THE
COMPASS A MAGAZINE FOR THE WINDWARD SCHOOL COMMUNITY
We Stand Stronger When We Stand Together
Spring/Summer 2020
THE
COMPASS A MAGAZINE FOR THE WINDWARD SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Jamie Williamson Head of School
Jonathan Rosenshine Associate Head of School
Board of Trustees 201920 Ellen Bowman Timothy M. Jones 1st Vice President
Assistant Head of School and Director of Finance and Operations
Patricia L. Wolff
Executive Director of The Windward Institute
Sandra Schwarz Director of Windward Teacher Training Program
Arthur Ceria Thomas J. Coleman Elizabeth A. Crain Peter D’Avanzo George Davison Nicholas Finn David Friedland Alexander A. Gendzier Jeffrey Goldenberg Meredith Jenkins Gregory D. Kennedy Stacy Kuhn Joseph Lorono Staci Marlowe Janice Meyer Magdalena Zavalia Miguens Denis O'Leary, III Jenny Price Katie Puris Maria Reed Jon Steingart Nicholas Van Amburg
President
Stephen R. Littell
Dr. John J. Russell
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
2nd Vice President
Mark A. Ellman Treasurer
Mitchell J. Katz Secretary
Heather Pray Director of Communications
Stephanie Huie Editor and Associate Director of Digital Communications & Publications
Contributing Writers Jana Cook, Stephanie Huie, and Jamie Williamson Contributing Photographers
Angeline DiSante, Sophia Hsu, Stephanie Huie, Victoria Jackson, Jill LeVine, Donna Mueller, Amanda Rathbun, and Al Pereira Design
The Blank Page, NYC
The Windward School does not discriminate in admissions, employment, or administration of programs on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, national or ethnic origin or sexual orientation. The Compass is published twice a year by the School's Communications Office. It is a magazine for The Windward School community. Note: At The Windward
School, a student’s class year is the same as their high school graduation year.
The Windward School Westchester Lower School 13 Windward Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 9496968 Westchester Middle School 40 West Red Oak Lane White Plains, NY 10604 (914) 9496968
Manhattan Lower & Middle Schools 212 East 93rd Street New York, NY 10128 (212) 2228628
6 How Windward Persevered to Launch Its Remote Learning Program CONTENTS 3 4 6 14 18 24 25 26 32
From the Head of School Looking Ahead for Windward We Stand Stronger When We Stand Together: How Windward Persevered to Launch Its Remote Learning Program Faculty and Staff News & Milestones News Around the School Thank You Windward Parents Association Ice Skating Party at Bryant Park Photos Alumni News & Notes In Memoriam
On the cover: Manhattan Middle School Student Council Vice
President EJ Berman (left) and Westchester Middle School Student Council President Peter Lewis (right) are pictured in front of their respective campuses, forming a heart shape. On this page: Westchester Middle School sixth-grade students in
Mr. Feliciano and Ms. Kwon’s homeroom class were all smiles on their first day back in their virtual classroom.
Stay connected
thewindwardschool.org TheWindwardSchool TheWindwardSchool Windward_School
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
1
The Windward School’s Vision
A world where every child with a languageÂbased learning disability is empowered to achieve unlimited success Difference is Power 2
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
From the
Head of School
By Jamie Williamson Head of The Windward School
Greetings Friends and Families,
A
s we approach the next school year, I’ve been reflecting on what we as The Windward School community were able to accomplish during these past months. We will remember 2020 as the year that we, along with the rest of the world, confronted the COVID19 pandemic, which forced us to quickly transform our academic program. Much of our lives that we took for granted as “normal” drastically changed, but I am pleased to say that The Windward School continued to deliver its researchbased, multisensory program to our 940 students. Windward teachers continued to demonstrate their incredible training and show their passion for educating their students during the remote learning period. In typical Windward spirit, the Windward community rallied around the students, the administration, the faculty and staff, and each other. Despite the uncertainty of the times, it is truly remarkable that none of those things changed. In June, we were so proud to celebrate our 153 graduates and our outplacing students for successfully completing the Windward program. Those students will be attending 99 mainstream schools this fall, and we wish them luck. Although launching our remote learning program and moving all of our daily operations online was not an easy feat, we actively utilized the feedback we received from teachers, parents, and guardians to refine the program until we felt that our remote program met our high instructional standards. Next, we incorporated social opportunities through snack period so our students could have designated time in their daily schedules to reconnect with their classmates. The Windward program was not designed to be taught virtually, yet we created structure and consistency to attend to our students’ academic and socialemotional needs, so their schooling provided some muchneeded routine during a time of incredible disruption. To provide further continuity of learning for our students, we were pleased to offer a virtual summer program, taught by Windward teachers, to all of our 2019–20 families at no cost.
I end my first year as Head of School filled with gratitude to be a member of The Windward School community. Since I called the senior administration team together in late February when the word “Coronavirus” started making headlines, it has been nonstop planning and difficult decision making. From that moment on, administrators, coordinators, teachers, and the technology and communications departments tirelessly worked throughout Spring Break and further, until the final day of school. I cannot tell you how proud I am to lead such an impressive, committed team of educators. The roundtheclock effort from every faculty and staff member was due to the fact that we all care deeply about Windward’s mission and vision: a world where every child with a languagebased learning disability is empowered to achieve unlimited success. Lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude to our Windward families. I experienced firsthand what it was like juggling both professional demands and assisting my children with their own remote learning programs. I am grateful for your partnership, and I thank you for all you did in supporting your student’s learning during the past few months. Your resiliency and steadfastness modeled for your students what is needed when meeting new challenges. Looking ahead to the next school year, I am strengthened by the knowledge that we have the capacity to carry on whatever may come our way. In times like these, I remember that we are all in this together. We will make it through this, and we need each other to do this. We stand stronger when we stand together. I'm looking forward to our next chapter at The Windward School.
Jamie Williamson Head of School Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
3
Looking Ahead for Windward New Westchester Lower School Campus to Open in September 2021 An architectural rendering of the exterior of the new Westchester Lower School campus’s front entrance
I
n February, the Board of Trustees and senior leadership team announced that the new Westchester Lower School campus at 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains will open for the first day of school in September 2021. The new Windward campus will enable The Windward School to educate 150 additional students across both Westchester campuses using Windward’s proven researchbased multisensory instruction. The facility will also be home to The Windward Institute, whose work will continue to expand the School’s impact and reach in New York State and beyond. “With the Fall 2021 date confirmed, we look forward to providing a campus to meet the needs of The Windward School’s students, families, faculty and staff members, and more for years to come,” said Jamie Williamson, Head of School. Along with the transition to a new physical location, a shift in divisions will also occur in September 2021. Fifth grade in both Westchester and Manhattan will move into
4
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
the lower schools, marking a return to Windward’s original lower and middle school model, and it is a change that is developmentally in line with the needs of the students. Some parts of construction have proven to take more time to accomplish than originally anticipated. One was the permitting process to reroute a city water main running across the location for the new gym and starting construction in the easement. Meanwhile, other aspects of the project will continue moving ahead, which include renovating existing bathrooms and replacing a significant section of the roof and the remaining singlepane windows. As more construction milestones are reached, details will be shared with the Windward community. Thank you to Windward’s administration and the Board of Trustees Building and Grounds Committee for smoothly managing the construction plans for the new Westchester Lower School campus.
