POMFRET Magazine FALL 2015
o responsibility to d . r u yo is it ve lie e b I e life you’re given something with th ivo ’18 — Leslie Rosario-Ol
FALL 2015
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FEATURES 26
Higher Walls To Climb
FEATURES
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The 3rd Teacher
Ripples of Impact
Pomfret School 398 Pomfret Street • PO Box 128 Pomfret, CT 06258-0128 860-963-6100 www.pomfretschool.org Editor Melissa Perkins Bellanceau mbellanceau@pomfretschool.org Head Writer Garry Dow Design Jordan Kempain
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Campus Master Planning
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The Most Important Documentarian of Our Time
CONNECTIONS
HILLTOP 6
Banner Year
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From Simmer to Boil
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Chapel Talk: Fragile Little Moments
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The Sundial
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Class Notes
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In Memoriam
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Class Agents & Secretaries
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Gatherings
Convocation: Lessons in Learning
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E.E. Ford Foundation Awards Pomfret $50,000 Grant
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Pomfret Welcomes 11 New Faculty
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Pomfret Announces Creation of Multicultural Resource Center
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Arts
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Athletics
Pomfret School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, handicap, gender, sexual orientation, age, or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid, or other programs administered by the School.
Contributing Writers Tim Richards P ’15 Melissa Perkins Bellanceau Jamie Feild Baker Chip Lamb, P ’09, ’11 Class Notes & Gatherings Editor Deb Thurston dthurston@pomfretschool.org Contributing Photographers Lindsay Lehmann Jim Gipe (Pivot Media) Deb Thurston
Pomfret Magazine is published by Pomfret’s Communications Office © 2015 We welcome letters from readers on subjects related to the School. We also welcome letters to the editor and suggestions for future articles. Submissions may be edited or shortened for publication. Please email submissions to: mbellanceau@pomfretschool.org. Our Mission: Pomfret School cultivates a healthy interdependence of mind, body, and spirit in its students as it prepares them for college and to lead and learn in a diverse and increasingly interconnected society.
Weekend REUNION SAVE THE DATE May 13-15, 2016
We look forward to welcoming all alumni back to the Pomfret Hilltop to celebrate great memories, connect with classmates, faculty, and current students, and participate in the many activities throughout the weekend. Special celebrations are being planned by the following classes celebrating milestone reunions this year:
1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011
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For more details and to register online, go to pomfretschool.org/alumnireunion To volunteer to rally your classmates, please contact Tammie LaBonte, Director of Reunion Engagement at tlabonte@pomfretschool.org or by phone at 860.963.6131.
Looking For A Career-Specific Professional Mentor and/or Network? www.pomfretschool.org/CareerMentoring • Find fellow alumni from a number of career fields willing to share their career advice and experiences. • Use as a springboard for making connections with Pomfret alumni in your field of choice. • Learn how to be part of Pomfret’s Alumni Career Expo and/or other networking events in Boston, New York, DC, and other major cities across the country.
• Volunteer to be a career mentor/advisor, networking event host, or speaker. Alumni Association Career Networking Chairs Jo Anna Galanti Fellon ’02 and Mac Bayly ’99 and Advancement Office Staff Liaison Tammie LaBonte P ’05 are waiting to hear from you!
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POMFRET Magazine
2015 - 2016 POMFRET
2016 - 2017
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ADMISSIONS
PROSPECTING
ENROLLMENT
States Visited
Boarding Students
59
Day Students
26 States
19 Countries
Banner Year
By Carson Roy, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
This academic year we enrolled the largest number of boarding students in our history.
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n total 302 boarding students and 59 day students, hailing from 26 states and 19 countries, joined the Pomfret community, expanding the geographic, racial, and socio-economic diversity that makes our school such a special place to live and learn. This fall we visited 18 states and 12 countries to meet and interview nearly 400 prospective students for the upcoming year. Closer to home, we hosted our biggest Open House in years. Sixty families visited the Hilltop on November 7th to see firsthand what makes Pomfret unique. Of these, 33 interviewed with us. This winter we are holding additional events in Moscow, Jamaica, New York City, Darien, Cologne, Munich, Helsinki, Stockholm, Istanbul, Almaty, and Boston. Of course, we cannot be everywhere all time. If you are a Pomfret graduate interested in attending a school fair or interviewing a prospective family on our behalf, please email me at croy@pomfretschool. org. In addition, if you know a prospective student, maybe your own son or daughter, please contact the Admissions Office and tell us. We would love to hear from you. Our application deadline is January 15th. We will be interviewing through the end of January. The next time you are on the Hilltop, please stop by Robinson House and say hello. We would love to see you!
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Countries Visited
565+ Interviews
Application DEADLINE
January
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FALL 2015
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HILLTOP
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...keeping our eyes squarely focused on the future and what we must do to ensure that we are making steady progress toward fulfilling our mission and vision.
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POMFRET Magazine
From Simmer to Boil By Tim Richards P ’15, Head of School
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his letter is a bit of a departure for me. I’ve grown accustomed to writing more prolifically for this magazine, sharing my perspective and reflections on a wide array of topics. This time around I have opted to take a different approach, allowing our new initiatives to speak for themselves. This is no mean feat for me, as the excitement I am feeling about everything at Pomfret has grown from a steady simmer to a full boil. This fall has seen us make significant leaps forward with respect to fulfilling the vision we established two and one-half years ago in the strategic plan. We have a new schedule that emphasizes deep learning and the benefits of a slower pace to our days. We are iterating our way through a dynamic and unique student life curriculum known as Q.U.E.S.T. We have adopted a creative master plan that focuses on the core academic and community gathering spaces on campus. We have made a forward-looking decision to switch to 8-player football next year, a move that reflects both the increasing trend toward specialization and the diminishing number of football players coming through our doors. Finally, even as the adults in this community continue to grow into and learn from our new initiatives, we are keeping our eyes squarely focused on the future and what we must do to ensure that we are making steady progress toward fulfilling our mission and vision. While we are enjoying the early successes of our new programs, this winter we begin another deep journey of self-analysis in the form of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation process that begins with a rigorous self-evaluation of our programs. This self-study will provide us with even greater clarity about who and what we are, and will provide us with another piece — along with the strategic plan and the master plan — of the foundation for our increasingly bright future. Small wonder I am excited to be a part of this dynamic community at this time! I hope you enjoy the story that this edition of the Pomfret Magazine tells.
FALL 2015
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HILLTOP | Academics
Convocation:
Lessons in Learning “If we wish to be truly effective learners, we should adopt the mindset of hungry beginners when it comes to learning.”
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he Pomfret community gathered for its Academic Convocation Sunday, September 13, in Lewis Gymnasium, to welcome in the 2015-2016 school year and to honor the 2014-2015 academic achievements of returning students. Following the awarding of prizes by Head of School Tim Richards P ’15 and Dean of Academics Patrick Andrén, Richards spoke about success. “These students did not win these awards by accident,” he said. “They demonstrated true commitment and dedication while striving to achieve at the very highest level.” Commitment and dedication, he continued, were the obvious tools, available to anyone determined to succeed. But what he really urged students to think about was the not so obvious: humility. He referenced the book The Power of Kindness, by
Piero Ferrucci, from which he’d drawn a portion of his Chapel talk the previous Friday. “Ferrucci believes that humility is an essential ingredient in learning,” Richards said. “People who already consider themselves experts take fewer risks and ask fewer questions… And while they may feel secure, they tend to learn less.” To be truly effective learners, Ferrucci says “we should adopt the mindset of hungry beginners when it comes to learning. We should ask every possible question, regardless of how simple they may be.” The author’s take on humility, Richards went on to say, is that “it makes us work more diligently and prepare more thoroughly, which in turn leads to a higher level of success and achievement.” “This should be food for thought for students and faculty alike,” he concluded, “as we move into all of the learning that will take place this year.”
AWARD WINNERS English Department Third Form English Award Elli Xiao ’18 Fourth Form English Award Jackson Lyon ’17 Fifth Form English Award Anna Tarplin ’16 Fine Arts Department Painting and Drawing Award Rebecca Pempek ’16 Photography Award Sofie Melian-Morse ’16 Ceramics Award Yujia Ma ’18 Sculpture Award Bryce Voges ’18 Dance Award H.P. Wackerman ’16 Music Award Aidan McGannon ’16 Theater Award Amanda Lim ’17
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History Department World History Award Jiaman Peng ’17 U.S. History Award Anh Vu ’16 Mathematics Department Algebra Award Yian Wang ’18 and Khanh Le ’18 Precalculus Award Minkeun Song ’17 Calculus Award JoonKi Hong ’16 Geometry Award Colin LeSage ’18 Religion Department Religion Award Hanna Ohaus ’16 Science Department Physics Yuxin Lan ’17
Chemistry Anh Vu ’16 Biology Sam Skinner ’16 The Science Elective Prize Remy Wells ’16 The Benjamin B. Morgan ’53 Award Colin LeSage ’18 World Languages Department Chinese 1 Ngoc Tran ’16 Chinese 2 Nathan Donze ’17 Chinese 3 Minkeun Song ’17 Chinese 4 Anh Vu ’16 French 1 Yian Wang ’18 French 2 Amanda Lim ’17 French 3 Weizhi Wu ’16
French 4 Eduardo Munoz-Alonso Merigo ’16 French Language AP Michai Zlatopolsky ’16 Latin 1 Jack Bacon ’16 Latin 2 Shu “Lisa” Liao ’17 Latin 3 Rebecca Pempek ’16 Latin 4 Anna Tarplin ’16 Spanish 1 Colin LeSage ’18 Spanish 2 Alexander Kravtsov ’17 Spanish 3 Grace Jackson ’17 Spanish 4 Grace Sandercox ’16 Spanish Language AP Davis Chase ’17 Spanish Literature AP Sofie Melian-Morse ’16
E.E. Ford Foundation Awards Pomfret
$50,000 Grant By Jamie Feild Baker, Director of the Grauer Institute
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fter a year of thinking, researching, planning, writing, hosting, and waiting, Head of School Tim Richards received the call from E. E. Ford Foundation Executive Director, John Gulla, sharing the news that the School’s $50,000 grant proposal to develop a solar aquaponics greenhouse would, indeed, be funded. Obtaining an E.E. Ford Foundation grant is a highly competitive and comprehensive process. Submission is only open to independent high schools in the United States that are in good standing with the National Association of Independent Schools. The E.E. Ford grant monies will be used to fund a series of year-long courses focused on constructing and maintaining a solar aquaponics greenhouse. Solar greenhouses operate by capturing sunlight energy, converting it to heat energy, and storing it to be released as needed to maintain a constant temperature in the growing area.
In the first year, using engineering and design problem-solving approaches, students will work collaboratively and across disciplines to design, evaluate, and build a solar greenhouse. In the following year, a series of experiential courses will be developed to design, construct, and operate the aquaponics grow systems and soil beds to be used for food production and study in biology, environmental science, engineering, and computer-programming classes. “By offering students an extended, complex project like the Solar Aquaponics Greenhouse,” explains Science Teacher Bill Martin, “they can authentically practice the skills of empathy, research, design, teaming, interdisciplinary application of information, complex problem-solving, design-thinking, and communication – all skills we aspire to cultivate in the Pomfret graduate.” Funds from the E. E. Ford grant are contingent on a one-to-one fundraising match. To date, the School has raised $20,000 of the $50,000 match thanks to a grant from the Horizon Foundation in Portland, Maine.
FALL 2015
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HILLTOP | Academics
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NEW FACULTY
This fall Pomfret welcomed eleven new faculty members to the Hilltop. They are an eclectic group, with unique backgrounds and interests, who all share a deep and abiding concern for the mission and vision of Pomfret School. In addition to these new faces, Art Horst has filled the open Associate Director of College Counseling position vacated by Rod Eaton after his retirement. Art continues to coach wrestling and teach math. As the new Assistant Dean of Students, Julie Kremer, a teacher in the English department, has added dorm duty, coaching, and School Officer in Charge (SOC) rotation to her list of responsibilities.
1) Erin Davey is the new Associate Director of Admissions. Most recently, Erin worked at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Erin coaches hockey and softball. 2) Katie Duglin ’01 teaches history. Before joining the faculty, Katie worked for the law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in New York City where she specialized in international arbitration. She coaches hockey and lacrosse. 3) Ed Griffin is our new Chief Financial Officer, replacing Arthur Diaz ’78. Ed spent 11 years as the business manager and controller at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. 4) Doug MacLeod is our newest history teacher. Doug hails from the Spence School in New York City. He coaches basketball. 5) Jennifer Osborne is the new Coordinator of Student Activities. She comes from Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. She also supervises the riding program. 6) Mariano Perez is our newest Spanish teacher. Mariano is a native of Barcelona, Spain. She is fluent in Spanish, English, Catalan, French, and German. She coaches soccer. 12
POMFRET Magazine
7) Tim Rose teaches chemistry and pre-calculus. Tim hails from Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut. He coaches football and lacrosse. 8) Kelly Sheehan P ’10, ’19 is the new Associate Director of Admissions. She returns to Pomfret School after working next door at Rectory School for the past four years. 9) Sarah-Anne Wildgoose is the new Digital Arts Department Chair. Prior to joining Pomfret, Sarah-Anne taught at the Rhode Island School of Design. She coaches tennis. 10) Ryan Gendreau is the new Assistant Athletic Trainer. Ryan is a 2015 graduate of Springfield College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in athletic training. Ryan lives in nearby Quinebaug, Connecticut. 11) Ryan Donaldson teaches history and tutors students through the academic support office. He has significant summer experience working as an instructor for the Duke Talent Identification Program.
