Winter 2016 by The MacDuffie School

The MacDufďŹ e School magazine for alumni and friends

Volume 7 Issue 1 Winter 2016

Advisory Board

Chris DeMarino, CEO, MMI

Steven Griffin, Head of School

Leslie Pitt Chehade, Class of 1987

Alun Polga, English Department Chair

Tim Duff, Headmaster – Pioneer Valley Christian School Nina Metz, Past Parent

John Soares, Current Parent

Contact Us: 66 School Street, Granby, MA 01033 alumni@macduffie.org admissions@macduffie.org communications@macduffie.org macduffie.org

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The MacDuffie School Magazine for alumni and friends, Winter 2016

Editor:

Bethany Petano, Marketing and Communications

Contributors:

Karen Anderson Becky Beth Benedict Carole Bielizna Chris Bielizna Susan Clayton Tracie Gardner

Meirion George Jan Gilley Steven Griffin Bethany Petano Alun Polga Melody Serafino

twitter.com/MacDuffieSchool Join us on Instagram: instagram.com/themacduffieschool Pin with us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/macduffie

Photographers: Grynn & Barrett Ryan Gray ‘16 Eva Lin ‘16 Peapod Designs

Bethany Petano Ian Soares ‘16 Tira Xia ‘17 Leo Zhan ‘17

MISSION The MacDuffie School is a rigorous college preparatory school whose mission is to foster in all students intellectual habits of mind, high ethical standards, and respect for diversity required for becoming morally responsible and effective individuals in their personal lives, careers, and in their communities and beyond.

Branching Out – Growing our Boarding Parent Community Second only to the United States, China sends us the highest number of students every year; our boarding population’s most popular country of origin is China, followed by the USA, Korea, Russia, Vietnam, Brazil, Turkey, and Thailand. In all, twenty-one countries are represented at The MacDuffie School this year, including four students from my personal favorite foreign country, Canada! We’re always looking for ways to diversify our boarding population, but we also want to connect with the families that we do have and celebrate the wonderful diversity of students from each country. With that in mind, in March, 2015, I and my daughter Lily (MacDuffie Class of 2021) travelled to Seoul, South Korea, and Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen China to introduce the concept of a “Branch Parent Association.” We met with current parents and some current students and prospective parents along the way. I made a brief presentation about all of the positive changes occurring at MacDuffie. Lily studied Mandarin in the sixth grade at MacDuffie, so with a few simple words in Chinese, “My name is Lily. I am a Canadian citizen and an American student,” she was able to win the hearts and minds of the people we met! We were also able to take in some of the majestic historical sights of China. The biggest surprise to me was the steepness of the Great Wall. Honestly, it looks sort of paved in photos! It was great to meet families to talk about their hopes and dreams for their children. In the end, we accomplished some short term goals; some parents agreed to be PA reps to help to greet new families and assist in answering questions to make a smooth transition to MacDuffie. It is my hope that I will be able to travel to some of these locations in the future to meet more current families and to connect with alumni as well. If you are interested in working with the Parent Association as an ambassador in your area, please do not hesitate to contact me at HeadsOffice@MacDuffie.org. Sincerely, Steven Griffin, Head of School

Arts Update The MacDuffie Theater Department had a busy year performing a total of eighteen plays throughout 2014-2015. The mainstage productions began with our fall play in November. Blood Wedding by Federico Garcia Lorca, a poetic and dramatic Spanish tragedy, was directed by Becky Beth Benedict and featured thirty-four students in the cast and crew. The mood was then lightened with the winter musical, a classic 1950s comedy, The Pajama Game, directed by Ted Lyman. The Pajama Game included thirty-nine students in cast and crew with Music Teacher Asia Meirovich as Music Director and Dance Teacher Angie Muzzy as Choreographer. MacDuffie’s mainstage spring production was a collection of six one-act plays directed by Becky Beth Benedict, Ted Lyman, and student director Alexis Chapin. The newly added spring production time slot gave twenty-eight students the opportunity to work in the arts as cast and crew members. The eighth graders created two plays. In January they presented a show about death, dying, and grief and in May produced a play based on expectations and stereotypes. The seventh grade also had a chance to participate in the theater by staging a classroom reading of Orpheus. Acting ensemble students each wrote their own one-act plays, which were presented in the spring. The one-acts included a relationship drama, along with pieces based on the lives of Julia Child, Sylvia Plath, Lililan Helman, and Nicolas Cage. The acting ensemble class also collaborated to write a children’s play entitled I Don’t Know Why This Isn’t Working, which they took on tour to the Northampton and Amherst Montessori Schools. The MacDuffie Singers and Dancers also had a busy 2014 – 2015 school year, staging both Winter and Spring Concerts to sellout crowds. Each concert is now performed over two nights in order to accommodate our growing audience. The Arts Department as a whole held their second annual Red Carpet Awards in May. The Red Carpet Awards is an evening of celebrating the arts and our students’ artistic endeavors. Awards were presented for dance, music, theater, and visual art achievements.

