Summer 2014
IN THIS ISSUE ISACS Accreditation Creating an Abundant Future Alumni Profile: Michael TragerKusman ‘02 Student Profile: Kinsey Morrison
By Alexandra S. Thurstone G ’80, ’84, Head of School
… the process is well worth it, for two main reasons. First, it forces every school to look very carefully at itself on a regular basis, and to continually improve itself. Second, only through this accreditation process can a school join the most elite schools in the nation and be called an “Independent School” Wyvern Report
ISACS Accreditation
As most of you know, St. Francis is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and is accredited by the Midwest affiliate, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS). I have been fortunate to be a member of the ISACS Board of Trustees since 2008, which I have found to be one of the most rewarding professional development experiences of my career. In addition, I have been the Treasurer of the Board for the last two years and a member of the Executive Committee, and next year I am continuing in an Officer role as the Secretary. There are 24 members of the ISACS Board of Trustees (including Heads of School, Administrators, Teachers, and members of School Boards of Trustees), and ISACS represents more than 230 schools in the 13 states of the Midwest region (“central states”). ISACS is particularly known for two things: first, its professional development offerings, which are outstanding, but second, and what I’d like to focus on, its accreditation process. The ISACS accreditation process is viewed as the gold standard in the Independent School world. The process involves a seven-year accreditation cycle, which all schools go through continuously. Year 1 of the cycle is conducting a survey of all of our constituents; Year 2 is writing the Self-Study Report; Year 3 brings a Visiting Team to the School, consisting of a group of educators from ISACS member schools who evaluate us on whether we deliver on our Mission, whether what we have reported in the Self-Study is accurate, and whether we are in compliance with the very high ISACS Standards for Membership (which include multiple standards in Policies and Procedures; Purpose, Goals and Philosophy; Community of the School; Program, Activities, and Student Services; Governance and Administration;
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Personnel; and Other Programs); Year 4 is the School’s Reaction Report, which is a response to the Visiting Team Report; Year 5 simply requires a copy of the annual certified financial audit; Year 6 is the Progress Report; and, finally, Year 7 is a year off before beginning the cycle again. Currently, we are in Year 6 of the cycle, the Progress Report, which we just submitted at the end of April. The Progress Report requires some statistical reporting, a copy of the audit, and a cover letter from the Head of School. In the cover letter, I discuss a number of items, including the process we used to compile the Progress Report, any previous recommendations made by the Visiting Team that we are not adopting and why, and a summary of any changes that have occurred since the Reaction Report. In most cases, this latter section is a fairly perfunctory exercise that totals a few paragraphs. However, in our case, given that previously we were two schools who submitted two Reaction Reports to our two Visiting Team Reports, and now have merged, we have undergone quite a few changes, to say the least! Therefore, in our case, the cover letter provides a comprehensive recap of the remarkable accomplishments that we have made since we merged nearly two years ago. Given the importance of what we have accomplished, the Board and Administration agreed that we would like to share this document with you. We are posting on our website the section of my cover letter that discusses the changes in the last few years, for all in our
community to peruse at your leisure. Please visit the St. Francis website and look for our report on The Basics page under the Leadership and Governance tab. There you can click on St.Francis ISACS Progress Report. Please take a moment to check this out and share in our pride about what we have been able to do together these last two years. It has truly been a remarkable time in our history and we have come a long way. I look forward to your comments about the report. Going through the ISACS accreditation process involves a phenomenal amount of work on the part of the faculty/staff, as well as the ISACS Visiting Teams. However, the process is well worth it, for two main reasons. First, it forces every school to look very carefully at itself on a regular basis, and to continually improve itself. Second, only through this accreditation process can a school join the most elite schools in the nation and be called an “Independent School” (as opposed to a public school or a non-Independent private school). This independence means that we choose to hold ourselves accountable to ISACS accreditation standards; have a unique mission; set our own curriculum and policies; are governed by a self-sustaining Board of Trustees; and are privately funded through tuition payments, charitable contributions, and endowment revenue.
