School Ties Magazine: Summer 2023

SCHOOL TIES

Cover Photo: TK

Dear Friends,

San Domenico has been a constant for much of my life. From my first time on campus attending summer camp as a sixth grader to my graduation from the Upper School as a proud member of the Class of 1977, followed by my return to work on campus in 1998, SD has been a place of many “firsts” for me: as a high school student, administrator, and mother. I remember each of my children’s first day of pre-K and kindergarten as if it were yesterday. Since deciding to retire from San Domenico earlier this year, I have also been experiencing many “lasts” with a full heart: The last game. The last show. The last ceremony. The last meeting. And now this, my last School Ties letter.

How do I share 25 years of memories and appreciation in one letter? I cannot possibly make it exhaustive, but I must begin by thanking the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael for providing me with an exceptional education and a sense of purpose, 50 years before it became our tagline. And in my professional role, I am grateful to Sister Gervaise, Sister Patricia Boss, and Sister Maureen McInerney, who have all been inspiring mentors over the years.

San Domenico has undergone a rapid and momentous transformation in the past 10 years, and change of that magnitude, especially at an institution as old and as steeped in tradition as San Domenico, does not come easily; good things rarely do. But we covered so much ground

by working together—a true team in every sense—sharing in the incredible effort, creativity, vision, determination, and sometimes just plain stubbornness. My four board chairs—Glenn Snyder, Skip Spaulding, Amy Skewes-Cox, and Richie Goldman—have all been partners in this effort, along with each of their fellow trustees. They were joined by board committee members, family association leaders, class representatives, and all of the parents and guardians with whom I have partnered in education for your children. And to my fellow alumni, who continued to support our school as it evolved to meet the needs of the times: thank you for your support. I know some of the changes were not always comfortable.

Then there are the individuals who have been in the trenches with me: our amazing faculty, leadership team, counselors, coaches, and specialists. Together, we have tackled a dizzying array of issues: existential, personal, practical, regional, national, and global. From sustainability to K-12, literacy, technology integration, DEI work, digital arts, athletics, performing arts, and STEAM, we innovated on a shoestring, we supported each other, we inspired young minds, and we changed students’ lives.

Even during a world-changing pandemic, together we kept our school not just open, but thriving, improving, and growing, while continuing to answer the call of our mission to respond to the needs of the times as guided by our val-

Dear San Domenico Community, I am honored to succeed Cecily Strong and help San Domenico thrive during the transition from one long-serving Head to another. As a native San Franciscan baptized by a Dominican priest (at St. Dominic’s Church, no less!) and the son of a Dominican College student, I can say the return to the Bay Area and my “O.P. roots” has already been very rewarding.

Though important, this in itself wouldn’t have been enough to lure me away from Seattle and my beautiful seven-month-old granddaughter, Antonia. (Don’t make the mistake of asking me for pictures!) In weighing opportunities over the course of my career, I’ve always asked myself a couple of ques-

tions: “Is this a school where I’d send my own children?” And: “Are this community’s values—its beliefs about young people and learning and its sense of ultimate purpose— congruent with those by which I live?” While this test felt much less abstract when my kids were school-age, I have only ever worked at schools that could pass it.

And San Domenico does so. I appreciate its commitment to inspiring students to apply their academic knowledge to the challenges of our times, encouraging them to embrace their education as an invitation to create positive, meaningful change. Further, the school’s “Portrait of a Graduate,” which imagines the capacities its alumni would carry with them in their subsequent lives—communicator,

ues. Witnessing our formerly all-girls school blossom into a bustling and in-demand program comprising a truly diverse community of exceptional young people has been thrilling. And of course, none of this would have been possible without the lifeblood of this and every school: our students. Watching the incredible young people who tentatively enter our gates as fledglings and graduate as community leaders using their powers for good has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Most of all, I am grateful for my husband, my children, and their partners. My work at SD has truly been a family effort. Connor, Brendan, and Nicole: your education from San Domenico was a gift to you, and you gave back to San Domenico in even greater measure.

Along with your partners, you decorated floats and marched in too many Fourth of July parades to count. You volunteered for admissions panels, open houses, and prospective parent coffees. You wrote articles for this magazine and posed for our first coed Upper School marketing materials. You took care of our boarding students during

the early and fear-fraught stages of the pandemic, produced school videos, joined our admissions department, and kept our men’s basketball team together and motivated during a very tough season.

Marcus, my husband and partner of 40 years, I could not have done this without you. From being my late night “tech support” when I had to finish a project to helping me write graduation speeches, showing up when the campus was flooding, and being my date at so very many SD events, you have been both supportive and patient. While there is much I am sad to leave at SD, I do look forward to more time with you.

Being part of SD’s 173-year legacy has been a tremendous honor. The School, and this community, will forever be part of who I am. You have all played an important role in my life. I will carry you with me always.

collaborator, critical thinker, etc.—implies an education designed to produce thoughtful, kind, and engaged human beings, exactly the outcome I hoped for as a parent.

Great schools find ways to help their students feel not merely included, but see themselves as crucial contributors whose unique passions and strengths make a genuine difference in the nature of the community. Though I have yet to experience this community in action, it’s clear to me from everything I’ve heard and read that San Domenico, by virtue of its rich and varied program, provides myriad opportunities for kids to discover and then hone their talents.

I’m eager to see firsthand how distinctive San Domenico institutions like the ROSE Program and the Virtuoso Program help sustain this culture.

I look forward to welcoming back to campus a critical mass of students who come from around the globe, for

without the ongoing close interaction that living and studying together permits, how can we claim to be educating our children for life in Thomas Friedman’s “flat world”? Having worked in schools with international boarding programs, I understand how much their presence contributes to everyone’s education and to the creation of a truly diverse community.

Summer is a crucially restorative time for educators and students alike, but at some point, campus begins to feel empty and lifeless. I’m eager for everything to get started again and look forward to immersing myself in the San Domenico community this year.

Best wishes,

Mike McGill Interim Head of School

Thank You, Cecily

There is much to celebrate from Cecily Stock’s 25 years of service to San Domenico School.

It is with full hearts and tremendous gratitude that we recognize Cecily Stock, our esteemed Head of School, on the occasion of her retirement from San Domenico.

Cecily’s years at San Domenico were transformative for the School. She began at SD as a student in the 1970s, graduating in the Class of 1977. She returned to work at her alma mater years later as Upper School Academic Dean and then Middle School Division Head, which, under her auspices, became one of the most sought-after middle school programs in Marin County. Cecily went on to become

Assistant Head of School and in 2012 agreed to step in as Head of School and steer San Domenico through a crucial time in our school’s history.

“There are very few moms who’ve worked for the benefit of everyone else’s children as deeply as you have. Every day I’m grateful for you, for your vision, for your quiet strength… You armed the children with the knowledge and understanding that indeed they could make a difference.” — Kathleen

Weinstein, Parent of MS ’15

Cecily took the helm when SD needed a leader who exemplified the bold, courageous, and resilient spirit of our school. In 2016, working with the Board of Trustees and Strategic Planning Committee, Cecily developed a lofty strategic plan, SD2021. Reflecting on this period, Cecily says, “Our school had been struggling and I knew there were three key areas that had to be addressed if San

“Cecily’s remarkable leadership and unwavering dedication have greatly contributed to the success of our institution’s athletic programs… I remember the tears of joy in her eyes when the girls won their state championship. It was a testament to the hard work she has put into building our school’s reputation and putting us on the map. Cecily has been a steadfast advocate for the value of sports in our students’ holistic development.”

— Mark Churchill, Director of Athletics

Domenico was going to thrive: we needed to strengthen our independent school identity; expand coeducation through to the Upper School; and amend the School’s 1998 traffic plan to reflect contemporary usage.

“It was a lot to take on, but together with my incredible colleagues and trustees, and with the support of the Do-

“I will always remember Cecily’s frequent emphasis in her speeches that my class, the class of 2019, was the ‘trailblazing’ class, as we were the first coed class of the Upper School… I would like you to know, Cecily, that we could not have blazed the trail without you: thank you for all your efforts toward strengthening the SD community, public and private.”

—

Thomas Kunze ’19, UC Berkeley ’23

“Cecily embodies the spirit of a determined fighter combined with the gentleness of a spring stream flowing through granite. She has had the courage to make huge changes for San Domenico that have led to it being one of the best independent schools in the Bay Area.” — Amy Skewes-Cox ’71, San Domenico School Board of Trustees 2015-21, including as Board Chair in 2016-19, on the Executive Committee, the Committee on Trustees, and Master Planning and Facilities Committee

minican sisters and our school community, we did it! These changes increased revenue, which then allowed for one of my most personally gratifying areas of impact at SD: significantly increasing our faculty compensation to be able to attract and retain the amazing faculty that we have at our school.”

Reflecting this effort spearheaded by Cecily, San Domenico’s 2021 CAIS accreditation included numerous commendations, recognizing the progress the School made over the previous 10 years, including doubling the size of our Upper School and strengthening our diversity with boarding students from more than 20 countries.

Topping off an already impactful chapter, Cecily and her team kept San Domenico running smoothly throughout the world-changing COVID-19 pandemic, turning quickly to remote learning, while keeping all boarding students living safely on campus (some for up to two years straight!). San Domenico then led the national return to hybrid and in-person learning and was one of the first schools in California to welcome students safely back to their classrooms.

Along the way, San Domenico launched many new tradi-

tions under Cecily’s leadership, including the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, the Day on the Green outdoor music concert, and the Senior Parade, when our soon-to-be high school graduates march through the Lower and Middle Schools in their caps and gowns the day before commencement.

It has been a time of monumental change, and the School now finds itself on strong ground and in good hands. As Cecily noted in her retirement announcement letter, “A key tenet of our San Domenico pedagogy is equipping our students with a growth mindset, instead of a fixed one, and it is time for me to practice what we teach. As I contemplate my future away from 1500 Butterfield Road, I am reminded of a quote one of our Middle School students shared with me many years ago: ‘Don’t cry because it is over; smile because it happened.’”

Cecily’s care has touched the lives of countless students, families, alumni, and colleagues. She has led us with grace, strength, courage, and diligence through some of San Domenico’s most pivotal moments. We are immensely grateful for the positive impact Cecily has made and the foundation of strength she leaves for us to build upon. Her legacy will live on in our vibrant and thriving school.

