A Place to Belong is brought to you by Shady Hill’s Advancement Office, Marketing and Communications Office, and the Alumni Board. We share vibrant and innovative Shady Hill news that embraces the mission and values we all hold so dear. | | The First Lower School Assembly | | | | |
We began the year with Lower School Head, Katherine Hesko TTC'08, sharing on the concept of time. She used SPLERT (Struggle, Play, Limits and Expectation, Respect and Time) and explained how it takes time for young students to make friends, for older students to deepen their friendships, and for all of us to learn new things. Another salient quality of time means being present and not rushing. Ms. Hesko narrated "Time is a Flower" by Julie Morstad which illustrated the theme of growing and learning.
Kabir Sen '92, TTC '07, Music Teacher, and Erin Warwick, Department Chair, also led the school in spirited song. The Assembly Hall was filled with children singing.
| | Grade III Building Update | | |
In June, construction began on the Grade III renovation project! During this school year, the building was demolished to studs and the floor was taken down to the joists. During the year, the building will be updated with new electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and sprinkler systems.
Apart from the needed structural upgrade, the new classrooms will include student cubbies organized similarily to the sleeping quarters on a ship! The beloved whaling ship on the exterior of the building will remain. This project serves as an exciting springboard for future updates to other Lower School buildings. Michael La Francesca, CFOO says "the building is on schedule and on budget, set to reopen next school year!"
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A Peek into Classrooms:
The First Month as a Grade VIII Student
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Grade VIII spent the first days of school interviewing employees across campus to learn about the wide range of roles that support the daily operations of running Shady Hill both in and out of the classroom. Beyond introducing students to various community members, the project highlights how a variety of specialities come together for our community to serve teaching and learning.
During their second week, they spent three days at Outdoor Classroom in Great Barrington. Zoe '27 shared: "Our grade participated in community building games, difficult hikes through the forest, and classes about the great outdoors."
During the last week of September, 15 Grade VIII students led as volunteer servers for the New Parent Dinner. Students proudly welcomed the newest families into the community. This formal event is hosted annually by Head of School, Mark Stanek.
It's been an exciting start to the year for our oldest students!
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TTC Welcomes Back Alums at Shady Hill
Cody Cortes '10 and Amanda Poorvu '11 returned to Shady Hill as members of this year's TTC cohort!
Desiree Ivey, Executive Director, Teacher Training Center is excited to have them back. "We are thrilled to welcome Shady Hill alums Amanda '11 and Cody '10 back home this year as they 'learn how to teach by teaching' alongside mentor teachers and a cohort of six fellow apprentices. Shady Hill’s dedication to educator development deeply enriches our community, Central Subject, and the teaching profession as a whole. Most importantly, our students love having another supportive, insightful adult bringing new energy into the classroom every day," says Desiree.
Amanda '11 is spending the fall with B-South and Cody '10, one of this year's Katharine Taylor Fellows, is spending the fall with Grade VIII.
We asked both of them to reflect on their time on the path this year.
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Amanda '11 says:
"Looking back, the daily culture of play and discovery is what made Shady Hill so special. There was always space for curiosity and exploration, and our teachers constantly engaged us in meaningful conversations. They truly took the time to get to know us, and those connections still live on. On my first day of Orientation, my Beginner teacher, Maggie Beasley, came right up to me, excited to see me back on campus and began sharing memories from my time in her classroom. That connection and care is something that makes the School so special. Hands-on learning was another highlight for me, especially in Grade IV, where storytelling through the arts was such an important element.
| | Creating my chiton and shield remain core memories and I find myself continuing to be drawn to the arts and creativity. I am so excited for this year of growing and learning as part of the TTC!" | |
Cody '10 says:
"The teachers at Shady Hill truly care about every student, creating a rare level of connection that ultimately drew me back from San Francisco for the TTC Program. Our classroom discussions always centered around active listening and curiosity driven conversations. A standout memory for me was Grade III Central Subject on Whales and Whaling, because of how much play and discovery was built into the curriculum. Shady Hill always fostered a deep sense of belonging and I am so excited for the year of learning ahead!"
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Pratt Wiley '91, Begins Term as Board Chair
Alum Pratt Wiley '91 proudly begins his term chairing the trustees! Pratt has been a steadfast steward of Shady Hill as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2022 and a former president and member of the alumni board for more than 15 years.
