Renbrook School Magazine by Peapod Design

renbrook the m agazine for renbr ook school

summer 2013

Farewell

to Retiring

faculty

plus Look Again: Rebranding Renbrook Commencement

Feature

Inside renbrook Features

parent perspectives

28 Look Again

24 From the PA President

34 Farewell to Retiring Faculty

26 Q & A with a Nutritionist

40 Commencement

in every issue

faculty focus

Letter from the Head of School

19 TechBits

Campus News

20 Ready. Set. Grow.

48 Alumni News 52 Class Notes 61 In Memoriam

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More than 400 guests celebrated Grandparents & Great Friends Day on May 10, 2013. View photos from the event on page 38. 1

Feature

The Renbrook Magazine is published twice annually by the Marketing & Communications Department. Renbrook School 2865 Albany Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117 www.renbrook.org Managing Editor: Mercedes Maskalik, Director of Marketing & Communications Class News & Obituaries: Christine Foster, Alumni Coordinator Art Direction: Peapod Design, New Canaan, CT Contributors: Nancy Bates, Dave Blodgett, Christine Foster, and Lisa Stevenson Photo Contributors: Jim Healey, Michael Fiedler, Mercedes Maskalik, and Anna Vdovenko On the Cover: Renbrook School retiring faculty and staff members Doug Cramphin, Jane Cramphin, Iris Branch, and Sue Thompson. See our feature story on page 34. Magazine Correspondence: mmaskalik@renbrook.org Alumni Notes Correspondence: newsnotes@renbrook.org Alumni correspondence/ change of address: alumni@renbrook.org Connect with us:

Join our Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/renbrookschool Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/renbrookschool Pin with us on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/renbrookschool Renbrook welcomes students of every race, religion, ethnic & national origin.

Upper School students raise the flag each morning at Renbrook. 2 renbrook renbrook SUMMER SPRING 2013 2013

Letter from the Head of School Dr. Armistead Webster

When I first became a school administrator more than 20 years ago, one of my mentors spoke with me about some of the challenges that lay ahead. At the top of the list was that all great schools must be committed to constantly growing and improving. Complacency and a “status quo” mindset are the last things any school needs. I had this idea in mind when I chose “Growth” as the 2012-13 Renbrook word of the year. Of course, our students grow in many ways over the course of the school year. Their bodies grow and develop, often more quickly than we can believe. We support this healthy growth through our commitment to play, physical education and athletics. Many of our students are physically active outside of school as well. Then there are the Renbrook Roadrunners. This committed group of Lower School students get together for stretching and training runs before school several mornings a week under the guidance of Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. LaSpada. They have participated in several community runs, including the ING “Run for Something Better” and the Mitten Run in West Hartford. Our students grow cognitively in the classroom as they acquire knowledge and, more importantly, the skills they will need for whatever the future holds. Twenty years ago nobody knew the Internet would become what it is today. Some experts predicted it would be gone in a year or two. Twenty years from now our current students will be using technologies we cannot imagine. To be successful they will need to be able communicators, creative problem solvers,

collaborative team members, and incisive critical thinkers. They must be able to fail, learn from the experience, and persist in achieving their goals. At Renbrook these skills and more are taught intentionally every day. As our students grow toward an unknown future, they will benefit from what happens in the classroom today. Professional growth is the lifeblood of great teachers. Renbrook faculty constantly discuss teaching and learning with each other and relish the opportunity to learn from colleagues in other schools. In October John Hunter, a nationally renowned educator, spent a day with Renbrook teachers and spoke to the entire community in the evening. Will Richardson, an ardent advocate for using online resources, worked with our faculty in February and also spoke. Colleagues from many other schools came to hear John Hunter and Will Richardson, and for those two evenings Renbrook was the place to be for educators in the Hartford area. We look forward to continued opportunities for professional growth as we develop The Center for Teaching and Learning at Renbrook.

Junior School and Junior School became Renbrook. We moved form Trout Brook to Albany Avenue, added buildings and expanded our program. Each generation of teachers and staff have left their mark and passed on the values and ethos of the school to the next generation. As I close this letter, I am reminded that great schools are committed to growing and improving while at the same time holding on to their essential truths, their core beliefs. Renbrook today is committed to preparing students for whatever the decades ahead will hold, and we know that much of what we have done over the years will serve our students well now. “Bringing Learning to Life,” our new tagline, captures our enduring belief that learning by doing is true learning. Supporting the relationship between student and teacher, the relationship within which learning happens, has always been at the heart of a Renbrook education. Even as we grow, we hold on to the best of what has brought our school to where it is today.

As an institution we never stop growing. Over the decades Tunxis School became

Campus News Inside: Immigration Day 5 Have a Heart 5 EduSkating 6 Language Students Shine 7 Grandparentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Friends Day 8 Civil War Day 9 Will Richardson Shakes Things Up 10 Renbrook Musical 10 World Peace Games 11 Flight Day 12 Portraying Lincoln 14 Run for a Cause 15 Renbrook Welcomes Bestselling Authors 16 Welcome New Faculty 17

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The Campus as an Island continuing to endure,” she added. Students assumed the identities of immigrants who entered the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. They dressed in turn-of-thecentury garb while reenacting the steps their ancestors took to reach America. They passed through various inspection stations as they provided identification papers, paid entry “fees,” and underwent mock medical examinations.

The annual Immigration Day re-enactment took place on March 6, concluding the third grade study of immigration in U.S. history. “We hope the Ellis Island simulation provides insights as to how fortunate the children are to be Americans,” third grade teacher Jane Cramphin said of the event. “We want the children to understand the struggles that people from other countries endured, and are

“ We hope the Ellis Island simulation provides insights as to how fortunate the children are to be Americans.” In preparation for the day, every participating student learned about the

true-life immigrant they would represent. Each entered the United States through Ellis Island during the late 19th or early 20th century. Additionally, students visited the Connecticut Historical Society, where they studied immigrants who settled in Connecticut. The visit included hands-on investigations of artifacts that traveled with immigrants from their native countries, which included Germany, Italy, Ireland, and the republic of Georgia. “Connecting their experiential learning of the past with the first-hand discussions with adult guests brings history and learning to life for our students,” said third grade teacher Jane Johansen. Several parents helped with the event, sharing their personal immigration stories with the students. The experience connected students with a pivotal period in U.S. history and, in many cases, with their own family heritage.

Have-A-Heart Fair at Renbrook School On the afternoon of February 14, the ninth grade sponsored the Have-A-Heart service fair for Upper School students in Stedman Auditorium. Organizations present at the fair included the Make a Wish Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Hartford, Foodshare, Habitat for Humanity, The Village for Families and Children, the Salvation Army, Hebrew Home, Fidelco, Americares, Big Brother Big Sister, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and Locks of Love. Representatives of these organizations discussed volunteer opportunities for students and their families. The event was new this year, an idea inspired by the ninth grade class. It proved to be a highly successful occasion, and may become a staple in years to come.

campus news

Renbrook Partners with Olympic Skaters Renbrook partnered with sixtime U.S. national medalists and Olympic skaters Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov this fall to offer a dynamic extracurricular program that integrates ice skating instruction with academic and leadership skills. The EduSkating/ Fever on Ice program included 45 minutes of on-ice instruction that focused on the fundamentals of skating and 45 minutes of off-ice fitness instruction, including yoga, tumbling, martial arts, and dance. Melissa and Denis say they were excited to work with Renbrook School students in the program. They hoped “to introduce the children to the fundamentals of ice skating and inspire a next generation of young athletes for excellence and friendship that will carry Olympic character and spirit throughout their lives,” Denis says. Renbrook students in first through fifth grades participated in the program from 2 to 5 p.m. once a week during fall term. Instruction took place at the International Skating Center in Simsbury, Connecticut. “This [was] a wonderful opportunity for our students to extend their understanding of athletics and sportsmanship beyond the school day,” says

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Head of School Armistead Webster. “We are honored to partner with Denis and Melissa. They offer incredible skills and experiences to our students, and I hope this is just the beginning of an ongoing connection with them.” The top-ranked figure skating athletes have an impressive resumé of U.S. national medals, international event championships, and top world rankings. They represented the United States in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, and they have toured as “Champions on Ice” performers. They continue to perform in shows all over the world, including “Champions on Ice” in San Jose, California, and “Art on Ice” in Milan, Italy. Denis was also a professional on ABC’s “Skating with the Stars.” The EduSkating program received the Rings of Gold award from the U.S. Olympic Committee in 2010 for community and youth development. The committee awards two Rings of Gold annually to recognize an individual and a program dedicated to helping children develop their Olympic or Paralympic dreams and reach their highest athletic and personal potential. Melissa and Denis were the first figure skaters to receive this award.

Language Students Shine at Renbrook On Friday, April 26, 14 Renbrook students traveled to Choate Rosemary Hall to compete in the 32nd annual Connecticut Organization of Language Teachers poetry recitation competition. Eleven students medaled in the competition, which attracted more than 750 private and public school students in grades 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12.

Level 1 French, and Andrey Vdovenko in High School Heritage Speaker in Russian. Four students earned bronze in the following categories: Carolyn Riley in Middle School Level 1 Latin, Amanda Liu in Middle School Level 1 French, Sean Kennedy in Middle School Level 2 French, and Andrew Kim in Middle School Heritage Speaker in Korean.

Four Renbrook students earned gold medals in the following categories: Arielle Shternfeld in High School Level 1 Spanish, Carolyn McCusker in High School Level 2 French, Ashley Kim in High School Heritage Speaker in Korean, and Gracie Xie in High School Heritage Speaker in Chinese. Three students earned silver in the following categories: Emma Knisley in Middle School Level 2 Latin, Mckynzie Romer in High School

The competing students worked for several months outside of classroom time to perfect the pronunciation, interpretation, and memorization of a poem in either the language they study at Renbrook or their native language other than English. Several Renbrook students also earned recognition for strong performances on the National Latin Exam, which took

place in early March. The exam, offered annually by the American Classical League, tests studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; command of Latin at appropriate levels and tests knowledge in the areas of geography, history, and mythology of the ancient world. Students awarded in the National Latin Exam include Noah Yoon, gold medal in Latin 2, Martin London and Kevin Elaba, silver medals in Latin 2, Victoria Laurencin, gold in Latin 1, and Carolyn Riley, silver in Latin 1. Joe Suski and Eve Gorman were awarded certificates of merit in Introduction to Latin, while Jason Schmitt and Alex Cavanaugh earned certificates of merit in Latin 1. Adam Kim was awarded a certificate of merit in Latin 2 and Janelle Williams earned a certificate of merit in Latin 3.

Feature news campus

Grandparents & Great Friends Day, May 10, 2013 Grandparents & Great Friends Day is a bi-annual event that ties the generations together by inviting grandparents and great friends to spend the day with their grandchild/student.

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Civil War Day On May 16, Renbrook Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Williams Field was transformed into a Civil War encampment. Eighth grade students built campfires, marched in precision drills, and learned to play the harmonica. Students took on the persona of a soldier, putting up tents, writing letters home, cooking authentic food, and learning how to bandage their wounded comrades.

campus news

Will Richardson Shakes Things Up Abundance,” his talk explored the shifts in learning that have taken place in this era of ready access to large amounts of information. His presentation challenged the audience to explore the current educational system and determine what elements need rethinking. “In just over a decade, we’ve gone from a world where access to information, knowledge, and teachers was relatively scarce to a world where all of those are absolutely abundant,” Mr. Richardson said. “That fact dramatically changes the way we think about education and what the kids in our schools will need to survive and flourish in a fast-changing, networked and connected world.”

Will Richardson, a TEDx presenter and the author of four books on education, discussed the impact of the digital age on learning in a presentation at Renbrook School on February 19. Titled “The Steep Unlearning Curve: Reframing Schools in an Age of

Mr. Richardson’s presentation received a range of responses from faculty, staff, and parents. In his March blog, Head of School Armistead Webster wrote about Mr. Richardson’s visit. “To say he made a strong impression would be an understatement,” Dr. Webster wrote.

Renbrook Students Present Tony Award-Winning Musical Students from grades seven through nine presented The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in late February this year in Greene Auditorium. The Tony Award-winning musical follows the progression of six endearing contestants with unique talents as they battle for the county spelling championship. The Renbrook cast displayed the perfect combination of wit and charm in this production, in which no two performances were alike. The show was structured as an actual spelling bee and called on audience members to perform as spellers and interact with characters on stage for improvisational fun. Written by Rebecca Feldman, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was nominated for six Tony Awards in 2005, winning for Best Book of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical. The show has received widespread acclaim for its quirky but lovable cast and has expanded to Off-Broadway productions as well as a national tour.

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“Will is a self-described evangelist for the use of Internet-based technologies in the classroom… but his essential points are important for educators to grapple with as they learn the best ways to utilize the range of technology now available.” A parent of two teenagers and a former school educator of 22 years, Mr. Richardson has focused for the past 12 years on the intersection of social online learning networks and education. He is an outspoken advocate for change in schools and classrooms in the context of the diverse new learning opportunities that the Internet and other technologies offer. His most recent book, Why School? How Education Must Change When Learning and Information are Everywhere, published by TED books, is based on his recent TEDx talk in Melbourne, Australia. He also is cofounder of Powerful Learning Practice (plpnetwork.com), a professional development program that has mentored more than 6,000 teachers worldwide in the last five years.

World Peace Games at Renbrook School TEDTalk presenter and award-winning educator John Hunter presented “Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders,” a conversation and movie screening, at Renbrook School in October.

non-violence intrigued him, and he developed a teaching approach that helps students become skilled, compassionate, globally-competent strategic thinkers and leaders.

Mr. Hunter spent two days at Renbrook observing classes, speaking with teachers, and leading a workshop for faculty. He also presented to the public a viewing of the movie World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements. He shared with faculty the core principles

The World Peace Game, which Mr. Hunter used as a primary teaching tool for more than 30 years in the Albemarle County School District, in Virginia, allows students to develop workable solutions to dilemmas drawn from the real world. The World Peace Game reinforces the

“ Our teachers love learning as well as teaching, and ongoing inquiry is key to our new professional development initiative. Mr. Hunter’s visit was timely and appropriate.” of his World Peace Game, a fourlevel game board used by students to model solutions to world problems. His presentation demonstrated that open-ended, ambiguous, and often overwhelming and complex problems provide prime learning opportunities for students to explore thinking critically, connectedly, and creatively.

TED and The Huffington Post selected Mr. Hunter’s TEDTalk about his World Peace Game as “the most influential idea of 2011.” TIME Magazine named Mr. Hunter as one of “12 Education Activists for 2012” for his innovative and effective teaching approach. Working with the Martin Institute for Teaching Excellence, based in Memphis, Tennessee, Mr. Hunter holds master classes in cities around the world for teachers to study closely their teaching practices in a deliberative and reflective way.

idea that today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders and that giving students practice in complex problem-solving and complicated communication issues is good practice for their charge as adults.

