st. matthew’s episcopal day school news...
TRANSCRIPT
2015 / FALLSt. MAtthew’S epiScopAL DAy SchooL NewS MAgAziNe
4•16•2016Spring Fling
Dinner Auction
MEET OUR STUDENTS:21ST CENTURy LEaRNERS
aLUMNI
PHILaNTHROPy IMPaCT REPORT
MEET OUR STUDENTS:21ST CENTURy LEaRNERS
aLUMNI
PHILaNTHROPy IMPaCT REPORT
MEET OUR STUDENTS:21ST CENTURy LEaRNERS
aLUMNI
PHILaNTHROPy IMPaCT REPORT
cover photo:
Austin Mock and Alex PrecourtClass of 2020
BoArD oF truSteeS 2015 - 2016Officers:Tiffany Bassett, ChairAndrew Kearns, Vice ChairJordan Murray, Vice ChairSami Ahn, SecretaryBruce Bligh, Treasurer
Members:Todd ArrisRoslyn BenjaminKristi BlundellGordon BrooksMichael BuckleyDan CallaghanAlex Doll
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School 16 Baldwin Avenue San Mateo, CA 94401Tel 650-247-0700www.stmatthewsday.org
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School is committed to environmental stewardship. Connections is printed on 100% recycled paper and processed chlorine free using soy based inks.
printingBay Area Graphics
the Day School Foundation Board of Directors
Gordon Brooks, ChairBob Peck, TreasurerAmy Laughlin, SecretaryBlake Grossman
Christine FitzpatrickJulie Galles, Ex-officioJeff HagertyPaul InouyeAmy LaughlinAgatha PrecourtRichard VoonKiele Neas Wolf
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4-9From The Board of Trustees:Welcome New Leadership
8-10The Power of CommunityHead of SchoolSchool Families
11Welcome Benita GriffinAssistant Head of School
12-29Meet Our Students: A Look at 21st Century Skills in the ClassroomGallery St. Matthew
30-38Alumni: Class NotesHigh School and College PlacementsFrom the ArchivesAccreDitAtioN AND proFeSSioNAL AFFiLiAtioNS
• California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)
• Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
• Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education (CSEE)
• Educational Records Bureau (ERB)
• National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES)
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
• Secondary School Admission Test Bureau (SSATB)
• The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
ADMiNiStrAtioN
Julie GallesHead of School
The Rev. Amber Stancliffe EvansSchool Chaplain
Benita GriffinAssistant Head of School – Lower School Director
Brendan GummersonAssistant Head of School – Middle School Director
Linda HandalianDirector of Development & Communications
John Keith-BerkleyDirector of Finance
Ellen WilliamsonDirector of Admission
Inside Connections
Class of 2014 returns to St. Matthew’s for the annual Alumni/Eight Grade dinner
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FroM the Board of Trustees
Passing The TorchDear St. Matthew’s Community,
What an exciting time for St. Matthew’s! As we continue to grow our enrollment, welcome more students and families into our community and realize the educational benefits of our improved space, I am full of appreciation for everyone who has helped our School over the last year. Times of transition bring unique challenges on top of the already full work of running and supporting a vibrant and successful school. Over the last year, every part of our community has pitched in to build new traditions, strengthen old ones and chart a course for St. Matthew’s future. Teachers, administrators, parents, parishioners, clergy, and of course our students all did their part with flexibility,
hospitality, hope, and determination. The hard work of expansion continues. As we settle into the third year, our new spaces are starting to feel like home and our new leadership is committed to build on St. Matthew’s traditions of academic excellence and community.
All of this took an extraordinary level of participation. Our Head of School search committee was one of many groups hard at work over the last year, and it embodied so many of the qualities that we cherish. The ten members of the committee represented each constituency that makes up St. Matthew’s. Under the wise leadership of Chairs Tiffany Bassett and Alex Doll, and over many long hours and weekends, they put the good of the School and its students at the center of their deliberations, and focused always on building a strong future. Like the master planning committee, the capital campaign and annual fund volunteers, the Parents’ Association and room parents, the search committee members volunteered their time with the knowledge that their work makes St. Matthew’s stronger. I thank them and everyone who has volunteered their time for our School.
Sincerely,
Nancy Spencer Chair, Board of Trustees 2012 – 2015 Stephen ’13 and Sophie ’16
weLcoMiNgNEW LEADERSHIP
Panoramic view of our new gym.
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FroM the Board of Trustees
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Dear Members of the St. Matthew’s Community,
It is with great honor and enthusiasm that I begin my tenure as the Chair of the St. Matthew’s Board of Trustees. I look forward to working with the St. Matthew’s community over the next two years as we embark on an exciting and important chapter in the school’s history.
One of the qualities I love most about St. Matthew’s is how its long-standing traditions have come to define my family’s yearly calendar: Fall Festival marks the beginning of the school year, the Thanksgiving and Christmas Chapels signal the arrival of the holidays, May Day commemorates our soon-to-be graduates, and graduation honors the hard work and effort our students and faculty have put forth throughout the year while celebrating the beginning of summer. I am quite certain that I will continue to think of the year within the context of these traditions long after my children leave St. Matthew’s.
While I cherish these traditions, the past school year also highlighted the opportunities that can accompany change. Throughout this past winter and spring, our community gathered many times in the search for our new Head of School. The search process caused us to reflect on and assess the School’s foundation - its mission statement, traditions, core values, strengths, areas for improvement and aspirations for the future. In each of those meetings, I was impressed by the level of commitment and respect shown by all constituencies as we discussed the characteristics of St. Matthew’s that we have grown to love and cherish, as well as the opportunities for positive change that naturally accompany a transition in leadership.
On July 1, we welcomed our new Head of School, Julie Galles. Throughout the interview process, Julie impressed the community with her inspiring approach to education, direct communication skills, intelligence, and thoughtfulness. July 1 also marked the addition of Benita Griffen as our new Assistant Head of School for Lower School. Together with Brendan Gummerson, Assistant Head of School for Middle School, and Amber Stancliffe Evans, our School Chaplain, Julie and Benita round out our School’s academic leadership team, which brings a renewed energy and focus on consistently delivering a high quality, innovative education for our students.
I am also excited by the many new faces who will be joining us at St. Matthew’s this coming year. This fall, we will have double sections in both Kindergarten and Sixth Grade, which, following our first double sections last year – now in First and Seventh Grades - will cause us to cross the threshold of 200 School families! We welcome all new students and families to our community and look forward to getting to know everyone. As our student population continues to grow, so must our facilities. The third floor of St. Matthew’s Hall and our outdoor play and reflection spaces will be the next major focus of our capital campaign as we continue to deliver 21st century facilities to our students. Last year I enjoyed witnessing how our new gymnasium strengthened our sense of community through home games and parent events, while also providing important additional instruction and recreation space for our students. I am confident that our plans for the third floor will deliver a wide range of additional and enhanced program opportunities for our school.
The dedication to our beloved sense of community and tradition, as well as the opportunities for positive change, are rooted in the generosity of time and resources of St. Matthew’s families, faculty, administration, clergy and parishioners. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you to each family that has contributed to build a better St. Matthew’s for our children.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Bassett Chair, Board of Trustees 2015 Aidan ’16, Anna ’20, and Lauren ’21
weLcoMiNgNEW LEADERSHIP
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Meet Our New TrusteesroSLyN BeNjAMiN Roslyn Benjamin is a Bay Area native, who attended The Carey School in San Mateo for elementary school and Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough for Middle and High School. Upon graduation, she attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her BA in International Relations, with an emphasis on Latin American countries, and San Francisco State University, graduating with a MA in secondary education.
Currently, Roz is the Assistant Head of School at Live Oak School (K-8) in San Francisco, where she oversees the academic program. Live Oak is a co-educational independent Day School with an enrollment of approximately 264 students. The mission of Live Oak School, to provide a strong academic foundation, develop confidence, and to inspire students to act with compassion and integrity, echoes the mission of St. Matthew’s. She is a former Middle School History teacher and served as a Director of Admission at Crystal Springs Uplands as well as at All Saints’ Episcopal Day School in Phoenix, Arizona. As a previous Director of Multicultural Programs at Katherine Delmar Burke School in San Francisco, Roz knows the importance of finding the right school for students and their families, believing it is important for students to feel valued and appreciated in their school environment in order to be present and successful.
