The Gryphon: Fall/Winter 2223

NEW PATHS

CSW alumni share the unique trajectories of their career paths.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2022–23

Allie Altman P’12 Treasurer; Chair, Finance Committee

James Bonsey

Lise Charlier

Head of School

Milly Chen ’23

Boarding Student Representative

Neta Crawford P’18

John Finnerty P’21

Michael Flanagan P’20, ’22

Ann Gorson P’16 Chair of the Board

Cynthia Harmon

Vice Chair of the Board

Snowden Henry P’16, ’18 Chair, Governance Committee

Theo Illarionov ’23 Day Student Representative

KB Kinkel

Faculty Representative

Phebe Kiryk P’21

Chin Lin P’18 Secretary; Chair, Building and Grounds Committee

Noah Loren P'22

Kevin Mendik P’20

Ranjit Rajamani P’22

Adriel Roncal

Faculty Representative

Will Stansbury P’20

John Thompson P’05, ’07 Chair, Development Committee

Dan Wolf ’65

Vivien Wu P’23

THE GRYPHON, FALL/WINTER 2022-23

Lise Charlier

Head of School

Emma Fedor

Director of Marketing and Communications

Jen Raxter

Chief Development Officer

Jeanette Origel

Assistant Director of Communications

Emmanuelle Charlier

Assistant Director for Alumni and Parent Engagement

CONTRIBUTORS

Russ Campbell (P’19) Photography

Jared Charney Photography

Michele Levy (P’19)

DESIGN gokorodesign.com

The Cambridge School of Weston is an independent, all-gender day school for grades 9 – 12 and post-graduate study. Inquiries for admission should be directed to the Admissions Office at 781.642.8650.

The Gryphon welcomes class notes and photographs by alumni, parents, and friends. Please email submissions to alumni@csw.org, call 781.642.8619, visit www.csw.org, or send to:

Alumni Relations

The Cambridge School of Weston 45 Georgian Road Weston, MA 02493

CONTACT

www.csw.org

To contact the editor, please send us an email at gryphon@csw.org.

LEADING THOUGHTS

Dear community,

During a recent special assembly to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., guest Reverend Sharon Risher charged our students to: "Find your thing—that thing that drives you to be motivated and courageous. It will bring you purpose and meaning. And, bring someone along with you in your journey… ideally someone with a different perspective than yours.”

As a global community, we find ourselves at an unprecedented moment in history—a time when individuals and organizations are actively working to “find their thing” amidst tremendous social, political, technological, economic, and environmental upheaval. More specifically, forward-thinking educational institutions worldwide are contemplating historic shifts in their role, their value, and their impact.

Here at CSW, we believe that the current context has created a valuable opportunity to redefine progressive education, and we know that our community can play an important role in that work. The core of what we do—keeping students at the center, responding to their “now” while preparing them for an uncertain future, building critical thinking skills, fostering empathy—those foundational pieces will remain constant. But how we do that work, with whom, in what spaces, how we discuss it—we think it’s time to address those questions (and perhaps others!) with deep inquiry and broad perspective.

We all know that the process of finding your thing can be a complex, messy, and often frustrating endeavor. To do it well, you need to ask lots of folks lots of questions and listen carefully to their answers. In that spirit, over the past few months we have been engaged in integrated planning efforts designed to understand current community perspectives and identify the opportunities that lie ahead for CSW and progressive education:

Our architects have led workshops with students, faculty, and staff to help inform plans to enhance our campus in support of learning, sustainability, and accessibility.

Families, alums, students, faculty, and staff have participated in interviews and focus groups to help inform our brand and marketing. We have begun pre-planning for the re-accreditation process that will kick off in 2024.

Many of you have already been involved in this work, and we are deeply grateful for your time and your wisdom. We will be calling on many more members of our community to join us in this journey in the months to come, and we are excited to contemplate what we will find together!

With gratitude and optimism,

Lise Charlier Head of School

Ann Gorson P’16 Chair of the Board

Boarding students Zoe Zuloaga ’25, Camila Pujadas ’23, and Jo Munoz ’24 sled down the hill behind the dining hall.

ON THE QUAD

Fall Theatre Production: The Visit

The Fall Theatre Production, “The Visit,” told a powerful story of love and justice while asking the important question, “what can money buy?”

AIA Fair

This year’s Affinity, Interest, and Alliance (AIA) Group Fair highlighted the wide range of interests across the CSW student community. This fall event is a wonderful opportunity for students to connect with others who share their passions and to discover paths into new pursuits.

Happy Anniversary CulinArt!

CulinArt is celebrating 10 years as CSW’s foodservice partner! Harvey Li ’25 shared images of the dining staff at a recent End-of-Mod Show, offering well-deserved homage to this talented and dedicated team.

Athletics Update

Big shout out to the Cross Country team on a great season! The CSW girls’ XC team won the MBIL league championship on November 2 on our newly-minted campus course.

In December, CSW hosted the very first Gryphon Goblet basketball tournament. Director of Athletics Alan Miles explained that, “We were confident in our ability to host a tournament like this because of our wonderful, up-to-date facilities. We knew we could create a great experience for all teams, for them to feel like they would be able to compete and win the tournament. Our goal was to develop something special that would connect alums, families, and other members of the community before we broke for the winter holidays…I’m proud to say that we succeeded!”

Boys Bracket Winner: CSW

Girls Bracket Winner: The British International School of Boston

Student & Faculty News/Achievements

Music faculty Michael Weinstein performed with the Lexington Symphony in the world premiere of "Black Athena~Power." Composed by Ray Angry, pianist, composer, and member of the band The Roots, "Black Athena~Power" is inspired by Martin Bernal's novel Black Athena. Michael also composed a symphony that was performed by Brass Performance in Seattle, WA.

CSW's JSA Chapter traveled to NYC to attend the first in-person Junior State of America Fall State conference since 2019. Congratulations to Theo Illarionov ʼ23 on bringing home a best speaker award!

Boarding student Emily Li ʼ23 placed 8th at the 2023 Figure Skating National Qualifying Series competition.

Visual Art teacher Todd Bartel gave a talk on his collage work as part of the Henry Sheldon Museum’s exhibition, "Artists in the Archives: Community, History & Collage." His piece, “A Group of Nations Claiming Unity of Purpose or Common Interests,” will become part of the museum’s permanent collection. Todd’s work has also been exhibited at Sharp Hands Gallery and The Institute Library.

Students in CSW's Sustainability Committee visited Harvard University for the launch of trustee Neta Crawford (Pʼ18)ʼs book The Pentagon, Climate Change, and War.

Special Guests

Tianrui (Aria) Yang ʼ25 recently received a third-place award in the high school division of the Marine Art Contest for her submission “Pink-hearted Hydroids.”

Alison Safford of CSW’s Visual Arts Department was one of nine artist participants in the Kaunas Bone China Symposium in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The CSW Read-a-Thon

Over 31 students, faculty, staff, and young campus residents participated in The CSW Read-a-Thon which involved 12 hours of reading at the newly renovated Library! The group read a collective 5,895 pages and completed 10 books.

