PRI RITIES A Magazine of Woodside Priory School
January 2004
COED! The Priory Boarding Program Welcomes Young Women
Celebrating 46 Years of Benedictine Education
Woodside Priory School Celebrating 45 Years of Benedictine Education In This Issue Honored guests included 130 grandparents, many beloved pets, and Archbishop William J. Laveda; high school actors took on 130 years of challenging history in The Kentucky Cycle, AP Environmental Science students were challenged by an original research project at Jasper Ridge forest fire site; and the Chapel is dedicated following the last phase of renovation. Fall-Winter at a Glance, pages 4 and 5.
Fall/Winter at a Glance, Page 4-5
Lifelong learning and a lifetime commitment to serving one’s community are lofty goals, but the Priory’s 20-hour-a-year community service requirement is a start. The depth and breadth of student responses will surprise you. Pages 6,7 and 8. Dave Arnold’s relationship to the Priory community goes back to his childhood, when his father bartered his salary as an algebra teacher for his sons’ tuition. Dave has stayed connected to the school ever since, and he is looking for ways to keep all alumni in touch. Trustee profile, page 9.
Coummunity Service, Page 6-8
A great reward of visiting alumni in Asia is seeing boys from many years ago now well into their adult lives, with careers and families, Father Martin says. Headmaster Tim Molak, on his first trip through Asia, and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Al Zappelli, have additional perspectives. Priory International, page 10. Alumni are home from Iraq and leaving for China, starting new businesses and keeping up with kickboxing. They’re in the news. The good news of marriages and babies and graduations and jobs are offset by the sad news of three deaths—English faculty member Judith Browning, former Headmaster Joachim Froelich, and a longtime friend from the Priory’s early years, Mrs. Helen Hennig. Alumni News and Notes, pages 11 and 12.
A trip to Asia, Page 10
Anselm House is taking on a new look as the Priory prepares for the addition of females to the boarding program. Ten young ladies will have their own special space, but they will join a residential program with more than 46 years of successful experience. Inquiries have come from as far away as Asia and as near as the nine SF Bay Area counties. Oncampus community, pages 13 and 14. Computer generated renderings show possibilities for the interior of the new Performing Arts Center. Architects Miller & Kelley designed them, and they illustrate the final steps in planning the facility. Golden Jubilee Campaign Update, page 15.
The Dorms open to girls, Page 13-14
Students were delighted by the creativity their classmates displayed in a campuswide Latino-Indigenous Festival—and the food was great! On the professional level, classical guitarist Robert Belinic is the second of three performers to visit the campus this year through a special relationship with Young Concert Artists, Inc. in New York. Back cover. On the cover: On the cover: Headmaster Tim Molak terms co-educational boarding “not a new program, but a next step in a program—and a very welcome one.” The Priory is seeking about 10 young women to begin this new phase in fall 2004.
Board of Directors Abbott Matthew Leavy, OSB Father Mark Cooper, OSB Brother Edward Englund, OSB Father Martin Mager, OSB Father William Sullivan, OSB Board of Trustees Mr. Dave Arnold Dr. Kristen Brew Mr. Peter Campagna Mrs. Liz Cirino Mr. Al Ebneter Ms. Betsy Haehl Mrs. Anne Hannigan Mrs. Dotty Hayes Father Eric Hollas Mr. George Huertas Mr. Craig Johnson Mrs. Virginia Kavanaugh Mr. Steven Krausz Mrs. Mary Lemuth Fr. Maurus Memeth, OSB Mrs. Janiece Bacon Oblak Mr. Bill Roberts Ms. Alicia Rodriguez Mr. Ray Rothrock Mr. Andy Schilling Mr. Bob Simon Dr. Stuart Young Priorities magazine is published in October, January, April and July by Woodside Priory School for its alumni, parents, students, neighbors and friends. Contact the Communications Office at 650-851-6193 or the school at 650-851-8221. Editor: Carolyn Dobervich Design: Jim Kirkland, Copperline Multimedia Photos: Hovey Clark, Carolyn Dobervich, Jim Kirkland, Father Martin Mager Chapel Services Masses at 7:30 a.m. Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday Hungarian service 8 p.m. third Friday (Taize) ecumenical service
From the Headmaster Dear Parents and Guardians,
• Landscaping on Red Square to create a bigger, more useful Benedictine Square.