Athletics Update

The winter athletics program continues to grow in strength and depth with the introduction of MacDuffie’s first Swim team to supplement our already strong basketball programs. New Head Coach, Jacque Rivera, led the Mustangs Boys’ Varsity Basketball team to a NEPSAC AA semi-final. The Boys’ team had over fifty Division 1 schools visit campus in hopes of getting one of our very own Mustangs to commit to their respective universities. The season was filled with high-level games and packed gymnasiums. The Boys’ Junior Varsity program had both strength and depth in numbers, as they battled against many Class D Varsity teams. For the upcoming 2015-2016 season, the decision has been made to develop young talent at the School through a Thirds team of predominantly Middle School students and freshmen. Also under new leadership, the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team secured a place in the post-season and ranked in the top eight Class D teams in New England. Senior Ece Eldek and Sophomore Florence Tshimanga were nominated to the Western New England All-Star team. The increase in strength of the Varsity program enabled the Junior Varsity team to become more competitive. The new co-ed Swim team consisted of sixteen swimmers who trained every day after school at the Holyoke YMCA. The season culminated with MacDuffies first appearance at the CISAC Championship in Hamden, Connecticut. Five swimmers were selected to compete, with Junior Tamer Ackay earning a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle. The spring season saw record student participation, with over one hundred and seventy students involved in six different sports. The Badminton program alone exceeded forty students. The fourteen-member strong Crew team was successful in several local races and competed strongly in regional competitions throughout Massachusetts. The Golf team, in its second year, continued to add numbers and established matches against other schools. Girls’ Lacrosse welcomed strong athletic talent, with Senior Anqi Hu and Sophomore Faith Lawless earning selection to the New England All-Star team. The Tennis program saw a substantial increase in interest. Every day the courts were filled from the end of school until dusk. Ultimate Frisbee continued the trend of recent years by attracting large numbers. The Varsity program continues to grow in strength, experiencing success throughout the season in both regular season games and tournaments. The new Academic Year promises to be an exciting one for MacDuffie Athletics. It is anticipated that we will witness yet another year of increased student participation, as well as additional sports and teams. Our campus is going to be an active place! The Mustang Varsity programs will again look to be successful against other NEPSAC schools.

Traditions Mountain Day and Candlelight continue to be time-honored traditions to welcome new students, faculty, and staff into the MacDuffie community. Senior Gina Napolitano wrote about her final Candlelight in Around the Circle, “It was surreal to me, taking that last walk back to the grotto with all of my friends and teachers. So many people here have become family to me over the years, and Candlelight, as Mrs. Lyman always says, is one of the seniors’ first goodbyes. But I also got that same feeling of comfort that can only be described as pure happiness, knowing that everyone at the ceremony was now a part of this community that I have come to love so much.”

Diversity Day MacDuffie prides itself on a community of inclusion and celebrates the diversity of our student body. Diversity Day is a tradition Science Teacher Greg Vennell has been hosting annually for over 20 years. In 2015, MacDuffie was honored to welcome Charles Neville as keynote speaker. Mr. Neville spoke to students about the challenges of performing as an African-American musician in segregated America. During his talk he also treated students to a song on the saxophone accompanied by David Lin (’15) on guitar. It was a once in a lifetime moment!

The MacDuffie Annual Fund The MacDuffie Annual Fund serves to enhance MacDuffie’s programs, both inside and outside of the classroom. While tuition covers the costs of a MacDuffie education, the growth and enhancement of MacDuffie requires additional investment. Over the last year, we have made dramatic enhancements to campus; adding five new classrooms, adding new lockers for the Middle School, repairing our stone chimney, installing combination water fountain and bottle filling stations, and purchasing new furniture for both the Student Center and dormitory common rooms. We are currently working on replacing stairs and sidewalks, installing a lift to make the Dining Hall and Student Center accessible, numbering and relabeling all rooms in the main building, and installing lights for our outdoor basketball and tennis courts. We invite you to help rebuild a tradition of giving at The MacDuffie School. A donation of any amount will make a difference in our students’ lives. Ways to give: Online: Go to MacDuffie.org and click the “Donate” tab at the top of the main page By Mail: Send in the attached giving envelope (please give us class notes while you are at it!) By Telephone: Call Darcie Mavlouganes in the Head’s Office: (413) 255-0000 ext. 207

Thank you for your support! 5

Farewell to Faculty MacDuffie said goodbye to several members of our community last year. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors and send them off with some kind words from their contemporaries. Tom Addicks In addition to having natural abilities as a teacher and an innate sense of what a given student needs, Mr. Addicks has developed his craft as an administrator and teacher over his forty plus year career. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to overlap with him as an Administrator and proud to call him a friend and mentor. He will be missed by many. Chris Bielizna, Head of Upper School Mary Kapner One measure of a good teacher’s impact on a school is the legacy she leaves behind. Mary Kapner had been in and around our Springfield campus since the early 2000s, when she arrived from a stint in Singapore with her husband Rob (our former Assistant Head of School) and their two young girls. Mary officially joined our faculty in 2008, and what she found was the barest of ESL programs. Our English Language Learners were much smaller in number; what’s more, we had no members on staff who were fully trained in ESL. But by the time Mary left this past spring, she had created a distinct department with an invigorated curriculum, strong scaffolding, high expectations, and an unwavering focus on what is best for our students. Mary was also an invaluable resource for her peers across the disciplines; at a moment’s notice, she would jump in with support and advice. She brought knowledge, passion, and insight to her efforts as a Department Chair, a teacher, an advisor, and a member of the Judiciary Council. (A lifelong singer, she also covered for the rest of us during Song Contest every year.) We miss her greatly and wish her the best of luck! Alun Polga, English Teacher and Department Chair Craig Woolley After dealing with some serious health issues over the past academic year, Mr. Wooley retired from his active science teaching position and from his role as Science Department Chair at MacDuffie. Craig came to the school while it was in Springfield and brought with him a wealth of experience that included both public and private school teaching at both high school and university levels. Mr. Woolley also had extensive experience in various research labs, such as Monsanto and the Cleveland Clinic where he became involved with physics, chemistry, and biology of diseases. This past August, Craig married his longtime sweetheart Angel Cox. He is now concentrating on improving his health and plans to stay actively involved with the tutoring program at MacDuffie where he says he very much misses the students and staff. Karen Anderson, Biology Teacher

Welcome New Faculty!

