Annual Report - Green Meadow Waldorf School

Annual Report
2014-15
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Administrators’ Report
Bill Pernice and Eric Silber
As we look back on the year, we are grateful for the work and commitment of so many people. Teachers,
staff, parents, alumni, alumni parents, and friends are all so important to our success, and we are proud of
everything that our community has built over the years and continues to create together. Our well-used
Rose Hall is a testament to what we can achieve when we are unified in a cause, and we feel gratitude
each time we gather as a school community in that beautiful space.
This year, as we continued to see a steady increase in the number of students needing Educational
Support Services, we put together a plan for the coming years that will meet the needs of many students
with different learning styles. Our Spring Gala raised funds to support the expanded Educational Support
Services program over the next three years, which includes faculty professional development, new
staffing, and capital expenditures that help us offer a more supportive learning environment. As you will
read in the Development Report on page 12, our May gala raised $111,000 for this important work.
Another highlight of our year was the success of the PolyGnomes Robotics Team, guided by coaches and
GMWS faculty James Madsen and Lisa Krogh. The team had a nearly unstoppable run this year, beginning
with a win at the FIRST Tech Challenge Mid-Hudson Tournament on Saturday, January 10 in Somers, NY.
From there, they went on to a January 25 tournament in Yonkers, NY, and the Empire Division Regional
Tournament at Pace University on February 8. They proceeded from the Pace event to Scranton, PA on
March 19 to compete in Super Regionals, which launched them into the World Championships in St. Louis
in April. The team came in fifth in the world at the championships, where they competed against better
funded teams from much larger schools. As the only Waldorf school at the World Championships, the
Green Meadow PolyGnomes were led to victory by students Danny Chang, Brian
Frei, Chester Lee, Takama Saeki, and James Yang. We are very proud of their
tremendous achievements.
So much good work has taken place this year. We thank the teachers and staff for
everything they do to ensure a quality Waldorf® Education for our students. We
are also proud of the service learning and other initiatives that connect us to the
greater community, which you will read more about in this Annual Report.
Graduation
2015. Image
courtesy of
Leo Dunn-Fox.
Cover:
Kindergarten
May Festival
2015. Image
© Dyana Van
Campen.
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We said farewell this year to two pillars of our community: John and Jane
Wulsin, who helped build our school community and served Green Meadow and
Waldorf® Education for virtually their entire careers. As a school, we are who we
are today in part because of them. We know we speak for everyone whose lives they have touched (and
that’s a lot of people!) when we thank them for their dedication and love.
James Madsen, a veteran Waldorf teacher who came to our school nine years ago, also retired at the end
of this school year. His long service to Waldorf® Education will be warmly remembered. Our students and
alumni, as well as his colleagues, look forward to seeing him on campus from time to time in the coming
year, as he travels back from Maine to Green Meadow to teach a block or check in on the PolyGnomes.
Also moving on from Green Meadow this year are: Deb Renna, Liza Henderson, Mercedes Gruebler,
Sarah Weber, Debbie Johnson, and Jenna Lieberman. We thank them for their many contributions to our
school, and we thank you, our community, for your ongoing commitment.
All our 12th graders
undertake a yearlong senior project.
A graduate of the
Class of 2015, who is
a classically trained
violinist, pursued rock
drumming to expand
her repertoire. Image
© Dyana Van Campen.
3
Collegium Report
Andrea Gambardella, Collegium Chair
The Collegium was led this year by James Madsen, until I took over in April as he prepared for
retirement from teaching in June. James steered our business work into the new school year as
the community accompanied the passing of our former Collegium Chair and dear Early Childhood
colleague, Lyn Barton, at Michaelmas.
Meeting Our Times
The Collegium worked with recommendations from the previous year’s Special Committee and
investigation. This healing work requires us to further examine and consolidate our policies and
procedures to ensure the integrity of our education, and protect the rights of all students, faculty,
and staff. Social media in our adult lives and how we interact with it within the school community
were important topics as well.
The Collegium is best served when its members
comprise a balanced representation from each section
of the school: Early Childhood, Lower School, and High
School. As esteemed faculty retire, we prepare the
ground for the growth of new leadership. We adjusted
our meeting schedule this year to be more familyfriendly, and encourage more qualifying teachers to
apply for membership.
Second graders
practice for the May
Festival. Image courtesy
of Fernando Lopez.
We are grateful for the tremendous parent support
demonstrated at the Spring Gala in May for
expanding our support services to students. Our
faculty professional development and increased direct
services to students require two key aspects that will
enhance the learning environment for our students. An
understanding of Waldorf® Education, with its unique
advantage based in a developmental curriculum, is
necessary for all teachers bringing remedial programs.
In addition, support teachers’ work creates important
results, as they share skills and insights for working with
diverse learning styles through modalities such as Extra
Lesson, HANDLE, Orton-Gillingham, and others. In the new school year, Early Childhood, Lower
School, and High School will all benefit from additional services made possible by the funds raised
at this year’s Spring Gala.
Strengthening Our Roots
The Collegium accepted several new members this year. This growth presented an opportunity
to honor the gifts and impulses of past leadership of the school, and open our perceptions to the
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impulses of the future quickly approaching
us. Creating a circle of spiritual collaborative
leadership takes continual effort and
study, as we strive to grow and guide the
educational program with which we are
entrusted.
