F O R M A N L E T T E R
LITERACY AS LIFE The New Age of Problem-Solvers
WINTER 2017
F O R M A N
L E T T E R
2 Head of School Message
14 Lion’s Pride
4 The Language of Learning
22 Alumnus Profile
8 Around the Green
24 Giving
12 Unlocking Unbounded Potential
26 Class Notes & Alumni Profiles
Head of School: Adam K. Man P’15 Assistant Head of School for Operations and Enrollment: Mike Kowalchick Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement: Justin Solomon Address corrections & Class Notes: alumni@formanschool.org
Editors: Kerry Durkin, Director of Communications and Sarah Pfeffer, Assistant Director of Communications Head Writer: Sarah Pfeffer, Assistant Director of Communications Photo Editor: Kerry Durkin, Director of Communications Class Notes Editor: Danielle Plante, Director of Alumni Programs Designer: Julie Hammill, Hammill Design Photography: Sarah Pfeffer, Richard Schultz, Steven Valenti, John LaPerch, Kerry Durkin
Mission Statement Forman School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory school for boarding and day students with identified learning differences. Forman develops the whole student, based on his or her unique learning profile, so that every graduate becomes an educated, confident, self-advocate throughout life.
Forman School Board of Trustees President of the Board Scott M. Sutherland ’69, P’93 Vice President David D. Walter ’69 Vice President Jon E. Zagrodzky P’18, P’19 Treasurer Thomas G. Sorell P’12 Secretary Michael L. Cook P’15 Anne Q. Buckley P’13, P’20 Barbara Chace ’87 Elizabeth Garber Daniels ’93 L. Laird Davis Kenneth I. Deane ’93 Anthony C. Everett P’18 Annette R. Jenner-Matthews, Ph.D. ’87 Preethi Krishna P’16 Frederick M. Lione, Jr. P’91 Kevin Lorenz P’19, Ex Officio Adam K. Man P’15, Head of School George McCloskey, Ph.D. David A. Shaggy ’85 David H. White ’71 Trustees Emeriti J. Seward Johnson ’49, P’91 and Cecelia Johnson P’91 Diane F. Kessenich P’86, Chairman Emerita Kenneth R. Latham ’48 This page: Students walk to the Johnson Art Center for Monday morning assembly. Cover: Benjamin Reilly ’20 pauses for a photo during science class.
John A. Meyers P’84 Peter L. Phillips ’65 Monroe B. Scharff ’42, P’69
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HEAD OF SCHOOL LETTER
Do you remember taking history in high school? Were these courses ones you looked forward to or dreaded? If you are like most adults in the United States, history was your least favorite subject. Many national surveys confirm this result. As a long-term history teacher, this breaks my heart. I love the study of history. As we look to the past, we can be inspired, amazed, awed, and even horrified by the stories that make up both our national history and the history of humanity. Unfortunately, a lot of high school history courses spend more time on facts and dates than the study of these stories. More time is spent on the timeline than on the narrative. Students see history as dry and boring because emphasis is placed upon the details to be memorized rather than story to be analyzed.
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“When we engage students in the analysis of this process, history becomes less a set of facts and more like a series of mysteries to be solved.�
When I was a European History teacher, I would enter my class as the leaves turned color in the fall and put down three different textbooks that all focused on modern history. I would ask the students to read the section of each book on the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I. Inevitably, the students would notice that although the texts had a lot in common, they were also very different. They focused on varying aspects of the negotiating process, drew disparate conclusions as to the impact of the treaty, paid attention to (or ignored) the personalities of the leaders, and made comparisons that differed greatly. Students would ask how is it that these textbooks, which are supposed to be the authority on the topic, could be so different. This is the beginning of understanding why history can be so interesting: seeing that history is not a set of facts but a series of competing stories; that the winner tells a very different story than the loser; that interpretations change as our world changes; that even people who were present at the same event may have had entirely different experiences. When we engage students in the analysis of this process, history becomes less a set of facts and more like a series of mysteries to be solved. Teaching students this process is called historiography. Any good college history course teaches this front and center. Sadly, most high school
courses do not do this, even though it is the skill they most need to be successful in college and one of the things that makes history so compelling. When we teach students historiography, they learn to read a textbook in a way that is very different from a novel. Students work with primary sources and learn to draw their own conclusions. They become skilled at seeing through the spin of not just certain historians, but also politicians, leaders, news outlets, and other sources of information in the world today. Teaching history this way can be defined as discipline-based literacy. We explicitly help students understand the way a historian reads and writes, which is significantly different than the way a scientist or a novelist reads and writes. They become engaged in deriving meaning rather than just receiving information. At Forman, we ask all of our core content faculty members to teach the literacy skills of their disciplines. The lead article talks about this in greater detail. We do this because we know that these skills are the most critical to success in college and also the ones that often make subjects come to life.
Adam K. Man Head of School
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Institute Instructional Coach Christin Bass, M.S.Ed.
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The Language of Learning Implementing Disciplinary Literacy at Forman
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“Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, compute, and communicate using visual, audible, and digital materials across disciplines and in any context,” says Vicky Zygouris-Coe, Ph.D. In simpler terms: literacy is much more than what we might surmise.
Zygouris-Coe, a Professor of Teaching, Learning, whether reading a book or an article. “The students ask and Leadership at the University of Central Florida, has questions akin to the Scientific Method like: Who is the partnered with Forman School this academic year to author? What is the main idea? What is the problem? What run professional development sessions and facilitate the is the cause? Then, they discuss each of these together,” implementation of discipline-specific literacy in classrooms. Boyer explains. “When we ask who the author is, we This groundbreaking teaching tool was officially rolled are familiarizing students with how to search through a out last fall, with the goal of further aiding students in text and understand the format.” And it’s deeper than comprehending, retaining, and applying their learning. just finding the author’s name; Boyer’s students read the Institute Instructional Coach Christin Bass, M.S.Ed. has “About the Author” section, which gives them a more worked in tandem with Zygouris-Coe on this initiative, foundational understanding of what they are reading making herself available as an on-campus resource to and why. All of this results in not only a more organized faculty members. “A lot of research has focused on different process, but a deeper learning experience. literacy skills based on the subject, or discipline,” Bass says. These techniques may seem helpful in the learning “Different disciplines require different thinking skills, or as process, but why is Forman putting such a focus on them Zygouris-Coe refers to them: ‘habits of mind.’” She adds, this year? “A lot of students have a hard time with working “Literacy is the language of whatever you’re studying. It’s memory. If they hear it, they understand it in the moment, the process of explaining, reflecting, and reasoning.” but they may not remember it later or fully process it When developing literacy in a science class, for example, on the deepest level,” Bass says. Research shows that if one might assume that a student should find a biography of students successfully move through the levels of thinking in a scientist and do a research paper. But Bass says disciplinethe teaching tool, Anderson’s Taxonomy – remembering, based literacy is different: “In science, if you want to teach understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and literacy, you don’t bring in a book or ask them to write creating – they are much more likely to grasp the concepts an essay; you help them deal with the demands that are and hold onto what they learn in the long-term. Similarly, already present.” most disciplinary literacy routines use graphic organizers Habits of mind are unique to each subject: to structure students’ thinking and make the routines English can be seen as the study of conflict, math predictable; when these visual aids are referenced, Creating as precision, history as argument, and science students are able to practice with different subjects as inquiry. For example, in science classes at and trigger their habits of mind. Evaluating Forman, students analyze and interpret data, But the benefits go beyond just memory and argue based on evidence, ask questions, training the brain. According to Zygourisand define problems. Science Teacher Coe’s latest research, disciplinary literacy Analyzing Missi Boyer P’16, P’18 enjoys guiding promotes rigor in the curriculum, students in her Emerging Diseases which is the most significant Applying class with a strategy called predictor of academic success Understanding “Read like a Scientist.” This and postsecondary education exercise helps students have completion. She explains that Remembering a command of the text, rigor allows learners to be
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held to a high standard, with the support needed to achieve it. Moreover, Zygouris-Coe adds that rigor creates a space where students are confident and can be proud of what they have accomplished. Zygouris-Coe explains that disciplinary literacy fosters learning skills for the modern age: “Twenty-first century learning requires mastery of content and skills; success in the 21st century means knowing how to learn. Without deep understanding of content and possession of learning skills, students will resort to memorization and surface-type learning that might result in passing the chapter test but will not result in transferable learning.” These skills, which are embedded at Forman, will allow our students to collaborate and take leadership roles, adapt and persist with a sense of flexibility, and engage in effective oral and written communication. They will cultivate analytical minds while employing curiosity and imagination. Of course, this translates directly to college and career readiness. Most members of the Forman community know that the School boasts a 100% college placement rate, but what happens when students arrive at college? “Disciplinary literacy strategies allow students to access and understand high-level learning experiences that are authentic to college and career work,” Bass says. Forman students learn to assess problems, ask questions, and guide themselves to solutions. When they graduate, they are ready for what’s next. Forman has been purposeful about structuring discipline-specific literacy into the curriculum, but this is no small undertaking. So far, Zygouris-Coe has come to campus three times this year: first with an introductory lecture, second to observe classes and give feedback, and third to provide tailored lesson samples for faculty members to incorporate into classes. Teachers had the opportunity to talk through these examples with
Zygouris-Coe and discuss what was useful and what might not work based on their specific courses and students. Boyer appreciated the one-on-one time. “I started using these strategies last semester, so I went into the workshop knowing what I wanted to do better. Dr. Zygouris-Coe gave me some great tips,” she says. Bass continues to observe classes and meet one-on-one with Forman faculty. “It can be really awesome to see teachers incorporating disciplinary literacy firsthand,” she says. “I’m always thinking: how can we get to the next step?” Less than a year after this new focus took effect, much has been accomplished, but there is still more to do. Like disciplinary literacy, it’s all about the process.