Roz lives in Redwood Shores with her husband and two children. She looks forward to joining the St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School community.
MichAeL BuckLey (Morgan ’20, Kendall ’22)
Mike moved to the Bay Area in 2007 from New York City, where he grew up spending time in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. He attended Marist College on a partial scholarship as a member of the school’s top ranked intercollegiate debate team. He received his BA with a double major in Political Science and Communication, and a minor in Philosophy.
After spending several years in consulting, Mike now serves as VP of Global Business Communications at Facebook. He loves tennis and music, and performs in a band that includes several St. Matt’s Dads.
Mike and his wife Jennifer (who has also served on the Board as Day School Parents’ Association President), fell in love with St. Matthew’s on a tour when every single student with whom they interacted was articulate, thoughtful and kind. “I am honored to sit on the Board not only because my daughters Morgan and Kendall attend the school, but because of the values and quality of education St. Matthew’s provides all students.”
FroM the Board of Trustees
A triBute to Our TrusteesjorDAN MurrAyChair, Committee on Trustees(Max ’14, Eavan ’16)
The goal of the Trustee Committee is to recruit, select and orient new board members who represent various constituencies and talents in accordance with the by-laws of the School.
The strongest boards recruit their members by means of long-term cultivation of individuals who fit a profile of talent that that is in line with the strategic plans of the Board. In addition, a strong Board orientation and mentoring program are in place to ensure that the roles and responsibilities of the Board members are clear. These responsibilities focus primarily on establishing long-term policy, developing strategy and providing fiduciary oversight.
We are forever grateful for the gifts of time, treasure and talent that members of the Board of Trustees dedicate to our School.
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ANDrew keArNS (Audrey ’16, Ellie ’20)
Andy is married to Lisa Pendleton Kearns and is the proud father of four children who have attended St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School – Ryan (’13), Audrey (’16), Charlotte (’18) and Ellie (’20).
Andy has been in the investment banking business for over 25 years and is currently a Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Technology Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley. Over the course of his career, he has been involved with more than 100 software and other technology industry-related investment banking transactions, including dozens of IPOs, mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions.
Andy was born and raised with his nine (!) siblings in Reseda, CA, just north of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. He moved to the Bay Area in 1984 to attend Stanford University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1988.
In addition to driving his kids to their various activities and walking the family’s three dogs, Andy enjoys running, traveling, music, golf and Stanford football.
“We have been privileged to be a part of the St. Matthew’s community since our son began attending school there in 2004. I am honored to join the Board and look forward to doing all that I can to help build on the tremendous strengths of the school.”
kieLe NeAS woLF (Will ’19, Bennett ’21)
Kiele relocated from New York to the Bay Area in 2011 with her husband Bill, and children, Ashley, age 13, Will (‘19) and Bennett (‘21).
Kiele spent almost 20 years in finance and investment management working for Goldman Sachs, as a Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager and Co-COO of the Private Equity Group, as well as in Investment Banking. She received her B.A. in Economics from Yale, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Kiele enjoys travel, hiking, yoga, and occasionally, sleep. She is also involved at Stanford Children’s/Lucille Packard Hospital.
“Our boys have had a wonderful transition to St. Matthew’s. We are thrilled to be part of the school and so appreciate the wonderful community and strong values orientation. I am very proud to serve on the Board and look forward to working hard to help St. Matthew’s fulfill its important mission.”
FroM the Board of Trustees
jeFFrey hAgerty (Patrick ’14)
Jeff relocated to the Bay Area with his wife Diane and children Patrick and Lauren in 2011. Jeff is a Certified Financial Planner and has worked in various corporate finance, business development, and project management positions. He received his BS in Management from Purdue University, an MBA in Finance from Hood College and his MS in Financial Services from Saint Joseph’s University.
While shuttling his children to their many activities keeps him busy, Jeff does make time for his favorite outdoor hobbies: hiking, biking, skiing and golf.
“Our school has a caring community, sense of family, and tradition that builds strong character in our children.
I am honored and humbled to be asked to join our Board and working with this group of leaders. I have been serving on the Capital Campaign Master Planning Committee and look forward to completing the project.”
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FroM the Head of School
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FroM the Head of School
It is with excitement and gratitude that I begin my first year as Head of School at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School. Over the summer, I spent considerable time immersing myself in the stories and culture of this wonderful school. Parents, trustees, faculty, staff, and students have all graciously shared what they love about St. Matthew’s and what they hope for this community in the coming years. Clearly, people love this school, and I feel myself falling in love with it, too.
As I read the Dictionary.com definition above, distinctive characteristics of the St. Matthew’s community come to mind that set us apart from other groups. I invite you to reflect on which characteristics come to mind first for you. The deep academic tradition and dedicated faculty who deliver it? The sense of shared values for respect, service, and inclusion? The way that people come together in times of celebration and crisis, supporting each other as a true family? All of these characteristics, and more, have been mentioned in my conversations these past few months.
The question of community, and how we will hold on to this important characteristic of our School as we grow, was raised in many of my early conversations. Growth and change are coming, but I am reassured by knowing that community is not measured in numbers, but in the connection between individuals.
As our student body grows, we actively provide opportunities to build and foster community spirit among all constituents. Our School Families program, piloted last year, was hugely successful in building bridges between children of varying grade levels and between children and adults on campus. This year will afford more instances of cross-grade collaboration, recreational time, and special projects, including even the youngest of our members in our ECC program. New parent groups, such as the Working Parents group within the Day School Parents’ Association, provide venues for all parents to be heard and valued. A new group of long-tenured faculty members, aptly named the Cultural Advisory Council, has agreed to provide insight and feedback throughout my first year, to ensure that the rich history and traditions of St. Matthew’s are continued and strengthened as the community moves through the leadership transition.
A strong community enriches the lives of children and creates a space of safety where they can explore, take risks, and discover who they are growing into being. Strong communities also enrich the lives of adults, whether they work on campus each day, volunteer at school events, share our worship space, or watch our progress from afar via social media or the news from their grandchildren.
Yes, we are a distinct community - one that I am humbly grateful to lead. Enjoy this edition of Connections magazine, which highlights more aspects of our community of teachers and learners. In the months ahead, I look forward to connecting with many of you in person and hearing more of our shared stories and shared dreams. We are off to a great start!
Warmly,
Julie GallesHead of School
“As a new member
of this community,
I look forward to
the work we will do
together to realize
our shared dreams.”
The Power of CommunitycoMMuNity: a group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists
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When a student is at a school like ours, a school that fosters a compassionate community, it is essential that our young people have a social group with whom they feel comfortable; students in other classes and across grade levels, adults with whom they connect on a personal level.
This past school year, St. Matthew’s piloted a new community building structure in Grades K-8. Each student was grouped into a School Family, which consisted of at least one child per grade level and two “parents”, faculty and administrators who, along with the 8th Grade student, guided the group to bond and get to know one another. Family Time was an opportunity for bonding: to eat lunch together, or work on a project to serve our School and extended communities. At their first meeting, the 22 different Families created a shield to define themselves. Some examples of Family activities included creating works of Valentine art to share with our Peninsula Regent neighbors, helping other peoples’ families by making them feel a little closer to home with the comfort of our care packages to US troops in Afghanistan, and making farewell cards for each graduating Eighth Grade Family member.
School Families have become a permanent part of our community structure and we anticipate an exciting year as the students in the Class of 2016 take on their Family leadership roles.
SchooL FAMiLieS at St. Matthew’s
“Family – A social unit consisting of one or more
adults together with the children they care for.” (Dictionary.com, 2015)
Family chatter heard in the hallways…
“We want to keep doing
Families next year too!”
