The Gryphon: The Cambridge School of Weston Magazine, Spring 2012 Issue

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THE CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL OF WESTON MAGAZINE

Spring2012

theGryphon


Jane Moulding Head of School Greg Moody Director of Communications Eun Lee Koh Associate Director of Communications Jan Miner Director of Development Amy Meneely Interim Director of Alumni Relations Copy Editors Arlo Furst ’04 Sarah Schebly ’12 Rachel Stoff Designer Kristin Reid

T H E

C A M B R I D G E

S C H O O L

O F

W E S T O N

M A G A Z I N E

The Cambridge School of Weston is a coeducational college preparatory school for grades 9-12 and post graduate study. Inquiries for academic year admission should be directed to Trish Saunders, director of admissions at 781-642-8650. The Gryphon welcomes class notes and photographs by alumni, parents and friends. Please e-mail submissions to alum@csw.org; call 781-642-8647, visit www.csw.org or send to: Alumni Relations The Cambridge School of Weston 45 Georgian Road Weston, MA 02493

The

Gryphon

Spring 2012

The Head’s Message

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News and Notes

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Features Evening of the Arts

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Graduation

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Jane Moulding: Ten Years Ago

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Confucius Project

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Reunion

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Class Notes/In Memoriam

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Announcements

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To contact the editor, e-mail gryphon@csw.org. Website: www.csw.org

FSC ARTWORK INSERTED BY LVI

This magazine in printed on 100 percent PCW paper produced using wind power.

Global Council

Cover: Briana Chang ’12, and Kaela Coté-Stammermann ’14 perform “The Beauty Trap” as part of the Confucius Project. Above: Annarose Shaver ’13, “Dormancy,” Awarded an Honorable Mention in the Scholastic Art Awards.


Jane Moulding:

news & notes

A Most Exciting and Rewarding Journey, and Still Traveling This is my 10th year as the head of school at The Cambridge School of Weston. What a wonderful and enriching experience it has been, and what a privilege it is to remain a part of this exceptionally creative, engaged and mindful community. In the last decade, we have taken steps to define and refine what we do and look for ways to integrate new initiatives. Ongoing reflection, evaluation, and change are a part of who we are and at the core of our progressive roots. We have promoted social justice, environmental and fiscal sustainability, teaching and learning, and global engagement – and, at the nexus has been the effort to provide faculty and students opportunities to find their place in the world. We have taken deliberate steps to expand our global reach – both by taking CSW out to the world and by bringing the world to our doorsteps. Earlier this year, eight of our students traveled to China to learn about one of its traditional and most treasured art forms, the Peking Opera. They studied under veteran actors at acclaimed theatre schools in Shanghai and Hangzhou, and most amazingly, acted as ambassadors of the United States as they performed at the International Theatre Institute Festival at the World Congress in Xiamen. They were the only high school represented among the 97 international participants – a rare feat to be celebrated! This year, we began a teacher exchange with The National School of Drama in India by welcoming acclaimed theatre director Robin Das. Mr. Das directed and produced a spectacular spring play, “Charandas Chor,” that incorporated Indian movement, Hindi and Sanskrit music. Over the past several years, our students traveled to Costa Rica, Quebec City, and France to study language and culture firsthand. Throughout this year, our faculty and administrators have traveled abroad to Thailand, India, Hungary, to name a few, and this spring, Tom Evans, dean of faculty, and I traveled to China where we were hosted by parents of current students and recent alumni. But, we don’t have to travel far and wide to discover the world. Right here, on our own campus, we have a vibrant and diverse residential community. Our students hail from 10 different states and nine countries outside of the United States. Our boarding students see us as more than a school, but as a home where learning continues long after classes have ended, through the connections they make with their friends and adults in their dorms. CSW is a destination for students seeking this type of learning experience, and the construction of our new dorm underscores our commitment to residential life and further embraces the importance of the global perspective our residential community brings to campus. My vision for the next 10 years incorporates our continued commitment to global engagement, but also to health and wellness, social justice, sustainability, technology and faculty enrichment programs. A large part of that is helping our students and ourselves understand our role – and duty – to create a more socially just world and to be mindful of our actions and its effect in everything that we do. When we have access to this type of education, what is our responsibility to this world and to those who may not have the same opportunity? We owe it to our alumni and our students to continue to provide an innovative learning experience that inspires lifelong learning and engagement in the world, and I hope you’ll stay tuned for all that is to come. Sincerely,

Jane Moulding, Head of School

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construction

An artist’s rendering of the new dorm (above). New dorm under construction (right).

New Dorm Scheduled to Open in August The Cambridge School of Weston is constructing a new, environmentally sustainable dormitory on the western edge of campus. This new dormitory, which will house 24 students and includes three faculty residences, is scheduled to be completed in August 2012. Trustees, students, teaching faculty, dorm parents, and administration worked over the last year to determine how a new dorm could best serve the school’s current and future needs. “The new dorm is part of our commitment to develop and sustain a beautiful campus setting for our students,” said Jane Moulding, head of school. “This new dorm will provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment for our students. And, it offers incredible opportunities to attract and connect students and faculty from around the world.” Eck MacNeely Architects, Inc. designed the state-of-the-art dorm using eco-friendly materials and design elements. In addition to the residential rooms and apartments for faculty, the dorm will also have a large common space with adjacent kitchenettes, a computer and group study room, summer storage space for students and faculty, outdoor community space, and a large kitchen classroom.

Jennifer Pinck ’73 of Pinck & Co. is managing the construction project. The winter weather had been kind and the new dormitory construction continues to be on schedule for completion before the start of the 2012-13 school year. The exterior walls of the foundation have been poured, waterproofed and inspected. Crews prepared the interior floor (dirt) for the plumber and electricians to complete the underground work prior to the slabs being poured. The new drainage system is completed and the groundwater is currently flowing though the underground pipe and gravity is working. Framers have been working since the end of February and the building has taken shape in the hillside (see above). Representatives of the school met with the interior designer and selected many of the finishes: floors, carpets, counters, cupboards and paint—all based on the building committees feedback from the initial presentation. The new dorm will join Aleph, Barn, and Trapelo dormitories as one of four student residences on campus. White Farm will be converted to administrative offices.

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theatre

Progressive Education Lab Selects its First “PELlows”

T5 Institute: An International Theatre Performance Festival and Conference Launched at CSW

The Cambridge School of Weston and its partner, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Theatre and Culture of Civilizations launched the T5 Institute in the United States: “Teaching Teachers To Teach Theatre.” The T5 Institute hosted a four-day festival of performances, master classes and a conference with leading theatre schools from across the world, including The Shanghai Theatre Academy, China; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); The University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; and The University of Cape Town, South Africa. Three Eugene Ionesco plays were performed by these acclaimed international theatre troupes in their respective languages August 18-21, at CSW. “We are in pursuit to create new best practices in progressive teaching and learning in the arts,” said Jeffrey Sichel, chair of theatre department for CSW and permanent delegate of the UNESCO Chair–ITI, who conceived the T5 Institute. “This is quite a unique undertaking,” said Jane Moulding, head of school at CSW. “We are proud to be the only secondary school in the U.S. engaged in such practice and with the sanction of the UNESCO Chair. T5 is an exciting initiation into a discourse of the importance of theatrical arts in education and how international collaboration may drive opinion and practices.” 4