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1 A snowball fight erupts outside Peirce Dining Hall 2 All-School President Parker Broadnax ’17 presents during Monday morning assembly 3 Virginia Lee Carden ’19 and Louise Weidner ’20 4 Jaylin Hopkins ’19 and Sarah Brind ’19
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5 Students take Twin Day to a new level during Spirit Week 6 Victoria Spadafora ’18 and Jackson Beers ’19 show off their Chemistry Monopoly game 7 The boys of Baillie have a pizza party 8 Lucie Regal ’17 inspects an animal skull in science class
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1 Arts Teacher Carter Walker P’14 shows Oliver La Du ’20 the technical aspects of photography 2 Mary Maroney ’20 talks with Courtney Schullery ’18 in Peirce Dining Hall 3 Tom Shimmield ’18 and Allie Eakman ’18 build a boat in the Olson Center
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4 Students cheer on the Boys’ Varsity Soccer team in the HVAL tournament 5 The cast of Grease sings a song together 6 Palling around on the Forman fields 7 Lauren Bradley ’17 and Samantha Feuerstein ’17 perform during the Green & White Lip Sync Competition 8 Matt Stanley ’19 focuses on his ceramics project
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P R O F I L E
Unlocking Unbounded Potential Forman is more than just a job for Jon Davis. “I have worked at four different independent schools during my career and while I’ve loved them all, Forman just feels different,” the Mathematics Department Chair says. In fact, the Vermont Academy alumnus even took an opportunity at a Baltimore independent school after his first year here, but knew immediately it wasn’t right for him. “I knew within the first week, but had to stay for the year,” he says. Davis, who was dating his now-wife at the time, drove back up to Litchfield every weekend to what would eventually become his true home.
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Why is Forman School so different? “Our students are extremely bright individuals, yet most of them have struggled in school for one reason or another,” Davis explains. “Not only do I get to teach these students mathematics, but I also get to take on the challenge of helping them learn how to push themselves to unlock their full potential. As a teacher, the transformations that I see year after year are truly special and make teaching at Forman an unbelievably rewarding experience.” Now in his sixth year here, Davis lives in a faculty home with his wife, Meredith, who is the Director of College Counseling, and their baby son, Benjamin. Aside from the special relationship his family is able to have with other young families on campus, their bonds with students have also been strengthened in the last year as well. “I’ve been surprised at how many students want to spend time with Benjamin. It just shows a completely different side of them,” he says. These connections extend onto the court, where Davis is the Girls’ Varsity Basketball coach, and also into the classroom, where he shows care and patience with his students, inspiring them to realize their capabilities. Forman Summer Program attendee and current student Victoria Hirsh ’20 had no love for math, but her summer class with Mr. Davis changed that. “Usually it’s not my favorite class, but it was my favorite last summer because that’s the class where I feel like I saw the most improvement. It was so amazing. I learned Geometry and Trigonometry,” she says. It ended up being the math class that helped her to decide to enroll in the fall. “Mr. Davis is really nice. He goes over the questions and doesn’t move on until he makes sure I understand it.” The Precalculus and Calculus teacher is responsible for standard, honors, and advanced placement courses during the regular academic year and considers it a worthwhile challenge to incorporate hands-on elements to his lessons. Last year, when the Powerball winners were prevalent in the news, Davis decided to get his students involved: “I assigned them as ‘financial advisors’ for someone who had won the $1.6 Billion Powerball lottery. They applied it in a real way and asked themselves: ‘What do people do when they get the money? Why do many of them go bankrupt so quickly?’” For Davis’s students, this clicked. Another strategy that Davis is looking forward to trying this year is KWNS – a discipline-specific literacy practice
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that will help his students identify and solve problems. KWNS stands for the following steps: What do I Know about the problem? What is the problem asking me to do? Which information is Needed to solve the problem? What Strategy/Operation/Tools will I use to solve the problem? Once students can answer these questions, which are in an organized table layout, they can come up with a solution easily. “We’re talking as a department to implement this or something like it for all of our courses,” Davis says. “An exercise like this addresses the fundamental question: How do I figure out what I’m being asked to do? We are trying to help them think authentically like a mathematician or scientist. They can use this in their career, as opposed to just being able to spit things back as they’re told.” In the end, Davis sticks to Forman’s mission of empowering each student individually in his or her academic journey: “I think the best teaching strategy that I’ve learned is to remove myself as much as possible and put them in charge. I’m there to help guide and facilitate their progress.” When a teacher like Davis puts that kind of faith in his students, the outcome is astonishing. 13
Rene Burkert ’19
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The Forman Athletics Program is more robust than ever. Students now have the choice of 26 athletic and after-school offerings, providing them the option of either improving their skills in a sport of choice or trying something new. The brand new Sailing Team set to the waters this past fall for the first time, competing against schools with highly-regarded and well-established programs.
The Athletic Hall of Fame has just been established, with the inaugural induction taking place during Alumni Weekend this spring. With a group of deserving alumni and faculty honorees, our seniors are showing promise as possible future members of the Hall of Fame. School records are being broken and athletics at Forman are thriving.
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JT Papa ’17 Reaches 1,000 Points at Forman Joshua “JT” Papa has had an excellent career as a student-athlete at Forman School, and his final season on the Varsity Basketball team just got sweeter. On Wednesday, January 25, 2017, Papa reached his 1,000th point in a home game against Christian Heritage School.
In fact, he went on to beat the school record of 1,017 total points during his next game. The only person to achieve this was Jay Zanios ’89 in his final year at Forman. “It’s been a privilege watching JT play basketball for his four years. He’s a great young man and a very good basketball player,” Director of Athletics Scott McCarty ’76 said. Head Coach John Strawson added, “JT’s thousandth point was a hard-earned and well-deserved accomplishment. This milestone is a testament to his consistent hard work and dedication. It is even more impressive when you consider that he is the consummate team player. Forman basketball is incredibly proud of JT.” Last year, Papa was selected for the All-HVAL (Housatonic Valley Athletic League) First Team and the First Team All-New England. He has also been
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L-R: Jane and John Papa GP’17, JT Papa ’17, John M. Papa P’17, Head Coach John Strawson
named a Forman Athlete of the Week twice. He ended that impressive season with an average 25.4 points, four steals, and five rebounds per game. Papa was honored and humbled to mark the accomplishment with cheers from the audience, hugs from his family and friends, and a commemorative tee shirt, which his father also donned. “It’s truly a blessing to score my 1,000th point here at Forman. Playing for Coach Strawson for four years has been amazing; I couldn’t have asked for a better coach,” JT said. “I would like to thank Mr. Man for accepting me into Forman freshman year and
letting me have the opportunity to achieve this goal in my basketball career. I also would like to thank my coaches: Coach Strawson, Coach Crossman, and Coach Kelsey. I would like to thank my father, grandpa, and grandma for always coming to all my games and supporting me. Finally, I would like to thank my girlfriend for always practicing with me in the gym and keeping me focused for every practice and game.” Watch the historic point online at www.YouTube.com/TheFormanSchool.
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Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees Announced Forman School is proud to announce the first members of our Athletic Hall of Fame, to be inducted during an official ceremony at Alumni Weekend, May 5-7, 2017.
“We have an extraordinary group of athletes, coaches, and team members to represent our first ever Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” Director of Alumni Programs Danielle Plante says. “We are excited to celebrate this new tradition and hope you will join us!” The Hall of Fame will honor members of the community from all eras of Forman’s history who have made exceptional contributions to Forman Athletics. Congratulations to our new inductees, who have brought pride and distinction to themselves and Forman through their athletic endeavors, achievements, sportsmanship, and leadership.
For more information, visit: www.formanschool.org/ahof
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2017 Forman School Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
1992-1993 Boys’ Varsity Soccer Team
1992-’93 was a momentous year for this team, with an overall Forman best record of 18-1-2. The team finished 2nd in the McDonald’s Cup, ranked 20th overall in the Western New England Prep School Soccer Association, and ranked 1st in the small school ranking. The players on this team led the Lions to a New England Prep School Championship for the second year in a row. Geoff Lee ’69
Geoff Lee captained the soccer team for two years and the basketball and baseball teams for three years. Geoff was a great teammate with excellent skills in sports, as evidenced by three basketball MVP Awards, the Green Bat Award, and the Best Male Athlete award. He continued to play soccer and baseball at the collegiate level. Brian Eisenberg ’92
Brian Eisenberg was a member of Forman’s first New England Championship soccer team, contributing 26 goals and 17 assists in his first year and 29 goals and 19 assists in his second year. He was named to the All-New England, All-State, and All-Conference teams his first year, and MVP, All-State, All-Conference, and All-Tournament his second year. Brian was a member of the ’90-’91 and ’91-’92 New England Championship Ski teams, individually winning the championship his junior year as MVP and coming in 3rd place his senior year. Brian was a Tennis MVP and New
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England All-Star selection both years. Brian was also named Male Athlete of the Year, was elected to the Letterman’s Club, and went on to play Division I collegiate soccer. Ann Pemberton Mallory ’67
Ann Pemberton Mallory was a member of the Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey team from 1963-’67 and was named MVP and captain her senior year. She was an outstanding athlete on the varsity basketball, softball, and tennis teams, known for her skill, which led her to receive the overall 1967 Outstanding Athlete Award. Jennifer Winkler Balzi ’90
Jennifer Winkler Balzi starred on the soccer, Lacrosse, and hockey teams. She was an amazing athlete who helped develop the girls’ and boys’ Lacrosse teams and boys’ hockey team. She was named MVP and Female Athlete of the Year and went on to play soccer, Lacrosse, and club ice hockey in college, where she captained both the soccer and Lacrosse teams and was nominated for Lacrosse All-American.
