School School
TIES SAN DOMENICO SCHOOL
then & now Spring 2016
Celebrating Dominican Spirit
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If the Buildings Could Talk
Legacy Traditions
School School SAN DOMENICO DOMENICO SCHOOL SAN SCHOOL
Winter 2016 Celebrating 165 Years of Dominican Spirit
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76 Seniors
Addendum/Correction to the Winter 2016 School Ties Magazine
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Cover: The students featured on the cover of the Winter 2016 issue of School Ties are (from left to right): Rosamalia Lopez-Negrete ’61, Barbara Ballantine ’61, and Priscilla Jardine ’58
Reflect on Going Coed
p. 31 - The title of the box should read: Coach Fulton’s Basketball Coaching Accomplishments SCHOOL TIES
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contents Spring 2016
Reflection from the Head of School Verities SD Fund Update Alumni Alumni Council Letter from the Board Chair
78 Reunion Weekend Front Cover (Clockwise from top left): Campus before construction, 1963; Aerial View, 2014; Senior Class Officers, 1973; Upper School Students, 2016 Back Cover (Clockwise from top left): Campus Entrance, 2015; Campus Entrance c.1980; Student Athletes, 2015; Student Athletes, 1965
Alumni Profiles Reunion 2016 Class Notes Gatherings
Professional Development Service Learning On Campus Outstanding Student Achievements
Upper School Winter Formal Lunar New Year Community Events Grandparents & Special Friends Day The 2016 PSA Gala Theatre Productions SD Boarding Faculty Spotlight
Athletics Letter from the Board Chair In Memoriam SCHOOL TIES
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4 6 8 10 12 78 80 82 14 18 24 27 28 30 32 34 36 40 42 44 74 85
reflection from the head of school
How Will it Matter?
A Light in the Broken College Admissions Process Dear Friends, At San Domenico we maintain our Dominican tradition of responding to the needs of the times - adapting to change, staying progressive, and striving toward a just and peaceful world. Sometimes, we also watch with pride as current research illuminates the importance of that which has been a guiding value for our school for 165 years - the power and necessity of service. A recently released report by the Harvard Graduate School of Education has the academic world buzzing. Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern For Others and the Common Good Through College Admissions, evaluates how the college admissions process contributes to the cultural problem of emphasizing personal success over concern for others and the common good. The findings, based on the Making Caring Common study, and endorsed by more than 80 leading colleges and universities across the U.S., call for major changes in the admissions process to place an increased value on how high school students legitimately demonstrate concern and responsibility for others. With college acceptances often serving as an important marker of success, this shift in emphasis may not only help create a more level playing field for students of varying racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, but could also reduce the inordinate pressure being placed on young people by opening up conversations of how we define success and achievement. For many students, this shift has the potential to reward those who are authentically committed to service learning as opposed to those who are focused on building a résumé of extracurricular activities to check boxes on an application. Additionally, this new approach is expected to help reduce the escalating rates of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse young students can experience as a result of the pressure of juggling so many demands, and by shifting the focus away from self, to others. My mother’s needlepoint For schools, this report also represents a great opportunity and a call-to-action as we guide students in their academic and intellectual pursuits. At a recent Marin event on the future of education, Dr. Yong Zhao, an internationally-known scholar, author, and speaker on the implications of globalization and technology on education, shared, “We must say to our kids: You can do whatever you want. But how are you going to be great at it? And how will it matter?” Indeed, the critical question really is, how will it matter?
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As participants in the Making Caring Common study, San Domenico students were asked questions around experiences with day-to-day conflicts, their sense of being supported at school, and how important caring is to them as young people. With service and community as two of our core values, we teach our students that caring and service to others matter deeply at both the individual level, and for the future of our society. Service learning at SD begins in Kindergarten, and is integrated through 12th grade. The Harvard study highlights an educational focus that strongly resembles that which we have been providing to our students for more than 165 years. As I joked to a group of Parent Service Association members at a recent All School Morning Meeting, “Harvard has finally proven what Dominicans have known all along!” As educators, parents, and community leaders, we share with you, our parents, alumni, students, and friends, a desire to provide an extraordinary education that helps develop responsible, caring, and accomplished young people. What is different now is that a consortium of leading schools, all part of this Harvard project, is beginning to support and encourage students, and parents, to ask less about grades and test scores, and more about a sense of purpose; less about building résumés and more about doing good; less about memorizing answers and more about asking how we can serve. That is how it will matter. There is no better reason to come together than to support the movement to care. Our children and the future of our communities depend on it. As the San Domenico Class of 2016 prepares to venture forth into the bigger world, we know that their experiences with service learning here at SD will guide them well as caring, ethical, wise young people. Join me in thanking our faculty and staff, and wishing our graduates well!
Cecily Stock, ’77, M.A., J.D. Head of School
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verities
Verities
Gift of Place
A place to find ourselves by finding the richness in life all around us “A school is, above all else, a kind of continuing story, its various people and happenings bound between the twin covers of challenges and achievements; and like any story it changes, moves forward and becomes more exciting as it is enjoyed.” -1967 San Domenico Yearbook This 50th anniversary of San Domenico’s presence in Sleepy Hollow takes me back to old yearbooks and archival materials, reminding me of who we really are as a 165-year-old school community absorbing the half century of blessings left for us by the people and the land itself. The surrounding hills continuously embrace, nurture, and teach us each day – and night – just as they did for our predecessors! We are told that the Miwoks passed through this land seasonally – on their way from Pt. Reyes to the Sierra Foothills and back. Shard from shells of the fish they carried, ate, and left behind enroute provided minerals for the oaks and native plants to thrive. I believe their care and gentle use of this land actually left it more sacred each passing year. The dairy farmers that followed left their stories imprinted on the land, awaiting the arrival of the Hotaling and Raisch families who enjoyed the home at our current entrance – named “the ruins” by our first students who enjoyed the site for first graduations, theater productions, rallies, and story-telling. It was in the early 1960s that the Dominican Sisters purchased the property and planned a new school campus to fit compatibly with the natural landscape – paying attention to a genuine sense of interconnectedness with the place, its living co-inhabitants and with stories that preceded us. Once we all settled into the campus in December of 1965, there was an absolute abundance of discoveries to be made – by students, Sisters, faculty, and parents. I remember the salamanders meandering along pathways and among the gardens as well as in the swimming pool during the winter months! I remember Sisters Pierre and Victoria leading groups of us into the hills, describing every wild flower and pointing out the variety of living critters in fallen trees alongside the trails. Hearing the coyotes at night was quite new to us, and quickly taught us about the chain of life through sound as well as sight. And how thrilling were frequent sightings of deer and rabbits, but not always the same with sights of raccoons! Just before we moved into our residences on campus, one of the Sisters buried a medal of our Blessed Mother on the hillside above our current solar panels, seeking her protection over the School. About five years after our arrival, Sister Adrienne, who taught second grade, received a statue of Our Lady and saw to the building of a lovely SCHOOL TIES
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grotto on the same spot where the medal had been buried. The grotto remains today, reminding us of Our Blessed Mother’s on-going protection. The 50-year-old redwoods, standing stately next to the chapel and above our Kesterson playing field, hold their place of prominence, telling their stories along with ours. Sinking their roots deeply into the soil, they stretch down to water level to grow strong, beautiful, and purposeful. Their branches provide residences for the owls and birds, and shade for us attending graduations, Mass of the Holy Spirit and sports events. These stalwart redwoods remind us to seek the sources of life that bring us joy and enable us to stand strong against the winds of life. From the 1970s onward, landscaping and gardens have been planted, changed and re-planted to meet new learnings around sustainability as well as to remind us of the beauty and essential value of caring for nature and its resources. A flourishing Rose Garden, in memory of Jennifer Fornos, class of 1990 and lovingly cared for by her mother, the Sisters, and our staff, provide gorgeous blooms for offices, dorm rooms and chapel. In keeping with two of our Dominican values - Study and Reflection - we developed the Garden of Hope, which is now an outdoor classroom for every grade level. Students learn to notice, to be aware of, and to be respectful of all life around them. In 2014, San Domenico received the U.S. Department of Education’s National Green Ribbon Award for its unmatched leadership in sustainability in northern California. San Domenico was praised for its development of the Garden of Hope and integration of principles and practices of sustainability in all facets of life on campus. Last summer Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si, re-affirmed the value of nature as one of our primary teachers, and called upon all people to remember our responsibility to care for our planet Earth, our common home. Similar to the message of our student editors of the 1967 yearbook, our San Domenico campus grows and changes today as we enjoy and hold carefully the history, traditions, and stories of this place. Our alumni, who return over many years, and visitors, coming here for the first time, express strong feelings about their experience when they set foot on campus. They name it as a special gift or blessing. So, we are filled with gratitude for those who came before us, and pray to remain faithful in carrying forward the timeless values we hold sacred. Sister M. Gervaise Valpey, O.P. SCHOOL TIES
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san domenico fund
History and Update By Haley Ballentine, Advancement Associate
The Tradition of the San Domenico Fund As we reflect on San Domenico’s 50-year tenure on the San Anselmo campus and 165 years of Dominican education in California, we celebrate long-standing Dominican traditions that enrich our School and foster the San Domenico community that exists today. Giving back, a core tenet of the community, ensures San Domenico’s ability to remain a strong and flourishing educational institution, connecting our global “family” back to its roots.
needs. Many schools moved to encourage gifts of unrestricted funds, which allowed schools to use discretion as needed when allocating its resources. With input from administrators and boards of directors, schools could then make decisions in keeping with their missions and visions. Today, the San Domenico Fund keeps our School at the forefront of independent education by supporting new academic and extracurricular programs, providing
Every tradition, new or old, is sustained by giving, and at the core of San Domenico’s philanthropic strength is the Annual Fund. In the early 1960s, San Domenico was preparing to relocate to Sleepy Hollow. Capital fundraising was underway to break ground on the tremendously spacious new campus. Soon after the move in December of 1965, San Domenico, like other independent schools, formally established its Annual Fund program to support the School’s continually advancing curriculum, professional development, and growth.
The Mission of San Domenico School Dedicated to being California’s leading independent school, serving Kindergarten through 12th grade students of all faiths, San Domenico is committed to excellence in education, preparing the next generation of global leaders. Founded in 1850 by the Dominican Sisters, San Domenico reflects on our Dominican Catholic heritage which calls us to uphold the values of study, reflection, service, and community.
The founding of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in March of 1962 gave all private schools a valuable educational resource. This industry force, along with a ballooning population in the wake of the Baby Boom, led to the rapid growth of independent schools nationwide. Strengthened by the NAIS, independent schools were better equipped to market themselves, fundraise effectively, and attract diverse student populations.
In the Dominican tradition of Veritas (truth),
We inspire inquiry and provide a strong academic foundation for lifelong intellectual growth.
We explore and develop the unique gifts of each individual in mind, heart, body, and spirit.
We celebrate diversity, recognizing God’s presence in ourselves and in all of creation.
Around this time, many schools, including San Domenico, established Annual Funds to support costs that weren’t covered by tuition alone. The NAIS was an essential resource to school administrators facing new challenges and steeper fundraising
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We recognize what it means to be human in a global community and respond with integrity to the needs and challenges of our time.
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faculty and staff with competitive professional development opportunities, and maintaining our grounds and facilities as we continue to grow. Thousands of women and men have been blessed with a Dominican/San Domenico education, and unrestricted donations to the San Domenico Fund position our School to reach our goals for students and families for generations to come. Give to the San Domenico Fund at www.sandomenico.org/donate This page: Past San Domenico Fund communications
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alumni
2016 Alumni Council News
The 2015-2016 San Domenico school year has been filled with many events that honor our rich history and legacy. The excitement extends from the current students, parents, and faculty to the Middle School and Upper School alumni, former parents, and former faculty. As we celebrate 165 years of Dominican Education and 50 years on the San Anselmo campus, there is so much to be thankful for, including the Alumni Council celebrating its first year of being revitalized. Eighteen alumnae, representing graduating classes spanning more than 70 years (1944-2005), are dedicating their time, some traveling across the country, to meet at San Domenico to move the efforts of alumni connection forward. Alumni Council President, Leslie Reese ’87, expressed her commitment, “I credit San Domenico with helping lay the foundation for who I have become and how I have approached life, other people, and my community, as an adult. I want to help strengthen the bond San Domenico has with its students, alumni, and families, and, through that process, help strengthen the school, as a whole, for years to come.” As the Council has been active in celebrating this anniversary year, the intention has been
set to focus on re-engaging the Class Representatives and planning for the All Alumni Anniversary Reunion Weekend, September 23-25, 2016. Alumni Council Vice President Lisa Fairchild ’75 explained that, “Though it’s been forty years since I graduated from San Domenico, my connection to the school remains strong. I am excited to participate on the Alumni Council and to take an active role in the support of the School. Reconnecting with fellow alums is icing on the cake!” Reconnection is the current focus that is being addressed through the three active Committees on the Council. With the Alumni Council being anchored with three core Committees, the School is able to speak to the dynamic workings of the global Alumni network. The Archives and Education Committee has brought images of the past and the School’s rich history and traditions into the light. Through continued efforts to organize, display, and incorporate the archival pictures and memories of the School’s legacy, a greater teaching and insight has inspired a sense of community curiosity and gratefulness. As a Dominican blessing reminds us, “We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.”
