2015-2016 Annual Report

Annual Report

p. 10p. 34

College Advising at M

CDS

an MCDS MAGAZINEOnward Fall 2016

Front cover: Setona ’22, Noah ’27, Paige ’25, and Alex ’17 help Mr. Hebebrand cut the ribbon to the new Academic Center. Students were nominated for representing MCDS character traits. Special thanks to Wendy Upadhyay for this photograph as well as others taken at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

As part of the annual first day of school traditions, Josh ’17 and Celia ’17 (the two oldest students) exchange gifts with Soholm ’30 and Josefina ’30 (the two youngest students).

Head’s Letter 2The Buzz 3

MCDS Moments 4In Focus with Faculty 6

Teamwork & Triumph 28Character & Community 30

Sustain & Thrive 32Alumni Pages 63

FeaturesThe Faces of College Advising at MCDS 10Introducing Our New Academic Center! 24

Special in This IssueAnnual Report 34

Ben Hebebrand Head of SchoolOnward Contributors

Dana Asmuth Director of AdvancementHolly Bobula Graphic Designer

Courtney Comer Parent VolunteerKimberly Hazen Admissions Specialist

Emma Henke Parent VolunteerBeatrice Jones School Secretary

Rebecca Shepley Parent VolunteerKristi Thom Contributing Writer

Jamie Wojcik Development Office ManagerOnward Photographers

Bonnie Manley Event Logistics AssistantMaheen Ott Kindergarten Teacher

Wendy Upadhyay Parent VolunteerBoard of Trustees

Erick Hallick, BS ChairJim Gallegos, JD Vice-Chair

Guy Comer, BA SecretaryLynn Kaminski, CPA, BBA Treasurer

Kathy Baus, MDBruce Bosben, BBA

Sandra Fernandez, EdDMark Louden, PhD

Robert Rusch, CFA, CPAJohn Schaffer, PhD

Jerry VanKirk, MDiv, ThMSheila Young, BA

Ben Hebebrand, MA, ex-officio

Honorary TrusteesErica Christman, MHA

Terry Haller, MAEric McLeod, JD

Bassam Shakahshiri, PhDBeverly Simone, EdD

Advising TrusteeJulian Pozniak ’10, BA, MCDS Alumni President

is to provide an intellectually stimulating, personally enriching, and academically challenging program in the liberal arts and sciences to an able and diverse student

body; measure the curriculum and student achievement against the finest programs in the world; and contribute to the larger community by developing effective educational

programs to serve as models for other private and public schools.

The mission of Madison Country Day School

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, students eagerly enter the new Academic Center.

Letter from the Head of SchoolMadison Country Day School is turning 20! By all measures, that makes us a young school. Within this spirit of youthful age, MCDS has undergone a remarkable transformation. In its youth, MCDS chose to apply and be granted accreditation status through the rigorous ISACS process. Growing along with its students, the school built a middle/high school wing in 2004 and nine years ago graduated its first high school class. Now MCDS has successfully built a beautiful new Academic Center along with making necessary improvements to the existing building. Further, this transformation is dramatically reflected in the fact that MCDS began with 22 students and opened its doors this year to 440 students, 60 of whom are new—they are the reason we exist.

It is truly humbling to serve this school as its head. I find inspiration in the collective contributions of time, talents, and, yes, treasure, by faculty, staff, trustees, parents, grandparents, and friends. There are certainly many fine individual contributions worthy of our collective gratitude, however I want to clearly communicate my individual gratitude for the collective contributions. In true MCDS fashion, the school has had such significant success over such a short period of time because of the incredible sense and spirit of community that abounds here on this inspiring campus. Without a doubt, the community finds its energy and joy in the two fundamental beliefs we hold at MCDS: 1. Every child possesses an extraordinary capacity to learn; and 2. Effort is generally more important than ability. Therein lies the story of our school—we have an extraordinary capacity, and there is no shortage of effort.

This 20th anniversary year is an exciting time for MCDS. Together, our students, faculty, and staff along with the support of our community will lead MCDS into the future.

Happy 20th to MCDS,

Benjamin Hebebrand Head of School

New faculty help Mr. Hebebrand ring in the 20th school year at MCDS.

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Wisconsin Letters About Literature

18 middle school students were supported by

contest.

Eli ’20 won 2nd place in the

5 high school students (directing, costume designing, backstage managing) to produce

1 of The Secret Garden.beautiful performance

National Merit Finalist

Grand PrizeCongressional Art Competition

1%2845 different electives

facesover

are now offered for middle and high school students, including a circus arts elective.

were painted at Field Day.

A I S H A ’ 1 6 W A S R E C E N T L Y N A M E D A

S O P H I E ’ 1 8 R E C E I V E D T H E

Third Place I N T H EA N D J A D E ’ 1 8 R E C E I V E D

OF THE 1 ,500 ,000 STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE PSAT DURING THEIR JUNIOR YEAR.

P L A C I N G H E R I N T H E T O P

( S E C O N D D I S T R I C T ) .183

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pieces ofstructural steel

colonies

First grade

with Colonial Day.

celebrated the

were set to hold the new Academic Center.

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The Buzz

High school exchange trip to Ecuador—spreading their wings!

Grade five magic tunnel to welcome incoming middle schoolers

Lower school musical, We Are Monsters

Grade four Secret Garden project

Middle school canoeing during PE

High school music class with guest musician

Science Olympiad competition

MCDS Moments1

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5

6

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Ms. Liz Davison—School Counselor and After-School Program Coordinator

Onward: What is your vision for the counseling program at MCDS?Ms. Davison: My vision for MCDS is something that will be evolving this year (and for many years to come, I hope). School counseling, at its heart, is about finding out what students need to be successful and then creating a structure for them to learn these skills and improve. To help me in this process, I’ll be utilizing the guidelines of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, the IB Learner Profile, and the mission and vision of MCDS.

What are your top priorities to meet the needs of students at MCDS?My first priority as a counselor is to identify the needs of the students of MCDS by gathering and analyzing data; this process is referred to as a needs assessment. Once this has been completed, I will share my findings and thoughts with the division heads to determine which areas should be prioritized. This discussion will also include how to best allocate my time within the three division levels.

What is your background in school counseling?I completed my MS in School Counseling program with Capella University in June 2016. Prior to that, I was a high school English teacher (BA in English from UW-Madison) and a library assistant as well as mom to two girls.

What are some of the common challenges students face in today’s school environment that might necessitate your services?One of the main concerns that I see with students (of all ages) is an increased level of anxiety. I know that this is something that affected me as a young person and affects my seven-year-old daughter as well. I am very mindful of the need to help students identify their emotions (including anxiety) and develop healthy coping strategies.

MCDS has a myriad of after-school activities for students. What ideas or plans do you have to enhance the program?I am so excited that I’ll be spending time after the school day with some of our MCDS kids. My hope is to create a welcoming space for our students to find what they need—connection, a time to relax and reboot, and fun, of course. I am especially excited to incorporate some of my favorite things into the program: art, music, nature, and games!

When you are not at MCDS, what might we find you doing?Some of my favorite things are books (especially comic books), movies, games, and costumes. I also love the outdoors and spending time outside with my girls (second grader and Kindergartener). In the winter I tend to get more crafty—last winter I made each of my girls a small quilt entirely by hand!

This summer marked the addition of two part-time staff members at MCDS, a new school counselor and school nurse. Onward sat down with Ms. Davison and Ms. Salin to learn more about their positions at MCDS.

In Focus with StaffGetting To Know Jennifer Salin and Liz Davison

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Ms. Jennifer Salin—School Nurse

Onward: Share a little bit about your background in nursing.Ms. Salin: I hold a BS in Economics and Nursing from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MS in Clinical Nurse Leadership from Rush University in Chicago. I completed my Capstone Project at UW-Madison. I have an active registered nursing license here in Wisconsin as well as Illinois and nearly 20 years working experience in the healthcare field. My past experience includes working in the intensive care unit at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and on the pediatric floor at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. I also have leadership experience as the Clinical Director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago and having traveled as a healthcare consultant across North America and Europe. Lastly, I have extensive experience as a clinical researcher in the fields of headaches and pediatric asthma.

In addition to assisting students when they are sick, what are your other areas of focus?My main goals include advocating for the children, educating the school and parent community on the role of the school nurse, utilizing my clinical judgment to provide quality care that is culturally competent, and providing a leadership role in the health area by offering health and wellness programs and ensuring that the school is compliant with local and national school health policies.

Some of my more exciting initiatives include a proactive health and wellness program for MCDS students, which will hopefully develop into an elective course for middle and high school students. Through this program I hope to teach our students how to manage

and advocate for their own health. Now that MCDS has a licensed healthcare professional on staff, the school takes on additional risks and responsibility and with that comes a need to update many of our health policies and procedures. Currently, I am evaluating and re-developing our medication administration protocol, emergency nursing services, individualized health action plans, nursing space so that it provides privacy to our ill students, and training plans for teachers and staff on various health related topics. Finally, I advocated for a volunteer medical director to join our school’s healthcare team. Dr. Michael Kim has agreed to volunteer in this role. I am thrilled to work with him in the years to come.

What recommendations do you have for students (and parents) to help them maintain optimal health at school?Let me start by referring to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: a child cannot reach his or her true potential if that child’s physical needs are not first met. Optimal health starts with a healthy diet, adequate rest, regular exercise, and utilizing proactive health and wellness techniques. These basic topics will be addressed in my proactive health and wellness program at MCDS. It is also important to realize that reaching an optimal level of health is a unique journey for everyone. I love being a clinical nurse leader because I am licensed to assess a person’s health from different perspectives: physical signs and symptoms, psycho-social status, nutritional health, stage in life span, environmental factors, medication regime/side effects, daily habits, etc., and collaborate and advocate on the patient’s behalf to develop the best treatment plan for them to reach an agreed upon goal.

What do you enjoy most about being the school nurse at MCDS?Setting the standard for what a school nurse should be! A school nurse is more than a mom who applies Band-Aids and stops bloody noses. Put simply, a school nurse is responsible for assessing, triaging, caring, and advocating for the health and well-being of our students and is a leader in the school’s health policies and programs. The MCDS school nurse requirements are unique in that we need a registered nurse who is a self-starter, independent, culturally competent, mindful of the MCDS culture, resourceful, and budget conscious while also possessing a background in leadership and pediatric clinical experience.

When you are not at MCDS, what might we find you doing?I love spending time with my husband Rick and daughter Lily (MCDS first grader), friends, and, of course, Badger hockey!

Ms. Davison and Ms. Salin introduce themselves and their roles to first grade at the start of the school year.

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Meet the New FacultyJennifer Salin (Nurse) is featured on pp. 6-7.

Carlos Valenzuela, our IT coordinator, is originally from Lima, Peru, but has lived in Madison for more than 13 years. He earned a BS in Computer Sciences with a concentration in networking management from Herzing University and worked in IT for Marshall School District as well as TDS, Oscar Mayer, and the State of Wisconsin. He enjoys helping students and teachers solve problems and learn more about technology. Mr. Valenzuela is married and has a three-year-old daughter.

Annemieke Savert P’19, ’21,’ 24 joins the Kindergarten team this year. A native of the Netherlands where she taught for three years, she has the equivalent of a BS in Elementary Education from Utrecht University. In 1996, her family moved to Wisconsin Dells, where she taught third grade for six years. Ms. Savert also earned a BS and MEd with reading certificate at Viterbo University. A model of lifelong learning, she has three daughters at MCDS, Emma, Nicole, and Tessa.

Erica Prosser serves as the middle school math teacher. She holds a BA in Education with mathematics certification in middle childhood from UW-Oshkosh and is returning home to Wisconsin after two years at the International School of Monagas, Venezuela, where she taught sixth through ninth grade mathematics. Prior to that, Ms. Prosser taught seventh grade mathematics in Arizona.

Crystle Johnson joined MCDS in the spring as assistant business manager. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the position with 12 years of office experience, primarily in a construction accounting background. Ms. Johnson’s professional customer service skills will be of definite benefit to families at MCDS.

Laura Dry P’24, ’22 is teaching seventh grade English and history and has five years of teaching experience at the middle school level, including seventh and eighth grade Language Arts and Literary Analysis teacher. She also served as a long-term sub for MCDS. Ms. Dry holds a BA in English and an MEd, both from Arizona State University.

Bethany Schmidt teaches lower school PE. She has 10 years of PE teaching experience at the K-8 level including four years at St. Katharine Drexel School in Beaver Dam and five years in the Marshall School District. Ms. Schmidt has a BS from UW-LaCrosse in Physical Education and Health.

Jeremy Clements PE

Jake Eaton Science

Introducing

Department HeadsBob Camosy History

Mark Childs EnglishFor the first time, MCDS will have department heads for every subject.

Amanda Webb is our high school biology and ninth grade science teacher. She holds a BS in Biology from California State University-Fullerton. Working for a pharmaceutical concern, Ms. Webb conducted vaccine research. She completed a Master of Teaching (MT) with certification in secondary science at the University of Virginia, taught in Virginia for three years, and was also recognized as a Natural Science and Mathematics Boeing Scholar.

Laura Wile comes to MCDS as educational assistant for third and fourth grades after working 17 years with grades K-8 in Maine. She lived in rural New Hampshire for 30 years where she and her husband restored a 19th century schoolhouse. Originally from Chicago, Ms. Wile graduated from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, with a BA in Outdoor Education/Humanities. Back in the Midwest, she is enjoying being closer to family and getting to know Madison and MCDS.

Athan Biss is teaching for Drew Ciancia (paternity leave) as our grades nine and ten history teacher. Mr. Biss holds a BA in History from Princeton University, an MA in Education from Pace University, and an MA from UW-Madison in American History. He also is a PhD candidate in history at UW. Mr. Biss taught at the New York City Lab School for Collaborative Learning and a summer program at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.

Rita Gipp comes to MCDS as our academic technology integration specialist and director of summer programming. She holds a BS in Elementary Education with a math education minor, and an MS in Technology Education. Ms. Gipp served several Wisconsin school districts including Janesville and most recently Nicolet High School in Glendale. Additionally, she served at UW’s Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins University affiliated summer computer camps, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Liz Davison (Counselor) is featured on pp. 6-7.

Pam Schroeder (Not pictured) takes on duties of music teacher and choral director at the middle and high school levels while Ms. Stansfield is on maternity leave through December 2016. She is a graduate of UW-Madison, and has 24 years of experience teaching music, including 16 years as choir director at LaFollette High School. She also has performed professionally for ten years.

Rita Gipp Technology Integration

Patricia Jaume World Language

Danika Rzentkowski Music Co-Chair

Jon Schipper Music Chair

Laura Soden Mathematics

Aaron Steffes Art9

The Faces of

at MCDS Orange, black, blue, gold, crimson—the college pennants cover the walls of the stairway at Madison Country Day School. Each represents a college that has accepted an MCDS student. This bold display shows how far and wide students can go when they start at MCDS.

All of this achievement takes careful planning and preparation. Key to the process are MCDS College Advisor and IB Coordinator Lynn Schweber and Head of High School Steve Soden. Onward asked Ms. Schweber and Mr. Soden how applying to college is changing, what colleges are looking for in prospective students, and how MCDS is uniquely able to assist all of its students in this exciting—and sometimes overwhelming—process.