CSW Alum and Macalester College president Suzanne Rivera ’87

Anneke Reiche ’09, Boston-area Engagement Coordinator for the One Love Foundation

Palladium co-founder Eduardo Tugendhat ’72

Educator and DEI Practitioner Rosetta Lee

Dancer Marcel Santiago ’17

End-of-Mod Shows

1. Suri Kautz ’25 (Drawing: Otherness & Social Justice); 2. Damir Orlov ’25, Joyce Zhang ’25, Nathan Brewer ’24, Max Brady ’24 (Studies of Flight); 3. Eli Salazar ’24 (Drawing: Abstraction & Process);

4. Cami Torres ’23 (Drawing: Advanced Drawing Studio); 5. Jennifer Zheng ’25 (Drawing: Self Portrait); 6. Devon Holman ’25 (Digital Collage); 7. Derrick Yang ’23 (Digital Storytelling); 8. Gabriella Lipsitch ’24 (Wearable Art); 9. Jordan Brinker ’26 (Artist Collective); 10. Liya Serikova ’24 (Advanced Visual Art); 11. Naomi Fuhrer ’23 (Sculpture: Wheelworking); 12. Eirwen Kamphorst ’23 (Independent Art)

CSW Faculty and Staff Attend NAIS People of Color Conference

This fall, six faculty and staff (including Head of School Lise Charlier) joined over 7,600 attendees from 10 different countries in San Antonio, Texas, for the People of Color Conference (PoCC)—The National Association of Independent School’s first in-person PoCC since 2019.

The mission of this conference is to “provide a safe space for leadership and professional development and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools.” PoCC “equips educators at every level, from teachers to trustees, with knowledge, skills, and experiences to improve and enhance the interracial, interethnic, and intercultural climate in their schools, as well as the

attending academic, social-emotional, and workplace performance outcomes for students and adults alike.”

The theme of this 35th PoCC conference was “Reunited in Purpose: Elevating Our Worth, Our Agency, and Our Excellence,” and it was truly an opportunity to reconnect with long-time colleagues and establish new relationships. Attendees enjoyed an opening performance by all-female mariachi band Mariachi Las Alteñas, and attended a wide variety of workshops, sessions, and keynotes from inspiring and thought-provoking speakers such as the poet Nikki Giovanni, educator José Luis Vilson, and social entrepreneur/activist Amanda Nguyen.

NEW FACULTY & STAFF

LIZZY KNIGHT

CALIN DUKE

I had a pet squirrel as a child. For 4 years I lived in a Tiny House in the woods of Nantucket, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. I have an enormous sweet tooth.

Calin Duke is the new costumer for our Theatre Department. In addition to being paid to be an inflated sea urchin, firefighter, and farm-to-school manager throughout the course of her career, Calin also brings over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher to CSW. While teaching in Colombia, India, and Lebanon, Calin began a business selling upcycled clothing of her own design. When she returned to the United States with a collection of beautiful fabric, she studied Fashion Design at Parsons, The New School, where she also received a certificate in Streetwear Essentials. Calin holds a B.A. in linguistics from University of California at Santa Cruz, as well as a Master of Education from Portland State University. Her first book, How To Upcycle Nearly Everything, is due out any day now.

Brit Garner has joined CSW’s Science Department. A native Floridian, Brit received a B.S. in zoology with a minor in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida and a

BRIT GARNER

I used to work as an Elsa impersonator for kids' birthday parties. I am an active YouTuber. I am unable to touch my toes while keeping my legs straight.

an M.S. in marine biology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her research included shark attack risk assessment, phylogenetics, conservation genetics, and ancient DNA. After graduation, she became an adjunct professor at Brunswick Community College before beginning an MFA program at Montana State University in science and natural history filmmaking. After a year of that program, she began to miss research science and switched to a Ph.D. program at the University of Montana in fish and wildlife biology. She joined the world of science communication in 2017, hosting SciShow Psych on YouTube, and continues to explore that world at present. In July 2021, she graduated with a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies and started teaching science full-time to 7th and 9th graders in NYC.

David Irons has returned to the Boston area as CSW’s new technical theater director after seven years in the same position at the University School outside of Cleveland, Ohio. He has a B.A. in classical and medieval studies

DAVID IRONS

I've lived in 5 US states and 1 other country. At last count, I've built about half of my furniture at home. I have seen every MLB team play and have visited 1/3 of the MLB stadiums.

and taught at Thayer Academy before earning his master’s degree in classics from King's College, London. After a year at Fort Worth Country Day, he began to follow his love of technical theater, and is very excited to be back near his hometown of Braintree, Massachusetts.

Lizzy Knight joined CSW’s Science Department in the spring of 2021 and returned full-time this fall. Lizzy graduated from Reed College with her B.A. in chemistry. While at Reed, she studied organometallic complexes and how they can be used as tools to manipulate or aid chemical reactions. She loves to explore the outdoors through rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking.

David McCarthy is CSW’s new counselor for 9th grade students, the peer mentor coordinator, and a 9th grade teacher for the PACE program. He graduated from Boston University, with an Ed.M. in child and adolescent mental

I was a master carpenter for 3 years in my college's theater department. I have a huge stationery collection and kept a bullet journal for years.

DAVID MCCARTHY

I wear the color green so much that I see it as a personality trait. I unapologetically like to listen and sing along to sea shanties (of my own free will).

Quesaritos from Taco Bell are my favorite food.

health counseling, and is currently pursuing his LMHC. He previously interned as a school counselor at Boston Green Academy. During his free time, he likes to play video games, sing, and participate in pickup basketball games at the park.

Meredith Mikell joins us in the Science Department, as a dorm parent, and as cross country coach. She has taught in independent day and boarding schools for 17 years, including

My family raised emus.

I attend Star Trek conventions.

I have visited all 50 states and 4 US territories.

I'm adopted.

I'm a descendant of Louis

I worked with the Cree Nation in northern Québec.

I don't watch tv shows or series, only YouTube videos. I love small dogs. Eating is my hobby.

I have a fraternal twin brother. In high school, I was one year ahead of comedian Mike Birbiglia. As a teenager, the highlight of my summer job with a landscaping company was weeding Stephen King's yard.

at Cushing Academy, Santa Catalina School, and Berkeley Preparatory School. Meredith lives on campus at CSW with her eight-year-old son, and has a stepson serving in the U.S. Navy. She is currently pursuing a doctorate through Wilmington University.

David Mountcastle has returned to CSW after a few years away. Entering his twentieth year in the admissions field, David has worked at three schools in the greater Boston area, as well as

Before settling in Massachusetts, I lived in New York, Connecticut, and California. I grew up as a vegetarian but now eat meat occasionally. I acted in almost all of the school plays in middle and high school.

an international school in the Swiss Alps. David also has done secondary school counseling and advancement work. He experienced firsthand the transformational power of independent schools when he transferred from public school to a boarding school in eleventh grade. After graduating from St. Mark's School, he attended Bowdoin College where he majored in biochemistry, was a member of the Residential Life team, and played on the men's varsity hockey team.

Jason N. Smith joins the Language Department as a French and Spanish teacher. Prior to coming to CSW, Jason worked at the Taft School and The Westminster Schools. Jason loves exploring language and culture with his students and making sure they can see themselves in the language. He has two bachelor's degrees (marketing & French) and a master’s degree (Spanish) from Auburn University. He has done post-graduate French studies at NYU Paris, and is currently working on his Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction at Texas A&M University, where he is researching cultural teaching and learning in the language classroom.

Ruby Stardrum, LMHC, joins the Health and Wellness team as a new School Counselor. Previously, Ruby worked as a counselor at both MassArt and Berklee College of Music—she also has experience running her own psychotherapy private practice. Before entering the mental health counseling field, Ruby was a teacher for several years. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University in feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, a master's degree from Bank Street College of Education in childhood general and special education, and a master's degree from UMass Boston in mental health counseling.

Even though I'm from Russia, it's always cold for me here in New England. I never wanted a big family, because I love being alone, but my husband and I have five children.

I love extreme sports very much (please don’t tell my family that!).

Dee Tran joined the Visual Arts department as the digital photography teacher. Dee graduated from MassArt with a B.F.A. in photography. She accomplished a year of service with AmeriCorps, facilitating a high school leadership group at the Stoughton Youth Commission. Prior to CSW, Dee taught digital photography and assisted in lower school classrooms at Dedham Country Day School. In the summer, she teaches photography at the Horizons program at Dedham Country Day.

