“Freedom Braids,” by Lower School Learning Speci...
Lower School Learning Specialist Monique Duncan's picture book of love, liberation, and legacy that is inspired by the true story of enslaved African women in Colombia who braided maps to freedom, is featured on Oprah Daily, which is dedicated to helping people live their best lives by delivering the latest in beauty, wellness, culture, news, and more.
https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a62751244/kids-books-on-race-and-racism/
Lower School Learning Specialist Monique Duncan has a book r...
Lower School Learning Specialist Monique Duncan's new children's book "Freedom Braids" will be displayed in Times Square for fifteen seconds on the fifth minute of every hour for twenty-four hours today, Tuesday, 10 September, at 1560 Broadway in Times Square. The best place to view it is in Duffy Square, near Dos Caminos, above the Pelé Soccer store.
For more information about Monique's book, visit: https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/24477#tabs-contributors
Teacher of Visual Arts Merav Ezer-Shniderman has a solo exhi...
Teacher of Visual Arts Merav Ezer-Shniderman has a solo exhibition, "Pillars of Light: Ancient Forms, New Life," at Brooklyn Art Haus. An opening reception will take place on Thursday, 12 September, from 5:00-8:00pm at Brooklyn Art Haus, which is located at 24 Marcy Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
The exhibition is on view is on view from Thursday, 12 September through Saturday, 2 November. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00am to 10:00pm.
For more information, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brooklyn-art-haus-presents-pillars-of-light-ancient-forms-new-life-tickets-1008518966377?aff=oddtdtcreator
Congratulations to Teacher of Mathematics Narjis Ali, the 20...
Teacher of Mathematics Narjis Ali is the winner of the 2024 Distinguished Teaching Award. A member of the Upper School faculty, Ms. Ali has worked at Trinity since 2005. Colleagues describe her as someone who has a “personal magic all her own that makes her luminous in the classroom” and praise her “enthusiasm, energy, creativity, intelligence, insights, dedication, and hard work as highly commendable and contribute to her effectiveness as a teacher.”
Edward "Ed" Remache ’95 and Kim Vinnakota '98 presented the award to Ms. Ali.
The Distinguished Teaching Endowment was created in 1983 as a tribute to legendary teachers Clarence Bruner-Smith, Dudley M. Maxim ’32, and Frank G. Smith. In 1988, the Alumni Association decided to establish an annual award to a teacher who has taught at Trinity for ten years or more, exemplified the history and traditions of the School, and demonstrated excellence in teaching.
Since its inception, thirty-seven teachers have received this honor, their names displayed prominently on the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize plaque in the Great Hall. Narjis Ali’s name will now be added to this distinguished list.
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton has an artist talk at t...
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton will give an artist talk at the National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, 17 September, from 3:30-4:30pm. Thomas's portraits of the Lams, a Chinese family living in New York City, are featured in the exhibition Kinship. He will discuss the origins of this photography series and how it connects to his half-Chinese and half-American heritage.
This event is free and registration is recommended. For more information, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kinship-an-artist-talk-with-thomas-holton-tickets-700521026247?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Teacher of History Ann Johnson featured in story on WPRI.com
Teacher of History Ann Johnson is featured in the story “Rhode Island Expected to Assume Ownership of Three Historic Lighthouses” on WPRI.com. Ann is president of the Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association, which has been awarded stewardship of the historic Watch Hill Lighthouse in Westerly, Rhode Island.
Read the article at: https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/ri-expected-to-assume-ownership-of-3-historic-lighthouses/
Teacher of Performing Arts Shannon Caldwell performed at Car...
Interim Head of the History Department Marya Schock, PhD is ...
Interim Head of the History Department Marya Schock, PhD has been featured in “Gothamist” for her work teaching Inside Criminal Justice, a joint initiative of The Manhattan D.A. Academy, the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and the Center for Justice at Columbia University. It is a semester-long seminar comprised of individuals incarcerated at Queensboro Correctional Facility, Edgecombe Correctional Facility, and prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Read the article at: https://gothamist.com/news/a-class-that-brings-manhattan-prosecutors-together-with-incarcerated-men
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton has exhibition at the N...
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton has photographs in the exhibition "Kinship" at the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian. "Kinship" presents portraits by eight contemporary artists whose work explores the notion of "kinship" and the closeness that bonds us. The exhibition is on view from Friday, 28 October 2022 through Sunday, 7 January 2024.
For more information, visit: https://npg.si.edu/exhibition/portraiture-now-kinship
Teacher of Performing Arts Jay Brandford performs with the I...
Teacher of Performing Arts Jay Brandford performs with the Illinois Jacquet Centennial Orchestra at its debut at Dizzy's Jazz Club at Lincoln Center on Tuesday, 1 November, at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. A giant among Swing era saxophonists, Illinois Jacquet's stunning career began with his memorable solo on Lionel Hampton's hit "Flying Home" in 1942 and extended into the twenty-first century with his own world-renowned big band. This performance at Lincoln Center "Flying Home: Illinois Jacquet at 100 - Featuring the Illinois Jacquet Centennial Orchestra" is one of many performances around the country commemorating his centennial year, and Jay Brandford will be one of many saxophonists joining the fun.
For more information, visit: https://2022.jazz.org/illinois-jacquet
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton gives an artist talk in...
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton presents images from "The Lams of Ludlow Street," his long term photography project which has documented the life of a single Chinese American family living in Manhattan's Chinatown for over twenty years. The artist talk will take place on Tuesday, 1 November, from 6:00-8:00pm, at Yu and Me Books, a bookshop located at 44 Mulberry Street in the heart of Chinatown, focusing on Asian American issues as well as the immigrant story.
For more information, visit: https://www.yuandmebooks.com/events/the-lams-of-ludlow-street
Teacher of Performing Arts Paul Brandenburg performs with th...
Teacher of Performing Arts Paul Brandenburg performs on trumpet with The Hot Sardines, a Billboard charting jazz group, at Birdland Jazz Club on Tuesday, 15 November through Saturday, 19 November, with two sets each night.
For more information, visit: https://birdlandjazz.com/event/the-hot-sardines/
Teacher of Performing Arts Jay Brandford performs as a music...
Teacher of Performing Arts Jay Brandford is performing as a reed player in Broadway's current revival of Meredith Wilson's "The Music Man," starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster at the Winter Garden. The final performance is 1 January 2023.
For more information, visit: https://musicmanonbroadway.com/
Teacher of Performing Arts Jay Brandford performs with the R...
Teacher of Performing Arts Jay Brandford performs with the Ron Carter Big Band at Birdland Jazz Club through Saturday, 22 October. Ron Carter, one of the most original, prolific, and influential bassists in jazz, has a month-long residency at Birdland featuring a different ensemble each week. Jay Brandford plays baritone saxophone with the band.
For more information, visit: https://birdlandjazz.com/event/ron-carter-big-band-10/
Teacher of Visual Arts Gregg Emery is featured in “Par...
Teacher of Visual Arts Gregg Emery is featured in the article "A Meditative Approach to Painting Amidst the Chaos of the Pandemic" in the fall issue of "Park" magazine.
Read the article at: https://issuu.com/park_magazine/docs/park_digital_fall2022/88
Teacher of Performing Arts Reuben Blundell receives the 2022...
Teacher of Performing Arts Reuben Blundell received first place in the 2022 American Prize for Orchestral Performance for the album "American Discoveries." The world premiere recording features three works by female twentieth-century American composers and is performed by the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dr. Blundell. The album has received positive reviews from "Gramophone" magazine, among others, and is being played on classical radio stations across the country.
The three composers are Patricia Alden Beach (1902-1970) of Massachusetts and New York, Alexandra Pierce (1934-2021) of Washington D.C. and California, and Linda Robbins Coleman of Iowa. Dr. Blundell researched their music at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Erwin Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music, and the album was released on New Focus Recordings.
For more information about Dr. Blundell's award, visit: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2022/09/national-winners-orchestras-2022.html
For more information about the album, visit: https://newfocusrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/american-discoveries
Teacher of Visual Arts Gregg Emery has a mid-career retrospe...
Teacher of Visual Arts Gregg Emery has an exhibition, "Caldera, A Mid-Career Retrospective," at the D. Colabella Fine Art Gallery in Ridgefield, Connecticut. The opening reception is Thursday, 15 September, from 7:00-9:00pm. The title draws its name from the caldera of Santorini, Greece, a natural landmark and symbol of the circle of life, reflecting the cyclical nature of Emery's work. The show closes on Saturday, 12 November.
Opening reception: Thursday, 15 September, 7:00-9:00pm
Location: D. Colabella Fine Art Gallery, 446 Main Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut
Closes: Saturday, 12 November
For more information, visit: https://www.dcolabellafineart.com/
Congratulations to Teacher of Performing Arts and Physical E...
Teacher of Performing Arts and Physical Education and Fitness Thomas Bolster is the 2022 Distinguished Teaching Award Winner. The award was presented by Trinity School Trustee and Chair of the Nominating Committee Nicole George-Middleton ’93.
The Distinguished Teaching Endowment was created in 1983 as a tribute to Clarence Bruner-Smith, Dudley M. Maxim ’32, and Frank G. Smith. In 1988, the Alumni Association decided to establish an annual award to a teacher who has taught at Trinity for ten years or more, exemplifies the history and traditions of the School, and who has demonstrated excellence in teaching. The prize, now known as the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize, was increased to $10,000 in 2004.
Since its inception, thirty-five teachers have received this honor, their names displayed prominently on the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize Plaque in the Great Hall. The 2022 award was given to Thomas Bolster.
Mr. Bolster started as a teacher of Physical Education and Fitness in 2006. He joined the Performing Arts Department in 2014 and has served as the Upper School class dean for the classes of 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023. He was the interim assistant Upper School principal in 2016-2017. He has been the head coach for Girls Varsity Soccer, Middle School Boys Basketball, Boys Junior Varsity Lacrosse, and Boys Grade Nine Basketball. Colleagues describe Mr. Bolster as someone who has “so many talents and yet is humble—a wonderful combination for our students to see modeled every day.” He keeps a pace that “would exhaust most people but seems to thrive, even to be vitalized by, the infinite variety of commitments.” Another writes that he is “so beloved by everyone at Trinity and so many students feel the impact he has on their experience at our school.”
Amid the Covid-related disruptions of the past few years, Mr. Bolster has raised his hand and eagerly taken on every role imaginable. We are fortunate to have Thomas Bolster as a member of the Trinity community.
Lower School Learning Specialist Monique Duncan featured on ...
This episode of Trinity’s podcast, "podmissum," features Lower School Learning Specialist Monique Duncan who has been at Trinity since 2017. Monique is dedicated to influencing youth positively through education and advocacy. She writes and illustrates multicultural children's stories that inspire, amuse, and foster a love of reading, while reflecting images and experiences with which children of diverse cultures can identify. She aims to help cultivate their understanding of themselves, their communities, and the world around them. Monique is passionate about representation in children’s literature and wants Black children to feel affirmed when reading her stories. Her most recent book is When Mama Braids My Hair, which describes a young girl's experience of having her hair braided and the bond it creates with her mother. In 2019, When Mama Braids My Hair was nominated for an Ezra Jack Keats Award. It was also selected for the Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices 2019 best-of-the-year list, and it was featured on the PBS series, Let's Learn.
Listen on Trinity's Web site: http://podcasts.trinityschoolnyc.org/faculty-author-monique-duncan
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/cy/podcast/faculty-author-monique-duncan/id721830443?i=1000558272294
Head of Computer Science Justin Gohde featured on Trinity...
This episode of Trinity’s podcast, "podmissum," features Head of Computer Science Justin Gohde, who has been teaching math and computer science for more than twenty years. He oversees Trinity’s computer science curriculum and programs, including a design lab makerspace with a wide collection of rapid prototyping tools for supporting computer science, robotics, and other STEAM-focused projects. His book is Programming with OpenSCAD: A Beginner's Guide to Coding 3D-Printable Objects, a learn-to-code book that introduces core computational thinking concepts through the design of 3D-printable objects.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faculty-author-justin-gohde/id721830443?i=1000544352742
Teacher of Physical Education and Fitness Teresa Edwards fea...
This episode of Trinity's podcast, "podmissum," features Teacher of Physical Education and Fitness Teresa Edwards. Teresa is a five-time Olympian and a four-time Olympic gold medalist—in 1984 she became the youngest basketball player to win a gold medal and in 2000 the oldest to win gold—a two-time All-American basketball player, and the University of Georgia retired her jersey number; Teresa is one of only three players to receive that honor. She scored 1,982 points playing for the Cairo High School Syrupmakers and in 1982 was named Georgia High School Player of the Year. She is the author of "Black Gold," in which she shares the story of her Olympic successes and challenge and how she helped lead the USA women’s basketball squad to gold at the Atlanta Olympic Games. Profoundly influenced by the many strong women in her family and life, Teresa is a leader, a coach, and an inspiration.
Listen on Trinity’s website: http://podcasts.trinityschoolnyc.org/faculty-author-teresa-edwards
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/faculty-author-teresa-edwards/id721830443?i=1000539102960
History Department Chair Deirdre Williamson cohosted the NYS...
On 4 November, History Department Chair Deirdre Williamson cohosted the NYSAIS event "How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America," featuring Clint Smith, journalist, poet, and author of the New York Times bestselling book How the Word is Passed.
