Winter 2015 - Palm Beach Day Academy

First Annual Hatching - September 2014
Pa l m B e a c h D ay Ac a d e m y
The Brid ge
Winter 2015
September - February
Palm Beach
Day Academy
The Bridge
Dr. Rebecca van der Bogert, Head of School
Mrs. Marisa Schnirman, Head of Upper School
Mrs. Donna Tobey, Head of Lower School
Mr. William Coyle, Director of Finance and Operations
Mrs. Meghan Albanese, Director of Admission Mrs. Dorothea Cvelbar, Associate Director of Admission
Mr. Richard Tummon, Director of Communications
Ms. Kathleen B. Emmett ‘89, Director of Development
Ms. Paula Martin, Associate Director of Development
Mr. Paul Cicio, Athletic Director
February 2015
Board of Trustees - 2014-15
Mr. Scott Johnson ‘79, President
Mrs. Lourdes Fanjul, Vice President
Mrs. Stephanie Carden ‘79, Secretary
Mr. William Matthews ‘67, Treasurer
Mr. Michael Ainslie
Mr. Ben Alexander
Mr. John Cohlan
Mrs. Gita Costa
Mrs. Frances Fisher
Mr. Tim Gannon
Mrs. Jill Glazer
Mrs. Mei Sze Greene
Mr. Kevin Lamb
Mrs. Donna Lloyd-George
Mr. Matt Lorentzen
Mr. James McCann
Mr. Christopher Orthwein ‘85
Mrs. Stacy Palagye
Mrs. Sue Patterson
Mrs. Marzia Precoda
Mr. Joseph Sambuco
Mr. Matthew Smith
Honorary
Mr. Paul Leone
Mrs. Anne Metzger
Mr. Ambrose Monell ‘69
Ex Officio
Dr. Rebecca van der Bogert, Head of School
Mrs. Sandy Singer, President Parent School Council
Parent School Council - 2014-15
Mrs. Sandy Singer, President
Mrs. Mina Patel, Vice President, Upper Campus
Mrs. Andrea Kosoy, Vice President, Lower Campus
Mrs. Ruby Patterson, Secretary
Mrs. Sophia Vollmer-Maduro, Program Coordinator
Mrs. Michelle Miller, Primary Representative
Mrs. Amy Middleton, K-3 Representative
Mrs. Susanna Gil, 4-9 Representative
Mrs. Lourdes Fanjul, Board Liaison
Ms. Stephanie Carden ‘79, Board Liaison
Mrs. Courtney Ellender, Lower Campus Faculty Rep.
Mrs. Katy Thompson, Upper Campus Faculty Rep.
Mr. Robert Norberg, Past President
Dr. Rebecca van der Bogert, Head of School
Contents
Reflections................................................................................................................. page 2
Head of Upper School Appointed......................................................................... page 3
National Junior Honor Society............................................................................... page 3
First Annual Hatching............................................................................................. page 4
Feather Ball Gift Gathering Party 2015................................................................. page 5
Alumni Pet Show..................................................................................................... page 6
“Future Lifers” - PBDA’s Program for 2 Year Olds............................................. page 7
Walter H. Butler Golf Classic.................................................................................. page 8
Eleven New Masters Degrees................................................................................. page 9
September to January - Photos............................................................................... page 10
Mad Hatter Feather Ball.......................................................................................... page 11
Annual Fund............................................................................................................. pages 12 & 13
Culture of Thinking................................................................................................. pages 14 & 15
School Calendar - 2015-16....................................................................................... page 16
Alumni Spotlight - Pegram Harrison ‘82............................................................. page 17
Alumni Notes........................................................................................................... pages 18 - 20
Memorials................................................................................................................. page 20
Palm Beach Day Academy
Lower Campus
1901 South Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 832-8815
Upper Campus
241 Seaview Avenue
Palm Beach, FL 33480
(561) 655-1188
www.pbday.org
Photography Credits:
Erika Handley
Tracy Kramm ’80
Richard Tummon
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Reflections
O
ne of the things we teach our
students as they pass through
Palm Beach Day Academy is
the importance of being able to
judge for themselves whether they’ve done
their best work or not. This encourages them
to always be reaching to do their best, to be
realistic about their goals, and later in life
to know how to judge for themselves when
others judge them. Balanced with this we
encourage an openness to receive feedback
from others, to take the time to assess the
feedback we receive, and to grow from it.
Like other things we teach our students,
we try to model this as a school. We are
constantly being self-reflective as teachers, as
a faculty, as an administrative team, and as a
school. In addition to this, we work hard at
being non-defensive, open to feedback, and
interested in growing.
One of the biggest sources of feedback for
independent schools is their accreditation
process that takes place on a regular
basis. This school year we we were
involved in our five year accreditation
process. In preparation for this, we
engaged faculty last year in assessing
all areas of the school including Vision
and Mission, Finance and Business
Operations, Records and Standardized
Testing, Academic Organization, Faculty,
and Administration, Faculty Teaching
Conditions and Professional Development,
Student Discipline, Morale and Attitudes,
Student Admission and Qualification for
Program, Academic Programs, Health and
Safety, Library/Media Center, Technology/
Planning and Implementation, Extra
Curriculum Activities, Student Services,
Food Services, Transportation, Academic
Support, School Governance, Parent
Organizations, Alumni Organizations,
Development and Marketing. A report was
written that included a description of what
we do in each of the areas, accommodations
and recommendations for future growth.
In addition to this, we engaged Board
members, teachers, parents, faculty, and
staff in the development of a Strategic Plan
that articulates goals, timeframes, and
assessments for the next five years.
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After this extensive preparation, a visiting
team of 11 educators came to our school for
two and a half days to interview faculty,
administrators, business office personnel,
members of the Board of Trustees, parents,
and students. They also observed all
classrooms twice, studied our curriculum,
reviewed our records, and looked at security
and our facilities. At the end of the two
and a half days, we received a briefing of
Commendations and then in the spring we
will receive a more thorough report that
covers all aspects of the school and has been
approved by the Board of the Florida Council
of Independent Schools (FCIS).
One very concrete way of evaluating
our schools is whether we have met the
Standards that are developed by the FCIS
and Florida Kindergarten Council.(FKC).
These standards are very measurable goals
that encompass all areas of the school, from
the qualifications of teachers, to professional
development, to the specific ways of keeping
records, and necessary policies of the Board
of Trustees. Between FCIS and FKC, there
are 180 standards. It is highly unusual that
a school meets all standards and Palm Beach
Day Academy did.
We were also very proud of the feedback we
received upon their departure and would
like to share some of their comments with
you. The Visiting Committee commented
on the following areas as strength that they
observed.
• The outstanding partnerships throughout
the community, with museums and other
organizations that provide connected learning
experiences for the students.
• A consistently positive school culture in
which all members of the school treat one
another with respect and kindness. They
particularly pointed out the way our students
stand out.
● The clear focus on maintaining a strong
academic program for our students with a
firm understanding of what they need to be
successful in high school and beyond.
● The focus on Global Competencies and
Green initiatives on the Lower School campus.
● The Cross Campus Tapestry Project
that fosters a deep sense of school
spirit, individual accountability, and an
understanding of the larger community.
● The accommodation of individual learning
differences within a challenging curricular
program.
● The dedication of the Board of Trustees, as
demonstrated by their willingness to provide
leadership, support with incredible fiscal
resources to benefit the students they serve.
● It is a credit to the parents and to the
development office that 100% of families and
staff participate in the annual fund.
● The staff at PBDA is both highly qualified
and highly dedicated to the learning outcomes
of each student as evidenced in the pride
taken in their work at the school, and extends
to publications drafted about the school by its
teachers. (Tradition and Change in Paradise- The
Story of Palm Beach Day Academy)
● Leadership was commended for their
long-term commitment and dedication to the
school, the faculty and staff, the programs that
have been created, and furthering the strategic
plan.
● The committee saw a clear commitment to
safety. Two former FBI agents provide security
for the two campuses that are both very
secure and monitored to protect the student
body, faculty, and staff. Colleges of the Class of 2011
Katherine Atterbury...................... Skidmore College
Daniel Borislow........... .University of Pennsylvania
Molly Botnick..................................... Rollins College
Anthony Castiblanco.... University of North Carolina
Anthony Cicio............................. Manhattan College
Hayley Ciklin....................Northwestern University
Thomas Coffman................ Miami University, Ohio
Amanda Coyle..................................Kenyon College
Charles Cramer..........................University of Maine
Patrick Dickson..................................... Utica College
Charlotte Dowell............... University of Richmond
Nick Griffin...............Florida Gulf Coast University
Jack Gunkel..................................Indiana University
Roger Jacknin...............................Indiana University
Eleanor Jamison......................University of Virginia
Margaret Kilvert....................Dartmouth University
Alexandra Kirschner............... University of Florida
Charles Krumholz..................... Harvard Univeristy
Aubrey Levin.............................Syracuse University
Matthew Long....... George Washington University
Nathaniel Low................................Bowdoin College
Michael Magelinski................. University of Florida
Kyle Mayans........................New College of Florida
Sydney McAuliffe...........................Duke University
Mikala Merey................................... Barnard College
Gregory Newcomm................... Auburn University
Josie Paine...................................Radford University
Joshua Perry.......... Georgia Institute of Technology
Summer Pliskow..................... University of Florida
Scarlett Sloane.....................Florida State University
Lydia Smith.............................Vanderbilt University
LJ Stoll............................................ Loyola University
Miranda Susick......................... Fordham University
Drew Walker.....................University of Mississippi
Lily Wujek.................................. Bennington College
Sarah Kemeness to Become
Head of Upper School
Palm Beach Day Academy
Hosts 645 Volunteers
Feeding Children
Everywhere
P
alm Beach Unites, a collective
effort including Feeding Children
Everywhere, Bethesda by the Sea
Episcopal Church, the
Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the Boys
and Girls Club of Palm Beach County and
Palm Beach Day Academy, took a step toward
reducing hunger for local children on Sunday,
February 8th, as 645 volunteers gathered
in the Halmos Center and hand-packaged
101,979 meals for hungry children and
families right here in Palm Beach County.