College

Ms. Schweber and Mr. Soden are ready for another year of college advising at MCDS.

1010

Onward: How is college advising at MCDS particularly suited to its students?Mr. Soden: At MCDS, college advising comes down to personal attention. The college application process is a highly personal one, and as such, it takes time and attention paid to the unique aspects of each student. Our knowledge of each individual student—both academically and personally—as well as the time and resources we dedicate to the process make MCDS highly unique in the Madison area.

With the Common App, a student can create one online profile that she or he can use to apply to more than 600 colleges. How has the Common App changed the landscape for prospective students? What other changes are on the horizon for college applications?

Mr. Soden: The number of applications has risen significantly for every college. The Common App is part of this, as it has made sending out applications very easy; all you need is a credit card. A strong academic record and standardized test scores are still necessary at the most selective colleges, but there are a lot of applicants with strong academic records. As such, our

Advising

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goal is to make the student come alive in the application process. We want all of our students to be more than just another application, and our advising process is designed to do that.

Ms. Schweber: There are a lot of new pieces in the college advising landscape this year and next. We have a new SAT, some changes made to the ACT, more colleges going test-optional, and new financial aid procedures. Happily, the new financial aid process is going to be great for families.

Also new is the College Advising Center at MCDS. What can students expect to find there?

Ms. Schweber: The College Advising Center will offer something new to MCDS students—a place to talk privately about their plans, or to meet with a college admissions representative for an interview, or to make a private phone call about admissions or financial aid. We’ve always made do with limited physical resources, but it will be great to have a dedicated space to display college materials, make standard reference works available for student use, and meet privately with students and families at this very sensitive time in their lives.

How early should students start thinking about what kinds of colleges might be a good fit for them?

Ms. Schweber: At MCDS, college advising is expanding to include eighth grade, which is a really good time for students to start looking ahead to college and thinking about their interests. It’s also a good time to take some of the mystery out of high school—transcripts, summer activities, extracurriculars, SAT/ACT. Students are always delighted to hear about the excellent test-optional colleges that care more about essays, grades, teacher

recommendations, and activities than they do about test scores, or that they can do an internet search for colleges that offer vegan dining options or allow reptiles in dorm rooms.

Starting freshman year, MCDS students begin their lists of extracurricular activities to be used on applications. What should students consider when choosing extracurriculars as they think ahead to applying for college in a few years? Is there a “right” way to do extracurriculars?

Mr. Soden: There is no one right number of extracurriculars, as the answer will vary depending on the student and his or her interests. That said, the number of extracurriculars should allow the student ample time to pursue them fully. It is very easy for colleges to see if a student is only paying a cursory amount of attention to his or her extracurriculars; they see it all the time. Students need to be able to authentically discuss why their extracurricular choices suit them and show their dedication to what they have done. Quality is more important than quantity in this regard.

Ms. Schweber: Colleges vary in what they are looking for with regard to extracurriculars, and it varies from year to year as they build classes according to changing institutional priorities. Most of the time, we can’t know in advance what those are going to be (although occasionally I get a call asking if we have any double reed players—our music department has quite a reputation). I know that might feel like students have to be chasing a moving target, but that’s looking at it from the wrong angle. Students should concentrate on finding a college that matches their interests, not on changing their interests to match what they think colleges want.

Being able to write insightfully about one’s life outside of academics is very important. This is one of the ways a student can show herself as a person, rather than a collection of numbers (GPA, test scores, awards). Students who recount their wins and losses in soccer, or their awards in music, or the number of community service hours they logged are missing an opportunity to tell colleges who they are, what they value, and why.

Students should concentrate on finding a college that matches their interests, not on changing their interests to match what they think ‘colleges want.’”

—Lynn Schweber

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Ms. Schweber meets with Izzie ’17 about her college application process.

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Course selection also impacts college admissions. What should high school students keep in mind when deciding what to study at MCDS?

Mr. Soden: Students should pick a course of study that allows them to authentically demonstrate their interests. There is no one course that looks better than the others, and since all of our 11th and 12th grade courses are IB (International Baccalaureate) courses, there is no question about the level of rigor in each course. Students can select among art, music, or a second science, world language, or social sciences course, for example, based purely on where their interests lie and know

that their course of study will be viewed as the most challenging available.

Ms. Schweber: What every college is looking for, including the STEAM-focused ones, is a well-educated student who has demonstrated success in a challenging academic curriculum and knows how to lead a balanced life. Our high school graduation requirements exceed those of most high schools, and they definitely meet the requirements of even the most selective colleges and universities. I’m thinking about our requirement of four years each of foreign language, lab science, and mathematics, as well as our requirement of at least two

“Send us prepared students a la IB—it is the best high school prep curriculum an American school can offer.”

—Marilee Jones, Former Director of Undergraduate Admission, MIT

The IB Diploma Advantage

Sample of College Acceptance Rates:Institution General rate IB student rateUniversity of Florida 42% 82%Brown University 9% 18% Stanford University 7% 15% Columbia University 9% 13% University of California-Berkeley 26% 58% Harvard University 7% 10% New York University 30% 57%University of Miami 30% 72%Cornell University 18% 31%Duke University 16% 28% University of Pennsylvania 14% 24% Yale University 7% 18%Boston University 58% 70% University of California-Los Angeles 23% 48%University of Virginia 32% 64%Princeton University 8% 16%

Strictly copyright © IGI Services 2011

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2015

MCDS is the only high school in the Dane County area with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. IB is an internationally recognized pre-university program, known for its challenging curriculum that develops critical thinking, spirit of inquiry, exceptional written and oral communication skills, and global perspective.

“IB is well known to us as excellent preparation. Success in an IB programme correlates well with success at Harvard. We are pleased to the see the credential of the IB Diploma Programme on the transcript.”

— Marilyn McGrath Lewis, Former Director of Admissions, Harvard University

IB students are more likely to find success in college:

79%graduate

compared to 39% national average.

IB students can earn

in college, plus ability to place into higher-level classes faster.

up to sophomore status

Significant merit aid opportunitiesresult in a typical merit aid award of $20,000 to an MCDS graduate,

renewable each year.

College acceptance rate is

for applicants with IB Diploma.than national average22% higher

years of music and two years of art. When I discussed our graduation requirements with the colleges I visited in Boston recently, all of them—including the most elite—were very impressed.

In addition to taking some IB courses, MCDS High School students have the opportunity to formally pursue an IB Diploma. How do prospective colleges view IB?

Mr. Soden: What we have heard from multiple colleges, stated in these exact terms, is that the IB Diploma program is the gold standard when it comes to college applications. From an academic standpoint, it requires a rigorous academic program across the board. The colleges we have spoken to, including some of the

most selective colleges in the world, all say the same thing: completing an IB Diploma requires a student to work hard in absolutely every area of his or her academic program. As such, colleges know that IB Diploma Programme students are prepared for success in college.

Ms. Schweber: Here are some things I heard from several colleges on my recent trip to Boston: “IB students know how to write a research paper, including how to manage their time from start to finish.” “IB students know how to avoid plagiarism, no matter what the subject.” “IB students are more likely than anyone else to be able to pass the final exams from our science courses in order to be placed out of an introductory science course.” “IB students demonstrate a maturity we don’t see in most other students; they are aware that there are views other than their own, and they enjoy engaging those views.” “IB students are intellectually curious and critical thinkers.”

In order to make it possible for applicants to be compared across a variety of grading systems, many colleges recalculate applicants’ GPAs. Most of these recalculations involve excluding art and music courses from the GPA. However, IB Art and Music are considered serious academic courses involving research and writing, as well as production and performance, so colleges include them in the GPA. This speaks highly of the rigor and challenge level of all IB courses. Students should never feel that they should abandon an interest in the fine arts in order to impress a college by taking a “more academically challenging” course. All IB courses are recognized as rigorous and challenging.

Some high school students know what majors and careers they’d like to pursue, but many do not. How is advising the student who has a laser-beam focus on a specific career different from advising a student with a variety of interests and strengths and no clear career goal?

Mr. Soden: It is a bit silly to expect every 17-year-old to have determined his or her passion in life, and so advising our students effectively means that we don’t expect that of them. Even those students who seem to have a clear focus can change their minds as they progress through college. So we encourage students to think about all aspects of the colleges they research. This includes the things that will help them make the most of their experience. The size of the school, location, existence of extracurriculars, study-abroad programs, and ability to explore multiple areas of interest are all examples of things that students should take into consideration when researching colleges. Having the academic programs they are interested in may certainly be the main area of focus for some students, but it should not be the only one. Every student will be looking for different things from their college experience, and so we tailor our process accordingly. Are they thinking

Andrew MaierThe best piece of advice that I ever had about the college application process was from Mrs. Schweber. She told me that instead of finding a school and convincing yourself that it fits you, make a list of things you want in a school. Then, find schools that match up with your list. I think my involvement in my community, athletics, and my school is what set my application apart from others. I was able to be part of the varsity basketball and golf teams, I went to Badger Boys State, and I created close relationships with the people around me while working in my community. I decided to go to the United States Military Academy at West Point because I have always wanted to serve. Although it was a reach, I decided it would be the most successful way for me to serve and receive an excellent education.

My advice to next year’s seniors is to research, research, research. Sometimes you never know what is out there until you look. Find what you love. You may find it at more than one school, but just keep looking until you find that special place.

What we have heard from multiple colleges, stated in these exact terms, is that the IB Diploma Programme is the gold standard when it comes to college applications.”

—Steve Soden

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about grad school? Are they pursuing a career that requires more schooling? Do they want an experience that will give them opportunities to leave the country? Do they want to pursue interdisciplinary studies? Do they want undergraduate research opportunities? Ultimately, we want the students to head to college ready to make the most of the experience, even if they have not yet chosen a future profession.

Ms. Schweber: Over the years we have advised a few of those laser-beam-focused students. Advising them means listening carefully to what the student has to say about what is most important to him or her, and trying to find a good higher education match. It’s every bit as personalized as it is with the student who doesn’t know where their next steps will lead them and is happy to find out along the way.

With the devoted musician, mathematician, artist, or thespian, it’s important that they think about the difference between a liberal arts education in which they can pursue their passion seriously, as opposed to an education that is focused almost solely on their most intense passion. Usually, these young people

have discovered a few other things they like to do and think about because of the rich variety of experiences MCDS makes possible for our students. What would the next four years be like if they didn’t have ways to continue those other interests, however minor?

As a former conservatory student myself, who unexpectedly discovered that doing music 24/7 actually wasn’t as fulfilling as I thought it would be, I can speak from experience about the differences in educational options. Encouraging young people to leave doors open, rather than closing them prematurely, is something we always try to do. Even if the student decides to follow that intense interest 100%, they will at least know that it’s never too late to shift gears and pursue another interest. MCDS provides the preparation needed to be successful in higher education, no matter what the student’s path might be.

Letters of recommendation continue to be an important part of the college application process. How are MCDS faculty members able to support students in this?

Ms. Schweber: Writing those letters is a joyful task, really. It’s so wonderful to remember the squirrelly sixth grader when describing the amazing young adult we see at the end of high school! Our teachers write recommendations that several admissions officers have described as “rich” and “deep.” They are truly helpful in the admissions process, because they—along with the student’s essays—personalize the applicant. We don’t just say, “He’s a hard worker and a good member of the community.” We can talk

Raman GillMy extracurricular involvement helped set my application for an engineering major apart academically. I attended many engineering related summer camps and participated in clubs such as Science Olympiad. But, I think it’s also important for a students to get involved with activities in other areas as well (like athletics or volunteer work), because they might discover new interests or learn more about what they don’t like just from trying something new.

I decided to attend UW-Madison both for financial reasons and because I was directly admitted to the College of Engineering. In addition I felt like it matched the academic and social environment that I was looking for (being more collaborative versus competitive), and I definitely felt excited when I thought about going there. Go Badgers!

My advice for next year’s seniors is not to stress out too much and make sure their essays truly reflect themselves. Read the essays out loud. If they do not sound like you perhaps you should revise or even start over. It’s very easy to get caught up trying to write whatever you think the admissions officers would like to hear, but it’s much better to just be yourself and let colleges decide if you are a good match for them.

Aidan CampbellHalfway through the college process, my dad sat me down and told me that if I wanted to stay sane through the fall, there was no way I was going to apply to 20 schools. He told me to look at my list and only apply to the schools that I really wanted to attend. Following his advice saved me a lot of stress, and, when on the application they asked me “Why ____?” I already had my answers ready. I think my teacher/mentor/counselor recommendations made my application stand out, because of the close student-teacher relationships at MCDS. MCDS students really have an advantage when it comes to recommendations because our teachers know us so well and, in many cases, have taught us for multiple years and in multiple classes.

I ultimately chose Yale University for the close community, the student-professor relationships, and the academic opportunities. Coming from MCDS, I knew I wanted a college with a strong sense of community, and I think the residential college system at Yale really encourages a close student body. I also found that the professors seemed to take an active interest in the students both inside and outside the classroom. My advice to next year’s seniors is simple: Mrs. Schweber is your best friend during the college process. She won’t coddle you, but she will give you honest and insightful answers.

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about growth over time, about what we’ve observed in and out of the classroom, and about the student’s plans and interests. This can only happen when the recommender really knows the student, and at MCDS, we know them very well.

How do colleges view small graduating classes like the ones at MCDS?

Mr. Soden: Colleges don’t see them as a benefit or a drawback. What they want to see is how well the students do with the opportunities that lie before them. How have they made the most of their high school experience? Have they engaged with their work and the school community as a whole? In my personal experience, there is a benefit to MCDS being a smaller school, with graduating classes capping at 48 students, because it allows us to know our students in a highly unique way. This, without a doubt, aids our students in the application process, because it allows us to be very detailed in our letters of recommendation and help the colleges know who the students really are.

Ms. Schweber: Something a lot of people don’t realize is that in a small community such as ours, students have meaningful and ongoing opportunities to engage a diversity of values, cultures, religious

beliefs, political opinions, everything. In a large school environment, students can usually find a group of peers very much like themselves. They never have to have those difficult, but transformative, conversations with classmates who see the world differently—unless they seek them out. At MCDS those conversations happen all the time. Some of our graduates have written about this in their essays, and it’s a point I make when describing the MCDS environment. Colleges do appreciate the different experiences available at a small school; we just have to tell them about it!

MCDS has the resources to help guide students—and their families—through college admissions. How do parents factor into the process?

Mr. Soden: The college application process is an opportunity for the student and the parents to look at the realities of who that student really is. This goes beyond grades and ACT scores, though those are a part of it as well. It is an opportunity for parents to have honest conversations with their child and take an honest look at their child’s academic record and interests. Authenticity is key in every aspect of the process.

Ms. Schweber: The process of applying to colleges seems so complicated and high-stakes that parents are often powerfully tempted to do everything themselves in order

Since I was interested in studying film, I easily compiled a list of very prestigious and selective colleges. Ms. Schweber, however, told me how important it is to have a safety school. Using this advice, I was able to broaden my college search and find a school that was actually good fit, and not just a good name. I think that my college application stood out because I wrote a truly honest essay about the importance of caring for those in your community. At MCDS, all students are included in the caring for and keeping of a healthy community.