In the epilogue to How the Word Is Passed, Smith writes, "The history of slavery is the history of the United States. It was not peripheral to our founding; it was central to it. It is not irrelevant to our contemporary society; it created it. This history is in our soil, it is in our policies, and it must, too, be in our memories."
Williamson and cohost Russell Combs, history teacher at Nichols School, engaged in a community conversation with Dr. Smith about the legacies we must share and teach in the classroom in order to provide an inclusive study of our country’s history.
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton has his photography ser...
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton's series, "The Lams of Ludlow Street," was featured in the Guardian this summer. Thomas has photographed the Lam family in New York's Chinatown for over eighteen years, and the work has been presented in numerous exhibitions.
Teacher of Physical Education and Fitness Teresa Edwards rel...
Teacher of Physical Education and Fitness Teresa Edwards is the author and narrator of Black Gold, a new audiobook released by Audible. Teresa has won more Olympic medals than any other basketball player in history, and she is the youngest woman as well as oldest woman to win a gold medal in basketball. Black Gold is Teresa's personal story of loss, victory, and leadership.
For more information, visit: https://www.audible.com/pd/Black-Gold-Audiobook/B097C77DS4
Head of Computer Science Justin Gohde publishes “Progr...
Head of Computer Science Justin Gohde is coauthor of Programming with OpenSCAD: A Beginner's Guide to Coding 3D-Printable Objects with Marius Kintel, the lead author and maintainer of the OpenSCAD programming language. Published by NoStarch Press and distributed by Penguin Random House, the book introduces core computational thinking concepts through the design of 3D-printable objects.
For more information, visit: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/597925/programming-with-openscad-by-justin-gohde-and-marius-kintel/9781593279547/
Head of Visual Arts Gregg Emery will be participating in the...
Head of Visual Arts Gregg Emery will be working on a collaborative painting, sketching, and giving tours of his artist residency studio at the 10th annual New York Poetry Festival this Saturday, 24 July and Sunday, 25 July, from 11:00am to 6:00pm. The New York Poetry Festival unites the New York poetry community with the public through art and literary events. It is held on festival grounds at Colonels Row on Governors Island.
For more information, visit https://www.newyorkcitypoetryfestival.com/
Congratulations to Learning Specialist Eileen Bosco, the 202...
Learning Specialist Eileen Bosco is the 2021 Distinguished Teaching Award Winner. The award was presented by President of the Trinity School Alumni and Alumnae Association Janna Levine Raskopf '03.
The Distinguished Teaching Endowment was created in 1983 as a tribute to Clarence Bruner-Smith, Dudley M. Maxim ’32, and Frank G. Smith. In 1988, the Alumni Association decided to establish an annual award to a teacher who has taught at Trinity for ten years or more, exemplifies the history and traditions of the School, and who has demonstrated excellence in teaching. The prize, now known as the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize, was increased to $10,000 in 2004.
Since its inception, thirty-four teachers have received this honor, their names displayed prominently on the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize Plaque in the Great Hall. The 2021 award was given to Eileen Bosco.
Ms. Bosco started at Trinity as a learning specialist in the Middle School in 1995. She served as a Middle School class dean from 2008-2017. A past recipient of both the Lower School and Middle School Faculty Enrichment Award, Ms. Bosco's colleagues describe her as "THE mainstay of the Middle School’s Learning Service Program. She is a terrific model for greener members of the program. Her presence is a tremendous benefit for students with whom she works, but bears fruit in terms of the example she sets for her colleagues.” "She inspires a great deal of confidence because of her depth of knowledge and her ability to anticipate her students’ needs." "Her positive approach to her students and her quiet and unassuming manner helps students and parents remain confident and optimize their efforts by allowing them to focus on their studies.”
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton has an exhibition of ph...
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton had a public exhibition, "The Lams of Ludlow Street," at Home Gallery in New York City's Chinatown from 8 April through 1 June. Thomas's ongoing project, "The Lams of Ludlow Street," chronicles the Lam family's lives in Chinatown over the course of almost twenty years and is an important work about the Chinese American experience. For this exhibition, a single image was on display in the gallery window, changing every two weeks.
https://brooklynrail.org/2021/05/artseen/Thomas-Holton-The-Lams-of-Ludlow-Street
https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/photography/thomas-holton-the-lams-of-ludlow-street
Head of Visual Arts Gregg Emery has a painting featured in T...
Head of Visual Arts Gregg Emery had paintings featured in the Cube Art Fair in which the work of forty visual artists was displayed on over one hundred kiosks, newsstands, bus stops, and billboards throughout New York City. The centerpiece of the event was the 12,000 square foot billboard on West 47th Street and Seventh Avenue that had rotating images of artwork, including one of Gregg's paintings. The Cube Art Fair, led by Belgian art dealer Gregoire Vogelsang, who proclaimed it as the "world's largest public art fair," took place Wednesday, 5 May through Sunday, 9 May.
Sonia Antionette Bhoorasingh, Trinity’s Facilities Coo...
Sonia Antoinette Bhoorasingh (14 August 1965–22 December 2020) passed away peacefully at home in Brooklyn, New York, surrounded by her mother, aunt, and cousin, who provided loving care during Sonia’s cancer treatment over the last year.
Sonia was a beloved member of the Trinity family since 1987. Most recently, she served as Trinity’s facilities coordinator and rentals manager. She also previously worked as a facilities assistant. Sonia will be dearly missed by her colleagues and by the extended Trinity community.
A celebration of her life was held on 7 January 2021 at Evergreen Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York.
Mathematics Department Head Chance Nalley will serve as the ...
Mathematics Department Head Chance Nalley has been asked to serve as the Alumni Representative of New York for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Mr. Nalley received the Presidential Award in 2015 and is the recipient of numerous other awards for leadership and teaching.
Ramón Javier has been named Trinity’s Director of Equity and Inclusion in the newly titled Office of Equity and Inclusion. This change highlights Trinity’s focus on creating a space where all students can thrive and everyone feels included regardless of any aspect of their identity. The principles of equity and inclusion allow all Trinity students the opportunity to maximize the gift that is a Trinity education. Trinity is grateful to Ramón, Alaina Alvarez, and their wonderful team of coordinators for their support as the Trinity community devotes its full attention to these ideals.
Teacher of Spanish Diana Chery has her play, “Fragment...
Sillas en la frontera: Mujer, teatro y migraciones (Chairs on the Border: Women, Theater and Migrations) is an anthology of twenty women playwrights from around the world. Editor Concha Fernández Toro from the University of Almería, Spain, has compiled a series of plays that deal with issues of immigration, particularly the roles of women in this era of multilayered identities. Teacher of Spanish Diana Chery is part of this anthology with her play, Fragmentos de Luz. This play was written for this collection.
From the editor: "This piece [Fragmentos de luz] wisely condenses a consistent back and forth of the protagonist in a very modern city that represents, in its speed and in its fracture, a narrative space that builds up an epic story, and takes the main character from the urban war-zone to the love for her daughters to a dimension of intimacy and magic..."
Christine Nealy, Lower School Teacher of Science, is inducte...
Lower School Teacher of Science Christine Nealy was accepted as a member with Fellow status in the Explorers Club, the preeminent multidisciplinary society for scientists, researchers, and explorers, founded in 1904 and headquartered in New York City. Fellow status is a particular honor, which the Explorers Club describes as "reserved for those who have distinguished themselves by directly contributing to scientific knowledge in the field of geographical exploration or allied sciences.”
She writes, “As you can imagine, I am deeply honored and humbled to be accepted into this organization. Furthermore, I am deeply grateful for the support provided to me by Trinity’s Science Department and Lower School in order to make this possible.
In addition to the extensive fieldwork that I have performed scuba diving in the Dominican Republic replanting coral reefs, much of my dossier for admission was based on work that I have done through association with Trinity: site coordinating for Cornell University and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the horseshoe crab tagging and releasing initiative; curriculum that I have written and presentations that I have made for the National Parks Service in Jamaica Bay; and four trips, taken both stateside and abroad, to work with scientists in marine mammal and avian conservation—two such trips being funded by Branch Elliman Grants.
Thank you all for the encouragement, the platform, and the support throughout the years.
I am grateful and indebted to Trinity’s culture, which inspires its community to push the limits, both self-imposed and those set by prevailing convention.”
Monique Duncan, Lower School Learning Specialist, publishes ...
Monique Duncan, Lower School Learning Specialist, is an author and illustrator and the founder of Sweet Pea Books, Inc., through which she publishes multicultural children’s books. Her newest book, When Mama Braids My Hair, had its official launch on 23 June 2018 at the I, Too Arts Collective at The Langston Hughes House. The Sweet Pea Books Web site describes When Mama Braids My Hair as “[capturing] a young girl’s experience of having her hair braided and the bond it creates with her mother. The tradition of African hair braiding transcends time and location, as it transforms little Nikki into an Egyptian queen, a Nigerian goddess, a Zulu warrior and a Maasai woman. While young girls throughout the African Diaspora can relate to getting their hair braided, they will enjoy going on an adventure with the main character, and learn how this ancient ritual is a large part of their present experience.”
Monique Duncan is the author of eight multicultural children’s books and the recipient of a 2012 Honorable Mention from the New York Book Festival for D is for Dragon Fruit.
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton will have his photograp...
Teacher of Visual Arts Thomas Holton will have his photography featured in Interior Lives: Contemporary Photographs of Chinese New Yorkers’, an exhibition opening at The Museum of the City of New York on 26 October 2018, and on view through 24 March 2019. The exhibition will feature works from The Lams of Ludlow Street, Holton’s fifteen-year documentary photography project chronicling the lives of the Lams, a family of five living in New York City's Chinatown.
https://www.mcny.org/exhibition/interior-lives
Teacher of Performing Arts and Conductor Reuben Blundell is ...
Teacher of Performing Arts and Conductor Reuben Blundell has received two nominations for the first round of the 61st GRAMMY Awards. The nominations are for two albums released last year, American Romantics II and American Romantics III. American Romantics II features the Gowanus Arts Ensemble, a 10-piece group Dr. Blundell founded, and American Romantics III features the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra, where Dr. Blundell is in his fifth season as Music Director. Both albums are world-premiere recordings of works by American composers from the romantic era, which he researched at the Fleisher Collection in Philadelphia, an orchestral archive and library; and both albums received outstanding reviews in US and international magazines, including Gramophone (UK).
Teacher of Visual Arts Bruce Edelstein exhibits his work in ...
In Oaxaca, which opened on 29 August and will be on view through 13 October, Teacher of Visual Arts Bruce Edelstein, exhibits sculptures and watercolors completed during and inspired by his trips to Oaxaca, Mexico between 2005 and 2007. In his artist statement for the show, he writes: “I was moved by the strong integration and vitality between the arts and society and the resilient cultural traditions within a contemporary context. The political atmosphere in Oaxaca through those years was torrid and vital, with teachers occupying the city center - the response to this climate by artists was evocative and bold. I was moved by the art, the passion, and the candid messages incorporated in the iconic images painted on the walls of the city. I felt compelled to quote the fugitive images to create a permanent document which could be shared with people from Oaxaca and the world beyond. I wanted to capture the unique dimension of an historical moment using traditional techniques from the region. For this reason, I chose to use weaving to produce some of the work.
“In Oaxaca, I observed how the ubiquitous use of clay, from simple practical forms to traditional and contemporary artworks, resonates with the memory of its place of origin. My direction however, has been to use ceramics as a material for building open structures, rather than as the traditional vessel. With recent work, I conceive of my sculpture as islands, with articulated spaces enmeshed and folded through the body. This represents the boundaries we engineer for our comfort and survival. As in Oaxaca we are experiencing an assault on our own social values in the US. Perhaps these artworks will help to provide a space to imagine and reaffirm what truly matters.”
Teacher of History Ann Johnson interviewed in the “Wes...
This summer, Teacher of History Ann Johnson was interviewed in the Westerly Sun, a newspaper based in Westerly, Rhode Island, for its column “In the Easy Chair,” a series of wide-ranging interviews with influential members of their community. Johnson, who is the president of Rhode Island’s Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association, spoke about her work maintaining this historic lighthouse, including overseeing its restoration after superstorm Sandy; and about a myriad of her interests and influences, including the educators who sparked her interest in history.
Teacher of English Saul Isaacson publishes interview with No...
Teacher of English Saul Isaacson has conducted and published several interviews with prominent linguist Noam Chomsky. His most recent interview, which he conducted while visiting Chomsky’s office at the University of Arizona on 7 August 2018, was published in Foreign Policy Journal on 17 August 2018. In the interview, titled "Noam Chomsky: Hopes and Anxieties in the Age of Trump," Isaacson and Chomsky address anti-Semitism and anti-Iranian sentiment in America; corruption in Venezuela and Nicaragua; Daniel Ellsberg’s book The Doomsday Machine; the dangers of our current administration’s pugnaciousness and unpredictability; and other pressing political topics and concerns.
Teacher of Grade Two Julie Kourkoulis Wins Distinguished Tea...
The Distinguished Teaching Endowment was created in 1983 as a tribute to Clarence Bruner-Smith, Dudley M. Maxim ’32, and Frank G. Smith. In 1988, the Alumni Association decided to establish an annual award to a teacher who has taught at Trinity for ten years or more, exemplifies the history and traditions of the School, and who has demonstrated excellence in teaching. The prize, now known as the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize, was increased to $10,000 in 2004.
