the Courtyard
NEWS FROM DUTCHESS DAY SCHOOL
.
WINTER 2016
www.dutchessday.org
TRIBUTE
TO DDS
DDS TURNS 60
Love from the Generations
[ PAGE 6 ]
MEMORIAM
DDS ADVENTURE
GALA GLIMPSE
Brita Murray: Artist, Teacher,
and DDS Legacy
Icelandic Travel Grant
Amanda Ruhe’s Science Trek
Our 60th
Anniversary Party
[ PAGE 18 ]
[ PAGE 20 ]
[ PAGE 22 ]
Contents
3 | Tunnel Talk
Highlights of some DDS traditions
from the school year thus far
6 | DDS Memories
A tribute to the first 60 years:
Mini-memoirs by twelve members
of the DDS extended family
18 | Brita Murray: Artist,
Teacher, and DDS Legacy
In memoriam
20 | Icelandic Adventure:
Amanda Ruhe’s science trek
22 | DDS Gala & Auction
A date worth saving
23 | New Trustees
25 | New Faculty & Fun Facts
26 | Planned Giving
A man with a Plan: Jesse
Bontecou’s Investment in DDS
27 | Alumni News
32 | Calendar of Events
COVER PHOTO: Sofi Kannengiesser
and Lexi Rohan in the new spider
web climber.
Contact Us
ADMISSIONS
Christine Whiting
[email protected]
845.677.5014 ext. 15
Courtyard Staff
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Vanessa Park
EDITORS
Margaret Dreier, Gayle Fedele
WRITERS
Nancy Hathaway, Vanessa Park,
Amanda Ruhe, Eliza Thorne, various
alumni and former employees
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Diane Duffus, Little Sprig Productions,
Pat Ike, Vanessa Park, Amanda Ruhe,
Tine Whiting, additional photos
submitted by alumni and trustees,
and from the DDS archives
DESIGN
Letter from the Head of School
My association with Dutchess Day School began in 1989 when we moved
to Millbrook from New York City and my sons enrolled in 2nd grade and
kindergarten. We immediately immersed ourselves in the life of the school
with our daily rhythms ruled by the school schedule. I remember driving 4th
graders in my car to the Metropolitan in New York City, traveling to every
school in the neighborhood to cheer on DDS teams, embarrassing my boys
by picking them up with a horse trailer attached to the car, and being amazed
by the quality of plays, concerts, and studio art productions.
As I read, in this edition of The Courtyard, the memories of many who
preceeded our family and then look at today’s activities in “Tunnel Talk,” I
realize that while a lot has changed, the sense of caring, the creativity and
commitment of our teachers, and the ability of students to develop as individuals has remained intact. Dutchess Day has grown, but we still make
ample use of our property, offer creative, hands-on lessons, challenge students
to try new things, help children find their voices, establish traditions, and fail
at chasing geese off the fields.
As we prepare for a gala 60th celebration, it is fun to look back and enjoy
the stories of our early years, and it is nice to realize that we remain an
important part of our former students’ lives no matter where they travel.
I give thanks to all of those who have made this school the unique educational institution that it is today. I am confident that the tradition that they
have established will carry us forward for years to come.
Lori Ende-Skidell
PRINTING
Central Press, Millbrook, NY
www.dutchessday.org
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Nancy Hathaway
Head of School
WINTER 2016
TUNNELTALK!
Dutchess Day School is filled with traditions! Here are highlights of some of them this year....
DDS THEATER
THE PLAYS! THE PLAYS!
When people visit Dutchess Day
School and ask about theater, the
conversation might go something like
this: “Who’s in the 8th grade play?”
“The 8th graders.”
“Which ones?”
“All of them.”
“All of them?”
The same is true in 6th grade
---and 3rd as well. Every student at
DDS, the shy and the bold, the mathematicians, linguists, and athletes—
everyone—is in a play. A musical, to
be exact. Sometimes a lightbulb goes
off, a life course is changed, and an
actor is born. Other times, a student
will simply be grateful to have an
experience he or she may not have
had were getting on stage optional.
In the last 12 months, the school
has premiered the following shows:
Character Matters (3rd grade, March
2015), The Music Man (8th grade,
May 2015), and Robin Hood (6th
grade, November 2015).
In all three productions, everything
from the acting to the song and
dance numbers to the production
quality were stunning. Every cast
member, even the ones who started
out wanting a bit part with no lines
(there is no such part in any DDS
play!), had a vibrant stage presence.
Third grade teacher, Mrs. Barone,
says, “After the play, the third graders
are brand new. They gain so much
confidence during the process that they
can take on anything they set out to do.”
This year, Kiran Nandigama in 6th
grade was not sure he wanted a part at
all. He asked his teacher, Mrs. Pagano,
if he could play a tree, or maybe a rock.
Instead, he was cast as King Richard
and he did a wonderful job. Now he
says, “I learned to use my voice and be
heard.” Lauren Ben-Ezra, 6th, points
out that being in a play “improves your
character day-to-day. By being in the
role of another person, it makes it easier
to see how other people are feeling.”
The Music Man, a show with intricate
musical numbers and a demanding
acting load, dazzled the entire school
community last May. The growth from
3rd, to 6th, to 8th grades shows, year
after year. Learning how to be part of
an ensemble cast, to do one’s best
not just for personal glory but also,
and mainly, for the thrill of a team
effort carried off with brilliance, this
lesson carries over into other parts of
life. And DDS students have a confidence and presence so many youngsters don’t. We give a lot of credit to
the DDS theater tradition that leaves
no child behind.
TOP: Jaylen Thatcher, Olivia Selby, and Sofie
Morton in Robin Hood; BOTTOM: Juliet Drury,
Rio Quinn, and Bryce Hatfield as the three
little pigs in the 2015 3rd grade play.
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TUNNELTALK!
DDS ART
STICKS & STONES
The art show track record
at DDS is rather dazzling.
Art teacher, Ali Roland, makes
it a point to get student
work out into the
community as part
of an arts outreach.
Over the years, shows at
the FDR library in Hyde
Park, at the Chrysler
Building in NYC, and
throughout Dutchess
County at libraries,
banks, real estate
offices, and
gallery spaces,
have provided
a chance for
students to realize
they are “real
artists”—because they
make art. And it’s good, too.
This past December, Ms.
Roland launched a show called
Eco-Art at Montgomery Row
Exhibition Space in Rhinebeck.
The kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, and
6th grades created sustainable
and biodegradable constructions
from scrap cardboard, old barn
wood, branches, bark, stones,
dried grasses, pine cones, sand,
beans, shells and other found,
natural items.
Taja and Lina
Richardson,
grades 3 and 1.
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Gigi Goldfischer,
presents to a judge at
the 2015 science fair.
DDS SCIENCE
SCIENCE SO FAIR
The science fair tradition goes pretty far back at DDS, though it has
taken on different forms along the way. For the past seven years, the
science fair has involved the entire upper school and been a launching
pad for the Dutchess County science fair. Participation in the science fair
is optional for everyone but 6th graders, for whom it is part of their science
curriculum. 40% of students in grades 4 through 8 participated in the
last science fair, in February of 2015. For 4th graders, it’s a “warm up”—
a chance to practice even though they are not eligible to move on to the
county level. All students presented science experiments to judges, professionals from the math and science fields. Darlene Yager, Head of Upper
School, explains: “The undertaking of a project like this allows students to
investigate a subject of special interest to them, and teaches them organizational and time management skills. Creating a workable experiment,
conducting and then writing up research, creating a visual display, and
finally making an oral presentation to a judge involve skills the students
will use for years to come.” Students were judged according to a detailed
rubric that included such things as a neat, well-organized and proofread
display, knowledge of the subject, proper adherence to the scientific
process, coherent and organized oral presentation, etc. Any student who
places has the opportunity to move on to the county. Our students typically
choose to do so, and, not surprisingly, do very well. Yet another way DDS
helps students find their passion, their voice, their inner geek.
WINTER 2016
DDS LITERATURE
WE ♥ BOOKS
Books are a part of every school, but
DDS has its own special traditions when
it comes to books—sharing them, reading
them, selling them, giving them. One of the
oldest traditions is D.E.A.R., which stands
for “drop everything and read.” It happens when a class—or the whole school—
sits down all together to read silently.
This past fall, as the lower school raised
money for Heifer International through a
program called Read to Feed, there were
a few all-lower-school D.E.A.R. sessions
out in the lower school courtyard.
Another reading tradition is that of
reading buddies. Typically 3rd graders and kindergarteners pair up to
read to one another and talk about books. This practice is great for 3rd
graders who are gaining confidence as readers, and kindergarteners, most
of whom are on the continuum from pre-reader to beginning reader.
Finally, the whole community looks forward to the Dutchess Day
School book fair, usually held in early December. With the help of a
local vendor, this year Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, a temporary book
store is created at the school. In honor of the school’s 60th birthday, this
year’s book fair (on December 3 and 4) featured books from the past six
decades. On Friday night, parents could shop for gifts in the Bontecou
Gymnasium while their children enjoyed movie night, pizza, and popcorn
in the Abu-Haidar Dining Room. The time-traveling feature presentation,
Back to the Future, aligned well with this year’s book fair theme.
TOP: Jet Thorne
peeks into a book
at the book fair.
BOTTOM: Ellie Patterson
enjoys D.E.A.R time.
Estella Blue,
4th, is greeted by
the Pink Lady, aka
Mrs. Hathaway.
DDS CELEBRATIONS
60 Halloweens
So often when DDS alums stop by or
write to us, they mention their vivid
memories of Halloween. Long ago,
there was a tradition of an 8th grade
haunted house—at first set up in the
basement and later in various hallways and classrooms. Former kindergarten teacher Mrs. Rosse usually
organized a Halloween festival with
games and activities for all the students. One tradition that has remained
is the Halloween parade, in which all
of the children (and many teachers)
participate. Nowadays, we walk from
the school to the Bontecou Gymnasium
where the parade continues.
A newer tradition—only about 8 or
9 years old—is one that requires our
head of school to be a good sport…
and dress up in a costume decided
upon by the students, the Parents
Association, or some combination of
both. In years past, heads have
dressed as Charlotte, from Charlotte’s
Web, a medieval queen, a pirate,
and this year, a Pink Lady (of Grease
fame), in honor of our 1955 birthday.
Mrs. Hathaway cheerfully dressed in
poodle skirt, ankle socks, and pink
jacket to greet every student with a
morning handshake (also traditional).
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REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
DDS Memories
In these mini-memoirs, members of the DDS family—alumni/ae, former
teachers, and a previous head of school—share heartfelt stories associated
with formative experiences in a patchwork tribute to a special school.