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By Síofra Rucker G’84, Director of Advancement
Future for St. Francis School As many of you know, the Goshen and Downtown Campuses had existing Capital Campaigns in place prior to the merger, but merging gave us the opportunity to take a step back and re-examine both of these to form a single new Capital Campaign. This new Campaign combines the dreams, the donors, and the goals from the two prior campaigns. To lead us in this landmark Campaign for St. Francis, we found three wonderful Co-Chairs in alumni parent Nina Bonnie, alumni parent and current grandparent Dace Brown Stubbs, and current parent Ginny Frazier. We began in the summer of 2012 with a feasibility study, which demonstrated that a Campaign goal of $12-14 million was achievable over five years. As of April 2014, the newly combined Campaign had raised $4.6 million toward our goal. To help us prioritize our goals, we completed a Master Campus Plan with Lake|Flato Architects. Lake|Flato Architects, the AIA Firm of the Year in 2004, are a national leader in the design of Independent Schools as well as colleges; they also have extensive expertise in “green” architecture. The Master Plan represents a shared vision of the future of St. Francis School, one in which the spirit of the school is “extroverted” through both the buildings and landscapes on each campus.
The Master Plan represents a shared vision of the future of St. Francis School, one in which the spirit of the school is “extroverted” through both the buildings and landscapes on each campus. Wyvern Report
hoops to daffodils to a popcorn machine – and then creating a way to fund that, be it bake sale, car wash, walkathon, etc. This is part of bringing philanthropy to life with our students. Phase 1C: Goshen Campus – Theater and Performing Arts/Main Entrance-Lobby Renovation, $1-1.5 million
Phase 1A: Downtown Campus – Removal of Garage and Construction of Landscaped Flat Lot, $500,000 Timeline: Completed Summer 2013 The time had come for the garage adjacent to the Downtown Campus to come down, and in its place we constructed a flat lot with extensive landscaping. It also had the unforeseen benefit of making the School much more visible from 3rd Street. The lot serves as a placeholder for our future Multi-Purpose Student Life Center. Phase 1B: Goshen Campus – Athletic Center, $2.4 million Timeline: Under construction, completion August 2014. Opening ceremony Aug 9, 2014. Our 34-year-old gym was inadequate to accommodate our athletics programs and was in immediate need of a comprehensive renovation. In the timeline of all the planned projects, this was the longest planned, and the campaign for the gym had been underway the longest; therefore it became the first of all our major building projects. Existing project architect Doug Pierson, managing partner of (fer)Studios, an award-winning architectural firm from Inglewood, California, is bringing this building to fruition. Currently each class from JK- 8 is taking part in completing the fundraising for the gym. Students have been working with their teachers to choose their contribution to the gym – whatever they think it must have, from hula
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Fine Arts at St. Francis encompasses art, music, and drama. Currently, the Goshen Campus theatre and performing arts facilities do not meet our needs. In addition, the entrance and main lobby are not as effective as they need to be in terms of providing visitors with a welcoming entrance to the School. This renovation will increase the size of the stage/wing area, add a backstage, create a set/prop storage and build area, provide extensive sound and lighting enhancements, and provide space and functionality for indoor/outdoor performances. Phase 2: Downtown Campus: Multi-Purpose Student Life Center, $7 million The Downtown Campus has three major needs that must be addressed for the long-term success of the School. First, there are no substantial on-site athletic facilities; second, the entrance to the School is not visible to the public (one could drive by the building and not notice that a school exists there); and finally additional administrative spaces, as well as classroom spaces, are necessary as we continue to experience enrollment growth. Lake|Flato Architects have designed a stunning building
to meet these needs and also facilitate establishing a “one school” feel by mimicking the amphitheatre feel from the Goshen Campus in the seating for the gymnasium. Throughout the Campaign: Scholarship Endowment Focusing on the people who make our school what it is, $2 million Our commitment to financial aid and scholarships is unlike any other, not only among local Independent Schools, but nationally as well. In order to continue this, we must build our endowment. We are grateful to our donors who have stepped up to Create an Abundant Future for St. Francis School, its families and its students.
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Michael TragerKusman ’02
Spotlight Kinsey Morrison ’14
Briefly describe your career after leaving St. Francis. St. Francis was a great help in opening my mind to different career paths and not limiting myself based on pressure or expectations. After college, I spent time in both Washington D.C. working in the Department of Treasury, and then in New York City as a chef.