Since its inception, thirty-one teachers have received this honor, their names displayed prominently on the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize Plaque in the Great Hall. The 2018 award was given to Julie Kourkoulis. Julie started at Trinity as an assistant kindergarten teacher in 1992, before becoming a head teacher in 1994. Since then she has taught Kindergarten and Grades Two and Four. During her time at Trinity, Julie has served as Lower School director of multicultural affairs (2001-2002), Lower School multicultural coordinator (2004-2008), and Lower School curriculum coordinator (2012-present). Julie was the first Lower School teacher who utilized Understanding by Design curricular pedagogy and introduced it to the Lower School administration. She is recipient of a 1998 Faculty Summer Development Project Grant, a 2009 Summer Curricular and Pedagogical Fellowship, and a 2015 Lower School-Middle School Faculty Enrichment Award. “A respected colleague who is always ready to lend a helping hand,” “a professional of the highest quality,” and “a great role model for students,” colleagues also describe Julie as someone with “unquestionable integrity” and who “often goes beyond what is expected.” Lower School Principal Rosemary Milliman says: “Julie is a lifelong learner who continues to challenge herself as an educator. There are a few individuals who have been as motivated as Julie has been to challenge herself by teaching new grades. She truly understands the Lower School students that she teaches and the arch of their learning Kindergarten through Grade Four. Parents often comment on her deep understanding of the more nuanced aspects of their children’s personalities and learning profiles.”
President of the Trinity School Alumni Association James S. Panero ’94 said the following, in presenting the award to Julie, “'Voice' has been the theme of Chapel this year. This year’s winner is therefore a special one. Through a remarkable ability to convey the joys of speaking, the joys of writing, and the joys of revision, this lifelong Trinity teacher leads students to recognize that everyone, at every age, has a wondrous story to tell. Even, and especially, our second graders."
Head of Visual Arts Gregg Emery’s paintings exhibited at C...
A selection of Head of Visual Arts Gregg Emery’s most recent paintings are included in CUBE Art Fair. CUBE Art Fair, now in its third edition, is presented by the Vogelsang Gallery, owned and curated by Gregoire Vogelsang of Belgium, and exhibits contemporary painting, photography, and sculpture. The exhibition is being held in the gallery on the ground floor of the renowned Zaha Hadid building in Chelsea, the last building designed by celebrated Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, adjacent to the High Line Nine gallery spaces. The exhibition opened on 7 June and will be on display through 30 June.
CUBE Art Fair
Zaha Hadid Building
519 W. 27th Street
New York, NY 10001
7 June-30 June, 2018
Wednesday-Saturday, 12pm-6pm
Head of Visual Arts Gregg Emery exhibits paintings at Van De...
Gregg Emery’s recent paintings are part of a new show at Van Der Plas Gallery on the Lower East Side, entitled All Art + A New Beginning. In the press release for the show, gallery founder Adriaan Van Der Plas says of Gregg Emery’s work, “If you went to Governor’s Island last fall, you probably ran into the telegenic Gregg Vance Emery and his giant dragged-paint circles, which he shows elsewhere (all over the world, in fact). These could be instant mandalas, or evocations of the movement of time, and translate readily from canvas to pavement to fabric.” The opening reception for All Art + A New Beginning is on Wednesday, 10 January from 6-8pm. The gallery is located at 156 Orchard Street. The show will be up through 14 January.
Pat Krieger Inducted into the Rice University Athletic Hall ...
Pat Krieger, Trinity’s Athletic Director, was inducted into the Rice University Athletic Hall of Fame last month, an honor that the Trinity Upper School community celebrated with Coach Krieger in Community Time on 17 October. Coach Krieger’s accomplishments as a student-athlete while at Rice University were myriad and continue to define Rice’s women’s basketball program. Coach Krieger was the first-ever recipient of a women’s basketball scholarship at Rice. She is one of the very top scorers in Rice women’s basketball history, ranked second overall with 1,851 points. She was the leader in scoring in 1979-80 and in 1980-81, with 16.8 points per game. She holds Rice’s record for the most field goals made in a single season—231, in 1979-80. She became Rice’s first A.I.W.A. All-American (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) in 1982. She was also a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American (College Sports Information Directors of America) in 1981 and 1982. Her overall points scored during the 1979-80 season—555—ranks second in school history. Her career scoring average of 16.5 points per game ranks third in school history. She is ranked seventh on Rice’s all-time rebounding list, with 740 total boards.
Ellen O’Malley Wins Distinguished Teaching Prize
The Distinguished Teaching Endowment was created in 1983 as a tribute to Clarence Bruner-Smith, Dudley M. Maxim ’32, and Frank G. Smith. In 1988, the Alumni Association decided to establish an annual award to a teacher who has taught at Trinity for ten years or more, exemplifies the history and traditions of the School, and who has demonstrated excellence in teaching. The prize, now known as the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize, was increased to $10,000 in 2004.
Since its inception, thirty teachers have received this honor, their names displayed prominently on the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize Plaque in the Great Hall. The 2017 award was given to Ellen O’Malley. Ellen started at Trinity as a teacher of history in the Middle School in 2003. During her time at the School, she’s served as class dean for Grade Five from 2004 to present, and head coach of Girls Varsity Lacrosse from 2008-2009 and 2010-2014.
“A model teacher,” one who “cares deeply about the needs of others and consistently demonstrates that through her daily interactions,” colleagues also describe Ellen as “a positive and supportive colleague whose patient guidance is a constant.” “Ellen’s command of the subject matter is impressive. She is a precise and accurate historian! Her work with the students, parents, and colleagues as dean is quite wonderful. She is a positive and supportive colleague.” Ellen is parent to Johnny O’Malley, Trinity class of 2023.
Teacher of Science J. Mark Schober Wins 2017 Paul W. Zitzewi...
Teacher of Science J. Mark Schober Wins 2017 Paul W. Zitzewitz Excellence in K-12 Teaching Award.
J. Mark Schober is the winner of the 2017 Paul W. Zitzewitz Excellence in K-12 Teaching Award from the American Association of Physics Teachers. He teaches physics, engineering; and astronomy and advises several student groups.
He is a founding member and past chairman of STEMteachersNYC, a grassroots teachers’ professional development group, a former president of the American Modeling Teachers Association (AMTA) and a former Web master for the St. Louis Area Physics Teachers (SLAPT) and, in his capacity as a leader of this organization, has administered numerous science workshops for teachers all over the country. He has previously been awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (2007) and the Gene Fuchs Award from the St. Louis Area Physics Teachers (2009.) He received his BA from Concordia College in physics, mathematics, and theater arts, and his MAT from Miami University of Ohio.
Schober said, “I am humbled and honored to be recognized by AAPT with the Paul Zitzewitz Award. I am thankful for every interaction with my teachers, colleagues, and students whose patience, insight, hard work, good humor, and willingness to try things has enabled us all to grow, learn, and have fun in the process.”
Lower School Educational Technology Coordinator Rob Keith le...
Lower School Educational Technology Coordinator Rob Keith led a workshop at EduCon 2.9, an academic innovation conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 28 January. The workshop, which he co-led with the Associate Academic Dean for Technology and Curriculum at Collegiate School, Melanie Hutchinson, was titled The Edtech Teacher: Ambiguous and Obsolete? The workshop was designed for attendees to reflect upon the role of the educational technologist, discuss how technologists may better support schools and teachers, and speculate where that position may be headed in the future. Rob and Melanie facilitated the conversation by leading sessions in brainstorming, time-lining, and S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, based on research and evidence-based observations.
http://2017.educon.org/conversations?lot=Conversations%3ASession_3
Deirdre A. Williamson is History Department Head
Deirdre has agreed to serve as the next head of the history department. From Head of School, John Allman: "As a member of our history department for the past nine years, [Deirdre] has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues with her skilled teaching, her continuing growth as a serious student of history, her wit and intelligence in professional conversation, and her steadfast care for every student and teacher with whom she works. Having served as an exemplary class dean for the past four year, she promises to bring to her new leadership role the same meticulous attention to detail and the same unwavering commitment to student welfare that have characterized her work as class dean. In the search process, all who interviewed her were impressed by her desire to explore ways to introduce significant study of non-Western histories into both required and elective course offerings, her eagerness to rethink the structure and aims of foundational coursework in grades eight and nine, and her commitment to serve as an active participant in sustained curricular and pedagogical conversations from grades four through twelve to ensure appropriate coherence and consistency in all our history classrooms."
Harrison Williams is Set Designer of The Complete Works of W...
Harrison Williams is the set designer of a play, an evening of comedy called The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield, presented by the Heavenly Rest Players. The performances run Thursday through Saturday 24-26 March and Thursday through Saturday, 31 March and 1-2 of April. Performances begin at 8:00 p.m. at the Church of the Heavenly Rest at 2 East 90th Street. Tickets can be purchased at the door or on www.smarttix.com for $20.00. All profits go to the Church outreach programs. No children under the age of twelve, please.
Trinity's Ann Strohmeier and her husband Bill, the producer, are both acting in the play.
Harrison Williams is Set Designer of a Play
Harrison Williams is the set designer of a play, Polish Joke by David Ives, presented by the Heavenly Rest Players. The performances run Thursday through Saturday 22-24 March and Thursday through Saturday, 29-31 March. Performances begin at 8:00 p.m. in Darlington Hall at the Church of the Heavenly Rest at 2 East 90th Street. Tickets can be purchased at the door or on www.smarttix.com for $20.00. All profits go to the Church outreach programs. No children, please; adult humor in both language and content.
Trinity's Michael Gilbert and Ann Strohmeier are both acting in the play.
Harrison Williams Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Harrison Williams was recently honored by Trinity for his twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Harrison, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Harrison Williams Earns Director of Coaching Diploma
Over spring break Mr. Williams earned his director of coaching diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). This enables him to run a club soccer program and complements the premiere license diploma that he earned from the NSCAA a few years ago.
Daniel Weller is a New Teacher of Science
Daniel comes to us from across the river where he has been teaching science and health at Montclair Kimberley Academy for the last eight years. He recently completed his MA in Teaching degree at Montclair State University and was inducted into the national academic honorary society, Alpha Epsilon Lambda, for his achievement and leadership. In 2010, Daniel completed a life dream to become an eclipse chaser, as the recipient of a PAMKA Faculty Trust Grant to study total solar eclipses in Tahiti, French Polynesia. In the future, he plans to complete two more dreams by taking a weightless flight and by traveling to the Arctic Circle to see the aurora borealis, or “northern lights.”
Daniel has coached football, wrestling, shot put, javelin, and discus for years, and continues to train in grappling to this day. He is an avid reader in his spare time, especially in the genres of historical fiction and fantasy. His other interests include martial arts, movies, weight lifting, and cooking.
Daniel Weller has a New Baby
Daniel and his wife, Marissa, welcomed Luke Richard Weller to the family on 12 June 2014. He weighed seven pounds and fourteen ounces, and measured twenty inches long. Everyone is healthy and doing fine. Congratulations to the family!
Matthew Weisbroat has a Music Performance
Matthew performed at Shrine World Music Venue in New York City on 24 September at an evening of original “Rock ’n Roots” music. The event was a fund-raiser for the public radio program “Initiative Radio with Angela McKenzie”.
Laurie Webber is Chairperson for Greenwich Village Little Le...
Laurie writes, "On 10 April 2010, I was Chairperson for the Greenwich Village Little League Opening Day. This is my third year coordinating the event. My husband George Usher is the President of the G.V.L.L. The article in The Villager refers to me as Laurie Usher-but that's me." Laurie's son, James Usher, is a Trinity 8th grader and plays in the G.V.L.L. Junior Division.
Read the article here:
https://www.thevillager.com/villager_363/guitaristchannels.html
Jessica Wasilewski is a New Upper School Mathematics Teacher
Jessica moved to the New York from Idaho where she worked as the director of residential life at the Community School in Sun Valley. Prior to that, Jessica taught math and economics at independent high schools in Massachusetts and Maine. Jessica coaches women who compete in World Masters Cross-Country Skiing races. She has won several local sprint and international distance triathlons and has completed multiple marathon and half-marathons. She enjoys cooking, traveling, running with her dog, and reading.
Yvonne Wang is a New Assistant Teacher in Kindergarten
Yvonne Wang is joining us from PS 59, Beekman Hill International School, where she worked as a first grade assistant teacher. This summer, Yvonne finished her graduate school program and earned a master’s degree in childhood education from Hunter College. She spent this summer teaching rising fifth graders at the GO Project, an educational program that serves low-income New York City public school children. Yvonne has always had an interest in learning about people: what makes them tick, what drives them, and what they can do. After she was convinced that she would not find a job with her sociology major, Yvonne studied communications and media studies instead. She worked in marketing for a while, fascinated with the power and influence that the media has on society, our self-image, and our psyche (propaganda at its finest and sneakiest?). But this wasn't enough. In the end, what makes Yvonne most happy is working with children. She is still studying people, but now just... little people!
Yvonne Wang is Leaving Trinity
Yvonne Wang left Trinity at the end of the school year to teach at Brilla College Prep, a new public charter school in the Bronx. We thank her for her service at Trinity and wish her well in her new position.
