The Packer Magazine — Summer 2015

PACKER The

S U MMER 2015

Magazine

Ten Evolving Traditions Ten Steps Towards the Future Faculty Roundtable Students Make History

THE PACKER MAGAZINE

THE PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

Editor Karin Storm Wood

Head of School Bruce L. Dennis

Photography Karin Storm Wood and contributors as noted

Director of Development Sara Shulman

Design Karin Storm Wood Class Notes Development Office, with assistance from Jen Weisbrich

Board of Trustees Leadership

Director of Alumni Dona Metcalf Laughlin Director of Communications Karin Storm Wood Director of Annual Giving Susan Moore

Chair Ronan Harty P’15, P’17, P’20 Vice Chair Anne Giddings Kimball ’55 IVAc Treasurer LisaMarie Casey P’16, P’17 Secretary Karen Tayeh P’09, P’17

Manager of Development Services Aaron Heflich Shapiro The Packer Magazine is published twice 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 Development Office.

The Packer Collegiate Institute © 2015 Packer is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Development Associate Shriya Bhargava-Sears

Alumni Association Board Leadership President Geoffrey Brewer ’82, P’26

Alumni Office

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www.packer.edu

Vice President Sasha Baumrind ’00 Secretary Laura Elizabeth DeMarco ’63 IVAc Director Emeritus Ellin Rosenzweig ’52

PACKER

The

Magazine

SUMMER 2015

3 From the Head of School 4 On Campus 14 Performing Arts 16 Athletics

20 P O I N T / CO U N T E RP O I N T

Grounded in Rich Traditions

Trey Davis ’17, a sophomore in the Independent Science Research Program (ISRP), presents his preliminary research at the annual Science Symposium. The ISRP is one of ten educational advances juxtaposed in this issue’s cover story with ten Packer traditions.

With its Gothic arches and stained glass windows, Packer looks like a fairly traditional place. But an examination of ten beloved Packer traditions reveals a school that knows how to honor its history without becoming beholden to the past.

Embracing

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On the cover: The May Day Arts Festival, whose highlight is the maypole dance, has been a Packer tradition for decades.

the Future

A strong institution, no matter how celebrated, never rests on its laurels. Consistent program development over the past decade has yielded ten exciting curricular advances to provide an outstanding education to every Packer student, today and tomorrow.

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Changes over Time

Fourteen veteran members of the faculty and staff discuss the changes they have seen and the traditions they have come to love over the past four decades.

Packer Students Make History

A hands-on project based in the School’s archives asks 10th Grade students to engage deeply in U.S. history by writing it themselves.

PA News Alumni News Class Notes In Memoriam

Sixth grade students testdrive the interactive games and animations they created with Scratch, one of several programming languages in Packer’s computer science curriculum.

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From the Head of School

RAOUL BROWN

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his April, I welcomed back many generations of Packer alumni, including two wonderful members of the Class of 1940 celebrating their 75th Reunion! It is humbling to meet so many people who have loved and supported the School since long before my arrival and who will continue to do so far into the future.

My conversations with alumni often turn to the changes that have occurred at Packer since their time here. In any beloved place, change can be controversial. After all, there is something magical about the space and time in which young people come of age, and the desire to preserve it is natural. Yet innovation is essential for an institution to remain effective.

One might assume that the tension between preservation and change could be resolved by achieving a perfect equilibrium between tradition and innovation. However, a close look at Packer’s most beloved and long-standing traditions reveals an important truth: even traditions are subject to the passage of time.

Few today would argue against the conversion of the Christmas Pageant into Winter Celebration and the Winter Sings.

Similarly, few would revert the Garden to a manicured lawn where play is forbidden.

Few would dismantle our beautiful Middle School building (seen at left and above), our Mandarin program, or coeducation in the Upper School! Yet each of those changes, which we now take for granted, was once deemed unnecessary or inadvisable.

In a healthy institution, traditions cannot be wholly preserved, nor should they be.

Allowing traditions to change and evolve keeps them vital and meaningful. And at Packer, traditions are fixed only for as long as they serve our students best. In short, preservation befits a museum. Evolution befits a school.

This issue’s cover story offers a point/ counterpoint that considers this theme.

Guided by the opening phrase of our mission statement, Grounded in rich traditions while embracing the future, it examines ten beloved and evolving Packer traditions alongside ten advances in our educational program.

Both halves of the story reveal a consistent commitment to excellence. Rather than rest on its laurels, Packer tirelessly takes on the work of assessing and improving our educational program. As you will see, both our innovations and our traditions evolve through that commitment.

An accompanying story in this issue of The Packer Magazine takes the form of a roundtable discussion among veteran members of our faculty and staff. I think you will appreciate their insiders’ view on what has changed and what has stayed constant over the past four decades.

Please join me in this celebration of Packer’s traditions, its future, and the spirit of evolution that links the two.

Bruce L. Dennis

SUMMER 2015 | 3

On Campus

Play, Passion, Mastery: Finding the Authentic Self in Music

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n a wide-ranging lecture drawing on music, literature, and psychology, Upper School Choral Director and 2013-15 Babbott Chair Esther Liu Harris engaged the Upper School in an interactive lecture entitled “Serious Fun.” Punctuated by impromptu discussions between students, video clips of musicians in performance, and a Chapel-wide sing-along, her presentation revealed the importance of deep engagement in both learning and personal development.

The most natural form of deep engagement is play, she said. It is also a form of learning, she added, quoting Albert Einstein: “Play is the highest form of research.”

Musicians have powerful access to this kind of engagement, Ms. Harris asserted, because music is a source of joy for them. That joy motivates them to stay engaged even through challenges, yielding a powerful combination of work and play. This, she said, is “serious fun.”

These ideas apply to any endeavor, not only music. “If you enjoy doing something, you will repeat the task again and again, and you will get better at it,” Ms. Harris said. As their proficiency increases, students begin to perceive that they can in fact master the task, which creates a positive feedback loop that further fuels their motivation. “If you stick to that task, it can and will become your passion.”

Ms. Harris sought to clarify what she meant by ‘passion.’

“It does not mean an inborn ability. It can be any activity that you choose to pursue with time and hard work. That activity will become your passion, but only if you are willing

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to work at it, willing to take some risks, and willing to apply patience and self-control.” Best of all, she continued, once you pursue an activity to the point of mastery, you find in it “your authentic self.”

To illustrate the authentic self, she turned to an unexpected example: the moment in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when Harry realizes that he can win the Triwizard Tournament but instead chooses to help a fallen opponent.

Ms. Harris called Harry’s decision to forego victory and do the right thing an expression of his authentic self.

It is often easier to “go with the flow,” she noted, than to “do the right thing, like ask yourself the difficult questions, reflect on your own actions, or listen to yourself from within.

You can’t be true to yourself if you [aren’t aware of ] your authentic self to begin with.”

To drive home the power of music to uncover that awareness, she finished by leading the entire Chapel in a chorus of the American spiritual “We Shall Never Die.” Head of School Bruce L. Dennis remarked that Ms. Harris “exceeded her goal of giving each person at least one idea or thought to consider. I knew when I first asked her to serve as the Babbott Chair that she would not disappoint. It was indeed ‘serious fun!’”

The Babbott Chair was established in 1977 to “recognize the scholarly pursuits and teaching excellence of faculty members at Packer in the fields of literature and the arts.” Ms. Harris delivered her first Babbott lecture, “Finding the Flow,” in the spring of 2014.

Jack Seibert ’15 (left) and Ruby Bridges ’20

Lauren Kingsley ’15 (left) and Sara Van Horn ’16

Hundred-Strong “Kids Walk” Team Wins Pierson Leadership Award

Students Receive National Honors

In 2001, a group of Packer eighth graders led by Sophie Staples-Vangel organized a walkathon to raise money to support pediatric cancer research.

Their efforts — the first-ever “Kids Walk for Kids with Cancer” — grew into an annual fundraising event in New York and New Jersey. In the 14 years since, students from dozens of schools have participated, raising $2.6 million for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

This year’s Packer contingent was its largest ever, with 105 students, faculty, and parents from all divisions. Team leaders Emily Kessler ’15 and ChloeKate Abel ’15 generated enthusiasm

Jack Seibert ’15 was awarded a National Merit Scholarship, putting him in the top one percent of high school seniors nationwide who participated.

Following the New York City Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, in which Packer received a total of 130 honors (a school record), seventh grader Ruby Bridges ’20 won a National Scholastic award for art.

Lauren Kingsley ’15 won a National Scholastic award for personal essay/ memoir and Sara Van Horn ’16 won two National Scholastic awards for poetry.

for the fundraiser by devising the “Why I Walk” wall, where students at each participating New York-area school posted sneaker-shaped statements of support before the event.

This year, Packer’s Kids Walk team won the J. Geoffrey Pierson Award for Leadership — as it did in 2005, when the students who originally founded the Walk graduated.

“Being involved in Kids Walk has taught me so much about community,” said Emily. “There are many kids there who are just recovering, and people who are walking for them. Cancer is a brutal disease, yet I’ve never been in a place with so much hope as the Walk.”

re g iona l w inners THE ART OF SCIENCE

If you find yourself on the second floor of the Science Building, you may see this striking mural by Lisa Shah ’15. Juxtaposing subatomic particles, DNA, and neurons alongside a rocket, a genetically engineered stag, and space itself, the 7' x 12' mural

Tobias Jaroslaw ’15 (right) and William Merrill ’15, seniors

celebrates the interconnectedness of the sciences. “I wanted to show how the smallest things in life are connected to the biggest,” she said.

Lisa is considering a career in medicine and will be attending the University of Rochester in the fall.

enrolled in Packer’s Independent Science Research Program, were invited to present their research at the New York regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium ( JSHS) and the preliminary round of the New York City Science and Engineering Fair (NYCSEF). Toby won the top physics prize at JSHS for the scripts he programmed to model ampacity — the amount of electrical current that can be sent through an electrical cable safely and efficiently.

At the High School Latin Sight Translation Competition, Shayne Rothman ’16 earned first place and Charlotte Youkilis ’16 earned third place in the Caesar sight translation.

Toby Jaroslaw ’15 with a sample of the copper cable whose ampacity he modeled using computer scripts.

SUMMER 2015 | 5

An Early-Childhood Educator with Impact Across the School

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indergarten teacher Semeka Smith-Williams is “one of the first people to step up to volunteer to take on a challenging assignment or responsibility,” said Head of School Bruce L. Dennis, as he presented her with the Parent Association Excellence in Teaching Chair for 2015-16 at a general faculty meeting in the Packer Chapel.

Semeka SmithWilliams with her charges (the Kindergarten Whales) and their charges (newlyhatched chicks)

The annual award acknowledges and celebrates the professional achievements of Packer’s master teachers who demonstrate consistent excellence through their ability to inspire and educate Packer students.

Dr. Dennis praised Ms. Smith-Williams for her “skilled and highly effective” classroom teaching during her nine years at Packer. A 1997 graduate of Wesleyan University, she earned her Masters at Bank Street College, then taught at the Summerbridge Program, Manhattan Country School, and the Community Partnership Charter School.

Farewell to a Fantastic Four A former lawyer, Barbara Moore taught at many grade levels during her 26 years at Packer, including 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, and 6th Grade. She also oversaw Model Congress. “Barbara has trained hundreds of Middle School students to speak in Chapel, honed their presentation skills, and made them more effective speakers among their peers,” said Dr. Dennis, naming just a few ways in which she leaves her mark.

Jacque Jones, the Database Manager in the Development Office and former Assistant Director of Development, is retiring after 21 years.

“Jacque has been the quintessential behind-the-scenes person who makes

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The selection committee also recognized Ms. SmithWilliams’s service as the co-leader of Packer’s mentor-teacher program and for her role as the Lower School Diversity Coordinator.

An active member of the NYSAIS Diversity Committee for the past three years, Ms. Smith-Williams’s impact is felt across the state as well. Calling her “a true force in the larger independent school community,” Dr. Dennis recognized her contributions beyond Packer’s walls. This year, she has presented at a NYSAIS conference (on expanding early childhood curriculum to include diversity) and at a diversity conference for early-childhood educators (on integrating diversity into “emergent” units, i.e., explorations of topics in which the students have collectively shown interest).

“She is among the most respected teacher voices promoting equity, justice, and inclusive practice in our entire city,” said Dr. Dennis.

Ms. Smith-Williams is the ninth recipient of the award, which was established ten years ago with a $150,000 endowment gift to the School from the Packer Parent Association.

“The outpouring of love, encouraging words, and support has been gratifying,” she wrote in an email to the community in the days after the announcement.

Ms. Smith-Williams’s teaching style reflects her conviction that learning in younger students is constant. “Everything is a learning experience. There is something to be gained from every interaction, story, trip, activity,” she says. Teachers of young learners must therefore “appreciate the unpredictable.

You won’t have the answers to everything.”

Her students’ insatiable interests energize her. “In place of judgment, Kindergartners have curiosity. That’s what makes teaching Kindergarten so much fun.”

retirement, however: his wife, Chris Rush, remains a Lower School librarian. everything work, a great friend to Packer Temmo Figueroa, Packer’s and an unsung hero,” said Dr. Dennis. night maintenance foreman, Retirement will allow Jacque, president of is retiring after 15 years of the Hymn Society of the U.S. and Canada, nightly restoration of the more time to devote to that work. building to prepare for the Another departing teacher, one who next school day. At a party in seems part of the fiber of the School, is his honor, faculty and staff offered visual arts teacher Ken Rush. “A praccountless examples of times they relied ticing and very talented artist himself, on him to save an event from Ken has served as a role model, mendisaster — or ­to offer them tor, and educator to two generations of investment tips! Not only an younger artists,” said Dr. Dennis. During expert mechanic, carpenter, his 37 years at Packer, Ken not only and plumber, Temmo is also inspired countless art students but also a skilled real estate investor. served as historian and guardian of the He plans to relocate to Port School’s art and architecture. Ken will St. Lucie, FL, where he recently not venture too far from Packer in his purchased a retirement property.

Mission accomplished: 8th grade students and advisor Nitya York with author Jay Asher

Eighth Graders Speak Out Against Heteronormativity

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n December 2014, popular author Jay Asher visited Packer to speak to Middle School students, many of them fans of his book Thirteen Reasons Why, a young-adult novel with an anti-bullying message. Asher has been speaking to teens nationally about bullying and suicide prevention.

While his visit was a highlight of the first semester, eighth graders in the Middle School LGBTQ Club — all of them fans of his book — were left with a concern. With guidance from their advisor, 7th and 8th Grade Dean Nitya York, they sent him a letter: We appreciate the work that you are doing to support children who feel isolated or are at risk for suicide.

We especially would like to thank you because LGBTQ teenagers are at a higher risk for suicide than heterosexual teenagers.