In the past year, Kinsey Morrison ’14 has been named a National Merit Finalist and Scholar, Mayor’s Outstanding Senior, AP Scholar with Honor, Coca-Cola Scholar, Governor’s Scholar, and the Prudential Spirit of Community national award winner. She won the regional and district Rotary Club Speech Contests, in addition to delivering motivational speeches (as a cancer survivor, she knows quite a bit about that topic) at the 2014 “We Day”, to the 2013 University of Louisville baseball team, at the State Health Literacy Summit, and in several other venues. She raised funds to fight cancer via running the mini-Marathon for the fourth straight year, went to Costa Rica for a service trip with WaterStep, served on the Board of the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana and as President of the Louisville chapter of heARTS, and is a finalist for the AXA Community Service Leaders Scholarship. In the midst of all this, she applied to and was accepted at Stanford University and Vanderbilt University, where she was selected as an Ingram Scholar. She also plays field hockey and quick recall, won 4th place in the entire state in Governor’s Cup written composition, and writes The 321 Blog. She is planning to matriculate at Stanford in the fall.
Looking back at your time at St. Francis, what stands out? The creative freedom to learn in different ways. I felt like I was stronger because St. Francis created an environment that allowed me to be independent and learn the way I needed to. Do you recall a specific teacher or friend that influenced you in some way? Mikulak teaching Walden had a huge impact on me. At the time I had no clue what he was talking about, but it really began to mean something later in life. How was your experience at St. Francis a factor in determining your career path? It allowed me to think outside the box and chase my true dreams.
Michael Trager-Kusman ’02 Michael left his job at the Department of Treasury in Washington D.C. to move to New York and pursue his passion. From starting as an unpaid pizza delivery boy, he climbed his way up to become a line cook at one of New York’s most premier gastropubs, The Breslin, where he met Tyler Morris, now executive chef of MTK Productions. Michael had gotten the crash course needed to pursue his dream of starting a restaurant in his hometown of Louisville. RYE on Market opened in the NULU district in early 2012, followed by Atlantic No. 5 in the summer of 2013.
Wyvern Report
What are the highlights of your career thus far? Opening RYE - my first restaurant. What are you currently working on? Always looking for opportunities to educate about and provide “good,” clean food. How do you define success? Being happy in what you do, which I believe happens when you care deeply about what you are doing day-to-day. At RYE, we believe food should be approachable yet challenging; something that pushes the senses and comforts the soul. Founded on the conviction that our most valued social experiences are created around food, RYE believes food exudes an energy that is, at times, indescribable. We believe that local and regional food simply tastes better. Capitalizing on the unrivaled products of our local farms, RYE focuses on using sustainable, seasonal, unadulterated ingredients, allowing us to provide you with a fresher, cleaner, more flavorful cuisine. Beyond what we believe, you can trust that we are focused on being the very best at what we do. www.RyeOnMarket.com Atlantic No. 5 features an innovative take on lunchtime classics and coffee by local roasters Sunergos. Grab a quick bite while you’re on the go or pull up a chair, plug in your laptop and stay awhile. Join us for breakfast, lunch, and after-work drinks, and check out our upcoming music events at www.AtlanticNo5.com.
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What makes Kinsey extraordinary isn’t just all that she has accomplished in 17 years; it’s the way she views the world and her place in it.
Kinsey’s path through high school has been inspiring (sometimes just tiring!) to watch. But, lest anyone think these accolades and honors, or her status as an against-all-odds cancer survivor are the only things that define her, let me share that attached to my file cabinet is a three-part list Kinsey posted there earlier this year. Divided into three sections, it chronicles What I’m Glad I’ve Done in High School (eaten fried Oreos, learned to be myself, scored a winning goal in the Kookaburra Klassic field hockey tournament, had a birthday party, supported an international movement for world peace, among other items); What I Wouldn’t Do Again (we’ll leave those private!); and What I Still Want to Do Before Graduation (play dodge ball with my fresh [9th grade] friends; go to the workout room on a free period; eat lunch on the roof ). What makes Kinsey extraordinary isn’t just all that she has accomplished in 17 years; it’s the way she views the world and her place in it. She’s made the corner of 3rd and Broadway a better place for the past four years and we can’t wait to see what the future brings for this Wyvern.
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DC Wyverns DC Wyverns Neil Marcus G’80’84, Sarah McCullough ’82, Molly Bingham G’82, and Audrey Matthias ’05 gathered on December 12th at the One Lounge for our first Wyvern Pop-Up event, to share some holiday cheer and to meet with Alexandra Thurstone G’80, G’84 and Siofra Rucker G’84.