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his is an exciting time. After literally years of preparation, the Priory’s updated master plan is ready. As current parents already know, we filed for approval with the Town of Portola Valley in October, and we have had preliminary meetings with town officials and near neighbors. Feedback so far has been gratifying. I have the sense that most of the people who attended a meeting are favorably impressed and that any concerns can be answered with information we collected in the preparation process. I hope this continues to be the case. The approval process will be delayed a little because Portola Valley Town Council needs to appoint one more planning commissioner; however, I hope we can gain approval this spring. We have talked a great deal in Priorities about the need for a Performing Arts Center. I’d like to lay out for you, though, the entire scope of the maser plan. Phase one, with a target completion date of 2007, includes: • Performing arts auditorium and classrooms, • Improved and expanded library/media center, to be located in the current Assembly Hall, Music Room and Computer Center area, • Student center, to be located under the Dining Hall where the library is currently located, • Added parking, and rerouting of car traffic outside the academic area for safety. In phase two, we would add: • Additional on-site housing, • A basketball court and fitness center expansion to the gym • Faculty offices and classrooms to replace current, old faculty building and temporary structures on Red Square,
In the final phase, we would add the last on-campus housing, bringing the total to 32 units. Phases two and three are tentatively scheduled for completion in 2010. Three concerns were overriding for us in making this plan—academic excellence, fiscal stability, and our role within the Portola Valley general plan. The facilities changes we are requesting are needed to support the program we have today—a contemporary one, in keeping with expectations of highly regarded college prep schools. The facilities and on-site housing together are needed to attract and retain the best faculty.
Three overriding concerns guided the master plan— academic excellence, fiscal stability, and our role within the Portola Valley general plan.
As I watch this plan coming to fruition, I feel much as I think the first monks felt as they stood on a bare hillside in the late 1950s and envisioned a school for the future. Their plan lasted more than 30 years (with some modifications along the way). I can’t predict what future decades will bring, but I feel strongly that this plan will secure Benedictine education at the Priory into the forseeable future. I hope you share my feeling of satisfaction with where the Priory has come and where it is going. You have the right—if you are getting this magazine, you are part of the community that brought us to this point. There are many more facets to our plans for the future than will fit on a page. If you would like to know more, check the campaign Web site at www.woodsidepriory.com/campaign/. To access a “frequently asked questions” brochure prepared by the Trustees’ Community Relations Committee, click on “master plan” under Overview on the navigation bar. Or contact me or Pat Reed and we will mail a copy of that brochure and other literature to you. Sincerely,
3 Tim Molak, Headmaster
Fall/Winter at a Glance Junior Marissa Zappas was among the students chatting informally with San Francisco Archbishop William J. Laveda during his visit to the campus this fall. In a Chapel address, the Archbishop’s topics included the importance of making thoughtful decisions and appreciating the efforts of people whose decisions years ago make the present good fortune possible. Students received his proposal of an extra day of vacation with enthusiasm; Jan. 5, 2004 was selected.
Helene Jernick (right) and Olin Montalvo are among students in AP Environmental Science teacher Hovey Clark’s class who are working with Stanford researcher Dylan Schwilk. The study, devised by Priory students, investigates whether the plants that grow after a fire are the same as those that grow in a neighboring plot of land untouched by the fire. In other words, will plants that re-grow following a blaze be more resistant to flame? Mr. Clark’s students are checking out new growth on Jasper Ridge—site of a recent forest fire—to find out. Meanwhile, Henry Wise, 4, (above) who lives with his parents, Jeff and Janey, on the campus, is helping bring winter vegetables to life in the Priory community garden behind the Maas Family Commons.
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More than 130 honored guests were on the campus for Grandparents Day on Oct 14. Following a welcome reception, these special seniors accompanied grandchildren to Chapel, classes and lunch. Here, senior Will Flammer shares an art project with his grandparents.
Even before construction was completed, a bell from the monastary (originally from St. Anselm Abbey) was ringing in the Priory Chapel’s newly remodeled entryway. Dedication of the remodeled Chapel was set for Jan. 6 at Morning Chapel for the school community and at church services on Jan. 11, 2004.
The Priory’s Eighth Grade Girls Volleyball team is in high spirits following their championship win in the Menlo Park League. Sports are still a mainstay cocurricular activity for Priory students. Close to 100% of Middle School students play on a team and the vast majority of High School students do.