For a second year, we committed four
weeks of full-faculty study to Rudolf Steiner’s
Foundation Stone Meditation, a verse with
images of the human being that infuses
our work as teachers. This rich experience
involved seeing the verse performed in
eurythmy, followed by teachers and staff
moving together in eurythmy and speaking
about aspects of the text.
Blessings for our work
A highlight of the year was the opportunity
to honor retiring faculty members John
and Jane Wulsin. Their contributions
to the students are only one part of the
tremendous depth of what they leave with
us. John and Jane have mentored many
of our teachers and provided pedagogical and spiritual leadership, as
bright stars in the sky that steers the ship of our hearts and quickens the
roots of this school. A highlight of the end of the year was to have them
both address the Collegium and offer parting guidance.
James Madsen retired from his work in our high school. James leaves us
with his contributions to a strong science and math program, a winning
robotics team, and a legacy of enthusiasm for science and invention.
The PolyGnomes
Robotics Club, fifth
in the world in 2015!
Image courtesy of
Karen Frei.
The Collegium is grateful for the support of the Board of Trustees and the
Parent Council. Our collaborative efforts are bearing fruit: we are reaching
into the future to meet the diverse students joining our community, and
take up other important social questions of our time. We are striving to
weave a strong mantle that embraces the greater community.
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Grades 1-12 celebrate the May
Festival together. Pictured at left,
top to bottom: tenth graders,
a second grader, fourth grade
teacher Ruth Olson with a student,
and two first graders. All images
here and on the facing page,
courtesy of Mark Saunders.
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Board Report
Jake Lynn, Proud Parent and
President, Board of Trustees
I became involved at Green Meadow when my
oldest daughter started Parent & Child classes at
age 2½. This spring, she graduated with the Class of
2015, a group of remarkable young adults, in whom
we can all take pride. I have been blessed with the
opportunity to experience the entire spectrum of
Waldorf® Education through their personal growth
and development. Over the course of these last
15 years, we have seen many people come and
go in the GMWS community, some of whom built
strong foundations and educational legacies. Some
continue in this work while others have moved
on. A few special ones retired this year. Each of us
contributes something.
This year, the Board of Trustees worked on
strengthening the organizational, legal, and financial
resilience of GMWS. We increased coordination
with the Threefold Educational Center and our sister
organizations. We refined our focus on strategic
planning with input from Board, Collegium, and
parents. We discussed how to harness the capacities
and energy of our diverse community, with a
particular emphasis on development and leadership.
Green Meadow remains a strong, vibrant learning
community, dedicated to enriching the lives of our
students and their families, the faculty and staff
who work here, and the broader communities with
whom we engage. We strive to make a difference in
the world and improve humanity. On behalf of the
Board, thank you to all who contribute time, energy,
money, and thoughtfulness to enable GMWS to
thrive. Thank you for your interest and support as we
continue this work.
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©Pedro Sousa
GMWS Board
Leslie Burchell-Fox, Secretary, has been teaching Kindergarten at Green Meadow since
2002. She serves on the Collegium and the school’s Aesthetics and Emergency Response
Committees. She holds a BS in Speech Pathology from Kent State University and MS Ed in
Waldorf® Education from Sunbridge College. Leslie also serves on the board of Sunbridge
Institute, and mentors several students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education
program there.
Alex Freuman ‘93 earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Oberlin College and
a Master’s degree in Mathematics Education from Hunter College. Currently, he is the
Mathematics Department Chair at Léman Manhattan Preparatory School in New York City.
Previously, he taught high school mathematics at LaGuardia High School for Music and Art,
also in New York City.
Richard Hansen, the parent of a GMWS alumna, was employed for most of his career at NY
Life Insurance Company. He is also Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Pace University in
New York City and has taught at Sunbridge Institute. Richard has been a longtime member
of the GMWS Board.
Ken Herndon has been a Green Meadow parent since 1999, when his oldest son,
Armand, enrolled in the Kindergarten. Armand graduated in the class of 2013, and has
been joined at GMWS by his four brothers, the youngest of whom is entering Fifth Grade.
Ken has served on a number of school committees over the years, including the Parent
Council, and Buildings and Grounds, and makes a point of going on every possible
class camping trip with his children. Originally from Seattle, WA, Ken attended Brown
University, and there met his future wife, Donna Miele. The couple moved to Rockland
County in 1996. Today, Ken and Donna own and operate a number of small businesses
in Rockland County, including a solo software engineering consulting company, a retail
establishment (Cuppa Pulp Booksellers), a weekly newspaper (The Rockland County
Times), and some commercial and residential real estate interests.
Jake Lynn, President, has been a Green Meadow parent for 13 years. He joined the Board
in 2004 and currently serves as its President. Jake holds a BS in Computer Applications &
Information Systems from NYU’s School of Business and Public Administration (Stern), and
has created business and technology strategies as a management consultant with health
sciences industry clients for more than 20 years at Coopers & Lybrand, Pricewaterhouse
Coopers, IBM, BusinessEdge Solutions, and EMC Corporation. Jake lives with his wife
Suzanne and their two daughters in Chestnut Ridge, NY.
Prior to teaching, Lisa Miccio worked as a Personnel Administrator for seven years.