“It would be nearly impossible to overstate the impact that Cecily had on San Domenico during her tenure as Head of School—she was the right person in the right role at the right time.”

— Graham Weaver, San Domenico School Board of Trustees 2013-19, including as Treasurer of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee

“The complexity of leading a school is lost on most people. The magnitude of the job is incredible. In my eyes, you did your job with conviction, enthusiasm, and grace.”

— John Phillips, former Upper School Dean of Academics

“Ms. Stock was very involved with the community and really took the time to get to know the students. She was extremely kind and was very supportive in whatever I wanted to pursue.”

— Khongkwan “Kwan” Limbhasut ’19, Head Prefect, National Honor Society President, Varsity Volleyball Team Captain, Upper School Student Council; UC Berkeley ’23, Harvard Graduate School of Education ’24

A Legacy of Impact

Cecily’s leadership has made San Domenico a model of forward-thinking education. These are but a few accomplishments from which our future students will benefit for years to come.

• Launched the first 1:1 iPad program in Marin County in 2011 and produced a series of five national iTeach Educational Technology Conferences.

• Created an advanced Middle School honors geometry program that regularly enjoys student wins at prominent Marin County Mathletes competitions.

• Clarified our independent school identity and evolved our religious studies classes into a K-12 Philosophy, Ethics, and World Religions department, with a focus on purpose-driven curriculum.

• Developed expanded computer science offerings and, as of 2023, a unique Game Design Academy.

• Created a Media, Filmmaking, and Digital Arts program whose students have won national honors at prestigious events, including the Mill Valley Film Festival, the Santa Barbara Film Festival, and the 2022 All American High School Film Festival in New York City.

• Developed new and improved campus facilities, including the new Sister Gervaise Aquatics and forthcoming Community Center; Panther Plaza; the Dino R. Ghilotti Motta Visual Arts Center; the 3D Design Space and Media Lab; and updates to Dominican Hall, Kesterson Field, the Garden of Hope, and the Patricia Tobin Cooper Dining Hall.

• Sustained our school’s commitment to leadership in eco-literacy and sustainable operations, recognized by a 2014 National Green Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education.

• Expanded athletics program from 12 to 28 teams across 15 sports, with wins in regional and state championships along the way, including a 2022 state championship in Women’s Varsity Basketball.

• Developed thought-provoking and award-winning performing arts programs, recognized with, among others, a national songwriting award from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Young Arts Foundation Cinematic Arts award, Theatre Bay Area awards, and the National Shakespeare Association Champion award.

“Cecily is the reason that the arts are so strong at San Domenico. When I arrived over 19 years ago, there was no dance department, no contemporary music, and the theatre department was much, much smaller. Over Cecily’s time in greater and greater leadership positions, she has worked in the trenches with us to create the robust, diverse, and excellent arts programs that we are now known for. Cecily, thank you for taking risks, saying yes, and showing up, show after show; for caring deeply and loving what we do. You have made all the difference.” —

Erica Smith, Director of Dance and Theatre Arts

The Power of Language

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). Accreditation is cyclical and includes recommendations.

It is our great honor to share the exciting news that San Domenico has successfully met Major Recommendation I from our 2021 CAIS Accreditation report: “to 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.”

To meet this recommendation, SD’s Mission Enhancement Committee engaged in an inquiry process that was deeply reflective of the School’s core values of study, reflection, community, and service. The committee gathered results in a survey shared with more than 8,400 SD constituents; smallgroup listening sessions were held with alumni from the classes of 1948 to 2022, current and former trustees, Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, Family Association Board members, class representatives, current students, parents and guardians, faculty and staff, and extended friends of the School.

Across constituent groups, common language and themes emerged clearly. The committee then began a long and iterative process with the Board of Trustees: workshopping to develop drafts, presenting drafts,

requesting feedback, developing new drafts, listening to more feedback, and so on for over a year. Finally, on May 22, 2023, the San Domenico Board of Trustees voted to approve the Mission Enhancement Committee’s proposed new language that all agreed not only works now, but will serve us into the School’s next chapter.

This Major Recommendation addressed by our School was an essential component of the CAIS accreditation process, emphasizing our commitment to our mission and to always responding to the needs of the times, improving, and adhering to the highest educational benchmarks. The result is a testament to our shared vision, passion for education, and relentless pursuit of excellence:

San Domenico is an independent, K-12 day and boarding preparatory school with a tradition of innovation and academic excellence since 1850.

Our mission is to provide exceptional education rooted in inquiry, reflection, and purpose.

As a global community of lifelong learners, San Domenico inspires students to joyfully discover their passions, develop the skills and knowledge to lead with courage, wisdom, and kindness, and make a positive impact in the world.

We are immensely grateful to, and proud of, our entire San Domenico community for coming together and working tirelessly to fulfill this recommendation.

As we move forward, our mission will continue to guide us, now conveyed with updated langage to bring us into the future, stronger together and ready to carry on our 173-year legacy.

With tremendous gratitude to the San Domenico Mission Enhancement Committee:

Sr. Cyndie Cammack, O.P., Committee Chair

Richard Goldman, Board Chair and Parent ’22

Kathleen Toney, Former Trustee and Parent ’91, MS ’02

Jamie Ginsberg, Parent ’24

Sr. Susannah Malarkey, O.P. ’48

Sr. Judy Lu McDonnell, O.P.

Sandy Pfaff, Trustee and Parent ’28

Laura Revenko ’85, Alumna Cleary Vaughan-Lee, Parent ’23

Cecily Stock ’77, 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

Nick Vidinsky, Director of Marketing and Communications

A New Model for Education

San Domenico’s upcoming integrated learning program will be the first of its kind at any high school in the nation.

Imagine students coming to SD and studying, designing, and practicing a wealth of 21st-century disciplines: urban planning, artificial intelligence (AI), surgical training, autonomous driving interfaces, virtual reality, architecture, computer-aided design (CAD), aerospace visualization, virtual cinema, robotics, mechatronics, coding, woodworking, 3D printing, and machine learning. Now imagine these students exploring all these subjects in one classroom at the same time.

This vision is becoming a reality at San Domenico, as a team of 11 SD educators—including members of Computer Science, Journalism, Sciences (Physics & Engineering), Math, Health & Wellness, and Digital Arts departments—are collaborating to develop a brand-new integrated learning model, the first of its kind in the entire country. A prototype of this model will be tested this fall, with an official integrated learning launch scheduled for fall semester 2024.

The concept of integrated learning—in which academically adjacent courses are offered at the same time, in the same space, and with the same instructor—has become something of a holy grail in developing innovative high school curricula. After all, this “start-up lab” approach to problem-solving via collaborative expertise has permeated the modern work environment. Rather than workers operating in siloed spaces, it is not uncommon in today’s modern workplaces to see engineers, designers, writers, artists, and technologists collaborating in a dynamic, shared environment. In these settings, members all bring their own perspec-

tives to the process of “design thinking,” resulting in ideas, products, and solutions that otherwise may not have occurred to any one contributor.

Educators recognize the opportunity inherent in this model. Some of the top independent schools across the country have attempted to replicate it to varying degrees in discrete courses that combine specific elements of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics). But none has found a way to offer a truly integrated model that provides students the opportunity to fully collaborate across the entire STEAM spectrum while pursuing individual learning goals. San Domenico’s educators have cracked the code for this model and are currently building it at SD from the ground up.

Our leading-edge integrated learning program is being formed around three fundamentals: cluster courses

that share common tools, resources, and project work; self-directed learning that empowers students to pursue their interests; and time to play, giving students enough opportunity for the collision of ideas and purposes. When introduced in the fall of 2024, this combination of core and personalized learning will enable students to produce graduate-school-level work while in high school, a possibility that will be unique to San Domenico.

Imagine what SD students might create together when students taking an Architecture course are working beside students in Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Urban Planning, Advanced Mechanical Engineering, Applied AR/VR, and Sustainable Environmental Design courses. What solutions for interplanetary travel might be developed by students concurrently studying Earth and Space Science, 3D Visual Effects, 3D Animation: Models

and Rigging, Aerospace Engineering, and Building Virtual Worlds? This is the model that our educators are working to develop right now, combining their expertise, professional development, and experiences to allow such a scenario. While creating something so bold takes significant effort, it will transform our Upper School experience.

This model also has the potential to empower our entire K-12 community of learners. With integrated learning, students can collaborate across grades and divisions, from ideating and sketching to developing and prototyping to project managing. This vertical learning community not only opens doors for further knowledge; it also builds collaboration and leadership skills and enhances a sense of belonging and purpose through teamwork.

The benefits of this new integrated learning model are clear. Core learning anchors students through collaboration around a common goal, while personalized learning ensures every student’s deep learning is driven by personal interests and passions. Self-directed learning gives students autonomy, allowing them to discover their own learning styles and learn at their appropriate pace. Self-direction and collaboration are among the most important job skills for the 21st century and will prepare SD students to thrive in whatever workforce they enter in the future.

Education in America is undergoing a major transformation. We are excited that San Domenico will be at the forefront.

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom

From computer science to film and graphic design, SD students are already experimenting with chatbots, AI-generated animation, and more.

Seemingly every day, we read about something new in artificial intelligence (AI) that is upending paradigms of human thought and behavior. At San Domenico, our students are already studying and applying AI in our computer science and digital arts classrooms, gaining the skills, experiences, and insights necessary to harness the power of AI to make a positive impact in the world.

In Luka Djurovic’s Introduction to Computer Science—a required course for all ninth graders—AI development is a core learning unit that students complete before developing their own projects to delve more deeply into the subject area. Students who have taken this course have already pursued a number of creative AI projects, includ-

ing prompt engineering with generative image diffusion models; building AI generative animations and turning them into music videos; incorporating AI into voice synthesis to artificially create character voices; and developing AI chatbots to help perform particular tasks, such as recommending a restaurant or vacation spot. One student is even developing and training her own large language model (LLM), a type of machine-learning model that can perform a variety of natural language processing (NLP) tasks. “In a sense, she’s developing her own GPT (generative pre-trained transformer) model,” Djurovic says. “It can answer questions about specific text and respond in her own writing style.”

