The Balloon Fall/Summer 2021 by St. Thomas's Day School

St. Thomas’s Day School Magazine for Alumni, Parents & Friends

SUMMER/FALL 2021

St. Thomas’s Day School BOARD OF TRUSTEES Gina Criscuolo Chair John Forrest ’88 Vice Chair Eileen O’Donnell Secretary Heather Tookes Alexopoulos Treasurer Gina Panza Rev. Keri Aubert Alexander Babbidge Christopher Cavallaro ’90 Don Edwards William English Jeralyn Fantarella Linda Meyer Kenneth Paul Otoniel Reyes Denise Terry

Head of School Gina Panza

Intro Letter

All Hands on Deck

Thank You!

Editor Danielle Plante Director of Institutional Advancement

Design Meredith Jensen

Photography

the St. Thomas’ Community

In & Around

Danielle Plante Sandra Rizzo

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Graduation

Welcome New Board Members

St. Thomas’s Day School Events/Alumni

Annual Report

Art Direction/Graphic Designer

Contributing Writers Sarah Pfeffer Danielle Plante Dr. Alecia Thomas

ST. THOMAS’S DAY SCHOOL 830 WHITNEY AVENUE NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06511 PH 203.776.2123 | FAX 203.776.3467

welcome... A Message from Gina Panza, Head of School

Each year The Balloon serves as a beautiful reflection of the previous school year, displaying the inspiring and innovative work of our students and faculty while showcasing the many traditions that define our School. The Balloon captures the spirit of St. Thomas’s - student’s happy minds, open hearts, and brave ideas. Despite the pandemic, this year is no different. The following pages witness the coming together of our community as we worked to provide a safe, nurturing, productive learning environment for everyone. Thanks to the dedication, hard work, and “all-in” mentality of the many members of our community, St. Thomas’s Day School opened its doors last September for full in-person learning. The amount of resources - time, talent and treasure- necessary to make this happen was unprecedented. The amount of love, patience, and support that was shown along the way was unsurmountable. It was palpable that the overall well-being of our students and faculty was at the forefront of everyone’s mind. We succeeded! Our children thrived! In addition to the academics, programs that fostered social emotional wellness, leadership skills, global and self awareness, identity development, and more were promoted. Students continued to experience the best of St. Thomas’s Day School, spend quality time on the playgrounds, and were given opportunities to give back to their communities. They continued to learn about and contribute to our school culture of belonging. The success of this past school year is due to the dedication of the teachers, staff, board members, administration, families and alumni of present day, but also to all those who came before and built the foundation. It’s the “all-in” mentality and firm commitment to our school motto to make this a better world that allowed St. Thomas’s to adapt and overcome. Please accept my most heartfelt appreciation to you all for your part in guaranteeing our success. Happy Reading! .

Thank you. Warm regards, Gina Panza | Head of School 3 SUMMER/FALL 2021

All Hands on DECK How the St. Thomas’s community turned a challenge into an opportunity

St. Thomas’s Day School recognizes that the ideal teaching and learning environment is one in which students and teachers are able to interact with each other face-to-face. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PANDEMIC SWEEPS THE GLOBE and makes this option a sizable challenge? Many schools, understandably, began the 2020-’21 academic year with remote or hybrid models. St. Thomas’s took a different route. With the chief concern being the health and safety of its community members, a stellar leadership team including the Board of Trustees, Pandemic Task Force, Health and Safety Committee and school administration created a comprehensive plan to open for five full days of in-person learning. Not only was it successful, but the school remained in this capacity for the entirety of the school year.

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Five full days meant that working families could continue to keep a “normal” schedule during an abnormal time. It meant students could interact with friends, albeit with masks, when there was essentially nowhere else to do so. It meant continuity of learning. It meant children could spend time at the school they love. This feat did not happen without the dedication and “all hands on deck” attitude of the remarkable St. Thomas’s community, who made it not only a functional year, but one in which students thrived.

THE BEST YEAR YET? Considering world events, could a year like this past one still be a great one, or even one of the best? Most might jump to a resounding “no” when asked this question. But St. Thomas’s Day School is anything but typical. The happy minds, open hearts and brave ideas from students, parents, volunteers, the administration and friends translated to one of the best admissions years yet and

ALL HANDS ON DECK the best advancement year yet, with the largest ever annual fund gift made. Of this tremendous show of generosity, the donors said:

and health experts, working tirelessly to ensure the well-being of the whole student. There is no Board of Trustees more supportive, who are committed to putting forth the resources to assure the safety of the students and faculty, including their backing of a new, stateof-the-art ventilation system. There is no faculty more caring, focused on their students’ social emotional health first and foremost. And, of course, it all comes down to the happy, curious, adaptable students, who make it all worth it. At the start of the year, Panza even moved her office to allow her original space to be transitioned into the nurse’s isolation room. Until vaccinations began for educators in April, she could only engage with the students outside. “Even though masks were required, we were still able to show our happiness by “smizing” – smiling with our eyes. Just to see the students and to hear their voices was my saving grace,” Panza said.

Record annual fund gifts like this and stellar admissions numbers certainly did not happen by accident. Positive wordof-mouth is powerful, and word certainly got out last year that the St. Thomas’s community is different. People in the greater community learned that there is no head of school more dedicated than Gina Panza––who met with psychologists

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ALL HANDS ON DECK In the spring, when pods were able to be together on the playground, she saw firsthand how happy the students were. “Whether it was a game of tag, basketball or imaginative, self-directed play like cartwheel extravaganzas or performances on the outdoor stage, students were delighted to, once again, be with one another,” she said. “Our community remained open, flexible, adaptable. And even during the most challenging of times, we were grateful that we were able to be together at school every day.”

NURSING A HEALTHY COMMUNITY

The concept of working together is so unique to St. Thomas’s. It feels like a family. 6 St. Thomas’s Day School | BALLOON

This deep sense of appreciation for one another was nurtured by the understanding of what it took to get there. New procedures were put into place like daily temperature checks and screening questions at school arrival, while teachers, parents and students adjusted to last-minute changes such as substitute teachers or pod changes due to quarantines. Instrumental in planning and executing these necessary policies was parent Heather Mokotoff, RN, MSN, APRN, PPCNP-BC, also a nurse practitioner who stepped up when a full-time school nurse was needed at St. Thomas’s due to the pandemic. “I said to Gina, ’I’d love to do this.’ So, I jumped in and did it,” she said. As a parent to two St. Thomas’s alumni and one current student, Mokotoff ’s deep connection to the children and staff combined with her professional expertise made her an invaluable asset. “It was an incredibly

successful year. What motivated me most was that I felt these children needed to be in school,” she said. “Staff, faculty and families were incredibly forthcoming and were willing to do whatever we asked of them in order to keep students in school.” Working closely with the administration, Pandemic Task Force and Health & Safety Committee, Mokotoff and her team shared communications and videos on practicing mask-wearing, respiratory etiquette, handwashing and more. New routines were put into place like unique entrance and exit points for students and teachers. “There were last minute changes, and the whole community was trusting and adaptable. The concept of working together is so unique to St. Thomas’s. It feels like a family. It’s an incredible place with really incredible families, kids and staff. That was resoundingly clear when we had to do this,” Mokotoff remembered. Of her massive contribution to the success of the school year, she said, “It was my absolute pleasure to do it. I feel so strongly that it worked and everyone came together.” Mokotoff also gave credit to Panza and assistant head of school Sarah Walters, who went above and beyond to change the way the school was run, from class times, to structure, to teacher schedules.

