THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUE SUMMER 2022
TIESSCHOOL
26FEATURES From San Domenico to Sesame Street 28 A Global Community: Living and Learning at an International School 32 International Relations Comes to Life at SD
SCHOOL TIES | 3 Editorial Team: Deanna Bruton, Megan Gardner, Anna Heidinger, Lisa Hilgers, Kirstie Martinelli, Kimberly Pinkson, Nick Vidinsky 04 Head of School 06 On Campus 18 Teaching & Learning 20 Congressional Art Award 34 Athletics 40 Campus Updates 42 Class Notes 50 Reunion 52 Alumni Tribute 53 In Memoriam 54 From the Archives DEPARTMENTS 12 50 34 24
It has been many years since I was a student at San Domenico Upper School, yet I remember clearly the excitement I felt as I met fellow members of the Class of 1977, who had come from around the world to our School.
The kindergarten student from Fairfax doing a science experiment with a senior from China. The second grader looking up to the Panthers Basketball player from Poland.
Dear San CommunityDomenicoMembers,
Leticia Ducru from Paris; Maria Eugenia Tabush from Guatemala; Terawan Techapongvorachai from Thailand; Elizabeth Strebl Ochmanek from Austria; and from China, Hoonae Kim and Meehyun Kim (now an SD parent to Lauren, Class of 2025). During this year’s Alumni Reunion—our first one in person since the beginning of the pandemic—former students came from around the world to celebrate our shared and beloved history and relationships. As of this writing, our current student body includes young people from more than 26 countries. Every day, I look at them interacting with one another, reflecting together, celebrating together, questioning together, and learning together—and it is inspiring to see and hear.
Those of us who love SD talk often about how a Dominican education teaches you to break silences using your voice for good. To inquire. To question. To debate. To bridge divides and find solutions by studying, reflecting, and learning how to serve in community, together, reaching across different backgrounds to find our commonalities as human beings.
I n 2016, noted American writer, feminist, librarian, and civil rights activist Audre Lorde wrote, “The fact that we are here and that I speak these words is an attempt to break that silence and bridge some of those differences between us, for it is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken.”
The Upper School classmates and roommates from different countries and cultures, who must strengthen their ability to live out our commitment to diversity and inclusion with respectful inquiry and care, as they seek to understand perspectives different from their own.
CECILY STOCK ’77, M.A., J.D., HEAD OF SCHOOL
Boarding students in the hills above campus
Key to this is our international student body, which has perhaps never been more important than it is today. For all of our SD students—both local and from afar—being part of an international community creates a uniquely powerful learning and growing up experience.
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San Domenico students do not stay silent. We use our voices, even when from behind masks. I cannot say enough how proud I am of the teachers, students, staff, families, and friends who comprise our School community and how they show up every day, regardless of pandemics, or war, or international crises. The arms of our SD family reach wide, around the world. They hold us up through challenging times. It has been fantastic to be back together in person for so many on-campus events this past year, from reunion to plays, dance, music, dinners, SD Celebrates, and athletics, including a State Championship for the Varsity Women’s Basketball team. I am so grateful to each of you who contribute to our vibrant and thriving community. In these pages, you will read more about our international community. May their stories inspire in you the same hope and caring that gets me through every day. Go Panthers! HEAD OF SCHOOL
Major Recommendation I advises: “That the School consolidate its vision and progress in the process of drafting a new mission statement that will succinctly and clearly identify the unique significance and purpose of San Domenico School to its current and prospective community, in language that reflects San Domenico's enduring values, current identity, and the way it meets the needs of the students it serves.” Our School’s 171-year-old mission to provide purpose-driven education anchored by our Dominican heritage has kept SD thriving, while many other schools founded in the mid- and late 1800s have long since closed. In keeping with our core value of Community, updating San Domenico’s mission statement acknowledges the power of words and how their meaning evolves over time, even as values endure.
SCHOOL TIES | 5 SD MISSION
A mission statement describes an organization's fundamental, unique purpose. It communicates the value the school delivers, what groups it serves, and how. The best mission statements are succinct, typically between one and four sentences in length. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review, the most powerful of mission statements are eight words or less.
San Domenico’s current mission statement, updated in 2010 from the 1980 version, is five sentences and 100 words. In the fall of 2022, the MEC and Board of Trustees will continue its iterative process to develop and refine a new mission statement, with a completion goal of spring 2023. Thank you to all of our community members who have shared your perspectives, and to all who are contributing to this important work. For more information, visit sandomenico.org/CAIS.
• SR. CYNDIE CAMMACK, O.P., Committee Chair • RICHARD GOLDMAN, Board Chair • KATHLEEN TONEY, Trustee and alumni parent • JAMIE GINSBERG, current parent • SR. SUSANNAH MALARKEY, O.P. ’48 • SANDY PFAFF, current parent • LAURA REVENKO ’85, alumna • CLEARY VAUGHAN-LEE, current parent • CECILY STOCK, Head of School • KALI BAIRD, Director of DEI • SHELLEY FLINT, Director of Sustainability • MIRZA KHAN, Director of Philosophy, Ethics, and World Religions • LEAANNE PARLETTE, Director of Lower and Middle School • KIMBERLY PINKSON, Director of Strategic Initiatives • KATE REESER, Assistant Head of School for Academics; Director of Upper School • CARRIE ROBLEY, Assistant Head of School for Student Life SAN DOMENICO MISSION ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE:
San Domenico’s Mission Enhancement Committee (MEC) began the work of responding to this recommendation in the fall of 2021, gathering input from SD’s extensive and diverse family, including alumni; current and former Trustees; Dominican Sisters; current students, parents, and guardians; current faculty and staff; and extended friends of the School. Gathering results from a survey shared with more than 8,400 SD community members, the MEC has been holding small group meetings and listening sessions in accordance with the Committee’s goal of discovering common language and themes among our community.
San Domenico is among the just 5% of California’s 3,950 private schools that meet the ambitious educational accreditation standards required for membership in the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). To maintain this elite status, San Domenico must engage in cyclical Self Study processes and report to CAIS and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. After submitting our latest report, San Domenico once again earned full accreditation in 2021. The response was exceptional and included broad praise for the School’s accomplishments and adherence to our mission and values. The accreditation report also included five key recommendations.
6 | SCHOOL TIES ON CAMPUS | DEIJ SD SPEAKER SERIES:
Welcoming Michael Tubbs, Special Advisor for Economic Mobility to Governor Gavin Newsom
We were delighted to welcome Michael Tubbs, special advisor for economic mobility to Governor Gavin Newsom, to campus for our popular Speaker Series on March 3 in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts. Kali Baird, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at San Domenico School, interviewed Mr. Tubbs onstage in front of a captivated audience. The evening began with an outdoor reception, with refreshments and conversation among the community members and Tubbs. The talk concluded with a Q&A session.
Guaranteed Income, Tubbs was elected mayor of Stockton in 2016, at 26 years old. He was Stockton’s first African-American mayor and the youngest mayor of any major city in American history. As mayor, Tubbs was lauded for his leadership and innovation that led to Stockton being named an “All-America City” in 2017 and 2018 and its ranking as the second most fiscally healthy city in California. He raised over $20 million to create the Stockton Scholars, a universal scholarship and mentorship program for Stockton youth. Tubbs was named a member of Fortune’s “Top 40 Under 40” and a Forbes “30 Under 30” All-Star Alumni.
“Michael Tubbs made a deep and lasting impression on me as well as solidified my sense of him being a motivating and inspirational presence. What he has already accomplished and his plans and vision for the future can serve to motivate us all to be more and do more.” —Kali Baird, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Prior to his roles of Special Advisor for Economic Mobility and founder and chair of Mayors for a
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In conversation with Baird, Tubbs spoke about growing up, and the kind woman at church, Sister Kim Dixon, who gave all her children’s books to him, filling his small room with all the classics. He used books as an escape and to grow his imagination. That imagination came in handy when he went on to create the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot program in the country. Tubbs encourages young people to take that first step, however small; after that, he says, the networks and purpose will evolve.
8 | SCHOOL TIES ON CAMPUS | COMMUNITY EVENTS
SD Celebrates
On Saturday, April 2, nearly 300 friends of San Domenico gathered for a beautiful evening at Rancho Nicasio in West Marin. It was a night of Togethertoandofsponsors,ourWeinmuchEveryoneandcommunitystaffnumbersoldSchool.capturedthatcamaraderie,community,andpurposesowonderfullythespiritofourWiththeeventoutandarecordofteachersandinattendance,ourwastogetherstrongerthanever.agreeditwasmorefuntogatherpersonthanonZoom!aregratefulforvolunteers,forourandforeachyouwhoattendedraisedyourpaddlesupporttheStrongerFund.