Mr. Eric Bowman joins us in the Mathematics Department. Eric has worked for the past nine years at Academy Hill in Springfield; before that, he gained industry experience in engineering. Mr. Bowman has a B.S. summa cum laude and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University, as well as an M.Ed. from Lesley University. Mr. Todd Bucklin is our new Chair of the ELL Department. Most recently the Chair of Humanities and ELL at The Winchenden School, his experience of teaching, coaching, dorm parenting, and leadership of international trips stretches back twenty-five years. Mr. Bucklin has a B.A. in East Asian Studies from Middlebury College. Mr. Kareem Nulan joined the College Counseling and Mathematics departments. He was most recently at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, FL. Before Gulliver, he worked for seven years in admissions at Trinity College, Hartford. Mr. Nulan has a B.B.A. cum laude from Howard University and an M.B.A. from the University of Hartford. Ms. Jennifer Rogers joins the ELL and English Departments after twelve years as an adjunct professor at Springfield College. Before that, Jennifer chaired the English Department and taught English at St. Cloud High School in Florida. Ms. Rogers has a B.S. in secondary education (English) from the University of Rhode Island and an M.Ed. from Boston University. Mr. David Ruiz is our new Academic Dean. David was most recently Academic Dean at Girard College in Philadelphia; his career includes roles as Director of School Culture, Upper School Principal, and Director of Cross-Cultural Advising. Mr. Ruiz has a B.A. in Non-Western History and Spanish from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.Ed. from UMass Amherst. Ms. Ting Song joins the World Languages Department as our teacher of 6th grade Mandarin. She has a wealth of experience as a teacher, TA, and translator, most recently at Frontier Regional Middle School. Ms. Song has a B.A. in North American Literature from Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China, an M.Ed. from UMass Amherst, and an M.A. in Asian Literature from UMass Amherst. In addition to his teaching experience at the college level, Dr. George Vaughn has over twenty-five years of experience as an industrial Chemist. Dr. Vaughn has a B.S. in Chemistry from Loyola Marymount University, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from UCLA. He will be teaching our AP Physics and Chemistry courses. Dr. Gloria Caballero-Roca joins the world languages department as a teacher of Spanish and French. Dr. Caballero has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Hispanic Literatures and Linguistics from UMass Amherst, as well as an M.A. in Gender and Diversity from GEMMA, University of Oveido, Spain and University of Lodz, Poland.

125th Anniversary Gala! “Being honored as a Distinguished Alumna was a real acknowledgement that so much of what I’ve been able to accomplish in my life was formulated during my time a MacDuffie. It was my high school experience that taught me the power of communication; it is where I had the confidence and support of committed teachers like Mr. Vennell and Miss Calabotta that I still cherish. Over thirty years later and I still feel the pride in being connected to a strong lineage of education that continues today.” Tracie Gardner, Distinguished Alumna 2015, Assistant Secretary of Health, NY The Echo of our Laughter Floats through Study Room and Hall By Jan Gilley The 125th Anniversary Gala celebrated at The MacDuffie School on April 25, 2015 was not in the study room and hall that we all remember. It was not even in a place that held any memories for most of us. For some it was the first visit to the large gym at The MacDuffie School in Granby, Massachusetts, a far cry from the room in Howard Hall where many of us played half‐court basketball. But what was the same for all of us was the invincible spirit of MacDuffie and the cries of glee when friends greeted friends, met their spouses for the first time, and hugged classmates they never expected to see again. That The MacDuffie School could still welcome us back after all the changes gave reason for celebration. We were delighted by the beautiful meal presented by the school, enjoyed meeting spouses and partners of alumnae as well as those from classes outside our memories. We shared our meal with those who, like us, respected the traditions and memories created by the classmates, faculty, and heads of our particular times. What joy to see people who meant a great deal to us over the years; former faculty such as Amy Hughes, Dina Lyman, and Greg Vennell who are much more to MacDuffie than bricks and mortar. Indeed, MacDuffie surpasses bricks and mortar. The excellent part of such a gathering and the most important to the “after years” is the realization that the experiences of being part of MacDuffie shaped our attitudes, our abilities, and our strengths, which have helped to

create who we are and what we do with our lives. To be back among people who know us and who understand how we came to be ourselves is quite powerful and empowering. We were so blessed to be at “reunion, one and all” where we could once again be in touch with the people and the philosophy that has helped us through many years and will hold us tightly into the future. Alumni Networking: An Opportunity to Pay It Forward By Melody Serafino, ’01, Founder, No. 29 Communications A reality TV star, an accountant, and a publicist walk into a room… And no, there’s no cringe-worthy punch line. This is simply reflective of the diverse career paths that MacDuffie alumni have taken, specifically, three of six proud graduates who returned to campus in April to meet with a dozen inquisitive students, hungry to learn about post-college life. I was honored to be one of those alums. Despite being 14 years removed from high school, I remember clearly what it was like to connect with alumni doing “real-world jobs” that seemed at once thrilling and utterly unattainable. It’s exciting. It’s overwhelming. You want to ask a thousand questions, but a thousand of the right questions lest you sound naïve. As the students descended upon the tables where we sat, I felt an immediate wave of nostalgia wash over me. Though I never attended MacDuffie at its current campus, the same spirit of community and acceptance is still palpable. I suddenly felt proud of these students who I had never met and knew little about, but with whom I shared an alma mater. As they peppered us with questions, eagerly jotted down what we said and timidly requested our contact information, I smiled thinking about all of the times – personally and professionally – that I have drawn on my own MacDuffie experiences. My friends and I often joke about how much MacDuffie is truly a part of our DNA, and yet we wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve lost count of the number of people – MacDuffie teachers and advisors included – who have donated their time to my endless inquiries about life, school, and jobs over the years. In April, it was my turn (and privilege) to return the favor.