– Entire Fourth Grade class
“My sixth grade buddy always
says ‘hi’ to me!” – Zoe Kwok, Class of ’21
“When is our next Families project? I have
some great ideas!”
– Katharine Mahaffey, Class of ’17
“When I see my Kindergarten
Family member he always tells me excitedly,
“You are in my family! I love my family!”
– Mrs. King
“It is so fun to be with kids in this
way as a non-teaching faculty! I look forward to these activities.”
– Mr. Searson
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weLcoMe New Assistant Head of School/Lower School Director
1. cAN you ShAre A LittLe ABout your FAMiLy? I grew up an only child in South Carolina, but decided not to
return after attending college in New York City. My father died when I was 19, but my mom still lives in the same house I grew up in.
2. you hAve A SoN iN coLLege At SANtA cLArA? Yes. He is a junior, majoring in biological anthropology. He
spent a month in Ireland over the summer on an archaeological excavation. He found a belt buckle from the late 15th or early 16th century. Stop by my office so that you can see a picture of the buckle and my son!
3. how DiD you FiND yourSeLF workiNg iN eLeMeNtAry eDucAtioN?
I didn’t always know that I wanted to work in education. After working long days and nights in a direct marketing agency in the “Big Apple,” it hit me that I was not giving back to society, and I did not feel good about it. So I secretly began taking education courses. A year later, I quit my job and only a few weeks before the start of a Catholic school opening day, I was hired to teach 28 second graders in Hoboken, N.J. I made very little money, but it sure felt right. And, as they say, “the rest is history!”
4. you hAve workeD At A vAriety oF DiFFereNt SchooLS. whAt hAve you tAkeN AwAy FroM eAch oF thoSe experieNceS?
From the Catholic school setting I started in, I moved north to my ex-husband’s roots and taught in the Cambridge, Salem and Boston, MA public school systems. After our son was born, we decided to move closer to family and landed in Pennsylvania, where I had the privilege of working in a Quaker school and an all-girls’ school. Most recently, I worked in a progressive school, PS1, in Santa Monica, CA.
Each of these schools was successful in constantly exploring what and how the students were learning, and they cared about the environment in which this learning took place. This is not always the case in a lot of schools. Faculty and administrators in these schools taught me to be reflective, celebrate and support each other, evaluate if learning is taking place and do something about it when it isn’t, ask questions (even as adults), keep learning alive, never stop learning, and to have a sense of humor.
5. whAt Do you See AS the greAteSt chALLeNge For pAreNtS iN SupportiNg their StuDeNtS toDAy? Parenting is a very challenging endeavor. Since there are so many views on this issue, the answer to this question is one I would like to hear from parents themselves, so I am throwing this question back to them. I will respond by saying that parents need to know they can count on St. Matthew’s for support. I will work tirelessly to make sure we build a community that develops curricula to fit the needs of our students, stress the importance of parent, teacher and administrator collaboration, and make sure we give families the appropriate strategies to help children succeed in a child-centered atmosphere of trust and respect.
6. Do you hAve ANy SAge worDS oF ADvice For our StuDeNtS?
Become deep thinkers; persevere through life’s situations; learn from mistakes, no one is perfect; remember how to play and have fun; respect differences and develop a sense of others; be yourself, though sometimes that may seem risky; and did I say, remember how to play and have fun!
7. wheN you Are Not workiNg, whAt cAN we FiND you DoiNg For FuN?
Hiking, reading, browsing in old, eclectic bookstores, baking, watching the Food Network and collecting kitchen gadgets!
8. the chiLDreN wiLL Be exciteD to LeArN More ABout you. i iMAgiNe SoMe oF their queStioNS Might Be…
whAt iS your FAvorite coLor? My favorite colors are blue and black, though I am desperately
trying to add brighter colors to my life.
FAvorite SuBject(S) (other thAN receSS!)? Math, writing and social studies (which is so underrated!)
Do you hAve FAvorite BookS? Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird and Robert B. Parker
novels are a few of my favorite books. They’ve only gotten better the third, fourth, fifth time around. Author? My favorite children’s author is Roald Dahl, and one of my favorite children’s book is an oldie, but goodie, The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf.
An Interview with
BeNNitA griFFiN Assistant Head of School, Lower School
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Meet our Students
Meet our STUDENTSWhen visiting St. Matthew’s for the first time, observing our programs in action, what emerges is a portrait of the St. Matthew’s student. This portrait is inspired by our Mission and Core Values and represents the skills, habits, qualities, and aspirations we hold for the future of our students - from emerging learners in Preschool to our Eighth Grade graduates.
A priority of the St. Matthew’s faculty is to identify the skills and talents expected of our 21st Century learners and build curriculum that helps students form meaningful connections across subject areas.
In this issue of Connections magazine, we share 21 exAMpLeS oF 21St ceNtury LeArNiNg: our students in action, and the characteristics that distinguish them as 21st Century learners.
the 21St ceNtury St. MAtthew’S StuDeNt:• Works as part of a team, takes risks, stands up for her beliefs, and perSevereS
• Is reSiLieNt and open to growth
• Understands that mistakes and failures, criticism and FeeDBAck lead to learning
• Asks chALLeNgiNg questions and gives clear and thoughtFuL answers
• Tackles problems critically and creAtiveLy
• Has coMpASSioN for others
• Leads by example, showing iNitiAtive and demonstrating reSpoNSiBiLity for his own actions
• Understands and acts on the responsibilities of gLoBAL citizeNShip
• Appreciates and vALueS the earth and realizes that one’s actions impact the environment
• Experiences learning as a lifetime of woNDer and DiScovery
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Meet our Students
1. FroM chopStickS to peNciLS Each year, students in Pre-Kindergarten brainstorm about the type of things they expect to happen in spring. This past year, the conversation ranged from new trees growing to the weather getting warmer and animals coming out of hibernation. To capture all of their ideas about spring, the students painted pictures using new and creative techniques that developed their fine motor skills. They used chopsticks to pick up pom-pom balls dipped in paint. With the painted pom-pom balls they created all types of spring sceneries: beautiful flowers, grass, butterflies, and even the rain going away and forming a rainbow. Some students swirled the paint, others dabbed to create a sponge like creation, or rubbed with the medium. They loved seeing how different each student’s design turned out.
Anthony Satriano, pre-kindergarten teacher
2.i AM ooBLeck…Do you kNow Me? I’m gooey. I’m tough and tricky to pick up. I melt in your hand, and I love to be played with! I am Oobleck. The name was given to me when an association was made between Dr. Suess’s books “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” and my odd properties. I am cornstarch and water, and enable incredible growth in the prekindergarten students who handle me.
Jean Piaget (1896-1980), developmental psychologist, who was most known for his theory of cognitive development and his epistemological studies with children, would have high praise for a substance like me. He is one of the great forefathers who emphasized the importance of play in early childhood education. When students learn something new, they go through a process he coined as intelligent adaptation, which contributes greatly to the students’ ability to think critically. This intelligent adaptation consists of two parts, assimilation and accommodation. When students touch me for the first time they immediately feel a familiar clay-like substance that they categorize in their brain. When they then hold me and realize that I am not clay, as I melt in their palms, they must assimilate the textures they have stored in their memory so that the world around them adapts to their pre-existing categories. As this unfolds in their mind, they are in turn accommodating to the world around them by creating a new category for the substance. Where they might have had the categories of clay and liquid in their minds before, the accommodation process allows them to generate a new category of a substance that has both clay and liquid properties, me!
It is this process of adaptation that all humans use in critical thinking and to understand the world around them. It is why play is so important to the educational process. So if you ever find yourself near the prekindergarten classrooms, stop in and play with me.
Anthony Satriano, pre-kindergarten teacher
By using chopsticks in unique ways to make art, the students prepare their fingers for writing in Kindergarten.
