parker summer magazine
parker magazine summer twenty eleven
calendar: coming up!
July 18
Summer Programs Session II Begins Faculty Professional Development Days Student Orientation
September 7
First Day of Classes
October 8 October 8-11 October 22
Faculty Professional Development Day Student Holiday Fall Break Homecoming
November 18
Lower School Grandparents’ Day
November 19
End of 1st Trimester
November 22-26
Thanksgiving Break
December 18January 2
July 2011
August 30September 3
Winter Break
Parents of alumni: if you are receiving multiple copies of Parker for children whose permanent address has changed, please contact the Alumni Office at (858) 874-3382, or at alumni@francisparker.org—we’ll be happy to update their address.
PLACING A PRIORITY ON EDUCATIONAL EQUITY
6501 Linda Vista Road San Diego, CA 92111 www.francisparker.org NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
2010-11 BY THE NUMBERS PROFILE: KAPANA SINGH RHODES ’90 ROBOTICS AND SCIENCE O THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE IN THE GENETIC AGE HAUTE HARLEY NIGHTS SUCCESS CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASSES OF 2011, 2015 AND 2018!
Centennial Q & A with Jim Zimmerman July 2011 Dear Parker Community, After 25+ years working in schools, I’ve yet to meet an educator who doesn’t say that their favorite thing about teaching is that “light-bulb moment,” the instant a teacher can tell by a student’s expression that they’ve “got” it, and they know they’ve got it. It’s as if a light bulb has come on right above their heads, just like in the cartoons. It’s a tangible way to see you’ve connected and imparted something worthwhile. It’s what allows students to progress to the next level with their newfound knowledge and skill. One of my favorite sayings (you’ll see it framed in my office) goes like this: One hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of car I drove what kind of house I lived in how much money I had in my bank account nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child. I expect one hundred years from now, Francis Parker School faculty will still be sharing their passion for teaching and learning, but will they still be using light bulbs? Maybe not, but I’m willing to bet that robotics will play an important role when we’re preparing to celebrate our second Centennial. For now, turn to pages 20-23 to see what our current students have been working on in the field of robotics, Science Olympiad and more.
With the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Francis Parker School fast approaching, the School has added Jim Zimmerman to the administrative team. In his new role as Head of Institutional Advancement, Jim will oversee planning for the centennial, direct all aspects of fundraising, and manage the overall institutional marketing, branding and communications.
This issue of Parker magazine has a particular focus on Parker alumni who have chosen the field of education for their professional careers (pages 8-13). Here’s wishing them and their students many light-bulb moments for years to come! Look for additional Alumni Class Notes on pages 47-49, and plan to join us for Homecoming Weekend, October 21-23, 2011. More details next page.
In a 30-year career in independent school development and administration on both coasts, Jim has helped to transform the way in which alumni and parents support their institutions. As director of development at the Cate School in Carpinteria, CA, Jim led the Campaign for the Nineties, which added significant facilities and endowment funds for the school. Since 1993, he has been director of development at Middlesex School in Concord, MA, where he oversaw the celebration of that school’s centennial in 2001 and directed a record-breaking campaign of $127 million.
Finally, I invite you to comment on your Parker educational experiences. Which teachers helped you see the light? Who inspired you or your children along the way? What was your light-bulb moment? You can email me at cmorrison@francisparker.org.
We sat down with Jim to find out what brought him west and how he sees the centennial plans progressing from here.
Of course, I can't let go of the centenary theme without directing your attention to page 53, where you can get to know Jim Zimmerman, our new Head for Institutional Advancement, and learn how important the upcoming Centennial will be to the life of our School. At our April Emerging Leaders Speaker Series event, esteemed guest panelists William Brody, Jay Flatley and Eric Topol discussed the Future of Medicine in a Genetic Age; it’s certainly not going to take one hundred years to effect enormous change in the field of medicine (pages 28-31). We celebrate our newly-minted Lancer alumni, the 120 members of the class of 2011 (pages 24-25), our 8th and 5th graders who were promoted on June 16 (pages 22-23) and their teachers (pages 32-36).
Have a great summer!
Cathy Morrison Director of Communications
WELCOME TO SAN DIEGO. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO PARKER? My first visit to Parker was to try to offer some advice on planning for the centennial, based in part on our very successful efforts at Middlesex. I was
W W W. F r A N C I S PA r k E r . O r G
immediately attracted to the beauty of the two campuses, the quality of the faculty and administration, the energy and commitment of the Head of School, and the unusual dedication of the board of trustees. When I was offered the opportunity to come on board and put in place the centennial plan that I had recommended, my family and I decided that this would be a terrific place for the next stage of our lives, for my career, and for the education of my son — serendipitously named Parker! Oh, and did I mention that Boston got 85 inches of snow last winter? WHY CELEBRATE A CENTENNIAL AT ALL? A hundred years is a pretty extraordinary achievement for an institution anywhere, but particularly so in southern California, where not many academic institutions can claim such a heritage. A centennial is an opportunity for a school to honor the past and the individuals who built and nurtured the school over those 100 years, to reflect on the very best parts of that past, and to recommit to an even stronger and more robust school in the future. It’s also an exciting opportunity to reconnect our alumni to the School and to build on those relationships moving forward. WHEN WILL WE CELEBRATE THE CENTENNIAL? The Johnsons first opened their school in December 1912 and so we see the 1912-13 academic year as the general timeframe for the overall celebration. We hope to incorporate building some enthusiasm for the centennial with Commencement in the spring of 2012. We will hold smaller events reflecting on our past over the course of the fall and winter of 2012 and 2013 and then plan for the primary celebration at the conclusion of the academic year in ‘13. WHAT ARE THE TENTATIVE PLANS FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION? We are just beginning to take a close look at what we might do, and have enlisted a
small group of parents, alumni and grandparents in the planning. As those plans become more concrete, we will reach out to larger groups of the Parker family for their help and involvement. But look for something big, and fun, and memorable in June 2013! HOW CAN SOMEONE GET INVOLVED? It won’t be long before we need an army of volunteers to help us plan for the centennial. Certainly we will rely on the Parents’ Association, the Alumni Association and the Grandparents’ Council as we do for so many events in support of the School, but we’d love to enlist the support of a whole new generation of the Parker family in the plans. If you’d like to get involved, contact me at jzimmerman@francisparker.org. ARE THERE PLANS TO RAISE FUNDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CENTENNIAL? With all of the attention focused on the School these next few years, we certainly hope to build on the enthusiasm generated and use the opportunity to enhance the culture of philanthropy at Parker. We have some modest physical plant needs on both the Lower and Upper School campuses, and a campaign will attempt to address some of those needs. But a campaign on the heels of the centennial will focus primarily on endowment for the future of Francis Parker School. Even by California standards, our endowment is very low, and limits our ability to provide financial aid to deserving students, provide for professional development for faculty, and keep faculty and staff salaries at appropriate levels. The School is rightfully proud of its efforts to keep its tuition lower than its peer schools, but with 90% of revenue coming from tuition, that creates a business model that is difficult to sustain. A centennial is the perfect time for alumni and families to create endowed funds that honor their relationships with Parker and ensure that Francis Parker School is uniquely well-positioned for its second century.
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Some Things are Classic We’re celebrating the Ones and Sixes coming this year, so we hope to
you’re
Homecoming! C Date:
Save
2011 Homecoming and Reunion Weekend Friday, October 21 – Saturday, October 22 – Sunday, October 23 Celebrating reunion years 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006
Homecoming Day Saturday, October 22 Alumni Lunch 11:00am Booths and Games Open 11:30am Lower School Parade 12:30pm Football v. Bishop’s, kickoff 1:00pm
Want to help organize or host your class reunion? Call the Alumni Office at 858-569-7900, or contact your class reps, listed on p.45 www.francisparker.org
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Commencement Notes KEVIN YALEY, HEAD OF SCHOOL Editor’s Note: we are reprinting Head of School Kevin Yaley’s remarks from Commencement on June 4, 2011.
“families and friends, members of the Board of Trustees, esteemed faculty, and, most of all, students of the francis parker school graduating class of 2011 – it is my pleasure and honor to welcome you to our commencement celebration. as Head of school, i would like to take this opportunity to do two things. first, i want to thank the members of the class of 2011 for your many contributions to the life of francis parker school. in ways both big and small, you have left an indelible mark on our school through your achievements, your spirit and your many talents and gifts. we thank you, we celebrate you, we honor you, and, undoubtedly, we shall miss you. The second thing i would like to do is share some practical advice. although, it is my own advice. no doubt, your life of late has been chockfull of advice from parents, teachers, friends and others. However, unlike all of the good counsel and guidance you have received, my advice to you shall mention little about college or coursework, and even less about prospective careers. instead, i wish to share with you a few timeless bits of wisdom that i hope you might consider. so here is my advice to you: Whenever asked to speak formally, be sincere, be brief, and be seated. Learn to keep confidences; don’t ever be afraid to ask for help; trust your own voice; and go easy on yourself— for some days you may be the only person who does.
Be a grateful and humble dinner guest and offer to do the dishes. Do not stand up until after the captain has turned off the ‘fasten seat belt’ sign. And always, measure twice, and cut once. Take compliments graciously, and give compliments freely; be quick to appreciate and slow to blame. When you win, you are most likely never as good as everyone tells you, and when you lose, you are certainly never as bad as they say you are. So say little in victory and say nothing in defeat. Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple; and sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason. Don’t do anything just to get even, and don’t ever hit “send” when you are mad or out of sorts. Do not get a credit card until you earn your second paycheck; and always be kind and respectful to your elders; with a little luck one day you may be just as extraordinary as them. Finally, in the words of one legendary author, ‘You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You are now on your own. And you are the one who will decide where you go.’ congratulations, be well and stay in touch. You will always be welcome at parker.”
“IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE OUR GRADUATES WITH A SIMPLE REQUEST. IT IS A REQUEST THAT WAS ASKED OF EACH GRADUATING CLASS BY PARKER’S 9TH HEAD OF SCHOOL, DR. LEE PIERSON. “COME BACK AND SEE US OFTEN. YOUR TEACHERS AND ALL OF US HERE AT PARKER DO NOT CEASE CARING BECAUSE YOU ARE GRADUATING. QUITE THE CONTRARY. IN SUCCESS, DON’T BE MODEST IN SHARING YOUR JOYS WITH US. IN DISAPPOINTMENT OR NEED, DON’T BE EMBARRASSED TO SHARE YOUR PROBLEMS WITH US. ALL OF US WILL STILL BE HERE OR NEARBY OR IN SOME WAY ACCESSIBLE – AND WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR ADVOCATES, SUPPORTERS, AND FRIENDS.”
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New Commencement Tradition with the class of 2011, we began what we expect will become a new tradition at francis parker school. while it’s already a tradition that the faculty leads the recessional through the center aisle, exiting under the arch, this year the two rows of faculty physically lined either side of the entire walkway from the arch to the Lawrence middle school commons. as the graduates recessed, they continued under the arch and through the rows of faculty out onto the middle school courtyard. it gave the faculty one last look at their now former students and an opportunity to applaud and congratulate them all as they passed through.
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Contents 02 Light Bulb moments 03 are You coming to Homecoming? 04 kevin Yaley’s advice to the class of 2011 And the beginning a new tradition 08 placing a priority on 04 Advice to the graduates educational equity Read one alumna’s journey from Parker, to college, to Teach for America, and now KIPP.
08 KIPP and one alumna
12 alumni in education Many of our alumni are educators; meet three of them here.
14 12,700 hours. No joke.
18 we Have Built a real program out of nothing The four year-old Parker robotics team started with scavenged parts for their first robot, now they’re sponsored by the likes of Qualcomm and BAE Systems, and they’re taking local and regional competitions by storm. 21 Team science Parker Middle and Upper School teams have been a part of Science Olympiad since the 1990s. This year was their best finish ever.
18 Lords of the robots
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23 8th Grade Promotion
22 5th grade promotion Highlights — class of 2018 23 8th grade promotion Highlights — class of 2015 24 class of 2011 commencement Highlights
14 parker by the numbers How many meals do you think Café Parker served this year? 16 alumni profile This alumna is now a current Parker parent. Learn why she’s inspired to give back to Parker.
22 5th Grade Promotion
26 The future of medicine in a genetic age Renowned San Diego scientists Dr. William Brody, 25 The future of medicine Jay Flatley and Dr. Eric Topol shared the stage in J. Crivello Hall in April to discuss the rapid changes taking place in the field of medical science and how interested students should prepare for the future. 30 Haute Harley nights The Parker community rallied for a cause in May; the Parents’ Association annual spring Gala was great fun and a great success! 30 Biker chicks and dudes 32 faculty news and notes Find out who’s celebrating a milestone at Parker this year, who’s retiring, who’s receiving a warm welcome, and who’s got more to celebrate.
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Editor: cathy morrison, Director of communications Photo Credits: Boyd anderson photography pp. 2, 32, 33, 35 christi cole ’86 p. 21 Lorenzo gunn Back cover, pp. 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 35, 42 rose Hanscom p. 21 Jon Lauer p. 15 cathy morrison front cover, pp. 15, 36, 44 David ness p. 15 mary ong-Dean p. 41 Tom paluch p. 38 parker archives p. 3 royce rumsey pp. 30, 31 nancy & natasha schibanoff pp. 8 - 11 kristina starkey pp. 30, 31, 43, 46, 51 John stickney pp. 15, 51 studio m La Jolla pp. 38, 39 Village studio photography p. 33 David wahlstrom pp. 14, 15, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 38, 45 Design: Heidi spurgin » getpuredesign.com Printer: st. croix press Accreditation
24 Commencement highlights 37 2010-2011 student accolades and accomplishments What a year these Lancers have had! 41 national History Day Lancers return home from Maryland with national accolades 42 2011 Lippitt award It’s Parker’s highest honor given to adult in the school community. Learn about this year’s recipients, and a recent visit with the namesake’s family on campus. 43 a personal Visit with the Lippitt family Representing the classes of 1929 and 1938, Ruth and John share fond memories and make new acquaintances 44 Mentors with impact
44 The alumni council and Their parker mentors Which Parker faculty had a deep impact on you as a student?
francis parker school is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Trustees. it is registered with the california state Department of education, and is accredited by the california association of independent schools (cais) and the western association of schools and colleges (wasc). parker is a member of the national association of independent schools (nais), the college Board, the educational records Bureau, the educational Testing service, and the school and student service for financial aid. Memberships and Affiliations american secondary schools for international students and Teachers, inc., association for supervision and curriculum Development, california association of independent schools, california association of student councils, california scholarship federation, college entrance examination Board, cum Laude society, council for the advancement and support of education, council for spiritual and ethical education, national association of independent schools, national association of student councils, national forensic League, national Honor society, western association of schools and colleges, western association of college admission counseling. Mission Statement
45 alumni spring events re-cap Networking, Care Packages, an Ice Cream Social, and a Senior Lunch
at francis parker school, our mission is to provide a superior college-preparatory education in a diverse, familyoriented environment that meets the academic, social, creative, emotional, and physical needs of the individual student.
47 alumni news & notes
Vision Statement
50 grandparents’ council news 52 an awesome Year at parker! 53 centennial Q&a with Jim zimmerman Learn the who, why and when about the upcoming 100th birthday of Francis Parker School San Diego.
www.francisparker.org
francis parker school is committed to graduating students who embody those qualities essential for academic success and personal fulfillment—intellectual curiosity, creative thinking, passion for learning, ethical responsibility, selfreliance, community engagement, and global competence— by offering a balanced, challenging, and integrated k – 12 educational program in academics, athletics and the arts, all in a vibrant and diverse school community. Non-Discrimination Statement francis parker school values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from different backgrounds. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, creed or national origin in the administration of its admission, tuition assistance, employment determination, or its other procedures or programs.