Commencement 2015 On Saturday, June 6, 2015, The MacDuffie School held its one hundred and twenty-fifth commencement exercises at Abbey Chapel in South Hadley. Head of School Griffin’s opening remarks praised the graduating seniors: “The Class of 2015 is diverse in country of origin, diverse in thought and in interest. They have explored their own educational bounds within the challenging, supportive, and patient construct that is The MacDuffie School. These students are ready for the world beyond; we’re not sure if the world beyond is ready for them!” Griffin also announced two new scholarships. The Keating Memorial Entrance Scholarship honors the memory of Linda Keating, MacDuffie Class of 1965. Mrs. Keating joined the MacDuffie School staff in 2002 as Assistant Director of Admissions and Marketing, later becoming Director of Admissions. This scholarship will continue Mrs. Keating’s tireless work of helping students of need to attend MacDuffie. The Skyler Anderson-Coughlin Memorial Scholarship was established by Skyler’s mother Seana, and his sister Cassandra to recognize a graduating senior who represents the qualities that Skyler exhibited at The MacDuffie School. These qualities are dedication to all areas of learning and life at MacDuffie, a love of humor and laughter, and a friend to all. This year’s recipients were Darien Guy, Claire Lord, Elizabeth Ramah, and Joe Varney. This year’s chosen class speakers were Lauren Liderman and Jayda McLean. Lauren came to MacDuffie from West Springfield in September 2010 as a member of the 8th grade class. She is truly accomplished in the field of academics, having been elected cum laude after her junior year. Lauren has also been accorded the honor and respect of her peers, as evidenced by her election to the School’s Judiciary Council. She discovered and polished her voice as an insightful writer. Lauren matriculated at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts in the fall. Jayda McLean joined MacDuffie from Montego Bay, Jamaica as a sophomore in September 2012 and quickly established herself as a talented athlete and student of dance. Jayda is a true leader in action, as well as in name. She has been Captain of the Volleyball team, and she has served as class Vice President for the past two years. In 2014, Jayda received the Head’s CIRCLE Award for Respect, an example of the high regard in which students and teachers hold her. This fall she matriculated at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. There were several student performances during the ceremony including the MacDuffie Singers performance of “Bridge over Troubled Water” by Paul Simon and David Lin’s (’15) rendition of “I Will See You Again” by Andy McKee. The Class of 2015 chose English Teacher Ms. Carol Tomkiel as their faculty speaker. Ms. Tomkiel opened her speech with Langston Hughes’ poem “The Dream Keeper”. Bring me all your dreams, they sang. Bring me all your Heart melodies That I may wrap them In a blue cloud cloth Away from the too rough fingers Of the world. Ms. Tomkiel concluded by reassuring graduates they will always have a home at MacDuffie, “Dear students, as you leave today, know that I wish you lives filled with gratitude and promise, willingness and work, community and love. I think I speak for all my colleagues when I say we will miss your talent, your kindness, your good will and humor, your perseverance and courage, but graduating need not be a permanent parting. In a few short minutes, MacDuffie will become your alma mater, your other mother and second home. And like any mother, she will be here as you go out into the world, still believing in you, still wanting the best for you, and always, always, waiting to hear what dreams you have dreamed and what happiness you have found.”

The MacDuffie School Class of 2015: Aqsa Ahmad Skyler Anderson-Coughlin Richard Areche Yulia Baratova Jenna Boisselle Chen Chen Mikael Collins Ece Eldek Zhuofan Feng Jaylen Franklin Darien Guy Anqi Hu

Tyrell Jackson PeiNing Jiang Haoyang Li Lauren Liderman Dawei Lin Zi Lin Claire Lord Yang Luo Pedro Macedo Vejae McLean Elizabeth Metsch Alana Moraes

Guilhermo de Moraes Paro Diem Nguyen Son Nguyen Tri Viet Minh Nguyen Basak Ozgur Natalie Pappas Joao Pinheiro Elizabeth Ramah Denisolt Shakhbulatov Kristina Smith Yue Sun Tu-Thanh Tran

Joseph Varney Siyou Wang Kwok Wong Kunyun Wu Ziyi Wu Chenlin Xu Kai Zhang Ziyou Zhao Congratulations and Good Luck Graduates!