In Bruce Gustin’s Building Virtual

Environments, the first course in SD’s Game Design pathway, students utilize AI for enemy navigation and leverage ChatGPT as a problem-solving tool. In the subsequent course, Honors Programming for 3D Games and Environments, students not only employ AI but also acquire skills in writing AI code for various projects involving non-player character (NPC) navigation, crowd simulation, and emergent behavior. “Fluency in AI is not merely a skill, but a crucial necessity for students,” Gustin says. “From game design to health care, finance to marketing, the ability to harness the power of AI unlocks limitless

is an option after the students have developed their own stories through Maxon’s story development process. “AI presents students with amazing opportunities to work and learn much more efficiently,” Maxon notes. “For example, our film students will be able to use their phones to scan objects in the real world, from model cars to buildings, and then use AI and neural radiance fields to turn the objects into assets to use in their virtual worlds. This will save hundreds of hours on each production, or rather, AI will make it possible for students to produce work that would have been impossible just last year. While I understand the fear around AI,” he adds, “it can’t replace any learning that is process-based. And AI can absolutely help us in our mission to create truly personalized learning.”

faculty has plans for further incorporation in the classroom. Djurovic hopes to use AI to help more students train their own LLMs, train chess bots, create digital assistants similar to Google Home, program robots à la Spot the Boston Dynamics dog, and even teach a goldfish to play Pokemon. Gustin, Maxon, and Kelly are eager to help students learn to use AI to create 3D assets for games and animation, for motion capture and keyframing in animation, and to capture real-world places digitally and turn them into virtual environments, as well as incorporate ChatGPT and other AI into personalized learning processes.

possibilities and drives innovation. By mastering AI, students gain a distinct competitive edge, opening doors to exciting career opportunities spanning various industries. As the demand for AI-savvy professionals continues to surge, AI proficiency becomes an invaluable asset in today’s job market and beyond. San Domenico is dedicated to meeting this demand by diligently preparing its students with the cutting-edge skills of tomorrow.”

In Harry Maxon’s Film and Digital Animation classes, students have used AI to animate three-dimensional computer graphics (CG) characters over live action and used ChatGPT to write first drafts of their scripts. ChatGPT

Together with Maxon, Art and Graphic Design Teacher Suzanne Kelly co-teaches a Kids’ Book PERK—a weekly 70-minute block in which students further explore new and existing interests—in which students in grades six through 12 write and illustrate an original children’s book. In this PERK, students have used AI to research animals and countries and to create models and backgrounds. “The story we wrote has our main character traveling from Antarctica to China, Brazil, and Zimbabwe,” Kelly says. “AI saved us hours of researching what landscapes look like in all of those places. We weren’t ready to let AI create one hundred percent of the backgrounds because we wanted to create our own illustration style. Lead illustrator Vivian P. ’25 is combining components from several simple AI-generated landscapes into backgrounds for our characters in her own style, with input from our other illustrators.”

As AI continues to develop, our

As amazing as it is, this work in Computer Science and Digital Arts classes is just the beginning. These AI practices will be one foundation of our transformative, integrated STEAM program that a team of San Domenico educators is currently developing. One of the team leads, Director of Design, Engineering, and Educational Technology Jennifer Cronan Flinn, wants to develop a comprehensive plan for AI across all San Domenico grades and subjects. “The use of chatbots and AI is one of the most critical and essential issues of our day,” she says. “My colleagues are adapting swiftly to advances the world is making in technology and innovation. Their collaborative response to offer students some deliberate experimentation with AI, prompt engineering, and fact-checking ensures that our students will obtain quality practice with the proper guidance. In the long run, this will help students better leverage such technology in the future.”

Education in the latest technology is happening right now at San Domenico. And with the integrated STEAM program that will transform learning for our students, the future of education will be here at San Domenico.

Vertical K-12 Integration Prototype

VERTICAL

In this example of vertically integrated STEAM program, teams of K-12 students create a VR presentation of a new housing development that will be built on Loma Alta. The goal is to create the most sustainable community possible. Here is what each K-12 team does together:

1

They meet with the school to discuss school challenges and needs: traffic flow, etc.

12th Grade Students

Project Leaders

INTEGRATED COURSES: Architecture, Applied AR/VR 3D Art; Mechatronics

Building on LS/MS prototype, students use AutoCAD, Maya, SketchUp and Unreal Engine to build their VR model community. The community will include a complete AR experience built ‘on top of’ the MS prototype and a VR experience of the community that shows its impact on local climate and animal populations.

3D Sims; Mechanical Engineering; Engineering for Social Good; Climate Change Science and Solutions

2

They meet with the Sleepy Hollow and San Anselmo community to understand community needs.

3

They meet with regional climate experts and wildlife biologists to discuss impact and needs.

10th Grade Students

Building on seventh grade work and 12th grade instructions, students design and build a 3D-printed community of homes on Loma Alta. Students must adapt model to also minimize local climate impact and support natural power.

4

Upon completion, the teams present their work AR & VR work to SD, local, and regional leaders, who each choose a winning design. The VR experience includes a full walk-through of the homes and community. The AR experience will include important information gathered by each grade/level of each team.

5 K-12 teams present their AR & VR experiences to the greater SD community at a public showcase in the spring. The community votes on the design that best meets the objective.

6 The magic here comes from the vertical integration. And this requires the US STEAM classes to be unified in a common space.

7th Grade Students

Engineering

Using LS animal info, and following Upper School instructions, students design and build a housing prototype using wood, plastic, and steel. The model should be a scale-replica of the final homes, including landscaping and housing structures. US students will build an AR experience on top of this.

Art/tinkerlab

Following their directions from the seventh graders, and inspired by their work with first grade buddies, students study local animal populations. The students craft models of Loma Alta and SD that show animal populations, food zones, water sources, and includes potential impacts on this world .

4th Grade Students

Art/tinkerlab

Following the information given to them from the Upper School students, and with their fourth grade buddies, first grade students draw maps of Loma Alta and SD that show where animals live and how they need each other for food and safety.

1st

Every project creates connection between students across divisions. Every student joins multiple learning micro-communities that deliver real projects. These inter-division micro-communities improve academic confidence, social-emotional intelligence, mental health, and personal resilience. They also build a sense of purpose.

Grade Students

Bringing History to Life

Social Studies Teacher Ken High Joins Educators on a Tour of the American South

This past April, when San Domenico students and faculty returned to campus at the end of spring break, Upper School social studies teacher Ken High instead joined more than 20 educators on a weeklong tour through the American South. Led by two history professors from Salem State University in Massachusetts, one of whom is also an adviser in the university’s history education program, the trip was designed to further expand teachers’ knowledge of civil rights history in the South and to spark ideas as to how they might teach this material and bring it to life in their classrooms.

Beginning in New Orleans and working their way up through the Mississippi Delta and into Arkansas and Tennessee, the group visited a variety of historical sites that provoked eye-opening experiences for High and his fellow teachers. From former plantations and Civil War battlefields to cultural museums and state archives, High says, it was transformative to see history textbook lessons turned into tangible places and events.

“The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, built into the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, is amazing,” High says. “It was very impactful to see how so many regular citizens—not just the big names we read in textbooks— were integral in making the civil rights movement happen. That’s an important lesson for my students to learn. I came away with lots of information and ideas for things I want to work into my classroom.”

High points out that there is much to be learned from the history that isn’t told at some of these sites, as well. “The Louisiana State Museum is literally right next to Jackson Square on the banks of the Mississippi River, the former site of one of the largest slave markets in the United States,” he says. “And yet, the museum barely mentions slavery. When we asked about that omission, we were told the topic is too ‘controversial’ and ‘political.’ For me, that’s a prime example of how information that is presented might not be wrong, but inaccurately reflects history due to omission. It’s important to me that my students learn to consider what information is missing as well as the accuracy of what information is included.”

High is inspired to bring much of what he saw and learned into his ninth grade Global Studies curriculum this year. He also is considering the development of a new Spring Discovery trip to bring San Domenico students on the same historical path through the American South, where this history might come alive for them as it did for him.

“Traveling with two brilliant professional historians and the resources they provided before and during the trip were invaluable,” he adds. “I came away with deeper content knowledge of this period of history and this part of the country that is culturally very different from the Bay Area. Being immersed in the location gives you a different understanding; it makes it real. And that’s what I want to provide for my students.”

Little Rock Central High School was the epicenter of the battle over school integration in 1957 when the "Little Rock Nine" enrolled in a previously all-white school following the Supreme Court's 1954 Brown v. Board ruling.

Juneteenth Lesson Plan Selected by Annenberg Public Policy Center

Upper School Social Justice teacher

Kathy Hagee is one of three educators nationwide chosen to create a lesson plan accompanying a new film about Juneteenth. The film is the latest documentary in Annenberg Classroom’s award-winning Constitution Project series. The Annenberg Classroom is a program of the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics at the Annenberg

Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

“It’s a privilege to have been chosen to write this lesson because the topic of social justice is and continues to be relevant, current, and necessary to discuss with students,” Hagee says. “American history has not represented all the voices of our past. As educators, we have to be willing to reflect on what we teach and how we teach our history and politics to include multiple perspectives and give voice to those groups who have been unheard for generations.”

Her proposed lesson, “Battle for Emancipation and Full Citizenship: A Journey from Dred Scott to the 15th Amendment,” was the only highschool-level lesson chosen among proposals submitted by educators from across the country. The Annenberg

Public Policy Center previously recognized Hagee in 2022 as well, including her lesson plan “Striking a Balance on Free Speech” in the APPC’s Constitution Day celebration.

Kathy Hagee has been a teacher for more than 20 years, providing expertise in United States history and constitutional government. She has extensive experience teaching AP U.S. History, United States Government and Economics, AP Psychology, and Social Justice at San Domenico. She also coordinates San Domenico’s hallmark ROSE (Real Opportunities for Service in Education) Program.

Journalism Students Attend National Press Convention

SD journalism students attended the National High School Press Convention in San Francisco. They joined 5,000 students gathered at the San Francisco Hilton for a seemingly endless array of outstanding speakers and workshops, with topics varying from across the realms of technology, ethics, writing skills, and leadership to the simple art of telling a good story. This was a culminating event following the debut of SD’s own Panther Press, a student-run newspaper launched during the 2022-23 academic year.

SD Junior Attends Normandy Institute

Upper School student Alex U. ’24 heads to France this summer, invited by the prestigious Normandy Institute to study the World War II D-Day invasion. Alex and his mentor, social studies teacher Kathy Hagee, stopped in Washington, D.C. for a series of lectures before departing for France, where they followed the footsteps of Allied forces from the beaches of Normandy to the streets of Paris. After researching the life of a fallen soldier who participated in the Normandy campaign, Alex will incorporate his summer learning into his ROSE Program studies.

