We & Thee, Fall 2015/Spring 2016

( )But We Do Have Deep Values, A Clear Vision,

And The Support Of A Remarkable Community

Fall 2015/Spring 2016

Carolina Friends SchoolLooking Forward

What’s Ahead For CFS?

As we were planning this issue of We & Thee lastsummer, following up on the issue that focused onthe School’s first fifty years, we cast our attentionon the next chapter in the life of the School. Weknew we didn’t have a crystal ball, but we did havea clear vision, and a plan.

While the issue was in process, the fall broughtsome significant developments at CFS—relatedboth to the leadership of the School and to theBuilding Friends Campaign that was such an importantpart of that plan.

These developments slowed our ability to getthis issue of We & Thee to press, as we have await-ed discernment from our tireless Board of Trusteesregarding a leadership transition plan and next stepsregarding the campaign. Now we are grateful toRenee Prillaman for agreeing to serve as ourInterim Head of School as we conduct a nationalsearch for a Head of School to begin serving in2017-18; and we are grateful to the School’strustees, staff, parents, alums, friends, and all whohave contributed and will contribute to make possi-ble the building of our performing arts center, withground-breaking this year.

The vision with which we started remains thesame—to bring the School’s mission to life for allthe students of CFS—and our plan going forwardwill always have that vision as its central focus.

In this issue, you’ll find a reflection by Mike, astudent interview with Renee, articles featuringsome of the School’s signature pedagogy, inter-views with alums who have chosen to enroll theirchildren at CFS, the long-awaited graduationspread, athletics updates, and more.

We hope you find the issue a testament to thisSchool and the loving community that sustains itand makes it such a vibrant learning environment.That’s CFS!

We&Thee/Fall 2015/Spring 20162

We & Thee is published by

Carolina Friends School4809 Friends School Road

Durham, NC 27705

Mike Hanas, Head of School

Anthony L. Clay, Editor

Kathleen Davidson, Associate Editor

Doug Johnston, Design Consultant

Chris Grochowski, Laura Shmania,

Sunshine Scoville ‘90, Brian Whittier ‘79,

Photographers

After finishing college at UNC-CH in the late ‘70’s, DougJohnston’s professional career took him from copywriter to cre-ative director, working for ad agencies from New York to Tulsa,and back.

In retirement, he opted to return to North Carolina—and we’vebeen fortunate to have his experience, expertise, and thoughtful-ness as the designer of every issue of We & Thee since Summer2006.

In these 10 years, Doug has been responsible for the publica-tion's evolution from a 12-page black-and-white newsletter to a20-page color newsletter to a 24-page color magazine. He'spatiently and gently tried to educate novices (like the new Directorof Advancement/W&T editor) about good design and put hisremarkable creativity to work for us, from a magic trick by JoshLozoff '89 shown on repeating pages to clever and thought-pro-voking covers (from a periodic table for a STEM issue to the crys-tal ball you see here).

This self-described "art monkey" has also been responsible forthe Building Friends Campaign logo, banners, construction signs,and related design elements. He's produced a cable TV spot andcountless print ads as well as open house and other marketingmaterials for us. Whatever we needed, Doug delivered with simplebeauty, powerful prose, a dash of humor, and a Friends Schoolauthenticity.

Doug is incredibly modest, eager to remain behind the scenes.We appreciate the chance to shine this brief spotlight on his tal-ent and dedication to CFS over the last decade.He retires as Kathleen Davidson (a formerW&T editor) takes leave of the Director ofAdmission role she's so magically filled thepast two decades. They're an inspiration aspartners in this design work for CFS and aspartners in life. Many thanks.

From Madison Avenue to Carolina Friends...

FROM THE EDITORIAL STAFF

Savoring CFS

Carolina Friends School 3

I came across the quote above while inItaly in November – a gift shared byDurham Early School Head TeacherCesanne Berry – and, as I told members ofthe Staff in my return remarks early inJanuary, E.B. White’s words capture betterthan any I can muster the essence of my sab-batical . . . and my mindset going forward.

I arrived back in the states on Saturday,December 19th, after adventures in Alaska,Montana, Yellowstone and Grand TetonNational Park, Jackson Hole, and Italy. InAlaska I learned to sea kayak and coverednearly 100 miles of Prince William Soundwith a small group of adults in a NOLS(National Outdoor Leadership School) pro-gram. We kayaked between icebergs andacross the face of a glacier, marveled athumpback whales rising to the surfacebetween our kayaks (with orca pods off inthe distance), and made camp at nine differ-ent sites over the course of two weeks. I wasstretched physically like never before (or atleast not since my participation in AnnieDwyer’s Dance Program), and that saysnothing for what transpired between thetime when I wrestled my way into and thenout of my kayak.

My time in the Rockies was less physicallydaunting and proved uniquely eye-opening;I’d read and heard about geysers, had seen

magnificent mountain ranges before, and themeaning of “big sky” – well, that seemedobvious. In fact, I’d never seen such vast,complicated (what we know as Yellowstonesits on an active volcano!), and beautiful ter-rain and big, blue sky. Ostensibly, I was hik-ing, but the truth is that I danced my waythrough Montana and Wyoming with mysenses of both possibility in and responsibil-ity for the earth growing exponentially.

During my time between adventures, Iclaimed time to read, write, think, and, unlikeever before during my professional career,claimed time to just be; and then I made myway to Italy in late October. I lived inFlorence for eight weeks and hoped tomake it feel less and less a tourist desti-nation and more and more like ahome away from home. I studiedart history, enjoyed the freshestand friendliest meals I’ve everhad at local trattorias, and lovedwalking my way around a remark-able (and very pedestrianfriendly) Renaissance and mod-ern city. From Florence I ven-tured to places including Rome,Venice, Milan, Pisa, Luca, Sienna,Fiesole, and Cinque Terre. But ascompelling as so much of what Isaw and learned was, I considerbecoming a regular at my localcafé my most significant accomplish-

ment. When the baristas Andy, Martino, andMichele began greeting me by name – “Ciao,Michael, Buongiorno!” – and preparing mydrink with no need to hear an order fromme, I felt like I’d become more than a tourist,a member of the community.

I am - and forever will be - grateful for thetime and space to act and reflect on leader-ship, the environment, art, and the promiseand possibility of adventure that stretchesus. What I am and will forever be mostgrateful for, however, is the reminder tosavor all that I can in what is before me – it’swhat makes all the hard stuff worthwhile.

On the Friday that launched our SpringVacation, I welcomed Grandparents and

Special Friends visiting CFS. It marked thelast time I would do so, and, as I real-

ize the poignancy of such occa-sions during what would be

my last few months as Head ofSchool at CFS, I have every

intention of savoring all that Ican. I also intend to savor my

view of what’s next for CFS, thetheme of this issue of We &

Thee, as this place - about whichso many of us care so deeply -

continues to make as meaningfula difference as it can in the edu-

cational landscape of the Triangle and beyond.

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) it. This makes it hard to plan the day.

But if we forget to savor the world, what possible reason do we have for saving it?

From The Head of School

By Mike Hanas

Renee Prillaman has been at CarolinaFriends School for 18 years and has beenan educator since 1975. Renee was firstdrawn to CFS because she saw theopportunity to be with students andteachers who were “in a constant learn-ing process.” Her experience as an edu-cator has evolved over time and she hasnow “developed an increasing awarenessof the impact made in the world by thechildren whom we have taught and men-tored.”

For the past three years, Renee hasworked as the Assistant Principal forTeaching and Learning. This positionwas created to facilitate professionalgrowth and learning across the School,to support Head Teachers, and to guidethe development of a cohesive under-standing of Carolina Friends School’scurriculum across units. She also servedas Acting Head of School while MikeHanas was on sabbatical. Mike willassume the role of Head of SanFrancisco Friends School in July, andRenee will serve as Interim Head at CFSwhile the search for a new Head ofSchool is underway.

