The Packer Magazine - Spring 2024

Editorial Staff

Anne Conway, Director of Communications

Ana Tiwathia, Assistant Director of Communications

Ronnette Hope ’07, Director of Alumni

Photography

Liana Frasca, Communications Specialist

Additional Photography by:

Raoul Brown

Julie Brown Harwood

Contributors as noted

Layout CZ Design

Printing

JS McCarthy Printers

The Packer Magazine is published once a year by The Packer Collegiate Institute, 170 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Nothing herein may be reprinted wholly or in part without the written permission of Packer’s Communications Office. The Packer Collegiate Institute © 2024

Visit us online at www.packer.edu/magazine

Jennifer Weyburn Head of School

Development Office

Andrea Kelly Director of Development

Shriya Bhargava-Sears Director of Special Events

Anna Cohen Development Assistant

Ronnette Hope ’07 Director of Alumni

Susan Moore Director of Annual Giving

Aaron Heflich Shapiro Manager of Development Services

Communications Office

Anne Conway

Director of Communications

Ana Tiwathia

Assistant Director of Communications

LIana Frasca

Tori Gibbs

Communications Specialists

Visit us online at www.packer.edu

Make A Gift: www.packer.edu/giving

Board of Trustees: www.packer.edu/trustees

Alumni Association: www.packer.edu/alumni

Spring 2024

3

4 LEARN

Curriculum Close-Up: Conversing to Connect

Learning Beyond the Classroom: The Evolution of Middle School WinterSession

12 CONNECT

Argentina Comes to Brooklyn

Another Twirl Around the Maypole

Alumni Connections: Touring with Stacey Toussaint ’92 Packer’s 176th Commencement

Honoring Retiring Faculty and Staff 22

Building

Head’s Message

Being in New York City is part of what makes leading Packer my dream job. I have roots in Manhattan—my dad and his parents grew up there—and was raised in Dobbs Ferry. As an adult, I’ve spent stretches living in the city between stints elsewhere. I’ve always been a theater person, and I remember moments like the neighborhood buzz when Brooklyn Bridge Park opened. The heartache of being a New Yorker is familiar, too: I was teaching in Chinatown in September of 2001, and will never forget the feeling of being with students on that tragic day. I have felt “of” this place.

While living abroad, my fascination with how New York works—how it is and is not like other places—deepened. I recently had the pleasure of exploring this topic further while co-teaching “The Power of Democracy: NYC Government” alongside my intrepid colleague Upper School Counselor Kareem Varlack through our annual Symposium program. Students use the city as a lab of experiential learning, developing knowledge by engaging with real-world issues and problems.

The business of being with students full-time is about as different as it gets from the daily rhythms of being a school leader. How powerful and wonderful it felt to once again spend focused time developing a curriculum with a colleague, how fun to spend two weeks traversing the city together with a small group of students. The group learned about each other’s New Yorks: only one brave Mets fan identified themselves among us, pizza beat hot dogs all around, but appreciation for our city’s critter population ranged widely, with everything from the spotted lanternfly to “racoons (from a distance)” coming in as favorites. Many students were eager to learn about the city’s legal system, our elected officials, immigration, emergency services, and housing policy. We also made plans to learn more about our libraries, parks, and urban development.

We headed out into the city. Team dynamics began to emerge. Certain students took the navigational lead, advising when we had to be on the last train car to be closest to the correct exit. Several developed video projects along the way to document their learning. By the end (and with thanks to many gracious adults in the extended Packer community), we had visited a dozen offices and organizations. We witnessed a naturalization ceremony. We prepared a mock winter weather press briefing with the Office of Emergency Management. We met the mayor. We learned about the relationship between the state, the city, and the subway. We went to a firehouse, a law firm, NY State Homes and Community Renewal, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and to court more than once.

Everywhere we went, Packer students asked questions. A lot of questions. Courageous questions. And over and over again, adults who had warned that they had only a small window for our visit would stay, ignore the clock, and answer these young people’s insightful and nuanced questions about their city.

Perhaps most strikingly, almost everyone we talked to felt that they could make a difference through their work. They expressed hope. They talked about winding career paths, about following their interests and worrying less about the end goal.

Our students came away reflecting that “government truly does touch every aspect of my life.” “I used to think government was not very interesting and not so complicated,” one shared, “but I have learned about how complicated and interesting government is.” “Getting to see people working in government made me picture myself in their roles,” another wrote, “and I realized how much I could see myself in their shoes.”