Board of Trustees Welcomes New President and Two New Appointees
New Windward Campus Features • Home to main administrative offices for
admissions, business, communications, development, human resources, The Windward Institute, and the Windward Teacher Training Program • Recycled and repurposed building with new façade • Fullservice dining hall with seating for 120 students • New gymnasium with full a/v capabilities
• New playground • Full kitchen with composting and dishwashing stations • Faculty and staff room
• Library with two enclosed classrooms • Multipurpose room • Three science labs • Two art rooms and kiln • Music room • Soccer field utilized by both Westchester
campuses • Redesigned parking area and traffic plan
At their May meeting, the Board of Trustees confirmed the slate for the 2020–21 year, which will comprise 25 members. Four members of the board will be departing after a combined 32 years of devoted service to The Windward School. Thank you to Ellen Bowman, President of the Board of Trustees; Nicholas Finn; Gregory D. Kennedy; and Stacy Kuhn for contributing their experience and expertise to advancing Windward’s mission. Beginning on July 1, 2020, Patricia L. Wolff will assume the role of President of the Board of Trustees, and Anike Wariebi and Sandip Singh will join the board. A Message from Outgoing President Ellen Bowman
Serving on The Windward School Board of Trustees has been the privilege of a lifetime. It was an incredible honor to participate in creating the Strategic Plan, to launch The Windward Institute, and to work on the search committee for the new head of school. I deeply believe in The Windward School’s vision—a world where every child with a languagebased learning disability is empowered to achieve unlimited success—and Windward’s commitment to bring that vision to life has inspired me to contribute what I can every day. Thanks to our exceptional teachers, our Windward graduates have an unprecedented 98% success rate, demonstrating that this mission is truly possible. The School is well prepared for a bright future full of success. The incoming president, Patty Wolff, is incredibly thoughtful and professional. She was instrumental in crafting the new Strategic Plan and The Windward Institute. She also served on the search committee for the head of school. Patty and Mr. Williamson are aligned in their vision of guiding The Windward School as it leads the way in the languagebased learning disabilities space.
Ellen Bowman President of the Board of Trustees Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
5
We Stand Stronger When We Stand Together How Windward Persevered To Launch Its Remote Learning Program By Stephanie Huie Associate Director of Digital Communications & Publications 6
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
7
I
n 2020, our collective vocabulary has grown to include new words
and phrases that are now woven into our everyday conversations and actions—pandemic, Coronavirus, social distancing, Zoom, and flattening the curve, just to name a few. For educational institutions like The Windward School, remote learning has become the universal issue dominating the thoughts of educators and parents everywhere. What does a remote learning program look like for our school? How do we transition from an intentionally designed classroom setting to a virtual platform? How can we ensure our students, faculty, and staff are equipped with the tools they need to succeed? What needs to be done to protect the wellbeing of our community?
8
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
The Windward School began grappling with these overarching questions in February when Head of School Mr. Williamson led the administrative team in proactively developing remote learning plans. Then, once it became clear that all New York schools would be mandated to close for a prolonged period, the challenging and painstaking process of implementing the remote learning plans began. From creating a userfriendly learning management system for accessing daily classroom materials to building an online remote learning hub to training faculty in technical tools so they could conduct virtual lessons, administrators, faculty, and staff members worked tirelessly behind the scenes during 16hour days to prepare for the massive undertaking of recreating The Windward School online. Finally, after weeks of exhaustive efforts, Phase I of Windward’s Remote Learning Program launched on April 1. The technology adopted far surpassed anything the School had practiced before, so translating Windward’s academic offerings to a virtual format was a triumph and milestone for a historically pencilandpaperheavy school. Nonetheless, like with anything new or unfamiliar, there were some hiccups with Phase I of remote learning. The first learning management system suffered from server issues that affected the entire east coast. The balance between synchronous (live and realtime) and asynchronous (prerecorded videos) classes did not adequately support student needs. The 20minute periods allocated for each subject were restrictive for the teachers. After receiving constructive feedback, Windward quickly rectified the Phase I schedule, and Phase II of the remote learning program launched on April 13, which remained in place until the end of the school year. Happily, the Phase II program proved to be more successful, and students and teachers enjoyed a smoother learning experience as they adjusted to the new rhythm of a virtual school environment. Students in all divisions had a full weekly class schedule with seven periods a day, 30 minutes each, plus extra afternoon time dedicated to open teacher office hours and guidance counselor appointments. Research has always informed Windward’s multisensory direct instruction teaching model, and, although studies on K8 programs are slim, studies on online learning show
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
9
that students benefit from more face time with their instructor. Therefore, Windward’s remote learning program incorporated as much synchronous learning into students’ schedules as possible, while also being mindful of the amount of screen time that would be developmentally appropriate.
Windward’s Remote Learning Program Offerings Synchronous Learning Offers live, real-time interaction with faculty
Asynchronous Learning Offers flexibility with pre-recorded videos
Lower School
Language Arts Math Social Studies
Science Read Aloud Physical Education Art Music Library
Middle School
Language Arts Math Social Studies Science Skills Computer Library
Physical Education Art Music Drama
Whether the classes were taught synchronously or asynchronously, the chief priority for the remote learning program was that Windward continue to deliver its program as faithfully as possible. That is why from day one of the remote learning program, all lessons retained Windward’s methodology of following the seven steps of direct instruction: Aim: beginning each lesson with an objective Motivation: encouraging student learning through teacher enthusiasm Review of prior learning: reminding students of prior building blocks New skill: introducing the daily lesson Practice: applying new skill taught Observation: providing individualized feedback Closure: reflecting on how students did in learning new skill The academic leadership team is, and has always been, passionate about its responsibility to every Windward student’s education, so the researchbased curriculum and methodology never faltered, even though the classroom setting fundamentally changed. Establishing the academic piece of the remote learning program had been the foremost priority from the outset, yet the administrators and faculty understood that there was another highly important aspect of the daily school experience that needed to be addressed—students’ social and emotional needs. The student support team of guidance counselors and psychologists distributed numerous resources to parents and guardians to help them and their children navigate the anxiety and stress of a global pandemic. The support team was also available every day for oneonone appointments with students who sought guidance. Furthermore, the lower school psychologists created their own video series surrounding topics like managing feelings of uncertainty during challenging times and how to approach a problem. 10
In addition to the systems in place by the guidance counselors and psychologists, students also needed time simply to socialize with their friends. On April 27, Windward began incorporating supervised snack time into the weekly schedule so homeroom groups could gather informally to connect in a nonacademic setting. Offering a midmorning social break allowed an opportunity to recharge, as Windward recognized the demands that a full schedule of virtual classes had on students’ mental and emotional energy. Windward’s remote learning program spanned just over ten weeks, from April 1 to June 15, to close the 2019–20 school year. However, due to the unprecedented circumstances, the School announced in May that a fourweek summer program would be made available exclusively for Windward families, at no additional cost, as a continuation of learning for students. In July, students who were enrolled during the 2019–20 school year will have the option to participate in a virtual halfday program focusing on language arts and math. Graduating students in eighth and ninth grade will also have study skills offered to them to prepare them for their next school. In order to offer a summer program for Windward families, the School canceled its typical summer program that is open to the public; this way, all efforts could be devoted to preventing any summer learning loss for the Windward students affected by the altered school year. At the time of publication, no firm decisions have been made for what the next school year holds, but plans have been prepared to respond to many possible scenarios. Whatever may come, the past school year has proven that The Windward School is a capable, flexible, and unwavering community; that is thanks to the dedication of the young students to their own education, the parents who stepped in to provide athome encouragement, the staff behind the scenes who kept operations running at full capacity, and the teachers who bravely endured when navigating an unknown educational landscape. As alumni, alumni parents, current families, grandparents, incoming families, trustees, faculty, or staff, we are all in this together as one community of The Windward School. As we look ahead to the next year and to the future, we know that we stand stronger when we stand together.
Head of School Mr. Williamson Hosts Weekly Read Alouds Beginning on April 23, Mr. Williamson hosted a weekly picture book read aloud for all Windward students during the remote learning period. Although the book selections were primarily chosen with lower schoolers in mind, many middle schoolers tuned in every Thursday to listen too. Mr. Williamson was joined each week by his daughter, Etta, and their special friend, Steve, the monkey.