However, we want to draw your attention to the fact that some of the things you said in your speech were heteronormative… Because you will be traveling and relaying this message to many children across the nation, we want to make sure that you are aware of the members of the LGBTQ community whom you will be addressing.

You are influencing so many children in such a positive way, so we hope that you will help to form a sense of inclusion for all students…

Asher replied by requesting a meeting with the students, and a few weeks later, an extraordinary lunchtime conversation took place between the bestselling author and 11 eighth graders in the Alumni Room one February day.

Asher thanked the students for their letter and for delivering their request in a way that “anyone would want to hear.”

“What exactly did you change about the speeches you are making across the country?” one student asked. (During his first visit, and throughout his U.S. tour, Asher had asked the boys in the audience if a girl had ever broken up with them.)

“The question I ask now is simply, ‘Have you ever been dumped?’” Asher replied.

Another student praised his earlier visit. “Your talk was great. Your [anti-bullying] message is one that people need to hear. But the heteronormativity, which is so prevalent — it’s like there’s a switch that clicks and says, This is not for you.”

Asher acknowledged this problem. “If I have something to say, wouldn’t I want to say it in a way that includes as many people as possible?,” he asked rhetorically. “That goes back to your letter. You wrote it in a respectful way so that I would listen.”

The author acknowledged how impressed he was with the assembled students. “I was never as cool as this in middle school, standing up for what I believed in.”

“Packer makes this type of thing pretty easy,” responded a student. “[Teachers] encourage discussion of diversity issues.

It’s incorporated all around the School.”

After the lunch, the students celebrated the unanticipated success of their letter. The sense of accomplishment they felt was palpable: “We did a thing! We did a thing!” one of them exclaimed, satisfaction beaming from her face.

Packer’s mission statement concludes with three goals for students: Think deeply, speak confidently, and act with purpose and heart. A clearer embodiment than what was on display in the Alumni Room would be hard to find.

d estination ima g ination : fourth g ra d ers e x ce l In May, four teams of 4th graders competed in the Brooklyn Structure Showcase, a “Destination Imagination” competition among Brooklyn independent schools. Destination Imagination is a nonprofit whose goal is “to inspire and equip students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders.”

At the competition, each team had to present an eight-minute creative performance they had prepared in advance and solve an engineering challenge using only balsa wood, adhesive tape, glue, and playing cards — in 20 minutes.

Packer’s “Seven Radioactive Smarties” team earned first place. Two other Packer teams finished in the top six.

SUMMER 2015 | 7

p ac k er ’ s man of l etters recei v es the b a b b ott chair At an all-faculty meeting in May, Head of School Bruce L. Dennis announced the appointment of Upper School English teacher Peter Melman as the Frank L. Babbott Chair of Literature and the Arts for 2015-17.

In his remarks, Dr. Dennis called Dr. Melman “the quintessential teaching artist.”

Dr. Melman is a published author of scholarly essays, creative nonfiction, poetry, short fiction, textbooks, and novels. His book Landsman: A Novel was published in 2008, the same year he joined the Upper School English faculty. Since then he has guided hundreds of Packer writers.

There’s an app for that For his senior thesis, Storm Alexander ’15 set out to design and program a mobile app to help next year’s Middle and Upper School students navigate the new schedule [see page 21]. The conceptual and programming challenges were significant, he said, but he persevered.

Packer Scheduler is now available for Android at Google Play.

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A Math Educator who Puts His Students at “the Heart of Everything”

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ameer Shah, the Stutt Chair of Math, Science, and Technology, was a recipient this spring of Northwestern University’s 2015 Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award. Samantha Paige Yi ’11, a Packer alumna and a newly minted graduate of Northwestern, recommended Mr. Shah to the award committee.

Upon being named a finalist, Mr. Shah wrote to the committee, “I make sure [my students] lead me to deep mathematical understandings rather than the other way around.”

It wasn’t always so, he said recently.

In his eight years in the profession, his teaching strategies have evolved.

“When I first started — like many less experienced educators — I tended to do a lot of I-we-you teaching. That is, I explain something, we do a problem together, then you practice it.”

He has since shifted his approach “from the teacher being the center of the classroom, which I experienced when I was young, to the students being the heart of everything.” This shift reflects the fact that collaborative, project-based learning is more engaging for students, in part because it mirrors the struggles and breakthroughs of practitioners of the discipline: mathematicians themselves.

In a unit on sequences and series in Advanced Precalculus, he gives students

an open-ended problem: If you arrange 250 toothpicks in a certain pattern, how large will the completed pattern be?

Mostly using “brute force” methods, the students figure it out, says Mr. Shah.

“But then I say, ‘What if you had 11,294 toothpicks?’ Suddenly the brute force methods fail.”

He asks his students to work on the expanded problem at home. “It is incredible how far some of them get.

When they go down a wrong turn, they just persevere: they look at the patterns from a different point of view, which ends up sparking the insight that points to the solution or something close to it.”

Once the students have explored some concrete examples of a concept — made less daunting through playful, open-ended explorations, such as the game the students pictured above are engaged in — they begin to determine patterns and formulas.

He also encourages his students to view themselves, not just him, as mathematical authorities.

“Sam balances so well the desire to help students master the material with the insistence that they ‘do the heavy lifting’ themselves, to use his words,” said Amy Hand, Chair of the Math Department. “His constant willingness to examine his own practice and try new approaches makes him an incredibly effective teacher.”

New Leaders for Key Roles

in the s p ot l i g ht

Tené Adero Howard has been

appointed as Packer’s first Director of Global Outreach, Service, and Sustainability. She is a 1997 graduate of Packer with a BA from Amherst College and a Masters in International Educational Development from Columbia University Teachers College.

Before her appointment, Tené was the Director of Training and Education at Global Kids, a New York-based organization that offers quality globally-focused programming for students in 5th through 12th grades in New York City, Washington, DC, and abroad. She previously worked at Harlem Children’s Zone as a media and curriculum consultant and academic counselor. She has led programs in South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

“Under Tené’s guidance and leadership, I anticipate that Packer will assume a position of national prominence in our school’s efforts to address these vital programmatic areas around which much of our strategic plan was conceived,” said Head of School Bruce L. Dennis.

“Packer has grown so much since I walked these halls, and it is this growth that inspires me,” said Tené. “I am excited about the potential for our program to grow in ways that both enhance our students’ education and enable us to make a positive impact on our local and global communities.”

A life-long Brooklynite, Tené lives in Prospect Lefferts Gardens with her husband, Shawn, and her children, Kamau (6) and Akemi (1).

Bill McCarthy will be joining the

Packer community as Director of Learning Support. He is a speechlanguage pathologist, learning specialist, and social worker, with almost twenty years of experience in education. He holds an MS in SpeechLanguage Pathology from Emerson College and an MSW from New York University.

Before his arrival at Packer, Bill was the Assistant Head of Lower School at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in Manhattan, where he supervised and implemented programs to enhance student learning and to support teachers and families. Before that, he taught language and learning development and support for four years at Long Island University. He has also coached educators in curriculum development, differentiated instruction, and teaching practice.

“A leader in learning support in the independent school community, Bill McCarthy will bring both exceptional professional and interpersonal skills to his leadership of Packer’s Learning Support Department,” said Dr. Dennis.

“I look forward to the progress we will make under his guidance.”

“I am excited to collaborate with Packer’s dynamic faculty and to work together with such a great group of professionals to provide the best learning opportunities possible for all students,” Bill said. “Packer has incredible learning specialists. I look forward to helping create an enhanced vision for the program and to extend the wonderful support offered by the department.”

Q: What do Pumpkin Patch, the Spring Gala, and the Eighth Grade Prom have in common?

A: Music by DJ MAYEM (ma´-hem), aka Luciean Seaforth.

One of the many multitalented members of Packer’s Maintenance staff, he has been a professional DJ for eight years. “My favorite Packer event is the Gala. It’s just so nice to see everybody in one place, having fun, socializing together. At the Eighth Grade Prom, the kids go crazy for the music. I love it — seeing sides of them you don’t normally see.”

Luciean Seaforth brings the party to Packer.

And the winner is…

When digital video teacher Mike Miller first instituted the Packer Film Festival seven years ago, it was a small gathering of student filmmakers. This year, the festival was a standing-room only event in the Pratt Theater attended by hundreds of students. “REM” (below) by Nate Antoine ’17, Giovanna Armstrong ’15, Logan Blunt ’16, Max Buri ’17, and Joel Henriquez ’15 won Best Narrative, Best Cinematography, and Best of Show — the Pelican.

Every festival entry can be seen at www.packer.edu/filmfest2015.

SUMMER 2015 | 9

New Faces in the Upper School Allison Bishop has been appointed Dean

of Student Life and Leadership, a newly created role in the Upper School. Allison comes to Packer after 12 years of teaching journalism and English at Episcopal High School in Houston, TX. She has served in all areas of school life — including athletics, advisory, student leadership, publications, and academic governance — and she was the youngest recipient of Episcopal’s Adler Award for Faculty Excellence.

“During my visits to Packer, I was struck by the vibrant and poised students who were eager to learn how to lead and to find opportunities to serve,” she said.

Ms. Bishop looks forward to helping students develop their leadership skills and connect not just with classmates but with the community outside Packer as well. She is also charged with refining the Upper School advisory program.

“Allison brings a deep understanding of Upper School student life that will help unite these disparate parts of our program,” said Head of Upper School José De Jesús.

In her move from Texas to Brooklyn this summer, she will be joined by her husband and her daughter, Lucy.

Dean of the Class of 2019. Like all Upper School deans, she will accompany her charges until their graduation.

Amy has taught Upper School English and journalism for ten years, the last seven at Packer. Before turning to education, she was a news reporter in Waterbury, CT. She has a BA in American Studies from Colby College, and a Master’s in Journalism from Quinnipiac University.

“During the interview process, students, faculty, and parents alike remarked on Amy’s intelligence, clarity of thought, and extensive knowledge of the Upper School,” said Mr. De Jesús. “I’m excited to see all that she brings to our families and our administrative team.”

Ms. Montemerlo looks forward to developing strong ties to the Class of 2019 and their families. “Deans have the ability to effect positive change and influence students in a variety of different areas: academic counseling, navigating changing friendships, issues at home, disciplinary matters,” she said. “A dean’s ability to shape so much of a child’s Packer experience really appealed to me.”

facu l t y notes Eleven members of the faculty and staff attended the New York State Association of Independent Schools Diversity Conference. Middle and Upper School Admissions Director Sheila Bogan presented on diversity in independent schools. Coy Dailey and Ramón Javier (with assistance from Nitya York) presented on building middle school capacity. Semeka Smith-Williams, who also helped organize the conference, spoke on diversity in early education.

Katharine Hill, a Middle School core teacher, earned a Master of Science in Special Education from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, this spring.

The topic of her thesis was “Interpreting Neuropsychological Testing Reports in the Independent School Classroom.”

Visual arts teachers Elizabeth Eagle and Liz Titone traveled to rural Kenya to bring their This Is Ours (TIO) program to Masaai students. Middle School science teacher Ali Gaskell accompanied them. The TIO program invites children to explore the relationships with the

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Amy Montemerlo has been appointed

local environment and then create a book expressing those relationships for children in other parts of the world. Ms. Eagle and Ms. Titone then brought TIO to the Middle School students of Todd Johnson and Patrick Kieffer, several of whom collaborated to produce a book entitled This is Ours: Brooklyn Heights. That volume was subsequently shared with students in Guyana (above). In April, Ms. Eagle and Ms. Titone presented This Is Ours at the Global Educators Conference in Miami.

Fifteen members of the faculty and staff competed in the Brooklyn Half Marathon this spring: Ryan Carey, Alice Lurain, Josh Srebnick, Joanna Stern, Peter Melman, Victoria Kalman, Chuck Nwoke, Chris Natale, Nitya York, and Amy Montemerlo (right), plus Ali Gaskell,

Catherine Jennings, Elissa Krebs, Carlos Prieto, Ramon Perez and Noah Reinhardt (not pictured).

Over the winter, health teacher Bessie Oster welcomed Josie Ann (right), librarian Kristyn Dorfman welcomed Ethan Leonard, and former 2nd grade teacher Emily Velardo welcomed Margaret Jayne.

Former Interim Head of School Dorothy Hutcheson received her Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and was appointed chaplain at Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, NY. A new novel by former Middle School theater teacher Jen Nails will be published in 2017 by HarperCollins.

Board Elects Officers and New Trustees

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t its annual meeting on June 1, 2015, the Packer Board of Trustees elected four new trustees, each to a threeyear term.

David Bell P’16 joined the Packer community in 2012 when his son entered 9th Grade. In 2014, he was a guest speaker for the Parent Association, with a talk entitled “Sex and Your Teenager.” He is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Population & Family Health at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. David is an active volunteer, having served as part of a team fostering improved care for adolescents in Uganda, as well as on Mayor Bloomberg’s Young Men’s Initiative Advisory Board and as a consultant for the Federal Office of Population Affairs and the Pan American Health Organization.

OhSang Kwon P’17, P’22, P’26 has been a Packer parent since 2004. He currently has the distinction of having a child in each of the three divisions at Packer. He is a graduate of Exeter Academy (where he has served as a class agent for many years), Harvard College, and Columbia Law School. OhSang was a founding partner of Avista Capital Partners, a private equity firm, which he left in 2014 to invest on his own.

Prior to Avista, OhSang spent his career at DLJ Securities and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. Previous to his banking and private equity career, OhSang clerked for the Hon. William C. Conner, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

Gregory O’Connell ’04 was elected the Recent Graduate Trustee. After attending SUNY Geneseo, he returned to his old stomping grounds in Brooklyn and became a principal and partner in his family’s real estate company, The O’Connell Organization, known as a pioneering force behind the preservation and redevelopment of the Red Hook waterfront. He also serves on the boards of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Red Hook Initiative, Brooklyn Greenway, and the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation.

Richard Story P’17, P’19, P’24 has been a Packer parent since 2009, when he and his family moved to New York from England.

He has children entering the 11th, 9th and 4th Grades in 2015-16. Richard has been active at Packer, volunteering his time and expertise with the Parent Association and donating distinctive auction items to the Spring Gala.

Two trustees were re-elected: Gwenn Cagann P’12, P’15 and Lauren Glant P’11, P’14.

Officers for 2015-16 will be: Ronan Harty P’15, P’17, P’20, Chair; Anne Kimball ’55 IVAc, Vice Chair; Karen Tayeh P’09, P’17, Secretary; LisaMarie Casey P’16, P’17, Treasurer; Anthony Guarna P’18, P’20, Officer; Andrej Rojek P’01, P’08, Officer.

Stepping down are Michael Malter P’05, P’09; Michael Fleisher P’16; Carla Shen ’95, P’27; Abigail Bedrick P’21; and Matt Spiro ’02.

