Somerset School Reunion

ANN U AL R E P ORT
ParkmontNews
V o l u m e
18 ,
I s s u e
1 F a l l / W i n t e r
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Somerset School Reunion
By Christy Halvorson Ross
Early in September, Parkmont hosted
a reunion for Somerset School alumni.
Parkmont and Somerset Schools
merged in 1991, and that resulted in
Parkmont moving to 16th street and
acquiring both a high school and the
home we are currently in today. Somerset and Parkmont’s missions have been
very parallel since both of their conceptions in the early 1970’s, and we are
thrilled to continue carrying out many
of Somerset’s traditions today.
Over 50 people attended the Somerset reunion at Parkmont! It was a
wonderful event, lasting from 6-10
p.m. in Parkmont’s first floor, with folks
mingling, having dinner, and catching
up. Alumni brought along partners,
spouses, children. Special guests Rudy
and Monty Carlson came down from
New Hampshire to attend the affair.
Teacher Judy Peabody was also there.
Many thanks to Mike Weaver for helping organize the event. Alumni from
the first class to the last were there,
and almost every graduating class had
someone in attendance!
There were quite a number of
people who traveled for the event, and
many local. Thanks to Nick Kotz, Beth
Teacher Judy Peabody talks with Liz Edmondson.
Above: Elaine Bowman, Bert Taylor, and Keith
Hunsucker at the reunion.
Keegan, Knight Malone, Ian Coyne,
and Lauri Anderson for making the trip
to DC. We enjoyed pictures from many,
some projected on a screen as well
as old yearbooks and snapshots. We
also got to meet many folks’ children,
which was lots of fun. Please enjoy the
photos on page 10.
We hope to see many of you again
in a couple of years! n
Dear Parkmont and Somerset Families and Friends,
It’s time for our Newsletter and Annual Report, and as
usual it is full of good things that have happened at Parkmont during the past year, along with the listing of what
good things so many of you have done for Parkmont
during that same period. These are challenging times on
a number of fronts and even though Parkmont is into
year 38 and I’m marking my 29th as head, we have less
reason than ever to take anything for granted. We’re here
because we continue to make an enormous difference
in the lives of our students and because we have friends
listed herein who want us to succeed. And of course,
we’ve learned some things during those 38 and 29 years
that allow us to be nimble and responsive, not just with
our students, but with our structure and operation, and
we’ll need to be no less creative going forward.
How have we responded to the current recession? By
thanking our stars that we’re in Washington, where the
main corporation won’t be the first to fail. By immediately creating a course on Capitalism last winter so
that we had reasons every day to discuss the turmoil the
world was experiencing from a front row seat. By more
thoroughly embracing the zero-based budgeting approach
that has kept us solvent for almost four decades. And by
figuring out ways to work both harder and smarter so that
the single most important dimension of the program, the
attention we pay our students, is not diminished. And
this in a climate where increasing class size and reducing services is inevitably the first public school response.
History also provides perspective. This isn’t our first
recession. My first two years at Parkmont (1981-1982),
the school relied on equity loans from private lenders,
at 22% the 2nd year while mortgages were double-digit
nationally. Parkmont’s million dollar home on Wisconsin
Avenue fetched $675K 18 months later as the housing
market sank. Because of the support of many of you,
Parkmont has owned our 16th street million dollar home
mortgage-free for a decade and we entered the recession
having just completed the most successful fundraising
campaign in the school’s history. We’re never out of the
woods but we use our compass handily.
The Friday of Labor Day Weekend fifty some Somerset alums and family members gathered at the school for
an evening of reunion. Special guests Martha and Rudy
Carlson flew down from New Hampshire and others came
from even further afield. Rudy of course was the preeminent trip leader in a school that highly valued learning
through travel, and it’s amazing how over time a whole
year’s worth of memories get reduced to the two weeks
when you were on the road in New Hampshire, or New
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Fall 2009
Mexico, or Mexico, or England with your class and students and teachers. You invariably meet new folks—students from other eras or their family members—at such
reunions, but the conversations are always warm and the
ease we had with each other, even thirty years ago, not
hard to recover. We believe we’ve come up with a formula
fordoing these events without great staffing effort and that
there will be more of them regularly in the future. There
are pictures here of some of the participants and more on
the Somerset alum Facebook site.
My tenure has certainly been made easier by a small
board with an eye for the essential and expertise that
complements that of the staff. I first came to Washington
in 1972 to teach at the Edmund Burke School because its
founders had taken a liking to me when I helped out at
their New Mexico mountain camp. The founders retired
10 years ago from Burke and this past summer one of
them, Dick Roth,completed a decade of leading Parkmont’s Board of Trustees. Dick has been a major player
in all of the moves we’ve made to strengthen Parkmont
during the past 20 years, including the merger with Somerset, and the accreditation process we completed (and
are restarting) early in his tenure as Chair. I’ve had no
better friend personally or professionally and Parkmont is
enormously indebted to him for his guidance and support.
While recessions aren’t new, the educational landscape
in Washington has changed dramatically in the past 30
years. Independent Schools have grown significantly in
enrollment and scope of programs. Charter schools in the
District provide real choice for many DC families where
once there was none. And special education schools, originally vehicles for preparing students for the mainstream,
have become an end to themselves. While at Parkmont,
the tools we use have changed with the times (today my
DC History class looked at hundred year old real estate
maps on the internet instead of driving to the library to
do so); we’ve stayed focused on helping students discover
their interests and talents by doing things that are interesting and sharpen talent. This happens because we know
them well and because our classrooms go far beyond the
school’s walls. And we thank you for helping find the
resources to make this possible.