When choosing between the University of Denver, Lewis and Clark College in Oregon, and Columbia College Chicago, I decided to visit both Denver and Columbia. The visits made my choice very clear. The animation teachers at Columbia were so involved in their field and had real-time experience. This was super important to me.

My number one piece of advice is don’t get concerned about acceptance rates. While the percentage of students accepted may speak the truth about the quality of education for some schools, it is not always the case. In fact, sometimes a highly selective school is not the right fit. I recommend that you truly get to know the school, aside from the numbers, before you say yes (or no).

Zoe Hazen

Noah SauerMy advice for next year’s seniors is to give yourself enough time both to do the nuts and bolts of the process—applying, Common App, standardized tests, etc.—and also to give some serious thought to what you want in a school and what will suit you best. Don’t try and figure it out all at once. (I tried that and quickly found out it doesn’t work!) In addition, planning a meaningful visit is extremely important.

I chose to attend Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, for several reasons. Middlebury is rigorous in liberal arts academics overall, but also has strong programs in specific fields I am interested in like foreign languages and environmental studies. The “feel” of the school that is so hard to quantify felt completely right—it would be a place where I would feel at home. Academics made Middlebury an option; the down-to-earth, like-minded people I met, and the mountainous, rural setting, which I loved, made me choose it.

I think my essay set my application apart. The school I’m going to is very focused on environmental sustainability—one of the reasons why I chose it. Because sustainability is very important to me, I wove it into my essay about learning to drive and worrying about the impact of burning gas every day. I felt good about the essay because I had full control over its message. Even though it was stressful to reflect my entire self in so few words, I had a powerful opportunity to portray what makes me who I am.

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#1: Have Honest Conversations.• Discuss student’s aspirations and parents’ expectations—really

listen to each other.• Plan how to pay for college.• Consider size, geographical constraints, expectations about

campus culture.

#2: Take advantage of High School Resources.• Build a strong student-counselor and student-teacher

relationships; start early.• Attend local college recruiting visits.• Use Naviance (college readiness software), if available.

#3: Encourage Robust Research.• Build a balanced college list; avoid a narrow “only these colleges

will do” approach.• Consider colleges you might be unfamiliar with.• Visit colleges; combine with family trips when possible.

#4: Choose Courses Wisely.• Select rigorous and challenging courses, but appropriately so.• Be guided by student’s interests and passions.• Ask: What kinds of things do you enjoy working on even when the

task is very difficult?

#5: Let Them Lead A Balanced Life.• Participate in extracurriculars according to student’s interests

and passions.• Take time for family and friends.• Make healthy choices: Good nutrition, sufficient sleep, daily

exercise, positive relationships.

AdmissionsProcess

College

Five Ways to

Your ChildEmpower

through the

that it be done right! But colleges really do expect that students will be driving this: sending e-mails or making phone calls when they have questions, signing up for campus tours, making (and following) a calendar of tasks and deadlines. At MCDS, we do everything we can to facilitate that process while still leaving the student in charge. We often say to anxious parents, “Trust, but verify.” To students we say, “Show your parents your task list and update them on your progress regularly, at least every few days.” When it works like that, the parents have less cause for anxiety, and the students have the experience of taking care of serious business with a good deal of independence.

What should the student consider when choosing a college, besides the college’s name and reputation?

Mr. Soden: The big question a student should ask is, “what is important to me?” If the school’s name or reputation is important, why? What does that specific school offer? Since the most selective colleges have an acceptance rate hovering around 4 to 5%, is it really healthy for a student or family to base their sense of self-worth on acceptance to that school? So we tell our students to look inward and think about who they really are and what they really need from a college. Then we can find a good fit.

Ms. Schweber: There are a lot of factors that go into the final decision about where to attend college. With the exception of Early Decision commitments, everyone has at least a month (April) to consider their options. Finances are extremely important for most families, and sorting out the details of multiple financial aid offers is something we can help with. Beyond that, it’s important for students to choose a college where they feel they can do their best work, among people they will enjoy being with, in a place that feels comfortable.

Is it fair to say that the goal of college advising at MCDS is to encourage students to be their most authentic selves and to apply to schools that best suit them? Not to try to conform to what students think particular colleges want?

Ms. Schweber: Yes. Absolutely. Not all colleges want the same thing, and institutional priorities change from year to year. Most students apply to 8 to 12 colleges, and those colleges are not all looking for the same thing. As Steve said in our community presentations, we’d never propose that people should try to change themselves when choosing a spouse. The same goes for choosing a college. At MCDS, we work to help students figure out who they are and what they hope to do with their lives, and then help them identify colleges that would be suitable. The process of figuring out, “Who am I and where am I going with my life?” parallels the college search process. It’s a very special transition time for our students, and we feel very privileged to facilitate this part of their journey.

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Allegheny CollegeArizona State University (H)Augsburg CollegeAugustana CollegeBall State UniversityBarnard CollegeBates CollegeBeloit CollegeBentley UniversityBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBowdoin CollegeBrandeis UniversityBryn Mawr CollegeButler UniversityCalifornia College of the ArtsCalvin CollegeCarleton CollegeCarroll UniversityCarthage CollegeCase Western Reserve UniversityClark University, MassachusettsCollege of William and MaryCollege of WoosterColorado School of MinesColorado State UniversityColumbia College Chicago

Columbia UniversityConnecticut CollegeCreighton UniversityDartmouth UniversityDenison UniversityDePaul UniversityDePauw UniversityDickinson CollegeDrake UniversityDrew UniversityDrexel UniversityEarlham CollegeEhwa Women’s College (Korea)Emerson CollegeFlorida International UniversityFordham UniversityFranklin and Marshall CollegeFurman UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGettysburg CollegeGordon CollegeGoucher CollegeGrinnell CollegeGustavus Adolphus CollegeHampshire CollegeHartwick CollegeHillsdale College

The MCDS College Advising efforts, made special through meaningful personal relationships, extend well beyond the school walls. Over the years, MCDS administrators and Ms. Schweber have traveled around the country to over 30 different colleges, sharing the outstanding MCDS program with admissions offices and forging the way for our graduates.

During this summer, I had the pleasure to return back to college along with Head of High School Steve Soden and College Counselor Lynn Schweber. While all of us wanted to enroll, we visited colleges with the sole purpose of forging relationships with college admission offices in an effort to facilitate potential enrollments of future MCDS students.

We visited both Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis University, outlining a clear case for the academic value and rigor of a MCDS diploma that our students earn along with the International Baccalaureate diploma. At both universities, admission officers immediately began to cite statistics how IB students have higher acceptance rates than the overall pool of applicants.

Additionally, we received wonderful feedback on the rigorous coursework an MCDS student completes in his or her four years of high school. We also invested time to explain our math and science pathways—areas that both schools enthusiastically endorsed.

Most importantly, we established personal relationships, which certainly will facilitate efforts on our part to advocate for our students. I personally plan to visit with Northwestern University’s admissions office in the early fall, while Steve and Lynn are pursuing visits to the University of Chicago, Notre Dame University, and Purdue University. It is our goal to visit several college campuses each year. It is our way of putting MCDS on the map!

Ben Hebebrand Head of School

Sharing MCDS

College acceptances

with the World

Rizvan ’17 shows us the way to the

new MCDS College Advising Center.

Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinois Wesleyan UniversityIthaca CollegeJohns Hopkins UniversityKalamazoo CollegeKent State UniversityKenyon CollegeKnox CollegeLake Forest CollegeLawrence University and ConservatoryLewis and Clark CollegeLoyola University, ChicagoLuther CollegeMacalester CollegeMarist CollegeMarlboro CollegeMarquette UniversityMarymount Manhattan CollegeMarymount California UniversityMcDaniel CollegeMichigan State UniversityMiddlebury CollegeMilwaukee Institute of Art and DesignMilwaukee School of EngineeringMinneapolis College of the ArtsMt. Holyoke College

New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyNew York UniversityOberlin CollegeOglethorpe UniversityOhio Wesleyan UniversityOtis College of Art and DesignPace UniversityRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRhodes CollegeRipon CollegeRoger Williams UniversityRoosevelt UniversitySarah Lawrence CollegeSchool of the Art Institute of ChicagoSkidmore CollegeSouth Dakota School of MinesSt. Joseph’s UniversitySt. Louis UniversitySt. Olaf CollegeState University of New York-PurchaseSusquehanna CollegeTemple UniversityTulane University United States Military Academy at West PointUniversity of Alabama-Tuscaloosa (H)

University of California-BerkeleyUniversity of California-IrvineUniversity of California-San DiegoUniversity of California-Santa CruzUniversity of ChicagoUniversity of CincinnatiUniversity of Colorado-BoulderUniversity of DenverUniversity of Houston (H)University of Leicester (UK)University of Maryland-College ParkUniversity of MichiganUniversity of Minnesota-DuluthUniversity of Minnesota-Twin CitiesUniversity of Minnesota-MorrisUniversity of Newcastle (UK)University of North Carolina- Chapel HillUniversity of Notre DameUniversity of Oklahoma (H)University of Pittsburgh (H) University of Puget Sound (H)University of RedlandsUniversity of RichmondUniversity of RochesterUniversity of TampaUniversity of Texas-Austin (H)

University of Tulsa (H)University of Vermont-BurlingtonUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUniversity of Wisconsin-PlattevilleUniversity of Wisconsin-StoutUniversity of Wisconsin-WhitewaterUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUrsinus CollegeValparaiso University (H)Washington University in St. LouisWestern Washington UniversityWellesley CollegeWillamette UniversityYale University

(H) indicates acceptance to an Honors College program Bold indicates matriculation

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College acceptances and Matriculations 2007-2016

Our 86 MCDS graduateshave been accepted toover 150 collegesand universitiesaround the world.

Emma P. ’17• Opportunity: Mission Work in Tanzania • Experience: Working at high schools and

orphanages around Arusha, Tanzania and talking about the importance of education, healthy relationships, and sharing the Gospel

• Most interesting moment: Meeting the Maasai tribe women. Traditionally, Maasai women are sold off as child brides around the age of 9 or 10. They are valued less than a cow, and treated as property. However, if a Maasai girl is in school, she is legally protected by the government and cannot be sold off. During my trip, I was lucky enough to meet a Maasai girl whose education I will be sponsoring with my mom. Her name is Nasha, and because she goes to school, she can pursue a safer and brighter future. It was great to meet Nasha, and it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip!

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As part of the College Advising process, students are encouraged to explore summer internships and opportunities that provide real life experience in areas of interest. These experiences help students become more focused in college selection and write more passionately in college applications.

Matt ’18• Internship: WTS Paradigm, LLC• Experience: Software Development• Most interesting moment: Working with other skilled developers on a user

interface issue in the company’s software that had real life impacts on the business

Elizabeth ’17• Internship: Children’s Theater of Madison• Experience: Stage Manager Assistant for Summer Stage

“Once Upon a Mattress”• Most interesting moment: Having to seemingly effortlessly move a bed with

20 mattresses on and off stage

Abby ’18• Opportunity: Touring Europe with the Wisconsin Ambassadors of Music• Experience: Experiencing other cultures while improving musical skills • Most Interesting Moment: While we were in Crans-Montana, Switzerland,

they threw us both a 4th of July party and a classic Swiss party, complete with fondue, Alphorns, dancing, and a trio of elderly women performing music with unconventional instruments.

Tarek ’19• Job: UW Hoofers Youth Program Instructor• Experience: Using different methods to teach sailing and windsurfing• Most interesting moment: Meeting kids from all over the state

Izzie ’17• Internship: Simakovsky Law Office• Experience: Working alongside an immigration attorney and doing real

applications for US citizenship and asylum, translating and interpreting for Spanish speaking clients

• Most Interesting Moment: Filling out an entire application for citizenship over text with a client’s neighbor as the translator

Mann ’18• Opportunity: The Earth Saviours Foundation • Experience: Working with homeless people and learning how life can be so

difficult for some people• Most interesting moment: When I made food for everyone at the foundation

Ryan ’18• Internship: Humanhead Productions• Experience: Created website for video game, learned the ins and outs of

computer hardware and virtual reality• Most interesting moment: Playing video games with everyone in the office

Celia ’17• Internship: Elyria Chronicle

• Experience: Journalism • Most interesting moment: Covering the

Republican National Convention in Cleveland

Emma E. ’17 and Rose ’18• Opportunity: Traveling to Scotland with the Madison Youth Choirs• Experience: Enjoying other cultures and singing in the Aberdeen

International Youth Festival • Most interesting moment: Visiting and performing in historic

venues, some dating back to the 12th century, and singing the national anthems of the participating groups of the festival

Summerexperiences

making the most of

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On the first day of school, MCDS celebrated the grand opening of our new Academic Center. We are Spreading Our Wings and ready to reach new heights with 15 new classrooms, new STEAM Wing with Design Makerspace Lab, new Prairie Hawk Center (Lower School Library and Tinkerspace), new Performing Arts floor, new College Advising Center, and much, much more….

Introducing Our New Academic Center!

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Atrium stairway

The Prairie Hawk Center (lower school library with Tinkerspace)

Terrace outside new art rooms

Makerspace Design Lab New student collaboration area

Chemistry and physics laboratory

25

Aug 1 July 13June 16

Building Our Capacityto match the extraordinary capacity

March 14Groundbreaking

April 23March 10

26

Aug 9

to match the extraordinary capacity of our students and teachers

Sept 6

May 7

May 21

May 28

(in less than seven months)

Ribbon Cutting

MCDS athletics

Teamwork & Triumph

Coach’s CornerMCDS fielded its first high school boys varsity soccer team two years ago under Head Coach Mark Childs and the team has been building momentum ever since. Onward sat down with Coach Childs to learn more.

Onward: MCDS hasn’t always had a high school boys soccer team. What changed?Coach Childs: We’ve always had interested soccer players thanks to our strong lower and middle school programs. The growth of the school means that two years ago we finally reached a critical mass to field a full high school squad.

As the interest in the sport builds, we understand you have plans to align soccer skills training throughout the younger grades (K-8). How would this look and what will this mean for our high school team?In education, there has been growing resistance to standardized education in favor of encouraging children to learn by asking questions, solving problems, and being creative: you can see an example of this at MCDS with the introduction of the Makerspace and Tinkerspace. Likewise, in U.S. soccer, there is a growing awareness that drilling

children to follow orders on the field inhibits their growth as soccer players. At MCDS, I hope children can see the field as a sort of athletic “makerspace” where they learn to be creative and skillful.

As English Department Chair, I have worked with teachers for a number of years to ensure that younger students are building skills to enable them to become strong high school writers. Likewise, knowing what skills young players need to develop by the time they join the high school team, I will be working with our wonderful volunteer coaches over the next couple of years to encourage a unified approach, yet one that takes into account each age group’s developmental needs.

Above all, I hope that we develop soccer players—children who take joy in being creative on the soccer field—rather than instill a regimented style that generally results in children who can do soccer but don’t really play soccer.

While you’ve had experience with middle school soccer teams, what do you enjoy most about coaching this older group?The single biggest difference between high school players and younger players is a sense of space and teammates.

The boys varsity soccer team in a pre-game huddle

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Dominick ’19 charges the field in a game against Lake Mills.

