A Magazine of the Priory · Issue #74 · Summer 2020
Unexpected Circumstances and Challenges:
The Completion of a Historic Year
Board of Directors Abbot Mark Cooper, O.S.B. Father John Fortin, O.S.B. Father Benet Phillips, O.S.B. Father Martin Mager, O.S.B. Father Maurus Nemeth, O.S.B
Board of Trustees Norma Alvarez Mike Calbert Mike Carusi Dominique Filloux Kathryn Fitzgerald Cathy Gawne Phil Golden ‘76 Karen Gregory Sandy Herz Greg Hughes David Karnstedt Pam Martinson Tim McAdam Emma Morton-Bours Stephen Nachtsheim Jennifer Nash Nancy Newman Kristi Patterson Cassie Perret ‘02 Carolyn Putney Beckie Robertson Dave Schinski Sally Screven Edward Sun ‘87 Jennifer Warner Anne Senti-Willis Phil Young Jennifer Youstra Contact the Communications Office at 650-851-6131 or the school at 650-851-8221 Editor: Kelly Sargent Contributing Writers: Kathy Gonzalez, Father Matthew Leavy, O.S.B. Design/Production: Jim Kirkland J. Ennis Kirkland Creative Services Photos: Nik Blevins, Brad Dary, iClickSmiles, Jennifer Hammer, Jim Kirkland, Father Martin Mager, O.S.B., Nick Mangini, Charles Stauss, Geoff Westerfield Printing: Colorprint, Mark W. Allen
Woodside Priory is special. We have something that makes us unique in a way that is of immense value: a distinctive spirit that animates all we do. That spirit is reflected in the accomplishments, the optimism, and the fundamental goodness of our students, it is reflected in our alums and the generous way they serve our world, and it is reflected in Tim Molak in his three decades of humble service to our community. As I meet parents and students, faculty and staff, and alumni, I am struck again and again by the unanimity of this conviction that Priory is special, it is a shared experience. We are not just another school; it is not just a place to prepare our students for college or the world of work, though we certainly do that well. We are informed by a larger mission, and this has been true since our humble beginning over 60 years ago. Our mission is to form young women and men of integrity, who develop and share their gifts in the service of others, and who recognize the innate worth and dignity of every person. We balance the education of the mind, the exploration of the soul, and the emphasis on community and rely on our 1500 year old Benedictine tradition to show us the way. The need for this kind of education–the Benedictine way–is greater now than ever, and we have a golden opportunity before us; to form leaders who will transform our world. The Priory is well positioned to live out our mission as we journey into this third decade of the 21st century. We have a strong community of Monks who live their vows in very authentic ways and show us what is most important in life. We have a caring and committed faculty who are excited about the prospect of this work and see it as their vocation. We have a diverse student body open to the gifts of this Benedictine education, one that involves a standard of academic excellence, the opportunity to reflect on one’s spiritual life, and calls for the development of lasting and life-affirming relationships. Finally, we have a dedicated, supportive, and caring group of parents ready to share their gifts and talents and invest in our community. The Priory has a great mission and a bold destiny. In only a few short months, I have seen the strength of our school and the heart of this extraordinary community. I’m excited about what is on the horizon and I look forward to getting to know you as I serve this community. Always We Begin Again.
Patrick Ruff Head of School
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Priory Community,
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4 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
6-9
At a Glance
52-53
Gala: On a Safari
10-11
US Athletics
56-57
Grandparents Day
12-15
Performing Arts
58-59
Farewells
16-17
Visual Arts
60-61
Alumni Milestones
18-23
US Graduation
62-63
Class News & Notes
24-25
2019-20 Awards
64
Sustainability
26-31
MS Graduation
66-67
Monastery News
32-43
Class of 2020 Highlights
44-51
Distance Learning During a Pandemic
Woodside Priory School Celebrating 62 Years of Benedictine Education SPIRITUALITY 路 HOSPITALITY 路 INTEGRITY 路 INDIVIDUALITY 路 COMMUNITY
AT A GLANCE
1. Father Martin checked on his famous pizzas in the new dining hall ovens. 2. Dorm students enjoyed hot and ready pizza by Father Martin. 3. Mr. Cohen’s AP Government class met with Abbot Mark Cooper and Father Benet during their trip to St. Anselm.
4. Cole Gilbert ‘21 jumped with excitement during the boys volleyball game. 5. During the boys volleyball game, Caleb Huffman ‘22 was a blocking machine. 6. Diya Vasudevan ‘24 received ashes from Father Maurus on Ash Wednesday.
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AT A GLANCE
7. Andrew Lee and Paul Trudelle cheered for the Class of 2020 as they arrived on campus to pick up graduation materials. 8. Grace Beriker ‘20 and Alex Yonehiro ‘21 gave a preview of the upper school musical, “We Will Rock You” in chapel.
9. Middle school dodgeball champs (l-r): Ryder Bush ‘25, Jack Barton ‘25, JJ Lehman ‘24, Spencer Gillett ‘24, Zsofia Horvath ‘24, and Catherine Carlton-Ridenour ‘24 celebrate with Todd Turner. 10. Peter Baszucki ‘23 lets out a celebratory yell at the middle school dodgeball game.
11. Fans packed the stands at the girls basketball CCS playoff game. 12. A spirited Alex Yonehiro ‘21 celebrates a point at the boys volleyball game.
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YEAR END AT A GLANCE
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1. In February, a group of Priory students traveled to Tanzania for a trip of a lifetime. 2. Robotics members tested the robot before the upcoming competitions. 3. Jacqueline Biscay ‘23, Alyssa Zhang ‘26, and Madeleine Schor ‘26 painted on fans during the Lunar New Year celebration. 4. Students enjoyed an amazing lion dance performance to celebrate the Lunar New Year. 5. Middle school students proudly held up their athletic plaques that they received from the Winter season.
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YEAR END AT A GLANCE
6. Father Matthew explained to Zach Brousseau ‘20 how to ring the newly restored monastery bell. 7. A lacrosse clad Victor Arroyo-Villa ‘20 took a candid photo during his time on campus to pickup his graduation package. 8. Gaby Sanchez ‘20 gathered her class candle and stone that would be used later for the Senior retreat.
9. Micah Morris and Wes Bennicas remained masked as they chatted with Mark Hughes ‘20 during the cap and gown pickup day.
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1st Team: Brandon Zelaya ‘21 2nd Team: Jack Dempsey ‘20 HM: Jason Sadler ‘20, Brandon Meza ‘20
Girls Soccer 1st Team: Vivian Wang ‘22 2nd Team: Kaela Marsheck ‘21 HM: Ava Rust ‘20, Maya Blevins ‘20
US ATHLETICS
Boys Soccer
Boys Basketball Qualified for CCS
1st Team: Zach Zafran ‘21 2nd Team: David Ajanaku-Makun ‘21 HM: Ashton Axe ‘22
Girls Basketball
CCS Champions (4th year in a row) NorCal Runner Up
1st Team: Aniyah Augmon ‘21 2nd Team: Bineta Diatta ‘21 HM: Annabelle North ‘20
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We Will Rock You School Edition Queen was a band like no other. A stand-out innovative group of musicians who were never satisfied with coasting on who they were in a given artistic moment, but very interested in what they and their music could become. Driven by Freddie but relying and celebrating the gifts and ideas each brought to the group, they brought music into the world, and ideas of what music could be, that transformed Rock and Roll. I had not realized how deep their song-book was and how much it had permeated the fabric of my life till, listening to the soundtrack of this musical, I found myself going, “Wait that’s a Queen song?” “And that one?!?” “They wrote that one too!?!” I love this piece because it is so very Rock and Roll and so very Priory in its themes. One of our Benedictine Pillars is Individuality and much of this musical follows individuals breaking free from oppression, monotony and group-think to find their Individual voice. Along the way Community, Integrity, Hospitality and, through the transformational magic of Rock, even Spirituality come into play. I love it also because it really is a unified solid musical. Each Queen song drives the action forward, the plot moves like a freight train, the characters are well rounded, fun, comic, dramatic and recognizably human (even the ones that aren’t entirely human). We hope you enjoy the music, the tech and the characters as this incredible adventure launches forth, fueled by Queen, transformed by the imagination of Ben Elton, invested with incredible heart, soul and commitment by our Actors, Techies and Musicians, and presented for your pleasure. John Sugden, Director (excerpt from play program)
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PERFORMING ARTS
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“Murder in the Knife Room” via Zoom John Sugden and Matt Roth answer the burning questions of how they produced the Middle School Play, “Murder in the Knife Room” entirely through Zoom! How did the idea come about to produce the play via Zoom? It was an interesting situation to be thrust into. The actors had one live rehearsal on campus and the next Monday we moved to Distance Learning at Priory and rehearsals moved online. I huddled with Matt Roth and Stefan Fisher who was directing, and we were all certain we wanted the play to continue. We weren’t sure how soon we would be back on campus so we devised three different schedules for putting up the show. We hammered out what would change with each plan, and when we talked through using “Speaker View,” on Zoom along with green screens and some other tricks built into the software, it became clear that we could do the whole show online if need be. Which is what we ultimately did. How did you manage the rehearsals, costumes and sets? We moved all the rehearsals online and the actors really invested hugely in learning their parts, developing their characters and connecting with each other in this new world of “screen acting.” Our set designer Micaela Sinclair adapted her earlier designs to be digital backdrops, Miranda Waldron our lighting designer gave great advice on lighting spaces and green screen use and Karoli Clever our costumer had parents measure the actors and she pulled costumes from our stock and found others online. I ordered props and huge rolls of green screen paper for actors to use in their homes. Karoli bagged each actor’s costume individually and labeled them and we included internet cables and headsets for actors that had connectivity issues or needed their sound bumped up. Then we had a two day “pickup your costumes and props” at curbside; loading people’s cars while masked and gloved.