Host your own Wyvern Pop-Up event in your city! You gather the Wyverns, we’ll buy the first round and send some new school swag. Contact Ginny Tyler for details. From the left: Audrey Matthias ‘05; Neil Marcus G‘80, ‘84; Sarah McCullough ‘82
Baby News: also a St. Francis alumni parent). Thrivals founder and University of Louisville professor Nat Irvin sat down with Devin for 90 minutes to discuss life on Saturday Night Live, influences, and his relationship to music. Devin has over 20 years of audio engineering experience, including recording, mixing, and editing of music and post-production audio for video. He received the 2008 Award for Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) for his work on SNL. After graduating from both St. Francis campuses, Devin moved to New York to attend NYU, and he’s lived there ever since. He is still close with many of his Wyvern friends who also live in New York. He is married and lives in Brooklyn and is one of the cofounders of our “Wyverns in New York” gathering.
In December: Marissa Hannan ’98 and David Glenn welcomed a baby boy, Liam Christopher Glenn. Starkisha Black ’07 and Dub Block welcomed a baby girl, Nia Black
Charley Parker
In January: Darnell Scott ’10 and Tytresa Woodson welcomed a baby boy, Darnell Scott, III In February: Brooke Cassady ’98 and Quintin Good welcomed a baby girl, Lyla Jane Good In March: Lisa Mosier ’92 and Robert Briscoe welcomed a baby girl, Mira Shalom Briscoe Justin Maple G’94 ’98 and Anna GagneHawes Maple welcomed a baby girl, Luisa Gagne-Hawes Maple Kathryn Spotts ’00 and Nick Lienesch welcomed a baby boy, Benjamin Spotts Lienesch Elizabeth Hurst Miller ’01 and Brewster Miller welcomed a baby girl, Ellie Louise Miller Amy Velez Johnson ’05 and Brad Johnson welcomed a baby girl, Danielle Elizabeth Anne Johnson In April: Sarah Kaelin Coty ‘98 and Patrick Coty welcomed a baby boy, Andrew Joseph Coty
Wyvern Report
From the left: Amy Zegart G’81; Sandy Florman ’85
Meg Tyler ’84, Associate Professor of Humanities at Boston University, has just published her first book of poetry, titled Poor Earth, which can be purchased online at www.FinishingLinePress.com. Amy Zegart G’81 lives in California with her family. A Fulbright Scholar, Amy’s accolades include teaching at Stanford and UCLA, writing articles for The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Slate, as well as various public speaking engagements on national policy, security and intelligence. She has published three books, Spying Blind (Princeton University Press, 2007), Flawed by Design (Stanford University Press, 1999), and Eyes on Spies (Hoover Institution Press, 2011), and is currently writing a post-9/11 book on intelligence. In a recent address at a Stanford alumni reunion gathering, Amy discussed the idea of Spytainment, the role of movies and fiction depicting intelligence and national security measures. Sandy Florman ’85 is the director of Mount Sinai Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute. Named after Sandy’s mentor Charles M. Miller, M.D., the institute is one of a total of 14 transplantation research institutes. Sandy returned to Mt. Sinai after working in New Orleans as a transplant surgeon and now calls New York his home along with wife Toby and their three children. Devin Emke G’84 ’88 was the first speaker brought back to Louisville for a new pilot series of programming called Kentucky to the World. This series is offered in partnership by IF University and Louisville community leader and international quilt expert Shelly Zegart (who is
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Abby Karp Marcus ’91 relocated from Chicago to Seattle with her family in 2012 and released her debut record/ album titled Bare Your Soul at the end of this past January. After having a successful 12-year career in real estate, Abby is following her passion for music and performance that her Louisville roots gave her. The album is available on most music digital outlets. Keri Rosenbloom Toback G’86 ’90 works for the Department of Health and Human Services in the Medicaid agency working to help states implement the Affordable Care Act and to run effective, efficient, and compliant Medicaid programs. continues on pg. 10
Wyverns in New York From the left: Siofra Rucker G’84, Devin Emke G’84, ‘88, Kareem Bunton ‘90, Tom Miron, Adam Sachs ‘88, Alexandra Thurstone G’80, ‘84, Rob Kemp G’85, ‘89, Dara Schreiber and Bill Schreiber G’84, ‘88
On December 15th, about 40 Wyverns gathered at Von Wine Bar in the East Village in New York City. This annual “Wyverns in New York” event is in its 8th year and was hosted by Kareem Bunton ’90, Devin Emke G’84, ‘88, Rob Kemp G’85, ’89, Adam Sachs ’88, and Bill Schreiber G’84, ’88. Alumni attended from many classes, ranging from the Class of 1984 through our recent graduates from 2014. School attendees included veteran history teacher
Tom Miron, history teacher Trent Apple ’92, Head of School Alexandra Thurstone G’80, ’84, Director of Advancement Siofra Rucker G’84, and Director of Alumni Relations Ginny Tyler. It was a great evening full of stories and friends catching up. It is always an honor to see what our amazing Wyverns are up to and we are already looking forward to next year!