Aleksandra Khlebnikova joined the Business Office as Staff Accountant. She has degrees from Chelyabinsk Institute of Economics and Law and Middlesex Community College, and served in a variety of accounting roles at Russian-based organizations before moving with her family to the US.

MEREDITH MIKELL

JASON N. SMITH

XVI.

RUBY STARDRUM

DEE TRAN

ALEKSANDRA KHLEBNIKOVA

DAVID MOUNTCASTLE

HOLOCAUST AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR & US NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY

For this issue of The Gryphon, we have chosen to profile two courses that have been part of the CSW curriculum for a number of years— Holocaust and Human Behavior (grades 9 – 10) and US Native American Studies (grades 11 and 12)—both currently taught by Jordan Clark ʼ05. These courses consider the experiences and stories of marginalized groups who faced attempted genocides. Each offers a case study that allows a class to examine horrific and impactful moments in history, then push beyond those specific moments to think about the choice made by humans in community in general—in the past and today. In each course, students are challenged to separate the straightforward binary perspective of “good people vs. bad people” from more complex considerations of human decision making and behavior.

While there is a core framework for each course, the topics vary based on student interests. In the most recent mod, Holocaust and Human Behavior examined how the Nazi party took control of Germany, looking at ways they separated and classified people, then discussing how that happens in human behavior outside the example of pre-war Germany. The goal was to better understand the systems put in place to control people and make it challenging for individuals to show opposition.

The US Native American Studies course looks at the history of Native Peoples in the US, incorporating contemporary examples to avoid perpetuating stereotypes that Native People only existed in the past. This past mod, the class focused on decolonization, core themes within United States government policy, and

contemporary conversations within Native Communities, such as national parks and what it means to give land back to Native People.

As is the case across the CSW curriculum, students in these two classes are not just learning content—they are also building core skills. In this case, they are developing the capacity to become “critically conscious historians.” As Jordan explained, “Because our classes are six weeks long, the goal of being a content expert is unrealistic. We use these histories as case studies. They provide opportunities for students to practice the skills of asking the right questions to achieve a more complete and accurate assessment of history. We then challenge them to think about what you do with that assessment once you have it.”

Students in these classes are also learning how to conduct research, and how to create engaging, informative presentations. Jordan explained that, “One of the pieces I try to get students to think about is our approach to information—what’s the importance placed on a textbook, as opposed to a book or a story you hear? I am not setting a value system on these information sources, but motivating students to question how they take in information, where they place their value. Throughout the mod I introduce them to listening to podcasts, watching a documentary, doing other things that give them information but in vastly different ways than just reading a new article or a textbook.” He provided a specific recent example, “Having students sit together, to listen to a story for an hour—as a society we’re not necessarily trained to do that. But in other societies it may be an important way in which information is passed.”

One of the ongoing challenges of teaching history to adolescents is that of relevancy. Only talking about a history in the historical moment isn’t always the best way for students to find proximity to the larger lessons you’re trying to get them to understand. Each student enters with a different relationship to that history, with their own identity and interests. Jordan is always thinking about how to help each individual student find one aspect that connects with them personally— in a way that they walk away and remain connected to what was discussed during the mod. He commented that, “One way we do that is offer choice in the projects they do—allowing them to choose a piece of history that supports their personal connection, and opens the door for them to bring something in that they’ve seen outside of the class. You don’t know what someone’s going to connect to until you ask them to

make the connections. I can assume what I think are important ideas, components, events…but there could be something completely different a student wants to showcase, and it’s really empowering to allow them to do so.”

We asked Jordan to consider where else he’d like to take these courses, to further expand their impact: “Students in high school want to feel like the work they are doing has meaning and purpose. When you’re sitting in a classroom that can be really tough. So how do we make it possible for students to get out of the classroom, to think more broadly, and to ask themselves questions like: ‘What skills am I building here? How does this inform how I see the world? What do I use all of this for?’ Being able to do this more fully would engage our students differently, more deeply. It would increase their learning and strengthen their skill set.”

CSW has a longstanding relationship with Facing History and Ourselves, a Boston-based global organization that “helps educators prepare students to participate in civic life—using intellect, empathy, ethics, and choice to stand up to bigotry and hate in their own lives, communities, and schools.” One of the tools students use through the Facing History and Ourselves curriculum is the Universe of Obligation—utlilizing it in a variety of classes, and as a school community. In Jordan’s classes, he asks students to personally create their own Universe of Obligation, asking questions like, “How do you create rings of obligation around yourself? How do you make choices about who’s in what ring?”

He points out that, “The same way an individual does that, a community does it, a government does it. In my classes, I ask what we can look at in laws, traditions, behaviors, etc. that give clear examples of who is closer in each Universe of Obligation, who is farther away, and why. For instance, in US Native American Studies, we look at the Declaration of Independence. I challenge the students to find all references to Native Peoples, and they find one indirect reference. Mentions in documents like that become foundational for how groups of people are seen in the country going forward. Building the skills to critically examine documents and situations help students see how a system, a government, or a country treats groups of people. It also helps them understand how marginalization and mistreatment can be built into a system from the very beginning…that it’s real, not imagined.”

Holocaust and Human Behavior and US Native American Studies both inspire students to think not just about history, but how history informs community. It brings them outside of the immediate challenge of learning the history and encourages them to think about themselves and how they engage in communities around them.

FACULTY INTERVIEW

ADRIEL RONCAL

(he/him)

French & Spanish Teacher

Dorm Parent Board Faculty Representative

“THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THE SPACES OUR CLUBS AND AFFINITY GROUPS CREATE… IT’S TRUE TO THE CSW MISSION AND DEEPLY STUDENT CENTERED. AS FACULTY AND STAFF, WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT. WE WANT TO BE THERE WITH THE STUDENTS, SHARING THOSE EXPERIENCES. THERE’S SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THE PEOPLE I KEEP FINDING IN THOSE SPACES.”

FIRST, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. I grew up in Las Vegas and attended a local performing arts high school. I majored in French and political science at Amherst College and am currently working on an M.A. in French through a program with Middlebury College. Looking back, I realize that I was very privileged in my education. I was able to explore a lot of different things and take courses in subjects that interested me—all without a specific end goal.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT CSW? WHAT DREW YOU TO CSW?

During college I was a tutor and teaching assistant—in my senior year I thought “maybe I could consider teaching.” I began applying for teaching roles and joined CSW in August of 2021. As I explored my options, it became clear that CSW is an open and accepting place…in that way it felt similar to my own high school experience. That really drew me to the school.

WHAT ROLES DO YOU PLAY IN THE CSW COMMUNITY?

I’m on the faculty, teaching French and Spanish. I’m also a dorm parent in Trapelo, a dorm for male-identifying and non-binary students. It’s fantastic being a dorm parent, since I get to see all of these young adults as full human beings. I’m also very engaged in the various clubs and affinity groups on campus—as a faculty advisor for IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action) and for the new Queer People of Color affinity group. I also recently led a mod abroad trip to France. It was really exciting to watch the students experience French culture—many of them for the first time.

WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS ELECTED FACULTY/STAFF REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD?

One of my key responsibilities is that of communication—of my own perspective and the views of my colleagues. I help ground the work of the board in what’s going on in the school community, providing a granular perspective to complement and inform the board’s long-term view. The members of the board are very warm, welcoming, excited, and curious to hear what we faculty reps have to say. It’s a great learning and growth experience for me!

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

I love to take advantage of CSW’s location—to go hiking in Weston, explore Boston, visit the Boston Common and just sit and read a book. I play the cello (when I have the time!) and practice yoga and Zumba. One thing I love about the school schedule is that it allows me to travel, to visit friends and family here in the US and worldwide.