As Interim Head of School, Renee’s

responsibilities will include working withthe Board on issues of accessibility,affordability, and sustainability, support-ing the completion of the performingarts center, and serving on the searchcommittee for a new Head of School.Renee will collaborate with InterimHead for Teaching and Learning IdaTrisolini to support new staff, explorenew opportunities for professionaldevelopment, and continue develop-ment of assessment strategies for boththe work of students and staff.Collaborating with staff who areengaged in the Peaceful Schools NCproject, inclusivity and diversity work,and new staff work on environmentalsustainability and service learning will beat the fore of Renee and Ida’s work for2016-2017.

Beyond her plans for the near future,Renee shares her vision of CarolinaFriends School over the next fifty years.Some things, she believes, will stay veryconsistent. She refers to the CFS mis-sion and philosophy, which reads“Carolina Friends School is a vibrantand inclusive learning communityempowering students to think critically,

creatively, and independently. We fosteractive exploration and quiet reflection,in individual endeavor and collaborativeengagement. Inspired by Quaker values– pursuit of truth, respect for all, peace-ful resolution of conflict, simplicity, thecall to service - we teach our childrenthat it is possible to change the world.”Renee explains how CFS remains true toits mission and philosophy: “We callourselves back to it when we aren’t beingtrue to it. It becomes a point of investi-gation, examination, and reflection…We are very clear in our mission, and weare very clear about the Quaker charac-ter of our school.” Renee believes thatCFS’s dedication to its mission will carrythe School through the next fifty yearsand beyond

Renee moves on to suggest that whilethe commitment to the CFS mission willremain, the manifestation of that mis-sion may evolve and change. When sheimagines the future, Renee looks for-ward to an increased sense of interna-tional connection. Renee mentions therich dialogue that’s been established withCarolina Friends School’s sister schoolin Afghanistan and foresees moreattempts to create relationships with aglobal community. She explains that“globalization will have an impact onhow we think about things” and expectsmore international students and interna-tional exchange programs.

Renee also believes that in another 25years, CFS will be well established as acenter for peace education. She foreseesan evolved understanding of servicelearning. Renee expects the School tomove beyond the idea of service assomething that is done on certain days inwhich students “sprinkle a little good-ness.” Real service, she explains, is aboutbuilding relationships and cultivatingshared learning and growth. This willexist not only in end of year programs,she says, but also across curricula. Sheimagines the School will develop rela-tionships with organizations, otherschools, nonprofits, and communityagencies to provide mutually beneficial

How Renee Is


By Katherine MacPhail ‘16

Raising Ihe Bar


TIendeavors. Many schools are becomingincreasingly interested in service learning,she explains, and Carolina Friends Schoolcan serve as a model for that effort.

In addition to peace education andservice learning, Renee sees other waysthat Carolina Friends School’s missionwill set the School apart. She sees theCFS mission as inspiring a different rela-tionship with technology. While Reneeexpects CFS to embrace and integratetechnology as it evolves, she asserts thatCarolina Friends School will not considertechnology a substitute for teachers. CFSwill remain a place where teaching as ahuman endeavor continues to be essen-tial. Renee maintains that “relationshipsare at the core of teaching, especiallywith children. Students want mentoringand guidance.”

Stewardship of the environment isanother aspect where she expects CFSwill be distinctive. Our land use maybecome a model for other schools in thearea of sustainability. Renee imaginespossibilities including gardens and educa-tion in alternative energy and foreseespartnerships with like-minded people andorganizations.

Renee also expects to see CFS becomea more racially and ethnically diverse andinclusive school. She imagines that theconversation about diversity will be “theground we walk on,” so much so that “it’salmost not a conversation; it’s how welive and how we are.” She admits to feel-ing excited about being CFS’ first femalehead, even if it’s for a short time.

Renee thinks the student populationmay expand in number but not signifi-cantly so because that would compromiseour commitment to individualized atten-tion and primacy of relationships, butshe points out the alumni population willcontinue to expand. She asserts that onething CFS will not change is the way theSchool cares about alumni. She observes,“once you’re a student, you’re always astudent.”

Each year the CFS staff engage ina range of experiences to foster pro-fessional growth, enrich their knowl-edge base, and deepen their connec-tions as colleagues and life longlearners. Some of these experienceshappen on campus and others takeus away. Some are year long or eventwo year long experiences while oth-ers take the form of workshops andconferences.

The entire staff has been engagedin year-long work in Inclusivity andDiversity with dRworks. Beginningwith staff retreat in August and span-ning the year through professionaldevelopment days and staff meetings,this work has been a focus.Additionally, we support staff andstudents annually in attending thePeople of Color Conference and inthe spring we send staff to the WhitePrivilege Conference.

This year several staff have partici-pated in long term programs includ-ing the Teacher in Review process inwhich teachers conduct year longaction research projects. Currentlythere are staff engaged in the FriendsCouncil on Education’s SPARC pro-gram, a two-year program for experi-

enced teachers; The Center forCourage and Renewal’s Academy forLeaders; and the Harvard EducationGraduate School’s LeadershipCertification Program.

Workshops and conferences inwhich staff have participated thisyear include annual conferences forFriends Council on Education, NCAssociation of Independent Schools,Southern Association ofIndependent Schools, NationalBusiness Officers Association, andNational Association of IndependentSchools. Other conference and work-shop experiences have includedDesign Thinking, Summit, FriendsEnvironmental Education Network,Educators New To Quakerism,Librarians Peer Network, NCTies,Building Learning Communities,STEM Education, DifferentiatedInstruction, Mindfulness Workshop,and a range of online courses andwebinars to name just a few.

In addition to attending, our staffregularly present at conferences andlead workshops. This year that hasincluded NCAIS, SAIS, NAIS,Kennedy Center for Teaching Artists,NCAEA, and FCNL.

Professional Development Highlights

Deepa Bhatt-Mackin (US), Anna Lynch (MS--and a UVA alum), Laura Lamberson (LS),Caroline Hexdall (ES, LS), and Jon Lepofsky (US), at the University of Virginia in Marchfor a differentiated learning conference.


STEPPING OUT (OFTHE CLASSROOM)

Dylan Pendergrast from 27 Views of Carolina Friends School:“The creek that flowed through campus carried with it laughterfrom the Early School playground, sounds of woodworking tools

carefully crafting student projects, and silence as a source ofinspiration to Upper School students. The creek meandered

through the backdrop of Middle School theater productions, pro-vided an outdoor learning environment for Lower School children,

and joined Klopfer’s pond in a reservoir of learning, silence,laughter, and love. It was a fitting place for a child like me to sit.The creek gave me a place to play, observe, reflect, and dream..”

CFS Board member Chari Smith had this to say about daughter Kathryn’s experience inNewton Grove, where the CFS freshmen spend 10 days as part of the Upper School End-

of-Year Program: “Kathryn’s Newton Grove trip was truly transformational. She marksthat End-of-Year experience as her defining first step on her life’s path of workingwith young children. All of her post-high school choices were informed by that first

experience, including her college major, college jobs, and her study abroad teaching in abilingual school in Costa Rica. CFS gave Kathryn a valuable gift by providing the contextfor her to find her passion through service learning, and by putting guides like Father

Tony and the trip leaders in place to light the way.”

At every level, from our youngest Early School children to ourseniors, CFS believes in the importance of what is possibly ourmost meaningful education—that which takes place outside theclassroom walls. On any given day, one might find a line of EarlySchool children on a campus hike or a group of Lower School

children exploring the creek. Middle School students might bewatering plants in the greenhouse while an Upper School groupis advocating for climate change awareness in Washington, DC.CFS has espoused belief in experiential education for the past50 years and will continue this mission into the future.

During an End-of-Year service trip toTrinidad, Upper School students worked in twoorphanages and with Habitat for Humanity. Atone of the orphanages, junior Victoria Cruelldesigned and painted this mural on their din-ing room wall, which had been freshly paintedby other Upper School students.