Hunger is an epidemic that holds no
prejudice and affects one in six Americans
across our country. Sunday’s volunteers
responded by donating their money and time
to stand in assembly lines measuring food,
filling and sealing bags, and loading boxes
of food for distribution by the organizers,
Feeding Children Everywhere.
The idea of Palm Beach Unites was brought
to PBDA by school parents Frances Fisher,
Helene Lorentzen and Andrea Kosoy and
organized among the students by Bulldog
Outreach director, Cynthia Kanai.
If you have information about
any former students who are
not mentioned in the list of
colleges on page two,
please contact Cindy DeSilva at
[email protected]
and help us keep our
alumni files up to date.
M
s. Sarah Kemeness has
accepted the position of
Head of Upper School and
will begin
on July 1. She joins us from
Lake Mary Preparatory
School in central Florida
where she is serving
her fifth year as Head
of Upper School. Prior
to Lake Mary Prep, she
worked at Palmer Trinity
School in Miami as the
Dean of Students in
the Middle and Upper
Schools, a Lead Advisor,
Middle School Soccer
Coach, Girls’ Varsity
Soccer Coach, and an
English teacher.
Sarah attended Lovett
School, an independent
school in Georgia, received a Bachelor of
Arts in English from the University of
Miami and a Master of Arts in Educational
Administration from Florida International
University.
The appointment of Sarah followed
an extensive national search,
during which a field of
applicants was narrowed to six
finalists who were interviewed
by a search committee. The
committee included Ellie
Colpitts, Billy Coyle, Lourdes
Fanjul, Hilary Mendoza, and
Donna Tobey. Three finalists
were selected by the committee
to be interviewed by the
faculty, administrative team,
and students. Sarah stood out
as an exceptional educator and
person as well as a great match
for PBDA.
A welcoming reception will be
announced later in the year so you
can meet Sarah and we can all welcome her to
Palm Beach Day Academy.
National Junior Honor Society
T
he National Junior Honor Society,
NJHS, is a service organization
that recognizes outstanding
middle school students who have
demonstrated excellence in Scholarship,
Leadership, Service, and Character. On Friday,
January 30, fifteen of our Eighth and Ninth
Grade students received their certificates and
pins in a special induction ceremony. Those
15 fulfilled the requirements of: a 90 average,
all ones and twos in effort, and 10 hours of
community service during the first trimester.
Congratulations to these excellent PBDA
students.
L-R: Talia Chachkes, Sydney Torres, William de Melo, Addison Gruber, Lyon Foster, Hailey Pflaumer, Nathanial Gramentine, Francesca Alfano, Taylor
Frederick, Kristen Frederick, Annabel Dewing, Hailey Smallwood, Daniela Garcia, Emily Elhilow, Erin Tague, Elizabeth Williams, Natalie Zoller, Ryan
Goldfarb, Landyn, Hutto, Christopher Williams, & Jack Litten. Missing from the photo: Camilla McCranels & Abigail Wandoff
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Feather Ball Gift Gathering Party 2015
T
wo hundred Palm Beach Day
Academy parents and trustees
joined together to enjoy an evening
of food, friends and fundraising
February 3 for this year’s Feather Ball Gift
Gathering Party, generously hosted by PBDA
parents Jeff and Mei Sze Greene. The theme
of this year’s Feather Ball encourages guests
to don their favorite chapeau at the Mad
Hatter Feather Ball. Each year, Palm Beach
Day Academy parents and special guests
help support the success of the Feather Ball
by donating an auction item or bringing an
underwriting check. Last year, more than 300
items were auctioned at the Feather Ball.
auction event on April 10. The Gift Gathering
Party raised $22,000 for the school.
The highlight of the evening was the class
projects live auction. Parents were treated
this year to a dynamic trio of auctioneers
including PBDA parents Chuck Schumacher
and Tim Gannon, joined by PBDA parent
and faculty member Megan Quinty. As in
previous years, students worked together
by grade to complete a beautiful work of art,
home good, or furnishing which is auctioned
off during the party as a kick-off to the main
The Feather Ball Dinner & Auction is Palm
Beach Day Academy’s signature fundraising
event and will be held on Friday, April 10,
at The Breakers Palm Beach. Co-chairs of
the evening are Jean Koeppel, Donna Lloyd
George, Susan Miller, and Marzia Precoda.
Please contact Paula Martin at (561) 655-1188,
extension 125 for sponsorship, underwriting,
auction item donation and ticket information.
First Annual Hatching - 2014
F
riday, October 3rd’s Hatching
Ceremony was an event that had
both flocks strutting with pride.
First on the Upper Campus and
then immediately following on the Lower
Campus, unaffiliated students learned if they
and their families would forever be either
Pelicans or Flamingos. For each student
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and all who watched, the mystery was
revealed with the opening of golden eggs that
contained either a blue or yellow wristband
- blue for Pelican or yellow for Flamingo. On
the Upper Campus, new students were called
to the stage to open their eggs individually
and then immediately be welcomed to their
growing flocks. On the Lower Campus, all
students opened their eggs in one grand
moment. On both campuses student reactions
ranged from joy to confusion, depending on
how well each child understood the reason for
all the excitement. The ceremony was a great
way to kick off this rivalry cherished by so
many.
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Best In Show
Nala Pompeo
with owner
Regan Pompeo
2015 Alumni Pet Show
O
n February 6, Palm Beach Day
Academy families had a funfilled morning as alumni judges
awarded ribbons to over 75 pets.
The event began with the traditional parade
of pets. Students, parents, grandparents,
teachers and friends were able to view each
animal competing either for pure joy or for
the top prize.
Following the parade, owners and their pets
danced their way back to their specific area
and awaited the alumni judges. The judges
visited each of the categories and chose the
1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Everyone was
a winner on this day, as honorable mention
ribbons were awarded to all furry and nonfurry friends alike.
This year’s committee organizers were Blair
Bissett Beall ’64, Emmy Crispin Wolbach
’67, Denise Anderson Hanley ’66 and
Nellie Terry Benoit ’70. Alumni judging
the event were Blair, Denise, Nellie, Baret
Beall Barry ’93, Hilary Beesch Mendoza ’71,
Marsh
George
6
2015
Murtle
Flopsy
First, Second & Third Place Winners
Long Haired Dog: 1st Marsh Bridger Long Haired Cat: 1st Nala Pompeo
Short Haired Dog: 1st Perrito Arroyo Short Haired Pet: 1st George Tarone
Cutest: 1st Flopsy Quinty Best Trick: 1st Jumper Pompeo Most Exotic: 1st Murtle Murray Best Costume: 1st Sasha Wille
2nd Angus Ferguson 2nd Trigger Borghi 3rd CeCe Gendelman
2nd Alli Kretchmar 3rd Cappuchino Quinty
2nd Rudy McGann 3rd Jessie Ochstein
2nd Chili Pepper Conde 3rd Ryder McGann
2nd Luna Pearl
2nd Chloe Govic 3rd Cherry & Coco Gil
Laurie Arnold Host ’70, Turner Benoit ’97,
Missy Robinson Savage ‘83, Loy Anderson
‘92, Ann Gennett Summers ‘62 and Mario
Mendoza ’04.
Additional volunteers included alumnae,
Quinn Reid ’14, Alexis Gorfine ’15, India
Patel ‘15 and current students. A special
thanks, goes to current parent, Dr. Irma
Morales and her team from Lake Worth
Animal Hospital, who monitored pet safety.
After an intense judges deliberation, our
Sasha
3rd Jasper Pompeo
own Kathleen Emmett ‘89 announced
winners. First, Second and Third place were
awarded in each category.
Best in Show was awarded to Nala Pompeo.
The trophy was presented by last year’s
winner, Aiden Conde and his Labradoodle,
Chili Pepper.
A special thanks to those parents who
purchased a pet just for the pet show! We
look forward to more fun on the East Field
next year!
Jumper
Alumni Judges
Perrito
Kathleen Emmett ‘89, Blair Bissett Beall ‘64, Barret Beall Barry ‘93, Loy Anderson ‘92, Denise Anderson Hanley ‘66,
Ann Gennett Summers ‘62, Missy Robinson Savage ‘83, Alexis Gorfine ‘15, India Patel ‘15, Turner Benoit ‘97, Nellie Terry Benoit ‘70,
Laurie Arnold Host ‘70, Hilary Beesch Mendoza ‘71, and Mario Mendoza ‘04
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The Journey of a Lifer begins in Pre-Primary
M
ost visitors to the PrePrimary classrooms cannot
help but comment that the
two and three year olds,
and their peaceful, child-friendly rooms, are
“cute.” That first impression is natural and
universal, but cuteness is only part of the
story. The Pre-Primary classrooms contain
more than meets the eye.
The Pre-Primary program is designed to
develop the emerging social, emotional,
cognitive and physical aspects of two and
three year old children. Attention is given to
meeting the individual needs of each student
by providing him or her with uniquely
designed learning opportunities.
In the area of social-emotional development,
activities are designed to build confidence
and independence. Students are encouraged
to take pride in their accomplishments,
develop their intrinsic motivation, display
the appropriate social behavior and respond
positively towards peers and adults. Students
learn to work cooperatively with others, to
respect the work of others and to care for the
environment around them.
