KnightTimes Fall 2022

visiting artists

CELEBRATE THE ARTS!

World Citizens of the

World UKRAINE KNIGHTS RALLY TO SUPPORT

SUMMER STUDY TOURS, COMMUNIT Y ENGAGEMENT + THE YEAR OF TE CHNOLOGY

THE 2022–2027 STRATEGIC PLAN

EXCELLENCE IN EVERY ENDEAVOR

ARCH YOU GLAD TO SEE ME?

Focusing on climate, conservation and leadership, Upper School travelers and faculty members LAURA AGRONT-HOBBS

BEN

rock climbed, camped and hiked their way through Utah's national parks and western wonders during an ICGL study tour this summer. See more pictures on page 34.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

THIS PAST SPRING AND SUMMER marked the return of Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) study tours, put on hold since March 2020. I was on one of those final pre-pandemic study tours. Our group of Upper School students returned from 12 days in South Africa and Lesotho—a trip with Habitat for Humanity International—on March 10, 2020, three days before the world shut down.

Throughout the pandemic, my fellow ICGL advisers and I reminisced about our time abroad. Lockdown with twin toddlers made me long for laying bricks in the African sun and for the normalcy of conversing with students on long bus rides through the countryside, nary a cell phone in sight. During pandemic times, our ICGL team proved that you don’t have to leave the country—or your house—to gain a better understanding of issues affecting the world, but when it comes to global citizenship, nothing compares to on-the-ground, hands-on experiences in places that feel nothing like home.

In this issue of the magazine, we look back on our summer study tours (page 34), which criss-crossed the country, and we look forward to upcoming school-sponsored trips, when nearly 280 students, as well as faculty and staff, will once again venture outside of the U.S. and across the globe.

Travel is back, and adventurers everywhere are rejoicing.

CAITLIN GOODRICH JONES ’00 DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

facebook.co m/paceacademy instagram.com/paceacademy twitter.com/paceacademy

and

WESCOTT

GUEST WRITER

LEE WILSON

After serving in a variety of roles in the Upper School for 13 years, LEE WILSON retired from Pace Academy in July 2021. Wilson was the faculty adviser for The Knightly News for 12 years and also created the Freshman Transitions Program, serving as the program’s coordinator for 11 years. She began her Pace career as the library assistant in the Woodruff Library. She and her husband, HOWARD GOLD, have two children, MICHELLE GOLD ’08 and LAUREN GOLD ’12. Prior to Pace, Wilson worked as marketing director for psychiatric hospitals and served in multiple communications and marketing positions in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. She now spends much of her time traveling and training her labrador retriever puppy, Bella.

IN EVERY ENDEAVOR

The Pace Academy Board of Trustees unveils the 2022–2027 Strategic Plan

56 ALUMNI

56 ALUMNI UPDATES

62 HOMECOMING & REUNION WEEKEND

66 NEW ALUMNI BOARD MEMBERS

Get to know DAVID LIEBMANN ’87, DR. BROOKS FICKE ’03 and MEGAN FOX FORD ’01

67 FROM THE ARCHIVES

LEE WILSON offers a history of our Upper School student newspaper, The Knightly News

LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Pace Community,

As the holiday season begins, I find myself counting my blessings once again. The Pace Academy family—my talented colleagues, our inspiring students, and the parents and caregivers who make up our community—tops my gratitude list.

These days, life on campus is more vibrant and engaged than ever before, and the positivity of post-pandemic school is heartening. Personally, the challenges of recent years have sharpened my focus and helped me distill what is most important in my life—and they have done the same for Pace as an institution. School feels more normal these days, but we are better for the lessons we have learned along the way. We’re living out our motto and striving for excellence in new, more innovative ways.

Excellence in Every Endeavor: Pace Academy’s 2022–2027 Strategic Plan is just one of the silver linings that has emerged from the past several years. Tackling a strategic-planning process in the midst of a pandemic was a challenge in and of itself, and I’m grateful to our Board of Trustees and administration for their leadership on this project. I hope you’ll take the time to familiarize yourself with the plan (page 42) and envision the ways you can play a part in its implementation.

The plan sets forth a bold vision for our school—a vision that would not have been possible without the work and dedication of the individuals who came before us. The Pace community has always had the courage to strive for excellence, and we recognize that excellence in education requires both evolutionary thinking and a steadfast commitment to our core values and to the children in our care. I’m grateful for those who laid the foundation upon which Excellence in Every Endeavor has been built, and I’m eager to see what the future holds for Pace Academy.

Thank you for your partnership on this journey.

Sincerely,

FRED ASSAF HEAD OF SCHOOL

THE COVER

NATE GREGORY ʼ28 focuses on a watercolor project in his Middle School Discovery Art class. Excellence in Every Endeavor: Pace Academy’s 2022–2027 Strategic Plan calls for expanded opportunities in the arts that bridge curriculum across divisions. Learn more about the plan on page 42.

Image by DIDIER BRIVAL

THIS PAGE

Enthusiastic Lower School students pack the stands at September’s Homecoming pep rally. The event proved to be a perfect showcase of school spirit. The pep band pumped up the crowd, and we celebrated our fall student-athletes and the 2022 Homecoming Court. See page 28 for more Homecoming coverage.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized 25 members of the Class of 2023 as Commended Scholars or Semifinalists. In recognition of their outstanding academic promise and performance on the PSAT, the following students received Letters of Commendation:

LUCY BYBEE, JACOB

GREENWALD, BRIENNE

HINGST, AMARTYA

KALLINGAL , PORTER

KENDALL , EASTON

KINCAID, NICHOLAS

KLEIN, NICHOLAS

LENNON, COREY

LOCHAN, JORDAN

LOUGHRAN, SARA

MAZUR, STELLA

NELSON, BENJAMIN

SCHRAGER, KABIR

SINGH, LUCA TANASA,

IOWA VANCE and MARY

AMELIA WEISS

ELOISE GAUDET,

DAVID GRICE, HALEY

HIROKAWA, OLIVER

LOREE, EMMA BETH

NEVILLE, OWEN ROSS,

MARIT UYHAM and

CHARLOTTE VADNAIS

were named National Merit Semifinalists, placing them among the highest-scoring test takers in Georgia. These seniors are now eligible to apply for National Merit Scholarships, which will be awarded beginning in March 2023. l

of Merit

“Throughout my entire high-school experience, I’ve been looking for ways to immerse myself in French,” says KATE WEBB ’23. She got her chance at the 2022 Governor’s Honors Program (GHP), a highly selective residential summer experience for 650 gifted and talented students from across the state.

GHP, which took place over four weeks at Berry College, “provides students with the academic, cultural and social enrichment necessary to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators and leaders.” Not surprisingly, Webb chose French as her academic concentration.

“Each day, Monday through Saturday, I had a four-hour class session that was solely in French,” Webb says. “We talked, debated, gave presentations, read and watched plenty of movies, all in French. Then, in the afternoon, I had a two-hour session for philosophy, my minor.”

Webb’s French class—the first in GHP history composed entirely of girls—included students of all different backgrounds, united by their passion for the language. “Spending my summer speaking French surrounded by people who love it just as much as I do was absolutely perfect,” she reports. “I learned that I’m tougher than I previously thought. My days were absolutely crammed. On top of my classes, I was taking a summer AP Biology course and training for cross-country. I kept that up for four weeks and didn’t even notice—I was having too much fun to care!” l

All-American

TROVON BAUGH ’23 is the third Pace Academy

Knight to be named an Under Armour Next AllAmerican, following in the footsteps of ANDREW THOMAS ’17 and JAMAREE SALYER ’18, both professional football players.

Each year, Under Armour selects more than 100 of the nation’s best football players to spend a week training and competing at the highest level before participating in the Under Armour Next All-America Game. Baugh received his commemorative 2023 Under Armour Next All-America Game jersey in October and will represent Pace at the 15th annual event on Jan. 3 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

A four-year varsity starter and a two-year team captain, Baugh has been a standout for the Knights since day one. He was a Freshman All-American and has received All-Region and All-State recognition, as well as honors from the Touchdown Club of Atlanta. Baugh also received Pace’s 2022 Crissa Noelle Hawkins Scholarship Award, given to two outstanding members of the junior class in recognition of outstanding character, citizenship, scholarship, honor and athletic achievement. l

The Honorable 7 2022 | Fall

MindyLawrence

Crocodile!

Faith atKirkpatrick Carnegie Hall

George TeachingWashington Institute

Ben Wescott

Dr.KaylanHaizlip

TimHornoratthe Muséed’Orsay

PamAmbler

Out for the Summer

Wait, teachers don’t live in their classrooms when school’s out? It may come as a surprise to some, but faculty members do indeed leave campus for welldeserved summer breaks once the students have vacated in May. That said, Pace Academy’s dedicated teachers sometimes spend some, even all, of their precious time off pursuing personal and professional development. Here’s what several were up to between May and August 2022.

ReimsCathedral

A trip to Paris brought Upper School history teacher TIM HORNOR ’s art history curriculum to life. From the Louvre to Musée D’Orsay, Hornor checked out and brushed up on the masterpieces and historical sites about which he teaches during the year. Upper School Academic Resource Center tutor AMY PENCE participated in a Georgia Poetry in the Parks reading to kick off a new installation of poems on state trails. Pence’s poem can be found on the Arabia Mountain trail. Not to be outdone in artistic endeavors, band instructor FAITH KIRKPATRICK and the Tara Winds Clarinet Choir performed selections by Gustav Holst, Marcel Dupre, Nicole Chamberlin and Roland Cardon at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

PAM AMBLER and BEN WESCOTT, associate directors of college counseling, headed north to check in with friends of Pace’s Office of College Counseling at Wellesley College, Dartmouth College, Tufts University, Yale University and Boston University, among others—also catching up with Pace alumni in college at some of their stops. Upper School science teacher DR. KAYLAN HAIZLIP traveled to South Africa to study, research and hug rhinos, as well as learn more about ongoing conservation efforts. Head of Lower School DOROTHY HUTCHESON and Head of School FRED ASSAF attended the Heads Collegiate Forum in New Orleans.

Middle School history teacher KIRSTIN BAILLIE participated in Kennesaw State University’s Education Human Rights and Sustainability conference and will continue as a member of its 2022–2023 cohort. She’s not the only one who spent the summer at school; Upper School history teacher DR. CHRISTINE CARTER attended a Harvard Business School History of American Democracy case study workshop; Director of Admissions and Financial Aid MAC MCCALLUM spent the summer finishing his M.Ed. degree in independent school leadership at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College; and Dean of Student Academics and Upper School history teacher MINDY LAWRENCE was one of 25 teachers selected to participate in the George Washington Teaching Institute at Mount Vernon, where she took part in a seminar entitled First in Business: George Washington, Mount Vernon, and the New Nation

From school they came, and to school they returned in August—and Pace students are all the luckier to be the ultimate recipients of these faculty and staff members’ newly-gained knowledge, research and experience. l

Tara Winds

Clarinet Choir

BACK TOGE THER AGAIN

The start of the new school year brought the return of Pace traditions

1. Seventh-Grade Retreat at Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center

2. Middle School Convocation

3. Senior Rafting Trip

4. Sixth-Grade Retreat at Pine Cove

5. Middle School Orientation

6. Lower School First Day of School

7. Upper School Convocation

8. Seniors’ First Day of School

9. Upper School Orientation

10. Upper School Peer Leadership Retreat at Camp Skyline

We invited CIARA IRONS and BILL MONROE to tell us about their families and their roles as this year’s Pace Fund Co-Chairs.

Tell us about yourself and your family.

CIARA: I am married to my high-school sweetheart, EDDIE IRONS, and we have two children, BRICE IRONS ’31 and Rori Irons, 4, currently a student at the Atlanta Speech School. Brice loves gymnastics, skateboarding, horseback riding and all things related to reading. Rori loves tennis and anything in the science and nature realm. As a family, we enjoy exploring new countries and indigenous cultures.

BILL: My wife, CARTER MONROE, and I are proud Pace parents of our daughter, LAWSON MONROE ’26, and son, WILLIAM MONROE ’31. We enjoy staying active—in the fall we can often be found at Pace’s volleyball courts and the Northside Youth Organization’s football fields.

What stands out to you about Pace?

CIARA: Children are met with an academic rigor that challenges them in an environment that recognizes their individual lights and strengths, and that is small enough for them to feel part of a community. We also have loved the school’s inclusiveness and hands-on approach.

BILL: What first connected us to Pace was the school’s focus on teaching and developing more than just the student in the classroom. Now, after more than 10 years as part of the community, our family has been enriched by all the relationships we’ve developed through Pace.

Why did you choose to co-chair this year’s Pace Fund?

CIARA: I am intentional about putting my time and energy into my children’s school community however I am needed. I’ve been involved with the Pace Fund the past few years, and serving as co-chair this year felt organic. It was the right time.