Gleaning in Newton Grove

Victoria’s Mural

Experiental Learning

Lower School students in the creek


Have you ever wanted to start your own business? This group of Middle Schoolstudents explored the world of entrepreneurship and start-up companies dur-ing MS Exploratorium and then pitched their great business idea to potentialinvestors (their peers) at the end of the week. How cool is that? They gotgreat advice along the way: from Chris Heivly of the Startup Factory(American Underground), Jordan Shamp (‘99 CFS grad) of Notables, GabrielEng-Goetz of Runaway Clothing, Jennifer Curtis of FirstHand Foods, LeslieMcDow of Organic Transit (the Elf car), and Seth Gross of Bull City Burgerand Brewery--to name a few. It was an exciting week and only confirmedfor us why Durham is a national hub for innovative, socially-conscious busi-nesses and creative companies! And you are very likely to see some CFSMiddle School students launch their own fabulous startups in the future!

Middle School Service Day 2015During a Middle School service day, students in this group spentthe day learning about and supporting the work of Habitat forHumanity in Durham. They delivered donuts to house builders,

toured a new house under construction and a historic houseunder renovation, painted a garden shed in a community garden,

and wrote letters to government officials praising the effortsof Habitat for Humanity and encouraging continued support for

its programs.

Entrepreneurship

All our Early Schools enjoy regular “fly days” or field trips. These trips allow us toprovide experiences for the children to engage with the larger community on anauthentic level. We view the children as citizens of the world, we want to allowthem to build a relationship with their community by doing meaningful work andresearch outside of the classroom walls. Because of the easy access to the Bull CityConnector bus line for the Durham Early School this means trips to DowntownDurham. On one of these trips, the five- and six-year-old class visited the 21cMuseum Hotel and the Marriott. They studied the special features of each hotel,and interviewed the staff about what happens in a hotel. During a visit to theMarriott, the children became very interested in understanding how the fountainsworked. They did many sketches and used wire and clay to make visible their ideas

about the fountains. They then applied the ideas they learned in Downtown Durham to their own vision for a city, built in their own block area. Thecycle of learning from the larger community, returning to the classroom to develop ideas further, and traveling back out again for more researchcreates a joyful way for children to build their learning. The richness and depth that come from experiencing and re-visiting the natural world, orthe big-ness of the city or college campus, are essential aspects of our Early School program.


From solar-powered insects skittering across the deck out-side the Resource Building to pi-themed cookie cutters creat-ed on a 3D printer, students in the Upper School’s maker pro-gram have been busy. Their new lab, completed in December2014 and shared by the physical science classes, featuresadjustable-height industrial tables and high stools that allowstudents to work sitting or standing, while a smaller roomhouses 3D printers with room for future machines such as alaser cutter/engraver and a CNC mill capable of machiningcustom circuit boards for electronics projects.

While the Upper School maker program is still in its infan-cy, it’s already gathered an enthusiastic following. Three class-es (one each term) were offered this year: MakerLab Tools &Techniques, Microcontrollers/Physical Computing, and 3DDesign and Digital Fabrication. Next fall, an Advanced Tools

and Techniques class will explore 3D printing, lasercutting/engraving, and CNC milling.

What do students do in these classes? One example is a proj-ect in the Physical Computing class that required students tocombine programming, electronics, and hand tool skills toconstruct a head with a microcontroller brain. The head wasprogrammed to respond to its surroundings. Photoresistors,ultrasonic, infrared, and flex sensors provided the inputs whileLEDs, piezo buzzers, and servo motors produced appropriate“reactions.” This open-ended activity elicited some highly cre-ative solutions such as an interactive Teletubby, a GeneSimmons head (wagging tongue included), and an ominousBorg-like skull.

In addition to maker-specific courses, professional develop-ment classes acquaint staff members with the program andgive them a chance to participate in hands-on activities. Oneafternoon found the School’s administrative staff gathered in

Hands On=Minds OnIn The Maker Space Curriculum @ CFS

Upper School

Contributors to this article include Sharon Guillory, Tommy

Johnson, Charlie Layman, Michael Bonsignore, and Jenni Scoggin


We are always engaged in a variety of Maker Lab type activ-ities in the Middle School. Last winter we had a twice-weeklyafter-school program where students learned about soft cir-cuits and sewable electronics. We used conductive thread,metal snaps, battery holders, and LEDs to create stuffed crea-tures and clothing that light up. We played around with feltingand explored different ways to incorporate switches, lights,and buzzers into our three-dimensional projects. Fabric, yarn,wool, and felt were all used to make wearable and squeezablecreations with electric components. Learning to use feltingneedles, embroidery needles, and a variety of materials were allpart of the challenge. Students worked individually and collab-oratively to design unique projects like hats, scarves, bracelets,or animals and had to troubleshoot problems as they arose.

Each spring the 4th years are busy designing, building, andtesting miniature electric race cars along with Photovoltaicpanel systems for recharging the batteries used in their vehi-cles. These vehicles will be raced to see which team can buildthe fastest, most efficient vehicle. The cars have to meet spe-

cific design criteria about size and weight, and students needto keep a project journal to document the process from startto finish. Students have been learning to use an electric scrollsaw as well as hand tools to shape their vehicles and build thecharging stations out of wood paneling and other simpleresources, including found objects and recycled materials.They have been learning how to solder the circuits and usemultimeters to construct and test their electrical systems.Along with figuring out gear ratios and mechanics, they havebeen putting a lot of thought and effort into the design oftheir cars and making them look good. It has been a fun andchallenging project.

The first annual Cardboard Challenge in November invitedteams of students and other community members to build arobot out of cardboard; proceeds benefited our Habitat forHumanity Interfaith Build. As one parent said, “The studentsexemplified rich creativity, collaboration and problem solvingthrough the design and construction of their robots.”

We look forward to more engineering and design projects.

the new Maker Lab to play and learn together, each one con-structing a tree with blinking LEDs that could be powered bytheir computer’s USB port or by an external charger -- a proj-ect that had already met with success in the fall termMakerLab class. Plans are forming to entice more teachers intothe space to explore the possibilities for using the lab to create

cross-disciplinary opportunities for their students. Weekendworkshops at which parents and students can learn and collab-orate are being planned as well, along with open lab time forstudents (and teachers) to work on individual and shared proj-ects.

The possibilities are endless, and we’re just getting started!

Middle School


Lower SchoolOur Lower School students have a natural curiosity about how

things work; they are born engineers. In their first year in LowerSchool, students learn about the field of engineering and develop anunderstanding of what constitutes technology.

Lessons in Design and Engineering classes help children learnthat everyday objects are technological inventions. Students examinecommon objects such as a vegetable peeler, a toothpick dispenser, apaintbrush, or a whiteboard marker to identify the materials used inthe objects and name the problem that is solved by each invention.They learn that designers and engineers chose materials based on theproperties of those materials to accomplish their desired outcomes.

For example, last year first- and second-year students exploredthe field of acoustical engineering in a unit called Seeing AnimalSounds. The children learned how acoustical engineers aid scientificresearch in animal studies. Children experimented with differenttypes of materials to determine how to dampen sound and designedsystems to record, interpret, and communicate a variety of birdsounds. As a culminating project, every student made plans, chosematerials, and constructed a musical instrument.

More recently, students created devices through which plantscould be pollinated by hand. And they are now exploring circuitry

and building lanterns that will shine brightly.As students move on to the older classes in Lower School, they are

given many opportunities to create, construct, and tinker. By work-ing with tools and a variety of interesting materials, they are betterable to connect with the physical world and build lasting experiencesand knowledge about how it works.

Rather than asking a child to memorize and produce the “right”answer to a question, in our maker classroom environment we invite

children into an open-ended experience where they can create, build,and explore their solution to a problem. Through open-ended ques-tions our students are able to tinker and work through their thinkingto arrive at a unique solution.

We may, for example, challenge our students to design a two-wheeled electric vehicle that will go as fast as possible or build a mar-ble track that will run for exactly ten seconds or design and constructa bridge out of pasta. We believe by setting out to invent a solutionto a problem, a young child gets to learn about the design process,the limits and potential of materials and sound construction princi-ples. While setting about finding a solution to inquiry problems, ourstudents also learn safe and effective tool use. It is amazing the prod-ucts our students produce when we allow them the space to use theirimagination to create. This past year we have had students producesuch projects as automatic cat feeders, gerbil-powered cars, andtabletop hovercrafts.