She began her teaching in a public school before becoming a Waldorf Early Childhood
teacher in 2001. She was a Kindergarten teacher at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School
and a Nursery teacher at Dayspring Community School before joining Green Meadow in
2006 as a Kindergarten teacher. The mother of a Green Meadow alumnus and a current
high school student, Lisa is currently a Kindergarten teacher, a Co-chair of the Early
Childhood Section, a member of the Collegium Committee, a member of the Collegium,
and serves on the Boards of Green Meadow and Sunbridge Institute. Lisa enjoys both
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research and writing, and is continually inspired by her work with parents, her observations
of the children, and her experiences at Sunbridge Institute, where she also teaches in the
Introduction to Waldorf Early Childhood Education course and mentors students enrolled in
the part-time Early Childhood Education program.
Bill Pernice, Ex Officio, started his Waldorf career in 1986 at Sunbridge College, in the
Teacher Training. He then taught as the founding Kindergarten teacher for four years
at Dayspring, a Waldorf Kindergarten in Warwick, NY. In 1994, Bill left his work in the
Kindergarten to join Green Meadow’s faculty as a music teacher. For almost two decades, Bill
taught Fifth through Twelfth Grade band and High School chorus, before becoming Green
Meadow’s Director of Development in spring 2011. He became Pedagogical Administrator
in July 2013. In addition to his work in Waldorf schools, Bill has been the Musical Director for
high school musical productions at public schools and community theatres in Orange County,
NY. He is also a pianist, working professionally in the tri-state area and beyond. Bill attended
the State University of New York at Fredonia, where he studied music.
Heather Rose Partis has been a Green Meadow parent since 2001. Her expertise is in the
field of alternative health. Heather chaired or co-chaired the Annual Giving Committee from
2005-2008 and served on the Development Committee and the Board of Trustees from 2005
to the present. She also participated on the Capital Campaign Committee, and her leadership
in this area has been acknowledged with the naming of Rose Hall in the Arts Building.
Kathee Rebernak, Vice-President, is the founder and CEO of Framework: CR, a sustainability
consultancy that works with corporate clients to develop sustainable business strategies
and practices and to communicate environmental, social, and governance performance to
stakeholders. A former litigation attorney, she has a JD from Saint Louis University and an
Honors BA in English from the University of Missouri at Columbia. Kathee is married to Scott
McKee and is the mother of Alexandra and Adam McKee, both students at Green Meadow.
Eric Silber, Ex Officio, joined the board as Treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee
during the 2010-11 school year. He and his wife Anna, a former Green Meadow teacher and
staff member, are the parents of two children in the school. Eric worked in the management
services industry for the last 20 years with ARAMARK Corporation, most recently as a
Resident District Manager, responsible for the dining program at New York University. He has
served as Business Administrator at GMWS since August 2012.
Claus Sproll, Ex Officio, President of AdminService, is a business professional with many
years of experience in independent school administration, human service organizations,
intentional communities, and small businesses. He completed studies in school
administration and community development at Sunbridge Institute and in social therapy
from the School for Spiritual Science in Dornach, Switzerland. Claus is a certified instructor
in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, is the CEO of LILIPOH Publishing, and has served on
numerous Boards of Directors.
Corey Weiss, Treasurer, has served on both the GMWS Finance Committee and the
GMWS Project Management Group since 2009. Corey splits his time between business and
technology development consulting and investment analysis. He holds a Master’s degree
from Cornell University in Applied and Engineering Physics, a BA in Physics and a BS in
Electrical Engineering, both from Rutgers University. Corey is married to Suzanne and is the
father of Etan, GMWS Class of 2010, and Maya Rose, GMWS Class of 2014.
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Finance Committee Report
Corey Weiss, Treasurer
The influential Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesos (c. 535 BCE)
put forth the notion that the only constant in life is change. Our
approach to finance at Green Meadow is necessarily based on the
recognition of continually shifting circumstances, while remaining
rooted in the integrity of a vibrant and effective educational
philosophy. Our school is vividly blossoming, changing, and growing
while the underlying pedagogy, originally developed by Steiner
nearly a century ago, is being “rediscovered” in public schools
and independent schools as new, innovative, and potent. Waldorf®
Education continues to integrate the richest traditions and principles
of learning and child development with the relevancy and liveliness of
our continually evolving world.
Fiscal matters at Green Meadow continue to improve and we’re in
the process of rebuilding our reserves, which serve as a foundation to
ensure the long-term strength of our school. This year Green Meadow
has paid down the last of the loan that helped expand our new Arts
Building and we’ve completed a comprehensive legal investigation
without impacting our programs or staffing. In fact, we’ve added
faculty positions and have invested in our teachers and teacher
development. Attracting and retaining the best-in-class teachers,
combined with appropriate levels of support staff for our classrooms,
remains a top priority. Protecting the education of our children for
generations to come requires that we now rebuild our reserve funds.
As the pie charts indicate, the majority of our income is derived from
tuition and the majority of our expense budget goes to compensate
our faculty and staff. This has been fairly consistent over time. We
remain constant in our commitment to balancing our budget and
to providing the best educational experience and value possible.
Accordingly, and because the only constant in life is change, we
are conscientiously rebuilding our reserve funds in order to secure
and invest in the future of Green Meadow. To this end, the Finance
Committee has grown, adding new members and we are regularly
working behind the scenes. We welcome meeting you all and hearing
your thoughts and feedback at our next Open Finance meeting.
