Foote Prints Spring 2026

Foote Prints Spring 2026

Spring 2026 | Vol. 53 No. 1

The Foote School

50 Loomis Place, New Haven, CT 06511

203-777-3464• www.footeschool.org

“Laete cognoscam et laete docebo | Gladly will I learn and gladly teach.”

Foote Prints is published twice a year for alumni, parents, guardians, grandparents, faculty, and friends.

Editor

Frances Moore

Class Notes Editors

Mary Beth Claflin

Design

Frances Moore; Lindsay Russo

Photography

Stephanie Anestis, Nancy Dickson, Cara Hames, Lauren Luparia, Frances Moore, Wenyan Witkowski, Defining Studios

Contributors

Alison Freeland, Christina MacLean, Maria Peavy, Liz Warner

Board of Trustees 2025–2026

Officers

Interim President: Elon Boms

Vice Presidents: Mike Caplan, Jessie Royce Hill

Secretary: Emily Brenner

Treasurer: Alex Kleiner ’00

Trustees

Kavitha Bindra

Maria Casasnovas

Ronald Coleman Jr. ’04

Aléwa Cooper (ex officio)

Ian Crichton

Courtney Cupples

Niall Ferguson

William Gilyard

Christine Kim

Elizabeth Lasater (ex officio)

Daniel Levy

Jennifer Lucarelli

John Oster ’00

Karin Ouchida

Geert Rouwenhorst

Amy Sheehan

Che Tiernan ’89

Brett Weiss

Alexis Willoughby-Robinson (ex officio)

The Foote School complies with all applicable civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristics in any of its educational programs or activities, including employment. Protected characteristics (or protected classes) include race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, alienage, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law. The School is specifically required by Title IX and other applicable federal and state laws not to discriminate in such a manner.

“We balance rigor and play, structure and freedom, expectation and joy.”

At Foote, we hold two commitments at the same time:

The first is rigor. Not rigor as pressure or acceleration for its own sake, but rigor as a meaningful challenge. The kind of challenge that asks children to think deeply, try again, and grow over time.

The second is childhood. We believe deeply that children deserve to be children at the age they are. That means recess matters. Play matters. Time outdoors matters.

Joy matters.

These two commitments work together here. We challenge students without rushing them. We support them without lowering expectations. We meet them where they are and help them take the next step with confidence.

This balance is not accidental. It’s something we plan for, protect, and revisit constantly. It shows up in classrooms, on playgrounds, in hallways, and in the way adults talk with children every day.

We support this work through careful financial planning, thoughtful program design, and a clear approach to teaching and learning. Learning doesn’t live only inside a child’s head. It is shaped by movement, environment, relationships, and care.

What you’ve chosen in Foote is not just a school. It’s a set of values. It’s a belief that children deserve to be known well, challenged thoughtfully, and allowed to grow at a human pace.

We balance rigor and play, structure and freedom, expectation and joy. We challenge students meaningfully. We protect childhood. And we plan carefully so this work remains strong for years to come.

We are grateful to take the long view with you and to walk this path with our families and students — past and present.

Bement Day II!

In October, our fall varsity and JV teams hosted friendly rivals from the Bement School for this second-annual day of competition. Next year the event will be back on Bement's home turf.

A truly special day

Grandparents & Special Friends Day saw hundreds of visitors on campus spending class time with loved ones and becoming students themselves! The second half of the event featured mini-course electives like steel pans, stenciling, chemistry, a Chinese tea ceremony, and more! We hope to see everyone again in October!

What if ...?

TEDx comes to Foote

In December, Foote's Sandine Theater hosted a TEDx Prospect Hill event, “bringing New Haven voices together to spark dialogue, amplify ideas, and reimagine systems.” Prompted by the event theme “What If?,” the speeches brought messages of hope and motivation, touching on a wide range of topics: What

if Homes Were for Living?; What if We Could Eliminate Food Insecurity in CT?; What if We Could End the Loneliness Epidemic?; Don't Muddy the Waters: A Love Letter from the Kitchen; Lighting the Future: From Survival to Belonging; Overlooked Costs of the American Dream; and Healing in Community.

Team Aurabotz sets the tone

We are always excited to discover innovative and inspiring ways to extend our robust curriculum beyond the classroom. This year, one idea came from a group of Middle School students, whose passion for coding and robotics inspired them to create the school’s first competitive Robotics Club.

The Aurabotz team competed in the New Haven RoboFest in November (scan the QR code to see the video of their winning run). Then in January they traveled to Farmington to face four other schools, receiving the Champion Award for “the best performance in the robot competition, the robot design presentation, and the innovation project presentation.”

“

I am so proud of the students’ development throughout the year. They’ve grown so much since that first competition in November.

— Drew Sweet, Robotics Club Advisor

@Foote summer

Theater, STEAM, games, crafts, arts, and so much more! Our brand new K–8 summer programs inspire creativity, foster learning, and build lasting memories. Summer at Foote is a chance to discover hidden talents, take on new challenges, and just be a kid. footeschool.org/summer

Taking the long view

By Elon Boms P ’26, ’28 President, Board of Trustees

As a parent, I want to address something that sounds simple, but is actually quite hard: taking the long view of your child’s education.

We live in a time of instant feedback. Grades are posted immediately. Test scores are compared. Progress is measured in days, hours, sometimes in moments. Achievements are shared by the minute, and the comparisons can leave parents (and our children) feeling many things: capable and successful, struggling and behind, rattled, restless, or perhaps reassured. As parents, it’s easy (almost unavoidable) to zoom in on short-term outcomes. Is my child reading fast enough? Are they where they “should” be in math? Why does this feel hard right now?

But education — real education — doesn’t work that way.

The best education is one that not only enables our children to perform on a test but perform later on in life. The lessons need to seep down deep, to the core of how our children think and operate, and overcome obstacles, and then enjoy desired outcomes. This kind of life-changing education — the kind that families seek out at Foote — works through small, incremental changes over time. Quiet growth. Repetition. Struggle. And then, often when you least expect it, synthesis. Then, the bloom.

That is what education looks like at its best.

At Foote, our students are learning far more than what shows up on a report card. They are learning how to think, how to persevere, how to collaborate, how to sit with uncertainty, how to recover from mistakes, and how to keep going when something doesn’t click right away.

