Thistletalk Summer 2023

Thistle Thistle

TOGETHER AGAIN

Winchester Thurston School BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2022–2023

Paul Rosenblatt

President

Kristen A. Burns

Vice President

Susan Hunter ’72

Vice President

Abigail Robinson Foster ’03

Vice President

Jessica Bemer

Treasurer

Henry S. Beukema

Secretary

Scott D. Fech

Head of School

Kerry Bron ’84

Manny Cahouet-Rotondi

Rosalind Chow

Phyllis Coontz

Brandilyn Y. Dumas ’99

Rosanne Isay Harrison ’56, Emeritus

Brea M. Heidelberg ’02

Elizabeth S. Hurtt ’74, Emeritus

James Isler

David Kamin

Kristi Kerins A’67

Natasha Lawrence

Carole Oswald Markus ’57, Emeritus

Jennifer Gonzalez McComb ’89

Jennifer Staley McCrady ’91

Savita Mullapudi Narasimhan

Illah Nourbakhsh

Edward Perrin

Henry Posner III, Emeritus

Andrew Santelli ’00

Tiffany Sizemore ’95

Andrew N. Stewart

Jane Arensberg Thompson ’57, Emeritus

Gaylen Faller Westfall

Honorary Alum

Joy Titus-Young ’92

Jian-Gang (Jimmy) Zhu

Junior Pre-Kindergarten

In its inaugural school year, the Junior Pre-Kindergarten (JPK) program welcomes threeand-a-half-year-old learners to the WT community. Led by teacher Michelle Brown, the JPK curriculum includes early math and language concepts and a focus on social and emotional development. Through various activities, sensory experiences, and creative play, students learn to express feelings, understand the needs of others, and resolve conflict in constructive ways.

Much like their older peers, Junior Pre-K students build strong teacher-child relationships in responsive, inclusive classroom environments, where children and families play an active role in their learning.

“We support each student’s hopes and dreams,” says Brown. “Each student tells us what they want to learn, and through City as Our Campus, we bring in extracurricular activities or go on field trips that support that learning.”

Volume 50 • Number 1 Spring 2023

Thistletalk is published by Winchester Thurston School for alumnae/i, parents, students, and friends of the school. Letters and suggestions are welcome.

Editorial Team

Mikaela Halaja, Editor

Morgan “Moe” Williams, Assistant Editor

Jane Schilling, Class Notes Editor

Contributors

Kathleen Bishop

Michelle Wion Chitty

Jason Cohn

Monica Manes Gay

Ewing Moussa

Printing

Broudy Printing

Mission

Alex Neal

Shay Park

Shanda Snyder

Michelle Zaffary

Winchester Thurston School actively engages each student in a challenging and inspiring learning process that develops the mind, motivates the passion to achieve, and cultivates the character to serve.

Equity and Inclusion Statement

As a means to fulfill our credo, “Think also of the comfort and the rights of others,” Winchester Thurston will be an inclusive community and will pursue the social and pedagogical benefits that diversity brings. We will place the highest value on enabling students to understand their own identity and those of others. It is our moral imperative to be courageous and intentional in promoting understanding, addressing bias, identifying and honoring qualities of justice, respecting multiple perspectives and contributions, and valuing the dignity of all.

Winchester Thurston School

555 Morewood Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-578-7500

winchesterthurston.org

Thistletalk content represents opinions, ideas, and perspectives of the authors that are not necessarily those of the Trustees or Administration of Winchester Thurston School. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject, or edit any content submitted for publication in Thistletalk

Winchester Thurston School is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and is accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools.

Winchester Thurston School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, or disability in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid programs, and athletics or other school-administered programs.

Copyright © 2023 Winchester Thurston School.

All Rights Reserved.

Teachers engage with students in the first-ever Junior Pre-Kindergarten class, where three-and-a-half-year-old children learn early academic concepts and build social skills.

THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Scott D. Fech, Ph.D. 2

About the cover: Lower School students and their families reunited to partake in the Winter Performance. The grand finale, a rendition of "Light a Candle," held extra significance this year, as it is a beloved tradition that had been missed due to COVID-related gathering restrictions.

FROM

The 2022-2023 school year marks my 30th as an educator, and even after so long, I find joy and enthusiasm throughout each new year. It's inspiring to witness the growth and progress of students as they work towards their academic goals, and build strong relationships with their peers and teachers that serve as the foundation for a successful learning environment.

This year has been particularly thrilling since we have been able to safely resume cherished in-person events such as Pumpkin Fair, theater productions, reunion weekend, and the benefit. Thankfully, it seems that our Dear Old WT is gradually returning to a state that is more reminiscent of normalcy.

Pandemic-related physical distancing requirements and gathering restrictions, while necessary at the time, certainly fractured our highly relational WT community. It is time for us to reconnect, and I am sharply focused on that this year. This focus aligns with the school’s 2019 Strategic Plan which includes four main tenets—Reimagine Learning, Rethink Time and Space, Strengthen Community, and Support Employees.

While I wish we had never had to navigate the challenges of educating students during a pandemic, it gave us the chance to focus on the Strategic Plan—specifically on Reimagining Learning and Reconsidering Time and Space—in response to the urgent demands of the situation. We have effectively adopted new ideals into our practice in response to the pandemic, and also in ways that will continually evolve in order to better serve our school and community. The Joan Clark Davis Center for Interdisciplinary Learning, for example, is a real example

of how we are very intentionally designing flexible, sustainable spaces that allow for innovative learning experiences and institutional growth. (More on page 10.)

