Sanford School Magazine 2026 by Sanford School

FALL 2026 ISSUE

SANFORDSCHOOL.ORG

SANFORD Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Holding Steady, Building What’s Next Jaime Morgan ’02 reflects on her first year as Head of School, what has always made Sanford worth preserving, and how the school can carry that foundation forward into what comes next.

Front & Center A decade after the renovation of Geipel Center for the Performing Arts, Sanford alumni reflect on the performances, experiences, and opportunities that shaped them, and the lasting role the arts have played in their lives.

Sanford Essentials 2 Opening Letter 3 Sanford by the Numbers 8 Sanford Says

Among the Pines 10 Finding Hope on Capitol Hill 11 Leading by Listening 12 Living the Language 13 Voice & Vision 14 Field Notes 22 More Than a Formula 24 Commencement & Closing Exercises 30 Walking Slower Between Classes 32 Retirements & New Faculty 33 Get to Know Chanel Purnell 35 Board of Trustees

Mission in Motion 36 A Community Worth Investing In 37 Why I Give 38 Exceptionally Sanford 40 Blues, Brews, & BBQ

Alma Mater Our Home 42 Athletic Hall of Fame 43 Engineering a Greener Future 45 Pivoting with Purpose 47 In Memoriam 48 Alumni Notes

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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SANFORD HEAD OF SCHOOL Jaime L. Morgan ’02 2025–2026 SANFORD SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES R. Jason Russell, President Lisa Lloyd-Washington, Vice President Katherine G. Rosenthal, Secretary Rebecca Wasniewski, Treasurer Desmond A. Baker Peter Danby ’04 Barry Davis Mark Denlinger Theodore H. Dwyer III Paris Dupree ’07 Todd Flubacher Laura Giardina Logan Herring ’00 Helene Lee Lewis Macleod Leslie Neuberger Linda Risk Ryan Struthers ’06 Jennifer Wasson Frank Xu EX-OFFICIO Jaime L. Morgan ’02, Head of School Christine Ramsey, Home & School Association President SPECIAL COUNSEL TO THE SCHOOL Thomas J. Allingham II TRUSTEES EMERITI Thomas J. Allingham II John A. Corrozi, Sr. L. Sandra Hammonds William M. Lafferty Sharon M. Struthers MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Lucy Benson ’13 Anne Christopher ’20 Elise Burke Parcha PHOTOGRAPHY Ted Rosenthal / Izmaddy Studios Molly Schlachter Ashlee Emerson Photography Schoolhouse Pictures Sanford Community Members Sanford School, Communications Office 6900 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE 19707 302.235.6500 communications@sanfordschool.org www.sanfordschool.org

From the Editor For more than 30 years, one person has quietly shaped how this magazine looks and feels: Leslie Kedash. Every layout of Sanford Magazine has come from her hand and her eye. That kind of steady, generous work is easy to take for granted, and we don’t want to. Thank you, Leslie, truly, for three decades of making this publication beautiful. This issue marks a change four years in the making. The magazine is now built entirely in-house by the Sanford MARCOM team, that’s Annie and me (Sanford alums) and Elise (an English teacher)! There’s something “very Sanford” about doing it ourselves, and it gave us a chance to rethink what this magazine is really for. We decided the answer is story: alumni stories, teacher stories, the kind of thing that actually captures who we are. You’ll also notice something missing: our annual report and its list of donors. That list is moving to a new Philanthropic Report, which will be emailed out, and frees up these pages for more Sanford voices. I also want to highlight another project we’ve been working on. There’s a new phrase running through these pages: “Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.” This isn’t replacing our motto: No Talent Lies Latent still says everything about what we believe a Sanford education can unlock. But “Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere” is a new phrase you’ll start seeing more of, and it captures something we heard again and again while putting this issue together: what happens at Sanford doesn’t stay at Sanford. It travels with you, into college, into careers, into every room you walk into for the rest of your life. That idea is the thread running through every story in this issue. Our Alumni Coordinator, Lauren Evans, recently sent out a survey to alumni, and one response has stuck with me ever since: a Gen Z respondent wrote that getting mail “feels like a gift.” That’s exactly how we want you to think of this magazine. It is our gift to you. We hope you open it, see yourself somewhere in these pages, and feel inspired to write back. Which brings me to a request: now that you know the people behind this magazine, write to us. Send us your stories, your milestones, your memories of this place. This magazine only works if it’s full of your voices, not just ours. Thank you for reading,

Lucy Benson ’13 Director of Marketing & Communications

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Sanford by the Numbers

A year at Sanford adds up to something remarkable. These numbers tell the story of a year marked by growth and filled with moments and milestones worth celebrating.

EIGHTH-GRADERS TAKE A VISIT TO MARS

The Class of 2030 set their sights on Mars, designing and constructing scale models of a colony built for life beyond Earth. The multi-phase project challenged students to think like scientists and engineers as they tackled space habitation and sustainable design.

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COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

The Class of 2026 had an exciting range of options for their next step! Among them, Will Coleman ’26 earned recognition as a Finalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program, a prestigious distinction awarded to less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.

FEATURED ARTISTS Thirty-four second-grade artists proudly displayed work, showcasing their creativity and growing artistic voices at Humane Animal Partners.

PERFORMERS ON STAGE

From concerts and plays to musicals, student performers from all divisions stepped into the spotlight on the Geipel stage and shared their talents with the Sanford community!

AP SCHOLARS

Sanford students were recognized for outstanding AP Exam performance this year, earning scores of 4 and 5 across 173 exams this year.

DELAWARE COACHES OF THE YEAR

Boys’ Soccer Coach Tom Antonelli earned Private/ Parochial Coach of the Year, and Head Golf Coach Bryan Smallwood was named 2026 D.I.G.C.A. Coach of the Year.

FLUFFY CHICKS

A PreK science unit brought new hatchlings to the classroom this year, giving students a firsthand look at development from egg to chick.

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Holding Steady, Building What’s Next One year into her tenure as Sanford’s ninth Head of School, Jaime Morgan ’02 reflects on returning to the school that shaped her, and the work of preparing it for what comes next.

ome evenings, after the rush of carline has passed and classrooms have quieted, Jaime Morgan ’02 walks the trails through Chapel Valley with her family’s rescue dog, Lady. As the last athletic practices wind down and campus begins to empty, the path carries her beneath the trees toward the Quad, where the evening light settles across campus. The walk home ends at Arunchula, the historic residence that has housed generations of Sanford’s Heads of School and their families and is now home to Morgan, her husband, Adam, and their children, Jackson ’31 and Avery ’34. It is a house Morgan passed countless times as a student, wondering, like so many others, what it looked like inside. Years later, as an administrator, she occasionally crossed its threshold for meetings and gatherings. Living there, however, is something entirely different. “It is much more than my family’s house–it’s Sanford’s house,” she says simply. “It holds so much history for the school.” Now, as Sanford’s first alumna Head of School, she occupies a home that connects her to all of them–and has come to see stewardship as less about ownership than responsibility. Schools, she believes, are shaped over generations by people willing to care for them and strengthen them for those who follow.

That understanding has quietly guided Morgan’s first year. Rather than asking how Sanford could become something entirely new, she has spent much of the year considering what has always made the school worth preserving–and how it can continue preparing students for a world changing faster than ever before. As a student, Morgan threw herself into nearly every dimension of Sanford life. She played varsity field hockey, performed in theater productions, served in student government, and pursued demanding classes. Looking back, she laughs that her level of involvement never felt unusual. “I was someone who did everything,” she recalls. “At the time, it didn’t seem like it was exceptional. Now, I know, it’s just what Sanford kids do.” Only years later did she recognize how profoundly those experiences influenced the person she became. “I’ve always said Sanford shaped who I was more so than the college that I chose,” she says. “It certainly laid a strong academic foundation; I was much better prepared than my college peers, but also for me as a person. Sanford shaped how I approach life.”

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The memories that seem to matter most to Morgan are not about milestones, but about people. She remembers Mrs. Verm teasing her because she disliked poetry, conversations on Mrs. Dagenais’s floral couch, and the easy humor Mr. Shields brought to his history classroom. At the time, they were simply the adults who filled her days with challenge and encouragement. Only later did she understand that she had spent her formative years learning from people who would become Sanford legends in their own right. “I was so lucky to have learned from them,” she says. Her understanding of Sanford deepened again when she returned professionally. Since 2013, Morgan has led admissions, development, and strategic planning, and has served as associate head of school; along the way, she has also become a Sanford parent. Each role gave her another vantage point on the school. “I wear all of those hats,” she says. “They all have to be a part of who I am as a leader.” From each perspective, she has seen Sanford meet students as individuals, challenged them to stretch beyond what they think they are capable of, and surround them with people invested in their growth.“I know what this place can do for kids and families,” she says. “This knowledge probably impacts my leadership the most. I’m ‘all in’ because I know the power of this place.” Stepping into the Head of School role also meant following longtime leader Mark Anderson, with Morgan focused on sustaining Sanford’s positive momentum and carrying that trajectory forward. She began by listening. She met individually with each faculty and staff member. “I wanted to relearn Sanford through this different lens,” she says. “Do I know what I think I know? What are the areas we need to celebrate and where do we need to improve?” Before students returned last August, Morgan spent time with the yearbook, refreshing names and faces she had come to know through years in admissions. Every current Sanford student had joined Sanford during her tenure, giving her a unique familiarity with the community she was now leading. “The personal connections here are really central to who we are,” she says. “I want to make sure that stays that way.” For many students, that connection already ran deep. Morgan had known some members of the Class of 2026 since kindergarten. She hoped that familiarity would make the transition feel distinctly Sanford: “We know her. She knows us.” That same attentiveness shapes the way she thinks about Sanford’s academic program. Preparing students for the future has become one of the defining conversations of her first year– not because Sanford’s mission has changed, but because the world students are preparing to enter has. When Morgan graduated in 2002, the path from school to adulthood felt more predictable. “The skills our current seniors need are not the same skills our current eighth graders will need,” Morgan says. “The world just changes too fast.”

Artificial intelligence is perhaps the most visible expression of that change. Information has never been easier to access and, often, harder to evaluate, raising new questions about what students need from a school: How should they learn to use artificial intelligence thoughtfully? Which abilities will remain essential no matter how the tools change? For Morgan, the goal is not simply teaching students what to know, but helping them develop the judgment to decide what matters. “What we do here is deeply human,” she says. Students still need to ask thoughtful questions, evaluate what they read, communicate clearly, and develop the human skills that can only be built through relationships. That requires a more responsive curriculum, one assessed continually rather than reconsidered only at long intervals. The goal is not to chase every new development, but to ensure that what students are learning remains connected to the world they will enter. Those questions about what students will need inevitably lead to another: What, in a changing educational landscape, should remain distinctly Sanford? “What can you get at Sanford that you can’t get anywhere else?” Morgan asks. “Why us?” Her answer is not a single program or facility, but a culture that refuses to separate academic excellence from personal growth. “We have high academic expectations,” she says, “and high expectations for kindness and integrity.” Sanford celebrates measurable achievements, from college outcomes to success in athletics and the arts, but Morgan is equally interested in what is harder to quantify: whether students take intellectual risks, how they treat the people around them, and whether they develop the confidence to contribute beyond themselves. Those qualities, she believes, are not distractions from academic excellence; they help make it possible. That long-term thinking extends to Sanford’s financial strength. As of January 2026, the school is debt-free, and during Morgan’s first year as Head, the Exceptionally Sanford campaign reached $9.4 million in commitments toward its $10.5 million goal. For Morgan, that progress matters because of what it makes possible: attracting and retaining exceptional teachers, investing in new ideas, and giving Sanford the flexibility to evolve as education changes. A stronger endowment also allows the school to make decisions for students who have not yet arrived. “I want to ensure the students on campus today are learning from the best teachers in comfortable, top-notch spaces; that faculty and staff want to come to work every day because we’ve built a culture that makes people feel valued and helps them grow; and that we can serve generations to come.” Morgan says. “Sanford is the kind of school the world needs.” Five years from now, when Sanford celebrates its Centennial, she hopes Sanford’s endowment better reflects the strength of the institution it supports, and that philanthropy feels increasingly woven into the life of the community, not because giving is an end

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Sanford is the kind of school the world needs.

