Winter 2020
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Editor Karin Storm Wood Managing Editor Angela Johnson Meadows Alumni Editor Tori Gibbs Class Notes Editor Jacque Jones Photography Tori Gibbs Angela Johnson Meadows Michael Miller Jordan Renville ’20 Karin Storm Wood Layout CZ Design 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 Communications Office. The Packer Collegiate Institute © 2020 Packer is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). More content at www.packer.edu/magazine
Jennifer Weyburn Head of School Karin Storm Wood Director of Communications Tori Gibbs Communications Specialist Angela Johnson Meadows Communications Specialist Sara Shulman Director of Development David Minder Director of Alumni Susan Moore Director of Annual Giving Aaron Heflich Shapiro Manager of Development Services Shriya Bhargava-Sears Manager of Special Events Rebecca Frisch Campaign Associate Communications (718) 250-0264 Alumni (718) 250-0229 Registrar (718) 250-0263 General (718) 250-0200 www.packer.edu
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Board of Trustees Leadership 2019-20 Deborah Juantorena P’19 Chair OhSang Kwon P’17, P’20 Vice Chair Reed Lowenstein P’24, P’26 Treasurer Richard Story P’17, P’19, P’24 Secretary Steven Fineman P’20, P’29 At Large
Alumni Association Leadership 2019-20 Geoffrey Brewer ’82, P’26 President Sasha Baumrind ’00 Vice President Jeremy Schiffres ’07 Secretary Cynthia Gardstein ’66 IVAc Ellin Rosenzweig ’52 Directors Emeritae
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Head’s Message
4 On Campus
lans were unveiled for the expansion of the Garden P House. Students of all ages engage in climate activism. A closer look at Teacher Growth Tuesday reveals how
Packer’s professional development program benefits student learning. Packer welcomes four new trustees.
14 MEET DR. WEYBURN Above: Architect’s rendering of the school’s next campus plan, which will transform the Garden and expand the Garden House. See story on page 4.
Jennifer Weyburn brings to Packer a passion for education, a global perspective, and 25 years of understanding and creating life-changing learning experiences for students. Learn about her journey to Packer — and why she thinks “Packer gets excellent education just right.” 19 A HISTORIC MOMENT
Read remarks delivered by Dr. Weyburn, as well as Noah Reinhardt and Semeka Smith-Williams, at her installation ceremony.
24 Alumni News Three members of the Class of 2019 reflect on their time at
Packer. Alumni in the news. Snapshots from recent events, including the Alumni baseball game and Fall Back to Packer.
On the cover: Ninth Grade physics students study velocity in a collaborative lab experiment.
28 Class Notes 46 In Memoriam
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Head’s Message
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A warm hello to the entire Packer community across the city,
One of the many reasons I love working in schools is that they bestow some of life’s most immersive and formative experiences.
the country, and the world! I want to take this special opportunity — my first issue of The Packer Magazine — to speak particularly to our primary readership, our cherished alumni. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of you, including those who attended the 2019 Reunion and those who visit the school regularly as current parents and volunteers, including our Alumni Board. But it is very safe to say that I have not yet met the vast majority of you. There are more than 5,000 alumni scattered across the globe. I know that some of you haven’t stepped through our doors in many years, perhaps even a few decades. This isn’t unusual: after all, most of you stay connected to your Packer experience by keeping in touch with classmates and former teachers, and I’m so glad that you do. Depending how long you’ve been “out in the world,” the retirement of favorite teachers or the physical transformation of our spaces may make visiting Packer today seem less meaningful to you. And still, I hope that you will consider coming for a visit anyway. You are always welcome back to Packer. One of the many reasons I love working in schools is that they bestow some of life’s most immersive and formative experiences. In so many ways (and not always good ways, let’s be honest), your school experience stays with you your entire life. And yet, you may be wondering: What is the relevance of my experiences and memories? Everyone I remember is long gone. In my work as the new Head of School, I really do want to learn from all of you: What has Packer meant to you in your life? What and how did you learn here and what did it mean to you? Have your feelings about your experience changed over time? Your responses provide a window into the best of what Packer has achieved in the past and what it must continue to commit to in the future. In this issue, you will see some of what we are focusing on as a school. You will also get to know me and my background. I hope you will return the favor and let me get to know you. Alumni, do come visit — or reach out to me — to share your memories. See you soon.
Jennifer Weyburn
Dr. Weyburn joins students in the Early Learning Center for an assembly in her honor.
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On Campus
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Exciting Plans for the Garden House
Rendering of the new Garden and expanded Garden House, from below the Belle Alenick Baier Atrium and the patio
Since the 2018 relocation of the Preschool and Kindergarten to the Packer Early Learning Center, the unassuming townhouse in the far corner of the Garden has served primarily as an outpost of the Upper School. But the Garden House has long been a focus of Packer’s ongoing campus plan. It will soon take center stage as the site of the school’s next major expansion. In June 2020, the Garden House will close for a complete renovation and a significant expansion, from about 7,500 square feet to more than 20,000. The new building, slated to open in fall 2022, will provide five multi-use classrooms, design and innovation labs, breakout rooms, and a glass-enclosed rooftop teaching space, as well as faculty and administrative offices, a landscaped terrace, and a ground-floor campus center. This wide variety of spaces reflects the learning styles of Middle and Upper School students. The new building will “really encourage small-group, peer-to-peer learning, which is so central to older students’ experiences,” said Dr. Jennifer Weyburn, Head of School. The new Garden House will also serve as a center for schoolwide, mission-driven programs: Community Engagement, Global Learning, Sustainability, and Diversity and Equity. Toward the end of the two-year project, the Garden itself will also be redesigned [see inside front cover]. New play structures will be installed parallel to Livingston Street, and a more open layout will provide increased connection to the main building, beautifully integrating the new Garden House with the rest of the campus. For additional details and renderings, please visit www.packer.edu/gardenhouse.