Front Row (L-R): Joshua Martinez ’19, Ray Qin ’19, Claire Young ’19, Jeremy Ivory-Chambers ’19, Juliana Johnson ’16, Makenna Dixon-Essien ’16, Evelyn Wallace ’16 Back Row (L-R): Nicole Duncan, Amanda Tredinnick ’01, Laura Volovski, Heidi Hickingbotham Cary ’61, Sister Gervaise Valpey, O.P., Robin Mayrisch Andrae, Katie Abbott Horn ’71, Elizabeth Bowe Anders ’64, Christina Afanasieff ’01,| Sarah Ann Maleady Smith ’75, Lisa Fairchild ’75, Leslie Reese ’87, Ruth Collins ’81, Emager Lacy Pearce ’89, Alicia Dakin ’75, Cecily Stock ’77 SCHOOL TIES
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The Recognition and Outreach Committee is excited to expand the alumni network through the connection of Class Representatives. Significant efforts are being directed towards discovering and linking all Dominican and San Domenico Alumni with each other and with the School. The intention is to establish long-term, dependable communication from the School to the Class Representatives, informing and acquainting alumni with the current workings of San Domenico. Concentration will also be placed on the recognition of the annual Distinguished Alumna Award, honoring an alumna who portrays truth, or “Veritas” to significantly contribute to the world.
at San Domenico far beyond the physical campus. Attention is being given to consistent communication with both Upper School and Middle School Dominican/ San Domenico alumni, with an emphasis placed on keeping alumni informed and highlighting the Council’s initiative of reconnecting alums. The “School Ties” magazine, “SD Perspectives,” the alumni newsletter, and Class Representative communication will provide alumni with frequent communication and strengthened connection to the San Domenico community. For more information about the Alumni Council, please contact alums@sandomenico.org.
San Domenico Alumni Council
The Network and Events Committee is well into the planning of the 2016 Alumni Gatherings that are being hosted around the country as well as the Anniversary Reunion Weekend, September 23-25. Every effort is being made to make the Anniversary Reunion Weekend memorable, and we are looking forward to one of the largest alumni and community gatherings to celebrate the graduates of San Domenico and Dominican. All alumni carry something very unique with them throughout their lives – a sense of study, reflection, community, and service that extends far beyond the walls of the classroom. Alicia Dakin ’75, the Alumni Council Secretary, explained that, “San Domenico brought a lot to my life, in very quiet ways, teaching me that living within ‘the box’ isn’t always necessary and that my intellectual and spiritual lives don’t have to compete with each other. I have now found that I am in a place to be able to confidently share my knowledge and experience with San Domenico. I look forward to helping others who have attended San Domenico to find ways to help support this so very important school.”
Officer Roles
President: Leslie Reese ’87 (San Rafael) Vice President: Lisa Fairchild ’75 (Pleasanton) Secretary: Alicia Dakin ’75 (Elk Grove)
Recognition and Outreach Chair: Sarah Ann Maleady Smith ’75 (Hope, ME) Co-Chair: Rebecca Heath Farguson ’05 (San Rafael) Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Bowe Anders ’64 (Columbia, SC) Sheila Doyle Kiernan ’44 (San Francisco) Leslie Reese ’87 (San Rafael)
Network and Events Chair: Emager Lacy Pearce ’89 (Oakland) Co-Chair: Ruth Collins ’81 (Mill Valley) Lisa Alexander ’83 (San Francisco) Lauren Becker ’04 (San Francisco) Lisa Fairchild ’75 (Pleasanton) Heidi Hickingbotham Cary ’61 (Tiburon) Ashley Mulshenock ’15 (Oakland)
Archives and Education Chair: Kristin Delaplane ’61 (Tuscon, AZ) Co-Chair: Christina Afanasieff ’01 (Oakland) Robin Mayrisch Andrae ’66 (Berkeley) Alicia Dakin ’75 (Elk Grove) Sandy Willard Denn ’57 (Willows) Kate Abbott Horn ’71 (Kentfield)
As the School honors its anniversaries, the Alumni Council’s work is concentrated on weaving the 2016 directives and goals into all of their responsibilities, and extending the excitement of all that is happening SCHOOL TIES
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alumni
Alumni Profiles
Rhiannon Salter ’05 Education: University of San Francisco; University of California, Berkeley • Current Employer: Mercy High School
“My San Domenico education is something I use every day and am eternally grateful for.” “San Domenico provided me with an incredible education both inside the classroom and on the basketball and volleyball courts. Not only did I learn the critical literacy skills necessary to succeed both at UC Berkeley and in my later professional life, I also learned the value of perseverance, collaboration through teamwork and balance through my time as a student-athlete. The values I internalized at San Domenico played a huge role in my decision to leave the corporate world to pursue a Masters degree and a career in education. I now utilize my SD education daily in my career as a High School History and English teacher!”
Lindsay Bochner ’05 Education: U.S. Naval Academy, University of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business Current Employer: Microsoft
“When I think about the personal impact that San Domenico had on my life, it draws me to stay connected to the School.” “Coming into SD I was a pretty shy person, and the social environment in the classroom from my peers and teachers let me develop a sense of confidence. The teachers created a true learning experience in the classroom and their willingness to get to know their students and be mentors outside of the classroom was very critical to the decisions that I made. I was allowed to be myself and discover who I am. Everyone around me was accepting of who I became and I had the opportunity to develop who I really am.”
Hannah Puckett ’06 Education: Trinity University, New York University • Current Employer: Noble and Greenough School
“Empathy is the most important value that I learned at San Domenico.” “In terms of academics, the most important thing that SD did for me was instill a sense of curiosity. For example, sometime around junior year of high school at SD, I realized that I really enjoyed writing papers. I didn’t necessarily do well on all of them, but I grew to love the intellectual exercise of posing a question and cultivating an argument. I always felt an enormous sense of accomplishment when I completed an essay; not because I knew I had to turn something in that day, but because I felt like I had created something unique. SD planted this drive in me. I came out of high school with a natural tendency to be curious and push my intellectual boundaries as far as they possibly could go.”
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Natalie Marsh ’08 Education: University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University Current Employer: East Palo Alto Charter School, Stanford University
“At SD I was not just a student - I was a dancer, an activist, a teacher, a journalist and more in the course of a day.” “At SD, I learned the value of developing close connections with those in our immediate community and around the world. I learned the value of being true to myself and of working collaboratively and supportively with my peers. At SD, I was able to delve into so many of my interests with depth and authenticity. SD encouraged me to learn with a growth mindset and I really see how that positively affected me throughout my college and career pursuits. At SD, I developed the attitude that I may not be perfect or immediately succeed at an AP class, a leadership role, or a new creative endeavor, but it was well worth the effort and I would be supported by my peers and teachers as I worked hard to improve.”
Negeen Suri-Nawim ’09 Education: University of California, Berkeley • Current Employer: Recruiting Coordinator at Google
“I am extremely pleased to know that SD boys will also have the chance to receive an education that indiscriminately encourages, uplifts, and inspires.” “San Domenico played a tremendous role in shaping my academic and professional life. This school planted my initial academic interests in international affairs, social justice, and service learning - all of which became a huge part of my studies in college. Thanks to San Domenico, many of my friends and teachers have become family. My San Domenico experience would not have been the same without my friends and teachers - and it’s them that pull me back to SD!”
Shanna Kohn ’09 Education: Vassar College, Harvard University graduate School of Education Current Employer: Project Manager, Educational Programs, International Social Impact at Sesame Workshop
“My teachers at SD taught me how to think and gave me perspective on what’s worth thinking about. I use those skills every day!” “I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of SD. San Domenico helped me to realize how important it is to me to have a career that makes a positive difference for others. This shaped what I studied in college, helped me to realize I wanted to pursue education in grad school, and ultimately influenced the kinds of jobs I looked for after graduating.” SCHOOL TIES
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faculty
Professional Development
English Teacher Amy Hale Presents at CATE Conference When asked about my teaching philosophy, I always credit my mentor teachers – those seasoned teachers who graciously shared their ideas with me as an incipient teacher, teachers who encouraged me to keep reading and improving my craft. Acting as a curator of my own gallery of lessons, I’ve collected many ideas over years from teachers who took the time to make a difference outside of their own classrooms. These passionate teachers often share their ideas out of pure generosity and love for their work. In California, over a thousand teachers assemble for a teaching convention organized by the California Association of Teachers of English (CATE). This four-day event includes keynote speakers, teaching workshops, and book signings. Walking into this convention, you see droves of teachers buzzing around talking enthusiastically about the work they all love – teaching English. I have attended this conference many times as a student, but this year, I had the opportunity to share my student blogging project as a presenter. I’ve always told my colleagues that I would apply to be a presenter at the CATE convention when I had something valuable to share. This day finally
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Amy Hale with Carol Jago, former president of the National Council of Teachers of English
came last spring when I realized that my student blogs were giving students an authentic audience for their writing. I discovered that blogging was an effective way to motivate students to write with purpose and genuine creativity. This experiment turned into a CATE proposal that outlined my success and ideas for helping teachers learn how they could use technology to reinforce critical thinking and writing skills.
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I presented on Friday afternoon of the conference to an audience of fifty English teachers. I modeled blogging and showed how they could use blogs to get the most out of their students. I incorporated many student blogs into my session, sharing reflections, poetry, persuasive arguments, and digital portfolios. Many of my colleagues asked questions about the assignments and technology, but what surprised me were the teachers who raised their hands to tell me how impressed they were with the vulnerability and maturity of my San Domenico eighth graders.
Modeling a Growth Mindset
I also attended several inspiring teaching sessions, ranging from teaching poetry to writing for publication. I came home with a bag of books, a dozen new ideas, and an appreciation for my small classes and sweet students.
iTeach 2015, Curriculum Development
Mindfulness Institute July 2015
iTeach 2015, Apple Distinguished School Workshop Summer 2015 Summer 2015
Google Summit October 2015
At one point during the conference, I stood in the Starbucks line with one of my all-time teacher inspirations, Carol Jago, former president of the National Council of Teachers of English and author of “Cohesive Writing,” and “Classics in the Classroom.” I had the opportunity to tell her that I still use her Nikki Giovanni ideas in my poetry unit and her essay grading strategies when I’m reading papers. She smiled and thanked me for interrupting her in the coffee line, for continuing to grow as a teacher, and for making her feel like a celebrity for a day.
Asilomar Mathematics Conference December 2015
Women in Leadership January 2016
CATE 2016 February 2016
Learning and the Brain February 2016
Marin County Office of Education 3D Design Class
Teachers like Jago impel me to keep reflecting on my craft and implementing new ideas in my classroom. After teaching for thirty-two years, writing six books, editing California English, and directing the UC Writing project, Jago still attends teacher sessions, asks good questions, and revises her plans. She proves that good teachers never stop caring and growing. She echoes Jim Burke’s description of our roles as teachers: “Every day, [go] into the classroom to do the work, live the questions, join the conversation, [be] guided by what kids need to succeed now and later, so they can make a living –– and a life.” SCHOOL TIES
A few of the professional development trainings in which our teachers have participated:
February 2016
National Association of Independent Schools Conference (NAIS) February 2016
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) April 2016
Sustainability Circles Ongoing
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faculty
Professional Development
John Phillips, Upper School Academic Dean, Awarded a TEACH Fellowship “Where did you say you were going?” My wife had several questions after I told her I had been awarded a professional development fellowship that would take me to the Middle East. Last summer, I was selected to be part of a small delegation of American educators who had been awarded a TEACH Fellowship (Teachers Educating Across Cultures in Harmony) from the Bilateral U.S. Arab Chamber of Commerce, to travel to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar. The objective of the Fellowship, awarded to 14 American educators, is to forge and sustain thoughtful, long-term, collaborative opportunities between their own schools and educational counterparts across the Arabian Gulf region.
learning also made me a better teacher. Sharing a real life experience later on with a class helped enrich their understanding of the course material and helped me connect with my students in a more meaningful way. “Who will you be meeting?” Over the course of two weeks in the Middle East, we visited numerous schools and universities, met with ministers of education and leaders in industry and government, and discussed pedagogy and curriculum with our educational counterparts in the region. While we all came from different places and had different pasts, we could all agree that we could learn from each other and that preparing young people for the future was a moral imperative. We saw community values expressed in student artwork, heard from student council leaders about how important their voices were in shaping the school, and visited classrooms where learning was interactive and hands-on.
For me, this was a professional development opportunity of a lifetime, one that merged two passions that have been significant parts of my adult life: education and travel. And, here was an opportunity for me to learn about educational practices, history, and culture in a part of the world that I knew very little about. I consider myself an intrepid traveler, having been to more than 30 countries and having lived outside the U.S. for nearly ten years. The more I traveled, the more I wanted to learn new things and broaden my own horizons. But I also know that this type of experiential
TEACH fellows presented with a commendation from BAPCO (Bahrain Petroleum Company), Bahrain SCHOOL TIES
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These would be valuable experiences that would help shape my world view. Beyond these amazing visits to cultural sites, what was to make more of an impression on me were conversations I shared with people I’d met from the region. I learned more about Islam and the region over dinner with an imam than I could ever learn in a book. More importantly, I was learning about myself and questioning my perspectives.
Grand Mosque, Dubai
Interestingly, I was struck by how familiar things were. Each visit concluded with new understandings of each other. As I was about to leave a school in Abu Dhabi, a teacher shared this with me “Remember that educators are multipliers. The more you understand about us, the more you can tell others. Be ambassadors to the rest of the world for us.” Since returning from this trip, I’ve had opportunities to speak with the entire San Domenico faculty and with Upper School students in the ninth grade taking Global Studies. “Are there risks involved?” A good teacher asks students to ‘think outside the box’, challenge the prevailing thinking, and take risks. Travel asks one to do all of these things. Travel puts us outside of our comfort zones, challenges us to confront our shortcomings and fears, and, very often, overwhelms us, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. (Think about a wonderful trip to a colorful Kazakh market where you have successfully haggled over the price of a beautiful carpet, then later find yourself in a jail on falsified charges – yes, that is experiential learning!)
“What do you hope to learn?” I have always heard that teaching is an art. Good teachers are creative, allow for experimentation, and know that mistakes are opportunities for growth. Good teachers also recognize the need for self-reflection and to constantly improve themselves, not only in terms of what they know, but also in terms of who they are. At San Domenico, these aspects of professional development are not only embraced, but encouraged. Just as we teach our students the values of study, reflection, community, and service, so too it is powerful to be able to show them how that education can continue throughout their lives, and the lives of their teachers.
