The Frederick Gunn School Bulletin Spring 2023

Reconnecting to our founder with an inspiring new name

Our new name, The Frederick Gunn School, honors the values and vision of this great innovator and educator. in fundraising $100M+ for our people, place, and programs

At Gunn’s Entrepreneurship Center, young minds are sparked to build great things. Re-rooting

A Gunn milestone by any measure

Like Frederick and Abigail Gunn, Peter Becker has been a leader and innovator who’s helped us grow in so many ways.

ourselves in the great outdoors

Frederick Gunn knew that exploring and understanding nature shapes us into more confident leaders — as true now as it was then.

Our incubator of science, math, engineering, tech, entrepreneurship, and citizenship is here. The Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship is groundbreaking from the inside out.

These pages: As rising seniors, the Class of 2023 participated last May in Clash of the Colors, a great end-of-year tradition at Gunn.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR NEXT HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Frederick Gunn School Community,

Earlier this spring, the Board of Trustees honored me with the invitation to be our 12th Head of School. Having spent the last five years here as our Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning, I know the Gunn community well and, as I was able to share with our students at the start of the Spring Term, Frederick and Abigail’s vision has remained inspiring to me every day. That is a rare quality. Our digital world ensures that our minds are filled to overflowing with the latest findings and up-to-the-moment happenings. It can feel like we are doing something wrong by returning to ideas, and texts, that ground us in ways of thought and experience. As I have spent time with Frederick’s and Abigail’s thinking, however, I find the foundations of their approach in sympathy with much of the current research on what our students need today to learn and thrive. So I am compelled to honor our history at the same time that we improvise on it in our 21st century campus.

Here are just a handful of the ways that Frederick and Abigail were tapped into some of the timeless truths of what students need: Students need to be surrounded by trustworthy adults who are looking out for them with hope. Students need opportunities to fail forward. Students need belonging and empowerment, what Frederick called “a community of equality.” Students need fun and rest. Students need to be inspired.

As I look toward the coming years, what I see is that there is no boarding school in the world more sincerely focused on the future of education than The Frederick Gunn School, while remaining true to our founding ideals. What we stand for is rare and beautiful. We believe that the world needs us to be people who are always learning, not fixed in our mindsets but open, striving to understand ourselves and others. We believe that high school students have incredible capacity to learn about themselves, how they best learn and grow, to investigate what they care most about in the world, and to set themselves on a path towards innovative, civic-minded impact in the world. We believe in fun and rest as essential to living a well and happy life. We understand that competition and risk-taking build our determination and resilience. We accept that no community can exist without a bedrock of trust, and so we commit ourselves to building trusting relationships between students and teachers. This kind of earnest idealism is hard to find, but it was all laid out for us when Frederick and Abigail set themselves the task of putting into place what they called “an ideal of a school.”

It is our students who drive our ambitious focus on the future. Highlanders are incredible kids. They are open-minded and openhearted, and they are looking to be a force for good in the world. When they are on the field, they represent Gunn with pride, fair play, and grit. On the stage, they lead with heart. In our classrooms, they are explorers. Our students are amazing not because they are perfect, but because they are capable and committed, and that’s what we are all here for. We are a school that cultivates confident and caring young adults to thrive as innovative, active citizens. We are a community built on the belief that trust between students and teachers cultivates a life of learning and strength of character. We work hard, compete fiercely, and have a lot of fun. This is what it means to have the heart of a Highlander.

I am also struck by the fact that I am the first Head of School to be called to The Frederick Gunn School, since our 11th Head, Peter Becker, oversaw our name change and began his tenure as the Head of School of The Gunnery. What I love about the story of “The Gunnery” is that it was named as an honorific to our founder. That honor and inspiration has gained speed and momentum under Peter’s leadership, and I would venture that no Head of School here will be looked upon in the coming years as having had more admiration for Frederick Gunn, or more dedication to the honoring of our founder, than him. Peter has led this school with a level of commitment that has inspired all of us each and every day. He cares

We are a school that cultivates confident and caring young adults to thrive as innovative, active citizens. We are a community built on the belief that trust between students and teachers cultivates a life of learning and strength of character. We work hard, compete fiercely, and have a lot of fun. This is what it means to have the heart of a Highlander.”

deeply about students, understands them well, and, at a moment full of possibility for this school, asked us to boldly imagine our future, and then roll up our sleeves and commit ourselves to making it a reality. Please read the tribute to him on page 4 and join me in my deep gratitude for his leadership and best wishes for his path ahead as the Head of School at Taft.

If you want to understand what commitment to seeing our founding values brought up to 21st century standards looks like, we have been gifted this embodiment in the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship, set to open in January 2024 right in the heart of campus. If nothing else brings you back to campus, I hope experiencing this building will. With “The Lizzie,” our academic spaces on campus will clearly rival any school in the country. This building is the new hub between the Quad, Bourne, and the Glade, and it activates a greenway from the new upper parking lot down through the Quad and across to the athletic campus. (See page 18 for an update.) Campus looks and feels different than it did five short years ago, and I sincerely welcome you home to experience the transformation.

There will be many opportunities in the days ahead for me to outline how I hope my leadership will drive The Frederick Gunn School to even greater success. For now, I simply want to say thank you to the Search Committee and the Board for entrusting me with the leadership of our school. I am enthusiastic and clear-eyed for the work ahead, and I, along with our amazing and committed faculty and staff, am going to need many partnerships, with our alumni and friends; the amazing town of Washington, Connecticut; and the families who join us in this story. Please be in touch. Our strength is in the integrity of our future with the inspiring stories of our past, starting with our bold and fearless founders.

Always learning,

Emily Raudenbush Gum Incoming Head of School

Celebrating Peter Becker, Our 11th Head of School

During his nearly 11-year tenure, Head of School Peter Becker has ushered in a transformative period of growth while strengthening the school’s ties to our founder in ways that are relevant to a 21st century boarding school education. Like Frederick and Abigail Gunn, he has been a leader and innovator.

“He has successfully led our school through a 10-plus year journey of tremendous achievements,” said Board Chair Patrick Dorton ’86, “notably modernizing our facilities, innovating our curriculum, bolstering our fundraising, and building a deep team of senior leaders who have worked side-by-side with Peter to move forward the strategic priorities of the school.”

Becker arrived at Gunn in the summer of 2012 with his wife, Amy Julia, and their three children, Penny, William, and Marilee, who were six, four and one at the time.

“The Gunnery is a little piece of heaven in God’s country where, if you are lucky enough as a teenager, you can spend the best years of your life,” Dick Ebersol P’08 said when he joined the Board of Trustees in 2012. “We are at the beginning of a whole new era with (new Head of School) Peter Becker, a terrific young man who has incredible curiosity and ideas. It will be fun to be here during this transformational period.”

From the beginning, Becker held up Frederick Gunn as our North Star, and by re-envisioning Mr. Gunn’s commitment to character development and holistic active citizenship, he helped to elevate The Frederick Gunn School for the next generation.

“In four years’ time, no one will ask who or what The Gunnery is. They will know us by name and by reputation. The Gunnery will be among the best small boarding schools in New England,” former Board Chair Gerrit Vreeland ’61 said in 2013. At the time, Vreeland said he believed the Board should provide prudent support of Becker’s efforts to fulfill the mission of the school and support the vision of where The Gunnery belongs in the landscape of New England boarding schools.

Through his leadership over the past decade, The Frederick Gunn School has evolved intentionally, guided by the goals of a strategic plan that focuses on our people, place, and programs, and by our renewed commitment to Mr. Gunn, his values and ideals.

“We derived our Core Values from the teachings and example of Frederick Gunn,” Becker said at the start of this school year. “They are both what Mr. Gunn thought, and what he did. As a result, everyone who teaches here, every parent who considers entrusting their child to us, every student, every graduate, and every potential donor knows what we stand for and why we do what we do the way that we do it.”

Head of School Peter Becker delivering his first Convocation Address in September 2012

Transforming our Campus

The transformation of our campus during Becker’s headship began with the opening of Graham House, our newest dorm for Gunn girls, in October 2016. Change was evident even before this, with the dedication of the College Counseling Office in October 2013, the groundbreaking for the turf field in May 2014, and the opening of South Street Fields in

October 2015. These new athletic fields helped the school to raise its game, making Gunn an even greater force in competitive sports.

The opening of the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center in January 2020 set the stage for dramatic growth in the arts. From the first School Meeting on January 6, 2020, in the beautiful, 415-seat Tisch Family Auditorium, established through the gift of

1. College Counseling Office groundbreaking, 2013; 2. Turf field groundbreaking, 2014; 3. Graham House dedication, 2016; 4. South Street Fields ribbon cutting, 2016; 5. Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center groundbreaking, 2018; 6. TPACC dedication, 2022; 7. The Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship groundbreaking, 2022

Jonathan Tisch ’72 and Steve Tisch ’67, TPACC changed the way students navigate the day-to-day life of the school. During the day, they engage in photography, music, drawing, painting, and ceramics in the classrooms and studios of the art wing honoring benefactor Richard C. Colton, Jr. ’60. Afternoons give way to rehearsals on stage for the fall play, winter musical, or demonstrations involving improvisational comedy or stage combat, and students spill out of the art studios, setting up easels to draw and paint or making jewelry as part of the Technique & Artistry co-curricular program. In the evenings, students gather around the Hearth, funded by Richard Tager ’56, or grab a seat at one of the tables in the Norman R. Lemcke Community Room, established through a gift of the Class of 1968, in celebration of their 50th reunion, to honor the late Norman R. Lemcke, Jr. P’78 ’84.

For the building’s namesake, Thomas Perakos ’69, TPACC is a dream come true. “Now we have a building with all of these rooms that open up onto beautiful natural settings, inspirational settings. If you have any capacity for anything in the arts, or any desire or interest to pursue it, now you can not only do it but you can do it to the best of your ability, because they also have the curriculum to back it up. I’m soaring like an eagle today,” Perakos said at the luncheon that followed the dedication of TPACC last April, his voice filled with emotion: “This building will be for all the children who follow me in the name of my beloved family, and I’m just overwhelmed, and so grateful that I was able to participate in this.”

Modern, sustainable facilities like TPACC, and the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship, opening in January 2024, (see page 18) are supporting programs that encourage students to think fearlessly and independently, to build knowledge and deepen skills, to kindle lifelong curiosity, to express their beliefs confidently and persuasively, and to stand up for themselves and for others.

“Our campus has a profound effect on how students feel about the community and about themselves. And on how prospective families view our school,” said Trustee Jonathan S. Linen ’62. “I still recall exactly how I felt crossing the Quad on crisp fall mornings or making my way back to the dorm on a snowy evening. It’s up to us to renew the campus and to make the buildings themselves as exciting as what’s taking place inside.”

Established through a $25 million gift from Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch ’72, the largest philanthropic commitment in the history of the school, “The Lizzie,” as it is affectionately known, will fully integrate science, math, engineering, technology, entrepreneurship, and citizenship classes in the center of campus. The building will act as an interdisciplinary hub of learning, including state-of-the-art labs that will allow students and faculty to turn ideas into action. Students will experience learning environments dedicated to helping them to be curious, solve problems, take risks, think independently, and develop strength of character.

“Peter’s effort on behalf of this community has been outstanding, and once again the way he has worked with his colleagues, with the members of the administration, with the business side, with such talented individuals as Chief Development Officer Sean Brown P’22 and his team on the development side — that is what is making this school special. And Lizzie and I are just so excited to be part of the next step in the history, in the dynamic history of The Frederick Gunn School,” Tisch said at the groundbreaking of The Lizzie last June.

Above: Peter and Amy Julia with their children, Marilee, William, and Penny, in 2011; Above right: Becker with Board Vice Chair Wanji Walcott P’19 and Board Chair Patrick Dorton ’86 at Commencement in 2019.

“Our kids were six, four, and one when we got here, and they have grown up as proud members of this community and this town and have been shaped by both the school and by the town in ways that will stay with them, and with us as a family, forever. We will always be grateful for having been given the opportunity to be here.”

–

Head of School Peter Becker

Turning Ideas Into Action

As a result of Becker’s leadership, new facilities have and will continue to support the growth of programs, including the Center for Academic Excellence, which moved to the first floor of Brinsmade House in 2015; IDEAS Lab, established in 2017 in the former Science Building; the Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy, created in 2019 with the support of a $100,000 matching grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation; and a new Center for Entrepreneurship, which is poised to become an integrated, interdisciplinary hub where students will discover how to turn ideas into action.

The Entrepreneurship Center, IDEAS Lab, and the Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy will all occupy new spaces in The Lizzie in the 2023-24 school year, fueling opportunities for collaboration and growth. Interdisciplinary classes will promote rigorous and reasoned dialogue, rational debate, and ultimately, active citizenship. Learning to be an active and engaged citizen is Frederick Gunn’s legacy to the school, and by bringing all of these curricular and character initiatives together in one building, graduates will be forces for good as they move on to their respective colleges, workplaces, and communities, equipped to be the next generation of leaders.

“At his core, Peter is a teacher, a coach, and an advisor who believes in the unique value proposition of boarding school education,” said Incoming Head of School Emily Raudenbush Gum. “By embodying the values of an amazing education, values that Frederick and Abigail also had in their core, Peter has evoked innovation and excellence across our campus and community. I will miss Peter as a conversation partner and collaborator, and as a steady voice of always making sure the success and thriving of our students drives everything we do.”

During Becker’s tenure, the school also introduced a unique Winterim curriculum in 2020 that challenges students to step away from traditional coursework for two weeks to embrace one big question or idea, and enhanced the outdoor program, offering more opportunities for students to engage with the outdoors, develop leadership skills, and gain independence. Beyond our “Live Like Fred” Community Weekends, introduced in the fall of 2020, and Mountain Day, introduced in 2022, the new 42|Ten Program, set to begin in the fall, will prepare students to succeed in life, using outdoor education as a guide. (Read more on page 28.)

The Best Programs. The Right People.

As part of the strategic plan developed during Becker’s tenure, the school made a commitment to attract and retain the best faculty, and support new positions such as the Thomas R. King ’60 Family Chair for Excellence in Teaching. This new endowed faculty chair was established in 2022 through the leadership and generosity of Trustee Tom King ’60 and his wife, Kathy. The gift of $1 million to the school’s endowment was given to honor esteemed Frederick Gunn School educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math, and entrepreneurship.

When asked what led to this generous gift, King replied: “When I look back at my years with the Class of ’60, at what was then called The Gunnery, and now 60-plus years later assess the current Frederick Gunn School environment, what stands out as the most consistent and valuable asset we have is the excellent faculty. In order to attract and retain such highly qualified educators requires a sound and attractive compensation package.”

By embodying the values of an amazing education, values that Frederick and Abigail also had in their core, Peter has evoked innovation and excellence across our campus and community.”

– Emily Raudenbush Gum, Incoming Head of School

As any Gunn alumnus or alumna will attest, boarding school requires a very special type of teacher: someone who is great in the classroom, a mentor on the athletic fields, and one is who is a presence in the dining hall and dorm, ready to guide students as they learn to navigate residential life. “As a parent of a Gunn graduate, I know how important the faculty were to her life, not just as teachers but as adults who could weigh in with thoughtful advice or words of encouragement,” said Board Vice Chair Wanji Walcott P’19. “School is always about people and personalities, and getting the right people is critical to our success.”

Peter has long encouraged faculty to look to Mr. and Mrs. Gunn for inspiration and quoted often from the speech Mr. Gunn delivered in 1877 to the Teachers’ Convention in Hartford, in which

he asserted that the only way teachers could inspire confidence in their students was for them to be worthy of that trust.

“Twenty-first century research now validates a lot of what he did instinctually,” Becker said in 2020. “He knew how much students depend on the confidence that their teachers have in them to be able to learn the next difficult thing. He knew that high school kids need to do different things in order to become resilient, gritty, self-determining.”

“Peter has reconnected our community to the founder,” said Associate Head of School Seth Low P’26. “More profound than any one position or group of people that came on at any one time here is just his diligence in making sure that everyone who works at the school is thinking about our founder and our educational philosophy. As we’ve brought on new people, we’ve been able to use that vision as a selling point for the school, such that new employees have an alignment with our mission and values. Then I think he was wise enough to know that we couldn’t always do it all ourselves, and hiring for example, a Director of Counseling, a Director of Outdoor Programs, was essential to realizing a vision for those programs. I think he has attracted really talented individuals to the school at all levels, whether it is a teacher or a senior-level administrator. His ability to articulate the uniqueness of the school brought in any number of smart, educated faculty and administrators, not the least of which is Emily.”