TRANSFORMING CSW’S LIBRARY

As a parting gift to the Cambridge School of Weston, Class of 2022 families came together to contribute to the reinvention of the CSW Library’s physical space, a legacy that will increase student engagement and connection into the future. The Senior Parent & Guardian Gift is an opportunity for families to fund a project or initiative for the school in honor of their student’s experience and growth while at CSW. The Class of 2022 Parents and Guardians chose to demonstrate their gratitude through a gift to enhance the library, raising funds that exceeded their goal of $125,000.

This transformation included a large, open study area with moveable furnishings to create flexibility for students’ evolving needs. A portion of the gift also served as the seed funding for a physical expansion of the library to foster deeper programmatic offerings in DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging), sustainability, and other curriculum areas.

“The library has always been the central heart of our school and the largest classroom on campus,” says Jenna Wolf, Director of Library and Technology Integration. “It has the ability to impact every learner here. These updates allow us to do that more—and with renewed intention. The flexibility of the furnishings allows us to be entirely responsive to any community need at any given time: it can become a space for quiet contemplation and reflection or a place to get messy and ideate. The space will bend and adapt to the inquiries being made all without compromising a student's access to our rich and dynamic collection of print materials. The space now allows all of these things to be truly seen.”

The space will bend and adapt to t he inquiries being made all without c ompromising a student's access to o ur rich and dynamic collection of print materials.

SUMMER 2022 CAMPUS UPDATES

The CSW campus was buzzing with activity this summer as a number of buildings and spaces underwent exciting renovations! These construction projects are all part of what we are calling Phase I of a greater plan to upgrade important community spaces. Many of these updates were sidelined by the pandemic—we are excited to see them coming to fruition now!

A few of the projects include:

Classroom technology upgrades, including Apple TVs and new projectors in all learning spaces

Remodeled College Counseling suite on the ground floor of the Kluchman Building

Renovation of CSW’s Library

Language Building classroom renovations

Conversion of the Garden Building into a Nurse’s Office and Infirmary

Air quality improvements to classroom and gathering spaces

A large part of the work involved renovations to the Cheek Building, which the school aspires to transform into a vibrant, active student center.

Phase I of this vision has included: Relocating the student lounge (affectionately known as the “Slounge”) to the Cheek with new lounge furniture and TVs

Installing air conditioning to the dining hall and kitchens, in addition to other kitchen upgrades

Moving the DEIB Offices to the Cheek with a lounge for students

Over the course of 2022-23, we will be working with students to gather feedback and collaborate on how best to utilize this new space in the Cheek as we transition into Phase II of the project next year. This next phase will entail moving all of our Student Life offices over to the building.

Further work included updates to the lower level of the Art Building, classroom upgrades to the French Gym, and math office and classroom renovations. Our dorms have benefited from some love as well!

carpeting, paint, and ceiling tiles in addition to new furniture and upgraded projection equipment. New doors were installed in language classrooms to allow for additional soundproofing. 5. Classrooms in the George Building were outfitted with white board walls, making it easier for teachers to project and take notes. All classrooms were upgraded with Apple TVs and new projection equipment. 6. Thanks to a generous gift from the parents of the Class of 2022, the CSW Library received a number of exciting upgrades and new furnishings.

1. The George Building, which houses CSW's humanities and skills programs, received upgrades to its front entrance and exterior siding. 2. The Health Center was relocated from Georgian Road to the former Garden Building, which was opened up to become one large space with a separate office and bathroom. The space also received fresh paint, new flooring, upgraded lighting, and new furnishings. 3. The former tech offices and L2 classroom were converted into a visitor lounge and office spaces for CSW’s three college counselors. 4. Classrooms in the Language Building and Kluchman Building received fresh

Teaching Shakespeare

English faculty member and dorm parent Eli Keehn was a 2020 recipient of the Alorie Parkhill Learning and Travel Grant. The pandemic (and a new baby!) made it challenging for him to travel over the past couple of years, but he was finally able to make the trip this past summer. He shared a bit about his motivation, experiences, and learnings for this issue of The Gryphon.

Established in 2017 by Rebecca Parkhill ’85, P'17 and Robert Willett P'17 (parents of Oliver Willett ’17), the Alorie Parkhill Learning and Travel Fund for Teachers was created to honor former faculty member and assistant head of s chool Alorie Parkhill. Grants from the fund may be used for travel, study, and any form of learning and exposure that follows the recipients’ scholarly interests, with a goal of allowing recipients to grow in their knowledge and background in disciplines and subject areas that excite and engage them, before bringing their learning back to students and colleagues at CSW.

Tell us a little about your Parkhill trip. I traveled to the Globe Theatre in London and participated in their training program for teachers of theater and English. They have a large, well-established education department and this training program is one way they help educators like me understand their approach to teaching Shakespeare. The program included workshops on their toolbox of approaches and observing their own teaching in action. We also did scene work with a director, which was a really fun way of putting the learning into practice.

They have a very specific and effective way of teaching Shakespeare that engages students in a ton of movement before getting to the text. Their team feels very strongly that you are not going to understand the work if you just sit and read it, because that’s not how it was intended to be consumed. It’s not a novel or a poem, it’s a play.

helps them hold onto something they can understand, you can layer on the more challenging stuff and they are ready for it.

It was also wonderful to be able to work on the actual Globe stage (a second time!). As a theater and English double major in college, I did a program at the Globe that was an intense acting workshop. I was excited to go back as an educator, to revisit the Globe and the surrounding neighborhood years later.

Finally, so much of the professional development I’ve done has been with folks locally in Massachusetts and New England. It’s been great, but I really loved meeting and working with teachers from all across the US—public school teachers from places like Arizona, Florida, Colorado. It was a really collegial environment and we’ve built a community that’s continuing to collaborate well past our shared experience at the Globe.

How will your Parkhill experience influence your work at CSW?

In these workshops, everyone is standing up, moving around, discussing character types and associated movements/behaviors, then layering in the language. That movement-first approach helps unlock the text on a very visceral level, after which you can better dive into literary analysis.

What did you take away from the experience?

First, I loved observing their teaching, the way they worked with kids. It was fascinating. They have a whole menu of activities they do with the kids that have to do with getting them up and engaged, and they gamify it in a very accessible way.

It was also interesting to learn that one of the things the Globe is really focused on is accessibility. They are working to frame Shakespeare as something that’s not elitist, not limited to a particular social class or type of student. There’s a lot of demystification in progress, breaking up assumptions about who should be playing roles. They are also considering where this work fits within global conversations around oppression and race— they believe it fits in by making it available.

That philosophy really resonated with me. So many kids come in thinking they’ll just never “get it.” The Globe approach helps them access the text by framing it through movement. Once the movement

It was amazing professional development for me, and it drove an immediate shift in the way I teach Shakespeare. I completely overhauled my Mod 2 Shakespeare course based on my experience at the Globe. I taught the course in the Moir theater instead of in a classroom in the George, and incorporated a ton of movement work. The kids really loved it, and I felt that they understood Shakespeare a lot more clearly than they had in the past. I also did a workshop with the English department, sharing my learning so that my colleagues at CSW could weave these approaches into their own teaching. We are having conversations about other ways members of the CSW community can benefit from my experience at the Globe—this year, and for years to come.

In your opinion, what’s the value of a travel grant like this for CSW faculty? How does it support professional development? What’s the benefit to CSW?

There’s no way I could have ever participated in that program w ithout the grant. It would have always been an unfulfilled dream. The Parkhill Learning and Travel Fund offers opportunities to do something you could not otherwise do and to take your teaching to a level you probably otherwise couldn’t achieve.

“Movement-first approach helps unlock the text on a very visceral level, after which you can better dive into literary analysis.”

“It was amazing professional development for me, and it drove an immediate shift in the way I teach Shakespeare.”