During my stay in the Arabian Gulf, I had opportunities to visit cultural sites, such as the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar, the Beit al Quran (Koranic library) in Bahrain, and the Sheik al Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. SCHOOL TIES
Hawar International School, Bahrain
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service learning
Purpose Through Service
Service Coming to Life with SD Students As one of our four core values, service plays a key role in everything we do here at San Domenico. It’s no surprise that our service projects and work reflect the same kind of thoughtful, purposeful, and conscious intention that we find in our classrooms. Read on to learn more about the latest in our communal efforts to give back, in Purpose Through Service at SD.
Lower School Service
Our first graders earned money by doing chores for their families and, in doing so, supported our service learning project, Project Esperanza. Our parent shoppers, Tina Wolk and Lisa Monardi, bought gifts to send to the children at our sister school in Tijuana, Mexico. Under the tutelage of their Spanish teacher,
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Señora Ximena, donation bags were filled not only with gifts, but also with the great joy and pride of the students. Lower School students also supported the Money for Medicine Lenten project. Our students brought in money for medicine that goes to the clinic at Mission Esperanza in Tijuana, Mexico. Project Gratitude is one of third grade’s service learning projects this year. Students collected toiletries and goodies for our U.S. troops, to remind them of home. The many, many boxes were picked up by the American Legion Auxiliary, who will then turn them into care packages for troops who may not have family to send them packages from home.
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Previous page and left: Third graders loading up boxes for Project Gratitiude Below: Fourth graders making lasagna at Homeward Bound, San Rafael Bottom: Fourth grade Business Day
The third grade Personal Challenges service learning mission is built on our School Mission, which states, “We recognize what it means to be human in a global community and respond with integrity to the needs and challenges of our time.” We challenge our students and ourselves to find ways to make a difference in the world and be of service to others. Some students grew their hair for Locks of Love, others volunteered at Homeward Bound or the SF-Marin Food Bank. Each child and family chose a way of making a difference that is important to them. Every year fourth grade holds their annual Business Day when students come up with a sustainable product or service to sell to the Lower School shoppers. Students are always involved in the process of choosing where their profits from Business Day will go. This year, students chose Damien Minna, a young advocate raising awareness about living with a disability. His heroic story was profiled in the documentary “Damien’s Journey,” which the fourth graders watched. The students also took part in a Skype meeting with Damien, and followed his blog during their study unit. His messages to them were inspiring: to never give up, to recognize the importance of having a good heart and of giving back to others, and to focus on the positive. SCHOOL TIES
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service learning
Purpose Through Service
Middle School Service The Eighth Grade Service Club organized a visit from Jessica’s Haven and Rescue, an animal shelter offering opportunities to people with different abilities to prepare rescue dogs for adoption. Middle School students participated in Penny Wars to support Pennies for Patients, in which students earned positive and negative points for different types of contributions. Proceeds went to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – Student Series. Students also delivered more than 1,000 Candy Grams, raising more than $800 to donate to school-aged children in Guatemala. The money went toward vitamins for the students, many of whom walk more than three miles each day just to get to school, and do not have easily accessible clean drinking water.
Clockwise from top left: Marina McPhail and Natalie Taylor; Maddie Leitch; Lyle Rumon
Upper School Service This March, San Domenico students and faculty participated in the annual Oxfam Hunger Banquet, when, in a display of solidarity, they ate only rice and beans, the one meal many people in the world are fortunate to have. Organized by the Upper School Social Justice Club, the annual Hunger Banquet is in its 12th year at SD. Guest speaker Janet Brown, local organic farmer and food activist, met with the Social Justice Club at the end of the day. Front Row (L-R): Olivia Holmes ’16 (Aeqvitas Editor), Gabrielle Huffman ’19, Jamaica Perrier-Morris ’16 (Secretary), Makenna Dixon-Essien ’16 (Club Coordinator), Aidan Kwasneski ’19 Back Row (L-R): Audrey Webster ’16, Sylan Yuan ’16 (Service Coordinator), Dina Martinez ’16, Aya Abdul-Hadi ’17, Teresa He ’18, Rachel Clyde ’17 and guest speaker Janet Brown
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Thank you to our Social Justice Club students and our entire SD community for thoughtfully and compassionately participating in such a powerful and symbolic deed. We continue to hold those who go without in our thoughts and hearts.
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Upper School Service Eight members of the San Domenico Volunteer Club hit the trails to do restoration work on Ring Mountain. Upper School Science teacher Hilary Staples said of the outing, “The rangers were glad when the SD van pulled up, as they had packed extra plants, hoping for good luck. We joined a small group of five other volunteers. Together, we planted almost 600 native, grass plants into the muddy soil!”
Left (L-R): Joanna Zhang ’17, Merryta Liu ’16, Wendy Wang ’17, Mia Ma ’17, Above (L-R): Henry Xiang ’19, Tina Li ’19,Jessie Lin ’19
The Freshman class headed to Penngrove Elementary, a K-6 school of 400 students during Spring Discovery week. They read, tutored, provided art assistance, played music, worked in the garden, and offered sports clinics in basketball, badminton, tennis, and volleyball.
Right: Kennedy Smith ’19 Bottom (L-R): Lindsay Sohn ’19, Keltzy Peltz ’19, Siena Greenberg ’19 Bottom Left: Dorje Gurung ’19
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service learning
Purpose Through Service
All School Service Our annual San Domenico Food Drive was once again a huge success. We have become the largest donor to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, second only to Safeway. Last year’s donations included 18,000 food items. This year’s total included 20,305 units, providing 12,219 meals. As SF-Marin Food Bank’s Katie Mann said, “Last year was so big we were
Clockwise from bottom left: Danielle Grub; Middle Schoolers loading donations; Jeremy Ivory-Chambers; Cecily Stock and Mirza Khan
unprepared for the generosity. This year we came prepared with two vans and extra staff to help load everything up! Next year we may need three vans!” Additionally, San Domenico was a participating school in The Harvard Graduate School of Education’s recently-released report, part of the Making Caring Common Project, “Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern For Others and the Common Good Through College Admissions.” The report, as New York Times columnist SCHOOL TIES
Frank Bruni summarizes, “sagely reflects on what’s wrong with admissions and rightly calls for a revolution, including specific suggestions” such as a greater focus on, and measurement of, service and caring. With service and community, two of our core values, students begin to learn the meaning of giving back and caring for others in the Lower School, and carry this principle out into the world, through service learning projects, in Middle and Upper School. As we
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like to say, “an exceptional education, where values and academics join together, creates more than just great students - it develops great people.” We’re pleased that Harvard’s research supports our approach, and look forward to this
conversation affecting the admissions process and educational experiences to come. We are proud that the results highlight an educational philosophy that strongly resembles that which we have been providing for over 165 years.
Winter All School PSA Meeting In early February community members gathered together for our Winter All School Parent Service Association (PSA) Meeting. The group of parents, grandparents, alumni, Dominican Sisters, and friends enjoyed breakfast treats and conversation, followed by a presentation on Service Learning at San Domenico. Faculty presenters included Mirza Khan, Director of Religious Studies, Kristen Levine, Service Learning Chair, R.O.S.E Program Coordinator, and Service Learning Teacher, and Sally Jaeger, Director of Campus Ministry. Student presenters included Lower School student Jaden Sher, Middle School student Marina McPhail, and Upper School seniors Makenna Dixon-Essien ’16 and Dina Martinez ’16. The students shared personal stories about their experiences serving in a variety of capacities, from working with veterans and homeless families, to animal shelters, and community members facing challenges. Their reflections were a beautiful and inspiring reminder of the many ways our School’s mission, of instilling a sense of purpose and interconnection in our students, comes to life in the greater world around us.
Clockwise from top left: Kristen Levine presenting; Cindy Bollini, PSA President, and Cecily Stock; Faculty presenters; Sally Jaeger (M) with Jaden Sher (L) and Marina McPhail (R)
Thank you to the many parents, teachers, and students who made this special event possible. SCHOOL TIES
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Outstanding Student Achievements
San Domenico students are regularly recognized for accomplishments across academia and our four values: reflection, study, community, and service. From our Middle School to our Upper School, several students were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements. Congratulations on your achievements, students!
(CATE) Writing Contest Eighth grade student Marina McPhail (far right) earned 1st Place in the California Association of the Teachers of English (CATE) Writing Contest. Marina entered an essay she wrote about her father, and placed in the 7/8 Division. In addition, sixth grade students Honor McFadden and Peter Jones, and seventh grade student Julian Getsey (right), all earned awards for Writer of Distinction. The CATE Contest winners were also invited to attend a Writer’s Reception, in April.
Honorings for Service Two SD students were honored for their deep commitments to service. The 2016 Heart of Marin Youth Volunteer of the Year Award went to our own San Domenico Upper School student Sylan Yuan. Sylan, one of 28 student nominees, won a Heart of Marin Youth Volunteer award for her outstanding work with Children in Need (CiN) and her wide array of volunteer efforts and activities. She has been a leader in organizing a benefit concert and street busking events, which, together with more than 70 fundraising concerts in the Bay Area, Southern California, and Las Vegas, have raised more than $42,000, in support of more than 1,200 children from 13 different countries. Sylan’s commitment has helped to create a Stanford trip program for students involved in STEM enrichment at the Pickleweed Center, and supported the SD Hunger Banquet. These contributions are just a few of the positive impacts Sylan and her CiN co-members have made on our community.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation SD sixth grader Jamie Kurtzig was also nominated for her work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). This year marked Jamie’s sixth year raising money to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, and she even set a personal record. Jamie participated in the JDRF ONE WALK in San Francisco, and was one of the top fundraisers on her team, “T1D Marin.” She single-handedly raised more than $1,800 with her letter-writing campaign for the walk. SCHOOL TIES
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San Domenico Mathletes Eighth grade San Domenico Mathletes came in Third Place, on November 10, in Round One of the Marin County Office of Education Mathletes Competition. Special commendations go to eighth graders who achieved perfect scores, Van Cline (left) and Carson Cox, with Coaches Jock Christie and Brooke Gelber (far left). The team won Second Place overall.
SD Students Key Figures in Art Contest Congratulations to San Domenico Scholastic Art & Writing Award winners Emily Koagedal ’16 and Joan Spaulding ’16, both students in Upper School Art teacher Carina Ybarra’s Advanced Placement 2D Studio Art class. Emily earned a Gold Key Award in Photography, for her work titled “The Next Step.” Ms. Ybarra said of Emily, “This year, in my AP class, Emily has really challenged herself to learn new technical skills and to take artistic risks, resulting in beautifully unique work.” Joan, who Ms. Ybarra describes as “An inspired artist, who pushes herself outside of her comfort zone to achieve her artistic goals,” earned a Silver Key Award in Photography, for her work titled “Behind the Bars.” In 2016, nearly 320,000 works were submitted to the nationwide Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. “I am very proud of both my AP Studio Art 2D design students!” said Ms. Ybarra. “Both girls have worked incredibly hard to create strong AP photography portfolios of original work.”
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Outstanding Student Achievements
The America Library of Poetry This winter, several students were recognized for their skill and creativity as writers. The America Library of Poetry selected poems by Chloe Kilroy ’19 and Paige Phillips for inclusion in “Eloquence,” their annual student poetry collection. Thank you to SD English Department teachers Amy Hale and Dana Kindig for inspiring Chloe and Paige, and thank you to our young writers for sharing their penning with us.
Books
By Paige P
hil
oetry? What is P Kilroy By Chloe
nse st literal se In the mo ll a w e n th Writing o fined by e d s n o of milli s e ri o st s e Th ncise word Several co lk a aint and ch Of spray p To me ing eans noth Literal m s rd Those wo r The autho r and pen es of pape ri a d n u o b e sense ed to th figurative Not confin prefer the alike I d rs a e e d a st In and re world rs te c ra a es of our ch y paradox n In which a m e th through knowingly And wait Search un Patiently and turns ame ble twists ia v n e e th re of my n For d signatu e tt lo b e end in th the poet That will For I am y is me tr And poe
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lips Open a bo ok, and yo A world of u will find adventure s, one step Word by w at a time ord, page Travel a th by page ousand m iles while never leav A fairy, ath ing a cage lete, a cow boy too Even tiny elves that live in a sh Fantasy, p oe oems, histo rical fictio All spoken n clearly wit h perfect d A book is ic m ti a on g ic, you kn Full of wo ow from th nder, and e start knowledge you hold in your heart
From volunteering and service, to problem solving, to crafting prose, SD students imagine, create, and serve with such great purpose and enthusiasm. It is with great pride that we honor all of our students and faculty whose work speaks to these values, everyday.
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Winter Formal
The Upper School Winter Formal is an annual event hosted by the Senior class. All Upper School students and their guests are welcome to attend the dance, held in Dominican Hall.
This year’s theme was “Fire & Ice” and students enjoyed treats donated by senior class parents, a photo booth, and good music under the twinkling lights! SCHOOL TIES
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Lunar New Year By Ian Sethre, Upper School History Department Chair
Celebrating the Year of the Monkey at San Domenico Every February, our campus is adorned with the red decorations and imagery associated with Lunar New Year, which is celebrated throughout Pacific Asia, from Burma to Korea, and right here, at San Domenico. While international education is an upward trend, throughout the United States and beyond, San Domenico has long been at the forefront. Last year’s distinguished alumna, Hoonae Kim ’75, now the director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s Asia program, was the first Korean student to enroll in our school, back in 1971. For this 2015-2016 school year, we have students from several provinces and regions of China, as well as Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and Mexico. Last year’s graduating class also included families who had immigrated from Nigeria, Uganda, Croatia, Russia, El Salvador, New Zealand, Great Britain, and Iran. One of the many benefits of an international student body is the opportunity for cross-cultural learning and sharing.
Lower and Upper School students enjoying the Lunar New Year Celebrations.