Those skills don’t announce themselves immediately. You don’t always see them week-to-week. But they compound.

Our job as a school community is to trust the process, even when it feels uncomfortable. Especially when it feels uncomfortable.

Taking the long view doesn’t mean ignoring challenges. It doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It means recognizing that growth is not linear, and that the most meaningful progress often happens beneath the surface.

Foote is uniquely designed to support this kind of growth — intellectual, emotional, and social — at exactly the pace children need. Not rushed. Not forced. Intentional.

9th GRADE PLAY

Almost, Maine

Almost, Maine, this year's ninth-grade play, featured eight vignettes, weaving together heartfelt stories of friendship, curiosity, regret, love, and the discovery of new relationships.

Foote’s black box theater featured a special stage design so the audience could be closer to the actors and feel the emotions of the characters as the stories unfolded.

Future Falcons take wing

INTRODUCING: LOWER SCHOOL SPORTS

Building on the success of our Middle School athletics, this new after-school program offers sports instruction and skill-building for students in grades 3–5.

In the form of mini-courses, Falcons Rising offers instruction in lacrosse, Ultimate Frisbee, rock-climbing, baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, and soccer — sports that become competitive options when the students reach Middle School.

According to Athletics Director Carrie Boyce, “I truly believe when we approach youth sports the right way, it reinforces the values we want for our students: discovery, authenticity, and community. Athletics complement our curriculum, and as it is with academics, our students build and perfect skills that they will take to the next level.”

It only seems natural, then, that Middle School athletes wanted to share their skills with their future teammates, and have jumped into co-coaching with enthusiasm and optimism.

Yoobin Perry ’27 started at Foote as a kindergartner. Now in eighth grade, he has competed for Foote in cross-country, basketball, and lacrosse.

“I remember what it was like being a little kid, and I could not wait until

Ri sing

sixth-grade year so I could start basketball,” he recalled. “When I learned that these kids get the opportunity to experience that even earlier, I was really hyped, and I just really wanted to be a part of that experience for the younger kids.”

Yoobin works with the basketball coaches to teach fundamentals and plays, but also how to have fun with the sport, even showing them some trickier moves that he’s worked to perfect.

He said, “I feel really great that, especially in basketball, you can bring your own play style. And I'm so glad that I get to be a part of how the kids create their own style of play.”

Now when he walks to the “other side” of campus, Yoobin said, he’s so excited to recognize the Lower School students he’s worked with. And they recognize him, too. When shooting around in the gym with his friends, Yoobin is not only recognized by his Lower School athletes, but sometimes they want to jump in the game, too.

“It's a great way to spend a little bit of time in your day. It's fun to see these kids growing, learning, and improving,” he reflected. He predicts that Falcons Rising will be a boon to the Middle School athletics program, but he sees its potential beyond that. “It doesn’t just help them play at the varsity level, it helps them play at whatever level they want to play. It’s just helping them on their journey through athletics.”

In the fall, we welcomed a student/faculty delegation from Yali High School, in Chengsha, China. During their stays with Foote host families, the visitors joined us for apple-picking, exploring New Haven-area hotspots, planting in the Community Garden, and of course, class time. What an honor to see this cultural connection return to Foote!

For the first half of the school year, a teacher from Yali, Sonia Mo, joined our faculty. Staying with host families from September to December, Sonia had a chance to observe our faculty and students, and to bring her own teaching style to our classes.

By Sheila Lavey MS Humanities, 9th Grade Advisor

This fall it was a pleasure to welcome Mo Pian Pian (or Sonia) from Yali High School in Chengsha, China, to Foote. It was the first time since the pandemic that we have been able to welcome a guest teacher to campus. Sonia fit into the fabric of Foote as if she’d always been here. She taught every class, kindergarten through grade 9, during her tenure. Sonia learned what each grade was doing and adapted her lessons to fit into and enhance what was being taught. We all agree that it was a joy to have her in our classrooms. She also accompanied the ninth grade on their trip to Cape Cod — the ninth graders loved having her with them. While she was here, she got to visit New Haven, New York City, Boston, and Washington, D.C. In turn, we got to have a really special addition to our campus. We miss her, and look forward to reuniting with her when the ninth grade travels to China again this spring.

CHINA 2026

The Class of 2026 left for China just days before sending Foote Prints off to the printer, but we wanted to include a glimpse of their travels so far. In visiting Beijing and Chengdu, day trips have included The Great Wall of China, a Great Panda preserve, the Sichuan Opera House, the Lama Temple, and of course, great food! You can read their daily reports: footeschool.org/travel

OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN: Rooted in curriculum

Much like the tale of renewal in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, Foote’s Community Garden has seen full flower, ruin, and lately, resurrection.

Margy Lamere, first-grade teacher, said it was COVID that brought down the garden they had tended for more than a decade. “We couldn’t be on campus after March 13, 2020, so the poor garden fell to wrack and ruin because no one was weeding or watering. It became a mass of weeds, the likes of which I have never seen,” she lamented. Those dormant years weren’t completely devoid of oversight or of growth. The Foote facilities team kept an eye on the space, and former faculty member Jenny Byers maintained a flower garden, often sharing her beautiful bouquets with Foote faculty. One summer Kindergarten Associate Teacher Lynne Banta (and her husband) planted rows of corn for the younger grades to explore in the fall.

However, these individual efforts weren’t enough to keep up with the needs of a “community” garden, and limited time and other pressing priorities allowed the garden to do what gardens do on their own, and sneaky weeds found prominence in the existing plots. Gradually, the space had fallen out of step with the community and the curriculum.

But it turns out, the seeds of sustainability were still there, they were simply waiting to emerge when the conditions were just right.

REGROWTH

In 2024, Katie Axt (P ’25 & ’32) — then a new Foote parent — eyed the tall weeds as she walked her children to school each day; she recognized a garden in need of some TLC.

“I’m a gardener from a family of gardeners, and I worked at botanical gardens. I love soil, plants, and specifically how gardens are places for community and connection. That’s why I noticed,” she explained.

Eleanor Evins, Foote Learning Specialist — and passionate gardener — also noticed. It sparked some ideas about how to start rehabbing the fer-

Science Teacher Pam Harmon, in 2010, presenting the original idea for the newly purchased space on Highland Street. The proposal for “a community garden with a butterfly nursery … to serve as a place of inquiry and a source of fresh produce and flowers for faculty,” was backed by Pam, Margy, Lynne, Sarah Heath, Angela Giannella, and others. The community rallied to get the garden up and running.