WEAVING

A LIFE OF

PURPOSE

The CSW alumni community is filled with interesting individuals doing fascinating things that matter—to them and to the societies in which they live and work. For this issue of The Gryphon, we’ve chosen to tell the stories of three such graduates. We hope that their journeys will inspire you in your own life and work!

DASHKA SLATER ’81 is an award-winning journalist and author of thirteen books of fiction and non-fiction for children and adults.

Relentlessly curious, always wanting to do the thing that hasn’t been done, she has created a multifaceted career, as she puts it, “filling in every square in the writer’s bingo card—writing in as many genres as possible.”

Learn more: www.dashkaslater.com

LARISA MANN ’91 is a DJ, teacher, researcher, and writer. She’s also been involved in organizing and activism, considering it “my mission to make all of those things intertwine as organically as possible.” A professor at Temple University, she is the author of Rude Citizenship: Jamaican Popular Music, Copyright, and the Reverberations of Colonial Power. As DJ Ripley, she plays experimental street bass sounds from all over the world. Learn more: larisa-mann.com, soundcloud.com/ripley, Instagram.com/djripley

EMILY POOLE ’87 has spent the past 20 years living in the remote town of Kotlik, AK on the Yukon Delta, first working as a special education teacher and currently as principal. She views her role as “helping Indigenous students explore their opportunities—ensuring that they have a clear view to their future options.”

WINDING PATHS AND UNEXPECTED PIVOTS.

Inspired by the late Alorie Parkhill P’85, 87, GP’17, Dashka wrote poetry and plays at CSW, then attended college as a poet. When a friend pointed out that many of her poems were narrative, she decided to start a novel. Realizing that writing a novel would not pay the rent, she added journalism to her portfolio. After the birth of her child, she found herself drawn into the world of children’s literature, creating a short story collection and a series of picture books (while still writing for magazines!). During the 2008 economic downturn, the long-form journalism and picture book markets began to dry up, so Dashka started writing middle grade fantasy (although her first middle grade novel wasn't published until 2020). She entered the world of YA (Young Adult) nonfiction when a New York Times Magazine article she’d written seemed like a perfect topic for teen readers.

the College of the Atlantic, a school which was quite similar to CSW at the time—small and student-centered.

A friend suggested that she take an education class, leading her to pivot from architecture to education. After teaching for a while in Oregon and California, she realized that she was not a city person.

“A friend suggested that I move to Alaska. And so I moved out here to Kotlik, which is located at the north of the Yukon Delta in western Alaska. We talked later and she explained that when she suggested Alaska she meant Anchorage. I replied that she was not particularly specific with her recommendations!”

A DJ for over 26 years, Larisa focuses her scholarship on community cultural practices, especially DJ and sound system culture. She commented that, “I’m really interested in understanding how those can provide opportunities for transforming and liberating social experiences. I use that in my own creative practice, taking what I learn from my research to communities who are involved in these practices.”

FINDING YOUR THROUGHLINE.

While the format of her work has varied over the course of her career, Dashka sees a clear throughline, explaining that “storytelling is storytelling.” More specifically, when it comes to her novels and journalism, she sees that work as connected to the idea of legacy— what you inherit and what you get to determine in your life.

“I guess one of the ways to frame my interests is understanding who gets to control cultural spaces, what it means to have control of them, and how important it is for marginalized communities to define what’s appropriate in these spaces…and how ex ternal regulations can inappropriately take away control.”

Emily explained that, “Oddly enough, I thought I was going to be an architect when I left CSW.” Former college counselor Al Bernstein helped her find

Larisa reflected that, “When I started out, I thought I had multiple lives, that I was doing very different things in very different worlds. As I have done them longer, they have knit together in a very natural way which is both pleasing and

unexpected.” She commented that “some of the well-meaning advice about preparing yourself for work, about thinking of your career path as a directed thing…it just doesn’t work anymore. The world keeps changing and that role you’re preparing for may not exist in 10 years.”

“I blame CSW for my winding path through literary genres! After those amazing years of module-based education, I continue to love the idea and practice of diving deeply into something, then moving on and doing something different.”

DASHKA SLATER ’81

LARISA MANN ’91

Emily commented that when she ended up in teaching, most of the people who knew her were not surprised. “Ultimately, I guess it’s who I am—part of my brain just goes there.” Many of the things that drive her as an educator and administrator came from her experiences at CSW—“how I was accepted for who I am, and the fact that while my learning seems different from other people's learning, it’s still valid and still genuine and still worthwhile.”

PURSUING YOUR PASSIONS. UNDERSTANDING YOUR IMPACT.

Dashka sees her role as inspiring children and youth to be readers, writers, and empathic citizens of the world, commenting that, “as creators of work

for young people, we are trying to shape them to be open and curious.” She is particularly proud of the ways her books become part of the lives of children and families—“When you write for children, you are furnishing their imaginations. I love to hear that I am part of a child’s life…so many families write to tell me how my character Escargot is a part of their family.”

In 2015, she wrote a book called The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives—a work that has been on both the list of the 50 most banned books in America and Time magazine’s list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. “I’m not on a mission of any particular kind, but I’m very mission-driven. All of my work

as a journalist has been focused on uplifting stories that have not been told. It means a lot to me to hear that a young person has given my book to a parent to help them understand their gender identity. I love to hear things like ‘I learned so much from your work’, and ‘I feel like I’ve been seen.’”

Larisa loves that she teaches at an urban public university where she has the opportunity to work with many first-generation college students. “These are people coming from environments where they were not expected to become knowledge makers. I appreciate the opportunity to help them find their footing as people who have something to say, and something to share, who know things that matter.”

She also commented that she really enjoys doing research— “part of the reason I do more anthropological, ethnographic style work is that I’m super nosy. I love to know about people!” She mentioned a specific piece of research into how people think about safety in nightlife situations. “Cities and clubs are bringing in a lot of surveillance equipment with the intent to make things safer, but for many communities, having a digital profile which is controlled by the government and searchable by outside people is not necessarily a safe thing, and the kinds of harms people are worried about (interpersonal sexual violence, transphobic hostility, etc.) that’s not something cameras can help with. As someone who’s been involved in nightlife for a really long time, it’s nice to be able to bring my scholarly approach into the space that I care about in a way that feels productive and not exploitative.”

Emily commented that “this is a very small community, not quite 600 people. There’s not a lot of economic opportunity here, but there's a very strong cultural community.” She explained that one of her primary goals is to ensure that when students leave her school, that they understand they have options, have clarity into those options, and feel that they have the skills to pursue them. In her more recent role as principal, she’s also supporting the faculty. “Over the past 20 years, many colleagues have suggested that I move into the principal role…but I was happy being in my classroom.” Eventually, however, she realized that she could expand her impact by working with faculty—to help mitigate the current high faculty turnover rate, to ensure that the teachers’ needs are being met so they can better meet the needs of their students.

“I went to Anchorage a month ago to have knee surgery and ran into some former students. One of them asked, "Do you know what you meant to me?” If you’re teaching in a big city, you don't necessarily have that impact. You don't see the kids over that long of a period. You might have that impact on one or two. But here, everybody who's coming through the school knows me. And now the kids that are in school are the children of parents that I've taught.”

EMILY POOLE ’87

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU LEARNED

OR EXPERIENCED AT CSW THAT INFORMS YOUR WORK AND LIFE TODAY?

DASHKA SLATER ’81

“The power of curiosity. That sense that the more you learn, the more you should want to know. If you’re doing it right, you should end up with more questions, more curiosity, more interest at the end.”

EMILY POOLE ’87

“Finding a community of peers and teachers who accepted me for who I was, who supported my learning and appreciated that it was not the same as anybody else's. That experience informs who I am as a teacher and an administrator.”