Mr. Williamson’s Read Aloud Book List
An exclusive for The Compass readers: The Williamsons’ special friend Steve was a puppet, expertly handled by Mr. Williamson’s son, Isaac! Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
11
s e t o N u o Thank Y Families ward d n i W r u O from
“It is evident that every faculty and staff member at Windward is showing the usu al unending Windward commitment to ensuring tha t remote learning goes as seamlessly and successfully as possible. This is our son’s first year at Windward, and I respond to anyone inquiring about Windward that ‘It’s a ma gic school!’ Windward remains as magical as ever for our family.” —First Year Westchester Lower School Grade 4 Parent
erything that “Thank you for ev r my son. We you have done fo his Grade 8 are indebted to e all amazing.” teachers. You ar dle School —Westchester Mid Grade 8 Parent
intentional “The remote learning program is ays is, and and rich, just like Windward alw dward we are so grateful for that. Win teachers are the best!” 8 Parent — Manhattan Middle School Grade
“Your collectiv e efforts in supp orting our daughter du ring these unus ual circumstances is extraordinar y. I can only imagine al l that you’ve do ne behind the scen es to create an incredible online experie nce for the stud ents.” —First Year Wes tchester Middle School Grade 7 Parent
d expertise your hard work an “Thank you for all remote ents engaged via in keeping the stud e.” is challenging tim learning during th rent Pa r School Grade 4 —Manhattan Lowe 12
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
“We are blown aw ay with the educ ational program that W indward has put together. It is full, enriching , structured, and or ganized. It is as close to th e kids being at sc ho ol as it could be. I have been so impresse d across all subject areas. Our son has been engaged, learning, and ha ppy! We feel very lu cky to be a part of such an amazing scho ol!” —Wes tchester Lower Sc hool Grade 3 Pare nt
the y difficult time, “In this extremel achers d the amazing te an s or at tr is in adm ep our e occasion to ke have risen to th ul for We are so gratef schooling going. re doing.” everything you’ 5 Parent dle School Grade —Manhattan Mid
“The leadership and teachers at Windward have done a truly rem arkable job in connecting with its stu dents and families. I am very grateful.” —Manhattan Lower Sc hool Grade
1 Parent
of things in my life “I am grateful for a lot p of my list are my (especially now) but to ers. I am in awe of son’s Windward teach lness, calm, and pure their grace, resourcefu ve created a safe and engagement. They ha le third grader. I calm world for my litt any other third simply cannot imagine the kind of grade student getting receiving.” experience my son is hool Grade 3 Parent — Westchester Lower Sc
We have been grateful to many individuals who have dedicated countless hours and tremendous care to support our students, and we have just one more person to thank—YOU. This reflective mirror shows you, a valued member of our community, and we thank you for supporting The Windward School now and in our next chapter. To you, our reader, thank you for standing with us during this time. We stand stronger when we stand together. Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
13
Faculty/Staff News & Milestones Thank You Viviane Goodwin for 22 Years of Service at Windward
By Jana Cook, Contributing Writer
Pictured is Ms. Goodwin (left) with Director of Admissions Beth Foltman and WLS Assistant Division Head Amanda Rathbun on the first day of school in 2019. For students and faculty at Westchester Lower School, hearing Viviane Goodwin’s spontaneous songs ringing out through the halls has been a common occurrence; though Ms. Goodwin would be the first to admit that she won’t be starring on Broadway in this lifetime. Ms. Goodwin discovered teaching as a second career, returning to school in her early 40s to pursue her master’s degree and special education certification. She was taking a professional development course at The Windward School, and someone suggested that she apply for a teaching position. Nearly 22 years later, her relaxed yet structured approach to teaching her fourthgrade students has left an indelible impression on the Windward community. Ms. Pochna, Westchester Lower School Division Head, reflected on Ms. Goodwin's legacy and shared, “You cannot walk into Viviane’s classroom without being immediately struck by the fact that you are watching a master teacher at work. Her programmatic expertise and the environment of mutual respect that she fosters shines through in every aspect of her teaching. She inspires her students to challenge themselves each and every day, and she gives them the tools they need to feel confident and achieve success.” Ms. Goodwin was known to approach her classes in a thoughtful manner, encouraging the students to have
14
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
conversational discussions like book clubs. “More than anything, it’s not so much the knowledge that I’m [focusing on],” Ms. Goodwin noted. “It’s making [students] feel good about themselves, feeling comfortable taking risks, taking ownership of their learning.” This view toward thinking critically has served Ms. Goodwin’s students well over the years, with many transitioning to mainstream schooling after being in her classroom. Ms. Goodwin explained, “I feel a responsibility to impart upon them as many skills as I can. I really believe in the writing program at Windward. You have to teach the basic skills and build a foundation from there.” Her departure is bittersweet for colleagues who have grown accustomed to her positivity, infectious sense of humor, and unique outlook on life. Ms. Bauerle, a coordinator of language arts, added, “Viviane’s kept her colleagues laughing over the years. We will certainly miss her singing and laughter that brighten the Lower School hallways every day.” As she moves on to her next chapter after retiring from Windward, Ms. Goodwin looks forward to getting to know her new granddaughter, as well as moving to a new home and traveling as much as possible. “We’re really looking forward to booking that first trip in October or May, or really any other month I wouldn’t have been able to during a school year,” she joked.
Celebrating Barb Drayer’s Legacy to The Windward School After 12 Years of Service
By Jana Cook, Contributing Writer
Pictured is Ms. Drayer (left) with alumni parent and former Windward Parents Association President Leslie Breck at Windward’s 2014 Benefit It wouldn’t be surprising to those who know her to hear that most of the contacts in Barb Drayer’s personal phone are Windwardconnected in some way. As director of development, Barb forged strong, longterm bonds with donors, trustees, and parents, many of whom still count her as a friend. “Building relationships is my favorite part of the job,” she shared. “[While at Windward,] I also oversaw the Windward Parents Association (WPA), so that was really fun. The relationships I made have been truly special. There are former trustees and alumni parents who I still go out with.” One close friend, Ellen Bowman, President of the Board of Trustees, shared praise for Barb’s natural skill at relationship building. She said, “Barb’s devotion and passion for The Windward School will be eternally missed. She has this ability to make everyone she meets feel comfortable and at ease because she connects us as one Windward family. Her care for all Windward families is evident, and Barb has always ensured that every family really enjoys our incredible program at Windward.” Ms. Drayer’s impact during her 12year tenure at Windward has been far reaching, extending as far as the name itself. When she joined the team in 2007, the name of the school was Windward School. She explained, “There was a Windward School in Los Angeles, and the two schools often got confused. Plus, the LA school has a completely different mission.” Barb suggested the name The Windward School to help differentiate the two, and it stuck. That example highlights the leadership style that not only grew the annual fund by 120%, but also
successfully managed a $25 million capital campaign for the NYC campus, among other initiatives. In fact, some of these initiatives have now become an integral part of Windward, with others growing into annual traditions. During her second year at Windward, along with former Head of School Dr. John J. Russell, Barb envisioned a magazine, The Compass, to inform constituents about community happenings. It has become hugely popular and is now a biannual publication. She also introduced the Platinum Circle, which recognizes faculty and staff with 20+ years of service. Each May, both current and former longterm employees gather for a dinner to celebrate each other. “It’s so fun to have what I call the ‘founding mothers’ there as well as current employees, some of whom have been here for two decades, four decades,” Barb noted. “It’s such a hoot—you hear the old stories and all the laughter. It’s one of my favorite nights each year.” Ms. Drayer has been a frequent presenter at both the NYSAIS and NAIS conferences, covering topics such as supporting advancement goals throughout a leadership transition and guidance for development professionals after receiving a major gift. PostWindward, Barb intends to fundraise for small and midsized organizations through her firm Drayer Scott Consulting. Moving forward, the director of development for The Windward School will be Angel Francis, who brings over 14 years of development experience, most recently as Director of Major Philanthropy at St. Francis College in Brooklyn. Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
15
Faculty/Staff News & Milestones Diane Kessler and Karen Ralph Present at STANYS Conference
12 Members of Windward Community Attend 2019 NAIS PoCC
On November 2, Westchester Lower School Science Teacher Diane Kessler and Westchester Middle School Teacher Karen Ralph presented at the 124th Annual Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS) Conference in Rochester, NY. Their workshop, “Making Science Accessible for ALL Students,” focused on meeting the diverse needs of all students, but with an emphasis on leveling the language playing field for science vocabulary and concepts for students with languagebased learning disabilities.