How you did it (from the tech side)? We recorded two complete “takes” of the show, and for each show we had both a gallery recording and a speaker view recording. Stefan sometimes had to decide if the take with “better” performance or the take with the “cleaner” recording was the one to use. He made detailed notes about which sections he liked best. For special effects... Alexis Levin ’23 did all the flashback chime sounds, and then we had two other students on the call sharing their laptop audio. Chloe Huffman ’23 did all the thunder and Nate Chen ’24 did all the other SFX and Huck Twerdahl ‘26 creating the end credits. What were the challenges/problems you encountered? • Differences in people’s internet connections could make it hard for an actor to sign-in to rehearsal and sometimes they’d suddenly disappear from a dropped connection and they could pop up at strange times. • Lighting and framing of actors in their homes so they could be seen on the Zoom screen well, timing reactions between actors because of lags in internet connections, and the frustration of not being able to physically move very much because they would go off camera. • How to get musical cues and music overlapping for a Boy Band scene (shout out to Oliver Trevithick ‘25 for welding that scene’s song together!)
What was the feedback from the Priory community after the play was released? The feedback we received from the Priory community was overwhelmingly positive. People were very impressed with the show, parents were happy that it kept their sons and daughters artistically and socially engaged in this time of isolation and the students were proud of what they created.
Anything else you’d like to share about the entire experience? Theater is truly a community effort and we had some amazing high school students in Grant Whitman ‘20, Alexis Levin ‘23, Chloe Huffman ‘23, and Matt Gutow ‘20 that helped Stefan run rehearsals, create sound effects and were there every day to help. Michael Chang ‘20, did the editing of the two shows and cut it into a single performance for us. I’m very glad we didn’t let the Pandemic stop us. “The show must go on,” took on enhanced meaning and it was an engaging time for all involved and stretched us all in many ways.
PERFORMING ARTS
• The script, as written, has the majority of the cast on stage during the entire show. It is hard for young actors to stay focused and “in character” for that long. Zoom made the challenge even more difficult.
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VISUAL ARTS
“Aquaman Wine Glass”- Metals by David Ajanaku-Makun ‘21, Anna Dyckerhoff ‘21, and Caleb Huffman ‘22
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“Detail Hulk Can Crusher”- Metals by Thomas Screven ‘21 and Alan Stater ‘21
“Kells”- Drawing and Painting by Natalie Ruiz ‘23
VISUAL ARTS
“Untitled”- Photography by Ami Kobayashi ‘23
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“Untitled”- Digital Art by Leyla Gillett ‘20
“Painting Set”- Glass by Charlotte Van-Horne ‘23
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New “Firsts” for the
Class of 2020 as They Graduate Amidst a Pandemic
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When the Class of 2020 looks back at their graduation experience, they are going to have very different memories than most of their fellow Priory alumni. With the Covid-19 pandemic, a traditional graduation was not going to be an option for the Class of 2020. As students honestly asked, “Are we going to have a Zoom graduation?”, Priory administrators and a Senior Task Force made up of Senior parents worked together to create a one of a kind vehicle based graduation that was allowable by county guidelines. As details started to take shape on what the graduation would entail, Assistant Head of Upper School Micah Morris held weekly Zoom meetings with both the Class of 2020 students and parents to give updates and instructions on what was going to take place. The smallest details were discussed in an effort to ensure that the class had an amazing and genuine graduation ceremony. The graduation week started off with students coming to campus in scheduled time slots to ensure social distancing. As each student arrived near the monastery, they were greeted by cheers and waving faculty and staff who had volunteered in shifts to welcome them back to campus for the first time in two months. Students took fun photos with props they had brought and they felt represented them. Props varied from sports equipment, stuffed animals, tools, and several adorable pets. The students were then told about a new tradition, started just for the Class of 2020. The monastery bell which has been visible in front of the monastery for decades had been fully restored and was now dedicated to the Class of 2020. The students were told that whenever they returned to campus, they and only the Class of 2020 alumni, were allowed to ring the monastery bell for all to hear. The students then joyfully rang the bell for the first time and then picked up a small class candle and a package containing their cap and gown, graduation announcements, class mug, and a car decorating kit. Over the next few days, students would have normally left for their senior retreat, but again the Class of 2020 would not be able to partake in the traditional retreat, so Campus Minister Molly Buccola improvised. With the help of senior class moderator Yvonne Faisal, Ms. Buccola created a 24 hour retreat that would be a hybrid of Zoom interactions and on campus activities in scheduled time frames. Students even performed the first ever class candle ceremony over Zoom with their small class
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Finally as a fitting close to his 30 year tenure at Priory, Head of School Tim Molak, gave the commencement address. “I will be driving out–leaving the Priory for the last time as Head of School but also joining all of you as an alum.”
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candles they had received and their time together remained sacred and meaningful to the entire class. Finally on June 6, decorated cars lined the Priory driveway as they made their way to the Kovacs field for graduation. Masked students and family members excitedly waved to one another from their cars as they parked in designated spots on the field. Since only graduates and the family members they were sheltering in place with were allowed to attend, a livestream was set up to allow friends, classmates, and family members to view the ceremony. The graduation setup looked like a classic drive in theater complete with three giant screens placed around the field to ensure every car had a view of the action that was occurring on the stage. Upbeat and fun music played over the towering sound system as cars continued to arrive. As students and their families got settled in their cars, one Priory tradition was able to remain–the familiar sound of a bagpipe and drum slowly grew louder as the musicians marched down the center of the field. Father Matthew Leavy, O.S.B. began the ceremony with an opening prayer. “This vehicular ceremony is unique due to the circumstances in which we find ourselves that are also unique,” he said. Class favorites Damian Cohen and Amy Payne welcomed the crowd and addressed the graduates with some appreciated advise. Student speaker Maya Blevins ’20 exited her vehicle to give the student address. Maya addressed her fellow classmates with a surreal but honest view on their senior year together “And then overnight it was suddenly different. Our senior year would not finish as we had expected it would. I never imagined I would finish my final months in high school by spending THIS much time with my family or binge watching Tiger King.” But as Maya would explain, “the one thing that didn’t change was what the Priory community has taught us, it is the culmination of the lessons we have learned over the past three and a half years that has allowed us to be resilient during these unprecedented times. We were able to begin again, finding new ways to stay in touch, discover new passions, and celebrate together as a class.” Finally as a fitting close to his 30 year tenure at Priory, Head of School Tim Molak, gave the commencement address. “I will be driving out–leaving the Priory for the last time as Head of School but also joining all of you as an alum,” remarked Mr. Molak. He then reminded everyone that the theme for the year was “Envision” and shared seven envisions- some serious and some humorous. 1. “Envision a little history about Priory,” 2. “Envision Senior Projects,” 3. “Envision Humans Behaving Badly,” 4. “Envision that Black lives did matter!”, 5. “Envision Roberts Market,” 6. “Envision
a reality you live with,” and finally, 7. “Envision the end of my talk.” Mr. Molak closed with a heartfelt message, “30 years goes by so fast, I am going to hold on to my Priory memories forever- all 10,950 days of them–you 2020 are a part of it.” Then before they knew it, it was time for the graduates to receive their diplomas. Like a well-orchestrated dance, Mr. Morris and Ms. Faisal glided from car to car to get students out of their vehicles moments before their name was announced. As each student made their way to the stage a “walk up song” of their choice was played. Some students danced, some walked to the beat, and some strolled calmly as if they were walking along a beach during sunset. Each student crossed the stage to applause and flashing lights from cars, then immediately returned to their vehicle after making a large loop. Some students located near the far end of the field literally walked the circumference of the soccer field to receive their diploma. And they did it with a smile that could be seen even through a mask. To the delight of everyone, the handful of international students that were unable to return for graduation were broadcast live from their homes donning their cap and gown and proudly holding up their Priory diplomas when their names were called. As the memorable ceremony came to a close, graduates and their families watched the senior video like it was a trip down memory lane. Graduation really was like a drive in now! And as the video faded away, the crowd could not contain their happiness and excitement in an amazing graduation for the Class of 2020 and began to honk their horns and flash their lights which brought back familiar sights and sounds of the always anticipated and loved spirit week. The Class of 2020 then drove off the field with balloons and streamers whipping about and exited the driveway for the first time as Priory alumni.