In the area of cognitive development,
curiosity is encouraged to develop a strong
desire to learn. The children ask and respond
to questions, observe and make discoveries,
apply information and experiences to a new
context, and develop perseverance when
learning something new.
There is an emphasis on concept formation
in the areas of language arts, mathematics,
science and social studies as well as logical
thinking skills. An emphasis has been placed
on pronouncing letters and words and
forming logical thoughts and sentences. The
students are exposed to science through
lessons on animals, insects, magnets, and
the earth. Mathematics is incorporated with
lessons on identifying numbers, counting and
shapes.
In the area of physical development, the
students practice their fine and gross motor
skills during the use of manipulative lessons,
physical education, and recess. Examples
of this include practicing the proper use of
scissors and pencils while concentrating
on developing a steady, precise hand. The
children are shown how to control their
bodies and accomplish tasks such as kicking
and throwing a ball. The students have
also demonstrated their ability to care for
themselves with routine tasks such as hand
washing and toileting.
With all of that going on every day, it is
even more impressive that our Pre-Primary
students can achieve it all and still be so very
cute - day after day. How do they do it?
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19th Annual
Walter H. Butler
Golf Classic
Co-Chairs
Matthew Smith
Joel Kassewitz
T
wenty-five foursomes arrived at
The Breakers Ocean Course for
a shamble start at 8:30 a.m. on
Saturday, November 22 to compete
for the coveted Walter H. Butler Trophy and
additional prizes including Mixed Flight
Division, Men’s Flight Division, Closest to the
Pin, and Longest Drive. Individual awards
were given to student, women and men
players. The tournament, which each year is
sold out in record time, was chaired by Matt
Smith and Joel Kassewitz and raised more
than $70,000 for Palm Beach Day Academy’s
educational programs.
The overall grand tournament winner
included the team of Todd Savage, J.B.
Murray ‘81, John Pickett and Michael Melear.
Men’s Flight Division winner included the
team of Joe Carron, Trey Sned ‘99, Michael
Katzenberg ’02 , and Luke Davis, with husband
- wife teams Wayne and Leslie Wytrzes and
Wilber and Janet James winning the Mixed
Flight Division. Second place recognition
went to Tom Forrest, Chris Cook, Bobby Leidy
’96 and Avery Klann in the Men’s Flight and
Gerard George, Charlie Middleton, Anand
Patel and Dhru Patel ’19 in the Mixed Flight
Division. Closest to the Pin winners were Ben
Smith ‘17, Jane Scarpa and J.B. Murray ‘81.
Longest Drive winners were Ben Smith ‘17,
Bridget Koch and Bobby Leidy ‘96.
Major sponsors of this year’s Golf Classic
included the Arna & Stanley Smith Foundation,
Shoes For Crews, Darcie and Joel Kassewitz,
Sterling Organization, The Breakers, the
Hallowell Family, Austin and Steve Smith, the
Wytrzes Family, SCS Financial and The Atwood
Group – Merrill Lynch.
Committee Members
Ben Alexander
Matti Anttila
Paul Bergman
Tom Forrest
Alex Coleman
Tom Forrest
Hunter Hallowell
Roger Janssen
Brian Kosoy
Lauri LaBow
Sofia Maduro
James Marcus
Joe McGivney
Ryan Munder
Peter Nicoletti
Todd Savage
Steve Smith
Trey Sned
Kellie Stenzel Stigliano
Chris Storkerson
Paolo Weston
Masters Cohort Celebrates
Eleven New Degrees
The course was made available to all PBDA
faculty and ultimately five Lower School
teachers and six Upper School teachers took
advantage of the unique opportunity. They
graduated last summer and added M. Ed
specifically designed for PBDA and taught to
leven Palm Beach Day
to their names. Officially, their degree is in
our group as a single class. Most classes were Curriculum and Instruction.
Academy teachers added to
held on Palm Beach Day Academy’s campus.
their credentials last year with
The Masters Cohort students proposed
This unique arrangement was made possible
Masters of Education degrees
the institution of the Tapestry Project that
by Susan and James Patterson who conceived
in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida
provides opportunities for students on
the idea and presented it to Dr. van der Bogert the Upper and Lower Campus to interact
Beach Atlantic University. Those eleven
a little over three years ago.
were members of a masters cohort that was
socially and academically despite the
physical separation of the two
campuses.
Additionally, the graduates
have instituted research based
innovations to their own
teaching program and have
shared their knowledge with
their teams, departments,
grades and school.
Last August, former
Headmaster, Jack Thompson
and Shirley Thompson
hosted a graduation party
for the eleven graduates
which included their son,
Scott Thompson, PBDA’s art
department chair. Mr. and
Mrs. Patterson attended and
provided an opportunity for
the graduates to express their
gratitude for the Patterson
family’s gift of eleven masters
degrees to the students and
the school.
Students - Back Row: Louisa Perolio, Scott Thompson, Barbara Close ‘67, Kari Petrovics, George Yeager, Jessica Yeager, Claudie Finney, Jan-Marie Cook ‘95,
E
Hilary Mendoza ‘71, Robin Huff, & Elizabeth Sheen. Front Row: Donna Tobey, Becky van der Bogert, Susan Patterson, James Patterson, Shirley Thompson, & Jack Thompson.
“Why I am a Teacher” is an occasionally regular feature in The Bridge. All faculty are invited to tell their stories.
Overall Tournament Winning Foursome
Ellie Colpitts
M
Men’s Flight Division Winners
The 19th Annual Walter H. Butler Golf Classic
was held at The Breakers Ocean Course.
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Mixed Flight Division Winners
y story is not like most. I had
absolutely no idea I would ever
become a teacher. An artist,
yes. A costume designer, maybe. A nurse
even. I spent my college years studying first
biology for a nursing career. Once I figured
out that I could never inject a person, I knew
that wouldn’t be my path. So I turned my
eyes upon the Fine Arts School, as I had
always enthusiastically participated in any
and all artistic ventures that came my way. I
majored in textile design, which related to
my family’s business, envisioning myself
back in NYC creating all sorts of wonderful
textiles. During this time I came to realize
that the desert had become a permanent
home for me, as I embraced its very subtle
beauty, calm ways, and enchanting people.
After graduating school, my husband Bill
and I began to buy inexpensive homes and
turn them around for resale, which led to
bigger ventures. We began to buy small
failing businesses, turn them around and
sell them. Although I was very successful at
doing this, I was slowly becoming aware that
it wasn’t enough for me. My memories of
volunteering in high school with emotionally
handicapped kids had left its mark . . .
especially, Luis, the boy who arrived one day
with the mark of an iron on his cheek. That
really opened my eyes and made me realize
how fortunate I was and how much work
there was to do. I also think back to my own
elementary days when my music teacher gave
me an “N” in carrying a tune. Really? That
put a damper on my singing but not for long,
until 5th grade when that same teacher came
up to me in chorus and publicly announced
that I should just mouth the words. That did
the trick! That day is still with me, avoiding
group singing like the plague to this day.
Now singing in the car is another story; she
couldn’t take that from me.
After some time I realized that my heart
belongs with children and my mind itched for
understanding the journey of learning. My
Ed. Psych classes were always my favorite. I
enrolled at The University of Arizona in their
Post Bacc Elementary Education Certification
program and for one and a half years,
learned all that I could to get me started. I
had found my niche. I immediately began
to put to practice what I had learned during
the two years of school at an elementary
school in South Tucson. My first class had
33 students, half of whom spoke very little
English - talk about learning while you move
forward. (There was much I didn’t learn in
the classroom.) Those five years in Sunnyside
School District laid the foundation for all
that I do now. When I think of those happy
smiling faces, all of whom were so very
grateful for every little thing we did together,
it brings a smile to my own face. It has been
a beautiful journey, which I now enjoy, of
course, at PBDA. I know I am the lucky
one, the one who gets to give and take with
beautiful children every day of my life. After
30 years of teaching, I have learned so much
and still have so much more to do.
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September 2014 February 2015
Mad Hatter
Feather Ball
T
he much anticipated Feather
Ball Dinner & Auction is Palm
Beach Day Academy’s signature
fundraising event and will be
held on Friday, April 10, at The Breakers Palm
Beach. Co-chairs Jean Koeppel, Donna Lloyd
George, Susan Miller and Marzia Precoda
invite you to don your favorite chapeau at
this year’s Mad Hatter Feather Ball. Live
auction items are sure to wow and include
a Volvo car lease donated by Schumacher
Automotive Group, a seven-day stay at a
majestic countryside estate in Wales set on
34 breathtaking acres donated by the Lloyd
George family, and two tickets to Super Bowl
50 donated by the Kassewitz Family.
2015 Feather Ball Co-Chairs Marzia Precoda, Donna Lloyd George, Susan Miller, & Jean Koeppel
A special thank you to our Feather Ball
Committee Leaders: Lauran Brannigan,
Valerie Frost, Monnie Gilder, Anastasia
Georgas, Margaret Horgan, Andrea Huainigg,
Jean Koeppel, Franchesca McGann, Anna
Miller, Regan Rupp, Missy Savage, Amanda
Schumacher, Lori Stoll, Lauren Torres, and
Tina Tucciarone and to the more than 100
parent and faculty volunteers who make the
Feather Ball a success each year.
Please contact Paula Martin at (561) 655-1188,
extension 125 for sponsorship, underwriting,
auction item donation, volunteer and ticket
information.
SAVE THE DATE
The Mad Hatter
Feather Ball
Friday, April 10, 2015
6:30 p.m.
The Breakers
Palm Beach
9th Grade Play tradition continues with a laugh-filled
performance of “The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet.”
