal-justice reform in the U.S. The organization litigates on behalf of indigent defendants and prisoners who have been denied fair and just treatment in the legal system. His work has generated national attention, and his efforts have reversed death penalties for dozens of condemned prisoners. Bryan has initiated major anti-poverty and anti-discrimination efforts that challenge the legacy of racial inequality in America. He is also the author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, and a professor of Clinical Law at NYU School of Law. His March 2012 TED Talk has been viewed more than 2.8 million times. Bryan is the recipient of numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant and the NAACP Image Award for Best Non-Fiction, and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People for 2015. On April 7, he spoke about “American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity, and Making a Difference” with Middle and Upper School students and North Shore parents.

David Yeager, Ph.D.

David Yeager, Ph.D. The Harold Hines Fellowship was established in 1986 in memory of longtime member of the Board of Trustees, Harold H. Hines Jr., who provided exceptional leadership to North Shore. The fellowship has brought many distinguished individuals to campus who exemplify the School motto “Live and Serve.”

Dr. Georgia Bozeday The Parent Education Committee hosted Dr. Georgia Bozeday, director of educational services at Rush Neurobehavioral Center, in February, to talk about “Executive Function and Your Child.” The program attracted many parents and provided helpful information based on brain development, the latest research and specific tips for helping students stay organized. Her research-based program strives to improve students’ academic performance by encouraging the development of executive functions—the ability to plan, strategically solve problems, self-regulate behavior, make decisions, pay attention, monitor and evaluate performance, and manage time.

North Shore hosted a Family Action Network (FAN) event “Motivating Teens,” featuring David Yeager, Ph.D. Yeager is an assistant professor of developmental psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. He obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in developmental and psychological science from Stanford University. At age 34, David is already accumulating a lengthy list of early career awards and he is in high demand as a research collaborator. David focuses nearly exclusively on adolescent behavior change. He designs randomized experiments and interventions, primarily in school settings, with the goal of transforming the lives of teenagers for the better. He has investigated substance use, healthy eating, motivation, bullying, aggression, stress, cheating, academic underperformance and depression, and is primarily interested in developing practical, effective strategies for addressing these challenges. His approach is deeply informed by Dr. Carol Dweck—a previous FAN speaker hosted at North Shore—and her groundbreaking research in “mindsets.”

Amazing Africa

Marillac St. Vincent Family Services

Marillac St. Vincent Family Services Tracie Frederick, director of development (former Annual Giving Coordinator at North Shore Country Day School) and Stephen Barker, associate director of development, marketing and communications at Marillac St. Vincent Family Services, gave a Morning Ex presentation in January. The vision of the organization is focused on “ending the cycle of poverty.” They began with an overview of the organization’s history and services. The presentation evolved into a thoughtful and participatory discussion with Upper and Middle School students on the challenges their Marillac clients face and ideas of how to break the cycle of poverty. Marillac has been providing social services to Chicago families since 1914. They offer education and comprehensive programs for children and parents including child development, senior services, family services, a program for pregnant and parenting teens, afterschool programs for youth and more. Over the years, many Upper School students have volunteered at Marillac through Interim Week and SeniorService programs.

Bryan Resendiz ’92

Gospel Music North Shore’s very own Receptionist, Lucilla Richards, organized and led a presentation of the history of gospel music through song. Director of the Antioch Baptist Church Men’s Chorus Lewis C. Clark Jr. joined her in singing examples of gospel melodies. Lucilla is also senior pastor at Prayer Garden Ministries in Evanston.

program featured the rhythms and dances of the Manding Empire, the largest in African history. The performers shared native instrumentation, rhythms and dances; authentic attire and acrobatics to illustrate the rich West African heritage, languages and traditions.

School of Rock

Alumnus Bryan Resendiz ’92 returned to campus in February to provide a fun and informative Morning Ex on the “Evolution An Upper School Experiential-Education of Rock.” He and his School of Rock Day (X-Day) led by the Language colleagues took the audience through the Department in February looked at the evolution of rock and roll from the early intersection of history and culture— ’50s to the Beatles, Cream, AC/DC, how a place’s cultural components are a reflection of its history and how cultures Aerosmith, The Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, in the impact one another when they come ’60s and ’70s. into contact. As the music director at the School of “The music of West Africa has had a Rock in Highwood, IL, Bryan teaches significant impact on the areas in and drums, manages the ensemble rehearsals around the Caribbean as well as in and continues to maintain a busy schedule Louisiana culture, an area studied by with a number of Chicago bands. While French classes,” explains Upper School on campus, he was reunited with his Spanish Teacher Barbara Castilla. “Following the X-Day, we thought it would former teachers Lower School Music Teacher Linda Gibson Kiracibasi, Physical be a fun culmination to broaden our Education Teacher and Coach Jim Deuble cultural horizons by hearing about and ’76 and Head of School Tom Doar who was listening to music from an area with head of the Lower School when Bryan which we were less familiar.” started at North Shore in 1st grade. A number of students in Lower and Middle School joined the Upper School at a presentation by Amazing Africa. The

Amazing Africa

a c o r n · Spring 2016

events Lunch in the Loop North Shore alumni, parents, parents of alumni and friends attended the Spring Lunch in the Loop program on April 14 at the Union League Club in Chicago. The presentation, North Shore Athletics Developing Self Sufficiency and Adaptability—O’er the Fields and the Years, featured Head of School Tom Doar and Athletic Director Patrick McHugh.

School art teacher. The exhibit illuminates the intersection of their individual art making and teaching roles. The four artists/teachers also hosted a Morning Ex to share their personal experiences with art, inspiration and the spaces where they create art.