This, of course, is what we mean when we talk about knowledge, empathy, and engagement as the keys to our vision of excellent education. Too often among adults, such conversations can be fraught. They become about politics. Cynicism, disillusionment, and exasperation cloud out curiosity, wonder, and reflection. We disengage. We struggle to empathize.

At the end of the class, students wrote thank you notes to the people who had hosted us. Some were learning the conventions of the handwritten note card for the first time, and they weren’t afraid to ask questions there either: why do we start writing on the bottom half and finish on the top? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Spending time with Packer students learning more about our singular city left me profoundly hopeful for its future— and for the future of the dynamic world beyond its borders.

Dr. Jennifer Weyburn Head of School

Fourth graders finish a hike during their annual trip to The Ashokan Center in the Catskills where they participate in hands-on learning in the natural sciences, social studies, and adventure education.

Learn

Curriculum Close-Up: Conversing to Connect

For Linda Brindeau and Marcella Jimenez, who teach French and Spanish respectively, one project this year has done more than just expand student learning beyond the classroom. It has forged new connections— and in some cases renewed old ones—between students and Packer professionals.

The co-designed project challenges intermediate-level language students to conduct interviews with Packer professionals across the school who speak Spanish or French. Each stage of the process, whether written or verbal, is conducted in the language—from the initial outreach, to the sit-down, to the post-interview reflections. “The goal of the activity is to show students that what they’re learning in class is directly applicable to real life,” says Brindeau.

For students, the project is not only an opportunity to practice their language skills, but to expand the connections they have with adults in different

departments, divisions, or offices across the school, as they discover the “hidden” community of French and Spanish speakers at Packer. When Jimenez first showed students a collage of Spanish-speaking Packer professionals, “It was so cool to see their surprise, because they have connections with so many people that I don’t even know about… [and then they learn] they also have this other thing in common, and they get to connect with that person in a different way.”

Students interviewed a total of 23 faculty and staff members for the project. Often, there were things they wanted to ask, but didn’t yet have the vocabulary or grammar for, like past or future tense questions. But they kept it simple, and learned new adjectives along the way: was their interviewee patient? Kind? Funny? Afterward, students presented their findings to their peers, and wrote thank you notes in the language to their interviewees.

Third Grade Teacher Roland Garrison learned French through his work and studies in Guadeloupe and Paris. Meeting his eighth grade interviewers for the first time, they “were confident and dedicated to getting their assignment done the right way.”

The bravery required to start new conversations required students to step outside their comfort zones. Before interviewing Upper School Division Head Maria Nunes, two of Brindeau’s students confessed their nervousness, sharing “my God, this is really scary!” But the project offers just the right balance of familiarity and newness that enables students to have a light bulb moment: “there’s the switch that happens where they realize they know how to do it, and they just jump right in,” Jiminez says.

Brindeau and Jimenez are excited for the future of the project, perhaps reconnecting with the same interviewees at the end of the year as students build their vocabulary and grammar. “I think it would be an interesting opportunity for them to continue fostering that connection,” says Jimenez, “maybe even with the skills to have those conversations that they really wanted to have, to track their own language evolution.”

Students were nervous using their Spanish with familiar face Middle School Administrative Assistant Daniela Cruz—and “I was nervous, too!,” she shared. ”My favorite part was the thank you note they wrote me. I love these kids.”

Class of 2027 Dean and Health Teacher Jeremy

Hawkins “hadn’t spoken fluently in a long time,” since learning Spanish in school and using it while living abroad and working in restaurants. “For one or two moments I felt very self conscious grasping for a word. But then I remembered that we were all trying something new.”

School Division Head Maria Nunes is fluent in French. “It’s so lovely to find all the different ways to connect with students,” she shared. “I would love to see more projects like this across the Packer community. We talk about learning outside of the classroom; sometimes we forget that this can include the many resources we have within the building.”

Lower School Science Teacher

Sharon Melady had just moved from Australia in 2016 and was subbing at Packer when she taught Claudia ’28 in an after school French class. Looking through old photos brought back their shared memories of French lessons past.

Upper

PACKER ARTS Upper schoolers performed in the fan favorite annual Dance Concert in February. This year’s program “Celestial Bodies” featured all original works and included over 90 student dancers along with mesmerizing production design elements by the Packer Stage Crew.

PHOTO: ADA EAGLE ’24

PACKER ATHLETICS

The Girls Varsity Tennis team persevered and won their first match in Packer history this fall. Players worked hard both on and off the court to get there, building their confidence and motivation as a team. This moment and many other Athletics highlights are celebrated on Instagram by Packer Sports Network (@packersportsnetwork), an entirely student-run Upper School club dedicated to supporting student athletes and spreading Pelican Pride.