Our goal has consistently been to consider the Strategic Plan from the perspective of diversity, equity, and inclusion; therefore, the development of a DEI Action Plan is the clear and necessary next step. In 2016, however, long before many other institutions prioritized DEI work, Winchester Thurston’s Board of Trustees adopted an Equity and Inclusion Statement which serves as the foundation for much of the work we are doing in this realm. Further, this commitment from the top of our governance team, confirms our adherence to WT’s long-standing credo, “Think Also of the Comforts and the Rights of Others.”

The DEI Action Plan is designed to strengthen relationships and create a culture of belonging for all members of the WT community, including its leaders, teachers, staff, and families. The plan is customized to WT’s specific needs and culture and provides tools and practices that foster a sense of belonging. The plan also establishes standards and evaluation strategies to ensure accountability and continuous growth in these areas. I encourage you to turn to page 4 and read more about the DEI Action Plan, including examples of how it plays out in each division, every classroom, and throughout the greater WT community every day. We are able to stay committed to the Strategic Plan and DEI Action Plan thanks to the unwavering support of many individuals like you. Your decision to contribute to Winchester Thurston year after year enables us to finance special programs and resources essential to achieve these and numerous other goals. We deeply appreciate your generosity and eagerly hope to see you at an upcoming in-person event—whether on our WT campus or in ‘Your City’ as Our Campus.

Our goal has consistently been to consider the Strategic Plan from the perspective of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

WT welcomes the following individuals to the Board of Trustees.

Rosalind Chow is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Columbia University (2002), and her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the Stanford Graduate School of Business (2008). Rosalind’s research focuses on how individuals understand and experience hierarchy. Dr. Chow and her husband, Dr. Jeff Galak have a daughter, Lia (WT Class of 2032).

Kristi Kerins A'67 earned a B.A. in Elementary Education from Skidmore and a M.A. in Education and Supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University. Kristi has over 30 years of experience in independent schools including teaching second grade at WT and then later becoming the Middle School Director. She then went on to oversee students in Kindergarten through seventh grade at St. Agnes in Alexandria, Virginia. She later became the Head of the Sanford School in Hokessin, Delaware, and then Head of School at the Lake Forest Country Day School in Chicago. In 2005, Kristi became the fourth Head of School at The Phillips Brooks School in Menlo, CA. She retired as the Lower School principal at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kristi was a student at WT from eighth grade until her family moved to Virginia following her sophomore year.

Natasha Lawrence holds a M.S. in Accounting and served as a Senior Manager for PwC in the Financial Services Group focusing on asset management, banking, and pension plans. She is familiar with IFRS, ASPE, and Canadian GAAP standards. She is a practicing CPA (since 2007) and worked within the Audit and Assurance group at PwC, focusing on finance services clients for eight years.

Natasha and her husband, Cameron have two sons at WT: Alexander (WT Class of 2034) and Nicholas (WT Class of 2029).

Gaylen Faller Westfall

is described as “a pioneer in WT athletics” and has been a member of the WT community since 1975. While serving as a physical education teacher, coach, and Athletics Director, Gaylen provided the foundation for WT’s future athletic prowess. Her influence extends well beyond the fields of play, establishing programs like Summer New Horizons, WT’s fencing program, and the Independent School Girls Athletic League, which led to WT’s eventual inclusion in the WPIAL. Gaylen’s love for Winchester Thurston can be seen in her unending dedication to the school as a former faculty member and administrator, an Honorary Alumna, and a volunteer.

Gaylen was named an Honorary Alum in 2015.

REIGNITING THE STRATEGIC PLAN: STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY THROUGH DEI

In September 2019, WT unveiled its Strategic Plan, a vision built upon four pillars—Reimagine Learning, Rethink Time and Space, Strengthen Community, and Support Employees—designed to develop individuals of strong character and prepare them for the demands of a changing world.

“This vision is about a mindset for the future,” said Head of School Dr. Scott D. Fech at the time. “It’s a new approach to say that we embrace the fact that there’s a lot of uncertainty about what the future will hold, and that we can prepare our students to be able to adapt to whatever that looks like.”

Fast forward to the present, as Fech—with nearly three years of leading WT through the Covid-19 pandemic under his belt—reflects on the plan’s remarkable prescience.

“The priorities we identified in the strategic design process were pivotal,” he declares. “We had already laid out a pathway, pre-pandemic, to Reimagine Learning, Rethink Time and Space, Strengthen Our Community, and Support Our Employees. It was almost as if we said, ‘something’s coming, and we don’t know what it is.’ We’ve been able to thrive through this as a school community because we were already in the mindset of doing the very things that enabled our success through the pandemic.”

The priorities emerged during a painstaking ninemonth research and development process inviting full WT community participation via surveys, focus groups, external research, and document analysis that elicited feedback on WT experiences, community needs, a rapidly-changing society, and aspirations for the work of Winchester Thurston. All research was

carefully analyzed, and culminated in the approach combining WT’s hallmark educational innovation with a fresh vision for how to “do school.”

Since the plan’s debut, key efforts have included adding one school counselor per division to expand support for student well-being; switching to semesters in 2023-24, allowing students to more deeply explore content and develop long-term projects; the fall 2023 opening of the Joan Clark Davis Center for Interdisciplinary Learning, which will provide more classroom spaces for interdisciplinary and project-based learning, expand City as Our Campus options, and enable community engagement programming; and phasing out AP courses to ensure one-of-a-kind-learning experiences delivered through an innovative curriculum fully aligned with WT’s educational philosophy and student-centered approach.