2014-2015 Operating Budget
INCOME: Gross Tuition (before T/A, remission,
sibling discount 786,252
Contributions and Fundraising 247,170
Grant Income TOTAL INCOME: 0
8,234,898
EXPENSE: Teaching Salaries Administrative, Development and
Maintenance Salaries Employee Benefits/Taxes 2,796,649
720,809
1,105,001
Faculty/Staff Tuition Remission 631,106
Tuition Assistance/Sibling Discount 686,278
Instructional Expenses 609,987
Maintenance, Capital Improvements
and Site Work 455,275
Other Expenses - Insurance, Heating etc + Reserve for Contingency and Sabbatical 1,167,358
TOTAL EXPENSE: Excess of Revenues over Expenses
from Operations
(financials are pre-audit)
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7,201,476
Fees, interest and other income 8,172,463
62,435
Admissions
Report
Melissa McDonagh, Admissions and Outreach
Coordinator, Grades 1-12
In the 2014-15 school year, we welcomed 38 new
students to our school. It was an honor to work with
their families as they discovered the wisdom of Waldorf®
Education for their children. It was also a pleasure to
help them “find their roots” as new members of our
school community, assisting them as they relocated from
places as far away as (but not limited to) China, Australia,
and California.
The admissions team hosted eight Introductory Sessions,
one High School Open Day, two Walks Through the
Grades, and two Mornings in the Nursery/Kindergarten.
Many of these events had record attendance. We could
not have done it without the support of the whole school
and so I express my gratitude to all of the teachers who
kindly opened their doors and offered their time to let
prospective parents experience first-hand the amazing
learning that happens here each day. I also thank Bill
Pernice, Lisa Miccio, Defne Caldwell, Elizabeth Hall, and
Laura Radefeld for representing our school so eloquently
at these events.
Due to the success of these events, we will welcome
about 50 new students to Green Meadow for the 201516 school year. Each class from our Nursery right up to
12th Grade will have at least one new student and most
classes are fully enrolled. New applicants are on wait lists
to enter our Early Childhood programs, Grade 1, Grade
2, and Grade 5—it’s very exciting!
As you reflect upon this wonderful year that has come
to a close, don’t hesitate to share your transformative
experiences with friends, family, neighbors, and anyone
standing next to you on the grocery checkout line—as
the word about this revolutionary education spreads,
new parents will find their way to my door. And when
they do, I will receive them with deep respect for their
courage to seek a new way of life for their family.
Kindergarteners work at the farm.
Image courtesy of Fernando Lopez.
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Development Report
Lynne Wu, Director of Development
Averi Lohss, Development Coordinator
Like all activities at a Waldorf school, Development work is about everyone taking part and
contributing to the whole, while standing up and being counted. It’s about supporting one’s values
and beliefs through contributing time, talents, and treasure. When we all contribute, not only does
it show that we stand behind our school and believe in Waldorf® Education, it also reflects the
collective strength of our community.
This year we continued to build on the success of development groundwork laid in years past and
welcomed the growth of new roots and shoots within our extended community.
Our Fall Fair was, as always, a great community and outreach event. Perseverance was the theme of
the day (oh, that rain)! People showed up in their raincoats and umbrellas and braved the elements
to experience beloved fair activities like candle dipping, pumpkin carving, and a Green Meadow
favorite, the Dragon Run. We enjoyed wonderful food, heard talented musicians, and perused many
local and regional vendor booths. And, thankfully, the sun came out around noon and with it many
more friends, alumni, and visitors from near and far.
We combined the energies of past winter events for a Winter Cocktail Party with a Wine and Food
Pairing Class, led by chef and GMWS parent Anthony
LoPinto and graciously hosted at the home of GMWS
parents Lynn and Rich Bello. It was a lovely evening
filled with delightful fare and good cheer.
The Festival Committee and the Development Office
partnered to bring the founding impulse of May Festival
back to our Grandparents’ and Special Friends’
Day on May 1. We joyfully welcomed close to 200
grandparents and friends and enjoyed May Festival
performances from the Lower School and High School.
A fresh wave of volunteer energy emerged in the spring
to plan, organize, and launch the Spring Gala at the
New York Country Club. We raised $111,000 in support
of our Educational Support Services program expansion,
while we enjoyed an evening of delicious food, a diverse
mobile auction, energetic music from the Hot Jazz
Jumpers, and great company.
We initiated new connections and expanded
our network when we joined Rockland Business
Association in the spring, while we welcomed new
and returning sponsorships from businesses that work
closely with Green Meadow.
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In May, our community gathered for a very special Tribute Celebration
honoring three extraordinary teachers: James Madsen, Jane Wulsin,
and John Wulsin, as they completed their legendary careers in
Waldorf® Education. We regaled them with special performances,
speeches, tribute gifts, and deep gratitude. We thank and honor our
dear teachers. They will be missed.
We began and ended our year focusing on our foundational
philanthropic initiative, the Annual Fund. This year we reinvigorated
our Annual Fund by recruiting dedicated Annual Fund Champions in
almost every class. They waved the banner and spread the word to
their fellow parents. Our community’s generosity and our Annual Fund
Champions’ volunteer outreach enabled us to increase our Annual
Fund participation rate this year by over 50% from the previous year.
