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Volume CXLV, Number II
The Pingry School, Basking Ridge, New Jersey
December 17, 2018
Next Year’s Head of School Matt Levinson Introduces Himself
By BRYNN WEISHOLTZ (V), FELICIA HO (VI)
On November 30, Mr. Jeffrey Edwards ‘78, Chair of the Board of Trustees, announced that Mr. Matt Levinson has been selected to be the next Head of School, effective as of July 1, 2019. He was elected by a unanimous vote from the Board of Trustees following a fivemonth-long search directed by the Pingry Search Committee and executive search firm Spencer Stuart. After graduating with a B.A. in History from Haverford College, Mr. Levinson pursued an M.A. in Social Studies Education from the Teachers College of Columbia University, where he was also a member of the prestigious Kappa Delta Pi Honors Society. Mr. Levinson then became a History Department Chair, Grade Dean, and Varsity Soccer Coach at Princeton Day School. During his time in New Jersey, he was also involved in giving back to the community as an active participant of New Jersey SEEDS and Prep for Prep. After moving to the West Coast, he became the Assistant Head of School at Marin Country Day School in Marin, CA. He then held the same position at The Nueva School in Hillsborough, CA, and, most recently, he was the Head of School at University Prep in Seattle, WA. His wife, Ms. Priyanthi Alahendra, is also an educator who taught in elementary schools for over 25 years. Now, Mr. Levinson is ready to bring his extensive leadership experience to Pingry. Mr. Lederman and Ms. Procter, Co-Chairs of the Search Committee, offered some insight into how Mr. Levinson was selected: surveys were sent to and meet-
ings were held with students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, current and past parents, and current and former trustees to identify what Pingry hoped to find in their next Head of School. During
these sessions, Mr. Lederman and Ms. Procter gathered that the community wanted “a visionary leader, a community builder,” someone who, in past positions, “attracted, retained, and developed faculty talent, as well as shared our Pingry values of excellence, honor, diversity, and inclusion.” The Search Committee then reviewed candidates by reading their résumés and writings, and holding video and in-person interviews. Mr. Levinson greatly impressed them in his first video interview; the interview was held at 6:30 A.M. in Seattle, but “he immediately evidenced warmth, directness, and intellectual curiosity.” With Mr. Levinson’s experience in implementing
Inside the Record
new design programs at The Nueva School and Experiential Learning programs at University Prep, Mr. Lederman and Ms. Procter believe that Mr. Levinson will greatly contribute to the growth of
the Pingry curriculum. After consulting reference-checks that detailed how students loved him as “a very visible community builder who builds lifelong relationships w ith faculty and staff,” the Search Committee concluded that Mr. Levinson would be a perfect fit for Pingry. Describing himself as collaborative, inclusive, and energetic, Mr. Levinson is most looking R. Kapur (IV). forward to meeting as many people as possible and getting to know about the Pingry community from administrators, faculty members, students, parents, and alumni. He plans “to connect with the students by attending various events such as games and drama productions. After being a classroom teacher for fourteen years, I don’t know any other way to be in a school community.” Having worked in New Jersey for many years, Mr. Levinson has always been
The Rumor Mill
Editorials
Brooke Pan (IV) presents a unique take on Ariana Grande’s latest hit.
Co-Editors-in-Chief Miroslav Bergam (VI) and Ketaki Tavan (VI) delve into reputation and legacy
An Inside Look Justin Li (IV) answers your burning questions about the behindthe-scenes of the Student Activities Committee (SAC).
Columns Felicia Ho (VI) reviews Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, Martha Lewand (V) discusses her latest Netflix obsession, Aneesh Karuppur (IV) highlights winter tech, and Kristine Fu (VI) shares Snowball outfit insights.
Winter Sports Roundup Our sports reporters cover each team’s start to the winter sports season.