Yvonne Wang Returns to Trinity
After a brief hiatus from Trinity to serve as a founding teacher and curriculum specialist at Brilla College Prep Charter School, Yvonne returns as a head Kindergarten teacher. She also serves as the Kindergarten curriculum coordinator and is a member of Trinity's Kindergarten admissions committee. While at Brilla Yvonne developed the school-wide social studies and science curriculum which aims at challenging students to think critically about the world while embracing it through a multiple lens approach. Yvonne has worked with children her entire life; she is passionate in learning about their cognitive development, and she deeply values being an integral part of their daily learning and growing process.
With an undergraduate degree from New York University in communication and media studies, Yvonne spent some time working in marketing and brand development. Making a quick career shift, Yvonne earned a masters in childhood education from Hunter College while starting her teaching career. Other than being passionate about education, Yvonne also enjoys wandering the city on her bicycle, going rock climbing, watching movies and documentaries, enjoying lazy days, and reading. She is always exploring and seeking new adventures—both at home and abroad.
Sandra Wang is the New Assistant Principal in the Lower Scho...
Sandra Wang has agreed to serve as our next assistant principal in the Lower School starting in September. Sandy comes to Trinity from Trevor Day School where she has served as the lower school assistant principal for the past six years. Her administrative appointment at Trevor grew out of her participation in the Klingenstein Fellow Program at Teachers College, Columbia University where she is currently completing her EdD in educational leadership. Sandy enjoyed six successful years of teaching at Dalton prior to her entry to administration.
Janine T. Voris Cuervo is a new Teacher of Mathematics
Janine joins the Trinity community after teaching sixth grade at Elkton Middle School in Maryland for the past four years. While teaching at Elkton, she created challenging and engaging lessons for her diverse group of students through the incorporation of technology and the collaboration of student ideas.
Janine grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and attended Alexis I. duPont High School. She played the trumpet in the marching band, traveling all over the world, and was also president of the band her senior year. While attending the University of Delaware for her undergraduate degree, Janine majored in elementary education with a concentration in middle school mathematics. She studied abroad in Mérida, Mexico, and also participated on the University of Delaware Club Tennis Team. Janine also completed her Master of Instruction at the University of Delaware. Inspired to teach by her eighth grade social studies teacher, Janine believes that along with academics, teaching is also about healthy encouragement and mentorship. In her free time, Janine enjoys traveling, playing the piano, and playing tennis. She also has a passion for art, music, and nature.
Sara L. Viggiano is a New Learning Specialist in Grades Six ...
Since 2008, Sara Viggiano has been working at the Winston Preparatory School as a focus teacher, working one-on-one with students diagnosed with a variety of learning disabilities. During the summers of 2009 and 2011, she worked at the Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service as a reading and writing teacher for third through six grades where she was exposed to various remediation techniques. Sara is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the reading specialist program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She expects to graduate in May 2012. In her free time, Sara enjoys reading, exploring New York City, and learning how to play tennis.
Sara L. Viggiano is Married
Congratulations to Sara L. Viggiano and her new husband, James Gildea. They were married on Saturday, 21 June 2014. Sara is a learning specialist at Trinity in Grades Six through Nine. James is a practice manager for sports medicine at the Center for Musculoskeletal Care at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. Their wedding was listed in the "Weddings & Celebrations" section of the New York Times in print and at https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/fashion/weddings/sara-viggiano-james-gildea.html.
Marcy Verdi is a New Admissions Interviewer
Marcy is the parent of a Grade Ten student as well as a Trinity alum. She will join the Lower School Admissions Office team as an interviewer during the 2010 admissions season. Ms. Verdi interviews prospective students at Tufts University during their admissions season. In addition, she volunteers on their parents committee that is responsible for annual fund giving.
Marcy loves spending summers in East Hampton with her family playing tennis, walking on the beach, gardening, and preparing the family barbecues. She loves to read and is a member of a book club.
Mala Van Sertima is a New Administrative Assistant in the Bu...
Mala arrived in New York from Guyana in 1989 and began an eleven year career at Columbia University as an administrative assistant to six professors and several research associates at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute. She went on to work at the Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn where she worked as a business office financial associate.
Mala recently returned from Florida where she worked at Central Florida Preparatory School as an assistant teacher and school secretary. She and her three sons are happy to be back in New York City.
Alana Urda is the New Assistant to After School Director
Alana teaches dance in Trinity's After School program. She also teaches at Bridge for Dance and is the dance director and choreographer for the West Side Y’s Kids Company. Alana has administrative experience as the artistic director and co-founder of Amalgamate Dance Company. With Amalgamate, she has produced renowned dance events and educational workshops for youth, adults, and seniors in and around New York City. As a professional modern dancer, she has choreographed and performed for a range of established and commissioned Off-Broadway, dance company, and international projects. Alana is happily married to Nicholas Urda and loves to cook! She is thrilled to be joining the staff at Trinity this year.
Elizabeth Twitchell is a New Upper School English Teacher
Originally from Gainesville, Florida, Elizabeth went to boarding school at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and then went on to major in English at Stanford University. After a few real-world jobs—one of which involved answering telephones for someone named “Disco”—Liz returned to academia, and received her MA in art history and PhD in English and American literature from Yale University. After holding faculty positions at Bard College, Connecticut College, and New York University, Liz is thrilled to make the move to independent school teaching, and doubly thrilled to make that move at Trinity. Liz lives with her husband, daughter, and dog in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and would like everyone to know that she once rode her bicycle up Mont Ventoux and that it was really hard and that she hopes never to do it again.
Gabrielle Tieng has a New Baby
Gabrielle and her husband, Jimmy, are the proud parents of Jonathan Michael Tieng, born Wednesday, 14 March at 6:38 p.m., weighing in at seven pounds one ounce. Mom and baby are exhausted from nearly forty hours of labor, but both are happy and healthy. Congratulations to the family!
John Taylor Performed in Musical Production
John performed in the Blue Hill Troupe’s production of Brigadoon at the Theater at St. Clement’s in November 2009. Trinity faculty member Matthew W. Rupcich was musical director. The profits from this performance are for an after school music/arts program for the Mott Haven Academy, a charter school that is being run by The New York Foundling.
John Taylor is Performing in “Little Shop of Horrors...
John is performing in Blue Hill Troupe’s production of Little Shop of Horrors at the Theater at St. Clement’s as a puppeteer. The show will run from November 12-20, 2010. The profits from this performance go toward the Carter Burdern Center for the Aging, which, since 1971, has assisted people age sixty and older to remain in their homes living safely and with dignity. Proceeds will support the continuation and expansion of Cultural Connections, a unique program that provides a means for seniors to take part in the cultural life of this city through tickets that are provided at no or reduced cost. Visit www.bht.org for details.
Laurie R. Sweet has a First Grandchild
Laurie has become a grandmother! Her daughter, Annalee '03, and son-in-law, Bryan Berge, are the proud parents of Nora Beatrice Berge. Nora was born on Friday, 16 September 2011 at 4:13 a.m., weighing eight pounds and four ounces. Congratulations to the family!
Laurie R. Sweet Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Laurie was recently honored by Trinity for her twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Laurie, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Echo Y. Sun is a New Teacher of Mandarin in the Upper School
Echo Sun is relocating from Rhode Island, where she has been teaching Mandarin at Barrington High School. She obtained her MA from New York University. She has tutored at New York University and has prepared interpreters at the United Nations for their final examination. She is a warm-hearted and devoted person. When she was in Shanghai, Echo worked as a volunteer at the Shanghai International Film Festival and Shanghai Television Festival, and the Special Olympics World Games as liaison officer for the Slovakian team. She really likes the Chinese language and culture, and she is looking forward to spreading them to more students here.
Kristin Stroupe is a New Teacher of Physical Education and F...
Kristin comes to us from The School at Columbia University where she was a wellness and physical education teacher and coach. Kristin was the head cross country coach, head track and field coach, and an assistant basketball coach. She earned a BA in elementary education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and a MA in physical education from Teachers College, Columbia University. As an undergraduate, Kristin was a NCAA Division-I scholarship athlete on UNC’s cross country and track teams. Prior to teaching and coaching, she worked several years in corporate wellness in New York City. Kristin continues to enjoy running, spinning, traveling, UNC sports, and plays competitive ultimate frisbee.
Jessica Smagler is a New Middle School Mathematics Teacher
For the past two years, Jessica has been teaching math at the Hommocks Middle School in Westchester County, New York. Prior to that, she taught for two years in the Great Neck School District at the Richard S. Sherman Great Neck North Middle School and at John L. Miller Great Neck North High School. She worked as an intern and teaching assistant for two years at several schools in Pennsylvania while working towards her bachelor’s and master’s at Lehigh University. Jessica can read, write, and speak Spanish. She enjoys singing and dancing and she was married over the summer. She is looking forward to being a part of the Trinity community, and she thanks everyone for such a warm welcome.
Chance Sims is the New Assistant Principal in the Upper Scho...
Chance Sims will assume the duties of assistant principal in the Upper School beginning in September. Chance is coming to Trinity from Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C., where he currently serves as chair of their history department. Before working at Georgetown Day School, Chance taught at Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington. Chance holds a BS in sociology from Willamette University, an MA in sociology from DePaul University, and an MA in women’s studies from the University of Washington, where he is presently a doctoral candidate in women’s studies. Over the course of his career, Chance has designed and taught courses in world, European, and US history; modern Africa; urban studies; global studies; gender studies; and equity, justice and race.
We are excited to welcome Chance to Trinity along with his wife, Anne, and their son, Isamu, who will enter Grade Two in our Lower School.
Deana Semenza is a New Teacher of Science in the Middle Scho...
Deana Semenza has worked most recently as a high school science teacher at Fontbonne Hall Academy in Brooklyn where she taught living environment and forensics. Deana is a graduate and proud Husky from the University of Connecticut where she received both her undergraduate degree and master’s degree. In 2009, she had an internship in interdisciplinary project-based learning for ninth grade at Windham High School, and had the privilege to work as a student advisor with Dr. Jason Irizarry during his research and writing of his book, The Latinization of U.S. Schools: Successful Teaching and Learning in Shifting Cultural Contexts, which is due to be published October 2011. She has participated in biotechnology research at the University of Connecticut and has won several honors and awards.
Deana loves to travel, most recently across Europe from Spain to Turkey, and in the past has lived and studied in Florence, Italy. In the summer she looks forward to returning to her family home in Saratoga, New York, and visiting the beach in New Jersey. She is a New York Giants fan and enjoys going to games. She spends her free time baking at home, volunteering with New York Cares, running, being outdoors, and reading.
J. Mark Schober is New Head of Science Department in the Upp...
J. Mark Schober has taught physics, astronomy, meteorology, and occasionally chemistry over the past fifteen years. He comes to us from an independent school in St. Louis and, most recently, from Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science, & Engineering in Harlem. Since 1998, he has been involved with the Modeling Instruction Program as a workshop leader, curriculum editor, practitioner, and consultant, and now is president of the American Modeling Teacher’s Association. Mark served as webmaster and workshop leader for the St. Louis Area Physics Teachers and has worked with New York teachers to form a similar professional development community, Physics Teachers of NYC. He has sung with a variety of choral, church, and jazz groups, has led student trips to the Grand Canyon, Ozarks, Minnesota, and Everglades, and has successfully used power tools to finish a basement, build furniture, and make lab equipment. Mark and his wife, Smith, live in Manhattan with a dog and two cats, thousands of books, and an extensive collection of model trains.
Ed Schmidt Performs “My Last Play”
"I would like to invite you to my next (and last) play. It's called My Last Play, and I will perform it in my book-lined Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, apartment for twelve people a night. After thirty-two years of playwriting, at the age of forty-eight, I am walking away from the theater and, in the process, giving away all of my 2000+ theater books. One book at a time. At the end of the evening, each audience member will leave with any book from the shelves. Twelve books each night, until the shelves are empty.
"Performances begin November 11, 2010. Tickets are $20 through December 11, $25 after that. Tickets will go fast. (I know that's what everybody says, but trust me on this one.) To book tickets, or for more information about My Last Play, visit www.mylastplay.net. To read more about my less-than-stellar career, click here."
Ed Schmidt Receives “New York Times” Coverage of...
Congratulations to Ed Schmidt, whose current theatrical production, My Last Play, received coverage on the front page of "The Arts" section of the New York Times on Friday, 10 December 2010. The online edition of the article may be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/theater/10schmidt.html?_r=1&ref=theater
Ed Schmidt Review in the “New Yorker”
Ed Schmidt's current theatrical production, My Last Play, was reviewed by Hilton Als of the The New Yorker in the 14 March 2011 issue. The article is in the "Critic's Notebook" section of the magazine, titled "Giving it Away."
Ed Schmidt has Final Performances of “My Last PlayR...
There are only five performances left of Ed Schmidt's "My Last Play." Tickets are available from Wednesday, 28 September to 3 October 2011 (no Sunday performance). For tickets and more information, visit http://powerhousearena.com/newsletters/110928/index.html
Ed Schmidt has More Coverage in the “New York Times...
The New York Times wrote about "My Last Play" yet again, this time for the ArtsBeat blog. Ed's play wrapped with a final performance on 3 October 2011, and the article recaps the play's run and what plans are next in store for Ed. Read the article at http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/my-last-play-is-one-for-the-books/.
