Lantern THE
S P RING/ S UMMER 2020
THE MAGAZINE OF LANDMARK SCHOOL
LANDMARK RESET As a community we have learned to accept the uncertainty we face in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we plan for the 2020–2021 school year, we are looking ahead with renewed strength, purpose, and hope.
High School Reopening Plan check it out!
Reply
In case you missed it, please visit our website and check out Landmark’s
Elementary•Middle School Reopening Plan
MISSION: Landmark’s mission is to enable and empower students with language-based
learning disabilities (LBLD) to reach their educational and social potential through an exemplary school program complemented by outreach and training, assessment, and research.
Lantern THE
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern is published twice yearly by the Marketing and Communications Department at Landmark School, P.O. Box 227, Prides Crossing, MA 01965-0227 The Lantern is available online at landmarkschool.org/lantern Contact us at lantern@landmarkschool.org Lantern Editorial Committee and Contributors Scott Blanchette Bob Broudo P’11 Hazel Crowley Danielle Figueira Michelle Granese Scott Harlan Rob Kahn Brittany Kenney Avery McNiff Katie Mullen Beth Rowen P’20 Susan Tomases Designer Melanie deForest-Malloy Contributors Nate Efinger Mitchell Geffin ’25 Danica Kurzhals ’08 Erin Morrisseau ’20 Laura Polvinen Brook Sumner Jeanne Talbot P’20
Photographers Stan Godlewski Kelly Howard Kieran Kesner ’09 Chris Kiisiel, Tasher Studio in Woburn Winslow Martin Illustrator Olivia Malloy
W I N SLOW M A RT I N ( 2 )
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURE ARTICLES
12 L andmark School Goes Virtual 13 Discoveries, Innovations, and Silver Linings 18 Landmark’s Daily One-to-One Virtual Tutorial 20 Navigating Uncharted Waters 22 Landmark’s Virtual Six Teaching Principles 26 Class of 2020 42 Landmark Reset 54 Embracing Our Differences 56 Scholastic Art Awards 64 Rob Kahn’s Redirection
26
2
The Lantern
GO ES VI R TU AL 42
64
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
5 70
DEPARTMENTS ◗ HEADLIGHT
4
Landmark’s First Virtual Lantern
◗ THE BEACON
5
Landmark’s News in Brief
◗ SPOTLIGHT
69 Alumni: Danica Kurzhals ’08 70 Student: Mitchell Geffin ’25 72 Donor: The DiGiovanni Family ◗ PENLIGHT
74 In Her Own Words, Erin Morrisseau ’20 ◗ STARLIGHT
76 Athletics 78 Performing Arts ◗ FLOODLIGHT
80 Events 83 Alumni Notes
72
76 SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
3
HEADLIGHT a message from the Headmaster
Landmark’s First Virtual Lantern Another Creative Pivot by Bob Broudo
The year 2020 will always be known as the year of the pandemic, and perhaps also as the year of the pivot. Pivoting itself, the concept, certainly is not new. When I was in eighth grade, my basketball coach trained and drilled us in the skill and value of a good, quick pivot as a means to beat the defense, get to the boards, and change the course of the game. When Landmark was founded on a hilltop overlooking Massachusetts Bay within sight of a lighthouse, we adopted this symbol as our logo because it represents the need for a ship to pivot from its course to avoid danger, just as Landmark’s mission is to change the course of our students’ lives as they pivot from failure and frustration to success and self confidence.
4
The Lantern
remote teaching and learning programs. As these programs rolled out in phases, the faculty became facile in new tools and methods and, most importantly, our students continued to learn. As we chart our course toward the 2020–2021 academic year, we know we can be successful with every student through our on-campus programs, and now we also know that we can provide and be successful with fullday remote programs, if need be. Landmark rose to the challenge of a monumental pivot under the pressure and immediacy of a worldwide health pandemic—an affirmation of what works about the Landmark spirit and model. We’ve experienced highs and lows throughout our 50-year history and this unexpected pivot brought our community together like never before. BOOK-OPEN
“ Landmark rose to the challenge of a monumental pivot under the pressure and immediacy of a worldwide health pandemic—an affirmation of what works about the Landmark spirit and model.” K I E RA N K E SN E R ’ 09
When confronted by COVID-19 and the need to close our campuses and cancel our summer programs, everything that underpins Landmark’s unique programs immediately came undone. In-person, face-to-face, oneto-one tutorials; small classes; meaningful and empowering community involvement; and ever-present social and emotional support were interrupted. Yet, they never stopped as the Landmark team showed its incredible investment in our students and demonstrated its unmatched creativity as they grasped this opportunity to PIVOT (Provide Instruction Via Other Techniques). Administrators, faculty, technology specialists—everyone—harnessed their energy and ability to adapt, innovate, research and learn, and implemented Landmark’s first-ever
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Beacon Landmark’s News in Brief |
SPORTS
|
FACULTY
|
THE ARTS
|
STUDENTS
❱❱ SPRING/SUMMER 2020 |
SERVICE
|
ALUMNI
|
RESOURCES
❱❱ SHOWING THE LOVE
High School Video Tribute to Annie Elso
Science Fair—30 Years Strong More than 50 budding scientists participated in the High School’s 30th annual Science Fair in February. The innovative projects included testing the efficacy of ski wax on ski performance at varying temperatures, assessing whether the size and number of holes placed in the cap of a Coke bottle affects the distance the soda would be propelled when Mentos candies were added to the liquid, determining how music genres of rap, easy listening, rock, or pop affect concentration, and much more. Christina Scanlon, assistant head of the science department, said, “The day was a great way for students to share a self-directed project that they developed and fine-tuned over two months. And it was great to see how proud they were of the hard work they invested in their projects.” Judges evaluated each student’s use of the scientific method, content, oral presentation, and display.
check it out!
Reply
Caret-Circle-Left
Stay in the Loop CONNECT WITH US:
facebook.com/landmarkschool @landmarkschool landmarkschool
The Landmark School Alumni landmark360.org
Making Music
PANDEMIC PIVOT SPRING/SUMMER 2020
This year’s winners were: 1st place: Running and Memory, Emily V. 2nd place: Which Golf Ball Will Perform the Best?, Ethan C. 3rd place: AI vs. Humans, Matt F.
Our beloved High School crossing guard, Annie Elso, learns the name of every student, faculty, and staff member before the first leaf falls in September, and she greets each with a smile, hug, or compliment with every trek up or down the hill. Soon after the campuses closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, senior Margaret Hamilton created a video of Annie’s biggest fans showing gratitude and sending her warm wishes. Thank you, Margaret!
Rising sophomore Jack Bram ends the 2019–2020 school year with a first-ever Virtual Night of Music. Check it out on page. 79.
The Lantern
5
Beacon ❱❱ Landmark’s News in Brief
Math Day
Competition was fierce at February’s Math Day! Landmark High School students were tasked with building a table out of one full newspaper and a half roll of masking tape. The class that constructed the tallest table that supported the most textbooks won bragging rights. Students used a formula that incorporated both the height and the number of textbooks that the structure could hold. Each class had 35 minutes to design and build their tables.
Citizen Bee
Students pose in a picture frame to highlight their individuality.
Landmark High School students prevailed over the faculty team, 20–19, in the annual Citizen Bee, a friendly trivia match that pits a team of student Citizen Bee All Stars against faculty polymaths. In an equally close competition, Mr. Murphy’s economics class defeated Ms. Morrow’s psychology class, 22–21, in the championship round of the Citizen Bee.
Less Is More
For 24 hours in late winter, students in Jennifer Kuhns’s Environmental Science classes carried every bit of trash they produced. They didn’t recycle, compost, or use trash bins. “The exercise helped make them mindful of the amount of waste they produce, the environmental impact, and how small behavioral changes can have a lasting effect on the economy as well as the environment,” said Mrs. Kuhns. Her eighth period class produced an impressively small amount of trash: a few napkins and tissues, disposable cups, 6
The Lantern
a soda can, a banana peel, and paper. The students reported making conscious decisions to produce less trash. For example, some didn’t use paper towels to dry their hands, others forced themselves to clean their plates, while another used a metal coffee filter rather than a paper one. The students didn’t seem to see these changes as difficult, except maybe the student who forced down a less-than-palatable hamburger.
Identity Day
In March, the Landmark Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) and the International Group observed Landmark’s fourth annual Identity Day, a daylong celebration during which students dressed in clothing that represented their identity. Other events included a student panel in the Performing Arts Center, a photobooth, and delectable tres leches(three SPRING/SUMMER 2020
milk) cake provided by SAGE Dining Services. The student panel opened with a quote from Catherine Burns, artistic director of the Moth Radio Hour, that reflected the intention of Identity Day. “Sometimes it is easier to make sense of the world one story at a time. And when we dare to listen, we remember there is no ‘other,’ there is only us, and what we have in common will always be greater than what separates us.” Members of the student panel answered questions about race, gender, and sexuality. The students said they welcome questions from others about their ethnicity or sexual orientation as long as they are asked respectfully. Ethan Kerr ’21, who is Mexican, said he encourages peers to ask him questions about his heritage if they are mindful of the questions they pose. For example, he said he gets frustrated when people ask him, “Are you legal?” or “What’s your immigration status?”
COMMUNITY SERVICE ALL STARS Each semester, Rev. Bill Ferguson recognizes students who have gone above and beyond in the community service program. Typically, an All Star would accumulate 50 hours or more of service, but because time on campus was cut short, he made 30 hours the minimum for All Stars.
Beverly Public Library Poetry Contest Finalists
2019–2020 ALL STARS Gavin Colby ’21 Thomas Covey ’22 Ellie Crisafulli ’21 Margaret Hamilton ’20 Katya Leikikh ’20 James McCarthy ’20 Luca Miranda ’20 Gio Pandiscio ’23 Erik Schneider ’22 Mark Silva ’22 Liz Theriault ’20
Congratulations to Landmark’s Morgan Frazier ’20 and Miles Renney ’20 for being selected as finalists in this year’s Beverly Public Library poetry contest. Reply Listen as Morgan reads her poem “March Bands Parade” and Mile’s reads his poem “Sahara.”
Judge Jeff Karp P ’23 providing a virtual lesson on the Massachusetts court system.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
“This event was a great way to celebrate and build awareness of the varied identities and experiences within our community,” said Jennifer Moy, an academic advisor and organizer of Identity Day. “The student panel did a fantastic job articulating those experiences, both shared and unique. The hope was to create more dialogue around identity and inclusion and to expand all of our individual perspectives by initiating the conversation and being authentic with one another.”
Judge Karp
Superior Court Judge Jeff Karp P’23 had planned to speak to High School students on campus in the spring, but no one skipped a beat when the session went virtual. More than 20 students, faculty, and staff attended a virtual visit and presentation by Judge Karp. The judge started off his talk by sharing a bit about his personal story as a student who struggled in school. He credits his success to “a lot of hard work and some lucky breaks,” leading to a career as an assistant district attorney, a lawyer in a private firm, and ultimately a judgeship on the Massachusetts Superior Court. He expounded on the structure of the federal and state courts, the difference between trial and appellate courts, as well as civil and criminal cases over which he presides in the Essex County system. Judge Karp also explained how juries are selected and discussed the importance of serving on a jury, a system brought to the colony of Massachusetts by the pilgrims in 1630. The students asked several challenging questions about how the prison and court systems are functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic and what some of the hardest decisions were that he’s had to make since assuming the role in 2017. Judge Karp provided honest answers to even the trickiest questions, suggesting that being a judge carries a great deal of responsibility and can, at times, be a lonely job. “Every day you are confronted by having to make life-altering decisions that directly impact human lives.” The Lantern
7
Beacon ❱❱ Landmark’s News in Brief
Virtual Alumni Panel
The Guidance Department hosted its first-ever Alumni panel for juniors and seniors in May. Alumni Emmy MacMannis ’18, Evan Graham ’18, and Jack Anastopoulos ’18 attended the session and fielded questions from 25 Landmark juniors and seniors. The alumni represented a variety of experiences and schools. Their thoughtful answers and comments gave students an honest and insightful perspective on the transition from Landmark School to college.
Cultural Diversity Day
The International Group geared up for World Cultural Diversity Day, celebrated on May 21, by discussing how our heritage impacts our dayto-day lives and surveying members of the High School about their heritage and culture. Nearly 30 ethnicities were represented among the 56 respondents.
Alumni share their experience with students in an Early Childhood Education class.
Petway Award
The Petway Family Faculty Development Fund awards a grant to a faculty member to produce curriculum that will benefit Landmark students. This year, there were two recipients. Erin Brewer plans to develop a workbook of mindfulness activities that can be used by academic advisors, teachers, and others. “The Curriculum Committee recognized that this spring has been
Alumni Meet and Share
A group of alumni joined an Early Childhood Education (ECE) class via Google Meet to talk about their transition to college after Landmark and how their time in the ECE class helped point them toward their current career path. They’re all studying or working in the field of early childhood, education, or social work. Thank you, Landmark Alumni!