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Meet our Students
3.reSeArch AND DeSigN Location, location, location! One of the many benefits of the new St. Matthew’s Hall is the proximity of the Library and Maker Lab, creating even more opportunities for program collaboration and innovation. The new Research and Design course for Sixth Grade was created in the summer of 2014 and implemented in our first year in St. Matthew’s Hall. After completing a first successful year, Research and Design will continue as an integral course in the Middle School curriculum.
The course curriculum provides students the opportunity to learn, practice and integrate skills that cross multiple subject areas. These include basic research skills: how information is organized and how to find that information effectively through web searches, databases and print materials. The class also teaches students how to appropriately communicate information (through email and blogs) and correctly cite sources.
The opportunity to apply their research into a machine/model prototype is powerful, and the end result quite remarkable. For example, one group of students studied the artist Jackson Pollock. Their research provided the framework for building a catapult that shot paint soaked sponges to mimic the effects and style of a Pollock painting. Others studied the way a duck moves its wings and then built a prototype that imitates these movements. While students work through their designs, they blog about any challenges they encounter and develop strategies to resolve those obstacles.
The more abstract and complex a topic, the greater need for design, thinking and hands-on application. The Maker Lab and Library collaboration provides just such opportunities.
jeff paulson, Librarian and research and Design
4.wALkiNg with the DiNoSAurS iN SecoND grADe In Science, students took a journey back 165 million years to a time when the dinosaurs walked the earth. After researching a dinosaur of their choice, each student wrote a report that included information about habitat, interesting facts, and an extinction theory. They then applied their research by creating a “dinorama” that presented their dinosaur in its habitat. In addition to their dinosaur research, students learned about fossils and made their own fossils using dinosaur figures, clay and plaster of paris. This early stage Research and Design class integrates skills across subject areas and lays the groundwork for future, more complex projects.
Susie Flowers, Second grade teacher
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Meet our Students
5.A trip ArouND the worLD Each year, the First Grade takes an imaginary trip around the world, complete with passports. They visit approximately 15 countries per year, stopping at every continent including Antarctica, with the purposes of developing a global awareness, appreciation for other cultures and to learn geography and mapping skills.
The trip begins with a simulated airplane flight to our first country and ends in June as we fly home at the end of our trip. We stamp passports for all of the destinations in between.
To enhance the students’ experience and provide first-hand knowledge, First Grade parents and other guests give presentations on the countries they have lived in or visited. They share slide shows with an overview of the country, teach words from the country’s language, read stories, bring an art project for the students to do, bring food to sample, and sometimes even teach a song or dance.
Louise yapp, First grade teacher
6.AND the MorAL oF the Story iS…Chapter books are a favorite and effective means for introducing new topics of study to students. In Third Grade, a class reading of Gooney The Fabulous was used to introduce fables. It is a story about a class that writes and acts out their own fables. This provided the perfect introduction to our own study of fables. The students enjoyed trying to guess the moral of each fable. Follow up reading included a study of Aesop's Fables, where students analyzed some of the more famous fable stories. And, just like the students in the Gooney Bird story, it was finally our students’ turns to write and act out a fable of their own. Their fables were filled with morals that applied to Third Grade life, centered on themes of people treating others kindly, not judging people by their size, and being safe.
jeff paulson, Librarian
Each year our trip is
different. This past year we
visited Sweden, Antarctica,
Australia, China, Japan,
South Korea, Indonesia,
England, Italy, India,
South Africa, Peru, Mexico,
Poland, and Latvia.
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Meet our Students
7.progrAMAS De cociNA Second language acquisition is always enhanced by experiencing language in a hands-on way, through cultural experiences that leave long and lasting impressions. Spanish class at St. Matthew’s explores language not only through instruction but also through activities and projects that have students practicing their written and oral language skills in a fun and playful way.
One notable cultural project is the Seventh Grade production of several Programas de Cocina, or Cooking Shows. In groups, the students are tasked with researching a traditional Latin American dish and, with the aid of their iPads, film themselves preparing the dish and explaining in Spanish how to cook the dish, its significance, and place of origin. The students then screen the mini Cooking Shows for the class, with some of the students even bringing in the dish to share with their classmates.
Last year in Fifth Grade, students completed an interdisciplinary Spanish/Language Arts project for International Week. They developed their research and writing skills, and expanded their knowledge of Spanish vocabulary through the production of a research paper on one Mexican city located along the Pacific Coast, as Mexico was the Fifth Grade country of study for International Week. Additionally, the students completed a biography project where each student chose a notable Mexican individual and presented a biography on this individual while dressed in costume. Such notable people chosen included, Montezuma, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Salma Hayek. It proved to be an excellent way to introduce the students to Mexican history, culture, and the Spanish language.
will robinson, Middle School Spanish
MirANDoSe chevere eN LA eScueLA BAjA Students in Third and Fourth Grade Spanish class get ready for summer fun! The colorful sunglasses provided a template for writing about their anticipated summer plans. The students started by drawing self-portraits that helped reinforce their Spanish vocabulary of the major body parts. In the sunglasses, students practiced their written language skills by writing in Spanish what they were looking forward to doing this past summer. Each student presented their self-portrait to the class and read their summer plans in Spanish. Looking cool and learning in the Lower School...
Andrea grana, Lower School Spanish
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Meet our Students
8.uNDerStANDiNg MetAMorphoSiS During their study of insects, the Kindergarten students watched the lifecycle of five Painted Lady butterflies. When they arrived as caterpillars, the students learned about what caterpillars eat, how they change, and what makes them special. They watched them form their chrysalises and learned about how that happens, for how long, and what it means for the caterpillars. The students patiently sat, watched and waited for days! Then one day, the first butterfly emerged. The class celebrated this exciting metamorphosis as they watched the butterflies being released in the Memorial Garden of Mustang Meadow. Upon the release of the butterflies, the Kindergarteners continued learning about various insects, including praying mantises, ants, and bees, reinforcing their learning through art projects, writing, and reading activities.
Mary Buford, kindergarten
creepy crAwLy BugS AND BeAutiFuL ButterFLieS Along with exploring a wide variety of insects, Preschool students learned about the lifecycle of the butterfly. St. Matthew’s youngest scientists witnessed the metamorphosis from a caterpillar to a butterfly pushing out from its chrysalis to begin the life cycle all over again.
kathleen Biehl, preschool
9.wAx MuSeuM Requiring achievement and mastery in writing, speech, and research skills, the “Famous Californian Wax Museum Project” represents the culmination of the Fourth Grade English and Social Studies curriculum.
Students are responsible for writing a biographical report on a famous Californian, requiring investigative and reasoning skills that have been taught and reiterated throughout the year. They are asked to consider their subjects’ lives critically, focusing their research on information that would be relevant to their presentation. Students deepen their writing skills by experimenting with the expository essay, learning how to create structured paragraphs that give their writing flow and focus.
Their research is enhanced by a field trip to Sacramento’s California History Museum. This field trip is part of a broader initiative of immersing the St. Matthew’s student in Californian history and governance, exposing them to concepts and ideas outside of textbooks and making history relevant and relatable.
The final piece of the project is the performance aspect of the assignment. Students pick out costumes that portray their person of interest. The “wax museum” is designed so students can also work on their public speaking abilities, reciting a biographical blurb they have memorized about their Californian to friends, family, and the St Matthew’s school community. To view last year’s presentations: You Tube Video https://youtu.be/oG4oWOfLdYA
Nathan orr and thomas cho, Fourth grade
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Meet our Students
10.SecoND grADe NewShouNDS What is the job of a journalist? How does the news make it into print form, delivered to our front door each day? Second Grade students, as part of their curriculum in Social Studies, delved into these topics and together worked on a class newspaper. They started by learning how news has been transmitted in the past – from Morse code to telegrams, via radio or on television – and how the Internet, as a primary source of information, is replacing print news. They discussed how a publication determines what their audience (aka, community) wants to know about, from local to national events. Questions came up about money, and how this might affect the publication process. Advertisements that pay for the cost of producing a paper brought up a thought-provoking discussion about ethics; what do you do if an unscrupulous company like "Poison Burger" offers you loads of cash to run an ad…do you do it? There were mixed reactions to this dilemma.