We are building the foundation for each child so they are equippedto “make” and solve design challenges at different levels throughouttheir education. While we embrace some digital technology in LowerSchool, we have found our students need to learn more throughbuilding and manipulating actual materials. We see our job as prepar-ing our students to be better problem solvers and tool users to pre-pare them for laser cutters, 3-D printers, and the digital technologyof the future.

There are many learning opportunities in a maker’s classroom.The beauty of a classroom focused on making and creating is thatacademic subjects are merged together to create an authentic learn-ing experience for our students. Instead of compartmentalizingmath, science, and language, our students must call upon all of theirknowledge in these academic areas to arrive at solutions and prod-

ucts.



Recently, Carrie Huff interviewed fouralums who are current CFS parents of stu-dents ranging in age from Early Schoolthrough college, asking them to reflect ontheir choice of CFS for their own children,what they think has remained the same andwhat has changed, and their hopes for thefuture of the School.

Brian Whittier ’79 and Coleman BirgelWhittier are parents of three “lifers”: Eric’11, Crispin ’13, and Lili Whittier ’17. Brianattended CFS for Middle and Upper School,with a junior year at public high school.

Dan Kaplan ’81 and Marian Abernathyare parents of Celie and Alex Kaplan, bothMiddle School students. Dan attended fromkindergarten through his Upper Schoolgraduation.

Sadie Bauer ’93 and Jon Lepofsky (CFSUpper School teacher) are parents of Owenand Theo Lepofsky, who are rising to Middleand Lower School this fall. Sadie was a CFS

“lifer.”John Richardson ’97 and Carolina Perez-

Heydrich are parents of Lola and RileyRichardson, who will both be enrolled inLower School this fall. John also attendedfrom Early through Upper School.

What were the memories of and/or experienceswith your own CFS education that made youwant to recreate it for your child(ren)? Whydid you choose CFS?

Brian: I came to CFS in the early ’70s whenmy mother moved me, my sister, and broth-er to North Carolina from California. We

were told it was a school in the woods whereyou didn’t have to wear shoes. As an 11-year-old kid it sounded like my kind of place. Notonly did it become my kind of place, itbecame my family. We had the freedom tomake our own choices and have experiencesthat seemed natural to me. Only really laterin life did I truly understand what an extraor-dinary place CFS is in so many ways. I knewwhen I had children CFS was where theywere going to go to school. I have been for-tunate to be able to make that happen. Threeof my closest friends today are guys I met inthe Middle School, and they have all saidthey wish they could have lived here in thearea so their own children could attend CFS.My three children have all been nurtured,loved, and educated how I imagined.

Dan: CFS gave me a marvelous education inthe traditional academic sense, but alsotaught me so much more that is so ingrainedin my soul that it’s easy to forget that it start-

ed at Friends: A deep appreciation for ourworld in all its natural and human diversity,and a continual search for clarity and sim-plicity that my medical trainees know as mymantra. I think these values are all the morecrucial in our ever more frenetic and wiredworld. Also the middle school years are suchan intense formative period, and CFS pro-vides a safe place for kids to become whothey are meant to be. As a diffident teen, mybirding career might not have survived theribbing it would have earned me elsewhere,and my life would be much poorer for it.

Sadie: CFS was an extended family for me.A safe, comfortable, exciting, and invitingplace. As a parent, I couldn’t think of betterqualities to offer my children in a learningenvironment. My education at CFS offeredme a world of possibilities of thought, cre-ativity, learning, and experimenting. Most ofall, I loved going to school. I loved learning,loved trying out new things and being anactive participant in my education. I wantedthat, and am very grateful for having it, formy children.

John: An assortment of memories andexperiences made CFS special for me andare examples of the types of experiencesthat I want for our children.• Making life-long friendships on the play-ground of the Durham Early School • Listening to Tom Shewey read stories fromatop the loft, with different voices for eachof the characters• Experiencing the ancient world of “Vespa”

from a time capsule that was discovered dur-ing construction behind the Lower School• Trying to memorize all of the numbersfrom the Pi sequence scrolled out along thewall of the Middle School• Realizing the inequality of world food dis-tribution through a popcorn exercise as partof World Appreciation Day in the MiddleSchool• Watching commercials for homework inKenny Dalsheimer’s advertising class anddiscovering what a “target audience” is• Playing against the “teacher team” in a stu

And the Beat Goes On


And the Beat Goes Ondent-organized, three-on-three basketballtournament in the Upper School• Learning how to create the pages of theCFS Yearbook from Willy Rotella (beforedigital images!)• Installing new siding to a house during aday of service at Habitat for Humanity inDurham• Learning the basics of backpacking androck climbing as part of Cam Gott’s end-of-year trip to the mountains • Performing an unrehearsed skit withJonathan McGovern in front of the entireUpper School as part of Senior Night atQuaker Lake

My wife and I chose CFS because webelieved it could provide a similar but indi-vidually different experience for each of ourkids. In less than a year we can already seethat this is happening for both of them.

A re your children being (or have they been)taught by any of the same teachers that youhad? Were their experiences like yours?

Brian: Henry Walker is still in the same cor-ner of the Middle School and all three of mychildren have taken classes with him.

Dan: Only a couple are still around: HenryWalker is a timeless treasure, and a fount ofwarm wisdom – our very own Gandalf. AndTerry Pendergrast I understand still spendssome time with the shop classes. I hope hehas forgotten the time I got a drill bit caughtin my pants leg. I can still see him yankingthe cord out of the wall.

Sadie: My older son, Owen, has now beentaught by three of my former teachers, onein each class he has been in: Libby, Dee, andMichael. I was also fortunate to have Kathyas a teacher when in LS, and fondly remem-ber Owen’s first day of LS when Kathy gave

us both a big hug noting that she loves whenher “grand-students” arrive at school! Ifpossible, Owen’s experiences have been evencooler than mine! The love and thoughtful-ness that Dee offers students has magnified,and the creativity and bold experimentationso special to Michael has increased. I’m gladthat our younger son, Theo, will be able toshare some of these same teachers as well.

John: Our son Niley started at CampusEarly School with Libby PittmanPendergrast. Libby was one of my teachersat the Durham Early School. I see two mainsimilarities between Niley’s experience andthe one that I remember: the forming ofstrong, possibly life-long friendships and theintroduction to an educational environmentthat allows people to be themselves. Nowthat he is in Lower School’s Sky Class, he isa student of Tom Shewey, who was myteacher in what used to be “Fire” Class.

Our daughter Lola is in the Lower SchoolRiver Class with Dee Dudley-Mayfield. Deewas my teacher in the same classroom,which was called “Earth” when I was there.The Lower School’s physical environment

(classrooms and playground) are very similar

to the one that I experienced, with enhance-

ments, of course. Lola and Niley have

formed strong connections with each of

their teachers, and that is something that I

remember feeling as well (part of the magic

of CFS). At dinner, we’ve heard about

“Over Day” (staying late at school and

watching a movie), interest groups, walking

around the building to earn mileage ribbons

and starting each morning with the calendar

(“today is, Monday, May…”)—these were all

things I remember experiencing as well.

In what ways have your children’s experiences

at CFS been like or unlike yours?

Brian: I have found that the sports pro-gram exists now whereas in the ’70s not verymuch. I had a lot more free time when I wasa kid than my kids have ever had. Almostevery afternoon is taken up with structuredactivities.

Dan: Wired! I was there in the days ofrotary phones. We wrote by hand and literal-ly cranked out our publications on a mimeo-graph machine. But in every way that mat-ters I think the experience is essentially sim-ilar – as I would hope.

Sadie: A constant that I love about CFS isthe strong sense of each individual, alongwith the supportive focus on group andcommunity. Every child needs and offersdifferent things, and thus in this way both ofmy children’s experiences have, as theyshould be, been very different than minewas. At the same time, the ability to thinkoutside the box, support students wherethey are, create true community, and findengaging ways to teach and learn are themainstays of my love of Friends School, andit is those similarities that allow my children

to have the perfect experience for them.