Sections News......................................1, 6, 7 Commentary..........................2-4 Columns......................................5 Sports.....................................8
On November 20th, the final day before the start of Thanksgiving break, the Buttondowns serenaded the Upper School in Hauser Auditorium at their annual Buttondowns Assembly. The elite boys’ acapella group is led this year by president Rajeev Doraswamy (VI) and vice president Ian Dugan (VI). The assembly began with the highly anticipated Buttondowns movie, an annual tradition. The three-movie format was inspired by “Edgar Wright’s unofficial ‘Cornetto Trilogy,’ a film trilogy with the same actors, themes, and creative team,” according to Dugan. The seniors in the Buttondowns had been planning the movie for a long time, as evidenced by clips of the seniors throughout the years. To this, Dugan elaborated, “The introduction to the film was written back when we filmed in the BAC construction site as freshmen, and we left it open ended as to be able to take whatever creative direction we wanted.” At the end of the movie, the Buttondowns ran down the flight of stairs to the stage wearing their namesake white button down shirts, khakis, and of course, no shoes. The first song was Bruno Mars’ “Marry You”
By ALEX KAPLAN (IV)
On November 8th, the Jewish Affinity Group hosted a town hall in the wake of the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eleven people were killed, making it the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the United States. While the event was hosted by the Jewish Affinity Group, it was open to the entire Pingry community, regardless of faith or culture. The event intended to create a space that was free for respectful debate so anyone could voice their thoughts with-
a number of faculty, students, and staff. Many people came both to share and to listen. Ms. Hartz felt that the town hall was a powerful experience, saying that “seeing the students [who] came to the meeting was most impactful since these were students I don’t normally see in Affinity Group meetings.” The viewpoints that were shared varied as well. Some shared their opinions on the recent events, whereas other shared ideas they found had affected them. Mrs. Ostrowsky, for example, shared a poem written to
we wanted to allow people to be political without turning what’s meant to be an emotional place into an argumentative place”
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out fear of retaliation or judgement. According to Ethan Malzberg (VI), co-facilitator of the Jewish Affinity Group, “any shooting inherently provokes a political response from some people, and we wanted to allow people to be political without turning what’s meant to be an emotional place into an argumentative place.” The town hall was a success, with high turnout and a great impact on those who attended. Present at the town hall was Dr. Diana Artis, Chair of the Department of Diversity and Inclusion, Mrs. Eva Ostrowsky, counselor and Peer Leadership Program Advisor, and Ms. Shelley Hartz, Director of Community and Civic Engagement, as well as
the baby whose naming was supposed to take place during the tragedy at the synagogue. It was an emotional moment for all who attended. Malzberg noted another affective moment, saying, “I was the first person to share, so seeing people around me stand up after me was really affirming and inspiring to everyone.” Ms. Hartz and Malzberg both noted that the community turnout was better than expected. The high attendance and heartfelt response to the event opens the door to more events of a similar nature in the future. Ms. Hartz echoed this sentiment, noting that she hopes, “as a community we can continue to find venues where students can support each other during difficult times.”
“Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield. Jan mentioned that he really enjoyed performing this particular song as both he and Charlie Malone (V) arranged the music together. Finally, Rajeev Doraswamy (VI) and Henry Wood (IV) sang the closing song, George Erza’s “Budapest.” Wood appreciated how the song’sl y r i c s , “generally talk about how love is more important than anything else.” D o raswamy spoke after the assembly about his years in the Buttondowns group, reflecting Pingry Communications t h a t , “ I t
hadn’t hit me that it was my last assembly until it was over; once it did end, I felt a huge sense of gratitude to those who put countless hours in, and definitely some sadness that it was my last one.” He thanked Dr. Andrew Moore, “who was there for me all four years and has never wavered in his support for the group.” Doraswamy also thanked his fellow seniors Dugan, Jan, Thomas Campbell, and Ryan Henriques, as well as the entire class of 2019, “who have cheered us on from freshman year until now.” He also thanked Dugan for the immense effort he put into the Buttondowns movie. The event was widely enjoyed by the whole Upper School, apparent by the loud applause. As a final note, Doraswamy said, “All in all, I’m really proud of the boys, and I’ll definitely be looking back on it with a real sense of both happiness and sadness.”
Buttondowns Entertain Upper School at Annual Assembly By MONICA CHAN (IV)
Courtesy of Pingry Communications
aware of Pingry and especially its Honor Code values. Mr. Levinson recalls Haverford’s Honor Code as “the single most defining part of my college education; it imbued the whole community, affected how we engaged with each other, how we approached learning in the classroom, and acted as our conscience.” He hopes to bring his experience with Haverford’s Honor Code to Pingry, referring to Haverford’s pillars of intellectual engagement, diversity and inclusion, and stewardship and sustainability. Mr. Levinson said, “The students are the lifeblood of the school, so it’s important to hear what you have to say. We need to have different kinds of conversations regarding the pillars and more involvement in applying strategic plans to combat the issues we face as a community.” His long term goal is to bring people together in a whole, inclusive, and collaborative community. “This can be accomplished,” he said, by “distributing leadership and empowering people to work on something they are truly passionate about.” During his free time, Mr Levinson plays soccer and basketball. Having taught AP European History, AP US History, American Studies, and middle school history, he would also love to find a way back into the History Department. As an official introduction to the community, Mr. Levinson stated, “I would hope that you are all open and receptive to conversation and dialogue and that we can continue it as I am here. I want the community to get to know me in a personal way.”
Jewish Affinity Group Hosts Gathering Following Tragedy
with soloists John Robertson (V), Ore Shote (IV), and Alex Kaplan (IV). “I always learn something from performing in front of crowds. In this case, I learned how to lend attention to the people behind me while still singing correctly,” Kaplan reflected. The next song had a more R&B feel: “Juke Jam” by Chance the Rapper, with soloists James Wang (V) and Nolan Baynes (IV). This is the second year the two have paired up for a song at the annual assembly. Baynes said he enjoys performing with Wang because, “I think that chemistry between us shows when we sing together, which is really unique.” Nabeel Jan (VI) and Dugan sang next with the 1980’s hit