David Bell P’16

OhSang Kwon P’17, P’22, P’26

Gregory O’Connell ’04

Richard Story P’17, P’19, P’24

A New Leader for Development

Sara lives in Park Slope with her husband, Dan, and their daughters Ella (5), and Georgia (2).

Sara Shulman has been appointed Packer’s new Director of Development. Sara was most recently the Director of Development at Collegiate School in Manhattan, where she led its current capital campaign as well as its highly successful Annual Giving program.

Her extensive experience in fundraising and development includes serving as a campaign gifts officer in a

$750 million capital campaign at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center and as a development officer in New York University’s recent $2.5 billion capital campaign.

“Sara is one of the most respected and admired development professionals in New York City,” said Dr. Dennis. “I am confident that her depth of experience, personal warmth, and outstanding track record will take Packer’s

institutional advancement efforts to new heights.”

“Since my appointment, I’ve been so heartened by the warm outreach of the Packer community — parents, alumni, faculty, and administrators alike,” said Sara. “I’ve long admired Packer and its historic commitment to excellent education. As the School nears its 175th anniversary, I look forward to advancing its mission.”

SUMMER 2015 | 11

JULIE BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

Looking Forward by Looking Back Speakers at Packer’s 2015 Commencement contemplate the power of youth, the importance of memory, and the value of “what you love.”

O

n Thursday, June 11, the 84 members of Packer’s Class of 2015 were honored, extolled, thanked, and exorted — and granted diplomas at the School’s 168th Commencement.

Held at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church two blocks from Packer, the evening event — which is traditionally held outside in Packer’s Garden — was threatened with thunderstorms. But the dire weather never came to pass.

Head of School Bruce L. Dennis opened the standingroom only ceremony. “With the bright sun outside cruelly mocking me,” he began, welcoming the crowd of friends, family, and faculty who had gathered for the commencement ceremony.

Presiding over his 11th Packer graduation, Dr. Dennis reminded the seniors of the rate of transformation in today’s world and encouraged them to embrace it.

“Success will belong to those of us who remain lifelong learners and who develop the dexterity and mental muscle power to obtain, analyze, and apply information to a variety of situations we’ve never before encountered.”

Elected to deliver the Senior Class commencement speech, Isabelle Furman ’15 characterized Packer’s impact on her class in physical terms. Invoking a memorization technique detailed in Jonathan Foer’s Moonwalking with Einstein, she described the School as “one giant, living, breathing, real-life memory palace. It is impossible to reflect on this community without acknowledging the Hogwartian, labyrinth-laced building that it occupies… This connection between community and space is at the core of the ‘Packer Experience.’”

12 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Her remarks ended on a nostalgic note. “We are the product of our memories; we will choose what we take with us as we leave Packer… I hope we remember our Packer, this space in which we were given the opportunity to participate, to engage, to question, and to create.”

For the third consecutive year, the invited speaker was the parent of a graduating Pelican. Fred Seibert, a television producer and media entrepreneur, is the father of Jack Seibert ’15 as well as alumnus Joseph Seibert ’13.

As CEO and Founder of Frederator Networks, Mr. Seibert leads the world’s largest animation network. His latest venture, Thirty Labs, is a startup studio focused on innovative video products.

Mr. Seibert’s words to the Class of 2015 reflected his personal and professional immersion in youth culture.

He reminded the seniors “how great it is to be a teenager.”

While adults fear losing and failing, teenagers are “invincible,” he said. The “crazy, naïve, innocent passion” of teenagers drives their success.

“It isn’t old people that invented Snapchat. It isn’t old people that invented Google… Those special things that reinvent life for every single person — they come from people like you. They come from that special moment in time that you have right now.”

Mr. Seibert also encouraged the graduates not to leave “kid stuff ” behind. “Don’t forget the things you love: videogames, fashion, music, art, movies, videos, politics—the loves of your life.”

In his remarks, Head of Upper School José De Jesús spoke humorously about a “deep, dark secret” that he had shared

with the seniors at the beginning of the school year: his childhood love of classical music. When he was 11 years old, his music tapes were discovered by an older cousin.

“I was mortified, and in a fit of rage I threw my tapes against the wall.” He exorted the seniors: “When you

“It is impossible to reflect on this community without acknowledging the Hogwartian, labyrinth-laced building that it occupies… This connection between community and space is at the core of the ‘Packer Experience.’

— Isabelle Furman ’15 discover what you love — when you discover your tapes — don’t throw them against the wall. Find what you love and don’t be afraid to love it.”

Mr. De Jesús indicated that he was honoring them not so much for embracing their “tapes” but rather for sharing them with others in a spirit of openness.

“Watching you embrace what moves you, and then watching you honor what moves others, has been one of the greatest experiences of my teaching career.”

After 84 diplomas were awarded and the alma mater was sung, the ceremony concluded. Packer’s newest alumni then led the recessional out of the church and into the lateevening sunlight.

The Class of 2015 will matriculate at the following colleges and universities.

Ithaca College

Bard College

Johns Hopkins University (3)

Barnard College (4) Binghamton University Boston College (2) Bowdoin College Brandeis University Brown University Case Western Reserve University

Kenyon College Lehigh University Middlebury College New York University (5) Northwestern University (3) Oberlin College

The George Washington University The New School, Eugene Lang College (2) Trinity College Tufts University (3) Tulane University University of Chicago (2)

Occidental College

University of Michigan (2)

Pitzer College

University of Rochester

Columbia University

Purchase College, State University of New York

University of St. Andrews (2)

Cornell University (2)

Purdue University

Denison University

Reed College

Washington University in St. Louis (6)

Duke University (2)

Skidmore College

Wesleyan University (2)

Fashion Institute of Technology

St. John’s University

Williams College

Stanford University

Yale University (3)

Colby College Colgate University College of Charleston

Georgetown University

Vassar College (4) JULIE BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

Amherst College

State University of New York at New Paltz

SUMMER 2015 | 13

{ PERFORMING ARTS }

Upper School Wind Symphony

Middle School Chorus

Upper School Musical: “Godspell”

Middle School Play: “Ozma of Oz”

Middle School Band

Pre-K Threes Spring Sing 14 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Dance Concert

May Day Arts Festival

Upper School Choral Concert

May Day Arts Festival

May Day Arts Festival

SUMMER 2015 | 15

{ WINTER ATHLETICS }

Eleventh in the Nation The SQUASH team was undefeated (11-0) in its regular season, beating Saint Ann’s, Riverdale, Hackley, Dalton, Horace Mann, and Collegiate, as well as squash powerhouses Pingry and Hotchkiss. At various times during the regular season, the team ranked among the top ten teams in the country. Packer’s varsity team was also the only co-ed team in Division One this past season.

“This was a special team with wonderful and talented players who genuinely seemed to like and respect each other,” said Coach Barry Stelzner. “We were dedicated and worked hard to improve our skills.”

The season held many highlights, but the greatest one came at High School Nationals in Hartford, CT. The team was ranked in the top division among 160 teams and fought its way to place 11th in the country. In his fourth and last Nationals, Captain David Pincus ’15 extended his winning streak. Twice he kept his opponent from scoring a single point, winning both times 11-0.

“This is the highest placement our team has ever had in this competition. The team played their hearts out,” said Coach Stelzner.

While looking forward to next year, Coach Stelzner said he would miss this year’s seniors and captains, all of whom have been with the team for four years. He thanked the team and acknowledged the support of players’ parents and even “four cheerleaders who came with us for an amazing showing at Nationals.”

16 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Small, Steady, and Fast This year’s INDOOR TRACK team was quite small, down from 16 runners in the 2013-14 season to only six runners this season: four boys and two girls.

The 2015 New York Federation Championship, where all the NYSAIS schools compete to qualify for the Federation Championship, was held at Cornell University. At that meet Justin Hurley ’17 ran 1:29 in the 600 meter race and finished 2nd overall, allowing him to move on to the Federation Championship. Graham Rainsby ’17 finished 3rd in the 1000 meter race, missing going to the Federation Championship by two tenths of a second.

At the Federation Championships, Justin Hurley ’17 finished 30th in New York State High Schools and was the 1st sophomore to cross the finish line.

“Hurley and Rainsby were the only athletes in the ACIS league to compete at this level,” said Coach Fred Benlein.

He had praise for the rest of squad as well, all of whom set personal records in their events. “It was a great meet and team effort.”

Fourteen Records Broken This year’s SWIM team will be remembered for the extraordinary number of school records set. The boys set eight school records and the girls set six school records — five of those six by freshman Ana Molestina ’18. The three-year-old team was comprised of relatively young swimmers, with six Middle School athletes and no seniors.

<< The Squash team poses proudly after finishing 11th at High School Nationals. < With the rebound, Blake Martin ’17 goes up against Friends Seminary.

<<

Maddy McKnight ’15 advances against Brearley defenders.

<

Packer’s swimmers demonstrated skill that belied the team’s three-year existence.

MELANIE MCKNIGHT

The boys had an overall season record of 6-7 and finished 4th at the ACIS Championship. The girls had a season record of 6-8 and finished 5th.

“The team worked very hard during practice and worked hard to keep improving the times,” said Coach Chris Ruck.

“They pushed themselves throughout the whole season, and it showed in dramatic time drops by the end of the season.

With all the hard work and success we had this year, next year looks to be outstanding.”

Brandon Bell ’16 and Ana Molestina ’18 were ACIS All-Stars.

A Team of Character The 2014-15 season was a rebuilding year for the BOYS BASKETBALL team, which lost its title last year after winning it in the both the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. This year’s record was 9 wins and 14 losses, with the boys making it to the first round of the ACIS play-offs and finishing 6th in the league. A historic highlight early in the season was Coach George Boutis’s 300th basketball victory.

Despite the team’s imperfect record on paper, Coach Boutis went out of his way to offer sincere praise for his players’ work ethic, resilience, and accountability on the court, describing them as “high character and low maintenance.”

“We competed in most games and took on difficult challenges with enthusiasm and maximum effort. They truly enjoyed playing with each other,” said Coach Boutis. “This was a true team — one that represented Packer well. Two

of our team’s mottos were No excuses/no regrets and Focus on what you can control. The players embodied what it means to be a student-athlete at the highest level.”

Mounting a Comeback After a few seasons with losing records, the 2014-15 GIRLS BASKETBALL team worked hard to reverse the pattern, finishing with a 15-7 season record and a 3rd place finish in the AAIS, with a 6-2 league record. Avenging an early-season loss, the team beat Chapin in the AAIS semifinal (35-34) — on a last-second shot by senior Maddy McKnight — to advance to the finals. In the championship game, despite a valiant comeback, the squad fell just two points shy of victory against Marymount (27-29).

Consisting of just two seniors and 15 underclassmen, the team brought great energy and enthusiasm to the season, pushing themselves to improve their individual skills and work together better.

“This team made coaching fun. I looked forward to challenging the girls to improve every day,” said Coach Russell Tombline. “They embraced the team goals of giving your maximum effort, taking something positive away from every practice and game, and being a supportive teammate.”

A strong foundation is now in place for the team’s younger players to build upon this season’s successes next year.

Maddy McKnight ’15 and Brittany Boyce ’17 were AAIS All-Stars.

SUMMER 2015 | 17

{ SPRING ATHLETICS }

ACIS Champions This year’s returning BOYS VOLLEYBALL players were hungry for a championship and they delivered. “The dedication and leadership of our oldest players carried the team throughout the season,” said Assistant Coach Stephanie Rapciak. The overall record was 9-5, and 6-2 in the ACIS league.

The team placed 3rd overall at the Seward Park High School Volleyball Tournament and ended the season as ACIS Champions in an outstanding game against Brooklyn Friends School — a team that had not dropped a single set all season. “The final championship match against BFS was the most impressive game of volleyball I have coached in my five years of experience,” Coach Rapciak said. “It was an unforgettable win.”

Head Coach Nino Valencia praised seniors Lachlan MacIntyre, George Platt, Cameron Ewan, Peter Simotas, Kamaal Palmer, and Joel Henriquez. Emerging players included Harry Slattery ’17, Charles Ogunsuyi ’16, George Benz ’16, and Theo Eagle ’18.

Cameron Ewan ’15, George Platt ’15, and Peter Simotas ’15 were named ACIS All-Stars.

A Young Powerhouse Despite being a small, young, and relatively inexperienced team, Packer’s TRACK AND FIELD athletes performed remarkably well throughout the season. Natasha Brecht ’18, Audrey Aberg ’18, Abby Wade ’18, and Lucie Pascarosa ’18 took first place in the girls freshman 4 x 800m relay at three events: the Mayor’s Cup, the Marty Lewis Sophomore/Freshman 18 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Championships, and the Saint Ann’s Relay (breaking both Packer and meet records). In the sophomore boys 4 x 800m relay, Graham Rainsby ’17, Justin Hurley ’17, Trey Davis ’17, and Caleb Apple ’17 also took 1st place three times. At the Saint Ann’s Relay, the boys won every relay they entered, while the girls won the 4 x 800m and the 4 x 400m.

The team placed 2nd at the ACIS Championship, and many Pelicans finished in the top 10 at the state championship.

“In 34 years of coaching, this is one of the best teams of kids I have ever worked with,” said Coach Fred Benlein.

Season of Home-Run Hitters Constant snow and cold temperatures hampered the SOFTBALL team early in the season. Fortunately, Spring Break took the team to Orlando, where daily practices and games indicated a successful season ahead.

Anchoring the team were Logan Blunt ’16 and Charlotte Youkilis ’16, “two great captains and fantastic ballplayers,” according to Coach Richard George. They took charge of a team with a number of younger players, including 8th grade pitcher Ava Horn ’19, who “willed the team to many victories throughout the season.”

The season’s highlights include a series of home runs against Marymount, a huge comeback against Brearley in the Hackley tournament, and a grand slam over the fence in dead center-field by Brittany Boyce ’17 against eventual league champion Sacred Heart. Advancing to the AAIS Championship, the team was ultimately defeated by the Spence School (12-7), finishing the season 10-6 overall.

<< Logan Blunt ’16 sends the ball back to the infield against Saint Ann’s School. < George Platt ’15 goes for the spike in the ACIS championship match against Brooklyn Friends School.

<<

Trey Davis ’17 hands off the baton to Cal Seitz ’17 at the ACIS Championship.

<

David Geracioti ’15 stretches into the pitch at spring training in Tampa.

DAN WAKIN

Packer had three AAIS All-Stars — Logan Blunt ’16, Charlotte Youkilis ’16, and Ava Horn ’19 — all of whom are expected to return next year.

Inaugural Season The 2015 season was the ULTIMATE FRISBEE team’s first year in existence at Packer. Coaches John Keaveny and Nick Kilbride were charged with the task of building a program from scratch, and the players responded with energy and enthusiasm. Thirty-two girls and boys comprised the team.