8
The Lantern
challenging for our students and felt strongly that they would benefit from this resource,” said Suzanne Crossman, head of the Transition and Guidance Department and Curriculum Committee member. “The tool provided will give faculty useful resources to support the social-emotional learning for students.” Brianna (Brie) Tzortzis will be working to develop a curriculum on Collaborative Strategic Reading. Brie will adapt this program and develop materials to be used by Landmark faculty to explicitly teach comprehension strategies at the word and whole-text levels. Both projects will be developed to be accessible for in-person or remote teaching. Congratulations Erin and Brie!
ST
Staying Sane During the Pandemic I NG SAN AY
E
PANDEMIC PIVOT
Jamie Bergin ’14 Tori Clark ’14 Katie Goldberg’15 Lizzie MacMannis ’18 Matt McDonald ’12 Mike Santana ’14 Josie Steere ’19
PlayReply
check it out!
Landmark School teachers and administrators shared suggestions about how they maintained their sanity and found ways to relax and de-stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out their video. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
EMS Digital Art
ing techniques. They work with various iPad apps in a work-flow model, moving from app to app, learning how to create, manipulate, save, and ultimately upload final images to an online art gallery Artsonia. Reply Aaron O. ’26, whose drawing featured a black-and-white collage of random objects with his name written in cursive over the items, said, “I took all the thoughts in my head and let them pour out onto my paper.” He used a stylus and an iPad to create his work. He was experimenting with a layering tool in the app. “I am so proud of my students for creating such fantastic digital artwork,” said Mrs. Flavin. “Due to our small class sizes and the powerful technology we have in our classroom, each of my first semester students had the opportunity to be represented at the show.”
In February, the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester, Mass., featured the work of students in Gemma Flavin’s Digital Art classes. The students and their guests were treated to an opening reception in the museum. The professionally matted works graced an entire wall of the museum’s Activities Room. Students proudly discussed their artwork with parents, friends, and community members, explaining the medium and the inspiration behind their creativity while nibbling on cookies baked for the occasion by Elementary• Middle School’s chef, Tom Pepin. Students in the Digital Art classes use iPads and 3D drawing pens to create artwork that teaches traditional art skills and techniques as well as animation, green screen, and 3D hand-print-
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
❱❱ NEW WORLDL Aaron O. ‘26 poses in front of his original digital artwork at the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester, Mass.
Live Morning Meeting Our live Morning Meetings Reply on Wednesday were a resounding success for faculty and students alike throughout the final quarter of school. They were hosted by Mr. Kahn, Mr. Swanson, Ms. Joly Lowdermilk, Mr. Pulkkinen, Ms. Schwechheimer, Ms. Triback, and others in a Google Meet at 12 noon. With planned themes, students and faculty in attendance contributed their thoughts informally, solved a weekly riddle, and engaged in a brief meditation practice with Ms. Polvinen to close the session. Topics were wide ranging, from positivity and food during COVID-19, to signs of summer, ice cream, and donuts—but the main idea was always good spirit and great company.
The Lantern
9
Beacon ❱❱ Landmark’s News in Brief
Capturing Early Signs of Spring
❱❱ LIBRARIAN’S DESK
Suggestions from Our Librarians
In April, Elementary•Middle School teacher Lauri Johnson encouraged students to shift from the computer screen and get outside to capture the beauty that comes with the emergence of spring. Every two weeks, she sent them a photo assignment and a photo tip, and students submitted their images to a shared website.
FROM AMY VELING HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIAN
In the wake of the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and the outcry of national protests, the High School is using the summer reading assignment as an opportunity to ask our students and faculty to explore new points of view. Landmark High School librarian, Amy Veling, worked with Landmark’s Diversity and Inclusion Advocates to curate a summer reading list Reply focused on books that present a diverse array of perspectives. All students are encouraged to choose a book that will add to their understanding of the world around them. We encourage parents to take part.
Speaking of Spring…
An EMS student gets a close-up shot of a robin’s nest as part of Lauri Johnson’s photo assignment.
In the early days of remote learning, EMS teacher, Mr. McKernan, encouraged students to dust off their bikes and take a ride! He— along with a few helpers—made a video with tips to get bikes ready for the season. Not to be outdone, Mr. Pickwick showed students how to tune up a lawn mower. Students have no excuse to stay inside—or shun yardwork.
Start Your Engines
EMS teacher Kristine Stark read If I Built A Car by Chris Van Dusen and asked students to design their own car. Take a look at the super creative designs elementary students submitted. Want to hear Ms. Stark read it again? Check it out! Reply
The Sound of Music
Students in Deirdre Mulligan’s science class created their own musical instruments with materials they found at home as a culminating project to their unit on sound. ReplyTake a look at their innovative work.
Poetry Challenge
To celebrate April’s National Poetry Month, Hazel Crowley challenged Elementary•Middle School faculty and students to get their creative juices flowing and write poems. She provided a prompt, such as writing about hope or in the style of Ezra Pound. The submissions were bursting with thought and creativity!
FROM LINDA SYLVESTER EMS LIBRARIAN
For Students: The Aurora County All-Stars, by Deborah Wiles Here in the Real World, by Sara Pennypacker The Story That Cannot Be Told, by Kasper J. Kramer 13 Buildings Children Should Know, by Annette Roeder 13 Architects Children Should Know, by Florian Heine Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon, by Kelly Starling Lyons Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond, by Jan and Sandra Greenberg
10
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The More Things Change...
Birthday Boards, did not disappoint. The Eighth Grade Leadership Program thrived remotely in the spring. Students met weekly via Google Meet to talk about what they missed at EMS, how they were staying socially connected, and brainstormed plans for the first-ever, remote Transition Reply Ceremony. Their plan to give each eighth grader a class sweatshirt also came to fruition, as a faculty member personally delivered a sweatshirt to each student (socially distanced, of course!). As a class, they leave a legacy of being inclusive, hardworking, and persevering through this challenging time, and the videos they created to thank EMS staff, which were featured at the transition ceremony, will live as an excellent reminder of their dedication to Landmark School.
While students and teachers worked from home this spring and in an effort to provide a sense of continuity, faculty maintained long-held traditions, such as Purple Day and Birthday Boards. High School teachers donned purple clothing to celebrate Purple Thursday, a weekly tradition started by Assistant Math Department Head Michael Orie in 2005. Teachers shared photos of themselves in purple attire—not necessarily in dress code! The Elementary•Middle School maintained the beloved tradition of creating a Birthday Board each month to showcase the students and faculty who celebrated a birthday that month. Mr. Pickwick, known for his creative and intricate SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Kiki Finn’21 (left) and Cameron Minster ‘25 (right) were this year’s Winter Photo Contest Winners.
Winter Photo Contest
The Winter of 2020 did not deliver the usual drama with mounds of white, fluffy snow, the excitement of an oncoming blizzard, or even a snow day. It was gray, dry, and frankly a little dull. But the photos submitted for this year’s Winter Photo Contest were anything but boring. This year’s EMS winner was Cameron Minster ’25, and the High School winner was Keandra (Kiki) Finn ’21. Photos were reviewed by a jury of faculty and staff representing the EMS, High School, and Administration and were judged on composition, technical skill, and originality. Landmark’s Winter Photo Contest has been running for the past seven years and is sponsored by the school’s Marketing and Communication Department. The Lantern
11
G O E S V IR T U A L 12
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
DISCOVERIES, INNOVATIONS, AND SILVER LININGS By Avery McNiff
Landmark’s full transition to remote learning this past spring gave rise to new technology, ideas, and methods in the Landmark classroom. Yet, what makes Landmark unique remained: its diagnostic teaching, focus on creating opportunities for success, and its sense of community. Over the course of a few months, the school experienced discoveries, innovations, and breakthroughs while staying true to what makes Landmark Landmark. Illustrations By Olivia Malloy
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
13
GOES VIRTUAL
STUDENTS RISE TO THE CHALLENGES OF ONLINE LEARNING While the remote setting presented new obstacles for learning, students demonstrated their dedication by showing up to classes, participating, and completing their assignments. Starry Joseph, a tutorial teacher at Landmark Elementary•Middle School (EMS), witnessed significant growth in several students who had previously struggled with executive function. Remote learning provided an opportunity to challenge students in new ways and many rose to this occasion. “Although it is hard and I wouldn’t have chosen it, I am impressed with how some of my students really showed resilience and grit in using this new required independence and problem solving.”— Starry Joseph, EMS faculty High School teachers Kevin Roberts and Janet Parady co-taught a class with three seniors this past spring. Kevin and Janet had planned to assign a large research paper upon their return from March break. However, when circumstances changed, they changed course in order to create a more meaningful remote experience. All three students readily agreed to extend their live meetings for more enrichment, or in other words, more work. The students read assigned book excerpts and scholarly articles, took notes, engaged in discussions about the readings, and wrote a final response paper. “They eagerly rose to the challenge and did everything that was asked of them. We are so proud of them!” —Janet Parady, High School Language Arts Department Head
14
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
TEACHERS CROWDSOURCE RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE Throughout the spring, EMS teachers met weekly for a virtual Show and Tell. Teachers shared successes, online discoveries and resources, Google Classroom tips, and creative lesson ideas. For example, teachers demonstrated new tutorial games, showed how to use screen recordings to explain student schedules, and provided tips for embedding links and videos in worksheets. “Beyond the innovations that have come out of these sessions (and there are many), it was also a time to come together. Collaboration has always been at the heart of how we teach, and through this interruption, we had the chance for new voices to share their work and time to celebrate the successes of various teachers and students. I always left the Show and Tell with fresh strategies, renewed perspective, and a full heart.” —Meghan Sebens, EMS Reading Supervisor
THE HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER DESPITE THE DISTANCE The High School made it a priority for students to feel supported and a part of the community throughout the spring. The Counseling and Guidance teams provided workshops and videos. Houseparents held dorm meetings virtually. High School Dean of Students Robb Genetelli continued to hold his Breakfast Club and spring sports teams continued to meet. Even groups that likely would not have typically gathered if school were in session, such as the JV2 basketball team, found time to connect online. “Being apart reminded everyone how important it is to find new ways to be together.” —Bill Barrett, Head of High School
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
15
GOES VIRTUAL
NEW PLATFORMS ALLOW FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES The High School Study Skills Department needed a format that would allow students to apply their learned skills in the online environment. They decided on debates. Students were tasked with researching, note-taking, time management, turning notes into arguments as well as formal contentions, and defending their research. This platform allowed for multiple classes to engage simultaneously while also enabling broad teacher participation. Read more about the virtual debates.
AL DEBA TU
S TE
VI R
“It was really awesome to see the students debate and be so engaged from home, and it was special to have so many of their teachers able to watch them. If we were in a normal classroom setting I don’t think we would be able to do some of the things we were able to accomplish with these debates.” —Derrick Neal, High School faculty
PlayReply
check it out!
16
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS LEARN THAT FAILURE IS PART OF THE PROCESS Chase Collins, a High School teacher and advisor, began making his own sourdough starter and bread in early March. He found that breadmaking is in many ways a testament to failure, and wanted to share this with a willing student as soon as school went virtual. Alejandra Rojas ’21 was up for the challenge. Similar to Chase, Alejandra initially failed to keep the starter alive and active, but she continued to try again in the following weeks, keeping a journal about her progress. “My practical goal was that she learned how to take basic ingredients of flour and water and turn them into something she could eat and enjoy with friends and family. However, my more abstract and theoretical goal was that when you pursue a new skill, failure is an essential part of the process, and with every mistake there’s an opportunity to learn something new.” —Chase Collins, High School faculty
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
17
GOES VIRTUAL
LANDMARK’S DAILY ONE-TO-ONE V I R T U A L TUTORIAL By Hazel Crowley In early March, I (like so many in our community) was thriving with a routine. Every day, I would arrive at school early, sit down at my favorite computer, and begin organizing the day’s lesson plans. I would greet Deidre Mulligan as she fed Buddy and Bridges, the EMS campus turtles. I would print documents on the machine Dean of Students Kirk Swanson had warmed up on his morning rounds. I would walk to class, judging my punctuality by exactly what stair I passed certain students and colleagues on, each of them following their own streamlined morning rituals. Then, school closed and everything changed. I frequently forgot what day it was. I “ghosted” my students, sometimes leaving our virtual classroom by accident. One evening I looked at the clock and realized, with horror, that I’d been watching YouTube videos on “how to make remote learning fun” for over two hours. It was well past midnight. I share my experience because I know I am not alone. At first, the shutdown made us all feel truly out of sync. “It was daunting,” admits teacher Maureen Flannery, referring to the immense task of translating certain Landmark essentials (cursive practice, card sorts, spelling worksheets, library books, and so much more) entirely from page to screen. Not only were we lost, we also felt loss. “Community and in-person experiences are so important to our students, in order for them to feel confident in their skills and connected to their teachers and their learning. Obviously that cannot be replaced virtually,” explains teacher Starry Joseph. But despite initial turbulence, tutorial sailed on. “Although we’re no longer sitting side by side, thanks to some excellent technology, we’re able to do pretty much everything we did before,” says teacher Anna DiPerna, who was able to incorporate fun review games and teach new skills in tutorial this spring. “The more independent nature of the work actually gave me better insight into which skills needed more focus.”
