The Park School S PR ING/SU M M E R BU LLE TIN 2018
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2017 – 18
ALUMNI COMMITTEE 2017 – 18
Spring/Summer Bulletin 2018
Officers Seth Brennan, Chair Polly Crozier, Vice Chair Katie McWeeny, Secretary Sam Wilderman, Treasurer
Greg Kadetsky ’96, Alumni Committee Co-Chair Emily Potts Callejas ’89, Alumni Committee Co-Chair
Editor Kate LaPine
Neeraj Agrawal Martina Albright ’83 Laura Barkan Peter Barkan ’86 Denise Jefferson Casper Carlos Castillo ’97 Mark Dolins Sara Leventhal Fleiss ’95 Abigail Ross Goodman ’91 Heeten Kalan Conan Laughlin Jessica Lutzker Todd MacLean Amy Lloyd McCarthy ’86 Rebecca Nordhaus Nikki Nudelman Neela Pal Joseph Robbins Shadé Solomon Christina W. Vest Edward “EJ” Whelan Mary Witkowski Emily Lubin Woods Ex Officio Cynthia A. Harmon Head of School Kimberly Boyd Assistant Head of School for Finance & Operations Board Chairs Emeriti Kennett F. Burnes Vincent Chiang David D. Croll Charles C. Cunningham, Jr. George P. Denny III David G. Fubini M. Dozier Gardner John L. Hall II Kevin J. Maroni J. Michael Maynard Anne Worthington Prescott Suzie Tapson Deborah Jackson Weiss Headmaster Emeritus Robert S. Hurlbut, Jr. Head of School Emeritus Jerrold I. Katz
John Barkan ’85 Peter Barkan ’86 Mercy Bell ’05 Kathrene Tiffany Bell ’96 Bob Bray ’53 Aldel Brown ’04 Astrid Levis-Thorne Burns ’98 Elyssa Carlson ’07 Carlos Castillo ’97 Greg Cope ’71 Lilla Curran ’95 Melissa Deland ’95 Sara Leventhal Fleiss ’95 David Glynn ’91 Abigail Ross Goodman ’91 Anne Collins Goodyear ’84 Jennifer Segal Herman ’82 Julia Lloyd Johannsen ’93 Alex Jundanian ’07 Joanie Amick Kelly ’83 Bob Kenerson ’53 Amy Lampert ’63 Abbott Lawrence ’85 Eve Wadsworth Lehrman ’95 Nia Lutch ’97 Chip Pierce ’81 Miriam Posner ’03 Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy ’98 Sarah Shoukimas Ryan ’97 Kate Gormley Saeli ’02 Katharine Burrage Schmitt ’95 Jordan Scott ’89 Rebecca Lewin Scott ’89 Diana Walcott ’85 Rebecca Wilsker ’00
Design Robert Beerman, Onward Upward Photography Jamie Byron Flo Farrell Megan Haddadi Kate LaPine Betsy Platt John Rich Printing Puritan Capital
The Bulletin is published twice yearly for the alumni, parents, and friends of The Park School. We welcome your comments and ideas. The Park School 171 Goddard Avenue Brookline, Massachusetts 02445 To contact the Bulletin: Kate LaPine Director of Communications 617-274-6009 lapinek@parkschool.org To report alumni news: Jamie Byron Director of Alumni Relations 617-274-6022 alumni@parkschool.org To make a gift to Park: Beatrix Sanders Director of Development 617-274-6020 sandersb@parkschool.org To report address changes: Jamie Byron Development Associate 617-274-6018 development@parkschool.org The Park School admits qualified students without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or family composition to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. Park does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or family composition or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic and other policies and programs.
Artwork Cover: Stencil Relief Print by Audrey Kim, Grade VII Table of Contents: Ghost Image of Print by Audrey Kim, Grade VII Back Cover: Stencil Relief Print by Neva Gonzalez, Grade VII
The Park School
Spring/Summer Bulletin 2018 2 Around Park Green Screens Bring Learning to Life Robin Hood al fresco Grade II’s Very Special Visit to the Sophia Snow House Scott Young Prepares for Park 6 A Tribute to Cynthia In Words and Song 13 Park Alumni Musicians Eric Schorr ’75, composer Juliet Eastland ’83, jazz pianist Rob O’Block ’02, guitar The Oladipo Sisters: Oladunni ’13 and Olayeni ’15, gospel artists 22 Reunion 2018 26 Alumni Notes Alumni Achievement Award: Sarah Conway ’97 Young Alumni Achievement Award: Addison Godine ’04
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Green Screens Bring Learning to Life Megan Haddadi, the Head of Academic Technology at Park (pictured at right, behind the camera), creates tech magic on a daily basis. This spring, she worked across the divisions to incorporate green screens into student projects. (Green or blue screens are cloth backdrops which enable filmmakers to add backgrounds, characters, or other images. Your local meteorologist stands in front of one when delivering the nightly weather report, too!)
Grade I: Statue of Liberty and Other US Landmarks
Through videos, books, and discussions, first graders learn about the history, design, and symbolism of four US landmarks: the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore and the Golden Gate Bridge. They also engage in many hands-on learning projects including making a crown and torch to become Lady Liberty herself, and designing 3-D models of the Grand Canyon or the Golden Gate Bridge. These first graders were photographed in front of a green screen, after which they were transformed into Lady Liberty or inserted into Mount Rushmore.
Pre-K: Urban Buildings
Park’s youngest social studies students looked at cities as a community composed of different working elements. After discussing the variety of buildings and jobs found in cities, each child chose a structure to make out of recycled materials, paint, and cut out shapes. Then, Megan filmed each student in front of the green screen, where they shared something special about their hotel, train station, hospital, etc. With some technical magic, in the final video, the students appear inside a window of their building.
Grade IV: Greek Gods, Goddesses, Heroes & Heroines
In Randy Schmidt’s fourth grade classroom, students took a very modern approach to ancient Greek mythology. The students did an initial retelling of an Aesop fable against a green screen, and then they chose an image appropriate for the story they were telling, which became the background. When the fourth graders later began enacting the roles of their chosen characters, they acted out three of their favorite stories in front of a green screen. Then, Randy inserted the ancient Greek landscape background they had created, which allowed for a much larger set rather than seeing classroom walls on either side.
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Grade VI Latin: fabulae in stellis
Grade VI Latin students researched Latin and Greek-named constellations and the ancient myths behind them for their fabulae in stellis (“stories in the stars”) project. Charged with representing their constellation with lights, they designed, built, and tinkered to create a physical representation with circuitry and LED lights. In this process, they learned about circuits, used materials such as copper tape, LED light bulbs, batteries, hot and cold solder, paint, and foam board. Lastly, students filmed greenscreen presentations of their constellations, associated myths, and other interesting facts.
French I & II Go Shopping in “France”
To help practice their new vocabulary words about classroom and school supplies, sixth grade French students memorized a dialogue about shopping for school. The students enthusiastically embraced and organized themselves in the acting, directing, and filming. Liga Aldins also divided her Grade VII French students into four small groups to film a shopping skit using the Green Screen app. The seventh graders practiced their clothing and shopping vocabulary and wrote, acted, and directed skits about shopping in France. Both the sixth and seventh graders chose popular images of French store interiors as their background images and used some basic props to tell their stories—c’est magnifique!
García Lorca’s Poetry Comes Alive for Grade VIII
This spring, Liga’s Grade VIII Spanish students studied the poetry of well-known Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. After learning about his life and a brief history of the Spanish Civil War, which played an important role García Lorca’s tragic death, each student chose two poems to study, analyze, illustrate, and memorize. For the final stage of the project, the eighth graders filmed each other reciting a poem using the Green Screen app. Finally, the students used Encyclopedia Britannica resources to choose an appropriate image from Spain as an illustration for their particular poem.
To see some of the amazing videos created using green screens and some high-tech magic, please scan this QR code with your phone.
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Robin Hood al fresco This spring, actors in Grades VI – VIII brought the tales of Robin Hood to life in an one-night performance of gaiety, swordplay, history, and buffooning! The audience, which was asked to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs, was transported to Sherwood Forest, as the play was staged in the woods above the Pond Field.
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Grade II’s Very Special Visit to the Sophia Snow House Park’s second graders are regular visitors to the senior living community, Sophia Snow House in nearby West Roxbury. Every week, one section spends an afternoon with the residents. This April, the second graders in Liz Miller’s class brought along ten visiting students and two teachers from our Chinese partner school* Hangzhou Greentown Yuhua Qinqin School. Earlier in the day, the seventh and eighth grade students from China learned about this year-long community service project from the second graders and were thrilled to participate and experience what community service is like in America first hand. Ms. Miller’s second graders were very excited and looked forward to singing songs for and sharing their poems with the residents. They have been coming to visit the community every month and spending time with the residents reading, drawing, singing, and getting to know each other. The second graders explained how it was important to understand what the residents need rather than what they might want to give. After initial
uncertainty, the Qinqin students jumped into the activities with their younger guides and the time flew by as they spent an afternoon with the elderly residents at Sophia Snow House. When the students from The Qinqin School were asked to reflect on their experience, they noted that their biggest takeaway was that “community service is more than giving things to others; giving could mean giving time to others.” They were surprised that they were capable of giving in such a way and were thrilled that they could make the residents happy by being present, asking questions, and having conversations. *Park’s partnership and exchange program with The Qinqin School began in 2011. Since then, Qinqin students have visited Park each spring, staying with current students’ families. Ninth grade Mandarin students visited Qinqin during spring break of 2014, 2015, and 2016. Beginning next March, eighth grade Mandarin students will visit Qinqin and China.