In the Beginning
BY PAM BONTECOU ’62
I
WAS THERE ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1955, when the
new Dutchess School, as it was then known, got
started at The Red Pheasant Inn on Rt. 343 in
Millbrook. I wasn’t too happy about it, to be
honest. I liked my friends and teachers at the public
school and wasn’t sure why I had to move. But
with redistricting, it turns out I would have had to
leave the Millbrook school regardless, and attend
school in the Webutuck district. So my father,
Frederick Bontecou, and uncle, Jesse, and a few
others, decided to keep us close to home by starting up their own school right in Millbrook.
Mostly I remember what we didn’t have. We
didn’t have a playground, or organized sports, or a
dining room, or auditorium. Those first two years
at the inn, I remember a long hallway, and our two
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WINTER 2016
designated classrooms. One was for grades 1, 2,
and 3—that’s where I was, the only girl out of six
students. The bigger kids (through 6th grade at
that time) were in the other room. The door
between the two rooms was almost always open.
There were two adults. Mrs. Harris taught us
youngsters, and her husband, Mr. Harris, taught
the older students.
Probably the only memory that really sticks with
me—you know how kids are—was of hearing a girl
in the other classroom throw up. For some reason
that made a real impression on me—throwing up at
school. She was a couple years older, but we ended
up becoming friends all the way through Dutchess.
Once we moved to the Tower House, things
seemed more school-like, but it was still pretty basic
as schools go. It always felt a little like a one room
schoolhouse to me, mainly because most of our
classes back then were held in one or two rooms.
Before the school had its own pond, our teacher
Mr. Carter would walk with us across the street to
play co-ed ice hockey on a frozen pond someone in
the neighborhood let us use. That and school-wide
games of capture the flag were our main athletic
experiences. But even back then we had class plays.
In 8th grade my class performed the Pirates of
Penzance, but since we had no stage or auditorium
at the school, parents came to watch us at the
Bennett College down the road, where we were
kindly allowed to use their stage.
REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Fishing in the Pond
D
BY TIM BONTECOU ’65
UTCHESS SCHOOL SAW FIT
to graduate me in 1965 not
for any scholastic achievement, rather because they
needed to make room for the next
year’s new first graders. There was no
kindergarten, no science wing, and no
field house. We ate lunch in the history
room, the library was in the current
admissions office, and we held classes
in the old garage. The upstairs of the
central school building housed several
boarders. The athletic field was the flat
area between the pond and route 343.
It was the pond that fascinated me
as I have always loved to fish. I kept
a beat-up rod and reel in my locker and
every recess would trot down to the
pond and repeatedly lash the water
Tim Bontecou
in the vain hope that something would
revisits the DDS
miraculously attach itself to the other
pond with his fly rod.
end of my line. Nothing ever did, but
I just knew that the very next cast
would be productive.
hurry to rush back to class, gathered around. After
All of my casting often finally resulted in a very
the fish had circumnavigated the pond several
large tangle of line which of course happened when
times, he came close enough to reveal that he was a
the line was in the middle of the pond. There was
large brown trout. The handful of onlookers,
nothing to be done but sit down and untangle the
which now included several teachers wondering
mess. I was usually able to clear the bevy of knots
just before the bell rang indicating the end of recess. why we were not racing to class, audibly expressed
One day, I was reeling in the slack, untangled line their excitement. The trout was finally slid up on
the grass and dispatched. This was well before the
to secure it in preparation for heading back up the
days of catch and release practiced by me now. We
hill when something grabbed my lure. Having no
carried the unfortunate trout to the courtyard
idea what would be foolish enough to grab that
where he was measured at 18.5 inches. The fish
red and white chunk of metal, I backed slowly
went home wrapped in tinfoil and provided a wonaway from the pond edge as the line stripped off
derful dinner that evening.
the reel. From the slight elevation achieved from
I fished many more times in that pond but never
climbing uphill, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of
caught another thing, being well punished for not
the leviathan.
releasing the trout.
Several others saw the commotion and, in no
I backed slowly away from the pond edge as the line stripped off
the reel. From the slight elevation achieved from climbing uphill,
I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the leviathan.
’’
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REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Marian Percy '70 in
4th grade preparing
for a performance
with school mate
Steve Baldwin '69.
The Suffering Soldier Lesson
T
until
we reached 7th grade. In 6th grade,
Mr. John Longstaff was the history teacher.
Our classroom was down behind the
kitchen, before the art and science building was
built. There was a big kerosene heater in the middle
of the room because it was cold and snowy out.
We were studying the American Revolution.
I can still hear Mr. Longstaff telling us to take
off our shoes and socks because we were going
to run around the school in the snow! We did not
believe him. We protested long and loudly! He
had gotten permission from the parents ahead of
time for what he was going to do. He had made
a practice run beforehand and knew just how long
it would take. His intention was to show us what
the Revolutionary soldiers experienced in
December of 1776.
We removed our shoes and socks—all six of us,
including Mr. Longstaff! We went up the hill
behind the school and across past the kindergarten classroom. We ran down the hill, around
the headmaster’s house to the front of the school,
across the driveway, then back to our room.
8
HERE WERE SIX OF US IN MY CLASS
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WINTER 2016
BY MARIAN PERCY ’70
I don’t remember how long it took except that it
was too long! He had arranged to have hot
chocolate waiting for us. As we warmed up
around the heater, he read to us from soldiers’
diaries. My memory is more of an innovative
teacher than a suffering soldier!
Later, I submitted a Revolutionary War themed
pun to the Weekly Reader. Marshall Roberts,
our headmaster, was a master punster, and we
all have memories of the jokes he’d make.
He loved our jokes as much as we loved groaning
when we fell for one of his, and he encouraged
our efforts. My offering to the Weekly Reader
was published. Here it is:
Q: What did
Washington sa
yt
cowardly sold o the
ier?
A: Chicken, c
atch a Tory!
REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
The Longstaff Legacy
I
I finally got to Mr. John
Longstaff’s class. My five classmates and I had
been looking forward to that for some time. He
was one of those teachers—the kind who takes
teaching seriously, takes his students seriously, and
makes learning much cooler than we ever realized.
He was a teacher you never wanted to let down.
Before I even got to 4th
grade, I was in Mr.
Longstaff’s chess club. Not
because I was some kind of
chess genius (although my kid
brother Henry actually was).
I was in chess club because
everyone was in chess club.
Not at first, but after
Mr. Longstaff got chess club
up and rolling, it became
The Thing all throughout
school. I never did very well,
but I sure had fun.
As a teacher, Mr. Longstaff
made sure we all knew what
was important. Learning,
doing our best, and carrying
through on our commitments
and promises. When he
called me up to his desk,
I knew he was really looking at me, and seeing me.
He understood each of his students and knew how
to reach us.
History was one of his favorite subjects—his
enthusiasm was contagious. He enjoyed engaging
us Socratically, with intense and pointed questions,
always with a twinkle in his eye. I also vividly
remember learning to diagram sentences. When
it was my turn to go up to the blackboard and
diagram, it was a nervous moment for sure, but
strangely enough, I enjoyed it. I would glance at
him, seeking some sign of his approval, as he stood
on the side of our tiny classroom, tall, rather
gaunt, and extremely dignified.
Mr. Longstaff held us accountable, that’s for sure.
If one of us misbehaved or forgot our homework,
his favorite method of discipline was to get us to
N SEPTEMBER OF 1966
BY OAKLEIGH THORNE ’71
copy out stanzas of the poem “If” by Rudyard
Kipling. Looking back now, I realize his choice was
no coincidence, because that poem teaches trust,
honor, patience, self-respect, and other virtues I’m
sure Mr. Longstaff hoped to instill in us. A minor
infraction of the rules would require that we copy
out one stanza (8 lines) of the four stanza poem.
More serious crimes required
writing out the whole thing—
all 32 lines, all 4 stanzas.
I wrote out the whole poem
16 times before Christmas….
When we came back
from break that year,
Mr. Longstaff was not
waiting for us in the classroom. The headmaster’s wife,
Mrs. Roberts, was there to
teach us. It turned out that
our favorite teacher had been
fighting leukemia, and finally
succumbed. The shock and
Oak Thorne
grief we all felt was overshows the
whelming. I guess we each
tiny room that
once fit six
processed it in our own way,
fourth graders.
but the class and the school
were deeply affected by the
loss of a great teacher. My
parents reminded me to write a note to Mr.
Longstaff’s parents, which I did. I also attended the
funeral in Amherst, MA with three of my schoolmates and Mr. and Mrs. Roberts. I will never forget
meeting his parents, who had lost their son, just
35 years old. They remembered my note, and it
meant so much to them. Their gratitude taught me
the value of that kind of human decency—the importance of even small gestures at times of hardship.
But looking back, as I often do, I am struck again
and again by Mr. Longstaff’s sheer commitment to
education. In what he knew was his last year of
life, he chose to deal with us—a bunch of kids trying to figure things out. He was there to help us,
and his death, as sad as it was, made our journey
seem so much more meaningful than it ever had
before. It was meaningful to him. And so were we.
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REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Remembering Dutchess Day
I
HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES from
my years at Dutchess Day School (1968-1974),
and I wondered how I would pick just one.
I could reminisce about amazing people like
Mrs. Percy, an extraordinary educator who nurtured my interest in both science and Latin. Then
there was Mr. Murphy who introduced me to team
sports and the exhilaration of interscholastic competition. I could speak endlessly about Mr. and Mrs.
Roberts who embraced me as if I were family. They
made it possible for my father to drop me at school
early in the morning before his daily commute to
New York City or Albany, and they cared for me
long after the school day ended. Because I arrived
so early, Mr. Roberts gave me the responsibility
of raising the flag outside the main building, and
then I would join the boarding students and resident faculty for breakfast. I could also highlight the
creativity exhibited by both students and teachers on
Larry Cohen
in 8th grade.
BY LARRY COHEN ’74
Sartorial Splendor Day, when faculty and students
alike dressed outrageously. I cherish all of my
enduring memories of DDS—the open classroom
format, the welcoming and comfortable library that
became my window to the world, field day, capture
the flag, and sledding on the hill.
I decided to focus on morning assembly
which may seem like an unusual selection for a
personal memory. Assembly is where Mr. Roberts
introduced us to Jonathan Livingston Seagull by
Richard Bach, an inspiring story about personal
development and pursuing our dreams: “We can
lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves
as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill.
We can learn to be free! We can learn to fly!”
Assembly is also where Mr. Roberts asked,
“Who remembered to say rabbit?” He told us
that if “rabbit” was our first word on the first day
of the month, then we would have good luck for
the entire month. I always woke
up on the first of the month, said
rabbit, and smiled, thinking about
the good fortune ahead. You might
be surprised that forty years later I
still say rabbit on the first of the
month. I introduced this tradition
to my family, and we send group
texts on the evening of the last day
of the month reminding each other
to welcome the next month’s
rabbit and highlighting birthdays,
anniversaries, and milestone events
to celebrate in the coming month.
As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Dutchess Day School and
remember our shared experiences
at this special place, I hope you
will join me in looking forward to
the wondrous possibilities of the
next sixty years and say “rabbit.”