MacDuffie Girls Across the Pond On the back of an undefeated, championship-winning season, some members of the MacDuffie Girls’ Soccer team headed across the Atlantic to share their talent and love of the game with the people of London. Thirty-three players, guests, and family members made the nine-day trip during the March spring break. According to Coach George, “The decision to take this group of soccer players to England was an easy one to make. The passion they have for the game, and the skill level that they have already acquired in their young lives, created the right recipe to take on the road to the country where the game was founded. It also helps that these young ladies are fantastic people…but don’t tell them I told you so.” The purpose of the tour was to expose the players to the culture of soccer in England. This was achieved by providing an opportunity to train with professional coaches and to play against youth teams of Premiership and Championship clubs in England. Of course, a visit to London would not be complete without visiting some of the historic sites, including Buckingham Palace, Parliament and Big Ben, Tower of London, London Eye, the many museums, and Windsor Castle, where the trip started. Ava, an eighth grade student from South Hadley, said, “Being exposed to more soccer; watching, playing, practicing, and being seen by professional coaches, made me more aware of how important the various aspects of being a player are, both on and off the field and the importance of being well-rounded as a person in general.” Mimi, a ninth grader from Connecticut, added, “The experience and knowledge I gained from the tour made me realize that, even though you may have great ability and skill, you still need to work on all other parts of the game and your character.” Some of the football (soccer) highlights the group experienced included training with English Football Association coaching staff and Chelsea Football Club Academy staff at the Wembley Stadium complex, followed by a tour of the stadium, and a photo opportunity with the iconic FA Cup. A traditional game day Saturday afternoon was experienced by a visit to Selhurst Park to watch the Premiership clash between Crystal Palace and Queens Park Rangers. Field side seats made for a truly magical experience. Some members of the group also visited Stamford Bridge to watch Premiership leaders Chelsea take on Southampton. The second training session took place under the instruction of the Arsenal Football Club Ladies’ coaching staff. The day spent with the Arsenal Ladies included a 2-hour practice, followed by watching their game against Yeovil Town, ending with a private meet and greet with the players, including England stars Lianne Sanderson and Kelly Smith. The third training session took place at the Charlton Athletic Football Club (of the English Championship) training ground, under the instruction of Charlton Athletic Football Club coaching staff. The Mustangs played three games in total, against Queens Park Rangers Football Club, Charlton Athletic Football Club, and finally an unforgettable experience of playing against Chelsea Football Club at their breathtaking Cobham Training Ground. Many thanks to: QPR FC, Charlton Athletic FC, Chelsea FC for allowing us to play against their youth teams and for hosting us at their facilities, QPR FC for securing excellent tickets for the Premiership game against Crystal Palace, all the coaches who worked with the team from the English FA, Chelsea FC Academy and Chelsea FC Academy Goalkeeper Coaches, Charlton Athletic FC, and the Arsenal FC Ladies. The tour was organized by Premier Coaching (premiercoachingsoccer.com) and Let Me Play (letmeplay.co.uk).

Class Notes Class of ‘56

Hi,

I would like to note that I have not settled far from the tree. I came from and returned to Kent, Connecticut. Like many, I guess, enjoyed a great second marriage. Did college the non-traditional way and hold a BBA. I have had two successful businesses as a liquor store owner and an accounting business. I am a landlord, which means I work - but am retired. I am a volunteer for FISH (we drive for those who cannot). I have been associated with The Girl Scouts (paid employee), The American Red Cross, and my church Altar Guild. I have also worked for Benrus Watch, Aspetuck Country Club, and many local CPA’s. I had two children - one deceased. My daughter is Assistant Dean of Academics at Hartford University. She married and I have two grandchildren. We are a happily blended Jewish/Episcopal family. My granddaughter just entered Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy and is a member of the National Honor Society. I would love to hear from any classmates. My email address is silver1one@aol.com, tell me of your life since MacDuffie.

My name is Patricia Tracy Dow Beveridge. I would like students at MacDuffie to know that sometimes it takes a long time to fulfill a dream. I am seventy-two and this year Tate Publishing has published my first book. I have been painting and drawing for many years but haven’t written much except a book for my grandchildren about life on a farm in Vermont. The title of the book is Moonlight of Morgan Hill and it is for children seven and up. It is about the importance of self-perception and the meaning of true beauty. You may go to Moonlight’s web site and find out all about it.

-Edith Thorp Altvater

I am so grateful for the wonderful high school education I received at MacDuffie. I will never forget the excellent education in English which I received from Dr. Childs. She was a devoted and brilliant teacher! I will always be so grateful to have known Dr. Rutenber as well. He was truly amazing. If you met him in the hall he seemed to always know what subject you might be struggling with and his words of encouragement were so appreciated.

Class of ‘57

Thank you MacDuffie School!

This MacDuffie-ite is ever grateful to ‘RDR’ and The MacDuffie School (for Girls – back then). I am blessed to have celebrated fifty years with my marvelous “Oxfordian” husband, Ted Story. We’re back living in the Big Apple where he continues work on his play, “Shakespeare’s Treason” and I continue to perform in Cabaret. My last show was “John Denver, Bernie Madoff and Me”. This fall I am releasing my ninth CD “Cynthia’s Saloon Sinatra”. The show I performed “Goodbye Mama, I’m Off to Yokohama” when MacDuffie honored me in 1993 with the Distinguished Alumna Award, is now on YouTube in its entirety, along with twenty-five of my other videos. I have two daughters and two grandsons, all blooming. Feeling lucky.

-Pat T.Dow Beveridge

-Cynthia Crane (Mrs. Ted Story) Class of ‘60

Class of ‘63 Our second winter in Maine was not for the faint of heart, although summer yes summer is just the thing. I have been in four art shows (two of them solo) and have also enjoyed a few chances to teach. The sparkle and freshness here is good for an artist. Dancing at the Y and singing with my soulmate keeps me in the swing. -Lindy Lyman Class of ‘65 I wrote a book! McKenna Said by Harold McKenna as told to Roberta Wileen Solt.

We have had a busy few months. Our daughter’s family moved from Juneau, Alaska to American Samoa where her husband took over for the retiring director of the tuna fishery for two years. He is a federal agent for the National Marine Fishery Service. While their worldly goods were in transit, the family came to visit us at our cottage in the Berkshires for six weeks. Our son’s family also flew in from Colorado for ten days. The cousins got along well and we all had a wonderful time. Eventually we will visit Samoa, by way of Hawaii. Can’t wait. Now I am back to gardening and creating art that I market locally. Check out my website at faithweldon.com.