Best wishes,
Ron McClain, Head of School
ParkmontNews
Teacher Spotlight: Kim Schraf
By Willa Reinhard
In the midst of a busy day at Parkmont,
I sat down with Kim Schraf, a staff staple here for over twenty years, to discuss details of her acting career and her
prestigious 2009 Helen Hayes Award
nomination for best leading actress.
An actress for 25 years, Kim didn’t
major in theater at St. John’s College
in Annapolis. Instead she studied the
classics in a Great Books program.
“Although we did some theater there, it
was very off the cuff,” she says. “It was
interested people, putting their heads
together and throwing up a show.” It
wasn’t until 1984, when she arrived in
DC, that she began professional classes,
studying at Arena Stage, with Stanley
Anderson, and the Studio Theater,
with Joy Zinoman. “I saw everything. I
drank it in. And after a couple of years,
I started to get invitations to audition.”
Kim insists that she was then and is still
convinced that “every role will be my
last,” but one role continues to lead to
others, and she has developed lifelong
bonds with the directors, producers and
actors that make up the Washington
area theater community.
The Helen Hayes Awards celebrate
professional excellence in that community. Each year a committee of
ParkmontNews
Ron McClain
Head of School
Christy Halvorson Ross, Editor
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The Parkmont Annual Report
is a publication of Parkmont
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Inquiries should be directed
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Thank you to Nijole Gedutis
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teachers and students who
contributed to this issue.
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ParkmontNews
judges, comprised of a range
of people who love and support local theater, see every
play in the region and use an
intricate scoring process to
achieve a list of 5-6 nominees in 25 categories. It was
last March, while out on the
town, that Kim received word
she had been recognized for
her role in Measure for Pleasure, a Restoration comedy
by David Grimm. She was
Dame Stickle. She wore combat boots to accent an outfit
that was otherwise a period
costume. She and director
Howard Shalwitz decided it
would be a good idea if her
character also donned a Scottish accent. “I was a Scottish Puritan in
charge of an out-of-control niece, trying
to preserve morality in that society,” she
explains. How successful was she? “Oh,
not at all. I was ultimately defeated.”
The 2009 Awards cycle culminated
on April 13 at the Warner Theater.
The annual affair is always held on a
Monday evening, the only day of the
week when theaters are dark. Kim
refers to it as “the Oscars in DC.” The
Volume 18, Issue 1
Parkmont School
4842 Sixteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20011
www.parkmont.org
Office
(202) 726-0740
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(202) 726-0740, ext. 210
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Board of Trustees 2009-2010
Cari Gradison, President
Debbie DuSault,
Vice President
Walter Ailes, Treasurer
Cille Kennedy, Secretary
Judy Lentz
Ron McClain
Shannon Morris
Christy Halvorson Ross
Dick Roth
David Weisman
Parkmont teacher Kim Schraf was nominated for
a Helen Hayes award for her role in “Measure
for Pleasure.”
atmosphere in the crowd of approximately 2,000 is “glitzy,” black tie and
floor-length gowns. Kim has always
attended, as a guest, as a presenter, and
finally, as a nominee. “I was definitely
walking a little higher off the ground
this year,” she admits. Though she
didn’t win in her category, she says the
ceremony does a great job of making
each nominee feel very honored. And
the awards ceremony is followed by a
grand celebration at the J.W. Marriott.
There’s dancing, a deejay, food and
drinks. “Nobody wants to go home.
There is the feeling of a great big house
party,” Kim explains.
Since I missed out on the chance
to see Kim stomping combat-style after
an unruly teenager and an immoral
society, I want to know which stages
she’ll grace next, and when? Luckily,
she has two performances slated for
the 2009-2010 season. In a couple of
weeks, Kim begins rehearsals for Show
Boat at Signature Theater, Tony Award
winner for Best Regional Theater. And
this Spring, you can also catch her in
Mikvah, an Israeli play being produced
at Theater J. n
Fall 2009
3
The Grand Canyon
By Trefor Evans
In the Spring of 2009, eight daring
students and two intrepid teachers ventured to the American Southwest. As a
part of a course on the natural history
of the Grand Canyon, the students
explored meteorology, ecology, and
geology of the area. We visited canyons
and lakes, caves and rock formations,
and, of course, the Grand Canyon
itself. The kids themselves kept track of
our daily adventures. Here are some of
their reports…with little bits of commentary from yours truly thrown in.
March 4, 2009
“In the botanic garden we saw many
different kind of plants—some pretty,
others strains that we have never seen
before. The class took pictures of different kinds of things, like we saw some
plants and flowers that were made from
glass that were really nice.”
There happened to be a Chihuly
glass sculpture exhibit going on at the
Botanic Garden in Phoenix. Science…
and culture!
March 5, 2009
“It was about a 2 hour train ride up to
the Grand Canyon and during the ride
we had live bluegrass music playing... it
was pretty good. When we got to the
Grand Canyon we started walking right
after lunch at the lodge. We walked
along the south rim trail and it was a
little over 7 miles. The trail was mostly
all flat and everyone did very, very
well. The hike lasted around 5 hours,
I believe. When we got to the end, we
then watched the sunset which was
AWESOME and then we went back to
the hotel and we got dinner.”