Post-Pandemic Challenges

Today, the four pillars designed to prepare students for an uncertain future, and which enabled WT’s success through the pandemic, continue to guide and support the school as it navigates the ensuing challenges.

“Many students are not where they typically would be developmentally or socially, because at significant developmental moments of their lives, they were forced apart,” notes Fech. “Academically, for example, our youngest students learned early literacy skills during masking, which muffled speech and prevented them from seeing mouths and how sounds are formed. So the ways we think about student support has had to shift: how do we meet them where

“This vision is about a mindset for the future.”

Action: Our teachers continuously work to refine their curriculum to ensure diverse perspectives are represented. WT launched a grantfunded summer curriculum writing program to support faculty in this work.

they are, in order to prepare them for whatever comes next? How do we adjust curriculum to get them where they need to be?”

Vital to this effort, he says, is a robust community. “The way to create good learning environments is through strong student-teacher relationships and a strong partnership with the home.”

“It’s particularly important to emphasize community-building efforts and relationship building as we move into a new phase of life after lock-downs and physical distancing, because so many are longing for renewed, meaningful connection,” affirms Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Wellness Jessica Walton. “As we continue to implement holistic approaches to learning, ensuring we advocate for the well-being of each of our community members, we must remind ourselves, our students, and our families, that some of the most meaningful learning occurs when we feel most connected to our instructors, peers, and colleagues alike.”

“WT is a relational community,” adds Fech. “The relationships we build between faculty and parents and guardians, student-teacher relationships, relationships we maintain with City as Our Campus partners and our alums—these relationships are at our core. The pandemic forced us to keep people away. Now, we are reopening our doors to parents, plays, concerts, and parent-teacher conferences. Our Board of Trustees has resumed meeting fully in person. Bringing people back together on campus has been critical to supporting and strengthening our community again. We’re reconnecting!”

A Compass for the Community

Because the entire Strategic Plan, with four pillars in total, was always designed to be viewed through the lens of Equity and Inclusion, the school’s DEI Action Plan is a natural next step. Designed with the same level of broad, deep research and full community involvement as the original plan, the DEI Action Plan

“A summer curriculum grant, shared with my colleague, Dr. Chris Olshefski, allowed us to redesign the upper-level course Literature and Power to one that is project-based and challenges students to read, write, and think in new ways. This grant allowed us time, funding, and encouragement to take an online webinar with teachers and authors Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher, to read and discuss various texts together that inform our curriculum design and also our course content.”

—Emily Mohn-Slate, Upper School English Teacher

additionally incorporates data and recommendations from the recent DEI audit to help guide and determine benchmarks and outcomes.

“Developing an explicit DEI Action Plan is a positive extension to our original Strategic Plan because it encourages us to hold ourselves accountable as an institution,” asserts Walton. “The Action Plan names goals, allows us to operationalize key teams responsible for moving into action, operationalizes our Equity and Inclusion Statement, and requires transparent communication as we benchmark and

Action: WT has begun to implement practices like restorative circles through advisories and seminars as a means to strengthen community among students.

“Our team must look at the student as a whole, socially, emotionally, and academically, to support them and create a space for them to be seen, heard, supported, and successful at WT.”

—Amy Skelly, Lower School Learning Specialist

Action: Employees engage in continuous professional learning that supports their work in DEI initiatives. Some topics include culturally responsive teaching, trauma-informed practices, and facilitating difficult conversations.

“The Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program from Cornell University helped me to look at DEI work in the greater scope of the school.  By analyzing the system in which we interact as a school-wide community, I was able to think more deeply about my own teaching practice.  A big component of the program is to help people develop leadership qualities so they can help to educate their workplace. I recently presented an interactive workshop to the faculty on unconscious bias to practice my leadership skills with DEI work.”

Betsy Lamitina, Middle School Teacher

measure success. It becomes the work of the school, not one or two individuals, or a small department. Our hope is to create sustainable mechanisms to ensure DEI is embedded into everything WT does for years to come.”

Developed using a structured, systems thinking approach, the Plan requires the school to measure, evaluate, and communicate updates on progress.

“Quite literally, our Action Plan is a large spreadsheet broken up into such sections as Diversify Community, Strengthen Community, Student Engagement, and Establish Accountability,” explains Walton. “Each tab contains the details of various action items; individuals and groups responsible for

completion; due dates; status updates; and notes identifying key resources needed for implementation, and it runs along a three to five-year timeline. Our goal is for it to be a compass for our community, and a living, breathing document.”

The Plan is rooted in Restorative Practice, which focuses on social connections within communities and how to strengthen relationships between individuals.

“Restorative practice offers a framework to approach long-term change,” says Walton. “It is not necessarily one-size-fits-all. WT’s strategy for what we hope to achieve includes minimizing traumatic encounters for community members while they are here, and creating an environment where belonging

Action: With our goal to attract qualified, diverse candidates, we refined our recruitment and hiring process to be a more standardized and inclusive process.

feels tangible. Schools using restorative practice as a guidepost utilize shared language and shared tools for building connections and responding to challenging moments and conflict. For us, this perfectly aligns with ‘Think also…’”

Action: Student support teams, composed of learning specialists, counselors, and administrators, were formed in each division to ensure effective interventions are utilized to meet the needs of all students.

