Meadowbrook Made A Difference F0r Me Jesse Dougherty Class of 2006 Jesse Dougherty ‘06 returned to Meadowbrook on June 8th to deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2012. After Meadowbrook, Jesse attended Abington Friends School where he has explored many different spheres of life. Jesse is a budding journalist. His love of writing has blossomed and this spring he enjoyed his first by-line in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Jesse’s love for Philadelphia sports is religious. He enjoys playing organized basketball, baseball, and soccer and will also do just about anything that gets him sweating. Self-expression is a major part of his life as a musician and writer. Jesse enjoys playing piano and signing at any time of the day and frequently uses music as his outlet. In the fall, Jesse will attend Syracuse University, a perfect place for him to combine his love for sports and journalism Excerpts from Jesse’s graduation speech are below. The complete speech is available on Meadowbrook TV. “Graduating class of 2012, now I speak directly to you. Some years from now, when you are going off to college as I am, you too will recognize how lucky we all are to have attended this amazing school. There are no schools like Meadowbrook, and as you move on in your educational careers, no one will understand the power of an elementary school education like you will, because they will have not have experienced anything like you have. It is our jobs as Meadowbrook alumni to take what we learned in this building and bring it to all of the communities that we place ourselves in in the future. This takes leadership, and leadership is something that is not easy. But I can tell you that this school has prepared us all to be leaders in ways that we do not, and may never know. Meadowbrook alumni are leaders by nature, and you will all bring positive energy to wherever you plan to take yourself next. On top of the leadership skills, Meadowbrook has enabled us to do whatever we please, and become whoever we want. In the next six years there are going to be so many new opportunities that you will have the option to take. My advice is to take as many of those as you can. There will be new classes to study in, new sports to play, new people to meet, and new ways to explore music and the arts. If you are an athlete, try a ceramics class. If you love to draw, play soccer for a season. If math is your academic passion, write an article or two for your school’s newspaper. And if you have never tried music before, take up the piano, the trumpet, or sing your heart out. When I was in Mrs. Kirby’s fifth grade class I would often find myself starting at a poster on her wall. It was a picture of Michael Jordan, and above him was this quote: “You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.” So fill your plates in the years to come, stuff your face, and when you’re full, take a breather, then go back for more. Nobody is going to stop you, and Meadowbrook School will be behind you all the way.”
Features MEADOWBROOK SPIRIT : SPRING/SUMMER 2012
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Postcards from cuba One of our most treasured resources here at the Meadowbrook School are our faculty. They are dedicated to improving their skills as educators and as such are encouraged to engage in opportunities for faculty development.
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The IPad Initiative Technology has always played an integral role in the classroom and the Meadowbrook School has strived to stay ahead of the curve with innovative experiences for our children. Sensing the benefits of an iPad program at Meadowbrook, several families joined together and made a gift to the school.
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Engineering is elementary This year Meadowbrook’s Science Teacher, Mrs. Janice Mockaitis introduced Engineering is Elementary (EiE), a program which fosters engineering and technological skills among children.
News and notes Head Lines - (Pages 2 & 3) Milestones - (Pages 4 & 5) Thank You - (Pages 6 & 7) Around Campus - (Pages 8-12) Alumni Updates - ( Pages 26 - 31) Class of 2012 - ( Pages 32 - 37)
On the cover Scott G ‘15 participates in the 2012 Field Day Relays
Sophia k ‘14 celebrates the Gray Team’s victory at Field Day Editorial Staff Megan Brogan, Karen DiFelice, Debra Harding, Jim Pierce, Carole Schmutzler, David Stephens Photographers Megan Brogan, Karen DiFelice, Debra Harding, Jillian Katona, Carole Schmutzler, Christie Gera Reprinting of any material contained in the publication reguires the written consent of The Meadowbrook School. Please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement with any corrections or omissions – 1641 Hampton Road, Meadowbrook, PA 19046 The Meadowbrook School is an independent, non-profit, co-educational, non-sectarian day school encompassing preschool through grade 6. The Meadowbrook School accepts students regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or ethnic background
Head Lines
WHERE IS THE CLASS OF 2012?
headmaster’s message
Savannah Bell Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
I like to take the summer time to reflect back on where I am in life. This year marked the 30th reunion of my college, Hobart College. At that time, I had no idea I would be sitting here today, having recently presided over the 92nd Meadowbrook graduation on June 8th and having completed my fourth year as Headmaster.
Elyse Chambers
It is an honor to be here. As a small independent school, Meadowbrook has a strong sense of community. Everyone knows everyone else on campus and our students feel valued. Their input, both in and out of the classroom, carries more weight. From a very young age, Meadowbrook students realize that they have a voice and that voice is heard.
Matthew Greenberg
At graduation, it was a pleasure to hear the voices of Meadowbrook. Elyse Chambers, who entered school as a shy quiet child has blossomed and was elected by her peers to give the speech. Tzion Jones, elected as the Class Secretary reminded his classmates of the impact Meadowbrook has had on them as they created their own community as the 6th grade. It was a unique class who has left their own impact in many ways.
William Penn Charter
Finally, Jesse Dougherty ’06 came back to “Dear old Meadowbrook” this winter and championed his cause to be the Commencement Speaker. I was impressed by his tenacity and pleased to see the Meadowbrook values that we often speak of so deeply instilled in him. I knew just from speaking with him that his words would have an impact on our graduates and those alumni, family and friends in the audience that day. Meadowbrook alumni understand the value of a small school and the impact that school has on our students. The self confidence that is gained through all of the activities and curricula we offer makes our students stand out in a very positive way. Many of our graduates have spoken to me regarding the foundation they received at Meadowbrook and the profoundly positive impact this small school had on them during their formative years. Meadowbrook is a fantastic place!
