Shady Hill Magazine 25-26 by Shady Hill School

Spring 2026

Shady Hill School

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Sharing Our Stories

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Michele Snyder, Director of Marketing and Communications Moriah Giovannucci, Senior Multimedia Marketing Specialist Tatum Lee, Communications Systems Specialist ALUMNI OFFICE Devon Wilson-Hill, Director of Development and Alumni Relations Gus Polstein TTC ’18, Interim Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations Erika Whitters, Advancement Events Coordinator Cam Ottaviano, Manager of Advancement Services and Research Christina Junga, Advancement Coordinator CLASS NOTES PROOFREADERS Wen Epstein-Fisher ’11 Abisayo Animashaun ’11 Fred Wang ’65 Rachel Cooke ’02, TTC ’13 Elena Rodriguez-Villa ’08 Kate Chin ’00 Charley Aldrich ’95 EDITORIAL STAFF Michele Snyder, Editor Moriah Giovannucci, Associate Editor DESIGN Elles Gianocostas, Class Notes Designer Moriah Giovannucci, Magazine Designer Shady Hill Archives BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2025 – 2026 Alyssa Haywoode, Chair Jeita Deng ’94, Treasurer and Finance Chair Kate Sutliff, Clerk Sarah Baker Jim Berkman Lisa Case Zara Cooper Sherri Ettinger Meghan Jasani Lidiane Jones Perry Lubin ’96* Melissa McGaughey Anne Moncreiff de Arrarte ’71* Tamyko Morris* Satu Parikh Mark Stanek, Head of School* Avi Urbas Rodrigo Verdi Sarah Wasserman Pratt Wiley ’91 *Ex Officio BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY INVITATION Maureen Nunez, Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer Dr. Laniesha Gray, Director of Equity and Inclusion Devon Wilson-Hill, Director of Development and Alumni Relations ALUMNI BOARD 2025–2026 Kate Chin ’00, Alumni Board Chair Kathryn Bailis Phillips ’90, TTC ’98, Regional Chair, New York Charley Aldrich ’95 Abisayo Animashuan ’11 Kip Brown ’84 Kate Chin ’00 Rachel Cooke ’02, TTC ’13 Wen Epstein-Fisher ’11 Meg Grossman ’62 Anjali Lappin ’06 Elena Rodriguez-Villa ’08 Katherine Taketomo ’05, TTC ’14 Fred Wang ’65 Abigail Wright ’00 Pratt Wiley ’91 Charlie Wyzanski ’59 STAY IN TOUCH: Update your contact information with SHS at www.shs.org/contactupdate. FOLLOW US! @shadyhillschool

The 2025-2026 Issue

THE PLOT UNFOLDS 2 THE STOR IE S W E SH A R E 4 U P THE STA IR S, IN TO THE STOR IE S 6 A I: IS THIS BU ILDING SOM ETHING IN M E? 8 “THIS IS STORY T ELLING, NOT DECOR AT ION” L etter from the Head of School

Telling Stories Through the A rts Curriculum

1 0 T ELLING THE STORY INSIDE SH A DY HILL 1 2 INDIGENOUS VOICE S THROUGH A RT 1 4 ON E MOM EN T, FOUR STOR IE S 1 6 DEF Y ING THE NAT IONA L TR END 1 8 OUR A LU M N I 2 8 CL A SS NOT E S

THE STORIES WE SHARE Letter from the Head of School Every summer, as I prepare for the start of a new school year, I return to The First Fifty Years, Shady Hill’s quintessential history written by our second Head of School, Ed Yeomans. In chronicling the vision of founders Ernest and Agnes Hocking, the book offers more than a record of our beginnings; it reminds me why Shady Hill was created and the values that continue to shape our community today. Each year, we are given the opportunity to write the next chapter of Shady Hill’s story. New families and employees bring fresh perspectives, while students completing their ten-year journey leave lasting contributions of their own. Together, we shape a living institution grounded in tradition yet constantly evolving. The articles in this edition reflect that ongoing work. From innovative approaches to addressing the declining teacher pipeline, to the integration of the arts within Central Subject and the elevation of underrepresented voices, these stories demonstrate how Shady Hill continues to build upon its mission while responding thoughtfully to the world around us. Please be sure to review our efforts to foster a love of reading while we engage intentionally to grapple with the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As we conclude another school year and begin planning for the next, I am reminded of a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that continues to guide me: “All institutions reflect the lengthened shadow of their founders.” I invite you to stand alongside those who first imagined Shady Hill, those who have helped it evolve over the decades, and those who will carry it forward in the years ahead. Thank you for being part of Shady Hill’s continuing story as we deepen learning, strengthen connections, and shape the future together.

Mark Stanek, Head of School May 2026

UP THE STAIRS, INTO THE STORIES By Susanna Paterson, Library Director, Marta Rivas TTC ’99, Librarian, and Karen Shakman, Librarian

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walk up a staircase to the Library leads Shady Hill students past framed photographs of graduating classes who smile out behind shifting fashions and hairstyles, welcoming students as they make their way. At the top of the stairs, students enter a bright, expansive space. With over 30,000 books, the Library remains committed to celebrating the power of stories and nurturing curiosity. Named after a working beehive that was part of an earlier library building, the Beehive is at the center of campus. The Library, spanning the top floor, is the only place every class in the school visits on a weekly basis and is a space to discover new books and revisit old favorites. This year, several students set out to find some of the oldest books that grace the shelves, including The Shady Hill Play Book by co-founder Katharine Taylor and Henry Copley Greene. Published in 1928, students enjoyed performing these plays almost 100 years ago. Books like these celebrate the school’s roots alongside the hundreds of freshly published books that are added to the collection each year. It’s hard to explain precisely what goes into creating the reading culture on campus that feels distinct to Shady Hill. In addition to students reading with their families and in the classroom, the Library holds space and time for students to explore books. It’s not uncommon to see Lower School students gathered around a book on a campus bench, or Middle Schoolers curled up in a library chair reading during recess. New students often identify this attitude toward reading as something that feels different from their past schools. As an eighth grader said,

“Reading is something people choose to do at Shady Hill.” Research is also something many students choose to do. The library is the weekly gathering place for Lower School students who organize the Endangered Animal Species Group (EASG) and are committed to researching and taking notes on endangered animals. At this point in the year, the first and second grade activists bypass the librarians and take their queries directly to the club’s fourth grade leaders, a dynamic that delights the librarians who watch from the stacks. Shady Hill inspires students’ passion and expertise. “It’s really fun to read books about animals and other true things,” reported one Kindergartener, while another said, “I love to hear books I don’t know.” Our oldest students use the Library for formal research but, just as important, they also come to the Library at least once a week to read whatever interests them, from elaborate fantasy novels to quiet verse novels to real-life stories from WWII. Library time is a chance for students to unplug and connect with real and fictional characters across time. As they descend the staircase from the Library, past their predecessors with ’70’s haircuts or white graduation dresses, our hope is that our students carry piles of books and an enthusiasm for exploring the multitude of experiences, worlds, and ideas they hold in their hands. 

AI:

Is This Building Something In Me?

By Cindy Dobe, Chief Information Officer and Tracy Eisenberg, Grade V Gradehead

rtificial intelligence (AI) is moving fast, faster than most of us likely ever anticipated. At Shady Hill, we are paying close attention to how AI is filtering into so many areas of life and want to share how we are thinking about AI in education. Over the past few years, a cross-section of our faculty has spent time in our Tech Strategic Planning and our AI Tiger Team groups clarifying our approach to technology use in the classroom generally and with AI specifically. Through conversations, debates and consensus building, these groups developed a clear statement of our beliefs regarding technology’s role in education, including specific guidelines around the use of AI. While we do not have every answer about AI’s role in education, we do have a clear center of gravity for technology use in our classrooms; we always start with the human first. A child’s own thinking, sensory experience, and capacity to connect with people and ideas are the primary instruments of their learning. Our job as educators is to protect and develop those capacities. Each decision we make about how to use technology flows from that commitment. We approach AI as we do any powerful technology: with genuine appreciation for what it can do and with attention to when it is the right tool and when it isn’t. In the Middle School, teachers are actively exploring how to strike that balance in their classrooms. In the younger grades, faculty are not using AI directly with students, but are exploring the use of AI in their own professional practice. Teachers are finding their AI explorations useful. Beyond logistical tasks that allow them to focus more on the practice of teaching, AI also has great potential to enhance personalized teaching and learning. In the Lower School, tutors are using AI to expand students’ access to the curriculum. For example, some are rewriting texts to match a student’s independent reading level, so a second grader researching Charles River animals can access the same content as classmates without being slowed by unfamiliar vocabulary that outpaces their reading ability. Similarly, others are generating instructional-level texts on topics students are interested in, allowing a child practicing phonics skills to stay engaged with content that holds their attention. In both cases, the goal is access, motivation, and meaningful practice. AI is not replacing instruction; it is making learning more accessible. In Middle School, the work looks different. For example, one sixth-grade Central Subject teacher recently used AI as a research curator. She asked it to identify well-vetted scholarship on ancient African civilizations and organize those sources by whether they drew on colonial documents or primary sources. This task, which might have taken her weeks, took minutes, leaving her more time for deeper work: guiding students to critically assess those sources and develop their own historical thinking. In seventh grade, students used AI image generators to illustrate their Martian newspapers from an alien world they invented. The surprise is what made it stick: to get the images students wanted, their descriptions had to be precise, because vague language produced strange, unintended, and often humorous results. This was actually a lesson in how language works. Another teacher is using AI to analyze patterns across student writing samples, identifying common errors that then become the focus of targeted mini-lessons. AI simply helps the teacher see the class as a whole more clearly and quickly. Teachers are also learning when not to reach for these tools. When the struggle itself is the point and students need to sit with the uncertainty inherent in forming and revising their ideas, using AI can short-circuit the very growth we are after. We are watching, comparing notes, and making deliberate choices. This work is ongoing and, like AI, constantly evolving.  6

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“THIS IS STORYTELLING, NOT DECORATION”

Telling Stories through the Arts Curriculum By Katherine Hesko TTC ’08, Lower School Head and Katherine Taketomo ’05, TTC ’14, Middle School Head

his summer all faculty and staff were invited to read How to Know a Person by David Brooks. Then, in order to walk through the same exercise we ask students to do year after year, and in an effort to build community among ourselves, each faculty member was invited to share a story about themselves related to an important element of their identity. This work was combined with our ongoing work around curriculum mapping and defining the scope and sequence of the academic skills we teach. This winter we turned our attention to consider how identity formation, social justice, and belonging both intersect and are central to the experience of being a learner at Shady Hill. In an ideal world we would love to be able to visit each others’ classes daily, see the students and teachers in action, observe the classwork pasted on the walls, and witness the in-between moments that make up the magic of a classroom. What we realized is that instead of relying on a dream we weren’t sure we could achieve, we would bring the classrooms together through an internal museum in one shared space our Assembly Hall. The prompt we provided our faculty was short and simple: • Bring an example of equity and inclusion work you do with your students and be prepared to share about it • Each grade or department will have one table to display their work • Bring physical or digital copies • Be prepared to stand by your table to explain (like our students do all the time!) • Don’t overthink it - you do excellent work - spend 15 minutes gathering it We were amazed with the outcome. Piece by piece, table by table, we saw our curriculum from B-VIII, from Central Subject to Physical Education come alive. Part of the success of this experience was that 8

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we didn’t know what each group would choose to feature. We saw a truly cross-curricular and integrated program and joyfully acknowledged that all educators are doing this important identity work in their classroom. As we wandered the museum we were especially struck by the way that our arts program featured how our students can examine identity through different lenses and use it to craft their story of themselves.

a Shady Hill tradition - learning to knit a hat. In addition to crafting a wearable warm item to get students through the winter, they are simultaneously learning handwork that directly connects to self-expression through design. In Grade VI, as students are studying Western Africa in CS, they learn the art form of Adinkra Cloths. Through this experience, students examine connections across cultures and discuss how to pick personal adinkra symbols that mirror their own identity. By the time students reach In Grade III Central Subject (CS), students interview Grade VII and VIII, the agency is intentionally student their own family members about their ancestry, which directed. Students specialize in three different art forms then inspires the biography they write and identity they per year and by eighth grade, students are able to give take on as a whaler. This connection is further brought to input into the various pathways one can be an artist. It life when they create their own sea chests in Wood Shop was clear that beneath the surface of our student work are and pack for their imaginary whaling journey. During numerous lessons learned. True Courage, performed in music class, they explore the meaning of what do you do when you have to go against Most excitingly, even as we explored art projects that we the belief systems of your family or community? This is know are central to our curriculum, such as the wooden a juicy dilemma, and one that is appropriate for our nine chairs and masks students make in Middle School Wood and ten-year-olds as they dabble with what it means to Shop, we also were presented with new ways of thinking grow up. Fourth graders study the talents and powers of about the intersection between our arts curriculum and the Greek Gods all year, but then it turns to introspection our equity work. Jenny Sorblom, our Middle School Wood as they think about what special skills they have personally. Shop Teacher, shared, “In Wood Shop, students are not They craft their own narrative as a Greek God and hero asked to copy a model, they are asked to express identity. in CS and then express themselves, their priorities and Through choice, symbolism, and design, students create passions on the shield that they create in Wood Shop and work that reflects their experiences, values, and personal carry into the Olympics. In music class, the connection is stories. This approach shifts art from replication to voice, again strengthened. They perform hilarious and powerful allowing each student to be seen and understood.” She Grecian stories as musicals, all while wearing their chitons, continued with a short but powerful statement, “This is which are adorned with a symbol that represents them. storytelling, not decoration.” In every class, in every project, we are asking students to think about who they are, who they want to be, how they We wish we could have kept our internal museum up for want to change and how they want their story to go. As the remainder of the year; yet, our memory of that day they get older, this moves appropriately from reflection and experience serves as a guidepost for the critical lessons that are part of a Shady Hill curriculum and the power to agency. of highlighting the stories that occur each and every day Our youngest middle schoolers have been re-introduced to across our campus from Beginners through Grade VIII.  9

TELLING THE STORY INSIDE SHADY HILL

By Michele Snyder, Director of Marketing and Communications

n early January, Shady Hill School launched Inside Shady Hill, a new podcast featuring Head of School Mark Stanek as the host. Every three weeks during 2025-26, the School released a new episode, which takes listeners on a deep dive into the educational philosophy, mission, and values of Shady Hill. The idea behind the podcast has been to give current parents, alums, and prospective parents a look into what makes Shady Hill unique. According to Mark Stanek there are things happening every day - in the hallways, on the pathways, and in the classrooms - that we want to share. “Every day at Shady Hill, extraordinary moments of curiosity, connection and discovery unfold across the campus. Through this podcast, we can bring those moments to life and share the heart of what makes this community so special in a way only spoken words can do,” said Mark. In the first episode of Inside Shady Hill, Mark and Lower School Head Katherine Hesko TTC ’08 talked about the thoughtful philosophy behind Thematic Study and Central Subject as students progress from grade to grade. Katherine shared her experience becoming a student for a day in every grade. She put all other things aside, once a week, to actually be in the classroom, as a student, to better understand the academics, skill building, and social emotional learning that a student experiences in 10

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Beginners through Grade V. Other topics covered over the year have included a conversation with Middle School Head Katherine Taketomo ’05, TTC ’14 about the benefits of Middle School at Shady Hill, including our Gradehead model, with a lower student-teacher ratio than is typical at other middle schools, allowing forcloser relationships. Parents have also been asking about our stance on AI and how it fits into a school setting. Our third episode featured Chief Information Officer Cindy Dobe, along with Grade V Gradehead Tracy Eisenberg, who were able to expand on where AI fits into our culture.

“I just listened to the first episode. My heart swelled with pride as a former apprentice and career educator. Bravo on an engaging & informative podcast! I look forward to following along.”

Other topics covered include a look at the Teacher Training Center (TTC), a conversation with three alums from the Class of 2025, a sneak peek into the Equity Office, and finally a discussion on the importance of traditions. With over 1,000 downloads, it’s clear many of our parents and alums are listening. Tune in on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch every episode next season! 

- Laurie Easton Parker TTC ’83, Former Teacher Training Center (TTC) Apprentice

Scan the QR code to listen to the podcast on Spotify. And don’t forget to subscribe! 11

INDIGENOUS VOICES THROUGH ART By Indigo Dow, Grade VII Gradehead

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ast fall, Grade VII began to study Indigenous voices as part of their Central Subject on the Early American Experience. They read a variety of books such as Blood on the River and Braiding Sweetgrass, among others. These books brought different Indigenous perspectives to life, and the seventh graders from each class created their own museum featuring a visual statement out of different mediums, and wrote a paragraph explaining what each piece represented. Indigo Dow, a new Grade VII Gradehead, wanted to take the story a bit deeper and began to wonder how he could further bring this Central Subject topic to life. At the same time, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) was hosting an exhibit called “An Indigenous Present” featuring abstract art which told the story of the artist. The exhibit featured 15 artists who pursue abstraction as a tool for liberated expression. Through subject, process, and material, the artworks included complicated and destabilized preconceptions of what art by Indigenous and Native American artists is made with, looks like, and sounds like. Before going to the museum, students had to do research on a specific artist including their background, how they became an artist, what they are trying to communicate through their art, and what makes them unique. Once completed, students shared what they learned about each artist, sparking interesting conversations. According to Mr. Indigo, this part of the curriculum really helped bring their work home. “This process helped students connect their historical research to the lived experiences of Indigenous people whose voices and legacies deserve to be honored,” said Indigo. Indigo’s passion for bringing Central Subject to life is certainly contagious! 

ONE MOMENT, FOUR STORIES By Moriah Giovannucci, Sr. Multimedia Marketing Specialist

our members of the Shady Hill community—a parent, a Lower School student, a Middle School student, and the School Photographer—attended the same Lower School Assembly, each with a different way of capturing the moment: a KODAK 35mm Disposable Camera, an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, a Canon EOS 7D DSLR Camera, and a Nikon Z50 II Mirrorless Camera. They all experienced the same assembly, filled with music, performances, and community—but what stood out to each of them was entirely their own. Through their lenses, one shared moment becomes four distinct stories. 

Grade IV Student “It was fun and the teachers were high energy! The songs were really nice and it was cool that we could sing them in another language.”

Grade VIII Student “I thought the poems read by the fourth graders were very funny and I admired their bravery to get up in front of the whole Lower School and recite them.” 14

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SHS Parent “I love the calm and supportive vibe all the kids give to each other so they can experience each other’s voices and achievements.”

School Photographer “It was fun to watch the younger students walk under the arch made by two fourth graders as they held the doors open welcoming everyone into Assembly Hall.” 15

DEFYING THE NATIONAL TREND By Desiree Humphries Ivey, Executive Director of the Teacher Training Center (TTC) and Shiva McClellan, Director of Professional Development and Faculty Support

cross independent schools, we are beginning to feel more acutely what national research has been signaling for some time; fewer college students are choosing to pursue careers in education. But what we’re seeing—alongside colleagues from nearly 90 schools who offer teacher training programs—suggests that this is not a distant trend. It is already shaping our hiring pipelines, our classrooms, and the long-term sustainability of our schools. Shady Hill’s Teacher Training Center (TTC) has served as a direct pipeline for hiring exceptional educators since 1924, when Katharine Taylor launched this innovative model by accepting and training our first apprentice, Lucy Fiske Cole. Today, that legacy remains stronger than ever. The school currently boasts 35 teachers and administrators who first “learned how to teach by teaching” at Shady Hill. Recently, the TTC has witnessed a significant surge in recruitment. In recent years, 40 to 80 applicants have applied for the apprenticeship at Shady Hill. This momentum was sparked by Shady Hill’s initiative to offer $21,000 in fellowships and free tuition for two aspiring educators. There is growing interest in dual placements at Shady Hill and a public school. Alongside strategic collaborations with Carney Sandoe & Associates, Lesley University, and other partners, our Auxiliary program, led by Alida Salins, has proven to be an incredible pipeline. It connects us to a diverse network of Shady Hill alums, career-changers, and aspiring educators who already have a deep love for the school. In fact, afterschool teachers Amanda Poorvu ’11 and Fiona Garrison recently “caught the teaching bug” through this network and have officially joined the TTC Class of 2027. Reflecting on this renewed momentum, Executive Director of the TTC, Desiree Humphries Ivey, notes Shady Hill’s unique designation as an alternative route to 16

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certification in Massachusetts providing teacher candidates with a streamlined option to gain teaching experience, mentorship, and licensure within a year. “Our successful efforts to recruit tuition-paying apprentices does not reflect what is happening broadly in the field. “The tide is turning,” she explains. “‘Earn while you learn’ models are proliferating in school districts across the United States to inspire paraprofessionals and teaching assistants currently working in schools to pursue advanced degrees while building upon their experience and earning an income.” Like Shady Hill, independent and public schools recognize the benefit of developing talent from within, which is exactly why the program’s founder and former Head Katharine Taylor developed the model. “Here’s what I know to be true; When teachers are mentored well, compensated fairly, and feel they are making a positive contribution to the profession, retention is high. My hope is that the 35 TTC alumni currently working at Shady Hill will appreciate the honor of mentoring the next generation of educators for this profession.” Will this trend continue for Shady Hill? We can’t be sure. When asked about the most significant challenges they face, leaders of educator preparation programs across the nation overwhelmingly pointed to a shrinking pipeline impacting recruitment and candidate quality. This is not simply about fewer applicants. It is about finding candidates who are both interested in teaching and able to commit to the structure of these programs—many of which are part-time, modestly compensated, or located in high-cost-of-living areas. There is also a clear equity dimension. Directors spoke candidly about the difficulty of building diverse candidate pipelines when the financial realities of entering the profession—especially through teacher residency programs—can be prohibitive. Raising the question of who can afford to become a teacher right now?

At the same time, the data tells a powerful story about what is working. At Shady Hill, there is a shared commitment to immersive, relationship-driven preparation. Teaching fellows are deeply embedded in the life of a school—coaching, advising, attending meetings, and participating fully in the rhythms of the day. They are not on the periphery; they are practicing the work daily. Mentorship is at the center and professional development is the foundation of Shady Hill’s teacher residency model. It is built on intentional pairings, regular observation, feedback, and in some cases, course releases that allow mentors to focus meaningfully on coaching. Shady Hill has hundreds of examples that the Teacher Training Center is deeply effective and aligned with our mission. It is not an add-on teacher residency mode but rather a part of the School’s DNA. Whether that will be enough to the trend and continue to grow the teacher pipeline at Shady Hill is still to be seen. But as we’ve been for nearly 100 years, Shady Hill is fortunate to have a thriving Teacher Training Center that provides aspiring and experienced educators with opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead in this profession. 

Our Alumni Sharing Their Stories

1940s

1950s

1960s

James Goodale ’48

Len Clarke ’52

Steve Grossman ’60

James Goodale, known as the “Father of Reporters’ Privilege” has had a tremendous impact on American journalism. He was selected by The New York Times at 29 years old to be general counsel, and later, represented The Times in four Supreme Court Cases, including the “Pentagon Papers case”.

Len Clarke looks back with pride on his participation in the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights march. “In 1963, as a young Washington staffer, I attended the rally when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. I remember feeling hopeful– we all felt justice was coming.”

“Shady Hill helped define me,” said Steve Grossman, a Shady Hill alum who graduated in 1960.

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Steve was a student at Shady Hill from Grade III-IX. He remembers much about his time here, especially Central Subject, which he describes as an immersive way to teach and educate where students “become the people they are studying.”

1970s

Jennifer WhiteCallaghan ’79 Jennifer White-Callaghan attended Shady Hill from Grade VII-IX, back when the school went from Beginners to Grade IX.

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The art of storytelling connects people by transforming facts into engaging, memorable narratives through elements like plot, character, and point of view. This year Shady Hill took a deep dive into storytelling in an effort to know our students and colleagues more fully. In this issue we spotlight our alums whose lives all have one thing in common– their education at Shady Hill had an impact on who they are today. We invite you to submit nominations to alumni@shs.org for other impressive alumni we should feature in the future.

1980s

1990s

Jared Williams ’86

Núrí ChandlerSmith ’90

Jared Williams has always been drawn to art and artists. After earning his B.A. at the Rhode Island School of Design, he landed work as an illustrator of textbooks and magazines, then brought his talents to the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and then to a corporate setting.

As the Dean of Academic Support and Pathway Programs at Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC), Núrí ChandlerSmith oversees sets of programs creating pathways to college success and allowing seamless transitions to college.

2000s

2010s

Jonny Koh ’05

Nora Amber ’11

Jonny Koh is no stranger to active listening, especially when he is on stage with his band Lawrence. He started playing the guitar in Grade V and hasn’t stopped making music since. However, he didn’t always know he was going to be a professional musician.

First and foremost, Nora Ambler is a performer. She attended Shady Hill from Beginners through Grade VIII and credits the emphasis on art as contributing to her life as a professional ballerina today.

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1948

James Goodale

Continued from page 18 “Shady Hill is the tool for everything I’ve done”, he says, and he attended Shady Hill for ten years. Grade VI was the most important year to him because it was the year that determined the rest of his life. He was asked to go to the Library to read an extra book on top of their curriculum. The librarian introduced him to Boy on Horseback and the rest of the books in the series, but he was told that he was too young to read the entire collection. He disobeyed and the book introduced him to a world of being a fighting journalist. This sparked his interest in journalism and led to him reading several more autobiographies and novels about the First Amendment, such as Yankee from Olympus. This was the starting point for his momentous career shaped around the first amendment. career shaped around the first amendment.

After Shady Hill, James attended Pomfret School, Yale University, and the University of Chicago, where he later was inducted into the Pomfret Athletic Hall of Fame and received the George H.W. Bush ’48 Lifetime of Leadership Award, given to outstanding Yale athletes for the example of leadership they set since graduation. These experiences gave him a strong foundation of courage and work ethic. He was also chosen as one of 200 future rising leaders in the United States by Time Magazine. This fearlessness was needed when James was at the Supreme Court for the Pentagon Papers case. The government tried to scare him with the Espionage Act which could leave him imprisoned. He wasn’t petrified because he knew he was in the right. After countless hours of preparation and presentation, they accomplished a huge victory with a 6-3 ruling in their favor. “Fighting for freedom of the press all started at Shady Hill where I was encouraged to think critically,” he says. In November of 2025, Harper’s Magazine inaugurated the James C. Goodale First Amendment Award to honor “those who exemplify courage, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to the free exchange of ideas.” As he looks back upon his long and storied life, James cites the part Shady Hill played in his career. “The great thing about Shady Hill School is not the curriculum but the attitude. The attitude back then was don’t believe everything you are told. Be a contrarian.” 

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Continued from page 18 Fast forward two years to March of 1965. Southern Blacks were still facing intimidation, violence and obstruction when registering to vote. By then, Len was an MIT graduate student. “Someone reached out to invite my roommate and me to go down to Alabama and take part in Dr. King’s march, and we immediately said yes. We didn’t know anyone else in the Boston group; it was mostly adults from area churches, both Black and white. But we jumped in and made it down for the final day of the march, the last miles heading into Montgomery.

1952

Len Clarke

dangerous rally of this sort, he answers without hesitation, “I absolutely credit Shady Hill. In seventh grade, our Central Subject was the Civil War, taught by the incredible Edie Caudill. It left us all outraged about injustice. It’s what led me to attend the march, but even more so, it’s what propelled me to study urban planning and work in Johnson’s “War on Poverty,” and then for the “Model Cities” program, and later for the Boston Housing Authority. I trace all these career decisions back to my childhood at Shady Hill, where serving our community and assisting one another were foundational values. 

“The camaraderie was powerful; we felt we were part of something important. The mood was celebratory; it was clear this time the march would succeed in reaching the State Capitol.” The first two march attempts a few weeks earlier had been stopped, the first by violence (on what is now known as “Bloody Sunday”) and the second by a court injunction. With Alabama’s openly whitesupremacist governor, George Wallace, refusing to protect the marchers, President Johnson deployed the National Guard and federal marshals. Len is adamant that he felt safe, but also acknowledged, “As we marched through white areas, people seemed hostile. They didn’t like it that we were marching through their neighborhood carrying signs.” In contrast, he recalls, “Walking through Black sections of the city, people were happy to see us. They came out on their porches, clapping, and cheering.” It sticks with Len that when they got to the State Capitol, there was no American flag hanging on the grand structure. “Only the Confederate flag and Alabama state flag. A small American flag hung on a pole some distance away, but not on the Capitol building itself.” To the question of what shaped Len into the kind of person who’d travel to take place in a potentially 21

1960

Steve Grossman

Continued from page 18 “We were studying Vikings in third grade and we built a ship out of paper mache. We could actually sit in it and make believe we were rowing. It wasn’t just an imagined period in life - we got to actually live the lives of the people who were rowing,” said Steve. After leaving Shady Hill, Steve went on to Exeter for high school, Princeton for undergraduate studies, and Harvard Business School. He believes in giving back. “I left Shady Hill with a belief that service to others was the highest calling. Giving something back is so important, and that is the culture and ethos that ran through Shady Hill.” Steve had great role models in his grandparents and parents. His mother, who is 104 years old, still reads 3-4 books a month. After grad school Steve went into the Army Reserves, before going to work and eventually leading his family’s business. He served as President of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) from 1992-96, Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party from 1997-99, and as Board Chair for Brandeis University. After Bill Clinton was elected for the second time, he asked Steve to become National Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). He ran for Massachusetts Governor in 2000, but ultimately

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dropped out of the race before the final stretch. But Steve wasn’t quite finished with politics. In 2010, he was elected Massachusetts State Treasurer and was immersed in supporting small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. As a result, the Treasurer’s office launched the Small Business Banking Partnership, an initiative that moved at least $400 million in state deposits to qualified community banks for loans to small, creditworthy businesses in underserved communities, to expand and create new jobs. After finishing second in the Democratic Primary for Governor in 2014, Steve became CEO of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), a Boston-based nonprofit focused on the economic revitalization of under-resourced communities nationwide. Social and economic justice has always been a critical ingredient in his life’s journey. Shady Hill School stands as a beacon in the life of Steve’s family. All three sons of Steve and his wife, Barbara, had meaningful experiences as Shady Hill students. Steve has spent a lifetime giving back, and he cites his early beginnings as formative. “Whatever I have become, a lot of that emanated from my experience at Shady Hill.” 

1979

Jennifer White-Callaghan Continued from page 18

“I remember so much about Shady Hill - science class with Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Snyder, tetherball, learning the quadratic formula to the tune of the “Yellow Submarine”, the ninth grade play, and of course May Day!” Jennifer says. Jennifer grew up in Michigan and Cambridge, and the values she learned at Shady Hill stay with her to this day. “Be nice. Be thoughtful. Shady Hill gave me the ability to be brave.” Jennifer went to Harvard for her undergraduate degree, the University of Pennsylvania for a masters in government and eventually to law school at the University of Michigan. Immediately following law school, she joined the law firm Allen & Overy in London, working in capital markets, and spent a dozen years working with banks throughout the world. She loved law school and Allen and Overy, noting that both have the same ethos as Shady Hill. That may be why she ended up as the head of the U.S. pro bono work for the firm, a role she now shares following A&O’s merger with Shearman & Sterling. One of her favorite areas of work now is providing advice and guidance to forcibly displaced persons. “The most meaningful part for me is being able to work collaboratively with my colleagues, other lawyers and non-governmental organizations (NGO) around the world to support clients on their pathways to places where they can settle safely,” said Jennifer. “Advising refugees, asylum seekers and others in similar situations is challenging, but the community involved in the work is passionate and intelligent and we do achieve both big and small victories.” Jennifer currently resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband, who works in finance for NGOs and their fifteenyear-old daughter, who wants to be a teacher or a lawyer and who has picked up on a lot of immigration law over the years. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. “I would be surprised if I could have ended up where I am, in my family life and my career, without my experience at Shady Hill.” 

1986

Jared Williams

Continued from page 19 But decades in, he realized something was missing: he was not surrounded by creative people pushing artistic boundaries. He started studying Capoeira, the martial art that blends dance, acrobatics, and combat movement. This, in turn, led him to explore dance classes. “I was terrible but I loved it. Best of all, it got me in with ‘makers,’ creative people. From them, I learned that Boston lacked the kind of avant-garde dance workshops scene some other cities enjoy.” This sparked an idea: Jared would produce these workshops. “I reached out to dance teachers I wanted to meet, invited them to Boston to give a weekend workshop, housed them in my spare room, publicized the workshop, registered the participants, and managed the event.” Self-described “ambitious and nerdy,” Jared mounted one workshop per month for a whole year, while still working his full-time corporate job. This led to Jared and a partner creating a four-day experimental extravaganza they named The Lions Jaw Festival, which ran for four successful years…until the Pandemic hit. “The Pandemic was really leaving artists high and dry. The arts in general are underfunded and dance is the least funded of all,”

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says Jared. A new idea began to take shape in his mind: what if he could establish a venue where emergent dance and performance artists would come for residencies, during which they would create, teach, perform, and build stronger collaborative relationships with one another? “My upbringing – and I include Shady Hill in this word – taught me that if you see something that needs attention, you should address it. If you have a vision for how to solve a problem, you should listen to the voice inside you.” So Jared quit his job and threw himself into the search for a suitable property, eventually finding an old Vermont country inn, and bringing on a co-collaborator. Now in its fourth year, The Field Center is thriving. It’s well-staffed, programming is robust, a commitment to scholarships enhances access, and a bigger performance hall is under construction. There are growing connections with Bennington College and the Putney School, as well as collaboration with Indigenous artists, something very important to Jared. To learn more, visit www. thefieldcenter.com. Jared’s advice to others: “If you have an idea that meets a need in the world, go do it. You don’t want to look back later with regret, wishing you had acted.” 

1990

Núrí Chandler-Smith Continued from page 19

The partnerships she creates allows students to get acclimated earlier to the structure of college, while having a strong support system. She works hard to create an environment where students feel welcomed and can be their full selves. BHCC is one of the most diverse institutions in the United States and fosters a global environment. She attended Shady Hill from Kindergarten to Grade IX and has fond memories of the milestone moments such as the Greek Olympics and May Day dances. However, she says “I remember the small moments of being with teachers who really cared about me, and even as a child, I knew they cared. They knew what my strengths were and expanded upon them with me and were honest.” Her mom kept her Shady Hill report cards because of how detailed they were, demonstrating how well the teachers knew Núrí. She also had a fond memory of Grade III when Mr. Burkholder would read to the class while the students had quiet time. It taught her to understand how to be reflective and to take time during the day to decompress and meditate, something she carries with her to this day. Núrí always felt comfortable being herself at Shady Hill. She practices the Bahá’í Faith and when her mom was worried that others wouldn’t be familiar with the religion, she was invited to present to Núrí’s class. Now as an educator, she realized how impactful that moment and invitation from the school was, as she was able to embrace all different aspects of herself at Shady Hill. To this day many of her classmates remember her mom coming in. Doing something small to make someone feel like they belong was something she experienced as a child and now brings into her role as Dean at BHCC. After Shady Hill she attended Amherst-Pelham Regional High School and took a gap year to dance professionally in Seattle. She was a ballet dancer while at Shady Hill and has fond memories of telling her classmates about her Nutcracker performances. She then moved back to Massachusetts to attend Northeastern University for her undergraduate degree and Harvard University for her graduate studies. Her work both as a ballerina and for the Bahá’í Faith has taken her all over the world, including performing at a United Nations conference for the advancement of women in Beijing. As Núrí is helping shape the next generation of students through her work at BHCC, she reflects on her time as a child at a school where adults emphasized the importance of thinking critically and taking the time to truly listen. “Looking back, the experience I had at Shady Hill was unique and provided a strong foundation for my life and work as an educator.”  25

2005

Jonny Koh

Continued from page 19 After graduating from Brown University with a dual degree in Computer Science and Music, he worked as a software developer for two years at Etsy. Clyde Lawrence, who studied with Jonny at Brown, had the vision of starting his own touring band and wanted Jonny to be a part of it. It was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down. Ten years later, the band has toured all over the world and has earned two Grammy nominations. He wears many hats in the band, working as the Executive Director of Guitar Operations, Head of IT, Production Manager, and Sonic Specialist. When the band isn’t touring, they are in the studio, and when not in the studio, they are working behind the scenes. Jonny built a custom ticketing site for Lawrence to combat the unfairness of ticketing platforms, which led some band members to speak against Ticketmaster in Congress. While his day to day in the band is all in, he makes time for vacations with his wife and playing frisbee; something he started at Shady Hill in Grade VIII with Ross Fitzgerald. Jonny explains why Shady Hill was so important in his formative years. “Shady Hill teaches you how to learn through the power of listening. I learned by example because my teachers demonstrated the importance of hearing others out. They would show us flexibility and compassion by listening to the students, which inspired us to listen to others in our own lives,” he said. After joining in Grade III, he immediately felt welcomed, especially in the jazz band program with former teacher Jessie Williams and music class with Kabir Sen ’92, TTC ’07. He also had fond memories of playing tetherball and making a chair in Shop class with John Segar ’72. Last year he presented at the first ever Shady Hill Career Day, on Zoom, to a room full of eager Grade VII students. He wanted to share his experience of 26

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being a professional musician. “When you become an adult, allow yourself to be creative. Be your own boss. I didn’t have any examples of what it would look like to be a touring musician back then. I wish someone had told me that performing music could turn into a professional career.” Today, Jonny proudly serves as that example for the younger generation. 

2011

Nora Ambler Continued from page 19 “I was a quiet kid,” said Nora. “But at Shady Hill I felt supported enough to go out of my comfort zone.” She remembers the performances, Wood Shop, Studio and being a third grader on a whaling ship. Nora loved the Central Subject way of learning because she likes to deep dive into things. In Grade III, she was able to roleplay being a member of the crew on a whaling ship. “Being able to express yourself through stories on stage - I find that to be very powerful.” After leaving Shady Hill, she first attended Winsor, then finished high school at Cambridge, Rindge and Latin Public School. Even while in high school, Nora was training at the Boston Ballet School. When she graduated from high school, she went to the Orlando Ballet, then to the American Repertory Ballet in New Jersey. She moved around, honing her craft, and has been with the Quad City Ballet in Rockford, Illinois for the past five years. By slowly taking one class at a time online while working as a ballerina, Nora earned her Bachelors Degree in English and Sociology. “My degree was driven by my time at Shady Hill,” said Nora. Besides ballet, her number one extracurricular interest is in writing. She published a book of ballet themed poems and wants to go back to school for something that ultimately combines writing, literature, and community. Community is very important to Nora. “At its heart, Shady Hill taught me to treat everyone the way you want to be treated. Not to be a bystander. I look for injustice, hoping to minimize, and even eliminate it, living by the values of everyone being equal.” Nora’s future is bright as she continues to branch out and touch the lives of those around her. 

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Class Notes 1944 We are saddened to report of the passing of: Barbara Miller Nelson in October 2025. Claire Emlen Fuller in February 2026.

1945 News has reached Shady Hill that two members of the class have passed away. We extend condolences to their families. Robert Romer in November 2025. Alan Carpenter in December 2025.

Kit Dreier ’45 TTC ’53 celebrating her 95th birthday with her daughter Kate Villars’74

1946 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: SUSAN PRIDEAUX suzy101@comcast.net

We extend our sincere condolences to the family and classmates of Anne Newbegin Feldman who passed away in March of 2025. Susan Prideaux writes from Dallas: I am still painting birds... they are in a Dallas gallery and a Nantucket Gift shop. Eight grandchildren and two great

grandchildren. Luckily for me all live in Dallas. I play Mahjongg, bridge and rummicube.

1947 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DAVID CLARKE david.clarke11@verizon.net

Shady Hill has learned that several members of the ’47 have passed away: Harriet Myers in October 2024. Nathaniel Bowditch in May 2025. Joanna Bailey Hodgman in August 2025.