BILL: This is one small way I can give back to the Pace community that has done so much for our family. Asking others for money is rarely comfortable, despite watching [Head of School] FRED ASSAF do it so well—but knowing the Pace Fund supports academic programming, arts, athletics, professional development, financial aid, global leadership and community engagement makes it very rewarding.

Additional thoughts about the Pace Fund?

CIARA: As the school’s #1 annual giving priority, the Pace Fund provides critical resources required by our faculty and staff in educating our children. Participation by 100% of our families, at the level right for them, makes all the difference. I implore every family to be involved! It makes us stronger and empowers our community and children.

BILL: The Pace our families benefit from today exists because of the dedication and support of families before us. Our strong support helps make Pace even better now and for years to come. I hope other families will join us to make this year’s Pace Fund Priority One!

CIARA IRONS BILL MONROE

THE

he first of Pace Academy’s four core values describes the heart of the Pace experience: Pace is a place where students and their families are known, and where the success of the community as a whole depends on the investment of its individual members. Since its inception in 1961, the Pace Academy Parents Club has played a critical role in that success. Even before LUCY and JAMES WILLIAMSON took the helm of the Parents Club 62 years ago, many of the day-to-day operations of the school fell to dedicated parents who “seemed to have an uncanny way of always being there when they were needed,” according to An Unfinished History of Pace Academy “Whether it was to fill in for absent teachers, to prepare lunches, to drive students to athletics and cultural events, or even, on occasion, to sweep and clean inside the Castle… Pace parents had always seemed to have their act together.”

The Parents Club brought structure to parent volunteerism at Pace. In its first year, the group organized a buffet dinner fundraiser featuring “a delicious meal, lovingly hand-cooked in the kitchens of Parents Club members and served on tables decorated with elegant white tablecloths and carefully arranged centerpieces,” An Unfinished reports. Raffle tickets and prizes generated additional funds, and the event was so successful that it later expanded into the annual Harvest Bazaar, known today as the Fall Fair.

The dollars raised went back to the school and, at that time, accounted for necessary funds to operate the school. Put plainly, Pace might not have survived its early days if not for the Parents Club’s fundraising initiatives and financial support.

That same can-do, all-hands-on-deck spirit still characterizes the Pace community, but the school’s financial situation has seen dramatic improvement in recent decades. Today, a balanced budget, robust annual support of the Pace Fund, high levels of participation in the Georgia Private School Tax Credit Program and a growing endowment lessen the need for multiple parent-driven fundraising activities each year, and the Parents Club, once a separate 501(c)(3), has been incorporated into Pace Academy Inc. to streamline fundraising and simplify giving for donors.

Other changes through the years have prompted further reimagination of the Parents Club and its purpose. Most significant is that the majority of today’s students hail from families in which the adults work full-time, limiting their availability for in-person involvement. The COVID pandemic brought even more change, upending school life in every way. Health and safety precautions curtailed on-campus volunteerism, and many Parents Club members—a constant presence on campus pre-pandemic—felt a sense of disconnection from the school. The times called for creative thinking.

AS

PARENTS CLUB SHIFTS FROM FUNDRAISING TO FUNRAISING, PRESIDENT CARA LUBIN LEADS THE CHARGE.

TOP: Head of School FRED ASSAF meets with Parents Club leadership in September; ABOVE: The Lubin family (Asher, MICHAEL LUBIN, Kitty and Cara); RIGHT: Lubin as a co-chair of the 2017 Parents Club Auction.

“We create success through partnership with parents, students and faculty.”

Enter self-proclaimed “Pace junkie” and “collector of people” CARA LUBIN, 2022–2023 Parents Club president. Lubin and her predecessor, ELENORE KLINGLER, have taken seriously the Board of Trustees’ directive in the school’s 2022–2027 Strategic Plan: to “reimagine the Pace volunteer experience to maximize engagement, impact and school spirit” (see story on page 42).

With fundraising proceeds now a happy outcome of Parents Club activities rather than the primary objective, Lubin, Klingler (now vice president) and their team are focused solely on engaging the Pace community.

“Our parent population reflects the school’s mission,” Lubin says. “We are a diverse com munity with diverse backgrounds, and the Parents Club wants to be an organization that is accessible. Our goal is to facilitate connections between parents, and between parents and faculty and staff. Pace parents and guardians are all automatically members of the Parents Club, and we want everyone to feel the love.”

That love and sense of belonging are what inspired Lubin to become involved at Pace. In 2013, Lubin was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her son, ASHER LUBIN ’24, had just completed first grade; daughter KITTY LUBIN ’27 was 4 years old. Lubin shared the news with then Head of Lower School ANNA VALERIUS, also a breast cancer survivor, and with a small group of friends.

“The Pace community’s response was unbelievable,” Lubin remembers. “Before my double mastectomy, 40 Pace moms came together to throw me a ’Goodbye Boobs Party.’ They started a meal train, and over the course of almost 3 years, 16 rounds of chemo and four surgeries, we never made dinner. [Head of School FRED ASSAF] even showed up with food. It was just incredible.”

In return, Lubin immersed herself in life at Pace, even in the midst of her illness. “I’ve volunteered for everything,” she says. “I co-chaired the Pace Race and the Auction; I counted Box Tops for Education, oversaw hospitality programs in each division and the Lower School Holiday Market, and helped with prom. Anything anyone has asked me to do, I’ve said yes. During my treatment, my involvement at Pace kept me healthy and sane. It propelled me.”

Lubin wants other Pace parents to feel the same happiness and fulfillment she has found on campus, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. “This is not a place to be if you don’t want to be known,” she says. “The individual matters at Pace, and the Parents Club provides opportunities for all parents to give back, get to know each other and show appreciation for our amazing faculty and staff.”

She encourages parents, particularly those new to Pace, to connect with the school as the first Pace parents did. “Come on campus and get to know the people who make this place run,” she says. “Recognize that everyone is doing their best and jump in and be a part of that—because Pace is a very special place.” l

REIMAGINING The Pace Parents Club

Parents Club

There’s a place for every Pace parent and caregiver in the Parents Club, an organization that supports the school’s mission through volunteer engagement from the Pace community. The group uses its time, talents and enthusiasm to make Pace a fun, empathetic and inclusive place through events, social gatherings and educational opportunities for parents and caregivers. Whether you can spare weeks or hours, on campus or at home, volunteering with the Parents Club is a great way to get to know our school community. Questions? Email parentsclub@paceacademy.org

Parent Organization Leaders

In addition to the Parents Club, the Pace Arts Alliance and Booster Club provide opportunities for robust parent involvement in the arts and athletics. Thanks to our 2022–2023 parent organization leaders:

PARENTS CLUB

 PRESIDENT: Cara Lubin

 VICE PRESIDENT/PAST PRESIDENT: Elenore Klingler

 SECRETARY: Ellen Laddin

 TREASURER: Oliver Bell

PACE ARTS ALLIANCE

 CO-PRESIDENTS:

Ann Nagle & Christy Smith

 PAST PRESIDENT: Wendy Schmitt

 SECRETARY: Bo Byrne

 TREASURER: Suzanne White

BOOSTER CLUB

 PRESIDENT: Gabriela Carroll

 CO-VICE PRESIDENTS:

Whitney & Ryan Paulowsky

 SECRETARY: Mary Bready

 TREASURER: Buddy Blaha

 PAST CO-PRESIDENTS: Mary & Ed Holmes

Saluting the

IN SEPTEMBER, members of Pace Academy’s Knights Circle bid farewell to summer at a festive evening affair that included delicious food and beverages, lively conversation and appreciative remarks from Board Chair

ELIZABETH CORRELL RICHARDS, Upper School Pace Fund Chair DEREK HARDESTY and Head of School FRED ASSAF

The home of KAVITA KOTTE and SAMIR BHATIA was the setting for the 2022 event, held annually to thank donors giving at the significant Knights Circle level, which is the greater of the two recognition levels for the Pace Fund. In 2022–2023, Knights of the Round Table recognition extends to Pace Fund donors of $2,500 or more (Pacesetters), while Knights Circle recognition begins with a Pace Fund contribution of $10,000 or more. l

KNIGHTS CIRCLE

ERICA BARBAKOW [1]

UPPER SCHOOL DEAN OF STUDENTS

 Barbakow, formerly dean of the Class of 2019, is overseeing honor and discipline in the Upper School in addition to teaching English in the division. Barbakow joined the faculty in 2012 and received the Kessler Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2014. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a master’s from Columbia University.

CASON GIVEN [2]

ADVANCEMENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

 Given has returned to Pace following four years as a learning strategist at The Westminster Schools. Previously, she taught history in the Pace Middle School. She now serves as a liaison between the school and its parent organizations. Given earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University and a master’s from Vanderbilt University.

C H A NGING OF THE GUARD

KATY GOLDSMITH [3]

DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER

 Goldsmith joined Pace from the National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C., where she was director of the school’s Teaching and Learning Center and received the Class of 2004 Award, recognizing particularly impactful teachers. She attended the University of Georgia as an undergraduate and earned her master’s in education from Vanderbilt University.

MINDY LAWRENCE [4]

UPPER SCHOOL DEAN OF STUDENT ACADEMICS

 Lawrence made an immediate impact when she joined the Upper School history department in 2020 and, this year, has added registrar and academic adviser to her duties. A graduate of Brown University, Lawrence also earned a master’s degree in library and information sciences from The Catholic University of America.

CAT MONROE [5]

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

 Monroe joined the Office of Athletics from The Westminster Schools and oversees both Middle School sports and the varsity volleyball program. Her resume includes coaching at the American School of the Hague in the Netherlands and in Texas. Currently president of the Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association, Monroe has a bachelor’s from Southwestern University and master’s degrees from Drexel University.

KELLIE OWENS [6]

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

 Owens arrived at Pace following nine years in the Fulton County School System’s human resources department, where she served as a recruiter and, later, a director, overseeing more than 2,500 employees. Owens earned both her bachelor’s and M.B.A. from Florida A&M University.

AS THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN, FAMILIAR FACES TOOK ON NEW ROLES, AND NEW FACULTY AND STAFF MOVED INTO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

NANCY QUINTRELL [7]

ASSISTANT HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS

 Quintrell joined the Pace faculty in 1999 as a Middle School English teacher and was a recipient of the school’s Excellence in Teaching Award. She retired in 2015 but returned as a part-time teacher during the 2021–2022 school year. Quintrell attended Emory University and went on to earn her master’s degree in middle grades education from Georgia State University and her education specialist degree in curriculum and supervision from the University of Georgia.

GEORGE SOKOLSKY [8]

IT DIRECTOR

 Sokolsky began his Pace career in 2003 as a Lower School teacher and joined the computer department in 2005. A one-stop shop for all things technical, he now leads the school’s IT team. Sokolsky earned his undergraduate degree at Fredonia State University in New York. l

Record applications in recent years and an unpredictable admissions landscape (thanks, COVID) have necessitated a new, innovative approach to enrollment at Pace Academy—and the Office of Admissions has risen to the challenge.

To continue to meet demand while delivering personalized experiences and enrolling the most talented applicants from families aligned with the school’s mission, the admissions team—a leader in the Southeast— has expanded.

MAC MCCALLUM, associate director of Middle and Upper School admissions since 2017, now serves as director of admissions and financial aid and, alongside Director of Enrollment Management JENNIFER MCGURN, oversees the admissions process in grades Pre-First through 12.

“Mac is ready to be a director of admissions. He is a tireless worker, an endless source of ideas and a key player in executing our plans,” says McGurn. “Prospective families connect quickly with Mac and appreciate his enthusiasm for Pace. I’m excited to partner with him in this new role.”

DE’IRE FOXX has joined the team as associate director of Upper School admissions. Although a newcomer to Pace, Foxx is no stranger to independent schools; he has worked in the admissions offices at The Lovett School and The Mount Vernon School, and also brings experience in admissions and academic advising from the University of Kentucky. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Kentucky University and strives to “create and maintain meaningful relationships with families throughout the entire admissions process.”