Number Triangle
Do you have what it takes to keep up in a Pomfret math classroom? Test your powers of quantitative reasoning with this number triangle submitted by Math Teacher Brian Rice. Examine the number triangle to determine how it has been constructed. Then append a row to the triangle below the last row shown.
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Answer on Page 15.
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HILLTOP | Leadership
Head of School Tim Richards P ’15, Director of Advancement & Communications Melissa Bellanceau, Honorary Life Trustee Brad Straus ’54, Trustee Michael Gary ’82, Board of Trustees Chair Justin Klein ’65, and Director of Diversity & Community Relations Steve Davis
Pomfret Announces Creation of Multicultural Resource Center By Garry Dow, Associate Director of Communications
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n December the board of trustees voted unanimously to approve the creation of a new multicultural resource center at Pomfret School.
The Virginia S. Eaton Multicultural Resource Center at Pomfret School was made possible thanks to the generous support of Bradford P. Straus. A 1954 graduate, Straus served as a trustee from 1973 to 2003. He is the recipient of the prestigious Olmsted Award, one of the School’s highest honors for distinguished service to Pomfret. He also holds the title of Honorary Life Trustee. “Ginny Eaton has been the face of diversity resources for decades,” Straus said.
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POMFRET Magazine
From 1985-1989, Eaton served as a VOICE advisor with her husband Marshall ’70, a longtime math teacher and former Senior Master at Pomfret. She reprised her role as an advisor from 1998-99 and then again from 2001-2002. From 2012 to 2014, she served as the Assistant to the Director of Diversity and Community Relations. In her time, Ginny Eaton opened her home to hundreds of students of color who felt isolated and alone. “Marshall and Ginny were like lifeguards,” remembers Bob Fuller ’87, who was a beneficiary of the Eaton’s kindness during his time at Pomfret. “They would jump into deep waters and rescue students. They are monuments to the spirit of Pomfret.”
Pomfret Trustee Steps Into New Leadership Position
Inspired by the model of multicultural resource centers founded by the National Association of Independent Schools in the 1990s, the center’s goal is to enrich the Pomfret community through increased knowledge, awareness, and understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives by addressing issues such as racism, sexism, economic and social inequity, and prejudice.
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he Friends Select School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania recently named Pomfret alumnus and current Trustee Michael Gary ’82 as its next Head of School, effective July 1, 2016.
Led by Steve Davis, Director of Diversity and Community Relations, this multicultural resource center will serve, support, and empower faculty, staff, students, and other constituents to actualize their full potential. Center funds will be used to strengthen Pomfret’s ongoing efforts to improve cultural proficiency on the Hilltop. In particular, the center will focus on professional development for all faculty, and the recruitment, hiring, and retention of faculty and administrators of color.
Since 2002 Michael has been the Director of Admissions at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. Michael came to Pomfret as a student through the Ulysses S. Grant Foundation, an enrichment program for inner-city New Haven youth based at Yale. His experience at Pomfret was, as he describes it, “the first of his lifechanging experiences.”
In an email to the Pomfret community, Tim Richards, Head of School, wrote: “We are tremendously excited by the possibilities afforded to Pomfret School and the local community as a result of this gift.” The new center will be housed on the Pomfret School campus, and all public, private, and faith-based schools within a one-hour radius will be eligible for membership, including schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
ANSWER (Page 13): 1
5
15
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1
Each element in this triangle, except the single 1 in row 0, is the sum of the elements directly above and to the left and right of the number above. For example, 16 is the sum of 3 + 6 + 7
Gary, a native of New Haven, Connecticut, graduated from Trinity College with a degree in economics. He holds a master’s degree in administration and social policy from Harvard School of Education. Gary currently serves on the Secondary School Admission Test Board (SSATB) and chairs the Testing Committee. He is president and founder of Inner City Lacrosse, a nonprofit access program in Connecticut that connects local youth with university players. Gary and his wife, Trina, are the parents of three adult children: Andre, Tammara, and Milan. FALL 2015
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HILLTOP | Arts
CAST
Doug Braff Bob T Dinh Chorus Alex Foley Chorus Arrietty Ji Chorus Alex Koo Chorus Colin LeSage Chorus Amanda Lim Chorus Leslie Rosario-Olivo Chorus Annie Vance Chorus Ellie Xiao Chorus MUSIC
Tim Peck Bass Colin LeSage Saxaphone Maggie Peng Violin Sage Min Peng Guitar STAFF
Melanie Haas Assistant Director Elizabeth Jacquet Costumes Junko Pinkowski Graphic Artist Chip Lamb, JP Jacquet Set Design Tony Guglietti Choreographer Tim Peck Music Director Chip Lamb Director 16
POMFRET Magazine
BOB: A Life In Five Acts A Play by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
By Chip Lamb, Arts Department Chair and Theater Director
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his fall Pomfret Theater presented BOB: A Life in Five Acts. A three-night run, the performance premiered on Thursday, November 12th in Hard Auditorium.
Written as a contemporary vaudeville, BOB is a roller-coaster journey through American culture as the title character tries desperately to fulfill his legacy as a great man. From his inauspicious beginnings to wild swings in fortune and misfortune, Bob learns that greatness is not about the accumulation of wealth and fame. He comes to realize that his greatest achievement lies in his connection with others. Our cast of ten actors was put to a substantial test in this play. The presentational style forced every actor to deliver every moment with unflagging energy and presence. Many had to establish fully realized characters with only a line or two. As the character of Bob navigated through a vast range of experiences, the cast had to create and sustain all of the challenges he faced. The group established an ensemble that relied heavily on listening and trust. They became close collaborators in creating a piece of theater that was funny, relevant, and thought-provoking.
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Visit Pomfret’s Off-Campus Art Gallery at Silver Circle Art Center in Putnam, Connecticut. For more info visit www.pomfretschool.org/PSArt
k r a m a g makin into the abstract an exploration
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AP DRAWING STUDENTS
HONORS DRAWING STUDENTS
Sydney Fisher ’17 Alexsa Jack ’18 Arseniy Koshelev ’16 Olivia Kremer ’17 Lisa Liao ’17 Emily Linhares ’16 Maggie Peng ’17 Phoebe Pliakas-Smith ’16 Amy Son ’16 Annie Wang ’18
Melissa Browne ’17 Rebecca Bullied ’17 Meaghan Haley ’18 Alice Le ’18 Bristol Shields ’17 Abby Stone ’18 Annie Vance ’16 Wesley Yang ’18 Dan Zheng ’17
POMFRET Magazine
Between September 28, 2015 and November 29, 2015 Pomfret School’s Honors and AP Drawing students showcased large, non-representational drawings on paper that explored the beauty of making a mark.
(l-r): Lindsey Cole Miesmer ’72, Charles Cole ’75, CiCi Cole, Willie Cole ’81, Susan Cole Campbell ’71
Father and Sons
A much beloved teacher, mentor, artist, and coach, Charles D. “Chick” Cole ’56 Hon. had a long and storied career at Pomfret. He is an inspiration to many, including his two sons, who are also accomplished artists. Between November 30, 2015 and January 31, 2016, P.S. Art in Putnam is hosting a retrospective of paintings and drawings by Chick and his sons, Charles D. Cole ’75 and William R. Cole ’81.
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ATHLETICS
FALL
HILLTOP | Athletics
NEPSAC Class “B” Quarterfinalist
BOYS SOCCER 8-5-6
GIRLS SOCCER 11-5-2
Head Coach: Patrick Burke Assistant Coach: Waddy Rowe Captains: Jack Bacon ’16 & Nicholas Mazzarella ’16
Head Coach: Erin Fisher Assistant Coach: Tim Deary Captains: Sydney Fisher ’17 & Rhone O’Hara ’16
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Head Coach: Rachel Frenkil Assistant Coach: Jillian Forgue Captains: Sofia Melian-Morse ’16 & Sarah Youngman ’16
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NEPSAC Class “B” Quarterfinalist
POMFRET Magazine
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY Head Coach: David Ring Captains: JoonKi Hong ’16 & Charles Shehan ’17
Marnie K. Keator Girls’ Cross Country Award Sofia Melian-Morse ’16
Elizabeth Joy Dommers ’87 Soccer Award Sydney Fisher ’17
Lisa Noble ’82 Field Hockey Award Anna Tarplin ’16
Rosenberg Family Volleyball Award Margaret Calvert ’17
Greg Burke ’82 Football Award Cristiano Rovero ’16 Richardson Cup Yaw Sekyere ’16
FIELD HOCKEY 7-10-0
AWARDS
Brendon P. Giblin ’95 & Nicholas D. Mettler ’95 Captains Award Denton Lane ’18
Christopher Lufkin ’82 Cross Country Award Joonki Hong ’16
Grant J. Wood Soccer Bowl Nicholas Mazzarella ’16
Head Coach: Louisa Gebelein Jones P ’04 Assistant Coach: Quinn Brueggemann Captains: Katharine Moran ’16, Anna Tarplin ’16 & Remy Wells ’16
FOOTBALL 0-8-0 Head Coach: David Couillard Assistant Coachs: Steven Davis, Brian Geyer, Tim Rose, & Joe Leo Captains: Aidan McGannon ’16, Caelan Meggs ’16, & Cristiano Rovero ’16
NEPSAC Class “B” Champions
16-6-0 VOLLEYBALL Head Coach: Javier Alvarez Captains: Margaret Calvert ’17 & Alyzae Davis ’16
FALL 2015
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HILLTOP | Athletics
VOLLEYBALL WINS
NEPSAC Championship
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n Sunday, November 22, the fifthseeded Griffins defeated Dana Hall School for the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) volleyball championship at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut. Early on the girls were trying to make plays, forcing plays, but nothing was coming together. The volleys went back and forth over all five games of tournament play. Then the first set was over, a loss, 21-25. The second set was even worse, another loss for the Griffins, 16-25. The pressure was mounting. Then, when all hope seemed lost, the girls began to rally. “We didn’t come this far to lose,” their faces said. “Not here, not now, not this way.” In the third and fourth sets, the Griffins delivered a barrage of aces, blocks, kills, and assists. Both games were nail biters, but when the dust settled, the Griffins had taken both sets, 25-22 and 27-25, respectively. The final set was intense. As the game began, a few of the girls were visibly shaking. Back and forth it went. At 8-3 it seemed like a sure win. At 12-10 it seemed anything but. Pomfret gained the serve at 14-12, and then Liz Clagett stepped up, tossed the ball into the air, and served the last point for the win. “From the timid group of girls in September to an amazing team, still shaky in their confidence, they grew this season to be unstoppable,” said the coach. “I am proud to have worked with these strong, courageous girls. Well done ladies, the trophy is yours.”
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HILLTOP | Athletics
NEWS
ALUMNI ATHLETIC Micaela Long ’06 signed on as a forward to The Connecticut Whale of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) in July 2015 for the 2015-2016 season. Micaela was assistant hockey coach at Pomfret for the 2014-2015 season, and formerly played with the CWHL’s Boston Blades in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. She played college hockey at the University of New Hampshire, scoring 126 points in her four-year collegiate career. Micaela capped her senior season as the Hockey East scoring champion, First Team All-Star, and was nominated for the Patty Kazmaier Award. Felice Mueller ’08 and her pair partner earned a bronze medal in the World Rowing Championships in Aiguebelette, France on September 5, 2015. Alex Campione ’09 was named head softball coach at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA for the 2015-16 season. Alex joins
Wentworth after serving the previous two seasons as an assistant softball coach at Franklin Pierce University. She is joined by Katie Peverada ’10, who serves as assistant softball coach.
Laura Dunn ’05 and Sam Zuckerman ’12 earned gold medals at the Head of the Charles Regatta on October 17-18, 2015 for coxing their respective rowing teams to victory. Laura is the coxswain for the University of Michigan women’s alumni eight and Sam is the coxswain for Hobart College varsity eight. Following their win at the Head of the Charles, the Hobart varsity eight was named the Liberty League Men’s Rowing Boat of the Week. Andi Nicholson ’13, a junior forward on the Trinity College women’s soccer team, was named NESCAC Player of the Week on September 28, 2015. Evan Jaccodine ’15 is a freshman on the men’s varsity eight crew team at Rochester Institute of Technology. The RIT varsity eight boat was named the Liberty League Men’s Crew Boat of the Week on September 28, 2015. The team opened the 2015 fall rowing season with a win at William Smith College’s Challenge on the Canal, posting a strong time of 15:02.0 to win. Makenna Newkirk ’15, a freshman on the Boston College women’s hockey team, was named as the Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week on October 12 and November 9, 2015. She had collected 15 points (nine goals, six assists) and at the time was the nation’s leading freshman goal scorer. Kyra Smith ’15, a freshman goaltender on the University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team, was honored as Hockey East Defensive Player of Week on November 9, 2015. Spencer Whitmire ’15, a member of the men’s tennis team at St. Lawrence University, won the B Flight doubles championship at the annual SLU Fall Classic at the opening of the season in September 2015.