From December 47, Windward was proud to send 12 members of the community to attend the National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference (PoCC) in Seattle, including members of the diversity office, teachers and staff members from each campus, and administrators. Some of the excellent workshops that our Windward representatives attended were "Facilitating Courageous Conversations Visually," "Practicing AntiRacist Leadership," and "Building Institutional Capacity for Sustained Conversation About Race." Thank you to the PoCC group for sharing their conference learnings with the Windward community as part of the school's ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Emily Frawley Creates Face Masks Using Windward’s 3D Printers
Nine Attend NYSAIS Spring Faculty, Staff, and Administrators of Color Online Gathering Every year, Windward sends a number of members to attend the NYSAIS Spring People of Color gathering, which took place as a virtual session on May 7. The participants first enjoyed a reading of selected essays from the book Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America by the author, R. Eric Thomas before engaging in breakout discussion sessions.
Kathryn Kitt Stars in NerdWallet Commercial Westchester Middle School Science and Social Studies Teacher Emily Frawley found an innovative way to use her skills, as well as Windward’s 3D printers, to give back to the community. After witnessing firsthand the challenges that first responders were facing in New York City, Ms. Frawley received permission to use Windward’s 3D printers to create face masks to donate to local hospitals.
Erik Bennett Earns PhD in Education In the spring, Financial Aid Director Erik Bennett earned his PhD in education from City University of New York (CUNY). His thesis, Jumping Into The Cloud: Privacy, Security and Trust of Cloud-based Computing within K-12 American Public Education, was successfully defended in April. Prior to his doctorate, Dr. Bennett received a master’s in education from CUNY and a master’s in HISTEM (history of technology, environment, and technology). 16
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
Westchester Middle School Administrative Assistant Kathryn Kitt was featured in a May commercial for personal finance website NerdWallet. As a music “nerd,” Ms. Kitt filmed herself singing opera at home while sheltering in place.
Windward Weddings
Manhattan Middle School Teacher Alice Walker and her husband, Dan, had a special wedding ceremony at home on March 20, as their original wedding plans were disrupted by the pandemic. Family members joined via video conference, and the celebration was beautiful and simple.
On November 9, Westchester Middle School Teacher Isabelle Soussou married Michael Belmont, a former Marine veteran, at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY.
Windward Babies 2.
4.
6.
8.
3. 9.
1. 1. Charlotte Delia Sullivan was born on January 10 to Manhattan Lower School Teacher Kate Sullivan. She weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. 2. Westchester Midde School Math Associate Danielle Patalano welcomed a daughter, Violet Linette, on April 3.
5. 4. Westchester Lower School Teacher Erica Zanzarella celebrated the birth of her daughter, Sofia Alexa, on February 18. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 20 ½ inches tall.
5. Manhattan Lower and Middle Schools Teacher Allison Pugsley celebrated the birth of her daughter, Ashlyn 3. Manhattan Lower and Middle Marie Acosta, on April 17. School Guidance Counselor She weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. Lauren Fulco welcomed a son, Benjamin, on November 19. He weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz.
7.
6. Kimberly Sophia Jimenez was 8. Director of Communications born on March 16 to Heather Pray welcomed her Westchester Lower School second daughter, Emily Maintenance Supervisor Juan Violet, on June 3. She Jimenez. She weighed 7 lbs. weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. and was and was 22 inches tall. 20 inches tall. 7. Noah Brady Rathbun was born on April 8 to Westchester Lower School Assistant Division Head Amanda Rathbun. He weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz. and was 20 ½ inches tall.
9. Amelia Laura Wright was born on June 19 to Westchester Lower School Teacher Mandy Paulson. She weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. and was 20 ½ inches tall.
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
17
NEWS AROUND THE SCHOOL A brief recap of some of the many activities that happened across all three campuses October 24
Fall Community Lecture Attended by More Than 1,000 Guests Windward welcomed Devin Kearns, PhD, to present the 2019 Fall Community Lecture, “Why Some Children Struggle to Read: The Neurobiology of Dyslexia and Other Reasons Children Struggle.” Over 1,000 attendees joined between the inperson audience at WMS and the virtual viewers from around the globe for the lecture’s first live stream. October 31
Mr. Williamson Spotted at WLS Annual Halloween Parade
November 4
WPA Book Fair Inspires Students at Every Campus Every November, the Windward Parents Associations (WPA) hosts the annual Book Fair on each campus. Students visit with their language arts classes and are excited by the vast selection of books for them to read. Pictured is MLS and MMS Librarian Ms. Pritchett assisting an MLS student while browsing at the Book Fair.
November 7
MMS Grade 5 Liberty Science Center Field Trip
MLS and WLS celebrate Halloween each year with a parade and classroom parties. Many students and faculty enjoy dressing up as favorite characters from books, and Head of School Mr. Williamson found two other WLS students who were dressed in a Harry Potter costume.
18
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
MMS fifthgrade students visited the Liberty Science Center, an interactive science museum. Students explored interesting exhibits such as “Our Hudson Home” about the complex relationships in this ecosystem and “Eat or Be Eaten” about animal adaptations. They also navigated through the “Touch Tunnel” which requires the use of the senses to crawl through an 80foot tunnel. Finally, they viewed a thrilling film, “Black Holes” in the planetarium, the biggest planetarium in the western hemisphere.
November 11
WMS Students Assist Veterans in Performing FlagFolding Ceremony In recognition of Veterans Day, each Windward campus held special presentations to honor those who have served our country in the armed forces. At WMS, veterans from Valhalla American Legion Post 1038 visited and, alongside students, they performed the traditional flagfolding ceremony. Pictured are the veterans who were acknowledged at WMS.
November 13
November 19
Fourthgrade students at WLS and MLS created clay relief maps as the culminating project for their New York State geography unit in their social studies classes. Relief maps are 3D renderings that show how a certain area of land is shaped. In the students' relief maps, mountains, plains, plateaus, rivers, and lakes that are located throughout the state were artfully represented. Molding the relief maps out of clay and carefully labeling the map keys and compass roses helped solidify what students learned about New York State’s diverse topography.
Alum Oliver Zabar ’09 generously hosted the alumni cocktails and networking social at his restaurant, Devon, in the Lower East Side. The evening was a great balance of combining the old and new—old classmates reconnected, alumni caught up with favorite faculty members, new friendships were established, and introductions were made to Head of School Mr. Williamson. Pictured is Director of Health, PE, and Athletics Marilyn Hunt with some former students.
WLS and MLS NYS Topography Relief Maps
November 20
November 22
Windward Donates 600+ Lbs of Food for Thanksgiving Drives
WMS students in seventh and eighth grades can enroll in numerous elective activities during physical education class...including rollerblading! Pictured is an eighthgrade student showing off some fun rollerblading moves.
November 25
Grandparents Engage in a Typical Windward Lesson Grandparents of current students attended the Grandparents Breakfasts held in both Westchester and Manhattan. During this special morning, grandparents had the opportunity to meet Head of School Mr. Williamson and hear from him about why the Windward Way has proven to be so effective for their grandchildren. The visitors also had the opportunity to participate in a typical Windward multisensory direct instruction lesson from faculty members.