John: The similarities I see are: strong bondswith teachers, choice in experience (interestgroups, free-play), an environment thatallows people to be themselves, and teacherswho identify and facilitate growth in bothcharacter and education at an individuallevel. Some of the differences I haveobserved are: exposure to technology atyounger ages (iPads) and an overall focus onSTEM learning (smath, engineering &design). (For the record, I think these areGREAT!)

(Continued on Page 15)

In her twenty-second year of teaching,Frances Brindle’s thirst for knowledge is asstrong as when she first began, if notstronger. She doesn’t want to just read aboutthe subjects she teaches; she wants to expe-rience biology firsthand in the field. All ofher traveling experiences inform her teach-ing.

During any given summer, one place youwill not find Frances is in the beautiful homethat she and husband Phil designed, justaround the corner from the school. Wheremight you find Frances? Here are a few ofthe possibilities.

In 2007, with support from the ResearchExperience for Teachers (RET) program ofthe National Science Foundation (NSF)awarded to the Organization for TropicalStudies at Duke, Frances was offered theopportunity to study in Costa Rica. Duringher five-week research experience, she stayedat La Selva in the north and at Las Crucesclose to the Panamanian border. While stay-ing at La Selva, she completed her ownresearch project at a site in the rain forest,where howler monkeys sometimes passed

overhead. Following this trip, Frances taughta class on Ecology and the Environment.She also led two End-of-Year experiences inCosta Rica.

In 2009 Frances received a PACE Grant(Professional and Community Enrichment)at CFS. As a recipient of this grant, she com-pleted an eight-week course on permaculturedesign and ecovillage living at Lost ValleyEducational Intentional Community andEducation Center in Oregon. She lived in atent at the edge of a meadow, with dailyclasses and hands-on practice in sustainabili-ty and ecological gardening. What shelearned about passive solar energy influ-enced the way she and Phil designed theirhome. Following this experience, Francestaught Gardening and Cooking and her classcreated a garden behind the Upper SchoolMeeting Hall.

During the summer of 2012, Frances par-ticipated in an Educators of ExcellenceInstitute in the Amazon Rainforest led byLiz Baird and Kim Smart from the NorthCarolina Museum of Natural Sciences.Frances marks this as “the most amazing

educational experience” she has ever had,giving her the opportunity to be in the com-pany of other educators from NC and localPeruvian teachers, in an astonishing placewith a “perfectly run program.” She flew toIquitos, a large city in the northernAmazonian lowlands reached only by planeor by the Amazon River. She lived atExplorama Lodges in the rain forest andparticularly loved the time spent on thelongest canopy walkway in the world, travel-ing from tree to tree on suspension bridges.One of her most vivid memories was arriv-ing by boat at Monkey Island, where a spidermonkey took her by the hand and walkedher to their destination. One of the mostimportant things Frances learned on theAmazon was the need for clean water andthe work of CONAPAC (Conservación deNaturaleza Amazónica del Perú) in provid-ing this sustainably to the villages. Uponreturning to CFS, Frances and the Freshmanclass planned a Water Cycle event, whichinvolved the entire school. In one well-planned day, she raised $5000 for this pro-gram.

(And How Will This Affect Her Classes?)


In Summer 2014, Frances went to Peru andvolunteered for the Crees Foundation, whichsupports a sustainable Amazon, located in theManu Biosphere Reserve, staying at ManuLearning Center. During a month-long experi-ence she contributed to all the research projectsto understand the value of secondary forest andsaw in action how it is possible to save the rainforest by addressing the needs of the people liv-ing in the area. She visited the village ofSalvación, across the Rio Madre de Dios fromManu Learning Center, and participated in refor-estation and biogarden development, the work ofRaynaldo, a local with a vision to improve thelives of his people, work supported by Crees.Not surprisingly, she is now preparing for anEnd-of-Year trip to Peru, where students will bea part of this service work and participate in theongoing research of Crees.

Last year Frances flew to London to spend afull day at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew,“one of the most amazing gardens in the world,”a garden that Frances had not yet visited, thoughher students in Plant Biology were awed by themovie, Kingdom of Plants, shot over the course ofa year at Kew. She then headed to northernSulawesa, Indonesia, where she volunteered forTasikoki, a rehabilitation center for wild animalsrescued on route between Borneo and the pettrade in the Philippines and beyond, where thegoal is to release them back into the wild.

Given this depth of experience and wide rangeof interests, it’s no surprise that her class offer-ings in the Upper School are quite varied. Classesshe has taught include Introduction to Biology,Advanced Biology (AP Curriculum), AdvancedBiology Lab, Biotechnology, Human Anatomyand Physiology, Comparative Anatomy, PlantBiology, Mycology, Ecology and theE n v i r o n m e n t ,Sustaining Life,Research Lab, andGardening. She hasled end-of-year tripsto Ireland, Costa Rica(2), Nicaragua, andthe GalápagosIslands (4). She alsoled a parent trip tothe Galápagos onesummer. During theschool year Francesworks with theMadagascar Club, which has raised moneythrough bake sales and sent solar-powered Lucilamps to children attending the Rah King Schoolto help them with their studies after dark and sup-port the work of SADABE in the rural commu-nity of Tsinjoarivo. This summer, she'll be learn-ing and doing service work in Madagascar andSouth Africa.


(Continued from Page 13)

What are your thoughts about the

changes that have occurred at the school

since you were a student?

Brian: I don’t believe the size of the

school has grown a whole lot, which is

keeping with the feel of the place, a

small close-knit community.

Dan: There’s a bit more structure in

the MS, both physically (some interior

walls) and academically, without being

overly confining. I think they’ve found

a happy medium. There’s also less aver-

sion to competition, at least when it

comes to team sports, which I applaud.

And there are dances. Surviving defeat

and rejection are critical life skills, and

better to start with small ones.

Sadie: While I still occasionally space

out and try to turn into the “old” drive-

way, in general I find the changes to be

very close to the heart of the School.

They have offered more opportunities

to meet more learning needs. More

community opportunities. More space

for exploration. I feel the thought and

planning that goes into each new build-

ing, field or play space, as well as the

thought that accompanies curricular

changes. To me, the changes have hap-

pened in a very natural way to meet the

needs of community members. Just as

an older sibling struggles with the

changing dynamics of a family struc-

ture as a new sibling joins the family, so

does a community change with each

additional change or adaptation in

structure. The key is working together

to acknowledge the change and to use

even that process as a learning oppor-

tunity. CFS does that.

John: The main changes I see are relat-

ed to new facilities and to some extent,

the curriculum. Although, on the sec-

ond point, I’m only just learning what

some of those differences might be. I

really like the physical changes to the

campus and was excited to hear about

the School’s focus on STEM learning,

including some of the additional phys-

ical improvements that are being made

to accommodate more of this in the

Middle and Upper Schools. I would

have been more surprised, and possibly

even disappointed, to learn that CFS

hadn’t changed at all since I attended.

That would have seemed out of char-

acter based on my own experience.

What are your educational hopes for the

future of CFS?

Brian: I hold onto the hope that the

School will remain at its present size to

be able to offer the size classes and

experiences that such a place offers.

Dan: That it continue as an oasis in a

turbulent world where strong students

can grow into good people with the

skills and confidence to really make

their lives matter.

Sadie: As a parent there are so many

things to appreciate about your kids, so

many steps and developmental mile-

stones to marvel at, and then there also

comes this time when you realize they

have this life that just does not involve

you. While that certainly happened ear-

lier than I expected it to (!), when I

catch glimpses of my sons’ lives at

school or with friends out of school, I

see the influence of their time thus far

at CFS. I beam with pride and gratitude

that they get to have the parts of their

lives that do not involve me be in a

place I call home. ‘Keep on keepin’ on’

would thus be my hope for the future!

The truth is indeed continually

revealed, and my hope is that CFS con-

tinues to be open to hearing and hon-

oring the truth as it reveals itself, and to

adapting as a community in response to

these truths.