…forty years later I still say rabbit on the first of the month.
I introduced this tradition to my family, and we send group texts on
the evening of the last day of the month reminding each other….
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’’
WINTER 2016
REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Harmony and Momentum—
DDS Hallmarks Then and Now
BY ANDREW MCLAREN, FORMER HEAD OF SCHOOL
I
ARRIVED AT DDS IN 1973, more than forty years
ago. It was an amazing place—with one of its
greatest wonders being the generosity of its
founders. “Jesse Bontecou comes in every June
30,” said Mary Irwin, combined book-keeper and
school backbone, “and asks me how much?” How
much, she explained, was the difference between
expenses and income. Jesse would write a check for
exactly that amount and the books would balance.
What an arrangement!
Unfortunately, Jesse was far too wise for this to
continue. It was time for the school to stand on its
own feet, he said. This meant, for starters, that we
had to save money where possible. Miss Irwin had
an apartment in the school, across the courtyard
from the head’s house. “You left the lights on all
night again,” she would say.
We also had to increase enrollment. There were
sixty-five students when I arrived and two basic
strategies for getting more of them. One was to set
up bus routes to Poughkeepsie and elsewhere. The
other was to court families with multiple children!
Just the Curtises, the Di Carpegnas, and the Scotts
represented a combined 15% enrollment increase!
Perfect!
Everyone worked together. Parents, faculty, and
board engaged in a joint venture to put DDS on
the map. Many contributed in countless ways.
I remember Philip Benkard flying me to Boston to
meet with Seymour Papert, the great pioneer of
technology in the classroom, after which we
acquired a couple of computers that had the combined firepower of maybe a thousandth of a smartphone—but we could not have been more excited!
I remember Oakleigh Thorne saying: “If you’ll do
me the favor of letting me manage building the new
gym and tennis court, I’ll happily pay for it.”
I love doing people favors like that!
At the end of the day, of course, a school is not
about buildings, but about teachers and students.
Back then, DDS was unabashedly progressive and
child-centered with open classrooms and integrated
Andrew Maclaren
in a hot air balloon
in Cappadocra,
Turkey, 2014.
days—but, as Farnham Collins and Alex Ewing,
president and vice president of the board of trustees,
took me aside one day to point out, we also needed
to pull our socks up in terms of secondary school
placement. “No problem!” said the faculty, and kids
started getting into all the top schools—which led
me to realize that great teachers are neither progressive nor traditional—they are simply great teachers.
What else? I remember trying to chase Canada
geese off the playing fields with a golf club—possibly the definition of frustration. I remember the
redoubtable Mr. Whalen (“Wayo” to my children)
letting me mow the lawns with the big gang mowers
behind the tractor. That was fun! I remember young
teachers, now retired, and hundreds of children,
all of whom are now far older than I was then.
I remember not having a clue what I was doing
a lot of the time, but loving a community that was
greater than the sum of its parts, one which happily
made up for my or anyone else’s failings. If the
phrase had existed back then, we would have said
we had each other’s backs. It was a great, great
feeling. In fact, in twenty-five more years as a school
head it never got better than that.
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REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Michael Reid
handles dismissal
some time
in the 1980s.
Halloween Horror
B
BY MICHAEL REID, FORMER TEACHER
was
inexplicably moved to regular school
daytime hours, Halloween was a time
of excitement at Dutchess rivaled in frenzied activity only by the lead-up to the Christmas
holiday. Students decorated the rooms and
dreamed up outlandish costumes that were mostly
created by the children themselves rather than
parentally purchased. The school day was itself
happily chaotic, but what happened after dark
was what everyone anticipated.
Andrew McLaren, headmaster, made himself
up to look like a grisly Boris Karloff type. From
his lofty position on the old stage, in the old dining
room, he supervised some games, such as balloon
stomping, three-legged races, racing with eggs in
spoons. He told horrific tales of murder and mayhem, and strange beasts, one called a Wendigo.
EFORE THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION
Most exciting: the tunnel’s chamber of horrors,
prepared with great care and imagination by the
current crop of 8th graders. Throughout the length
of that dark and gruesome cavern down in the
basement came the screams of terrified and delighted younger children who somehow managed to
survive, without any losses as far as anyone knows,
the monsters that leapt out at them from their
secret lairs. Spaghetti was used in ways that
Ronzoni and Mueller had never dreamed. Jelly
and ketchup had unusual roles, too.
That horrible night of the dead, goblins and
ghosts brought to action by clever students with
some of art teacher Brita Murray’s artistry, eventually
drew to a close. Parents returned to pick up their
shaken children, and in a few days, school resumed,
an almost normal place once again. But for some,
the basement tunnel would never be quite the same.
Throughout the length of that dark and gruesome cavern down
in the basement came the screams of terrified and delighted
younger children who somehow managed to survive….
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REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Thank You Letter
D
EAR DUTCHESS DAY SCHOOL,
BY TIMONEY O’BRIEN DUNLAP ’88
I cannot
thank you enough for all that you have
given to me. On my first day of 4th
grade, and through my five years at DDS,
I was welcomed, encouraged, challenged, and
respected. Thank you for providing me with a
home and, most importantly, a family.
You were not only the actual home of
my close friends the Murrays and then the
Van Leeuwens, whose dads were heads of the
school, but you were also a place whose smells
and sounds are still ingrained in my memory.
Today, as I pack lunches each morning for my
own children, I'm ever so grateful for your
healthy, home-cooked meals shared family
style with teachers and students.
Dutchess Day School, you were always able
to provide us with the appropriate amount of
challenge, and the skills to overcome obstacles.
Who would imagine 4th graders listening to
the W.W. Jacobs’ story,
“The Monkey’s Paw,” and
then creating a screenplay
for it and acting it out?
Mr. Homer Richards
gave us this most amazing
experience. He taught me
to see the world through
my own eyes and with
my own heart.
I thank you for the
space to grow and the
teachers to lean on through
the awkward and scary
time that is adolescence.
Mr. Gary Kramer provided
us with tools which I still
use as I reflect upon my
day, honestly rate and
share my emotions, and
stand strong in my beliefs.
He taught us to respect
ourselves and those around
us, while helping us develop
an understanding of and
respect for the natural world.
I thank you, DDS, for the chance to adopt
a tree, to learn math at my own pace, to have
campouts, to go on a whale watch and to the
Herkimer “diamond” mine, and to create a
horror movie in the basement. Something I brag
about most is our Friday afternoon ski trips.
Thank you! For letting me grow up on skis, for
that independence and confidence and, possibly,
bit of cockiness.
All that said, Dutchess Day School, I am most
grateful for the people. To this day, I hold my
classmates, teachers, and friends close to me.
I just recently had dinner with my best friend
since 4th grade and her parents. And as I write
this, I smile for the friendship I still share with
Ms. Vanessa Park, while I cringe a little about
her reading my underused writing skills!
So, again, thank you, Dutchess Day School.
You truly are a special, one-of-a-kind place.
Timoney first
row, right.
THE COURT YARD
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REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Magic
BY MARTA GARCIA, FORMER TEACHER
For me, Dutchess Day will always be representative of what elementary
education should be and so rarely achieves. I remember first getting to know it
as a parent, after a very unsuccessful transition school when we moved back to the
States. The challenging but nurturing environment was one that really attracted
me, and when an opportunity to return to teaching presented itself and I was
offered the 3rd grade desk, I really felt that I had come back to one of my life’s
happiest times.
I remember dedicated, imaginative, and extraordinary teachers/colleagues who
became close and treasured friends. I remember the tunnel, the hill, sledding in
the winter, and laughing in the dining room, but mostly I remember magic. The magic
of fractions, and Indian tools, story time with a bear, a professor, or a princess
on my lap; the magic of planning battles against a dragon, or space travel; of
the moment when “Colorado” made sense because of the color of the mountains;
the magic of long division,
or a clean and organized desk;
of countless “aha moments.”
I left DDS more than
25 years ago but I’ve had the
privilege of reconnecting
with a number of my students
and am so pleased and
honored to call them friends
now and to think I may have
played but a small role
in the exceptional people
they have become. They
certainly helped make me
what I am today!
Marta, Associate VP of
Development at Georgia Tech,
at the annual holiday bash.
The challenging but nurturing environment was one that really
attracted me, and when an opportunity to return to teaching presented itself…I had come back to one of my life’s happiest times.
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REMEMBERING
Gary Kreamer carries
pond samples back to the
school with 7th graders,
Daniel McLean, Olivia
Nottebohm, and Shireen Ali
(members of class of ’91).
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Twig Detective, First Class
F
LASH BACK TO THE 1980S.
Tail end of
winter. My 4th grade science class is all
revved up from one of the year’s highlights—tapping maple trees in the schoolyard, boiling down the sap to make syrup, and
enjoying the fruits of their labors poured over ice
cream home-made with the help of their teacher
Mrs. Pfiefer. We’ve invited Mrs. Rosse and her
kindergarteners to join us, and they are all in for
the experience.
The maple-sugaring was part of our year-round
tree-centered curriculum in 4th grade science. Apple
cidering in fall, leaf-pressing with Mrs. Murray in
art, writing and drawing observations in journals
on adopted trees throughout the year. All infused
and embellished with those wonderfully enthusiastic, eager-to-learn, brimming-with-energy-andgood-humor qualities that so characterize children
at that time in their lives.
Between wintry maple syruping and all the
getting-out-to-observe-new-life-sprouting in spring
is a slow time for tree studies. One year, to bridge
the gap, I gathered twigs from various tree species
around the schoolyard, and engaged students in a
lab exercise that challenged them to discover which
twigs came from which trees by close-up studies of
BY GARY KREAMER, FORMER TEACHER
the buds, leaf scars, and other features. By week’s
end the class learned much, so to assess their
mastery, I gave the children their first lab practical:
twig specimen stations placed around the lab, with
students rotating through them answering questions
that tested their knowledge and observational skills.
All passed with flying colors. In reward for their
efforts, there was a special ceremony. Each student
was called up, anointed with a touch to head from
the “magic twig,” and given a wallet-sized card
identifying him or her as Twig Detective First Class.
A somewhat silly, but somehow fitting,
culmination to the unit.
Fast forward to 2006. Fifteen years removed
from my DDS days, I was back at school for a
special 50-years of DDS reunion celebration. It was
wonderful to touch base with long-lost students,
the young faces I remembered now all grown up.
They were embarked on their own successful
career paths. A striking young woman, who I
recognized as Ann Bernard ’96, approached me,
pulled out her wallet, and extracted a somewhat
tattered, homemade-looking piece of paper tucked
in amongst all the glossy plastic. She held it up and
said, “Mr. K, my Twig Detective’s license has
expired. I need to get it renewed.”