“It was a great honor to have John at Renbrook,” said Head of School Armistead Webster. “We pride ourselves on the transformative education and academic rigor that takes place here. Our teachers love learning as well as teaching, and ongoing inquiry is key to our new professional development initiative. Mr. Hunter’s visit was timely and appropriate.” A native Virginian and graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Mr. Hunter has dedicated his career to helping children realize their full potential. His travels through China, India and Japan led to his keen interest in and study of comparative religions and philosophy. The principles of

campus news

Flight Day On May 3, Neal Keating, chairman, president and chief executive officer at Kaman Corporation, descended on Renbrook’s Williams Field in a Kaman HH-43 “Husky” helicopter, piloted by Chief Helicopter Test Pilot Frank Gallagher. Mr. Keating is a current parent and trustee at Renbrook School. His arrival, eagerly observed by students, faculty, and staff, kicked off Flight Day 2013. “Flight Day is an amazing opportunity for professionals in the aerospace field to share their passion with our students,” Head of School Armistead Webster says. The event, which began in 2010, includes aviation workshops and flight-centered experiential learning activities. Throughout the day, students also enjoyed the up-close experience of exploring the cockpit and structure of the HH-43 helicopter. Workshops included presentations by Pratt & Whitney’s Jack Connors, former vice president of the Advanced Engine Program; and Cliff Stone, program director of the F135 Engine. Mr. Keating, Mr. Gallagher, and Tom Rutledge, manager of new product development at Kaman, spoke to students about piloting and the structural engineering behind various aircraft.

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With help from members of the Simsbury Radio Control Club, students explored lift, thrust, weight, and drag while working with remote-controlled planes and flight simulators in another workshop. Students also explored the science behind rocket propulsion with Bill Geist of the New England Air Museum, who supervised the launching of water rockets. “We celebrated our collective fascination with flight and the engineering marvels from the aerospace industry,” remarks Howard Wright, dean of students and head of the Science Department.

Renbrook’s long association with aviation dates back to 1957, when the estate of Faye B. Rentschler and Frederick B. Rentschler, co-founder of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, became the campus of Renbrook School. The school’s Globe Foyer is an exhibition that features the connection between Rentschler, Pratt & Whitney, flight, and Renbrook School. A Pratt & Whitney WASP engine, donated to the school by George David, former chairman and CEO of United Technologies, is the central focus of the exhibit.

The Rentschler Pioneers, a program developed in 2012 in honor of Frederick B. Rentschler, aims to inspire and cultivate student interest in aerospace, aviation, and engineering. The program connects Renbrook students to several corporations and organizations in the aviation field, including Kaman Corporation, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky Aircraft, The New England Air Museum, and the Simsbury Radio Control Club.

campus news

Stowe Center Taps Renbrook Science Teacher to Portray Lincoln Howard Wright, Renbrook School science teacher and dean of students, delivered selections from the Emancipation Proclamation as President Abraham Lincoln during “The Emancipation Then and Now,” an evening of performance, scholarship, and dialogue on December 3, 2012, at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, in Hartford, Connecticut. The program was a part of a series of Stowe Center events marking the Emancipation Proclamation’s 150th anniversary. “The Emancipation Proclamation was a radical and controversial document in its time,” says Stowe Center Executive Director Katherine Kane, “and the legacy of slavery is reflected in today’s inequities.”

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Howard is a member of the Association of Lincoln Presenters, an organization dedicated to the serious interpretation of Abraham Lincoln. He was appointed to the Connecticut Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission in 2008, where he has served as co-chair. In his performances as Lincoln, Howard reads from the historical record, including selections from the Emancipation Proclamation. “Portraying Abraham Lincoln gives me the opportunity to demonstrate that effective leadership often comes from intelligent, honest, and humble people,” Howard says.

Eugene Leach, professor of history and American studies at Trinity College in Hartford, and Booker T. DeVaughn, president emeritus of Three Rivers Community College, joined Howard in the Stowe Center program. Both DeVaughn and Leach brought years of professional scholarship and education to the discussion, which focused on the Emancipation Proclamation’s effects on people throughout the country and its continued impact and repercussions today.

“ Portraying Abraham Lincoln gives me the opportunity to demonstrate that effective leadership often comes from intelligent, honest, and humble people.”

Running for a Cause The Renbrook Runners began as an afterschool club in 2010. Since that time, more than 100 students have enjoyed runs on Renbrook’s trails and the roads of West Hartford. During the 2012-13 school year, the Roadrunners, led by faculty members Jane Johansen and Carrie LaSpada, began a morning runners’ group. Over eight weeks students ran 25 miles with the goal of running the last 1.2 miles in The Hartford’s Run for Something Better Marathon. The group continued to meet every other morning and in December filled the streets of West Hartford with more than 50 runners in the Blue Back Mitten Run. Meeting indoors during the winter and spring, the Roadrunners prepared for the Race for Sandy Hook Families. This spring, the students entered three races: The Hershey Track and Field Meet, The Race to a Good Read, and Celebrate West Hartford. “The goal of our group has been to instill the love of running, build team work, and inspire health among the kids in the Lower School,” says Carrie. “We also want the children to understand that running or whatever exercise they choose doesn’t have to be about coming in first,” Jane states. “We feel it is important for them to know that being healthy is more important than winning a ribbon or trophy. We also spend a great deal of time working on teamwork and what it means to be a member of a team.”

campus news

The PA Connections Committee Present a Trio of NY Times Bestselling Authors It has been a literary year at Renbrook School, with several Parent Associationsponsored events, featuring three compelling writers across various genres. The Author Series, organized by the PA’s Connections Committee, offers free, open-to-the-public events with authors to generate interest in multicultural and contemporary literature. As part of this year’s series, two of the authors devoted portions of their visits to speaking with Renbrook students and invited students from Hartford’s Grace Academy.

Hong Kong to Brooklyn when she was 5 years old and worked in a Chinatown clothing factory for much of her childhood. She earned early admission to Harvard and graduated with honors in English and American literature before earning a M.F.A. in fiction at Columbia.

On September 13, Renbrook welcomed New York Times bestselling author Jean Kwok, who discussed her debut novel, Girl in Translation, with eighth-grade students. The afternoon discussion was a sampling of the evening book talk that took place on campus and was open to the public.

Renbrook’s curriculum includes the study of issues in immigration. The eighth-grade class read Girl in Translation in conjunction with their studies in American literature, which focused on the American dream. The syllabus also features works by Francesco Jimenez, Lorraine Hansberry, and John Steinbeck. “It is always a pleasure to speak with young people about my work and experience, and I’m thrilled to know that this group of eighth graders received my book on the first day of school and are prepared to discuss,” Ms. Kwok stated.

Set within a moving tale of hardship and triumph, heartbreak and love, Girl in Translation explores immigrant rights, workplace exploitation, and urban poverty; race, culture, and identity formation; and the challenges faced by immigrant youth in school, family, and peer relations. Ms. Kwok emigrated from

Girl in Translation has been published in 17 countries and received an American Library Association Alex Award and a Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, among many other honors. Emmy Award-nominated reporter Jocelyn Maminta moderated the evening event.

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On October 3, celebrated novelist and short-story writer Nathan Englander visited to discuss his latest collection of stories, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. The collection explores religious tension, the complexities of identity, and the Jewish experience. Mr. Englander, who received the 2012 Frank O’Conner International Short Story Award, grew up in an Orthodox Jewish community on Long Island during the mid-1970s and lived in Jerusalem for several years during his 20s. Mr. Englander’s writing has been described by The New York Times as “taut, edgy, sharply observed … A revelation of the human condition.” His published works include the internationally bestselling story collection For the Relief of Unbearable Urges as well as the novel The Ministry of Special Cases. The New Yorker selected Englander as one of “20 Writers for the 21st Century.” Mr. Englander’s play, The Twenty-Seventh Man, an adaptation from his acclaimed short story of the same name, premiered at The Public Theater in November 2012. Little Brown will publish Mr. Englander’s translation

New American Haggadah (edited by Jonathan Safran Foer) later this year. Colin McEnroe, host of “The Colin McEnroe Show,” a daily program on Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR), moderated the discussion. The Author Series concluded on April 12 with the author of an Oprah’s Book Club selection. Ayana Mathis discussed her New York Times bestselling novel The Twelve Tribes of Hattie during the evening program. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie traces 50 years in the life of a fictional AfricanAmerican family whose matriarch arrives in Philadelphia during the Great Migration in 1923. “We were honored to have Ms. Mathis come to Renbrook and enjoyed seeing so many readers from the greater Hartford community at her evening presentation,” Head of School Armistead Webster said. Ms. Mathis is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and recipient of the Michener-Copernicus Fellowship. The New York Times’ Michiko Kakutani has described Ms. Mathis’ writing as having a “gift for imbuing her characters’ stories with an epic dimension that recalls Toni Morrison’s writing, and her sense of time and place and family will remind some of Louise Erdrich, but her elastic voice is thoroughly her own — both lyrical and unsparing, meditative and visceral, and capable of giving the reader nearly complete access to her characters’ minds and hearts.” Farah Jasmine Griffin, the William B. Ransford professor of English and comparative literature and AfricanAmerican studies at Columbia University, moderated the evening discussion. Ms. Griffin is the author of several publications, including Who Set You Flowin’: The African American Migration Narrative and Clawing At the Limits of Cool: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and the Greatest Jazz Collaboration Ever.

Welcome New Faculty Mercedes Maskalik, the school’s new Director of Marketing and Communications, began work in July. Mercedes comes to Renbrook from The Loomis Chaffee School where she was a member of the Communications Department since 2007. Mercedes received her B.A. in English and Marine Biology from Southern Connecticut State University and her M.S. in Organizational Communications from Central Connecticut State University where she coauthored the graduate textbook “Social Marketing Environmental Issues.”

Christine Foster joined Renbrook as the Alumni Coordinator. Christine is a recent transplant to Connecticut from California where she was a contributing writer and campus news editor for the Stanford Magazine at Stanford University. Christine completed her B.A. in history at the University of Pennsylvania.

Andy Baker joined Renbrook’s English Department this fall after previously teaching English at The Loomis Chaffee School from 2004 to 2011. He received his B.A. from Dartmouth and his M.A. in English Literature from the University of South Alabama.

Lisa Terwilliger is the new Upper School Administrative Assistant and Registrar. Lisa has most recently worked at Gerber Scientific providing administrative assistance to both the Senior Vice President for Human Resources and the Chief Financial Officer. Lisa received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina.

campus news

Welcome New Faculty continued… Anka Martula joined the Renbrook faculty as history teacher in the Upper School. Anka earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in History at Central Connecticut State University. Prior to Renbrook, Anka taught at SS. Cyril and Methodius School in Hartford from 2008 to 2012, and has experience in the West Hartford Public Schools.

Kathryn Greene joined the Renbrook Kindergarten team after teaching Kindergarten at Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach since 2002. Kathryn also taught Kindergarten and First Grade in Georgia, Hawaii, and Naples, Italy. She received her B.S. in Early Childhood Education from James Madison University.

Meredith Kaplan joined Renbrook’s Development Office as Manager of Advancement Services. Meredith comes to Renbrook from Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program where she was program manager for the After School and Summer Programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics for underrepresented students. Meredith is a graduate of Columbia College, Columbia University with a degree in Comparative Literature and Society.

Kerry Doherty joined Renbrook as the new Director of Finance and Accounting in October. Kerry is a certified public accountant and has worked as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers, as a member of the Comptroller’s Office at Boston University, and as a member of the Comptroller’s Office at the University of Connecticut. Kerry received her B.S. in Business Administration, with a concentration in accounting, as well as her M.A. in Education from Boston University.

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The Upper School language department welcomed back two veteran Renbrook teachers, Nitin Acharya and Carmen Cabán. Nitin teaches French and Spanish, and Carmen teaches Spanish.

faculty focus

TechBits: Managing Your Digital Profile By Dave Blodgett, Academic Technology Coordinator

and largely out of your control. Media coverage also provides information about you that you cannot necessarily shape. It is far easier for you to amplify and spread news that you hope people will know about you than it is to contain the other kind of coverage.

Dave Blodgett

Have you ever Googled yourself? It can be surprising — and sometimes alarming. If you live a highly digitallyconnected life, checking your Google results is probably a routine exercise for you. But even if you don’t live your life online, being mindful of your digital footprint is becoming increasingly important. If you are job-hunting, have a career that puts you in the public eye, are shopping for insurance, or even are raising children, how the world perceives you via the Internet will affect you. Your online presence is shaped by a variety of sources, some of them predating the digital age. Public records, such as your address, how much you paid for your house, court records, and so on — nearly any interaction with government — are easily obtainable

Of course, you also can craft an online presence more readily than ever. You no longer have to be a web developer or blogger to publish on the Internet as social networking sites enable everyone — of nearly any age and with any modicum of technical savvy — to post content of all sorts. As a result, many people have created strikingly detail-rich profiles of themselves that are available to anyone with a search engine and some curiosity. So who would dig up information on you? Scammers and identity thieves? Sure, but I’d be more immediately concerned about what a potential employer discovers about you in a casual Bing or Google search. Career advice sites report that between a third and half of employers trawl social media to complete the picture on a candidate. Applying to college? According to a 2013 Kaplan test preparation survey, 35 percent of college admissions officers reported being negatively influenced by online information they found on prospective students.

Speaking of kids, if you have them, consider the profile you may be creating of them via your Facebook news feed. I feel like I know more about some of my friends’ kids than I do about my friends themselves. What does having your child’s face in place of your profile photo say about you? You can help your children gain a healthy mindfulness of their digital footprints by modeling this awareness, then helping them to understand how they can be perceived online as they enter our highly connected world. Most advice from people who study this trend touches on the following themes: • Keep it positive, keep it clean — if you would not be proud to say it or show it to the world, don’t post it in the first place. It’s nearly impossible to take it back once it’s “out there.” • Check often to see what can be found about you. Use Google Alerts to check on yourself. • Promote the good stuff by posting it to multiple sites, helping it “float” to the top of a search. • Get help if you are worried. Search “clean up social profile” for many additional tips and even professional help.

35 percent of college admissions officers reported being negatively influenced by online information they found on prospective students. 19

faculty focus

Ready. Set. Grow. By Nancy Bates, Head of Beginning School

“Oh my, how you have grown!” How often have you found yourself saying that to a young child? And how often have you made that comment solely in reference to a child’s height?