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Advocating for Change: Packer Students Take Action on the Climate Packer students are concerned about the environment — and they’re taking action. In September and December, Upper Schoolers joined young people around the world for the Global Climate Strike, a movement in more than 150 countries to demand urgent action on climate change. Sophie Anderson ’21 is a member of the core organizing team for the New York City strikes. Inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, students in one Second Grade class held a climate strike of their own on Packer’s campus. Across the Lower School, students have engaged in a range of activities to learn and raise awareness about conservation, including meeting with the Middle School Tree Huggers club, visiting Packer’s greenhouse, giving presentations and sharing sustainability tips at assemblies, and participating on Packer’s Sustainability Team. In this year’s Middle School Equity Simulation, students in Fifth through Eighth Grade took on the identities of people around the world who are affected differently by rising temperatures. By interviewing each other, they learned about
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the many actions that can be taken to respond constructively to global warming. Even the littlest Pelicans are advocating for change. This fall, the Kindergarten Dragonflies [above] wrote a letter to Packer’s Director of Food Services, Rich Costas, asking him to stop serving apple slice snacks that are packaged in plastic bags. As one student said, “We didn’t save the whole entire earth, but we made it so we have less pollution at Packer.”
Social-Emotional Learning: Educating the Whole Child PACKER VOICES
“ Be bold, take risks, but be kind to each other. Be compassionate. Understand that you live in a society and in a world that has gotten increasingly difficult in certain places, and you need to make it better.” — Lillian Rodriguez Lopez ’79
At the 108th Founder’s Day Chapel on October 28, keynote speaker (and 2019 Reunion honoree) Lillian Rodriguez Lopez ’79 spoke with Middle and Upper School students about her time at Packer and the challenges of being one of four Latinx students in her grade. She offered the students her wisdom on navigating the world as they graduate from Packer and stressed the importance of giving back.
In the Preschool and Lower School, social-emotional learning (SEL) occurs throughout the school day — from playtime in the Garden, to partner work in math, to deep discussions in social studies. Understanding oneself and others is an important skill beyond the classroom, as students learn to establish friendships, express emotions, and resolve conflicts. Recognizing the importance of these skills, Preschool and Lower School teachers have begun dedicating one hour every seven-day cycle to interdisciplinary learning activities aimed at healthy identity development. Earlier this year, they received training from The Institute for Social and Emotional Learning to develop a shared framework and language for supporting students. In this initiative, each classroom teaching team is paired with two other adults from their division. Kazia Musial-Aderer and Karl Weber’s Third Grade class is paired with Head of Preschool and Lower School Bill McCarthy and Learning Specialist Sarah Elkhayat. In one activity that they developed together, students identified classmates that they did not know very well and then asked a series of questions to learn more about them [above]. In the reflections that followed, they analyzed what kinds of questions allowed them to appreciate their classmates in new ways and recognized the value of hearing many different voices. Bill captured the connection between SEL and healthy identity development: “Encouraging children to develop a better understanding of themselves and others allows them to express their ideas and opinions while embracing what makes each of them unique.”
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In addition to spearheading many beloved community events — including Pumpkin Patch [pictured], Rise Against Hunger, the Holiday Gift Drive and Fair, and countless potluck dinners — the PARENT ASSOCIATION organized several parent-education events in the fall. In partnership with Packer’s Office of Diversity and Equity, the PA brought scholar Dr. Robin DiAngelo and diversity consultant Jack Hill to discuss the concept of white fragility and how Packer can become a more inclusive community. Clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Thompson spoke about alleviating the pressures and psychological challenges that arise in childhood. And small discussion groups facilitated by NYC Parents in Action gave families in Grades Four through Twelve opportunities to connect and share perspectives on ways to support their children’s growing independence.
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Inspiring Deeper Student Learning During the fall, in an effort to practice the growth mindset they encourage in their students, some Packer faculty and staff members learned to draw and paint with more confidence. Others learned how to use decoupage to create emotionalawareness toolboxes for students. Colleagues from different divisions worked in teams to ascend the rock wall in the gym. These activities were part of Teacher Growth Tuesdays (TGT), Packer’s in-house professional development program (formerly known as “TaLL” Tuesdays: Teachers as Leaders and Learners). Six Tuesdays a year, students are dismissed an hour early to allow longer afternoons for faculty to focus exclusively on their teaching practice. This year’s research theme is how to engage students in deeper learning so that they not only master course content but also develop the ability to apply it beyond the classroom. In addition to the workshops, small groups research specific topics (language and listening; Reggio Emilia philosophy; neurolinguistics) with the goal of producing tangible outcomes in the classroom. Others attend the Deeper Instruction Learning Institute to learn how to make their lessons more challenging, empowering, and engaging. “The TGT program honors the professionalism of teaching,” said Associate Head of School and Academic Dean Elizabeth Hastings, who leads the Institute. “It provides the time and space necessary to allow deeper learning to occur for faculty, and ultimately, for our students.”