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REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
Ice Skating
BY KIT ALDRICH ’90
Kit Aldrich, third
from the right, with
her classmates in
8th grade, 1990.
I
HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF ATTENDING DDS
from 1987 to 1990. These were, likely, the
most awkward years of my life—as they are for
most of us. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do: to
be the new kid in a 6th grade class that had a total
of six students. At my local public school up to
that point I had not been doing well academically.
DDS offered me a completely new world of education: one where teachers could be true mentors. It
was during this time in my life that I came to love
learning and found my voice. There are many snapshots in my mind as I sort through memories from
that time—in particular, all the field trips. It seems
that there were quite a lot: Nature’s Classroom every
fall, whale watches in the spring…. I have a vivid
memory of Mr. K taking the five girls from our class
on a trip to the Boston Science Museum for a special
“girls in science” trip where we got to sleep in the
museum. Clearly, the teachers went above and
beyond to foster our individual love of learning.
There is one memory that is particularly powerful
to me, still, after three decades. As they still do, every
Friday, during the winter, classes ended at noon so
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that many students could go skiing.
Almost the entire upper school, and
some lower school students, left on a
bus. I believe that I was, or almost
was, the only upper school student at
the time who declined to go skiing on
those Fridays. Years before, my older
brother had a ski accident that made
him a quadriplegic in an instant. No
one in my family felt like skiing after
that. By the time I got to DDS not skiing was part of who I was. There was
no way I was getting on that bus on
winter Fridays. It’s so funny to think
about it now, all these years later. As
an adult, it’s not a big deal to make
such a decision. No one cares that I’m
not a skier. I don’t even think about it,
really. But as a pre-teen, it was a really
big, awkward, stressful, and highly
emotional deal to me.
It was super dorky and weird to
be the loser who didn’t get on that cool skiing bus.
I was fully aware of the fact that it was possibly
social suicide. What saved me from complete middle school despair was the sweetness of my “alternative” Friday afternoons. With the full support
and love of a very understanding faculty, I joined
the littlest students on their winter ice-skating outing at the Millbrook School ice rink.
I loved it. Everything about those ice-skating
outings was perfect. I could help the little ones tie
their skates and stand upright. I felt like I was doing
something wintery and fun. I was supported by
my awesome teacher-mentors. And I didn’t have
to ski. Developmentally, the middle school age
(we now call “tweens”) is marked by the opposition
of childhood and adolescence. So here I was, caught
in between those two worlds, often unready or
unwilling to embrace the horrifying idea of my
adolescent future. But on those Friday afternoons I
could just enjoy the sweetness of childhood. I credit
the school, those teachers in particular, for supporting my choice and honoring my voice when I was
just beginning to find it.
REMEMBERING
1955
DDS
2015
60 YEARS
Tribute to the First
The Black Locust
BY SHANE KNAPP ’01
Near the western corner of the school there used to stand a gigantic black locust.
It was a majestic and imposing tree that commanded your attention as soon as you
stepped foot on the campus. During the day the tree stood silently by to guard
the school. At the end of the day it saw the children off, but it was at night that
the tree was celebrated. Every nighttime event featured the locust lighted up,
showcased as though it were a performance itself. The lighted locust gave a special
feeling to evenings when the community gathered for recitals, plays, and dances.
I developed a sentimental attachment to that tree early on. When it was time
to adopt a tree in Ms. Duffus’s 4th grade science class, there was no question—I
needed that tree. I remember how proud I was that it became my adopted tree and
that feeling lasted well beyond 4th grade.
There are eleven years’ worth of pictures of my sister and me with our parents,
grandparents, and friends in front of that tree. It was a gathering place for us
after events like special friends’ day, field day, and graduation. The tree is now
gone, but thinking of it still gives me warm memories of DDS.
Shane, 5th grade,
reading to
young friends.
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■ DDS MEMOIR
Brita Murray
Artist, Teacher, and DDS Legacy by Vanessa Park
For her 35-year career at Dutchess Day School, Brita Murray held open
a very particular door. It was the door into a magical, inspiring world called
ART and, starting in 1966, Mrs. Murray ushered students through it with
warmth, humor, and love. Even before there was an art room, art happened—
for years she held classes in the basement of the head’s house!
Generations of students remember Mrs. Murray reigning benevolently in whatever art room there
was at the time, in her splattered
smock, smiling from behind big
glasses. Creativity was a cherished
principle in her classes, and every
student was encouraged to follow
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his or her artistic heart. But there
were three things she insisted on: 1.
Never say “I’m bad at art” 2. Do
not use violent imagery in artwork
done at school 3. Put your name
on the lower right corner of everything you make (or on the bottom
of anything made of clay).
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Her two sons, Gordon ’74 and
Lars ’78, attended Dutchess Day
School, and Brita’s extended family
included the entire faculty and
every student she ever taught. After
she retired, whenever I would visit
her, I admired the artwork from
former DDS students, prominently
displayed throughout the house.
I’d pick up a clay form or point to
a framed watercolor and she’d tell
me who the artist was and what
grade he or she was in when it was
made. Then I’d hear a story about
it. What happened the day it was
created, or what lesson, artistic or
otherwise, was learned in its making. She remembered all the students she ever taught, what year
they graduated, and what artistic
masterpieces each had created
while under her tutelage.
Brita’s classroom, remembers
Oakleigh Thorne ’71, was “a safe
place.” Such a tribute is significant.
For many students, making art
can be scary and feel like a risk.
They worry they are “not good at
it” and hesitate to try. At DDS we
strive to make learning and intellectual and artistic risk-taking feel
safe and exciting. As an early and
profound influence on the school’s
formation, Brita is part of why that
is such a fundamental principle for
our teachers to this day.
Lucy Knisley ’99 says this about
Mrs. Murray: “She was a powerful
and inspirational artistic force,
and perhaps the first art teacher to
believe in me, and to convey that
making art is important. I have
very fond memories of making art
under her care in the DDS studio,
and will never forget her enthusiasm and kindness in shaping me as
a working artist.” Lucy is now a
successful author of seven graphic
novels and memoirs.
The Dutchess Day School community grieved upon learning that
Brita Murray died on December
25, 2014, just over a year ago.
As her sons explained, “her death
came after a short battle in a long
war against Multiple Sclerosis.”
A memorial service held for her at
Dutchess Day School was packed
with people who knew Brita, from
students to family members to
friends. The Quaker style service
allowed many who wished to share
stories to leave everyone with a
better understanding of a woman
greatly loved and hugely missed.
I Think of Her: Tribute | by Trevor Williams ’97
Brita Murray taught art at Dutchess Day School for all nine years that I attended. Aside from my own father, Brita was my first art teacher and left a profound
impact upon me and my career. I am now a working artist living in Portland,
Oregon, and it would be no exaggeration to say that I think of Brita and her
words every day.
Brita was experienced—there was no question. Even as a small child I knew
that she had already made hundreds of pieces with those weathered hands,
smeared paint on those smocks herself for years, and instructed generations
before me. The evidence of work and creativity was all over her and her space,
the art room, which I loved.
However, despite my affinity for drawing and my love for art class, I never felt
as though Brita was overly impressed with me or my work. I would hear her
praise the other pieces as she circled the room every day, examining each one
for a moment before offering suggestions, typically encouraging and always
fair. But when she finally came to me, her eyes narrowed a bit and her tone
would turn more serious. She seemed to pause a bit longer with my work,
adjusting her glasses, stepping away and then moving within inches to see the
marks. All of this made me nervous because the longer she paused, the more
problems she eventually identified. I'm sure she complimented me just as
much as the other students over the years, but it always felt like she was being
hard on me. In hindsight I realize that she was building a strong foundation for
the born artist within me. Making art is not easy, not even a little bit; the
process is always hard and Brita knew I needed to learn that lesson above all
else before I graduated. She was successful, and I like to think Brita helped
make me tough enough to become an artist.
Art class was about work and respect, not just fun as most kids viewed it. It
wasn’t a break from learning, it was learning. I took it seriously because she
did. I respected her opinion and the fact that she singled me out to challenge.
I knew at the time that she was interested in me and wanted to push me. That
meant the world.
Finally, I constantly think of her very basic and adamant demand that all students sign and date all of their pieces. All of them. No question. I never understood why she would get so upset when I forgot, or didn't want to because I didn't like what I had made. Now I see that this may have been her most valuable
lesson of all: own what you make. Put your name on it. Date it so you know who
you were that day, good or bad. That has stayed with me and I think of her
every time I finish a piece, signing and dating it with pride.
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At Solheimajokull glacier
looking at ice crystals with
trip leader, Jay Fleisher.
■ DDS ADVENTURE
Icelandic GeoVenture
I
have always been interested
in the past and how the world
works. Until last summer,
I focused my exploration on
the Hudson Valley. Through the
generosity of the Andrea Archer
travel grant, I was able to take a
leap across the ocean and spend
two amazing weeks in the company
of like-minded individuals
gallivanting around Iceland.
The trip was organized by a
retired geology professor from
SUNY Oneonta and presented by
the Geological Society of America.
For twenty years, the group leaders
have studied glaciology in both
Iceland and Alaska and developed
a trip to share their knowledge and
experience with educators.
Twenty-six of us met in
Reykjavik early on a Monday
morning in July, fresh off the
red-eye. We were all there to be
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inspired by the wondrous landscape, enrich our understanding of
earth science, and collect amazing
stories and photographs to share
back home.
ARCHAEOLOGY
On the first day, we visited an
archaeological site. Underneath
Reykjavik are the ruins of one
of the first longhouse settlements
in Iceland from before 871AD.
After a lunch of langoustine
(a small spiny lobster) soup and a
circuit around the city, I ended my
day with a photograph of myself at
10:30 p.m. with the sun yet to set.
THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
The first few travel days took us to
the Golden Circle, a region of geologic hotspots close to Reykjavik.
Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge where the North American
WINTER 2016
by Amanda Ruhe
and Eurasian plates meet. Being on
the ridge, along with the existence
of a hotspot in the mantle, causes
interesting and exciting locations
for geologists. Geysers, volcanoes,
rifts, fissures, and thermal pools
can all be found within a day’s
drive of the capital. The rest of
the trip took us around the Ring
Road, or Highway 1...the only
highway in the country! We took
many detours to look at rockslides,
hanging valleys, and waterfalls
along the way.
Þingvellir is a rift valley where
continental plates meet. This location also has historic significance
because it is the location of the
first meeting of the chieftains
which led to the formation of the
parliament of Iceland. Geysir is
the location of many geysers and
is credited for the name of the phenomenon. The most active geyser is
called Strokkur. It erupted many
times while we were there. We also
saw Gullfoss, a waterfall that
uniquely shows layers of volcanic
and sedimentary deposition and
demonstrates how differently they
erode when being pounded by thousands of gallons of water every day.