Scott Young Prepares for Park Since September, when the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint him as the fourteenth head of The Park School, Scott Young has been getting up to speed on his new job, which officially began on July 1, 2018. For the 2017 – 18 school year, Scott continued to serve as the Dean of Faculty at Marin Academy in San Rafael, California. Despite the time difference between the two
coasts, Scott managed to stay in frequent communication with his future colleagues at Park via email, phone calls, and Skype conversations. He even fit in three visits to Brookline, including one during a giant snow storm and snow day in January. Thanks to a very collaborative relationship with outgoing Head of School Cynthia Harmon, Scott feels prepared to take the reins this summer.
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Artwork by Hannah Ono ’18
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n June 6, alumni, parents, and faculty & staff gathered to celebrate Cynthia A. Harmon in thanks for her service as Head of School, and her 23 years of dedication to The Park School. Cynthia has worn many hats throughout her time at Park, which was well-demonstrated by guests who included advisees, students, trustees, and current families. Following a reception in the dining room, guests gathered in the theater for a tribute in word—and song! Cynthia’s incredible work at Park was recognized by Head of School Emeritus Jerry Katz, former Grade V student Hallie Spierings van der Wolk ’02, colleague and friend Dr. Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter, Board Chair Seth Brennan, and Former Board Chair Vinny Chiang. A tribute to Cynthia would not be complete without music, which was beautifully provided by David Lawton, Former Faculty, and Dennis Slaughter (P ’05) and friends. The evening was made even more special by the virtual presence of those who couldn’t make it in person, including former Upper Division Head and dear friend Wanda Holland Greene, and—most importantly!—current students, who created a special video to thank Cynthia for all she had done for Park. The program came to a fitting close when Joy Bartlett, Assistant to the Head of School, encouraged Cynthia to “lead us out!”
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4 1 Joan and Ed Tiffany, Cynthia, and Bob Bray ’53 2 Maureen Cleary Parsons, Lynne Dichter, Susanne Chiang, and Christina Wood Baker 3 Rev. Chauncy Moore with the guest of honor 4 Andrea Williams, Emily Kellogg, and Peggy Blumenreich 5 Park’s dining room was transformed for a festive party! 6 Hallie Spierings van der Wolk ’02 and Cynthia
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About Cynthia…
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he Park School endeavors for its graduates to “develop curiosity, express creativity, appreciate the value of hard work and discipline, and experience the joy of learning.” Rarely has a Park educator embodied the essence of the School’s mission as perfectly as Cynthia Harmon. One wonders if there is anything that Cynthia has not done in her 23 years of remarkable service to the School—Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Grade V teacher, Growth Ed teacher, basketball coach and student advisor, Assistant Head of School, Middle Division Head, and Head of School. Cynthia has worked tirelessly on behalf of the School. The footer on her email reads “Getting smarter requires the active engagement in teaching and learning.” This sentiment applies to all that Cynthia has accomplished at Park. From engagement in strategic planning, to curriculum and program development, to faculty recruitment, evaluation, and professional development, Cynthia has demonstrated vision, leadership, and dedication to increasing and supporting the School’s diverse populations. A graduate of an independent school herself, Cynthia has presented at the People of Color Conference, served on numerous search committees, and currently sits on the Board of Trustees at the Cambridge School of Weston. She is also one of the founding Board of Directors for The Possible Project, an intensive entrepreneurship-focused program for underserved high school students from Cambridge and Boston. Numerous alumni, parents of alumni, and colleagues have relied on her wise counsel and her warmth and loyalty during challenging times in their lives. Cynthia leaves an important legacy at Park—strategically moving the School forward for over two decades while serving as a trusted advisor to students, parents, and faculty alike— all while singing in her stunning mezzo-soprano voice. We will miss Cynthia as she heads off on her next opus, but we know that her legacy of 23 years will live on just as the sound of her beautiful voice will linger in the halls. Next year, Cynthia will be on a non-academic calendar for the first time since she was four years old. In September, she will join Northstar Asset Management as the new Chief Operations Officer.
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What is Cynthia’s legacy, after 23 years? Those of you who know me well...and especially Cynthia...won’t be surprised that I have three things to say about this. First, in all of her roles at The Park School, Cynthia consistently has strived for excellence, pushing herself, while maintaining high expectations for others. In particular, she has had a wide and deep impact on excellence in the instructional program at Park. She has facilitated and participated in key moments of decisionmaking around language arts and mathematics, differentiation, technology, service learning, and language trips. Park’s program is better today because of Cynthia’s high standards, her commitment to identifying and implementing best practices, her respect for the voice of teachers, and her focus on making the learning environment here welcoming for an increasingly diverse population of children and families. Second, through her leadership, Cynthia has demonstrated, time and again, that moments of great challenge can be moments that bring out the best in people and in a community. Both from behind the scenes and from in front of the crowd, Cynthia has ensured that Park manages times of heartbreaking loss with a remarkable balance of sincere compassion and hopefulness about the future. Finally, where ever one thinks Park is on its journey to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school, whatever misssteps have occurred along the way, and whatever challenges remain for the years ahead, Cynthia must be counted among many courageous leaders-faculty, parents, trustees, and administrators-who have moved Park forward in service of its mission. It’s important to remember where this School was in 1995 and to appreciate the pivotal role that Cynthia has played in shaping who Park is today, what Park strives to provide, and how Park goes about achieving its goals as an inclusive community. We all are the beneficiaries of Cynthia’s dedicated and selfless efforts. —JERRY KATZ, HEAD OF SCHOOL EMERITUS
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Program of Speakers and Performers Master of Ceremonies
Bob Park P’16 ’17 ’20
Words for Cynthia
Hallie Spierings van der Wolk ’02
Welcome to the Evening
Seth Brennan P’19 ’21 ’23 ’25 Chair, Board of Trustees
Video Tribute
Wanda Holland Greene Former Administrator
Words for Cynthia
Vincent Chiang P’15 ’16 ’19 Former Chair, Board of Trustees
What Makes Park, Park
Jerry Katz Head of School Emeritus
Musical Performance
Dennis Slaughter P’05 and Friends
Remarks
Cynthia A. Harmon Head of School
Piano Tribute Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy
David Lawton Former Faculty
“Thank You, Ms. Harmon!”
A Special Video
Words for Cynthia
Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter P’05 Current Faculty
Presentation of Gifts from the Alumni Committee and the Parents’ Association Greg Kadetsky ’96 Co-Chair, Alumni Committee
Presentation of Gift from the Faculty & Staff Joy Bartlett P’90 ’95, GP’18 Assistant to the Head of School
Bob Bray ’53 Alumni Committee Member Laura Barkan P’16’19 President, Parents’ Association Suzanne Cullinane Jeppson P’22 Vice President, Parents’ Association
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Special Thanks To: Flik Independent School Dining, the Park School Faciltities Team, Laura Barkan, Elizabeth Brennan, Shadé Solomon, Park Parents’ Association Volunteers, Liz Page, and Audrey James.
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1 H olly Oh, Cynthia, and Master of Ceremonies Bob Park 2 Jen Lindstrom, Marn Lau, Steven Goldman, Anita Brush, and Courtney Bonang 3 Joy Bartlett presenting Cynthia with a gift from the Faculty & Staff 4 Alexis Lelon and Annie Goodridge ’10 5 Fred Hoppin and Bob Hurlbut 6 The Spierings van der Wolk family with Cynthia: Hallie Spierings van der Wolk ’02, David Spierings ’07, Paula Wolk, and PAM Spierings 7 A moving musical tribute to Cynthia 8 Alison Connolly and Dali Franco ’05 9 Cynthia with Allison Webster 10 Alkia Powell, Tracy Duliban, and Shadé Solomon 11 Pam McLaurin, Merle Jacobs, and Vinicius Gorgati
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Leaving Park… Letting Go…
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Cynthia is devoted to Park. And we have already heard tonight about being Head of School is but one of a myriad of roles that Cynthia has had at Park. But what has impressed me most is not the what, but the how. No matter the role, Cynthia has always acted or led in a way that has embodied Park’s values—respect for the faculty, staff, parents and most importantly the children; understanding of the importance of the whole child; and embracing the tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion that we hold so dearly.