TEACHING IN A PANDEMIC: A HOLISTIC VIEW The school leadership recognized the immense challenges set before teachers working during a pandemic, and as usual, head of school Panza made decisions based on the whole person–mind, body and spirit. In order for there to

ALL HANDS ON DECK

be a healthy community and effective learning last year, there needed to be some adjustments. Faculty meetings only occurred when there was absolutely a reason to meet. Roll-off Mondays and Fridays meant that teachers had four or five extra days off throughout the year, providing rest while still maintaining the same commitment and educational experience to students. No meetings occurred during faculty work days. Report card writing days were incorporated into regular school days, allowing teachers to have additional time outside of their own schedules to complete their grading. There was a 2 p.m. dismissal every Friday. Even with these provisions, no one could argue that there were a number of obstacles for educators, and St. Thomas’s teachers met them with courage. “Our teachers deserve the largest ovation for their empathy, patience, perseverance and selflessness,” said Danielle Plante, director of institutional advancement.

The St. Thomas’s faculty showed up daily for students, delivering quality instruction for their students under the most difficult of times. They created an environment of safety and stability, balanced with flexibility to change schedules or cover classes when things changed at a moment’s notice. Teachers got creative and facilitated digital performances, equipping children with the skills to perform in front of a camera for important events like Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day, Christmas Chapel and the sixth grade play. They taught online and in-person simultaneously, learned new technology, held classes outside in all kinds of weather and brought students on “virtual field trips.” And not only did they support their students; they supported one another.

No one could argue that there were a number of obstacles for educators, and St. Thomas's met them with courage.

Craig Bottiger, head first grade teacher, worked closely with his assistant teacher, Leslie Reyes, to make the year

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of the committee was simple: "Our St. Thomas’s community is committed to putting children first. Their safety, their learning, their connection. It was inspiring to see how each and every family worked to keep kids safe and continue the learning.” O’Donnell emphasized the shared values that kept the community together such as leadership, bravery, resilience, teamwork and empathy. Together, after meeting throughout the entire summer, the School was able to prepare families for the new normal of school during COVID-19, which made for a smooth transition. as successful as it was. “I thought we had a really good year. We had a wonderful group of children. My assistant, Leslie, is absolutely amazing. She really stepped up to the plate and had her own classroom for the year. We worked so well together,” he said. Between creating lessons and posting them virtually to Google Classroom and Seesaw, “it became like clockwork.” Bottiger saw the positives to such an unusual year, such as building even stronger co-teaching relationships, including more interactive games and incorporating a new level of vibrancy in the classroom. “It was a lot of work but it made me a better teacher. It was good to have things shaken up a bit,” he said. Amazingly, Bottiger noticed that his students didn’t seem to find school to be much different for them, even with new safety measures in place. “We gave them some normalcy, we gave them some happiness, we gave them the opportunity to play with each other in a way that was normal to them,” he said. “They didn’t care about the masks; they cared about being with each other.” The co-teachers focused on bringing joyful experiences and laughter into the classroom more than ever, and there was more intentional play. Much of what had to change in the classroom this year actually provided a richer classroom experience. “There is much of it I’d like to keep from now on because I think it was really good for them,” Bottiger said. “We equipped and prepared them for second grade as well or better than in prior years.”

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STRONGER FOR IT It is St. Thomas’s flexibility as a small school allows for beautiful experiences like those experienced in the first grade last year. Flexibility has always been a source of pride for the School, but now, its value is more palpable than ever. When there is careful planning and a solid structure in place, it allows for a school like St. Thomas’s to be nimble. The Pandemic Task Force (PTF) did just that. Made up of dedicated parents and staff members, members of the PTF volunteered countless hours of their expertise and support to help maintain the safest environment for the students and faculty. One such member is parent Eileen O’Donnell P’22, managing partner at Odonnell Company in New Haven. From her perspective, the focus

It is said that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. And this community didn’t miss a beat. The characteristics nurtured during a student’s time at St. Thomas’s came to light in all segments of the community during the pandemic. Challenge was turned into opportunity. Kindness and compassion were reflected in the supportive environment created for and between teachers. Parents jumped in and volunteered, while showing their adaptability to change. The faces of resilience walked through the building daily, with the smiling eyes of students showing not only their determination, but their joy and gratitude. “We had an extraordinary journey,” Panza said. “And at the end of the year, we have not just weathered the storm, but we’ve become stronger for it.”n

THANK YOU

to the St. Thomas’s MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS!

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the St. Thomas’s Community

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IN & AROUND THE ST. THOMAS’S COMMUNITY

y a d irst

With a host of new safety measures and school protocols, our students and families showed up for the first day with a positive attitude and adapted quickly to a new normal.

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l e p a h c l a u t r i v

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Despite not being able to gather in the Chapel each morning, our community gathered together virtually every morning from our classrooms, from our offices and from our homes. Chaplain Jill reminded us at the beginning of the year that “Chapel is whenever we come together, no matter where we are!”

IN & AROUND THE ST. THOMAS’S COMMUNITY

outdoor time

We have never been more grateful for our tremendous outdoor learning and playing spaces. While being outdoors is inherently St. Thomas’s, this year our students and faculty spent an abundance of time outside and took full advantage of the opportunity to do so!

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ay d ' s t n e r a p grand

While we missed having our favorite people on campus for Grandparents and Special Friends Day, we were happy to have them join us virtually from all over the world! Beatrice and Herbert Goodwyn, GP ’17, ’21, ’27 served as our GPSF Day Chairpersons and shared a special message about what the School means to them.

"Our students are challenged to look beyond themselves and they are encouraged to reflect on the impact that their behavior and their actions have on others. Sometimes those realizations and those reflections end up being very challenging. Our educators here at St. Thomas's Day School guide our young people through honest and sometimes tough discussions to help them find thoughtful, caring, compassionate solutions. This level of caring is greatly needed in our world today. St. Thomas's has created the kind of supportive, nurturing school community that really alludes many educational institutions."

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IN & AROUND THE ST. THOMAS’S COMMUNITY

holiday traditions

Maintaining the traditions of St. Thomas’s was of utmost importance. These traditions may have been carried out differently this year, but the joy remained as our students still experienced a Halloween parade, Christmas Chapel, a visit from Santa, and many more anticipated school events.

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y t i n u m ice com serv

The need to be socially responsible and good citizens of the world was never more apparent than it was this year, and despite restrictions that kept us from directly visiting and helping those in need, our students were still able to do their part by organizing and running clothing and food drives.

The need to be socially responsible and good citizens of the world was never been more apparent than it was this year, and despite restrictions that kept us from directly visiting and helping those in need, our students were still able to do their part by organizing and running clothing and food drives.

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IN & AROUND THE ST. THOMAS’S COMMUNITY

arts week & spirit week

Arts Week went off without a hitch as our students explored an On Demand selection of arts programming and were able to choose from a menu of presentations that included everything from guided art tours to ballet and more. Additionally, we added a Spirit Week this year that included water rocketry, the sixth-grade play, an outdoor parade to celebrate the sixth-graders, and Field Day.