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Faculty at The Cambridge School of Weston and its partnering schools will begin teaching and mentoring this fall the firstever group of fellows for the Progressive Education Lab (PEL), a visionary teacher education program that aims to change the landscape of how teachers prepare for their profession. PEL, a two-year teaching fellowship, selected its first four fellows this spring. Affectionately called “PELlows,” the fellows will be placed in classrooms from the get-go and will receive experience-based, hands-on training. “We hope the Progressive Education Lab will inspire recent college graduates to enter the compelling world of progressive education and learn what it means to help students learn by doing,” said Jane Moulding, head of school. “It will also create an opportunity for veteran teachers to share the joys of their profession.” CSW, along with the Putney School in Putney, Vt., the Calhoun School in New York City, and the Unquowa School in Fairfield, Conn., received a $250,000 matching grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation last spring to plan and implement the Progressive Education Lab. The schools must raise matching funds in order to fully fund the PEL program. The founders of PEL wanted to find ways for progressive schools to take the lead on teacher education that would not only train new teachers but strengthen teaching at each of their schools. Currently, a majority of traditional teacher training takes place at colleges and universities, away from the classrooms and the environments where teachers would actually teach. Oftentimes, school leaders have found disconnect between theory and practice. Progressive education, they point out, demands deep subject matter knowledge and creative child-centered, inquiry-based learning. “Not only will the Progressive Education Lab inspire many recent graduates to enter the compelling world of progressive education and learn what it means to help students learn by doing, it will also create an opportunity for veteran teachers to share the joys of their profession,” Jane said. Teaching fellows will begin the program with a four-day summer orientation, followed by a 10-month rotation among the four founding schools (CSW, The Calhoun School in New York City, The Putney School in Putney, Vt., and The Unquowa School in Fairfield, Conn.) for hands-on experience with teacher mentors. For the second year, each student is offered a paid internship at one of the four participating schools. In addition to the varied environments of the schools— day and boarding, urban and rural, upper and lower schools— each offers a unique experience in terms of teaching and learning approaches: fellows will learn about integrated studies at CSW, project-based learning at Putney, the city as school at Calhoun, and museum collaboration at Unquowa.

Pocket Players Pocket Players Part of National Inclusion Week The Pocket Players participated in National Inclusion Week with a tour to The Quincy School in Boston, Beverly School for the Deaf, The New England Home for the Deaf, and The Dr. Henderson Immersion School last fall. Pocket Players is CSW’s bilingual, touring children’s theatre, with performances in American Sign Language and spoken English translation. The class is part of the ASL curriculum where students can earn one language credit. Ron Galiazzo has taught ASL here for more than 25 years. The theatre department contributes to Pocket Players through the coaching of the physical acting and the creation of engaging English dialogue, costumes and sets. This fall, Ali Eddy ’12 developed scene-painting techniques during an independent study with scenic artist Kathrine Lovell, who works with our theatre casts to paint the shows. Ali planned and drew sketches, prepared the muslin canvas, sketched and painted two back drops and two side drops for the Pocket Players production of “Norman the Doorman.” Norman is a little mouse who works in the basement of The Museum of Art.

As a hobby he turns mousetraps into sculpture though he must beware of the sharp-eyed guard. Together with “Bamboo Hats and Rice Cakes,” the production of “Norman the Doorman” was part of the group’s December tour. “Bamboo Hats and Rice Cakes” is based on a Japanese legend that illustrates how generosity and respect for others, and faithfulness to one’s culture, pays dividends in the end.

Ali Eddy ’12 sketches

her scenes.

Weinstein’s Serenade for Twelve Instruments premieres at The New England Conservatory By Sky Murray ’13 The New England Conservatory premiered Michael Weinstein’s “Serenade for Twelve Instruments” in December. Michael, chair of the music department, performed with the conservatory’s Wind Ensemble during the premiere. Boosey & Hawkes, the world’s largest specialist classical music publishing company, called this piece “melodic and harmonic.” According to Boosey & Hawkes, the music of Dvorak inspired the fast-slow-fast structure of this three-movement work. Michael has performed his pieces in Europe and Russia as well as the United States. Although Michael has written and worked with many genres of music, he is known predominantly for his success in wind ensemble. In addition to teaching at CSW, Michael teaches at the Berklee College of Music, the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and the New England Conservatory.

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Ben Lieberson ’07 Presents Art Installation Boundless Ambition on Display at the Thompson Gallery Since the Thompson Gallery opened in the Garthwaite Center for Science and Art, Todd Bartel, gallery manager, has coordinated annual series of exhibits focus on a specific theme. This past year, the gallery presented a three-part series titled, “Boundless Ambition,” that celebrated The Cambridge School of Weston’s 125-year history and featured the work of alumni and faculty artists. The name of the exhibit comes from former Head of School John French, who upon moving the school out to Weston in 1931 and re-establishing itself as the co-educational, progressive school it is today, said, “All we had was boundless ambition, a set of convictions about the need for drastic change.” The opening exhibit in the fall, “Part Curiosity, Part Vision,” explored the school’s convictions about learning, process, and product through the work of five alumni artists: Matt Johnson ’96, Darcy Brennan Poor ’99, Deborah Goldman ’65, Carmelle Safdie ’00 and Dan Wood ’88. “Part Dedication, Part Abandon,” the second exhibit in the series, opened in December and featured the work of more than 20 faculty and staff. The final exhibit in the series opened in the spring, “Part Process, Part Product,” and featured work of seven alumni: Austin Eddy ’05, Chris Freeman ’80, Niho Kozuru ’06, Jennifer Langhammer ’89, Julie Oppermann ’00, Jonas Wood ’96 and Kelly Zutrau ’06.

gallery

CSW Music Teacher Publishes Book and Is Honored for Guitar Work Gustavo Assis-Brasil, music, and his band Mozik, released a highly acclaimed debut album in 2011. According to All About Jazz, “Guitarist Gustavo Assis-Brasil shines on “A Felicidade,” his clean tone, mind-boggling chops, and fastidious attention to detail suggest influences such as Mick Goodrick and John Abercrombie, though his harmonic and melodic ideas are completely his own.” His playing was also recognized in the 33rd Annual Jazz Station Poll conducted by jazz journalist, jazz historian & jazz educator Arnaldo DeSouteiro. In the poll, he won “Best Acoustic Guitar” and Mozik’s album won one of the “Best 15 Jazz Instrumental Albums of 2011.” Also last December, Gustavo published his third book on hybrid picking, “Hybrid Picking Lines and Licks for Guitar.”

Alumnus Ben Lieberson ’07 recently installed a kinetic art piece in the Garthwaite Center for Science and Art, and visited campus on December 7 to discuss his artistic process and his work with kinetic art. Students who were eager to interact with artwork enjoyed the installation, a bicycle-powered disco ball. Cycling projected an image onto the rotating mirrors of a disco ball. Ben is currently an undergraduate student at Marlboro College studying photography and technical theatre. While most of Ben’s work is based in these two media, this installation created a unique interaction between projected image and interactive kinetic sculpture. Ben states about his work, “I am fascinated by the idea of a stage set; an environment where we can see all of the wires and supports holding everything together and simultaneously suspend our disbelief and see it on its own terms. I try to find the edge of illusion.”