Spring Connectathon

Thanks to the time and enthusiasm of many volunteers, Annual Giving participation increased this year. On February 20, more than 300 parents, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, parents of The Alumni Board kicked-off the effort by reaching out to classmates in February alumni and friends attended the Benefit followed by the Connectathon event on Board’s annual event fundraising event campus March 7. This was supplemented The Purple Wave. This year’s theme was by the efforts of Class Reps, other alumni “Taste of NSCDS” featuring many ethnic and Annual Giving Parent Reps calling foods prepared by the School’s cafeteria chefs HandCut Foods. The décor also gave and emailing from home. The Young Alumni Committee was involved and guests a taste of curriculum by division played an important role by texting, and the entertainment featured North emailing and using social media to raise Shore’s own Upper School band playing awareness and class participation. jazz favorites, directed by Upper School More than 200 connections were made Band Teacher Tom Kowalcyzk. resulting in a 20% jump in alumni An emotional appeal for The Doar participation. Thank you for supporting Fund raised more than $325,000 to provide student scholarships and program Annual Giving, North Shore’s first priority in fundraising. development. In addition, $15,000 was Many thanks to our dedicated raised to support teacher enrichment volunteers: and curriculum development grants. The evening also featured Heads or Tails, BILL AKE ’88 a Raffle, Silent and Live Auctions and a GRETCHEN AKE Wine Grab. The evening was a success LISA ALTENBERND in gathering so many people to mix, KELSEY ANDERSEN ’06 mingle and have fun in the Arts Center, BILL BACH ’87 Cafeteria—transformed into a party JAY BACH venue—and the Auditorium. BRUCE BLAIR ’69 Special thanks go to Erica Conlon, BENJY BLENNER ’02 Benefit Board president, and committee DAN BLOEDORN ’87 members Gretchen Ake, Irene Bradshaw, KAREN BLOCK ’09 Lorri Gerdeman, Lauren Hines, Jennifer TONY BLUMBERG ’76 Larsen, Michelle Leiter, Ellen Muslin, JEB BREECE ’00 Kimberly Orput, Sara Geist Rosen and DAVID BROWN ’84 Nina Yoo. TED BUTZ ’48 CHRIS CHARNAS ’83 SARAH CODY ’04 Process 4 BUDGE COOPER ’83 The Almquist Gallery featured an exhibit MICHAEL CREATURA ’11 titled Process 4 during the month of ASHLEIGH CROSS ST. PETERS ’05 February. The artwork offered a glimpse SARA CUNNINGHAM ’09 into the studio processes of North Shore’s REBECCA LOCKHART visual art faculty: Kate Puccia, visual art CURRY-EDWARDS ’04 department chair and Upper School art ABBY SMITH DE JAGER ’03 teacher; Laura Hsieh, Upper School art BOB DE LA FUENTE ’85 teacher; Keith Sklar, Middle School art BARBARA BULGER DRAKE ’66 teacher; and Montserrat Alsina, Lower CECE EWEN DURBIN ’67 BOB ELISHA ’77 WILL FINLAY ’10 20

The Purple Wave

TOM FLICKINGER JEFF FOREMAN ’80 KATIE FREIBURGER TOM GERAGHTY ’62 JOANNE GOLDEN ’74 NANCY GOLDBERG SAMMY GRAY ’10 LAURI REAGAN HARRIS ’87 ASHLEY HAUPT HALL HEALY ’59 PETE HENDERSON ’47 BILL HINES ’73 DAVID HINES ’81 STACY HUNT LIZ PRICE HUNT ’42 ELIZABETH INGRAM ’82 CHARLIE INGRAM ’75 MICKEY JAFFE JOAN PALM JOHNSON ’57 LANCE JOHNSON PAT OSTROM KOHNEN ’60 DAVID LEITER MICHELLE LEITER DANNY LOWINGER ’08 ELIZABETH MACGEACHY STEVEN MACGEACHY CHES MANLY ’89 LISA MCCLUNG ’87 CIARA MCDONAGH ’90 JEAN CULLIN MERTZ ’47 LILLY MILLA ’10 MICHAELA MURPHY ’92 CRAIG NIEMANN SCOTT OLSON ’79 GEORGIA PAPPAS MARNIE PAUL ’64 MEREDITH PRICE ’07 SARAH GEIST ROSEN ’86 LEE BARKER SAVINAR ’71 MAGGIE SCHEYER CARRIE SCHARBO HILARY BISHOP SCOTT ’96 JEANNIE LEA SCULLY ’63 ALEX SILETS ’87 GEORGE SMITH ’81 FRANK SOULE ’68 ERIK SOSA-KIBBY ’93 COURTNEY WILLIAMS SHELTON ’88 SUSAN STETSON ’72 DUFF STEVENSON MINA TAKAHASHI ’96 MADELINE TANK ’11 SUSANNA VER EECKE GRIS WARE ’81 ALICE PIRIE WIRTZ ’49 ANDREW WOOD ’90 JANELLE WOOD

Connectathon parent volunteers Craig Niemann and David Leiter

Benefit Board members Lorri Gerdeman, Erica Conlon, Sarah Geist Rosen â&#x20AC;&#x2122;86, Lauren Hines

NSCDS staff and Connectathon volunteer Sarah Cunningham â&#x20AC;&#x2122;09

Process 4 by Keith Sklar

Alesia Wall, Derek Wall, Jateen Patel and Jalpa Patel at the Purple Wave

Process 4 by Laura Hsieh

Larry Gordon, Patrick McHugh, Maggie Scheyer at Lunch in the Loop

Process 4 by Montserrat Alsina

facult y Faculty Profile: Jen TenHarmsel see a side of them that some teachers don’t. They feel safe and comfortable here. They open themselves up to me. I love making that connection with them; building a strong relationship with them and watching them grow over the course of a year or through their entire Lower School years. A. I also work with amazing teachers

who are constantly doing things in new ways, trying differentiated instruction in their classrooms—they have brilliant ideas. Having a good relationship with my colleagues makes me feel like an integrated part of the team. Being surrounded by adults who really love these kids is a great environment to be in.

Q . What led you to become a reading and learning specialist? A. From a young age, I always loved

working with kids. I was a babysitter and helped with an after-school program. I just gravitated to working with children and found it most gratifying to help students succeed and become comfortable with themselves. It’s so rewarding being part of the little successes my students have and helping them feel confident. Teaching also runs in my family. My dad, mom and aunt were teachers. Maybe it was destiny. Q . Did you love reading as a child? A. Yes. I was a bookworm and belonged to

all the summer reading clubs. I think I read all of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. As a child, I read everywhere. Before bedtime, my parents would read to us. I would also pretend I was asleep but under my blanket I was reading. And I was always at the library checking out new books. I still love to read. Q . What do you love about your job? What is the most rewarding part? A. There are two things I love. First I

love working with these kids—they are so motivated and work so hard. I get to

Q. How would you describe North Shore students? A. There is not just one way to describe

them. Energetic, curious, caring. You see them interact with each other during the day and it feels like a strong community, working together in different ways and encouraging one another. It’s exciting. Q. What’s different from when you started at North Shore? Are there new techniques or methods for helping children learn/read? A. It’s always a work in progress. We are

