All School
Welcome to new faculty-staff members
All School
We are always excited to bring back one of our own. Alumnus Spencer Ehrman Jr. ’68 is our new major giving and foundation officer. Spencer has served on Catlin Gabel’s alumni board and last year’s What’s Next steering committee. He has extensive experience in the profit and nonprofit sectors working with volunteers, clients, and professional service organizations. Spencer has a BFA in theater management and design from Southern Oregon University.
Darrell Yuen joined the development office this summer as the capital campaign manager. Darrell earned a BA in sociology and environmental studies from the University of San Diego. He recently moved from New York, where he was the director of development at City and Country School in Greenwich Village. Darrell brings additional fundraising experience from Riverdale Country School, the Cathedral School, and Ethical Culture Fieldston School.
Ethan Friend joined the kitchen crew last spring as part-time dishwasher. He received his BA from Marlboro College. Ethan worked at Ovations Food Services in the Rose Garden Arena before coming to Catlin Gabel.
Upper School
Jim Wysocki comes to the Upper School math department from the Chadwick School in California, where he was math department chair. He has a BA in secondary mathematics education from Niagara University and has taken extensive graduate courses in applied mathematics at California State University at Long Beach and mathematics at State University of New York at Buffalo. He has also taught for the Irvine Unified School District and the Long Beach School District.
Lauren Shareshian is a familiar face to many, as she was our long-term substitute statistics teacher last year. We are pleased that Lauren joins us full-time this year. Before moving to Oregon, she taught at Albuquerque Academy. Lauren earned a BA in mathematics from New York University and an MA in mathematics from Duke University and has completed doctoral coursework in the mathematics program at Duke University.
Our new college counselor, Blythe Butler, is really not new at all. She has twice worked at Catlin Gabel: two years ago as college counselor when Kate Grant was on leave, and many years ago in the development office. Blythe, who has a BA in English from Willamette University and an MA in writing from Portland State University, was most recently college counselor at St. Mary’s Academy and was previously associate dean of admissions at Lewis & Clark College.
The Upper School’s new administrative assistant, Mary Yacob, is also a returning employee. She worked in the business office and then returned on temporary assignments, such as coordinating the crisis task force. Mary comes to us from the Hillsboro Fire Department. She received a BS in business administration and management from Pepperdine University.
Middle and Upper School
Sara Dier is the administrative assistant in the Middle and Upper School learning center. She has a BA in English from Oregon State University. She comes to Catlin Gabel from Premier Choice Insurance, where she was an agent. Previously, Sara has served as press assistant at a PR firm in England, publishing intern at B Word magazine, editor at OSU’s Prism literary magazine, and lead writing tutor at OSU’s center for writing and learning.
Middle School
Peter Ritson is the interim 7th grade science teacher while Carol Ponganis teaches 6th grade math this year. He has a PhD in geochemistry from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a BA in chemistry with an earth science specialization from the University of California, San Diego. Peter comes to Catlin Gabel from Clark College, and has previously taught at Washington State University, Portland Community College, Cascadia Montessori Middle School, and Northwest Academy.
Lower School
Janet Chiu joins the Lower School as the Mandarin Chinese teacher. She has taught Mandarin Chinese to all ages ranging from elementary students to working professionals. She has a BA in international business from California State in Fullerton, and master’s degrees in Chinese bilingual teaching from Loyola Marymount University, teaching English as a second language from California State in Los Angeles, and teaching from the College of the Canyons.
Shizuka Morse returns to the 4th grade teaching assistant position she held in 2005-06. She recently returned from Japan, where she taught spoken English to Japanese business people and conducted and assessed verbal English tests. Before 2005 she taught Japanese at the International School and Riverdale High School. She has a BA in linguistics and business administration from the University of Oregon.
Another alumna returns to the fold. Sarah Woodard ’02 joins the first grade team as teaching assistant after two years with Teach for America. She received a BA in and an MA in elementary education from Washington University in St. Louis.
We welcome five interns to the Lower School who are in the master’s program at the School of Education and Counseling at Lewis & Clark College:
Clement Tyler, Grade 1
Colleen Connolly, Grade 2
Ashley Barnes, Grade 3
Erik Salvail, Grade 4
Charlene Voorhees, Grade 5
Beginning School
Our new kindergarten teacher, Sia Haralampus, comes to us from Bennett-Hemenway Elementary in Natick, Massachusetts. She has also taught at Palomar College Child Development Center near San Diego. Sia holds an EdM in learning and teaching from Harvard University and a BA in child development from Tufts University. She has a strong interest in and experience applying elements of the Italian Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy in American schools through emergent curriculum, group work, and documenting student learning.
Lesley Darr, whom you know from the reception desk in Toad Hall and from substituting in the Beginning School, joins the preschool team as teaching assistant. She has a BA in social science from Portland State University and has taken undergraduate education classes.
Congrats!
Upper School science teacher Becky Wynne has been selected for the University of Oregon High School Teacher Award. The award is given during convocation, in appreciation of the fine teaching that has prepared students for the university. » Read more about Becky’s honor.