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—VINNY CHIANG, FORMER CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
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ow! I am not sure that there was any way for me to have adequately prepared for the range of emotions that I have felt tonight. When I look out at all of you, I am in awe of how the rich diversity of my life is here: my family, friends, former students, parents, trustees, and my exceptional Park colleagues. And now, somehow, I have to find my voice to speak about my transformative Park School journey. They say that a journey begins with one step. While that may be true, I know that my journey to Park began long ago. It began with the educational choices my parents made for me as a child. You see, like many of you, they chose academic excellence for both of their daughters. They chose independent schools. My sister and I had it instilled in us that working hard and pursuing excellence (both in school and beyond) were the expectation not the exception. With this as a backdrop, we were given opportunities to be challenged, to find our voices, and to realize that we have the power to choose the paths we wish to blaze. To those ‘non-Park’ people who traveled from near and far, I am truly blessed to be able to see so many of you. For my family, I can only imagine how weird it must be to hear people call me Cynthia, and perhaps even stranger yet, Ms. Harmon. As a child, I only went by Cindy. On the rare occasion that I was called Cynthia, particularly by my mother, it was because I may have done something less than ideal. If I had really made a misstep, it was Cynthia Anne. (Full disclosure: I never did anything that warranted my first, middle, AND last name!) I had to grow into the elegance of the name Cynthia, the name that my father, who is here tonight, gave me. And in more recent times, Anne has come to have new meaning… it is a name that I share with my mother, Anna, whom I wish was alive to physically be here. But I know she is with us in spirit. So, whether you know me as Cindy, Cynthia, or Ms. Harmon, I am so grateful that you are here. I do want to take a moment to say, “Congratulations!” to my sister and brother-in-law who have chosen to spend their 31st wedding anniversary, which is today, at The Park School. I need to say a huge thank you to all of the people who made this event a reality. I know that I can be a little challenging to surprise, and I hope I “let go” just enough NOT to make you crazy as this day approached. This is a night that I will remember, cherish, and carry with me forever. Jerry, in 1995 you and Caroline Hoppin offered me an opportunity to join you in your efforts to make Park a more diverse and welcoming community that strove for excellence in all its dimensions. I would not be on this stage had you not seen in me, the promise of a young educator who could one day be a leader in education. To all of my colleagues past and present, thank you for walking, running, and yes, sometimes crawling at a turtle’s pace through our Park journey. Growing up at Park is not just about the children. Over my 23 years here, we adults have navigated
the twists and turns of our professional and personal lives. We’ve weathered some true New England storms, both literally: • Some of you remember the 5 a.m. “snow day” phone chains; nowadays it’s a text message. And figuratively: • Sadly mourning the death of a child, parents, spouses, and colleagues. We’ve grown up together. We’ve worked, played, laughed until our faces hurt, shared caramel sauce, supported, cried, and loved one another. To all of you Park parents and guardians… don’t get nervous... I promise I won’t start telling embarrassing stories about admission parent interviews, or difficult fifth grade and eighth grade parent conference stories, or bad parent spectator stories from my days coaching basketball… I thank you for your partnership, your belief, your support, your faith, and your love. We may not have always seen eye to eye about how to handle a situation when your adolescent child made an adolescent mistake or when your five-year-old really needed you to leave the classroom sooner rather than later, BUT you trust us. You truly trust us with the most precious people in your lives. I have had the privilege of traveling down some extraordinary roads with you, holding the hands and hearts of your children... As children, we notice, we wonder, we ask questions, we imagine. We tend to stay in the moment. As adults, we often don’t notice things that we’re not expecting. For me, 23 years have flown by...I didn’t notice that decades were passing…and yet tonight I really feel the passage of time. I didn’t notice that I was building an extended family…and yet tonight I feel its embrace…little did I know that turning onto 171 Goddard Ave would be the beginning of noticing things I wasn’t expecting and how did that happen? The children…those wonderful beings who have touched my life and who are our future. I thank God for their soul filling presence throughout my Park School journey. As elementary school educators, we devote ourselves to nurturing the development of children, and as they leave us, we know that they have just begun to find their voices and identities, to challenge differing perspectives, to develop their passions, and to take the lessons they have learned and make them their own. SONG HERE…(True to form, Cynthia broke into song at this moment: “Children Will Listen” from Into The Woods by Stephen Sondheim)
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I hope you’ll join me in wishing Ms. Harmon the very best as she moves on from The Park School, secure in the knowledge that what she brings to children’s education is the most valuable mixture of an uncompromised expectation of hard work, faith in the capacity for growth, and love. —HALLIE SPIERINGS VAN DER WOLK ’02, CYNTHIA HARMON’S FIFTH GRADE STUDENT
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I am truly humbled by your choice to be here tonight to help me reflect on and celebrate the fact that after 23 years, I’m finally ready to graduate from The Park School. THANK YOU! 1 C ynthia in the spotlight 2 Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter and Kate Taylor Mighty ’08 3 Sue Cullinane Jeppson and Laura Barkan presented Cynthia with a gift from the Parents’ Association 4 David Lawton and Miguel Morales 5 Julie Goodridge and Heeten Kalan 6 Chloe Page ‘15 performed a special rendition of “Fly Me To The Moon” 7 Jerry Cathey and David Perry
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8 C arolina Samudio-Ortega ‘96 and Cynthia 9 David Lawton performs “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy 10 Andrew Segar gets a big hug from Cynthia 11 Suzie Tapson and Emily Cause pose with a poster of Cynthia 12 Eileen Harmon Council, George Council, and Clifton Harmon, Cynthia’s father
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CYNTHIA A. HARMON MEZZO-SOPRANO It isn’t every Head of School who is a trained opera singer. But before arriving at Park in the fall of 1995, Cynthia Harmon’s stunning mezzo-soprano voice brought her to Boston where she earned her master’s of music in vocal performance at the New England Conservatory, as well as a diploma in opera from the Longy School of Music. At Park, Cynthia has shared her voice with the community in various occasions—as a founding member of PACE (Park’s Adult Choral Ensemble), in rare solo performances with David Lawton as her accompanist, and as the Head of School, where she has offered wonderful musical gifts at Yule Festival and Alumni Reunion.
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PARK ALUMNI MUSICIANS To a person, Park alumni recall musical landmarks from their childhoods. Dancing the May Pole dance at May Day. Making and playing a dulcimer in seventh grade. Leading the Yule Festival audience with all ten verses of “Children, Go Where I Send Thee.” Longtime—and beloved—music teacher Janice Allen explains, “Someone who has gone through Park’s music program can stand in front of an audience, look someone in the eye and sing, or speak, with confidence.” Therefore, it is not surprising that dozens of Park alumni have pursued musical paths. (Did you know that Tucker Halpern ’05 is one half of the Grammy-nominated Sofi Tucker duo?) While we were not able to profile everyone in this issue, we’d love to hear from you about your musical memories at Park. Please reminisce on Facebook or Instagram, or drop us a line at communications@parkschool.org. Next, you will meet five Park alumni whose lives and careers have followed a musical score. They range in age and genre, but share a passion for their art. ERIC SCHORR ’75, COMPOSER JULIET EASTLAND ’83, JAZZ PIANIST ROB O’BLOCK ’02, GUITAR THE OLADIPO SISTERS: OLADUNNI ’13 AND OLAYENI ’15, GOSPEL ARTISTS
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ERIC SCHORR ’75 Eric Schorr attended Park from third through sixth grade, then went to Belmont Hill School. He graduated from Yale College and subsequently moved to New York City. Eric composes music for film, television, and theater. He also writes lyrics and libretti for musical theater. As a professional pianist he has performed in many NYC venues, including Broadway pit orchestras. For a full bio, please visit www.ericschorr.com
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ho knew that composing haiku in Miss Spaulding’s third grade classroom (most likely a clever pedagogical exercise for counting syllables) would lead to my writing a musical about classical Japanese tattoos? Or that studying the structure of ice in Miss Balian’s sixth-grade science class would lead to a musical about climate change and Antarctica? It certainly seems as if many threads of my current creative life connect me directly back to Park. My most recent two musical theater projects—for which I wrote the libretto, lyrics, and music—are “chamber musicals,” written for relatively small casts. And both are original pieces—not adaptations of existing works. In terms of subject matter, as well as scale and scope of story, though, the two projects couldn’t be more different. Tokio Confidential is an intimate, haunting love story centered on Isabella, an adventurous young American Civil War widow. In 1879 she bravely sets sail for Tokio (a period spelling of Tokyo), where she happens to meet Horiyoshi, the most renowned Japanese tattoo artist of his time. Isabella’s desire to have Horiyoshi engrave her entire body and to become a living work of art—a walking Hiroshige print—is matched by Horiyoshi’s passion to paint the living canvas of a lifetime as he envelops this beautiful foreigner in his painful, colorful designs. Their intimate tattoo sessions, which take place over many months, lead to a passionate love affair. Ultimately, Isabella’s transformation into a stunningly beautiful canvas places her in mortal danger, something the two lovers could never have predicted when they embarked on their artistic journey together. For me there is something powerful in dreaming up characters and situations from scratch. Though Isabella and Horiyoshi are my creations, they, as well as plot of Tokio, are based on historical fact and the product of much research. I was fortunate
We live above the stage, supplying the actors with material, pulling the strings—and the threads that connect us all.
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to have received a fellowship to travel to Japan, where I spent many months studying classical Noh theater, which highly influenced the dramatic structure of the piece. While there I also interviewed tattoo artists who still employ the classical designs, many of which incorporate iconic cherry blossoms, whose distinct beauty lasts only a short while and whose image is thus associated with transience. (Cherry blossoms are, by the way, favorite subjects of haiku.) After Admiral Perry “opened” Japan in the middle of the 19th century (the subject of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Pacific Overtures) and the country became more exposed to the west, the Japanese Emperor, a fan of progress, outlawed tattooing. His concern was that western visitors might happen upon decorated Japanese and indict the nation as backwards or barbaric. Foreigners, however, were exempt from this ban, and many desired to be tattooed as a kind of permanent souvenir of their trip. Cantabrigian Charles Longfellow, son of poet Henry, was one of them. Even today, tattooing is frowned upon by polite Japanese society. It is, rather, the realm of the yakuza, Japanese gangsters, whose lives always seem to hang in the balance, and who often sport cherry blossom tattoos, those appropriate symbols of impermanence. Thematically speaking, impermanence also figures prominently in another recent project, The Rising Sea. It spans the period from 1933 to 2047. At the center of its sweeping epic story are multiple generations of an African-American family whose
seaside home was built to withstand the strongest storms, but nonetheless, after many decades, becomes a victim of everrising seas. Half of the story takes place in an Antarctica of the future, where two climate scientists are documenting the quickly melting ice that will result in a catastrophic rise in sea levels throughout the globe. Lest you think this sounds like too much of a downer, after a contentious courtship, the two scientists do fall in love—in true Tracy/Hepburn fashion.