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in itself, but because it protects the school’s ability to adapt without compromising its mission. And while Morgan thinks often about how Sanford must adapt, she is just as certain about what should stay the same. She speaks about teachers with deep admiration and about faculty and staff who describe Sanford as a second family. She talks about students whose strengths reveal themselves in different ways and on different timelines. She hopes Sanford never loses its willingness to meet students where they are or forgets that excellence cannot always be measured by the same yardstick. The impact of that mission extends long after students leave, as Sanford alumni carry that foundation into the lives and careers they build. From our founding, we have created a diverse community of learners with the commitment to meet them where they are and challenge them to grow from there,” she says. “The people are the heart of this place.” And if Morgan could spend one more day as a Sanford student, it is the people she would return to. She would find Mrs. Verm and perhaps admit that poetry deserved another chance. She would pull on a Sanford field hockey jersey and spend Wednesday break on the Quad with friends over bagels and cream cheese. More than two decades later, she watches another generation cross the stage beneath the pines. The moment recalls her own Commencement–shaking Chip MacKelcan’s hand and delivering a student speech that ended with a thought she did not yet know would shape her life: Sanford, she said then, would always be a place they belonged. Now, she looks forward to the day she will hand 6

Jackson and Avery their own Sanford diplomas, as both Head of School and mother. Their futures will not look exactly like hers. The technologies they use will evolve, and the paths they pursue may not yet exist. Morgan does not pretend to know exactly where the next generations of Sanford students are headed. What she does know is that Sanford will keep giving students the opportunities to grow here, developing the confidence and character to thrive everywhere.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Head of School Edition

This That? or

Our d walk og, Lady, a aroun d the nd I often Q t h is Campus sunset time o uad durin g f day .

Campus sunrise

Chapel Valley

Math/Science pond

The Well

Wawa !

No one does a cere mony quite likeCampus in the fall Sanford. Being ou tside on the Quad under the pines, wh ere thousands of Commencement students have grad uated, there’s something so spec ial about it!

The trails through Chapel Valley give me a place to think. Being in nature helps me find clarity.

Fall brings a new school . year and colorful leaves wth gro new Campus in the springSpring brings ad! and warmer weather ahe

Class Day

Walk the loop

Take a golf cart

Homecoming

Family Picnic

The Sanford you knew

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(though I love seeing our alumni at Homecomin

The Sanford you’re building

The Sanford I knew prepared me for college and for life. The Sanford I’m building stands on that same foundation: high academic expectations alongside high expectations for kindness and integrity. Sanford students are smart, capable, creative, kind thinkers, problem-solvers, and leaders; that’s what we owe the next generation.

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Sanford Says

“Before coming to Sanford, I was losing interest in all my sports and activities. But when I got to Sanford, I found my love for soccer again and hanging out with friends. At Sanford, you truly feel included with anyone, and that’s why Sanford isn’t just a school, it’s a family.”

Mark van der Kerkhof ’28

“Sanford has opened doors for me that I didn’t know existed. I have found happiness in learning at Sanford, as well as determination I wasn’t aware I possessed.”

Rosie Beste ’31

“My path at Sanford has helped me develop my love for theater. Ever since I was young, I adored seeing stage plays and saw my first Broadway musical in 6th grade. When I came to Sanford, I was gifted the opportunity to be part of the Performing Arts program, and ever since A Christmas Carol, I cannot let go of it. Thank you to Sanford’s Performing Arts Program for allowing me to find the hobby I adore the most.”

Allison Ganc ’28

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“Ever since I came in Kindergarten. I’ve always felt welcomed. From the teachers to the students, to the campus itself. I love Sanford. I especially love the music department because all of my peers are always kind! I love how music is taken seriously! I want to give a shout out to Mrs. and Mr. Williams because I feel like they can always make music fun!” Victoria de Cos ’33

“My path at Sanford has helped me realize how capable I am of balancing challenges while still growing as a person. This school has pushed me to step outside my comfort zone, helping me become more confident in my abilities and future goals.”

Vicky Velasquez ’26

“My path at Sanford School has helped me discover that many people care about you and you are not alone. I came from a school that had 80 people in the whole school, and I was one of two people in fifth grade. It was a big jump from that school to here, but I learned how many people look after me at Sanford.”

Jett Maxon ’31

“My path at Sanford helped me discover how confident I actually am. Before coming to Sanford, I was worried and unsure about answering questions or debating topics. Now I speak about what I believe, and trust myself in what I say.”

Betsy Novitsky ’30

“I have been going to Sanford since PreK, and ever since, it has brought out the best in me in so many ways. Throughout my time at Sanford, I have developed so many essential life skills such as time management, responsibility, integrity, and so much more. I have also made so many very special connections with so many new people, in ways that I never knew that I could. I value every ounce of time that I get at this school, and will continue to learn more and more about myself as I grow.” AJ Melendez ’33

“My path at Sanford helped me try volleyball. Eventually, we did it in PE class, and Coach Hutch taught us to serve, bump, spike, set and play a game! I started to play at recess and got even better!”

Gia Fehnel ’33

“I’ve been here since PreK, so as I’ve become the person I am today, I’ve always known the Sanford environment and I’ve gotten to witness how the community here has shaped me. Being a member of something for so long has a way of becoming such a big part of who you are; through sports, theater, and other extracurriculars I’ve had the opportunity to discover what I love without limitation.” Charlotte McLeod ’27

“I’ve discovered how Sanford’s motto is 100% true. Some of the talents I have could not be seen at any other school, but here at Sanford, there’s always opportunities to show your talents.”

Matteo Mucchetti ’31

“Sanford has helped me discover not to be afraid to ask questions if needed. I was afraid to ask questions to my teachers because I was worried the question would be dumb and kept it to myself. But Sanford has helped me grow to not be afraid to ask questions if I want to know something.” Kristen Cuello ’31

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Findingg

hen Sadie Jordan ’27 arrived in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Senate Page Program, she stepped into a role few teenagers ever experience: helping keep the United States Senate running behind the scenes.

HOPE E on Capitol Hill

Pages woke at 5:00 AM, attended classes until shortly before the Senate convened, then reported for duty. By her second day on Capitol Hill, Sadie had memorized all 100 senators by face and name; a necessity when running legislation between office buildings, setting up speeches, and assisting with the chamber’s daily operations. She spent shifts on the Senate rostrum, helped track senators during votes, attended committee hearings, and moved between offices and the Capitol through the Senate’s underground subway system. “There’s a lot of decorum,” she says. “You have to possess a very high level of maturity.”

Sadie Jordan ’27 Reflects on Her Time as a U.S. Senate Page

Beyond the demanding schedule, the experience gave Sadie a view of government that challenged the polarization she often saw portrayed in the media. “There’s so much bipartisanship,” she says. “Senators from Texas and Vermont are working together because they have similar experiences but come from different backgrounds. There is hope, and seeing that every day makes you happy.” That same spirit extended to the pages themselves. Coming from across the country with different perspectives, Sadie and her classmates learned to disagree thoughtfully and have the kinds of mature political conversations she rarely encountered at home. Immersed in the traditions of the Senate and present during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Sadie witnessed history unfold firsthand. The experience reshaped her understanding of both government and her own future. “Being surrounded by people that make decisions for our nation on a daily basis,” she reflects, meant being surrounded by “such tradition and history while also…the future.” Even ordinary moments reinforced that sense of history. Walking through the Capitol on her way to work or class, Sadie found herself thinking about the generations of lawmakers who had occupied the same rooms and corridors. Back in her history classes at Sanford, she says the experience sometimes made it feel as though she had been “living a textbook.”

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Keeping pace with it all required its own kind of discipline. Sadie balanced Senate duties with classes, homework, early mornings, and firm academic deadlines, an experience she says strengthened her independence and time management while pushing her well outside the familiar rhythms of high school. She describes the program as one of the most difficult things she has undertaken, both mentally and physically, but also one of the most rewarding. The responsibility gave her a new appreciation for the countless people and traditions that keep the Senate functioning, including work that most Americans never see. It also sharpened her academic ambitions. Inspired by the parliamentarians and bill clerks who help ensure the Senate operates within constitutional bounds, Sadie now hopes to pursue constitutional law. The experience opened her eyes to the many people working behind the scenes of government and the range of careers that make its institutions function. After once imagining a future in journalism, she returned from Washington increasingly drawn to history, government, debate, and law. Back at Sanford, she is already putting those lessons into practice, planning to start a civic engagement club focused on helping young people find their voices in community policy. In the halls of the Senate, Sadie found both a front-row seat to history and a vision of the future she hopes to help shape.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Leading by Listening Campbell Eckard ’27’s Week at Delaware Girls State

efore Delaware Girls State, Campbell Eckard ’27 thought she knew exactly what role she wanted. But after being unanimously elected governor of her party in the weeklong government leadership program, she quickly embraced an unexpected opportunity to lead. “I told myself I wasn’t going to run for governor,” Campbell says. “I wanted the Supreme Court. But once I was elected, I made it my mission to take full advantage of the position I’d been given.” Throughout the week, participants met with Governor Matt Meyer, Senator Chris Coons, and members of the governor’s cabinet while campaigning, debating legislation, and experiencing the responsibilities of state government firsthand. Late nights were spent writing speeches and preparing for the next day’s challenges. Through it all, Campbell discovered that leadership was less about politics and more about people. “Politics isn’t about your political party,” she says. “It’s about how you make people feel. It’s about ensuring that every voice is heard.” In her acceptance speech, Campbell told her constituents, “Whether you voted for me or not, I really just hope I can make you proud and ensure that your voice is heard because you still matter to me.”

As governor, Campbell focused not only on the work of leading but also on getting to know every participant by name, where they were from, and what they hoped to study in college. By the final evening, students naturally gathered around her table–not because of her title, but because of the relationships she had built and the genuine interest she had shown in each person.

One moment crystallized the week’s deeper lesson. A fellow participant introduced a bill on driving safety–not because she’d found a policy topic, but because she had survived a devastating car accident that required her to be airlifted from the scene. “Everybody has motives beyond what they show,” Campbell reflects. “Nothing happens in a vacuum. There’s a reason for everything.”