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Note to Alumni Parents: If you are receiving mail that is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer resides at home, please notify Ginny Tyler in the Alumni Office, GTyler@StFrancisSchool.org, of their contact information including: mailing address, email address, and/or cell phone so we can keep them in the loop on Wyvern happenings.
From the left: Olivia Cole ‘07; Napo Matsoso ‘13
Wes Ramsey ’96 has been busy in L.A. since moving there after finishing at Juilliard. In addition to his many credits on hit shows like Charmed and CSI: Miami, he appeared in an episode of The Mentalist back in October, and on Castle later in the fall, and had a recurring role on Pretty Little Liars.
in New York last year, actor Peter Albrink ’05 will tour with the show this fall as the dead brother Jack McCandless. We welcomed him back to St. Francis for a show recently, as he is working with the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, playing the title role in their production of Hamlet!
Becky Ruby Swansburg G’93 ’97 is the chief marketing office for Stonewood Financial Solutions and co-created Lean In Louisville. An informal organization based off the book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg, the organization’s goal is to elevate the conversation around professional women’s success in Louisville.
Meg Fister G’01 graduated from University of Dayton in 2009 with a degree in art history and after four seasons is leaving her position as Artistic Manager at Actors Theatre to move to Los Angeles, where she has recently accepted a position in the casting department at Center Theatre Group. Meg’s position at Actors consisted of coordinating casting and hiring guest artists for the Brown-Forman Series and Humana Festival. She also managed several of the enrichment programs with Actors over her tenure there. We expect to hear exciting news from Meg during her next chapter in California.
The Bennett Family: Emily G’95 ’99, Maggie G’97 ’01, and Michael ’05 Emily is currently practicing law in Chicago; Maggie is at Yale doing an MFA in sculpture; and Michael has just made his second career move into the world of big data as an energy analyst with a division of McGraw-Hill. Bill Wells ’03 received his MBA from UCLA in 2013 and headed back to New York where he took the position of Director of Strategic Planning with Warby Parker, an innovative eye glass design and marketplace whose mission is to design affordable eye wear. In addition, they work with nonprofits like Visionwear, so that for every pair of glasses sold a pair is donated to someone in need. After doing a turn in the Stephen King / John Mellencamp / T Bone Burnett musical Ghost Brothers of Darkland County
Wyvern Report
Stephanie Kaye Hall G’02 and George Barrett G’96 were married May 17th at Yew Dell BotanicalGardens in Louisville, with three St. Francis graduates as bridesmaids. George is a real estate agent with Semonin Realtors and Stephanie is a yoga instructor and currently involved with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Younger Women’s Club, and Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Olivia Cole ’07 author, blogger, and activist, recently finished her first novel, Panther in the Hive, a science fiction story incorporating equal parts of feminism, social commentary,
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Crawfish Boil On May 14th, Summer Auerbach ’00 opened her home for the 3rd Annual Crawfish Boil. Guests enjoyed delicious sides in addition to an amazing table of crawfish, corn, kielbasa, potatoes, and dashes of salt and seasonings. Friends and family stood side by side feasting on the boil while catching up with classmates and teachers. This new tradition has quickly become a favorite alumni gathering and we hope that many of you will join us next year in May!