Day on the Green The tenth annual Day on the Green, held in May, took on new meaning as we were able to invite families back onto campus, to gather on Kesterson Field. Students, families, and faculty enjoyed live music played by student performers, yearbook signing, games and activities, and most important, community!
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Global Renaissance Faire
Earth Day Celebration For more than 50 years, San Domenico has been celebrating Earth Day with our students. This year, we had a number of guests join us on campus to share their knowledge and passion on related topics. Lower School students had a visit with the SaveNature Insect Discovery Lab and the Agriculture Institute of Marin. Middle and Upper School students enjoyed learning from a variety of speakers on topics including sharks, agriculture, advocacy, climate change, and more. Students also created a beautiful Earth Day mural, restored the grotto on the hillside, planted in the Garden of Hope, and even learned new ways to repurpose old T-shirts. All in all, it was a joyous event. Thanks to Director of Sustainability Shelley Flint for creating such a dynamic roster of activities!
Seventh Graders recently hosted the ninth annual San Domenico Renaissance Faire, showcasing their studies of medieval empires and civilizations. This year’s Global Renaissance Faire featured innovations, inventions, activities, and performances focused on historical golden ages of cultures around the world. From archery to kite flying, badminton to henna and jewelry, foam sword fighting to chess, food, dancing, Shakespeare recitals, and Afro-Indian drumming, the faire highlighted student research and talent in a celebratory way!
SD Upper School Presents: Mamma Mia!
Arts in Action
There was music in the air and artwork in the gallery at our Lower School’s annual “Arts in Action” showcase as Third, Fourth, and Fifth Graders performed for their families onstage in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts. This year’s theme was “Brighter Days’’ and the performers shared uplifting tunes and wore brightly colored outfits for the occasion. The lobby gallery walls were adorned with art by students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.
For Middle School “Arts in Action,” dancers thrilled with performances of their own choreography, theatre students kept the audience in stitches, and the rock band kept everyone’s toes tapping, while the chorus, Advanced Vocal Ensemble, and guitarists showed off how much their skills have developed this year. It was exciting to see so much talent and hard work on display!
10 | SCHOOL TIES ON CAMPUS | COMMUNITY EVENTS
Upper School thespians thought long and hard about which play to produce as the first live musical since before the pandemic began. Ultimately, the students chose Mamma Mia! With its sing-along music, bawdy humor, and a universal story about love of all kinds, it ended up being the perfect show to bring our beloved musical back to a live audience in a lifeaffirming celebration. We salute the entire cast of Mamma Mia!, directed by Erica Smith, director of Dance and Theatre Arts.
Virtuoso Program students performed an orchestra concert in February presenting music spanning the ages, featuring historical composers Bartók, Carreño, and Dvořák, alongside a world premiere by our own Illarion Gershkovich ’23! In April, our talented VP musicians created an exciting evening of solo string music for viola and cello, showcasing works by Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Sarasate, Bach, and more, accompanied by the masterful Miles Graber on piano. And for May’s Spring Chamber Music Concert, students played works by Grieg, Shostakovich, Mendelssohn, Schubert, and others. We were thrilled to once again perform in front of live audiences in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts!
Music
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SD Legally Blonde Jr. Based on the award-winning Broadway musical and the smashhit motion picture, Legally Blonde Jr. is a fabulously fun journey of self-discovery and empowerment. It proved to be just the right upbeat vehicle for our talented Middle School cast, who performed to live, sold-out audiences in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts. Gratitude and kudos to the cast and crew and our incredible Theatre and Dance faculty, including Doree Clark (dance teacher, Grades 6-12), Erica Smith (director of Dance and Theatre Arts), Hannah Ozeran (technical director, Theatre Arts), and Alyssa Carnahan (dance faculty) on a job well done!
ON CAMPUS | GRADUATION 2022 Congratulations to the Class of 2022! “ You can read the news or you can be the news. And, you all are already such good news! You ARE creating the world you want to live in, and you are so significantly ahead of the game.” — Kate Reeser, Director of Upper School / Assistant Head for Academics
May you embrace your own gifts with ever-grateful hearts, And may you, dear graduates, continue to join hands and hearts With your brothers and sisters, wherever you are, To make our world, our home, a place of justice, peace, and love.
Amen.” — Sr. M. Gervaise Valpey, O.P., President Emerita “ How fortunate we are to be here. Everything that had to happen to make this moment possible. Everything that you—each of us—made happen, to make this moment possible.”
14 | SCHOOL TIES ON CAMPUS | GRADUATION 2022
— Richard E. Goldman, P ’22, Board Chair
“ May the God of Peace journey with you all your days And may peace be the gift you bring to everyone you meet. May you continue to live in respect for yourselves, In respect for the sacredness of all creation, And in respect for the dignity and uniqueness of every human being.
“ I think when we look back on our high school years, what we will remember more than our grades or accomplishments on paper is the people that surrounded us…you have all shaped the people we are today…Thank you, San Domenico, for everything you have taught us. ”
— Lily Ott, Student Body President
— Molly Mandelbrot, 2022 Senior Class President
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“Day-to-day life at SD would have been enough…SD trips would have been enough….Senior year would have been enough…All of that would have been enough, but we did more. We led clubs like BSU, QSU, JSA and JewCrew, we won music awards, broke records across sports, played on the first ever SD Varsity Flag Football team, wrote and directed our own plays, participated in musicals, held concerts, volunteered, raised money, built trails in these very hills, braved AP courses, became climate and mental health advocates, and made lifelong friends… Because we all made it here today through everything that has happened in the 1,383 days since the start of high school we can all agree that we did live our high school years to their fullest as best we could. And it was more than enough.”
16 | SCHOOL TIES ON CAMPUS “ Our experiences at SD are becomesmemorable,unique,andlifechanging…itpartofwhoyouare. ” — Meehyun Kim Kurtzman ’82, P ’25 “ We’re not afraid to use our voices because we’ve been shown respect along the way—respect from the administration and teachers and other students—so we know how to respect our selves and show other people respect.” Brooke O’Connell ’22 SD in QUOTES “ When Sister Gervaise invites everyone to share a moment of reflection during Dominicanembodiesevents,school-wideformethishowSD’srootsareitsuniquestrength.Study,reflection,community,andserviceareSDtome. ” — Julia Reinhard ’18
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“ It is essential to have an excellent bond with your teachers, especially when you face hardships in your life. I attended other high schools before SD and I can truthfully say that no other high school quite matches the qualities of the bonds and relation ships that the SD teachers and students have together.”
— Billy Hoagland ’26
“ I know that my education at San Domenico was an amazing gift my parents provided that continues to bless me each day.”
— Molly Mandelbrot ’22 “ To my teachers: I respect the fact that you work so hard to give us an educa tion. You work day and night, teaching, grading, and pre paring lessons. You not only teach us the school subjects. You teach us how to live, how to grow up, how to treat other human beings. I would like all the teachers to know how thankful we are for all your hard work.”
— Lisa N. Douglass ’71
BY LEAANNE PARLETTE, MFA, DIRECTOR OF LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL
18 | SCHOOL TIES TEACHING & LEARNING
Teaching Students to Know and to Think for a Complex World
The official theme of the conference was “The Science of Knowledge: Applying Brain Science to Build Student Expertise, Reasoning, Reflection, and Critical Thinking,” in acknowledgment of how students today face a world full of problems, falsehoods, and future careers that require critical thinking and expertise. Experientially, the theme included the question of how we, as educators, can help to reduce the divisiveness in our country. Key to this is teaching critical thinking and rationality, both of which are vital for the ability to distinguish fact from fiction. Science shows these skills can be learned, and they are essential for a peaceful and just future. Not purposeful172-yeariscurrentsurprisingly,brainscienceaffirmingourSchool’scommitmenttolearningand our Dominican-inspired core values of reflection and service as powerful tools in the educator’s toolkit for building critical thinking and rationality. The insular cortex, or insula—that part of the brain that runs basic biological functions—is thinner and lower-functioning in children, making it harder for them to process a nonstop barrage of information, stress, and/or violence. The insula plays a role in sensory processing, motor control, self-awareness (understanding us vs. them, me vs. other, we and us), nervous system stability, and emotional regulation. Pausing (reflecting) for three seconds after sharing new information with students allows their insula to work more effectively, relaxing the body
I recently had the chance to attend the 2022 Learning and the Brain conference, in person, which was fantastic because with the pandemic, I’ve been really hungry for more learning (and not of the COVID-19prevention and response variety).