The Kentucky Cycle, an awardwinning drama covering 130 years of history, played from Nov. 20-22. Will Schofield (lower right) Scott Bader (holding rifle), and Jennifer Dhaliwal (left) were among the 21-member all-highschool cast. The actors learned lyrics and choreography, and practiced with a dialect coach to deliver convincing—and very powerful—characters. Playing the kidnapped, imprisoned Indian, Morning Star, Jennifer in this scene beseeches her grandmother to help her face childbirth
The chicken, brought by eighth grader Whitney Greswold, was among some 35 animals large and small brought to the annual Blessing of the Pets. The event was held on the basketball court before school in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.
Ever yone Gains From
Community Service Seek to do good for others, and you will find fulfillment. Forget yourself, and you will discover what you are seeking.
—from Always We Begin Again, The Benedictine Way of Living
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t’s volunteer work with the sick, the hungry and the helpless. Reading with the young or the elderly, or saving animals and sand dunes, or raising awareness and money to fight scary diseases. Community service has many definitions At the Priory, it doesn’t wear a gloomy face. This year, it started with brightly colored balloons, radiant sunshine, clever “everybody-wins” games and prizes, and about a dozen information booths staffed by people from local service agencies. The Campus Ministry Club arranged the school’s first Community Service Fair on Red Square early last fall. Their goal was to help students make thoughtful choices as they began working through their required 20 hours of community service, said Julia Duncan, club spokesperson. Like many schools, Woodside Priory has a service requirement for graduation—five hours at a class service day, 10 hours at an off-campus organization of the student’s choice, and an additional five hours that the student can invest with the same organization or, optionally, with a fund-raising or on-campus activity. Responsibility for finding a satisfying 10 to 15 hour project rests largely with the student. Some students quickly find one, while others struggle. The requirement was knowingly designed that way. The goal is to encourage students to take their own skills and passions, and extend them, said Therese Inkmann, campus ministry coordinator. A ski-snowboard club project in the making is a perfect example. Junior Olin Montalvo fairly radiates excitement in describing the link he is trying to develop with a Special Olympics program. Priory club members will take handicapped, very young children out on the slopes and help them learn to ski.
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“Ms. Payne, our advisor, suggested it. The idea is for us to do more as a club than just trips to the snow. I think this is great and I’m trying to get it organized by January,” Olin commented. For him, the service hours aren’t important—it’s the project itself that inspires him, he says. Scratch the surface and you usually find such confidence comes from previous experience. Olin is comfortable with kids in part because he’s already been an assistant soccer coach. Brian Mansoor, who is working with Olin on the ski club project, has worked in children’s day care. Senior Ashley Kustu took her considerable experience in figure skating and uses it to advantage with “Special Skaters” at Ice Oasis in Redwood City. Nearly every Saturday afternoon, she spends an hour helping disabled youngsters learn grace, balance and coordination on ice. Encouraging students to form a lifelong habit of service is part of the Priory’s Benedictine mission. Asking students to develop their own projects seems more likely to foster a lifelong commitment than simply asking them to participate in pre-arranged events—although the five-hour class activity is one of the latter and valuable for other reasons, Ms. Inkmann explained. Freshman Alicia Kriewall and junior Lauren Frasch already know about long-term commitment. Both have been active for years with the American Cancer Society and have donated countless hours to hands-on work at fund-raising and community awareness projects. Now, both also have positions in the ACS administrative structure. Lauren is chair and Alicia secretary of the ACS Youth Advisory Board in San Mateo County. To fulfill graduation requirements, they need only fill out Ms. Inkmann’s forms.
Photo by Howard Share
Far from discouraging students from “doublecounting” a service project—getting school credit for something they would be doing anyway—Ms. Inkmann thinks the intersection is ideal. For example, many students use their scouting projects to satisfy the Priory’s requirement. The point isn’t to impose additional hours, but rather to be sure that every student explores the potential of service, she explained. Students get their ideas from club and church activities, from lessons and sports, from a meaningful personal experience, and from family commitments. Students who don’t find inspiration in those venues can turn to one of the service fair organizations or follow up on ideas in the community service calendar. It is posted on the school Web site. Urban Ministries, which provides services to the mid-Peninsula homeless population, is a popular service site for Priory students. Many students tutor or support reading programs at Portola Valley, Los Altos, and Belmont libraries. Other popular venues include Rebuilding Together home renovation, Red Cross, Safe Rides (transportation for young people who have been drinking and think they should not drive), Pets in Need, scouting, and Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, and BOK Ranch (a stable with a therapeutic/recreational riding program for handicapped children).