Clockwise from top: Becker joking with students on a scavenger hunt during Orientation in the fall of 2021; with students on School Walk in Steep Rock in October 2022; and with Trustee Tom King ’60, who, with his wife, Kathy, established the Thomas R. King ’60 Family Chair for Excellence in Teaching, at Convocation in September 2022.

Today, we envision our school as the kind of place that talented faculty truly want to be, acknowledging that the adults on our campus create the context that makes it possible for students to flourish in every way. “I love the school,” Joan Noto P’97 said in 2012, when she and her husband, Lucio, both longtime supporters of the school, announced their commitment of $1 million to the endowment, the athletic fields, and the College Counseling Office.

“Without your faculty, you have no school. Without a great faculty, the school will not fulfill its mission and help the students be the best they can be. We have a very dedicated faculty at The Gunnery — the majority stay for a long time. They are essential to The Gunnery experience. The kids come away with very good friendships with the faculty.”

After 170 Years, a New Name

Many people and factors have contributed to the momentum the school has achieved over the last decade, and which will continue to propel Gunn forward. The bold decision to change the name of the school in 2020 to honor the vision and ideals of Mr. Gunn will have a lasting impact. To Becker, the new name symbolizes the school and

culture that have been built over decades, and the results are evident in our new buildings and programs as well as the faculty and staff, who are, in his words, “the heirs and stewards of Mr. Gunn’s vision in their work with students.”

“Peter and his team have done a phenomenal job of evolving our school while staying true to who we are,” Laura Eanes Martin ’90 P’20 ’23 ’25, President of the Alumni Association Executive Committee, said in June 2022, when more than 375 alumni and friends returned to campus to celebrate Alumni Weekend. The record attendance exceeded 2019 totals by 100 percent.

“While all this is evolving and growing and adapting, the one thing that has stayed constant is the day-to-day, in-the-trenches commitment of the on-the-ground faculty, the people coaching JV lacrosse and the people teaching Algebra I … the people doing dorm duty with sophomore boys and driving the vans to the lake every day for crew,” Martin said. “In coming back to celebrate and in supporting our school, you allow these teachers to do their best work. And for that, this alumna, this spouse, this parent, is very grateful.”

“We’ve done a much better job of articulating our values as a school, and saying what are our Core Values, our core beliefs,” Low reflected. “That allows us to orient our people to those Core Values, and we’re in the process of orienting our programs to our Core Values as well. When all of that aligns, our school will have come closer to Mr. Gunn’s vision than it has ever been.”

I think he has attracted really talented individuals to the school at all levels, whether it is a teacher or a senior-level administrator. ”

– Seth Low, P’26 Associate Head of School

FEARLESSLY Future BOUND

Head of School Peter Becker Reflects on What’s Next for Gunn

As Winter Term was winding down in late February, we asked Head of School Peter Becker to reflect on his 11 years here, and why he is confident that the momentum the school has achieved will continue uninterrupted in the months and years to come. What follows is an excerpt of that conversation.

You have long been a proponent of boarding school. What is it that makes the boarding school experience at The Frederick Gunn School so special?

Boarding schools have particular educational potential because they are total institutions where students and faculty do all of life in the same place. The Frederick Gunn School’s particular advantage there is a function of Frederick Gunn’s, and Abigail Gunn’s, insight into how young people actually develop as whole beings — mind, body, spirit, emotions — and their insight that it takes the experience of the whole community to get the most positive transformation out of the student. They did that from an early age, whereas most educators at the time really were engaging the head, and they sort of left the heart and the body alone. So that’s one advantage this place has. Another is its actual, physical geography. We are not a school just anywhere. We are a school in the Litchfield Hills, surrounded by outcroppings of nature. Humans in Washington, Connecticut, have to conform themselves to the natural environment, and that makes us better humans. So the more the school is capitalizing on those things, and the philosophy of Frederick and Abigail in this particular place, the more we’ll be playing to our inherent advantages as a boarding school.

What are some examples of ways you see Mr. Gunn’s vision of an ideal school reflected in our school today?

It isn’t about any one person. We have programs now that really are a contemporary manifestation of Mr. Gunn’s original insights as an educator. The growth of the outdoor program is one obvious and very important example. Mr. Gunn had in mind that a way to address the total humanity of the child was to include regular time in the outdoors. That is now something that all students are required to do. The Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy embodies his commitment to active local citizenship, and his bias to connecting thinking with doing. Our athletic coaches are increasingly intentional about connecting how they approach coaching with our Core Values, and this is also true in our residential life program as well as our academic program. Mr. Gunn, again, ahead of his time, saw the really important role that active participation in the arts has in drawing out parts of the learner that can’t be drawn out in any other way. So I think the shape of the school life today, while always evolving, is a very good sort of 2023 version of the ideal school that Mr. and Mrs. Gunn set out to create in the first place, always keeping in mind that he said he’s never seen it, actually.

What are some examples of how our faculty are guided by Mr. Gunn in their interactions with students?

That question makes me think of the work that our classroom teachers are doing to translate specifically the model of Mr. Gunn as an educator into day-to-day classroom practices. For example, the centrality of building trust with the student; that the teacher needs to be a curious, active learner, and needs to find ways to address the whole student, mind, body, spirit, emotion, in the classroom, to the end of developing active citizenship. The fact that our teachers identified these practices together and now are pursuing them explicitly is a really important step towards the goal of making sure that our teaching and learning culture reflects the educational insights that Mr. Gunn championed.

The school has achieved tremendous momentum over the past 11 years. Why are you confident that momentum will carry on uninterrupted?

I am confident because I think the story, both internally and externally, has become about this visionary and remarkable founder, more clearly and more proudly than at any time that I can identify in the school’s history since Mr. Gunn passed away, and that that is resonating in terms of the student experience, the faculty experience, and in the independent school market. There is a lot of evidence

that Mr. Gunn’s original message resonates with people on a deep and profound level, that people are attracted to it, and people want to be part of it and invest in it. So momentum is not inevitable but, I really believe as long as the school stays focused on that story in a sincere way that the opportunities for the school are limitless.

We’ve heard that almost every head of school before you considered changing the name. What was it that gave you the confidence to know that this was the time to do it? And how do you see that change guiding the school for the next 50-100 years?

The conviction that led me to put the question on the table was really an outgrowth of why I was attracted to the school in the first place. People are probably tired of hearing the story, but I read The Biography of Frederick Gunn, and I don’t think it’s too strong to say that in some ways it changed my life. It certainly was unique among anything I’d read about American education up to that point. Through no one’s fault, the school’s strengths were masked by a name that only insiders really understood, and

in many ways the school was not living up to the promise of what Frederick and Abigail set out to do in the first place. I was confident that the school was prepared to be committed in a new way to our founder’s vision and model, and that the best way to get credit for that and to stay clear on that, both internally and externally, was to make sure that the name reflected the person as clearly as possible. One reason for making the name so straightforward and clear is that future generations of Board, faculty, staff, students, and alumni can essentially hold the school accountable to whether or not it is living up to its name in a way that was not possible before.

How do you see Graham House, the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center, and the LIzzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship propelling us forward in terms of our people, place, and programs, and setting a new standard?

I’ve appreciated the Board’s willingness to visit other schools and understand the market in which we compete, to understand what choices families are making when they are admitted to multiple schools, and to recognize that the great teachers and programs that we’ve always had can actually be limited in certain ways by the quality of the facilities, and then to commit to a terrific new standard of buildings for the school. What each of those buildings has in common is not only are they architecturally beautiful and interesting, but they connect very intentionally the outdoors and the indoors. They are great places for adults and for students to be throughout the entire school year. They all have significant community spaces at the forefront, at the heart. And in addition to being great for the students and faculty who are here day in and day out, they are just innately attractive to people who are visiting the school for the first time, and they give very clear material expression to the quality and the type of teaching and learning experience (and living experience, in terms of Graham House) that we have and constantly aspire to. They do that very much in concert with the rocks, hills, and trees of campus. None of them dwarf the humans who live and work and learn in them, and they don’t dwarf the natural landscape that is their context.

I think as long as the school continues to focus on and innovate on those central Frederick Gunn elements, there isn’t another boarding school in America that has the advantages that this school has.

What makes you optimistic about the future of the school? We’ve accomplished so much, tell us why you believe the future is bright here.

I think it is because we are so clear on who we are, what makes our educational model so distinct and effective for young people in 2023, and that the story, vision, and model of Frederick and Abigail Gunn resonates as clearly as it does with people on a very deep, human level. I think as long as the school continues to focus on and innovate on those central Frederick Gunn elements, there isn’t another boarding school in America that has the advantages that this school has.

Looking back on everything the school has accomplished over the past 11 years, if you could choose one thing that you think will have the most lasting, positive effect, what would it be?

The name change and the incredible philanthropic support led by the Tisch family. I would be remiss in not mentioning their support, and the support of so many other people, some of whom are anonymous. But I think the name change is a line in the sand. And I really think that the school could easily emerge as a leading model of education in independent schools in the country.

INTRODUCING OUR 12TH Head of School

The first day of the Spring Term marked an important and historic moment in the life of the school. Patrick Dorton ’86, Board Chair, and Jonathan Tisch ’72, Executive Chair of the Head of School Search Committee, addressed students and faculty at School Meeting, and formally introduced Emily Raudenbush Gum as the 12th Head of School. It was the first time the entire community had gathered following the Board’s announcement on March 15 that Raudenbush Gum had been enthusiastically and unanimously selected to serve as the next Head of School.

“The Frederick Gunn School has been here for 173 years, and over the course of that time, we have had 11 Heads of School. That’s really remarkable when you think about the tenure of each of those people, going all the way back to Mr. Gunn himself. So it is a really big deal in the life of our school, or any school with our history, when we select and announce the next Head of School,” said Head of School Peter Becker.

“It really is an exciting day,” said Dorton, who took note of the “remarkable, visible transformation” of the campus over the past 10 years, including the opening of TPACC, the creation of the Koven-Jones Glade, the installation of a new turf field, the opening of South Street Fields, the completion of two new dorms, Graham House and Teddy House, and soon, the opening of the Jonathan and Lizzie Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship.

“We’ve reconnected with our founder, we know what we stand for in the world. It’s really been amazing. I can think of no school in America that has undergone the transformation that we have over the last decade, and really this incredible change and incredible commitment to building a stronger, cooler, more interesting school

has been led by Peter Becker. He certainly goes on the mantle and in the history of the school as an iconic head,” Dorton said, thanking Peter and Amy Julia Becker for all that they have done for the school, and acknowledging the members of the Head of School Search Committee, including Ashley LeBlanc, Dean of Students, and Bart McMann, Director of the Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy, for participating in an incredibly rigorous search process.

“It is truly an honor and a pleasure to be with you all on a day where the school will be handed from one dynamic head to the next,” said Tisch, who thanked the members of the Search Committee and Co-Chairs Ashleigh Fernandez and Neil Townsend P’18 ’20 for their time and commitment.

“My wife and I are honored to have allowed the underwriting of what has come to be known as ‘The Lizzie,’ which is kind

of funny, because my wife loves that,” Tisch said, referring to the nickname that has been bestowed on the new building that will open in January 2024 overlooking the school’s historic Quad. “But to have a sense of the exciting future for this institution, to have a building that will be the centerpiece for learning, for innovation, for thinking about active citizenship right in the middle of the campus of The Frederick Gunn School is very, very exciting and very, very promising. And your next Head of School gets all of that. She is about learning, she is about education, she is about the values that Abigail and Frederick Gunn thought about 173 years ago. It gives me tremendous

pleasure on behalf of the Board Chair and the Board of Trustees of The Frederick Gunn School to introduce the 12th Head of School, Emily Raudenbush Gum.”

It was a powerful tribute when Raudenbush Gum walked to the front of the stage to address the community in her new role for the first time and she received a standing ovation. “I am extraordinarily excited and proud to be up here,” she said. “We’re going to have an awesome spring together.”

“I just want to start by offering my thanks to the Search Committee, and to the Board, for this opportunity. But also, I just want to say how proud I am of the

Incoming Head of School Emily Raudenbush Gum spoke with students in the Reading Room, following the announcement at School Meeting and a reception in honor of her appointment.

She is about learning, she is about education, she is about the values that Abigail and Frederick Gunn thought about 173 years ago. It gives me tremendous pleasure on behalf of the Board Chair and the Board of Trustees of The Frederick Gunn School to introduce the 12th Head of School, Emily Raudenbush Gum.”

– Jonathan Tisch ’72, Executive Chair

of

the Head of School Search Committee

school and you all, how proud I am to be a Highlander,” she said, talking to the students about her new role and what it means to be Head of School. “I went to boarding school, and I still think about my boarding school. I think about those days, I think about that place, and this is your place. My job as the Head of School is to make sure that this place thrives for you, and for every alumnus or alumna who has come before us.”

“Frederick and Abigail and the school that they founded in 1850 caught my imagination all those years ago, six years ago now. Whatever it is about what they were doing has helped shape what I think is important in the world, is important in schools, and I’m not out of inspiration. I keep talking and thinking about these folks, I keep thinking about The Frederick Gunn School, and it keeps inspiring me. I’ve been thinking about longevity, I’ve been thinking about what it means to be inspired by a place deeply,” she said.

“Being the Head of School means that you get to tend to the roots of a place, so I’m going to tell you a story about a tree. Frederick and Abigail — there are so many great stories about them. This is one that I started to look at a little differently in the last couple of weeks as I’ve been thinking about this headship in a new way. This is a story about Fred walking to a tree. For most of the last five years, I have looked at this story and thought about the walk. We take

School Walk, we do Hitting Pause, we talk about getting outside.” But she reflected further on Mr. Gunn’s mindset as he walked: “He was irritated about something. He was frustrated, and he was trying to clear his mind. He somehow always found himself

at this tree. Why did he go to a tree? There were other things he could have been doing. There were lots of places he could go. He didn’t. He showed up at this tree — and it’s described as this big, old, tulip tree, which has nothing to do with the flower — and he would pay attention to the fact that this tree was rooted in place, and was in the right setting. It was kind of majestic in that way, but its bark was a little messed up. It had some wounds.”

Here she paused before continuing: “There are all these incredible things about trees, but what I think is most amazing

Board Chair Patrick Dorton ’86 and Trustee Emeritus Jonathan Tisch ’72, who served as Executive Chair of the Head of School Search Committee, celebrated Emily Raudenbush Gum’s appointment as our 12th Head of School at a reception following the announcement.

I am so grateful and proud to be part of this community, to take on the responsibilities of ensuring that you always have a home to come back to, and that this place always inspires you.”

– Emily Raudenbush Gum,

12th

Head of School

about trees is the roots. Trees go deep to thrive. They go into the soil deeper to find a sense of purpose and to find what they need in order to thrive in the world, to communicate with one another. Trees have this sense of rootedness and place. This is one of the pillars of our educational philosophy. This was given to us by Frederick Gunn as a way to think about what education can and should be.”

“What we want you to know, and what Frederick Gunn gives us, and what I think the role of the Head of School is, is that I will be here, we will be here, tending the roots of this place so that you can always come back. That is what these two are doing,” she said, referring to Tisch and Dorton, who were seated on the stage behind her. “Jon and Patrick are alumni of this school. They are demonstrating what it looks like to stay committed and rooted to a place so that it can thrive for other people. That is extraordinary. That doesn’t happen everywhere, and they’re doing it for you, and the students who will come next year, and the year after that. So what that means

is, when you are given the opportunity to come back, you should do that. Five years, 10 years, 15 years, when you think about those reunions, when you think about the community that you want to come back to, we’re like your tree. You come back, you touch the soil and the bark, and you get grounded again, and you recenter yourself, and then you go back out there into the world.”

“That’s what I’m here for, that’s what I’m committed to, what I’m excited about. I am excited about a ton of things, and we’ll talk about those. Mostly, I am so grateful and proud to be part of this community, to take on the responsibilities of ensuring that you always have a home to come back to, and that this place always inspires you,” Raudenbush Gum said. “That’s what I’m most excited about.”