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named Offensive Player of the Year after setting the league seasonal record for goals scored by a midfielder. Blake played pro indoor Lacrosse with the New York Saints for nearly 10 years. Blake was named an All-MLL Selection twice and MLL All-Star four times. In 2006, Blake was once again on the U.S. National Team, taking home the silver at the World Championships. Gil Yule
Coach and Past Faculty Member Gil Yule retired from Forman in June 2001 with 27 years of service to the School. Gil was a history and math teacher, dorm parent, and Director of Transportation at Forman, but perhaps his biggest impact was as a coach and Athletic Director. Having coached basketball, baseball, hockey, and soccer, Gil was known for turning teams into success stories and having fun while doing it. With a passion for baseball, Gil built the program and created an award system, enjoying every last second with his team. As an Athletic Director, he was a leader, mentor, and friend to countless studentathletes. Off the fields, Gil is an avid fisherman and baseball and hockey memorabilia collector, continuing to attend many sporting events.
Blake Miller ’92
Blake Miller played soccer, basketball, and Lacrosse at Forman. He was a member of Forman’s New England Championship Soccer team and a star player on Forman’s NE Championship Lacrosse team. As MVP of the championship Lacrosse game, he clinched the win with his overtime goal. He went on to play Lacrosse at Nassau Community College, where he was named Junior College All-American First Team Attackman. He then played at Hofstra University, where he was named Division I All-American, North Atlantic Coast Player of the Year, Outstanding Senior Athlete, was awarded the Peter Banker Award, and was selected to play in the North/South All-Star game. Blake went on to play for the Long Island Lacrosse Club, leading his team to win two USCLA titles and earning two first team All-Club Selection honors. Blake was on the 1998 U.S. National Team that won the gold at the World Championships. In 2001, Blake became one of the first players in Major League Lacrosse and in 2004, he was
Posthumous Selection John Reinicke ’86
John Reinicke participated in soccer, skiing, and baseball at Forman. Athletic Director Scott McCarty ’76 says John was the best goalkeeper ever at Forman and was a college prospect for soccer. Unfortunately, John was injured while skiing in his senior year at Forman and while being treated, cancer was found and his arm had to be amputated. The tenacious young man returned to Forman in the spring and resumed his athletic career, playing baseball with only one arm. After graduation, John returned for two summers to help run soccer camps and then the snack bar, now named John’s Place. He would often get in goal despite his disability, motivating all those in his presence. John passed away not long after, but his memory is strong and lives on in the Forman community.
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Introducing the New President of the Board of Trustees: Scott Sutherland ’69
Scott Sutherland ’69
Forman School is pleased to announce that Scott M. Sutherland ’69 has been elected President of the Board of Trustees. Sutherland, who is President of the McKellan Group, Inc., has been a member of the Board for over 25 years and has held numerous impactful roles at the School.
A staunch supporter of Forman, Sutherland has been a Class Agent for many years, and previously served as a member of the Alumni Council and President of the Alumni Association. Additionally, he was the Chairman of the Forman Annual Fund in the 1989-1990 academic year and has been known during his 50-year relationship with Forman for engaging classmates and encouraging them to support the School. Always willing to help, Sutherland has been connected to all areas of Forman. In fact, his business relationship began at Forman before he was even a college graduate. “I owe Mrs. Forman a lot,” Sutherland says. “As a young man, when I came back in the summers from college, I worked with my family in the insurance business.” One such summer, he drove up to visit Mrs. Forman, who was leading the School in the interim following John Forman’s passing. After speaking for a few minutes, the conversation turned to insurance and Sutherland asked if he could look over the School’s policies, hoping to take over as broker. Mrs. Forman called her office manager right in front of Sutherland to have the policies sent over immediately. “Talk about confidence in a person,” he says of Mrs. Forman’s unwavering trust in his abilities. The
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alumnus and his father put together a plan for the School and brought Mrs. Forman to lunch to review it. “That’s how we got the policy,” he says. “In one form or another, I have been doing business with the school ever since, which has been a wonderful thing for me.” Having had the privilege of knowing and working with every head of school at Forman, Sutherland has always been eager to assist the School in any way possible. Former Headmaster Richard Peirce even ribbed him for his various associations with Forman when he became a trustee, jokingly introducing him to the Board as a “walking conflict of interest.” As one could guess based on his service to the School, Sutherland’s time as a student was nothing less than wonderful. “I enjoyed my experience here. I had a good time. If I could do it over again, I would,” he says fondly. Sutherland began at Forman in his sophomore year after visiting other schools like Westminster and Northfield Mt. Hermon. “My parents let me make the decision. I had some friends who were going away to school, and quite frankly, I thought it was cool. I saw it as an opportunity for a better education,” he says. His positive outlook continued throughout his time at Forman: “I had good roommates.
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I was all in. Going into Giles House, I was fortunate that Duncan Marshall [’67] was the senior there. He paid attention to us, had some fun, and gave good counsel,” he remembers. It was such a good experience that the young gogetter eventually became a dorm senior himself. An enthusiastic Forman athlete, Sutherland participated in sports as much as possible. “I wanted to come to practice because I had a good time. I had some good coaches that really cared,” he says, noting former Athletic Director Gil Yule, who will be inducted into Forman’s inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame during Alumni Weekend this spring. “Gil Yule was an outstanding instructor of baseball fundamentals. To this day, I still remember what I learned from him.” Sutherland brings the “love of the game” he cultivated at Forman to his positions as Head Golf Coach and Assistant Swim Coach at Westover School. When Sutherland enrolled at Monmouth University after three years at Forman, he was prepared. “With the combination of my upbringing and Forman, I felt very comfortable with the transition. I didn’t even feel like there was a transition. I was just getting a new roommate. I certainly had a degree of confidence in taking that next step,” he says. This level of comfort not only helped him, but allowed him to support others who were new to the experience, like his roommate. Leadership qualities
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blossomed naturally at both Forman and Monmouth, and this followed him throughout his career. Sutherland joined his family group benefit insurance brokerage, The McKellan Group, Inc., when it was founded in 1984. He has been at the company ever since, working with offices in both Connecticut and Missouri. Sutherland has three sons: Ian ’93, Christopher, and Kyle. He and his wife, Jean, live in Middlebury and are deeply committed to the local community. Beyond his business pursuits, Sutherland is a devoted public servant, having been on many nonprofit and school committees. Currently, he is on the Board of Directors at the Highfield Club, is a member of the Board of Corporators at Ion Bank, and is the President of the Board of Trustees at the Grove Cemetery Association of Naugatuck. The mission of Forman is close to Sutherland’s heart and he is dedicated to relaying that message to others. “The traditional ideals of John and Julie Forman were that every student deserves a chance. We provide an opportunity for youngsters that might not be available otherwise,” he says. “We’ve got to continue to help others. If a child struggles with their learning and self-confidence, Forman gives them the tools to achieve.” Encouraging his fellow alumni and community members to get involved, Sutherland adds, “When you see someone in a hole, jump in. You know the way out.”
Top: Jon Zagrodzky P’18, P’19, Thomas Sorell P’12, David Walter ’69, Scott Sutherland ’69, P’93, Frederick Lione, Jr., P’91, L. Laird Davis, Kenneth Deane ’93, Michael Cook P’15, David White’ 71, Anthony Everett P’18; Bottom: Elizabeth Garber Daniels ’93, Barbara Chace ’87, Annette Jenner-Matthews, Ph.D. ’87; Current Board Members not pictured: Anne Buckley P’13, P’20, Preethi Krishna P’16, Kevin Lorenz P’19, George McCloskey, Ph.D., David Shaggy ’85
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Dear Friends,
Giving
Envision a landscape of beautiful vistas, boundless light, and a horizon only limited by imagination. That is what students will be experiencing in our new Visual and Performing Arts Center. Forman is a school that celebrates and empowers students who learn differently. As the School has evolved, so has its culture of philanthropy. In the last five years, Forman has seen its Annual Fund grow, it has seen new buildings dot the campus landscape, and is currently in the final stages of the largest Capital and construction project in the history of the School. As the entire community continues to support Forman’s tireless pursuit to be the best in LD education, it is no coincidence that excellence follows. You are all a
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part of this, whether volunteering your time or making the next million-dollar gift. Without all of you, Forman could not be the school it is today and together, we should all be proud of our shared achievements. It would be easy to measure the year by dollars raised, college acceptances, and new students admitted, but Forman is so much more than that. We are a community deep-rooted with an approach to education that too many other schools have overlooked, and are now trying to emulate. We are a transformative school that has seen our graduates redefine who they are, and counteract any limitations that others might have tried to project on them based on their learning styles. I had thought about making this letter purely about
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“Without all of you, Forman could not be the school it is today and together, we should all be proud of our shared achievements.”
thanks for the many years of support you have all given to the Advancement Office, but that would be too limiting. As we prepare to finish the Visual and Performing Arts Center, I thought it was a more fitting time for us to all share in the celebration – the celebration and energy that our students benefit from every day. Each day that I am on campus, I look out from the windows in Henderson and marvel at the vision that is coming to life behind our building. Of even deeper significance is the thought of the multitude of students who will benefit from this building for generations to come. We are in a time of great programmatic growth at Forman as well as dramatic campus change. I am excited to be part of the success that our students and you – our
community – have made possible. Join me on campus for a tour and please reach out to support this unprecedented project. We are well past the halfway mark of dollars raised, but we are looking for a new group of leaders to help us finish strong and soon!
Justin Solomon Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement 860.567.1896 justin.solomon@formanschool.org
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CLASS NOTES
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Charles “Phil” Allen recently sent along lovely memories of his time going to school and working at Forman. He says his teachers at Forman left lasting impressions on him and taught him lessons in and out of the classroom. Phil worked as a teacher in private and parochial schools for 23 years and just recently celebrated his 50th anniversary with his wife.
S. Sherman Clark, Jr. shermclark@aol.com _____________________________
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th reunion
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Marc Stahl has lived on Cape Cod since 1997. Prior to that, he lived in West Hartford and owned Gustave Fischer Company, an office furniture, interior design, and office supply company that he sold in 1992. He then consulted under the name of Project Resources with his wife, Barbara, until they retired in 1997.