Nancy Bates

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It is true that a major (and obvious) part of child development is growth in height. But neuroscience and behavioral research have revealed that there is much more to child growth and development than the process of simply growing “up.” This research also has revealed that the years from birth to 5 years of age serve as the foundation for what follows in one’s life socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively.

Another fascinating fact: Our social and emotional development plays a major role in our lifelong learning, so the major focus of early-childhood education should not be on such skills as the memorization of letters and numbers. Rather, the focus should be more on the development of emotional skills such as self-regulation and social skills such as getting along with others. Emotional well-being and social competence provide a strong foundation for emerging cognitive abilities, and together they are the bricks and mortar that comprise the foundation of human development. “In Brief: The Science of Early Childhood Development” Center on the Developing Child Harvard University

“ In every task the most important thing is the beginning, and especially when you have to deal with anything young and tender.” Plato, The Republic

While at school, the children learn about and develop their social and emotional skills. These skills are illustrated in the Beginning School/Lower School Values Logo:

r es

sty care

nsibility po

Our early childhood program, the Beginning School, serves as a strong foundation for our students. The program consists of three grades: Beginners (3-year-olds); Junior Kindergarten (4-yearolds); and Kindergarten (5-year-olds). At each grade level, the school focuses on the four areas of child development: social, emotional, physical, and cognitive. In the Beginning School, the teachers seek to blend together the best research

in early childhood development with the knowledge they have gained over the years while working with young children.

hon e

So how does Renbrook help our youngest students grow?

for self, others, & the environment

lf-c o ntr ol

We focus on the skills of language and literacy, math, science, and social studies. Art, library, music and movement, physical education, and world languages further enhance our early childhood program. Throughout the day, our students and teachers learn about the world through discovery, exploration, and play — in the classrooms and outdoors on the playgrounds, trails, ponds, and

fields. The children have the opportunity to learn, develop, and grow in many different ways. A balanced approach to emotional, social, cognitive, and language development will best prepare all children for success in school and later in the workplace and community. “In Brief: The Science of Early Childhood Development” Center on the Developing Child Harvard University But perhaps the greatest and most meaningful growth comes about as the children, families, and teachers grow together as a community. This Beginning School experience is growth at its very best.

Children’s earliest educational

experiences shape their minds

and form their characters. Every activity and every interaction is important for their further growth and learning. That’s why programs at Renbrook’s Beginning School are designed to carefully nurture social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development through a variety of activities and integrated experiences. Renbrook’s expert teachers create a loving, developmentally appropriate, and educationally sound environment where early learners truly thrive. When your child is ready to grow, come to Renbrook! From the brochure “Begin at Renbrook”

Life on the Mountain A snapshot of activity this year

22 renbrook SUMMER 2013

parent perspectives

From the PA President By Lisa Stevenson

Exposure to arts and cultures from around the world is an important aspect of a child’s education. This year, the Parent Association sponsored several events geared toward literary, artistic, and cultural enrichment for students (and in some cases, the Hartford community) and expanded learning outside the classroom. The Parent Association’s Connections Committee sponsored three major literary events with bestselling authors. (Make sure to check out the article in the Campus News section.) A visit from writer Jean Kwok kicked off the school year. Ms. Kwok authored Girl in Translation, an autobiographical novel about a young girl who immigrates to the United States from Hong Kong and is put to work in a Chinatown sweatshop. The author spoke with eighth grade students from Renbrook and Hartford’s Grace Academy. The students enjoyed a lively discussion about the important role education played in Ms. Kwok’s rise out of poverty and the hard work and determination required to write and publish a novel. Head of School Armistead Webster enjoyed the visit, saying, “Our students, along with students from Grace Academy,

24 renbrook SUMMER 2013

Lisa Stevenson

have had the opportunity to interact with authors and learn about the writing process and the publishing business. The most important lesson is that ‘overnight success’ takes years of hard work.” Later that evening, parents and members of the public participated in a book discussion with Ms. Kwok moderated by ABC/Channel 8’s Jocelyn Maminta. In October, the Parent Association brought Pulitzer Prize finalist Nathan Englander to Renbrook in conversation with WNPR’s Colin McEnroe. Mr. Englander’s most recent collection of stories is What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. In addition to fielding questions from the audience, Mr. McEnroe and Mr. Englander’s discussion touched on life in Jerusalem, the author’s fond memories of visiting his grandparents in West Hartford, and the

surreal experience of having one of his stories produced as a play. More than 250 people from throughout Hartford County came out on the night of the first presidential debate to meet Mr. Englander at Renbrook. “The author events we have sponsored over the last few years have drawn hundreds of people to the campus, many of whom had never been to Renbrook before,” Dr. Webster says. “Bringing nationally known authors to the school aligns perfectly with our mission and allows Renbrook to serve the broader community in an important and dynamic way.”

In January, The Faustwork Mask Theater, a one-man performance using mime to tell the history of mask-making and demonstrate different cultures, introduced students to the world of mime and theatrics. Tim Latta, known as “the Messenger,” designed his own masks, which transformed him during the performance from Elvis Presley to a four-legged giant bug. Lower and Upper School students delighted in seeing the Messenger transform into several eccentric characters. Teressa Cohen, this year’s Cultural Liaison for the Parent Association, remarks, “I chose this performer because of his playful and educational nature, and for the opportunity for the children to be exposed to a less mainstream art form.”

In February, the Beginning School had its own cultural experience when the Parent Association’s Cultural Liaison Committee brought the Western Connecticut State University Student Opera to Renbrook for a performance of “Little Red Riding Hood.”

“Experiencing something completely new and outside of your own everyday life is the core of meaningful learning.”

The students of all three divisions enjoyed performances by The Judy Dworin Performance Project in April. The Performance Project has served as a cultural landmark in Hartford for the past 24 years, and Ms. Dworin led her team of eight professional dancers through three different age-appropriate performances, each revolving around Dr. Webster’s word of the school year, “Growth.” From tangible to abstract, the performances illuminated social issues of intolerance and injustice, struggle and resolution. Renbrook students were intrigued and at times gently pulled from their comfort zones. They learned the value of sharing a story through dance. Teressa chose this group, she says, “because of its rich history, philanthropic nature, and the ability of their woven art, music, and dance to raise the consciousness of our children and ourselves.”

In April, Oprah Book Club author Ayana Mathis arrived at Renbrook to talk about her bestselling novel The Twelve Tribes of Hattie. Farah Griffin of Columbia University led a wonderful and warm conversation covering the “Oprah effect,” the Great Migration, and the power of language to elevate characters out of deeply troubled lives. It has been a productive and exciting year for the Parent Association. We are appreciative of the incredible support that our parents, faculty, and staff have given us this year in organizing and bringing so many artists to our campus to provide opportunities for growth, imagination, and joy. We can’t wait to get started on next year’s programs!

“Our students’ eyes were opened to a wide range of creative ideas and ways of viewing the work,” Dr. Webster reflects.

“The storybook set made an engaging backdrop, and the kids were mesmerized by the college students’ voices,” Teressa says. “They found the ‘big bad wolf’ comical and surprisingly sympathetic. It was a fun-filled morning for all.” The college troupe was brought to campus at the suggestion of Beginning School music teacher Laura Friday.

parent perspectives

Promoting Healthy Food Choices for Preschoolers: An Interview with Anne London Tcherepnin By Jenna Grzeslo, Communications Intern

Q: W hat do you see as the Current parent and biggest challenge to getting nutritionist Anne London kids to eat balanced meals? Tchrerepin visited T he biggest challenge, in my opinion, A: Renbrook in the fall with is the influence and availability of her Connecticut Children’s processed snack and convenience Medical Center colleague Kait foods, the hectic schedules of modern Stefranski. In their session families, and resulting decline in home titled “Nutrition Nuggets for cooking. Over time, habits and tastes Tots,” Anne and Kait spoke are learned and reinforced, and the to Beginning School parents cycle of poor nutrition becomes very about healthy food options difficult to break. for preschool-age children. While picky eating may be less of a concern during the hot summer months of barbecues and ice cream-filled days, it is sure to rear its ugly head again in the fall. When it does, Anne may have a solution that’s just right.

Q: Can you explain your background and what you do? A: I am a pediatric registered dietitian experienced in working with children with a wide range of medical conditions and/or feeding disorders. While the children I have seen in this context have an immediate need for attention, I strongly believe that children without medical conditions also need support in learning about nutrition. I believe that teaching our children how to eat in a healthy way is just as important as teaching them literacy, social skills, and other building blocks for their well-being. After all, wellnourished children feel better and are positioned to reach their potential.

26 renbrook SUMMER 2013

Q: For preschoolers, ages 3 to 6, are there foods they absolutely should eat for development? Are there foods they should avoid eating? A: O nce a child reaches this age range, there are not specific foods that they require differently from other ages; however, required portions are obviously unique. These years are crucial in developing a child’s palate as lifelong eating habits are learned in childhood. Research suggests that, in addition to what children eat, how they are fed is almost as important. The feeding relationship between child and parent is key. Research repeatedly shows correlations between parenting and feeding styles and a child’s health. Children learn how to eat from their parents, so home-cooked family meals are a wonderful opportunity for parents to model appropriate eating behaviors, try new foods, and promote positive associations with food and meal-time routines. Preferably these meals consist of balanced whole foods:

protein sources, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy.

Q: Should you let kids skip meals if they won’t eat and let them snack? A: A structured meal pattern such as breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner is the best way to establish healthy eating habits for younger children. If children refuse the meal offered, they will have another opportunity to eat in a few hours. Therefore, they will be more motivated to consume that healthy offering since they will be hungry. If children are allowed to choose an alternative snack instead of the meal offered, what is the incentive for them to try the next meal selected by their parents? Children are excellent self-regulators of hunger and satiety. Parents need to trust children’s innate ability to do this, so as not to alter their hunger cues.

Q: “My child only eats PB&J sandwiches, how can I get him to eat other things?” A: O ne approach, called “food chaining” (from the book, Food Chaining, by Cheri Fraker, et al), can help increase a child’s food repertoire. This entails altering preferred foods very slightly with similar-to-accepted foods. For

Q: H ow would you suggest a parent introduce new foods to a child who is already set in his ways? A: T here are some things parents can

example, peanut butter and jelly on bread, then peanut butter and jelly on crackers, then peanut butter and jelly on apple chips, then peanut butter and jelly on thin apple slices, then peanut butter and apples. Then apples! Research shows that often children need to be offered a food on at least 10 different occasions — sometimes more — before they readily accept it. This is hard, and understandably, parents often give up after a few unsuccessful attempts.

Q: Should parents bolster their child’s diet with “supplements” like Pediasure, snack bars, and vitamins? A: T here is no one-size-fits-all approach, and dietary supplements for children need to be considered on an individual basis. The body utilizes nutrients that come from food directly better than nutrients that come from supplements. It is important for parents to understand that young children are sporadic eaters, and while they may not appear to meet their nutrition needs daily, they often do over the course of a week or two. Additionally, the supplement industry is not well regulated, and parents need to be cautious when considering such products for children. There are situations where supplements are appropriate, but these should be discussed with your child’s health care provider or registered dietitian.

do with their children that can help build strong food and nutrition habits, such as involving their children in grocery shopping, menu planning, food preparation — and cleanup. Additionally, growing herbs and fruits and vegetables, visiting farmers markets and farms, or participating in community-supported agriculture can also spark children’s interest in new foods. Engaging kids and enabling them to experience food in different ways is effective in getting them interested and more motivated to try new things. Beyond those general concepts, of course, there are a number of individual strategies for children resistant to trying new foods.

Q: W hat have you found is the best approach to packing a healthy lunch that a child will actually eat? A: O f course, keeping the concepts that we’ve discussed above is important, in terms of providing balanced whole foods (protein, fruit, vegetable, whole grain, dairy) and keeping processed foods in moderation. A great tool is the “bento box” style lunchbox. This makes it easy to pack a nice variety of portion-appropriate foods with different tastes, textures, and colors. Dinner leftovers are great in lunch boxes too. Depending on the child, I do not think the lunch box is the best place to introduce new foods; it is better to do that when the parent is present.

Q: “I’m a working parent, and I only have time to make one dinner for my family, what should I do to make it healthy and desirable for the family, even picky eaters?” A: T he slow cooker (crock pot) is a wonderful tool for working parents.

Toss ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning, and dinner is ready when you walk in the door. Serving family-style meals where everyone chooses preferred ingredients is a great way to eat. Picky children need to see parents modeling appropriate eating behaviors before they may be comfortable trying new foods themselves. Prepping dinner the night before is a great way to get these meals on the table in time. And utilizing pre-cut fruits and vegetables, pre-peeled garlic, bags of pre-washed vegetables, etcetera can be worth the investment for working parents to get fresh produce on the dinner table.

Q: Can you give us any examples of healthy lunches for children that parents can try to introduce to their kids? A: M ake lunches fun. Use cookie cutters for sandwiches. Try fruit kebobs, sandwiches on a stick (toothpick), nut-free alternatives such as sunbutter and jelly sandwiches, homemade nut-free trail mix with sunflower seeds, pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds), toasted or dried edamame, dried cherries, etcetera. Last night’s leftovers are easy add-ins, such as roasted veggies or quinoa. Other standbys include edamame, mini cucumbers, or sweet peppers with hummus, or caprese salad on a stick — cherry tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella balls on a toothpick. Also try English muffin pizzas topped with shredded zucchini or broccoli, or macaroni and cheese made lighter with butternut squash. Egg salad, or chicken salad sandwiches or in lettuce cups are also nutritious and delicious. Food safety is a lunch box issue. Try using frozen bread to keep sandwich meat cold. And make sure you are using a heavy-duty ice pack to keep food below 40 degrees. To contact Anne with questions, write to Anne.london13@gmail.com

Feature

Look Again Renbrook’s Mission

and Vision

Shape a Refreshed Visual Identity

R By Mercedes Maskalik

enbrook School has a refreshed look and feel to its visual identity. The renewed brand is designed to honor the school’s long history of educating the whole student — intellectually, socially, and ethically — and embodies the school’s mission to help all students fulfill their unique potential.

The rebranding, rolled out on October 25, includes a new logo, tagline, and spirit mark; redesigned marketing materials; campus banners; new stationery; a redesigned website; and a clear statement of the qualities that make Renbrook unique among area junior schools. In the book The Story of a School, Florence Greene, Renbrook’s first head of school, reflected: “From the beginning, [Renbrook School] was dedicated to teaching the fundamentals thoroughly,

28 renbrook SUMMER 2013

in an ordered environment. Not only must a student master words and numbers but he must also know about the world. … He must learn that serving others, no matter how small a way, is a privilege, not a duty. School must not only train the mind, but also the spirit.” Her words were echoed years later, in 1997, when former Head of School Jane Shipp wrote: “Whatever the era, any Renbrook alum will have been taught the values of honesty, courtesy, hard work, perseverance, fair play, respect for one’s peers, and service to others.”