Our sincere condolences to their families and friends. David Clarke reports: He and Mary have had a good year overall. We still are active and can get around – canes are very helpful; longer trips are provided by family members. We spent some time in the summer and fall at the family house in Woods Hole on Cape Cod. It is great fun to see our five grandchildren follow our interests in sailing and skiing in season as well as drama and team sports. All our family was able to gather together at our house in Concord, MA during Christmas. I had a nice telephone chat with Bootsie Rademeakers (Carter). She lives close to family in an apartment near Madison, WI. She is in good spirits and anticipates watching the upcoming Super Bowl. She uses an electric wheel chair to aid in getting around. Bootsie had a bout of pneumonia earlier this year. Peggy, Nat Bowditch’s wife, relayed information of Nat’s death last May. He died of throat cancer which reactivated following a hip fracture. Harriet (nèe Robey) Myers’ son, Todd, informed me of Harriet’s death in October 2024. She had a rapid occurrence of leukemia but was very active until then. Doe (nèe Coletti) Mechem: left a “hello” greeting via the phone; she was a member of our class during the earlier years.

As of this report there seems to be just two members still alive of the graduating 1947, myself and Bootsie. I remember it as a closeknit class which spent many of its years during World War II and then emerged to a new world order upon graduation. We had air-raid drills, rationing, flooded playfields, successful teams in rag-tag uniforms, occasional unfortunate war news, the production of The Mikado, and most important of all—great teachers. These were wonderful formative years for our lives in which important values and love of learning were instilled. Most of us were of the same cultural background which made cohesiveness easier. However, we missed the much wider heritage of today’s SHS classes; I expect that a similar unity and experience is still attained

1948 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: KATHRYN SHOHL SCOTT kathryns1934@gmail.com Miriam Coletti Dow passed away in June 2025. Anne Carpenter Robertson in August 2025. Thomas Metzger in October 2025.

Miriam, Anne and Thomas were members of the 1948 who have passed away. Our sincere condolences to their families. Kathryn Shohl Scott writes from Bethesda: Despite moving more slowly as I approach 92, I did manage three trips this year —Holland and Alaska in the spring, plus the Columbia River in October. I enjoyed the usual family gathering in NH in August. I spent much of the fall reorganizing my basement, replacing aging carpeting with vinyl flooring, allowing me to do some much needed decluttering. The family reconvened here in Bethesda for the holidays, and I am trying to be optimistic for next year. Sadly, Anne (Binnie) Carpenter Robertson passed away this summer. Jamie Goodale writes: I talked to Kathy and Billy ’49 Cleary this year. I consider Billy a member of our class since he started with the ’48 way back in September ’46. Billy’s grandson Quinn is following in his grandfather’s athletic footsteps and has been named assistant director of pitching/ head pitching strategist for the Boston Red Sox. Kathy and Billy were kind enough to get in touch with me before my big night in awarding the James C. Goodale First Amendment Award to A.G. Sulzberger, publisher of the New

Kathryn Scott ’48 with family last summer in New Hampshire

York Times, on November 17, 2025 (https://jamesgoodale.net/). Here are the concluding remarks of my speech: “I am giving you [A.G. Sulzberger] the First Amendment Award for three reasons: first, for your fighting speeches defending freedom of the press; secondly, for maintaining the New York Times as a beacon of light in the present sea of darkness by publishing a paper driven by independent journalism which is both authentic, honest and courageous (which we knew already); and finally, to encourage you to continue to write and speak with a bite to chase the huge elephant in the room, and we all know who that is, out of this room and the door, so that he no longer damages the First Amendment. I hereby give you the James C. Goodale award for the First Amendment.”

1949 News has reached Shady Hill that several members of the class have passed away: Stephen Endlar in January of 2024. Greely Curtis in February 2025. Marina von Neumann Whitman in May 2025. Janet Wright Jones in November 2025.

Our sincere condolences to their classmates and families.

1950 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JEFFERSON FREEMAN jeﬀreeman77@gmail.com 18 Fair Street, Apt. 8, Guilford CT 06437 Mobile: (203) 453-4189

Leading off. I’m saddened to report the passing of four classmates: Fred C. Chang MD— of Wichita KS. He died Friday, January 16, 2026. Joel K. Wechsler— of Lincoln, MA. He died Saturday, November 8, 2025.

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Katharine “Dex” (nèe Newbury) McGill—of Raleigh, NC. She died Sunday, November 2, 2025. Martha (nèe Carmichael) Oliphant—of Washington, D.C. She died Sunday, January 12, 2024.

I have sent copies of these four obituaries to Shady Hill and to our 14 surviving 1950 members, plus copies of the updated 1950 Class Roster I have maintained over the years. Commentary. We 14 are all now nonagenarians. Our historic 1950 Roster lists 43 names—each of whom was enrolled with our Class at some point. Average class size 1940 – 1950—perhaps 33? To have 14 still with us may seem remarkable. To what should this be attributed? Mrs. Jones’ hot lunches? Walking among SHS buildings through all kinds of weather? Having Miss Taylor & Mr. Yeomans as Heads of School? Superb teachers most of us can still name? Most likely: all of the above and then some. Contacts. By email, phone, and text, your correspondent reached out to the 14 surviving. Here are News from and about 10 of us— Svetlana (nèe Leontief) Alpers writes from New York, NY: I really have no news to report—or perhaps better put, no news that is really worth reporting. Oh yes, I shall turn 90 on 10 February and to mark that a good friend is hosting a small (friends not family) dinner at a nearby restaurant. I am fine—hard at work on a new book of essays—a different kind of book, I would say. I am still traveling to Europe, though less often. I am well, despite the horrors of our world here and the world in general. Jeﬀ Freeman adds: I followed up and engaged in a lively 30-minute chat with Svetlana. She’s still living in her loft on East 13th Street in Manhattan. She was animated — clearly enjoys life in New York. Her new book will consist of essays about seven people, each of whom she has known well and about whom she feels qualified to write. It so happens that our classmate, Monique Chamberlin Spalding, will be one of her subjects. She and Monique were born a day apart— February 10 and 11, 1936— both

at Mount Auburn Hospital. Their fathers were academics—Harvard Faculty in Economics. The two families lived and were close to each other—Ash and Channing Streets. She and Monique were tight friends as children and remained so throughout their adult lives. Works by Svetlana show her powers of observation are extraordinary. It’s enticing to contemplate what we’ll learn about both Monique and Svetlana from the finished essay. Closing out, she and I talked about how Cambridge has changed since the time we were at Shady Hill—astronomical home prices, cycling lanes crowding the streets, one-way traffic changing driving patterns, controlled parking licensed for residents only—still a delightful place to visit and walk through, but not as much the friendlyneighborhood feel that existed for all of us and our families in the 1950s. Jeﬀ Freeman writes from Guilford, CT: I passed my 90th milepost on May 5, 2026. I could say how little life seems changed for me—were it not for the many little changes I have made to accommodate passage of time. No more extended driving at night. More visits from family members here, less traveling to visit them at their homes. Mid-day meals with friends locally rather than dining out in the evening. Plenty of daytime walking, but often with hiking poles, especially during this year’s icy / snowy conditions in the northeast. Here are examples of ways we’re flourishing, despite how life has changed. Zooming and live-streaming enable me to obtain access to one of my favorite pastimes: Music by Bach. I satisfy my craving with the Netherlands Bach Society website: https://www. bachvereniging.nl/en/allofbach. In addition to their impeccable professional musicianship, the camerawork is outstanding—a kaleidoscopic mix of individuals and ensembles that add understanding of technique not available in any live concert setting. Plus, no coughing from the audience and we don’t have to travel to New Haven or New York to enjoy. What’s not to like? We also visit New Haven regularly to view exhibitions at the Yale University Art Gallery and the British Art Center. At the YUAG, a Gallery of American Art before 1900 presents many works by John

Trumbull—depicting times from the American Revolution. On a recent visit with family members, I discovered I’ve lost my capacity for museum “saunter”—almost impossible to maintain my balance at a slow walk while gazing at art. From now on, I’ll use hiking poles when in a gallery. But: no matter! Every one of the Trumbull portraits is available online from the YUAG Website: displayable full-screen with full curator descriptions. I can gaze as long as I want, and not be blocking any other museum-goer’s view. Meals out? Plenty of good places to have lunch in New Haven. No need to drive in and park, either. CT transit bus runs hourly weekdays & Saturdays from a stop near us to the downtown New Haven Green, a 50-minute ride. One-way Senior fare? 85¢. I’m compelled by my nature to be optimistic. About the Elephant in The Room? It (or, he) is a source of exasperation for so many. My living the serenity prayer is an important antidote for maintaining faith that his time will pass. Regardless of damage he has already done and is likely to continue doing, this country’s over-90,000 governmental entities and 330 million people will find ways to buffer and eventually resolve Trumpism. Perpetual animosity is not a natural human state. Those of us lucky enough to stick around for another 10 years or so will surely see! Lee (nèe Ginsberg) Herbst writes from Chicago, IL and Tucson, AZ: Tucson is a great place to be this time of year: temperate weather, sunny every day, pleasant for walking during day-time, sweater weather in the evening. My health is good. I walk regularly to stay in shape.

I also ’workout’ mentally to keep my wits about me. Word games and puzzles are great exercise. I belong to five book clubs at this point, for fun and companionship, but also to keep myself open to new ideas, new ways of thinking. Children and grandchildren are wonderful company, and push me to stay sharp. Tucson this time of year offers a range of theatre, music, and other events. easily accessed from where I live. For example, the mid-March Festival of Books presents a galaxy of offerings, rich and varied, I’ll visit and enjoy, I’m still driving myself

here. but have given up driving on my own when I’m back in Chicago the other half of the year. My years at Shady Hill and later at the TTC were important parts of my educational foundation. I benefited greatly then and have worked to support the school since, financially and otherwise. I hope the school is continuing to pursue its mission effectively, but I may be too much removed now to do more than express my appreciation for what I gained from being a Shady Hiller. John Horvitz writes from New York, NY: No question about your evaluation of last year... and the recent Washington events only reinforce this conclusion. In any case, there’s very little new for me to report for the SHS news. Sandy & I have been sheltering in place, mostly at our house in Bridgehampton, NY, in an area recently overrun with New York City residents fleeing the city. However, now that winter has arrived, we’re back in the city parttime, albeit the scene is still relatively quiet due to the leftover COVID-19 aftermath, with entertainment, restaurants, and retail attractions all still somewhat curtailed. We extend our best regards to our fellow SHS classmates for a very safe, healthy New Year. John R. T. Molholm, Berryville, VA (Jeff reports): I had a pleasant, rambling conversation with John. He followed up with an email amplifying what we covered. He’s decided to refurbish his given identity, re-establishing the name by which we knew him at Shady Hill. He selected “Tench Vans-MurrayRobertson” originally as a way of honoring his family’s heritage. As to why the change back? “Seemed like a good idea. Next question?” He and his partner, Sandy (Olga Sears), have been living in Virginia for four years. “We came to Berryville because my grandmother and her ancestors (The Hammonds, Hites, and Washingtons) had been in this area since 1731. Four years has been more than enough for us to decide we’d prefer to be back in or near New England.” They are planning to move back this summer— perhaps the Cape, Woodstock, VT, or Hanover, NH. They have even thought of Canada (Nova Scotia south of Halifax). However, Olga does not want to move to

Canada. John reported briefly on health matters. He has mild difficulty standing up from a sitting position—repeatedly rising from sitting seems to help him somewhat. “Of greater consequence is my being aﬄicted with CLL, a form of Leukemia. The James Hospital at the Ohio State University discovered that I had Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. I’m relatively symptomfree. Monitoring my condition requires blood testing every 90 days. I’m told it is relatively slower growth and not uncommon in older males. “Of greater concern to me and our family is my Son, David, age 51, who has ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) more commonly called ’Lou Gehrig’s Disease.’ David’s neurodegenerative disorder, invariably fatal, first became generally known to me and others in May, 2025. As his symptoms have worsened, he is being helped locally as much as possible by family and other caregivers. “My grandfather’s ancestors (the Lloyds, Murrays, and Robertsons) have lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland since the 1600s. Frederick Douglass was born on one of many Lloyds’ plantations. As a boy he was brought to Wye House to be a companion to one of the Lloyd sons. In later life he came back to Wye House and had tea with the Lloyds on their veranda. I hope to be buried in the cemetery at Wye house. There are over 200 Lloyds buried there, including Francis Scott Key Jr. Governor (Maryland). Edward Lloyd V developed the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. (I had one. Henrietta; I showed her, and she became a Champion). “There are so many trips I’d like to take! This summer I’d intend to travel by rail on the Rocky Mountaineer through the Canadian Rockies to Vancouver (a marvelous city), then down to San Francisco and take Amtrak east. There is also a ship that sails up the Mississippi. I could also plan on taking a schooner trip in Penobscot Bay. I might plan on taking the Cunard QMII across the Atlantic to the UK. Maybe also plan to spend time at Blair Castle in Perthshire, Scotland? It is the seat of the Duke of Atholl. If you saw the PBS series “Victoria,” it shows Victoria staying in Blair Castle several times. She loved the Highlands and built Balmoral Castle. Queen Victoria honored the

Pictured in this photo is Edith Caudill and students from the 1950s. If you recognize anyone in the photo please email alumni@shs.org

Athol Highlanders by creating them as the Duke of Atholl’s private army.” What wonderful adventures these would be! Could I be fit enough this summer to handle any one of these? Even if not, it is a joy to contemplate the pleasure that experiences like these might bring. Frances Bailey Pinney reports from Georgetown, ME: I’m temporarily settled in our family’s long-term home in Georgetown, ME. Two nephews have taken over the second-floor quarters. The first floor is well-winterized — a comfortable and familiar place for me to be staying.

My mailing address remains the same, as does my cell number. You have them both correct in the 1950 Roster. Right now, my email address is uncertain, but I’m glad to stay in contact via texting to my cell. I’ve recently recovered from a month-long battle with pneumonia — during which I had to spend time at the MaineHealth Center hospital in Portland. The first thing I have to say is it’s a good idea to avoid catching pneumonia, especially during winter. The second is, it’s better to avoid winding up at the Portland hospital. They may have a good reputation, but it was a disappointing experience throughout my stay. I returned from another trip to Puerto Rico, to the Luquillo Municipality on the northeast coast. My husband and I had a cottage there we regularly visited. I’m searching for a local attorney there who can help us sell the property. It’s a shame for me to “really” leave the area, but the time has finally come.

I’m glad we caught up. Let’s stay in touch! If I’m able, I’m aiming to attend the Shady Hill Reunion scheduled on the campus Friday, June 5, 2026 beginning at 4 PM! Faith Rohrbough reports from Lawrence, KS: I’m still living with my sister, Bea (Beatrice) Rohrbough Carlson ’55, in their single-family home in Lawrence, KS. It’s a quiet residential area about three miles from the main Campus of the University of Kansas. I moved here about four years ago, after having lived for three decades in Canada. I moved here to be back closer to family; it’s working out well. My health is okay but I have some memory problems—have to write everything down, or I’ll forget it. To keep myself active, I walk regularly in our neighborhood. I’m no longer driving myself. Bea is great about this—willing to take me out when we need to shop. James H. Romer reports from Unity, NH: I’m 90 years old now, as are most of our classmates. I’ve temporarily stopped daily walking outside—mostly because of the serious winter weather we’ve been experiencing, which makes it too difficult for me to maintain my balance. Maybe I’ll be able to start again when spring comes. I’m getting good health care support from the VA in White River Junction. I’m also lucky to have wonderful neighbors who look after me, recognizing I still live alone. I’m kept supplied with wood needed to maintain livable inside temperatures. At night, I awaken periodically to restoke the stove, but am readily able to fall back asleep. Friends obtain

and deliver food for me from our local markets. Representatives of NH Health and Human Services check in periodically to make sure I’m doing okay. There are plenty of things I could complain about, but… what would be the point? I’m doing my best right now to be resourceful— and thankful for all who help me. What will happen when I reach a stage where I’m no longer able to take care of myself? I don’t have the answer yet, but I expect my friends will help me figure that out when the time comes. Make sure you let everyone know I no longer view myself as the Lord of Overbearing Manor—although I continue to reside on Doddering Heights! David O. Sears reports from Pacific Palisades, CA: The Palisades fire in January burned my home of 50 years, and several other family’s, to the ground. I left with a carryon and my PC. Everything else in my life is gone. I then, nearly comatose in PTSD, moved to a house my daughter owns in Southern Orange County, almost to the San Diego County line. I remain there quite happily where it is calmer than the bustle and traffic jams of LA. and has a beautiful ocean view. I settled with the insurance company OK, unlike so many of my neighbors. I still own the lot, but who knows what that community will evolve into. Originally a modest middle class post WWII typical SoCal suburb, now houses were going for three million. (I say white flight….). I am sure that “gentrifying” will understate the changes that will occur over the next decade. Like the rest of my class, I had my 90th birthday this last summer. I then spent the summer in NH, as always. I love the contrast between SoCal and New England! My health is OK at the moment. I am walking and driving daily. My three daughters are quite solicitous. So smart and funny as always. We gather over Zoom each week. I have six grandkids, four in college, two in grade school. My retreat has been to a lovely home that is far from UCLA. Over two hours each way. This spring I taught a graduate seminar on Zoom, quite successfully, I thought. 20 PhD students were involved. But this fall, I thought the time had come. I decided that was my last formal class. It has been a long and rewarding career. But I am done. I believe, perhaps as delusionary as

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For two years, I’ve been prodding my brain as I transcribe memories through “Storyworth” which Carol gifted to me. Mark and his wife Susan are next door, and I continue to enjoy my watercolor and choir activities. Thomas Goodale writes: My best to all my friends I made until I left in the 6th grade. I am in Lima Peru on a ship for many months with my partner Lesley.

We need your help identifying the students in this photo! Please email alumni@shs.org if you have more information

Trump’s efforts to leave his mark on the world before he dies, my many quite prominent students will carry on the good fight. Our work, as always focused on the role of white racism in our politics, is as central to understanding the rise of Trumpism as anyone’s, I believe.

her aunt Lucy. One way or another, hopefully sooner rather than later, we’ll hear back about how our Lucy is doing.

Louise “Lucy” Weiss Cambridge, MA (Jeff reports):

Maisie Goodale Crowther, Janet Vaillant, and Penny Pi-Sunye helped gather notes this year.

Via an email exchange, I had contact with another Lucy Weiss—our Lucy’s niece. She’s a Mainer; our Lucy remains a Cantabrigian. Our Lucy continues to reside at Neville Place in Cambridge, adjacent to Fresh Pond. After several unsuccessful tries reaching our Lucy, I contacted the Neville Place business office. Not surprisingly, I was told they could not divulge any information, since I was not a family member. However, they did take my name and my request to make contact, and left it open to a family member making contact with me, should that person choose to do so. I heard back from niece Lucy, and called her back. She was pleased to know that Shady Hill was concerned about our Lucy. I learned from niece Lucy that our Lucy had been away temporarily from Neville Place for health treatment, but was expected to return soon to Neville, which she misses and loves. Our Lucy’s health is good, and she’s still as sharp as ever. Niece Lucy will be visiting with her in Cambridge on a coming weekend. I explained my role as Class Correspondent and emailed her copies of four obituaries and the updated 1950 Roster for her to provide to our Lucy. Niece Lucy will report back about her visit to

1951 The 1951 needs a new Class Correspondent. Please consider volunteering for this rewarding role by contacting alumni@shs.org. News has reached Shady Hill that Susan Bliss Alden passed away in May of 2025. Our sincere condolences to her classmates and families. Maisie Goodale Crowther reports: I traveled with my daughter Carol to California in June and visited friends I hadn’t seen for over 40 years. Her son hosted us around his work places and the coast south of LA where Olympic beach volleyball and surfboarding originated. In Vermont, I’ve continued my volunteer work with World Learning as a member of the team cataloging the Institutional Archives. I’ve learned a great deal about the depth of Dr. Donald B. Watt’s dream which inspired the formation of The Experiment in International Living in 1932. In 1956, I was a member of a group in Lyon, France. Voila! Monsieur Frank Vincent was on the same ship, leading another group to France! The School for International Training is also part of World Learning and many of its programs are now based in other countries.

Penelope Pi-Sunyer writes: It is way back to 4th grade Greeks for me. Agamemnon, Achilles, Hector, Petroclus, Zeus himself. The whole bunch of them I just finished reading The Iliad in a class I take at Quest, an organization where retired folk take and give courses. I loved it,

thanks to SHS. As well as that, I have groaned about our president and even more horrified by the spineless members of Congress who could have stood up against him. I did join the three big marches. All 6 grandchildren are suddenly young men, while the one girl is back from a semester in Chile. Chocorua continues to be the highlight of our summers while NYC keeps us busy and well. Janet Vaillant writes: I have just finished a book called Growing Up in the American Dream: My Mother’s Story. It is told in the first person so that I can imagine what my mother’s life meant to her. Based on her stories, several interviews with her, and my historical research, what began as an act of grieving turned into a book about Detroit, Henry Ford and the Ford Hospital in the 1920s as well as her rags to riches story. It became the story of possibilities open to a person born into a poor white immigrant family who took advantage of the good free public education and plentiful jobs available at that time. Now I am starting on my own memoir. It has reminded me how lucky I was to go to Shady Hill. The school fed my curiosity, encouraged my early love affair with Russia and taught me what it meant to do a good job. It also showed us young women that we could do anything as well as our male classmates could do except perhaps throw a football. Yet I have a faint memory of Katherine Hobson in the class ahead of us who could do even that. I also made many life-long friends at Shady Hill.

1952 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: TOM PLAUT tomplaut85@gmail.com

Sadly Deborah Smith Roberts passed away in December of 2025. We extend our condolences to her friends and family. Len Clarke writes: Syd and I continue to enjoy our weekly folk music with a local group, “Homemade Jam”, near our condo in Brunswick Maine. For exercise we walk and do fitness with “Silversneakers”. My treat for 2025 was a three week European trip with my Daughter Andréa and my 14 year old granddaughter, Berkley. Our itinerary included Interlaken, Venice, Florence, Paris and by train through the chunnel to London. Berkley took the bit in her teeth and we rushed to follow. We arrived in Paris just in time to watch the finish of the Tour de France hustling up the Champs Elysees in the rain. It was a delightful trip and a welcome respite from all the bad stuff happening here in the USA. During that same time my son George (who runs the 100 mile Vermont marathon) and his 21 year old athletic daughter, Sierra, challenged themselves hiking for seven days, hut to hut, near Mont Blanc (covering 87 miles with a cumulative elevation gain of 27,000 feet). My wife Regina, lover of trees, plants and animals, whose ashes have been residing in a box in the living room, now rests in peace overlooking Shady Hill from Mt Auburn Cemetery. I will join her one day. Dennis Corcoran writes: Marie & I are weathering old age as well as can be expected. A little over a year ago we sold our Newton Highlands condominium and moved to North Hill, a CCRC community in Needham. It was a hard choice for us but it was the right move at the right time. We are settled in and comfortable with the North Hill life and its amenities and distractions.

In October I gave up my role as Treasurer of the Cape Playhouse in Dennis. I was in that role for 10+ years but, the time comes when it’s time to leave before being asked to

leave. I will continue as Director Emeritus to work on projects as they arise. Marie has taken to North Hill, has assembled a cohort of new friends and has joined several groups and volunteered as an ESL tutor. Our house at the Cape is still very much in our hearts but harder to visit than before. The Cape will beckon us when the weather turns to springtime. Our daughter and granddaughter, now in her first year at Smith, live nearby in Natick, we see them frequently. Our son and his family are in Florida, near Orlando. Happy, doing well and by now true Floridians. Klaus Fuchs-Kittowski writes: As I am no longer able to read or write, I can only send you my last articles and a link to the translation. They were written for a conference on my 90th birthday. The title was: ’Science between war and peace’. John Grace writes: Dear classmates, Anne and I are enjoying our seventh year at Brookhaven, a non-profit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Lexington, MA with approximately 400 residents. Some of our residents have deep connections to Shady Hill, including Geraldine Zetzel, whom we all knew as Miss Warburg, our apprentice in the eighth grade. Many others have children or grandchildren who went to Shady Hill but, until recently, we didn’t think any of our fellow residents had actually gone to Shady Hill themselves. Then we met Lisa Shulman Rubinstein ’65, and her husband, Joel. They recently moved into Brookhaven and we’re looking forward to getting to know them better. Sally Kuhn writes: Aging in place in Manhattan two-bedroom apartment I bought in the 1970s. Seems like I look at screens of various sizes almost all day. I very much enjoy hearing about my long ago SHS friends. Garrett Paine writes: 2025 was a year of challenges. It began with devastating fires, one just a few miles from where June, my wife, and I live in Pasadena, CA. Also, for one health reason or another we didn’t get to travel, and the political situation in this country is upsetting to say the least. I added a retina specialist (AMD concerns) to my retinue of doctors in 2025.

While I continue with Tai Chi and still walk a couple of miles a day, it is now more difficult to do so steadily. However, despite the lack of travel we keep up with family through the marvels of Zoom and the like. And, most importantly, our kids and grand kids are doing well. It amazes us that our eldest grandchild will be a senior in high school next year. Time is passing. For 2026, we will travel more; a San Diego trip is already on the books for the end January. We are getting a stair climber installed to make our two story home more comfortable to live in. My hobbies are still trains and robots though the former requires too much driving to get to and from shows and so is on decline. To help with the latter I am learning the Python computer language, a big challenge. June and I both will continue with our PT to forestall the aging process as best we can. So, life is good: we are not alone and have family, friends, activities to keep our minds busy, and reasonable health. Tom Plaut writes: I’m caring for my wife of 54 years as Marian has become increasingly bedridden; it’s an opportunity to return the care she has given me for so many years. In October, a titanium hip joined my partial knee replacements; cataract surgery is coming up; it’s amazing how they can put us back together again. It’s been a year of letting things go. I’ve stopped interviewing applicants to my college and being an advisor for people seeking health insurance for Obama’s Affordable Care Act. We are blessed with five supportive children and 14 creative grandchildren, one of whom hopes to move to Ireland if his potential employer there can arrange a work visa. One of his sisters is an adjunct college professor and manuscript editor who struggles to pay her bills while another has an all-expensespaid ride as a Ph.D. student in physics and researcher at the Fermi Lab at the University of Chicago. Her academics being well beyond my cognitive reach, we talk about her cat and Chicago’s snow (but not ICE). Betsy (nèe Moizeau) Shima writes: Fred and I continue to enjoy a pleasant uncomplicated life in Santa Barbara. The chaos beyond has impinged on the community

in terms of the ICE raids, protest marches and withdrawal of funds from worthy programs. Wild Fires were fought in the Los Padres National Forest in the summer. Our family is a bit scattered so we keep up with Zoom and regular visits. It is the grandchildren that patiently keep us up to date with new STUFF! One grandson is living in the Adventure Capitalist hub of San Francisco putting in long hours on A.I. projects. Another one is working on an organic farm and playing and studying music, with D.J. commitments at festivals on weekends. A granddaughter is helping with the development of art, music and family programs for a community non-profit in Brooklyn, New York. I look forward to reading our class news and hope that this finds all in good spirits as we meet our challenges in 2026. Judith Grace Stetson writes on December 18: I still live in Woods Hole, as I have ever since 1960 when Tom Stetson, a SHS student until he went off to Belmont Hill School, met me in Vineyard Sound (actually on Nobska Beach) and brought me home with him. Tom was an oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and loved his job, sailing on its research sailing ship, the Atlantis, and making sonar measurements of the sea floor and the sediments below it. Tom and I had two children, Chris born in 1963 and Virginia in 1964. They are both happily married, living near Boston, and nearing retirement now. Three grandchildren are in early adulthood and exploring their worlds in different places. Tom died in 2022. I still live in Woods Hole, no longer active in town and school activities as I used to be, but very much enjoying the many friends I have made over the decades in this extraordinary scientific community. I am facing a hip replacement next year. Wish me well! December 5th, my hip replacement went very well, but I have not been able to regain the quick reflexes to play platform tennis with my buddies or the whole body balance and focus essential to practicing Tai Chi. I loved both for themselves and for the friendships I made. I do still have old friends, all of us getting older. And I have one new love! What a delight! Woods Hole continues to be an

Rodgers (daughter of Richard), rereadings, too, like Sybille Bedford. There was a wonderful piece in a recent New Yorker by Calvin Tomkins about approaching the age of 100, which I recommend to anyone who didn’t see it. Fending off fears about our country’s descent into implacable cruelty and love affair with the inevitable AI makes me ever more grateful for the life I have had.

Class of 1953

active community with world wide scientific research by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Marine Biological Laboratory, NOAA and the Woodwell Climate Research Center. All, of course, are being threatened by the President who seems to feel threatened by scientific research. The rest of Falmouth is different from this village, but equally vigorous in its civic and cultural life. We are actively opposing illegal searches and seizures of people in our streets and markets. That is a new activity. We continue to have vigorous Town Meetings, exciting drama, great art, and wonderful sailing, windsurfing, and swimming in the summer. SHS was a vital part of my childhood and adolescence and I credit it with teaching me intellectual rigor and honesty, with the joy of sports, the challenges of art and acting, and the friendships we formed that lasted beyond our school years. Anne Watt writes: Tom Plaut has graciously taken over the class secretary job, and that is very special. Thank you Tom. This was a tough year for me and for our family. John’s Alzheimer’s bore down on us all, causing a lot of expense and narrowing our lives considerably. I say “we, our” because our youngest daughter, Jen lives in a rental just next door to the CCRC where we live. She has devoted herself to our care while maintaining a full time job at EF Education and being the communications center of our family’s world. John kept on playing the piano until his last week. He died peacefully at home, three

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weeks before our 65th wedding anniversary. I feel both great relief and great sadness. To my surprise he was apparently beloved in this community for his musicianship and for his friendly gentle smile so we will celebrate his life right here in March. And if anyone in the greater Boston area would like to learn more about living in an elder community, please come and visit me at The Commons in Lincoln.

1953 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: MARY HILL GILBERT HARRIS mhh10@cam.ac.uk with help from ADELE MERRILL WELCH willowstar53@gmail.com Sybil Kinnicutt Baldwin is still living in Rhinecliff, NY. She says she is often reluctant to contribute news because her updates are, so far, pretty repetitious: “alive and pretty well in Rhinecliffe,NY, daughter Sarah and son-in-law Joey next door, a major treat.” Her son and daughter-in-law Ben and Rachel are in WinstonSalem, NC. Granddaughter Sadie is a sophomore at University of Michigan. Her sister Charlotte has quite serious CP but thrives in her own special way and communicates earnestly on her “talker” computer. For me, lots of opera-going to the Met simulcasts; lots of novel and memoir reading, lately Foster by Claire Keegan, The Boston Raphael by Belinda Rathbone, Shy by Mary

Nancy Sears Barker writes from Toronto, Canada: 2025 has been an OK year for us, no dire events. However, our daughter’s husband is three months in intensive care with an intractable low pressure hydrocephalus. A shunt doesn’t work, and neurosurgeons have so far failed to find a remedy. Jonathan and I continue along fairly healthy. My stenosis, sciatica has worsened and I’m prepared to choose a nerve ablation to reduce the pain. I have lost five inches (!) in height, so it’s not surprising my back is demonstrating. I have given up demonstrating about Gaza or the climate and become a homebody. Jonathan continues to walk Drew, our new duck-tolling retriever [that is a kind of dog!-Ed.], whom we acquired after she retired from producing for her breeder. She had three litters of about six puppies and is done. So now we have her loving companionship and she is a mature six-year-old dog. Shady Hill was so formative for me. Its focus on one subject in depth through a variety of disciplines inspired me

as an elementary school teacher at a public alternative school. I usually covered three subjects a year, but with reading, movies, art, writing, field trips, insect life, underwater life, early Canadian history, native Canadians, geology. It was a time when I could choose the curriculum myself, it was not laid on with textbook drips and drabs by the province. And I could write long comprehensive report cards, not fill in boxes with checks. I count myself so lucky to have taught at that school in that era. And also that Jonathan and I both took sabbaticals for camping van travel out west. I’m also grateful that Jonathan’s specialty of African politics, which he taught at the University of Toronto, led us to spend three years in Senegal and Tanzania, living in small towns much of the time and doing research. He also taught many African students at U. of T., who went on to useful careers in the international realm or in their own countries. Nancy is reading or re-reading Barbara Kingsolver. Bruce Denny-Brown writes from Piper Shores retirement community in Scarborough, ME: After having practiced internal medicine with the subspecialty of infectious diseases for some 45 years (35 of them in Bangor and Ellsworth, ME), I retired in 2009 to Hancock, ME, and six years later, my wife Sheila and I moved to the Piper Shores life-care facility, in Scarborough,

Family gathered at Hancock for Christmas 2025. Standing: Noah, Charles, Leti (holding dog), Andrea, Sylvie, Dillon. Sitting: Matt, Benjamin, Sheila, Bruce ’53, Noelle, Douglas. Front: Lucy and Violet.

ME, where we have now lived for over 10 years, and are very happy. We participate regularly in exercise programs several times each week, and I also play pool volleyball three times per week as well as playing ping-pong and participating in a local candle-pin bowling league twice per month. Other interests include regular birdwalks and volunteering as a monitor to protect nesting piping plovers at the nearby Higgins Beach in the spring and early summer. During the 16 years since retirement, I have spent much of my time reading, primarily biographies and history books, as well as staying current with politics, of which I will say little, except that I am a proud “never Trumper”! As a lifetime New Englander, I remain an active fan of local sports teams, especially the Sox and Patriots, and along with my son and grandchildren, attend the US Open tennis tourney in NYC each September. Sheila and I also regularly attend symphonies of the Portland Symphony Orchestra as well as chamber music performances throughout the year, to which we enjoy transportation in Piper Shores buses, as well as occasional bus trips as far as Boston, to the MFA or other attractions. For a wonderful white Christmas this year, we were able to attend an immediate family gathering of 14 individuals from three generations at our home in Hancock Point, ME, to which our three grown children (Douglas, Leti, and Andrea), their spouses (Noelle, Charles, and Matt) and six grandchildren (Noah, Benjamin, Dillon, Lucy, Sylvie, and Violet) travelled from California, Arizona, Vancouver BC, and Bedford, MA. For those who are not already familiar with my family, daughter Leti and granddaughter Lucy are adopted from Vietnam. Bruce also told your correspondent last summer that he has a butterfly garden in their old summer home in Hancock, ME. He imports different varieties of milkweed on which to feed Monarch butterflies, which he then tags [how on earth do you do that?] and releases into the wild. This year he released about 20 of them. His best year was 2019 when he released 169! He plans to attend our next reunion, in 2028.

Nick Grace has sent pictures and memorabilia, including our graduation picture. Nick is in the Piper Shores retirement community in Maine, where Bruce and Sheila Denny-Brown also live. He shares: I am much slowed down at 86 but still getting about, as are my older brother and sister, John ’52 and Judy ’52, and my younger brother Dan ’57, all SHS graduates. Mary Hill Gilbert Harris, your correspondent in Cambridge, England is pleased that so many contributions this year have raised thoughts about our Shady Hill career and what it has meant to us. It’s a very long time ago but has shaped our lives. I decided with regret not to attend my 65th college reunion, as it seemed too much hassle (and expense) for three or four days of jet-lag. It was partially made up for by our class Zoom a few weeks later – good to see many of you again. I also watched a video of the reunion service in Memorial Church where Judy Cabot Marriner read aloud the list of Radcliffe graduates who had died since our last reunion in 2015. I did manage to make my usual summer trip to Gilbertsville, where we had a family reunion including 31 descendants of my parents and their spouses/partners. Here in Cambridge, I am frustrated by decreasing mobility and worsening eyesight, but continue in the same house, with my main activities music (string group, choir) and reading (five book classes or groups, which can be too many when I happen to have meetings of several in the same week – it gets hard to remember which book is which). Thank goodness for Zoom and email. Judy Cabot Marriner is still in her house in Concord, MA. She apologised for the delay in responding by saying that “the paper we had to write on the Civil War for Miss Caudill really put me off writing. I think she thought it would be a good challenge but it may have had the effect of making me step back when presented with a new challenge.” I just got a watercolor into the Concord Art Assoc. members’ show, am in a book club and a knitting group, as well as taking painting classes. Gardening

starts again in Spring but at a slower pace. I’m still in the same house in Concord. My children don’t mind the task of sorting out all the accumulation. I just got some things from my brother Larry’s widow, one of which was feathers from the hat of my greatgrandfather’s civil war uniform! Hilary Smith writes from Shelburne, VT: I expect you would like to avoid politics, but in my retirement community (Wake Robin, which overlooks Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks) a lot of energy (and it’s surprising how much energy we have!) goes to pushing back against the current administration: LOTS of letter writing and picketing and contributions to human rights/ liberal organizations. On a more personal level, I remain relatively healthy though getting ever more forgetful: my doctor is less concerned than I am. I still walk a minimum of a mile a day, read a lot (these days, more re-reading of old favorites than exploring new books, but this year Gather, by Kenneth Cadow, was a huge hit), and enjoy my admirable daughters and all Boston/New England sports teams. And from time to time I go back to May Sarton’s account of the early days of SHS in her memoir, I Knew a Phoenix, great stuff! Sadder news is that Hilary’s sister Gail died last year, and that her daughter Debi had cancer surgery, although it went well and both daughters are now well. Hilary very much hopes all’s well with all old friends and classmates. Nick Thompson reports from Santa Fe, NM that he is in a bit of a good patch right now. He writes: Some of you may remember that my mother was an editor and writer and my father a publisher, so writing has always been important to me. I have always assumed that no piece of writing is complete until it is published. After several months of trying to get a publisher interested in a revision of my weather book, I gave up and started to write a Substack.

https://open.substack.com/pub/ monist/p/meteorology-needs-newmetaphors?utm_campaign=postexpanded-share&utm_ medium=web. I have posted five

little essays so far and despite having only a few subscribers, the project has given me the illusion of publication with the added benefit that, if I can reach a few of my fellow weather nerds, I can have help in the project as I go along. So, if any of you out there have relatives who are glued to the Weather Channel, please put them on to me. Adele Merrill Welch writes from Tenants Harbor, ME: Not much has changed for me in Maine. Our biggest news this winter has been the amount of snow that we’ve had which is a lot more than usual. Living here on the coast we are all very mindful of any storms that are coming our way as it seems to destroy the coastline little by little. Colby College has joined with the resiliency committee of St. George and they are looking into ways to preserve the coast line around the town of Port Clyde. Henry Winslow responded promptly from Newton, MA: My news would likely read something like, during 2025 my furnace, hot water heater, and 16 year old [sic] car broke down, and were replaced. I sent encouraging greetings to our SHS classmate who logically should be cheering for the Blue Jays to win the World Series and she positively responded. With the birth of Merritt Ryan, I became a step-great-grandfather for the fifth time. Our correspondence this year has included several suggestions for reading, and also a sub-topic about the custom that on our birthdays, we used to be allowed to choose our favorite desserts. Responses were strawberry shortcake (Nick T, Nancy), chocolate icebox cake (Sybil), meringue with vanilla ice cream and strawberry sauce (Del). Bruce and Henry were out of luck as their birthdays were in the summer! Oddly, your correspondent doesn’t remember desserts, but I remember my favorite main course was an allwhite meal, macaroni cheese which was always served with fruit salad in a creamy dressing. Unfortunately I’ve mislaid my copy of the Shady Hill cookbook, although the only recipe in it I recognized was the casserole of frankfurters in pink sauce, which appeared weekly...

1954 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JOHN WHEELER jb61wheeler@gmail.com George Smith writes: Having turned 90 in September, I’m beginning to feel like a survivor. I have no major health issues, although I walk poorly, along with a few old age aggravations. Lelly and I are still living year round in the summer home I grew up in, although she has a part-time place at Brooksby Village nearby. Our three children with spouses and seven grandchildren enjoy visiting when not renting the Booth Cottage portion of the house. I do “brain work” in the morning keeping finances intact, two houses to rent and two town boards. Afternoons are saved for physical work inside and out, with two fenced in vegetable gardens along with rhubarb and asparagus patches which the deer, rabbits, and meadow voles don’t eat.