-Roberta Solt

-Faith Weldon

-Melissa Evans Fountain

I’ve just completed my first full year of retirement after forty-five years primarily as an Advancement professional for colleges, universities and (most recently) a private school in southern Virginia where my husband Gary was headmaster. We have moved back north to Hamden, CT to be close to the lectures and performances at Yale, New York City, and our family. Retirement is wonderful!! I’d love to reconnect with classmates. Although not on Facebook, I can be reached by email at mfountain1947@gmail.com.

Class of ‘67 I’ve been out of touch for years but often wonder how classmates are doing. Perhaps it is a luxury of age. I have vivid memories of my time at MacDuffie and feel sort of sad that the place I remember is no longer MacDuffie, but the world has vastly changed in a multitude of ways and life goes on. I would love to hear from others who experienced MacDuffie around ‘66 to ‘68. Having neglected to announce marriages, births, divorces, deaths over the years.....I can share that my most treasured job was raising my wild and wonderful red-headed daughters, Serafina and Rebecca, as a single Mom, and enjoying visiting the area when they attended Mt. Holyoke and Smith Colleges. Serafina is living in the Santa Fe, New Mexico area and Rebecca lives in China. I am happily claiming my old lady wisdom at that generative stage in life at which we can devote our time and energy to mindfulness about the present as well as speaking out and acting in behalf of future generations. I remember so many who may have only touched my life slightly but I would be interested in hearing from any of you. We often only share the highlights of our lives and the apparent successes, but not our struggles. I would love to hear about all of it. -Ellen Youngdahl Class of ‘70 Greetings from Maine, I’m still teaching a little math and some global studies, but mostly poetry to gifted students in grades three through twelve. Love the kids. I work hard during the summer for my son’s art business - Led Sled Art. Although he studied animation at the School of Museum of Fine Arts and earned a BFA from Tufts, he returned to his passion for classic vehicles. There is enough local client interest to eke out an existence, loving what he’s doing, and living in the foothills. He’s happy and his name is definitely getting out there with invitations this summer to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Canada in addition to many areas in Maine. I need to retire soon and devote more of my time to drawing and writing too! Hello to all my MacDuffie Sisters. I think about you and our great old school so often. Especially now that someone propped up my senior photo on an antique typewriter in our living room! Take care. Lia P. S. Susan….where are you? -Lia Paliocha I was recently promoted to Executive Vice President of Hernon Mfg. Inc. located in Sanford, Florida. We formulate over 5000 adhesives, sealants and digital processing equipment. The company was founded by my husband Harry and his brother Josef in 1978. I have been a part of the company in various positions since 1987 bringing my background in sales and marketing to facilitate growth. We were awarded the President’s E Award for export this year in Washington D.

C. We were the only company from Florida and one of only forty-five nationwide to receive this recognition. We have received numerous awards in the past two years recognizing Hernon as a world leader in many industries such as oil seal manufacturing, ammunition sealing (requested of us by the Navy Seals), automotive, and aerospace to name a few. Although I graduated from University of California, Berkeley in 1974, I credit my years at MacDuffie as the greatest learning experience of my life and the very foundation of my success. I have a great husband and two children- my daughter is a working actress living in New York City, and my son is completing degrees in economics and physics. Life is grand. Best Regards Karen Guttentag Arnon Class of ‘71 I am still in Tucson, Arizona practicing OB/GYN, still delivering babies. I’ve been out here now for forty years but I still miss Massachusetts, so I’m very happy our daughter Alex is a senior at Wellesley College. She plays basketball there and hopes to become a college coach. My husband, Mark Berman, and I celebrated our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary with a wonderful trip to Paris. We return frequently to Boston and to Martha’s Vineyard where we have a home. We would welcome visitors to Tucson, especially during those cold New England winters! -Judy Riley Class of ‘73 I will be exhibiting at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan from the 24th of September to the 11th October. (http://valeriehird.com/press-news.html) Perhaps in reaction to my many years in the Middle East, there is an implied metaphor in the installation, that with all forms of life, cooperation must happen on a multitude of levels to achieve success. So starting the 1st of October, I will be over-seeing the assembly of a crowd-sourced tree, a much larger 10x14 foot version to be installed in NYC (www. nohrahaimegallery.com) next March. Because it’s comprised of thousands of origami forms, it will take many hands to assemble it. I’m committed to having people from a diversity of cultures and ethnicities take part in the process so that the work itself becomes a communal experience. So stand by for the call!

The idea for the tree came from my life-long interest in creation myths. For twenty-five years - a portion of every year - I traveled with semi-nomadic tribes from the near and Middle East, and Central Asia collecting and documenting their origin stories. Aside from the travel tales that accumulate when a single white American woman goes ‘off road’, their stories - a fantastically fluid mixture of myth and metaphor - were amazing! I also teach Visual Linguistics at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont and Drawing at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont. I live with my partner in Key West, Florida during the months of January and February each year, and am in Jordan or Dubai each spring. For more on my activities please check out my website at www.valeriehird.com. Thanks, V. (Valerie Hird) Class of ‘74 I don’t have anything spectacular to say except that I have had a wonderful, quiet life in the forty plus years since our class graduated. I have fulfilled my dream of working as a chaplain for years, hopefully helping many a person along the way. I am not the extreme introvert I was in my teens but I certainly do well in quiet spaces! Perhaps one of my greatest joys has been raising Nicole who just turned sixteen. My husband and I adopted her from China. In fact, she will be returning this week to volunteer at an orphanage in Inner Mongolia. We are proud of her! Now I have a question for those of you who graduated in ‘74. Does anyone know what happened to Thim? She came over at age eleven from Thailand. When she graduated from MacDuffie she moved to California and changed her name to Amy. I know she married and had a child. I would love to know! In the meantime, best wishes to the class of ‘74! I imagine retirement and perhaps a lot of pleasurable events are around the corner for many of you. It’s also another age of challenge, so take the best of care! -Beth Loomis Dear MacDuffie-I am thinking of my MacDuffie friends and teachers this morning. I’d love to know what they are all doing. I finally finished a master’s in American studies last year and continue to write and edit for the Chewonki Foundation, an environmental edu-