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Richard P. Barker msb463@msn.com _____________________________
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60
th reunion
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Michael N. Cohen _____________________________
Michael Cohen is enjoying semiretirement. He is out of the insurance business, but is still doing real estate property management in Hartford. His wife, Naomi, is fully retired but does volunteer work focused on education. He says, “Our children are well and life is good.”
Dennie Williams was an investigative news reporter for The Hartford Courant and then was a freelance writer for four decades. He is now writing a book on his own investigative background and the stories he wrote.
STAY CON N ECTED 26
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Edward T. Marks Ted@AtwaterVineyards.com _____________________________
Ted Marks is participating in the Daytona-24 race with the Risi Ferrari race team. He is no longer actively changing tires, but is still involved. He will soon be celebrating his 17th year as a winery owner on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes of New York and was recently appointed to the Board of the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. He has 15 grandchildren and is loving life.
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George K. Allison gallison70@gmail.com _____________________________
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55
th reunion
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Edwin Vinson says he is living life to the fullest with six grandchildren. He spends winters in Florida and summers in West Virginia. Eric Williams is on the Board of Oliver Hazard Perry, Inc., which has built the largest private full-rigged ship in over 100 years. The 190-foot sailing ship is exclusively used for education, and this is the first full year of operation. The ship will occupy
C L A S S
32 students overnight from Newport to Florida, Cuba, and Bermuda. In the spring, it will return to Newport and then go north to the entrance of the Northwest Passage. The trip to the Northwest Passage is sponsored in part by the University of Rhode Island. You can check out the website at www.ohpri.org.
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Alfred C. Body, Jr. skibumal43@gmail.com _____________________________
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Eric D. Murray ericdmu@netzero.com _____________________________
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Sara L. Fliess sallyfl47@pubgames.com Jeffrey T. Whipple _____________________________
66
67
50
th reunion
Duncan Marshall dlmarshall@optonline.net _____________________________
Dave Connor was presented with the Holm Award by the Director of the National Weather Service for the New England region in Gray, ME. The Holm Award is given for 25+ years of service and making daily, accurate observations for the National Weather Service. Only 18 observers out of a total 12,000 received the award. Duncan Marshall, after a long career in independent school teaching and administration, has returned to campus in a “semi-retired” mode to assist Forman in alumni relations and special fundraising. He lives in Stony Brook on Long Island and travels to see his three adult children, two of whom live in Durango, CO and one outside of Charlottesville, VA. Duncan welcomed his first grandchild into the world on December 20, Hazel Sameah Marshall. He reports, “Baby girl, Mom, Dad, and Grandpa are all doing fine!”
Bartow S. Curtis Jr. bart_curtis65@yahoo.com Debora Gould Petersen hugs38@aol.com _____________________________
Bart Curtis retired as a professional stagehand at the end of December.
N O T E S
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Nancy Walton Marikar rakiram@aol.com _____________________________
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Davis A. Dewey davisdeweysr@gmail.com Scott M. Sutherland jms208@aol.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Sandra Kohlmann Nagro and her husband, John, who were blessed with their first grandchild, Hawk, born on January 4, 2016. Stacy Quinn writes, “I am enjoying my strong husband, my courageous son, loving dog, and cooking up a storm! Got in a battle with a sewing machine and it won. I’m going off a three-year term on the Vestry, so I hope 2017 will allow more travel.” Seth Vose has moved to New Hampshire after 67 years in Massachusetts. He is enjoying his retirement. Ken Volz is working, keeping fit, being as active as possible, and enjoying family. He says, “I am looking forward to attending this year’s reunion and hopefully getting to see a few of those from the class of ’67. And to everybody from the class of ’69, see as many of you as are willing in two years for our 50th!”
Hazel Sameah Marshall, first grandchild of Duncan Marshall ’67
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C L A S S
N O T E S
Duncan Marshall met up with Emily Rolando ’04 and Lynn Gray ’70 in Durango, CO.
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Charlie Scarlett writes, “I was glad to see everyone at last spring’s reunion. It was a blast to come on my off-year and see a lot of ‘old’ friends I hadn’t seen since 1969. All is well here. Happy, healthy, and busy. What more can I ask?! Cheers!” Debra Pardridge St. Jacques writes, “It was wonderful to be back to Forman in May 2016 and it brought back so many special memories. I hope my daughter, Renée, who just returned from two years in the Peace Corps in Cameroon, Africa, will be able to come with me next time.”
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45th reunion
David E. Swift not_too@hotmail.com
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Joan G. Bielizna joanrealtor@snet.net _____________________________
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Paula Nichols-Dille _____________________________
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Andrew Krens Jr. drew_krens@yahoo.com
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David White writes, “I will be returning to Alumni Weekend as
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Peter G. M. Roberts pgmroberts@hotmail.com Kendra R. Van Pelt sassyk105@gmail.com _____________________________
77
40
th reunion
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John Wolff is married with two children and lives in New Britain, PA.
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Robert Nordblom has been married for 36 years and has three kids and two grandkids. He has been managing real estate for 38 years and is having a blast.
Craig J. Hanson craigjhanson@yahoo.com
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Gil Yule will be honored in the Athletic Hall of Fame. I spoke with him on the phone not too long ago and he sounds like the same energetic guy I knew back in ’71! I went to Alumni Weekend last year and had a fantastic time seeing some old friends!” Margaret Emery Swingle has been enjoying her retirement. She still lives in the log home her husband built. Her daughter will be getting married in June and her brother, Dr. David Randel Emery ’68, will be in attendance.
Diana Curtis Price dcprice2000@aol.com _____________________________
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Philip Howard retired from the U.S. Navy in 2013 and is now working as a School Bus Driver for Roane County School District in West Virginia. Donald Law is in his 32nd year working with BMW of North America’s corporate office. His youngest son, Frank, will graduate from DelVal University in May 2017. His oldest son, Donald, is a musician with a sound engineering background. His band plays many small venues in lower Manhattan, Hoboken, and Jersey City. He reports that retirement is on his short horizon, and he and his wife, Rita, are looking to move south to warm, year-round weather.
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Gardiner S. Mulford gardiner@mulfordrealty.com _____________________________
Erica Chapman Saunders is living in Mississippi and working at Hardee’s as a Biscuit Cook. She is a proud grandmother of two grandsons, Cyrus and Matthew, and has a grandbaby on the way. She has four children. Her son, Donald, and daughter, Karen, live in Connecticut. Her daughter, Karen, is an early education teacher and fencing coach for Old Lyme High School. Her oldest two, Carl and Angela, live in Missouri with their spouses and children. Rufus Wakeman has a beautiful wife, Melynda, and three great kids: Maryna, 23; Jazie, 19; and Marlin, 17. They live in Jensen Beach, FL, where he owns a resort called River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp on the banks of the beautiful Indian River Lagoon. He has been a fishing guide for 32 years and has held 10 world records in fishing, with one still currently standing. He writes, “Life has been great!”
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Hilary L. Taylor hilzo@aol.com _____________________________
Sargent Karch graduated from The Catholic University of America in 1990 with a B.A. in Accounting and General Studies. Since then, he became a pilot and a flight instructor and has recently become a government
contractor. Lloyd Cox’s oldest son, Dylan, is a senior at Millbrook School and his youngest son, Tyler, is a 9th grader at Rumsey Hall School. He says, “I joined the Rumsey ski trip to Bromley last year, and skied with the Headmaster and his wife, Tom and Ashley Farmen. They remembered all the RHS students who went to Forman with me from 1979-1981 like it was yesterday.”
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35
th reunion
Matthew L. LaFlamme matt_laflamme@msn.com _____________________________
Kathy Kelly Van Ness has been happily married for 30 years and has three children as well as a granddaughter on the way who is due any day. She works for the North Country Library System as an Outreach Specialist and says she loves what she does.
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Andrew Y. Covert andrewycovert@gmail.com _____________________________
Andrew “Gus” Covert has returned to the eastern shore of Maryland from San Diego, California, to once again work with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, 2020 Space Leasing Division. Andrew has been looking forward to attending the next alumni reunion since being back on the East Coast. He enjoys staying in touch with his classmates on Facebook.
N O T E S
Craig Langdon lives in Connecticut with his wife, Linda, and son, Ryan, 22, who just graduated from Syracuse University and is looking for a Physician Assistant program to attend. His son, Kevin, 26, is the Sous Chef at The Fat Hen Restaurant in Charleston, SC. Lisa Azzara Alexander is living in Willington in the winters and living on Cape Cod in the summer while running her two gift shop businesses named Pizzaz. Her daughter Selina started her first year of college at Penn State University and is studying Animal Sciences. Ello Tucker lives on a farm in Thonotosassa, FL, 20 minutes outside of Tampa. She has 25 animals: one miniature Sicilian donkey, two cats, three dogs, four horses, and 15 chickens. She works in a hospital system helping uninsured patients as a social worker. Dana O’Brien is raising two daughters and runs DGE Mechanical Construction in New Hampshire.
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Peter M. Ahlfeld pahlfeld@gmail.com Christopher D. Gaynor cdgaynor@gmail.com Nancy Robinson Swift nancysunnyswift@yahoo.com _____________________________
Scott Brady is in his 28th year teaching and is currently at Wamogo Regional High School in Litchfield. His wife, Karen, teaches at the Warren School. His kids, Matthew, 18; Riley, 16; and Samantha, 12, are all doing really well.