1955 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: MAISIE HOUGHTON maisiehoughton@gmail.com

We were sorry to learn of the passing of Anstiss Hammond Krueck in February 2025. The thoughts of the Shady Hill community are with Anstiss’ classmates, family, and all who are grieving this loss. Thomas Yeomans writes: I think it will be wonderful to see each other and be able to talk, and people like Lucy in Paris can easily join. As for myself you ask, I am well and grateful to still be alive and kicking and enjoying life in rural Mass. As for my work, the two websites below speak of it— one for psychospiritual work, one for artistic work. I had no idea my life would unfold in these directions, but I am very grateful that it did. And SHS was a root to all this in how we were educated and how we were in community. What a gift we were given! Sad to hear of Anstiss’ death, but this is surely the territory we are in now. See you on Zoom.

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Lucy Stone McNees writes: I have to admit that this last year was not one to celebrate. I had a second shoulder replaced, but also lost a dear friend, and was robbed in Paris right before Christmas. I did direct another play in Arabic which by some miracle went well, and it helped distract me somewhat from the state of the world. And any personal problems pale in relation to the catastrophes occurring everywhere, and especially in my area of research, the Middle East… Of course in the US things have long exceeded parody, but in France and Europe, too, the denial and hypocrisy is horrifying. I participate in activities of Agence-France Palestine, and protest when I can, but there is so little we can do..! But I say to myself that if the people of Gaza can continue to resist in the face of unimaginable suffering, then the least we can do is not to give up hope! Clarke Slater writes: I just turned 86, but so far have managed to avoid pills or metal joints. Still doing lots of music of various sorts, gardening and some science. Thanks to Tom for the Zooming suggestion – I’m all for it. Our daughter lives outside of Boston (she works at Children’s Hospital) so we visit the Boston area most years. We may be there in May/ June of this year. Maybe we could meet up in person – even better than Zoom! I’ll get back when our plans are firmed up. Mimi Kellogg Truslow writes: Because Anstiss and I lived not so far from each other—Farwell Place and Kirkland House—we often played together after school, usually at her house because mine would have been overrun with students. I remember walking into the front hall of Kirkland House and seeing Professor Hammond/Mason in his study. Anstiss’s bedroom was on the third floor. It had a dormer window overlooking a courtyard off which were entryways to the students room/suites. She and I threw a number of water balloons out that window. I don’t remember if we actually hit anyone but we did get reprimanded. There also was a large playroom decorated by formal paintings of country scenes— men on horses which I thought very cool.

psychic and financial resources to the maintenance of a just society and to the elimination of the wealth gap that has threatened the existence of our beloved country for too many years. Doing what I can for the environment is also on my agenda, along with enjoying as much laughter as I can fit in. I am hoping we can do another Zoom reunion for our 70th.

John Jeppson ’55 and his wife Wendy Benchley dancing

Angela Cliﬀord Abscher writes: I continue to thoroughly enjoy my life at the Buddhist retreat center in the mountains of Colorado. I just got a pacemaker and I am pretty much blind and deaf. Life certainly is a challenge.

John Jeppson sent a wonderful Christmas card of he and his wife Wendy Benchley in exuberant dance with the message. “We’re determined to keep dancing even if the terrain is rough and the light is dim.” Kitten Cushman Fischer writes: After 40 years living and working in Philadelphia, I moved to New London, New Hampshire, where our family spent summers during the SHS years. I bought and revived a former small summer cottage, working on the outside to restore its charm and completely redesigning and restructuring the interior with modern heating and electrical systems, kitchen and bath as well as major insulation to withstand the onslaught of the New Hampshire winters. I kept the former name “Windswept” which aptly explains the need to tighten up this house in a vulnerable location. I am a Solo Ager (living alone, no children), reluctantly learning the names of multiple body parts and medical specialists that I never knew existed, not one of life’s most desirable surprises. My current pleasures include frequent and regular telephone conversations with SHS and college classmates as an antidote to loneliness, enjoyment of audible books to feed my love of reading, viewing classic movies and comedies and occasional lunches with neighbors and friends. On a more serious note, I have stopped listening to the soul destroying news that assaults us about the disaster that is the direction of our country and our world over which we have lost all control. Alternatively, I have committed my

Angela Clifford Abscher ’55 enjoying life at a Buddhist retreat center in the mountains of Colorado Alexander (Lexie) Hawthorne writes: It is daunting to realize that 80 years and four months have passed since I timidly entered the building of beginner’s five for the first time. I recall it was one of the structures most distant from the entrance near Assembly Hall, adjacent to the wire fence which separated Shady Hill’s grounds from those of BB&N. Scarcely a month earlier, I, together with family members and neighbors, had rushed out to the main street of Duxbury MA to watch the VJ day parade. We are most fortunate to have enjoyed these 80 years which despite everything have been a good time. Karen and I are still living in Switzerland, with regular visits to her agreeable house in Western France. Her health has been poor; she is recovering from a second cancer, with associated

discomforts. I still seem to be functional so far, although our regular ski holidays, which were paused by COVID, seem now to be a thing of the past. We spent a pleasant summer in France last year with her son and the grandchildren, who after a two-year stay in France to try and acquire native proficiency in another language while young enough to acquire a proper accent. They moved back to New England in 2024, but continue to visit during school holidays. Up until COVID, we travelled twice a year to the United States, where many friends and relatives lived in the Boston area, and had acquired an apartment in Cambridge to facilitate these trips. COVID put an end to this travel, and attrition among our circle has reduced the number to be visited. Most dramatically, my niece who worked for USAID as a virologist, had to relocate, and was fortunate enough to find a position with the Wellcome Trust, the largest private sponsor of fundamental medical research worldwide. So she and her husband and two small boys are now living in the other Cambridge. The children will be the third generation, after my sisters and myself, and their mother and uncle, who will have to adapt at an early age to British life – doubtless easier now than in the 1950’s. My sister Joanna ’61 still had an apartment there, and has moved as well to continue to be an active grandmother. After these 80 relatively easy years, the world appears to be changing in a way which is disquieting. I would have not have foreseen such a dystopian scenario. I wish all of my classmates well in our remaining years – up until our 75th reunion may be optimistic – as may even be a possible event in 2026. But I await ideas from the socially adroit among us. Maisie Kinnicutt Houghton writes: As your class agent I send many thanks to classmates who responded and to all the others I am assuming you are hopefully well and happy at 85 -or over. For me the death of Anstiss Hammond Krueck was the end of a 75 year friendship through thick and thin. Anstiss battled Parkinson’s for over ten years but never lost her sense of humor nor her devotion to

Shady Hill establishing a fund to support the apprentice program, something Anne von Rosenberg ’55, TTC ’63 enjoyed (also my own daughter, Nina TTC ’90, fresh out of Stanford) I will be glad if we as a class can meet either on Zoom as Tom suggests or miraculously in person as Clarke valiantly urged. If so, I invite everyone to come to my apartment in Boston. For supper and merriment-please!

1956 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: CORKY WHITE corky@bu.edu

News has reached Shady Hill that Robert Pittaway passed away in August of 2025. The thoughts of the Shady Hill community are with his classmates, family, and all who are grieving this loss. Lucile Bump writes from Vermont: I am here stoking the stove to save the oil. That was a wonderful get together at Corky White’s house last summer. Since then I have been to Scotland to teach. One of the instructors from Southmowing came with me, her first time in Scotland. We had a great time. I had my second knee replacement, so I am walking like a real person now. Looking forward to spring, warm weather and long days and traveling, and meeting new people and their horses. Fred Churchill writes from Bass River: Margot and I are doing well. In 2010 we moved to a smaller house around the corner from our family summer home where I grew up, and our kids and grandkids also spent their summers. Over the next few years, we sold our Grafton Home and developed our back land with a local builder into four nice country lots. I continued working at Churchill Coatings until 2021 when I sold it to our remaining partner. It continues today servicing Vermont Lumber Yards and New England wood wholesalers. Our three boys are all married, have interesting jobs, and have seven grands between them. Our oldest is 29 and planning to get married next summer in Bass River. Our youngest will be 12 this year, lives

in Montreal, speaks three languages, and plays soccer. We see them all at Bass River—Eric and Chris live in Wellesley and have their own houses near ours in Bass River. Andrew lives in Montreal and has just built a house in Prince Edward Island. We are going to see it this summer. We also spend two weeks in Alta, Utah each March with our boots attached to skis. Most of our children and grands join us for part of that time. We also have a few active skiing friends that join us each year. Margot spends a great deal of time gardening in our extensive gardens. Hard to imagine but we go through a full trailer of wood chips every spring. Our vegetable gardens are in our front yard—15 feet from the street. We have music piped out and are known as the “music house.” We bought the two lots next to us. The back lot was “the chip lot.” Every time we or a neighbor had an extra plant, bush, or tree we put it here. I have a good-sized tractor, backhoe, and hog to help with moving stuff around. When Eric built a house on the back lot, all the trees, plants, and bushes came from our inventory. When a member of your family starts working on gardening projects, Margot is usually involved. Margot is also active in local groups and civic activities. I spend my time helping Margot gardening and doing my own stuff. Every January, February, and early March, I split wood in the afternoon. I try to get two full cords of oak. I sell some, give some to family, and burn about half a cord in our own fireplace. As of today, we have ten extended family-owned houses within a mile (or two) of our house. Until recently, we were the only “year rounders.” I get to check, open, and help all of them. This Spring I have started “clearing” the four-five acres behind our River Street property. Great project—there is Wisteria (roots are two inches thick and go 60 feet in the air), brambles, downed trees everywhere. No work has been done in 40 years, and we have had several massive storms. I think the project will take two years. I continue to play tennis and ski. We have put down a deposit at a local retirement community (one and a half miles from our house). As you can see, we are leading

happy active lives. We are fortunate to have family all around us. We do not know what will happen tomorrow. We are trying to have a happy active life today. Tom Edsall writes: For the Edsall family, 2025 was defined in large part by the death of Mary Edsall, my wife of 60 years, on September 28 while visiting Barcelona. The autopsy found that she died of natural causes without further elaboration, probably a stroke or heart attack. If there is any consolation it is that she always said she did not want to suffer through a long decline. She did not. Mary’s friends turned out in force at a December 20 memorial in Washington, D.C. and we are grateful for all the condolences we received at the memorial and in the mail. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the extraordinary job my daughter did after her mother’s death. She arrived the next morning in Barcelona and cut through the red tape that I would still be tangled in were it not for her. Back in Washington, D.C. over the next few days, Lexa arranged the funeral home details, the burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, the memorial service, not to mention a thousand other details and tasks. My debt to her is immense. Insofar as Mary had a good sendoff, it was Lexa’s doing. Otherwise, the rest of my family is doing well. My grandson Tommy graduated from Cornell in the spring (I would list his honors but that would be uncouth). In the fall, he started a graduate PhD. program at the University of Florida pursuing his interest in mycology, the study of mushrooms — their genetics, biochemistry and roles in ecosystems. My granddaughter Lydia won my heart, choosing to major in political science (government) at Dartmouth where she too is doing very well. Again, I would love to boast about her grades, but that would be off-putting. Both Lydia and Tommy have developed an extraordinary ability in making and keeping friendships of a deep and lasting kind. My son in law, Bob Victor, is an executive at Comcast in Philadelphia, PA doing things I don’t understand, but which are very impressive. He and my daughter have built a beautiful house on Newfound Lake in New

Hampshire where, as I write this, all of us are enjoying the holidays. I continue to write my weekly column for the New York Times, an occupation that has proven a lifesaver. I don’t know how I would have spent my days without it. (Editor’s note: I am adding here Tom’s memories of Mary, from the Memorial Service: they are beautiful.) Of all of us gathered here today, I think I owe more gratitude to Mary than anyone else. In the talks today and in the notes of condolences over the past two months, a common theme in people’s remembrances of Mary was her kindness, attentiveness to others and an unrelenting commitment to be giving. She was not a religious person but her dedication to these values amounted to a personal religion to which she remained true through her 82 years. I can testify to that because I was the prime recipient of her beneficence. In fact, this year is our 60th anniversary, and I would not be here except for Mary. At the most straightforward level, she made me quit cigarettes some 50 years ago and cigars 10 years later. During a severe bout of gallstone pancreatitis, she watched and recorded every step of my care, making sure no mistakes were made through four months when the odds of my survival were thin. But her gifts to me and to many of you here were much more encompassing. Mary filled the day. When anyone from an acquaintance to an old friend came to visit, they became her exclusive focus of attention. She knew how to make people talk about their personal lives

The girls from the class of 1956.

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and in the process their personal lives became better. She knew how to provoke, if not shock, dinner parties out of dull sobriety and turn them into forthright discussions of what others would shy away from. Her best gift to me was to give meaning to life every day. As many of you know, she edited, rewrote and proposed new ideas for all my published work, read the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and New York Times every day, familiarizing herself, and me, not only with and understanding of ongoing events but adding an insightful overview of their larger meaning. Her name belongs as co-author across the board, something she refused over and over again and which I failed to insist upon. The reality is that virtually everything I wrote was with her and for her. I wrote to please her, to show off getting on the front page or an article published in a magazine. The fact is that Mary was a talented short story writer and poet in her own right but she subordinated her career to mine. It is a debt for which I will forever owe her. Mary gave purpose to my life. Susan Counihan Fratus writes: I am plunging deeply into painting, poetry and the embrace of friends (including Shady Hill classmates) as a way to combat present day reality. Who could have imagined that our country could sink so low, and that the planet could become a place of peril for so many of us. Alan Galbraith writes from Bloomington, MN: Catherine and I are now well adjusted to our Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Friendship

Village. Our five children are all in different locales. We travel a lot. We are fortunate: Minneapolis Saint Paul airport is 15 minutes away. It is also very well run. The big family news is that my son David and his wife Alyce, both senior Foreign Service Officers, soon move on to new assignments: David becomes the Deputy Chief of Mission of our embassy in Romania and Alyce DCM is Turkey. I foresee Eastern European travel in our near future. Catherine and I enjoy many cultural venues in the Twin Cities. A special favorite is the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, an easy 20-minute drive from us. Catherine is a gardener. At Friendship Village she is in charge of a substantial “door garden” — the largest of several gardens by the various entrances to Friendship Village. I serve as her field hand. I retain the family home in St. Helena, CA. We go back and forth several times a year. The two orange trees on the property were exceptionally productive this past year. I did not count, but upward of 150 oranges. With 16 family members in the house over the holidays, they were all readily consumed. Alden Harken writes: Following my retirement, when I (and we all hit 80 years old) I lasted about a week and my wife (this is the year of our 60th anniversary) looked at me (asI batted about the kitchen) and stated “this isn’t working.” So, I initially began teaching at San Quentin prison and subsequently set up a little surgical clinic at our local county jail (inmate population about 5,000). This has been fascinating, gratifying, rewarding and fun. People ask whether I am frightened to be in with all of the gangsters but, the inmates are so phenomenally and embarrassingly grateful that if any one of them gave me any grief the other guys would “kill” the offender (and I don’t mean “dust em up,” I mean really hurt them). So, it has proven to be a really therapeutic psychological “safety net” for me as I try to stay semi-active. This leads me to the point of all of these run-on sentences. The common denominator of all of my inmate friends is their staggering lack of parental guidance as they grew up. 75 percent of them have never

met their father and 25 percent never had any parental presence at all. I met a guy the other day who had been in 17 different foster homes. Which reminds me of how fortunate we all were to be at Shady Hill. I am confident that Miss Caudill and Mr. McCarthy are whirling in their graves confronted by my spelling and sentence structure; but, the head-start that we all received was, beyond measure, phenomenally helpful. Also fortunately, after almost seven years of surgical residency in Boston I reached the stage in which I didn’t need to be able to read or write or spell. I have tried, after meeting all these “unwanted children” in jail, to write an editorial proposing a solution to this crisis; but, even with Tommie’s editorial guidance I have never been able to get it published. On a happier note, Laurie and I convened all of our children, spouses and grandchildren for a week in Puerto Rico last week. Our eldest grandchild just returned following seven months under water (incredibly cramped quarters) on a nuclear submarine and our youngest at four years old just took a bowl full of vanilla ice cream and confidently placed it upside down on his head. At the time, that apparently seemed to be a good idea. On an also happy note (at least for me), last summer Wikipedia included a mini-bio listing of a procedure I devised while I was at the University of Pennsylvania in which potentially lethal very rapid heartbeats could be essentially cured by identifying and stripping out a little chunk of the inside of a patient’s heart. This proved to be quite successful. So, upon review of our class’s notes (and especially by virtue of Corky’s encouragement), I conclude that being shot-out-of-a-cannon at Shady Hill, as kids, we all had already lapped my jail inmate buddies several times as we all hit life’s daunting roads. And, in answer to Miss Caudill and Mr McCarthy I am happily reminded of Mark Twain’s observation that “he never had any respect for a man (girls could always spell better) who could only spell a word one way.” Marianna Hartsong writes: This year reminded me, repeatedly, that life here on planet earth is

an incredible schoolroom, a study hall that drops its teachings in your lap at moments least-anticipated. This summer, driving on my way to our annual ’56 dinner reunion at Corky’s place in Cambridge, going south on Highway 16 in New Hampshire, a bear ran full-speed into my van cruising at 55mph. It was a sunny August morning, in New England. Little traffic, no one around. A beautiful day. This encounter was destined: no way to escape 250 pounds of impact, likely dead bear, airbags exploding, two terrified pups. Me, shaking in shock, my nerves fried. Yet, not one of us was physically injured. The van is still drivable. And, we did have a lovely reunion gathering. Any new trauma can wake up traumas long buried. Such was my case. Homework ensuing went on for months. The setting, a log cabin in the NH woods, built of big dreams by my parents in their 20’s. Required curriculum: deep personal and intergenerational healing. I had planned a stop on the way to Corky’s at a friend’s house right on the Atlantic coast. As soon as I arrived I told my hosts: “I just have to walk down and get my bare feet into the ocean water.” No sooner had the negative electrons from the earth and the water surged up into my body immediately calming my poor distraught vagal nervous system. What a teaching. Instinct directed me to the water; the water then physically downloaded its teachings into my body — only my two feet in the water, and literally only a minute or two, and I was back in my body. Bear Medicine. Bear is one incredibly powerful teacher. Bear is tough as nails. Meeting Bear threw me back into my New England roots of selfreliance built on self-negation. Bear’s teachings aim you repeatedly back on your own inner knowing. You are no longer permitted to reach out to or lean on others expecting their advice might be better than your own intuition. Bear’s path is singular; it requires you to become your own jurisprudence. However, Bear is also the embodiment of Compassion. Once back home in Arizona, two more healing teachings simply showed up. The first was via this video by Megan MacDonald on Urine Therapy: https://regenesisseries.com/

masterclass-macdonald/ Bingo, I knew immediately if anything could help me resolve my body’s crippling ’allergic’ reaction to the radio frequencies of our devices – cellphones, WiFi, Smart Meters, etc., perhaps the waters of my own body could. Our urine contains stem cells and homeopathic doses of exactly what our body needs to heal and be well. How cool is this: urine therapy might provide me the answer for which I have been searching since 2014. Then a month or so into my deep dive into urine therapy, the next lightbulb moment arrived. I’d heard about both Earthing and Urine Therapy 40 years ago. It is now known that both approaches address the underlying cause of all modern illness: chronic inflammation in the body. The lightbulb experience right after I put my feet into the water at Manchester-by-the-Sea contained the exact same teachings as does earthing – only the Earthing folks have figured out how to help you earth without getting wet. Here is a good introduction to earthing: youtube.com/ watch?v=bSnFRjMx5ik Enjoy. Don’t ever tell yourself that getting older is boring! If ever there was a time when one is inner-free to explore, it is NOW. What wild and unexpected learnings came your way this year? We all receive lessons, challenges, teachings — that is required curriculum on planet earth. Bear, thank you for exploding my world into deep healing by giving of your life and teachings. What a gift this life is. And what a wonderful start Shady Hill School gave us all. Here’s wishing each one who reads this (and all whom they encounter) an extraordinary, life-giving, and soul-fulfilling 2026. Journey well. Write to Marianna for her gluten-free shortbread recipe! Martha Kapos writes: The new collection of poems ’Music, Awake Her’ came out last year and I’ve been gradually starting to write again, recovering from the doldrums that always follow in the wake of a new book. I retired from the job as co-editor of Poetry London over 5 years ago. But my son, Peter, asked me recently if I was interested in an editing job. I thought oh god, do I really want

an editing job? I thought I’d retired from that. And anyway who is it for? It turned out to be for him. His background is in art and design, and Phaidon is bringing out his book on the history of audio equipment This is Audio. And working on it has actually been quite fun! My daughter Andrea (with a colleague from the production company Think, Make, Create) has been working on a documentary about her dad, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor and now quite prominent pro-Palestinian activist. (Our grandson told me ’grandad has gone viral!’) The film pairs him with another ’holocaust’ survivor – of the 1940s Nakba, an equivalent ethnic cleansing in Israel. They are both in their late ’80s, and it’s called ’The Last Survivors.’ Our family have been regular participants in pro-Palestinian stop-the-war demonstrations in London. Marcia Saunders writes: I continue to do a bit of work with the National Health Service, NHS, focusing on clinical research appraisal and of course in these times this includes ethical issues in the use of AI. London remains a wonderful city, where I am still involved politically. We’re fortunate to have an excellent (Labour) mayor who happens to be Muslim, and it was thrilling to follow the election of the new mayor of NYC with whom he has much in common. Overall, it’s a depressing world and not a great year, but it’s helpful to have Tom’s regular wise analyses in the New York Times, and it’s been great to be in touch with old classmates both on Zoom and when you venture over here or, I there. I did manage this year to spend a bit of time in Vermont in the summer with my sister Kris ’61 and sister-in-law Ann (late brother Steve ’57). I continue to study German to keep the old brain alive, with, recently, a focus on opera in German (yes, Wagner, yikes! and much more). I spent Christmas in Nice—lovely walks along the Promenade des Anglais and Quai des Etats-Unis, vestiges of empires past, and a terrific performance of Casse-Noisette at the Nice Opera on Christmas day itself. The French sure know how to do it. Corky White writes: Beginning with gratitude and thanking us all for

persisting in connection, for seeing much more than we knew as those children at the maypole in 1956, at graduation all dressed up, in Miss Abbott’s music building belting out work songs and spirituals. We know each other now, and what a boon that is. Thank you for sending in your thoughts and chronicles. I’m still waﬄing around about retirement, which last year was official but I’m still teaching one course per year, the food anthropology course, as a gig job at ridiculously low pay. Also ridiculous sometimes are the students who beg to enter with “I NEED this course to graduate” or “I eat, therefore I’ll pass” ... and then, once in a while, “But I really cannot do a weekly paper” or “a field trip on the subway to Dorchester? I’ll take a Lyft.” Still, I am very enthusiastic about it, and they become interested too when they learn why you don’t order a cappuccino after 11AM, why you do not leave your chopsticks standing up in your rice bowl, when they taste something they’d never dreamed of tasting (durian chopped open in the parking lot and scooped out with their fingers). And some even change their majors, in expectation (correct) that anthropology is more fun than economics. I’m also using teaching as a reason not to sit down and finish writing another book. Speaking of chopsticks, I spend about two or three months a year in Japan, mostly in Kyoto where I have rented the same house for twenty something years. My landlady always says “welcome home” and it is. I am very lucky. I give a figurative bow to the neighborhood and it greets me back. I walk mornings to a huge Buddhist temple; it slows my pace and my mind. I have my favorite distractions. I never tire of taking my houseguests to “hidden” coffee houses, tiny craft studios, a standup bar in a working lumberyard, a soba shop where the grandfather rolls thin the difficult buckwheat dough. It’s a “distraction” but it’s also endless fieldwork and fun. What besides Japan gives me this continuity amid the rude shock of retirement and the much ruder social and political environment we inhabit back here? The sense of precarity is great under this regime and the many cruelties of

fascism must be fought. My own fight is local, working for local candidates to Council, and being active in my university’s chapter of American Association of University Professors, AAUP, (currently resisting our administration’s bows to Washington- such as sending university cops in to remove Pride flags from faculty windows). Making placards to hold in No Kings demonstrations reminds me of similar activities in the past: anti-war demonstrations, freedom of choice marches, and way back, the campaign on Widener steps to keep diplomas in Latin (how young we were!). My daughter Jen is in DC, working hard in her law firm to protect immigrants and ensconced in family there – my wonderful sonin-law Richard and my wonderful granddaughter Meghan, and just a little closer, near New Haven, is my son Ben who is also my co-author (Ways of Eating, get it!) and fellow cook, witty historian and writer. Family is also Gus, my partner who makes the world’s best ice cream (Toscanini’s), and a global circle of classmate-friends including, in London, Martha and Marcia, and occasionally Allan in Paris or on the Hudson, Debby in Philadelphia, Liz and Jane right here in Watertown. I’m so very happy when I can cook for my classmates, so give me another excuse. Our August supper together was very convivial. One thought I had about getting together as we do, is that we are lucky to find each other now and know us NOW and not just as memories of the ninth grade. See how far we’ve come and how interesting too. We don’t only live in our memories; we make new ones. I’ll leave out the “organ recital” and feel lucky that (at this moment) some of my organs are not under medical scrutiny. I wish you all the same. Pass the ice cream. We need all the strength we can muster to fight the disasters, and we will get through this inhumane time with generosity, grace and dignity. Mary Morison Winby writes: Despite the 2025 international and national news, Stu and I had a good year traveling to Europe, having friends and family come to our houses in Pebble Beach and Palo Alto, walking our dog, Pepper, along the ocean in Pebble.

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I continue riding my horses with friends, who each lease one of my horses. And given my Shady Hill experience playing flute in the orchestra, I restarted a wind quintet that meets twice a month. I am also playing cello with a great group of string players and a talented pianist. When I asked them if they would like to go to Peterboro to see the foliage, they all said yes! We stayed at the Brick House this fall, which they all loved and played music 2-3 hours a day, after taking walks around the homestead enjoying the foliage. And unexpectedly, we joined the October 2025 No Kings protest in Peterborough, which was a wonderful experience. I am working with an orchestra that wants to expand its structure, and Stu has spent time deepening his knowledge of AI. The result has been that he was asked to write a chapter to include in an academic book that will be published soon. My stepdaughter and stepson have also traveled this year around the Northwest and Europe. Our trip to the UK was to introduce my stepson to his English cousins. It was a great visit.

1957 Our Class Correspondent position is open. To volunteer for this role, email alumni@shs.org. We were sorry to learn of the passing of Judy Zetzel in February 2025. The thoughts of the Shady Hill community are with Judy’s classmates, family, and all who are grieving this loss.

1958 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: PRILL ELLIS Prillellis@gmail.com Isabella (Bibsy) Holden Bates writes from Manchester MA: My husband, Stephen and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary last September. We had a rousing square dance with a live band and a caller. We are so very fortunate to both still be in good health and able to lead active lives. I play the piano, sing in a chorus of 45, am a Hospice volunteer, teach meditation

A full cast photo of the HMS Pinafore production. We need your help identifying what year this took place! Please email alumni@shs.org.

and study both Italian and French and still run our household here in Manchester. Stephen is an active painter and clarinetist. He took up the flute in retirement, and we have fun playing flute and piano duets. We have become more and more active in weekly protests against all of the crazy and horrible ways our government has been behaving. Perhaps the most dismaying for Stephen, who played in the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra for 36 years, has been Trump’s takeover of this fine performing arts center. We have been living here in Manchester, MA for almost 16 years. We would love a visit from anyone who is in the neighborhood. Jill Harken Hall writes from Washington DC: My husband Ridge always said Carpe Diem so that is what I am trying to do! I am so desperately upset by what the administration is doing all over the country and the world. As a result I am protesting frequently and otherwise trying to figure out how to distract myself. One solution is travel. With that in mind, toward the end of February, I am going to Senegal for two weeks with several friends and then at the end of April, I am going to visit a granddaughter who is a sophomore at St. Andrews. John Martin writes from Maryland: For us, 2025 was mostly same old, same old, however, there were some bright spots. We had a lovely family trip to Ireland where Anne and several of our grandkids were able to connect with cousins living in Northern Ireland. After our time in Ireland, Anne and I flew to Belgium to visit friends living in Brussels. We spent a day in Bruges before taking the high speed train to Paris. After three days of sightseeing, some great sidewalk cafes and a

lot of walking we headed home. In May, we welcomed Anne’s first great grandchild and in the fall, my granddaughter started her second year at San Diego State University as a marketing major. Joan Sturgis writes from Brooklyn NY: I still feel a part of our Shady Hill class all these many years. Perhaps this isn’t strange since it filled 10 years of my life when I was growing up (ages 4 to 14). It is by far the longest I’ve ever been a part of any class! And all that time we were changing and growing and membership in our class was changing and growing too. Memories come and go but I am still curious about our classmates. I love to read class notes and hope to have the chance of a reunion in 2026. And I am very grateful for my lifelong friendship with Prill, and to have reconnected with Jill after many years. Sally Hooker Sullivan writes from Needham MA: Joe and I are happily ensconced at North Hill, a wonderful Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). I swim almost every day and have taken up rowing at Community Rowing which has a boat called “The Octogenarian Eight.” I’m in an in-house writing group and belong to an outside group that presents research papers on a variety of subjects. I also do palliative care/ hospice visiting with kids. My goal is to occupy every waking minute so I don’t have to read the news. I weep and rage for our country and its people, go to protests, write letters, and wear a paper clip. All, I fear, for naught. I remember my years at Shady Hill as some of the happiest of my life, in large part thanks to all my wonderful classmates.

Alan Tartakoﬀ writes from Cleveland OH: Dear Class, Here’s an in-house suggestion. I finally have been discovering the poet-novelist, May Sarton. Although born as a French-speaker in Europe, she was a Shady Hill graduate and then lived most of her life near Cambridge. Her father was a science historian. Her novels are short testimonies of an unusual, intense, and very readable sort. Although they might all fit together, they stand alone. They capture a moment or an irony or a quandary very well. Perhaps like a long letter/narrative. I especially enjoyed “Mrs. Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing,” “The Small Room,” “Plant Dreaming Deep” and “A Shower of Summer Days.” Reading these works makes me think that we all should write, at least stories. After all, school taught us the early steps. Some of her other novels are too angry. Walter Vincent writes from Grafton, MA: My wife Joan and I are doing well given the usual challenges of getting older. We’ve settled in South Grafton, MA near our daughter and son-in-law. We have two children, a boy and a girl, 4 grandchildren, three girls and a boy, and two great-grandchildren, a boy and a girl. My strongest feeling about Shady Hill is how lucky I was to be able to attend! I know of no other school like it, and it shaped my development in countless positive ways. It seems like such a long time ago, but it enriched my life immeasurably, and I am ever so grateful for the experience. Prill Ellis writes from Jamaica Plain, MA: Sometimes the perilous state of our planet plunges me into fear and despair. Aging’s diminishments compound such doom and gloom. But then—“The way a crow shook down on me/the dust of snow from a hemlock tree/has given my heart a change of mood/and saved some part of a day I had rued”— Frost’s poem our class recited in the Assembly Hall. Thank you, SHS, for the gifts of poetry, music, friendship, community. These days singing or writing postcards with neighbors, playing viola in orchestra and chamber groups, long walks, and connections with family (ages 8-90) and friends: the ’dust of snow’ that reconnects me with the world. Keeping me on a more or less steady path are the deep bond with Bob

Crabtree my life partner and a commitment to Buddhist teachings and practice.

1959 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: CHARLIE WYZANSKI wyzanski@gmail.com

With sadness, we share the news that Richard Horvitz passed away in April of 2025. We send our deepest sympathy to Richard’s family, classmates, and all those mourning this loss. As Class Correspondent for these many years, I find it increasingly hard to generate Class Notes. This time the old exam period taunt was all that came to mind: “Time passes, will you?” Back then, we might not have been so sure. Now, at least, we all know that we will at least pass on. So I asked my classmates what steps, no matter how small, they were taking with that in mind and received the following. Nate Bowditch writes: I’m into voluntarism which is where it began for me after college, in the Peace Corps. COVID emptied lots of institutions of their volunteers because we retreated into our homes. Then, just as we were starting to emerge, along came Project 2026, DOGE and the resulting massive funding cuts. The result here in Midcoast Maine is that longstanding partnerships between town governments, non-profits and businesses to keep our communities strong are being stripped of resources and staff. Since we who are retired and still kicking can make a difference with our time, experience, and voluntarism, that’s where my small steps are focused. That and fishing, and still cutting some wood (even carrying some water—when the pipes freeze) for enlightenment and to feel lighter. Robert Bremner writes: As to the small steps I have taken to keep my life meaningful in this era of political insanity and the general cheapening of our discourse and the endless media saturation is to focus on the things that always really mattered: family, health, keeping my brain curious and active, and going places. I also take the step of resting

between acts. We need our naps. Melissa Chapin writes: One wonderful step I’ve taken to pass the time since Shady Hill is that of learning to play the cello. Our classmate, Bambi Adams, enthralled me with her violin music. It seemed impossible that someone I knew could make such wonderful sounds. Now, my husband, son and granddaughter all delight in weekly meetings of our chamber music groups. Last summer I followed my son and granddaughter, who live in Wales, to a weeklong “Bandcamp” where we sightread chamber music morning, noon, and night with 100 or so other musicians of all ages and instruments. I felt I had returned to Shady Hill. The event was held at a small private school in the English countryside. We ate together in a dining room decorated with a mural representing classical mythology and folktales. The walls of the classrooms were hung with student essays and quotes from famous authors and thinkers. One practice room might have been the model for the old dining hall with its beamed ceiling. I could almost see Smitty smiling down at us at the final evening of English country dancing. Charlie Deknatel writes: I find it hard these days to process and somehow react effectively to the political news. Heather Cox Richardson (Letters from an American) and Danielle Allen (The Democracy Renovation Project) help some with analysis and Ideas. Separately, I started Ron Chernow’s Mark Twain which due to its length should get me to spring when fishing becomes possible if not for me at least productive. Jamaica Plain remains for us walkable, green, tolerant and companionable. Hopey Green writes: My newest small steps are an Ai Chi class. Ai Chi is Tai Chi in a swimming pool, and I am astonished at the access to fresh energy it gives me. My other small steps are writing poetry. I hadn’t done it for all these years, unless you count trying to make the sonnet form work while sitting in economics class, and the result of that was definitely not a poem. But after my husband died in 2019 the words were there, insistent, and I have been writing ever since. Michal Goldman writes: Over the past year, carpenters in Prince

Edward Island took down my small, ancient barn and then built a new one, all wood, using a few beams from the old one. It smells wonderful, of new wood. We put a skylight in the loft, there’s a heat pump, and a window facing west above the sink. When I’m working there at the end of the day, I see the sunset. About what’s going on in this country and in Israel-Palestine, I don’t know what to do except give whatever money I can and show up for demonstrations whenever I can. I’ve decided that the two atrocities I’ll try to engage with this year are Israel-Palestine and ICE/storm troopers on our streets. Steve Howell writes: I am still working full time as a medical oncologist/cancer drug developer at the University of California, San Diego at the age of 81, and I am not alone, which reflects the demographic wave we are riding on. When we started 2025 we expected it to be a year of great change. It looked as if it might be the last year of my wife’s consulting contract with the County of San Diego, and I was uncertain whether my lab at UCSD could stay funded given the tragic and devastating cutback on research funding by the Administration. In the end, my wife got another contract for 2026, and I got funded for another year. We have “sort of” agreed that 2026 will now really be the year in which we stop riding the wave of geriatric workers and truly retire to join the ranks of those who are still lucky enough to be in good health and vigorous enough to plan skiing and hiking trips, but on which our kids are too busy to join us. Waves eventually run ashore; we are hoping it will be a friendly one. Mark Isaacs writes: My small steps are not giving into laziness. I study my art more seriously and get a higher satisfaction from the results. I am allowing a wider latitude to thoughts of the younger generations, but I find they are impatient and expect too much change too soon. But they really care and do a fair amount of thought and investigation. Their world is quite inconsistent since yearly innovation is fast compared to ours. We must trust them but they never lived through the post- WWII. And now a foolish political scene and sloppy media presentations.

Charlie Peck writes: The badges of age grow slightly heavier, the organ recitals louder and more frequent. The politics of England and the US are often distracting. The songs Miss Abbot taught are still singable; useful guidebooks for the trip I haven’t yet got the ticket for. John Perry writes: The usual age snafus: sore knees, more typos and a brain hemorrhage. So: hung up the soccer boots, quit UVM and sold the holography lab. Now the real work begins.

None of you lazy slouches pitched in last year to help define intelligence. So here’s a puzzler for you: You know how a Ticonderoga #2 appears to bend as it goes into water. Refraction, right? But why? And if that’s the case, why is it still yellow? And what does that tell you about how your eyes work? Ignore it if you’re blind. Steve Saltonstall writes: My “small steps” are walking a mile and a half in the same amount of time it once took me to run five miles. And experiencing each day as a gift, freed from the illusion of “goals.” Peter Shapiro writes: poisonally? I was telling the Chinese medicine doctor just yesterday that Google AI is a freaking miracle. Good for the annual class notes or which trimmer spark plug is compatible. Saludos a todos, pedro pepin de guayabin. As for my current baby steps from the hills of west by-god, they are: fighting the afib with TCM, trying to avoid thinner/wachman, etc. trying to keep a merengue/ bachata band afloat, struggling with a Hohner button accordion to play “El telefonema,” getting off a wet 4/12 pitch roof after running brush down a woodstove chimney, listening to NPR all night long with occasional snatches of sleep…What the hay, got to keep on truckin’. David Smith writes: My small steps...staying connected to Suzi’s family; hard to believe that she has been gone four and a half years already. I’m volunteering at our local teaching hospital — helping people with wayfinding, to the OR, the ER, their friend’s hospital room, etc. It’s very surprising how many people are truly grateful for just a little bit of human help during a stressful time. And I’ve been reading quite a lot — my latest favorite authors are John

SHADY HILL SCHOOL THE 2025-2026 ISSUE

Thatamanil (Circling the Elephant on religious diversity), and novelists Susie Dent and Richard Osman. I’m just finishing my second year as the rector’s warden at the Anglican church around the corner, St Clement’s, and that’s a job I’ve really enjoyed — (and I really wish the term was longer than 2 years!) Charlie Wyzanski writes: Am still a member of the Bar, sometimes tilting at windmills on behalf of neighbors or friends and other times a Hearing Officer for the Board of Bar Overseers adjudging cases of alleged malpractice. Regularly exercising at the Cambridge Y while fruitlessly trying to learn to play the banjo at home. Nilgun and I spent some time this past year in Turkey, Spain, and the Vineyard. We’re always amazed and gratified by the energy and optimism of daughters Talya in DC and Tamara in Cambridge, managing their husbands and our three, soon to be four(!), grandchildren.