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this
GRAD makes a DIFFERENCE
Natasha Schibanoff '01 receives a hug from one of her students
Natasha (in red at left) and her KIPP Philly 6 Many Parker alumni and alumni parents fon
Placing a Priority on Educational Equity CATHY MORRISON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS You must be the change you wish to see in the world. — maHaTma ganDHi
Education is a pretty hot topic locally, regionally, nationally. Much concern, discussion, punditry, analysis, debate, politicizing… but what’s really at stake? One Parker alumna is letting her actions speak louder than words.
Natasha Schibanoff ’01 is the founding Dean of student support services at kipp Harmony academy in Baltimore, mD.
You could say it started with a part-time job she had as an undergraduate at southern methodist university in Dallas, TX. working as an after-school aide in a low-income Dallas neighborhood, she recalls, “i became increasingly aware of the injustice in our country surrounding education… i was outraged that my students were socially and academically so far behind their peers in higher income neighborhoods.”
for natasha, the discrepancy between her own educational experience and those of the children in Dallas was stark. “when
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i graduated from parker, i was invested in my development and performance as a student, i was prepared academically for college, and had gained the confidence in my skills through years of individual attention and support.” she first heard of the Teach for america program from fellow parker alumnus Ben Coughlan ’01 during a conversation in which she shared her “frustrations about educational inequity.” she continues, “He assured me that i would be a competitive candidate and that this would be an incredible career path for me.” Teach for america was founded in 1990 by wendy kopp, based upon an idea set forth in her graduate thesis for princeton university. it was modeled after the peace corps, but with a focus on education in the united states. as natasha describes it, “The program provides a platform for new teachers to reach rural and urban students who might not have access to an excellent education.” in 1990, Teach for america opened in five sites around the country, with 500 corps members. when natasha applied as a soon-to-be college graduate in 2005, she was one of a record 17,000 applicants; in fact, Tfa became the #1 employer on some college campuses that year. 15 years after its founding, the program had grown from the five original placement sites to 22, with 3,500 corps members. Today the program is running in 39
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In this journey I reached a new level of appreciation for the gift of education provided by my parents and Francis Parker School.
6th graders pose in front of a classroom mural painted by her mom, Nancy Schibanoff. ndly remember the spectacular decor Nancy designed for many a Homecoming Dance.
underserved urban and rural regions across the u.s., employing more than 4,500 young teachers.
students and families, 85% of kipp students have gone to college, compared to the national average of 32%.”
natasha said, “Through the interview process i elected to teach special education and was placed in philadelphia. i taught a self-contained class of 20 students with emotional, social, and academic disabilities at roberto clemente middle school in northwest philadelphia for two years.
while at kipp philadelphia charter, schibanoff served as a 6th grade reading Teacher, saturday school coordinator, and grade Level chair. she said, “my favorite memory of kipp philly was leading our 6th graders on a camping trip to the grand canyon. The students were able to hike and camp for the first time and learn the true importance of kipp’s two rules, ‘work Hard. Be nice.’ “
Through this placement i learned about the importance of humility and perseverance. This was the most challenging year of my life. The behavior of the students, the failures of the school, and the lack of support made my job physically and emotionally taxing. By being humble and asking for help from Tfa and the social worker at my school, i was able to make it through the year with success. i did not miss one day of school, i visited my students in their homes and ensured that each one of my sixth graders were able to read by the end of the year.” with her two-year Tfa stint complete in 2007, natasha joined kipp philadelphia charter school as a sixth grade special educator. kipp stands for knowledge is power program, and is a national network of charter schools founded in 1994 by two Teach for america alumni. natasha explains, “kipp currently has 99 schools across 20 states, serving over 27,000 students. it’s based on the principle that all children can learn and have the option of college no matter their race, socio-economic status, or zip code. we are an open-enrollment, college-preparatory public school. across the nation, kipp students attend school about 60% longer than the average student. we have a longer school day, an extended school year, and at least two hours of homework per night. with this dedication from the staff,
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in 2010 came the opportunity to move to Baltimore to found a brand new kipp school, kipp Harmony academy, and establish a special education program. Here, she says, “we currently serve 250 students in grades k and 1 and we will expand to serve k-4. 89% of our families come from low-income homes. i jumped at the opportunity to join Harmony’s founding team. i wanted to be able to develop an inclusive environment for students with special needs, as well as supporting students from a young age to set them up for success in the future. Day-to-day i am responsible for identifying students with special needs through observations and assessment, managing the legal paperwork, coordinating services, observing and developing our staff, designing ‘intervention’ programs for students who are not meeting our expectations academically or behaviorally, and teaching families how to advocate for their children.” when asked which of her parker teachers has had the most influence on her teaching style, natasha replied, “ Mrs. Ruff, my third grade teacher. she was the perfect balance of firm and nurturing. she pushed me to do my best and had very high expectations for me. she showed me that you can achieve what
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you put your mind to. i strive for this balance daily with my students. i want to push them toward reaching their potential and instill confidence, while providing a safe space for learning.” in describing how another memorable time from her parker student days applies to her experience as a teacher, she said, “my freshman year was one of incredible vulnerability and insecurity for me. Ms. Bright, my english teacher, and i developed a close relationship. Through talking with her i learned that it is okay to take the ‘road less traveled.’ i opened myself up to the possibility that i could choose my future. i have worked to spread this message to my students. while working at roberto clemente i spent a lot of time with kelvin. That fall he was placed from foster care back into his mother’s custody. a few months later she passed away. kelvin and i bonded and spent time together after school. i was able to counsel him through this difficult time in his life and help him see the light at the end of the tunnel. He learned to read that year and gained confidence in his abilities. kelvin and i still keep in touch. He is a tenth grader now and no longer requires special education services. He has a job and is keeping college in his sights.” The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life. —pLaTo
schibanoff is clearly devoted to her students; what does she want most for them? “students in the schools where i work have so many barriers standing in their way of college. i want my students to have choices. i want them to be well-rounded, intelligent adults who have the choice to go to college and where,
to have the choice of what major and their choice of career. i want them to have exposure to all aspects of art, music, language, history, science and sports, so that they are able to contend with students who have fewer barriers than they do. i want my school to grow to capacity and continue to be a place of high expectations and a rigorous curriculum. i look forward to the progress we will make each year and the 600+ students to whom we will provide an excellent education.” and what does she see as the biggest challenge in education? “excellent educators. The school system has so many systemic problems and the children suffer because of this. Teachers have the ability to impact the student directly while striving toward systemic change. The country does not have enough dedicated teachers who will do whatever it takes for all of their children to get to college.” natasha’s own path from parker to college and beyond is an experience she treasures. she explains, “as a parker ‘Lifer,’ i was a part of a family. Through this family environment i learned how i learn best as a student and what i need to be successful in my development. i learned the importance of speaking up and the power of remaining silent. The tight network at parker supported me as i became a leader. i am incredibly thankful for the teachers who embraced the students as their own families. i feel that the most powerful and rewarding time spent with teachers was at football games, discussions after school, and at lunch.” and if she could give one piece of advice to current parker students? “open your eyes to the world, expand your sphere of influence and make a positive impact on our society.”
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TFA AND KIPP? CHECK OUT TEACHFORAMERICA.ORG AND KIPP.ORG
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Through this placement I learned about the importance of humility and perseverance. It was the most challenging year of my life.
TOP: Natasha in the classroom at KIPP
BOTTOM LEFT: Nancy Schibanoff volunteers in a KIPP classroom
BOTTOM RIGHT: Natasha distributes new shirts to KIPP students www.francisparker.org
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Parker Alumni in Education command of the “big picture,” Richard Klausner’s passion for literature and people, Chuck Pooch’s high standards, Carol Obermeier’s creativity, Tom Crowley’s honesty, and Sally and David Ramert’s distinctive point of view. These folks set the standard for me. aside from my parents and brothers, there are few individuals who have influenced me as greatly as these teachers have. one day i hope to grow up and be like them. The faculty at parker was — and i am sure still is — a remarkable group of dedicated educators, deeply concerned about the well-being of each of their students. as a teacher, what higher standard than that can you have?
L-R: Catherine, David (9 months), Giles (2 yrs), and Michael Beamer Mike Beamer ’95
i am currently the Dean of students at cate school in carpinteria, ca, where i have been for six years. after i left parker, i went to Duke university (B.s. in Biology) for four years, served in the navy for six, and then came to cate. During my last two years in the navy, i was stationed at Boston university, helping run their nroTc unit. i earned my m.ed. in science education at Bu during my time there. Here at cate (a boarding school with 265 students), i wear many hats. in addition to my dean work, i teach math (algebra ii), run a dorm for new boarding girls, advise six terrific young people, and help coach the varsity baseball team. The work is immensely satisfying and all-consuming. Boarding school life is a seven-day-a-week, 24-hour-a-day job (not unlike my stint on board a destroyer out of san Diego). The students at cate are bright, interesting, capable, and driven — very much like my peer group at parker. we are blessed to get to spend as much time with them as we do. for the past six years i have been lucky enough to be colleagues with my wife, catherine, who also teaches in the math department. i realized that i wanted to teach during a summer job i had at parker a year or two after i graduated. i was working with the buildings and grounds crew, doing odd jobs all around campus. classes were still in session when i started, and for a stretch of time i was charged with sanding the benches in the old quad. while i was working away, i had the pleasure of listening to many of my former teachers lecture in the classrooms all around me. i remember sitting there thinking to myself, “That is exactly what i want to do one day.” The connection they had with their students was evident (even from 20 yards away and over the sound of an electric sander) and their impression on me was lasting. as i head into my classroom these days, i carry bits and pieces of many parker faculty members with me: Chris Harrington’s generosity and friendship, Rose Hanscom’s clarity and grace, Lee Pierson’s
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Bob Ogle on teaching English Bob Ogle ’89
That’s Dr. Bob Ogle these days. He earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University, completing his doctoral dissertation on global education in independent schools. As of July 1, 2011, Bob is the Co-Head of School at Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad, CA, where he has been a collaborative partner with Dr. Eileen Mullady since before the school’s inception in 2007. He’s been involved in designing and building program, curriculum and the campus at Pacific Ridge. Bob writes, “i am a teacher of english because of former parker teachers Andrew Hagedorn and Richard Klausner. although english was always most difficult for me, i loved the discussions and reflections that came out of reading and writing about great literature. i started college as a math major, decided that differential equations were not interesting enough to me, and found myself drawn back to my memories of high school english classrooms. However, i could never bellow like mr. Hagedorn or guffaw like mr. klausner, so i can’t say what of my teaching style came from them. i did, however, share a classroom (as a teacher) with Deb Bright for four years. i cherish our collaboration during
those four years as highly as any in my professional career, and my teaching definitely grew as a result of working with her.
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i am constantly in awe of the educational opportunities available to students now. Thanks to technology and an increased emphasis on collaboration and team building, students in 2011 are able to learn traditional academic content in contexts directly applicable to the lives they will lead after college. in 1989, i don’t remember that being the case.
today: twenty years old, living and working in Haiti. never did i think i would fall madly in love with a country not my own and find a home thousands of miles away. …Before this experience, i took for granted the fact that when i flipped the light switch, light always shone; when i turned the faucet i didn’t have to cross my fingers for water to flow. in Haiti, we face new obstacles and challenges every day. But i go to bed every night and wake up every morning grateful to be where i am, doing what i am doing. Haiti is home now and forever and the Haitian people are my people. i feel so fortunate to be so young and have already experienced all that i have and to have been able to learn that the world is so much bigger than [i] could ever imagine.” for more, follow andrea’s blog: http://andreainhaiti.wordpress.com/ James Kakos ’90
James is a social studies teacher and football coach at the nation’s largest independent school (and alma mater of president obama) located in Honolulu, Hi. Here he talks about parker and its influence on him becoming an educator: “The seed was planted while i was attending parker. During my senior year, two of my teachers, Carol Obermeier and Sally Ramert, encouraged me to think about a career in education. Andrea Nissley and her new-found home in Haiti Andrea Nissley ‘09
sometimes the path isn’t so straightforward. for andrea, joining her mom on a week-long trip last summer to assist with physical therapy for Haitans injured in the January 2010 earthquake became a 10-month labor of love. returning in september for a brief visit before beginning her sophomore year at santa clara university, “i decided that i needed to be in Haiti. for the first time in my life, i put the ‘safe route’ on hold and followed my heart. i called the university and took a leave of absence for the 2010-11 school year.” she spent the year volunteering with an organization called foundation for peace and “living with a Haitian pastor, his family, and two other american volunteers in croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, about twenty minutes outside of port-au-prince.” she teaches adult english classes to approximately 60 students and notes, “when the organization has short-term teams come down from the united states, we work on the construction of a permanent language school, vocational school, internet café, and clean water distribution center, as well as pass out aquatabs to remote communities affected by the cholera epidemic.” “i remember my senior year, sitting in Mr. Trotter’s Global Issues and Social Justice class and talking about the countless injustices and poverty occurring worldwide. it was my favorite class, not just because i was assured a good laugh from a great teacher, but because i was really forced to think about things… big things. i remember the decision i made to be more informed about what goes on in the world on a daily basis and thinking about how i would like to do something to get involved in a little way. That thought, however, seemed distant to me. it was something i would do after i had accomplished everything i had planned for my life. never did i think i would be where i am
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Rich Klausner’s enthusiasm and energy definitely influences my teaching style. as a student in his 10th grade english class, i always got the sense that he loved the material and his students. There was no question that he invested one hundred percent of himself into each and every class that he taught.
i always felt a great sense of community at parker. Beyond the classroom education, the students, faculty, coaches, administration, and staff were like family to one another. i also appreciated the teachers at parker always going the extra mile to make students feel valued. They really went out of their way to address the needs of each learner in the classroom. if i could give one piece of advice to current parker students, it would be to recognize that a parker education is truly a gift. remember to thank those who are making it possible.
James Kakos in class at the Punahou School
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282,624
Parker by the Numbers COMPILED BY DAVID WAHLSTROM, COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE
8,122
PHOTOS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THE PARKER SMUG MUG WEBPAGE (MOST OF WHICH WILL BE DELETED ON JULY 31, 2011 WHEN WE DO OUR ANNUAL CLEAN-UP OF THE SITE… SO DOWNLOAD THE PHOTOS YOU WANT NOW!)
LIVING PARKER ALUMNI
93,701
MEALS SERVED THIS YEAR BY FOOD SERVICES AT PARKER
1,727 RECIPIENTS OF THE PARKER NEWS & NOTES ON A WEEKLY BASIS
920
229
STUDENTS WHO PERFORMED IN J. CRIVELLO HALL DURING THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE 2011 PARKER ARTS NIGHT
COMPUTERS USED DAILY
BETWEEN THE MISSION HILLS AND LINDA VISTA CAMPUSES
120 255
GRADUATING SENIORS IN THE CLASS OF 2011
1,059
E-NEWSLETTERS SENT TO PARKER PARENTS SINCE SEPTEMBER 1, 2010 (THESE INCLUDE PARKER NEWS & NOTES, DIVISION NEWSLETTERS, EVENT NOTIFICATIONS, ETC.)