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C L A S S
N O T E S
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Lisa Richardson Palmer larfal@aol.com _____________________________
Jennie Alexandre Bono ’85 enjoying her new hometown, Rome, Italy
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Jennie Alexandre Bono jenniebono@yahoo.com William L. Freeman freeman.will@gmail.com _____________________________
Jennie Alexandre Bono and her family are posted to the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See in Rome. Her husband is the Deputy Chief of Mission. The Embassy to the Holy See is the Embassy that reports on the Pope and the Vatican City. They moved to Rome last July and she says it is very exciting but much to get used to with living in an apartment, being in a city, and going to new schools. They will be there for three years. Georges LeFebvre lives in Costa Rica, where he owns two natural farms and rents luxury ocean view rental villas. They can be viewed at www.haciendaokhra.com.
Congratulations to Phip Scheide and Sue Ehrhardt ’87, who got engaged under the Graduation Tree at Forman on November 15, 2016! Eric Abramson is shooting various video projects, raising money for his next documentary on firefighter PTSD called Wounded Without Weapons, and is creating/pitching a fictional television series about smugglers. He reports that he still enjoys the Colorado lifestyle, creating his house’s electric supply with the sun, and being a captain at the local fire department. Peter Kwan, originally from Hong Kong, is living back there and working for his family in real estate private equity funds. He writes that he recently joined Facebook and reconnected with his classmates. “It is soon going to be the Chinese New Year and I hope you are all well!” David Buchanan was promoted by the Town of Morrisville, NC, to Parks and Grounds Technician II. Diana Pagano lives in Michigan, has three beautiful children, and works as a registered nurse. Peter Roberts is exploring opportunities in the nonprofit arena.
Rob Finlay ’87 and his children backstage with David Rublin ’06 of American Authors
87
30
th reunion
Holly Jones Weisenburger holly@theweisenburgers.com _____________________________
Rob Finlay and his family attended an American Authors concert and met the bassist of the band and fellow alumnus, Dave Rublin ’06. Rob’s kids are huge fans and were so excited to make the connection. Congratulations to Sue Ehrhardt and Phip Scheide ’86, who got engaged under the Graduation Tree at Forman on November 15, 2016!
Sue Ehrhardt ’87 and Phip Scheide ’86
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C L A S S
N O T E S
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Sean P. Maguire smaguire21@verizon.com Curt F. Pfannenstiehl curtpfan@baystate.edu W. David Thorn Jr. dthorn30@yahoo.com _____________________________
Simon Fielder plays golf and enjoys the island life.
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Jennifer Winkler Balzi jenrwink@gmail.com Carl Ter Weele ’88 with husband Huy and family
Holly Jones Weisenburger is busy running her kids around to activities and is working on bringing classmates back for the 30th Reunion. She says, “It looks like we will have a great crowd! Looking forward to seeing everyone May 5-7!”
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Neesha Nicks Allen nallen@ec.rra.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Carl Ter Weele who was married to husband, Huy, on October 1, 2016. Christopher Koon has been in the financial services business with Northwestern Mutual for 23 years and also does motivational speaking across the country. He has three wonderful grown children and a great wife and
Karine Opdyke Lawrence karinelawrence@yahoo.com _____________________________
says, “I enjoy my life and I have great memories of Forman.” Mike Morrison is navigating ships up and down the Chesapeake Bay. Bridget Cerilli Vander Veen has been busy with three businesses. First, she is a portrait photographer working with families. Her second company, called Little Artists, takes children’s art work and turns it into fabric, wallpaper, and wrapping paper. Lastly, she and her girlfriend have a store in New Jersey that sells vintage, antique farm decor and one of a kind furniture. In addition, she is raising her two beautiful daughters, ages 14 and 11. You can follow her business at 2thriftymoms on Facebook and Instagram.
Lauren Goldstein is working at Ann Taylor and in her free time enjoys time outdoors and with her family. Eric North says, “Just prior to Christmas 2016, my house caught fire. Everyone got out safe and most of my family heirlooms were saved except for some of my high school things. We are working diligently to rebuild our house. We hope by Christmas of 2017 to have a house warming party. Everyone is welcome to join us for the festivities!” Michael Kernan has been living and working in New Hampshire for the past six years. He was married three years ago and has two wonderful stepdaughters (ages 13 and eight) and a toddler son.
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A L U M N A
P R O F I L E
Discovering the Best Medicine Tara Condon ’92
Tara Condon ’92
Ambitious. Intelligent. Tenacious. These words unmistakably describe Tara Condon ’92, a Senior Operations Manager at Sanofi Genzyme, known for successfully launching lifesaving medicines. And although she battled debilitating dyslexia as a child, those close to her would have argued that those words applied even then.
“When I was in my sophomore year, I was flunking out of school, and I felt severely depressed,” Condon tells us. “But my mom always believed in me. The public school system said I would never be more than a grocery bagger, but my mom said, ‘She is bright and clever.’ She went online and found Forman, and she fought for me.” In fact, Condon’s parents took the case to court and won; the school district ended up providing funding for Tara to attend Forman the next year, 11th grade. It took a few months for Condon to find her place, but once she did, nothing could stop her. “I found a really great group of girls that I clicked with,” she says. “My grades skyrocketed after my first quarter at Forman, as did my self-esteem and confidence. I didn’t worry about asking questions or asking a teacher to explain a concept again. The sense of relief I felt was euphoric.” With such a positive change, Condon’s only wish was that she could have gone back in time to start at Forman her freshman year. “I can’t explain enough about how it prepared me to go to college. The organization skills I gained and the lessons I learned were invaluable. I had an LD instructor, Mrs. Sheldon – she was absolutely amazing. I learned that if you attend all your classes, do your homework, and come prepared, that you’ll
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succeed. I was always in the front row with my hand up and ready to ask questions.” Condon’s life was back on track. In her words, she “aced” her freshman year at Quinnipiac University, going on to double-major in Sociology and Women’s Studies and graduate cum laude. “College is the best time in the world; my advice to Forman students would be to use all the Forman tools to get in and stay in, and finish with honors like I did,” she exclaims. Condon emanates exuberance when talking about her Forman story as well as her meaningful work. “I am on several launch teams for new drugs and I just implemented a new CRM [Customer Relationship Management] tool for a best-in-class solution at Sanofi Genzyme. I am the lead of a new team I have just built called Field Force Enablement,” she says. Aside from introducing platforms for growing her company and improving relationships with customers, the pharmaceuticals that Condon promotes and presents focus directly on immunology, oncology, rare diseases, and multiple sclerosis. The enthusiasm that she has for this field comes from a deeply personal place. “My mother tragically passed from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare degenerative brain disorder,” Condon
A L U M N A
P R O F I L E
“College is the best time in the world; my advice to Forman students would be to use all the Forman tools to get in and stay in, and finish with honors like I did.”
explains, adding that there is more of a chance to get hit by lightning than to suffer from CJD. “It was 10 years ago, but it feels like yesterday. I really found a place in this niche market with these life-sustaining drugs and it’s dear to my heart because of her. Maybe someday there will be a cure or a way to save someone with CJD, at this point it is fatal.” After many successful years as an operations manager, consultant, project manager, and business analyst in sales, it was a natural move to Sanofi Genzyme in regard to both her experience and her passion. The specialty care division of the biotechnology company has a noble mission. “We help people with debilitating and complex conditions that are often difficult to diagnose and treat. We are dedicated to discovering and advancing new therapies, providing hope to patients and their families around the world,” the company’s website states. Condon is now leading a team of five and running the end-to-end process for Veeva, the #1 CRM pharmaceutical program. Veeva helps healthcare businesses
to be more collaborative through online chat programs and apps, provides a better customer experience through connected portals and call centers, and allows businesses to keep track of the social conversation around their brands. Making information in the world of healthcare and medicine more accessible to both businesses and customers is advantageous for everyone, and Condon is happy to be on the forefront of launching the drugs themselves. “I’m just coming back from a pre-launch meeting for a new life-changing drug,” she says. The excitement in her voice is palpable when discussing her latest project. It’s easy to sell something commercially when it is going to help so many people, and Condon is honored to be part of it. It’s all in the family. Condon’s father and both of her sisters are in the medical field. Her father, Thomas, a previous senior executive at Yale New Haven Hospital, tells his daughter’s story often. “I swear he’s on the phone with the Forman Alumni Office giving updates on me every day,” she says with a laugh. “My dad is so proud of me and loves Forman so much.” It was Mr. Condon who told a seven year-old Tara that she “was not stupid, but that when God made me he accidentally put my brain in backwards and therefore I learned differently.” With the support of her family from the beginning, she was able to achieve more than she had ever imagined. Now, she is passing it on to those on a similar path like her niece, Celia, who was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. “She is really an inspiration to me – hysterical and kind and funny,” she says. Condon and her husband, Christopher Ely, whom she married in 2015, live in Dedham, MA. “My husband wants to know when I’m going to take this show on the road,” she says of his half-joking suggestion about her journey. But it is certainly a story that has all the ingredients to be a classic. With struggle, loss, success, and hope, sharing it may not be a bad idea after all.
Tara with her husband, Chris, at the Orleans Yacht Club in Massachusetts
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C L A S S
N O T E S
91
Amy Owen Stettner aostett@hotmail.com Rob P. Tarantino rob_tarantino@ml.com Jenny Virgopia jennyvirgopia@aol.com _____________________________
Allison Ratner is using her Masters in Education to develop an animal therapy program for a residential/ day treatment facility/K-9 school in Yonkers. She is also the sole caretaker for the animals (three shy sheep, six adorable and friendly dwarf goats, three moody alpacas, and 17 happy chickens). She writes, “The dorms on our campus are called cottages and they are from the early 1920s, huge, and made of stone (not brick or wood). It looks like a Harry Potter movie. The kids we serve have learning differences but also trauma and my job is not easy. I am very happy to be building a program that helps children with difficulties as it takes one to know one and I’ve accomplished a lot academically, which started with Forman’s help 20+ years ago. I will always have gratitude for Forman and its invaluable support. Childhood is hard and trudging through it with ADHD is downright painful. Thanks to Forman, I can now use all that I know to help others.” Stephen Bacharach is celebrating three years in southwest Florida. He recently switched work roles to become an Off Airport Analyst. He encourages
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alumni to reach out if you are in the area at sbach72@gmail.com.