The experience affirmed Campbell’s passion for international relations and diplomacy. Listening to perspectives from students across Delaware deepened her appreciation for understanding different viewpoints and finding common ground. During Girls State, Campbell was also selected as Delaware’s recipient of the Samsung American Legion Scholarship, awarded to one participant from each state in recognition of both leadership and her grandfather’s legacy of military service. For Campbell, Girls State not only challenged her as a leader but also affirmed the kind of leader she hopes to become. During her senior year at Sanford, she plans to bring those lessons into her work in student government, on Honor Council, and as yearbook editor, where she is committed to creating a community in which everyone feels valued. Campbell intends to study international relations in college and pursue a life of empathetic, curious leadership grounded in the belief that meaningful change begins by listening.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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LIVING the LANGUAGE LINCOLN SMITH ’27’S SUMMER WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY LANGUAGE INITIATIVE FOR YOUTH

or Lincoln Smith ’27, six weeks in Taipei, Taiwan, became much more than a summer of language study. It was a chance to step inside another culture and put his growing interest in language and global affairs into practice. Lincoln traveled to Taiwan through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), a highly selective, merit-based U.S. Department of State scholarship program that gives high school students the opportunity to study languages considered critical to national security and global engagement. For Lincoln, the opportunity meant six weeks in Taipei immersed in Mandarin Chinese and the rhythms of daily life with a host family. Lincoln’s path to Taiwan began nearly a year earlier with an extensive application process. After applying in the fall, he advanced to semifinalist status in December and completed additional assessments and interviews before being selected for the program in March. He credited Sanford teachers with making the demanding process easier, particularly through their support with his writing and application materials. By summer, the long application process had given way to the experience he had worked toward. “It was breathtaking,” Lincoln says. “I learned so much Mandarin and made so many new friends. I also gained a host family who feels like family for life.” One of the moments that brought those relationships into focus came at his graduation ceremony at Shih Chien University. “It was a really special moment for me, my host family, and my teachers,” he says.

By graduation, the progress Lincoln had made in Mandarin was equally striking. He arrived in Taiwan with almost no experience beyond a few basic words and left having reached an Intermediate Mid level of proficiency. “My Mandarin improved a ton,” Lincoln says. “I started the program knowing almost nothing beyond ‘hello,’ and by the end, I had reached Intermediate Mid.” He put those growing skills to use throughout daily life in Taipei and, by the end of the program, delivered his final presentation entirely in Mandarin. His topic–a comparison of sports culture in Taiwan and the United States–required him to apply his new language skills in a formal academic setting.

The experience also gave Lincoln a new way to explore an interest that had been developing long before he arrived in Taiwan. Drawn to language as a way to better understand other people and cultures, he entered the program with hopes of eventually bringing that perspective to a career in government or diplomacy. Before the trip, Lincoln described that goal as rooted in the belief that understanding yourself and the world requires seeking out new perspectives and traditions. In Taipei, he found more than greater proficiency in Mandarin; he gained firsthand experience with the kind of cross-cultural understanding he hopes to bring to a future in government or diplomacy.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Voice & Vision

Celebrating Sanford’s 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners

ell before her essay earned national recognition, Liv Lefkon ’27 began exploring a question that had long intrigued her: Why do we so often choose comfort over awareness? Rather than searching for easy answers, she set out to better understand it. That curiosity led to “Ignorance is Bliss Privilege,” the essay that earned Liv a 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Gold Medal, Delaware’s sole American Voices Medal, and scholarship funding. For Liv, the essay was less about persuading others than understanding the question for herself. “I wanted to write about it to explore it for myself even more than just for people.” That spirit of inquiry has shaped her growth as a writer. In AP Language with Mrs. Anne Fleming, Liv learned that effective writing does not always fit a prescribed formula. “AP Lang focuses so much on writing and developing your own style, which I had never really done before,” she says. “I was able to discover that there’s effective writing and often more effective writing that doesn’t take that traditional five-paragraph form.” Liv’s approach to writing also reflects the “interdisciplinary learning” encouraged at Sanford. “I love writing analytically and being able to look at the cause and effect–it’s like a math problem,” she explains. Rather than beginning with a fixed argument, she sees writing as a process of discovery. “I never go into an essay knowing exactly what I’m going to argue. I think I know what I’m going to argue, but then throughout the process, it will change completely.” That curiosity-driven approach helped her arrive at the essay’s central insight: that the ability to remain ignorant of injustice or hardship is itself a form of privilege: one that carries responsibility. “If you are going to ignore it, it’s vital to recognize that you are privileged in that way,” she argues. This willingness to question assumptions, including her own, is at the heart of Liv’s writing. Her essay challenges readers not only to examine the world around them but also to consider their place within it. In June, Liv was recognized at Carnegie Hall alongside the nation’s top young writers and artists. The honor celebrates a remarkable achievement, but it also reflects something deeper: the power of a student voice willing to ask difficult questions and engage thoughtfully with the answers.

Sanford School Upper School students earned more than 34 honors in this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including two of the five statewide American Voices nominations. The Scholastic Awards is the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, with student work first judged regionally and then advanced to national consideration through Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention distinctions. This year, Sanford earned 5 of Delaware’s 17 Gold Keys in Writing–about 30 percent of the state total. Among writing honors, American Voices nominations recognize exceptional originality and voice, with only five selected statewide. Sanford students received two of those nominations, and Liv Lefkon ’27 received the only New Voices Award in Delaware. Sanford students recognized in writing include: American Voices Nominees: Katherine McCrea ’27, Liv Lefkon ’27 Gold Key Recipients: Nora Xu ’29, Isabella Atwood ’27, Neha Khan ’27, Katherine McCrea ’27, Liv Lefkon ’27 Silver Key Recipients: Ada Henry ’26, Rachel Durbano ’26, Breanna Bowers ’26, Isabella Atwood ’27, Giuseppe DiUbaldo ’26, Sofia Nardo ’27, Jo Bozeman ’28, Claire Fang ’28 Honorable Mention Recipients: Ada Henry ’26, Rachel Durbano ’26, Camille Opher ’26, Charlotte McLeod ’27, Morgan Kalish ’27, Campbell Eckard ’27, Annabelle Wei ’28 Sanford’s visual artists also earned significant regional recognition across ceramics, sculpture, drawing, and photography, earning three Gold Keys along with additional Silver Key and Honorable Mention distinctions. Artists Include: Gold Key Artists: Jessica Meng ’27, Aliya Wen ’28, Victor Castro ’30 Silver Key Artists: Nickey Liu ’27 Honorable Mention Artists: Jessica Meng ’27, Nickey Liu ’27, McKenna Black ’27, Maliya Dover ’27, Tessa Nolan ’28 Center Art Piece: Mariposa by Jessica Meng ’27

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Field Notes

If an athletic season is measured in moments, then Sanford athletes delivered plenty worth remembering in 2025-2026. There were buzzer-beaters and breakthrough performances, personal bests and program firsts, and records rewritten. Behind every result was a culture of support; our coaches inspired, teammates celebrated one another’s successes as enthusiastically as their own, and the Sanford community rallied behind every Warrior long after the final whistle.

BASEBALL

Sanford baseball cemented their dominance during the 2026 season, capturing their fourth consecutive DISC Championship and securing a power-packed legacy on the diamond.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

This season, the Warriors proved themselves as a true state powerhouse. They dominated the court to earn the #1 overall seed and finished the year with an outstanding 20-3 record, fighting all the way to the DIAA State Championship game.

TENNIS

Serving up a memorable postseason, Sam Russell ’29 earned Delaware State Runner-Up honors in singles, while Caroline Simpson ’28 represented Sanford at the state championships.

CROSS COUNTRY

Jordan Koss ’28 made history this season as just the second female cross-country runner in Sanford history to earn All-State honors, marking a milestone in the program’s legacy. 14

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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SIGNING DAY Head of School Jaime Morgan ’02 joined Athletic Director Pat Jones in celebrating some of the Class of 2026’s student-athletes Alex Gannon, Brandt Corron, Graham Raymond, Cole Ruhland, Eliza Friedemann, Olivia Filipowski, and Gabriella Gandia as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their athletic journey.

SWIMMING A record three decades in the making! Paisley Minter ’28 etched her name into Sanford history, breaking a 30-year-old school record in the 100 backstroke. Tiffany Stanchek was named DISC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.

SOCCER

Led by the boys’ historic first DISC championship since 2014 and the girls’ thrilling run to the state semifinals, Sanford School soccer dominated the 2025-2026 season with both varsity squads capturing double-digit wins and deep DIAA state tournament appearances. Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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FRONT & A decade ago, a historic community effort transformed a shared dream into a space designed to inspire generations of students. Through Sanford’s Front & Center Campaign, that vision became reality. More than a renovation, it was an investment in the power of the arts and the potential of students.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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& CENTER

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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“O

pening Geipel during my senior year was spectacular. The new space gave us room to focus on the art–on the music, the learning, and the community we were building–without being distracted by logistics. It was also where I first had the opportunity to teach and conduct a piece for choir, which was really special. Geipel helped me see what music could look like in the professional world, and we felt a responsibility to set the tone for the students who would use the space after us– to carry its legacy forward. Today, I am pursuing a doctorate in Music Education, with a minor in Vocology, at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.”

– Sarah Boone ’16

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“B

eing part of the performing arts was the most formative part of my time at Sanford. Participating in the performing arts gave me a welcoming and inclusive community and helped me gain confidence by forcing me outside my comfort zone. Although I ultimately didn’t pursue a career in the performing arts, the lessons I learned—how to communicate clearly, think creatively, and remain composed under pressure—have translated to my academic and professional life as a law student, and I am endlessly grateful to the performing arts community at Sanford for shaping me into the person I am today.”

– Lily Allingham ‘18 18

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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“M

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y time in Sanford’s performing arts program was perhaps the most formative experience during my Sanford career. The teachers I learned from and the students I performed with became family, and Geipel became home, a place where I could be my authentic self without fear of judgment. It was a safe place I knew I belonged and could love and be loved. Post-graduation, the passion I cultivated during my time with Sanford’s performing arts program inspired me to go on to study theatre in college, and now I’m a full-time Costume Designer and Maker living in New York City.”

– Thomas Gluodenis ’17

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r. Williams always encouraged us to hold ourselves to a high standard and embrace a genuine level of professionalism regardless of where in the production process we were, which made the whole process of putting a production together satisfactory and sincere. But what made it so impactful was Mr. Williams’ ability to highlight the importance of every moment that went into putting on a production: the idea was instilled early on in the production process that every moment and meeting, be it a read-through, a sing-through, a day dedicated to choreography, or a full dress rehearsal, was of equal importance to putting on a show, as they all contributed to the end goal of putting on a performance filled with joy and energy felt by the actors on stage and by the audience alike.”

– Misha Teixido ‘20

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“B

eing a part of the performing arts program was one of the highlights of my experience at Sanford. I met amazing friends and faculty and learned so much about the creative world. From my first musical, The Sound of Music, to my last, Sanford Musical Revue, I’m so grateful for the memories I made and for the opportunity to call Geipel home.”

– Ananya Jain ‘21

“S

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anford’s performing arts program was a defining part of my high school experience and, in many ways, left an indelible mark on my outlook on life well beyond Sanford. While I didn’t pursue a career in the arts, theater gave me an appreciation for art and creativity that remains a huge part of who I am today. It also instilled a work ethic that I’ve come to appreciate more and more with time, something that 7:15 AM Vocal Ensemble rehearsals made sure of (thanks, Clint Williams!). I think that was one of Sanford’s real strengths, caring about developing the whole person, not just a successful student.”

– Greg Fleming ‘20

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“T

he Performing Arts program at Sanford gave me an incredible connection with so many people who became like family to me. As someone who transferred to the school my sophomore year, I had a lot of anxiety surrounding my ability to find my place, but as soon as I started working on my first show, I knew I made the right decision to come to Sanford. Through this program, I was also given many opportunities to improve my skills as a leader, which has helped me become both the Music Director of an A Cappella group and President of the student-run theater club at Lafayette College.”