For the past seven years, our international students have led Lower School Assemblies and shared the traditions, games, food, and clothing associated with Lunar New Year in their home countries of China, Vietnam, South Korea, and Malaysia. With most of our international students living right here on campus, we have a unique opportunity for multi-age, and multi-cultural, exchange. To celebrate the occasion, every February, Lower School students parade through campus, with their own New Year dragon. Chinese students from the Upper School share stories of red envelopes filled with money and scaring Nian— the dragon, fabled to emerge annually—with fireworks and bright red decorations. Korean students wear the hanbok traditional dress and tell students about Nol-ttwigi—a seesaw game in which participants actually jump on each end, launching the other player skyward. The Kindergartners ask all manner of questions about the Great Wall and the dragon, and they share their own perspectives on Chinese food or their love of the color SCHOOL TIES
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red. Usually, these visits end with a rousing sing-along of “Kung Hey Fatt Choi,” an American song, derived from the Cantonese New Year greeting. Annabelle Li, a junior from Zhongshan, in Guangdong province, has given presentations to the students in the Lower School, for the last couple of years. “I think these activities are really important,” Li said. “There are a lot of students from China in our community, and it’s important to understand who we are, too. These activities can really promote our school as a diverse community that is livable and inclusive.” Meanwhile, ESL teacher Janet Christensen and the Upper School’s Multicultural Club coordinate an annual celebration that includes stations for dumpling making, traditional Chinese paper cutting, and calligraphy, which serves as an opportunity for our students from the United States and elsewhere to learn more about Chinese culture.
The club’s student leader, Gulniyal Tuerhong, is a sophomore from Ürümqi, the capital of China’s far western Xinjiang province (and the most landlocked city in the world). For Tuerhong, the only member of China’s ethnic Uighur minority on campus, these activities and events help create a sense of connection among the students—no matter where they are from. “All of the international students are far away from home, and we don’t have our families here,” she said. “The celebrations create a sense of belonging and make San Domenico feel more like home.” “And for local students, we hope that they will learn about other cultures and respect them,” she added. “The way that I look at the world and solve problems may be unique to my culture, and we can learn from one another.” These annual Lunar New Year celebrations reflect the inclusivity of our school community and our mission, which calls on us to celebrate diversity.
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Community Events
After the grey of winter skies, and the rain, for which we are most grateful, the green grass is coming up and the fruit trees are blooming, their blossoms filling the campus with petals of pink and white. The students and community are also blossoming and celebrating in so many ways.
Spring Orchestra Benefit Concert On Sunday, March 6, our Virtuoso Program held their Orchestra Benefit Concert. Right in between Valentine’s Day and the first day of spring, this annual event featured the Overture from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Puccini’s The Chrysanthemums, Benedikt Brydern’s 4 Tango Postcards and Tango Nuevo, and more. The performers, many of them pre-professional, are so very impressive. A recent performance with some of these musicians at the National Association of Independent Schools had audience members asking, “Are they professionals or students?”
Mary Evelyn Tucker, Yale Lecturer and Scholar As part of our Anniversary celebrations, San Domenico welcomed Environmental and Religious Studies Speaker Mary Evelyn Tucker, on March 17. A Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar at Yale University, Mary Evelyn is a leading expert on ecology and Asian religion. Her interest in the interrelatedness of environmentalism and spirituality stems from her extensive time in Japan and her continuing studies. Mary Evelyn has designed and taught courses, organized and led conferences, completed impactful research projects, and published numerous works. One of her most renowned projects was a 2011 multi-media collaboration with evolutionary philosopher Brian Swimme, which included an Emmy-award winning film, “The Journey of the Universe.” Professor Tucker’s talk provided compelling inspiration and information on what is often called The Great Turning – this period in time in which a shift of consciousness, and conscience, are both called upon to support our “magnificent web of life.”
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Screenagers We were also excited to show the new and insightful movie, “Screenagers,” to a sold-out house on March 31. It was followed by the special opportunity to hear directly from producer/ executive producer Lisa Tabb. Dana Blum, Common Sense Media Regional Director, and Kali Baird, our Director of Education Technology, joined Lisa onstage for a post-screening Q and A on the impact of screen use, parenting, and today’s teenagers.
The Mask You Live In Thanks to the generosity of SD parents Shyla and Doug Hendrickson, we were able to screen the movies “Miss Representation” and “The Mask You Live In,” documentary films by Jennifer Newsom. Both films are part of “The Representation Project” whose mission is to use film to inspire individuals and communities to challenge and overcome limiting stereotypes so that everyone, regardless of gender, race, class, age, sexual orientation, or circumstance, can fulfill their human potential. “The Mask You Live In,” shown on January 27, was followed by a Q and A with Ms. Newsom. The event sparked lively conversation among the audience members and the films’ subject matter has been used in curriculum and programs for Middle and Upper School students.
Stations of the Cross The San Domenico Community joined together on March 23, for the Stations of the Cross. Every year, the seventh grade presents this devotional depiction of Jesus’ spiritual journey between life and death, retelling the profound mystery of the Resurrection. As plants and animals are waking up and returning to life this spring, our young people are also rediscovering the enchantment and beauty of the world around them. And although it has been told countless times, hearing this sacred story retold by SD students, in their own words, with their own thoughts and feelings, renews the story just as surely as the spring renews the world.
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Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Grandparents and Special Friends joined students at school on March 24 for a memorable day on campus. Guests began the morning with coffee and pastries in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts, followed by a greeting from Head of School, Cecily Stock ’77. Students from each school level concluded the morning gathering with a brief performing arts showcase. Following the opening assembly, guests were invited to accompany students to their classrooms, where San Domenico faculty opened doors and shared their classroom culture.
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“
Annual PSA Gala and Auction For the 2016 Annual PSA Spring Gala and Auction on Saturday, March 5, we rolled out the red carpet and welcomed almost 300 parents, friends, faculty, and staff to a sold-out “Night at the Oscars, circa 1960.” Marc Antonys, Holly Golightlys, and Bonnies and Clydes raised paddles in support of the PSA and this year’s Fund a Need, which will facilitate a refresh of the Patricia Tobin Cooper Dining Hall. Thanks to the support, vision, and generosity of our incredible parents and community, spirits were high, the band was rockin’, fundraising was successful, and a good time was had by all!
The 2016 Oscar for Best Production goes to . . .
Amy Blake and Karen Duncan, Gala Co-Chairs, and the entire Gala Volunteer team with gratitude for your hard work and commitment to our School.
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““
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Theatre Productions
“Chicago” in the Upper School The annual Upper School musical, a production of the Theatre Arts Department, is always a hit and this year’s show, “Chicago,” seriously sizzled! Written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, “Chicago” is based on real-life murder cases during the 1920s. Under the direction of Beth Kellermann, Jennifer Grimes, Doree Clark, and Erica Smith, the actors and actresses, singers, dancers, and musicians “razzled and dazzled” 'em with this exciting piece of musical theatre.
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Theatre Productions
“Mary Poppins” in the Middle School
The Middle School Musical is always a highly anticipated event and this year’s show, “Mary Poppins,” did not disappoint. More than 40 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders worked for almost four months to memorize lines, songs, and dance routines for the performance of this classic and beloved musical. The tech team did an incredible job as well, and together with the many, many volunteers, musical artists, and stage designers, audience members were treated to an entertaining ride of laughter, tears, special effects, awe, and pure joy.
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San Domenico Boarding By Sonya Evans, Upper School English Teacher, Resident Life Curriculum Coordinator, Dorm Parent
A Home Away from Home More than 100 students currently live in the dorms, on the northwest section of campus, making our Boarding program a vibrant and integral part of our School community. They come from places as near as the greater Bay Area, Washington, and Oregon; and as far away as Mexico, China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand. This diversity allows students to live in a
“ It’s really nice that our community comes from all around the world. We probably wouldn’t have the opportunity to know each other otherwise. – Rikako, ’17
”
global community that most people don’t experience until college. We see friendships arise between roommates from two different sides of the globe, and we see conversations around dining room tables where students find common ground around a class project, a basketball game, or the question of the night. Our students also come to us with diverse experiences and backgrounds. We have students who have spent much of their lives in boarding schools, and some who have never been away from home. We have students
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who are accomplished cooks, and some who have never done their own laundry. Therefore, a large part of our curriculum in the dorms is teaching life skills. “I like being more independent and doing my laundry. It makes me appreciate my mom,” sophomore Vasi recently shared. Students learn to keep their rooms clean, to participate in rotating community chores each week, to resolve conflict, to be courteous, and to express gratitude. As senior Kenna says, “I truly feel like I’m prepared for college.” And while it may seem hard to believe, many of our students appreciate that our schedule accommodates two hours of silent study time each night.
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“Study Hall is the best because I can spend the
amount of time I need to work on my homework so I don’t have to worry about it. – David, ’19
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“The Hunger Games.” Head Prefect Kenna came out to the field in a blue wig and sparkly dress to announce the ‘tributes’ who then engaged in a race that included a scavenger hunt and tag, while their dorm families cheered. “The Hunger Games was definitely my favorite activity this year,” said Resident Faculty Lindsey Holton. While, oftentimes, students do not realize the value of these important life skills until later in life, our students have plenty of experiences to enjoy in the present. Fortunately, our students do not need to leave campus to have fun. Junior Teresa recently told me, “I like that I can just go for a hike when I feel like it.” When the weather permits, we open the pool for an afternoon – and sometimes a nighttime – swim. We bake cookies together in Cookie Club, or play games in a lounge. We often take students down to the gym to use the equipment or practice basketball, volleyball, or badminton. As freshman Josh said, “My favorite activity on campus has been the Open Gyms that we have on weekends because it is a chance to go down to the gym and have fun and play basketball and it is a time to get a break from our homework and classes.” We often have movie nights in Mercedes or sit around the fire making s’mores and singing songs. This year, during a Boarding Fun Weekend, the prefects helped to organize our Dorm Olympics, which included a (kinder gentler) version of SCHOOL TIES
On the weekends we plan trips all over the Bay Area. As one student expressed, “I love heading into San Francisco. There’s just something exciting about crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and heading into the City for an adventure.” Those adventures often include a trip to Fisherman’s Wharf for sightseeing and clam chowder in sourdough bowls, or a visit to Chinatown for dim sum, the ever-popular Union Square for lunch and shopping, or Japantown, House of Air, Golden Gate Park, a museum, or the zoo. We also support our talented students by creating trips around open mic nights where our students perform original poetry before a large audience of their peers. More than anything, we seek to create a welcoming place for our students to return to each day. Our greatest joy is to hear current students say, as so many have before them, “It’s our home away from home.” As a dorm parent, what more could you want?
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Faculty Spotlight
Hilary Staples, Upper School Science Teacher and Science Department Chair In order to share more of our amazing community here at SD, we offer this Team Spotlight to give you a chance to learn more about our faculty and staff. We are thrilled to feature Hilary Staples, Upper School Science Teacher and Science Department Chair. Hilary has been working in education for more than 15 years, and her previous careers as a zookeeper, wildlife biologist, veterinarian technician, outdoor guide, and naturalist all inform her teaching. While at San Domenico, she has taken a leadership role in the Sustainability program on campus, from working in our Garden of Hope on student projects, to facilitating Earth Day and Green Your School Conferences. In addition, Hilary has been part of the technology innovation team through its various stages and into our current 1:1 iPad program. She teaches students both in the classroom and on experiential learning trips. She has led trips exploring topics from water resources, in the deserts of the USA, to marine biology, from a kayak in Mexico, rainforest ecology, in Central America, and empowerment of women, in rural Africa. Hilary also can be seen speaking about biomimicry: (innovation inspired by nature), at conferences locally and around the world. She has a California Teacher Credential in Science (w/CTEL); a BS in Anthro-Zoology and Bio-Psychology, with honors from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and an MS in Education and Technology from Dominican University.
Q. Full name? A. Hilary Staples Q. Where were you born? A. Pennsylvania Q. Favorite word? A. Biomimicry Q. What do you do here at San Domenico? And what is your favorite part of your job? A. I am the science department chair in the Upper School, where I work with an amazing group of teachers, working to inspire our students to be thinkers and scientists. Currently, I teach Biology to 10th graders, and AP Psychology, AP Environmental Science (APES), and Environmental Science electives to 11th and 12th graders. I also teach the jewelry making and yoga mini-courses. I am the Ecoliteracy Representative for the Upper School. I work with my Volunteer club, my Green Team club, and other faculty to organize sustainability actions and Earth Day on campus. My favorite part of the job is when I get to witness a student conquering something that they didn’t think they could do when they first set out. Whether it is understanding a complicated biological process in class or getting to the top of the mountain on our Catalina Island Spring Discovery trip, I love to see the look of accomplishment and confidence that grows over their faces. SCHOOL TIES
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Q. Which Dominican value inspires you the most and why? (Study, Reflection, Community, or Service?) A. I am going to say Service. Recently, I took a van full of students to the Ring Mountain Preserve to volunteer. They woke up early on a Saturday morning, before breakfast, and got all muddy to help do restoration work. I offered for us to leave a little early, but there were still more plants in the flats. The students said, “Let’s finish, and plant them all,” and helped plant almost 600 native plants, in a few hours.
Q. What might an average weekend look like, for you? A. I love to get out and hike on the trails or go dancing if I get the chance. My husband takes students from UCSF backpacking, kayaking, and camping most weekends, and, since my son (Rio - 3rd grade) loves sports so much, I am usually going to his games and practices. Even when we are back home, we are hanging around with neighbors, playing ball in the street.
Q. List 1-3 of your most significant personal accomplishments, to date. A. I have been asked to speak about Biomimicry at conferences in Thailand, San Diego, and our own Cal Academy of Sciences. I have bicycled through Vietnam and Cambodia. I have boated down the Colorado River, through the Grand Canyon twice.