P
BDA’s Ninth Grade was joined
by a handful of willing teachers
to perform The Seussification of
Romeo and Juliet on November 6,
at 7:00 p.m. in the Smith Family Theater. The
audience enjoyed the quirky re-write of the
classic love story. Shakespeare himself may
not have approved, but the laughter from
the audience proved that many more did.
Director Jan Cook closed the show with the
traditional awarding of the White Jacket to
Ryan Goldfarb for his over-all contributions
to the Ninth Grade production.
The cast: Lyon Foster as Romeo, Talia
10
2015
Winter
The Bridge
Chachkes as Juliet, Mr. Mendoza as Lord
Monotone, Mrs. Mendoza as Lady Monotone,
Harrison Koeppel as Lord Capitulate,
Addison Gruber as Lady Capitulate, Josef
Huainigg as Sampson, Isaac Wiggins as
Gregory, Alfi Auersperg as Abram, Jack
Litten as Balthazar, Isaac Wiggins as The
Prince, Jack Litten as Benvolio, Mr. Stewart
as Paris, Isaac Wiggins as Servant of
Capitulate, Ryan Goldfarb as Nurse, Alfi
Auersperg as Mercutio, Josef Huainigg
as Tybalt, Ryan Goldfarb as Monk Larry,
Mme. Finney - Prologue, Mrs. Pateman as
Dinky McDuff, Mrs. Close - Narrator #1,
Mrs. Barbieri - Narrator #2, Mrs. Johnson Narrator #3, and Mrs. DeSilva - Narrator #4.
Winter
The Bridge
2015 11
Thank You Parents!!
The following parents have made a gift or pledge in support of the
2014-2015 Annual Fund
The Annual Fund impacts every child, every day. Gifts directly support each activity that occurs in the classroom
and on the playing field, ensuring the school can provide all the componenets of an exceptional education.
In short, the generous support of our Annual Fund donors makes the Palm Beach Day experience possible.
Pre-Primary
Marc & Meghan Albanese
Aronson Family
Ruben & Lisa Avila
Rasco Bartra & Ursula Macchiavello
Mortimer F. Curran ‘87 &
Charlotte Curran
Christopher & Sarah Evans
Juliana Gendelman &
Christopher J. Goldberg
Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Greene
Abe & Giovana Haruvi
Chris Heine & Wendi Miller
Mr. David Hernandez &
Ms. Nicole Garcia
Patrick & Ashley Hollern
Mr. & Mrs. Neil Kozokoff
Christina Matthews Macfarland ‘98 &
Benjamin Macfarland
Jimmy & Gloria Marcus
Stephen & Kerri Myers
Mr. & Mrs. Ross Neville
Stacy & Keith Palagye
Mr. Milton Pinto, Jr. & Ms. Katie Brown
Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Rafferty
Ashley & Mike Ramos
Lauren & Pete Rearic
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Schechter
Primary
Tim & Stephanie Adams
Mr. & Mrs. Matti C. Anttila
Mr. Angel Arroyo & Dr. Irma Morales
Ruben & Lisa Avila
Christine & Hunter Beall ‘91
Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Beyer
Mr. & Mrs. Greg Borchardt
Marisa & Mark Borghi
Mr. Jason Briggs
Ms. Kathleen Cashette
Mrs. Jan-Marie Coniglio Cook ‘95 &
Mr. Christopher Cook, Jr.
Mortimer F. Curran ‘87 &
Charlotte Curran
Courtney & Kevin Ellender
Mr. & Mrs. Fabio Estrada
Angelina & Edward Falcone
Mr. & Mrs. Nate Fanberg
Caroline Koons Forrest ‘92 & Tom Forrest
12
2015
Winter
The Bridge
Dean & Christine Goodman
Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Greene
Luke & Diana Greenwood
Erika & Matt Handley
Abe & Giovana Haruvi
Mr. David Hernandez &
Ms. Nicole Garcia
Howard Koeppel & Mark Hsiao
Dana Koch ‘87 & Jessica Koch
Brian & Andrea Kosoy
Donna & Robert Lloyd-George
Tracy Markin
McGann Family
Mosie Miller ‘91 & Michelle Miller
The Mulroy Family
Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Munder
Mr. & Mrs. Ross Neville
Dean & Patavanh Olsen
Mr. Christopher D. Orthwein ‘85 &
Mrs. Binkie Orthwein
Joe & Megan Quinty
Ashley & Mike Ramos
John & Heather Rogers
Mr. Ivan Roman &
Mrs. Caroline Lloyd Roman
Eiman & Brooke Sharmin
Mr. & Mrs. Jason Sholl
Scott & Katy Thompson
Jesse & Joy VanDyke
Chisten & Christopher Vila
Kindergarten
Dr. Omar Abdo & Dr. Lana Al-Karmi
Michael & Laura Anthony
Aronson Family
Adrienne Carson Arp ‘92 & Dodger Arp
Lyanne Azqueta ‘84
Jamie & Chad Bartlett
Dr. Steven Chang & Dr. Supriya Tomar
Mrs. Jan-Marie Coniglio Cook ‘95 &
Mr. Christopher Cook, Jr.
Angelina & Edward Falcone
Tad Ferguson ‘91 & Mae Ferguson
Chris & Stefanie Furlo
Tim & Christie Gannon
Benjamin & Elizabeth Gordon
Kamil A. Grajski & Jocelyn I. Javits
Mr. & Mrs. Dylan Harrison
Darla Keen
Mr. & Mrs. Avery Klann
Maura Koons ‘97
Mr. & Mrs. Neil Kozokoff
Mr. & Mrs. Austin Manchester
The Mulroy Family
Stephen & Kerri Myers
Ruby Patterson
Janice & Joseph Remington
Mr. Timothy Ridley
Mr. Ivan Roman &
Mrs. Caroline Lloyd Roman
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Rubenstein
Elena Siems
Jyrki & Saara Salminen
Mr. & Mrs. Chris Skaletsky
Austin & Stephen Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Howard Sosin
Mr. Gerard Stigliano &
Ms. Kellie Stenzel
Jeff Turner & Dr. Cassandra Onofrey
Jane L. Wareham
Holly Miller Weston ’90 & Paolo Weston
Mr. & Mrs. Younessi
Kelly & Mike Zingaro
First Grade
Mr. & Mrs. Ben Alexander
Jennifer & Antonio Andreon
Mr. & Mrs. Matti C. Anttila
Michael & Brenna Barron
Richard & Veronica Bauer
Marisa & Mark Borghi
Adrian Brabham & Rebecca Romero
Ryan & Amy Bridger
Jane & Gordon Brown
Eric Christu & Maura Ziska Christu
Greg & Monica Coleman
Lisa Small & Anatole Conde
Vera & Guillaume de Chalambert
Christopher & Sarah Evans
Valerie & Gregory Frost
Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Georgas
Monnie Gilder
Mr. Dan Herd &
Mrs. Delane Bailey-Herd
Patrick & Ashley Hollern
Dr. & Mrs. Josef Huainigg
Dr. Daniel Kapp & Dr. Nicole Basile
Brian & Andrea Kosoy
Mr. & Mrs. Carter Leidy III
Gary & Nancy Lumsden
Angie McDonald
Anna & Sean Miller
Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Munder
J.B. Murray ‘81 &
Carrie Murray
Chris & Louisa Ordway
Mehmet & Ilkay Ozgenc
Mr. & Mrs. Louis Pargiolas
Sandor & Karie Petrovics
Joe & Megan Quinty
Dr. & Mrs. Roger Ramos
Elizabeth Robinson Savage ‘83 &
Todd Savage
Eiman & Brooke Sharmin
Ms. Loverly Sheridan Jn-Paul
Reginald G. Stambaugh
Richard & Tricia Taylor
Victoria Willard
Second Grade
Adrienne Carson Arp ‘92 & Dodger Arp
Jamie & Chad Bartlett
Christine & Hunter Beall ‘91
Mr. & Mrs. Brett Bieneman
Mrs. Jan-Marie Coniglio Cook ‘95 &
Mr. Christopher Cook, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Nate Fanberg
Dr. Steve Fuhr & Lorie Gleim
Gerard & Melissa George
Dean & Christine Goodman
Benjamin & Elizabeth Gordon
Ann Marie & Mario Govic
Dr. Daniel Kapp & Dr. Nicole Basile
Mr. & Mrs. Avery Klann
Brian & Andrea Kosoy
Mr. & Mrs. John Lagae
Matthew & Helene Lorentzen
Dr. & Mrs. Michael Lotfi
McGann Family
Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Miller
Anna & Sean Miller
Mosie Miller ‘91 & Michelle Miller
Mr. A.G. Newmyer, III
Chris & Louisa Ordway
Carrie Titcomb Pateman ‘92 &
Mark Pateman
Tamara Gorfine Petrelli ‘92
Tairon Pinto & Jenny Ma
Mr. & Mrs. Carter Pottash
Adam C. Ryan
Elizabeth Ryan
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Schechter
The Silpe Family
Austin & Stephen Smith
Reginald G. Stambaugh
Enrique & Teresa Tomeu
Jeff Turner & Dr. Cassandra Onofrey
Drs. Dina & Gary Wexler
Victoria Willard
Kelly & Mike Zingaro
Mr. & Mrs. Jay Steinle
Richard & Tricia Taylor
Rick & Katie Wandoff
Lucy Anthony Webster ‘80
Geoffrey L. Webster
Drs. Dina & Gary Wexler
Dawn Whitfield
Brian Wille & Robin Remick
Angela Williams
Robert & Renee Wuhrman
Third Grade
Aronson Family
Norberto Azqueta, Jr. ‘71 & Robin Azqueta
Dr. Laura Balda
Richard & Veronica Bauer
Christine & Hunter Beall ‘91
Marisa & Mark Borghi
Whitney & Eric Bylin
Pilar & James Caprio
Dorothea & Joe Cvelbar
Greg & Amy Deaver
Courtney & Kevin Ellender
Dr. Curtis Emmer
Ms. Shari Emmer
Chris & Stefanie Furlo
Monnie Gilder
Mrs. Jessica Lazzara Gruber ‘94 &
Mr. Michael Gruber
Mr. Louis Busch Hager, Jr.