1960 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JACK KESSLER jakesslerjr@gmail.com Jack Denny-Brown writes: Nothing much going on these days. I retired from teaching once and for all during the pandemic in 2020. I live on a lake in Central Massachusetts with my wife Ann,

who is planning to retire from her work as a middle school technology teacher in June. I am going to resist the temptation to talk about health issues. Having just turned 80 there’s plenty to talk about but surely there’s something more interesting than that. As I write this, in mid-January of 2026, our country appears to be coming off the rails. The country to which my parents emigrated in 1942 to escape the Nazi blitz has become unrecognizable. All the gains of the past seventy years are threatened. Writing Christmas cards to old friends and family overseas, I felt compelled to write an introductory disclaimer. “First of all, I want to apologize for our current president and his administration.” Like most everyone we know, we would like to do something about the situation, but feel powerless. We contribute what we can to one cause or another. There is so much need. We join the demonstrations when we can. So many issues, so little space. One sign at the “No Kings Rally” in Fitchburg read “Eat the Rich!” Straight forward and to the point. We must do something. The midterms cannot come soon enough! Cary Hartshorne Flannagan writes: This past year has been a challenging one for us and we continue to be very grateful to be living in a place that is so welcoming and supportive (The Baldwin, Londonderry, NH). Early in the year, I had a knee replacement, following my broken shoulder and replacement four months before

Jack Denny-Brown’60 at the “No Kings Rally“ in Fitchburg, Mass

that. My days were full of PT for both, lots of rest, and, later, the slow process of getting my strength back. Fortunately, a year later, my replaced knee is perfect, and I am considering having the other one replaced. Meanwhile, I am keeping busy with classes in art and creative writing, participation in an interesting book club, and meeting with fellow creators in various forms of fiber art. My novels are proudly displayed on a shelf in our library reserved for resident writers. They have been received very well here. Ron’s health, meanwhile, began to deteriorate over the past months. He has very poor balance and falls easily (with many trips to the ER when he hits his head). We also noticed that his memory and general cognitive abilities were not as good as they used to be. Long story short, after a hospital stay and rehab, he is now living in the memory care unit at Baldwin, just across the street from where I live, which is very convenient. We see each other daily, and I often bring him down to dinner with the rest of the residents, which we both enjoy. He is doing remarkably well despite having almost no short-term memory. He does not have an official diagnosis yet but all his symptoms are consistent with Parkinson’s (from which his father died) or related illnesses. Thankfully, he has a positive attitude and has accepted his situation. I have joined a support group for caregivers that meets here monthly, and both of us just joined a new support group for residents who have Parkinson’s or their family members. Both groups are very helpful and enlightening. Please send healing and happy thoughts our way, and take good care of yourselves and your loved ones! Steve Grossman: I tracked Steve down by phone as I was proofreading the rest of these notes for submission. He was just coming from his mother’s 104th birthday party, combined with his sister’s 78th, and it did not seem he was enthusiastically looking forward to his own 80th coming up soon. And no wonder; he continues to work 50-60 hours a week leading ICIC (Initiative for a Competitive Inner City) which has been expanding to inner cities across the country for the last 10 years, but has seen some greater challenges to the environment in the last year. And Barbara

continues to teach at Tufts. Their three sons and their soon-to-be nine grandchildren, ages 2 to 20 all live within 10 minutes. Sounds pretty good to me! Kit Irvine Hume writes: I guess we have all turned 80 about now, hence Jack’s line about entering a new decade. This last year I moved into a retirement village in April and by mid-December I finally managed to sell my huge, expensive house. That caused a flurry of urgent emails in trying to put together donations in the last three days at the end of the year to offset some of the tax implications. For anyone else considering moving into a retirement village, let me recommend in the highest possible terms those few run by Quakers. They offer complete life care; for-profits often dump you out when you become too debilitated in body or mind, and by that point you are in no state to make your own decisions. Foxdale Village likes to say that the asylum is run by the inmates and that is pretty much true. The staff are incredibly helpful and friendly. The facilities are excellent (water volleyball in the warm pool is an amazing sport— very good for you because you are laughing so much throughout, and I saw someone come to the pool room relying heavily on a walker, but once in the water, he could play it like anyone else.) I am limited to what I can read on iPad or computer since both wet and dry macular degeneration make normal print impossible, so aside from reading articles for journals, I am no longer professionally active (sigh). I still enjoy cooking the occasional fancy supper, and I am far too good for my own sake at making sweets (triple-ginger biscotti, chocolate truﬄes etc.) I also enjoy getting to the Met’s Life in HD opera broadcasts. Duncan McClelland communicates: This message was written by artificial intelligence with just a tiny bit of help from me (I supervised :-)). Everything is fine, but this winter has been pretty fierce here in Cornwall, CT, and we’ve had over 18 inches of snow piling up everywhere–which is forcing me to travel more to warmer climates. I am planning a trip to Alabama and Florida in a

week or so to visit family who have already decided the South is a better place to live. Maybe I didn’t need all that English class work after all! Charlie Merrill writes: I can not believe I have celebrated my 80th birthday. My memories of Shady Hill are strong and it seems like it was only a short time ago we were doing the Maypole dance or walking down to shop class. This year was one of adjustment after the death of my wife. Lots of good memories there as well. I continue to exercise three days a week and volunteer at the local hospital and library a couple of hours each week. And, I enjoy an evening glass of wine in front of the fire. So life is good. I cannot wait to see the updates from all of you. I hope everyone is well and surviving these crazy times. Charlie Peck writes from England: Still living in Sussex and Vermont in summer. Children living in London and in Wales. The weather here in the UK, as I write, is as turbulent as the politics everywhere; but at least even with global warming there are some limits on the weather! I recently ran a seminar on the US Constitution for a bunch of English people. They were astonished at its clarity and simplicity, and understood the three branches of government. “When are all these powers used?” they asked. When indeed! Here’s to the exercise of the power of “We the People” in the coming year. Ben Riggs writes: The last two years I have discovered I have some balance issues, so I sold my boat. She gave me twenty years of great sailing here in Newport and went to a good home. Meanwhile, this winter marked a celebratory milestone as our class began joining the exclusive club of octogenarians. One set of our kids (Scott) bought a house near Aix in France, so I guess that means they like it there. We have enjoyed our visits to the area. Lisa and family are still doing well in their fine arts business in Nebraska, of all places, although most of their larger sales are made in London, New York, and LA. Sonia and her husband are the only ones near us, living in Tiverton, RI but working in Newport. We have high hopes for a successful draining of that swamp in D.C. but it’s up to the next generation to make that work. We are retired now.

Corry Virtue Rooks writes: Jim and I had a good year, albeit interwoven with a few age-related ups and downs. As time marches on, we feel increasingly grateful for the things in our lives that are going well. In April, we visited Ireland, which we both loved, and with which we both have family connections. Beautiful spring weather, though a bit nippy. In August, we spent a relaxed and happy month at our cabin (“Camp Redwood”) on Sebec Lake in Maine, enjoying the unusually warm weather, the ever-changing water, and a bumper crop of sunsets. Shortly after we returned to Massachusetts in September, we hosted “The Big Party,” inviting our three children and their immediate families to celebrate our both turning 80 in 2025. We were thrilled that Daisy, who lives the farthest away, flew all the way from Montana to help us celebrate. All of us spent a festive Saturday afternoon together enjoying birthday cake, ice cream, and bubbly. And the best part of all was that only three out of the eight of us got COVID afterwards! Scott Surrey reports, in a very long telephone conversation, that his lifetime of activism has been sidetracked by health issues and aging. He waxes poetic about the magic of Shady Hill teachers who disregarded his undiagnosed ADHD and encouraged challenging norms and thinking about things in different ways. He has taken that to heart and done so with gusto all his life. Daniel Taylor writes: Looking back on our happy days at Shady Hill 2/3 of a century later, I continue to recognize the stimulation for exploration that has driven me all these years. I remember talking to Mr. Hull in the 6th Grade about The Yeti that resulted years later in my developing the scientific explanation for The Yeti as a bear, Ursus Tibetanus, then launching national parks on the Nepal side of Mount Everest, and three others on the China/Tibet side. Now, it is gratifying to continue scientific monitoring of this protected area, equivalent in size to Massachusetts, and to be part of species recovering that were on the edge of extinction (snow leopard, musk deer, and

Ursus Tibetanus). As much in today’s world teeters on frightening edges, being inspired by hope during Shady Hill classes gives ’joys-come-back’ moments. And it is also a small world, proven once again by my bumping into Jack Kessler waiting on the steps outside Memorial Church for the annual Christmas Carol Concert, and our initially not recognizing each other many years after we spent so much time together in 6th Grade. Bill Vanderbilt writes: Annie and I are back in Ketchum, Idaho full time. From one red state to another! Spending much of our time with family—a five year old grandson is a big part of our exercise program. We are healthy and still planning a little adventure every day, even if that has morphed from mountains and rivers to walking and reading. We are grateful for all the things we can still do. Zach Wiesner writes: Like many of us, we are having the first real winter in a while here on the Vineyard. I am in charge of maintaining our shared dirt road and this year has been challenging. On the plus side, snowshoeing has been terrific. Anita Wyzanski writes: These past several years have been both a deeply sad time and,

simultaneously, a most wonderful period of my life. My husband, Edward J. Hart, father of two Shady Hillers, Melissa Hart and Emily Hart, died after his nearly three-year battle with bone marrow cancer. Caring for Ed and witnessing his intense suffering was heart wrenching for all who knew and loved him. Along with the stresses of being his primary caretaker during the pandemic years, I had the blessing of discovering a treasure trove of my mother’s documents. Gisela Warburg Wyzanski was a remarkable woman born in 1912 in Hamburg, Germany. She had preserved documents of every description which detailed not only her amazing bravery and successful efforts to save thousands of Jewish children during the Holocaust and post-war Europe but also contained numerous historical letters and papers which comprised important

primary source material, such as letters written to her from her two venerated mentors, Chaim Weizmann and Henrietta Szold, remarkable Jewish leaders. I became a Visiting Scholar at Brandeis University in 2021 and undertook the writing of my mother’s biography, alongside continuing as a partner (working remotely) at the Boston law firm, Prince Lobel & Tye. It has been a riveting experience and unending blessing. Her biography will be published on March 3, 2026, and has already been listed for pre-purchase on Amazon. Her story is entitled: A Force for Good: Gisela Warburg Wyzanski. Jack Kessler writes: Nancy-Jo and I continue to be very thankful for our good health and we continue to try to experience as much of the world as we can, while we can. We had a great trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in March, from the Hanoi Hilton to the inlets of the Mekong Delta I was so happy not to experience in 1968. In October we had an unbelievable experience with the multitude of wild animals in Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, departing just two days before the presidential election that resulted in bloody suppression of riots. Our son Nat took me and two of our grandsons to the last regular Patriots game for my 80th birthday, and our son James, who couldn’t go, sent a care package with 80th Birthday cups and napkins and a bottle of Old GrandDad. We made a dent in the latter and I shared the extra cups and napkins with Jack D-B and Zach, whose birthdays closely follow mine. Our only granddaughter graduated from Middlebury last weekend at about 10°F for the graduation ski down the mountain, which was 25° warmer than when her brother graduated three years ago! With that, three of our six grandchildren have now graduated from college (I still insist on saying it that way), and combined with turning 80, it’s hard to pretend we are young anymore :-). No political commentary from me this year; I cannot find the words, even after our Shady Hill training. Maybe AI. . . .

1961 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ANDREW OLDMAN aqopbketch@aol.com

We were saddened to learn that Philip Cowan passed away in October 2024. We hold Philip’s classmates, loved ones, and all who knew him in our thoughts, and extend our heartfelt condolences to their family and friends. Lisa (Shirley) Shields writes: Into my 55th year on North Haven, entering my ninth decade in age, and still savoring every minute of my life on this island and my life in general. My daughter, son-in-law, and eight-year old granddaughter live next door. One daughter in Rockport, 20 minutes from the ferry (~65-minute ferry ride across Penobscot Bay), another in Portland. Step-daughter in Westchester County. All are dear to me. Three other granddaughters. We are a matriarchal family. My memories of SHS are not particularly fond, entering as I did in the eighth grade with firm friendships of my other classmates already cemented. Thank you, Diana and Bar for taking me under your wings. I am sure you are both still as kind. Sam Sherman writes: Hi Andy! Glad you caught up with me! I wish I had news worth printing, but at our age I guess no major changes in my life is probably a really good thing! Kate and I just celebrated our 52 anniversary, three grown sons one of whom works with me and is working on his Masters in Architecture, six Grandchildren from ages 6 to 22, I am still working every day at the office (half days Friday), coming up on my 80th this week and wondering where the time has gone? I have a lot of fond memories of Shady Hill and how many critical values I came away with thanks to some dedicated teachers and good friends like yourself. André Mayer writes: We are aging in place in (far North) Cambridge. Children and grandchildren are doing well, the world around them…not so well. Peter Deutsch writes: I am enjoying my annual three

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month vacation in Vancouver BC, temporarily at arm’s length from the superlative defying disaster in progress in the US. I got an emergency implant of a cardiac pacemaker in August, with astoundingly little impact on my life (so far) other than a bit less stamina for vigorous exercise. Aside from that, I am still writing music and trying not to think too hard about being about to turn 80. Margaret Loss writes: That was the last year I could keep up with Peter in math. Susan Saarinen writes: I lost my brother, Eric, a year ago December, and took some of his ashes to Finland, to spread around our grandfather’s grave. Eric traveled the world, so parts of him are where he traveled. My great granddaughter, Lily celebrated her 4th birthday in September and now she is expecting a little sister in March. Cranky joints in the morning slow me down and I keep trying to retire, but architects and new home owners keep calling, so my memoir is always put back on the shelf. Avoid looking at the news. James Zetzel writes: We did a lot more travelling last year than expected—Bermuda in spring break, Copenhagen in the summer, Rome in October, and an amazing train trip with friends through the Canadian Rockies from Banff to Vancouver. I have given up driving in unfamiliar places, but there are lots of nice places to go by plane, train, or other people’s cars. The high point of the year, of course, was lunch with Andy in December—I hope it doesn’t take another 64 years before we meet again. This spring I will teach a graduate seminar and will see if I can still teach after being away from it since 2018, and I will keep hoping the email brings some cheerful messages from my (prospective) agent for my familyhistory book. I am planning to go to London in March, and hope to take along some of the family papers to donate to the Wiener Holocaust Library. Kim Batteau writes: The biggest event in 2025 by far for me was our BIG BATTEAU REUNION in Busan, South Korea, after 37 years of being away! My wife Margreet, and our four children, Jesseka, Suzy, Lukas, and Saskia had lived there from 1980 to 1988 (Saskia was

born in 1983, and we adopted our Korean daughter, Suzy, in 1984). I had been sent by our denomination in The Netherlands, the Reformed Churches, to go to Korea to teach at the seminary of our sister-church, the Kosin Presbyterian Church, along with a minister colleague, Niek Gootjes and his family. That was a life-changing experience for us all! The kids (a total of 8) had gone to a little Dutch primary school we set up in an empty classroom of the big building housing the seminary. We (the Batteaux) spoke English at home, the kids spoke Dutch at school and playing with the Gootjes kids, and they learned some Korean playing with the Korean children in the neighborhood (unfortunately, after we returned to The Netherlands in 1988, the kids, including Suzy, pretty much forgot all the Korean they knew). I started teaching in English, and gradually learned and used more Korean in my teaching. But my level of Korean was never what I hoped it would be. Margreet did better with the language, talking with our help in our home, our “adjumoni” (“auntie”). But I managed. It was a real, extended “submersion” in a totally different culture for us. The Korean people are a vibrant, very talented people, bright and creative, with their musical abilities a standout. We enjoyed their warm hospitality, their rich culture, a product of thousands of years of borrowing from China, but also producing their own unique mix, and the rugged, mountainous and close-tothe-sea landscapes. Sharing deeply our Christian faith was something we will never forget. When we lived in Busan (with one year in Seoul) in the 1980’s, the country was in transition from being dirt poor, a consequence of the Korean War in the early 1950’s, to the economic and technological powerhouse it is today. Now to the Reunion: we (the Batteaux, Margreet and I, our kids and partners, and all our five grandkids) celebrated a week together in the big (4 million inhabitants) port city of Busan in July, the hottest month (whew!). We had different lodgings, in different parts of the city, so it was a bit of a logistic puzzle. But it worked out perfectly. We saw

the street where we used to live, next to a beautiful mountain-park, our old house now replaced by an apartment complex. We saw dear old friends. We had many Korean meals (delicious!). We particularly enjoyed going to the beach together at Haeundae Beach, the premier beach resort of South Korea. I had taken the kids there often in the 1980’s when it was still undeveloped, in our handy blue Kia Bongo Bus (microbus), and we had enjoyed the sand and the surf together. Now we all had great fun together in the waves, finding refuge from the burning sun under the trees next to the beach. That was our renewed Korean experience! I hope some of you also have had a chance to “relive the past” in the present with family and friends! All for now! Hey, this year a lot of us are turning 80! Now we are “really old,” right? Katharine Davis writes: Thank you Andy for gathering us. This past weekend was an honoring of my cousin, Letty Belin, who left us in September. The service started with Robin and Lark Batteau leading us all in singing Dona Nobis Pacem. Very heartening and then, though the classes represented were years younger than ours, it was wonderful to see Alice Woolsey and Margaret Bullitt and others. All is well at Casa Davis with our oldest grandson working in DC— not for the horror in the White House—and other grands in school and college. We will leave the snow and cold soon for a two week visit with our youngest son and family in San Diego. Thank you, Kim, for your lively description of your reunion, Tink. John Seegal writes: Thanks Andy for continuing to do the class secretary role so well. Now fully retired, with two happily married daughters in their late 30s and four adorable young grandchildren and continuing to divide my time between San Francisco in the winters and Rockport in the summers. I have come to think of this time of life in baseball terms as “rounding third and heading home”. While earlier stages of life were filled with responsibilities, child raising and career, this stage seems to me to be about meaning. I am open to the possibility that

as long as reasonably good health continues, it may be the best of all. Lee Roscoe writes: No news really this time around save I suppose for what people can see. Impossible? a guerrilla zoom play about autocracy. (Predicting the monstrous buffoon), and also Dreams from a Planet in Peril, for free at https://www. youtube.com/@leestephanieroscoe Andy Oldman writes: Briefly, I made a trip to France, England, and Ireland last February and saw Lizzie Boo for lunch. The mention of that is her report, although I think the Zetzels visit her annually. I spoiled it due to acquiring Norovirus and its immediate dramatic effects on the Eurostar train from Paris. A good, though not recommended way to lose weight without GLP stuff! Did a fab old car tour all over Arizona in April; and then we had a fine summer in Maine with grandkids visiting, sailing and exploring the intertidal zone daily. Finally, I made a trip to NYC to visit friends and see Medieval manuscripts at JP Morgan library in December. I managed to have a long and delightful lunch with Jim Zetzel at Grand Central. First time we have met since 1961. We have a lot more in common than ever realized in the SHS days. He is working on writing up his incredible family history. It was refreshing to see all your responses this year. I still have my best memories of SHS in 3d grade which are the Greek shield (all triremes and waves with a bronze helmet), a working sailboat model from eighth grade, and the ninth grade real outboard powered skiff from Shop that year. Planning another trip to France in early March and the usual summer activities. I still manage to oversee a bunch of maintenance and construction operations, although I am supposedly forbidden to climb any tall ladders. Meanwhile, yesterday, I was cleaning out boxes from moving six years ago, only to find a bunch of teachers’ reports from SHS which my mother had stuffed into a battered recycled envelope. Our SHS teachers sat down seriously twice a year with a typewriter (usually, and you know who the exceptions are!) to thoughtfully write up a concise progress report on each one of us,

for each subject. I do not think our grandkids will get that kind of attention from their teachers today.

infested dead and dying pinon trees. First real snow and cold of the winter the last few days, this second week of January.

1962

More from 2025: “Leaky Around The Edges”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DICK HENRY dhenry@hotzero.biz

On personal or World scale,

These submissions encapsulate notes from both 2025 and 2026.

Structure of Reality gets

When big enough Change happens, And sometimes hard to tell Which, or...all of the above, A little loose around the edges. When UFOs dance through treetops, Is it Space aliens, optical delusion, Or Spirit Realm leaking through? Which calls up emotional response. Fear? Exaltation? Confusion? Interesting, but... Threat? Gift? Likely at least a bit irritating, As ordinary, familiar useful stuff Does not hold consistent shape, For a...while? Oops! Time itself Is a facet of the familiar Reality

Uncle River (Steve Kaufman) ’62 with his memoir Uncle River (Steve Kaufman) writes: You know you are old when someone wants to publish your memoirs. For the second time in my life, a local friend has become a publisher because he is attracted to my writing. The Cosmic Cycle And A Life It Created is now out, from Zu Homestead Publishing. It opens with “The Cosmic Cycle”, an epic poem original version of the worldwide Cosmic Cycle myth. Originally the heart of my “Senior Study” at Goddard College, in 1970, it remains some of my most inspired writing. It also really has turned out to create a lot of the path of my whole life, since, as well as several other people’s. Available on Amazon, in hardback, paperback, and kindle formats. “The Cosmic Cycle” is followed by the tale of, “How I Came To Catron County”, and several further bits, in both prose and poetry. Third year here of failed late summer monsoon attracted hordes of varmints to my watered garden. Squash, a favorite, the only crop they let me harvest. Whole mountainsides of bark beetle

That...doesn’t disappear, but does Get a little leaky around the edges. Robin Engel Finnegan: I have been happily distracted from the awful political developments of the past year by exciting changes in our living situation. With our older son Seth, his wife Erin, and her mother Joann we have purchased a triplex together in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, CA where we will all be living together. In mid-October, Greg and I moved into the front house, while renovations for the other two units are expected to take about a year. Joann is living with us until her unit is ready. Finding a property that met our complex needs took quite a while. In August, Seth was biking home from Berkeley (where he is on the faculty) on a street he had identified as where he would want to live should he ever move and saw a for sale sign going up for a triplex. The rest is history. Around the same time Noah, our younger son, who is on the faculty at UC Santa Cruz, and his wife decided they wanted to move from San Jose to Santa Cruz. They were able to buy a house about a block and a half from the ocean. While it is now

a longer commute for us to visit them, Santa Cruz is a wonderful community in many ways and they have a guest room where we can stay. In fact, we are planning a family reunion there for next fall. Dick Belin: I hope you’re doing OK, or at least hanging in there, as people here at Carleton-Willard CCRC are wont to say. The big sad news in my family is that my awesome younger sister Letty died recently. We had her east coast service here at Story Chapel at Mt Auburn Cemetery on January 17. (She lived in California so there was another service there). The service was led by Letty’s Shady Hill classmate and lifelong friend Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, who joined their Shady Hill classmate Lark Batteau and our classmate, Robin, for the opening song, leading us in a three-part rendition of Donna Nobis Pacem. I am guessing you can imagine how beautiful that was. Collot Guerard: Dick Belin—I’m so sorry about the death of Letty. Death is universal and normal—it will happen to all of us—but that does not make death easy. May your memories of Letty provide you solace and comfort. Here’s the good news. In retirement as a litigator at a small federal agency, I have visited numerous countries on my bucket list and revisited those I love. I just returned (February 2026) from 18 days in Abu Dhabi and Oman. Before that, Turkey and Cyprus. And summer of 2025 I was in London and spent two days with Jane Bruner, whom I knew even before the B-4s. I still ride my now 22 YO horse, Miss Rosie. I still split my time between Washington DC and a tiny boat-oriented village south of Annapolis, Galesville. I still read literary fiction with several book groups. I still am on several arts-related and health-related boards. All my joints still work. I still look at the glass half full, not half empty. Now the bad news: We are living with people in power who deny the reality of climate change, who have gutted federal agencies designed to protect people in the US and all around the globe, who have upended our relations with Europe, who have enacted laws that benefit only the wealthy, who have kidnapped country leaders

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and threatened to take over another country, who have squashed our first amendment rights to protest. I am living in a country I do not recognize and I did not grow up in. I fear for the future for my three grandchildren, for our country, for the world. Mark Dunn – submitted in 2025: I wish I could come up with something pithy/earth shattering for you to put into the class notes. As you and Becky Kent have noted, the present times at a federal level are abysmal (or in the colloquial, it sucks). We will have to do all we can do around the edges, something equivalent to the minutemen retarding the redcoats on the march to Concord by hiding behind walls and trees. As I have been told/heard (and in fact said) a number of times “Non Illegitmi Carbonrundum Est” (I hope I have the saying in the right order and the correct spelling) over the years. In any case, I would note on Ground Hog Day, we are at 10 hours of daylight (sunrise at 7:00 AM and sunset at 5:00 PM, with the former getting earlier each day and the latter getting later each day). As for me, I continue to go to my office. When I turned 75 on Feb. 27, 2022, I said I no longer work, I just plod. Paper and projects move slowly. My practice is in the area of real estate titles, title conveyancing, simple trusts and simple estate/ probate administration. I am just about to complete my 78th trip around the Sun on Feb. 27. I have five grandsons (no granddaughters). Three of them are in Melbourne, FL (ages 11, 9 and 7), the children of my oldest daughter, Abby, and her husband Matt. She is a physical therapist (lots of elderly clients in Melbourne/Brevard County, FL) and he is a computer programmer/ electrical engineer who works for a private company with contracts with NASA and other government agencies. My other two grandsons will be three and one on Feb. 27. Yes, I have two grandchildren who have the same birth date as me. My daughter, Cindy, their mother, is planning a joint birthday party in the beginning of March for her two children and for me. Cindy and her husband live in Watertown, MA. She is a Nurse Practitioner and works at the Faulkner Hospital

THE 2025 -2026 IS SUE

(part of Mass General/Brigham complex) in Jamaica Plain, near the Arnold Arboretum. Her husband, Pat is an electrical engineer and works for the Boston branch office of a large environmental/energy consulting company based in London. He bikes to work each day in downtown Boston—no car for Pat. Both Cindy and Pat are firmly devoted to leaving as small a footprint on the earth as possible. He is a runner (has run the Boston Marathon three or four times with a best time of 2:38, as well as Chicago, Berlin and Burlington, VT). He also is a bicyclist who rides with friends of his on 100 mile rides for a Saturday afternoon. Cindy also runs and bikes but not to the extent that Pat does. My wife, Joan, is retired. She previously was a lawyer in Concord, NH as well as a social worker. She represented children in need of supervision and who had been abused. She also represented children in divorce cases. At the end of her career, she worked with a private agency working with the settlement of New Americans to Concord (NH) and its environs. That is it in a nutshell. As you know, life in Concord is pretty quiet and predictable. Dana Ferry – from 2025: What to say about life at this stage? It becomes increasingly clear that we are not our bodies. But the bodies do speak up quite loudly while proving this point. Meanwhile, beautiful music still gets made, art gets created, and love gets expressed. What is lasting makes its imprint. For anyone whose life has been touched by Parkinson’s, there is a new gizmo coming to market in the USA sometime this spring called The Beech Band. The reports about it online stunned me and I am anxious to try it. Hope to hear from more of our class/ cradle mates. Always interested in anything y’all report. Hearing news of Batteau music is always a plus. Anyone else making music, Sandra, others? Happily, I am still in close touch with Becky who lives in Wilmington NC. Owen Fairbank from 2025: I feel like I do not have any particular wisdom, pleasures, hopes for the future, or amusing anecdotes to contribute to the alumni news.

I feel very fortunate to live with my sweet partner of 56 years in a beautiful Pacific NW community that many of us think of as a ’bubble’, with many good things happening locally in an otherwise tumultuous and distressing world nationally and globally. Dick Henry: I took the liberty this year of including notes I didn’t publish last year when I thought they would still be of interest to classmates. The following note I asked Perplexity to re-write in the style of EB White using the principles of The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. The results are interesting. I still work with public schools, trying to coax their mostly 1950s buildings toward net zero with air sealing, insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, and batteries. My seven-year project is nearly done and should cut the building’s energy costs sharply; with luck, I will have real numbers to share next year. The battery side of the work staggered when the current administration slapped tariffs on China but we have shifted course and expect a new solution to be in production by the time you read this. After more than fifty years in non-profits, the for-profit world feels like a different creature entirely. I count myself lucky to be with a company that still treats climate mitigation as a principle, not a slogan. The present lurch back to fossil fuels, urged on by the current administration, seems to me an act of suicidal madness, one of many from this crew of impostors. I can only hope that, come November, we begin to reclaim the country. I have also been fooling with AI in my work, finding it handy for research yet deeply at odds with the values I grew up with and still hope to keep. It feels like one more threat to human existence that we chase with no clear end in mind. Human beings are not built to weigh the long-term consequences of what we do. That has always been so, but the pace of change is now so rapid that this old flaw in the design has become painfully clear. Hopefully, we can begin to rectify the situation in 2026.

1963 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ALICE CODA codaalice@gmail.com 1205 Haventree Road Durham, NC 27713 Dan Wallace, always the first to report in, tells us that as usual, nothing dramatic on this front. Judith is very active and engaged in leading interested students toward their creative potential and is experiencing immense joy in so doing. I am doing fine as long as I don’t have to navigate sequences and have some support in the general arena of contexts. These areas of confusion do not often impinge on conversation or living-in-the-moment, and so there is little deficit in the areas of living I value the most. Mark continues to build skis with both pleasure and satisfaction; Glen has moved to Falmouth, Maine, so that he can more easily access the family island farm in Muscongus Bay. I continue to grieve the notion that might makes right . . . Are we getting together sometime this year? Those occasions are reliably uplifting . . . Deb Brackett Carmel tells us: My life is changing as I get older. In June I will retire from my volunteer job as church treasurer after six years. My brain is starting to show signs of difficulty with math (reminds me of struggling with algebra at Shady Hill). My free time will focus more on the gardens at our house, since many of them need refurbishing. Our children live within 60 miles of our house in Sandwich and two of my sisters are in Maine. Only Becca is far away in Minneapolis. I have been volunteering to write postcards in support of democracy but no protest marches for me yet. Linsey Grinder reports: I have no new news but I do really enjoy the occasional emails from our class. A big thank you again for being the class secretary! Brave of you to move and great that it is working out. Wonderful that you get to be with your grandson! Craig Barger writes: I will be stepping down from my role as immediate past President of our synagogue in June and assuming

the role of vice president to help the new president acclimate to her new role. I have been on the Easton Select Board for nine years and am a candidate for one last term in April as we navigate some very difficult financial times. I continue to serve as Chairperson of the Democratic Town Committee and plan to be engaged with the Governor’s re-election campaign as well as those of our two State Representatives. I hope that 2026 is a good one for my classmates. Paul Giﬀord tells us that: I do have major news, my wife Carla died on October 11 of 2025. It was all quite sudden and unexpected, she was diagnosed with an utterly unanticipated metastasized cancer (lung, brain, and lymph nodes) on September 11 and chose to take end-of-life medication on October 11. The good part was that we had family there at her bedside at home (myself, daughter Kim, son-in-law Laurence, twin grandkids, and her brother Craig), and that she got to depart exactly as she wished. The sad hard part is that we all wished she would have chosen to fight the disease and that we could have had more time with her at the end. I feel incredibly lucky that Kim, Laurence, and the grandkids offered me a spare room in their house at Redondo Beach (LA area) right away, and I have stayed there for the past three months. Aside from not having to stay in my house with all the memories attached to it, I have had a truly wonderful time building a better connection with everyone down here (and enjoying the lovely weather). That said, I am heading back home to San Francisco next weekend, to start the process of clearing out the house and making it my new solo residence. At least I have had two prior opportunities to let go of old stuff and old connections (my first wife, and my Dad), so I have a clear idea of what I am up against. Actually, not expecting it to be incredibly difficult, but you never know when grief/anger/frustration/ etc. will strike. This development in my life does open up new possibilities and greater freedom, so I have had a lovely visit with Brina and Gaj in Pasadena, been in touch with Brooksie by email, and expect to do more traveling going forward.

Brooksie Stanton reports that this is my 49th year in my old Vermont farmhouse. Whenever possible, I travel to other cultures and visit my son and his wife and my old haunts in California. I treasure my Vermont sense of community and work to support those around me on various levels—from neighbors in need to ICE-arrested. In turn, I am thankful for the support I have received from others, having lived with a fractured shoulder this last year. I walk the same wooded road nearly every day, my steps often in rhythm with the familiar words, “Whose woods these are I think I know…” Every so many years I am moved to revisit Boston/ Cambridge childhood haunts. Last fall I decided to walk the Boston neighborhoods I had frequented in my youth. Even if changed, how very old and historic the city felt. I noticed details I had missed in my youth—for example the words engraved on the exterior of the Boston Public Library: “The Commonwealth Requires the Education of the People as the Safeguard of Order and Liberty.” How deeply and powerfully those words resonated in a way they wouldn’t have 10 years ago…of course in relation to our current national political reality, and to my history as an educator. They also lead me to reflect once again how privileged we all were to be so uniquely educated in the little bubble of Shady Hill and how lucky to have one another. I realize from conversations with some schoolmates who lived outside of Cambridge what a specific world Cambridge was but have always felt—as Meredith Friedman ’65 said in her last entry—“We grew up together in the same family at Shady Hill”. All that aside, how amazed I am to think of the cultural times in which we grew up. Paul Giﬀord, who lived in my first Cambridge neighborhood, has confirmed that there was in fact a tiny penny candy store on our residential street, and others also recall the Good Humor ice cream cart and hurdy- gurdy man who made yearly visits to my second neighborhood. We could benefit from Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man” bringing love and enlightenment to us now in the midst of shadows cast! May we

continue to support one another from afar and to support the many others in need in our world. And may we also find some joy and fun and adventure and inspiration along the way. Sarah Creighton says: After having spent the last 45 years making books in Western Mass, I am returning to Boston to try city life again. I will be sharing a house with my daughter and plan to set up a print studio in the South End. This is a daunting downsizing maneuver!!! And I look forward to reconnecting with old Boston area friends. Anne Kessler says: She is living in Zihuatanejo Mexico six months of the year. Sun wind waves and a wonderful dog. Come visit. I have two apartments for rent a block from the beach.

Brina Peck ’63 and Gaj went to Cuba in April for ten days with Road Scholar Brina Peck reports that January of 2025 shocked us with the terrible fires in Altadena, Pasadena and Pacific Palisades. Our neighborhood was untouched but we knew many people whose houses were destroyed or damaged. We were lucky that two sets of friends stayed with us for a few nights, then went back to their houses, still habitable, one in Sierra Madre and the other in Pasadena, above the Rose Bowl. Gaj continues to consult at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory a few hours a month. He and Brina went to Cuba in April for ten days with Road Scholar (see photo below.) Brina keeps on teaching Spanish (through reading) to older adults and is gaining skill with bread machines. She is recovering well from knee replacement surgery.

Cynthia Shelmerdine writes: I am enjoying life in Maine, even in this old-fashioned winter we are having. Life is a nice balance of some research and writing, competitions in agility and scent-work with my two goldens, and volunteer work for various groups, from the local Democrats to Learning Ally, a national organization that produces audiobooks for the blind and dyslexic. High points from Fall 2025 were my first trip to Madrid, for a conference, and a visit to the Getty Museum in LA. I was invited to present a program along with a professional perfumer; I gave the ancient evidence for Mycenaean Greek perfumed oils, and the perfumer recreated one. He talked about his process and we all got to smell the wonderful result! John Stendahl reports: After a year of much anger, anxiety, and sorrow for our country and our world, the task of reporting once again to the Shady Hill News seems a gift in that it also recalls for me how richly fortunate I have been these 12 months. I have been able to preach and be with people in a variety of churches and have delighted in study and reflection with colleagues and friends. I have been able to enjoy seasons of varied weather on the Cape and in Framingham, and twice, in June and in December, I was able to return with my wife to Stockholm, the first time to revisit family and the second to attend the annual lecture that has been established in memory of my father. My kids and grandkids are great and my sibs live close enough that we can get together at least every couple of months. So much has been good beyond any deserving. And amid all of that, I find myself thinking with gratitude and fondness for my years at Shady Hill. Lizzie Hawthorne O’BeirneRanelagh says: I am trying hard to retire from my job as a farm conservation adviser but have not quite managed it though I am not doing a lot of work. Plenty of other activities, running the farm (i.e. doing the paperwork!), lots of music (mandolin orchestra and ceilidh band), training two young dogs. Husband John has been writing books and my sister’s family has relocated to Cambridge, England from the USA.

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Pam Fairbanks Kirkpatrick wrote in to say hello. Spencer Cowan writes: Last year had fewer extreme highs and lows than 2024. Joy and I went to Key West for my birthday in January, going sailing and snorkeling, seeing the Butterfly Pavillion, and enjoying some wonderful meals. In August, we visited with our older daughter, Emily, on Bainbridge Island, went to Port Townsend, took the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff, and saw Paul Simon in concert. Later that month, we also got to spend a week on Nantucket, where Joy taught a woodcarving class for the Nantucket Historical Association. Those were the big vacation trips. Joy taught woodworking classes at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, and in Norfolk, VA, as she continues to develop her artistic talents. Other than that, we took several shorter trips, including several visits with my 95-year-old foster brother in Northbrook, IL. Phil’s son, Noah, his wife, Syd, and two children, Hugo and Ruby, came to visit. We also had friends and in-laws stay with us, watched our granddaughters in school concerts and plays, and spent countless hours walking our dog, Quincy. Alice Ross Coda Our big news is that we finally, after years of “going to downsize” did put our house on the market and move to Durham, North Carolina to be near our grandson (and his parents.)! It was a whirlwind and basically all went down in about three months. We certainly did downsize and while that is good in many, many ways, it does take some maneuvering as Sarah noted. Things I thought would sell down here because of the increased population are still waiting to be disposed of; and space seems to be at a premium. Ah well. I think we are getting there, and give major kudos to my husband, who at 90 has done a great job in learning his way about, and taking things in stride. New germs, and new physicians have made the transition a bit more difficult but having our grandson Oliver for several days a month as well as doing other activities with the whole family makes it all worth it. Spencer and I have communicated

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and he expressed questions as to whether the unusually cold and snowy winter this year is due to our having moved from NH! I most sincerely believe that these two particular former New Hampshireites have that much power. One thing that moving does is remove me from the Boston/Cambridge/ New England area where most of our reunions happen. So, either we have a moveable feast, or we plan well in advance for travel purposes. I think Dan’s idea of getting together is a good one.

1964 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: NICK DEUTSCH deutsch.eubanks@gmail.com

On Sunday, October 26th, 2025, eight classmates gathered at the invitation of Stephanie Selden at Stony Lane Farm, her beautiful home in Petersham, MA. Guests in attendance were Mia Goldman Chase and her husband Richard, Nick Deutsch, Joel Horowitz and his wife Carol, Gerry O’Sullivan, Bob Pinderhughes and his partner Francine, Suzanne Webber and John Woolsey. We shared a delicious lunch and lively conversation. As Suzanne later wrote: “Our time together this fall was so memorable – I am still thinking about it a lot!” Deep gratitude to Stephanie for organizing and hosting this very special afternoon, and to all those who came (and brought food!).

SHS Class of 1964, 10-26-2025, Petersham, MA Back row: Suzanne Webber, Stephanie Selden, Mia Goldman Chase, Joel Horowitz Front row: John Woolsey, Bob Pinderhughes, Gerry O’Sullivan, Nick Deutsch

Susanna Solomon reports from the West Coast:I finally retired after 36 years in the engineering business. I spend my time writing stories, trying to get my stories published and am on a couple of boards of writing organizations. It seems that a lot of events and organizations that were very busy before the pandemic, and then died out, are up and running again. My stories are all over the place, mostly inspired by things I overhear. God knows what’s going on in my mind!

1965 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: FRED WANG FredWang65@gmail.com

Remembering Ann Harrer

Ann Harrer 1949–2025

Fred Wang: Early this year I received the sad news that our classmate and friend, Ann Harrer, had passed away last February. While she only joined us in the Sixth Grade, she quickly became a welcomed and treasured member of our class. Ann’s obvious intelligence combined with her keen observations and sassy tongue quickly made her a favorite in our class. We last saw her at our 50th reunion back in June of 2020 and despite the years, she was wisecracking and chatting with us as if conversations that we started back in middle school had continued with no break in time. Ann is and will be missed by all of us. Alice Beal: My specific memories are a bit dull these days but I remember Ann as always having a one line zinger that cut to the chase and had everyone in hysterics. She was great.