Under the watchful eye of a nurse, a child at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital checks out the tutus of sophomore Laura Koenig and fellow dancer Rachel Matthews. Laura and other performers from the Nutcracker ballet gave mini-performances at libraries and hospitals.
“The process can start anywhere, but my hope is that eventually many of our students will become a bridge between the people who have, and those who need. Ghandi said we all can ‘be the change’ we want to see in the world, and that is the model we are trying to create here,” Ms. Inkman explained. In the Pistritto family, Ritu’s interest in keeping productively busy when she arrived from Switzerland (where her two sons were born) eventually led to shared community service with Alex, a junior. Ritu did not take up a job, but with a university education and plenty of passionate interests, she definitely needed an outlet that would blend with her young family’s schedule, she said. Through the Internet, she found and followed up on literally dozens of volunteer opportunities in San Francisco and San Mateo County. When Alex started ninth grade, it worked out naturally for his mom to help him find an interest, then stay and work alongside (“Not always directly with, though - I want him to have his own satisfaction and independent strength of reaching out as well”). Alex’s preliminary interest in working with the homeless and seniors led to a San Francisco soup kitchen, a temple in Livermore, and the senior center in Belmont, and then to a wide range of other projects in a variety of fields.
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Kids Can Free the Children members held a cocoa-with-marshmallows fund-raiser during the cold weeks of December. Members are part of an international organization that aims to protect children from exploitation.
Freshman and seniors (shown here) worked at Half Moon Bay dunes restoration for their five-hour class projects. Juniors helped with sorting, cleaning and food preparation at three homeless shelters. Sophomores hosted a Special Olympics (at right) on the Priory campus for the second year in a row. An all-Middle School service project is being planned for spring. Campus Ministry Coordinator Therese Inkmann (inset photo) ties each class service day to a Benedictine theme.
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The two have done six or seven projects together since Alex started high school, and many more before that, “but we didn’t think of it as community service then, and we didn’t count hours,” Ritu said. “It was just our way of trying to help out in any small way we could,” she explained. Ritu now looks forward to volunteering with her younger son Christopher, a freshman. The graduation requirement was revised and the number of required hours reduced two years ago. In the first year, many students weren’t sure of what to do. They waited until late in the spring to get going, and the results were often less than satisfying. This year, the feedback is already more positive, largely because students learned from last year and are doing a better job of linking up community service with other parts of their lives and selves, Ms. Inkman said. The result will be richer and more meaningful experiences, she believes. Her goal for the future is to offer students yet another intersection, this time in academics—probably involving government and theology classes, she said.
Revitalizing The Alumni Association Is
Alumni Profile
‘All About Connections’ How do you get people charged up about their high school years after they’ve graduated? That’s what occupies Dave Arnold’s mind these days. A 1984 graduate of Woodside Priory, Arnold is organizing the school’s first alumni association in its 46 years. As co-chairs of the Alumni Council, Arnold and Rob Hammond (class of 1988) have done research on the Internet to build up a database of alumni names. They are brainstorming methods of getting bygone graduates back in touch with their old school. They even have met with representatives of St. Francis High School in Mountain View and other local schools to glean tips for attracting alumni. It’s all part of finding the key to bringing people back to the community that Arnold continues to find enriching. “There’s a tremendous amount of history that I personally have and my family has with the school,” Arnold says, sitting at his desk at the Gorilla Search Group in Los Gatos. Arnold co-founded the executive placement company. Arnold’s history with Woodside Priory began before he was born, with the second graduating class. Arnold is the youngest of nine children. In the early 1960s, his father, an electrical engineer and devout Catholic, thought he had a means to keep education costs down. He approached the Priory’s founding monks with a barter arrangement: He would teach algebra in exchange for tuition for his sons. “They were ecstatic,” Arnold says. Four of the five Arnold boys attended Woodside Priory under the unique agreement. (Arnold’s parents tried to convince the monks to go coeducational, so his sisters could attend, “but they would have no part of it.”) “I think the Priory does a very good job of teaching students to be problem solvers,” says Arnold, who majored in economics at LoyolaMarymount University in Los Angeles. The teachers “really teach you to think.” At college, “my first two years were review. It was very easy.” Arnold graduated with a degree in economics, taking enough accounting courses to land positions in finance at Apple Computer and Sun Microsystems, where he met his wife, Donna.