The season highlight was Packer’s victory over Regis in overtime — their first win ever. While the season brought only two wins, every loss was close.

“The entire team put in extraordinary amounts of effort, but Chloe Wallack ’15 and Zach Pine ’16 were the team standouts. Alex Borinstein ’18 played a pivotal role as quarterback,” said Coach Keaveny. “For our first year, we had a great season and accomplished a lot.”

Fighting ’til the End Packer’s BASEBALL team started the pre-season with a very productive and successful spring training trip to Tampa, FL. Although the regular season challenged the players, the team never stopped fighting. Going into the last league game of the season against Long Island Lutheran, they knew they needed to play hard to earn a playoff spot. Despite a six-point deficit in the second inning, a spark was suddenly lit: the team rallied for a huge comeback win, 11-10. That led the team to a

tie for the fourth and final spot in the playoffs, where Packer ultimately fell to Saint Ann’s. “Even though things didn’t go their way, hard work and determination kept them in it until the end,” said Coach Chris Ruck. The final league record was 3-7, with Packer tied for 4th place in the ACIS League. The team’s overall record was 6-9-1.

David Geracioti ’15, Mike Wakin ’15, and Asher Mitchell ’17 were ACIS All-Stars.

Overcoming Obstacles The BOYS TENNIS season was a challenging one punctuated by team camaraderie and growth. Adverse weather, injury, and access to practice courts were just a few of the obstacles the team faced. But in spite of all that, the team found its way to a few wins and grew on and off the court.

One of the season highlights, according to Coach Ben Presseisen, was a great overall win against Long Island Lutheran despite injuries and illness reducing the team to a “skeleton line-up.” At the last match of the season, Packer beat the playoff-bound Friends Seminary 3-2. The second doubles team — Joseph Baker ’16 and Taiki Chung ’18 — played three sets with determination as teammates cheered.

The overall season record was 2-7, and the ACIS league record was 2-4. Packer’s number one singles player, Charlie Manoff ’15, had a spectacular 8-1 individual record.

“Like the sport itself, this season’s victories and highlights were a mix of incremental progress and unpredictable good fortune,” said Coach Presseisen. “Each athlete fully committed to the best of his abilities in practice, matchplay, and good sportsmanship.”

SUMMER 2015 | 19

{point}

with its gothic arches and stained glass windows , packer seems like a fairly traditional place. in some respects , it is . but a closer look at ten of packer ’ s most beloved traditions reveals a school that honors its history without becoming beholden to the past and evolves without losing its culture and spirit .

Grounded in Rich Traditions 1.

W i nt er cel ebr at ion

“We acted out the whole [Nativity story] every year. I remember being devastated because I wasn’t picked to be an angel! But I love Winter Celebration today. It brings the whole Middle and Upper School together, and all the grades are so supportive of each other.”

— maggie levine ’82, middle school english teacher

20 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Winter Celebration is the direct descendant of the Christmas Pageant, which was last performed in 1989 along with Hanukkah Chapel. Today Winter Celebration is a joyous and eclectic talent show, part serious and part silly.

Musicians and singers from the Middle School, Upper School, and faculty perform. More recently, members of the Chemistry Club have donned safety glasses and performed “The Twelve Days of Chemistry.”

2.

S enior-facult y bask et bal l ga me

Basketball is mentioned in the first Packer Yearbook, the 1910 Pelican. In those days, the sport was strictly intramural, with the four high school classes playing one another. The first mention of a student-faculty basketball match-up is in 1922, when the student players were considered “strong enough to play the Faculty basketball team.”

The current Senior-Faculty Basketball Game is now played on the last day before Spring Break. It is a favorite tradition across the school, with many younger students coming to cheer on the seniors.

“The students marched in with cheering and music, all set to down the teachers…. Never was there such a game! The students yelled so loudly that they scared the teachers and so won the day.”

— the pelican, 1935

// CO UN TER PO I N T

No matter how long-standing or celebrated it may be, a strong institution never rests on its laurels.

Consistent self-examination and program development over the past decade have yielded ten exciting new programs and innovations to provide an outstanding education to every Packer student, today and tomorrow.

EMBRACING THE FUTURE 1 //

expansion

“Ensuring Continued Excellence,” the School’s 2011-16 strategic plan, declared a commitment to active learning through exploration, experimentation, and collaboration at all grade levels. It also recognized that the acquisition of new space would help realize this commitment. The October 2014 purchase of 100 Clinton Street to house our Preschool and Kindergarten reflects this vision. The new property will impact students at all grade levels by allowing for the repurposing of the Preschool and Kindergarten classrooms currently on Joralemon Street. Planning for both locations is underway.

2 //

nontraditional learning

Another cornerstone of the strategic plan is to extend the classroom beyond Packer’s walls. In the past two years, virtually every student from 5th through 12th Grade has experienced immersive learning outside the School, thanks to the 2014 implementation of two new programs: Symposium in the Upper School and WinterSession in the Middle School.

Each program offers a wide selection of teacher-designed courses based on student interest. During the January Symposium, the 9th Grade examines New York City through selected lenses, such as waterways, sacred spaces, and theater, while the 10th Grade travels to Spain. Juniors and seniors choose from an array of topics, including the history of games, extreme art, protest songs, food writing, climate change, and filmmaking. During WinterSession, Middle School students select from 16 options, including meditation, architecture, magic, woodworking, and the stock market.

3 //

new schedule

To support more varied approaches to learning and teaching, the School is adopting a new seven-day rotating schedule in 2015-16. For instance, the first day of classes, a Tuesday, is Day 1. Wednesday is Day 2, Thursday, Day 3, and so on. Seven school days later, the rotation begins again on a Thursday. (Anticipating a steep learning curve, Storm Alexander ’15 designed and developed an Android app to help students navigate the daily rotation. See page 8.)

The new schedule, which is the product of several years of research and planning, has several notable features. Each class will take place at varying times of day throughout the rotation and will meet for one extended 90-minute block every seven school days. “This will allow for more time for project-based, experiential learning, and more opportunities for students to dig deeply and differently into the material,” says Andrea Kelly, Assistant Head of School.

Because the long block falls at the end of each day, it can be combined with the preceeding blocks (designated for community time and lunch) into a three-hour “super block,” allowing for off-site trips that do not disrupt other classes.

4 //

advanced topics program

Alongside the implementation of the new schedule this fall is the introduction of Advanced Topics courses, which replace the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) courses. In development for several years, the new AT courses will give students in 10th through 12th Grade the opportunity to engage deeply in specific areas of study “without having to answer to a testing company,” says Head SUMMER 2015 | 21

{ Grounded in Rich Traditions }

3.

P umpk i n patch

Thirty-one years ago, the County Fair — a fall fundraiser offering games, facepainting, and food — touted a new addition: pumpkins. “Perhaps this is the birth of a new Packer tradition,” reads a prophetic caption in the 1984 yearbook.

Within a few years, the fundraiser was renamed Pumpkin Patch. Organized and run by the Parent Association, Pumpkin Patch brings together families from across the whole school.

“The most distinct Pumpkin Patch memory I have is of the haunted house. I remember being so terrified by it as a Lower Schooler that I was in tears, then as a Middle Schooler growing to enjoy it, then as a freshman volunteering in it.”

4.

I nt er nat ional fai r

For almost 40 years, the Fourth Grade International Fair has marked the culmination of Lower School. Students from every division flock to the Second Floor Gym to visit the 4th graders’ mini museum exhibits on national dress, culture, history, and architecture — and, of course, to dine on the smorgasbord of international cuisine.

“International Fair is one of my favorite Packer events. I went to it literally every year until I graduated. I loved talking to the fourth graders and hearing everything they had learned about their countries.

(Mine was Austria.) And the food was always amazing.”

—jeremy schiffres ’07

— safiya mitchell ’05

5.

F ounder’s day

When Harriet Packer made her $65,000 gift to rebuild the School after the 1853 fire, her vision and generosity secured her place in Packer history. Every fall for the past 103 years, Founder’s Day has been observed to honor Mrs. Packer. In commemoration, accomplished alumni come to speak to Middle and Upper School students about their lives and careers.

“On Founder’s Day, an alumna would speak. These were very impressive women, very accomplished. This was in the 1970s, and my class was the last all-girls class.

Women in our era were pathfinders and ground breakers. It was important for us to have female role models who had cut the path ahead of us because it dovetailed with our experience at Packer.”

22 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

— rita oussani ’75

6.

D u tch day

“At the end of our New Amsterdam study, students participated in a simulation of a typical school day.

They were familiar with the rules for proper behavior both in and out of school as well as the consequences for failure to meet their teachers’ expectations (dunce cap, willow rod, etc.). Our students realized that schools and education have changed, and they were grateful for it!”

— irene turner, 1st grade teacher, former 3rd grade teacher

On Dutch Day — known in some classrooms as New Amsterdam Day — 3rd graders perform skits to share what they have learned in their study of early New York. Since the 1970s, the tradition has evolved considerably and now addresses the livelihoods of the citizens of New Amsterdam more broadly.

The image directly above dates from 1935. The first known photograph of Dutch Day dates back to 1911, 104 years ago!

// Embracing the Future

of Upper School José De Jesús. Another advantage of the AT program is freedom from the often-rushed AP timeline. “A course can be challenging without being frenzied,” he says.

Creating the AT curriculum has been a major undertaking in the Upper School. “The opportunity to develop advanced courses from the ground up has brought out the best in our faculty,” says Mr. De Jesús. A member of the History Department, he singled out the AT archives class as an “amazing opportunity for students to pursue original historical research.” [See “Packer Students Make History,” page 30.]

5 //

new math in the lower school

Regular re-evaluation of teaching methodology is not limited to the Upper School. This year the Lower School faculty implemented Bridges in Mathematics, a curriculum that reflects 21st-century mathematical teaching and learning and supports calls to action by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Common Core standards.

Chris Natale, K-6 Math Coach — a position created in 2011 to support faculty, students, and parents in math literacy — oversaw this transition. “Bridges is an important tool that emphasizes process,” he says. “It helps teachers introduce students not only to the mathematical content, but also to the processes that real, practicing mathematicians engage in when they study numbers, space, and relationships.”

6 //

digital learning

“Digital collaboration and the sharing of knowledge and data are transforming every academic field and industry,” says Greg Benedis-Grab, Packer’s new Academic Technology Coordinator, a position created last year to help faculty incorporate technological tools into their instruction in meaningful ways.

Packer has been in the vanguard of educational technology since the early 2000s, when a 1:1 laptop program was introduced in the Middle and Upper Schools. The integration of technology remains a key priority for the School, not only to reflect today’s digital landscape but also to make learning more accessible, hands-on, and collaborative.

With successful tech integration, says Mr. Benedis-Grab, learning can become more powerful. In June, twenty teachers participated in Packer’s first Faculty Computer Institute, where they explored ways to increase digital creation and technology-supported collaboration in student work.

Simple tools such as cameras and social networks can make learning more reflective and meaningful. During labs in Alice Lurain’s 10th Grade chemistry classes, students post pictures of their in-class experiment boards to Google+, which allows them to share and reflect on each other’s data and analysis outside of class.

Tech integration occurs in all divisions and disciplines.

Eighth grade English students use Subtext, an iPad app that allows them to share reflections and annotations in their independent reading groups, even when reading and working in different locations. Sixth grade science students use digital sensors to compare the force involved in a vertical lift to that

required by an inclined plane. First graders use iBookAuthor, which accommodates a range of reading levels and allows them to share what they have learned via digital presentations.

Packer’s commitment to digital learning is also reflected in a robust computer science curriculum, which offers students experiences engaging with technology not only as users but as programmers, problem-solvers, and creators as well. In the Middle School, students are introduced to Scratch, an object-oriented programming language that they use to code simple programs and games. In the Upper School, students engage in higher-level programming: all 9th graders learn to program with Java, using algorithmic thinking to solve real-world problems. In elective courses, students study applications, programming languages, and data analytics in depth. They also develop 3-D virtual reality games with Unity C# [right] and design mobile apps with Lua and MIT AppInventor.

“My goal is for my students to truly believe that there are many ways to solve a problem,” says Upper School teacher Shai Zacaraev. “Computer science is not just about developing hard skills — it’s a whole mode of thinking.”

7 //

interdisciplinary learning

“Course innovation in the Upper School during my three years at Packer has been very exciting,” says Dean of the Class of 2016 Loryn Evanoff. “The most ground-breaking courses may be the new interdisciplinary ones.”

She highlighted a full-year elective in video journalism as one such success. Merging field research, interviewing, and storytelling with a camera, the course helps students communicate their understanding of the people and ideas around them in documentary format. Many of the projects from the class, which is co-taught by Amy Montemerlo and Mike Miller, are screened at the Packer Film Festival [see page 9].

“Interdisciplinary courses expand the way students think and learn,” explains Richard Brownstone, Dean of the Class of 2017. “For example, in Scientific and Historical Origins of Race and Gender and History and Politics of the Environment, students have to consider topics from multiple vantage points — which is how most scholars operate.”

At the other end of the educational spectrum, learning in Lower School classrooms is interdisciplinary by nature. (Consider, for instance, that young students learn math facts not just by using numbers, but by drawing, moving, manipulating objects, and so on.)

Newer, however, is the degree of coordination across disciplines in the Lower School. This year, art teacher Risa Glickman, dance teacher Alicia White, and physical education teacher Dorothy Gurreri collaborated with the 1st grade classroom teachers on a multidisciplinary unit exploring skeletal structures [right].

Through visual art, dance, movement, and language arts projects, students engaged in an extensive study of bones and anatomy that culminated in grade-wide performances and presentations at a Lower School assembly.

SUMMER 2015 | 23

{ Grounded in Rich Traditions }

7.

M ay day fest ival

Sixty years ago, every grade performed a folk dance at the May Day Festival, and a “May Queen” was selected from the Junior College to preside over the event. Today May Day is primarily a Lower School event, though for many decades the 6th Grade has had the honor of performing the maypole dance.

Older students no longer participate, although many come to the Garden to watch and hum along with the unforgettable maypole tune.

9.

“I liked how our grade had to work together as a team.

I was nervous I would mess up with everyone watching — it’s harder than it looks.

But we didn’t make any mistakes. I wish we could do it again next year!”

—kyra silverstein ’21

M eet i ngs i n t h e C h apel

The Chapel has been the physical and spiritual heart of the school since Founder’s Hall was built in 1854. Except for the organ and Tiffany stained glass, which were installed over a century ago, it is accurate to say that the same space has held assemblies, meetings, concerts, and plays for 161 years.