Emily Raudenbush Gum greeting Georgie Charette ’23 outside the Field House

Trustee Stephen Baird ’68 greeting Emily and her husband, Wheeler, at the reception; center: Emily and Wheeler’s son, Hezze; at right, Emily’s sister, Lauren Wittenberg, with Emily and Wheeler’s son, George.

Framing our Future “The Lizzie” Takes Shape

Construction of the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship continued at a steady pace through the winter and spring terms. By January, the outline of the 24,000-square-foot building, including the rooflines of Pavilions A, B, and C, were framed in structural steel, giving definition to its size and scope. By February, workers were installing the high-strength engineered timber ceiling beams above the second floor classrooms and labs. In March, the framing and waterproofing of the exterior walls was in progress.

Matt Olshefski, Project Superintendent for O&G Industries, led a tour of the building interior on March 23 for Head of School Peter Becker, Incoming Head of School

Emily Raudenbush Gum, and Trustee Emeritus

Jonathan Tisch ’72, who with his wife, Lizzie, made a historic, $25 million gift to the school in support of the project. On their tour, they could see the interior walls of labs and classrooms taking shape. “We just have to put in the outlets and plumbing,” Olshefski said, noting that by late March, workers were already putting up drywall in some areas.

Entering Pavilion C from the doorway that faces Bourne, one

can see from one end of the building to the other via the open, central corridor that connects all three pavilions. There will be six math classrooms in all, three on the first floor of Pavillions B and C, and three on the second floor. All overlook Brinsmade Terrace. Olshefski noted where the new Entrepreneurship Center will be located, on the lower level of Pavilion A, adjacent to the two-story glass atrium, and three workshops in Pavillion B that will comprise the new innovation space for courses in engineering and technology.

Standing on the lower level of Pavilion A, Olshefski explained that the two-story community space, which overlooks the Quad and Brinsmade Terrace, will be utilized for events and student activities, with partitions that open

The sustainability features in the new building were funded in part by the late Gretchen Farmer P’05, a member of the Board of Trustees, past parent, and loyal supporter of the school. In addition to solar panels, those features include the geothermal wells for heating and cooling, triple-glazed glass windows to maximize energy efficiency and offer better insulation, and a highly efficient and highly insulated building envelope that will minimize the loss of conditioning between the inside and outside in all seasons.

to a terrace. The interior of the community space will feature seating made possible through a donation from Dick Tager ’56 and crafted by a Connecticut company, City Bench, using wood cured from trees on the site of the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center. There will be a “focal wall,” where students will soon be able to view a digital dashboard with information about the geothermal system that will heat and cool The Lizzie. That system will rely on a mile of piping that was installed hundreds of feet below ground last summer.

The sustainability features in the new building were funded in part by the late Gretchen Farmer P’05, a member of the Board of Trustees, past parent, and loyal supporter of the school, who passed away January 1. In addition to solar panels, those features include the geothermal wells for heating and cooling, triple-glazed glass windows to maximize energy efficiency and offer better insulation, and a highly efficient and highly insulated building envelope that will minimize the loss of conditioning between the inside and outside in all seasons, according to Sasaki, the Boston-based architectural firm that designed the project.

Olshefski anticipated that work would be wrapping up in May on the water, gas, and electrical systems. Glass was expected to be installed in June, and in July, the floors will be sealed. The building will have four labs, two on the first floor of Pavilion C for general science and physics, and two on the second floor, for biology and chemistry. All will

be furnished in a manner very similar to the architectural renderings. The exposed wood ceiling beams on the second floor will take on a natural patina as they age in place, and are intended to acknowledge Frederick Gunn’s love of the natural world, and give the building a sense of place.

Students who signed one of the steel beams in December will be able to see it if they peek inside the mechanical room on the second floor. Solar panels will be installed on the roof toward the end of the project, and by fall, work should be complete on the terrace outside the atrium, with a seating wall and gas fireplace adjacent to the Quad.

“This is going to be incredible. It’s going to be a beautiful building,” Olshefski said, standing in what will be the new home of the Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy on the second floor of Pavilion A, next to a faculty room and collaboration space, made possible through a donation from Board Secretary Beth W. Glynn. In the Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy, students will participate in civic-minded courses such as Citizen Gunn and the Declaration, based on the values and ideals of our school founder. It seems fitting then that the space overlooks the Schoolhouse and Gunn House, the site of the Old Gunnery, where Frederick and Abigail started their school 173 years ago.

“This transformational project really embodies the values and vision of Mr. and Mrs. Gunn,” Head of School Peter Becker said at the groundbreaking in June 2022. “They had a home, right over there, where Gunn dorm exists today. In many ways, the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship is the 21st century iteration, the manifestation of Mr. and Mrs. Gunn’s original home school.”

To view photos of the construction progress, visit frederickgunn.org/ciac.

Gunn Goes to … Belize!

In December, 10 students in Teresita Magaña’s P’26 Medical Immersion class traveled to Belize, on the eastern coast of Central America, to visit and work in a medical clinic that serves a diverse population. The sophomores, juniors, and seniors who enrolled in the course — one of 30 offered during Winterim 2022 — had opportunities to job shadow in the maternity, pediatric, and internal medicine wards as well as the emergency department. They accompanied health care providers on rounds, listened to the heart and lung sounds of babies, dressed the wounds of amputees, and helped triage patients by taking their blood pressure, temperature, weight, and pulse. One student even attended a live birth while another, who hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon, scrubbed in to observe a cesarean section.

The six-day trip — which included cultural excursions to Mayan ruins and a cacao farm to see chocolate made by hand, as well as a visit to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Jaguar Preserve and snorkeling along the Belize Barrier Reef — was organized by Magaña, who is a licensed physician in her native Belize. In addition to teaching Spanish at Gunn, she launched the school’s first Pre-Med course in 2019 and cotaught an Emergency Responder class with Morgen Fisher ’03 during Winterim 2020. This year, Magaña was thrilled to return with her students and Dean of Faculty Jess Lyon to the seaside village in southern Belize, where she was once the only doctor serving about 3,000 people.

Prior to their departure, Magaña teamed up with Caralyn Dea, Director of International Recruitment and Associate Director of Admissions, to teach students about nutrition. Dea, who was formerly a

teacher in her native Australia, discussed the role of nutrition in the treatment of chronic disease.

“We were going to an area where chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cancer are prevalent because of their culture, because of their food,” Magaña said. “They eat a lot of starches and a lot of carbohydrates. I wanted the students to know about the diseases and how they can be treated with nutrition and not just medication. Caralyn talked about healthy nutrition in general, where you can get your vitamins and minerals, and ‘If my patient is hypertensive, what would you recommend, and what would you not recommend?’”

“The main reason for taking them to Belize, especially those who are interested in pursuing careers in the medical field, is for them to be immersed in different cultures,”

Magaña said of her students, stressing, “You need empathy in the medical field, to be able to understand and accept differences so you are able to take proper care of a patient. Everybody has a different story. You treat people with more kindness and with more respect when you understand that difference — different cultures, traditions, beliefs, socioeconomic backgrounds. Not only that, but it makes you more aware of how blessed you are as well, to be living in a country like this, to be going to a school like Gunn. The kids tell me, ‘I know it, but going to Belize and seeing the houses and how the people live, and passing by schools and looking at their basketball court, I became more grateful for what I have.’ Maybe it was a little shocking, driving into this dirt parking lot and seeing, ‘Oh this is the hospital,’ but at the same time looking at how happy the people were.”

Frederick Gunn School students outside the Southern Regional Hospital in Belize, where they helped provide patient care during Winterim; at left, students with faculty members Jess Lyon and Teresita Magaña P’26 at the Mayan ruins they visited.

A CURRICULUM THAT ENCOURAGES INTENSIVE STUDENT LEARNING

Winterim is modeled after shortterm, mid-year programs offered at the college level. Students step away from traditional classwork for two weeks and embrace a curriculum committed to intensive student learning. Classes in 2022 focused on one big question or idea in subjects ranging from aviation and physics to history, literature, music, art, film and theatre. Many courses offered experiential learning opportunities, including the chance to take a flight lesson in a Cessna 182, earn a certificate in Leave No Trace ethics on a winter backpacking trip in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, become American Red Cross certified in Lifeguarding, or run a professional recording session with a Grammy Award-winning audio engineer. Students learned about goal-setting, screenwriting, and marketing. They traced the path of a Revolutionary War-era spy ring, learned about social justice through documentary films and local community service projects, and experienced government in action on a six-day trip to Washington, D.C.

WINTER TRADITIONS, OLD AND NEW

From January 29-31, 49 freshmen, eight prefects and five faculty advisors took part in the 27th annual Freshman Class Trip to Lake Placid, New York. In addition to skiing and snowboarding at Whiteface Mountain, riding the gondola, and skating on the Olympic Oval, this year’s freshmen were treated to a game of broomball and a visit to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, courtesy of a gift from Juan Padro ’92!

On January 30, sophomores, juniors, and seniors participated in a newer school tradition, Gunn’s second annual Mountain Day at Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall, Connecticut. Classes were canceled and the community spent the day downhill skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing and just being together outdoors in the spirit of school founder Frederick Gunn. Thanks to the generosity of the Parents Council, every student received a Gunn-branded neck gaiter to wear on both the Mountain Day and Lake Placid trips!

View more Mountain Day photos at: https://bit.ly/MountainDay2023

2023 Gunn Scholars Present at Rooted Research Conference

On April 21 and 22, students, faculty, and families attended the 2023 Rooted Research & Civic Changemakers Conference. The two-day academic conference featured select Gunn seniors, who discussed their community-based Civic Changemakers Projects, students from Mamaroneck High School, who shared the results of their Original Civic Research and Action projects, and the 2022-23 Gunn Scholars, who presented the findings of their yearlong, place-based, independent research projects.

The Experience of Black Students, Teachers, and Trustees

Sidney Mutau ’23 focused her research on Frederick Gunn’s impact as an abolitionist and educator, and on the experience of Black students, teachers, and Trustees at the school, and how their experience at Gunn impacted their lives. Mutau interviewed Trustee Bob Bellinger ’73, Gary Wingfield ’73, Danielle McDonald ’04 and Marlon Fisher ’01, Associate Director of Next Generation Leadership.

“There’s not that much information about Black students and their experience here, so I wanted to highlight that aspect of diversity that the school tries to offer, and how the school has improved in that aspect, and needs to improve regarding diversity,” said Mutau, who was inspired to pursue her topic by a conversation she had last year with LaDarius Drew, a member of the History Department faculty and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

From her interviews with Black alumni and Trustees, Mutau learned about a student-run organization called Broderbond, which was a precursor to the Black Student Union, and the current Black and Latinx Union (BALU), of which Mutau is a member. “I learned about how the Black students were really a tight-knit community

within the community and how that helped support the Black students being successful here. They felt they could lean on each other, like a home away from home at the school. They were able to connect in an easier sense than with the school in general,” she said, recalling that Bellinger and others also spoke about the positive influence of a Black teacher who was on the faculty during their time here. “They were really grateful to have that sense of support. The way that Mr. Bellinger described it was having someone in an authoritative position with a sense of understanding that other teachers wouldn’t have. It was more of a guiding presence.”

Mutau’s hope is that her Gunn Scholar Project will impart a greater appreciation for the importance of building diversity. “I want them to remember the importance of building a community that is diverse and inclusive to help everybody be successful and have a sense of belonging, which would help our students to be successful,” she said. “I think the school, especially after the COVID era, has been putting more of a focus on bringing diversity to the school, not just having Black students, but a diverse Black student body.”

<< Gunn Scholars Sidney Mutau ’23, Holli Hay ’23, Gloria Wang ’23 and Georgie Charette ’23

The History of Coeducation

Two of this year’s scholars, Gloria Wang ’23 and Georgie Charette ’23, focused their research on coeducation from varying perspectives. Girls were enrolled in the early years of the school, however in 1922 under third Head of School William Hamilton Gibson, Class of 1902, Gunn was converted to an all-boys school, which was in keeping with the prevalent practice of independent schools at the time. Stella West, Class of 1921, the daughter of Joseph West and Evelyn Kingman West, both Class of 1893, was the last female to graduate prior to the Class of 1978, making this year the 45th anniversary of coeducation at Gunn.

Charette’s project is about the history of coeducation as it relates to Mr. Gunn’s values. “I dove into what those values are and the early coeducation period, when Mr. Gunn was the Head of School. After this, I looked at the Wykeham Rise coordination, and how this influenced the final switch to coeducation in 1977,” she said, explaining, “In the modern coeducation period, I am covering three main points in time: 1977-79, when coeducation first began, 1987, when a survey was sent out to gauge the success of the program, and 2023, as I try to gauge the continued success of the coeducational program.”

Charette said her research illustrated how the school has progressed over time. “It was fascinating to think about how much the school has changed as well as the ways in which it has stayed the same. It shows the ways in which our school has adapted and is still adapting to meet the needs of students,” she said. “I hope that faculty and administrators will take away from my project the idea that our school is continually evolving, and that there is always room to make the changes that are necessary. I hope that it will reinforce the value of our founder, Mr. Gunn, and contextualize why he is so often talked about and idolized at our school.”

The Impact of Title IX and the Feminist Movement

Wang researched the coeducational period from a policy perspective, including co-curricular activities from that era with an emphasis on gender-specific sports. “My focus was on policy creation, the impact of Title IX, and the female student experience as well as the feminist movement and the school’s attitude towards it,” she said. In addition, her project incorporated the history of the dress code, and the accomplishments of a few female role models, including the first female student to serve as Head Prefect.

“As a ‘feminist’ and gender studies major, I decided that I wanted to study something related to women’s education,” Wang said. “I systematically studied many of the key feminist movements and their impacts. I learned how Title IX influenced both public and private high schools to achieve gender equity in education, and examined the reasons behind private high schools’ choice to follow Title IX. What I was surprised to find was how much the dress code and co-curriculars have changed and improved from the coeducational period. And I can see from the change in policy that the school is pursuing equal education.”

The Mother of The Gunnery

Holli Hay ’23 wrote a biography of Abigail Gunn with chapters devoted to her family and childhood, her young adult life and the start of The Gunnery, her widowhood and death, and finally, her lasting impact on the town of Washington and the school.

“After being at the school for four years, I’ve heard a lot about Frederick Gunn, but very little about Abigail. I was curious about her contributions to the school, and also wanted to give her more recognition. She was an amazing woman who did so much for the beginning boys at the school, and hopefully my research and project will reflect that,” Hay said.

One fun fact she shared was about how the Gunns celebrated Thanksgiving at the school: “Abigail baked each of the boys their very own pie!” Hay said.

Her hope is that others will gain from her project a deeper appreciation for the school and its history through the lens of Abigail and Frederick Gunn and their lasting impact. “I also hope people will get to know who Abigail was by herself (not just alongside Frederick),” she said.

Hay presented her research at Alumni Weekend in June. To view recordings of all of this year’s Gunn Scholar presentations, visit frederickgunn.org/ gunn-scholar. A generous gift from the Class of 1957 has assured the annual publication of Gunn Scholar research and each student’s illustrated paper is added to the archives, thereby enriching the school’s history and creating opportunities for further study.

INSPIRED LEADERSHIP MODEL UN PROGRAM BENEFITS FROM A REAL-WORLD UN VISIT

In February, 15 students from The Frederick Gunn School’s Model United Nations program were among more than 3,300 participants in the 60th North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN), the Western Hemisphere’s preeminent high school Model UN conference.

During the four-day conference in Washington, D.C., 12 Gunn students represented Libya and Panama and their policies while two of their peers, Neda Strelciunaite ’24 and Charlotte Smith ’24, were assigned separately to represent Kalahui, Hawaii, on the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO). Additionally, Bridie Strowe ’24 took on a historical role this year as Yuan Zhenying, one of 24 delegates engaged in topics surrounding the New Culture Movement at Peking University in China in 1917.

“It is a very exciting year for MUN,” said Karoline Theobald P’09 ’14, who teaches English and serves, along with Andres Sovero of the World Languages faculty, as MUN Coordinator. “We have gained some new students who bring a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to this co-curricular activity.”

One of them, Ryan Ryu ’25, brought back to his peers lessons he learned on a trip to United Nations Headquarters in New York and the Yale Model United Nations Conference in mid-January.

A MUN veteran who is in his first year at Gunn, Ryu applied

A school, in Mr. Gunn’s theory and largely in his practice, was a mimic republic … The scholars were to him embryo citizens, interested in the weal [wellbeing] of the school community, and each charged, as an individual, with the duty of conserving it.”