LARISA MANN ’91

“One of the best things about CSW for me was that people let me do the things I wanted to do. I was encouraged to try everything, not just the stuff I was good at, because there was the strongly held belief that everyone should be pursuing creative expression.”

CSW’S EVENING OF APPRECIATION

Each year, CSW hosts a special event to recognize leadership and 15+ consecutive year donors. The most recent Evening of Appreciation offered an opportunity to witness the passion with which our students and faculty think beyond themselves and our campus—challenging, exploring, and bringing new perspectives and voices in service to others and the world.

1. Past trustee Christine Chamberlain ’63; 2. Day student trustee Theo Illarionov ’23 and board chair Ann Gorson P’16; 3. Head of School Lise Charlier; 4. Trustee Will Stansbury P’20; 5. Trustee Noah and Rebecca Loren P’22, ’24, and Adam and Jackie Loren P’20, ’24.

ALUM SPOTLIGHT

Eduardo Tugendhat ’72 is the CEO and founder of Palladium in Washington DC, an international trade and development corporation. He is a recognized expert in the areas of inclusive supply chain solutions and has particular expertise in crafting and managing public-private alliances. He has worked in dozens of countries around the world to generate private sector investments and transform value chains across industries ranging from agriculture to financial services.

Tell us about your experience at CSW. What were you like as a student and how did your CSW experience inform who you are as an adult?

I came to CSW from Venezuela at 14 as a boarder. Even though I was brought up in a fairly cosmopolitan setting, and my family has had a long legacy with CSW, arriving in the Boston area in 1968 was quite a shock. Not only was the world around us in turmoil, but the school was going through quite a bit of transition as it figured out how to adapt to a rapidly changing world. I remember when I first arrived on campus, you had to wear a coat and tie for Sunday night dinners, and each week different students would wait tables. By the end of that year, it was basically laissez-faire in terms of dress code and participation.

It was definitely a complicated time. The spring of 1970 saw the Kent State shootings, and CSW became the regional high school headquarters for the antiwar movement. We were on strike for a few weeks, and participated in a lot of marches and demonstrations. It’s interesting…there were two forces at work back then. First, there was the focus on the individual, the work of figuring out who you were in this environment. Then there was the strong sense, at least in part of the community, of the importance of social action.

Personally, I was impacted in two ways. Thanks to the very strong cadre of history teachers, I ended up with a particular engagement with history—not just covering the fun facts but understanding the social and economic factors that drive behaviors. At CSW, I learned to

always be mindful of different perspectives, to consider where people are coming from, and how that shapes the context of their lives. All of that informed my future academic studies and my career in economic development. In addition, our cohort included really remarkable individuals—both as students, and in terms of where they went off in their lives. In many ways CSW was “the right place to be” for us all at that time. Despite the chaos around us, part of what made CSW a successful experience for us was the networks and relationships we formed during those difficult times.

Can you briefly describe your work?

The official definition is that I “design and execute market-led approaches to accelerating inclusive economic growth and generating employment opportunities.” Basically, it’s trying to engage companies and individuals in systems-level strategies that are good for business but also transformative for the communities involved. I primarily focus on rural areas around the world, where one finds the most vulnerable and most marginalized populations. We want to develop ways to integrate these individuals, families, and communities more directly and efficiently into business ecosystems. A lot of folks in big cities want everyone to be environmentally responsible, but they don’t realize that requires sustainable solutions for the people who live in these places. It’s very complex work, especially when you think about planning and implementing at scale.

While I’ve worked across a variety of supply chain settings, these days I focus heavily on what we’re calling natural capital business—food and agriculture, but broader than that. Essentially, if you want people to preserve the environment you have to give them a reason to do so.

I’m always thinking, “How can we re-engineer the whole system in a way that creates a lot more value for the people closest to the land and incentivizes them to be better custodians of the land and water?”

What inspires you to do the work you do?

One of the things one gets from CSW, and now it’s been even more reinforced in the curriculum, is the importance of social justice. That has always been a motivator for me, but my relationship to that concept has evolved significantly since my time as CSW. Once I got out and started working on the ground in these rural places, I began to realize that just being idealistic is not enough. It quickly became apparent to me that one actually has to figure out practical ways of achieving the ideal. That being said, I remain intensely idealistic!

I mentioned earlier that one of the things CSW’s history faculty instilled in me was an understanding of the power of perspective. I see every day that things are almost never completely black or white. One of the interesting opportunities of my work is finding common ground, building solutions around shared objectives and common values. Ultimately, my work is focused on systemic change. And you can’t impact systems unless you understand perspective, unless you can see what will drive people to take risks and embrace change.

What are your strategies for continuing to grow and learn?

I find if I’m not learning something every day, I get stuck. I tell my colleagues that I will keep doing this as long as I feel passionate about what I’m doing, and as long as I feel relevant. Within that frame it’s a constant process of learning and adjustment. For instance, I’m learning new markets and building new skills as my work evolves. Another level of learning, one that I find really fun, is when I’m stomping around on these farms and local folks are explaining to me why this works and this doesn’t.

There is too much information out there, and this is another place where CSW was really helpful to me. At CSW I built analytic skills that enable me to deal with the mass of information available to everyone, to find relevant insights, and to discover lightbulb moments that drive both the idealistic and pragmatic sides of my work.

CLASS NOTES

1940s

Larry Nathanson ’46 writes: My brother, Neal Nathanson ’45, passed away this summer. He was a prominent virologist who made meaningful contributions to the field both as a professor and a researcher. His primary research interests were in viral pathogenesis and epidemiology of viral diseases. A published author, Neal was also the founding Editor-inChief of the American Journal of Epidemiology. He spent much of his career at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in addition to the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and the National Institutes of Health. He leaves behind three children and seven grandchildren.

1950s

Bruce Beal ’54 writes: Life continues to be healthy and pleasant. I now spend eight months a year in Florida and, while we still have an apartment in Boston, most of the summer months we spend in Woods Hole. Mary Lemann Goldman ’54 and I live next to one another which makes the summers even more pleasant. My daughter Alexandra lives in The Vineyard during the summer. I have five grandchildren: one graduating in May from U of Miami, two at Harvard, and two younger ones at Riverdale in New York.

1960s

Polly Howells ’62 writes: My sister, Toni Brown Brumbaugh ’56 , passed away at her home in Woodacre, CA on Monday, August 8. She was a talented singer, songwriter, pianist, and, later in life, photographer. She, along with Terry Garthwaite, co-led the first woman-led folk-rock band, called the Joy of Cooking, from 1967 to 1972. They were recorded by Capitol Records. She lived in the Bay Area from 1960 on. She leaves behind two sons: Michael Joad Brumbaugh and Jeffrey Hull.

Bill Gruener ’62 writes: Just checking in because it’s been quite a while. I am doing well, living in Maine, and enjoying retirement. I have two wonderful sons who have great families which gives me four super grandchildren—a joy for me. I now live by myself as I was widowed in 2020. But I have many wonderful friends. 2022 was a significant year for me. I spent the winter in California visiting family. Then a wonderful trip across the country including the Grand Canyon. Then a visit to my oldest son in North Carolina for his 50th birthday followed by Covid (after two vaccinations and a booster). Which led to a knee replacement in October—long story. Our class had a small 60th reunion. Good to see everyone. Sadly our numbers are dwindling. 2024 will be the Class of ’62’s 62nd reunion. I hope all my classmates are doing well. Hello all.

Ron Colish ’64 writes: I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for my years as a boarding student, the education I received which has become a way of life for me. I defer to openness — to listening to others and seeking experiences and people who are outside the

room of conformity. Of course, I could never have been a businessman, but I have been a musician — now less than before, as my nerves deteriorate. As I don’t travel anymore, I can’t make it to the reunions but am happy to receive CSW publications. PEACE!

Larry Nathanson ’46 with his brother Neal ’45.