MEMBERS OF THE FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL ALUMNI GROUP PAGE ON FACEBOOK
20
AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT PARKER FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE SERVED IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION
14
505
AP EXAMS ADMINISTERED TO 214 UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN 22 SUBJECTS
11 HEADS OF SCHOOL AT PARKER BEFORE CURRENT LEADER KEVIN YALEY
43
YEARS OF SERVICE TO PARKER THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER TONY GHIRONI WILL CELEBRATE NEXT YEAR
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779 PARKER FUND DONORS (AS OF MAY 18, 2011)
13
NEW STUDENTS ADMITTED FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR
69
100
TEACHERS AT PARKER WHO HOLD ADVANCED DEGREES
PERCENT PARTICIPATION BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND BY THE LOWER SCHOOL FACULTY AND STAFF IN GIVING TO THE PARKER FUND
48
12,700
GUITARS HANGING ON THE WALL IN THE LINDA VISTA CAMPUS CLASSROOM OF MR. GONZALES
HOURS THAT PARKER STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE SAN DIEGO REGION ANNUALLY THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE
19 CLASSROOMS BETWEEN THE MISSION HILLS AND LINDA VISTA CAMPUSES…THAT’S ONE CLASSROOM FOR EVERY 10.9 STUDENTS.
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GRANDPARENTS WHO ATTENDED GRANDPARENTS’ DAYS THIS YEAR BETWEEN THE THREE DIVISIONS
CLASSES AND SPORTS CAMPS OFFERED BY THE 2011 PARKER SUMMER PROGRAM
97
VARSITY ATHLETIC TEAMS IN THE UPPER SCHOOL
YEARS REMAINING UNTIL THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION BEGINS (2012-13 SCHOOL YEAR)
PARKER LIFERS IN THE CLASS OF 2011
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BANNERS HANGING IN THE FIELD HOUSE (125 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS, 78 CIF SAN DIEGO SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS, 7 CIF STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS AND 7 CIF STATE ACADEMIC CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS)
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42
725
157
SPORTS OFFERED IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
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Alumni Profile KALPANA SINGH RHODES ’90
Kalpana Singh Rhodes ’90 attended parker from 6th to 12th grade. Her brother in law, George Rhodes ’04, brothers Samir ’96 and Sanjay ’15, sister Sapna ’15, three of her children, Kiran ’18, Ashwin ’20, Rohan ’23, and cousin Brandon Fernandez ’08 are also part of the parker family. There is possibly one more family member to come as kalpana’s daughter, Lila, is not yet school age. To say that kalpana is an important member of the parker community is an understatement. she remains a loyal Lancer as a parker parent, sibling, and active member of the alumni council.
we asked kalpana about her experiences at parker: WHAT SURPRISES YOU MOST ABOUT PARKER?
The consistency of education across the decades at parker. parker still has many of the same teachers today as taught me years ago. i’m also surprised by the number of alumni who bring their children back to parker for an education. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING OF APPLYING TO PARKER?
There are so many special classes at parker and the core curriculum is unmatched here in san Diego. TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE WHO HAD A GREAT INFLUENCE ON YOU AT PARKER?
carol obermeier (“ms. o”) helped me to find the meaning behind every sentence in a book. i have always loved to read, but she helped bring books to life for me. WHAT DOES A PARKER EDUCATION MEAN TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?
i believe my children are “co-raised” by where they attend school. The school is a team with my husband and me. i want my children to be whatever they want to be and parker affords them this with a variety of classes for whatever the children show an interest in pursuing. WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT PARKER?
i was raised in large part by parker. The parker community really serves as a family. as immigrants, the teachers really took care of me. mrs. Helms helped with applications and teachers would stop by my home to help me with my homework. WHAT IS THE GREATEST THING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AT PARKER?
The greatest thing i learned at parker was how to study and to write and especially, how to edit my own writing. for example, the idea that in writing “less is more.” The ramerts (retired english faculty David and sally) played a large role in helping me to build these skills. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT PARKER PHILANTHROPICALLY?
we support parker because we recognize the value and dedication of the francis parker school community. parker taught me how to think and how to dialogue. we give to parker more than any of the other institutions we have attended due to its great foundation for our children who attend parker. everything we have is due to parker.
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Kalpana Singh Rhodes '90
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Some of Kalpana's family members at 8th Grade Promotion: Front Row L-R: Ashwin Rhodes '20, Sanjay Singh '15, Sapna Singh '15, Rohan Rhodes '23, Kiran Rhodes '18 Back Row L-R: Kalpana, Samir Singh '96, Lila Rhodes, Brandon Fernandez '08
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We Have Built a Real Program out of Nothing GRANT LICHTMAN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Funny hats. Crazy spiked hair in purples and greens. Lots of fake light sabers, superheroes in drag and a group of students and parents from Tijuana dancing the Macarena to a throbbing disco beat poured over speakers that drown out the announcer calling for the next group of teams to leave the pit and drag their machines onto the competition floor. Noise and cheering, babies in their strollers, grandparents nervously gnawing their knuckles, watching the next generation’s next generation strut their stuff on the floor of a chaotic Sports Arena late on a Friday afternoon. And littering the performance floor of the Arena, where ice-skaters and basketball players and rock stars sometimes tread: an organized chaos of really complicated engineering and programming, metal, plastic, computer screens and chips, strobe lights and grinding gears. Did I mention the spiked hair and cheerleader-style yelling when something goes right, even if it is not for your own team?
w
elcome to the high intensity, high energy, and super-brain world of high school competitive robotics.
francis parker school has excelled at competition for years. we own as many or more championship flags in athletics as schools four times our size, and our science olympiad team just reached a high water mark of second place in san Diego county after growing under the guidance of Ms. Rose Hanscom for more than a decade (see p.21). But the robotics team is just four years old, two if you count the really serious attempts at competing in this high octane world, and on this friday afternoon the parker war (we are robot) Lords are sitting in first place the out of a total of 60 teams who have come to this regional competition from all over the country and across Lords the border. in five matches so far today parker has racked up the CONQUER points because their robot can grab, reach, and hang swimming floats on high bars faster, more nimbly, and more accurately than all of the other robots that are grinding gears, spinning wheels, and rumbling across the competition floor.
W.A.R.
The parker team is clothed in their distinctive black lab coats, and they are a hive of activity, a dozen or so students and their mentor swarm of teachers and parents who are really good at designing and building and operating stuff. in between matches the group retires to the garage floor, where they have set up a couch, a work bench, an impressive array of tools, spare parts and computers to tweak what did not work perfectly in the last run and get ready for the next match. integrated into the work space is a marketing display of what they have built, how it works, promotional brochures, and war Lords pins. Later in the year they will win an imagery award for effective integration of their message, logo, and design into all of their
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materials and equipment. The award emphasizes the point that later in their careers, marketing their machines will be as critical to success as making them work right. a huge part of robotics competitions is cooperating with other teams in order to score team points, and every student from every team spends part of the day trolling the working spaces for swag from other teams, making new friends, and figuring out who has the best robots and the best ideas. in robotics, winning teams choose losing teams to bring along with them to the playoffs, so teams don’t hide their great ideas; they broadcast and share them. Last year parker was one of those teams that did not do too well with their robot, but got picked to join others in the later stages of competition. They were light on mechanics so made sure that other teams recognized their communication and marketing skills. This year, with a robot that is faster, more nimble, and operating more smoothly than most of the others, it looks like the Lancer war Lords are going to be returning the favor. The parker robot is about three feet long by a foot and a half wide and is jam-packed with electronics gear beyond mortal comprehension. The lifter arm is made A HUGE PART OF of carbon fiber and was designed by the ROBOTICS students on a state-of-the-art autocad COMPETITIONS IS software system that is used in major COOPERATING WITH engineering design and manufacturing. OTHER TEAMS IN The wheel design was borrowed from a ORDER TO SCORE TEAM POINTS. swedish inventor and allows the robot to move in all directions, including sideways. and on the back end the big robot houses a mini-bot that, during the last 10 seconds of each competition, shoots out the back end, attaches to a pole, and rapidly climbs to the top to ring a bell for extra points. The complexity of all this is staggering, and the team would not be where it is without the support of corporate sponsors Qualcomm, Bae, nasa, and general Dynamics naasco, which provide seed funding for the team to buy the parts and pieces they need to build their
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TOP: Robotics FIRST competition floor in March BOTTOM LEFT: Students fine-tune their robot's performance BOTTOM RIGHT: A problem-solving discussion between students and mentors
machine. During the competition, the robot is placed in a pit with several others and the students back off to control it through a video-game console. when things work it is because the students programmed the robot correctly; when it fails, the students dive into their thousands of lines of code and fix it. The remarkable thing is that the war Lords designed, built, programmed, and operate this complex system largely by themselves. senior team leader Ayesha Bose, headed to miT to double-major in electrical and mechanical engineering, helped design and write the programming code. “i like the practical applications of writing code,” she says. “it was cool that what i was writing would actually make the robot work. i don’t get to do something like that in any of my other classes in high school.” similarly, the team members who built the robot, piece by piece, were able to learn and practice with materials that are normally reserved for high-tech materials and engineering companies. The team won a creativity award for design at the san Diego competition, and usc-bound senior Ian Wetherald says it was due to their use of materials and concepts that other teams did not dream up. “no one believed that we actually welded our own www.francisparker.org
aluminum body at school, or that we really designed and built with carbon fiber,” ian notes. “Those are just not things that high school students usually get to do,” even in the world of competitive robotics. one has to wonder, though, why students, particularly those as busy and pressured as some of the top fliers at parker, will add one more element to their over-worked schedule. robotics teams have just six weeks to design and build their robot, but the pre-season planning takes additional time, and in-season these students are spending weekends and long nights in the projects lab at school. in response, the students sound like varsity athletes, with the same passion and commitment to their team program. “WE ENCOUNTER NUMEROUS SMALL REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TO CREATIVELY SOLVE, AND WE DO THAT WORKING AS A TEAM.” IAN WETHERALD
“i joined when i was a freshman because i thought building robots would be cool,” says ian. “we were pretty disorganized that year. we set out to achieve a lot and failed on most of it, but 19
Students at work on the garage floor of the Robotics FIRST competition we learned a lot. my job that year was to dive into the construction dumpsters around parker and grab pieces of metal and junk and tools that we could use for our robot. we found hinges and steel and just used it. it was not pretty, but i found my passion. i really like to build things.” a huge part of the team’s success, according to the students, is the drive to make the team successful not just in one given year, but over time. This means recruiting younger students and deploying them into the team to learn, and ultimately, to lead. “This year i taught Alex Heifetz to program,” says ayesha. “He will be a leader on the team in the future. everyone has a part to play on our team. THE REMARKABLE THING IS THAT THE on larger teams, members get lost or WAR LORDS don’t get to participate. we teach each DESIGNED, BUILT, other how to operate new software or how PROGRAMMED, to machine a piece of the robot. on our AND OPERATE THIS team, even the freshmen have real roles COMPLEX SYSTEM to play and it makes us like a family.” LARGELY BY one key component without which the team would not have gotten out of the workshop is faculty coach and mentor Ryan Griggs. griggs teaches physics at parker and has been the champion of robotics in the upper school since he was hired four years ago. He spends those long nights and weekends alongside the students, and unlike athletic coaches, does not receive an additional stipend. He does it because he loves to work with the students at such a high level. “it is super addictive to get to work with these amazing kids,” says griggs. “They all have quirky or neat personalities that really blossom in this environment. The students are passionate about it; they have to be, because of the time commitment. But being with kids like that is what teaching is all about.” THEMSELVES.
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Teacher Ryan Griggs monitors team progress griggs will start teaching robotics as an upper school elective next year, and he will bring elements of the team approach into the classroom. The students think that there are important skills that can be transferred from the team program into the classroom. “This project teaches us how to be creative,” says ian. “we encounter numerous small real-world problems that we have to creatively solve, and we do that working as a team. a collaborative approach is really something that should be in all classes at parker,” he adds. ayesha notes that the war Lords all signed up for griggs’ interim session class on robotics in february so they could get extra full days of work together in the critical pre-season. This is just another way that the science program at parker is evolving to allow students to follow their individual passions. and the final results for the season? following their recordbreaking showing in san Diego, the team went to a multi-day regional event in Las Vegas in april. They had worked out a few kinks in the programming and movement department, and the main robot performed better than ever. However, in the later stages of the competition they had problems deploying the minibot, and ended up taking ninth place overall. But even with the problems with the mini-bot, the war Lords were highly soughtafter as a partner for other teams who had made it to the finals. some teams would be disappointed, but this group embraces failure along with success like the rocket scientists they are or will soon become. “four years ago we had one tool box with a couple of screw drivers and pliers,” says ayesha, with the confidence of a young woman who runs her own lab and knows where it is going. “now we have a full lab with machine tools and parts in inventory. we buy a new machine or two each year. now we know what we are doing. we have built a real program out of nothing.”
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Middle Schoolers and Miss Cole ’86 celebrate a strong performance at the February regional competition.
Team Science science olympiad has been around for 27 years; francis parker middle school students have participated since 1993 and upper school students since 1997 under the guidance of Miss Christi Cole ’86 and Ms. Rose Hanscom respectively.
solving situations that simulate the kind of teamwork that will be required of them one day in adult careers. The hope is that they’ll consider a variety of scientific career opportunities through this experiential learning and mentorship.
we are consistently one of the (sometimes the) smallest schools to compete in the san Diego region annually. in february 2011, the upper school team finished in 2nd place out of 26 teams in the region, our best finish ever. The team went on to the state competition in santa ana in april, coming in 14th out of 65 teams from 26 schools throughout the state of california. The middle school regional was held on february 5; our parker team placed 9th out of 27 teams from around san Diego county.
although they offer programs for elementary grades, the regional and state competitions begin in earnest in grades 6-12. in fact, according to the national science olympiad website (http://soinc.org/) “science olympiad functions much like a football or soccer team, requiring preparation, commitment, coaching and practice throughout the year. each school-based team is allowed to bring 15 students who cross-train for a variety of events in their skill set, but some school clubs and boast more than 75 members, allowing for a rich apprentice and mentoring system for all involved.” (The link for the san Diego chapter of science olympiad is http://www.sandiegoso.org/)
a nation-wide organization whose motto is “Bringing science to Life,” science olympiad began as a humble grass-roots group in a few midwestern and eastern states. Dedicated to science education, it now provides “rigorous, standards-based challenges to nearly 6,200 teams in 50 states.” one of the goals is to expose students to problem-
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To use another athletic metaphor, the regional/state/national competitions are “like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division (Division B is middle school;
Upper School team members Josh Yeh ‘11 and Neil Kumar ’12 with the instrument they designed and built with teammate David Larson ’13 for the Sounds of Music part of the State competition in Santa Ana, CA in April. Division c is high school).” more from the science olympiad website: Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. By combining events from all disciplines, Science Olympiad encourages a wide cross-section of students to get involved. Emphasis is placed on active, hands-on group participation. Other Academic Competitions
parker middle and upper school students participate in a broad range of competitions at the local, regional and nation level each year: •
mathletes
•
math field Day
•
national History Day (see p.41)
•
smarT science (students modeling a research Topic)
•
ocean science Bowl
•
spelling Bee
•
national geographic geo Bee
…to name only a few!