– Clarence Deming, Class of 1866, The Biography of Frederick Gunn

and was accepted to an educational training program at UN Headquarters on “Sustainable Development Goals and International Solidarity.” The youth program was organized by the Hope to the Future Association, an international NGO under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. While in New York, Ryu attended briefings led by UN officials, participated in interactive workshops on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and worked with peers to present possible project ideas and solutions to global challenges. He engaged in discussions with UN ambassadors, including Ambassador Hwang Joonkook of the Republic of Korea.

“The goal was to learn about how leaders around the world are working towards the goal of a sustainable future,” Ryu said, “and as a youth and a youth leader, what I can do and what I can learn to contribute to the sustainable future of the globe to become a global leader.”

Through the Hope to the Future Association, Ryu also participated in the Yale MUN Conference in New Haven, where he was assigned to the International Court of Justice to debate legally and ethically complex questions based on two real-world cases.

“We are incredibly lucky to have a student who is so serious about this co-curricular,” Theobald said. “He attends other events, and he does not come back and sit on his knowledge. He applies it and helps other students get better. He really is an asset.”

Ryan Ryu ’25 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York

FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, A NEW ERA

In September, The Frederick Gunn School welcomed Rob Daly as the new Director of Facilities. Daly’s arrival followed the retirement of Mark Showalter, who was with the school for 38 years, and followed in the footsteps of his father, Dave Showalter, who was Head of Maintenance for 22 years until his retirement in 2000. For a time, father and son worked side by side. In fact, school opened this year without a Showalter on campus for the first time in 44 years.

Since the fall, Daly has been settling in and working quietly behind the scenes to make improvements, such as a new, computerized work order system, and enhance The Frederick Gunn School’s image and brand on everything from school vehicles to facilities to new uniforms for the Housekeeping, Maintenance, and Building and Grounds staff. He brings to his role a wealth of experience, having served as a Facilities Manager at Yale University for over 21 years. In March, we asked Daly how that experience has influenced the way he approaches his role here, and what the future holds for facilities management at Gunn.

“Similar to The Frederick Gunn School, the Yale campus has a lot of older buildings, so it gives me familiarity with the challenges involved with doing renovations or upgrading, or just with the mechanical systems in place. While I didn’t necessarily have direct oversight of the mechanical systems in my role at Yale, certainly I worked hand in hand with the physical plant managers who were responsible for those systems,” said Daly, who brings to Gunn experience in building management, mechanical, electrical and

plumbing (MEP) systems, grounds maintenance, special projects, staffing, and software.

“The staff have been absolutely great since I arrived. They strive to do their jobs well and in a courteous and professional manner every day. I am very lucky to have such a wonderful team. Everyone here at Gunn has been very supportive since I arrived on campus,” he said.

This summer, Daly plans to replace all of the gas-powered golf carts that are primarily utilized by the housekeeping staff with battery-operated golf carts as part of a sustainability initiative. This improvement is also part of a larger plan to upgrade the school’s fleet of maintenance vehicles, which will help to improve efficiency and enhance the school’s brand on and off campus. One new truck and one new passenger vehicle have already been added to the fleet.

The school hired one new staff member in Buildings and Grounds and Maintenance as well as a new mailroom associate, and Daly plans to implement a new computerized package tracking system in the mailroom. This summer, his team will be making improvements in the dorms as well as faculty housing. One of the most exciting projects on the horizon will be maintaining the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship, after it opens in January 2024. Daly has been monitoring the progress of the construction closely. “It’s very exciting to have that, especially on the heels of the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center, which is a beautiful building,” he said.

Rob Daly, Director of Facilities, and the Maintenance, Building and Grounds, and Housekeeping staff in their new uniforms, and with the new vehicles in the school’s fleet.

TEN

Taking the first Steps Toward a New Outdoor Education Program

In the fall, Dan Fladager, Director of Outdoor Programs, is planning to lead a small group of juniors on a backpacking trip on a local section of the Appalachian Trail. As they navigate this 50-mile stretch, which is mostly forested and follows the edge of the Housatonic River, they will be taking the first step towards a new outdoor education program called 42|TEN that will ask all juniors to embark on a multi-day expedition.

“The name of the program is a reference to the first recreational camping trip in the United States, which was 42 miles and 10 days,” said Fladager, who conceived of 42|TEN as a way to prepare Gunn students to become leaders on campus and in their own lives through outdoor experiences they cultivate during their four years at the school.

This fall, students in the Class of 2027 will be enrolled in a series of Freshman Leadership Seminars as part of the program. The seminars will be integrated into Student Orientation, the freshman Pathways course in the Citizenship and Just Democracy Curriculum,

and other events through the school year and will involve activities that build self-awareness, group cohesion, and set the foundation for students to step up as peer and school leaders. Freshmen will progress the following year to Sophomore Camping Skills, where they will camp with 20-25 of their peers for two to three nights over a weekend during their 10th grade year. Those skills will help to prepare students for the third year of the program, the Junior Expedition.

Fladager anticipates the junior backpacking trip will evolve into a significant multi-day expedition in the wilderness with a 24-hour solo experience, where students focus on expedition behavior, active citizenship, risk-taking, and resilience. “I see leadership developing through a three-stage process that begins with self-awareness, moves to self-advocacy, and concludes with group-advocacy. The three stages of 42|TEN follow that process,” he said.

Putney, Holderness, Cate, and a handful of other boarding schools offer solo outdoor experiences along the same lines,

Frederick Gunn believed in the value of camping so much that he took students on educational camping trips decades before it became common practice. His 42-mile, 10-day hike to Milford, Connecticut, in 1861 is recognized by the American Camp Association as the “first American summer camp.”

Fladager said, noting that solos are a staple of Outward Bound and NOLS experiences as well. Kurt Hahn, an educator and founder of Outward Bound, introduced solos as early as the 1920s in Germany. “Hahn instilled the notion that regular intervals of solitary silence were key for growth in learning,” according to the Outward Bound Blog.

“Solo experiences create opportunities for self-reflection, for learning to create comfort without the crutch of distraction, and to become more comfortable with yourself and your thoughts,” Fladager said. “For some students, it will be the first time in their lives that they will spend time alone without a cell phone. It’s a self-reflective time, but we will have safety checks built in. Gunn instructors will be checking on students from a distance every six hours at a minimum. The students will be separate from each other, so they don’t see each other, but the instructors can see them.”

While there is no 42|Ten requirement for seniors, interested students will have the opportunity to join a Leader-in-Training Program, which will give them the opportunity to join the Instructor Team on sophomore or junior trips. “Our goal is to prepare students to be more than outdoorsmen. We will use expeditionary adventure trips as a way to push our character education program to the limits, and to teach students to be independent, self-aware members of an intentional community,” Fladager said.

Honors in Outdoor Leadership

Students who intend to make outdoor education a component of their college program or career will have the option to graduate with Honors in Outdoor Leadership through a new keystone program geared toward mastery in leadership, selfawareness, and competence outdoors. Students can

This page: students hiked the Southern Massachusetts section of the Appalachian Trail in June 2022. Opposite page (top): students hiked the AT from Bulls Bridge to Stony Brook over Spring Long Weekend in April; (below) a student in Nature Writers class sketching beside the Shepaug River.

apply to the program at any point but will need two to three years to complete the requirements. Once they do, the honors distinction will be conferred at Commencement and will appear on their official high school transcript.

Students in Honors Outdoor Leadership will learn intermediate and advanced-level camping and backpacking skills and have the potential to earn certifications in Leave No Trace ethics, Wilderness First Aid, Swiftwater Rescue, and as a Wilderness First Responder. They will participate with their peers in multi-day trips that emphasize safety, wellness, and fun, learn how to cook delicious and nutritious meals from scratch over an open fire, and how to navigate in the wilderness using a map and compass.

“This program will provide opportunities for students to appreciate the beauty and challenge of their surroundings in some of the most interesting and demanding terrain that New England has to offer,” Fladager said, noting that students who choose to pursue this track will need to complete specific academic requirements, including humanities and science courses, and one Winterim course in Outdoor Leadership.

These may include academic courses such as Nature Writers, a field course for students interested in nature and nature writing, Environmental History, a course outlining how the environmental movement began in the United States, or AP Environmental Science. Additional courses are offered during Winterim, such as Live Like Sasquatch: Leave No Trace, offered in December, in which students learned the seven Leave No Trace principles and put them to good use on a five-day, four-night backpacking trip to the Lonesome Lake Mountain Hut in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.

In the senior year, students will complete either an academic or leadership capstone project that will affirm their lifelong commitment to outdoor leadership. To accomplish this, students may apply to the Gunn Scholar Program to complete a yearlong, independent research project, or complete their Civic Changemakers Project, a diploma requirement, with a sustainability or adventure focus. Those who choose to fulfill this requirement through a leadership capstone project can participate in a guide-in-training program and help to lead 10 of their peers on an intensive backpacking or canoeing expedition, Fladager said.

This program will provide opportunities for students to appreciate the beauty and challenge of their surroundings in some of the most interesting and demanding terrain that New England has to offer.”

– Dan Fladager, DIrector of Outdoor Programs

The History of The Bell

In October, Head of School Peter Becker visited The Governor’s Academy, the oldest boarding school in New England, where he noticed the 1820 Parsons Schoolhouse Bell on display. It reminded him of The Frederick Gunn School bell, in the cupola above Gunn House, which still rang regularly when he arrived on campus in 2012. Curious to know more, Becker and Associate Head of School Seth Low P’26 ventured into the attic of Gunn to take a closer look at the bell and the machine once used to operate it. They asked us to dive into the archives to learn more about the history of the bell.

From The Biography of Frederick Gunn, we know that Mr. Gunn had a fascination with bells. In the chapter Early Life and Struggles, U.S. Senator Orville Platt, who was a student of Mr. Gunn’s at Washington Academy, recounted: “The custom, long honored in New England villages, of ringing the church-bell on the occasion of weddings, was thought to be undignified, and it was solemnly voted in Society meeting that it should be discontinued. But no matter how securely the church and bell-tower were hid away, when the hour for the wedding came the bell would ring … The people were sure that no one but ‘Fred’ Gunn could be the author of the

ingenious schemes devised to thwart the august will of the Society and shock the village propriety.”

Adam Korpalski’s book, The Gunnery, 1850-1975, includes another account from Charley Goodyear, Class of 1861, who recalled that when Mr. Gunn was a young teacher at Washington Academy, he “delighted in telling of his escapades while in college” at Yale University. In one such escapade, Mr. Gunn said he and his friends “found the largest old sow in New Haven, lifted her by block and tackle into the belfry of the chapel and tied her there so that whenever she moved she rang the bell; we took the block and tackle away and left to the faculty the problem of how to get her down.”

It is not surprising, then, to learn that a bell was rung to wake Mr. Gunn’s students in the earliest days of his school. “The rising bell was the signal for a merry shouting which sounded from room to room and roused the sleepiest. Every day was begun in this way,” James P. Platt, Class of 1868, wrote in The Biography of Frederick Gunn, in the chapter, The Home-Life.

From The Stray Shot in 1885, we learned more about this particular tradition: “The person who rings the rising bell in the morning, has been assisted in her efforts this term, by a young drummer, who beats his ‘Single Drag’ at

The bell in the cupola of Gunn House, published in the Bulletin in 2015.

This photograph of the Old Gunnery, taken in the winter of 1928, shows the bell on the roof (far right) and the rope that was used to ring it.

the first tap of the bell, and continues as long as the bell rings. This seems to have the desired effect, as very few now are in danger of over-sleeping unless they are physically unable, which is sometimes the case. On behalf of the school, we extend a vote of thanks to our young friend for his kind services, as the drum is more effective than the bell alone ever was. We have found from sad experience, that the gratitude we owe him amounts to something at the end of a week.”

In her book, Gunnery Stories, the late Paula Gibson Krimsky, longtime Gunn archivist, further noted: “The Gunnery boys assisted in ringing the church bells at St. John’s Episcopal, the Congregational Church, and the Swedish church as well as at The Gunnery from 4:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on November 11th,” signaling the end of World War I in 1918. “After a church service, they celebrated at a bonfire at Wykeham Rise with hymns and patriotic songs.”

These descriptions do not reveal where the bell at the Old Gunnery was located, but a photograph from 1928 shows that it was mounted outside, in a simple wood frame on the roof of the building, and rung with a rope that could be pulled from ground level. A small photograph and an illustration in the 1928 Red and Gray yearbook confirms this configuration.

Correspondence between third Head of School William Hamilton Gibson, Jr., Class of 1902, and Richard Henry Dana, Jr., the architect who designed the buildings around the Quad, makes clear the bell was preserved when the Old Gunnery was torn down in 1928. “In regard to the bell, you will note that I have asked the wreckers to remove this. Could not Mr. Perry arrange to take care of this, where in connection with the small dormitory outside of the Old Gunnery building. I am looking into the matter of putting this bell in a cupola, and having it electronically operated from different points,” Dana wrote to Gibson in January 1928.

In a reply, Gibson explained that gift of $1,000 from Randolph Bolles P’31 would be used to install the bell in the Gunn House cupola, along with a clock made by Seth Thomas Clock Company in Thomaston, Connecticut, and an electrical apparatus to “govern the bells and the whole schedule of the school,” made by the International Time Recording Company, which later became part of IBM.

“Could you get for me the diameter of the bell and how it is moved; whether it is struck, or does the bell revolve and the tongue strike?” Dana inquired. “Could you also give me a tentative program of what is required: such as, the time it should be rung in the morning, at noon and in the evening? This is necessary to work out the program. Is there any point

in having it strike any particular number of times at any of these periods? This could be arranged, such as two strokes for meals, and three for class or chapel, etc.”

By October 1928, Gibson reported back to Dana: “the bell system as governed by the time clock is working beautifully and will operate very distinctly for greater efficiency within the school.”

The bell also signaled times of celebration, including a New Year’s Eve gathering for the school and town that was inaugurated by Mr. Gunn and carried on for more than a century. An issue of the Stray Shot published in February 1905 contains a reference to the “time-honored custom of watching out the old year at The Gunnery” at an event that included refreshments, song, a military march, prayer, “and on the stroke of twelve The Gunnery bell rang. The usual hand-shaking and New Year’s greetings closed what all pronounced the best time we have ever had.”

According to an article published in the Sunday Republican in December 1966, then-Head of School Ogden D. Miller Sr. H’69, P’50 ’54 ’55 GP’84 and his wife, Anne, hosted the 117th traditional New Year’s Eve party on December 31 in Browne Memorial Dining Hall. “For the 62nd consecutive year, Anthony Olin will ring The Gunnery bells at midnight, heralding the New Year. The bell ringing has been a highlight of the annual gathering for the local

The bell also signaled times of celebration, including a New Year’s Eve gathering for the school and town that was inaugurated by Mr. Gunn and carried on for more than a century.

A view of the mechanism that once rang the bell at regular intervals.

townspeople,” the newspaper said, noting that “Ant” Olin, as he was known, was in charge of The Gunnery’s grounds, and the playing fields in particular, under five of the school’s six heads. Following his retirement, he was named Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds emeritus.

“The ringing of the bells will also signal the 21st anniversary of Headmaster and Mrs. Miller’s coming to The Gunnery,” the paper reported that year.

In an article about the bell published in the Bulletin in fall 2015, Krimsky said, “Mark Lowell ’74 wrote in to say that he and some friends stole into the bell tower and rang the bell for 30 minutes when the Vietnam War ended.”

According to Krimsky, the bell was refurbished during the renovation of Gunn House for the school’s sesquicentennial in

2000, and for a time rang daily at the start of the first class. She credited Bruce Block of the school’s Maintenance Department with getting “the old mechanism to work in 2006,” but due to its age, the apparatus was ultimately deemed unreliable.

Becker was uncertain of when or why the bell stopped ringing. “I don’t think we’ll use the bell regularly again (although we could),” he said in October, “and propose instead that we mount it somewhere public and use it on special occasions. Mike March P’23 ’24 has talked about a ‘victory bell.’ The machine would look great in the future school Gunn museum.”

An illustration from the 1928 Red and Gray

The bell in the cupola above Gunn house

The rising bell was the signal for a merry shouting which sounded from room to room and roused the sleepiest. Every day was begun in this way.”