“After getting off the train, we
started walking. And I mean walking. I
was a little tired at first, mainly because
I’m not a big fan of heights. The altitude also gave me a lot of trouble along
with a few other people. The Grand
Canyon is so beautiful. It was amazing.
It’s bigger than I expected it to be. We
walked the South Rim Trail. It was
tiring and annoying. The minute everyone got used to the altitude, almost
everyone started to complain. It was
colder than we all expected it to be.”
March 6, 2009
“Today was a really hard day, maybe
one of the hardest days of my life.
Today we hiked a trail on the Grand
Canyon. Going down the hill was not
too difficult, but going back up was
really hard because, of course, it took us
twice as long and uphill is always more
difficult. The way back up, the trail
was really stressful and I didn’t think I
would make it, but I did. Success.”
We walked three miles down into
the Grand Canyon, dropping 2100 feet
in elevation. This was a tough walk
for some and truly breathtaking in all
meanings of the phrase.
Parkmont students gaze down into
the Grand Canyon.
The Upper School group with teacher
Trefor Evans, center.
and we walked in a lava trail. Later
that night we went down into a lava
cave (TOTALLY AWESOME). It was
really cold inside but as we kept going
it got warmer.”
March 7, 2009
“After lunch we went to the outlook
tower which was cool and we went
to the top and we could see all of the
Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.
After the tower it was time to leave
the Grand Canyon, which was sad.
It was time to start our long drive to
Page. We got to the hotel and took all
the stuff up to our rooms and went on
a little hike. This hike was my favorite thing we have done so far because
we got to climb on the rocks and we
stayed there to see the sunset.”
March 8, 2009
“We woke up today earlier than usual
which was a real drag. However, after
loading up the van and getting some
breakfast, we got on the road and
headed towards the marina at Lake
Powell. When we got there, the beautiful scenery took my breath away. The
water was so clear and clean, and the
canyons surrounded it. After getting on
our boat we sailed into what seem to
be heaven. The water, the canyons, the
sky, everything was so beautiful. I never
wanted to get off the boat but 2 hours
later we had to in order to start our
hike to Rainbow Bridge. The hike was
so much easier compared to our other
hikes, which was nice—we needed a
little break. When we finally reached
ParkmontNews
Rainbow Bridge, it was amazing. It’s
something I don’t except to forget
any time soon. It was so relaxing and
nice being there. It is said that native
Americans come to Rainbow Bridge
from time to time to celebrate or host
ceremonies that can take anywhere
from a day to a week.”
“I thought the best part about being
inside the canyon was seeing all the
large rock formations, especially the
Rainbow Bridge. I think it was cool to
see how big the rocks were from afar,
but then to really see the formation
of it up close. I really appreciated seeing such a beautiful piece of history
that has been so nicely preserved in
our country. I thought one of the best
things that happened during the trip
was when we were leaving and I had
an opportunity to see everything I
missed.”
March 9, 2009
“Today was a packed day of activities…
YAY! We first went to Monument Valley. It was EPIC-LY COOL because we
got to see where a bunch of the old
Western films were, well…filmed. In
general, the rock formations we really
amazing to look at. After the Valley we
all went off to a trail that overlooked
some really old ruins. We drove back to
Flagstaff and we went to Sunset Crater
March 10, 2009
Kids journals from this day seemed to
have disappeared so you have to make
do with my dry recounting of our activities. We drove out from Flagstaff to
the Petrified Forest and walked around
the park, learning about how the land
has changed dramatically over the
centuries and how the trees ended up
being fossilized. We made a short stop
on the way back to explore Stewart’s
Petrified Wood Store and Ostrich Farm.
It is exactly as kooky as the name suggests, sporting paper mache dinosaurs
all over the outside. We also stopped
by a set of ancient Indian ruins on
the way back to the motel for a much
needed rest.
March 11, 2009
“This morning was rather stressful as
we woke up early and started packing
our airport proof bags and suitcases. To
our surprise, we also found the ground
to be covered in snow. Snow in Arizona in April. Of course, things like
this only happen when Parkmont goes
on fieldtrips. Breakfast, however, was
pleasant and delicious, and the waffle
maker was a great improvement from
our regular toast and coffee. We arrived
at The Arizona Science Center, where
we explored a whole bunch of exhibits
on nature, weather, and over all outer
space. There were so many cool things
to check out and all the activities were
so interactive. My favorite was one that
actually made you feel all the forces of
nature, from tornados (strong winds) to
heat waves and rain (my least favorite,
as I was not ready to be soaked with
water).”
“We saw a show on stars, galaxies,
and planets. The show was very informative and not to mention really fun.
Our host was a surprisingly funny and
entertaining scientist who told many
jokes that were corny at times but still
very amusing.” n
Fall 2009
5
Wanna Play?
by Paul Hadfield, MS, LCPC
As a therapist who works with young
children, I am often contacted by parents who would like me to “talk with”
their child. Typically the child’s behavior has taken a negative turn.
He or she is angry,
showing signs of
depression or anxiety, and/or is doing
poorly in school.
Many times the
young one’s routine
has been disrupted
by an event such
as a move, divorce, or the death of
someone close. Frequently, the problem’s cause is a mystery. The implication is that the child will tell me what
is wrong. Whatever the issue, one of
my first duties is to explain to parents
that, while talk therapy may be quite
effective for adults, the best method for
communicating with children is play.