Upper School English teacher Art Leo was recognized by Stanford University's School of Earth Sciences as a “Most Influential Teacher and Mentor.” He was nominated by CG alumna Kate Johnson '06 when she received a dean’s award for undergraduate academic achievement.
Upper School English teacher and triathlete Chris Bagg placed 8th among professional men at Ironman Canada. More than 2,000 athletes competed in the Penticton, British Columbia, event that includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon run. Chris finished the course in 8:48:11.
Junior Katy Wiita and her MAC Synchro trio team won gold at the U.S. Open Synchronized Swimming Championships held in Irving, Texas, in July. They won in the junior trio category. The elite international competition attracted nearly 200 of the nation’s top synchronized swimmers as well as notable international talent.
Larissa Banitt, 8th grade, took second place in the Kay Snow Writing Contest for grades 6 through 8 for her short story "They Save the Worst for Last at Ol' Dogwood." Contestants from around the country and abroad entered this Willamette Writers-sponsored competition.
Miguel Gachupin, 6th grade, won the bronze medal in the 12 and under foil fencing competition at the State Games of Oregon.
Congratulations to everyone for an inspiring fiscal year wrap-up on June 30. We reached our Annual Fund goal, with 80 percent of parents, 92 percent of staff, and 100 percent of faculty participating in giving to the fund. Way to set the bar high, teachers!
IT support technician David Hirata and his wife, Melisa, welcomed their second daughter, Eloise Ann Tomiko Hirata, on Monday, August 2.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality named Catlin Gabel a five-star member of Fleet Forward, DEQ's diesel recognition program. Five Catlin Gabel School buses now carry decals showing this award.
Don’t be shy. Share your news. Submit “Congrats!” information about student and faculty-staff achievements to Karen Kitty Katz, editor, katzk@catlin.edu, 503-297-1894 ext. 305.
Did you know that one of the most likely places for a collision is in a parking lot?
Please keep your mind on the road and yield at crosswalks when dropping off and picking up students. Throughout the year, division heads and others will monitor the parking lot to remind parents (and it is parents who are the problem, not students) that the rules apply to everyone.
For the safety of children and adults, and to model courtesy for our students, please follow these simple rules.
• Drive slowly. The campus speed limit is 10 mph. (The vintage signs say 5 mph, which is unrealistic, but aren't they cute?)
• Use only the Toad Hall “drive by” for student drop-off and pick-up.
• Do not drop off and pick up children in the parking lots, unless your car is parked in a designated spot. “Parked” means the engine is turned off.
• Park only in designated parking areas.
• Cars parked illegally may be towed at the owner’s expense.
• Parking for athletic events is in the main lot or in the northeast St. Vincent parking structure. There is no parking beyond the gym.
• Officers from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Tualatin Valley Fire Department monitor handicap parking spots and fire lanes.
• Refrain from talking and texting on a cell phone when driving on campus. Research shows that motorists who talk on handheld or hands-free cellular phones are as impaired as drunken drivers.
• Allow enough time to slow down in the parking lot. Schedule after-school appointments so you have plenty of time to get there without endangering others.
Please use the utmost caution and civility when driving on campus.
Traffic signal change at campus entrance
The Department of Transportation has upgraded the traffic signal eastbound on Barnes Road at the intersection in front of campus with a flashing yellow arrow. Here are some safety tips and reminders.
♦ Left turns are allowed when the flashing yellow arrow is displayed, but drivers must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before making the left turn.
♦ Use caution when turning left on the flashing yellow arrow. Oncoming drivers on Barnes Road frequently travel at high speed as they come down the hill and around the blind curve.
♦ When the flashing yellow light turns to steady yellow, the signal is about to turn red. You must stop.
♦ The signal is programmed to turn from a flashing yellow arrow to a steady green arrow when a stream of oncoming traffic prevents drivers from turning left onto campus.
Global education update
Welcome to our international students
Please join us in welcoming four international students who will spend the year at Catlin Gabel: sophomores Jossette Solís from Costa Rica and Louise Jürgens from Denmark, junior Karl-Julius Ueberhorst from Germany, and senior Mmaserame Gaefele from Botswana.
Two Guatemalan students will join our Middle School from October 16 to December 11. The 6th grade will host Victor and the 8th grade will host Santiago.
Where in the world are we going?
We are excited to announce the global trips for 2010-11. Check out the website for information about Upper School trips to Senegal, Guatemala, and Botswana, and Middle School trips to Tawain and Costa Rica. Happy trails!
And while you’re at it, visit the blogs written by students and chaperones currently traveling and living in Japan.
Save the dates
Upper School assembly, Thursday, October 7, 10:40 – 11:40 a.m.
This assembly features global activist and World Pulse founder Jensine Larsen. As a young freelance journalist covering indigenous movements and ethnic cleansing in South America and Southeast Asia, Larsen had a vision—to use the power of media to unleash the creative human potential of women across the globe. Parents and guardians invited.