Cedarbrook Middle School Harrison Combs Germantown Academy Kamryn DeMasi Germantown Academy Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Brian Isztwan William Penn Charter Tzion Jones Vijay Kumar Abington Friends School Andrew Lapenta William Penn Charter Sarah Gabrielle Lynch Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Kiran McCulloch Germantown Friends School Taylor Munn Abington Junior High Katelyn Odoms Abington Friends School Eliza Prakhin Council Rock Maggie Stutman Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Jordan Wilson William Penn Charter
David B. Stephens Headmaster
Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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Head Lines
WHERE IS THE CLASS OF 2006? Darby Abraham Savannah College of Art and Design Anastasia Checchio Temple University Andrew Clark Alfred University Samantha Clark James Madison University Sofia Colvin Pratt University Jesse Dougherty Syracuse University Ben Feldman Babson College John Gallagher Please contact us! Josh Holin University of Miami Andrea Koch University of Pittsburgh Adam O’Connor Please contact us! Dara Pinkus Hofstra Erika Pinkus University of Arizona Gabrielle Pulley Johnson and Wales Ryan Rosen Rochester Institute of Technology Anthony Sher Alvernia University Kerilynn Smith Please contact us! Michael Soloman University of Miami Rachel Strother University of Pittsburgh Daniel Trenich Please contact us! Jesse Unger Drexel University
P.A.I.S. Accreditation The Meadowbrook School is accredited every ten years by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS). The accreditation is a process whereby a visiting team made of other independent school teachers and administrators look at our programs, campus, administrative procedures, and governance and make a recommendation to the PAIS Board of Accreditation to grant, or not, accreditation for another ten years. Prior to this visit, which will take place in the fall of 2014, we must undertake a complete self study. Over the next twelve months, Meadowbrook will be conducting our self study. A variety of faculty, administrative, and trustee committees have already been established and begun the work associated with this self study. By March 2013, the bulk of the committee work will be completed and a preliminary report written. Over the spring months, this report will be edited and put into a final form to be submitted to PAIS in the early summer. This accreditation is a wonderful process in which we can take a very close and introspective look at our school, as well as have other educators come in and look at what we do, all in an effort to help us improve what we do. The accreditation says to all current and prospective parents that we strive for educational excellence and have had an outside group, PAIS, validate that what we do meets high standards of excellence. As we approach the visit in 2014, I will keep you informed of the progress that we are making and will share with you the conclusions that are reached at the end of this process. As a member of the Meadowbrook community - Alumni, current and past parents, faculty and staff) you can be proud of what our school does on behalf of all of the students we serve.
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Milestones
2012 Commencement Headmaster cup winners
Kiran McCulloch
TZion Jones
Faculty Milestones
Award Winners
Lois Peiffer - 10 Years Lois is a teaching assistant who has had many jobs at Meadowbrook. She has worked in the Library, cotaught 6th grade with Joe Gaines, helped in extended day, and been a substitute for many grades at Meadowbrook. She is a person who works quietly behind the scenes and with every child in some way, with Junior Great Books, math and reading groups, as an assistant for the specials teachers or by helping students learn their lines for plays. You can find Lois running (but not in the hallways) up to her desk to see where she is scheduled to be! She is appreciated for all of the things she does here at Meadowbrook and we are lucky to have her.
Debbie fletcher - 25 Years Known as a grammar queen, and problem solver, Debbie has taught 1st, 5th and 6th grade. She created Me Bags in 1st grade, wrote medieval poems that children recite during the Medieval Festival, and took Colonial Action Day and turned it into Colonial Action Week, a full week of colonial crafts, games, trips and food. Seeing a need to highlight outstanding student work Debbie helped create the Literary Lantern 17 years ago, a publication showcasing written and art work of students. She oversees the publication advisory board, made up of 5th and 6th grade students who decide which pieces will be published. The Meadowbrook School has been enriched by her dedication and love for the last 25 years and we are so grateful. Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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Milestones Directors Medal winners
Elyse Chambers
Claire Magill - 25 Years Claire’s Meadowbrook teaching career began in the first grade, then moved to the fourth grade where she stayed for the next 22 years. She wrote the fourth grade curriculum that is in place today. She started the immigration unit, including components such as the Ellis Island trip, a play, the reading of Letters from Rifka, a story about an immigrant child and a food festival. She has a passion for US geography, loves reading and shares that love with the children. While Claire is semi-retired, she continues working with our students in small reading groups. It is an honor to call her our colleague and friend.
Sarah gabrielle lynch
Bill Casey - 30 Years Dependable, prepared, knowledgeable, and traditional Bill Casey has hardly missed a day of work in his time at Meadowbrook. He is the PE teacher, soccer and baseball coach, and teaches character lessons and sportsmanship. Bill loves the tradition and pageantry of field day, teaching students how to do the grand march and flag maneuvers. He maintained the tradition of Friday skating, started Red Gray soccer and added field hockey, softball and Friday intramurals to the PE program. An excellent golfer, Bill participates in a travel league that plays throughout the Delaware Valley. Bill has been dedicated to our students for 30 years and we are so grateful.
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Thank You For Your Impact
Carole Schmutzler M.O.M Chair ‘81 P.O.M President ‘82 Board Of Trustees ‘82 - ‘10 Board President - ‘89 - 93 Vice President - ‘88 & ‘92 - ‘08 2011 Spirit Award Recipient
My good friend Carole is the mother of Amanda ‘88 and Jennifer ‘90. We got to know each other working on friend and fundraisers for the Parents of Meadowbrook, which was called the Mothers of Meadowbrook at that time in the school’s history. Carole, who lived on the property adjacent to the Headmaster’s house, came to Meadowbrook School when Amanda entered PreK in 1980. The following year, when I was President of MOM, she became an invaluable member of the parent group, co-chairing Bingo Night, the Fruitcake and Nut Sale, and the Annual Spring Fair, taking over responsibilities for fair co-chairs who were having spring babies. There was nothing like planning and executing the annual Spring Fair for cementing a friendship! The following year Carole became the president of MOM and spearheaded a revision of the organization’s by-laws and the change of name to the more inclusive POM, Parents of Meadowbrook, at the annual meeting in the spring of 1983. In her role with the parent organization, Carole became a member of the Board of Trustees in 1982. The following year she was elected to a three year term, all the while continuing to take an active role in POM as Parent at Large and Fair co-chair. She was one of the founders of the Secret Shop for children’s holiday gift buying and was always lending a helping hand to POM activities. Carole’s first major responsibility on the Board was chair of the Nominating Committee, a role that continued for many years. In 1985 -86 she was elected Secretary of the Board, serving in that role through the 1987-88 school year. In 1988-89 she became Vice President for one year before following Brian Keim as Board President in 1989-90. Carole was the first