–James P. Platt

(1868)

, from Adam Korpalski’s book, The Gunnery, 1850-1975

The Mother of The Gunnery

In the fall/winter 2022 issue of the Bulletin (page 67), we shared an excerpt from The Biography of Frederick Gunn, the 2022 reprinting of The Master of The Gunnery. Through the recollections of James P. Platt, Class of 1868, we glimpsed Abigail Gunn in her role as “Mother of The Gunnery.” From Platt’s descriptions, we learned that on winter evenings, Mrs. Gunn read to students “from ‘Oliver Twist’ and other good books.” She served them heaping plates of pancakes in the dining room, and “invented the ‘double-decker’ bed” for economy of space in the dorm rooms.

When the alumni were planning this Memorial Volume to honor Mr. Gunn, they intentionally chose to feature Mrs. Gunn’s portrait as the frontispiece to Platt’s chapter, The Home-Life.

“That is where she was Queen,” Henry W.B. Howard, Class of 1865, wrote in a letter to William Hamilton Gibson, Class of 1866, who led the Committee on the Memorial Volume and served as the book’s editor and illustrator. Howard wanted Mrs. Gunn to be seen as more than “only” a wife. “Her domain,” he wrote, “was distinct.”

In personality, she was the perfect counterpart to Mr. Gunn. As Platt tells us, the school “was a home, in which the father was firm, but just and loving withal; at times stern and severe, but never failing to unite with his sternness a clearly defined purpose to help the culprit on toward higher things; again the righteous judge, but judging with a countenance from which shone kindly sympathy and fatherly companionship — add also that in Mrs. Gunn was largely developed the character of mediator; that her evenness of temper and unfailing sunshine of good-will and serenity were ever prominent, always acting as a check upon any tendency in Mr. Gunn’s nature toward gloom and despondency — add again that the environment of the school was fortunately such that it very materially assisted Mr. and Mrs. Gunn in their endeavors, and it is no longer a mystery that so many boys have added their luster to The Gunnery by clean and honest living when they have passed beyond its portals.“

“... It was characteristic of both Mr. and Mrs. Gunn that by far the most inconvenient and unpleasant part of the house should have been taken for their own use.”

“These uncomfortable quarters were the highway from the sitting-room to the ‘tower’ beyond. Here was the center of the circle; here the point from which radiated all the influences that upheld the family government and lent to it so large a measure of success; here we gathered for the highest social joys; here we dragged ourselves for examination, and for merited punishment when we were offenders.”

“If a boy were ill and unable to attend to his duties, the tower was turned into a hospital, and sitting there in the sunshine, under Mrs. Gunn’s motherly care and tender nursing, he half forgot his aches and pains, or was nearly content to undergo them for the happy sense of being coddled and cared for which followed in their train.”

“Here, too, were given and enjoyed those cozy Sunday evening lunches to which at one time or another each boy was admitted.

“A particularly bright and lovely spring day, or one of those rich mellow mornings only found in New England October, would call to mind the expected walk, and a family meeting would settle upon its propriety. Mrs. Gunn, with the small boys and the luncheon stowed away in the large carriage, followed the nearest highway to the place of destination, while the rest of us, with ‘Pater’ Gunn in the lead, trudged away over the fields and through the woods, coming upon many a fair scene never before discovered, and reaching finally some vantage ground from which the bold outlines of the Judean hills unfolded before our vision.”

“There was one window in the house looking toward the west, and almost against its panes a large apricot-tree lowered its branches. Mr. Gunn had a habit of hanging bits of chicken-bones upon the twigs for the birds that twittered about the house. The birds soon came to recognize the bounty of their friend, and all day long the chickadees and sparrows chirped and fluttered without fear among the branches. At the time of nest-building, Mrs. Gunn would cut up stocking-yarn into short lengths and hang them upon the tree, and the little birds with a chirp of thankfulness seized upon them to furnish the homes they were providing for their mates.”

Portrait by William Hamilton Gibson, Class of 1866

Head Over Heels A Musical Celebration of Life and Love

Students in The Frederick Gunn School Theatre Program lit up the stage in Head Over Heels: The Musical, presented February 23, 24, and 25 in the Tisch Family Auditorium of the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center.

Kent Burnham, Director of Theatre

Arts, called Head Over Heels a “wild, joyful, head-bopping, toetapping, and poignant celebration of life and love.” Students played to a full house each night, and the musical brought the audience to their feet, as they joined the cast, singing and dancing in the aisles during the final curtain call.

Conceived by Jeff Whitty, who wrote the original book adapted by James Magruder, the musical is based on “The Arcadia,” written at the end of the 16th century by Sir Philip Sidney, and features music and lyrics by The Go-Go’s.

“A 16th-century romance with music from The Go-Go’s, the all-female power band of the 1980s, might sound like a crazy idea — and it is! But it works and allows the character and audience to explore the themes of inclusion, acceptance and love,” said Burnham, who directed the play, working with Sarah Fay, Music Director, and Kelsey Brush, Choreographer. “The script, written in iambic pentameter, suggests a Shakespeare play, and beautifully communicates the diversity of gender, the need to change with the times, and the power of self-discovery.”

Ensembles Combine to Create Memorable Holiday Concert

In December, the Gunn Music Program presented Somewhere in My Memory: Music for the Holiday Season, featuring students in String Ensemble, Vocal Ensemble, Jazz Band, and special guests in the Tisch Family Auditorium of the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center. This year’s holiday concert was notable in that, for the first time in recent Gunn history, two performance dates were offered so that family, friends and the community could attend. This also was the first time in recent history that the school arranged a collaborative performance with students from a local middle school. Gunn musicians and vocalists were joined by the Washington

Montessori Middle School Chorus and their director, Kate Zimmerman, to perform the song Somewhere in My Memory, composed by John Williams for the original score of Home Alone, a film about family and American Christmas traditions.

The diverse and eclectic repertoire for the concert included a beloved Israeli folk song, a traditional Hanukkah song for Jazz Band, music from Beethoven, Vince Guaraldi, and Mel Torme, songs from How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Disney’s Frozen, and holiday classics.

If you missed the concert, you can watch a video produced by Ulrich Vilbois P’23 on the school website at: frederickgunn.org/arts/music.

2023 CMEA Northern Region and All-State Music Festivals

Six students in the Gunn Music Program were selected to perform at the Connecticut Music Educator Association’s (CMEA) Northern Region Music Festival in January at New Britain High School. The festival ensembles included a regional concert band, orchestra, mixed choir and jazz ensemble. Congratulations to: Anya Zigmont ’26 (viola), Audrey Richards ’23 (soprano voice), Stella Zhu ’25 (alto voice), Colin Hall ’24 (bass voice), Will Dyer ’23 (bass voice), and Joshua Ly ’23 (mallets).

Five of these musicians went on to audition for the CMEA All-State Music Festival, and two were selected to perform in Hartford, March 31 - April 2. Congratulations to Stella Zhu ’25 (alto voice), who was selected to the All-State Treble Choir, and Joshua Ly ’23 (mallets), who performed with the All-State Band.

Decorated Artists

students win gold and silver key awards

Four student-artists were selected to represent The Frederick Gunn School in January at the annual Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards, the largest juried student art exhibition in the state. In addition to having their work exhibited at the Donald and Linda Silpe Gallery at the University of Hartford, the students brought home a total of eight awards in four separate categories.

Yoyo Zhang ’24 was awarded a Gold Key in Photography for “Alone at Home,” and a Silver Key in Photography for “Fictional Life.” (See the 2022 fall/winter Bulletin, page 44.)

Lucy Sanchez ’23 was awarded a Gold Key in the Jewelry category for her work, “Permanent Sunflower,” and an Honorable Mention Award in Jewelry for “The Dragonfly at Rest.”

Jenny Shen ’23 was awarded a Silver Key in Mixed Media for “Exploring,” and an Honorable Mention Award in Mixed Media for “Ocean Bottom.”

Joanna Jin ’24 was awarded two Honorable Mention awards in Painting for her work, “Sinking” and “Morning Path.”

As Gold Key recipients, Zhang and Sanchez were automatically considered for national scholastic art awards, which were announced this spring.

Jenny Shen ’23 working on a piece in the art studio last year

Left to right: Lucy Sanchez ’23, Joanna Jin ’24, and Yoyo Zhang ’24 with their award-winning artwork; on display behind them (left to right): Jin’s painting, “Sinking,” Shen’s mixed media work, “Ocean Bottom,” and Zhang’s photograph, “Fictional Life.” Zhang is holding her photograph, “Alone at Home.”

Students congratulated Lucy Sanchez ’23 on winning “Best in Show” at the Kent Art Association’s annual Student Art Show in February. She wore a pair of earrings she designed to the reception.

Sanchez won a Gold Key Award for her “Permanent Sunflower” bracelet (top left) and an Honorable Mention Award for her necklace, “The Dragonfly at Rest” (center) in the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art show.

Jewelry artist wins best in show

In February, 31 students in the Technique & Artistry co-curricular program, as well as the Introduction to Printmaking and Digital Photography classes at Gunn, had their original artwork featured in the Kent Art Association’s 31st Student Art Show. Among all of the students who participated from eight area schools, Lucy Sanchez ’23 brought home the prize for “Best in Show.” She was honored with The Connie Horton Award of Excellence, named in honor of a beloved KAA past president and lifelong art teacher Connie Horton.

Sanchez is from Amenia, New York, and said she started making jewelry at summer camp when she was 11 years old, and enrolled in metalworking and jewelry-making classes with Julie Czerenda, director and educator at ART Experience in New Milford, Connecticut.

“I was a really creative kid. I did a lot of art,” said Sanchez, who found something satisfying about the tangible nature of metalwork, and the process of designing and creating a wearable piece of art. When she sees a piece of jewelry that she admires, she thinks about the fact that someone put thought into every clasp and every fastening, how the components would work together and who would wear the finished piece. “It’s not different from the fashion industry.”

Her prize-winning dragonfly necklace was designed around a stone that a classmate gave her over the summer. “I really liked the

color of the stone and it reminded me of a dragonfly. I designed it around that,” she said, acknowledging, “I made a lot of mistakes, but I like that. It’s interesting to figure it out. After I made that first sketch, I was obsessed with it.”

She often works with a wire-wrapping technique exemplified by the sunflower bracelet exhibited at both the Kent Art Association and Connecticut Scholastic Art shows. “I made the bezel for my stone out of braided soldered wire. It’s all sterling silver,” she said, estimating that she worked for about eight hours a day over three days to finish that piece. “It is time consuming.”

Prior to the start of Winter Term, Sanchez and Maggie Perrella ’23 discovered over lunch one day that they both enjoyed making jewelry. They approached Visual Arts Chair Andrew Richards P’20 ’23 and asked if they could focus on jewelry-making as part of the Technique & Artistry co-curricular program. Students in the program typically work on drawing, painting, photography, graphic design or ceramics. Sanchez and Perrella became the first students to incorporate jewelry. During the term, Sanchez spent time making sketches and playing with stones and designed a pair of dangling earrings in sterling silver and mirrored glass. She wore them to the opening reception at Kent Art Association.

Highlanders responded enthusiastically to renovations in the Ogden D. Miller Memorial Athletic Center, which were completed well before the start of basketball season. The Upper Gym has a brand-new look, and a new court. The rebranding extends to spaces on the lower level, including the Athletic Training Office.

This is our

“These enhancements are in keeping with our new name and the new crest we installed on the turf field two years ago,” said Athletic Director and Head Boys Lacrosse Coach Mike Marich P’23 ’24, who also serves as President of NEPSAC Division IV. “We’ve been incrementally upgrading our athletic spaces with the new branding. It is a source of pride for our community, one we hope will continue to inspire our student-athletes.”

House!

11 Highlanders Earn ALL-NEPSAC Honors For Fall

Congratulations to these student-athletes, who received All-NEPSAC and All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention Awards for fall sports.

All-NEPSAC Awards were presented to:

Maya Sellinger ’23

Class C Field Hockey

Jordan Hopping ’24

Class C Field Hockey

Andrew Rainville ’24

Eight Player Football

Matis Molina Ricard ’24

Class B Boys Soccer

Blake Baumgartner ’26

Division III Girls Cross Country

All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention Awards were presented to:

Bea Flynn ’24

Class C Field Hockey

Ryleigh Gagnon ’24

Class C Field Hockey

Will Marich ’23

Eight Player Football

Luke Martin ’23

Eight Player Football

Victor Pozuelos ’25

Class B Boys Soccer

Vivian Boucher ’23

Division III Girls Cross Country

Maya Sellinger ’23

Jordan Hopping ’24

Andrew Rainville ’24

Matis Molina Ricard ’24

Blake Baumgartner ’26

Luke Martin ’23

Victor Pozuelos ’25

Vivian Boucher ’23

Ryleigh Gagnon ’24

Will Marich ’23

Bea Flynn ’24

Field Hockey Advances to New England Championships for second year in a row

For the second consecutive year, the Varsity Field Hockey Team advanced to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class C Field Hockey Championships. As the #6 seed, Gunn took on #3 New Hampton School in the first round of the tournament on November 16 at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Massachusetts.

“This is an outstanding honor for the girls and we couldn’t be more proud of the team!” Head Coach and Dean of Students Ashley LeBlanc and Assistant Coach and Director of Studies Amy Paulekas said in announcing the team was playoff-bound. “This week was an exciting

week for Gunn Field Hockey with two overtime victories — the first against Choate on November 9, and then against Canterbury, our biggest rival, November 12, to conclude Canterbury Day. Both wins solidified our position in the postseason tournament.”

Varsity Field Hockey ended its regular season with a record of 12-5-1. The team fought hard but was defeated by New Hampton in the first round of the tournament, 5-0. The coaches thanked faculty, students, and especially parents for all of their support during the season. “It has been an absolute pleasure coaching the team this year. The girls have a lot to be proud of!” they said.

Maya Sellinger ’23

Bea Flynn ’24

Ava Gleason ’26

Two winter Teams Advance to New England Championship Finals

The Boys Varsity Basketball and Boys Varsity Ice Hockey teams earned spots in the 2023 New England Championships at the end of the Winter Term. According to Athletic Director Mike Marich P’23 ’24, this was the first time two winter season teams advanced to the finals since 2013-2014, when Girls Varsity Ice Hockey and Boys Varsity Ice Hockey played in the postseason.

“It was incredible to have two teams competing for championships,” Marich said in March. “I am so proud of the way the teams competed, but more importantly, how well they represented our school. All the credit goes to the coaches, who have led their teams so well!”

From top: Head Coach Brian Konik talks to the Boys Varsity Basketball Team during the NEPSAC Class B Boys Basketball Semifinals against #2 seed Millbrook School; center: Boys Varsity Ice Hockey celebrates their semifinal win over Holderness School in sudden death overtime; bottom, Head Coach Craig Badger talking to the team during the NEPSAC Quarterfinals against Tilton School.

Historic Run for Boys Basketball

Boys Varsity Basketball ended its regular season with a record of 17-7 and earned the #3 seed in the NEPSAC Boys Basketball Tournament Class B Bracket. The team pushed past #6 seed Governor’s Academy 79-69 to win the NEPSAC Quarterfinals at Deerfield Academy on March 1, and went on to defeat #2 seed Millbrook School 83-68 at Millbrook on March 4. In the final, Gunn fought hard against #1 seed The Rivers School, which ended its regular season 26-2. The Red Wings claimed the New England Championship for the second straight year, with a score of 85-51 in the finals, which were played at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 5. It was a tough loss to a tough opponent, Gunn basketball said via Instagram @gunnbasketball1850. “We are all immensely proud and thankful for the experience of this year. For the first time in many years the program was not only able to make the playoffs but go all the way to the final. We hope this is only the start. Thank you to the supporters at all of our games, the coaches, and our seniors. What an incredible year! Go Gunn!”

Head Coach Brian Konik has steadily built up the basketball program since taking on the role of head coach in 2017-2018. “We spent a lot of time starting last spring integrating the new kids that were coming to the school with the returning players. We took the team on a Live Like Fred camping trip in the fall. We went to Steep Rock. And so, a big part of our program is building those kinds of social connections among the kids on the team before the season starts. Basketball has a lot of games. It’s a sport that has a lot of ups and downs throughout the course of a game, and throughout the course of a season. The more kids enjoy being around each other and learn to trust each

other, the better they are going to be in difficult situations throughout the year.”