“De’ire has a magnetic personality,” McGurn says. “His experience in the Atlanta market has allowed him to onboard seamlessly and to advance our admissions efforts. We are lucky to have De’ire at Pace." l

 M c GURN  M c CALLUM

FIRST GRADE

Emily Edwards

Michelle & James Edwards

Murphy Kirbo

Taryn & Glenn Kirbo

K.P. Pramik

Kerri Fuller Pramik & Nate Pramik

SECOND GRADE

Kitch Simmons

MEREDITH BAILEY

SIMMONS ’01 & MCKITTRICK

SIMMONS ’94

THIRD GRADE

Virginia Franconi

GENNA GADDY

FRANCONI ’02 & Peter Franconi

Evie George

Sheba & Melvin George

Liam Holmes

Mary & Ed Holmes

FOURTH GRADE

Delaney Bach

Katie Bach

NICK BACH

FIFTH GRADE

Edward Elkins

Ruth & Ed Elkins

Julia Quinones

Michelle & Pete Quinones

Bailey Simmons

MEREDITH BAILEY

SIMMONS ’01 & MCKITTRICK

SIMMONS ’94

Hudson Tarvin

ALLISON TARVIN & STEWART TARVIN

SIXTH GRADE

Van Albert

Stefanie Agusta & Steve Albert

Nate Bach

Katie Bach

NICK BACH

Charlotte Bell

Krystal Zell & Oliver Bell

Virginia Blalock

BETH ALLGOOD

BLALOCK ’96 & Tully Blalock

Megan Bridges

Laurisa Curran & Brandon Bridges

Destiny Brown

Dionica & Jason Brown

Ezra Byrnside

Donya & Ian Byrnside

Ila Gibson

Ericka & Dwight Gibson

Henry Gies

Sylvia & Dennis Gies

Harper Goings

Molly & Harold Goings

Nivek Greer

Kenya Greer

Kevin Greer

Effie Guilbert

Alexis & Shelby

Guilbert

Ethan Hall

Kate & Paul Hall

Sam Halpern

Robin & Andrew

Halpern

Barrett Kenna

Kirsten & Bryan Kenna

Bauer Kincaid

Ann & Dave Kincaid

Aviana Kokane

Rajni Sinha & Avinash Kokane

Pharrah Lowther

Pharren Lowther

Caroline Lumpkin

Christin & Michael

Lumpkin

Roman Pace

Khristal & Tolton Pace

Cole Price

MICHAEL ANN

CHASTAIN PRICE ’92 & Wellborn Price

Nate Resnick

Stephanie & Stuart Resnick

Selah Roberts

Margaret & Cory Roberts

Greyson Stephens

Latoya & Travis Stephens

Anthony Suber

Jamila & Tony Suber

Beckett Swales

Jennifer & David Swales

Azren Thobani

Dimple & Salim Thobani

Bodhi Venturi

Jen Metzger & Robert Venturi

SEVENTH GRADE

Ben Gies

Sylvia & Dennis Gies

Nate Gregory

Catherine &

Jamie Gregory

Walker Kenna

Kirsten & Bryan Kenna

Oliver Klein

Amy Birnbaum & Adam Klein

Gus Loomis

Marnie Breckenridge & Alex Loomis

Aun Mirza

Julie & Yasir Mirza

EIGHTH GRADE

Sophia Halsey

Michelle & Eric Halsey

NINTH GRADE

Jaydon Avery

Andrea Avery

Jocelyn Axelrod

Maria & Jed Axelrod

Evan Babrow

Daphne & Victor Babrow

Davon Burrell

Kiyah Burrell

Kayla Burrell

Donald Burrell

Braylon Cambor

Santina Cambor

Gerald Cambor

Grant Chase

Hallie & Gary Chase

Kennedie Cooper

Monica Bailey

Addison Davis

Christine & Shel Davis

Gabby Emch

Sharon Rim & David Emch

Izzie Eshiwani-Nate

Linda Eshiwani-Nate

Emma Fleming

Deirdre & Keith Fleming

Sadie Ganz

Rebecca &

JONATHAN GANZ ’93

Brooks Gerhard

Niki & Chris Gerhard

Mason Gregory

Catherine & Jamie Gregory

David Halsey

Michelle & Eric Halsey

Cooper Hasson

Betsy & KEITH

HASSON ’90

Rory Lee

CARA ISDELL LEE ’97 & Zak Lee

Karol Lopez-Perez

Sandra Perez

Juan Lopez

Brittain Meadows

Wande Okunoren-

Meadows & Dino Meadows

Leena Phoenix

Vidya & Brad Phoenix

Hannelis Rodas

Blanca Ramirez & Transito Rodas

Eli Rosetti

Victoria & Mike Rosetti

Ryann Satterfield

Jaymie Satterfield

Serena Shang

Jing Wang & Nong Shang

Reign Sherrell

Traci Streeter-Sherrell

Richard Sherrell

Jalen Smith

Iyhonna Smith

Dylan Stapleton

Shaundra & Tommy Stapleton

Nekhi Stover

Shanae Stover

Tessa Stuart

Leslie & Peter Stuart

Jayla Suber

Jamila & Tony Suber

Gabi Swartz

Tyler Swartz

Kim & Jonathan

Swartz

Brea Tiller

Tiffany & Tony Tiller

Mitchell Walker

Shannon & Mitchell Walker

Payton WoodFortas

Jenny Wood

Scott Fortas

Kahlen Wright

Shie & Darrell Wright

Chris Zhou

Wen Jiang & Yue Zhou

Noah Zinman

Christine Zinman

10TH GRADE

Aliyah Aftin

Faiza Mohammed & Marcus Cobb

Hassan Abdi

Zachary Logan

Mutchie Roberts

Rodney Logan

Yutong Dora Wu

Yan Su & Sanjun Wu

11TH GRADE

Jordan Burns

Pamela & Joshua Goodrum

Madeline McMullan

Catherine & Ted McMullan

Selin Psaltis

Feryal Ozel & Dimitrios Psaltis

12TH GRADE

Grant Stebbins

Leslie & John Stebbins

For the 16th year, Pace Academy welcomed campers—known as Scholars—to Keeping Pace, a six-week, tuition-free summer camp that provides academic instruction and recreational programming to middleschool students from under-resourced Metro Atlanta communities.

This past summer, Keeping Pace teamed up with La Amistad, a nonprofit offering after-school tutoring and other services to Latino students and families. Students from La Amistad’s DeKalb County network became our newest Keeping Pace Scholars and enjoyed a rich camp experience including academic support from La Amistad staff, lunch from Pace’s partners at Flik and afternoon enrichment from Keeping Pace instructors.

In recent years, thanks to an ongoing partnership with the ALTA Foundation, tennis has become an essential component of the Keeping Pace experience, which uses the sport to promote health, character, sportsmanship and responsible citizenship. The ALTA Foundation’s generous annual grant provides toplevel tennis coaching, court time and equipment for all Keeping Pace Scholars, many of whom have developed a love of the game. At the end of the 2022 camp session, each Scholar left with a new tennis racket and can of balls to carry the love of the game back into their communities.

“We were thrilled to work with nearly 60 Scholars and families in continuing the work of Keeping Pace in supporting summer learning and enrichment for students from underserved communities,” says Isdell Center for Global Leadership Associate Director TED WARD Keeping Pace was also made possible by the generous support of the Pace Academy community and A Night Out with Keeping Pace, an annual fundraising event. l

serving up a Summer of Opportunities AROUND PACE

The Game Behind THE GAME

The third annual TED xPaceAcademy, The Game Behind the Game, took the Zalik Theater stage in October and explored questions posed by hip hop group Public Enemy in the title track of the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s 1998 film He Got Game. Together, speakers CAMILLE CATON ’23 , DAVID FU ’24 , JOHN HARDESTY ’26, LEAH NEGERO ’25 , DREW SCHIFFER ’19 and AMINA ZUBAIRI ’25 shared personal experiences and asked, “What is game?,” “Who’s got game?” and “Where’s the game in life?”

The event, organized by chair DAVIS RICE ’23 , co-chair CLAIRE JIANG ’25 and Upper School English teacher ROBERT KAUFMAN, brought together Pace community members of all ages for an afternoon of thought-provoking dialogue. l

SETTING THE TONE

THE JULY 2020 publication of Pace Academy’s Action Plan for Racial Equity has motivated the Pace community to take a closer look at institutional practices to foster true racial equity and to ensure that every community member feels supported, valued and safe. Led by Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer JOANNE

BEAUVOIR

BROWN and Director of Equity and Inclusion

NIRVANA KELLY SCOTT, the school has made significant strides in the plan’s six focus areas: Teaching & Curriculum, Our Community, Listening & Learning, Our People, Joining Our Community and Our Pledge.

Ten years ago, 16% of the Pace student body identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or People of Color); this year, that percentage is 32. “For years, we’ve said that we want to be a community that reflects our city and the diverse world in which we live,” says Beauvoir Brown. “We’re making progress, but it’s not enough to simply mirror that global diversity. We need to make sure that all students—regardless of their race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age or ability—feel welcome at Pace.”

To that end, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), which also includes two faculty DEI coordinators in each of the school’s three divisions, introduced the 2022–2023 DEI theme—AMPLIFY—during faculty and staff pre-planning in August. “Our goal this year is to amplify the voices of the unheard in our community and beyond,” says Beauvoir Brown.

While developing programming for the 2022–2023 school year, the DEI Office leaned on data gleaned from Middle and Upper School students’ responses to recent surveys regarding personal values, empathy and kindness, depression and anxiety, substance use, relationships with family and friends, and how welcome students feel in the community.

“These cultural climate surveys—which we plan to continue administering for the next two years—have helped us better understand concerns and identify areas for improvement,” Beauvoir Brown reports.

New initiatives this year include an Upper School affinity group for neurodiverse students. Faculty-led affinity groups in all three divisions continue to provide students spaces in which to reflect on their shared experiences, and Lower School Community Time—a new Friday-morning staple in the schedule—offers weekly opportunities for students, faculty, staff and families to share their religious, cultural and ethnic traditions while learning more about others. In addition, the DEI Office has launched affinity groups for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ faculty and staff, and In Our Neighbors’ Shoes (IONS), a monthly gathering for parents and caregivers interested in building community.

“In the wake of the pandemic, we’ve loved having parents, grandparents and caregivers back on campus to help us celebrate important holidays and traditions,” says Scott. “It’s been a wonderful reminder of the vibrancy of the Pace community and of the many talents and traditions represented here on campus.” l

The DEI team introduced its theme during faculty and staff pre-planning.

Joanne Beauvoir Brown

The Office of DIVERSITY, EQUITY and INCLUSION amplifies the voices of the unheard.

This semester, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs have included celebrations and education around…

LATINX & HISPANIC Heritage Month

Pace’s celebration of Latinx and Hispanic Heritage month included performances by and workshops with dance company Caló Gitano [1]; a bilingual reception for Latino and Hispanic families [2]; student-led assemblies and classroom activities; the creation of a beautiful ofrenda recognizing Dia de los Muertos in the Kam Memar Lower School; and fundraising for The Pulsera Project [3], which supports charitable organizations in Nicaragua and Guatemala.

The JEWISH High Holy Days

The Pace community honored and observed the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with dedicated time in special assemblies in the Lower [4], Middle and Upper Schools. Jewish students shared with their peers about the Holy Days’ traditions and histories, and the Upper School Jewish Affinity Group enjoyed traditional foods like challah bread and apples with honey at its monthly meeting.

DIWALI

Schoolwide festivities in honor of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, took place in October. From Lower School art projects and student presentations to collaborations with Pace families, the Pace community’s Diwali celebration included food, dancing, henna, music and more. [5–9]

LOOKING AHEAD,

the DEI Office will offer parent education and additional opportunities for community conversations, such as the annual Sunday Supper event on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Jasmine Wakeel Morgan Miller

DIRECTOR OF AUXILIARY PROGRAMS

How did you come to work at Pace?

I began attending an independent school in the third grade, and independent schools are the only places I’ve ever worked. After completing my MBA, I knew that I was ready for a challenge and a change of pace. Little did I know that the pun would lead me to Pace Academy, my new home!

What do you do at Pace that falls beyond the scope of your job description?

I enjoy getting to know students and try my best to keep my Connect Four champion title with students in Knight Crew.

Why is Pace a special place to work?

Pace is a special place to work because of the sense of community and support. My first year at Pace was filled with encouragement and getting to know the Pace community as a whole. Although Auxiliary Programs falls outside of the larger divisions and departments at Pace, I was welcomed with open arms and friendly smiles from all parts of campus.

LOWER SCHOOL NURSE

Why is Pace a special place to work?

I knew Pace was special from the moment I stepped foot on campus for my interview. Not only is the campus itself beautiful, but the people are as well. Everyone seems so genuinely happy to be here. Everyone is valued, supported and welcomed. You get the sense that Pace is a family that you want to be part of, and a family that you want to share with others.

What do you do at Pace that falls beyond the scope of your job description?

My greatest passion in life is caring for others, so my goal every day is to provide more than just nursing care at Pace. Every day, my role presents opportunities for having a positive impact on those around me—whether it’s a simple bandaid, a hug, a smile or a little life chat, I’m truly so happy to help.

Is there a memory or experience that defines Pace for you?

I arrived at Pace in the midst of the COVID pandemic, and it was a season of great uncertainty and change for everyone. I not only felt as though I was welcomed with gracious, open arms, but I noticed the community embracing the roller coaster of the times. Nearly everyone I interacted with continued to press on the best they could, remaining optimistic and helping each other along the way.