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Pratt is President & CEO of The Partnership, an organization focused
on attracting, retaining, and developing professionals of color at all
levels of leadership for corporations. Pratt is a leader and strategic
planner in fields ranging from law, politics, non-profit management,
and business management. Prior to leading The Partnership, Pratt
served under President Obama as the National Director of Voter
Expansion for the Democratic National Committee. Pratt is a
corporate attorney by training, practicing at Nutter, McClennen &
Fish LLP in Boston, and representing a wide range of public and
private sector clients in mergers and acquisitions, venture finance,
and tax-exempt bond issuances. Pratt is also a member of the
Board of Directors of Boston Public Market, Mass General Brigham, and Board of Advisors for GBH and Eastern Bank. Pratt
received his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and his
J.D. from Boston College Law School. A trustee since 2021, Pratt
served on the Advancement, Nominating and Buildings and Grounds Committees, amongst others. Additionally, Pratt has been an Alumni Board chair, a member of the Head of School Selection Committee for Mr. Stanek 16 years ago, and was a member of the Blueprints Campaign Steering Committee, the last campaign that ended in 2010.
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Caro Taylor '23 wins the Boston Public Library card design contest
A huge congratulations to Caro Taylor '23 who won the teen design for the Boston Public Library card design contest! Caro says "The BPL means a lot to me, and it has provided a great resource over the years, so I was delighted to contribute something back to it."
Her design is available to select as your new card cover now through 2027 while supplies last. Read more about her inspiration on the BPL's website.
Fun fact: Shady Hill's library checked out 20,497 books in the 2025-2026 school year!
| | Over the summer, 12 members of the class of 2018 came together. Hosted by Oscar Bush '18, he confirmed "The night was a huge success! Everybody was so thrilled to see each other. We sat and caught up for hours and hours." Shady Hill remains an important "place to belong" for our alums! | Black Alums and Families Reunion | | |
Current Grade VIII students
| | Kip Brown '84 and Valérie Antoine-Gustave '94 | | On August 8, nearly 100 current families, alums, and faculty came together at Inkwell Beach on Oak Bluffs for the fifth annual Black Alums and Families Reunion! It was a beautiful beach day that celebrated community joy. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us to keep this tradition strong! | | |
Nick Deutsch '64 and SHS Faculty at SpeakOUT Boston
Nick Deutsch '64 met William Yepes, Spanish Teacher and World Languages Chair and Devon DeWolf, Assistant Director of Teaching, Learning and Equity while participating in an event for SpeakOut, the country's oldest LGBTQ+ speakers bureau.
| Nick was part of their very first bureau of gay speakers in the 1970s. Professionally, Nick brought his love for music and the performing arts into his career as an opera and arts director. | | He led groundbreaking productions that centered the gay experience and coming-out stories during a time when few dared to tell them. Shady Hill alums continue to be changemakers! | | |
Save-the-date:
- The Shady Hill Fair: October 24, 2026
- Young Alums Pizza Event: November 24, 2026
- Art Show Reception: April 8, 2027
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Shady Hill Fair:
October 24, 2026
The beloved Shady Hill Fair is happening next month and we hope to see you there!
We are grateful for all our parent volunteers that chair every event and to the Fun House crew.
Did you have a favorite event or activity that you loved at the fair as a Shady Hill student? Write to us at: alumni@shs.org to receive a special alum pass to attend this year's fair.
High school alums will receive an entry pass automatically in the mail, but we would still love to hear from you!
Current families will receive an email with instructions on how to purchase tickets.
All fair attendees will need an entry pass which can be purchased in advance or day of.
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Young Alums Gathering:
November 24, 2026
| We are excited to invite all young alums ('19-'26) to join us to attend the Gratitude Assembly, stay for a pizza lunch afterwards, and say hello to teachers at recess! Stay tuned for an upcoming email invitation with more details and a RSVP form. | | |
Art Show Reception:
April 8, 2027
| It's an art show year! Save-the-date for April 8, 2027 where Assembly Hall will be transformed into an art gallery with beautiful pieces created by alums and current and former employees. Stay tuned for an email with more details about the event and how to participate! | | | |
We count on all members of our community to participate in annual giving. Historically the school has extremely high levels of giving participation compared to our peer schools. Your gift makes a difference!
Please consider supporting joyful active learning at Shady Hill by making a gift to the Shady Hill Fund today.
The Shady Hill Fund contributes to the day-to-day operations of the School, bridging the gap between tuition and the true cost of providing the Shady Hill experience for every student.
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Siqi Wei, Grade V and VIII science teacher, engaged in her classroom with grade VIII students.
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