CSW’s Viewbook Wins Three Awards Sara Honig Honored for Excellence in Teaching By Alex Bair ’13 Sara Honig, Latin and mathematics teacher, has been honored by

the Classical Association of Massachusetts (CAM) with the CAM Excellence in Teaching Award for her outstanding service, leadership, and teaching of the classics. She was presented with the award at the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA) last October. She was also a guest at the Business and Awards luncheon, where she was recognized by its participants. Sara currently teaches upper-level Latin courses, as well as mathematics, at CSW. The Classical Association of Massachusetts is a professional organization that promotes the study of the classical languages and culture. The Massachusetts Foreign Language Association is

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a non-profit organization that promotes quality teaching and learning of languages and cultures and provides professional developments to its members. Although Latin classes are currently being phased out at CSW, Latin students have been recognized for their achievements in the language. In September, five students were recognized for special achievement in the National Latin Exam, in which more than 149,000 students from all 50 states and 13 countries participated last March. Lily Steven ’14 and Ben Gord ’13 earned summa cum laude honors, Isabella Dorfman ’13 received magna cum laude honors, and Ian Vogt ’14 received cum laude honors for their achievement.

In addition to being one of 11 recruitment publications in the nation recognized by The University & College Designers Association with an Award of Excellence this last October, “Mods, War, Fate and CSW: The Insider’s Guide to CSW” continues to garner attention. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education recognized the publication with three 2012 CASE District I Communication Awards, including Bronze for “Admissions and Recruiting Packages,” Honorable Mention for “Viewbook;” and Silver for “Independent Schools Viewbook for Admissions.”

Robotics Team Returns to Competition In January, the CSW Robotics Team competed in a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech League qualifying tournament in North Andover-CSW’s first event of the year. The Gryphons came in an impressive 7th out of a field of 20 while competing against teams from much larger schools with many more years of experience building these robots. The team was partnered with a team that came in 4th in the semi-finals. This alliance placed third overall in the competition. This is all part of the FIRST organization’s international robotics competitions. It is only CSW’s second year competing. Gryphon Spring 2012

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art awards

Students Win Top Honors in the Scholastic Art

and Writing Awards

Matt Loreti ’13 has won a coveted National Gold Medal for his photograph “South End” in the 2012 National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition. National Gold Medal awards are given to the most outstanding student works of art and writing in the nation. Matt’s photograph was one of 1,500 works out of more than 200,000 nationwide to receive the prestigious National Gold or Silver Medal. “I like the picture because it has a certain human element to it,” said Matt, who took the photograph in Boston’s South End neighborhood. “It stood out due to the facial expressions, which naturally grab the attention of people viewing a piece. The combination of their upward gazes and body language somehow transcended what I’d expect from an image of children playing catch.” Established in 1923, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s largest, longest-running, most prestigious visual and literary arts program that recognizes accomplishments of students in grades 7 to 12. In judging National Medal works of art, panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Students in public, private, and parochial schools first submit portfolios to a regional competition in the fall, and works are first judged at the local level. The Gold Key winners from the regional competition then move onto the national competition where they compete for the National Gold and Silver Medal.

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Matt previously won Gold Keys at the regional level two photographs, one of which was “South End.” At the regional level of the Scholastic Arts Awards, 23 CSW students were recognized by The Boston Globe’s scholastic arts program, an affiliate of the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition. Among the highest honors at the regional level went to Knaide Rosenberg ’12, who won the American Visions awards for a short film called “Division,” which explored gender identity. The American Visions award recognizes the “best of the best” student work in the region. This year, 11 CSW students, including Knaide, received Gold Keys for their work. Amelia Andrews Carter ’13, Liam Dermady ’13, Natasha DeWitz ’14, Peter LaFreniere ’12, Beechna Lee ’13, Matt Loreti ’13, Ruby Rose ’13, and Mijia Wang ’13 received recognition for individual pieces of work, while Lili Peper ’12 received the Gold Key for her photography portfolio and Victor Sylva ’13 for his art portfolio. Flo Alexander ’13 received the Silver Key for her jewelry piece, the locket ring. Matthew Loreti also received a Silver Key for another photograph. Alison Eddy ’12 and Mark Gartsbeyn ’14 received Honorable Mentions for their short films, while Yi-Wen Liu ’12, Jesse Phillips ’12, Nina Rizzi ’14, Julia Saldana ’13, Jamie Sarafan ’13, Annarose Shaver ’13, Katie Toth ’14, Erin Wright ’14, and Georgia Wyman ’12 received Honorable Mentions for individual work. Knaide also received an honorable mention for a digital art piece.

summer arts

(Left) Screen shots from the short film, “Divisions,” by Knaide Rosenberg ’12

(Below from far left) “Sleeping Blue Forest” by Beechna Lee ’13; “Self Portrait” by Liam Dermady ’13; and “South End” by Matt Loreti ’13.

Summer Arts Takes CSW By Storm Summer Arts at The Cambridge School of Weston kicked off its inaugural season last June and July with an outstanding staff of 28 instructors and 120 students, ages 6-15. Based on the nationally acclaimed Charles River Creative Arts Program, courses were offered in art, dance, drama, filmmaking, photography, music, writing, textiles, swimming and sports. Some of the popular classes were The Mockumentary, Planet Rock, Afro-Haitian Dance, Culinary Art, Theatre of the Absurd, Computer Animation, Art Explosion and a daily newspaper – The Gryphon Gazette. Students were able to select their own classes from more than 50 offerings and immersed themselves in the creative process, taking risks and gaining confidence in the time they attended. One of the goals for Summer Arts is to have a diverse community. In addition to Weston’s surrounding communities, we were pleased to host students from several local towns, including Dorchester, Roxbury, Framingham and Waltham. In addition, there was representation from a variety of countries – Ireland, Romania, Israel, Turks and Caicos and Thailand. Thanks to some generous donations, 15 students were able to attend on full financial aid.

An Arts Festival was held on the final day of the program celebrating the creativity that took place over the five weeks. There was a fantastic art show, film and animation screenings, band performances, drama productions, a stunning dance concert and a special addition of The Gryphon Gazette. The Arts Festival concluded with an evening performance of Norbert Beany Is Action Man! written by CSW’s own Tom Evans. This musical theatre production, peppered with middle school angst and humor, had great original music and a talented multi-generational cast. Overall, It was an exciting, rewarding five weeks where a vibrant, supportive community came together and joyously celebrated their creativity. As one student said, “This camp is the best experience I’ve ever had. I love being challenged in my classes and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and how I have grown here. Thanks for everything!” Summer Arts ’12 runs June 25–July 27. Check out our website at summerarts.csw.org.

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Evening of the Arts

In what has quickly become an anticipated annual event, CSW honored the arts programs at the third Evening of the Arts on December 15. The multi-arts celebration began in the Garthwaite Center for Science and Art with the Thompson Gallery opening of the faculty and staff biennial art show and closed with a foot-tapping tribute to Stevie Wonder by the Rock/Pop Ensemble in the Robin Wood Theatre.