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“ Our renewed brand reflects the school’s guiding principles and core values, as laid out in the mission and strategic plan. It is an authentic external representation of our fundamental values.” In April 2012, the Board of Trustees approved The Renbrook School Strategic Plan, which challenges the school to build upon, in specific ways, its solid history, mission, and reputation as the area’s leading junior school. The plan includes the following strategic priorities: • Individual Student Achievement: Provide students at every grade level with the finest education possible in order to ensure that they fulfill their unique potential, and are positioned for success in future learning and in life. • Outstanding Faculty and Staff: Retain and actively recruit outstanding faculty and staff. • Distinctive Benefits to Families: Communicate consistently and clearly to all audiences the distinctive qualities and values that make the Renbrook experience unique and beneficial to each student. • Exceptional Campus Environment: Evaluate current and future physical plant and technology needs to ensure support of school programs and mission. • Financial Strength and Flexibility: Ensure that the financial resources will be available to support and sustain the School’s program of excellence.

30 renbrook SUMMER 2013

“It must be with singular vision and tenacity that we work together to achieve the goals put forth in the Strategic Plan to make Renbrook the best it can be,” Head of School Armistead Webster says. “Our renewed brand reflects the school’s guiding principles and core values, as laid out in the mission and strategic plan. It is an authentic external representation of our fundamental values.” On the heels of the approval of the new strategic plan, the Renbrook Brand Team spearheaded an initiative to develop a new approach to conveying the school’s mission, one that better reflects the qualities that make Renbrook unique in its market. The group, comprised of faculty, staff, trustees, parents, and alumni, benefitted from the varied perspectives of its members and included several marketing professionals and entrepreneurs. The heart of the brand campaign — the tagline “Bringing Learning to Life” — pays homage to the school’s past, present, and future. The beliefs and reflections that informed it came from previously conducted market research; from the 2011 National Association of Independent Schools survey completed by Renbrook parents, faculty, and staff; and from the work that has taken place on campus for generations.

The renewed brand highlights the tenets of academic rigor and transformative education; character and leadership; and family, community, and service. •A cademic Rigor and Transformative Education Renbrook builds upon traditional pedagogies of learning and recasts them to fit the emerging needs of today’s and tomorrow’s learners. Our well-rounded and appropriately challenging curriculum promotes collaboration, innovation, digital literacy, problem solving, creativity, and civic responsibility. Renbrook graduates enter secondary school knowing how to think critically, how to speak and write clearly, and how to conduct themselves with poise and confidence in leadership roles. •C haracter & Leadership Respect and consideration of the welfare of others is essential to the Renbrook community and fosters in our students the development of skills rooted in sensitivity and justice. Renbrook provides students with a safe environment where they are free to engage in spirited debate, learn from their mistakes, and develop their talents. •F amily, Community, and Service Renbrook is a nurturing community that is rich in its diversity. Families of different backgrounds, races, religions, and nationalities all come together at Renbrook, sharing the common values of respect and inclusivity.

“We created the renewed brand based on what our constituents said they value in the Renbrook experience,” says Anne Sargent ’80, current parent, trustee, and Brand Team member. “It’s a reflection of authentic experiences, and that makes this rebranding all the more meaningful and relevant.” The Brand Team considered several common themes that emerged from surveys completed by parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and past parents in the last five years. The survey responses shed light on stakeholders’ values in the school, what they felt were the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and their perceptions of the school. Overwhelmingly, Renbrook’s constituents valued most in the school the dedicated faculty, the close partnership between families and the school, and the school’s curriculum and programming, which prepares students for secondary school and a life engaged in learning.

The Look & Feel of the New Visual Identity Renbrook’s renewed visual identity uses a collection of distinctive visuals that include the school’s logos, identity colors, typography, and photography. When combined appropriately and applied consistently, these elements ensure a strong and consistent identity for Renbrook School.

The Formal Official-Use Only Logo Long referred to internally as the astrolabe, the armillary sphere is the central focus of the formal logo. The renewed brand supports the school’s mission to help all students fulfill their unique potential, and the armillary sphere graphically represents the guidance students receive as they navigate their way through an educational and developmental journey.

The renewed brand positioning provides Renbrook with consistent language to guide all written, visual, and interpersonal school communications. In the fall, all parents received a “message in a bottle,” which included several key speaking points illustrating experiences that are uniquely Renbrook. “Any interaction with Renbrook contributes to the perception of the school,” current parent, trustee, and Brand Team member Scott Fanning says. “Every touch point makes a difference. During this rebranding process we were most concerned with having a unified voice about the authentic Renbrook experience across all those interactions.”

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“Learning by doing is bedrock to the Renbrook experience,” says Dr. Webster. “Students learn leadership, trust, and collaboration on our ropes course; science classes at Renbrook use both the laboratory and our natural pond to inform research and experimentation. At Renbrook we truly bring learning to life and there are endless examples of how our teachers do this every day.”

ar·mil·la·ry sphere noun \’är-mə-,ler-ē-, är-’mi-lə-rē-\

a model of the celestial globe constructed from rings and hoops representing the equator, the tropics, and other celestial circles, and able to revolve on its axis. 31

Feature

The Spirit Mark The Logo & Tagline The logo, the primary branding element of Renbrook School, includes the official school logotype and the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tagline. It is designed to stand alone in print and online marketing as well as Renbrook paraphernalia, but also may be used with the formal school logo or the spirit mark.

The Renbrook spirit mark is an informal graphic used as an athletics logo or symbol of school spirit. The spirit mark may also be used for student publications, Renbrook paraphernalia, apparel, and promotional items. The spirit mark should never appear with the formal logo.

Photography Bringing Learning to Life, the new school tagline, also sets the tone for the look and feel of Renbrook photography. Photos portraying the beauty of the campus combine with images of students actively participating in the campus environment and engaging in the classroom, athletics, and the community.

32 renbrook SUMMER 2013

The New Renbrook School Website In conjunction with the renewed branding, the school launched a redesigned website on March 5. The new website reflects the new visual identity and features a fresh, visual, “responsive design” approach. The redesigned website offers a delicate balance between design and function, capturing the growth and discovery that takes place at Renbrook School while conveying the message developed in the rebranding strategy throughout the site. The website’s content is edited and maintained with an eye for readability in an online environment, and the information is organized in a way that enables visitors to navigate intuitively.

About Responsive Design The use of smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and other Web-enabled mobile devices to access the Internet will outpace the use of desktops and laptops by 2015, according to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. “Responsive design” allows a website to automatically adjust its format and presentation to the device on which it is viewed. The innovation reformats all essential information to fit the viewing screen of the device.

Using responsive design, the new Renbrook website provides visitors with a seamless experience across devices and ensures that the school’s brand integrity remains intact no matter which mobile device or computer the viewer uses.

way to tell the Renbrook story — in casual or formal conversation, in our marketing material or online interactions on Twitter or Facebook — is to do so consistently and authentically,” Dr. Webster says.

One Voice

The renewed brand allows the school community — parents, past parents, faculty and staff, alumni, and friends — to do just that: to speak about Renbrook’s unique experiences in a way that is both compelling and consistent.

Message consistency across the many points of interaction between Renbrook and its various constituencies has a profound impact on the way the school is perceived. “I believe the most powerful

Feature

Farewell

to Retiring

faculty By Mercedes Maskalik

Iris Branch 34 renbrook SUMMER 2013

observations and patterns. This may Q: D o you remember your first Known for her penchant be a holdover from when I was their day of working at Renbrook? for meticulous lesson plans age and considered being a scientist. If so, what were your initial and focused classroom thoughts? atmosphere, Iris Branch Q: What is your advice for M ost of my first days at Renbrook A: has made a lasting impact aspiring teachers? remain a blur. I do remember thinking, and significant difference A: C ommunicate your love of your “I thought I vowed never to teach at Renbrook School. Best subject and all the rest will follow. this level, but it’s not so bad.” I also wishes to Iris as she begins remember thinking how sweet the her next chapter. Q: What is your most memorable sixth graders were, and how smart

Q: When did you begin working for Renbrook School? A: I began in September of 1995 after being recruited by Gretchen Hathaway; oddly enough, I had just received a new car license plate (old one stolen), 995 JOY.

Q: What has been unexpectedly rewarding in your last year? A: I t’s the same thing as in every year — seeing young minds suddenly “get” an idea or a poem or the patterns in literature and apply it without prompting.

Q: How has technology affected your teaching style over the years? A: I have been a closet technological “geek” for years who loves all things technical, but I have not always leaped to incorporate it into teaching. I am a firm believer that writing out some things helps the brain retain them longer and aids the reasoning process. That being said, I love the somewhat new Google Drive and Google docs, which allow me to comment on my students’ writing as they are in process and allows kids in the same class to see each other’s work.

Q: What will you miss the most about working at Renbrook? A: Without doubt, I will miss the people first, and the lunches.

and intellectually curious the ninth graders were. Parents were very supportive, as were my colleagues. It seemed (and still does) an ideal place to teach.

Q: H ow have you challenged a slow learner and an advanced learner in the same class? A: M y expectations are that each student will work to the best of his or her ability; that seems to work for most kids, and often they will move beyond “expectations” if they believe you think they can.

Q: W hat do you think is the best approach for empowering students, rather than enabling them? A: I prefer to teach by the Socratic

moment as a teacher at Renbrook? A: T here have been many, but they

all have the common element of seeing students stretch themselves to achieve in a variety of areas. They probably center on several recurring events — the sixth grade Greek play, which brings out the humor and drama of the youngest Upper Schoolers; the annual Martin Luther King assembly, which often highlights students who might not otherwise share their gifts; and the ninth grade Poetry Out Loud competition, which features (at times unexpected) gifts of elocution.

Q: Do you have any plans for your retirement? A: I plan to read, sew, knit, and master Klingon.

method. I love to ask questions and then help the students figure out

“ No fanfare, just teaching. 18 years. Every day. 40 minutes at a time. What an inspiration. What a legacy. How can we replace that? How can we ever fill your shoes?” Closing lines of the tribute speech from colleague and friend Tony Scherer ’82

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Jane and Doug Cramphin joined the Renbrook School community in the late 1970s. Their time at the school has included teaching every grade from junior kindergarten to eighth grade. This year, the couple announced their plans to retire after a combined 72 years of experience teaching at Renbrook. Q: What initially excited you about teaching at Renbrook? A: A utonomy was, and continues to be, a major factor for both of us. Throughout the years, we have had the ability to craft the curriculum to constantly respond to the changing interests and needs of the children. We have had the freedom to creatively develop units of study. That has been motivating for us and has translated to excitement for the children. We also enjoyed interacting with our students outside the classroom, whether it was through coaching, plays, environmental weekend, skiing, or clubs.

Jane and Doug Cramphin 36 renbrook SUMMER 2013

Q: How has the school changed over your years here? A: W e’ve seen Renbrook grow through six administrations headed by Jack Thompson, Dick Davis, Steven Jones, Bob Lazear, Jane Shipp, and now Armistead Webster. As we reflect on so much change during that time, we are truly amazed. The curriculum has undoubtedly evolved throughout the years. The specials classes like PE, music, library, and art remain strong; however, specials classes for the younger children have expanded and now include computer, foreign language, and science, and the music offerings in the Upper School include a variety of vocal and instrumental opportunities. When so many schools have been forced to cut these types of programs, Renbrook has maintained a commitment to enhancing these opportunities for the children. It’s a beautiful thing to see a child who struggles academically find his or her niche in one of these other areas. An alum visiting for the first time since the mid 1970s would be impressed by the addition of the Upper School math center, Nozko gym, computer labs, Lower School science lab, woodworking and art rooms, band room, pools, library, Heather Commons, Beginning School art room and music/movement room. Furthermore, there have been additions to the Lower School and Beginning School playgrounds, language labs, pond house, and the renovation of Gray Hall. We have also seen an improvement to the physical plant and grounds, thanks to the incredible work of our maintenance staff. Not a day goes by without an appreciative thought regarding the positive changes in our surroundings. One change that especially pleases us involves a policy shift whereby faculty/staff children are offered the opportunity to attend Renbrook at a

reduced rate, as is the case at many other schools. We hope that the Head of School and Board of Trustees will continue to explore this important issue so as to retain quality teachers and their families.

Q: H ow has Renbrook stayed the same? A: I t’s all about the people. Throughout the years, we’ve taught children who are motivated to learn, partnered with parents who continue to desire academic excellence in a nurturing environment, and grown alongside innovative colleagues who truly care about young people and our profession. Now, that’s not to say there’s complete harmony experienced every day. Like any organization, we’ve had many internal struggles and ample discord; however, we are proud to say that respectful disagreement has usually resulted in improved practice. Goodhearted collegiality and focusing on what’s best for each child remain alive and well at Renbrook School.

Q: I s there a student, past or present, who stands out in your minds? A: ( Laughing…) There are many faces that flash before us. Considering that we have collectively taught approximately 1,700 young people during our careers (we’ve kept every class photo… with every name attached!), we can probably recall a story or two on many of those children. We won’t single anyone out, seeing as we know what is said about payback.

Q: W hat will you miss most about working at Renbrook? A: W orking with children — inside and outside the classroom walls. Laughing and learning together and alongside them. Wrestling with challenges and failures, and celebrating successes. Our colleagues (Joe Zoni and crew lunches!) the extended family must be underscored here. Teachers and staff

have supported one another through many of life’s challenges, transitions, and celebrations: weddings, births, child rearing, divorces, cancer, care of elderly family members, deaths, grandchildren. Like most family units, we’ve laughed, cried, argued, worried, commiserated, and celebrated together.

Q: How has Renbrook affected you personally? A: T hat’s easy! We met each other at Renbrook. Apparently, we were the first teaching couple to be married on the back grounds. Our son, James, was educated and positively influenced by the Renbrook community. James graduated on the same steps on which we shared our wedding vows. Doug’s mother acted as receptionist for several years.

Q: What do you see as your greatest accomplishments as teachers? A: C onnecting and forming relationships with children and their parents has been wonderful. One of the greatest rewards we’ve recently felt is the opportunity to teach the children of former students. Apparently, we haven’t damaged them too badly because they keep coming back for more. Secondly, we feel thrilled to have helped create and maintain experientially-based programs that have endured, and will hopefully continue to endure. Through our love of experiential education, there are events and programs that students continually refer to with great fondness, such as the Colonial Presentation, Immigration Day, Civil War Living History Day, Renbrook’s buddy program, Oregon Trail/Nature Trail experiences, and Project Adventure. The most memorable learning, according to our conversations with alums, is experiential in nature. It brings to mind the adage from Confucius: I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

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Ask Sue Thompson the name of almost any Renbrook student or parent, past or present, and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sure to respond with a correct answer. As the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s receptionist, Sue has been the face and voice of Renbrook for years. Her good-natured kindness and historical knowledge of the school will be sorely missed and not easily replaced.