Wes Fortier

DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE

How did you come to work at Pace?

In 2008, I moved from my hometown of Charlottesville, Va. I had been working for a custom home builder but wanted to be in a school atmosphere somewhere close to my family [Wes’s father, DAVE FORTIER, and sister, KAITLYN GOLPHIN, also work at Pace]. As director of maintenance and as one of the [facilities] crew, I have my hand in almost every facet of school life—from organizing PAPUBA (Pace Academy Pick-Up Basketball Association) every week to working with the Parents Club on events like the Fall Fair.

Why is Pace a special place to work?

Pace is special because of our ability to manifest a family philosophy. For Pace employees, caring for students’ development and success is not a job as much as it is a natural instinct. Every individual knows that they are cared for. This, in turn, builds respect and a sense of belonging that invigorates students to apply their best selves.

Is there a memory or experience that defines Pace for you?

The day-to-day interactions that I see between my eldest son, KNOX FORTIER ’34, and the teachers and staff he encounters define Pace’s family philosophy. That’s what I desire for every student.

FACES OF PACE

Get to know the Pace Academy staff members who make the business of school happen.

HURRICANE IAN’S projected path prompted the rescheduling of nearly 200 high-school football games originally set to take place across the state on Friday, Sept. 30—Pace Academy’s included. But moving the game a day earlier did little to dampen the Knights’ spirit. Following a school-wide pep rally, fans of all ages showed up at Riverview Sports Complex ready to cheer on the home team to a Homecoming victory—and they did. The varsity football team handily defeated region opponent Hampton High School 33–7. The weekend concluded at the Upper School Homecoming Dance, where CAMILLE CATON ’23 and BRIAN LEE ’23 were crowned Homecoming Royalty.

not since 2019 has a Pace Academy Fall Fair taken place on the Pace campus. The global pandemic canceled 2020’s event, and 2021’s scaled-back, COVID-safe festivities took place at the school’s satellite athletics facility, Riverview Sports Complex.

This year’s chairs, AMY AGAMI and STEPHANIE MCDONALD, envisioned an epic return to the Castle for the Parents Club’s annual event and dubbed the 2022 Fall Fair “A Homecoming.” Attendance was limited to members of the Pace community, and all the Fall Fair favorites were back and better than ever. From the Box Maze and the Candy Castle to the MASH Sideline Tent and inflatables, Knights of all ages showed their school spirit and enjoyed the return of a beloved Pace tradition.

thanks to our 2022 fall fair sponsors!

douglas j. hertz family foundation global payments isdell family foundation

THE YEAR OF TECHNOLOGY

TALKING TECHNOLOGY WITH CISCO CEO CHUCK ROBBINS CHUCK ROBBINS

AS THE PACE COMMUNITY KICKED OFF Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) Year of Technology, CHUCK ROBBINS, chair and chief executive officer of Cisco, visited campus to share what he has learned in his two-plus decades with the multinational technology conglomerate, which delivers software-defined networking, cloud and security solutions.

A former Pace parent, Robbins helps companies, cities and countries around the world connect, secure and automate their organizations for a digital-first world. Prior to becoming CEO in 2015, Robbins was senior vice president of worldwide field operations.

Robbins discussed the ethical use of technology, artificial intelligence and CISCO’s response to COVID, along with his personal journey. “I started at Cisco in 1997 as a sales rep—the lowest level of the organization. Seventeen years later, I was CEO,” he said. “I’ve learned that you have to have a high work ethic and treat people with respect. If you try to help everyone around you to be successful, you’ll find success as well… Life is short. Work hard. Be kind. Have fun. If you do those three things, you’ll have a great life.” l

From Roombas and augmented reality to Bangladesh and multinational businesses, here are some of the ways the Pace community is tackling the Isdell Center for Global Leadership’s 2022–2023 theme of Technology.

STEAM CLEAN [01]

John O’Brien, chief engineer at iRobot Corporation, Zoomed in to talk with sixth-grade STEAM students about his work on the Roomba, the company’s wildly popular robot vacuum cleaner. From sensors to processors to actuators, O’Brien walked students through the engineering process and explained how engineering teams play different roles in product development.

ENERGY EXPERTS [02]

This year’s Middle School STEAM and robotics teams hope to advance in the FIRST LEGO League competition. That feat will require a deep understanding of energy and the creation of an innovative solution or venture in the energy space in response to the competition’s “Superpowered” theme. To help with the research process, Pace parents and alumni have pitched in to share their related experiences.

Parent TULLY BLALOCK, senior vice president and general counsel at SolAmerica, shared opportunities and challenges in the field of solar energy; HENRY WYCHE ’05 (pictured), principal at Mercuria, and WILL COX ’10, technical analyst at Trafigura, shared career advice and industry perspectives; and parent MARY SCHOEFFLER, executive counsel at GE Energy, gave students an inside look at challenges the newly formed GE Vernova is tackling in regard to hybrid energy solutions and decarbonization.

“All of our speakers helped spark the students in creative directions to understand and address current and future energy challenges,” says Director of STEAM & Design DR. KIRSTEN BOEHNER. “Several more alumni and parents have offered to review student projects once they are ready for feedback.”

THE WORLD IN COLOR [03]

As fifth graders’ learning takes them around the globe, students are tracking their travels on a world map that will become more colorful as the year progresses. Students recently explored the ways technology has helped mitigate issues caused by climate change in Bangladesh. Their favorite example of creative problem-solving? Mohammed Rezwan’s floating education system—complete with 26 classrooms, a playground and a clinic—to ensure Bangladeshi students in flooded areas don’t miss school.

Fourth graders used the same case study to launch their Technology exploration, which focuses on solving global challenges in education. Students will apply the knowledge they gain to create ebooks for Pre-First students in their Design Thinking and STEAM classes.

TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY [04]

ICGL-related learning doesn’t stop with our students. This fall, Middle and Upper School science and STEAM teachers gathered in the Middle School Action Studio to take part in a dissection using Augmented Reality. “The educational landscape is changing, and getting students the hands-on experience they need can be a challenge,” says Upper School science teacher DR. KAYLAN HAIZLIP (pictured, far right). “After participating in this workshop, I immediately saw the benefit of being able to offer quick 3D models of molecules for my students. I used the content I had learned in the very next class I taught.”

THE THEME IN FOCUS [05]

This year, 14 Upper School students have partnered with ICGL faculty to educate the Pace community about global issues surrounding Technology. As part of its efforts, the ICGL Council publishes ICGL Theme in Focus, a newsletter distributed through This Week at Pace that provides education and resources while elevating the stories of innovators shaping tech today. In addition to their educational work, ICGL Council members participate in hands-on learning experiences that enhance their understanding of this year’s theme—like their recent technology-focused tour of Mercedes Benz Stadium, the only LEED Platinum-certified sports stadium in North America.

Alaska

Middle School students and faculty chaperones PATRICE

WRIGHT-LEWIS and KELLY COLQUITT traded the Georgia heat for cooler weather as they studied wildlife, indigenous history and climate change on their Alaska study tour. They learned about Iditarod sled-dog racing and played with pups at Willow Lake and Squid Acres; fly-fished and hiked around Mount Denali; focused on keystone species and marine ecosystems in Seward; and whitewater rafted on the Matanuska River. Along the way, they spotted all sorts of creatures like moose, sea lions and bears—oh my!

Utah

International study tours return this spring. Follow @pace_icgl on Instagram to track students’ adventures across the globe.

Focusing on climate, conservation and leadership, Upper School travelers and faculty members LAURA AGRONTHOBBS and BEN WESCOTT rock climbed, camped and hiked their way through national parks and western wonders such as Kane Creek Canyon, Grand Junction, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park and more on the Utah summer study tour.

ISDELL CENTER FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

SUMMER STUDY TOURS

SPAN THE STATES

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE

Boundary Waters

Outward Bound experts led six members of the Class of 2022 and class dean BEN EWING through the Boundary

Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota’s Superior National Forest on a hiking, camping and canoeing adventure. 

Outer Banks

Led by faculty members

CHARLIE BRYANT and PAM AMBLER, Upper School students enjoyed the natural beauty of the Outer Banks on their summer study tour. Tackling activities from camping, dolphin-spotting and biking through the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island to studying marine conservation and protecting turtles at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the group returned to Atlanta with a greater appreciation of East Coast ecology.

Eastern Shore

Once school was out for summer, rising sixth graders brought learning to life on a study tour to the Eastern Shore. Led by their fifth-grade teachers, students walked through American history, pondered the concept of enacting change, studied conservation and wildlife, and adventured across Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay, Assateague Island and Chincoteague Bay. The group hiked and kayaked along the coast, and got a chance to think back to fifth-grade science class at No Limits, a brain injury rehabilitation center. l

Yellowstone

Through snow, rain and sunny skies, Middle School explorers brought their all to Yellowstone on their summer study tour. Led by teachers TARA HARRIS and CHARLIE BRYANT, the group camped in the wilderness, studied botany, and even saw bears, wolves and bison.

SUMMER STUDY TOURS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CORNER

An Upd ate w i t h ICGL Associate Director TED WARD

With the 2022–2023 school year has come a return to the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) programming of years past, as well as the introduction of new Community Engagement partnerships and highly anticipated events.

The Community Engagement Board (CEB) has reimagined Parent Partner Weekends, launched last school year. This year, Family Engagement Weekends will take place once a semester (November and April) and focus on engaging the entire Pace community. The CEB looks forward to joining forces with the Parents Club to maximize involvement and results.

Also back this year are civic-engagement-focused events, in line with 2022 midterm elections. The CEB hosted a voter registration drive and programming around voter education for the student body.

The Community Engagement office is also working to partner with Pace Athletics to establish projects for each varsity team that align with Pace’s community partnerships. One such project: AVI NARULA, a junior on the water polo team and student lead for the Intown community engagement club, organized a postseason all-star tournament benefiting Intown Collaborative Ministries.

ICGL Associate Director TED WARD’s goals for community engagement extend beyond the Athletics partnership; he hopes to create a “fluid continuum of opportunities from Pre-First through Upper School.” He says, “Students in different divisions have already begun to connect the dots—for example, our Upper School club leads meet with Middle and Lower School students to build relationships and discuss their community engagement work,” he says. “We are also working with our Upper School partner organizations to establish age-appropriate opportunities for Middle School students. Last year, for example, Agape Youth and Family Center and La Amistad added biweekly volunteer opportunities for our Middle-Schoolers.”

In September, the Lower School’s annual Community Engagement kickoff featured a guest speaker from the Boyce L. Ansley School, a new community partner that will help foster cross-division engagement. “For younger grades, Community Engagement is mostly in-school programming,” says Ward. “This new partnership will also involve Upper School students, who will be able to lead conversations about engagement with Lower Schoolers, modeling both leadership and continued involvement.”

Ward says that the Ansley School partnership represents an exciting Community Engagement expansion, which up to now had focused on single-issue organizations. Through an expanded focus, Pace will partner with community development organizations, such as Ansley School, that address multiple issues. Other such partnerships include PAWKids, Atlanta BeltLine, and—another new one—InspirEDU, which upcycles electronics and provides digital literacy classes for adults and children—particularly apt in the ICGL Year of Technology.

Expanding our lens to these partnerships makes sense, Ward says. “Socially complex issues don’t have just one answer. If we’re going to talk about global challenges, there are always a variety of causes and effects at play. Our goal is holistic development of our students, which is why Community Engagement at Pace will continue to evolve and expand.” l

November’sEngaFamilygementWeekend

CFreshmen ommunityEngagement Day

Kishi BASHI

Visiting Artists Inspire

“At Pace, we ask students to strive for academic excellence, but we also want to develop the whole child and to build character so that our graduates are prepared to succeed in a global society,” reports Director of Fine Arts SEAN BRYAN . The goal, Bryan says, is to use education in the arts to create lifelong learners and critical thinkers: “Academics develop the mind, athletics develop the body and arts develop the soul.”

To that end, Pace Arts, in partnership with the Pace Arts Alliance, frequently hosts visiting artists on campus. In September, singer, dancer and actor Judine Somerville—a Broadway "triple threat"—led a day of workshops for student-artists in all divisions. A dance instructor at The Ailey School in New York City, Somerville’s Broadway credits include Hairspray, On the Town and Crazy for You, and her list of television appearances is extensive.

“Ms. Somerville’s inspiring story of growing up and dreaming of being on Broadway really affirmed the work ethic that you must have to achieve your goals,” says NICHOLAS DEMBA ’25 “Hearing from and working with professionals like Ms. Somerville really gives us perspective and experience that the traditional classroom doesn’t always offer and allows us to get a glimpse of what everyday life is like for these performers.”