For children ages 4 to 11, play is
the ideal medium for self-expression.
Using toys, children are able to express
deep feelings and attitudes that cannot
be described in words. For young ones,
toys are the words and play is their language. Think about it—have you ever
seen two five year olds sit and chat for
any period of time? Give the same two
children some toys, and they get right
down to business.
With experience and training, play
therapists become proficient in reading the language of play and are able
to provide a safe, nurturing, and fun
environment where children are free
to express. Toys are carefully chosen
to help children express their inner
and outer world. How children view
themselves, others, and important life
events are expressed metaphorically
through the manipulation of toys. In
the case of trauma, toys can provide
a safe distance for children to gain
understanding and acceptance of painful experiences. Once a child’s world
is better understood, therapists may
prescribe, or set-up play situations that
facilitate further exploration.
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Fall 2009
In addition to being effective, an
advantage of play therapy is that it is
fun. Imagine a child being excited about
going to therapy! For many children,
the most upsetting part of the session is
being told that it is nearly over. I always
assure them that I’ll be here when they
come back and so will the toys. In the
meantime, there is always room to play
outside of the therapy office.
Or is there?
A recent article in the American
Academy of Pediatrics expresses the
concern that time for free play has
been markedly reduced for some children. Deemed to be the right of every
child by the United Nations High
Commission for Human Rights, play
has been losing ground to today’s more
hurried, pressured, and overly structured
lifestyle. Free play provides countless
benefits, including the building of cognitive, physical, social, and emotional
skills. Unfortunately, opportunities
to engage in free play have become
limited with the reduction of school
recess time, the growth of organized
activities that require kids to be driven
from place to place, and the explosion
of passive forms of entertainment like
computer and video games.
Pediatricians are being advised to
encourage parents to provide ample
unscheduled, independent, non-screen
time for kids to “decompress.” Children
should be provided with “true toys,” like
blocks, dolls, and objects that engage
the imagination. I could not agree more.
But why leave playing to the kids?
Adults can also benefit greatly from fun,
unstructured, non-goal oriented activities. Board games, non-competitive sports
like skiing or biking, or flying a kite all
provide opportunities to reduce stress and
enhance relationships. Play can increase
levels of dopamine and seratonin (natural antidepressants) and reduce the stress
hormone, cortisol. Whatever the activity, the secret is to turn off the phone
and get lost in it-- and remember two
of most welcome words you heard as a
child: Wanna play? n
Paul Hadfield is a therapist and professional clown who taught English at
Parkmont in the 1980’s and organized
Parkmont’s Royal Nonesuch Circus, which
performed locally and on Good Morning
America. He lives with his wife Beth and
their three children not far from the C+O
Canal on which he led one of Parkmont’s
most famous expeditions in 1985. As a
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
and member of the Association for Play
Therapy, Hadfield sees clients at The
Catoctin Wellness Center in Thurmont.
For more information about play therapy
visit www.a4pt.org or call Paul at (301)
745-6687, ext. 406. This article first
appeared in the Frederick Gazette.
ParkmontNews
Creating Futures—Our Million Dollar Campaign
Commentary by Creating Futures Campaign Chair and now Board President, Cari Gradison
I honestly don’t know how Parkmont
would be faring right now or in the
near future if it were not for all the
generous Parkmont supporters who
made it possible to raise $1 million
for Parkmont in the Creating Futures
Campaign: Parkmont Today and
Tomorrow.
What was not expected at the
beginning of the campaign was that the
world financial crisis would hit just at
the time when the campaign entered
its concluding public phase. Yes, this
did mean that our campaign, which
had a goal of between $1 million and
$1.5 million, wrapped up just over the
million dollar mark. But $1 million IS
a success! The campaign has left us in
a very strong position to weather this
major downturn in the economy.
For comparison, at least two small
private schools have closed their doors
in this last year because of finances and
yet we have a strong reserve. At Parkmont, our main school building is fully
paid for AND we were able to acquire
the house next door for added outdoor
and classroom spaces when it came on
the market for the first in 40 years! We
are fully accredited and up for renewal
next year. We have a strong financial reserve plus monies available to
strengthen our programs.
For further comparison, the million
dollar figure is equivalent to a school
of 1000 students raising $20 million
dollars. At those 1000-student schools,
maybe 10% of overall tuition income
is set aside for financial aid. Parkmont
provides 20-25% each year.
Why is our financial aid program
so generous when we are so small?
Because of the principle established
by the founding Parkmont Board and
the continued commitment of subsequent boards—the lack of personal
means should not be a further barrier
to families that are already under stress
because their students are not finding
success in conventional school settings.
Parkmont was established to create an
educational framework designed to fit
the student’s learning style as opposed
to a student having to fit in to the
system. A Parkmont education should
not only be the privilege of those with
financial means, it should be available
to all those students who need it to get
on with their lives.
I continue to be in awe of what this
small but committed community can
achieve. Amazing things happen at
Parkmont—in our school house, our
world-wide classrooms and our supporter community made of up past and
present parents, alumni, foundations
and other angels that make Parkmont
possible. Thanks to each and everyone
who has given to the Creating Futures
Campaign—Parkmont might not even
have HAD a future without you. But
because of you we are strong and continuing with our educational mission.