– Amanda Belej ’23

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“S

anford’s performing arts program allowed me to explore my passion for music and acting in an environment that fostered confidence and creativity. Additionally, with the guidance and support of the incredible faculty, I overcame my fear of performing on stage. It is because of their constant encouragement that I have accomplished the things I have today. I continue to explore my love for performing as a Music major at Dickinson College, where I study vocal performance. It is my hope that Geipel continues to provide a space for all students to explore the arts and perhaps discover a lifelong passion of their own, just as I have been fortunate enough to do.”

– Annabelle Bagdon ’24

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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“I

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n Mamma Mia specifically, the memory that sticks out most to me is our opening night. I remember being so excited to open for a sold-out show. And at the end of the show, it was the loudest applause I had ever heard while being on stage. People loved it, and it made me so excited! It felt like a perfect final show as a senior and the final piece to complete my Sanford puzzle.”

– Stella Adamopoulos ’23

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“

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anford Performing Arts was a place I always felt welcome and truly found my people. It was the biggest part of my high school experience and eventually led me to choose what I wanted to pursue professionally. The program shaped my time at Sanford, and the teachers I had shaped such a huge part of my education and my life during the four years I participated in the performing arts. That experience continues to shape the work I’m pursuing now. This past summer I worked professionally with Otterbein’s Summer Theater in the shows She Loves Me and Lost in Yonkers. Also, this fall I’ll be performing in Curtains at Otterbein.”

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– Aidan McDermott ’25

“G

eipel was designed for our students. We wanted it to feel good for them, to give them the full theatre experience: the stage, the orchestra pit, the backstage spaces, all of it. But above all, we wanted to give them a place where they could take risks and figure out who they are. We always say that we don’t teach music. We don’t teach theater. We teach kids. We teach humans.

– Clint Williams

Performing Arts & Theatre Production Manager

“B

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eing a part of Sanford Performing Arts from PreK through my senior year gave me a special space and group of people who made it so easy to express myself. In Geipel, I learned not only how to be my best on the stage, but also how to carry myself with confidence through all parts of my life. As I move forward with my college journey studying music, I’ll look back on all the memories I made in Geipel and carry them with me.”

– Charli Harris ’26

“For the Sanford community, Geipel isn’t just a building. It’s a place for students to find themselves.” Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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More Than a Formula How Sanford Faculty Heather Taylor and Katie Weaver Are Helping Build Thinking Classrooms Across the Region

alk into one of Heather Taylor’s or Katie Weaver’s math classrooms, and you’ll notice something different almost immediately. Students aren’t quietly copying notes or waiting for the teacher to demonstrate the next procedure. Instead, they’re standing at whiteboards, debating strategies, testing ideas, making mistakes, and building understanding together. It’s an approach rooted in Building Thinking Classrooms, the influential work of educator Peter Liljedahl, but for Taylor, Upper School Academic Dean and math instructor, and Weaver, Math Department Co-Chair, it’s become a philosophy that has transformed the way Sanford students experience mathematics. After seeing the impact of these strategies in their own classrooms, Taylor and Weaver brought their experience beyond Sanford. Last winter, they presented “Building Thinking Classrooms: From Theory to Practice: Pedagogy that Works” at the PAIS Elevate Learning Conference, sharing practical approaches that have transformed student engagement and learning at Sanford with fellow educators from across the region. “We want students doing the thinking– not the teacher,” says Weaver. “Math is something students learn best by experiencing, exploring, and discussing with one another.” The strategies are simple but powerful. Students work in randomly assigned groups, tackle carefully sequenced problems that build understanding one step at a time, and solve problems on vertical whiteboards where ideas can be revised freely. Instead of fearing mistakes, students are encouraged to embrace what the teachers call “rough-draft thinking,” revisiting their work with a different color to reflect on misconceptions and strengthen their understanding.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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“When students construct their own understanding instead of simply receiving information, the learning lasts.” – Heather Taylor

For Taylor, the approach aligns closely with Sanford’s broader commitment to student-centered learning. “Our role becomes guiding the process: asking the right questions, noticing misconceptions, and creating opportunities for students to make meaningful connections.” The results have been striking. Students spend more time discussing mathematical ideas, explaining their reasoning, and making connections between concepts. Rather than simply learning procedures or memorizing steps, they’re developing a deeper conceptual understanding of mathematics, learning not only how to solve a problem, but why a strategy works. Teachers can quickly identify misunderstandings by observing students’ conversations and work in real time, allowing instruction to respond immediately to students’ needs. Those outcomes are exactly what Taylor and Weaver hoped to share with other educators. Rather than offering theory alone, they presented classroom practices that have been tested, refined, and proven successful with Sanford students. Perhaps most rewarding, the classrooms have become places where intellectual risk-taking feels safe. “Using whiteboards changes the dynamic,” Weaver explains. “Students know they can erase, revise, and try again. They’re much more willing to share incomplete ideas, and that’s often where the best learning happens.” That willingness to think aloud has translated into stronger understanding and, ultimately, stronger outcomes: “Students have a much deeper understanding of mathematical concepts now,” says Taylor. “We’ve seen some of the highest achievement we’ve ever had teaching these same courses, but more importantly, we’re seeing students become confident mathematical thinkers.” While the framework grew out of mathematics, Taylor and Weaver believe its principles can transform learning in any classroom. Their conference presentation intentionally invited educators from every discipline to experience these strategies firsthand, reinforcing that meaningful thinking isn’t confined to one subject area. Whether students are solving equations, analyzing literature, or conducting scientific investigations, classrooms that prioritize thinking over memorization prepare them to become intentional, independent learners. The work begins in Sanford’s classrooms, where students are challenged to approach problem-solving with curiosity and open-mindedness every day. But it doesn’t end there. By sharing the successes of Sanford’s thinking classrooms with fellow educators, Taylor and Weaver are helping shape conversations about innovative teaching, extending the impact of Sanford’s student-centered approach to classrooms far beyond campus.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Closing Exercises W

“The strangest, seemingly insignificant moments will stick with you. Those are the pieces that will make up whatever picture of yourself you end up creating.” – Chris Keiser ’19, Middle School Closing Exercises Speaker

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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“It is our great teachers and faculty... who provide the invisible and sometimes very visible railings that keep us safe and guide us across.” – Eddie MacLeod ᾽30 Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Class of 2026

Closing Chapters & New Beginnings

n June 5, 2026, 72 members of Sanford’s senior class gathered in the Class of 1955 Amphitheater for the school’s 90th Commencement ceremony to celebrate all they had accomplished together and look ahead to their next chapter. Upper School history teacher Dr. Brian Taylor, selected by the Class of 2026 to deliver the Commencement address, looked back on the class through the lens of a historian, recalling a group defined by both its commitment to community and its ability to find joy along the way. “These students care about their community, and they know how to have a good time,” Taylor said. As graduates turned toward the future, he encouraged them to carry the confidence of what they had already accomplished at Sanford: “Remember the great things you did here while you were young and have confidence that you can face those demons down.” Student speakers Jordan Perkins ’26 and Adithi Chandra ’26 offered their own reflections on the experiences and relationships that shaped their class. Perkins celebrated Sanford as a place where students could grow into themselves: “Sanford gave us something not every school can, a place where you can actually be yourself.” Chandra challenged her classmates to carry compassion with them beyond graduation, reminding them that every experience becomes part of who they are: “Choose compassion despite it all, believing that at our core, every drop of us carries goodness.” Among the highlights of the morning was a performance of “Landslide” by graduates Charli Harris ’26, Abigail Smith ’26, and Donovan Hendrix ’26, joined by Ryan Schmidt ’28. Then, members of the Class of 2026 crossed the stage as Head of School Jaime Morgan ’02 and Board of Trustees President R. Jason Russell presented their diplomas. It was a reflective and celebratory send-off for 72 graduates, prepared to build on their Sanford foundations as they step into what comes next.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Top Row: Dominic Ameer, Miles Kedash, Caden Butcher, Graham Raymond, Tanner Murray, Zachary Hopkins, Jonathan Belair, Alex Gannon, Liam Jezyck, Donovan Hendrix 2nd Row Down: Trevor Webster, Guiseppe DiUbaldo, Will Barlow, Jana Washington, Ethan Lucky, Naomi Allen, Gabriella Gandia, Andrew McConn, Mason Helmecki, Caden Walters, Charles Wilkinson, Henry Friedemann 3rd Row Down: Hudson Moran, Robert Vella, Thomas Kramedas, Arthur Straus, Lillianna Cooper, Lauren Kedash, Gianna Meloro, Abigail Tomeo, Rachel Durbano, Matthew Kopp, Will Coleman, Anthony Coomes, Cole Ruhland, Nathaniel Axt 4th Row Down: Brandt Corron, Zy’rin Smack, Tianyue “Amy” Jin, Audrey Sluder, Abigail Hammond, Julia Caldwell, Ava Tucker, Adithi Chandra, Kelsea Conway, Emily Everhart, Rowan Doyle, Rowan Avatara, Jonas Cadungog 5th Row Down: Aaron DiTomo, Isabella Atwood, Olivia Filipowski, Abigail Smith, Eliza Friedemann, Abigail Krape, Brie Wilson, Delaney Patterson, Madeline Wilson, Camile Opher, Katie Taube, Adam Zolper Bottom Row: Jordan Perkins, Vicky Velasquez, Anjali Viswanathan, Alice Goodall, Chaya Peipher, Abigail Cantagallo, Ada Henry, Charli Harris, Kayla Principe, Ana Julia Glanden, Brenna Bowers

Commencement Awards:

“Sanford gave us something not every school can, a place where you can actually be yourself, not a version of yourself or who you thought you were supposed to be, but just yourself.” - Jordan Perkins ’26

Scholastic Award: Adithi Chandra ’26 and Caden Butcher ’26 Jackie Pitts ’55 Alumni Award: Liam Jezyk ’26 Thomas McCarthy Award for Citizenship: Abigail Smith ’26 Kenneth D. Jones Memorial Award: Donovan Hendrix ’26 Nancy C. Sawin Final Award: Ada Henry ’26 Head of School Award: Abigail Krape ’26 Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Coming Home

Commencement was a celebration of the Class of 2026, but it was also a homecoming. This year, more than 20 Sanford alumni returned to campus to cheer on younger siblings as they crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. Their presence was a reminder that the Sanford community always has a reason to come back together. Commencement celebrates family in every sense of the word, welcoming graduates into a legacy, and a community, that will always be their home.