female board president, serving a three year term though the 1991-92 school year. She then stepped back into the role of Vice President, an office in which she continued to serve until the conclusion of the 2007-2008 school year. She concluded her service on the Board of Trustees in the spring of 2010 and was honored with the Spirit Award at the Corporation Meeting, September 2011. In the fall of 1999 Carole joined the staff as Development Assistant, serving as the Coordinator of Alumni Affairs and Internal Special Events. She was the person who organized Picture Day in September, making sure the annual day ran smoothly and that everyone remembered to come have their pictures taken. She helped organize hospitality events such as reunions and showers and gifts for retirees, congratulations for alumni babies, and cards and flowers and food for those in need. She organized the alumni activities for Field Day. She was the keeper of the picture files and scrapbooks of school history, making sure names were attached to photos before that information was lost. She kept track of the changes of address for alums and made sure the alum high school graduates received the letters they wrote to themselves when they were graduating from Meadowbrook. She looked up information for alums hoping to contact former classmates and welcomed and gave tours to any who dropped by. When Carole was at her desk, volunteering many more hours per week than the number for which she was paid, she cheerfully helped to answer the phone and tend to student request for ice and Band-Aids. Children felt better after some calm words from Carole. As part of her work, she helped compile articles and alumni news for the Spirit and took pictures of school life. She stuffed many an envelope for the development mailings. She ordered the awards for students and faculty, keeping track of our years of service. Carole has been a devoted member of the Meadowbrook School Community and we will miss her wisdom and her daily contact with the school. Come and visit us often, Carole. Keep us up to date on the Meadowbrook alums you meet in the supermarket or at dinner in a local restaurant. Your friend, Cathy Keim Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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Thank You For Your Impact
JoAnn Prego
Kindergarten Teacher
The time has come after many busy, fun-filled years, for you to finally say so long, After all of the time and work you have put in, home is now where you belong. You have been an inspiration to many, a kind heart and a helping hand, You were there to change young children’s lives, to care, and understand. There is a poem called, “All I really need to know, I learned in Kindergarten”, and I do believe it’s true, Especially if children are led by a teacher who was, and still is as wonderful as you! Enjoy your time with John, your grand-babies, and your children too, Share happiness and joy in each little thing you do! You will be missed here as a lead teacher, but we know you will be around! You are truly special, quite a gem, someone Meadowbrook was lucky to have found! Best of luck, love, happiness, and peace in your Retirement, Cheers to many joyful years ahead! We love you! Brittany Stout, Cassie Zadrovic, Jen Arbuckle, Cathy Langlois, Becky Blumenthal
These are the things Mrs. Prego taught: 1. Share everything. 2. Play fair. 3. Don’t hit people. 4. Put things back where you found them. 5. Clean up your own mess. 6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. 7. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. 8. Wash your hands before you eat. 9. Flush. 10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. 11. Live a balanced life - Learn some and think some And draw and paint and sing and dance And play and work everyday. 12. Take a nap every afternoon. 13. When you go out into the world, Watch out for traffic. 14. Hold hands and stick together. 15. Be aware of wonder.
AROUND CAMPUS
New Programs Choose your own adventure What can make a cold dreary friday afternoon, brighter with fun and laughter? Why Choose Your Own Adventure, of course! This winter Meadowbrook introduced a brand new set of classes for students to enjoy on Friday afternoons. The courses reinforced the schools commitment to encouraging students to take an active role in their learning. Students in grades 1 through 6 had a chance to work with students in different grades, while teachers had an opportunity to share some of their “hidden” talents with the students. This years classes included: • Woodworking with Mr. Mosteller • Rocketry and Cooking with Mr. Stephens and Mrs. Harding • Dr. King and Community Service with Mr. Lieberman and Mrs. Peiffer • “Bead It” with Mrs. Trost and Mrs. Cohen • Cartooning and Animation with Ms. Schmitt and Mr. Gaines • Chess Mates with Letiff Street and Mrs. Mockaitis • Intramurals with Mr. Casey • Movie Making with iPads with Mr. Pierce, Mrs. Mosteller and Mrs. Carpenter
Meadowbrook Singers Perform in front of a sold out citizens Bank Park
Led by Ms. Ward, the Singers perform the National Anthem in front of a sold out crowd at Citizens Bank Park
a rhythm riot with settlement school of music This year The Meadowbrook School partnered with Settlement School of Music to pilot a new music program called Rhythm Riot. Students in grades 3,4,5, and 6 had the opportunity to join Meadowbrook’s first rock band. Our first group had 13 drummers and guitarists, who voluntarily gave up one afternoon recess a week to practice their rhythm, harmonies and beats. The group finished the year with two wonderful performances for the community. Thank you to Settlement Music and their wonderful instructors for helping to lead this year’s group.
During the Opening Ceremonies the Singers are spotlighted on the Big Board before the game.
The students prepare for their big moment just prior to the ceremonies honoring former Phillie, Pat Burrell.
After encouraging some students to star in his movie, Matthew B. ‘14 edits his feature film using the iPad. Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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Family Reading Night
Run For Education
Parents Of Meadowbrook
Men Of Meadowbrook Breakfast
Bingo Night
AROUND CAMPUS
Grandparents and Special Friends Make A Grand Appearance On Campus On April 27th over 100 grandparents and special friends gathered at The Meadowbrook School. It was an opportunity to spend time with their Meadowbrook students and experience a day of classes, including art, science, music, technology, world languages, library and physical education. After a picnic lunch and a Q&A with our Sixth Graders our visitors were treated to a performance by the Meadowbrook Singers and left with an appreciation of what Meadowbrook means to all of our families.
The Fifth Grade opens the days events with their presentation of “Westward Ho!” written and filmed by Fifth Grade Teacher Mrs. Fletcher.
Kristpher J. ‘16 enjoys showing his special friend around campus.
Patrick I. ‘15 enjoys lunch with their special guests
Matt G. ‘12 during the Sixth Grade students panel tells the crowd how Meadowbrook has instilled in him the intelligence to know the difference between “good’ and “well”.
“ I have never been more proud to be a trustee of The Meadowbrook School than on Grandparents Day, April 27, 2012. It was an unbelievably moving experience. What a great group of kids and staff! What a wonderful community! Like most private, independent schools we struggle with finances. We need support from families, friends, and the entire community. The best investment anyone can make is in a Meadowbrook education and experience. A priceless value. A solid foundation to build upon. The benefits are endless” - Stan Angelo
AROUND CAMPUS
Baseball Team Finished the year undefeated In May, the 2012 Meadowbrook Baseball team, coached by Bill Casey and Joe Gaines, completed another successful season. The rainy spring played havoc with the team’s schedule but it didn’t prevent them from finishing with another winning season. The team worked hard in practice to improve their skills. All of this year’s games were exciting and well played. The Top Performer on the team was Tommy Snipes ‘13 who played pitcher and shortstop. The Most Improved Player was Luke Greenberg ‘13 who also played pitcher and shortstop. The Sportsmanship Award went to Harrison Combs ‘12 who was invaluable to the team as catcher, pitcher and first baseman.