LEARNING AND THE BRAIN: Teaching Students to Know and to Think for a Complex World
• A 2018 study by the MIT Sloan School of Man agement found that falsehoods are 70 percent more likely to be retweeted on Twitter than truth. Yet studies show many children lack the basic skills needed to distinguish fact from fiction. A 2019 report from the Stanford Higher Education Group found the majority of the ninth to 12th graders in the study lacked basic digital evaluation skills, and two-thirds couldn’t tell the difference between real news stories and ads, while a 2019 study by Reboot Foundation revealed that over a third of middle schoolers say they “rarely” or “never” learn how to judge the reliability of media sources.
• Critical thinking, analysis, and complex problem-solving are top sought-after skills among employers, according to the “Future of Jobs Report 2020” released by the World Economic Forum. Yet many students lack these basic skills. A 2019 Mind Edge Survey found that 74 percent of millennials and 69 percent of college students failed to pass a quiz measuring critical thinking skills.
He joins us from the Hun School of Princeton, where he has been Aca demic Dean, Science and Experiential Learning teacher, Resident Faculty member, Mentor, Tennis coach, and Peer Leader Program Director. He holds an MS Ed. in Independent School Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bach elor of Arts magna cum laude in Economics with Departmental Honors and Francophone Studies and a Minor in Biology from St. Lawrence University. Todd’s work has been published in many education journals and he holds certifications in Red Cross CPR, wilder ness first aid, and PADI Open Water Diver Scuba. and supporting the integration of new learning and rational thinking.
In his talk “Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, and Why It Matters,” presenter Steven A. Pinker, PhD, said that educators should look at rationality as being the fourth R: reading, ’riting (writing), ’rithmetic (arithmetic), and rationality. The message was that norms of rationality should be promoted; we must always question the objectivity and the rationality of news sources and what we read, watch, and hear on our screens. We as a society must demand that “experts” show their work, their logic, rather than just accepting that anything posted or reported is fact, not opinion. We must, as a society, demand of ourselves that we not just listen and hear and accept but actually hold media/ politicians/influencers accountable to support the information they share—much as we educators make our students back up their answers. In her presentation “Solving the Frankenstein Problem: Why All Learning and Thinking Is Social, Emotional, Cultural, and Cognitive in the Brain,” Mary Helen ImmordinoYang, EdD, affirmed the importance of purposeful learning. Meaningful learning always involves emotion. How do we become inspired? How do we build curiosity? How do we make meaning? Service and personal stories make us reflect, and it is the connections we build inside ourselves that construct meaning in learning, and meaningful learning moves the experience from that of outcomes and results to one of emotions that lead to ideas. And we all know we need new ideas for a healthier, more peaceful, and sustainable future.
BOARDING PROGRAM NEWS
San Domenico’s lived value of community is what drew Loffredo to choose SD among his many options. “I am most looking forward to meeting the students and joining the people who live and work at San Domenico,” he says. “On campus, I cannot wait to wander the Loma Alta Preserve with my dog Bowser, stop by the elementary school, feed the chickens, play tennis, and swim in the pool. I am also eager to explore all the Bay Area has to offer.”
This year, San Domenico welcomes Todd Loffredo, Dean of Com munity Life, who will work closely with Carrie Robley, Assistant Head of School for Student Life and Director of Residential Life, to continue to elevate the program. “We are so thrilled to welcome Todd to SD,” says Robley. “He has extensive boarding school experience and understands the unique needs of a residential program as well as our unique philoso phy and student-centered approach.”
WELCOMING NEW DEAN OF COMMUNITY LIFE
Our School would be a very different place if not for the boarding program. For generations, residential students from near and far have made the community a diverse and international one, adding to the richness of experience for students, teachers, and families. Living away from home and residing on campus in a dorm setting provides invalu able opportunities for personal growth. Boarding school students tend to develop life skills such as time manage ment, work ethic, and independence in a more accelerated manner than that of students in a day school.
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Recently, Congressman Jared Huffman personally called our very own May (Zexuan) Wu ’24 to announce that she is the winner of the 2022 Congressional Art Competition for California’s Second District! May’s winning artwork will be exhibited in the U.S. Capitol building for one year, along with artwork from each congressional district in the country. She will also receive two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C., to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception for the new display.
“Every year, the Congressional Art Competition serves as a testament to our students’ creative talents,” Rep. Huffman tells us. “I’m so impressed by the creativity and skill exhibited by our North Coast students, and I look forward to seeing Zexuan’s portrait in the halls of Congress.”
Each spring, the U.S. House of Representatives sponsors a nationwide high school arts competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in each congressional district across the country.
ON CAMPUS
SD Student Wins 2022 Congressional Art Award
May also won an award from the Global Oneness Project for the same piece! This year’s theme, “The Environ ment Is in You,” challenged student artists to document “the fragility, hope, and future of our planet due to climate change.” May is among 18 winners chosen from hundreds of student submissions from around the world.
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More than 650,000 high school students have participated in the annual contest since 1982, making May’s win this year all the more impressive—a true confirmation of her artistic skills, work ethic, and willingness to reflect and share herself with the world.
Congratulations on this high and well-deserved honor, May!
"We Are the Keepers of Tomorrow," by May (Zexuan) Wu “My drawing is a message of hope for a future of peace and connection, not division and borders. My use of color symbolizes optimism in a world of war and bleakness, and the girl carries this message into the future. The background depicts the reality of war where refugees and children are separated from their families and countries. As a foreigner, I know what it is like to be separated from my culture and family by thousands of miles. If humankind truly understood how this felt, there would not be war.”
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MIDDLE SCHOOL |
Lively Carnaval Assembly
Students in Seventh Grade Spanish explored the history, traditions, and art of the Lenten holiday Carnaval, a lively celebration with desfiles (parades), disfraces (costumes), comida (food), and música (music). Students shared what they learned at a Middle School Assembly, where tradi tions came alive with singing, dancing, and informative presentations.
Senior Chloe Flynn Earns Global Citizens Fellowship Chloe Flynn ’23 has been accepted into a highly competitive internation al program run by Global Citizens Initiative, starting with a month at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. The 10-month fellow ship program aims to equip young global citizens with the mindset, skills, and resources necessary to become effective and ethical global leaders.
22 | SCHOOL TIES ON CAMPUS In the Classroom
UPPER SCHOOL |
MIDDLE SCHOOL | Tinkering in the 3D Lab
In Sixth Grade Tinker Lab elective, student coders created a “shy” octo pus that pulls in its tentacles in reaction to a loud sound or other trigger, emphasizing design thinking throughout the project. Students ended up problem-solving how to arrange pieces in the laser cutter software and adjust the laser cutter's power and cutting speed. The students had to figure out on their own how to apply those tools to create very precisely measured pieces—no eyeballing the right shape!
Students and faculty celebrated Lunar New Year with All-School activities to honor the Year of the Tiger! In Lower School, students learned a song about numbers in Mandarin. Others worked on creating red lanterns to ward off evil spirits, using a symmetrical cutting technique. Middle School students created poster art and a movie about the 12 zodiac animals. And in the Upper School, students mastered the art of painting and calligraphy, which they then used to create a custom model of a stamp on the 3D printer. They used the stamps to personalize handcrafted soap in the Garden of Hope. And the Asian Students Association created a lively and infor mative short video to share with all students at Assembly.
All School Lunar New Year Celebration
LOWER SCHOOL | Learning Mandarin Fifth Grade students immersed themselves in Mandarin during a five-week course, asking and answering questions in Mandarin and learning how to count, read, and write numbers one through ten. To assist with learning numbers, students used an abacus and found it most intriguing. They mastered how to use it to count and created their own abacus in the 3D Maker Lab! Many of them were nervous about learning Mandarin at first, but remarked how fun and easy it was with project-based activities.
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BrumwellKailash
Olivia Warwick ’22 won Honorable Mention in Voice (Jazz) in the YoungArts Awards. YoungArts recognized Olivia for her “work that demonstrated exceptional technique, a strong sense of artistry, and a depth of thinking/performance that exceeds the level of peers at this career stage.”
24 | SCHOOL TIES SD Art and Music Students Win Awards
Kailash Brumwell, at age 10 and in Fifth Grade, recently won the Junior Scholarship Award for Piano from the Marin Music Chest schol arship competition. According to the judges, Kailash “breezed through the allegro movement of Friedrich Kuhlau’s Sonatina—a required piece—and then took off on his optional selection, La Chasse by Franz Liszt, considered one of the most difficult classical composers to per form.” Kailash will receive a scholarship of $1,100 and perform with the Music Chest’s Young Artists.
LOWER SCHOOL | Making Robots to Learn Spanish How do you make learning Spanish fun? Make robots in the 3D Maker Lab! Recently, students in fourth and fifth grades created robots, using newly learned Spanish vocabu lary to describe the parts. Each student wrote a short paragraph identifying the robot's name, color, body parts, and details about its clothing. They created the robots from scratch, using recyclable material. Students then presented their robots at the Lower School Assembly, describing them in Spanish!