Alex Campione ’09 (right) & Katie Peverada ’10 (left)
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POMFRET Magazine
TWO POMFRET ATHLETES SIGN NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT
ALUMNI PLAYING COLLEGE ATHLETICS During Fall 2015 Season
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’14
ELISABETH BARTKUS ’15 ROWING AT ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY EMANUEL CALMAR ’15 FOOTBALL AT RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE MATTHEW CLAYTON ’15 FOOTBALL AT UNION COLLEGE CHELSEA CUTLER ’15 SOCCER AT AMHERST COLLEGE DEVIN FRISBY ’15 SOCCER AT COLLEGE OF WOOSTER JOSH GENOVESE ’15 FOOTBALL AT GETTSYBURG COLLEGE CAMERON GILES ’15 GOLF AT BRYANT UNIVERSITY CASSANDRA HAYWARD ’15 SOCCER AT HAMILTON COLLEGE EVAN JACCODINE ’15 CREW AT ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DARREN SINGH-ESTRADA ’15 FOOTBALL AT LAKE FOREST COLLEGE ZACKERY WEIMER ’15 ROWING AT LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE SPENCER WHITMIRE ’15 TENNIS AT ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY CAITLIN WOOD ’15 WESLEYAN COLLEGE ALEX GEREW ’14 FIELD HOCKEY AT STONEHILL COLLEGE MAE HANSON ’14 ROWING AT UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT JD HAYWARD ’14 SOCCER AT ST. ANSELM COLLEGE NATE KREMER ’14 GOLF AT HAMILTON COLLEGE KATHERINE PEARSON ’14 ROWING AT UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ELIZABETH RATHJEN ’14 ROWING AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY NOAH VAN DYKE ’14 ROWING AT DARTMOUTH
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KEITH DUCHARME ’13 FOOTBALL AT BENTLEY UNIVERSITY CHARLIE GRUNER ’13 SOCCER AT WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY KEVIN LEBLANC ’13 FOOTBALL AT UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER NAJA LEWIS ’13 VOLLEYBALL AT WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY ANDREA NICHOLSON ’13 SOCCER AT TRINITY COLLEGE AMANDA PROULX ’13 SOCCER AT CONNECTICUT COLLEGE GRIFFIN RICHARDS ’13 ROWING AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY TAYLOR SULIK ’13 FOOTBALL AT U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY
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MACKENZIE DUNPHY ’12 SOCCER AT NAZARETH COLLEGE SAM ZUCKERMAN ’12 ROWING AT HOBART COLLEGE
Elisabeth Berard’16
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wo Pomfret athletes committed to college teams this fall. Middle infielder Elisabeth Berard ’16 signed a National Letter of Intent to play Division II softball for Adelphi University where she plans to study education. Forward Gerald Blount ’16 signed a National Letter of Intent to play Division I basketball with St. Joseph University where he plans to study finance. “I’m feeling excited,” Blount said. “I don’t have to worry about the college admissions process anymore.”
Gerald Blount ’16
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FEATURE
By Garry Dow, Associate Director of Communications
“Join me in my quest for a greater understanding of our existence. Join me in my desire for a greater self. Join me as I seek the humility to love and understand my fellow man.” - Bryant H. McGill
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amoi “Angel” Kermah ’19 rose from her seat inside Hard Auditorium and ascended the stairs leading to the stage. The room was packed full of parents, grandparents, administrators, and faculty members who had all come to hear about the School’s newest student life initiative, Q.U.E.S.T. As Kermah approached the podium, she placed a slightly wrinkled sheet of paper in front of her, took a long, deep breath, and began:
and Wellness, aids students in the pursuit of a balanced life. The fourth pillar, Social Justice and Diversity, challenges students to act with a greater sense of awareness and empathy toward others.
“During one particularly memorable weekend, we focused on how to spot an unhealthy relationship before it is too late,” recalls Will Scharer ’16. “I hadn’t really thought about the signs of an unhealthy relationship. In school most of the focus is on academics, athletics, “During Q.U.E.S.T. we had to climb a wall. It was a fairly large and arts, not on relationships. This was truly an eye-opener for wall, with no grips, and we were told to climb it with no support, me. Although I had an understanding about what an unhealthy but for our classmates pushing and pulling us to the top. I was relationship was, I didn’t know how to have an open dialogue about terrified. I didn’t know all of my classmates. I didn’t know if I was it. Now I do.” going to make it. But I chose to put all my trust in my classmates In addition to the four pillars, students are organized by form. Form to push me up the wall… and they did.” teams are made up of members of the faculty and administration, Designed to enhance living and learning at Pomfret, Q.U.E.S.T. and are led by the form deans. The members of the form teams challenges students to question, understand, engage, share, and serve as active guides who assist with the implementation of the transition. Visit the Hilltop on any given Q.U.E.S.T. weekend and lessons and support the students in their charge. The form teams you’ll find questers just like Angel Kermah, traversing the low ropes are also responsible for establishing classroom norms and culture, course or discussing domestic violence or performing community and for assessing student engagement and learning. service or learning origami — all to better understand themselves, Critically, each form is guided by a set of theme-driven essential their classmates, and the world around them. questions. With a special focus on identity, third formers begin “This school life program really grew out of our desire to create a with the crucial task of uncovering and developing their own distinctive boarding school experience for our students based on unique strengths, qualities, traits, and passions by asking who am the Vision of the Pomfret Graduate,” said Dean of Students Dolph I. Because the class nearly doubles in size sophomore year, fourth form students ask who are we as they consider the role individuals Clinton ’92, who oversees the program. play in the context of community. During their junior year, fifth According to Joseph Campbell, the famous mythologist, all quests formers grapple with the relationship between leadership and are derived from the same archetype, which forms the underlying service with the question what do I bring. Lastly, sixth form students structure of every story ever told, including the story of our own consider their legacy by asking what do I leave behind. lives. Quests, he says, represent the personal growth and maturation “The best thing about this program,” said Clinton, “is that of human beings down through the ages. our students will continue to ask these questions for the rest The challenge, of course, was to take an idea that had existed for of their lives.” several millennia, and re-purpose it for high school students living When Angel Kermah had nearly finished her presentation, she in the 21st century. paused. Behind her, a photo was projected onto a screen. In the Q.U.E.S.T. is based on the four pillars of student life. Pillar teams, photo, Kermah is standing at the base of the wall, reaching out for comprised of faculty from different academic and administrative the classmates above her. departments, are responsible for designing the curriculum, implementing the lessons, and evaluating the program. The “Even though there are bigger and higher walls to climb,” Kermah first pillar, Beyond the Hilltop, introduces students to the many concluded, “I know that I can trust my classmates, family, and possibilities available to them following graduation. The second friends to help me along the way. I know that we can help each pillar, Character and Leadership, encourages students to cultivate other climb, even when there isn’t anything to hold us.” core values that will sustain them as adults. The third pillar, Health
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Q.U.E.S.T is the new team-designed student life curriculum developed to enhance living and learning at Pomfret. Each form focuses on a suite of theme-based guiding questions while engaging across the four pillars of student life.
1 Introduces the many possibilities available following graduation.
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2
Challenges students to act with a greater sense of awareness and empathy toward others.
Aids students in the pursuit of a balanced life.
Encourages students to cultivate core values that will sustain them as adults.
What Do I Leave? LEGACY
VI FORM
What Do I Bring?
SERVICE
V
Who Are We?
FORM
IV
COMMUNITY
FORM
Who Am I?
IDENTITY
III FORM
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We can develop learning environments where students are encouraged, not instructed; challenged and provoked, not assembled.
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Students learn from the space we, as their teachers, provide them whether we choose to be conscious of it or not. Students learn from every element of the room arrangement, differences between student furniture and teacher furniture, what’s on the walls and what’s not on the walls, and how materials are stored, presented, and used.
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oris Malaguzzi, founder of Reggio Emilia, expressed this best when he wrote, “There are three teachers of children: adults, other children, and their physical environment.” The learning environment is, in effect, the third teacher. The reality, of course, is that we must work within the confines of our existing buildings, which are very traditional in their egg carton design. Few of our spaces are intentionally colorful, flexible, and handily reconfigurable. The traditional design mimics factory assembly stations with students going from one classroom to another to be filled with what the teacher decides they need to know. Even so, we can maximize our spaces to foster engaged inquiry, collaborative discovery, and active learning. We can re-design existing classrooms to be more like labs, studios, workrooms, and group meeting spaces. We can develop learning environments where students are encouraged, not instructed; challenged and provoked, not assembled.
» PHYSICAL SPACE MATTERS Classrooms are containers for learning. In thinking about how they can and should change, we must continually ask two questions: does this container support Pomfret’s Vision of the Graduate? Does it support our Learning Principles? At Pomfret, classrooms tend to be small, and furniture tends to be large. This creates staid, stagnant learning environments. Many classrooms are equipped with Harkness-style tables which are sometimes old, wooden beauties; sometimes, more modern, modular versions. These tables are singularly suited for whole group discussion. I am sure the hope was that the modular versions could be moved around, but ours are simply too heavy to rearrange easily during a class period. Some of our classrooms have desks and chairs, which can be arranged in rows or pods. When I first arrived, rows were more usual as was the teacher’s desk or podium marking the focal point at the front of the
room. In these physical environments, where the space is the teacher’s grandstand, students quickly learn that they are the audience, ready to passively receive what is decided by the teacher as important to know. In spaces where the teacher is a stage performer, offering an idea or venturing a question can feel, for students, more like an annoying interruption than a valued contribution to the learning. Even though Harkness-style tables offer an environment more conducive to discussion, learning around the table can still be very teacher-centric. At Pomfret we often see a special chair marking the place where the teacher always sits, the literal seat of power and controller of learning. If table discussions are not intentionally executed to transfer the content and control of the conversation to the students, they become just a thinly veiled form of lecture. When teachers have a dedicated classroom, it is not uncommon to see walls full of family photos, notes and pictures from past students, old student work, personal collections and souvenirs from previous trips, former teams, former schools – personal mementos. In these highly personalized classrooms, the walls teach incoming students that they have entered the teacher’s monumental and sacrosanct world. What is troubling, I would even say detrimental, about teacher-centric spaces is that students learn to receive information passively, to power down intellectually and emotionally, to defer instead of question. Teacher-centric learning environments teach students the exact opposite of what it means to being engaged, self-directed, inquiry-driven, collaborative, and active learners. A teacher-centric, highly controlled learning environment might not seem detrimental; for many adults, sit-and-get schooling is the only kind of schooling they have ever known. In fact, this shared experience is one of the biggest obstacles to re-imagining and appreciating an environment designed for maximum learning flexibility and possibility. The classroom should serve as a tool that reinforces the style and habits of learning we want our students to develop. The walls should display the work students are doing now, the writing students are revising now, the problems students are solving now, the learning happening now. As learning progresses FALL 2015
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The classroom should serve as a tool that reinforces the style and habits of learning we want our students to develop.
what is showcased on the walls should change. By demonstrating iterative and evolving student work, we make the learning process bigger, better, deeper, and more significant. In this way, the walls teach.
» CHANGE ONE THING AND YOU CHANGE EVERYTHING “When you are stuck in a spiral, to change all aspects of the spin you only need to change one thing.” – Christina Baldwin I first came across Christina Baldwin when I was doing research about the transformative power of story. The reason I was researching the transformative power of story is, well, a long story. For me, this quote has been remarkably instructive. As with a Zen koan, I have engaged in an extensive amount of deep thinking, reflecting, and unraveling to realize its truth and essential power. This deep, searching consideration is my method of working at Pomfret. Here, at the beginning stages of the Grauer Institute’s work, I am constantly seeking to understand and unravel the habits, agendas, mindsets, and other elements that anchor Pomfret’s current operating state or spiral. Through my experience, I have come to know that creating a transformed state, or a new spin, is not as complicated as it seems – not that it is simple or easy either. The key is to make strategic, individual strategic moves. Change one thing and you can change everything. When we decided to expand class blocks to 80 minutes, we were acutely aware that we were changing one thing: the container of time in which learning occurs. This one single move, we knew, would create more possibilities for deep, engaged learning. We also realized it would cause teachers to have to reconsider how they design and lead learning; it would cause them to question what they teach and why they teach it. In the same way, we have recently begun experimenting with spaces that very intentionally depart from traditional classroom sensibilities. Over this past summer, a number of classrooms were completely renovated to incorporate new types of furnishings and arrangements. Some of the new classroom tables can be lowered from standing workbenches to standard seminar-style tables with the touch of a button. Many more classrooms have tables with wheels and locks, which makes them easy to arrange for the learning at hand.
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We are also piloting three types of active seating to encourage mental engagement and active listening. There is no way to be passive or doze off on our new backless chairs; covered exercise balls offer students who need to fidget and wiggle to improve their concentration an easy way to do so without distracting others; and adjustable, lean-to stools encourage students to get up and move around as they learn. Sit-and-get learning is what we are urgently moving away from. Active, collaborative, inquiry-driven learning is what we aspire to. Reimagining the space – leveraging the third teacher – has the power to change the spiral of learning and teaching for everyone.
» SPACE AS PRACTICE FIELD In renovating classrooms at Pomfret, we envision tables that double as writable work surfaces. Research shows that offering a student a sense of impermanence in the process of writing helps thoughts flow and more easily encourages revision and editing. Walls can also be projection surfaces and learning product showcases. Ideally, there is not a distinguishable front to the classroom and in the midst of the learning, the teacher is barely distinguishable from the students because everyone is actively talking, exploring, and learning together. In more modern learning environments, technology is uneventful and connectivity is seamless. The relevant classroom is a workspace that shares more in common with Starbucks than it does with classrooms of our high school years. The learning-centric classroom is a vibrant gathering place where we connect, inquire, support, conflict, and converse with each other while ideas emerge, erupt, excite, and converge. David Perkins, a professor and researcher at Harvard Graduate School of Education, says classrooms should be junior versions of the work environments and challenges our students will face in their futures in order to allow relevant practice in their thinking and interactions. The learning environment should encourage students to offer ideas, take intellectual risks, and experiment with ways of working and communicating.