Each Windward campus held Thanksgiving food drives, and our community was able to donate more than 600 lbs of food to families in need for the holiday season through Feeding Westchester, Port Chester Carver Center, and New York Common Pantry. Pictured are MLS and MMS students packaging donations. November 25
MMS Grade 6 Tour the Met After learning about Ancient Egypt in social studies class, MMS sixthgraders took a trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art to visit its extensive Egyptian exhibit. The various tour guides of The Met created numerous multisensory activities for our students, including drawing in a small sketchbook and providing them with a clay ankh, a hieroglyphic symbol of life, for them to carry throughout the museum. Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
NEWS AROUND THE SCHOOL
WMS Works Out with Rollerblading PE Elective
Fall Alumni Gathering Hosted in NYC by Fellow Alum
19
November 26
MLS and MMS Classes Partner as Reading Buddies
November 28
MLS Grade 3 Recites Poetry at Thanksgiving Feast
The middle schoolers love spending time with the lower schoolers, and MMS eighthgrade students in Ms. Amos's class had a special readaloud time with the MLS first graders. During this time, they read Thanksgiving books, enjoyed some treats, and completed a craft.
NEWS AROUND THE SCHOOL
Thirdgrade students at WLS and MLS celebrated Thanksgiving with their annual poetry recitation and feast. Each language arts group performed a poem by Jack Prelutsky, including “I Went Hungry on Thanksgiving” and “The Turkey Shot Out of the Oven,” before concluding with singing “Over the River and Through the Woods” as an entire grade. Pictured are MLS students performing for their families and classmates.
20
December 16
December 5
MLS Lego Club Members Learn Basic Computer Programming
MMS Student Council Cheers Ronald McDonald House Families
As a service project, the MMS Student Council made holiday cards for families at the Ronald McDonald House New York on the Upper East Side. The student council members wished to spread cheer to the Ronald McDonald House families whose children are bravely battling cancer.
Windward offers many afterschool activities, ranging from the athletic to the artistic. For MLS students, one of their winter afterschool activity options was Lego Club. The lower schools learned how to use draganddrop, iconbased software as an introduction into the world of programming and robotics.
December 18
January 7
How do animals such as polar bears and walruses survive the icy temperatures in the tundra? That is the question that MMS fifthgrade scientists sought to understand during one of their science labs. Pictured is one scientist testing his limits by putting one bare hand and one hand with a “blubber” glove into ice water.
Every week, Head of School Mr. Williamson spent time at each Windward campus, and he loved participating in the communitybuilding divisional events that regularly take place. When MMS sixth graders had their gradelevel breakfast, Mr. Williamson popped in to get to know the students better.
MMS Grade 5 Scientists Conduct Blubber Lab
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
Mr. Williamson Breakfasts with MMS Grade 6
January 30
WMS Newsies Perform Showstopping Production
January 31
MMS Pep Rally Manhattan Middle School honored their studentathletes with a spirited pep rally. Students from each grade level and enthusiastic faculty members competed in a number of challenges, including a goal kick, layup, free throw, and threepoint shot.
February 4
WLS Drama Students Entertain with A Night on Broadway
February 13
MMS Grades 7 & 8 Girls Basketball Played Competitively All Season Coached by Mr. Barbieri and Ms. Pugsley, the MMS Grades 7 & 8 Girls basketball team had a great season, filled with teamwork, perseverance, and skill improvement. The team made it to the playoffs in their first year in the Middle School Athletic League, and they were the number two seed. Go Vikings!
WLS fourthgrade drama students sang a medley of classic musical hits for their production, A Night on Broadway. WLS Music Teacher Ms. Minio guided the cast members in learning their numbers from various shows, like The Sound of Music, The Lion King, Wicked, and more. Pictured is the full ensemble during “Captain Hook’s Waltz” from the Peter Pan musical.
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
NEWS AROUND THE SCHOOL
Under the direction of Performing Arts Chairperson Ms. Hooper and Musical Director Mr. Peña, the WMS fifth and sixthgrade drama students performed multiple shows of Newsies for their families, classmates, and teachers. The triple threat cast of actors, singers, and dancers did a phenomenal job, and the crew members kept the production running seamlessly.
21
February 17
WMS Pep Rally Spirit
February 18
Undefeated Season for WMS Grade 6 Boys Basketball Team
NEWS AROUND THE SCHOOL
Congrats to the WMS Grade 6 Boys basketball team for a phenomenal undefeated season, finishing with a 100 record. The team was coached by WLS Physical Education Teacher Mr. MaxwellOrdain and WMS Teacher Mr. Hull, and they were proud of what the boys accomplished together.
22
Westchester Middle School hosted its 25th pep rally to culminate the end of Spirit Week. One pep rally tradition is each grade level and the faculty and staff chant "We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how about you?" The school spirit on display was incredible! After tallying the points earned from the SpiritWear dressup days, athletic challenges during the pep rally, and level of school spirit, the WMS fifthgraders were named Spirit Week winners! February 20
WLS Grade 3 Lunch with Ms. Pochna
Each of the division heads enjoys spending oneonone time with students throughout the school day, whether that’s by greeting students during arrival, chatting in the hallways between classes, or other opportunities. In February, every third grade homeroom coordinated lunch times to spend with WLS Division Head Ms. Pochna.
February 28
MMS Fundraise for Heart Healthy Month Throughout February, MMS celebrated HeartHealthy Month. On February 27 and 28, Student Council members sold heart themed items, such as pencils, erasers, bracelets, and keychains, for $1 each, which supported the American Heart Association.
March 3
March 4
One of the most anticipated events for WLS is Beat That Challenge Spirit Day. Hosted by the physical education department, the lower school students compete in friendly games that test their motor and cognitive skills.
Accompanied by Ms. Gay and Mr. Steiker, the WMS ninthgrade students visited WLS to read to first, second, and third graders during their readaloud period. Following the read aloud, the older students answered the many questions their younger peers had for them about the Windward middle school experience.
WLS Shows School Spirit During Beat That Challenge
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
WMS Grade 9 Read Aloud to WLS
March 4
WMS Grade 8 Create Pop Art Prints The eighth graders in Mr. Pillette's art class discussed Pop Art, the work of Andy Warhol, and the relationship between original art and limitededition prints. Students carved SoftKut Printing Blocks using "popular" subject matter and printed a limited edition run of four 2color prints. Then, they created an original work of art by printing several 2color images on one sheet.
April 1
Windward’s Remote Learning Program Launches
May 5
$425,000+ Raised for Most Successful Giving Day in Windward History
Thank you to our Windward community for joining together on National Teacher Appreciation Day to raise a remarkable $427,159 in honor of Windward’s teachers. The 216 gifts made May 5, 2020 the most successful giving day in the history of Windward.
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
NEWS AROUND THE SCHOOL
After many weeks of tireless work from administrators, faculty, and staff during the month of March, Windward transitioned to remote learning. Thanks to the entire community’s commitment to maintain the School’s researchbased, multisensory program, this year’s 940 students continued to receive live and recorded video lessons from their teachers for the remainder of the school year. Pictured are MMS fifthgrade students with their teachers Ms. Abramow and Ms. Piazza as well as MMS Assistant Division Head Mr. Bletterman.
23
Thank You Windward Parents Association
Over the course of the school year, the Windward Parents Association (WPA) held several impressive events across the three campuses. In December, the annual holiday luncheon provided a bountiful buffet style luncheon, and many WPA volunteers personally served Windward’s faculty and staff to express their appreciation. Just before Valentine’s Day in February, the WPA treated faculty and staff across all campuses to a day full of sweet treats and goodies for Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day. The homemade treats, thoughtful cards made by students, and cheerful décor were truly appreciated by all. On February 29, the WPA held its second annual CommUNITY Service Day at Westchester Middle School and the Manhattan campus. In one morning, the 245 volunteers across both campuses created 281 braided dog toys, 2,400 care kits for the homeless, 260 cat toys, 222 birthday cards and 80 placemats for meal recipients, and over 50 pounds of used sports equipment for schools in need.