29

In lower and middle school, players are best suited to developing individual skills while in high school players learn to harness their individual skills to the team. In an effective lower or middle school practice, for example, every child gets as many touches of a ball as possible. In a high school practice, however, there is a progression towards small and full team tactical exercises in which players learn what to do away from the ball to support their teammates. In lower or middle school practice, for example, you would ask students to play a game such as “green light, red light” that asks them to develop the individual ball skills of dribbling and controlling the ball. Conversely, in high school practice, I try to give the students problems to solve, such as asking four players to find the solution that enables them to keep the ball away from the three defenders.

We value effort here at MCDS. How do you reward effort on the soccer field?I have pointed out to our players that in most games, they face better athletes who are bigger, faster, and stronger. However, there is a saying in soccer about “letting the ball do the work,” and I have encouraged our players to focus their efforts into learning how to pass faster than

other teams. The players earned their own reward last year by winning ten out of our last eleven games and defeating some teams who had beat us earlier or during the previous season. In the end, our opponents’ superior physical ability was eventually undone by the effort our students put into their practice.

As you see the ups and downs of the sport, what words of advice do you have for your athletes?Since I see my job as developing student’s ability to play the game, I try not to focus on wins or losses. And, although a long undefeated streak encouraged our players last season, I was most pleased with the way they developed an attractive style of playing as a team. After a win last season, a parent from another school came over to note our team’s class. He expressed his appreciation for both our sporting behavior and desire to play a creative game of soccer. My guess is that few of our players will become professional soccer players, but they will all be future professionals. When they become doctors, architects, or engineers, I hope they can transfer a similar level of fairness and creativity to their future work teams.

Grandparents Getting Involved: Growing Plants, Growing Minds Last fall on Grandparent’s Day, a kind offer by avid gardener Gary Lensmeyer, GP ’24, ’26, ’29, planted an idea in the mind of fourth grade teacher Liz Stevens. Mr. Lensmeyer noticed the greenhouse space attached to Ms. Stevens’ classroom. “When I saw that I thought, ‘That should be used!’” he remembers. “It’s amazing what you can do with greenhouses!” So he told Ms. Stevens he’d be happy to help her students make the most of their garden space.

A plant lover herself, Ms. Stevens called Mr. Lensmeyer over the winter, and the two formulated a plan to get students learning and growing in the greenhouse. Ms. Stevens and her students cleared out the classroom conservatory, and Mr. Lensmeyer visited bringing seeds, supplies, and stories of gardening success.

With Mr. Lensmeyer’s guidance, the fourth graders planted vegetables for the school’s garden and flowers for Mother’s Day gifts. They learned that sprouting plants need plenty of water and attention, and they were amazed

Sam ’24 names the parts of a bean plant from

roots to leaves to seed.

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Character & CommunityIn the spotlight

Educating the whole child is about helping students find their interests, their talents, their hobbies, the things that give them an outlet for creativity, for growth, for beauty.

—Ms. Stevens

“

”

by just how fast the plants grew. “When the sun comes in and hits the glass, it’s really, really hot in there, but it seems to help keep the plants growing faster,” noticed Charlotte ’24.

“We talked about why you can grow plants in a greenhouse and the physics of light coming through,” explains Mr. Lensmeyer.

Using a bean planted at the edge of a glass container, Mr. Lensmeyer showed students just how a seed sprouts, grows roots, and becomes a bean plant. “We got to know what the parts of the plant are,” says Arjun ’24. “It was a learning experience for me. It was really fun.”

“I’m probably going to plant the plants I learned about,” adds budding gardener Ian ’24.

As a retired clinical research chemist, Mr. Lensmeyer appreciates the opportunity for learning through experimentation the greenhouse provides. Working with plants gives fourth graders a chance to experience both success and failure. “And you’re going to have some failures,” Mr. Lensmeyer notes. “Some of the kids said to me, ‘Why aren’t my plants blooming?’ And I said, ‘Well, that happens. You can only make the best guess as far as when you should plant them. You’ve got flower buds, and they’re going to eventually open up.’” Mr. Lensmeyer is gratified that, at MCDS, “kids have been given the freedom to bring forth their ideas and not just accept what has been said as fact.”

Mr. Lensmeyer enjoyed sharing his passion for gardening with the fourth graders. “The kids were a real hoot,” he laughs. “The questions they asked were great.” He hopes the students will continue gardening at school and on their own. He explained to the kids that his flowers keep him cheerful through the gray winter months: “Most of my orchids are winter blooming orchids. I find that carries me through the winter.”

Students appreciated the soothing effect of the growing plants, too. “I like the greenhouse because you can look into it and see the different kinds of plants that are there, and it’s almost calming,” says Alice ’24. She and other fourth graders loved reading or working in the peaceful, sunny space all spring.

Ms. Stevens enjoyed collaborating with Mr. Lensmeyer, and she feels working in the greenhouse helped her students blossom. “We’ve been talking in assembly about being balanced and reflective,” she says. “I really feel that educating the whole child is about more than just academic work. It’s about helping students find their interests, their talents, their hobbies, the things that give them an outlet for creativity, for growth, for beauty.” Ms. Stevens continues, “This project has been a source for those things.”

Ms. Stevens and her fourth grade class showcase the plants they grew in the MCDS greenhouse with Mr. Lensmeyer.

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pounds of pork

pounds of beef brisket

pounds of bacon

cucumbers

heads of cabbage

cookies!

120100

25

6015

1,500and more than

That is just part of what it took to prepare food for 375 guests at Celebrate MCDS last winter. But no menu is too large for dedicated MCDS parent volunteer Gwen Bosben. “Food is how you show people you love them,” Ms. Bosben explains. The MCDS community certainly feels the love. Not only did Ms. Bosben make most of the menu herself, her hard work saved the school thousands in catering costs. Just the prospect of a meal cooked by Ms. Bosben drew many guests to the event.

Of course, Ms. Bosben’s work at school spans far beyond the kitchen. She started volunteering at MCDS when her older son John, now a ninth grader, was in Pre-Kindergarten. “When we decided to come to MCDS, it was a no-brainer that you get involved,” Ms. Bosben recalls. “All schools need help. Parents are needed.”

So, Ms. Bosben volunteered in the classroom and soon took over the book fair. A book lover herself, Ms. Bosben uses her background in retail and her passion for creative crafts to transform the MCDS Scholastic Book Fair into a magical event each fall and spring. She carefully selects books to match the curriculum and student interests, and she makes the most of the program’s bonuses to secure books selected by teachers for their classrooms.

The Celebrate MCDS auction item of “Picnic with Mr. Hebebrand” was made especially delightful thanks to

Ms. Bosben’s creativity and culinary magic.

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Giving back within our communitySustain & Thrive

Ingredients1 bag (15 oz) Chex Mix® traditional snack mix 1 cup pecan halves ½ lb bacon (6 to 8 slices), crisply cooked and crumbled ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup butter ¼ cup light corn syrup 2 tablespoons bourbon (For goodness sake, use the cheap stuff, drink the good stuff!) ¾ teaspoon chili powder

Directions1. Heat oven to 300°F. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix snack mix, pecans, and bacon. Set aside.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbly around edges. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Cool 2 minutes. Carefully stir in bourbon and chili powder. Pour over snack mixture; toss until evenly coated.

3. Spread snack mixture on pans. Bake 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, to caramelize mixture. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Break into pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.

Gwen’s Bourbon Bacon Chex Mix

“Her volunteer efforts serve one and only one purpose— to make MCDS a great community. Gwen’s volunteer efforts, I believe, are rooted in her own recognition and gratitude that MCDS provides a truly special education to its students.”

—Ben Hebebrand, head of school

“School would be only half as fun without her! Her energy literally powers the school.”

—Sheila Young, MCDS parent and volunteer

“A lover of books and children’s books especially, Gwen can be counted on to give you an author link or appear at your room one morning with a new title she enjoyed and share it with your group. And she also always gave great classroom parties! She is one in a million!”

—Sue Deakman, Pre-Kindergarten teacher

“Her tireless work not only impacts our MCDS families, but many visiting spectators, coaches, and players have left MCDS athletic events happier after visiting our concession stand and meeting Gwen.”

—Jeremy Clements, athletic director

“If Gwen is in charge of something, you can rest easy knowing it is going to be a smashing success. She is a visionary. An inspiration. A hard worker. Gwen always makes me feel like I have a real-life fairy godmother.”

—Maheen Ott, Kindergarten teacher

Parents and teachers ask Gwen for her recipes all the time. Here’s her most-requested favorite:

Currently serving her second term as president, Ms. Bosben has played a prominent role in Parent Guild during her two sons’ years at school. She sees Parent Guild as the foundation for the MCDS community. Ms. Bosben enjoys meeting new school families. “Getting people to feel welcome helps them to get involved, because I want them to volunteer,” she explains. “But I want them to know what a great place MCDS is, too.”

Ms. Bosben supports MCDS Athletics Boosters, managing concessions and working as volunteer coordinator. She helps plan and prepare for the Jazz Showcase. And she spends many hours helping out in classrooms, reading to the youngest students, and sharing traditions such as the Maypole and much more. How does she fit it all in? Ms. Bosben admits, “I’m motivated. I don’t like to be idle, ever. I’m always doing at least two things.”

Ms. Bosben says she learned to volunteer from her parents, and she hopes to set the same example for her own kids. She is adamant that everyone’s volunteer contribution is welcome at MCDS, and everyone can contribute. “Everyone has a talent or a gift or time. And maybe if I help your kid, some day you’ll help mine. To me, that’s what community is about,” she notes. “Everyone can do something, and wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place if everyone gave their time to help someone else?”

Thank you, Gwen.

Reading to Pre-K as part of the

Scholastic Book Fair.

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Annu

al R

epor

t of G

ivin

g20

15-2

016

342015-2016 Annual Report of Giving

What a Year!We spread our wings!We kicked up our heels!We supported the Annual Fund and volunteered our time . . .

of soaring community support.A truly special year

Thank you. This year’s Annual Report features many of the feathers personally written by MCDS students responding to the prompt “Why I love MCDS.” The feathers were individually cut by a group of seniors who turned them into a set of wings worn by Mr. Hebebrand at the official launch of the Spreading Our Wings capital campaign in November 2015.

Alone, each feather is beautiful. Put together, the feathers make wings that enable our school to truly soar.

On these pages we appreciate all the individual contributions that have given MCDS the wings to reach new heights in the 2015-2016 school year.Aisha ’16, Aidan ’16, Naomi ’16, and Zoey ’16

celebrate the wings they made to represent our community, and pass the legacy to younger students, represented by Imran ’25.

Annual Report of G

iving2015-2016

2015-2016 Annual Report of Giving35

to cover the portion of annual operating expenses not covered by tuition. Unlike public schools, which are funded by tax dollars, or parochial schools, which receive funding from a church, independent schools rely mainly upon tuition revenues and philanthropic gifts to meet operating costs.

Support of the Annual Fund is vital every year

Supporting Madison Country2015-2016

Revenue$6,110,283

Tuition$5,019,702

$404,650Annual Fund

$246,518

Restricted Donations

$439,413

Rental & Other Income

An extraordinary year.

85% of our families engaged in fundraising philanthropy

As I look back on all we have accomplished, I am deeply moved by this past year’s philanthropic investments in Madison Country Day School that have resulted in immediate returns:

• Your gifts to the Spreading Our Wings Capital Campaign have been invested in the new three-story Academic Center featuring academic wings in the areas of humanities, performing arts, and STEAM. Additionally, your generous gifts were immediately invested in renovations and upgrades in our existing building, mainly a new science laboratory, a new lower school library and Tinkerspace, College Advising Center, and a new heating and air system for parts of our existing building. We are pleased to report this project came in on time and within budget.

• Your gifts to the special paddle raise fundraiser during Celebrate MCDS have enabled us to

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Expenses

This year, a robust Annual Fund made possible:

Investments in Student Services

Investments in Science Programs

Investments in Faculty Professional Development

Expanded Extracurricular Offerings

Day School

$5,593,168

$4,267,218

Compensation and Benefits

$362,178Instructional

$276,073Administrative

$454,268Physical Plant

$73,700Transportation $159,731

Finance

this year, by either directly supporting the Annual Fund, Spreading Our Wings capital campaign, or Celebrate MCDS event. Many families showed their support by participating in all three of these important fundraising efforts. Thank you for this tremendous support in a very important year.

purchase needed technology equipment such as 3-D printers, a laser cutter, and power tools to improve our STEAM education and needed hardware and software to better integrate technology in math, art, and music classrooms.

• Your gifts made at the Celebrate MCDS event and your contributions to the MCDS Annual Fund have supported our general school budget, helping us to invest in new positions such as School Nurse, Counselor, and an Academic Technology Integration Specialist.

• Many other restricted gifts, in-kind and financial, have also helped the school move forward.

• The investment of thousands of volunteer hours, including those at our annual Hands On! event have helped the school save on what otherwise would have been contracted service costs.

We can only hope that you share with us in the joy of seeing such a return on your philanthropic investments. We pledge that all gifts received have been invested wisely and, most importantly, have improved the teaching and learning at Madison Country Day School.

On behalf of all of us at MCDS, we thank you,

Ben Hebebrand

Head of School

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¬ P Parent ¬ GP Grandparent ¬ GGP Great-Grandparent We have made every effort to properly acknowledge our contributors. Please contact the MCDS Development Office with corrections.

Individual SupportEmbarkingAnonymous (10)Eric & Kelly Ayala P’26, ’23Steven & Karlee Babcock GP’19Tim & Kathryn Betz GP’25, ’25Timothy & Sara Beuthien P’28Jim & Peg Blanchard GP’26Mary Bosben GP’26, ’24, ’22, ’20Bruce & Gwen Bosben P’22, ’20Dennis Bowen GP’26Shawn Boyce P’20, ’18, ’16Linda BranzolewskiBob CamosyGeorge Cardis GP’26 Peter & Sarah Case P’23Mark Childs & Amy Bradshaw P’22, ’20Max Christman ’11Kim ChuppDrew CianciaKarl & Katherine DallandMatt & Devon Davis P’28, ’25Mehmet Dayi & Yucener Apalan P’23, ’20 Stephanie DerrJoseMaria Donoso & Ana Banomera P’22, ’20Jake Eaton & Carrie MoellerElena Everitt P’17, ’16Luke & Kimberly Felker P ’11William Felker ’11Michael & Anne-Marie Gleeson GP’22 Kyle & Carol Green GP’19Ramon & Ester Guiao GP’22

Mark & Sarah Harrison P’25Zoe Hazen ’16Tim & Casey Hein P’21, ’18Jack & Susan Hendrickson GP’19, ’16Monika Jaeckle GP’28Kirsten Jaeckle P’28Fabian & Patricia JaumeJoe & Judith Johnson GP’26Timothy & Beatrice JonesMichael & Heather Jones P’28, ’26Brittany JudkinsKelly KirshMichelle KramerTed & Tammy Krez P’26, ’25, ’24Derek LancashireHenry & Jane Luedtke GP’25, ’25Kristina Luedtke P’25, ’25Donal MacCoon & Lael Sheber P’20Mark & Amy Maier P’21, ’19, ’17, ’16Lani Marquardt GP’26Wesley & Tobey MarsceillPaul & Jana Martin P’22, ’18, ’16Alan & Edith Marugaki GP’26, ’21Cheryl Marugaki P’26, ’21Jim & Kim McNulty Alice McPeekKelly MeinholzRiyad Moe & Sobia Kirmani-Moe P’25, ’21, ’17, ’16Maya Muldowney ’14Kevin & Mona Muldowney P’20, ’18, ’14

Melita Mullen P’26, ’20Chidanand Mundas & Shoba Narayan P’29, ’25William & Stacy MyszkaAshley NicosonAl & Bev Nielsen GP’26, ’23Shaun Nivens & Kathleen FranzenJohn Norback & Kathleen Ley P’14Derek & Amanda Notman P’29Peter & Laurie Nuttleman P’27Carol Olson GP’27, ’24Jesse & Amy Olson P’25Jeff & Bonnie Onsgaard GP’21, ’19, ’17, ’16Travis & Maheen Ott P’29, ’27William RafteryJohn & Lorie Raihala P’17Caitlin Robb ’09Jackie RoseLee & Danika Rzentkowski P’27, ’25Rattanjit SachdevaMartin & Katrin Salva P’22, ’21Stephen & Jennifer Sauer P’16Charles Schluter Christopher & Maureen SchroederRonald & Carolyn Schultz GP’20Torsten & Anne-Marie Schultz P’21Robert & Sally Schwarz GP’22Roger & Kim Seaver P’15, ’14Navin Shah GP’24Bassam & June ShakhashiriShelvin & Gloria Singer GP’18Jim & Marthe Soden GP’28, ’26

The Annual Fund is Madison Country Day School’s first giving priority and the most critical fundraising effort at the school.