Sue Thompson

38 renbrook SUMMER 2013

Q: How many years have you been employed at Renbrook? A: S ometimes I cannot believe it myself, but I have been at Renbrook for 25 years — since May of 1988!

Q: Do you have any plans for your retirement? A: F or me my retirement will allow me to be a better “mom” to our 12-yearold foster daughter, Dora, and a real “Mimi” to my grandchildren, Scarlett, 4 ½, and Ian, 2 1/2, while my daughter Sara ‘93 finishes nursing school in August 2014. Hopefully I will get to do my scrapbooking again and maybe even have quiet time together with my husband.

Visitors often commented on what a beautiful space I had to work in, and I always agreed.

Q: W hat are you privy to in your position that stands out in your mind? A: O ne of the very best things about my position is that I love being around the children of all ages and not having to be “responsible.” I could just be a friend. One of the best memories was when Jane Shipp first started as head of school, the Beginners as they walked by my desk always called out, “Good morning, Mrs. Shipp!”

and I have always loved graduation. Not a yearly event, but personally I cherish the memories of my daughter’s wedding on a beautiful fall day in the back courtyard ( just behind my desk) followed by a fabulous Joe Zoni reception.

Q: What words of wisdom do you have for the teachers and staff at Renbrook? A: I am counting on you all to keep up the Renbrook tradition of being a top-notch school that can always say good things about its faculty and staff. Always be looking for ways to continue to grow with the times.

“ The fact that I worked at Renbrook for 25 years attests to the warm and loving family atmosphere. I have lifelong friends here and will miss everyone.” Q: What will you miss the most about working at Renbrook? A: I will miss all the people that I interacted with daily — friends, parents, and visitors.

Q: What did you learn from your career that you might not have learned otherwise? A: I always knew I loved being around people, but what I didn’t know about myself was how good I was at multi-tasking, which this job definitely required.

Q: Describe Renbrook in three words. Explain the words you selected. A: F amily — a big group of people of all types who are Caring, which means always having support from friends through life’s difficulties and triumphs. Beautiful buildings and grounds certainly made coming to work easier.

Q: W hat has excited you most about your position? A: T he best part of working at the Front Desk is knowing all the faculty and staff and also being a part of the inside things going on at Renbrook.

Q: You are often the first point of contact for new families reaching out to Renbrook. What comes with that responsibility? A: I t was always easy to be welcoming to new families because I knew just how nervous I was in situations like that. And, of course, I loved being able to say Renbrook is a great school with wonderful facilities and programs for all ages.

Q: W hat yearly events at Renbrook will you miss most? A: I love the opening and closing faculty/

Q: What three words would others use to describe you? A: C alm, cool, and collected, I would hope, but maybe not!

Q: How has Renbrook affected your life? A: B eginning work at Renbrook and being able to have my children (Sara ’93 and Andrew ’99) attend the school made a huge difference in their education. I thank Renbrook for that basic education that laid the groundwork that allowed them both to continue on successfully at local secondary schools and attend college and graduate. The fact that I worked at Renbrook for 25 years attests to the warm and loving family atmosphere. I have lifelong friends here and will miss everyone, but know that there are lots of opportunities to come back and visit.

staff meetings for their camaraderie,

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commencement congratulations to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduating class

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â&#x20AC;&#x153; These years are prime time for building memories. But when you are in the middle of an experience, you are often not aware of its importance. It is only at times of closure, such as graduation with all its rituals, that your sense of poignancy is heightened, and you become more acutely aware of what you have experienced and what you are leaving behind. Goodbyes do that for you. It is important to mark times of passage, as you are doing today, and I am pleased to be here and to be remembering all the wonderful Renbrook traditions that have meant so much to so many over the years. This is your final hour on our beautiful campus, though I know you will come back often.â&#x20AC;? Jane Shipp, Former Head of School

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enbrook graduates received sage advice from a familiar face on Thursday, June 6. Former Head of School Jane Shipp delivered the Commencement address to an audience of more than 300 members of the Renbrook community. In her address, Jane reflected on nearly 50 years in education, advising the 61 graduates to, “Cultivate all of your positive relationships … consider what kind of future work would bring you joy. Look around you. Watch people in the working world. Pay attention to who is doing drudgery just to earn a living … and which people are genuinely happy about their work … [and] always find a way to give something back. By that I mean, involve yourself in some kind of service to others.” Graduates Evan Liddy and Janelle Williams delivered the Ninth Grade Message and Alexa Green and Andrey Vdovenko presented the Ninth Grade Class Gift. Kevin Elaba and Allison Norris delivered Eighth Grade Farewells to their classmates moving on from Renbrook School for their ninth grade year. “While some of us are completing our time at Renbrook, the close-knit nature of the class will not change. I know that the memories and friendships we made here will never be forgotten. To the teachers and other students, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us. You have changed our lives for the better,“ Kevin said.

Austin Bednarz and Noah Yoon

Madison Chiulli delivered a special address dedicated to Renbrook’s former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, David Lentini, who passed away earlier this year. His wife, Barbara Lentini, presented Madison with her diploma and a heartfelt embrace. In his closing remarks, Head of School, Dr. Armistead Webster, reinforced the importance of giving back to the community with the traditional Renbrook closing remarks. “May the spirit of Renbrook stay with you as you leave us and be of value to you when you need it most. May what you have learned here, the good and decent lives you have witnessed here, the commitment and dedication you have enjoyed here, and the values you have absorbed here go with you on your life’s journey. And most important, may you give back to society in some way, some day, something of equal value to another generation,” he stated.

Evan Liddy and Janelle Williams deliver the Message from the Ninth Grade.

Trustee Scholars, Hyunjae “Ashley” Kim, Nicholas Mehlman, and Megan Seymour.

Claire Fanning (right) celebrates with close friend.

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Destinations Ninth Grade – Class of 2013 Dahlia Camille Ali Madison Julianna Chiulli Mya Janice Clay Kyra Vail Foley Isabelle Fiona Foti Lorenzo Ronald Giannamore Alexa Kristina Green Mohamed Ismail Michael Gabriel Kerr Hyunjae Kim

The Ethel Walker School The Taft School Miss Hall’s School Shattuck-St. Mary’s School Loomis Chaffee School Loomis Chaffee School Westminster School To be decided Greater Hartford Academy of Math & Science Phillips Academy Andover

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Olivia Rose Lanza Evan Lawrence Liddy Georgia Cathay Lovas Nicholas Mehlman Hunter Sherman Monroe Megan Campbell Seymour Ian Thomas Trenchard Andrey Edward Vdovenko Janelle Nicole Williams Yunze Gracie Xie Boyuan Jacky Zhang

Windsor High School Berkshire School The Miller School of Albemarle Milton Academy Avon High School Middlesex School Salisbury School Loomis Chaffee School Emma Willard School The Stony Brook School Cheshire Academy

Eighth Grade – Class of 2014 Dylan Noah Aron Samantha Rose Benthien Anika Bhargava Callie-Marie Boogaert Stone Matthew Brown Annemieke Cayman Buis Emily Elizabeth Burstein Abigail Christine Bush Bryson Alan Carter Benjamin Lerman Coady Brinley Paige Cuddeback Tyler Hyun James Donoghue Grace Adair Dubay Claire Crew Fanning Paul Andrew Ferri Samuel Bishop Fiske Sarah Cecilia Gelbach Hanna Lauren Hameedy Lauren Elizabeth Henzy Robert Alan Johnston Adam Justice Kim Jillian Audra Kosofsky Michael Stephen Kratzer Amanda Marie Lim Chyna Lauren Lindsay

Avon Old Farms School Miss Porter’s School Loomis Chaffee School Simsbury High School Westminster School The Webb School Westminster School The Master’s School Loomis Chaffee School Kingswood Oxford School Westminster School Conard High School Loomis Chaffee School Loomis Chaffee School Simsbury High School & Killington Mtn. School Hall High School Choate Rosemary Hall Loomis Chaffee School Suffield Academy Suffield Academy Kingswood Oxford School Miss Porter’s School Northfield Mount Hermon School Miss Porter’s School Windsor High School

Martin Albert London Cameron James Mackechnie Carolyn Geneva McCusker Dora Hutt Mitchel Allison Elizabeth Norris Emma Taylor Paydos Mckynzie Rae Romer Veronica Lynn Rousseau John Enders Sargent Graham Danahy Shannon Arielle Shternfeld Ryan Daniel Silvers Joseph Joshua LiBassi Suski Kelly Elizabeth Titus Eleanor Van Dyk Wilcox

Choate Rosemary Hall Avon Old Farms Kingswood Oxford School Westminster School Loomis Chaffee School Simsbury High School Choate Rosemary Hall The Taft School Westminster School Suffield Academy Miss Porter’s School Kingswood Oxford School Avon Old Farms School Loomis Chaffee School Loomis Chaffee School

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A Look Back at Commencement 2012

hirty-one ninth graders and 25 eighth graders graduated from Renbrook School on June 7, 2012. George Rae Trumbull, IV, Ph.D., Renbrook Class of ’92, delivered the keynote address at Commencement. The award-winning historian

and history teacher at Dartmouth College shared true stories of personal and professional success. George received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship for his project Land of Thirst, Land of Fear: A History of Water in the Sahara from Empire to Oil, based on research at the intersection of African and Middle Eastern Studies. George’s first book, An Empire of Facts: Colonial Power, Cultural Knowledge, and Islam (Algeria, 1871-1914), appeared in 2009 as part of Cambridge University Press series, “Critical Perspectives on Empire.” The Commencement address closed with “The House was Quiet and the World was Calm,” a poem by Hartford’s Wallace Stevens. George R. Trumbull, IV, Ph.D., Renbrook Class of ’92, addressed the audience during the 2012 Commencement.

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Ninth Grade Destinations – Class of 2012

Eighth Grade Destinations – Class of 2013

Ross Wesley Ackeifi Michael Timothy Ballard Nathaniel Duke Bidwell Sarah Maida Burstein Nicole Victoria Ciepiela Kara Nicole Clemmenson Alexandria Jane Connor Jason Patrick Corcoran Colleen Li Wen Devanney Terence Anthony Durrant II Spencer Cole Dye Prescott Alexander Fields Mollie Margaret Fierston Julia Katherine Furneaux James Edward L. Stidolph Gifford Victoria Patricia Jackson David Samuel Johnston Jeremiah Joseph Lim John Mallory McCormick III Ashley Marie McDonald Gabriela Anne Napolitano Sarah Pratt Noyes Joshua Ross Reagan Jake Edward Reynolds Elizabeth Helen Roswig Robert Stolarz Matthew Robert Sussman Frank Josef Tucci Nicholas Jordan Wilson Vincent Wong Benjamin Noah Worley

Emma Louise Alfeld Joanna Grace Beach Alexander George Benthien Trevor David Fachko Cooper Day Fairbanks Catherine Elizabeth Ferri Rachel Madison Gart David Matthew Gingold Samuel Sebastian Kent Carina Rose LaBonte Taylor Marie Lynch Evan Jason Manafort Daniel James Menatian Abigail J. Newman Charles Edward Parsons Christopher T. Sargent Larsen Gilbert Schuster Margaret Anderson Stover Juliette Grace Taylor Owen Samuel Weiss Philip Zachary Wertheim Paige Brewster Whittemore Feihu Yan Rudi M. Ying Jack Louis Zeligson

Pomfret School Northwest Catholic High School Hall High School Westminster School Miss Porter’s School Episcopal High School Ethel Walker School Phillips Exeter Academy Berkshire School Avon Old Farms School Hall High School Hall High School Miss Porter’s School Northfield Mount Hermon School Watkinson School Oakwoods Friends School Suffield Academy Pomfret School Westminster School Conard High School Baylor School Tabor Academy Suffield Academy Conard High School Northfield Mount Hermon School Farmington High School Suffield Academy Loomis Chaffee School Cheshire Academy Loomis Chaffee School Northwest Catholic High School

Westminster School Westminster School Loomis Chaffee School Loomis Chaffee School Avon Old Farms School Miss Porter’s School Miss Porter’s School Suffield Academy Loomis Chaffee School The Ethel Walker School Loomis Chaffee School Loomis Chaffee School Watkinson School Westminster School Loomis Chaffee School Holderness School Loomis Chaffee School Loomis Chaffee School Miss Porter’s School Forman School Avon Old Farms School Taft School Loomis Chaffee School Fay School Kingswood Oxford School

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Alumni News

Inside: Winter Reception New York City Reception Alumni Kids Alumni Art Show Pancake Breakfast Alumni Day The 4.4.40 Challenge

48 49 49 50 50 51 51

Winter Reception Nearly 100 Hartford-area alumni and parents of alumni came “home” to Renbrook for the holidays on December 6, 2012. The winter reception, a new event, welcomed the guests back to a place that has been important for many of them over the years. Guests entered the courtyard to the soaring sounds of Renbrook’s brass quintet. As they walked through Gray Hall, the clarinet ensemble and the chamber ensemble treated attendees to holiday favorites. Once in Heather Commons, guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, drinks and the music of Renbrook’s a cappella group, Renaissance; a piano soloist; a harp soloist, and the school’s Orff Ensemble. Above: Gretchen Unfried-English ’94 smiles brightly as she embraces former parent Victoria Rogers.

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Clockwise: Past parent and current Trustee Donna Darnis and past parent Kim Brunstad were just two of the dozens of parents of alumni from the Hartford area who enjoyed an evening of cocktails, conversation, and music; Members of Renbrook’s Brass ensemble bundled up against the cold and played holiday; The evening was filled with the sounds of music, including selections by the a cappella group Renaissance.favorites as guests entered Gray Hall.

New York City Reception: April 23 Three dozen alumni representing classes from 1949 through 2007 gathered at the Park Avenue home of Amy and Stephen Sills for an evening reception on April 23. The occasion served as the perfect opportunity for reuniting with old friends and connecting with other Renbrook alumni. The event included an address from Head of School Armistead Webster, who spoke about happenings at Renbrook today.

Johanna Cahoon ’95 (left) and Hadley McLoughlin ’98 (right) enjoyed talking with Hadley’s fiancé Michael Stevens; Adam Sills ’95 and Tyler Rosenlicht ’00 were two of the many young alums in attendance at the reception.