Q. List 1-3 of your most significant professional and/or academic accomplishments, to date. A. I am a grader for the APES exam and teach new AP teachers best practices for teaching the course. I have taken students from San Domenico to Uganda, Belize, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Florida Everglades, the Grand Canyon, and Catalina Island. I have been at SD for 18 years, so I have been around to see projects such as the creation of the Garden of Hope and the installation of the solar panels move from a dream, to a plan, to reality.
Q. What was your best, professional “I wish someone had seen this” moment? A. At the end of each semester, I play a review game in my class called “You Bet Your Nerd” to help students prepare for finals in a fun way. Over the years, the students have asked if they could also dress up. One year, I had a student arrive in a full Spock outfit, ears, and all. She proceeded to embody the character and seemed to know all answers and knowledge, without question. It was just what I love to see, students proud of their learning, being curious and engaged, while having a sense of humor about themselves and each other. Our supportive SD community allows that to happen all the time. Hilary, for your adventurous sense of inquiry, and your inspiring leadership, and commitment to your students, we thank you. Our sustainability program would not be what it is without your vision and hard work, and every student who is challenged by your AP Environmental Science class leaves all the wiser. We are grateful for all you bring to our SD community. SCHOOL TIES
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athletics
Panther Athletics
L-R: Holden Morf, Johnny O’Meara, Andrew Cummings, Max Ray, Everett Glass, Grey Snyder, and Coach Jeff Skaggs
Below: Fourth Grade Girls Basketball exhibition
The 2015-16 San Domenico Basketball Program had a record 19 teams, with 12 teams from Middle School, and 7 from Lower School, including 160 participants. Several teams played in the tough Marin CYO A-level leagues, where SD teams compete against much larger parish programs. The eighth grade boys team won a pre-season “Marin Thanksgiving Tournament,” and fared well in the prestigious 42nd annual “SF Flame
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Tournament” at the legendary Kezar Pavilion. They also played in the Marin Middle School league, and finished in the top half of the standings. The SD eighth grade girls A-level team also battled for the county championship. The success and high participation of the CYO teams, combined with our growing Upper School teams, shows basketball is a force at SD! Go Panthers!
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SD Athletes Shine The spring sports season began on February 8, with eight athletic programs underway: Boys Golf and Tennis, Girls Tennis and Soccer, and coed Badminton, Swimming, Track, Equestrian, and Mountain Biking. San Domenico athletics is on pace to set the record for the largest athletic participation numbers in the Upper School, with more than 175 students participating on our athletic teams this 2015-16 school year.
Clockwise from above: 2015-16 Swim Team; 2016 Boys Tennis Team; 2016 Girls Tennis Team; 2016 Badminton Team; 2015-16 Cross-Country runners
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athletics
Mountain Biking
SD Mountain Biking Team Makes History! Congratulations to our San Domenico Mountain Biking Team on earning the Third Place trophy in Division 2 of the Mid Season “Challenge at Fort Ord,” on April 9! In addition, all four of our Varsity riders ranked in the top 10! Our San Domenico team has made great strides in the world of NorCal Mountain Biking. For the last three years, San Domenico has consistently finished higher and higher with every race, but before going coed, was not able to place because the team needed both male and female riders to be considered official. Stellar rides by Whitney Huff, in first place, Esmee DeBarssi, in fifth place, and Isabelle Phraner, just one second behind, in sixth place, all contributed greatly to the success of the team in this race. San Domenico proudly has more Varsity girls than any other team.
Congratulations, also, to our Junior Varsity, Freshman, and Freshman D2 riders for keeping our Mountain Biking Team strong. On JV, Rachel Clyde finished sixth, and Luna Katai came in 13th. Gabrielle Huffman finished in seventh, and Nichi Jackson finished in 20th for Freshman girls. Lastly, in the Freshman Division 2 grouping, Curran Thompson came in 19th and August Mesarchik came in 29th place. We are so proud of our scholar athletes’ hard work and accomplishments. Thank you to Head Coach and Team Director Robin Huffman, as well, as Assistant Coaches Mike Vernon Huffman, and Mike Nettleton (father of SD Pre-K student Chloe Nettleton) for your leadership and dedication to this trailblazing group of young people!
2015-16 Mountain Biking Team
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Curran Thompson
(L): Gabrielle Huffman (R): Nichi Jackson
SD Fitness Room Update Thanks to the efforts of Athletic Director Dan Gilmartin and generous donor-directed funds given for the remodel of our SD fitness room, we were able to update the weight room, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Throughout the day, and after school, students, faculty, and staff are utilizing this new addition to our athletic department. Under the guidance of trainer Rob Viramontes, students are learning sports performance skills designed to improve ability, strength, agility, flexibility, off-season conditioning, and injury prevention.
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athletics
Upper School Basketball
Girls Basketball Girls Varsity Basketball, under the direction of Coach Stephanie Buechner, was a bright spot this past season. Freshman standout Kayden “KK” Korst, scored 42 points in a home victory against Gateway in January. Juniors Nicole Bissey and Sana Kacker, along with Camilla Taylor and Alejandra Changeux also had standout seasons. The team finished strong for a second place finish in the BCL–Central League and qualified for the NCS CIF Division V Playoffs. We congratulate the Panthers on their successful season, and applaud their tremendous grit, teamwork, and team spirit. Kayden “KK” Korst
Boys Basketball Standing on the sidelines, our hearts filled with pride, we wondered: did these young men realize the role they were playing in history? Did they realize how much they mean to so many of us cheering them on? Once our Board of Directors and the Dominican Sisters decided to extend coeducation to the Upper School, everything was set in motion. With boys coming to San Domenico Upper School for the first time ever, we all wondered which areas would be changed, not the least of which was of course, athletics. What teams would we be able to field? How would our teams do? What would the experience be like for this trailblazing group of young men? And so it was that, two years later, our pioneering Freshman Boys Basketball team, under the stellar leadership of Coach Mike Fulton, closed their season, 9-3, including wins over teams such as Marin Catholic and Bay. We gathered together to witness history in the making. Coaches, parents, and Panthers fans from Kindergarten to 12th grade, including the amazing Varsity
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Josh Martinez
“ When I came to San Domenico to play for Coach Fulton, I had found home.” - Josh Martinez ’19 Girls Basketball team (history-makers themselves), all went wild with cheers, tears, and speeches! The team included boys who had never played basketball before, as well as those who arrived with deep experience. What
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Coach Stephanie Buechner and players
“ For such a young
Camilla Taylor
team we did so well and I'm extremely proud of everyone. We are definitely a family and I'm so grateful to have such a great coach and great teammates. - Sana Kacker ’17
brought them together was a fierce pride in, and loyalty to, their new school, SD.
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bench players had their chance to play in the last minute of the game, and they played their best!” added Ibrahim Twist ’19.
Kade O’Reilly
On the night of their home game against Bay, SD was From Basketball, to not expected to win. With an Cross-Country, Track and inspiring pep talk from freshField, Mountain Biking, man Josh Martinez ’19, a Tennis, and Golf, our SD boarding student from San Upper School boys’ teams Francisco, the team rallied are making us proud with together and played with not only their athletic such spirit and such heart, Coach Fulton is no doubt the best ability and initiative, but their opponents didn’t know also with their tremendous what hit them. The final coach I’ve ever known - and have sportsmanship, so reflective score was the evidence (58ever had. - Ibrahim Twist ’19 of the Dominican spirit. 29); the inspired feeling in the gym was a memory none of us will ever forget. “It’s a great experience to be paving the way for the next group of male athletes, and I’m grateful I get to be “The experience on the court was amazing on the a part of it,” said Martinez, summing up the sentiment night of the tailgate game. The energy between our many of this trailblazing group of young men have teammates was so intense, and everyone played at been feeling and experiencing. their best. My favorite part of the game was when the
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Students celebrating 'Kite Day' on the hills around campus, spring, 1966 SCHOOL TIES
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Celebrating 165 Years of Dominican Spirit Continuing the Legacy on San Domenico’s Second Century Campus Over the years, the uniforms, hairstyles, and activities may change, but the values, integrity, and character of our San Domenico community remain the same. To this day, study, reflection, community, and service are pillars of the SD education and experience. San Domenico students discover their sense of place on our beautiful campus, and our alumni carry forth our Dominican values to create a better world.
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If the Buildings Could Talk
The Second Century Campus: Our Living Legacy
By Liz Held, Advancement Associate and Courtney Phillips, Archivist
As you enter through the stone walls at the front gate of San Domenico today, you are greeted by majestic but gentle, rolling hills, a grove of California redwood trees, and the mossy remains of the old Raisch mansion. Past the Riding Stables, the meandering road is joined by a bike path, created in memory of Sister Kathleen to provide safe travel between home and school, winding over and beside the Sleepy Hollow creek. As you round a bend, you can glimpse the buildings that are nestled in the valley, now shaded by mature oak, ginkgo, and magnolia trees, and dwarfed by more redwoods. On a school day, you see and hear students walking down the hill to the Tamara A. April 30, 1966 - Aerial view of campus during the Dedication of San Domenico Valley Athletic Center, carrying musical instruments to the Carol important our outside space is at San Domenico. Cheerful Franc Buck Hall of the Arts, or jumping off the bus and playgrounds line the drive with classrooms behind, all greeting friends on their way to their classrooms. with a view of the magnificent hills of Sleepy Hollow. The sounds communicate just some of what is happening More than 50 years ago, the buildings were designed on campus. When quiet and calm, you may assume it’s with this landscape in mind. Covered walkways provide a class period. When shouts and laughter are heard, shade from the sun and shelter from the rain; courtyards it is probably time for recess, lunch, or special events. connect classrooms, students, teachers, and the staff Continuing around Campus Drive, it is evident how with one another. The layout of the buildings is much the SCHOOL TIES
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and donors to the new project, they clarified their choice: “[Schubart’s] plan preserved trees and featured a stream coursing through the school grounds.” “Color renderings of the proposed new campus at Sleepy Hollow… show excellent adaptation of the proposed facilities to the surrounding countryside.” Moving from a semi-urban environment to a rural setting was certainly a big change for many of the students, but it quickly became evident that they were inspired by their new surroundings, so conducive to San Domenico’s treasured values of study, reflection, service, and community. The seniors, who became the first graduating class at San Domenico November 11, 1962 - Mother Justin plants the first magnolia tree on campus in 1966, chose to highlight the new campus in their yearbook, using the theme of ‘morning, same as it was when the School moved from San Rafael noon, and night’. The yearbook features panoramic to San Anselmo in 1965. The changes and improvements images of the new campus, with Mt. Tamalpais in the that have occurred complement the original design and vision of the Dominican Sisters who instituted the move. In the early 1960s, and just after the turn of the School’s Centennial year, planning was underway for this new ‘Second Century Campus’. The Sisters felt a strong sense of responsibility to preserve and protect the natural environment and to weave this deep respect for nature into the architecture of the buildings, and thus into the lives of the students at San Domenico. This ambitious vision was entrusted to gifted architects Schubart & Friedman of San Francisco, who had recently completed the Archbishop Alemany Library at Dominican College (now University). Their firm had an established reputation for being drawn to natural materials and building in harmony with the landscape. In Henry (Hank) Schubart, the Sisters found an architect who had worked with Frank Lloyd Wright and could fulfill their vision and that of the teachers, who were instrumental in classroom, laboratory, and library design. In the Sisters’ statements to alumnae, friends,
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The teachers and students had worked with the architect and their suggestions were incorporated into the final plans. When the buildings began to be recognizable, excitement knew no bounds. At first, everything looked so large. Then the framing went up, and everything looked too small! Finally, the roof was in place, and our relief was enormous - the rooms were the right size after all! - Sister Thomasine
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background. There are photos of students planting trees, flying kites, picnicking, playing musical instruments on the hillsides, and skipping stones or sketching beside the creek. The students truly marveled at the wonders of natural beauty and the chance for adventure that the Sleepy Hollow valley provided.
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“Beauty, serenity, spaciousness, these are the qualities that mark our new campus - a Landmark of the Future” - 1962 yearbook
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The School site itself, consisting of over 30 acres, is a carefully graded bowl, surrounded with oak trees, and with a main stream running through the campus. Although major grading was needed to prepare the site for the School, almost all of the existing trees were left standing, and the site appears to be a natural one.
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- San Domenico School, Planning notes, 1963
Seniors were uprooted in the middle of their final year, which might have been unsettling, however, they found it exciting and liberating to celebrate the end of their high school experience as the first students to explore the new campus. The annals of 1965-66, carefully compiled and written by Sister Thomasine, an Upper School English teacher and a primary collaborator on this
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daunting project, note: “As soon as they finish eating, they dash off in every direction to climb the hills. By 12:30, the hills are dotted with green and white specks of girls who explore new pathways.” Evening activities became less scheduled than they had been in San Rafael. “Recreation for the students seems to be simpler here. There are so many opportunities for walks or hikes.” It is inspiring to think about the creative minds of the architects, and the fastidious work of building contractors Cahill Construction Co., teachers, parent representatives, Sisters, and other friends, who worked collectively to design and create this campus, on land that had been both a dairy ranch and a golf course. What is truly remarkable is how efficiently 14 buildings were constructed, simultaneously, and in a span of only about 17 months. Construction began on July 22, 1964 and the parade of moving vans, including a horse-drawn carriage, and carloads of girls, parents, teachers, and Sisters arrived on December 11, 1965. While all original buildings, except for
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the Administration Building and Upper School Gym, stand today, how they are used has evolved in response to the needs of the students, administration, and faculty. If only the buildings could talk! They would tell us how things have changed, and how much has stayed the same, over the last 50 years. From the very beginning, one of the busiest areas on campus was the Lower School. The buildings originally housed first through eighth grades, with each grade using one classroom. Constructed around a central courtyard, the Lower School also had its own library and a multi-purpose assembly hall, which was used by 1964 - View of the Upper School Building, Dining Hall and Dorms in early construction all students for lunch, dance class, theatre, and live music performances, There, Fifth graders celebrate their promotion to Middle as well as the Summer Creativity programs. This room School at a joyous ceremony in June, after which they still remains a hub of activity, and is the central gathering burst out into the courtyard, smiling from ear to ear. place for the Lower School, now grades Kindergarten through fifth, for their weekly, student-led assemblies. The Lower School courtyard is crossed by hundreds of students every day, on their way to and from Art, Spanish, Music, Science, and homeroom classes. What these students may not realize is that they are treading on bricks that were once part of the foundation of the four-story Victorian Dominican Convent building in San Rafael, previously known as the Motherhouse. After a fire ravaged that building in 1990, and after the building was taken down several years later, bricks were brought to San Domenico and lovingly installed around the Lower School’s fountain of Mary, which is the centerpiece of the May Crowning ceremony, performed by first graders every spring.