Learning Beyond the Classroom: The Evolution of Middle School WinterSession

Each winter, middle schoolers embark on a two-day event called WinterSession. In mixed-grade groups, they immerse in learning beyond the classroom and explore an area of individual interest by visiting companies and organizations in New York City and meeting experts in the field. Students have the opportunity to choose among topics ranging from medicine to architecture, woodworking to the stock market. In the past two years, students have visited organizations as wide-ranging as the Morgan Library and Museum, Columbia University Medical Center, Google for Education, Madison Square Garden, and the New York City Ballet, among many others.

While the program existed before the pandemic, under Middle School Division Head Yves Kabore it has evolved from a one-day on-campus event to an expansive program that takes advantage of the resources of New York City and the depth of knowledge and experience within the Packer parent community network. Expanding this kind of programming that emphasizes community partnerships and cross-grade

learning is a key component of Packer’s new strategic framework, Learning Together. “I wanted this to be an experience for kids to engage in something we can’t replicate in the building,” says Yves. “I also wanted kids to experience something outside of their friend group. I think that creates more empathy in the community. When you get to know kids in other grades, you start to respect them, and your willingness to know more about them grows.”

In March 2023, History Teacher Kate Meyer took one group of middle schoolers to the Weeksville Heritage Center, an historic site and cultural center in central Brooklyn that uses education, arts, and a social justice lens to preserve, document and inspire engagement with the history of Weeksville, one of the largest free Black communities in pre-Civil War America. (Former Packer Board Chair Deborah Juantorena P’17, P’19 serves on the Weeksville board, along with Packer PA President and trustee Ainka Shackleford Turner ’92, P’31, P’34.) During their visit, Vice President of Learning and Engagement Erica Harper took the kids through

the historic Hunterfly Road Houses and had them each pick an artifact, research it, and present a story about the object and its historical significance. Student presentations were recorded and later edited into an audio tour so future visitors of the museum can learn about the artifacts and what they teach us about the history of the time.

“Telling the story about an artifact requires that you contextualize it and put it in its historical setting— which is what we do in our history curriculum,” said Ms. Meyer. “In one of the houses there was a piano which, for a Black family at that time, meant that you had arrived at a certain kind of middle class status. And why did they have a piano? Because they didn’t have television. So, everybody would learn to make some music… I think it’s a great thing for kids [interested] in history. Kids interested in science innately know how it has applications outside of school. It was fun to see [students] learn that the skills that you learn in history class are [also] transferable.”

One of the other hallmarks of the reimagined WinterSession is its connection to the Packer parent community. After Yves reached out to Middle School families last year (when the program took place in March and was briefly called “Spring Session”), 17 organizations offered to host Packer students.

By the time he was planning the 2024 WinterSession, that number had risen to 24. Sixth grade parent Coltrane Curtis spoke about the program, which takes advantage of the fact that “the school really knows who their families are and what they do.” Last year, Mr. Curtis hosted a group of students at his marketing agency Team Epiphany. In an effort to teach them about how marketing is really high-level problem solving, Mr. Curtis’s team gave students a brief from a client looking to reposition themselves. Splitting the kids into small groups, students answered the brief by building a solution with legos and pitching back what they created. “Kids at that age succeed and excel when they unlock a passion,” Mr. Curtis remarked.

The Middle School team is contemplating new ways to bring the learning from WinterSession back into the classroom. The decision to move the program from March to February was intentional, giving students a better chance to process what they had seen and learned at school immediately following their visits, rather than trying to remember details of the experience after spring break. Reflecting on the incredible outpouring of generosity from participating organizations, Yves has students send tokens of gratitude to their hosts after the visit concludes. Many thanks to everyone in the incredible Packer community and the Middle School faculty who make this hands-on program possible.

Connect

Upper School advanced calculus students visited the Early Learning Center to play and introduce some calculus concepts to Kindergarteners.

Argentina Comes to Brooklyn

In an effort to create transformative global learning opportunities for students both inside and outside the classroom, Packer launched a pilot cultural exchange program with Academia Argüello in Cordoba, Argentina last September. At the beginning of the school year, we welcomed thirteen visiting students. Guests stayed with Packer host families and experienced what life is like as a New York City high school student. Thanks to extensive planning and preparation efforts by World Language Teacher Pablo Elizaga, Argentinian students were in communication with their Packer counterparts for months leading up to their visit and felt as though they were already connected to their host families upon arrival. Students spent their days attending classes and traveling around the city to culturally significant sites. Many remarked on the warmth they experienced from the Packer community… and were surprised at how much walking students did between class periods!