ON CAMPUS
Maya
Wu SCHOOL TIES | 25
Upper School artists won multiple awards at this year's Rising Stars Marin County High School Art Show! Art 3 student May Wu ’24 won Best In Show— an impressive win in a very competitive show featuring art from the strongest high school artists throughout Marin. Alpert ’23 won Best Photograph and Nami Wolfus ’25 won a Merit Award for her digital painting from her Ninth Grade Art 1 class. May
Nami Wolfus
t San Domenico, Shanna Kohn ’09 developed an ethical framework that continues to influence her both personally and professionally, as the Director of International Education at Sesame Workshop. While a student at SD, Shanna was encouraged by her teachers to explore ideas creatively and to solve problems with ingenuity and confidence, culminating in her exemplary approach to cross-national learning and addressing the needs of children in diverse contexts and situations.
From San Domenico to Sesame Street
26 | SCHOOL TIES
After graduating from San Domenico in 2009, Shanna attended Vassar College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies with a minor in Education and participated in the Tibetan Cultural Studies Program Abroad in 2012. Shanna continued her education by attending the Harvard Graduate School of Education and earning a Master of Education in Education Policy and Management.
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Prior to working on humanitarian programs, Shanna managed curriculum, content, and program design in collaboration with on-the-ground partners for global programs focused on a variety of outcomes—including shifting parents’ perceptions and capacity around meaningful play, improving global health outcomes, and promoting a whole-child curriculum—-in Jordan, Lebanon, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, South Africa, and Mexico. She also worked as Editorial Assistant for the Sesame Learning team, creating multimedia content for preschool classrooms in the United States. Shanna was recently selected to join the workshop’s senior leadership Operations Team through an inaugural effort led by the president and CEO to broaden and diversify the voices that impact business decisions and operations. Shanna is a global change agent who possesses a strong sense of meaning and purpose. She is compassionate, collaborative, service oriented, and a true embodiment of San Domenico’s enduring values, and we are so proud of the tremendous work she has done. Today, Shanna lives with her husband and cat in Brooklyn, New York.
At present, Shanna leads educational content development for Ahlan Simsim , a localized version of Sesame Street in the Middle East, and manages the design of multimedia teaching and learning materials for Sesame Workshop’s humanitarian programs. The workshop’s two large-scale humanitarian programs, generously funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the LEGO Foundation, deliver early learning and nurturing care to children and caregivers affected by the Syrian and Rohingya refugee crises and comprise the largest early childhood intervention in the history of humanitarian response.
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All top schools today claim to be educating global citizens, but it is only a small percentage of K-12 students who actually get to meet, be in make friends, and live on campus with peers from around the is a unique point of
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class,
Why did you aspire to be an ASSIST scholar? I have always loved to see and discover the world through different perspectives, cultures, traditions, countries, and languages, so when I heard about the exciting opportunities and the global community that an ASSIST scholar would become a part of, it was an easy decision to apply. Pursuing my passion for learning, I also felt that becoming an ASSIST scholar at San Domenico would allow me to engage in a community that emphasized learning through creativity and a sense of purpose, as well as fostering great individuals beyond the scope of the classroom.
Would you recommend San Domenico to other international students and if so, why? I would definitely recommend San Domenico to other international students.
What has been one of the biggest surprises about San Domenico? Although the architecture, food, and ambiance of Marin are somewhat different from where I live in Sweden, I was very surprised by how much like home it felt when I got to San Domenico. Thinking back on the first day at SD, I remember how welcoming everyone was and how the boarding program community quickly became like family and a home away from home. What do you think has been your biggest learning experience that you will take home with you? From community dinners to Upper School movie nights, burrito hikes, and Spring Discovery trips to the Constitution party in U.S. History and the musical, my time at San Domenico has taught me to value and appreciate the small things in life. Before SD and the pandemic, it was not always easy for me to do that, but in being a part of a school community that brings forth the best in all its students and believes that with only a spark of inspiration and guidance, great things can happen, the mentality of gratitude and appreciation became a part of who I desire to be.
with
One thing that lies very close to my heart is when the whole school, students, parents, faculty, and many more included, drove to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento to cheer on our Women’s Varsity Basketball team as they won the State Championship. Although only a few of us competed on the basketball court, the state title embodies so much of what SD stands for: grit, passion, community, and joy.
The past year at SD has been one of the best in my life. More importantly, however, is how SD has opened doors for me and given me the tools to prepare me for many more “best years” to come in a way I could have never imagined.
In 2018, San Domenico was selected to become a distinguished ASSIST school—one of just 68 throughout the United States— adding yet another layer of international learning to our program. ASSIST is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that matches academically talented, multilingual international students with American independent secondary schools. During a one-year school stay, an ASSIST scholar-leader serves as a cultural ambassador actively participating in classes and extracurricular activities at an independent boarding school in the United States. “The word of mouth on San Domenico is very strong,” says Anne Stanley, ASSIST Director of School and Family Relations. “We knew the school offered a diverse and globally minded program, with an authentic and strong commitment to preparing kids for an interconnected world, so it was natural and exciting to formalize a collaboration.” ASSIST Scholar Filip Engelhardt ’23
SCHOOL TIES | 29
I have gotten to practice critical thinking and problemsolving, springing from the motto “learning through a sense of purpose” to become the best version of myself. What is a special experience at SD that you will remember? Where do I begin…there are so many wonderful things I have experienced during my year at San Domenico.
(Sweden)Q&A
Another experience that I will never forget is how fantastic it has been to live in the dorms, surrounded by my best friends and dorm parents (shoutout to Mr. and Mrs. Churchill). As we all settled in at the beginning of the year, I quickly became accustomed to Brazilian music in the bathroom, Dylan playing guitar in the lounge, and a nice “good morning” from the resident faculty on duty as a part of my morning routine. Additionally, during the short walk from the dorms to the Upper School building—I remember how I was always mesmerized by the beautiful campus and excited to let the day begin.
OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY “ For me, one of the biggest surprises about San Domenico was the level of inspiration and acceptance. It is a communi ty that helps you appreciate and accept yourself and others. I would say that I am going back home with a greater sense of purpose in life and a more creative and accepting outlook toward the world.”
— Aarya Chowdhry ’24 (India)
“ I had the good fortune of meeting one international student in Middle School. It was quite interesting to talk with him and hear his stories about Thailand and the culture there. I learned a lot just from meeting him, and I am looking forward to befriending other international students, sharing ideas, and learning from each other in high school.”
30 | SCHOOL TIES
“ Because of San Domenico’s being a school and community that encourages us to be kind, be hon est, work hard, keep learning, pursue your dreams, and enjoy life, I have had the best year of my life while here.”
“ I feel incredibly lucky to be immersed in a learning environment that wel comes and encourages diversity of thought and experience, especially as the outside world has become increasingly intolerant to opposing perspectives. With exposure to a great variety of people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, I am able to gain a more balanced and well- rounded perception of life that spans beyond my individual experiences.”
— Lola del Palacio ’23 (Spain)
— Julia Wise ’26 (USA)
— Mali Nguyen ’22 (USA)
“ Being a part of an international community like the one San Domenico offers has helped enrich my experience and broaden my worldview in a way I don’t think I would have had I not gone here. When there are problems or issues that affect other parts of the world, I can hear the perspectives of those in my classes and community who are connected to these events, which has allowed me to learn so much and understand more about these events than if I had just heard it on the news. .” — Zidane Zamorano ’22 (USA)
— COLLEEN BERTIGLIA, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS
26 Countries and RepresentedTerritoriesin the Upper School 2022-23
INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL TIES | 31
STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
We are excited to welcome 38 new international students from 25 countries to San Domenico this fall. These students will travel thousands of miles to come to SD. Their goal is to obtain an exceptional educational and cultural experience and be an ambassador of goodwill for their home countries. They are emerging artists, athletes, scientists, mathematicians, writers, and future world leaders. Many of them speak three or four languages. Some know what it is like to live under a democratic political system, and some know only other styles of govern ment. All will share their incredible stories and cultural customs, and we will all be the richer for this experience. We are thankful for their courage and confi dence as they temporarily leave their families in search of new connections and community here at San Domenico.
ZimbabweVietnamUnitedTurkeyThailandTaiwanSwitzerlandSpainSouthSerbiaRwandaRussianPolandMalawiLithuaniaIndiaHungaryHongGermanyGeorgiaFranceCzechChinaCambodiaBrazilAfghanistanRepublicKongFederationKoreaStates
By Kathy Hagee, United States History and International Relations Teacher • Sustainable Development and Climate Action | Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand
The students were so engaged and so excited to share all their research and efforts with a larger community.