Wildfire Safety and Prevention

Seventh-grade students researched a subject close to our hearts and homes: wildfires in California—focusing on causes, prevention, and safety. Utilizing their developing research skills, students gained an in-depth understanding of fire safety. They then selected a hands-on project to demonstrate and share their knowledge, choosing from such options as writing a children’s book about wildfire, developing a fire safety tour on the San Domenico campus, creating board games and dioramas demonstrating elements of a fire-safe home, and making “mythbusters” videos about fire safety facts.

A STEAM Approach to Understanding the Solar System

Middle School students use a multidisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) approach to study the complexities of the solar system. Students were asked to demonstrate their understanding of the relative size and scale of the solar system in any way they chose. One student built a scale model using a 3D printer, including moving gears that caused each planet to revolve around the sun, while others drew artistic renderings of planets in realistic detail. Some students designed posters visually depicting life on other planets, while others wrote brochures containing images and supporting descriptions. Choosing how to approach this project encourages students to follow their curiosity and explore, modify, and pursue their own ideas.

Second Graders Dive into Coding

Students learn the conceptual building blocks of coding by studying how it shows up in daily life. From the electronics in computerized ovens, phones, and cars, and the importance of performing tasks in sequence, these Lower School students learn how to communicate sets of instructions to computers. Students even programmed electronic insects to navigate a maze!

As part of our social-emotional learning curriculum, kindergartners were introduced to the idea that one can use colors to describe one’s feelings. In Susan Turner’s art class, young students examined the work of worldrenowned artist Mark Rothko, famous for his color field paintings intended to evoke emotions. After exploring how Rothko used colors to express his own emotions, it was time to try out this idea themselves! Fun fact: Rothko instructed schoolchildren in drawing, painting, and clay sculpture for 20 years at the Center Academy of the Brooklyn Jewish Center. He even took the unusual step of displaying his young students’ work alongside his own.

The Art of Mark Rothko

SD Shines at Speech Competition

Middle School students participated in the 39th Annual Margie Burke Speech Competition at Ross School. Students in grades six through eight from throughout Marin competed in up to three events, including Dramatic Interpretation, Impromptu, Original Prose and Poetry, and Persuasive Speaking. Many of our students earned gold, silver, and bronze medals in their respective event, and— most importantly—they participated in a fun, celebratory day that allowed their public speaking skills to shine.

Student Documentary Wins Top Honors in National Competition

Three Upper School students—Arda K. ’24, David N. ’23, and Melo L. ’24—spent a weekend in Sacramento at the California State National History Day competition. They did not come home empty-handed: the team was awarded the Global Studies prize in the Senior Division Group Documentary category, which recognizes a student project that examines how the theme of “Frontiers in History” relates to a place outside the United States. The students spent months preparing their short documentary film exploring the role of McDonald’s in spreading capitalistic values throughout Russia as the Soviet Union braced for collapse.

Earth Day

Against the backdrop of the Loma Alta Open Space Preserve surrounding our campus, the SD community gathered for Earth Day. An inspiring program of spoken word, song, and movement was followed by guest speaker talks and workshops. Students played with reptiles, learned “smart gardening” techniques, watched environmentally themed films, and tried their hand at trail restoration.

Volunteer Appreciation Party

Each year, we gather to celebrate our amazing volunteers who drive on field trips, support teachers in the classroom, create posters for performing arts events, design and sew costumes, flip burgers at Panther Cookouts, serve our community at the Garden Fair, and so much more. Thank you one and all!

SD Celebrates

On March 18, SD’s new Panther Plaza was transformed into an unforgettable “Night Under the Lights” for parents, guardians, faculty, staff, and friends. It was truly a magical evening, featuring live music, delectable food, craft cocktails, and a spirited community focused on raising funds to support professional growth for our superb and dedicated teachers. We remain in gratitude to our indefatigable volunteers, generous sponsors, and wonderful guests who raised their paddles in support of the important work we do together as a community.

Virtuoso Program Student Debuts Original Composition

Cellist Illarion G. ’23 debuted his original piece Désolé before a packed house at this spring’s VP concert, held in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts. “The piece you are about to hear was written in the span of a month,” said Illarion, “and has not been heard by a single audience since its inception.” Illarion also thanked his instructors Sergei Riabtchenko and Eugene Chukhlov, as well as Conductor and Virtuoso Program Director Ann Krinitsky. Krinitsky is dedicated to promoting works by young composers like Illarion, and the audience filling the concert hall enthusiastically received the gift of Illarion’s music.

Fifth Annual Crab Feed

Upper School parents, guardians, and faculty gathered in the Patricia Tobin Cooper Dining Hall for another tasty evening of community-building! The casual feast not only is delicious, it also provides a chance for families and teachers to break bread and get to know each other.

Arts in Action

The Lower and Middle Schools each took over the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts with their remarkable visual art exhibitions, along with the annual “Arts in Action” showcases of music and dance performances. Family and friends were invited to an artists’ reception to mingle among the ceramics, weavings, sculptures, and paintings on display, followed by student performances featuring an impressive display of music and dance.

39 Steps

Twelve incredibly talented, dedicated, and energetic Upper School students put on a stupendous show in Dominican Hall. With each actor playing at least four characters, changing costumes and accents by the minute, and executing hilarious stage antics, this fast-paced, action-packed performance was one mad caper after another. The production was sold out, and it showcased the amazing abilities of our actors, crew, and performing arts teachers. We think it’s safe to say that this year’s 39 Steps hit it out of the park!

A Global Community

Our thriving boarding program brings geographical and cultural diversity to our campus, giving all our K-12 students a community experience like no other. For the 2023-24 academic year, we welcome students from more than 20 countries and administrative regions around the globe.

2023-24 Prefects

San Domenico’s boarding program thrives in large part as a result of our leadership program, which allows students to directly shape the community in which they live. Boarding student leaders, called prefects, are rising juniors or seniors chosen for their dependability, maturity, community respect, personal integrity, and their ability to lead their peers as strong role models. Prefects assist Resident Faculty in maintaining a positive atmosphere in the dorms, lead activities for boarding students, and are mentors to new boarding students to help them adjust to school life.

Melo L. ’24

Amarah A. ’24

Hometown: Harare, Zimbabwe

“I am excited to take more responsibility as a prefect and lead by example. I am also excited to provide a fun and safe environment for all.”

Harley V. ’25

Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam

“School is hard, life is harder, but my door will open and welcome you whenever you need!”

Alastair K. ’24

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

“I’m excited to be a prefect to offer my support to others and advocate for students’ needs.”

Aaron G. ’24

Hometown: Beijing, China

“I hope to utilize my experience to collect suggestions, organize dorm events, and guide our new students to make the SD boarding program a success.”

Hometown: Xiamen, Fujian, China

“It’s awesome to meet new people and be there to help and give back to this wonderful community.”

Carmellina C. ’24

Hometown: Blantyre, Malawi

“I want to be someone my classmates can always feel comfortable talking to and approaching.”

Saliah J. ’25

Hometown: Harare, Zimbabwe

“I am eager to organize dorm events as a prefect and bring fresh, exciting ideas to make boarding more memorable.”

Ellie L. ’24

Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam

“l cannot wait to share the hospitality with our new students that I received when I first came to San Domenico.”

Aarya C. ’24

Hometown: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

“All throughout my years at SD, the community has been extremely kind and supportive to me. As a prefect my senior year, I would like to do the same for my classmates and make sure that SD remains the inclusive home that it has been for me, for others as well.”

Bobby S.T. ’24

Hometown: Harare, Zimbabwe

“Don’t worry about making friends. In the dorms, there is a loving and friendly environment and you will quickly and smoothly find your place at SD.”

Chi O. ’25

Hometown: Living in Antioch, born in Nigeria

“I can’t wait to get to know all the students on my floor and form brotherly bonds with them. I also want to offer to all of the students on my floor an inclusive and safe environment to be yourself.”

Martin P. ’25

Hometown: Chengdu, China

“I can’t wait to see you in August and participate in the various dorm activities with you guys. I bet you will enjoy it!”

Forging Ahead

The class of 2023 began their high school years with the uncertainty of a global pandemic thrust upon them. Three years later, with bonds solidified by this shared experience, the remarkable group of graduates leaves San Domenico with the resilience, enthusiasm, and self-determination to be the change they wish to see in the world.

Congratulations to the class of 2023!

“ Having an enviable career is one thing. Being a purposeful and fulfilled person is another. Aim for both. This is the journey of coming in and out of living your purpose.

— Kate Reeser, Director of Upper School / Assistant Head for Academics

“ We are all more ready than we know, as long as we stay pure hearted and steady minded, just as we always have.

— Mali Nguyen, Senior Class President

“ Do not turn away from what you do not know, but rather take a step and immerse yourself into these new beginnings.”

— Stanley Ma, Student Body President

THETrailblazing CLASS OF 2019

Checking in with San Domenico’s first coed alumni as they move on from college.

Each fall, a new group of students joins our K-12 community. It is always exciting as a buzz of anticipation permeates campus. In the fall of 2014, the energy was even more electric, for a historic cohort stepped onto campus: the first coed high school class, a group that would come to be known as the trailblazing class of 2019.

This class was a group of courageous young people, willing to spend their precious high school years on an uncharted path. They had vision, and like the School’s leadership at the time, they believed that a coed San Domenico could build on its tradition of excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics, while continuing to grow a more diverse and inclusive program. By the time they departed the San Domenico campus, the class of 2019 had created a new legacy, their actions echoing the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Four years later, with this trailblazing class now moving on from college, we caught up with some of these pioneering alums.

Jian “Ray” Qin

We will always remember when Ray first arrived on campus from his home in Beijing, China. He spoke very little English, but within minutes he was already making friends on the basketball court, trying out a new sport with a smile and can-do attitude. This was the same approach that would earn him the 2019 Veritas Award, the highest honor San Domenico bestows on a graduating senior. It is awarded by faculty to a student who, through the spirit of loyalty and duty, has contributed generously to San Domenico through study, play, friendship, and giving of self.

Ray matriculated to UC San Diego and the Jacobs School of Engineering, where he created a unique experience for himself, “graduating early with 65 courses across a wide range of subjects including computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mathematics, and humanities. I steadily explored my curiosity and grew my passion for engineering,” says Ray.