CJ ’25 & Caden Walters ’26

Olivia ’24, Cammie ’26 & Albie Opher ’21

Corey ’20 & Jordan Perkins ’26

Carly ’24 & Abigail Cantagallo ’26

Kunal ’23, Anjali ’26, & Pranali Viswanathan ’25

Chelsea ’28, Abigail ’26, & Emma Smith ’22

Tanner ’26 & Tayg Murray ’21 Jonathan ’26 & Jacob Belair ’24

Braeden ’25 & Rowan Avatara ’26 28

Dominic ’26 & Antonio Ameer ’24 & Mara Suppiah ’31

Ethan ’26 & Devon Lucky ’22

Adam ’26 & Tripp Zolper ’22

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Dom ’22, Joey ’26, Dom ’94 & Sophia DiUbaldo ’20

Andrew ’22, Lauren ’26 & Miles Kedash ’26

Gianna ’26 & Anthony Meloro ’25

Scott ’94, Charles ’26 & Ben Wilkinson ’21

Scarlett ’24 & Mason Helmecki ’26

Alex ’23 & Abby Krape ’26

William ’26 & Owen Barlow ’24

Julia ’26 & Bridget Caldwell ’24 Lily Cooper ’26 & Emma Martino ’23 Amelia ’24, Jamie ’96 & Matty ’26 Kopp

Phoenyx ’24, & Donnie Hendrix ’26

Lily ’24 & Abbey Tomeo ’26

Cailin ’24, Kelsea ’26 & Dillon Conway ’28 Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Walking Slower Between Classes During her final spring on campus, Sanford Lifer Abigail Tomeo ’26 revisits thirteen years of memories, reflecting on how the ordinary moments of school life quietly shape who we become.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Campus looked and felt the same as it always did in the spring. The air smelled like flowers and freshly cut grass, the kind of spring morning that only exists a few weeks before summer break. Thin layers of pollen coated the black metal railings outside Stephen May, campus looked brighter than I remembered. Spring came, and suddenly the saturation was turned all the way up. The tall trees looked impossibly bright, the brick pathways were warmer, and the sky was clearer than it was all winter. Even the noises around campus felt sharper; students’ footsteps drifted through the halls, teachers voices carried from classrooms, music echoing from students’ headphones. Everything felt more alive. Maybe it was because the weather finally decided to give us a break from the harsh chill, or maybe it was because I knew everything was slowly winding down. It was strange how beautiful everything became once I realized I was running out of time to look at it. As a senior in my final spring at Sanford, I started walking slower between classes. Not intentionally, not because winter was over and I needed to rush to the buildings to escape the cold, but because I kept seeing memories of myself all around campus. It was like there were little ghosts of my younger self in every corner of this school. On the lower school playground, I could still picture myself doing gymnastics or swinging with my friends. When I drive by Geipel, I can see myself walking through the halls as a second grader, excited to see the new music building, but also the more recent memories of my friends and me building props and sets for the musicals. I look over at the middle school and remember how life was during COVID, trying to adjust to all my friends being online while I went to school in person. I also remember what middle school was like before COVID, looking back on how excited I was for my first ‘overnight’ field trip to Williamsburg, Virginia. For most of my life, school felt endless. I’d spent so much of my life at Sanford that it became a routine. A continuous cycle that I’d never break. Every September arrived with new notebooks and a planner that I’d ditch halfway through the year. Every winter, the campus was covered in a quiet gray fog, and every spring, seniors wore college sweatshirts, talking about graduation as it approached. Now, somehow, I am one of them.

in class, and then suddenly you’re embarrassed to speak at all. One moment, recess feels infinite, and the next you’re checking college deadlines between classes. Growing up is realizing your teachers have watched you transform from the kid who cried over forgotten homework into someone expected to make decisions about the rest of their life. Growing is watching friendships deepen, drift apart, and rebuild themselves into something entirely different. It’s learning how quickly time passes once you become aware of it. It’s also realizing how much your own voice changes over the years. As a younger student, I was louder in every sense. I was quicker to raise my hand and answer questions, quicker to speak without overthinking, quicker to throw myself into things without the opinions of others. But, somewhere between lower school and senior year, my voice changed alongside me. It became more thoughtful, more careful at times, and more uncertain at others. Growing in this school helped me shape my voice, but also helped it grow. At Sanford, I didn’t realize these changes when they were happening. But, during my final spring on campus, it felt like every past version of myself returned to my memory all at once. The campus became crowded with little moments I couldn’t ignore. Every hallway felt layered, every classroom carried echoes of discussions or inside jokes that’d last the whole year. I could practically see my younger selves moving through the spaces between me: the nervous kindergartener, the awkward middle schooler, and the freshman who wanted graduation to come sooner. And maybe that’s what made this spring feel so overwhelming. For the first time, I could see my life at Sanford as one complete story instead of different school years stitched together. All these moments that had just felt ordinary suddenly seemed so important: walking into advisory, halfawake, on Wednesday mornings, hearing my friends laughing from down the hall, staying on campus late for stage crew or a volleyball game, watching the trees change color outside classroom windows year after year. I always thought the most important part of high school was the end goal: graduation and going to college. And while those are still very important, I realize the moments that mattered the most were the ones I barely apprehended while they were happening.

I think growing up is rough, if I’m being honest. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking all at once.

For thirteen years, Sanford became more than just a school for me. It became the backdrop for every version of myself. Somewhere in between the routines, classrooms, practices, and tech-week rehearsals, this campus became home without me even noticing.

It happens every time a version of yourself disappears without warning. One day, you’re a child, raising your hand excitedly

And I think that’s what growing up really is: the moments that were “ordinary” are the ones shaping you.

People say that growing up happens slowly, almost invisible, but I don’t think that’s true whatsoever.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Retirements & New Faculty To our beloved Mrs. Dabkowski, How do you begin to say thank you to someone who has given Sanford 39 years of her heart? Over nearly four decades, you wore more hats at this school than most of us could count–from kindergarten and second and third grade to the library and reading. Whenever Sanford needed you somewhere new, you showed up ready, curious, and unafraid of change. You rolled up your sleeves, walked into the next classroom, and made it yours. Anyone who passed through your doors knows “the Mrs. Dabkowski Show” exciting, warm, a little unpredictable, and always fun. Kids didn’t just learn from you; they came alive around you. Long after they’ve forgotten their times tables, they will remember how it felt to be in your room. What made you extraordinary, though, was the way you saw every child. You loved them because of who they were, with all your might, the way you love your own girls. In your classroom, kids felt known, valued, encouraged, and loved. That can’t be taught in college or written into a curriculum. You are simply a born teacher. And you didn’t just teach; you built. The kindergartner and senior sailor hats. The Sunny Hills Tea. The Helping Hands Club. So many traditions that give the Lower School its magic came from your imagination and heart, and they will carry your fingerprints for generations. You were also so much more than a colleague: a mentor to teachers finding their footing and, somewhere along the way, an even better friend–caring, hilarious, patient, and always in our corner. It seems fitting that Nicole ’08 and Hailey ’12 grew up as Sanford lifers, watching their mom pour herself into this place year after year. They saw up close what the rest of us witnessed from the sidelines: how much of yourself you gave to Sanford. Thirty-nine years. Hundreds of Sanford Warriors who are better, kinder, more curious people because you were their teacher. We are the lucky ones. Congratulations on your retirement, Mrs. Dabkowski. Sanford will never be quite the same without you in the building, but everything you gave us will stay. With love,

Christine DiUbaldo Director of Enrollment and former Lower School Instructor

New faculty left to right: Julie Kotler, Jessica Rahn, Rebecca Lazorick, Destyni Rivera, Claire Parisi ’05, Amanda Humphreys, Stephanie Price, Caleb Curtiss, Tristan Bachorik, Susana García, Rocío Rodríguez Vallejo. 32

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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What’s something about elementary education that people often underestimate?

I think play-based learning and experiential learning can be underestimated. Purposeful play isn’t separate from rigorous learning–it’s one of the key ways young children develop curiosity, problemsolving, collaboration, and independence. Whether students are on the playground, in the tech lab, in Chapel Valley, or in our classrooms, they are learning, questioning, and pushing limits. This shapes their minds and builds a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

Get to Know Chanel Purnell

Interim Head of Lower School You’ve spent years supporting individual students as a Lower School Learning Specialist. How has that experience shaped the kind of Lower School leader you hope to be?

Serving as the Learning Specialist has shaped me in so many ways. It has given me the opportunity to work alongside our incredible Lower School faculty, implement new strategies, strengthen student supports, and see firsthand how thoughtful collaboration can help students grow holistically in exponential ways. That experience has given me a deep understanding of students, teachers, and the systems that support them. As Interim Head of Lower School, I’m able to lead from that experience, making informed decisions that help our students and faculty thrive.

If a family is just beginning their Sanford journey this fall, what do you hope they notice, or feel, the moment they walk into the Lower School? community where we get to learn, grow, and experience A: each day together. No family is on an island, and it takes all of us to I hope they feel the warmth! Our Lower School is a joyful

What do you believe young children need most from school today?

Young children need to know they are seen, heard, and valued. They also need adults who believe in what they are capable of and set high expectations for them. A child who feels they are somebody will show up and contribute, creating environments where they can make mistakes and learn through experience.

What’s been the biggest surprise, or greatest joy, of stepping into this new role?

the community’s support A: of this transition. When I began The biggest joy has been

my Sanford journey five years ago, I could not have imagined the depth of my relationships with my colleagues, Sanford families, and students. I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead a place I know and care about so deeply, and to continue earning that trust each day.

Your career has given you experience across several areas of education. What experienc-

es have most shaped the educator and leader you are today? that shaped me the most A: are the ones when change did I think the experiences

not happen overnight. As a special educator, studying my students, learning their strengths, and setting goals takes time. The grit and stamina I needed to see things through, pivot, and stay patient made it worthwhile, even when it’s hard. I carry those lessons into leadership: meaningful growth takes time, but it also takes clear expectations, thoughtful decisions, and the willingness to adjust along the way.

As you look ahead, what excites you most about the future of Sanford’s Lower School?

I’m most excited about our students and the opportunity to continue building a lower school experience that challenges, supports, and inspires them. They show up as their full selves, full of curiosity and ideas, and our job is to create the conditions for that curiosity to grow. I’m excited to build on what makes Sanford special while continuing to ask how we can make the experience even stronger for every child. Our students are not only the future of Sanford, but our world. What a gift it is to lead them.

make Sanford Lower School the amazing place it is.

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Board of Trustees Our Board of Trustees comprises strategic visionaries who generously dedicate their time and expertise to shaping Sanford’s future and supporting the continued growth of our school community. This year, we extend our deepest gratitude to Ted Dwyer, Leslie Neuberger, and Christine Ramsey for their exceptional service to Sanford. Their leadership and commitment have strengthened and advanced our mission in meaningful ways. We are also pleased to welcome two new trustees, who will play a significant role in furthering Sanford’s mission in the years ahead.

Condylia Courtney is a global business leader with experience in P&L ownership, longterm strategy, and organizational leadership. She currently serves as Global Business Director for Corian® Design at DuPont, where she is responsible for setting strategic direction and guiding the long-term health of a global brand. Her career spans multiple industries, including federal government contracting, liquid purification, healthcare, automotive, and building materials. Across these varied contexts, Condylia has demonstrated an ability to cut through complexity, identify the core issues that matter most in a business, and build high-performing teams aligned around clear priorities. Condylia holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Business and Government from The College of William & Mary and an MBA in Strategy and Economics from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. She has served on the board of DuPont MCC Co, a Japanese joint venture, since January 2026.

Condylia Courtney Board of Trustees

As a board member, Condylia would bring a thoughtful, strategic approach to governance. Her approach is focused on asking the right questions, framing challenges and decisions to ensure principle-driven decision-making, and bringing in perspectives from a variety of industries to help teams think beyond what they know and find the straightest line to their goals. A parent at the school, to JJ ’34 and Alexandra ’37, Condylia feels a deep connection to the community and is committed to helping it continue to thrive.

A native of Portland, Maine, Kelley Ford graduated cum laude from Garrison Forest School for Girls in Owings Mills, Maryland, in 2003, where she was a boarding student from grades nine through twelve. She graduated with honors from Colorado State University in 2007, earning both a Bachelor of the Arts and Science degree with a double major in Equine Science (BS) and History (BA).