When possible, visiting artists’ reach crosses disciplines and departments. In October, filmmaker, multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer Kishi Bashi spent two days on campus as part of a collaboration between the Arts Alliance and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Kishi Bashi addressed students in division assemblies, conducted workshops with orchestra classes and participated in a moderated conversation open to the entire Pace community.

“Kishi Bashi’s visit was excellent. He had such an impact on so many students, especially me. I was amazed at how many components he works with to create his songs, and I really liked learning the history behind his story.”

—HARPER DOHENY ’28

Perspectives from outside the classroom augment the student experience.

Judine SOMERVILLE

SAVE These Dates

JAN. 26–27

UPPER SCHOOL WINTER SHOWCASE

FEB. 17–18

MIDDLE SCHOOL

DRAMA PRESENTS DISNEY’S FREAKY FRIDAYONE-ACT EDITION

APR. 20–22

SOMETHING ROTTEN! , THE UPPER SCHOOL SPRING MUSICAL

“Kishi Bashi is one of the most prolific musicians we’ve had visit Pace, and as a JapaneseAmerican, he uses his work to authentically explore both his identity and the history of Asian-American internment in the U.S. during World War II,” says Director of Equity and Inclusion

NIRVANA KELLY SCOTT

“Working with Kishi Bashi made me more interested in fusing technology, culture and music,” says HIRUNI MANAWADU ’28 . “I appreciated his advice to stay true to your roots and to let them play a part in your music.”

Kishi Bashi’s visit coincided with Middle School history teacher KIRSTIN BAILLE ’s unit on Japanese internment, “a crucial chapter in U.S. history often lost in Middle School classrooms,” Baille says. To further students’ understanding, Baille arranged for The Tragedy of War, an exhibition curated by the Kennesaw State University Museum of History and Holocaust Education, to be displayed in the Middle School.

“The exhibit provided a cultural, visual and factual follow-up to our special guest presentation,” Baille says. “The opportunity to match historical background to the cultural and musical presentation from Kishi Bashi was perfect timing.”

These cross-curricular connections facilitated by time spent with experts from outside the Pace community lead to a higher level of thinking and understanding, says Bryan, who, with his colleagues, has additional visiting-artist experiences planned this year. “These conversations spark interests in students that they didn’t know they had,” he says. “There’s endless potential for discovery.” l

JOIN THE Pace Arts Alliance

The Pace Arts Alliance (PAA) enhances student experiences in the visual and performing arts while supporting the school’s visual and performing arts faculty and their programs. From workshops and visiting artists to costumes and continuing education, the PAA enriches the lives of all Pace Knights. Learn more and join at

.

DRAMA

DISTRACTED

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL kicked off the 2022–2023 theater season with an uproarious October production of The Distracted Scholar’s Guide to Literature and Drama. Under the direction of PATRICK CAMPBELL , the cast took audience members on an accelerated—and loosely accurate—tour of Western literature and drama.

From Oedipus and Inferno to Twain and T.S. Elliot, the play covered major authors, playwrights and poets from past to present. l

Photographs by ANN MCLEAN NAGLE ’ 87

Our Growing ORCHESTRA

EXCELLENCE IN EVERY ENDEAVOR: PACE ACADEMY’S

–2027 STRATEGIC PLAN calls for expanding performing arts programming in all three divisions, while continuing to develop foundational knowledge in the arts by strategically bridging curriculum across divisions. Within the school’s thriving strings program, that work is already underway.

This year, 185 students in grades three through 12 are enrolled in strings classes. Forty-five of those students are in the third grade, an addition to the program this year that represents the school’s investment in arts education for its youngest learners. The expansion was made possible by the 2021 opening of the Kam Memar Lower School, which added 36,500 square feet of state-of-the-art space, including nearly 3,000 square feet of classroom space dedicated to music education.

“It’s exciting to see the growth that the Kam Memar Lower School has already made possible within our arts program,” reports Director of Fine Arts SEAN BRYAN . “We know that children who commit to a specific musical discipline early in childhood build a unique set of skills that serves them throughout their lives. Dedication to an instrument enhances fine motor skills, and it develops the part of the brain used to focus and concentrate. But more than that, musical study allows students to learn through trial and error, failure and—ultimately—success. This boosts confidence and self-esteem, as well as creativity and discipline.”

Lower School strings instructor LAUREN TAYLOR (pictured here) reports that the transition to a larger program has been smooth. “Third-grade students have quickly learned our procedures and have adjusted better than I could have imagined,” she says. “I’m excited to see how this change positively impacts the Pace strings program as a whole. By starting at a younger age, students now have more time to really solidify music fundamentals. By the time they reach the Middle and Upper Schools, they will be strong, experienced musicians who will continue to blossom.” l

EXCELLENCE IN EVERY ENDEAVOR

The Pace Academy Board of Trustees Unveils the 2022-2027 STRATEGIC PLAN

MORE THAN 60 YEARS AGO, Pace Academy

Head of School FRANK D. KALEY (pictured below) articulated the school’s commitment to creating a child-centered academic community characterized by excellence when he carefully crafted the Pace motto, Summum, Nitens, Confide— To have the courage to strive for excellence.

Today, that motto extends into every aspect of life at Pace Academy. With an unparalleled academic experience as the foundation of all that we do, Pace students, faculty and staff aspire to be their best— striving for excellence in every endeavor—day in and day out. Past generations’ thoughtful planning and financial stewardship set the stage for the school’s current success. With previous strategic plans as a roadmap, the current Board of Trustees has published a new vision for Pace’s future.

Excellence in Every Endeavor: Pace Academy’s 2022–2027 Strategic Plan continues our proud tradition while imagining an ever-greater place for children to learn, grow and thrive.

STRATEGIC PLAN

The Planning Process

Crafting Excellence in Every Endeavor required a deep understanding of the school’s previous strategic priorities, the ability to reflect critically on Pace’s recent progress and a willingness to THINK BIG about the future of our school.

The Strategic Planning Subcommittee of the Board of Trustees, led by MIKE DOHENY and NATASHA SWANN, took into account feedback and data gathered from a retrospective of the 2016–2021 Strategic Plan via interviews and focus groups, year-end community surveys regarding the school’s strategic priorities, and countless planning sessions with Board members and school leaders.

The publication of the plan in the fall of 2022 coincided with Pace’s reaccreditation process through the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), which compels the Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees to regularly review the school’s mission and core values. To ensure that they align with and advance the mission of the school as articulated in this plan, the Board of Trustees approved updates to Pace’s mission and core values.

These updates add inclusive language that enriches the sentiments of the previous statements and reflects the integral initiatives of the Isdell Center for Global Leadership and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, programs that distinguish Pace as a leader among independent schools.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to create prepared, confident citizens of the world who honor the values of Pace Academy.

OUR CORE VALUES

• We create success through partnership with parents, students and faculty.

• We are dedicated to developing the whole child.

• We have respect for each other and our ideas, beliefs and diverse cultural backgrounds.

• We think critically, embrace curiosity and develop global mindsets.

THE PLAN: EXCELLENCE IN EVERY ENDEAVOR

In the coming years, Pace will structure strategic endeavors around six focus areas:

1. ACADEMIC & INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE

2. COMMUNITY & COMMUNICATIONS

3. DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

4. ENROLLMENT

5. GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

6. STUDENT LIFE & SCHOOL CULTURE

With academic excellence and the student experience at the center, each focus area includes specific initiatives to improve our performance. Several initiatives span focus areas and are connected to themes of mental health and well-being, faculty development, parental support and the Pace brand.

What follows are the specific initiatives that the Board of Trustees has determined will enable the school to fulfill its mission to create prepared, confident citizens of the world.

ACADEMIC & INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE

Areas of Focus

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT & SATISFACTION

STEAM

ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER

COLLEGE COUNSELING

AT PACE, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IS OUR GOAL— and that starts with our outstanding faculty. We recruit and retain the highest-quality teacher cohort possible and encourage faculty to model lifelong learning for their students by investing in ongoing education and development.

Because our expert faculty prepares students for the everchanging world they will encounter, a Pace education includes innovative curricular and extra-curricular programming around science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).

To excel in these and other endeavors, Pace students in all divisions utilize our Academic Resource Center (ARC), which provides individualized academic assistance, particularly to those with learning differences.

The combination of intellectual challenge and a nurturing environment ensures students graduate from Pace prepared for college—and, with one of the lowest student-counselor ratios in the Southeast, the Office of College Counseling thoughtfully guides students to their post-Pace homes.

ACADEMIC & INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE INITIATIVES

To maximize each student’s potential and ensure continued academic excellence, Pace will:

FACULTY: Continue to support faculty members’ individual needs and goals; explore educational opportunities that foster excellence in teaching; create opportunities for cross-divisional faculty collaboration and learning; enhance hiring practices that attract candidates aligned with our mission and core values, while continuing to offer competitive compensation.

STEAM: Imagine a more comprehensive, centralized and schoolwide program to incorporate STEAM, Design Thinking and Robotics/Automation; prioritize excellence in Lower School science and increase focus on design and engineering in the Upper School; ensure our facilities adequately support program growth.

ARC: Reinforce the work of the Academic Resource Center (ARC) while increasing ease of access to academic support, identifying learning-style needs and developing individual education plans; provide additional math support in the Lower School.

COLLEGE COUNSELING: Continue to build the Southeast’s strongest and most innovative college-counseling program through strategic partnerships and intentional relationship-building with colleges and universities; expand programming in grades nine and 10; create parent programming at all grade levels; thoughtfully cultivate distinctiveness in students.

COMMUNITY & COMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVES

To continuously strengthen our community, build a philanthropic culture and support the needs of the school, Pace will pursue the following goals:

ADVANCEMENT: Streamline fundraising initiatives; grow the Pace Fund, Pace’s highest giving priority; continue to develop major gifts and planned giving programs to match donor interests with strategic priorities; cultivate and secure future transformational gifts.

ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT: Build on recent successes in alumni engagement to increase programming and geographic reach while cultivating giving.

COMMUNICATIONS: Create a program to centralize and support live-stream production; capitalize on recent advances in in-house video production to showcase Pace to prospective families and current community members; continue to reiterate our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in ongoing communications.

PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT: With oversight from the Board of Trustees, reimagine the Pace volunteer experience to maximize engagement, impact and school spirit.

COMMUNITY & COMMUNICATIONS

STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, ALUMNI, PARENTS OF ALUMNI AND FRIENDS make up the vibrant Pace community, a tapestry of constituencies whose engagement sustains the school and ensures that those beyond our campus regard Pace as a leader among our peers.

The Office of Advancement shepherds many of the relationships vital to Pace’s continued growth—with great success. The Pace Fund continues to support our goals and everincreasing aspirations; the Accelerate Pace campaign made the Kam Memar Lower School a reality; and alumni are actively involved in the life of the school like never before.

Thoughtful communications initiatives ensure that Pace is prepared to weather challenges like the COVID pandemic, promote the school within the greater community, and keep Pace community members near and far abreast of students’ triumphs and important developments. Through the Parents Club, Arts Alliance and Booster Club, a highly engaged corps of parent volunteers supports all facets of life on campus—from the Snack Bar to the sports fields and the Fine Arts Center to the Fall Fair.

Areas of Focus

ADVANCEMENT

ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

COMMUNICATIONS

PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVES

To ensure that Pace is the leading independent school in regard to diversity, equity and inclusion practices, Pace will pursue the following goals:

COMMUNITY: Foster a diverse community and enhance the Pace experience through programs and culturally relevant services designed to empower students in their identities and help them find their individual and collective voices.

EDUCATION & CURRICULUM: Continue to implement evidence-based teaching practices and support students’ academic development and achievement through a rigorous academic and culturally responsive curriculum.

EQUITABLE EXPERIENCES: Ensure an equitable experience for all Pace community members while promoting inclusion and engagement for historically underrepresented students.

BELONGING: Make parent education and community-building a priority through events, affinity groups and programming for new families.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Measure outcomes of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives through regular review and communication.

Areas of Focus

COMMUNITY EDUCATION & CURRICULUM EQUITABLE EXPERIENCES

BELONGING ACCOUNTABILITY

AT PACE, WE BELIEVE THAT A DIVERSE, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT is a key component of academic excellence, and that cultural fluency and compassion are vital to creating prepared, confident citizens of the world.

These fundamental values benefit our classrooms and community and are intentionally reflected in our curriculum, teaching and programming at all levels, ensuring that students are exposed to myriad perspectives and able to competently engage in civil discourse when faced with different or challenging ideas.

Striving for excellence at Pace means striving to create a community in which differences are embraced and all students, parents and faculty have a sense of belonging.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

CADEMIC EXCELLENCE AT PACE RELIES UPON THE SCHOOL’S ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND ENROLL STUDENTS with remarkable intellectual promise and the desire to contribute to the life of the school—students who reflect the city and world in which we live and who value the essential role diverse perspectives provide in a learning community.