This spring, Packer students will have the same opportunity as they travel to Academia Argüello for two weeks to complete the exchange experience. Through cultural exchange, students learn to transcend local boundaries and develop global leadership skills.

A special thanks to all who helped this program come together, including generous Packer host families and the Global Learning and Community Engagement team.

PHOTO: LUCAS KURZWEIL ’25

Another Twirl Around the Maypole

On a bright afternoon last May, students put on a spirited, joy-filled program of music and dance in the Garden for families, faculty, and staff at the annual May Day Arts Festival. Performances ranged from a fourth grade reboot of “Eye of the Tiger” to a division-wide presentation of the South African hymn Siyahamba. The celebration kicked off with the annual twirl around the Maypole, performed by seventh and eighth graders and choreographed by Krislyn Michel ’23.

Alumni Connections:

Touring with Stacey Toussaint ’92

Last August, Packer’s administrative leadership team held its annual retreat to plan for the school year ahead. With construction underway on the first floor of Founder’s Hall, the team decamped to a downtown office space generously offered for the day by trustee Neal McKnight. After a morning of meetings, the group took advantage of being in lower Manhattan to reconnect with Packer alum Stacey Toussaint ’92. Stacey, the founder of Inside Out Tours (insideouttours.com), led the Packer team on an educational walking tour exploring the history of slavery and the Underground

Railroad right in New York City. Stacey’s company and the tour have been featured in the New York Times and celebrated in the best-selling book How the Word is Passed for the light they shed on the lesser-known history of slavery and resistance here in the city. After generously posing with the group on the steps of the National Museum of the American Indian, Stacey shared that “it has been a pleasure to work with Packer over the years and I have many fond memories of my time as a student there.”

Packer’s 176th Commencement Packer’s 176th Commencement

“Over the last couple of months, I’ve been thinking about a community at college and how to go about achieving this, and I keep going back to one word: reflection. By reflecting on our time at Packer, we will better understand what works and what doesn’t.” —Rohan Patel ’23, Senior Speaker

At the end of the 2022-23 school year, faculty, staff, and families gathered during a well-timed patch of sunny weather between thunderstorms in the Packer Garden to commemorate the class of 2023.

It was a moving evening, as speakers recalled the growth, transformation, and unity of the seniors in the face of unprecedented challenges, recognized their unique contributions to the Packer community, and offered some advice as they moved into their next chapters.

In a return to tradition, faculty and staff in full regalia joined the procession and looked on from the audience as students received their well-earned diplomas.

Several members of the class of 2023 delivered impressive musical performances: Julien de Bréchard, Nate D’Albert, Max Guryan, and Kayla Johnson were joined by Gabe ’24 to present their rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”; Sam Dickinson, Nick Fleisher, Ian Liu, Thomas Rose, and Liam Zuckerman performed “All Your Favorite Bands” by Dawes; and Kate Enger, Phoebe Shira Krebs, Valentina Lizarazo, and Elli Stern sang “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

As dusk fell, seniors rejoined their families, friends, and other Commencement guests to soak up some last moments as Packer students during a reception in the Commons.

“There’s this pressure when you’re a teenager to want to grow up as fast as possible. But honestly, I think there’s more emotional maturity in embracing what makes you young. Children have wonderful imaginations. They aren’t afraid to dream. They embrace hope and have an innate conviction that only the best and the brightest future awaits them.”

—Nicholas Fleisher ’23, Senior Speaker

“Some of you know that I love learning Chinese. When you want to congratulate a graduate in Chinese, you can say: Zhu ni geng shang yi ceng lou. 祝你 更 上 一 层 楼 This means: I wish that you will climb to a higher floor in the pagoda. My hope is that from today, you keep on climbing, striving for more understanding.”

—Dr.

Jennifer Weyburn, Head Of School

Honoring Retiring Faculty and Staff

At the end of each school year, we recognize retiring faculty and staff members whose legacies at Packer will endure long after their departure. Last May, we said farewell to two long-serving and valued members of the Packer community: First Grade Head Teacher Cindy Copland and Middle School Math Teacher June Alpert.