In 2015-2016 the Annual Fund provided 7% of the operating expenses at MCDS. Gifts to the Annual Fund are put to use immediately and directly impact the daily lives of our students. Every gift plays a vital role in supporting our teachers, our programs, our facilities, and our students.

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Steve & Laura Soden P’28, ’26Dennis & Barbara SpurlinJames & Carole Stanton GP’19Gary Steinhauer GP’28Liz StevensMark & Anne Marie Streeter P’09, ’12Marvin & Carolyn Swedal GP’24Joseph Swinea & Karla RempeHoward & Julia TaylorGerald & Priscilla Thain GP’21Geraldine Torti GP’20, ’18Obasi & Alice Torti P’20, ’18Mario Trujillo & Natalia Navarro-Albaladejo P’26Dorothy TwitonKim VanBrocklinKenneth Vinson & Shannon Roznoski P’25Donald & Gerry Vogel GP’23, ’20Kristin WarnerAlvina Weber GP’18James Wedekind & Caitlin Stade P’17Maria Q. Welch GP’16, ’13, ’10Cathy WendtAlex White & Susan Johnson White P’26, ’23Galen WieseChristopher Wilbur Annabel Williams ’29Jamie Wojcik Ashok & Shashi Yadav P’21, ’18Jianzhong Zhang & Wen Bo Wang P’18Edward Zilberman & Teresa Baranovskaya GP’18Robert & Elizabeth Zimmerman GP’22, ’21Achilles & Mary Zurawski GP’18

LaunchingAnonymousRoger & Jennifer Anderson GP’26, ’23John & Laura Ashworth P’22, ’19Chris & Megan Bennett P’23Jan & Lynn Cichocki P’28, ’25Joe & Karen Fries GP’24, ’23Jon & Sara Goldstein P’29, ’27Kimberly Hazen P’20, ’16Harold & Liz Heidegger GP’23Robert & Meg Hopton P’20Richard & Jean Hughes GP ’28, ’26, ’25John & Janice Kaminski GP’22, ’21Ray & Jane Kent GP’28, ’24Tiina Kurman GP’27, ’25, ’23Curtis & Judy Kurth GP’26, ’24, ’21, ’20Bonnie ManleyBob MarshallHiram & Patricia Nowlan GP’22Martha G. Rollins GP’22, ’19Norman & Patricia Schutt GP’27, ’24 Tom & Stacey Shorter

PaddlingAnonymous (3)Thomas Barnet and

Mrs. Susanne Thiede-Barnet P’26, ’23Kari Breunig GP’28, ’26Griengsak & Jutamas Chowpaknam

GP’25Josh & Heather Coon P’26Rose Mary Davis GP’15, ’14Beth DeLair & Salli Ball P’21Jim & Karen Dreyer P’19, ’16Paul & Emma Henke P’24, ’22Lynn & Helen Louden GP’21Mark Louden & Jeanne Schueller P’21Keyang Luo P’17

Safraaz & Anita MahamedBetty Martin GP’22, ’18, ’16Robert & Dea Schaller P’13 Mark & Judith Schueller GP’21Ann K. Syrdal GP’26Jerry & Tanya VanKirk P’22

Thank you, parents!Parents who support MCDS make a special vote of confidence in MCDS. Led by the MCDS Development Committee, current parents raised $261,214 through direct contributions to the Annual Fund. In a capital campaign year, MCDS is incredibly grateful for this continued annual support that is vital to delivering our mission year after year.

Xanthe ’24 and her mom in the lower school art room.

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The Annual Fund

Embarkingup to $249

Launching$250-$499

Paddling$500-$999

Yahara SocietyRowing

$1,000-$4,999

Pulling$5,000-$9,999

Propelling$10,000+

Thank you, grandparents!Grandparents are more invested than ever in the success of MCDS. Each fall, our community welcomes grandparents and special friends to MCDS where our students share a glimpse of their experience at school. This year, many grandparents donated to support the Annual Fund and the Spreading Our Wings capital campaign. Grandparents also joined us at Celebrate MCDS and contributed volunteer time, sharing their expertise (see story on page 30).

Gwen ’26 shares PE class with her grandfather.

Aidan ’27 showing first grade to his special friends.

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Thank you, Yahara Society members!During the 2015-2016 year, 76% of our total Annual Fund proceeds came from the Yahara Society. Thank you to the 63 members who raised $199,579. And, special thank you to our 11 new members. The generous support of these donors allows our students to explore, grow, and succeed, and MCDS is deeply grateful for this exceptional commitment.

Yahara SocietyThe Yahara Society, named after the Yahara River that borders the MCDS campus, was established to recognize leadership donors, families who make gifts of $1,000 or more directly to the MCDS Annual Fund. The dedication and commitment of the Yahara Society helps to ensure the continued excellence of MCDS.

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”—Jim Watkins

RowingAnonymousArturo & Diane Ayala GP’26, ’23Jeff & Freya Bowen P’26Douglas Boyes & Michelle Hunt P’24Richard Brahmer & Gwendolyn Cassis P’19Eric Brockman & Lisa Brockman P’21Wayne & Kathy Bromfield GP’28, ’25Ara & Valerie Cherchian GP’27, ’24William & Donna Dusso GP’20James Ekman & Elizabeth Moreland P’19, ’16John & Mary Erpenbach P’18, ’15Filomena FernandezMatthew Friedlander & Kathleen Fish P’21Tim & Kimberly Gotzion P’24Terry HallerMohamed Hamdan & Diane Hamdan P’22, ’19Charles Daggett Harvey, Jr.

GP’23, ’20, ’18, ’16Jay & Tonya Hazen P’20, ’16Ben Hebebrand & Joy Dawson P’19Connie Hegerfeld GP’21Vicki Hegerfeld P’21Zachary & Cynthia Johnson P’27, ’25, ’23Christopher & Heide Mallon P’24, ’21Thomas Mallon GP’24, ’21Bruce Meier & Wendy Fearnside P’09

Steve Moschkau & Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau P’20

Robert & Alice Mullen GP’26, ’20Scott Nagle & Jean Nowlan P’22Myron Pozniak & Kathleen Baus P’14, ’10 Chris & Mary Priebe P’10Kartik & Preeti Reddy P’24, ’20Scott Reeder & Jean Brittain P’25Patrick Riha P’20, ’18Patrick & Jackie Rose P’21, ’19Suzanne Rusch P’22, ’20Peter & Natalie Senecal P’23Manish & Mindy Shah P’24Richard & Rebecca Shepley P’25, ’23, ’22Al Steinhauer P’28John & Marlys Welsch GP’21, ’18Clinton & Pamela Woodman P’29, ’28Nicholas & Jessie Wurzel P’23, ’19John Young & Sheila Collopy Young P’22, ’19, ’17

PullingAnonymousAnthony & Kathleen Asmuth GP’25, ’22, ’21Todd & Dana Asmuth P’25, ’22, ’21Luis & Sandra Fernandez P’14, ’11Muhammad Itani & Nadine Fakhran P’24, ’22Steven & Lynn Kaminski P’22, ’21Craig Kent & Lisa Viscardi P’22, ’16Sara Rahn P’20, ’18

PropellingAnonymous (3)George Anglin & James Gallegos P’25James & Chulee Hallick P’24, ’22Nathan & Sarah Herbst P’27, ’25, ’22Simon & Laurie Peek P’20, ’18, ’17Troy & Ariel Shibilski P’23Philip & Nicole Tucker P’28, ’26Fred & Sandra Young GP’23

Yahara Society is pleased to welcome our new members.

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The Annual Fund

The generosity of the Madison area makes the difference at Madison Country Day School. Thank you to our families and to these foundations and companies for supporting...

FoundationsAlliant Energy Foundation, Inc.AmazonSmile FoundationCherchian Family FoundationCrysdahl Foundation, Inc.Hooper FoundationMadison Community FoundationThe Chicago Community Foundation

Matching GiftsBOP, LLCGCIKraft Foods Matching Gifts ProgramLands End, IncSC Johnson FundTarget (Take Charge of Education)Thrivent Choice® ProgramUBS

Foundation and Corporation Support

Timothy & Sara Beuthien P’28Holly BobulaJeremy ClementsJosh & Heather Coon P’26Seth Dailey & Iris Kurman P’27, ’25, ’23Peter & Sue DeakmanPeter & Mary Duff P’26, ’25GCITom & Beth Hall P’29, ’28James & Chulee Hallick P’24, ’22John & Karen Hendrickson P’19, ’16Jeff & Lisa Janis P’20

Fabian & Patricia JaumeMichael & Heather Jones P’28, ’26Alex & Sarah Kendrick P’27Bradford Knott & Marina Emborg Knott P’19Therese LawlerBonnie ManleyConnie MosherJeremy Nelson & Cheryl Sakowski P’27, ’24Jesse & Amy Olson P’25David & Shelley Petzold P’24, ’21, ’18Chris PorathSara Rahn P’20, ’18

Julie RimkusJon & Jessica Schipper P’28, ’26James & Maggie StansfieldJeff StenroosJulia & Howard TaylorRay Tenebruso & Margy Newton P’19Evelyn Lasky Westbrook P’26Beth WilsonCindy WotrubaJohn Young & Sheila Collopy Young

P’22, ’19, ’17

Gifts of products, time, and services further the work of Madison Country Day School. We are appreciative of these special donations to MCDS.

In Kind Support

MCDS is grateful for growing support from alumni. These contributions send a strong message about the ongoing belief in MCDS that inspires all of us at school and in the years that follow.

Max Christman ’11William Felker ’11Maya L. Muldowney ’14Caitlin Robb ’09

Alumni Support

Alumni gather back at MCDS in January 2016.

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Board of Trustees Support

2015-2016 Board of TrusteesSandra Fernandez, EdD, ChairErick Hallick, BS, Vice-ChairThomas Shorter, JD, SecretaryLynn Kaminski, CPA, BBA, TreasurerKathy Baus, MDGuy Comer, BAJames Gallegos, JDMark Louden, PhDPatrick Riha, MBASuzanne Rusch, BBAJohn Schaffer, PhDEric Schmidt, MBAJerry VanKirk, MDiv, ThMSheila Young, BABen Hebebrand, MA, ex-officio

Advising TrusteeJulian Pozniak ’10, BA

Honorary TrusteesErica Christman, MHATerry Haller, MAEric McLeod, JDBassam Shakahshiri, PhDBeverly Simone, EdD

Madison Country Day School gratefully acknowledges the service of its retiring trustees Patrick Riha, Suzanne Rusch, Eric Schmidt, and Thomas Shorter.

Welcome to the newest members of the MCDS Board of Trustees, 2016-2017: Bob Rusch and Bruce Bosben.

We are grateful for the gifts to the Annual Fund by 100% of the school’s Board of Trustees. Thank you.

What an amazing year of philanthropy at MCDS! We saw records set in nearly all areas of major fundraising including Celebrate MCDS and our capital campaign. This generosity is returning immediate value to all of MCDS as demonstrated by our new Academic Center, significant investments in technology for both students and faculty, new student services, and other renovations. It is truly amazing what we can accomplish, and how quickly we all benefit when everyone comes together.

The board of trustees along with school leadership has also passed significant financial milestones in the past year. One of the keystone accomplishments is the creation of our first five-year financial plan. This five-year plan is an invaluable tool that will help guide our decisions to ensure a financially solid future for MCDS.

While it is appropriate to pause and celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the last year, I am also excited to partner with the board to seize our momentum and continue to propel MCDS to new heights. To that end, we look to our strategic plan. This year marks the fourth year of our five-year plan, and now is an excellent time to review our progress to date and consider how we want to focus our efforts during the remaining two years. Expect more exciting progress!

Lastly, I would like to express my sincere thanks and acknowledge the work of our outgoing Board Chair Sandra Fernandez. MCDS thrived under Sandra and our future accomplishments would not be possible without her leadership and love for our school.

With sincere gratitude,

Erick Hallick Incoming chair, 2016-2017

2015-2016 Board of Trustees

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The Annual Fund

We are grateful for the gifts to the Annual Fund by 100% of the school’s faculty and staff. Thank you.

Faculty and Staff Support

indicates years of service to MCDS

¬

Staff Dana Asmuth 6 Sara Beuthien 2 Holly Bobula 2 Kim Chupp 3 Kimberly Hazen 1 Ben Hebebrand 1 Beatrice Jones 15 Heather Jones 2 Bonnie Manley 3 Margy Newton 8 Ashley Nicoson 1 Christopher Porath 1 Roger Seaver 4 Barbara Spurlin 12 Caitlin Stade 10 Jamie Wojcik 3

Faculty Seiji Arai 1 Ana Banomera 16 Kay Bauerle 7 Linda Branzolewski 1 Doug Brown 2 Bob Camosy 9 Peter Case 2 Sarah Case 2 Mark Childs 14 Drew Ciancia 3 Jeremy Clements 6 Katherine Dalland 3 Devon Davis 5 Sue Deakman 9 Stephanie Derr 1 Jake Eaton 8

Kathleen Franzen 8 Beth Hall 15 Karen Hendrickson 11 Patricia Jaume 8 Brittany Judkins 2 Sarah Kendrick 3 Kelly Kirsh 11 Michelle Kramer 1 Evelyn Lasky 3 Kristina Luedtke 15 Amy Maier 5 Tobey Marsceill 2 Stacy Mattson 3 Kelly Meinholz 1 Stacy Myszka 3 Natalia Navarro 4

Maheen Ott 11 Shelley Petzold 17 Lorie Raihala 2 Karla Rempe 1 Jackie Rose 6 Danika Rzentkowski 16 Rattanjit Sachdeva 2 Jon Schipper 8 Bethany Schultz 2 Lynn Schweber 9 Laura Soden 1 James Stansfield 1 Maggie Stansfield 5 Aaron Steffes 4 Jeff Stenroos 5 Liz Stevens 5

Julia Taylor 5 Ray Tenebruso 15 Kim VanBrocklin 15 Julie Waddell 6 Kristin Warner 3 James Wagoner 1 Cathy Wendt 2 Susan White 3 Tara White 1 Galen Wiese 1 Beth Wilson 3 Barbara Wolfman 6 Cynthia Wotruba 14

MCDS faculty and staff spread their wings in appreciation of the capital campaign during the June 2016 faculty work week.