Because we believe that our student population should mirror the socioeconomic diversity of our city, Pace awards need-based financial aid every year (over $4 million in 2022–2023), providing access and opportunity to the brightest and most remarkable young people across metro Atlanta.

Parent involvement at every level further enriches our community. We strive to welcome new families with warmth and authenticity and to make the transition to Pace as seamless as possible for both students and parents. Our students, parents, faculty and staff play vital roles in sharing the Pace story beyond our campus, and our ability to meet the changing needs of today’s prospective families using effective communications tools adds to our appeal.

Areas of Focus

FINANCIAL AID

ONBOARDING PARENT OUTREACH

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

2022–2027

ENROLLMENT

ENROLLMENT INITIATIVES

To ensure continued enrollment success, a foundation of academic excellence, Pace will pursue the following goals:

FINANCIAL AID: Allocate resources and define policies to ensure that all students have equal access to the full Pace experience; refine initiatives aimed at attracting middle-income families; better meet the demands of faculty children qualifying for remission awards.

ONBOARDING: Facilitate smooth transitions to Pace through the development of a New Family Handbook, an updated Buddy Family program and streamlined communication throughout the summer and start of school.

PARENT OUTREACH: Focus on fostering community and facilitating meaningful relationships at every point in the Pace experience by formalizing a Parent Ambassador program to assist the Office of Admissions with outreach to prospective families.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION: Continue to produce compelling digital content while offering opportunities for both current and prospective families to plug in to the Pace community through live-streamed events and virtual programming.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

Areas of Focus

FACULTY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

PROGRAMMATIC EXCELLENCE

FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, PACE HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF GLOBAL EDUCATION, a hallmark of our academic excellence. In 2014, the school launched the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) in a strategic effort to foster global mindedness, engaged citizenship, cultural awareness and understanding, leadership ability, and international experience.

The ICGL supports the school’s mission to create prepared, confident citizens of the world by implementing a schoolwide annual global theme and collaborative, cross-divisional programming within six focus areas: Science & Technology, Culture & Arts, Social Entrepreneurship & Business, Community Engagement & Environmental Sustainability and Public Policy & International Relations.

Guided by Pace faculty, students at every level become involved in initiatives under the ICGL umbrella through curricular, co-curricular and hands-on activities—from leadership fellowships and internships to community engagement partnerships and life-changing domestic and international study tours.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP INITIATIVES

To support the school’s mission and ensure continued excellence in global leadership, Pace will pursue the following goals:

FACULTY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Enhance hiring practices in order to attract candidates aligned with our mission and core values; provide globally focused professional development; better align the Lower and Middle School ICGL leadership to support program growth.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Continue to develop students’ leadership abilities and skills through the Upper School ICGL Fellows Program, ICGL Student Council and Community Engagement Board; create a Middle School ICGL Student Council; offer a core set of ICGLrelated internship opportunities.

LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Continue to build authentic and reciprocal relationships with select community engagement partners, schools and other global organizations; establish partnerships with local public schools through Keeping Pace and Purpose Built Schools; offer community engagement events that expose students to diversity in socioeconomic status, religious affiliation and national origin.

PROGRAMMATIC EXCELLENCE: Support STEAM programming, particularly in the Lower School; grow the ICGL’s Lower School faculty cohort and add ICGL faculty cohorts in the Middle and Upper Schools.

STUDENT LIFE & SCHOOL CULTURE INITIATIVES

To continue to support mental health, promote character education and encourage students to be well-rounded citizens of the world, Pace will pursue the following goals:

HEALTH AND WELLNESS: Continue to prioritize the mental, social and physical health of all students; increase student access to consulting psychologists; create thoughtful ways to support students new to Pace and/or in enrollment expansion years.

MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING: Remain focused on providing professional development and continuing education around mental health to all faculty and staff; partner with neighboring schools and consulting professionals to ensure the implementation of best practices; continue to survey students in all divisions regarding mental health and the overall Pace experience; work to destigmatize mental health challenges within the Pace community and beyond.

ARTS: Expand performing arts opportunities in all three divisions, creatively using existing spaces to showcase student talent; continue to develop foundational knowledge in the arts by strategically bridging curriculum across divisions.

ATHLETICS: Reassess the role of varsity head coach while continuing to develop the teacher-coach model in the Middle School; increase focus on supporting student-athletes’ mental health.

PARENT PROGRAMMING: In partnership with parent organizations, continue to offer meaningful opportunities for parent education around issues of mental health and diversity, equity and inclusion, coordinating with outside experts as needed.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: With an emphasis on effective socialemotional learning, maintain a focus on character education at all levels; enhance curricular and programmatic efforts within the Lower School Noble Knights’ Pillars of Character program; reinvigorate the Middle School character education program; facilitate cross-divisional connections and programs that support character growth by leveraging the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Community Engagement program.

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP: Encourage positive digital citizenship through external partnerships and education for students, parents, faculty and staff.

STUDENT LIFE & SCHOOL CULTURE

AT PACE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT HEALTHY, HAPPY STUDENTS ARE BETTER LEARNERS, and that academic excellence is only achievable when the whole child is supported. That’s why we have significantly expanded our counseling department and mental health programming in recent years, and why we offer curricular and extracurricular activities in the arts and athletics that are second to none.

We also deeply believe that it takes a village to raise a child, so we partner with parents to ensure the mental, social and physical health of all students and to support parents as they navigate the sometimes tumultuous waters of parenthood.

Calculated character-development programming undergirds our health and wellness efforts in all divisions. To become prepared, confident citizens of the world, we know that students must first be good citizens— in face-to-face interactions with others and in digital spaces.

Areas of Focus

HEALTH & WELLNESS

MENTAL HEALTH

TRAINING

ARTS

ATHLETICS

PARENT

PROGRAMMING

CHARACTER

DEVELOPMENT

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

Measuring Our Progress

It now falls to the Board of Trustees to oversee Pace’s strategic initiatives over the coming five years. Successful implementation will require the same all-hands-on-deck mentality that has characterized our community since 1958. To measure our progress and ensure that we meet our goals, the Pace Academy Board of Trustees will:

• Form Board subcommittees around each focus area and engage with the Pace community to measure progress and address concerns.

• Provide regular subcommittee reports to ensure Board members are apprised of progress.

• Continue to survey Pace constituents annually, keeping the Strategic Plan’s focus areas at the center for year-over-year benchmarking.

• Review the Strategic Plan on an annual basis, remaining open to course corrections, new opportunities and alternative options.

• Ask relevant program faculty and staff to maintain quantitative measures of progress for each focus area, when possible. Use data to drive decision-making.

GOING FORWARD: OUR TOP PRIORITIES

Excellence in Every Endeavor includes wide-ranging and aspirational goals; we believe they are achievable. Pace will prioritize the following initiatives, which span all focus areas:

FACULTY ENGAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT COLLEGE PLACEMENT MENTAL HEALTH

Citizens of the WORLD

Knights rally to support

Since Pace Academy’s founding, students have considered the meaning of the term “global citizen.” In conjunction with the school’s mission, To create prepared, confident citizens of the world, Knights have embraced the golden rule of service at every level of learning. The Pace family has rallied around countless organizations, communities and individuals—from Atlanta to the other side of the world—to practice the empathy, respect and leadership they learn in the classroom. So, after seeing Russia invade Ukraine and the subsequent refugee crisis, the Pace community looked for ways to help. From shuttling supplies overseas to raising money for resources and relief, Pace students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni alike stepped up.

Students and teachers alike amplified Ukrainian voices across campus.

From left to right: Evie Campbell ’28, Estelle Levitt ’28, Katharine Nuckols ’28, Emma Alvarez ’28, Ava Piduru ’28, Ovie Nirgudkar ’23, Katy Cowles, Luca Tanasa ’23

LUCA TANASA ’23’s parents are Romanian, so when he saw the terror taking place in Eastern Europe, he became concerned for the people of Romania and the Ukrainians seeking refuge there. He looked up organizations through the Romanian government and discovered Atlanta For Ukraine, a volunteer-based organization in Metro Atlanta and Savannah, spearheaded by a family from Kyiv, Ukraine. Tanasa, who is the director of philanthropy for the 2022 TEDxPaceAcademy club, took his plan to TEDx president DAVIS RICE ’23 and faculty adviser ROBERT KAUFMAN, who agreed that this was the perfect philanthropic focus between the 2021 and 2022 TEDxPaceAcademy events and helped Tanasa put a plan in place.

“We saw what was happening in Ukraine, and it felt important to do something,” says Rice. “We liked this organization because it was run by a Ukrainian family, and we knew that they would understand the country’s needs and that we could trust that the supplies would reach the people who needed them most.” Tanasa and Rice spoke at Middle and Upper School assemblies, created a supply list and ran a school-wide donation drive to collect resources to be sent abroad via Atlanta For Ukraine. They were surprised by the outpouring of school support—after a day spent sorting items with the TEDx committee members, the final count was nearly 1,000 items, which the crew took to an Atlanta For Ukraine-coordinated drop-off location to be sent directly to those in need.

In the Garcia Family Middle School, the Art Sale Club, led by Middle School visual arts teacher KATY COWLES, was preparing for its spring sale as the war was escalating. Students met with Upper School visual arts teacher DONICE BLOODWORTH and former Lower School visual arts teacher MOLLY HURD, both professional artists, to learn how they price, advertise, package and distribute their artwork. Students also learned about the decision process and feelings associated with selling one’s art. They then developed several ideas of artwork to sell—flower pots, coasters, note cards, etc.—and created unique handmade pieces for the sale. Once products, packaging and pricing were planned, the club hosted an after-school sale in April 2022 with the intention of donating all proceeds to Ukraine, because the students felt it was a clear cause in immediate need of aid, explains Cowles. Sale proceeds totaled $146.

The list of Knights who supported Ukraine extends well beyond the Pace campus. Many Pace alumni worked on their own or with friends and colleagues to do what they could, from collecting supplies and raising money to mag nify the stories and needs of specific refugee families.

MAX IRVINE ’17, selected as an Isdell Global Leader during his time at Pace, was one of these alumni stirred to

action. The morning of Thursday, Feb. 24, when Russia officially invaded Ukraine, Irvine and his roommate were watching the events unfold on their living room television at Georgia Tech. “All I could think about was what I would do if I lived in Ukraine,” he says. “I could not imagine a world in which I would have to pick up everything I loved and move because Atlanta was under attack. The more I thought about the situation, the more I felt obligated to take action.”

At the time, Irvine couldn’t find any existing platforms that allowed Ukrainians to tell their stories and receive direct aid. He knew that plenty of large nonprofit organizations were donating relief funds; however, his goal was to discover and amplify what families were personally going through and to contribute directly to them.

A talented software developer, Irvine immediately questioned how software and his skills and network could contribute. His hope was to create a platform to give Ukrainian families the opportunity to tell their stories and receive aid directly from donors. He pitched the idea to his roommates and then drafted a LinkedIn message requesting help.

“The LinkedIn message went semi-viral—at least by my standards—and garnered over 13,000 views,” explains Irvine. “We received dozens of messages from a variety of people offering assistance on our mission.” They assembled a team, which included fellow Pace alumna JULIA ROBISON ’17, who was compelled by Irvine’s post to contribute her experience in marketing to manage social media accounts for the platform. After a month of hard work, a fully-functioning platform-based organization, aptly titled Hope4Ukraine, was set in motion.

Upon launch, the group attempted to connect with those in need in any way they could, but making connections proved to be far more difficult than anticipated. “Families were not yet at the point where they could go online and utilize our platform; instead, they were in search of food and shelter,” says Irvine. After two more months of attempting to get the platform off the ground, Irvine and his co-founders decided to retire the effort and focus time and resources elsewhere.

Irvine reports that the efforts were not all unsuccessful— Hope4Ukraine and its supporters raised about $1,000 for two Ukrainian mothers and their children. To this day, Irvine remains in contact with both women, who have expressed immense gratitude for Hope4Ukraine’s

“From a personal standpoint, it was an invigorating moment in my life,” he says. “The fact that so many people were willing to rally toward a common goal of helping others in need made me proud—and on top of that, we learned so much about creating a product at lightning speeds. While Hope4Ukraine isn’t a

“We saw what was happening in Ukraine, and it felt important to do something.”

household name, the project was a major success in my mind, and I am grateful to have been a part of it.”

Not all who took independent action were adults, though. Back at Pace, amidst a jam-packed schedule and practicing daily as an accomplished pianist, OVIE NIRGUDKAR ’23 was struck by the horrors overseas and jumped at the chance to help. Nirgudkar and her father, AMOL NIRGUDKAR, joined a family friend traveling to Ukraine in May 2022 through ACT Foundation.