Commissioned by the Virginia Stage Company, based in Norfolk, a coastal city that is already experiencing the effects of climate change, The Rising Sea required a lot of scientific research. While I didn’t get to travel to Antarctica (it is still on my bucket list), I did interview several scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute who have made the journey to this fascinating continent, on whose future the lives of our children and grandchildren depend. Melting Antarctic ice could eventually leave much of the East Coast, and, yes, even The Park School, under water. I’ve been fortunate to work on these interesting projects with many talented collaborators—directors, designers, and actors. It truly takes a village to mount a production, but it all comes down to performers telling stories and audiences listening to and believing them. I always marvel at the power of good storytelling. I’ll never forget how we third-graders couldn’t wait for Miss Spaulding to read to us a few pages each day from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (which is now a Broadway musical). We were riveted. Ironically, though, I’ve always hated being on stage. Perhaps that had something to do with my role as a villager throwing stones in a Park production of Shirley Jackson’s terrifying “The Lottery.” I much prefer being a writer. We live above the stage, supplying the actors with material, pulling the strings—and the threads that connect us all. One of my next projects is a musical set in France in 1940. And I feel obliged to tell you that I’m constantly channeling Ms. Gufstason, my Grade VI French teacher, repeating over and over again, “Voilà, Monsieur Thibault. Voilà, Madame Thibault.”
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JULIET EASTLAND ’83 Way back in the last millennium, Juliet attended Park for Grades I – IV, where her fondest memories include playing piano for recitals, and performing at Yule Festival and the Really Rosie musical. After finishing at Winsor and Phillips Exeter, where she continued to play the piano, she studied English in college, then headed to San Francisco to play music. She ultimately returned to Brookline, where she now writes and lives with her family. She hasn’t played professionally since having kids, but she does noodle extensively on her grandmother’s beautiful 1935 baby grand, which was awaiting her faithfully after all those years.
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’d been playing piano ever since I was about four, but it wasn’t until my first year of college that I heard a recording that changed my life. I’d been playing classical music all those years—Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Debussy— and my parents weren’t jazz fans (I think the most “modern” music we had at our house were some Beatles LPs), so when I heard Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” floating out of a dorm window one May afternoon, it stopped me in my tracks. I knew the tune, but I had never heard a melody transformed into something simultaneously so recognizable and utterly unfamiliar. Was I allowed to try my hand at this kind of alchemy? It had never occurred to me to lay claim to a piece of music like that—to pluck a well-worn melody from its context and re-shape it, squishing it here and stretching it there, until it was somehow mine in a way that my classical repertoire had never been. It was a revelation.
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As with any craft, there was no magic to it; it was just hard work. I began listening to jazz, all kinds, whenever and wherever I could. I started teaching myself the standards, and finagled my way one summer into a job as the dining-room pianist at a fancy inn. After graduating from college, I immersed myself in Boston’s jazz scene (my personal HQ: Ryles Jazz Club) and began studying with various teachers.
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER): Kenny Barron, Night and the City Bill Evans, Turn Out the Stars Hank Jones, Handful of Keys Thelonious Monk, Solo Monk Oscar Peterson, Nigerian Marketplace Horace Silver, Song for my Father
I followed a friend out to San Francisco with only a nebulous dayjob offer and a vague plan to “play music.” Fortunately, people who love music tend to find one another, and I soon found a creative musical community. Above all, I wanted experience, so, unlike Groucho Marx, I joined every club that asked me. I played piano for a wedding band (a challenge, as I tended to cry), a swing band (headlined by a fabulous, red-headed zoot-suiter), and a rock band (huge silver platform shoes, leather pants). I accompanied singers, and subbed in for absent players. I played solo at restaurants, and with a 10-man band. Ultimately, I clicked with a bassist, a drummer, and a singer, and we formed the Hot Toddy quartet, playing a weekly gig at a local club as well as anywhere else that would have us. During the hours of practicing and playing out together, we began to transform from four individuals into one whole. We were learning a language together, and as we became more familiar with each other, the more nuanced our communication became, and the freer we felt to diverge from the narrative of the song, making a musical joke or expanding on a riff. As with any craft, there was no magic to it; it was just hard work. But when we did stumble into moments of musical communion, playing as if we were one living organism, it was, indeed, as if some magical alchemy had come to pass. Ultimately, I headed back east to be closer to my parents, and before I knew it, I’d met my husband and had our first child. I’d been accustomed to living the vampire’s life of a musician, beginning my day at noon and going until 2 or 3 in the morning, but nothing had prepared me for the nightlife of a new parent. The piano went out the window (metaphorically), and I put my performing life on hold for the next decade. Now that my kids are entering their tween- and teenager years, I’ve had time to rediscover music. With a few exceptions, an event here or neighborhood performance there, I haven’t played in public. But I’ve taken out my old music books, and when I have a few minutes, I sit down and play. I’m rusty, to say the least. But my piano has welcomed me back after my absence—unconditionally, no criticism leveled or questions asked. I’m grateful for its tact and generosity. In return, I promise to keep up with my scales. Music has given me so much; it’s the least I can do.
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ROB O’BLOCK ’02 At his mother’s insistence, Rob began piano lessons in fourth grade with Park music teacher Greg Lyons. After a few years of her cajoling him to practice, Rob picked up the guitar instead. He began lessons at the Brookline Music School, and started playing the bass guitar as well. Rob, who attended Park from Kindergarten – Grade VIII, says he “caught the music bug” in high school at Nobles, where he formed his first band, The Leonas. While he knew music was his true calling, he heeded his parents’ advice to attend Boston College (where he majored in communications and minored in music) before going to Berklee in 2010-11. He now resides in Nashville where he plays lead guitar for Frank Foster, in addition to many other projects.
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nlike becoming a lawyer, there is no preordained path to becoming a musician. Playing music—all types in all sorts of venues— is much more important than any degree you can earn.
My first real gig was playing an assembly at Nobles, together with five friends, in our first band called The Leonas. We did alright. I remember playing “I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness” and then we started writing our own material. oon, we had a regular night playing at the Barking Crab once a week. Since I was at BC, and my friends all went to Holy Cross, we were able to keep the band together during college, although our name changed to Project Blue Book. While I was at BC, I became immersed in the Boston music scene, and upon graduation, I attended Berklee for a year to study professional music. It was my own grad school: I studied guitar, performance, engineering, and music business. Throughout my time at Berklee, I was saturated with music. I was learning all different styles and trying to remember hundreds of songs. I was playing gigs four or five nights a week for all sorts of different acts in all sorts of scenarios. Those years were invaluable to my development both as a player and a professional. In the summer of 2011, I joined one of my favorite local bands, the reggae/fusion group Spiritual Rez. If there is anything approaching a pre-ordained path for musicians, it includes touring in a van—and that’s what we did! For two years, we packed our gear into that van and toured America, doing around 200 shows each year. While the van tour may sound romantic, it began to get old after a while. There were the seven us in Spiritual Rez, plus another guy who sold merch at the shows, all in the van, scrambling for a place to stay in Cincinnati. This had been a perfectly average show, not especially great or terrible and we were ready to crash. One of the guys in the band knew of a place
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where we could all stay the night. The eight of us showed up at this apartment where the owner and his girlfriend lived with their pet pig, who slept on a bed made of straw in the corner. There we were, draped over assorted chairs and couches, with the pig oinking at the people sleeping on the floor. Not exactly glamorous! That experience definitely had me questioning just exactly what it was that I was doing with my life at the time, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t trade the van days for anything. Just as I was ready for more dependable beds to sleep in, my then girlfriend/now wife, Maggie, was applying to nursing school. As a musician, Nashville and LA seemed to be the two best places to go. So we spent two weeks in each city to get a sense of them, and in May of 2013, we moved to Nashville so she could attend Vanderbilt for a Masters in nursing, and that worked for me, too. Upon moving to Nashville, I joined Frank Foster’s country-rock band and have been touring and recording with him ever since. Frank used to work on an oil rig so he has a big following on the Gulf Coast, but we tour all over. It’s a great situation. Busses are better than vans, and the beds are much nicer now. We play Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights for the most part, which means we’re out of town Wednesday through Sunday. We tour year-round, but take November and December off. I’ve also co-produced his last three records, the third of which will be out in September. During the week when I’m in town, I’m busy with all sorts of projects. I work as a studio musician and am producing more music for other artists in and out of Nashville as well as songwriting, creating content for the music software company Output, and running my rock trio, The Brunswick. I really love what I do and am glad that the path has taken me here. www.roboblockmusic.com www.thebrunswickmusic.com
I really love what I do and am glad that the path has taken me here.
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OLADIPO SISTERS ’13 & ’15 Oladunni and Olayeni, two of the five Oladipo Sisters, share British, American, and Nigerian heritage and infuse these cultures into their original gospel songs. Born to music-loving parents, the girls were exposed to different genres from an early age, which fueled their passion for singing, songwriting, and performing songs filled with messages of hope, joy, peace, and love.
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ladunni (19) and Olayeni (17) attended The Park School from Pre-K through Grade VIII and recall singing in Janice Allen’s Inspirational Freedom Choir and performing at Yule Festival and May Day as some of their most cherished memories. Ms. Allen’s focused care and nurturing inspired the sisters to develop their voices and love for singing. While at Park, they released their debut contemporary gospel album, “The Mighty One” in 2011 and their 2012 single, “A Song for America,” a patriotic song that pays tribute to American values. The song premiered in Boston Symphony Hall by the world renowned Boston Pops Orchestra at a three-day performance in 2013. The Oladipo Sisters have been featured in the Boston Globe and have appeared on NPR, ABC, and NBC affiliate stations in Boston. They often perform at commemorative ceremonies at the Massachusetts State House, in addition to many private events and galas. Tapped by Roots Radio to host and produce their own show, the Oladipo Sisters launched a weekly show “Oladipo Sisters’ Playlist” in 2013, which aired for three years. They released another single in 2015 titled “Trade It All In,” and a new single, “It’s Settled,” is available for download now: (open.spotify. com/album/1o6k2VNaIjFz2iPjJm5vwU) Their brand new album, “The Rebirth,” was released in June 2018, and this summer, the duo will be touring Massachusetts. To learn more about the Oladipo Sisters, visit their website (oladiposisters.com) and their YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/oladipowonders).