Cindy Copland started at Packer in 1987, first as a third grade and then a first grade teacher. With her signature pencil in her ponytail, Cindy asked deep and thoughtprovoking questions of her young charges, and she encouraged them to do the same. At the same time, Cindy never took things too seriously (rumor has it she was personally responsible for the Hush Puppies resurgence of the late 90’s, wearing a different color for every day of the week). The well-being and growth of her colleagues was also a professional priority for Cindy. She long advocated for the use of Critical Friends Group (CFG) practices and protocols and, along with Eric Baylin, Monika Johnston, and Tim Jensen, and for many years ran the monthly faculty professional development program, “TGT” (Teacher Growth Tuesdays).

June Alpert was part of the Packer community for 10 years, first as a parent, then, starting in 2003, as a faculty member, teaching math to sixth to ninth graders. In addition to her work in the classroom, June led the 7th and 8th Grade Math Club and participated in the Ndonyo-Wasin partnership. Prior to becoming a teacher, June had a 20-year career in finance and brought her wealth of real-world experience into the classroom, including leading popular Middle School Winter Sessions on money and investing. June set high expectations for her students and described some of her best moments to be when kids have a “lightbulb” moment, and exclaim, “Oh, now I get it!”

We thank Cindy and June for all they have done for Packer’s community and wish them the very best going forward.

As part of the annual Upper School Symposium program, a group of seniors traveled to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. During a phone-free week in the forest, they snowshoed, prepared meals, reconnected over Bananagrams, and learned to work as a team.

Lower School students check out a rendering of the plans for the new Garden House and Garden on the green construction hoarding. Part of the renovated Garden will be ready for play in September 2024. The new Garden House will open as a purpose-built home for the Lower School in September 2025. Learn more on our website: www.packer.edu/gardenhouse

Advance

A New Upper School Space

This past fall, the Pierson Co-Lab opened on the first floor of Founder’s Hall. Created by combining the Pierson Room with Dr. Weyburn’s old office, this beautiful, multifaceted space was specifically designed to meet the needs of adolescent learners. Upper Schoolers can study, collaborate, and relax in an environment less boisterous than the Commons but not as quiet as Blackburne Library. Since opening, the Co-Lab has become home to the portrait of its namesake, former Head of School Geoff Pierson (who also, in his time, offered up his office to create more room for students). The central open space is a popular ninth grade hangout option, while the small meeting breakout rooms are often in use by upperclassmen. We look forward to seeing how use of the space will evolve over time in the hands of our students.

The Pierson Co-Lab was designed by renowned architecture firm WORKac, whose principals Amale Andraos and Dan Wood are also committed educators. Packer trustee Anne Marie Lubrano ’87, P’24 shared some thoughts on what being involved in stewarding the project has meant to her:

It is extremely exciting to witness the process unfold as [WORKac] teams up with Jen Weyburn, our first female Head of School, who is so deeply committed to an engaged student-based educational model. As an alum, a Packer parent, and an architect myself, it is moving to watch these three creative educators collaborate—honoring Packer’s historic facility while reinventing our campus with spaces appropriately tailored to the development of each student division.

PHOTO: JBRUCE

Building A Sustainable Packer

Packer recognizes our responsibility as a school in the global fight against climate change. We are committed to prioritizing sustainability on campus, particularly as we preserve and adapt our historic facilities. We aim to make campus more energy and resource efficient, safer, and to improve the quality of indoor and outdoor environments in service to student learning, health, and wellness.

A number of large projects in recent years have had sustainability at their heart. The state-of-the-art

Early Learning Center is the first preschool in New York built to “Passive House” standards, the world‘s leading standard in energy efficient construction.

The new Garden House includes an investment in materials, equipment, and systems with future building standards and decreased energy and water usage in mind. For example, the structure of the building will be Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), harvesting naturally renewable timber in lieu of carbon-intensive steel or concrete, and the Garden House will have all-electric mechanical systems.

Packer also conducted a full energy audit in 2022 to introduce energy consumption data and give us the ability to reflect on yearly goals based on these results.

To help us advance our sustainability work in an even more systematic and holistic way, we have partnered

this year with Atelier Ten, a leading environmental design consulting firm. This new partnership is helping Packer develop a comprehensive institutional plan to:

• Increase sustainability across campus operations

• Enhance regulatory compliance and risk mitigation

• Provide opportunities to further integrate sustainability into our curriculum

• Have a positive environmental and community impact as a school

Our sustainability planning will encompass every aspect of Packer as a dynamic organization. Focus areas include Energy & Carbon; Health & Wellness; Water & Landscape; Materials & Waste; Operations & Maintenance; and Communication & Engagement.