18
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Asked where they found both inspiration and support, every tutor I spoke with credited the weekly Show-and-Tell sessions, where faculty shared strategies and celebrate successes. “It was invaluable. Each week I left in awe of my colleagues,” says Flannery. For Joseph, equal recognition goes to the students themselves. “The resilience and grit they demonstrated to be their best selves under difficult situations was so impressive. Many students really stepped up to the plate and demonstrated skills independently and improved their executive functioning,” says Joseph. Flannery agrees. “When my fifth grader’s chair broke during our class, he didn’t skip a beat. He kept working without letting me know. Later, when I found out and asked what he sat on, he explained that he’d knelt! If he can be that determined, so can I.” I recently learned that the phrase “steep learning curve” is somewhat of a misnomer. It is generally used to describe a difficult challenge, like climbing a steep mountain or starting remote learning. But technically, the term “learning curve” refers simply to the rate of learning over time, so a steep curve would mean a rapid increase in skill. I’ll settle for both.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
19
GOES VIRTUAL
NAVIGATING UNCHARTED WATERS Landmark’s Counseling Department Guided Students During the Shift to Remote Learning By Laura Polvinen
20
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
In
March 2020, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health hosted a series of virtual sessions in the wake of COVID-19. One session focused on dealing with stress during this time. Karmel Choi, a research fellow, shared that stress has four main triggers: novelty, threat, unpredictability, and lack of control. As luck would have it, this pandemic cues each of those stress triggers. By now, we’ve lived with this stress for several months and know it can take a toll. As counselors at Landmark, hearing about and dealing with stress is our forte. When we’re not living in a pandemic, students start at Landmark often feeling the four stress triggers: the experience is novel and can feel threatening, students don’t know what to expect, and they feel that they don’t have control of the situation. Yet, usually within a few weeks, students see they are safe, that the Landmark model caters to their learning style, and that we have the road map for their success. But during a pandemic, students sometimes show up on a Google Meet with faces of grief, exhaustion, and worry, given how much all of our lives have changed. One student said early on when we met, “This is the worst…but there’s nothing I can do about it, but live it.” Whether in a pandemic or not, the overarching goal of counseling at Landmark is to service students and families (in collaboration with teachers and advisors) to ensure each student is supported holistically, and therefore more able to take advantage of the academic opportunity at the school. During this unprecedented time, we utilized the Google Meet platform to connect with students and see them face-to-face, to bear witness to their feelings, to share in their successes and struggles, and as that student mentioned, to “live it” with them. During the final quarter of the school year we held small student groups to foster social connection and community, talked with parents about how to help their kids, and shared weekly resources. These aspects will be an integral part of fall programming, as we continue to navigate pandemicaffected life. We always feel as though counseling is an integral part of the Landmark model, but the remote learning environment has demonstrated how essential counseling support is for many during this time. No matter the setting for fall 2020, counselors will be present, making sure our students can “live it” as successfully as possible, while they navigate the stressors we all feel during this uncertain and future-altering time. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
21
GOES VIRTUAL
LANDMARK’S V I R T U A L SIX TEACHING PRINCIP By Rob Kahn
Can you imagine Chad Drake in a Google Meet? Even Landmark’s founder’s
visionary prowess probably wasn’t up to predicting a “link” in the cloud where students and teachers could meet for school. On the other hand, if he had been faced with a global pandemic that rendered inperson interaction impermissible, Chad would have found a way to reach his students. Nearly two generations later, his pedagogical descendants at Landmark have confronted that challenge: How to transfer Landmark’s Six Teaching Principlestm onto remote platforms for distance learning? At both campuses the core principles live on. They have been transformed, modified, and adapted, but teachers agree that the online world has actually pushed some principles to the forefront in new ways.
#1
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE SUCCESS At the High School and Elementary•Middle School, successoriented routines and structures have proven even more key to online learning. Many teachers cited the technology hurdles of remote learning as a way for students to experience success and build both resiliency and self-advocacy. Digital strategies instantly available for positive reinforcement have translated seamlessly into online classes, in some cases with more immediacy and less pre-planning than they would have required on campus. EMS teacher Cecilia Mullings even found a set of virtual stickers that can be copied and placed on student work to give a virtual “Hooray!”
22
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
LES #2
USE MULTISENSORY APPROACHES TO TEACH At first, Landmark educators may have bemoaned interaction by screen, especially with the school’s pervasive emphasis on a “hands-on” experience and experiential learning. But creativity soon replaced anxiety, along with the realization that communicating by screen doesn’t necessarily mean being tethered to a monitor. At the High School, science classes went outside to investigate and catalogue plants. Science teacher Carina Wilder met with her students on their phones in a Google Meet: “We looked at signs of spring by investigating plants coming to life in my backyard. Then students took pictures of spring plants in their own neighborhoods and uploaded them to a shared class photo album. For individual feedback, I challenged each student to try and identify the name of their plant.”
#3
USE MICRO-UNITS AND STRUCTURED TASKS FOR EVERY STUDENT There was no drop-off from the structure and carefully sequenced approach as Landmark teachers adapted to teaching online. One High School chemistry class turned to a delicious theme as a way to break down and incorporate the chemistry of food. High School science teacher Hannah Lister explained: “I created a mini-unit about the chemistry of baking. Each assignment focused on different foods and the chemistry behind them. At Landmark, content classes focus on acquisition of study skills, so my assignments included a combination of videos, articles, and infographics that students needed to read or listen to, then highlight, make margin notes, take twocolumn notes, answer questions, and summarize.”
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
23
GOES VIRTUAL
#4
ENSURE AUTOMATIZATION THROUGH PRACTICE AND REVIEW Teacher-made materials built using Google Slides topped a list of resources utilized for practice and review. The incredible variety combined with the creative force of faculty resulted in weekly Show-and-Tell sessions that reinforced this teaching principle. “I found Google Slides to be very well suited to exercises aimed at recognition, practice, and automatization of sound-symbol patterns,” said tutor Mary Kahn. Randy Dittman, an EMS math teacher, added: “I used the slide format to organize my lesson plans, dropping in links as needed to games, tracking exercises, fluency stories, and vocabulary sheets.” Hazel Crowley, a regular Lantern contributor (pg. 18), is known to colleagues at EMS as an expert game designer. Her contributions to the Games Folder Tutorial Classwork in Faculty Drive were legendary, quickly becoming a go-to from March to June, with classics like Race to the Top, Ending Grid Scurry, and Bubble Pop.
#5
PROVIDE MODELS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO USE AS A GUIDE Using videos for following directions, providing models, and clear explanations were game-changers for instructional practice and also for training purposes as remote learning ramped up. Randy Dittman created Google Form math homework assignments and included video of himself solving a problem on the bottom. While doing homework/independent work, students could see him go through the problem and answer questions as they worked. Both Deb Chandler, EMS academic advisor and tutor, and Sharon Musto, EMS public school liaison and teacher, touted the use of Screencastify© to add video and audio models directly into assignments for their students. Jen Whyte, High School math teacher, used Google Slides to provide consistent templates for her students to meet expectations and found that the archive of slides was also very useful for ongoing recordkeeping and assessment.
24
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
#6
INCLUDE OUR STUDENTS IN THE LEARNING PROCESS Perhaps more than any of the other principles, Landmark teachers agree that remote learning necessitated and fostered greater student involvement in the learning process. “Remote learning gave students the opportunity to speak more, by allowing them to be the teacher,” explained Wendy Ellis, EMS speech-language pathologist: “The students can manipulate icons on a predesigned Google Doc from the teacher. Once the teacher models the activity for the student, the student can then become “the teacher” and re-explain it to “the student.” Providing the students with activities that they can teach to the teacher is rewarding to them and can help them focus and become more involved in the task. I sometimes had students stand up and adjust their screen when using the computer to get them out of their chair.” Kelsey Giovannaci, an EMS teacher, added, “Students had to take charge and manage their time, school materials, and workspace. This showed them that they CAN do this and builds confidence.”
As Landmark moves forward into a “new normal” for education, frequent topics for discussion include how to foster community at the beginning of a new school year if we are “remote,” how to combat the negative effects of screen exposure for students and faculty, and the role of homework in a digital school. But the period from March to June 2020 proved that the Landmark Teaching Principlestm are indeed transferable, resilient, and effective in the hands of trained, creative, and committed faculty.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
25
202 26
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
20 class of
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
27
class of
2020
G
RADUATING FROM LANDMARK High School is a momentous event for students and their families. It’s a time to celebrate years of hard work, persistence, and grit. Headmaster Bob Broudo did not want to deny the 91 seniors who worked hard, pushed through, and achieved what some never thought possible the pomp and circumstance of a formal commencement. Along with several parents, students, and the Alumni Relations and High School administrative team, he hosted a drive-by ceremony on Saturday, August 8—complete with caps and gowns, the granting of diplomas, and the cheering crowds of Landmark family, friends, faculty, and staff. Earlier in the spring, Landmark recognized its seniors with Senior Celebration Week. Each day from May 26–29, we showed them how much we admire their strength, perseverance, and adaptability with shout-outs from faculty members to each senior, awards announcements, a lively tour of campus with greetings from all departments, a reading of all senior names, the hoisting of a Class of 2020 flag, and the unveiling of Robb Genetelli’s freshly shaven face! This was not the graduation that any of us could have predicted, but the Class of 2020 will forever be remembered for its tenacity, flexibility, and optimism.
SEN I
ON TI
CELEBRA OR
PlayReply
check it out!
28
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Landmark 2020 High School Graduates Ian Eduard Kraft Alsop University of Hartford West Hartford, Connecticut Christopher Graham Aylward Vermont Technical College Randolph, Vermont John E. Barrett Virginia Military Institute Lexington City, Virginia Ellie Gardner Becker Eckerd College St. Petersburg, Florida Katherine Michelle Burke Providence College Providence, Rhode Island Kathryn Clare Burns Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts Madeline Rose Bycoff High Point University High Point, North Carolina
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Claudia Mae Caliandro Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island Noah E. Carton-Smith Bryant University Smithfield, Rhode Island Emma Elizabeth Champey Providence College Providence, Rhode Island David Albert Chrumka Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, Massachusetts Brett Randall Ciccolo Elon University Elon, North Carolina Jacqueline M. Connor North Shore Community College Danvers, Massachusetts Nicholas Dalton Champlain College Burlington, Vermont Stuart Lee Dalzell III Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, New Hampshire
The Lantern
29
class of
2020 Callie Elise Dangel Lesley University Cambridge, Massachusetts
Catherine Louise Hegarty Regis College Weston, Massachusetts
Catherine C. DiGiovanni Sacred Heart University Fairfield, Connecticut
Katherine Claire Hopkins University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont
Emily Cronin DiRico Trinity College Hartford, Connecticut
Anna June Hughson Emerson College Boston, Massachusetts
Campbell Robert Drew Manhattan College Bronx, New York
Kindred Jane Hurtado College of Charleston Charleston, South Carolina
Sofia Grace Duff University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Lydia Mahoney Jackson Parsons School of Design New York, New York
Simon Wolf Easton Somerville, Massachusetts
Caroline Rae Johnson Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island
Andrew Warren Ege Marist College Poughkeepsie, New York Benjamin S. Enos Southern Maine Community College South Portland, Maine Philip Willem Hendrick Eskes University of San Francisco San Francisco, California Morgan Olivia Frazier Lesley University Cambridge, Massachusetts Abigail Brinkerhoff Brown Garthwaite Maine College of Art Portland, Maine
The Lantern
Daniel Arthur Kanaracus University of Denver Denver, Colorado Madeline Rose Karle Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island Meena Elizabeth Kasthambadi Dean College Franklin, Massachusetts Eliza Fitzgerald Keefe McDaniel College Westminster, Maryland
Jonathan David Genova College of Charleston Charleston, South Carolina
Gabrielle Shannon Kenney Bentley University Waltham, Massachusetts
Tyler William Gillis Colby-Sawyer College New London, New Hampshire
Ekaterina Marie Leikikh University of Wisconsin—Madison Madison, Wisconsin
Aidan Alexander Gilwee Merrimack College North Andover, Massachusetts
Christiana Locke University of Denver Denver, Colorado
Jessup Harry Goldberg Cook Bryant University Smithfield, Rhode Island
Nicholas Stephen Lopardo High Point University High Point, North Carolina
Arlo Grey University of Massachusetts— Dartmouth Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Lucie Sims Lott Samford University Birmingham, Alabama
Margaret M. Hamilton Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts
30
Morgan Elizabeth Joyce Emerson College Boston, Massachusetts
John Michael MacDonald Employment Lynn, Massachusetts
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Sarah R. Mann Parsons School of Design New York, New York
Karl Erik Migliaccio Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, Georgia
Alden Patrick Martin High Point University High Point, North Carolina
Luca D. Miranda Assumption College Worcester, Massachusetts
John R. Mattioli III Hofstra University Hempstead, New York
Olivia Anne Moran Quinnipiac University Hamden, Connecticut
James Ralph McCarthy Gordon College Wenham, Massachusetts
Erin G. Morrisseau Unity College Unity, Maine
Sean Cullen McDonnell High Point University High Point, North Carolina
Kane C. Narducci Associated Training Services Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Caitlin Elizabeth McLaughlin Sacred Heart University Fairfield, Connecticut
Ndauanenua Ndilula High Point University High Point, North Carolina
John Leo Meehan IV University of Southern Maine Portland, Maine
William Thomas O’Brien Valley Junior Warriors Hockey Haverhill, Massachusetts
Joseph R. Membrino Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island
Oliver Loren Paul Lesley University Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Lantern
31
class of
2020
August William Reid Ashland, Oregon Gap Year
John Peder Simpson Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, Alabama
Nicholas Joseph Troiano Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, Florida
Ezekiel James Reilly Hope, Maine Gap Year
Elizabeth Singer Lesley University Cambridge, Massachusetts
David Matthew Warmack Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, Indiana
Jalen Ray Reis Year Up Boston, Massachusetts
Masha Cassidy Smith-Realmuto University of Massachusetts—Boston Boston, Massachusetts
Kevin John Watts Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Miles Soren Renney Temple University Japan Campus Tokyo, Japan AndrĂŠ Sven Richard Concordia University Montreal, Quebec Canada Jayce Christopher Rowen New England Institute of Technology Warwick, Rhode Island Hillary B. Ryan University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Alice Marion Steinert Schwechheimer Bennington College Bennington, Vermont Ryan Cornelius Shea Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island
32
The Lantern
Sam Miller Stein Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Nicole Talbot Boston Conservatory at Berklee Boston, Massachusetts Henry Blaise Terrien School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, Illinois Elizabeth Bolton Theriault Merrimack College North Andover, Massachusetts Griffin Andrew Therrien Champlain College Burlington, Vermont
Isabel Elizabeth West Oberlin College Oberlin, Ohio Alexandra Fairchild Williams Syracuse University Syracuse, New York Alia Cristina Wilmot Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, Georgia Greta Hardin Wright University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont Sam Robert Yardumian Southern Maine Community College South Portland, Maine Zakary Anglea Zawel Where There Be Dragons, Gap Year Boulder, Colorado SPRING/SUMMER 2020
class of 2020
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS AND AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Check out our Class of 2020 Senior Celebration webpage for photos, videos, and more. SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS, 2020 Peggie E. Cook Landmark Parents Association Award: Aidan Gilwee Caitlin McLaughlin Joseph R. Membrino Elizabeth Bolton Theriault Alumni Council Award: Margaret Hamilton Max E. Clayman Compassion Award: John MacDonald Christopher B. Darcy Scholarship: Kevin Watts Nathan Stowes Citizenship Award: Luca Miranda Patrick Murphy Scholarship: Sean McDonnell Sam Stein Suzanne J. Crossman Perseverence Award: John Mattioli Nicholas Troiano Overall Academic Award: Anna (AJ) Hughson Prep Faculty Award: Catherine DiGiovanni Overall Academic Award (Prep Program): John “Ned” Barrett Greta Wright SEN I
ON TI
CELEBRA OR
PlayReply
check it out!