Softball Team hits a home run The Spring 2012 Softball team was a team in transition. With each game our girls steadily improved their skills and worked hard learning about sportsmanship in the face of adversity. It was a pleasure to watch them play and see how they came together as a team. The Top Performer was Kamryn DeMasi ‘12, the Most Improved Player was Krystian Sampson ’13 and the The Sportsmanship Award went to Eliza Prakhin ‘12. Coaches Brittany Armstrong and Jenny Schmitt are looking forward to a warm and dry season next Spring.
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AROUND CAMPUS
A V.I.P. Skypes with the sixth Grade
By: Debbie Fletcher, 5th Grade Teacher and 6th Grade Language Arts Last fall, I was lucky to attend a reception held in Philadelphia for Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. There can’t be another important leader of our times who is more approachable and down-toearth than this man, and we easily engaged in a great conversation. Topping my list of things to talk about with him was how I was a teacher who had a sixth grade class very interested in all animals and issues concerning their welfare. Much to my excitement and amazement, he immediately offered to meet with us via Skype! Our first “meeting” was in early February. In this meeting, the sixth graders were able to ask Mr. Pacelle many questions to find out specific information about what the Humane Society is doing in order to help all animals. Mr. Pacelle also got a chance to know each sixth grader and what pets they have, what their favorite animals are, and what programs the HSUS is doing that are particularly important to them. It was evident from the personal comments that Mr. Pacelle made to each student that he enjoyed hearing all of their thoughts. He even mentioned a number of times how valuable it was to him to have the students’ input and how impressed he was with the research they had done in order to ask such good questions. In fact, he offered to meet with us again before the end of the year!
hunting, and hens kept in battery cages, along with others written about the HSUS and Wayne Pacelle himself. Mr. Pacelle was so impressed with our sixth graders’ writing, he told them that he would use their poems in his student outreach program. He also commented on how knowledgeable they were about the animal issues we discussed. In fact, a few students even expressed an interest in perhaps working for the HSUS someday. Needless to say, I was once again very proud of our sixth graders! As leaders of Meadowbrook, the sixth graders were, in turn, impressed with Mr. Pacelle’s leadership qualities. Noting his honesty, his thorough knowledge of every issue that came up, and the clarity with which he explained these issues, the class realized that they had been in the company of one of today’s great leaders. We were unbelievably fortunate to have this intelligent, compassionate, sincere, and well-spoken person meet with us – twice! Hopefully, these meetings will be one of those special Meadowbrook experiences that the sixth grade will never forget.
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When I called back in March to see if we could, in fact, get together again, I was a bit disappointed because it sounded like the next meeting would be impossible due to Mr. Pacelle’s extremely “booked” schedule. However, his assistant said that he “absolutely loved meeting with our students,” and she found one hour before June that would work for him. I took it! In our second meeting in May, the class and I felt like we were visiting an old friend and kindred spirit. Interspersed with their questions, the sixth graders read poems that they had created about pets, seal Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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Post Cards From Cuba An Impact Gift For Mr. Gaines One of our most treasured resources here at the Meadowbrook School are our faculty. With a combined tenure far exceeding our 93 years in existence, the dedicated men and women with whom we entrust our children day in and day out are constantly learning themselves. They are dedicated to improving their skills as educators and as such are encouraged to engage in opportunities for faculty development. This year, Laurie and Jeff Franz made a commitment to our school to enhance the faculty and professional development budget. This gift has had a tremendous impact on our children, as our faculty took advantage of their gift to attend courses throughout the year to improve their skills as educators. Over Spring Break, Joe Gaines and his wife Kim, traveled to Cuba to enhance his world experience so that he could bring that back to our students.
Post Cards From Cuba
By: Joe Gaines Sixth Grade Teacher and Fifth Grade Math Teacher Hola, Amigos. Buenas dias. Coma esta? Armed with those phrases and a just a few more, I traveled with a group to Cuba this March as part of a People to People cultural exchange. For many years, I have put Cuba on my wish list of places to see. There were many reasons for this. It is one of the few countries that Americans can’t freely travel to. It has that history of forbidden fruit; so close, yet so far. It is still a country that carries confusion for many Americans. The history with America is complex, yet most people, I suspect, would be more than happy to see the Blockade lifted so that travel back and forth between Cuba and the USA would be as easy as travel to Canada. Within 45 minutes after taking off from Miami, our chartered plane touched down at Jose Marti airport in Havana, Jose Marti is a national hero to the Cubans, but is best known internationally as the one who penned a poem that became the Cuban unofficial anthem, Guantanamera. Of course, the weather was fantastic. Each day was bright and sunny with temperatures in the mid 80’s. One of the first striking things about Havana is the wide use of bright colors both naturally and artificially. The colors of the foliage, plants, and flowers are vivid and varied. The colors of the buildings and homes
along the streets seem to be in competition with what is found in nature. Bright yellows, pinks, reds, greens, and other colors create a kaleidoscope that is very appealing. The bus ambled through Miramar, an upscale neighborhood that was the home to many wealthy Cubans before the revolution and whose homes are now hotels, museums, and restaurants. Not every neighborhood is like Miramar, however. As you look deeper through the bright colored homes in other places and even in downtown Havana, it is clear that a lot of the city is crumbling. There are architecturally stunning facades that appear ready to fall down. Streets need repair and deeper down, the infrastructure, including water systems and electrical grids, is so outdated that tourists can’t drink the water, and there are periodic blackouts. It is recommended that tourists bring flashlights just in case. That is something you don’t hear everyday when traveling. This country clearly needs a tremendous amount of upgrading before most Americans would see it as a primary destination. Our group visited schools, a small hospital, museums, and many community projects that feature music, art, and education as a way to bring the Cuban people even closer together. That is something that clearly stood out. It appears to be a culture that supports Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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Making An Impact
each other. One of our guides, a 34 year old women, travels very often by hitchhiking, and there are willing motorists who she can count on to get her to her destination. Apparently, hitchhiking is a common transportation method for many Cubans. As we rolled through neighborhoods each day, most of the people were outside on their porches, gardens, playgrounds, and streets visiting, talking, playing baseball, or just relaxing. My guess is that this is a product of the heat (hotter inside the house), but also because they do need each other. Our main guide, a 46 year old woman who spoke excellent English and was a huge fan of Tina Turner, explained that not a single Cuban goes to bed without having eaten. If the family can’t provide for themselves, someone, a relative or friend, will make sure that they do eat. Prior to leaving for Cuba, my students, who take Spanish with Mrs. Cordon, created greeting cards to give to the students that I would see at the schools in Havana. My students wrote greetings, described their lives, and mentioned their interests and hobbies all in the Spanish language. The students I saw in Havana were very excited to get something from students from America. They read aloud the cards, and I asked if the sentences were correct. You can be proud of yourselves, Class of 2012, the teachers and kids all gave you A’s for your use of the Spanish language. Several of the Meadowbrook students asked the Cuban students to write back. We will have to wait and hope that they do. Apparently it takes several weeks for a letter to travel from Cuba to America. I think it goes by way of Mexico or Canada. I sent a few postcards to myself as a test of this. So far, I have not received them. Many of the things you hear about Cuba are true.