OLADUNNI OLADIPO ’13 Oladunni was “discovered” at age three, when her mother witnessed her sing Mariah Carey’s “Can’t Take That Away.” At age five, her big voice caught the attention of music teacher Janice Allen who nurtured and encouraged her. Oladunni’s first big solo took place at Yule Festival, where she sang “Great Big Star” as a Pre-K student. Ms. Allen, again, inspired Oladunni to take her talents outside of school and into the city, leading her to
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the Boston Symphony Orchestra stage. At age nine, Oladunni performed a solo at the Annual Boston Pops Gospel Night at Symphony Hall. This performance led to multiple invitations from Keith Lockhart to sing with the Boston Pops’ Orchestra, including a once-in-a-lifetime performance at the Fourth of July Celebration on the Esplanade in 2008. Her singing caught the eye of the Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox where she has been performing ever since. As part of giving back to the community, Oladunni performs at a number of charitable events for local non-profit organizations and hospitals including the Boston Children’s Hospital and Newton Wellesley Hospital. She is also a regular performer at the Harvard Men’s and Women’s Hockey games. After Park, Oladunni attended Milton Academy, where she served as Head of the school’s Gospel Choir, (a group co-founded by her older sister Olamide ’05) and Head of Epic, an all-female a capella group. After graduating from Milton Academy, Oladunni took a gap year to study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, where she began writing songs for the Oladipo Sisters’ new album “The Rebirth.” Oladunni is also an avid cook, and she recently launched a lifestyle and homeware brand, Dune Elle. Oladunni credits her success to the solid foundation received at Park where students are encouraged to dream big and reach for the skies. In the fall, Oladunni will begin classes at Wellesley College.
OLAYENI OLADIPO ’15 A Park School lifer, Olayeni, attended Park from Pre-K through Grade VIII, then began her studies at Milton Academy. While at Park, she was a member of Janice Allen’s Inspirational Freedom Choir as well as the Grade VIII Chorus. She began her professional career at age 10 when she joined her older sister Oladunni to form the Oladipo Sisters. Aside from Park School venues, Olayeni’s first big performance was at the WSHC International Gospel Concert at Berklee College of Music. Olayeni is currently a junior at Milton Academy where she heads the school’s Gospel Choir; she is also a member of the a capella group, Octet. Apart from the collaborative work Olayeni does for the Oladipo Sisters, she also wrote and released her own project, a single called, “This is Me,” in 2017. A strong athlete, Olayeni enjoys playing field hockey and track & field. She has recently taken up dancing and has appeared in a number of dances at Milton Academy’s annual dance concert. When Olayeni is not playing, dancing, or making music, she is likely to be coding. Olayeni is very interested in STEM and has attended the 2018 GAINS Conference in New York and the Women in STEM Conference at Harvey Mudd College in California.
Oladunni credits her success to the solid foundation received at Park where students are encouraged to dream big and reach for the skies.
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Alumni Visiting Morning Friday, May 18 The weekend kicked off with Alumni Visiting Morning on Friday, when alumni had the opportunity to see Park at its best—filled with students! Alumni from the Classes of 1988, 1998, and 2008 visited Park for a few hours in the morning, and reconnected with teachers, were special guests in classes, and welcomed Grade VIII students to the Alumni Association! Alumni visitors saw the School from the perspective of the eighth graders during a tour led by Will Tran ’18 and Elena Guera ’18. Then, they worked on a special project with Grade I students about what it means for something to be “iconic” at Park. Alumni and first graders took pictures together of all of the things that they think of as iconic—The Charter Oak, the Globe, the Buddy Bench, and many more! The first Alumni Visiting Morning was a huge success, and we look forward to making it an annual feature of Reunion Weekend!
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Reunion Reception & Dinner Saturday, May 19 On Saturday, alumni with class years ending in 3’s and 8’s returned to Park to celebrate their Reunion. The festivities began with tour or Park’s ‘old’ campus on Kennard Road, led by Headmaster Emeritus Bob Hurlbut, and continued with a tour of Park’s current building. Alumni had the opportunity to reconnect with one another and faculty guests over drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the Library. Then, everyone moved downstairs to a candlelit dinner in the Dining Room, where Director of Alumni Relations Jamie Byron and Head of School Cynthia Harmon addressed the crowd. A special shoutout was given to the Class of 1978, who, in addition to celebrating their 40th Reunion, achieved the highest level of reunion class giving—23 percent! Many thanks to the volunteers who helped to make Reunion 2018 a memorable event for everyone. We look forward to seeing the 4’s and 9’s next spring!
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13 15 1: Sam Dimond ’98 with first graders 2: Olivia Fox ’08 reads a card made by for her by her Grade I buddies 3: Isabelle English ’08 and Dr. Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter reconnect at Alumni Visiting Morning 4: Park Alumni and Ms. Willig’s Grade I Class on Alumni Visiting Morning 5: Dean Laabs shows alumni visitors around the Woodshop 6: Class of 2008 Reunion Attendees 7: Visitors on a tour of one of Park’s science labs 8: Sarah Swettberg ’98, Alex Whisnant ’98, Daphne Johnson Berger ’98, and Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy ’98 get a kick out of old photos! 9: Headmaster Emeritus Bob Hurlbut and Alice Perera Lucey ’77 10: Rick Berenson ’73 and Maggie Frank O’Connor ’73 11: Sam Baker ’83 and Joan Amick Kelly ’83 12: Manizeh Afridi ’08 and Dr. Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter 13: Alumni at the Reunion Cocktail Party in the Library 14: Morgan Yucel ’08, Chloe Michaelidis ’08, Judy Hale, and Sofia Silverglass ’08 15: Reunion Class Dinners in the Dining Room! 16: Carol Sawyer Tallino ’62, Phyllis Sawyer White ’68, and Edith Crocker ‘73
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17: Chloe Michaelidis ’08, Farzan Vafa ’08, Morgan Yucel ’08, & Sofia Silverglass ’08 18: Frances Sandys Boarder and Judy Hale 19: Tiffany Claflin ’88, Michael Rosenfield ’88, & Hadley Powell 20: Rebecca Fine ’08, Marielle Rabins ’08, Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter, & Ted Wells 21: Tiffany Claflin ’88 & Jessie Colby Harris ’88 22: Caitlin Connolly ’98 & daughter Sophia 23: Reunion guests at the Library Cocktail Hour 24: Sam Dimond ’98 & Cynthia Harmon 25: Alex Whisnant ’98, Bobby MacLean, & Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy ’98 26: Annie Faulkner ’78 & Jen Cunningham Butler ’78
Class of 1968 Right to Left: Phyllis Sawyer White ’68 and her sister, Carol Sawyer Tallino ’62
Class of 1973 Left to Right: Rick Berenson, Maggie Frank O’Connor, Edith Crocker, Kathy Glasberg
1968 1973 Class of 1978 Left to Right, Front Row: Headmaster Emeritus Bob Hurlbut, Back Row: Robert Amick, Connie Berman Moore, Patti Sonnabend Wagner, Lisa Black Franks, Sierra Heath Bright, Jen Cunningham Butler, Annie Faulkner
Class of 1983 Left to Right, Front Row: Rob Ball, Diana Gardner Vogel, Sam Baker, Back Row: Joan Amick Kelly, Martina Albright
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1983
2018 Reunion Co-Chairs 1973: Rick Berenson & Macy Lawrence Ratliff 1978: Annie Faulkner, Lisa Black Franks, Connie Berman Moore 1983: Joan Amick Kelly & Diana Gardner Vogel 1988: Liza Cohen Gates, Eloise Lawrence, Michael Rosenfield 1993: Clark Freifeld, Julia Lloyd Johannsen, Thacher Tiffany 1998: Daphne Johnson Berger, Astrid Levis-Thorne Burns, Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy, Alex Whisnant 2008: Olivia Cinquegrana, Marielle Rabins, Sofia Silverglass, Morgan Yucel 23
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Class of 1988 Left to Right, Front Row: Michael Hong, Eloise Lawrence, Tiffany Claflin, Deirdre O’Keefe, Kim Ablon Whitney, Michael Rosenfield, Back Row: Abby Witkin, Jessie Colby Harris, Liza Cohen Gates, Allie Powell, John Boarder, Frances Sandys Boarder (Past Faculty)
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Class of 1993 Left to Right, Front Row: Tanya Geha, Julia Lloyd Johannsen, Clark Freifeld, Back Row: Hanna van der Kolk, Andrew Scott, Thacher Tiffany
1988 Class of 1998 Left to Right, Front Row: Sarah Swettberg, Alex Whisnant, Back Row: Sam Dimond, Daphne Johnson Berger, Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy
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Class of 2008 Left to Right Back Row: Rebecca Fine, Farzan Vafa, James McNay, Manizeh Afridi, Emma Peabody Second Row: Marielle Rabins, Chloe Michaelidis, Natalee Sohn, Lydia Mitchell, Isabelle English, Sofia Silverglass, Olivia Fox Front Row: Lucy Lyons, Morgan Yucel, Natalia Salcedo, Emma Tiedemann, Kendall McRae
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alumni notes
1972
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED!