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5th Grade Promotion THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011 · 3:00PM LOWER SCHOOL COURTYARD, MISSION HILLS CAMPUS
“THE CLASS OF 2018 LEFT ITS MARK ON THE LOWER SCHOOL THROUGH A STELLAR RECORD OF STUDENT LEADERSHIP INCLUDING INVOLVEMENT IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT, ADMISSIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY; A STERLING LEGACY OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT; AND A WONDERFUL SENSE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. IN FACT, IN CONSIDERING STUDENTS FOR RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE IN MEETING LOWER SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS EMBODIED IN OUR CODE OF ETHICS, STRIVE, THEY SELECTED THE SAME THREE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED BY OUR FACULTY AND STAFF. INDEED, WE ALL SENSE THAT THIS VERY SPECIAL CLASS WILL MAKE EVERYONE PROUD AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THEIR PARKER CAREER.” BOB GILLINGHAM, HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL To see/saVe/purcHase more canDiD pHoTos from 5TH graDe promoTion, go To: HTTp://francisparker.smugmug.com/parker-eVenTs/cLass-of-2018-promoTion
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8th Grade Promotion THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011 · 10:00AM HILLGREN COURT, LINDA VISTA CAMPUS “THE 2011 8TH GRADE PROMOTION CELEBRATED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF A WONDERFUL CLASS OF TALENTED STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXCELLED AS STUDENTS, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS AND ATHLETES. OVER 500 FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS JOINED US IN THE FIELD HOUSE FOR INSPIRING WORDS AND MOVING MUSICAL PERFORMANCES FROM MEMBERS OF THE CLASS, AND FOR THE AWARDING OF CERTIFICATES SIGNIFYING THE COMPLETION OF A SUCCESSFUL MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER. WE CONGRATULATE THE CLASS OF 2015 AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING GREAT THINGS AS THEY CONTINUE INTO THE UPPER SCHOOL.” PAT MCKENNA, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
To see/saVe/purcHase more canDiD pHoTos from 8TH graDe promoTion, go To: HTTp://francisparker.smugmug.com/parker-eVenTs/cLass-of-2015-promoTion
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Commencement SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2011 路 4:00PM LANCER LAWN, LINDA VISTA CAMPUS
ABOVE: Salutatorian Tammy Pham 24
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“IT WAS A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF THE 120 GRADUATING SENIORS AND THE RECOGNITION OF THE SUPPORT AND LOVE THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED FROM THEIR FAMILIES OVER THE YEARS. THE SPEECHES WERE EMBLEMATIC OF THE CLOSELY KNIT BONDS THAT CHARACTERIZED THIS CLASS. NOT ONLY DID THEY RECALL MOMENTS FROM THE NOT SO DISTANT PAST, BUT THEY INSPIRED OUR GRADUATING LANCERS TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE DAYS AND YEARS TO COME. SOME NEW TRADITIONS WERE ESTABLISHED DURING THE CEREMONY, AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE SPIRIT OF JOY AND CELEBRATION WILL CONTINUE AS WE PROCESS TOWARD OUR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.” PAUL BARSKY, HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL LEFT COLUMN—TOP: Valedictorian Devan Diwanji; SECOND ROW, LEFT: Simone Leonard and Sam Weinstein introduce Commencement Speaker; SECOND ROW, RIGHT: Commencement Speaker Letty Robinson '78 with Mooshi the puppet and Griffin Barra; RIGHT COLUMN— MIDDLE: Class of 2011 Cum Laude inductees; BOTTOM LEFT: 2011 Board of Trustees; BOTTOM RIGHT: Parker Lifers, Class of 2011
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To reaD THe commencemenT speecHes for YourseLf, go To: HTTp://www.francisparker. org/page.cfm?p=421&newsiD=378&ncaT=4,9,3,8,7,10,13,2,6, To see/saVe/purcHase more canDiD pHoTos from commencemenT, go To: HTTp://francisparker.smugmug.com/ parker-eVenTs/cLass-of-2011-commencemenT 25
The Future of Medicine in a Genetic Age TIM KATZMAN, DIRECTOR OF SUMMER & EXTENDED PROGRAMS
Through the efforts of alumnus and current parent Jason Khoury ’93, and current parent David Wellis, three of San Diego’s leading scientists presented a panel discussion geared toward Parker students and parents. They described what’s happening now in their field, and encouraged these future scientists to look forward to exciting and meaningful careers.
Will the
M.D. become OBSOLETE?
o
n the evening of Tuesday, april 19, the second in this academic year’s emerging Leaders speakers series was presented to a packed-tocapacity audience seated and standing in J. crivello Hall. students, parents and many others had the opportunity to listen and then pose an array of questions to a distinguished panel, which included Dr. william Brody, president of the salk institute; Jay flatley, president and chief executive officer of illumina; and Dr. eric Topol, chief academic officer at scripps Health. (Note: The first Emerging Leaders presentation, held on November 30, 2010, featured three of San Diego’s most prominent, veteran political figures: Scott Peters, Chairman, Board of Port Commissioners, Ron Roberts, San Diego County Supervisor from the Fourth District and Juan Vargas, Senator from California’s 40th District. Peters, Roberts and Vargas provided some lively and animated commentary on the evening’s topic: “The Future of Civil Society and Civic Engagement.”)
The evening was kicked off by kevin Yaley, Head of school. in setting the tone for the speakers’ comments, mr. Yaley engaged the audience (students in particular) by noting that on his stroll to crivello Hall from the reception that preceded the event, he passed by the Latin expression inscribed at the entrance to the Viterbi science center that reads: Per aspera ad astra — Through hardships to the stars. The Head’s charge to the students in attendance was that with the foundation established by a parker education, opportunities will present themselves to do great things with their lives, both professionally and personally. each of the three panelists echoed this very sentiment either directly or indirectly in their remarks, urging parker students to reach high and to indeed, do great things with their lives.
Mr. Flatley (left), Dr. Brody (second from left) and Dr. Topol (far right) – each of whom is clearly part researcher, part entrepreneur and part visionary in the rapidly changing medical field – shared their thoughts on the convergence of technology and medicine currently and in the not-too-distant future with the overarching theme framed by “The Future of Medicine in the Genetic Age.” Panel moderator Dr. Cynthia Stuenkel (second from right) is a Parker alumni parent and Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSD.
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mr. Yaley then acknowledged the pivotal role parker parent Dr. David wellis played in coordinating the event, bringing the three distinguished experts to our campus. mr. Yaley proceeded to introduce Dr. cynthia stuenkel, a parker alumni parent and clinical professor of medicine at ucsD, who served as the panel moderator. (Dr. stuenkel has distinguished herself as an international lecturer at women’s health symposia on postmenopausal women and hormone therapy, cardiovascular disease prevention, osteoporosis prevention and treatment, and breast cancer prevention.) DR. WILLIAM BRODY: HIS FORMULA FOR SUCCESS…
The evening’s first speaker was Dr. Brody, who touched off his observations by noting his affection for Johns Hopkins university, of which he was president from 1996-2009 (and for its lacrosse program in particular). He shared his formula for success with the parker community, especially the students: preparation (which he equated with innate ability) coupled with opportunity (which he equated with hard work and good fortune). He admitted that the very recognition of opportunities and their often unintended outcomes, particularly in the fields of science and medicine frequently distinguish the successful from the less successful researcher, admitting freely that “experiments don’t always work in the way they were intended to work.” Brody encouraged students to think broadly and expansively and to embrace academic subjects outside their comfort zone.
“ ”
CONQUERING OBESITY?
Brody then turned his attention to the looming crisis of obesity in this country and its debilitating corollary disease, Type 2 Diabetes. The prevalence of obesity among americans indicates that if not controlled, americans can expect a shortened lifespan by 2050; further, 39% of children 2 years of age in 2011 will likely contract diabetes at some point in their lifetime. in raw numbers, that works out to 40-45 million americans. according to Brody, the “playground has been replaced by the playstation” for far too many of our young people. THE WISDOM OF MARK TWAIN
in assessing the matter of obesity and diabetes further, Brody noted that the main causes continue to be: 1) a lack of exercise; 2) poor diet; and significantly 3) a genetic predisposition. clearly the first two parts of this equation can be addressed and modified with some effort; the genetic component provides less wiggle room. as an aside, he drew from mark Twain, who wrote, “The only way to keep your health is eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like and do what you rather not.” Brody’s terse recommendation: we all need to control appetite and expend more energy on a regular basis. AN EXERCISE PILL?
at the same time, Brody noted that there is exciting research underway currently at the salk institute. researchers are asking the question: is it possible to replicate the effect of exercise with a pill? He shared that aicar, a synthetic amp
The playground has been replaced by the PlayStation for far too many of our young people.
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analog or “exercise pill” has shown promise when given to mice. While far too early to determine AICAR’s application and effectiveness if given to humans, such a pill would have important and beneficial implications for individuals confined to a wheelchair, or those dealing with heart disease, stroke, and cystic fibrosis, among other debilitating or chronic diseases. JAY FLATLEY: EVERY GENOME TELLS A STORY
Mr. Flatley used Illumina, a remarkably successful San Diego biotech incorporated in 1998, as a case study for discussing the key technologies that have come to shape the “Genomic Revolution.” Forbes Magazine recognized Illumina in 2007, 2008, and 2010 as one of its Fastest Growing Technology Companies. Illumina has now grown to 2,200 employees in seven countries and has issued 142 patents, with an additional 168 patents in the pipe line. In a relatively short period, the potential for revolutionizing the management of complex diseases through DNA sequencing and genotyping is becoming a reality. Flatley noted that Illumina has developed the most powerful DNA sequencing system in the world: the HiSeq 2000. This system provides unprecedented output in terms of the information and data it can generate, unmatched cost effectiveness and what Flatley termed a “breakthrough user experience.” He also provided a preview of Illumina’s MiSeq compact sequencing machine, scheduled to come on line in the third quarter of this year. Flatley was clearly excited about this newest diagnostic tool, one that will take sequencing technology to a more personal and affordable level. WHY GENETICS MATTER
Seeking to provide more of a backdrop for this emerging field of diagnostic medicine, Flatley sketched out some compelling information on the importance of grasping all that we can about genetics – the sooner the better. As so many diseases carry a “familial risk,” it is crucial that medical science moves quickly and intelligently to understand more than the 5% we know currently about hereditability factors. He acknowledged that environment plays an important role in our individual and collective well-being. Borrowing from Francis Collins, the American physician-geneticist, Flatley offered that while “genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger.”
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Learning how these two factors interface will provide important clues to comprehending the “disease mechanisms” that have proved themselves to be elusive at best. ON THE HORIZON
Flatley commented that within the next five years, a complete DNA profile for every newborn should be both technologically deliverable and affordable, and that within ten years of that significant milestone, it will be commonplace to map infants’ genes shortly after birth. In closing, he stated that the time when all of us can carry around on a personal hand-held device our DNA sequencing – not so very long ago stuff of science fiction – is far closer to becoming a reality than any of us might believe.
“ ”
In a relatively short period, the potential for revolutionizing the management of complex diseases through DNA sequencing and genotyping is becoming a reality.
DR. ERIC TOPOL: SCIENCE’S “ROCK STAR”
In addition to his prominent academic role at Scripps Health, working as a practicing cardiologist, and serving as Editor in Chief of theheart.org – only a few of his many distinctions and professional postings – it was noted during Dr. Topol’s introduction that in 2009, he was recognized by GQ and the Geoffrey Beane Foundation as one of the twelve “Rock Stars of Science.” A singular honor, to be sure. HOMO DISTRACTUS?
Dr. Topol opined that we have now reached a truly “transformative time in medicine,” defined in large measure by a “distracting wireless world” that has come to shape our very
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“DUE TO THE ADVENT AND ONSLAUGHT OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES – BLACKBERRIES, IPHONES, DROIDS, SMARTPHONES, IPADS, TABLETS AND THE LIKE – WHERE SO MANY OF US ARE CAUGHT WITH OUR HEAD DOWN AND NOT UP – THE HOMO SAPIEN HAS EVOLVED INTO HOMO DISTRACTUS.” existence. Due to the advent and onslaught of personal communication devices – Blackberries, iPhones, Droids, Smartphones, iPads, Tablets and the like – where so many of us are caught with our head down and not up – the homo sapien has evolved into homo distractus. (Dr. Topol inquired of those in attendance, “What was at zero in 2004 but had grown to 600 million by 2010?” The answer: the number of Facebook members. In fact, 1 out of every 11 people on earth are now on Facebook, according to the speaker.) NICOLAUS VOLKER: DNA SEQUENCING PROVES TO BE LIFE-SAVING
Encouraging treatment implications of DNA sequencing were written large by Dr. Topol when he shared the remarkable story of six-year old Nicholaus Volker. Since an infant, Nicolaus suffered from a painfully inflamed intestine – a condition that required hundreds of surgeries. The lad’s doctors and surgeons could not determine the cause of the chronic inflammation and feared that an early death may not be imminent, but it was certainly inevitable. With all known diagnostic protocols exhausted, doctors at the Medical College of Wisconsin elected to sequence the boy’s DNA. The sequencing discovered a DNA mutation which indicated a bone marrow transport of cells lifted from umbilical cord blood as the remedy. The procedure proved successful. For Nicholaus Volker, sequencing was the essential – and life-saving – diagnostic tool. COUPLING THE DIGITAL WORLD WITH THE GENOMIC WORLD
Clearly, the future of health care appears to be bright – both on the diagnostic and treatment sides, with the recent advent of genomics and sequencing. Yet what has produced even greater excitement and generated a number of singular advances is the concept of “wireless medicine.” (See Jay Flatley’s observations on the previous page.) Topol has been a vigorous advocate of bringing wireless medicine to the forefront. Back in 1999, he was the first physician to sit on CardioNet’s Medical Advisory Board, a company that pioneered real-time EKGs remotely. He also has worked with Sotera Wireless, a company that conceived and manufactured the first non-invasive blood pressure
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monitoring device. While Dr. Topol stated the stethoscope has been the “biggest icon” of traditional or “old” medicine, “new” medicine suggests that wireless applications are on the cusp of assuming center stage. Q&A
A spirited and lengthy question and answer period followed immediately on the heels of the three presenters’ remarks. Questions from students and adults ran the gamut from how to best address ethical issues, government oversight, insurance concerns, access to patient information and “genetic privacy,” gene replacement and significantly, the role that medical schools ought to play in the genomic revolution coupled with wireless medicine. On this latter matter, it was noted that with the everaccelerating pace of change in the medical field, much of what students are learning in medical school today will be obsolete in as short as five years. According to Dr. Topol, it has become increasingly problematic for medical schools to adapt their curriculum swiftly enough to stay abreast of the multitude of advances, particularly in the area of wireless applications. Dr. Brody weighed in on the matter of proper academic preparation. When asked by one student what courses a student should take to prepare for medical school and a subsequent career in medicine, he responded: “Simply learn to be a good learner.” Toward the end of the Q&A segment, the panelists were asked to field the following question: Will technology and wireless medicine make the physician obsolete? The consensus was that despite all the recent innovations and advances, doctors are apt to be around well into the future. (One could sense in the audience a quiet yet audible sigh of relief.) And then all those personal communication devices were switched back on as the now-informed audience made its way out of Crivello Hall, with much new information on which to reflect.
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Haute Harley Nights
HOG WILD over HARLEYS!