The classroom should be a place where the teacher is more of a team member, colearner, and co-collaborator. The physical environment should signal that thinking can be fun and playful, and that everyone is a valued learner. Our students’ futures will present them with challenges and opportunities that demand they apply ingenuity, creativity, and a dogged persistence. Our students will have to work on and with multiple teams, sometimes including people they don’t like. They will have to collaborate effectively while individually producing excellent work. Much of their work will not be parsed out in neat, clear assignments that are directed by a single authority figure. Their directives will often be ever-evolving, based on changing conditions: the economy changes, a team member leaves, budgets get cut, customer preferences change. There is no way our students can know in advance everything they will need to know to succeed. Being industrious, resourceful, relational, selfdirected learners will be essential if they are to survive and thrive after Pomfret. Learning while at Pomfret should be their practice field for this reality. At Pomfret, we are choosing to provide our students with spaces that are colorful, flexible, and re-configurable in a flash. We want our walls to teach them that there is always a better version to be worked up, that showing our work to others while in process yields ideas that we have not seen or considered, that the process of learning is as important as the end product. We want the walls to showcase work in progress, work that failed, work that represents multiple iterations, and questions that intrigue because they are challenging, relevant, and important. We want the space to inspire creative problem-solving. We want it to inspire the development of new, bold ideas and opinions. We want our spaces to teach that the important pursuits are good work, good processes, good working habits, and good relationship skills, not simply good grades. We want our spaces to tell the story of our students actively engaged in preparing themselves, with our guidance, for life beyond Pomfret.
VISION OF THE
GRADUATE Pomfret School develops students who are: • Disciplined & Multifaceted Learners • Collaborative & Empathic Leaders • Critical Thinkers
• Creative Problem-Solvers
• Effective Communicators
• Respectful and Ethical Citizens
LEARNING PRINCIPLES At Pomfret, learning: • Is student-centered, relevant, and meaningful; • Values diversity in thought, perspective, and expression; • Engages not just the mind and the brain, but the heart and the spirit; • Happens within a variety of contexts and through multiple instructional approaches; • Requires appropriate levels of rigor and challenge to foster growth and develop mastery. The Grauer Institute is in its second year of operation and focuses on all elements of learning and teaching at Pomfret. FALL 2015
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FEATURE
“Education is violent because it is creative. It is creative because it is human. It is as reckless as playing on the fiddle; as dogmatic as drawing a picture; as brutal as building a house. In short, it is what all human action is: an interference with life and growth.” - G. K. Chesterton
Ripples of Impact
By Garry Dow, Associate Director of Communications
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very December Pomfret sets aside twoand-a-half weeks for a collaborative, project-based learning experience called Project: Pomfret. Now in its third year, this innovative program asks students to become leaders of their own learning. “As a teacher, I don’t know everything, or even most things,” said history teacher Katie Watkins, who is also the Project: Pomfret coordinator. “But I can be a guide. I can help students ask their own authentic questions, and I can support them in their search for meaningful answers.” This year Project: Pomfret 3.0 emphasized two new focus areas. The first was student voice and choice. Starting with the initial project brainstorm last spring, student consultants worked closely with adult project leaders to design meaningful project experiences for their peers. Teachers served as collaborators
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and guides, helping to shape the learning process without overly directing it. The second focus area was student impact. Grouped according to upper and lower form, each of the 27 different project teams was challenged to execute a project that would live beyond the project experience. On December 16, students shared the fruits of their labor during a successful project showcase called Project: Pomfret Palooza. “From the initial project brainstorm through the final product, students really took the lead this year,” said Watkins. “They created authentic, relevant projects that have and will continue to affect this community. They created ripples of impact.”
ENGINEERING FOR SOCIAL GOOD How can the principles of engineering be harnessed to achieve a social good? Engineers solve problems by fashioning solutions tailored to meet specific design constraints. In this project, students explored the engineering cycle and then embarked on a personal engineering project to make the world a better place.
TREEHOUSE MASTERS IN THE MAKING Is building a treehouse child’s play? Treehouses have long stood as icons of childhood. In this project, students found a tree, investigated safety and insurance concerns, engineered a design, procured the materials, and then built a treehouse that will last for years to come.
THE CRAFT AND CULTURE OF GIVING GIFTS
3-D DESIGN: TANGIBLE AND VIRTUAL
Can traditional gifts transform materialism? The practice of gift giving is a time-honored tradition. In this project, students researched the science, history, and art of gift giving from across the world. Then, with the help of their project leaders and guest artisans, they crafted their own gifts to give.
Can the worlds of tangible and virtual design get along? The tangible world and the virtual world have always had an uneasy relationship. In this project, students explored both hands-on and computer-aided design, then applied the techniques they learned from each to fabricate something all its own.
HAPPY & HEALTHY ON THE HILLTOP How can we make Pomfret happier and healthier? A happy student is a healthy student. In this project, students explored key issues related to health and wellness before serving as consultants to present their findings and recommendations to school leaders.
POMFRET SKILLS, #PS What skills will you need outside the classroom? In this project, students tackled life skills such as budgeting, navigation, emergency preparedness, and etiquette. The students then applied the skills to real life situations.
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FEATURE
CAMPUS MASTER By Tim Richards P ’15, Head of School
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hen Pomfret launched a new strategic plan in 2013, the expressed goal for Pomfret School was “to be a recognized leader in learning, teaching, and innovative program design for independent boarding schools.” This vision served as a guiding beacon when evaluating the physical needs of the campus. Over the past three years, Pomfret faculty members have made great strides in developing an academic curriculum that places the student at the center of the learning experience; now they need the proper container for that learning. Recognizing that physical space is a tool that will be utilized to reach strategic objectives, Pomfret first partnered with Brightspot Strategy LLC, a firm that specializes in understanding organizational vision and tying that vision to physical space. Their work then informed a study that was conducted by Centerbrook Architects. The Centerbrook study ultimately resulted in a comprehensive understanding of the school’s spatial needs and opportunities.
“In addition to creating appropriate spaces and atmospheres for future learning, social, and boarding experiences at Pomfret, space plays a critical role in attracting the best, mission-appropriate students to Pomfret.” – Brightspot Strategy
Centennial Academic & Arts Center
Flexible Updated Classrooms
CLASSROOMS School House
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Classrooms in the School House will be enhanced to support active learning. Finishes, furnishings, technology, and room arrangements will maximize collaboration, flexibility, and iterative learning.
PLANNING SCIENCE
The Monell Science Building will continue to operate as the center for science classes while a new science facility is constructed. This will minimize the impact of transition on both students and faculty in the short term. Upon completion of the new science building, all science labs and classes will be moved to the new building, freeing up Monell to be converted to an arts center.
New Science Center
Pomfret has been discussing its needs for a new science building since 2007. The Master Plan seeks to make that vision a reality by reimagining what good science classrooms need today and providing state of the art classroom furnishings and technology to make that vision a reality. The proposed facility would be southeast of Monell but connected by the proposed convergence center, thus allowing collaborative work across disciplines. This new facility would house all core science courses as well as Pomfret’s robust elective offerings in the sciences.
Monell Science Building (Conversion into Arts Center) New Convergence
du Pont Library
CONVERGENCE
A convergence center will connect the new science building to the du Pont Library, Monell, and the proposed science building. This facility would allow handicapped access to all three facilities. It would also bring together science, technology, engineering, and art into a connected building. The new space would feature makerspace for students to build projects over time, group study space, and a gallery area that showcases student work in these disciplines.
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Several changes are being proposed for the Main House. On the lower level, the existing Health Center will be renovated into a 24-hour healthcare facility giving students the opportunity to stay overnight if they are ill, provide private counseling and intake spaces, and promote wellness through the creation of a yoga studio that can be used for classes and meditation. The Business Office will remain in the same place, and the photography labs and classroom will move to the du Pont Library.
Main House Lower Level
New Health & Wellness Center
Hard Auditorium PERFORMING ARTS Stage Addition
2nd Level Balcony
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An overhaul of Hard Auditorium will allow an iconic campus space to meet the size and needs of the current student body. A growing concern has been the capacity of Hard today, relative to when the building was designed. With more students and more faculty, the time is right to increase seating, which allows for spacious wings and a larger backstage. A redesigned stage will offer a full fly system and ample space for set design. Most importantly, our community will be able to gather comfortably to enjoy plays, meetings, and school events.
DINING
The first floor of the Main House will allow for a better dining experience for students, faculty, and guests with an improved servery. This change will upgrade the kitchen facilities for food service and offer better choices for students, accommodating both preference and nutrition. An elevator will be added to allow for better access to both levels of this building and to provide meals as needed to students in the health center.
Bathroom/elevator accessibility upgrades
Main House 1st Floor New Freight Elevator
New Servery in Current Kitchen Kitchen/Storage Addititon
Replace wall to provide flexible seating options
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hile this plan represents an ambitious step for Pomfret it also provides a tremendous opportunity for students today and in the future. Thanks to the thoughtful work of Centerbrook Architects, we have the opportunity to act on a sustainable plan that will preserve our facilities, provide a cost savings to the School through thoughtful renovation and redesign, and offer students the opportunity to imagine themselves in a learning environment that engages their minds, bodies, and spirits. The next step forward from the master plan is a conversation around priorities and possibilities, a topic the board of trustees has already begun discussing. As the plan moves forward, we welcome the input of all constituencies on their perspectives and priorities. This is an exciting time to be at Pomfret. We already provide great learning; now we look forward to providing great learning spaces.
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The Most Important Documentarian of Our Time By Garry Dow, Associate Director of Communications
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lex Gibney ’71 is standing inside his headquarters, Jigsaw Productions. Flanked by two rows of Apple computers, Gibney stares back at the camera. Over his left shoulder, the New York City skyline is partly visible through a closed window. In the photo, he wears a plain black t-shirt with two small yellow words emblazoned across his chest. “Ask why,” the shirt commands. Gibney has made a career of asking why. Prolific by any standard, he has released fourteen documentaries in five years, drawing on his unique ability to tell familiar stories in unfamiliar ways. Gibney’s wide-ranging catalog includes Gonzo, about the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson; Enron, about one of the biggest corporate scandals in American history; We Steal Secrets, about the ethics and implications of WikiLeaks; Mea Maxima Culpa, about the Catholic church sex-abuse scandal; Client 9, about the political collapse of Eliot Spitzer; and The Armstrong Lie, about the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong. At 62, Gibney has solidified his reputation as “the most important documentarian of our time,” according to Esquire Magazine. Indeed, he has received almost every award a documentarian can receive. In 2013, he won an Oscar for Taxi to the Dark Side, a film about an Afghan taxi driver who was beaten to death by four American soldiers at a prison in Bagram, Afghanistan. Over the years, Gibney has received multiple Emmy Awards, including three this past year. For his efforts, he has also won the Grammy Award, several Peabody Awards, the DuPont-Columbia Award, The Independent Spirit Award, and The Writers Guild Award, among others. Gibney was born in New York City. He graduated from the Hilltop in 1971, before heading off to Yale and then UCLA Film School. In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Gibney described his upbringing this way:
“They say to succeed you’re supposed to suck up and kick down. Well, [my dad] was the classic guy who sucked down and kicked up, which is never a good career path! He was at Time, then fired. At Newsweek, fired. At Life, fired…There was something about my father, my mother, and then my stepfather. I think they all ruddered
against authority in their own peculiar ways. And that probably rubbed off on me, too.” In 2015, Gibney released one of his biggest and most controversial films to date, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. The documentary is based on Lawrence Wright’s 2013 nonfiction bestseller of the same name. In the film, Gibney sets out not so much to expose Scientology as understand it: how it works, why people are drawn to it, why they leave it. Told primarily through a series of candid interviews with ex-Scientologists, Going Clear is really a story about the dangers of blind faith. “Though the lid was blown off the Church of Scientology long ago,” wrote Scott Foundas, a film critic for Variety, “Alex Gibney’s powderkeg documentary Going Clear should certainly rattle the walls, if not shake them to their very foundations.” Going Clear premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015 to critical acclaim, and aired on HBO several months later. In his most recent film, Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, Gibney turns his wary eye to Apple founder Steve Jobs, painting an evocative portrait of the man who gave us the Mac and the iPhone. “Highoctane individuals like Jobs are not necessarily great people,” Gibney recently told the LA Times. “But as a society we seem to have made a compact that if they do great things we should let them off the hook. And that doesn’t really seem like a good idea.” In recent years, Gibney’s company, Jigsaw Productions, has also pushed further into television. With Robert Redford, Gibney has produced two seasons of Death Row Stories for CNN. Each episode chronicles a different capital murder case. And with more projects in the works – for Amazon, Netflix, and A&E – Gibney shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. “I am drawn to these public stories that I think have been inadequately handled,” Gibney told the LA Times. “People make up their minds so quickly… because the [events] are covered so quickly. I think it’s important to go back.” And ask why.
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CONNECTIONS
CHAPEL TALK
Fragile Little Moments By Grace Sandercox ’16
Delivered: Monday, November 16, 2015
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oday I am going to talk to you about listening to what matters. To me, ironically, listening means first finding a quiet place. I’d like to suggest that in order to listen to what matters to us, we must first let go of superfluous and insignificant noise.
Then, with a quiet mind, we can identify what we find meaningful in our lives in order to help ourselves better handle our own fragile moments. I will begin by sharing a story of a tragedy that is very close to me, because in many cases it is grief that allows us – and forces us – to grasp onto the frailty of moments. Parts of my story will likely be familiar to you, too. I hope that by sharing, I can encourage you to embrace the fragile little moments in your life and handle them with care and regard. It was about 11 o’clock on a Friday morning, three years ago, and I had just been pulled out of my freshman English class by the Dean of Students at my old school. “Your brother is okay,” she cried to me, with a tremor in her voice and streaking tears causing her face to glisten. My mind was still focused on the discussion of The Odyssey that I had just been having in class, so it took me a few seconds to realize that I still had yet to learn why my brother wouldn’t be okay, and that there must be some serious reason for her tears.