Erika & Matt Handley
Patrick & Ashley Hollern
Chic & Jessica Kelty
Marsha & Dak Kerprich
Dana Koch ‘87 & Jessica Koch
Mr. & Mrs. Carter Leidy III
Ms. Millie Dayton Levine ‘87 &
Mr. Eric Levine
Mr. & Mrs. Austin Manchester
Amy & Charles Middleton
Mosie Miller ‘91 & Michelle Miller
Stephen & Kerri Myers
Dr. Tony Nader & Mrs. Velia Lasserre
Mr. Christopher D. Orthwein ‘85 &
Mrs. Binkie Orthwein
Stacy & Keith Palagye
Ruby Patterson
Sandor & Karie Petrovics
Dr. & Mrs. Roger Ramos
John & Heather Rogers
Austin & Stephen Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Jared Soper
Lucy Anthony Webster ‘80
Geoffrey L. Webster
Peter & Kimberly Wicknertz
Fifth Grade
Dr. Omar Abdo & Dr. Lana Al-Karmi
Adrienne Carson Arp ‘92 & Dodger Arp
Lisa B. Bair
Dr. Laura Balda
Gina Beck
Jane & Gordon Brown
Dr. Curtis Emmer
Ms. Shari Emmer
Mr. & Mrs. Steven Finch
Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Fisher
Ann Marie & Mario Govic
Richard Halpern
Erika & Matt Handley
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Hedley
Mr. Peter G Karlson &
Ms. Danielle E. deBenedictis
Tricia & Rick Keitel
Mr. & Mrs. William Koeppel
Bill & Dana Kretschmar
Ron & Lauri LaBow
Ms. Carolyn Landolfi
Ms. Millie Dayton Levine ‘87 &
Mr. Eric Levine
Donna & Robert Lloyd-George
Matthew & Helene Lorentzen
Steve & Karen Lucchesi
Nicole Latorra McGivney ‘89 &
Joe McGivney
Craig & Rochelle Menin
Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Miller
Beth & Greg Moross
J.B. Murray ‘81 &
Carrie Murray
Virginia Oatley ‘92
Mehmet & Ilkay Ozgenc
Anand & Mina Patel
Tara Eden Pearl ‘76
Mr. & Mrs. Carter Pottash
Mr. & Mrs. Dale Precoda
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Russo
Scott & Angel Sandstrom
Leslie & Ronald Y. Schram
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Schumacher
Sandy & Barrett Singer
Matthew & Tracy Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Steinbeck
Lori Stoll
John & Terri Tague
Theodore Tarone ‘83 & Jane Tarone
Mr. & Mrs. Brad Torres
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Tucciarone
Drs. Dina & Gary Wexler
Fourth Grade
Mr. & Mrs. Alan Burger
Ms. Erin Callow
Paul & Linda Cicio
Mr. & Mrs. Jay Cochran
Ms. Julie Dansby
Lily Holt Dillon ‘83 & Patrick Dillon
Dr. Steve Fuhr & Lorie Gleim
Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Georgas
Suzanne & David Ghirardini
Patti Griffin
Mr. & Mrs. Mathias Gronberg
Mr. & Mrs. David Hocher
Mr. & Mrs. James P. Kelly IV
Maria LaForte
Karen Gerschel Lamb
Kevin Lamb
Dr. & Mrs. Michael Lotfi
Familia Lugo-Cortes
Dr. Tony Nader & Mrs. Velia Lasserre
Mr. A.G. Newmyer, III
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Nicoletti
Beth Ocepek
Tairon Pinto & Jenny Ma
Jyrki & Saara Salminen
Elizabeth Robinson Savage ‘83 &
Todd Savage
Leslie & Ronald Y. Schram
Mr. & Mrs. Noshad Shamshad
Sixth Grade
Alexandra & Paul Bergman
Mr. Brooks Bishop
Mr. Michael Bran &
Mrs. Clemy Roxana Bran
Whitney & Eric Bylin
Dr. & Mrs. G. Alexander Carden
Mr. Federico Chun &
Ms. Gregoria Morales
Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Cloninger
John W. Copeland & Gianna F. Biondi
Tina Hilton Cramer ‘83 & Brad Cramer
Patricia Delgado
Scott Diament
Matt & Tori Eversmann
Gerard & Melissa George
Francisco & Susana Gil
Mr. Steven Green &
Ms. Cynthia Sulzberger
Mrs. Leena Heiman
Dawn Helton
Patrick & Margaret Horgan
Ms. Laurie S. Hutto
Don & Mindy Kino
Brian & Andrea Kosoy
Ron & Lauri LaBow
Elizabeth Lalor
Ms. Carolyn Landolfi
Barbara Bolton Litten
Sofia Vollmer Maduro ‘78 &
Francisco Maduro
Mr. & Mrs. Austin Manchester
Sara & Jim McCann
Mr. & Mrs. Ross Neville
Brad & Susan Ochstein
Mr. & Mrs. Louis Pargiolas
Mark Passler
Anand & Mina Patel
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Reid
Mark Rydberg & Paula Martin
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Steinbeck
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Stewart
Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Storkerson
Greg & Kirsten Susick
Mr. & Mrs. John L. Thornton
Mr. Alexander Watts & Ms. Val Zajac
Leslie & Wayne Wytrzes
Jill & Serge Zenou
Seventh Grade
Beatrice Bal
Dr. Curtis Emmer
Ms. Shari Emmer
Mr. Pepe Fanjul, Jr. ‘86 &
Mrs. Lourdes Fanjul
Varick & Alane Foster
Francisco & Susana Gil
Mr. & Mrs. Hunter Hallowell
Tom & Ariane Ice
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Janssen
Mr. Scott A. Johnson ‘79 &
Mrs. Kristy Johnson
Kevin & Terri Justice
Tricia & Rick Keitel
Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Kino
Dora Kino
Dr. Jeffrey Kotzen & Jo Barone
Donna & Robert Lloyd-George
Lomnitz Family
Matthew & Helene Lorentzen
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Luter
Ruth Mageria
Elizabeth Matthews ‘81
Robin Rosenberg ‘76 &
Michael McAuliffe
Nicole Latorra McGivney ‘89 &
Joe McGivney
Deedy & Don McKenna
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Nicoletti
Dimitrios & Antigoni Panagoulias
Tara Eden Pearl ‘76
Mr. & Mrs. Dale Precoda
Ernesto & Olga Principe
Scott & Angel Sandstrom
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Schaefer
Leslie & Ronald Y. Schram
Ms. Sophie Sharp
Matthew & Tracy Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Storkerson
Jane L. Wareham
Linda S. Weitzman
Ms. Candy Wiggins
Dr. Richard Goldberg &
Mrs. Jacqueline Cassaday-Goldberg
Jim & Nancy Gramentine
Mr. Steven Green &
Ms. Cynthia Sulzberger
Patti Griffin
Patrick & Margaret Horgan
Dr. & Mrs. Josef Huainigg
Ms. Laurie S. Hutto
Ms. Jacqueline Jones
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Knopp
Tracy A. Kramm ‘80
Sofia Vollmer Maduro ‘78 &
Francisco Maduro
Dr. & Mrs. Scott McCranels
Amy & Charles Middleton
Mr. & Mrs. Harvey E. Oyer III
Michael & Cindy Pflaumer
Mr. & Mrs. Adrian Prosser
Miguel & Barbara Reyes
Regan Haas Rupp ‘86 & John Rupp
Carl & Patrice Scheffler
Dr. & Mrs. Eric Schnirman
Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Shapiro
Tom & Sheri Smallwood
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Steinbeck
John & Terri Tague
Mr. & Mrs. Brad Torres
Vivian R. Treves
Michelle Valle
Rick & Katie Wandoff
Lucy Anthony Webster ‘80
Geoffrey L. Webster
Mrs. Jane Harpenau Williams ‘80 &
Mr. William S. Williams
John & Lee Zoller
Ninth Grade
Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Auersperg
Jacob & Bonnie Chachkes
Varick & Alane Foster
Ms. Ellen Goldfarb
Chad & Jessica Gruber
Dr. & Mrs. Josef Huainigg
Mr. & Mrs. William Koeppel
Barbara Bolton Litten
Ms. Candy Wiggins
Eighth Grade
Mr. Philippe Barr &
Mrs. Nora Thubert
Ms. Sulay Bencosme
Paul Butterworth & Julie Harris
Tom & Colleen Dabill
Mr. & Mrs. Trevor Daly
Mr. J. de Melo & Mrs. A. Park-de Melo
Dewing Family
Mark & Susan Elhilow
Sharron & Thom Frederick
Mariano & Shelley Garcia
Winter
The Bridge
2015 13
CULTURE OF THINKING
P
alm Beach Day Academy, like
all schools, is in the business
of educating children and we
think we’re pretty good at it.
On any given day during the school year,
nearly 500 PBDA students are busy “getting
an education.” But, what exactly are they
getting? What does it mean to have a Palm
Beach Day Academy education?
A simple answer doesn’t spring to mind
because any education is a complex
collection of things known, ideas understood,
facts memorized, subtleties considered,
beliefs questioned, literature absorbed,
art appreciated and ambiguities accepted.