“Our interviewers participate in interview and anti-bias training before engaging our candidates in a meaningful hiring experience, providing candidates with choices and opportunities to meet with stakeholders and get to know our community before accepting a job offer. Feedback on our process is very positive, and we continue to refine it as we focus on having a faculty and staff that fully reflect our student diversity and perspectives.”

—Kathy Stadler, Director of Human Resources

Fair Process, another necessary ingredient for successful change, is also a key component of the DEI Action Plan. Essentially, says Walton, it means “prioritizing treating people in a respectful way. We want to engage the entire community, to ensure everyone has a chance to give input on some of our larger organizational changes, and to regularly explain our process and approach through outlets such as State of the School, Thistletalk articles, parent feedback sessions, and prospective student visits.

“We must meet the needs of all students and employees,” she continues. “It is our moral imperative as detailed in the school Equity and Inclusion Statement, and it is educational best practice. The Plan cannot be just the vision of a few. We need volunteers to help with implementation, we need community feedback, and we need all hands on deck. The Plan will be most impactful and successful when it becomes the work of the entire community.”

WT’s Board of Trustees wholeheartedly agrees, and stands fully committed to the DEI Action Plan, says Trustee and alum Joy Titus-Young ’92.

“The mission of the Student Support Services program is to provide students with diverse needs the ability to access academic content, the school environment, and social interventions in a way that promotes positive learning experiences, relationships, and personal health and wellness. Our faculty understand the complex relationship between academic achievement and student wellness.”

—Dr. Amy McTighe, Director of Student Support Services

“We’ve been very pleased at the progression,” shares Titus-Young, who serves on the Board’s DEI Committee. “The Plan is strategic and intentional, and I believe the accountability piece is one of the most important aspects, because people want and need to know how do we measure, understand, and gauge our progress. I am also pleased with the ability to recalibrate as we continue to learn and hear more from the WT community. The Board supports the administration and the administrators, and we must be at the forefront of this work and at continuing to move the school forward in its position as a preeminent independent school that is welcoming to everyone.”

Action: Parents Association is an impactful way for families to become more integrated into the WT community. Families connect with each other through events such as educational workshops and affinity groups.

“Working within and across school divisions, the Parents Association (PA) aims to promote a strong sense of community and inclusivity among all members of the WT community.  To this end, the PA organizes activities, events, and fundraisers throughout the year. Such goals are achieved through a vibrant network of parent/guardian volunteers that collectively seek to advance the student experience, to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between the WT faculty, administration, and parents, and to promote overall school spirit.”

—Kate Gardner, Parents Association President

Action: To help ensure a consistent and fair experience, our admission process was refined by introducing standardized rubrics, a structured interview process, and engagement in implicit bias training.

Students are Thriving

“This work makes us a stronger community,” says Fech. “Building deeper relationships with our students through restorative practice, so that we are comfortable engaging in difficult conversations when they arise. Recognizing that there is no ‘typical WT family,’ that everyone’s needs are different, and that people bring different strengths to the table. Taking on the responsibility to adapt how we approach our work. All of this leads to our students feeling recognized, and that they fully belong.

“Every year, we ask parents to ‘re-up’ with us, and they do, because their children are thriving,” he continues. “And they are thriving because of our strategic work—because we tackle the big questions about DEI, and explore how to support all identities here. Students are thriving because we create learning environments where they feel safe, challenged, and supported. Teachers know our students. They adapt instruction to meet their needs, and they’ve built a school community classroom environment where students feel safe to take risks. When it comes to this, and to all of the important work we are doing, we owe the community transparent communication around our progress. And that’s what I really hope comes out of this: that we as a school articulate it more, and I as Head of School articulate it more, and that when parents, students, and alums talk about the WT experience, they, too, can articulate, ‘This is why things are so special at WT.’”

“WT is a unique community built upon caring for each other, listening to each other, learning from each other.  We share the values of friendship and collaboration, knowing that the more diverse the voices at the table, the stronger we all are as we continue to move forward. Together, we have made significant changes to our admission process in an effort to better support and more warmly welcome all prospective families. I’m energized by our team’s work and am honored to be a part of perpetuating such a dynamic, authentic and caring community.”

—Brooks Follansbee, Director of Admission

Action: Every year, WT students attend the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference, a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders focused on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community.

The building at the corner of Centre and Morewood Avenues presents a unique opportunity to repurpose an existing structure, thus reducing WT’s environmental impact compared to building a new structure.

Update: Joan Clark Davis Center for Interdisciplinary Learning

As enrollment demand continues to grow, the Joan Clark Davis Center for Interdisciplinary Learning will add 15,000 square feet of durable, efficient, sustainable, flexible space to WT’s urban campus that supports the health of its occupants and adds value to the community. From the beginning, the Board of Trustees Buildings and Grounds Committee has been committed to using the Passive House/high-efficiency design standards as guiding principles.

Given the age of WT’s current buildings, it was important to be intentional in making decisions for this new addition to our campus. Therefore, we are working to ensure that our community experiences improved indoor air quality, more efficient heating and cooling, reduced water consumption, and less reliance on natural gas

while also being good stewards of the school’s financial resources.

When it opens to the WT Community in Fall 2023, the Davis Center will boast:

• triple-pane windows that reduce energy consumption and provide sound dampening

• clean, fresh air filtered through MERV 13 filters and funneled into the building on demand by CO2 sensors

• a projected EUI (Energy Usage Intensity) of 38 kBtu/ ft2 per year, which is 62% less than the average Pittsburgh K-12 school building

• a building-wide water filtration system

• roof infrastructure that can accommodate solar panels at some point in the future.