Top: Upper School art teacher Eric Baylin leads faculty and staff members in still-life drawing techniques in the fifth-floor art studio. Above: Pre-K Threes Head Teacher Lynnette Arthur and Preschool art teacher Robin Koo lead their peers in creating social-emotionallearning toolboxes from repurposed materials in the Packer Early Learning Center Atelier.
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Meet Packer’s Newest Board Members Each June, the Board of Trustees elects new members as other members conclude their service. A term lasts three years, and many trustees serve for more than one term. In June 2019, the Board elected an alumna, a former administrator, and two current parents to serve as trustees. We thank all of our trustees, who offer their expertise, time, and resources so generously to our community. Ronnette Hope ’07, our Recent Graduate Trustee, was in Seventh Grade when she joined the Packer community through the Prep for Prep program. She has been a Reunion Chair, a Class Correspondent, and a mentor and participant in Packer’s Pelicans of Color alumni group. She received her BA from Northwestern and her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from Pratt Institute. Prior to her current work as a middle and upper school admissions associate at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Ronnette was a librarian at the Chapin School. She is also an active supporter of many organizations focused on equity and access in education.
Between 1996 and 2016, Andrea Kelly P’10, P’13
served in many capacities at Packer: Lower School teacher, Assistant Head of Preschool and Lower School, then Head of that division, and finally as Assistant Head of School. She is currently the Head of School at Friends Academy, a PreK-12 Quaker school on Long Island. Andrea has also been a trustee of Brooklyn Heights Montessori School.
After graduating from Packer, Anne Marie Lubrano ’87, P’24, P’25 received her
BA in history from Smith College and her Master in Architecture from Harvard University. In 1999 she co-founded Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, a Dumbo-based boutique design firm. Anne Marie is active in professional and civic organizations, serving on the Brooklyn Heights Association Landmarks Committee and the Packer Alumni Board. Neal McKnight P’15, P’18, P’22 joined the Packer
community as a parent in 2008. He is a finance lawyer and partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he co-heads the firm’s finance and restructuring group. He earned a BA in History from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, a JD from the University of Virginia, and an MPA from Princeton University. Six trustees were re-elected at the June 2019 Board Meeting: Steven Fineman P’20, P’29; Jamillah Hoy-Rosas ’94, P’22, P’27; Hillary Ripley P’18; Evan Roth P’25, P’27; Mimi Somerby P’17, P’19; and Demetrios Yatrakis ’01.
Packer thanks our five trustees who retired from the Board last June: Stacy Blain P’18, P’21, P’25; Paul Burke; Cynthia Gardstein ’66 IVAc; Ronan Harty P’15, P’17, P’20; and, of course, former Head of School Bruce L. Dennis. Officers for 2019-20 are: Deborah Juantorena P’19, Chair; OhSang Kwon P’17, P’22, Vice Chair; Richard Story P’17, P’19, P’26, Secretary; Reed Lowenstein P’24, P’26, Treasurer; and
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MICHAEL MILLER
Steven Fineman P’20, P’29, Officer.
Fall was a vibrant season for PACKER ARTS. The Upper School production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” and the Middle School production of “Mary Poppins” entertained audiences in The Pratt. The Shen Gallery presented “Space ...,” an exhibit of work by Packer alumni, parents, and staff. The Wind Symphony and the Brass and Woodwind Choirs played their annual performance at the MetLife building, while the chorus and jazz ensembles led seasonal concerts at Packer, and Fall and Winter Sings took place in the Lower School. A collective of filmmakers in the Upper School entered the Three-Day Shoot and Edit category of the All-American High School Film Festival — scripting, shooting, and editing a six-minute film in just 72 hours [pictured]. Their entry, “The Divine State of the First Date,” was a national finalist and can be viewed at www.packer.edu/2019threedayfilm.
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ALL PHOTOS BY JULIANA THOMAS
PACKER ATHLETICS were in it to the end of the fall sports season. Five Packer teams — Girls Varsity Volleyball, Girls Varsity Soccer, Boys Varsity Soccer, Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball, and Boys Junior Varsity Soccer — made appearances in league playoffs. The Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball team won the ACIS Tournament. Both Boys and Girls Cross Country won the ACIS Championship, and in the NYSAIS league, the boys finished second and Sylvan Wold ’21 [below left] placed second in individual scoring. “I’m always proud of the way in which we compete,” said Darrin Fallick, Director of Athletics.
New at Packer CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DEEPENS “Co-curricular programming” is a term used regularly at Packer — but what does it mean? The Middle School’s Community and Action Program is a prime example. In small groups led by Packer faculty, students in Fifth through Eighth Grade dive into year-long investigations of a single topic: sustainable development, food scarcity, civic engagement, and community leadership, respectively. The goal is not only to provide students with a more nuanced understanding of these issues but also to develop their sense of empowerment. By working with partner organizations such as Food Bank of New York [above] and shaping initiatives within the Packer community, students gain the valuable experience of taking action to address issues of concern in the world around them.
SCHOOL TOURS IN THREE LANGUAGES Admissions tours of the Upper School at Packer are now being offered in Spanish and Mandarin, in addition to English. Conducted by students in Advanced Topics language classes, the tours are part of an initiative led by Upper School Student Council to offer communications to families for whom English is not the primary language. “Overall, everyone is pleased with the initiative,” said Student Council representative Sam Levine ’21 and President Izabella Lizarazo ’20. “We look forward to expanding second-language communication to other parts of the Packer community.”