1980s - Sheep grazing by the campus entrance SCHOOL TIES
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In the 1970s and 1980s, Lower School students delighted in watching flocks of sheep and lambs grazing the hillsides outside their classrooms, and marveled at the sheepdogs who corralled them, ensuring they stayed within the bounds of the solar operated moveable fences. Sister Donna, third grade teacher in the 1970s-1990s, remembers: “One time they brought some lambs into the assembly hall, and they gave me a lamb to hold.” In the 1940s, at Dominican Convent, there was a tame deer, which had been found injured and was cared for by students. It accompanied them on hikes, staying just close enough to the students to get a share of the picnic. Such unique exposure to the natural world continues to be an integral part of the San Domenico experience.
late 1960s - Sister Gervaise supervises Study Hall
Daily life for high school students centered around the Upper School buildings. These facilities included a dedicated library, a lecture hall with graduated seating, which was used for test-taking, science experiments, movies, and study hall, faculty offices, a very popular Bookstore, locker buildings, as well as the two-story classroom and laboratory building. The office of Sister Gerald, Dean of Students, was right in the middle of campus. Students walking to the Bookstore, for school supplies or candy, remained on their best behavior, checking to make sure their uniforms were within dress code guidelines, in order to avoid a disciplinary slip.
1966 Typing Class
For the first 20 years of study in Sleepy Hollow, typing was a graduation requirement, and the typing room was located where the Upper School offices are today. Students were required to achieve a speed of 60 words per minute on their IBM Selectric typewriters. In the early 1980s, keyboarding on Apple IIe computers became part of the curriculum. Desktop computers and towers were gradually replaced by laptops, and now iPads are used by
1980s - Mr. Sloan’s keyboarding class SCHOOL TIES
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1978 - Sister Gerald and her loyal dog, Ralph
1970s - The popular Bookstore
every student. Digital Citizenship is a required course, and the integration of age-appropriate technology across the curriculum is a focus in all levels of study. The spring of 1968 was an exciting time on campus as construction of Alumnae Hall was completed. The only building large enough to hold the entire student body, it quickly became the gathering spot for daily assemblies. In 2000, Alumnae Hall was renamed Dominican Hall, by alumnae who wished to honor and express gratitude for the Dominican Sisters who inspired them throughout their lives. Dominican Hall remains today a central and versatile communal space. It is the setting for biweekly Upper School assemblies, is transformed into a black box theatre for biannual Upper School productions, and welcomes Middle School students, at the sound of the bell, for their daily morning meeting. Annual events include Christmas Eve Mass, Reunion Weekend, Author Luncheon, and Veritas Dinner, honoring leadership donors. The two alcoves inside are currently set up with archival displays, celebrating the rich history of our School.
levels, and provide additional classrooms and muchneeded office space. Construction was completed in 1985, and the Alice Dupas Brown Library was named in recognition of this generous alumna from the class of 1909, who believed that “books are the key to knowledge.� Alice was one of the first Alumnae Council members and served as Council President from 1931-32. Thanks to the generosity of the 2015 Fund a Need donors, the lower level of the Library was completely
In 1984, the entire school community celebrated the groundbreaking for a new library, which was designed to accommodate students at all school SCHOOL TIES
1968 - Alumnae/Dominican Hall under construction
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1980s - Sketch for the Alice Dupas Brown Library
renovated to install a 3D Lab. The 3D Lab is now open to students, in every level of our School, who are able to “dream it, design it, and do it,” in this state-of-theart workshop. Students construct furniture, use a laser cutter/engraver, design and create custom t-shirts with a silk screen and vinyl cutter, use hand and power tools, explore electronic circuitry, and build collateral for R.O.S.E Projects. This former storage space is now an inspirational classroom, filled with creativity and productivity! In 1993, the Middle School was established for grades six through eight, and moved to the buildings in the center of campus. The lecture hall’s graduated seating was removed, making space for two classrooms, including a science laboratory. With the distinction of grades six through eight as its own division within the School came a new opportunity for San Domenico to provide a specialized environment for these students to excel, using curriculum targeted to their age level, and with expert SCHOOL TIES
teaching faculty and group leadership, offering the best educational program to prepare students for high school. The eve of the new millennium saw major expansion of the facilities at San Domenico. As a result of the Capital Campaign for Growth, three new buildings were added to campus: the Sister M. Maurice Powers, O.P., Science and Technology Building, the Tamara A. Valley Athletic Center, and the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts. These facilities made possible the continued growth of the School, including the development of additional programs throughout the athletic and arts departments, expansion of the science department, and the establishment of a technology curriculum for all school levels. The location of the Sister M. Maurice Powers, O.P., Science and Technology Building was originally the site of the Administration Building, the hub and welcome center of the School. Its dedication to Sister Maurice fulfilled a
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long-standing desire, on the part of faculty and alumni, for a part of the campus to bear Sister Maurice’s name. She was instrumental in the design and creation of the new campus throughout the early 1960s, was integral in the fundraising needed to bring the buildings to completion, and led the parade of students, parents, and alumnae from San Rafael to the new campus, on that rainy day in December, 1965. Appeal after appeal successfully funded the three phases of development for the Second Century Campus, not to mention all the details of selecting and approving furniture, decor, landscaping, and chapel furnishings. Each letter to alumnae and parents from Sister Maurice renewed the spirit of giving, and energetically expressed the delight and excitement that the new campus would bring to a new era of students. Her enthusiasm inspired the call to action in the community that resulted in a generosity from parents and alumnae that was truly remarkable. Many will remember the Upper School Gym, located across the creek, which had a ballet studio in the loft of the building. The gym held student rallies and dances, volleyball games and gymnastics, as well as a lunch area for day students in the 1960s-70s. The volleyball court filled the room, and sidelines were so narrow, spectators were practically right on the court! As part of the Capital Campaign for Growth, exceptional, thoughtful planning went into the development of the splendid Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts (HOTA), which now occupies the site of the former gym. HOTA was completed in 2004, including the acoustically beautiful Bettye Poetz Ferguson Hall, specifically designed for recitals and musical performances. Its light-filled lobby is dedicated to Faith Y. France, long-time music instructor, Conservatory Director and founder of San Domenico’s acclaimed Virtuoso Program. The SCHOOL TIES
continued commitment to environmental sustainability is evident in the three circular openings in the ceiling of the lobby, which reveal wood from conifer trees that were removed to accommodate the building. To further honor our commitment to sustainability, the harvested trees from the site were replanted at a 2:1 ratio, enhancing the surrounding landscaping. The third major building constructed as a result of the Capital Campaign for Growth was the Tamara A. Valley Athletic Center, opened in 2003. This state-of-the-art facility is now the center of campus athletics, housing
Before there was a large auditorium on campus, concerts, recitals, and other special events were held in the Music Pavilion, now the dance studio for Middle and Upper School. Originally, the room had an entire wall of sliding glass doors that opened to the outside, and audiences enjoyed sitting outdoors while watching students perform.
1967 - Student Body Mass
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physical education offices and a newly refurbished fitness center. The Gym itself is the gift of Katherine Kaime Gaspar ’38 and provides ample space for fans to cheer on their favorite San Domenico boys and girls teams at every event. The Gym also serves as host to some parent fundraising events, student orientation, as well as liturgical and spiritual events of the school year. Continuing the tradition of weaving the past into our present, the Genelle Dollarhide Relfe ’49 Walkway, at the entrance to the Gym, is paved with bricks honoring named friends, parents, graduates and neighbors of San Domenico, and former Dominican Sisters who taught at the School since its establishment in 1850. These individuals reflect the many members of our community who were part of the original vision and have enabled this campus to grow and thrive. On the far end of campus, Mercedes Court and the dormitories have been home away from home for thousands of boarding students. Along with a separate full-time residence for Sisters, and apartments for residential faculty, the dorms have provided housing for a week or two at a time for children and adults attending the many summer programs hosted by San Domenico.
1966 - Mercedes Courtyard
Throughout the years, these buildings have been a center of activity, even when the boarding students are in class. They have housed our school nurse, been home to the
The Patricia Tobin Cooper Dining Hall, our communal area for meals, still offers the same open and pleasant atmosphere for students and faculty as it did in the 1960s. The entire school community passes through its doors every lunchtime, and more than 100 residents enjoy breakfast and dinner there daily. Due to its constant use, over the years, the Cooper Dining Hall was chosen as the beneficiary of the 2016 Fund a Need campaign. Its 50-year-old dĂŠcor will be refreshed during the summer, with new furniture, paint, and flooring to create a more contemporary and functional space. The original architecture will be preserved.
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business office for eight years, and included Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms, bringing the sound of young voices to this part of campus since 1973. To this day, the dormitory buildings are the center of evening and weekend life at San Domenico. The entrance courtyard and current student lounge were named to honor Sister Mercedes, who was the long-standing Principal of the Upper School in San Rafael and gracious teacher of courtesy classes, a mandatory part of every girl’s education at Dominican Convent. While courtesy classes may not have been the most favored sessions, students usually found that after their graduation, the skills they learned, writing thank you notes and so much more, benefitted them for a lifetime. Because the dorm complex included three buildings, but had only one name, the students and Sisters found that on move-in day, further designation was necessary in order to direct the boarding students to their correct rooms. They decided to call each building according to the direction it faces, and, therefore, West, North, and East dorms were established and remain so named today. Spanning the Sleepy Hollow creek, the newly renovated Dino R. Ghilotti Motta Visual Arts Center is a perfect example of how our past continually enhances and contributes to the success of the present. Here, creativity blossoms daily, with curriculum including printmaking, photography, art history, public art, collage, drawing, painting, ceramics, and a variety of sculpture. The building was originally divided into three classrooms. One at each end offered art classes, including silk screening, pottery, and jewelry making, and a sewing room was set in the middle. Today, following a full building renovation, it houses two bright and spacious classrooms, with new ergonomic furniture. With the re-invention of the space, Middle School and Upper School students create in their own areas, expanding the original vision from the 1960s. North-facing sliding glass doors draw students
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1972 - Sewing Class
onto an outdoor, natural classroom, contributing to the recent enhancement of the original design. While the busy days of the students, teachers, parents, and visitors to campus may not always allow us time to read every brick, or stop to admire the artwork and architecture throughout the School, the layout of the campus itself inspires and draws one to nature, beauty, and gratitude. The Sisters’ vision is alive today, as students make their way to soup break, as a visitor admires the sweeping vista through the center of campus, or when a teacher looks up during recess duty and notices the daffodils on the hillside. The buildings provide the backdrop to the story that each student writes, throughout his or her years at San Domenico. If the buildings could talk, their stories would reinforce the stories of alumni and past teachers and parents, that the beauty of this Sleepy Hollow campus is an education in itself, and that for more than 50 years now, this land provides the foundation from which students go out into the world to celebrate the Dominican values, in their every action.
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Legacy Traditions By Kimberly Pinkson, Director of Marketing and Communications
“Traditions! Where would we be without our traditions?” asks the main character, Tevye, in the Broadway play “Fiddler on the Roof,” as he explains the various customs of his late 1800s Russian village, and the challenge of trying to continue traditions as the world quickly changes. We at San Domenico often feel a similar pull as we appreciate the legacies of our history as California’s first independent school. In the Dominican tradition of adapting to meet the changing needs of the times, we keep the core meaning of our values alive and thriving, whilst adjusting how traditions are carried out so as to keep them meaningful in the modern world. I recently interviewed Sister Susannah Malarkey ’48, a Dominican Convent alumna, former teacher, and San Domenico Board member, as she reminisced, and we compared SD traditions of then and now.
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Daily Soup Break This tradition harkens back to St. Dominic providing daily soup for the local citizens of Spain, Italy, and France as he sought to harmonize their intellectual life with the need of the people to assuage their hunger. At San Domenico, Soup Break has carried on, melting hearts and warming tummies! “I recall coming out the back door of St. Thomas Hall (San Rafael campus), the sun shining down on a cool fall day, and the chance to sit outside and enjoy the warm soup while chatting with friends,” shares Sister Susannah.
Students enjoy soup break, previous page: 1997; this page: 2014
Today, 10:00 am means soup break (plus snacks, and on Friday, hot cocoa!), as students Pre-K - 12 gather for sustenance and connection. In the words of K-8 Admissions Director Jennie Nash, “Soup literally keeps our kids going, preventing the ‘low blood sugar blues’ and giving students an opportunity to take a deep breath between classes, and join together in community.”