Mr. Gaines Visits A Classroom In Cuba
The Havannah Mural Arts Program was a cultural lesson for Mr. Gaines
The taxi cabs are old, classic cars. I took a taxi ride to dinner one night in a 1948 Plymouth with a backseat so large that it could have doubled as a bed. They love their cigars, and they love their rum. Chicken and black beans and rice are the primary food staples, and they love music. There are small bands of musicians everywhere. Each meal, lunch and dinner, was accompanied by a duo, trio, quartet, or larger of singers, drummers, violinists, and horn players. I heard the Cha-Cha-Cha three times a day. Walking through the streets in Habana Vieja, the old town, there are groups of mostly older men sitting and playing jazz and salsa and Latin beats. Many of them are very good, and most of them are playing for tips. This brings me to an intriguing part of Cuba. They are a socialist/communist society and economy, but just about everyone we met seemed to acknowledge that their system needs help. Most of them want the American blockade lifted. They want the Americans to come and visit and spend money. It appears that the wealthiest Cubans, and that is a relative term, work in the tourism industry. I talked to a 28 year old man and his father at a neighborhood meeting. He is an economist. I don’t know what a Cuban economist would do, but he also worked as a bell boy at one of the hotels in the western part of the country. His father was a teacher, in fact, a master teacher. He teaches others to teach. His son said he makes more in one day as a bell boy than his father makes in a month as a master teacher. The son wants to make more money, he wants more freedom, he wants to see more Americans visiting, but he also does not want to see a McDonald’s pop up in every neighborhood. themeadowbrookschool.org /
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Post Cards From Cuba
It seems that there is an internal struggle with many of the older Cubans. They have spent most, if not their whole lives, under the Cuban revolution, which includes free education through the graduate and doctorate level, and free health care for their whole lives. Yet, they seem to realize that capitalistic ideas are needed to survive. The Cuban government has recently allowed private ownership of houses, cars, businesses, and restaurants. They have two currencies, a local one and a tourist one. According to my calculations, our main guide, who was outstanding and a hard working guide, made more money from our group in a week, than the highest wage earners in Cuba make in two years. Based on information from our guides, the wages paid by the government to most of the people range from $10-$50 in American dollars per month. A jar of peanut butter and a box of cereal that I saw in a grocery store were both about $11 each. I really don’t know how most of the Cubans get by, but I think about what our guide said on the first day; no one in Cuba goes to bed without having eaten. Cuba was a fascinating and intriguing trip for me. In many ways it was a strange trip, but immensely educational. I wanted to see Cuba before the necessary and inevitable change to openness with the USA, and in my opinion, an openness that is long overdue. It was the Cuba that I read and heard about as I grew up. It was the Cuba of Castro and Hemingway, the missile crisis, Bay of Pigs, the Mariel boat lift in 1980, great jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval’s asylum, and the mystery and allure of a country that is 90 miles from the Florida Keys. It is a country in conflict with itself, but filled with people so warm and welcoming.
Thank You Jeff and Laurie Franz For Your Impact Never before have our students been so connected with other world cultures. Economic, social, and technological transformations have linked us in unprecedented ways. Today’s students will need extensive knowledge of the world and the skills and dispositions to engage with people from many cultures and countries. They will need these to be responsible citizens and effective participants in the global marketplace of the 21st century. While few teachers today are well prepared to educate students for this new global context, through the generosity of the Franz family, Joe Gaines had the opportunity to visit Cuba over Spring Break in March. For today’s students, knowledge of the rest of the world is no longer a brief lesson, it is imperative that students’ awareness of globalization becomes intertwined in daily courses. Mr. Gaines’ visit to Cuba has enhanced his world view and has made him a more globally competent educator. We are grateful to the Franz family and to all those who support our faculty on a daily basis to insure our students are best prepared to take on the challenges of a global society.
The Legacy Society
Perhaps in 10 years, I will get the chance to go back when Americans should be able to travel more freely, and I hope to see more Cubans living better. I hope to see the same vibrant colors on buildings more firmly anchored. I hope to see the same love of culture, art, and life. I hope to see private business thriving without the crush of cookie cutter shops and stores. I hope to hear the same great jazz that poured out of every street, restaurant, home, and plaza. Adios. Hasta la vista. Cha-cha-cha. - Joe Gaines
Clark Riley ‘49 and His Daughter
The Legacy Society
The Meadowbrook School Legacy Society builds and encourages a heritage of giving at our school by providing
a place where planned gifts are acknowledged and planned-gift donors are thanked for their generosity. Planned gifts have been integral to ensuring a bright future for The Meadowbrook School and its students. The Legacy Society recognizes its members in the Annual Report of Philanthropic Giving and keeps them informed about our school through regular communication. We would like to welcome Clark Riley ’49 as our latest Legacy Society member. In the 1949 Spirit, the following was written about Clark, “Clark Riley, a scholar and a gentleman, has attended Meadowbrook since third grade. His scholarship has been unusual, and his athletic record one of note. He is a member of the Student Council, assistant editor of the Spirit and has been active in dramatics. Drumming is his hobby and his ambition is to become an engineer. Clark’s quite manner and pleasant personality has made him a leader in his class. We shall miss him next year, but our loss will be Penn Charter’s gain.”
Clark has recently reconnected to Meadowbrook and while he did not become an engineer, the educational foundation laid at Meadowbrook served him well at Penn Charter and Lehigh University. He ultimately chose the marketing field and his technical skills were put to good use. We are grateful to Clark for his leadership while at Meadowbrook and for once again standing up for Meadowbrook by choosing to make a planned gift to our school.
For More Information
To request more information about joining the Legacy Society please contact Megan Brogan, Director of Institutional Advancement at 215-884-3238 ext 104 or email mbrogan@ themeadowbrookschool.org.
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The iPad Initiative
How A Single Gift Can Impact and Entire Community Technology has always played an integral role in the classroom and the Meadowbrook School has strived to stay ahead of the curve with innovative experiences for our children. Sensing the benefits of an iPad program at Meadowbrook, several families joined together and made a gift to the school that enabled us to purchase 15 iPads and the charging station. These iPads have increased mobility, enhanced learning techniques through creative apps and studies have shown that educational apps increase literacy, math skills and motivate our children. We are grateful to those forward thinking families who made the commitment to our students with this generous gift.