always trying new methods. Technology has played a big part. Whether it’s fun apps that help teach kids how to read or older students using iPads to dictate papers instead of typing. I see us using Q. Do you have any advice for parents about technology a lot more and in different how to foster a love of reading and learning ways than when I first started. We are in children? learning how to differentiate reading for different ages, understanding it’s not a A. I would just encourage parents to read one-size-fits-all process. Different kids with your kids. Whether they are in need different things. Having small kindergarten or 5th grade, it’s really valuable and important. Just share the joy readings groups, rotating them frequently, of reading a story together and getting lost and rotating teachers helps students. in a book. Q. If you had not become a reading and learning specialist, what else might you Q. You are now in your sixth year at North have done? Shore. How does that feel? What were your impressions of the School when you first A. I always tinkered with going into arrived compared to today? counseling or clinical psychology. I was a psychology major as an undergraduate. A. It’s hard to believe it’s been six years. This is the only school where I have taught. The other part of me wants to own a bookstore and coffee shop. Being When I started here, I was nervous and surrounded by books and drinking knew it was an academically rigorous coffee—it doesn’t get any better than that. school but what I didn’t realize, and became clear immediately, is the sense of Q. What are your passions or interests community. Everybody here loves these outside of school? children and wants them to succeed. North Shore really does teach to the whole A. I spend a lot of time with my husband child. It’s exciting and fun to see students and two-year-old son, who keep me going. get challenged in news ways. Beyond that, I love exercising, reading and spending time outside. The teachers here have made good strides in differentiating instruction for their Q. Current favorite book or most recent students. There’s more awareness and book read? understanding of what learning A. I just finished The Unlikely Hero of differences mean and I’ve seen how we Room 13b. It’s a young-adult book about a can teach our students to be successful group of high schoolers who are in an readers. North Shore is also very forward Obsessive Compulsive Disorder support thinking and is good at challenging and group. It’s quirky and captivating. Ever stretching teachers. The School definitely since I had a child, I’ve enjoyed reading supports us in our growth and learning as young-adults books because I can get well. They stand behind us wanting us to through them quickly and actually finish be lifelong learners. the book.

Professional Development LOVING LEARNING

Before the 2015-16 school year even began, last June all faculty and staff were asked to read Loving Learning: How Progressive Education Can Save America’s Schools by Tom Little, former long-standing head of Park Day in Oakland, CA and Katherine Ellison, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/writer. The book argues for broader adoption of progressive educational principles as a solution to America’s education woes. Faculty and staff were encouraged to reflect on North Shore’s history and look forward to the years ahead. In-Service Days throughout the year have been used to enter into a sustained conversation about the School as it is today and the best ways to merge the School’s progressive history with the expectations of and demands on 21st Century schools. In addition to the Loving Learning dialogue, the February 5 In-Service Day also included a screening of Most Likely to Succeed, a “feature-length documentary . . . [that] examines the history of education, revealing the growing shortcomings of our school model in today’s innovative world. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Greg Whiteley, the film has been named ‘among the best edu-documentaries ever produced’ by Education Week. Additionally, faculty and staff participated in a diversity training session facilitated by Donique McIntosh and Eileen Heineman from the YWCA Evanston/North Shore Racial Justice program.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The entire Visual Art Department including Department Head and Upper School Art Teacher Kate Puccia, Upper School Art Teacher Laura Hsieh, Middle School Art Teacher Keith Sklar and Lower School Art Teacher Monserrat Alsina, attended the National Art Education Association conference. Held in Chicago in March, it is the largest art education convention to improve visual art instruction in schools in the world. The program explored the multi-faceted roles of the art educator through the prism of leadership. Assistant Librarian Kris Sumner attended a conference on Social Media for Teachers and Librarians conducted by the Center for Teaching through Children’s Books on February 6. The Center for Teaching through Children’s Books is a partnership between National Louis University Library and National Louis University College of Education. The event featured keynotes from renowned social media and literacy experts on stimulating topics as well as hosting open discussions and breakout sessions on related topics. Middle School Spanish Teacher Alejandra Mendoza and Middle School French Teacher Anne-Marie Dall’Agata attended 101 Best Strategies for Teaching World Languages through the Bureau of Education & Research in Chicago on March 2. Upper School Science Teacher and Scientist-in-Residence Jen Pfannerstill, Director of Marketing and Communications Tura Cottingham and Assistant Head of School and Academic Dean Chris Boyle attended the National Association of Independent Schools Conference in San Francisco from February 24-26. Assistant Head of School and Academic Dean Chris Boyle attended the SPARKplaces summit on contemporary educational design organized by Wonder, By Design in San Francisco on February 26 and 27. Director of Development Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 and Development Associate-Annual Giving Maureen Wilde attended the CASE/NAIS Annual Conference in New York, January 31-February 2.

Upper School Counselor Terri Webb attended a two-day workshop in March at the 49th Annual American Association of Suicidology Conference in Chicago featuring national experts. She also went to the Mind-Body Medicine Fundamentals Seminar through the Center for Mind Body Medicine in Minneapolis, in the fall and returned for the Advanced Mind Body Medicine Seminar in April. The counseling staff including Upper School Counselor Terri Webb, Middle School Counselor Jen Goldstein and Lower School Counselor Deborah Youderian, plus School Nurse Amy Sneor, enrolled in the PREPARE Workshop in March. The workshop addresses psychological first aid following a school-wide traumatic event. Lower School Music Teacher Linda Kiracibasi attended the Organization of American Kodály Educators Conference in Long Beach, CA in March. Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) was prominent Hungarian composer and musician. He believed that music is meant to “develop one’s entire being—personality, intellect and emotions,” and devoted much of his life to musical education. Kodály realized that music is “part of everyone’s basic heritage, is necessary for human development and should be started at as early an age as possible.”

Kodály Method

a c o r n · Spring 2016

facult y

TRUE WARRIORS by Barbara Smiley Sherman, Ed.D.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;How did I want the students to perceive me? I worried that I would not be accepted. Maybe they would just see me as another outsider coming through their reservation to look and leave? Later, I found out this is what they feared.â&#x20AC;?

riving to Yaqui Pueblo in Southern Arizona was both exciting and intimidating. I studied American Indian cultures and history in college, which blossomed into collecting art and being an avid reader of American Indian authors. I wanted to experience diverse American Indian cultures and contribute educationally, in some way. I spent the first day planning what I would wear to the high school. What an important decision! How did I want the students to perceive me? I worried that I would not be accepted. Maybe they would just see me as another outsider coming through their reservation to look and leave? Later, I found out this is what they feared. I was determined to understand the Yaqui culture and let their community get to know me and my culture. It was not my intent to present myself as a teacher who thought she knew everything. My mindset was to be a student of their culture. I feel this is what it means to have cultural humility, to be willing to ask questions, learn about another culture, be open to learning from them, and admitting my ignorance. This meant I had to abandon all those images created by the media and history books. I wiped my mental slate clean and entered the front door of a school that changed my life forever. The first day at their school was peaceful and serene. The adobe school is located in the middle of the Sonoran