“Twelve of us gathered,” Margy recalled, “with the help of Peter Cox and his mechanized tools and carved into the very heavy clay soil that was next to what had been a basketball court. The

“Plots — cultivated by more than a dozen faculty members and their families — share space with a butterfly garden thick with bee balm, thistle and echinacea. Language classes are found practicing garden vocabulary as they stroll amid the sunflowers.”

tile space; when she discovered that Foote Head Librarian Jennifer Friedman had grow lights, those ideas began to take on a physical form.

“Gardeners seek each other out,” she laughed. “Jennifer and I began planting tomatoes and basil in the middle of the library!”

The trio of Katie, Eleanor, and Jennifer met weekly to plot the garden’s rejuvenation. Katie oversaw planting plans; Jennifer consulted teachers on curricular tie-ins and managed purchasing; and Eleanor “knows everything from weed suppression to ‘how to do’ garlic,” according to Jennifer.

SEED STARTERS

From the outset, the garden was always intended to center on student experience; it was always meant to be a part of the curriculum. Margy was a believer from the start. She remembered

intent was always to get the children outside to connect with the earth.”

That first year the school reported: “Plots — cultivated by more than a dozen faculty members and their families — share space with a butterfly garden thick with bee balm, thistle and echinacea. Language classes are found practicing garden vocabulary as they stroll amid the sunflowers.”

TAKING ROOT

Today’s space still includes a butterfly garden, and now features a bird garden and raised beds (see p. 28). Within the raised beds are vegetables and fruits, including a “kitchen garden” section to complement the third-grade unit on 1800s Connecticut life.

Amanda Diffley, third-grade teacher, has watched garden enthusiasm spread throughout

the school. Her students utilized the garden in the fall — not just for planting a traditional “kitchen garden,” and learning about local flora in science class, but also as inspiration for original artwork. It has also had applications in math class, as they measured space for their plots.

This year when the third-graders first visited the garden, they got to work right away. Guided by Jennifer, the classes “were assigned two plots and learned about the square gardening method. We talked about the kitchen garden and how every farmhouse used to have one. These kids have now experienced planting and harvesting. I’ve seen them eating little spinach leaves just because they picked them.”

Just as the garden has grown, so too have its applications across the school-wide curriculum. Many grades participate in planting and weeding; Middle School science students root out and document invasives; first-grade mathematicians

measure plots; Latin classes research the etymology of the plantings; art classes in every grade sit in the space seeking inspiration in the surrounding vegetables, flowers, insects, and birds.

Violet Lloyd, current seventh grader, leads the school’s Environmental Action Group, and is thrilled about the ability to utilize the Community Garden. EAG regularly hosts its meeting there, and recently planted 450 tulips and daffodils.

“My hope is simply to get more people out there,” she said. “I like planting. It’s relaxing to be in the garden because you’re still at school, but it feels homey.”

Katie is glad that the space has been so rewarding for students in unexpected ways. “This fall, one of the kids came with me to check on the compost. We pulled back the tarp, and it was steaming. He and I checked the temperature and watered it. He thought it was the coolest thing. I realized even if a student isn’t into flowers, you

My hope is simply to get more people out there. ... It's relaxing to be in the garden because you're still at school, but it feels homey.

— Violet ’28

FEATURES

can engage with the garden through science, or soil, or the study of the circular economy,” she said.

What happens to the space in the summer? Rashana Graham, Director of Horizons at Foote (a summer enrichment program for New Haven students) knew exactly how it could fit in with their own curriculum.

She explained: “Our Horizons second graders tended to the plants last summer. They harvested garlic and planted carrots for the Foote students to find when they came back in the fall. It was a small act of community, but it meant a lot.”

This fall, when Amanda’s class went to work in the garden, they were delighted to discover the carrots Horizons had planted over the summer. (Of course, the delicious vegetables made it back to the classroom for snack!)

Jennifer said, “It’s all about hope and optimism and planting seeds, and the skills these kids take with them into the world. In the garden you have to be looking at the soil with your hands

What can you find in the garden?

Pollinator garden

Fennel

Fringe tree

Dutchmen’s pipe

Bird garden

Red bud

Switch grasses

Viburnum

Blueberries

Arctic fire

Columbine

Service berry

Beauty berry

Raised beds

Beans

Beets

Carrots

Radishes

Raspberries

in front of you, and you’re focused. It’s such a win. There’s something about focusing on what you’re smelling, tasting, and doing. And it’s collaborative.”

Outdoor education is an integral part of a Foote education, and this particular Foote tradition has strong roots. Despite dormancy in less hospitable times, this perennial tradition will continue to bloom and grow. Jennifer already has plans for signage, and hopes to plant a pumpkin patch in the future.

And it continues to inspire and educate us. “Students get out there and they might not be having a great day, but they’re in the garden, and it’s relaxing, and their imagination sparks,” Eleanor remarked.

We are incredibly grateful for the generous pledge from Margaret Bartlett ’58 to create the Margaret and Marshall Bartlett

Family STEM Fund for Climate Study and Sustainability. This inspiring gift has allowed Foote to further invest in STEM, climate study and sustainability, including our garden, and has an impact on the entire Foote community. We are inspired by Foote alums whose financial contributions strengthen the school and our campus!

“It’s all about hope and optimism and planting seeds, and the skills these kids take with them into the world. In the garden you have to be looking at the soil with your hands in front of you, and you’re focused. It’s such a win. There’s something about focusing on what you’re smelling, tasting, and doing. And it’s collaborative.”

Young Alumni Day

November

2025

This year's Young Alumni Day featured a special addition, when former Foote ninth graders Emilia Adams ’23, Charlie Ferguson ’19, Charlie Sudmyer ’23, and Levi York ’23 spent the morning talking to current eighth and ninth graders about their experiences during and after their ninthgrade year at Foote. In the afternoon we welcomed more of our recent grads for a chance to reconnect and reminisce.

MAY 1–2

Celebrating the Classes of 6s and 1s — as always, every alum is welcome!