He left finance when he realized he didn’t have a passion for accounting and shifted his career to employment recruitment. He was a vice president with Robert Half International when he left to cofound the Gorilla Search Group. Throughout this time, Arnold has been active with the Priory. He is a member of the Board of Trustees, the Campaign Leadership Team and the Golf Committee. And, in a moment of serendipity, he was able to connect his work life with his Priory life. He got a call asking if he knew of a good candidate to serve as dean of academics and put his “dear friend” Jennifer Martin in touch with the school. Lately, Arnold has been busy organizing his graduating class’ 20th reunion, which will take place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Of the 30 students in the class, Arnold is expecting at least 20 alumni, including the six international students, to attend. He’d like to see other classes approaching their reunions with as much enthusiasm. Arnold is hoping to have each class name a class agent responsible for keeping members in touch with each other. He’d like alumni to speak at Chapel at least twice a year. He’d like the alumni to reach out to current and future Priory students, establishing a Priory network to help people make college and career decisions. And he hopes to establish regular alumni events to attract as many of the 1,100 people who have graduated from the Priory as possible. To Arnold, the point of it all is the future. “It’s really about connections.” Priory alumni have traditionally been generous in their gifts to the school. But Arnold sees an alumni association as much more than development. It would mean student mentoring, alumni business referrals and, mostly, continuing the sense of community students enjoyed before graduation. “You can’t just ask for money,” Arnold says. “You’ve got to do something else.”“We have already come a long way,” he says. “The future looks very bright.” —G. Young
Dave Arnold, Class of 1984 Lives in Los Gatos Wife: Donna Favorite activities: Gourmet cooking, wine collecting, golfing Professional field: Financial Executive placementRecruitment
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Priory International
The Priory Is Now ‘A Worldwide Community,’ Leaders Say Father Martin Mager (right) and Headmaster Tim Molak enjoyed the hospitality of SangJoon and Wonkyong Park in Seoul, Korea. See alumni photos from Korea, Taipei and Bangkok online.
The last time we broke bread together was in the Priory Dining Hall, when I was their teacher. I look at them now…and I’m very proud of these guys. —Father Martin Mager
Father Martin’s photographic artistry shines in an Asian setting. A selection of photos are posted on the school Web site at www.woodsidepriory.com. Click on Asia trip.
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The annual trip to Asia is more than just a recruiting trip to the Priory’s leaders. On the surface, they make the trek to meet prospective students at a series of boarding school fairs arranged by TABS, a highly regarded professional association. In reality, Priory leaders also go for multicultural understanding, to re-connect with former students, and to develop a worldwide school community, they say. In fact, the trip is so valuable that the Priory has expanded its presence from a single representative four years ago to three campus leaders this year. Headmaster Tim Molak went for the first time, Father Martin Mager for the second time and Al Zappelli, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, for the third year in a row. Moving from Seoul to Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei and Hong Kong all in the last two weeks of October, the opportunity for cultural understanding could easily get lost in the travel logistics. But with local hosts from the Priory international community at each site, that never happens, said Al Zappelli, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. “The experience of being the one who is culturally different, who needs some help with the local customs and expectations, is always enlightning. Our hosts are always gracious and accommodating. I come back inspired to help our campus community be equally welcoming and supportive,” he commented. In most of the cities, Mr. Zappelli met with local educators to gain insights into changing practices that
may affect either the students’ preparation or the application process. Far more enjoyable, however, were meetings with parents of current students, who network together locally in exactly the same way as day students’ parents, he said. “The entire trip was spectacular. I have a true sense of a worldwide Priory community, and that community is thriving. ” said Mr. Molak. “Our alumni are pursuing a wide variety of rewarding professional lives. Just a few examples: I talked with a television and movie producer, an architect, a VP of an electronics company, a general manager of an engineering firm, the marketing manager for golf courses, the COO of a camera company, and people from so many more fields. “Even more rewarding was hearing from them the positive impact the Priory has had on their lives and their world view.” Father Martin, Director of Alumni Relations and Superior of the Benedictine Community, treasures the opportunity to see the boys he once knew now grown into admirable men with families and productive lives, he said. “The last time many of us broke bread together would have been in the Priory dining hall, when I was their teacher and we lived in the dorm together. Now, it is as peers—in fact, it would be more accurate to say they become the teachers and I become the student while I am there. “I’m very proud of these guys. I sit with them and think, ‘Wow—they turned out to be great human beings. It is so easy to see how much the students of today build on the foundation of these good people who preceded them,” he added. It all comes together at the boarding fairs, where the support of local Priory families is essential to the success of the staff, Mr. Zappelli explained. The result is an increase every year in the number of well qualified applicants who have talked first-hand with both American staff and Asian families about the Priory experience. These carefully screened students are more likely to benefit from the Priory’s programs and will hopefully, in time, continue the active Priory alumni tradition, he added.