Lynn Nyhart says, “After living for 28 years in Madison, Wisconsin, my husband Tom and I have moved out to the country this summer upon his retirement. Still working at the UW-Madison, now in the History Department, I am now enjoying wildlife, prairie plants, and big sky while learning to deal with a 50-minute car commute after decades of walking to work. Delighted to learn that my daughter, Laura Broman, is in a class this fall at Tufts taught by Ty Burr ’73! The world is small indeed.”
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1973 RE U N ION YEAR!
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Anne Singer
Rick Berenson
Park congratulates Paul Ayoub, who started his term as president of the board of Boston’s Real Estate Finance Association in January 2018, and was recently named as the incoming chairman of the Board of Directors for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Paul is a partner at Nutter, McClennen, & Fish, LLP and published Inspire Me! last year with his daughter, Lizzie Ayoub ’09. Daphne Howland Kalmar’s debut novel, A Stitch in Time, is due out from Feiwel and Friends at Macmillan Publishing in June 2018. It’s a middle-grade novel for 9 – 12 year olds set in Vermont in 1927. Her second novel with Macmillan, Stealing Mt. Rushmore, is coming out in Fall 2019. Visit her website at www.daphnekalmar.com for more information. Congratulations, Daphne! And Nicholas Nyart writes, “Our news is all about our kids these days. Our oldest, Sam, just made his national TV debut with roles in a Hallmark Christmas movie, Netflix’s Easy, and on Chicago PD. Our older daughter’s business, Build Coffee, is off to a flying start in Chicago, and our youngest, Maris, is enjoying being a digital music marketer. We are all very thankful.”
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1968 RE U N ION YEAR! CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Vicky Hall Kehlenbeck
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CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Susie Jackman Stillman writes that “One of the joys of the past “few years has been re-connecting with John Bihldorff ’60, my neighbor across the street (Walnut Street across from the old Park campus) and Charlie’s [Stillman ’60] classmate at both Park & Milton.”
Putty McDowell
1945 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Natalie Park Schutz
1948 Deborah Link tells us at she loved Park, and looks back with delight! Please stop by for a visit sometime, Deborah! Renny Little shared that his son, Bob Little, is enjoying his job as Park’s Athletic Director after 20 years at the School.
1963 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Amy Lampert
1966 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Wigs Frank
1953 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
1967
Bob Bray
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Davis Rowley
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CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Margaret Smith Bell Rodger Cohen
1975 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Colin McNay Bill Sullivan
1976 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Tenney Mead Cover Tenney Mead Cover writes, “I often wonder where the years have gone?! With a daughter working in NYC, and a son about to start work in Richmond, I returned to “school” last year to train to be an art guide at the MFA for the foreseeable future. Great experience and harder to memorize facts than it used to be. It looks like my next challenge will be to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September.”
1977 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Sam Solomon
alumni notes
From left: Carey Godbey Turner ’79 with her family; Class of 1979 friends Hilary Hart and Madeline Rains (known as Barbara Roberts while at Park) in New Mexico; Nancy Baker Cahill ’85 displayed her stunning digital artwork on billboards in L.A.
1978 RE U N ION YEAR! CLASS REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED!
Rosa Hallowell shares this with her 40th Reunion Class: “I send you all happy greetings as I miss our 40th to celebrate my elder daughter’s college commencement. Had I been able to attend, a fly on the wall might have heard us laughing about many coincidences and shared experiences. Your 40 years might have been like mine, filled with scattershot bursts of energy around the country, around vocations and avocations. Perhaps we overlapped in some of my stints in foolishly dangerous neighborhoods in 1980s NYC and the similarly dangerous 1990s Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, the seamier side of Beacon Hill and finally sleepy Concord, MA for vivid contrast; perhaps you, too have had stints as a college waitress, a Gordon Gecko era Wall Street investment banker, a commercial litigator, a Montessori teacher, a college counselor, a political activist, a whiner, a skier, a ski-diver, a hiker, a couch surfer, an overconfident mom of one then a humbled mom of two, a rescue dog lover, a reluctant curmudgeonly adopter of technological advances, a volunteer, a WBUR junkie, an abolitionist re-enactor, a furniture refinisher, a pain in the butt, the best man for my big brother, a devotee of Mary Oliver and Charlotte Perkins Gillman, a vegetable gardener, a car-abuser, a curly haired blonde, a straight haired brunette, a celebrator of many religions, especially Judaism with an awesome husband and kids, a rabid feminist, a kayaker, a Hereschoff sailor and late adopter of the Maine coast, also a late adopter of anything technological and a reluctant one at that, a died-in-the-wool socialist, and a dressed-in-the-wool
lover of the White Mountains, a traveler, a reader of bad fiction and good non-fiction who often cuts corners and listens to Audible, and most recently a proud American privileged enough to become a mortified American. In 40 years I suspect we’ve shared a lot of the same highs and lows as the arc of time distills experience. My lowest lows have been my younger daughter’s medical diagnosis (which she has overcome with grace) and losing my mom to lung cancer in ’97 (many of you will remember her as Park teacher Mrs. Hallowell, later Mrs. Shinagel). My highest and most enduring highs have been the blessing of my bright, funny, kind, daughters, Elizah (21) and Lucia (18) and my incredible dumb luck in finding one great husband, Mark Stein, who is serious and witty and supremely tolerant of my flaws. I’ll see you at our 50th, and hope to add some outrageous behavior between now and then.” Joshua David writes, “After 16 years founding, building, and running the High Line alongside fellow co-founder Robert Hammond, I’m now the President and CEO of World Monuments Fund, an international non-profit based in New York City, which works to safeguard, conserve, and steward sites of architectural and cultural significance around the world. I’m still with my partner of nearly 35 years, Stephen; we live with our two dogs in Chelsea, and are lucky to get to spend summer weekends on Fire Island.”
1979 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Lalla Carothers Sally Solomon Last summer, Madeline Rains (known as Barbara Roberts while at Park) visited with classmate Hilary Hart at Hilary’s home in Taos, New Mexico! Madeline also made it to New England, where she saw Cary Godbey Turner. Cary writes “We just returned from a family adventure in Marathon and Tampa, Florida, with our two teenagers. We flew directly from our home here on Nantucket in our own twin engine plane, of which my hubby is the pilot. Last summer I had the pleasure of a visit from Madeline and her new beau Ray for lots of laughs—so glad she could make Nantucket part of her tour to visit old friends in New England. After closing my shop in town and taking last summer off, I recently pursued a lifetime dream of selling real estate here on Nantucket, and recently re-connected with Park
alum Nadia Belash. If anyone wants help finding a vacation rental please look me up at cary@greatpointproperties.com. Would be great to hear from anyone. Looking forward to our 40th next year!” Wendi Daniels tells us “Funny how some things don’t change. I was always directionally challenged. Even at Park I couldn’t remember where one field was from another. Well now I am thrilled to be working at Waze, which is an amazing navigation app that saves you five minutes every day by getting you where you want to go faster to avoid traffic! It has been a great learning experience to work with talented engineers who help save lives, get us where we are going faster and offer advertisers an opportunity to speak to an in-car audience. I ALWAYS think of my Park days and classmates as the best and look forward to seeing everyone on in 2019!” Rob Hurlbut tells us that he also recently had lunch with classmate Rob Twyman!
Many thanks to Rob Hurlbut ’79 for hosting a get-together for Bay Area alumni to welcome incoming Head of School Scott Young.
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Alumni Achievement Award Sarah Conway ’97
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he 2016-17 Alumni Achievement Award was presented to Sarah Conway ’97 on Wednesday, October 4, 2017. During Morning Meeting, Sarah accepted the award and spoke to students about her work as the Lead Climate Finance Negotiator on the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Sarah led the ten-person State and Treasury Climate Finance team at the 21st Conference of the Parties in Paris in December 2015, helping to secure an ambitious, durable, and inclusive climate agreement. Sarah spent the morning at Park and visited all of Grade IV as well as a Grade VII Mandarin class. She spoke about what Grade IV students can do to help reduce their environmental footprint, and to Mandarin students about the importance of each word used in the Paris climate agreement. It was an inspirational morning, and we were thrilled to honor Sarah with the Alumni Achievement Award!
1980 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED!
Stephen Conkling tells us that he has been working for Enterprise Rent-a-Car for the last two and a half years as a car detail service agent. He has also taken up mountain biking in his free time, and is enjoying it immensely!
1981 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Matt Carothers Alex Mehlman
1982 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Allison Nash Mael
1983 RE U N ION YEAR! CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Lisa Livens Freeman Elise Mott
1984 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Anne Collins Goodyear After rebuilding a house in 2016 – 17 following Baton Rouge Flood, Lucy Perera started a new job as director of learning innovation and helped open The Knock Knock Children’s Museum. Lucy continues to juggle raising two wonderful teens while weathering the climate (social, political, and temperature) of Southern Louisiana, a challenge which she accepts by creating programs that work with under resourced families and children making art and creatively promoting literacy.
1985 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED!