FRIDAY, MAY 1

Alumni Happy Hour (21+)

5:30–7:30 p.m.

Location: Lost in New Haven

80 Hamilton St., New Haven

RSVP: footeschool.org/alumniweekend

SATURDAY, MAY 2

Reunion & Awards Ceremony

10:00 a.m. — Alumni Council meeting

11:00 a.m. — Registration, campus tours, class photos

12:30 p.m. — Lunch 1:00 p.m. — Alumni Awards

(All Saturday events are on campus)

Class Notes

“My experience as a learner at Foote probably contributes heavily to why I am still in a school today!”

— LENA SADOWITZ ’92 “

Please note that we report news about Foote alumni, as well as their passings, as we become aware of them. Please visit footeschool.org/memoriam to read full obituaries as we receive them.

1947

Elizabeth DeVane Edminster wrote: “Unfortunately we have lost touch with many in our class, but recently on a trip to Boston I met with both Sukie Hilles Bush and Harriet Tuttle Noyes. Sukie is comfortably settled in an independent living community in Lexington and Harriet with her husband Bob live in their house of many years on Spy Pond in Arlington. We phoned Lavinia Schrade Bruneau who lives outside of Lyon, France. I too live in an independent retirement home in Washington, D.C. Elizabeth was saddened to share the news that classmate Jim Boorsch passed this year.”

1952

Harald Hille wrote: “There is little news from members of the class of 1952 these days. We are much reduced in number from our original 18 after nearly 75 years, as the “laws of nature” would lead one to expect. Of greater concern, however, is the state of our country and society. I and others in the class feel rather as if we are strangers in our land. We worry about the future for our children and grandchildren.

There is much talk in some quarters about freedom, but freedom without fairness is empty. Why, for instance, have we had no female presidents? We failed twice to elect one despite the fact that women represent half of the population. We’ve had a Catholic president, a black president, but no female, Jewish, or Muslim president. Such members of our society are well represented in schools and universities, in business, and in other important circles but not at the highest level.

I hope Foote is including civic edu-

cation in its program (remember Mrs. Hitchcock of earlier years), not to celebrate American exceptionalism, but to strengthen the next generation’s ability and desire to ‘keep this republic’ (to paraphrase Ben Franklin).”

1953

Celestine Nicholas La Farge sent greetings from the Netherlands: “Brought COVID back with me from the airport after being so careful during the pandemic! Some trouble with long COVID, but seem to be getting better. Looking forward to enjoying life and a long list of memories of past professions and other occupations.”

She is busy with the 17th-century mill in the Netherlands that she and her husband have restored, and is taking care of a pair of orphaned baby chicks that are spending the winter in her kitchen.

In northern Wales, Wil Aaron, when not working on his book on 18-century Welsh missionaries in the South Pacific, is enjoying the pub that he and his wife have turned into a Welsh-language community center.

Eligio Petrelli was happy to report that the declaration of New Haven as the “pizza capital of America” has been entered into the Congressional Record; very likely there were Foote folks among the 4,000 who attended the pizza party on the New Haven Green, which made the Guinness Book of Records.

Class Correspondent Bob Wing hopes to hear news from more of his classmates!

2025.

1954

Tom Hooker sent a note that last March he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his open-heart bypass surgery.

Sad news from Steve Mendillo’s family. They reported that at age 84, he passed away September 3, 2025, at his home in Los Angeles. Please visit footeschool. org/memoriam for a full obituary.

1956

Sally Jones Loeser: “After suffering a stroke followed by COVID in July, my sister, Wendy Cartwright ’54 died at 84 on March 19, 2025. She had been living in the Cotswolds for many years with her husband, Charles (95). Survivors include her husband, three children and grandchildren, me and my brother, Tad.”

1961

Steve Knight works on immigration issues full time. He shared that he is: “supporting families from the Middle East and parts of Africa. It sure keeps me and many others busy these days. I miss hearing about my Foote classmates!”

1963

Robert Livingston is writing speculative poetry about the psychology of characters in the King Arthur myth. This writing is part of the Woodbridge Public Library writers’ group. The group was reading Le Morte D’Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory, in the original Middle English.

1964

Chase Twichell has a new book of poems, The World It Was, coming out from Copper Canyon Press in the fall of 2026. Chase sent this note as well, “ I'm hoping I can come to the next reunion!”

1965

Arthur Adelberg wrote, “Had a great visit from Jim Farnam at my place in Maine. He’s still taller than me.”

1969

Meg McDowell shared: “After 10 years of heading up the Vermont Women’s Fund, a grant-making organization that supports women and girls across the

state, I am now moving into the for-profit space by founding Red Clover Venture Partners, a venture capital fund to invest in women-owned and female-founded businesses across the U.S. It’s an exciting change as Red Clover will be investing in for-profit businesses that show promise to grow and scale.

I continue to live in Charlotte, VT, with my husband, Whit, and we have a large family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren scattered across the U.S. My mother, Phyllis McDowell, died in September of 2025 at the age of 99, leaving an amazing legacy with her founding of Fellowship Place in New Haven. My three sisters and I are so proud of her and will always miss her.”

1972

Class Correspondents Rob Gurwitt and Greta Nettleton shared these updates: “There’s plenty of news from members of the Class of ’72 as we all try to pretend we’re not seeing 70 looming just over the horizon.”

From New York, where he teaches law at Columbia, Philip Hamburger wrote, “I am still teaching and litigating, and C'naan is painting in preparation for her next show. Our lovely kids — now 10, 7, and 3 — keep us busy, and I am glad to say that the youngest is finally no longer in diapers!”

Cathy Hosley Vouwie wrote: “Curtis

and I have been enjoying our quasi-retirement from medical book publishing, which allows more time for travel and our four grandchildren. Trying to keep body and brain in shape with long daily walks, regardless of the weather, which is less punishing than the local tennis league I played in for decades until the COVID shutdown. As the Brits say, there's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing. We are also exploring what life as a snow bird might look like by renting a condo for a few midwinter weeks in Charleston, S.C., where our youngest daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters, ages 2 and 5, are located. I go back and forth frequently on my own during the year to help out but having a longer stretch is a treat.”