Desert, south of Tucson, surrounded by beautiful mountains with a turquoise sky. Each day, the sky looked different with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. The students walked and talked softly. As I walked through the halls, they smiled and nodded hello. The receptionist hugged me saying they had been waiting so long for my arrival. The Principal told me they were glad to have me in their school. I felt at home instantly. This was the start of learning about a culture that believes in working hard, helping others, and having respect for people and nature. I spent most of my time focusing on and contributing to their college process. I taught study-skills classes and held assemblies on college-related topics. Their classroom teachers welcomed me to participate in teaching and tutoring students. I filled in where teachers were absent and taught several math classes. One of my most favorite memories was attending the boys’ and the girls’ basketball games. Their team name is the Warriors. I cheered encouraging words from the stands. After their games, the students came over to hug me and thank me for being there. They said they couldn’t believe it was me cheering. Another favorite memory was when I was caught in a monsoon rain and came into the school soaking wet. A student quietly gave me his chocolate milk to make me feel better. In their culture, you help others without a word. Not only did I listen and learn from the students but I formed a friendship with

the tribal liaison for the school. She taught me about the Yaqui culture and their history, and I participated in her Yaqui language class. After sharing stories about ourselves, we found we had more commonalities than differences and she decided to introduce me to people in her community. On one of these walks, I bought a Yaqui floral skirt. When I wore it to the high school, a student told me he made the skirt and hand embroidered flowers himself, which he learned from his grandmother. I told him I was honored to wear his art. Now he is making me a matching top to wear for their Easter celebration when I return for spring break. I want to thank our North Shore students who raised money to provide the Yaqui students with school-spirit t-shirts, designed by the tribal liaison. In an assembly, I talked to the students about believing in themselves and how I felt proud to have learned about and experienced their culture. Afterwards, I gave them their t-shirts; they were thrilled. Yes, this experience was amazing because it challenged my thinking and helped me on my own path to learn cultural humility. I made life-long friends who accepted me into their community and I can’t wait to go back for graduation and to celebrate with them. I want to thank North Shore Country Day School for supporting me as a life-long learner and giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity to pursue my dream.

a c o r n · Spring 2016

Katie Abrams ’17 (center)

Upper School students prepare college care packages.

Middle School PAWS fund raiser

Liliana Green ’22, Zinzi Steele ’21, Christopher Johnson ’22

Margie Blair ’22, Elizabeth Savin ’21

Basketball Bash Day Alliyah Rumbolt-Lemond ’18, Diana Gonzales, Evelyn Gonzalez ’18, Sarah Niemann ’18

Emily Loeb ’20, Jamie Andren ’22, Allie Banks ’22, Ellie Winkler ’21 Lola Adebiyi ’21, Elizabeth Savin ’21, Oscar Hines ’21, Stephanie Smith ’22, Justin Youderian ’20, Nick Potter ’22

live and serve College Care Packages North Shore’s Upper School Community Service Club helped assemble Valentine care packages mailed to the college-age alumni classes of 2012, 2013 and 2014 (Class of 2015 received their care packages in the fall). This annual effort, coordinated by the student club, is fun for those doing the packing and fun for the young alumni who receive the surprise in the mail.

Climate” benefits the Waterkeeper alliance, “I will Stand Up to Cancer Just as Soon as I Can Stand” benefits Stand Up to Cancer and “Throw Like a Girl, Run Like a Girl, Burp Like a Girl” benefits Game On! Sports Camp 4 Girls.

Basketball Bash/ Dunk Alzheimer’s

Born to Be Tees

Once again, North Shore’s annual Basketball Bash was paired with a Dunk Katie Abrams ’17, is one of five socially Alzheimer’s fundraising effort. The event conscious local teens who created a raised $3,300 for Alzheimer’s research charitable organization called Born to Be and awareness. Jackson Gray ’16, Camille Tees. “We were looking at all the issues Scheyer ’16 and Ben Potter ’16 took the out there today and a lot of society often lead in organizing the fundraiser, along pushes aside tomorrow’s problems. We with committee members Sophie Hiland began thinking not just about us but ’18, Grace Kayser ’18, Firouz Niazi ’17, about the next generation”. Andrew Potter ’17 and Sarah Lumberg ’17. The group’s search for ways to raise The group designed and sold t-shirts, funds for worthy charities led them to an sold concessions, organized a raffle, idea to sell baby “onesie” outfits with created flyers/posters and gave social issue messages printed on the front. presentations at an Upper School The teens see it as that lets babies speak Community Gathering, Middle School for themselves, even before their first Class Meetings, and Lower School Friday words. One of the first onesies created Ex. In addition, they led an all-school Pep reads “Born Perfect” (proceeds go to the Rally prior to the bash. charity Best Buddies). Others include A representative from the Alzheimer’s “Dream Big, Nap Often” benefitting City Association set up a booth in the Gym to Term, “Change my Diaper, Not my spread awareness and take donations directly. The Gym was packed with plenty

of students to make up the “Mac Maniacs” student section for the Boys’ Varsity win over Intrinsic Charter, 74-45. And Jonathan Segal ’15, founder of Dunk Alzheimer’s, made an appearance at the Bash as well.

PAWS The Middle School Student Council annually chooses a non-profit organization to raise awareness for and support. This year, the Student Council chose PAWS, a no-kill animal shelter where students have volunteered during previous Middle School Service Weeks. To help raise money, the Student Council has so far held two fundraisers. The first was a return of the Teacher Raffle in which teachers offered a variety of prizes or services. One of the most popular offerings was a lunch with Middle School Head Jerry Kountz as the “waiter” for the winner and three friends. In addition, in an attempt to break up the winter doldrums, the Student Council held two Hot Chocolate Bars. Students were invited to buy a cup of hot chocolate and select custom toppings like sprinkles, marshmallows and whipped cream. Between the two fundraisers the Student Council is pleased to have raised more than $900 in support of PAWS.

The Doar Fund The following was announced in a letter to the entire NSCDS community in December 2015 from Board Chair Jim Lumberg. “Tom Doar will be retiring as Head of School in June 2016 following a 27-year tenure at North Shore Country Day School. In recognition of what has been accomplished by the faculty, administration and school community under Tom Doar’s leadership, the Board of Trustees has endorsed the creation of The Doar Fund, designed to raise funds to benefit students and promote faculty excellence. This is a unique time in North Shore’s history. The School has never been

stronger, and we have Tom to thank for his vision, hard work and dedication to the North Shore community. Above all, Tom has always said, ‘It’s about the students.’ What better way to honor him for his contributions than providing the very best education and experience for all our students, now and for years to come.” In March, all in the School community were sent a brochure outlining The Doar Fund. “In true NSCDS tradition,” Jim wrote, “we ask for all to participate in a way that is meaningful to you—to both acknowledge and thank Tom for his years of service, as well as strengthen the school we love so well. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration and your continued commitment to our

school. Everyone now has the opportunity to participate fully — to acknowledge and to thank Tom. On behalf of the Board, thank you for your continued commitment to our students, our faculty and staff, and our school community.” To see videos in which Tom talks about the value and importance of student scholarships, faculty empowerment and the School’s great teachers, use the links below.