and zombies. Olivia is a graduate of Columbia College in Chicago and her blog has been picked up by The Huffington Post on numerous occasions (she was even interviewed by Marc Lamont Hill via webcam for the Post). For more information on her book or to read her blog, visit Olivia’s website, http://OliviaACole.wordpress.com. Anna Byers ’07 is about to complete her first year of law school at Harvard. Anna graduated from Bowdoin College in 2011 with a degree in government and spent the interim period working for a law firm and the Bronx Zoo. Mary Boatwright ’08 has been studying the black bear population in northwest Colorado during her tenure with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Her plans include graduate school this fall to further her studies in Wildlife Pathology. Rye Jones ’10 graduates in May from Washington University in St. Louis and is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to study Chinese Philosophy in China next academic year. Rye was one of our first students to study Chinese at St. Francis, and he’s studied it ever since. Rob Jamner ‘13 has had a poem, Doing the Laundry, published in the Plum Creek Review, which is Oberlin College’s oldest student-run literary arts journal. Napo Matsoso ‘13, currently a freshman soccer player for UK, was named to the Gamecock Classic All-Tournament Team. Napo ranked 4th on his team this season for minutes played in a game. His coach Johan Cedergren says, “I would argue that if you look in terms of freshmen across the country, there are not many better than Napo and there are not many playing as much as Napo is doing and doing as well as he is doing.” If you are not receiving emails from the school, update your contact information by emailing Ginny Tyler, Director of Alumni Relations, GTyler@StFrancisSchool.org.
In Memory of Jennifer Grawemeyer Jordan G’89, ’93 Jennifer Grawemeyer Jordan G’89, ’93 passed away on November 5, 2013 after a long and incredibly brave battle with breast cancer. She is survived by her husband Don Jordan and two children: her son Mercer, 7, and her daughter Everly, 4, and her parents, Ron and Jean Grawemeyer. She and her husband Don stayed active in New York’s theater scene after they graduated from NYU, writing and producing a play together. They loved their neighborhood in Brooklyn, and Jennifer was very happy with her job working for Prospect Park Alliance. Jennifer’s classmates gathered 20 years after their graduation from St. Francis to remember Jennifer both in Louisville and in New York, and took a moment of silence at their reunion in late November to honor her memory. Jennifer was an integral member of the Class of 1993 and will be forever missed by her friends at St. Francis.
Upcoming Alumni Events SFS Alumni Summer Show Almost, Maine directed by Reed Gabhart Thursday, August 7th 7:00 p.m. and Friday, August 8th 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 14th 7:00 p.m. and Friday, August 15th 7:00 p.m. Baron’s Theatre (on the corner of Second and Main Streets), courtesy of the Jones family. If you are interested in participating, please contact Reed Gabhart at rgabhart@stfrancisschool.org Back to School Picnic and Alumni Games Saturday, August 9th St. Francis Goshen Campus 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Join us for the dedication our NEW Gym at 11:00 a.m. and opening our NEW Preschool playground. We will have field hockey and soccer clinics, alumni vs. varsity soccer and field hockey games, bouncy houses, food trucks, a grill-out, the Mighty Titan Youth Obstacle course and so much more!
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Imagine! 2013-14 A special thanks to: CHAIRS: Robin LeMastus and Jane Tierney By Emily Essex, Director of Development
Imagine! was a wonderful success! We would like to thank our guests, supporters, sponsors, all our volunteers, and especially our faculty and staff for making Imagine! 2014 such an incredible evening. The fiery event took place on January 31 at the Henry Clay and the proceeds raised went to support the St. Francis Scholarship Fund. Thanks to your efforts and your support, the event netted over $60,000 for our scholarship fund and at the same time supported the artist community by paying them over $20,000 for their wonderful artistic contributions. CONGRATULATIONS AND MANY THANKS!
Many of you already know how important the Annual Fund is to the School. As a reminder, the Annual Fund is a yearly fundraising effort that provides immediate, unrestricted support to the operating budget and helps to bridge the gap between tuition revenue and the actual cost of educating our students. Without the generous support of all in our community, including you, the hallmarks of a St. Francis education wouldn’t be possible: small class sizes, low student-teacher ratios, exemplary scholarship and financial aid programs, comprehensive learning resources, a diverse student body, and a truly outstanding faculty. We are thrilled to announce that we already have 100% faculty, staff, and Trustee participation to the campaign this year AND most of our current parents have also made their commitment to the campaign. Now it is your turn! Please return the envelope enclosed or go online to www.StFrancisSchool.org/ GivingBack and click the Annual Fund button*. Thank you! *All gifts must be received by June 30, 2014, to be counted in the 2013-14 school year and to be listed in the Annual Report.