If you would like to learn more about the WPA, email wpa@thewindwardschool.org or visit thewindwardschool.org/wpa.
24
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass Fall/Winter 2019
Windward Winter Ice Skating Party at Bryant Park
On January 26, the ice skating rink at Bryant Park was taken over by The Windward School! 300 Windward families, faculty, and staff came together for some skating and refreshments during the annual Winter Ice Skating Party in New York City.
Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
25
Alumni News & Notes 1996
Matthew Gullo and Max Levine ’15
Jeffrey Tome double majored in computer graphics and art
education at the School of Visual Arts before receiving his master’s degree in 3D animation from New York Institute of Technology. He then worked as a higher education computer graphics instructor, teaching at NYIT, Baruch College, Hunter College, New York School of Interior Design, and Touro College. Five years ago, Jeffrey found inspiration to create a modern day video game, similar to the Simon electronic game of the 1970s. After forming his own company Geeky Games, LLC, creating 3000+ computer graphics and sound effects, and trademarking three graphic logos and wordmark, Jeffrey’s game called Light Play is now available for download on Apple’s App Store. Light Play is an app where you test your memory by correctly guessing the color sequence displayed to you. “Memory games are known to help manage forgetfulness and strengthen the brain. Light Play was originally made for my grandmother, with the hopes that it will stunt the onslaught of dementia and Alzheimer's. It has evolved though into an enjoyable game for everyone, children and adults.” Stacey Lewando lives in the suburbs just south of Boston, MA.
She works for the toy company Hasbro, in Pawtucket, RI, where she is a product development project manager in games. Stacey works on games like Monopoly, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Clue, Life, Trouble, Sorry, and many more. Although her work is extremely challenging, she enjoys the fact that her job tests her limits and presents exciting opportunities for her to learn and grow. Stacey has been married to her husband, Jonathan, for 13 years. Together, they have a 7yearold son, Joseph, and a rescue dog, Meiji. Stacey attended Windward for three years in the 1990s, and she attributes much of her confidence and success to her experiences then. Stacey also has another connection to Windward, apart from being an alumna—she has been longtime childhood friends with MMS Art Teacher Ms. DeLuca.
2002 Tracey Lemle Levy
welcomed a daughter, Eliza Jane Levy, on September 13. Eliza weighed 5 lbs. 12 oz.
have known each other for years as they both volunteer with the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department. However, they only recently discovered that they are both Windward alumni. Matthew and Max are pictured together at the fire department’s holiday party in December.
2003 Scott Rudin is married with two sons, Jack (an infant) and
Fisher (4 years old). Professionally, Scott is in his 13th year at Ralph Lauren, and he serves as Vice President of Men’s Design and Advertising. When he is not at his day job, he also is a fine art photographer, shooting only with film. Scott’s work has appeared in hotels and restaurants around the world, and he shot a global campaign for Ralph Lauren.
2005 Stuart Longley experienced
many personal and professional highlights over the past year. In July, Stuart married his incredible wife, Emily, in her hometown of Charleston, SC. They are pictured together in front of Hibernian Hall in Charleston. In his work life, Stuart spent over five years at roundCorner, a software company. During that time, he rose up through the sales ranks to lead the foundationConnect team overseeing business development, customer success, and product strategy. roundCorner was acquired by Salesforce in early 2019 and, after transitioning management of foundationConnect to Salesforce, Stuart joined Gympass as their director of technical sales. Recently, Stuart left Gympass to focus on his own venture, Prelio Technologies, inspired by over half a decade of highly complex software sales. Prelio, released in April, is a SaaS product designed to streamline the complex software sales process by providing tools to sales engineers to manage their workload, elevate the voice of the prospect, and identify unrealized value in productmarket fit.
Note: At Windward, a student’s class year is the same as their high school graduation year.
26
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
2006
2008
Evan Cygler (pictured on
Zachary Federbush received a BFA in studio art from
the right) ran into classmate Corey Feldman (center) and Corey’s twin, Russell, (left) while grocery shopping in SoHo in March. Corey, wearing a dinosaur suit, was practicing his humorous form of social distancing and bringing a smile to those in the store.
Manhattanville College in 2012 before continuing his education to earn an MA in painting from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2017. As an artist, Zachary sticks to his love of unique characters, vibrant colors, the usage of words, and the fascination of experimenting by using acrylics, spray paint, and other mediums to understand the world around him. He has been in two solo shows at CunneenHackett Arts Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, and two solo shows in Savannah, GA. Zachary’s work was recently part of the Gowanus Open Studios 2019. He currently is working and living in New York City.
Leigh Davidson was married on October 5 to Jonathan Morado
in Greenwich, CT. Leigh and her husband live in Tryon, NC.
Adam Weiner lives in Bangor, ME with his wife, Bailey, and
2007
their two children, Wilder and Violet. He teaches physical education at an elementary school, and he recently earned his MA in education administration.
Gideon Cohn’s first career was in the aviation field as a pilot.
He flew cargo to remote villages in Alaska, and he worked as a commercial airline captain based out of LaGuardia Airport. Simultaneously, Gideon worked parttime at a wealth management firm in Tarrytown. After 10 years, he transitioned to a fulltime career in wealth management and financial planning, and Gideon cofounded Good Capital Investment Group. Good Capital focuses on helping everyday people achieve their financial goals while simultaneously making the world more sustainable through finance. “None of my accomplishments would have been possible without the threeyear confidence boost that Windward gave me. I am forever grateful and humbled by what Windward taught me,” said Gideon. Entering Windward in sixthgrade and staying until his eighthgrade graduation, Gideon believes the Windward program transformed his fixed mindset into a growth mindset with three distinct lessons that “forever altered my trajectory in life.” First, he learned that a learning disability is not a badge of shame. Second, he understood how to learn in a way that catered to how his brain was wired. Third, he discovered how to use his learning disability to his advantage. “Windward has provided me with the knowledge and confidence that I carry to this day, even after graduating more than 16 years ago.”
2009 Connor O’Leary works at Paul Stuart, a clothing boutique, in
midtown, where he is involved in launching their custom suit lab and madetomeasure program.
2010 Alex FramSchwartz
married Saniya Seera at The Lodge at Snowbird in Utah.
2011 Caroline Bronston has been teaching prekindergarten students
at a small private school on the West Side in Manhattan. She recently began her first year at the Bank Street Graduate School of Education as she pursues a master’s degree in early childhood general education and special education. Sarah Ogden graduated from Middlebury College, and she is
now an MBA student at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
2012 Tyler Karow is a climbing enthusiast, and, for this season at
Yosemite National Park, his objective was to climb The Nose in under 24 hours. The Nose is a 3,000foot climb straight up the middle of the El Capitan rock formation. This feat was first accomplished in the 1970s by a few climbing legends,
To submit a note, share your Windward memories, or give notice of a deceased alum/na for the next issue, please email alumni@thewindwardschool.org. Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
27
Luke Tercek graduated from Bowdoin College in 2018, and he
has been living and working in New York City since then. Luke works at Goldman Sachs in the investment banking division. Bryan Krosser passed his CPA exam, and he started working at
CohnReznick in White Plains in November. He received his MS in accounting with honors from St. John’s University’s Tobin College of Business last May. Samantha Stein recently graduated from the School of
Education at Hunter College in May. but most parties choose to take 35 days to accomplish the route. After strategizing for a couple days, Tyler and a friend climbed The Nose in 8 hours, 6 minutes, and 13 seconds! “We were genuinely confused and blown away by our time. In our planning, we had hoped for a time between 14 and 17 hours, and I would not have been surprised if it took longer. I climbed the first 18 pitches on the route in 4 hours and 11 minutes, refilling gear only three times. I’ve honestly never had so much fun climbing a route, and the very best part was how safe it felt the entire time. ”
2013 Zoë Stein graduated with a master’s
degree in sustainability science from Arizona State University. She worked as the training director for Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign for the state of Missouri. Jonathan Goldberg accepted a position with the Detroit Tigers
MLB team in November. His role is a media relations assistant.