John: I attended the 50th Year

Celebration and heard former Principal

John Baird speak as part of a meeting

for worship. The perspective he shared

about CFS through the years made a

lot of sense to me (paraphrasing): CFS

must thrive and adapt, and never lose what

makes it special—its soul.

Watching my children experience CFS,

I can see that the School continues to

be all of those things that it was for my

generation. My hope is that the next

generation of parent/alums will see a

version of their own wonderful experi-

ence through their children’s.

Elise Genevieve Ashkin-Baker

Sarah Elizabeth Bellavia

Madison Michelle Bennett

Samuel Jacob Berenfield

Rachel Skye Boyle

Aliza Drew Bridge

Lily Beatrice Burr

Jess Katherine Carboni

Alexandra Camille Jin Coelho

Alfred Jenkins Covington-

Cara Elizabeth DiLiberti

Emma Anning Dubinski

Molly Josephine DuBose

Henry Knox Engler

Christian Alexander Ernteman

Lillian Cheren Garlick

George Kennard Ralston Gildehaus

Erin Rosalind Hazlett-Norman

Darius James Holeman

Logan Elizabeth Ikenberry

Sierra Dashae Jamerson

Anna Priyanka Jean Kasibhatla

Emily Gwynneth Langan

Abraham Robert Lange

Allena Suzanne Lessler

Dana Amelia Levi

José César López

Joshua Thomas King McClain

Ruth Daniella Metz

Ariana Melissa Nicholson

Patricia Patterson O’Sullivan

Rebecca Emily Berton Porterfield-

Winstead

Nicholas Adams Richmond

Olivia Rose Sanford

Mac Frederick Schilder

Austin Alexander Rogers Sorscher

Jeffrey Soichi Takahashi

Max Branson Taylor

Gabrielle Brigitta Tiffin

Logan Reed Wilson

Matthew Andris Zoltners

Congratulations, Class of 2015

The Members of the CFS Class of 2015On Saturday, June 6, Carolina Friends

School gathered in the Gym for a

Meeting for Worship with Attention to

Graduation, centered on the 41 students

in the Class of 2015. After a Meeting for

Worship in which many meaningful

messages were shared with the group,

each student received a diploma and a

hug from Principal Mike Hanas and

Upper School Head Teacher Tom

Anderson. After a standing ovation, hugs

were exchanged all ‘round.


The Colleges that the Class of 2015 AttendAgnes Scott CollegeAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts – West American University (2)Appalachian State UniversityBates CollegeCalifornia College of the Arts (San Francisco)Carleton CollegeClark UniversityColorado School of Mines

Guilford College (2)Kenyon CollegeNaropa UniversityRhode Island School of DesignSarah Lawrence CollegeSavannah College of Art and DesignSmith CollegeUniversity of Colorado - BoulderUniversity of Mary Washington

University of North Carolina:UNC Asheville (5)UNC Chapel Hill (8)UNC Greensboro (2)UNC Wilmington

Wake Forest UniversityWarren Wilson College

Washington University in St. Louis

Other Schools Offering Admission to the Class of 2015Allegheny College

Amherst College

Boston University

Bowdoin College

Bryn Mawr College

Case Western Reserve University

Centre College

Champlain College

College of Charleston

College of Wooster

Colorado College

Earlham College

Eckerd College

Elon University

Emerson College

Fort Lewis College

Furman University

George Mason University

Goucher College

Greensboro College

Grinnell College

Haverford College

Lawrence University

Lees-McRae College

Long Island University Global

College

Macalester College

McDaniel College

Mount Holyoke College

New College of Florida

New Mexico Institute of Mining

and Technology

North Carolina State University

Northeastern University

Oberlin College

Oregon College of Art & Craft

Pace University - New York City

Prescott College

Reed College

Rochester Institute of

Technology

St. Olaf College

Stony Brook University

University of New Mexico

University of Rochester

University of Vermont

Vanderbilt University

Wellesley College



STAFF

Deepa Bhatt-Mackin (Upper SchoolCounselor,Learning Specialist)graduated with aB.A. in Psychologyfrom WellesleyCollege and aMaster’s inCounselingPsychology fromNorthwesternUniversity. She hasspent the past 15

years working with children and families ina variety of settings, including schools,community counseling agencies, and a pri-vate psychotherapy practice. Most recently,Deepa worked as the Acting Director ofFamily Preschool. She lives in Durham withher husband and two young children, whoattend CFS.

Emi Charboneau(Lower SchoolAdministrativeAssistant) grew uptraveling and livingaround the world.Having calledHawaii andOkinawa home formany years thisisland girl lovesplaying on the

beach with her husband David and her twoboys Duncan and Evan. Emi loves singing,baking, and crafting. She graduated fromthe University of Wisconsin-Milwaukeewith her degree in Psychology and minor inArt History. Emi has years of experience inearly childhood, elementary, and exceptionalchildren education. Prior to joining the CFSLower School Staff in 2015, she worked inthe exceptional children’s department atCentral Park School For Children. Emi isthrilled to be a part of the peaceful andnurturing environment of Carolina FriendsSchool.

Aden Darity joined CFS in 2015 to teachPE electives,Exploratorium, andstrength and condi-tioning classes forthe Lower, Middle,and Upper Schoolsrespectively. He is agraduate ofCornell Collegeand has workedwith students inDurham Public

Schools in various capacities. Aden recentlywas the girls' head basketball coach at DukeSchooI and is currently the head women'sbasketball coach at Wake Tech CommunityCollege. Aden enjoys helping young peopledevelop skills, understanding, and enjoy-ment of athletic activities and trains ath-letes of various ages.

Melissa A. Kotačka (Upper SchoolCollege Counselor)most recently wasan AssistantDirector ofAdmissions withthe University ofNorth Carolina atChapel Hill; priorto this, Melissaworked for theVisitingInternational

Faculty Program as a Certification andAcceptance Specialist. Melissa is currentlypursuing a M.A. in Counselor Education atNorth Carolina Central University. She alsoholds a B.A. in Russian andInterdepartmental Studies from theUniversity of Iowa and a M.A. in SlavicLanguages and Literature from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a member of theSouthern and National Associations ofCollege Admission Counseling and servesas co-chair of the Local ArrangementsCommittee for the Greater RaleighNational College Fair. In addition to collegecounseling, Melissa also teaches publicspeaking and other electives. When nothelping students and families explore theirpost-CFS options, she's most likely cateringto the whims of her dog and/or curled upwith her nose in a book while mainliningchamomile tea.

Mars Nealson (Durham Early SchoolTeacher) was bornin upstate NewYork. IBM movedher family toCharlotte whenshe was eight andshe has lived inNorth Carolinaever since. Shereceived a bache-lor’s degree inEnglish from

UNC-Greensboro, and later earned anassociate’s degree in Early ChildhoodEducation. Mars has been an early child-hood educator since December 1993 andhas spent a majority of that time workingin Reggio-Emilia-inspired programs. Sheloves the way the Reggio philosophyempowers young children to explore deeplyand to discover their own languages forexpressing their thoughts, feelings, andideas. Mars believes that children learn bestwhen they are allowed to follow their owninterests, exploring, experimenting, ques-tioning, and finding their own ways to theanswers; she believes it is more importantfor them to figure out their own method offinding an answer than it is for them to getthe “right” answer. Mars has extensiveexperience in, and a deep love for usingemergent/negotiated curriculum, docu-menting children’s learning, outdoor learn-ing, and creating a strong sense of commu-nity in the classroom.

In her free time, Mars enjoys aerial dance,medieval re-creation, reading, and exploringthe woods and water where she lives in EnoRiver State Park with her husband Keithand daughter Elena. They share their homewith their dog Rosie and ball pythonEmmie.

NEW STAFF/TRUSTEES


Marit Nelson (Chapel Hill Early SchoolTeacher) grew upin Maine but hashappily, and warm-ly, called NorthCarolina homesince 2002. Shegraduated fromUNC Chapel Hillwith a B.A. inElementaryEducation. Marit isparticularly excited

to develop relationships with students whilegetting to read, make art, and be outsidewith them. She loves to visit her family inMaine in the summer and her in-laws inMississippi in the winter, work on herhouse, and get her two dogs to do ridicu-lous tricks.