Haute Harley Nights, inspired by Gala Chair Liz Copley and her team of dedicated volunteers, was great fun and a great success! With hundreds of parents, grandparents, alumni, alumni parents and faculty in attendance, the evening’s proceeds netted the School $437,000. More details and donor lists will be published in the Annual Report this fall, but we didn’t want to miss this opportunity to thank the Parents’ Association and the 2011 Gala Committee for their hard work over the past year to bring this event “roaring to life.” The beneficiaries of this rally are two of Parker’s priorities: funds for Student Financial Aid and Faculty Professional Development. In fact, to learn more about one of the new faculty fellowship programs begun on campus this year, be sure to read page 52. 30
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Faculty News and Notes COMPILED BY CATHY MORRISON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FACULTY MILESTONES Each year, we honor those faculty and staff who have been with the School for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years (or more!) Here are the 2011 honorees: 35 years
Barry Cheskaty, 35 Bob Gillingham, 35
Holly Panton, 35
Manuel Villaseñor, 30
Barry Cheskaty, Chair, Middle & upper School Visual Arts Department Bob Gillingham, Head of Lower School Holly Panton, Senior Kindergarten Teacher 30 years
Manuel Villaseñor, Mechanic, Transportation Services Julie Feori, Junior Kindergarten Teacher Julie Feori, 30
Dan Kuiper, 30
Corinne Towers, 30
Michael Crone ’78, 30
Dan Kuiper, Athletic Director Corinne Towers, Middle School Math Teacher Michael Crone ’78, Lower School PE and Woodshop Teacher 25 years
Diane Bergel, upper School Administrative Assistant 20 years
Diane Bergel, 25
Chris Harrington, 20
Tom Crowley, 20
Cherie Redelings, 20
Chris Harrington, Chair, upper School English Department Tom Crowley, Chair, upper School Social Studies Department Cherie Redelings, upper School Social Studies Teacher Barbara Ritchie, Chair, Middle School Science Department Peggy Watson, Lower School Administrative Assistant Michael Gonzales, Middle and upper School Music Teacher Judie McDonald, Lower School Technology Teacher
Barbara Ritchie, 20
Peggy Watson, 20
Michael Gonzales, 20
Judie McDonald, 20
15 years
AJ Virgen, Parker IT Desktop Support Specialist Debbi Butler, Junior Kindergarten Teacher Rene Caracoza, upper School Spanish Teacher Jared D’Onofrio, upper School English Teacher Mary Ong-Dean, Middle School History Teacher
AJ Virgen, 15
Debbi Butler, 15
Rene Caracoza, 15
Mary Ong-Dean, 15
Laura Southworth, upper School Attendance Secretary 10 years
David Brittan, Lower School Band Teacher Ed Morrell, Bus Driver Michele Muzzy, 3rd Grade Teacher Ed Glunt, Food Service Director Laura Southworth, 15
David Brittan, 10
Ed Morrell, 10
Ed Glunt, 10
Paula Speicher, 10
Kevin Yaley, 10
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Michele Muzzy, 10
Paula Speicher, Purchasing/Facilities Manager Kevin Yaley, Head of School
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FACULTY TRANSITIONS As Middle School Head Pat McKenna noted recently, “One very consistent aspect in the life of a school is, somewhat ironically, that change is always happening. Our students grow and blossom, our curriculum evolves, and programs and activities renew. In the coming year, we will also say goodbye to some familiar faces, and welcome some new additions to our staff.” To those who are seeking new adventures, we say, “Bon Voyage! Please stay in touch!” And to the newcomers to our school community, we say, “Welcome! We’re glad you’re here!” LOWER SCHOOL Theresa Tran-Howard, this year’s associate teacher for the 5th grade, has been hired to teach fifth grade full time next year to fill the spot being vacated by new Lower School specialist Heather Gray. Dr Gillingham notes, “Theresa brings her decade of teaching experience and her wonderful knowledge and skills to a team that has greatly valued her many contributions this year.”
Tran-Howard
Stacey Faulk and her family are moving to New York. At press
time, we are in the process of finding her replacement. Jane Zeyak, currently a Senior Kindergarten Teaching Assistant for Kym Farkas, is our new Associate Teacher for 2nd grade. Zane Thompson, currently an Afterschool TA has been named Zeyak our new Afterschool Director. David Gillingham ’04, currently our Afterschool
Director, is taking on a new job at High Tech Middle School as the Director of Extended Studies.
Gillingham
Thompson
Senior Kindergarten TA Katie Frazzette earned her Master’s degree from university of San Diego and plans to pursue teaching opportunities on the East Coast.
Senior-kindergarten TA Brittany Clark is leaving to pursue new teaching opportunities next year.
Mrs. Barbara Ostos ’97, our Middle Dean of Students, accepted a position as Head of Middle School at Catlin Gabel School in Portland, OR. Mrs. Ostos moved north with her family in June. Mr. Dan Lang, our current 7th Grade Coordinator and English Ostos, ‘97 teacher, steps into the role this summer. We welcome Abby Smith to the Middle School faculty. Abby has been on staff Lang in the Parker Learning Center since 2006, and will be a member of the 7th grade team, a 7th grade Advisor, and teach Ngo 7th and 8th grade English in the fall. Mr. Binh Ngo becomes the 7th Grade Coordinator in addition to his science teaching duties. Smith Dr. Leah Garland, our Middle School Drama teacher, is moving to Los Angeles with her husband, where she plans to pursue television and film opportunities. Ms. Elise Marinkovich, from the Hillbrook School in Los Gatos, will take over our Drama program.
UPPER SCHOOL In addition to chairing the upper School Social Studies Department, Tom Crowley is now upper School Global and Educational Trips Director. Tom will oversee the creation and implementation of our international trips. He will ensure that each trip meets the vision of the overall program and that each trip complements the vision of the school’s curriculum. upper School Dean of Students Marc Thiebach has been named the Assistant Head of the upper School. Marc will work closely with Head of the upper School Paul Barsky on the day-today operations of the division while helping to formulate and execute the vision of the upper School. Particular attention will be paid to the student-life experience in the upper School.
Butler’s Junior Kindergarten classroom, will be substituting for Parker next year.
upper School math teacher
MIDDLE SCHOOL
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Thiebach
Along with their existing coaching and teaching duties, John Morrison will be the ASB Advisor in the fall, and Jill Duehr will serve as the ASB Activities Director.
Ashton Niemann, currently a TA in Debbi
Mrs. Cindy Garetson, our 6th Grade Niemann Coordinator and a member of our faculty for 16 years, retired in June. A lifelong educator, Mrs. Garetson is planning a move to Las Vegas with her husband. Mr. Chris McGrath from the Gulliver School in Coral Gables, FL will join the 6th grade team next year. Melanie Robak, 6th grade math teacher will take on the role of 6th Grade Coordinator in the fall.
Crowley
Morrison
Anna Khan is moving to New York with her family, and Karl Muller, upper School English
teacher, is moving back to Pennsylvania. Duehr
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INTRODUCING NEW PARKER FACULTY ADMINISTRATION
will be a Parker 9th grader next fall. More details about Jim and the Centennial planning process on page 53. TEACHING FACULTY
Tim Katzman, Director of Summer and Extended Programs
While he started his Parker career in winter 2009, we realized that we never formally introduced him to the Parker community! Now in his second year as Director of Summer and Extended Programs, we thought we’d give you a belated opportunity to get to know Tim Katzman somewhat better. Katzman “I am delighted to join the Parker family and at the same time, I welcome the opportunity to fortify the Summer and Extended Programs,” said Katzman. “Francis Parker School has always impressed me as a place defined by its balance, tolerance, energy and the emphasis it places on fostering a strong sense of community.” Katzman came to Parker following 14 years with the San Diego Padres as the Director of Corporate Communications, where he was in fact responsible for developing the club’s ground-breaking program of corporate and social responsibility both at home and abroad. He also created sustainable relationships with many local and national organizations including San Diego State university, the university of San Diego and the united States Agency for International Development. In addition to his work with the Padres, Tim has extensive experience in the field of independent education. Following graduation from Middlebury College, he worked for 14 years at The Hotchkiss School, a prominent boarding school located in Lakeville, CT. During his time at Hotchkiss, he taught American History, World History, South African History, and a course on the Cultural Impact of American Sport. He was also the founding director/coach of that school’s squash program and served as the Director of the Summer Athletic Program one summer. Katzman was also the founding Director of the American Independent Schools – South African Independent Schools Student Exchange Program, and served as a Summer Fellow at the Klingenstein Institute at Teachers College, Columbia university. He possesses a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the university of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Starting in July, Jim Zimmerman joins the Parker staff as the Head of Institutional Advancement. Since 1993, Jim has been the Head of Advancement at Middlesex School in Concord, MA. In 2001, when Middlesex celebrated its Centennial, Jim led a highly successful campaign, raising more than $127 Zimmerman million in support of that school’s endowment and strategic plan. Previously, Jim worked in the development office at the Cate School and at the Lawrenceville School. Jim began his career in development at his alma mater, Bucknell university, where he received a B.A. in Political Science. As we prepare for our own Centennial celebration in 2012-2013 and look to build our endowment in support of program, financial aid and professional development, Jim provides us with the experience and wisdom to lead our development team and help us meet our mission, ensuring the sustainability of our school. Jim will be joined by his wife, Celia, and their son, Parker, who
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Mrs. Amy Belknap (pronounced “Bell-nap”) has joined our Lower School faculty. Mrs. Belknap comes to us with the highest recommendations from her former principals and rave reviews from former students and parents. She has taught elementary and middle school classes Belknap with great success as manifested in her students' excellent achievement, engagement, and love of learning. Amy is a San Diego State graduate, having earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees as well as her Multiple Subject and Reading Specialist Credentials from that institution. Additionally, she is GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) certified and, on a personal note, she has completed 2 marathons (she'll fit right in at the Lower School!). Andrew Holbrook has been teaching at Campbell Hall in North Hollywood for the past six years. He earned a BA in History from Holbrook Harvard (2003). He was also an Annenberg Fellow at Eton College (2003-2004). Next year he will teach a combination of 9th and 10th grade at Parker. Nick Lewis comes to us from Ohio, where he has worked for the past six years at Western Reserve Academy. He earned a BA in English from Davidson Lewis College (2004) and a MA in English at Middlebury (2010). Next year he will teach a combination of 10th and 12th grade at Parker. Elise Marinkovich joins our Middle School and Theatre Arts faculty this fall; she has 18 years’ experience teaching and directing drama in both Marinkovich schools and community youth programs. Most recently, she was the Tech Mentor and Drama Teacher at Hillbrook School in Los Gatos, CA. She holds and MFA in Theatre from San Francisco State university and a BA in Theatre from Loyola Marymount university. Chris McGrath has taught 6th and 7th grade English, and comes to the Middle School faculty from the Gulliver School in Coral Gables, FL, McGrath and prior to that, Carolina Day School in Asheville, NC. Mr. McGrath holds a BA in English from Tufts university. He will teach 6th grade English here at Parker.
COACHING STAFF
Cuatok
Luis Cuatok joins the Parker Athletic Department as the Varsity Girls’ Volleyball Head Coach. He’s been coaching volleyball since 1991, at the club, high school and collegiate levels. In the past three years, he’s coached five teams to Junior Olympics, with two of those teams returning as silver and bronze medalists. He coached two different CIF Division II championship teams—Westview High School in
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2007 and university City High School in 2000. Coach Cuatok has his BA in Cognitive Psychology with a minor in math and visual arts from university of California San Diego. Jeremiah Pelaiz will be the Varsity Girls’ Head Basketball Coach for the 2011-12 season. He’s already been a part of the Parker athletic staff Pelaiz this year, serving as the Assistant Varsity Boys’ Basketball coach. In addition to ten years of AAu club coaching experience, Jeremiah was the boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball assistant coach at Monte Vista High School. Coach Pelaiz said, “I am looking forward to an exciting season, we have tons of young talent. I believe we will be sound and competitive; it will be an opportunity to have fun, develop and grow together.”
PARKER RETIREES Our fond farewells and sincere best wishes as they pursue the next new chapters in their lives. Cindy Garetson, 6th Grade Coordinator, 6th Grade English teacher
Cindy’s colleague and Middle School Science Department Chair Barbara Ritchie writes, “What do two creative teachers from Wyoming do when they tire of the snow and sub-zero temperatures? They move to San Diego and end up teaching Garetson sixth grade at Francis Parker School. That’s the story behind the Mrs. Garetson–Mrs. Ritchie teaching friendship. We’ve been teaching together for over 25 years! It is my privilege and pleasure to tell a little bit about Mrs. Garetson’s career. Cindy Garetson is retiring after sixteen years at Parker teaching 6th grade English. She is also the 6th Grade Coordinator. Cindy began her 36-year teaching career in Jackson, WY, just four miles from her family’s guest ranch. Thanksgiving at the ranch often included a governor or another well-known Washington politician. She taught in a two-room school before moving into the town of Jackson. In Jackson, she taught middle school English and history for 20 years. Not only did she rodeo, but she also taught the hunter safety course at the school. Cindy loves to travel; in college she traveled around the world as a student for one semester on Chapman College’s university of the Seven Seas. She has since traveled to over 30 countries. Cindy and her husband Charlie Sepich enjoy spending time at their ranch in Wyoming and scuba diving around the world. The 6th grade team will miss her, but wish her well in the next chapter of her life. SO, ‘Let’s go, let’s show, let’s rodeo, my friend!’” Maria Gomez, Café Parker Staff
Students, faculty, staff and alumni are going to miss her sweet nature and smiling face whenever they enter the cafeteria on the Linda Vista campus. Food Service Director Ed Glunt said, “It’s impossible to put in just a few sentences, but I will try. This is her 30th year. When I first came WWW.FRANCISPARKER.ORG
here, I knew right away Maria had a calm sense about her. It doesn’t matter if we’re serving 200 or 1200 people, in two different places with special events, short-handed, equipment down, etc., she is always the same; this made everyone around her a better person (very rare!). Her dedication and knowledge is unsurpassed and could never be replaced. It is a pleasure to be in her company every day.” Charlie Sepich, Bus Driver
Director of Transportation Debbie Burzynski said, “A former engineer with the Helix Water District, Mr. Sepich completed the rigorous 30-hour classroom and 20-hour behind-the-wheel requirements, astonished at the amount of training needed to obtain his school bus certificate. Employed at Francis Parker School since spring of 2003, Charlie endeared himself to the student Sepich riders of Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta and currently La Jolla. Gregarious and warm-hearted, Mr. Sepich is liked by all and will be greatly missed by his peers.” Charlie and his wife Cindy Garetson are retiring to Las Vegas. FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS & HONORS Sarabeth Berk was accepted into the EdD program in Teaching and Learning at uCSD and will start this summer. The degree is designed to be completed while teaching because it complements the work she does in the classroom. Sarabeth said, “I am pursuing this study to augment my teaching practice. An EdD in Berk Teaching and Learning will focus on curriculum and best practices in teaching and learning and includes an in-depth research assignment that will become my dissertation. Being at Parker keeps me active in the field of teaching, and the courses I take will be relevant to my daily work. I will incorporate my new knowledge into the classroom. My students and colleagues will benefit from the information and ideas I gain, and I look forward to becoming a stronger teacher with more meaningful content in my classroom.” Dan Lang, previously Middle School 7th Grade Coordinator and English teacher and now soon to be Middle School Dean of Students, completed his Master’s degree at university of San Diego this spring. A three-year program, he was granted the preliminary administrative credential last Lang summer on the way to completing the Master’s in Leadership. Dan notes, “The specialization within the degree is K12 Educational Leadership. It was three years of hard work, but I sure learned a great deal. I entered the program through ELDA, which stands for Educational Leadership Development Academy within the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES). Blair Spearn from the Lower School [5th grade teacher] is entering the program in the fall.” Cheryl Livesay, 1st grade Associate Teacher at the Lower School, completed her Master’s degree in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) at San Diego State university.
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FACULTY NEWS, CONTINUED
MULLIKEN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING Three upper School faculty were honored on June 3 at the Senior Recognition and Honors Assembly when they were named Mulliken Award winners. These awards are given “In recognition of upper School teachers and coaches who have distinguished themselves by a commitment to excellence and whose dedication to students and enthusiasm for teaching and learning uphold the highest professional standards.” Paul Esch, upper School math teacher Paul Roudebush, upper School math teacher
and Academic Dean
Paul Esch
Paul Roudebush
Marc Thiebach
Marc Thiebach, upper School Dean of Students
ED STRANGE AWARD Chosen by the upper School ASB (Associated Student Body), and given in honor of Coach Ed Strange, this award is given to a student, faculty or staff member of the upper School, who best exemplifies the kindness, endearing character and the general good-heartedness of former Social Studies faculty and football coach Mr. Ed Strange. This year’s recipient was Debbie Burzynski, Director of Transportation. Debbie said the award was particularly meaningful to her because she “knew and worked with Ed Strange.”