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
33
34
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Learning to Fly Six Landmark Seniors Soar as North Shore Scholars BY JEANNE TALBOT P’20
S
TUDENTS CHALLENGED WITH learning differences don’t often grow up believing or being told they are smart and can be successful in school or in life beyond the classroom. In fact, stinging comments about the likelihood of not succeeding linger, can carve tracks of negative thought patterns, and build walls of academic insecurity for years. But Landmark seniors Catherine DiGiovanni, Anna (AJ) Hughson, Alice Schwechheimer, Elizabeth Theriault, Isabel West, and Greta Wright have proven their early childhood naysayers wrong by being named North Shore Scholars, an achievement awarded by the North Shore Chamber of Commerce to those graduating in the top 5% of their class. All six young women were shocked and yet immensely proud to learn of their achievement and recognition. What they also have in common are early memories of feeling different and separate from students who learn in traditional ways and whose brains function “by the book” that wasn’t written for them. All six are graduating from high school at the top of their class and all will attend college in the fall. They say Landmark helped them overcome obstacles, see their learning differences as gifts, learn to advocate for themselves in and out of the classroom, and create their own definition of success. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
“ What they have in common is early memories of feeling different and separate from students who learn in traditional ways and whose brains function ‘by the book’ that wasn’t written for them.”
Catherine DiGiovanni Hockey is in Catherine DiGiovanni’s blood, and so Landmark was definitely not the place for her. Or so she thought. Catherine is one of five children who are all passionate about being on the ice. Even though her sister had attended Landmark, Catherine came to Landmark “kicking and screaming” as a freshman. It wasn’t until sophomore year that she stopped “looking for a fight,” she says. “I was told that I would never be a good writer and that made everything about school harder,” Catherine says. “I learned to advocate for myself, built relationships with teachers, met new people, and played varsity volleyball.” Catherine says she never thought she’d graduate in the top 5% of her class and credits the support of her family for making a Landmark education a reality for her. “I commuted more than an hour each way, every day to Landmark, but it was worth it.” Catherine will attend Sacred Heart University in the fall and plans to major in neuroscience. “My public school teachers never knew how to help me, and I hope I can use my education to make it easier for kids like me in the future,” Catherine says. The Lantern
35
class of
2020 Anna (AJ) Hughson AJ was told she’d never go to college. Guess what? She’ll be attending Emerson College in the fall, majoring in acting. Her early school years were fraught with negative messages that made her work doubly hard in order to avoid the consequences of poor grades. “My brother is a math savant and it was hard to grow up knowing I was so different from everyone else,” AJ says. AJ found a spotlight on the Landmark stage, performing in many shows and cabarets during her freshman and sophomore years. Her biggest lesson, however, is that she is smart. “I never believed that, but now I do.”
Alice Schwechheimer Alice cried every day of first grade. A fourthgeneration dyslexic, she joined Landmark in second grade. “Reading didn’t make sense to me until sixth grade,” Alice says. The small class sizes and individual attention from teachers made all the difference. At Landmark, she says, it’s been comforting to be surrounded by people who understand. But, between her junior and senior year, Alice left her home and school and was a foreign exchange student in Norway. “It’s an experience I’ll never forget.” Alice says she’ll miss the people most, but she won’t miss the rigid structure of Landmark or the looming fear of homework makeup—which she is proud to say only happened once. Alice’s next home, beginning in the fall, will 36
The Lantern
be Bennington College in Vermont. “I just knew it was the place for me. It had the right vibe,” she says. “It’s a place for independent thinkers, artists, and nerds.”
Liz Theriault
“ My public school teachers never knew how to help me, and I hope I can use my education to make it easier for kids like me in the future.” —Catherine DiGiovanni
Liz Theriault’s learning differences were diagnosed in fifth grade, after years of challenges in the classroom, being told she wouldn’t graduate from high school, and being singled out from her peers. Liz was anxious about school because it was so difficult. Teachers told her it was her anxiety that was the source of her challenges. In eighth grade she was diagnosed with dyslexia, but it wasn’t until freshman year that she came to Landmark as a boarding student. “I made pretty quick progress,” Liz says. “I entered the Summer Program reading at the third-grade level and I was reading at the eighthgrade level by the end of my freshman year. I could see progress and that helped with my self confidence.” Liz also says that the teaching approach at Landmark made all the difference. “Teachers could teach me, and I could learn. There’s no shame anymore,” she says. Liz is both grateful and proud. “I have been so fortunate to be able to go to Landmark, and I really tried to make the most of my education,” she says. Liz’s education while at Landmark extended to a volunteer position at Beverly Hospital, helping nurses and patients. She faced other challenges at Landmark, too. In her junior year, her father was diagnosed with brain cancer and passed away in the fall of 2019. It was through his battle with cancer that Liz decided to pursue a career in nursing. “Seeing how good the nurses were to my dad and to our whole family made me realize how much I SPRING/SUMMER 2020
want to help others and give back,” she says. On the path to making that dream a reality, Liz will attend Merrimack College for nursing in the fall. “It’s my choice to be successful and for the first time in my life, I know I am.”
By senior year, Greta was taking introduction to psychology, introduction to statistics, child growth and development, and emergency first responder classes at North Shore Community College. Now I’m able to understand my learning disability and use it as an advantage,” Greta says. “Tools I can use that I had taken for granted now make me successful.” What are Greta’s plans after Landmark? She’ll be attending the University of Vermont, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science. Her goal is to work with kids in a way that promotes health and well-being. Despite the recognition of being North Shore Scholars, Catherine, AJ, Liz, Greta, Isa, and Alice all know that true success isn’t defined by an award given by someone else. It comes from inside and the knowledge that success is ours to define. What all six know is that Landmark helped pave the way and that they are now ready to fly.
Isabel West Isa knew how to work hard and was an “A” student in public school because she knew how to work the system. Despite good grades, she wasn’t truly learning. “My comprehension was the issue,” she says. “I worked twice as hard as everyone else, but I was learning half as much.” Isa read and fully understood her first chapter book at Landmark and loves to read now. “Being quarantined for COVID-19 has given me a lot more time to read, and it’s great. I’m also rediscovering art.” Isa has appreciated the shared identity that comes with the community at Landmark. “It’s empowering to be surrounded by people just like me. I no longer have to hide my disability. It’s been a shock to be acknowledged with this recognition. I never thought I’d be able to do this well.” Isa hopes to find a new shared community at Oberlin College this fall.
Greta Wright Greta Wright did not want to come to Landmark at first. “I didn’t want to leave my middle school, and I just went through the motions at Landmark at first,” says Greta. It wasn’t until sophomore year that she became accountable for her own learning and then everything changed. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
“ It’s empowering to be surrounded by people just like me. I no longer have to hide my disability.” —Isabel West
Contributed by Jeanne Talbot: Jeanne Talbot is the mother of Nicole Talbot, a member of Landmark’s Class of 2020. When she’s not helping Nicole chase her dreams on stage, she is senior manager of customer marketing for CloudBees, a small software company. She has worked for tech companies in a variety of marketing, communications, and PR roles for more than 25 years. In the midst of COVID-19, Jeanne has found it difficult to accept that helping others means staying home and sitting on her couch. Sharing her writing talents has been one way she’s giving back.
The Lantern
37
Traditional Ceremonies Go Virtual
Elementary•Middle School Key and Transition Ceremonies Hit the Small Screen BY SUSAN TOMASES
38
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
L
ANDMARK FACULTY MEMBERS are highly skilled at providing customized programming, designing curriculum, and providing our students individualized instruction. Through the process of moving to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have learned a whole new set of skills by hosting virtual classes, collaborating with colleagues through Google Meet, and harnessing the power of an array of online platforms to help make learning interactive, engaging, and effective. So it was no surprise that when it was time to host Elementary Key and Middle School Transition Ceremonies, Landmark faculty members embraced the challenge and made these first-ever virtual events ones for the record books. Elementary Key Ceremony Kathie Babcock, Elementary School program coordinator, hosted a large Google Meet for all of her students and their parents. She welcomed the crowd, reminded everyone what an extraordinary year this was, applauded her students’ and parents’ willingness to dive into remote learning, and congratulated them for finishing the year strong. Families were then invited to go to their regular Google Meet “classrooms” to view a recording of their teachers acknowledging each student’s unique strength with keys representing kindness, persistence, responsibility, courage, and more. Though it was very different from an in-person ceremony, attendees all said that it took full advantage of the new medium and was just as meaningful. As an added flourish, the elementary faculty team had previously delivered actual key plaques to every household in sealed envelopes, and students and families were able to open and enjoy them during the ceremony. Middle School Transition Ceremony The Middle School Transition Ceremony is a truly momentous occasion at the Elementary•Middle School. The courtyard is usually transformed with a large white tent that is adorned with beautiful seasonal flowers and row after row of chairs staged for family and friends to gather and hear students’ hand-picked faculty members “introduce” each departing middle schooler. In the spirit of creativity and maximizing the virtual tools available, each teacher recorded their two-minute speech in their dining room, on their deck, in the garden, even on the beach. Faculty member Andrew Gruden masterfully edited all 43 speeches, and tech wizard Avery McNiff then created a Google website to house each speech. After a video drive through of the campus, Rob Kahn and the eighth grade leadership faculty hosted live remarks. Guests were then directed by link to the website, where chosen faculty honored and celebrated the accomplishments of each student. Though these were all viewed online by each family, we’re certain there wasn’t a dry eye in “the house.” Few will forget the cascade of events in 2020, but these recordings will allow us to revisit this challenging time and will forever highlight how our community adapted, innovated, and came together like never before.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
39
class of
2020
40
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Transitioning Middle School Students Ben Andrew Angie Assetta Tyler Berard Connor Burke McKenzie Burke Louie Caputo Kiera Carr Alexandria Civitarese Will Corsini Andrew Cutter Hadley Davis Emily Desrochers Dambou Diawara Ariana DiRienzo Van Elwell Jack Fawcett Laz Giardina Emerson Glover Morgan Glover Andrew Hayes Ella Hayward Rowan Henkes Stephen Hilaire Tyler Hutchings
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Brianna James Evan Johnson Alex Kalogerou Mia Kaminsky Carter Lamb Max Ludmar Felim Meade Jack Meekins Ben Merrill Kacie Neely Linnea Nordensved William Pitkin Felix Safdie Bella Sestini Sydney Sheehan Sam Sirois Will Terrien Morgan Trout Rose Werner
Transitioning Elementary School Students Emerson Joy Jack Leidner Clara Steffen
award AWARDS
Max E. Clayman Compassion Award McKenzie Burke Ella Hayward STAR The Charles Drake Award Felim Meade
STAR The Chris Langston Citizenship Award Rose Werner STAR The Director’s Award Carter Lamb STAR The Overall Student of the Year Award Sam Sirois
The Lantern
41
LANDMAR RESET In the early spring of 2020, the COVID-19 health pandemic sent a shockwave through our community and the world. It challenged our mindsets, routines, and collective psyche. Landmark reinvented how we deliver our program, but our approach, spirit, and perseverance remained undeterred. As we prepare for the fall and the start of the 2020–2021 school year, we have learned to accept the uncertainty and face our future with renewed strength, purpose, and hope. Photography by Kieran Kesner
42
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
RK
Dave Seiter, Landmark’s director of the Facilities Department, leads a team of dedicated employees that has deftly navigated changing regulations and continues to retrofit our 55 acres and 37 buildings to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
43
44
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Landmark High School’s Assistant Deans of Students Jeff Fauci and Andrea Meade are joined by Dean of Students Robb Genetelli in the foyer of the original campus building, the Alexander Academic Center. Social distancing and face coverings are part of the new normal of life and work at Landmark.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
45
Rob Kahn, outgoing head of the Elementary•Middle School (EMS), and Mary Kahn, EMS faculty member, adjust to new roles as they prepare for the year ahead.