Clockwise, L – R: Former Alumni Director Rena LaRusso ’04 and Sarah Conway ’97; Dean Conway, Sally Baker and Cindy Conway attended Sarah’s Morning Meeting presentation; Sarah Conway ’97 speaking with Grade VII Mandarin students
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West Coast alumni, we hope that you were able to check out the amazing billboards created by Nancy Baker Cahill in Los Angeles! Smithsonian Magazine recently featured Nancy’s work, saying that “the abstract digital paintings cycle through a series of immersive virtual reality drawings. Stay long enough and you’ll see towers of translucent color or watch jagged edges of metallic shards floating
alumni notes through space. The virtual reality billboards…are intended to provoke, pushing a viewer out of the mundanity of their daily routine.” Amazing work, Nancy! (see photo on p. 27)
1986 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Mark Epker Jay Livens
1987 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Mary Sarah Fairweather Geoffrey Glick
1988 RE U N ION YEAR! Class Representative Liza Cohen Gates
1989
1994 Alan Bern Aba Taylor
1995 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Lilla Curran Matthew Stahl
1996 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Kathrene Tiffany Bell Nick Brescia Merrill Hawkins Katayoun Shahrokhi
1999
2001
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
1997
Colin Arnold Susanna Whitaker Waters Elizabeth Weyman
Ben Bullitt
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Sarah Conway Suzy McManmon Sarah Robbat Primavera
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Dahlia Aronson Ehrenfried Ian Glick Rebecca Lewin Scott
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1998 RE U N ION YEAR! CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Lydia Hawkins Meg Lloyd Sarah Swettberg
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Zachary Cherry Alexander Rabinsky Sadia Shepard’s short story, entitled “ForeignReturned,” was featured in the January 8th issue of the New Yorker! To read Sadia’s story (or to hear her read an audio version of it!), visit www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/01/08/foreign-returned. Way to go, Sadia!
Congratulations to Andrew Smith and his wife Christine Attia Smith on the birth of their son, Aiden Paul Smith! Aiden was born in March 2018 in Zurich, Switzerland. Past faculty members Tom Smith and Margo Ayres Smith are very proud grandparents!
1991 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED!
1992 CLASS REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED!
1993 RE U N ION YEAR! CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Jessica Ko Beck Jaime Quiros Alison Ross
Lindsay Arnold ’01 sent us this great photo from the Winter Olympics.
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
A huge congratulations to Lucas Hall, who appeared in Broadway’s Farinelli and the King! On a recent visit to New York, Lucas took past faculty members Greg Cope ’71 and Comfort Halsey Cope on a backstage tour!
Margaret Gormley Donahue tells us, “My husband Dave and I recently moved back to Massachusetts after spending two years in Hanover, NH while he got his MBA at Tuck and I worked in the Annual Giving office there. I kept my job after the move, telecommuting from Boston while Dave works in consulting for Deloitte. We had our second child, a son, on July 27, 2017 and are enjoying being back in Boston and close to family like aunt Kate Gormley Saeli ’02!”
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Congratulations to Lindsay Arnold, who served as the U.S. Alpine Team Press Officer at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea! While at the Olympics, she kindly answered questions from Park’s first graders about her experience there. Avery Leboff Williams-Vafai, M.D., graduated from Harvard College, Tufts Medical, and completed her residency at Brighams and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Congratulations, Avery!
2002 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Alejandro Alvarado Alexander Lebow
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Jessica Whitman Seney Jessica Whitman Seney’s family welcomed Catherine (Callie) Locke Seney on June 16, 2017. Big sister Charlotte is very proud! Caroline Goldsmith writes “I’m finally, after five and half years, officially, on paper, a ‘Master of Science in Education.’ I’m in my tenth year of teaching preschool at The Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church Day School and I love it…only 2 years until our 20th Reunion!” Caroline completed her degree at the Bank Street College of Education in New York. Park congratulates Cotton Codinha, who was named as a member of the Notables Class of 2018 by The Fragrance Foundation. Cotton, who works as a beauty and fitness editor for Hearst and ELLE magazine, was selected for her leadership, creativity, and passion.
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2017 was a great year for Courtney Stock: she earned her MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design in May 2017, and last November, she got engaged to Tim Callanan while traveling in Iceland! Over the holiday season, friends from the Class of 2002 got together for an informal Park dinner! In attendance were Alex Lebow, Nathan Kellogg, Ben Resnicow, Alejandro Alvarado, Sam Hawkins, and Courtney Stock! Pearson Smith Alsbach and husband Adam welcomed their second son, Walker Smith Alspach, on August 12, 2017! Pearson is the Director of Admission at Steamboat Mountain School, and is now navigating the world of a mom of two!
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alumni notes
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Dreary weather has become a tradition at the February Fête, and this year was no exception! Despite the frightful conditions, alumni and faculty (past and present!) braved the cold to come together for ninth annual Alumni February Fête. Alumni across decades heard from Alumni Committee Co-Chairs Emily Potts Callejas ’89 and Greg Kadetsky ’96, Board Chair Seth Brennan, and Head of School Cynthia A. Harmon, all while socializing with Park alumni spanning four decades. We look forward to seeing everyone for a fun-filled Fête next year! (Just keep your fingers crossed for better weather!)
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The Park School Bulletin
spring/summer 2018
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ƒebruar y ƒête
N I NTH AN N UAL
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1 Alex Jundanian ’07, Alice Perera Lucey ’77, Ben Schwartz ’07, and Alison Connolly 2 Alumni, past faculty, and their guests braved the weather to enjoy a fun evening! 3 Charles Li ’04 and Curt Miller 4 Dr. Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter and Liz Wilsker ’04 5 David Wiborg ’85 and Dean Conway 6 Margo Ayres Smith and Heather Crocker Faris ’74 7 Alice Perera Lucey ’77 and Seth Brennan 8 Kathrene Tiffany Bell ’96 connects with Park friends at the Fête 9 Members of the Class of 2006 catching up at the Fête 10 Bea Sanders, Diana Walcott ’85, and Melissa Deland ’95 11 Conrad Dike, Joelle Cabot, Allene Russell Pierson ’74, and Robin Pierson 12 Greg Cope ’71 and Chip Pierce ’81 13 Melissa Deland ’95 and Alexis Lelon
alumni notes
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1: Steven Fox ’04 with new bride, Erin Reissman, at their September 2017 wedding surrounded by friends 2: You may have seen this ad for the iPhone X. Did you know that was Park’s own Tucker Halpern ’05 and his duo, Sofi Tukker? 3: Jessica Schlundt ’06 and husband Zachary Finn at their June 2017 wedding
2003 RE U N ION YEAR!
2005
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
Diana Rutherford
Lilly Bullit
A huge congratulations from Park to Oliver Ames, who completed a winter summit of Mt. Washington earlier this year, and summited Mt. Everest! Way to go, Oliver!
Tucker Halpern’s duo, Sofi Tukker, recently appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon! Their song “Best Friend” was also featured in ads for the new iPhoneX! Jeremy LeBoff Williams graduated from Middlebury College and is in his second year of a doctoral program in biomedical science at the University of California, San Francisco.
2004 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Steven Fox Molly Lebow Congratulations to Steven Fox who was married to Erin Reissman on September 16, 2017 in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. In attendance were fellow Class of 2004 alums Zach Modest, Addison Godine, and Noah Schumer (who officiated!)
2006
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2007 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Thomas Cope Benjamin Schwartz Mollie Cunningham Young
2008 RE U N ION YEAR!
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE
McCall Cruz Noah Donnell-Kilmer is pursuing a master’s in landscape architecture. Jessica Schlundt married Zachary Finn on June 18, 2017 on Cape Cod. Classmates Camilla deBraganca and Catie Hoyt were bridesmaids, sister Karen Kurtz Matzkin ’88 was matron of honor, brothers Jonathan Kurtz ’85, Kenneth Kurtz ’86 and Jason Schlundt ’04 were groomsmen.
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Congratulations to Ivy Alphonse Leja and her fiancé, Jared, who will be getting married in November in Boston! Jacob Romanow is in his third year of a PhD program in Victorian literature at Rutgers University.
Manizeh Afridi Marielle Rabins Lindsay Fine is in her first year at BU Dental School, and is happy to be back in Boston!
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alumni notes
Young Alumni Achievement Award Addison Godine ’04
Addison Godine ’04 visited Park on February 2, 2018 to accept the inaugural Young Alumni Achievement Award, which will be presented annually to an alumnus/a who graduated within the past 15 years. Addison spoke with students at Morning Meeting about his work with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s Housing Innovation Lab, and the urban housing unit, uhü, that he designed which travelled around Boston as part of the “Compact Living Roadshow.” After Morning Meeting, Addison spent time with students in three Upper Division classes: math, robotics, and Mandarin, where he spoke with Grade VII about modern Chinese compact housing. We learned so much from Addison and were so happy to present him with this inaugural award! Above, Addison (center) attracted a large group of supporters to his Morning Meeting presentation. L-R: Dean Conway, Annie Steinberg, Tom Smith, Margo Ayres Smith, Kenzie Bok ’04, Addison Godine ’04, Zach Modest ’04, Steven Fox ’04, and Alumni Director Jamie Byron
2009 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Mercedes Garcia-Orozco Cary Williams
During Social Justice Week this spring, Connor Woods ’09 and the Mayor’s Mural Crew spoke with the Middle Division about their “To Immigrants with Love Project,” which celebrates immigrants in Boston. L-R: Heidi Schork (mural crew director, and mother of Sophia Clarke ’12) Courtney Bonang (Grade V Teacher), Connor Woods ’09, a member of the Mural Crew, and Sarah Leonardelli (Grade V Teacher).
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Christina Lelon received her master’s degree from the University of South California’s School of Cinematic Arts this spring. Her degree is in in cinematic arts, with an emphasis in media arts, games, and health. Congratulations, Christina! Park is proud of alumnus Connor Woods, who worked on Boston’s Mayor’s Mural Crew. He worked with a team (including Megan Duckworth ’16!) to organize and
paint the “To Immigrants with Love Project,” which focuses on and celebrates immigrants in Boston. Park was lucky to have Connor visit Park in February 2018 with some members of his team to present during Social Justice Week. Thank you, Connor!