The final project was to create a class paper that required writing and editing four drafts of their stories, ensuring that facts were accurate and spelling was checked. (Even so, we acknowledged that mistakes do still happen during the publication process; that’s why papers often have to write apologies in the next issue if errors get printed.) On the day of distribution, students were elated to read the contributions of their classmates, and enjoyed taking a few moments to praise the efforts of their fellow journalists.
Susi Flowers, Second grade
11.trAveLiNg BAck iN tiMe A highlight in the Sixth Grade study of the Middle Ages is learning about the importance of the church; the hierarchy of the church is discussed versus the power of the monarchy. To integrate with Language Arts, students read Crispin, the Cross of Lead, by Avi, along with short passages that include correlating questions that tie directly in with the work they complete in Social Studies. Students continue their studies by learning about cathedrals: their architecture, the funding for the structures, and the length of time they took to construct. On “Fabulous Film Day” they watch David Macauley’s “Cathedral” to enhance what they have learned from the textbook and class discussions. In addition, students learn about the benefits of the stained glass windows, their purpose beyond decoration and their impact on the construction of the cathedrals. To reinforce their learning, two culminating activities occur at the end of the study of the Middle Ages. Students design and decorate their own stained glass windows using construction paper, vellum, a laser cutter and markers. In addition, students work in teams to create either a castle or a cathedral using cardboard, glue guns, and a host of other materials that fit their design.
julie McMillan, Sixth grade
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Meet our Students
12.the i AM AND i AM Not The inspiration for the I AM and I AM NOT wall came from Upstanders, by Harvey “Smokey” Daniels and Sara Ahmed, a book I read at an Inquiry Based Learning conference. While I have used the Responsive Classroom philosophy in my classroom since 1999, I wanted something to dig deeper into the students’ self-identity process. Learning about who they are, and who they are not as well as how others perceive them, helped my students make vital connections to the ancient world and our year-long essential question during Fifth Grade, “What Makes a Human, Human?”
The class took a risk, and after a very successful bulletin board display in the safety of the Fifth Grade classroom, the students thought it would be enlightening if everyone in Middle School got to experience the power of this board. So, with some guidelines on how best to participate, the Fifth Grade moved their board to the public hallway bulletin board space, exposing their vulnerable identities to the rest of the Middle School students. They also made announcements in chapel encouraging other students to not only read and share what they had posted, but to participate by adding to the board.
The board was up for three weeks, and Fifth Grade received many comments from the older Middle School students, as well as a few brave souls who ventured to actively put their identity words up on the board. The fifth Graders felt proud of their leadership with this project, and I think they believed it brought the entire Middle School just a little bit closer together.
The “Wall” allowed the students to take a risk in a safe place, learning more about themselves and those around them. That is the key idea behind the Responsive Classroom, and by delving deeper into personal identity and labels, both those we put on ourselves and the ones others put on us, the Fifth Grade class was empowered to move forward and continue to build a more inclusive community at St. Matthew’s.
Dawn carleton, Fifth grade
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Meet our Students
13.the kiNDNeSS teAM SuperheroeS On Friday afternoons, Middle School students participate in the SLC (Student Leadership Club) program that offers a wide variety of interesting club options intended to challenge and extend their learning into new and unfamiliar areas.
One such club was the Kindness Team that took on the project of creating a kindness week for the Lower School students. During the Friday Club time these Middle School students became “Superheroes of Kindness,” complete with resplendent capes. They partnered with the Lower School teachers to catch and reward students demonstrating acts of kindness by giving away the "Caught Being Kind" stickers they made.
The students were inspired by the following quote from Madeline Levine's book Teach Your Children Well, "In order to have kindness, compassion, and empathy be a part of our children's selves, we have to put as much effort into strengthening those qualities in our children and modeling them in our homes as we do into issues of academic or athletic performance. Emphasizing goodness should be a daily exercise for us as we "catch" our children being good at small things - sharing a cookie with a friend, helping a younger sibling with a math problem. It is the expectation of good behavior and the rewarding of it in its minor forms that accumulate and turn our children into good people."
tim vanier, Middle School physical education and Athletics
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Dave Eggers, co-founder
of VAD, joined the Eighth
Grade students and
School families to share
the work of VAD and
accomplishments at Marial
Bai Secondary School.
Meet our Students
14.gLoBAL Service The annual Eighth Grade Global Service Learning Project is an integrative, student-driven unit of Religion class that exemplifies St. Matthew's 21st Century Education. The unit begins with a study of extreme poverty as defined and reported by the United Nations. As students learn about the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), they discover how the world’s systems are interconnected, and how education, sanitation, gender equality and health care, among other factors, all contribute to the development of nations. After researching current needs, the class chooses one of the MDGs to focus on, researches organizations focusing on that goal, and finally selects one to support with a school-wide fundraising project. This past year the students chose education as their goal, and the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation as their organization.
As the students undertake an in-depth study of their chosen project, they develop a deeper knowledge of the world and an understanding of philanthropy. The Class of 2015 learned of the civil war that devastated South Sudan and the toll violence takes on a nation. When they heard about the cultural obstacles to educating girls and the way dozens of students pile on top of each other to study under the sole light bulb at the Marial Bai Secondary School, our students felt great appreciation for the education they are receiving. Their curiosity and compassion were evident throughout the unit.
Their project goal was to educate St. Matthew’s students and parent community about the work of VAD and raise $5,000, to cover the salary of one teacher at the Marial Bai Secondary School. They led school-wide and parent events, including an evening with renowned author Dave Eggers, a co-founder of VAD and successfully raised over $7,000 for the foundation. Most importantly, their vision of the world grew, as did their understanding that they have both the ability, and the responsibility, to be leaders of positive change.
chaplain Amber Stancliffe evans, chaplain and religious education
Until my last year at St. Matthew's, I did not realize how much of an impact a small class of Eighth Graders could make on an entirely different
part of the world. Not only did we help raise funds to provide a teacher salary for a South Sudanese school, but we also got a glimpse into the
experience of being a young student in a part of the world where they are recovering from a devastating and destructive war. I feel as if I am more
informed about a far away country, but I have also realized through global service that I am truly blessed to have such amazing opportunities and
education. Our determination for this project allowed us to help less-fortunate students across the globe receive an education like the one we are
lucky to have. I have learned that as long as you put your heart into helping other people, you can create positive change. – Margot Odden, Class of 2015
Our global service learning project, helping the students of South Sudan get an education, was eye opening about what living in South Sudan is
like. I learned about the struggles of being a girl and how growing up in South Sudan is so much different than growing up in the United States.
I also learned how the Marial Bai Secondary School is making a huge difference in the new country of South Sudan. Because of my family’s
friendship with Dave Eggers, I already knew a bit about the VAD foundation. But when its director, Ms. Clements, came into our classroom to
talk about her work, I was really amazed at how much of a difference the school was making. I am so happy we were able to help the foundation.– Bella Scola, Class of 2015
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Meet our Students
15.ceLeBrAtiNg StuDeNt writerS, ActorS, MuSiciANS, proDucerS AND FiLMMAkerS What do you get when you have 36 talented students and nine weeks to create a show? The answer: “Sixth Grade Night Live.” Improvisation for children is innate, and this drama activity blended their improvisational skills with writing and learning how to stage a theatrical performance.
To prepare, the students practiced basic techniques of improvisational acting and singing. From there, they launched into a mega brainstorming session, allowing everyone to share their creative voices. There were ideas spanning from Disney Princesses to demonic baby dolls. It was clear from the start that these students had something to say, and they took ownership of the whole process from start to finish, including writing original music. A list of 100+ ideas was narrowed to about twelve pieces. The class self selected who was going to be a musician/actor and who would be a writer/actor.