GLOBAL LEARNING IN THE SPOTLIGHT The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) has recognized Tené Howard ’97, Director of Global Programs and Community Engagement [above], for deepening global learning at Packer. In the fall, NAIS’s magazine, Independent School, noted her success in aligning the school’s global programs with its mission. “Engaging students in understanding how they are impacted by global issues and how they can also impact what is happening in our world is core to our work as a school,” she said. Tené is also serving as an NAIS Global Ambassador, helping to advise independent schools on implementing global education and international travel programs.
MUSIC INSTRUCTION EXPANDS Packer students can now study a musical instrument in the Fourth Grade. They may select from among strings (violin, viola, cello), woodwinds (clarinet, flute, oboe), brass (trumpet, trombone, French horn), and chorus ensembles. “We are excited that we can now offer instruction to Fourth Grade students,” said Arts Department Head Ali Boag. A bonus, he added, is that they may continue “with those very teachers who will guide them on their journeys with their chosen instruments through Middle and Upper School.”
JORDAN RENVILLE ’20
There’s Always More News on Our Website! Upper School English Teacher Celeste Tramontin received
Looking for Commencement coverage? You can watch the
the 2019-20 Excellence in Teaching Award, underwritten
entire graduation ceremony, read the speeches, and even
by the Packer Parent Association. Read more at
download photos from our Flickr album, which contains
www.packer.edu/2019excellence.
over 800 images! Go to www.packer.edu/2019graduation.
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Ten Questions for Dr. Weyburn
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Led by Division Head Bill McCarthy, students in the Lower School presented Dr. Weyburn with handmade bouquets of paper flowers, a special carpet made of repurposed paper, and a traditional Packer chair embellished with aluminum pans, pipe cleaners, and streamers.
Packer’s new Head of School Jennifer Weyburn grew up just north of New York City, in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she attended public schools. After graduating from Yale University with a BA in history, she worked for a few years just blocks from Packer — at Saint Ann’s School — then taught in Hong Kong and mainland China. She returned to the States in her work leading teaching programs at the Yale-China Association. At Atlanta International School, she became a division head and developed her love for being a school leader. [continued]
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Dr. Weyburn chatted in Mandarin with students in Li Ma’s Advanced Topics in Chinese Language class.
[Continued from page 15]
She simultaneously earned an EdD in educational policy and leadership at Vanderbilt University. Then, with her husband, Garrett, and their children, Will and Louise, she returned to China, where she served as deputy head for educational programs and student learning at Shanghai American School. After that, she was appointed to lead Copenhagen International School in Denmark. “It’s been a whirlwind of a journey for me and my family,” Dr. Weyburn said, “and now we’re so happy to be back here in New York, at Packer.” Last fall, she sat down with The Packer Magazine for an interview.
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You’ve been in education for 25 years. Why did you first enter the field? Teaching and learning have always been a big part of my life. My mom was a teacher. I think I even made my brother succumb to lessons in front of a chalkboard. And I really loved school, all the way through. I loved the journey that I got to go on with every teacher introducing me to something new. But I chose education as a career because I love working with kids. Being a part of a kid’s educational journey is fun, it’s intense, and it’s an honor. If you’re not a teacher, you may not realize what joy there is in connecting with students on a daily basis. Kids are funny. They’re quirky. They bare their souls. Our students also really challenge us. They make us think of things we haven’t thought of before and ask us to consider new ways of being. Who was one of your favorite teachers? My piano teacher, whom I studied with for 12 years, was important in helping me understand what an excellent teacher does. She understood what really motivated and intrigued me, and she engaged me in a long path of learning. That’s what I see the teachers at Packer doing. They’re both excellent in the subjects that they’re teaching and great at connecting with students.
Dr. Weyburn visited Vidya Misra’s Eighth Grade history class to learn about their pen-pal exchange with students in a rural area in Virginia.
Your children are Middle School students here, which makes you the first Head of School in a long time also to be a Packer parent. How does being a parent impact your work? I think being a parent is a big part of what I bring to Packer. Though I was a teacher for a long time before I had kids, now as a parent, I’m always learning something new about what young people need. And being a parent in this community offers me another facet for understanding how the school serves kids and families. You describe teaching as an art and a science. What do you mean? I’ve taught for a long time, and I really appreciate the craft and the artistry of good teaching. It takes many years to master. You plan a lot for a great lesson, then you get into the classroom and something organic happens: the students present you with new perspectives. The class may take a different path, and it ends up being unique and special and unexpected — something we’ve created and learned together. The hallmark of great teachers is that they’re always seeking out their own learning and new ways to grow. At Packer, one thing I love — and am deeply moved by — is that all of our teachers are engaged in this reflective practice. And our veteran teachers are learning and growing just as much as those earlier in their careers.