• Worldwide Pandemics Denmark, Iceland, South Africa
The course was one big simulation with every student representing a country of their choosing for the entire semester. As a delegate from that country, each student learned vital skills as they practiced roles as diplomat, decision maker, influencer, and change agent. Together, they explored the intersectionality between multiple actors within the global political system, each with unique interests and ideas. It has been very inspirational, to say the least.
32 | SCHOOL TIES
They were accountable for their learning and I know experiences like that prove to be very powerful motivators for students to continue to want to learn. I am extremely humbled by the success I witnessed with this dynamic group, and I know many of them will go on to be amazing change agents of the world.
In the final semester summative assessment, delegates were grouped together as teams from around the world, then given a major world crisis to reevaluate through inquiry with the goal of proposing viable solutions. Topics covered included:
San Domenico’s international community makes for excellent conditions to learn about global issues in a dynamic and in-depth way. Students in my International Relations senior elective class engaged in project-based learning to address real world problems.
• Atomic Energy France, Colombia, Ethiopia • Women’s Rights and Access to Education Brazil, North Korea, Singapore
• Human Trafficking Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Egypt • Free and Open Seas/Oceans China, South Korea, Russia
Global Challenge: toRelationsInternationalComesLifeatSD
• Famine/Food and Water Security Belarus, Japan, United States I was thrilled with the outcome of the exhibits. The experiential learning of the entire semester helped prepare the students to think critically about their global challenge from a perspective beyond their own.
SCHOOL TIES | 33
The first half was close, with Shalhevet taking a three-point lead into halftime. But the Panthers took over in the second half with staunch defense, winning the state title in front of hundreds of SD students, faculty, and staff who bused in to cheer on the Panthers. Lily Reeser ’24 led the team in scoring with 12 points and three steals.
PANTHER
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Women’s Varsity Basketball made a storybook run this year all the way to the Golden 1 Center—home of the Sacramento Kings—where the Panthers defeated Shalhevet High School 38-27 to be crowned 2022 Division 5 state champions!
PanthersATHLETICSWin
“Hats off to San Domenico,” Shalhevet coach Ryan Coleman told the Los Angeles Times. “That’s the bestcoached team we’ve faced.”
Tracy Gerhauser ’84 andShawn Sweeney Copen-hagen ’84 cheering on thePanthers at the NorthernRegional
TimecelebratesChampionships.MajaCykowska’23viaFace-withherfamilyinPoland!
2022-23
36 | SCHOOL TIES
Lacrosse Program Adds Hall of Fame Coach
Awards and Achievements
PANTHER
20222021-2022Pantherof the Year Award
Men’s Lacrosse is coming to SD this spring, bolstered by the addition of coach Bob Ott , a Hall of Fame player and All-American at the University of Maryland. Prior to San Domenico, Ott led the Redwood High School women's team to numerous league championships, NCS berths, and wins over nationally ranked opponents during his 10-plus-year tenure with the program. Ott is one of just six players in Maryland's illustrious 127-year history to be named an All-American in each of his four seasons (1976-79).
Noku Mukukula ’22 - Volleyball, Bas ketball, Track and Field Max Tavano ’22 - Baseball 2022 Scholar Athlete Awards Emma Keith Brown ’22 - Swim Zidane Zamarano ’22 - Soccer, Track and Field 2022 Panther Pride Award
FromATHLETICStheDesk of Athletic Director Mark Churchill
The 2021-22 school year saw Panther Athletics come roaring back as pandemic re strictions were lifted and we returned to a full slate of sports. With 10 teams making playoff appearances in the highly competitive BCL West, one could argue this was our most successful year yet in SD Athletics history. And, of course, the crown jewel of the year: our Women’s Basketball team winning the state cham pionship!Itwas also a year of well-deserved honors for many of our individual Panthers, with an astounding 43 of our student-athletes earning BCL all-league recog nition. Their exemplary performances on and off the field/court continue to make us proud of what our student athletes can achieve. More growth lies ahead for Panther Athletics in the coming school year. Our brand-new pool will host Men’s and Women’s Water Polo in the fall. Men’s Lacrosse is coming to SD in the spring. Our coach ing staff continues to grow with incredibly strong pedigrees of competitive success and dedication to student well-being. I can’t wait to get back at it this fall and continue to build upon our impressive achievements. Go Panthers!
Jillian Bizjack ’22 - Volleyball, Bas ketball, Lacrosse Simon Straube ’22 - Cross Country, Basketball, Track and Field 2022 Marin Athletic FoundationOutstanding Student Athlete Award Piper Fleece ’22 - Basketball, Track and Field Kezian Dunn ’22 - Track and Field 2022 NCS Scholastic Championship Team Award - Baseball 2022 NCS Scholastic Championship Team Award - Badminton 2022 NCS Class A Track and Field Hayley Ballard ’23 - Girls 3200 Meter Champion Kezian Dunn ’22 - Boys Shot Put Champion 2022 NCS Division 2 BadmintonThird Place 2022 NorCal Division 2 Mountain Bike Championships - 2nd place
Basketball Program
Lands Local Standout Tyler Gaffaney, our new Director of Basketball and Head Coach of the men’s team, joins Mike Fulton to lead our basketball program into the future. Tyler brings an impressive pedigree to SD Basketball, having played professionally in Spain with Club Baloncesto Morón and El Olivar and coached at the collegiate level at Cal State East Bay and Wesleyan University. In his three years at Wesleyan, Gaffaney’s focus on recruiting and player development contributed to the program’s winningest season in that school’s history. Gaffaney’s honors as a college player include SCIAC Conference Athlete of the Year, Academic AllAmerican, and Athletic All-American. He holds an MBA from Claremont Graduate University.
SCHOOL TIES | 37
2022 NorCal Division 2 Mountain Bike Championships - 2nd place Individual Haley Ballard ’23 2022 BAC/BCL West Swim Emma Keith Brown ’22 - Girls 200 Yard IM BAC Champion / Girls 500 Yard Freestyle BAC Champion 2022 BAC/BCL West Track and Field Hayley Ballard ’23 - Girls Track Ath lete of the Meet BAC Championships/ Girls 1600 Meter BAC Champion/Girls 3200 Meter BAC Champion Kezian Dunn ’22 - Boys Shot Put BAC Champion 2022 BCL West Baseball Max Tavano ’22 - Catcher - All League First Team Alex Tavano ’24 - Catcher - All League Second Team 2022 BCL West Baseball West Middleton ’22 - Catcher - All League Honorable Mention 2022 BAC/BCL West Swim Emma Keith Brown ’22 - Girls 200 Yard IM - All League First Team / Girls 500 Yard Freestyle - All League First Team 2022 BAC/BCL West Swim
Emma Keith Brown ’22, Lily Ott ’22, Avery Quinton ’25, Quinn Joyce ’24 - Girls 200 Yard Freestyle Relay - All League Second Team 2022 BAC/BCL West Track and Field Hayley Ballard ’23 - Girls 1600 Meters All League First Team / Girls 3200 Meter All League First Team Kezian Dunn ’22 - Boys Shot Put All League First Team Saliah Johnson ’25 - Girls Shot Put All League Second Team Braeden Connan ’23 - Boys 100 Me ter All League Second Team Kevin Leng ’22 - Boys Long Jump All
What better way to dive into a beautiful new pool than with the best season in SD history?
38 | SCHOOL TIES PANTHER ATHLETICS
League Second Team / Boys Triple Jump All League Second Team Kezian Dunn ’22 - Boys Discus All League Honorable Mention Braeden Connan ’23 - Boys Long Jump All League Honorable Mention Saliah Johnson ’25 - Girls Discus All League Honorable Mention 2022 BAC/BCL West Badminton League Champions 2022 BAC/BCL West Badminton BAC Tournament Champions 2022 BAC/BCL West Badminton Eric Liu ’23 /Martin Peng ’25 - Boys Doubles BAC Champions
Stanley Ma ’23 - All League Second Team Boys Singles Kevin Yang ’25/Ivan Ban ’24 - All League Second Team Boys Doubles Dylan Song ’25/Wendy Feng ’23 - All League Second Team Mixed Doubles 2022 Women's Basketball Division 5 State Player of the Year Summer Jenkins ’24 - Cal High Sports 2022 Women's Basketball Division 5
The 2022 Women’s and Men’s Swim Teams didn’t take long to feel at home in the brandnew Sister Gervaise Aquatic Complex. The women’s team went 6-1 on the season and finished in second place in the highly competitive BCL West, while the men followed that up with an impressive 5-2 record. Emma Keith-Brown ’22 , who will now swim for Division 1 UC San Diego, won the BCL West championships in the 200 IM and 500 Freestyle events. Emma made it all the way to the state championships in Clovis this year, the first swimmer in SD history to do so. “Emma has been an inspiration to the entire school,” says Coach Julie Anderson. “Our first athlete to sign with a Division 1 school, Emma has been instrumental in putting San Domenico Swimming on the map. She has worked incredibly hard to reach her goals. Her work ethic separates her from the pack."