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k es e e w spsirroitom parad

clas

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IN & AROUND THE ST. THOMAS’S COMMUNITY

spirit week field day

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spirit week

water rockets

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING

D IVERSI TY EQUITY

INCLUSION &

Belonging

ST. THOMAS’S IS A SCHOOL that has embedded in its mission and vision that it is a place that exists to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Having a DEIB focus has been an ongoing effort since the inception of the Diversity Committee in 2013, started by Head of School Gina Panza alongside faculty members and parents. The main goal of diversity at St. Thomas Day School is to establish communal trust to build a space for authentic belonging and complex conversation. The staple of this initiative is to first examine the transparency and accountability of DEIB work to determine if it aligns with the mission of the school. Secondly, to help support teachers in implementing DEIB curricular initiatives. Next, to broaden the conversation with the Board of Trustees on DEIB work and lastly, to move from a checklist approach to one that can be processed and implemented into the infrastructure of the institution. During the 2020-2021 academic year, all departments worked closely with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist Dr. Alecia Thomas. Administrators, faculty and staff attended monthly workshops that focused on identity work and began to peel back the layers in order for courageous conversations to ensue. Dr. Thomas helped support teachers in implementing DEIB curricular initiatives through individual meetings and faculty workshops. In addition, as Chapel serves as a time for students to gather as a whole, the Chaplain worked closely with Dr. Thomas to re-imagine programs such as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assembly and Christmas Chapel to be more inclusive. For the upcoming school year, St. Thomas’s will continue to work with Dr. Thomas in the continuation of the aforementioned with the goal of taking a deeper look into the Episcopalian identity and what that means for DEIB work at the School.

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C L ASS O F 202 1 22 St. Thomas’s Day School | BALLOON

ST. THOMAS’S GRADUATES 2021

CLASS OF 2021 NATALIE SUNG-JI BILLINGS - Hopkins School MOLLY DOROTHY CALDERONE - Hopkins School ANTON HUGO CRUZ - Hamden Hall CAROLINE ROONEY DOVE - Hopkins School LEILANI OKSANA VALERA EDUSA - Hopkins School ADELINE SEREN ELLIS - North Davis School - California WILLIAM NEVINS FORREST - Hopkins School DAVID NATHANIEL BRANTLEY FULTON - Hopkins School CHARLOTTE MILLER JENSEN - Hopkins School DAVEN PAUL KAPHAR - The Foote School LEVON MARDIROS KAPOIAN KESHISHIAN - Amity Middle School ARIADNE LEAL-PINTOR - Betsy Ross Magnet School

On Wednesday, June 9 the Class of 2021 graduated in historic fashion as the first class to have an outdoor ceremony. It was a beautiful day to celebrate a class who has shown adaptability and resilence in their last two years at St. Thomas’s Day School. Elenita Sangiovanni was the recipient of The Founders’ Award. Philip DeLise ’14 was the graduation speaker.

JAXON CHASE MANN - Hamden Hall ARJUN NICHOLS - North Haven Middle School DAVID ETHAN REYES - Hopkins School ELENITA ROSE SANGIOVANNI - Hopkins School VIVIAN EMILIA SMITH - The Foote School KAYLA HYE-SEOK SONG - Hopkins School

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ABOUT PHILIP DELISE ’14 2021 GRADUATION SPEAKER PHILIP DELISE was an eight-year student at St. Thomas’s, starting in junior kindergarten and graduating from the sixth grade in 2014. During his time at the school, Philip participated in many activities and showed great leadership. After St. Thomas’s, Philip attended the Hopkins School where his accolades and accomplishments are many. Among them, being named 2020 National Football Foundation New Haven County Scholar Athlete and the Dorrance Award for Achievement, Leadership and Character in Men’s Athletics. Philip recently completed his freshman year at Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science and received Dean’s List honors. Philip is a not only a role model for our graduates, but a peer too. Over the past two years he has had to navigate learning, graduating and transitioning amid a pandemic. We are so proud to have had him as our 2021 graduation speaker.

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ST. THOMAS’S GRADUATES 2021

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Welcome

ANNUAL EVENTS & HOLIDAYS AT ST. THOMAS’S

New Board Members!

We are proud

to welcome new

members of the Board of Trustees! They all bring a unique set of experience and qualifications, and will be instrumental in helping us to continue to grow the level of excellence at St. T’s. v

R E N U B O AT R I G H T T H E R E V. D R . L U K D E VO L D E R R O B E R T H E R DT G R E G M O KOTO F F CHRIS VIGILANTE

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SPRING 2018

WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS

THE REV. DR. LUK de VOLDER

RENU BOATRIGHT RENU BOATRIGHT is a proud STTS mom to two children,a son’24 and a daughter ’27. Renu attended Catholic school for years growing up in Texas before studying molecular biology and American history at Princeton University. She taught for a year in a charter high school in Chicago while considering teaching as a career before deciding to attend medical school at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She trained in pediatrics at Texas Children’s Hospital and at the University of Colorado. Renu has worked in primary care pediatrics since 2010, greatly enjoying the collaboration with families in the overall health of their children. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, starting in June she will be the interim Associate Dean of Student Affairs for third and fourth year students at the Frank H Netter, MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. Renu and her husband Dowin chose STTS for its focus on community and its purposeful fostering of ethically-minded scholars. While at STTS she has enjoyed working with the PTO in volunteer roles and as a class rep co-chair. She also has contributed to the health and safety efforts of the school in particular through the 2020-2021 school year and the COVID-19 . n

THE REV. DR. LUK DE VOLDER the Rector of Trinity Church on the Green, in New Haven, CT. He has been a minister for over twenty years with a focus on building community, striving for social justice, and supporting people in their development of their God-given inner strength. Luk originally hails from Belgium, where prior to his ministry in the Episcopal Church, he received his Ph.D in Theology at the Catholic University of Leuven. During that time Luk was also teaching in Middle School and High School. Throughout his academic commitments and his ministry, Luk engaged in anti-racism workgroups, youth work, choral singing, strategic planning, outdoor adventure and eco-spirituality. He and his wife, Tiffany Israel, have a daughter Audrey’27. n

ROBERT HERDT ROBERT HERDT Bob Herdt is retired from a lifetime of research, teaching and management of international agricultural research organizations. From 1969 to 1974 he was on the faculty at the University of Illinois. From 1973 to 1983 was a researcher and then head of the agricultural economics program at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. He then served as Scientific Advisor at the CGIAR Secretariat at the World Bank. From 1986 through 2000 he was Director of Agricultural Sciences at the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, and from 2000 to 2003 he was the foundation’s Vice President for Program Administration. Herdt earned his undergraduate degree in General Agriculture and Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics at Cornell, and a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Minnesota. His professional career focused on world food issues, the effect of agricultural technology and information on the productivity of farming systems and the effect on the well-being of rural people in developing countries. His recent work on management of agricultural research, intellectual property rights, and the economics of technological change is designed to foster understanding of the role of new technology as an important force generating agricultural productivity and income gains over the past century. Recently he published a retrospective on lessons from his career: People, institutions, and technology: A personal view of the role of foundations in international agricultural research and development 1960–2001, which appeared in the April 2012 issue of Food Policy Volume 37, Issue 2. He currently serves on the Boards of three small non-profits: Aquaya, Market Matters, Inc. and The Asia Rice Foundation USA. He served as Adjunct Professor of Agricultural Economics and Management at Cornell University from 1979 through 2021.n SUMMER/FALL 2021