cation organization based here in Wiscasset, Maine. All three daughters are out of college and pursuing interesting work, two in Portland and one in NYC. My husband is an artist and together we garden, read, try to strengthen the community around us, and keep the roof on this old house on his grandparents’ farm. Could we pull off a Class of ‘74 reunion? We were a group of strong girls; it’d be tons of fun to see you. -Anne Rogers Leslie ‘74 Class of ‘77 Hi Everyone, I split my time between the mountains of Western Maryland and the Baltimore-Washington-DC corridor. I frequently contribute to two Facebook blogs almost daily, one featuring topics of social/political/religious interest (Temple of Truth) and the other featuring topics related to finance/economics/ insurance (Michael Obeya & Associates). I enjoy keeping in touch with my fellow alumni on Facebook. Sincerely, Euolinda Kay Logan, DM Class of ‘87 Hello! Just a quick update from Oregon - I married an amazing man, Kenneth Scott, whom I am so grateful to have found at this point in my life, on September 5, 2015. I have three beautiful daughters, ages twenty-three, nineteen, and seventeen. I currently run two businesses. I also speak at middle and high schools about life purpose, and how drugs and alcohol addiction can affect your life purpose. It has been extremely rewarding for me. I look forward to attending my thirtieth MacDuffie reunion! -Alexandra Hand Hello MacDuffie Alumnae! This August, I released my tenth book, a dystopian science fiction novel entitled Vaccine: The Cull - Nae-Née Wasn’t Enough. It is the second in the Nae-Née series (Nae-Née is a birth control nanite; the name means “Not-Born”). This story continues to examine the ramifications of human overpopulation and its link to ecosystems collapse, this time via U.N. Agenda 21 (now being labeled U.N. Agenda 2030) and a vaccine with a nanite in it that destroys cancer tumor suppressor proteins. The Banksters are involved at the highest levels to reduce the Earth’s population to half a billion. Ethics are discussed, as narrated by Avril, a woman with Asperger’s (Avril is me to some extent). When I am not writing, I hire myself out as an editor through my business, QueenBeeEdit, which is also my publishing imprint. You can find my work at QueenBeeEdit.com. -Stephanie Fox

Class of ‘88 Hi MacD folks, My husband David and I had our second son, Julian Giovanni last September. Hard to believe he is almost a year old! His big brother Charlie, five and a half years old, is starting kindergarten this fall, and can’t wait. I teach adjunct at Rhode Island School of Design, where I have developed science courses (entomology, urban ecology) for art students, and it has been really fun. All the best, Maria Aliberti Lubertazzi Class of ‘90 I continue to be thrilled in my workplace. I am fortunate enough to teach kids in a multi-age, non-traditional, authentic learning, real-world environment. I also enjoy introducing new families to my school in my role as Director of Admissions. I continue to love living in Salem, Massachusetts with my husband of almost thirteen years and our two children, Ella, age 10, and James, age 9. Salem is full of rich history (way beyond the witches), home to the world-class Peabody Essex Museum that my family visits often. I cherish the memories from MacDuffie and hope that all is well with all of my classmates and their families. -Leslie Kechen Levesque Class of ‘01 My debut novel Private Citizens will be released February 2016. -Tony Tulathimutte Class of ‘02 Marques White graduated in 2002. He’s now a weekend morning anchor and reporter at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville. Over the past six years he’s been working in television news. He started as an associate producer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then went to Topeka, Kansas where he started his on-air career. After that he served as a weekend anchor at a West Virginia Media station and then became a primary anchor. While at MacDuffie, he was very involved in theater and always wanted to work in television news. Before he started working in television news, he worked as a senior financial analyst at PNC Financial Services, Inc. in Pittsburgh. Marques thanks the many the teachers and staff at MacDuffie for their support and still remembers great moments about MacDuffie. Class of ‘04 Hello! I would just like to give you an update on my life journey so far! I recently graduated from Bennett College in Greensboro, NC cum laude with a GPA of 3.5. I am currently enrolled at the North Carolina Central University School of Law in