Thank you so very much. n
Parkmont School
Approved to Accept
Foreign Students
excited to move to DC to attend Parkmont for his 12th grade year because
he was able to move in with some family friends in DC, rather than stay with
a host family up in Ohio.
Parkmont will be reaching out to
other SEVP students in the future in
a continuing effort to bring together
students from a variety of backgrounds
and experiences. n
cess. That process is up for renewal in
2011. Faculty, staff, and board members
at school have already begun working on and writing the “Self-Study”,
which examines the schoool’s mission
and how programs at Parkmont support
that mission. Brainstorming for the Self
Study will at times include students,
parents, and alumni as well.
After the written completion of the
Self Study, a team of educators reviews
it, and then comes to spend several
days visiting Parkmont. They will
observe classes and engage in conversations with our students and teachers.
If accreditation is granted, following it
there will be a one-year and five-year
review of the school.
After engaging in the process in
2001, it was clear that it was worthwhile for Parkmont to examine our
programs and re-energize much of what
we do. We are looking forward to the
process once again. n
By Gina Duffin
This school year, Parkmont has petitioned and received approval from the
Immigration and Naturalization Service
in the U.S. Department of Justice to
open its doors to nonimmigrant students.
Our first such student, an exchange
student from Vietnam named Kien
Han, is a part of the Student and
Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Kien began studying English in the 3rd
grade while attending school in Ho
Chi Minh City, which enabled him
to come to the U.S. in the 11th grade
to attend Tecumseh High School in
Carlisle, OH. Though Kien enjoyed
living in Ohio and would like to attend
Ohio State University next fall, he was
ParkmontNews
Parkmont to
Renew Accreditation
in 2011
By Christy Halvorson Ross
The Associaition of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) granted Parkmont School ten-year accreditation in
2001, after a lengthy application pro-
Fall 2009
7
Parkmont News
Ezra Hausman (1977) is Vice President of Synapse Energy Economics, a
research and consulting firm specializing in energy and environmental
issues. He has 3 daughters, two in
college and one just entering middle
school. He spent time with Daphne
Kwok at a recent college reunion,
and she put him in touch with former teachers Joan and Rosemary.
Ryrie Pellaton (1977) lives in Wil-
FACEBOOK!
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In your “search” box at the top of
the screen, type in “The Parkmont
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mette, IL. He has two boys, who
are 5 years old and 2 years old.
Danny Rotner (1978) is still in Boul-
der and has two kids, aged 9 and 12.
Monica Rotner (1980) is also liv-
ing in Boulder. She has a 10 year
old and 6-year old identical twins,
and an 18-year old stepdaughter.
Jessi Roemer’s (1982) mother, Sue
Roemer, was honored in November in
a special concert tribute at Am-Kolel
AUCTIOn
Parkmont's
Spring Auction
March 6, 2010
Please contact Amy Ward at award@
parkmont.org if you have items to contribute or if you would like to attend.
For the first time ever, there will be an
ONLINE AUCTION! Please check our
website in February for more information about how to bid and support
Parkmont online from your home!
www.parkmont.org.
8
Fall 2009
in Washington, D.C. Sue has been
in declining health for a number
of years, and was honored for her
many years as a singer, educator, and
community leader who has been
central to revitalizing Jewish life.
Estelle Tarica (1982) and her
partner Brad Prager are visiting Professors at Northwestern
University in Evanston, IL.
David Tarica (1982) has a daugh-
ter named Leah Beatrice, who
is 15-months old, with his partner Julie Subrin. They live in
Brooklyn, NY. He is teaching
Adult Basic Education there.
Robin Bell (1997) recently had video
clips in Michael Moore’s movie “Capitalism, A Love Story.” He received
screen credit for his video clips, which
were of homeless men on Capitol Hill.
Paula Borges (1997) continues to do
very well, living in Rockville where she
owns a condo. She works for E-Trade
Financial as an anti-money laundering specialist. This fall she passed
her national certification exam.
Cayman Eby (1998) is living in Colonial Beach, VA. He
has a degree in film-making.
Meadow Wirick (1998) passed the
Maryland Bar and has clerked for a
judge in D.C. Last year she assisted
an Immigration Judge in San Diego.
Tom Mertens (1999) got his
degree from Frostburg State in
art and is currently working at
the National Gallery of Art.
Sam Leslie (2004) attends Prescott
College in Arizona, which is an
experiential learning college.
Allison Vance (2004) graduated
from the University of Maryland.
Jon Rimensnyder (2004) is at Arizona State studying criminal justice.
Rob Archer (1988) and his wife
Audrey and their twins Avery and
Taylor moved to Austin, TX this
year, where Rob continues his work
as an environmental engineer.
Thomas Hailey (2007) will be attend-
Matt Archer (1989) lives in Big Sky,
a personal trainer and works with
clients every day at 6 a.m. He is
studying at Montgomery College.
Montana and is attending Montana
College in Bozeman, studying nursing.
ing the University of Baltimore beginning in spring 2010, majoring in
Simulation & Digital Entertainment.
Josh Botman (2007) got certified as
ParkmontNews
Cecelia Bell (2008) is in her second
year at Hiram College in Ohio.
semester, both working in the
office and in the classroom.
Somerset News
Colin Snyder (2008) is interning at Parkmont School this
Patricia Rogers (2009) is living at home
and going to Montgomery College.