Student speaker Maya Blevins
ACADEMIC HONORS AT COMMENCEMENT Academic honors at Commencement are awarded to graduates who have earned a cumulative grade point average by the end of the first semester of the Senior year: ** Benedictine Honors - GPA of 4.0 plus * Head of School Honors - GPA of 3.81 to 3.99
Carmen Kayoko Akamine*
Dehou Liu**
Victor Manuel Arroyo-Villa
Elizabeth W. Lye
Robert Joseph Barbagelata
Kayla Amanda Martinez
Grace Beriker
Kathryn S. Mawhinney
Justine Marie Biscay**
Brandon A. Meza*
Maya Kearney Blevins*
Casey Morss*
Zachary Richard Brousseau*
Seilala Lealofi Taumoepeau Niu
Christian Charles Castelo
Annabelle Olivia North**
Michael H. Chang
Seeun Sarah Park**
Catherine Chen**
Maggie Dyer Pollard**
Colby George Cheung**
Dominique Robson
Matthew Bruce Covington**
Elijah Manuel Roybal
Jack Ichiro Dempsey*
Kieran Gage Ruder
Matthew Robert Doktorczyk**
Ava Katherine Rust*
Mark Gaston Duling**
Jason Robert Draxler Sadler
Odinakachukwu Chideraa Elelleh
Dimitri Alexander Saliba
Ada Kate Fathers*
Gabriela Sanchez
Jiahe Feng**
Kiana Kimberly Sargent
Genaro Flores-Machorro*
Viansa Asia Schmulbach**
Charles H. Gainey
Robert Bradley Schoenthaler**
Jacob C. Gainey
Camille Elizabeth Shelton
Akash Ganesan
Nicole Marie Shihadeh*
Heyan Gao
Marie Elizabeth Sirenko**
Leyla Pauline Gillett**
Luke Martin Souter
Amaya LaVonne Gray
Carla Anna Tamer*
Anysa Lashae Gray
Gavin Hudner Thompson
Matthew Blaurock Gutow*
Michelle Nava Turenne
Suuleymaan XinPing Huchard
Emma Barbara Vagelos**
Mark Gregory Hughes**
Zoe Karen Verma*
Parker Ferguson Hurwitz*
Katie Walsh*
Ryan Oliver Isackson
Letian Wang**
Victoria Isokpehi*
Grant Michael Whitman**
Victor David Johnson*
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The Class of 2020
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2019-2020 College and University Acceptances Schools noted with (*) are those where the Class of 2020 will be attending in the fall. American University Arizona State University Augustana University Babson College Bard College Bates College* Belmont University Berklee College of Music* Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College* Brandeis University Bucknell University* California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo)* California State Polytechnic University (Pomona) California State University (Chico) California State University (East Bay) California State University (Fullerton)* California State University (Long Beach) California State University (Monterey Bay) California State University (San Marcos) Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Chapman University Claremont McKenna College* Clark University Clarkson University Colby College Colgate University College of William and Mary Colorado College Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University* Dartmouth College Denison University Drake University Drexel University Elon University Emory University Florida State University Fordham University George Fox University George Washington University* Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Goldsmiths, University of London Gonzaga University Harvey Mudd College High Point University Hofstra University IE University Madrid* Indiana University (Bloomington) John Cabot University
Johns Hopkins University Juniata College* Kenyon College* King’s College London Lafayette College Lawrence University Lehigh University* Lewis & Clark College Loyola Marymount University* Luther College Macalester College Marymount University McGill University* Middlebury College New York University* Northeastern University Oberlin College* Occidental College* Oregon State University Pennsylvania State University (Main Campus) Pepperdine University Pomona College Princeton University* Purdue University (Main Campus) Reed College* Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rice University Rochester Institute of Technology Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Saint Anselm College Saint Mary’s College of California San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose State University Santa Clara University* Sarah Lawrence College Sciences Po Seattle University Seton Hall University Sewanee: The University of the South Skidmore College Sonoma State University Southern Methodist University* Southwestern University St. Olaf College Stanford University Swarthmore College* Syracuse University Texas Christian University The College of Wooster The Ohio State University The University of Manchester The University of Tampa Trinity College Tufts University
Tulane University Union College University College London University of Arizona University of British Columbia University of California (Berkeley)* University of California (Davis) University of California (Irvine)* University of California (Los Angeles)* University of California (Merced) University of California (Riverside) University of California (San Diego) University of California (Santa Barbara) University of California (Santa Cruz)* University of Colorado Boulder University of Denver* University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Iowa* University of Massachusetts (Amherst) University of Miami University of Michigan University of Mississippi University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Notre Dame* University of Oregon* University of Portland University of Puget Sound University of Redlands* University of Richmond University of Rochester University of Saint Joseph* University of San Diego* University of San Francisco University of Southern California* University of St. Andrews* University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin (Madison)* University of the Pacific Ursinus College Vanderbilt University* Villanova University Wake Forest University Washington University in St Louis* Wellesley College Wesleyan University Wheaton College* Whitman College Whittier College Willamette University Williams College* Worcester Polytechnic Institute*
Valedictorian Viansa Schmulbach Salutatorian Marie Sirenko Dean of Students Award Maya Blevins Rev. Benignus F. Barat, O.S.B. Citizenship Award Dehou Liu Academic Dean Award Matthew Covington St. Elizabeth Service Award Nicole Shihadeh Head of School Award Carmen Alvarez St. Benedict Award Grant Whitman Seven Year Club Robert Barbagelata Justine Biscay Maya Blevins Christian Castelo Michael Chang Colby Cheung Matthew Covington Ada Fathers Charles Gainey Jacob Gainey Mark Hughes Elizabeth Lye Annabelle North Seeun Park Dominique Robson Elijah Roybal Ava Rust Jason Sadler Dimitri Saliba Gabriela Sanchez Kiana Sargent Camille Shelton Luke Souter Carla Tamer Grant Whitman
Residential Life Four-Year Award Catherine Chen Odinakachukwu Elelleh Jiahe Feng Genaro Flores Heyan Gao Suuleymaan Huchard Dehou Liu Dominique Robson Gabriela Sanchez Letian Wang National Merit Scholars Matthew Covington Jack Dempsey Matthew Doktorczyk Seeun Park Marie Sirenko Luke Souter Zoe Verma Grant Whitman National Merit Semi-Finalist Viansa Schmulbach National Merit Finalist Viansa Schmulbach
DEPARTMENT AWARDS Computer Science Dimitri Saliba English Matthew Covington
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Upper School Commencement Awards
Mathematics Viansa Schmulbach Performing Arts Matthew Gutow Science Matthew Covington History and Social Sciences Ava Rust Theology Charles Gainey Visual Art Marie Sirenko World Languages Gabriela Sanchez
Joe Montero Senior Athlete Award National Hispanic Recognition Scholars Annabelle North Carmen Alvarez Victor Arroyo-Villa
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2019-2020 AWARDS
Middle and Upper School Awards
24 MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARDS The St. Ambrose Award for the Humanities 6th grade: Nava Ammari 7th grade: Bryan Liu 8th grade: Mikatrin Heynen The St. Albert Award for Sciences and Math 6th grade: Allen Wu 7th grade: Cole Kawaja 8th grade: Cadence Liu The St. Catherine Award for Fine Arts and Performing Arts 6th grade: Madeleine Schor 7th grade: Oliver Trevithick 8th grade: Ellie Turk 6th Grade Outstanding Athlete Award Nava Ammari Eila Sawhney William Guo 7th Grade Outstanding Athlete Award Jack Barton Sophie Chen Scholar Athlete Award Nathan Chen Jacqueline Chuang Athlete of the Year Carter Baginskis ‘24 Stella Axe ‘24
The St. Benedict Award 6th grade: Layla Abbo 7th grade: Danielle Gilbert
UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS St. Elizabeth Service Award 10th grade: Remy Fu 11th grade: Alexander Leblang Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award Eszter Horvath ‘21 The George Eastman Young Leaders Award Julianne Lempert ‘21 Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences Leah Strickland ‘21 Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology Esha Umbarkar ‘21 St. Anselm Book Award Thomas Screven ‘21 Rensselaer Medal Certificate Sage Thomas ‘21 Williams College Book Jaden Kim ‘21
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Wellesley College Book Award Emma Solomon ‘21 Harvard College Book Award Christina Cheng ‘21 Saint Benedict Award 9th grade: Roshni Sangani 10th grade: Adam Zwaanstra 11th grade: Jocelyn Galvan
UPPER SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AWARDS Theology 9th grade: Miles Dobrenski 10th grade: Adam Zwaanstra 11th grade: Carlie Malott English 9th grade: Sofia Lucas 10th grade: Abigail Milne 11th grade: Sage Thomas Mathematics 9th grade: Alex Kawaja 10th grade: Yushan (Sam) Ding 11th grade: Zach Zafran
Science 9th grade: Leksi Chen 10th grade: Michaela Maroney 11th grade: Emily Stanger Social Sciences 9th grade: Roshni Sangani 10th grade: Luke Turk 11th grade: Emma Solomon Computer Science 9th grade: Tayo Sobomehin 10th grade: Ashvin Ganesan 11th grade: Bobby Youstra Performing Arts 9th grade: Dhruv Raman 10th grade: Catherine Frank 11th grade: Cassia Jones Visual Arts 9th grade: Maren Deem 10th grade: Paloma Oliveri World Languages 9th grade: Andrew Lopez 10th grade: Kevin Woodman 11th grade: Illiana Garcia
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Class of 2024 Graduates with “Drive” and “Style” Todd Turner’s voice rang out, “Head of School Molak, Monks, Deans, Faculty, Parents and…how did that sound?” as he did a sound check on the Kovacs field an hour before Priory would break new ground with the first ever drive in 8th grade graduation. The freshly painted field marked designated parking spots for each 8th grade family that were exactly six feet apart–very similar to how it has become the norm for social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. As students and families began to arrive, they were guided to their parking spot with light wands and hand motions like an airplane that is lead to their designated gate. Safety reminders like, “If car windows are down, masks must be worn by all occupants,” and “Do not exit your car. Only exceptions are to receive a diploma or use the restroom,” flashed across the large screens that were on the field.