Alumni News & Notes Peter Connell, class of 1979, is still a Beverly Hills, CA resident and loves playing volleyball on the beach every Saturday, he says. James (Jay) Jenson, class of 1980, and his wife, Colleen, have received extension orders for an additional six months of active duty in military service. Jay is stationed stateside and mobilizes and demobilizes US troops. He reports that he has talked to thousands of returning soldiers, who say their experience is of Iraquis who are friendly towards US solders and happy to have them there. Jay also reports that he was knighted by HIH Prince Ermias (titular emperor-in-exile of Ethiopia) and by HRH The Duke of Braganca (titular king of Portugal) for having helped coordinate a state visit to Portugal by the former. Both honors were completely unexpected, he said. Ken Lowney, class of 1983, writes that he recently opened his own architecture firm, Lowney Architecture. He is working on a Pilates studio and a house. Also, he just finished teaching at the California College of Arts, which means that he can now have more time to ride his bicycle in preparation for next season’s racing. Steve Pentelei-Molnar, class of 1983, retired from the San Diego Police Department in 2001 after 15 years of service. Now, he is a nationally certified firefighter/critical care paramedic and is currently a flight paramedic in Lassen County, CA. His wife, Tanya, is obtaining her doctorate in education and teaches kindergarten in Minden, NV. In his free time he rides ATV’s and hopes to race the West Coast Off Road Series next year. Johnson Chan, class of 1985, married Vivian Lee on November 18, 2003, in San Francisco, CA, with some Priory classmates in attendance. Derek Gibbs, class of 1986, is a director of decision support and accounts payable at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, California. He bikes with his sons, Colby (6) and Jeffrey (4), and this year will start teaching them to ski. Jean Henri Lhuillier, class of 1988, writes that his wife, Beatriz, gave birth to their second boy, Sebastian Henri Luillier, on June 24, 2003. John Peterson, class of 1993, is currently national sales manager for Powerhouse Pets, an independent agency representing manufacturers of pet products for the trade. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife, Aishling, and children Charlotte and August. They expect another child in January. David Tiao, class of 1995, was married in February 2003. Nicola Hancock, class of 1997, and her fiancé, Luigi, set a wedding date of April 17, 2004 in Malibu, California. They’ve purchased a home in Moorpark, CA Nicole has a new job as a therapist/case worker in a counseling group where she helps people diagnosed with autism, mild mental retardation and Downs Syndrome. Bernadette Austin, class of 1998, is a client benefits coordinator at New Connections, a counseling center in Concord, CA, where her work involves providing services to clients recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. In the fall, she completed yoga training and will add this to the kick-boxing she already teaches. Michael Bower, class of 1998, is submitting applications to Ph.D programs with plans to study invasive plant species affecting freshwater streams. He’s hoping for a National Science Foundation or Environmental Protection Agency grant. He teaches Shito-Ryu karate to students ranging in age from toddlers to senior citizens. Mark Ruiz, class of 1998, is scheduled to graduate from the University of Santa Clara with a marketing major in March 2004. He took Chinese language classes and is investigating the possibility of teaching English in China after graduation. Darren Zulberti, class of 1999, is now a producer at WXII 12 News in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He’s enjoying living in a new part of the country and working for a top-rated NBC affiliate, he says. Emily Kirkland, class of 2001, in now a junior at UC San Diego and was recently elected President of her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. Chrissy Spanoghe, class of 2002, is attending Whittier College and completing a geology major. She completed her senior thesis two years early and during the summers conducted research at Stanford University. She plans to make a presentation at the American Geophysical Union in December 2004, and to see her paper published by AGU. Raymond Austin, class of 2003, is a freshman at UC Santa Cruz. He lives at Oakes College, the most multi-cultural college at the campus, and he has become an active member of the Filipino Student Association. He balances the work of honors seminar classes with surfing, volleyball, and basketball, he says. Chris Nemetz, class of 2003,was involved in a serious traffic accident in Honolulu on November 27. He is attending the University of Hawaii. His father reports that, after surgery and a stay in the hospital, the prognosis is for a complete recovery, including basketball next year.