This year, the Packer facilities team began meeting with Atelier Ten and groups of interested faculty members to review existing conditions and begin to develop a long-term strategy. As with everything we do, collaboration with students, faculty, staff, and families will be an important ongoing part of the work. If you are interested in learning more, getting involved, or supporting Packer’s ongoing sustainability work, reach out to Director of Campus Operations David Sasscer (dsasscer@packer.edu). Building a more sustainable Packer will involve the whole flock!

News from the Board of Trustees

Packer’s Board of Trustees periodically elects new members, while the service of other members comes to an end. Our trustees serve three-year terms, many serving for more than one term. In June 2023, the Board welcomed four Packer parents—two of whom are also alumni—to serve as trustees.

Leadership also transitioned, as Marnie Brooke Worth ’88, P’22 assumed the role of Chair from OhSang Kwon P’17, P’22

In a note to the community, Dr. Weyburn thanked OhSang, who remains a trustee, for his service as Chair: “OhSang’s steadfast, visionary leadership over these past three years enabled us to continue providing an excellent education across one of the most challenging and dynamic chapters in our school’s history. He also led the Board in the creation of our new strategic framework Learning Together which will guide Packer moving into the future.”

Adrienne Ellman ’99 attended Packer from Grades 1 through 12 and is now a Packer parent with children in the Classes of 2031 and 2034. A mergers and acquisitions partner at Hogan Lovells US LLP in the life sciences, healthcare, and tech industries, Adrienne holds a BA from Williams College and a JD from Northeastern University School of Law. Adrienne sits on the Finance Committee, the Risk Management Committee, and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

Jerry Lee has been a Packer parent since 2014, and has children in the Classes of 2026 and 2028. Jerry is a partner at Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he advises biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. He holds a BA from Yale and an MBA from Wharton. Jerry is a member of the Finance and Buildings & Grounds Committees.

Ainka Shackleford

Turner ’92 attended Packer from grades 8 through 12 and is a Packer parent. She and fellow alum William Turner ’90 have children in the classes of 2031 and 2034. Ainka holds a BFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and an MBA from Fordham University. She has worked as a photo editor at Time Warner publications and as a freelance writer and screenwriter. Ainka served on the Alumni Board from 2001-2012, as President of that body from 2006-2010. She has served on the Packer Parent Association since 2016, currently in the role of President. Ainka serves on the Buildings & Grounds Committee and the Development Committee.

We are grateful to all of our trustees, who volunteer their expertise, time, and resources so generously to our community. Learn more about all the members at www.packer.edu/trustees

Sean Ward is a Packer parent with children in the classes of 2031 and 2034. He is a Senior Managing Director of Blue Owl Capital Inc. and serves as a member of the GP Strategic Capital Investment Team. Sean currently serves on the Leadership Council of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, a nonprofit focused on human rights issues and a “social good” approach to business and investment. Sean received his JD, magna cum laude, from the Duke University School of Law and a BA, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. Sean serves on the Development and Finance Committees.

Alexa Eccles P’28, P’30, Hillary Ripley P’18, Meghan Sheetz P’23, P’24, P’26 and Andrea Kelly P’10, P’13, whose terms concluded at the end of the 2022-23 school year, were thanked for their service, and Andrea rejoined the Packer administration as Director of Development. Three trustees were re-elected to new three-year terms: Reed Lowenstein, P’24, P’26, Meera Marti P’28, P’30, P’31, P’34, and AJ Pires P’28, P’30.

In addition to Board Chair Marnie Worth ’88, P’20, P’22, officers for 2022-23 are: Jamillah Hoy-Rosas ’94, P’22, P’27, Vice Chair; Reed Lowenstein P’24, P’26, Treasurer; Neal McKnight P’15, P’18, P’22, Secretary; Evan Roth P’27, Meera Marti P’28, P’30, P’31, P’34 and AJ Pires P’28, P’30, At Large.

Alumni News

Former Math Teacher June Alpert and Julia Kelly ‘10 reconnect at the 2023 Reunion cocktail party.

Dear Fellow Alumni,

We are Packer’s mission living in action, as your experiences and contributions to the community echo far beyond Joralemon Street. As I reflect this year upon what it means to be a Packer alum, I’ve spent a lot of time connecting with recent graduates. I find that regardless of whether they graduated one, ten, or fifty years ago, Packer alums nevertheless feel an immediate kinship with one another, a fondness, and a recognition. I’m also delighted to share the impact we are having close to home: nine alumni now sit on the Packer Board of Trustees, including Board Chair Marnie Brooke Worth ’88, contributing their essential voices and experiences to the long-term care of our school.

