Wellan Alumni Magazine - Summer 2026

a note from the head of school

It’s a milestone moment for Wellan! This coming fall marks our 20th year in existence.

Twenty years of classrooms buzzing with ideas, unforgettable field trips, legendary stories (check out Wellan Lore on page 3), spectacular performances, and the kind of learning that sticks with you long after you leave campus.

Whether you were a part of Wellan in the early days, when it was known as Newton Montessori School (like our alumni profile Katrina Mastoras), or you graduated more recently, you’ve helped shape the school that we’ve become. Over the years, Wellan has grown in meaningful ways, including its dual-accreditation with AISNE and AMS in 2013, the name change in 2018, the opening of our Middle School program in 2019, the opening of West Hall in 2020, and the $4 million expansion of the Main Building in 2025.

Along the way, we’ve kept our old traditions alive, like the Thanksgiving Feast, the Fall Fest, the Elementary Expo, our 6th Grade Capstones, and the End of Year Picnic. We’ve also built new traditions like the Family Cardboard

Challenge, the Third Grade Internships, our Middle School deep dives, and, just this year, our newly expanded Field Day event. Memorable moments like these are reminders of the deep connections Wellan fosters.

One of the best parts of reaching this milestone is hearing from alumni (hear what our alumni had to say at this year’s Alumni Panel on page 5). It’s amazing to see the paths our graduates have taken and to hear how their experiences at Wellan continue to influence the way they learn and connect with others.

Thank you for being part of Wellan’s first twenty years. We can’t wait to see what comes next.

Warmly,

Beth Black Head of School

WELCOME BACK, ALWAYS.

Throughout the year, alumni have returned to campus to give back in small but meaningful and to reconnect with the teachers, staff, and families who were an important part of their time at Wellan. Whether they’re mentoring students, helping out at events, or just dropping in for a visit, our alumni continue to be a valued part of the Wellan

1.

Camp 2026. 4. Alumni attend a ping pong social with Voyager teachers at SPIN Boston.

Katrina Mastoras’ connection to Wellan dates back to its early days as Newton Montessori School, where she was a student 2006 through 2009. During her time here, she was guided by teachers who helped shape her early experiences, including Primary teacher Esther Lee, who remains part of the Wellan community today.

“Katrina was one of my very first Montessori students," Esther recalls, "and witnessing her joy in the classroom deepened my appreciation for the Montessori approach."

Wellan's emphasis on independence left a lasting impression on Katrina, too. “One thing I remember about Wellan is having a strong sense of autonomy even at a young age,” Katrina says. “I was encouraged to explore what interested me, and that freedom helped me build confidence.” Rather than simply teaching students what to think, Wellan empowered Katrina and her brother, Cameron Mastoras, to take ownership of their own learning, make meaningful choices, and trust their own judgement. Cameron shares a similar memory of his time here, recalling that the independence he and his sister experienced here gave them the courage to pursue their passions and continued to shape their identities long after they left Wellan.

At Newton North High School, Katrina became involved in hip hop dance and choir, building on a love of the performing arts that began in Wellan's music classroom. That same willingness to follow her interests carried into college at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, where Katrina majored in Psychology, minored in Neuroscience, and co-chaired both the Fusion Hip Hop Dance Team and The Delilah's A Cappella Group.

After graduating in 2025, Katrina began her career as a consultant at Veeva, a cloud-based software company serving the life sciences industry. While she is still exploring her long-term path, she credits Wellan with helping cultivate the self-awareness that continues to guide her decisions today. Katrina's story highlights the impact of a Wellan education: a lasting sense of curiosity, independence, and confidence that empowers students to discover their own strengths, follow their passions, and chart a course that is uniquely their own.

HEY!

At Wellan, tuition covers only a portion of the true cost of education. Like many independent schools, we rely on the generosity of families, alumni, and friends to help bridge the gap. Your support sustains what makes Wellan exceptional—competitive teacher salaries, tuition assistance for families, enriched curriculum resources, innovative program development, and the ongoing care of our learning spaces.

Families contributing $250+ are recognized on our Alumni Donor Wall. If you’d like to make your gift this fiscal year, scan the QR code to give easily and securely online.