The iPad Initiative
By: Brittany Armstrong, 4th Grade Teacher It was exciting to see how the iPads have been used at Meadowbrook this past year. Using a variety of apps, students were able to create their own movies, compose their own songs and create Keynote presentations. Teachers found that there were a multitude of creative ways to incorporate this technology into the classroom t make learning fun!. Thank you to Brittany Armstrong who took this opportunity to share with us how they made an impact on the 4th grade. Ever wonder what causes those outburst of excited cheers so often heard from the third floor of Walker Hall? It’s Meadowbrook’s fourth graders enjoying the awesome new technology now available at The Meadowbrook School. The majority of the time spent using the iPads are enhancing our Mathematics curriculum. There are a variety of different programs installed on the iPads that the fourth graders have been able to access to improve their basic math skills in multiplication and division. When we have our “Math Lab” days students get the opportunity to review (without knowing it) through interactive games such as, Math Ninja, MeteorMath, Rocket Math, MathBoard, and Mad Math. These games have been very useful when reviewing basic facts and skills. We
have also been able to play games that review fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers. McGraw-Hill Fractions, Oh No! Fractions, and Coop Fractions were a few that the students enjoyed playing while assessing their progress. In the beginning of the year when the students were studying immigration, the fourth graders created a slideshow presentation using Keynote which they incorporated into their Immigration Presentation. The students were able to research, write and create a dynamic presentation using the iPads, all from the comforts of their desk. For the remaining part of the school year the 4th grade continued with Math Labs and extended the use of the iPads to create presentations in different subject areas. We are looking forward to next year and the opportunity to enhance the curriculum even further.
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Gray Team Wins Field Day
Kelsey ‘13 and Tzion ‘12 and memerbs of the gray team celebrate their victory
Doree Watkins ‘00 , Suzanne McDowell Cordon ‘95, and Mindy Faison ‘95 Compete in the Alumni Dash
Annie ‘20 and megan ‘20 prepare for the 50 yard dash
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Christopher ‘14 competes in the relay race
John ‘18 performes in front of his classmates during the Kindergarten Musical
Delaney ‘20 and Emanuel ‘20 star in the preschool musical - “Westward Ho”
Spring Musicals
Ryan ‘15 performes in the first, second, and third grade musical - “Amelia Bedelia”
Engineering Is Elementary
We are very excited to introduce a new program into our Science Curriculum. This year Meadowbrook’s Science Teacher, Mrs. Janice Mockaitis introduced Engineering is Elementary (EiE), a program which fosters engineering and technological skills among children. EiE has created a research-based, standards-driven, and classroom-tested curriculum that integrates engineering and technology concepts and skills with elementary science topics. EiE lessons not only promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, but also connect with literacy and social studies. Storybooks featuring children from a variety of cultures and backgrounds introduce students to an engineering problem. Students are then challenged to solve a problem similar to that faced by the storybook character. Through a hands-on engineering design challenge, students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics; use their inquiry and problem-solving skills; and tap their creativity as they design, create, and improve possible solutions. In the end, students realize that everyone can engineer!
MAKE AN IMPACT WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS SUPPORT MEADOWBROOK THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL Improvement TAX CREDIT (EITC) PROGRAM BUSINESSES QUALIFY IF THEY PAY • •
CORPORATE NET INCOME TAX (CNI) CAPITAL STOCK AND FRANCHISE TAX
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BANK AND TRUST COMPANY SHARES TAX
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TITLE INSURANCE COMPANIES SHARES TAX •
INSURANCE PREMIUMS TAX •
S CORPORATION TAX
TO LEARN MORE CONTACT: MEGAN BROGAN AT 215-884-3238 OR MBROGAN@THEMEADOWBROOKSCHOOL.ORG a qualifying company can make a gift to Meadowbrook’s scholarship fund and receive a credit on their Pennsylvania taxes.
Thank You - Meadowbrook The Meadowbrook School is grateful to the parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty and friends who chose to support our fundraising efforts this year. The Meadowbrook School Annual Fund supports the extra dimension that makes our school so extraordinary.
In order to continue to provide our students with a strong support structure and cutting edge programs that will allow them to excel in academic, athletic and artistic areas, our school relies on the philanthropic commitment from every member of our community. This is a bond we share with all independent schools. Your gift can be seen in action every day by providing for support and compensation for faculty and staff, performing and fine arts programs, athletics, academic programs and maintenance and care of our beautiful campus.
This spring we took an opportunity to “Celebrate Meadowbrook� and bring our community together to express our gratitude for supporting Meadowbrook financially. Gwen and Dave Campbell graciously hosted our annual auction in their home which was the perfect venue. The Meadowbrook School is a special place and your support keeps it that way! Please visit our website to check out our wish list and make a gift online. Every gift, no matter the amount, makes a difference. Give online at: themeadowbrookschool.org/supportus
ALUMNI
Spending Spring Break with some meadowbrook friends By: Megan Brogan, Director Of Institutional Advancement For some of our students, the opportunity to graduate eludes them; however they are still alumni of our school and are welcome back any time. It was a wonderful surprise when the mother of Julia Schindlebeck ’13 gave Mr. Stephens a call and asked if it would be okay for her to visit. As it turns our Julia’s spring break came just after Meadowbrook’s spring break and the timing could not have been better. For two weeks in April, it was a pleasure to renew a Meadowbrook friendship with her. In the fall of 2005, Julia started Meadowbrook in the K-4 class with Mrs. Steinman and enjoyed her time here. She made many friends as she learned not only her A, B, C’s, she learned them in English, as her first language was German. Anna and Klaus Schindlebeck came to America before Julia was born for a business opportunity. They raised their daughter in a traditional German home, and when it came time for her education, they came to Meadowbrook. Unfortunately, Julia had to leave Meadowbrook after she completed 2nd grade with Mr. Lieberman. She returned to Germany with her family and easily acclimated to her new school and made new friends. She was able to keep in touch with a few of her Meadowbrook friends via email and skype, but she was thrilled when her mother came up with the idea to have her visit Meadowbrook for her spring
break while she conducted some business here. On that Monday, Mrs.Schindlebeck picked up Lawson and Taylor Munn and headed back to Meadowbrook. It was very comforting to Julia to have that time to break the ice and warm up again to her Meadowbrook friends. Upon crossing the threshold, she was a little nervous, but very happy and the first teacher she saw was Gail Cohen. Julia received a big hug from Mrs. Cohen and that loosened her up a bit. She felt comfortable and was able to settle right back in to the Meadowbrook way. Julia participated in the 5th grade curriculum with Debbie Fletcher. It was wonderful for her to see old friends and meet new ones who have arrived since she left. In comparison to her private school in Germany, Julia found that she learned a lot more history here at Meadowbrook and the math is a bit easier, but there are many opportunities here that she does not have in Germany. For instance, at her school in Germany, there are
not as many computers, so she only learns computers for half the school year! We are grateful that not only do we have our computer class with Ms. Schmitt every week, we have the iPads to enhance our learning. Overall, Julia had a wonderful visit with the Meadowbrook community and was so happy to be here and reconnect with her old classmates.