What makes a Packer education special? I think Packer gets excellent education just right. It’s both about academics — skills, knowledge, and dispositions — and about students understanding who they are and how they engage and contribute in a community of learners. At its best, education is a coming together of the heart and the mind. And we’re helping to develop students who are academically good but also who know who they are — and who feel they can be themselves. I see this when I enter our classrooms: our students are developing confidence in their ideas and ability to express them. They want to make a difference and solve issues and challenges in the world. They’re telling us what they believe in, what matters, what they need, and how we can help them. It’s our job to listen carefully and then offer the pathways and supports that will help them achieve those goals. You have been meeting with dozens of different constituents, including alumni, to learn about the school. What’s the most consistent thing you hear? When I ask people what they love about Packer, they say community. When our alumni talk about the impact Packer had on them, they always return to the strong sense of community here and the teachers they still cherish. We all understand how deeply important a warm, caring, trusting, and vibrant community is for us to provide an
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Students at the Packer Early Learning Center presented Dr. Weyburn with necklaces of repurposed-paper beads bearing their wishes for her: “I hope that people support her and listen to her.” “I hope she feels peaceful.” “I hope that she is one of the happiest people in the world.” At her installation ceremony [see page 19], Dr. Weyburn recited these wishes — adding, “I most certainly am.”
excellent education for our kids. I think it’s one of the things that Packer’s been doing better for longer than anybody else. Can you explain a little further why community is important to learning? Community is essential to learning! We learn as individuals and together in a group. And particularly when the group is diverse, we learn from all the variety of experiences of each of us. Early on, at an Upper School Community Meeting in the Chapel, I was struck by how well it reflected why I love Packer. When students perform on stage, their peers are in rapt attention. When someone makes an announcement, there is cheering from the crowd. It’s just what a learning environment should be. And there’s an awareness of the fact that people of different identities may experience Packer differently. Part of what we, as a school, are striving to do — and what our students are learning to do — is to really understand these dynamics, nurture our authentic voices, and support one another. In addition to being the first woman appointed to serve as Head of School, what else do you bring to Packer’s ongoing commitment to diversity? My experiences as a leader at international schools on three different continents gave me a lot of opportunity to think about how schools serve diverse populations of students and families. Diversity comes in so many forms — racial background, ethnic
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background, linguistic background, learning style, family make-up, and more. I’ve learned the importance of listening to every single student’s story and each family’s story — understanding their needs, perspectives, and goals for their children’s learning. And I see that Packer is deeply committed to supporting each child, wherever they’re coming from, and helping them thrive. The Garden House project will break ground at the end of your first year here. What can you tell us about this new chapter in Packer’s history? This is such an exciting moment. With the renovation of the Garden House, we will bring to life our understanding of what makes powerful learning environments for our older students. At the same time, we’re looking at how to make the Garden an even more special space for student learning. [See page 4.] What is your wish for all Packer students? I really hope our kids know their superpowers! I already know that when they leave Packer, they are sure about who they are, they understand the journey they’ve been on and are hungry to learn more, and they’re ready to influence the world. P
See Packer through Dr. Weyburn’s eyes in our video at www.packer.edu/meetdrweyburn.
Commemorating a Historic Moment for Packer On the evening of October 18, 2019, trustees, alumni, faculty and staff, students, families, and friends gathered as Dr. Jennifer Weyburn was formally installed as the tenth Head of School. Offering remarks were Deborah Juantorena, Chair of the Board of Trustees; former Trustee and Alumni Board President Cynthia Gardstein ’66 IVAc; Noah Reinhardt, Assistant Head of School and Middle School Division Head; Semeka Smith-Williams, Director of Diversity and Equity; and Izabella Lizarazo ’20 and Yusuf Haque ’20, who shared a video by Jordan Renville ’20, featuring students’ wishes for Dr. Weyburn. Read excerpts of Noah and Semeka’s joint remarks below, followed by Dr. Weyburn’s speech. We are honored to offer a few words this evening about the impression that Dr. Weyburn — Jen — has made, and the impact that she has had on our community in the short time that she’s been here. We are also honored to recognize that for the first time in Packer’s nearly 175-year history — which for 125 years was a girls school — we have appointed a woman to serve as our head of school. Jen urges us as adults to keep our focus on our students, while we also learn from one another and challenge our longstanding traditions, beliefs, and even our own perspectives.
With her wit, intelligence, and humor, she reminds us of our common purpose and she encourages us to be ourselves. And in doing this, Jen has reestablished the foundation from which all of us can do our best work. Jen has helped us develop deeper meaning in our identity as a school located in one of the world’s most diverse cities. This summer at our opening meeting with 200-plus faculty and staff members, Jen arranged for five of them to read the school’s mission statement in all of the languages taught here. I should note that we constantly reference the mission in our work, and we continuously refine our practice through its lens. Yet, as our five colleagues recited it in their respective languages, the energy among us shifted: the work of our World Languages teachers was validated, the cultural and national identities of longtime community members came vividly alive, and a three-sentence document that is decidedly not new to us became dazzlingly new once again. It became what a mission truly should be — a living expression of our work and a call to action — and it was suddenly rekindled in all of us. As a member of the Head of School search committee, I [Semeka] noticed from early on that Jen has a way of bringing people into the conversation. Her hmmms, her bright smile, her curiosity and love of learning encourage people to share their stories with her. She is always fully present and listens carefully, making sense of the ideas that [Continued] are circulating. ••• WINTER 2020 | 19
We wish you good luck, success, and a long and productive legacy at Packer. We are so proud to welcome you as our Head of School. Dr. Weyburn opened her remarks by reflecting on the different meanings of “installation” and describing the welcomes she received from the Preschool and the Lower School [see photos on pages 14 and 18]. What follows is the conclusion of her speech.