CAVALCADE YEARBOOK DEDICATION The 2011 upper School yearbook, themed “A Year in Lights,” was dedicated to upper School English teacher Mr. Phil Fickling. Phil was honored at the June 2 Yearbook Assembly. Part of the fun of this assembly is that the announcement is always a surprise. LITTLEST LANCER 7th grade English teacher Kristy (Gillingham) Keith ’02 and husband Seamus welcomed their first child, Liam Ryan Keith, on Friday, June 17, 2011. This is the first grandchild for Lower School Head Bob Gillingham, who said, “Liam Ryan Keith arrived at 7:22pm, weighing 7 lbs. 13 oz. and measuring 20” long. Mother (Kristy), father (Seamus) and baby are all doing well... and Liam’s grandparents are ecstatic.”
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2010-2011 Parker Student Accomplishments DAVID WAHLSTROM, COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE
The ‘10-‘11 school year had no shortage of accolades and standout performances by Parker students across all three divisions. A highlight of the academic year and the remarkable students that placed their mark on a memorable campaign.
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nd-grader Madelaine Giek ’21 won first place for all second grade entries in the Be Water Sm”ART” Essay contest sponsored by the San Diego County Water Authority. Over 450 students entered the contest and honors were handed out to the top-3 finishers in grades 2 through 5. 4th-grader Eleanor Hansen ’19 was the San Diego County History Day winner for 2-D projects sponsored by the San Diego Public Library. She won for her division based on “best use of resources.”
4th-grader Julia Bernicker ’19 was selected as one of the winners in the city-wide “Writing for Literacy” contest sponsored by KPBS One Book, One San Diego, The Friends of the San Diego Public Julia Bernicker ‘19 Library, and The San Diego Public Library. Her work was judged against roughly 1,200 entries. Julia was honored on May 5th at the Balboa Park Club. The 4th-grade Choral Team consisting of Julia Bernicker, Megan Clark, Sarah Hofmeister, Emma Stanton, Mallory Wright, and alternate Laney Gustafson,
won first place in the Music Memory County Finals at the Birch North Park Theater on May 18. The team prepared for the event throughout the school year, learning 16 classic pieces of music. The competition required each competitor to identify each piece, know the full title as well as the composer in a name-thattune/musical spelling bee-type format.
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12 Upper School photography students exhibited at the San Diego Museum of Art’s Young Art 2011: Making Multiples show The team won with its top score of 98. The Parker Lower School Chorus (4thand 5th-graders), under the direction of Darleen Herriman, was selected to perform for the annual KuSI Holiday Special. The chorus performed three songs on the widely viewed television program. 5th-grader Avi Anklesaria ’18 was named Safety Patrol Colonel of San Diego County. 7th-grader Isaac Gray ’16 finished 9th at the Avi Anklesaria ‘18 California State Geography Bee that was held on April 1, 2011 at the Consumnes River College in Sacramento. He earned
the opportunity by winning the school competition at Parker before taking the State qualifying test, which was submitted to the National Geographic Isaac Gray ‘16 Society. From there, the NGS invited only the top 100 scores from each state, as well as the District of Columbia, to compete at the state level. 7th-grader Snigdha Nandipati ’16 won the San Diego County Spelling Bee Championship in March, becoming eligible to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Snigdha Nandipati ’16 37
Maddie Thurman ’11, 2010-2011 CIF San Diego Section Girls’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year late May. She beat out 94 other 7th and 8th graders to win the competition, which took just over 4 ½ hours to complete. She finished off her victory by spelling the word “wastrel,” which means “something rejected or discarded as useless or imperfect.” Snigdha finished the National Spelling Bee T27. The Middle School Concert Band performed admirably at the Forum Music Festival in March. The 7th & 8th Grade Concert Band received a Silver rating, the second highest. Alex Kramer ’16 received the Outstanding Musicianship Award for his trumpet solo. The 7th & 8th Grade Wind Ensemble received a Gold (highest). Hannah Lettington ’15 and Michelle Reed ’15 received the Outstanding Musicianship Award for their flute duet. The 6th Grade Band received a Silver rating. Paul Thieman ’17 received the Outstanding Muscianship Award for playing the timpani. 9th-grader Preetam Soundararajan ’14 was designated as one of the most academically gifted students according to
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Michael Schreiner ’11, 2010-2011 CIF San Diego Section Boys’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year
the Johns Hopkins university Center for Talented Youth. Of the 20,000+ students in his age range to take the SAT or ACT, he was one of only 200 to earn such distinction. Nicole Simmons ’13 was second place
winner in the Walk for Water t-shirt design contest, while fellow sophomore Kay Toma ’13 earned fourth place in the same contest Junior Scott Carson ’12 earned a Third Place honor nationally in the National French Week Essay Contest on the topic of Les Antilles francaises: Histoire et cultures, which translates to The French Caribbean: History and Cultures. Fellow juniors Emily Bohl, Carolyn Hansen and Karina Vasavada all earned Certificat d’Honneur.
Junior Zach Gleicher ’12 had two pieces of work accepted to the National K-12 Ceramic Art Exhibit in Tampa, FL. Junior Guatam Soundararajan ’12 earned First Place at the San Diego Science Fair competition and was
accepted to present his project at the Junior Symposium. Additionally, Guatam earned a place as a regional finalist in the Brain Bee. Liza Gurtin ‘12 was honored in June with the 2011 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam award from the Hellen Diller Family Foundation, based in San Francisco. Gurtin is one Liza Gurtin ‘12 of only five national recipients to garner this accolade based upon the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, which means “repairing the world.”
According to the foundation’s website, the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards seek to recognize teens who are exceptional role models in their communities and beyond. Liza was singled out for her work in raising both awareness and funds for an initiative called Walk for Water—a 5K walk where participants carry buckets of water simulating the conditions that women and children around the globe
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endure daily. She restructured the San Diego Walk for Water event to include sponsorships that resulted in nearly $35,000. Her efforts have helped deliver clean water to more than 500 people in Nicaragua and 1,000 people in Tanzania, and taught villagers how to adopt improved sanitation and hygienic practices, greatly improving the health of each community. Each recipient is awarded $36,000 toward their college education or to further their work to make our world a better place. Liza chose to invest the funds in a Project Concern International and the united Nations Human Rights Fund joint effort to provide a clean water station in Afar, Ethiopia, where torrential rains have destroyed many, if not all, existing water sources. Also a recipient of the Presidential Community Service Award, she has led or participated in dozens of Parker community service projects, all of which are prelude to her current passion— bringing clean, safe water to thousands of impoverished families whose young daughters cannot attend school because they spend their days walking countless miles, for hours on end, to retrieve water needed for their survival. To view her interview on San Diego Living, go to: http://www.francisparker.org/page.cfm?p =421&newsid=387 Senior Ayesha Bose ’11 was one of two students nationally to be selected as the winners for a $7,000 Next Generation Scholarship from JETS/Power Engineering. This college Ayesha Bose ‘11 scholarship was established in 2006 by JETS and Power Engineering magazine to promote the power generation industry to young people and help them pursue an engineering major and industry-related career. Ayesha was additionally recognized for
being one of high school students from Southern California who recently collaborated with the Jisan Research Institute (JRI) to develop a revolutionary technology for desalination. Senior Devan Diwanji ’11 was awarded a Biocom Life Science Summer Internship
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and will be working in Dr. Ian Wilson’s Lab at The Scripps Research Institute doing HIV research. The LSSI High School Internship Program is an eight-week Devan Diwanji ‘11 program, which includes one week of non-paid pre-internship training (‘boot camp’), followed by a seven-week paid internship in a research lab. Senior Nicole Elledge ’11 won first place in the Old Globe Theatre Honors Auditions, an Nicole Elledge ‘11 annual citywide competition that took place at the San Diego Old Globe Theatre on May 7-9, 2011. Molly O’Meara ’13 also placed as a semi-finalist under the Spoken Theatre Category. Senior David Loer ’11 was awarded this year’s Pfenex Internship, where selected interns become members of program teams, working on a biotechnology product, David Loer ‘11 with an assigned mentor. Interns will attend both didactic sessions given by Pfenex team members on specific areas of biotechnology, from molecular biology to FDA processes in the development of human therapeutics, as well as laboratory meetings, where science and technology will be discussed, and participate in significant “hands-on” project related laboratory activities. Senior Michael Schreiner ’11 was named the 2010-2011 CIF San Diego Section Boys’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The announcement came from the CIFSDS office, which revealed that Schreiner will be presented his award, Michael Schreiner along with a $2,500 ‘11 scholarship check at an awards ceremony on June 3, 2011. Senior Laura Suttie ’11 entered an essay contest sponsored by Time Warner Cable. The subject was her mother. As a result of her essay being chosen as one of the best 50 in San Diego, her mother was named one of the 50 best in San Diego.
The two attended a luncheon where they both received awards and gifts. At the luncheon, Laura was also informed that the students with the best essays from Laura Suttie ‘11 elementary, middle and high school would win a Sony laptop. Turns out, she had the best essay in the high school age group and won the laptop, along with 250 dollars to her English teacher Mr. D’Onofrio. Senior Maddie Thurman ’11 was chosen as the 2011 Coastal Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, earning her a $2,000 scholarship from the CIF.
Maddie Thurman Students from Francis ‘11 Parker School were among the 100,000plus students from 50 states who participated in the 2011 Le Grand Concours, the annual National French Contest. Of the Parker students who took the test, 25 earned regional and national accolades for their test scores. Parker had a banner year at the State History Day competition as 20 Middle and upper School students all qualified to have their projects advance on to the National State History Day competition that will be held in June at the university of Maryland. The Francis Parker School “One Dream Choir” was selected to perform at the People of Color Conference in December 2010 at the San Diego Convention Center. The Classical Guitar Ensemble and the Advanced Classical Guitar Ensemble each notched “Gold Ratings” at the Forum Festival in late March. Freshman Kim Svatos ’14 and senior Henry Thiemann ’11 earned “Outstanding Student Performer” in their respective groups. The upper School Concert Band received a Gold rating (the highest rating) at the Forum Music Festival in March. Neil Kumar ’12 received the Outstanding Musicianship Award for his flute solo. The upper School Science Olympiad team placed second in the San Diego Regional competition, the highest ever
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Lower School Chorus under the Direction of Darleen Herriman finish for any Parker squad. As a result, the team went on to compete at the state level in Anaheim, where it placed 14th out of 26 teams. The upper School Robotics team posted a third place finish in the qualifying rounds of the San Diego Regional Robotics Competition held at the San Diego Sports Arena on March 10-12. The W.A.R. Lords (We Are Robot Lords) and their machine, Ivan the Fourth, would go on to represent Parker well again at the Las Vegas regional competition in early April. The upper School had 12 photography students show their work at the San Diego Museum of Art’s Young Art 2011: Making Multiples exhibition from midApril through the end of May. Leann Bui ‘12, Andreas Gomez ‘13, Natalie Greenberg ‘15, Jenna Gustafson ‘13, Samantha Hubachek ‘11 and Haley Robinson ‘11 all
had their work on display at the San Diego Museum of Art. Pieces of art from
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Emily Heft ‘12, Claire Reedy ‘12 and Alena Silberman ‘13 were on display at the Mission Hills Library, while Aly Barrett ‘12, Kaitlin Driscoll ‘12 and Lauren Juskelis ‘11 each had work available to
view at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation at Market Creek. Additionally, Ashlee Saathoff ’11, Michelle Reed ’15, Ansel Yaley ’17, Louis Tauber ’16 and Suzanna Tomey ’13 also
had artwork accepted into the Young Art 2011 Making Multiples show at SDMA. The upper School ASB, led by Mr. Marc Thiebach, was named the 2010-2011 recipient of the Outstanding Activities Program Award as voted on by the California Association of Student Leaders (CASL) and the California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA).
ABOVE RIGHT: Haniwa Figure, stoneware, iron oxide stain, salt/soda fired; BELOW RIGHT: Double-walled Bowl, stoneware, raku glaze, gold leaf); both pieces by Zach Gleicher ’12
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PARKER STUDENTS BECOME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AT HISTORY DAY COMPETITION IN MARYLAND After an unprecedented run of success at the California History Day in early May that saw 20 Francis Parker upper School students advanced on to the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest based on their various projects that were presented at the California History Day Competition, the triumphs continued in June as four of those students earned Gold Medals in the Senior level Group Performance division. Jasmine Anklesaria ‘14, Sabrina Devereaux ‘14, Gwendolyn Gardiner ‘14 and Michela Rodriguez ‘14 became National History Day
Champions with their group performance entitled “One War at a Time: Debate & Diplomacy of the Trent Affair.” The quartet of Kate Lemberg ‘14, Katherine Owens ‘14, Arielle Swedback ‘14 and Audrey Yang ‘14 earned Bronze Medals in the Senior level Group Website division with their site entitled “On the Brink: Debate & Diplomacy of the Cuban Missile Crisis.” Anoushka Bose ‘16 placed 5th in the nation, Junior Division, with her individual website titled "Environmentalism and the Hetch Hetchy Debate." The students were accompanied by their faculty History Day coaches, Mary OngDean and Cherie Redelings.
At the 2011 Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest, hosted on the campus of the university of Maryland, winners receive monetary awards and medals in each category. Gold medalists receive $1,000, while silver medalists earn $500. Bronze medal winners each receive $250.
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2011 Lippitt Award PRESENTED AT THE 2011 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY BY CATHY SULLIVAN, CHAIR, BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE This year’s recipients, Michael and Catherine Thiemann, entered the Parker community in 1997 and have three children – Claire ’07, Henry ’11 and Paul ’17. Michael was a member of the Board of Trustees from 2002-2010. Those of you who might not know, it was Michael who more than 10 years ago, conceived of, and challenged us to become a great school. But to do so, we needed money and facilities for our programs to be that school, and neither existed 10 years ago. Michael started at the beginning: money.
“The Henry F. Lippitt, 2nd, Award” is Parker’s highest honor to an adult. An alumnus of the Parker Class of 1929, Henry Lippitt demonstrated extraordinary spirit and dedication to the school through his work as a trustee. Established in 1990 to honor Mr. Lippitt’s committed leadership and devoted service, the Francis Parker School Board of Trustees initiated an award in his name presented only when an individual truly distinguishes himself or herself in service to the school.
PREVIOUS LIPPITT AWARD WINNERS
Chairing the Development Committee, Michael taught us, the Board of Trustees, how to think and how to act. We learned of the “pyramid,” the “bubbles,” the “challenge” and the “trust.” He provided statistics, examples, insisted that we compare ourselves to other great schools, he raised the bar of our thinking and our goals. Next came the Master Plan, then the architectural competition. Working with others too numerous to name, the ground opened up and out came a result superior to what anyone expected. Michael has done everything there is to do; Chair of Development, Chair of Strategic Initiatives, Chair of Finance. He has done the most difficult things at the most difficult times. At the Lower School, Catherine was one of our most dedicated, most committed volunteers; she always brought a professional approach to any project or activity. Catherine cared deeply for others, often going out of her way to make sure that someone else’s needs were met, and she felt a great responsibility not only to her school community but also to the global community. Over the years, these personal attributes helped to shape the Parents’ Association into the essential School resource it has become (she also chaired the Auction in 2002), she has left lasting legacies such as the Mathletes program which she founded at the Lower School over a decade ago, and has personally taught numerous 4th grade students in this advanced after-school math program geared toward developing the analytical and critical thinking math skills. She has been a tremendous resource to the School and the students of Parker. It is with great respect, deep gratitude, and warm affection, then, the Board of Trustees confers the Henry F. Lippitt, 2nd, Award upon Michael and Catherine Thiemann.