The students were incredibly focused, and worked voraciously on their “works of art” as their visions came to life. Although faculty was on hand to guide and critique, it was the students’ absolute ownership of the creative process and end product that led to such impressive growth.
elizabeth Dalkert, Drama teacher (2002-2015) and Dr. paul ellison, Music and choir Director
16.DeveLopiNg cuLturAL LiterAcy Working with Ms. Janklow from Peopleologie, the Third Grade students were exposed to the culture heritage of a variety of countries. Her presentations and hands-on art projects helped the students develop greater cultural literacy and enabled them to connect to global communities. When the students wove a Peruvian armband, made an African adinkra cloth, designed a Hopi clay pot, created a Chinese paper cutting, wrote an Indian palm leaf book, or created a visionary pastel chalk drawing, they recognized and honored these culturally diverse people and their heritage.
Also, by making handmade objects created from limited resources, the students came to an understanding of the importance of folk art in people’s everyday lives. As they learned about ancient and contemporary indigenous life, they also understood that everyone is an artist.
Alice carr, third grade
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Meet our Students
17.the “titANic” I often try to help my students realize how important it is that they cooperate and care for their classmates. This Titanic activity emphasizes group communication, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy, as well as potential issues related to physical proximity. The object of the activity is to try to rescue the entire class. The class starts on a single sinking tarp and they must all cross the gym to the other side using only 2 rescue tarps, along with another rescue tarp that is placed in the middle of the gym and is usable if they can figure out how to obtain it. This activity requires that they do not touch the ground in any way and if they do, they must go to a rescue boat in the opposite corner of the gym. Those students cannot be rescued or assist in the plan until the rest of the class successfully makes it across the gym to the other boat. This activity shows who the leaders, followers, listeners, thinkers and peacemakers are.
Since there are many different ways to accomplish this task, proper communication and cooperation are imperative. Students must find ways to communicate with each other and often realize that listening can be more important than speaking. The loudest student is not always the one with the greatest solution. The idea that the students must work together with the entire group to achieve success allows the students to understand the importance of working together. The class needs to think and solve the problem, not just react to find a quick solution. They learn that the quick, rushed solution is rarely successful. This kind of work allows them to learn great things about their classmates and realize that they want to be cohesive and successful.
Once they gain a general knowledge of this activity, the familiar Titanic song is added for effect and urgency, as they must accomplish this task before the song ends. The result is more focused thinking and cooperation in order to be successful. The students experience a range of feelings during this exercise, from feeling excited, nervous, frustrated, and finally, the ultimate joy of success!
toni king, Lower School physical education
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Meet our Students
18.MoDeLiNg the MicroScopic Eighth Graders put a familiar tool to a new use when tackling meiosis. Using clay and their iPads they broke down the complex process through which a eukaryotic diploid cell produces four haploid daughter cells. They manipulated chromosomes, modeling independent assortment and crossing over, the source of genetic diversity, and captured images of all the significant phases of meiosis on their iPad, then annotated the images creating their own guide to the process.
peter Menard, Middle School Science and Mathematics
19.three heArtS AND the opeN circuLAtory SySteM Fifth Grade students got a hands-on examination of the characteristics that define mollusks and display their place in the evolution of animal life. They examined and discussed how the internal and external features of a squid would be adaptive and increase reproductive fitness, and traced the similarities and differences to other organisms. Some students even took their scientific exploration deeper by consuming some of their squid (after it was sautéed in butter... butter made by the Seventh Graders earlier in the day when they were studying colloids) – yummy!!
peter Menard, Middle School Science and Mathematics
What would be the best way for Eighth Grade students to learn about
the inner workings of a microscope? Quite simply, by building their own!
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Meet our Students
20. ADveNtureS with iNtegerS Sixth Grade students took a simple idea, that numbers can be positive or negative, through a series of complex collaborative exercises pushing them to reason abstractly, identify and apply patterns, and develop automaticity. Sharing a deck of cards, computer, or what may have looked at first like puzzles and games, the students quickly discovered an experience in cultivating their mathematical instincts. They learned that math is not just about numbers; it is about thinking, thinking in a way that is uniquely human.
peter Menard, Middle School Science and Mathematics
the MAth oLyMpiAD For StuDeNtS iN Sixth through eighth grADe Each year, our students participate in five international contests that provide incentive for them to intensify their study of mathematics. The Olympiad has students explore different problem solving strategies and practice non-traditional problem solving strategies. They then share different approaches to solving challenging problems with their classmates, improving everyone’s creativity, ingenuity, and flexibility in solving problems. The students love to share and discover strategies, and are excited to find out their scores.
Scot Sinclair, Middle School Mathematics
For more information on the Math Olympiad program, check out moems.org.
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Meet our Students
21. A trip DowN uNDer International Week and the National Geographic map of the Pacific Ocean provided the perfect backdrop for the Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten students to discover the mysteries of the “Land Down Under.” The natural habitats and animals that live in Australia, the unique food, customs and traditions fascinated the children. With the help of outside experts who shared artifacts, stories and art projects that extended their learning the students became “experts” in all things Australian.
karen Secrest, pre-kindergarten
Using a variety of materials and techniques, the students created art projects related to Australia - boomerangs, Aboriginal rock paintings, and a large image of the Great Barrier Reef. These
projects expanded their knowledge in creative and fun ways to learn about a country and culture that was new to them.
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Art Show
Gallery St. MatthewSpriNg 2015
The annual Spring Art Show is the culmination of a year’s work in the visual arts. It is an inspirational showcase of our students’ talents, and the joy of creativity is present in each piece.
At St. Matthew’s, creating art gives every student a medium for expressing their inner self, and to explore and expand their thinking.
We are proud to share some highlights from this year’s Gallery St. Matthew.
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Art Show
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A L u M N i
Class NoteS
St. Matthew’s has taught me to turn “arrows into flowers.” I have learned to not hold grudges and how to resolve conflicts when they come up. – Francis schulz, class oF 2015
CLASS of 1998jeSSie (BuDD-thANoS) BArBAto
Jessie currently lives in Burlingame, CA with her husband of almost four years, Jon Barbato. She received her master’s in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University in 2012. While receiving her 3,000 hours toward her license, she worked at Gunn, Paly and Sequoia High Schools as a school counselor, which she absolutely loved. Her most recent job was at Riviera EVP, a 72 bed residential facility for adults with severe mental illness as a case manager where she was able to run groups having to do with Dual Diagnosis and Relationship Building. She has passed her first exam toward licensure, and is currently studying to pass her second!
CLASS of 1999MAtt BuDD-thANoS
Matt currently lives in San Francisco, CA with a good friend from high school. After graduating from the University of Oregon (he is a die hard Ducks fan!!) he took some time off to travel with friends from college to Australia and New Zealand. While there, he bungee jumped, went skydiving and snorkeling. He is currently working at Twitter in sales. He previously worked at Salesforce doing sales as well, which he enjoyed a lot.
MAtt SeeBerger
Matt just finished his first year of playing full time on the ATP world tour. He is now
ranked inside the top 200 in the world in the doubles rankings. He has won 9 professional futures titles, and has transitioned to playing at the challenger level, which is one level below the Grand Slams, such as Wimbledon. He hopes to keep moving up the rankings, as well as seeing the world!
CLASS of 2000phiL yueN
Phil can’t believe that it’s been 15 years since he graduated from St. Matthew’s. He is living in Sacramento and working on his PhD at UC Davis in the chemistry department. His lab studies DNA repair and its role in cancer and other diseases. Phil should be graduating within the year and looking for a job soon.
CLASS of 2001priyA BhANu
Priya graduated from the University of Michigan Law School last year, where she
focused on international law and spent a semester in Geneva, Switzerland, doing human rights work. After graduation, Priya moved back to the Bay Area for the first time in almost ten years. She is currently working for a federal judge in San Jose, CA and absolutely loving the experience! Come October, she will be heading back to Washington, DC to join a law firm there. While she has enjoyed her year back home, she is looking forward to starting her law practice in such a vibrant, if sometimes chilly, place!
huNter petterSoN
Hunter and his wife Maria are the proud parents of newly arrived Juniper Ross Petterson!