Home & School President

Kelley Ford

After college, Kelley spent a decade working for professional three-day event equestrian riders, traveling to competitions around the US and internationally, caring for and managing sport horses competing at the Olympic level. After having children, Kelley’s work transitioned from the barn to the office. Since 2020, Kelley has worked for the nonprofit Cheshire Hunt Conservancy, and her responsibilities include property management, HR, bookkeeping, and managing fundraising events, including acting as race director of the Cheshire Races, an annual steeplechase meet. The mom of Wilder ’36 and Deirdre ’38, Kelley has embraced multiple opportunities for parent involvement. She has served as a Grade Rep, Auction Chair, and Parent Ambassador since joining the Sanford community almost five years ago. A proud Delaware State Police family, Kelley and husband Tom reside in North Wilmington with their kids and black lab Scribble. In her spare time, Kelley does CrossFit and loves supporting her family in their various pursuits.

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A Community Worth Investing In

How Fundraising Supports Sanford School Dear Sanford Community, In my first year leading Sanford’s Development Team, I’ve had the opportunity to see our school from a new perspective and deepen my appreciation for what makes it so special. Sanford’s story began in the 1930s on a working farm. Students and faculty worked the land and helped build the spaces where they would live and learn. I’ve always loved that part of our history because it reflects something essential about who we are: Sanford has been built, generation after generation, by people willing to invest themselves in something they believe matters. I’m proud to say that spirit is still alive today. Sanford students are known for their humility and drive, qualities shaped by a school that has always made the most of its resources and never taken its success or support for granted. That same spirit has produced generations of exceptional students, dedicated faculty, and outcomes that rival those of far more heavily endowed institutions. Because childhood is brief, a student’s years at Sanford matter. Every child deserves exceptional teachers, enriching programs, and a community that knows them by name. We have always had the people to make that possible. Philanthropy helps ensure we never have to compromise. Tuition alone has never sustained a Sanford education. In partnership with our community, the following sources bring the Sanford experience to life: Tuition covered 86% of Sanford’s annual operating costs for the 25–26 school year The Sanford Fund & Endowment draw contributed 7% Other sources account for the remaining 7% Sanford was built not on a handful of large gifts, but on the collective commitment of a community that believes this education is worth sustaining through our greatest investment: our people. When I speak with alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends, the reason they give is remarkably consistent: they remember what Sanford gave them or someone they love. They want today’s students, and generations still to come, to have that same opportunity to grow here and carry what they learn far beyond our campus. That is what makes Sanford a community worth investing in. In the pages ahead, you’ll learn about three ways our community supports Sanford’s future: the Sanford Fund, the Exceptionally Sanford Campaign, and the annual Home & School Auction. Each serves a different purpose, but all share the same goal of ensuring Sanford continues to provide an extraordinary education for the students entrusted to us. Thank you for being part of this shared commitment. Warmly,

Tanya Domenick Director of Development

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Thank You for Supporting the Sanford Fund Every year, tuition covers much of the cost of a Sanford education, but not all of it. The Sanford Fund helps make possible the small class sizes, specialist teachers, wellness programming, robust athletic and performing arts offerings, learning support, and resources that enable every teacher to show up fully prepared. There is no student this fund does not touch, no classroom it does not reach. It is the quiet foundation beneath the Sanford experience, renewed every single year by families, alumni, and friends who believe that what we do here is worth sustaining.

730+ DONORS

100%

NEW DONORS

126

2005

48%

$592,303

OF CURRENT PARENTS GAVE

OF FACULTY, STAFF, & TRUSTEES GAVE

ALUMNI CLASS WITH THE MOST GIFTS

RAISED

Our Philanthropy Report will be delivered digitally this year to make space for more Sanford stories. To ensure we have an up-to-date email address, please contact development@sanfordschool.org

“For the last five years, I’ve gotten to experience the magic of Sanford first hand, through my children as well as the broader community. We give to Sanford because we’re confident the resources will be used to continue to enrich this special place.” – Condylia Courtney, Board of Trustees Member, Lower School & Middle School Parent “I support Sanford School because I had such a great experience attending school here in the 90’s. I want to make sure my girls have a similar experience and education at this school. Donations are needed to keep it all going, and I wanted to help make it happen.” – Bill Galbraith ’96 & Middle School Parent

“I support Sanford because Sanford took a chance on me when no others would and, over almost ten years, helped me overcome my particular learning challenges that situated me for a life of intellectual curiosity and performance. To this day, I rely on and enjoy what I learned in chemistry and literature, history and Spanish, and physics and soccer, and from the appreciation for beauty Sanford’s natural setting generates, all of which is a direct consequence of my teachers taking a personal interest in and care for me, driving me, and helping me be excited about learning. I support Sanford because I want it to continue to develop future leaders and productive citizens just as it developed me.” – Russell Shearer ’84

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Exceptionally

SANFORD

When learning is joyful, students lean in. That belief is the heart of the Exceptionally Sanford campaign, and thanks to our community, it’s becoming brick, mortar, and endowed opportunities across campus.

$6.17M raised of $6.5M capital goal

$3.23M raised of $4M endowment goal

$9.4M

committed campaign-wide

s of July 2026, Sanford has raised $9.4 million toward its $10.5 million campaign goal. Two major building projects are complete, work is underway on two more, and the school’s endowment continues to grow.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Nancy C. Sawin Math/Science Building has been completely reimagined, with larger, light-filled classrooms throughout, a new science lab, additional bathrooms, a refreshed patio, and a walkway connecting the building more seamlessly to the rest of campus. Each teacher now has a dedicated classroom, and the transformed space has become a place where students choose to gather before and after class. The Middle School received a refresh of its own, including updated science labs, additional bathrooms, and a comprehensive HVAC upgrade. Removing the noisy window units has created quieter, more comfortable classrooms designed to help students stay focused and engaged. Attention turns to the Lower School Addition and the Middle School Greenspace.

“I love my new lab; it feels clean, organized, and inviting. The new cabinets have made such a difference by giving me a place to store materials and hide the clutter, which helps the room feel calmer and more functional. The space now feels more “zen,” allowing both me and my students to focus better during labs and class activities.” - Emily McDermott, Middle School Science Instructor & Science Department Co-Chair

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Growing our Endowment Our endowment has grown from $7.7 million to $16 million over the past 16 years, strengthening the school’s foundation for generations to come. The campaign seeks to raise $4 million, with generous donors already committing $3.2 million toward that goal. More than a measure of financial strength, a growing endowment creates lasting impact year after year by supporting competitive faculty salaries, expanding financial aid, and investing in the programs and experiences that define a Sanford education. Endowment per student

“Why not start at the foundational level and be part of helping our youngest learners grow and thrive? Supporting the campaign will expand learning opportunities for the next generation of young Warriors.”

Sanford

$19,822

National Peers

$25,924

Regional Peers

$31,390

-Chanel Purnell, Interim Head of Lower School

A Summer of Activity Two of the campaign’s final capital projects are now underway. In the Lower School, crews have removed the former nurse’s office and bathroom in Albright, clearing the way for site work on a new two-story addition. At the same time, construction has begun on a new Middle School Greenspace between the building and the Sports Center parking lot. Once complete, the Lower School Addition will include five classrooms, two early childhood classrooms with attached bathrooms, a digital learning lab, and a new nurse’s suite serving students from preschool through grade 12. Nearby, renovated spaces will house a faculty lounge and dedicated areas for academic support, while existing classrooms throughout the building are being upgraded as well. Plans also look beyond the building itself, with a redesigned playground envisioned for the more than 217 students who use it each day.

Join us in paving our path forward. Purchase a brick or plaque! With about $326,000 left to reach our capital goal and $774,000 left for the endowment, every gift brings us closer. Purchase a commemorative Classic Brick, Legacy Brick, or Heritage Plaque and become a permanent part of campus.

Learn more on our website: sanfordschool.org/bricks

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Blues, Brews, & BBQ

How one spring evening supported Sanford’s teachers and set the stage for an even bigger night this spring!

he Sanford Home & School Auction is one of the most joyful expressions of community at Sanford. This year’s evening delivered on every front: great food, live music, and an incredible turnout under one roof at the Creamery of Kennett Square. Beyond the fun, the auction funds something deeply meaningful: teacher professional development, investing directly in the growth of the people who bring Sanford’s programs to life for students every day.

None of it happens without the volunteers who plan the evening and the families who show up to bid generously. With this year’s momentum behind us, we can’t wait to see what next spring makes possible. On the next page, five Sanford faculty members describe how the auction supported their professional development.

That investment paid off again this year. Together, the Sanford community raised $167,000, one of the most successful auctions in recent memory. Our faculty and staff are true lifelong learners, and the training they pursue each summer doesn’t just sharpen what happens in the classroom—it fills their own buckets, too.

Save the Date: Saturday, April 24, 2027 “Read Between the Vines” at the Kennett Library 40

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“As I stepped into the Lower School technology instructor role last summer, I had the privilege to not only build on the curriculum that my predecessor laid but also mold the program into its next iteration. With the support of my Summer Study Grant, I could discover and explore materials and resources to support student learning while also crafting my vision for the department.” Heather Carlisle, Lower School Technology Teacher

“Through this Summer Study Grant, two new upper school electives, Athletic Training Elective & Veterinary Science, were developed to better meet the diverse interests and career goals of our students. These courses offer hands-on, real-world learning experiences in animal care, sports medicine, and health sciences, providing students with practical skills and insights into potential career paths. These additions enrich our academic offerings and create exciting new opportunities for student growth and exploration!” Staci Krape, Upper School Science Instructor

“Participating in the English Department’s Summer Study Grant aligned me with my colleagues and our shared approach to teaching and assessing writing. It also gave me a strong foundation for equitable grading, ensuring students receive clear, consistent feedback.” Allison Jester, Upper School English Instructor

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is what I experienced going to the San Diego Zoo last summer with the help of Sanford! I connected with scientists, activists, and educators from around the country who share a love of science and conservation, and learned how to weave conservation themes into my curriculum through sessions on condor genetics, rhino endocrinology, polar bear technology, and frog recovery ecology, plus daily visits to active research labs. The highlight was up-close animal encounters at the Zoo and a behindthe-scenes Safari Park ride—I almost touched a giraffe! Summer gave me the time to travel, plan, and return rejuvenated for my fifth- and sixth-grade science classes.” Beth Colgan, Middle School Science Instructor

“We were able to redesign our Upper School advisory program with greater intentionality, purpose, and alignment. We had the time and space to create a shared framework that deepens students’ connection and sense of belonging. Its impact is already evident in stronger advisor-advisee relationships, and in the ways our students feel known and supported each day.” Sarah Satinsky, Upper School Counselor and Learning Services Coordinator

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Athletic Hall of Fame

At Homecoming & Reunion Weekend 2025, Sanford inducted three standout athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame, each leaving a lasting impact on Sanford athletics and the generations that followed. During Homecoming & Reunion Weekend 2025, We inducted three standout athletes into our Athletic Hall of Fame, in recognition of their lasting impact of Sanford Athletics.