92
25
th reunion
_____________________________
Brian Liddy works in the jewelry manufacturing business in Florida. He also does his own jewelry design work. Sara Jackson Mayhew is a Special Education teacher at an elementary school in North Carolina. She plans to visit Forman this summer with her children, Maya and Jack.
setting. Additionally, he was recently on a business trip to South America where he was part of GM’s engineering instructional team. Drew Weinstein is working for Amazon in San Antonio, TX, where he lives with his wife and kids. Liz Oneglia Gioia enjoys time spent with her sons Jackson, six, and Zachary, 11. Libby Frank McQuarie and her family have moved from the mountains of Colorado to the plains. She writes, “We are getting used to our new surroundings and making tons of new friends. We are also having a blast raising our three year old daughter. She keeps us very busy.”
95 Brian Liddy ’92
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Kenneth I. Deane kenneth.deane@gmail.com Gilah E. Gersten gilahg@gmail.com _____________________________
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Christina E. Bodine-Aysseh christinabodine@msn.com Allison Herron Gsell allison_herron@hotmail.com Elizabeth G. Thomas lizgthomas@yahoo.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Jennifer Pentecost Clark and her husband, Seth, on the birth of their daughter, Clara Irene Clark, on November 17, 2016.
Christopher D. Kellogg Brooke H. Labriola bhlabriola@gmail.com Drew S. Weinstein weinstein.drew@gmail.com _____________________________
Brian La Croix runs a vocational technical school to help students who do not fit in the standard educational
Clara Irene Clark, baby daughter of Jennifer Pentecost Clark ’95
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Marikay Geib marikaygeib212@msn.com Lauren Cuticelli Patton lauren@cuticelli.com Tyler Renn strenn@hotmail.com _____________________________
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20
th reunion
Abbie Graham Durkin abbiedurkin@gmail.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Larisa Hoffman Moon and her husband, Morgan, who were married on October 21, 2016.
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Susan A. Schonfeld suzy195954@aol.com _____________________________
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Elizabeth Hanway Johnson eahanway@gmail.com Jessica Davis Raitz jessica.raitz@gmail.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Janina ReinerSilberstang Rosa and husband AJ Rosa ’04, on the birth of their child, Kai Joseph Rosa, born on August 6. Joseph DiPietro has two daughters, Natalie, two, and Paolina, eight months.
00
In October 2015, he got engaged to Misty Dhuyvetter, whom he met in law enforcement. They live in the Denver metro area.
03
Elizabeth A. Monroe lizmonroe@comcast.net
Jesse J. E. Resnick jesse.res@gmail.com _____________________________
01
Matthew A. Bonzagni mattbonzagni232@charter.net Leith T. Sharp tennis315@yahoo.com _____________________________
Michelle Martello Andrasi lives in Connecticut, is married, and has three wonderful kids. Leith Sharp is living in Wolcott, CT and is working as a Pre-K teacher in Cheshire, CT. She writes, “I couldn’t be happier teaching. It is so rewarding and I just love my job.” Brett Crathern is working for the USPS.
02
N O T E S
Kevin T. Smallwood smallwkt@gmail.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Charlie Coppersmith, who was married to his wife, Lauren, on August 6, 2016. Lindie Lorber Cienfuegos is married with two kids (ages nine and two) and is expecting her third in March. She is a special education teacher currently working at the primary level grades TK (transitional kindergarten)-6th and is also a Lacrosse coach for girls in the 1st8th grades. Congratulations to Kevin Smallwood, who married his bride, Amanda, on October 29, 2016.
15
th reunion
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Evan Ozar works in catering and is a part-time golf caddy. After ten years in Law Enforcement, Kipp Hoffman medically retired due to a broken back suffered in the line of duty. He is now pursuing a career as a pilot flying jets.
Kevin and Amanda Smallwood on their boat, “Haul and Boats”
Kai Joseph Rosa, son of Janina ’99 and AJ Rosa ’04
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A L U M N U S
P R O F I L E
Engineering a Path of Perseverance Adam Grabish ’03
Adam Grabish ’03 on the job at Tug Technologies
The path to success is not always a straight line, and that’s okay. This is how Adam Grabish ’03 would describe his journey to becoming the successful product engineer he is today. At Tug Technologies, not only is Grabish in charge
Accommodations and support were now readily available,
and overall design of a 70-
but Grabish still had a tough first year with personal
ton AC unit for commercial
issues surrounding the deaths of loved ones. “People saw
aircraft; he also does
me acting out, but there was a tremendous amount of
component failure analysis
pain behind it,” he says. “At Forman, there were always
of units in operation around
people who believed in me.” Take Arts Teacher Sandra Garcia, who provided a safe
developed Computational
space for Grabish to explore his talents, particularly in
Fluid Dynamics (using
pottery. “Ms. Garcia’s class always brought balance to
algorithms to examine fluid
my life. I found the calm in the storm because of her art
flows) and Finite Element Analysis (like CFD but with
class. I could express my creativity freely in her studio,”
solid objects) capabilities for products.
he says, adding, “I still use my creativity when I design
All with ADHD and dyslexia...or perhaps, all because of ADHD and dyslexia. 16 years ago, Grabish was frustrated and faltering in a mainstream college prep school. “One
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In 11th grade, the St. Louis-native found Forman.
of the mechanical systems
the world. Moreover, he has
Adam Grabish ’03
size fits all learning did not suit me,” he explains.
things now to function in the real world.” Still, Grabish continued to misbehave and was eventually asked not to return to Forman: “I couldn’t
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“Forman’s belief in me made me start believing in myself, and that’s what I needed to succeed.”
keep my mouth shut,” he remembers with a chuckle.
gamma ray detector. Shortly after, he re-enrolled at
This was a wake-up call. “Once I realized this was my
CSU, this time as an engineering major.
last shot at graduating high school, I wanted to come
Grabish’s ability to advocate for himself helped him
back and appreciate everything I had.” Grabish went
succeed. “Once I began managing my ADHD, school
to therapy, attended the Outward Bound Journey for
was no match for me,” he says. He also learned he was
grieving teens, and wrote a letter explaining how he had
not alone: “You would not believe how many people
changed. It worked.
in engineering school have ADHD.” Grabish built close
The newly-dedicated student returned with a fresh
relationships with the faculty, who were happy to
outlook, but it took the encouragement of a teacher to
provide extra help when he needed it. “A huge university
acknowledge his own talents: “I remember sitting in Mr.
did not seem as large when I made these steps.” But the
Orton’s calculus class, doing this problem and saying,
seeds for finding the right academic environment were
‘I don’t know how to do this; I’m stupid.’ He said to me,
planted years before: “Forman taught me what to look
‘You need to stop talking like that; you have the highest
for in a teacher and a class.”
PSAT math score of anyone I’ve ever met.’” With small
Having risen to the rank of Manager and Club President
class sizes, teachers took the time to invest in students:
of the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers team,
“For the first time in my life, I had teachers who cared,
Grabish oversaw the production of the university’s
and because they cared, I cared.”
first ever all-electric race car. “My time on the team
Come fall, Grabish headed to Colorado State
helped me develop key engineering skills that have
University with a Forman diploma and the Math Award
directly translated to my career.” While at CSU, he also
in tow. He wanted to attend a big school, but quickly
interned at Woodward, Inc., where he created, tested,
learned that he wasn’t receiving the same support.
and inspected controlled system valves for GE aviation
“With such a poor experience and grades to show it,
engines. Upon graduation, he accepted a job with Tug
I took my leave of college and tried my hand at real
Technologies, a Textron company in Augusta, GA.
estate. I learned a lot of lessons during that time,” he
“My career path is a long and winding road,” he states
says. Grabish realized that it was the small size and
contentedly. “Forman’s belief in me made me start
structure at Forman that worked for him. In his time off,
believing in myself, and that’s what I needed to succeed.”
he also met his wife, Jennifer, who helped inspire him
Now, Grabish mentors young students and has a
to finish school. “When I first met her, I thought, If I am
message for Forman students as well: “Believe in and be
going to marry this woman, I need to get an education,”
yourself. You can do whatever you want to in this world.
he remembers. “I started going to community college
You are bright, intelligent individuals with so much to
and it got me back to that same Forman setting.
offer. Develop good study habits early on, and practice,
Teachers cared about me rather than just giving a list of
practice, practice. Find a little time for yourself and take
assignments. I can’t tell you how many times I thought
time to stop and appreciate the beauty in the world.”
back to that class where Mr. Orton told me, ‘You can
Grabish lives in Atlanta with Jennifer, whom he says “is
do this.’” Grabish ramped up his homework schedule
a wonderful individual that has made my life complete.”
and balanced it with work and spending time with his
He celebrated his 2012 wedding alongside Forman
wife. He finished his core requirements and worked
friends Jordan Koshgarian ’03 and best man Kevin
for the High Energy Physics Laboratory at Colorado
Smallwood ’03.
State. There, he designed a new prototype for seven 55,000-gallon, light-tight water bags in a high altitude
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a baby. Clark Van Der Beken is the Marketing Director at Cantina, a digital design firm in Boston, MA. He oversees the marketing strategy and brand positioning for the company and manages a small team of marketers.