2014 Tess Flanagan is studying neuroscience as a PhD candidate at
Cornell University, and she has been working at the Cornell Early Childhood Cognition Lab. She is interested in how the philosophical arguments of free will can be empirically researched in young children’s intuitions and beliefs. Specifically, Tess is studying how young children’s understanding of free will relates to their social and moral relationships with other people and nonhuman agents. As part of her research to understand those questions, Tess coordinated an online study for children ages 4–11 called “What is a Robot?” through the lab. Tess also served as secretary for Cornell’s Graduate Women in Science organization, and she is a member of Ithaca’s comedy improv group, ComedyFLOPs.
2015 Max Levine was named
Firefighter of the Year for the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department in January. He said, “I am very thankful to be part of the amazing fire department and engine company, which is 100% volunteerbased.” At the fire department, one of Max’s colleagues is fellow alum Matthew Gullo ’02. See a photo of Max and Matthew on page 26. Jackson Roberts is a sports anchor and reporter for Fox
affiliate KVRR in Fargo, ND. He covers professional, college, and high school sports in the eastern region of North Dakota and Minnesota. Jackson’s responsibilities include producing, shooting, editing, writing, and delivering his own content. Previously, Jackson attended the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College where he earned a BS in television and radio. In school, he was heavily involved with studentrun stations as a sports reporter and commentator on highlight shows, as well as a playbyplay announcer. Ellin Gurvitch is a graduate student at Hunter College where
she is pursuing a MSEd in mental health counseling. She is interested in the field of sport psychology, particularly the positive effects that exercise has on one’s mental health and mindbody connection.
Note: At Windward, a student’s class year is the same as their high school graduation year.
28
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
In this issue, we are highlighting three alumni who connected with The Windward Institute and are actively engaged in further understanding dyslexia.
2016 Emma Weinstein was admitted into Marist College’s Delta
Alpha Pi Honor Society in February. The society honors undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities who succeed academically and promote student leadership and advocacy. Emma graduated from Marist this past May.
2017 Talia Feilbogen and her sister Leah are
cofounders of the Westchester chapter of the national organization FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group), and the chapter held a fundraiser in April to raise $15,000 to provide restaurant meals for first responders at local Westchester hospitals. The fundraiser not only supported the medical professionals working on the front line but also provided muchneeded business to local restaurants and markets. Justin Sodokoff, in his junior year, finished in second place on
the 1meter diving board event and in the top 12 on the 3 meter diving board at the NCAA Zone Championships in January. This allowed Justin to qualify to compete at the 2020 NCAA Swimming and Diving National Championship, which was scheduled to take place in March before being canceled. Justin was the first diver from Dartmouth College to qualify for nationals since 1999.
2018 Tory Huchro spent last summer in Malawi in southeastern
Africa to work with Malawian and US clinicians treating patients in popup clinics in rural villages.
Institute Alexia Hartogensis ’19 Focuses on MCAT Testing Accommodations as U.S. Senate Intern After graduating from Rye Country Day School in 2019, Alexia opted for a gap year before attending Harvard University. Her goal during this time was to work directly with lawmakers, with a focus on dyslexia advocacy. “I knew that I wanted to try to intern in the Senate,” she explained. She found that opportunity in the office of Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (RLA), who has a track record of consistently advocating for students with learning disabilities. In 2019, Senator Cassidy coauthored the RISE Act, a bill amending the Higher Education Act to allow students with previous documentation of a disability to continue using that documentation when they transition to higher education. Having just completed the college admissions process, Alexia realized the importance of supports for dyslexic students that extend beyond primary and secondary school. Her focus during her fall 2019 internship in Senator Cassidy’s office was to research how tests such as the SAT, ACT, LSAT, GMAT, and MCAT handled testing accommodations. “I looked at how many students successfully received accommodations and at the history the tests had with accommodations, specifically what lawsuits they had on the topic,” Alexia said. Ultimately, she targeted the AAMC, the organization that facilitates MCAT testing. “I discovered that the MCAT rarely allowed students to receive accommodations unless they had documentation of using accommodations dating back to elementary school,” Alexia shared. In fact, despite the data showing that approximately 1 in 5 Americans has dyslexia, she found that only 0.3% of students who took the MCAT exam between 2011–2013 received accommodations. The disparity between these figures was concerning, and Alexia sought answers from the AAMC on behalf of Senator Cassidy. Her letter to the AAMC noted, “To establish an equal playing field with their peers, a student with dyslexia may simply need extra time on an exam or…texttospeech assistive technology that…allows a student’s cognitive abilities to shine through.” Alexia currently conducts research on 5G, as well as other emerging areas where technology and policy intersect, through an internship with Google in Washington, D.C. When she begins Harvard in the fall, she plans to major in computer science with a minor in applied math. Alexia will be drawing from her internship experience to coauthor an article for The Beacon Fall 2020 issue, along with WMS Teacher Katherine Kaneko and CSE Liaison Lara Damashek, surrounding the legalities of securing standardized testing accommodations.
To submit a note, share your Windward memories, or give notice of a deceased alum/na for the next issue, please email alumni@thewindwardschool.org. Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
29
2018 (continued)
Emily Depp is attending the University
Tyler Woods was enrolled at Windward for four years, and he
of Massachusetts Amherst in the fall, and she will be studying fine arts.
shared that those years changed his life. He recently completed his sophomore year at the University of Pennsylvania, and “without the faculty [at Windward], I wouldn’t be where I am today so thank you Windward for helping me in my amazing journey over the last 20 years.”
Rodger Ecker had a terrific senior year at Trinity Pawling. He
2019 Brody Selman committed to Western New England University
to play on their NCAA Division III hockey team. Josh Linder graduated from The DwightEnglewood School
and is currently attending the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics at Syracuse University. This past semester, Josh interned as a sports writer for Rookie Road, a sports blog. This summer, he will be studying abroad at the London School of Economics. Josh attributes much of his academic success to the education he received during his six years at Windward.
was a member of the National Honor Society, Dean’s Advisory, and Honor Council. Rodger also was a head alumni ambassador, drama officer, and captain of both the varsity squash and varsity cross country teams. In the fall, he will be attending Washington College in Maryland as a presidential fellow. Rodger was selected for the unique fellowship program based on his commitment to highlevel academic achievement and intellectual rigor. Ethan Fisher graduated from Harrison High School, and he will
be attending George Washington University this fall to study politics and business. Olivia Friedland will be attending Vanderbilt University’s
Ted Holahan had a successful freshman year of college at Mount St. Mary’s University, where he is studying elementary education.
Peabody College in the fall. She plans on studying either special education, child studies, or both.
Grace Desiderio is studying communications with a
Colin Hogan will begin his freshman year at the Villanova
concentration in public relations at Marist College. She decided to pursue this major after enjoying her work with Windward’s Alumni Office. During her freshman year, Grace loved her academic classes, and she also volunteered with the nonprofit Working in Support of Education (W!se). Over the summer, she plans on working with horses in need. “Every day I thank Windward for what they have done because if not for the School, I would not be where I am today.” Lily Krasne was named high point riding champion at the
SUNY Geneseo IHSA horse show in February. This was her first show representing Syracuse as a freshman.
2020 Jamie Beer graduated from HAFTR
(Hebrew Academy of Five Towns & Rockaway) this year, and she will be taking a gap year to study abroad. When Jamie returns to the US, she will be attending Binghampton University. “Windward has taught me life skills, like advocating for myself, that I will use for the rest of my life.”