Student Scholars

Faculty Empowerment

Great Teachers

Invitations have been mailed to all alumni, parents, faculty, staff, parents of alumni and friends for The Doar Picnic on May 21 on the North Shore campus. For more information on the event or The Doar Fund, please contact Director of Development McDowell a cMolly o r nIngram · Spring 2016 ’8027 in the Development Office, 847.441.3316; mmcdowell@nscds.org.

perfor ming a rt s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland The Upper School winter play brought to life the classic tale of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The late January performance featured colorful and creative staging and set design to highlight the whimsical cast of characters. The cast included 33 members from freshman to seniors, who tell the story of a girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of creatures. The play is based on the novel written in 1885 by the English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pen name Lewis Carroll.

Pirates of Penzance Once every four years the Upper School performs a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta as its Spring Musical. (When the School was founded in 1919, Gilbert & Sullivan operettas were presented every year in the spring.) On March 10-12, students shared The Pirates of Penzance— a hilarious, hopeful farce that follows young Frederic, an orphan who has mistakenly been apprenticed to an ineffective but raucous band of pirates.

Emily George ’17

Band Concert On February 4, Lower, Middle and Upper School bands took part in an all-school concert playing a selection of familiar favorites, classical and jazz tunes.

Standards Cabaret This informal concert is quickly becoming a favorite annual evening event. In late January, the Upper School Chorus and select musicians performed a variety of well-loved and classic jazz cabaret standards like Blue Moon, Bewitched, My King of Town, My Funny Valentine and Autumn Leaves. The concert was presented in the “V” gathering space in the Upper School.

Middle School Performing Arts Festival This year, the Performing Arts Department decided to showcase process not product through the Middle School Performing Arts Festival in January. For example, Acting showed how different actors performing the same scene can change the mood of a play; Dance showed how to put together a performance piece; Music showed how various elements of an ensemble can put together a finished piece of music; and Technical Theatre showed how lighting- and set-design can shape the mood of a performance. Students build upon these skills during their year-long classes and everything comes together during the Spring Festival that will feature a complete play, as opposed to scenes from a play.

Middle School Performing Arts Festival Noah Mackenzie ’21

Middle School Performing Arts Festival

Annika Churchill ’17

Middle School Band Concert

Pirates of Penzance

Lena Smalla ’20

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Clayton Durning ’18

v isua l a rt s

Riley Jones ’20 and Alex Winslow ’20

Eva Scharbo ’25 Chloe Jacobi '27

Jesse Forrest ’25

Valerie Kirtley ’16 Zaina Vohra ’18

Catherine Hyman ’20

Claudette Kankindi ’20 8th grade class collaborative project

Cara Bondurant ’16

Cooper Larsen ’27 Julia Terhaerdt ’19

at hle t ics Winter All-Conference 2016

Boys’ Basketball

B OY S ’ B A S K E T B A L L Matt Morette ’16 First Team All-Conference, Ben Potter ’16 Second Team All-Conference, Drew Miles ’16 Honorable Mention

The boys’ team ended the season 16-8 after earning the 4th seed in the Sectionals out of 12 opponents. The Raiders lost to defending 2A champs Uplift of Chicago. The team finished tied for third in the conference with a 7-5 record. Big wins include beating University High that had previously been undefeated and not surrendered a conference loss in two years. Matt Morette ’16 led the team in scoring and rebounding with 22 points per game and 6 rebounds. Ben Potter ’16 led in assists with 3.5 and 12 points per game. Brendan Doyle ’16 and Alex Nickel ’16 provided stability in the post with each reaching career- and season-high marks of 17 points. Nickel had three games of 5-plus blocked shots. The sophomore tandem of Braden Adamson-Tate ’18 and Peter Miles ’18 came alive in the later half of the season, each providing starts and sparks off the bench. The two closed more than their fair share of games and look to share a heavy burden of scoring and creating as they look toward their junior campaign. Sometimes lost in depth but never under-valued were Andrew Potter ’17 and Bernie Sander ’17 who created a level of energy and skill in crucial games. Both are positioned to play starter minutes next season.

G I R L S ’ B A S K E T B A L L Lauren Kaplinsky ’17 Second Team All-Conference, Julia Doyle ’18 Honorable Mention

Winter Track Winter track had one of the strongest seasons on record. It started with a trip to Seattle to compete in the University of Washington Indoor High School track meet and continued on with four more meets in Chicago. These meets have currently led to some of the top early-season performances in Illinois. As of this writing, seniors Maurits Hondmann ’16, AJ Formolo ’16, Brendan Doyle ’16, Valerie Kirtley ’16, Reese Formolo ’16, Rachel Gordon ’16; juniors Katie Glew ’17, Julia Kolbe ’17, Tommy McHugh ’17; and sophomores Federico Chiara ’18, Brad O’Connor ’18 and Will O’Connor ’18 all have indoor marks that rank in the top 10 for Class 1A Schools. AJ, Brendan, Katie and Tommy have all set indoor school records this winter; and Brendan’s, Katie’s and Tommy’s records better the standards for the IHSA Outdoor State meet. The team transitioned to the outdoor season after a couple more indoor meets including a return to the Illinois Top Times meet that served as our indoor State meet.

Matt Morette ’16

Ben Potter ’16

Drew Miles ’16

Girls’ Basketball With only one of the top seven players returning from last year’s regional champions, the NSCDS girls’ basketball team closed out their season at 12-9, winning nine of their last 13 games, and reaching the regional championship game for the fourth straight year. Tied for second in the Independent School League going into the final game of the season, they finished tied 4th with the highlight being a 16-point win over eventual 2nd place finisher Willows Academy—the first time in recent memory that the Raiders have bested that traditionally strong program. Their 4th place tie marked the highest league finish for the team since 2009. Point Guard and Co-Captain Lauren Kaplinsky ’17 was named Second Team AllConference as the 8th leading vote-getter, while guard/forward Julia Doyle ’18 earned Honorable Mention finishing 13th in the ranking of top league players. Two victories over another 2015 regional champion, Chicago St. Benedict, shared the season’s spotlight—the most recent, a 49-40 win in the 2nd round of the regional tournament that may have been the team’s best performance of the year. The strong finish powers a lot of optimism for next year with three starters and the top two substitutes returning, in addition to two starters and the top reserve from the 2015 team who were all sidelined by injury this season. The increased depth will provide a big boost to the full- andhalf-court trapping defenses that made the team so exciting to watch. Leaving a big void, however, will be the graduation of starters and co-captains Katie Winslow and Catherine Hayward, two three-sport athletes who never played basketball until they were sophomores and, through hard work, became major contributors as well as team leaders.

Lauren Kaplinksy ’17

Julia Doyle ’18

Track & Field Meet

Brendan Doyle ’16, Tommy McHugh ’17

Track & Field Meet

a lumni connec t ions Musical Dinner A special dinner was held on March 11 for alumni, faculty and friends prior to the Upper School’s performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. During dinner, students who played leading roles, visited with alumni—several of whom had also played leading roles in Pirates— offering a fun connection between generations.