Kendall Towe ‘10

Caitlin Towe ‘10

Marcus Thompson ‘85

A five-year varsity standout, Kendall earned All-State and All-Conference honors in swimming for five consecutive years, along with All-State selections in soccer. She and her sister Caitlin joined Sanford’s team as eighth graders and quickly became two of its leaders, carrying forward the values their grandparents had instilled in them. That first year together, the sisters helped Sanford win the DISC Conference Championship, a title Kendall still counts among her proudest accomplishments. Teammates remember her as a leader who set the tone for the program, encouraging others and celebrating every win together. At Towson University, Kendall was a three-time member of a Colonial Athletic Association championship team, ranked among the nation’s top 25 in the 200-yard butterfly, and earned two All-American honors. She now works in fundraising at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Kendall’s sister and swim partner, Caitlin matched her sister’s remarkable run of All-State and All-Conference run for five straight years. Coached in part by Sandy Stevens, she became one of the leaders who shaped the program’s culture of positivity and accountability. That leadership was on full display in her final season, when she helped set a school record in the 200-yard medley relay, a mark that stood for 16 years until it was broken this past season. Caitlin went on to swim at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she was named a two-time Academic All-American. She has stayed close to the sport ever since, coaching for Diamond State Aquatics, where several of her swimmers have also gone on to compete for Sanford. Today she is a Vice President, Product Manager in Marketing Tech at JPMorgan Chase.

Arriving at Sanford a self-described “non-athlete,” Marcus became a three-time All-Conference basketball player, two-time All-State honoree, and DISC shot-put champion, then took that grit to Brown University, where he graduated as the program’s third all-time leading scorer and became a two-time Brown Hall of Famer. He returned to Sanford as girls’ basketball head coach, a post he has now held for more than two decades. He has surpassed 400 career wins, added multiple championship titles, and extended Sanford’s DISC championship streak without a loss. Yet for his former players, his legacy reaches well beyond wins and championships. “Coach T proved through every practice, every conversation, and every lesson that no talent lies latent,” says Olivia Tucker ’19, now a college coach herself. Alexa Webb ’10 puts it simply: “He truly treated me as one of his own. We all were, and still are, his daughters.”

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Engineering a Greener Future 2025 Alumni Award recipient Neeraj Batta ’95 transforms contaminated land, strengthening communities both abroad and at home.

hen a nonprofit developer approached Neeraj Batta ’95 about a contaminated former tannery site along Wilmington’s riverfront, he saw possibility: transform the brownfield–contaminated industrial land–into affordable housing for families earning no more than 80% of the area’s median income. The environmental challenges were significant, but Batta saw opportunity. His team at Batta Environmental Associates not only remediated the site; they also secured $600,000 in state grant funding that made the project financially viable. It’s this intersection of technical expertise and community impact that defines his work. As Senior Vice President of Batta Environmental Associates, the Class of 1995 Sanford alumnus works at a unique crossroads: chemical engineering meets public policy, business development intersects with public health, and local expertise addresses global challenges. His portfolio spans continents. In Mexico City, he is leading a reservoir cleanup that affects 30% of the city’s drinking water supply, a project addressing nutrient pollution that has made the water unsafe for recreation and costly to treat. In Virginia, Batta recently completed work on a historically segregated school that sat vacant and environmentally compromised for decades. Now remediated, it is being transformed into a trade school, supporting workforce development while preserving an important piece of local history. “Anything we do has a positive impact on public health and the environment,” Batta says, noting that even routine sampling projects carry measurable community benefits. As a consultant to EPA Region Three–which includes Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and D.C.–his firm conducts targeted brownfield assessments that help communities reclaim contaminated properties for redevelopment.

Neeraj with former science instructor André Dagenais at 2025 Sanford Homecoming

His path began at Dow Chemical, where he spent four years building polymer plants across Europe after earning his chemical engineering degree from the University of Delaware. But he was always drawn to “that intersection of chemistry and the environment to do something purposeful and good.” Under his leadership, Batta Environmental Associates has been named SBA Exporter of the Year, and Batta was nominated by the Department of Commerce for the Export Trade Council. He remains grounded: a father of three boys, a CrossFit enthusiast, and a loyal Sanford basketball fan who still cheers from the sidelines. Looking back on the experiences that shaped his career, Batta points to the value of listening and building connections early. “Network by listening,” he says. “You’re never too young to start building your network.” Batta’s network now spans communities and continents, connecting people and partnerships that transform environmentally compromised spaces into places of renewed purpose.

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Pivoting with Purpose 2025 Alumni Award recipient Caroline Johnston Polisi ’00 has spent her career bridging the worlds of law, media, and education, using her expertise as an attorney, national legal analyst, and educator to make the law more accessible and meaningful.

aroline Johnston Polisi never imagined her career would follow a straight line, and she’s grateful it hasn’t. The Sanford alumna has built a career that moves between law, media, and education, creating a professional path that draws on skills she first developed both in the classroom and on the stage during her years at Sanford. Today, Polisi is a full-time legal analyst at CBS News; it’s a role that keeps her perpetually on call, ready to analyze breaking legal news at a moment’s notice. “People are always shocked to learn that I never know when I’m going to be on television,” she explains. “I never know what they’re going to ask me. I sort of always have to be on.” But for someone who has always been a news junkie, the unpredictability suits her. This media role represents a significant pivot from her earlier career in federal criminal defense. Polisi no longer practices law, having recognized early on that the demanding nature of trial work, while rewarding, wasn’t sustainable alongside her priority: family. “I saw the writing on the wall very quickly about how demanding a career in the law would be,” she reflects. “Trying cases and going to trial was a wonderful experience for me, but not something I knew that I would be able to do long-term.” Rather than viewing the transition as a departure, Polisi sees her current work as a natural extension of the skills and interests she’s developed throughout her life. The academic rigor she experienced at Sanford, particularly in Lloyd Johns’s AP U.S. History course, taught her not just to absorb information but to contextualize complex ideas and communicate them clearly. Meanwhile, her involvement with the Sanford Repertory Theater Company, where she performed in more than ten productions, helped cultivate the confidence and presentation skills that now serve her well on camera. “There is an element of presentation, and sometimes it does feel like playing a part,” she says of her television work. “It’s like a really nice way to still have a performative aspect in my life, which was so meaningful to me at Sanford.” Her current career, she notes, feels “like the perfect combination” of the academic and theatrical experiences that shaped her Upper School years.

In addition to her broadcasting work, Polisi brings her expertise into the classroom as a legal writing instructor at Columbia Law School. While she jokes that the formulaic nature of legal writing doesn’t always allow for the creativity Sanford encouraged, teaching keeps her connected to younger generations and helps her “keep up with the zeitgeist.” It’s also an opportunity to share a hard-earned perspective about navigating professional life, particularly as a woman working in the male-dominated field of white-collar criminal defense. The lesson she most wants students to understand–whether law students or current Sanford students–is that career paths are “never going to be a straight line trajectory.” “What I’m most proud of in my career probably is how I’ve been able to pivot so many times,” she says. For Polisi, adaptability hasn’t meant abandoning her expertise; it’s meant finding new ways to apply it. Now with two children, Polisi has crafted a professional life that reflects both her intellectual interests and her personal values. Broadcasting from home since the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed her to remain present for important family moments while continuing to work at the forefront of legal journalism. Her role offers what she describes as an energizing balance: the chance to stay deeply engaged with the legal and news landscapes she loves while maintaining the flexibility to prioritize her family. Receiving the Alumni Award last year represented a meaningful “full circle moment” for Polisi. The foundation the school provided, which encouraged both academic rigor and authentic self-discovery, continues to shape not only what she does, but how she approaches the evolving journey of her impressive career. Her message to Sanford students reflects the bold spirit that has defined her own path: “Try new things, try as many new things as you can because you never know,” she urges. “Don’t let fear of trying new things get in the way of really exploring who you are because this is the time to do it.” For Polisi, these purposeful pivots have shaped a life defined less by a single path than by the importance of the work itself, wherever it leads.

“What I’m most proud of in my career probably is how I’ve been able to pivot so many times.”

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Your legacy, etched to endure.

Sanford School is built on the stories of our community, stories that guide our steps today and pave the way for tomorrow.

We are 90% of the way to our campaign goal. Join us in shaping the spaces where the next generation of Sanford students will learn and grow.

Your story. Permanently part of Sanford.

Classic Brick

Purchase a commemorative brick or plaque and leave a lasting mark on the campus you love. Thanks to the Exceptionally Sanford Campaign, our campus is being transformed. Now is your opportunity to become a permanent part of this transformation. Engraved bricks will line the walkways of our newest spaces, and commemorative plaques will shine on outdoor furniture and equipment in community spaces for our students to enjoy.

Legacy Brick

Bricks and plaques are offered in three locations: Nancy C. Sawin Math/Science Patio Lower School Addition & Playground (breaking ground June 2026) Middle School Greenspace (coming soon) Your brick or plaque is a meaningful way to: Celebrate a lasting legacy Honor a loved one Show Warrior pride Commemorate milestones Purchase your brick and/or plaque online: www.sanfordschool.org/bricks 46

Heritage Plaque In Honor of our Building & Grounds Team

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IN MEMORIAM John Anglim ’66

Richard Johnson ’46

1947–2026

1928–2026

John Robert Anglim passed away in May. An artist, writer, and musician, John lived with joy, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for creativity and the people around him. Above all, he valued relationships and meaningful connection, and is survived by his wife of 43 years, Diane, his sister Kay, extended family, and his beloved dog, Sadie.

Richard Leon Johnson ’46 passed away this July, just days after celebrating his 98th birthday. A graduate of Sunny Hills School, now Sanford School, he later returned as housemaster of the Douglas and Western cottages before beginning a 37-year career with Hercules Powder Company and serving in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. In retirement, Richard enjoyed traveling, golfing, reading, cooking, and long walks, and is survived by his son Kenneth, daughter Karen, and two grandchildren.

Robin Chambers ’67 1949–2026 Robert C. “Robin” Chambers II ’67 passed away in March. A fifth-generation Delawarean, he built a career as owner and principal of CB Chambers Insurance and enjoyed sailing, golf, collecting local art, and volunteering with Kairos Prison Ministry. Remembered for his humor, generosity, and devotion to his grandchildren, Robin is survived by his wife of 47 years, Toi, three sons, and three grandchildren. Paul Clarke ’56 1937–2026 Paul Malcolm Clarke passed away in early 2026. After Sanford, he attended Goldie Beacom College, served in the U.S. Navy, and spent more than 30 years with Monroe Systems for Business. Remembered for his deep faith, positivity, and devotion to family, Paul is survived by his wife of 67 years, Sanford alumna Gail Clarke ’55, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Lucina Conner ’49

Kimberly Steele ’76 1957–2026 Kimberly Willard Steele passed away in March. A devoted mother and longtime member of Willowdale Chapel, Kim built a life centered on family, faith, and service to others. Known for her compassion, warmth, and love of family, friends, and her beloved dogs, she is survived by her husband of 44 years, Sanford alumnus Jim Steele ’75, her son James, and three grandchildren. Kay F. Wilke 1943–2025 Kay F. Wilke passed away last November. A cherished member of the Sanford community, she chaired Sanford’s Home & School auction in the mid-1980s and later worked in the Development Office in the early 1990s. Known for her warmth, generosity, and deep care for others, Kay is survived by her husband, Roger, four children–including Sanford alumni Andrew ’92 and Alexandra ’94–and 13 grandchildren.