University School of Business in the fall. Gidon Katz is taking a gap year at IMG Academy in Bradenton,
FL, where he will focus on golf training. Following his year at IMG, he will attend Elon University in North Carolina. Jacob Ross graduated from The Harvey School, and he will
enroll at University of Arizona in their communications school. During high school, Jacob was an allleague player for both football and hockey. Sophie Watkinson attended The Hewitt School following her
graduation from Windward. For college, she will be headed west to the town of San Luis Obispo as an undergrad in California Polytechnic (Cal Poly)’s engineering program. She is thrilled to have been accepted to the prestigious program. Dylan Webb will be headed south to Dallas, TX, for college at
the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.
Note: At Windward, a student’s class year is the same as their high school graduation year.
30
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
Institute Maya Lebowitz ’21 Participates in EEG Training Alongside Windward Faculty After arriving at Windward in third grade as a nonreader, Maya recently completed her junior year at SAR Academy with a 4.0 GPA in the dual curriculum program, which comprises classes in both secular and Judaic studies. In addition to her demanding academic workload, Maya has also pursued her growing interest in neuroresearch, particularly understanding how the dyslexic mind works. Maya penned an article for SAR’s science journal where she compared the dyslexic brain to the nondyslexic brain. As a member of the education committee of model congress, she drafted a bill for mandatory state testing for learning disabilities.
In this issue, we are highlighting three alumni who connected with The Windward Institute and are actively engaged in further understanding dyslexia.
2022 Hannah Maccrone visited Senegal for eight days as part of a
school trip with 35 classmates and her chemistry teacher. The Mamaroneck High School group visited the village of Lambaye to meet with local children and assist with the grand opening of the village’s learning center. Following the trip, Hannah and her classmates held fundraisers to provide more supplies for the center and to establish a farm in the village. Reflecting on transitioning to Mamaroneck after Windward, Hannah said, “I felt very prepared because my teachers in eighth grade really challenged me, and they advanced my vocabulary and writing abilities. Mr. Sanders and Ms. Kaneko made me feel like I had the tools to take on the world! Windward was the best decision my parents have ever made for me because I went from not reading at all to reading 10thgradelevel books in 8th grade. Windward taught me that advocating for yourself will help tremendously. It’s not about how long a task takes you; it’s about the final product. Each day and with every assignment, I am using a tool from Windward.”
So when Maya read about the Windward/Haskins Laboratories Collaborative Project and its inschool research study, Predicting Learning Outcomes at The Windward School, in the last issue of The Compass, she reached out to The Windward Institute to see if she could become involved. In February, she received permission to join the Windward faculty on the EEG Leadership Team during their EEG training for phase two of the study's data collection. “The opportunity to learn about the basics of how EEG works was so cool and interesting,” said Maya. “My favorite part of the day was learning how to apply an EEG cap on a subject. When someone is wearing the cap, I saw how the sensors pick up every action—from blinking to moving your jaw to sweating— and what that looks like on the brain readings. It was fascinating.” During Maya’s visit to attend the EEG training, she was able to reconnect with her former fifthgrade language arts teacher, Ms. Scorrano, who is one of the four Windward faculty members on the EEG Leadership Team. Maya was in Ms. Scorrano’s first language arts class at Windward.
To submit a note, share your Windward memories, or give notice of a deceased alum/na for the next issue, please email alumni@thewindwardschool.org. Spring/Summer 2020 The Compass
31
In this issue, we are highlighting three alumni who connected with The Windward Institute and are actively engaged in further understanding dyslexia.
2023 Sydney Korn received high honors on her first report card
from Irvington High School. Simon Rothfeld is attending Beacon High School. His
Institute Adam Kern ’23 Interviews Dr. Russell for Dyslexia Research Project For his ninth-grade honors biology class at Rye Country Day School, Adam chose to study dyslexia for a long-term project on any disease or disorder. He was required to interview an expert on the condition, so he interviewed Dr. Russell, executive director of The Windward Institute, in February. See an excerpt from Adam’s interview below.
Adam: Why do you think there is so much misunderstanding about dyslexia?
transition from Windward was smooth, and he earned excellent grades in his first semester for his academic courses. Simon also is an active member of the Model UN Club. Most of all though, he is grateful to Windward for giving him confidence in learning and writing. Ella Woodbury is a member of the Westport Sound Quartet,
comprised of Ella and three other students from the Suzuki Music School in Westport. David Straubel is currently enrolled at Darien High School, where
he is a threesport athlete on the soccer, ski, and tennis teams. Andrew Stuart will be attending Millbrook School in the fall,
and he plans to play tennis and squash.
Dr. Russell: First of all, for many people who have dyslexia, it’s an invisible disability. Anybody who met you, for example, would say, “Well, what do you mean disability? That’s ridiculous. He doesn’t have a disability.” So, it masks itself.
Campbell Thomas is enjoying balancing basketball and
Adam: Do you think that dyslexia is a weakness, strength, or neither?
2027
Dr. Russell: It’s neither. It’s a way that a brain processes information and, in some cases, it all depends on the environment and the task that the people are asked to do. I think dyslexics, in my experience, have greater resilience and persistence than most. That may be a byproduct of being mistreated as opposed to being a byproduct of dyslexia. In terms of an evolutionary perspective, why would dyslexics continue to exist, if it didn’t have a benefit? So, there must be some benefit, and I think it manifests in different ways in different people.
secondgrade student, during one of Windward’s remote learning physical education classes. The physical education teachers at Westchester Lower School prerecorded lessons for the students to follow during their designated remote class time. John had a great time seeing some familiar Windward faces and hearing some familiar terms in the video, and it created a special moment for the Haymsons—a feeling of connection and care between Windward and the brothers, even from a distance.
Adam: Do you think that dyslexics often being better in the arts is similar to how blind people’s other senses may be heightened? Is that a similar relationship? Dr. Russell: I don’t know, but that is a reasonable hypothesis that would be worth exploring. One thing that’s very interesting here at Windward…the number of kids that we have that have become great lacrosse players. Weird, right? Why would that happen? I think it’s because they see the visual field differently than everybody else. Now, there is science behind that. Dyslexics actually have better peripheral vision than the socalled average kid, so maybe that’s part of it. This is really interesting stuff that is going to require more science and more research before we try to say anything definitively, but I think you’re right. The arrows are pointing to that there are strengths that come from it, but yet to be proven. 32
The Compass Spring/Summer 2020
academics at Millbrook School. Although he receives more homework and finds the tests challenging, Campbell puts in more work outside of the classroom in order to succeed.
John Haymson joined his younger brother Christopher, a rising
In Memoriam The Windward School received the sad news of the passing of the following individuals. The Windward community extends its condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. Please email alumni@thewindwardschool.org if you receive notice of a deceased alum/na for inclusion in the next issue of The Compass. Christine Panetta Barrack
Stewart Fife ’20
Former Westchester Middle School Teacher
John Eugene Stauffer ’54
Make a Gift to the Windward Fund! The Windward Fund directly supports the intensive training the teachers receive in order to deliver Windward’s program. Your support transforms lives. thewindwardschool.org/give
SAVE THE DATE The Windward School Benefit Cipriani 42nd Street
May 1, 2021
40 West Red Oak Lane White Plains, NY 106043602 Return Service Requested To be added to The Compass mailing list, please email communications@thewindwardschool.org
COMMUNITY LECTURE
NonProfit Organization US Postage PAID Hollis, NH Permit No. XX
Institute
Save the Date
October 22, 2020 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Parenting and Educating Kids in the Time of Anxiety —Balancing Precaution and Bravery Location:
The Windward School Westchester Middle School
Presented by
Rachel Busman, PsyD, ABPP Senior Director of Anxiety Disorders Center and Director of Selective Mutism Service at Child Mind Institute