Annual Alumni Blackhawks Event North Shore’s Annual Blackhawks event was held January 10. More than 30 alumni and friends attended to cheer on the Blackhawks.

North Shore on the Road The New York City Gathering for alumni, former faculty and friends was held on February 1 at the Cornell Club with over 30 in attendance. The event provided time to visit and make fun connections as well as hear a School update from Head of School Tom Doar. Tracy Bach Vogel ’85, Caroline Vogel, Mouse Doar

Connor Watrous ’17, Charlie Ingram ’75

Donald Whiteman ’71, Betsy Perkins Hill ‘70, Carol Radloff

Alumni Dinner Jill Trieschmann Nesbit ’60 Larry Lundberg,

Alice Pirie Wirtz ’49, Mary Pick Hines ’49, David Hines ’81, Suzanne Folds McCullagh ’69, Tom Doar

Luke Gensburg, ’10, Tom Doar, Alex Block ’10

Former faculty: Dick Lacey, Carmen Herrera, Eileen Donoghue, Lew Davis

Jeannie Peters ’12, Marc Peters ’82

Andy Sullivan ’79, Adam Van Doren ’80

Homecoming & Reunion Weekend Save the Date! September 23 – 24, 2016 2016 Reunion Committees CLASS OF 1941

CLASS OF 1981

Polly Goodrich O’Brien

David Hines George Smith

CLASS OF 1946

Bill Bartholomay

CLASS OF 1986

CLASS OF 1951

Mark Bransfield Paul DeWoskin Sarah Geist Rosen Rebecca Andreou Sabri

pending CLASS OF 1956

Marcia McMillan Hines Sally Simmons Kiper

CLASS OF 1991

CLASS OF 1961

Rob McClung

Harry Drake Panny Mitchell King Les Spitz

pending

CLASS OF 1966

pending

Barbara Bulger Drake Bruce Jarchow CLASS OF 1971

David Dobkin Kathy Dole Elmer Bucky Marshall Michael Rudman Lee Barker Savinar Alison Hurd Tompkins Nancy Green Whiteman Rocky Wirtz

CLASS OF 1996 CLASS OF 2001 CLASS OF 2006

Eric Hattori James Kinnaird CLASS OF 2011

Madeline Tank

If you wish to be on your class reunion committee, contact Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Green Whiteman ’71, 847.881.8848, nwhiteman@nscds.org

book list This spring, North Shore’s Hall Library hosted an event for Lower School students to vote on their book choices to win the Monarch Award and Bluestem Award sponsored by the Illinois School Library Association. Lower School Academic Integrator Jeff Shaw read each of the 20 picture books on the Monarch list to all senior kindergarten through 3rd grade students. Students in 3rd through 5th grade chose at least four of the 20 nominated Bluestem nominated books to read starting at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year.

N O R T H S H O R E S T U D E N T S V O T E D F O R T H E F O L L O W I N G M O N A R C H A W A R D N O M I N AT E D BOOKS AS THE TOP THREE BEST PICTURE BOOKS OF THE YEAR.

1ST PLACE

This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (20 votes)

2ND PLACE

Breaking News: Bear Alert by David Biedryzcki (12 votes) (Statewide voting selected #1)

3RD PLACE

Bad Kitty: School Daze by Nick Bruel (11 votes)

I N T H E B L U E S T E M A W A R D C AT E G O R Y, A T O TA L O F 3 0 S T U D E N T S ( 1 0 E A C H I N G R A D E S 3 , 4 , A N D 5 ) Q U A L I F I E D T O V O T E I N T H E O P T I O N A L A C T I V I T Y. THE TOP VOTES WERE AWARDED TO THE FOLLOWING THREE BOOKS.

1ST PLACE

Matilda, by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake (6 votes)

3RD PLACE TIE

2ND PLACE

The 13-Story Treehouse, by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (4 votes) (Statewide voting selected #1)

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (3 votes)

Sidekicks by Dan Santat (3 votes)

a c o r n · Spring 2016

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 Betty De Lescaille Curtis Bates ’42 reports “Sadly, I’m a new widow. Have sold my place in Manchester, VT and will live full time at the Ocean Club in Ocean Ridge, FL. Lots of NSCDS alums around. Nice to have contact with Liz Price Hunt ’42.”

walking trails, and many cousins nearby— our own ‘naturally occurring retirement community.’ We’d love to hear from other alums who are nearby or passing through.”

Lee Holliday Hascall ’46 is “healthy, happy and often wish I could walk through the block and see NSCDS again—best wishes to all.”

Anchorage Museum. The intermedia piece included studio sessions to lay the audio track and video filming on location in the mountains of the Glen Alps. The finished product will be part of the museum’s ‘Polar Lab’ exhibition opening in May 2016.”

John Roberts ’49 wrote, “All is well with

me. I spend the winter in Vero Beach, FL and the summers in Glenview, IL. Took a great trip last summer to the Arctic Circle with my son and two granddaughters. This year we are doing the Columbia and Snake Rivers following the trail of Lewis and Clark.”

1950s Suzan Baskin Bernhard ’52 reports, “A

major move last year—Victor and I have sold the farm in Colorado and moved to Belfast, a small city on the edge of Penobscot Bay in southern Maine. We’ve bought a big old (1807) house that we’re having fun fixing up, and we’re enjoying being at sea level (easier breathing!).” Rufus Jeffris ’53 is “celebrating my 81st birthday. My 3 sons and 6 grandchildren are all doing well in the San Francisco area. We need more rain in Santa Barbara. I spend summers at my condo in Lake Tahoe.”

1960s Lynne Wavering Shotwell ’60 was chosen as a 2016 Woman of Initiative Honoree of the Women’s Foundation of Collier County in Naples, FL. Every year, they honor 10 women who, through their exemplary leadership and dedication to philanthropic initiatives, are an inspiration to all women seeking to make a difference in Collier County. Lynne was presented with this honor at a luncheon in Naples on April 8, 2016.

March marked the nationwide release of author Paul Kogut’s ’77 new self-help book, Bruce Jarchow’s ’66 and his wife Nancy To Be a Trader: Finding a Path to Your McCabe-Kelly’s sketch comedy show Trading Success, written as a traveler’s Been There, Still There was featured at guide to that quest. Paul has been a the Striker Stage at The Peoples Improv professional trader over 40 years, and the Theater in New York City in April and book explains the necessary development May at Chicago Improv Festival. of psychological focus, risk-management skills and how to successfully blend them Suzanne Folds McCullagh ’69 was recognized in The Art Institute of Chicago into the basic principles of technical and fundamental analysis. It is designed as a (AIC) magazine for her upcoming holistic approach to assist the reader in retirement after a 40-year career at AIC as the Anne Vogt Fuller and Marion Titus developing their own individual trading plans and goals. Searle Chair and Curator of Prints and Drawings. “She has been long recognized as an esteemed specialist in old master drawings and known for her collegiality, positive energy and high standards in the art community.”