Several members of the team also had social connections from their earliest days on a basketball court. “A lot of these kids knew each other from playing youth basketball together in New York, and they have all of these memories. They all have this history together. That’s been a recruiting strategy,” Konik said. “The closer these kids’ social relationships are, and the more comfortable they feel here, the better they’re going to do.”

Asked how he was feeling heading into the quarterfinal, Konik said: “All of this part of the year just seems like a reward for the hard work. There’s just opportunity to have it be better. There’s no pressure on the kids at this point. It’s just them having every minute they have to play together, and to try to do something special is just a blessing. This part of the year is very easy for me. They’ve already won.”

Among the standouts this year was Santana Sinvilcin ’24, the team’s leading scorer, Tristan Davis ’23, who won the James R. Haddock Basketball Award in 2022 and All-NEPSAC honors, and Greg Kenney ’23, a postgraduate who is new to the school this year. Konik credited Stephen Gritti, who joined the team this year as an Assistant Coach, with instilling in the team the wisdom that comes from his many years coaching football in high school and college.

“It has been wonderful to watch the basketball program flourish under Brian and Steve’s leadership,” Marich said. “It has been great for school spirit to have both a packed gym and a packed rink watching our teams this winter.”

Tristan Davis ’23 scores during the NEPSAC Semifinals.

Greg Kinney ’23 dribbles past Millbrook in the Semifinals.

For Boys Hockey, an Exciting Semifinal Overtime Win

Boys Varsity Hockey ended their regular season with a record of 19-9-5 and earned the #3 seed in the NEPSAC Boys Ice Hockey Tournament Piatelli/Simmons Small School Bracket. The Highlanders skated past #6 seed Tilton School 5-4 to win the NEPSAC Quarterfinals at Deerfield Academy on March 1, and Gunn went on to win the semifinals on March 4, defeating #2 seed Holderness School 3-2 in overtime. Gunn scored three unanswered goals with under six minutes to play. Peter Unger ’23 scored the gamewinning goal two minutes into OT.

“The season was a lot of fun,” said Head Coach and Senior Associate Director of Admissions Craig Badger. “They’ve been a really fun group of kids to coach. They all have great attitudes. They have a good time. It’s just been a really good, fun feeling all year.”

During the regular season, Gunn came out hot, with a record of 7-0. “We’re deep. We run four lines, which a lot of teams can’t, at least in the way that we do. So that helps us, but in general we harp on them to play with confidence,” said Badger, who coaches alongside Assistant Coaches Shane Gorman ’10, Chris Gragnano, and James LeBlanc. “You play with energy, not emotion, and you keep that energy high, and you play with confidence regardless of what happens. Because in every game, good things are going to happen and bad things are going to happen. You can blow a team out and there’s still bad things that happen during the game and mistakes that are made. You can’t let any of that stuff impact how you approach your next shift.”

During the regular season, Alexander LoGuercio ’24, Jacob Rothman ’24 and Mark Pizzo ’24 emerged as the team’s leading scorers, making double-digit jumps over

last season in terms of point production. Ryan Crowshaw ’23, a four-year senior, and Mike Pizzo ’23, Peter Unger ’23, William Welburn ’23, and Mike Markowski ’23, all three-year seniors, were also among this year’s standouts.

In the Piatelli/Simmons Bracket Finals on March 5, Gunn faced #4 seed Lawrence Academy at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. LoGuercio had two goals and Kyle Smyth ’23 had one, giving the Highlanders the lead, 3-2. Lawrence Academy scored late, and followed up with a second goal to win the finals 4-3 in overtime.

“Not the ending we wanted, but what an incredible season it was!” Gorman said via Instagram @GunnHockey1850. “Thank you to the 14 seniors who gave us their best all season. Your collective leadership and character has left a remarkable impact on our program and we will grow stronger because of it. A special thank you to all of our fans, parents, and everyone who supported us along the way. It is always a wild ride. Gunn hockey for life!”

The Highlanders faced off against Tilton School in the NEPSAC Quarterfinals at Deerfield Academy.

14 Highlanders REceiveD ALL-NEPSAC RECOGNITION this winter

Congratulations to these student-athletes, who received All-NEPSAC and All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention Awards for winter sports.

All-NEPSAC Awards were presented to:

Caption to come

All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention Awards were presented to:

Tristan Davis ’23 Class B Boys Basketball

Greg Kinney ’23 Class B Boys Basketball

Santana Sinvilcin ’24 Class B Boys Basketball

Alex LoGuercio ’24 Forward, Boys Ice Hockey

Christian Wood ’23 Defense, Boys Ice Hockey

Natalia Zappone ’23 Class C Girls Basketball

Jack Guevara ’24 Class B Boys Basketball

RJ Neysmith ’24 Class B Boys Basketball

Juliet Denman ’24 Class C Girls Alpine Skiing

Bella Schifano ’24 Forward, Girls Ice Hockey Jacob Rothman ’24 Forward, Boys Ice Hockey

Michael Ryan ’23 Defense, Boys Ice Hockey

Ryan Crowshaw ’23 Goalie, Boys Ice Hockey

Andrew Baron ’24 Class C Boys Alpine Skiing

Natalia Zappone ’23 Scores 1,000th Point

On January 11, Natalia Zappone ’23, a four-year senior, scored the 1,000th point in her basketball career at The Frederick Gunn School. It is the kind of accomplishment that does not happen often, and requires years of practice, commitment, hard work, and consistency.

“For a lot of kids it takes a full four years to get there, even among the best players. Natalia hit her 1,000th point in only her 46th game. We didn’t have a season her sophomore year, and so that piece alone puts her in a totally different category,” said Amy Paulekas, Director of Studies and Head Coach for Girls Varsity Basketball, who noted that Zappone’s scoring record was on track with that of Zion Williamson, who broke 1,000 points in 44 games playing for the NBA. “She averaged 27.3 points per game this season. Over the two and a half seasons she played here, she averaged 21.9 points per game, and she led the team in scoring for three years.”

Zappone had to score 19 points during the game to break 1,000. The moment came on an offensive play with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. “She carried the ball up. Cheshire was set up on defense. She saw an opportunity to take her opponent one-on-one. She got a step on her, cut down the middle, and just put up a floater. That’s what went in. She scored to make the game 30-42 in favor of Cheshire, who went on to win the game,” Paulekas said.

The score did not deter Zappone’s teammates from launching into a full-on celebration. “I have loved how supportive and excited this group of girls was for her, because it certainly is a huge thing. I did not plan on a storm-the-court celebration in the middle of the game but it’s what naturally happened and it was a special moment for sure,” Paulekas said.

Zappone’s parents, Mark Zappone P’23 and Dr. Luci Juvan P’23, were in the crowd, along with her two older brothers, Alec, who is a student at Bentley University, and Eric, who is a student at Elon University. Among the many friends also cheering her on was Marylou Walsh-Iannone P’15, her favorite teacher and former principal at St. John the Evangelist School in Watertown, Connecticut.

The team presented Zappone with a gift basket stuffed with chocolates, basketball knick knacks, and gift cards, her

parents made a poster, and Paulekas brought in oversized silver balloons that spelled out 1,000.

On January 20, Paulekas spoke about Zappone’s accomplishments at School Meeting and Prefect and team co-captain Viv Boucher ’23, her best friend, presented a video of highlights from her career. Head of School Peter Becker and Athletic Director Mike Marich P’23 ’24 presented Zappone with a commemorative basketball in honor of her achievement.

Zappone said she was influenced in her decision to play basketball from a young age by her brothers, who both played, andshe broke 1,000 points in middle school, playing for the St. John’s Eagles. Throughout her years at Gunn, her commitment to the game exceeded what was required during team practices. She played basketball six days a week, and could often be found on the court alone, even — as Becker pointed out at School Meeting — on holidays from school.

Paulekas said it is what Zappone does outside of scoring that sets her apart. “She is the one who, preseason, is taking the time in warmups to help a teammate work on a skill. She’s the one who is picking up her teammates after a missed shot and saying, ‘Well, go get the next one.’ Her teammates look up to her, knowing that she can teach them something about the game of basketball, but even more importantly, that she is going to be the player that’s ready to support them, to pick them up, to push them to be a better version of themselves.”

Frederick Gunn School Voices

We caught up with Adrienne McManus P’21 ’23 in mid-March, to inquire about her family’s experience at Gunn. Adrienne is an active volunteer with the Parents Council and the Director of Children’s Ministry at Grace Community Church at Grace Farms in New Canaan, Connecticut. She and her husband, Trustee Paul M. McManus, Jr. ’87 P’21 ’23, have two daughters, Ellie ’21 and Grace ’23, and a Havanese named Charlie.

Q: Why did you choose The Frederick Gunn School?

A: Through Paul’s connection to the school, we’d actually go up to Gunn when the girls were little. We’d pile into the car and drive up for the day. We’d have a picnic and cheer the Highlanders on at a sporting event, and sometimes even go for a hike at Steep Rock. At the time, though, we didn’t imagine that our girls would actually end up there someday. When Ellie was in middle school, she asked if she could start exploring the idea of going to boarding school. She did the research and decided she wanted to stay close to home. This led to us looking at Gunn in a different light, as a place where she might end up.

Q: What was it that attracted you here?

A: There were several things we appreciated. We loved Gunn’s location. It was close enough to home at only a little over an hour away from us. This accessibility was comforting being that, other than sleepaway camp, Ellie would possibly be living away from us for the first time. Additionally, the area is beautiful with fantastic restaurants and lovely places to stay. We realized that when we or her grandparents would come to visit there would be fun destinations within the Litchfield County area that we could all enjoy together.

The size of Gunn was appealing to us, as well. As the community is a smaller one, we recognized that the teachers would have the bandwidth to give our daughters extra attention, encourage them, and stretch them. They could challenge them and even call them out when needed. The other benefit of this small size and even more important to us, was that our girls would have so many caring eyes on them. Advisors, teachers,

coaches, dorm parents, and members of the administration would interact and cross paths with our girls all day. All of these people were invested in our girls and shared what they were observing about our girls with each other. Ellie and Grace never felt like they were being smothered by any one person because there were many different people touching base with them. It wasn’t just mom and dad saying, “Are you, OK?” “What are you doing?” “Where’re you going?” During this time in their lives, when it’s extremely healthy that they are expressing their desire for independence by separating from us, they were still getting the guidance and attention that they truly needed. Gunn managed this “parenting” with such genuine, balanced care.

And lastly, Gunn just felt like a fit. It was so warm and normal. When we’d visit it didn’t feel like any of the students or the staff were being performative in any way. They were simply themselves. We saw goofiness and silliness, and seriousness, and all sorts of regular teen behavior. This was enormously comforting to witness because I felt like nobody was trying to give me answers they thought I was looking for. It was, “This is who we are, and we want you to know who we are, because that’s the best way you’re going to know if you’re a true fit for this school and for this community.” It felt like a real family. It felt like a home.

Q: What was your experience like once Ellie and Grace were on campus?

A: Between academics, extracurriculars, and clubs they both had very full schedules. The schedules were beneficial in that they learned responsibility and time management. They were, however, given freedom, as well. If they wanted to explore some other activity or idea, the school made sure to support them. Faculty would rally around them and give them the tools and the guidance to test it out.

Our girls never felt like they were stereotyped or put in a mold where, once they’d been cast as “this type” of person, they had to remain that way. They were encouraged to grow and express who they were, and if they changed from what they presented in the very beginning, it would be received with open hearts. This mindset at Gunn was meaningful as all of these young people are testing out who they are and trying on a lot of different hats. We loved that our daughters felt comfortable being who they are and that they saw most of their peers sharing that same feeling.

Q: How have Ellie and Grace grown in their time at The Frederick Gunn School?

A: They both seem to feel so comfortable being true to themselves. They also seem to recognize the value in keeping their hearts and minds open to knowing a wide spectrum of people. Ellie and Grace have appeared to have learned that they will only be able to grow into their best selves if they invest the time into knowing all sorts of different types. They seem to recognize that in closing themselves off from all the wonderful people the world has to offer that they will in turn close themselves off from giving out their best in this world. I’m deeply grateful to Gunn for helping them understand this.

They’ve both grown in maturity, in patience, and in empathy. Ellie said: “Gunn helped me understand that I need to take into consideration what I know about somebody, but I must also consider what I might not know. Always leave room for saying to myself, ‘OK, I know this about this person, but where is it coming from? What else is happening in their lives? Let me show some grace to this person because there might be a whole backstory that I’m unaware of.’” Gunn, absolutely, laid the foundation for this wonderful approach to people.

Finally, Ellie and Grace have both developed such confidence to explore what their contributions can be as leaders and as part of a team. They both feel confident to attempt practically anything. Their thought process is, “I’m going to try it. I might fail. I might receive rejection, but the trade-off is always worth it.” That is definitely an attitude that Gunn has encouraged and supported since Day One.

Q: What are your hopes and dreams for Ellie and Grace?

A: We would love for them to recognize the need to continue their own spiritual, psychological, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical growth. I hope that they live a balanced life and pursue things that make them feel fulfilled and living true to themselves. I hope they develop rich relationships with a wide variety of people from different walks of life, and that they continue to nurture the relationships that they formed here at Gunn. I would hope that they’d feel a sense of duty when faced with ethical dilemmas, and exercise a willingness to choose the moral decision as they become adults. I hope they continue to ask for and offer help. I know they feel very comfortable asking for help here and I want them to continue to advocate for themselves and for others and be a support system.

Q: What advice do you have for new or prospective families?

A: In order for your child and for you as parents to get the absolute most out of your Gunn experience, treat it as a relationship. The Gunn community sincerely wants to know your child and you as a family. Venture into this experience in hopes that this is the beginning of a wonderful, lifelong relationship with limitless possibilities and opportunities. Be communicative and transparent. No topic of concern is off the table for the administration, staff, and teachers at Gunn. They are a wonderfully receptive bunch. They want to know the nuances of what might be happening in your child’s life. They are loving and compassionate, and your child and you as parents are important to them. Embrace the bumps in the road that your child might have. Most of the bumps your child is feeling might be new for them, and they are away from you, but probably most of their peers have felt the same way. They are in good company. Additionally, they are being supported by their advisor, dorm parents, teachers, coaches, and their peers.

Get involved! Participating and volunteering as a parent allows you to fully appreciate what a rich experience your child is getting, and all of the moving parts that are involved in supporting their experience. You can be involved even from afar. It is a wonderful way to meet other parents and peripherally get to be part of your teen’s life. Take advantage of the parent network even before your child has started. Gunn parents have such generous hearts and have been there and seen that. They are loving and supportive. Enrolling your child in any school is a big deal. We all love our children and desire what is best for them. The entire Gunn community does, too.

Highlanders gather to Celebrate

Holiday Receptions

The Alumni & Development Office invited alumni, Trustees, parents, and friends near and far to celebrate the holidays at receptions in three festive cities in December. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and conversations, and showed their Highlander pride!

Thanks to the 75 alumni, parents, and friends who attended the New York City holiday reception on December 7, hosted by Trustee Natalie Holme Elsberg P’25 and her husband, David P’25.

A gathering on December 8 at The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Boston included: (front row) Sean Turner ’11, Sean Gilligan ’80, Peter Becker, Aaron Townsend ’04, Alexandra Rhodes, Mallory Farmer ’05, Sydney Fydenkevez ’18, Miranda Yang ’17, Eli Italiaander ’17, Eli Dorf ’19, Michael Kassis ’19; and (back row) Mark Rhoads ’04, Tom Meek ’81, Bobby Hooper ’14, Curt James ’85, James LeBlanc, Patrick Beerman ’06, Marlon Fisher ’01, Former Trustee Jack Reynolds ’68, Wiley Houldin ’11, McKay Flanagan ’16, Alix Israel, Nate Fydenkevez ’16, Riemke Bouvier, and Caleb Dorf ’19.

Friend of the Green Award

On November 19, 2022, The Frederick Gunn School presented the Friend of the Green Award to the Washington Scholarship Fund, a non-profit organization run by a volunteer board that has awarded over $4 million in scholarships to 700 local high school graduates and college students over the course of 50 years. Head of School Peter Becker presented the award at the Annual Town Holiday Party to Steven Cornell ’77 P’09 ’11 ’14, President of the Washington Scholarship Fund (fourth from left), who was joined by (front row, left to right): Matthew Muszala (Director); Christina Cornell Ruel ’09 (Director), Anthony Amato (Treasurer), Judie Gorra (Director), Susan Nicholas (Director and Scholarship Award Committee member), Sheila Anson (Scholarship Award Committee member), Linda McGarr (Director); and (back row): Head of School Peter Becker, Dave Werkhoven (Director and Scholarship Award Committee member),

and former faculty member Ray Reich (Director).