In her brief tenure as Packer’s 10th Head of School, we have learned so much from Jen. Our leadership team has appreciated her ability to bring us together and benefited from her generosity of spirit. Jen makes people feel seen, appreciated, recognized, and validated. A few of our colleagues offered these observations: • In situations where emotions could have gotten heightened, she is even-keeled. • She is warm and compassionate, a great listener with a wonderful sense of humor. • She gives people her full attention. She listens intently and sincerely. • She takes notes, and absorbs and thinks about what you’ve said. • She is committed to slowing the pace and being present. • She is genuine and grounded, open and approachable. • She sits with us at lunch — faculty and staff alike. • She has a calm, thoughtful, human-centric approach to challenges. • She is a parent herself, and she draws on that perspective in her work. It’s clear from Jen’s leadership style that she believes work-life balance is not just possible but necessary for us to best serve our kids and be role models for them. Emotional intelligence, collegial relationships, and moments of discovery are essential for us as adults. Jen reminds us to take care of ourselves — so that we have the strength and courage to accept what is asked of educators today. ••• In the months and years to come, as she leads our community through a new strategic plan, a historic construction project, and the day-to-day schooling of our children, we know she will encourage our Packer collective thoughtfully and with a collaborative spirit. On behalf of the many, many people we represent tonight: congratulations. We’re happy you’re here, we are happy your family is here, and we’re happy you are you.
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The best definition of installation is not about fixtures on walls. It is “to be set up for use or service.” I know I feel the way that our faculty do, that we are so lucky to get to work with our students. Teaching is our avocation. It is an expression of our desire to serve. And in this particular age, working with and serving young people is an infinite source of my optimism about the future. On this night of my formal installation, the beginning of my service to Packer, and the next chapter in its history, I want to say that I believe we are all being installed — as members of this community — faculty, families, alumni, friends. We are all here to be useful, to serve our students. In thinking about what use we could, should, and need to be for our students, in helping them to grow and thrive, I’d like to offer a little Danish wisdom. I have been interested in existentialist philosophers since college. And I got to know one better when I lived in Copenhagen: famous Danish philosopher Søren Kirkegaard, a native Copenhagener. When I got to Copenhagen, I was amazed: his name was on signs all over the city. I thought, This guy was really something! Then I realized that kirkegaard means churchyard! Ah, the mistakes we make when we are navigating new places. A few wise words from Kirkegaard: “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.” One thing I love about Packer is that we can look backwards a long way. We have a great deal of understanding about what students have faced over generations, what support they have needed. I am grateful to our former teacher, Ken Rush, who taught art and art history here for over 30 years, for helping me start to learn about the history of Packer, and particularly this Chapel. Tonight you are all sitting in pews made of New England white pine. These seats, and the gallery woodwork, are originals from 1854. They are clear heartwood, stained to look like black walnut — apparently a less expensive solution than using walnut hardwood. Young people have sat in these seats for 165 years. Thanks to the great work of the student historians in our Advanced Archives class — taught by Dr. Sarah Strauss and in our partnership with the Brooklyn Historical Society — Packer’s past is alive with us today. For 165 years, Packer students have sat here, grappling with the exciting, urgent, devastating, complex aspects of their times. In the 1800s, Packer students wondered about women’s education and role in society. During the Civil War, Packer
students reckoned with death, dislocation, abolition. During the World Wars, Packer students grappled with how to care for German and Japanese members of the community. In the second half of the 20th Century, Packer students questioned communism, debated Vietnam, fought for civil rights. We can look backward and understand the challenges they faced. But what about the challenges for our students now? We don’t have the gift of hindsight that Kirkegaard says leads to true understanding. So much is being written today about how the future is unknown, how the speed of change is accelerating. The job world of the future will be completely different. Speaking as a parent, many of us are concerned and even alarmed about the world our children may face. We feel that we want to protect them from difficulties. The characterization of parenting has gone from nurturing to “helicopter parent.” And now it is snowplow parents! Incidentally, the metaphor for protective parents in Scandinavia is a bit softer: “curling parents.” Have you seen curling on the Olympics, where you sweep with brushes to decrease the friction so that the granite stone glides smoothly across the ice? It’s only natural that we want to smooth the way for our kids so that things go well for them, so they can find success. Another bit of wisdom from Kirkegaard applies here: “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” Here I think Kirkegaard is, in a sense, calling us out. We do want to solve problems for our kids, resolve issues, make things easier. But Kirkegaard is saying, That is not what life is about. It is about experiences. Wonderful!, exhilarating!, and also sometimes messy and difficult. Our work is not about brushing the ice to decrease friction for our kids. We must do the opposite, in fact. Our role is to lead our students toward rich, complex experiences, to invite them into challenging opportunities. And, as they get older, to support them in seeking their own experiences. Packer has been, and we need to continue to be, in the business of growing kids who are not afraid of jumping in, who do so even when they are not sure what the discomfort will be or how it will go. So here we are, all together in this Chapel tonight, installing ourselves for this service to our students — students ranging from age three to eighteen. So what does our service really look like? The windows in this Chapel are so meaningful to me. They add beauty and majesty to all of our gatherings here. Let’s consider the one over here to your right. This is a turn-of-the-century Louis Comfort Tiffany design. The center pane depicts Harriet Packer — our founder, who reinstated the school quite literally out of the ashes of a New Year’s fire in 1853. You will recognize the Christian imagery: Harriet’s position and garb evoke Mary. To her left and right, behind her, we see a route to be navigated. Perhaps the journey of life.