1970s Ann Howard Hanna ’71 wrote she is “completing my dream house” on her ranch in Colorado. Judy Berry Smith ’73 reports, “Life is a

continual adventure for me and my husband Reed. We’ve been in Alaska since August 2014 when Reed was appointed General Director of Anchorage Opera. Margi Morse Delafield ’65 writes, “After 25 I’m the Marketing & Development years, Pompey and I have left the Hudson Director for the company and I also Valley and moved to Plymouth, MA. We’re continue my career as a singer here. Most in the woods on a pond with dirt roads, recently, I was honored to be asked to sing in a world premiere project with Composer-in-Residence Paul Walde at the 40

Members of the class of 1971 and a few other alumni had a mini reunion in California. Pictured: Bill Stern ’71, Walter Goldstein ’71, John Ayer ’71, Carol Larsson Stern ’45, Rob Rogers ’71, Richard and Patti Stern Ross ’74.

Kathy McHugh, Dana Brown Davenport ’96, Leonie O’Donohoe

Linda Kiracibasi and Rachel Jaffee ’02

Tom Doar, Bryan Resendiz ’92, Linda Kiracibasi, Jim Deuble ’76

Bob Beerheide, Tom Beerheide ’87

Lynne Wavering Shotwell ’60

1980s Tom Marshall ’81 writes, “It’s been far too

long since I’ve connected with friends from the Class of ’81, and the fact that I’ve been living overseas with my family since 2011 has made this distance feel even greater. A wonderful thing happened last year, when Veselin Nanov, a student at the school where I’m currently serving as an administrator in Eastern Europe, was accepted to spend the academic year at NSCDS, through the ASSIST exchange program for which Dick Hall currently serves as chair.”

Fiona McDonagh Farrell ’87 emailed, “After a great 4-1/2 years in Brussels, we decided to relocate back to the U.S. in January. We are very happy to be home and our 6-yearold twins are delighted to be living near family and friends. All the best to the NSCDS community!”

American service men and women overseas with the Hello Dave band. He was happy to see former teachers including Linda Gibson Kiracibasi, Jim Deuble ’76 and Head of School Tom Doar, and enjoyed taking a tour of the campus.

Dana Brown Davenport ’96 was on campus on February 26 with her children Trey and Lena for a visit. She had fun walking around campus as well as visiting with Bryan Resendiz ’92 returned to campus on faculty and staff, Kathy McHugh and March 2 to provide a fun and informative Leonie O’Donohoe. Morning Ex on the “Evolution of Rock”— history of rock from the 1940s through Tom Beerheide ’87 is the Chief School 1960s. He performed a variety of pieces, Business Official for Sunset Ridge School with other musicians, from The Blues to in Northfield, IL. His father, Bob Rachel Jaffee ’02 returned to campus for a the Beatles. Bryan is music director at the Beerheide, coincidentally worked at Sunset day to visit the Lower School music classes Highwood School. He teaches drums, Ridge School in the same role prior to and Linda Kiracibasi who had been her manages the ensemble rehearsals and coming to North Shore Country Day as teacher while a student at North Shore. business manager for 23 years. Both father continues to maintain a busy schedule Rachel is teaching music at the Chicago with a number of Chicago bands. His and son are pictured together at the Jewish Day School. career has included performing live in groundbreaking ceremony for the bands and studio settings spanning construction of the new Sunset Ridge venues from House of Blues in Chicago to School building. traveling for the U.S.O. to entertain

1990s

2000s

a c o r n · Spring 2016

cl a ss notes

Bobby Sullivan ’08

Will Finlay ’10 and Mallory Feldman

Adam Griffin ’11 and Alissa Nolan ’13

Katie Rooney ’02 emailed, “The past year has been especially exciting for me and my brother (fellow alum Ben Rooney ’06). I opened a psychotherapy practice in the Chicago River North area in May of 2015 and have been quite busy running and maintaining the business. Ben has also been busy managing Wild Folk Farm in Maine and was recently written up in our college alumni magazine for his work bringing rice paddies to Maine (see link for great photos https://www.colby.edu/ magazine/they-care-what-you-eat-2/). He was recently awarded a SARE grant to continue his work as the only commercial scale rice-growing operation in Northern New England!”

German branch of the Latin American development organization TECHO. He wrote, “I am super excited to move back to the U.S. and maybe get the chance to reconnect with some of my old friends and classmates, be it in the Northeast, the Chicago area or elsewhere in the country! I will surely visit North Shore a couple times.”

stitched. Because of the labor, care, time, and loaded history of the medium, the embroidered image holds a unique level of intention and weight. From custom embroidered portraits, to constellation embroideries, to cheeky hankies and bags, I want to add beauty to everyday life.”

G.P. Searle ’03 and his wife are expecting a baby boy on July 7, 2016.

Jack Reedy ’07 shared, “This summer I

am finishing my master’s degree in international logistics at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany. I start working at Anheuser-Busch in beverage in September as a Supply Management Trainee at the Beck’s brewery in Bremen. If anyone is ever in the Bremen area let me know and we’ll have a beer.” Mia Weiner ’09 is a full-time working

Bobby Sullivan ’08 was recently featured in artist living in Brooklyn. She has had a

number of apprenticeships with contemporary figures in the art world stateside and internationally, she’s lived abroad and maintained a studio in south Chicago, too. She focuses on unifying traditional fiber methods with fresh content. Mia writes that, “It has always been my dream to have my own company and now it is becoming a reality. After three years of hard work, I am finally ready Christoph Tries ’09 is moving back to the to launch HOW COULD YOU?—a line of United States this fall. He will pursue a embroidered art, clothing and accessories. two-year master’s degree at the Technology I believe in all things embroidered. I and Policy Program at MIT in Boston, created the line HOW COULD YOU? to specializing in energy policy. Christoph share my handmade and unique objects received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical with the world. Using historical engineering and will finish his second techniques to create new works, I stitch degree in political science this summer, my intimate embroideries with love in both at Technische Universität Darmstadt. Brooklyn. I am very interested in Christoph has also been very involved in embroidery as a way to draw and how development policy, and co-founded the drawing is transformed as it becomes the Wilmette Beacon for the sketch comedy group he performs with called “Garden Boys.” He performed at the 15th annual Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival January 15 and performed another show in March for six weeks at Stage 773 in Chicago. In the interview, Bobby said, “I probably wouldn’t have gotten involved (in performing) if it weren’t for NSCDS.”