Andy Lecompte ’66 with his wife Brenda at their wedding in June.

Andy Lecompte ’66 writes: In June, I married Brenda Asis, the love of my life. We were married at the Codman Estate in Lincoln. John Herzan ’66 was my local witness. We lost several close family members this year. I drive past CSW every other day. I can walk

there from my house. I am happy to report that I have fully recovered after spending six years in a Christian mystic community. With that group, I lived in Utah, Spain, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, and Mexico again. Before that, I lived for a few decades in New

Hampshire. I am writing a memoir. I think of you guys often and hope to see you.

Michael Cohen ’66 writes: I turned 74 last month and feel my age mostly when I play with my 5- and 3-year-old grandchildren. I took a 7,400 mile driving trip across the US in October. Dianna and I enjoy traveling together and have similar interests in agriculture, nature, and history. With cell phones to look things up as we go, now it is easy to find out about local crops, parks, history, and important sites to see. We visited with Richard Shapiro ’66 and Kathy in Santa Fe along the way. Among other things, I am an experimental gardener. I grow staple crops like hard red winter wheat, winter rye, field corn, dry beans, paste tomatoes for canning, and garlic. All at micro-scale. Lately, I have been experimenting with a permanent living mulch and minimal shallow cultivation for planting and transplanting. Rows are widely spaced to allow mowing for weed control. Every season I try something new and it is an endless adventure.

Quita Davis ’68 writes: I retired from my job at Dartmouth College in September of 2021. As much as I loved my job as the coordinator of the Student Activities Center, it was time to embark on new adventures. And what an incredible, unexpected adventure came my way! I had the privilege of traveling to India for a monthlong, intensive inner journey called Tapas. There were 600 people from all over the world on the course. It was an amazing experience! Before the course, my mind was always active. By the end of it, my mind was silent. I came home in a state of unperturbed calm. I still have challenges in my life, but whatever happens now either doesn't faze me or, if it does, I have the tools to easily and quickly move back into a state of inner calm. I highly recommend living in such a beautiful state! (For more information about the course, visit www.ekamusacanada.org

and click on the link for Tapas.) I hope to return to India for the last two weeks of the course in October of 2023. In the meantime, I am busy doing volunteer work (for the Ekam organization and the local thrift store) and tending to my ongoing house and yard projects.

1970s

Celeste Nossiter ’70 writes: In September I went to Shetland Wool Week, an international festival originally inspired by (then) Prince Charles 13 years ago as part of a way to promote wool in the UK. Since my favorite style of knitting originated there, it's like a mecca. I took many classes, loved being with over 400 knitters, spinners, and weavers from around the world, and came back with lots of yarn as well as inspiration. Shetland is a very special place: part of Scotland politically but not at all culturally, it has such a strong Nordic influence. The scenery is spectacular and the people are very warm. It was my third trip to Shetland and I'm going back again for Wool Week next year.

Sarah Goldstein ’73 writes: My husband, David, and I have lived in Dayton, Ohio for the last 36 years. We have three children, Allison, age 38, Michaela, age 35, and Nathaniel, age 34, and two grandchildren aged 3 1/2 and 1. I homeschooled my three kids for seven years and taught Montessori school, grades 4-6, for about 25 years, retiring five years ago. I have played and continue to play hammered dulcimer, wind instruments, and percussion in a women's traditional folk music band called "Heartstrings" for the last 35 years. After a two-year hiatus due to Covid–19, we seem to have more gigs than ever this season! I am greatly enjoying retirement, spending time with family and friends, spending time out in nature, as well as spending time playing

Polly Ellerbe ’68 in front of one of her quilts. Polly designs and sews quilts, which she donates to the local children's hospital.

Celeste Nossiter ’70 traveled to the UK in September to attend Shetland Wool Week.

Logan Porter ’75, Jeff Day ’75, and Franklin Davis ’75 recently spent an afternoon on campus visiting and reminiscing.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Everyone is invited to submit news to the Alumni Office. Visit alumni.csw.org to sign up for our new alumni network and share your news with classmates.

music, reading, and knitting! I would love for old friends to get in touch!

Karen Lee Ott writes: It has been just more than 10 years since my wife, Daphne Milne Fifield Groos ’73 (April 1954-July 2012), died of complications of breast cancer in NY. Her friends and family still miss her terribly. She was a uniquely talented and generous artist in the realms of theatre and jewelry, having been affiliated with the Ridiculous Theatrical Company and the Jewelry Arts Institute of Manhattan. After graduating from the Cambridge School, Daphne took degrees at Mills and Bennington Colleges. Her art hangs on our walls and her jewels bedeck our bodies. She lives on in our hearts forever.

1980s

Michael G. Garber ’80 won a Certificate of Merit from the Association of Recorded Sound Collections, for his book, My Melancholy Baby: The First Ballads of the Great American

Songbook (University Press of Mississippi, 2021). Choice magazine (for libraries) dubbed it “highly recommended.” He continues to live with his wife, Sue (Associate Professor at Kingsborough Community College) in South Salem, New York, but (after twenty years) they are now in a different house. Michael has received a grant to teach jazz standards and musical comedy songs to teenagers and young adults and is developing community partnerships for that project. He has also enjoyed doing document reviewing for the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York (CIDNY), which has facilitated a lovely expansion of his understanding of that field. He is also hard at work on writing his next book, about women songwriters, 1920-1960.

Angus Kerr ’81 writes: After 30 years as a Special Education Teacher in New York City, I retired in 2019 and moved into the old family house in Rhode Island. (Some of you might remember it.) I planted corn and other assorted vegetables.

I restored a sailboat. I built a studio to meditate in and practice Tai Chi. I raised a pet peacock. I got bored. So, now I am teaching middle school in the Newport Public Schools where I live. On the weekends my wife, Tomoko, comes up to Newport or I go down to our place in Brooklyn Heights (she is still designing for Coach) and that is my ideal life.

1990s

Jennifer Hanks ’90 writes: I am incredibly happy and grateful to be at a wonderful time in my life. I live in the Boston area with my two young daughters and am able to focus on my nonprofit, Grandmother Collective, which focuses on grandmothers as changemakers in global development. I often see Ina Calver ’90 (we’re a little more mature) and have also seen fellow ’90 classmates Lisa Nocera and Zac Allentuk.

Sara (Wiley) Kominsky ’90 and her husband Dan Kominsky ’91 still haven’t done each other in after twenty-five years of marriage — which they celebrated last fall at Yellowstone National Park. Dan remains a Senior Research Scientist at Luna Innovations, forges Damascus blades in his spare time, and pursues Sara’s

elusive rump up and down the Appalachian Mountains. He is an active lay pastoral care provider and runs a caregiver’s support group — while wrestling with the idea of having two quasi-adult daughters and an everincreasing number of gray hairs. In addition to assisting her Cystic fibrosis cohort, Sara has become deeply involved with the transplant community since her repeat double lung transplant in 2020 — fundraising, educating, and testifying for the FDA. She’s a lead mentor for the Lung Transplant Foundation and has biked, rowed, and rucked her way to ten publications. Unfortunately, Sara has recently been experiencing a various assortment of organ system malfunctions (much like the ice cream flavor of the month) and Covid-19 continues to remain an omnipresent danger to her health.

Alexis Lozada ’92 writes: I recently visited campus after 30+ years and had the pleasure of showing my mother and son the place where I learned English as an exchange student from Venezuela. It was an awesome experience to connect with so many memories, including weaving class, playing sports (baseball, soccer, and basketball), and living at Trapelo. Thank you to the CSW staff for being so kind and welcoming.

Kai Quinlan ’88, Motion Picture and Television Location Scout & Manager, with her dog Jasper.

Alexis Lozada ’92 visited campus this summer with his son and mother.

I live in Pittsburgh, PA now and I am happy to connect with classmates.