2010 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Gilad Seckler Michela Thompson Daniel Fine is working for BCG (Boston Consulting Group) in the healthcare industry.
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Alumni Clambake ’17 We were thrilled to see dozens of Park alumni and their families who were able to join us for the 2017 Clambake! Alumni spanning 60+ years—from the Class of 1953 to the Class of 2017—were 4in attendance, along with their families. The donut-eating competition was a big hit this year, and attendees enjoyed mingling with Park’s very own corn-on-the cob! We hope that you can join us for the 2018 Clambake on September 16th!
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8 1 A bbott Lawrence ’85 & Amos Lawrence ’20 2 Members of the Class of 2017 reconnecting with Ms. Harmon! 3 Bob Little and Natalia Salcedo ’08 4 Marianne Stravinskas, Liz Page, Chloe Page ’15, and Cynthia Harmon 5 Alumni, faculty, and past faculty enjoying the Clambake! 6 The donut-eating contest! 7 Wearing the Park name proudly! 8 Enjoying the fun at the Clambake! 9 Tom Smith and Astrid Levis-Thorne Burns ’98 10 Gillian Lamb ’22, Katrina Newbury ’85, Emily Callejas ’89, and Gabe Callejas ’22 11 The Alvarado Family 12 Fun with hula hoops on the fields! 13 Alumni from the Classes of 1965 – 1969
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Young Alumni Bagel Breakfast
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Before Yule Festival on December 15, Park was thrilled to welcome back alumni from the classes of 2013 – 2017 for the Young Alumni Bagel Breakfast. A Park tradition, the Bagel Breakfast is a great chance for alumni to catch up with each other and their former teachers! After breakfast, alumni always help lead the crowd in a Park classic, “Children Go Where I Send Thee!” We look forward to seeing many of you back for the Bagel Breakfast on December 14, 2018.
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1 C lare Wibiralske ’16 and Miguel Morales 2 Sadie Golen ’16, Charlotte Ketterson ’16, and Katie Conn ’16 3 Naya Powell ’18 and Ginny O’Marah ’19 Grace Cinquegrana ’03, and 4 Mikayla Paquette ’16
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5 K ata Khakali ’17, Steve Savage, and Sophie Wilmerding ’17 6 Ian Glick ’17 and Nicky Glassman ’17 7 Kara Fonseca, and Nina Kathiresan ’17 8 Nik Kathiresan ’19 and Ravi Kalan ’17 9 Joli Vega ’17, Sofia Nogueira Sanca ’17, and Lucy Hirschfeld ’17 Kyra Fries, Cynthia Harmon, 10 Ravi Kalan ’17, and Bill Eugene ’17
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alumni notes
2011
2015
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Grace Donnell-Kilmer Eliza Thomas
Caroline Beecher Jonathan DeJesus
Park congratulates Tenzin Thargay who was recently named as a Fulbright Scholar! Tenzin will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea this fall to conduct research on energy policy and South Koreans’ sentiments on nuclear energy. Congratulations, Tenzin, and we look forward to hearing about your research!
Congratulations to Matthew Kaufman who tells us that he will be off to NYU Tisch for film this fall. He’ll be in good company with classmate Jordie Hurley! Congratulations to John Martell, who graduated from Boston Latin in June and will attend Boston College this fall!
2012 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Enya Meade Jaleel Williams Congratulations to Wiley Holton whose artwork was featured at nest in Dedham in January 2018 at an exhibition with record-breaking attendance! For more information about Riley’s work, check out her www.instagram.com/artbywiley/ Congrats, Wiley!
Russell Thorndike ’16 and Ollie Bernstein ’16 enjoyed reconnecting with Park faculty member and coach, Steve Savage, at a lacrosse game! And, Comfort Cope was cheering on Clare Wibiralske ’16 at a Loomis Chaffee softball game. Kym Morris ’15 and her mom, Ingrid, ran into Dean Laabs while Kym was presenting her video editing project as part of Winsor’s Independent Learning Experience in May!
2016 CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
John Joseph DeMarco Charlotte Ketterson Gage McWeeny River Studley Megan Duckworth joined Connor Woods ’09 as a member of Boston’s Mayor’s Mural Crew! To learn more about the team’s work, check out www.boston.gov/departments/immigrant-advancement/ immigrants-love
2013
2014
2017
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
Justine Hatton Katherine Mitchell
Ellie Formisano Olivia Mills
Ainsley Bonang Priya Devavaram Nina Kathiresan
Congratulations to Robert Crawford, who will be going to Dartmouth College this fall!
Become a Class Representative C l a s s e s o f 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1985, 1991, 1992
á Stay in touch with friends! á Gather class news for the Bulletin! á Help plan your reunion! Want to learn more?
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Please contact Jamie Byron, Director of Alumni Relations, at 617-274-6022 or alumni@parkschool.org
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alumni notes Weddings
Arrivals
1995 Joanna Sandman and Anuj Kheterpal August 8, 2017
1997 Stuart McNay and Tanya Tran McNay Samuel T. McNay December 14, 2017
2004 Stephen Fox and Erin Reissman September 16, 2017 2006 Jessica Schlundt and Zachary Finn June 18, 2017
1998 Andrew Smith and Christine Attia Smith Aiden Paul Smith March 29, 2018 2000 Frances Denny and Joshua Brau Virginia Fitzgerald Brau December 1, 2017 Jessica Seney and Scott Seney Catherine (Callie) Locke Seney June 16, 2017 Elizabeth Healy and Colin Russell Eliza Patricia Russell August 29, 2017
Congratulations to Frances Denny ’00 on the arrival of baby Virginia in December. Jessica Whitman Seney ’00 and family welcomed Catherine (Callie) Locke Seney in June 2017. Big sister Charlotte is very proud. Pearson Smith Alsbach ’02 and husband Adam welcomed their second son, Walker, in August 2017.
2002 Pearson Smith Alspach and Adam Alsbach Walker Smith Alsbach August 12, 2017
2003 Christina Croll Failing and Field Failing James Failing September 26, 2017
Robert Amick January 13, 2018 Former Trustee, Father of Robert Amick ’78, Helen Amick ’80, Joanie Amick Kelly ’83, and Lisa Amick DiAdamo ’86, Grandfather of Kate Kelly ’15, Annie DiAdamo ’16, Jake DiAdamo ’17, Will Kelly ’18, and Chloe DiAdamo ’22
Stephen Fritch ’68 April 28, 2018
Mary Ann ‘Melova’ Livens November 9, 2017 Former Trustee, Mother of Elizabeth Livens Freeman ’83 and Jay Livens ’86, Mother-in-law of former Alumni Director Amy Livens
Clurie Williams Bennis January 7, 2018 Former faculty member
Seth Hamot March 22, 2018 Father of Asa Hamot ’16
Galen Clough ’50 December 21, 2017
Edna Kalman April 26, 2018 Mother of Eric Zimberg ’73
In Memoriam
Randi Cohen April 26, 2018 Grandmother of Sydney Cohen ’16 and Jack Cohen ’18 Tim Emerson ’66 May 9, 2018 Park Intern 1969 – 70, Brother of Susan Emerson Gordon ’63 and Peter Emerson ’65
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Sandford (Sandy) Glassman March 24, 2018 Father of faculty member Laurie Glassman, Grandfather of Sofia Silverglass ’08 and Nicky Glassman ’17
Kathryn Lausen December 31, 2017 Mother of faculty member Christian Porter, Grandmother of Nina Porter ’17 and Ivy Porter ’22 June Leavitt March 22, 2018 Mother of faculty member Karen Manning
spring/summer 2018
Claire Mahoney January 14, 2018 Mother of faculty member Susan Segar, Grandmother Lindsay Segar ’99, Hilary Segar ’03, Chris Mahoney ’05, and Scott Mahoney ’07 Putnam McDowell January 2, 2018 Sally Porter January 25, 2018 Mother of Cynthia Porter Ogden ’72, Philip Porter ’75, and Brooks Porter ’76, Grandmother of Anna Porter ’07, Thomas Porter ’09, and Louisa Porter ’12
Robert Rubin June 3, 2018 Father of Melissa Rubin ’88 Marvin G. Schorr November 8, 2017 Former Trustee, Father of Eric Schorr ’75 and Susan Schorr ’80 Thomas Segal October 9, 2017 Father of Jennifer Segal Herman ’82 and Jon Segal ’86, Grandfather of Zach Herman ’12, Ashley Herman ’14, and Alexandra Herman ’19 Sarah Enders Steffian ’46 June 9, 2017 Galen Stone ’35 January 23, 2018
The Park Alumni Achievement Award This award is given to the Park alumnus/ alumna who exemplifies the School’s values and educational mission through distinctive achievement in his or her community or field of endeavor. This person’s leadership and contributions have made a meaningful impact and inspire our current students and alumni. To nominate a Park alumnus/alumnus for one of these awards, please include your nominee’s name, class year, profession, and reason for nomination. Send nominations to alumni@parkschool.org or The Park School Alumni Office, 171 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA 02445.
The Park School 171 Goddard Avenue Brookline, Massachusetts 02445 Change service requested Parents of Alumni, If this publication is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent residence at your home, please notify the Alumni Office of the new mailing address. 617.274.6022 or alumni@parkschool.org. Thank you! Alumni, you can update your information on our website: www.parkschool.org/alumni, then click on the tab called “Stay In Touch.�
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