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Cars were decorated with celebratory messages like, “Congratulations Abraham You Did It!”, “Go Panthers!”, and “Woo Hoo!!”. Some might think the cars were getting ready for a parade rather than a graduation, but either way they were there to do one thing- celebrate the 8th grade class of 2024. In true Priory form, the Star Wars theme music suddenly rang out over the speakers as masked Priory administrators made their way across the field and sat in chairs that were appropriately distanced from one another next to the stage. After an opening prayer by Fr. Martin Mager, O.S.B., Head of Upper School and Assistant Head of School Brian Schlaak started things off with some honest remarks. “To be honest, from up here, today looks a little bit like the Radiator Springs town meeting in the movie Cars,” he joked. Mr. Schlaak reflected upon what the 8th grade students might tell their own kids what they did during the pandemic of 2020, things like, “zoom classes where you saw your teachers kids run through, or “being taught by someone’s forehead,” and “going to class in your pajamas,” were some of the highlights. Mr. Schlaak then took a serious tone and told the class, “I think your generation is being prepared to lead humanity into a new way of living.” Then as the student speaker stepped up to the podium, it was like Mr. Schlaak had stepped through a time machine and everyone was looking at a teenage version of him. The student speaker was Augie Schlaak, Mr. Schlaak’s son. In the same familiar booming voice, Augie perfectly summed up the Class of 2024, “All the way from that very first day, we’ve been friends, we’ve been classmates, we’ve been teammates, we’ve been castmates, we’ve been, well — the class of 2024.” The student elected speaker, Todd Turner took to the stage and as a testament to his close relationship with the class, opened with the many, many nicknames he had
given them. “Abraham, Stella Rose by Any Other Name, Carter, CCR, Teodoro, GC, Nate-Dawgie, JC, Mr. Cirimele, Noah, William Lad,” were just some of the names read as he rattled off the entire 8th grade class. Mr. Turner reflected upon his 22 years at Priory and specifically time in his classroom giving Star Wars word problems like this one, “The ratio of stormtroopers to Jedi was 28 to 3, if there were 140 stormtroopers, how many Jedi were there?” Other favorites included “Agent Turbo, the happy and handsome Canadian boy” and multiple trips to Washington D.C. with the 8th grade class. Mr. Turner closed with an appreciation for the class, “You are an incredible class with sincerity, are talented, and you support one another.” Finally it was time to for the 8th grade students to receive their diplomas. Faculty members John Sugden and Paul Trudelle theatrically swung lighted light sabers to direct students one by one from their car to the stage. Students approached the stage to upbeat festive music and some were so overjoyed that they skipped or even ran to the stage. The graduates strayed from the traditional graduation robes and instead sported blue and white clothing and a mask with the Priory logo proudly emblazoned across it. As students crossed the stage, they bumped elbows with Mr. Molak, collected a bag that contained their Priory Middle School diploma and then continued their trek back to their car to the joy of their family waiting for them. In a fitting closing, choral director Albee Mabeza stunned the crowd when he played his guitar and sang Stand by Me. Mr. Mabeza’s music filled not only the warm Portola Valley air, but also the hearts of every single person on that field. In the words of Mr. Turner, “Please join me in congratulating the class of 2024 on their middle school graduation.”
MS GRADUATION 29
“All the way from that very first day, we’ve been friends, we’ve been classmates, we’ve been teammates, we’ve been castmates, we’ve been, well — the class of 2024.” – Augie Schlaak
“To be honest, from up here, today looks a little bit like the Radiator Springs town meeting in the movie Cars.” – Brian Schlaak
“The ratio of stormtroopers to Jedi was 28 to 3, if there were 140 stormtroopers, how many Jedi were there?” – Todd Turner
MS GRADUATION 30
The Class of 2024 ABRAHAM AVELAR STELLA AXE CARTER BAGINSKIS CATHERINE CARLTONRIDENOUR THEODORE CASARES GAVIN CHANG NATHAN CHEN JACQUELINE CHUANG JORDAN CIRIMELE NOAH DAWSON WILLIAM DAY KATHERINE ELFISHAWY JAMIE FIELD ELLIOTT GANLEY ARYSSA GARCIA MATTHEW GENET SEAN GENET SPENCER GILLETT JUAN GONZALEZ MIKATRIN HEYNEN ZSOFIA HORVATH HELEN KARNSTEDT JOHNATHAN LEHMAN CADENCE LIU ANA LOPEZ KAYLA MATSUOKA CAROLINE MAWHINNEY EVERETT MILLER NOLAN MURPHY DEANNA PERLOV AUGUST SCHLAAK ANDREW STANGER ELLIE TURK ROHAAN UMBARKAR DIYA VASUDEVAN ANDREW YUAN
Valedictorians Jacqueline Chuang Aryssa Garcia
MS GRADUATION
Middle School Commencement Awards
Zsofia Horvath Salutatorian Carter Baginskis Middle School Head’s Award Kayla Matsuoka Academic Achievement Award Jamie Field Leadership Award William Day Saint Benedict Award Nathan Chen
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CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS 32
A Memorable Class of 2020 The Class of 2020 had an abrupt and unexpected ending to their Senior year. On June 1, the class returned to campus for the first time in over two months to pick up their graduation caps and gowns and while they were there, they took candid photos and several of them held props that they felt represented them. Some of the Class of 2020 shared their favorite Priory moments, aspirations for the future, school involvement, and a time to say “thank you.�
CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Carmen Akamine-Alvarez
Victor Arroyo-Villa
Bobby Barbagelata
Grace Beriker
Justine Biscay
Maya Blevins Thank you to my family and friends who have always been there for me no matter what. I would also like to thank all of my teachers who have served as amazing role models for the past 7 years.
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CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS 34
Zach Brousseau
Christian Castelo
Michael Chang
Cathy Chen
Colby Cheung
Matthew Covington
CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Jack Dempsey
Matthew Doktorczyk Favorite teacher memory: Mr. Schlaak’s annual “talk” on cheating.
Mark Duling
Naka Elelleh Favorite Priory memory: When we sang this song for choir called “Lullabye” by Billy Joel. My section had worked tremendously hard on it, but we just could not seem to get it perfect, and we only did it once properly and that was during the concert. The feeling of like relief and euphoria kind of washed over me.
Ada Fathers Ideal Occupation: Travel Journalist, CIA Agent, anything that is not an office job and helps people.
Chelsea Feng
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CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS
Genaro Flores
Charlie Gainey
Jake Gainey Favorite teacher memory: Tricking Mr. Hatzopoulos into calling me Charlie by switching seats and glasses with him during sophomore English class.
Akash Ganesan
Eric Gao Thank you to my parents because they gave me this great opportunity to come study abroad. Father Matthew because he provided me with tremendous support this year. All the dorm RFs because they are great friends and guardians in the dorm.
Leyla Gillett
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CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Amaya Gray
Suuley Huchard
Anysa Gray
Mark Hughes
Matthew Gutow
Parker Hurwitz
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CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS 38
Ryan Isackson
Victoria Isokpehi Ideal occupation: Nurse
Victor Johnson
Bill Liu
Libby Lye
Kayla Martinez Favorite Priory memory: Mr. Roth’s least favorite song playlist.
CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Kate Mawhinney
Brandon Meza Idea occupation: Family physician
Casey Morss
Lala Niu
Annabelle North
Sarah Park
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CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS 40
Maggie Pollard Favorite teacher memory: All of AP Lit with Ms. Matsuoka!! My favorite class I’ve taken in high school, and a big part of why I want to become an English teacher myself.
Dominique Robson
Eli Roybal
Kieran Ruder
Ava Rust Leadership roles: MUN Treasurer, Sustainability Club Co President, Drone Club Co-President, Girls Soccer Co-Captain, Priory Honor Society, Cross Country, retreat team leader.
Jason Sadler Accomplishments: Cross country (captain), soccer (captain), track (captain), lacrosse, tennis, Jazz band, Dodgeball Champion in high school and middle school.
CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Dimitri Saliba
Gabriela Sanchez
Kiki Sargent Thank you to my parents, Ms. and Mr. Sargent, for never embarrassing me throughout my entire time at Priory. Unlike other kids, I actually enjoyed seeing my parents on campus.
Viansa Schmulbach
Brad Schoenthaler
Camille Shelton
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CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS 42
Nicole Shihadeh Favorite teacher memory: The sheer existence of Mr. Lee brings me a sense of peace that is not imitable by anything else in my life.
Marie Sirenko
Luke Souter
Carla Tamer
Gavin Thompson
Michelle Turenne
CLASS OF 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Emma Vagelos
Zoe Verma Favorite Priory memory: Walking around campus with my friendsrunning around Franklin Garden listening to happy songs, rolling down the hill during finals week, having shaving cream and water fights, eating ice cream and listening to the birds, just existing on campus!
Angela Wang
Grant Whitman
Katie Walsh
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DISTANCE LEARNING 44
Following the Priory Way During
Distance Learning Priory revolves around its Benedictine identity: the chapel is our center, the Rule of St. Benedict is our compass, and the monks are our guides. This has never been more true than during this trying time of the Covid-19 pandemic. For every decision that we’ve made, we’ve asked ourselves, “How do we serve our core Benedictine traditions?” By Kathy Gonzalez
Hospitality
Campus Minister Molly Buccola immediately made this visible with her first chapel talk on being hopeful and listening to that “still, small voice” inside ourselves. We also heard from Theology teacher Ryanne DeGood on “Finding Our Way Through Loss.” Students then shared: Bobby Youstra ‘21 realized that this lockdown allowed him to dive deep into his passions, and Libby Lye ‘20 reflected on the value of vulnerability. Teacher and RF CJ Gomez discussed valuing time alone, while also growing one’s community. Seniors Ava Rust, Zoe Verma, and Matthew Covington shared their “Pearls of Wisdom,” with Matthew saying, “Let this time when we feel as though everything has been taken from us serve as a reminder to make the most of the present”; and Grace Beriker sang an original song about growing up and moving on. Though we cannot gather in our beloved pews with the sun glancing onto us, we can still absorb the wisdom from this Priory ritual. To maintain our focus on spirituality, the Theology department continued its Thursday morning prayers, the bulletin opened with a reading, and Ms. Buccola offered drop in Meditation Monday and Thankfulness Thursday sessions. “It’s been a blessing to think of new ways to nurture community and one-on-one connections,” she said. Father Martin reminded us that “While we find ourselves without a personal connection with our cherished friends, we are always in the presence of a God who loves us – no matter what. We are never really alone.”
Closely linked to Benedictine spirituality is its hospitality. Priory students are now spread across the globe, in China, Japan, Mexico, Hungary, Thailand, and more, yet teachers and the Residential Faculty have the goal of making sure students still feel included, welcomed, and valued. Dean of Residential Life Adam Siler says that “We remain committed to being a source of positivity and support in their lives.” Synchronous classes are held in the morning so students in Europe can attend after dinner, and students in Asia watch recorded Zoom sessions. For students who cannot safely return to their home countries, their local guardians have opened their homes. Dormer Andras Pakorzdi actually lived in the monastery for three weeks with his guardian Father Maurus before returning to Hungary. Andras said that he was “living their life. They started calling me their little monk and joked about getting me a black robe!” Priory folks have shown their hospitality in a myriad of ways. Early into the pandemic, Director of Communications Kelly Sargent recruited staff to create a photo collage to “let students know that we are there for them and in this together!” Metals teacher Reed Sullivan delivered tool kits for her 25 students, plus she provided a “lending library” of materials for seniors to make their tiles. “Father Martin and my 6 and 8-year-old help make the kits,” she said, while Dean of Students Micah Morris funded the project. The Senior Task Force mailed home a Priory
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Spirituality
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DISTANCE LEARNING 46 blanket, plushie panther, and lawn sign. “We worked diligently to let the students know that we care deeply about them through this tough time,” explained Yvonne Faisal, Director of Systems and Innovation. The middle school held a movie night and sent lawn signs to its eighth graders. Middle School Head Caitha Ambler said that “with the message ‘We Love Our 8th Graders,’ we are saying we know and love you regardless of proximity.” Priory students, of course, also showed their hospitality. Tri-M club members, led by Remy Fu ‘22, Christina Cheng ‘21, Justine Biscay ‘20, and Sarah Park ‘20, recorded themselves singing, playing instruments, and making art to cheer up senior citizens. Remy wrote, “We wanted to do something to bring joy to many of the seniors who can’t see their loved ones.” And our monks, beacons of Benedictine hospitality, delivered homemade pizza to campus families. All are included! Community Hospitality is an integral part of Priory’s community so that everyone feels known and loved, whether we’re on campus together or sheltering in place. Immediately upon school closing, faculty discussed how to encourage a sense of community while teaching via Zoom. To stay connected, students posted on Weebly for their classmates to leave comments, or published their podcasts, Senior Project, or Project
Step-Up for others to enjoy. Folks also offered other ways to gather: yoga meet-ups headed by math teacher Sally Aalfs and seventh grade parent Julie Blenkhorn; open mic night organized by Abigail Milne and English teachers Tess Tran and Amy Payne; and middle school Lunch Bunch hosted Andrew Daniel, David Moseley, Paul Trudelle, Mary Carroll, Sally Aalfs, Lisa Wood, and others. “The kids can be silly with each other (and their teachers) in a less structured way that allows for community to shine through,” noted Caitha Ambler. School Counselor Sandra Kelly offered a hang out space, too. “The drop in aspect is really impactful,” she said, “in that it mimics (as closely as Zoom can) the way things used to be–how kiddos could walk up to my office or Mr. Simon’s, say hi, unload a bit, and then be on their way.” The Priory Tech Department and financial aid office made sure all members of our community had the needed resources. Kailen Song, Priory’s Systems and Database Administrator, commented, “While ensuring teachers had what they needed to be up and running remotely, we also made phone calls to students, coordinated with internet providers and families, and worked to support our international students who needed access from abroad.” While the coronavirus pushed people to distance themselves, Priory folks countered this with ways to bring us back together.
Of course, we want to provide an education that meets our standards of integrity: for a top rate education, for student wellness, for work/life balance, for thriving and helping others thrive. Before school closed its doors, our Professional Development team directed teachers to prepare two-week mini-units that provided a meaningful educational experience while allowing teachers and the administration the time to make a long term plan. In that interim, the Distance Learning team, consisting of Yvonne Faisal, Crystal Matsuoka, Michele Riebhoff, and Kailen Song, researched online learning, explored various technology, contacted other schools, and surveyed teachers. “Our main goal was to create a remote learning structure that was missionappropriate, honored our commitment to balance, and blended simplicity and flexibility with academic meaningfulness,” noted Yvonne Faisal. On March 12, Priory moved to a mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes that provided
online meeting spaces without too many hours of screen time or homework. To make this transition work, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Crystal Matsuoka instituted DL meet-ups for teachers to share best practices around assessments, engagement, equity, feedback, and reflection. “As we were called to adapt, innovate, and in many ways reinvent our teaching practices,” she stated, “we also wanted to stay true to our Benedictine values and identity.” After attending workshops, studying multiple resources, plus listening to people’s needs, Priory also rolled out the “compassionate grading” policy, offered alternative assessments, and cancelled final exams. To bring other voices into consideration, College Counseling and Social Emotional Counseling held parent coffees, Micah Morris hosted senior parent meetings, Yvonne Faisal gathered the seniors weekly, and incoming Head of School Patrick Ruff held Zoom meet-ups for a variety of constituents. Integrity means taking care of everyone’s needs while meeting our mission statement to “assist all students in creating
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Integrity
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DISTANCE LEARNING 48
meaningful and balanced lives, developing as lifelong learners and stewards, and productively serving a world in need of their gifts.” Individuality All these stewards and lifelong learners are unique individuals. Part of the Priory Way has always been, in the words of Head of Upper School Brian Schlaak, to “let your freak flag fly,” a line he included in his graduation address. Early into the shutdown the ASB offered Zoom Madness, with days such as funky sunglasses, silly hats, crazy Zoom backgrounds, and bring your pet or plushie. Lots of costuming also went into the middle school play Murder in the Knife Room, where characters made liberal use of false beards, eye patches, and lots and lots of knives. For a historical first, the play ran on Zoom, with each actor performing from home and a talented tech crew sewing it all together. Middle school teachers went onscreen, too. David Moseley led burpees, and Christine Hemiup wore her Lego sunglasses while discussing coding projects.