Betsy Brackett: I think Ann Harrer may have joined us in 6th or 7th grade (I joined in 5th). After school, we both took the trolley to Watertown Square, then I branched to Waltham and she to Newton. So, we had a lot of time to chat together. She introduced our family to the British “Panto” and humorous vaudeville type songs. I also wish I had had more continued contact with Ann. Dan Cohen: Agree with Alice. If my memory is right, she wrote and read a poem about visiting Arlington National Cemetery in the Spring following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Spring of 8th grade. The lines I still remember are:

If you must — and you probably must — Go over the hill to the grave. George Mahlowitz: I remember that Ann joined our class around the sixth grade—although she seemed to have always been there. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was such a positive person—so nice to be around her. Her laugh was infectious and so comforting, so intelligent yet modest—so rare these days! I knew there was something wrong with the recent class reunion photos— Ann was not physically there—but her spirit was! She is missed. Kin Dubois: Sorry that I do not have any specific anecdotes to share, just a recollection of Ann as a smart and nice person. She attended a previous reunion at the school, our 50th. Kristen Wainwright: I recall she was smart, with an eccentric and fun sense of humor. Her profession was as a cartographer, and lived in Medford, MA. I remember those fun map assignments, centered around world explorers, with Miss Tripp. Nan Waksman Schanbacher: How sad it is to learn about Ann Harrer’s passing. She arrived late to Shady Hill, although I am not sure when. I remember that she and I were good friends before we left the school and I am very sorry we did not keep it up. She was a little weird (aren’t we all?) and what I remember most is that she was extremely bright and had

a wonderful, dry, slightly snarky and sarcastic sense of humor that I found highly entertaining. I seem to remember that she became a cartographer. Was that due to our studying maps in 6th grade and learning to draw accurate maps of the world by the end of that year? Ann and I reconnected briefly following one of our SHS reunions and she later came down to Woods Hole for several sunny days together that I also remember as being interesting and fun, but I am sad to say that we lost touch again after that. I do not even remember where she lived, as an adult, or whether she was still a mapmaker or had moved on to something else. I am filled with regret at having let go of a friendship that I actually valued. Betsy Brackett writes: I am living in Minneapolis with my husband Fred Olson. Our son Andrew is Peruvian American, naturalized at 18 months of age. I was a Sociology-Anthropology major undergrad at Carleton College but then obtained an MD degree in the third-ever entering U Mass Medical School. I became a family doc but practiced in a big HMO in Minneapolis. I spend my time quilting and knitting. I am a Unitarian, raised in it by my parents. Three of my sisters attended Shady Hill. Best books for middle schoolers– the series called

Betsy Brackett ’65 and Fred at No Kings Rally

Swallows and Amazons, by Arthur Ransome, recommended by Shady Hill Librarian Miss Swift. I read them while commuting by bus/ trolley to and from Shady Hill. My house will be 100 years old in 2029. I should have taken better care of it. We are [currently] living through an attack by the Federal government, as made manifest by the agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). My husband Fred has been going at noon on Saturdays to a pedestrian overpass of a major freeway and holding signs for NO KINGS [Betsy photo 1]. Yes, at the June SHS reunion, I was able to go to the No Kings rally in Brookline. Dan Cohen writes: I will not be able to come from California this year but it looks like a great group and event. I do recall that Kris’ husband Rick made some of the best martinis ever, and if someone could drink one for me, it would be most appreciated. Last time, the third leg of the triple crown was running while we met at Kris’ house. Ned Ryerson’s book is unusual, raw, and unfinished with both intriguing, and ugly parts. How to be a man, might be its eventual objective, still in unfinished form, and how does school relate to education in that sense. How does one miss absolutely crucial moments that mean so much, or could. I did not need a “key” to recognize many of the people he talks about more anonymously, including a letter from Patrick Lydon. On the other hand, Lark Batteau’s book Lark Ascending about her experience with Findhorn is great. There is a recent book on the history and origins of the counterculture’s back-to-theland movement called The Garden by Mathew Ingram, and I reckon Lark’s book is the more interesting (and better written) on Findhorn, although Ingram has interesting technical details (and overall, as a book, is quite good covering many aspects). Lark’s formal name, as author, is Meleth Delia Batteau. It seems that Cambridge could have used a “zone of protection” both then and maybe more so, now... Kin DuBois writes: A couple of summer memories here. In July, we spent a wonderful afternoon with Brock and Leslie here during their Colorado visit, seeing Red Rocks Park and enjoying lunch in nearby Morrison, a few miles from our house. A high point of our East Coast trip in June was going to Legoland New York, in Goshen, with our two Connecticut granddaughters, Eliot and Olive. Our neighborhood herd had at least four fawns this year. Following the mid-year high point of the 60th reunion of my SHS 9th grade class,

Kin Dubois ’65, Brock Cutting ’65, and Leslie together in Colorado Sandy and I had a wonderful visit to London for the 80th birthday of a friend in Surrey. In December I completed and self-published (in a very limited first printing) Family Tales and Yarns: Stories From 400 Years in America. Featuring Boston, Providence, Greenwich CT, New Amsterdam/NYC and surroundings, it is a collection highlighting persistence, occasional heroics, ingenuity and success, failures, moral shortcomings and foolishness – plus stowaways, ghost stories, and adventures at sea. I have worked to connect disparate ancestors with each other and their times, linking them back to the countries they came and sometimes fled from. It has been a lot of fun to work on for the past three years, and satisfying to have this completed. Now we are looking forward to new horizons in 2026, hopefully selling the home we built 32 years ago and downsizing to something that makes more sense today.

Kin Dubois ’65 and his two Connecticut granddaughters, Eliot and Olive at Legoland

Lisa Rubinstein writes: This year was taken up with one big thing— our move from Winchester, and our beloved house of 33 years, to a CCRC, Brookhaven at Lexington. Much of the year was taken up with giving away 3/4 of our things, most of which found good homes. What a huge transition! We moved on December 3rd and spent the next week unpacking, though moving really never stops—now awaiting closet innards, then window shades. We like it, which Joel expected, but I was astonished that I do. I had felt unready and was anticipating terrible grief and hating having to talk to people all the time. But, in fact, people are genuinely friendly, we like our (too small) apartment, and there are many things that are so much easier. A chute for garbage around the corner, calling maintenance to fix anything, and only a long walk down the hall to a good gym, great classes and a saltwater swimming pool. For anyone thinking that there is even a chance you would make this kind of move, my advice is to go see places and put your name on their waiting list. Most have waits of 5-7 years, and they don’t call you till you say you are ready, so you are preserving the possibility of deciding to go. Fred Wang writes: A good part of the first half of the year was the planning and anticipation of our 60th Reunion we designated as “SHS 65x60”! We had an opening Friday evening welcome back session in Boston at the Colonnade Hotel. We had the opportunity to hear from Head of School Mark Stanek, who gave us an update of where the school is today and where it is headed. Mark was gracious enough to spend some individual time with each of us! The next day, we had an on campus session where many of us had not been in ten years, since our 50th! We had the opportunity to hear from a panel of current teachers and visit the school campus which has aged well but evolved dramatically since we were students. Our reunion culminated with a fabulous dinner at Kristen’s house, up the “hill” from the school, followed by a lively discussion that had everyone feeling so comfortable as if we were continuing discussions from when we were all students

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

here. Those who could make the reunion included: Alice Beal, Anne Wulsin and Bob Franklin, Betsy Brackett, Brock Cutting and Leslie Alexander, Conrad Wright and Mary, Fred Wang, Kin Dubois and Sandy, Kristen Wainwright and Rick Harriman, Lisa Shulman Rubinstein and Joel and Nan Waksman Schanbacher. Everyone, spouses and significant others had a terrific time!

1966 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: MARGARET BULLITT-JONAS margaretbj@aol.com

We grieve the deaths of Steve and Letty, two cherished classmates who lived extraordinarily purposeful lives. Steve Wessler was a civil rights lawyer who worked for two decades at the Maine Attorney General’s office, where he launched and directed a civil rights enforcement unit. Steve went on to found and direct the Center for Preventing Hate at the University of Southern Maine, where he was also a professor of policy. Later he worked as an independent advocate and educator countering hate, discrimination and violence in Maine and around the U.S. and the world. Letty Belin was an environmental attorney specializing in water management and use, tribal water rights and water quality, water infrastructure, endangered species, and other natural resource issues. During the Obama Administration she served as Counselor to the Deputy Secretary of the Interior Department in Washington, D.C., and as Chair of the Department’s Working Group on Indian Water Settlements. Before 2009, she spent 25 years practicing environmental, natural resource, water and Indian law in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In a memorial speech delivered on the House Floor to honor Letty’s legacy, U.S. Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury (D), New Mexico, described Letty’s “creativity and can-do spirit” and deemed her “one of the greatest legal and policy minds of our generation, working to protect the waters of the west.”

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Our sincere condolences to their classmates and family. Members of our class attended, joined online, or helped to lead Letty’s January 17th memorial service at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Lark Batteau (led us in singing “Dona Nobis Pacem”), Kitty Brazelton, Stephen Bundy (Letty’s cousin and one of the speakers), Margaret Bullitt-Jonas (celebrant), Alice (Woolsey) Godfrey, Paul Kirchner, Valery Rockwell, and Anne (Denio) Wiley were there in person. (Apologies if you were there and I didn’t name you!) Our class will hold its 60th reunion on Friday, June 5. Shall we make some plans? Kathy Agoos writes: I am sitting at my kitchen table looking out at my overgrowing garden (heavy spring and summer rains) while brother Ted ’65 (here on his annual visit to me in Melbourne) sends off emails for work that he’s managing remotely. He has been doing this since 2013 – escaping his Winter and enjoying our Summer. My kids and grandkids think of him as a part of the furniture of my place now and would be devastated if he decided to miss a year. Me, too! Life here continues much as it has for the years since COVID lockdowns lifted. I still enjoy volunteering with the Melbourne Visitor Centre, learning something new and meeting happy travelers every week. I have also been dipping into courses at U3A (University of the Third Age) – various histories, technology, the whys and wherefores of transport systems…all sorts of things I might never have explored in years gone by. I can’t say I retain it all, but it’s fascinating to have my world expanded. A couple of visits each year to the U.S. have remained on my travel calendar. Mum has just turned 98 and we talk daily via FaceTime. My friends here love it when she calls when they are with me – those conversations and connections across the world are uplifting and make us all happy for the moment in these troubled times. Robin Alden writes: Ted and I continue to live happily in Stonington, ME, grateful for its beauty and community. We are

both writing. I continue to work on a book of braided memoir/creative non-fiction. I am making good progress, and it is also a challenge to capture the span of events in 50 years and some of the new thought which Ted and I are both a part of developing. The human challenge of governing ourselves for sustainability is very obvious in fisheries and so pertinent right now as world affairs unfold. Shady Hill experiences have popped into the book as I explore my approaches and motivations, too. Interesting! Lark Batteau writes: 2026 was eventful. The owners of the duplex that I had been renting for four years in Santa Barbara decided to sell the property. Upon looking for new housing, I found the cost had tripled. I have heard from a friend in Australia that this same thing is happening there. He called it the “Americanization of the world.” I call it “profits over people.” After months of searching for something affordable to no avail, I decided to take a break and travel to Europe for the summer, visit family, friends, and eventually to get back up to Findhorn, Scotland, and give a reading, along with singing, of my book Lark Ascending: Magic, Mystery and Mayhem in a Spiritual Community. Taking trains, planes, ferries, and automobiles, I had a marvelous time: climbing castles, swimming in the Aegean Sea, dancing at festivals...and it was much cheaper than renting! Eventually I got back to the Boston area where a few siblings reside. This is when things got crazy. One day, after reeling with what I thought was food poisoning, I collapsed. My sister called the paramedics, and they rushed me to MGH, where I was intubated for five days in the ICU. The Cowboy Doctors and Angel Nurses worked day and night to get my heart beating properly and reduce the inflammation. (I hallucinated the whole time, but that’s another story.)

After that I was essentially an infant, needing 24-hour care on the 10th floor. The infinitely kind and competent nurses kept me slowly gaining in function while two brothers made me laugh whenever I was having a pity-party and my sister took care of business. My

outrage and fear about the state of the world but it also provides us with energy and resources to engage and we are grateful to be able to do so.

eldest brother tenderly told me I would always have a home and then sang “Gonna Lay Down My Sword and Shield” while I croakily whispered along. The next morning a golden eagle perched outside my window. Now, living in Arlington, I am gaining in strength every day. I can walk eight blocks without support. I am feeling immense gratitude to so many for so much. My goal is to be Salsa dancing by Spring! Kitty (Waring) Block writes: The other day, I ran across the phrase “Vigorous gratitude”. I like that. Vigor implies effort and intentionality, both of which we need in order to live in a condition of gratitude in our culture these days. I realize there is much that is wrong and the division between people is probably what grieves me the most. But I realize we are each entitled to our own opinions and viewpoints, and that is one of the things that I am particularly grateful for in our country. I am also grateful for health (although slowly turning into a FORD—Fix or Repair Daily) and the ability to travel and to interact with grandkids in all their different stages. I am grateful for clean air and water and a comfortable place to live. These are things the majority of the rest of the world do not take for granted. On a practical note: I had a knee replacement last March and am contemplating another one. Frank and I traveled out to Arizona right after Christmas to visit friends and see the gorgeous red rock scenery. And a highlight of the year was receiving the annual Congressional Award as “Angels in Adoption” from Missouri commemorating the 35 years of adoption work that Frank and I did. That was pretty humbling! There are many others equally or more qualified to receive it than we, that’s for sure. As classmates start to disappear from this earth, each day becomes less taken for granted and more appreciated. May we all live vigorously in the days we have left! Kitty Brazelton writes: My daughter Rosie got married twice – once Hindu, once Protestant. Both weddings were joyous, GuyaneseAmerican dancing and feasting affairs. Queens-meets-East-Village, NYC. So grateful for the beauty.

Kitty Brazelton,’66, with daughter Rosie at her Hindu wedding

Kitty Brazelton,’66,with daughter Rosie at her Christian wedding

And ”Water Memory”, libretto by Vaibu Mohan, composed & orchestrated by Kitty Brazelton, about a middle-aged South AsianAmerican woman who is losing life to dementia but strives to live for her garden, her children and her talking hydrangea bushes – premieres mid-June 2026 with the Atlanta Opera.

lead “Green Light for Climate Justice,” a multifaith service of celebration and resolve held at Old North Church in Boston to launch Bill McKibben’s national Sun Day campaign for clean energy. I preached and presided during Holy Week services at our little village church in Ashfield, MA, and had the delightful experience at the Christmas Eve service of accompanying the hymns on the piano. I step into 2026 wondering how best to engage this tumultuous and dangerous time in history, grateful for affiliations with organizations like The BTS Center (which focuses on spiritual leadership in a climate-changed world) and Third Act (which mobilizes folks over 60 to take action to protect our democracy and our climate). Our son Sam Jonas ’04 married his sweetheart, Riley Williams, last June – surely one of the happiest days of my life! They are expecting their first child one year to the day after their wedding. I am eager to be a hands-on grandmother and I know that meeting this little person will accentuate my longing to help make the world a safer, kinder place.

Margaret Bullitt-Jonas writes: I was blessed by my lifelong friendship with Letty Belin. After SHS, we attended the same boarding school and the same college and we stayed in close touch until she died. I was grateful to have a chance to say goodbye when I visited last August. Some friends will always be a light in our lives. She is one of them. My husband Jonas and I continue to explore retirement. I enjoy more savoring and less speed and am nourished by the family traditions that have evolved over the years, such as spending a week together in August at Squam Lake, NH. Last year I helped organize and

Margaret Bullitt-Jonas ’66 & Letty Belin ’66, August 2025

Stephen Bundy writes: Cynthia and I continue to do well in Berkeley, a step closer to retirement, but still involved with work and community in different ways. Our children and stepchildren and grandchildren are well and we are fortunate also in our families and friends. We loved having Letty as our near neighbor after her service in Washington and we miss her every day. Our fortunate situation does not exempt us from sadness,

Mellen Candage writes: Bonjour, Margaret and all, from our frozen but still gentle hillside in France. We are stumbling along reasonably fine here in the cold. I took a tumble on our centuries-old staircase in July, trying to balance a tray of cornichons and rillettes de canard (and stupidly wearing fluffy socks), and managed to snap my femur in two, which presaged a week in hospital and months of rehab. So, I am good to go, but hardly fleet-footed. Steve’s Parkinson’s is well under control but still requires vigilance in this old stone house with too many possible trip-ups. Even with superb and ever-watchful French healthcare, old age is a bit of a quagmire. We have a remarkable entourage of friends, neighbors, and caretakers, though, so from a distance you would think we were living the expat Life of Reilly. And it really is heart-breakingly beautiful. I was sad to hear of Letty’s passing. As a pudgy, frizzy-haired Irish-immigrant descendant, I always coveted her straight, blonde hair, fine features, and benevolence. She certainly left her mark in important matters. Watching America from afar these days is a bit of a horror show. I will refrain from commenting except to say that THIS is my president now, and I am proud of him [she shared a link to President Macron’s New Year’s address to the French army]. Thank you, Monsieur Vincent, from the bottom of my heart, for my French connection. Kevin Frank writes: Caryn and I continue to teach workshops for Rolfers/Structural Integrators, and related professions, helping people shift their movement patterns through gravity orientation and perception. It is great to have a partner with whom there is ongoing collaboration and mutual support. We also continue to have private practices in what is now a shared workspace/studio. We did a lot of hiking in Europe in the spring of 2025 as well as some teaching in London and visits to folks we had not seen in a while. Life in our

new home in southwest NH is low key and suits our tendencies. As previously reported, we, effectively, built a duplex with another couple of long friendship and it’s been 16 months living here. Good to once again have energy efficiency and low maintenance. The building project was a workout for me but was probably mostly a stay creative/ stay lively opportunity. We continue to be part of the Springwater Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreats in Springwater, NY, the fruit of another big deal building project for me back in 1984 with a team of volunteers, all of us living in tents during the construction. The most recent building project probably represents the eighth big deal adventure of that sort. Can’t seem to shake the habit. Grateful for many things, among them friendships and colleagueships that span many decades and continue to offer connection and shared inquiry into the nature of simple presence and curiosity. Peter Galbraith writes: Croatia, Syria, and Venice are the places that dominated our year. Croatia invited Sarah and me to a series of events to mark the 30th anniversary of the peace agreements that ended the Croatia and Bosnia Wars. (I was the negotiator, author, and signatory of the Erdut Agreement that ended the Croatia War.) To our delight, Croatia made Sarah and me citizens under a provision of its citizenship law for those who made exceptional contributions to the country’s independence. This made it possible for us to relocate—as EU citizens—to Venice, where we now have a home. I have been coming to Venice for more than 50 years and it is a great place for people our age. We walk everywhere (there are no cars) and every view is beautiful. Venice is close to Croatia (whose coast was once part of Venice) and to our children and grandchildren who live in Spain, Norway, Scotland and Sweden. And, thanks to becoming a Croatian, I can still say that I am a citizen of a democratic country. I continue to work on Syria, but the circumstances have changed greatly with the fall of the Assad regime a year ago. I was in Kurdish-controlled Syria when

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

the HTS began its offensive that toppled Assad and am now helping the Kurds negotiate with the new regime in Damascus. I continue to reunite young Yazidi women enslaved by ISIS with the children who were forcibly taken from them and sent to an orphanage in Syria. Sarah and I continue to see the mothers and children now resettled in Europe. Sarah is working with the mothers on a book to tell their story. It is a tale of unspeakable brutality and extraordinary resilience. Ralph Giﬀord writes: Not a lot of events worth sharing this year, just minor surgery and a broken arm (my wife’s) that forced cancellation of a trip to Spain. My kids and grandkids are doing okay, and Linda and I are mobile. I am not mentioning our political nightmares. I find myself running through early childhood memories more and more, prodded probably by the loss of our classmates and others, including my brother’s wife. On the other hand, in a few weeks we’re attending a 100th birthday party for a friend, so nothing terrible seems imminent. Henry Isaacs writes: It has been humbling to hear of our dear friends’ passing. Letty, Heidi, Steve. They were such good friends, such important friends when we were so young. Decades later, I was so moved by Letty’s turning up at my exhibition openings, and Heidi was my terrific gallery director for many years. It is a sobering business being 74, and yet we have the gift of time and experience to remember and consider. As for me, while the year started out dramatically with open heart surgery, my recovery has been good and I am feeling very well. I still live in Vermont – though I am often in Brooklyn with my partner, Lucy. Two of my children, their spouses and two grandchildren have returned to Vermont and live nearby. My son lives in Brooklyn with his children. I paint most days, my exhibitions, projects and commissions take me all over the map, though now mostly in this country. Lucy and I are also consumed by a soon to be realized performance/installation/ exhibition, “Surviving Visions—

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Vienna and Prague, 1937-1942”. The work centers on one hundred letters from Lucy’s grandmother, Franziska Wienerova, prior to her deportation to Terezin, and my cousin, Emil Singer’s paintings and prints, done prior to his own deportation and death. Lucy adds her own contemporary writing, as I paint today’s Vienna and Prague, following in Emil’s footsteps. The descriptions and accounts of life under fascist occupation, of course, have loud resonance in our world today. Though finances and life require continued hard work, and the notion of slowing down evades my ability, I am blessed to have a vocation centered on a lifelong passion. As our world presses in, my quest for quieter times becomes more elusive. Beth O’Sullivan writes: Watching the service for Letty was very, very moving to me. I remember her well. Her quiet poise, her intelligence and her kindness were ever with us growing up. Thank you, Margaret, for your words and for making it possible for us to join the memorial. My husband of 50+ years and I are living in Petersham, MA. A short walk down the road lives Stephanie Nolin Selden ’64. Several of Alice Woolsey’s siblings live in town, as well. I see John Woolsey ’64, in the country store and Henry Woolsey ’69 runs an open mic at the Unitarian church at which my husband plays jazz piano. Today two of my grandchildren sang a concert in the Gardner Museum courtyard of songs they learned in South Africa when they were on tour there over the summer. I was reminded of the time we all sang at the Gardner Museum. I remember the exact spot in the room where I stood singing. Kitty Brazelton’s mother went into labor during our concert. I have spent most of my life creating math hands-on games and problemsolving activities, interpreting my graduate school combinatorial theory and graph theory at MIT into activities for children. I was delighted to learn that Dr. Dienes taught at SHS. I now have several of his books and will be including some of his activities into my teaching, which I have been doing internationally since COVID, and I

am still expanding my curriculum. I would love to hear from anyone who studied with him. In addition to teaching, I am still writing. I have written a collection of midrash poetry and am continuing a collection of fiction set in the Allegheny Mountains, where my grandfather was an illiterate coal miner. It is a world that history has forgotten, and I feel compelled to save it in words. We are very much a part of our grandchildren’s lives, and all is well. Valery Rockwell writes: I have hesitated to write because the state of the world is in such a crisis. I try to find positive things to say, and it feels so superficial compared to the severity of what is happening around us. That said, it is important to see the beauty in humanity and feel hope. We are living in Plymouth, MA, after downsizing and moving from Lexington.

Cassandra, our daughter, is living with us, and Mei, our second, is living in Somerville. I continue to see clients in my practice as I slowly move towards retirement. When I have time, I draw, paint, and pursue my interests in psychology and the “spiritual” world (for lack of a better way of explaining it). I am taking a course in “Ancestral Medicine Healing”. Louis, my husband (Rob Postel’s older brother) has become an avid activist at the age of 78. He protests twice a week at the prison here in Plymouth which holds people detained by ICE, and also on behalf of the Palestinians. I fear for his safety and simultaneously admire his courage. I do think of you all as part of an extended family, even though we haven’t seen each other in many years. Victor Rodwin writes: Luck has continued as I am in good health and living in a big house in Montpelier, VT after three decades in a small co-op apartment in Manhattan when teaching at NYU! I am still doing some teaching on comparative health policies, travelling often to France and Switzerland and writing about these alternative health systems with all their strengths and weaknesses. Another source of luck is my family. After three divorces, I finally found a partner I adore and my kids are thriving. Daughter

Leonora is a professor of sociology of education at the University of Stockholm; son Aaron, 10 years younger, is completing his Ph.D. at NYU, School of Social Work, and pursuing his research on how vulnerable young adults with severe mental illness use music in recovery. Anne (Denio) Wiley writes: Dear “First Friends” (as Steve Bundy once coined), 2025 seemed to be the year of “hitting the wall,” meaning that events happened in life that disrupted more than just normal routines and age changes. In January 2025 I learned about new medical specialties, more frequent doctor visits, new treatments. The first unexpected words were “And if when your eyesight worsens you may lose your driver’s license.” Just then I received the devastating news about my “first friend” Letty’s prognosis. I was struck by her grace, dignity, strength, and understated manner of living her life and facing her mortality…with resilience to do so on her own terms. My issues dwarfed, and Letty’s example became such a Light. My occasional trips to Boston over 50 years from FL have just been snippets and so I set out to reminisce in person

about my Shady Hill life with others attending, drive Route 16 into Watertown Square by our little old house that used to be a colonial banker’s outbuilding (50 yrs ago reduced to a parking lot, but they saved Alice Longfellow’s tree, which my dad rescued) and then on to Mt. Auburn Cemetery to learn more about my remarkable, admirable friend’s life. The three part a capella “Dona Nobis Pacem” led by Lark, her brother Robin ’62, and Margaret was beautiful and such a fitting and peaceful beginning. With lovely tributes and poems, every piece of the service made you feel that Letty was speaking and sharing parts of her life, even the ones we had missed or that had required her true grit. Thank you again, Margaret, for continuing to be there in support for our class whether in sadness or joy. P.S. One year later, my eye issues are out of danger, a relief since my maternal grandfather died from a melanoma of the eye at age 63.

1967 We are looking for a class correspondent! Email alumni@ shs.org to volunteer for this exciting role. Ted Mayer writes: Here are my last 60 years: Lucky in my siblings and parents and to have survived to twenty. Since then—One wife, incandescent, unstoppable, accomplished, and everything to me. Two children, Lily who lives, Henry who died, the best people I have known. Four grandsons in London and I am there whenever I can. One job, as a courtroom lawyer, which took me away too much but which I loved. I am very grateful for my six years with my remarkable classmates at Shady Hill, where I learned most of what I still know. I am still heartbroken for Ceno and Karen and their families.

1968

record yet. I have reattached my website to its own domain www.lisakirchner.com. George Beal: Not much to report for me. I am still working but no longer set an alarm in the morning. I read the newspapers (paper version) and am trying to wean myself off the 24 hour news cycle. I am a bit flummoxed about how to combat the anti-democratic actions of our federal government and am open to suggestions. Sarah Bullitt: I continue to live happily in a small rural town in the Berkshires. The small-town intimacy combined with wonderful local music, dance, theater, and art set in a scenic setting is perfect for me. I wish that all the world had the luxuries of pleasure that I have. I continue to tutor English to an immigrant, and through her, am involved in the plight of those who are unwelcome in this country. Sending everyone encouragement to believe that each of us has something uniquely good to give to this world.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: TERESA KOHLENBERG tesik53@gmail.com Lisa Kirchner writes: Moving on from a catalogue of twelve albums from a series of six of my father’s music and performances—Leon Kirchner, 1967 Pulitzer Prize Composer, Conductor, Pianist and six albums of my own songs and cover repertoire—European, Folk, Jazz , and Jazz/Classical Crossover—on Albany Records and Verdant World Records—I have edited and published a volume of new and previously published articles about my father entitled, Leon Kirchner and His Verdant World, published by Verdant World Productions on Amazon and at verdantworldproductions.com and verdantworldrecords.org which includes 69 pieces by 62 authors with 105 photos.

Currently I am at work on a seventh album of my own and beginning a book of various archival pieces and new writings replete with song lyrics, letters written and not, essays, prose, photos and drawings. A journey in the making stopping at no particular parallel on

Gary Cowan ’68 honoring his tradition of summiting a mountain on his birthday Gary Cowan: I lost my brother Phil ’61 last year, and although he was still with us when I sent in my last alumni note, I was pleased to see his passing mentioned elsewhere by his classmates and my brother Spencer ’63. Nevertheless, herewith a pertinent story: We are a composite family; Philip and Spencer’s dad, Spencer senior, married my mom, Dusty, and little Gary, 4-5 years old, came with the bargain. Young Philip on hearing this made an official appointment with the headmaster. He informed

said headmaster that he was “getting a new little brother, and could he come here?” I like to think that intelligence tests and suchlike gained me admittance, but then again, the sober little gentleman with his special interview request no doubt counted for something too! As for ma derniere annee, no big adventures, but happily, I continue to honor my tradition of summiting a mountain on my birthday. Mark Finn: My only real news is that my sister Cindy (Lucinda) died suddenly before Christmas. She had several health challenges but had been doing better. She apparently was overtaken by septic shock. I mention her passing because she also attended Shady Hill and I thought her classmates might be interested. As for me all is well personally but I wish this storm of cruelty would stop. Roger Kay: Well, I finished my annus horribilis. Six months of chemo, and I was left stranded at the other end. Apparently, post-chemo depression is fairly common, but no one told me. I am on close monitoring now, but feeling pretty good, building my strength back. There are some issues to be sorted, but Beth and I are beginning to enjoy ourselves a bit. We just got back from Tacoma, where my older brother, Josh, is having his last moments in hospice after a long slog with Alzheimer’s. I said goodbye. I think he knew it was me. There were moments that looked like recognition. It was hard to tell. Next year, I will report on all the happy things we did in 2026. Tesi Kohlenberg: Still working part time, juggling special-needs parenting of our 25 year old daughter with disabilities, with helping families in my different jobs, with doing what I can to combat the hideous transformation of our country. That involves supporting mutual aid and legal defense for families targeted by the ICE raids. I am older, stiffer, and still feisty. I am struck by how many of us are dealing now with the loss of siblings, a new sorrow. Life is — if we’re lucky — long, history is longer.

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gave me an early start on the trade.” He splits his time between Maine and Hawaii.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: HENRY TAVES hvtaves@mac.com Anne Warner: Has not only continued creating stained glass art, but now writes “I really feel I have discovered ’my’ medium!” She is also busy playing the cello with a local orchestra, helping out folks in need of pro-bono legal help, and helping partner Dan with medical challenges. “I would love to see everyone again!” Kelly Erwin and husband Warren are both retired and enjoying life in Amherst, MA. Kelly reports that she became president of the Board of Trustees of the beautiful Wildwood Cemetery there. She is also on the board of the Friends of the Jones Library. “Last year I heard a voice in a coffee shop and knew, without looking, that it was Henry Woolsey! It was nice to see him, and he seemed well.” Kelly invites anyone passing through Amherst to stop and say hi.

Dexter Bellows ’69 and his daughter Shenna, now campaigning for Governor in Maine Dexter Bellows is excited that his daughter, Shenna, is mounting a very positive campaign towards becoming Maine’s next governor. She has been Maine’s first female Secretary of State since 2021 and is focused on voting security and protecting Maine from federal overreach. Go, Shenna! Dexter retired last year from a long career in carpentry and building contracting, writing “the classes with Mr. Mapel and Mr. Martin

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Peter Aladjem reappeared in my inbox (with a new email address) and writes that he bought a house on Hardy Pond in Waltham MA in mid-2023. “I said to myself ’I think Rosalyn Reiser also lives in Waltham’, and called her, and we are friends again which makes me very happy.” Back in the day, they both lived on Hilliard Street in Cambridge. Peter’s email is peteralad@rcn.com. Rosalyn adds, “It’s been great having Peter in the same town and we’ve had some nice visits. If other classmates are near the Waltham area, please reach out if you’d like to get together!” Heidi Wade Hughey reports: Her daughter, Celeste, has created and written a new show soon to premiere on Peacock: The ’Burbs! Celeste is the executive producer of the series of eight shows, all to be released February 8. It sounds great! Heidi also writes “All is good with me; I am enjoying travel as much as possible…my new favorite country is Portugal.” She still resides in Brookline and recently sold the family home in Bedford. Cary Sheldon writes from Berkley, CA: She lives with husband John and two cats (we both chuckled that she went from Berkeley Street, Cambridge, to Berkley, California). “I continue to have a private practice teaching singing and technical voice instruction. My best friend Sarah Ackerman lives close and we see each other almost every day. My mother, Sayre Sheldon, died in September on her 99th birthday and I am still adjusting to her being gone from this world. I love to travel, and recently we have been able to do that more often, which is such a gift.” Their daughter Bibia, husband, and their two children live in Paris, and their son, Simon, a composer and performer, lives in Brooklyn. “Most days I feel grateful for all I have and have been given.” Sarah Robey Hall writes: “Life continues to be busy with our Tree Farm and gardens in Mid Coast Maine. Stone wall building is still my passion and we are now adding a playhouse/folly complete with a bell tower and stained glass

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window.” Last year she attended the memorial service of Sayre Sheldon (Cary’s mom) in Cambridge and enjoyed reconnecting with Rosalyn and Cary and their families. “It was the highlight of my year.” Sarah has two granddaughters near New York City. Henry Taves: My only Shady-Hillrelated news is that last summer I really enjoyed visiting Cary at her home in Berkley, CA and having lunch and good conversation downtown. After her recent news about her Mom’s death, I read about Sayre online…wow, what an accomplished, dedicated woman. She will be missed by many. I still take long train trips, still go to 2530 Red Sox games a year, and still do lots of Ebaying, deaccessioning so many things my parents and I accumulated over the years. Posy and I enjoy living in our converted basket mill in Peterborough, NH.

1970 Volunteer to be your class correspondent! Email alumni@ shs.org to learn more.

1971 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: EMMY HOWE ehowe@wellesley.edu Emmy Howe includes a letter she wrote to the ’71: Dear Shady Hill Classmates,

I hope you are finding time to relax and find joy. I’ve been thinking of you all as I move into being 70. Where are you finding purpose? How are you reflecting on the past and imagining the future?I went to a LUCE protest/ vigil yesterday and listened as young people expressed anger and frustration.Their brilliance shone through as their words searched for accountability, humanity, liberation and a government that works. I am both heartbroken looking out at current events and deeply heartened and hopeful listening to and working with young people. My question for our notes this year is: who is your “next generation” ? Who are the young people close to you that bring you hope (and joy)? They may be family members or they may be part of your chosen family or community. It would be wonderful to have some pictures and words bringing to life what the future looks like and/or feels like to our class. I appreciate all the notes that were sent in- so many interesting lives- so much love—I love hearing all the ways that people are having a positive impact on the world around them.- so much to think about—always. There are many people that bring me joy. My family brings me both hope, joy and sadness for the challenges they may face that are definitely mounting.Being a grandparent is wonderful. Dan Kahn writes: Here’s my top five: 1) International Charter School: Upon retiring from the RI Arts Council I joined the board

Kavita Smith (my daughter), Seri (Puja’s wife) Julian Smith, Puja (my son), Jayden Smith, Jonathan Smith (Kavita’s husband) and Emmy Howe ’71

Nick Jordan writes: My next generation is the students and other young folks I spend lots of time with in my work in regenerative agriculture at the University of Minnesota. So much to say about how they are, and what it is like to work among them. I am moving to retirement, aiming to retire fully in fall 2027; I’m figuring out how I will stay involved in my current networks. My 34 year old daughter just bought a house near Central Sq. Cambridge, and I love my visits!

Dan Kahn ’71, his son’s wife Somrita, and a family friend getting street chai before heading to a riverside temple at night fall in Kolkata of this Pawtucket school which offers instruction in Spanish or Portuguese along with English. 2) Kolkata: Our son, Justin, met his bride, Somrita Ganguly, while she was on a Fulbright at Brown in 2019. 3) Gardening/Brewing: Have grown a lot of veggies since 1981 and have lately upped my homebrew game by working with younger partners. 4) Giving Away Money: I love conversing with (and often confounding) young directors of development at local non-profits. 5) Radio: I have been doing wonky college broadcasts since 1988. Justin & I cohost “World Wide Waves” once a month on WRIU in Kingston, RI.

Nick Jordan ’71 gardening with Blake

Jane Selverstone writes: What to say this year? I feel consumed by the political upheaval in our country, and some days find it difficult to function. But I do find hope in the unlikely coalitions that I see forming among friends and acquaintances who have previously been reluctant to participate in our democracy, and in the random acts of kindness that I witness on a regular basis. In my own family, my daughter has been acutely aware of cuts to benefits and services for those with disabilities, including her own services. She has taken to attending protests with enthusiasm and a complete lack of fear, and keeps us going even when things feel hopeless. My son, who is a

marine ecologist, has been staring down budget cuts that pose an existential threat to his own job, and to those of so many of his peers. Nonetheless, he continues to mentor younger scientists and to carry out his own work with passion. I have needed to take frequent mental health breaks this past year, which have typically taken the form of camping trips where we are off-grid and away from news sources for several days at a time. As a serious introvert, these trips are essential to restoring my energy and preserving some shred of sanity. My other route to preserving sanity was to recently acquire dual citizenship with the UK.

Anne Moncreiff de Arrarte ’71 TTC ’15, Mars Child ’71, Peter Fisher ’71 and Julie Agoos ’71 at Mars’ Back Bay apartment Peter Fisher writes: I’m inspired (and more than a little surprised) by the foreign students at MIT (where I’m teaching and a visiting fellow this year) who are both bewildered by what is happening around us and yet still hopeful, even enthusiastic about wanting to live and work here in the U.S.

Tom Loeser ’71 and family Tom Loeser writes: We are sitting on a seating piece I had just finished. The picture was supposed to show how you could use it for sitting in various ways, but instead became a family portrait. Better that way.

Julie Agoos ’71’s mum at 97 finding a kindred spirit July 4 in New Hampshire

Julie Agoos: Shared some lovely photos of her family

Jane Selverstone ’71 on a camping trip

Marea Wexler writes: As I get closer to turning 70 in April I feel astonished and grateful. I

Juilie Agoos ’71 with siblings Peter ’68, Kathy ’66, and Teddy ’65 continue to find purpose through my work..raising funds for talented diverse women to gain an excellent education by attending Smith College. Having benefitted from access to excellent education myself, it feels gratifying to help offer it to others, especially in this time of dangerous attacks on higher education and diversity. Last Sunday while attending an ICE OUT rally I remembered marching in an anti war rally on the Boston Common when SHS attended as a school. I believe we have Sayre Sheldon to thank for that. My god children inspire me with their creativity and intelligent humanity. One is now a father which makes me a god grandmother. As for the future I’m just happy to be here and I’ll take it as it comes. I’m wishing everyone well. Alexandra Sheldon writes: My mother, Sayre Sheldon, died on her 99th birthday, on September 28, 2025. We had made a film about her for her memorial on December 13th, which we showed at the Friends Meeting House in Cambridge. I wanted her grandchildren to absorb exactly what she did for the world. My mother was not a protective or doting mother but she was doing her darnedest to save the world while raising 4 children. Each grandchild that got up to speak at the memorial talked of going to rallies with Mom. She NEVER gave up and never stopped. I have spent a good deal of my life in therapy trying to untangle our family dynamics but one thing is clear: I am immensely proud of Moms dedication to Civil Rights, Feminism, Democracy, Nuclear Disarmament, Peace and

finally Climate Change (her last focus right up into her late 90’s). Someone recently asked me “How many letters do you think your mother wrote to the New York Times?” I estimate: in the hundreds. And they published a whole lot of them. Not to mention the Globe and The Guardian. In 8th or 9th grade I had to argue against the death penalty in a debate at SHS. I walked into Moms room while she was getting dressed and putting up her hair. I asked “Mom why is the death penalty wrong?” As she pinned her hair up she listed seven reasons why. Good solid reasons. I walked out of her room armed with knowledge. That was an important moment for me. Mom’s sharp mind and determined heart had equipped me for the debate. My mother tasted the bitterness of war while visiting family in Germany in 1939. While Hitler Youth parades were going on in the streets and seducing kids my mother’s age (she was 13). Her parents were scrambling to get the heck out of Germany fast. They made it onto a train to the Netherlands and then a freighter bound for the USA and slept in their clothes in case the boat was bombed in the night. Some family members back in Germany did not make it through the war. Six years later my mother would meet my father, a very damaged person by HIS experience in the war (my father was part of a regiment in the Navy that dealt with the aftermath of battles in the Pacific and specifically handled all combat burials at sea. He was 19. He estimated that he buried hundreds). Although my parents couldn’t always stay ahead of their substantial PTSD they were for the most part very loving, kind and generous people. They never let us forget our tremendous privilege and the importance of giving back to the community and to the world. Every month we received a letter in the mail. The envelope was addressed in barely legible spidery writing. It was from Mississippi. My mother had signed up to help families who had suffered from industrial accidents. A father had lost a leg in a catastrophic factory accident. This family had six children. There was no insurance, no help from anyone let alone the factory. Mom sent money

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monthly through a philanthropic organization. The letter was a thank you note from the father. This made a huge impression on me. I was aware of Shady Hill and the grand education I was receiving. I was aware of my own handwriting, born of a privileged education . I was aware of inequality. I was nine. I stay balanced in hard times by walking with my husband Christophe and our dog Philbin in the woods. Nuzzling my cat Ozzy on the couch. I paint and make collages in my studio. I am currently inspired by my granddaughter Marín (age three) whom I see almost every day. Marín inspires in me colors of gardens and flowers, vines, things growing and optimistic, humor and silliness. A good day has art in it and animals and children, fresh air, trees, good food, friends, love. Lately, a big hunger for reading books and watching comedy snippets helps me get by. I’m proud of our older son Adrien and his partner Hannah. They are politically minded, constantly volunteering and active in their community. My younger son Sylvan and my stepdaughter Teva (raising her son in France) are too busy being parents to have much time but I see their dedication and love for family and I’m hugely proud of them. After all, it all comes down to love and kindness doesn’t it? Inspiring children to be gentle to animals, loving and generous to others, creative in their pursuits (preventing a bottleneck of feelings and anger?). I think so. So picture me in my kitchen, dancing to Sly and the Family Stone, with a little wild and expressive three year old granddaughter while my husband cooks something delicious.That’s my happy place.