When we caught up with Ray, he was at Tech Week in Santa Monica, as a software engineer working for Zip Recruiter. His exuberance and positivity are even more striking

than in his high school years.

“Looking back, SD was such a critical time in my life,” he says. “Maybe even more so than college, because while you learn a lot in college, high school is such an important time of character building, and San Domenico excelled in this. I learned to follow my heart, to go beyond conventional expectations, to take ownership of my education, to care for my community, and break through anything that was limiting my growth.

“Often there is nobody paving the path for you. As the first fully coed class, we had to set examples for ourselves. I learned not to be afraid of being the first person.”

With his first job out of college not enough for this go-getter, Ray has also started his own company, now in start-up stealth mode, offering software as a service (SAAS). “The way people learn and work is going to change drastically in the coming years,” he says, “and we are very focused on a particular and legitimate need I have identified that will help improve people’s lives.” We can’t wait to learn more.

CLASS OF 2019 Trailblazing

Makayla Pearce

Makayla came to SD with inspiration from her mother, Emager, an alumna of the class of 1989, though Makayla quickly made a name for herself with her powerful writing and voice.

While at SD, Makayla was selected to read a piece of her writing for KQED’s Perspectives program and was a guest speaker at a TEDxYouth conference. Reflecting back on her time at SD, Makayla says, “I found SD a place to build a strong foundation for study skills and a place of opportunities: to write and publish, to swim, and to try new areas of interest, like film.”

With these skills, Makayla matriculated to UCLA, where she graduated in three years with a degree in political science. To deepen her Spanish studies, she spent three months abroad in Madrid and found that experience to be one of the high points in college. At UCLA, she was a member of the National Black Law Association and met many individuals interested in future positions in the field of law. Today Makayla is studying for the LSAT exam and working at a medical legal company in Oakland.

Samantha Townsend

Reflecting back on her time at SD, Samantha says that some of the skills and tools she took away from her K-12 experience include critical thinking, study and writing skills, and a sense of respect for all people. Samantha moved to Australia to work on a Marvel movie, a highlight of her time since graduation. Her advice to the SD class of 2023 as they start their college journey? “Don’t be afraid to ask questions!”

Zayetzy García

“The support we received from our professors in times of doubt, encouraging us to believe in ourselves and pursue our dreams, was great. And sometimes personal: I remember how, on the day of prom, as I was heading to the venue, Ms. Evans sewed my dress because she saw that the tail was too long and she was worried I would trip while dancing. There is no better way to describe how much SD faculty cared for us.”

Kade O’Reilly

“SD changed the trajectory of my life,” says Kade O’Reilly, speaking on the phone from his office at J.P. Morgan in New York. Kade took the job in February 2023, after graduating early from Bentley College. “I’m doing equity research on energy and power; speaking with management teams; doing earnings calls, industry deep dives, projections looking at oil, commodities, renewables, etc.; and writing and presenting research that clients use to make investment decisions.”

As with many of his classmates, developing friendships with international students at San Domenico informed Kade’s future. “Being friends with people from all over the world at SD really prepared me for connecting with students of diverse cultural backgrounds in college. I could have graduated from Bentley even earlier—thanks to all of the AP classes I took at SD and an aggressive course load in college—but I got accepted into a yearlong program at the London School of Economics and decided to go for it. It was easily the best year of my life. I played on their basketball team and participated in a tournament in Paris. On my days off from classes, I traveled to 13 countries, from the top of Norway, where I saw the Northern Lights, to Morocco, where I rode camels and slept out in tents in the Sahara.”

Reflecting back on his time at SD, Kade says, “I remember senior week, alums came in and talked to us about independence and autonomy, and that was really helpful, but my best memory is probably sitting at lunch tables every day with so many friends. I never got bored because there were always interesting people to talk to, laugh with, and enjoy. Also, the values of community and service continue to drive me. At J.P. Morgan, I am a mentor for children who come from low-income backgrounds and are interested in economics and finance.”

CLASS OF 2019 Trailblazing

Cecilia Wang

After graduating from USC with two bachelor degrees—a bachelor of science in economics and data science and bachelor of science in business analytics— Cecilia was accepted at both Yale and Oxford University for graduate studies. This fall, she will be going to the UK to attend Oxford, where she plans to earn a master’s degree in financial economics.

Reflecting back on her time at SD, she says, “I still carry a strong sense of the values of community, being respectful, and social awareness. Her advice for current students: “Explore any opportunities you have and find something that you are passionate about.” And for VP students, she adds, “Practicing every day is tough, but you are gonna miss it.”

Xuan (Tom) Zhao

“I really enjoyed being taught by those amazing teachers,” Tom says, adding that skills he gained and experiences he had at SD—English writing, independent research, critical thinking from history and social justice classes, support and love from some of the staff and teachers—have contributed to his success. After winning two major UK hackathons, publishing a paper on medical imaging with deep learning (MIDL), interning at Microsoft and Arm Ltd., and traveling to nine countries in the past two years, Tom has accepted a job offer with Microsoft UK.

Kwan Limbhasut

“The three things I appreciated most about SD are the diversity, the leadership training, and the value of community,” Kwan says. “Thinking about high school, I never would have thought that my friend group would be so diverse as to include friends from Vietnam, Mexico, Korea, and the Czech Republic. I’ve continued to stay in touch with classmates such as Angus (Gossman, also at UC Berkeley), Amy Bunayamongkol, Bryan Min, and Helena Bland.

“At Cal, I served as the president of the Thai Students Association, a senior peer adviser for the psychology department, a lab manager at the Social and Moral Judgment Lab (in Haas Business School), and also as the director of programming for the Association of Thai Students in the United States.”

Kwan will be attending the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she will be studying learning design, innovation, and technology.

Pro Tips

The class of 2019 offers some helpful advice to current SD students.

You’ve got this. Our alumni advise current students that academically, they will be “totally ready” for college after SD. Having gone to high school with peers from around the world, our alumni arrive on college campuses prepared to engage with the diverse constituent groups that make up a college community. Biggest shock? The autonomy you have in college—and the amount of required reading—but at SD, students take a leadership role in their education along the way, so it’s not as jarring.

APs are worth it.

While it’s often a topic of heavy debate in educational circles (and parents and students planning high school course loads), these SD alums agree: AP courses prove to have been real assets as you enter college, allowing students to take a greater variety of college courses early on, have more flexibility in studying abroad, and even graduate college early.

San Domenico’s New “Awe Walk”

Offers a Connection Between Mind, Body, and Universe by K-12 Innovation Lead Aran Levasseur

Our cosmos is a fountainhead of awe, from the cosmic scale of titanic galaxies and trillions of stars to the surreal quantum scale of allegedly 10 dimensions. In the zone between these extremes is the more fathomable, but no less awe-inspiring, earthly realm of leafy sea dragons, peregrine falcons, sawtooth mountains, and rainforests teeming with kaleidoscopic life-forms. In any direction we turn, we are enveloped by an abundance of awe.

Each of us has experienced awe in one of its varied manifestations. This feeling may arise from being transfixed by a sublime sunset, listening to Nina Simone’s soul-stirring rendition of “Feeling Good,” being moved by the moral vision and courage of Dr. King’s “Dream” speech, or in moments of transcendent fellowship with a favorite comedian, sports team, or congregants in a place of worship.

But what exactly is awe, and why should we seek it out?

According to the psychologist Dacher Keltner, awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something profound and vast that transcends our current understanding of the world, like when we’re standing under old-growth redwoods, looking up at the Milky Way on a clear night, or marveling at the growth and development of a child. When people feel awe, they might use words such as amazement, surprise, and wonder to describe the experience.

While we may have a deep sense of awe while standing in Yosemite Valley or beholding the Taj Mahal, awe can readily be found in daily life. Consider the wonder that can be evoked by the shape-shifting sky, the emergence of spring, the marvel of human biology (e.g., laid end-to-end, an adult’s blood vessels could circle Earth’s equator four times), or the staggering creativity of our species over time, from the cave paintings of Lascaux to spaceflight.

Albert Einstein summarized the experience from his view: “One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day."

Not only does awe feel good, it also enhances well-being. A key effect is that we feel a sense of connection to something larger than ourselves and to other people. Awe encourages us to be more compassionate. It makes us happier and healthier. Awe sparks curiosity within us and helps orient us to what truly matters in our lives.

This is why at San Domenico we created the brand-new San Domenico Awe Walk. The world has become more urban, overscheduled, fast-paced, and alienating. The surgeon general of the United States has stated that declining mental health among the nation’s youth is the crisis of our time. The enemy of everyday awe is the frenzied pace of modern life and the fractured attention it breeds. Taking an awe walk can be a countervailing force. Noticing the soothing melody of birdsong or revitalizing patterns in nature requires slowing down. As Gandhi counsels, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

EXPERIENCE THE AWE WALK

The San Domenico Awe Walk includes seven stations along a meandering nature trail just under one mile in length. Look for the first station at the edge of Kesterson Field near the bridge before continuing on the trail that parallels the creek behind the garden. Make sure to bring some comfortable walking shoes and your sense of wonder!

Each of the seven stations along the San Domenico Awe Walk has a placard that combines photography and words about contemplative practices, ecological principles, and scientific research that aim to cultivate awe. As you amble along this walk, you’ll find that simply being in nature can lower the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and enhance the rest-and-recovery (parasympathetic) nervous system. If you begin to feel an upwelling of happiness, it may be the indirect result of a common bacteria in the soil called Mycobacterium vaccae that makes us feel happier.

Throughout the walk, there is ample opportunity to experience awe or one of its gateway emotions: curiosity, wonder, and beauty. As you begin to feel a connection with nature, you will be reminded that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We hope that by the end of your walk, you will revel in this interdependence and embrace the insight of Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh as your own: “Everything relies on everything else in the cosmos in order to manifest—whether a star, a cloud, a flower, a tree, or you and me.”

Learning to be a GLOBAL LEADER

Avery Q. ’25 joins students from around the world as a participant in the Global Citizens Initiative Fellowship

We are proud to share the news that Avery Q. ’25 has been accepted into the highly competitive Global Citizens Initiative (GCI) Fellowship program. The 10-month program “aims to equip young global citizens with the mindset, skills, and resources necessary to become effective and ethical global leaders.” After joining awardees from around the globe for one month at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Avery will return home to spend nine months designing and implementing a service project that incorporates her interests in health care and emergency care services.