In the literary realm, Librarian Diane Lanctot, explained that “The staff of the annual MUSE magazine collaborated virtually to produce a ‘Voyages’ themed issue featuring writers, artists and photographers.” Additionally, teachers were encouraged to create projects where students could choose how to present their learning; in fact, the middle school offered badges for creativity, spirit, PE, a reading club, and later the Spotlight series with such offerings as “Vector and Quill” and “Outside the Box.” Kyle Utsumi’s PSU project allowed eighth graders to follow a local issue, investigate traditional narratives, and take a stand. And of course Priory encouraged families to strut their originality by decorating their cars with balloons and streamers as they lined up drive-in-movie-style for their graduation ceremonies, expressing their pride and congratulations. “Staying in conversation as a community about our successes and challenges helped us to stay anchored in who we are,” noted Crystal Matsuoka. That’s the Priory Way: people of spirituality, hospitality, community, integrity, and individuality, serving each other and the greater world.
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DISTANCE LEARNING
GALA
Gala 2020 On a Safari Reimagined Virtually
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In
early March, just as in the previous 39 years, it was Gala season at Woodside Priory School. Our 2020 Gala, On A Safari was fast approaching. Cynthia Mahood Levin and her diligent committee had completed most of the work: auction items were procured, Count Me in Parties were planned, centerpieces were designed, and menus were selected–all in preparation for a fantastic evening at Sharon Heights Country Club. Priory parents had done their part as well: tickets bought, donations made, tables organized, and parents were ready to show off their animal prints and safari gear. Then with shock and awe, the Shelter in Place orders were invoked, social gathering were not to be, and many of our plans were scrapped. But the Priory community quickly regrouped to make all aspects of the evening, silent auction, live auction, raffle and Fund a Future switch to an online format. In just days, marketing videos were produced and sent via email to highlight special offerings in our Live Auction like Fr. Martin’s clock and trips. Past parents and alumni were invited to participate and registered for online bid paddles. Every constituent of the Priory community came together to rally for Priory by purchasing auction items and gifting our Fund a Future campaign. Much looked very different from years past. Emails and videos replaced our auctioneer. Gift certificates were mailed. Letters replaced in person thank you’s at check-out. We conducted a masked curbside pick-up of items. We held our raffle drawing with a video and published in the weekly bulletin. Despite the extraordinary circumstances and the lack of an in person gathering, some things remained the same. The spirit and strength of the Priory Community remained steadfast. Our Fund a Future coffers were filled to support those in our community who needed it most. We innovated allowing for supporters to support without being present. And– just as in nature, our On A Safari Gala migrated and truly became the survival of the fittest.
GALA 53
We wish to thank the herd of volunteers who worked to make our On A Safari Gala a success, starting with our Gala Chair Cynthia Mahood Levin who worked tirelessly to bring in fabulous Live items and keep the excitement and momentum of On A Safari moving forward. Her loyal committee of standout volunteers were stellar. Courtney Caccia worked her magic with Communication and Marketing tying in safari puns and cute African animals to our Daily Bulletins and weekly Gala emails. Robin Murray, Mimi Blaurock and Maria Johnson secured and organized wine donations with wonderful descriptive write ups. Evita Twerdahl, Haley Parr, Megan Scott, Anshu Gupta, Patricia Qaqundah, Maria Chen, Hattie Shieh, Uma Rani Iyli, and Virginia Huffman had dÊcor on point and ready to go: from a welcoming entry, to a photo wall, to centerpieces and ower arrangements. Emilia Schor, Elaine Pao, Donna Chandra, Christina Baszucki, Juliana Johnson, and Julie Sheng took the charge of gathering tickets, vacation homes, pride of Priory items, parties and gift certificates for our online auction. Linda Thomas, Julie Dickerson and Mary Duling brought their creativity to our tasty cakes. Ann Marie Strohman checked and rechecked as she edited our online catalog. Carolyn Putney donned her safari outfit to implore our community to donate to Fund A Future. It was a large group effort and a pleasure to witness our Priory community quickly pivot and come together to support our beloved school.
DEVELOPMENT 54
Priory will forever be grateful to Kristi Patterson and Carolyn Putney for their incomparable leadership over the last two years as Co-Presidents of the Priory Parent Association. From enhancing the Class Parent structure to introducing our new Head of School virtually, Kristi and Carolyn have led the parent community with agility and imagination during two of the school’s most unusual years. Priory thanks these amazing women for their devotion to the school!
Annual Fund Class Chairs We so appreciate the dedicated volunteerism of our Annual Fund Class Chairs. The first most important gift made in support of the school is a gift to the Annual Fund. Each fall they roll up their sleeves and rally support for the school among the parents of their child’s class. We achieved 83% participation for the 2019-20 school year, thanks to the partnership of these parents and the generosity of the parent community. Class of 2026 - Wendy McAdam and Brian Cox Class of 2025 - Laurie Kacin and Linda Walters Class of 2024 - Helen Amick and Dee Dee Dickey Class of 2023 - Kristine Collins and Misti Sangani Class of 2022 - Susie Schinski and Nancy Rosenthal Class of 2021 - Jill Mallott and Lisa Ring Class of 2020 - Norma Alvarez and Mollie Hudner Thompson Congratulations and Thank you!
Long term parent engagement leaves a lasting legacy! Congratulations to all the parents of the Class of 2020 on the extraordinary graduation of your children. In particular, we thank the following parents who are graduating to Priory’s Alumni Parent Association, for their tremendous volunteerism through many roles and over many years. Your dedication to Priory, your commitment to our values and your willingness to share your gifts in partnership with the school to enhance the community have made a lasting impact over the course of your time with us. We are forever grateful. Jean Barbagelata Melissa Beriker Mimi Blaurock Evan and M.J. Castelo Cindy Cheung Mary Duling Mark and Lisa Gainey Paula and Greg Hughes Maria Johnson Laurie Shelton Regina and Souheil Saliba Stay tuned for news of a Priory Alumni Parent Association social outdoors this fall!
How blessed we are to be members of a community grounded in values that have withstood the test of time, and values that have carried and guided us during this pandemic. How gifted we are to have exemplary educators who genuinely love and care for our students who worked tirelessly to reimagine and reconfigure what makes a Priory education special. How fortunate we are to have such dedicated, generous supporters who believe in the foundational values of Benedictine education. Thanks to your enthusiastic support of the annual fund this fall and your exuberant response to our first online Gala, Priory was well-positioned to undertake the financial challenges of the pandemic. We are most grateful for the time, talent, and treasure of our parent community, in particular, for your partnership as together, we successfully navigated the uncertainties of the last three months. Alumni Liaison Todd Turner welcomed the Class of 2020 into Priory’s Alumni Association through a virtual induction ceremony and invited them back to campus (in person) on December 19th for their first alumni event–Home for the Holidays. Our traditional Alumni Reunion postponed due to the shut down is tentatively rescheduled for October 17th. When Benedict wrote his Rule, society was falling apart. Though materially prosperous, the Roman Empire was in a state of decline. Barbarian hordes overran Europe, and the very survival of Western civilization was called into question. Benedictine monasteries–with their message of balance and moderation, stability, hospitality, community, and stewardship–were credited with the preservation of Western culture, and Benedict himself was named patron of Europe. When a crisis hits, no matter the size, we lean on the enduring strength of our values to carry us through. The 2019-20 school year will forever be defined by these last three months when the pandemic required us to Shelter in Place, away from each other, and the beautiful oasis that is the Priory campus. We look forward to safely coming together again this fall to welcome our new families to our beautiful campus and to share our sustainable Benedictine values with them. We are all ready for a fresh start. The positive force that is Patrick Ruff, who becomes our new Head of School on July 1st, is prepared to lead the way toward a new beginning. Grounded in the past, we look to the future with hope and promise. PAX - until we meet again,
Suzanne Couch Director of Development
DEVELOPMENT
Dear Priory Community,
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GRANDPARENTS DAY
Connecting the Generations Priory’s Values Personified
Priory grandparents were welcomed to campus to enjoy a beautiful brunch with their grandchildren before a matinee performance of A Christmas Carol. Vicki Sherard and Matthew Ring ‘21.