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I give to the Annual Fund“ every year because

it reaffirms my commitment to MCDS and its mission. My contribution also represents an investment in the children’s future as it positively impacts the lives of thousands! I also believe that 100% participation is critical in the big picture, and I want to be a part of the possibility that my gift could actually turn into a multi-million dollar grant from a foundation, and that is inspiring!

—Amy Maier First Grade teacher

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The Annual Fund

It takes time, care, and total belief to lead the school’s philanthropic discussion. MCDS is deeply appreciative of everyone’s advocacy on behalf of the school and especially to its Development Committee for their commitment to this wonderful learning community.

Erick HallickPatrick RihaKelly AyalaJess ChristensenNadine Fakhran

Heather JonesBen HebebrandLeslie KimJulian PozniakPreeti Reddy

Thank you, Development Committee!

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Galen Wiese, grade three teacher, and Jeremy Clements, athletic director, engage the crowd with the blue bandanas versus the red bandanas showdown!

391 items donated, 76 family contributors, and more than 370 guests added up to the biggest celebration of the year! Thank you for this amazing support!

and thank you to our group of extraordinary parent volunteers who worked closely with the MCDS staff to make this year’s event such a huge success: our chair, Jess Christensen, and our entire committee, Dana Asmuth, Gwen Bosben, Lisa Brockman, Kane Doerfler, Judy Moyes-Fries, Marta Gialamas, Chulee Hallick, Vicki Hegerfeld, Tom Hall, Anne Hemmings, Lisa Janis, Cynthia Johnson, Heather Jones, Tashi Kessler, Leslie Kim, Ashley Nicoson, Amanda Notman, Anna Purnell, Nikki Tucker, Lisa Moore, Suzanne Rusch, Rebecca Shepley, Priyanka Trivedi, Sheila Young, Alexias Weaver, Cathy Wendt.

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Celebrate M

CDS

Yee Haw!This year’s Celebrate mCDS broke records, raising over $360,000!

Rocky’s Round-Up

Thank you

Stagecoach Sponsor

cowboy sponsors

see complete list on website www.madisoncountryday.org/celebrate-mcds/donors.

buckaroo table sponsors

MCDS parents, grandparents, and community members gather for a night of fun!

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Rodeo Champs Anonymous (2)Laurel & Matthew Frazer P’28, ’24Marta & Aris Gialamas P’29, ’27Chulee & James Hallick P’24, ’22Kate & Patrick Heaney P’29, ’27Jodi & Ramzi Shehadi P’18, ’15, ’14Nikki & Phillip Tucker P’28, ’26Elizabeth Burnham Wallman

& Charles Wallman P’21

WranglersAnonymousSalli Ball & Beth DeLair P’21Wenyu & Eric Blanchard P’26Iris Kurman & Seth Dailey

P’27, ’25, ’23Andrea Marquardt-Finck &

Jeff Finck P’26Cynthia & Zach Johnson

P’27, ’25, ’23Divya & Sumit Rana P’26, ’23Michelle & Russell Sharpswain

P’22, ’18Smart Motors Toyota—Scion

PioneersAnonymous (2)George Anglin &

James Gallegos P’25Janet ArneyDana & Todd Asmuth P’25, ’22, ’21Yasmin & Jeff Bradfield P’26Bray ArchitectsDevon & Matt Davis P’28, ’25Sandra & Luis Fernandez P’14, ’11J. H. Findorff & Son, Inc.Sarah & Nate Herbst P’27, ’25, ’22Lisa & Jeff Janis P’20Leslie & Michael Kim P’24, ’22

Heide & Chris Mallon P’24, ’21Dana & Luke Mosling P’24, ’22Amy & Jesse Olson P’25Preeti & Kartik Reddy P’24, ’20Jennifer & Richard Salin P’28Alice & Obasi Torti P’20, ’18Kim & Jon VanBrocklinKristen & Kyle Wells P’24, ’21Pamela & Clinton Woodman

P’29, ’28

winning Wranglers

aw shucks . . . Every bid and donation made this event a success. For the full list of auction contributors, please visit www.madisoncountryday.org/celebrate-mcds/donors.

see complete list on website www.madisoncountryday.org/celebrate-mcds/donors.

Boisterous bidding during the live and silent auctions kept the atmosphere festive.

Bidding LevelsRodeo Champs $5,000 + Wranglers $2,500 +Pioneers $1,000 +

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Celebrate M

CDS

LeadersJames & Chulee Hallick

IgnitersMatthew & Laurel FrazerNate & Sarah Herbst

InnovatorsAnonymous (2)John & Lilly BickersPeter & Sarah CherchianSeth Dailey & Iris KurmanAris & Marta GialamasCharles Daggett HarveyPat & Brook McGettigan

Rick & Jennifer SalinClint & Pam Woodman

InventorsAnonymous (2)Todd & Dana AsmuthKelly Canavan & Lindsay FerrisPrasad Dalvie & Preeti Raman Luis & Sandra FernandezChris & Bethany HarringtonBen Hebebrand & Joy DawsonConnie HegerfeldZach & Cynthia JohnsonSteve & Lynn Kaminski Michael & Leslie KimThomas Mallon

Sumit & Divya Rana Brett RimkusRussell & Michelle SharpswainRichard & Rebecca ShepleyAlexander Yevzlin &

Paola Fliman Yevzlin

InitiatorsJoy AndersonJanet ArneyEric & Wenyu BlanchardPeter & Erica ChristmanKane Doerfler & Amanda YoungDan Hoerl & Jackie StatzJeff & Lisa JanisTed & Tammy Krez

Mark Louden & Jeanne SchuellerScott Nagle & Jean NowlanScott Reeder & Jean Brittain John Russo & Winny HungRoger & Shannon SeipDennis & Barb SpurlinRyan & Katie StephensonKyle & Kristen Wells

MakersAnonymous (2) Roger & Jennifer AndersonEric & Kelly AyalaSalli Ball & Beth DeLair Chris Bjork & Catherine Coy Brian & Wendy Bosben

IgniteIgniteIgniteIgniteIgniteIgniteIgnite3-D Printers

Lego Wall

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StudentsFaculty

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Bruce & Gwen BosbenDoug Boyes & Michelle HuntEric & Lisa BrockmanPeter & Sarah CaseMark Childs & Amy Bradshaw Nicha ChowpaknamJan & Lynn CichockiMatt & Devon DavisPeter & Mary DuffCarrie Moeller & Jake EatonChad & Michelle EschlerJoel & Rhonda FaitJeff Finck & Andrea Marquardt-FinckGreg Fries & Judy Moyes-FriesVicki HegerfeldJames & Anne Hemmings

John & Karen HendricksonBill & Lou Ann HerronMelissa LucarelliChris & Heide MallonPaul & Jana MartinJim McNultyRiyad Moe & Sobia Kirmani-MoeKristopher & Lisa MooreMatt & Michelle MulderKevin & Mondira MuldowneyDerek & Amanda NotmanJesse & Amy OlsonDan & Gretchen RodefeldLee & Danika RzentkowskiCheryl & Robert SchenckAnne-Marie Schultz

Steve & Laura SodenEdgar Steenwinkel &

Kokkie Schnetz-SteenwinkelKim VanBrocklinJerry & Tanya VanKirkGalen WieseCindy Wotruba

Laser Cutter

Power Tools

Innovation Imagination

the

and

THE 2016 FUND-A-NEED BROKE RECORDS!MORE THAN $200,000 WAS RAISED FOR INVESTMENTS IN STEAM EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY.

Giving LevelsLeaders $100,000+Igniters $10,000-$15,000Innovators $2,500-$5,000Inventors $1,000Initiators $500 Makers $100

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Celebrate M

CDS

More than 5,000 hours of time were gifted to MCDS, an invaluable resource that directly supports a successful academic year. In addition to supporting teachers and programs, volunteers set the community service standard for Prairie Hawks of every age to model.

Thank you for your volunteer efforts:Friday Lunch Support | Jazz Showcase | Athletic Concessions | Athletic Team Volunteering | Books & Bagels | Box Tops Program | Celebrate MCDS | Community Landscaping | Grandparents Day | Hands On! | Laminating and Photocopying | Library Volunteers | Lost & Found | Picture Days | Rocky’s Fun Run | Scholastic Book Fairs | Spring Carnival | Admissions Events | New Family Mentor Parents | Prairie Hawk Open | Teacher Appreciation Week | Used Uniform Sales and Laundering | Winter and Spring Flower Sales | Classroom Volunteers | Community Grade Parents | Linen Support | STEAM Fair | Fine Arts Week | Onward | and much, much more

Teachers, parents, and students helped make a new path through the south woods during the annual Hands On! Service day.

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2015-2016 Volunteers

Dianné Aldrich P’21Joy Anderson GGP’26, ’23Todd Anderson P’23Ana Aquino-Perez P’24Laura Ashworth P’22, ’19Todd & Dana Asmuth P’25, ’22, ’21Eric & Kelly Ayala P’26, ’23Jason & Kimberly Ball P’18Salli Ball P’21Jane Banks P’20Megan Bennett P’23Kay BauerleAndy & Liz Benson P’21, ’18Timothy & Sara Beuthien P’28John & Lilly Bickers P’28, ’25Jean Brittain P’25Paula Caviedes ’16Stella Christenson ’22Chris Bjork & Catherine Coy

P’23, ’23, ’23, ’19, ’15Elizabeth Coy-Bjork ’23Maddie Coy-Bjork ’15Patrick Coy-Bjork ’19Willa Blasingame P’19Holly BobulaEvelina Bolotiuc P’21, ’18Bruce & Gwen Bosben P’22, ’20Wendy Bosben P’26, ’24Lisa Brockman P’21Linda BranzolewskiKathi Callahan P’24, ’21James & Elizabeth Campbell

P’20, ’16Kelly Canavan & Lindsay Ferris P’22Paul & Hali Cardis P’26Peter & Sarah Case P’23Gwen Cassis P’19Peter & Sarah Cherchian P’27, ’24Mark Childs & Amy Bradshaw

P’22, ’20Scott & Jessica Christensen

P’26, ’23Luke & Stephanie Christenson

P’28, ’22Erica Christman P’11Ron & Julie Christofferson P’23Lynn Cichocki P’28, ’25Jeremy ClementsGuy & Courtney Comer P’28, ’26, ’25Josh & Heather Coon P’26Preeti Dalvie P’29, ’24Devon Davis P’28, ’25Jadie Dawson ’19Kane Doerfler P’17JoseMaria Donoso & Ana Banomera

P’22, ’20Andrea Dow P’28, ’26David & Sara Downie P’18Peter & Jessica Draper P’27, ’25Jim & Karen Dreyer P’19, ’16Laura Dry P’22

Peter & Mary Duff P’26, ’25Craig Evans & Suzanne Welsch

P’21, ’18Emma Everitt ’17Aline Midoli Camargo Fagundes

’29, ’29Nadine Fakhran P’24, ’22Mary Felker P’28Sandra Fernandez P’14, ’11Marcia Field P’22Andrea Finck P’26Karson Finck ’26Kathleen FranzenLaurel Frazer P’28, ’24Greg Fries & Judy Moyes-Fries

P’24, ’23Jim Gallegos P’25Aris & Marta Gialamas P’27Penelope Gialamas P’27, ’25Raji Gill P’16, ’14Michelle Gleeson P’22Matt Green &

Sarah Johansen Green P’19Merrin Guice P’23Julie Haag P’16, ’13, ’10Tom & Beth Hall P’29, ’28Terry HallerErick & Barb Hallick P’20, ’17James & Chulee Hallick P’24, ’22Diane Hamdan P’22, ’19Nicole Hankins ’16Bethany Harrington P’27Sarah Harrison P’25Caroline Harvey P’23, ’18Patrick & Kate Heaney P’27Ben Hebebrand & Joy Dawson P’19Vicki Hegerfeld P’21Anne Hemmings P’28John & Karen Hendrickson P’19, ’16Emma Henke P’24, ’22Andrea Hepfinger P’17Nate & Sarah Herbst P’27, ’25, ’22Armando Hernandez & Tara White

P’23, ’20Hilary Hernandez P’24Lisa Hoeme P’26Les & Diana Howles P’23Winny Hung P’27, ’25Michelle Hunt P’24Clara Hurley P’29, ’27Kirsten Jaeckle P’28Lisa Janis P’20Cynthia Johnson P’27, ’25, ’23Mike Jones P’26Mike & Heather Jones P’28, ’26Steven & Lynn Kaminski P’22, ’21Sarah Kendrick P’27Celia Kessler ’20Tashi Kessler P’23, ’20Leslie Kim P’24, ’22Kelly KirshJudith Kovalic P’27

Tanya Krajcinovic GP’28, ’28Ted & Tammy Krez P’26, ’25, ’24Iris Kurman P’27, ’25, ’23Joel & Darla Kurth P’26, ’24, ’21, ’20Stacie Laplante P’27, ’25Katrina Larsen P’26Gary Lensmeyer GP’29, ’26, ’24Christine Lidbury P’19Karen Peterson Lienau P’28Mark Louden &

Jeanne Schueller P’21Kristina Luedtke P’25, ’25Mark & Amy Maier P’21, ’19, ’17, ’16Andrew Maier ’16Chris & Heide Mallon P’24, ’21Petra Mallon ’21Alec Martin ’18Paul & Jana Martin P’22, ’18, ’16Brook McGettigan P’26Colleen McGuire P’28, ’24Gabe McKelvey ’17Eric McLeodCarolyn McNeil P’26Kelly MeinholzGregory Melotte P’18Riyad Moe & Sobia Kirmani-Moe

P’25, ’21, ’17, ’16Kristopher Moore &

Lisa Goodrich-Moore P’27Elizabeth Moreland P’19, ’16Chad Moritz P’25Dana Mosling P’24, ’22Matt & Michelle Mulder P’22Matthew Muldowney ’18Kevin & Mona Muldowney

P’20, ’18, ’14Amanda Ngola P’27Tina Nielsen P’26, ’23Jerry & Michelle Niesen P’20Amanda Notman P’29Jesse & Amy Olson P’25Adam & Jane Olson P’16Jeff & Bonnie Onsgaard

GP’21, ’19, ’17, ’16Maheen Ott P’29, ’27Emma Peek ’17Simon & Laurie Peek P’20, ’18, ’17Michael Peek ’18David & Shelley Petzold

P’24, ’21, ’18Lisa Possehl P’18Myron Pozniak & Kathy Baus

P’14, ’10Julian Pozniak ’10Anna Purnell P’23, ’20John Purnell ’20Katie Purnell ’23Sara Rahn P’20, ’18Divya Rana P’26, ’23Shamila Rawal P’29, ’24Preeti Reddy P’24, ’20Patrick Riha P’20, ’18

Gretchen Rodefeld P’20Pat Rollins P’22, ’19Christopher Romes &

Angela Jaenke P’22Jackie Rose P’21, ’19Shannon Roznoski P’25Suzanne Rusch P’22, ’20Danika Rzentkowski P’27, ’25Jennifer Salin P’28John SchafferEric SchmidtAlice Schneiderman P’21Anne-Marie Schultz P’21Adrian Schulze & Amy Norlin P’28Roger Seaver P’15, ’14Bassam ShakhashiriJodi Shehadi P’18, ’15, ’14Lily Shehadi ’15Rebecca Shepley P’25, ’23, ’22Ariana Shlimovitz ’18Tom ShorterBeverly SimonePetrolina Sims P’27Kathy Singer P’18Caitlin Stade P’17Isabella Stade ’17Maggie StansfieldJacqueline Statz P’20, ’17Edgar & Cornelia Steenwinkel P’17Tessa Steenwinkel ’17Al Steinhauer P’28Ryan & Katie Stephenson P’29, ’26Julia TaylorSusanne Thiede-Barnet P’26, ’23Priyanka Trivedi P’24Megan Thornburgh P’29Alice Torti P’20, ’18Maria Torti ’20Mario Trujillo & Natalie Navarro-

Albaladejo P’26, ’25Phil & Nicole Tucker P’28, ’26Jerome & Tanya VanKirk P’22Wendy UpadhyayKenneth Vinson P’25Rhonda Vosdingh P’19Julie WaddellArt & Kimberly Wagner P’22, ’18Rebecca Wang P’23, ’20Kris WarnerAlexias Weaver P’28, ’26Kristen Wells P’24, ’21Cathy WendtGalen WieseSuzanne Williams P’29Pamela Woodman P’28Cindy WotrubaNicholas & Jessie Wurzel P’19Sashi Yadav P’21, ’18Alex Yee ’17John & Sheila Young P’22, ’19, ’17

While we do our best to recognize volunteers every year, we know that many of our parents and students lend a hand every day at MCDS—from putting away chairs after concerts to holding open a door for a teacher. Thank you to all the volunteers listed here or quietly lending a hand throughout the year. Your thoughtful efforts make our community special.