As part of Wellan's 20th anniversary celebration, we're collecting the unofficial history of Wellan: the funny stories or legendary moments that may never make it into an official timeline, but absolutely deserve to be remembered. In a new newsletter segment we're calling Wellan Lore, we'll explore the stories, traditions, and shared experiences that have shaped our community over the past two decades.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

In 2009, Primary 1 students visited Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA, with teachers Jutta Lossner-Liang and Melissa Baxter, for a hands-on apple-picking adventure. As they learned the proper way to pick apples, they sang a song to help them remember the technique.

Have a piece of Wellan lore you'd like to share? We'd love to hear it. If you have any information on some of the stories below, contact us at alumni@wellan.org.

The Albino Squirrel Haunted Bathrooms WILL THE COMMITTEE PLEASE COME TO ORDER? Do you recognize these young delegates?

Scan here or email us at alumni@wellan.org if you can tell us anything about this photo!

This spring, Wellan held its bi-annual Alumni Panel, where high school-aged alumni returned to campus to share what the transition from Wellan to high school was really like with current students and families. This year’s panel featured students currently attending Beaver Country Day School, Boston Arts Academy, Brookline High School, The Cambridge School of Weston, and The Rivers School. Read on to hear some of the biggest takeaways from the evening.

Moderated by Division Leader Caitlin Bowring and School Counselor Colleen Dischiave, alumni reflected on how being part of a close-knit community at Wellan taught them how to collaborate, navigate disagreements, and work with different personalities, all skills they carried with them into high school and continue to use today.

While entering larger high school environments was a new experience and came with some challenges, alumni shared that they felt comfortable speaking up in the classroom and reaching out to classmates and teachers

alike, which helped them quickly find their place in their new communities and find success early on. Alumni explained that Wellan helped them become comfortable asking questions, communicating with teachers, and seeking support when needed. As a result, many said they were able to build strong relationships with their new teachers from the very beginning of high school.

Students also spoke about how their time at Wellan helped them develop a strong sense of identity and confidence in their interests. Many shared that this made it easier to discover the activities, friendships, and opportunities that felt like the right fit once they arrived at high school.

Seeing these alumni return to campus was a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of a Wellan education. Thoughtful, confident, and excited about what lies ahead, they offered current students and families an inspiring glimpse into the journey beyond Wellan.

VOYAGER GRADUATE SOCIAL: FEBRUARY 6, 2027

WELLAN SPRING GALA: APRIL 3, 2027

AUTOCAMP: MAY 14 - 16, 2027

BOSTON PRIDE: JUNE 2027 SAVE THESE DATES!

CONFIDENCE STARTS HERE ALUMNI EVENTS

2ND ANNUAL K-8 FIELD DAY: JUNE 11, 2027

MEET THE GRADS

INTRODUCING WELLAN’S NEWEST ALUMNI PLUS: TOP PICKS FROM THE CLASS OF ‘26

AT THE END of each school year, Voyager students mark this milestone at the 8th Grade Celebration Dinner. Graduates, their families, faculty and staff, and mentors gather to celebrate the class's accomplishments and welcome them into the Wellan alumni community.

Voyager graduates receive a commemorative rock inscribed with a single word they choose to reflect their experience at Wellan. At the dinner, each student shares a speech explaining why they selected their word, how it represents their growth, and how it will guide them as they begin high school.

As the evening concludes, each graduate leaves as a Wellan alum. Their chosen word serves as a lasting reminder of their time at Wellan and the community they will always be part of.

THE HIGHLIGHT REEL

FAVORITE WELLAN MEMORIES

“My favorite Wellan project is the Sixth Grade Capstone. It’s great to be able to choose a topic that you are interested in and focus on it for an entire school year.”

“I really loved playing the role of media in government simulation in seventh grade. I interviewed ‘politicians’ and at the end wrote a newspaper! It was so much fun.”

“All of my overnight trips with Voyager are really special to me. They felt really magical, especially seeing the stars and watching the sunrise at Red Gate Farm for the first time.”

“The Deep Dives in Voyager, because they were very fun and it was nice to take a break from everyday school and focus on something different.”

STAY IN TOUCH!