“Our Admissions Committee was impressed by the caliber of her application, great potential as a global leader, and desire to enact positive change in her community,” writes GCI Director of Programs and Strategic Partnerships Kathryn Taylor.

We caught up with Avery in the waning days of her sophomore year, just prior to her departure for the GCI Fellowship in Scotland:

How are you feeling about heading off to Scotland for the GCI Fellowship?

I am super excited to go to Scotland and meet people from all over the world who share a mutual passion for helping our communities.

What are you looking forward to during the summer program and when you return?

I’m looking forward to conversing with other young adolescents and making a change in Marin County, regarding health care. By the time I reach my senior year, I hope to be continuing this work and presenting it for my ROSE project. In my junior year, I want to be at the peak of this project and doing as much as I can to bring about change.

What do you believe it means to be a global citizen?

Being a global citizen is having the ability to recognize challenges and issues

in our world and not only acknowledge it, but make an effort to act on it. Being a global citizen is having an open mind to educating and being educated about citizens of the world and their cultures.

What does it mean to be a leader?

A leader is someone who takes initiative and uses their power for the better. Being a leader is helping people who feel they have a smaller voice in society be heard and supporting your community.

Have you had any more ideas yet for your ROSE service project?

I am still very passionate about health care and doing something related, whether it’s advocating for senior citizens’ needs or educating younger students on how to perform professional rescue under any circumstance.

If you could wave a magic wand and create a change in the world that you

want to see, what would that be? Affordable health care for lower-income families.

Whom do you admire? Who are your heroes?

I admire many well-known people who have made visible and positive change. But in all honesty, I admire my mom the most because of her kind heart and devotion to making important things happen that matter most to her. She is very powerful, wise, and a great listener and problem solver.

How has your time at SD prepared you to step out into the world?

SD has prepared me for the larger world where I will need to advocate for myself and be a good member in any community that I step into.

We wish Avery all the best in her new adventure as a global citizen!

From the Desk of Athletic Director Mark Churchill

Dear San Domenico Community,

The 2022-23 school year was an extraordinary one for our athletics program, and we couldn’t be more proud of our San Domenico Panthers! The addition of water polo and beach volleyball to our program brought us to an impressive total of 28 teams competing in 15 sports. It’s clear that our teams are growing stronger, and our athletes are earning more honors than ever before.

Their hard work and commitment have yielded remarkable results, including our Women’s Basketball team reaching the state championship in back-to-back years (this time in a higher division!). We also had the privilege of witnessing the dominance of the top mountain biker in Northern California donning the Panther blue, as well as SD running in the final heat at the State Track and Field Championship Finals. Their journey—as with all of our athletes—was marked by resilience, teamwork, and a tenacious spirit that inspired our entire community.

A record-breaking 49 Panthers received All League honors in 2022-23. These awards are a testament to our students’ individual skills and contributions to their respective sports. We wholeheartedly applaud their commitment to excellence and their relentless efforts on and off the field.

And with eight graduates continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level—the most in SD history—we know there is more success to come.

Looking ahead to the 2023-24 school year, we remain steadfast in our dedication to fostering an environment that supports our student-athletes in their pursuit of athletic excellence. Their passion and commitment continue to elevate us, and we are excited to see what the future holds for our Panthers.

Go Panthers!

NorCal Champion of the Trails

Hayley B. ’23 showcased her remarkable mountain-biking skills on the trails, securing the title of 2023 NorCal Champion, conquering the championship course with the fastest time across all divisions. Hayley is a member of the Bear Development Team, a prominent local mountain-biking team focused on athlete development, that competes in national events. Hayley’s dedication and talent have led her to achieve several top-10 finishes while competing against riders from all corners of the country. Hayley is also a highly skilled runner, with three BCL titles and an NCS title in track and cross country. She is headed this year to Williams College, where she will join the cross-country and track teams.

Back-to-Back NorCal Champions

The Women’s Varsity Basketball team achieved a notable feat this year, winning consecutive NorCal Championships to play once again in the CIF State Championship game at the Golden One Center in Sacramento, home of the Sacramento Kings. This year’s Division IV Championship was a rematch against Shalhevet High School of Los Angeles, with both teams being bumped up from last year’s Division V. The game was close and hardfought, with Shalhevet winning this round. Nevertheless, the Panthers displayed tremendous skill and determination in front of hundreds of SD students and fans cheering them on. While bidding farewell to Maja C. ‘23, the Panthers are already strategizing and planning for the upcoming season with the State Championship as their ultimate goal.

Volleyball Reaches New Heights

Led by new Head Coach and Volleyball Director John Hedlund, our Women’s Volleyball team experienced an incredible ascent in 2022-23, culminating in their appearance in the Division VI Volleyball Championship against San Francisco Waldorf. Coach Hedlund, a decorated athlete with credentials including a national championship and two All-American honors during his time at USC—not to mention two NCS championships and six MCAL titles as a high school coach—brought the team to unprecedented levels of performance. Team captains Nina M.S. ’23 and Tanya Y. ’23 fostered a strong sense of unity among their teammates, enabling them to come together as a cohesive and formidable unit.

Badminton Repeats as Champs

The Badminton team made a resounding statement this past season, solidifying their presence and demonstrating their staying power by successfully defending their Bay Area Conference (BAC) League title. Building upon their achievements from the previous year, the team made significant progress by securing second place at the NCS Championship Tournament, improving on their third-place finish of the prior year.

A highlight was the exceptional performance of the Mixed Doubles team comprising Wandi F. ’23 and Johan H. ’24. Their skill and determination earned them the distinction of becoming the first Badminton NCS Champions in the school’s history. Cici L. ’23 and Martin P. ’25 made valuable contributions to the team’s success as well, each claiming third place in the singles competition and bolstering the team’s overall score. Their achievement not only showcases their individual talents but also highlights the team’s commitment to excellence.

Welcome to Beach Volleyball and Water Polo

San Domenico expanded our athletic offerings with two exciting sports in the 2022-23 season. In the fall, we proudly fielded Men’s and Women’s Water Polo teams, whose inaugural athletes set the foundation for years to come. After the initial showcase season, Water Polo will officially enter league play in the 2023-24 school year. Spring saw the Beach Volleyball team make its debut and quickly establish itself as a competitive force. The team, armed with the valuable experience gained by its dedicated players, eagerly anticipates the upcoming second season.

Athletic Awards Banquet

SD Athletics capped off a successful year by honoring our senior athletes at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet. Gytis G. ’23 and Hayley B. ’23 received the prestigious Panther of the Year award, which goes to a senior athlete who has displayed a high level of skill while positively influencing the team through outstanding leadership and focus. Cici L. ’23 and Zuzu B. ’23 earned the Scholar Athlete Award for their excellence in the classroom and in competition. Nina M.S. ’23 and Ozzie S. ’23 each took home the Panther Pride Award for their team-first attitude, enthusiastic commitment, and admirable work ethic.

Maja C. ’23 and Angelo N. ’23 received the Marin Athletic Foundation Outstanding Student Athlete Award, which includes a significant scholarship, for their accomplishments. Way to go, Panthers!

2023 Panther Pride Award

Nina M.S. ’23 - Volleyball

Ozzie S. ’23 - Flag Football, Basketball, Baseball

Scholar Athlete Award

Cici L. ’23 - Badminton

Zuzu B. ’23 - Flag Football, Soccer, Tennis

CIF Scholar Athlete Award

Hayley B. ’23

Panther of the Year

Hayley B. ’23 - Cross-Country, Mountain Biking

Gytis G. ’23 - Basketball

Marin Athletic Foundation Outstanding Student Athlete Award

Maja C. ’23 - Basketball

Angelo N. ’23 - Soccer

2023 NCS Division 2 Badminton

Yohan H. ’24 and Wandi F. ’23 - Mixed Doubles Champions

2023 NCS Meet of Champions Track and Field

Joaquin F. ’24 - Boys 800 Meter Runner-up - State Qualifier

2023 NCS Class A Track and Field

Joaquin F. ’24 - Boys

800-Meter Champion

2023 NCS Track and Field

Joaquin F. ’24 - Boys

800-Meter State QualifierFinals Qualifier

2023 BAC/BCL West Track and Field

Joaquin F. ’24 - Boys

800-Meter BAC Champion

Joaquin F. ’24 - Boys

800-Meter First Team All League

Braeden C. ’23 - Boys

100-Meter Second Team All League

Joaquin F. ’24 - Boys

1,500-Meter Honorable Mention All League

Braeden C. ’23 - Boys Long Jump Honorable Mention All League

2023 BCL West Baseball

Alex T. ’24 - Outfield First Team All League

Ozzie Shenk ’23 - Infield

First Team All League

Aiden C. ’23 - Pitcher

Second Team All League

Oliver B. ’25 - Outfield

Second Team All League

Oliver S. ’25 - Outfield

Second Team All League

Will R. ’25 - Infield Second Team All League

Alec C. ’23 - Honorable

Mention

2023 BAC/BCL West

Badminton

Cici L. ’23 - All League First Team - Girls Singles

Martin P. ’25 - All League

First Team - Boys Singles

Wandi F. ’23 and Yohan H. ’24 - All League First TeamMixed Doubles

Becky X. ’23 - All League

Second Team - Girls Singles

Aarya C. ’24 and Kelly C. ’23 - All League Second Team - Girls Doubles

2023 Girls BCL West Girls

Swimming

Kylie H. ’25 - All League

First Team - 100 Back

Sanne K. ’26 - All League

First Team - 100 Fly

Kylie H. ’25, Quinn J. ’24, Sanne K. ’26, Veronika E.