Shortly after acquiring the Davis Center property, WT partnered with Construction Junction to deconstruct over 65 types of materials, including lights, ceiling tiles, sinks, toilets, mirrors, doors, wooden flooring, and tin ceiling, that were recycled and sold in their store. Additionally, the demolition crew recycled over 360 tons of building materials (i.e., wood, metal, brick, and concrete) that were diverted from landfills.

WT's planning and work has led to a building that already meets or exceeds green building certification programs such as LEED.

The Davis Center is expected to open to WT employees this summer.

ICYMI*

Experience a taste of some of the great things happening at WT! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit winchesterthurston. org to keep up-to-date.

Grandfriends Day

In November, the Class of 2030 hosted an adoring collective of grandparents and special friends for a peek into their roles as leaders of the Lower School. Students shared messages and songs focused on the power of persevering, celebrating each other, and movement. These valuable intergenerational connections broaden perspectives, teach empathy, and create priceless moments for children and adults alike.

“My favorite part was the Q&A portion, where we got to know more grandparents and heard interesting answers from students. The video the students made for the cafeteria was also very well done. Richard loved the Morning Meeting and how the kids cheered for each other when they received their awards. It was a great morning for us to share with Sloane.” - Janice Pagliari, grandmother of Sloane, Broden, and Clara.

Fall and Winter performances

Members of the community gathered for several incredible student performances, including instrumental ensembles, chorus concerts, Willy Wonka, Jr., Rhinoceros, and the beloved Lower School Performance

Sports

Boys Soccer finished the season as WPIAL Champions and PIAA runners up. The Girls Cross Country team earned the WPIAL Championship title. WT held school-wide pep rallies as each team headed off to Hershey, PA for state competition. Girls Soccer, still a young program at WT, won the WPIAL Section title for the first time in school history.

MS Diversity Club’s Heritage Potluck

The Middle School Diversity Club hosted a Heritage Potluck celebrating diversity, heritage, and multiculturalism. Students and families shared food that represent a variety of unique cultures and heritages with fellow students and teachers.

Plaid

Last year's edition of Plaid, entitled ZOO, was named first place in its division in the American Scholastic Association Contest.

community building.

Learning inside the classroom and out

At WT, learning happens both in and out of the classroom. Through City as Our Campus, students gain exposure to our city to become familiar with its culture and history while interacting with members of the community to understand diverse viewpoints and stories. This fall, we welcomed various partners into our classrooms, like the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center and sushi chef, Terra Lee Madden. Students also explored the city via double-decker bus and visited places like ALCOSAN, University of Pittsburgh’s Nationality Rooms, and the Carnegie Museum of Art.

WT’s Reunion 2022 is in the books and it brought together alums from across generations to engage with students, school leadership, and one another. After two years of the pandemic, it was wonderful to be fully back in person, celebrating class years ending in 0’s, 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, 6’s, and 7’s! We hope all of our alums had a SUPER time!

Highlights included:

a The DEI State of the School with Head of School Dr. Scott D. Fech, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Wellness, Jessica Walton, and Assistant Head for Strategy and Academics, Adam Nye to review WT’s work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the implementation of the new DEI Action Plan

a Opportunities for alums to return to the classroom and attend Upper School classes

a Then and Now Luncheon for alums celebrating their 50th+ Reunions

a A Hard Hat Tour of the new Joan Clark Davis Center for Interdisciplinary Learning

a Welcome Back Cocktail Party for All Alums

a Alums of Color Affinity Group Brunch

a City as Our Campus Experience at the Mattress Factory, hosted by Mary Martin ‘88

Members of the Class of 1970 celebrate their belated 50th Reunion at WT. Front Row (L-R) Polly Haight Frawley, Susan Crump Hammond, Jane Nash Holland, Jane Cauley, Sharon Simon Dunlap, Elva Merry. Back Row (L-R) Mary Navarro, Carolyn Gillespie Raetzke, Sally Weigler Golden, Helen Berkman Habbert, Megan Hall Dooley, Sarah Tallu Scott Schuyler, Linda Thiessen Bankson

Singing the Alma Mater is always a cherished moment at every Reunion.

(L) Meg Dooley ’70 and (R) M. Anne Peters ’70 share stories with classmates and friends from 1970.

Trustee and Honorary Alum Gaylen Faller Westfall enjoys reuniting with fellow Honorary Alum and former WT colleague, Pam Shaw.

It was a magical evening under the tent for SuperReunion 2022.

Classmates from the class of 1992 reconnect. (L-R) Moira Edmiston, WT Lower School Director and Joy Titus-Young, WT Trustee

Emeritus Trustee Carole Oswald Markus ’57 and Suzanne Evans Benson ’52 share memories during the Then and Now Luncheon.

Scott Fech shares a laugh with (from left) Emeritus Trustee Carole Oswald Markus ’57, Joan Clark Davis ’65, and Emeritus Trustee Rosanne Isay Harrison ’56.

Members of the Class of 1972 celebrate their 50th Reunion at WT. (L-R) Trustee Susan E. Hunter, WT Trustee, Meagan Beale, Hallie Weissman Cohn, and Erika Carlson Van Sickel

The Welcome Back Cocktail Party served as the perfect place to catch up with old friends and teachers. (L-R) Beth Hoffman ’03, Barb Holmes, and Emily Hoffman ’06*

Dayna Scott Jenkins ’11 celebrates Reunion with her youngest son.