Wyvern Report
The Frazier/Hicks Family Jones, Nale & Mattingly PLC Law Offices of Daniel M. Alvarez, PLLC Presenting Sponsors: Lake|Flato Brown-Forman Lancaster Built Homes Buffalo Construction Inc. The Miller Family Foundation Gold: MPI Printing Commonwealth Bank & Trust Peters Construction Company Safe Harbour Barn The Diaz Family Steve and Terri Bass OB/GYN Associates of Yum! Brands, Inc. Southern Indiana Additional Support: Silver: Bessemer Trust Blue Grass Motorsport C&H Audio Visual Crosley Radio Jim and Mary Oppel
Jeff and Kimberley Owen Ladybug Gifts Millennium Events Prospect Jewelers Richard White SPECIAL THANKS: 21c Museum Hotel Actors Theatre Edie Bingham Justin Bond, Deven 7 Studios John and Cindy Borders Beverly Cote Linda Dabney Lori Dabney Gentlemen’s Cut Sarah Harlan
William Harshaw ‘82 Jacob Isaac Joseph’s SalonDavid Mahoney Lee Middendorf Please & Thank You Denise Ragland Alix Rice ‘98 Lin and Mike Schussler-Williams Sandy Schreiber Olivia Sleadd Bob and Angel Smedley Jamie Stilger Jonathan Stokes G’84 ‘88 Naomi Stuecker G’88 ‘92 Cindy Wood Jenny Zeller
“Our Good Earth” 2013-14 Event Co-Chairs Denise Ragland and Andi Hibbard Honorary Co-Chairs Dace & King Stubbs and Nina & Ned Bonnie
EVENT SPONSORS
This elegant Farm-to-Table Dinner and Live Auction, held on October 11, 2013, in the fields of Goshen connected food, farms, and community to support the school’s Athletics and Extracurricular Programming for students from Preschool through High School. We are thrilled to report that the “Our Good Earth” Gala exceeded our expectations. We thank everyone who contributed to the event: chairs and committee members, sponsors, supporters, faculty/staff, item donors, volunteers, etc Thanks to your efforts and your support, the event netted over $70,000 this year. One of the best EVER! CONGRATULATIONS AND MANY THANKS!
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Presenting Sponsors: Brown-Forman Buffalo Construction, Inc Gold Sponsors: Goff Foundation/Schwartz Family Silver Sponsors: Law Offices of Daniel M. Alvarez, PLLC Commonwealth Roofing Fleming Law, PLLC The Frazier Family Hibbard Family Ladybug Gifts Lancaster Built Homes Langsford Learning
Acceleration Centers Miller Family Foundation Steve Peak Construction Peters Construction Safe Harbour Barn Additional Sponsors Altman Insurance Hussung Mechanical Structures Unlimited Woodland Farm 2013-14 “Our Good Earth” Committee Kim Diamond Amy Frederick Kathy Kuhn G’82 Tracy Lattis Laura McMahan Lee Middendorf Paige Shank Olivia Sleadd Special thanks to… 21c Museum Hotel
Summer Auerbach ‘00 Dawn Bastian David Beard Bonita Black Michelle & Paul Costel Jason Cohen ‘90 Colonial Designs Beverly Cote Crosley Radio Julie Dayton G’01 Walter Denham David DuBou Gordon & Lori Dabney Lisa Fleming Catherine Fogarty Jean Frazier Kristin & Justin Gilbert Josh Henderson Chris Hibbard Ideal Dentistry Carter Jay Wes Johnson Larry Kass
Brittany Kurtz Robin LeMastus Weasy MacLean ‘87 Bethany Majors Dace Maki G’86 ‘90 The Marks Family Andy McLeroy Chad and Lee Middendorf Nina Norris & Harlan Logsdon Shannon Ragland Mike Risley Bill Scarfe Brook & Pam Smith Sarah Stivers G’79 Mark Wourms Cassandra & Chris Zimmerman Our Vendors Axxis, Inc. Blue Dog Bakery & Cafe Jason Jennings Interior Fashions Millennium Events Wiltshire Pantry
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at the
High School
Preschool is Moving to Goshen!
By Suzanne Bizot Gorman, Head of Downtown Campus
Renee Hennessey, Preschool Director
At the High School, spring means – among annual occurrences like senioritis, elaborate prom asks (“promposals” – when did that become a trend?), and students begging to hold class outside in the Courtyard - that it’s time for course registration for the fall. Each year, the elective offerings are greeted with great anticipation as students contemplate the wonders of what they might take in addition to the core St. Francis science, English, math, world language, and history courses. I’m always so delighted by their excitement because, more than simply being gratifying to the teachers who are offering these courses, students’ enthusiasm is evidence of real engagement with the academic workings of the school.