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The event, which doubles as a winter celebration, occurs at the end of Mod 3 as the school moves its traditional End of Mod Art Show to the Thursday night before vacation. This year, in addition to the art show in the Community Gallery, the second installment in the Thompson Gallery’s “Boundless Ambition” series opened and featured artwork by faculty and staff. About 45 minutes into the evening, work from the popular “Wearable Art” class took to the ‘catwalk’ in the Moir Atrium of the Garthwaite and featured fashions handmade and designed by students. Some of the highlights included a wedding dress made from socks, a jumpsuit made from elastic and a dress made from ice cream tasting spoons. Following the fashion show, the crowd quickly made its way

down the lantern-lit sidewalk to the Mugar Center for the Performing Arts for the performing Arts portion of the evening, which began with Poetic Justice, the student performance art and poetry troupe dedicated to raising awareness of social injustices. Arielle Drisko ’12 and Briana Chang ’12 each recited an original poem before the Pocket Players (directed by Ron Galiazzo) took to the stage to perform “Bamboo Hats and Rice Cakes,” a Japanese legend that shows how generosity and respect for others, and faithfulness to one’s culture, pays. The Dance Department demonstrated the work students had been undertaking as part of three dance technique classes— beginner, intermediate and advanced. This was followed by a

short selection from the Asian Music Ensemble, a group formed this year. It performed the music composed by CSW teacher Pei-Chun Lin for the Confucius Project to play on traditional Asian instruments. The evening ended with the songs of Stevie Wonder as performed by the Rock/Pop Ensemble, directed by Gustavo Brasil, music. The show featured incredible, shared vocals from five students as they sang through many of Wonder’s biggest hits, including “Superstition” and “Part-Time Lover.”

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125th Commencement Ceremony

The Cambridge School of Weston conferred diplomas to the graduating Class of 2011 at its commencement ceremony on June 10. The class of 2011 was the 125th class to graduate from CSW since its founding in 1886, and the 80th class to graduate from the school’s current home in Weston.

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To the sounds of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D,” the class processed from the Garthwaite Center for Science and Art through an archway of stones and branches built by their peers and settled on the quad for the ceremony. In her remarks to graduates, staff and faculty, to families and friends gathered under the tent on the quad, Jane Moulding, head of school, celebrated the 125 years of CSW’s “boundless ambition” and honored the school’s progressive education roots. “The symbol of our school is the gryphon, our motto ‘Truth and Gentle Deeds,’” Jane said. “I hope that this graduating class will find a way to embrace all that is good about this mythical creature and all that power within themselves. And, like the gryphon, they will become agents of the power for good. Truth and Gentle Deeds – perhaps, that’s a tall order in our complex world, but you, seniors, you know where and what it gets you: trust, loyalty and love. Protect your treasure, kill the basilisks and fly proud!” Ninety-three students received diplomas at the ceremony last June, 72 of whom have been at the school all four years. Eight of the graduates consider their family homes in other countries: China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.

Seniors elected classmates, Keaton Cameron-Burr ’11 of Natick, Mass. and Cheyenne Harvey ’11 of Cambridge, Mass., to speak on behalf of the graduating class. They also chose two history teachers, Doug Healy and Rachel Hirsch, to speak on behalf of the faculty. “CSW lives inside all of us,” Keaton told the graduating class. “It will be with us forever, enduring deep beneath the surface of our beings as things and events remembered, hardship over the last four years endured, personal and collective growth, and learning. CSW lives on within us every time our experiences here shape our decision-making and our ways of being in the world. It will be there as we leave here today, as we leave our homes to make new ones, go to school, travel, grow up, and live our lives. Even if some of us may be ready to move on to the next thing, we cannot leave this place behind and that is something for which we will all be, in time, grateful.” Cheyenne spoke of the impact of the people at CSW, particularly Robin Wood, the former theatre director who died during Cheyenne’s sophomore year, but had “listened more intently” to her than anyone she had known in her life. Gryphon Spring 2012

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10 Years with Jane In many ways, The Cambridge School of Weston is the same place it always has been for the past decade, perhaps even the past 125 years. Creativity, passion, innovation, openness, and a deep sense of community drew Jane Moulding to CSW in 2002, and these core parts of the school still remain vibrant and alive as ever. As head of school, Jane strived to build a Cambridge School that stayed true to its progressive roots – one that remained open to new ideas, open to engagement and to exploration and change.

Jane Moulding helps break ground for a winter hawthorn tree planted by the Parent Association in celebration of her 10th year as head of school.

She left her classmates with a final request: “Even if you did not end up finding someone at CSW who listens to you and inspires you the way that Robin greatly inspired me, keep looking for those people because sometimes they are in the least expected places and I promise they are always going to be worth holding onto. And more importantly, … I ask you all to do what you can to become those people for others. To listen like every word were the persons last and to talk like every syllable were your last.” Rachel spoke of the importance and impact of the "first follower" and drew from a talk by Derek Sivers about the "shirtless, dancing guy," whose first follower helped spark a dance party. Without the first follower, the dancing guy would have just been the "lone nut," but this first follower helped transform the lone nut into a leader. Doug spoke of the power of stories and storytelling – and the responsibility we each have to take care of each other and to take active part in reshaping the stories of those who are hungry, suffering and exploited.

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“We can’t wait for MLK or Gandhi to come fix it for us, or think that their stories only apply to back then and out there,” Doug told the graduating class. “So, use your brilliance and your luck – save the good old stories of love and equality and tell us all some new ones. We need them.” As is tradition, faculty members were chosen by the graduating class to read their names and hand out their diplomas. Jane Berkowitz, English, and Tom Evans, dean of faculty, read their names. Brian Walker, English; Lisa Hirsch, theatre; Ben Ibbetson, Spanish; Benjamin Goldstein, mathematics; Awa Diop, French and Spanish; Gary Hawley, science; Craig Dorfman, English; Marilyn Del Donno, science; Ted Munter, English; Todd Bartel, visual arts; and Tad Lawrence, science, handed out the diplomas. Musical selections were performed by CSW faculty members, Michael Weinstein and Gustavo Brasil, and members of the CSW Senior Jazz Band.

TIME LINE

2002

2003

Jane Moulding Becomes the 14th Head of School

Initial Funding for New Science and Art Building Given By Diane Garthwaite

“This was a place that had the openness and diversity of people and ideas that I cared about. The growth of individuals was at its core. It became clearer and clearer to me that this was the kind of school where I wanted to be to be the head.” - Jane Moulding, in an interview with The Gryphon, Fall 2002.

2004 • Athletic Fields Upgraded Capital Campaign Quiet Phase Launched

• Science Teachers Awarded Grant By Renewable Energy Trust Fund to Develop New Curriculum

CSW participates in Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED)

The School Establishes the Hans and Herma Biermann Fund for Science Gryphon Spring 2012

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“I want the world to know who we are and how we equip students to solve problems, live creatively and lead intelligently. I hope we can continue to be a place where new ideas are played with, where diversity of thinking and being can be respected and harnessed.” — Jane Moulding, in an interview with The Gryphon, Spring 2012.

2005 Art and Community Partnership with the National Arts and Learning Collaborative Begins • New Master Plan Wins Awards

Construction of New ‘Green’ Facilities Barn Begins • Class of ’55 Fund Established to Support Community Service Efforts

2006 Diversity Action Group Undertakes Cultural Diversity Assessment of CSW Marilyn DelDonno Awarded an Amgen for Science Teaching Excellence • CSW’s First Comprehensive Capital Campaign Changing Lives Launches

• Construction on the Garthwaite Center for Science and Art Begins

CSW Highly Commended During NEASEC Re-accreditation Process

2007 • Jane is Awarded A Visiting Fellowship the Prestigious Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education at Teachers College (Columbia University)

The Garthwaite Center for Science and Art Opens E.E. Ford Awards Faculty Development Challenge Grant • Patience Lauriat Society for Planned Giving Holds First Luncheon to Honor Members

Values and Visions Work Reveals “Mindful Community,” “Eye to the World” and “Spirited Individuals” as CSW’s Core Values

2008 • Alliance Building Across Cultural Divisions (ABCD) Course Offered

Garthwaite Center Wins Several Major Awards, Including a Top Ten By the American Institute of Architect's Committee on the Environment

2009

2010

First Michael Feldman ’67 Social Justice Day (Formally Law Day) Explores Prejudice

Strategic Plan Identifies Focuses: Teaching and Learning; Social Justice; Global Engagement; Health and Wellness.