Nell Buck ’92 writes: I'm thrilled to share that after 20 years of social media management and digital marketing for a variety of artists and organizations, I have finally made my dream of owning a bookstore a reality. As of this fall, I am a full-time bookseller at my second-hand bookstore Twelvetrees Books. I specialize in antique, vintage, and rare editions of all kinds. Be sure to visit the web shop if you're ever in need of any new/old books! twelvetreesbooks.com

Caren (Schuldenfrei) Oberg ’93 writes: I earned my Ph.D. in Design (specifically Dress, History & Culture) from the University of Minnesota in 2021. This fall, my spouse, our dog, and I moved to Valdez, Alaska where I am now the Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive (www.valdezmuseum.org).

Sunny Atema ’95 writes: Hello all. Sunny here. My musical name is Wildlife Freeway and this year I released my first album titled SUNNY. Last month the vinyl dropped! You can purchase it here: http:// communitymusic.storenvy.com/ collections/183090-all-products/ products/35126707-wildlifefreeway-sunny-lp This is my dream come true, my Sisyphean boulder over the mountain. Vinyl, a real record with cover art all by yours truly. Sounds produced by none other than Alex Ebert (Edward Sharp). Find Wildlife Freeway jazz-infused folk piano songs on Spotify and on all the listening places and buy the real album! Limited edition solid sun yellow vinyl. Thank you CSW for being my solace and source in my formative years. You made all the difference when I needed you. I have lived on paintings, self-published Animal Medicine Cards, and my Wildlife Freeway music for decades now. That scholarship certainly changed

the course of my life as a teen; permission and a path to focus and eventually follow — the relentless creative drive and curiosities I was burning with. Much love, y'all.

Dhira Rauch ’98 writes: Glad to welcome Thay Caio into the world this year. Conductor of the cosmos, triple fire butter buddha, and greatest teacher of my life. Now just for changing value systems of productivity to reflect the true time and nature of the living stewarding world while rearing a little person!

2000s

Gordon Hall ’01 writes: In 2021 I started a new position as Assistant Professor of Art at Vassar College teaching Sculpture. CSW students interested in applying to Vassar should reach out!

Dave Valdini ’02 writes: After 12 years of teaching middle and

high school visual arts, I have moved into tech. I am working as a customer experience manager at the Toronto-based restaurant repair and maintenance app ResQ and working remotely from my home office in Chapel Hill, NC. Happy to speak with new alums or career changers about getting into CX. Also, if there are any CSW folks in the NC Triangle, I'd love to meet up!

2010s

This past June, Kabren Levinson ’08 and Emily (Schneider) Levinson ’10 celebrated their wedding with family and friends in Cambridge. Also in attendance were Alex (Fenn) Halpin ’10 and Harlan Lieberman-Berg ’08.

Kayla Kleinman ’10 writes: I earned my doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2021 from the University of Hartford, and I am currently completing a two-year

fellowship in Neuropsychology in St. Petersburg, Florida. I am happy to be avoiding snow and frost this winter and to be frequenting beaches and theme parks. I love to spend time with my adopted cats Kiki and Lolly, who are twin sisters named after Animal Crossing characters.

Farrah Keeler ’12, née Beaubrun, married Martin Keeler on July 8, 2022. Farrah, Marty, and their fur child Xena currently reside in Fitchburg, MA where they purchased their first home.

IN MEMORIAM

Lucy

Toni

Anne

Robin

Marjorie

Kabren Levinson ’08 married Emily (Schneider) Levinson ’10 in June. The wedding was attended by several CSW alums!

Farrah (Beaubrun) Keeler ’12 at her wedding to Martin Keeler in July.

Neal Nathanson ’45

Swope Yarian ’55

Brown Brumbaugh ’56

Schink ’60

Walther ’81

Rugen (Faculty)

Dhira Rauch ’98 and Thay Caio, the newest addition to a life of good trouble.

Caren (Schuldenfrei) Oberg ’93 writes “This is the view from outside my office, Nov. 2022.”

ADELE RUSTINO: AUGUST 19, 1931 – NOVEMBER 4, 2022

Adele was born in Somerville, MA, the older of two children. Her mother put a high premium on learning and encouraged Adele to pursue an education for its own sake at a time when many girls were not given encouragement to seek much beyond suitable husbands. After earning a Bachelor of Science from Merrimack College and receiving her teaching certificate from Boston College in 1961, Adele eventually settled in at the experimental Palfrey Street High School in Watertown, MA, where she taught Chemistry and Biology for 25 years. Her next teaching role at CSW would last for 22 years until her retirement.

Adele pursued many passions, but her passion for the ocean had direct and lasting impact on CSW. She and the indefatigable Marilyn Del Donno co-taught an annual field marine biology class, taking students to Cape Cod for an entire week every spring. To this day, her house is filled with shells, sea glass, and other ocean treasures collected on those beach trips.

She was a devout Catholic. Remarkably, her spirituality never conflicted with her scientific way of approaching life and its mysteries. On the contrary, her moral compass seemed perfectly calibrated to discovering the truth for herself while allowing others the freedom and compassion to find their own way. This quality made her an unusually fine teacher and a truly extraordinary human being.

Editor’s Note: Excerpted from Amy Carberg’s Words of Remembrance for Adele Rustino: August 19, 1931 – November 4, 2022. Our deepest gratitude to Amy (Adele’s stepdaughter and CSW Class of 1987) for sharing her memories with us.

REUNION 2023: APRIL 28-30

My Five

BY

DESCRIBE A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR TIME AT CSW: 1

SHAD Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator

Being able to see and be a part of CultureFest last year was such a cool experience and an amazing introduction to the community. I got to share a bit of my culture and background while seeing all of the proud students celebrating theirs along with me.

The first day of cross country practice! It was so exciting to meet the runners on our team and see their excitement and motivation. The team culture is so warm and welcoming to new members, including coaches.

When I actually played in a Varsity Baseball game (for like 45 seconds).

Being in Nailah’s dance for Dance Concert.

IF YOU COULD MAKE ANYTHING RAIN FROM THE SKY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? 2

I wouldn’t be mad at a variety of dumplings from dim sum. Or puppies assuming they float down and don’t get hurt. Airline tickets, too!

Empathy. Swedish fish. It would look really cool and Swedish fish are just yummy.

Iced peach green tea lemonade from Starbucks.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST? 3

My usual go to is plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, granola, and honey. If I’m ever out at a restaurant for brunch I go straight to whatever variation of chicken and waffles is on the menu.

French toast with berries! My favorite breakfast is probably a fried egg with refried beans and salsa.

Gluten free waffles.

WHAT IS YOUR HIDDEN TALENT? 4

I love baking and cooking. Whenever I have a dessert that I love I have to go home and replicate it or find a recipe. A couple of my favorites are sticky toffee pudding and banana pudding.

5

I am really good at making up new lyrics to songs.

I can remember song lyrics really easily.

I can crack two eggs at once.

IF YOU WERE IN A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE AND COULD BRING ONE PERSON WITH YOU, WHO WOULD IT BE?

I would bring the zombie version of The Mountain from Game of Thrones. I like my chances with him protecting me while I figure things out.

I’d have to say whoever recently won Ultimate Ninja Warrior should definitely come with me.

Animal from The Muppets. My best friend Maya Gregor ’24.

LUCY ’23 MEREDITH Science Faculty MABEL ’24

ALEXA AMATO ’24

CSW DAY OF GIVING 04.11.23

SAVE THE DATE

Please save the date for the 2023 CSW Day of Giving, a 24-hour, celebratory fundraising event!

When you give to the The CSW Fund, you continue to open the door of progressive education to generations of intellectually curious, civic-minded change agents.

Uma Shankar ’26 from “Drawing: Abstraction and Process”