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Projects accomplished at our annual service day:• Kindergarten classroom cleanup

• Library leveling in the third and fourth grades

• Library assistance

• Clearing the MCDS campfire space

• Adding a new nature trail in the south woods

Hands On! HANDS ON!M

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Over 300 volunteers spent the day at MCDS completing campus improvement projects.

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Parent GuildThe mission of the Parent Guild is simple yet so important: to build community. Thank you to the 2015-2016 Executive Committee: Leslie Kim, president; Gwen Bosben, president-elect; Anne-Marie Schultz, treasurer; Lisa Janis, secretary; Dana Mosling and Nikki Tucker, co-volunteer coordinators.

All-School Carnival $5,362

Book Fairs 2,780

Concert Flowers 1,366

Other:

Used Uniforms 4,329

Box Tops for Education 1,844

School Supply Boxes 620

Mabels Labels/Misc. 197

$16,130

Enhancing Educational Experience Grants to Faculty (Geocache program, MS speaker series, World Travel Fund, Kid Kits, audio equipment, playground equipment, string bass purchase)

$3,997

Faculty Events & Appreciation (Holiday Party, Parent/teacher conference lunches, K-Cups)

5,745

Student Life Activities (MS/HS Socials & Retreats, Books & Bagels, STEAM Fair, Science Olympiad, Fine Arts Week)

4,043

Parent Social 820

$14,599

. . . lead to sponsorship of

activities and eventsCommunity-Building

Parent Guild

Fundraisers . . . Community-Building

Parent Guild has proudly sponsored Fine Arts Week for the last three years, helping to bring in guest artists and musicians who

work with our students. Here students experience an improv theater exercise during the culminating Fine Arts Week Assembly.

How do you quantify the gift of time? The Parent Guild Executive Committee spent a combined 40 hours per week organizing and leading the Parent Guild activities that help MCDS thrive. Many other parents (listed on page 53) volunteered countless hours of time and expertise. This gift is priceless. Thank you, Parent Guild!

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To learn more about becoming a Booster, visit www.madisoncountryday.org/athletics/athletic-booster.

Anonymous (4)Dana & Todd Asmuth P’21, ’22, 25Laura & John Ashworth P’22, ’19Ana Banomera & JoseMaria Donoso P’22, ’20Gwen & Bruce Bosben P’22, ’20 Karen & Jim Dreyer P’19, ’16Mary & Peter Duff P’26, ’25Jennie & Mark EhrmannAndrea & Jeff Finck P’26Frazer Consultants, LLCLaurel & Matt Frazer P’28, ‘24Judy Moyes-Fries & Greg Fries P’24, ’23Michelle Gleeson & Ron Guiao P’22Rajwant & Shivjit Gill P’16, ’14Chulee & James Hallick P’24, ’22

Diane & Mohamed Hamdan P’22, ’19Joy Dawson & Ben Hebebrand P’19Tara White & Armando Hernandez P’23, ’20LaShonda Irby & Jerlando Jackson P’27Heather & Mike Jones P’28, ’26Lynn & Steven Kaminski P’22, ’21Leslie & Michael Kim P’24, ’22Tammy & Ted Krez P’26, ’25, ’24Amy & Mark Maier P’21, ’19, ’17, ’16Jana & Paul Martin P’22, ’18, ’16Sara Gumpf Melotte & Greg Melotte P’18Sobia Kirmani-Moe & Riyad Moe

P’25, ’21, ’17, ’16Beth Meyerand & Chad Moritz P’25Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau &

Steve Moschkau P’20Rachel & William Neill P’18Bonnie & Jeff Onsgaard GP’21, ’19, ’17, ’16Shelley & David Petzold P’24, ’21, ’18Angela Jaenke & Christopher Romes P’22Jackie Rose P’22, ’19Robert Rusch P’22, ’20Ariel & Troy Shibilski P’23Anne-Marie & Torsten Schultz P’21Kathy & Alan Singer P’18Kassandra Remo & Igor Steinberg P’16Nikki & Phil Tucker P’28, ’26Sheila Collopy Young & John Young

P’22, ’19, ’17

Athletic BoostersThe MCDS Athletic Booster Club builds a stronger athletic community in support of the MCDS Athletic Department through fundraising and volunteerism. They take special care to nurture the “student body” with gifts that enhance and strengthen our athletic offerings.

The MCDS Spirit Squad won several awards at the Universal Cheerleaders Association camp this summer.

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Welcome 2016 membersKelly & Eric AyalaSarah Kendrick*Leslie KimJana & Paul MartinCaitlin Stade*

Stepping StonesEach year, MCDS celebrates volunteers who have made enduring gifts of time by honoring them with Stepping Stones. Volunteerism is essential to philanthropy at Madison Country Day School, and it is with gratitude that we honor our volunteer leadership.

2014Kathy Baus & Myron PozniakLuis & Sandra FernandezCandy GialamasMichelle MulderTeri RedaRod Schlimpert *Roger Solie *Barb Spurlin *

2013Erica ChristmanKayte CunninghamBarb HallickSuzanne HarpLynn KaminskiJenner & Eric McLeodSheila Collopy Young

2012Salli BallAndy & Liz BensonMark Childs *John & Cynthia EverittJay HazenCindy Wotruba *

2011Jason Anderson *Gwen BosbenKimberly FelkerLuke Felker *Beth Hall *Beatrice Jones *Kathy LeyKristina Luedtke *Chris & Mary PriebeRay Tenebruso *Kim VanBrocklin *

2010Ana Banomera *Danika Rzentkowski *

2009Rachel Kiser *Shelley Petzold *

2008Diane Flynn *Heather Raabe *Helga Swatzak *

2007Laura Prichard *

* 10 years of teaching or administrative service to the school

2015Dana & Todd AsmuthNadine FakhranKaren Hendrickson *Kelly Kirsh *Judy Moyes-FriesMona & Kevin MuldowneyMaheen Ott *

Jana and Paul Martin, with their children Yoli ’16, Alec ’18, and Vierka ’21, gather to place their

Stepping Stone in the MCDS garden.5858

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$5 m

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$6 m

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Wingspan meter

$5.9 million raised*

Thank you to these special groups of volunteers who helped guide the development of our inspiring campus master plan, and helped turn the first phase into reality through a thoughtful, effective Spreading Our Wings capital campaign.

Spreading Our Wings

Campus Development CommitteeJim GallegosLiz BensonDevon DavisKimberly FelkerLuke FelkerKathleen FranzenKimberly Hazen

Patrick RihaEric SchmidtRoger SeaverTroy ShibilskiBarb SpurlinSheila Young

Campaign Steering CommitteeSandra FernandezErick HallickJim GallegosDana AsmuthLilly BickersCourtney ComerLaurel Frazer

Terry HallerJames Hallick Ben HebebrandMona MuldowneyPatrick RihaJodi ShehadiPam Woodman

100%of faculty, staff, and trustees have donated

Campaign at a Glanceas of September 15, 2016

77%of parent households have donated

28grandparent households have donated

Campaign Update

* as of September 16

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Spreading Our Wings

TransformationalThe Hallick Family

VisionaryAnonymous (2)

InspiringAnonymousThe Gialamas FamilyThe Peek & Duffield FamilyThe Stricker FamilyNikki & Phil TuckerCharles & Elizabeth WallmanClint & Pam WoodmanFred & Sandra Young

SoaringThe Asmuth FamilyThe Bickers FamilyNathan & Sarah Herbst

FlyingAnonymous (2)Jeff & Yasmin BradfieldThe Cherchian FamilyThe Frazer FamilySteven & Lynn KaminskiJohn Russo & Winny Hung

RisingLuis & Sandra FernandezTerry HallerThe Heaney FamilyMuhammad Itani, Nadine Fakhran, Reem Itani

& Danny ItaniScott Nagle & Jean NowlanSumit & Divya RanaPatrick & Beth RollinsThe Rusch FamilyAlan & Kathy SingerThe Steinhauer FamilyThe Young Family

Taking FlightAnonymous (2)Grandparents of Ari & Noey AyalaSalli Ball & Beth DeLairJeff & Freya BowenEric & Lisa BrockmanThe Cichocki Family

Cummings Christensen Family FoundationPreeti & Prasad DalvieThe Dow FamilyPeter & Mary DuffDrs. Craig Evans & Suzanne WelschThe Finck FamilyJ.H. Findorff & Son Inc.Jon & Sara GoldsteinBethany, Chris & Quintin HarringtonBen Hebebrand & Joy DawsonJerlando Jackson, LaShonda Irby,

Sage Jackson & Saylor JacksonMichael, Leslie, Seth & Sophia KimPeter & Sherry KorotevLinda & John KuoChris & Heide MallonThomas & Mary Ann MallonThe McGuire FamilyThe Moritz FamilyKevin & Mondira MuldowneyGrandparents of Kenton NagleAmy & Jesse OlsonDrs. Ashish & Shamila RawalThe Reeder-Brittain FamilyRyan & Amy RihaRick & Jennifer SalinThe Shehadi FamilyTroy & Ariel ShibilskiThe Yevzlin Family

Prairie HawkAnonymous (6)The Arihood Aquino FamilyEric & Kelly AyalaTom Barnet & Susanne Thiede-BarnetKathleen Baus & Myron PozniakChristopher & Megan BennettAndy & Liz BensonThe Blanchard FamilyTerry & Willa BlasingameThe Boyes-Hunt FamilyThe Brahmer FamilyElla & Cortland BrovitzElizabeth & James CampbellThe Canavan Ferris FamilyLachlan CanavanThe Cardis FamilyWilliam & Roxane CaseJudy & Carl ChengAmy, Mark, Zoe, SadieLuke & Stephanie ChristensonErica, Peter & Maximilian Christman

The Coon FamilyAndrea Cooper & Saima ChauhanCatherine Coy & Chris BjorkSeth Dailey & Iris KurmanThe Davis FamilyThe Donoso FamilyThe Dreyer Family:

Jim, Karen, Ben ’16 & Sam ’19John & Mary ErpenbachLuke, Kimberly & William FelkerThe FieldsMatthew Friedlander & Kathleen FishGreg & Judy FriesPaul Fung & Nicha ChowpaknamZamara & Sevi GaryThe Gotzion FamilyThe Guiao FamilyDr. Mohamed & Diane HamdanBret & Diana HauseJay, Tonya, Zoe & Ada HazenThe Hazen GirlsConnie, Vicki & Olivia HegerfeldEmma & Paul HenkeThe Hoerl FamilyHooper Foundation/

General Heating and Air ConditioningThe Hopton FamilyThe Howles FamilyCharlie, Sam & Lucy JohnsonMike, Heather, Maddie, Rocco & Ruby JonesThe Kimble FamilyThe Knott FamilyTed & Tammy KrezMark & Stacie LaplanteJeff & Melanie LeeMark L. Louden & Jeanne M. SchuellerIoana & Lucian LozonschiKeyang LuoAnita & Safraaz MahamedMark & Amy Maier & FamilyThe Manke FamilyThe MCDS Dance ClubThe Melotte FamilyThe Moe FamilyKristopher & Lisa MooreThe Studio (Steve & Kathleen Moschkau)Elizabeth Moreland & James EkmanMatt & Michelle Mulder & Lucy McCardellThe Ngola FamilyJerry & Michelle NiesenThe Norlin Schulze FamilyLynnette Oakley

We celebrate the extraordinary community effort behind our inspiring new Academic Center

and campus renovations as part of the Spreading Our Wings Campaign.