Somerset Scholarship Fund
for Parkmont School
We have created a new fund for
­Somerset alumni to participate in,
called “The Somerset Scholarship Fund
for Parkmont School.” In the tradition of Somerset, this fund will provide
financial aid to students who need
Parkmont’s individualized programs.
One of the radical ideas in Somerset’s
construction was devoting 20% of its
tuition base to financial aid, which
made it a leader among private schools
in Washington. That was a tradition
Parkmont was proud to continue. The
initial goal is to raise the equivalent of
one tuition a year by Somerset alumni.
Please contact us at cross@parkmont.
org or 202.726.0740, ext. 210 if you
would like to learn more.
Join the Somerset Group
on Facebook!
Search for “Somerset Alums” and join
for periodic updates and news about
reunions and such. For more recent
news about Somerset, including coverage of the September 2009 reunion, see
the article on page 1 and the pictures
the next page.
what's New?
Please send us your news! We love
to hear from Parkmont and Somerset
alumni. Email Christy at cross@­
parkmont.org or call at 202.726.0740,
ext. 210.
ParkmontNews
Fall 2009
9
Somerset School Reunion
(see story on page 1)
Heather Dougherty with her daughter.
Judy Peabody talks to
Karim Wright and his wife.
Jack Kotz and John Tartaglia.
Geoff Lewis and Spencer Browne
greet fellow classmate Lisa Lim.
From left to right: Linda Braverman,
Rudy Carlson, Lucy Shivnan.
From left to right: Knight Malone, Mike Weaver,
Ron McClain, and Ian Coyne.
10
Fall 2009
ParkmontNews
AnnualReport
2008-2009
Total Support
$153,336.00
Dear Parkmont and Somerset Families and Friends:
We are grateful for your help during our 2008-9 academic year. In a
year when economic troubles plagued both the country and the world,
we are particularly thankful for the generosity of our donors. While we
did hear from many foundations that their grants were on hold this
year, we still received some support from foundations as well as generous support from many individuals.
This year we wrapped up our major giving campaign, Creating
Futures: Parkmont’s Campaign for Today and Tomorrow. It was a
hugely successful campaign, raising over a million dollars to support the
school’s financial foundation. This campaign has already kept us strong
during difficult financial times, and we are so thankful to all of you.
We offer a special thanks to Cari Gradison, our now Board Chair, who
launched and chaired the campaign for Parkmont.
In addition to receiving monetary donations, we also had wonderful
volunteer help from many friends during our various events during the
school year, ranging from the school picnics and the International Potluck Dinner, to the Parkmont Poetry Festival. We had scores of internship sponsors who worked with each student in our program for dozens
(and in some cases hundreds) of hours, teaching them invaluable skills
they will use for their futures, while building their resumes and giving
them work inspirations.
Thank you for your part in helping keep Parkmont going and for
keeping us strong. We look forward to another year of working closely
with such a great group of Washington youth!
Sincerely,
Christy Halvorson Ross
Director of Development
AnnualReport
Gifts for Current Operations
Annual Giving, Unrestricted
Annual Giving, Restricted
The Financial Aid Fund
Internships
Total Current Year Support
$46,100
$2,850
$28,080
$2,000
$79,030
Gifts for Capital Purposes
Creating Futures Campaign
$74,306
Total Voluntary Support
$153,336
2008–2009
11
Ways to Give to The Parkmont School
Cash or Check
Securities
Matching Gifts
KK These gifts are immediately available
for use at Parkmont.
KK Gifts may be unrestricted or restricted
to special projects or funds.
KK Donations may be made with a Visa
or MasterCard.
Appreciated stocks or bonds can be
donated to Parkmont and can be
deducted at full market value on the
date of transfer.
More than 1,000 employers will match
donations made to Parkmont. You can
obtain matching gift forms from the
personnel office of your employer.
and reinforced our Signature Programs
(internships, trips, computers, use of
our special building, etc.) We raised
over $1 Million for this campaign.
and friends. Included are:
KK Family Picnic and
International Dinner
KK The Silent Auction
KK Parkmont Poetry Festival
Types of Gifts
Unrestricted Annual Gifts
Annual gifts are used to support our
continued needs. These funds become
part of our operating budget.
Be sure to have your employer match
your gift to Parkmont School, if applicable!
Restricted Annual Gifts
In 2008-9, restricted gifts were made to
several restricted annual giving funds.
Restricted gifts can be made for any
purpose decided upon by the donor and
the school.
The Popkin Fund (Social Studies)
in 2008-9 provided the purchase of
software and resource books used in
social studies courses such as D.C. History, The History of the Civil Rights
Movement, and World Geography. The
Randy Pellaton Fund (Outdoor Education) for over two decades has supported our middle school adventures.
Last year the middle school enjoyed an
outdoor education ropes course, as well
as a ski trip to Whitetail as part of the
Pellaton Fund. The Lentz Fund (Financial Aid for Travel Classes) supported
Parkmont’s first trip in 17 years to the
Grand Canyon.
Creating Futures:
Parkmont’s Campaign for
Today and Tomorrow
In December 2008 we concluded Parkmont’s first-ever major giving campaign.
Creating Futures raised monies to build
a number of reserves for Parkmont.
It created a more stable financial aid
program; strengthened our faculty salaries, benefits and training programs;
12
2008–2009
The Parkmont-Somerset
Financial Aid Fund
Parkmont School raises funds to cover
immediate financial aid costs, as well
as to build a financial aid endowment.