24 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

“I recall Chapel fondly. The 7th through 12th Grades came together so that when you were younger you got to look up at the seniors. When you were a senior, you got to see how you had progressed. We came together in the Chapel for singing and maybe a Bible reading, then there were announcements by all of the students. We also had assemblies with outstanding speakers. We had Bella Abzug, a congresswoman from Brooklyn back in the 70s.

We had Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to run for president. The Chapel was our public forum, our village square. ” — rita oussani ’75

8.

P ack er C ur r ent I t e ms

“With 170 years of tradition behind the School, I feel connected each year knowing PCI will be published, adding a new assortment of stories and artwork to the archives.”

— gillian jakab ’12

10.

PCI, or Packer Current Items, the allschool literary and art magazine, has been in continuous publication for 106 years since its first edition in 1909.

For her senior thesis, Gillian Jakab ’12 compiled a full-length historical anthology of PCI. “Although the language has become less formal from decade to decade and the context of the themes grow and change,” she noted, “there are humorous complaints and anecdotes about the burdens of schoolwork, and clever ways to avoid them, in almost every era of PCI.”

P l ay i n t h e G ar den

The Garden has existed since the original Brooklyn Female Academy was founded in 1845, although it has undergone several redesigns. In 1978, Head of School Jack Skillman oversaw the replacement of the lawn with today’s more functional concrete. That design — still in existence today, with the Imagination Station climbing structure added later — was not without controversy. Yet it won a National Landscape Award, which Mr. Skillman accepted from First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

“Back in the 40s and 50s, students weren’t allowed on the lawn at all except on May Day and at the [Junior College] graduation. As high schoolers, some of us were invited to be in the Junior College graduation parade. We stood on the lawn in white dresses while bees and bugs flew up our legs!”

—ellin rosenzweig ’52

// Embracing the Future

8 //

global education

Packer’s strategic plan calls for international travel to be part of the core educational experience of every Upper School student, regardless of his or her family’s financial means.

Since 2014, the 10th Grade has traveled to the Andalucía region of Spain during Symposium. Spring break trips have also proliferated in recent years, with language trips to Italy, Paris, and China; a service trip to South Africa [right]; a theater trip to London; and a music trip to Italy. Middle School language students can travel to Montreal or Puerto Rico.

For younger students, who cannot travel abroad, Packer’s commitment to global education is expressed in its partnership with the Ndonyo Wasin Primary School (NWPS) in Kenya. In a sequence of study that integrates with the broader aims of each grade level, Lower School students begin by exploring the NWPS community as an analog to the Packer community. Their understanding of Samburu culture becomes more nuanced as they move through the division. Packer faculty travel to NWPS biannually to exchange ideas and projects with its students and faculty.

Overall, Packer’s partnership with NWPS helps deepen our youngest students’ understanding and appreciation for difference while also emphasizing that people in disparate contexts can still have much in common. Furthermore, in the words of 4th grade teacher Spring Kristiansen, the NWPS study “helps our students learn that true understanding and collaboration are founded in respect for others.”

9 //

new approaches to diversity

With almost $7 million dedicated to financial aid for families annually, Packer is among the leading New York schools committed to economic diversity. But diversity in 2015 means more than ensuring that a Packer education is accessible to students of all backgrounds.

The School’s increased commitment to diversity has made more resources available for educational and training programs. Over the past two years, students and faculty have attended the NAIS People of Color Conference, the National Diversity Conference, and a conference devoted to addressing white privilege. In June, twenty members of the faculty and staff also participated in “Undoing Racism,” a three-day workshop held at Packer and facilitated by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond.

Supporting students, faculty, and parents in dialogue around these issues is the work of Ramón Javier, Director of Diversity and Equity. Under his leadership, Packer’s internal diversity efforts are more far-reaching than ever before.

“More of our faculty are integrating multicultural learning into the curriculum,” says Mr. Javier. “And students are increasingly leading this work, with more student-led affinity groups and clubs addressing diversity and social justice.”

This past academic year, a school-wide initiative focusing on identity and language has taken place in classrooms, advisories, and Chapel. This spring’s Day of Silence, reflecting awareness and support for LGBTQ students, was observed by both Middle and Upper School students. And amid

anguish over this year’s incidents of police brutality and racial violence, Mr. Javier was at the epicenter, facilitating discussions and counseling students, teachers, and parents. “Our overall goal is to find ways to weave identity and diversity into the curriculum throughout our academic program,” he says, “so that students engage authentically in this work.”

10 //

independent science research

One innovation with perhaps the deepest impact on some of our students is the three-year Independent Science Research Program (ISRP). Initiated six years ago, it has grown to a total of 40 sophomores, juniors, and seniors in 2014-15.

“The Independent Science Research Program has proven phenomenally successful,” says Chris Williams, Chair of the Science Department. “It gives students skills they likely would not ordinarily acquire until graduate school.”

Over the course of the program, students pursue a topic in their area of interest. They experience the full extent of scholarly practice in the sciences: interpreting scientific papers; finding mentor scientists in whose laboratories they can carry out unique research; presenting their findings; and offering informed critiques of others’ work. All ISRP students present at Packer’s annual Science Symposium [below].

The program’s co-directors, Erin Schmitz and Lutz Holzinger, acknowledge that there were some initial concerns among students and parents about its rigor. But the past six years have shown that Packer students are more than capable of adapting to an unfamiliar learning experience. “As they become more deeply engaged in their research, it becomes apparent that this model of learning does work and is incredibly rewarding,” says Mr. Holzinger.

Cancer researcher Dr. Stacy Blain P’18, P’21, P’25, a Packer parent and Trustee, is an ISRP mentor.

“Scientists think about a problem, then test it and test it and test it. Most of our experiments don’t provide immediate answers. We use our results to build a story,” says Dr. Blain. “The ISRP puts Packer students into professional labs, where they work alongside graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other professionals who think this way every day.”

Speaking from her summer internship in Dr. Blain’s lab, Alexandra Kunzle ’16 concurs. “I’ve been in the lab for three weeks and I have yet to get the result that I’m looking for, which is a bit frustrating. But once you get the result and it looks good, it’s definitely rewarding. That is the most fun — along with interacting with my classmates. Having a shared interest in and dedication to science makes for a really great atmosphere.”

For two years in a row, seniors in the program have won awards for their work [see page 5]. One of them, Tobias Jaroslaw ’15, reflected on the impact that the ISRP has had on him over the past three years. The program was “not something I expected to be doing,” he said, “but it has made a big difference in how I see the world.”

SUMMER 2015 | 25

Change Over Time The Packer Magazine: Describe Packer when you first arrived.

At the request of The Packer Magazine, fourteen veteran members of the faculty and staff gathered for a conversation about the changes they have seen and the traditions they have come to love.*

The Class of 1976

Rich Domanico, Physical Education Teacher: When I arrived in the summer of 1976, Packer was very different.

Chapel was different. There were hymnals in the pews.

Teachers were assigned a date when they had to come up and do something like read a poem, sing a song, or give a talk. The task rotated through the faculty.

I’ll never forget my first day. [Head of School] Jack Skillman introduced Fred Johnson, a language teacher, who got up and sang “To the Morning” by Dan Fogelberg. I remember being absolutely amazed, and hoping they wouldn’t expect that from me!

Another thing that was different was that there were very few boys, only twelve in the high school.

Dorothy Gurreri, Physical Education Teacher: We are a bigger place than we were back then. I truly thought I had landed in a country club, with class size of 15!

Denise Schwed, Director of Pre and Lower School Admissions: In 1975, when I arrived, there were only about 500 or so kids total. And as Rich said, the high school was mostly girls. There was a kind of intimacy that isn’t quite possible today, with 1000 students.

Karen Torres, Registrar: My daughter, Jessica Sagert, graduated in 1998. Her class size was 55, whereas this year’s freshman class is 105!

Tim Flannery, Upper School Latin Teacher: In 1993, when I began as Packer’s sole Latin teacher, the graduating class that year was around 50 students. The School was smaller physically too: the Middle School was a huge, dusty storage area for the most part. Our beloved (and dearly missed) Faculty Lounge used to be in the current Upper School Office. The Senior Homeroom used to be in the current Lower School Library.

Jacque Jones, Manager of Database Services (retiring): When I arrived in 1994, the Development Office,

The Senior Homeroom, 1979

26 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

along with the Lower School Library, was in the undercroft of St. Ann’s. You needed a map to get there. There were many more nooks and crannies in the building — and squirrels in the ceiling! Physically, the School felt like it had been assembled by a committee, which in fact it had. It was higgledy ­piggledy — a quality I found endearing.

Ken Rush, Visual Arts Teacher (retiring): When I came in 1977, Packer had a somewhat run-down appearance, but it was extraordinarily comfortable — like a well-worn shoe.

Flannery: There have been some constants too. The Chapel remains virtually unchanged and continues to be the heart of the school.

Tim Jensen, Fourth Grade Head Teacher: Sadly, we’ve lost the ability to do the traditional beginning-of-the-year gathering of the entire school in the Chapel. Now we can’t fit everyone into the space at once.

When I arrived in 1988, other than a few male gym teachers, Ned *Remarks have been edited and condensed.

Griefen [an assistant teacher at the time, now retired] and I were the only men in the Lower School faculty, I believe.

Schwed: On the other hand, a big improvement, at least in the Lower School, has been the addition of associate teachers in every grade.

Cindy Copland, First Grade Head Teacher: Whereas by 1987, associate teachers were widespread. That’s when I came to Packer, and I started as an associate.

Barbara Moore, Sixth Grade Humanities Core Teacher (retiring): I did too. I had no education degree — and I

never got one. [Laughter] I had a JD, but that is not why I was hired.

The expectation for associate teachers today is that if they don’t have an education degree, they are at least working towards one.

Eric Baylin, Upper School Visual Arts Teacher: I was joking recently with colleagues about Packer’s recent job searches: Would we ever be hired today?

Chorus: No! [Laughter] Baylin: I think a lot of us came in through the back door. In 1984, when I came, things were a bit looser.

Linda Hellew, Assistant to the Head of School: Now we’re looking for degrees and years of experience. You wouldn’t be able to be hired as a head teacher today without that.

Baylin: Hiring at Packer has gotten progressively more — what’s the word?

Schwed: Intense.

Torres: Conservative.

Baylin: We’re looking for a substantial résumé.

Gurreri: I think it was under [former Head of Upper School] George Herman when things really started to change. To be hired, you had to have multiple credentials, and you had to come in and teach a knockout demo lesson. It was then that we started recruiting faculty from across the city.

Torres: [Former Head of Upper School] Susan Feibelman also had a big impact there.

Moore: Since I arrived in 1989, I have seen a big change in terms of how kids are viewed. There is less of This gender will do one thing and that gender will do another.

During the May Day dance — a tradition that has gone on since forever — there used to be boys who would say, “May dancing is sissy; I don’t want to do that.” And they were allowed not to dance. But in the last several years, all the sixth graders have done the May Dance, and they enjoy it. Nobody thinks it’s a girlish thing to do.

Gurreri: I think they fully embrace the tradition of it. It’s a rite of passage for the sixth graders. They look forward to it.

Erland Zygmuntowicz, Chair of the History Department: I’ve always felt that students here have the ability to try on a lot of identities.

Sports are significant but it isn’t a “jock” culture, even with the recent

ramping-up of the physical education program. Kids here are honored and respected for a wide range of activities. My speculation is that this is related to Packer originating as a girls’ school.

George Snook, Upper School History Teacher: And even more than Packer’s being either an athletic school or an “artsy” school, our students are able to pursue both.

We’re seeing athletes who are also artists, writers, poets, and dancers. So many of the students have a multiplicity of talents. I came in 1990, and — Torres: 1991!

Snook: Oh, thank you. I came in 1991, and I am actually struck by the continuity of the school. When I first arrived, I was struck by the buildings themselves, just as I am today. They’re better appreciated and maintained today, but there has always been a deep respect for the physical environment of the institution.

I was also struck by the diversity of the kids. I was coming from a New England prep school, and here we had city kids. Most of them were from Brooklyn Heights back then, but there were a few kids from different neighborhoods and a few Manhattan kids.

Schwed: When I joined the Lower School in the 70s, Packer was a “walk-to” school. I think one small group of kids came by bus, from places like Albemarle Road [in Prospect Park South]. And because I lived on the other side of Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill, which was still a little bit scruffy then, even I was considered exotic!

Snook: Around the early 1990s we were beginning to see the changes that have been ongoing since then. I remember [former Head of School] Geoff Pierson, the man who hired me, said, “The school is beginning to change fundamentally.” I think a lot of us at that time were hired with that change in mind.

Zygmuntowicz: When I first came in 1983, I was teaching in the Middle School, people put their kids here because it was very nurturing. Then many of them went to public schools or other private schools for high school. So it’s very clear that the academic profile of the high school has changed a lot. It’s competitive with schools across the city now.

The Packer Magazine: What are Packer’s best enduring qualities?

Copland: I have always felt that at the heart of Packer is this strong

sense of community — community among faculty, students, parents, alums, administrators, and staff. I cannot tell you how many education professors [visiting Packer to observe associate teachers in the Lower School] go out of their way to say to me, “I get such a warm feeling whenever I walk in these doors. It’s not like any place else.” And colleagues who have left Packer tell me the same thing, year after year: “I love my new school, but one thing I really miss is Packer’s sense of community. It’s not like any other place.”

SUMMER 2015 | 27

The “Little Gym,” now the 2nd grade suite, 1971

Both Mr. Zygmuntowicz (left) and Mr. Baylin (center) pen songs for special occasions.

Linda Gold’s picture in the elevator, 2015

Christmas Pageant, 1972

Hanukkah Chapel, 1987

Schwed: I completely agree. Community has been that driving force for the 40 years I’ve been a part of this school. When I first walked through the doors, even though it was a smaller and slightly run-down place, there was just a warmth here. Sam, our Hall Master back then, was so kind to me the first day I stopped in. When I returned the next day, he remembered me! I couldn’t believe that.

Jensen: I’ve always found the faculty to be remarkably friendly and supportive of each other and of their students. It’s a happy group of people to work with.

Zygmuntowicz: If we’re talking about favorite traditions, I don’t know if there’s any other school that has an Eric Baylin, our poet and master of ceremonies.

Torres: Those songs you write, Eric, for every occasion — Moore: Including my retirement party yesterday!

Baylin: I think it’s the culture of Packer that has allowed that. The culture of Packer has created the atmosphere, conditions, and space for me to do what I do. I’ve talked to so many people at other schools, and I don’t think I could do the same thing elsewhere because the culture would be different there. It’s that sense of community that so many people talk about.

I agree with Denise [Schwed]: walking through Packer’s front door just feels different. I always used to joke about it with Linda Gold [an Upper School English teacher who passed away in 2011]: that it’s something actually in the walls. The history of the school was still alive. You could feel it.