GREG MOKOTOFF GREG MOKOTOFF is a past St. Thomas’s Day School Board member and the parent of three St. Thomas’s Day School students, Jackson (19’), Olivia (20’) and Samantha (26’). He is the husband of the current school nurse Heather. Greg is a board certified pediatric dentist. He is the founding partner of a multispecialty, multi location group dental practice. In addition to his dental training, Greg has earned his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Management. Recently Greg’s practice partnered with a major Dental Service Organization (DSO) where he now serves as a regional dental director. Greg also serves as a dental business consultant. In his spare time Greg volunteers for the Boy Scouts of America and helps to run local and international volunteer dental missions. He has served on multiple advisory committees with the Connecticut State Dental Association. Greg has been named by Connecticut Magazine as a "Top Dentist" for the past 10+ years.n

CHRIS VIGILANTE CHRISTOPHER VIGILANTE is the Chief Operating Officer of Northside Development Company, where he leads the day to day financial management of the company. He is also involved in the development process from planning, financial forecasting, government approvals, construction forecasting. Mr. Vigilante has been with Northside Development Company for 15 years and in the Real Estate Industry for 18 years. During the 15 years, Mr. Vigilante has been involved with developing in excess of $65,000,000 worth of real estate. Awards & Recognition: Congressional Recognition Certificate presented by Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro; Alderman Certificate for Community Service; Award for Outstanding Contribution presented by the New Haven Police Department; Board of Zoning Appeals – Member for 5 years. Charities Mr. Vigilante has been a part of include: Habitat For Humanity; March of Dimes; American Red Cross; Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital; New Haven Christmas Run Coordinated & Delivered 30,000+ Meals On Thanksgiving . n

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ST. THOMAS’S DAY SCHOOL

VIRTUAL ALUMNI TRIVIA NIGHT On Wednesday, March 3, St. Thomas’s held a Virtual Alumni Trivia Night. Former and current faculty were joined by almost 50 alumni spanning over 20 graduation years. It was a fun and memorable night for all!

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION This year was unlike any other as we were not able to welcome our families and community members onto campus and into the school buildings, nor were we able to gather together in celebration. Therefore, in an effort to stay connected, St. Thomas’s hosted a series of Coffee and Conversation google meets with various administrative team and faculty members to discuss everything from curriculum to Chapel to the current state of the School.

GUEST SPEAKER DR. STEVEN MARANS Dr. Steven Marans, child and adult psychoanalyst at the Yale Child Study Center, joined our community virtually on Wednesday, October 28 to discuss the impact of external stressors due to the current state of world affairs and the challenges inherent in managing them. 29 SUMMER/FALL 2021

ALUMNI profiles STEVEN MCDONALD ’98 STEVEN MCDONALD IS AN ASSISTANT of emergency medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where he has been working tirelessly on the emergency room floor fighting the COVID- 19 pandemic since March. In addition to his time on the front lines, Steven has taken a deep dive into advocacy work focusing on the disparities that exist for communities of color in the hospitals, in medicine, and in our country. While Steven has always worked for marginalized communities, but feeling like he was not achieving enough, he was motivated into action after an extraordinarily tough spring in the emergency room. With a tremendous volume of patients, and no real clear therapy to offer at the time, Steven was left feeling helpless. Additionally, working on the front lines of the pandemic brought to light the racial inequities that exist in our country. He reached a point where he thought “enough is enough” and submitted a written piece to The Atlantic. “No One is Supporting the Doctors” was published in April 2020. Since then, Steven has been published in the New York Times and has been quoted and interviewed by several other media outlets regarding the pandemic, racism, and the social unrest that surrounds it all. Currently, he is involved in a project at CUIMC that looks at differential treatment of agitated patients by race. This project is a result of a health equality class Steven began in September. In the future, he hopes to continue writing and doing advocacy work (and perhaps produce a podcast) with the hopes of catching the attention of policy makers. At St. Thomas’s we nurture empathy, compassion, respect and inclusivity and encourage our students to provoke change and to be "upstanders" in the fight against racism. 30 St. Thomas’s Day School | BALLOON

Steven is among the many alumni who have recognized their personal responsibility to make this a better world and is a true role model for the St. Thomas’s student. Offering a few words of advice to our students, Steven says, “The world today seems to have a lot of problems, and you may think ’wow there is no hope, what can one person do?’ St. Thomas’s is one of the most supportive environments that I have ever been in and I learned to not despair and that I could make a change n

ALUMNI PROFILES

MEGAN JANEWAY ’95 MEGAN JANEWAY is a surgical resident at Boston Medical Center, a safety net hospital for the Boston area. This past spring, she was repurposed to the COVID- 19 procedure team as Covid patients at the hospital reached 80% of admissions. As a hospital that is in one of the cities hardest hit by Covid and that largely serves the more affected low-income, Black and Hispanic communities; Boston Medical Center had a number of critically ill patients in the spring. Although a difficult time for all, Megan says she was honored to have served on the Covid procedure team and felt a sense of camaraderie from her co-workers who never questioned their essentiality or purpose. While admittedly the pandemic is incredibly tragic and has deeply affected the community at Boston Medical Center, Megan noted a few important takeaways. First, the pandemic has been a good lesson for physicians on the importance of having flexibility, adapting systems, and expanding thinking on care with limited health resources. And secondly, the pandemic has highlighted the social disparities that exist in health care in a way that simply can no longer be ignored. Seven years ago, Megan co-founded Socially Responsible Surgery, a group of physicians who work together with the goal of “leading the effort to establish social responsibility as a core value of surgical practice. This includes equal access to surgical care, eliminating healthcare disparities, increasing patient advocacy as well as educating and serving our local and global community.” While Megan and her team have been working for healthcare equity for years, the pandemic has drawn closer attention to it, which has helped in getting access to legislators to work to improve surgical care for marginalized communities. Megan and her team at Socially Responsible Surgery have been and continue to work full steam ahead to address healthcare inequalities. Megan is yet another one of the many alumni who have recognized their responsibility to their community and world and have taken action. She believes that it all started at St. Thomas’s. “My interest in the disparities that exist in the world started during my time at St. Thomas’s. The experiences and exposure that I had, whether it was my classmates, the field trips we took, or the things I learned about, it was all very formative and one of the most influential things to me.”n

EAMON DUFFY ’99 Eamon Duffy is in his third out of a three year residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. As an internal medicine resident, Eamon was part of the vast majority of doctors who had to regroup and spend quite a bit of time in the COVID ICU over the past year. His entire training experience was upended in a matter of weeks, and while it was a devastating and tragic time to be going through residency, Eamon chooses to focus on the positives. “It was great to be on the front lines, to contribute, and to be able to take care of patients and feel like you are a part of something bigger. Ultimately this is why you decide to go into medicine,” says Eamon. Eamon explains that the hospital operated at a high level, with the whole health care system rising to the occasion, and that provided learning experiences that will make him a much stronger physician in the long run. Next year, Eamon will take that experience to New York-Presbyterian Columbia Hospital, where he will be a cardiology fellow. Another shining example of a St. Thomas’s Day School alumnus, we thank him for his efforts on the frontlines and wish him the best in his future endeavors. 31 SUMMER/FALL 2021

CLASS OF 2015

Where are they now?