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Spirit Teams Spirit teams have long played a role in building community and encouraging friendly competition here at San Domenico. “In the early days, our whole school was organized into spirit teams, including Upper School Roundheads and Cavaliers, to encourage academic excellence, sportsmanship, and camaraderie,” explained Sister Susannah. There have also been class mascots, chosen from popular cartoon or movie characters. Today, upon the request of our Upper School student council, and after conversations with SD alumni, we have extended the Middle School tradition of Spartan and Athenian families, to once again unite all School levels within spirit teams, reflective of our one school community. Throughout 2015, all San Domenico students in grades Pre-K – 12 were assigned to either Spartan or Athenian families, sometimes according to legacy and earlier generations. “This tradition is a means of uniting students across grades. Once a student is in a family, he or she is in that family for life,” shared our Head of School, Mrs. Stock, in her blue Spartan tee, at a school assembly, as her nieces SCHOOL TIES
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and nephews stood up to show off their Spartan pride. “The purpose of Spartans and Athenians is to grow school spirit across campus, and through the generations. It is equally important to always remember though, that we are all one, big San Domenico family.” Lower School Director, LeaAnne Parlette, added, “This is a great All School program that works to bring all the grades together and help students feel a sense of place and connection to students they may not otherwise meet.” Reminiscent of the ‘Sorting Hat’ in the Harry Potter books, red and blue t-shirts have been distributed, and all SD faculty, staff, students, and parents know if they are Spartan or Athenian. The fun continues all year with teams competing in academics, sportsmanship, screen-free contests, service, and special events that show spirit and grow ‘family’ pride. Previous page (clockwise from top): Cavalier and Roundhead Captains, 1964; Dominican Convent Rally, 1964; Spirit Day, 1989 This page: First Middle and Upper School Spartan and Athenian Spirit Day, 2015
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Tableaux During Ms. Mary Henderson’s art class, circa 1940 - 1960, students found great joy creating famous paintings as Living Pictures. Students would design backdrops and dress up to look like the subjects in the original artwork and take photos, thus creating portraits within portraits. Living Pictures included tableaux of paintings by Mary Cassatt, Pierre August Renoir, Paul Gauguin, Jean François Millet, Pablo Picasso, Peter Paul Rubens, John Singleton Copley, and others accompanied by music from the Dominican Conservatory Ensemble.
This page: 1951 Tableaux Next page: 2015 Tableaux SCHOOL TIES
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The Living Pictures tradition continues in many artistic ventures as SD students explore multi-media projects under the tutelage of our talented art and drama department teachers. However, two distinct traditions that carry on perhaps most exemplify the Living Pictures legacy: our annual Christmas Tableaux presentation, and our fall All Saints Day event. More than one hundred years ago, Dominican Convent Upper School introduced the Christmas Tableaux tradition. This live interpretation of the story of the events in the life of Mary, leading to the birth of Jesus, as depicted in the frescoes of 15th century Dominican Master and artist Fra Angelico, is told through pantomime, chants, and carols. Roles are cast via audition, but the roles of Mary and Joseph are chosen by members of the senior class, going to those who most embody the spirit of the characters they play.
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Song and Dance Before YouTube and SnapChat, there were Saturday night Song and Dance Festivals. “This was our weekend entertainment,” smiles Sister Susannah, recalling the fun of preparations and performance. “Every class would present around a theme, where we would gather on the stage in the old gym, Hannify Hall. For the Dance Festivals, the entertainment might consist of Scottish or Renaissance dances, and a classmate would choreograph the routines, which were then presented to other classes. Students also wrote special songs for their friends to share their love and appreciation. There were some very poignant moments that make for rich and vivid memories.
Left:1940s Dance Performance Above: 1966 SD folksingers
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Today, music and dance continue to play a central role in our community, from school plays, to masses, weekend fun in the dorms, clubs, and pre-professional training. On any given day at SD, there is composition class, songwriting class, karaoke night in the dorms; the Middle School Musical; the Upper School Musical; VP Concerts; solo recitals; holiday shows; Arts in Action. “Music and dance,” says Sister Susannah, “give us a sense of connectedness to one another, our heart’s wellspring... they are the heartbeat of our School.” The tradition was in strong evidence this spring with the Middle School production of “Mary Poppins.” There was not a toe in the theatre that wasn’t tapping to at least one song, or a heart that was not moved by some of 2015 Dance Concert
the more touching moments.
Music Practice
2015 Dance Concert
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Outings
1952-1972 Outings near and far
Outings and exploration of the natural world have always played a role in the Dominican education. “Mt. Tamalpais was our favorite spot,” shares Sister Susannah. “And then there was Inspiration Point, and Paganini’s, named after the family who owned the land on the waterfront. We would try to make it to Paganini’s and back within an hour between after school and study hall! The Rim of the World trail, a good hour’s hike above our San Rafael campus, was another favorite!” Today, SD students begin their adventures in Pre-K and Kindergarten with nature hikes around campus. Lower School students enjoy a six-week, Seed-to-Table program in our Garden of Hope, outdoor education at Walker Creek, and a historical excursion in the Gold Country. Middle School students enjoy outings from kayaking on Richardson Bay, to a ropes course in the Redwoods, and river rafting on the American River. Upper School students graduate to Spring Discovery, with weeklong activities, ranging from climbing and caving, to architectural studies, and biotechnology research, or visiting Catalina Island off the Southern SCHOOL TIES
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2015-2016 Class trips
California Coast. “The sophomore Catalina trip is always a highlight,” enthuses Upper School Dean of Students and SD graduate, Amanda Tredinnick ’01. “In addition to the fieldwork that puts their biology studies into practice, the trip also leaves time for snorkeling, campfires, and lots of team building and bonding.” Throughout the years, outings help San Domenico students develop a sense of place, anchored not only by time spent on our 515-acre campus, but also via experiences that offer time to reflect and connect with the sacred majesty of the natural world. This is yet one more way in which SD students graduate not just with knowledge, but also with wisdom, a sense of purpose, and the drive to go forth and create a better world.
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Spirituality and Mindfulness From the 1966 school dedication on our new campus, to students offering up seed for the birds at the St. Francis statue, spiritual ceremonies and traditions at SD speak to the heart of the inclusive
Right: Students offering bird seed at the statue of St. Francis, 1956 Below: Dedication of San Domenico, on the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena, April 30, 1966
Dominican spirit, and our connection with the natural world. At SD, we know that education is not just for knowledge’s sake. The goal is to apply that knowledge in order to become better people and to create a better world - to inspire students to be kind, to correct injustice, to spread peace, respect all people, and always uphold the light of truth. This intention is woven through special events, and carries into the classrooms and curriculum. Celebrating All Saints Day is a favorite event, with student presentations, gifts of prayers and flowers, music, and artistic portraits of saints and masters from different traditions that students research in their religious studies classes: St. Catherine, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Jelaludin Rumi, to name just a few. The Tibetan Sand Mandala ceremony is a reflection on the nature of impermanence and the sacred circle of life. Students build a SCHOOL TIES
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Clockwise from top left: Students enjoying the Sukkah that they built; All Saints Day; Sand Mandala ceremony
sukkah for the Jewish festival of Sukkot, symbolizing the gift, and frailty, of life. All School Mass incorporates Catholic teaching with joyful music, song, and dance. In years gone by, students would dutifully study “A Book of Courtesy” with Sister Mercedes, learning manners, and gracious behavior. Today, mindfulness training and special events such as the annual Author Luncheon, at which eighth grade students serve guests lunch, remind students of the importance of graciousness; the value of serving; holding the door open for a classmate or guest; greeting people eye-to-eye; shaking hands. “The words and class descriptions may change,” says Sister Susannah, “but we are always asking our students to think about doing something generous and kind for one another.” Reflecting on our School traditions, Sister Susannah gets a gleam in her eyes and says, “Our traditions keep us connected. They keep the ties of knowing, caring, connecting, and being there for each other alive and strong. We are there for each other even when sometimes, our families can’t be. Our traditions make us who we are. I loved this school. I still do!”
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SD t n P rese
Now
Letter from the Board Chair Dear San Domenico Parents, Alumni, and Friends, The 2015-16 academic year has been a memorable one for San Domenico. It is the 165th anniversary of the school’s founding in California and the 50th anniversary of our San Anselmo campus. We have had many events this year to celebrate the vision of the Dominican Sisters in establishing San Domenico School.
On a more personal note, this year is significant for our family because it marks the graduation of our youngest daughter Joan from San Domenico Upper School. Joan will have successfully completed the 14-year “San Domenico marathon” by attending every grade from pre-kindergarten through high school. Her older sisters Katie and Suzy are both graduates of the Middle School. This milestone has prompted my wife Julie and me to reflect on our memories as this journey has unfolded. In the Lower School, we recall fondly the candle lighting ceremony, working in the Garden of Hope, Sister Donna’s Fudge Run, Breakfast with Santa, and Joan volunteering at Homeward Bound of Marin, immersing herself in art, joining the superb piano honors program in the Music Conservatory, as well as our increasing participation in the San Domenico community. The Middle School brought many wonderful memories, including the dance program, the fabulous Middle School Play, Arts in Action, rafting on the American River, the speech tournament, and the Washington, D.C. field trip. The Upper School (still known as the High School to many of us) provided a fitting conclusion to Joan’s San Domenico experience. The well-rounded academic, arts, and sports programs have provided exactly the kind of breadth and depth of experience that Joan needed. Joan had some remarkable opportunities, such as performing with her classmates for a two-week run in the play “Argonautika” at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. She originally joined the golf team as a way to hang out with her friends, but discovered that she had a passion (and some talent) for it. The Model UN conferences at Berkeley and Stanford were always fun and her foray onto the swim team this year was an exciting revelation.
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There were three constants in Joan’s experience at each school level. First, the dedicated, high-quality faculty consistently provided a rigorous academic program in a supportive atmosphere. Second, her teachers always emphasized the importance of community service, created strong awareness of important local and global issues, and provided Joan with a good sense of purpose in life. Third, and perhaps most importantly, San Domenico provided Joan with a strong spiritual foundation. It has been an honor for me to serve on the Board of Directors and to be the Board Chair for the last two years. Although the Board necessarily focuses on financial, legal, and policy issues, it has been important for me to have the daily “parent” feedback and experiences to help inform my views on many decisions, and on strategic planning, that will carry us into the future as a vibrant, K-12 school. In short, Julie and I feel that Joan has received exactly the kind of well-rounded, academically challenging, supportive, and globally conscious education that has prepared her to go forward confidently into college and the next phase of her life. Our family life has also been greatly enriched by being part of the San Domenico community and we have many wonderful memories. We are truly grateful for our many years at San Domenico.
Paul P. “Skip” Spaulding, III Board Chair SCHOOL TIES
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Senior Reflections on the Coed Transition
Witnessing the Historic Change from All-Girls to Coed There was perhaps no group more impacted by the extension of coeducation into our Upper School than the Seniors. Our School community is incredibly impressed by, and grateful for, the way these young women stepped up to set an example of Dominican spirit for this new coed class. They led the way with their wise and welcoming actions and attitudes, poise, patience, and always, tremendous grace. We asked a few students to share their reflections on the historic change from an all-girls Upper School to a coed Upper School.
Olivia Holmes ’16 Student Body President “While I did enjoy many aspects of single-gender education, having boys in the Upper School brings a really nice and upbeat energy to our community, which is really great for school spirit. I also think that many of these boys really understand the values of San Domenico, and what we are about: service, community, study, and reflection. In fact, they are already adding to the community in valuable ways. Having the two freshman boys in Student Council, for example, has been really great, as they bring new, and good, ideas. I see the boys around campus and am genuinely convinced that they will become really great people with four years at SD!”
Juliana Johnson ’16 Prefect “Senior year of high school is something I believe everyone looks forward to, for one reason or another. Each year leading up to senior year allows you to envision what that last year could possibly be like, based on what you have seen before. I am no exception. Every year at San Domenico, I have watched the seniors plan Winter Formal, present R.O.S.E. projects, take senior portraits, be accepted into colleges, and participate in Senior Transitions, all the while imagining how those events would look in my own life. One aspect of life I never considered was the thought of boys walking through the same Upper School halls that I did. I quickly realized that being aware of the coed decision and actually living it are two completely different entities. One of the biggest differences between the freshman and senior classes, besides the fact that there are boys, is that compared to my class of 36, the freshman class is huge, at 72 - exactly two times the size! I don’t want to speak for the other seniors, but that’s intimidating,
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and the last thing any senior wants to admit is that they are intimidated by the freshmen because that’s not how the high school ‘circle of life’ works. Some upperclassmen went into this year thinking about how we might be able to ‘control’ this group of young people - who were completely different from what we had seen in the past. As I have learned, especially in my role as a Freshman Advisor, one does not ‘control’ the freshmen. Rather, as upperclassmen, we need to model and teach the freshmen what it means to be students at San Domenico, and in a way that shows we care not only about their future as students, but also as people.”
Blake Thompson ’16 Freshman Advisor “It has been really fun having the boys in the freshman class this year! I am a Freshman Advisor so I see them more than some of my friends, but other than that we don’t interact as much as some of the other classes because freshmen and seniors are on pretty different schedules. But seeing them in the hallway, and around campus, they are always so nice and have big smiles on their faces! They have so much energy and are often running around, which is fun to watch! Overall, it has been a very positive experience having a coed freshman class, and I think it is a good move forward for San Domenico!”
Makenna Dixon-Essien ’16 Freshman Advisor, Head Prefect
“Over the years, San Domenico has grown on me, and I have grown such that I now feel very prepared for college. Honestly, it feels like just yesterday I was alone, wandering around campus, trying to envision what four years of high school would bring. Boy was I in for a surprise. Just as San Domenico has undergone tremendous transformations, so have I, and, along the way, I have created many memorable moments. I have friends from the graduating class of 2013, and now I have friends from the class of 2019. When the School announced the plan to go coed in the high school, I was beyond ecstatic to finally have little brothers running around campus. I never imagined though, how important my role as a senior would be, in welcoming and guiding the freshmen. I never knew the power their friendships would have over me, or how much I would come to adore these individuals. As I reflect back over the past year, it dawns on me: what San Domenico means by community is embracing the unknown as if it is the known, by creating an environment that is accepting of all that comes its way - and that includes boys. This School has provided young girls with 165 years of phenomenal education, rooted in social justice and reflection, and I agree it was time to introduce the male population to our Upper School. In my opinion, going coed was the best decision San Domenico has made. Just think of how great this world is going to be now that it will be filled with ‘SD girls’ and ‘SD boys’! I am comfortable graduating, knowing that my school is graduating the next generation of ladies, and gentlemen. It is just too bad that I can’t take all of it with me.” SCHOOL TIES
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Celebrating 50 years on the San Anselmo Campus
Save the Date
Anniversary Reunion Weekend September 23-25, 2016 SCHOOL TIES
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Join us for our
Anniversary Reunion Weekend for All Alums! A full schedule of events is being planned for the weekend with highlights including:
Reception with Head of School, Cecily Stock ’77 Julie Davis Butler and R.O.S.E. Project Award Luncheon Saturday Mass Archival Exhibits Campus and Classroom Tours All Alumni Anniversary Celebratory Events Recognizing All Dominican and San Domenico Middle and Upper School Graduates www.sandomenico.org/reunion alums@sandomenico.org
For all Anniversary Events, visit:
www.sandomenico.org/anniversary
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class notes
San Domenico School
Middle School Natasha Zouves MS ’04 is the morning anchor of Bay Area ABC Channel 7 News.