46
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Christine Barrett, head of the Early Literacy Department at the High School, and Bill Barrett, head of the High School, take a moment to pause and reset before the start of an uncertain school year.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
47
Shari Gallant, head nurse at the Elementary•Middle School, and Jessice Fauci, head of Landmark’s Health Center, regroup and develop new protocols to manage the community’s health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
48
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
49
Claire Sullivan, new head of the Elementary•Middle School, finds time to recharge during her transition to a new role at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.
50
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Elementary•Middle School assistant dean of students, Tara Joly-Lowdermilk (left), joined by son Bennett and wife Courtney Joly-Lowdermik, maintains a sense of calm and hope. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
51
“Everyday I am comforted to hear from so many members of the Landmark family who are using their intelligence, spirit, and perseverance to face the challenges of this health pandemic creatively and thoughtfully. We have been faced with so many nearly impossible decisions and are holding tightly to the power of community to rise above. As I look out to the horizon, I see the dawning of a new day and a light that continues to guide us.�
52
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
In the 50 years since Bob Broudo helped found Landmark School, he admits that “we’ve never faced anything as challenging as COVID-19.” Bob remains positive about the future despite the murky and uncharted waters ahead. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
53
Embracing Our Differences By Beth Rowen Landmark has always considered itself a safe, welcoming, inclusive community that embraces students and faculty from diverse backgrounds—racial, cultural, economic, and social. Nevertheless, no institution is perfect and there is always room for growth and introspection. In the wake of the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and the national protests and calls for police reform that followed, the Diversity Equity and Inclusion committees on both campuses stepped up their efforts to help our students and faculty become informed, invested global citizens who have an awareness of inequality, injustice, and institutional racism.
54
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Landmark students have an inherent ability to empathize with the experience of being misunderstood or underestimated because of their learning disability, and Landmark as an institution seeks to have all students continue to develop empathy for and awareness of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration, and socioeconomic status. The High School committee wrote letters to both faculty and students, encouraging them to engage in a conversation about systemic racism and how their lives are affected by it on a daily basis. They also offered dozens of resources and strategies. At the suggestion of the committee, Landmark High School Librarian Amy Veling curated a summer reading list focused on books that present a diverse array of perspectives. Students were asked to choose a book that will add to their understanding of the world around them. Parents were encouraged to read the same book and start a conversation with their children about the book and answer questions. The Elementary•Middle School (EMS) committee regularly provided anti-racism resources in its weekly Parent Newsletter; had previously launched monthly presentations for special cultural observances, such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month; and is developing teacher training and curriculum around anti-racism and social justice. In a letter to the Landmark community, Headmaster Bob Broudo expressed confidence that like the coronavirus pandemic, racism can be overcome through a collective effort. “Through UNIFIED ACTION, we can begin to make changes to end inequality and racism, we can more readily celebrate and draw strength from our diversity, and know that it is the differences in people who make up any organization, city, or country that make them stronger, richer, and better able to function and fulfill their mission and goals,” he said.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Elementary•Middle School Resources
Caret-circle-right The Tutu Teacher discusses what racism is and how it has impacted the lives of Black and Brown people in her video geared towards kindergarten students.
Caret-circle-right Jelani Memory reads his book, A Kids Book About Racism.
High School School Resources The Absolutely True Diary of a PartTime Indian by Sherman Alexie
I’m Not Dying with You Tonight by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib
Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America edited by Ibi Zoboi
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Color Me In by Natasha Diaz
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson
Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim graphic novel The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
See High School Librarian Amy Veling’s complete Summer Reading list of novels that cover a variety of perspectives. Categories are: Belief/Religion, Family/Home, Gender/Identity, Immigrant/Culture, Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomics.
The Lantern
55
Arrow-alt-circle-right SCHOLASTIC Our students consistently impress us with their talent and dedication, and each year, we look forward to learning whose work has been recognized in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This year, we had students recognized from a variety of classes including, Foundations, Printmaking, Painting, Graphic Design, Drawing, and Portfolio. Many seniors received awards, which is a testament to their artistic growth through their years in the Landmark Art Department and an excellent way to cap off their careers here as they move on to art beyond high school. It’s especially exciting that we had four Woodworking students receive awards for their work in sculpture. This speaks to the high level of artistry and craftsmanship in that program and the continuing collaboration between Visual Arts and Woodworking. By Beth Jamieson
Arrow-alt-circle-up Sarah Mann ’20, Reveal, Drawing and Illustration GOLD KEY
56
The Lantern
Arrow-alt-circle-up Lydia Jackson ’20, Self-Portrait in Stripes, Printmaking GOLD KEY
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
ART AWARDS Arrow-Alt-Circle-Left Emily DiRico ’20
Self Portrait, Painting SILVER KEY
Arrow-alt-circle-up Elijah Kline ’21, Us Minimalist Movie Poster, Digital Art GOLD KEY Arrow-alt-circle-right Philip Eskes ’20, The Double Movie Poster,
Digital Art
SILVER KEY
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
57
Arrow-alt-circle-right SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS
Arrow-alt-circle-up Dominic Paolini ’21, Super Sunday, Photography SILVER KEY
58
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Arrow-alt-circle-down Sophia Pirone ’21, Untitled, Printmaking SILVER KEY
Arrow-alt-circle-up Julius Culliton ’21, Cleat Side Table, Sculpture SILVER KEY
Arrow-alt-circle-up Brett Cicccolo ’20, River Table, Sculpture SILVER KEY
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
59
Arrow-alt-circle-right SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS
Arrow-alt-circle-up Alex Williams ’20, Self-Portrait,
Arrow-alt-circle-up Jacquelin Connor ’20, Self-Portrait,
HONORABLE MENTION
HONORABLE MENTION
Drawing and Illustration
Drawing and Illustration
Arrow-alt-circle-up Alex Williams ’20, Self-Portrait,
Arrow-alt-circle-up Lydia Jackson ’20, Reveal Self-Portrait,
HONORABLE MENTION
HONORABLE MENTION
Drawing and Illustration
Arrow-alt-circle-up Henry Terrien ’20, Self-Portrait, Drawing and Illustration HONORABLE MENTION
60
The Lantern
Arrow-alt-circle-up Abigail Garthwaite ’20, Mask of Misery, Drawing and Illustration HONORABLE MENTION
Drawing and Illustration
Arrow-alt-circle-up Henry Terrien ’20, Self-Portrait, Drawing and Illustration HONORABLE MENTION
Arrow-alt-circle-up Ellie Becker ’20, Linoleum Self-Portrait, Printmaking HONORABLE MENTION
Arrow-alt-circle-up Henry Terrien ’20, Self-Portrait, Printmaking HONORABLE MENTION SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Arrow-alt-circle-up Sophia Pirone ’21, Lion, Mixed Media HONORABLE MENTION SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
61
Arrow-alt-circle-right SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS
Arrow-alt-circle-up Gabrielle Kenney ’20, Titanic Movie Poster, Digital Art HONORABLE MENTION
Arrow-alt-circle-up Sarah Mann ’20, Image Transfer Suit Jacket, Fashion HONORABLE MENTION
Arrow-alt-circle-up Lily Martin ’21, Ghost Rider Movie Poster, Digital Art HONORABLE MENTION
Arrow-alt-circle-right Tyler McSheffrey ’21, Adel Blind Contour Portrait, Drawing and Illustration HONORABLE MENTION
Simon Easton ’20, Checkered Bowl, Sculpture Arrow-Alt-Circle-Left
HONORABLE MENTION
62
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Arrow-alt-circle-up Anna Roussos ’22, Taj Mahal Etching, Printmaking HONORABLE MENTION
Arrow-alt-circle-up Lydia Jackson ’20,
Amputated Torso Self-Portrait, Mixed Media
Amelia Silvestro ’22, Queen Blind Contour Portrait, Drawing and Illustration Arrow-alt-circle-down
HONORABLE MENTION
HONORABLE MENTION
Arrow-alt-circle-up David Chrumka ’20,
Inlaid Dovetail Box, Sculpture HONORABLE MENTION
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
63
D
on a silly costume? Sing harmony in an ad hoc barbershop quartet? Pose as reading comprehension coach “Ian the Inferian,” find myriad ways to sculpt language into clever and irreverent puns, or find satire in even the driest of topics? That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Landmark’s beloved Rob Kahn. Rob’s journey to Landmark started in 1972 when, as a sophomore at Harvard, he found a posting for a summer job at Landmark School “teaching bright students who had difficulty reading.” Rob took the job, completed his undergraduate degree a couple of years later, and has been at Landmark full-time ever since. In his 49 years at the school, it is no exaggeration to say that he has positively impacted hundreds of faculty members and thousands of students. In the early days, Rob taught language arts, served as an academic advisor, department head, and residential staffer at Landmark’s North Campus, now known as the Elementary•Middle School (EMS). Around this time, Rob and fellow teacher, Mary Beth Mould, fell in love, got married, and, as a talented couple with a wide range of skills, were asked by founder Charles Drake to head up to Nova Scotia, where a number of Landmark families were clamoring for a school that was closer to home for their students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. With financial support from these families, Landmark purchased the old Paramount Hotel (complete with disco in the back) to serve as the schoolhouse—and Landmark East was born.
K I E RA N K E SN E R ‘ 09
ROB KAHN’S REDIRECTI 64
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
ION SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
65
In the early 1980s, now with two young girls (Rachel and Emily) in tow, Rob and Mary were asked to return to the North Shore of Boston to help run Landmark’s elementary and middle school program, and in 1985, Rob took over as campus head. The rest, as they say, is history. But Rob’s tenure was anything but traditional or predictable. During his years as head, the student body more than doubled, he oversaw expanding facilities, numerous curriculum initiatives, fostered a valuable collaboration with peers in Japan, mentored hundreds of talented educators, and thousands of families entered the Landmark fold knowing that their children’s needs would be met and they would be seen, nurtured, and understood. When Rob announced that he would “redirect” at the end of the 2019– 2020 school year, he never imagined that his final months would be dominated by one of the most challenging chapters for the school, the sudden closure due to the COVID-19 health pandemic. In true Rob Kahn fashion, he capably and tirelessly led the campus through the haze of building out a robust, individualized, and effective remote learning program in a matter of weeks. Rob has turned the reins of the EMS over to Claire Sullivan, former Language Arts co-department head. After 35 years as head and nearly 50 at Landmark, he began to plan this transition several years ago. “Landmark has been a part of my life for five decades and it represents, literally, the opportunity of a lifetime. The overall feeling I have is one of thanks for having found a position where I could use my strengths to help people and to grow personally in so many ways. Imagine being able to turn around the educational paths of deserving students and imagine enabling dedicated faculty to do what they love to do, and you’ll understand my gratitude for the Landmark community. That gratitude now extends to serving in any way I can to help Claire and my colleagues as Landmark enters its second half century.” We are all grateful that Rob has decided to redirect, rather than retire. Chapter two will be shaped by a variety of roles coordinating Landmark’s accreditation effort, teaching, blogging, special projects, and proud and involved grandfather of Milo and Charlie. And we take comfort in knowing that Ian the Inferian is not going far.
THOUGHTS ON ROB
Since 1971
The L
A C A D E M I C S • T H E A RT S • S I L L
Ken Burns agrees to join EMS staffers Wendy Ellis, Meghan Sebens, and Gemma Flavin to expand Kahn documentary into a 10-part, 25-hour miniseries, with accompanying, thematic curriculum incorporating Landmark’s Six Teaching Principles™.