Ed Schmidt has Play at Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre
Ed is pleased to announce one of his plays, Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting, is being produced by Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre, which won the 2011 Regional Theater Tony Award. Performances begin 4 January 2012. More information can be found at http://lookingglasstheatre.org/content//box_office/mr_rickey_calls_a_meeting.
Matthew William Rupcich is Musical Director in Production
Matthew was musical director in the Blue Hill Troupe’s production of Brigadoon at the Theater at St. Clement’s in November 2009. Trinity faculty member John Taylor performed in the production. The profits from this performance are for an after school music/arts program for the Mott Haven Academy, a charter school that is being run by The New York Foundling.
Matthew William Rupcich has Music News
Matthew Rupcich is keeping busy with many musical activities. He is the music director of the The Christmas Revels: A Celebration of the Winter Solstice (www.nyrevels.org) at El Teatro at El Museo del Barrio from 10-12 December 2010. He is conducting the Hunter College Choir performance of Handel’s Zadok the Priest on 10 December 2010 at the Hunter College Assembly Hall – North Building. More information can be found at https://www.hunter.cuny.edu/music/pressroom/events/college-choir. He is also guest conductor of the Messiah Sing Along on 15 December 2010 at Turtle Bay Music School (www.TMBS.org).
Another exciting piece of news: Matt has been selected as the guest conductor for SavoyNet’s production of The Mikado at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Buxton, England summer 2011.
Cecilia Rudzitis is a Temporary Lower School Math Specialist
Cecilia Rudzitis is the new temporary Lower School math specialist filling-in for Ana Maria Estela, who is on maternity leave. She will be with us until the end of the academic year. Cecilia graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College with a BA in mathematics and a minor in economics. Previously, she was a kindergarten teacher and Singapore Math lead teacher at the Geneva School of Manhattan. Prior to working in education, she worked in the finance industry as vice-president at the Apogee Finance Group and as assistant vice-president at the Irving Trust Company.
Pierangelo Rossi is a New Assistant Teacher in Grade Three
Pierangelo Rossi is migrating from Minneapolis, Minnesota where he has been working at Project SUCCESS as a program facilitator, helping middle and high school students make informed decisions about their futures. In addition to classroom facilitation, he was involved in musical productions, college tours, and even led summer canoe adventures in the Minnesotan Boundary Waters. In college, he was involved with the Latino organization, Adelante!, and was the co-founder and editor of Babel, an international affairs-focused magazine created by Macalester College students from around the world. Pierangelo is originally from Peru and has a rich history of working with students inside and outside the classroom. He strongly believes in the power of youth to change the world in positive and inspiring ways. He is fluent in English and Spanish and proficient in French and Portuguese. He is excited to apply his experience working with youth in a more formal environment at Trinity, while enrolling part-time at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development for his MA in elementary education. He loves to watch and play soccer, as well as walk on stilts.
Steven C. Rochen Performs at Third Street Music School Settl...
Steven performed as a soloist in a concerto for violin and oboe with an orchestra at the Third Street Music School Settlement in the East Village on 18 March 2010. The performance was for their 31st Annual BachFest, a concert celebrating Bach’s birthday.
Steven C. Rochen Attends White House Concert
Steve was invited to attend a reception and concert at the White House last November. The concert, an evening of classical music, was presented in the East Room and included performers Sharon Isbin, Joshua Bell, Alisa Weilerstein, and Awadagin Pratt.
Steven C. Rochen Composes Violin Music for Pi Day
A few years ago, Steven composed "A Piece of Pi" for violin for Trinity's Pi Day celebration to honor the School's math teachers. Since then, he has had requests for the music from all around the world and the YouTube video he posted now has over 20,000 views. Steven writes, "Two weeks ago, I was brought down to Baltimore, Maryland, to appear while a doctoral candidate performed the piece during a recital of contemporary composers. That was a real high point for my composing career, having a piece of music performed at a conservatory and being asked to stand to receive applause at the end of the piece!" To listen to the piece and read more about the project, visit https://www.violinist.com/blog/czechsteve/20113/12149/
Steven C. Rochen has Musical News
Steven writes, "'A Piece of Pi', my composition for solo violin based on the irrational number π (pi) is now being published by Ovation Press. It has been performed in serious recitals, math symposia, and in schools! I was excited last year to be flown down to Baltimore to be present at a concert of music by contemporary composers featured in a recital at Peabody Conservatory and I am happy that people perform the music. "On 2 February, I will be conducting the ISO Carnegie Hill Orchestra during a concert at Carnegie Hall celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the InterSchool Orchestras." (Visit https://www.isorch.org/ for more information.)
Steven C. Rochen Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Steven C. Rochen was recently honored by Trinity for his twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Steve, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Ileana Rios is a New Teacher of Science in the Upper School
Ileana Rios has joined Trinity to teach biology to our Upper School students. She has a diverse academic background in biology and education, including research that spans the field of diagnostic cytology, cellular senescence, and HIV vaccine development, as well as teaching at the elementary, secondary, and undergraduate levels. Previously, she worked for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as both manager and educator for the Harlem DNA Lab where she taught biotechnology and genetics to over 3,000 New York City high school students.
Matthew Reininger is a New Technology Integrationist in the ...
Originally from Miami, Matt comes to New York via Boca Raton, Florida, where he has been teaching and coordinating technology integration at the Pine Crest School. While at Pine Crest, he worked as an educational technologist, digital citizenship classroom teacher, and a percussion and digital music production instructor. While attending graduate school at Teachers College, Columbia University, he worked as an International Baccalaureate (IB) consultant to Brooklyn Prospect Charter School, successfully planning the strategy and primary implementation of their IB Middle Years Program. Prior to that, Matt taught civics, American government, and psychology in the middle and upper schools at the American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. He was co-founder of the start-up, MiamiMusicGuide.com, and has been a professional musician for over ten years. He is a coffee and tea enthusiast, often refers to the wisdom of Calvin and Hobbes, and enjoys cooking and debating current events with his fiancé, Munira. As a result of his recent move to the North East, Matt is looking forward to taking up hiking.
Sheila Rankowitz is Leaving Trinity
Sheila has decided to leave Trinity at the end of the school year in order to pursue other interests.
Sheila Rankowitz is a New Art Teacher in the Middle School
Sheila returns to the Middle School faculty in a new capacity this year. Since 2002, she has been a member of the Middle School math team. Even after "retiring" in 2010, she could not stay away and returned twice to do two maternity leaves. During the last three years, while she took a break from being full-time at Trinity, Sheila taught studio art to first through eighth graders at a school in Paterson, New Jersey. An avid lover and creator of art since her childhood, she relishes the opportunity to bring her passion and creative energy to Middle school art classes. She looks forward to getting her hands dirty in the art room and exposing her classes to new artists and artworks. She will also join the Middle School musical team once again to create the costumes for the fourteenth time in her career.
Luis Elias Ruizis a New Teacher of Spanish
Luis was born in Spain but his work experience is truly global. He has taught in Wales, France, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of the Philippines and the United States. He recently worked at Instituto Cervantes in New York and he has been using and researching new technologies in teaching languages. He likes sports, especially running and he is also in a book club once a month. At the moment he is also studying for a certificate in art collecting at New York University.
Li-An Previn has a New Baby
Li-An gave birth to Roan Van Caffrey at 2:18 p.m. on 10 February 2010. Roan weighed in at seven pounds and one ounce and was twenty inches long.
Li-An Previn Sends Baby Photos
Li-An sent us photos of her son, Roan. “He is now around nine pounds eight ounces and has grown one and a quarter inches. He’s doing well and we all are settling into life together as a family.”
Li-An Previn has Baby Update
Roan is now six months old, eighteen pounds and ten ounces, twenty-seven inches long, and is trying to get into absolutely everything!
Anna Pierrehumbert is a New Teacher of Mathematics
Anna is relocating from Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she taught math at the Community Charter School of Cambridge and in the Boston public school system. Prior to becoming a teacher, Anna worked in the academic publishing industry, including in the editorial department at Princeton University Press and as a freelance book translator for the American Mathematical Society. Anna enjoys traveling and has lived in Stockholm, Paris, and Moscow. Outside of the classroom, you might also find her dancing, backpacking, or exploring her new favorite city.
Anna Pierrehumbert has a New Baby
Anna and her husband, Peter, are delighted to welcome their son, David Barber Speh, to the family. He was born at 6:13 p.m. on 20 February 2014, weighing eight pounds, five ounces and measuring twenty-one inches. Anna writes, "We are all doing well and settling in at home." Congratulations to the family!
Joan N. Petrokofsky is a New Admissions Coordinator
Ms. Joan Petrokofsky has joined the Trinity community as an admissions coordinator, assisting Jan Burton in admissions for Middle and Upper Schools. Joan brings to us extensive professional experience within schools, camps, and other social support programs. If you have the chance, you might ask her about her work as a National Park Ranger.
Jasmine V. Pai is a New Technical Theater Teacher
Jasmine Pai has been working as a freelance designer in the New York Metro area for several years. She has extensive experience in educational institutions, mentoring students on both a high school and collegiate level. She has a great deal of knowledge in technical theater from an educational to professional level. Jasmine has worked primarily as a scenic designer as well as a costume designer. She recently had designs featured in this summer’s Planet Connections Theatre Festivity and the New York International Fringe Festival. She is a resident designer for 4th Wall Theatre and Mile Square Theatre. In her spare time, Jasmine enjoys knitting and skiing and snowboarding in the winter.
Ana Ortigosa is a New Teacher of Spanish in the Upper School
Ana Ortigosa holds a PhD in linguistics and an MA in teaching Spanish as a second language. Ana has taught at both the high school and college levels in New York and Spain. She has published and presented numerous papers in international journals and at conferences. Ana has participated in several research projects and has been a visiting scholar in the United States, Holland, Australia and Brazil. She is fluent in Spanish and English and can read and write some French. Ana loves traveling around the world, discovering and interacting with new cultures, and in her free time she enjoys dancing to Latin rhythms. Coming from Spain, Ana has a passion for culinary arts and one of her favorite activities is trying out different restaurants in New York City.
Ana Ortigosa has a New Baby Daughter
Early Saturday morning, 8 June 2013, modern language teacher Ana Ortigosa gave birth to Sofía Riemann. The proud mom reports, “She was very punctual coming only thirty-seven minutes after her due date on 8 June at 12:37 a.m. (with the new moon!), and she weighed in at eight pounds four ounces. Both my husband and I are really happy and also super exhausted already—welcome to parenthood!”
John O’Neill Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
John was recently honored by Trinity for his twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, John, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Heather Nielsen is a New Assistant Teacher in Grade Two
Heather Nielsen, who came to Trinity in 2011 as an after-school supervisor and puppet teacher, will serve as our new assistant teacher in Grade Two. She is taking the place of Elisa Dragu, who is departing to prepare for the arrival of her baby. Heather has worked as a teaching artist and arts administrator at such places as Urban Stages, the Creative Arts Team Youth Theatre, Project SAFE, Story Pirates, and New Victory Theatre. She also co-created the Newtown Creek Puppet Parade and Pageant in Greenpoint, working with fifty kindergarten through fifth grade youths to explore the creek's pristine past, polluted present, and hoped-for future using puppetry, theatre, and movement. Heather loves the outdoors and and has worked as an environmental educator and conservation crew leader in Minnesota and Vermont. She likes to make things, whether it is food from her community garden, puppets from recyclables, or new mittens from a old sweater! She is delighted that, by the end of the year, she will have defended her thesis and completed her MA in applied theatre at the CUNY School of Professional Studies.
Robert Newton is a New Upper School Mathematics Teacher
A native of upstate New York, Robert did his undergraduate work at State University of New York at Potsdam in mathematics and economics before attending the University of Florida where he graduated with his PhD in mathematics in 2013. His mathematical interests fall under algebraic topology, including problems in homotopy theory and persistent homology. His non-mathematical interests include travel, reading, and fishing.
Alexis Mulvihill is a New Teacher of English in the Upper Sc...
Alexis Mulvihill grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts in a family filled with teachers; went to boarding school at St. Mark’s School in Massachusetts, where she was deeply influenced by a group of first-class teachers; earned English degrees from The University of Chicago and Stanford University; and then became a teacher herself as soon as humanly possible. She has taught English at the American International School in Mallorca, Spain; North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka, Illinois; and The College Preparatory School in Oakland, California. Alexis now lives on the Upper West Side with her family, which includes a husband, two sons, a new bunny, and a dog who refuses to believe she’s not human. With her not-so-abundant free time, Alexis plays the piano and also any sport that involves a racquet. She is flat-out delighted to find herself at Trinity.
Alexis Mulvihill is New English Department Head
Alexis Mulvihill has accepted the position of head of the English Department. Head of School John Allman writes, "Two years ago, when Alexis came to Trinity, she brought to us invaluable experience from two very strong independent schools and quickly established herself as an outstanding teacher as well as respected colleague whose sensible, sensitive role in pedagogical and curricular discussions within the department has proven to be especially helpful. Enjoying unequivocal support from her department colleagues as well as from other department heads and administrators, Alexis promises to advance conversations with the department about appropriate diversity in course readings, about enhanced coordination in our teaching of writing."
Daniel Morrison is a New Learning Specialist in the Middle a...