Margaret Graves Williams MS ’75 and her husband became “empty nesters” this year. Her youngest daughter is at University of Oregon in Eugene. Margaret does healthcare architecture with a South Bay firm and is currently working on a project for Kaiser in Sarah Strand Santa Rosa. MS ’06
Michael Brucia MS ’05 is working with a tech startup in sales. He returned recently from traveling in Europe for one year. He also enjoys photography. Brett Finkelstein MS ’05 is an associate consultant at FutureSense.
Bryce Holderness MS ’98 is currently practicing internal medicine in Santa Barbara. He is Chair of Internal Medicine at Sansum Clinic.
Colin Lindsay MS ’05 is a software engineer for a start up company. Jake Rose MS ’05 is a model with Wilhelmina Models NY and is a roof manager at E.P. & L.P. Restaurant in Los Angeles.
Ali Niggeman MS ’98 is a Women’s Apparel Designer for Cherokee Inc. She lives in Venice, CA with her fiancé, Mike, and they are getting married at Lake Tahoe, in June.
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Matthew Finkelstein MS ’99 is the founder of MateoSol. MateoSol works to empower healthful individuals, communities, and environments through gardens and holistic food traditions. Clare Toney MS ’02 is an associate in the San Francisco law office of Latham & Watkins. Emily Brucia MS ’03 is working on a PhD in Clinical Psychology and will graduate in 2018. She is currently doing a clinical rotation in San Francisco and is getting married in 2017. Nick Rose MS ’04 is an associate at Credit Suisse in New York.
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Sarah Strand MS ’06 is researching climate change in Norway and was interviewed on CBS in December 2015. Victoria Pereira MS ’09 is currently studying civil engineering at University of Notre Dame. She was a summer intern at Clark Construction - Salesforce Tower in engineering in San Francisco. She is in the Engineering Honor Society for students that are in the top 15% of their graduating class.
Upper School Vivienne Todd Kjono ’74 is the author of a book titled Mykonos Blue. Vivienne is an active supporter of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce in New York promoting bilateral trade. She is a regular attendee of the Innovate 46 Conference.
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Gabrielle Arness Oliver ’91 and family
Melinda Borello ’10 (left) and Ariel Henry-Warren ’10 (right)
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Kate Supple Klein ’75 is enjoying retirement. Her husband, Tom, owns Rodney Strong. Her son Jack played summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers and is a junior at Stanford. Her son Matt is also at Stanford. Christine Todd Lee-Schaffer ’77 is the co-founder and Chief Clinical Officer of American Health Care, as well as co-founder of the United American Pharmacy Network. Dr. Lee-Schaffer has a winery named Wise Villa Winery. Her wines were featured at the 2015 American Prized Laureate Dinner at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C. She is also the author of the book titled What’s Inside. Margaret Boitano Outhet ’86 is a Billing Manager at Boise Kidney & Hypertension Institute in Idaho. Kathleen Boitano ’87 is an executive assistant at H.G. Fenton Company in San Diego. Jeanne Boitano ’88 is head of fixed assets at WinCo Foods in Idaho. She owns a business that sells Dutch-Stroopwafel cookies and other Dutch treats. Gabrielle Arness Oliver ’91 lives in Oregon with her inventor-husband of 13 years and beautiful daughter. After earning her doctorate in cello performance and composition, she is taking a break to focus on raising a family. She has worked for the government doing trail maintenance, wildland firefighting, and U.S. Census work. Her experience with music has allowed her to perform with several professional symphonies, in a master class with Yo-Yo Ma, as a cellist for Kanye West,
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and to teach private lessons. She would love to hear from other alumni and can be reached at gabearness@ hotmail.com. Katie Mersereau Walden ’92 has two daughters, Kelly and Kayla. She has a MFT degree. Anne Ashby Emilio ’98 is teaching high school English and Theater at an inner city school in New York City. Mary Ashby ’01 is a resident OBGYN at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL. Alexandra Rutherfurd ’01 is working as a high school social worker at a public school in Queens. Alexandra is also teaching trauma informed yoga classes to students in the counseling program. Hannah Rogers ’07 is a Content Marketing Manager at PlaceWise in Denver, CO. Hortensia Suleeman ’09 is a senior associate for the IBM advertising team at Ogilvy & Mather. Last fall, her team launched a campaign for IBM’s new cognitive computing device called Watson, which is currently being used by researchers and doctors to help find a cure for cancer. She is grateful for the experience so far. Melinda Borello ’10 traveled to Ireland in February to visit Ariel Henry-Warren ’10. Although damp and dreary, the two had a ‘grand’ time in Dublin, exploring castles, museums, and an occasional pub. Melinda is a math teacher here at San Domenico’s Upper School and Ariel is applying for master’s programs in playwriting and screenwriting.
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alumni
Alumni Gatherings
Graduate Assembly is a tradition beloved by both current students and recent graduates. Taking place during the first week after the Christmas break, recent San Domenico Alumni, who have not yet returned to their colleges, come back to campus to share their insights about life after high school in general, and their colleges in particular. This year we had more than twenty graduates return from colleges across the country, including USC, Vassar, Gonzaga, Southern Methodist, Colgate, UC Berkeley, and more. Graduates were grouped by type of college and met with students in smaller groups for a series of four, 20-minute discussions about their experiences with academics, dorms, Greek life, athletics, etc. It was a very informative afternoon, and a great opportunity for students to understand how well San Domenico is preparing them for success in college.
2016 Graduate Assembly Participants: (not listed in order) Kiara Barbieri ’12 Elyzah Bernstein ’15 Melinda Borello ’10 Brynna Christy ’15 Nicole Garcia ’12 Sally Gaston ’15 Lucia Gocobachi ’15 Jacqueline Grubb ’15 Rosalind Hernandez ’15 Daria Jackson ’15 Erika Johnson ’15 Alessandra Jurick ’12 Anna Kronik ’15 Ashley Mulshenock ’15 Madeleine Murphy ’15 Rachele Nagler ’15 Samali Nangalama ’15 Aminat Oladunjoye ’15 Kathryn Volovski ’15 Erin Wiens St. John ’15
Washington, D.C. Alumni Gathering February 17, 2016 Maté Restaurant (L-R): Jennifer Cutler ’90, Cecily Stock ’77 Molly Cooney ’00
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New York Alumni Gathering February 19, 2016 Irvington Restaurant Left (L-R): Connor Stock ’08 (MS), Lue Ann Fisher Eldar ’73, Elizabeth Bell ’80, Annette Batson ’71, Cecily Stock ’77, Alexandra Wheeler, Anne Ashby Emilio ’98, Kira Kull ’11, Laura Stockstill ’87, Elizabeth Rogers ’89, Laura Volovski, Hortensia Suleeman ’09
Above (L-R): Connor Stock ’08 (MS), Elizabeth Bell ’80, Annette Batson ’71, Laura Stockstill ’87, Hortensia Suleeman ’09 Below (L-R): Laura Volovski, Elizabeth Rogers ’89, Cecily Stock ’77
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Above (L-R): Laura Stockstill ’87, Lue Ann Fisher Eldar ’73 Below (L-R): Annette Batson ’71, Laura Volovski
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Alumni Gatherings
Luncheon for Family and Friends of Alumni February 23, 2016
In celebration of the San Domenico alumni community, a luncheon was hosted in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts to connect the families and friends of the Middle and Upper School. Head of School Cecily Stock ’77 had the opportunity to share the excitement of the School’s Anniversary year and the overall growth of programs, classroom space, and admissions. As San Domenico identifies with a “one-school” philosophy, the intention to bring together Middle and Upper School alumni, as a complete global network, is a natural bridge to extend San Domenico’s value of community beyond graduation. Kathy Niggeman, a Middle School alumna parent of Alison Niggeman MS ’98, has been instrumental in connecting Middle School families and alumni back to the School and thoughtfully addressed the families who attended. Alumna Katie Abbott Horn ’71 eloquently spoke about the lasting impact of her San Domenico education, and the meaningful connections that she made while attending San Domenico that continue Above (L-R): Laura Rogers P ’04, 07, Bill Barrett P ’94, to keep her involved with the Art Rogers P ’04, 07 School.
Right (L-R): Carol Holderness P ’98, June Sullivan P ’93, ’97, Lynn Finkelstein P ’99, ’05 Far right (L-R): Page Drummond P ’90, ’93, Kathleen Toney P ’91, ’02, Cecily Stock ’77, P MS ’08, ’10, ’12
“In addition to a stellar education, my years at San Domenico taught me independence, confidence and a strong interpersonal growth that has shaped me into the person I am today. It has fostered deep, lasting friendships with my fellow peers, their families, and SD staff. Staying connected with the School allows me to reciprocate my appreciation for the foundation it has given me.” --Alison “Ali” Niggeman MS ’98 SCHOOL TIES
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Sue Maino
In Memoriam Harriet Lindsey McLeod ’43 Carmencita Baker Cardoza ’45 Francesca Jensen Crawford ’47 Marilyn Daniels Raymond ‘51 Aileen Fitzpatrick Keegan ’52 Roxana Alvarez Daglio ’73 Deirdre “Dee” Wild Kauer ’82
Sister Diane Carroll, O.P., former faculty Sister Marianna Harrison, O.P., former faculty Bill Plageman, former Board member, 1998-2003
Sympathy
Mary Bertain Bickford ’45 on the death of her sister, Margaret Daly Louise Lazarus de Vries ’51 on the death of her husband, Pieter de Vries, MD Marion Buller Lyon ’47 on the death of her husband, Jim L. Lyon
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Diane Thys Prioleau ’51 on the death of her brother, Edward “Buck” Thys Laiola “Didi” Canonica Maillard ’56 on the death of her mother, Maria Laiolo Canonica Edith Fecskes ’64 and Johanna Fecskes Brown ’68 on the death of their father Mary Elizabeth McKenzie-Forman ’67 on the death of her husband, James Forman Marilyn Nicolai Dwyer ’67, Susan Nicolai Kerr ’68, Patti Nicolai Johnstone ’70 and Nancy Nicolai ’72 on the death of their father, Dr. Aldo J. Nicolai Margo Fairchild Stahl ’71, Gail Fairchild Paquette ’72 and Lisa Fairchild ’75 on the death of their brother, Paul Fairchild Linda Nederman-Mountanos MS ’68, Marilyn Nederman-Lantz MS ’69, Rita Nederman-Gilbert MS ’77 and Paula Nederman MS ’84 on the death of their mother, Rita Louise Nederman
Susan Pelfini Bucchianeri ’72 and Anne Pelfini Greco MS ’78 on the death of their mother, Corinne Pelfini Kim Kozel Fogarty ’74 on the death of her father, Edward Kozel
Our beloved Sue Maino, former Principal of the Lower School, and then of the Middle School when it was created in 1991, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 3, 2016. A Rosary Service and Mass were held at St. Anselm’s Church. Sue was dedicated to her students and cared deeply for her colleagues. As we reflect upon her life, we remember with warm hearts that she was a great teacher, administrator, community member, and friend. Please join us with your thoughts and prayers for Sue’s brother, Tom, as well as for her nephews, and many close friends.
Deborah Cunninghame-Blank MS ’76 on the death of her son, George Berry Suzanne “Suzie” Dods ’78 and Laura Dods Leahy ’80 on the death of their father, Walter Dods Christina Capurro Sand ’80 (deceased) on the death of her father, Adolph Capurro Cara Feder Schumacher MS ’80 on the death of her father, Allen Feder Cheryl Wild ’80 on the death of her sister, Deirdre “Dee” Wild Kauer ’82 Erin Hurley DeLacey ’85 on the death of her father, Dennis Clarence Hurley Maureen Burns Kennedy ’86 on the death of her mother, Mary Burns Nora Dalipi ’09 on the death of her father, Medji Dalipi Sister Barbara Green, O.P. on the death of her mother, Barbara Green Please note that these notices are as of April 26, 2016.
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Top: Sister Gervaise and Sue Maino
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With your grocery card in hand, your regular grocery shopping at Woodlands Market, United Markets, Good Earth, Fairfax Market, and Mollie Stones’ can help support SD.
Local merchants that support San Domenico include Book Passage in Corte Madera, and Sports Basement in the Presidio. Mention SD at check out and they will donate a percentage of your sale to our school.
Learn more and sign up today at www.sandomenico.org/scrip Questions? Email scrip@sandomenico.org
What are you going to do this summer? At SD you can swim, garden, sing, code, and create, play your favorite sports, or try new ones, learn, grow, have fun, and make new friends!
Nike Sports Flag Football Basketball Swimming Tennis
Lego Free Play Craftsmen Kids Explorers Arts Writing
Hip Hop Vocals Theatre Boat Building Water Polo & more!
Weekly sessions June-August • M-F | 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Lunch, buses, and extended care available | Ages 5 & up www.sandomenico.org/summers | 415.258.1944 1500 Butterfield Road, San Anselmo, 94960
San Domenico School 1500 Butterfield Road San Anselmo, CA 94960
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San Domenico School San Anselmo, CA | sandomenico.org