Swim Team Splashes into New Pool
Cici Lin ’23 - All League First Team Girls Singles Becky Xiang ’23/Scoot Wang ’23All League First Team Girls Doubles Eric Liu ’23/Martin Peng ’24 - All League First Team Boys Doubles
All State Second Team Noku Mukukula ’22 - Max Preps 2022 Women's Division 5 NorCal and State Champions CIF Sportsmanship Award Piper Fleece ’24 - (handed out at State Championship) 2022 Boys BCL West Soccer Angelo Neto ’23 - All League First Team Seiki Rosa ’23 - All League Second Team Bernardo Atalla ’23 - All League Second Team
Basketball Champions
2021 Girls BCL West/Central Cross HayleyCountryBallard ’23 - League Champion 20202020Norcal Div 5 Boys
2022 Girls BCL West Basketball Noku Mukukula ’22 - All League First Team Summer Jenkins ’24 - All League Second Team Lily Reeser ’24 - All League Second Team Maja Cykowska ’23 - All League Hon orable Mention 2022 Boys BCL West Basketball Jimmy Hoagland ’22 - All League Honorable Mention Gavin Early ’25 - All League Honor able Mention Drew Morehouse ’24 - All League Honorable Mention
2021 Girls BCL West/Central Cross CountryHayleyBallard ’23 - All League First Team undefeated 2021 Girls BCL West Volleyball Ashe West Lewis ’22 - All League Second Team Jillian Bizjack ’22 - All League Hon orable Mention
SCHOOL TIES | 39
20192019BCL
20182018Boys BCL - Central Baseball
2018ChampionsGirlsBCL - Central Golf Champions
Mad Baddies Win League Title
The SD Badminton team were crowned league champions for the first time in SD history with an 11-1 record this season. Cici Lin ’23 and Stanley Ma ’23 led the way for the team in the singles competition with dominating performances all season long, while Becky Xiang ’23 and Pinkie Chan ’24 led the way in the women's doubles. Kevin Yang ’25 and Martin Peng ’25 also contributed as the top pair in men's doubles. Head Coach Julie Lazarin said winning the league title this year was bittersweet. “It feels great being crowned league
withstudents.totheresidentLazarintoheadthisofovercomeHowever,champions.I'malsowithasensesadnessknowingthatismylastyearasthecoach.”Inadditionbeingtheheadcoach,hasalsobeenafaculty(RF)forpast11years,helpingcarefortheboarding“Myrelationshipthemexistsbeyond
West Individual Champion Track and Field Kayden Korst ’19 - Shot Put Grey Snyder ’20 - Shot Put Grey Snyder ’20 - Discus Joe Zhou ’20 - Triple Jump
the 3-to-5-p.m. time frame when we're on the court,” she says. “I genuinely know the students that are on my team. I see them at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I take care of them when they are sick. I drive them to doctor appointments. We're a family, and our team is that much better because we care deeply about each other.”
CAMPUS UPDATES
Just in time for Athletics’ spring season, San Domenico’s new competitionsize pool was completed and celebrated by generations of San Domenico students, parents, alumni, Board of Trustees, and friends of the school. With the completion of Phase I of this linchpin project, we are now looking ahead to implementing Phase II and the construction of our new community center. These shared moments of celebration remind us not only of our distinguished legacy, but also of the promise of a vibrant and thriving future. We are thrilled to share renderings for the future Sister Gervaise Valpey Community Center.
SCHOOL TIES | 41
In addition to the Sister Gervaise Valpey Community Center and Aquatics Complex project, over the next few months we will also be constructing Panther Plaza, a new 2,200-square-foot outdoor space for dining, study, and gathering for all students K-12. The new plaza will be located between Dominican Hall and the Cooper Dining Hall and will be completed in the 2022-2023 year.
With deep appreciation, we thank the San Domenico community for your support of our School, and for your continued support for our students.
CLASS OF 1961 Sheila (Anater) Ralston Sheila (Anater) Ralston ’61 welcomed her first great-grandchild, Calvin Troy Benander, on March 27, 2022. Sheila also cel ebrated her first hole in one on the golf course!
CLASS OF 1968 Jennifer Strohmaier(Lawrence)
CLASS OF 1970 Paige (Wiley) Peterson Paige (Wiley) Peter son ’70 recently spent about three months in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She is writing a total of six articles about her adventures. The first article can be accessed at www.newyorksocialdiary.
From 1995 until 2020, Jennifer theirshipcollegestudentsrecommendsselects,tee,ScholarshipMateoDavis,asStrohmaier(Lawrence)‘68servedamemberoftheUCCountyofSanCALAggieAlumniCommitwhichreviews,interviews,andhighschoolandcommunitystudentscholarapplicantsbasedonleadershipessays.
CLASS OF 1948 Sister Susannah Malar key In May 2022, Tilda Thompson ’64 (Matilda Mueller Thompson), Betsy Zell ’64 (Eliz abeth Crawford Zell), and Sister Susannah Malarkey ’48 drove to Lodi, California, to visit Joanne Boyson Bar kley ’64 , who still has very limited mobility from her dreadful fall a few months ago. They had a delightful drive up to Lodi, catching up and then spending quality time with Joanne. They relished being together, sharing a meal, and recounting all of the memories that fill their over 50 years of close friendship.
42 | SCHOOL TIES CLASS NOTES
PetersonPaige ’70 with SaudBinPrinceHRHTurkiTalalAl
Elizabeth Anders ’64
She says, “It was a very interesting opportunity to keep abreast of what the younger generations were thinking and doing in their communities. As I read the student essays I always wondered how young seniors from San dayon“Thistopics.onlistenthroughoutonopportunityClub,ofenjoysinJenniferJuneforreadJenniferincomparedDomenicowiththoseSanMateoCounty.”continuedtoleadershipessaysUCDavisthroughof2021.Whenisnotworkingherbusinesses,shebeingamembertheSunLakesGardenwhereshehasthetosocializegardendaytripsArizonaandtoguestspeakersavarietyofgardeningJenniferrecounts,isaquotethatwasaslidesharedyesteratthegardenclub: ‘Weeds (wild foods) are in every country of the world, so it’s beyond me why there is world hun ger. An entire civilization is walking on their food.’ That quote reminded me of San Domenico’s Garden of Hope and sustainability.” Currently, as a Bra Fit Specialist with Essential Bodywear, Jennifer makes dona tions to Project Uplift, where help is provided to the I Support the Girls organization.
CLASS OF 1964 Elizabeth (Bowe) Anders Elizabeth (Bowe) Anders ’64 shares photos of her time spent traveling to Antarctica and to the pyramids in Egypt.
Lisa N. Douglass ’71 continues her good work for the University of the Pacific and in creasing her grapes and animals at her Wood bridge“LifeFarm.continues to bless me.” Lisa N. Dou glass pictured with her three Merrittgranddaughters:(6),Emerson(3), and Harper (4 months). “Future SD girls!”
CLASS OF 1973 Wanden Treanor Recently, Wanden Treanor ’73 visited with Olga Wiese Pereira ’72 in Key Biscayne, Florida. Wanden had the good fortune to overlap with Maria Cecilia Vilaseca ’72 in Key Biscayne and they were able to share a lovely evening together. are Olga ’72 with Maria Cecilia ’72, Wanden ’73, and Wanden’s partner, Judge Faye D’Opal, ret., from their dinner together. They stopped to visit with Olga on their way home from an All-Women Sailing Rendezvous in Grenada. There were seven boats and 70 women, and each boat had a female captain, chef, and first mate. Wanden recalls, “Women came from all over the U.S. and Cana da. It was an absolutely fabulous adventure and one I would highly recommend. Thanks to Sally-Christine Rodgers (’74), who introduced me to the captain.”
Lisa N. Douglass ’71 Wanden Treanor ’73, Maria Cecilia Vilaseca ’72, Olga Wiese Pereira ’72, and Faye d’Opal, Wanden’s partner
“OLD! But still going strong!”
Bee Kilgore ’73
Emily BryangrandchildHampton,ofKathyHampton’71
CLASS OF 1971 Kathy Bryan Hampton Kathy Bryan Hampton ‘71 is a grandmother! Emily Atherton Brown Hampton was born May 17, 2022, weighing 7.8 pounds. Congratulations, Kathy!