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Dennis Holahan and Father Matthew with Teo Casares ‘24.
Joy and Grant Strickland with Will ‘25.
Barbara Stowe with Caroline Herndon ‘25. Alannah and Henry Ruder with Kieran ‘20.
GRANDPARENTS DAY
Judy and Phil Auge with Simon Hirsch ‘25.
John Zwaanstra with Adam ‘22.
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Rod Luckey with Ryder Bush ‘25.
Dawn Klement with Ava Johnson ‘26.
Sonja and Bill Davidow with Ben Putney ‘22.
Karen Mahood with Alexis ‘23 and Jacob Levin ‘25.
Mary and James Prindiville with Rowan ‘26.
FAREWELLS 58
At the end of the school year we said farewell to several faculty and administrators that have served Priory for an extensive amount of years. Priory was a different place when all of them began and now they are leaving Priory a better place due to their actions and pure love for Priory to make a difference.
Molly Buccola
Brian Schlaak
The Campus Ministry area near Room B8 is now dedicated to Molly Buccola. Molly was a shining star, had a smile that would light up a room and a heart that knew no bounds!
The second floor Founders Hall office has been dedicated in honor of Brian Schlaak. Within those walls, Brian worked his magic for over a decade talking to parents, planning the academic program, and mentoring/counseling hundreds of students.
Molly Buccola will be leaving Priory after 14 dedicated years of service as a valued Campus Minister and a variety of other roles such as theology teacher, retreat team leader, and cross country coach. Her friend and colleague Fr. Martin Mager, O.S.B. said, “Molly has brought the role of Campus Ministry to a new level. Although she is loved by everyone at the Priory, she presents a very special role model for young Priory women. She is strong and compassionate and a friend to all. She is simply, the best.” Head of School Tim Molak called Ms. Buccola, “pure grace,” and “her smile and persona draw people to her; you meet her once and you will never forget her.” Ms. Buccola reflected on her time with Fr. Martin, “I first met him when I was twenty-one. He developed most of the chapel and retreat rituals. He has been a mentor and friend.” When Molly was stuck on details of a retreat many years ago, he told her, “It’s time to let go. You’ve done the work, now it’s God’s turn.” She often replays Fr. Martin’s wise words in her mind, “with every retreat and really every life decision, especially this step into the unknown now.” Plans for the future include moving to Bend, Oregon to be near her family. Beyond that, her future is wide open, “It is about seeing God in the little things, fostering an environment for the Spirit to flourish, and having faith that Wisdom will show herself when she’s needed. Where else can you find a “job” like that? I plan to take some time to “listen” for what’s next,” she said.
To no surprise, the 2019-20 yearbook was dedicated to Brian Schlaak by the Class of 2020. “I’m not sure he knows how much he became the pillar ‘round which our school made its name. Brian’s spreading of smiles formed the Priory style, and without him, we just won’t be the same,” was just a small portion of the poem written by Grant Whitman ’20 for the dedication. “It’s been a helluva run,” Mr. Schlaak wrote in a farewell email to Priory faculty and staff. “I thank all of you for your disparate roles in helping to color my experience here. It has been marvelous, instructive and broadening. I sincerely wish all of you well. I hope that our paths cross again. I will miss you,” he said. Prior to Covid-19, Mr. Schlaak and his wife Thea, and son Augie, had planned to sail from New York City to England, then spend the fall living in Italy and traveling around Europe, and then in the spring volunteering at the Daraja school in Kenya where Mr. Schlaak is on the board. Now post Covid-19 with the cruise canceled and travel restricted, Mr. Schlaak’s plans have changed and they have decided to “embrace our future as nomadic gypsies.” They may also spend time in the Ojai area where they recently purchased a house and a small avocado ranch. Mr. Schlaak leaves after 15 years of faithful service. His impact on the school reaches beyond the measurable. Head of School Tim Molak said, “He has been the driving force behind the academic excellence and balance we enjoy today and he has left his mark on all of us. May God hold him–and his family–in the palm of His hand.”
After 16 years at Priory serving in roles of Mathematics teacher, department head, class mentor, Director of Systems & Innovation, and chaperone extraordinaire for global trips, Yvonne Faisal will be moving on to the San Francisco Girl’s School as the Director of Academics. “Yvonne was an invaluable lead or team member in nearly every innovative Priory evolution through the course of the past fifteen years,” said Brian Schlaak. “She leads with her heart, is devoted to the wellbeing of kids and has an abiding passion for education. The Priory would not be where it is without her,” Brian added. With two daughters as Priory alumnae, Yvonne admitted, “My children grew up here and I deeply appreciate those peers who helped raise them along the way. In fact, I will miss that for myself as well.” Yvonne also reflected on the quiet heroes of the school, “I will miss the care and attention from the Kitchen Staff and Facilities crew. They are the epitome of stewardship and make communal meals, hanging out on our beautiful campus, and serving our individual purpose both possible and meaningful.” Tim Molak recently described Ms. Faisal as, “a teacher, mother, department chair, administrator, mentor, advisor, master scheduler, colleague, Senior sleepout survivor, always a call or email away–the source of solutions to concerns or problems and always listens with the ear of her heart.”
B13 the original Tinker Lab is dedicated to Yvonne Faisal. Yvonne was always ready to help, create a new space or class, encourage innovation or just “tinkering” a bit.
Todd Turner
Todd Turner has been a staple of the middle school for 22 years. Middle School Head Caitha Ambler said, “Todd has a unique way of “being a kid” with his students, but also has one of the most orderly classrooms on campus. It is this balance that is so magical. The bottom line, the kids absolutely adore him and will miss him immensely.” Mr. Turner has been known to create unique and fun nicknames for almost every single middle school student and this is evidence to his commitment to getting to know the students beyond the classroom. Students Nate Chen ’24 and Carter Baginskis ’24 put together a farewell video for Mr. Turner and several students of all grade levels expressed their favorite memories and words to describe Mr. Turner like “funny, welcoming, dedicated, encouraging, happy, and energetic,” were mentioned repeatedly. Students reminisced on his famous “Simon Says” games, “Agent Turbo” and “Pit” math challenges, the blind toss of the dried out marker into the trash can, and his uncanny ability to scare the hiccups out of anyone. Mr. Turner was also the recipient of the St. Stephen Teaching Award this year. During the awards recognition, Tim Molak described Mr. Turner as “all those who rub shoulders with him every day know the affection the students have for him and the engaging, funny, thoughtful, inspiring, creative teacher he is.” As Mr. Turner plans to attend grad school to earn a degree in Educational Leadership, he will remain a part of the Priory Alumni Engagement Office and will continue to connect with alumni and attend events throughout the year. Mr. Turner commented, “The Priory will be the best job I ever had. I love our students first, parents, coworkers, and our campus.”
The Priory is honored to dedicate Room C7 to Todd Turner. We honor his dedication, love of learning, and commitment to coaching and teaching students especially those in the middle school.
FAREWELLS
Yvonne Faisal
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ALUMNI MILESTONES
Milestones
A look back at the classes 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015!
1965 1980
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1970
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1975
ALUMNI MILESTONES
1990
1995
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2000
2005
2015 2010
CLASS NEWS & NOTES
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Raymond Lau ’96 and his wife Yolanda are raising two beautiful daughters in Shanghai. Marie Trudelle ’10 created a powerpoint on the refraction and reflection of light and sound for Paul Trudelle’s science class. She has taught blind students for over 5 years and also works part time at “Lighthouse for the Blind.” Amanda Smith (Priory MS grad 2015, now at Bowdoin) spoke to Priory students of her love of astrophysics and encouraged the 7th graders to “get passionate” about their learning. Two girls and one boy began researching dark matter and energy on their own time after hearing Amanda’s talk.
Alondra Manriquez ’18 advocated for social reform at a Jolt conference in Houston.
Sammie Sargent ‘18 is studying business marketing at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She continues to stay involved in fitness and was asked to do a photo shoot for a gym in Honolulu called “The Jungle.”
Sammie Sargent ’18 is studying business marketing at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She continues to stay involved in fitness and was asked to do a photo shoot for a gym in Honolulu called “The Jungle.”
Anthony Shu ’16 worked on the front line as a Marketing Coordinator at Second Harvest Food Bank.
Cristina Rosario Perez ’19 surveys her new pool at Pace University. Cristina placed 12th in the Northeast-10 Conference Swimming Championships in the 200-freestyle.