“Rob’s intelligence, level-headedness, and dramatic capabilities, when required, are all admirable. But his innate kindness toward students and staff, his ability to assuage potentially challenging situations in his naturally patient way, is what I appreciate the most. Rob’s tenure is proof of the effective power to put community above all else. He leaves an undeniable mark on the history of this school.” CLAIRE SULLIVAN, HEAD, ELEMENTARY•MIDDLE SCHOOL
66
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Landmark Onion
Volume 76
LY A N T I C S • AT H L E T I C S • PA S S I O N P R O J E C T S • N O N S E N S E • B Y S C OT T H A R LA N
With extra time on his hands, Rob revives “Four Guys with Bow Ties” barbershop quartet. Their first Zoom concert sparks appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night At Home Edition and earns group headlining honor for Landmark’s 50th Anniversary party on September 25, 2021.
Following successful launch of EMS Remote Online Learning Campus, Rob expands personal social media footprint becoming sought-after “influencer” and Instagram “Show and Tell” sensation.
“You have taught me to appreciate that the work itself is the reward—how doing the work well, in community, keeping faith with students, parents, and staff, brings the greatest joy, pride, and satisfaction.
“Rob is kind, compassionate, intelligent, thoughtful, child-centered, research oriented, collaborative, responsible and accountable, committed, tireless, and always learning. These are just a few of the ways one might describe Rob—with all that these words imply about his impact on Landmark.
SCOTT HARLAN, EMS FACULTY
BOB BROUDO, HEADMASTER, LANDMARK SCHOOL
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
67
Retirements: Betty Tremblay FEBRUARY 14, 2003 I 17 YEARS Betty began her Landmark career on Valentine’s Day, 2003. It was 2°F that day and she was starting in the middle of the year, absent the typical three-week new faculty training and induction period. None of that held her back and for 17 years Betty served the families of Landmark School as a respected teacher, tutor, and assistant Language Arts department head. She has used the word “retirement” carefully and notes that she will continue to remain very active in many pursuits and will continue to stay connected to Landmark. Well done Betty!
Elizabeth Sarantos
“These last years have been the best years that I have known and loved. School will not be the same without you there...thank you for making these past years so special for me.” TYLER ARREDONDO ’28
68
The Lantern
JULY 1, 2006 I 14 YEARS Elizabeth’s wisdom, calm professionalism, and compassion will be greatly missed. She brought the perspective of serving others as a Landmark parent and a dedicated teacher to every assignment. Having Elizabeth for a tutorial or class meant an enduring relationship of trust. Her students immediately sensed they were in the hands of a master teacher who would support and challenge them. SPRING/SUMMER 2020
SPOTLIGHT alumni
Behind the Mask of COVID-19 by Danica Kurzhals ’08
I am a social worker at the High Pointe House, a hospice and palliative care residence located in Haverhill, Mass. Hospice care focuses on improving the quality of life of the terminally ill. I enjoy working in hospice because of its medical model that focuses on a team approach. The team consists of doctors, nurses, the chaplain, aides, and a social worker. We work together to support not only the patient, but also the patient’s network of family and friends. As COVID-19 became more prevalent in Massachusetts, I knew the demand for hospice care would increase to levels never seen before. At the time, High Pointe House was the only COVID-19 inpatient hospice facility in the state. To adjust to meet the needs of the COVID-19 patients, we have a dedicated Precaution Pod in our facility. Personally, I had to adapt my work attire, and I now must wear basic medical scrubs and a mask. This change has made it difficult for me because it hides nonverbal expressions, such as a smile, that can allay anxiety or fear. Because the virus is highly contagious, many families are afraid to visit for fear of catching it. To reconnect patients to their families, I helped implement the use of iPads. It has been my honor to be able to experience this deeply private and emotional experience with them. As my mask covering says, “We are all in this together!” BOOK-OPEN
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
69
PENLIGHT
in his own words
Spreading POSITIVITY During Challenging Times by Mitchell Geffin ’25
My name is Mitchell Geffin, and I just completed seventh grade at Landmark Elementary•Middle School. Earlier this year, I had an idea to create a newspaper to share positive news in our community. I believe that through kind acts and gestures, we all have the ability to impact others positively. When we think, speak, and write positively, it is easier to work through challenges and achieve our dreams. Surrounding ourselves in positivity can lift our spirits, help relax our minds, and overcome obstacles. In January, I started a newspaper called Positivity News at school. During morning meetings and milkbreak, I presented my idea to students and faculty. I asked everyone to share any acts of kindness they observed or anything positive happening in our community. I also created a Positivity Box to be located in the school’s lobby, where stories, pictures, and ideas could be submitted. When our campus closed due to COVID-19, I had only just started collecting positive news. Although we were not physically on campus, we were all still members of Landmark’s caring community and kind acts were happening everywhere, everyday. I felt that Positivity News was more important than ever during the pandemic, so I wrote a letter to the faculty and students. I asked that they email me or my academic advisor, Ms. DeJoy, with positive news from home so we could continue the newspaper remotely. The community was very receptive and their submissions put a smile on my face. The students and faculty were so creative, and I enjoyed receiving pictures and stories about 70
The Lantern
different ways people were, and still are, thanking our amazing healthcare workers. For example, there are signs of support and appreciation displayed on people’s windows and in their yards. Many members of our community are helping others. Some are making protective face masks or delivering meals to their neighbors in need. I enjoy every moment that I work on Positivity News with Ms. DeJoy and Mrs. Ellis and appreciate the support I have received from Landmark. An issue of Positivity News was published in the Landmark EMS Parent Newsletter every weekend of the school year, and middle school students also were able to access the newspaper in Google Classroom. My future plan is to present Positivity News orally by making a video for our community. I am confident that this newspaper helps us maintain a more optimistic perspective. It is important that we look for all the good happening around us, especially during difficult times. My hope is to spread as much positivity as I can. We all have the ability to make a huge difference even through the smallest acts of kindness. BOOK-OPEN
NAME
Mitchell Geffin
Charlestown, Mass. HOMETOWN
CLASS OF
2025 newspaper
FAVORITE PROJECT
Creator of Positivity News
NEXT FOR PN? VIDEO WHAT’S Mitchell plans to
bring Positivity News to the small screen with a video version of his publication.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
“
We all have the ability to make a huge difference even through the smallest acts of kindness.�
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
71
SPOTLIGHT donor
In It for the Long Haul by Brittany Kenney
“Dad, come get me NOW!,” said Matt DiGiovanni’s tearful daughter, Jessica, as she called him from her middle school. She had just received a poor grade on a test for which she had studied hard. Her dad knew this because they had worked on it together. Yet there she was again, not seeing academic results that matched her arduous efforts. Matt understood his daughter’s frustration better than most; he had been diagnosed with a language-based learning difference (LBLD) as a child and confronted imposing obstacles throughout his educational journey. Labeled as “lazy” by his parochial school teachers, Matt was shuffled from school to school and never considered college a possibility. Likewise, Matt’s wife, Fiorella (Fee), immigrated to America from Italy as a child and 72
The Lantern
faced the incredible challenge of learning a new language while trying to grasp complex academic concepts. They both knew what it felt like to be misunderstood by the educational system. Fast forward many years, and now the DiGiovannis are a family of seven, with five children—Andrew, twins Jessica and Christina, Guilia, and Catherine. Despite his academic hurdles, Matt attended Wentworth Institute of Technology and built a successful career in the construction industry. Fee went on to become SPRING/SUMMER 2020
C H RI S K I I SI EL W I TH TA SH ER ST U DI O I N WO BU R N
The DiGiovanni family from left to right: Catherine, Guilia, Fee, Matt, Christina, Jessica, Front Row: Ceasar the dog and Anthony.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
a talented hair stylist and devoted mother. The children attended parochial school in Woburn and were all doing well until the twins were in late elementary school. That was when their teachers started noticing some learning challenges. The girls were tested, and both were diagnosed with LBLDs. Christina did not need accommodations for her learning differences and enjoyed a successful traditional school experience. But Jessica, her twin sister, was not as fortunate. Like Matt, Jessica was moved from parochial school to public school. The DiGiovannis were often told, “She just isn’t trying hard enough.” Knowing that simply wasn’t true, the DiGiovannis held meeting after meeting with advocates, attorneys, and administrators in an effort to attain a quality education for their daughter. After years of difficult meetings, Matt asked his daughter where she might like to go to college. Her response: “Dad, I’ll be lucky to finish high school.” Matt and Fee were devastated—and angry. At the end of Jessica’s freshman year, the DiGiovannis knew they needed to make a drastic change. A former special education teacher suggested they look into Landmark School. This teacher had taken part in Landmark Outreach’s Summer Institute and knew that the school’s educational model could work for Jessica. They applied, and Jessica started the Summer Program a few weeks later. Matt recalls, “I picked her up on the first day of summer school, and she looked at me and said ‘Dad, I can learn.’” As heartbreaking as it was to hear those words from your 15-year-old child, the DiGiovannis knew they had found the right place for their daughter. Jessica had a rocky start at the beginning of her sophomore year, but despite the challenges, she excelled. She transferred to Landmark’s Prep Program for her junior year, graduated the following year, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University. She is currently working on her master’s degree at Simmons College.
When younger daughters Guilia and Catherine started having learning issues, the family knew where to turn. Guilia attended the Landmark Summer Program for three years and graduated from Lexington High School. She received her bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Endicott College and will attend graduate school in the fall. Their youngest, Catherine, graduated from Landmark in June 2020, after spending four years in the Prep Program. She was named a 2020 North Shore Honors Scholar and was accepted to seven colleges. She plans to study neuroscience at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut in the fall. Matt and Fee have been loyal supporters and donors to Landmark School since Jessica arrived at Landmark over a decade ago. Landmark, they say, “was a godsend for our family. We want to make sure kids less fortunate than ours are able to access the educational opportunities available at Landmark.” The DiGiovannis gave generously during May’s Landmark Cares Day, a fundraising drive that supported financial aid. Matt has also been involved with Landmark’s annual golf tournament for many years and has been a vocal supporter and advocate for the school. It’s been a long and oftentimes bumpy road for the DiGiovanni family when it comes to education. Matt and Fee’s childhood experiences helped them understand the complicated challenges their daughters faced. They did not take “no” for an answer and fought to get their children the education they needed—and deserved. They are now fighting to make sure that the same education is available to other children by supporting the financial aid program at Landmark. Catherine’s graduation in June marked the end of the DiGiovanni’s tenure as Landmark parents. “This isn’t it for us though. We’ll continue to stay involved with the school in any way we can.” We welcome them as Alumni Parents and look forward to fighting right along with them for many years to come! BOOK-OPEN The Lantern
73
PENLIGHT
in her own words
Ready to Move On by Erin Morrisseau ’20
When I started at Landmark, I knew it would not be easy. I thought that, after my past school experiences, it was going to be extremely difficult to be happy and learn. Classroom confidence is something most people with dyslexia struggle with on a daily basis—especially in school. I thought that Landmark would be the same, but I was wrong.
74
The Lantern
all the times I struggled and felt as though I would never finish a chapter on time, but I would always finish the book. I knew that I could get through this and that everything would be all right in the end. Just as I figured all this out on my own, Landmark announced a delayed graduation ceremony. Looking back now, knowing the Erin I was seven years ago, I would not be able to stand where I am today with a smile on my face if it wasn’t for Landmark. Times are very tough with COVID-19, but with the skills and perseverance we’ve learned, we can and will get through this together. Moving on to the new chapter of my life, I will take the skills I learned from Landmark and be a stronger and wiser person. The Landmark community, as always, will stay strong and teach little sixth graders like I was how to be strong. I am ready to move on, thanks to Landmark. BOOK-OPEN
NAME
Erin Morrisseau
Ashland, Mass. HOMETOWN
CLASS OF
2020 paw-claws
NEXT STOP
Unity College to study Captive Wildlife Care and Education
K E LLY HOWA RD
Having attended Landmark for seven years, I have watched myself grow mentally and academically into who I am today. Landmark not only gave me the ability to read, write, and complete math problems properly, but it also rebuilt my confidence as a learner and a student with a learning disability. The experiences I had at Landmark shaped me to be strong and determined. I know that when things go wrong, it is up to me to make them right. However, as I entered into my senior spring and got ready to close this Landmark chapter, COVID-19 appeared. At first, it was strange, new, and of little concern to me, but once the senior trip was canceled, I knew it was over. Just like seven years ago before I came to Landmark, I felt lost. I was scared not knowing what would happen after Landmark. I sat back and I thought about my past seven years of school and all the skills I learned to help me succeed. I remembered
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
75
STARLIGHT athletics
A Season for the Record Books Landmark High School’s 2020 wrestling season was one for the history books—in more ways than one. After the departure of longtime veteran coach Kyle Pietrowski at the end of the 2016–2017 season, Nate Efinger took over and began to rebuild a program that had fallen on tough times and low participation numbers. However, when the season started in November 2019, Efinger and assistant coaches Bruce Miller and Dave Hammond opened the wrestling room to nearly 40 athletes—a testament to persistent, effective recruiting. What’s more, for the first time the program welcomed three female wrestlers into the fold! With an “Iowa Style” mentality, Coach Efinger preached extreme fitness and conditioning—a tactic that can sometimes backfire when athletes are new to a sport (particularly wrestling) and sometimes overwhelmed by the challenging physical demands of such intense practices. Yet, as the days and weeks passed, it was clear that this group would gel together very nicely. In fact, the group could not get enough of the wrestling room. The positive leadership and support provided by captains George Athanasiadis ‘21, Josiah Castellucci ‘21, and John Simpson ‘20 provided the younger and 76
The Lantern
STA N G OD LE WS K I / N EPSAC
by Brook Sumner
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
less-experienced wrestlers a place to grow, learn, and ultimately thrive. The team finished the regular season at 18–4 and won the Eastern Independent League (EIL) with a 9–1 record. Only a three point loss to rival Lexington Christian Academy kept the Vikings from an undefeated league record. With the regular season championship wrapped up, the team set its sights on the Eastern Independent League Tournament. Again, the team rose to the occasion and ran away with a convincing EIL Tournament victory and qualified seven boys and two girls for the New England Championships at the Hartford Armory. While the boys fought hard at New Englands, it was not to be for them this year. However, Makayla Carrafiello ’21 and Sophia Vasil ’22 stole the show. Unfortunately Layla Tsay ’21 broke her collarbone in the last match of the season at Roxbury Latin and could not participate at New Englands. In the first-ever New England girls wrestling championship tournament, Landmark’s girls were incredible. Sophia placed fifth in her class, and Makayla took home the top spot after an epic match in which she pinned her counterpart with only seconds remaining! But there was to be more in this historic season. Makayla emerged as Landmark’s only qualifier to the National Wrestling Prep Championships at Lehigh University. It was the first time female wrestlers were offered a bracket in the tournament. After dropping her first match to the eventual champion, she bounced back to win two consecutive matches, including a thrilling OT win. Makayla earned a spot on the podium with the best in the country, placing fourth overall at Nationals. It truly was a fantastic and historic season for Landmark’s wrestlers. BOOK-OPEN SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
77
STARLIGHT performing arts
The Show Must Go On-line By Nate Efinger
This spring, Landmark High School’s Performing Arts faculty thought “outside the BLACK box” for ways to connect, motivate, and inspire their actors, dancers, singers, and technical theater students during the shift to remote learning. While the concert and recital series came to an unanticipated end for the 2019–2020 school year, we still found ways to collaborate with, influence, and motivate our students who participated in the Performing Arts.