Nirgudkar decided just visiting wasn’t enough. She came up with Through Human Eyes, a local-ambassadorcentric project with the long-term goal “to offer relief to Ukrainians affected by the war by providing on-the-ground support in areas of sanitation, mental and physical health, and education.”

Only days after final exams, the Nirgudkars headed off with 150 pounds of supplies. Since schools, hospitals and shelters were to receive these resources, the goods donated ranged from clothing and baby products to basic sanitation and hygiene supplies. The Nirgudkars took the supplies and distributed them wherever there was a need. Their home base was a school in Boyany, a village in southwest Ukraine, where displaced people were being relocated from the northeastern Kharkiv region. They met many young mothers raising children on their own, a group that became particularly important to Nirgudkar over the course of her trip.

“There was an overwhelming sense of uncertainty,” she reflects. “In America, we just do not have that feeling. It was striking to realize the privilege of not only comfort, but also basic safety and security.”

In addition to visiting with members of the community and allocating resources, the Nirgudkars organized and performed a benefit piano concert in Chernivtsi Philharmonic Hall, which raised $22,000. They used that money to buy anything that schools and shelters requested—mostly shortterm resources like hygiene and personal care items—and they spent the next few days delivering them.

Though she has long since returned to her regular routine, Nirgudkar will not soon stop working to support Ukraine in ways that bridge her passions for art and humanitarian outreach. As she spends her senior year on the Community Engagement Board, partaking in local projects and Pace programming, she maintains a global focus, too—she hopes to continue honing the model of Through Human Eyes so that it can be a sustainable resource, and to visit Ukraine a second time in 2023.

As Ukrainians should feel proud of their identity and community, so should the Knights—a group that has proven and continues to uphold its status as “prepared, confident citizens of the world.” •

Ovie Nirgudkar ’23

Luca Tanasa ’23 (left) & Davis Rice ’23

A benefit concert organized by the Nirgudkars raised $22,000.

The Nirgudkars worked with displaced children at a school in southwest Ukraine.

Members of the 2022 TEDxPaceAcademy club

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

UPDATES

[01] JIM DUNN ’72 retired on June 30, 2022, as a pastor of Hope Church in Mason, Ohio.

[02] LEE KING ’78 was inducted into the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame in July, the only 2022 inductee. Lee has been an Atlanta teaching professional for 40 years, the captain of more than 50 Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association (ALTA) championship teams, and the leader of Georgia’s Southern Senior Cup team through 20 years and four titles. A five-sport athlete at Pace, Lee attended the College of Charleston on a full tennis scholarship. She was an estates and wills paralegal for five years after graduation but taught tennis on weekends, then followed her heart, becoming a full-time independent professional in 1987.

In addition to coaching scores of recreational teams, Lee has captained 34 ALTA-winning teams since 2000, when the association began tracking player and captain data. She has played on 17 others in that time—all at the highest level. Lee’s full cache of city championships is much higher, likely totaling more than 100 city or city runner-up plates. In 2000, Lee became captain of Georgia’s Southern Senior Cup team, the highest level of USTA senior team competition. With Lee as an integral player, Georgia has won the nine-state championship four times, most recently in 2019. Lee also has represented the nine-state Southern sectional as a player at several USTA National Intersectional Team events.

Another passion of Lee’s is Atlanta’s Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, where her ALTA teams are based. For the past three years, she has been the president of the Friends of Bitsy Grant Tennis Board, which aims to preserve the city’s historic tennis facility. For four years, she has run the Georgia State Open there.

[03] LAURIE FLATT MOBLEY ’89 was promoted to executive vice president at BRG Communications in Alexandria, Va., where she has worked for 12 years. Laurie brings BRG’s leadership team deep healthcare expertise that includes leading key consumer health and advocacy initiatives, as well as

supporting device, pharmaceutical and medical society clients. In her new role, she continues to provide strategic counsel to clients focused on safety, health and wellness; mentors team members; and lends her expertise to support the agency’s strategic vision.

[04] DAVID LEWIS ’00 (standing, third from right) has opened Wylie & Rum, a restaurant along Atlanta’s Moreland Avenue bordering the Reynoldstown and Edgewood neighborhoods. The Caribbean kitchen and rum bar—with a logo created by designer BRIAN STEELY ’92—serves island-inspired, creative dishes in an easygoing, colorful and comfortable space. The menu features spicy Jamaican jerk chicken, award-winning guava BBQ ribs, Cuban sandwiches, salads and vegetarian items. In October, EATER Atlanta named Wylie & Rum one of the 14 hottest new restaurants in Atlanta.

[05] LAURA BOLLMAN ’02 was selected as one of Georgia’s 40 Under 40 by Georgia Trend Magazine. Bollman serves as the director of strategy and operations at the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy and its free online Cox Campus. Through Cox Campus, more than 200,000 teachers across the country engage in accredited language and literacy coursework—at no cost—thanks to more than $60 million of private investment. Locally, the Rollins Center, in partnership with Atlanta Public Schools, KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools, Marietta City Schools and countless other organizations, is actualizing literacy and justice for all through a citywide “ecosystem investment” in language and literacy, beginning with prenatal care and extending through elementary school. Bollman was recently elected to the Board of the Charles R. Drew Charter School, where she began her career as a teacher in 2006.

[06] EDA CALAPKULU ’14 joined the team at RS Research, a clinical-stage biotechnology start-up that discovers and develops smart nanomedicines for targeted chemotherapy. As project assistant, Eda plays a key role in coordinating

team projects at every stage, from research and development to commercialization. Previously, Eda earned her master’s in neuroscience with a focus on neurodegeneration from King’s College London. She conducted her thesis at the London Neurodegenerative Brain Bank, where she specifically focused on ALS. Following her master’s, Eda worked as a research assistant and lab manager for Neurologist-in-Chief Dr. David A. Hafler at Yale University.

[07] ELIJAH HOLIFIELD ’15 played a season of professional basketball in Bosnia and, after returning to the States in the fall of 2021, started ScatFam Training, an athletic training business. ScatFam’s mission, he says, is “training athletes between ages 8 and 18 who tend to get overlooked by high-profile grassroots teams, as I did when I was younger.” Elijah went on to earn his master’s degree from Western New Mexico University in August 2022, where he attended and played basketball for one school year as a graduate transfer.

[08] MARK HANDLER ’16 has joined Sporting Kansas City, Kansas City’s men’s professional soccer club, as an account coordinator in corporate partnerships. Passionate about growing soccer in America, Mark bridged his internship with Atlanta United into a full-time role with Sporting KC, where he is responsible for growing revenue through national sponsorships. “I’m thrilled to be contributing to the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., especially with the World Cup right around the corner,” he says. Sporting KC was founded in 1995 and plays in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer.

[09] CAROLINE HARDISON ’16 moved to Chicago to start a new position at Amazon as an AWS cyber security software engineer. Though she’ll always be a Georgian at heart, she thinks she might settle into the midwestern life nicely. In her free time, Caroline enjoys musicals and concerts, and traveled to London this past summer with her sister, PATE HARDISON ’14, to attend Wimbledon.

[10] OLIVIA BAKER ’17 has returned to Pace as a Pre-First teacher, and is partnered in the classroom with fellow alumna CARTER BALDOVSKI ’12. Prior to her arrival at Pace, Olivia taught preschool at The Mount Vernon School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Sewanee: The University Of The South.

[11] RAINA WILLIAMS ’19, a senior at The University of Memphis, won the 2022 Ostrander Award for Leading Actress in a College Production for her performance in A Bright Room Called Day

The Ostrander Awards recognize and celebrate excellence in collegiate, community and professional theater in Memphis. This is Raina’s second Ostrander.

MARRIAGES

[12] MARY MARGARET MURPHY ’00 and Samer Hamde were married on April 2, 2022, at Canoe in Atlanta. LAUREN LINDER ’00 attended.

[13] MATT HICKEY ’10 and Alexandra

Bauguess Hickey were married on Sept. 24, 2022, at Essex County Country Club in West Orange, NJ. DAVID GRENADER ’11 was the best man, and JACK HARRIS ’10, WILLIAM MORSE ’10 and SAM WISKIND ’10 served as groomsmen. WILL COX ’10 and JAKE BOYDSTON ’10 attended. The couple honeymooned in Napa Valley, Calif. Matt and Alex met in New York City in 2018 and now live in the Montrose Historic District of South Orange, N.J., with their dog, Daisy. Alex works in media and ad sales for Amazon; Matt is vice president for client and business development at Canyon

Partners. “Alex and I have traveled all over the world together but can most often be found up in the mountains or at the lake on the weekends,” Matt writes.

[14] HAYLEY KAHN LEVINSON ’12 married Adam Levinson on June 18, 2022, at Flourish Atlanta. ERICA KAHN ’16 and COURTNEY KAHN ’22 were Hayley’s maids of honor. Other Pace attendees included ERIC ESTROFF ’12, CAMERON WINDERS ’12, JAMES RUSHTON ’12, HALEY EPSTEIN ’16, BRETT EPSTEIN ’10, JENNIFER SMITH ’12 and ASHLEY ESTROFF ’17. The couple met at Vanderbilt University and moved to New York City after graduation. They now live in San Francisco, where Hayley works for Uber’s global marketing team and Adam works in venture capital at Goodwater Capital.

[15] JESSICA DIORIO PARRISH ’13 and Bruce Parrish were married on May 7, 2022, at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, N.C. The couple met in 2018 while working at KPMG in Atlanta. “We very quickly realized that we had tons of mutual friends, and that our paths had most certainly crossed before,” Jessica writes. “Bruce is a triplet, and his sister Carolyn and I

became fast friends at summer camp in middle school. We stayed in touch, but I had never met Bruce. Flash forward 10 years, Carolyn reached out to inform me that Bruce was also starting his career at KPMG in Atlanta. We were staffed on the same project, and we discovered that JONATHAN WEBSTER ’12 was a mutual friend of ours. The rest is history!”

Jessica now works in cyber risk strategy consulting for Deloitte, while Bruce is with PWC. They live in Atlanta and love to hike and spend time in the mountains.

O’BRIEN ’14

[17] RACHEL RIBNER THOBANI ’18 and SHAAZ THOBANI ’18 were married at The Metropolitan Club in New York City on June 18, 2022. SLOAN WYATT ’18 served as the maid of honor; JARED RAYMAN ’19 was the best man. The wedding party also included HARRISON WOODRUFF ’18, AZREN THOBANI ’29 and SHALIZEH THOBANI ’22 . In lieu of wedding gifts, Rachel and Shaaz encouraged donations to Pace’s Alumni Fund.

[16] MICHAEL

married Lindsey Kropp O’Brien on July 9, 2022, in Banner Elk, N.C.

Alumni who share news of new arrivals with the Alumni Office receive a Pace Academy bib—like Robert Brueck, son of EMILY ALEXANDER BRUECK ’06. Submit photos of your little Knights wearing their Pace gear to alumni@paceacademy.org

BIRTHS

[18] BROOKE BEADLE ANDERSON ’00 and her husband, Chris, welcomed William “Liam” Pierce on July 7, 2022. Liam joins sister Charlene, 3. Brooke works for Keurig Dr. Pepper in packaging sustainability, and the family resides in Boulder, Colo.

[19] LINDSAY FORD REW ’06 and her husband, Ned, had a son, Elijah “Eli” Clayton, on July 21, 2022. The family lives in Dunwoody, Ga.

[20] Alumni Director COURTNEY SCHAEFER DEVEAU ’07 and husband PATRICK DEVEAU ’05 welcomed their second child, Graham Lee, on Oct. 13, 2022. Graham weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and joins big brother Chip.

[21] KATHERINE PARKE OSTENSON ’08 and her husband, Jeff, welcomed daughter Mary Lundy on Sept. 1, 2022. The Ostensons live in Athens, Ga., with their two dogs, Heidi and Maddie. They are all in love with the newest addition to their family.

FACULTY & STAFF MILESTONES

[22– 23] PE teacher and varsity girls lacrosse coach KELSEA AYERS LOWE married Chris Lowe on June 24, 2022, at Bluebird Manor in Adamstown, Md.

[24 – 25] Fourth-grade associate teacher JEN PERRY KRAMER and Patrick Kramer were married June 25, 2022, at The Madison Hotel in Morristown, N.J. The ceremony took place in the hotel’s conservatory and was followed by a reception in the ballroom.

IN MEMORIAM

[26] CHRIS HOBBS, husband of beloved Upper School Spanish teacher LAURA AGRONT-HOBBS, passed away at home surrounded by family on Aug. 6, 2022. He was 50 years old. Chris was born in Hammond, Ind., and moved to Huntington Beach, Calif., where he graduated from Mira Costa High School in 1990. At Plymouth State College, Chris majored in business, played on the college’s basketball team and spent summers helping with youth basketball camps. He earned a master’s in international business with a focus in Spanish from the University of South Carolina.