Additionally, it is difficult to say with any
certainty at which moments during the school
day or year those things are happening for
any individual child. Yet, we know they do
happen, partly because we can measure them
with tests, but mostly, we know because our
graduates tell us that they received a great
education at our school. Frequently they tell
14
2015
Winter
The Bridge
us that it wasn’t until after they left PBDA
and ran into students who were educated
elsewhere that they realized just how well
educated they really were. Over and over
again, we hear from our graduates that they
felt better prepared with knowledge and skills
than the majority of their new, post PBDA
classmates. But, most important to us, they
tell us that they were prepared to process and
express complex ideas.
“Critical Thinking” is a term currently
enjoying a renewed burst of popularity in
education. Educators everywhere are talking
about it and, true or not, they are claiming to
be teaching it at all levels.
We believe that there is a difference between
claiming to teach critical thinking and
actually teaching it. “Critical thinking” has
many definitions and many interpretations.
Therefore, we believe parents should expect
an explanation of exactly what a school means
when it talks of teaching critical thinking.
At PBDA, critical thinking has been a
cornerstone of the program for all of its
ninety-four years, and includes foundational
elements that begin in Kindergarten and
even earlier. The whole program is about
thinking and always has been. Palm Beach
Day Academy can confidently claim to have
built a “Culture of Thinking” that steadily
allows individual students to develop their
ability to think critically. The term “Culture
of Thinking” has been formally defined by
Harvard’s Project Zero and others in recent
years. Its popular use might be new, but
its concepts are not. They are at least as
old as Palm Beach Day Academy’s history.
However, Harvard’s Project Zero, a program
that many of our teachers have attended,
brings something important to the process of
developing student thinking.
The educational leaders at Harvard have
developed seven simple thinking routines
that young children can easily be encouraged
to employ. Those routines bring focus to
thought, provide opportunities for children
to hear how others are thinking, and guide
them in the direction of deeper analysis
appropriate for their age.
For example one thinking routine that
teachers and students have learned to use
regularly is to ask, “What makes you say
that?” That simple question, used frequently,
builds a classroom culture in which children
know they can and should have a reason for
what they say. Carefully listening teachers
and students can ask follow-up questions and
even challenge those reasons. Is this a new
and innovative teaching technique? Hardly!
But, when that same question is asked in
other classrooms and in other grades with the
same intention, it becomes part of the culture.
There are seven such thinking routines.
Each is designed by the Harvard researchers
to encourage a certain type of thinking.
Another example is asking students to use the
phrase, “I used to think . . . , but now I think
. . .” This method is also not new to teachers,
but when an entire school community uses
those words and expects well-developed
responses, the culture of thinking grows more
solid as students share how thinking can and
should change as new information is learned.
We believe young students benefit from
the universal employment of these routines
and others, such as Thinking Maps, that are
regularly and systematically used to focus
and organize thinking. Even Kindergartners,
who are not usually thought of as critical
thinkers, quickly become familiar with the
routines, use them comfortably, and then
keep using them with greater effect each year.
As students get older, the wording of the
routines is replaced by other content driven
questions and discussions, but by then, the
idea that thoughts must have evidence and
that new evidence can change thinking is
well established.
Palm Beach Day Academy’s culture of
thinking has been influencing children for
nearly a century and is based on the simple
belief that critical thinking depends on the
ability to read to comprehend, and the ability
to write to be comprehended. Development
of those twin skills begins in Kindergarten
and earlier, and it involves a fair amount
of memorization and drill along the way. It
involves moments of actual instruction of
critical thinking skills and strategies when
they are appropriate. It relies on mastering
the rules of grammar. It takes time because
children have built-in developmental
milestones along the way to emerging as
deep thinkers. It requires reading and more
reading. It requires hundreds of classroom
discussions and re-writes of expository
compositions. And mostly, it requires that
our students are challenged to discuss and
demonstrate and support their thinking in the
presence of adults and classmates who are
critical thinkers themselves.
What does it mean to have a Palm Beach
Day Academy education? It means its
owner can draw on that collection of things
known, understood, memorized, considered,
questioned, absorbed, appreciated and
accepted and then apply to that knowledge
his or her years of organized thinking to give
critical thought and articulate responses to all
that is to come.
Winter
The Bridge
2015 15
2015 - 2016
2015
Tues., September 8
Mon., September 14
Wed., September 23 Fri., October 30
Fri., November 13
Sat., November 14
Sat., November 21
Wed., November 25
Mon., November 30
Fri., December 18
First Day of Classes
No School - Rosh Hashanah
No School - Yom Kippur
No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Noon Dismissal - Professional Development
SSAT Testing - 8:30 A.M.
Walter H. Butler Golf Classic
No School - Thanksgiving Recess
Classes Resume
Noon Dismissal for Winter Break
Mon., January 4
Tues. January 5
Mon., January 18
Sat., January 23
Fri., February 12
Mon., February 15
Sat., February 20
Fri., March 11
Mon., March 28
Wed., May 25
Fri., May 27
Mon., May 30
Thurs., June 9
Fri., June 10
No School - Faculty Workday
Classes Resume
No School - Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
Bulldog Bash
Noon Dismissal - Professional Development
No School - Presidents’ Day
Walter H. Butler Field Day - 8:30 A.M.
Noon Dismissal for Spring Recess
Classes Resume
Lower Campus Conference Day
Noon Dismissal - Professional Development
No School - Memorial Day
Bridge Ceremony - Grades Pre-P - 3 - 9:00 A.M.
Noon Dismissal - Grades 4&5
Final Day of exams - Grades 6 - 9
Commencement - 10:00 A.M.
2016
170 days
STAY CONNECTED
Connecting your mobile device
to PBDA will keep important
information at your fingertips.
Use your device to visit
http://www2.pbday.org/app/app.html
ALSO
Subscribe to PBDA’s Live Calendar
Visit PBDA’s Website www.pbday.org.
Navigate to “PBDA School Calendars”
under the “School Life” tab.
Subscribe!
16
2015
Winter
The Bridge
September
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
15 days
15
November
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
18 days
54
October
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
21 days
36
December
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
14 days
68
January
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
18 days
31
86
February
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
2829 March
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
April
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
13 days
120
May
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
21 days
162
Half Day
21 days
107
21 days
141
June
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
8 days
170
No Classes
P
Alumni Spotlight
Pegram Harrison ’82
egram is an Associate
Professor of
Entrepreneurship at
Saïd Business School,
University of Oxford. Pegram’s
research and teaching concern
entrepreneurship and leadership
in an entrepreneurial context.
He teaches undergraduates
and postgrads, as well as MBA
students and executives.
He conducts research at
the intersection of business
and social issues, and on
projects relating to business
education, particularly for
women entrepreneurs in
Muslim communities. Pegram
spent eight years researching
this area, with field work in
Pakistan, South-East Asia
and the Gulf, as well as in
Islamic communities in the
east of England. This research
aimed to clarify the concept of
Islamic entrepreneurship as a
distinct category of analysis.
Pegram now works with many
organizations that are promoting
women’s entrepreneurship in
the developing world, with a
view to expanding women’s
economic empowerment globally.
Pegram Harrison reports, “Everyone at Oxford dresses like Harry Potter”
Recently, he has begun working on a different
area: business and the humanities. Oxford
has been developing scholars and leaders
for nearly 900 years. Pegram and colleagues
are trying to make this intellectual richness
integral to current business school students,
especially by engaging with ideas, activities
and scholarship from the humanities. The
work of historians, philosophers, classicists,
theologians, and musicians, as well as the
literature and artifacts from diverse cultures
and traditions, can shed light on most
contemporary business challenges. Oxford is
arguably the best place in the world to do this.
University and Birkbeck College. Throughout,
he has been a passionate if unprofessional
musician, singing in choirs for recordings and
performances around Europe.
Pegram’s background has equipped him well
for this somewhat unusual combination of
activities. He received a BA in Literature from
Yale University, a PhD in English Literature
and Indian History from the University of
Cambridge and an MBA from the London
Business School. Before joining Oxford in
2008, he taught entrepreneurship and strategy
at the European Business School, London, and
was Director of Emerging Leaders Programme
at the London Business School. He has also
taught literature and history at New York
Over the summer, Barbara Bayless Close ‘67
and Hilary Beesch Mendoza ‘71 met up with
you while they were working on the final
stages of their Master’s degree in Educational
Leadership. What was it like to reconnect
with fellow alumni?
He got his start at Palm Beach Day when he
and his siblings, DeSales Harrison ‘84, and
Callie Rogers Emery ‘87 and Jay Rogers ’88,
moved here in the 1970s. A long line of great
and inspiring teachers began with Ann Perry
Metzger. Pegram is a teacher today because of
the great teachers he had at Palm Beach Day.
QUESTIONS
It was wonderful! The years fell away, and
the school really came alive for me again.
Barbara’s mother and brother had been
inspirational influences on my education,
and Hilary’s brother Greg one of my best
childhood friends, so it was great to reminisce
about the past 35 years with them. They
are both wonderful women: so smart and
insightful and fun, and their Master’s degree
work was fascinating. I certainly would
have enjoyed spending time with them even
without the Palm Beach connections, and I
look forward to staying in touch from now
on. Even though I’m only very rarely in
Florida, after meeting up with Barbara and
Hilary I now feel better connected to the place
and the people and the School.
Barbara and Hilary presented you with a
folder containing your writings from Mr.
Greco, which had been stored since your
graduation. In reading your early writings
what came to your mind?