After graduating from Colby College in 2003 with a BA in biology, Dan discovered his passion for education while teaching high school biology and chemistry at Landmark School near Boston, Massachusetts. During his four years at Landmark, Dan taught classroom science and one-on-one early literacy tutorials, earned an MS in education from Simmons College, and became licensed as a teacher for students with moderate disabilities. In 2008 Dan moved to The Gateway Schools of New York as their founding middle school science teacher. He worked with a team of teachers to implement the science curriculum he designed for grades five through eight at Gateway. In 2011 he guided the students’ component of a partnership initiative called STEMinds for the Future, which brought New York City middle school students with learning differences together to share their solutions for self-identified, real world problems. Dan’s travels have taken him to Africa, Central and South America, and throughout Europe.
Timothy Morehouse has a New Baby
Elijah Penn Mansfield Morehouse, son of Timothy Morehouse and his wife Kara, was born on 10 March 2010 at 10:00 p.m. Elijah weighed in at eight pounds three ounces.
Timothy Morehouse has a Baby Update
"We are all well," says Tim. "Here’s a pic of Eli trying out his best punch so far, the left cross."
Sharon Mook is a New Assistant Teacher in Kindergarten
Sharon is attending Queens College and working towards her master’s in early childhood education. While working towards her master’s degree she has been an assistant teacher in various schools in addition to being a Sunday school teacher at the Trust in God Baptist Church. Outside of teaching, she enjoys seasonal sports including skiing and swimming, trying new restaurants, and traveling as often as possible. Sharon is thrilled to be joining the Trinity faculty this fall.
Lawrence J. Momo is Published in the New York Times
Larry's article, "On the Joys of Not Getting What You Want," about dealing with college applications getting rejected, was published in The Choice blog in the "Education" section of the New York Times. Read it at http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/on-the-joys-of-not-getting-what-you-want/.
Rosemary Milliman Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Rosemary C. Milliman was recently honored by Trinity for her twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Rosemary, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Marilyn Messer is a New Executive Assistant to the Head of S...
Marilyn has worked in international education for more than three decades including at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and New York University School of Law. She most recently served as the executive assistant to the United Nations’ special adviser on the prevention of genocide. Marilyn is a native New Yorker and enjoys reading, running, and racquetball. She is delighted to join the staff at the Trinity School.
Loretta McNamee has a New Position
Loretta has agreed to assume the responsibilities of Director of Human Resources at Trinity School. She will continue her previous duties as Payroll and Benefits Manager, but in addition, will oversee the recruitment and hiring of administrative staff, assist supervisors in the development of job descriptions and the completion of performance evaluations, and consult with administrators and employees to resolve personnel issues.
Loretta McNamee Participates in the 2011 Nautica New York Ci...
Loretta, along with Jennifer Levine and Lisa Bianchi, will be swimming, cycling, and running in the 2011 Nautica New York City Triathlon on Sunday, 7 August. Be sure to go out and cheer them on!
Andrew McCarron is Awarded a PhD in Psychology
After five years, Andrew just finished all he needed to do to be awarded a PhD in psychology from the Graduate Center, City University of New York.
Andrew McCarron has a Book of Poems Published
Andrew's first collection of poems, Mysterium, was recently published by Edgewise Press. More information can be found at www.edgewisepress.org.
Andrew McCarron is Religion, Philosophy and Ethics Departmen...
Andrew McCarron has accepted the position of head of the Religion, Philosophy and Ethics Department. Head of School John Allman writes, "During his eleven-year tenure at Trinity, Dr. McCarron has proven to be an extraordinary teacher of English as well as religion, philosophy and ethics and is particularly interested in fostering opportunities for interdisciplinary learning in our curriculum. Having worked alongside Chaplain Tim Morehouse for over a decade, Andrew is also interested in exploring with Tim the ways in which academic coursework in religion, philosophy and ethics might, on occasion, work in concert with our chapel programming."
Mario Maullon is a New Middle and Upper School Mathematics T...
Mario has always been drawn to numbers, and his love of mathematics led him to a career in the financial services industry. However, his passion for education and his aspiration to positively impact young people was stronger. He left the corporate world and earned a master of arts in teaching with a specialization in secondary mathematics, as well as teaching licenses for New Jersey and New York. After teaching math and computer science for four years at a public school in New Jersey, Mario is thrilled to be joining the Trinity community. In his free time, Mario likes to exercise, play and watch sports, and complete crossword puzzles with his wife, Katie.
Alexandra Martinez has a New Baby
Alexandra and her husband Gerardo welcomed son Gerard Alexander Martinez on 29 April 2009.
Kathryn Makatche is a New Technology Integrationist in the L...
Katie relocated from Pennsylvania to New York City when she married in 2012. She most recently has been working for Dreyfus, an investment company, as an executive administrative assistant. Previously, she was at Warrior Run Middle School where Katie served as the school librarian, technology integrator, and gifted education teacher. Since 2010, Katie has volunteered at the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association where she served as the chair of the electronic communications committee. Additionally, she has presented various workshops at state conferences and co-authored an article entitled "Building a Culture of Reading" which was published in the December 2011 issue of School Library Monthly.
Katie has recently discovered that she loves to dance. In the past two years she has learned how to dance salsa, bachata, merengue, and rueda de casino. She has also taken lessons in flamenco and contra dancing. Katie loves to cook, and is currently searching for a great recipe for strawberry ice cream.
Patricia Mahony is the New Lower School Librarian
Patricia earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree, as a school library media specialist, in 2006. As a graduate student at Rutgers, she was a research assistant for the Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL). She has served as a school librarian for over ten years, beginning at All Saints Episcopal Day School in Hoboken, New Jersey, where she was also a language arts teacher. She comes to us from The Child School/Legacy High School in New York City where she established the library, developing a collection and creating services for the school community. She is passionate about literature and information resources for young people and finds great joy in the perspective and humor they bring as they discover the world, make connections, and share ideas and experiences. Patricia has lived on Pacific islands, in Africa, and in Europe. She has traveled to Australia, Asia, and South America, knows Spanish, and speaks French fluently. In addition to being an avid reader, she enjoys photography, museums, planning trips, and spending time with her daughter and son. She is delighted to be joining the Trinity School community.
Alex Macdonald has a New Baby
Congratulations to Alex and his wife, Arana, who gave birth to Owen Macdonald on Friday, 25 May 2012 at 8:01 p.m.
Rebecca Maas is a New Assistant Teacher in Grade Four
Rebecca just recently received her MEd from Hunter College. While attending school she gained experience by assisting and student teaching for the New York City Department of Education, most recently working as an assistant teacher at PS 77 Lower Lab School. She has also taught theatre and music to middle school students at JHS 166 Roberto Clemente School and with the Children’s Aid Society’s Summer Quest program.
Rebecca spends her weekends as the lead singer of an 80’s tribute band, performing in venues throughout Manhattan and along the East Coast. She is passionate about volunteering, having worked with the Sea Turtle Conservancy in Costa Rica, Habitat for Humanity in Kentucky, and Camp Hope, for children grieving the loss of a family member. Also an avid traveler, Rebecca backpacked through Thailand and New Zealand, and spent a year and a half working as a nanny and tutor in Australia. It was the time she spent with children abroad that led her to choose a career in education.
Jennifer Levine Participates in the 2011 Nautica New York Ci...
Jennifer, along with Loretta McNamee and Lisa Bianchi, will be swimming, cycling, and running in the 2011 Nautica New York City Triathlon on Sunday, 7 August. Be sure to go out and cheer them on!
Kyung-Eun “Caroline” Lee is a New Assistant Teac...
Kyung-Eun "Caroline" Lee earned her second master’s degree in elementary education from Teachers College this past May. Her most recent teaching experiences consist of student teaching in New York City and working at the Hollingworth Science Camp. Caroline is a native of Korea, and identifies herself as a third culture kid (TCK) because she spent her childhood and adolescence in seven different countries: Indonesia and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago being two of her favorite countries. She moved to New York two years ago and is amazed to find endless things to do. Caroline easily loses track of time when she’s sketching at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, browsing in bookstores, and taking walks, especially at sunset. She also loves to travel and to explore new restaurants and cafes because it’s such a great feeling to be experiencing and discovering new things. Above all, she is thrilled to be a part of the Trinity community, and is looking forward to meeting new teachers and students.
Sarah J. Lazar is the New Website Administrator
Sarah is the new Website administrator. Sarah received a master’s degree in instructional technology from the University of Maryland and taught history in high school for seven years. Sarah is responsible for the on-going maintenance and redesign of TigerWeb, and for educating parents, teachers, and staff on use of the site.
Sarah J. Lazar is Teaching Classes
Starting this year, Sarah will be teaching computer to Grades Five and Six.
Marilyn Lawrence is a Temporary Upper School History Teacher
Marilyn will join Trinity’s faculty through the end of December as a maternity-leave replacement. She has taught at Barnard College, City University of New York, and New York University, where her awards include the Outstanding Teaching Award and the President’s Service Award. She is the editor of two books of literary historical scholarship, and of a journal issue on teaching the Middle Ages in grades K-12, as well as the author of numerous pedagogical and scholarly journal articles, book chapters, and book reviews. As a freelance arts critic, she has contributed to the Village Voice, Dance Magazine, and other publications, and serves on the advisory council of the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University. At NYU she directs two pedagogical Web sites, funded by outside grants, aimed at using performance in teaching medieval culture to students from middle school through college. She speaks fluent French and German, some Spanish, and reads Latin and Old French.
A strong believer in the power of the arts and humanities to change the lives of children, Marilyn works with youths as a volunteer at the National Dance Institute in Harlem. This summer, on Fire Island, she ran workshops for preteens and teens on physical comedy and on modern dance history. Marilyn is the first female in the history of her Fire Island community to become a chief of the volunteer fire company. As a chief of seventy-four firefighters, Marilyn recruits and trains teens to become firefighters; she was thrilled this summer to have helped twenty-one new recruits graduate from the Suffolk County Fire Academy.
Karen Laufer is a New School Nurse
Prior to coming to Trinity, Karen spent much of her career at Mount Sinai Hospital in a series of academic and clinical positions in pediatrics. She was involved with the Adolescent Health Center and for many years worked as an education specialist in pediatrics. She won the Departmental Award for Clinical Excellence by the Mount Sinai Hospital Board of Trustees in 2003. Karen loves to travel with a specific interest in gastronomical adventures.
Robert Keith is Taking Songwriting Class with Ray Davies of ...
Rob Keith, computer specialist in the Lower School, applied for, and was accepted into, a songwriting class with Ray Davies of The Kinks and poet and playwright, Marion Wells, in the United Kingdom at Dartington International Summer School. He is among sixteen students selected to take the class this August. He is also headed to Brazil for a few weeks in June on a separate music related escapade.
Read more about the class with Ray Davies at https://www.m-magazine.co.uk/makeithappen/summer-school-with-ray-davies/.
Robyn Jaffe is the New Health Curriculum Coordinator in the ...
Robyn is a passionate and creative health educator and has recently been teaching at Walt Whitman High School in Huntington Station, New York. While there she has attended workshops as a presenter providing innovative teaching strategies for the health classroom. She has taught curriculum development for achieving New York State standards in health education and she recently became a certified health education specialist.
Robyn enjoys running and recently completed her first half marathon. She learned just how difficult the sport of tennis can be while taking lessons throughout the year. She enjoys reading, trying new restaurants (and sushi, which she tasted for the first time at age twenty-six), and appreciates time spent with family and friends. She is looking forward to a new and exciting professional experience at Trinity.
Saul Isaacson Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Saul Isaacson was recently honored by Trinity for his twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Saul, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Saul Isaacson Publishes Interview with Noam Chomsky
Teacher of English Saul Isaacson has a new installment in his series of interviews with American linguist Noam Chomsky, available here:
https://www.truth-out.org/news/item/38133-noam-chomsky-on-syria-a-grim-set-of-alternatives#14779255844691&action=collapse_widget&id=
Regan Hunte has a New Position
Regan is now working in the Technology Department as the new help desk technician.
Thomas Holton has a New Baby
Thomas became the proud father of Hunter Johnstone Holton on 28 December 2009. Hunter weighed in at eight pounds and five ounces.
Thomas Holton is Selected for Photography Project to be feat...
Thomas was selected in August 2009 by the Aperture Foundation and the City of New York to document a year in the life of a healthy eating initiative called Green Cart. Green Carts are mobile food carts that offer fresh fruits and vegetables in certain New York City neighborhoods. Their goal is to foster better eating habits and reduce obesity and obesity related diseases. More information can be found at
https://www.aperture.org/greencart
The exhibition will run at the Museum of the City of New York featuring the photographs of Thomas and other artists. Details about the exhibition are forthcoming.
Thomas Holton is in Photography Exhibition at the Museum of ...
Thomas was selected in August 2009 by the Aperture Foundation and the City of New York to document a year in the life of a healthy eating initiative called Green Cart. More information about the project can be found at https://www.aperture.org/greencart.
The exhibition, Moveable Feast: Fresh Produce and the NYC Green Cart Program at the Museum of the City of New York, features the photographs of Thomas and other artists. It will run from 22 March to 11 July 2011. For details, visit https://www.mcny.org/exhibitions/future/Moveable-Feast.html.
Thomas Holton Featured in the “New York Times”
Thomas was featured in an article on the New York Times Lens blog about his current photography project, "The Lams of Ludlow Street: 5 Years Later." From 2002-2005, Thomas extensively photographed a family in Chinatown and started to photograph them again in 2010. Read the article and see photographs at http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/five-years-later-a-new-reality/.