St. Matthew’s has given me the confidence to speak in front of my teachers, class, and the entire St. Matthew’s community. Whether I am giving a chapel talk to the whole school or running for student council elections, St. Matthew’s gives me many opportunities to practice my public speaking skills. The encouragement and congratulations from everyone is so helpful to get over your fears. – abigail Doll, class oF 2015
St. Matthew’s has taught me to put others before myself. The School has helped me learn what kind of person I am and who I can become. – Patrick hagerty, class oF 2015
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A L u M N i
Class NoteS
CLASS of 2002Nicky BuDD-thANoS
(left to right) Nicky, mother Chris Budd, father Jim Thanos, brother Matt and sister Jessie
Nicky currently lives in San Francisco, CA with her boyfriend DJ. After graduating from Georgetown University, she began working at NetBase, a start up based in Mountain View. After three years, Nicky moved to a Communications role at SwiftKey and has been there for almost two years.
Class of 2005victoriA (tory) SiMS
This past spring I started working in San Francisco at an environmental engineering con-sulting company called Ramboll
Environ. It is a global firm that has several different practice areas including water, site solu-tions, and environmental health and safety. My office specializes in air quality work. We work with our clients to provide litigation support, air permit-ting assistance, environmental compliance audits, and more to find economically feasible solutions to help reduce their environmental impact on air quality and human health. I am excited to be living back in the Bay Area again.
I always think very fondly of my days at St. Matthew’s, and I stay in touch with some of my classmates, especially Sarah Bedford. It was a great environment to grow and learn with such amazing teachers and faculty!
CLASS of 2008jeeNALi pAteL
Jeenali is currently a junior at St. Mary’s College in Moraga studying Health Science. She plans to attend Physical Therapy
school after her time at St. Mary’s. Once she completes her science classes she will begin working and volunteering at physical therapy offices. She continues to travel to India almost every year, as is tradition in her family. She is pursuing a career in science because Mrs. E’s 8th Grade Biology class at St. Matthew’s opened up her mind to something that she had never considered before. Seven years later, she still loves science! Each day becomes harder academically, but she always comes across new opportunities and adventures that keep things exciting.
CLASS of 2009juLie ForMANek
Julia is a sophomore at Beloit College in Wisconsin working toward a theatre production major with an emphasis in stage management. She has been working on two shows this year. She was the assistant stage manager for “Stop Kiss,” by Diana Son. She was also the Stage Manager for her main spring show, “Learned Ladies,” by Moliere. She also works in her scenic shop as a technician where she helps build sets for the shows.
This past summer, Julia had an internship as a stage management intern at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This year, she will be working on her main fall show, “Rent” as the assistant stage manager and the assistant scenic artist. She feels very lucky to have been able to study so many different aspects of theatre, including scenic design, scenic artist experience, and lighting design.
She also attended USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) for the first time this year, which is a conference where tech people in the entertainment field network and share their work, ideas, and their companies’ successes.
CLASS of 2010Brooke ButterworthBrooke was recruited to play
tennis at Ohio Wesleyan University in Ohio. She enjoyed her freshman year
immensely. She spent last summer and this summer training for the season. In addition to varsity tennis, she will also play varsity soccer this year.
Brooke graduated from Santa Catalina School in 2014. She was a member (now a sustainer) of the National Charity League Crystal Springs Chapter (the first one since Allie Haynes from St. Matthew’s) and made her debut in 2014. Brooke does not know what she wants to major in yet.
Aidan Chandless ’11 signs with Washington & Lee to play Lacrosse; Henry Hinds ’11 signs with Colorado College to play Lacrosse; Katarina Churich ’11 signs with UC Berkeley for Rowing
St. Matthew’s has helped me gain more courage to be myself, a girl who can speak her mind. – grace Winningham, class oF 2015
I have enjoyed studying and talking about the “Big Questions” in religion class. – JosePh PetersDorF, class oF 2015
Alexa Tan and Nicole Crisci ’10 visit campus to tour St. Matthew’s Hall
Caroline Hundley ’94 and Michelle McKenna ’94 visit St. Matthew’s with their young Mustang families
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A L u M N i
Class NoteS
Miles Brooks ’12, Ted Catlin ’12 and Zach Hammer ’12 attend the Ribbon Cutting for St. Matthew’s Hall
Class of 2011 College sweatshirts
Class of 2011 High School sweatshirts
Menlo students share their Mustang Colors (left to right: Jordan Pluchar ’12, Caroline Bradley ’14, Agna Patel ’14, Nicole Priestley ’14, Josie Yoon ’14, Renee Girard ’12, Alex Herrmann ’11, Will Priestley ’11 and Polly Finch ’12)
This is a place where I have grown to be a leader and where I have developed my passion for learning and athletics in a community surrounded by friends and families who care about me and want me to succeed.
I have had teachers who “got me,” who recognized my passion for learning, encouraged me to speak up, recognized when I worked hard, and knew when I wasn’t performing to my best potential and urged me to do so. There was always a dialogue, always encouragement, and always the awareness of my strengths and weaknesses. – conor mccusker, class oF 2015
The learning environment at St. Matthew’s is comfortable but also challenging, making it easy to engage and participate in class. – soPhie scola, class oF 2015
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ALuMNi NewS eeD
catherine Bigelow (class of 2012) is always at home on stage.
Devon Dionis (class of 1990) staying fit.
charlotte Dupont and friends from the class of 2006.
jenny Arimoto (class of 2005) cuddles a koala Down Under.
New grandmother Pandy Garvic welcomes Madeline Rose Garvic, newly arrived daughter of josh garvic (class of 1996).
ryan guheen (class of 1996), Congratulations on the new position!
christine herrmann (class of 2008) putting her engineering skills to good use.
Deniz tunc (class of 1998) Congratulations on tying the knot!
A L u M N i
Class NoteS
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A L u M N i
ALuMNi NewS eeD continued...
kelli velez Fields (class of 1997) hugs the new addition to her family, little Hudson Fields.
kira Dionis-petersen (class of 1994) On April 10th, 2015, Kira and her husband Scotty welcomed Noe (No-E) Yoshie Eve Petersen into their lives. Noe means girl from the heavenly mist in Hawaiian and peaceful/restful. Yoshie, her Japanese name, honors Great-Aunty Yo-Chan, Eve honors the memory and life of Scotty’s beautiful Grandmother, also known as Mimi.
victoria Brownlee Dibble (class of 1995) sharing a special moment with her mother Sally Brownlee who recently passed away, in our memories and hearts forever.
hadley Fellows (class of 1999) Congratulations on tying the knot and an addition to the family on the way!
kristin Fong (class of 1996) riding high.
Lauren (class of 1995) and Sarah Mine and their growing families.
Lee Anne Steinberg-thacher (class of 1999) Congratulations on tying the knot!
upDAte your eMAiL
Stay on top of St. Matthew’s news and upcoming events
Class NoteS
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A L u M N i
tiMe cApSuLe Unearthed During ConstructionDuring last summer’s Baldwin Campus construction, the front playground was converted to parking. In the process of digging up the existing hardtop, the work
crew dug up a time capsule buried there by the Class of 2001. The intention was to open the capsule in the year 2028 - long enough to provide a meaningful look back in the eyes of a Middle School student at our culture and life in America in 1998.
While the individual submissions are water damaged, they are preserved enough to provide a fascinating read into the thoughts of our students in 1998. Alumni from the Class of 2001 are invited to stop by the School to pick up their artifact and browse through the collection of submissions.
origiNAL preSS reLeASeSixth Graders - the Class of 2001 - Bury Time Capsule for Year 2028September 24, 1998With their parents and the local press watching, members of the sixth grade class buried a time capsule next to the front playground on September 24. They gave the Head of School Mark Hale a letter with instructions that the capsule be opened in thirty years by the next generation of St. Matthew’s students and faculty. The capsule was a Social Studies project in cultural anthropology, which involved the entire class in the selection and preparation of artifacts for inclusion.The capsule (actually a small, galvanized garbage can) contained items in zippered plastic bags ranging from Beanie Babies and floppy diskette to a disposable camera and a Chinese Moon Festival basket. Also included were the students’ written predictions of what life will be like in 2028 and copies of their favorite recipes. With each selected item, the students tried to answer questions a future archeologist might ask: What can be said for sure about this artifact and the culture it was a part of? What cannot be determined at all about the culture from which the artifact comes? What does the artifact tell about American life in the 1990’s?Student interview summaries were also contained in the capsule. Students reported what is important to them about American culture in 1998, what they like to do in their spare time, their favorite types of music and what they hope to be when they grow up.