Thank you to our dedicated volunteers and to all our generous
supporters who ensure Green Meadow remains a vibrant and
sustainable school community.
From left (page 12), Green Meadow parents winning
class baskets at the May 16 Spring Gala: Kate Bieger,
Joshua and Sandra Abrams, Andrew Miller with GMWS
staff Bill Pernice and Averi Lohss. Images courtesy of
Fernando Lopez.
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Communications, Marketing,
and Diversity Report
Vicki Larson, Director of Communications and Marketing, Diversity Committee Chair
As we consolidate and build upon past work, we are proud of the following marketing and
communications successes in the 2014-15 school year.
We increased our presence in Rockland County through several new ventures:
• We held a Community Forum in February 2015, with the goal of building bridges and
beginning to heal the rifts in the East Ramapo School District. The forum was held on the
GMWS campus and drew 175 participants. Alongside three professional facilitators, 10
GMWS high school students helped facilitate groundbreaking conversations at this event,
which was covered by our local media.
• We began hosting Community Conversations in May 2015, convened by GMWS as
a follow-up to the February 2015 forum. The first conversation on May 4 included 24
community leaders and the second, on July 13, was a successful
continuation of the conversation, with 10 participants. The group
will meet again in September.
• We joined the Spring Valley Collaborative, a monthly meeting
of nonprofits held in Spring Valley, and are building relationships
and promoting school programs and projects there.
• We are co-sponsors of the Social Justice film series, curated
by VCS (Volunteer Counseling Services) in New City. The series
runs from April 2015-April 2016, and will help us support an
important local partner while bringing new audiences to our
campus and reaching new people through VCS’s extensive
network in the county.
12th Grade Play
ensemble.
Image courtesy of
Leo Dunn-Fox.
We supported GMWS parents through our Community
Education series, with well-attended main events in November
(on learning differences) and December (on sexuality education).
We also added a media/social media evening in the spring, which was very well-attended and
well-received.
• We inaugurated a Parent Ambassador program. To increase our reach and deepen parent
engagement, we trained 11 parents in September 2014 to speak about Green Meadow and
Waldorf® Education with confidence; many have subsequently helped with outreach and
admissions events.
• We were voted “Greenest School Overall” in the Green Schools issue of Dirt magazine,
in July-August 2014. The magazine has a circulation of 17,000 households in WarwickGoshen, NY, and Highland Lakes and Vernon, NJ.
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We continued to grow our reach through social media:
• GMWS alumni Facebook page members increased
from 629 to 656 (+4%)
• “Likes” of GMWS Facebook page increased from
1169 to 1624 (+39%)
• Twitter followers increased from 290 to 478 (+65%)
In the areas of diversity, equity, and racial justice, we were
proud to:
• Run the Open Saturdays tutoring program from
October-April this year. The program, entering its
third year, served approximately 24 public middleschool and high-school students in 2014-15, staffed
exclusively by volunteers from the GMWS community
(including alumni parents, teachers, staff, and
students). We received a Seed Fund grant from RSF
(Rudolf Steiner Social Finance) for the program in
Summer 2014.
• Send six faculty and staff members to an Undoing
Racism training in October, led by PISAB (The
People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond). The
group of six, plus a colleague from Sunbridge
Institute who attended the training with us,
continued to meet all year on a monthly basis, to
keep the conversation and the momentum alive.
• Offer a primer on the new civil rights movement in
the US in December, for students in grades 7-12.
Many faculty also attended this December event, and
good conversations and analysis followed.
• Offer two diversity webinars for continental
AWSNA members in April 2015, led by Vicki Larson
at AWSNA’s invitation. The webinars had 180 total
registrants and further established GMWS as a leader
in the area of diversity, equity, and racial justice.
6th Grade (top) and 10th Grade (above) Play ensembles.
Images courtesy of Fernando Lopez.
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Parent Council Report
Allen Broadman, Parent Council Steering Committee
This past year was an active and productive one for the Parent Council. The continuity of our Steering Committee members
all returning helped us build on work from the prior year and keep a consistent mission and vision as we moved forward.
Of important note this past year was how smoothly the council worked in cooperation with the school administration in a
unified effort to achieve our mutual goals.
One of the most effective actions this past was the Parent Council response to some very vocal dissatisfaction with the
school lunch program. We heard from many parents that the program was not meeting their needs, and so we surveyed
the parent community to find out exactly what those needs were. Using the survey results, members of the Parent Council
Steering Committee worked jointly with school administration to meet with representatives from the Threefold Café, which
made changes to the program and brought it closer into alignment with what the community wants.
Another cooperative endeavor was the council working in cooperation with
the school administration to respond to community concerns about student
misuse of texting, social media, and other online tools. Working jointly,
we helped plan and deliver a school-wide presentation that addressed
developmental and social/ emotional aspects of online activity, as well as
practical advice on how to establish healthy limits and rules as our children
transition into online activity. The meeting was well-received and helped
address growing concerns, especially for the families of students in middle
school, and we hope to make it a regular offering in the future.
Another action with great practical benefit was in the area of welcoming
new families to Green Meadow and the larger community. The process for
handling new family welcome calls was updated, with a joint committee
being established of Parent Council delegates and school administrators.