1972 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: GEORGE PERKINS georgehperkins@hotmail.com Helen Bouscaren writes: This was a busy year for me as I retired at the end of 2024, and Joe and I had a great three week trip to be with friends in New Zealand. We did two of the Great Walks of

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NZ on the south island ( 70 miles total- no, we did not camp on the route...). Then, we moved from our home in Cambridge to an apartment in Harvard Square overlooking the Charles and Harvard boat house which had great appeal to my husband, Joe, who is a former Yale rower. Our daughter, Lindsay ’12 had our first granddaughter, Rayalise Priscilla Torres, who has been a delight, but sadly they now live in Ocala, Florida since Lindsay is an equestrian and that is horse country. Joe and I are now golfers so, while I don’t love the politics in Florida, we travel to see them and play golf (but never at a Trump course just to be clear!!!) Travis ’09 lives in Palo Alto and works for a health/fitness/ biometric testing start-up company there. We are sad that neither of our children live nearby, but lucky that we are retired and can fly to see them...I was fortunate enough to see dear friends Amy Vorenberg and Sally (nèe Onesti) Blair this year as well! Rich Read writes: Brenda and I took an intensive Portuguese language class during fall quarter at the University of Washington, where it turns out that in-state residents 60 and above can take up to two courses per quarter with tuition waived. We are off today to southern Africa for a few months of “self-drive safari” in a truck with a roof tent to try out our elementary language skills in Angola and Mozambique. David Stone writes: I am currently living in Madison, NJ with my lovely wife Jenny and my two sons Eliot and Lucas. I’m continuing to run my own boutique law firm. Recently I was privileged to present the David Boies prize along with David Boies to former Justice Stephen Breyer. I am also continuing to be involved in film and theatre through my company Stoneboies Entertainment (Films: Won’t You Be My Neighbor; the social dilemma. Theatre/Broadway: Just For Us and Our Town). Hope all my classmates are doing well; look us up if you come to NYC/NJ. Amy Vorenberg writes: I’ve retired from full-time law teaching but continue to teach a course based on a book I co-authored (Utmost

Resistance: Examining Sexual Violence Law in the United States). Despite the difficult topic, it’s been a thoroughly rewarding experience to engage with students on a topic that is so often swept under the rug, even in law schools, despite the prevalence of these crimes. I have a son on both coasts, one in NYC and one in SF, and two granddaughters (three and six years old) in New York City. I spend as much time with them as I can. Otherwise, I spend my time traveling, volunteering, pursuing a newfound love of pottery-making, and connecting with friends and family. George Perkins writes: This past year has been fun. The state of the world, however, seems unusually turbulent and perilous. As we ponder our roles in times of trouble, Mr. Lennon’s lyrics seem relevant: “We all doing what we can. But if you want money for people with minds that hate, all I can tell you is brother you have to wait.” Retirement offers travel, and we have gleefully accepted. Trips in 2025 to the UK, Venice, the Azores and India were all great adventures. Music continues to happily dominate my time. Both children now live close, which is wonderful.

1973 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: PATRICIA SPENCE othneil625@netzero.net

Our thoughts and prayers are with Adam Pool ’73 whose wife, Kristina Gjerde, died on December 26th after 3.25 years fighting pancreatic cancer. The BBC did a nice obituary: https://www.bbc.co.uk/ programmes/m002pfff. Kristina also founded the Ocean Stewardship Award at Synchrony Earth just before she passed. Patricia Spence writes: We are all doing well. Our Mom, Janet Spence, is doing well at 96.

Hoping to finally travel, take a few cooking classes and delve more into meditation practices. My work will shift from urban farming to empowering students in Boston Public Schools.

Front Row: Patty Spence ’73, Kristin Spence, Bryan Spence ’76, Tori Spence Back Row: Becca Spence, Janet Spence Beth Brown writes: Praise the lord Frederick graduated from college. Henry is chugging along going to school part time and lifeguarding. Jazmine (a four year old) who has been living with us since July 2023 is thriving though I am tooooooo old for this! Brian and I are still married—I describe it as content in all the craziness. Love and hopes for sanity to all!

1974 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: BECCA BRACKETT cesarhall85@gmail.com Becca Brackett writes: I am semi-retired, having worked as an anesthesiologist for one group in Augusta, Maine for 32 years. I am still living in my OLD farmhouse on the banks of the Medomak River and realizing…32 years of stuff needs to be sorted PDQ! My current interests include gardening, reuse of building materials (50% of the stuff in Maine Landfills comes from construction debris…. DECONSTRUCT, don’t demolish) and learning new instruments (recorder) and languages (Welsh, Icelandic, maybe Spanish and Irish) as well as being a Deacon at my UCC church. I am married for the second time to Kevin Duffy; my son Nathaniel is 30 and lives in Ann Arbor and works in the casino-adjacent space. When my house is CLEAN I might invite all

for a summer party, lots of space here. Thanks for all the replies, keep them coming! Elijah Wald writes: Following the success of the Bob Dylan film based on his book, Dylan Goes Electric, Elijah Wald has reinvigorated his performing career, doing tours in the US, the Czech Republic, and Italy, with plans for more US tours and Australia in the next year. Andrew Mapel has lots of news: Two years ago, my wife Lisa and I moved from the Boston area to Columbus, Ohio to be closer to our children, Sarah (Columbus) and Ethan (St. Louis). The past two years have been a lively mix of archival deep dives, musical rediscoveries, and family joys. I’ve been creating a daily almanac of

historical and cultural events with a touch of whimsy, competing in a weekly trivia night, and exploring the Internet Archive, helping resurface memorable or unexpected corners of media history. Music remains a constant—whether editing old tracks, exploring favorites both old or new, and simply enjoying the soundtrack of everyday life. Here is a link to my Internet Archive page: Musical Selections from Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion: https://archive.org/details/musicalselections-fromgarrison-keillorsa-prairie-home-companion-vol.-2 Family ties keep me grounded and grateful: Sarah and Ethan are thriving, and our grandson Emmett brings a fresh kind of rhythm to our days. Lisa and I had a memorable visit from my brother, Tim ’77, which turned into a mini oral history session and a reminder of how far we’ve all come. Beyond that, I’ve been curating regional folk stories, mapping out historical sites with ties to family lore, and in the spirit of experimentation, I’ve been working with AI tools to assist with archival continuity and creative writing, especially poetry, learning about music history , and refining how I preserve and share personal narratives. It’s amazing how useful and adaptive it can be. It’s been a season of continuity and connection, and I’m looking forward to hearing what others have been up to. Ethan Pettit writes: I have wrapped up a career as a

Henry, Brian, Beth ’73, Jazmine and Frederick at Frederick’s college graduation

drug pusher (pharmaceutical advertising) and gentrified three neighborhoods while I was at it. I think I’m retired, but you never know. The biggest news of late is that I have a grandson. Or rather, the little fellow has appointed me his grandfather, so long as I keep bringing him sets of Lego. Otherwise, writing, reading, and dealing in art and revenue stamps of the Indian Princely States. Huzzah! Chris Templeton was pensive: I sometimes think about the friendships made at Shady Hill. and have found it kind of odd that I have lost sight of most of the relationships that were fostered over the SHS years. My favorite SHS memory was going to Washington and visiting civil war battlefields with Miss Caudill and getting that cheap Richard Nixon signed pen. His misdeeds pale in comparison to what’s going on now. I have a patent sor a concave neck for stringed instruments (https:// patents.google.com/patent/ USD980899S1/en?oq=D980899) which I’m marketing. Good for smaller hands. I’m also sorry Jane Goodall died. In 3rd grade, I was sick at home and someone from SHS came to my house and picked me up and took me to school to watch her film, because I was into chimps. Chris Eliot shares: Volunteering can be dangerous. I was appointed as the Lincoln Representative to the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission about 10 years ago expecting to spend on hour a month attending meetings. Eventually, I was elected chair (many times) and then had to respond when the airport proposed the largest private jet infrastructure project in the world. That fight is still ongoing. Now, ICE is using the airport for detaining flights, creating more drama as we figure out if we have any way to oppose this activity, but I stepped down as chair before that. My wife, unfortunately, has ALS and has lost the use of both arms and both legs and no cure is possible. Much of my time is spent caring for her and dealing with other domestic necessities. I live in Lincoln with my wife, our two children, William

and Heather, four cats, one fish and a Coyote who visits the backyard almost every night. Amy Sommerfeld Paegel shares a photo with my husband Matt Paegel and our son J.P. near our home in Tucson, AZ. I hope you are well! John Nordell shares: After 66 years in Massachusetts, we moved to Maine. After professional photography and professional careers, I am now working as a visitor assistant at the Portland Museum of Art. I love it! My daily goal is to splash ocean water on my face.

1975 We are looking for a volunteer to be class correspondent! Email alumni@shs.org

1976 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: TOM BATOR tebator@gmail.com Tom Bator writes: Reunion year! 50 years, oh my (of course that means over 60 years since many of us met for the first time). Pam and I continue to love living in Dublin, NH in the middle of the woods and gardens. Hybrid work has made work much more enjoyable (thank you internet). I continue to act as trustee for families and work in Boston two days a week. In May, my son Henry Bator ’10 joined our firm and that has also been a great joy getting to know him in another way. As I enjoy my work and seem to be bringing value to our clients, I hope to keep working for another 10 years; health willing. I continue to play soccer and have returned to tennis in the summers. Doug Forbes writes he is living in Stamford, CT again after a couple of years in Macon, GA, leaving behind a cicada 13-year brood which his wife was allergic to. He reports that work has been a bit slow recently, there are some very nice highlights and he may revisit a documentary he shot and edited about the “Man In Red Bandana,”

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who saved several of the survivors from above the WTC crash site. Doug Sun retired from the Department of State at the end of September after a 25 year career in the Foreign Service. Since September, he has been teaching 5 sections of intro biology and one section of anatomy and physiology at Spotsylvania Virginia High School. “I haven’t worked this intensely or this hard in a very long time ... at the same time, our two-week winter break was the longest stretch of vacation that I’ve had in a very long time! It’s been fun channeling Mrs. Goldman and Mr. Vilbig every day and I’m really enjoying it.” Clarinda Arsenault writes: My family and I are well, despite everything. Over the past twenty years or so, I segued from raising our daughter to caring for my aging parents. Our daughter Isabel, now 22, has fully launched and is a military police investigator, which never ceases to amaze me. Husband Rick is still working in printing, vaguely considering retirement. My days are spent supporting and caring for my mom, Bici, who is almost 96 and lives in a little house near me. Caring for an elderly parent is the inverse of raising a child, and has its own challenges and moments of grace. My great passion has always been and continues to be animals, especially dogs. I’m more or less retired from teaching dog training, and focus my time and attention on training and playing with my brilliant and beautiful Sylvie, Medium Brown Dog extraordinaire. I’m pretty lucky! Kate Koeze writes: Like most of you, it has already been a snowy, cold winter with more to go. Jeff and I have been snowshoeing and skiing about but we are going to dip our toes into peri-retirement by going to North Carolina in March for three weeks. The children both have big events this coming year; Ella is getting married to a lovely man in July and Hugh and his wife are expecting baby number two in August so we will be busy this summer. Bryan Spence writes: I spent most of my career in philanthropy (corporate) and nonprofit

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Ava-Lisa Sommerfeld ’78 with family at her wedding and enjoying her honeymoon!

fundraising. I retired at the end of 2025 from Liberty Mutual Foundation. Looking forward to classes in cooking (had a little retirement party at Cambridge School of Culinary Arts) and photography, and biking more. Our twins graduated from college last year, Becca ’17 from Vassar and Tori from Hofstra. They’re home with us in Medford for now, so I’m able to watch with amazement as they make their way. Marie Burke says: My news is that I retired from the Department of Justice last September, after 26 years. (and what a good time to get out!) I’ve been working as a freelance nonfiction editor for about three and a half years and now have my own business (the cultivatedword.com). My husband is semi-retired and works part-time as a ski tech when he’s not on the slopes. My two sons are 23 and 20 and are making their way in the world. Everyone is happy and healthy. Anne Kaufman reports: I’m retiring from Milton Academy this June after 24 years & certainly feel in good company as the next adventure begins! Milton graduation is June 5, but I hope there will be a moment for me to catch up with everyone. My husband was diagnosed with

Parkinson’s 14 years ago and is still managing reasonably well & my daughters (29 and 26 in June) are busy and happy. No grandchildren yet ... Peter Schein writes: I’m still living in Menlo Park, CA with Jamie (same house for 29 years, yikes)... Tech career wound down a few years ago. Continuing the work that my Dad and I started in 2016; published a 3rd edition of Humble Inquiry in July and still doing client work on culture and leadership. Two girls (31 and 28) both live in Oregon, doing well, but no grandkids yet for their Ma and me. Hopper, our dog, kinda runs the place. Enjoy weekends working on our old 1979 Trawler in Sausalito, as much a project as it is a boat, and a lot of wood so Mr. Maple’s Shop training is foundational. Sarah Samore writes: Hi all, so fun to read all of your doings and whereabouts! I am still in Salt Lake City, the land of summery winters and not enough water! Yikes. I am winding down my private therapy practice and considering what’s next. Free time feels weird and SO NICE all at once! My partner, Bill, and I are traveling more and dreaming about ways to live less in the US, but we shall see. My oldest has just moved back to Salt Lake City with his wife, my middle

daughter lives in Philadelphia and my youngest daughter lives in Los Angeles. I miss them all the time and love spending time together! I doubt I will be on the east coast in June but if I can make it work I will! I look forward to seeing lots of pictures if nothing else!

1977 Our Class Correspondent position is open. Consider stepping forward to volunteer for this rewarding role. Email alumni@shs.org.

1978 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DAVID SUMMERSBY esdt@aol.com Ava-Lisa Sommerfeld writes: Life has been, well, eventful these past few months. I remarried in October to the love of my life and now use “Sommerfeld” as my surname. Tom & I honeymooned in Africa, via Qatar, visiting Tanzania, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe & Johannesburg for just shy of a month. It was truly a trip of a lifetime! We moved to our new home in Baltimore on our return in November, only to find that my job had become a casualty of higher education funding cuts. There was no time to job hunt, however, because with her increasing medical issues and dementia, we needed to move my mom in with us in December. I set about figuring out how best to manage her care (David, I’m right there with ya; my condolences on your dad’s passing). Tom bought himself a brand new hybrid for Christmas so we’d have something reliable, and 4 days later, introduced it to a deer. It was totaled. Even with full coverage, we continue to dance with the insurance company on that front. About a week later, on 6 January, I got a call from the paramedics that mom, who’d insisted on returning to her place for the Christmas/New Year week, was being transported to the ER. On arrival there, I learned she’d suffered a catastrophic brain bleed. I was with my mother when she passed away on the 14th

of January. She had made it her business to leave on her own terms. Mom was a titan; a 1st generation immigrant, an indefatigable energy, an incredible, strong, keenly intelligent and determined woman. Her memory will always inspire me. Reuniting with family not seen in years for her celebration of life this past weekend was heartwarming. Love our generation and how “young in spirit” we all are! Now begins the work of handling Mom’s affairs, starting the job hunt in earnest, and looking forward to a future with few boundaries. As Tom & I spin a virtual globe to decide where we’d like to be for our sunset years, and with no obligations other than to ourselves, I’m positively aquiver with anticipation of 2026’s revelations. …. And that’s a wrap from this reporter. Cheers, all! Jane Cutter writes: I am still working at Spring Academy as the Director of Special Education, but looking to transition to a more student-facing role. I continue to be very active for peace and social justice, mentoring young organizers and writing and editing for Liberation News. After the death of my dear husband in 2021, I have gotten active in the dance community and enjoy salsa, West Coast Swing, waltz and other dances. I have recently started dating, too soon to include any details in the class notes but things seem very promising right now. I recently met up with Jon (Jonas) Moller in Seattle when he visited the West Coast.

Jonathan “Jonas” Moller ’78 with family

Jonatha Brooke writes: hunkered down on the front lines here in Minneapolis. Devastated by what’s happening to the country, and so proud of my adopted home. The horror stories are real, AND the people and organization here are as amazing as they seem. I am wondering, though, how anyone is getting “normal” things done. I am trying to prepare for touring, trying to get another draft done of a musical that’s moving forward in March in New York (Tempus). And another that’s getting produced here in the Twin Cities in the 2728 Season at the History Theater (Evidence of V). I am so grateful to be doing what I love and still to be paid(ish) for it! I hope you all are safe and in a good community fighting the fight. Andrew Daniels writes: my folks are still alive and in their house in Beacon Hill, though at 91 with growing mental and physical frailty, I am not sure how much longer for my Dad. All is well with me. No news of import. It’s a sad state out there for this country, and I am trying to be aware and have a voice where I can. Jonathan “Jonas” Moller writes: I just returned from Guatemala, where I was for two and half weeks, meeting with organizations and friends and doing a presentation of my new Guatemala book in solidarity, Resist to Live: Truth and Justice in Guatemala, in the Casa de la Memoria (House of Memory). It was great to be back in Guatemala again, where I had

worked in solidarity with indigenous populations for seven years. Proceeds from sales of this book go to the Center for Legal Action in Human Rights and the Casa de la Memoria. I may do one more book, on Colombia, in solidarity with peace and justice. Here in Denver, where I’ve been based since 2001, it’s been unusually warm and we’re in severe drought. The news every day in this country and much of the rest of the world is very, very disturbing. David Summersby writes: 2025 was primarily defined by the death of my father at 93 in May. In July, we undertook a road trip in our Volvo EV to bring his remains to the longtime family summer home in Minnesota where he was buried during a wonderful graveside gathering. The trip west took us through many towns and places with special meaning to my father, including Holyoke, his birthplace, Troy, NY (graduate school at RPI), the Erie Canal, which he traversed in both directions on a cabin cruiser he built himself, Lake Michigan, for a crossing on the historic SS Badger, and finally arriving on the banks of the beloved St. Croix River an hour north of St. Paul where he spent so many happy summers from the 1930s onward. Sue and I continue to reside in the north of Boston suburbs but still make frequent trips to Cambridge to visit my mom in assisted living. The Square is definitely not the same but Grendel’s Den and the Brattle Theater are still going strong and make for a nice afternoon pairing. I am still working as a hospital social worker and enjoying mentoring and supervising younger social workers as they take on the challenge of overcoming numerous barriers to discharge planning in our fragmented system of medical and psychiatric care. Sue and I continue to volunteer for the Christmas Revels every year at Sanders Theater and then see the show. This year, I crossed paths (and exchanged a few words) with classmate Mary Webb while I was selling raﬄe tickets. Kirsten (Kindlund) Erdosh writes: I’m still living in (usually) sunny Northern California, in the Santa Cruz mountains, with my husband Larry. As empty nesters now, we stay pretty active biking/hiking/ swimming, traveling, enjoying jazz

1979 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: PORTER GIFFORD porter@portergiﬀord.com

The ’79 reports that all is well and good. We had a lively email exchange of newsie tidbits and photos just before the holidays that lifted many spirits, and it was great to hear (and see!) from everybody.

Rory Morton ’78, TTC ’87, Amie Margolis ’90, and Jesse Sarzana ’90 clubs and supporting the local arts scene; we also have a new miniature schnauzer pup who has kept us busy the past year! I’m still working as a strategic positioning and content consultant in the tech industry and am also involved in local activism (which helps keep me sane!). I visit the East Coast often to see my mom in the Finger Lakes region of NY, as well as my younger daughter, who lives in Brooklyn and in May will wrap up her undergrad degree in Fashion Design and Environmental and Sustainable Policy Management at Parsons before heading to grad school. My older daughter is an entomologist who has spent the past 8 months living and working on insect research in the Peruvian Amazon; looking forward to visiting her there sometime this year! As I write this in February 2026, I’m hoping everyone is finding some serenity in these difficult times. Rick Field writes: my big news is that I have started a new business as a Founder Coach and Brand Builder for CPG brands called Pickles & Soup (picklesandsoup. com). I’m taking all the hardwon lessons from two decades as CEO of Rick’s Picks and helping companies in all sorts of verticals grow their brands. It is bringing me daily joy. I am also spending lots of time with my work, watching my 16 year old daughters Alice and Madeline flourish, and trying to lose 10 more pounds with more vegetarian meals, more exercise and less alcohol. I hope we can convene to celebrate another anniversary together soon.

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

Betsy Biemann writes: A week or so ago, I was at an exercise class and the teacher put on a playlist of songs from the 70s. On came “Get Down Tonight” by KC and the Sunshine Band, and I had an immediate flashback to dancing at recess at SHS (4th grade?). I literally laughed out loud. Hal, I think you were the bandleader who brought in your boom box and cassette tapes. Claire and Tony and I had a lovely afternoon together this past summer here in Maine. It was so nice to catch up. If any of you come up this way to ski or for a summer vacation, please let me know. I’d be happy to meet you somewhere for a “cuppah chowdah”. (Funny— autocorrect does not recognize a Maine accent.) A Maine-SHS connection that some of you may not be aware of: Shenna Bellows, Mr. Bellows’ granddaughter, former member of the Maine State Legislature and first woman Secretary of State (an elected position in Maine)—is running for Governor, against a large field of candidates. Mr. Bellows lived in midcoast Maine after retiring from SHS. (He passed away in 2019.) Here’s to a healthy, brighter and more peaceful 2026, Hal Movius shares: “Dancing started 5th grade winter. My recollection is that we were spinning 45s on a record player (one with speakers built in; I think it belonged to Donny Delaney). If you danced too close to the player, the record would skip. We were doing the bump back then; the teachers were amused/flummoxed. He adds: happy to still be in touch with many Shady Hill friends and to see Tom TTC ’74 and Anne TTC ’77 Snyder at least once a year, which is always fun. Our son Luke will graduate in May from UVA, with a double major

THE 2025 -2026 IS SUE

in anthropology/archeology; Anya is a junior at Harvard spending spring semester in Valencia at a Berklee School of Music program. Kate has a thriving practice as a communication/speaking coach and my little negotiation consultancy hums along, with two partners in London now. I’m still advising Dems from time to time; still outraged by what the American Right has done and wants to do. Astonished to be 60-something, but trying to dwell in the mix of curiosity, friendly mischief, constructive skepticism and social connection that so many SHS teachers fostered (or tolerated!) way back when. Kristina Vetter shares: we were in Turkey last summer for a family wedding, and a highlight was mountain biking in Cappadocia. Jake Brown reflects on photos shared with the class: everyone’s faces bring back such great memories. Celia Imrey remembers: Back in elementary school our geographical worlds were so much smaller. Jonny Daniels and I would take the T to school from Beacon Hill to Harvard Square, then the 73 bus. At that time I vaguely knew about Bunker Hill, Roxbury, Brookline. That was my world. Our card this year is no exception to the images you’ve been sharing. Ellingston Clark shares: I appreciate all the photos posted by others so much that it’s only fair I post something of myself. I do hang out with Dr. Jon Bertman periodically. Guess some things never change. Porter Giﬀord writes: also reporting in were Tom Brazelton from Sedona, Jimmy King from Moab, Jennier Callghan from Sweden, Claire Danaher from Switzerland, Adam Dzubas from New Orleans, Polly Hutchison from the Taj Mahal, MP Stevens, Alice Reich, Marc Klein, Townsend Zwart. and Jake Brown. I had breakfast with Tony Mazlish in January. He seems well and happy, particularly now that he is the owner of a basketball team! And I saw Alex Moot a few weeks ago, and he too, is doing well, travelling back and forth between Boston, where he plays hockey, and New Hampshire, where he works to

preserve the ecology and waters of Lake Chocorua.

1980 Our Class Correspondent position is open. Please step forward to volunteer for this rewarding role! Email alumni@shs.org. Josh Steiner writes: I hit 60 surrounded by friends and family feeling quite fortunate and rather shocked about my advancing age. Our children, after various jobs and schooling, have migrated back to NYC, which is lovely. Antoinette continues to work for a non-profit legal services and started teaching at law school a few years ago. After many years around the financial world, I’m gradually disengaging and focused on new priorities including writing. Shameless self-promotion: Simon & Schuster is publishing my first book in February, From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn’t Own You.

1981 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: SARAH WYMAN wymans@newpaltz.edu Patrick Bibbins writes: Last year, I completed 25 years in marketing and communications at Boston Children’s Hospital and now do what I want, when I want. Much of that time is spent as board president of Bike to the Sea, the non-profit that connects communities to the Northern Strand Trail.

Patrick Bibbins ’81

Yvette Anderson shares that traveling within the U.S. has become a big priority. Last year, she took a 7-day bus tour from Ohio to Iowa to South Dakota. She absolutely loved the trip and highly recommends bus tours. Iowa’s sprawling wind turbines did overshadow some of its natural vistas, but South Dakota more than made up for it with its stunning natural beauty, landscapes, monuments, and historical sites. She invites SHS classmates to join her on her next trip to West Yellowstone, Montana in May. Lisa Brown completed her sixth year as Social Sciences Dean at Austin College. Despite the attacks on higher ed, she is still able to teach her courses as she likes and continue her research. She had a hip replacement in March and was ready to run a 5K road race in September! Harold Engstrom works at Innovative Process Solutions, Inc. in Waltham, MA. Katharine Klubock still works as a Children & Family Law Supervising Training Attorney in Boston. Ed Peterson writes from Salt Lake City, Utah, that he and his wife Candace have shared a private practice in psychotherapy for twenty years. Ed’s daughter Isabel, lives in Northampton, MA and works at a school for trans kids. Tyler works as a trail builder and at the Snowbird Utah rental shop with a daily two hour mandatory snowboarding break. Elijah, a high school senior is a chef and a kickboxer. Ed thinks often of Shady Hill and his classmates and Mr. Crowder, Miss Lazarus, and Mr. McKernan. Emily Steﬃan is living in Putney, VT and working remotely as an ADHD coach, with Wide-Mind Creative Coaching, specializing in executive function challenges, big life transitions, and supporting creative professionals. Emily lost both of her parents recently. She and husband Daniel are enjoying their 15 year old son Moses and would welcome any of us to ski or hike. Sarah Wyman has been staying warm in the Hudson Valley snowdrifts as 3/5 of her family migrates out West to Deep

Springs College or desert environs. Please check out the interactive sustainability learning hub earthrisecommons.org (which she recently co-founded) and submit your pedagogical ideas for how to promote human, more-thanhuman, and planetary thriving.

1982 CLASS CO-CORRESPONDENTS: KATE MOVIUS AND CHAD GIFFORD III katemovius@gmail.com chg7@columbia.edu Christopher Barnes writes: After a “gap year,” I accepted an Interim Head of School role at Tahoe Expedition Academy in Truckee, CA, home to our little condo in Alta, UT, for school breaks and sailing in the summers. Our son Porter lives in London, teaching math at a semester school. Rabbit is graduating in May, so most of the time the nest is pretty quiet! Any folks headed to Truckee/Tahoe or Alta, let me know, and we can maybe ski a run or go for a hike. Best to all. Samantha Corte, in perfect Shady Hill fashion, wrote a haiku:

Melissa’s employed Tom plans to retire soonish Snow—I should write now. Also, my daughter Melissa is 24 now and I have too many unfinished drafts of this and that. Note the seasonal reference. Best to everyone! Rod Lee is enjoying parenthood with his wife of 17 years, Kara, and his two girls Jayanti and Priya, ages 7 and 14. He was elected for a 2nd time to the Committee Education Council of District 1 in NYC advocating for children and families. In addition, this April will mark 22 years as a social worker serving as Deputy Director of a child-welfare organization, responsible for the Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan boroughs. Rod is forever grateful for the academic foundation Shady Hill provided him. Susan Munter helps neurodivergent professionals be

more successful at work— whether it’s finding a position or managing their current role. For more information, visit: www.susanemunter.com/ Ace St. George writes: my husband, Joel, and I have moved to Victoria, BC and love it there. We saw the writing on the wall in 2019, became permanent residents in 2023 and moved last year. Our home is in an area that looks surprisingly like the Brattle Street area where I grew up! We’re enormously happy to be there and welcome any visits from classmates who are exploring the Pacific Northwest (or are curious about heading north themselves). Probably won’t get back to Cambridge for a while… Julie Subrin reports: I’m still in NYC and now going on my 20th year working in podcast production. (Yes, podcasting has been around that long!) I’m feeling the bittersweet pangs of seeing my daughter make her way through her last year of high school. And in the past year and a half, I have become actively involved with an incredible group of people mostly in Brooklyn who are drawing on every tactic we have the guts, skills and/or imagination to try, in order to throw sand in the gears of our current increasingly fascist regime.

1983 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: DAN FILENE dﬁlene@gmail.com Sarina Tcherepnin writes: Hello from Watertown, MA where I live (in Di Droste’s old house!) with my husband, Jamie, and our 13 year old fluffy cat! Our son, Sascha ’12 is graduating from medical school and getting married this spring! Our other son, Ben ’14 is working on a PhD in Biology and lives in Cambridge. I am still teaching at Shady Hill—my 33rd year! I taught Kindergarten for many years and now I am in Beginners—and loving it. One of my goals is to instill a love of nature in my students and we go on lots of nature walks around the school. I am so grateful for our

Sarina Tcherepnin ’83 and sons Ben ’12 & Sascha ’14 beautiful campus! Sending all my best to everyone!” Claudia Gonson reports that she remains in Brooklyn, New York, with her daughter, Eve, 15, who attends Hunter College High School. Claudia’s life is split between being a single mom, a music manager, an occasional musician with The Magnetic Fields, and a new-ish career as a therapist, having received her social work clinical license in 2018. Despite the underlying feeling of perpetual anxiety over the state of the nation, Claudia and her daughter are doing well, feeling healthy and (usually) pretty happy. She writes, “We are so grateful for this, and wish for safety and security for all, in this chaotic, fractured historical moment. Go Mamdani! I hope to see some of you folks in 2026. Peace!” Greg Allen sends in: I’m still working as the IT Manager at the Denver Athletic Club in downtown Denver, it’s been a bit over 3 years at the job now; the job is fun for me and the club itself is huge, so I never really get bored fixing or installing IT equipment, there’s always a project, what you’d expect from a club that’s been in the same building since 1892 and expanded to encompass the entire block over the course of its existence.

My wife and I and some friends took a trip to Greece in the summer of 2025, first time there, it was amazing! We were in Santorini, Chania (Crete) and Athens. We barely scratched the surface of Greece after 2 weeks, so definitely heading back there again at some point. Our next trip is to Italy this coming winter, so I’ll give an

husband, Joel, has a new book, The End, about Marx, Darwin, and the planetary crisis. “He remains upbeat and positive despite staring into the abyss regularly.” Kristin’s parents relocated to Portland, ME, where her mother returned to pickleball following knee replacement surgery.

update next year on it. I’ve been playing tennis now for 3+ years. It’s fun playing in USTA leagues during the summer months, drills and play during the off months, so a year round sport that I really look forward to. Denver has been having a fairly warm winter and we’ve been able to play outside quite a bit as a result. As for myself (Dan Filene), I’m still in Maine. After 25 years in psychiatry I’ve been branching out a bit: I spent the summer of 2025 working at Portland Paddle as a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide. In the ocean almost every day— it was as much fun as it sounds and I’ll probably do it again next summer :)

Nathaniel Fair ’87 and son Rowan with Zweli Miller ’87, his wife Mary, and child Devi

1987

1984

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: EMILY LLOYD SHAW elloydshaw@gmail.com

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JARED EIGERMAN jeigerman@gmail.com

Emily Shaw reports: I continue to live in Great Barrington MA where I have a private practice as a psychotherapist, and am continuing my advanced training as an EMDR therapist to be a consultant and faculty at my training institute. Sadly I didn’t hear from many of you- I continue to not be sure about the best way to contact younot sure if the emails we have are old, if Facebook is no longer a good way to check in. Let me know if you have any ideas! BUT, I heard from three of you!

1985 We’re looking for an eager member of our class to take on the Class Correspondent position. Email your interest to alumni@shs.org.

1986 NELL BREYER nellbreyer@gmail.com

The 1986 has the opportunity to meet in person at the upcoming reunion celebration on June 5th at Shady Hill! Register and join us at www.shs.org/alumni/reunion. Classmates Andrew Heimert, Jessica Fortunato, and Suchitra Mumford are hoping to join and look forward to seeing some of you there!

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

Nathaniel Fair writes: Greetings from the ’where are they now’ bin. I’m in the SF East Bay, near my sister Elizabeth (Kiki) and I’ve stayed in touch with some of the SHS boys. My mom Julia is still in Cambridge, my dad Lansing died in 2021. Took my son Rowan (12) candlepin bowling for the first time with Zweli ’87, Mary, and Devika Miller and last trip back to MA – Devi and Row spent a lot of time together as toddlers in CA before Z moved back east. Jessica Dello-Russo writes: For classmates who, like me, always cherish memories of the Greeks in 4th grade, I’ll share that I got to use Greek—post Classical!—as well as Latin in my new book, A Jewish Archaeology (DeGruyterBrill 2025). It’s costly, so if you are curious, check it out via interlibrary loan!

THE 2025 -2026 IS SUE

Lila (nee Nichols) O’Mahony writes: Despite the fact that the world is on fire, we are doing pretty well. My oldest, Sophia, is 21 and majoring in physics at Cal Poly, my youngest, Tadhg, is 18 and applying to colleges, including several outside the United States. Our beloved family dog died of cancer this summer and we just got a new puppy six days ago... It feels like being a newborn mom all over again. I continue working as a pediatric emergency room doctor and I also serve as EMS physician in the county. Lara Heimert sent this exciting news: After 30 years in the publishing industry, Lara Heimert has decided to retire in June from her current position as President & Publisher of the Basic Books Group. She is looking forward to spending more time with her family and traveling and reading books that she’s not editing. She is kicking off her life of leisure with a two-month hiking trip through Scandinavia with her eight year old son, Max.

1988 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: KRISTIN MERCER, WITH SUPPORT FROM KERRY TRIBE mercer.97@osu.edu Kristin Mercer writes from Columbus, OH, that Llama (14) started high school with a bang. Kristin has cut her hours at OSU to manage medical issues. Her

Nasir Alamgir writes from the Upper West Side, where he works in commercial real estate and lives with his wife, two children—C.C. (13) and Phoebe (10)—and a cockapoo puppy. “I’ve always been amazed at how much knowledge I retained from fourth grade and the study of Greek mythology, our time as ’Olympic athletes,’ and our sock puppets performing the tales of Theseus.” Caroline Bragdon: writes from Harlem, where she lives with her two boys, 14 and 10, both avid baseball players. She helps run the Harlem Hellfighters, a travel baseball organization, and has worked for the City of New York for over 20 years (and five mayors). Son Chandler’s 8th-grade musical, Guys and Dolls, brought back memories of The Pirates of Penzance. “I love singing the songs (he loves that a little less). I am definitely feeling the squeeze of responsibility with kids who still need me around and parents who are starting to need some help.” Josh Salzman reports that his documentary about U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, The Last Republican, is on Apple TV. With the film business “upside-down,” he is retraining as a marriage and family therapist. Michael (19) is “crushing it” as a freshman at Santa Clara University, and Miles (18) starts college this fall. Josh recently saw both Deneb Meketa and Daniel McGinley-Smith. “Deneb came through LA, and we hung out for an epic day full of catching up on our lives over the last 39 years since we last saw each other!” Heidi (Von Rosenberg) Klapinsky: now lives full time in Marion, MA, with her husband, now that her kids, 16 and 19, are off at school. She is a practicing therapist in an Employee Assistance Program and in private practice. She completed a certification in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy and recently

trained as a session monitor for a phase 3 clinical trial on treatment-resistant depression using psilocybin. “My husband is retiring, and I feel like I’m just getting started!!!” Penny Harris Rosenzweig writes from Marlborough, MA. She has had a private counseling practice in Natick for 15 years, recently trained as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and earned a master’s degree in Evolutionary Astrology. “Life is rarely a straight line, nor is parenting, and I am coming out of a very challenging few years of intense caregiving… Grateful to be on the other side of this gauntlet.” Noah (25) teaches high school in Lexington, Jess (21) is a junior at UMass Amherst, and Maya (19) is a freshman at Ithaca College studying television production. Sarah Kanter Brown reports from Billings, MT, where she, her husband, and a selection of dogs have lived for nearly 20 years. “The wild, wintry place we landed in somewhat randomly has become our children’s hometown. Journalism has sustained us both, me in public radio and Matt with the AP, but I don’t have to explain how dispiriting that industry is.” Helena (22) graduates this spring and begins the Peace Corps in Guyana. Robby (20) is studying in England during his junior year.