Harriet is caring for two children. The younger one on the left is “under her wing.” Harriet is protecting, nurturing. The older child is by her right side, standing independently. She lays a caring hand on the child’s arm. This image reminds us of the different roles we play for our students at their different ages. The younger child is connected to Harriet in a way you would imagine. The older student is standing more independently, but glancing up at Harriet. I take this to mean that older students need us just as much, but in different ways. They learn from our expertise and insight, they gain subtlety and perspective, and they learn compassion from us. It is curious to me how placid and assured Harriet seems. She’s calm with the kids — even though the path of life is clearly headed into the troubling mountains in the background. Harriet is saying: “I got this!” But how can she be this way? Maybe it’s the confidence you get when you are immortalized in Tiffany glass! Today we seem somehow less sure. Coming back to Kirkegaard: if we are supposed to be wise and lead students, but we don’t truly have an understanding of the significance of challenges of our time, or even less, of the future, we feel on shaky ground. What is it Harriet knows? Then it came to me. Harriet is looking at us. Her gaze takes us all in: trustees, alumni, faculty, students, families, friends. Our community. This is where we can find confidence in our power to lead our students. With all of our perspectives, insights, and experience; with all of us seeing and supporting the students on stage; with all of us committed to being learners ourselves; with all of us here, rooted in this phenomenal city, installing ourselves in our students’ service. Now we are on firm ground. We got this! It is a true honor and joy to be at the beginning of this work with you, together in this remarkable community, serving our students, who amaze and delight us every day. Thank you. Watch the entire Installation Ceremony, including the student-produced video created for Dr. Weyburn, at www.packer.edu/2019installation.
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Alumni News
At our new Fall Back to Packer party for recent graduates in town for Thanksgiving, Tasnia Khan ’17 and Brittany Boyce ’17 caught up with Sheila Bogan, Director of Middle and Upper School Admissions and Financial Aid. Our youngest alumni had the chance to reconnect with one another and some of their former teachers and mentors.
Our Newest Alumni Voices Before the Class of 2019 graduated, Director of Alumni David Minder sat down with Student Council President Archie Caride ’19, Secretary Noelle Parks ’19, and Vice President Sacha Sloan ’19 to hear their perspectives on Packer and on their futures. Here is an edited excerpt of their conversation. David: What do you think defines Packer? Archie: It’s always been the kids and students here. They are part of my family, and they are what’s made it so incredible. Just the feeling of walking into the Student Center in the morning, seeing their faces turn to look at you. There’s all this energy and conversation happening, and people are continuously bonding. Sacha: I honestly believe that the faculty and staff at Packer are on another level in caring for students. They actively try to make their curriculum and activities better. I’ve met so many amazing teachers that have been here for so long, yet they’re not static — they’re changing to adapt to what society needs them to be for students. That change, the way that the school is dynamic, is a really important and unique part of Packer. I really respect that about the culture and ethos of the school and its administrators. Noelle: Packer has problems just like any institution, but
when I go to diversity conferences and hear about how situations are handled at other schools, it makes me feel so incredibly lucky to go to Packer, where people are actively trying to make things better. David: What was your perception of Packer alumni after meeting members of the Alumni Board? Sacha: I was struck by how different everyone was and all
the things they’ve done in their lives. They took the time to come back to their high school 30 or 40 years after they graduated and talk to students they might not have met otherwise. It felt very surreal to know that I will be one of those people. It was cool to see them wanting to come back to Packer.
Archie, Sacha, and Noelle last spring, wearing the names of the colleges where they are now first-year students.
Noelle: I came to Packer in the Fifth Grade, and I remember spending months and months without knowing where to go. I thought this place looked like Hogwarts, and I thought I would get lost in every hallway. Now it’s the opposite. I know every nook and cranny: the best places to do work, the best places to hang out. I will be losing that when I leave.
David: What do you think you’ll take away from Packer? Archie: I will leave here with a better sense of myself and my voice. When I’m struggling with something, now I think, “How am I going to solve this? Will I do this on my own? What are the resources that I need?” Now I have the confidence and vulnerability to say, I don’t know how to do this but I’m going to go tell someone that I need help. Noelle: I’m leaving Packer stronger than when I came. I’ve had to push the administration sometimes, and that has made me way stronger than when I walked into this place. I learned how to take in what people say and try to figure out how to work with people. Sacha: The main thing I learned here is that if you are yourself, people will respect you for it. [Packer is a] really good place to be in your formative years, and I’m grateful for that.
David: What are you looking forward to as you head to college? Archie: There’s a weird combination of indescribable excitement and apprehension. I haven’t had a summer for four or five years where I wasn’t coming back to Packer and looking forward to seeing the people I know. This is a new emotion for me, and it’s not something that I conceived before.
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Catching Up with Alumni Packer Alumni-Student Baseball Game [1]
Young Alumni Summer Party [3]
July Long Island Luncheon [2]
Gabby Miranda ’14, Ann Rush Oliner ’01, Joey Ludolph ’14 , Mia Anderson ’94, Craig Maldonado ’93, and Nina Grisl ’14 supported former visual arts faculty member Ken Rush at his exhibition opening at the George Billis Gallery in Manhattan in July.