The welcome process ran very smoothly this year thanks in great part to the
work of the Welcome Committee.
In Spanish class, second graders play a game they
designed. Image courtesy of Maria Fitzgerald.
And last (but not least!) the council and school worked together to help
establish an effective policy regarding still photography and video recording
of school and class event such as plays and concerts. The policy includes both the handling of recordings of events and the
later distribution of content to families, and was put in place this past school year.
Our community has conflicts and challenges, as every community does. But by focusing our efforts on the shared vision we
all have of making the community the best possible one for our children, fellow parents, and school faculty and staff, it was
possible this year to create change for the general improvement of the community. We hope to continue in this spirit into
the next school year, after a well-earned summer break.
We are grateful to the many parent volunteers who support class and school activities, from gift wrapping to Fall Fair rides,
to Farm Dances, and to the parents who act as delegates to the Parent Council, helping represent the individual needs of
their respective classes. And we remember also that staff and community members often work quietly and unseen in the
background to enrich school life for students and families, and we thank them all for their efforts.
See you in the Fall, everyone!
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Thank You!
Donors
Ambassador
$10,000 +
Joshua & Sandra Abrams
Lynn & Rich Bello
Andrew Miller &
Kristen Monahan
Patron
$2,000-$4,999
Anonymous (1)
Anonymous,
in memory of
Albert Bavaria
Steven & Betsy Bavaria
James Brooks &
Laura Graves
Elizabeth Campbell &
Virgil Roberson
Paul Childs &
Berit Schumann
William Grella &
Gary Osborne
Richard Hansen
Ken Herndon &
Donna Miele
M & T Charitable
Foundation
Kathee Rebernak &
Scott McKee
Cunhai Shang &
Yanling Yue
Thendara Foundation
TIAA-CREF Employee
Giving Campaign
Isabelle Verrier &
Marc-Andre Paquette,
in honor of Alix
Christofides, Harlan
Gilbert, Laura Radefeld
& John Wulsin
Corey & Suzanne Weiss
Supporter
$1,000-$1,999
Anonymous (2)
Hathaway Barry***
David & Sylvia Goodman
Anne-Marie &
Brandon Kavulla
Yiqing Yang &
Zhouqun Lai
Suzanne & Jake Lynn
Thomas P. Massaro
Charles Rodriguez
Peter Schlosser &
Stephanie Pfirman
Eric & Anna Silber
Whole System Learning
Wolf Family
Dr. Martin G. & Mrs. M
Patricia Woodard
Drausin Wulsin**
Z-Path Press LLC
Sponsor
$500-$999
Anonymous (4)
A Matter of Health
Rockland, Inc
Art Café Nyack
Jean & Tosun Bayrak
Bob & Nancy Berkowitz
Kate & Jeremy Bieger
Richard & Shannon Boyce
Amy & Brian Clarke
Class of 2015
Alberto & Claudia Elli
Karen & Philipp Frei,
in honor of
Nicholas & Brian
Alex Freuman ’93 &
Tamara Duker Freuman
Rachel & Moshe Heller
Danielle & Richard James
Bonnie & Ralph Johnson
Nundha Koonaporn &
Witida Wannachaiwong
Levente & Katalin Kosa
Felipe & Leslie Laboriel
Vanessa Lee &
Modestino Mele
Stephen Leventis &
Maureen Dinan-Leventis
Nourishing Your Health
Lloyd & Cathleen O’Hara
Lisa & Stephen Oswald
William & Kate Pernice
David Scharf
Eric Schwimmer &
Alyce Gottesman
Martin & Alicia Sandberg
Lynne Wu &
Rob Gilson*,***
Friend
$1-$499
1st & 3rd Grades For KG
Mrs. Burchell-Fox
1st Grade Class, 2015,
in honor of
Heather Kono
Anonymous (16)
Anonymous,
in honor of
Sebastian Deen
Abbingsole Family
Benjamin Adams &
Courtney Krysty
Lida Ahmady
Hilary & Peter Alexanian
Peter Almasi ’93
Carol Alpert*, **
Carol & Quentin Avery
Shannon Baer ’95
Berard & Associates,
CPA’s P.C.
Amanda Bergner &
Kaleb Yohay
Tami & Mark A Berman,
in memory of
Dominick Calabro
(father of Bruce Calabro)
Matthew Berkman**
Laetitia & Mikel Berrier
Ed & Jill Bieber
Elaine & Charles Bily
Anne Bingham
Teagan Blackburn &
Arrow Brent Baker
Brigitte Bley-Swinston
David Bosch ’85**
Will Bosch
Christian & Muriel
Brigouleix
Allen & Debbie
Broadman
Jennifer Brooks Quinn
Leslie Burchell-Fox
Timothy Burger ’84,
in memory of
Sylvia Burger
Beatrice & Joseph Burgis
Wendy Caesar
Bevin Cahill &
Anthony Yadao
Defne ’87 & Brian Caldwell
Raoul Cansino &
Sondra Stowe
Elizabeth & David Cantor
Larry & Lady Carter
Priscila & Ferdinando
Casagrande
Belinda Cash
The Cha Family
Lisa & Michael Charney
Polly Cherner**
Cezary Ciaglo
Lauren & Seth Ciborski
Smita Clark
Anne & Larry Cohen
Mark & Rebecca Cohen
Evan Colgan
Philippe Convers**
Bruce & Gillian
Cooperman
Chela Crane
Will & Denise Crane
Jill & Michael Cruz
Ariana Daner Falerni***
Christian Davis & Mary
Robbins
Toni Lynn DeFilippo
Brian Doherty &
Hiromi Niwa
Deirdre & Eamonn
Donnelly
DTM Installations Corp.