GLACIERS
The element of the trip I most
looked forward to was seeing glaciers up close. I didn’t get a chance
to actually stand on top of one, but
I was able to hike over moraines,
eat lunch near a kettle, take a boat
in a glacial contact lake, and taste
an iceberg! There is no photograph
that conveys the drastic temperature drop close to a glacier, the
sound that the water makes as it
percolates through the ice, or the
sheer vastness of the height and
width of one of these behemoths.
WATERFALLS & TOPOGRAPHY
The rocks that form Iceland may
be millions of years old, but in
geologic time it is one of the newer
places on our planet. It is a perfect
place to look back in time to what
geologic processes elsewhere once
looked like. The land is full of waterfalls that constantly shape the landscape. An island full of volcanoes
covered in ice lends itself to many
opportunities for flowing water.
Iceland boasts the largest waterfall
by volume in Europe, Detifoss,
which we saw after driving through
the high desert in an area that could
‘‘
A glacial contact
lake, with icebergs
in the background.
THERE IS NO PHOTOGRAPH THAT CONVEYS
THE DRASTIC TEMPERATURE DROP CLOSE TO
A GLACIER, THE SOUND THE WATER MAKES
AS IT PERCOLATES THROUGH THE ICE...
only be described as looking like
the surface of the moon.
THE CULTURE & MUSEUMS
Iceland is a nation that has beautiful landscapes and plenty of sheep,
but is limited when it comes to certain resources. The people are conscious of the environment and most
of the energy used in the country
comes from the plethora of geothermal activity below the surface.
We took advantage of one of the
thermal pools. We also took a tour
of a geothermal plant and got up
close and personal with some very
smelly and sulfury fumaroles.
We didn’t spend the entire trip
’’
looking at rocks and ice. We visited
a settlement museum, a Viking
museum, a herring museum, a
tannery, and a wool factory. Who
knew that fish skin can be made
into leather or that wool can be
woven into sweaters on a machine
that looks like a computer printer?
This trip was an unforgettable
encounter with the wonders
of the planet. I will be forever
grateful to Dutchess Day School
for the opportunity to travel to
such an amazing place. I hope
my fifth graders will be inspired
by the photographs and anecdotes
I share with them when we begin
earth science.
ABOVE: Gullfoss waterfall; RIGHT: Pingvellir—standing in a crevice on the Eurasian plate with the North American plate in the distance.
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Celebrating 60—
GALA & AUCTION
Saturday, April 30, 2016 at
Thorndale Farm in Millbrook, New York
By Eliza Thorne ‘91
What is everyone talking about as our 60th birthday year unfolds? A party, of course!
A party to honor the 60 years of Dutchess Day School’s existence. In 1955, the school opened its doors and began its mission
to lay a groundwork of strong academics while nurturing the whole child. Today, the school is thriving. We have full enrollment, an
amazingly dedicated and talented team of teachers, and a support staff that is second to none. This year we have something
worth celebrating indeed. We rejoice at how far we have come while anticipating the future needs of our students.
I am excited to co-chair the event with Deb Domber. We are fortunate to be supported by a tireless team of parent volunteers.
This year’s gala and auction will be held nearby at my childhood home, Thorndale Farm. Nine members of my family are DDS alums,
current students, or have served on the board, so it seemed fitting to offer the space for the school’s biggest celebration to date.
Join us on April 30, 2016 for an unforgettable evening!
Festivities.
The event will not disappoint! The evening will begin with a cocktail reception complete with signature cocktails created with Peony
Vodka, DDS parent Leslie Farhangi’s new vodka brand. Following the festive cocktail hour, which will provide time to peruse the
extensive silent auction, a delicious farm-to-table dinner will be served under the rafters in Thorndale’s antique sheep barn. The
festivities will be punctuated by wonderful local music and will end with an exciting live auction featuring one-of-a-kind items and
experiences.
Modern bidding.
Once again we will use ClickbidTM, an online bidding site, so bring your smartphones and be ready for some friendly competition
with your fellow bidders.
Think in terms of a table of friends.
There will be opportunities to put together tables of people important to you and significant in your experiences with the school.
Alums please think about getting in touch with fellow classmates ahead of time to coordinate a special group. (FYI, there will be
an alumni open house the day before the gala if you are in town….) Past parents, gather old friends and reminisce as you support
the school that started it all for your child(ren). We hope our parents, as well as teachers old and new, friends, community members,
and the Dutchess Day board of trustees will all be in attendance.
Funds raised.
The proceeds of this historic event will contribute in part to one of the biggest capital projects ever—the renovation of the upper gym,
which will include room for the relocation of the music and theater department. With that move, much needed space will open up in
our main building, allowing the school to launch into the next 60 years with the room it needs.
APRIL 30, 2016. A DATE WORTH SAVING. SEE YOU THERE!
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NEWTRUSTEES
MARCO BELLIN joined the
Dutchess family in 2011 when
his older daughter, Christina,
entered as a kindergartener.
Now the father of two DDS
daughters (Christina, 4th, and
Grace, 1st), he joins the board of
trustees. Marco’s commitment to
educational nonprofits includes
a previous stint on the board of
the Stanton Street Settlement, a
non-profit that provides afterschool programs for underserved
students in Manhattan. He is also
the founder and previous executive
director of Science, Technology,
and Teaching, Inc., a non-profit
that offers science programs to
3rd graders in the New York City
public schools. As vice-president
of Education Readspeak, Inc., an
educational company focused on
language acquisition, Marco was
responsible for developing markets
and products using a patented
technology. After selling the business in 2002, Marco owned and
operated Elephant Hill Organic
Farm. As founder and current
CEO of Blindcut.com, Marco
provides privacy internet service
and encrypted email, protecting
internet users from big data analytics and other personal intrusions. Marco says, “I would never
have considered raising my
DDS New Trustee Profiles
by Vanessa Park
children in Millbrook if it weren’t
for Dutchess Day School. It is a
beacon for those looking for a
better quality of life without sacrificing their children’s education.”
As Parents Association president, ODARIA FINEMORE joins
the board for one year. Odaria
received her BA from the
University of Sydney, Bachelor
of Laws from the University of
Technology, and a Masters of
Environmental Law from Pace.
As a lawyer in Sydney, Australia,
Odaria specialized in industrial
relations, environmental and
corporate law.
Arriving in New York thirteen
years ago with young children,
Odaria stepped into the nonprofit sector. She has been involved
with a number of school boards
since then. She has worked for
the National Football League
and advised small island states
on policy matters relating to water
management, trans-boundary
water issues, food law, international environmental law, and
climate change.
Odaria and her husband are
big fans of Dutchess Day School.
Their three children, Olivia ’12,
Connor ’14, and Isabel, 7th
grade, benefitted from its many
programs. “The supportive nature
of the teachers and students is a
big part of what I love about
DDS,” Odaria says.
MARION DE VOGEL brings her
impressive energy and talents
to the board. A Florida native,
Marion’s first career was in
luxury brand management at
Tiffany & Co. Next, she headed
North American marketing and
communications at Hermès,
then moved to the Richemont
Group to oversee marketing and
communications for Montblanc.
In 2004, Marion was named
president of the designer jewelry
company, Slane & Slane.
After moving upstate in 2010
to pursue her passions as a
competitive equestrian, fox hunter,
and saltwater angler, she began a
clothing design business. Marion
still designs elegant, functional
fashions for stores in California.
More recently, Marion has taken
up videography, capturing the
elegant world of fox hunting.
With two films to her credit,
what started as a hobby has
become a business. Marion is in
her second, three-year term on
the board of McKee Botanical
Garden in Vero Beach, FL.
After a day spent shadowing
a 7th grader last October, Marion
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NEWTRUSTEES
commented that she was “fascinated
by each teacher’s diverse lesson
preparation. The small classes
enabled teachers to interact with each
student several times throughout the
40 minutes together. The students
participated actively in class discussions. I was impressed and wished
my educational experience had been
like that offered at DDS.”
Currently running for Congress
from New York’s 19th congressional district, ANDREW HEANEY joins
our board eager to share
his energy and acumen. Shortly
after graduating from Yale, he
became the president of a division
of his family’s heating oil business.
Andrew grew the small cooperative, Heating Energy Affordable
Today (HEAT), into the largest
heating oil buying group in
the United States, representing
heating oil users in eleven states.
At twenty-five, Andrew was named
to Crain’s New York Business: 40
under 40, one of the youngest to
receive that distinction. When he
was twenty-seven and still running
his business, he put himself through
Harvard Business School, graduating in the top 10% of his class.
Throughout his career Andrew
has actively represented the interests of residential heating oil and
propane consumers in the media,
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Albany, and Washington. Andrew
is a volunteer firefighter in
Millbrook, and has coached for
sports leagues. He has completed
twelve marathons, one UltraMarathon and one half Ironman
triathlon, and was a founding
member of Fred’s Team which
raises money for cancer research
at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
He is a member of the Executive
Committee of the Silver Shield
Foundation which helps pay
educational costs for children of
law enforcement officers who have
fallen in the line of duty, and is a
member of the Council on Foreign
Relations. Andrew has two
children enrolled at Dutchess Day,
Emmeline in 4th and John in
kindergarten. He reports that “the
children are so happy at DDS that
it seemed only right that I join the
board as a way of saying thanks.”
In light of JOHN QUARTARARO’s
long association with the school,
it is fitting that he join the board.
John was an initial investor and
senior partner at Merlin Securities,
a mid-tiered prime broker. From
launch through the sale of the firm
to Wells Fargo, he was a member
of the executive committee and
responsible for sales, marketing,
and a number of strategic growth
initiatives. After the firm’s
WINTER 2016
acquisition by Wells Fargo, John
served as Managing Director and
co-head of sales at Wells Fargo
Prime Services. Prior to Merlin,
John was a Senior Managing
Director at London based Citigate
Group/Incepta Plc, a business consultancy focused on global financial
services companies.
John has a BA in political science
and pre-law from the University of
Richmond. A parent of four, John’s
oldest three children are graduates
of Dutchess Day School: JB ’07,
Elizabeth ’09, and Ava ’14.
Stefan is currently in 7th grade.
John continues a Quartararo
legacy at DDS. He has early memories of his father serving on the
board in the 70s and 80s. He says,
“Both my brothers attended the
school, so the family has always
been involved one way or another.
Father’s commitment to Dutchess
set an important precedent. When
my first two children enrolled, my
brother Paul was a trustee. Now
it’s my turn. When you find something this special, you don’t dare
leave it unattended or open to the
winds of chance. Being a trustee is
my way of ensuring that the school
not only survives, but maintains its
status in the community.”