1931–2026 Born in Venezuela, “Lucy” was the third of nine children. As a child, she attended Sunny Hills boarding school with her siblings and spoke often of the wonderful memories she had from that time in her life. One of Lucy’s proudest moments as an adult was being granted American citizenship after years of study. Charles Flaherty ’67

Claire Halverson ’70 Cholly Huddelson ’52 Beloved Brother of Rick Huddelson ’55

1948–2026 Charles Joseph “Charlie” Flaherty passed away this summer. An artist, photographer, history enthusiast, and lifelong cyclist, his varied pursuits included restoration work at Philadelphia’s Carpenters’ Hall, motorcycle racing, and founding the Chain Gang bicycle shop. Known for his inquisitive mind, sharp wit, and love of spirited conversation, Charlie is survived by his son, Coley, two grandchildren, siblings, and extended family. Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Alumni Notes

1965

1990

2005

60TH REUNION The Class of 1965 celebrated their 60th reunion at Six Paupers in Hockessin. Special thanks to Doris Paxson and Sandy Dudley for organizing the event!

35TH REUNION Celebrating 35 years! Members of the Class of 1990 caught up at their reunion at Pizza by Elizabeths.

20TH REUNION

1996

2006

Members of the class of 1967, Carter Hubbard, Billy Blum, and Ray Hrabec gathered in Lewes, Delaware to attend the memorial service for Robin Chambers.

On a trip from Australia to the States, Ben Sutherland returned to campus for the first time since 2016, reconnecting with Head of School Jaime Morgan and Alumni & Parent Engagement Coordinator Lauren Evans.

1979

2000

We welcomed Doug Farwell back to Kidder Hall (his old dormitory!) in February 2026.

25TH REUNION

Virginia Brown lives on a small farm in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she balances a career managing environmental compliance and land restoration for large-scale energy infrastructure projects with work in animal rescue and regenerative agriculture. A licensed soil scientist in North Carolina and Virginia, she also consults with farmers and nonprofits on soil health. Outside of work, Virginia trains and competes with her three horses and recently took up mounted archery.

1967

1988 Audra Houston is entering her ninth season as owner and operator of Big Wave Party Rentals. She recently had the pleasure of bringing her business back to Sanford as part of a school event! 48

The Class of 2000 reconnected and shared laughs during their 25th reunion gathering at Pizza by Elizabeths. Logan Herring attended a dinner at Oath 84 hosted by Wilmington native and NBA player Bones Hyland in support of the Tr3ssi Foundation, celebrating the continued leadership of former Sanford players Corey ’20 and Hassan Perkins ’20.

Cheers to 20 years! Members of the Class of 2005 celebrating their reunion at Braeloch Brewing in Kennett Square.

2007 Paris Waterman Dupree and husband Vernon Dupree welcome baby Austyn, joining big brother, Cairo ’38.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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It was great to see Nick Iacono, PGA Professional and Lead Golf Instructor at Merion Golf Club, featured on the PGA T-Mobile Range Show during the PGA Championship in May.

2008 After earning his MFA in Dance from the University of Washington in 2022, Alexander Olivieri is now a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Central Oklahoma. He credits his experiences in Sanford’s music, theatre, and art programs with shaping his belief in the importance of arts education—a philosophy that continues to guide his work as an educator and artist!

2010 15TH REUNION Members of the Class of 2010 reconnected under the lights at Bardea Steak to celebrate their reunion. Congratulations to Alexa Webb on her engagement!

2011

2015

Congratulations to Trevor Cooney and his new wife, Alexandra, on their marriage!

10TH REUNION Celebrating a decade of memories! The Class of 2015 recently gathered at Dew Point Brewing to mark their 10th reunion milestone.

Peter Walpole leads social media at cybersecurity company Infoblox and has spent the past five years as an adjunct professor at the City College of New York. Most recently, his work was featured in the book Successful Change Communication.

2012 Jae Woo “Jay” Chung proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Annie, in October 2025, and she said yes! The couple plans to marry in October 2027. Jay currently works at the Department of Veterans Affairs as an Appellate Attorney in Washington, D.C. Jesse Bracho married Katrina in September 2025 - he had multiple Sanford guests at his wedding, including family members Jon ’19 and Jackie ’17 and guests Ben Bacciochi ’10, Bryon Lambrou, Ocean Gibson, Gavin Gibson ’15, Trevor Schlack ’15, and Phillip McNeil ’15.

Adam Caulfield was married in August 2026. We wish the newlyweds all the best in this exciting new chapter! Brothers Chase and Brett Humphreys ’13 are excited to have the next generation start at Sanford, as their own kids begin preschool this fall!

2016 The Kosinski brothers have plenty to celebrate! Trevor Kosinski recently got engaged, while Brett Kosinski is putting his talents to work behind the scenes with the Philadelphia Flyers’ videography team. Jacob Walsh and his new wife, Emily, rang in 2026 as newlyweds! Wishing them many happy, healthy years together.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Alumni Notes

2017 Dr. Ryan Friedman recently defended his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, where his research focused on regenerative therapies for vocal fold scarring. His work has earned national recognition, including the 2024 Seymour R. Cohen Award for Best Manuscript and the 2024 Most Promising Pediatric Medical Device Award, and has been published in several scientific journals. Ryan now serves as a Senior Scientist in Oral Formulation Sciences at Merck. He also recently returned to Sanford to speak with students about the unexpected ways English, history, and the arts shaped him as a scientist, crediting Sanford mentors Brianna McCoy, Laura Williams, Stan Waterman, and John Fritz with helping build the foundation that continues to guide his work. Dr. Paige Amendum celebrated her medical school graduation with a trip to Italy, where she got engaged, before starting her residency at Nemours.

Dr. Kimberly Riordan recently defended her Ph.D in Chemistry at Northwestern University. Her dissertation, “Developing Next-Generation Reagentless Strategies for Biomolecular Detection,” explored new approaches to biomolecular detection, marking an exciting milestone in her scientific career.

2018 Lindsay Colgan recently got engaged, and her siblings are celebrating milestones of their own! Ally Colgan ’20 is pursuing her Doctor of Physical Therapy at Simmons University, and Johnny Colgan ’25 is heading into his sophomore year at the University of Pittsburgh.

2019 Olivia Tucker was named Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of New Haven in June 2026. A former Division I player at Sacred Heart University, Olivia joins the Chargers after beginning her coaching career at Saint Peter’s University.

Dr. Nia Gadde completed an accelerated sixyear PharmD program at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, with clinical training across hospitals, clinics, and specialty pharmacies. Nia traces her interest in pharmacy to a Doctors Without Borders trip to Trinidad during her junior year at Sanford. Next, she will gain additional experience with Biotek Remedys, her father’s specialty pharmacy focused on rare diseases. Chloe DiCamillo celebrated a picture-perfect engagement in the Netherlands! Chloe and her fiancé, Sam, live in Miami, where she is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A few months after graduating from the University of Colorado with her MS in integrative physiology, Grace Johnston tied the knot in summer 2026, beginning an exciting new chapter with her husband, Simon. Alums Ella Tingle and Rohan Razdan got engaged in early January! We wish them all the best as they begin this exciting next chapter together. Congratulations to Hannah Bescript J.D., who recently graduated from Wilmington University’s Farnan School of Law.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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2020 5TH REUNION Back together again! The Class of 2020 celebrated 5 years at their reunion gathering. Nia Naylor earned a Master of Public Administration from Delaware State University and is now working as a Legislative Correspondent for U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, supporting the senator’s work across commerce, science, technology, agriculture, nutrition, water, judiciary, environment, and public works. Dr. Julia Griffith recently earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from Rutgers University. Congrats on this incredible achievement! Brooke Hollander is entering her third year of medical school after completing the first phase of the JeffMD curriculum and passing the USMLE Step 1 exam. She also recently became a published author through her work with the Wright-Jin Lab at Nemours, with research appearing in the peer-reviewed journal Cells. Brooke has now begun her clinical rotations at Einstein Family Medicine as she continues working toward her dream of becoming a physician.

Congrats to Natalie Bianchi, who recently graduated from Slippery Rock University’s Physician Assistant program and will begin her career as a Neurosurgical PA with Delaware Neurosurgical Group in Newark. On August 20, Cameron Smith graduated from the Delaware State Police Training Academy and swore in as a Delaware State Trooper. Celebrating alongside her were her younger sisters, Chelsea ’28 and Emma ’22.

2021 Ben Wilkinson recently got engaged– congratulations to the happy couple! The Stan Waterman Court was full of familiar faces at a 2026 game, including Amin Johnson, Nnanna Njoku, and Nasir Cowan, three players from the Class of 2021. Milo Watson recently graduated from Allegheny College, where he was named co-valedictorian of his class

2022

Renee Amado recently graduated from Skidmore College with degrees in Biology and Dance and is now continuing her ballet career with Ballet Greenville. Alongside her work as a professional dancer, Renee has pursued plant science research and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in plant biochemistry. Amira Brownell graduated magna cum laude from Villanova University with an Honors B.B.A. in Marketing and Finance, a concentration in Digital Marketing, and a minor in Business Analytics. She has since joined American Express in New York City, where she works in Product Management. It was a pleasure to connect with Dom DiUbaldo, Hailey Bianchi, Abby Meredith, Morgan Wilson ’24, Layne Powell ’24, Rahul D’Souza ’24, and Rai Kahlon ’24 last fall. During their visit, they toured Sanford’s recent capital improvements, reconnected with former teachers, and enjoyed cocoa and conversation with current students.

Hailey Bianchi is in her second term of medical school this fall at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine! Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Alumni Notes

2023

2024

2025

Chris Stanford, Dayon Polk, Alex Ioos ’22 Jayden Taylor ’25, Stephen Conway ’25, and Khareem Hart ’25 reunited on the court for some summer runs while home from college break.

Annabelle Bagdon won the Dickinson College’s Department of Music Orchestra Concerto Competition in fall 2025, and Annabelle performed three arias with the Dickinson Orchestra in April 2026.

In 2025, Gigi Fotakos spent two months as a legislative intern with the United States Senate in the Office of Senator Chris Coons (D-DE).

Eme Cummins is a junior at Washington College, double majoring in English and Communications and Media Studies with minors in Marketing and Creative Writing. A research fellow with the Cater Society for Junior Research Fellows, she’s completed study abroad projects and independent research through the Blumenthal Grant. She serves on the Student Government Association executive board, belongs to the AMA chapter, and creates photography/video content for the college’s social media team. She was recently recognized at convocation for having one of the highest GPAs in her class. Outside academics, she runs her own photography business and volunteers with campus philanthropy projects.

Former teammates Carson Kalish (Emory University) and MJ Hoban ’24 (The College of New Jersey) earned multiple All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships. Carson was named a First Team All-American with a seventhplace finish in the 200 IM and earned Second Team honors in the 400 IM (9th) and 200 Butterfly (10th). MJ earned First Team honors in the 50 freestyle (6th) and on TCNJ’s 200 and 400 Medley Relay teams, plus Second Team honors with a ninth-place finish in the 100 freestyle.

Brandon Lewis is heading into his senior year at Penn State World Campus, where he earned a 4.0 GPA this spring while pursuing a degree in Business Management. This year, he was also featured in multiple FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City campaigns in Philadelphia, including the Anywhere You Fan billboard campaign and Know Before You Go commercial. Beyond soccer, Brandon co-founded REACH BLACK BOYS, a literacy initiative that uses sports to help engage young readers.

Grow Here. Thrive Everywhere.

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Campus Word Search How well do you know the places that make Sanford, Sanford? Find the campus locations hidden down and across in the puzzle, a tour of the spaces that help students grow here and thrive everywhere!

sports center du pont library arunchula sanford hall

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western cottage pirnie quigley stephen may

chapel valley yearsley deeg’s deck wilson

geipel pia center albright kidder

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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID WILMINGTON, DE

s c h o o l

PERMIT NO. 1713

6900 Lancaster Pike Hockessin, DE 19707

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