Snook: And Linda Gold’s picture still hangs on a number of walls and in the elevator.

Domanico: I know we have gone through changes in terms of the academics and the types of student we get here. But through the years, the constant for me has been the kids. The kids that I have had the privilege to coach have had phenomenal attitudes — especially the kids who participate in the outdoor sports. Every day, they gather equipment, go down to Red Hook on a bus, pack the stuff back up, come back, get home late — and never a complaint. They’re phenomenal kids.

Snook: And I’ve always felt that the kids are incredibly good to each other. Sure, there were some cliques back then. There are still obviously kids who get along with other kids, and kids who don’t. But I was always struck by how incredibly good they were, and interested and excited to be in class. In that sense, it feels very much the same place, even with the growth and the changes.

The Packer Magazine: What are the significant changes you have seen Packer take on, for better or worse?

Rush: The most visible change is in the physical condition and

Mr. Jensen and students using iMacs, 1998 28 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

expanded facilities of Packer. The extraordinarily successful renovations of the Science Building, the Middle School, and the Lower School have added enormously to the learning climate and what Packer can offer. The School has been able to find the right combination of restoration and modernization for its spaces. I particularly appreciate the Board of Trustees for their choices of experienced and gifted architects.

Jones: There have been so many changes to the physical plant. The Middle School; the end of the “Little Gym” — now the 2nd grade

suite and Packer Playgroup room; and the Imagination Station in on the part of the school. Shortening the school day once a month the Garden. was huge, especially for Lower School families. There were a lot of Flannery: One thing that was altogether absent when I came here 22 bumps on the way to TALL Tuesdays becoming very successful. years ago was any sort of organized travel program. Even in my depart- Zygmuntowicz: But a concerted task force developed it and oversaw ment, the travel opportunities for students, particularly Latin students, its implementation. were sporadic. I had to convince Geoff Pierson to allow me to create Baylin: Right. It was a change that was very thoughtfully done. an Italy trip for Upper School Latin students. That’s been a biennial Flannery: Doing away with January midterm exams in event ever since. the Upper School two years ago and replacing them Zygmuntowicz: I’ve noticed a shift in the stance toward with the two-week Symposium program represented a religious celebrations. St. Ann’s Church — now the sea change for Packer. incredible Middle School — was underutilized, an albaRush: Symposium is a curricular innovation that has tross except during the annual Christmas Pageant, which far-reaching effects. Faculty and students are able to build courses was very traditional when I first came. that use the city. The 10th Grade travels to Spain. And the idea of Baylin: We had the three kings — the new Middle and Upper School schedule — not that I will be Zygmuntowicz: And there was a little Hanukkah ceremony with a one- here to experience it! — is to provide even more opportunity for or two-hundred-dollar budget. It felt different from what emerged in using New York’s resources. the 90s, which was a more multicultural celebration.

Flannery: The decision to replace standardized Advanced Placement Baylin: For a while it had a Hanukkah piece, a Kwanzaa piece, and a courses with our own individually developed “Advanced Topics” Christmas piece. will undoubtedly be transformational. I see AT classes and the new Zygmuntowicz: And now, what we call schedule as immensely significant changes Winter Celebration today is a feast. It’s that will move Packer to the threshold of a a celebration. It’s upbeat. whole new era starting next year.

Baylin: It’s mostly a very spirited talent I’ve also seen a deep commitment to I see Advanced Topics and the new show. diversity in my time here. It’s manifested Torres: And no one is excluded. within the student population and repschedule as immensely significant Zygmuntowicz: No one is excluded — resented by the varied interests and backchanges that will move Packer to except perhaps if you feel it isn’t religrounds of Packer’s faculty and staff. the threshold of a whole new era. gious enough! So that’s a big change.

Schwed: When I first started here Moore: One thing I initially had 40-plus years ago, we were not a very — Tim Flannery

doubts about was the laptop program. diverse school, and I mean that in all Some people wanted to try it for a year, senses. It was rare that a child in the and they liked it. But I think a lot of us were worried about the stuLower School received any financial aid funding. In fact, a fiftydents’ distractibility. That’s still an issue, but overall I think the laptop percent financial aid grant was the biggest award you could get, program has been a very positive change. It’s something we needed to which was very limiting for families. do. We were in the forefront of schools doing it at the time.

That has improved dramatically. Our financial aid program is Snook: As a faculty, we had to constantly reevaluate how the students among the most generous in the city, which has changed things for were using their laptops. You realize you have kids doing Internet many families, including many of our faculty. We still have a ways to searches in the middle of class. So we had to figure out how to manage go, though, particularly in the Lower School where it is more difficult it. That was a learning curve on our part. for students to travel far.

Jensen: Every year our students are more adept at all Gurreri: I think we realize that we always have to move things digital and electronic. They often find technolforward. Sure, it’s more comfortable to sit back passively, ogy more intuitive than their teachers do! But I’m not but it is exactly that change that keeps us as vibrant and convinced that whiteboards are better than blackboards: as special as we are. there was that rat-a-tat sound of writing with chalk that Moore: I don’t think that’s hard for Packer because we drew students’ attention. And where else but on a blackboard can a are always changing! We never sit still with everything staying the student see information written in white on a black background, the same year to year. Every year there is something new, and as we’ve said, opposite of all printed material and most computer screens? sometimes we take on too much. [Laughter] Zygmuntowicz: The laptops are an example of a successfully instituted Baylin: I think that the direction the School is heading — increasing program: it had a pilot phase, and it began to saturate the culture. I our emphasis on experiential education and real-world opportunities think a strength of the school over time has been its willingness to for kids — is genuinely exciting. embark on new ventures. But occasionally they’ve happened simultaSnook: Packer really trusts its faculty to do the right thing in terms neously or precipitously. of its mission. Continuing to trust the faculty to adopt these changes, Snook: Some ventures don’t fly. They are tried for a few years, then moving forward, is critical. I deeply respect the people I work with abandoned, whereas others are tweaked to make them work better. here, both students and faculty. My peers are incredible at this place.

Baylin: Certainly our professional development program, TALL They keep it [pause] — lively.

Tuesdays [Teachers as Leaders and Learners], represented a huge risk Domanico: That’s right. We keep it lively. [Laughter] SUMMER 2015 | 29

Packer Students Make History A hands-on project based in the School’s archives asks students to engage deeply in U.S. history by writing it themselves.

30 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

I

remember being amazed that I was getting to touch a hundredyear-old document — and to analyze it, probably for the first time in its existence.”

Julia Gatenio ’15 considers the 10th Grade archive project a turning point in her high school career. It led her to discover a “passion for primary documents.”

For quite some time, United States History has been a required course in 10th Grade, but in recent years it has evolved dramatically.

“It’s not your traditional American history class. We have jettisoned the textbook-based ‘march through time’ approach to history,” explained Ryan Carey, who teaches the course along with Sarah Strauss. “The main content of the course is historical thinking. You could even say that U.S. history is the vehicle that we use to teach historical thinking.”

Their students learn to detect historians’ arguments and thereby to recognize that history is “a conversation among scholars. Our students engage in that conversation as scholars, too,” said Dr. Carey.

Julia Gatenio discovered her passion for historical thinking during a unique unit that Dr. Strauss and Dr. Carey created together, entitled “The Packer Collegiate Institute and the 19th Century.”

Students develop their research skills by conducting original historical research with artifacts from Packer’s archives. Working in small groups, students gather evidence from secondary and additional primary sources and analyze their artifacts within the broader historical context.

Now entering its fourth year, this hands-on, collaborative project allows students to uncover for themselves how Packer itself reflected American history of the nineteenth century and to integrate primarysource analysis into their study of history. The archives assignment is one of the History Department’s most successful examples of projectbased learning.

The unit’s introductory assignment asks students to interpret the handwritten 1853 letter in which Harriet L. Packer makes her unprecedented gift of $65,000 for the rebuilding of the School, which had burned down three weeks earlier.

“Transcribing that letter gave me a headache!” Julia joked.

“We had to wear white gloves to handle the documents,” recalled Tyla Pink ’15. “I had never gotten to touch something like that, something from the 1800s. It was pretty fascinating.”

“Tyla, I remember you looking at an artifact and saying, ‘This is so cool!’” said Dr. Strauss. “And my response was, ‘I know!’”

Unlike textbooks, which conceal the multiplicity of perspectives and causes that historians debate, a primary document leads students not along a straight line to a single interpretation but instead to a complex web of historical knowledge.

The archives project, which comes fairly early in the 10th grade course, is designed to help students use primary resources to discover

“ADVANCED TOPICS” TAKES ON ARCHIVAL RESEARCH

BY SARAH STRAUSS, PH.D.

a path into research and thereby to construct an understanding of the history. By requiring students to use primary documents as the jumping-off point, explained Dr. Strauss, the project replicates —and demystifies — the work of professional historians.

Still, grappling with original primary documents — out of context and early in the course — required a leap of faith for some.

“I remember thinking, ‘This one artifact is so specific. How can we really extrapolate from it?’ said Zachary Lobel, ’15. “But through outside research, we were able to fit the artifact into the greater context of U.S. history.”

The archive project also makes the individual lives that comprise history more immediate and relatable. Tyla recalled the artifact she was assigned to interpret in 10th Grade: a journal entry by a girl from the South traveling north to attend Packer during the Civil War. Julia, Tyla, and Zack also recalled Packer parent correspondence from the 1800s, including a “funny” but “angry” letter to the Head of School, from a father demanding to know why his daughter wasn’t allowed to go home for lunch despite living closer to the School than a student who was permitted to go home.

Julia recalled that her 10th grade group analyzed a ticket for the Baccalaureate speech that popular Congregationalist clergyman Henry Ward Beecher delivered at Packer’s 1874 Commencement.

“I was just amazed that one phrase from his speech led us to all these other primary resources. And Beecher was a hypocrite: he said, you all have to be such faithful women, yet he was on trial for adultery at the time!”

At the end of 10th Grade, Julia was disappointed she might never get to explore the archives again. “I was looking at the wiki where the whole grade had posted its work. It was hard to navigate. I thought, ‘This research is great: it should be on a website that people actually want to visit.’”

Julia, Tyla, and their classmate Isabelle Furman ’15 decided to do something about it: they founded the Packer Archives Club, with Dr. Strauss as their advisor. This spring, the club launched an online exhibit of artifacts from Packer’s extensive archives, featuring the work of their grade as well as that of the Class of 2016. They selected for inclusion the “most interesting, insightful, and well-written pieces,” said Julia. Zack Lobel prepared and uploaded the site’s images.

The exhibit’s collection of writing, speeches, letters, and photographs, which represent the second half of the 19th century, reveals an institution responding to cultural, political, and moral upheaval. The process of curating, editing, and uploading two grades’ worth of work was arduous, said the students. But it was also a labor of love. [Explore their online exhibit at www.packer.edu/archives.]

“The project taught me to realize the importance of every primary and secondary source — even things that may not seem important,” said Tyla. “That girl [from the South] writing in her journal didn’t

With the fall 2015 launch of the Advanced Topics course Making History: Conducting Historical Research in the Archives, juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to pursue independent historical research for an entire school year.

I developed Making History with my colleague Ryan Carey to give students the opportunity to conduct research in Packer’s archives, write scholarly historical essays for submission to student journals, and present their findings at a seminar at the end of the year. Dr. Carey and I will alternate teaching the course.

The launch of the course coincides with an exciting new partnership between Packer and the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS), a nationally recognized urban history center. BHS recently acquired Packer’s extensive archives in full and will make them accessible to our students and to the public. BHS’s professional cataloguing and preservation of the archives will make it possible for our students, as well as outside scholars, to enhance our collective understanding of the role that Packer has played in the history of Brooklyn and in American education more broadly. Thanks to the 90-minute block created by the new schedule [see page 21], the class will meet at BHS as often as three afternoons a month. This access will extend students’ familiarity with the steps that professional historians take when they create new scholarship.

When we designed this course, Dr. Carey and I had in mind the students who had really embraced the process of working with archival materials in the 10th Grade U.S. history class. Making History will give them the chance to follow their own interests and to engage with a wide range of sources so that they can develop original analyses of topics relevant not only to Packer’s history, but also to the wider histories of Brooklyn and the nation.

Sarah Strauss teaches history and constitutional law in the Upper School.

She has a BA in American Studies from Amherst College and a PhD in Sociology from Columbia University Teachers College.

think we would be sitting here reading it. But those things really help us to understand that time.”

Julia’s fascination with Packer’s archives was so deep that she developed a senior thesis on the impact of World War II on life at the School. “I’m reading these artifacts, and I think, ‘Wow, the students had a meeting the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.’ Then I realize, ‘Oh my god, they’re talking about the Chapel!’” she explained. “Then I think about what their chapels were about, and what our chapels are about…” She trailed off.

Asked how the immersion in Packer’s history had impacted her perception of Packer, Julia spoke about daily experiences.

“I’ve started to be more careful around the School. One day during a rehearsal in Chapel, someone started jumping over the pews. I was like, ‘Noooooo!’” She lunged forward to grab an imaginary arm. “‘Don’t hurt the pews! They’re history!’”

SUMMER 2015 | 31

PA News Author Sparks Candid Talk about Race and Privilege

R

obert Peace went to prep school. He liked to hike the Appalachian Trail. He played water polo. He studied molecular biophysics and biochemistry.

Besides the fact that he was an African-American with few advantages in life, he seemed like a fairly typical Yale student. He was not.”

Jeff Hobbs, author of the bestseller The Short Life and Tragic Death of Robert Peace, spoke in March to a rapt Upper School audience about the magnetic young man with whom he was assigned to share a dorm room at Yale University.

While Hobbs was born into an affluent white family and was a legacy student at Yale, Robert Peace hailed from Newark and sold marijuana on campus, in part to support his mother while his father was incarcerated. Peace was a brilliant student, Hobbs said. He worked in the dining halls as well as in a cancer research lab. Upon graduation, he returned to Newark, where he became a science teacher and a coach. It wasn’t until Peace’s violent death that Hobbs became compelled to delve

more deeply into his friend’s extraordinary life — and the urban violence that ended it.

During Hobbs’s day-long visit, which was arranged by PA President Melissa Glass P’16, dozens of students were able to meet with him in small groups, including ninth graders who were reading his book in English class. At lunch, members of Packer’s black affinity group, Brothers and Sisters, engaged him and one another in a candid conversation about race and privilege.

The PA’s evening event was well-attended, with several members of the audience brushing away tears during Hobbs’s talk. In the Q&A, one audience member asked how they all could work to prevent the tragic loss of “another Robert Peace.”

Even a person who seems strong, Hobbs said, is vulnerable. He encouraged the audience of parents and teachers to do what he had not done while his friend was alive: transcend the “bubble” of bravado that separates us and get to know one another deeply and authentically.