Many Parkmont families do not pay
full tuition so the school gives out
more financial aid, on a per capita
basis, than any other school in the
Washington area.
The Parkmont Poetry Festival
Our 27th annual citywide Poetry Festival occurred in May 2009, celebrating
the talents of many young D.C. poets.
Funds for the Poetry Festival over the
years have been raised primarily from
foundations with generous in-kind
donations from a number of local businesses as well.
Support Services
Parkmont raises monies from foundations and individuals for our Support
Services program. This program provides tutoring, study skills help, study
hall, diagnostic testing, computer skills
and counseling to students who need it.
Events
Members of the Parkmont community
donate their time, services and goods to
several events each year to support the
goals and mission of the school. These
events promote a sense of community
and school spirit among students, parents, faculty, administration, trustees
Gifts in Kind
Gifts in kind include goods donated,
which directly support our programs
and enhance our facilities. Books, computers, art supplies, equipment, landscaping assistance etc. are listed here.
Parents, friends, trustees and businesses that offer their professional
expertise or services free of charge to
Parkmont provide a significant savings
to the school. We appreciate your support and recognize your gifts of service
under this category.
Volunteers
Dozens of volunteers—current parents,
parents of former students, and friends of
the school—volunteer their time to help
out the school each year. Volunteers
make meals for school events, place
phone calls at our Annual Giving Phonathon, organize our fundraising silent
auction and work at our Poetry Festival.
Internship Sponsors
Internship sponsors aid the Parkmont
community by offering to work with
students in our Internship program.
Upper School students work six hours
per week all year and Middle Schoolers work three hours per week in the
spring at internship sites where they get
real-life work experience without pay
to enhance their education and their
knowledge of the working world.
AnnualReport
AnnualReport 2008-2009
Annual Giving $46,100
Parkmont Families 2008-9
Laurel Bryant
Marcia and Michael Burke
Wilhelmina Carter
Julien Clarke
Elizabeth and Robert Doherty
Angela and Roberto Flores
Patricia and Francis Glowacki
Teresa Gruber
Philippa Jackson
Wanda and Kevin Jenkins
Mary Jordan
Diane Kramer
Ernesto Grijalva and Kate Lasso
Laura Lester
Steven Ludwig
Julia and Thomas Rogers
Susan Silverstein and Ken Shiotani
Nancy and Dr. George Watson
Parkmont and Somerset
Alumni Families
Deborah Archer
Susan and Robert Avjian
Patricia Jayne and Chris Barr
David and Marsha Bell
Patricia and Theodore Bell
Betsy Vieth and Philip Brenner
Jack and Charlotte Brooks
Jessica Burkart
Sally Pfund and William Bush
Bob and Rhoda Chanin
David Cowey
Chris Creasi
Elisa Massimino and Pierre Donahue
Elisa Braver and Austin Doyle
Debbie DuSault
William Eby
Brian Fassl
John and Terry Fassl
Verrick and Patricia French
Whitney and Irving Fuller
Mary and Richard Gathercole
Charles and Barbara Gholz
Lucy and Tom Gies
Stephen and Diana Goldberg
Cari and Bill Gradison
Stephen Cohn and Christina Guidorizzi
Thomas Hailey
Ezra Hausman
Sharon Hess
Peter and Kathleen Higgins
Pricilla Jones
Elias Kennedy
Cille Kennedy
Andrea Kisiner
Mary Lynn and Nick Kotz
Al and Ann La Porta
Maggie Andersen Labillois
Jeannine Ladd
Judy Lentz
Judy and Larry Lorber
Jacqueline Parker and Paul Meagher
Shannon Burkart Morris
Marilyn Dickenson and Jean-Claude
Nascimento
Judy Peabody
Nancy Coleman and Paul Pitkoff
Eric Randall
Lisa Nickerson and Nelson Rimensnyder
Sheila and Evan Rotner
Elsa Silverman
Shanna Smith
Susan Chinn and Tom Snyder
Shirley Thompson and Clyde Solomon
Barbara and Randy Stewart
Estelle Tarica
Ralph and Suzanne Tarica
Lee and Fred Tyner
John and Kathleen Volpe
David Weisman
Donald and Mary Wirick
Pat Wohlford
Mavis and Hal Wylie
Friends, Board Members,
Faculty
Walter Ailes
Gina Duffin
Debbie DuSault
The Frelinghuysen Foundation
Nijole Gedutis
Nancy and Robert Goff
Cari and Bill Gradison
Sam Graul
Sally and Thor Halvorson
John Kanwit
Cille Kennedy
Wendel Landes
Judy Lentz
Shannon Burkart Morris
Ginger and Jim Newmyer
Paul Penniman
Stephen and Ruth Pollak and The
Bench Trail Fund
Christy Halvorson Ross
Dick Roth
Peter and Elizabeth Russell
Kim Schraf
Tom and Linda Yoder
David Weisman
Corporations
A+ Bonus Bucks
AHOLD Financial Services
The Bench Trail Fund
The Eli and Edyth Broad Foundation
igive.com
Restricted Annual Giving
Funds $2,850
The Lentz Fund
Ron McClain
Barbara Clarke and Douglass Leslie
The Pellaton Fund
Upper School students study a map of a corn maze from a trip in October.