Michael Lipson sent in the following from western Massachusetts: “Holly Morse ’68, Gardy's older sister, eventually agreed to marry me, and that has held now for 40 years. I see Gardy often, but not exactly for that reason. By a weird coincidence he and his wife Jennie also live in the Berkshires, though for reasons unrelated to Holly and me being here. Karma? Kismet? The music of the spheres? In any case, Holly is still writing fiction, and completing her second book. The kids are out of the house in various ways.

I'm in full-time private psychotherapy practice, but since COVID I've moved my office outdoors. I just meet patients to walk in the woods together. It is very

CLASS NOTES

healing, and quite a revolution in the therapist-patient alliance.

My latest book is BE: An Alphabet of Astonishment, also available wherever books are sold. And it is a delight to be working with Rob Gurwitt in the very low-demand, high-delight occupation of ‘poetry editor’ for his daily ‘Daybreak’ email newsletter, which I encourage you all to read!”

Gardy Morse shared: “First things first: Jennie and I are new grandparents! Our daughter Lucy had little Harriet in June and we’re over the moon. Lucy is a neurologist at Northwestern and our son Josh is a communications officer at Vermont Fish and Wildlife.

Jennie and I celebrated our 40th anniversary this fall (wait, what??) and I am trying to retire as a long-time writer and editor but can’t seem to stop, so now I’m on the volunteer staff of our local newsletter and after renouncing freelance work have taken on some new projects. I somehow have also just joined the town transfer station (i.e., dump) working group, which wrestles with questions like, ‘What do we do about the troublemakers who dump trash without a permit?’

I see Michael Lipson all the time. Despite (or because of?) the passing years, our time at Foote seems as present as ever. ‘Remember when Mr. Sandine…?’”

“After 25 years in Oyster Bay, N.Y.,” wrote Susie DiSesa Sheeline, “my husband Bill and I moved to Sharon, CT, where we celebrated seeing more cows than cars. After a career in book publishing, I turned to freelance work with the birth of my three children and, after serving on the board for 15 years, I am the administrator of the Oyster Bay Community Foundation. My oldest son, Will, is a journalist and editor of two newspaper weeklies on Long Island; my son Alec is a chef in Lakeville; and my daughter, Haya, works for Live Nation and lives in Brooklyn. Our lovable English cocker, Finn, keeps us on our feet!”

From Bob Meyer in Miami: “Hopefully, I will be entering retirement within the next few months. One trial and one other large matter are all that really remains in my law practice. Our daughter is now in Piscataway, N.J., where she is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Rutgers,

with two boys (7 and 4), so we venture to that area many times each year. Gives me the limited cool weather experience which I can tolerate (three days). Our son is now in Spokane, WA, where he is an Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering at Eastern Washington University. With my work load gravely lessened, I travel more. (Scotland, England and Alaska this summer).”

Also from Miami, Dolores Delgado wrote: “My daughter Sofia is as busy as ever. She’s married to Mike (HSBC), they have two kids — now 11 and 9 — and she works at the Carlyle Group. They’ve been living in Westport, CT, for many years now and are very rooted there. My son Orlando’s life looks quite different but no less busy. He’s working with the Kelly Group and is currently wrapping up supervision on the build of a yacht that he’ll ultimately captain — a pretty exciting chapter. He lives in Miami and has a 7-year-old son who keeps him on his toes.

As for me, I’m still in real estate — mostly working with developers selling luxury condos (don’t hate me, I have to make a living!). I also do general real estate on the side for friends and family. I spend a few weeks each year in Connecticut with the family and visiting friends throughout NY/MA/CT. Every time I leave — except in winter — I miss Connecticut terribly and declare I’m moving back … until I remember February and quickly become very happy to land back in Miami.

On a more difficult note, my mother, Natalia Lasa, is 92 and in the final stages of dementia. It’s been an incredibly hard journey — heartbreaking and exhausting in ways you don’t fully understand until you live it — but we’re doing our best to navigate it with love and patience.”

Greta Nettleton and her husband Rex Lalire live in Rockland County, N.Y, still in the same house since 1989: “Our two sons, Alexander and Luc, both live in the NYC metro area, and both got engaged to be married the same week last August. We are now happily planning a couple of weddings. Alexander is an architect, and works with Rex’s firm, Lalire March Architects in NYC. Luc has an MPS from Cornell and is working on advanced agricultural technologies for

Square Roots in Brooklyn. I have been running an adaptive sports program for the last 10 years with Rockland Rowing Association— we serve physically and cognitively impaired athletes from the community. Like Rob [Gurwitt], I’m trying to train my replacement so I can hand off the program to a younger person. I am also rowing for fun on the Hudson River with another rowing club in Piermont. I recently ran into Philip Hamburger at our 50th class reunion at Hopkins — the big number sounds like science fiction!”

Rob Gurwitt is still in Norwich, VT, “right by the NH/VT border at the Connecticut River and a few minutes north of White River Junction. My wife Karen and I are still working: She runs a small foundation, I’m still publishing the same email newsletter for our region, which has grown kinda bigger than I’d expected so now I’m trying to figure out how to get to retirement while making sure it stays alive after I’m done. My incredibly able poetry editor is this Michael Lipson guy. Our kids are out of the house: Sonya’s in Brooklyn working for the podcast company Pushkin Industries, and Sam’s in Leipzig, Germany, being a freelance journalist, circus performer, and tour guide at the Jewish Museum in Berlin.”

1973

Peter Bigwood retired on Oct. 1, 2025 as GM of Mecalac North America, a French manufacturer of construction equipment now part of the Fayat Group. “Thus ended a 44-year career in international business spanning six different companies. With our first grandchild due in April, we are looking forward to an enjoyable and fulfilling retirement here in western Massachusetts.”

1975

From Morgan Stebbins: “I have a few things happening. One is that my first book is being published, by Routledge. Obsessions and compulsions have plagued humanity for millennia, and yet no major psychological theory has considered their content to be meaningful — until the work of Carl Jung. This book presents Jung’s symbolic approach to the understanding and

treatment of OCD.

Other than that just living happily in the Hudson River valley, learning to kitefoil and hiking with our little family.

1976

Annie Clark submitted: “Hello from Vermont! My daughter and her wife moved to this area from D.C, which has given us magical time with our 2-year-old granddaughter. My mom (Annie Sr.) would have liked to know I've already had the opportunity to show her how to throw a ball properly. Sisters Susie ’66 and Kathy live nearby and Rob ’68 recently moved to Southern Vermont. Please reach out if anyone is up near Richmond!”