If you’d like to reconnect with Packer, receive correspondence and alumni news, or send me a Class Note for next year’s magazine, there are many ways to get in touch:

• Join us for Packer Reunion: Friday, April 19 + Saturday, April 20. All are welcome as we celebrate classes ending in 4 and 9

• Stay in touch by updating your contact information at www.packer.edu/alumni

• Follow us on Instagram @packer_alumni and @packercollegiate, on Facebook, and find our LinkedIn group: “Packer Collegiate Institute Alumni”

• Check out Packer’s news feed at www.packer.edu/news to read about the latest happenings on campus

• Watch your inbox for periodic Alumni Newsletters and your mailbox for The Packer Magazine

• Email me at rhope@packer.edu if you have ideas about new ways for alumni to connect to each other or the school. Want to speak to a class, connect with Packer teachers, or host a regional meetup? Reach out!

With purpose and heart,

Ronnette Hope ’07 Director of Alumni

Alumni Director Ronnette Hope ’07 with Trustee Francisco Tezen ’93.

Reunited

Reunion was back in full swing last May. From a cozy cocktail party to a celebratory Chapel, the triumphant return of the Alumni v. Student Basketball Game, and even a side trip to Broadway, it was an action-packed weekend full of Pelican Pride.

The festivities kicked off the Tuesday before with a presentation in the Chapel by Upper School students from “Advanced Topics in Making History: Conducting Scholarly Research in the Archives.” Students in the course conduct original research to gain insight into Packer’s history by using the materials in the school’s archives at the Center for Brooklyn History. Alumni attendees learned about the transition to co-education of Packer, the Pratt Theater’s architecture, the experience of Black girls at Packer during the Civil Rights Movement, and much more.

The main event began Friday night with a cocktail reception where old classmates and faculty mingled, noshed, and bid farewell to the beloved Imagination Station playground. On Saturday, Tracey Peay Mina ’83 received the Alumni of Honor Award for a lifelong career as an educator. Tracey currently serves as the Head of School at Stuyvesant Heights Montessori. Receiving the Joan Buehler Eisenstein ’51 Award for Service, Cynthia Gardstein ’66 IVAc was honored for her work as a Packer trustee, lending her architectural skill to the development of the Early Learning Center, as well as for her tireless contributions to the alumni community as a class agent and co-correspondent. Also in attendance were three Alumni Board members celebrating banner reunions in 2023, Gabriella Antonio ’13 (who commutes from Philadelphia for Board meetings), Adrian Purcell ’03, and trustee Francisco Tezen ’93

PHOTO: LUCAS KURZWEIL ’25

Perhaps the highlight of the festivities was the Alumni v. Student Basketball Game, a Packer tradition making its post-Covid return. With coaching help from legendary Physical Education Teacher Rich Domanico, the “OGs” (alums from the early aughts or before), were able to give the “Young Bucks” (more recent grads) an old-school run for their money. While in the end experience prevailed, the lively game was a fun afternoon of healthy intergenerational sportsmanship and a chance for alumni of different generations to connect with each other and with current Packer students. Photographers from the Upper School student club Packer Sports Network were there to capture all the action. During a post-game interview conducted by Lucy ’26, Robert Vitali ’17 challenged more current students to come out for the game next year.

To cap off a weekend full of camaraderie and connection, several alumni joined the cast of the Upper School Spring Musical Urinetown on a trip to watch Kimberly Marable ’01 as Velma Kelly in Chicago: The Musical on Broadway. Kimberly was gracious enough to answer questions after the show from the budding thespians and former classmates about her career as a Broadway actress. But there was nothing better than a hug for a job well done from former Lower School Teacher Inger Kristiansen, who also attended the performance.

To see more photos from the weekend visit flickr.com/packercollegiateinstitute

PHOTO: LUCAS KURZWEIL ’25

Alumni Events

Summer Meetup

The 2023 Young Alumni Summer Social for the alums from the classes of 2003-2019 was a hit, with burgers and belly laughs at two8two Bar & Burger, a neighborhood favorite. Everyone engaged in some Packer trivia. Hint: the answer is “Katherine Sloan Pratt Hall.”

Brooklyn Independent School Networking Event

Attendees at the annual Brooklyn Independent School Networking Event last September mingled while learning more about the unprecedented job market from alumni volunteers who offered their expertise as executive coaches. Alex Jones ’08, Head of Talent Acquisition at a New York City law firm, was on hand reviewing resumes and helping folks refresh LinkedIn profiles. Some even snagged a complimentary headshot.