VICKY LOVE SALNIKOFF brings her
strong background in the arts and
arts administration to her position
on the DDS board. Prior to establishing Love Fine Art, Inc. in 1994,
she was director of the Elkon
Gallery in New York, and later
Associate at the Nohra Haime
Gallery. Love Fine Art is a consulting company that provides advisory
services to private collectors and
corporations in the market for
contemporary art. Since 1994 she
has grown her company from a
start-up to a multi-million dollar
organization. Vicki has a BA in art
history from Colgate and an MA in
arts administration from NYU. Her
NEWTRUSTEES
commitment to independent school
education began with her own
experiences at Taft. She is still
active as a class agent and reunion
chair at her alma mater. She has
served on the board of the
■ FUN (HISTORICAL) FACTS
Skowhegan School of Painting and
Sculpture since 1995, and is a
member of the boards of the
Millbrook Hunt and the Millbrook
Golf and Tennis Club.
Vicki’s two older children,
Nicholas ’11 and Alexander ’14,
graduated from Dutchess and
went on to Taft. Katherine is
currently in 7th grade. Vicki says,
“When my children enrolled in
2004, I couldn’t think of a better
way for them to spend their
elementary years than in an
environment that fosters learning,
independence, and confidence, and
stresses the importance of helping
others. I am delighted to serve as
a trustee at Dutchess Day, which
helped my children become happy,
confident citizens of the world.”
NEWFACULTY
2
The number of classrooms
the school operated from when
it opened in the Red Pheasant
in 1955. (A third room was
the school’s office.)
19
The number of students enrolled
in the school in its first year.
3
The number of full-time
teachers in 1955. This number
included the head of school,
then called the director.
10
The number of Dutchess Day
School heads of school… so far.
4
DDS New Faculty Profile
KRISTA HENDRICKSON started at Dutchess
wearing two hats. She took the position of
4th grade teacher just after assuming the role
of DDS parent when her son Dean enrolled in
2nd grade. Krista has an extensive teaching
background, and most recently taught 6th
grade reading, writing, and history in
Highland before taking a leave to be home
with her children. Krista grew up in Pleasant Valley and attended SUNY
New Paltz where she received a BS in psychology. She earned an M.Ed.
from Fordham University. Committed to holistic, sustainable living,
Krista, her husband, David, and their three sons (Daniel, 18, Dean, 7,
and Crosby, 3), live on a family property shared by extended family and
friends. The close-knit community includes her organic garden and some
chickens. Yoga and meditation are important practices for Krista in the
midst of a busy life. She found Dutchess Day School as she and her husband looked for the right fit for Dean. On their tour, Krista looked at the
school through her “educator’s lens.” She reports that as they left DDS
that day: “My heart was singing. I told my husband, I love this place.
What I saw was best practice on steroids and every element was just as I
hoped it would be. Around every corner was something to make me even
more excited. We committed to enrolling Dean and then I could not
believe my luck when the job opening happened and I was hired.”
The number of kindergarten
teachers DDS has had.
6
The number of trustees on the
first Dutchess board.
40
The number of years
Barbara Gendron, 1st grade
teacher and then reading and
math specialist, worked at DDS,
setting a longevity record.
47
The number of students enrolled
at the ten year mark, 1965.
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PLANNEDGIVING
J
esse Bontecou is one of the pillars upon
which Dutchess Day School—quite literally—
was built, and to this day he is generally viewed
as the father of Dutchess Day School.
During the school’s lean years, Jesse remembered
one of his father’s principles: “If you’re going to start
something you’ve got to stay with it.” Those words
could be the Bontecou motto, so devoted has the family been to “sticking with” Dutchess Day through all
the years. On and off over the last 60 years, various
generations of Bontecous have been enrolled in the
school, or served on its board. Jesse’s commitment to
the school did not stop with him, or his brother Frederic,
but flowed into their children and grandchildren.
Jesse Bontecou’s legacy is pretty unavoidable at
Dutchess Day School. Because of what he and his fellow
founders envisioned and achieved, DDS has provided
a sterling education to students from all around
Dutchess County and beyond. Jesse believes that “the
high point of the school’s existence is happening right
A Man with a Plan:
Jesse Bontecou’s Investment in DDS
by Vanessa Park
now.” Ensuring that the school continues to grow,
thrive, move with the times, remain affordable,
attract and retain the very best teachers, and provide
the best education around takes planning.
Jesse is proud of his role in creating the school:
“It’s one of the great things I’ve been part of. It’s
always nice to be part of something that’s successful.” He is also proud to count Dutchess Day School
as part of his planned giving.
It is never too soon—or too late—to consider
including DDS in your plans. Join Jesse Bontecou
and others in helping ensure the school continues to
provide the highest quality educational experience
for the next 60 years and beyond.
If you would like to learn more about planned giving
at Dutchess Day School, please visit our website:
http://www.dutchessday.org/support/planned-giving/
or contact Vanessa Park at [email protected]
or at (845)677-5014.
Visit Dutchess Day School on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
VISIT US THERE, CLICK “LIKE,” AND FOLLOW US TO CHECK OUT UPCOMING EVENTS!
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WINTER 2016
ALUMNINEWS
1991
● Shireen Ali married Scott Stanley in May
of 2015 in New York City.
1993
1970
1986
● Allen Meyer volunteers with the Millbrook
Rescue Squad. Allen reports: “My son CJ
lives in Fort Worth, TX where he is driving a
school bus and working at 7-11. My daughter Anna is a senior at Bay Path University
doing dean’s list work majoring in criminal
justice and playing field hockey and softball.
She was recently named goalkeeper of the
year in the NECC.”
● Derek Sadowsky is living in Minnesota
with his wife Rachael and a baby girl,
Hudson Lily Sadowsky, born on April 20,
2015.
● Caroleana O’Brien Mattos gave birth
to her third child, Jack River Mattos, on
October 14, 2015.
● Lauren Bontecou Reichart still works
at Hopkins School in New Haven, CT.
She and her husband, Chris, and two
daughters recently moved to Woodbridge,
CT. She wrote to us: “With one in first
grade and one in pre-K, we are busy but
life is good. Any alums in the area,
please touch base!”
● Katrina Swanson Pulchene gave birth
to her first child, Josephine Virginia Leilani
Pulchene, on October 26, 2015.
1974
1989
Larry Cohen reconnected with the
school recently, eager to learn more about
the Lego Robotics Team. He sent us a
recent update: “I am very involved in the
FIRST (For Inspiration & Recognition of
Science and Technology) Robotics program,
and my company--AB (AllianceBernstein)—
sponsors and mentors two NYC high school
robotics teams. I was thrilled to meet
Darlene Yager who coaches the Dutchess
Day Lego Robotics Team and Vanessa Park
who has helped me re-engage with DDS.
As a coincidence, DDS board president,
Doug Dundas, and I worked together years
ago at Goldman Sachs. Doug, Darlene, and
Vanessa all joined me and my family at the
inaugural FIRST gala in NYC to celebrate
the FIRST programs and support STEM
education in underserved communities. I
am also involved with Bridges to Prosperity
an organization that builds footbridges in
isolated communities to provide access to
healthcare, education, and economic opportunity. Last summer I traveled to Nicaragua
with two of my daughters and the Rotary to
help build a bridge, and previously my wife
and I traveled to Rwanda to work on one.”
Larry is looking forward to visiting the school
at some point this school year.
Lauren Feldman Rilliet sent a newsy
update from San Francisco, where she
has lived for 15 years. “I married my
husband, Sheldon, in 2009. I just recently
stopped working to spend more time with
our 3 kids—Sloane (9), Jake (4), and
Jordan (10 months). Before that I worked
at Gap for 16 years as the fashion director
for Banana Republic and most recently
led the visual merchandising team for
Gap Outlet. We love life in CA but I wish
I could send my kids to DDS! I often think
about many of my teachers and friends
from there.”
● Brooke Hennington Hammett lives in
Peoria, AZ with her family, including twin
daughters, Riley and Haley (8) and son,
Jason (11). In addition to taking her daughters to gymnastics, with which they are
very involved, and her son to travel hockey,
Brooke works for Mutual of America, a
retirement plan company. She meets with
individuals, mostly at non-profits, and
helps them enroll in their retirement plans.
She teaches people how to save toward
retirement and “hopefully end up with a
pile of money to survive on.”
1995
●
1991
●
● In October of 2015 in Phoenix, AZ,
Jayne Mercer married Larry Casillas.
Her daughters, Emma and Adriana, were
in attendance.
● Reed Weeden Minor’s two daughters,
Sylvie (3) and Wellsley (1), are expecting a
new baby brother this spring.
1996
● Lindsey Corbin will be marrying Chris
Knehls this coming February in Squaw
Valley, CA. Lindsey is a VP at Opterra
Energy in Oakland, and her fiancé works
for a commercial real estate company in
San Francisco. They plan to live in San
Francisco and ski on the weekends in
Truckee, where they own a ski house.
● Hillary Levitt married Elan Bills on
April 17, 2015.
● Alexandra Bullock Olsen just moved to
Los Ranchos, NM and is returning to the
kitchen (after ten years) at Los Poblanos
Historic Inn & Organic Farm. She is a
recent contributor to the book, Savoring
Gotham, about the history of food in New
York City. Alex contributed mostly to the
section on Mexican food. She wrote to us
1976
● Christina Salerno Brody has recently
gotten back in touch with the school. She
lives in the Red Hook area and is married
to Larry Brody and has a 13 year old
daughter, Leah. Chris sent a message to
update us on her doings: “I started a business, Cookies by Mabel, selling gourmet
cookies and baked goods at farmers markets, craft fairs, and specialty events.
Check out my Facebook page Cookies by
Mabel! My husband Larry works for
Dutchess County as a GIS specialist. When
not making and packaging cookies, I can
usually be found driving my daughter to
and from her dance classes in Rhinebeck,
playing golf with my sister (Cathy Salerno
’74), and friends, taking walks, and enjoying a cup of tea with a good book!”
Danielle Knapp Turner ’99 and
her baby, Sawyer Rose, ran into
2007 alums Maggie Haas (left)
and Elisabeth Constantino (right)
in Millerton, NY in November.
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ALUMNINEWS
about her adventures last year that included a trip to “Costa Rica (working on a
chocolate farm, scuba diving with sharks,
whitewater kayaking with women), Mexico
(three cooking adventures), and riding my
bicycle across the United States with 22
women ages 32 to 72.”
● Faraday Rosenberg Martin has recently
been in touch with us. She lives in
Queensland, Australia with her husband
and son, Reid, as well as her new baby,
Rory Frederick Martin, born on November
7, 2015. In a wonderful update, Faraday
catches us up on life since DDS: “The day
after graduation from school, I went to the
UK to get my Yachtmaster, which is a captain’s license for running yachts. I spent
the next twelve years in the yachting industry working my way up as a deckhand, then
a mate, and the last four years as a captain both racing and cruising. In 2004 I participated in the trials for the Volvo Ocean
Race, and as the only female I made the
final selection but got cut before the race.