That was a fantastic surprise. It’s amazing
to think what a quantity of similar folders
Mr. Greco must have, documenting the
early achievements of so many people. I
was slightly abashed to see what a selfaggrandizing little kid I was; but we should
Continued on page 21
Winter
The Bridge
2015 17
A
‘58
l
u
G. Peter M. Mc Currach considered himself
a lucky minority in his class of nine girls.
However, during his freshman year, his
family decided he should attend an all-boy’s
school in the cold north. He headed to
Deerfield Academy. He graduated in 1962
from Trinity College, Hartford.
After thirty-seven years with Turner
Construction Company, Peter retired in Vero
Beach and Middletown, New Jersey with his
wife, Marybeth. Peter and Marybeth raised
two children, Liz Cecil and George. Liz
resides in Rumson, New Jersey and George
lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Family, tennis and oil painting fill Peter’s
retirement life.
‘73
Randall “Randy” Keen attended Saint
Andrew’s School after Palm Beach Day.
In 1981, he received his B.S. from the
University of Houston. In 1986, he received
his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law,
Birmingham, Alabama and his LL.M. in 1988
from Georgetown University Law Center,
Washington, D.C. Randy has practiced law
for 28 years, and served as a magistrate judge
for five of those years.
‘83
Claudia Kirk Barto
serves as the current
President of Junior
Achievement of the
Palm Beaches & Treasure
Coast. She also serves
on the boards of West
Palm Beach Education
Advisory Board, The
Rotary Club of West
Palm Beach, and South End Neighborhood
Association.
Following Palm Beach Day, Claudia attended
Cardinal Newman High School. She
received her degree in communications from
Florida State University. In April 2000, she
was appointed to the Florida Commission on
the Status of Women.
Claudia lives in West Palm Beach with
her two sons, Wen and Kirk, and daughter,
Marina.
‘87
For the last five years, George O.
Bayer worked for the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) in Investment Planning
& Analysis and Project Management. George
analyzed over fifteen business cases and
major IT capital investments in the National
18 2015
Winter
The Bridge
m
n
i
N
o
Airspace Infrastructure for the FAA and
led two major capital investments. He now
works at Cobec Consulting leading a team
of analysts and creating benefits and cost
models for FAA capital investments. Prior
to his work at the FAA, George worked in
the oil and gas industry (BP, ConocoPhillips)
in Finance after getting his MBA from the
University of Texas at Austin.
Currently, he lives in the Washington, D.C.
area with his girlfriend and longhaired
dachshund, Franzie.
‘88
Nicholas Sager followed in his mother, Anne
Obolensky ’57 and Uncle, Alexis Obolensky
’62 footsteps by attending Palm Beach Day
School.
After Palm Beach Day, Nick attended The
Hotchkiss School. He earned his bachelor’s
degree in Studio Art from Vassar College,
New York and a Master of Arts degree in
Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with a
concentration in Music Therapy from Naropa
University in Boulder, Colorado.
Nick returned home this past spring to
present to a crowd at The Episcopal Church
of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. Nicholas is a music
therapist, artist and composer.
Michelle Feuer Eigelberger attended Saint
Andrew’s School followed by Denison
University in Granville, Ohio. She also
received certificates from the London
School of Economics and Boston University.
Michelle married Inigo Eigelberger ’87 who,
at age nine, saved her when she was stuck
in a tree on Seaview Avenue when she was
seven years old - yet another Palm Beach
Day love story. She credits Robert Bayless,
her English teacher at PBDA, for giving her a
foundation in storytelling.
Michelle started her career as a researcher
at NBC’s London bureau, and then became
a writer/Associate Producer at MSNBC to
cover breaking news. Her career evolved into
field producing long form documentary-style
shows for Dateline NBC. After two years
following the NYPD elite homicide detective
unit, she caught the homicide investigation
bug and was hired by legendary Executive
Producer Susan Zirinsky for CBS News’
48 Hours. She is responsible for crime and
justice coverage in Florida and the southern
region, developing hour-long broadcasts for
48 Hours. She has won an Edward R. Murrow
Award, a Gracie, and been nominated for
several Emmys, but has yet to take home the
big win.
Michelle acquired her Private Investigator’s
license recently in West Palm Beach under
Patrick J. McKenna Investigations. McKenna
is known for his high-profile case work for
t
e
s
O.J. Simpson, the Kennedy family, and Casey
Anthony.
‘92
Stephanie Rockwell left Palm Beach Day
and attended Saint Andrew’s School. She
received her B.A. in Psychology from
Boston University. She began working in
finance, consulting and fashion buying, and
fashion public relations, before parlaying the
experiences into her own custom-designed
jewelry and fashion apparel business.
Her combined business savvy, creative drive
and entrepreneurial spirit has since led her to
create Rockwell Global Media, spearheading
digital marketing campaigns and company
brandings.
‘93
Alexander C. Ives is a Palm Beach Day
School “lifer”. After
Palm Beach Day, he
attended Cardinal
Newman High School.
Alexander earned his
B.A. in Political Science
from Boston College in
2000. He is a thirdgeneration Palm Beacher with family roots
that go back over eighty years.
Alexander joined the Preservation
Foundation of Palm Beach in 2007, was made
Executive Director in 2011, and just this
October was promoted to President.
She has been
practicing real
estate in the DC/
VA area for the
last four years
with McEnearney
Associates. Kate
and James are
expecting their first
child in March.
‘01
After Palm Beach Day, Lauren Isabeau
Ross attended Phillips Exeter Academy.
She received her M.F.A. in creative Writing
from The New School, New York. Lauren
appeared in Vogue Magazine’s September
2014 issue, featuring a story by illustrious hair
stylist, Didier Malige. Also, recently released
at both the Los Angeles Film Festival and the
London Fashion Film Festival was the awardwinning French short film, Matin Lunaire, in
which Lauren played the sole acting role.
Lauren has been working as a writer for W
Magazine, as well as a poet and creative talent
in New York City.
‘03
Preston Bertles attended Tabor Academy in
Massachusetts for her high school years and
then graduated from Roanoke College in
Virginia. She has been living and working in
New York City for the past five years.
Preston is the Business Development and
Marketing Manager for Assembly, a media
agency.
‘94
‘05
Frankie Schuster left Palm Beach Day and
attended St. Andrew’s School. He graduated
from Florida State University, where he
studied International
Affairs. He is a
project manager for a
signature construction
group in the New
York and Connecticut
area and is living
in Connecticut.
Frankie founded Site
Safety Consultants, LLC which services the
construction safety industry.
Recently, Frankie had his first son, Nicholas,
and is expecting a second child in April.
Charles Metzger graduated from Princeton
University after attending Suncoast
Community High School. Today, Charlie is in
year two of Teach for America, Newark, New
Jersey. He teaches seventh grade History and
Writing at a charter school, Rise Academy,
which is part of KIPP (The Knowledge is
Power Program) the largest network of free,
open-enrollment public charter schools in the
country.
‘99
After Palm Beach Day, Katherine Bertles
Hennigan attended Deerfield Academy. She
graduated from The George Washington
University and is now living in Alexandria,
Virginia with her husband, James.
‘07
Elizabeth “Lizzy”
and Nicole “Nikki”
’09 Connaughton
attended The
Benjamin School
after Palm Beach
Day. Lizzy
graduated from
Boston College
with a triple major
in Economics,
Philosophy and Studio Art. She is now
attending Notre Dame working on her
Masters Degree in Architecture.
Nikki is a junior at the College of Charleston
studying for a B.S. in business.
‘08
Corrine “Coco” Schoeller is a member of the
U.S. Rowing under 23 National Team and
competed at the 2014 World Rowing Under
23 Championships, in July, in Varese, Italy.
Her team brought home two gold medals
and one silver medal for the United States.
She is currently in her senior year at Brown
University majoring in English Literature.
She is also captain of Brown University’s crew
team.
‘11
Amanda Coyle spent three years at Saint
Andrew’s School where
she received the Duff
Tyler Spirit Award along
with fellow alumnus,
William Leas. She was
also co-captain of the
Saint Andrew’s softball
team for the three years
she was there. Amanda
holds the school record
for the most RBI’s
in a season. In her
sophomore year, she received the First in
Scholarship, World Religions Award.
Amanda spent the summer traveling with
her softball team and then headed to Kenyon
College in Gambier, Ohio.
Mikala Merey attended William T. Dwyer
High School. While at Dwyer, Mikala
was Class President
and involved with
the International
Baccalaureate Program
and Youth Leadership
Palm Beach County.
She was also President
of the Blood Drive, and
President of the Jewish
Student Connection.
She participated in
volleyball, soccer,
lacrosse and water polo while at Dwyer.
Mikala is now at Barnard College at
Columbia University, New York.
Lily Wujek entered her freshman year at
Bennington College in Vermont this past
September. She
attended Saint
Andrew’s School
her freshman and
sophomore year,
then moved back
to her home state
of Minnesota. Lily
finished her junior
year at Edina High
School and her
senior year at Normandale College. Lily
graduated with an A average and was named
one of the “Edina Scholars”.
Matthew H. Long was class president for
two years at Oxbridge Academy. He played
lacrosse for three years, and was a Pathfinder
nominee. Matthew is currently at The George
Washington University in Washington, D.C.
‘15
Garrett and Claire Barber are attending The
Pine School where Claire placed fourth in the
Pine Invitational cross-country meet this past
season. Garrett’s golf team placed second
in the districts against the Benjamin School.
He shot a 69 at the Districts to tie the school
record, and finished second individually.
In October, Garrett was number one in Polo’s
World Rankings for his graduating class and
number 38 overall. He received an honorable
mention All American being the only one in
his class of 2018 to receive this honor.