Glenn Hendler is a Professor of English and American Studies at Fordham University. Glenn wrote, “Always changing titles, but staying at Fordham University! For 2025 I was again serving as Associate Chair of the English Department at Fordham College Rose Hill, and am again Professor of English and American Studies. I'm also still writing both about 19th-century American Literature, with a recent article on ‘Walt Whitman and the Police’ and about David Bowie in the 1970s, with a recent article about the U.S. single release of ‘Rebel Rebel,’ which was very different from what you

probably remember. Always interested in hearing from Foote friends, especially if you're passing through New York City!”

1978

Anne Brownstein sent this note, “I retired six years ago from the NYC public schools and now live on a little homestead with my partner and two dogs in Mars Hill, N.C. I continue to teach as a remote teacher and run an arts program for children at the local farmers market. Recently, I became the Democratic candidate for the Madison County Board of Education, likely to be a challenging run. Very grateful to Foote for my only other political campaign experiences — running for school president unsuccessfully the first time and then successfully the second. Come visit if you're in this area.

1980

A note from Julian Harris asked: “Did anyone else turn 60? I was gutted to see no news at all from the Class of 1980 in Foote Prints. Let’s fix that. I’ve been living in scenic Bushwick, Brooklyn, for the past 10 years. We rescue cats (we have about 10 if anyone would like one) and share the yard with raccoons and opossums. We also just adopted an Australian Shepherd rescue named Camper.

My daughter Aria, age nine, is an aspiring singer — it’s amazing how easily her little brain remembers and retains lyrics. My son Jasper, 25, tours as lead guitarist with his band Quarters of Change, which is about to release its third album on Atlantic Records. I was thrilled to play bass on a few tracks.

I was honored to deliver the commencement speech at Foote for the Class of 2025. My message was simple: say yes — to invitations, jobs, opportunities, and especially Foote School events. At one such event, I had the pleasure of playing guitar with Will Brennan (Liz Brennan’s son) — such a fine guitarist! Check out his band, Robot Monster.

Miraculously, I still write music for TV shows and play with my band, which remains — sadly — nameless. Suggestions welcome.

I’ve been in touch with quite a few Foote alums — including Bill Perrine ’80, Eamon ’80 and Ann Roche ’84, Kit Win-

ter ’80, John Miller ’80, Ted Schwartz, Jarl Frijs-Madsen ’80, Elinor Blake ’80, Liz Geller [Brennan] ’80, Jenny Baker, and Jim Wareck ’80. It’s also been great reconnecting with my old Foote teachers, including Bob Sandine, Francie Irvine, and Mr. O. I hope everyone is doing well!”

1981

A note from Hilary Fayen Higgins: “Turning 60 in 2025 was a major milestone for me, one that I celebrated by taking a trip to Southern France/Northern Spain in September to ride some of the great Tour de France climbs in the Pyrenees. After conquering the Tourmalet and Hautacam, I traveled to Bédoin to ride the giant of Provence, Mont-Ventoux. It wasn't until I started planning my trip that I realized that Bédoin, a small, basepoint town for Ventoux, is just outside of Avignon. Naturally I had to spend some time there exploring the old town, viewing the Pont d'Avignon, and walking around the Palais des Papes. It brought back a lot of memories from our class trip there, an experience that instilled in me a love of travel, foreign lands, and foreign languages.

One place I made a point of visiting was the Pont du Gard aqueduct, one of the sites I didn't have the opportunity to visit all those years ago. I was lucky enough to arrive just at dusk, as the light and the crowds were fading — it was beautiful and serene there.

I then traveled to Girona, Spain, which is another European cycling Mecca where I spent 10 days riding local climbs, gravel and coastal routes, ending the trip in Barcelona, another city I had always wanted to visit, specifically to see the beautiful Basilica of the Holy Family or Sagrada Familia, which was designed by Antoni Gaudi and begun in 1882 and is still under construction. It is an amazing and very spiritual place. I intend to make our 45th reunion in 2026 and look forward to seeing many classmates, friends, and former teachers there.”

1982

Bethany Appleby sent this note: “I am still living in the New Haven area but am working as a franchise litigator for DLA Piper's Boston office. Our three Foote alums (Kilian ’06, Leana (Susan)

Above, Hillary Fayen Higgins ’81 on an epic trip to Southern France/Northern Spain to celebrate turning 60. Below, Melanie Crowley Mullan ’84, with Heb Ryan ’84, John Wareck ’84, and Matt Lieber ’85 at the Harvard/Yale game.

’06, and Aidan ’11) are all married homeowners in their 30s. We also have one granddaughter (Amelia) and another on the way (Peanut — for now). Leana and her growing family live outside Baltimore. We wish they were closer! Luckily, the boys and their spouses are close by (New Haven and Wallingford). My dad, who was Foote's consulting psychiatrist for many years, died in June 2024, but Mom is still going strong and living with us. She still drives, gardens, and swims, and even has a personal trainer!

1984

Upon Melanie Crowley Mullan’s daugh-

ter’s graduation from High School in May, she returned to the East Coast after 10 years in Austin, TX. “While we loved our life there, it is wonderful to be back and close to family and longtime friends again. In fact, I recently got to enjoy the Yale-Harvard game with a few ‘Footies’ including Heb Ryan ’84, John Wareck ’84, Mai Wu ’84, and Matt Lieber ’85.”

1986

Beth Ferholt sent this note: “A couple times in my adulthood I have had periods of time that remind me of Foote very strongly. I am, lately, missing Mr. Baldwin — as I think of some of my very

best elementary school teachers — as my youngest child enters high school. I loved how he ‘shrunk’ after taking us to The Incredible Shrinking Woman. And I am missing Greg Sawyer, whom I really enjoyed spending time with in ninth grade. I also miss Mrs. Ross and I remember her great ninth-grade dating advice, how to act like a lady but mixed in with the beautiful Latin poetry that she had us recite.

I get to reminisce regularly with Emily Freed, who lives near by — our houses are just about the same distance apart as they were when we were 7 and Emily is as full of joy as ever, with a beautiful family and an important job that she loves — but it would be great to hear how others are doing!