CLASS NEWS & NOTES
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Todd Turner is graduating with the class of 2020, but while he may be retiring from Priory as teacher and coach, we are thrilled to announce he will continue and expand his work with Priory’s Alumni Association as Alumni Liaison. Working with Alumni Programs Manager, Charles Stauss, Todd will play a big role in engaging alumni throughout the year, including on-campus reunions, alumni sporting events, and regional happy hour socials. You will also hear from him through Facebook and LinkedIn as we keep our alumni updated on Priory news. In his last month on campus, Todd leaves us with the following thought: Teaching at the Priory has been an incredible experience of which I am extremely thankful. I treasure our community and will never forget the relationships created over the last twenty-two years. I am graduating with the Class of 2020, however I am excited to stay involved with our school through my work with the Alumni Engagement Office. Go Panthers! You’ll hear from Todd and the rest of us at the Alumni Association as we dive into another year of alumni events.
In Memoriam:
Kermit Holderman Kermit Holderman, 73, taught English at Priory from 1984-1990 and was also the yearbook moderator. Paul Trudelle remembers “Kerm” as a neighbor who lived on campus with his wife Susan and their two sons Zack and Dane. “Many students loved him as a teacher and as a person. Some grew to become his adult friends,” Paul said. He was also an avid Priory sports fan and could be found cheering at the basketball, soccer, and baseball games.
Kermit Holderman in the 1987 Priory yearbook.
Kermit had recently traveled to Portola Valley to help a friend with heart problems before he was stricken with Covid-19. After almost a month-long battle, Kermit died on March 31st in San Diego. Kermit’s wife Susan told Paul Trudelle, “If Kermit could give one bit of advice for all of us, it would be to NOT let down our guard regarding Covid-19.”
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SUSTAINABILITY 64
California Green Ribbon Schools Award On Earth Day, Priory was awarded a 2020 California Green Ribbon Schools honor by the U.S. Department of Education. Priory was only one of five schools in the state to be identified as a “Green Achievers” honoree, which is the highest level of recognition that the school can achieve. Priory is also this year’s CAPSO (California Association of Private School Organizations) honoree, which signifies that Priory is the only private school recognized at the national level. According to Sustainability Coordinator Hovey Clark, “the award recognizes our efforts in sustainable campus operations and green building, our commitment to health and wellness in all sectors of the school community, and the school’s educational program which balances STREAM, service learning, and stewardship.” In August, Mr. Clark will take part in a Virtual Celebration Week sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education to receive the honor for the school.
FEATURE
Beyond the Brick
An investment in the Priory’s future. It is a Priory tradition to create and install a commemorative brick for every senior whose family supports the Annual Fund. Installed in the Al Zappelli Alumni Courtyard as symbols of the building blocks Priory has provided to launch our graduates into a world in need of their gifts. Each brick is inscribed with the graduate’s name and class year - tangible evidence of the mark each student has made on the school and the students who will follow in their footsteps. Beyond the bricks, the Board of Trustees establish a Class Legacy Fund endowment in honor of each graduating class. Consider joining the Trustees by honoring your graduate with a gift to Priory’s Class Legacy Fund. The Class Legacy Fund Endowment will eventually provide the opportunity for a new generation of Panthers to reach beyond their grasp while at the same time, ensuring the long term strength and viability of the Priory. Congratulations Class of 2020!
A CLASS LEG CY FUND
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MONASTERY NEWS
Priory monks finally practice
the vow of stability!
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By Father Matthew Leavy, O.S.B.
T
he monastery should, if possible, be so constructed that within is all necessities are contained. Then there will be no need for the monks to roam outside, because this is not at all good for their souls.” (Rule of St. Benedict 66:6-7) Was the Governor of California thinking of this as he mandated the first in the nation “Shelter In Place” order for the Bay Area? SIP has given new meaning to the Benedictine vow of stability! SIP not only meant that the monks could not go out, but also that no one else could come in. Imagine an empty, totally quiet, Priory campus! No students, no faculty, a skeleton crew of administrators and essential personnel and three monks. Some have asked, what did the monks do all day? Ora et Labora, Prayer and Work, as always. As for the Ora part, we continued living the monastic life as usual, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and Mass five times per day. The major difference being that there was no one in the congregation. Such a never before experience was particularly felt during Holy Week and Easter, the high points of the Church year. On the first Sunday of June, we were able to celebrate Mass publicly, both our Sunday English Mass and also our Hungarian Mass. As for the Labora part, we, like everyone else in the world continued to carry out our responsibilities of administration, teaching, and pastoral care via
Zoom and other such modalities. We’ve discovered that monks, too, can suffer Zoom fatigue! Along with all the other teachers and administrators at Priory, our concern was how to create an atmosphere of support for our students and each other during this uncertain and unprecedented time of change and challenge. We asked ourselves other questions. How could we show hospitality when no guests were allowed on campus? How could we help to support the morale of our campus-dwelling community of 53 faculty, staff and their families during the Covid-19 Shelter In Place? We noticed that though restaurants in the area remained officially closed, take-out was permitted. And so we created a “Benedictine Take-Out” program for our subcommunity of on-campus dwellers, offering a weekly take-out dinner for all. Menu items include pizza, turkey dinner, “Sloppy Isaacs” (named after Br. Isaac at St. Anselm whose recipe I stole), Chili with Cornbread, BBQ chicken with Mac and Cheese, gallettes, and the like. On festal occasions, a hemina of red or white wine is also available. “Hemina” is the measure of wine allotted to each monk by St. Benedict in his Rule. It means “half” of something, as in “hemi”sphere, but scholars disagree about the “something”. Is it half a glass or half a gallon? Most agree that the hemina is equal to a good pint. That is, of course, only for the adults on campus. For the kids, we tried a zoomed pretzel baking session which was judged successful, and a pizza baking session is in the
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1. The monastic bulletin board filled with thank you notes and artwork from on campus children.
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MONASTERY NEWS
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2. Class of 2020 students rang the newly restored monastery. 3. Myles Somerville and his sons Mickey and Westy pickup pizzas during the “Benedictine Take-Out”. 4. Father Maurus preps one of the many pizzas that were made for on campus families. 5. Hungarian representatives kindled a fire as part of the 100 year anniversary of the peace treaty.
5 planning for later this month. We are grateful to others on campus who continue to assist us in the TakeOut project, and who have also offered a weekend meal for all to enjoy. We are also deeply appreciative of the beautiful and creative art works of gratitude that we have received from the on campus children. Myles Somerville, assisted by Sean Sullivan, has been helping out with the food distribution and has offered his own version of the Benedictine takeout. In his invitations, he always comes up with some clever word plays to describe his menu, e.g., “Benedict-In and Out burgers”, or “Benedicti-Talian Sausage”. This, of course, is totally understandable as he is a graduate of the Benedictine Prep School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Thank you, Myles and Sean. Our seniors received a surprise innovation from the monks on the day each came to pick up caps and gowns, of course with staggered arrival times, faces masked and hands doused with Purell. For decades there has been a large bell in front of the monastery building. Originally a railroad locomotive bell, it replaced the even larger church bell that is now in the chapel tower. The cradle which held this smaller bell had deteriorated and the whole setting was in disrepair. Fr. Martin decided to refinish the bell’s surface and repair the broken parts of the cradle. Assisted by our expert physical plant crew, the bell and its surroundings were beautifully renovated and the bell was dedicated to the Class of 2020. Each senior
actually rang the bell before picking up the cap and gown. They loved it! The bell was also put to good use on June 4th, the 100 year anniversary of the signing of the peace treaty post World War I. This signing took place at Versailles in France in the palace called Trianon. It was significant for Priory’s Hungarian heritage, as it ordered the dismemberment of the Kingdom of Hungary, as war retribution for having sided with Germany. The treaty ceded 2/3 of Hungary’s territory and 1/3 of its population to neighboring nations, the largest portion, larger than the current landmass of Hungary was given to Romania and is known as Transylvania where nearly 2 million ethnic Hungarians still live. In terms of Priory history, it is interesting that three of our Hungarian monks came from territory ceded to Slovakia, Hungary’s neighbor to the North. All over the world, diaspora Hungarian communities gathered at 11:20 to plant a commemorative tree, to kindle a fire symbolizing solidarity, and to ring a bell in remembrance of a sad day in the annals of Hungarian history. Covid-19 obviously put great limitations on our ceremonial gathering, but 18 representatives of the Hungarian Scouts, the Protestant Church and our Catholic Hungarian Church safely gathered and joined the rest of the Hungarian world, with a new tree, a new fire and a re-newed bell, symbols of solidarity and hope.
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Stay Connected Follow us on our Facebook page where you can keep up to date with the latest Priory events. www.facebook.com/woodsideprioryschool Woodside Priory School Alumni Association- @woodsideprioryalumni Follow us on Instagram @woodsidepriorypanthers or @prioryalumni
View past performances, slideshows and other various videos on our YouTube Channel. www.youtube.com/user/paxpanther ALUMNI!
Connect on the Woodside Priory LinkedIn group at: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13514369/ Let us know what you are up to. We love learning about the interesting things you are doing! Send an email with any address updates or news to alumni@prioryca.org.
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MONASTERY NEWS
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