Pelicans of Color Reception

Pelicans of Color gathered in person for the first time since the pandemic in February 2023. They were well-fed by Hope Johnson ’13 (the warm cacio e pepe popcorn left quite an impression), and it was a lovely evening connecting several generations of Packer alumni to each other.

International Relations Club at Tufts

Last April, Head of School Jen Weyburn, Learning Specialist (and Boston bakery expert) Patrick Buzzell, and Alumni Director Ronnette Hope chaperoned the Upper School International Relations Club on their annual trip to Tufts University for a weekend-long global issues simulation program. A group of 17 Packer students engaged deeply with the topic of “Global Reparations for Slavery” in committees with students from across the country. The weekend capped off with a pizza party where several Packer alumni who are current undergraduates at Tufts mingled with their former classmates and shared the wisdom of their college experience.

Meet Me in St. Louis

In early December, a group of Packer professionals in St. Louis for the NAIS People of Color Conference (PoCC) met up with several alumni studying at Washington University. Upperclassmen Josh Epstein ’20 and Sara Gerson ’21 shared their campus wisdom with freshmen Rohan Patel ’23 and Elli Stern ’23. The group discovered where their friend groups and majors overlapped. We even had a special guest! Steven Mercado ’08, Lower School Director at The Duke School (NC), was also in town for PoCC and popped in to see his little sister Zoe Mercado ’20, who is finishing up her last semester at WashU.

Recent Graduates Pizza and Hoops

In December, recent graduates were invited back to campus for pizza and a boys varsity home basketball game, where they packed the bleachers in the second floor gym. For many college-age alumni, it was their first time back on campus since graduation. They seemed surprised that while they felt different, Packer still felt familiar. While the team didn’t prevail on the court, the holiday season Pelican Pride was strong.

And Now What?

The Alumni Office hosted the annual “...And now what?” College Alumni panel, where the senior class heard from recent graduates about how to make the most of college, regardless of where you end up. Thank you Archie Caride ’19, Christina Young ’20, Owen Smith ’21, Jun Reiss ’22, Charlie Susser ’22, and Krislyn Michel ’23 for sharing the wisdom of your college experiences—from “go on that hike once even if you hate the outdoors” to “if it’s not fun now, it will be a funny story later.” (Also: “go to office hours!”).

To stay informed about upcoming alumni events, check our website www.packer.edu/alumni/events, follow @packer_alumni on Instagram, or find the latest Alumni Newsletter in your email inbox.

PHOTO: DAVID DEAN

Alumni Storytellers

One of the ways we measure the success of our school’s mission is by recognizing and celebrating the remarkable achievements of Packer graduates. Our alumni so often go on to make impressive contributions to their communities. This year we spotlighted a number of celebrated alumni authors.

In November, on Packer’s 112th Founder’s Day— our annual commemoration of Harriet Packer and the literal and figurative foundation she provided the school—we welcomed author Joelle Wellington ’16 to speak to the Upper School. Joelle’s recently released debut novel, Their Vicious Games, is a dark academic tale described as “Ready or Not” meets “The Bachelor.”

Joelle shared reflections on how her self-confidence and determination continue to grow and transform

as she navigates being a young Black female writer. As a student, she was encouraged by former faculty members like English Teacher Eric Weisberg and Arts Department Head Debbie Pressman to explore and deepen her penchant for storytelling. When her confidence was rattled over the years, whether by rejections from publishers or peers questioning her skill, she turned to her community. While her time at Packer was complicated, full of both joys and challenges, the deep friendships she formed at school helped ground and uplift her in adulthood.

Packer’s legacy of authorship and storytelling were also on display a few weeks later during an alumni authors panel featuring Joelle and three additional distinguished female panelists: Victoria Flexner ’07, Suzanne Koven ’75, and Marcel Rosa-Salas ’09.

The authors reflected on how the pandemic allowed them time to focus on their writing, something that was easy to not prioritize when the obligations of “normal” life were in play. The panelists also discussed the pros and cons of self-publishing (the consensus: it’s helpful to have the support and structure of a publishing house of any size) and their approach to social media. They also shared tips for overcoming writer’s block. Joelle goes back ten pages to find where she made a wrong turn, while Victoria wisely suggested “if you can’t write, read.”

Thank you to all of our alumni authors for sharing their work. Add their titles to your reading list!