55 is exciting but how did we start approaching 60?! I am still studying play and teaching at CUNY, living with my wife and teenagers in Brooklyn and often in Finland. NYC Class of ’86 dinner? Email me if you are in the city and are interested!”

1990

Sarah Acheson Semmel was married to Andrew George Semmel on Oct. 18, 2025 in Redding, CT, surrounded by family and friends. Sarah is currently a Middle School Dean and Visual Arts Teacher at Wooster School, Danbury, CT.

1992

Lena Sadowitz wrote: “I have attended two conferences this school year and found Foote connections at both!

TABS, November 2025 — I got to listen to Alyssa (Chen) Walker ’92 talk about innovative protocols for discussion in teaching history.

Learning & the Brain, February 2026 — Overlapping with Sarah Judd (faculty and my lacrosse coach 1990ish). Fun fact: we also attended the same graduate program at different times!

My experience as a learner at Foote probably contributes heavily to why I am still in a school today!”

1997

Class Correspondent Eliza Sayward reached out to Ali Healy about a reflection for Mr. Milburn on the occasion of his retirement. Eliza reported that Ali was surprisingly upbeat as she faced

Top middle and right, Lena Sadowitz ’92 with former faculty Sarah Judd, and with Alyssa Chen Walker ’92.

Bottom left, Dahlia Leffell ’11 married Eitan in September.

Bottom right, Alex Kleiner ’00's children on the first day of school at Foote. Alex and his wife Alexandra welcomed new baby Elizabeth (Libby) Lincoln Kleinerdaum in September. In their first-day-of-school picture, Libby with big brother Teddy ’32 and sister Samantha.

the aftermath of the loss of her family home to the Palisades fires in California. It has been about nine months since she shared the cross-country “adventure” she and her husband were about to embark on with their three small children. The one-year anniversary of the fires has just passed and Eliza asked Ali if she was willing to share a reflection on the journey this past year.

Ali wrote: “After spending 12 years in Los Angeles, our home was unfortunately a victim of the Palisades fires in January 2025. It has been a devastating, heartbreaking time. After evacuating and unsure where to turn, my husband and I decided to take our three young boys (2, 5, 7) and all our remaining belongings we could grab that day and head off on a half-year-long, cross-country road trip in our two cars, stopping in various cities as we considered where to start over.

During this time, I felt so fortunate

to have the support of so many Foote friends and faculty who showed up for my family and me during one of the most difficult times in our lives. I even got to visit many Foote friends along our journey (John Berkowitz ’98, Jon Butler ’98, Manu Nathan ’97, Kartik Sreenivasan ’97, Melanie Crowley Mullan ’84,) and received phone calls, texts, support, and love from countless other Foote friends. It is times like these when one realizes how sacred these elementary bonds are, and I am so very grateful to have been, and continue to be, a proud member of the Foote family.

Beyond managing life with three little boys displaced by a natural disaster, after many years working as a sitcom writer in L.A., launching and then having to shutter (due to the fire) a healthy allergen-free packaged foods business, I am now working on a novel. We are currently settled in Nashville while we

figure things out, so please reach out if you're in the area!”

2011

Dahlia Leffell wrote, “I was married in September to my husband, Eitan, in the Berkshires. We are currently living in Los Angeles with our dog, Oliver, and I work in affordable housing development.”

2018

Andrew Crews is a senior at Skidmore College where he studies art history. Over the summer he worked at the HillStead Museum in Farmington.

2020

Elias Theodore sent this update: “This fall, I successfully campaigned to represent Ward 1 on New Haven’s Board of Alders. I started my term on Jan. 1 and have absolutely loved the work so far.”

In Memoriam

ALUMNI

Steve Mendillo ’54

Sept. 3, 2025

Please visit footeschool.org/memoriam to read Steve's full obituary.

Class Correspondents

Please see below for contact information for your class correspondents. We need your help collecting news from your classmates for the following graduation years: 1951, 1954, 1959, 1961, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1994, 2003, 2017. To volunteer, please contact Mary Beth Claflin in the Alumni Programs Office: mclaflin@footeschool.org. Classes from the 1930s through the 1940s may reach out to Mary Beth via email, or calling 203-777-3474, ext 222. Class Notes may be submitted online at footeschool.org/alumni.