Deneb Meketa still has kids at home. “Seren, 16 and improbably tall, is kind of a mini-me, into science and art; Sashi, 12, is kind of a mini-Jen, into water and sprawling friend groups. Working at Pixar is still a dream come true, and I pinch myself every day. A weird new part of my job is convincing the moviemaking staff that, in fact, programmers are still necessary and haven’t yet been entirely replaced by robots.” Deneb reconnected with Josh Salzman after 39 years and fondly recalls Nahant, Tower Ball, and the Hulbert Outdoor Center. Chris Blyth writes from Darien, CT, where he lives with his wife, Nicole. He built a career in fitness and wellness startups, co-founding LIFT. He now advises wellness companies and is launching FOURM to help kids build healthy habits and life skills. Jake (19) is a freshman at Indiana University. “My wife does equine therapy and absolutely loves it. My mom is in Cambridge, still plays tennis at 85! Dad passed a year and a half ago. My sister Antonia is in Watertown with her two kids, Ramsay and Greta.” Sanford Brown also lives in Darien, CT, and works in NYC. “Krista and I have been married for 23 years, and we have three great kids: a 20-year-old son, Morgan,

Sarah Strang ’88 and Ethan Davis ’88 have started a Cambridge holiday tradition, including lunch and a late night at Paddy’s. Attendees are pictured here from the recent get together: From L to R: Heidi Klapinsky (vonrosenberg) ’88 Sara Strang ’88, Ethan Davis ’88, Rachel Cobb ’88, Liz Webb Green ’88, Molly Bragdon ’90 (son Marcus in front ), and Caroline Bragdon ’88 (sons Caleb and Chandler)

and identical twin 17-year-old daughters, Charlotte and Finley, so our house is lively, loud, and never boring in the best possible way.” He’s “focusing on staying healthy, enjoying time with family and friends, and saying yes to experiences that are actually meaningful and fun.” Sara Strang lives on the Upper West Side with a guest room “always open to old friends, no matter how long it’s been,” and works at Point72, a hedge fund. Jack (20) is a sophomore at American University. Luke (13) is a 7th grader at Collegiate and recently starred in Romeo and Juliet. Her parents still live in their home on Fresh Pond Parkway, “which hasn’t changed in 50 years.” She and Ethan Davis have started a Cambridge holiday tradition, including lunch and a late night at Paddy’s. Past attendees have included Heidi, Liz, Rachael, Elias Wolfberg, Caroline and Molly Bragdon ’90, Erica Strang ’94, Zack Davis ’94, and Noah BuffetKennedy. Join us next year! Jesua Wight (Jessica Macdonald)lives in Ashland, OR, where she maintains a Zoom-based counseling and healing practice for individuals, couples, and families. She also facilitates ceremonial psychedelic immersions around the country. She feels “deeply honored to serve a wide spectrum of clients,” including artists, psychiatrists, tech executives, bereaved parents, and combat veterans. Jesua’s daughter, Arayla (20), and son, Ezra (17), are thriving. She is currently working on a memoir. Apple Giﬀord writes from Newfane, VT, where she lives with her husband, David. She loves that “so many of us have ended up therapists!” After a long career in education, Apple now works full time in community mental health. Zinnia is a sophomore at Sarah Lawrence, and Lucy was just admitted to Wesleyan. The general store they own is “located near a few different ski mountains, so if you’re ever up this way, please stop by and say hi.”

odd. I’m finding that sonder is a good synthesis. I drive by beautiful houses and imagine the warmth shared within their lighted spaces and the rich and unique worlds of every person I pass, despite whatever chauvinisms they may harbor.” Liz Webb Greene “can’t diagram a sentence anymore, but my script r is perfect thanks to Mr. McKernan.” She has a daughter graduating from UVM, a son at the University of South Carolina, and a high school sophomore at Minuteman Vocational in Lexington. “After a rough year getting laid off from tech, I’m happily back at work.” Her mom just moved from her Cambridge home after 50 years to independent senior living in Needham. Liz and her husband celebrated 27 years of marriage in September. Rachael Cobb recently stepped down as chair of her department after 14 years and “went all-in for the 2024 election, teaching my voting rights and election administration class, mobilizing students, recruiting poll workers.” Miles (23) graduated from Suffolk and works at a Cambridge pasta startup. Dashiell (almost 21) is a UVM film major preparing to study in Cannes. Cece (9), the family jock, is involved in gymnastics, ice hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. Rachael can relate to our “sandwich” generation and shares their multifamily house with her mother and Ethan (now almost 51). She recently had coffee with Ralph Wales in Providence. Kerry Tribe lives in Northeast LA with her husband, Mungo. Eno (18) is a freshman at Brown. Emit (16) still lives at home. “Now that I know what it’s like to let one go, I’m basically a barnacle on the other. Raising these kind-hearted, radically different, hilarious young men has turned out to be better and more central to my life than I expected.” She has mostly stopped teaching but is still making art. The backyard chicken flock is holding steady at eight.

Dadali Ziai notes, “The cognitive dissonance of my own comfortable material conditions and a developing class consciousness is

1989 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: TK BALTIMORE 16 Brattle Circle Cambridge, MA 02138 tkbalt@gmail.com Tiverton Smith: is still in Boston, but her two kids, who are both SHS alums themselves, are now in college. Tiverton’s younger son is living with his best friend from Shady Hill at Washington & Lee. Sam Thompson writes: from Cambridgeport where he and his wife Anne have been since 2003. They are now empty nesters, with their daughter, Clare, in her second year at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, and their son, Hayes, in his sophomore year at Proctor Academy. Anne has been building her beverage company, Urban Pharm, with Jill Forney (SHS alum), and working as the head of special events and marketing for a local real estate office. Sam is now 18 years in and a Senior Director at Progress Partners and 17 years in as Founding Partner at Progress Ventures, where he is now spending most of his time with his portfolio companies. Tanya Jones’s son, Malik Ibrahim ’21, is graduating from Belmont Hill School. Next fall, Malik will head to Macalester College where he will play middle infield on the baseball team.

Tanya resides in her old hometown of Newton and contemplates what her life as an empty nester will be like. Justin Rogers is still living in Minnesota. His daughter is a freshman at Smith College in Northampton and is contemplating going into geoscience. Miranda Pearce still lives in Cambridge with her husband, Matt, two sons, Leo and Oscar, and their kittens, Fabio and Sarunas. Not much has changed except that both kids are now in high school and playing in the school’s percussion ensemble, Leo on guitar and Oscar on drums. Miranda writes: “I see TK Baltimore, Emily (Hart) Reith, and Amy Bracken for dinner once in a while and it’s always great to catch up!”

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Rebecca Cutter and her family are doing great. Her daughter Frances is a junior in high school and wants to be on the East Coast for college, and her daughter Beatrice is in 6th grade. Rebecca’s husband Ben still works at USC (not easy times to be working at a university) and Rebecca herself is currently in Charlotte NC shooting season 2 of “The Hunting Wives” (Netflix). Rebecca writes: “Some of you know that my mom died in July of 2024, which obviously sucked, but it was lovely to see some dear old Shady Hill friends at the funeral—Miranda Pearce, TK Baltimore, Rachel Cobb ’91. As the song goes, one is silver and the other gold.” Lisa Hamilton is still in California, still a journalist, and now playing beach volleyball and learning Spanish. Allegra Chatterjee recently started a 501c3 in honor of her parents. She is still living in the DC metro area with her two superFAB daughters, ages 13 and 17. www.Chatterjeefoundation.org Annelise (Tufo) Blackall and her husband, Will, both work for investment management firms in Boston—Annelise in marketing and Will in sales. Their son Charlie is 16 and is enrolled as a boarding student at Tabor Academy in Marion, MA, particularly enjoying math and Chinese classes. He is anticipating his class trip to China next year and plays on the varsity soccer and tennis teams. Annelise, Will, and Charlie love to ski during their infrequent free time. Annelise’s parents, Bob and Dorothy, enjoy work, travel (especially if grandchildren are on board),and time in Duxbury and Back Bay. Annelise’s sister Nicole Tufo Pirnie (SHS ’83) is working in real estate and tech and lives in West Newton. Nicole’s son, Robert, has completed his first semester in college. Debby Saintil is living in the DC metro area. She is in the thick of working as a school administrator and raising a 15-year-old and 13-year-old in extraordinary times. Elise Van Winkle continues to live in the DC metro area after leaving the DoD a few years ago. She is now at Oracle as their Industry Executive for the Federal

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Government, so she still gets to support the government mission, albeit from a bit more distance. On the side, she serves on a few Boards, including the Leadership Council for Women in National Security, which helps women move into National Security positions within government and intelligence, particularly into high level political leadership positions—so this has been a very fulfilling “side job.” Other than that, Elise writes: “I sent my oldest off to UVA in the fall and am now expertly managing one teenage high school girl at home. And by ’expertly’ I mean ’hanging on by a thread.’”

World Central Kitchen and Food for the Poor, providing relief to tens of thousands of people who literally lost everything. The work continues, and while Jamaica is open for business and eagerly receiving visitors, there is still a long road to full recovery. Our hope is that the considerable funds we have raised will allow us to take a crisis of total devastation and turn it into a “blank slate” opportunity to really transform the lives of some Jamaicans in a meaningful way. In the meantime, we still feel very fortunate to have a life that allows us to adapt and adjust to all these changes, taking them in stride.”

Sarah Hsia has been living in Kingston, Jamaica for many years now, working as an attorney practicing US and Jamaican law (IP, Entertainment, Transactional, and RE). She and her husband have three daughters together (Pixie, 13, and Eve and Zora, 10) and one bonus son, Jared (25). Sarah writes: “Jamaica is a complicated little place, but a good place to raise a family, very livable, with a strong sense of community (and great beaches!) Life has been busy in a predictable and good way, and we have taken such delight and pride in watching the kids grow and succeed at their interests and passions. In February 2025, my 94-year-old father came to visit, and now lives with us here as well, receiving incredible attention and care from a team of caregivers. It’s an incredible opportunity for all of us to spend time with him (including Jonathan Hsia, SHS ’91, who visits frequently) and we are very grateful to be able to have him here. But it’s a big life change. Then, in October, Jamaica was devastated by Hurricane Melissa. We were fortunate that Kingston was not badly affected, and while we experienced very heavy rain and wind, and lost some tree limbs, we were essentially unscathed. Much of the rest of the country was not so fortunate. Western parishes were decimated; the scale of destruction and devastation was unthinkable. Now, on top of work, family and elder care, the rest of my year was largely occupied working with The American Friends of Jamaica, of which I am a Director, raising funds and, alongside some incredible NGOs like GEM,

Eli Hardy writes: “At the end of 2024 I took over all Avid Media Composer development as Director of Engineering at Avid Technology in Burlington, MA. This was a big milestone for me as Media Composer is the primary software used by the Film and TV industry for Broadcasting, Films and TV production. Over the past 15 years I also have been doing freelance sports editing for CBS that has resulted in a total of 4 Emmy awards. My wife Kate and I have 4 children. Leo, 14. Lincoln, 17. Aniela, 18. Tea 21. The 2 oldest are in college at Emerson College and Montserrat College (respectively). My wife and I have been living in Charlton, MA now for 23 years, married for 25 years.” Emily (nee Hart) Reith is sending her youngest off to college next year—March Madness will be a lot more exciting now that she’s a Blue Devil! Emily and her husband, Thomas, will be entering the empty nester phase, so they are hoping to add a few more hobbies or travels to their routine by next year’s update. Emily has managed to visit San Francisco a few times as her oldest lives and works there. It’s been a fun adventure and window into West Coast life for all of them. Other highlights include getting together with other local SHSers including Amy Bracken, Miranda Pearce and TK Baltimore, and watching Rebecca Cutter’s amazing show (“The Hunting Wives”) on Netflix. Emily writes that she can’t wait for Season 2! Betsey Geller Keely is still living in Manhattan Beach, CA and loving SoCal. She is currently

finishing her graduate degree in Clinical Psychology, and she intends to work as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with high school students and adults, possibly couples and families too. Betsey’s older son, Owen, is a sophomore at UCLA and younger son, Will, graduates this spring and will be heading to USC Marshall. Betsey writes: “We will officially be a house divided with crosstown rivals!” Todd Rodgers and his wife Françoise continue to enjoy dividing their time between NYC and upstate New York (including hobbies such as beekeeping and growing as much of their food as possible). Elder daughter Cooper is enjoying her sophomore year at Tufts pursuing a dual major in Human Factors Psychology and Economics. As a Junior at Nightingale-Bamford, younger daughter Parker is starting to explore potential colleges, balancing interests in journalism, history, and AI research. Todd started a new technology strategy consulting practice and has enjoyed working on assignments spanning industries and geographies, taking advantage of related travel to explore new food and hiking trails. Andrew Rosen writes: After 25 years in NYC, my wife Annah and I moved to Delray Beach, Florida in 2020. Our twins, Layla & Marcus are 11 years old and love Florida but miss the snow greatly. My older son, Dylan, is 22 (I would guess he is one of the older kids from a student in our class) and starts working in New York this coming summer full time in finance. We visit Boston quite often as my parents still live in Belmont in the house I grew up in and my sister Annie ’96 lives in North Hamilton. Anna Martin is in her last year of her counseling master’s program and doing in-home therapy with families for her internship. Michael Breyer and Leah are keeping busy in California with their four children (aged 1 to 12), 6 chickens, Eddard (a 27-pound indoor cat) and two garden cats. Michael is testing his new software TruthOrLie.ai on family members to ensure no one is sneaking out at night. Leah is writing a book

and launching a venture capital fund called Precedent.vc. And finally, I would like to quote this missive from Jeremiah Day in its entirety. “I imagine I am not alone in struggling to produce a polite reflection on the year past, or even any reflection at all. We emerged in a world in which opposition to organized mass murder was the defining bond across political classes, factions and generations, and one in which we assumed that if masked secret police ever whisked our neighbors off the streets we, of course, would rise up in dissent. The shattering of these bonds and assumptions overshadows all private life. There are no barriers strong enough to protect private space in such a moment. It leaves many just stumped at how to think through what we are living through. Perhaps living through it takes all the energy, actually, maybe that is it, and that would add another brutal reckoning: how impoverished our status has become, despite the vast material wealth of the community around Shady Hill. For those of us who struggle to rise to the occasion: forgive them if they cannot produce pithy and cheery reports. Or perhaps your call needs to recognize that for any description not to be a fraud-y complicit-y and, instead cut to the heart of the matter, needs to ask of each other, for each other, by each other (the people, after all, right?): how shall we respond?!” Jeremiah Day, Whose Life Was Changed By Learning About SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) From A Talk At Shady Hill in 1991. TK Baltimore writes: Hello from chilly and snow-covered Cambridge, MA, where my daughter, Tesla ’28 , is currently attending 6th grade at SHS. 6th grade was recently relocated to our old science building (beautifully renovated), so Tesla’s classroom is where I vaguely remember having sex-ed classes back in 1987. Central subject for 6th grade is still Africa, and Tesla just started on the unit covering the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the colonization and independence of Africa. Does anyone from Mr. Wales’s class remember when we had that lesson on Apartheid using the square tiles on the floor and M&Ms? That always stuck with me.

Thanks to so many of you for responding with news, no matter how brief. 20 replies might be a record for us. For my update, the highlight of our year was a summer trip to the Galápagos Islands, where I practiced my Spanish and swam with sea lions, Tesla ’28 learned about evolution and made friends with a parrot fish, and my husband Jay spotted whales and loved the food. In addition, as many of you may have read elsewhere, my father passed away in September of 2025. Thanks to Emily (Hart) Reith and Amy Bracken for coming to the memorial service that was held at the Broad Institute here in Cambridge.

1990 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: KATHRYN BAILIS PHILLIPS kathryn.phillips75@gmail.com Elizabeth Barron writes: “I am living in Trondheim, Norway since 2019, where I am a geography professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. I am on sabbatical this year, though, and my family and I have been having some excellent adventures in Benin and then Australia. We are spending the last six months back here in the Boston area. I am writing a book and have a visiting position at Tufts.

Elizabeth Barron ’90 and her family

Amie Margolis continues to live in Watertown with her husband and son and is now in her 11th year at BB&N. She enjoys working in the Advancement Department alongside classmate Jesse Sarzana,

Lydia Ogden ’90 and Amie Margolis ’90 with Christina Dello Russo ’97 recently joining the team and Rory Morton ’78, TTC ’87 continuing as Upper School Dean of Students—making work feel like an extension of the SHS community. Amie recently reconnected with Emily Dello Russo via a surprise FaceTime call and celebrated her 50th birthday with Lydia Ogden after a long gap between visits. She also treasures ongoing friendships with Max Sederer and others nearby in Watertown. Amie’s son Aidan, a 7th grader at Watertown Middle School, made the soccer team this fall and continues to play travel soccer. Over winter break, Aidan and his dad traveled to Ireland and Scotland, including a Celtic FC match. Amie also celebrated her sister Caroline ’06’s White Coat ceremony at PennVet and time with her three-year-old nephew, Cameron. Weddee Neufville is doing well and works as a reading specialist at an alternative high school in Boston. Her 15-year-old son attends a Boston performing arts school and is an accomplished percussionist, playing everything from rock and neo-jazz to soca on steel pans, and is looking for gigs. Her daughter is a junior at an HBCU in the DMV area and hopes to pursue psychology with a focus on art therapy; she is currently seeking summer internships. Liz Hanify lives in Belmont with her children Owen (9) and Maeve (2). Jesse Sarzana sends New Year greetings. He and his wife Autumn recently celebrated 25 years of marriage. Their son Leo (21) attends the University of Rochester,

and their daughter Avery (18) is a student at Columbia University. Jesse continues to enjoy his work at BB&N in the Advancement Office. Cara Weir shares an updated email address (c.elmslie@gmail.com) and hopes to reconnect with classmates soon.

Danny Zalcman ’90 and David Cataruzolo ’90 at a Bruins game Danny Zalcman reports that his daughter Karolina is in 8th grade at Shady Hill, and the family is nearing the end of the high school application process. Danny recently enjoyed brunch with Lydia and Cara, noting that his daughter Margarita is a year below Cara’s daughter Isa at Beaver. He has also reconnected with classmates socially, including attending a Bruins game with Dave Cataruzolo (a win) and planning another with Nat Taylor. Danny has several trips planned in the coming months, including New York, Washington, DC, Barcelona, and Las Vegas, and sends best wishes to the class for a happy and healthy 2026.

As for me, Kathryn Bailis Phillips, my husband Josh and I continue to live in NYC. I work for Runway for Recovery, a breast cancer non profit, founded by an old Nobles student. Our daughter, Savannah, is a second year at University of Virginia and we get to spend a lot of time with Merrill Staunton Woodriﬀ and her amazing 3 children. We have gotten to spend time with Jon Staunton and his family as well. The time all together has been a total gift.

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1991 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: PHOEBE LYNCH phoebelynch@mac.com Phoebe Lynch writes from Portland, OR: Hello from rainy Portland, where I live with my husband and our 11-year-old son and 12 pound wannabe Rottweiler. I continue to work part-time with foster kids doing education advocacy and I still travel as much as possible. I stay in regular touch with Ariane, who moved back to DC last year, and Beanie, who is in Marblehead. Please let me know if you’re in the area as I would love to catch up. Hannah Sharpless Graﬀ writes from Swampscott, MA: As I approach 50, I still don’t quite feel like a grown-up. My son Tex (20) is a sophomore at Skidmore, and Theo (18) is headed to WPI this year. My husband John and I are enjoying a new chapter after his retirement—“parallel puttering” at home: I make art, do design work, engage in local activism, and serve as chair of the Swampscott Cultural Council, while John builds a telescope, restores woodshop tools, and plans for the future. Grateful for this time together, I often think about our SHS experience and the lessons in justice, courage, and community that still resonate today. Becca Nesson writes from Cambridge, MA: I live in Cambridge with my husband Wayne, daughters Nico (18) and Charlie (16), and our dog, Boosty Collie (5). I recently became Executive Director of the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard, where I continue to teach discrete math. It is a fascinating and lively time to be thinking about how to make college meaningful—especially as my own children consider their next steps. I welcome conversations about teaching, AI, grade inflation, and constructive dialogue. Liz McQuaid writes from Framingham, MA: I’ve been enjoying sharing stories of SHS’s Greek Olympics with my fourthgrade son, Reese, who is currently fascinated by Ancient Greece and mythology.

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Saša Milosavljevic-Cook writes from the Northeast: With two daughters finishing and starting university, my wife Renee and I are in a season of transition. We’re considering a more mobile lifestyle—chasing warmer weather in the spring, spending summers in New England, and possibly traveling abroad in the fall and winter. Alongside my work in the energy sector, I continue to volunteer locally and work on progressive energy policy and green energy development. Recently, I connected with Jeff Kurzon in New Hampshire for our annual hike. Ned Salter writes from Chestnut Hill, MA: My wife, Mackinnon, and I relocated from London to Boston at the end of 2023 with our two dogs, Whiskey and Winston. Now settled in Chestnut Hill, we’ve already spotted several SHS classmates around town. David Weld writes from Santa Barbara, CA: I’m a physics professor at UC Santa Barbara and the father of three—Theo, Maia, and Cornelius. Even after 35 years, it still feels strange not to see classmates every day. Occasional encounters with Saltines or Ritz crackers spark fond memories of snack time in mixed group and third grade. Please say hello if you’re in the area. Adam Walton writes from San Diego, CA: Adam sends a warm hello, along with love and hugs, to all his Shady Hill friends and families.

1992, 1993 Both 1992 and 1993 need support. Please volunteer for the class correspondent role! Email alumni@shs.org.

1994 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: JEITA DENG jeita.phillips@gmail.com Erica Strang writes: I am living in Westchester after having moved from Brooklyn in 2021 with my husband and two kids 6 and 9.

Working in New York City with people who are street homeless and continuing to wrap my head around the fact that I am closer to 50 then 30. Would love to know what is up with others if folks want to share. Atty Bing writes from east Los Angeles: I’ve long thought one of the coolest things about my experience at Shady Hill, or maybe it’s just the experience of going to school with the same relatively small group of kids from such a young age, is that there is literally no one on this email I wouldn’t be thrilled to have dinner with and hear about their lives. I stayed in Boston until 2013. After high school I cooked in restaurants for a few years, then got into residential Construction. I met my wife Emily at a get together at David Bailis’ house in Brooklyn. Our wives are friends, and Erica was there too! Anyways, Emily was moving back to Los Angeles from New York and I followed her.

I never in a million years would have predicted ending up in LA. I always figured NorCal or the Pacific Northwest had my name on it, but here I am. I’ve been here for 13 yrs and like it a lot. I pivoted career wise and started working on TV and film stuff— mostly television commercials—in the Art Department. It’s a whole other world than construction and it’s been fun to explore. That said, I’ve done about a half turn back to Construction in the last two years as the film business here has slowed down a bit. We live in east LA in a place called Atwater Village, close to Edward who I don’t see enough but love running into. We have an, almost 9yr old, daughter who is my absolute favorite thing. She just woke up and has climbed onto my head. I hope any and all of you look me up if you’re in Los Angeles! Lindsay Smith writes: I often reminisce about SHS through storytelling to my three daughters (ages 13,10 & 6). They are very curious about all the little buildings and getting to go outside between classes. My oldest is graduating 8th grade with 43 classmates in the spring and I took a picture of her and her buddies last night at a special event and it reminded me of

Lindsay Smith ’94 TTC ’04 and family all of us. I left the Boston area after high school (returned to do the apprentice program at SHS). After stints in VT, New York City, and Sydney, we were in San Francisco for a decade before moving back East in 2020. The transition was a lot as I thought SF would really be home forever. We landed in Marblehead in a 230 year old house a block from the beach and I can’t believe it’s been 6 years. Visitors are always welcome! I’m lucky enough to get to see Jeita and Nicole and their awesome offspring on the regs. I will always be a middle school teacher at heart, but I am now focused on local activism, anti-racism education and charter school administration. I spend my free time getting outside as much as possible, chasing live music and raising social justice warriors (both traced back to my Shady HIll roots). My most favorite thing to do when the warmth returns is paddle board with a waterproof speaker.

Jess Anderson ’94. husband Karthik, daughter Elena, and son Nico Jessica Anderson writes: After college I moved to L.A. for a couple of years, then Japan, and then back to the East Coast, teaching in all those places. I went to grad school in North Carolina in 2007 for public policy, and I’ve been here ever since—except for a couple of years in D.C. after graduation. I

worked in K–12 education policy and evaluation until 2022, when I started teaching in the MPP program at University of North Carolina. I also serve in the local elected office in Chapel Hill, where I live with my husband, Karthik, our daughter Elena (12), our son Nico (9), and our oversized Frenchie, Ollie. Elena loves animals and tennis; Nico likes soccer and math/Rubik’s cubes but is not motivated by 4th grade in the slightest—he’s definitely my kid, so I know there’s hope he’ll care about academics once he gets to decide where and when. I met Karthik in grad school, and we got married in East Cambridge in 2010. We don’t get back up there much, but I miss it. Education and politics are both exhausting at the moment, but I’m genuinely inspired by my kids and my students, so we’re just putting one foot in front of the other. We see my mom and her husband regularly, either here in Chapel Hill or in Sarasota, where they’ve lived for almost ten years. My dad passed away from dementia in 2020 after moving here to be closer to us in 2015. We miss him every day, and his grandkids called him “Peepaw” (they are Southerners, what can I say?). Taking care of him inspired/ persuaded me, against my better judgement, to agree to do a podcast with a friend on the journey of aging. It’s supposed to come out at the end of March and I feel way more nervous about it than running for office, since it’s weirdly much more personal. It’s currently snowing, so if we get more than an inch the town will be shut down until further notice—another sign of Southern living. Robinson Hill writes: Thanks for the leadership and outreach here Jeita, great to hear from folks directly, props Erika. For the SHS news I got no updates as of recent, just camped out in Brookline with the fam.

1997 NMH (Antares Meketa ’95 was also there) 1998 started UMAss Amherst (Antares, Jonas Schmidt and James Patterson were also there). In 1999 moved to Brooklyn and worked for Whole Foods opening the first Whole Foods in Manhattan. In 2002 moved to Shelburne Vermont and worked

The Nuance Collective. We are still doing the fun stuff: we solve creative problems for brands and I also teach grad school classes creative concepts at a portfolio school. My younger brother Pete Bayne lives in Brooklyn, and he still keeps close with a core SHS crew of friends. My mom, Sarah Bayne, is in the Hudson Valley and we all see each other all the time.

Robinson Hill ’94 and family in Wireless Telecom building the GSM network to launch the iPhone. 2010 graduated from UMass BS Business. 2011 moved to Boston and worked for Northeastern, Simmons, Lesley and Harvard primarily supporting the executive team, board and major donors. 2015 MS in Business Northeastern. 2016 MBA Northeastern. 2020 shuﬄed over to Biotech in IP at Flagship Pioneering and now at Agenus as a Corporate Officer and IP Legal Associate. I also enjoy biking, running, soccer, and getting into nature. Nick Bayne writes: My family moved to SF in 1993 and I felt like an east coaster in California through high school until I came back east for college and then I felt like a California kid at Middlebury. After school, I had screenwriting dreams, which took me to NY, but I got eaten up and spit out by the entertainment business and found my true love/calling as a writer/CD in advertising. I worked at big agencies in NY for about 15 years, had way too much fun for the first half, then got sober and finally grew up in the second part. In 2015, I got married to an amazing woman named Sunshine and we’re together today. We’re New Yorkers who moved to Denver for about 15 minutes and came running back east and found a place outside the city in northern NJ in early 2020—just before the pandemic. We still live here—the two of us and our dog, June. (My wife and I weren’t lucky enough to be able to have kids of our own, but we have a white pit bull who I treat like a spoiled only child). After stints internally at brands and even more agencies, I founded my own creative consultancy called

Josiah Bragdon writes: I moved to SF in the summer of 1999, and lived out my 20’s working in bars, restaurants, construction and working a couple seasons as a Firefighter for the Department of Forestry. In 2005 I met my lovely wife Sugey at the bar I worked at, and around the same time I was pulling my act together and going back to school to get my degree. In 2007 I graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Math, and that opened the door for me to some new career opportunities. I landed in Construction Management working for a big

Josiah (Jody) Bragdon ’94 and family

Australian Developer/Contractor and worked for them for 17 years building some cool projects before they pulled out of the US. After getting married in 2010, Sugey and I accepted an international assignment in Mexico City where we lived for a year and a half. We found out Sugey was pregnant the day we moved there, so our sweet Ella was born in Mexico and has dual citizenship. Her amazing little sister Charlotte was born in Berkeley in 2015.We moved back to the Bay in 2013 and settled in Oakland where we’ve been ever since. We had a great run overlapping with other classmates that did stints in the Bay Area. We had some really good times with Noah, Nick P, Dan, Nicole, Lindsay and overlapping with

Zach and Atty in SoCal or the Bay. Lots of Patriots games were watched at Noah’s house! Overlapping with Dave when he was touring through the Bay, or us visiting NY. We still see Erica and family when we visit East or they visit West.I’m currently working for a big National GC overseeing construction of a new high rise Freshman dorm for UC Berkeley, and it’s fun to be back on Campus. Our girls are both in an independent school that feels like an urban SHS. There are actually a couple other SHS alumni in the faculty and parent communities. We’ve made some life long friends at their school and have had some amazing adventures with them from local hang outs to joint vacations. The girls are the center of our lives, and Sugey and I spend most of our free time taking them to sports or to hang out with friends. Ella is playing club volleyball, and waiting for high school acceptance letters. Charlotte is starting volleyball, taking tennis lessons, and getting ready to transition to middle school next year. I’d love to catch up with anyone living in or passing through the Bay Area! Matthew Rubin writes: After stints in Boston, South Florida and Dallas, Ashley, our 2 sons Jacob and Aaron and our dog Ollie now live in Brentwood, Tennessee. We haven’t given up our New England roots completely as Ashley and the boys still spend the summers at our place in Nantucket.Career wise I am President of Tractor Supply Company’s Ecommerce and Digital businesses. A $15 billion dollar retailer that supports the rural “out here” lifestyle for customers all over the US. It has been quite a ride in retail over my career but I have enjoyed the challenge! Frances Tilney Burke writes: Aloha from Hawaii! Currently, my husband, Tom, and I are stationed at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. This is our second time on Oahu for a two-year stint. Tom is in his 31st year of service with the Army and will be promoted to major general this summer if/when the Senate confirms the list of promotions. After college, I moved to England for grad school (with Julia Paolitto!). My first job post-grad school was at the Pentagon and I have been in and out of defense

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policy for most of my career. I loved government service and was commissioned as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve in 2025 so I could “split the baby” and keep my civilian job but still contribute in uniform. I met my husband at the Pentagon and after we married in 2007 (Julia was a bridesmaid and I was totally surprised when David B was playing with the band at the wedding!), we moved to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Tom was deployed to Afghanistan with a combat aviation battalion (he flies AH-64 Apache attack helicopters) four months after our first baby was born, and made it home for mid-tour leave just in time for the birth of our second. Mary is now a senior (17) and Claire is a junior (16). (I will say that applying to college nowadays is not for the weak of heart; it seemed so much simpler when we were filling out applications. Mary is in her 10th school and 3rd high school and hopes to attend either West Point or the Naval Academy. We moved from Kentucky/Tennessee to Washington, DC (went back to the Pentagon working on detainee policy), back to Kentucky (Tom deployed to Afghanistan again for a year and I had our son, Nicholas, named after my father who sadly died of prostate cancer 11 days after Nick was born). Then, we went from Kentucky to Newton, Mass! Tom and I both did our PhD coursework at the Fletcher School at Tufts and had an amazing time being in the Boston area for two years. My mom was a huge help. Then, we moved to Hawaii for two years, Washington, DC for a year (where I had our fourth child, Catherine), Washington State (Tacoma area) for another year during COVID, then back to DC for two years. Most recently, we spent the last two magical years in the northern interior of Alaska on an Army installation adjacent to Fairbanks, about 350 miles north of Anchorage. We loved Alaska and are looking to buy a house there eventually. We flew up to see friends in December and when we landed, it was -39 degrees. It’s an amazing and beautiful place. Our hope is to retire to New Hampshire and split time with Alaska. After a year at a think-tank in DC, then a post-doc, I was really lucky to get

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Esther Freeman ’94, Imogen ’31, Jeita Deng ’94, and Aiken ’31 apple picking an appointment as a “professor of the practice of national security” at Duke. I teach one class a semester and the university has supported my commute to Durham from DC, Alaska, and now Hawaii. Aside from that, I drive kids around and am currently homeschooling Nick (age 12). Catherine (age 6) is in kindergarten and loving life. Lots of driving to football, sailing, gymnastics, soccer, XC, Scouts... you name it. Both the older girls reached the rank of Eagle Scout while we were stationed in Alaska, the 3rd and 4th females in the entire Council. We are really proud of them and I (with zero background in Scouting) have gotten involved with the kids’ various troops and camping trips. It’s a lot of fun and Scouting in Alaska is the “real deal.” Our kids are our joy and I am already a sloppy mess and sending my oldest off to college this summer/fall, with Claire not far behind. We will move again in the summer of 2027, location yet unknown. Andy Keating writes: I am an architect practicing in Providence, RI and teaching at RISD.

After college at Williams studying design, architecture, art history I went to work for a large construction company as a precursor to getting my master’s in architecture. I subsequently started my own firm—an unusual blend of architecture studio and construction company—and only years later went back to Harvard GSD to get my degree. My wife Shannon and I had our daughter Florence (Wren) during this time

as I continued to run my practice through architecture school. Later, after birth of our son Wynton and a bit of a shake up with the loss of his twin sister Evangeline, we decamped for LA where I studied and received a 2nd master’s at Southern California Institute of Architecture) and worked in video games and production design, crossing paths with Atty! We contemplated staying in LA, looking at schools and houses but ultimately chose Providence as a unique blend of urban/cultural/safe/manageable. Shannon founded a non-profit, The Wandering Scholar, that provides travel opportunities to high schoolers, and is the director of the tourism council here making grants to organizations that support engagement with the city. Wren (9) is at the Wheeler School and Wyntie (5) is in Montessori. Esther Freeman writes: I get to see Jeita several times a week, because our kiddos are classmates at SHS! My daughter Imogen is in third grade (in the same classroom that Mr. Hakes 3rd grade was) with Jeita’s son Aiken, learning about whales, and she is obsessed with narwhals. Amos is in 4th grade and is predictably obsessed by all things Greek. We’re looking forward to the 4th grade Olympics this year. May Day is the same, and so much fun as a parent. I’m a global health dermatologist at Mass General / Harvard Medical School, splitting my time between Boston, East Africa, Geneva at the WHO, and now also a variety of remote Pacific islands—my focus is on training doctors and physician

leaders in low resource countries around the world. My work focuses on pandemics, outbreaks, and international health policy. I received an Endowed Chair in Global Health Dermatology this fall, and I felt the SHS love because Jeita was there to celebrate with us. Sia Sanneh writes: Alex Beale (Schum) and I reunited for high school (St. Paul’s) and overlapped again in New Haven during graduate school, so it has been fun to keep up with my kindergarten partner in crime when possible. After college in NY and several great years teaching middle school in Washington Heights, I got a law degree from Yale and ended up working on wrongful conviction cases and eventually joining the Equal Justice Initiative. I am still with EJI, and feel super fortunate to work with amazing colleagues on a range of things including death penalty cases, work with kids who are in the adult prison system, on a hunger relief program, and on lots of historical research, art, and architecture projects as we have been building a series of cultural sites in Alabama over the last 10 years. I was based in Alabama for a stretch (I never got used to the heat though these last few days on the east coast may cause me to rethink!) and now I am in the NYC area, with travel to AL when I can. It is great to be close to my family here, my older brother K was also at SHS, he and his wife (she’s a chef, for the NYorkers: Pies n Thighs in Williamsburg and Heaps ice cream). My two nephews are in NYC and my mom is not far away, in New Haven. My dear dad died very suddenly in 2019. My husband John and I have been married since 2011, he spent his early childhood in the midwest and when he is not frantically following the KC Chiefs and Royals, he does human rights work and for the last several years he has been focusing on the illicit financing of war crimes. I promise we are not as grim and serious as our careers might make us sound! Ha! We have a hilarious kindergartener, Simeon, and are expecting baby #2 in the Spring. (Assuming I survive this pregnancy! Whew!) Hannah Hobbs Wolbach writes: Hi SHS folks! I fled

New England after high school. Colorado for college, then a few years in California doing outdoor education. I got interested in farming when I went to The Mountain School for a semester of high school, and I got a job on an organic farm that summer (1996). I’ve been farming ever since. First seasonally, while I was in school. And now full-time year-round for the past 20 years. I am writing from Little Compton RI, where my husband Ben and I moved and started Skinny Dip Farm in 2011. We grow organic veggies, flowers, herbs and chicken. We have 7 unheated greenhouses where

Hannah Hobbs Wolbach ’94 at the Skinny Dip Farm, which she and her husband started in 2011 we grow winter greens, so we’re busy year-round. It’s constantly challenging and pretty allconsuming, but we’re doing what we love to do, and managing to make it work. We have 2 amazing, super smart and feral girls (Matilda is 11, Liana is 9) who go to the tiny K-8 public school down the street. I’ve been joking since before having kids that I wanted to get my kids into surfing, so instead of bringing them to constant soccer tournaments and sports practices, I can just drop them at the beach. We’re working to make this a reality, spending most of our summer down-time in the ocean. I was just telling my kids the other day about The Mask of the Red Death, and they thought it was hilarious. Jesse Levinson writes: My son is in the middle of a unit on Ancient Greek myths at school, which has brought back a flood of warm memories from our own fourthgrade days at SHS. It’s such a pleasure to hear from each of you and to learn a little about where life has taken you.

Jesse Levinson ’94 and family Some of you may remember that my family moved to Washington, DC after fifth grade. I eventually found my way back to New England for high school and graduated from SPS (’97) before returning to Georgetown (’01) for college. I joined the U.S. Foreign Service a year after graduating, planning to focus on Latin America, but life had other plans. The first half of my career took me across the Middle East and South Asia, with tours in Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, and Tikrit, Iraq. For better or worse, I felt like I had a front-row seat to some of our country’s post-9/11 history. My wife, Emanuelle Silva Levinson (“Manu”), and I moved back to the DC area in the summer of 2024 after postings in Morocco, Colombia, and Brazil. We now live in Arlington, VA, and have three kids — Olivia (14), Nadine (12), and Gabriel (8). Outside of work, I coach youth soccer, cycle whenever I can, and recently started volunteering with the Fuller Center for Housing. Sarah Schalman-Bergen writes: Post Nobles, I stayed in Boston through college, some medical research jobs and law school and relocated to Philly in 2007. I’ve been in West Philadelphia ever since (go birds) where my wife Maura and I have raised our now 11 year old daughter, Sivan. Sivan has a good sense of humor, a healthy disrespect for authority, and a lot of hustle on the soccer field. My mom moved down to Philly in 2016, months after my father died unexpectedly, which threw my whole family for a loop for the better part of a decade. My brother

Sam lives in Queens with his wife Maryrose with my two adorable nephews Julian (4) and Dylan (1) and has coached the Dalton Varsity Girls Basketball team to many a championship win and undefeated season. I practice law, representing workers and municipalities in wage theft class and collective actions/ enforcement actions and antitrust issues involving labor markets. I’m currently a partner at a law firm based in Boston, though I still practice from Philly. I still sometimes find myself randomly humming songs from The Mask of the Red Death (Life is grand!). Valerie Antoine-Gustave writes: After Shady Hill, and Concord Academy, I went to Wellesley College for undergrad (’01), then pursued public health at Columbia (’03) before heading to Johns Hopkins for medical school (’07). I bounced around a bit for training — New YorkPresbyterian (residency) and Brigham and Women’s for fellowship— and eventually made my way back to NYC in 2014, where I’m currently working as a gastroenterologist affiliate with NYU. I got married to my wonderful hubby Jackson Gustave in 2004, and we have two kids who are growing up as true city kids. 21 years of marriage is a big deal

Valerie Antoine-Gustave ’94 and family these days! I also co-founded an organization called the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists in 2021 (blackingastro.org), which has become a really meaningful way for me to give back.I still love to dance, go out to dinner, and socialize — definitely harder with kids, but city life makes it a little easier to keep that spirit alive. Kat Boger writes: I left Shady Hill after 5th grade, attended public school in Winchester, and later

finished high school at BB&N. After graduating from Williams College in 2001, I headed west for two years at Stanford’s Mood and Anxiety Disorder Lab, where it rained exactly twice and I spent most of my free time hiking “the Dish” and being outside. Missing both my family and the seasons, I returned east for graduate school in clinical psychology at Boston University. After a postdoc at McLean Hospital, I built a career focused on helping children and adolescents with anxiety and OCD. I co-founded the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program at McLean Hospital, joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School, and wrote a children’s book, Step by Step, about facing fears and building courage. Today, I’m the Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer at InStride Health, where we’re working to address the youth mental health crisis by delivering accessible, insurance-backed, evidence-based care for young people with anxiety and OCD. The work is very meaningful to me— and endlessly humbling. Along the way, I met my husband through a mutual high school friend. We’re now outnumbered by three boys (14, 10, and 7), who keep life loud, chaotic, and funny. Most weekends involve sports fields, misplaced water bottles, and constant motion.