SCHOOL TIES | 43 land-in-the-21st-century/.com/a-tour-of-an-ancient-
CLASS OF 1971 Lisa N. Douglass
CLASS OF 1973 Bee Kilgore Kilgore-Wong)(Marilynn Bee Kilgore ’73 has tak en up the fastest-grow ing sport in the thatfriends.withenjoyslivingChampion.U.S.PickleballisStates—pickleball!UnitedBeenowaU.S.OpenChampionandNationalPickleballBeeisstillinDanvilleandkeepingintouchseveralofherSDTheylaughtheyareallgetting
CLASS OF 2009 Hortensia Suleeman Hortensia Suleeman ’09 has returned to Cali fornia after calling New York City home for the last 12 years. Following her graduation from New York University, Horten sia began her career in marketing working for advertising agencies in Manhattan as a media strategy manager for brands such as IBM, Comcast, and Chanel. During her last few years of living in New York, Hortensia worked in-house at Tiffany & Co.’s global familytoyear-round,tifulisDachshunds.fiancécurrentlyLosnityofferedMostandingheadquarters,corporatemanaginternationalmediabrandpartnerships.recently,shewastheopportutojoinGoogleinAngeles,wheresheresideswithherandtwominiatureSofar,sheenjoyinghavingbeauCaliforniaweatherinadditionbeingclosertoherandfriends.
Anna Jung ’10, Jaynee Park ’09, and Youme Shin ’09 are celebrat ing the completion of a Master of UniversitydegreeMasterAdministrationBusinessandofLegalStudiesfromWashingtoninSt.Louis, CLASS NOTES Terri Lin ’08
Meehyun (Kim) Kurtz man ’82 recently cele brated her 40th reunion at San Domenico. She had a wonderful time catching up with her former classmates and enjoyed cocktails at the Alumni Evening Recep tion on April 29, 2022, with Kati Rocky ’82 and Marcella (Anderlini) Churchill ’78
CLASS OF 2008 Terri Lin Terri Lin ’08 was recently married in Hawaii, on May 7, 2022.
Two and a half years ago, Christie Lafranchi ’95 took on her first pro bono immigration case through Catholic Charities in New York City. Her client was seek ing Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). Her client persevered through a pandemic, a yearlong court closure, and multiple setbacks. Finally, the day before he aged out of immigration status, the court referee signed the order finding him eligible for SIJS, and the application was sub mitted to United States Citizenship and Immigra tion Services (USCIS). Christie is so happy that she could play a small role in helping this per son and his family. She says, “If you are thinking about volunteering in some way, do it!”
Christie Lafranchi
Anna Jung ’10, Jaynee Park & Youme Shin ’09
44 | SCHOOL TIES CLASS OF 1982
Meehyun Kurtzman ’82, Marcella Churchill ’78, Kati Rocky ’82
CLASS OF 1995
CLASS OF 2005 Mariel Vandersteel Mariel Vandersteel ’05 welcomed her daughter Luca into the world at the end of 2021. Mariel and her family have also recently moved to Fairfax!
Meehyun Kurtzman(Kim)
CLASS OF 2011 Alexandra Simpson Alexandra Simpson ’11, who is entering her third year of teaching at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, recently won the Assistant Prin cipal Viola position at the California Symphony. Alexandra was invited to play at BottleRock 2022 with Norwegian DJ, songwriter, and record producer Kygo.
SCHOOL TIES | 45 Missouri, and a Master of Education degree from Harvard University.
CLASS OF 2011 Rita Hsu Rita Hsu ’11 is finishing her Master of Applied Statistics degree at UCLA while working fulltime as a VP of Consum er Data and Analytics at CIT, which is a division of From the left, Anna Jung ’10, Jaynee Park ’09, and Youme Shin ’09 are pictured in their graduation gowns.Alexandra Simpson ’11 Jaye Cho ’11 on her first post-pandemic trip to Paris in May 2022 with her boy friend, Nic Johnson.
CLASS OF 2011 Jaye Cho Since graduating from San Domenico, Jaye Cho ’11 began college life as a Hospitality major in Las Vegas, but ended up fin ishing her undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley, majoring in Political Sci ence and lastArtfrominalsoDecembernalJerusalem,arepresentedthebeforeyearinspentDevelopment.InternationalThen,JayeayearworkingTaiwanandanotherstudyinginJapan,movingbacktoStates.In2018,sheTaiwanonPeaceCorpstriptoandherjourwaspublishedlast2021.JayereceivedherMFAPainting&DrawingtheSchooloftheInstituteofChicagoyear.Hergoalis to become a Professor of Fine Art later in life. Currently, Jaye is living and working in New York City, and on weekends, she volunteers with FIRST Robotics Compe titions. Jaye was one of the judges at this year’s First Tech Challenge (FTC) New York State Championship. Back in 2010, her Robotics Team helped win the first FTCinspired award for San Domenico.
CLASS OF 2011 Erica Wang Erica Wang ’11 received dual degrees in Business Administration and Psy chology from USC and worked in the Bay Area for a few years; however, Erica recently made a big decision to move back to her home coun try and has taken on a new career challenge at Porsche Taiwan.
CLASS NOTES
CLASS OF 2011 Yi-Hsuan (Sherry) Hung Yi-Hsuan (Sherry) Hung ‘11 received her M.D. degree from Loma Linda University and will be starting residency in General Surgery this year in Taiwan.
First Citizens Bank, a top 20 U.S. financial institu tion by assets. Rita plans to move to Japan in the second half of 2022 and start the next chapter of her life in the city of Tokyo.
46 | SCHOOL TIES
CLASS OF 2011 Sharon Lee After graduating from UCSD, Sharon Lee ’11 worked in mRNA Thera peutics for almost three years and decided to change paths. She is cur rently working as a Clini cal Data Analyst at a San Francisco company that focuses on early cancer detection through blood tests.
CLASS OF MS 2011 Will Martel Will Martel MS ’11 recent ly completed his first year at the University of California, Hastings College of Law. Rita Hsu ’11 Nicole Stock MS ’12 Yi-Hsuan Hung ’11 Erica Wang ’11 Sharon Lee ’11 Will Martel MS ’11
CLASS OF MS 2012 Nicole Stock
CLASS OF 2020 Anna Valadao Defaria Anna Valadao Defaria ’20 has been selected to serve as the Commu nications Chair of the Business Information Systems Club at Lehigh University for the up coming academic school year! She looks forward to working with the rest of the executive board to grow their club presence on Lehigh’s campus and continue to build appre ciation for information systems in the business world.Anna is a Manage ment and BreakthroughdoubleInformationBusinessSystemsmajorandaScholar at Lehigh University. Belinda Cheng ’12 AnnaDefariaValadao’20
CLASS OF 2018 Nia Coffer Nia Coffer ’18 graduated from the Savannah Col lege of Art and Design with a degree in Digital Effects and she is thrilled to announce that she has accepted a position with Nickelodeon Animation as a CG Generalist.
In October 2021, Nicole Stock MS ’12 started a new position at the New York Times as Associate Editor, Audience. Nicole primarily works on the Well Desk at the Times, which covers topics such as COVID and mental and personal health.
CLASS OF 2012 Belinda Cheng After graduating from UCSD, Belinda Cheng ‘11 moved back to San Fran cisco and finally realized her dream of becoming a ”fur mama” to Simba, who brings Belinda hap piness every day with his big smiles. When Belinda was fostering some puppies, Simba acted as a big brother and pro tected the puppies. Belinda shares a photo of her son, Simba, who she says is “the cutest, smartest, and proudest white Pom on the Embarcadero.”
CLASS OF 2018 Julia Reinhard Julia Reinhard ’18 re cently graduated from Dominican University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Po litical Science. Julia was also named Dominican’s Class of 2022 Out standing Student at the Commencement Cere mony on May 14, 2022. Congratulations, Julia!
Nia Coffer ’18 Julie Reinhard ’18
SCHOOL TIES | 47
For the first time in three years, San Domenico welcomed alumni back to campus for Reunion Weekend! The weekend began with a beautiful evening reception in the Presidio of San Francisco and continued on Saturday with the Reunion Luncheon, which included the honoring of our 2022 Distinguished Alumni awardee, Laurie Sweeney Doolittle ’77, and Outstanding Young Alumni award recipient, Katherine Theiss-Nyland ’02 . The weekend closed with yet another special moment as we gathered to celebrate the official grand opening of the Sister Gervaise Valpey Aquatics Complex.
48 | SCHOOL TIES REUNIONREUNION
2022WeekendReunionAlumni
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Right: Class of ’82; Class of ’77; Class of ’09 with Hilary Staples; Class of ’62; Class of ’72.
Left: Members of the Class of ’72; Katherine Theiss-Nyland’s mother and aunt; Sister Gervaise and Laurie Sweeney Doolittle.