I’m always so delighted by their excitement because, more than simply being gratifying to the teachers who are offering these courses, students’ enthusiasm is evidence of real engagement with the academic workings of the school. Wyvern Report
This spring, for instance, students are weighing two science electives – Anatomy and Physiology (“integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, digestive and respiratory systems”) versus The Physics of St. Francis Sports (“What do moments of inertia and center of mass have to do with a powerful field-hockey swing? What does the Magnus effect have to do with the curve of a soccer ball?”). In history, they can opt for Visible Language (“How did writing become so pervasive, and, for that matter, what is writing?”), Kentucky Fried World: Models of Globalization Past, Present and Future (“how political and economic forces have developed and influenced societies over time, and how they are the driving energies in the inexorable tide of globalism”), The Contemporary World (“global, national and local issues from a causes, practices and effects perspective”), Gender Studies (“explore the powerful role gender plays in shaping how we see and experience the world”), and Constitutional Law (“learn how to thoughtfully digest legal opinions and develop the vocabulary and tools necessary to understand how the Constitution shapes American life and serves as a useful reflection of American history”). English offerings include Writing and Reading Poetry, Playwriting, and Film Studies: Basics of Film and Television; fine arts options involve drawing/painting, filmmaking, photography, and music performance courses; and even the math department is in on the act with Mathematical Modeling with Trigonometry. Coupled with nearly a dozen AP courses, course registration sometimes resembles the buffet at Wok Express across the street (in a good way!), as students choose from myriad tempting options.
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One of the reasons we are excited about our move this summer is because the Goshen Campus offers excellent enhancements to the already outstanding Preschool education that our children currently experience. Preschoolers at the Goshen Campus will be able to experience new opportunities, including nature walks on the 64-acre campus, hot lunches from the excellent chef and food service, exercise in the new gymnasium, and access to the school library, to name a few. In addition, we will have a new Natural Playground that will be unlike any playground in Oldham and Jefferson counties, or the region for that matter. In addition, our Preschool teachers will have an opportunity to collaborate with The Learning Center’s speech pathologist and occupational therapists, as well as our Kindergarten teachers. And, of course the hallmarks of the Preschool program – music and movement classes, large and small group project work, outdoor education, individual attention, experienced staff – will continue at the Goshen Campus.
The Garden in Goshen This spring, new St. Francis Garden Coordinator Christine Brinkmann is starting to go full throttle in helping to revive our school gardening program. Christine brings tons of energy and fresh ideas to the table. She is proposing and leading the way on many initiatives that will involve the students and teachers alike in utilizing our beautiful grounds to help educate our kids on the benefits of healthy eating, sustainable gardening, and our interconnectedness with the natural world. One of the most exciting new developments is having chickens on the Goshen Campus, which the kids get to help care for! 15 little chicks have already hatched and lived in many different classrooms on campus. They have fast become celebrities, showing up at morning meetings and acquiring names such as “Brownie” and “Little Dude”. In project time, our 8th grade class will help Christine in constructing a chicken tractor! This is a great illustration of the process being school-wide, as the Lower School students saw the incubation phases, and the Middle School kids will see that they get a safe home outdoors. Eventually, we will all benefit from their eggs, and seeing the natural cycles of their lives. Christine has other plans on the horizon too. She will be reviving our composting program to reduce our school food waste, while educating kids as to the importance of reducing our carbon footprint. She will work with different grade levels to help plant several crops that Chef Matt will get to work into the school lunch menu. It is always exciting for the students when we actually eat vegetables that we had a hand in growing! As you can see, Christine has been literally a “breath of fresh air” as she makes plans to enhance our gardening program! Seeds are germinating, worms are doing their “dirty work,” and the chicks are chirping away! If you have any questions, please contact Christine at CBrinkmann@StFrancisSchool.org.
Reed Gabhart, Head of the Goshen Campus
Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! The beginning of the musical 1776? No, it is the sound of little chicks hatching on the Goshen Campus!
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We THINK, therefore we are St. Francis. 233 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202
Join us: Ribbon cutting for our new Gym August 9 at the Goshen Campus.
IN THIS ISSUE ISACS Accreditation Creating an Abundant Future Alumni Profile: Michael TragerKusman ‘02 Student Profile: Kinsey Morrison www.StFrancisSchool.org