In Washington, D.C., alumni, parents and Trustees attended a reception on December 6 at The Oceanaire Seafood Room. Guests included (front row, left to right): Megan Crilly, Hildy Maxwell ’16, Jessie Kaplan ’13, Leonard Auchincloss ’84, Doug Francis ’82, and Arian Agadi ’21; and (back row, left to right): Stephen Macary ’15, Troy Machir ’05, Board Chair Patrick Dorton ’86, Charles Thomas ’84, Brad Vick ’97, and JP Collins ’03.

View more photos at photos.gogunn.org/FGSAlumni/ Alumni-2022-2023

LIVE LIKE ABIGAIL: A GUNN ALUMNAE TRUSTEES PANEL DISCUSSION

On November 9, 2022, the Alumni & Development Office welcomed Trustees Missy Cuello-Remley ’87, Sarah Scheel Cook ’82, Krystalynn Schlegel ’96, and Rebecca Weisberg ’90 as participants in “Live Like Abigail: a Gunn Alumnae Trustees Panel Discussion.” Wanji Walcott P’19, Vice Chair of the Board, moderated their discussion about why they joined the Board, what they hope for the future of Gunn, and why alumnae engagement matters.

“Frederick and Abigail Gunn’s legacy has inspired generations of students to be curious and thoughtful, to be active members of their communities, to stand up for what they believe in, and to find a sense of

Can you share a little bit about your time at Gunn and how you got involved with the school as an alumna?

Sarah: When I started, it was the second year they allowed girls, and the population of girls at the time that I started was between 25 and 30 percent. I spent four years at the school and I became involved because I was a scholarship student and probably would not have gotten the education I did anywhere else. I felt that, by the time I got out, I really owed something. I’ve spent my lifetime since then trying to figure out ways to pay back, and getting involved is the way I am able to contribute, and contribute consistently to the school.

wonder and renewal in the outdoors,” Wanji said in her opening remarks. “Since the school’s relaunch, we have heard a lot about Mr. Gunn and his lasting legacy. But, tonight, we want to celebrate female leadership — and in a meaningful way, pay tribute to the school’s co-founder, Abigail Gunn. We decided to name this webinar ‘Live Like Abigail,’ because our female trustees are a living testament to the influence women have historically had on the Gunn community.”

The four panelists were asked to reflect on what it means to them to “Live like Abigail” today. What follows are excerpts of their discussion.

Missy: I spent four years at Gunn. When I started as a freshman, there were nine female boarders. I believe we had two female day students and they each had a desk in our room. What I enjoyed the most was the sense of community. That’s something I didn’t have before. I got involved mostly because of the relationships that I made at Gunn. I’ve become very good friends and been very tight with my classmates. We’ve been together through weddings and graduations and births of children. It only came later on in life where I really noticed that those relationships were attributed to Gunn and most of that was fostered there.

Krystalynn: I had a very different experience in terms of being all the way across the country in a very small, middle-of-nowhere place, coming from the Bay Area. There were more girls. We did have full dorms in Bourne and Van Sinderen. Nevertheless, it was definitely still challenging for me. Looking back and reflecting, I felt like The Frederick Gunn School really instilled several values that I used going forward. It was roughly 2006 when The Gunnery started The Gunnery Council. Many of us were Class Agents as well. We had discussions about how we could propel the school forward. So I really started getting involved a while ago. But it was very apparent to me that the school

Wanji Walcott P’19 Missy Cuello-Remley ’87 Sarah Scheel Cook ’82 Krystalynn Schlegel ’96 Rebecca Weisberg ’90

made a huge difference in my trajectory based on where I was headed before I went to The Gunnery.

Rebecca: I was a three-year senior and had an incredible experience. Academics were not necessarily my priority while I was there, but the relationships that I formed, not only with the students but with the faculty members, have shaped my life to this day, and will continue to do so. Most of my closest friends, like Missy said, are from the school, not only my class but other classes, and from Day One since I graduated, I’ve always been available to help out in any way that I can to try and ensure that future students and generations have the same experience that I had there.

Are there certain things from your experience at Gunn that you draw on today in the work that you do?

Missy: In the 80s, community service was one of the only ways to get off campus, so I seemed to sign up for every single opportunity. It was something I never really did before, but it ended up being a huge impact on my life, and not just in the sense of helping other people. I felt familiarizing myself with the community gave me an enormous sense of identity, and I was reaching outside of that bubble and seeing what was going on with my world, and being informed, and having a mindset of what’s going on in my community. I continued with community service when I went into college, and in law school, and then I became a public defender. Today, I work in a school system. I do community outreach there. That was really something that was fostered in me at Gunn.

Sarah: I was an athlete, three sports a year, varsity sports. Learning to work as a team is a very important thing, especially when you’re working toward company goals. Because you were required to play sports, you had people across your team that were in different places in their talents and their skills, so you had to learn to meet people where they are, and you had to learn how to build a bridge to make them successful. That’s one of the takeaways from my years at Gunn that’s impacted me deeply.

Reflecting on Abigail Gunn and her role in the founding of The Gunnery, what do you think it means to Live Like Abigail in the 21st century?

Missy: I’ve loved learning about Abigail Gunn. She’s someone I didn’t learn much about when I was at The Gunnery. I think of Abigail Gunn as somebody who was ahead of her time. She really was the female behind all the greatness of the school. Going into the 21st century, I would definitely say what it means to me is just to keep us forward-thinking always, to always have empathy, and to always be educating our community in a very diverse manner.

What are your hopes for the future of the school?

Sarah: I think the trajectory for the last decade has been historic for the school. We are hitting on all cylinders. The momentum is amazing, and my desire is that we are able to keep that up. A healthy endowment

means a lot of things for the school, and while we’ve made great strides there, I think we have work to do. Also, to continue to create that infrastructure at the school that supports Frederick Gunn’s perspective, so we can continue teaching children indoors and out of doors. Those are the things that are my hopes for the future.

Krystalynn: I think we have gone through such a change through Peter’s leadership. I’m really excited to see what will happen with the new Science Building. The new dorms are beautiful. I go back to campus on a regular basis and I just go, ‘Wow, this is an incredible place to learn and be involved.’ And of course now with all the programs we have, Winterim and all of these different things we didn’t have in the 90s, I think it’s just an exceptional place to be.

We have alumni spanning the decades on the webinar tonight. What do you want to say to them about getting involved with the school and why engagement from alumnae in particular is important?

Rebecca: I think it’s so important for people to be involved because it just helps make the school a better place, not only financially, which of course is also very important, to be supportive in any way that you can. But I think that if there is anything that you are interested in, or any special passions that you have, I think that it’s a great way to give back to the school. To view the recording, go to: frederickgunn.org/ alumni/alumni-events/live-like-abigail

You are a GUNNspiration #GUNNSPIRED

Thank you to all who supported this year’s I ❤ Fred challenge by celebrating a teacher, coach, dorm parent, or friend who #GUNNSPIRED you. Over the course of 48 hours in February, 540 alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends came together to invest more than $57,000 in the people at the heart of the Gunn community.

Their generosity is a powerful testament to Mr. Gunn’s 173-year-old vision for a community that takes risks, rises to challenges, and strives to Be a Force for Good.

There is strength in numbers and we feel the ❤. Thank you.

A very special thank you and congratulations to the following:

Class of 1987

You officially (re)claimed Senior Rock.

Parents of the Class of 2025 Your students won a special dinner.

Class of 2023 Seniors once again dominated the I ❤ Fred challenge.

Faculty

Thank you for demonstrating to our students what it means to Be a Force for Good with 98% participation.

To see the stories that alumni, parents, faculty, and staff shared about their GUNNspirations, visit kudoboard.com/boards/HTxDLzjG.

Meet Melissa Regan

Melissa Bronzino Regan has joined the Alumni and Development Office as the Director of Engagement. Melissa brings to the team 25 years of experience working with alumni at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, through roles in development, career services, and alumni relations. As Associate Director of Alumni Relations, Melissa significantly increased membership and participation in the Trinity Entrepreneurial Network and the Women’s Leadership Council.

At The Frederick Gunn School, Melissa is developing strategy focused on increasing alumni and parent engagement, including new programming, volunteer opportunities, events, targeted communications, and donor relations. She is working with campus community members to connect alumni and parents with current students and faculty in meaningful ways, both on and off campus.

Tell us about your work with the Trinity Entrepreneurial Network. It was a brand new initiative, right at the end of the pandemic. Trinity had created a Center for Entrepreneurship, and I put together a series of programs. We started with a VIP panel with some of our most noted alumni entrepreneurs, and then we started a series of monthly alumni roundtables that focused on topics such as: How did you get started as an entrepreneur? How do you bring a product to market? How do you build a team? What are the best and most effective uses of social media? Every month we held a virtual program and we had anywhere from 30-75 people on those calls. These virtual roundtables were very successful.

The Alumni & Development Office has introduced several new programs over the past year, including the Live Like Abigail event. Are there other new programming initiatives you can tell us about?

We’re going to be focusing on networking events. We’re excited to get back on the road to be able to put alumni together and help them in their careers, wherever they might be. We still have the virtual world. It doesn’t matter where you are, we can still reach you and we can still involve you in opportunities to connect with others. We hope to schedule some of these events in the fall. Live Like Abigail was the start, and that was something that was very appealing, given my work with the Women’s Leadership Council at Trinity. It was programming by women, for women. We did anywhere from 30-40 events a year. I’m excited to bring some of those programmatic ideas to Gunn.

Tell us about the work that you are doing and what you find most rewarding in your interactions with Gunn parents and alumni. Right now my work is really getting to know the school and its people. I am working closely with the members of the Alumni & Development Office. We’re starting to do some outreach to young alumni and put together networking opportunities for them. Going out and meeting alumni is my top priority right now. I want to hear about people’s experiences here at Gunn. I also think having Emily Raudenbush Gum as the new Head of School is a wonderful thing for us to talk about when we go out and meet people.

It was inspiring to see the community engage in our #GUNNSPIRED campaign. Why do you believe that engagement, whether as a parent, alumna or alumnus, or volunteer, is important?

It keeps you connected to the school. It also is an opportunity to connect with each other as we think about the kinds of programs we want to offer. We want to hear from parents and alumni why their experience here was important, and what they want to see going forward. Engagement helps current students, whether it’s in the form of a financial gift, as in #GUNNSPIRED, or helping students with questions about college, or later on, helping them with the job search. All of those things help keep the community connected.

What are you excited about accomplishing in the next year here?

I’m really excited to meet as many people in the community as I can — students, parents, and alumni. I was already able to connect a group of alumni with the Gunn Scholars this year. Every person I contacted was willing to help. It’s really exciting when people respond so positively.

Windows in Time

Adam Criscuolo ’03 loves old houses. More specifically, he loves the proportions of historic buildings, the intimacy of the rooms inside them, and how well they were built. North of Philadelphia lies Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he lives and works as a historic preservation carpenter. Among the oldest cities and counties in the United States, Philadelphia and Bucks counties contain many old buildings, most of which are still used and cherished today. Be it grand iconic landmarks, or humble farming homes and estates that pre- and post-date the American Revolution, they all have one thing in common — as with all things, they need care and maintenance to survive.

“All it takes is a carpenter with a little patience to bring them back to their glory,” Criscuolo said when we caught up with him in March, while he was driving from Pennsylvania to Maryland, to pick up an order from his lumber supplier. “I see so much potential in old buildings, be it an old warehouse that’s abandoned, an old train station, an old house with vines growing over it. They’re still standing for a reason. They’re standing because they are well-built, and those practices are what I serve to maintain. I have made a living off of copying what has been done for 200 to 300 years. I can see how something has been built. There is standing physical evidence, a history of what worked, and what didn’t work.”

As much as Criscuolo is preserving the past, his work is also about sustainability. “In building trends, everyone wants vaulted ceilings and big open spaces. It takes the intimacy out of the home when every room you walk into has 10-plus-foot high ceilings,” he said, pointing out that heating and cooling big, open spaces is also less efficient.

“To quote a fellow preservation organization, Advanced Repair Technology, ‘The greenest building is the one that is already built,’” he said. “Today everyone is quick to jump into new technology and new materials to fit the idea that modern homes need to be built to a new and evolving definition of ‘sustainability.’ Truly, there is a time and place for new methodology, but I think it’s really important to see what’s been done, and what’s still lasting. I just love the old things because I love the potential of the forgotten.”

A Natural Progression

A Connecticut native, Criscuolo did not have aspirations to become an entrepreneur when he was a student at Gunn, or even a sense of his career path. It was not until he started taking art classes and studying art history in college that things began to fall into place academically. As an undergrad at Elmira College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a focus on sculpture and furniture design, he apprenticed with Ian Ingersoll Cabinetmakers in West Cornwall, Connecticut. He worked with Ingersoll for a year after college before moving to an architectural manufacturing company near Philadelphia. There, Adam continued to refine his skills in millwork, but also gained experience working with metal and glass, skills he put into practice for his historic window restoration and reproduction work.

During the 2008 recession, Adam found himself as an independent maker in a shop in Northeast Philadelphia, where he would take on any strange small request from the larger contractors. “Basically, contractors would come into the shop and ask, ‘Can

Restoration Carpenter

Adam Criscuolo ’03 Gives

Old Buildings New Life

ALUMNI

anybody make this obscure piece of trim for this historic home?’ Nobody wanted to touch those quirky, historic parts, but I was thankful for the work!” he recalled, adding, “It wasn’t a large volume of work, but I really enjoyed it.”

In the summer of 2009, Criscuolo elected to pursue his MFA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he continued his interests in sculpture and all things “unique.” He said he was not truly an artist yet, and not completely a craftsman (in the traditional sense of the word). But graduate school brought academic opportunity, and most importantly, two of his greatest friendships, which helped to shape him into the craftsman he is today. Through IUP, he befriended a recent graduate and a shop technician. Michael Stadler, a sculptural woodworker and cabinetmaker, and Steve Soltez, a mason, blacksmith, and recreational restorer of old Land Rovers and Volvos (among many things) helped to shine a light on what truly mattered in the crafts: the rewards of working with your hands, and the potential of the forgotten.

After finishing graduate school in late 2012, Criscuolo and his wife, Noel, moved to the town where she was born, in Bucks County, where he continued to work on architectural design and fabrication projects. They bought a historic house, built in 1741, that had been abandoned for 20 years, spent two years restoring it, and started a family. They now have two children, ages 5 and 3, and their third child was born just as the Bulletin was going to press.

For a few years, Adam worked as the main

carpenter for deGruchy Masonry Restoration, where he began his full-time involvement in historic restoration work. The company’s owner, Andy deGruchy, trained at The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, founded in 1888 in Media, Pennsylvania, and his company has restored hundreds of historic buildings in the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys of Pennsylvania, according to his bio. Criscuolo helped with the setup of deGruchy’s trade program, the Craftwork Training Center in Telford, Pennsylvania, where they regularly host week-long “hands-on” classes for homeowners and established tradesmen, looking to hone their skills in restoration practices.

In 2018, Criscuolo left deGruchy to strike out on his own as a historic restoration carpenter. He specialized in restoration and

Facing page: Criscuolo helped to restore all of the windows and doors on 13 houses at Washington Crossing Historic Park, including Frye House, which was built in 1828 and housed the local blacksmith. Photo credit: Washington Crossing Historic Park Adam Criscuolo ’03 (below), working

I see so much potential in old buildings, be it an old warehouse that’s abandoned, an old train station, an old house with vines growing over it. They’re still standing for a reason. They’re standing because they are well-built, and those practices are what I serve to maintain.”

–Adam Criscuolo ’03

in his shop

reproduction of period millwork components with a focus on windows, doors, and trim. “I dipped a toe in the self-employed pool and was making a go of it for a couple of years,” he said, recalling that he was just starting to see an increase in referrals when COVID hit. Across Pennsylvania, carpenters were unable to work during lockdown, and day care centers were closed. “I had all of this work lined up, but I couldn’t go and do it.”