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The Ogborne FamilyVanessa Ott & Brad SwansonMichael & Rebekah ParéMorgan Peterson FamilyDavid & Shelley PetzoldDane & Wyatt EnterpriseJohn & Lorie RaihalaThe Reddy FamilyThe Riha FamilyDan & Gretchen RodefeldPatrick & Jackie RoseRobert & Cheryl SchenckThe Schipper FamilyEric Schmidt FamilyTorsten & Anne-Marie SchultzThe Schweber FamilyPatrick J. & Sharon ScovttThe Seip FamilyThe Senecal FamilyManish & Mindy ShahBassam & June ShakhashiriSharpswain CircusThe Shepley FamilyDr. Beverly S. SimoneBarb & Dennis SpurlinJoel Steinberg ’16The Stephenson FamilyGuy & Svetlana TaylorClass of 2026, Gwen Tucker Birthday PartyClass of 2028, Penelope Tucker Birthday PartyThe Danny & Diane Tzakis FamilyWendy & Nishant UpadhyayThe VanKirk FamilyThe Wagner FamilyThe Weaver FamilyKyle & Kristen WellsRichard, Suzanne & Annabel WilliamsNick & Jessie Wurzel

FeathersAnonymous (14)Cary Abrahamson & Whitney SweeneyTodd Anderson & Wangdue TsomoJohn & Laura AshworthJason & Kimberly BallTimothy & Sara BeuthienHolly BobulaShawn & Melissa BoyceLinda BranzolewskiDaniel BrennanNathan BreunigJennifer BrixyVal Caceanov & Evelina BolotiucBob CamosyPeter & Sarah CaseMax Christman ’11Kim ChuppDrew CianciaKarl & Katherine DallandMehmet Dayi & Yucener ApalanPeter & Sue DeakmanStephanie DerrJake Eaton & Carrie MoellerJerome Evans ’21Joel & Rhonda FaitWilliam Felker ’11

August & Mary FelkerElmer & Meriam FrohardtMatthew Green & Susan Johansen GreenBarbara GrenlieTom & Beth HallDaniel & Sherry HarringtonMark & Sarah HarrisonTim & Casey HeinSteve & Monica HeizmanJames & Anne HemmingsEmily Henry ’10Armando Hernandez & Tara WhiteFlorentina Hernandez ’24Joseph & Lisa HoemeKevin & Clara HurleyKirsten JaeckleFabian & Patricia JaumeM. Mathews & Jane JohnsonTimothy & Beatrice JonesMike & Sarah JonesBrittany JudkinsAlex & Sarah KendrickRay & Jane KentChristopher KimSung & Christina KimKelly KirshRobert Kovalic & Judith Heise KovalicMichelle KramerCarley LeMahieuKristina LuedtkeDonal MacCoon & Lael SheberBonnie ManleyStephen & Frances MannWesley & Tobey MarsceillPaul & Jana MartinStacy MattsonJoseph McCance &

Jeanne Knickerbocker McCancePat & Brook McGettiganKelly MeinholzLuke Mosling & Dana MoslingMaya Muldowney ’14Melita MullenWilliam & Stacy MyszkaJeremy Nelson & Cheryl SakowskiAshley NicosonShaun Nivens & Kathleen FranzenDerek & Amanda NotmanAdam Olson & Jane SalazarTravis & Maheen OttMichael PalovcsikChristopher PorathThomas & Sherri PurnellHoward & Pamela ReeseJulie RimkusCaitlin Robb ’09Espiridion Roman-Miranda &

Hermelinda Flores-MarquezJackie RoseLee & Danika RzentkowskiRattanjit SachdevaMartin Salva & Katrin SalvaStephen & Jennifer SauerRobert & Dea SchallerDavid & Alice SchneidermanPaul Schulte & Tathata KesslerRoger & Kim Seaver

Pranav Shah & Roopa ShahStephen & Laura SodenJames Wedekind & Caitlin StadeJames & Maggie StansfieldEdgar Steenwinkel &

Kokkie Schnetz-SteenwinkelHarry Stein & Kristine HeimerlJeff StenroosRyan & Katie StephensonLiz StevensJoseph Swinea & Karla RempeHoward & Julia TaylorRay Tenebruso & Margy NewtonTom & Megan ThornburghObasi & Alice TortiMario Trujillo & Natalia Navarro-AlbaladejoBob TuckerJerry & Cere TurnerKim VanBrocklinKristin WarnerCathy WendtEvelyn Lasky WestbrookAlex White & Susan Johnson WhiteGalen WieseChristopher WilburPaul & Susan WilsonSteve WinistorferJamie WojcikCindy WotrubaAshok & Shashi YadavJianzhong Zhang & Wen Bo Wang

Giving LevelsTransformational $1,000,000+Visionary $500,000+Inspiring $250,000+Soaring $100,000+Flying $50,000+Rising $25,000+Taking Flight $10,000+ Prairie Hawk $1,000 to $9,999Feathers up to $999

Join the Spreading Our Wings Campaign

We are just $800,000 away from reaching our $6.7 million goal. Your contribution will

help MCDS avoid any further long-term debt. Join this monumental effort today.

Contact dasmuth@madisoncountryday.org

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Spreading Our W

ings Support

Elizabeth ’16 gets a high five from third grade teacher Mr. Wiese during the new tradition of the Senior Walk.

MCDS acknowledges a major milestone this year, and we are celebrating in style. The grand opening of the new building is a great way for us to mark the continued success of the vision that set our school in motion. Having spent some time walking through the new addition to the school, I am struck by how far we have come as an organization and how our commitment to our core values has granted us the success to be able to open a new wing. Seeing the new building reminds me of the time I started at MCDS, the same year that the school first moved into the current location. The students beginning their school year in this new building felt the same anticipation and excitement at how this new space would be used that I felt when I first walked into my first grade classroom, hand-in-hand with mom.

When you, our alumni, arrive for your reunions this year, I encourage you to look through the new facilities and know that you were the ones who set the path for the new building. Our new robust science labs provide students with the equipment that they need to receive a formidable understanding of the natural world while our new music rehearsal rooms give students the means to build ensembles and collaborate together to create a vision to propel MCDS in the years to come.

Julian Pozniak ’10, MCDS Alumni President

Julian ’10 enjoys the new outdoor amphitheater with fellow alumni Mia ’14 and Alexandra ’14

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The Alumni Pages

T H E A L U M N I P AG E S

A LU M N I C O M I N G E V E N T SMark your calendar!

Rocky’s Fun RunOctober 21Participate in a run through the prairie. Proceeds benefit the MCDS Boosters.

Alumni DaysDecember 18January 6Reunite on campus for a full day of reconnecting with classmates and MCDS, TOK class, Camosy Jeopardy, Mat Ball, and more. RSVP to hjones@madisoncountryday.org

Jazz ShowcaseJanuary 27Join us for an unforgettable evening at the 2016-2017 Jazz Showcase. Your seat is reserved.

Hands On!May 13Come for a day of community service to our school. This is an intergenerational love-our-school event that allows all of us to give back to MCDS in a very hands-on way.

CommencementMay 26Congratulate the graduates. Visit with faculty. Celebrate with the MCDS community.

Software Engineer

Recently, Onward asked Mischa Lewis-Norelle ’11 about his current life and how an MCDS education has impacted his career and outlook.

Mischa Lewis-Norelle ’11

Onward: Mischa, tell us about your current job and the company where you work.

Mischa: I am a software engineer at Appfolio in Santa Barbara, California.

How did you end up there?

The summer after my junior year in college I got an internship at a small, four-person start-up that was developing inexpensive 3-D printers for schools. Ultimately that company folded, but one of my bosses joined Appfolio soon after, and they thought I’d be a good fit so they suggested I apply. I had an initial interview with the company’s co-founder, did a phone interview, and flew out for final interviews.

How did MCDS help prepare you for circumstances you have faced in your current job?

MCDS helped me develop the creative reasoning skills that I use every day to tackle problems. MCDS also helped nurture in me a deep curiosity about the world, the same curiosity that now drives most of what I do every day. Specifically, I am drawing from some bit of knowledge I learned while at MCDS, whether it be recalling some relevant mathematical theorem or using the same tools we learned for historical analysis to pick apart a customer’s testimony.

What teachers from MCDS influenced your current career path?

I honestly can’t think of a teacher who hasn’t had some positive influence on my current career path, especially since every teacher helped me develop critical reasoning skills. However one of the more obvious is, of course, Mr. Tenebruso. He helped develop in me many of the logical analysis tools that I use when writing code every day.

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But perhaps a more surprising influence on my day-to-day work is Mr. Childs. When one is learning to program in college, the focus tends to be on writing clever code that the computer can decipher. This is all well and good, but when you become a software engineer— the person who writes code for a product, code that needs to be reliable and be maintainable by more people than just yourself—you suddenly find that being able to write code that humans can understand is the real challenge. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t think “How can I rewrite this bit of code to make it easier for future people (myself included) to understand.”

And finally I must mention Mr. Camosy. I am lucky enough to work at a company that believes that software engineers aren’t just people who bang on a keyboard all day to make pretty lights flash on a screen. They really encourage their engineers to be a part of the whole product development and refinement process, and that means talking to customers. And when listening to customers talk about what they want or need, or what using our product is like, I find it immensely

useful to draw upon one of my tools for historical analysis from Mr. Camosy’s class, OPVL. Okay, so I admit that the O (origin) is pretty straightforward, but the P (purpose), V (value) and L (limitations) are all worth considering when analyzing a customer’s feedback.

In this issue of Onward, we are featuring our college advising program. What do you remember about your college advising experience and what advice would you pass on to our current high school students?

I remember being encouraged to explore a variety of options early on, and that’s what I would encourage students to do most. Keep your options open! With the Common Application being as easy to use as it is and many colleges offering free applications if you use it, you might as well cast a wide net.

I’d also caution against being fixated by “the one” college. One school can tickle your fancy, but I would recommend writing down what you like about that one college you like, and then use that to help you search for others. If nothing else, this means that you’ll have options to pick from, and it may turn out when you have them all side by side that one of your options has that extra little thing you didn’t know you wanted that is going to tip the scales.

You have been a very active MCDS alum, always visiting MCDS when you are in town. What is it that draws you back?

I think there are several reasons. First, it is incredibly fun and invigorating. There is so much positive energy every time I visit, and I feel refreshed and deeply satisfied about the world when I leave. I also come back because I have many strong friendships with my former teachers. It is always great to catch up with them and see how they’ve changed. I also have strong relationships with many of the MCDS families, and it is exciting to see how those kids that I’ve known since they were in Kindergarten have turned into mature, thoughtful (if still rambunctious) young people. Oh yeah, and who doesn’t enjoy a good ol’ fashioned game of tag!?

MCDS is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year. What do you think lies ahead for the school and what do you hope we never change?

As an engineer I am always wary of giving estimates for the future. I suspect that MCDS will continue to grow in size for a few more years. I certainly hope that the school continues to attract and retain the excellent caliber teachers it has had so far! I think that technology will play a bigger role in the classroom, both as an aid to teachers and as a subject to be taught. I also hope that the school makes an effort to learn more about the history of the building and place on which it sits. (Editor’s Note: Mischa discovered and studied many of the original plans for this property when he worked here one summer. Needless to say, he found them fascinating!)

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The Alumni Pages

Emily Henry ’10 received her BS in Organizational Leadership in December 2015 from Arizona State University and will begin an MBA program in December 2016 with Norwich University in Vermont. She has been with TDS for five years and was recently promoted to Wisconsin field marketing manager. Look for Emily at TDS locally sponsored events like the Middleton Good Neighbor Festival, Verona Hometown Days, and WaunaFest—sometimes she is “Clicky” the mascot! Emily says, “Harper recently turned two and, in what will seem like a blink of my eye, she’ll be starting Pre-K at MCDS. I can’t wait to be more actively involved in the community again!”

William Felker ’11 graduated in May from California College of the Arts (CCA) with a BFA in Interaction Design, and has continued to work with a group of CCA students and faculty on creating a start-up based on a design methodology of “thinking wrong.” This methodology is taught to students, educators, business leaders, and others over a period of days through a design sprint. He went to Taiwan and Japan this past summer running design sprints with international college students, and during his senior year, partnered with The Bay School, San Francisco, where he taught the methodology to students at the high school level. The methodology was created by a CCA faculty member, John Bielenberg, a world-renowned graphic designer, as a means to disrupt the status quo. Will feels “this method is needed in society in order to create a more effective education system and create the leaders and thinkers we need to create a more sustainable future for humanity.”

Maya Muldowney ’14 was busy this summer! First, she worked in Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR) under a neuroradiologist as the first person to ever work in this physician-scientist’s newly established lab. Many of her tasks involved research to get different projects going. Her work included analyzing every standard rat diet she could find to determine if standard rat diets are interchangeable, figuring out how to obtain the physical setup for one of the lab’s experimental models, researching what behavioral tests would be most appropriate to conduct for the lab’s schizophrenia rat model, and summarizing all existing literature on mouse models of the DISC1 (disrupted in schizophrenia 1). In her second job, she organized the Cars Curing Kids Cruisin’ for a Cure event for the Department of Surgery. This fundraising event arranged for “graduates” of the American Family Children’s Hospital to go on a cruise around Madison in cool vintage or sports cars.

Emily Henry with her daughter, Harper

William Felker with design sprint participants in Taiwan

Maya Muldowney participated in the

Prairie Hawk Open.

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ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

As for what I hope will never change? Well, the nostalgic part of me wants everything to stay as it was about three or four years ago. But pragmatically I really hope that the school continues to make use of being in such a beautiful place full of natural wonders and that it continues to focus on teaching students how to think, not what to know. Facts are great things, but you can look up facts on the internet easily. I should know! I just looked one up! Learning to think creatively, critically, and concisely is where it is at.

Also the lower school foyer is great. That view on a cold winter’s morning as the sun is rising over the frozen water is one of my favorite things in the world.

Anything else you want to share with the MCDS community?

I think it is important that the school doesn’t lose sight of where it is in the world. It’s important to remember that we are part of a much wider and more diverse community, and also that we present a somewhat different mindset to those around us. We can and should continue to share our insights and assistance with the larger community, but we must also be open to their insights and assistance as well. Thus far we’ve done a pretty good job of staying connected to our lovely city through outreach as well as athletic groups; I only hope that we continue to do what we have done, and perhaps a bit more.

Kids should talk to their parents about exploring the woods around MCDS. There are some fascinating things to discover down there! Somewhere there’s a really cool twisted metal structure that looks like a piece of modern art, just sitting in a meadow surrounded by aspen trees. There also used to be a tree house in one of the pine trees up river. Go check them out! Find new cool things! Meet a turtle! The world, or at least the part of it where MCDS stands, is your oyster!

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Maximilian Peter Christman ’11 graduated from the Master of Environmental Management (MEM) program at Duke University and accepted a position at UW Health as their sustainability specialist. Sustainability is highly relevant for the recent integration of UW Hospital and Clinics, UW Medical Foundation, University Hospital, and other entities into a single UW Health system. Max told us, “I will be working with the entire system to ensure that energy, waste, water, and community factors are managed in a sustainable manner through this time of transition.”

Alexandra Pozniak ’14 is a junior at Carleton College. This past year she declared English and theater as her majors and directed her first play at Carleton. The play, Visitors, won the school’s annual awards for best show and best director. She is currently working on three productions: directing a fellow student’s senior thesis production; being dramaturge and assistant director for the faculty directed production of The Merchant of Venice; and acting in a one woman show, Grounded. She is busy, but “prepared for the challenge thanks to my MCDS education.”

Caitlin Robb ’09 graduated from UW-Stevens Point in 2013. In 2015 she moved to Chicago where she worked for a private bank for a year before getting a serving job with a new Lettuce Entertain You restaurant to allow more time for her theatrical pursuits. Caitlin is very active in the world of Chicago theater where she is taking classes, acting, and producing. Caitlin can often be found at the world renowned Second City where she studies and recently produced a show with her improv ensemble called No Judgment. Second City is today’s leading brand in improv-based sketch comedy where the likes of Tina Fey and Chris Farley began their careers. Caitlin also had a role at Chicago theater Gorilla Tango where she acted in a play by a Chicago playwright.

Mischa with his Appfolio team 67

The Alumni Pages

Class of 2019 created these self-portraits using a grid system to manipulate angle, view, and value to produce a certain expression, mood, or message.

Tasia ’21 and her classmates test out paper airplanes representing World War I aviation.

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Bring Your Grandparent to School DayRocky’s Fun RunHigh School Theater Production (Les Misérables)Middle/High School ConcertLower School ConcertFine Arts WeekJazz ShowcaseCelebrate MCDS (Annual Auction)

October 7, 2016October 21, 2016December 2-3, 2016December 13, 2016December 14, 2016January 23-27, 2017January 27, 2017March 4, 2017

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Levi ’27, Zoe ’27, Lucy ’27, and Sage ’27 enjoy recess in the

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