• Naomi Weekes ’09 Awarded Princeton Prize for Race Relations

CSW Holds Successful First Art Auction

• Jane Travels to Taiwan and South Korea

Stackpole-Hall Foundation Grant to fund renovation of the Youth Understanding Media (YUM) Lab

Evening of the Arts Established • E.E. Ford Leadership Grant Establishes the Progressive Education Lab

• Changing Lives Campaign Exceeds Goal, Raises Almost $20 Million

CSW an Inaugural Member of the Independent Curriculum Group Faculty Salary Initiative Launched to Coincide with 125th Anniversary of School CSW Adds Mandarin Language Classes Jane Travels to China and Establishes Partnership with Shanghai Theatre Academy

2011 • CSW Celebrates 125th Anniversary

Innovative Summer Arts at The Cambridge School of Weston Begins Admissions Inquiries and Applications at All-Time Highs Work Begins on Mission Revision Reunion Weekend Sets Attendance Records for Third Consecutive Year Confucius Project Launched as Students Travel and Perform in China CSW Establishes Global Council as an Advisory Group • Construction of New Dorm Begins

CSW Hires a Director of Social Justice and Multi-cultural Programming New Viewbook, Based on Marketing Initiative, Wins Three Awards

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Confucius Project An interdisciplinary exploration of culture and language

Eight students and three faculty from The Cambridge School of Weston traveled to China for a of a teaching and learning exchange with the Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) in China and to participate in the International Theatre Institute Festival at the World Congress in Xiamen. They were the only high school represented among the 140 international participants in the conference and one of two performance troupes from the United States. “The [festival] show went beautifully. We did the best we ever did and everyone was there to see it. We preformed along side three other shows all of which were amazing,” wrote Kaela Coté-Stemmermann ’14 on her trip blog. “It was an incredible event and I’m so glad we got to take part in it.” While in China, the students were recognized as cultural ambassadors for The United States, meeting with many foreign dignitaries as well as being in close contact with the U.S. Embassy and Consular Offices in China. Jeffrey Sichel, chair of theatre department, established the relationship with William Sun at STA, the oldest professional theatre school in the Asian Pacific region and China’s only comprehensive school of arts at the national level, for students as a medium of educational theatre; for international communities it is an

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introduction to traditional Chinese culture, including basic Confucian ideas and classical Chinese opera. The trip culminated at CSW in October with three joint performances of the Confucius Project, which is based on the Confucius Disciples, a series of short plays about China’s greatest educator Confucius (551-479 BC) and his three fictional teenage disciples. Modeled after the classic novel “Journey to the West,” about Buddhist monk Xuan Zang and his three disciples, this project is set during Confucius’ historic travels to various warring states promoting his philosophy and statecraft. CSW performed “The Beauty Trap,” a play that tells the story of Confucius, who is imprisoned by an evil premier and

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discovers the reasons for a famine. Quinran, a woman disguised as a man, exploits the premier’s weakness for wine and women to trick him into releasing Confucius and opening the food stores. While all the plays in the Confucius Project are essentially allegories dealing with issues relevant to today’s people, all characters are based on role types of traditional Chinese opera rendered in stylized movement patterns, somewhat similar to those of commedia dell’arte. The core characters are: Confucius, old male type; Zilu, painted face, warrior type; Zitu, clown type; Qinran, martial female type impersonating a man (like Mulan). During the performances, students speak and sing in a mix of Mandarin and English and perform utilizing conventions of Beijing Opera. Pei-Chun Lin, music teacher, composed the music for the Confucius Project performances at CSW. She worked with a group of 10 students at CSW in a newly formed Traditional Asian Music Ensemble to provide live musical accompaniment on traditional Chinese instruments for the production. The traditional Asian Musical Ensemble is an evolution that has come from The Confucius Project and has been asked already to work with all the performing arts departments to support various projects as well as initiate its’ own. Preparations for the mod abroad began more than a year ago,

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which involved planning the curriculum and rehearsal. The project was initiated at CSW in conjunction with the launch of our Mandarin Program in 2010-2011. Students enrolled in a class on Peking Opera, taught by Xu Jiali, a visiting teacher at CSW from the STA. The course introduced students to the traditional theatre form that involves specific movements, acrobatics and vocalizations. This summer, the CSW students returned to school early to immerse themselves in Mandarin language classes, led by Fangfang Xu, CSW Mandarin teacher, and theatre rehearsals in preparation for the mod-long trip. The trip to China began Sept. 8 in Shanghai. From there, the group visited Beijing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou and Xiamen, and performed formally seven times. The most significant performance was in Xiamen at the 33rd International Theater Institute World Congress where approximately 1,000 delegates from China and around the world surrounded them. One of the more memorable moments for the cast and crew occurred during an impromptu performance of their work on the banks of West Lake in Hangzhou. “The moment our students stepped out of the cars in their brilliant costumes, they became instant curiosities and celebrities,”

wrote Jordy Ross ’05, academic office assistant and trip chaperone. “A crowd followed them to the performance sight and a great number of people wanted to take pictures with them. It is difficult to convey how impressive the gathered crowd was. We never could have anticipated how popular we would be! It was a great experience, a lot of fun, and represented our way of giving just a little bit back to Hangzhou.” The students who traveled to China were Briana Chang ’12, Kaela Coté-Stemmermann ’14, Andrew Elk ’12, Benjamin Hyams ’12, Evan Pott ’12, Nina Rizzi ’14, Raekwon WalkerPerry ’13 and Ella Williams ’14. “The Confucius Project is definitely an opportunity that many do not have. I’ve been enjoying the shows, performing, traveling, and definitely being a tourist of the different places that we’ve been to. I, the 16 year old, just realize that one day I can share my story, a unique story, one that only I can tell,” recalled Raekwon in one of his last blog posts. “I’ve performed Beijing Opera in China, in front of hundreds of people. I am so thankful for both Jeffery and CSW, this trip will be one that I never forget!”

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Class of 1951—60th

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Class of 2006

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Class of 1986—25th

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Class of 1971-40th

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Class of 1976—35th

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Class of 1961—50th

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Class of 1981—30th

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Class of 1966—45th

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Class of 1991—20th

10 Returning alumni enjoyed identifying photographs from the archives 11 Reunion classes give big to the annual fund

Reunion 2011

12 Sonia Oram ’06 perched atop the We Are sculpture

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Approximately 330 alumni attended reunion in 2011, which for the third straight year set a record for the largest reunion. Last year’s reunion honored milestone class years ending in 1 or 6, but as always all classes were encouraged to attend.

Graced by beautiful weather, 233 alumni attended the all-day festivities on Saturday, June 18, to reconnect with friends. Those who returned to campus enjoyed a bar-b-que, campus tours, a Thompson Gallery talk, outdoor activities, and good conversation. At the cocktail and dinner party that followed, David Schafran ’86 presented Jane Moulding and CSW with the Alumni Annual Fund gift of $345,729. Special milestone gatherings took place at various venues late into the evening. Alumni were offered the opportunity to stay on campus in some of CSW dormitories and several alumni participated in the school’s initiative to record alumni and teacher memories for an ongoing oral history project. The Saturday attendance was a record by itself, but 97 additional alumni and their guests returned for the class of 1971’s 40th reunion held the following weekend. Once again, CSW opened its dormitories to returning alumni. The weekend began on Friday with a dinner hosted by Susie Shapiro ’71 in Cambridge. This was followed by an all-day event at CSW, which culminated in a concert.