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I was escorted to the Head of School’s office, where I was told that there had been a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where my little brother, George, was a third grader. “But he’s okay,” I kept reassuring myself, because that’s all I knew. I called my parents, who confirmed that there had been a shooting and that the principal of his school had been killed. Looking back, in that moment, I had yet to realize the gravity of what had just happened. I tidied up the few tears that had surprised me, and went back to The Odyssey in my English class. Early that same afternoon, there was an all-school meeting, where I found out that, actually, 26 people had been killed, and 20 of the dead were children. Still, in the back of my mind, I knew that my brother was “okay,” but I soon learned that one of the children who wasn’t okay was a boy whom I used to babysit. Dylan Hockley was a six-year-old who lived across the street from me. His older brother, Jake, was in George’s class that year and survived the shooting. That day, the entire town of Newtown seemed to turn into a disaster zone. When I finally came home that night, I had to show my school ID to the police officer stationed at the end of my street to prove that I did indeed live in my house, because, as I found out, my next-door neighbor was the shooter. He had killed his mother, whom I never knew, in the house next door to mine, before driving down the road to Sandy Hook Elementary and taking the lives of 20 first graders and six of their teachers, as well as his own. We had never known this neighbor, but now we knew that he and his mom had been silently building an arsenal of guns and ammunition next door to us. Media trucks were stacked
to the top of my street, and police cars marked the driveway of each house where there was an empty bed that had been filled the night before. Over the following weeks, messages of support and condolence overwhelmed my town, just like the hugs that I had received from friends on that Friday. President Obama came to speak at Newtown High School, and any time we would turn on the TV, all of the major news channels would have some update showing the familiar pictures of my street, aerial views of the school, or pictures of little Dylan Hockley’s face. The texts, letters, messages, and hugs; the media trucks, reporters, questions, and phone calls; they all created a cacophony of noise that, on top of the grief, made it impossible to do anything but feel the most profound sadness.
instead liked to suck the toothpaste off the brush. Who would flap his arms when he got excited or anxious, who called himself a “beautiful butterfly.” The little kid, whose body, like 26 others, was now riddled with bullets. Life is so fragile. All we are is a combination of organs and tissues, a whisper of breath, and a little bit of spirit. We are all fragile and will all eventually wear out, whether we are taken abruptly, as Dylan was, or peacefully put to rest. One way that I see this simple representation of the frailty of life, and the fluttering weight of moments is in paint swatches. I’m not really sure why I appreciate these little, colored pieces of paper so much. Maybe it’s the poetic names for the colors, like Adrift or Sweet Serenity. Maybe it’s the slight shifting of tones and shades — the way that the colors on a card are different and yet go together so well. Or maybe it is the way that they are so simple, so unassuming, yet so succinctly whole.
The grief hung heavily in Newtown. It hung heavily in my neighborhood, and in my family. I felt as if a weight had been placed inside, and preoccupation and “Life is so fragile. All we are is sadness consumed my thoughts. a combination of organs and All I could feel were the tears Whatever it is, I am drawn to that let out the pressure again and paint swatches. I even give them tissues, a whisper of breath, and again. But in the absence of the as gifts, and I am constructing a little bit of spirit.” voice that is constantly managing a mural out of them on my what we have to do tomorrow and dorm room wall. These simple what we forgot to do yesterday, I combinations of colors have found myself in a quiet place. And in that sad, quiet place, come to represent for me the simplicity with which I I grasped onto the almost surreal understanding of how aspire to live. fragile life really is. It is easy to dwell on what we can’t change, glorify our stress I drove past my neighbor’s house every day. I thought of and anxiety, and obsess over nominal frustrations. It is easy to the twenty-eight victims, who to me were so much more listen to all of the little voices in our minds. At times, we all than just names on the television news screen. I thought of get caught up in the buzz of this insignificant chatter. But I my little brother, hiding in his classroom, and the little girl suggest that you find a way to let those voices go, and to find I knew who came out of school that day with blood on her a way to find your own quiet. Because it is only in this calm shoes. I attended the funeral of a six-year-old boy, where a that we can identify what matters to us in the fragile moments tiny four-foot coffin sat at the front of the room. Beyond we have. Paint swatches are alluring, yet unassuming; easily just the coffin, I could still see the boy inside, the little kid overlooked, yet celebrated; peaceful, but also incredibly fragile. with the British accent, who dressed up as a penguin for Kind of like the fragile little moments in our lives. Halloween. The little kid who loved lightning, apple juice, and balloons, who would barely brush his front teeth, but I hope that you will handle yours with care. Before they graduate, all sixth form students are required to deliver a chapel talk in front of the assembled Pomfret community. Students decide what they want to say and how they want to say it. Every student is encouraged to speak with honesty and clarity and specificity, but there is really only one requirement: Say something you mean.
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CONNECTIONS
The Sundial
By Garry Dow, Associate Director of Communications
This is the f irst in a regular series that will explore the history of the Hilltop. In this column, we’ll take a look at the imagery and symbolism of familiar campus icons — buildings, works of art, designed landscapes, cultural artifacts — to understand who created them, and why we cherish them still. We begin with the Sundial.
F
or more than one hundred years, the Proctor Sundial has stood upon the Hilltop, measuring DEI the arc of the sun and the passage ofCRATIA time. Equidistant from Clark Chapel and the School Building, the Sundial is a copy of the Turnbull Sundial, built in 1577, which stands in the Quadrangle of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Constructed in Britain, the monument was designed by the renowned London architectural firm of Dollond and Atchison, and constructed by noted builder William Ross Carpenter.
2012, thanks to a generous gift from the class of 2007, the School installed up-lighting, which lends a soft spectral MECUM glow to the Sundial on dark evenings.
Loyalty is e’er the same Whether it win or lose the game True as the dial to the sun Although it be not shined upon.
“Every spring the entire student body gathers for a moving up ceremony, which takes place inside the chapel,” said Melissa Bellanceau, Director of Advancement and Communications. “When the ceremony is over, seniors leave their assigned seats one last time and gather on the steps of the Sundial. From inside the chapel – even with the doors shut – you can hear the roar of the seniors gathered on the Sundial in celebration of all they have accomplished… and the life still ahead of them.”
On top of the column is a block bearing three coats of arms: one for the Bishop Fox, founder of Corpus Christi College; one for Bishop Oldham, of the University of Oxford; and the Royal Arms. At its very pinnacle, a pelican stands perched on a globe.
For 103 commencements, this pelican has kept watch over Pomfret — through the rise of organized sports, The column measures 22-feet high from its base. On all the admission of women and minorities, the advent of sides, the Sundial is inscribed with a complex pattern of computers and the Internet, and now, the emergence of astronomical lines and dials. It also contains two quotations, a revolution in teaching and learning, the first since the including this one by Samuel Butler: Sundial was gifted to the School.
Given to the School by William Ross Proctor, Sr., whose son had attended Pomfret, the Sundial was erected in 1912 and refurbished in 1940, 1971, 1987 and 2001. In
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Students and faculty gather around the Proctor Sundial to celebrate the start of another school year.
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Fall
CLASS NOTES
1935-2015
1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941| 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 1987 | 1988 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | Reunion Years
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1949
’49
Several members of the Class of 1949 celebrated birthdays in August 2015: Dick Feldon, Bindy Banker, Tony LaPalme, John Flender, and Roger Chappelka. Also belated birthday wishes go to Tom Richards (September), and to George Blagden and Win Carrick, who celebrated in October. Bruce Lee wrote, “I am pleased to report that my books Pearl Harbor: Final Judgement and Marching Orders: The Untold Story of How the American Breaking of the Japanese Secret Codes Led to the Defeat of Nazi Germany and Japan are now available as e-books via OpenRoad.com. Better yet, both books are leading their respective Amazon lists, along with a couple of other books I edited: At Dawn We Slept by Gordon Prange plus And I Was There by Admiral Layton and John Costello. Another book I edited and that won the Pulitzer Prize, Bearing the Cross, also has been picked up by Open Road. It is the biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by David Garrow.” Steve Davenport reported, “My novel, No Ivory Tower, the sequel to Saving Miss Oliver’s and set in the same New England boarding school, is in the publishing process and will be available March 2016. The third book in the series, The Encampment, will come out at Christmas time in 2016.”
1955
’55
Brooks Robbins wrote, “In the middle of September 2015, my wife and I took a memorable 10-day river boat trip up the Seine to Honfleur, France and back. It included time at the invasion beaches but also stopped at many lovely river towns with visits to medieval sites. What made it most fun was the presence of a number of friends. Perhaps the most meaningful part of the trip was the opportunity to visit a site well known to the French – Mont Valerien – a highly significant national memorial in Suresnes, west of Paris. It is a 19th century fort taken over by the Germans, a place where more than 4,500 resistance fighters were murdered. Thanks to a French friend we were able to visit this somber monument.”
’55 John Huss ’55, enjoying a sail on Fishers Island Sound with his latest grandchild, Scarlett Huss, and her mother Sonya, wife of John Huss ’94
1959
’59
Norman “Punch” Smith wrote, “I live in Mount Pleasant, SC, across the river from Charleston, with my wife of 51 years, Nancy. Our daughters and four granddaughters are here as well. Twin grandsons are off with the Marines. I schedule an endless series of two-hour events to get myself out and about daily: Bible study leader, tennis doubles, volunteering at the Lowcountry Food Bank and for the emerging National Medal of Honor Museum, beach walks, workouts at the senior center, Marine Corps luncheons, grand kids’ sporting events, visiting disabled veterans at our exceptional VA hospital, etc. and frequenting our area’s wonderful culinary destinations. I can still fit into my Pomfret blazer, with help.”
Class notes featured in this issue were received prior to October 15, 2015. Notes received after this date will be published in the Winter 2015-16 issue. Class notes are appreciated and may be submitted via your Class Agent, the Pomfret School website, or by e-mail to: Debby Thurston, Class Notes Editor, at: dthurston@pomfretschool.org. Find a complete listing of Class Agents and Secretaries on page 62. Please visit www.pomfretschool.org/agents for up-to-date contact information for your class agents or secretaries. We encourage and welcome appropriate news items and photographs from all alumni and friends. Please note that not all submissions are guaranteed to appear based upon subject matter, photo reproduction quality, and space availability. Also, we reserve the right to edit for consistency and style but we will give every consideration to each author’s individual writing style.
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
’60 ’60
Members of the Class of 1960 held a mini-reunion in Brunswick, Maine on August 14, 2015, as many of them had other commitments during Pomfret’s Alumni Weekend activities in May. Front row (l-r): John Quattrocchi, Ron Phillips, Jud Reis, Doug Brand, Adam Hochschild; back row (l-r): Fitz Mullan, Bob Bates, Sherman Hoyt, Ben Fairbanks, Geoff Freeman
’61
’61 George Walker ’61 (left) and Larry Braman ’61 visited together on August 1, 2015
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1962
’62
Congratulations to Fred Mayo, who was awarded the Howard B. Meek Award for lifetime achievement in hospitality education by International CHRIE (Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education) during their annual conference in Orlando, FL on July 31, 2015. For the last ten years, Fred has been Clinical Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management at New York University and continues to teach Applied Research Methods part-time, both online and onsite. The Howard B. Meek Award is the highest individual recognition a member of ICHRIE may receive. He has served ICHRIE as Immediate Past President, President, Vice President, and Director of Professional Development.
1964
’64 Paul Fowler ’64 with former pro player and Olympic gold medalist Mary Joe Fernandez prior to the 2015 US Open Tennis Championships
’64
Paul Fowler reported, “In the week leading up to the US Open Tennis Championships I got a chance to play with [pro player] Roger Federer and get a photograph with [former pro player and Olympic gold medalist] Mary Joe Fernandez. For a tennis junkie it doesn’t get much better than that. I smoked him too (okay - I got one lucky shot).” Mark Constantian wrote, “[In September 2015] my wife and I returned from an international symposium in Ghent, Belgium, at which I lectured on nasal surgery and performed live surgery. The surgery was done at a local clinic and transmitted by satellite back to the hotel where 350 surgeons from around the world were watching and asking questions. The patient was a pretty, young local woman who had moved from the Republic of Georgia and who had agreed to undergo surgery by the ‘visiting professor.’ This is a tough format for patient and surgeon. She had not met me until the day before surgery, and I was operating in a strange format, unknown anesthesiologist, and lots of distractions. Fortunately, everything went very well, and the patient is very happy. I have operated ‘live’ many times in the United States and abroad, but it is never easy. Following that, we toured to Ypres, site of the Salient that was the focus of numerous World War I battles and Flanders Fields. On the way home, we stopped in Dublin, Ireland for two days, one of our favorite cities. Now we are back in the traces with many wonderful memories.”
1965
’65
Jim Seymour reported, “Following a wonderful summer in Rhode Island during which our three granddaughters from London stayed with us for five weeks, I visited the Pomfret campus in September for a meeting of the Alumni Association Executive Council. Also there were Justin Klein, Derry Allen, and Buzz Yudell. The Class of 1965 is well represented on the Board and the AAEC. The campus was beautiful. I was fortunate to have a tour of renovated classrooms with some neat new technology and to meet Katie Watkins, who is teaching a segment on the United Nations, and Patrick Burke, who is teaching a course on Global Sustainability and Development. It would be exciting to go back to school to take courses like these. Maybe Pomfret will start offering ‘continuing education’ courses for its alumni. The Global Sustainability course includes the pilot international Project: Pomfret program to Costa Rica in December that the Class of 1965 Endowment Fund gift is supporting. I flew to Hong Kong the morning following my campus visit. In between business meetings I was thrilled to be able to meet on short notice Danny Zigal ’02 over breakfast, Chris Lui ’99 over lunch, and Elaine Chen-Fernandez ’03 over coffee. All three are doing interesting things in Hong Kong and are representative of the fine caliber of individuals that Pomfret attracts and graduates.”