Alumni Kids Beginning School alumni children are, front row from left: Campbell Hudkins, mother Carolyn Tribble Hudkins, ’91; Justin Nozko, father Henry Nozko ’93; Anthony Thompson, m. Tanique Jones Thompson ’96; Jane Waterman, f. John Waterman ’92; Trip Sorenson, f. Rick Sorenson ’88; Carter O’Garro, f. Earl O’Garro ’98; Katherine Gengras, f. Jonathan Gengras, ’87; Ashley Barnes, f. TJ Barnes ’88; Second row, from left: Zyrian Carter, f. Earl O’Garro ’98; Mason Gordon, f. David Gordon ’87; Abigail Waterman, f. John Waterman ’92; Veronica Tate, f. Alex Tate ’97; Alex Braunstein, m. Meryl Mandell Braunstein ’84; Aidan Thompson, m. Tanique Jones Thompson ’96; Gabe Martin, m. Samantha Cosmos Martin ’90; Alex Martin, m. Samantha Cosmos Martin ’90; Absent: Montrel Carter, f. Earl O’Garro ’98. Lower School alumni children are, front row from left: Spencer Schwartz, m. Remy Trager Schwartz ’88; Livi Gordon, f. David Gordon ’87; Kam Garcia, m. Kourtney Fisher ’01; Ged Gengras, f. Jonathan Gengras, ’87; Mary Gengras, f. Jonathan Gengras, ’87; Clayt Gengras, f. Chip Gengras ’85; Christine Waterman, f. John Waterman ’92; Hayley Scherer, f. Tony Scherer ’82; Margs Sorenson, f. Rick Sorenson ’88; second row, from left: Tess Sorenson, f. Rick Sorenson ’88; Aubrey Barnes, f. TJ Barnes ’88; Tyler Gordon, f. David Gordon ’87; Cyani Irizarry, f. Earl O’Garro ’98; Sam Scherer, f. Tony Scherer ’82; Ava Lou Schwartz, m. Remy Trager Schwartz ’88; Emmy Gengras, f. Chip Gengras ’85; Rebecca Sargent, f. Bob Sargent ’71, m. Anne Percy Sargent ’80; Caroline Wilcox, f. John Wilcox ’81. Upper School alumni children are, front row from left: Lilly Barnes, father TJ Barnes ’88; Parker Cuddeback, mother Toni DiNardo Cuddeback ’85; Jake Morris and Rebecca Morris, m. Kathy Brown Morris ’72; Christina Daniels, f. Eric Daniels ’77; second row, from left: Julia Gengras, f. Chip Gengras ’85; Jonathan Seymour, f. Jonathan Seymour ’73; Maddie Paydos, f. Tim Paydos ’85; Autumn Roncari, m. Kate Roncari ’87; third row, from left: Callie-Marie Boogaert, m. Laura English Boogaert ’80; Brinley Cuddeback, m. Toni DiNardo Cuddeback ’85; Jack Sargent, f. Bob Sargent ’71, m. Anne Percy Sargent ’80; Taylor Paydos, f. Tim Paydos ’85; back row, from left: Graham Shannon, m. Elizabeth McDonough Shannon ’79; Eleanor Wilcox, f. John Wilcox ’81; Megan Seymour, f. Jonathan Seymour ’73. Absent: Alexa Green, m. Tara Baldwin ’89.

alumni news

Pancake Breakfast They came back shrieking with joy and threw themselves into each other’s arms. Or slapped each other on the back, in recognition of friendships that have lasted most of their young lives. About 100 high school-age alumni made the trek back up Avon Mountain for the Alumni Pancake Breakfast on November 23, 2012. First they hung out in the hallway outside Stedman Auditorium, waiting to see each new arrival wandering in through the courtyard. They hugged their former teachers and shared stories about life at places like Loomis or Hall or Hotchkiss. They gobbled down Chef Joe Zoni’s pancakes, sausage, eggs, and fruit and then meandered to the gym to visit with Bruce Irving and Peter Reynolds. We look forward to next year’s Pancake Breakfast with our young alumni.

Alumni Art Show April brought the return of a favorite institution: the Alumni Art Show. After a one-year hiatus, more than 50 alumni and parents gathered for an evening reception to open the show, which featured the work of five alumni artists. The guests admired — and bought — art and reconnected with each other in the gracious environs of Helen & Harry Gray Hall and the Rentschler Galleries. The artists donate 20 percent of the money they receive from sales of art at the show to the school’s Alumni Scholarship Fund.

Alex Connor ’12 lifts Drew Martin ’12 in an embrace as they entered the hallways outside Stedman Auditorium on the morning of the Pancake Breakfast.

This year’s artists represented a wide range of ages and styles. Recent graduate Sara Gershman ’11 exhibited charming paper-covered boxes and books. Ethan Lavendier ’99 sent a series of unique landscape photos from his home in Maine. Judy Clark Babin ’91, who has participated in the past, drew attention for her beautiful and affordable jewelry. Abigail Duncan ’85 attended the reception with her husband and two young children, displaying watercolors so realistic that some thought at first glance that they were photos. And Charlie Goodwin ’67 drove down from his home in Vermont with a truckload of large, dramatic oil paintings. Clockwise: Abigail Duncan ’85 poses with three of her watercolors; Sara Gershman ’11 (center) had many friends and family members who came to the Alumni Art Show to see her work; Alums and parents seemed delighted that the Alumni Art Show was back again after a one year hiatus.

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(From left) Evan Hsia ’12, Evan Vehslage ’12, Kassidi Jones ’11, and Andrew Jones ’11 were all smiles.

Alumni Day: October 19–20, 2012 Last October, more than 100 alumni and faculty gathered for a weekend of events in honor of their reunions. They came from across town and across the country to see today’s Renbrook, to visit with old friends, and to remember their own days on the Mountain. The weekend began with an evening cocktail party in Gray Hall. The next day, alumni attended a morning tailgate party and caught a portion of the Sports Day games. The festivities continued with a lunch, where alumni browsed through old yearbooks and photos and visited with each other’s families. In the afternoon, alums participated in a new event — looking through and labeling photos from the archives as they laughed and remembered long ago games, plays, and stories. The Class of 1962 celebrated its 50th reunion with a Saturday evening dinner in the mural room with former faculty stalwart Stoddard Reynolds and Head of School Armistead Webster. The classes of 2002, 1997, and 1992 enjoyed a buffet together in Heather Commons. Alumni from 1972 and 1987 were hosted at classmates’ homes for reunion dinners that evening. Right side of page top to bottom: Lindsay Barnes Wilcox ’92 (left) and Amanda Montgomery Herzog ’92. Members of the Class of 1967 with former faculty member Stoddard Reynolds (third from left); E.J. Ross ’97 with Stoddard Reynolds. Above: Members of the Class of 1967 looked back at photos of their time at Renbrook.

The 4.4.40 Challenge in Honor of Bruce Irving Warm. Kind. Dependable. Sweet. Patient. Caring. Encouraging. Positive. Humble. Strong. Compassionate.

These are just some of the adjectives that alumni, parents, and friends used to describe Bruce Irving in notes sent along with hundreds of gifts to honor the beloved coach’s 40th year at Renbrook. The one-day fund-raising challenge grew out of an idea first suggested by former

faculty member Dave Kayiatos, who coached alongside Irv for several years. Planning for the event began early in 2013, with the goal of raising $40,000 on April 4, in honor of Irv’s 40 years — thus the “4.4.40 Challenge.” Development office staffers asked a number of families who have been close to Irv over the years if they would consider donating money to match the dollars raised on April 4. This “sweet 16” group of donors gave more than $20,000 to get the challenge started.

second goal of $50,000. That success made the evening happy hours — in West Hartford, New York City, and Washington, D.C. — especially sweet. More than 50 alumni, parents of alumni, and faculty enjoyed reminiscing with Bruce in person and via Skype, and with each other. By the time all the donations were counted, the school had raised more than $60,000 from 300 donors. What a remarkable testament to the influence of a remarkable man!

Leading up to April 4, the school reminded alumni and parents to give, encourage others to give, and then celebrate at happy hours that evening. The gifts started pouring in when the calendar turned to April 4. By lunchtime the challenge had blown past the original $40,000 goal and then demolished a

Morgan Irving ’97 (center) and her siblings surprised Bruce, pictured with his wife Cheryl, by coming home to join in the festivities; The group gathered at Beachland Tavern included both older and younger alumni, grateful for Irv’s influence on their lives.

Class Notes

’53

’72

’87

Bancroft Greene writes in a Christmas letter “Grandparenting is a wonderful new world for us. Rebecca is gregarious, a fun traveler, and we all are enjoying her.”

Susan Dana wrote last summer, “I am pleased to share reunion agent honors with my twin sister Amy this year. My twins are 3 ½ and an absolute joy.”

Sarah Bucchi Jorgensen is the

’56 Becky Ellis says that some of her closest friends continue to be those she met at Junior School in the 1950s. “Tomorrow I am meeting a Junior School classmate and friend of over 50 years for lunch, and surely we will talk about our wonderful days when we were in school in West Hartford together with lovely Florence Greene as our head.”

’57 Constance Griffith Dix (Penny) retired from teaching high school science. “Adore my 7 grandchildren. Life with husband and two Wheaton terriers is great. Enjoying walking, biking, and traveling.”

’69 Mavis Donnelly reports, “I have never been more joyous and grateful as time goes on. I continue in psychiatric private practice and live with 31 beloved pups.”

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’74 Ty Howe writes. “With an empty nest and an engaged son, the tick tock of time continues.”

’78 Mark Kennedy says all is well in South Hero, VT. Daughter Anne, 16, is a junior in high school. Son Joseph, 14, is a freshman. Son Paul, 15, is a freshman as well. Mark continues to work in early intervention for birth to 3-year-old children. His wife Cathy is in pediatrics. Zena Martin is now the lead counsel for clients at Lewis PR’s London office.

’79 Bill Dunbar’s parents write that he “went from Renbrook to Westminster and the University of Vermont. He then taught English here and in Africa, then in Washington State. He holds advanced degrees from Seattle University and University of Washington. He is currently the head of Shorewood High School in Shoreline, Washington.”

diving coach at University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. She has also been a coach at Avon Old Farms and the Hartford Golf Club. She has two children, Tre, 10, and Lily, 8, who keep her busy.

’88 Remy Trager Schwartz writes that she and her husband are current Renbrook parents of Ava, who just finished fourth grade and Spencer, who just finished first. “Our children are in classes with Sorenson, Gengras, and Gordon kids. I feel very lucky to be a part of the Renbrook community.”

“ Tomorrow I am meeting a Junior School classmate and friend of over 50 years for lunch, and surely we will talk about our wonderful days when we were in school in West Hartford together with lovely Florence Greene as our head.” Becky Ellis ’56

Profile

William Tong ’88 William Tong ’88, announced his candidacy for mayor of Stamford on February 4, 2013, hoping to make the leap to a higher-profile office after six years serving as the representative in the Connecticut General Assembly from that part of the state.

commercial litigation attorney with Finn Dixon & Herling, one of Connecticut’s leading corporate law firms. William is the first Asian American to serve in the General Assembly and the first Asian American to be elected at the state level in Connecticut’s history. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Stamford with their daughters, Eleanor, 6; Penelope, 4; and son Sasha, 19 months.

“I’m ready to lead this charge as your mayor,” William, a Democrat, told several dozen supporters gathered at a local pizzeria on February 4. “We have to figure out where we’re going and the first step in that is to reconnect with who we are. Stamford is a city of families and it’s a city for families.”

William has made no secret of his greater political ambitions. In May 2012, when he dropped a long-shot bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Joseph Lieberman, he said, “This was my first statewide campaign. I do not expect it will be my last.”

After attending Renbrook, William attended Phillips Academy Andover, Brown University and the University of Chicago Law School. He is a

William has made much of his family’s classic immigrant story. His father, Ady Tong, arrived in the United States from China nearly

penniless, but eventually owned a series of Chinese restaurants and other businesses. “Thousands of people across the state now know the story of Ady Tong, how he came to Bloomfield, Connecticut, with just 57 cents in his pocket.’’ William said, speaking emotionally about his father at the end of the failed Senate bid. “Because my parents made incredible sacrifices for me, their son was able to dream things and will be able to continue to dream things they never imagined.” If William were to win in Stamford, it wouldn’t be the first time the city’s mayor has used the post as a jumping-off point to something bigger. Another Democrat who served as mayor of Stamford now has his office in the state capitol building: Governor Dannel Malloy.

class notes

’88 Christy Ayres Veal (pictured below) writes: “We have been living in the Netherlands for almost two years now. I work for an international pharmaceutical company, and my husband, Chris, works for a Dutch software development company. Our daughter Lily, 5, is fluent in Dutch, and our 2-year-old, Victor, is catching up fast!”

’97 Gerard McGeary writes, “I caught up with Tyler Caine, Caitlin Mitchell, Tiffany Pearson, Denaka Perry, and Kate Shillo in New York just after Thanksgiving. It was a lot of fun!”

finished my program in Austin, Texas, for American Sign Language interpreting. I will be interning in Boston for ASL interpreting for Boston University, as well as a few other major theater companies.” She also says that she has become a competitive rower!

Lindsey Pell is an up-and-coming member of EAA, a group for those interested in flying. Her photo (below) hangs in the newly renovated Globe Foyer, which honors Renbrook’s ties to Pratt & Whitney.

Cynthia Poletti emails with lots of news: “Hello class of ’99! It’s been great getting in touch with you guys – thank God for social media! Had a great girls’ night out with Emily Perzan in February when we were both in CT. This year has brought some challenges as I ended a four-year relationship and became a single mommy. Despite the challenge of co-parenting and working two jobs, I am enjoying being single and learning to have balance in my life. My beautiful daughter Bronwyn “Winnie” (pictured below) has flourished into a very happy and super-smart girl. I can’t believe she will be 2 in June! I’m enjoying my ninth year at a day spa doing nails, and I’m gearing up for my fifth season at the local farmers’ market, selling artisan breads and homemade jewelry. If anyone finds themselves in Baltimore, look me up!”

’99 Brian Cawley is living in Boston and working for Pearson Educational Software.

Matt Sahlin has taken a job as director of development at Alexandria Country Day School, a K–8 school in Virginia.

’01 Jena Page Greaser wrote, “I am living the dream out west in Ketchum (aka Sun Valley), Idaho. I have been very busy working on my full-time self-design master’s degree, being the Americorps Youth Garden Educator at Sawtooth Botanical Garden and one of the after-school program coordinators at the YMCA. As part of my thesis project for my master’s, I am implementing a movement called ‘Incredible Edible Impact,’ where I plan to line the streets of Wood River Valley with edible vegetables in hanging pots, wine barrels, raised beds, etc. I am very passionate about creating a local food shed. Ryan (my fiancé) and I still are living car-free, and it has been wonderful, except for coordinating carpooling to bike races!