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hydrologic research on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Heather Reed ’66 writes, “Thank you again to all my dear classmates who made our 45th reunion so fabulous and fun! Between the kick-off party at Marc and Barabara Mitchell’s, dinner on campus, and Jill (Harkeway) and Ed Lechtenberg’s rockin’ brunch, I am working on our 50th.” She also wants to thank Martha Castillo ’66 for coming to Westpoint to visit!

class notes

We Want to Hear From You! Everyone is invited to submit news to the alumni office. Please send your news (including photos) via e-mail to alum@csw.org. Class notes that were submitted after Sept. 30, 2011 will be included in the next issue of The Gryphon.

1930s

1950s

We received news that Robert M. Cunningham ’37 passed

Frank von Hippel ’55 nuclear

away in 2008 and that he had remembered CSW in his will. Our condolences to his family, friends and classmates.

1940s Duscha Schmid Weisskopf ’42 writes: “This is a picture of Robert Peirce ’42 and me in

Stanford in early March, a mini-reunion of two ’42s who had been writing to each other for many years but hadn’t seen each other in about 50 years.” She and Robert have helped organize the planting of a Linden tree in honor of past faculty, Charlie Cummings. Christopher Kit Hodgman ’48 reports that he continues

to teach at the University of Rochester Medical School and also helps out at a local child psychiatric clinic. He is grateful for both his and his wife’s good health and fortune.

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physicist, was interviewed by NBC’s Brian Williams about the impact of the nuclear disaster in Japan following earthquake and tsunami.

Louisa Roof ’66 writes, “Big

news for me is that I won a rubber duck race last May. My husband, Artie Abelowitz, and I enjoyed a nine course, three hour dinner at Bosman’s Restaurant in Paarl, South Africa, along with 12 days in and around Cape Town this past January. Other than that, I continue to work as a contract occupational therapist in skilled nursing facilities within commuting distance of Harvard, Mass. I also continue my work as a Spiritualist medium, serving several churches in Massachusetts on a regular basis.

Heli Spiegel Meltsner’s ’56

new book, The Poorhouses of Massachusetts: A Cultural and Architectural History, will be published by MacFarland in Spring 2012.

1960s R. Laurence “Larry” Davis ’65 was named a Fellow of the

Geological Society of America (GSA) for his service on the society’s Geology and public policy. He helped draft the society’s new (and very strong) position paper on Global Climate change. He is also serving his first year of a four year term on the management Board of GSA’s Division of Geology and Society. He is still a professor at the University of New Haven, teaching Environmental Sciences and is still doing

1970s Emily Yozell ’71 was honored

by The National Lawyers Guild this past May. Emily is a Costa Rica-based lawyer who left the Boston area to work with non-governmental human rights organizations in Central America. She is a founding member of Central America’s first public interest environmental litigation project, Justicia para la Naturaleza. Emily represented Latin American banana farm workers who sued U.S. based multinational companies for toxic tort injuries from pesticide abuse.

Gail Work ’75 writes: “I’m still

doing community organizing for election integrity and involved in policy and citizen lobbying. Watching world events and remembering the empowerment of CSW.” John Traylor ’75 says that

“life is life.It’s had its ups and downs, but still kickin. Hope to hear from all my old friends, far and near!” Sarah Underwood ’77

reports that her father, Bayard Underwood, passed away in March of 2010. “It has been a sad but busy year for the family.” Sarah’s daughter, Shannon Elizabeth, is in graduate school (nursing) and Sarah’s granddaughter, Lydia, is seven and carries on a family tradition of creating art.

1980s Katherine Cahouet ’80

writes: “I am living in Essex, Conn., with my 4 year old son David and husband Joe Connolly. I feel so grateful to spend most of my day with my young son. I also work part time for Joe researching the news for the WSJ business report, which airs on WCBS radio. I hope to get to a spring reunion soon!” Alex Shimada-Brand, ’85 was

promoted to the position of Financial Specialist at Harvard University. David “Alex” Barker ’84’s

film, Daylight, a psychological thriller, received rave reviews in The New York Times. Niho Kozuru ’86 installed a

Richard Hill ’77 wanted to

share with the CSW community a recent accomplishment: “I’ve been a triathlete for the past 25 years racing in over a hundred races. Last year, at 51, I competed in my first Ironman triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) in Madison, Wis. I placed 4th out of 157 men in my age group, and qualified for the world championships in Hawaii.” Cory Munson ’79 has moved

to China with her daughter and is teaching fourth grade at an international school in Beijing. William Rising ’79 reports

that he recently had dinner with Dan Sagalyn ’79 at the Cafe Batavia in Jakarta. He’s touring Indonesia with a group of journalists (ask him for details).

commissioned sculpture in late January in Lincoln, Neb. She had been working on the project for the past year and a half, so she is happy and relived that its finally up. Suzanne Rivera ’87 has

accepted a new job as Associate Vice President for Research at Case Western Reserve University. Her move to the Cleveland area brings the added bonus of reconnecting with CSW chum Jessica Schickel ’85, who lives nearby.

1990s Samuel Turano ’91 started a job at USAID in November and is serving as a Democracy and Governance Foreign Service Officer. “My fiancée Emily and I (we’re getting married in August) are scheduled to ship out in January for a two year tour in Bangkok, Thailand where I’ll be working in the Regional Development Mission for Asia. We’re both very excited to move out there and explore the region.”

Samuel White ’91 writes: “I just finished up with the 7th annual Wooly Fair, a DIY art carnival I founded and direct that happens in Providence at the Steel Yard. This year the theme was To the Moon and we constructed 21 “space pods” that were each inhabited by a visiting artist where they explored their genius space dreams. This year we also had a 40-foot geodesic moon dome, as well as a 25-foot obelisk crash site memorial to all failed moon missions of the past. It was a great event that went all night. If you’re ever within 50 miles of Providence in late July you should come to Wooly Fair. Art, theater, music, is alive and kicking in Providence.” Amy Terrell ’97 writes: “My

husband and I welcomed our second child, daughter Logan Elizabeth Michael on February 12, 2011.” Rebecca Levy, ’97 reports that she got a job as a full-time assistant professor of dance at Florida State College Jacksonville! She’s teaching a full load (four courses). “It’s very exciting and a little bit scary!”

Charlotte Silver ’99 It’s not

just restaurateurs who write books. Their children do, too. Charlotte, daughter of UpStairs on the Square co-owner Deborah Hughes (formerly Deborah Silver) is writing a memoir called Charlotte Au Chocolate: Memories of a Restaurant Girlhood. Elise Rebecca Metzger ’99

writes: “Currently I am pursuing my masters of design at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute of Design. Much of my work here has revolved around spinal cord injury and what services, technologies and products could help improve the lives of people who are paralyzed. I am part of a team that is designing a power assist wheelchair (think hybrid).” Nicholas “Nick” Loss-Eaton ’97 writes: “We’re proud to

announce the release date for my Brooklyn indie-folk band Leland Sundries’ second release: The Foundry EP on Feb 21, 2012 (L’Echiquier Records). We recorded in Brooklyn in an old creamery building and I played resonator guitar, banjo, harmonium, harmonica and vocals. “

Richard Foster, father of Kiyoshi Foster ’98 reports he

has released his latest album, TRANQUILIZER. Kiyoshi is now based in San Francisco, and performs regularly at various venues in the Bay area, where he has developed a dedicated following. Kiyoshi’s brother, Kenji Foster ’96, who designed and executed the art work for the album, is living in Medford, Mass., and teaching in Chelsea.