2004—DAVID HALE
1996—
1998— KATY & CHUCK PHILYAW
2005—JOHN LANDIS
2008— DARRYL AND RITA SOLBERG
1992—PAUL BARKLEY
DR. ALAN W. JOHNSON ‘29
1999—SHARON BEAMER
2006—JAMES T. WARING
2009—MARY BROWN
1993—PHIL GILDRED
1997— GEORGANNA FLETCHER
2000—CHUCK POOCH
2007—CAROL VASSILIADIS
2010—PAM WYGOD
1990—MARY MOORE
1995—HENRY LIPPITT II ‘29
1991—ETHEL LICHTMAN ’40
1994—TAWFIQ KHOURY
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At that time the Parker endowment was less than $2 million, and we owed that amount for a loan on the Field House. We needed to “earthquake proof” the JK classrooms in the Lower School for another $1-2 million. Annual giving was in the low $300 thousands, and the Parents’ Association annual gala was generating $70-80 thousand.
2001—GERT KOPPEL
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A Personal Visit with the Lippitt Family BOB GILLINGHAM, HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL
This is a small world after all. On Wednesday, March 2, after emerging from some classrooms I was visiting, I saw an elderly couple lingering in the hallway by the office. I introduced myself and learned that they were Ruth Lippitt and her brotherin-law, John Lippitt, Parker class of 1938. The name immediately caught my attention, because we annually (or very-nearly annually) give the Henry F. Lippitt, 2nd Award (the School’s highest honor to an adult at Parker) to those adults who, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, have given extraordinary service to the School. Henry F. Lippitt, 2nd, Parker class of ‘29, received the first such award in the early 1990s for his great dedication to the School as a Trustee and Trustee Emeritus. At that time, though my family had never had any connection to Parker before I was employed in 1973, I learned that before my parents were married, they had been driven to Pomona College by Henry Lippitt in the late ‘40s. So, in meeting Ruth and John for the first time in March, the two worlds I inhabit came swiftly and delightfully together. Ruth (Henry’s widow) and John were entranced with seeing the Mission Hills campus again, and immediately began sharing stories of John and Henry’s time here so long ago. Most important, they seemed grateful that the character of the campus hadn’t changed since their time, and that was very good news to me.
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Alumni Council Members on their Parker Teachers When the Alumni Council met in May, we asked them to tell us about some of their favorite Parker teachers who are still teaching at Parker. We gave them an opportunity to visit with their former teachers, including retired faculty member Mrs. Linda Pope, who was on campus visiting that day. The camaraderie and mutual affection were evident.
Matt Showley ‘98 with John Herman and Carol Obermeier MATT SHOWLEY ‘98 Coach Herman was a great influence for me on and off the court. Not only did he teach us the skills and strategy of volleyball but he always stressed that we work hard, pay attention to the little things, work together as a team, improve and be humble in our success. These concepts clearly helped us on the court, but they’ve helped me even more later in life and I’ve always appreciated the time he spent teaching these life skills through athletics.
Ryan McGlinn ’96 with Tom Crowley 44
Ms. O was so helpful to me during my senior year helping me to look beyond my comfort zone. She was the first teacher to tell me I could read anything I wanted to and then write about it. English wasn’t my best or favorite subject but she made it fun and engaging and that opened up doors that I probably wouldn’t have walked through on my own.
upper School. My freshman year, she offered a trip to Europe that I will never forget. It was my first time in Europe and we traveled through France, Monaco, Italy and Switzerland. By the end of two weeks we were family and have remained so since. I always call on her for advice and love catching up with her over un cafe! Mme. Dorfman, je t’adore beaucoup!!
JEFF VON BEHREN ’90 “We train for the fourth quarter!” As my head football coach for four years, Dan Kuiper instilled in me the importance of pushing myself both physically and mentally at every practice so that I could perform at the highest level toward the end of the game when it counted most. Coach Kuiper’s mantra of working harder than everyone around you has stayed with me throughout my life whether it was studying for finals at Pomona, completing Ranger School in the Army, finishing my first marathon or building my advisory practice at Merrill Lynch.
RYAN MCGLINN ’96 Tom Crowley is the best intramural floor hockey player I ever saw. Not bad on the soccer field either. Also an allaround great guy.
SASHA CLINES ’01 (ALUMNI COUNCIL PRESIDENT) Irina Dorfman was not only my French teacher, but also my assigned advisor for
Jeff Von Behren ’90 with Dan Kuiper
Sasha Clines ’01 with Irina Dorfman
The Alumni Council and Mrs. Linda Pope (center, pink sweater) at the March meeting
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Alumni Events Recap
NETWORKING EVENT On April 21, the Alumni Council partnered with the Parker DADS Club and Parents’ Association to present a Networking Event for alumni. After a reception at the Mission Hills campus, approximately 80 parents and alumni enjoyed a presentation by The Keith Ferrazzi Relationship Masters Academy representative Dylan Conroy on topics such as networking for jobs, tips and more. Keith Ferrazzi is the globally renowned expert on professional relationship development and the acclaimed author of bestsellers Never Eat Alone and Who’s Got Your Back. The DADS club, led by Tom Halle and Chris Lafferty, presented a check to the Parker Financial Aid Fund for $500 in honor of Keith Ferrazzi’s Academy. CARE PACKAGES The Alumni Office sent care packages to the Class of 2010 just in time for finals. Melissa Vassiliadis ’04 (currently working as an Alumni intern in the Development Office) worked feverishly to gather college addresses from parents of alumni to send Parker items and food to remind students that their friends at Parker are thinking of them at this time of year.
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HOMECOMING AND CLASS REUNIONS Homecoming takes place Saturday, October 22, 2010. For details on your class activity, contact your rep, below. Class of 2006: Class Rep, India Bradley 858-525-2223 or indiajbradley@gmail.com Class of 2001: Class Reps, Sasha Clines sashamclines@gmail.com, Morgan Justice-Black, and Vanessa Mitchell Class of 1996: Class Reps, Ryan McGlinn Ryanmcglinn@sbcglobal.net and Nick Abdelnour nickabdelnour@gmail.com Class of 1991: Class Rep, Noelle Khoury nludwig@psh.biz, Elisa Vilchis Savoia-evsavoia@sbcglobal.net, and Amy Meier Foundos amy.foundos@gmail.com Class of 1986: Class Reps, Christi Cole ccole@francisparker.org, Susan Hansen Fox sueandericfox@sbcglobal.net, Caroline Rentto Wohl crmedia@cox.net, Julie Peckham julie.peckham@gmail.com, and Ceri Slacum Keith ckeith@francisparker.org Class of 1981: Class Reps, Ted Tchang tt1@techbilt.com, Marc Wolfsheimer mwolfsheimer@san.rr.com, Ted Davis ted.davis@ubs.com, John Otterson jotterson@svb.com, Matt Herrill mherrill@pactenpartners.com
Interested in organizing reunion events for the classes of ‘76, ‘71, or earlier? Contact alumni@francisparker.org.
are
YOU coming to HOMECOMING?
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Head of Upper School Paul Barsky
Diane Bergel, Upper School Administrative Assistant, greets Alumni Council members
ICE CREAM SOCIAL The Alumni Council held an Ice Cream Social for the Senior Class in April to celebrate their soon to be alumni status in June. Seniors are encouraged to stay connected to Parker after graduation and invited to attend alumni reunions throughout the year. Thanks to alumni and upper School staff for lending a hand dishing out treats! SENIOR LUNCH This year, the Alumni Council added a new tradition for graduating seniors following the annual Yearbook Assembly. As the class of 2011 received their yearbooks and headed outside, Council members were on hand to greet each soon-to-be Parker alumnus with the gift of an engraved pen with which to sign their senior yearbooks, and treated them to a catered lunch to welcome them to the Parker Alumni Association. The Miho Gastrotruck pulled up outside and seniors ordered from a special menu.
Carol O greets Jeff Von Behren ’90
Kathy Gooding Valverde ’84 chats with Sydney Oberstein ’11
Alumni Council members L-R: Gina Herrera Duggan ’89, Kathy Gooding Valverde ’84, Deborah Tobin Mark Carpenter ’80, Sasha Clines ’01, Melissa Vassiliadis ’04 46
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Alumni News & Notes 1970s Todd Pratum ’75 works with homeless children and foster
children living in group homes as a literacy expert. His business, Pratum Literary Services, distributes free books and works with children in the Bay Area to spread the excitement of reading. Denise Bailey ’78 recently visited the upper School campus
and re-connected with former teachers and staff members. She writes, “What a pleasure it was to see you all. Thank you again for making such an impact on me as a student. Your guidance and tutelage has helped guide me throughout my adulthood. I feel very blessed to be a Parker alum and to have had you as my teachers and mentors.” She also was able to spend time with fellow ’78 alumna, Letty Rosado Robinson, the Drama Teacher at the Lower School.
Denise Bailey ‘78 and Jan Rogers
Denise Bailey ‘78 and Barry Cheskaty
Andrea Lamberti ’87 and her husband, Oliver, recently celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter named Lina. Andrea writes that her sister, Amy ’89, and her husband “just moved to Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, and now have lots of space for their 4-year-old boy and 20-month-old girl.” Andrea and her family also reside in New York. Laura Roppe ’88 has signed a book deal with Seal Press, a division of Perseus Books Group, to publish a memoir she wrote last year about overcoming breast cancer. In addition, she has been listed in the Top Ten on Billboard’s List of Emerging
Letty '78 and Haley '11 Robinson
Letty Robinson ’78 was the Commencement Speaker at the
class of 2011 Commencement on June 4, 2011. Her youngest daughter Haley is a member of this year’s graduating class, and her eldest daughter Chelsea ’07, graduated from uSC in May 2011. You can read Letty’s Commencement speech on the Parker website: http://www.francisparker.org/page.cfm?p=421&newsid=378 1980s Barney Firks ’82 was recently featured in the Exploding Tattoos
project, an artistic collaboration between fellow alumnus and painter Anna Stump ’82 and photographer Ted Meyer. To view the Exploding Tattoo series, go to www.tedmeyer.com. Bo Woods ’83 is currently living in Prescott, Az with his wife, Jennifer, and is enjoying being “Mr. Mom” to their two children, three-year-old Chesapeake (“Chessa”) and 2-year-old Cash. Rockwell (Rocky) Herron ’85, an agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, spoke to Francis Parker Middle School students in February about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. He was joined by Aaron Rubin, a young man from San Diego who became a quadriplegic as the result of the abuse of prescription drugs.
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Scott Hylbert ’87 and his band, ik ben, have released a new album titled Ocean Wayfare. The full-length vinyl LP version is available at www.eelbearmusic.com and the digital version is available on iTunes.
Michael ‘91 and Lexi Christian at their April wedding
Artists. Her latest music video, for her song “Heart Inside Your Palm,” can be seen on YouTube and her music can be found on iTunes. 1990s Michael Christian ’91 was married to Lexi Christian
on April 23, 2011 Dimi Saad ’93 is currently working as a fromager at Casellula in New York City, a restaurant owned by fellow alumnus Brian Keyser ’87. Adam Huntington ’96 is currently Vice President of Sales for Green up, a company that uses a unique oxo-biodegradable technology to manufacture “green” plastic can liners and disposable cutlery. Visit the website to learn more: www.greenuplife.com.
2000s Julia Osman ’00 recently visited the Parker campus and writes, “I had a wonderful time at Parker, getting to catch up with all my old teachers. They are an amazing bunch, and I don’t think I’d be starting my first semester as an assistant
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Julia Osman '00 and Chuck Wineholt
Gino Gordon ‘07 graduated from Harvard in May
professor without all of their hard work, sincere interest, and stellar teaching while I was at Parker.” Kara Koehrn ’02 presented the Toxic Release Inventory National Analysis to a subcommittee of Congress at the Capitol. Kara works for the u.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Environmental Analysis Division. Check out her “Greenversations” blog on the EPA website: http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2010/12/17/tri/. Jessica Goebel ’04 completed her commitment to Teach for America and now teaches 6th grade language arts and coaches the basketball team at Skinner Middle School in Denver. Patrick Ragen ’04 is completing his first year at Harvard Law School. His activities include serving on the Executive Board of the Harvard Black Law Students Association, and participating in the Harvard Asia Law Society’s Spring Delegation to Taiwan, where he met Taiwan’s President Ma. He is joined at Harvard Law School by fellow alumnus and second year law student, Hardy Ehlers ’04. Eldar Djangirov ’05 is playing with the San Diego Pops this summer on Sunday, July 31 at 7:30 pm. He’ll perform the music of Duke Ellington and George Gershwin including “Rhapsody in Blue.” You can get more information at www.sandiegosymphony.org/concertcalendar/summerpops.aspx Patrick Harrigan ‘05 was recently deployed to Iraq. If you would like to send him letters and help keep his spirits high, his family has provided his address 1 Lt. Patrick Harrigan; C Co, 1-24 IN BN, 1-25 SBCT; FOB Apache; APO AE 09383 Locky Stewart ’05 became engaged to Meredith Kamradt this past April. Meredith and Locky met freshman year at Duke university, where they both graduated in 2009 with biological anthropology double majors. Locky went on to study Evolutionary Psychology, researching primate cognition with his own band of chimps at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany. This summer they are both volunteering for public health organizations in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Annie Gillman ’06 writes, “Time has flown since graduation
from uSC in May 2010…After six months of living in Taichung,
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Gia DeMichele ‘08 received a research grant
Taiwan, teaching English and studying Chinese at Tunghai university, I recently moved to Hong Kong and took a position at Hamilton Advisors, a boutique strategic communications firm. We specialize in communications consulting for finance companies and Chinese companies. I am really enjoying the job and every day brings a new experience or challenge. I am developing a speciality in social media at the company — so take a look at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and blog. Outside of work, I am studying Chinese and taking advantage of all the outdoor sports and cultural events Hong Kong has to offer such as dragon boating, hiking, squid fishing, and playing mahjong. It is also a great location for travel and I recently visited Singapore and have a trip to the Philippines coming up soon. Our address is Flat 10A, King Tao Building, 94-100 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Or, give me a call on Skype — anniegillman10 or my Hong Kong cell is (+852) 6175-2183. Since graduation it has definitely been a year of adventures, and I have many a tale of teaching mishaps, housing disasters, and my Chinese language blunders, but I do miss home, family, and friends a lot. I look forward to hearing some updates from you also, and I hope you are having a great summer so far!” Stacey Neilson ’06 is currently serving in the Peace Corps in Malawi. She writes, “Malawi is called ‘The Warm Heart of Africa,’ I guess because it’s paradise. Definitely rivals San Diego.” She began her adventure in late February 2011 and had to quickly learn how to live the Malawian Way. After an intensive training session, she began her two-year adventure in late April 2011 in Chikwina, a small mountain town about a three-hour hike from Lake Malawi. She said, “My brick house is huge and beautiful and not what I was expecting at all. Sometimes I have running water! I work at the Secondary School, where I teach math and biology, and at the Chipatala (health center), where I help the health workers run clinics and distribute vitamins to children.” Follow her adventures on her blog at: www.thepeacecorpschronicles.blogspot.com Danielle Shega ’06 graduated early with honors from the university of Pittsburgh and is now in nursing school at Kaplan university.
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only the third female President since the College went co-ed. She served this year as Vice President and after a hotly contested race, she is very much looking forward to next year. Kristi Bohl ’09 writes “I’m a sophomore at Stanford university and, as always, I’m keeping busy with lots of extra curricular activities. I’m an Editor in Chief and regular writer for the unofficial Stanford Blog (http://tusb.stanford.edu/author/dieluft) as well as a Stanford Presidential Scholar Group Leader. I also enjoy walking backwards while talking loudly to strangers (as a tour guide) and using gratuitous amounts of machinery and titanium (on the Stanford Solar Car Project). Lauren Tomey ’09 earned San Diego Hall of Champions Amateur Athlete of the Month honors for the month of April for outstanding softball at the university of San Diego. Lauren was one of 10 local collegiate athletes honored.