Chris Grochowski (Campus Early SchoolTeacher) Chris liter-ally ran intoCarolina FriendsSchool the secondday he was here inDurham. His wife,Colleen, and theirtwo sons, Zac andChristian, had justarrived fromArizona. They werestaying with friends

and he woke up early to go for a run. Chrisran out of their neighborhood off Mt. SinaiRoad and the next thing he knew wasstanding by the old water tower. A fewmonths later, he was serving hot lunches, asa caterer, to the Upper School students andstaff. Fast forward a few years when hisnephew enrolled as a student in the won-derful Campus Early School, Chris says hefell in love with CFS. He also enjoys spend-ing time with his family, cooking, and play-ing disc golf.

Dan Wales (Middle School Teacher)arrived at CFS with15 years of teach-ing and coachingexperience. Heholds a B.A. inEnglish Literaturewith a WritingConcentration fromGeorgetownUniversity and anM.A. in Religionfrom Duke

University. Dan has worked with a fullspectrum of students and athletes, rangingfrom three year-olds to college students,with most of his experience in upper and

middle schools. Dan began his career work-ing in Georgetown University's WritingCenter and in Washington D.C.public/charter schools. Since moving toNorth Carolina in 2008, he has taught andcoached at The Hill Center / DurhamAcademy and Stanford Middle School. Inthe summers Dan serves as an instructor atDuke Young Writers' Camp and as theAcademic Director for Duke W.R.I.T.E. forCollege. Beyond literature, writing, sportsand games, Dan enjoys playing music, danc-ing, acting, traveling, mountaineering,organic farming, working with animals, andalmost anything else that connects him withnature. He also coaches boys soccer, bas-ketball, and baseball.

Leah Wilks ’05 (Upper School Teacher)has been teachingdance in theUpper Schoolalongside AnnieDwyer since 2010.She returned tothe Triangle areaafter getting herB.A. inEnvironmentalStudies fromVassar College and

then living in California. Leah also teachesdance at NC State University, Ninth StreetDance, and the American Dance Festival.She performs with a variety of companiesin the area including RenayAumillerDances,real.live.people.durham, ShaleighDanceWorks, and The Dept. Leah is afounding member of Culture Mill and ofDurham Independent Dance Artists. Sheruns her own multimedia dance company,VECTOR, with Austin-based visual artistJon Haas, and was a recipient of the 2014Indy Arts Award for her contributions tothe developing local dance scene. Leahloves working with students at CFS as theyremind her why she dances and choreo-graphs in the first place, and because theyteach her more than she probably everteaches them. Leah will be headed to agraduate dance program this fall.

TRUSTEES

Omid Safi and his family were looking fora daycare for theiryoungest child,Layla, when theystumbled acrossthe Chapel HillEarly School. Theyrealized very soonthat it was not aday care, but afortress of love.Many schools talkabout “teaching

the whole child.” Here it was a reality. Manytalk about acknowledging the light withinall. At CFS it is an ultimate commitmentand a daily mission. Their lives have beenenriched by being a part of this beautifuland growing community. Three of the Safichildren are now enrolled at CFS, in theLower, Middle, and Upper Schools.

Omid is a professor of Islamic Studies atDuke University, with interests includingthe study of medieval Islamic spirituality,the poetry of Rumi, and the civil rightsmovement. His life is devoted to exploringthe connection between love and justice,the legacies of spirituality and adamantnonviolent resistance to tyranny andoppression. A noted public intellectual, heis a frequent guest on national and interna-tional media on matters related to contem-porary Islam and the Middle East. He is thehead of the Duke Islamic Studies Center,and each summer leads an adult educationaltour to Turkey, http://illuminatedtours.com,(and someday, Iran) to promote under-standing.

Felix Wong serves on the Board’sBusiness andInvestmentCommittees. Heand his wife, Nili,are the parents ofAnand (UpperSchool) andChaitan (MiddleSchool). Felix is apartner at FloridaCapital Partners, aprivate equity

investment firm focused on the middlemarket.


by Tate Godwin ’16 and Rebecca Lanning

It’s four o’clock in the afternoon on thelast day of March, which is going out like alamb...all sunshine and crisp blue sky. Ifyou’re just pulling into campus, things mightseem pretty quiet. The playing field isempty—both the girls’ Middle School soccerteam and the Upper School Ultimate Frisbeeteam are playing off campus. But if youhead up the hill past Campus Early School,you’ll hear this: the thwack of tennis ballsand some good natured cheering from thecourt-side crowd.

The boys’ Upper School tennis team ishosting its third home match of the season.Tennis courts had always been part of theMaster Plan of Building Friends, CFS’s $7.75million capital campaign. Thanks to gener-ous donors and the vision and dedication ofAssistant Principal and Varsity Tennis CoachJohn McGovern, construction was complet-ed in Fall 2014—ahead of schedule. Sixgleaming green-andblue courts. Picnic tableswith umbrellas and extra seating for specta-tors. An ample shed for storage. Plenty ofparking spaces. The facility is a dream cometrue for players, coaches, and fans. Beforethe courts were built, the girls’ and boys’Middle and Upper School tennis teams trav-elled upwards of an hour round-trip to holdpractices and home matches on various pub-lic courts in Durham and Orange County.

“Now, on match days, the team can play twofull sets of singles and get all the doubles inwithout having to worry about the allottedtime running out,” notes Tom Bond, CFSBoard of Trustees member and parent ofAll-Conference and All-State player DavidBond ‘16. “We are getting twice the practicetime, which is helping make the teamstronger,” says Henry Chapman, the solefreshman on the US boys’ team. “We cancome up at lunch and hit a couple balls. It’sbeen really good for bonding.” Although thecourts were not completed in time for thegirls’ season that fall, Noor Sandhu ‘17, whoplays #1 on the US girls’ team, made up forlost time by practicing with the boys. Whilecheering them on today, she’s quick to pointout that the courts don’t just benefit the CFStennis teams. “Having the courts hereencourages students who have never playedtennis to give it a try. The courts are great forthe whole athletic department.”

If you build it, they will come. "Havingthe new home courts has made the tennisteams (and their parents) feel that they are apart of the larger CFS community. It is greatto see staff and students stop by to watchand support the team during a match,” saysBronwen Nishikawa, parent of Kai Glass‘16, known to his teammates as The Wall.

Staff member and Assistant CoachJonathan McGovern ‘97, who played tennisat UNC-Charlotte, could not agree more.

“For all of their history, the tennis teamshave essentially been forgotten, anonymousentities,” he says. “Now anonymity can begood for team building, in the developmentof the dictum: it’s us against the world. Thatcan be a useful rallying cry, but in the endeveryone loses out. I think of Philip Meyerbeing such a fantastic player who never real-ly got to share his talents with the communi-ty. Or David and Tate and all their amazingachievements over the last couple of years.It's a great shame that so much was missed,but thankfully now, as a result of the hard,tireless work of my dad and many others, allthe current and future players will be able toshowcase their talents for their peers andteachers on campus. That makes me extraor-dinarily happy.” Such joy is contagious. Thisafternoon several staff members havestopped by to cheer on the Quakers, includ-ing US math teacher Dave Worden whomade the “quick shuttle up the hill” to watchtwo of his advisees play. As the last matchwinds down, the sky deepens, casting a gold-en glow across the courts and neighboringfields.

A slight chill hangs in the air...along withthe smell of victory. Dave says he’s got ahankering for a hot dog and wonders,“When is John going to convert the old businto a concession stand?” This weather.These courts. On a day like today, anythingseems possible.

Sporting News

“Tennis, Everyone?”