Members of the Class of 1966 share a welcome embrace at the Welcome Back Cocktail Party.

Celebrating the 70th Birthdays (and a belated 50th Reunion) with the Class of 1970!

Current WT students and co-founders of Music for Good perform during the Welcome Back Party. (L-R) Marco Cardenes, Rohan Sykora, and Alex Sayette

Linsey McDaniel A’96 (L) shares a laugh with Barry Rabkin ’01

Miss Mitchell Society

Expand the Vision of our Founder

Your legacy: the next generation of leaders, innovators, and changemakers. Including Winchester Thurston School in your will or trust, or making WT the beneficiary of an insurance policy, IRA, or 401(k), is a simple way to make an incredible impact.

Learn more about planned giving strategies, potential tax savings, and how your gift can spark the next generation of learners: winchesterthurston.org/plannedgiving

For more information, or to let us know of your intentions, please contact Alex Neal, Director of Leadership Philanthropy, at neala@winchesterthurston.org or 412-224-4644.

MISS MITCHELL SOCIETY MEMBERS

Betsy Aiken ’72

Suzanne LeClere Barley ’52

Loretta Lobes

Benec ’88

Barbara Abney

Bolger ’52

Kathleen W. Buechel

Joan Clark Davis ’65

Judith Rohrer Davis ’57

Judith Ellenbogen ’58

Justine Diebold

Englert ’59

Anna-Stina Ericson ’44

Robert I. Glimcher

Barbara GravesPoller ’93

Rosanne Isay Harrison ’56

Kristi A. Kerins A’67

Kathryn W. Kruse ’58

Elsa Limbach

Louise Baldridge Lytle ’51

Carole Oswald Markus ’57

Gretchen Larson Maslanka ’83

Marga Matheny ’64

Patricia L. Maykuth ’69

Beverlee Simboli McFadden ’55

Kathleen L. Metinko ’91

Frances P. Minno

Bee Jee Epstine Morrison ’56

Eileen Mauclair Muse ‘61

Henry Posner III

Kathy Zillweger Putnam ’71

Sarah Irving Riling ’67

Susan Criep Santa-Cruz ’60

Jennifer M. Scanlon

Dr. Jane Scarborough, Former Head of School, Honorary Alumna

Sheen Sehgal ’89

Dr. Beth A. Walter ’92

Gaylen Faller Westfall, Honorary Alumna

Carol Spear Williams ’57

A teacher. A coach. An act of love.

Someone in your life, past or present, recognizes your potential, inspires you to be your best self, and helps you find purpose. For many, that someone is a member of the WT community—a teacher, coach, specialist, or administrator.

We all deserve that someone. Be that someone for another.

Celebrate a teacher, classmate, or special occasion by giving the gift that actively engages and develops young minds. Your tribute gift will help provide competitive salaries, healthcare, and professional learning opportunities to the faculty and staff of WT.

Spread joy. Be that someone today.

Visit https://give.winchesterthurston.org/tribute to make your gift and send a special ecard or call 412-578-3748 to request a tribute booklet.

1939

Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Jack Wells writes, “Thank you for the invitation [to Super Reunion 2022]. I am now 100 years old, so I don't make any trips from my home here in Dallas, Texas. I do have many happy memories though and often look at my old class pictures and think about my friends. I will be with you in spirit.”

1954

Beatrice Venable Polak shares, “I worked most of my life as a social worker, working at the Department of Welfare, and at Presbyterian Hospital in New York and then at a hospital in Chicago. After that we moved to Asheville, NC and I worked with the Alzheimer's Association and ran an adult day care for people with dementia. My daughter came when we were in Chicago. She is now all grown up and has three daughters of her own. Now we all live in the Pittsburgh area in Wexford, PA. I am living in a very nice retirement community.”

1970

As part of a collaboration among WT’s City as Our CampusSM partners; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) collaborators; and our College Counseling team, students have the opportunity for career counseling from four primary disciplines: medicine, business, the arts, and humanities. Another objective is to uplift marginalized voices and highlight underrepresented individuals at WT and/or in Pittsburgh. Jane Cauley joined WT parents for a Medical Professionals Panel in December.

1972

Members of the Class of 1972 gathered at last year’s Super Reunion 2022 to celebrate their 50th Reunion. Following reunion weekend, the camaraderie continued via a Zoom gathering. In an email to classmates, Pamela Schaper Cabalka writes, “I took notes during our conversation and proceeded to go share where everyone is and what everyone has accomplished with my significant other. He was so impressed and I was so proud to speak about the personal and professional accomplishments of all of you amazing women. I was filled with a burst of pride to have known you and to have been a WT grad with all of you. How lucky are all of us to have shared that experience and to have been so supported and pushed to excel by WT!!!”

1979

Catherine Allegra was awarded the Franny Reich Lifetime Achievement Award at the Boulder Chamber Celebration of Leadership. Catherine has been leading Markit Digital since founding it as Wall Street on Demand in 1991. Markit Digital is the industry leader, providing design, development, and managed data services to the financial markets. The company moved from New York to Boulder, Colorado in 1996 and was owned by Reuters, Charles Schwab, and Goldman Sachs before being sold to Markit in 2010. Over the years, Catherine has assumed many leadership positions within Markit Digital including Chief Operating Officer, and, most recently,

Members from the Class of 1972 celebrated their 50th Reunion at Casbah following the Welcome Back Party at “Dear Old WT.” Front Row (L – R) Carolyn Cramer Sanford, Margery ‘Margie’ Mermelstein Dubner, Louise Gillespie Cannon, and Jean M. Silvestri. Back Row (L – R) Connie Wolff, Hallie Weissman Cohn, Meagan Beale, WT Trustee Susan ‘Sue’ Hunter, and Susan Reel-Panish.