In past years, the Parent Association’s springtime Community Service Day offered service opportunities at Hopkins Senior Center, Ujima Garden, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Million Trees in East New York, and various other sites across Brooklyn.

This year, PA Community Service Chairs Lisa Lambert

32 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

P’22, P’25 and Melanie McKnight P’15, P’18, P’22 spearheaded several exciting new initiatives.

In the fall, Lisa, Melanie, and dozens of parent volunteers organized a traditional service day: Packer families worked with the CHiPS soup kitchen and Recovery House food pantry; created beautiful bouquets and sang with

residents in Hopkins Senior Center; made sandwiches for Brooklyn Community Services; and decorated birthday cards for Heights and Hills clients.

In the spring, in addition to onsite service at Gowanus Canal Conservancy — where students and parents composted, painted, and planted — the PA hosted Family Day, Packer’s first-ever

community-building event with Little Flower Children and Family Services (pictured).

Guests were Little Flower’s foster families from all over New York City. Both Packer and Little Flower families gathered in the Garden for a day of community, fun, lunch, and games. Many friendships were built, and plans are underway for Family Day 2016.

MELANIE MCKNIGHT

Service Beyond the Packer Family

Unlocking the Power of a Growth Mindset The PA sponsors a talk on learning by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck.

B

efore an audience of nearly 200 parents and teachers gathered in the Chapel, Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck opened with a provocative thought: “Why would anyone become a nonlearner? You never see an unmotivated baby! Babies attack the most difficult tasks of a lifetime with tremendous gusto. Yet the things that adults do to motivate young people may inadvertently turn them into nonlearners.”

Thanks to several years of planning by the Parent Association, particularly Jane Platt ’15, Chair of the Learning Support Committee, Dweck shared her compelling research on motivation, effort, and learning with the Packer audience — along with parents and faculty from four other Brooklyn schools co-sponsoring the event.

“Dr. Dweck’s research is particularly relevant to children with learning differences, who often feel that some kids are just smart, and other kids are not — and they think they

inevitable when facing challenges. They view errors as opportunities for deeper learning — not shameful outcomes to avoid.

“You can see why a growth mindset will take students farther,” she concluded.

Turning to the role of teachers and parents, Dweck touched on a widely-publicized aspect of her research: the misapplication of praise.

“Telling kids how smart they are puts them into a fixed mindset and makes them vulnerable. Praising intelligence makes kids into nonPraising kids’ intelligence learners.” It makes them avoid effort which ultimately leads makes them into non-learners, to lower performance in school. says Dweck. Instead, praise Instead, she said, praise process. “Praise the strategies kids their choices and strategies. use and the choices they make. And it doesn’t have to be praise: it can be appreciation or encouragement. It can be just showing interest.” The goal is to communicate the idea know which group they are in,” said Jane in her introduction. that learners need to be comfortable choosing difficult tasks “That [perspective] affects their motivation and their willing- — and making mistakes. “Learning and improving are the ness to put effort into learning.” ultimate values” — not “being right all the time.”

At the heart of Dweck’s research is the concept of mindset.

Dweck also cautioned against praise for the “easy A.” She Some students believe their intelligence is a fixed trait. called for a new value system in which “easy is boring and a Others students believe that intelligence can be developed waste of time,” but “hard is interesting and worthwhile. Kids and that through hard work, good strategies, skilled instrucpick up on that pretty quickly.” tion, and help from others, anyone can become smarter.

She offered a simple way to encourage children to have Research shows that only the latter view is correct. patience with the learning process and to avoid the ineviEnsuring that young people engage in learning with that table pitfall of frustration. view — ­ what she calls a “growth mindset” — is her life’s “If your child says my most hated phrase, ‘I’m not a math work. Much of her research aims to prevent adults from person,’ you can add ‘yet’. For instance: ‘I tried it and I can’t encouraging a fixed mindset inadvertently. do it yet. I’m no good at such-and-such yet.’ That changes the “When we insist on perfect scores, or getting into the one whole meaning of effort and difficulty for kids.” right school, we create kids who feel they have to be infalThe evening ended with a lively Q&A session. One lible. And infallibility is the enemy of learning.” audience member asked about the impact of parents’ own A fixed mindset tends to manifest itself in three forms mindsets on their children. Dweck acknowledged the power of self-talk, Dweck explained. “One, look smart at all times of parental modeling. and at all costs. Two, if you are really smart, it should all come “When parents react to the child’s or their own failures naturally. Three, failures and mistakes measure you.” with worry, concern, or self-denigration — or when they The “fear of looking dumb,” she noted, is the hallmark of a hide their failures — kids tend to think, ‘That’s because fixed mindset, and causes students to “run from difficulty.” abilities are ingrained and can’t be changed.’”

But with a growth mindset, students prefer learning at Instead, Dweck encouraged the audience to respond to all costs to looking smart. They know that the keys to learnfailures with interest and curiosity, even a sense of delight. ing are working hard, finding a good strategy, and getting “That way, children learn that when you delve in more deeply, good instructions from others. They know that mistakes are you just get better.”

SUMMER 2015 | 33

A Night of Spectacle for the Endowment and the Arts The 2015 Spring PA Gala brought hundreds together under the Big Top.

As stilt-walkers strolled and acrobats twirled overhead, a glamorous crowd of black-, white-, and red-clad guests filled the Second Floor Gym for the 2015 Packer Spring Gala, Cirque de Pélican. Transformed by a twinkling tent and aerialists suspended overhead, the gym played

host to a fantastical “night circus” attended by hundreds of parents, alumni, and faculty. Under the direction of Gala Co-chairs Melissa Stewart P’17 and Joanna Latham P’18, P’21 (above left), dozens of parent volunteers created an unforgettable evening of entertainment

and fundraising. DJ MAYEM, Packer’s own Luciean Seaforth, provided music and kept the dance floor jumping for hours.

By the time the lights came up, the event had netted $332,000 to benefit Packer’s endowment and performing arts program.

PHOTOS BY ANN BILLINGSLEY P’13, P’15

34 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Alumni News

REUNION 2015

Alumni Gather to Celebrate, Connect, and Recollect

I

n celebration of Packer’s generations of alumni, Reunion 2015 kicked off Friday evening with a cocktail reception in the Blackburne Library. Over 150 people from the Packer family gathered to reunite and reminisce among former classmates and teachers. The Classes of 2005 and 2010 were particularly well-represented. Many of those attending took advantage of the opportunity to attend a performance of the Upper School musical “Godspell” in the Pratt Theater.

The following day, a bright and sunny Saturday, alumni filled the hallways, greeting each other with big smiles. They enjoyed a continental breakfast over exclamations of welcome and recognition, followed by tours of the school given by current students. For the first time in decades, the Packer Tower was open for exploration after its recent renovation, as was the Shen Gallery, where “Among the Ones You Love” — paintings by alumnus Sebastian Blanck ’94 — was on view [see page 38].

In the Hart Library, three Upper School students gave an overview of The Great Outdoors: The History and Culture of Outdoor Recreation, one of 16 intensive classes offered during Symposium. Their teachers, Ryan Carey and Amy Montemerlo, also spoke.

At noon, everyone gathered in the Chapel for a lively event filled with tributes. Geoffrey Brewer ’82, P’26, President of the Alumni Association, opened the annual Alumni Association meeting and announced the following elections of the Alumni Board: for her first term, Diane Sapega Silver ’73 IVAc; and for additional terms, Sasha Baumrind ’00, Rebecca Chovnick Beck ’02, J. Matthew Dillon ’03, Cynthia Gardstein ’66 IVAc, Sandra Swift Gill ’62 IVAc, Abigail Hooper ’96, and himself.

In a well-received departure from previous years, retiring members of the faculty and staff ­— Jacque Jones, Barbara Moore, and Ken Rush — were thanked with video tributes for their 21-, 26-, and 37-year tenures, respectively.

Class Awards were then presented by Geoff Brewer. This year there was a tie for the Alumni Plate, which is awarded to the Reunion class with the highest attendance. He presented it to the Classes of 1985 and 2005 jointly. The Champagne Challenge Cup, which is given to the Reunion class with the highest percent participation in Annual Giving, was accepted by Rita Oussani ’75 on behalf of the Class of 1975. In honor of their exemplary level of participation, she and her classmates enjoyed champagne at the Reunion Luncheon that followed.

Bruce L. Dennis, Head of School, then offered a State of the School in the form of a narrated video presentation on several initiatives at Packer today. [You can watch all the videos shown at Reunion at www.packer.edu/Reunion2015.]

Saturday’s Chapel event concluded with two special honors bestowed by the Alumni Association. Director Emeritus of the Alumni Board Ellin Rosenzweig ’52 presented the eighth annual Joan Buehler Eisenstein ’51 Award for Service to Packer to Brooklyn Law professor David Reiss ’85, P’22, P’27. The Alumni Award of Honor was presented by Dr. Dennis to sustainability scientist Dr. Ellen Speicher Stechel ’70 IVAc. [Read about both awardees on page 38.]

In what is hoped will become an annual tradition, the Luncheon was followed by a fun yet competitive basketball game between alumni and members of Packer’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.

The final score? 43 to 36 — alumni.

SUMMER 2015 | 35

REUNION 2015

Class of 2005

Class of 1975

Betty Nexsen De Vries ’40 and Edith Miller Moscou ’40, P’63 celebrating their 75th Reunion with Dr. Dennis

Class of 2005

Class of 1995

36 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Retiring members of the School: Jacque Jones, Barbara Moore, and Ken Rush

Class of 1985

Rita Oussani ’75 accepted the Champagne Cup from Geoff Brewer ’82 on behalf of her class

Robert Spencer ’05 and his mother Renee Fluss Klein ’75

Class of 2010

The Alumni Plate — awarded for the greatest number of attendees — went jointly to the Classes of 2005 and 1985, represented by Jordan Malter ’05, Mary Ranck Bolieu ’85, and Marc Youngblood ’85.

Alumni made a strong showing at a basketball game against many of Packer’s varsity basketball players.

Veteran coach Rich Domanico refereed.

SUMMER 2015 | 37

REUNION 2015 Honors for a Scientist and a Scholar For her distinguished career in science and energy technologies, Dr. Ellen Stechel Speicher ’70 IVAc was presented with the Alumni Award of Honor at the 2015 Reunion. The award recognizes an alumna/us who exemplifies the values inherent in a Packer education and brings honor to Packer through her or his professional endeavors.

Ellen majored in math and chemistry and minored in physics at Oberlin College.

After graduation, she headed Ellen Stechel Speicher ’70 IVAc to the University of Chicago where she received a Master of Science in physical science and a PhD in chemical physics, followed by post-doctoral studies on non-linear dynamics in molecules and quantum chaos at UCLA. At Sandia National Laboratories, Ellen spent David Reiss ’85, P’22, P’27 almost two decades working in condensed matter theory and advanced materials sciences and devices, then led a project for the Department of Homeland Security to develop new fuels from sunlight. She has also worked in new low-emission technologies for Ford Motor Company and energy sustainability at LightWorks.

Today Dr. Stechel is also Professor of Practice in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Arizona State and is Senior Sustainability Scientist at the University’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability.

Accepting the award from Dr. Dennis, Dr. Stechel said, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this most precious honor.” She acknowledged Packer’s role in her career. “All of [my professional achievements were] made possible by my start at Packer, which pointed me in the direction of thinking for myself, and believing in myself, even when others didn’t.”

38 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

The 2015 Joan Buehler Eisenstein ’51 Award for Service to Packer was presented to David Reiss ’85, father of Packer students Jun Reiss ’22 and Jae Reiss ’27.

David began his volunteer service to Packer as a member of the Alumni Board.

Having demonstrated his enthusiasm, dedication, and quiet leadership, he was asked to join the Board of Trustees.

David devoted his thoughtfulness and energy towards all the Board’s endeavors, including launching a capital campaign to convert the former St. Ann’s Church into the Middle School, developing a strategic plan, and selecting Bruce L. Dennis to be Packer’s ninth Head of School. Though David stepped down after nine years of service, he again lent his expertise in 2010 by joining the Task Force on Affordability.

David continues to be active at Packer, serving as a volunteer for both Alumni Pelican Society and Parent Annual Giving.

David is a Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, where he leads its Community Development Clinic and serves as Research Director at the school’s Center for Business Entrepreneurship. His writing is frequently published in scholarly journals as well as on the op-ed pages of major newspapers around the country.

Educated at Williams College and New York University School of Law, David has devoted much of his career to housingrights advocacy. In 1996, David received a Sesquicentennial Award from Packer for his work on behalf of people with psychiatric disabilities seeking independence from shelters and hospitals. In recognition of his work, David was also Packer’s 89th Founder’s Day speaker in 2000.

In accepting the award, David encouraged fellow alumni gathered in the Chapel “to think about the way Packer has changed since you were here, but then also about the ways it has stayed fundamentally the same.”

“Among the Ones You Love” in the Shen Gallery For a show of his portraits in the Carol Shen Gallery, Sebastian Blanck ’94 returned to Packer this spring at the invitation of his one-time visual arts teacher Ken Rush. The show, “Among the Ones You Love,” was curated by senior Ryan Kaiser ’15 (at right in the first image below), with assistance from Mr. Rush.

Living up to the show’s title, the opening reception was attended by faculty, friends, and other alumni, as well as Sebastian’s primary muses: his wife, Isca Greenfield-Sanders, and their two sons.

y oun g a l umni p i z z a p art y

a l umni / to d d l er ice cream socia l

Ben Leitner ’14, Arif Silverman ’11, and Elizabeth Leitner ’11

Jeff Wright P’96, P’99, with granddaughter Ava

Grant Olson ’15 and Anne Wenk ’11

April Brooks P’94, P’99, and Jocelyn Brooks ’99, with Ruby Jonathan Block ’91 Association with The Packer TheAlumni Packer The Association Alumni Packer Association Alumni Reagan (in arm) and cordiallycordially invites you cordially invites and your you invites and littleyour you one(s) and little to your one(s) anNola little toone(s) an to an

Clay Elliot ’13, Taeo Carse ’13, and Gabi Weintraub ’13

Bartow Weiss ’14, Vivian Eng ’14, Storm Alexander ’15

Andrew Coren ’01 and Erin Coren with Nolan

Lauren Epstein P’26 (wife of Brian ’95) with Eddie, and Jennifer Ogof (wife of Alex ‘94) with Ella An opportunity An opportunity forAnPacker opportunity foralumni Packer for with alumni Packer infants, with alumni infants, with infants, toddlers,toddlers, and pre-schoolers toddlers, and pre-schoolers and to visit pre-schoolers the to School visit the to School visit the School and haveand some have iceand some cream. have ice some cream. ice cream.