ClockwiseREUNIONfrom
top left: Sister Ger vaise; Cecily Stock; Sister Gervaise with Laurie Sweeney Doolittle and Class of ’77; Carol Chase and Sister Patty with Paws the Panther.
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Currently, Katherine resides in London with her husband, Issam Badri, and two children, Nayla and Layth.
Alumni Awards
Laurie Sweeney Doolittle ’77
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD |
Laurie and her family have a long history with San Domenico. Her mother, Anne Laurie Lund Sweeney ’53, and sisters Trish ’79 and Shawn ’53 are also San Domenico alumni. Laurie earned her BA from UC Berkeley and her MBA from Golden State University. She serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Matson Navigation Center in Oakland, where she has worked for 18 years. Laurie and her husband, Rob, have three children: Sara, Ross, and Erin. Her little grandson is the newest recipient of Laurie's love and delight!
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD |
Laurie has lived her life in service to others. Faithful and truly beloved. The same is true of her love of San Domenico—always faithful, consistently supportive, and unfailingly devoted.
Katherine Theiss-Nyland ’02
Katherine personifies the values of San Domenico School through her work as a global public health expert and infectious disease epidemiologist. Since graduating from San Domenico, Katherine has devoted her professional focus to infectious, vaccinepreventable diseases. After graduating from San Domenico, Katherine attended the University of British Columbia before spending two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi. She went on to earn a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Following five years as a Senior Epidemiologist and Program Coordinator at the Oxford Vaccine Group, Katherine recently accepted a new position with Johnson & Johnson as Vaccines Partnership Lead for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa Real-World Evidence. Katherine demonstrates the mission and values of San Domenico through her efforts to bring awareness to global issues and researching new, collaborative ways in which she and others can inspire real change.
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Although Katherine was unable to join us in person at the Reunion Luncheon, she prepared a video message that was shown on her behalf. Additionally, we were so grateful that Katherine’s mother, Patricia Theiss-Nyland ’73, and aunt, Barbara Theiss-Juniper ’71, were both able to join us at the luncheon to honor Katherine!
Her former classmates recognize her as the "glue" for her class. Laurie Sweeney Dootlittle has been their stalwart, thoughtful Class Representative since her graduation in 1977. She organizes reunions, is present with classmates at funerals and memorials of classmates' family members, remembers the sick by reaching out to them in thoughtful and creative ways, and can be counted on to share both the good and the sad news with all of her classmates.
Carol found joy and took pride in making an impact in the lives of student scholars at San Domenico, always with great humility. When attending the Vivaldi and other annual Virtuoso Program concerts, she delighted in meeting students during her visits to campus and hearing what they were choosing to do with their lives.
San Domenico alumna, former trustee, and longtime benefactor Carol Franc Buck ’54 passed away on April 9, 2022.
Born in San Francisco and raised in Vacaville, Carol was a boarding student at San Domenico. She was adventurous and athletic, enjoying equestrian competitions and carrying a bit of the spirit of the Wild West in her veins. After graduating from San Domenico in 1954, Carol attended and graduated from Stanford University. She raised a family in Crystal Bay, Nevada, and served on the boards of numerous organizations in the Sierra Nevada region as well as San Francisco. Carol is survived by her son, Christian Pardee Erdman, his wife, Jackie, and a granddaughter, Makenzie.
ALUMNI TRIBUTE
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A native San Franciscan and passionate supporter of the arts and education, Carol was a thoughtful and generous donor to numerous organizations she loved. Among her many contributions to San Domenico over the years, Buck was instrumental in the creation of San Domenico’s Hall of the Arts, serving as the lead donor to the Campaign for Growth in 1999. The eponymous Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts and Carol Franc Buck Scholarship Fund both continue to enrich our program and community. Together with her mother and family, Carol also provided significant support to establish the Virtuoso Program Scholarship Endowment.
RememberingTIES
Carol Franc Buck ’54
Loyal friend to her classmates from the Class of 1954, Carol was straightforward and possessed a wonderful sense of humor. Her perspective on life was refreshing; her balance of humility and compassion, along with her generosity to others, will be greatly missed by so many of us at San Domenico.
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Ryan Fish MS '93 and Lindsey Fish MS '96 on the passing of their father, Ford Fish.
Elaine McChrystal Knapp '45 on the passing of her husband, Gordon Knapp. Jeanne Bailard Ware '48 on the passing of her husband, Leonard Ware. Annie Laurie Lund Sweeney '53 on the passing of her husband, and daughters Laurie Sweeney Doolittle '77, Trish Sweeney Markey '79, and Shawn Sweeney Copenhagen '84 on the passing of their father, Lee Sweeney. Connie Goddard '68 on the passing of her brother, Chris Goddard (former Faculty). Debby Kocher Smith '68 on the passing of her husband, Barry Smith. Cynthia Berg Stiely '68 on the passing of her brother, Rod Berg. Carolyn Wheeler '68 on the passing of her brother, Skip Wheeler. Linda Ziegler Kolsky '70, Rochelle Zeigler Mishkin '72, Bonnie Zeigler Perry '73, and Julie Ziegler Nacco (Alumna) on the passing of their mother, Patricia Cagwin. Nancy Upham Louth '70 on the passing of her husband, John Louth. Cindy Bolcom Murry '72 on the passing of her husband, Roger Murry.
Michael Fulton (Employee) on the passing of his father, Larry Fulton. Patricia B. Cagwin (former Faculty) Robert Carrasco (former Faculty) Chris Goddard (former Faculty) Emalee Sala Chapman '41 Anita Marquez Fay '42 Ruth Bradley Holmes '42 Margery Wheat Huyck '47
Carol Franc Buck '54 Ellen Ford O'Connell '57 Julianne Riebeling MS '84 In Memoriam (This list includes updates submitted by family members and friends from December 9, 2021, through May 27, 2022) In Sympathy
Erin O'Connell Simqu '84 on the passing of her mother, Ellen Ford O'Connell '57 Eileen Blum Bourgade '86 on the passing of her father, Richard Blum. Alison Rohlen '90 on the passing of her father, Thomas Rohlen.
54 | SCHOOL TIES FROM THE ARCHIVES Trip to Uganda, 2012 In 2012, SD students traveled to Uganda to work with the Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme Girls’ School (URDTGS), which offers education to girls from villages and tribes in one of the poorest districts of Uganda. Students learn academics, sustainable farming, health education, and entrepreneurship. They become change agents, bringing lessons in hygiene and farming practices back to their families and villages. After a week of service and learning—during which SD students shared their knowledge, refurbished an elementary school, and conducted living history interviews—it was time for some sightseeing. Teacher Kristen Levine and juniors Lily Marks, Amber Garfinkle, Vanessa Luna, Olivia Ayanruoh, and Sasha Nagler headed out on safari to see the natural wonders of Uganda, touring the National Park at Murchison Falls.
SCHOOL TIES | 55 Important2022-23 Dates Event dates subject to change. Please visit sandomenico.org/calendar for the latest info. 8.24.22 First Day of School & Opening Coffee K-12 9.5.22 No School Labor Day 9.22* Fall Alumni Open House 10.5.22 No School Yom Kippur 10.17.22 No School Professional Development Day 11.1.22 No School Professional Development Day 11.21 - 11.25.22 No School Thanksgiving Break 12.2.22 Tableaux 12.6.22 Founders & Giving Day 12.22* Alumni & Alumni Parent Holiday Party 12.19.22 - 1.4.23 No School Winter Break 1.16.22 No School Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2.20 - 2.27.23 No School February Break 3.13.22 No School Professional Development Day 4.7 - 4.14.23 No School Spring Break 5.5 - 5.6.23 Alumni Reunion Weekend 5.29.22 No School Memorial Day 6.2.23 Last Day of School Grade 12 6.3.23 Upper School Graduation 6.8.23 Last Day of School Grades K-11 * Some alumni event dates TBD. We’ll let you know as soon as they are scheduled. Please email alums@ sandomenico.org with any questions.
Non-Discrimination Policy In keeping with our mission and core values of study, reflection, community, and service, San Domenico is a community of belonging where students, staff, and families are dedicated to inclusion and respect for all. The school affirms the dignity of every student. It is the policy of the school to provide an educational environment in which all students are treated with respect and which is free from all forms of harass ment and discrimination. The school prohibits harassment and discrimination based on a student’s actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability, or because they are associating with others with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Harassment, including sexual harassment, of any student by any other student or adult is prohibited and will not be tolerated. Furthermore, the school prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports, or cooperates in the investigation of, an incident of harassment or discrimination.
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SAN DOMENICO Butterfield Road San Anselmo, CA 94960
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Please forward this publication. If your child no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Advancement Office of the new mailing address by calling 415.258.1931 or emailing alums@sandomenico.org.