Stanley Hill has a New Baby Daughter
Stanley and his wife, Aja, welcomed their daughter, Qadirah Kashani Muhammad Hill, to the world on 30 October 2009.
Stanley Hill has a New Baby Son
Stanley and his wife, Aja, are proud to announce that their son, Qwess (Quest) T'aj Khalid Hill, was born on 15 March 2013 at at 5:51 p.m. Congratulations to the family!
Maurice Hicks is a New Assistant Teacher in Lower School Sci...
Maurice has previously worked in real estate and financial services. He spent three years working at Future Stars Summer Camps and he has a keen interest in photography and the arts. As a native New Yorker, he is an enthusiastic member of the Museum of Natural History and as a student at Iona College he played as a guard for the men's basketball team. Maurice has been passionate for many years about working with and training dogs. He is very excited about the year to come and hopes for the best.
Rachel Halper has a New Baby
Rachel and her husband Jacob welcomed their son Noah Abraham Halper to the world on 6 October 2009. Noah weighed five pounds and six ounces.
Tamara Gwara is a New Upper School Science Teacher
Tammy is relocating from Mesa, Arizona, where for seven years she has been teaching chemistry (honors and Advanced Placement) at Desert Ridge High School. Prior to that, she spent five years in Aztec, New Mexico, teaching middle school science. She also has experience as a student council class advisor and basketball coach. Tammy served as an independent consultant in modeling instruction, leading workshops for other chemistry teachers. She is also a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certified teacher, and has spent time during the last three years working with candidates as they complete their portfolios. Tammy's favorite pastime is singing, and she is very much looking forward to finding a choir to join in New York City. She would also love any suggestions for places where she might be able to watch some of her favorite West Coast sports teams.
Vandana Gupta Returns to Trinity
Vandana has returned from her year abroad in France in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program.
Edward Griffin has a New Position
Edward is the new alumni relations manager. He was previously the director of the After-School program.
Edward Griffin is a Newlywed
Edward married Denise Bruxelles on Saturday, 3 October 2009, at the Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, Delaware.
Brad Greenman is a New Teacher of Physical Education and Fit...
Brad comes to us from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, where for the past two years he served as an assistant baseball coach. Prior to coaching at Drew he worked at Gill St. Bernard’s School in Gladstone, New Jersey where he was a physical education teacher and the assistant athletic director. During his time at Gill St. Bernard’s School he was named the Star Ledger Somerset County Baseball Coach of the Year and led his team to its first conference championship and a school record for wins. During his playing days he scored over 1,000 points on the basketball court at Drew and was the first player in Newark Academy history with 1,000 points in basketball and 100 hits in baseball for their career. Brad spends his summer on the Jersey Shore where his family has owned a home for fifteen years.
Justin D. Gohde is a New Teacher of Computer Science in the ...
Justin Gohde is a dedicated teacher and creative technologist who knew he wanted to be in education since he was just a little boy. He’s comfortable teaching both computer science (C++, HTML, Java, Javascript, Scratch) and mathematics. He’s also well versed in Excel, web design software, and several visual design programs. Justin maintains a strong passion for the arts, having taught classes for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, participated in dozens of group and solo art shows, and completed several albums with his band. He has a profound respect for hidden patterns and enjoys being fluent in several descriptive languages.
Fabienne Gérard has Cycling Accomplishment
Fabienne, a very successful cyclist outside of Trinity, recently placed twenty-eighth in the Liberty Classic, the most prestigious one day race in the United States which took place in Philadelphia on 5 June 2011.
Fabienne Gérard is Interviewed About Racing
Fabienne, a 2011 Century Road Club Associaton (CRCA) Women's Champion, was interviewed about how she began bicycle racing, her achievements, and her aspirations. Read the interview at
https://www.crca.net/2011/09/interview-with-fabienne-gerard-of-the-fuoriclassediscover-chiropractic-cat-1-racer-and-2011-crca-womens-champion/.
Fabienne Gérard is New Modern Languages Department Head
Head of School John Allman writes, "This fall, when our outstanding Modern Languages Department Head Laura Gordon expressed interest in returning to full-time teaching at Trinity in 2013-14, the School initiated an extensive search process. At the culmination of this process, our own beloved class dean and exceptional French teacher Fabienne Gérard emerged at the top candidate to lead our Modern Language Department as it develops transformational language-immersion travel opportunities, creates a language lab to enhance proficiency in oral communication, and determines how to introduce modern language instruction earlier in our Lower School. A media- and tech-savvy global citizen who has lived, studied, and taught successfully in three countries and two continents, Dr. Gerard brings to our leadership position a compelling array of experiences and capabilities as well as an unwavering commitment to educational excellence and student well-being."
Yosefa Forma is a New Assistant Teacher in Grade Two
Yosefa Forma is no stranger to Trinity. She has been a member of the After School program since 2005 and has been the assistant director of the program since 2009. Yosefa taught as a substitute teacher at various public schools. She also worked for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s Education and Community Outreach program where she conducted workshops and residencies focusing on Shakespeare’s major plays and sonnets to students in grades four through twelve. This past summer, Yosefa traveled to Sarajevo where she facilitated educational theater workshops at an international conference entitled “Art, Media and Social Justice,” sponsored by the United States Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She worked with students and youth groups from around the Balkans on using drama to create dialogue and reconciliation.
Mary Ferrante is a New Upper School Science Teacher
Since 2002, Mary has been teaching upper school science in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District in Bellmore, New York, with a focus on biology and psychology. During her tenure, she developed a genetics curriculum, and taught anatomy and physiology as well as an introductory course in research. Mary has been teaching Advanced Placement courses for nine years. She has been published in Computers and Composition and The American Journal of Cardiology. She has also played an active role in her school and community as a student government advisor, organizing many school-wide and community events. Mary is a lifelong learner who has continued her education through the completion of two master’s degrees, as well as subsequent course work. Her recent studies have included a class on Google applications, an Advanced Placement biology workshop and a chemistry modeling workshop. She is excited to share her experiences with the students at Trinity School.
Martin “Tim” Ferguson is a New Upper School Musi...
Tim has been a professional jazz bassist, composer, and educator for over thirty-five years. He has performed extensively in the United States and in Europe and has made numerous recordings, both with his own groups and with others. He may be familiar to members of the Trinity community due to his frequent presence in the pit for Trinity musicals and cabarets for many years. He has taught music to a variety of ages and levels at a number of educational institutions and as a private instructor. He is the author of two books on how to play the electric and double bass and has worked as a bow repair technician and on-site luthier at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Tim speaks fluent Italian and his wife, Gloria, is a highly respected translator and interpreter in English and Italian. His step-daughter, Sera, is a theoretical physicist and part of an international physics research team headed by Stephen Hawking. Tim is looking forward to being part of the faculty and working with the students at Trinity.
Caren Fall is Married
Caren McWatt was married in the spring to Mafatime Fall on 9 April 2009.
Ana Maria Estela is On Maternity Leave
Ana Maria is on maternity leave for the remainder of the 2012-2013 academic year. Cecilia Rudzitis is the new temporary Lower School math specialist filling-in for her.
Cecilia graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College with a BA in mathematics and a minor in economics. Previously, she was a kindergarten teacher and Singapore Math lead teacher at the Geneva School of Manhattan. Prior to working in education, she worked in the finance industry as vice-president at the Apogee Finance Group and as assistant vice-president at the Irving Trust Company.
Gregg Emery is New Head of the Visual Arts Department
John Allman has announced the appointment of the new head of the visual arts department, Gregg Emery. As John wrote, "He brings to Trinity all the qualities we seek in a department head: he has served successfully as visual arts department head at a K-12 coeducational independent school, where he has proven to be a skilled leader, effective communicator, and passionate advocate for the visual arts; he is a talented, versatile (painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramic, digital photography, and art history) visual arts teacher who has both experience and interest in teaching within multiple divisions; he is a practicing artist who understands the joys, strengths, and challenges of balancing his work as an artist and his work as a teacher; he is a 'consummate school person' active in the life of his school beyond the visual arts studio, as a class dean, as a coach, and as a diversity advocate. "In describing Gregg’s energy, enthusiasm, and sense of purpose, one of Gregg’s references provided the following account of Gregg’s leadership at Dwight-Englewood: 'He begins with a devotion to the whole child and a desire for students to have meaningful experiences in the arts. His classroom is an inspiring and comfortable space where students feel empowered to take risks. His classes combine art education, art appreciation, and art creation, and in the end are often works of art themselves. He also can be found bringing art to other courses, as he collaborates easily and willingly with teachers in other departments. Gregg is always thinking of new ways to bring the arts to students and the school. He has worked with the head of school to bring sculptures to campus; he has organized alumni shows and invited alumni back to work with students; he has grown the visibility of the visual arts and has enhanced the stature of the arts at our school.' "During his day with us, those who met Gregg enjoyed his warmth, his sense of humor, his energy, and his approachability. At the end of his day with us, Gregg reported to me that he thoroughly enjoyed the people he had met here and would be eager to work with the members of the department to support their work, to hear their ideas about how the department can improve, and to advocate passionately and creatively for the essential place of the arts in the life of Trinity School.
"I am profoundly grateful for Harrison Williams’ superb service to the School over the past year as interim department head. He has not felt 'interim' at all; he has led the department with commendable care and skill. Trinity School is wonderfully fortunate to have been able to choose between two such strong educators."
Bruce Edelstein Artwork is Featured in Book
Bruce's artwork is featured in the newly released book L.A. Rising, SoCal Artists Before 1980 by Lyn Kienholz, published by the California/International Arts Foundation.
Bruce Edelstein and Thomas Holton at Hillwood Art Museum
Two of Trinity's visual arts teachers, Bruce Edelstein and Thomas Holton, are having their work shown at Hillwood Art Museum at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University in Brookville, New York. Interim Visual Arts Department Head Peter Moriarty has published introductory notes about the work, which will appear with reproductions from the exhibit. The opening reception is Thursday, 15 September 2011 from 5-8 p.m. and the artists will be speaking at the museum on Tuesday, 25 October 2011 at 7 p.m. The museum is located at 720 Northern Blvd. and is open Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. except on Thursdays when it is open until 8 p.m. Saturdays the museum is open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. For additional information visit: www.liu.edu/museum
or call 516.299.4073.
Bruce Edelstein Writes Article in NY Arts Magazine
Bruce has written an article about his sculpture that is now available on the NY Arts Magazine Web site. The article will also be printed in the winter issue of the magazine. Read it online at https://www.nyartsmagazine.com/global-projects/663-b/8277-bruce-edelstein.html.
Bruce Edelstein Featured in NY Arts Magazine
Bruce Edelstein's sculpture work was featured on the NY Arts Magazine Web site with a full article appearing in the spring 2013 print issue of the magazine. Check out https://www.nyartsmagazine.com/b/bruce-edelstein.
Heidi M. Dumas Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Heidi was recently honored by Trinity for her twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Heidi, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Regina M. Dorian Receives Wallach Administrator Travel Grant
Regina has been awarded the Wallach Administrator Travel Grant. With this grant, Regina will embark on a Scandinavian adventure to visit the Arctic and see the top of the world. She plans to enjoy the natural and cultural wonders of the region, and is optimistic that she will be able to see everything since the sun will be up all the time.
Regina M. Dorian is Math Department Head
Head of School John Allman has announced the appointment of Regina Dorian as the new math department chair. As he wrote, "I am delighted to report that Regina Dorian has accepted my invitation to serve as permanent math department chair, effective immediately. In her work as interim department chair over two and a half of the last three years, she has worked tirelessly, selflessly, and professionally on behalf of the department. Working closely with the department, she has overseen the hiring of ten of the department’s fourteen members, bringing to Trinity exceptionally strong math teachers who continue to foster the collegiality and collaboration that distinguishes the department. In our Middle School, she has worked with Middle School faculty and Middle School principal Chris Schoberl to guide adjustments that have strengthened our program. And, in our Upper School, she has served as a steadfast advocate for the department and, in recent weeks, has organized impressive work by the department to develop dual curricular paths to serve the varied educational needs of Upper School math students. "Over the course of the spring, as I have learned of the department’s steady progress to develop these dual paths, it became increasingly clear to me that, at this moment in the life of our math department, no department head candidate from beyond Trinity – not even Euclid himself – could serve the department or school better than Regina Dorian. Having taught in both middle and upper divisions at a variety of grade levels during her twenty-nine years within our math department, no one has a broader or deeper understanding of our program or our school, and, as interim, she has demonstrated her interest in being an active presence in math classrooms from Kindergarten to Grade Twelve. The School is extraordinarily fortunate that, at this stage in her career, she is eager to serve as department head and to fill her days with matters mathematical."
Peter L. Donhauser is an Associate Editor of Encyclopedia of...
Peter is an associate editor and contributor to the new Second Edition of the Encyclopedia of New York City (Kenneth T. Jackson, Editor-in-Chief), published by Yale University Press. Peter also contributed several entries to the First Edition.
Alexis Di Domenico is a New Teacher of Physical Education an...
Alexis has spent the last two years coaching lacrosse and field hockey at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. In addition to coaching, she spent the last academic year at home with her newborn daughter while working as an independent fitness and nutrition coach. She has been teaching and coaching for over ten years, three of which were spent working for the English Lacrosse Association where she headed up lacrosse programs in schools, as well as promoted the development of lacrosse throughout Scotland. Alexis still plays and coaches lacrosse within the New York City area and lives in Westchester County with her family.