ELIZA BARKER University of Vermont

RORY LATHAM Yale University

GONZALO DE LA MORA Columbia University

SAMANTHA TORRES University of Connecticut

IAN LEAL-PINTOR University of Connecticut

RUARI PUTNAM Unknown

CYRUS CHEMERY Columbia University

DEXTER LOURENCO University of Connecticut

ANDREW CREWS Gap Year

EMMA ROLLINS Colby College

ISABEL DUNLAP St. Olaf College

JULIETTE ST. GEORGE Stonehill College

MICHAEL FURNIVAL Florida Southern College

LILIENA STORER Arcadia University

LORELEI GOODALL Drexel University

JOHAR VARMA Northeastern University

IKEM IKEKPEAZU Choate Rosemary Hall

ELLA IP Colby College

LAYLA TRACEY Quinnipiac University St. Thomas’s Day School | BALLOON

ALUMNI NOTES

1987 1973 Martin Beatty writes, “I have nothing, but the fondest of memories of my days at St. Thomas’s. I consider that my Academic foundation and would not have been accepted to Middlebury if it were not for my start with learning at St. Thomas’s.” Martin enjoys being the Head Coach of Track and Field at Middlebury College in Vermont, which he has been doing for thirty-three years. However, this year has had its challenges. "They are practicing in order to stay sharp, but more importantly, as an athletic department, are focusing on issues of social justice. Each athletic team is reading articles and engaging in team discussions on social problems and how they can each help our team, college, and world be a more inclusive and supportive environment."

1977 Peter Loge joined the faculty of the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University as an associate professor in 2017. In March of 2019 he launched the Project on Ethics in Political Communication at GWU to promote the study, teaching and practice of political communication ethics. Peter writes, “My work with the Project keeps reminding me of how much of what I have done in a 25+ year career in politics and strategic communication, and how much of my view of ethics, is rooted in what I learned at St. Thomas’s Day School.”

1981 Charlotte Pooley Deckhut has been living in San Diego since 1992 with her husband, Derek, and three boys, Nic (22), Ben (21) and Sam (19). Charlotte and Derek just celebrated their wedding anniversary that took place 25 years ago in the St Thomas’s Chapel! She is currently a chemist at Johnson & Johnson and manages the global chemical inventory for Discovery Chemistry.

Alexandra Teter is a pilates and physical therapy instructor. She started her own business during COVID with the goal of integrating mental health therapy with movement to treat trauma, anxiety and depression.

1995 After finishing his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital, Andrew Baldwin accepted a position as an attending cardiac surgeon at Hawaii Pacific Health in Honolulu along with his wife Courtney (who is also a heart surgeon) and daughter Eliot. Though they never expected to move so far from St. Thomas’s, they are excited for their new adventure and proud to still support our school from across the world. Megan Janeway is a surgical resident at Boston Medical Center. Additionally, Meganis a co-founder of Socially Responsible Surgery, a group of physicians who work together with the goal of “leading the effort to establish social responsibility as a core value of surgical practice. This includes equal access to surgical care, eliminating healthcare disparities, increasing patient advocacy as well as educating and serving our local and global community.”

1998 Steven McDonald is an emergency room physician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. He enjoyed a relaxing summer with frequent getaways to the beach after the stress of managing COVID patients the spring before. He recently appeared in ads for an e-bike company funded by fellow alumna Barrie Segal!

1999 Eamon Duffy recently completed a three year residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Eamon is now a cardiology fellow at New York-Presbyterian Columbia Hospital.

1982

2000

Annie Walton-Teter/Ann Myra recently published her first children’s book called “Annabel on the Ground.”

Phillip Domfeh lives in Los Angeles where he works as the Senior Manager of Disney’s new Launchpad series. This series includes live action short films that are directed by up and coming directors with minority backgrounds and deal with themes of family and culture.

1983 Jessica Pooley Vets has been married to Robert Vets for 26 years. They live in Seattle, although 2018 and 2019 saw them working in San Francisco where they got a small apartment downtown and enjoyed awesome views of the Bay Bridge. Jessica’s job there ended and she moved back to Seattle, taking a position with Edward Jones Investment as a Financial Advisor.

2001 James Beall graduated with an MBA from Columbia Business School in 2018 after five years in life insurance brokerage. He is currently an investment banker at Citi covering insurance and insurtech companies.

33 SUMMER/FALL 2021

2002

2016

Victoria Robinson graduated from Stanford in 2012 and from Duke Medical School in 2020. Victoria is now a pediatric resident at Columbia Presbyterian in New York.

Maise Bilston received the The Karen Lee Pritzker Prize for Creative Writing and Baldwin Prize Essay, Senior School, at Hopkins. Talia Chang will be a senior at Hopkins School. She is an active member of the Diversity Board, co-head of the Hopkins Drama Association and hopes for snow this winter so she can have some good runs with the ski team.

2007 Michael Berry is working towards a PhD in clinical psychology at Drexel University.

2009 Sam Berry is working towards a PhD in biophysics at Harvard.

2013 Connor Hartigan spent the 2019-20 academic year in Toulouse, France, working as a volunteer English teacher and singing in the choir of the Basilica of St-Sernin. He spent last summer working at the Book Barn in Niantic, and has completed his first year at Georgetown University, where he especially enjoys studying French, Government, and Theology, and is a member of the Concert Choir, the Pep Band, the Tocqueville Forum, and the French Cultural Association.

2014 Alexis Chang received the John A. Wilkinson Award at Hopkins this past spring and will be attending Occidental College to study Music Production this fall. She is looking forward to living in sunny California! Philip DeLise recently completed his freshman year at Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science and received Dean’s List honors.

2015 Cyrus Chemery received the Jeremiah Peck Greek Prize award from Hopkins. He will be attending Columbia University in NYC in the fall of 2021. Gonzalo de La Mora received the William DeGennaro Outstanding Male Athlete Award at Hopkins. He will be attending Columbia in the fall. Isabel Dunlap will be attending St. Olaf College in the fall for music. Lorelei Goodall will be in the Civil and Environmental Engineering program at Drexel University. She has her sights set on a career developing solutions to climate change.Ian LealPintor is attending The University of Connecticut at the Hartford Campus, majoring in Finance. Dexter Lourenco was accepted into The University of Connecticut. He has his pilot’s license and will be going into the army as a helicopter pilot. Emma Rollins will be attending Colby College in Maine and will likely major in Biology/Neuroscience. Liliena Storer graduated with First Honors from Cheshire Academy. She will be continuing her studies at Arcadia University in Glen Side, Pennsylvania where she will study business and play ice hockey for their inaugural Division 3 women’s ice hockey program. Layla Tracey will be attending Quinnipiac University. She was recruited to become a Division 1 acro and tumbling athlete for the University. She plans to study psychology.