Beth & Leo Dunn-Fox
Anne Earle
Scott English
Daphna Epstein &
Gideon Schiffer
Geoffrey Fenton
Feldman Family
Bruce Fischer & Carine
Rawson-Fischer
Eric & Yuklin Fisler
Pedagogical Administrator
Bill Pernice and Twelfth
Grade Advisors Defne
Caldwell ‘87 and James
Madsen congratulate a
member of the Class of
2015 at our commencement
ceremony in June. Image
courtesy of Leo Dunn-Fox.
17
Maria & Sean Fitzgerald
Raji & Rose Fitzgerald
FLOZ ON Painting
Joel & Sarah Franklin
Kimberly Frattura
Karl Fredrickson &
Renate Kurth
Kaori & Zack Fuller
Andrea Gambardella
Beth & Ernest Generalli
Chonyi & Steven Glassman
Clifford Gleckner
Dorothy Goldberg,
in honor of Grace &
Isaac Springer
Amy Goldmacher ’92
Gonzalez Saggio &
Harlan LLP
Robin Gordon
Susan Gordon
Gorin Family
Carol & Christoph
Grieder
Nellie & Larry
Grossenbacher
Mercedes & Carlos
Gruebler
Dania Guido
Virginia Gumbert
Elizabeth Hall
Anna Hammond
Jana Hawley
Gwendolin Herder
The Hindin Center For
Whole Health Dentistry,
in memory of
Paul Scharff
Melissa & Thomas Hinkle
Roee & Tamra Holtzer
David Horst &
Alyson Gaylord-Loy
Hoskins Family
Anowar & Lulit Hussain
IBM International
Foundation
Julian Irimina &
Klara Pataky-Irimina
Kenneth & Sharon Jacobs
Winnie Jamieson
The Jane Group
Janaki Kagel ’97 &
Kevin Reilly
Dion Kamalodeen &
Kelly Chamblee-Deen
Rena & Marshall Katz
Brian Kim & Mina Ahn,
in honor of Audrey Kim
Margaret Kite**
Anita & Jerome Kobre
Heather Kono
Parents of the Class of 2015 serenade the graduates.
Image courtesy of Leo Dunn-Fox.
18
April & Stuart Kornberg
Kai Kresse & Joy Adapon
Paul & Toni Kreusch
Lisa Krogh & Rene Krist
Chris Kulusic &
Susan Powers-Kulusic
Alen Lai & Ya Yen Teng
Vicki Larson*, **
Emmy Laybourne &
Greg Podunovich
Jeana Lee
Zhong & Mona Lee
Ivette Lenard &
Isaac Sapoznikow
Sean & Susan Levin
Wen-Chu Liu & Conifer Yu
Averi Lohss
Fernando Lopez-Diaz &
Rebecca Kiil
Anthony & Jeanette
LoPinto
Alix Christofides &
David Lowenthal
Melissa Lyons
Susanne & Joe Madden
James & Rachel Madsen
Nathalia Mahecha &
Patricio Chicaiza
Lothar & Marie Maier
Mark & Ruth Mankoff
Barbara Mann
Amanda Marchesani &
Michael Buckley
Luke Marlow ’02
Brigitte Marten
Keigo & Teruyo
Matsumura,
in honor of Luke
Uppenbrink
Wendy Matus &
Brian Wraith
Arleen McCormac
Melissa & Peter
McDonagh
Jeannine McGlade &
Andrew Pek
Philip & Lynne McLewin
Mac & Ellen Mead
Meadowlark Toys &
Sunbridge Books
Erika Mello
The Meylakh Family
Lisa & Bill Miccio
Ofelia & Armand Miele
Linda Miller
Lucinda Mills
William & Kelly Minehart
Dorothy Molinari
Richard & Audrey Mondello
Joanne Monteleone &
Adam Scher
Helen Morgan
James Mueller &
Colleen Culhane
Deborah Renna
Ridgewood Press
Neil Rindlaub &
Kathryn Adorney
Avner & Maskit Ronen
Saranne Rothberg-Marger
Nell-Marie &
Charlie Rowland
Rebecca Ruof
Lisa-Marie Russell
David Sa’adah &
Gretchen Hall,
in honor of Eleanor &
Nicholas Gilpin
Amy & Jeremy Samson
The Sanders Family
Joan & Bob Sandstrom
Thank You!
Maiken Nielsen &
Paul Tadeushuk
Alla Novoselsky
Kevin & Carol O’Brien
Ruth & Dan Olson
Jim & Kim O’Rourke
William & Denise Oswald
Tobias & Baerbel Pabst
Rosemarie Pannella-Gratz
& Christopher Gratz
Michael Partis
Dr. & Mrs. Petronio C.