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
1967
’67
Scott Lord reported, “Marian and I relocated to Dover, NH in July of this year. I recently had a long talk with my old roomie, Lansing Duncan; we have been chatting fairly regularly for the past 2-3 years. It is great to partake of the grass roots politics here in NH during a Presidential election year. We are able to meet, greet and listen to each of the candidates in nearby venues.” Lansing Duncan wrote, “In July of 2013 I received a surprise diagnosis of a life-threatening illness. Fortunately, I have responded well to 27 months of treatment and my prognosis has improved. Assuming this remains the case, I have six more months of therapy ahead of me. I hesitate to put this in writing because it sounds like hubris and dreadfully melodramatic. I can see Mr. Corwin nodding and hear ‘Cap’ Marble chuckling. Having to reorder my priorities has been both challenging and rewarding. I have spent more time with family and personal issues and stayed pretty close to home. Nevertheless, I still managed to travel to British Columbia for my annual fly fishing trip with friends last year and this year. Although I no longer participate in the contentious community planning issues I encountered as a planning commissioner, I still serve on Santa Barbara County’s Historic Landmarks Advisory Commission and history remains a particular interest, one fostered by Mr. Gill’s enthusiasm. I remain in touch with Alice Dunbar’s sister who lives nearby, and I have really appreciated the calls, cards, e-mails, letters and visits of concerned Pomfret classmates. Scott Lord has repeatedly pointed out our upcoming 50th reunion and it is on my calendar. Needless to say, I am grateful to be looking that far ahead.”
1968
’68
Peter Canby traveled to the Central African Republic and wrote a piece on elephant poaching that ran in the May 11, 2015 issue of The New Yorker magazine. Joel Rathbone wrote, “As I reflect on the fact that most of us from the class of 1968 are struggling to understand Medicare and Parts A through Z, and how in the world we can ever afford retirement, I think back to my days at Pomfret and how such matters were so well ignored by us all. I am thankful for so much, including that I am even alive to ponder such great complexities. At any rate, my daughter and I started our own
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1968 continued law firm just a year ago. Rathbone Group handles insurance subrogation for major insurance carriers across the country on their automobile and property claims. We have now worked together for 11 years. She also has blessed me with two grandchildren, whom I get to see a lot (and spoil a lot). My son remains a high school teacher going on 16 years, and finally found a soul mate to marry just last year. He has also been designated as the Resident Stage Manager for Dobama Theatre. My wife and I are hoping for more grandchildren, but we try not to press too much. I ran into Whit Bodman who was in Cleveland this year for a ministers’ conference and we got to catch up. He and his family are doing well. I hope everyone else out there is doing well also.”
1969
’69
Robert Shasha is still “blocking and tackling” and would enjoy hearing from his classmates! He wrote, “I was never able to do this on a sports team while I was at Pomfret!”
1970
’70
Gil Judson wrote, “We settled back in Grand Rapids (for now) after a wonderful summer. [My son] Nick is at Tufts for his senior year and daughter Katie is off to the University of Alabama for her first year. Still working and traveling full time.” Ben Bensen wrote, “It may seem ridiculously early, but a bunch of our classmates are getting airborne with ideas for the 50th. Many thanks to Char Miller, Gil Judson and Joe Crary for real and promissory legwork, not to mention others who we plan to hornswoggle! Meanwhile, the second edition of my book, Pallet Chic: Stylish Function with Industrial Shipping (Hoon Institute, 2008) will contain new and expanded sections on obfuscation, deltiology and rumination. No firm publication date is set, but I’ll let you all know!”
1971
’71
Otis Read reported, “I [attended] a concert in Lisbon, CT at the Newent Congregational Church on November 14, 2015 where the Norumbega Harmony Choir presented a concert of early American hymns, including some written by my ancestor Daniel Read (18571936). Two of his hymns – ‘Lisbon’ and the world-premiere of the unpublished ‘Newent’ – were included in this concert.” Jacques Bailhé wrote, “I completed a commission to arrange Carl Orff ’’s Carmina Burana for two pianos and two cellos to be premiered this coming spring at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles. For those of you who know me as “Zip,” the answer is no, the hall was not named after me. Although many assume Orff ’s wildly popular piece is about religious inspiration, his subtitle is Cantiones Profane. He developed the work from texts from a 14th and 15th century group known as the Golliards who were mostly unemployed young priests and recent seminary graduates who couldn’t find work because at the time, Europe was over-supplied. They wrote a wide variety of songs, mostly about drinking, gambling, courting young ladies, and criticism of the church’s excesses. I’ve titled my arrangement, written for dance, as Fortuna Imperatrix, taken from Orff ’s title for his first and last movements. The cover design gives an idea of the story of the dance which casts Fortune in her guise as a powerful woman. You can hear the music at soundcloud.com/jacques-bailh.” Bob McChesney just completed his latest book with his frequent coauthor John Nichols. The title is People Get Ready: The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy. It will be published by Nation Books in the spring of 2016. Bob’s 2013 book with Nichols, Dollarocracy: How the Money and Media Election Complex is Destroying America, featured a foreword by Senator Bernie Sanders.
’71 The cover design for an arrangement written by Jacques Bailhé ’71. The photo is an image he took in a Flamenco club in Marbella in the very south of Spain this past summer.
’71
The cover designs for Bob McChesney’s ’71 latest books, People Get Ready: The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy, and Dollarocracy: How the Money and Media Election Complex is Destroying America
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
’73
1973
Ilse Bailey wrote, “Greetings to my Pomfret friends from Aviano Air Force Base, in Aviano, Italy! My husband’s duties with the United States Air Force have taken us to Italy for the next three years, after which he intends to retire from the USAF. Nonmilitary spouses (of which I am one) are not permitted to work on the economy here, so when we moved in July, I was forced to retire from my career as a prosecutor in Texas. So far I have been too busy getting settled in Italy to miss working, but I expect that I will be haunting the Aviano JAG office for opportunities to help them out shortly. Please follow my adventures in Italy on my blog, ilsebailey.wordpress.com. I would love to hear from any Pomfret alumni who happen to be in the area. Aviano AFB is in the northeast corner of Italy, much closer to Austria and Switzerland than much of the rest of Italy, at the foot of the Dolomite mountain range. You could not ask for a more scenic assignment.”
’79
1980
’80
Kim Carlson Benner reported, “Our son, James Benner, and I both recently entered items in the 155th Annual Woodstock Fair [in Woodstock, CT] over the past Labor Day weekend. I ran into Willie Cole ’81 when I was dropping off our items, and Susan McKechnie ’79 was kind enough to post a picture of our entries. James’ photographs both took first place, and my goat milk fudge took first place as well. It was great fun to be near Pomfret again!”
1982
’82
Congratulations to Pomfret trustee Michael Gary on being named the next head of school at Friends Select School in Philadelphia, effective July 1, 2016. Gary is the current Director of Admissions at Phillips Exeter Academy. He currently serves on the Secondary School Admission Test Board (SSATB) and chairs the Testing Committee. He is also president and founder of Inner City Lacrosse, a non-profit access program in Connecticut that connects local youth with university players.
1983
’83
Jessica Slosberg Benjamin wrote, “At the end of August 2015, I traveled with my family from our home in Bronxville, NY to the beautiful town of Murren, Switzerland for a week of hiking. At dinner one night we struck up a conversation with a family from Bend, Oregon at the table next to ours. I thought the Dad looked familiar and we soon realized/remembered that he and I were Pomfret School classmates! [John Gilbert and I] crossed paths again the next day while out hiking!”
’79 Andy Beall ’and his son Charlie ’19 on the Pomfret Campus
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Wendy Reeder Enelow wrote, “All is well with the Enelow family. Benjamin is a sophomore at the University of Denver and Henry and George are a senior and junior respectively at Pomfret. We had a great summer including visits with Sara and Ned Hallowell and Lisa Wood in Sun Valley, ID as well as with Doug Bomeisler ’82 in Nantucket, MA.”
’83 (l-r): Doug Bomeisler ’82, Wendy Enelow ’83, Nat Reeder ’84, and Jim Enelow ’83
’83 Lucy Nalle ‘83 and her son Ben Weed ‘16 on the Pomfret campus
1983 continued Stephanie Gledhill Conzelman wrote, “Life continues to be great in Maine. During the summer I am living in Boothbay Harbor helping to run our seasonal restaurant, The Blue Moon Cafe. The other parts of the year I am living at Sugarloaf Mountain where my daughter Sam, a sophomore at Carrabassett Valley Academy, is pursuing her goal of joining the US Ski team. When time allows, I teach skiing for Sugarloaf Mountain. My son, George, is a junior at Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine and is beginning his college search. He continues to enjoy playing lacrosse for Cheverus. I am lucky enough to work full-time remotely for Massachusetts based 3BL Media Group. If you all are ever in either one of this vacation spots, I would love to visit with you.” Sander Coxe reported, “I am a singer/songwriter when I am not hawking the wares of my lawyers and I just finished my first album. Feel free to check it out at soundcloud.com/giving-tribe/sets the band is called GivingTribe; the album is called Hands That Feed.”
’83 John Gilbert ’83 and Jessica Slosberg Benjamin ’83 crossed paths while hiking in Murren, Switzerland
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
’89
’84
’84 Wendy Redder Enelow ’83 stopped by to say hello to Jeff Curran ’84 in Seattle, WA while on a college visit.
’87
’89 Congratulations to Tom Kopf and his wife, Celeste, on the birth of their son, Silas Owen Kopf, who was born on July 24, 2015.
’93 ’93
’87 Ian Macleod ‘87 and his son Bobby ‘19 on the Pomfret campus
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Rebecca Friedlander was married to Gavin Cooper on July 31, 2015 at the Madison Base area of Big Sky, Montana at an elevation of 7,400 feet. Their only attendant was “best dog” Fred. The wedding was followed by a blue moon and a professional bull riding competition!
’95
’98
1998
Congratulations to Anna Hastings, who was married to JeanRémy Bonnefoy on July 11, 2015 in Boothbay, Maine. They also celebrated with Jean-Rémy’s family in France on July 25. Pomfret family and friends in attendance in Maine included faculty Diane and Jim Rees and Melissa and Waddy Rowe, parents Betsy and Brad Hastings ’68, brother Cooper Hastings ’01, and Jessica Graziano ’00. Anna and Jean-Rémy live in Delaware; he’s an electrical engineer in Newark, and Anna has entered her sixth year at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, working as a college counselor and teaching English.
’95 On May 26, 2015, Suzanne and James Bartolomei welcomed a baby girl, Lily Grace Bartolomei, into their home in Santa Monica, CA, weighing in at 4 lbs. 15 oz. James also helped launch his company’s (Matthew Kenney Cuisine) newest restaurant, Plant Food and Wine, on Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA in June, with plans to open a similar concept in Miami in December 2015.
Gene and Caroline Dix Templeton welcomed Evie Wynne Templeton on July 1, 2015. Her big brother Rhys is very happy to finally have his little sister, after much talk. They continue to enjoy Seattle after being there nearly two years.
’97 ’97 Congratulations to Jen Murphy and Colin Wood, who became the proud parents of Addison Elizabeth Wood, born August 13, 2015 at 9:33pm at Mass General Hospital. Jen, Addison, Colin and their chocolate lab Tucker live in Boston.
’98 Evie Wynne Templeton, daughter of Gene and Caroline Dix Templeton ’98
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
’99
’01
2001
On June 13, 2015 Nari Gill was married to Alex Grause at her father’s house in Edgartown, MA (Martha’s Vineyard). Fellow Pomfret alumni in attendance were Amanda Schoppe ’99, Mia Wiessner Olney ’02, JD Rogers ’98, Rachel Schoppe Rogers ’02, Tory Grauer ’02, and Alexandra Arguimbau ’01. Congratulations to Lilly Rand, who was married to Isaac Barnett on August 15, 2015 at her parents’ home in Salisbury, CT. Pomfret alumni in attendance were Alison Mann ’03 (bridesmaid), Louise Sheldon ’03, Charlotte Rand ’03 (Maid of Honor), father Curtis Rand ’69, and Sunny Kneissl Zweig ’01 (bridesmaid).
’99 (l-r): Monique Biggs ’99, Terry Parris ’94, former faculty Ginny Eaton, Eric Coleman ’69, and Director of Diversity Steve Davis met on August 23, 2015 to talk about a summer camp proposal for 2016
Katie Duglin has returned to Pomfret to teach history and serve as the assistant coach of the girls’ varsity ice hockey and lacrosse teams. From October 2008 to September 2014, Katie worked at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US, LLP in New York City, where she practiced international arbitration. In September 2014, Katie returned home to Upstate New York, where she took a year off and helped coach youth hockey. She is excited to be back at Pomfret!
’00 ’01 ’00 Congratulations to Jessica Graziano, who was married to Jason Elder on September 5, 2015 in Warrenton, VA. Anna Hastings ’98 was in attendance to help celebrate the special day.
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Pomfret alumni celebrating the wedding of Nari Gill ’01 were (l-r): Mia Wiessner Olney ’02, Amanda Schoppe ’99, Nari Gill ’01, JD Rogers ’98, Rachel Schoppe Rogers ’02, Tory Grauer ’02, and Alexandra Arguimbau ’01
’01 Pomfret alumni celebrating the wedding of Lilly Rand ’01 (center) were (l-r): Louise Sheldon ’03, Alison Mann ’03, father Curtis Rand ‘69, Sunny Kneissl Zweig ’01, and Charlotte Rand ’03.