34 St. Thomas’s Day School | BALLOON

2018 Henry Rugemer is enjoying being a student at Engineering and Science University Magnet School High School. He will be beginning his sophomore year in the fall. Henry plays two instruments, bass guitar and piano. He is on the Hillhouse varsity baseball team and plays on New Haven’s American Legion team.

2019 Claire Billings received the Junior School Latin Prize award at Hopkins. Eleanor Lee received the John B. Smith Prize for Excellence in English in Grade 8 at Hopkins

ANNUAL REPORT 2020 - 2021

Annual

REPORT Message From the Director of Institutional Advancement Dear Members of the St. Thomas’s Day School Community,

It goes without saying that in order for St. Thomas’s to open its doors this past year, that an incredible amount of time, hard work, and resources had to be put behind it. Board members, administrators, parent volunteers, faculty, and staff worked tirelessly throughout the spring and summer to assure that St. Thomas’s could provide a productive school year under the safest conditions. The School was committed to its students and families, and put forth whatever it took to make sure it could open for in-person learning five full days a week. This included a substantial financial investment to assure the health and safety of our students. Our community of current families, alumni, past families, faculty, staff and friends stunned us by recognizing the School’s efforts and investment with an unprecedented level of support. While year after year, we are ever more impressed and grateful for the growing level of donor support, this year we were shown the absolute power of a community who jointly prioritizes the well-being of our students and who cares deeply about the lasting legacy of the School. On June 30, the Annual Fund closed at approximately $225,000 and 239 donors, a dollar increase of 57% and a donor increase of 22% over the previous year. Additionally, the largest Annual Fund gift in school history was made In honor of Head of School Gina Panza, encouraging many others to make similarly dedicated gifts and giving us an emotional start to the fiscal year. The numbers listed are outstanding and the money raised vastly helped the School cover the unplanned expenses of opening the doors this year. But more so, this level of support validated that we have an incredibly dedicated community that will do whatever it takes to support the education and future of our students. We thank each and every one of you for your part in making this a better world! With much appreciation, Danielle Plante

2020 - 2021

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONAL REVENUES & EXPENSES REVENUES AND SUPPORT

FYE 2021

FYE 2020

TUITION AND FEES (ALL PROGRAMS)

2,792,810

2,897,700

STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND OTHER

435,956

35,907

ANNUAL FUND

224,443

140,559

CONTRIBUTIONS (RESTRICTED)

250

2,169

INVESTMENT INCOME (ALL ASSETS)

1,118,229

226,051

PLAYGROUND PROJECT

5,000

TOTAL

$ 4,571,687

$3,307,386

EXPENSES

FYE 2021

FYE 2020

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM

2,010,134

1,604,902

ADMINISTRATIVE & DEVELOPMENT

949,434

915,117

FINANCIAL AID

716,832

606,224

TOTAL

$3,676,400

$3,126,243

Director of Institutional Advancement

35 SUMMER/FALL 2021

LARGEST EVER GIFT TO THE ST. THOMAS’S DAY SCHOOL ANNUAL FUND WAS MADE THIS YEAR IN HONOR OF HEAD OF SCHOOL GINA PANZA

In honor of Head of School, Gina Panza, the largest ever annual fund pledge was made to St. Thomas’s this past November. Donors Heather and Greg Mokotoff P’19, ’20, ’26 said,

"We want our gift to be an acknowledgement of Gina’s extraordinary leadership and herculean efforts during this extremely challenging time for our school community and the greater world. Gina’s guidance along with the remarkable work of countless others has allowed the school to remain open for in-person learning at a time when all of our children need it the most. We wish to express our gratitude to Gina and the entire St Thomas’s Day School team." This gift was used immediately to support the unplanned expenses of operating a school amidst a global pandemic. St. Thomas’s is incredibly grateful for this tremendous show of generosity, leadership, and commitment. In a year where it was needed more than ever, this gift, along with all other Annual Fund gifts, helped the School attend to its most pressing needs and benefitted each and every student. If you would like to join the Mokotoffs in making a gift in honor of Gina Panza, please indicate that when making a gift online or by directly contacting Director of Institutional Advancement Danielle Plante at dplante@stthomasday.org. 36 St. Thomas’s Day School | BALLOON

GENEROUS OURDONORS GENEROUS 2020 DONORS - 2021 HEAD OF SCHOOL CIRCLE Gifts of $10,000 or above

Greg and Heather Mokotoff, P ’19, ’20, ’26 Carmen and Waring Partridge, P ’17, ’20, ’25 Anonymous

FELLOWS

Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999 Richard Carroll and Barbara Roach, P ’01, ’02 Emily and John Forrest ’88, P ’21, ’24 The William C. Graustein Donor Advised Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation Betty Panza, GP ’97, ’99 Jenny Chou and Nicholas Parrillo, P ’26 Joseph and Gale Parrillo, GP ’26 Ken and Holly Paul, GP ’19, ’20, ’26 Charles Pennington and Susan Zhang, P ’16, ’22, ’24 Eileen O’Donnell and Anthony Skrip, P ’22 Kigon Song and Justina Cho, P ’19, ’21, ’24 Hansel Tookes, GP ’24

2020 - 2021

D O N O RS

ST. THOMAS’S DAY SCHOOL is proud to recognize

the many donors who made gifts or pledges in the 20202021 fiscal year. Thank you to all of the members of our community whose support will continue to provide another year of exceptional educational programming.

GIVING CLUBS Annual Fund gifts of $1,000 or more receive special recognition for their generosity to St. Thomas’s Day School. These leadership level donors set a shining example for others; adding to the momentum that will carry St. Thomas’s Day School to even greater levels of achievement.

ASSOCIATES

Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999 Elizabeth Alexander Family Fund P ’10, ’11 Alex and Tracy Babbidge, P ’06, ’10, 12 Christopher and Randima Cavallaro, P’24, ’27 Nancy and David Dove, P ’21 Donald and Sally Edwards Tracey Furnari and William English Aromy Xayasouk and Gerard Padro, P ’26, ’28 Gina and Prisco Panza Deborah Paul Joan Steitz, P ’92

FRIENDS OF ST. THOMAS’S Gifts of $1,000 - $2,499

Christopher Alexopoulos & Heather Tookes Alexopoulos, P ’24 Renu and Dowin Boatright, P ’24, ’27 Katherine McKenzie and Craig Crews, P ’09, ’15 Philip and Lois DeLise, P ’14 Ruth Drews, P ’02 John and Catherine Forrest, P ’88, ’90, ’96, GP ’21, ’24 Janet Patys and Jonathan Gage P ’96, ’00 Amira Gohara, GP ’18, ’20 Aarti Bhatia and Lohith Gowda, P ’26 Pamela Hu and Jonathan Hall, P ’25, ’27 Michael Klingbeil and Anita Buckmaster P ’22, ’22 Koizim Family Fund Jasoon Koo-Cho and Oh-Kon Cho, GP ’26 Ted and Lisa Lovejoy, P ’10, ’14 Yize Zhao and Song Ma, P ’26 Basmah Safdar and Abeel Mangi, P ’27, ’28 David Newton, P ’02 Leslie and Otoniel Reyes, P ’21 Stephen Robinson, P ’02 Huiying Lu and Yongping Sang, P ’20 Heather Gerken and David Simon, P ’14, ’18 Lois Pan and Joseph Tagliarini, P ’20, ’22 Taisu Zhang and Xiaoxue Zhao, P ’24, ’26 Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore, P ’22, ’24