AnnualReport
Ryrie and Kara Pellaton
2008–2009
13
Creating Futures: Parkmont’s Campaign for Today and Tomorrow
Total Pledged in Campaign, 2005-8
Creating Futures Income Received in 2008-9
$1,016,388
$74,306
Annick and Lowell Abrams
Deborah Archer
Patricia Jayne and Chris Barr
Ann Breen
Laurel Bryant
Shannon Burkart Morris
The Cafritz Foundation
Diane and Alex Dabney
Elisa Braver and Austin Doyle
Debbie DuSault
William Eby
The E.E. Ford Foundation
Ben Elliott
Brian Fassl
Jude Landis
Sara and Michael Landy
Judy Lentz
Laura Lester
Steven Ludwig
Andrew and Dorothy Mason
Ernest McClain
Mignon McClain
Ron McClain
William McInturff
Mike Moyer
Jane Perkins
Nancy Coleman and Paul Pitkoff
Jocelyn and Erna Radifera
The Frelinghuysen Foundation
John and Kiendl Gordon
Cari and Bill Gradison
Lee Goldman and Wendy Gradison
Alison Gray
Jo Ann Albert and Timothy Greene
Stephen Cohn and Christina Guidorizzi
Sally and Thor Halvorson
Diane and Melvin Heath
Sharon Hess
John Kanwit
Cille Kennedy
Elias Kennedy
Wendel Landes
Lisa Nickerson and Nelson Rimensnyder
Marcy Marx and Steven
Christy Halvorson Ross
Dick Roth
Elsa Silverman
Lee and Fred Tyner
Peter and Beatrice van Roijen
Jacqueline Wallen
David Weisman
Susan Willens
Mavis and Hal Wylie
Tom and Linda Yoder
The Financial Aid Fund $28,080
The Internship Fund $2,000
Black Student Fund
The Clark-Winchcole Foundation
The Fowler Foundation
Ingrid Henderson
George Peachey
James and Teresa Peachey
Janet Peachey
Washington Scholarship Fund
The Lucas-Spindletop Foundation
Upper School students in a D.C. History field trip.
14
2008–2009
Internship Sponsors
3rd and Eats
Adams Morgan Animal Clinic
Advanced Computer Center
Adventure Theater
Amnesty International
CD/Game Exchange (Silver Spring)
City Bikes
City Sports
Common Cause
Community Council for the Homeless:
Friendship Place
Create Arts Center
Dale’s Music
Dance Place
DCTV
Democratic National Committee
Doggie Style
Fillmore Arts Center, part of DCPS
Fleet Feet
Footlocker
G&T Sports
GAP Day Care
Graffiti Audio & Visual
Greenpets
Las Pacayas
JCC of Greater Washington
Juanita E Thornton/Shepherd Park
Library
Martha’s Table
Mount Pleasant Library
National Geographic
Natural Motion Salon
Outerloop Management
Parkway Deli
Pennyworth Shop
PFLAG
Rock Creek Horse Center
SED Center
Sports World
Studio Theater
Sullivan’s Toys
Summer Delights
Takoma Park Animal Clinic
Teens Against the Spread of AIDS
Tennis Topia
The Women’s Collective
TransAfrica Forum
AnnualReport
Parkmont School Volunteers
Annik Abrams
Niki Alston
Sherilyn Auerbach
Betty Anne Bell
Stephanie Benton
Marcis Brunson
Marcia and Michael Burke
Elizabeth Doherty
Ben Elliott
Katherine Freeman
Nathaniel Hodge
Pat Hurley
Wanda Jenkins
Diana Kramer
Sara Landy
Kate Lasso
Jennifer Lee
Laura Lester
Ian Ludwig
Maria Ortiz
Leticia Quarles
Juanita Scott
Sonya Seigel
Ebonesse Thompson
Gerard Winstanley
Gifts in Kind
Arnold and Porter
Hogan and Hartson
Fiscal Year 2008-9*
Revenue
Tuition
School Programs
Fundraising**
Total
$1,269,230
$87,318
$79,030
$1,435,578
Expenses
Administration & General
Financial Aid
Instructional & Student Activities
Property, Transportation, Other Expenses
Total
$896,956
$303,950
$122,756
$191,887
$1,515,549
*These numbers have not been finalized in the school audit, which
is completed winter 2009-10.
**Does not include incoming funds ($74,306.00) to Major Giving
Campaign, which are not for operating income.
Revenue
$1,435,578
Tuition
88%
School Programs 6%
Fundraising 6%
Expenses
$1,515,549
Upper School students in a D.C. History field trip.
The Parkmont School Annual Report is published by The
Development Office after each fiscal year.
We have attempted to make these lists as correct as
possible. If any inaccuracies are found, please notify the
Development Office and accept our sincere apologies.
For more information on Parkmont School’s development efforts, please contact Christy Halvorson Ross,
Director of Development, at (202) 726-0740, ext. 210.
AnnualReport
Financial Aid 20%
Administration
& General
59%
Instructional &
Student Activities 8%
Property, Transportation,
Other Expenses 13%
2008–2009
15
Inside this Issue
1 Somerset School Reunion
2 Director’s Letter
3 Teacher Spotlight: Kim Schraf
4 The Grand Canyon
6 Wanna Play?
7Creating Futures—
Our Million Dollar
Parkmont School Approved
to Accept Foreign Students
Parkmont to Renew
Accreditation in 2011
8 Alumni News
11Annual Report
Parkmont'
s Middle S
chool, 200
8-9
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