’26 - All League First Team -

200 Medley Relay

Kylie H. ’25, Avery Q. ’25, Sanne K. ’26, Veronika E. ’26 - All League Second Team - 400 Free Relay

2023 Boys BCL West Tennis

Zuzu B. ’23 - All League

Second Team

Gavin K. ’24 - All League

Second Team

Freddy N. ’25 - All League

Second Team

Arda K. ’24 - All League

Second Team

Parker S. ’ 24 All League

Second Team

2023 NorCal Division 2

Mountain Bike Championships

Champion Individual -

Haley B. ’23

2023 Girls BCL West Soccer

Saliah J. ’25 - All League

First Team

Sienna H. ’25 - All League

Second Team

2023 Boys BCL West Soccer

Angelo N. ’23 - All League

First Team

Enzo Z. ’25 - All League

First Team

Mateus Seiki R. ’23 - All League Second Team

Bernardo A. ’23 - All League Second Team

2023 Girls BCL West

Basketball

Maja C. ’23 - All League

First Team

Lily R. ’24 - All League First Team

Avery C. ’24 - All League

Second Team

Mattie G. ’24 - All League

Honorable Mention

2023 Boys BCL West

Basketball

Gytis G. ’23 - All League

First Team

Gavin E. ’25 - All League

Second Team

Matas B. ’23 - All League

Honorable Mention

Reunion Weekend

Rain or shine, the San Domenico Milestone Alumni classmates showed up for their reunion on May 5 and 6. The weekend began with a fun reception at Floodwater in Mill Valley. Many current and former faculty members were able to join the alumni gathering and all enjoyed the great conversations and laughter.

Saturday found the alumni back on campus. There were many moments that revealed the deep respect the alumni have for each other and the SD campus and exemplified what it means to be a

San Domenico alumni. Whether they were watching student panel members share their servicelearning projects, returning triumphantly from the beautiful new Awe Walk through the campus woods, sharing meaningful hugs in the garden, or showing off the Class of ’78 alumni bucket hats en masse, the San Domenico alumni showed up, shared, and connected.

The annual luncheon kicked off with a rousing champagne toast by incoming Board Chair Liz Revenko ’87, in honor of retiring

Head of School Cecily Stock ’77. The luncheon featured a special keynote by K-12 Innovation Lead and Humanities teacher Aran Levasseur on the topic of “Living a Life of Purpose and Meaning,” followed by the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Award to Amy Skewes-Cox ’71 and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award to Julia Reinhard ’18. It was a wonderful weekend of camaraderie and brought to light the many similarities of the alumni experiences to that of our student experiences of today.

2023 Distinguished Alum Amy Skewes-Cox ’71 shared

her poem:

Where Doors Have Opened

This is a place

Where doors have opened to all of us. Where doors have opened to accept Those who are different.

Where doors have opened to Know the importance of listening.

Where doors have opened to Believing in ourselves and believing That we can chart our own course. From our years here, we have been given The road map to know the importance of Making this world better For those who go after us. For that’s what someone did for us. When we were students, We formed our individual spirits That carried us into adulthood, And we formed the drive to ignite that spirit. Those doors are still there… Now we are the ones Holding the handles.

Reunion attendees at Floodwater reception on Friday night, and on campus for the Saturday luncheon and reunion activities.

Class pictures and rousing toasts kicked off the Saturday reunion festivities.

2023 Alumni Awards

2023 Distinguished Alumni Award | Amy Skewes-Cox ’71

Since graduating as an esteemed member of the Class of 1971, Amy Skewes-Cox has gifted San Domenico with her generosity as a supporter and devoted volunteer, serving on the Master Planning and Facilities Committee (2014-present) and the Board of Trustees (2015-2021)—with three years as Board Chair—not to mention the honorary “Showed Up at the Most SD Events Ever” award for several years running! In her shepherding of the School during times of great transition, Amy’s expertise and wisdom have been invaluable and we are so thrilled to honor her with this year’s Distinguished Alumni award.

Amy credits her high school years with giving her the self-confidence and determination needed to make a difference in the world. She fondly recalls April 22, 1970—the first-ever Earth Day—when she inspired many of her peers to join her in celebrating the first large movement to improve environmental conditions around the globe. Soon afterward, she and her classmates began the first organic vegetable garden at San Domenico. “Visiting the Garden of Hope today, and seeing the huge array of solar panels embodying San Domenico’s ongoing commitment to environmental steward-

ship, is always inspiring, heartening, and affirming,” Amy tells us. Amy’s commitment to environmental stewardship led to a bachelor of science degree in conservation of natural resources and a master’s degree in landscape architecture/ environmental planning, both from UC Berkeley.

“The values learned from San Domenico are intricately interwoven with the lives we create for ourselves and the impact we have on others,” she says. “It’s amazing to me that it’s now been over 50 years since graduating and that we continue to celebrate Earth Day each spring, and that so many of my dear relationships are from SD. May we all join in celebration of the earth, close friends, those in need, and the value of following our hearts.”

Amy continues to manage environmental and land-use planning projects, utilizing her 34 years of experience working via the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to support organizations and causes she cares about. In her spare time, she writes short stories with an online writing class and pursues her interest in dyeing fabric with natural dyes and weaving. You’ll also still see Amy on campus for many events!

2023 Outstanding Young Alumni Award | Julia Reinhard ’18

As a young high school student at SD, Julia already had a commanding presence and her lively and spirited nature inspired many to action. For this, as well as her positive impact since graduation, we are delighted to honor Julia Reinhard ’18 as this year’s Outstanding San Domenico Young Alumna.

Julia was a leader of the student body during her years at SD, beginning in Middle School. She served on the National Honor Society Board, led younger classmates during fall orientations, and was chosen by her classmates to portray Mary in the 2017 Christmas Tableaux.

After graduation, Julia wished to pursue a career in public service and attended Dominican University of California, where she recognized the value of an intimate educational setting. In addition to excelling in the demanding academic courses she chose, Julia gained a college internship in Marin County Supervisor Katie Rice’s office and the

county’s Public Information Office. Her successes in that assignment led to being selected as a Panetta Congressional Intern in Washington, D.C., for a semester.

During her senior year in college, Julia was chosen by local Marinite Mary Sackett to be her campaign manager as Sackett sought the county’s District 1 Supervisor position. Sackett not only won her seat in a tight race, she also chose Julia to be one of her full-time aides. At Julia’s Dominican University commencement ceremony, she was named the Class of 2022’s Outstanding Student.

Julia’s current focus is on strengthening her skill set to be the best aide possible for Supervisor Sackett, with an eye toward earning a master’s degree in public policy.

Looking back over her time at San Domenico, Julia remarks, “I am most appreciative of the campus community spirit and the many excellent teachers I experienced at San Domenico.”

CLASS OF 1948

Sister Susannah Malarkey

Is proud to share that she is providing “great feats of service” in her Malarkey/Koehler family. She is the sole (and devoted!) great grand aunt of the uncountable offspring of her original 14 nephews and two nieces. Her family itself has been an “amazing adventure!” she writes.

CLASS OF 1963

Candace Brown De La Prade

Has been trying to stay fit by exercising and walking with Petaluma Senior Center groups. She loves family get-togethers with her children and grandchild, who all live nearby. She and her husband, Xavier, have developed a nice, comfortable routine as they celebrate 45 years of marriage. “Life couldn’t be better!” she says.

CLASS OF 1965

Mary Alice Evans

Lives and works in Hawaii on affordable housing, climate change issues, planning, increasing local food production, and economic recovery.

CLASS OF 1971

Catherine Carney Browning

Catherine says she has never forgotten San Domenico and counts her time here as one of her great blessings in life. San Domenico feels the same about you, Catherine!

Virginia Brown Paulsen

Participates in all activities regarding sustainability in her community, while cultivating an organic garden at home with special attention to honeybees, butterflies, and songbirds. She is excited to be welcoming grandson number two in October.

CLASS OF 1973

Lori Cagwin

After graduating from San Domenico in 1973, Lori attended UC Berkeley and received a BA degree in landscape architecture in 1978. During that period, she was able to spend a year in Aixen-Provence studying impressionist painting. After graduation, she worked for her father’s landscape contracting company for several years before pursuing her landscape architecture career through the employ of several landscape architects in Sonoma and Napa Counties. She received her license in

1989 and has been busy as a landscape architect designing and overseeing a variety of projects, including residences, estates, parks, affordable housing, hotels, schools, subdivisions, and commercial developments. Her work has kept her very busy for over 40 years. While married, she was blessed to bring two sons into the world, whom she says “were her greatest joys and gifts from God.” Her youngest son was honored with the Kiwanis Hope of America Award. Her oldest son is currently pursuing a career in medicine.

Having spent 18 years in Sebastopol and 25 years in Yountville, she feels fortunate to be able to enjoy and experience the natural beauty of these areas, and when work slows she hopes to be able to paint plein-air watercolors of these amazing landscapes. Lori also has stayed busy taking care of her family dogs Zeus (a Doberman), Wiley (White German shepherd–husky), and Lucy (cattle dog) and, for three years before his passing, sweet Tony, her mom’s retired trail horse.

Alice Filmer

Has been teaching at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey since 2009

and was recently promoted to full professor.

Dr. Lisa J. Morrison

Attended San Domenico from seventh to ninth grade. She now lives in Vancouver, Washington, and recently retired from a fulfilling career as a pediatrician and in medical administration.

Katherine O’Donnell

She has been a family nurse practitioner since 1993 and attended USF, Fresno State, and Loma Linda for her nursing education. She is currently working full time and lives in San Antonio, Texas. She has four children and six grandchildren. Her hobbies and interests include cycling, cooking, reading, and animal rescue. She loves traveling and goes to the UK often to visit her daughter, her daughter’s husband, and her grandson. She plans to attend a family reunion in Ireland in 2024 and to investigate her Irish roots.

Lynn Cresalia Thompson

Lynn Cresalia Thompson

Enjoying life with family and friends in Reno and Tahoe. “Come visit!”

Eileen Moloney Wee

Eileen lived, worked, and raised four children in Alamo, California, for the past 40 years. She is now living in Lake Tahoe and loves the skiing, biking, hiking, paddleboarding, swimming, and gorgeous mountain life. When not in Tahoe she is playing with her five grandchildren all over the map!

Kathy Lee Knapp

After graduating from San Rafael High School, Kathy went to college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and graduated with a degree in graphic communications. She was a graphic designer for Delta Dental and a printing buyer for AAA and Williams Sonoma in San Francisco. During her last 10 years of employment she was the production manager in the art

department in Napa for Francis Ford Coppola’s wineries. She met her husband, John, 50 years ago at Cal Poly. They lived in Marin until they retired four years ago and moved back to San

17 years. She is enjoying traveling, grandchildren, church service, college basketball games, and time with her husband in their retirement years.

Mignone Allen Wood

Mignone says her “life has been very full” with graduate school, career, and raising three children. She travels, hikes, skis, and kayaks. Her friends and family are the most important element in her life. She loves living at Lake Tahoe and cherishes the saying by John Muir, “The mountains are calling. I must go.”