37 SUMMER/FALL 2021

The following is a list of individuals who made an Annual Fund or capital gift during the 2020-2021 fiscal year. We are very grateful for their generous support to St. Thomas’s Day School:

Abeel Mangi and Basmah Safdar

Sheng Zhang and Zhaoxia Sun

Katie Malison ’10

John and Catherine Forrest

Deon Mann and Kanicka Ingram-Mann

Steven McDonald ’98

FACULTY/STAFF

Olivia Mokotoff ’20

Jonathan Gage and Janet Patys

Shannon Maxon

Richard and Christine Alcutt

Jennifer McTiernan Hamid Mojibian and Manijeh Zehtabchi

Ashley Bonilla Natal and Edwin Ortega Elya Bottiger

PARENTS

Greg and Heather Mokotoff

Christopher Alexopoulos and Heather Tookes Alexopoulos

Aromy Xayasouk and Gerard Padro

Amy and Andrew Gagne

David and Susan Parke Nicholas Parrillo and Jenny Chou

Jason Atkinson and Christina Ferando Paul and Hollister Berry Trey and Elisa Billings

Kevin Mullen and Paige Bartels

Craig Bottiger

Ginger and Scott Junkin

Nora and Christopher Lee

Alexis Highsmith Smith ’91 and Ken Smith

Mary-Christy Fisher and Harold Koh

Joanne and Michael Maselli

Daniel Turner-Evans ’98

Ruth Koizim

Josiah and Megan Venter

Allison and Richard Kravitz

Deepak and Hina Goplani

Jill and Chris Morrison

Christopher and Randima Cavallaro

Katie and Masa Patterson

Charline Reid

Ted and Lisa Lovejoy

Norine Page and Jim Dadio

David and Allison Marro

Alex and Tracy Babbidge

Tracey Meares

Gina and Prisco Panza

Eric Baum and Danielle Antin-Ozerkis

Marc and Tanya Michaelson

Sandra Klihr-Beall and John Beall

Blair and Pat Moffett

Steven Berry and Lauren Pinzka

David Newton

Katie and Masa Patterson Danielle Plante Leslie and Otoniel Reyes

Robin and Eric Reymond

Nathaniel Ellis and Britt Anderson

Josiah and Erin Rowe

Sandra and Robert Rizzo

Shawn and Mercedes Ellis

Alex and Elaine Sangiovanni

Chelsea Roncato Chris Stapleton

Fernando and Mercedes Fernandes

Anthony Skrip and Eileen O’Donnell

Chaundra and David Vasseur

John and Emily Forrest

Alexis Highsmith Smith and Ken Smith

Josiah and Megan Venter

Ethan and Katie Smith

Matthew and Jennifer Gregory

Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore

Jonathan Hall and Pamela Hu

Kigon Song and Justina Cho

Keniel Hall and Janiline Shepherd-Hall

Andrzej and Jessica Stanek

Langdon Hammer and Uta Gosmann

Jeremiah and Talia Sutherland

Robin and Eric Reymond

Martin Beatty ’73

Margaret Chambers

Fiona Leary Boucher ’93 and Justin Boucher Christopher Cavallaro ’90 and Randima Cavallaro Sally Dawidoff ’76 Rocco DeMaio III ’20

Prakash and Shari Thomas

Malcolm Edusa ’17

Kyle Jensen and Kathryn Miller-Jensen

Jamaal Thomas and Erika Lake-Thomas

John Forrest ’88 and Emily Forrest

Titus and Julianne Kaphar

Thomas Thornhill and Anne Turner Gunnison

Benjamin Gage ’96 and Ann-Dorit Boy

Chaundra and David Vasseur

Christopher Gallant ’00

Matthew and Donna Vinci

Paige Greger-Moser ’07

Christopher and Nora Lee Song Ma and Yize Zhao

Travis Zadeh and Supriyah Gandhi Taisu Zhang and Xiaoxue Zhao

38 St. Thomas’s Day School | BALLOON

Chris and Margaret Brigham

Anthony and Cynthia Cavallaro

Jesse Horsford

Haibin and Yan Wang

Kathleen Bower

ALUMNI/AE

Conor Duffy ’97 and Nicole Bikakis

Jasoon Koo and Oh-Kon Cho

Dana and Lucia Blanchard

Sarah Walters

Joseph Tagliarini and Lois Pan

Michael Klingbeil and Anita Buckmaster

Susan and Bob Blanchard

Richard Carroll and Barbara Roach

Carol Horsford

Kiran Keshav and Kate Baldwin

John Loge

Elizabeth Alexander

Asia Goodwyn Edusa

Craig Smith and Erica Ahlert-Smith

Molly LeVan

Deanna Novella

Leslie and Otoniel Reyes

Lohith Gowda and Aarti Bhatia

PAST PARENTS Fred and Marie Acquavita

David and Nancy Dove

Thomas Fulton and Jessica Brantley

Marie Greger

Joe and Kathleen Grimaldi

Ashutosh Pathak and Bindu Lal

Christopher D’Amato and Susan Burlingame

Anthony Peretore ’94

Martha Royston ’98

Michael and Jennifer Calderone

Miguel Pizarro and Jocelyn Garrity

Derek Ohly ’87

The William C. Graustein Donor Advised Fund at The Chicago Foundation

Taryn Rathbone-Daub ’98

Lorena Ferretti

Heather and Greg Mokotoff

Tatianna Curtis

Sophia Nadel Skaar ’95

Robert and Jane Gillis

Jane Griffith and Pat Sabosik

Waring and Carmen Partridge

Youngsun Cho

Sara Nadel ’92 and Marshall Cox

David Gibson and Liz Cox

Daniel Rathbone ’04

Erin Clark

Dowin and Renu Boatright

Charles Pennington and Susan Zhang

Jackson Mokotoff ’19

Lucy Greger-Moser ’05 Emily Koh ’98 Ben Koizim ’04 Peter Loge ’77 Ted Lovejoy ’77 and Lisa Lovejoy

Sandy Chang Peter Chemery and Amy Hungerford William Clark and Debra Bond Kenneth Coleman and Naomi Panza Ken Cooper and Kathleen Vespa

Andrew and Amy Myers Craig and Ann O’Connell Norine Page and Jim Dadio Christopher Peters and Fatima Nazvi-Peters Ned and Susan Phipps Joseph Pignatello and Elizabeth Stewart Kalias Purushothaman and Malini Harigopal Donald and Sue Quinlan Rodion and Isabel Rathbone Stephen Robinson Nancy Ruddle Yongping Sang and Huiying Lu Mark Schenker Ken and Melissa Scheve

Kate McKenzie and Craig Crews

David Simon and Heather Gerken

Gina and Louis Criscuolo, III

Joan Steitz

Philip and Lois DeLise

Gordon and Rebecca Streeter

Rocco and Karla DeMaio Ruth Drews Thomas and Susan Duffy Donald and Ruth Eaton Andrew Ehrgood and Jane Lee Terry and Ginny Eicher Jeralyn Fantarella