2010s Will Finlay ’10 visited North Shore in January with his friend Mallory Feldman to see some old friends, teachers and explore the recent changes to campus. Adam Griffin ’11 wrote, “as part of my

journey around the world this year (back in November) I was in Ayers Rock, Australia and by pure coincidence ran into Alissa Nolan ’13 who was in Australia for her study abroad program through Vanderbilt. I was in Australia to learn about aboriginal healing practices. I also went to India to take a very intense massage certification course and learned a ton.” Kim Kahnweiler ’12 “accepted a job with Goldman Sachs in Chicago in the private wealth management division; traveled to Santiago, Chile for the Pam-Am Maccabiah Games for field hockey; NCAA Division III runner up for field hockey; extremely honored to be nominated for the Honda DIII Female Athlete of the Year award; 2015 NFHCA All-American and always thinking about NSCDS—Bleed Purple!” Max Chung ’12 is a senior at Tulane and a philosophy major. He has established himself in the music scene and performed in the New Orleans BUKU music festival in March.

Stephen Michael Smith ’12 Photo by: Jeff Hing, Pomona College

Jaimie Rose Biemer

Stephen Michael Smith ’12, currently a student at Pomona College, has been working on a mobile app designed to help people diagnosed with obsessivecompulsive disorder. Cam Chung ’14 is a sophomore at the University of Miami (FL). He transferred there after a year at University of Oregon. He is a bio/pre-med major.

Engagements Nico Gibson ’06 to Montse Lusaretta

Births

McGraw David Doar

jaimie rose biemer

freddie cecil fortune

lucia boyden prochnow ’52

September 23, 2015 Father of Frederic Fortune ’69, Phillip Fortune ’71 and Roger Fortune ’81

March 10, 2016

February 16, 2016 Rachel and Garrett Biemer ’07

mcgraw david doar March 16, 2016 Anita and Charlie Doar ’03

Former Faculty Jackie Melissas emailed about her “latest

work highlighted at Jackiemelissas.com, and represented by Center Street Gallery in Bath, ME and the Stable Gallery in Damiascotta, ME. Love being in my studio!” Allan Stern writes, “Everything is fine in

upstate New York, except that we have had NO snow this year.”

norman h. jones October 16, 2015 Father of Lisa Jones ’82

knut h. h. kage ’56 October 21, 2015

robert j. dau November 23, 2015 Father of Fernanda Dau Fisher ’85

herbert (tim) johnson louis February 16, 2016 Husband of Julie De Lescaille Louis ’47

barbara la rochelle davies ’47 February 19, 2016

In Memoriam comer plummer ’48 September 12, 2015 Brother of Polly Plummer Mackie ’45

elisabeth shanklin brown ’44 September 15, 2015

cynthia naylor gillispie March 9, 2016 Mother of Jean Gillispie Carpenter ’63 and Diana Gillispie ’68

barbara bede jarchow March 13, 2016 Mother of Bruce Jarchow ’66 and Carolyn Jarchow Haggerty ’69

Grandmother of Bert Kelly-Jarchow ’07

Send in Your News! THE DEADLINE FOR THE SUMMER A C O R N I S J U LY 1 5 , 2 0 1 6 .

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

ginger hobart ’72 March 5, 2016 Daughter of the late John ’39 and Mary Ballard Hobart ’41

Sister of Mimi Hobart Petke ’65, Jay Hobart ’69 and Bud Hobart ’75

a c o r n · Spring 2016

a lumni r efl ec t ion by caroline rex-whaller ’05

“It’s OK to Cry in Your Car:” A Reflection on the First Year of Teaching

“THERE IS SO MUCH ABOUT T E A C H I N G T H AT W E N E V E R SEE AS STUDENTS. WHEN I GOT HIRED TO TEACH ENGLISH A N D F R E N C H AT T H E W H I T E M O U N TA I N S C H O O L , I N E V E R A N T I C I PAT E D T H E R O L E M Y T E A C H E R S AT N O R T H S H O R E C O U N T R Y D AY W O U L D P L AY IN MY DEVELOPMENT AS A N E D U C AT O R .”

Earlier this school year, NPR ran a spot on teaching featuring an article titled Hey, New Teachers, It’s OK to Cry in Your Car. The article was forwarded to me some half dozen times, by coworkers, friends, and, lovingly, my mother. It was only October. I began teaching at the White Mountain School in New Hampshire this past September, after finishing a Masters in Teaching in southern Vermont the year before. Though I’d previously worked in youth programing, experiential education, and curriculum development, this was my first year with my own classroom in a full-time faculty position. In the first month of teaching, I was elated, brimming with ideas, and all of them seemed possible. By October, I was quite sure that not only was I not very good at my job, but in fact I was most likely actively stunting the intellectual growth of my students. Every Sunday night, I found myself trying to convince my partner, John, that it would be best if we just packed our bags and ran away. This time of year for new teachers is most commonly known as “The Disillusionment Phase,” and it sets in right around October, six to eight weeks into the school year. Teachers begin realizing how hard it actually is to be a good teacher, and this, compounded by the first round of official grades, parentteacher conferences, and finishing up the first unit (which inevitably went nothing as expected), leaves many teachers questioning their competence and commitment to the career. Over and over, educational resources cite mentorship as one of the primary predictors of teachers’ longevity in their field. In the NPR article, Meg Anderson writes, “First-year teachers who have someone they see as a mentor are more likely to stick it out.”

The school at which I work has no formal mentorship program, and with the busyness of teaching and the pressure to seem competent, I did not reach out to any of my colleagues for help. But I did call several of my North Shore teachers. Kathy McHugh, Upper School English teacher, who traded multiple emails with me, offered reassurance and also her syllabus, sample assignments, and lists of resources. Lynsey Wollin-Casey, Assistant Upper School Head and French teacher, who I still cannot help but call Madame, sent me exercises to help students remember their French verb conjugations, as well as a unit on fashion to teach the vocabulary for clothing. Drea Gallaga, Upper School English teacher and director of service learning and community service, talked me through her methodology for grammar and vocabulary development. And Mr. Dachille, Upper School history teacher, who I will likely never call by his first name, appropriately offered pithy advice over a beer. There is so much about teaching that we never see as students. When I got hired to teach English and French at the White Mountain School, I never anticipated the role my teachers at North Shore Country Day would play in my development as an educator, that they would be the mentors who would enable me to stick it out. Kathy, Lynsey, Drea, and Mr. Dachille have not only offered me tangible resources this year, but have modeled for me what it looks like to have a career as a teacher, to love both your subject matter and your students, even well beyond the time they graduate. And in October, and all those other moments since then when I have felt plagued by doubt and wonder if this work matters (because there will always be days that will feel that way), I remind myself how much these teachers have shaped my life, how grateful I was for their guidance when I was sixteen years old, and how grateful I am again now, as I begin what I hope to be a long career as a teacher.

Parents, Alumni, Faculty, Raider Fans... “If I can do it, you can too!” — GRETCHEN AKE, PARENT

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