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Alumni Ted Larson, is Fortune Magazine’s Geek Pick Fortune Magazine editors had a bright idea for the Oct. 6, ’03 issue: find some geeks and send them into a normal, American home to…well, bring it into the new century, technically speaking. So, who you gonna call? Ted Larson was one of three on Fortune’s geek team, and his photo was on the inside cover as well as in the feature piece. Ted’s claim to geekdom is that, in addition to being a former corporate chief technical officer, he’s a member of a robot club with his own homemade robot. With two geek teammates, he entered the domicile of a technically innocent family of four (who only knew they’d like to email photos to grandma), and he left them really, really well stocked with stuff. The story, which goes on for 2,635 words, starts on Fortunes page 66. You can find it online at www.fortune.com in the issue archives.
TRANSITIONS Judith Browning, Ph.D. Dr. Browning, a member of the Priory English faculty since 2001, died on Dec. 6, 2003 just a few weeks after cancer was diagnosed. She leaves her husband, Geoff, daughter Erin and son August (Augie), a Priory sixth grader. Dr. Browning held BS, MA and Ph.D (in Literature and Theology) degrees. Her professional life included a wide variety of teaching and administrative responsibilities at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, as well as teaching awards and many professional publications and presentations. Dr. Browning was beloved by students and colleagues for her professionalism and enthusiasm. This year, she introduced a senior elective in Shakespeare and re-instituted a field trip to the Ashland Shakespeare festival. She also was freshman class monitor. More information will be in the February Priory Parent newsletter and on the school website. Former WPS Headmaster –Dr. Joachim W. Froehlich died on Nov. 21, 2003. Dr. Froehlich was Headmaster of Woodside Priory School from 1991 to 1995. During his short tenure at WPS, Dr. Froehlich made great advancements in capital improvements and technology on the campus, supported by the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. William Hewlett. His vision allowed the Priory to increase enrollment and establish a sound financial basis. A native of Naugatuck, Connecticut, Dr. Froehlich held bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D (in economics) degrees. His professional life included presidencies of Loras, St. Anselm’s, and (most recently) Elms colleges. Contributionns in Dr. Froelich’s memory may be made to the WPS scholarship fund.
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Parent Leader during the Priory’s early years–Father Egon Javor, a founder of WPS, celebrated mass at the Priory Chapel for his friend of many years, Helen Breslin Hennig, who died on Dec. 2, 2003 after a long battle with cancer. She leaves her husband, Thomas, six children, 12 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Mrs. Hennig had a BS degree from UC Berkeley, and participated with her husband in their family business. While their sons Dewey and Brian were Priory students, the Hennigs were for many years co-presidents of the Parent Association, and Tom was also head of the WPS Foundation. “Tom’s work was, of course, with her support. She loved life, loved parties, and enjoyed the activities of the Knights of Malta,” recalled Father Egon. The family kindly suggested donations to the Father Egon Scholarship Fund.
Girls’ Wing Brings A New Look to
Anselm House ‘Our own community is always the best source of new students’ Al Zappelli Director of Admissins and Financial Aid
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he all-boy Anselm House is already taking on a new look in anticipation of the Priory’s first young women who will join the on-campus community in the fall. These 10 young women will have a space all their own, defined by a separate entrance, patio and lounge, with new colors and new furniture in the rooms. Bedrooms and bath will become female-friendly, with extra mirrors and electrical outlets in anticipation of hair dryers and curling irons. This is just the backdrop--it soon will reflect the tastes and interests of the girls themselves, said Jack Hundley, Director of Operations and Finance and campus resident.
The young women could—and probably will—come from as far away as Asia and Mexico, and as close to the campus as San Francisco and the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. A satisfyingly large number of inquiries have come from around the globe and across the United States, said Carol Mauss, Assistant Director of Admissions. Referrals come from the American and Catholic boarding school associations, from families who speak with educational consultants or Priory representatives at boarding school fairs and—most welcome of all— from Priory families and friends. “Our own community is always the best source of new students. They know us, and a young man
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‘In boarding school, you get used to managing your time and forming your own goals. It really pays off when you go to college.’ Kirsten Chen Resident Advisor Stanford Class of 2003
Two resident families have a special role in dorm life. They are the Trujillos—Resident Advisor Chris, wife, Shawna, who is Dean of the Middle School, and preschoolers Taylor and Parker, and the Carlsons—Dean of Students Erik, wife Lisa, Lucy (at right on Erik’s shoulders) and newborn daughter Pippa. The artist’s sketch is a vision of the completed girls’ lounge.