A Historic Park in His Backyard

As COVID restrictions were slowly lifted, Criscuolo received a call from WMG Historic Restoration, which specializes in historic window and door restoration, preservation carpentry, and custom millwork for historically significant buildings in and around the Delaware Valley. “They said, ‘We see you’re based in Washington Crossing. We have a small project in your town and could use some help. What’s your availability?’ They had won a contract for the historic park that’s in my backyard.”

Criscuolo became the lead carpenter for WMG. He spent two years helping with the window and door restoration on 13 historic buildings at Washington Crossing Historic Park. His work was part of an $8.7 million capital project to renovate buildings and restore services in the 500-acre park, which is managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and operated through a partnership with The Friends of Washington Crossing Park.

Each year, the park hosts thousands of visitors from around the world, who come to see the point from which General George Washington’s army made their daring crossing of the Delaware River in December, 1776. According to its website: “Restored Colonial buildings in the park, such as the Thompson-Neely House and McConkey Ferry Inn, give many clues about living conditions during the Revolutionary era. Later, homes and shops reveal how 19th century rural Pennsylvanians lived and worked. Among them are the home of a prosperous merchant, a village general store, and homes for skilled artisans.”

Criscuolo’s work with WMG also took him to two national historic sites in Philadelphia, where he was the frontman on historic window restoration projects. “One was the First Bank of the United States, Alexander Hamilton’s baby. I had to do that,” Criscuolo said. “He was the guy that created a centralized bank in the United States. That building is a monument to that history.”

The iconic structure is considered the oldest surviving federal building and is located just two blocks from Independence Hall. WMG won the contract to restore all of the windows, which had

been replaced in a previous renovation in the late 1960s or 1970s, and were deemed historic. Criscuolo stepped in as the lead carpenter and handled the advanced repair work.

His next project with WMG was the restoration of the Second Bank of the United States, a National Historic Landmark. The bank was chartered by President James Madison in 1816. According to the National Park Service, the nearly 200-year-old Greek Revival structure houses a collection of original portraits of the Founding Fathers.

“We rebuilt all of the windows on the ground floor. Thirteen double-casement units came out of my shop. We worked with another company that does incredible work and helped with the engineering of its massive feature windows on the second and third floors. There were 14-foot diameter fan windows, each the size of a car. It’s a partial circle so I had to create a templating system to capture the arc, and translate it into my rendering software to verify that my computer drawings and physical jig would both work for the fabricators. It was successful. Our replica is an exact match for what was there,” Criscuolo said.

Discovering Details Hidden for Decades

In December 2022, as Adam’s work on Washington Crossing Historic Park was wrapping up, he made the decision not to renew his contract with WMG to focus on growing his small business full time. “It’s only been a few months, but we’re booked out a year. We’re thrilled about it,” he said, adding “Stepping back from full-time work with WMG was a hard decision to make, given the great leadership presence and friendship I developed with Michael and Rebekah Gallant, owners of WMG. My kids helped with the decision to go solo again. Being a parent changes your priorities, and forces you into those ‘dare to be great’ situations. It’s no secret, childcare is a huge issue for today’s families where both parents work. Being self-employed is the best option, and I’m incredibly

fortunate in that the work is here, close to my home, and I can be closer to my family.”

If there is anything he hopes young alumni and students will gain from his experience, he said it is this. “The relationships I’ve made in this work are of the utmost importance. I would not be where I am without the leadership and guidance of my former employers, in particular, one of my closest mentors, Leroy Supper, of LJS Builders and John Ubel Restoration.”

Criscuolo has happily returned to focusing on residential projects, such as a home in Newtown, Pennsylvania, that was built in the early 1900s by the owner of a local hardware store. “The house has incredible hardware in it. He got the best stuff for himself. I get to repair and rebuild some of it,” he said.

Woodwork, glasswork, and even repairing the mechanical parts of the window are a lost art, and Criscuolo seems to approach every project as an opportunity to find or learn something new. “When I get a new project, I am discovering details that have been hidden for decades if not hundreds of years. One of the last houses I worked on had some kind of trim detail around the old windows. When you take 200 years of paint off of it, you’re going back in time. You can see how it’s aged,” he said, adding, “You are giving new life to what’s been hidden for 150, 200 years. We help uncover the history of a home.”

He has a loyal following. One homeowner waited two years for him to finish his work at Washington Crossing Historic Park, so

he could restore her windows. His current location in the heart of historic Bucks County also ensures the demand for his services will continue. “That is really what helped me to be comfortable in my decision. There’s just so many historic buildings around us, and even windows that are as young as 30 to 100 years old can be restored and refitted to work better.”

He is already working with one full-time and one part-time employee. “I’ve got my shop in the garage and one outbuilding. It’s a full woodworking shop. It has everything we need to make lowvolume custom doors and windows. We’ve got your standard table saw, jointer, planer, drill press, plus a mortising machine, shapers, routers, piles of hand tools, a drum sander, dust-free sanding setups, draft table, HEPA vacuums, infrared stripping machines, and then of course, custom-made easels for glazing and painting window sash.”

Asked about his plans for the future, Criscuolo said: “I’d like to keep growing it. Right now, it’s a matter of how much I can handle and still deliver top-tier service and a top-quality product. The mistake I made when I was young was I would say yes to everything. Now I’m in a great position — I carefully pick and choose the work I take on. The more I grow, the more work I’ll be able to manage. But, I’m not in any rush to get there. My business is young. It’s been on paper and operational for five years. This is the first year that I’m letting it take that next step. I’m not going to rush it. I’m going to go with it, nice and easy.”

Criscuolo restored windows in The First Bank of the United States in Philadelphia (facing page) and the Thompson-Neely House at Washington Crossing Historic Park (above). Photo credit for these pages: Sal Lilienthal

Remembering Trustee Gretchen Farmer P’05

Gretchen Heller Farmer P’05, a member of the Board of Trustees, past parent, friend and loyal supporter of The Frederick Gunn School, passed away in Pattaya, Thailand, on January 1, 2023. She suffered a heart attack following two successful surgeries for a broken hip and shoulder sustained earlier in her travels with her family, her obituary said. She was 67 years old.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Gretchen graduated from the University School of Milwaukee in 1973 and from Dartmouth College in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and government. She worked in financial planning at Merrill Lynch in New York City. In 1981, she married Philip Morgan Farmer P’05. They raised their children, Austin and Mallory ’05, in Washington, Connecticut, where they remained part-time residents.

Gretchen Farmer became a Trustee of the School in 2005 and was a long-time member of both the Finance and Development committees. “She was faithful to and supportive of the school in every way possible,” Head of School Peter Becker said in January. “Gretchen showed up: she prioritized attendance at Board and committee meetings, and she and Phil regularly attended school events such as Commencement, concerts, athletic contests, and the annual Town Party. Gretchen and Phil’s commitment to the school comes in the context of their demonstrated understanding of the importance of multiple institutions in order for the town to thrive.”

As longtime residents of Washington, the Farmers have given generously of their time and talent to support multiple local organizations, including Gunn, Rumsey Hall School, the Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens, and Steep Rock Association.

She was generous and she never looked for credit. I’ve learned that schools require different kinds of heroes in order to flourish. Gretchen was a quiet hero. We will all miss her.”

Gretchen was a Trustee of Rumsey Hall School for 20 years and was a board member of the Washington Environmental Council and current co-president of the Washington Garden Club.

In 2010, The Frederick Gunn School honored Gretchen and Phil at the annual Town Party as the first recipients of the Friend of the Green Award. In addition to celebrating the relationship between the school and the Gunn Memorial Library and Museum, which spans more than a century, the award recognized the Farmers for their dedicated service and commitment as board members of both institutions.

According to the library, Gretchen was a Trustee from 1991-1998 and a past President of the Board. “Gretchen was an active member of the Friends of the Junior Library that brought forward the idea of a Library Expansion, and was instrumental in developing the highly successful Library Luminaries fundraising event. In keeping with Gretchen’s strong interest in ‘going green,’ the Farmers were responsible for the installation of Gunn’s geothermal system,” the library said in January.

In 2016, as a Florida resident, Gretchen became active in the BallenIsles Charities Foundation, serving on the Grants Committee. More recently, she was among the earliest supporters of the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Innovation and Active Citizenship, and attended the groundbreaking ceremony on campus in June 2022.

“She gave wise counsel and didn’t suffer fools,” Peter said. “She was generous and she never looked for credit. I’ve learned that schools require different kinds of heroes in order to flourish. Gretchen was a quiet hero. We will all miss her.”

Gretchen is survived by her husband of 41 years, her children, and a granddaughter, Lillian Mali Farmer; her siblings, John Andrew (Anne) Heller and Heidi Heller Kiesler, and sister in-law, Mary Ellen Heller. A memorial service was held March 6 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and a service was held in Washington, Connecticut, on May 20 at the First Congregational Church. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that donations be made in Gretchen’s memory to: Gunn Memorial Library or the BallenIsles Charities Foundation.

– Head of School Peter Becker

Ten Minutes With Cassie Ruscz

Since joining the World Languages faculty in 2017, Cassie Ruscz has taught almost every level of Spanish, and this spring, began teaching a new course, Abnormal Psychology. She has served as an advisor, Assistant Coach for Girls Varsity Basketball, and as Head House Parent in Gibson for the past five years. Since 2021, she has served as Director of Residential Life, overseeing student activities, house life, and campus culture, and serves as Prefect Advisor. On July 1, Ruscz will take on a new role as Director of Multicultural Recruitment and Associate Director of Admissions at Gunn.

Ruscz majored in psychology and Spanish at Tufts University and studied psychology as part of her graduate work at the University of Delaware, earning her master’s in education in 2020. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of South Carolina’s College of Education, where her concentration is Education Systems Improvement and Anti-Racist Leadership. Her dissertation is titled, “Adolescent Leadership Development for Female Students in High School.”

In her first two years at Gunn, she was Head Coach for Varsity Softball, a sport in which she excelled as a student at the Taft School and at Tufts, where she was an All-American and helped to lead the Jumbos to back-to-back national championship titles.

Q: What is your favorite Frederick Gunn School tradition?

A: I love Fire Pit Fridays. I have very distinct memories of my first year here, when I lived in Bourne, back when Bourne was filled with 55 girls. The whole dorm would clear out and go to Fire Pit Friday, and I could hear them singing karaoke from my apartment on the third floor. That has been a really cool tradition that has been largely carried on by students.

Q: What advice do you have for new students?

A: My advice is to know that someone is always looking out for you. Sometimes students come in and they think they can fly under the radar. Our whole mantra of having at least One Trusted Adult, and just the care that we put in this community, there is always someone looking out for you. If students knew that more, particularly when they are new, I feel like they would not feel so nervous or anxious, or whatever emotion comes with being new.

Q: What is your favorite lesson or day of the year?

A: This isn’t a particular day on the calendar, but there is always this day in the springtime where, collectively, we as a school decide that

it’s springtime and we’re going to go out and enjoy the warmth. You can kind of feel it in the air, and then when you walk around campus, people are just out and about. The annual water wars start, and you start to see many, many water guns on campus, or buckets, or water balloons.

Q: Who has been your greatest influence?

A: In my first couple of years here, Mrs. Small was like a second mom to me. She would give me advice, she would always be there to listen to me, to make me laugh, and give me a mint, and tell me if I was right or wrong. And there are three advisees who graduated after being in my advisory group for several years. Anjavie Thompson ’21, Alex Diaz ’21 and Danny Infante ’21 were and continue to be to this day three of the most quintessential Frederick Gunn School students I have ever met. Things did not come easily for them, whether it be academics or whatever they were working towards, but for four years I watched those three just work and work and work. Their passions and their drive will continue to impact me probably for the rest of my life.

Q: What would you say to Mr. Gunn if he were still here?

A: I would say thank you, first and foremost. And I don’t know how I would say this to him, but I would try to convey in some manner that he is incredibly courageous and brave for doing what he did. It takes a lot of bravery and courage to start a school and to have enough faith in that school to keep it going. I’d also make some crack about his beard that he probably wouldn’t think was funny.

Education

BA in Psychology and Spanish, Tufts University

M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Administration, University of Delaware

Ed.D. candidate in Educational Practice and Innovation, University of South Carolina

Honors and Accolades

The Class of 1955 Distinguished Teaching Award, 2021

Current Responsibilities

Director of Residential LIfe

Spanish Teacher

Assistant Coach, Girls Varsity Basketball

Head House Parent, Gibson Prefect Advisor

THE FREDERICK GUNN SCHOOL BULLETIN SPRING 2023

Peter Becker

Head of School

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS 2022-23

Patrick M. Dorton ’86

Board Chair

Wanji Walcott P’19

Vice Chair

Beth W. Glynn Secretary

Ashleigh Fernandez Treasurer

Stephen W. Baird ’68

William G. Bardel

Peter Becker, Head of School

Robert Bellinger ’73

Kevin Bogardus ’89

Sarah Scheel Cook ’82

Jon C. Deveaux

Natalie H. Elsberg P’25

Adam C. Gerry P’21

Sherm Hotchkiss ’63

Thomas R. King ’60

Timothy Jackson P’24

Jonathan S. Linen ’62

Damien Marshall P’24

Paul M. McManus, Jr. ’87 P’21 ’23

Bonnie A. Pennell ’86

Missy Cuello Remley ’87

Krystalynn Schlegel ’96

Omar Slowe ’97

Richard N. Tager ’56

Robert M. Tirschwell ’86

Dan Troiano ’77

Rebecca Weisberg ’90

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Doug Day

Chief of Enrollment Strategy & Marketing dayd@frederickgunn.org

Jennifer Clement P’22 ’25 Bulletin Editor clementj@frederickgunn.org

ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT

Sean Brown P’22 Chief Development Officer browns@frederickgunn.org

ADMISSIONS

Suzanne Day Director of Enrollment & Admissions days@frederickgunn.org

TRUSTEES EMERITI

Steven P. Bent ’59

Leo D. Bretter ’52 P’88

Jonathan Estreich P’06

Edsel B. Ford II ’68

Joan Noto P’97

Jonathan Tisch ’72

Gerrit Vreeland ’61

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Laura Eanes Martin ’90 P’20 ’23 ’25 President

Omar Slowe ’97

Vice President

Scott A. Schwind ’89

Krystalynn M. Schlegel ’96

PARENTS COUNCIL

Keith Gleason P’19 ’21 ’23 Co-Chair, Parent Giving

Ray Whitney ’87 P’24

Co-Chair, Parent Giving

Adrienne McManus P’21 ’23, Student Life Chair

The 1850 Fund

Gifts to The 1850 Fund are an investment in the people and programs at the heart of this community, enhancing every aspect of the Gunn experience.

From financial aid to faculty compensation to experiential learning opportunities, gifts of all sizes will ensure that Mr. Gunn’s legacy continues to thrive.

Ways to give:

Venmo: @GoGunn1850

Online: GoGunn.org/give

By phone: 860-350-0103

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jennifer Clement P’22 ’25

PHOTOGRAPHERS

AgencySacks, Kelsey Brush, Phil Dutton ’81 P’23, Morgen Goepel Fisher ’03, Dan Fladager, Gentil & Hyers, Jimmy Girolamo, Shane Gorman ’10, Rachel Hedden, Mark Liflander, Sal Lilienthal, Jess Lyon, Kristin Moore, Julie Petrillo ’18, Chip Reigel, Andrew Richards P’20 ’23, Ali Heck Southworth, Tony Spinelli, Rebecca Tocci, Lincoln Turner

By mail: via enclosed envelope

The Frederick Gunn School Bulletin is produced biannually (spring and fall) by the Marketing & Communications Department.

99 Green Hill Road, Washington, CT 06793

Making sustainability a priority

Our new buildings are powered by the sun and have geothermal heating & cooling. All systems & infrastructures are being made more sustainable.

We’ve renewed our unflinching resolve for diversity, equity, and inclusion. It’s what Mr. Gunn did.

a force For common ground and common good

Our Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy’s 4-year curriculum encourages active, involved citizenship. The center was awarded a $100,000 E. E. Ford matching grant.

Our newest dorm for Gunn girls

Graham House for 9th grade girls is open, warm, and welcoming.

2 amazing weeks, 20+ life-changing experiences

We elevated and highlighted our Center for Academic Excellence. If we all pause and think about our own high school careers, we all could have benefited from coaching.

Our holistic approach to each student’s well-being focuses on physical and psychological health.

New turf on campus and new fields at South Street have made Gunn an even greater force in competitive sports. And our new Emerson Fitness Center has been a fantastic fit.

Perakos