2002
’02 Savannah Kate Ingersoll was born on September 9, 2015 to Keith & Ginny Carroll Ingersoll ’02
’02
Jenni Sadler was will be running in her first ever Boston Marathon and was named a member of the 2016 Dana Farber Boston Marathon Team. She will be among the hundreds of runners who will take to the streets on Marathon Monday to participate in the 120th Boston Marathon on April 18, 2016. She will be running 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston to honor her father who has been battling cancer for the past six years. Ginny Carroll Ingersoll announced the birth of her third child. “Savannah Kate Ingersoll was born on September 9, 2015 at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. She joins her big brothers Benjamin (4) and William (2).” Lauren Jerr announced, “On August 10, 2015 Maegan and I became the proud parents to three beautiful babies: Conrad George, Theodore Price and Charlie Mae Jerr. Mom and babies are all doing well and we are excited for the next phase of this adventure. We are thankful for the love and support we have received from our Pomfret family and look forward to many visits to the hilltop in the coming years.”
’02 Maegan & Lauren Jerr ’02 became the proud parents of triplets on August 10, 2015
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
2003
’03
Seung Hyun “David” Lim wrote, “Hi all. After working in Korea, I am now back in the US studying for my MBA at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. I will be in Chicago for next few years, and it would be great to meet you [if you are] living in or visiting Chicago. Also, I am expecting my second baby in February 2016!” Erin Hathway Shore wrote, “I just wanted to announce the arrival of our second child, Brinn Avery Shore, born on July 15, 2015. She joins older brother Bodie (2). A VERY special thank you to Mrs. [Louisa] Jones for sending us the awesome Pomfret shirt!”
’03 Brinn Avery Shore, daughter of Nick & Erin Hathway Shore ’03, showing off her Pomfret pride!
’04 2004 Congratulations to Dan McGloine and Laura Badger, who were married in Dennis Port, MA on June 6, 2015 in the presence of many Pomfret alumni and friends. They honeymooned in Dubai and Thailand. Mark Mulhern was married to Jillian Galdi on August 15, 2015 in Providence, RI. “We both graduated from Providence College, so the ceremony was on campus in the chapel. After the ceremony we had the reception at the Omni Hotel downtown. Greg Genovese was in attendance.”
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’04
Celebrating the marriage of Dan McGloine ’04 to Laura Badger were (front row, l-r) Laura Badger McGloine and Dan McGloine ’04, Florence Eaton, Ellen McGloine P ’04, ’05, ’11; (back row, l-r) Brian Menna ’05, Kaitlin Sullivan Seward ’05, Steve Lanzit ’05, John Healy ’03, former faculty Rod Eaton, Nick Gaube ’04, Aidan McGloine ’11, Chris Syrek ’04, Andrew McGloine ’05. Missing from photo: Xander Jones ’04
’04 Former faculty member Rod Eaton caught up with Scott Sporn ’04 while visiting in Houston, TX
’04 Mark Mulhern ’04 and Jillian Galdi were married on August 15, 2015 in Providence, RI
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
’06 2006 Micaela Long signed on as a forward to The Connecticut Whale of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) in July 2015 for the 2015-2016 season. She is very excited about playing women’s professional hockey. Micaela graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology before earning a Master’s in Deaf Education at Boston University. She has worked as a teacher at the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT, and most recently as assistant hockey coach at Pomfret. Caitlin Neiduski reported, “In March 2015 I moved to Charlotte, NC with my boyfriend from Boston, MA. It was a HUGE move for us, but we are both extremely happy we made the leap! After working part-time for a few months at the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, I was recently promoted and am the new Membership Director for the largest YMCA branch in Charlotte! I am very excited to continue my now six year long career with the Y and even more excited to experience more of the south. My boyfriend and I are very much looking forward to starting our house hunt in the spring as well.”
’07 2007 CC Walker is the senior vice president of business development at Walker & Associates, an advertising and public relations firm. In her spare time, she is the director of development for Racine & Southern Dance Exchange, a new modern dance company in Memphis, TN which CC co-founded in January 2015. She was a competitive dancer for years before focusing on modern dance. The dance company debuted its largest show to date in August. Emily Detmer wrote, “I continue to teach third grade at the Denver Green School, along with coaching varsity field hockey at Denver East High School. I just bought a house in the Denver Mayfair area and am starting my second Master’s Degree in elementary writing and reading come January 2016.” Alex Avalone ran into Pomfret Associate Director of Admissions Rebecca Brooks in New York City in September 2015. Alex produces fashion shows in New York, Milan and Paris with clients ranging from Victoria Beckham to Versace and Margiela.
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’07 Alex Avalone ’07 and Associate Director of Admissions Rebecca Brooks in New York City
’08 2008 Steven Harkey is teaching first grade at Senator Edward W. Brooke Charter Schools in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also working as a business manager for an educational startup, EdVigor, which will begin its service mission to Lagos State, Nigeria in the summer of 2016. Congratulations to James Cook, who was married to Alexandra Johansson on July 31, 2015 in Newport, RI. Pomfret alumni. His sister, Jeanna Cook ’04, and Paul Kramarz were in attendance. James and Alexandra moved to Dublin, Ireland at the end of September.
Join us for the 2016
Woodruff Winter Benefit
’08 James Cook ’08 was married to Alexandra Johansson on July 31, 2015
SATURDAY
JANUARY
30
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’09 2009 Alex Campione ’09 was named head softball coach at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA for the 2015-16 season. Alex joins Wentworth after serving the previous two seasons as an assistant softball coach at Franklin Pierce University. Kelsanah Wade reported, “From July 2013 to July 2015, I worked as a paralegal at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, a business immigration firm in New York, NY. In August 2015, I moved to New Orleans, LA to attend Tulane Law School. The transition from New York to Louisiana has been wonderful. Tulane, the people, and the city have been amazing thus far.”
10:00 AM
Squash Matches* Corzine Athletic Center
12:30 PM
15th Annual Doug Woodruff ’77 Memorial Hockey Game* Jahn Rink
1:30 PM Casual Lunch Parsons Lodge
* Come to play or just watch. The choice is yours. In 1999, Doug Woodruff ’77 died of colon cancer. As a child of Pomfret, and eventually, as a varsity captain of the hockey team, Doug spent countless hours on the ice. In 2001, his twin brother Steve Woodruff ’77 started the Doug Woodruff Memorial Alumni Hockey Game so friends, family, teammates, alumni, faculty, and coaches could gather to remember Doug in the place where his passion for the game first began.
~ REGISTER TODAY! ~ 860.963.6129 events@pomfretschool.org FALL 2015
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
2010
’10 ’15
Katie Peverada is working alongside Alex Campione ’09 as assistant softball coach at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA for the 2015-16 season.
2012
’12
Megan Gaudreau spent an early segment of her summer sharing her love of basketball with young children as part of a May service trip to South Africa. She and her travel party stayed in Cape Town but visited neighboring townships to work with the youths. Megan was chosen for the service trip through her work with PGC Basketball, an organization that helps develop players’ athletic and leadership skills. She is a senior on the Saint Michael’s College women’s basketball team. Upon graduating next May, Megan would like to return to South Africa to pursue an internship that promotes youth development through sports.
2013
Andi Nicholson, a junior forward on the Trinity College women’s soccer team, was named NESCAC Player of the Week on September 28, 2015.
POMFRET Magazine
Makenna Newkirk, a freshman on the Boston College women’s hockey team, was chosen as the Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week on October 12 and November 9, 2015. Evan Jaccodine is a freshman on the men’s varsity eight crew team at Rochester Institute of Technology. The RIT varsity eight boat was named the Liberty League Men’s Crew Boat of the Week on September 28, 2015. Kyra Smith ’15 a freshman goaltender on the University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team, was honored as Hockey East Defensive Player of Week on November 9, 2015.
’13
John Cunningham was named one of the Connecticut College lacrosse team captains for the 2016 season.
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2015
’15 Florence Eaton, Sara Eaton Antoine ’02 with baby Desmond, and former faculty Rod Eaton with Rollins College freshmen Madeline Ferrara ’15, Thomas Wheatley ’15, and Jake Canepari ’15
In Memoriam Visit our website at pomfretschool.org/obituaries for full detail alumni obituaries. To request a printed copy, call the Advancement Office at 860-963-6129.
’35
’43
’61
Thibaut de Saint Phalle June 16, 2015
Junius L. Powell, Jr. October 7, 2015
Robert H. Swann October 29, 2015
’68
’79
William A. Smart October 17, 2015
Timothy G. Hogan July 29, 2015
’87 Michelle C. Roberts August 13, 2015
FALL 2015
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
CLASS AGENTS & SECRETARIES Classes not listed do not have a class agent at present. If interested in volunteering, contact Beth Dow, Associate Director of the Pomfret Fund, at 860.963.5993 or bdow@pomfretschool.org.
1937
CLASS AGENTS:
Seth B. French, Jr.
1939
CLASS AGENTS:
William P. Rowland
1941
CLASS AGENTS:
Francis O. Lathrop, Jr. Paul F. Perkins
1946
1957
1969
1981
Danforth P. Fales Horace H. Work
Richard G. Levin
Eric L. Foster
CLASS AGENT:
1958
1949
1959
1971
Jeb N. Embree
Jacques P. Bailhé
CLASS AGENT:
1972
Benjamin A. Fairbank
James M. Bergantz Milton L. Butts, Jr.
1961
CLASS AGENT:
George M. Walker
Stuart J. Bracken Winslow M. Cady
1962
CLASS SECRETARY:
I. Howell Mallory
1950
CLASS AGENT:
William O. Sumner
1951
CLASS AGENT:
CLASS SECRETARY:
Toby Condliffe
1963
CLASS AGENTS:
Charles W. Fleischmann Anthony C. Lame
CLASS AGENT:
Rolfe Floyd III
1952
CLASS AGENT:
Charles V. Henry III
1953
CLASS AGENTS:
Frederick K. Gaston III Edward K. McCagg
1954
CLASS AGENTS:
Chester K. Lasell, William H. O’Brien III
1955
CLASS SECRETARY:
Charles W. Fleischmann
1964
CLASS AGENTS:
Peter W. Clement John A. Dix Charles W. Findlay III Paul D. Fowler
1965
CLASS AGENT:
William A. Hastings
1967
CLASS AGENT:
Michael S. Petty
CLASS AGENTS:
John J. Huss, William A.W. Stewart III
1968
CLASS SECRETARY:
Gregory W. Melville Robert R. Rich
E. Brooks Robbins
CLASS AGENTS:
CLASS SECRETARY:
Sarah Armstrong Scheide
1982
CLASS AGENTS:
Luis Cruz Johanna M. Moffitt
CLASS AGENT:
1960
CLASS AGENT:
CLASS AGENT:
CLASS AGENTS:
Richard A. Bensen Gilbert H. Judson
CLASS AGENTS:
Tony LaPalme
1970
Galen N. Griffin
CLASS AGENT:
CLASS AGENT:
Robert A. Brunker
CLASS AGENT:
CLASS AGENTS:
1973
1983
CLASS AGENTS:
Wendy Reeder Enelow Timothy T. Robinson
1984
CLASS AGENTS:
CLASS AGENT:
David A. Rosen
Jeffrey P. Curran Alexis Rosenthal Proceller Nathaniel S. Reeder
1974
1985
David D. Dixon
Heather Julian
CLASS AGENT:
CLASS AGENT:
1975
1986
Andre B. Burgess Timothy S. Matthews
Jeffrey H. Connor David R. Salomon
CLASS AGENTS:
CLASS AGENTS:
1976
1987
Richard S. Cody Michael R. Nelson
Katharine B. Cowperthwait Jonathan L. Hart
CLASS AGENTS:
CLASS AGENTS:
1977
1988
John B. Leeming II Elwood E. Leonard III
Elizabeth Tilt Weiner
CLASS AGENTS:
1978
CLASS AGENT:
Mark S. Breen
1979
CLASS AGENT:
Robert K. Mullarkey CLASS SECRETARY:
Bradley R. Painter
1980
CLASS AGENT:
Linnea Corwin Elrington CLASS SECRETARY:
Martha K. Murphy
CLASS AGENT:
1989
CLASS AGENTS:
Nathaniel M. Peirce K. Kelsey Hubbard Rollinson Catherine Moriarty Whittier
1990
CLASS AGENTS:
Marcus W. Acheson Rachel Baime Laura H. Cowperthwait Jonathan G. Gengras
1991
CLASS AGENTS:
Laurence N. Hale Abigail Gardiner Silk CLASS SECRETARY:
Caroline E. Waterlow
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POMFRET Magazine
1992
2000
Diana Heide Fredericks Samuel L. Goldworm David Wyatt Wartels
Hilary M. Gerson Susannah Miragliuolo
CLASS AGENTS:
1993
CLASS AGENTS:
Michael G. Farina Sarah M. Flournoy
1994
CLASS AGENTS:
Karrie M. Amsler Daniel B. Levin Edward W. Wartels Timothy L. Whipple
1995
CLASS AGENTS:
Carson T. Baker Whitney A. Cook Nicholas D. Mettler Allison Glasmann Reiner Robert E. Thebault Daniel J. Thompson
1996
CLASS AGENTS:
M. Anderson Bottomy Hillary Lewis Fryer Michael A. Newton Rebecca Holt Squires
1997
CLASS AGENTS:
Miriam Jamron Baskies Joanna Kontoudakis Lindsay R. Larsen Hadley Weiss Rosen CLASS SECRETARIES:
Wheeler Simmons Griffith Maurice P. Kane Kyle V. Ritchie
1998
CLASS AGENTS:
John E. Evans III Christopher R. Hale Olutoyin D. Moses Stacy Durbin Nieuwoudt Livia Skelly-Dorn Roustan Sarah L. Welch Thayer P. Whipple
1999
CLASS AGENTS:
Lindsey Boardman Duerr Timothy A. Patrick Alysa Hill Paul Katrin I. Urban Kelly L. Wentworth
CLASS AGENTS:
2001
CLASS AGENTS:
Alexandra T. Arguimbau Andrew C. Brown Caitlin Rogers Connelly Wendell Smith Scarisbrick
2002
CLASS AGENTS:
Christina Galanti Dickson Jo Anna Galanti Fellon Michael J. Krents John P. Lindsey William E. Walker II Christopher J. Watkins William R. Wentworth
2003
CLASS AGENTS:
Muhammed-Saleem R. Ahmed Chelsea Weiss Baum Edward D. Kunhardt Peyton A. Ladt Laura Keeler Pierce Christopher G. Pike MacLean Pilsbury Spadaccini Suparatch Watchara-Amphaiwan
2004
CLASS AGENTS:
Sung Min Choo Christian T. Ford Robert M. Saunders Etienne J. Vazquez
2005
CLASS AGENTS:
Davinia G. Buckley Timothy J. Deary Laura F. Dunn Alysia LaBonte-Campbell Joshua W. Rich Hyun-Yi Yoo
2006
CLASS AGENTS:
Michelle Gilmore Castiglione Hillary Ross Charalambous Caroline McLoughlin Davis Olivia T. Gray Young Hoon Hahn Maryam A. Hayatu-Deen Gregory E. Jones Katherine Winogradow Munno Caitlin M. Neiduski
Kathryn S. Nelson James E. Pinkham Erin A. Wolchesky
2007
CLASS AGENTS:
Emily H. Detmer Julia D. Field Meredith E. Gagnon Christopher P. Golden Holly A. Lorms Shawn P. McCloud Nathaniel H. Proctor Else S. Ross Darren A. Small Melissa A. Stuart
2012
CLASS AGENTS:
Elizabeth A. Bohan Ian J. Crouse Helen E. Day Sean P. Fitzpatrick Caroline N. Hayssen Margaret Juna Kim Moira M. MacArthur Jack W. Nicholson Georgia W. Paige Sagar A. Patel Sorrel M. Perka Biying Zhang
2013
CLASS AGENTS:
2008
CLASS AGENTS:
Alexandra D’Agostino Joanna A. Gaube Steven A. Harkey Georgina L. Heasman Emily F. Johnson Nicole A. Shirley Charles H. Sullivan Sophia G. Welch
2009
CLASS AGENTS:
Thomas M. Atwood Molly K. Downey Zachary J. Golden Kathryn M. Kramer Haley A. Mitchell Edward T. Ross Rebecca M. Smith Samantha L. St. Lawrence
2010
CLASS AGENTS:
Gabriella W. Bucci Mackenzie C. Deary Maura J. Hall Ryan C. Johnson Kathryn G. Sheehan Samantha A. Slotnick Ryan C. Wainwright
Alexandra R. Adams Lindsay M. Barber Roxane J. Barbera Alyson J. Chase Hayden M. Clarkin Jordan P. Ginsberg Alexis Gulino Daniel D. Kellaway Maximillian P. King William F. Mackie Dylan G. O’Hara Izabel M. Tropnasse
2014
CLASS AGENTS:
Bridget D. Bohan Gabriella M. Criscuolo Isaiah Henderson Ryan S. Jackson Hallie L. Leo Meghan J. MacArthur Annie J. E. Zalon Elise M. Zender
2015
CLASS AGENTS:
Kailey A. Cox Nickolas F. Fulchino Rachel K. Godfrey Keith C. O’Hara Thomas D. Wheatley
2011
CLASS AGENTS:
Muhammed-Jamil R. Ahmed Matthew D. Bourdeau Carlos H. Ferre Lilah T. Fones Czarina N. Hutchins Hannah P. Leo Aidan P. McGloine Hamilton G. Morley Daniel R. Palumbo Margaret H. Thompson Raymond R. Zeek III
FALL 2015
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SUMMER/FALL
CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
GATHERINGS
1
2
3
4
1 Newport Reception — July 9, 2015 — Assistant Director of Advancement Vassar Pierce, Laura Keeler Pierce ’03, Peter & Trish Baylor P ’03, ’10 2 Martha’s Vineyard Reception — July 29, 2015 — Seated, (l-r): Nancy Ameen P ’12, Andrea Borden P ’09, ’13, ’14, Susan Pease P ’13, Anne Richards P ’15, Rebecca Coakley ’04, Gail Coakley P ’04, Lacie Levin; back row, (l-r): Peter Pease ’68, P ’13, Head of School Tim Richards P ’15, Chris Pease ’13, Gordon Clagett P ’17, former faculty Woody Bowman P ’06, Olivia Hoden ’12, Doug Pease, Susan Bowman P ’06 3 Cape Cod Reception — August 13, 2015 — (l-r): Henry McLoughlin, Chris Cleary ’17, Tracey Elliott P ’17 4 Cape Cod Reception — Liz Rathborne P ’17 (left) and Jane Bourette P ’06
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5
6
7
5 Polo Match at Myopia, South Hamilton, MA – August 16, 2015 — (l-r): Ollie Wolcott ’18, Elise Wolcott P ’18, Louisa Jones P ’04, Ollie Wolcott P ’18 6 Polo Match at Myopia, South Hamilton, MA — August 16, 2015 — (l-r): Brit & Cara Hutchins P ’16, Sarah Polese Reineman P ’09, Polly Pitt Whiteside, and Tom Wetmore 7 Tennis Event in New Canaan, CT — August 19, 2015 — Front row, (l-r): Keith & Dawn Giovannoli P ’18, Joey Moffitt ’82, Lalan Shrikam ’93, Christine Giovannoli ’18, Alex Park, Keal Soo Park, Gabby and Henry Park ’94; Middle row (l-r): Patrick Connors P ’17, Nick Banks ’92, Paul Fowler ’64, John Richard ’59; Back row (l-r): Associate Director of Advancement Vassar Pierce and Dave Lefferts ’85
FALL 2015
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CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
1
2
3
1 Leadership Donor Reception, New York City – September 24, 2015 — (l-r): Director of Advancement Melissa Bellanceau, trustee Martha Linhares P ’14, ’16, ’18, Paul Fowler ’64, Jo Anna (Galanti) Fellon ’02, Christina (Galanti) Dickson ’02 2 (l-r): Bob and Bonnie Stapleton P ’00 with trustee Bob Olmsted ’59 3 (l-r): Trustee Justin Klein ’65, Mark Simon ’64, and Head of School Tim Richards P ’15
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POMFRET Magazine
4
5
4 Washington, DC Reception — October 8, 2015 — Counterclockwise from left: Dan Thompson ’95, Head of School Tim Richards P ’15, Joe Dickson ’01, Michael Petty ’67, Meg Weekes and husband Derry Allen ’65, George Walker ’61, Director of Advancement & Communications Melissa Bellanceau, Elena Irick ’12, Georgia Paige ’12, Jaclyn Tules ’11, Elliott Granoff ’11, Alex Gristina ’11, Carlos Ferre ’11 5 Head of the Charles – October 18, 2015 — Laura Keeler Pierce ’03, Laura Dunn ’05, Buzz Dunn P ’05, Trevor Reid ’06, Louisa Jones P ’04, Associate Director of Advancement Vassar Pierce
FALL 2015
67
CONNECTIONS | Class Notes
1
3
6
2
4
5
7
FALL FAMILY WEEKEND – October 29-31, 2015 1 Kate Galusza and her son Hayden ’18 2 (l-r): Nacho Deu P ’17, ’19, Carlos Deu Morera ’19, Carmen Morera P ’17, ’19 with Olivia Deu, and grandparents Ramon Morera and Rosa Serra 3 Sowhey & Sue Park P ’77, ’79, ’82, grandparents of Isabel Park ’18 4 Angel Kermah ’19 (right) with her grandmother Sia Sar, mother Rebecca Sar, and little brother Adom Kermah 5 Mel and Kevin Riva with their daughter Bailey ’18 6 (l-r): Olivia Kremer ’17, Julia Gengras ’18, and Mariella Catalano ’18 at the bonfire 7 David Skinner P ’16 and Head of School Tim Richards P ’15 68
POMFRET Magazine
1
3
2
4
5
ASIA VISIT – November 2015 — Head of School Tim Richards, his wife Anne, and Director of Advancement and Communications Melissa Bellanceau traveled to South Korea, Russia, China, and Hong Kong to visit with Pomfret parents and alumni. 1 A gathering of parents and alumni in Seoul, South Korea with (front row, l-r) Yongmoo Lee P ’16, Gino Cho ’81, Anne Richards P ’15, Melissa Bellanceau, and Young Ju Hwang P ’15; (back row, l-r) Head of School Tim Richards P ’15, Myungwon Kim P ’16, Paul Lee ’14, Kyung Hee Choi P ’18 and her daughter, YoungJin Lee P ’17, Jung Ah Choi P ’14, Mi Hyang Park P ’19, and Hyeyoung Yoon P ’18 2 A dinner in Seoul, South Korea with (l-r): Anne and Tim Richards P ‘15, Ji Eun Kim P ’14, Melissa Bellanceau, and friend Mr. Kim 3 A gathering with current parents in Shanghai, China with Zhongjie Wang and Jiewen Ren P ’18, Min Sha and Yu Du P’18, Jianhui Peng and Liangping Wu P ’17, William Peng, King Shun Ng and Yuet Siu P ‘19, Ben Meng and Jasmin Foo P ’17, Jimmy Chan and Sherry Pan P ‘17, Xin Wei and Yi Zhang P ‘19, Fenghua Dong P ‘18, Huaikun Wu and Yang Bai P ‘16, Tiejun Yang and Zhiwei Wang P ‘18, Jin Dai P ‘18, Lixing Zhang P ‘15, Tim and Anne Richards P ‘15, Melissa Bellanceau, 4 Parents gathered in Beijing, China for dinner. (l-r): Jimmy Chan P ’17, Kathy Wu P ’17, Tao Ji P ’19, Anne Richards P ’15, Fa Hua P ’17, Melissa Bellanceau, Tim Richards P ’15, Wen Liao & Violet Cheng P ’17, Lixia Cao P ’19, Tao Tian P ’16 5 Dinner in Moscow, Russia with (front row, l-r): Andrey Kravtsov P ’17, Larisa Salamandra P ’17, Melissa Bellanceau, Olga Utkina P ’16, Tim Richards and Anne Richards P ’15; (back row, l-r) Lev Salamandra P ’17, Mariana Skhirtladze P ’17, Associate Director of Admissions Joe Kremer P ’14, ’17, Alexander Alperovich P ’16, Oleg Gorbolskiy P ’18, Tatiana Gorbolskaya P ‘18 FALL 2015
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2015-2016
PO M FR E T F U N D
How much do I need to give to make an impact? Where does it go?
Every Little Bit Helps!
Provide Valuable Education Resources
Save the Environment
$90
$500
$1,250
Funds an advisee dinner which provides a meaningful opportunity for every student to build a relationship with his/her advisor and advisory group.
Provides professional development materials for our teachers and keeps Pomfret at the cutting edge of education. Help expand our teacher’s libraries.
Why is my gift important?
74% Tuition only covers 74% of
68
the total cost to educate ONE student! POMFRET Magazine
Installs a water bottle station to further reduce Pomfret’s carbon footprint. Keep our Griffins hydrated and support the environment.
How to give? 1. Visit www.pomfretschool.org/giving to make a gift or pledge online. 2. Call 860-963-6128 for more information about a gift of securities. 3. Mail your gift to: Pomfret School, Advancement Office, 398 Pomfret Street, PO Box 128, Pomfret, CT 06258-0128
The Pomfret Fund touches every aspect of life on the Hilltop. » » »
Your gift will allow the School to recruit a talented and diverse student body. We will retain and grow a dedicated team of educators. You will make every aspect of the Pomfret experience possible.
Improve Technology in the Classroom
Invest in the Pomfret Experience
$2,500
$15,000
Provides the School with SMART Projection and blue-tooth capabilities to improve classroom learning environments.
Allows for the full investment in the Pomfret experience. The total cost to educate one student is beyond the cost of tuition.
Fund a Student
$55,000
Give the gift of a Pomfret education by supporting a deserving student through our merit or financial aid programs.
LEADERS HIP
Giving Societies Sundial Society .................................. $50,000+ Pomfret Benefactor’s Society $25,000-$49,999 Headmaster’s Society............ $10,000-$24,999 Peck Society .............................. $5,000-$9,999 1894 Society .............................. $1,894-$4,999 Olmsted Society ........................ $1,000-$1,893 Lefferts Society ............................................. $500-$999 Strong Society ................................. $250-$499 Century Club.................................... $100-$249
Graduates of the last nine years may join any giving society by making a gift of one-half the minimum level of that society.
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID HARTFORD, CT PERMIT NO. 1382
398 Pomfret Street PO Box 128 Pomfret CT 06258 - 0128 www.pomfretschool.org
Change Service Requested
Please notify us of any change of address, giving both the new and the old addresses.
2016 SCHWARTZ VISITING FELLOW
PETER BERGEN Peter Bergen is a print and television journalist and author; the director of the national security studies program at the New America Foundation in Washington D.C.; a fellow at Fordham University’s Center on National Security and CNN’s national security analyst. He has held teaching positions at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
JANUARY
29
th
SPEAKER PRESENTATION
7:00 PM — HARD AUDITORIUM FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Established in 1988 by Michael L. Schwartz ’66 and Eric A. Schwartz ’69, the Schwartz Visiting Fellow is a prominent figure from the world of art, literature, science, or politics invited to the Pomfret campus for three days each year to share his or her unique experiences, ideas, and insights with Pomfret students. Designated as the Schwartz Fellow, this guest is selected by a different department each year.