Durham, NC as a first year law student! I have had many adventures while in undergrad from study abroad to managing political campaigns. I hope you all are doing well! Best, Dominique Walker Class of ‘06 I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since I started my senior year at MacDuffie! A lot has happened and quite a bit in the last year. It won’t surprise anyone that I’ve stayed in close contact with Kathy Dixon ‘06 and Mia Surriera-Jacintho ‘06 since we’ve graduated, and recently got back in touch with Sarah Crouse ‘06 after a gap of time when we were all away at college. I’m working at Community Health Resources, where I was hired after graduating college five years ago. I work in a community-based program teaching independent living skills to young adults struggling with mental illness. I’ve bounced around a little bit within my agency, to another program for a few years where I experienced just how difficult overnight shifts are and gained more experience in working with personality disorders in a group home setting with young women. However, I’ve returned to a very “normal” daytime Monday-Friday hours at the independent living program! I’ve also taken up upcycled crafting (Check out my work on Facebook! Facebook.com/LittleFierceCrafts) where I make candles, home décor, art, jewelry - a real wide variety of items using things people were going to throw away like old Christmas decorations, jigsaw puzzles, leftover wax from burned out candles, scraps of fabric, etc. It’s been a lot of fun! I’ve also started up another home business in health and wellness through It Works Global and I’m really enjoying getting paid to be a healthier, happier person! I just stumbled upon this company through a college classmate, was interested in the hair/skin/nails vitamin, and thought “Hey, maybe I could make money to help pay off student loans by doing this,” and figured I’d give it a go! (You can check out my business page on Facebook! Facebook.com/UnwrapWithSam) I’ve never looked back. I went to Florida on a “paycation” this past July and met a bunch of like-minded people that started their businesses for similar reasons and we’ve all stayed in close contact since we returned to “the real world.” When I came back from vacation, I received confirmation my mother was really sick. She was diagnosed with a type of lymphoma and that’s sort of consumed all my time and energy since we found out. It’s been a hard journey and we still have quite a road left ahead of us. Warm and fuzzy, happy, healthy vibes are appreciated. If you’re interested in my businesses, making connections in the mental health field, or networking in general, feel free to contact me via Facebook or via email: Samantha.Wilson726@gmail.com. -Samantha Wilson

In Memorium - Remembering Linda Keating By Susan Clayton When asked to write something in remembrance of Linda, I immediately froze. It was too soon, too painful and could I find the right words to accurately describe how important this woman was to me? But on Labor Day as I was gardening (and recalling how much Linda liked to work in her garden), I realized that I could and should do this. Linda was much more than a MacDuffie colleague to me, she was my friend and I know that I am a better person for having known her. When Linda decided to move back to Western Mass and enroll Amanda at her alma mater, I was the Director of Admissions. We had some conversations during the admissions process, but it wasn’t until she came on board to help with marketing and promotion that we really got to know each other. When Linda took on the role of Director and I moved on to international admissions, we developed a great partnership and our friendship flourished. Of course she was an intellect and an artist, but for me, Linda was a teacher. She would question all assumptions and make you think in such different ways. It was truly enriching and the topics were endless – how to improve our admission practices, how to manage a financial challenge, how to parent a maturing child, and so much more. Often she would drop in something wise and wonderful that her mother would say that would put things quickly into perspective and we would laugh. It was like talking to both of them! We all hope that our lives on this planet will be remembered and will have meant something to others. Well, I can say that Linda’s life has had a profound impact on me and I’m sure many others. From the smallest thing like putting on earrings that Linda gave me (from Liddy), to visiting The Clark (where Linda spent countless hours while Amanda was at Williams), to finding something on the Admissions drive that Linda wrote and is still relevant, she is still in my life and will always be – thankfully. By Carole Bielizna I have so many wonderful memories of Linda. Somehow, she and I always ended up together in inclement weather. We huddled together in the Young House basement stairwell along with Mrs. Shaw and several students while the tornado passed overhead. A few weeks later, while in my “new” office in Granby, she and I watched the floor ripple as an earthquake occurred. A short time after that, while we were in Friendly’s in Holyoke, a sinister-looking storm began developing, and she left hurriedly to go home to Russell to her family before the storm struck. A few months ago, we had dinner plans which we scrapped because there was a snowstorm. We experienced many funny occasions and some tender moments as well. We had a very informal ‘committee’ which, over the years, purchased play tickets, prom dresses, dress shirts, a memorable pair of silver sandals, and graduation dresses for students who couldn’t otherwise afford to attend events. Linda was very generous with her support of our little committee, and it was heart-warming and great fun! Linda, a MacDuffie alumna, attended hundreds of alumni and student events – plays, concerts, open houses, ice cream socials, reunions – if it was happening at MacDuffie, Linda was there supporting our kids. She was a true marketing and admissions professional who admitted amazing students to The MacDuffie School and who designed high-quality brochures, magazines, flyers, and advertisements. In her admissions work over the years, she stayed true to MacDuffie’s mission, selecting students who could succeed in our rigorous educational environment. She worked particularly hard at making a MacDuffie education available to well-qualified students whose families demonstrated financial need.

She carried herself with grace and dignity, particularly as she faced the last great challenge of her life. I am proud to say she was my colleague and my compassionate friend. I miss her.

Small School

~ Big School Opportunity

Coed • Boarding , Day, Homestay • Grades 6 - 12

2016 Calendar of Events The Arts Department presents:

Winter Music & Dance Concert December 12, 2015 7:30pm ~ Student Center

Sunday, January 10th at 1pm Sunday, February 7th at 11am Sunday, April 3rd at 1pm

The MacDuffie Theatre presents:

Tour campus, attend an information session, meet current students and their families.

Chicago

For more information and reservations contact:

By John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Bob Fosse

Friday, March 4th Saturday March 5th Performances at 7:30pm

Sunday, March 6th Performance at 2pm

The Magnet presents:

8th Grade Play Featuring originals works by the 8th grade class Wednesday, April 25th 6pm ~ The Little Theater

Magneto Fantastico Sunday, January 29th at 7pm

Join us for Winter & Spring Sports! Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball

For tickets please visit:

Badminton, Crew, Golf, Girls' Lacrosse

April 30th Alumni Reunion The 5th Annual Run for Hope 5k

Boys’ and Girls’ Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee Visit our website for game times and full schedule:

Check macduffie.org for more details

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The MacDufﬁe School Save the date!

Reunion 2016

April 30, 2016

Watch for details coming soon on our website, Facebook page and in the mail. Nominations are open for 2016 Distinguished Alumni and Young Alumni Awards. Please send your nominations to alumni@macduffie.org. We look forward to seeing you at Reunion 2016!