Evening of Dance
The cornerstone of our virtual performances was our annual Evening of Dance recital. Yes, you read that correctly. We still held this annual event—just not in our traditional way. Dance instructor Evelyn Burke tirelessly pieced together videos, some from rehearsals before the stay-at-home advisory, and some recorded from Google Meet classroom sessions. The end result was a virtual version of the Evening of Dance performance. In coordination with the Marketing and Communications team, the Performing Arts Department hosted the event on Facebook and Instagram Live on May 22 and then posted the recording on YouTube. The platform gave us an opportunity to come together in a safe way, to be entertained, and to celebrate the talents and year-long dedication of our dancers.
Play-Circle 78
Check it out! Watch Landmark’s first-ever Virtual Evening of Dance.
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Virtual Choral Performance by and for Our Community
Play-Circle
Check it out! Landmark students, faculty, and alumni come together to record a collaborative vocal performance.
In music classes, we shared our musical skills over Google Meet and other platforms. The Advanced Chorus finished a large project: a virtual choral recording of the Kacey Musgraves song “Rainbow.” We shared the sheet music and rehearsal tracks with students who worked on their part independently, using acquired skills taught during brick-and-mortar teaching. The students taped and submitted their videos to the instructor, who used video and audio editing software to create a group performance that was then adapted to include additional recordings of alumni, faculty, and other members of the Landmark chorus. We dedicated the final composition to the graduating class of 2020.
Virtual Night of Music by Jack Bram ’23
Play-Circle
Check it out! Watch and listen to Jack Bram’s final project for his Exploring Music class—a Virtual Night of Music.
Witnessing the success of these virtual performances, Jack Bram ‘23, a student in the Exploring Music class, took it upon himself to create his own project, A Virtual Night of Music. Jack sent out the call for contributors to submit videos of themselves performing music in any format or genre. Jack pieced together several diverse performances submitted by faculty and students, as well as two pieces of his own. Dylan Timpone ‘23 served as the emcee for the show, which was presented to the community on June 18 to help celebrate the last day of a very memorable school year.
Technical Theater Takes to the Small Stage
This was just one of several Hansel and Gretel sets that Dylan created for his final Technical Theater project.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Technical Theater Department adjusted brilliantly to our remote learning model as well. While the class had been geared toward the practical application of skills through experiential learning, the new virtual curriculum utilized hands-on learning through a more theoretical approach. Nate Haywood, Technical Theater director, engaged his students in a challenge to create miniature models of sets for popular children’s stories. The 3D model (left) represents Hansel and Gretel, and was designed and built by the talented Dylan Almeida ‘23. BOOK-OPEN The Lantern
79
EVENTS Community
Golf Benefit There are few Landmark traditions that are as longstanding as the annual Golf Benefit. For 25 years, this event has brought together parents, alumni, students, faculty, and friends for a fun day on the links in support of Landmark’s mission. The 26th annual Golf Benefit scheduled for Monday, June 1, was cancelled, but the spirit of the event lived on! In lieu of our traditional fundraising for the tournament, donors and sponsors stepped up to raise money for a special resilience initiative for Landmark student financial aid. Through this, and the generosity of the community during Landmark Cares Day on May 1, we raised over $100,000 toward our financial aid program. Thank you!
Making Waves Landmark’s Sixth Annual Making Waves Concert and Auction was scheduled to take place with headline act Mavis Staples at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Mass., on Wednesday, April 15. After months of planning, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As one of our most anticipated events of the year, we missed gathering our community for this festive celebration. We sincerely thank our generous sponsors and donors who maintained their commitment to this event, and helped to raise significant funds for Landmark’s students, faculty, and programs. We look forward to an amazing event next year!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Alpaugh P’21 The Alter Family ‘82 The Buddenhagen Family P’23, ’27 Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Charest P’25 A.M. Dachs Foundation Mr. Mark A. Davidson ‘04 Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Ege P’20 Jeffrey W. Gladney ‘06 The James Family P’10 Ms. Sandra L. Jesse P’13 John Hancock Matching Gifts Program
80
The Lantern
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Keefe P’20 Mr. and Mrs. John Leslie P’21 Long’s Jewelers Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas A. Lopardo P’92, GP’20, ’22, ’23 Mr. and Mrs. William T. Patten P’07 Ms. Taylor F. Patten ‘07 Ms. Gabriella R. Pecoraro ‘07 Peterman Architects, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Gary L. Smith P’16 Spencer Smitherman ‘08 Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Stephenson P’21
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: PRESENTING SPONSOR
Ravago Manufacturing Americas and The Duffy Family P’14 Anonymous The Alter Family ‘82 Bank of America Benemax Brenner Facility Services, LLC The Buddenhagen Family P’23, ‘27 Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP Mr. Robert Clapp Cosgrove, Eisenberg, and Kiley, P.C. Mr. and Mrs. Robert DiRienzo P’24 Ernst & Young LLP The James Family Mr. and Mrs. John Leslie P’21 Lew Eisenberg Marsh & McLennan Companies Northern Trust Mr. and Mrs. Dan Wittner P’26
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
EVENTS Community
ARK CARE M
AY SD
LAN D
Landmark Cares Day
PlayReply
check it out!
EMS head, Rob Kahn, hosts a Virtual Morning Meeting.
Students crafted signs and video greetings to show their Landmark spirit.
The Turnbull family poses in full Landmark attire to show their support.
THANK YOU TO OUR AUCTION AND RAFFLE DONORS We acknowledge the following families and businesses who donated items and services that were auctioned and raffled during Landmark Cares Day. Astrid Boesze and Guy Hayward P’19 The Book Shop of Beverly Farms The Cabot Lodge Billy Costa Jeffrey Hutchinson Fay ‘00 Jerry and Ruth Healey The Hernandez Family P’27 Jenny Johnson Long’s Jewelers Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Lopardo P’92, GP’20, ’22, ’23
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Prides Pizza and Deli Prides Crossing Confections Relish Catering and Events Rockport Music SAGE Dining Services Claire Sullivan Kirk Swanson Vidalias Wild Oats Health Food Store
Landmark Cares, held on May 1, 2020, was a virtual community day dedicated to highlighting how Landmark students, faculty, parents, alumni, and friends displayed compassion for others during the COVID-19 pandemic. The day focused on bringing our community together virtually through uniquely Landmark activities and raising funds for financial aid. A series of emails and social media posts led people to the Landmark Cares webpage, where they could watch videos, read stories, see pictures, and donate. Check out some of the highlights: Play-Circle Morning Meeting with EMS Faculty Play-Circle Auction kick-off with local celebrity Billy Costa Play-Circle Milkbreak explained by Bob Broudo Play-Circle Videos of thanks to Landmark faculty and first responders Play-Circle Videos from faculty celebrating the class of 2020 Play-Circle Art activities Play-Circle Meditation and movement activities lead by Landmark faculty The community participated by sending in moving stories, more than 100 videos and pictures, and hundreds of likes and comments on social media. Our community came together to raise more than $100,000 for financial aid relief. Go Vikings!
The Lantern
81
EVENTS Community
Landmark Connects Events: Year in Review The 2019–2020 academic year featured six Landmark Connects events, designed for current Landmark parents to gather and build community. Most of the events were hosted by current families who welcomed fellow parents into their homes, businesses, and clubs, where guests enjoyed visiting with long-time friends and making new ones. We look forward to continuing this event series in the fall. THANK YOU TO OUR LANDMARK CONNECTS EVENT HOSTS: “Movers and Shakers”—Manchester, Mass. Bryan and Katherine Bottarelli P’23, ’26 Metro West—Weston, Mass. Evan and Susan Dangel P’20 North Shore—Marblehead, Mass. Meg and Bill Cashel P’28 Merrimack Valley—Andover, Mass. Mark and Karen Nichols P’25 New York City, N.Y. Kimberly Perrone and Stefan Yarabek P’22
Landmark parents enjoyed meeting each other at regional cocktail receptions.
Alumni Basketball Game
The Annual Alumni vs. Faculty Basketball Game was held on January 10 and, per usual, both teams brought their A game. The competition went into double overtime with a buzzer-beating basket allowing the faculty team to clinch the win by two points. Next year, the alumni have promised to return with a vengeance!
LPA Staff Appreciation: Saying Thank You Despite the Distance
A hallmark of the Landmark Parents’ Association (LPA) programming is the opportunity to thank and appreciate the beloved faculty and staff each spring. This year was no different. The event shifted from live to virtual, and each faculty and staff member received an Amazon gift card as a small token of the appreciation LPA feels for their hard work and dedication to Landmark School. Now, more than ever, Landmark parents and guardians appreciate the labor of love faculty pour into each lesson and interaction with their students. Distance won’t break that bond, and the LPA looks forward to celebrating in-person soon. 82
The Lantern
A favorite tradition: the Annual Alumni vs. Faculty Basketball Game
“ Thank you for the Amazon.com gift card! It will definitely be put to good use during this remote teaching adventure. Thanks for all of the support you have given to us throughout the year, it doesn’t go unnoticed! Stay healthy.” —Mary Guinee, High School Faculty Member
Alumni Notes facebook.com/landmarkschool
@landmarkschool
landmarkschool
The Landmark School Alumni
Stay in touch! Please email us and let us know what you’ve been up to. Send updates and pictures to dfigueira@landmarkschool.org James Perry ’72 I am one of the original 40 students who attended Landmark in 1971! I was on the Landmark Rovers in 1972, a cross-country travel and adventure group. I also spent two summers on the Nathaniel Bowditch Schooner. Please keep me in the loop on the 50year celebration on September 25, 2021. I’m very much looking forward to this and would like to be part of it!
Bruce Eaton ’82 I am currently boat building and traveling! Would love to make a special trip to visit Landmark. Larry Jones ’84 My daughter graduated from high school and is off to college!
John Colwell ’74 I live in Iowa City, Iowa. I’ve been friends with Dana McCarriston ’76 since 1972, and we are still close after 45 years! Robert Baldera ’77 I’m living in Florida. My wife and I just celebrated 33 years of marriage. I have written poetry in the past, which I have had published. I also keep in touch with others from Landmark.
Custom alumni shirts by John Colwell ’74 and Dana McCarriston ’76
Stephen Broadbridge ’85 Tourism Entrepreneur, Wildlife Photographer, Landmark Alumni ‘85! James Toland ’86 I published my first nonfiction book, The Smartest Person in the Room: A Guide to Selling Disruptive Technology. I am very proud of the reception it is getting and feel even more encouraged to keep writing about what I know about disruptive technology and the human struggle. Today I am the head of a well-known software company in San Francisco and am invited to speak all over the world on the subject of overcoming the paradox of disruptive technology—and I am still very dyslexic.