Stay Connected With Meadowbrook
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ALUMNI
Alumni Updates 1957 George Murray ’57 writes, “After serving as President of Columbia (South Carolina) International University for almost 8 years, I have now been serving as the University’s Chancellor for the past four years. As such, I travel the world as an ambassador at large working with major donors, recruiting students and encouraging alumni. My travels have taken me to 75 different countries, so far, but we have alumni in over 150 countries. My wife, Annette, and I have four grandsons and two step-grandsons.
share your alumni news! Meadowbrook loves to hear from its Alumni, so we’d be happy to share your good news with the entire Meadowbrook community. To contribute, visit the Alumni section of our website, write to Alumni Programs, The Meadowbrook School, 1641 Hampton Road, Meadowbrook, PA 19046 or email alumni@themeadowbrookschool.org
1958 Michael P. Richards ‘58 is doing well on the West Coast. After his years at Meadowbrook, he moved back to California with his family where he began a long and interesting career. He shared with us the following and would love to hear from his classmates. “I am a graduate of UCLA’s Professional Screenwriting Program, 1999, and Advanced Spring Quarter, 2004. I have my scripts on www.inktip.com and my films are on www.twitter.com, www.vimeo.com and www.youtube. com produced by Steve Bingen, MadFilms Productions, West Hollywood, CA. I love Los Angeles and I am part of the UCLA Healthcare Staff as a Patient Liaison in UCLA Emergency Medicine, Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center. I also have a background in Faculty Administration, UCLA Radiological Sciences, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and am currently working in UCLA Academic Personnel assignments, the UCLA Westwood campus. I received my BA at Oregon, where I was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and read about Posterous founded by two members at Stanford in the Phi Psi Shield. I went onto UC Berkeley as an ASUC Berkeley employee while earning a Certificate in Business Management at Berkeley in 1984. I received additional Certificates from Berkeley in Marketing and in HR Management “With Distinction”, along with 1988-1989 programs in England as a Berkeley/Oxford scholar and in 1990, as a Cambridge-UCLA Summer Scholar, Trinity Hall,Cambridge. My MA studies in Eastern European and Russian began at San Francisco State University, 1989-1990, and then I was accepted to the University of London, Fall 1990. I love London, and outside of Los Angeles, my favoriite ticket on British Airways is “LAX to LHR”. My film on Posterous, A STRANGER IN LONDON, is dedicated to my time in London. http://mrich24566.posterous.com/”
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1972 In May 2011, the Meadowbrook School’s class of 1972 held an informal reunion at the home of Jeff Harbison. In attendance were Bill Stroud, David Shaw, Marc Boulden, Paul Rizzo, Jeff Batoff, Reese Weintraub, and Brian Remmey. Also the greatest teacher we ever had (and Meadowbrook had lots of em!) Mr. Ken Garson
1977 & 79 Liz Hanby ’79 is living in Salt Lake City, UT and is engaged to be married to Bruce Quaglia ’77. Liz and Bruce attended Meadowbrook together and they both graduated from Germantown Academy.
Class of 1980 reunion
1980 The class of 1980 had a reunion on May 6th at Marathon Grill in Philadelphia. The event was organized by Marc Madison. They reported that a good time was had by all and vowed to meet again and not to wait another thirty years to do so! In attendance was Neil Edelman, Marc Madison, David Yudis, Marty Jacobson, Andrew Cohen, and Chris Potts
Members of the class of ‘72 gathered at the home of Jeff Harbison for an informal reunion. Pictured are Bill Stroud, David Shaw, Marc Boulden, Paul Rizzo, Jeff Batoff, Reese Weintraub, Brian Remmey, and Jeff Harbison Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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1984 We are grateful to JC Spink for continuing to support The Meadowbrook School almost 30 years after graduating! After leaving Meadowbrook, JC went on to Penn Charter and Bucknell University where he met Chris Bender. Chris Bender and JC established Benderspink in November of 1998 with American Pie in postproduction and fourteen writer clients signed to their management company. Their film production arm has had a successful first look deal with New Line Cinema for over ten years. They have produced or developed projects that have grown into five franchises in various genres: Final Destination, American Pie, The Ring, Cats and Dogs, and The Butterfly Effect. Eight of their movies have opened to number one, and Bender and Spink were nominated for a Golden Globe for A History of Violence. Benderspink has continued to make diverse feature films over the past ten years including Just Friends, Monster-in-Law, Red Eye, Leap Year and The Hangover. They recently produced a remake of Arthur starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren and Jennifer Garner which was released by Warner Brothers in April 2011, and are Executive Producers on I Am Number Four as well as The Hangover II. They are currently in postproduction on Burt Wonderstone starring Steve Carell for New Line Cinema.
1991 Peter Hanby ’91 is living and working in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Christian Shea ’91 is engaged to be married the end of June and Geordie Brackin ’91 is coming home from Cape Town, South Africa where he is teaching to attend the wedding.
1992 & 95 On Friday, October 14th, Marc Simon (‘92) and Leigh DelaFuente (‘95) became engaged at The Meadowbrook School. This is our first “on grounds” engagement of two alumni. We wish Marc and Leigh the best of luck in their life together.
1994 Michelle Moses Chaitt ’94 and her husband, Stephen, are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Hayden Mara Chaitt born March 2, 2012, weighing 8 pounds 8 ounces and was 21 inches long.
After receiving his generous gift in support of the Annual Fund, we asked JC why he gives to Meadowbrook. He graciously responded, “Because the Meadowbrook School gave me 8 great years and all the tools needed to prep myself for the rest of my education, and in some ways my whole life.” Thanks, JC! All the best to you in your career!