2000s Alexis Iammarino ’01 wanted to share that he is a participating artist in an up-coming exhibition at Meridian Gallery in San Francisco. The HOUSE AT 100: Arts Festival and Gala is a two month long interdisciplinary arts festival. It will explore the architectural, political and critical history of this building, but also reflect on the Meridian Center for the Arts contributions and its relationships to San Francisco’s present and future. Alexis adds, “I am currently living in Baltimore City where I do community-based art and dance facilitation. I graduated from MICA with a M.A. in Community Arts.”

Danielle Bisson ’01 is a probation officer on the Cape and loves her job. She still stays in touch with Quinn Doherty ’02 and Lindsey Greene ’02. Quinn is finishing up her masters and Lindsey is a broker for William Raveis and her fiancé is a CPA at Ernst and Young. They are getting married next summer and Danielle is her maid of honor. “We are all just as close as we were at CSW.”

His parents write that Evan Greer ’03 is now the proud father of a son. Samantha Rosen ’03 reports:

“I just graduated from Antioch with my M.Ed. in Elementary Education. I’m going back for another year to become certified as a Waldorf teacher. I’m also getting married in August to Mikael Neely. We’re loving life in Putney Vt., getting to know our local farmers, contra dancing and having a blast living a quiet life in the woods with our spectacular cats.” Simcha Halpert-Hanson (formerly Allegra Hanson) ’03 reports “I’m nearing the

end of my B.A. acquisition project and will be graduating from Eugene Lang College at The New School in May. In 2010, I joined a newly-formed transgender-Jewish band called Schmekel. Our premise is bringing together what appear to be disparate identities and showing how they work together in different ways. We launched a website this past summer so people can learn more about us and what we do at www.transjews.com. We also released our first full-length album on December 14, 2011.” George Olesky ‘03 reports

that he is an actor living in Los Angeles. This past year, he was featured in a national commercial for Chrysler, recorded voice-over for FOX’s “Allen Gregory,” and acted in a Gryphon Spring 2012

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comedic short film he co-wrote with Jonathan Roberts ’73. George played a lead part in the world premiere of Kenneth Lin’s play “Fallow” at The People’s Light & Theatre in Malvern, Pa., this January.

William Popp ’04 is currently performing in “Sleep No More,” a retelling of Macbeth by the English theater company Punchdrunk. There was a write up in The New York Times. Nicolas Moussallem ’05

Lucy Bickerton ’04 has

recently moved back to Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. She is freelancing in film and commercial production in New York and missing her sister Annie ’04 now that she is back in Boston!

writes: “I’ve been living in a tipi in Warren, Vt. since July. I’m helping my uncle build his house here.” Zachary Miller ‘06 reports

David Olesky ’06 recently

that he is applying to a few prehealth post-baccalaureate programs in New York City.

moved to New York and has taken a job as an assistant teacher at Harlem Succcess Academy #1.

Amanda Taylor ’06 writes: Elise Ansel ’06, Cooper Evans ’10 and I got to

Krishna Chavda ’04 writes:

she earned her master’s degree in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. “I’m also in the process of finishing up my first children’s book which I plan on farming out to publishers.” William Porter ’04 recently

finished up the “Cats” tour in which he played “Mungojerrie,” then returned to Muhlenberg College, his alma mater, to choreograph their summer production of “Godspell,” and then in July, began rehearsals as a replacement for the Broadway National Tour of “A Chorus Line,” and will be traveling to Tokyo for a month! Vera Kelsey-Watts ’04

reports: “After finally graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, I moved back to Boston to prepare for graduate school. I’m living in a great cooperative living style house in Jamaica Plain with ten other housemates and I’m working hard at The Food Project running our youth programs. I was glad to return to CSW on a recruiting trip for our Summer Arts Program and catch a part of assembly - just how I remember it!” 26

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participate in a student written/student directed musical at Hampshire College. It was an absolute blast! I was so excited to see Elise at the first read through. A special thanks was given to Robin Wood at our performance. Cooper was a part of the pit band. Also I had the chance to stay with Katrina Semich ’05 for a week. She is doing well and just graduated from UMass Dartmouth. Sarang Khalsa ’09 is in her

junior year at Colorado University. She spent much of the summer in Bulgaria to do an archeological dig in a Neolithic Farming Settlement, the second human settlement in Europe.

IN MEMORIAM Our condolences to the family members and friends of Albert DellaCamera, husband of past CSW staff member, Irene DellaCamera, and father of CSW staff member Karen Chiasson, who passed away following a lengthy illness on June 11, 2011. Irene worked in the Development Office in the late 1980s and Karen currently is the school receptionist. Ruth F. Smullin passed away

on March 11, 2011. Our deepest condolences to her children Susan, David, Frank and Joe and her grandchildren, Gabriel and Andras, all of whom are CSW alumni. Our condolences to the family and friends of Valerie O’Leary, who passed away on April 23, 2011. A longtime and beloved staff member of The Cambridge School of Weston community, Valerie touched all aspects of CSW life. She joined the school in 1993 as a chef in the dining hall and later became an administrative assistant to the deans. She also served as boarding life faculty and taught in the skills center, before moving into the business office in 2000. She was a friend to all and will be truly missed. Muriel Kohn Pokross passed away on March 25, 2011. Muriel’s’s mark on the Boston area included years of work helping the hearing-impaired and forming a formidable philanthropic team with her husband, the late David Pokross. Our deepest condolences to her children Joan Curhan ’55, and Bill Pokross ’56. Arthur Rosenberg passed

away on March 4, 2011. Our deepest condolences to his children, Janis Rosenberg ’73 and Devorah Rosenberg ’71.

Mark C. Ebersole, former

faculty member, passed away in February 2011. Mark served as interim head from 1988-1989 and out of the work he did, EIT (Early Intervention Team) arose. Carol H. Salsgiver passed away on June 4, 2011. She worked for many years in the Business Office, retiring in 1998 and continued to support CSW long after she retired. Holly Hickler, former longtime and beloved faculty member, and parent to Katherine (Hickler) White ’66 and Mark Hickler ’69 passed away on July 9, 2011. Our sincere condolences to the family and many friends of Holly. A Celebration of the Life of Holly Hickler was held on the CSW campus, November 19, 2011.

Our condolences to the family of Dr. John Porter who died in November of 2010. He is survived by his wife, Polly Cornwell Porter, and daughters Sarah Goldstein ’73, Logan Porter ’75 and Rebecca Pedigo ’80, Jeffrey Porter of Braintree; and 11 grandchildren. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Charles Bruno ’37, who passed away in November of 2010. Our condolences to the family and friends of Nancy (Carr) Elster ’38 who died in April 2011 at the age of 90. Our thoughts are with the family of Anthony Harrigan ’44, who passed away at the age of 84. Our condolences to the family and friends of Peter Chafee Card ’47, who passed away August 15, 2011.