Laura Goodkind ’04
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Laura J. Goodkind LJGoodkind@msn.com Kathryn S. John john.katie@gmail.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Laura Goodkind, who secured a spot on the U.S. Rowing Team and competed in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Laura rowed alongside Helman Roman in the trunk and arms mixed double sculls event. In April, the pair won the Non-Qualified Paralympic Trials in New Jersey and then went on to represent the U.S. at the Final Paralympic Qualification Regatta in Italy, placing third behind Russia, who was recently disqualified from competition. Congratulations to AJ Rosa and wife Janina ReinerSilberstang Rosa ’99 on the birth of their child, Kai Joseph Rosa, on August 6. Hank Forester lives in Athens, GA and runs the Hunting Heritage Program for the Quality Deer Management Association, a national conservation nonprofit. Pat Coakley bought a home in Rochester, NY and he and his wife are expecting 38
05
Pearse P. Matthews pmatthews@hillhooks.org Cyril P. Thornton thorntcp@gmail.com _____________________________
David Berg recently showed his photography at an exhibit titled Culture Shock at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts. The show was well-received with many positive reviews.
Congratulations to Alyson Vitiello Rebibo and her husband, Jason, on the birth of their first child, Hudson Allen Rebibo, born on December 2, 2016.
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Ian C. Hayward barret12.7mm@gmail.com _____________________________
Congratulations to Charlie Phillips and his wife, Wendy, who were married on December 22, 2016. Charlie is working as an account manager for a flooring company and plans to move to North Carolina this spring. Keaghan Hamilton is currently living in Manchester, NH, where she graduated in 2014 with a Master’s in Public Health. She has been working as a Supply Chain Analyst for a company that looks to reduce supply costs for hospitals. This past summer, she traveled with her mother to Sweden for 10 days. She hopes to start planning her next adventure soon.
David Berg ’05’s photography exhibit Culture Shock
Joseph Burdis ’07 playing in a professional paintball game
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10
th reunion
Shannon W. Hallenbeck shannon.hallenbeck@gmail.com _____________________________
Hudson Allen Rebibo, son of Alyson Vitiello Rebibo ’05
Joseph Burdis has “semi-settled” down at home in Poughkeepsie
C L A S S
after bouncing around in the film industry for a few years. He works for his father’s company selling woodworking machinery and plays competitive paintball all over the world. He recently committed to a full pro season in Australia, after which he will compete in an event in London (which he won last year), play in a full U.S. season, and lastly have the opportunity to play with Team USA in Malaysia this October. Shannon Hallenbeck obtained his CDA (Child Development Associates) and has been a teacher at Bright Horizons Family Solutions in Raleigh, NC, for three years now. Audrey Stout Micca writes, “I am living in Vermont with my beautiful family, and loving it!” Iain Magown is living with his girlfriend in the west end of Hartford, managing a tea shop in Unionville, and conducting his own business as a tech tutor. Parker Beard is continuing to grow as a leader at the Durham Convention Center. His goal is to be an Operations Director someday in the Spectra company. After working five months as a Temporary Director, he says, “I feel like the experience has helped me grow as a leader. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it!”
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Hannah Dodd Morton hmorton1008@gmail.com _____________________________
Liz Cooper is working at Stamford Hospital and recently visited Costa Rica for vacation.
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Candice R. Earlington wacky_candy@hotmail.com
Gretchen G. Conyers gretchc23@gmail.com
Kelly Solk ksolk90@gmail.com _____________________________
Dayne J. Price dayneprice@gmail.com _____________________________
Justin W. DeCausey justindecausey@gmail.com
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Cameron S. Billik csbillik@gmail.com
Callie Smith owns a massage therapy practice in Stonington, CT. She writes, “I am living a chill and lovefilled life.”
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Rachel C. Hafer rcatharinee@gmail.com Nicholas V. Manzella nv.manzella@gmail.com Hunter Iacoboni ’09 with his wife, Michaela
Congratulations to Hunter Iacoboni and his wife, Michaela, on their recent marriage and new home! Phil Scheinfeld is working on The Alexander Team at Douglas Elliman, where he sells luxury real estate in New York City. When he isn’t working, he enjoys hanging out with friends and traveling to new places.
alumni weekend SAVE THE DATE!
Michael D. Satalic msatalic@saic.edu _____________________________
Ben Ferguson just completed his first year of a two-year acting conservatory at Michael Howard Studios in NYC. Rachel Hafer is a Marketing and Events Intern at RED Development, a corporate real estate company that owns an entertainment complex in downtown Phoenix. Megan Blair is
Forman School Welcomes Alumni Back to Campus to Celebrate Reunion!
MAY 5-7, 2017 39
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studying in London and is working to finish her marketing and public relations degree. John Nowosadko is a fifth grade teacher in New Hampshire.
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5
th reunion
Lauren A. Morrow auren.morrow1993@gmail.com Shelby L. Pierce shelby.pierce93@gmail.com Daniel S. Sotherland dsslandscaping@comcast.net _____________________________
Foster Bentham is working for Be Square Designs in New Jersey building props and special effects. Hussein Elwy will graduate in December with his O.P.T. from the University of St. Thomas Houston. Doodle Funk spent the summer working on campus for the Forman Summer Program. Jacob Hunt graduated from the University of Connecticut and is now working for the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Eddy Job graduated from Merrimack College and is looking into graduate programs for criminology. Ali Klipper graduated from Springfield College in May and is now a teacher for autistic children. Jared LaVergne graduated from Hofstra and is working as a Network Infrastructure Recruiter for Tek Systems. Tyler Patchell is working for the family business and recently bought a house in Litchfield, CT. Michelle Phillips is studying Psychology at Colorado State University. She plans to get her Master’s Degree in
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Clinical Psychology and her Ph.D. in Correctional Psychology. Shelby Pierce is attending Keene State, where she is majoring in Exercise Physiology. Pat O’Keefe is living in Massachusetts and working in heating and air conditioning. Drew Gregory is training in the United States Army to be a Construction Engineer in the New Jersey National Guard. Once he is home, he plans to go to the police academy to become a police officer. Rick Stingel graduated from High Point University and is now working at Gilbarco VeederRoot, a manufacturer of gas pumps, doing product testing and quality assurance. Brigette Valois is living in Philadelphia and going to school. She is also working as a dog walker, volunteering at animal shelters, and taking classes at the local theater. Dylan Kirby is working at Deloitte Consulting in the investment risk department as an analyst. Hannah Camerota graduated from Ave Maria University in May 2016, is working as a live-in volunteer for the Missionaries of Charity in Washington, D.C., and is loving life!
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David R. Buckley davidb21@gmail.com Francis R. Fiore fffiore27@gmail.com Mark A. Malburg mmalburg@elon.edu _____________________________
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Natalie R. Canterbury nataliecanterbury386@yahoo.com Grant A. Oslan grant.oslan@comcast.net Jacob Sussman jacob.sussman33@gmail.com Coleman C. Walker colewalker1@me.com _____________________________
Jake Sussman is building his company called SiGo Voice Automation LLC. It will use artificial intelligence to increase sales practices in the financial industry and it will make communicating with a company’s clients/members much more effective. Logan Rice is a junior at Champlain College majoring in Criminal Justice. He is the president of the Student Government, a Residential Assistant, and is on the Lacrosse team. Natalie Canterbury visited the Forman campus in the fall to talk to the Girls’ Soccer Team about the difference between playing high school soccer versus collegiate soccer. She spoke about the increased motivation and conditioning needed and also encouraged the girls to take advantage of all that Forman has to offer. She called Forman a magical place and attributed her success in college to her use of the resources Forman gave her. Jay Nagaswami is interning at the World Health Organization while in his junior year at American University. Max Bales is attending engineering school and enjoys building fighting robots. He was recently featured on
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Max Bales ’14 and his BattleBot team
ABC’s BattleBots, a robot competition television series. Nate Langh is studying Mechanical Engineering at WIT. Ella Cox is a junior in college and a three-time Dean’s List recipient. She is also a Human Rights Activist, spreading the need for positive action and change in her daily life. She recently represented Tennessee in an independent LGBT+ documentary project, which is still in production. Samantha Rebholz is attending Ringling College of Art & Design and is majoring in Photography/Fine Arts.
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Sarah Auch sarahauch@aol.com Emily Cross emilycross9@gmail.com David Shaw davidshaw1213@gmail.com Dominic Weir domweir@gmail.com _____________________________
Will Boak has been working a lot and is the head of the Town of East Hampton sailing program. Michael Davis is a sophomore at Curry College, studying Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. He
is enjoying working on film and will be getting his minor in music. He plays the drums and guitar, continues to write and record his own music, and has added a loop pedal to his repertoire. Ben Kubie is a sophomore at Saint Michael’s College and is majoring in Media Studies. He is in a college band and has been touring around the area and on campus. He is looking forward to the summer, when he will be counseling kids with disabilities at Sky Zone trampoline park. Christian Anderson is welding in Costa Rica. Michael Leong is studying at Fairfield University and will be transferring to University of Arizona for their Animal Sciences program. Vivian Chan is a Psychology major at University of Exeter. Currently, she is taking a gap year and interning at a Big Four accounting firm. She misses Forman and encourages any alumni to come visit her in Hong Kong!
N O T E S
completed the Ride For Our Warriors, a 100-mile bike ride benefitting veterans in need. Anna Lees was the Snapchat Director for the Boston Women’s March in January. She helped filter and record media that was seen by 200,000 people. Eliana Kaplan is a second-semester freshman at Wheaton College in Norton, MA. Maureen Harris is taking science courses at Wheaton College and is currently looking for science-related internships. Tyler Duff took a year off after graduating and has been playing hockey in Canada.
FACULTY NOTES --------------------------
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Davis Ebbert davisebbert@yahoo.com Allison Herdje aherdje@gmail.com Lacey McCaw lmccaw03@gmail.com _____________________________
Kristy and Andy Santiago were married on December 27, 2016 in Litchfield, CT.