Class NoteS
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Sasha BerkinMercy High School, Burlingame
Christopher BlighSt. Ignatius College Preparatory
Michael ChurichSt. Ignatius College Preparatory
Abigail DollMenlo School
Patrick HagertySacred Heart Preparatory
Erin HaskinsMercy High School, Burlingame
Sawyer Anne KellyCrystal Springs Uplands
Chloe LahhamWoodside Priory
Andrew LaughlinSt. Ignatius College Preparatory
Conor McCuskerMenlo School
Margot OddenMenlo School
Aidan PakMenlo School
Joseph PetersdorfWoodside Priory
John RobertsonSt. Francis High School
High School and College pLAceMeNtS
Where They choSe...
Congratulations to St. Matthew’s Newest Alumni!
cLASS oF 2015
College BoundcLASS oF 2010
Mikyle AbdullahWestmont College, Santa Barbara
Jaxon Ball StrausburgArizona State
Charles BoydGap Year
Austin BradleySouthern Methodist University
Brooke ButterworthOhio Wesleyan University
Emma CatlinBrown University
Nicole CrisciNew York University
Kohki KitanoIndiana University
Noah KobayashiGonzaga University
Grant LiuSonoma State
McKenzie LynchStanford University
William MishraWashington University, St. Louis
Christian PlucharAmherst College
Sarah PursleyConnecticut College
Sophie SadeghiCollege of San Mateo
Casey ShanahanIndiana University
Alexa TanAteneo de Manila University
Madeline TaylorGap YearMcGill University, Montreal
Caroline WrightSarah Lawrence College
Nathalie RotenbergSacred Heart Preparatory
Francis SchulzJunipero Serra High School
Isabella ScolaMenlo School
Sophia ScolaMenlo School
Emma SloatSacred Heart Preparatory
James StahrJunipero Serra High School
Grace WinninghamMercy High School, Burlingame
Hamilton WuSt. Ignatius High School
We congratulate our graduating class and wish them well in their new schools.
connections | 37
FAther wiLDer AND FAther eAStoN AwArD for excellence in religious composition
The Rev. Lesley Wilder, Jr. was Rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew and founding Headmaster of the Day School. He served the
School and Parish from 1948 to 1979. The Rev. John Easton was Associate Rector and School Chaplain from 1970 to 1977.
SAWyER KELLy
Dr. heNry ShireS AwArD for excellence in religious studies
The Rev. Dr. Henry Shires was Interim Rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew from 1977 to 1978. The Rev. Shires was
a professor of The New Testament at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
MICHaEL CHURICH
wiLLiAM h. hook MeMoriAL SchoLArShip AwArD
to an Eighth Grade student providing outstanding service to Church and School
Mrs. Annie Hook established this award in 1984 in memory of her husband William Hook, who served as a School Trustee.
PATRICK HAGERTy
LeAgue For Service AwArD for outstanding service to the School
The League for Service is the organization for the women of the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew, whose mission it is to promote
service and outreach in the community.EMMa LOw
DougLAS r. wAre coMMuNity Service AwArD
to a Seventh or Eighth Grade student who demonstrates a sense of social responsibility by unselfishly donating
time and energy to serving othersDouglas Ware was a member of the Day School faculty and
served as Head of School from 1990 to 1994.ALExANDRA BERKIN AND JuSTINE DEASy
LAureN tSuji MeMoriAL AwArDto a Sixth Grade student displaying
a spirit of caring and friendshipThe Tsuji family established this award in memory of their daughter
Lauren, who attended the Day School until the Sixth Grade.SEAN LIS AND LILA MCKENNA
george AND johN coNNoLLey MeMoriAL AwArDS
for the boy and girl who best exemplify the Christian spiritEarl Connolley, Head of School from 1974 to 1984, and his wife Helen
established this award in memory of their sons.GRaCE wINNINGHaM aND HaMILTON wU
phySicAL eDucAtioN LeADerShip AwArD for outstanding leadership in Physical Education
CHRISTOPHER BLIGH
AWARDS preSeNteD At recogNitioN chApeL, juNe 2015
johN guheeN AwArD for outstanding teamwork and leadership in athletics
The Day School established this award in memory of parent John Guheen.ISABELLA SCOLA
the revereND NorMAN D. SMith MeMoriAL AwArD
for excellence in the study of a foreign languageThe Day School established this award in memory of Father Smith,
who taught Latin, French, and Religion and served as the School Chaplain from 1970 to 1984.NATHALIE ROTENBERG
StANForD w. wArreN MAtheMAticS AchieveMeNt AwArD
to a Middle School student displaying an equal combination of improvement and excellence in mathematics
Carolyn Shank, School Secretary from 1979 to 2000, established this award in memory of her father.
JOSEPH PETERSDORf
MArk wieDerSheiM MeMoriAL AwArDto an Eighth Grade student displaying significant
achievement in social studiesDay School parents William and Elizabeth Wiedersheim
established this award in memory of their son Mark.CONOR MCCuSKER
LANguAge ArtS AwArDto the Eighth Grade student who has demonstrated excellence
in language arts during his or her Middle School careerSOPHIa SCOLa
DiDy erkeLeNS ScieNce AwArDto a Middle School student who demonstrates excellence and exceptional interest in science, through the pursuit of
scientific knowledge beyond the written curriculumSAWyER KELLy
FiNe AND perForMiNg ArtS AwArDSfor demonstrated excellence, creativity, and leadership
in visual arts, music, and dramaVISuAL ARTS – CONOR MCCuSKER
MuSIC – BRODERICK STAHRDRAMA – ANNA PARKER
teAcherS’ AppreciAtioN AwArDfor general excellence
CHLOE LAHHAM AND CONOR MCCuSKER
outStANDiNg eighth grADe Boy AND girLfor academic excellence, citizenship and Christian spirit
MARGOT ODDEN AND AIDAN PAK
connections | 38
A L u M N i
From the ArchiveS
the StorieS oF St. MAtthew’S – Please share your
old pictures, memories and stories! Tag us on Facebook or
email [email protected] to pass along your
St. Matthew’s Stories.
connections | 39
ALUMNI - STAY CONNECTED facebook.com/stmatthewsalumni [email protected]
MiSSioNThe School’s mission is to inspire, through an academically challenging course of study, the intellectual curiosity, confidence, moral courage, and character that prepare students to be leaders of positive change in the world.
Grounded in the Episcopal tradition, our core vALueS are:Academic Excellence • Service to Others • Respect for Diversity • Compassionate Community
SchooL Motto – Veritas est Caritas, Truth is Love
SchooL coLorS – Blue, Gold and Red
MAScot – The Mustangs
SchooL SoNg – The King’s Highway
St. Matthew’s Hall Piggy BankCreated by Broderick Stahr ’15 with the assistance of Francis Schulz ’15
SAve theSe DAteS!October 5St. Francis Day, Blessing of The Animals
October 9Cheers Wine Tasting Fundraiser
October 28Early Childhood Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day
Calendar
NON-PROFITUS POSTAGE
PAIDPERMIT NO. 345SAN MATEO, CA.16 Baldwin Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
MoveD? Please let us know of your address change:Development Office650-247-0700 ext. [email protected]
October 29Grades K - 8 Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day
November 24Thanksgiving Family Chapel
December 6Lessons and Carols
December 17Early Childhood Christmas Pageant
December 18Grades 1 - 8 Christmas Chapel
January 20 Bear Tracks Breakfast
January 25 – 28 Science Fair
January 26All School Open House