Members from the Class of 1972 continued their 50th Reunion Celebration with a Zoom gathering in November. Top Row: Jane ‘Janie’ Goldstein HaasO'Donnell, Pamela ‘Pam’ Schaper Cabalka, Kimberley ‘Kim’ Adams, and Susan ‘Sue’ Hunter. Second Row: Adelaide “Heidi” Brady, Leslie McKinley, Meagan Beale, and Juliet Schor. Third Row: Hallie Weissman Cohn, Louise Gillespie Cannon, and Jean M. Silvestri. Bottom Row: Helen ‘Holly’ Clay, and Marie Lewis Conroy. Missing from photo: Carolyn Cramer Sanford, Constance ‘Connie’ Wolff, and Mary ‘Mimi’ Pivirotto Murley.

Global Head. She is passionate about creating and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation where employees are empowered to create new technologies to exceed clients’ expectations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

living there for a long, long time and am traveling full time, which has been so fun and rewarding. I love connecting with people from WT- email me at dina@ thepath.com. Sending love to everyone!”

activities, and outcomes of ArtsEmerson’s signature work in artistic and civic engagement. She also leads the artistic engagement and guest experience teams. Her current anti-racism practice builds upon a decolonization framework and embraces systems change as a key component of that work. Ronee graduated with honors from Princeton University with a degree in music, with certificates in vocal performance and theatre & dance. She has been invited to guest lecture on producing at Princeton University, CalArts, Howard University, and for American University’s graduate Arts Administration program.

1983

1996

Hannah Grannemann shares, “Brea M. Heidelberg '02 and I are in the book Business Issues in the Arts! It's a textbook for arts administration (but short and easy-to-read as far as textbooks go). Brea's chapter is on HR law in the arts, and my chapter is on starting a new nonprofit in the arts.”

2005

Tony Awards and adapted into a major motion picture for Netflix.

Illana shares, “One of the best parts of my job is that I will be working right next door to Ronee Penoi ’03, who is SUPER-fancy in her new-ish role as Director of Artistic Programming at ArtsEmerson, the major arts producing organization based in Boston...I'm beaming with pride for her! She has been producing theatre successfully for years internationally and on Broadway, and now she gets to head her own major organization! She's doing LOTS of amazing things, including a residency with the Pittsburgh Public Theatre for the new musical she's also writing. WT Theatre Alums are taking over the Boston theatre scene, together!”

1989

Dina Kaplan writes, “Hi everyone! I would LOVE to connect with classmates. I am leading a company in meditation (helping to run a tech start-up led me to mindfulness, haha) and enjoy leading retreats and an online meditation teacher training program. And I gave up my apartment in New York after

2003

In July 2021, Ronee Penoi began serving as the Director of Artistic Programming at ArtsEmerson. ArtsEmerson is the major arts producing organization based in Boston. In this role, she oversees the strategies, programs,

Ilana Ransom Toeplitz has accepted a Tenure-Track Professorship at Emerson College in Boston, where she'll be teaching Musical Theatre, Directing and New Musical Development. In addition to teaching the upperclassmen, Ilana will direct the annual musical with Emerson Stage—the first will be Kander & Ebb's Cabaret in April 2023 at Boston's famous Cutler Majestic Theatre. Ilana plans to split her time between Boston and NYC, where she will continue to develop new musicals for Broadway stages and national tours. Most recently, Ilana worked on The Prom on Broadway, which was nominated for multiple

Catherine Allegra

Edith ‘Edie’ Raphael shares, “Here's a photo from a gathering of four WT alums.” (Front row, L – R): Laurie Bushkoff and Barb Weizenbaum. (Back row L-R): Edith ‘Edie’ Raphael and Karen Berman Ross.

Dina Kaplan in Matera, Italy last August!

Hannah Grannemann with the book Business Issues in the Arts

Ronee Penoi (Photo by Amber Wilkie)]

Ilana Ransom Toeplitz outside of Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts.

2013

Max Herz is the new pregame, postgame, and intermission host for all Nashville Predators games on 102.5/106.3 The Game this season. Max graduated from Vanderbilt, and he also does playby-play and sideline reporting for Vanderbilt baseball on SEC Network+ as well as play-by-play duties for MyTV30’s Friday Night Rivals during the high school football season.

also the oldest wholesale candy company in the nation. During my time at WT, I learned what it was like to love writing and now I get to combine two aspects of my life: my sweet tooth and my passion for writing. I even wrote an article about WT’s 2022 Prom and the candy bar that Candy Favorites sponsored.

Honorary Alumna and Trustee

Ms. Holmes. We wish to amplify her legacy and the power of the arts while reinforcing relationships and building bridges within the WT community. Barb created a safe space for us to learn, empathize, and grow. We seek to ensure this deep sense of belonging is available to current and future WT students.

2017

Kayla Small shares, “I am about to be halfway through law school at The University of Michigan!”