Giuliana M. de Winter Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinit...
Giuliana M. de Winter was recently honored by Trinity for her twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Giuliana, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Marcus A. De Costa has a New Position
Marcus is the new director of annual giving. He was previously the alumni relations manager.
Marcus A. De Costa and his Rugby Team Win Tournament
Marcus's rugby team, the Gotham Knights won the Bingham Cup in June 2010. The Bingham Cup, officially the Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament, is a biannual international, non-professional, gay rugby union tournament first held in 2002. The most recent tournament was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. New York's Gotham Knights beat the two-time defending champion, the Sydney Convicts, 18-15 in the Cup final.
Alison Countermine is a New Lower School Mathematics Special...
Alison Countermine will be joining us from the Lawrence Woodmere Academy where she has been working as a math specialist and teacher for grades one through four on a part-time basis. She also worked as a math teacher at the Far Hills Country Day School for grades two through eight. Prior to entering the field of education, Alison worked for the United States Department of Homeland Security as an intelligence analyst. She is interested in sports and has coached softball, soccer and basketball. Alison also enjoys playing and teaching piano, as well as playing golf.
James Cifelli Receives The Greenberg Family-Alumni Associati...
James Cifelli Receives The Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Award 2011
Jim Cifelli has been awarded the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Award for 2011. The Distinguished Teaching Endowment was created in 1983 as a tribute to Clarence Bruner-Smith, Dudley M. Maxim '32 and Frank G. Smith. In 1988, the Alumni Association decided to establish an annual award to a teacher who has taught at Trinity for ten years or more, exemplifies the history and traditions of the School and who has demonstrated excellence in teaching. The prize, now known as the Greenberg Family-Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Award, was increased to $10,000 in 2004. Since its inception, twenty-four teachers have received this honor, their names displayed prominently on the Greenberg Family – Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching Prize Plaque in the Great Hall. We add a twenty-fifth to that list. With so many deserving teachers at Trinity, it is always a difficult decision for the Alumni Association. This year’s winner has taught at Trinity for fifteen years. A warm, caring teacher who inspires his students to reach new heights in what they can do both individually and as a group. It is truly a great honor to present this award to Jim Cifelli.
James Cifelli is New Director of Performing Arts
Jim Cifelli will lead as Trinity's director of performing arts, effective 1 September 2012. Jim, who has taught at Trinity for over sixteen years, will work with others in the School to imagine ways to integrate the arts even more effectively into our educational program. He is excited by the Strategic Plan’s call to develop partnerships with institutions in the city, and is eager to explore ways in which the School’s arts program can make best use of the extensive arts resources available to us through parents, alumni and others. We look forward to seeing what he can do for performing arts at Trinity.
Haley Channing is the New After-School Director
Haley is the new After-School director. Haley has been teaching in the Trinity’s Kids Club program since 2008 where she organized activities for Lower School and Middle School students. Her personal interests include acting, swing dancing, running, theater, and yoga.
Barbara Carlsen is a New Lower School Music Teacher
Barbara has been teaching orchestra and general music since 1983 within the New York City Board of Education, in the Hastings-on-Hudson Union Free School District, and at Seven Bridges Middle School in Chappaqua. In 1979 Barbara began work at the Brooklyn College Conservatory Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts where she founded and directed the Suzuki Violin Program. She has performed with several orchestras in the New York City area. Barbara is currently a violinist in the St. Thomas Orchestra and the Handel Festival Orchestra, and is active as an avid player of chamber music. Barbara loves to go to the theatre and visit museums. Being physically active is a very important part of her life and includes yoga, qigong, dance, and distance walking.
Cynthia Calder is a New Middle School Classics Teacher
Cindy comes to us from The Brearley School where she taught Latin to grades seven through nine. Prior to that she worked part-time at Saint Joseph High School in Brooklyn and is now a member of their board of directors. Cindy also founded a Latin and art history program for high school students which she runs in Florence, Italy, in the summer. From 1991 to 2008 Cindy established and operated a translation company specializing in financial, legal, and general documents. She ran in the New York City marathon three times, is a contemporary art enthusiast, lives in Brooklyn, and is the mother of four sons.
John Burns is a New Technology Support Specialist
John is the newest addition to the Technology Office filling the position of technology support specialist. John comes to us from an IBM consulting group, where he has worked for several years.
John Burns is Getting Married
John and his fiancé, Amanda Bulson, are getting married on Friday, 27 July 2012 at Cortlandt Colonial in Cortlandt Manor, New York. Their honeymoon in Puerto Rico will follow. Congratulations, John!
Jay Brandford is a New Lower School Music Teacher
Jay has taught instrumental lessons and classes in area schools since moving to New York in 1991. He is also a teaching artist in performance ensembles that visit K-12 classrooms throughout the tri-state area. Besides teaching, Jay is a freelance jazz saxophonist who performs around town and around the world with many New York-based jazz bands. Jay and his family live in Westchester.
Paul Brandenburg is a New Lower School Music Teacher
Paul was formerly a trumpet instructor for lower school students at the Friends Seminary. His extensive performance experience has led him on tours of the United States, Canada, and throughout Europe. One highlight was last year's Lincoln Center festival, when he performed in Here but I’m Gone: A 70th Birthday Tribute to Curtis Mayfield at Avery Fisher Hall. He has led and organized musical ensembles throughout the New York area in public performances and for private functions. Paul is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has worked on various commercials in background and principal acting roles. In his spare time, Paul enjoys rooting for the New York Mets.
Irene Bosker is a New School Nurse
Irena earned her nursing degree in the Netherlands, her country of origin. She was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University where she earned a MPH (Master in Public Health degree). Her public health and nursing work has brought her to Russia, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States. She and her partner have twin boys who are six years old. They live in Brooklyn, but Irena doesn't mind the commute to Trinity as it gives her time to read.
Sarah Bonsignore is on Maternity Leave
Sarah will be on maternity leave from 28 November 2011 to 28 February 2012. Robert Wendt has been hired to substitute for her during this time. Robert received his BA from Columbia University in English and comparitive literature. He received his MA in music education from Hunter College. He currently works at Calhoun School accompanying the middle school chorus, leading warm-ups and sectionals, and integrates music theory, history, and vocal technique into choral rehearsals as needed, with a special focus on changing male voices. He is a lifelong piano student and enjoys traveling.
Sarah Bonsignore has a New Baby Boy
Sarah and her husband, Steven, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Aidan Keith Hemstalk, on 11 December 2011 at 4:13 p.m. He weighed in at six pounds and thirteen ounces. The family is doing well.
Sonia Bhoorasingh Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Sonia was recently honored by Trinity for her twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Sonia, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Dion Best is a New Aquatics Coordinator
Dion is the new aquatics coordinator. He comes with over fifteen years of aquatics and management experience. He has coached various sports, such as football, softball, swimming, track and field, and triathlon. In his spare time, he played football with the Rockland County Bruins.
Teacher of History Michael Berkowitz is Featured on Marketpl...
Teacher of History Michael Berkowitz is quoted in a story by senior reporter Mitchell Hartman that takes a look at the history of middle-class American vacations: https://www.marketplace.org/2016/07/22/world/middle-class-american-vacation-history
Jodi H. Barnes is a New Lower School Administrative Secretar...
Jodi arrived in New York from Louisville, Kentucky where she worked at the Learning House as a course designer for college-level online education. She has developed curriculum and taught multi-level English classes in Southeast Asia. Jodi also taught Bible and church history courses at Anderson University in South Carolina. In her spare time she has worked as a volunteer Sunday school teacher, ladies’ Bible study leader, autism and special needs care assistant and media and technology team member. In her spare time, she loves to explore the city, jog, bake, read and volunteer at her church.
Uma Jagtiani Aviles is a New Technology Integrationist in th...
Uma Jagtiani comes to us from Teach for America (TFA) where she has been working in the Office of Alumni Affairs as the director of TFANet, an internal site with classroom, career development, and networking resources. Prior to TFA, Uma worked at eChalk where she helped design and implement software for kindergarten through grade twelve schools to enhance the home-school connection. Uma obtained her MEd from Harvard Graduate School of Education in technology, innovation, and education. During her graduate studies, she researched the advantages of online social bookmarking for learning communities and implementation models for augmented reality games in middle school classrooms. Uma lives downtown and has been in Manhattan for almost ten years. She loves that the city always has new food and places to explore.
Uma Jagtiani Aviles is Getting Married
Uma and her fiancé, Roland Aviles, are getting married on Saturday, 11 August 2012 at the Chart House in Weehawken, New Jersey, overlooking New York City. After the wedding, they will be heading to France for their honeymoon. They will spend a few days in Paris and then have five nights in Southern France along the coast. Congratulations, Uma!
Uma Jagtiani Aviles has a New Baby
On Tuesday, 2 July 2013, Uma gave birth to a daughter, Leela Rose, weighing six pounds and nine ounces. Congratulations to the family!
Rachell Arteaga is a New Assistant Teacher in Grade Three
Rachell recently worked as an associate teacher at the Chapin School and has been busy attending professional development conferences, which will help expand her work in the classroom. Her additional experiences as an educator include collaborating with teen girls for change in the media through advocacy, leading English language workshops for elementary school children in Colombia with the YMCA, and working with summer camps in the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Rachell is a native New Yorker who is fluent in Spanish. During her free time she enjoys traveling, roller coasters, and sampling crazy culinary concoctions.
Peter Aronoff is a New Teacher of Classics
Peter comes to us from the Marymount School of New York where he taught Latin, Greek and computer science for over twelve years. During his tenure he also served as a class advisor, Philosophy Club moderator and Amnesty International moderator. He was the student body committee chair of the NYSAIS self-evaluation. Peter was a member of the technology committee and he administered two of the school’s servers. He also developed a custom web application that students used to maintain online resumes. Peter is an avid Yankee fan and a cynical (though not ironic) Knicks fan. He enjoys reading, believes that all Westerns are good Westerns, hunts down spicy Chinese food on the weekends, and contributes to open-source software when he can.
J. Bradford Anderson Translates and Edits “Disenchante...
J. Bradford Anderson invites us to explore Paris through his English translation of Disenchanted City, a collection of poems by contemporary French poet Chantal Bizzini. Anderson edited the volume with Marilyn Kallet, and translated the poems in collaboration with Kallet and Darren Jackson. Bizzini has a penchant for describing the multifaceted nature of the City of Lights, and through her poetry we learn about the many secrets of modern Paris...its beauty and its darkness.
To hear Disenchanted City come alive in English, join Anderson and Kallet for a reading at St. Mark’s Bookshop, 136 East 3d Street., at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 1 December.
For more information about the the book: https://www.blackwidowpress.com/
Myles B. Amend has been Elected as President
Myles has been elected to a two-year term as president of the Greater New York Chapter of the International Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Myles B. Amend is Now Associate Head of School for Advanceme...
On 1 July 2011, Myles Amend’s title changed from director of development and alumni relations to associate head of school for advancement. This change provides Myles with a title that better reflects the additional responsibilities he has assumed over the past two years as well as those responsibilities that he will assume in 2011-2012. Head of School John Allman wrote, "Since my arrival Myles has been the member of senior staff designated to serve as the school’s chief executive if, for some reason, I am unavailable. In addition, as cochair of the strategic planning process, Myles has assumed a significant leadership role well beyond the scope of development and alumni relations, and, in recent months, he has been extraordinarily involved in managing community and media relations as the school has dealt with a variety of issues." Congratulations and all best wishes to Myles.
Myles B. Amend and Marc A. Thomas Marry!
All best wishes to Myles B. Amend, associate head for advancement, and his husband, Marc A. Thomas. They were married on 24 July 2011, the first day of marriage equality in New York State. Their daughter, Ashley, who enters Kindergarten this fall, was ring bearer. May the public recognition of their union contribute to many years of happiness and joy. Congratulations on being among the couples who participated in, and made possible, this historic day.
Monica Alvarez is a Newlywed
Mayra Alvarez Celebrates Twenty-Five Years at Trinity
Mayra was recently honored by Trinity for her twenty-five years of service to the School. Thank you, Mayra, for all you have given, and will continue to give, to the School!
Daniel Alford has a New Baby
Daniel and his wife Jocelyn Russell welcomed baby Nathaniel Walker Russell on 12 October 2009. He weighed in at six pounds eleven ounces.
Dana Albert is a New Teacher of Mathematics
Dana will teach math in the Upper School starting this fall. She has earned a MS in Secondary Education in mathematics from the University of Rochester. She also received her BS and BA in mathematics and economics, respectively, from the University of Rochester. During her time at Rochester, Dana worked as a teaching assistant for multivariable calculus and linear algebra with differential equations. She has taught at Apollo Middle School and Fairport High School. When she is away from school, Dana enjoys cooking, practicing yoga, and traveling. She is excited to join the Trinity community and share her passion for mathematics with her students.
Pablo Acosta Published in National Athletic Trainers’ ...
Pablo Acosta Published in National Athletic Trainers’ Association News Magazine (was “Published in National Athletic Trainers’ Association News Magazine”)
Pablo was published in NATA News, the magazine of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. His letter to the editor appeared in the April 2011 issue, where he wrote about the importance of early access to athletic training for young athletes.
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