Hayden Mara Chaitt daughter of Michelle Moses Chaitt ‘ 94 themeadowbrookschool.org /
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1997 Michelle Worth Martinka ‘97, writes, “I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Adelaide Eileen, on April 17, 2012. She was 7 pounds 7ounces, was 18 inches long and took me over 36 hours to deliver! She is doing well and joined me via stroller for her first 5k on June 2nd. My husband, David, and I are over-themoon about her- and can’t wait to put on one of my classic Red Team shirts (my best memories are Mr. Casey’s gym and Mr. Middleburg’s summer science trips). I am currently a stay-at-home-mom, so I can be with Addie.”
Steven Conway ‘95 and fiancee Averee Wagner
1995 Steven Conway ’95 writes, “I am marrying Averee Wagner on October 20, 2012 at Rock Ford Plantation in Lancaster, PA. She and I first met in 2009 at Roxborough Hospital when she was an activities director in the Gero-Psychiatric Unit and I was providing pet therapy for the patients. We got engaged on March 20 of this year. Actually, we already picked out a venue for the wedding before I proposed. We will honeymoon at Disney World for a week.” Suzanne McDowell Cordon ‘95 has had a busy year. She joined the faculty at the Meadowbrook School in September of 2011. Suzanne has enhanced our world languages curriculum with her talent and dedication to education. In addition, in May, Suzanne received her Masters Degree in Foreign Language Education and this month she and her husband announced the birth of Nicholas Rony Antonio Cordon on July 14, 2012. The new baby will join Nelson ‘19 and Gabriella ‘21.
Adelaide Eileen Daughter of Michelle Worth ‘97
Elizabeth Yohlin ‘98 and fiancee Andrew Baill Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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1998 Pamela and Joseph Yohlin of Dresher and Heidi and Jeffrey Baill of Minneapolis announce the engagement of their children, Elizabeth Emily Yohlin ’98 and Andrew Layne Baill. The couple met as undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania. Elizabeth graduated cum laude from Penn with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Studies and a minor in Art History, and received a Master of Arts in Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is employed as the Distance Learning Educator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Andrew graduated summa cum laude from the Wharton School with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. He was employed at Bain & Company and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration at the Wharton School. A spring 2013 wedding is planned.
2002 Sarah Canavan ’02 gradudated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in May 2011 (one year early) Magna Cum Laude and is currently enrolled in her first year at William & Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, VA
2010 OMAR ALTIMANY ‘10, DANA GALO ‘10, CHRISTIAN GALO ‘10, KARA BROWNLIE ‘10, CANDACE TURNER ‘10, TINA SHIRASB ‘10 AND CALEB SPERLING ‘10 returned to campus in January to join the students for Meadowbrook’s famous Bingo Night
Calling all Class Secretaries! On June 8th, Tzion Jones spoke to his classmates, “Being the class secretary is like being the glue that holds our close-knit masterpiece of a class together. In other words, after today it is my sole responsibility to keep the class in touch with each other...I can see that this class is chock-full of dynamic duos, triple-threat triads, and even fantastic fours, and I feel that it would be a terrible shame to just toss that out the window after today. Rather than allow these beautiful companionships to fade and wither like malnourished flowers, they should continue to grow and blossom in even better bonds that last well after the burden of school is lifted from their shoulders. In fact, my personal vision as the Secretary is to see our class, as proud forty-somethings, still laughing, talking, and having fun as we do now.” Yes, Class Secretaries, we need you. Please contact the alumni office to bring your classmates together. Not a class secretary, but want to get involved? Give us a call. We are looking for you!
Members of the class of 2010 returned to campus for Bingo Night on January 27, 2012. Pictured are Omar Altimany, dana galo, chrisitan galo, caleb sperling, kara brownle, candace turner and tina shirasb themeadowbrookschool.org /
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Katelyn
Taylor
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Meeting S.G.L & being Duchess in “The Aristocrats”
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: The Trip To Gettysburg
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Make friends easily & not be afraid of public speaking
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Speak comfortably in front of others. Thank you Meadowbrook
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: My love for writing, and reading books One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Friendship
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: My sister Lawson, Good Luck! One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Eventful Summer 2012 / The Spirit
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Vijay
Harrison
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: The Trip To Gettysburg
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: The time I got “M.V.P.” for soccer in fifth grade
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Feel confident about facing middle school
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Feel confident in all my abilities as I move onto my new school.
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: Lots of good luck One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Exciting
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: The best teachers I’ll ever have One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Awesome themeadowbrookschool.org
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Maggie Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: In 4th grade when Elyse and I convinced Eliza to get in a locker at graduation. Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Express Myself To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: The world’s greatest teacher, Mr. Gaines One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Home
Savannah
Kiran Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Singing a solo at the spring concert Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Be a geek and be proud of it To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: The Legacy of Far Wars and the Medi Order One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Friendly
Eliza
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: When my brother Aidan came
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: The trip to Ringing Rocks
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Be a confident public speaker
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Be myself
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: Mr Gaines & his 6 R’s
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: #1 uniform from soccer
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Family
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Extraordinary Summer 2012 / The Spirit /
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Jordan
Katelyn
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Winning Field Day
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: The fifth and sixth grade dance
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Be successful in life
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Speak, Sing, & perform in front of large audiences
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: My desk in the far right corner
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: Our funny & famous teacher, Mr. Gaines
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Terrific
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Fabulous
Brian
Tzion
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Running in the colors in first grade
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Gray team winning my second field day
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Write stories, essays, and poems very well
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Recite facts about World History
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: My very messy desk
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: All of my random songs & jokes
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Artistic
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Humorous themeadowbrookschool.org /
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Andrew
Kamryn
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Being Color Captain
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Field Day & Medieval Festival
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Be more outgoing
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Accomplish all my future goals & do the best I can to be the best I can be.
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: Chill Out Dawg One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Opportunities
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: My K-4 buddy, Amir & my brother, John One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Creative
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Matt Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Acing My First Test
Sarah Gabrielle
Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Do stand-up comedy
Favorite Meadowbrook Moment: Meeting Katelyn in K-5, Gettysburg Trip and being picked as color captain Meadowbrook Is The Reason That I Can: Sing in front of a large group of people calmly & confidently
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: My brother, Luke (sorry!)
To The Next Sixth Grade I leave: Mr. Gaines’ yardstick story & all of the exciting experiences
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Gleeful
One Word To Describe Meadowbrook: Fun
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The Meadowbrook School 1641 Hampton Road Meadowbrook, PA 19046
Come and Take A Look
At Meadowbrook themeadowbrookschool.org/admissions
Saturday, October 20, 2012 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Thursday, November 15, 2012 9:00 am - 11:00 am Sunday, January 27, 2013 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
2012 - 2013
Open House Dates