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or woman they send is very likely to be a good fit,” commented Al Zappelli, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. He hopes that our best applicants for next year will come from our own parents and alumni. Contact him at azappelli@woodsidepriory.com if you know of an interested family. “We are looking for applicants who are serious about academics, like to be involved in lots of activities, and would enjoy contributing to both the boarding program and the day school program.” he said. Boarders of both genders will find a high quality living experience geared to developing independence, academic skills and lifelong friendships among adults and peers, Mr. Zappelli said.
“In boarding school, you get used to managing your time and forming your own goals. It really pays off when you go to college. You are way ahead of everyone else when it comes to being able to take care of yourself,” commented resident advisor Kirsten Chen. Kirsten was a high school boarding student at St. Paul’s, and she graduated from Stanford in 2003. The on-campus community consists of 17 residences for faculty, administrators and staff, plus the monastery which is home to the five monks, and St. Anselm and St. Benedict Houses for boarding students. Residents share a special commitment to living by Benedictine values, said Mr. Zappelli, who has lived on campus with his family for fourteen years. “This is really not a’new’ program for us—it is a ‘next step’ that we’ve anticipated for some time. And it is very welcome.” said Tim Molak, Headmaster— who lives on campus with his wife and daughter. The school community is well prepared, he said; nevertheless, a consultant recommended by the Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) will work with the residence staff to assure a top-notch first year experience, he added. In a small school, new faces and perspectives are always exciting: “I think the addition of girl boarders will be great for all of us. I’ve really enjoyed having girls from other parts of the country and the world in my class. One of the best things is that we get to see our own area from another point of view,” said Megan Noice, a senior. Megan and her sister, Katie, have been good friends with students from the Slovak Republic in Central Europe. Boarder Guilly Mendoza added “There will be more minds thinking up new activities, and with more people we can do even more. More boarders are always good!”
Update Maas Family Commons
Architects’ Rendering Gives a Hint of Performing Arts Center Interior
Completed and occupied on schedule.
Performing Arts Center
More than $4 million of the $7 million goal achieved. Next steps are being assesed.
Endowment
Nearly $2.2 million towards $5 million gaol. Current effort is the annual drive to fund scholarships named for Priory Benedictine fathers (the “Father Funds”)
Several poster-sized, computer-generated renderings, prepared by Miller/Kelly Architects in San Francisco, provide both information about the planning and hints of what to expect in the proposed Performing Arts Center.
Performing Arts at the Priory
Major on-campus performances by students and professionals in the fall semester Dromedary International Music performers visit language arts and music classes Cookies ‘n Classics student recital music The Kentucky Cycle historical drama, a high school student productioin Young Concert Artist Wendy Chen, guest artist on campus, public and private concerts Latino-Indigenous Festival presented by the language arts students and faculty. Two events—one of dance, flags and foods, and a Chapel presentation of vocal music and the spiritual and cultural traditions surrounding corn.
Coming in January:
Classical Guitarist Robert Belinic Priory Winter Concert, with six student ensembles performing
At the Priory on January 26 & 27! Classical Guitarist Robert Belinic Public Concert WPS Chapel Reception following No Charge Contact preed@woodsidepriory.com for updated information Mr. Belinic will visit the Priory campus as “artist in residence” for a day, meeting with music students and giving a private concert for the Priory community. His public concert is not yet scheduled but will be at 7 p.m. on either January 26th or 27th. Robert Belinic is one of several musicians who perform in an occasional series at the Priory through an arrangement with Young Concert Artists Inc. in New York. His artistry has resulted in numerous prizes and reviewers’ praise. The following are from issues of New York Concert Review: “…a consummate musician of grace and stature, easy yet exciting on stage…”
Mary Castaneda danced the Cumbia, from Colombia.
Sonal Khanna and Ian Brent were partners in a dance from Honduras and Guatemala in a LatinoIndigenous cutural festival presented by students and faculty of the language arts department.
Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA 94028 (650) 851-8221 fax (650) 851-2839
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“As with so many of the works of Paganini and Liszt, the performer provides the necessary link to turn mere notes into magic.” “With ultimate Latin flair, Mr. Belinic gave glorious and colorful dimension to three works of the Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro”
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Celebrating Our 45th Year