Alexandra Schibanoff ‘08 at Wheaton College
Sydney Thomas ’06 has just completed a nine-month fellowship
with the NYC urban Fellows Program, which combines work in Mayoral offices and City agencies with an intensive seminar series that explores current urban issues impacting public policy. This highly selective program is for college seniors and recent graduates who have an interest in public service. Learn more about the program at www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/html/employment/urbanfellows.shtml Gino Gordon ’07 was named to the American Youth Football (AYF) Ring of Honor. He was also a co-recipient of the Asa S. Bushnell Cup, honoring the Ivy League Football Player of the Year, and was chosen by his teammates to receive the Frederick Greeley Crocker Award as Harvard’s most valuable player. Gino graduated from Harvard in May and is staying in the Boston area to work this summer. More info at http://www.gocrimson. com/sports/fball/2010-11/releases/110525_SLD_Recap Gia DeMichele ’08 received a $7,000 Davidson Research Initiative (DRI) 2011 Summer Research Grant to continue her exploration of disordered eating. Titled Forbidden Fruit: Disordered Eating and Psychophysiological Arousal to Food Cues, the research explores possible physiological triggers in the early detection of eating disorders. Funded by the Duke Endowment, the Davidson Research Initiative supports collaborative research between faculty and student. undergraduate research is a growing area of academic pursuit, where a real-world experience provides learning by doing rather than learning by listening. Professors and students recognize it’s a different learning experience than taking a course where you’re trying to find the right answer on the test.
“In research, neither you nor the professor knows the answer,” DeMichele said. “I get a chance to talk with my professor daily – we work together for the answers. It’s truly collaborative.” Davidson psychology professor Dr. Barton Cole serves as mentor and faculty advisor to DeMichele. In 2010 DeMichele received a $3,500 Abernathy Research Grant for her work on disordered eating. Story and photo: Davidson College Alexandra Schibanoff ’08 was recently elected President of the Wheaton College Student Government Association, making her
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IN MEMORIAM Mary Louise Fletcher Mack Glanz ’29 was born on October 30, 1912,
and died on March 1, 2011. A native of San Diego, she attended San Diego elementary schools and graduated from Parker in 1929. She attended San Diego State College and was a member of Theta Chi (later Kappa Alpha Theta). She was active in zLAC Rowing Club and remained a lifelong member. Mary married Henry Mack in 1934, a San Diego deputy district attorney, who Mary Glanz ‘29 became the co-founder of the law firm Higgs, Fletcher & Mack. After the death of her first husband in 1974, she married Arthur Glanz, who died in 1981. She was an active member of Junior League of San Diego, PTA, the San Diego Bar Auxiliary and the San Diego Lioness organization. She was an avid golfer, devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She is survived by an extended family and circle of friends. Robert (Bob) Bagnall ’77 Born November 18, 1959, died March 7, 2011. Bob attended Parker for 12 years and maintained an extended circle of Parker friends. Born in San Diego, Bob attended uSC and was in the San Diego advertising and marketing communities. He was an avid uSC, Padres and Chargers sports fan. He is survived by his brother, Joe and sister-in-law Mimi and hundreds of friends. Bob Bagnall ‘77 www.rememberingbobbagnall.com
CORRECTION In the last issue of Parker magazine, we had an error in the class note for Sarah Manly ’00. Sarah and her husband Sean McHugh were married in August 2010; Sarah works at Amylin Pharmaceutical as a Project Manager, and Sean works at Illumina as a Senior Recruiter with Human Resources.
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Grandparents GRANDPARENTS’ DAY upper School Grandparents’ Day was held on March 18, 2011. Nearly 200 grandparents attended three classes on campus with their grandchildren, then joined them for lunch. Grandparents from all over the united States, Mexico, and even a few from Europe were able to join in the day. Chair Aline Koppel, Head of School Kevin Yaley, and Head of upper School Paul Barsky welcomed guests and shared a brief look at academics at Parker.
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Lower School Grandparents’ Day will be held on Thursday, November 17, 2010. Middle and Upper School Grandparents’ Days will be announced soon!
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SuMMER MAGAzINE 2011
GRANDPARENTS WELCOME NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL Trustee Jane Trevor Fetter and her husband, Tom Fetter, hosted a supper for Head of School Kevin Yaley, at their home in La Jolla in March. Members of the Grandparents’ Council and others were on hand to formally welcome Kevin as the 12th Head of Francis Parker School as well as enjoy updates from other administrators. Council members also graciously donated fine wines to the Parker Gala. (For more on this year’s Gala, see pages 30-31).
L-R: Lynn, Gloria and Vincent Gorguze with Kevin Yaley
L – R: Joan and John Hammond, Tony Ghironi, Jan Rogers, Lee Collins
Board Chair Jon Lauer explains the Search Committee’s work over the course of the previous year WWW.FRANCISPARKER.ORG
L-R: Karen Weseloh, Nancy Crosby, Sharon Considine, Richard Crosby, Head of Upper School Paul Barsky, Jeanette and Kirk Peterson
Ramona and Juan Gamboa
Helen Caldwell and Aline Koppel
Head of School Kevin Yaley speaks to the Grandparents’ Council
The Grandparents’ Council event at the Fetter’s home in La Jolla
Middle School Science Faculty Tony Ghironi, Terry Gooding, Bob Keck, Elizabeth Sjokvisk, Barbara Gooding
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Fine Fellows Indeed In a pilot partnership with the University of San Diego, Francis Parker School hosted a new educational mentoring program allowing USD graduate education students a hands-on teaching experience. Parker students benefited through greater attention to individual students and smaller, more frequent instructional grouping. A look at the inaugural year... As Rick said in Casablanca, “…I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” In this case, it’s the Fellow/Associate Teaching Program established in spring 2010 between Francis Parker School and the university of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES). Head of School Kevin Yaley said, “Designed for recent college graduates interested in beginning a career in independent schools, the Fellowship Program offers the opportunity to develop one’s teaching ability and style with structure and support from experienced master teachers, while providing these future educators a sense of the responsibilities and rewards of teaching.” The master teacher involves the teaching fellow in lesson and curriculum planning, student assessment, and individual student mentoring, all within the framework of the close supervision and support. In addition, the teaching fellow receives guidance and instruction on issues relevant to successful teaching in independent schools, including classroom management, principles of effective teaching, student assessment, parent communication, student transitions, and building an inclusive community. Teaching Fellow Jason Allen started out with the 5th grade teaching team, then had the opportunity to experience JK–2nd grade. Jason’s prior teaching experience was with older students. He writes, The 5th grade teachers helped me slow things down and find my comfort level. I had to figure out how in-depth to go in my explanations and instructions, how much detail was required with younger kids. Lesson Prep, Subject Transition Skills and
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Behavior Management were key! At the same time, I had to remember to keep things simple and not over-think. Parker 5th Grade = Three Different Teachers with three different, yet highly effective teaching styles. I felt extremely lucky to be able to learn so much from each of them! After Thanksgiving, Dr. G. allowed me to work with different teachers and learn even more. My day began in 2nd grade, then SK, 1st Grade, JK, and sometimes I got a sprinkle of the special classes as well. After completing a semester of this actionintense schedule, I feel 150% more prepared, comfortable, and confident that I can be an effective faculty member in Elementary Education. Leading lessons in Molecules in Science, refereeing/substitute kicking in kickball games during P.E., speaking Spanish, and acting in Drama was just the beginning. Working closely with the 2nd grade teacher, I learned the importance of assessment. Not simply grading papers, but getting to know each student and their patterns so that I can help each student better themselves. This was a priceless experience, one that I will remember forever. My SK teacher taught me the importance of lesson prep and being prepared to make adaptations while delivering lessons. From laminating and cutting, to leading lessons on vowel sounds and blends, it was never a dull moment. I had to make sure that I ate a solid breakfast for I had to expect the unexpected in SK. Education theory is great, but this was Prime Time, the Big Stage, and Time for Action! My classroom and behavior management skills improved tremendously as a result of working in this classroom.
From the 1st grade teacher I learned how having a highly organized and structured classroom can push students to their individual best in academic achievement! I Teaching Fellow Jason Allen was amazed at how [she] trained each of her students to stay organized and focused on his or her own separate task, complete it, and move onto the next without being prompted (I’ve worked with middle school-age kids who were not close to mastering these skills). My time in JK at the end of each day allowed me to reflect on all that I’d learned during course of the day. This teacher connected practice, theory, and the science of teaching methods when mentoring me. She would show me the many ways to expose the students to the materials and then explain to me why the different processes were effective. She showed me how and what great teachers think about while they’re teaching.” At year’s end, Jason concluded, “I can say with certainty that Parker Lower School, its staff, faculty, and students have captured my heart and it saddens me deeply that this academic year is coming to an end. I truly appreciate all of your mentoring and guidance throughout the year as you have helped me grow leaps and bounds in the field of primary education. Thank you for everything, Francis Parker School!”
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SuMMER MAGAzINE 2011
Centennial Q & A with Jim Zimmerman July 2011 Dear Parker Community, After 25+ years working in schools, I’ve yet to meet an educator who doesn’t say that their favorite thing about teaching is that “light-bulb moment,” the instant a teacher can tell by a student’s expression that they’ve “got” it, and they know they’ve got it. It’s as if a light bulb has come on right above their heads, just like in the cartoons. It’s a tangible way to see you’ve connected and imparted something worthwhile. It’s what allows students to progress to the next level with their newfound knowledge and skill. One of my favorite sayings (you’ll see it framed in my office) goes like this: One hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of car I drove what kind of house I lived in how much money I had in my bank account nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child. I expect one hundred years from now, Francis Parker School faculty will still be sharing their passion for teaching and learning, but will they still be using light bulbs? Maybe not, but I’m willing to bet that robotics will play an important role when we’re preparing to celebrate our second Centennial. For now, turn to pages 20-23 to see what our current students have been working on in the field of robotics, Science Olympiad and more.
With the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Francis Parker School fast approaching, the School has added Jim Zimmerman to the administrative team. In his new role as Head of Institutional Advancement, Jim will oversee planning for the centennial, direct all aspects of fundraising, and manage the overall institutional marketing, branding and communications.
This issue of Parker magazine has a particular focus on Parker alumni who have chosen the field of education for their professional careers (pages 8-13). Here’s wishing them and their students many light-bulb moments for years to come! Look for additional Alumni Class Notes on pages 47-49, and plan to join us for Homecoming Weekend, October 21-23, 2011. More details next page.
In a 30-year career in independent school development and administration on both coasts, Jim has helped to transform the way in which alumni and parents support their institutions. As director of development at the Cate School in Carpinteria, CA, Jim led the Campaign for the Nineties, which added significant facilities and endowment funds for the school. Since 1993, he has been director of development at Middlesex School in Concord, MA, where he oversaw the celebration of that school’s centennial in 2001 and directed a record-breaking campaign of $127 million.
Finally, I invite you to comment on your Parker educational experiences. Which teachers helped you see the light? Who inspired you or your children along the way? What was your light-bulb moment? You can email me at cmorrison@francisparker.org.
We sat down with Jim to find out what brought him west and how he sees the centennial plans progressing from here.
Of course, I can't let go of the centenary theme without directing your attention to page 53, where you can get to know Jim Zimmerman, our new Head for Institutional Advancement, and learn how important the upcoming Centennial will be to the life of our School. At our April Emerging Leaders Speaker Series event, esteemed guest panelists William Brody, Jay Flatley and Eric Topol discussed the Future of Medicine in a Genetic Age; it’s certainly not going to take one hundred years to effect enormous change in the field of medicine (pages 28-31). We celebrate our newly-minted Lancer alumni, the 120 members of the class of 2011 (pages 24-25), our 8th and 5th graders who were promoted on June 16 (pages 22-23) and their teachers (pages 32-36).
Have a great summer!
Cathy Morrison Director of Communications
WELCOME TO SAN DIEGO. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO PARKER? My first visit to Parker was to try to offer some advice on planning for the centennial, based in part on our very successful efforts at Middlesex. I was
W W W. F r A N C I S PA r k E r . O r G
immediately attracted to the beauty of the two campuses, the quality of the faculty and administration, the energy and commitment of the Head of School, and the unusual dedication of the board of trustees. When I was offered the opportunity to come on board and put in place the centennial plan that I had recommended, my family and I decided that this would be a terrific place for the next stage of our lives, for my career, and for the education of my son — serendipitously named Parker! Oh, and did I mention that Boston got 85 inches of snow last winter? WHY CELEBRATE A CENTENNIAL AT ALL? A hundred years is a pretty extraordinary achievement for an institution anywhere, but particularly so in southern California, where not many academic institutions can claim such a heritage. A centennial is an opportunity for a school to honor the past and the individuals who built and nurtured the school over those 100 years, to reflect on the very best parts of that past, and to recommit to an even stronger and more robust school in the future. It’s also an exciting opportunity to reconnect our alumni to the School and to build on those relationships moving forward. WHEN WILL WE CELEBRATE THE CENTENNIAL? The Johnsons first opened their school in December 1912 and so we see the 1912-13 academic year as the general timeframe for the overall celebration. We hope to incorporate building some enthusiasm for the centennial with Commencement in the spring of 2012. We will hold smaller events reflecting on our past over the course of the fall and winter of 2012 and 2013 and then plan for the primary celebration at the conclusion of the academic year in ‘13. WHAT ARE THE TENTATIVE PLANS FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION? We are just beginning to take a close look at what we might do, and have enlisted a
small group of parents, alumni and grandparents in the planning. As those plans become more concrete, we will reach out to larger groups of the Parker family for their help and involvement. But look for something big, and fun, and memorable in June 2013! HOW CAN SOMEONE GET INVOLVED? It won’t be long before we need an army of volunteers to help us plan for the centennial. Certainly we will rely on the Parents’ Association, the Alumni Association and the Grandparents’ Council as we do for so many events in support of the School, but we’d love to enlist the support of a whole new generation of the Parker family in the plans. If you’d like to get involved, contact me at jzimmerman@francisparker.org. ARE THERE PLANS TO RAISE FUNDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CENTENNIAL? With all of the attention focused on the School these next few years, we certainly hope to build on the enthusiasm generated and use the opportunity to enhance the culture of philanthropy at Parker. We have some modest physical plant needs on both the Lower and Upper School campuses, and a campaign will attempt to address some of those needs. But a campaign on the heels of the centennial will focus primarily on endowment for the future of Francis Parker School. Even by California standards, our endowment is very low, and limits our ability to provide financial aid to deserving students, provide for professional development for faculty, and keep faculty and staff salaries at appropriate levels. The School is rightfully proud of its efforts to keep its tuition lower than its peer schools, but with 90% of revenue coming from tuition, that creates a business model that is difficult to sustain. A centennial is the perfect time for alumni and families to create endowed funds that honor their relationships with Parker and ensure that Francis Parker School is uniquely well-positioned for its second century.
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parker summer magazine
parker magazine summer twenty eleven
calendar: coming up!
July 18
Summer Programs Session II Begins Faculty Professional Development Days Student Orientation
September 7
First Day of Classes
October 8 October 8-11 October 22
Faculty Professional Development Day Student Holiday Fall Break Homecoming
November 18
Lower School Grandparents’ Day
November 19
End of 1st Trimester
November 22-26
Thanksgiving Break
December 18January 2
July 2011
August 30September 3
Winter Break
Parents of alumni: if you are receiving multiple copies of Parker for children whose permanent address has changed, please contact the Alumni Office at (858) 874-3382, or at alumni@francisparker.org—we’ll be happy to update their address.
PLACING A PRIORITY ON EDUCATIONAL EQUITY
6501 Linda Vista Road San Diego, CA 92111 www.francisparker.org NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
2010-11 BY THE NUMBERS PROFILE: KAPANA SINGH RHODES ’90 ROBOTICS AND SCIENCE O THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE IN THE GENETIC AGE HAUTE HARLEY NIGHTS SUCCESS CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASSES OF 2011, 2015 AND 2018!