Victor and Thaddeus “Tad” ’16 Cook are
being home schooled as correspondent
students at the Calvert School of Baltimore,
Maryland. They divide their time between
their homes in College Park, Maryland,
Lake Worth, Florida and Pico Island, Azores,
Portugal.
They are championship archers and
participate in U.S. Archery’s Junior Olympic
Development Program (JOAD). Victor is
the 2014 Florida State Indoor Champion
and holds the state record. Tad is the 2014
National Unmarked 3D champion. They
each received a gold medal and silver medal
at the Florida State Sunshine Games archery
competition in June.
Their mother, Alexandra is a 1989 graduate
of Palm Beach Day School.
Continued next page
Winter
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2015 19
Weddings
Adam Rousseau Boalt ’91 and Mary Patricia
Steuart
Adam and Mary were married Saturday,
June 28, 2014 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The
ceremony took place on Sunrise Beach at Half
Moon Bay Resort, which was founded by
Mary’s grandfather, Curtis S. Steuart.
Adam is the son of Maria Antonia Boalt
of Palm Beach and the late James Anthony
Boalt. He is the grandson of the late Enrique
Rousseau, the late Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau
and the late Julia Aspuru Amory, all of Palm
Beach.
Adam attended Florida International
University, is an entrepreneur who has
founded several companies. He is currently
CEO of LiveAnswer Inc.
Mary and Adam honeymooned in Italy and
are now living in Key Biscayne.
the University of Florida’s Warrington
College of Business and earned a law degree
summa cum laude from Nova Southeastern
University’s Shepard Broad Law Center. She
is an associate at Broad and Cassel in West
Palm Beach.
Michael is a restaurateur and chief executive
of the Superior Auto Property Group, a real
estate investment company.
Alexis Christina Posada ’97 and Christopher
TeStrake
Alexis and Christopher were married August
Fritz RosegartenVan der Grift ’03 and Judy
Haigh
Katherine Newcomer ’97 and Michael
Curcio
Katherine exchanged vows with Michael on
September 27, 2014 at the Ocean Reef Club in
Key Largo.
2, 2014 in the French West Indies. Alexis is a
graduate of George Washington University
and the Instituto de Medici in Florence, Italy.
Alexis is a fashion consultant, in Palm Beach,
for private clients. Christopher is managing
director at CRC/southern Cross Underwrites
in Boca Raton.
The couple spent a week in St. Barth’s and
resides in Delray Beach.
Catherine Cooney ’04 and
William Yeatman
Katherine attended the Kent School in
Connecticut following Palm Beach Day.
She graduated magna cum laude from
Christina Conrad ‘04 and Chesley Rappleye
‘04 served as lectors during the ceremony.
Other Palm Beach Day alumni in attendance
were Sophia Abbott ‘04, Jack Cooney ‘97,
Ted Cooney ‘01, Bianca Chevallard ‘04,
Erin Donnelley ‘04, Sasha Feldman ‘04,
Kelly Klaine ‘04, Camille Larmoyeux ‘01,
Christopher Larmoyeux, Joey Modica ‘04,
Andrew Ryan ‘03, Luis Fernandez ‘04, Blair
Brandt ‘03, Stephen Turchan ‘04, and Fritz
van der Grift ‘03.
Catherine, a graduate of Notre Dame, is
a consultant for Accenture, a management
consulting technology services and
outsourcing company. William, a graduate
of Mr. Greco’s alma mater, University of
Maryland, is a professional football player
for the Houston Texans . They are enjoying
life in Texas and are looking forwarding to
visits with family and friends in sunny South
Florida.
Catherine and William were
married on February 8,
2014 at St. Edward Catholic
Church in Palm Beach.
Fritz and Judy exchanged vows on October
25, 2014 at
Bethesda-by-theSea Episcopal
Church. Robert
Riva ‘03 and
Stephen Turchan
‘04 were the best
men and Mimi
Van der Grift ’05
was a bridesmaid.
The ceremony
was followed
by a beautiful
reception at the Everglades Club. There were
over fifty alumni in attendance. Fritz and
Judy will reside in West Palm Beach.
Alumni Spotlight
Continued from page 17
all experience sobering reminders like that,
often. Most of all, I recalled my mother
helping my siblings and me so carefully
with our schoolwork; she’s one of the finest
teachers of all. In re-reading those early
scribbles, I thought about how happy I was
as a child, and how fortunate, to have such
loving parents and teachers, who worked so
well together and with real fondness for each
other.
What do you feel has been the highlight
of your career and did anyone or anything
influence that career highlight?
Teaching at Oxford has been awesome—
humbling, stimulating, endlessly fascinating.
It’s such a physically beautiful place, and so
many people here are truly making the world
go round. But being at Yale and Cambridge
was just as great a privilege; at Yale I realized
I wanted to be a university professor, and
Cambridge taught me how to do it. With
the opportunities all three universities have
created for me, I’ve been able to experience
incredible things: studying in the greatest
libraries in the world; singing in Westminster
Abbey; doing research in rural Malaysia and
Bahrain and Oman and other far flung places.
There are too many highlights to count.
Valerie de La Valdene ’81
March 5, 1966 – July 4, 2014
Valerie is survived by her parents, Guy
Winston and Therese de la Valdene, her
20
2015
Winter
The Bridge
brother, Johnny and her aunt, Denise Anderson
Hanley ’66.
Alan Wasserstrom ‘87
Alan passed away on December 14, 2014 at
the age of 42. Alan was an only child, but left
behind great friends.
Frank Reed Fitton III ‘95
October 27, 1980 –September 19, 2014
Frank was pre-deceased by his parents Frank
Reed Fitton, Jr. and Loreley Tabernilla Fitton.
While at Palm Beach Day what teachers and/
or classes made an impression?
The teachers at Palm Beach Day instilled in
me and so many others a wide curiosity about
life, along with a deep self-awareness of our
own exceptional privilege and a strong sense
of responsibility. And they were also such
wonderful characters. Ralph Greco was like
a hero to my whole family; we all loved him;
his writing assignments and speech classes
taught us how to be concise and convincing,
and thereby influential. Nancy Willis treated
5th graders like adults, and so we grew up
quickly and properly. Carol Bayless had such
benign effective power over our behavior
and minds and interactions; I envy how she
did it, and I could use a tip or two. Her son
Bob so elucidated the intricacies of English
grammar that I’ve made few mistakes since
What or whom, when you think of PBDS,
makes you smile?
I have a very clear, very real memory of
Ralph Greco and Nancy Willis leaning on the
bannister of the balcony overlooking what
was then the kindergarten playground, just
chatting to each other. They were there every
day—leaning and chatting and watching
over the kids. It’s a very peaceful and happy
memory.
What advice,
if any, do you
have for future
Palm Beach Day
Academy students?
Stay in touch with
your teachers!
W
are working hard to keep track of our
alumni. Please help us by updating your
contact information and sending news of
your accomplishments, your career and your family.
Our Alumni Committee has been working to provide
fun events for our alumni. Would you consider
helping on the committee or at one of the events?
If you would want to have a reunion in your area,
please contact us so we can assist.
- Visit the website at www.pbday.org/Alumi/update
- Send an email to [email protected]
- Call us at (561) 655-1188, ext. 129
- Mail to Alumni Relations, 241 Seaview Avenue,
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Nina Halstrom
April 1, 1952 - October 26, 2014
Nina served in PBDA’s business office for
nineteen years and will be fondly remembered
for her friendship, good humor and tireless
dedication. She is survived by her husband
Ralph Halstrom, daughter Amy Moses, and
cherished grandson, Nathanial Moses.
Nina’s former office will be officially
dedicated in her honor later this year.
I’d have been a professional musician if I’d
had the talent—but I can’t imagine that I
would have been any happier. Musician’s
work insanely hard, always on the move,
and singers especially have to be so careful of
their voices. But they add so much beauty to
the world. So I’d like to have been a proper
singer if I’d been able.
that first chalky eraser came flying through
the classroom. Anne Mattox still ranks as one
of the most civilized people I’ve ever met.
Ivan Skinner used to clock me reciting Latin
declensions, with a stopwatch. Walter Butler
had some appalling blazers, even for the
1970s, but still looked pretty cool in them.
Who, What, Where, When, and How?
Memorials
Bettina McMahon ‘74
July 25, 1959 – July 15, 2014
Bettina was pre-deceased by her husband
Peter Castellano and her niece, Bettina Ryan
‘08. She is survived by her sister, Francine
McMahon Ryan ’72, her niece, Alix De La
Moussaye ‘03, and nephews, Francois de La
Moussaye ‘04 and Jerome Ryan ‘09.
Had there been a second career, what might
you have chosen?
Friends, past and present, love reading the Who,
What, Where, When and How of your lives, so please
share with us.
Palm Beach Day Academy
is a coeducational independent day school
located in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach,
Florida. An enrollment of over 500 students
in Pre-Kindergarten 2 year olds to Ninth
Grade is drawn from Palm Beach and West
Palm Beach and the outlying communities as
far south as Manalapan, west as Wellington
and north as Jupiter.
Palm Beach Day Academy is incorporated as
a non-sectarian, not-for-profit school. It has
been a member of the National Association
of Independent Schools since 1957 and is
evaluated and accredited by the Florida
Council of Independent Schools and the
Florida Kindergarten Council.
Nondiscrimination Policy
Palm Beach Day Academy admits students of
any race, color, religious affiliation, national
and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges,
programs, and activities made available to
students at the school.
Winter
The Bridge
2015
21
Palm Beach Day Academy
241 Seaview Avenue
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Challenged Today, Prepared for Tomorrow
www.pbday.org
Annual
Report
2010
2013 Winter
The Bridge