Jimmy Newman graduated from Georgetown School of Medicine.

Sydney Weaver-Bey appeared on

’00 Emily Perzan is engaged to David Niswonger (pictured above) and plans to get married in 2014. “Recently I have also

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WWSB TV in Sarasota, Fla., representing her client Homes.com.

Alexandra Neville is engaged to

’02

marry Arthur Booker. She is the owner of Whitney Image Consulting, a professional image consulting business in Atlanta, GA.

Jacob Blumenfeld took a trip to Amsterdam and Paris with his girlfriend Steph Gallagher.

Profile

Matthew Belinkie ’95 Who doesn’t recognize the distinctive Law & Order theme song, has never heard Jack McCoy give a case summation, or hasn’t assumed that courtrooms work like those on the longrunning TV crime series? Most people are familiar with the series. But Matthew Belinkie ’95 has taken the Law & Order obsession to a new level. In a November article published on his website, Matthew analyzed outcomes of each show. He then charted the success rate of the district attorney’s office, comparing it with viewership by season. The article gained media attention and was referenced on TV Guide’s website as well as Tech Investor News. To be fair, though, Matthew’s passion is less about Law & Order specifically and more about pop

culture generally. Matthew, along with friends from Yale, where he graduated in 2002, runs a site called Overthinkingit.com where crazy minutia of pop culture is analyzed. The site is a labor of love created five years ago, in part as a way for the friends to share a project and keep in touch. The site has a significant following, attracting 100,000 unique visitors a month. Matthew, however, has kept his day job as a project manager for Kaplan Test Prep in New York City. Does Matthew think that the writers of Law & Order make the correlations that his blog suggests? Not really. “I don’t actually believe they were sitting in a room thinking of how the verdict would affect the ratings, but any good TV producer and writer does have a bit of pulse on what people are thinking,” Matthew says. “Shows reflect the anxieties and interests of people of their times.

Law & Order is just easier to track because you either win or lose.” “One of the values I was taught at Renbrook is to try to see the world with fresh eyes, to not just accept things that are told to you,” Matthew says. “There is a bit of playful spirit, to try to see what’s below the surface, that is very much part of the site. It asks, ‘What is everybody else missing?’” Some of the articles Matthew plans for the future are “The Short, But Glorious History of the Best Disco Song Grammy,” “Drunkenness in Disney Animated Movies” and “An Org Chart of Fictional Secret Agencies.” As Matthew says, “There is always something else to overthink.” For a full archive of his past articles, check out www.overthinkingit.com/ author/belinkie/.

class notes Rebecca Hauss is living in New York and working on a master’s degree in pediatric nursing.

Emily Roth has a new job as a kindergarten teacher’s assistant at Manhattan School for Children.

’03 Haben Abraham graduated from the Columbia University School of Social Work. AmandaLee Aponte earned a master’s degree on May 4, 2012. Allison Bruff is attending the University of Virginia School of Medicine (Class of 2015).

Ben Harris and Danielle Beaudoin reconnected in Vermont in 2012. Ben’s company was appearing there, and Danielle came to see the show.

Team. The designation honors studentathletes from each varsity sport who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to sportsmanship by exhibiting respect for themselves, teammates, coaches, opponents and spectators.

Brook Fernandez was named St. Lawrence University’s finalist for ECAC Hockey’s 2013 Student-Athlete of the Year Award. The award recognizes a player who matched his or her on-ice contributions with those in the classroom.

Henry Laurence Ross earned a prestigious 2013–14 Luce Scholarship, which funds a year of living and learning in Asia.

’07 Angelica Calabrese, a junior at Yale, spent a recent semester in Bologna, Italy. Last summer she worked on an archeological dig on the Temple of Apollo.

Amanda Huey completed her twoyear fellowship at the National Institutes of Health and began medical school at Emory University in Atlanta in July.

Julie Kindl writes that she is working at Kingswood-Oxford School as an athletic trainer and completing her master’s degree in injury rehabilitation.

’05 David Hauss is living in Brooklyn and playing with a band. A link to a clip of him playing with a trio of Sarah Lawrence alums can be heard on Soundcloud: http://snd.sc/VzvSsf Ashley McGeary, who was in Paris, is now in South Korea, teaching English to children. She is blogging about the experience at www.ashleyinsouthkorea. wordpress.com.

’06 Claire Corroon, a squash player at Hamilton College, was named to the 2013 NESCAC Winter All-Sportsmanship

56 renbrook SUMMER 2013

Brian Fitzsousa released an EP in

’10 A slew of Renbrook alums were honored at convocation at Miss Porter’s School last fall: Shana Coffey won The Williams College Book Award; Emma Graydon won The Vassar Book Award; Morgan Grady-Benson earned The Harvard/ Radcliffe Club Book Award; Abbie Gantner won The Professor Alex Cheng Prize for exemplary character; and Abigail Arky and Morgan Grady-Benson were chosen as members of The Cum Laude Society.

’11 Luke Knisley is on the high honor roll at Kents Hill School.

Julianne Loree was named to The Cum Laude Society at Miss Porter’s School last fall.

’12

May 2012 called “Blue Raincoat” with his band, Dewey and the Decimals. Their website is http://deweyandthedecimals. bandcamp.com/

Anjulee Bhalla was named to The

Colin McLaughlin, a swimmer at

thoughts on raising her first guide dog puppy at Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation’s Volunteer Appreciation Event in May 2012. Kara organized a fundraiser at Flatbread Pizza in Canton that raised $2,000 for Fidelco’s program and was instrumental in bringing Fidelco’s “Watch Me Grow” program to Renbrook. Her current school, Episcopal High School, says she is their best admissions representative.

Colby College, was named to the 2013 NESCAC Winter All-Sportsmanship Team. The designation honors studentathletes from each varsity sport who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to sportsmanship by exhibiting respect for themselves, teammates, coaches, opponents and spectators.

Leah Rosen starred last winter in Spring Awakening at Hole in the Wall Theatre in New Britain.

’08 Katie Cech is a member of the class of 2015 at Colgate University. She is the philanthropy chair for the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and is pursuing a double major in psychology and peace and conflict studies.

Cum Laude Society at Miss Porter’s School last fall.

Kara Clemmenson shared her

James Gifford’s parents report that he is running on the cross country team at Watkinson School.

Morgan St. Pierre won The Mary Parker Foss New Girl Award at Miss Porter’s School last fall.

Profile

Franklyn Darnis ’08 It all started with “Happy Birthday.” Franklyn Darnis ’08 was a sixth grader at Renbrook School, a new member of the middle school chorus class. Teacher Kathy Belinkie went around the room and asked each student to sing the familiar tune so that she could assess their voices. Franklyn apparently sang well because his next assignment was a solo in the song “Who Will Buy” from the musical Oliver. Franklyn, now a sophomore at Princeton University majoring in operations research and financial engineering, returned to the place where it all began in early December, when his a cappella group, the storied Princeton Nassoons,

performed at Renbrook. The group, an all-male ensemble known for its tight harmonies, has been a Princeton institution since the late 1930s. It is the oldest a cappella group at Princeton and one of the oldest in the country. Franklyn says he remembers well the role that Renbrook had in building his success. In seventh grade, inspired in part by Mrs. Belinkie’s enthusiasm, he dove into more singing opportunities by joining Renbrook’s vocal group Renaissance. Franklyn had an initial fear of performing but tackled it with the help of Joe DeSisto, who Franklyn says “pushed me past my comfort zone.” By eighth and ninth grade Franklyn was performing in such shows as High School Musical and Honk! He also was honored for his abilities with selection to regional choirs and, as a ninth-grader, to the All-State Choir. During his years at Renbrook, Franklyn also participated in soccer, tennis, and squash.

“I don’t think I could name all of [the teachers] because there were so many great teachers that influenced me at Renbrook,” Franklyn says. “The general atmosphere that the teachers at Renbrook created was one of overwhelming support. I could not name one teacher that did not touch me in some way at Renbrook, and I am ever grateful for the opportunity to have been in contact with all of them.” Franklyn couldn’t wait to be back on the Mountain for the concert. “It feels like full circle for me because that’s where my singing started,” he said before the concert. “The Nassoons are some of the best singers I know, and I know I would have been overjoyed to hear the group when I was in middle school. I keep having to try to come up with a word different from ‘excited’ to describe how I feel, but that’s really just what it is: excitement.”

class notes

Profile

Meg Guzulescu ’10 It was the 2004 Renbrook School Variety Show — the typical mixture of piano recital pieces and dance routines. But the last act was something different. A little second-grade girl who often wore her shoulder-length brown hair in a headband stood before the crowd gathered in Stedman Auditorium. Then, in a sweet, lilting voice, she sang “Once Upon a December,” leaving her audience dazzled. “That girl is going to be on Broadway someday,” one teacher remembers thinking. It wasn’t long before Meg Guzulescu ’10 would prove that teacher right. The next year Meg auditioned, on a whim, for a spot in a national touring production of Les Miserables. Two weeks later she headed out for a 16-month tour, performing the part of a young Cosette. Later she did a turn on Broadway, in both Billy Elliot and Gypsy.

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Now Meg has made the jump to the silver screen. The West Hartford resident, a junior at Choate Rosemary Hall, made her feature film debut in Not Fade Away, which opened in late December. Directed by David Chase, the film is the coming-of-age story of the lead singer of a rock band in the 1960s. Meg plays the star’s younger sister, Evelyn. Her on-screen father is actor James Gandolfini, who is best known as the mob boss Tony Soprano in the HBO series The Sopranos. Just as she was as a second-grader, Meg seems in some ways beyond her years. She is articulate and thoughtful, discussing the more intimate emotional experience of acting for film rather than before a large theater. “It’s more internal,” Meg says. “You don’t externalize your emotions as much.” Meg’s new medium also brought new challenges. For example, film work scenes are not done chronologically, she says. You might do scenes 13, 9,

and 7 in that order on one day, and the actors must “unexperience” things, forgetting episodes that would not yet have happened when that portion of the story is told. Meg’s diligence and determination helped her navigate the challenging film work. Meg’s determination allowed her to keep up with her roles as a Choate student and accomplished actress. Her experience in her early years as a professional actress, when she was still learning multiplication tables at Renbrook, gave her skills that she calls upon today. “Renbrook taught me everything that helped me juggle my academics and my acting,” Meg says. “I wouldn’t be where I am without Renbrook.” But her busy schedule still includes connecting with friends from her time on the Mountain. “Renbrook connections are lifetime connections,” Meg says. “You never really lose your Renbrook friends.”

Births & Weddings

Erin Kindl ’00 poses with her new husband Patrick on their wedding day.

Births Jeremy Banks ’82 and his wife Marcia added a baby boy, Andrew, to their family on July 3, 2012. He joins big sister Emma.

Nathan Jones ’90 (pictured below) emails, “I am proud to announce the birth of Danica Zion Jones, my third daughter. She is such a sweetheart. Her older sisters and proud parents just adore her.” Nathan would love to hear from old friends: nlloydj@gmail.com.

Kelly Richards Reuell ’90 and her husband Peter Reuell welcomed Alexandra Richards Reuell to their family on September 29, 2012.

John Waterman ’92 and his wife Elizabeth welcomed their fourth daughter, Lillian Catherine Waterman, on August 31, 2012. She was 8 pounds, 12 ounces.

Jodi Luster Brueggeman ’91 wrote

Jenni Walkwitz Hoffmann ’93

in November that her family recently welcomed a second daughter, Sophie Davia Brueggeman. “Big sister Alexandra is very excited to have her little sister finally here.”

writes to report the birth of her son Park Ingersoll Hoffmann. He was born on February 7, 2013, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measuring 21 inches.

Steve Lehman ’93 and his wife Olivia Blake Patterson Sakow Glancy ’91 and her husband Christopher announce the birth of their son Hunter Campbell Glancy, born May 14, 2012.

Karen Richardson ’91 and her husband Simon announce the birth of Tate Kennedy Richardson on March 30, 2012. He was 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Gabe Sauerhoff ’92 and his wife Lee announce the birth of their son Brody Landon Sauerhoff on March 28, 2012. He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces.

Newman are the proud parents of Malachi Jay Newman, born November 6, 2012. Steve has earned his doctorate in music composition from Columbia University’s Graduate Faculties. The family lives in Brooklyn.

Henry Nozko ’93 and his wife Sage had a baby girl on July 16, 2012. Her name is Morgan Whitney, and she weighed 9 pounds. She joins big brothers Justin, who just finished junior kindergarten at Renbrook; and Griffin, who is 3.

class notes Johanna McLoughlin Cahoon ’95 announces that her daughter Paige Elizabeth was born in September 2012, joining big sister Grace. Johanna and her husband recently bought a house on Main Street in Chatham on Cape Cod and are renovating it so they can rent rooms by the week to vacationers.

Matthew Blumenfeld ’00 married Leslie Nelson on October 6, 2012, with a beach ceremony in the Florida Keys. He began an internship with the Florida Panthers last year. Rachel Belinkie ’00 married Brian Levine this spring.

Erin Kindl ’00 married Patrick Guinan on May 26, 2012. Jacqueline Barrieau ’03 married Drew Iacovazzi in August 2012. She is working in the state government affairs division of United Technologies Corporation in Hartford.

Weddings Gretchen Unfried ’94 married Alan English on August 11, 2012, in a ceremony at Renbrook. The story of how she and her husband met was featured in The Hartford Courant.

Matthew Belinkie ’95 married Yael Levin on July 8, 2012 in Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

Conor Heffernan ’96 married Sara Graham in May 2012.

Amir Satvat ’96 married Jessica Leight on April 13, 2013, at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. Renbrook alumni Jeff Herzberger ’96 and Giles Longley-Cook ’96 served as groomsmen. Tyler Caine ’96 was also present.

It was a Renbrook reunion at this April wedding. From left: best man James Cramphin ’99, bridesmaid Katie Partridge ’07, bride Jordan Richter, and groom Brian Patridge ’99.

Julianne Lugo ’97 married Adam Avallone in May 2012.

Matthew Ringland ’98 and Eleanor Bradley ’02 were married on June 30, 2012. Their wedding party included Henry “Skip” Naboicheck ’98, Katherine Theriault ’09, and Matthew Smith, Patrick Smith, and Hamilton Smith, who also attended Renbrook. Also present for the wedding were Jenny Zimmerman Manley ’98 and Sara Arute ’98.

Brian Partridge ’99 married Jordan Richter in April 2013 in Key West, Fla. Brian’s sister Katie ’07 was a bridesmaid, James Cramphin ’99 was the best man, and long-time faculty member Doug Cramphin performed the ceremony.