1950

Mary Pigott Johnsen johnsenmary2240@comcast.net

1952

Harald Hille harald.hille@gmail.com

1953

Robert Wing wing.1@osu.edu

1955

Nawrie Meigs-Brown grannyn13@gmail.com

Lee Dunham wlhdunham@gmail.com

1956

Will Amatruda willtam88@hotmail.com

1957

Kevin Geenty kevin@geentygroup.com

1958

Barry Stratton barrystratton@yahoo.com

1960

Happy Clement Spongberg happyspongberg@gmail.com

1962

Donald O. Ross doross48@gmail.com

1963

Susan Stratton susanstratton4@gmail.com

1964

Verdi DiSesa verdi.disesa@gmail.com

1965

Eric Triffin

eric_triffin@aya.yale.edu

1966

John N. Deming Jr. jndjr@yahoo.com

1968

Elizabeth Prelinger prelinge@georgetown.edu

1972

Rob Gurwitt robgurwitt@gmail.com

Greta Nettleton gretan@optonline.net

1973

Peter Hicks phicks@websterbank.com

John Persse johnpersse@bhhsne.com

1975

Jessica Drury sjsaz@optonline.net

1976

John Holder johnholder@comporium.net

1977

Elizabeth Daley Draghi gdraghi@sbcglobal.net

1978

Stephen Fontana stevef1701@aol.com

1979

Liz Holt

elizabeth.holt@aya.yale.edu

1980

Liz Geller Brennan gelbren@aol.com

1981

Jennifer LaVin jen2766@gmail.com

Nicolas Crowley nyjcrowley@hotmail.com

1982

Bethany Schowalter Appleby bethany.appleby@gmail.com

1983

Brinley Ford Ehlers brinleysf@aol.com

1984

Ann Pschirrer Brandt annie.brandt@rocketmail.com

1985

Carter LaPrade Serxner lapserx@gmail.com

1986

Jody Esselstyn jesselstyn@gmail.com

1987

Jonathan Levin jdlevin@stanford.edu

1988

Sara Mulligan Farina saramulligan13@gmail.com

1989

Toya Hill Clark trose7@hotmail.com

1990

Amy Cohn Crawford amycohncrawford@mac.com

1991

Bo Bradstreet ebradstr@gmail.com

1992

Katie Madden Kavanagh katieblee@hotmail.com

1993

Jenny Keul jennykeul@gmail.com

1995

Jack Hill jack@seaburyhill.com

1996

Brett Nowak nowak.brett@gmail.com

Katy Zandy Atlas katy91@gmail.com

1997

Eliza Sayward elizasayward@yahoo.com

1998

Andrew Lebov aklebov@gmail.com

1999

Jeremy Zuidema jmzuidema@gmail.com

2000

Alex Kleiner alex.m.kleiner@gmail.com

Shannon Sweeney smsweeney07@gmail.com

2001

Cassie Pagnam cassie.pagnam@gmail.com

2002

Hope Fleming hope.fleming@gmail.com

2004

Dillon Long know33@gmail.com

Dana Schwartz dana.schwartz5@gmail.com

2005

Gabriella Rhodeen gabriella.rhodeen@gmail.com

2006

Audrey Logan logan.audrey@gmail.com

Adam Gabbard adamdgabbard@yahoo.com

2007

Kenny Kregling kregke01@comcast.net

2008

Michael Milazzo michael.milazzo12@gmail.com

Kate Reilly Yurkovsky kate.yurkovsky@gmail.com

2009

Chris Blackwood christopher.blackwood@tufts.edu

Eva Kerman

2010

Brandi Fullwood brandi.n.fullwood@gmail.com

Clay Pepe cpepe@guidepoint.com

2011

Nate Barton natebarton95@gmail.com

Britney Dumas bdumas13@gmail.com

2012

Harrison Lapides jharrisonlapides@gmail.com

Cassidy McCarns cassidy.mccarns@yale.edu

2013

Lawson Buhl lbuhl@umich.edu

Anika Zetterberg ahzetter@syr.edu

2014

Robinson Armour rarmour22@amherst.edu

Sophia Matthes Theriault sophiamtheriault@gmail.com

2015

Anli Raymond anliraymond15@gmail.com

Will Wildridge william@wildridge.org

2016

Omid Azodi oazodi1@gmail.com

Evelyn Pearson evie.pearson11@gmail.com

2018

Alexandra Collins alexandrabcollins03@gmail.com

Pablo Rollán pabloo.rollan@gmail.com

2019

Josie Cancro josie.cancro@gmail.com

Malachai York malachai@yorkfamily.net

2020 Zainab Khokha zmkhokha786@gmail.com

Tristan Ward tristan103417@gmail.com

2021

Camilla Granda cgranda25@choate.edu

Henry Ferguson hankferguson2006@gmail.com

2022

Emile Krauss ekrauss26@choate.edu

Nora Brock norab7777777@gmail.com

2023

Jake Fasano fasjac08@icloud.com

Amalia Romero molly0524@gmail.com

2024

Salome Del Rio saraidelrio@gmail.com

Myles Carter-Solomon mylesjcartersolomon@gmail.com

2025

Ari Lopez lionlopezari@gmail.com

Esther Schonberger esther.m.schonberg@gmail.com

Harnessing the power of imagination

By Rashana Graham Executive Director

What do Mad Libs, dinner, and chocolate-covered feathers have in common? Community — and how Horizons at Foote builds, sustains, and nourishes our community throughout the year.

Students and families gathered at Foote in October for our fourth annual Trunk-or-Treat. Partner organizations joined our first ever Resource Fair, including the Shubert, Clifford Beers, and New Haven Reads. Our Junior Advisory Committee, co-chaired by Emilia Adams (Foote ’23) and Anthony Guzman Tecpa (Horizons ’22), led games and Mad Libs. It was an afternoon of candy, costumes, and free books – a fa-boo-lously good time!

In November, we returned to Foote for STRONG Night, our annual celebration of Horizons and everyone

who helps make our work possible. Students, families, teachers, partners, donors, board members, and volunteers enjoyed a communal dinner. We presented the Laura Altshul Joy of Teaching Award to three Horizons at Foote educators who inspire a lifelong love of learning and imagination in our students: Monifa Jones, Zaria Hunter, and Anthony Guzman Tecpa.

In February, students of all ages engaged in the engineering design process; they created lunar landers to safely bring Ping-Pong “aliens” down to earth; they built balloon-propelled cars out of recycled materials, which traveled up to 5 feet; they learned about oil spills, and experimented with cleaning animals – as represented by feathers covered in brownie mix and oil! Our middle school students identified problems in their communities, evaluated each other’s proposals, and

presented their solutions to a panel of board member “investors” in our very own Shark Tank-style “Elephant Room.”

Horizons at Foote exists because of everything we have in common. The Foote School, Horizons students and families, our teachers and staff, our Board of Directors, Advisory Board, volunteers, and partners — we believe that all children thrive in a safe, inclusive community where they can discover new talents, overcome challenges, and grow in curiosity and confidence.

Horizons at Foote’s mission is to advance educational equity and joy of learning for New Haven public school students. Our vision, which we share with every Horizons program in the national network, is a future in which every child thrives. Follow @horizonsatfoote on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with exciting news and events!

HEADS UP

At Foote, technology is a tool, not a distraction. While there are times when students use Chromebooks to support learning, cell phones and smart devices are not permitted during the school day. This approach encourages focus, meaningful peer interaction, and healthy technology habits.

Mission What We Do

Empower children to lead with courage, compassion, and purpose.

Vision | Why We Do It

Inspire the next generation to change the world.

Values | Ideas We Live By

Discovery

Curiosity, creativity, and joyful inquiry drive learning. We explore diverse paths to ask and answer questions, generate solutions, and better understand ourselves and our world.

Authenticity

Individuality, expression, and self-acceptance are essential to personal growth and development. True to ourselves, we develop our unique identities and capacity to navigate a complex world.

Community

We are a diverse, inclusive community where everyone belongs. We are leaders – prepared, connected, and responsible to each other and to our local and global communities.

The Foote School

50 Loomis Place

New Haven, CT 06511

www.footeschool.org (203)777-3464

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Notice: Postal regulations require the school to pay 75 cents for every copy not deliverable as addressed. Please help us contain costs by notifying us of any change of address, giving both the old and new addresses.