Murray Weil ’51 alerted us to the recent passing of classmate Harry Kaplan ’51 at the beginning of June 2011.

Our condolences are with the friends and family of Neil Chait ’53, who passed away in January 2011. Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Charles “Chuck” Woodard ’64, who passed away during the summer of 2010. Our deepest condolences to his wife, Margaret, his children, Susanna ’06, Thomas, and Sarah, a sister, Margaret Flint Weir ’62 and a brother Ephraim. Our condolences to the family and friends of Edgar “Eddie” Driscoll ’38, who passed away in November 2011.

on Saturday, December 18. In addition to working at the USPS for nearly 25 years, Alice was an actress, director, writer, jeweler, photographer, craftswoman. Widow of political folk singer Phil Ochs, she spent the last three decades as a devoted Christian, leading the jail ministry at her church, and creating plays to spread the message of Christ. She attended Bible College and became a minister. She will be dearly missed, most especially by her sister Maria, daughter Meegan, son-in-law Jay, Alice’s grandchildren Cierra and Caiden.

Valerie O’Leary

Our condolences to the family and friends of Carol Cohen Becker ’52, who passed away on October 12, 2011. Our condolences to the family and friends of George Edwards ’61, who passed away on October 23, 2011. Our condolences to Chris Gamper ’88 and his family upon the passing of his father and former trustee David. Our condolences to Arthur Krim ’61 and his family and friends upon the passing of his father and former trustee Norman. Our condolences to the family and friends of Peter Yozell, who passed away on January 22, 2012. He was father to Emily ’71, John ’73 and James ’76.

Holly Hickler

Alice “Nicki Skinner” Ochs ’62

passed away peacefully on November 27, 2010 at her daughter’s home. Memorial services were held at the New Life Christian Center in Novato

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announcements

CSW Establishes a Global Council

CSW Reunion: June 16, 2012: All Years Welcome!

Come back to campus for a fun-filled reunion. If your class year ends in a 2 or 7—then you definitely won’t want to miss this special milestone year. Family and friends are welcome. Special reunion activities include a varsity soccer challenge, where CSW girls and boys soccer teams invite alumni to play in an exhibition game; tours with Jennifer Pinck ’73 of the new dorm and the Garthwaite Center; a panel discussion on the Progressive Education Lab with Jane Moulding and CSW faculty; a dance workshop with Martha Gray; a gallery talk with Todd Bartel; dinner and dancing under the stars; and more! Registration is easy! Online: www.csw.org/alumni/events Phone or email: Julie Pickard, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations 781-642-8671 or alum@csw.org. Mail: Return the reply card, included with your invitation, via mail to The Cambridge School of Weston’s alumni office.

We don’t want cost to be deterrent! Alumni from 2002 and more recent years are waived the registration fee and receive meals at half price! This discount is available to other years at special request. Call Amy Meneely, Interim Director of Alumni Relations (781) 642-8647 or email alum@csw.org to make a request.

CSW 2012 Reunion Accommodations

A limited number of discounted hotel rooms at The Embassy Suites, The Westin, Holiday Inn, and the Courtyard Marriott (all located nearby in Waltham) have been reserved for the Reunion on the weekend of June 16. Please reference “The Cambridge School of Weston” when making your reservations.

CSW Online MyCSW: If you would like to

login to the alumni area on the school website, please contact the alumni office for a login and password. There you can access online class notes, groups and an alumni/ae directory. Facebook: CSW is consoli-

dating its Facebook presence to one central page at

2011-2012 Board of Trustees

Ben Alimansky ’87 Aundre Bumgardner ’12, Boarding Student Representative

facebook.com/CambridgeSchool. Please visit and “like” the page to keep up with the fun things happening on campus, news from your classmates, and events.

Contact

Julie Pickard

We have some new staff members in the Alumni office. We would love to hear from you!

Assistant Director of Alumni/ae Relations 781-642-8671 jpickard@csw.org

Amy Meneely E-mail: Please make sure

we have your current e-mail address to receive monthly newsletters, event invitations and news.

Interim Director of Alumni Relations 781-642-8647 alum@csw.org

Doris Christelis P’14, Parent Representative

Jennifer Jones-Clark P’05

Sarita Shah ’86

Jean Kilbourne P’05

Peter Thorne P’12

Mark Culliton ’82, Assistant Treasurer

Amani Marshall, Faculty Representative

Eduardo Tugendhat ’72, P’07

Rachael Dorr P ’07, Secretary

Charlo Maurer P’04

Susan Ward P’10, Treasurer

Bob Metcalf ’53 Jane Moulding, Head of School

Sheila Watson P ’12, Co-Vice Chair of the Board

Christian Nolen P’10, Assistant Secretary

John Weltman P’12, ’13, Co-Vice Chair of the Board

Margie Perse P’13, Parent Representative

Anki Wolf ’67, Chair of the Board

Christine Chamberlain ’63

Margie Garner-Perse P’13, Parent Representative

Erika Christakis P’11,’13

Chris Gootkind P’12

Lysander Christakis ’13, Day Student Representative

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Kaiko Hayes ’81 Lisa Hirsch P’08,’11, Faculty Representative John Holleran

Deborah Pressman P’10

Eric von Hippel ’59, P’13

The Cambridge School of Weston is committed to engaging new leaders and thinkers who are drawn from the international community and to prepare our students to be leaders in the world. CSW additionally aspires to provide resources to faculty and students to gain entrée to diverse fields of interest for integration and experiences in and out of the classroom.

With these goals in mind, the Global Council grew out of a vision and mission from the Board of Trustees as they discussed future priorities around global engagement. During the council's inaugural meeting, in October 2011, John Butman P'02, former board chair, and Eduardo Tugendhat ’72, P’07, current trustee, began to establish the foundation for the future work of the group. The council will be a network and resource group for the community and support ideas and projects originating from students and faculty. The council's members will also respond to one-to-one requests – such as matching a student with a mentor/sponsor, place students in internships where appropriate, and match their own disciplines to the needs of the CSW community. Additionally, the council seeks to facilitate a process to screen and support larger community-wide programs during the academic year.

Currently, the council is working to coordinate a presentation at a school assembly, develop a page on the school’s website and create a catalogue of relevant skills and resources available through members. The council plans to select two students to be members of next year’s group. Long term goals include the potential implementation of a “sister” school in another country; the development and support of a social justice project; and the design of a conference/workshop for the summer of 2013 – possibly how to shape the Progressive Education Lab in a global context. For more information on the council, contact Jan Miner at 781-642-8611.


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

NON-PROFIT U.S Postage PAID Strategic Mail

Address Service Requested

The Cambridge School of Weston

Dido and Aeneas The Cambridge School of Weston presented Dido and Aeneas in November. The performances were a collaboration of the theatre, dance, and music departments. This was the first time that CSW students performed “Dido and Aeneas” since 1935, when students performed the opera just a few years after the school relocated to its current campus in Weston. “Dido and Aeneas,” an opera by Henry Purcell, a Baroque composer, is based on the fourth book of Virgil’s “Aeneid.” It tells the tale of a love story between Dido, the Queen of Carthage and Aeneas, a Trojan hero and Dido’s hard feelings about the fact that Aeneas abandoned her. This is the only all-sung opera that Purcell has written and it is one of the oldest English operas. While Troy continues to burn, Aeneas escapes with a crumbling fleet. He ends up washing up on the shore of Carthage, the region governed by Dido.


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