CFS Upper School Athletics / 2014-15

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRYall conference:Zoe Lindsey-Mills ‘16

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRYall conference:George Gildehaus ‘15Dillon Lanier ‘16

BOYS’ SOCCERall conference:Knox Engler ‘15all state:Knox Engler ‘15

GIRLS’ TENNISall conference:Noor Sandhu ‘17 Player of the YearErin Hazlett-Norman ‘15all state:Noor Sandhu ‘17

VOLLEYBALLall conference:Hadden LaGarde ‘18

BASEBALLall conference:Darius Holeman ‘15

GIRLS’ SOCCERall conference:Marisa Rauwald ‘16

BOYS’ TENNISconference regular season (undefeated) and tournamentchampions#3 seed in the state tournamentlost in the semifinals all conference:David Bond ‘16Tate Godwin ‘16 Player of the Yearall state:David Bond ‘16Tate Godwin ‘16Coach of the Year:Jonathan McGovern

ULTIMATEUSA Ultimate High School Southern ChampionsUSA Ultimate High School State Champions

Summer Tennis Camp Opportunities

Jonathan McGovern will be offering two, week-long camps for players ages 9 to 14 called Tennis forNovices.

The camps will run June 13-17 and June 20-24.

TEAM RESULTS


An Update on The Building Friends Capital Campaign

Work Completed, Work That Remains

We’ve celebrated 11 transformativeenhancements to our teaching, learn-ing, and other spaces—classrooms,science and maker labs, art studios,athletic facilities, and more—from theChapel Hill Early School addition thatopened in Spring 2012 to the LowerSchool renovations and addition thatopened this past fall.

To finish fortifying our infrastruc-ture, the CFS Board of Trustees aftermonths of discernment decided inNovember to borrow the necessaryfunds. So, now we’re excited to breakground in coming months on a 350-seat arts and events center.

As Board Clerk Marsha Green wroteto our community in December, “theSchool’s strong financial position andtoday’s historically low interest ratessupport borrowing as a conscious actof good stewardship to enable thecompletion of a long-awaited homefor our performing arts program and afitting launch into our second half-century.”

This first building “across the creek”will be a space for teaching, perform-ances, gatherings, speakers, and otherevents for the entire CFS community

and beyond. In January, the trustees also

approved a modest addition to becompleted in the next several monthsto meet long-identified needs at ourCampus Early School.

Thanks to these investments—andthe generosity of so many BuildingFriends Campaign donors—generationsof CFS students and teachers will beeven better positioned to do their bestwork.

CFS teachers talk about the

importance of the arts and the arts

center….

I believe that the arts are central tothe health of a community – choreog-raphy and the voices of students havethe power to shape the world – art hasthe power to heal and instruct – it canaddress important issues and allow stu-dents to embody different points ofview.

I believe that the way wedo the arts at CFS is power-ful – so the opportunity forfolks truly to have a seatwill be amazing.

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A facility of this scopeis a prism through whichmany lights in our com-munity can shine: thestudents who bring theirabsolute best to thestage; the staff whowork just as passionately tofocus students' light through that glass;

and the community as a whole, which,as in a lighthouse, attracts attention towhat is best about this place - ourfocus on whole student-centered cur-riculum.

Working in a dedicated and profes-sional space is a reward in and of itself.It is a joy to teach in a space that, likea lab built for physics, is equipped witheverything necessary for your success.

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A Friends education is one that hon-ors and nurtures the light in everychild. The joy of performing shinesbrightly in many students at CFS. Justas it's important for those participatingin athletics to have the facilities thatwill support their growth and per-formance, and for those in scienceclasses to have the spaces that bestfacilitate their learning, those in theperforming arts will have the appropri-ate spaces they need to foster their

passion.


An Update on The Building Friends Capital Campaign

Work Completed, Work That Remains

We celebrate your contributions to CFSand send you with our blessing to con-tinue to share your Light in the world.

Peggy Craft, Upper School mathteacher and advisor, retires after fouryears at Carolina Friends, and manymore in the teaching profession.Locally, she has taught at the NorthCarolina School of Science and Math aswell as Durham Academy. Peggy alsospent a decade as a computer program-mer before becoming a high schoolteacher. She describes this secondcareer as “all good—great, even,” andsays she feels “lucky to have had CFSas my last gig.” Peggy has taught almostevery math course we offer, spending alot of time in Geometry and Calculus.In retirement, Peggy will “take to theroad with my little camper,” enjoy hergrandchildren, and do some hiking andcontra dancing.

Kathleen Davidson, Director ofAdmission, joined the CFS staff in1996, six years after her children arrivedas students. Her work has deepenedand enriched our application process,support for prospective families, andconnections in the wider community.Her collaborations have been rich andvisionary, including work with HeadTeachers in enrollment, with JohnMcGovern and Katie Collini in tuitionassistance, with Friday Meeting in pro-viding leadership, and with the Parent-

Staff Association in building strongconnections between parents and theSchool. She often expresses gratitude“for the opportunity to know every stu-dent, parent, staff member, and trustee--a gift!” Kathleen's warmth, authentici-ty, and loving commitment to the suc-cess of CFS and her grounding inQuaker values will be deeply missed.

Chris Firpo, a CFS alum parent, hasbeen our Director of SummerPrograms since 1995. Thanks to herleadership, we offer courses in technol-ogy, drama, art, music, sports, cooking,outdoor adventures, and science acrossfour age groups: 5-7, 6-8, 8-12, and 10-15. She’s moved registration online,advanced the registration timetable, andadded innovative offerings (from robot-ics to a Chinese student program). She’sworked hard to create revenue that ben-efits the entire School while always put-ting students first. She wants campersto be treated as individuals by adultswho have time to talk, to explain, andto listen to each child. Chris loves totravel and received a CFS ProfessionalAnd Community Enrichment (PACE)grant to visit Costa Rica in 2013.

Alex Gordon, Athletic Director andparent of three CFS graduates, beganhis CFS professional journey 16 yearsago as a teacher and assistant to JohnMcGovern, our first Athletic Director.Alex has continued to teach physical

education to Lower Schoolers, and hehas stewarded the Athletic program atCFS—one that has grown to includegirls' and boys' swimming, tennis, track,and coed ultimate–with a gentle handand deliberate care for 14 years. He hasremained faithful to a CFS approachthat has nurtured newcomers, as well ashighly-skilled athletes, and teams thatmake no cuts, as well as those thatcompete for (and win!) state champi-onships. Alex says, "I was—and am—just someone who wanted to help chil-dren and adults have enjoyable and pos-itive experiences in life."

Françoise Heyden, for the past 14years has been a Middle School Spanishand humanities teacher and advisor. Sheis an advocate for students and a hum-ble leader of service, and has been agrounding presence in everything shehas touched. Her students have beenblessed by her expertise, passion, andcare. She has furthered beyond measurethe Afghan Sister Schools Partnership,building life-changing relationships andopportunities with our sister school inTopchi. Whether teaching Spanish,advising, making hundreds of “SoisyPops” to raise money to sponsor chil-dren at Safe Passage, or taking studentsto serve as tutors at Forest ViewElementary, Françoise embodies what itmeans to serve.

Thank You,Retiring Staff!

Carolina Friends School4809 Friends School Road

Durham, NC 27705

919.383.6602

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Nonprofit Organization

U.S.Postage

PAID

Durham, NC

Permit No. 783

Thank you to the 400+ Friends of Friends School who

have donated $300,000+ to the 2015-2016 Annual

Campaign as of mid-May. We couldn't do all

we do without our Friends. We are so close to

our goal--and we need your support to reach

it by June 30.

Annual Campaign gifts impact our entire

School. The generous support of current

and former families, alums, grandparents,

staff, board members, and friends help us

keep tuition down by $770 per student.

For the first time, the Friends of Friends School

Annual Campaign invites you to direct gifts

to an area that inspires you, while providing

resources that animate CFS and make it a

special place to learn and grow. Consider

designating your gift to support one of

these aspects of our work: financial aid, technology, aca-

demic programs, staff support, campus care/stewardship,

or our greatest need. Each funding area helps to provide

the kind of transformational education to which we at

CFS aspire and aids teachers and students alike.

You can learn more about directing your gift and make a

one-time or recurring, credit card donation by visiting

www.cfsnc.org/InspiredGiving.

THANK YOU!

FRIENDSHIP IS...BEING A FRIEND OF FRIENDS SCHOOL!

Documents

We & Thee, Fall 2015/Spring 2016