60 renbrook SUMMER 2013

This Renbrook family has had two weddings in less than one year. From left: Matthew Belinkie ’95, his wife Yael, and his son Oliver, Rachel Belinkie ’00 and her new husband Brian, father of the bride Steve Belinkie and mother of the bride and long-time faculty member Kathy Belinkie, and Daniel Belinkie and his fiancée Joanna.

In Memoriam

Elizabeth G. “Betty Ann” Ambrosi ’49

Mother, teacher, Volunteer, Alumna, Past Parent Elizabeth G. “Betty Ann” Ambrosi died peacefully on August 8, 2012, at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. Betty Ann was a graduate of the Junior School, Renbrook’s predecessor, and several of her children attended Renbrook. She went on to attend Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York. Betty Ann was a dedicated teacher at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, but her real passions were her family and her volunteer work for charitable, civic, and religious organizations. As a member of the Junior League of Hartford, she helped establish the Clothes Horse of West Hartford. Because she had been a single, working mother of five children, she took great pride in working as the manager of the Cheer Cupboard at St. Francis Hospital for 20 years. Betty Ann was an avid golfer and found great joy in knitting

prayer shawls for the terminally ill. Betty Ann is survived by her five children: Peter Grinsfelder, Clayton Kilbourn, Elizabeth Davidson ’77 and husband Robert, Gregory Grinsfelder ’78 and wife Heidi, and Jeffery ’78 Grinsfelder; four grandchildren: Amy, Gregory, Michael, and Malcolm; and two great grandchildren: Rylum and Peyton. She also leaves her sister Merrily Moynihan ’55; brothers Skip, Guy ’65, John ’66, Richard, Mark ’69, Robert ’72, and Joel Gengras ’73; her half sister Joan Gorman; and many nieces and nephews. Her sister Judith McDonough ’51 recently predeceased her.

Austin Dunham “Dunny” Barney ’57

Hartford-area Public Servant, Alum, Past Parent Austin Cornelius Dunham “Dunny” Barney II died on June 22, 2012. He attended the Junior School, which preceded Renbrook, and then Kingswood-Oxford and Hotchkiss schools. He graduated from Yale and

then received an M.P.A. in Urban Studies, Regional Planning and Public Management from the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University. Dunny held many positions in government in the Hartford area over the course of his career. He eventually became the founder and president of Life Legacy Advisors, an insurance consulting group in West Simsbury. He used his professional expertise to do public service, including serving on the Simsbury zoning commission for 34 years and chairing the group for three years. He also served as a member of the Simsbury Open Space Preservation Committee and as advisor to the Community Farm of Simsbury. He cultivated livestock, including sheep and Scotch Highland cattle, while raising his family in a restored barn in West Simsbury. Dunny is survived by his wife, Michelle L. Spencer; his son, Austin Cornelius Dunham Barney III ’98; his daughter, Amanda Brandegee Barney ’00; his stepchildren, Colin, Martha, and Mallory Spencer; and four half-siblings.

in memoriam

Christina Ann Jacobs ’00 Animal lover, beloved daughter, alumna, and friend

Christina Ann Jacobs died on October 27, 2012, in Los Angeles. Christina grew up in Avon, graduating from Renbrook and Avon High School. She went on to study at both Mt. Ida College and Fordham University. Christina had a deep passion for animals and worked as a volunteer at the Lange Foundation, a no-kill animal shelter. Prior to her move to California, she worked as a research analyst at JWJ Advisors in Farmington, Connecticut. She loved to travel and will always be remembered for her laughter and adventurous spirit. Christina loved horse riding, fashion, the outdoors, watching movies, and photography, and she especially enjoyed taking pictures of her friends. She also was a big supporter of the military. She loved the entertainment business and was looking forward to her upcoming job at Davis Entertainment. Christina was fun to be with, very social and touched the lives of many people. She is survived by her parents, James and Ann Jacobs; her sister, Jennifer Jacobs; her grandparents, Raymond and Emily Lavendier; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends; and her dear pets.

Joseph Denny Sargent

Devoted Renbrook past parent and grandparent Joseph Denny Sargent, patriarch of a family that has been a Renbrook institution for generations, passed away on November 7, 2012, at Hartford Hospital. Joe graduated from St. Paul’s School and Yale University. During his long career, he was a pioneer in the field of insurance private equity. Until his death, he served as chairman of Bradley,

62 renbrook SUMMER 2013

Foster & Sargent, an investment advisory firm he founded with two partners in 1992. Before that he served as managing partner and chairman of Conning & Company, an investment firm specializing in insurance companies. He was especially recognized for his early work in the field of insurance private equity and was actively involved in starting and building many insurance companies, including Executive Risk and MMI. Devoted adventurers, Joe and his wife Mary were instrumental in developing Killington Ski Area. Starting in 1956, the Sargents and a few partners founded Sherburne Corporation, which invested capital, cut ski trails, and put up lifts before the resort’s opening in 1958. Joe eventually served as chairman of corporations that owned Killington and Mount Snow in Vermont, Bear Mountain in California, Waterville Valley in New Hampshire, and Sugarloaf in Maine. Since the 1970s, Joe had been a key leader at Renbrook, serving as co-chair of the Grandparent’s Group for many years, and as a loyal and generous supporter. He also was a leader of many other Hartford area nonprofits, most notably serving as director and chairman of the board of Hartford Hospital and director of Hartford Healthcare for more than 30 years. In addition to his beloved wife of 57 years, partner and adventurer Mary Tennant Sargent, Joe is survived by his four children and their spouses: Robert and Anne Sargent ’71/’80 Thomas ’73 and Sarael ’75 Sargent, Diane ’76 (Sargent) and Michael Miller, and Suzanne ’80 (Sargent) and Cort Jones. He also leaves behind 11 grandchildren: Elizabeth ’04, Kathryn ’04, Owen, William, ’07, Denny, Rob ’09, Abigail, Christopher ’14, Jack ’14, Crawford, and Rebecca ’17.

Ralph Morton Shulansky Former Trustee, Corporator, Grandparent, and Past Parent

Ralph Morton Shulansky, died unexpectedly on January 7 at his home in Palm Desert, California. A resident of Bloomfield, he was a graduate of The Loomis School, Hamilton College, and Cornell Law School. Ralph had a successful and respected career as a lawyer and banker. He began his practice of law in 1952 at Schatz & Schatz, and soon founded Shulansky, Cohn & Williams. In 1967 he became a senior officer at Connecticut Bank & Trust. Ralph became chief financial officer of Ames Department Stores in 1981 until his retirement in 1987. In 1991, he was appointed Connecticut Banking Commissioner, where he served with distinction until his second retirement in 1995. For nearly 20 years, he was a trustee of a number of private trusts, and in 1998 he became chairman of the board of Bankers Bank Northeast. He continued in these roles until his death. Ralph was elected in 1956 and 1958 to the state Legislature from West Hartford, and in 1960 to the state Senate representing West Hartford and eight other towns. He retired from elected office in 1965. He served Renbrook as a trustee and corporator, and he was an enthusiastic member of the Grandparents Executive Committee. Ralph is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years Ruth; three children, John Shulansky and his wife Debra, Laura Nassau and her husband Jerry, and Debra Shulansky ’74; and eight grandchildren: Michael and Karah Shulansky; Daniel, Benjamin, and Jonathan Nassau; and Stephen ’04, Carolyn ’11, and Sara ’11 Gershman.

David A. Lentini

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Renbrook Past Parent David Lentini, a well-known figure in the Connecticut banking world and the chairman of the Board of Trustees at Renbrook School, died April 28, after a brief illness. Dave was born in Middletown, Connecticut, and graduated from the School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. He held a masters degree in management sciences from the Hartford Graduate Center/Rensselaer. Throughout his nine years as a loyal trustee, Dave’s love for Renbrook was evident as he advocated for all that makes a Renbrook education unique. As Board Chair since 2010 Dave also served on every Board Committee. “Dave loved this school and that started because of his love of his son Mark and seeing what Renbrook provided Mark for all the years he was here,” said Head of School Armistead Webster, who worked closely with Dave until just a few weeks before his death. Armistead remembered hearing Dave describe his first visit to Renbrook where he walked in on a Kindergarten class lying on the floor, studying constellations on the ceiling. “It just all clicked for him. It made sense. That’s the kind of thing that happens at this school and he wanted Mark to be part of it,” Armistead remembered.

“What really makes Dave stand out to me is long after Mark left Renbrook he still worked just as hard and cared just as much about our success,” Armistead said. Dave brought his business acumen to his work on the Board of Trustees. During the last couple of years as Renbrook, like all institutions, wrestled with financial challenges, Dave’s guidance was vital, Armistead said: “He left us in much better shape than we would have been otherwise.” Dave’s distinguished career in banking spanned more than four decades, and included leadership roles at the Bank of South Windsor, the New England Bank in Windsor, and The Connecticut Bank and Trust Company where he served as the chairman, president, and chief executive officer. In 2007, David was named a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and served for five years. He began his career in 1965 with the original Connecticut Bank and Trust Co., then one of the state’s oldest banks. He spent 21 years at CBT, first in operations and then, in sales

After stints at other banks, in 2001 Lentini and other investors launched a new CBT, seeking to capitalize on the old name. The original CBT went under when its parent company, Bank of New England Corp., failed in the early 1990s during a regional banking crisis. Lentini led the new CBT’s rapid growth as chairman, president and chief executive, reaching $300 million in assets and eight locations. CBT was sold to Berkshire Bank last year. Lentini retired from Berkshire at the end of 2012. In addition to his work at Renbrook, Lentini also helped to rebuild the Connecticut Community Bankers Association and was a director of St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center. He was currently a director of the CooperAtkins Corp. and was lead director of the Connecticut Water Co. Lentini is survived by his wife of 40 years, Barbara, his son, Mark ’05, and many other family members.

“When I began in 1965, there were no computer markings on checks,” Lentini said, in an interview when he retired in December 2012. “They were processed by hand by a bookkeeper. Our computers [in the late 1960s] were 20 feet long and 6 feet wide. Today, they sit on your desk in a laptop.”

“ Dave loved this school and that started because of his love of his son Mark and seeing what Renbrook provided Mark for all the years he was here.” 63

in memoriam

Richard H. McLeod

English Teacher, Past Parent, Renbrook Legend Richard McLeod, a beloved member of the Renbrook School faculty for nearly three decades, died on March 20, 2013 in Bloomfield, CT. Dick was born in Albany, NY and his own early education was at the Albany Academy, an independent school where he thrived. He went on to earn a degree at the University of Virginia in 1943. After graduating, he joined the Army. He shipped out to England in early 1944, crossed into Normandy days after D-Day, and spent most of the next two years in Europe with the 129th Signal, Radio, and Intelligence Company, attached

to General George Patton’s 7th Army. Dick’s work entailed listening to German radio transmissions and forwarding possible intelligence to commanders. He returned to New York and began teaching at the Trinity School in Manhattan, where he met his wife Barbara, who he would enjoy 57 years with until her death in 2011. He also studied at Columbia Teachers College, receiving a masters in Education in 1948. After two years in Providence RI, where Dick served as Head of Lower School at Moses Brown School, the family settled in West Hartford in 1963 when Dick was appointed an English Teacher at Renbrook. For the next 29 years Dick’s name was synonymous with the school. He took on responsibilities ranging from homeroom teacher, middle school head, director of admissions, and assistant headmaster. He is also remembered fondly by the Renbrook community for his numerous other roles, including tennis coach, busroute planner, van driver, carpool drop-off disciplinarian, and kilt-clad convener of assemblies. In the 1970s, he led Renbrook’s SPHERE program, part of a consortium of independent schools from the Hartford area that operated summer programs committed to diversity.

“Dick felt lucky every day he drove up Avon Mountain, and every day he plowed into the mountain of work that his love and enthusiasm for Renbrook created. He loved the children, the teachers, and the staff of Renbrook, and the feelings were mutual,” wrote his children in his obituary. Upon his retirement, his family established the Richard H. McLeod Scholarship. Funded generously by alumni and friends of Renbrook and inspired by his commitment to education for all, the scholarship has provided tuition for a deserving Hartford child annually since 1993. Dick is survived by his daughter Suzanne Warren McLeod ’71; his sons Douglas Birmingham McLeod’ 73 and Andrew Harvey McLeod ’75; his daughters-in-law Bette Anne Berg and Kathy Baughman McLeod; granddaughters Eleanor McLeod Maybury, Jillian Augusta Jayne McLeod; Fionna Nilsson and Fiona Hester Cronin; his brother and sister-inlaw, David and Betty McLeod; sisters-inlaw Jean McLeod, Helen Keenan, Nancy Jamison, and Suzanne Birmingham, and sister- and brother-in-law H. Ross and Margot Perot, of Dallas, TX, as well as 20 nieces and nephews.

64 renbrook SUMMER 2013

Legacy Society

Profile

Jonathan and Beverly Seymour “ Renbrook’s been fabulous for our kids!” Renbrook has been a part Jonathan Seymour’s life for years. He graduated in 1973, and his mother and three siblings all attended the school. But when he and his wife, Bev Seymour, were asked why they included Renbrook School in their estate plans with a bequest, both of them thought first about their experience as parents of Megan ’13 and Jonathan ’15. “We have two very different children and the school has challenged them in different ways,” Jonathan states. “I don’t think either would be as successful in a different school environment. Renbrook has brought both of them along and given them the foundation to move out and succeed in life.” Bev also speaks about Renbrook’s impact on the whole family. “The school is fantastic for children and parents,” she adds, remembering especially her experience in her earliest days at the school with Diane Beaulieu and Marilyn Maxwell in the Beginners. “Our kids were taught, and we too were taught along the way.” The Seymours summed up their decision to make Renbrook a part of their long-term financial plans, by describing Renbrook’s unique hands-on, beyond-thetextbook education as “learning at its best.” When thinking about your estate plans, please consider a bequest in your will to Renbrook. It is one of the easiest gifts you can make to the school, and it has many benefits: • A bequest doesn’t require spending cash or other assets today • It is easy to do. You can add a bequest through a codicil or a standard revision to your estate plans • If circumstances change, a bequest is easy to modify • It may reduce your estate taxes • Best of all, you will be bringing learning at its best to future generations of children.

For more information, or if you already included, or intend to include, Renbrook in your estate plans, please call or write Ann Finholt, Director of Alumni & Development, at (860) 236-1661, ext. 282; afinholt@renbrook.org. Or visit us online at www.renbrook.org/plannedgiving. All requests for confidentiality are carefully honored.

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Celebrating the classes of 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003 www.renbrook.org/alumni