Dorothy Napp Schindel ’59 IVAc

R.S.V.P by replying R.S.V.P by toreplying R.S.V.P this email by toreplying this email to this email or by calling or (718) by calling 250-0228. or (718) by calling 250-0228.

(718) 250-0228.

While at Packer, While pick at Packer, While some pick great at Packer, some children’s great pick some books children’s great books children’s books at the Parent at the Association Parent at the Association Book Parent Fair!Association Book Fair! Book Fair!

Help us spread Help theus word: spread Help theus word: spread the word: Naples (from left) Alice Bruchhausen Schenck ’63 IVAc Please letMary us know Please —letorus pass know Please along —let or the us pass invitation! know along — or the pass invitation! along the invitation!

Jane Keck Proctor ’57 IVAc Dolores Howie Griege ’54 IVAc Dianne Meeker Leonardi ’54 IVAc Cynthia Tyrell Haas ’49

Do you have any Do you Packer have classmates any Do you Packer have who classmates any might Packer bewho interested classmates might bewho interested might be interested in attending this in attending event with this intheir attending event young with this children? their event young withchildren? their young children?

Southampton (from left) Heidi Kahofer Varucene ’82 Anne Surchin ’72 IVAc Ellen Hinrichsen Iamascia ’67 IVAc Katherine (Kate) Plumb ’66 IVAc Anne Plumb ’71 IVAc Amelia Vigorita Schirrippa ’71 IVAc Jacqueline (Jackie) Sammarco Scerbinski ’62 IVAc, ’64 Co Carolyn Trois Sheehan ’67 IVAc Not pictured: Diane DeVito Schimmer ’74 Annis (Bee) Thompson Wilson ’50 Alice Schneider ’48 Barbara Johnson Cass ’54 Bruce L. Dennis, Head of School Mina Cory Kahofer ’54, P’78, P’80, P’82, P’85, P’87 Carole Underwood Kennelly ’52 June Larsen Athanasian ’50 Trudy Seder Grattan ’49 Not pictured: Evelyn Straub DeVito ’49, P’72, P’74, and Ellin Rosenzweig '52

SUMMER 2015 | 39

l o g o b y l e o g a l l a g h e r ’15 a n d z a c h a ry l o b e l ’15

Florida alumnae gathered in February to renew friendships, meet new Pelican neighbors, and hear the latest Packer news from Dona Metcalf Laughlin, Director of Alumni. First stop was a lunch at the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa attended by five alumnae.

Talk centered on the arts at Packer, the Symposium Program, and international travel opportunities for students. In Coconut Grove, former Director of Development Lynn Bunis hosted lunch at her new home. Barbara Falsey ’64 IVAc and Elaine Klock Codias ’65 IVAc chatted about their Packer days, and Lynn and Dona brought them up-to-date with their alma mater. The final stop was in Naples, where five alumnae caught up at The Ridgway Bar and Grill.

In Washington, DC, Hertha Wegener Heiss ’48, Betsy Wegrocki Kardy ’50, Judith Brick Jonas ’60 IVAc, Marilyn Bell Austern ’63 IVAc, Lisa Regier Ward ’85, Amanda Raboy ’96, Peter Romer-Friedman ’97, Chartey Quarcoo ’98, and Evan Gropper ’00 enjoyed catching up at a lunch hosted by Dona and Packer Trustee Cynthia Gardstein ’66 IVAc at Chef Geoff Downtown. Although it was bright and sunny on the day of the lunch, a fierce winter storm the day before unfortunately prevented a few alums from attending.

In June, several Long Island alumnae joined Dona and Dr. Dennis for a delicious lunch and animated conversation at Le Chef in Southampton, which is celebrating its 375th Anniversary. The alumnae gathered celebrated Southampton’s and Packer’s distinguished histories.

Vero Beach (from left)

Wednesday, 6, Wednesday, 2015 May 6, 2015 May Martha Wednesday, AnnMay Luther Argue ’62 IVAc 6, 2015 3:30Lewis – 4:30 3:30 p.m.

– 4:30 3:30 p.m.

– 4:30 p.m.

Peggy Dennis ’43 in the Carol inJune the Shen Carol Gallery in the Shen Carol Reception Gallery ShenReception Gallery Area Reception Area Area Arata Pickett ’51 at Packer at Packer at Packer Elizabeth Kiernan Humpstone ’49 l o g o b y l e o g a l l a g h e r ’15 a n d z a c h a ry l o b e l ’15

Packer on the Road

Spouses,Spouses, Partners,Spouses, Partners, and Grandparents Partners, and Grandparents and welcome!

Grandparents welcome!welcome!

New on the Alumni Board

New Alumni Board Member Diane Sapega Silver ’73 entered Packer in the 7th Grade in 1967 and was a proud member of one of the last all-girls classes.

At Packer she enjoyed the mini-semesters in Spain with Señorita Denning and in Italy and Greece with Mrs. Bloom.

Highlights of her Packer career were playing volleyball under the encouragement of Ms. Winthrop and appearing in many theatrical productions under the direction of Hal Wicke.

Diane holds a BS in Marketing from NYU and an MBA from Hofstra University. At Lever Brothers, she met her husband, Tom, with whom she has two children. She later went on to be Director of Consumer Promotions at Clairol. During the years that Diane was a stay-at-home mom, she actively volunteered at her children’s activities and at Packer as Class Representative.

Diane and Tom live in New York City and stay in touch with many Packer classmates, especially her sister-in-law, Maureen Sullivan Sapega ’73. Diane’s family members, Diego Alperin and Sebi Alperin currently attend Packer. Diane serves on the Board of the Cancer Research and Treatment Fund.

The Alumni Office is looking for the following alumni.

If you have information about them, please contact Dona Laughlin in the Alumni Office at (718) 250-0229 or dlaughlin@packer.edu. Thank you!

Class of 2015 Alumni Volunteers New Class Correspondent Chloe-Kate Abel ’15 enrolled at Packer in the 6th Grade. She co-led Packer’s Kids Walk for Kids With Cancer team; led the Model UN club, an Arab culture club, and a current events club; sang in the Chorus; and was President of the Upper School. This coming fall, she will study Arabic in Morocco, then attend University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Chloe-Kate’s counterpart, Class Correspondent Emily Kessler ’15, started at Packer in the Junior First Grade. In her senior year, she co-led Kids Walk for Kids with

Carol Meeusen ’66 Co Paula Maida Mooney ’66 Co Stephanie Paccione ’66 Co Judith Moscow Pollock ’66 Co Marlene Pudlo ’66 Co Kathleen Rau ’66 Co Mary Lee Aldrich ’41 Carol Kayton ’56 IVAc Merry Rauscher ’66 Co Virginia Collins ’41 Nancy Voorduin Kirk ’56 IVAc Rosemarie DeSantis Loretta Cuoio Fusco ’41 Linda Rubin ’56 IVAc Robinson ’66 Co Elizabeth Stephanidis Gavas ’41 Joan Rusin ’56 IVAc Audrey Sacks ’66 Co Jean Jacaruso Johnson ’41 Beatrice Woolsey ’56 IVAc Rosanne Servidio Smith ’66 Co Ethel Smith ’41 Vivian Blanco ’61 Co Joan Stapen ’66 Co Mary Boettcher Templer ’41 Elizabeth Plitkin Brand ’61 Co Judith M. Adam ’66 IVAc Mary Barrett ’46 Linda Ehrlich ’61 Co Catherine Carrillo ’66 IVAc Arlene Lester Cook ’46 Lily Sahakian Kosier ’61 Co Audrey Jacques Cooper ’46 Barbara Fichman Peritzman ’61 Co Vivienne Chin ’66 IVAc Sarah Falsey ’66 IVAc Doris Woolfe Farwell ’46 Jane Donovan Amorosi ’61 IVAc Cheryl Haber Fisher ’66 IVAc Emily Courdjis Finch ’46 Patricia Davis ’61 IVAc Angel Rice ’66 IVAc Catherine Daily Hespe ’46 Barbara Stern Frank ’61 IVAc Kathleen Rodis ’66 IVAc Blanche Barackman McMichael ’46 Helen Adler Herbert ’61 IVAc Nickrokh Shahideh ’66 IVAc, 68 Co Phyllis Tenopyr Raymond ’46 Leslie Hirschman Malin ’61 IVAc Enid Smith ’66 IVAc Cynthia Curtis Stehfest ’46 Suzanne Schnirring Nancy Swarzman Steinberg ’66 IVAc Dolores Vincent ’46 Muldoon-Heydt ’61 IVAc Margaret Anderson ’51 Carla Sugarman Pasternak ’61 IVAc Mariko Agui ’71 Co Linda Trayford Alberts ’71 Co Toni Ariani Avery ’51 Phyllis Rosen ’61 Co Joan Battaglia ’71 Co Elizabeth Cortes ’51 Doris Runnions ’61 IVAc Mary Cunningham ’71 Co Barbara Sterling Sapp ’51 Lynn Callahan Taylor ’61 IVAc Mary McCrudden ’71 Co Jeanne Keckely Schilling ’51 Joan Loughlin Vreeland ’61 IVAc Anna Jacovatos Michaelides ’71 Co June Coville Simpson ’51 Lorraine Easson Willandt ’61 IVAc Rosalyn Cauldwell Olliverra ’71 Co Janet Kraissl Voorhis ’51 Carol Asadorian ’66 Co Phyllis Shannon ’71 Co Valerie Way ’51 Marilyn Cooper ’66 Co Stephanie Matthews Start ’71 Co Karel Smith Westerling ’51 Wanda Gaines ’66 Co Lorna Sinclair Wood ’71 Co Elaine Merz Kassar ’56 Co Louise Gordon ’66 Co Serena Altman ’71 IVAc Louise Memmoli Pignanelli ’56 Co Joan Iacobacci Gunther ’66 Co Phyllis Davis ’71 IVAc Mary Tod Daley ’56 IVAc Myra Bassin Inwood ’66 Co Elizabeth Gilbride DeSoye ’71 IVAc Sally Steindler Fox ’56 IVAc Laila Lorch ’66 Co Gladys Ramsay Handuleh ’71 IVAc Luidmila Harker ’56 IVAc Arlene Sureda Lorch ’66 Co Susan Marcus Hoffner ’71 IVAc Florence Jacobs ’56 IVAc Betty Howard Malkin ’66 Co

40 | THE PACKER MAGAZINE

Cancer with Chloe-Kate, served as a representative to the Student Council and as a Peer Supporter, and played varsity softball for four years. She will attend Brandeis University.

Grant Olson ’15, Class Agent for Packer’s newest alumni class, entered Packer in 9th Grade and “loved every second of it.” He was a Peer Supporter; a two-time Student Council Representative; the Politics Editor of Podium; the founder of the World News Club; and the leader of Politics at Packer, Model Congress, and the tour guide program. Grant will attend Georgetown University in the fall.

Catherine Howard ’71 IVAc Susan Ballantyne Klatt ’71 IVAc Linda Lichtenstein ’71 IVAc Rosemarie Bella Pasto ’71 IVAc Lorelei Corcoran Schwabe ’71 IVAc Anette Asher ’76 Nicola Barden ’76 Risa Beller ’76 Marcia Blaize ’76 Ellen Golodner ’76 Annette Correa Gonzalez ’76 Lauri Levine ’76 Anne Burke Roberts ’76 Leslie Shalom ’76 Anne Stanton ’76 Pamela Upson ’76 Leianne White ’76 Kimberly Goslin ’81 Edward Greenwald ’81 Jennie Lea Klegg ’81 Alexia Lewnes ’81 Jonathan Osburn ’81 Pamela Weston ’81 Anna Rawls Aycock ’86 Keisha Bell ’86 Jessica Blank ’86 Clark Buckner ’86 Jeannie Chung ’86 Arnetta Correa ’86 Daisy Edelman ’86 Stacy Greendlinger ’86 Sarah Heegaard ’86 Carolyn Hill ’86 Elisabeth Hilles ’86 Danielle Nguyen ’86 Shani Fried Reich ’86 Aaron Roston ’86

Jean-Marx Santel ’86 Andrea Spencer ’86 Carolin Young ’86 Ivory Copeland ’91 Millicent Eichel ’91 Katherine Falk ’91 Naya Howell ’91 Harrison Karp ’91 Chris Metze ’91 Felicia Patterson ’91 Heath Price-Khan ’91 Nkenge Scott ’91 Dana Zeman ’91 Simone Callender ’96 Garfield Davidson ’96 Heather Florescue Ferrantino ’96 Anthony Fuller ’96 Emily Gorsline ’96 Chantille Harris-Jenkins ’96 Coriander Petersen-Snyder ’96 Courtenay Wendell ’96 Lucy Kafanov ’01 Marcie Lawrence ’01 Nora McKelvey ’01 Mariel Melnick ’01 Ana Quaas ’01 Che Ramos ’01 Julian Agin-Liebes ’06 Corrine Clarkson ’06 Catherine Conneally ’06 Michael Milstein ’06 Gabriella Santiago-Vancak ’06 Mark-Anthony Smith ’06 Jazmine Clarke ’11 Olivia Luder ’11

PACKER Cultivating Curiosity The

Magazine

WINTER 2015 2 From the Head of School 3 On Campus 10 Performing Arts 12 Athletics

2003

joralemon street

14 Building

A composite image of the four distinct structures that make up the School’s facade along Joralemon Street (from left to right): the Science Building (1887), Founder’s Hall (1854), Alumnae Hall (1907), and Pratt Hall (1957).

History

An architectural retrospective of The Packer Collegiate Institute reveals an institution consistently dedicated to providing facilities aligned with the best teaching practices. Examining the School’s serial expansions also sheds light on some of the hidden, mysterious, and downright eccentric features of the campus.

2 8

Art Seen From Many Angles The mission of the Shen Gallery is “to enrich, diversify, and broaden the artistic experience of the Packer community” and to “provide thoughtful and challenging visual arts experiences.” But how is that mission accomplished?

32 Building

Thank you

Better Math Students

Early math instruction is more than a matter of mere accuracy.

Amy Hand and Chris Natale explain how Lower School students learn efficiency and flexibility as well, leading to deeper math comprehension overall.

34

From Brooklyn to Baghdad Benjamin Voce-Gardner ’98, the 103rd Founder’s Day speaker, followed his passion for justice to Iraq, where, as a U.S. Navy JAG, he Giving funds are used every day to support oversaw the interrogation Annual of detainees.

to each and every donor who helped Packer Annual Giving 2014-15 36 raise Parent Association 38 Alumni News a record-breaking $2.6 million!

39 Class Notes 52 In Memoriam We couldn’t have done it without you.

Packer’s mission of creating “a diverse community that balances the value of scholarship and the intellect with the importance of meaningful and sustained relationships.”

PACKER

PACKER

THE PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

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