Larry Jones ’84 SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
83
Michael Bova ’87 Currently, I’m working at IBM Corporation as a software engineer feature/tech lead on the IBM Next Generation Public Cloud Offering. May 2020 marked my third year as an IBMer. Previously, I was at a startup in Cambridge, Mass., working on a server-side caching virtualization platform. I was there for four years, had a ball, and did well. And before that, I was at EMC corporation in its technology ventures division and other groups for a total of 17 years (I joined them in 1996). Three years ago, I took the plunge and purchased a J-37 sailboat named Ilona J. She is a dream to sail and handles great. Going on 41 years now, I have been racing sailboats of various types from America’s Cup to one-design. (I started at age 10.) I have been married to my wife, Robin, for 20-plus years and have two boys, Ian, 16, and Andrew, 10. Nicole Valez Alfonso ’97
Nicole Velez Alfonso ’97 I have been married for 13 years to a loving, hardworking, fun husband. We have two awesome kiddos! Christian is an active, handsome 11-year-old boy who just graduated “virtually” from fifth grade and will be going into middle school. Yes, I am a bit scared of this new phase. I trust God has him in his hands though. He has been learning bike tricks during the quarantine and riding around searching for mangos that fall off trees in my neighborhood. Lyla is my 8 year old. She has been learning the piano a lot and taking singing classes. She loves worship music. That really warms my heart. It has been really cool for her to have the extra time to dedicate to the arts and be creative. I am a mental health counselor and have been able to continue seeing clients via a telehealth platform. I appreciate technology and the way it can help us connect even when we are very far away. My family 84
The Lantern
and I (from New York, California, and Puerto Rico) have been Zooming weekly to catch up. That is special since the rat race before would not allow all of our schedules to mold to one specific time. My husband is an attorney and has also been able to work from home. This is really a blessing! We have been taking many family walks and having lots of fun pool time. We have seen God’s grace upon our family! This summer we plan to spend time having important talks with our son about all that can be experienced in middle school and have some much needed beach time. It took us some time at the beginning to adjust to the isolation of this pandemic, but we have found a sweet spot and are enjoying it! Hope all the Landmark families are doing well! Michael Pelsor ’90 I’m living in St. Louis, Missouri, with my wife, Natalie, and our son, Max, who is 16 months old. I’m working as a fire and building inspector for the St. Louis County Region. My education is in fire protection with a BS in OSHA Safety and Health. I also hold three certifications as a fire inspector in Missouri. When I’m not working I enjoy photography, riding my bike on the trails, and family time. Erik Bernstein ’00 I work as a lead recovery advocate and case manager at Resilience Recovery Resources in West Palm Beach, Fla., an adolescent mental health and drug/alcohol dependency facility. I get to go to work each day and make a difference in these kids’ lives. I have the best job, and I am blessed to be a part of a solution. Courtney Murray Marshall ’01 Life is wonderful with two preschoolers.
Courtney Murray Marshall ’01
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Daniel McLaughlin ’01 I am currently the program director at the Center for Teen Empowerment (TE) in my hometown of Somerville, Mass. Recently, I had the honor of being part of an amazing exhibit featured in the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C. Over the past 14 years through my work at TE I have helped train dozens of police officers in the Boston area on how to engage in community relationships. I have been an active volunteer at Somerville Boxing for the past 10 years, and I volunteer with the National Civic League, presenting on law enforcement relationships and mental wellness.
Katie Pitasi-Clark, ’02
Ian Richardson ’02 I am currently the director of production at Space X (Space Exploration Technologies), married to my wife, Ann, for nine years, and father to Henry. Nicole Coccoluto ’04 I graduated from the University of New England with a bachelor’s in biology in 2012. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2007. It took a long time for me to recover fully after treatment. I worked at Massachusetts General Hospital as a lab tech in 2012. Then I had an opportunity to move to Florida. I went back to college to become a massage therapist in 2016. I now work as a massage therapist, and I love it!
Daniel McLaughlin ’01
Jessica Ness ’06 I’ve been in New York City for over eight years. In 2015, I received a master’s in social work (MSW) and currently work in a school that serves students with learning disabilities and emotional disturbances. I’m getting married in August 2021! Maeve Tintle ’06 I’m currently working in the airline industry and spending time with my niece and nephew. I’m getting married next year and am enjoying life! Matthew Choen ’08 My wife and I moved from Chicago back to the Boston area in 2018. We ended up buying a house and settling down in Swampscott. I have been working at an experiential agency in Boston called Riddle & Bloom. It focuses on connecting brands with the next generation of consumers (Gen Z and Millennials). Back in October, we got SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Matthew Choen ’08 (above)
Maeve Tintle ’06 (right)
The Lantern
85
married at City Winery in Boston with all of our family and closest friends! Since then it’s been a lot of working from home and binge watching a lot of Hulu.
Alumni Notes Chloe Eberhart ’08 The years 2019 and 2020 have been a whirlwind of events! My husband and I have been living in St. Louis since 2017 and bought our dream home last March. We absolutely love this city! In 2019, I made another big career change. I started teaching at an EMT program and working as a paramedic at Cardinal Glennon Pediatric Hospital. The COVID-19 pandemic was an experience I never thought I would encounter in my paramedic career. I am so lucky to work with such a phenomenal team during such a stressful time. It has been 12 years since my graduation from Landmark, and I am still using the skills I learned at LMK everyday! I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the amazing educators and experience at Landmark. I look forward to visiting again in the near future!
Chloe Eberhart ’08
landmarkschool
The Landmark School Alumni
Matthew Schur ’08 I am opening the Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach in Miami Beach as their director of finance. Anthony Picardi ’09 I have been working for tech start-ups, which have mostly been located in the San Francisco Bay area. My role has been on the business development side, which I have been doing for 15 years.
Benjamin Lindsay ’12
Benjamin Lindsay ’12 After graduating from Landmark in 2012, I moved to Denver, Colo., and attended Johnson & Wales University, studying hotel management. I graduated in 2016 and moved to Portland, Ore., to work in hotels for a few years. After spending time in hotels and not enjoying it as much as I thought I would, I moved to Kelowna, B.C., in Canada to work in the largest certified organic winery in the nation called Summerhill Pyramid Winery. I have been there since May 2019. I have also fallen in love with the wine-making process. Currently I’m exploring the idea of going back to school and completing a culinary degree to pair with my undergraduate degree and knowledge of wine. I hope to one day own my own business involving all three skills.
86
Contact us to learn more about opportunities to sponsor and contribute to this memorable event. Katie Mullen, Director of Annual Giving • kmullen@landmarkschool.org SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
Nathan Seckler ’12 Since the last time I submitted to the Lantern magazine ages ago, nothing much has changed apart from doing almost five years of carpentry work at my job at Rob Terry Cabinets in Springville, Utah. I have also joined a local Salt Lake City band called Seeking Tragedy as a merch seller (no idea the official title), selling merchandise at each venue location. I’m planning to go to my 10 year reunion in 2022, to the Las Vegas alumni reunion, as well as to the LMK School one! I hope to see all my classmates there! Sam Seckler ‘12 Since leaving Landmark High School back in 2012, I attended Utah Valley University and have achieved 2 different AAS (Associate of Applied Science) degrees in Automotive Technology, and Electrical Automation and Robotics Technology. I am currently working for an amazing electrical company called K2 Electric, and have been with them for just over a year and a half now. I love Utah, but I miss Massachusetts for it’s uniqueness charm. Thank you Landmark High School for providing me this opportunity to learn the best way that I can and proving that I can achieve my goals.
Nathan Seckler ’12
simultaneously graduated from Sergeant School in the Mass. National Guard, Army Corp of Engineers. Landmark has changed my family’s life in so many ways—we are so very grateful. Hannah Sinclair ’13 I have been politically active since graduation. I participated in a four-hour 50-car driving rally from Beverly, through Salem, ending in Swampscott. It included stops at Essex County District Attorney Blodgett’s office and ended at Governor Baker’s home, where we hand-delivered letters. This photo is in front of Governor Baker’s house, where people gathered to hear messages from multiple leaders in the black community.
Mathew Gallant ’13 After seven years of interrupted college studies related to three National Guard activations, three engineering internships, and countless calculus classes, I have graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology as a civil engineer! I’ve Hannah Sinclair ’13 (right)
Mathew Gallant ’13
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
87
Casey Nevers ’15 I am currently a correctional officer for Hillsborough county in Manchester, N.H., working through the pandemic.
Brooke Williams ’15
Dylan Shrier ’15 Hey Landmark! I am currently living in NYC doing freelance graphic design. Before the pandemic, I was a contract designer at MTV working on shows like Catfish, Teen Mom, Ex On the Beach, and many more. My hope is to either go to a design agency or work in-house this fall. I miss the Landmark family and shout out to the art department and tennis team! Brooke Williams ’15 I currently am working full time as a nanny and household manager. I care for children ages 5 and 7. While the kids are at school, I manage things around the house and handle special projects. Despite working full time, I am continuing to work toward my degree in English with a minor in earth science. I also have a dog named Moose and live in Salem, Mass.
Hugh Mitchell ‘16 When you are a recent college graduate competing for a job with 40 million unemployed amid a global pandemic, why not start your own business? I wanted to spend my summer on the water so I bought a boat and created BoatGrub.com. Now I’m helping Annisquam, Gloucester, and Manchesterby-the-Sea restaurants & small businesses cater to customers while they socially distance on the beach or on their boats. I’m hoping that this on the water “MBA” will lead to an opportunity in technology sales as the world begins to open back up and we return to a sense of normality.
Nicole Folib ’16 In addition to an ROTC award, I graduated with the highest Latin honors and earned a scholarship to Norwich University’s master’s program! Dylan Shrier ’15
Gwei Strong-Allen ’18 I miss being around Landmark campus. I just finished my freshman year at Beacon College. During my General Psychology class, I wrote a final paper about how the One Child Nation documentary affected me, having been adopted from China. I am proud of sharing. I was involved in the Behavioral Science Organization Club, Beacon Voice, part of a short original play called Flight, and am now an orientation leader for new students. What a way to finish a semester with remote learning! My summer job at Philmont Scout Ranch is not happening this summer, so I’m going to summer school to get ahead. 88
The Lantern
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Landmark School 2020 Board of Trustees Thilo Henkes P’24 CHAIR Georgetown, MA Managing Director and Partner, L.E.K. Consulting
Jeffrey Alpaugh P’21 Wellesley, MA Growth and Industry Practices Leader, Marsh & McClennan
Moira McNamara James P’10 SECRETARY Marblehead, MA Director of Video Operations The Conference Board
Harvey L. Alter ’82 Glenview, IL Vice President, The Alter Group Jennifer Buddenhagen P’23, ’27 Magnolia, MA Chief Marketing Officer, Carling Technologies, Inc.
*Nicholas A. Lopardo P’92, GP’20,’22 ’23, ’24 CHAIRMAN EMERITUS Sanibel, FL Retired, Vice Chairman State Street Corporation
Jennifer Paul Casey P’02, ’06 Marblehead, MA Casey Family Foundation
Robert J. Broudo P’11 PRESIDENT AND HEADMASTER Beverly, MA Landmark School, Inc.
Nancy Crate P’19, ’21 Ipswich, MA Volunteer
Larry Karle VICE PRESIDENT Norwell, MA Landmark School, Inc.
Alan Dachs San Francisco, CA CEO and Director, Fremont Group
Kim Hildebrandt CLERK Beverly, MA Landmark School, Inc.
Julie Donovan P’23, ’28 Marblehead, MA Recently Retired Senior Vice President, Fidelity Investments
Charles P. Harris CLERK EMERITUS Winchester, MA Landmark School, Inc.
Nadine Gaab, PhD Cambridge, MA Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Faculty at Harvard Graduate School of Education Bill Gersh ’06 Beverly Hills, CA Agent, The Gersh Agency John Leslie P'21 Newton Centre, MA IHS Markit, Office of the CTO Robert S. Merowitz P’06 Sudbury, MA President & CEO, Universal Realty Corporation
Joseph H. Morgart P’12,’22 Waltham, MA Alternative Investment, Amundi Pioneer Investments Shelley Moses-Reed P’23 Greenwood Village, CO Customer Experience Executive, Medallia Michael Pehl P’21 Manchester, MA Founder and Managing Partner, Guidepost Growth Equity
ALUMNI AND PARENT RELATIONS Robert and Angela Gowans P’23 Landmark Parents’ Association Representatives Beverly, MA Gabriella Pecoraro ’07 Alumni Representative Salem, MA Global Wealth and Asset Management Strategy Leader, John Hancock
Catherine Slark P’01 Burr Ridge, IL Volunteer Martin P. Slark P’01 Burr Ridge, IL Retired, President and CEO, Molex, Inc. Spencer Smitherman ’08 Denver, CO Director of Client Onboarding and Technical Support, Returnly Michael D. Tancreti P’09, ’11 Nashua, NH Chief Executive Officer, Ashwood Development Company David A. Tessier P’10 Del Ray Beach, FL President,Hospitality and Gaming Advisors TRUSTEES EMERITUS Robert J. Campbell P’04 Rockport, ME Investment Counselor Beck, Mack, & Oliver David G. Peterson P’08 Bedford, MA Sales Management Consultant Suzanne H. Sears P’02 Hamilton, MA
As of August 2020 SPRING/SUMMER 2020
The Lantern
89
Post Office Box 227 Prides Crossing, Massachusetts 01965-0227 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