Roxanne Turekian Dante Vece and Marcela Cisneros de Vece Jean Vining Sarah Walters Carolyn Westerfield Zoran Zimolo and Dolores Vojvoda

DONORS BOARD/VESTRY Christopher and Heather Tookes Alexopoulos (B) Keri Aubert and Jakki Flanagan (B) (V) Alex and Tracy Babbidge (B) Christopher and Randima Cavallaro (B) Gina and Louis Criscuolo III (B) Donald and Sally Edwards (B) (V) William English and Tracey Furnari (B) (V)

Ken and Holly Paul Paul and Kathryn Philip Eddie and Deborah Shepherd Walter Spencer and Dianne Hagan Charles Thompson Hansel Tookes Kathleen Wilkes

FORMER FACULTY & STAFF, FRIENDS Fred and Marie Acquavita Barbara Bennett

Jeralyn Fantarella (B)

Susan and Bob Blanchard

John and Emily Forrest (B)

Dana and Lucia Blanchard

Eileen O’Donnell and Anthony Skrip (B)

Dexter and Barbara Cheney

Gina and Prisco Panza (B)

Elizabeth Ferando

Ken and Holly Paul (B)

Ida and Joseph Ginnetti

Otoniel and Leslie Reyes (B)

Marie Greger

Denise and Don Terry (B) (V)

Deborah Israel

CURRENT AND PAST GRANDPARENTS

John Loge

Janie and Jeff Lange Blair and Pat Moffett

Fred and Marie Acquavita

Andrew and Amy Myers

Phyllis Aldrich

Craig and Ann O’Connell

Richard and Kristin Baldwin

Deborah Paul

Elvera Berry

Linda Pawelek

Dana and Nancy Blanchard

John Persse

Clement and Donna Burlingame

Charles Thompson

Anthony and Cynthia Cavallaro Jasoon Koo-Cho and Oh-Kon Cho Steven and Ellen D’Amato Lin Elmo Irma Ferando Catherine and John Forrest Amira Gohara Herbert and Beatrice Goodwyn Robert Gunnison and Jan Turner Gunnison Karel Heczko Bruce and Ceal Holden David Hu and Janet Tang Thomas and Nina Kahle Michael and Lorraine Malignaggi Reggie and Lois Maxon Christopher and Kay Mowatt Tan Nguyen Betty Panza Joseph and Gale Parrillo

Ned and Susan Phipps Roxanne Turekian

MEMORIAL AND HONORARY GIFTS Richard and Kristin Baldwin In honor of Alden Keshav Sandy Chang In honor of Alexis and Talia Chang Josiah and Erin Rowe In honor of Ashlin and Diana Rowe Deborah Israel In honor of Audrey De Volder Jesse and Carol Horsford In honor of Bennett Horsford Donald and Ruth Eaton In honor of Christopher, Devin and Rebecca Eaton Thomas and Susan Duffy In honor of Conor, Eamon and Liam Duffy and In memory of Rosanne Anderson Ruth Drews In honor of Daniel Peckham Paul and Kathy Philip In honor of Daven Kaphar

Anonymous In honor of Divya and Dowin Boatright Stephen Robinson In honor of Dr. Victoria Robinson Anonymous In honor of Emilie Gregory David and Chaundra Vasseur In honor of Greyson Vasseur Deborah Paul In honor of Jackson, Olivia and Samantha Mokotoff Kathleen Wilkes In honor of Judah, Simon and Avery Stanek Christopher and Kay Mowatt In honor of Jude Patterson Jasoon Koo and Oh-Kon Cho In honor of Leo Cho Herbert and Beatrice Goodwyn In honor of Malcolm, Leiliani and Nayelli Edusa Eddie and Deborah Shepherd In honor of Mikayla Hall Charles Thompson In honor of Miles Betts John Beall and Sandra Klihr-Beall In honor of Mr. A. Tan Nguyen In honor of Nina Jones Karel Heczko In honor of Rocco DeMaio III and the Class of 2020 Sheng Zhang and Zhaoxia Sun In honor of Sonia Zhang David and Chaundra Vasseur In honor of the Class of 2021 Marie Greger, Paige Greger-Moser and Lucy Greger-Moser In memory of David Moser Andrew and Amy Myers In memory of Bob Malison Titus and Julianne Kaphar In memory of Calla Pearl Kaphar Anonymous In memory of Carlos PerezPadilla Andrzej and Jessica Stanek In memory of Carolyn Baker and Louis Turri Gerard Padro and Aromy Xayasouk In memory of covid victims

Steven McDonald In memory of Fay Miller David and Susan Parke In memory of Margaret Hartmann Katie Malison In memory of Robert Malison Anonymous In honor of the great class of 1981 Eileen O’Donnell and Anthony Skrip In memory of Charles O’Donnell

HONORING ST. THOMAS’S DAY SCHOOL FACULTY AND STAFF Kigeon Song and Justina Cho In recognition of extraordinary school head, asst head, & teachers of STTS

FOUNDATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Earl Lin Ted and Lisa Lovejoy Paul and Cynthia McCraven Laurence Nadel and Susan Bryson Ted and Jennifer Ruger Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore

GIFTS IN KIND Renu Boatright Michael Kaplan Steven Marans Heather and Greg Mokotoff

Greg and Heather Mokotoff In honor of Gina Panza Lohith Gowda and Aarti Bhatia In honor of Gina Panza Deanna Novella In honor of Gina Panza Jennifer McTiernan In honor of Gina Panza Craig Smith and Erica Ahlert-Smith In honor of Gina Panza and Sarah Walters Dowin and Renu Boatright In honor of Gina Panza, school leadership and teachers during this trying year Anonymous In honor of the St. Thomas’s teachers and staff Anonymous In honor student support Lorena Ferretti In honor of St. T’s community Linda and John Pawelek In honor of the Arts at STTS Walter Spencer and Dianne Hagan In honor of Nora Lee Anonymous In honor of Mrs. Page Matthew and Donna Vinci In honor of Chelsea Roncato Langdon Hammer and Uta Gosmann In honor of Craig Bottiger

39 SUMMER/FALL 2021

Non Profit Org US Postage PAID Waterbury, CT Permit #118

The St. Thomas’s Day School Annual Fund 2021-2022

LET IT BEGIN WITH ME Each day at St. Thomas’s Day School the students end Chapel by reciting “Make this a better world, and let it begin with me.” A St. Thomas’s education is more than just a rigorous academic program. The students participate in daily events and programs that allow them to develop into confident, compassionate, kind, and active citizens who go out into the world and make a difference. The Annual Fund provides the financial assistance needed to sustain and grow the programs that help us nurture strong leaders and good community members. We ask you to join us in paving the way for our students, the future, by making a gift to the Annual Fund in the 2021-2022 school year. Gifts can be made using the return envelope attached to The Balloon or by visiting

www.stthomasday/onlinegiving.org

Questions? Please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Danielle Plante at d p l a n t e @ s t t h o m a s d a y.o r g or ( 2 0 3 ) 7 76 - 2 1 2 3 x 1 2 2