The Viewfinder Global Film Series movie nights for 2010-11 are October 21, December 2, January 27, February 24, and April 14. All films are shown at 6:30 p.m. in the Vollum Humanities Building unless otherwise stated. Childcare available for potty-trained children. » Link to Viewfinder schedule
How are trip destinations determined?
We draw upon the breadth of international experience in our own community when we plan trips abroad. Basing trips on these existing connections provides our students with opportunities for meaningful, safe, and educational experiences—and enduring relationships.
The school’s goal is for each student to participate in at least one international trip during his or her Middle School and Upper School years.
Financial aid and trip expenses
Trips range in cost from $2,000 to $4,000. Families are encouraged to begin saving funds for their child’s global travel experience early in Lower School. Each year about 25 percent of students in both the Middle and Upper Schools travel on global trips. A 5 percent surcharge is added to all trips to subsidize financial aid. Financial aid is available to all qualified applicants, but a student may receive aid for only one trip during their tenure in each division. Families who do not receive financial aid for tuition, but who require aid for an international trip, are required to submit an SSS form.
More information about global education
Information about the global education program, upcoming trips, speakers, and events can be found in the global education section of the website.
Science teacher Becky Wynne wins high school teacher award
Upper School science teacher Becky Wynne has been selected for the University of Oregon High School Teacher Award. The award is given during convocation, in appreciation of the fine teaching that has prepared students for the university.
Every year, UO asks the nearly 3,700 incoming freshmen to nominate high school teachers who have influenced them in a particular subject area. Catlin Gabel graduate Becky Coulterpark ’10 nominated Becky Wynne. The subject area varies with the theme of their common reading and convocation. This year, they honor a science teacher because UO’s common reading is Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains. The book is about doctor Paul Farmer’s heroic effort – begun when he was a medical student – to tackle the human and medical challenges created by drug-resistant tuberculosis in Haiti. Paul Farmer’s understanding of science, coupled with his enormous sensitivity to human suffering, enabled him to accomplish the impossible. Coincidentally, Mountains Beyond Mountains was Catlin Gabel’s common reading book last year.
“I am delighted by Becky Wynne’s dedication to excellent teaching,” said UO biology professor Karen Sprague. “As a UO faculty member, I always feel indebted to the teachers in all subjects who have worked with my students before they enter my classroom. As someone who teaches cell biology and biochemistry, I’m especially grateful to those who’ve introduced students to the chemical and physical underpinnings of biology.”
Congratulations, Becky!
David Bragdon '77 joining New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration
Catlin Gabel News Spring 2010
From the Spring 2010 Caller
AMAZING AWARDS IN SCIENCE
Yale Fan ’10 and Kevin Ellis ’10 both won top honors and $50,000 each by coming in second place with all-around prizes in the recent Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. This was the first time ever that two winners have come from the same school. Yale has also won a place on the 20-member 2010 U.S. Physics Team, and he placed ninth at the Intel Science Talent Search in Washington, D.C., earning him a $20,000 award for his research on the advantages of quantum computing in performing difficult computations. Kevin was also one of the 40 Intel STS finalists in Washington, D.C. and won a $7,500 award. At this year’s international Northwest Science Expo, Kevin Ellis ’10, Rose Perrone ’10, and Vighnesh Shiv ’11 each won special awards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Rose also came in second place in electrical and mechanical engineering. Yale won first place in physics and astronomy and several other awards. Brynmor Chapman ’10 won statewide second place in biochemistry, and Lucy Feldman ’10 won statewide honorable mention in animal sciences. Kudos to all!
NEWS FROM AROUND HONEY HOLLOW
FESTIVE GAMBOL BRINGS IN GREAT SUPPORT FOR FINANCIAL AID
’86 brought the crowd to its feet when he spoke at a special appeal for financial aid. Many thanks to co-chairs Gina Wand and Heather Gaudry Blackburn ’90 (right).OUTSTANDING SERVICE WORK
KUDOS TO OUR STUDENTS
Farewell to George Thompson '64 & Bob Kindley
From the Spring 2010 Caller
George Thompson ’64 has launched into retirement after spending 25 years at Catlin Gabel—first as a student, then as a teacher and counselor. He’s become a familiar presence on campus, with his service dog, Cairo, receiving almost as much daily love and attention as George gets.
Bob Kindley retires this summer after 42 years of teaching math at Catlin Gabel. A graduate of Reed College with a master’s in mathematics from the University of Oregon, Bob always wanted to be a high school teacher—especially after attending five high schools around the country and seeing the best and worst of teaching.
The Catlin Gabel Student Association: An Anatomical Analogy
By Eddie Friedman '10
From the Spring 2010 Caller
There are bad days and good days in and for the Catlin Gabel Student Association, the CGSA, of which I am president this year. On bad days the CGSA seems to me like an appendix. It started when the school needed a group to process and carry out the tasks of the community that other student or faculty organizations could not. On bad days, the CGSA feels a little vestigial, and like a sharp abdominal pain above the right hip of the (student) body.
Eddie Friedman will attend Brown University this fall. He admits that he may have taken a few liberties with the facts of the actual functions of the various organs he mentions, for the sake of beauty and aesthetic unity.
News