Chris was an avid sports fan and loved hiking in his spare time. The New England Patriots were his favorite football team. He and Laura traveled to some of the most

beautiful hiking spots the country has to offer. His favorite hobbies included biking, paddleboarding, traveling and finding the best donut shop in town. He was passionate about supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Humane Society. He was known among friends for his sense of humor and contagious laughter.

Chris is forever loved and remembered by Laura and children Ashlyn Burns and Alex Pinion. He is survived by his parents, Ron and Susan Hobbs; his brother and sister-inlaw, Brian and April Hobbs; and his niece and nephew, Summer and Tomás Hobbs.

“His best times were spent traveling and with his family, who love him very much and will miss him dearly,” his family writes.

[27] RAPHAEL RAMIREZ ’14 died on July 7, 2022. Classmates fondly remember his sense of humor and playful spirit. Raphael made an impact on the varsity baseball

team; he was named First Team All-Region as a senior and had planned to enroll at North Carolina State University before he was drafted by the Mets organization in the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He played Minor League Baseball until 2017.

“Raphy was smart, kind, thoughtful and one of the most generous people you could meet,” his family writes. “He wanted everyone around him to succeed and would do anything to help them get there. Family meant everything to him… Raphy lit up any room he walked into with his big personality and infectious laugh. Without looking up, you could feel his presence in any space. Raphy was one of those people that you met once and never forgot. He will be forever missed.” Raphael is survived by his parents, JOLIE MALAVÉ and RAFAEL RAMIREZ, and a younger brother, Angelo Ramirez.

[1–3] The Class of 1972 marked its 50-year reunion and entrance into the Golden Knights Society with brunch with Head of School FRED ASSAF and members of the Advancement team in the Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School’s Woodruff Library, followed by an evening at McDaniel’s QN2 BBQ in Sandy Springs. SUSAN REGENSTEIN MCMILLIN organized the dinner.

[4] WINDY GARLAND hosted the Class of 1987’s 35-year reunion at the Garland family home. Host committee members included ANN MCLEAN NAGLE, JOHN IOANNIDES, RENA ANN PECK and SARA HORNEY UTSCH.

[5–6] To mark the 30-year anniversary of their Pace graduation, the Class of 1992 gathered at Fado Irish Pub in Buckhead for

an evening of reconnection and reminiscing. ELIZABETH DANGAR CLEVELAND, JENNIFER KREBS SPINDEL , LISA MORRIS CAYCE and BRIGHT WOODRUFF OWENS coordinated the event.

[7] The Class of 1996 reunited in October for a belated 25th-reunion celebration at the Garland home. BETH ALLGOOD BLALOCK, JOHN GARLAND, MAGGIE ISLER KILLGORE, COURTNEY RANCK MCMILLAN, CARTER PHILLIPS and HAYNES ROBERTS JR. hosted the event.

[8–9] Boone’s restaurant on the Bobby Jones Golf Course was the site of the Class of 1997’s 25-year reunion, coordinated by EMILY HOLDERNESS CAY, KATHERINE BAILEY LYNCH, KATHERINE MALONE WATERS and MAGGIE KNOX WALLACE

[10] ADAIR ROGERS VILELLA organized the Class of 2002’s 20-year reunion, which took place at the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel.

[11–13] Although Hurricane Ian postponed the annual Alumni Tailgate planned for the Friday evening of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend (save Friday, Feb. 3, for the rescheduled event!), a sunshiny Saturday allowed Knight School with longtime Upper School history teacher HELEN SMITH, lunch in the Gardens and an open house in Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School to proceed as planned.

Homecoming & Reunion

ALUMNI

[1–2] In September, RHONDA PECK O’GORMAN ’88 showed up to her ALTA tennis match only to find that she was playing ALISON ROSENBAUM ’11. Alison’s twin sister, MICHELLE ROSENBAUN ’11, was in Rhonda’s Pre-First class during the 1998–1999 school year. Rhonda retired this past spring after 30 years in the Pre-First classroom. “I can’t believe that they all grow up!” she says.

[3] Pace alumni rang in the fall season with their families at Cagle’s Family Farm in Canton, Ga. Pictured left to right: PATRICK DEVEAU ’05, COURTNEY SCHAEFER DEVEAU ’07 and sons Chip and Graham; REID ROGERS ’07, MARY HIPP ROGERS ’06, daughter Palmer and son Liam; PEARSON MATHEWS MCSHANE ’07, Chris McShane and son Wilson; KRISTIN CHICK CARPENTER ’07, son Henry and daughter Evie; LAUREN KRAVITZ HAIRE ’07, John Haire and son Banks.

[4] Members of the Class of 2008 reunited and introduced their children to each other. Pictured left to right: VIRGINIA BEASLEY with Leo, AMANDA ALLEN SCOTT with Holden, ALI LEBLANC DOWD with Evans, and LAURA COBB SADRI with Poppy.

[5] PHILIP ELLIOTT ’16 is coaching BLAKE SHIRLEY ’30 and EDWARD ELKINS ’30’s Northside Youth Organization football team.

[6] WENDELL CARTER JR. ’17, a professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic, returned to Pace in June to host A Platform² Foundation’s inaugural basketball education camp. The charitable organization founded by Carter and his parents, KYLIA CARTER and WENDELL CARTER SR., leads programs and initiatives focused on social justice, education and spiritual growth in an effort to empower disenfranchised youth, families and communities to experience a higher quality of life. The daylong camp took place in Pace’s Inman Center and included basketball drills and skills development, as well as education around financial literacy and Black history.

[7] JAYDEN THOMAS ’21, a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame, was reunited with his Pre-First baseball buddy, JOHN BUEHLER ’31, at the Notre Dame-Syracuse football game in October. Jayden is a wide receiver at Notre Dame, where John’s parents met in graduate school.

“Our kids have grown up watching and cheering on the Irish,” says REBECCA BUEHLER. “After the game, we happened

to be walking by as the players were trickling out of the stadium, and John was ecstatic to see Jayden. Jayden pulled up some old photos of their baseball buddy days and took a new photo with John. The highlight of John’s first trip to Notre Dame was getting to see Jayden both on and off the field. He will always remember Jayden as his baseball buddy—and as a part of his first Notre Dame experience!”

[8] DEVAN JOHNSON ’19 and HAYDEN SAMPLE ’20 are co-captains of Wake Forest University’s coed cheer squad.

[9] Associate Director of College Counseling PAM AMBLER caught up with KATHLEEN GLASS ’22 while visiting the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where Kathleen is a freshman.

[10] Alumni reunited at the Boston College football game on Oct. 8. From left to right: JASON TAPPER ’22, JORDAN WHITE ’22, XAVIER AGOSTINO ’22, SAMUEL ALKIRE ’22 and HARPER WHITE ’22

[11–16] Alumni, faculty and staff mixed and mingled while celebrating the start of the school year at the annual Backto-School Party in August.

OUT & ABOUT

NEW MEMBERS Alumni Board Welcomes

DAVID LIEB M A NN ’87

“I have been an independent school teacher and administrator for nearly 30 years, thanks to the influence of Pace teachers,” says DAVID LIEBMANN ’87

A former head of school and current assistant head of school at Kingsley Montessori School, a regular donor to Pace and a watcher of Pace from afar, Liebmann is passionate about joining the Alumni Board as a way to give back to the school. “As someone who has made a lifelong career in independent schools, I hope I can share some ideas that I’ve picked up along the way,” he says. “Every school offers different ways to support students, teachers, families and alumni.”

Liebmann believes that his extensive experience in education and ongoing connection with many former Pace classmates will be helpful tools in re-engaging fellow alumni to support the school. Most recently, Liebmann served as a decade representative for the Accelerate Pace Alumni Giving Challenge.

Liebmann notes that Pace was “the center of [his] universe from ages 5 through 18,” and that it impacted his career path. From extraordinary teachers and outstanding classmates to involvement in the Knight Gallery literary magazine and Student Council, he looks back fondly on his time as part of the Pace family. “Pace made me feel known and needed,” Liebmann remembers. “From academic preparation and leadership opportunities to first crushes and senior pranks, I loved my experience.”

BROO K S FICKE ’03

A hand surgeon at Resurgens Orthopaedics, DR. BROOKS FICKE ’03 has become increasingly involved in the Pace alumni community over the past five years, culminating in his joining the Alumni Board this fall.

“I value my education and experiences from Pace and hope to help the next generation have similar experiences, especially considering that my daughter, [SAVANNAH FICKE ’32], is a Pace student,” he says. Ficke and his wife, SARAH FICKE, also have a younger son, Bryce.

As we emerge from the pandemic, Ficke believes that encouraging and nurturing alumni connections is more important than ever, and as a member of the Alumni Board, he hopes to leverage his experience in the medical field to provide connections and advice to fellow alumni.

When reflecting on his time at Pace, Ficke, a cum laude graduate of Duke University, fondly remembers his tenure on the wrestling team and still recognizes coach MARK SOMMERVILLE, now assistant head of Middle School for Student Life, as an influence in his life. “Coach Sommerville was such an admirable role model, and I learned so much from him and from the sport,” he says. Other cherished Pace memories include being immediately welcomed by classmates as a new student in the third grade, making lifelong friends and gathering with the Class of 2003 “to put a massive Robin Hood on the frontlawn flag pole for Spirit Week.”

MEGAN F OX F ORD ’01

MEGAN FOX FORD ’01 enrolled at Pace as a junior and remembers feeling extremely welcomed by her peers. She joined the varsity soccer team—and served as a captain her senior year—and “felt so lucky to jump into such an incredible team of strong women.”

Ford attended Emory University and earned a master’s from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She now works as senior director of commerce marketing at E. & J. Gallo Winery.

Ford and her husband, BILL FORD, moved to Atlanta in 2017 and live in Memorial Park with their two children: daughter Carole and son JACK FORD ’33. She has loved being part of the Pace community again and is excited that student engagement and an outstanding faculty remain hallmarks of the Pace experience.

In addition to serving as a second-grade parent representative, Ford is excited to plug into the Pace community while on the Alumni Board. Her goal is to increase alumni engagement, and she hopes to explore how to “continue engagement as alumni move through different phases of life.” •

JASMINE LITTLE ’08 and EMILY EVANS

SCHIFTER ’08 review their work in February of 2007.

From the Archives THE HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTLY NEWS

THE UPPER SCHOOL student newspaper, now known as The Knightly News, began in the early 1970s as an extracurricular club sponsored by history teachers B.J. HAYES and SUSAN THOMAS with the publication name Inside. During the 1974–1975 school year, the staff published four issues under the leadership of faculty sponsors Hayes and PEGGY HARTMANN

In the fall of 1975, the name changed to Knightly News, with the staff publishing five issues that year. History teacher

SHIRLEY MAST was the faculty sponsor in the fall of 1993 when the staff switched from the magazine format of past years to that of a newspaper.

Two years later, in fall 1995, computer science and mathematics teacher STEVE HODGES and registrar NEVA MORRISON advised the paper when it was offered as both a class and an extracurricular activity. That same fall, newspaper staffers used Pace computers that were connected to the internet for the first time, and all Upper School students received personal email accounts. With these technology advances,

the mechanics of researching, writing and editing stories took leaps forward.

Morrison became the newspaper’s faculty advisor, serving for 12 years until she retired from Pace after 21 years of service. Under Morrison’s watch, the program developed exclusively into an elective for upperclassmen, eliminating the extracurricular option. The class—or newspaper staff—increased the number of issues published per year to as many as eight.

Registrar and history teacher

ELIZABETH MILLER succeeded Morrison as faculty advisor, serving for two years, until May 2009. That fall, transitions program coordinator LEE WILSON became the next faculty advisor, growing the paper from eight to 12 to 16 pages over 12 years, until her retirement in 2021. Under Wilson’s guidance, the staff launched The Knightly News website and shifted to printing all issues in full color. A newspaper staff retreat and fall treks to the Georgia Scholastic Press Association conference at the University of Georgia became annual traditions.

Technology evolved rapidly during those years, and the staff began producing short videos and podcasts, and used multiple social media platforms to promote stories published to the website. The staff shifted from the use of DSLR cameras and cassette audio recorders to their personal smartphones to take photos, record interviews, and create videos and podcasts. In the fall of 2014, newspaper class became an arts elective for the first time, enabling sophomores to join the staff and still satisfy the arts electives graduation requirement.

In April 2021, for the first time, The Knightly News was named “All Georgia” as the top newspaper in the state by the Georgia Scholastic Press Association in its annual General Excellence awards competition. As of this past fall, the staff has published print issues of the newspaper for 47 consecutive years. A number of editors and staffers have gone on to serve as editors of their college newspapers, work as writers and journalists, and even publish novels.

—by LEE WILSON

966 W. Paces Ferry Road NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327

www.paceacademy.org

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