During those first 8 years I was mostly based
in the Mediterranean for the summer
months and the Caribbean for the winter,
with some time spent in Finland, England,
and Belgium. From 2009 to 2013 I ran a
76 foot modern classic sloop called Wild
Horses, which was based in Newport RI
and St. Barts. It was a busy racing and
cruising yacht. I met my husband, Dave,
when I hired him to be my first mate! We
got married in Maine in 2012. He was a
captain too and started to run the sister
ship to my boat and we spent three years
racing against each other, which was
brilliant. When I fell pregnant we decided to
move to his hometown of Bowen, Queensland.
He now works on the tug boats that are
based here. I run the junior sailing program
at the sailing club. It was dormant when we
arrived, but we now have over 40 kids so
that keeps me busy. We live by the beach
and the golf course, with Dave’s family right
down the road. We are inside the Great
Barrier Reef with the Whitsunday Islands
just off the coast. It’s a nice part of the
world although very hot in the summer! I
have fabulous memories of DDS.”
Raashi Bhalla and
Ian Rosenberger on
their wedding day.
works. In the meantime I’m trying to finish
my dissertation which is on a town in
central New York where an Indian nation is
reclaiming its reservation after being gone
(due to some dodgy treaties) for 200
years. At this stage in anthropology PhDs,
you spend about half your time applying
for grants as well, so it seems like that's all
I'm doing any more. I’m aiming to be done
by June 2017.”
● Doug Weeden lives in Manhattan and
works for GLG as a research manager
working with technology and media
clients. He reports: “I am up in Millbrook
quite often and would love to get together
with any fellow DDS grads.”
1999
Raashi Bhalla married Ian Rosenberger
on 9/26/15 in St. Louis, Missouri.
● Winter Halmi lives outside of
Minneapolis, MN. She reports: “I’ve been
●
1998
Byron Anderson is engaged to Willy
Steigman. They plan to marry on June 18,
2016. Byron and his DDS schoolmate
Daniel Kessler ’99 are a real estate team
working for Urban Compass in New York City.
● Emily Levitt reports from her busy life:
“I am living part of the week in Ithaca, NY,
where I'm teaching an undergrad course
on the anthropology of taxation, and part
of the week in NYC, where my husband
●
28
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.
WINTER 2016
here two years now. I'm pursuing a BCBA
(board certified behavior analyst). I currently work as a behavior therapist doing ABA
therapy at a center for children on the
severe end of the autism spectrum.”
● Giuliana Rovedo will marry David Kenyon
in June of 2016 in New Rochelle, NY.
Giuliana still works in project management
and new client implementation at Ovation,
a corporate travel management firm.
● Gordon Stillman has been working as
a photographer since he graduated from
William and Mary. He earned his MFA
in photography from the University of
Pennsylvania in May. Check out his
website, GordonStillman.com, to see
samples of his professional work.
● Last August, Danielle Knapp Turner and
Adam Turner introduced to the world “the
greatest blessing we’ve ever had!” Sawyer
Rose Gerrity Turner was born on August 8,
2015, weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and
was 19.5 inches long.
● Vanessa Vallarino married
Neil Carpenter on August 29, 2015 in a
beautiful wedding held at Flagler Memorial
Chapel at Millbrook School. In her wedding
party were Winter Halmi ’99, Inga Stots
McKay ’99, and Ethan Vallarino ’03.
In attendance were other DDS alums:
Byron Anderson ’98, Daniel Kessler ’99,
Timothy Richards ’99, Maverick Conklin
’03, Leannah van der Geest ’01,
Cornelia van der Geest ’03, and
Holden Babcock ’01. Vanessa and Neil
live in Park Slope. Neil is a senior designer
for Life Time Brands. After starting her
own fashion design company, VallarinoSaltonstall, Vanessa opened a store,
V Curated on Bergen Street, representing
emerging American designers as well
as her own line.
Vanessa Vallarino ‘99 (the bride)
with her new husband,
Neil Carpenter, and
her brother, Ethan ‘03
and his girlfriend
Fatma Luy.
ALUMNINEWS
James Constantino, Dr. Richard Tobey,
Evelyn Constantino, Kenneth Rodgers,
Cynthia Tobey Rodgers, Marcia Due,
Dr. Katherine Tobey, Jerry Thompson
2000
● Perry Bullock recently stopped by the
school for a visit and filled us in on his
doings. “I completed my MBA in 2014
(Florida International University) and have
since occupied a position as an ERP specialist for Biocoat Inc., a biomed company
which produces hydrophilic coatings for fine
medical instruments. I’ve taken up learning
acoustic bluegrass guitar and one day hope
to play in a bluegrass band. Carroll Bullock
’00 and I are planning to take an extended
break from work to travel the world
(itinerary to be decided and updates to follow).” So far no updates.
● In September of 2015, Claire Leonard
became engaged to Luke Murphy.
● Cynthia Tobey is pursuing her Doctorate
of Music in Higher Education at Columbia
University, Teachers College. She is an
instructor of chamber music and applied
piano at Columbia and on the piano faculty at Bard College Conservatory of Music.
She married Kenneth Rodgers on May 29,
2015 in Hastings-on Hudson, NY.
2001
Permele Doyle is in a new position
as director of the New York office of
Billion Dollar Boy, a London-based global
influencer agency specializing in men’s
interests (fashion, lifestyle, hobbies, travel,
fitness, technology etc.).
● Allie and Shane Knapp married on
December 5, 2014 in Cohasset, MA.
Ryan Ruocco ’00 was best man, and in
attendance were Danielle Knapp Turner
’99, Inga Stots McKay ’99 and Ilze Stots
’06, and Ashley Ruocco Cocciardi ’03.
Shane and his bride bought and renovated (themselves) a home in Hingham, MA
over the course of the past summer.
Shane reports on his career: “I work for a
company called International Forest
Products, located within Gillette Stadium
in Foxboro, MA. It is a forest products trading company owned by the Kraft family
which also owns the Patriots. I manage
the export logistics of recycled paper
which is primarily going to China to
be converted into new packaging.
My wife is currently a pediatric nurse
andback in school to become a nurse
practitioner.”
● Alec Stillman lives and works (and bikes
to work) in San Francisco. He has been
working at the internet game company
Zynga since 2011 and is now a product
manager there.
●
2002
Dan Leopold just started the 4th year
of his PhD program in Clinical Psych &
●
Neuroscience at CU Boulder. He will have
three years left at CU before his pre-doctoral internship year of clinical work, followed
by post-doc and the tenure-track faculty
market. Daniel tells us: “I actually just got
back from my first research-oriented visit
to the National Institutes of Health campus in DC, and we’ve got lots of exciting
projects to work on in the coming
months...and years.”
● Kari Schmaling married Mike Willey
on August 30, 2015. Among the guests
and attendants were several DDSers.
Natasha Menell ’02 was the maid of
honor. Also present were William Ortel
’02, Jackson Roesch ’02, Ash Roesch
’04, and Adi Fracchia ’05.
2003
Eliyah Afzhal is engaged to Torrey
MacGregor. They plan to wed in
September of 2017.
● Taylor Fuss spent three years working for
Teach for America after college. She says
those years were “the most challenging
and the most rewarding. I would not be the
person I am today if I had not met my students. They changed how I view the world.”
She taught biology, physiology, anatomy,
and IB bio to underprivileged high school
students in Memphis, TN. Taylor is currently working at Massachusetts General
Hospital in Boston in a molecular pathology
lab focused on improving diagnostic tests
for prostate and lung cancer using MRI
technology. She is also in the process of
applying to medical school.
●
2004
Rip Carlin is living in Saratoga Springs
and working as a supply chain business
analyst in Albany, at Albany Molecular
Research Inc., a contract manufacturer
and research organization within the pharmaceutical industry. In his spare time he
plays rugby on a men’s team in Saratoga!
●
Stephanie Crocker is getting her PhD at
University of Michigan and recently
announced her engagement to Eric Lloyd
Ross.
● Rachna Hotchandani is getting her
masters at Georgetown and heading for
med school by September of 2016.
●
2005
Tess Mabry is engaged to Justin Saffar.
Reporting from her new home in
Vermont, Lynn MacPherson says: “I
moved to Vermont in January. I think I
might belong here! I’m working in research
at Dartmouth College. Playing lots of
tennis, taking lots of hikes.”
●
●
2006 10-YEAR ALUMS
● Vinayak Balasubramanian wrote a
wonderful update about how he’s doing
post-DDS. “I cannot believe it has been
nearly 10 years since I graduated from
DDS! However, as distant as those days
seem, I am often reminded of the impact
that my experience has had on me.
I graduated last year from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree
in economics, and a second major in political science and a minor in philosophy.
Currently, I live in Washington, DC and work
at the Federal Trade Commission. As part
of my job, I investigate companies that
engage in unfair or deceptive trade practices, and assist in litigation against these
companies. Some of the types of cases
I have worked on include advertising
practices, financial practices, privacy and
identity protection, and data security.
I have been living in DC for the past year
and am enjoying life post-graduation.
If I remember correctly, I was fairly intimidated by 7th and 8th grade English classes
while at DDS. However, their rigor gave me
a very strong foundation in my reading and
writing skills, and I often credit the teachers with helping me learn to love writing.
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ALUMNINEWS
Throughout my college years, I worked as a
freelance investigative reporter at the
Poughkeepsie Journal, a reporter and later
editor at my college newspaper, and a
reporting intern at The American Lawyer (a
NYC-based legal publication). One of my
works—a front page package story analyzing police use of tasers in New York—
received an award from the New York News
Publishers Association and prompted proposed state legislation aimed at curbing
some of the practices in the report. Even
my current job requires a lot of reading and
drafting of reports, memos, and court documents.”
● Jesse Frehling graduated from
Skidmore College in May of 2014 and
currently works as a junior analyst for
Focused Wealth Management in
Highland, NY.
● Kristen Schmaling graduated from
Champlain College in Burlington, VT with a
bachelors degree in graphic design. She is
currently working as a graphic designer for
Jay Peak Resort. She tells us: “I love it! I
get to focus on typography and use my artwork for creative advertisement.”
● Tyler Wilson graduated from Kent
School and then received his engineering
degree from the Florida Institute of
Technology. He then attended Marist and
received a degree in business. Tyler currently lives in Sleepy Hollow, NY working at
Reed Expeditions, located in Norwalk, CT,
doing data analysis and actuary work.
● Jane Wasserman works in NYC as a content marketing associate for a tech startup. She’s been there just over a year. The
company is called Happify, which is also
the name of the wellbeing app that provides activities and games to help people
learn the tools to live happier, healthier,
and more mindful lives. She loves the company and the job and is doing very well!
2007
Ryan Bhangdia graduated from Elon
University last May with a major in finance
and accounting and a minor in classical
studies. This past summer he worked on a
sustainable, organic farm. Currently he is
studying for GREs and applying to the
Peace Corps to pursue volunteering at nonprofits, in accordance with his interest in
the economics of small scale agriculture.