Davis Ebbert has been working heavily on flight training, recently earning his commercial pilot certificate and starting his certified flight instructor certificate. He is in the Air Force ROTC at Samford University and couldn’t be happier. He recently
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IN MEMORIAM --------------------------------------------------------
Alumni Class Agents Needed Do you have contact with many of your classmates from Forman? Do you enjoy reaching out to your friends to find out what is new? If so, you may be an ideal Class Agent for Forman! Class Agents are needed for the following classes: 1944 1945 1946 1947 1949 1951
1952 1953 1957 1958 1959 1970
1977 1979 1992 2002
If you are interested in reaching out to your classmates and collecting Class Notes, please contact Danielle Plante in the Alumni Office at danielle.plante@formanschool.org. Be sure to include your full name, class year, mailing address, email address, and telephone number(s).
We would so appreciate your help!
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Michelle Barlow ’10 of Chicago IL, formerly of Wellesley, passed away on December 14, 2016. Michelle was born May 7, 1992 in Princeton, NJ to Ann and David Barlow. Michelle attended Forman School and then College of Charleston in SC. She loved her family, friends, and fashion. Michelle touched so many lives in her too short life. Her bubbly personality, quick wit, and amazing fashion sense are cherished by all who knew her. Michelle is survived by her loving sisters, Kelly and Erin; her mother, Ann; her father, Dave, and his wife, Rebecca, and their son, Sam. Michelle is and will always be a spark of light for those who knew her. She had an open, honest, and loving heart. Edward Collins ’61 of Moorestown, NJ, died On October 7, 2016, at the age of 75. He was the son of the late John S. and Elizabeth K. Collins and the brother of Alice Fisk and John “Jack” Collins. Ed was a kind soul and a proud alumnus of Forman. Jane Montgomery Everson ’61 of Jacksonville, FL, passed away on Sunday, August 14, 2016 at the age of 73. Jane was born to parents William and Virginia Montgomery in New Haven, CT. She grew up as the youngest of two. In 1992, she moved to Jacksonville, FL. Seven years later, she became President
and Owner of Centennial Products, a medical manufacturing and sales company. Jane is survived by her son, Christopher (Moriah), and two grandchildren, Eden and Maggie. She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Virginia, and her brother, Phelps. Amy Fenn ’87 passed away after a battle with cancer on January 9, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, FL. She was 47 years old. Sherman Haight ’39, Former Head of the Board of Trustees, age 93 of Hamilton, VA., passed away on October 17, 2016 after a long illness. Mr. Haight was born November 7, 1922 to the late Sherman P. Haight, Sr. and Anne Lyon Haight. He served in World War II, having enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the 7th Cavalry Reconnaissance Platoon, of the 1st Cavalry Division in the South Pacific. He was discharged in 1945 with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He was MFH of the Litchfield County Hounds from 1948 to1981. He was president of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) from 1978 to 1981 and president of the United States Pony Clubs (USPC) from 1961 to 1964. In 1985, Mr. Haight, along with Dr. Joe Rogers and Mr. Paul Krauss, formed the Museum of Hounds
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and Hunting at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA. He also found great joy in being outdoors, including shooting and fishing. Mr. Haight’s business pursuits included president of E-Z Mills and president of A.S. Haight & Co. He also started the first farm winery in Connecticut, Haight Vineyard. Mr. Haight is survived by his wife, Margaret Grahame Haight; three daughters, Nancy Hall Haight of Cartersville, GA; Mary Haight Armstrong, husband Allen Armstrong of Kennett Square, PA; Katharine Grahame Haight of Mattapoisett, MA, two grandsons, Gilbert J. Armstrong, and Francis S. Armstrong, and two great grandchildren, Riley Faith Armstrong, and Declan Gallagher. He is also survived by his sister, Frances Tracy Haight Griswold of Litchfield, CT, and several nieces and nephews. Charles Hilliard ’45 passed away on Thursday, August 27, 2015. Charles was a resident of New York, NY at the time of his passing. He was a proud veteran during World War II. Gary Karl ’90 passed away on December 31, 2016 in Vero Beach, FL. Gary worked at Palm Beach State College and was loved by the students he worked with. He is survived by his mother, Mary Ellen Karl. Richard “Steve” Migel ’67 passed away November 7, 2014 surrounded by his loving family in their home in Franklin Lakes, NJ. He was born Jan.
23, 1948 to Richard H. Migel and Gertrude L. Migel. Steve is survived by his beloved wife, Maryalice, and their adored children, Richard and Catherine Migel. He was the loving brother of Elisa Richards and husband Robert, Susanna Hull, Christopher Migel and wife, Cassandra. He worked for 40 years in the financial industry, starting at Hornblower, Weeks, Noyes & Trask. Without leaving his desk, he changed parent companies several times during a distinguished career, finally ending up with Morgan Stanley. While totally devoted to his family, Steve also took great interest in all things outdoors. He could usually be seen tending his garden or watching for the hummingbirds that visited his back deck. He was also an avid sportsman and enjoyed tennis, golf, skiing, and fishing. Through winning and losing seasons, he never lost his devotion to his New York sports teams, the Rangers and the Giants. Merlin Shewan ’73 born on March 8, 1954, in New York, NY, passed away September 30, 2016. He resided in Palm Springs, CA at the time of his passing. Jason Smith ’12 of Canton, CT, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, November 16, 2016. He was born August 1, 1993 in Hartford and was a graduate of the Forman School, Class of 2012. Jason was studying Finance at Syracuse University, where he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.
M E M O R I A M
He was a PADMI-certified Master scuba diver and was an avid fan of the New York Rangers and the Boston Red Sox. Jason will be remembered for his beautiful smile, huge heart, and excellent sense of humor and adventure. He is survived by his mother, Linda Cournoyer, and stepfather, Marc of Canton, CT, and his father, Craig A. Smith, and his fiancée, Jennifer Jones of Monson, MA; his maternal grandmother, Carol Edick of Sun City, AZ; his grandparents, Dave and Carol Cournoyer of East Killingly, CT; his aunt, Michelle Cournoyer Joseph; and his cousins, Sarah and Ryan Joseph, all of Tilton, NH. Jason also had innumerous friends who meant the world to him. He was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Thomas Edick, and paternal grandparents, Jack and Jane Smith. Krista Wing ’92, age 44, passed away on December 17, 2016, surrounded by family. The cause of her death was metastatic synovial sarcoma. She was born April 12, 1972, in Bangor, ME. Her parents are Kenneth E. Wing and Sharon Schoppe Wing, of Brunswick, ME. Krista endured many challenges during her life. Her first challenge was dyslexia. The Individualized Education Plans designed by her teachers in Orono, ME, and then in Ithaca, NY, helped. She attended the Landmark School in Beverly, MA, and Forman School in Litchfield, CT. These specialized
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schools helped her to deal with her different style of learning. She did so well, she was admitted to the University of Hartford, where she graduated with a B.F.A. in ceramics. Her second challenge was losing her eyesight. Despite many surgeries, procedures and medications, she was declared legally blind after she had graduated from college. She learned to see with her fingers, ears,
and nose. She received training at the IRIS Foundation in Portland, ME. She became a licensed massage therapist after completing studies at the Downeast School of Massage in Waldoboro, ME. She named her practice, aptly, “Seeing Hands Massage.” Her third challenge was the toughest: cancer. She fought the good fight for over a year. Despite these challenges, she never once
complained. She overcame almost every obstacle thrown in her path on her own terms. Krista is survived by her parents; and her brother, Tim Trafton, his wife, Kim, and their children, Boone and Eloise, of Bozeman, MT. She also is survived by her sister, Debbie Stafford, her husband, Ryan, and their daughters, Isabella and Grace, of Clarendon Hills, IL, and North Hampton, NH.
Remembering Sherman P. Haight Jr. ’39 Sherman P. Haight, Jr. was a charming man with a gentle demeanor whose impeccable attire usually included a bow tie. But he liked nothing better than to spend a morning riding to the hounds. Sherman was Master of Foxhounds for the Litchfield County Hounds from 1948-1981. In 2015, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting, Leesburg, VA, honored him for his contributions to foxhunting. In the museum’s program for the event, John J. Carle wrote Sherman was a “gentleman of the old school and a true sportsman in every sense of the word.” Sherman attended Forman in the 1930s when the school focused on educating young boys. In an interview years later for a Forman newsletter, Sherman recalled students then lived in tents rather than dormitories. He commented, “One does not have to freeze under the cold winter stars to build character.” But he believed in the school’s approach to learning and many years later served as chairman of the Board of Trustees. Service was an integral part of Sherman’s life. He served with a platoon of the First Cavalry Division in World War II in the South Pacific area. In 1975, after a long career in the textile business, he founded the first vineyard in Connecticut, the
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Haight Vineyard (now Haight-Brown Vineyard) on Litchfield’s Chestnut Hill. Its success prompted others to follow and Sherman successfully promoted the idea of Connecticut’s Wine Trail with the support of thenGovernor Lowell Weicker. The trail today continues to boost industry and tourism. Having lived a full life, Sherman died October 17, 2016, at the age of 93. –Mary Ann Martin, Former Director of Advancement at Forman School
JULY 3 – JULY 28, 201 7 Coed • Boarding & Day • Grades 7-11
The Forman School Summer Program is a four-week, coed boarding and day camp for bright students who learn differently entering grades 7-11. Students attend individualized classes, where they discover their learning styles, self-advocacy, research-proven strategies, and executive function skills. Afternoon activities include jewelry making, boat building, athletics, ropes course, theater, horseback riding, fishing, and more.
For more information, please visit formanschool.org/summer or email admission@formanschool.org.
Forman School 12 Norfolk Road P.O. Box 80 Litchfield, CT 06759-0080 Change Service Requested
The annual Alumni Hockey Game was held Saturday, January 28, 2017. The alumni team, which consisted of Forman graduates, faculty, and staff, showed relentless efforts against the current Varsity Hockey team. They vigorously chipped away at the score, but ultimately, the students finished with a win of 11-3.
IMPORTANT DATES Spring Parents’ Weekend April 27-29, 2017
Commencement May 27, 2017
Alumni Weekend May 5-7, 2017
Summer Program July 3-28, 2017
Printed on recycled paper.