2022

Hannah Breslford shares,

“During my last few months at WT and currently, I write for a local wholesale candy company, Candy Favorites. Honestly, I could think of nothing sweeter than reviewing candies and writing about their history. Candy Favorites is run by third-generation owner Jon Prince, a WT parent, and it is

I began attending American University last fall as a Communication Studies major. Even though I love to write about sugar, I am looking forward to exploring Washington, D.C. and writing all about the adventures I find there. From our ever-changing political climate to being stationed in our nation’s capital to all the amazing restaurants there are to try I am sure I will never run out of content. If you want to check out any of my writing or just need a little sweet pick-me-up check out our website www.candyfavorites. com. I promise you will not be disappointed, we have any candy you could dream of.”

Gaylen Faller Westfall celebrated retirements and soon-to-be retirements with colleagues who worked at WT over the years. She shared, “Cheers to the retirees and soon to be retired!” (First Row L – R): Patricia ‘Pat’ Leddy, Anne Paylor, Honorary Alumna Annie Guentner, Honary Alumna Pamela ‘Pam’ Shaw, Patti Wood Phillipi, Barbara ‘Barb’ Holmes, Honorary Alumna Gaylen Faller Westfall, and Sarah ‘Sally’ Criss Allan

Speaking of soon to be retired…

After 46 years of transforming theater and lives at WT, Ms. Barbara Whitney Holmes is retiring at the end of this school year. While it will be challenging to say goodbye, we’re grateful for all she’s done for this community. She is the living embodiment of “gentle in manner, strong in deed.”

It is clear to us that Performing Arts at WT impacts lives dramatically. We invite you to join us in celebrating her final year at WT. Through connection and camaraderie, we will demonstrate our gratitude for WT's Performing Arts program and the service of

IN MEMORIAM

The following members of the WT community will be missed by their classmates, friends, students, and colleagues. We offer sincere condolences to their families.

Jane Callomon Arkus ’46

Katharine ‘Kitty’ Bancroft ’47

Gail Wainwright Tseckares ’51

Judith ‘Judy’ Blough Wentz A’53

Nann Hegmann Cooke ’57

Louise Warrick ’60

Sally Colbaugh Marks ’61

We can’t imagine doing this without you - join us! Visit www.winchesterthurston.org/ celebrating47 to learn more. We look forward to hearing your stories and connecting with you in honor of Barb.

Thank you,

Barb’s Brigade, WT’s Performing Arts Leadership Collective

Hadley Armstrong ’09

Alisa Beverley ’06

Felix Bhattacharya ’21

Michael Booker ’12

Joshua Brelsford ’17

Owen Brelsford ’19

Peter Curtis ’08

Nia D'Emilio ’12

Ian Gould ’94

Beth Hoffman ’03

Samara Schaffer Hutman ’80

Sam Llovet-Nava ’22

Don Michael Mendoza ’06

Lara Miller ’04

AJ Molder ’19

Anne O'Dair-Holovacs ’80

Andrew Santelli ’00

Alec Silberblatt ’08

Heather Harrison Volik ’91

Gaylen Faller Westfall, Honorary Alumna

Andrew Wickerham '06

Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Lee Brinker ’70

Maurita McCollum ’88

John Carlton Gartner III ’94

Marc Ehrenreich ’98

Emily Hoffman ’06

Paul Schuler A’07

Max Herz

Hannah Brelsford

WT extends a warm welcome to these new administrators

Ewing Moussa joins WT as the Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Engagement. A graduate of Clarion University, Ewing began his professional career as their Director of Campus Recreation and also served as a University Development and Engagement Advisor.

Most recently, he was the Director of Marketing for Brookville Equipment Corporation in Brookville, PA. Ewing brings with him enthusiasm and energy that will be instrumental in strengthening the community throughout WT.

Peter Mathis, Ed.D. joins WT as the Associate Director of Middle School after having served as an administrator and teacher at other independent and charter schools in the Pittsburgh area. He earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration from Duquesne University, and a M.Ed. from George Mason University. Peter is a dedicated educator, passionate about developing authentic experiences for students where they can showcase their abilities and growth as a continuum rather than a moment in time.

Jimyse Brown ’10, Ph.D., Chair of City as our Campus, is an entrepreneur, educator, community advocate, and former athlete. She earned a Ph.D. in Community Engagement from Point Park University, a B.S. in Sports and Event Management from Shepherd University; and her M.S. degree in Business Management from the University of Nottingham. As a returning alumnus, Jimyse looks to amplify student

learning by providing unique educational opportunities and meaningful real-world experiences with leaders from academic, cultural, scientific, nonprofit, and business communities.

Alicia Ogelsby joins the Winchester Thurston community after being a high school counselor at Lower Moreland High School outside of Philadelphia and Director of School & College Counseling at Bishop McNamara in the DC-metro area. A graduate of Howard University and a daughter of educators, Alicia is thrilled to be welcomed into the thriving WT community. Alicia began her career in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety before immersing herself fully in secondary education. She is most proud of building relationships with students during a critical time in their young adult lives.

Mikaela Halaja, Director of Marketing and Communications, has a professional background in education, business, and community outreach. Most recently, she served as Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships for a local public school district. Previously, Mikaela was a Montessori teacher; prior to her career in education, she managed marketing and operations for a residential and commercial property management company. Mikaela's service work includes consulting for the Coraopolis Community Development Foundation and serving on the board of the Quaker Valley Recreation Association. Mikaela holds a B.A. in Communication from Robert Morris University.