CLASS OF 1974

Anne Dinkelspiel

CLASS OF 1978

Suzanne Dods

Is still swimming, teaching swimming, and guiding swim trips to Greece and is swimming in the Winter Swim Festival in Newport, Vermont, where the water temperature is 31 degrees! Brrrr!

Sandy McGrath

Luis Obispo, where their daughter lives. They enjoy traveling and exploring local places in the area. They have four wonderful grandchildren. Their daughter and son-in-law have two little girls, their son and daughter-in-law have two little boys, and Kathy and John find great joy spending time with the “littles.”

Candis Cooper Long

Candice recently retired after using her early childhood special education credential to teach preschoolers with special needs for

At the end of the summer 2022 Anne and her classmates had a gathering for their Lower School class of ’70 which was generously hosted by Paige Wiley Peterson MS ’70 in Tiburon.

Is the director of operations at eZdia.com. She works with people all over the world, entirely remotely, even with locals. She says, “It’s great to be able to find people work, with all that is going on.” She has proudly released 380 pounds to get her weight back to her healthy range, which will aid in her battle with cancer, which she is trying valiantly to win!

Danette Woo Nolan

Danette and her husband have recently relocated to Petaluma. They have two children in college and she works

Eileen Moloney Wee and family

Kathy Lee Knapp

Mignone Allen Wood

Danette Woo Nolan, her daughter, her son and his Boy Scout troop restoring a pond as habitat for an endangered desert fish at the Mojave National Preserve.

for the National Park Service in a regional office. She previously worked at Mojave National Preserve and Fire Island National Seashore. Among other things, she is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer from Togo.

CLASS OF 1983

Suzanne Casey

Recently retired as a cardiovascular nurse, she is married to John and has two amazing grown step-kids. The couple splits their time living in both Portland, Oregon, and Borrego Springs, California.

Cate Turnbull

“Well, as far as news goes, I have been going through the hardest two years of my life, to be honest,” Cate says. “I have three adult children, but my precious and only son, William, passed

away suddenly, with no warning, in his sleep on March 22, 2021.” She became a certified grief educator last year and she is grateful for her two daughters, Liz and Emily. Emily is engaged, and Elizabeth has been married a little over five years. Cate notes that although she has “no grandchildren yet,” she is eagerly waiting for them. She desires to start a platform involving social media that reaches out to people who are grieving the loss of a child of any age or have one who battles chronic illness.

CLASS OF 1986

Heidi Craig

In November 2022, Heidi went on a humanitarian expedition to the Thar Desert in India. She rode horses to remote villages outside Jaipur, India, for 10 days and assisted doctors doing

free cataract eye surgeries, delivering medical supplies, goats for food, and school supplies for children.

She raised an extra $16,000 that went toward eye surgeries at $85 per person, the purchase of goats at $100-plus per head, and new bathrooms at $4,000 to $5,000 each, all of which she says are “desperately needed commodities in this part of the world.” You can read more about her story and find out how she helped people see again at gofundme. com/f/heidis-relief-ride

CLASS OF 1989

Jennifer Roy

Jennifer graduated in December ’22 from Dominican University of California with her Master of Science in counseling psychology, aiming to become a marriage and family therapist. She says one of the highlights from graduation was that Sr. Gervaise Valpey and

Sr. Brigid Noonan were in attendance to cheer her on, along with her San Domenico classmates

Neda Gilani Byrd ’89 and Elizabeth Rogers ’89.

CLASS OF 2007

Christina Simpson

Christina transitioned from working as a fulltime violist to working in People Operations at a small technology company during the pandemic. Last fall, she started and ran a classical music organization called Wave Chamber Collective, combining chamber music with other art forms in unique performance experiences. She also completed her first Polar Bear Challenge (40 miles open-water swimming in the Bay) with the Dolphin Club.

CLASS OF 2016

Merryta Liu

Merryta graduated from the California College of the Arts MFA fine art program in May. She invited

Heidi Craig

Jennifer Roy, Sr. Gervaise Valpey, Sr. Brigid Noonan, Neda Gilani Byrd ’89 and Elizabeth Rogers ’89.

the San Domenico community to her thesis show at the Wattis Institute and welcomed them into her “world of imagination, where nature is wordless and full of possibility.” She transforms elements from nature into abstract forms through sketching, painting, cutting, patterning, sewing, stuffing, making, and embroidering. She thought of the possibilities of interaction and experience, exploring how functional art can elevate our daily lives. Her goal was to create a body of art that brings joy, happiness, and warmth; communicates; and generates conversations with others.

CLASS OF 2017

Vicky

Lin ’17 and Norika

Terasawa ’20

Two former No. 1 San Domenico Singles players reconnecting in Paris, France: Norika Terasawa on the left and Vicky Lin on the right. Norika is participating in a semester abroad

and Vicky is in graduate school. Norika played No. 1 Singles in 2018 and 2019; Vicky played No. 1 Singles in 2016.

CLASS OF 2018

Nicole Casartelli

Graduated in May 2022 from Cal Poly Pomona with her BS in computer science and is now working at Accenture as a technology and security automations analyst. Nicole also spent time at college on the E-Board of oSTEM, a national organization with about 90 chapters on college campuses. The club’s primary focus is creating a sense of community and providing resources for LGBTQ+ students. She is helping build the club into the largest LGBTQ+

club on the Cal Poly Pomona campus, with over 100 members.

Sophie Salvadori-Roam

Graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor’s in cinema. She works as a sailing coach at St. Francis Yacht Club and is about to receive her U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner credential. “My passion for sailing emerged back in high school and since [then] I’ve participated in many races on many different types of vessels,” she says. “I’ve worked as a sailing coach since 2017 and have taken the next

step in my sailing career, attaining my Merchant Mariner credential, which names me as a captain certified by the U.S. Coast Guard. It’s a great achievement that is the culmination of [my] sailing and coaching [for] more than five years and I can’t wait for this new chapter in my sailing career to begin.”

Vicky Lin ’17 and Norika Terasawa ’20

Merryta Liu’s MFA thesis show

Sophie Salvadori-Roam

Alumni coming together ~ Yucatán, México Irma del Carmen Gavica ’75 shared pics from the “Latinamerican” class reunion in 2022.

Irma Gavica ’75, Vivian Courtney ’74, Rossana “Beba” Vilaseca De Hidalgo ’76, Maria “Chiqui” Vilaseca ’74, Elsa Bours De Gutierrez ’76, Martha Fernández ’75, Eugenia Tabush De Sanchez ’77, Martha Fernández ’75, Katy Marcos de Trad ’78, Lorena “Lucile” Medrano ’76, Gabriela “Gaby” Medrano ’76, Daniela Garcia Cueva ’75, Patricia Garza ’75, Irma “Yolie” López D’avalos ’75.

Madeline Smith Carver ’41

Janice Ahlem ’45

Barbara Fletcher Barbour ’45

Elaine Carbone Colombatto ’47

Marion Buller Lyon ’47

In Memoriam

Terese “Terry”

McChrystal Wright ’47

Suzanne Chapman Burford ’52

Anne Adams Helms ’52

Nancy Ghilotti Knowles ’52

Barbara Costello ’68

Margaret “Maggie” Brown Stucka ’68

Sally Godfrey Shea ’77

Mei-Lien Gruchacz ’95

Patricia Suhr Dawson ’51 on the passing of her husband, Robert Dawson

Patsy Dwyer Butler ’59 on the passing of her daughter Tracy (Prose) Butler

Bridget Fahy Flint ’65 on the passing of her sister

Elizabeth “Libby” Cryan Weeks

Kathleen Keith ’65 on the passing of her brother Kelly Keith and her partner Nan Girvin

Elizabeth Brown Heyne ’67, Christine Brown Palmquist Marshall ’69, and Su Brown Peschl ’77 on the passing of their sister, Margaret Stucka

Johanna “Hanna” Fecskes Brown ’68 on the passing of her husband, Peter Brown

Tess Kok Densmore ’68 and Bliss Kok ’71 on the passing of their aunt, Terese (Terry) McChrystal Wright ’47

Barbara Morrisey Machalk ’72 on the passing of her mother, Barbara Morrisey

Jennie March Aleu ’75 on the passing of her husband, Fernando Aleu

Mary Alice Godfrey ’75 and Joan Godfrey Grubert ’79 on the passing of their sister Sally Godfrey Shea ’77

Suzanne Torre-Cross ’75 on the passing of her father, Dr. Donald Torre

Kate Wooliever Sedillo ’86 on the passing of her mother, Pauline Wooliever

Patricia Lee ’88 on the passing of her father, Ting Fan Lee

Linda Klett (Former Upper School Director and Math Teacher) on the passing of her husband, Robert “Bob” Klett

Katie Mersereau Walden ’92 and Kristie Mersereau Isaacson ’92 on the passing of their father, Laurence Mersereau

Ryan Callan MS ’93 on the passing of his father, Terrence Callan

Our Campus

In the summer of 1964, construction began on the “new” San Domenico campus. Its completion was celebrated on December 11, 1965, with a large parade and procession (Moving Day) from the Dominican campus in San Rafael out to the new

school site at the end of Butterfield Road. Hundreds of supporters made the five-mile trek via horseback, wagons loaded with hay, and nineteenth-century carriages. The first full semester of school on the new Sleepy Hollow campus

soon followed in the fall of 1966. Today, San Domenico’s 515acre campus—with 680 K-12 students—is home to 140 boarding students from more than 20 countries and administrative regions around the world.

SAN DOMENICO SCHOOL 1500 Butterfield Road San Anselmo, CA 94960

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.

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 harassment 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.

2023-24 Save the Dates

Dates subject to change, but mark your calendars! Please visit sandomenico.org/calendar for the latest info.

September ’23

9.23

October ’23 10.7 10.22

November ’23 11.15 11.17

December ’23

March ’24

’24

Homecoming and Fall Alumni Open House

Garden Fair Vivaldi Performance Benefit Concert

VP Fall Chamber Concert

Grandparents & Special Friends Day & Food Bank Truck Loading

Tableaux and Alumni Holiday Reception Founders Day

VP Winter Benefit Concert

VP Spring Solo Concert

VP Spring Chamber Concert

Alumni Reunion Weekend Senior ROSE Project Showcase

Upper School Graduation

* Some alumni events TBD. We will let you know as soon as they are scheduled. Please email alums@sandomenico.org with any questions.

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