● After a gap year, Chloe Field is finishing
up her last year at Harvard as a history
major and art history minor, and completing her senior thesis. She is still riding
competitively and recently participated in
the Rolex Central Park horse show where
she and her horse jumped 1.5 meters!
● Maggie Haas graduated from Skidmore
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contribute to a research paper to be
published about anemia throughout
Ethiopia in children and women of
reproductive age. Currently she is a senior
double majoring in geography and environmental studies and applying for jobs in
public health as well as considering the
Peace Corps. She is also a member of
the squash team and a sorority.
● Griffin Wilson graduated a year early
from George Mason in Fairfax, VA with a
degree in criminal justice. He is now
attending Daniel Morgan Academy in D.C.
in pursuit of his master’s, and most likely
his PhD. He interned at the DA’s office in
Savannah over the summer.
Vanessa Park caught
up with Scott Vitale ’95
in Denver, CO in August.
cum laude and with departmental honors
in English. She is working hard at Irving
Farm Coffee in Millerton and saving
money for travel and graduate school,
to which she will be applying in the near
future. She is heading to The Netherlands
in January for a 5 day visit and to Ireland
in February for a 10 day ramble.
● Katie Hill graduated summa cum laude
from Middlebury College with a double
major in history and psychology. She is
currently teaching Spanish to grades preK
through 6 at Indian Mountain School,
coaching soccer, and living on campus as
a dorm parent.
● Bryant Seaman graduated from
Stanford University last June. He was a cocaptain of the Stanford men’s lacrosse
team for his senior year. The team won the
WCLL (Western Collegiate Lacrosse
League) regional championship and went
on to the quarter finals in the national
championship of the MCLA (Major College
Lacrosse Association). He is working as an
investment banking analyst in the financial services group at Morgan Stanley in
San Francisco.
● With degrees in classics and art history
from the University of Rochester,
Christianna Sieverding signed on with
Teach for America and is teaching middle
school science at a charter school in
Wilmington, DE.
2008
Kayleigh Bhangdia traveled to Ethiopia
last winter to perform field research
collecting foliage, litter, and soil samples
to determine the nutrient status of forests.
She spent the spring semester in Durban,
South Africa on a public health study
abroad program. This past summer,
Kayleigh was in Hamilton, NY interning at
the Madison County Health Dept. as a
GIS analyst. In August she was asked to
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WINTER 2016
2009
● Hanna Carlin works at Firehouse
Productions, which provides sound
reinforcement, wireless (radio frequency)
technology, and communication solutions.
Hanna is general Gal Friday, helping with
projects and day-to-day running of the
office. She also works part-time as
receptionist at Tre Forza Fitness.
2011
● David Akst is attending UPenn, leaning
toward history and philosophy.
● We got a great note from Nick Akst
last spring. He wrote: “A friend and I ran
a Model UN conference at Bard and it
went shockingly smoothly. Probably the
most interesting thing that I’ve done
recently was go to Russia. I won a scholarship from the State Department to spend
six weeks studying Russian in Kirov, a
small industrial burg a thousand kilometers east of Moscow. I had a blast. We had
six or so hours of classroom study a day,
as well as cultural activities and some
homework. While I’m nowhere near fluent,
I’m thrilled that I was able to reach a point
where I can struggle through a decent conversation and understand TV and movies
sometimes.” This fall he started at U. Penn
and, inspired by his experiences in Russia,
plans to study Russian and art history.
● Erica Doyle is in her first year at
Binghamton University’s Harpur School.
This past summer, her team took 2nd
place in Quiz at the US Pony Club
Championships and she had the highest
individual score in the Senior C division.
As a result, she was invited to represent
the NY/Upper CT region in the North
American Quiz Challenge in October in
Calgary, Canada. She also enjoyed her job
as a counselor at the Amenia Summer
Recreation Day Camp.
● Hannah Hill is attending the University
of Vermont’s College of Agriculture and
Life Sciences as an animal science major.
She is on the UVM dressage team and
on the animal rescue squad, a club that
raises money for local animal shelters,
ALUMNINEWS
and also raises awareness of the plight of
animals. Best of all is her report to us
about what life is like for her in Burlington:
“Since starting school at UVM and beginning this new chapter of my life, my selfconfidence has increased significantly and
my happiness has been at an all-time
high. I love UVM because it is teaching me
to love myself and others for exactly who
we are (something that I started learning
at DDS which I am eternally grateful for).
No masks, no make-believe, just raw,
beautiful us. Nobody ever asks anyone to
change a part of themselves to fit into a
certain mold. We simply are. My current
strengths include smiling at people even if
I don't know them, saying ‘I respect that’
even if I don’t agree with somebody’s opinion, and finding ways to spread positive
energy (because we should always jump at
the opportunity to make someone’s day!).”
● Lillian Oyen-Ustad touched base from
Bryn Mawr, where she is a freshman. She
writes, “I am currently studying biology and
archaeology on a pre-dental track here at
Bryn Mawr, while swimming as well. The
team is amazing, and so far the season
has been going well. School is also going
very well; it’s the perfect balance of
challenge and support, and I couldn’t be
happier with my decision to attend BMC.”
● Nicholas Salnikoff is taking a gap
year after graduating from Taft, and
spent ten weeks working at a company
called the Executive Center in Hong Kong.
Nicholas reports: “This company is in the
business of serviced office space, and
was started about 20 years ago by my
uncle. During my time there I spent
about three weeks in each of the different
departments, whether marketing, finance
or computer science.”
● Hugo Wasserman is out in Portland,
OR attending Reed College. He reports,
“I’m a hopeful philosophy major, I’m on
the club rugby team, I work in the dining
hall, and that’s about it; turns out that I
don’t have time for much else. I’m really
enjoying living out here in Portland and
getting to know the West Coast.”
2012
In his senior year at Arlington High
School, this is the second year Jake
Bhangdia serves on the student athletic
council and as captain of the tennis team.
He also received a full scholarship at the
John McEnroe Academy and the distinction
of Mac 1 for his leadership potential. He
was the Poughkeepsie Journal athlete of
the year for tennis and accepted into the
clay court national tennis tournament in
Florida last summer. Next year, Jake will
●
be playing division one tennis at Furman
University in South Carolina and is considering a business major.
● Last summer, Rose Maso participated in
a three week program, OCAVA for young
opera singers, in Rome, Italy. She and her
fellow singers studied Italian language and
singing, participating weekly in a public
performance.
2013
● Wynne Emma reports about her time in
Japan last summer. “I applied for a scholarship that allows two students to go to
Japan for two weeks. Somehow I managed
to win the scholarship and spent two
weeks in Japan. I survived the 13-hour
flight, met Ms. Kuboi, who was the
Japanese leader of the trip, and traveled
via the railroad system to the train station.
The majority of my trip was spent in class
at the Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and
Senior High School, which is associated
with Keio University. During the school day,
I went to classes, learned Japanese language and culture in the foreign exchange
room, and visited English classes of all
levels. After classes, I visited culture clubs
or hung out with two other exchange
students (one was from Denmark and the
other was visiting from New Zealand).
The clubs that I visited were either cultural
or sports related: the Japanese tea
ceremony club, the Karuta club (Karuta
is a Japanese poetry game similar to most
memory-card games), the fencing club,
and the Kendo club (Japanese sword).
The school system itself was interesting—
in the final years of high school, students
are allowed to specialize in math and sciences or in Japanese, history, and English.
I was lucky enough to go to Kamakura,
where we visited the Hydrangea Temple
and Daibutsu; Asakusa, where we participated in a tea ceremony; Yokohama,
where we visited the cup noodle museum
and learned how to make cup noodles;
and Hakone, to try a traditional Japanese
hot spring.”
● At Millbrook School, Jennifer Hughes is
captain of JV field hockey.
2014
Pursuing her passion for animals and her
desire to be a vet one day, Amelia Smith
spent two weeks this past summer in
Thailand. The high school veterinary program involved the participants in working
directly with elephants one week and dogs
the second. Amelia raised much of the
money to cover her own travel expenses,
as well as $900 to donate to Elephant
Refuge and $450 for the dogs. With the
money she raised, she purchased medical
supplies. At Hotchkiss, Amelia received the
Susan Klinger Hoglund Award, awarded to
a student most notable for spirit and goodwill, as well as the freshman English award.
●
2015
Emma Williamson is doing well in
Chicago and working hard at a challenging
charter school called Northside. She
joined the Certamen team and was
elected Freshman Tribune. Certamen is a
game of fast recall of facts about classical
civilizations and its peoples, languages,
and cultures. As a result, she spends all
her free time in the Latin room! She also
joined the debate team. She makes full
use of Chicago’s public transportation
system and zips all over the city.
●
In Memoriam
Scott Meyer ’69 of Millbrook, NY, passed peacefully on Sunday, July 19, 2015 after a
3 ½ year battle with melanoma. Best known as the owner of Merritt Books in Millbrook,
which he owned and operated for thirty-three years, Scott was involved in the community in countless ways.
Scott enjoyed thirty-two years as an active member of the Millbrook community, serving
as president of the Millbrook Business Association (also a board member for 26 years),
Rotary Club of Millbrook, and Town of Washington Historical Society. He served on the
Dutchess Day board as well as those of the Millbrook Free Library and the Housatonic
Audubon Society. He was also a founding member of the Town of Washington Conservation
Advisory Commission. The list of community organizations he was involved with in Millbrook
and beyond is truly vast.
A former teacher, Scott kept his hand in working with young people by coaching youth
sports, especially soccer. He held a U.S. Soccer Federation coaching license, and, in 1980
he became a certified coach for Special Olympic Soccer. His goal,
in coaching youth, was for each member of the team to love the
game and play with joy and enthusiasm.
His wife of 27 years, Alison, says of her husband, “Whatever
Scott did, it was about community, but it was really about the
people. He welcomed everyone into his heart and often said once
he had a story about you, you were woven into his soul forever.”
In addition to Alison, Scott is survived by two sons, Lawton (23)
and Schuyler (19).
THE COURT YARD
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Dutchess Day School
415 Route 343 Millbrook, New York 12545
845.677.5014 www.dutchessday.org
■
DDS UPCOMING EVENTS 2016
January 18
School closed/
Martin Luther King Day
February 15
School closed/
Presidents’ Day
February 23
DDS Science Fair
March 10
3rd Grade Play
March 14 - 25
School Closed/
Spring Break
April 14
Spring Recital
April 21 & 22
Parent/Teacher Conferences
April 27
Secondary School Fair
April 30
60th Gala
May 12
Spring Concert
May 13
Lower School Talent Show
May 27
8th Grade Play
May 30
School Closed/Memorial Day
June 3
Field Day & Upper School
Talent Show
June 11
Graduation
April 25
School Closed/
Spring Weekend
Save the Date: DDS 60th Gala
Field hockey: At the fall social,
Emma Schaad, 7th grade, in a
one-on-one battle for possession.
SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2016 . COCKTAILS AND BIDDING START AT 6:00PM!