Yadao
The Photiadis Family,
in memory of
Lyn Barton
Jennifer & Gordon Plotkin
Laura Radefeld,
in memory of Lyn Barton
JoAnn & Wayne Ratkovich
Heide & Henry Ratliff
John Reeves &
Hui-Tzu Chen
Bill Reda
Joseph & Patti Regan
Pat & Ann Santelli,
in honor of
Rocco Russell
Maureen Satriano &
Wayne Dawson
Jennifer L. Sauer
The Saunders Family
Signe & Chris Schaefer
Joseph Schaeffer
Ann Scharff
Michael Scharff ’77
Michael Scowden &
Sandy Zornek
Anish & Binwa Sethi
Ofer & Yael Shapiro
Shirt Shack Regal Screen
Printing International
Al & Susan Shurtleff
Silicon Valley Community
Foundation
Andrea ’76 & Paul Singer
Robert Sorensen &
Sherrie Baver
Alexandra Spadea &
John McDowell
Martin Springer &
Julie Goldberg
Lee Squires-Sussman &
Michael Sussman
Oliver ’80 & Angela
Steinrueck,
in honor of Freedom
in education!
Michael & Tari Steinrueck
Candace & Richard
Stern**
Daphna & Ronen Stern
Jacqueline Stern
Sunbridge College Inc.
Roman Sverdlov &
Renata Sverdlova
Karen Tallman
Anna Teigen &
Mark Judelson
Threefold Educational
Foundation
Andrew D. &
Carolin H. Titus,
in memory of
Vince Russell
Alyssa Trojan
Matt Tsujino &
Yoko Komiya
Elizabeth & Matthew
Uppenbrink
Uriel Pharmacy Inc.
Vaterlaus Family
Sandy & Ray Volpe
Leah Walker
Vivienne Wan &
James Dawson-Hollis
Catherine Watson
Weld Realty
Paula & Ben Williams
Michael Witri
Waltraude Woods
John & Jane Wulsin
William Wulsin
Kazukuki & Ayako Yanagi
Lynn Yarnall,
in honor of Mati Yarnall
Qiaowen Zhang & Xu Nie
Auction Donors
Abigail Rose & Lily Too
Amazing Grace Circus
Archive Home
The Ballibay Camps
BeeAlive
Birchwood Yoga Studios
Allen Broadman
Jennifer Brooks Quinn
Buttercup & Friends
Camp Cody
Camp Glen Brook
Captain Larry Nathanson
Kelly Chamblee-Deen &
Dion Kamalodeen
Circle on the Farm
Gretchen & Scott
Devinsky
Howard Dulaney &
Nathan Laffin
Ed Bieber
Elements Spa
Ariana Falerni
Sabrina Feldman
Fiber Craft Studios
Kimberly Frattura
Gena Lisa Lingerie
Green Meadow Sheep
To Slippers
Green Meadow Parent
Handwork
Gourmet Deli
Nellie Grossenbacher LMT
Edina Hepguler
Hindin Center
Hungry Hollow Co-op
Lulit Hussain
Richard & Danielle James
Knitting Nation
Krishna Das/Janaki Kagel
Emmy Laybourne &
Greg Podunovich
Vanessa Lee
Susan Levin
Little Skye
Fernando Lopez
Anthony & Jeanette
LoPinto
Mani Pedi
Wendy Matus
Melissa & Peter
McDonagh
Meadowlark Toys &
Sunbridge Books
Nature Place Day Camp
Ned Kelly & Company
Orchards of Concklin
PS Fotography
Maskit & Avner Ronen
Saffron Trading Company
Ashley Santora
Katie Sheehan
Shree Yoga Studios
Soul Flyte
Sunbridge Institute Inc.
Delia Tolz
Uriel Pharmacy Inc.
WECAN
Weleda North America
Michael Witri
Kaori Yamashta
Yoga Synthesis
Legend:
Thank you and farewell to
James Madsen, and Jane and
John Wulsin. We will miss you!
Jane and John
Wulsin, above, and
James Madsen, at
left at the Spring
Gala in May.
Images courtesy of
Fernando Lopez.
* includes James Madsen
Tribute gift
** includes John Wulsin
Tribute gift
*** includes Jane & John
Wulsin Tribute gift
19
307 Hungry Hollow Road
Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977
845.356.2514
www.gmws.org
Post-Graduate Plans for the Class of 2015
Our warmest congratulations
to the members of the Class
of 2015 as they embark on the
next stage of their journey.
Faculty singing at the Spring Gala.
Image courtesy of Fernando Lopez.
20
Melike Başköylü
Danny (Hyun Jae) Chang Brian Frei Holly Gorin Noah Graham Noa Heller Saskia Jouneau Eva Kocher Chester Lee Sabrina (Kuan Ting) Liu Emily Lynn Paul Miele-Herndon Takama Saeki Alice Scharf Matteo Scher Isadora Scott Amber (Qifan) Shang Corinna Steinrueck Zuzu Tadeushuk Isaiah Thron James (Jingxuan) Yang Ananda Young Rhode Island School of Design
Tufts University
Indiana University Honors Program
Ramapo College Honors Program
Emerson College
Israeli Defense Forces
Bishop’s University
Oberlin College
Boston College
Berklee School of Music
SUNY Brockport Honors Program
New York University
SUNY Potsdam
Ursinus College
CUNY Baruch
New York University Tisch School
Boston University
Warren Wilson College
Sarah Lawrence College
SUNY Binghamton
University of Pittsburgh
GAP YEAR