In May, former Pelicans joined Packer’s Varsity Baseball team for a competitive alumni-student game. The score was tied, 4-4, after six innings when both sides called for a truce. Alumni players included Jojo Aboaf ’18, Michael Duffy ’14, Eli Isikoff ’17, Toby Jaroslaw ’15, Thomas Jensen ’17, August Olsen ’10, Ian Russell ’17, Will Stewart ’17, Julien Strickland ’18, and Jordan Tayeh ’17. Packer Boys Varsity Baseball players included Luca Conetta ’19, John Wallace, Joey Spungen, Teddy Yankauer, Ethan Weisberg, Patrick Quan, Julian Hartman-Sigall, Charlie Susser, Ian Henderson, Harper Harrell, and Cooper Williamson.
Alumnae from the Classes of 1949 through 1974 caught up with Director of Alumni David Minder at the annual Long Island Luncheon in July. Attendees included Barbara Johnson Cass ’54, Charlotte Megill Hix ’53 IVAc, Elizabeth (Betsy) Colb (Charlotte’s Daughter), Ellen Hinrichsen Iamascia ’67 IVAc, Anne Surchin ’72 IVAc, Sue Calden ’70 IVAc, Suzanne Louer Whelpley ’64 IVAc, Mayda Swerdlick Idone ’67 IVAc, Diane DeVito Schimmer ’74, Mina Cory Kahofer ’54, Carolyn Trois Sheehan ’67 IVAc, Evelyn Straub DeVito ’49, Amelia Vigorita Schirrippa ’71 IVAc, and Ellin Rosenzweig ’52.
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Matthew Dillon ’03, Jonathan Marable ’04, Melanie Closs ’02, Melissa Tandy ’09, Jeremy Schiffres ’07, Paulina Rojek ’08, and Elizabeth Harnett ’07 attended the Alumni Summer Party at two8two Bar & Burger (owned by Anastasia Yatrakis Thanopoulos ’92, P’25, P’30, and her husband Billy Thanopoulos).
Ken Rush Gallery Opening [4]
“Space” in the Shen Gallery [5]
In October, Ben Prosky ’95, Carla Shen ’95, David Alperin ’97, and Michelle Lorenzutti ’06 celebrated classmates Isabella Jansen ’18 [not pictured], Marissa Alperin ’95, and Kate Linder ’04, whose art was featured in the “Space” exhibition in Packer’s Carol Shen Gallery.
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Alumni Spotlight Julian Wachner ’87 was recognized by the New York Times and the New Yorker for his decade-long tenure as the director of music at Trinity Church Wall Street. Wachner is also the principal conductor and occasionally performs on the organ at Trinity’s “Pipes at One” series on Thursdays at 1 pm.
Trustee and Alumni Board member Anne Marie Lubrano ’87, P’24, P’25 headed the design of the widely acclaimed Trans World Airlines (TWA) Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport. She is the co-founder of Lubrano Ciavarra Architects. David Helene ’08 was named to Forbes’ “30 under 30” for his
role in founding Edquity, a platform designed to help students graduate from college by offering money-management resources and support. Edquity partners with 13 collegiate institutions in six states.
Earlier this year, Karim Othman ’10 opened Brooklyn Only Foods, a grocery store featuring products made in the borough. Next time you’re in Brooklyn Heights, be sure to stop by his shop!
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St. Louis Public Radio followed the opening days at Kairos Academy, a new charter middle school co-founded by Gavin Schiffres ’11. He was also recently named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. Nick Morton ’12 returned to Packer this fall as the new
Assistant Director of Middle and Upper School Admissions and Financial Aid. He is also coaching Packer’s Boys Junior Varsity Basketball and Boys Varsity Baseball teams.
At Packer’s 10th annual Independent Science Research Symposium, Jonathan Daniels ’15 [above] gave an inspiring keynote address on his research studying how people learn through problem-solving. He is currently a research associate in the cognitive neuroscience lab of Dr. Nicholas Turk-Browne at Yale University.
David W. Geracioti ’15, Sasha Baumrind ’00, Nick Morton ’12, Anya Raab Chrystal ’00, and other alumni donors were invited back to Packer in December for our new annual holiday celebration with Head of School Dr. Jennifer Weyburn and Director of Alumni David Minder.
Reconnect at These 2020 Upcoming Alumni Events
Packer Alumni News: Now in Your Inbox!
PELICANS OF COLOR RECEPTION
Be sure to look out for our bi-monthly email newsletter that shares upcoming events,
Thursday, February 20
stories about fellow alumni, and more.
INTERNSHIP WORKSHOP & CAREER PANEL Thursday, April 2 Do you have advice for Packer students seeking internships? Contact David Minder at dminder@packer.edu if you would like to contribute to a panel on how to use internship opportunities to build their careers.
REUNION Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18
Getting Social Join our new Packer Alumni Facebook Group as a place to connect, share memories, and stay involved with one another and with Packer. Don’t forget to invite your classmates! Go to www.facebook.com/groups/PackerAlumni to join.
LGBTQ+ FAMILIES SOCIAL GATHERING Friday, April 3
PELICANS OF COLOR FAREWELL DINNER Friday, May 29
ALUMNI FAMILY DAY Saturday, May 30
#PelicanPride Show your alma mater spirit at Packer Athletics events! View our teams and schedules at www.packer.edu/pelicanpride.
Get all the details at www.packer.edu/alumnievents.
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Friday, April 17 & Saturday, April 18, 2020
www.packer.edu/reunion Who’s Attending | Accommodations | Volunteer
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170 Joralemon Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 250-0200 www.packer.edu
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