Erica for getting the ball rolling! It has been so fun to “reconnect” with so many who were a part of my foundational childhood memories. It is no surprise that so many of you are doing such amazing things and making an impact on the world around you. As for me, I am extremely lucky in the fact that I get to relive some of the joys of Shady Hill through the eyes of my third grader. As you may remember, third grade is all about whales and whaling, and it has been so fun to see his enthusiasm for the curriculum and to test my own knowledge about whales and whaling… shout out to Mr. Hakes I remember a lot! My embarrassment of riches continues as I’m fortunate enough to see many of our classmates fairly regularly, specifically Esther Freeman, whose daughter is a classmate of my son and Lindsay Fauth Smith, who with her husband Adam, are my son’s godparents. I work and live at Harvard. I am the Dean for Administration and Finance at Harvard College and live in residence with 30 first year students. In that capacity I get to see Kat Dingman Boger’s father who, even though retired, remains Mr. Harvard! And I have been lucky to benefit from Kat’s expertise as an amazing psychologist— thanks, Kat!

1995

Lindsay Smith’s ’94 TTC ’04, and Jeita Deng’s ’94 children are the best of friends Jeita Deng writes: This has been a wonderful year for class notes! I really appreciate everyone sharing their recent updates as well as giving a sneak peek into your life journey over the past 25 years— thank you

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

Lila Dupree’95 and Daniel Adair ’00 welcomed their second baby in July

1997 Nick Deane writes: Nick(o), wife Keia, and daughter Emerson (4) have settled into Park Slope in Brooklyn NY and are happy to be close to sister/aunt Alexis ’99, her husband Nick, and their daughter Poppy. Nick(o) is grateful for his job helping to run the central data platform for the NYC public health system, and hopes to see more of SHS classmates in both NY and Boston.

Want to read about more of your classmates? Step up for the Class Correspondent position and recruit more voices. Email alumni@shs.org.

David Miller writes: After 13 years working and living at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, MA, I will be moving to Charlottesville, VA this summer with my wife, Anna, and daughters Olivia (7), Sage (4), and Eliza (born in May 2025!). I’m excited to begin my new role as Assistant Head of School at St. Anne’s-Belfield School. I recently completed my doctorate in Educational Leadership at University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, where my research examined how independent school heads navigate polarization.

Lila Dupree writes: Daniel Adair ’00 and I were thrilled to welcome our second kiddo, Alphinius Adair, on July 6th, 2025.

Our Class Correspondent position is open. Consider stepping forward to volunteer for this rewarding role. Email alumni@shs.org.

We are looking for a class correspondent! Email alumni@shs.org to learn more.

THE 2025 -2026 IS SUE

1999 Our Class Correspondent position is open. Consider stepping forward to volunteer for this rewarding role. Email alumni@shs.org.

1998

1996

Rachael Innerarity ’98, her dad (Calvin Innerarity), and her mother (Teri Keough) from Halloween 1989

Devon Wilson-Hill and Mark Stanek were in Brooklyn and had coffee with Nick this fall. They both report, he knows the best coffee houses.

We are looking for a class correspondent! Email alumni@shs.org to learn more.

Congrats on expanding your family, Lila and Daniel!

Rachael Innerarity writes: 2025 was my first year without my dad, Cal. SHS alums might remember him from the fun house or the softball field, for his curry chicken or his jovial laugh. My mom (Teri) and I have put together a website with pictures, tributes, and of course a reggae playlist at cinnerarity.com. Donations can also be made there to his memorial fund through Cambridge Community Foundation.

Kristen Cahalane-Petchar writes: My wife, Laurie, and I have had an eventful 2025! Since May of 2024, we’ve been fostering twins, and we were finally able to officially adopt them this July. Renny and Kiely, our adorable 3-year-olds, are full of energy and have been keeping us on our toes, teaching us how to parent in real-time! On top of that, we bought a house and moved to Maynard in June.

2000 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: KATE CHIN catherine.d.chin@gmail.com ABBY WRIGHT abigailbwright@gmail.com

Justine Shapiro-Kline continues to live in New York City with her family and welcomed the birth of her second child, Clara, in May this year. Julia Haines writes: I am an assistant professor at Syracuse University in anthropology. Abigail Wright writes: Both children are now enrolled at SHS. We enjoy seeing familiar faces and current parents on campus from ’00—Stephen Goettle, Rahﬀety Maxwell, and Solon Wayne Aposhian. Kate Chin lives in Boston with her family. She enjoys serving on the SHS alumni board with Abby Wright, and seeing Julia and Justine often.

2001 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: PERRINE MEUINER pmeunierjones@gmail.com

We have recently learned the sad news that Mike Donovan passed away in March 2026. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, and classmates.

2002

Allie Mitropoulos is joining as Counsel at Nixon Peabody LLP, continuing fighting the good fight for institutions of higher education, independent schools, nonprofits, and anyone else who needs help!

the elementary schools across the district. While it is challenging, it is very rewarding. I am looking forward to joining the Powers Music School Orchestra in Belmont this Spring. I hope everyone at Shady Hill enjoys the holiday season!

2005

Peter Heye writes: What an important year! It was a privilege and a joy to serve as Justin Conway’s best man in September. And an equal joy when Justin shared a blessing during my wedding ceremony in October. Before my wedding, my mother, Rebecca Webb (P’06, P’10, Bd. ’00–’06), and her sisters Mary Webb (’78, P’11, P’13, P’15) and Ruth Webb (’84, P’18, P’18, P’21) hosted an engagement party at the Cambridge Boat Club. We had the excellent company of many SHS alumni and parents, including classmate Emily Bliss ’06. I will happily carry the memories of 2025 into 2026!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: KATHERINE TAKETOMO katherine.taketomo@shs.org Katherine Taketomo writes: After having spent the first year and a half back in Boston in the South End, my fiancé and I are excited to move to Arlington, MA, to a home only a few blocks from where I grew up. Shady Hill continues to remain a constant in my life—both in terms of leading the middle school division as Middle School Head for the second year and remaining close to so many of my classmates from the 2005. If you ever want to stop by campus, please reach out! Rosie Johnson Conneely and her husband welcomed their daughter, Marlowe Bess Conneely, on February 15, 2025. Poppy Lynch ’05 kindly flew across the country to do a newborn photoshoot for Marlowe.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: Amelia Romiti acmicheli@gmail.com Isabel Blunt isabel.e.blunt@gmail.com

2003 Our Class Correspondent position is open. Consider stepping forward to volunteer for this rewarding role. Email alumni@shs.org.

2004 We are looking for a class correspondent! Email alumni@shs.org to learn more.

Rosie Johnson Conneely ’05 and her husband welcomed their daughter, Marlowe, in February 2025 and Poppy Lynch ’05 flew across the country to do a newborn photoshoot

Sam Freeman shares: I’ve been living in NYC since 2009 and currently reside in the Financial District with my girlfriend. I work in global hotel partnerships for American Express Travel, which means I get to travel a lot for my job. Next year, I have trips planned

Jonny Koh ’05 (Photo credit: Jenny Anderson) backstage on Broadway getting ready to perform in the show All Out

to Italy, France, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and more! Jonny Koh writes: After ten years of touring with Lawrence, the band took a turn on Broadway in the show All Out! We played music on stage with a rotating crew of legendary comedians. The show ran through March 8th. Lily Christman Peppers writes: Hello all! I hope everyone is doing well out in this wild world. I’m currently living in Chicago with my husband and our almost 2-year-old son. I’m spending my days doing partnership coordination for a pollinator conservation nonprofit, which I really love, and otherwise just trying to find the balance between work, family, and finding a quiet hour for a movie or a walk outside (essential for sanity, even in the windy Chicago winter!). If anyone else is in Chicago or finds themselves passing through, I’d love to grab a coffee and catch up!

2006 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ANJALI LAPPIN anjalilappin416@gmail.com Anjali Lappin writes: I have been working for the Public Schools of Brookline in the METCO program for 5 years now. As a school social worker, life is never boring! I love working with these wonderful children everyday, and serving the families in the community. I have now moved from serving 3 of the elementary schools to 4 of

Justin Conway writes: The major highlight of my year was getting married in September! Another highlight was going to Peter’s wedding. Amazing full circle life moments. I’ve traveled to Louisiana, France, and Philly this year. Hope all is well with the 2006 class!

2007, 2008 2009, 2010 Please consider volunteering for these vacant Class Correspondent positions by emailing alumni@shs.org.

2011 If you would like to volunteer as Class Correspondent, please send an email to alumni@ shs.org Nora Ambler writes: I am currently living in Illinois and am in my fifth season as a professional dancer with Ballet Quad Cities. I recently adopted a kitten named Gibson, who is my pride and joy and also an absolute menace. I hope everyone is well! Arielle Mitropoulos is joining the team at WCVB Channel 5 as a reporter!

2012, 2013 Our Class Correspondent position is open. Consider stepping forward to volunteer for this rewarding role. Email alumni@shs.org.

2014 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ELEANOR STETSON DIBBLE e.greenough@posteo.net

2015, 2016 Our Class Correspondent position is open. Consider stepping forward to volunteer for this rewarding role. Email alumni@shs.org.

2017

where her curiosity and sense of empathy were evident from an early age. A teacher once observed, “When a new child enters a group of playing children, Ella is always the one who stops what she is doing and welcomes that child to the circle.” That instinct for kindness and inclusion remained with her throughout her life. Several members of the Shady Hill community attended her service and others met on Zoom to share their members. The 2018 wants to continue to lean on their connection to each other and will host a mini reunion this summer at a classmate’s home. Please update your email and cell phone so that the school can keep you connected. If you are interested in ﬁlling the role of Class Correspondent, please email alumni@shs.org.

2019, 2020 2021

CLASS CORRESPONDENT: BANNON JONES banniejones@gmail.com

Please consider stepping forward to ﬁll these rewarding Class Correspondent roles. Email alumni@shs.org.

2018 Ella’s family wrote to say that: With profound sadness, they share the loss of Ella Elizabeth Johnson, who passed away in January following a long and difficult struggle with mental health challenges. She was just beginning the final semester of her senior year at Washington University in St. Louis. Ella was, above all else, deeply loved—and deeply loving. From the moment she entered this world on August 24, 2004, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Ella brought light, tenderness, and meaning to those around her. She possessed a rare sensitivity: an ability to feel deeply, to see others with compassion, and to love with an open, generous heart.

2022 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: EYTAN KO eytanko55@gmail.com

2023 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ETHAN FRANK ethanfrank333@icloud.com

Ella attended her beloved Shady Hill School in Cambridge from kindergarten through eighth grade,

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

THE 2025 -2026 IS SUE

2024 CLASS CORRESPONDENT: ZEKE SPECTOR zekespector@gmail.com Nathan Chun writes: Sophomore year has been full of amazing opportunities to continue building upon the new communities I discovered in freshman year. I am spending tons of time tinkering in the Makerspace with my nerd friends, as a board member of our rocketry club where I’m designing an onboard system to actively control a rocket based on live sensor feeds, and as a member of a team competing in the MIT Build A Cubesat Challenge where we are prototyping a lunar satellite to assist in Artemis terrain risk-assessment and pathfinding. After my musical theater experience last Spring, I joined the Academy choir, Fidelio, as well as a cappella groups, and have been having a blast performing in various student events. I also joined the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra as fourth chair (come to our concert on 2/27, we have an amazing program!). On the flip side of extracurriculars, classes have certainly been keeping me busier than before (I’m doubling sciences this year just to fully scratch that STEM itch), but with new academic offerings such as philosophy courses, every day has been filled with new discoveries. Mrinali Parker writes: Brookline High School is interesting, to say the least. I still don’t quite know my way around yet. My classes are interesting enough, though I’m very excited for biology my junior year. I’m on the varsity fencing team again, and though the coaches are awful at scheduling, we’ve had a few competitions recently that we’ve won. I started working at the Boston Museum of Science, and I have few words to describe how much I love it. I barely mind that I’m not paid. I miss Shady Hill, though I’m moving forward in life and even starting to think about colleges; though not at all in any depth yet. I’m excited for what’s next, even though I know junior year is going to be nothing but a grind.

Lydia Martin writes: My sophomore year at the International School of Boston has been great! I’m continuing to learn (and use) French, and I’ve fallen in love with my physics and chemistry classes. I chose to compose a piece of piano music for ISB’s sophomore project, which has been super entertaining, and I’ve been having a lot of fun in clubs, and with the community here. I’m looking forward to traveling to Ghana for an exchange program in April, and joining the soccer team at my school! Graham Davis writes: I’m in my second year at Pomfret school in Connecticut, and I’d like to proudly say I’m well adjusted to boarding school life. I have just started an Honors Painting course, working on a huge project as the only sophomore in the class. I’ve been given incredible opportunities at this school, and made friends who will last the rest of my life. I wish all SHS graduates luck as they move into high-school because the transition is nerve wracking at first, but very rewarding. Chloe Alterman writes: I started off 2025 with a trip to France and Spain over break with my school, CRLS. During the summer, I did a pre-college program at NYU, the highlight of my summer, and I spent a lot of time with my SHS friends. I also visited Arizona for the first time! This fall, I played Varsity Volleyball and joined mock trial and DECA. Zeke Spector writes: I am still having a great time at Concord Academy going into the second semester of sophomore year. One thing kind of interesting I am doing there is working with a small team of other students and adults to launch a 15 month strategic plan with the goal of enhancing the social atmosphere at the school. I am still playing Ultimate, both in and out of school, and I captained my club team to a second place finish at nationals over the summer. I am excited to come back and visit SHS in the spring!

2025 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS: SABRINA LAKDAWALA Sabrina.lakdawala@gmail.com ELLIE BLACKWELL eleanor.w.blackwell@gmail.com EMILIE TANG emiliejxtang@gmail.com Sophie Ellis writes: I am at Concord Academy currently, where I have been especially enjoying both my bio and geometry classes. This fall I was on the girls varsity soccer team, and am looking forward to playing lacrosse in the spring. I have continued to play sports outside of school with a few of my SHS classmates! At CA, I am a tour guide and have joined quite a few clubs including the psych club, Active Minds (the mental health advocacy club), and am in the process of co-founding a sports psychology club. I have really enjoyed becoming a part of the CA community but am excited to reconnect with those at Shady Hill. Emilie Tang writes: I am loving freshman year at Concord Academy. The school musical and play, playing viola in several orchestras, singing in a musical theater choir, homework, and an inadequate amount of sleep keep me busy. I miss Shady Hill a lot, but I love keeping in touch with friends and seeing teachers when I visit. I’m so excited to come back whenever possible and see everyone! Maia Ettinger writes: I am currently attending the Cambridge School Of Weston where I participated in dance at the beginning of the year, and now will be performing in our dance concert in February! This spring I plan on performing in the musical, which is Cinderella! I got elected as one of the two class reps for the I.D.E.A. committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Action), where we are planning our social justice day, which will focus on the evolution of immigration and may include Señor Yepes as a guest speaker! I have made new friends at CSW and of course have kept in touch with old ones, too! Amelie Ribon writes: I currently attend Malden Catholic, where I

played soccer in the fall. I recently volunteered at a goalkeeper clinic and participated in several clubs, in particular “The Red Cross,” where I am the treasurer. This year, I have been taking on the challenge of AP World History. I have been enjoying Malden Catholic and look forward to going back to Shady Hill soon. Tiemoko Camara writes: I am currently attending Concord Academy. The start of the year has been really good for me. In the fall, I was on the JV soccer team, and we had a great season and even won a trophy. I am currently on the JV basketball team as the starting point guard, which has been a lot of fun, and challenging at times. I’m really enjoying all of my classes this year, especially Graphic Design, and Drawing 1. Last semester, my history class focused on ancient and medieval Africa, which we also studied in sixth grade, so it brought back some fun memories. I’m also part of the tour guide club, where I’ve had the opportunity to show students who are applying to Concord Academy around the school. Overall, I’ve been having a great start to the year and staying busy with both academics and activities. Since I am a boarder at CA, I have met and gotten close to a lot of people from different parts of the world, currently both my roommates are international. One is from Ghana and the other is from South Korea. Although the year has been fun, I have made sure to keep in touch with my group of friends at Shady Hill!

to help me excel in my classes so far. Outside of academics, I’ve been exploring different interests and spending time with friends, both new and old. I’m especially excited to continue challenging myself, and I hope to join the tennis team in the spring. High school has been a big change, but my Shady Hill experience helped prepare me well, and I’m grateful to still stay connected with friends from SHS while growing in this next chapter. Mabel McClatchey writes: I’m currently at BB&N school, which has been really fun. I did soccer in the fall which was great, and dance with my friends for my art. In the spring I will do tennis which I am excited for. Out of school, I’ve been doing gymnastics and sometimes helping coach which has been fun. I have kept in touch with some SHS friends but have met lots of new people and friends also. Overall, it’s been good! Colette Farmer writes: I am currently attending Choate Rosemary Hall as a boarding student. I am in varsity squash, and will be coxing for the crew team in the spring. I have enjoyed many clubs and activities the school has held. On the weekends, my friends and I often go out for dinner in Wallingford (the town Choate is located in), and attend events put on by the school. This Saturday, my dorm and the bigger freshman boys dorm will play manhunt at night in the athletic center. I have many new friends and Choate already feels like home to me. I’ve kept in touch with

a few friends from SHS but haven’t seen them too often since I am a boarder, but try to visit during breaks. Tenzing Rockwell writes: I am now a ninth grader at CRLS. During the fall season I ran cross country, and I am currently fencing. Also, I am hoping to play ultimate frisbee in the spring. I regularly attend DnD and Pan-Asian clubs, and have been continuing my piano lessons. I have made many new friends and reconnected with old ones from my elementary school and stayed in touch with several from Shady Hill. Gwyneth McQuillan writes: After Shady Hill, I decided it would be a great time to try something completely different. I now go to Tabor Academy which is a boarding school—and very different from SHS. I have great people in my dorm, and we often do fun dorm activities together such as going to a trampoline park. For my extracurricular, I am in my school’s production of Mean Girls the Musical. I am really excited for the final product. I have midterms in two weeks, so I have been starting to review all of the things I have learned thus far. Miss you SHS! Kimaya de Tissera writes: I am doing well at CRLS. I am on the cross country and track as well as tennis teams. I hope to join MDC (Modern Dance Company) soon, and continue my paid internship at CHA (Cambridge Health Alliance.) I have enjoyed the diverse and exciting environment, and I am ready for what is next.

Lyra Yassa writes: Hi! I’m currently at Beaver Country Day and while I miss SHS I’ve made a lot of new friends at Beaver. During the fall trimester I was in the play, Miss Holmes, where I was in the ensemble. For the winter trimester I am in visual arts. Next trimester I will be in the musical Chicago. Right now my favorite classes are a cappella and physics. I hope I can come back to SHS to visit soon. Jonah Baker writes: I am currently attending CRLS, where I’ve been enjoying my first year of high school and getting involved in new activities. I’ve used many of the learning skills I developed at Shady Hill—especially time management, collaboration, and self-advocacy—

All smiles from the class of 2025 on graduation day! From L to R: Amaya Banks ’25, Gwen Whitters ’25, Norah Henry ‘25, Dezi Banks ’25, and Gwyneth McQuillan ’25.

Abby Garrett writes: I am currently attending BB&N, where I played soccer in the fall, am currently playing basketball, and looking forward to running track in the spring. I have loved getting to know new people, and have also loved staying in touch with my SHS friends.

Out of my classes, I am most liking AP Biology and English, where I loved to read the Odyssey and Macbeth. I continue to draw and play the piano, as well as play soccer and tennis. BUA has been a great place to meet new people, but I continue to keep in contact with my Shady Hill friends.

Dezarae Banks writes: I am currently attending Malden Catholic High School, where I’ve adjusted well to the schools codivisional model and stayed very busy balancing both academics and extracurriculars. I’m a member of both the soccer and track teams, and I’m looking forward to playing lacrosse in the spring. Additionally, I also serve as freshmen girls class president, which has been a great opportunity to grow as a leader and represent my class, carrying with me the leadership values I learned from SHS. In early December, I had the chance to be on the Shady Hill podcast with some of my peers, which was a really meaningful experience that allowed me to reflect on how my time at SHS shaped who I am today. While I’ve loved my time at Malden Catholic so far, I miss Shady Hill and the community there, so I look forward to seeing everyone soon this spring!

Matthew Bloom writes: I started ninth grade at Belmont High School, where I ran cross-country in the fall, and joined the Model UN team. I am currently part of the annual musical. I continue to volunteer at the food pantry, and am coaching grades 3-4 basketball this winter. It’s been nice to reconnect with old friends from Belmont, and I miss everyone at Shady Hill.

Norah Henry writes: I’m a student at CRLS, where I rowed for the crew team in the fall, and joined an acapella group! I am currently preparing for the spring lacrosse season, and a lifeguarding course, and spend my weekends playing with my club team. I am glad that so many of my classmates from Shady Hill are with me for high school, and I am looking forward to seeing other friends from Shady Hill at our reunion(s) and at special events in the community! Alvar Salgueiro-Parga writes: This year I started at BUA. I ran cross country through the fall, and am continuing with a winter running club, to be able to run a halfmarathon in the spring. I have been learning Latin, and will compete in a classical declamation contest in March. This year I joined too many clubs, but I have particularly enjoyed the linguistics club (where we create a club language, and do NACLO problems) and social deduction games (where we practice Avalon, and our deduction skills).

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

Amaya Banks writes: I am currently attending Malden Catholic (go Lancers!). This fall I played varsity soccer, and I am now running indoor winter track. I also attend Testament Tuesdays through Campus Ministry when I can to learn more about the Bible. Outside of school, I dance competitively several days a week, and will be performing at the Celtics game on March 1st. I’ve made a lot of new friends because MC has done a great job bringing everyone together, and I’m excited to see where my academic and athletic journeys take me, and to come back and share everything I’ve learned since my time at Shady Hill. Ezra Hurst-Hiller writes: This past year has been unbelievable. CRLS offers so many opportunities, so many people, and so much fun! This summer, I had one of the greatest experiences of my life at Stagedoor Manor, a theatre camp located in upstate New York. As the school year started, I tried out for the varsity soccer team, and I made it! Just kidding. Instead, I was in a show (Anastasia), and joined lots of clubs, my favorites being improv, Model UN, newspaper, and trivia. For trivia, we got to compete on the High School Quiz Show, against SHS rivals BB&N. I’m also in my school play this winter: Oh, What a Tangled Web. It’s been great to reconnect with old friends, continue to see some familiar SHS faces in the halls, and make new ones. This year has been such a wonderful experience, and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead.

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Former Faculty and Staff CHERYL BRUUN Former Gradehead and Lower School Faculty Coach cheryl.bruun2@gmail.com 508-577-5385

News has reached Shady Hill of the passing of a couple of former faculty and staff members: Edmund Summersby in May of 2025 Agnes Gund TTC ’61 in September of 2025 Our sincere condolences to their families and all who miss them. Teresa Schmitt Pierce writes: I live in Maine and have been serving in the Maine Legislature for the past eleven years. Currently, I am the Majority Leader of the Maine Senate – I am proud to have Anne Scribner, Jake Hopkins & family as constituents. Sam owns a distillery in Portland, Three of Strong Spirits and both kids are out of college; they live and work in Washington, D.C. Kate Lanou writes: I’m still loving my work on an organic flower and vegetable farm in Amherst, MA. called Old Friends Farm. I spend time with my aging but independent parents and a new, delightful granddaughter born in October. I am appreciative of the expansive, child-centered, respectful, and supportive community I was a part of at Shady Hill and the Farm School. I hope both institutions continue to thrive in these challenging times! George Blackburn writes: I am retired in Southbury, Connecticut. The most significant thing I have done since 1980 is to publish my mother’s research on Thomas More. From the Department of Shameless Commerce, the only way to obtain information (for now) is directly at george.blackburn@yahoo.com. I learned a huge amount from my SHS French students in 1978-1980 and I owe them a large debt of gratitude. I am thinking of putting an essay on learning styles on academia.edu from that experience (with names changed, of course).

Ralph Wales writes: My wife Martha and I are expecting! Well... let me explain. We anticipate a second grandchild in early March when our oldest daughter Susannah and her husband Bobby expect a son. This will be the first boy in our immediate family—we have three daughters and a granddaughter. I am now two and a half years into retirement and have been pretty disciplined about not stumbling back into any real work. I am loving the freedom and wonderful “head space” that comes with these post-work years. My volunteer time is taken up by a wonderful engagement with the Farm School where I am serving as a trustee. This has put me back in touch with Ben Holmes, the founder of the Farm School (who has retired) and former SHS apprentice, and Wendy Davenport (my sixth grade fellow gradehead back in the late ’80’s).

I am also in regular contact with Todd Nelson with whom I share multiple SHS memories. Todd and I correspond regularly and I have chosen him as my writing coach as I take up some amount of memoir writing. Our reminiscences find us laughing and quite often sharing appreciations for the teachers and students we engaged with on Coolidge Hill. We have a particular lean toward memories that attach to Jonathan Slater. Amidst the expected ups and downs of life, I count myself as immensely fortunate, an assessment that will always have foundational elements that I experienced at Shady Hill. Susan (Kenney)Walsh writes: I am a long-retired teacher from Shady Hill. I taught Latin (and some Spanish, and Greek) starting with the ’68 until the final 9th. grade class in ’92. Wonderful times! I had some fantastic colleagues (Janine Cooperman, Jack McKernan, Edie Caudill to name a few) and am still in touch with some of my old students. Back then, I also had a horse, just one—a retired racehorse; but when I got married, we moved to a farm in North Andover and started raising and racing horses...so my non-teaching time was devoted to horses. I’d get up early, go to Suffolk Downs and get the horses out, and then drive to school. One day, I

got snagged in traffic and arrived late for class. I ran in, stepped up to the board, whipped out a piece of chalk, said, “OK class, today.....” and the girl in the front seat said, “Is that a carrot?” Oops! Today, I still have four horses, all retired, and ride every day. I wrote two books about this, one about the farm, Edgewood: an old farm in the new millennium, and one about our racehorses, Chain of Foals. The farm is now a retirement facility, but the main barn is still home to my four horses. Horse racing, alas, has gone from New England, but I still keep track of friends now racing in other states. My Shady Hill years are always in my mind too. One of my old students, Pam Gleason ’76, sends me copies of her horsey magazine, “The Aiken Horse” ....and I have read every book by Sebastian Junger ’77 and John Vaillant ’77. After we stopped racing, I became a racing official at Suffolk Downs—Chief Steward. Suffolk changed owners, and I hadn’t met the new owner, but on opening day, I went down to the paddock and someone was yelling at me from the sidelines: LJ Harrington ’77. An old Shady Hill student! It turns out he was there with a friend—the new owner! He was up in the clubhouse looking through the program, and saw my name. He said to his friend, “Hey, did you know the Chief Steward was my Latin teacher?” Too funny! You never know where the road will lead you! I pray that the changes in these past years haven’t altered the magic of the Shady Hill I remember. A special place ! Suzanne Locke writes: Following my retirement in 2024 after 37 years of teaching math at SHS, I found that I couldn’t stay away for too long! I am currently back on campus, working seasonally in the Admissions Office. It has been a privilege to stay connected to this incredible community and a true joy to witness the full scope of the school’s mission from a new perspective. Joyful, active learning is happening in every corner of the campus. When I am not at SHS, I am usually in the Adirondacks soaking up the beauty of the mountains and the water, and enjoying visits with our grown children and grand-dog.

Jessica Flaxman writes: I have left Rye Country Day School, where I was K-12 Dean of Faculty and Employees and Director of the Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning, to join the Pingry School in NJ as the Associate Head of School. I continue to keep in touch with parents of children in Lydia Sussman ’22 grade, and we are all keeping each other up to date on our children’s college admissions outcomes and future plans. The highlight of summer on Cape Cod is visiting with Mark Stanek! David Smith writes: David Smith (SHS ’59 and Grade 7 Gradehead ’70-’92): I am still living a quiet life in Vancouver, BC. I check in with a few faculty (Gay Harriman, Jerry Hakes, Todd Nelson) every couple of weeks, and keep up correspondence with several former 7-Smith students. I am always happy to hear from SHS friends, and try hard to reply promptly. That has been a little harder than expected this year, because I’ve been in terrible pain in my lower back, and I’m getting ready for neurosurgery on L5/ S1. I have 4 children’s books and one teacher’s manual in print, and I also have a new manuscript that is finished, and my agent is working hard to match it up with the right publisher. I hope any SHS colleague or student who is passing through the Pacific Northwest will be in touch and let me show them around our fair city. Deb Polansky writes: I spend most of my time split between Brookline and Wellfleet. During the pandemic, Eric and I bought an old house in Wellfleet that we have enjoyed restoring—and now our family feels restored whenever we spend time there. I have been very active at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, MA over the past several years, and serve on the Board of Governors, focused specifically on the Programming and Education at the museum. I am thrilled to report that the museum received a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities, and are offering two week long institutes this July for K-12 teachers that will explore Dickinson’s revolutionary poetry, and how it can spark the imagination of new generations of voices. I am thrilled

Tahira Wilson-Guillermo, Carita Anderson, Sharon Jones Phinney, Des Ivey (not in the photo), Nadinne Riggs, Tasha Summers and Tamyko Morris gather together regularly over the years. to be helping to lead the learning cohorts at this summer institute— and feel grateful daily for all that SHS taught me about teaching and learning—as Emily Dickinson has become my own personal C.S. over the years. Sending much love to beloved former SHS colleagues, students and parents! Tahira Wilson-Guillermo writes: Since leaving SHS in 2015, I took the year off just to unwind and I got a chance to travel to Rwanda that year where my sister was working for 6 months. I only spent 2 weeks but it was a bucket list item for sure that I totally appreciated being able to experience. I missed teaching kids and went to Park the year after. I have been a parttime Learning Specialist on their Academic Support team where my focus is on language arts, executive function, and mindfulness with grades 5-8 and love it. I thought that I would retire when I turn 70 (this May) but honestly I love being in the mix of our independent school world. Especially during these bizarre times, I am glad to be in an environment where freedom to teach and guide children in a positive, uplifting environment is happening. I moved a couple of times after my mom passed away in 2022 and am currently loving living in a funky, spacious condo in Hyde Park with Brandon. It is very close to Park. He is doing very well, still playing his music and consulting in technology. Brittany ’05 loves California and is a mechanical engineer there. She accomplished getting her dream

job to work at Tesla just before he went crazy, jumped that ship and is now a mechanical engineer in the customer engineering group at Pfizer Vacuum. The vacuum part is not what you think...Hoover-like, no. She is in the semiconductor sector where vacuum systems recreate a sterile atmosphere for companies to create sensitive products in. Systems include chambers, pumps, valves, gauges, etc. It involves a lot of designing and redesigning of products of international companies. She began last year with two weeks of training in Annecy, France. When not working there, she is very adventurous. Her highlights have been, bike traveling by herself in other countries, jumping out of planes and continuing to work and play with cars (she put a sunroof in her car by herself!) The picture(s) of Brittany, Brandon and I are in a redwood tree park that we visited over the winter break this year with her in California. Of course, that is Britt in the picture who jumped on top of that huge redwood trunk! I have stayed in contact with the ladies in the photo on a regular basis. Carita Anderson, Sharon Jones Phinney, Des Ivey (not in the photo), Nadinne Riggs, Tasha Summers and Tamyko Morris and we have been gathering together regularly over the years. This pic was taken when I first moved into my condo in 2023. I also see Michelle Young every day as she is the Director of Athletics at Park. I also work with Tamyko at Park and have seen Laurie Turner over

the years as she was at Park when I joined and we gather together with other Park colleagues sometimes. It is special to me that Mark Stanek and I also communicate regularly.I continue to believe in the benefits of mindfulness and recently have expanded my practice by learning about and including chakra intentions into my life as well as taking dance classes that include the same. I am honored to say that recently, my Tai Chi instructor, Master Heg Robinson, who will be turning 83 in March, asked me to help him write his autobiography. It is titled: Healing Self & Community with The Tai Chi Mind: Lessons for Life and Legacy. I just sent that manuscript along with a novella that I completed to our publisher. Look for those to be published about this time next year. That is it for now. I am wishing everyone much strength and light as we navigate this current unpredictable wave.

Will Harrington and Isabel Meigs TTC ’21 were trothplighted in August, 2025 and legally bound in a civil marriage on November 8, 2025. Will Harrington writes: Isabel Meigs TTC’21, a former apprentice, and Will Harrington, a former gradehead, were trothplighted in August, 2025 and legally bound in a civil marriage on November 8, 2025. Bruce Shaw writes: 2025 brought two significant events for Sandy and me: we both reached milestone birthdays of 80 years! We remain healthy and active, so all’s good. She plays pickleball several times

SHADY HILL SCHOOL

a week, I bike almost daily (when the weather permits) and we enjoy spending time with family, especially our grandkids, two of whom are now taller than I am (ages 16 and up to his proverbial eyeballs in AP classes at school, the second just shy of 15 and taller yet, and the third who’s 12). 80! I remember when my grandparents were in their 80s, hunched over and slightly dazed-looking. We’re glad to be (mostly) upright. Sandy reads to kindergarteners in the local public schools and continues to make pottery for worthy area fundraisers, I’ve been a volunteer docent for several years at a nearby museum and this past summer, I was juried in as an artistmember at a local, prestigious art association. 20 years of trying to master watercolor finally paid off! — not that one can ever master this difficult medium. It’s been an interesting shift for me in my sense of self and identity. Me, an artist? No, I’m an educator! Shady Hill, its mission and philosophy, the extraordinary faculty with whom I was privileged to work, the energy of the kids and the parents who were watchful and concerned, but didn’t pilot helicopters, are never far from my mind. We live in a troubled world now and SHS’s very sacred purpose constantly guides my thinking. Cheryl Bruun writes: The memories formed and the friendships and relationships forged over all my years at Shady Hill, continue to be very meaningful to me and I hold them dear. It was incredible to do what we did and when we did it! The challenges facing education, our country and our world, have made me so very appreciative of our work supporting our students and the mission of the school. We were allowed a peacefulness of purpose as well as respect and appreciation for one another. It was an honor and a pleasure. Hearing from past employees as I prepare this report each year confirms for me that our work and the relationships and bonds that have formed over many years are important to many.

My husband Rich and I have been travelling, exploring Baltic countries this past summer, as well as Monument Valley, Canyon de

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Chelly and southern Colorado this winter. Winter in Tucson means great weather and plenty of time for golf, hiking and off roading. I spend summers in Connecticut, using the time to visit with dear friends (many from SHS) and family. Although I miss SHS, my work supporting students and teachers and the community, I am so grateful to have the time and good health in order to fully enjoy retirement! Todd Nelson writes: Life is quiet, rural, and contemplative here in Penobscot, Maine, where I write every day, play my bagpipes often, and nudge along a myriad of projects. Spencer ’98 lives nearby; Ariel ’99 too is in Maine (Lisbon Falls, with new baby Malcolm Arthur Nelson); and we see Hilary ’99 and Freya Zaheer ’98 (in Baltimore) often. Everyone is in the family business, in one way or another. Grandkids are the best—an infinite stream of writing topics. I’m also very fortunate to have Shady Hill friends for chats and correspondence: David Smith, Bruce Shaw, Ralph Wales, Suzanne Gabriel Webber, Jane Hardy (Will and Steve too!). There are also six TTC grads over two generations in our family! I published my second book of essays, The Land Between the Rivers (Down East Books…Amazon) in October, 2024. I have many other self-published books available at lulu.com The Witherle Library in Castine featured me in a series on local authors last fall. See the interviews and links here: https:// witherlelibrary.net/arts-letters/ signatures/ Catherine David writes: Allen and I enjoy being Shady Hill grandparents and hearing what’s

happening at school. Our grandson, Henry ’33, is in first grade. I’ve told him about the origins of Shady Hill and he was fascinated to learn about the “open air” traditions of keeping windows open all year long — and students having to wear mittens in class as they sat at their desks in sleeping (sitting) bags! His father, Andrew ’98, teaches history at Boston University, and his mother teaches in the BEEP program in the Brookline Public Schools. She’s also director of the Lower Camp at Beaver Summer Camp. We get to see them regularly since they live nearby. Here’s a recent picture of Jill, Henry, and Andrew at Walden Pond.

Catherine David sent in a recent photo of Jill, Henry ’33, and Andrew ’98 at Walden Pond

Steph Campbell writes: My wedding on September 27, 2025 was well-attended by SHS friends! (seen in photo below)

Our invitations were also handaddressed with beautiful calligraphy by Ezra Hurst-Hiller ’25! Betsy Ginsberg writes: (Director of Development and Alumni Relations 2018–2025) and Gretchen Bowder (Spanish Teacher and Leave Replacement Shop Teacher c.2002–2006) will be

Steph Campbell got married on September 27, 2025 and the wedding was well-attended by SHS friends!

Betsy Ginsberg and Gretchen Bowder on the summit of New Hampshire’s Mt Chocorua last fall walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain together this spring. (By publication time, this will have happened already!) Gretchen and Betsy share Shady Hill in their backgrounds, though it was actually not SHS but rather their daughters’ friendship as grade schoolers in Medford public school that first introduced Betsy and Gretchen. They’ve hiked together often over the years, hatching a plan to walk The Camino some day; they are excited to realize this dream at last! The two are shown here on the summit of New Hampshire’s Mt. Chocorua last fall: Francesco Cupolo writes: I’m doing well and have stayed in touch with Barbara Bratzel, which I really value. I’m currently teaching Practical Physics and Engineering at TECH Freire Charter High School here in Philadelphia, working primarily with juniors and seniors in a project-based, makerspacecentered program. Patty Battle writes: I’m continuing to enjoy retirement. In the last year I visited Christmas markets in Germany and Austria, and spent time in Italy in March. It had been 40 years since I had last seen Pompei! I’ve begun some volunteer work with World of Watertown. The group had its 26th Unity Breakfast celebrating MLK Jr. which was a wonderful community event. I passed the Thanksgiving hosting baton to my daughter Alice. Our whole family traveled to Maryland and we got to meet her partner Ben’s family. Life is good!

“I’ve been a-wandering” In October I enjoyed walking in the Lake District with my English friends and a stay in London. For the past month I have been in Florida.

and today only have some small dexterity issues in my hands. All to say it was a long road to get to the launch but the work has been so fulfilling.

I am mainly in Falmouth, MA now with occasional trips into Boston for ballet.

Phyllis Fenander writes: When we first arrived at Kendal At Hanover in New Hampshire, the elevator opened and there was Marjorie Gatchell saying what are you doing here? And now our next-door neighbors are Sandra and Toby Fairbank. Along the way there have been many Shady Hill connections at Kendal. We elders are all hoping the young, with the common sense and education that they have had, will lead us out of this sink hole with their wise mentors. In the meantime, we are all protesting, calling, and having nightmares. It’s time to read Winnie the Pooh.

Libby Meyers Pingpank writes: In April, I launched my new website, booktrition.com with the mission to help parents support their young readers at home by recommending just-right books which mirror classroom phonics (I mostly aligned this to Fundations) and providing parent resources like routines and tips. I’d love for you to check out the website and let me know your thoughts! I’m also attaching a picture of me at my Booktrition launch in April. It was such a special day for me, especially because in 2021 I had a

Libby Meyers Pingpan at her Booktrition launch in April life-threatening brainstem tumor removed surgically. I had started the website before this and wasn’t sure if I would be able to continue. But fortunately, I slowly recovered

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Betsy Whitters writes: The last Whitters, Gwen ’25, graduated in June, (her brother, Xander ’23 graduated two years earlier). I enjoyed May Day as well as Lower School and Middle school closings. An end of an era of SHS Whitters starting with Jamie ’88.

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F R O M T H E C OV E R : I n Fe b r u a r y, G r a d e IV students in Ms. P a t e r s o n’s l i b r a r y settled into a good book at the second annual “Light Up the Librar y” week! The librar y was ex tra cozy with t winkly lights and f l i c ke r i n g (L E D) candles embracing both the light and darkness that comes with the transitional season.