Cincinnati Country Day School
March Alumni Journal
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Dear Cincinnati Country Day School alumni,
As the COVID-19 virus continues to sweep across the nation and the world, we send our sincere thoughts for you and your families' safety.
CCDS is well prepared to face the challenges with in-classroom school closing and remote learning beginning when students return after spring break. Students are already equipped with tablets capable of synchronous classes, where they can view teachers live and teachers can communicate with the entire class, as well as using screen sharing/writing as a means to advance learning. Our in-house IT department is prepared to make this transition as seamless and smooth as possible, with continued and additional support. Because of CCDS's commitment to technology in and outside the classroom, we have a monumental advantage in this situation, allowing students to continue their high level of learning and faculty interaction.
The faculty and staff are working hard to ensure the continuity of instruction with as little disruption as possible. This will be challenging for all of us, but working together, we can support our students’ learning wherever and whenever it occurs.
Again, we send our thoughts to the entire CCDS community, near and far.
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Cincinnati Country Day School became coeducational? In 1972, the Board of Trustees voted to admit girls into grade seven for a one year experimental term. After the successful trial period, the Trustees voted to become fully coeducational the following year.
A small group of girls was admitted into the high school in 1973. Most were siblings of current students whose parents decided to transition their daughters to the school in which their sons were already enrolled. More classrooms were constructed to accommodate the extra students.
In 1975 Country Day graduated the first two girls, Martha (Eustis) Totten and Linda (Langlois) Riethmiller. By 1975-76 there were 100 girls enrolled in grades 7-12 and 233 boys.
"The Board of Trustees did not wish to reduce the number of boys when the school became coeducational. Consequently, the school undertook a concentrated building drive to enlarge classroom space and to upgrade some of the existing facilities, including: larger library, student parking lot, five tennis courts, six new classrooms, and a new gymnasium."
-Charles F. Yeiser '39
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From left to right: Laura Closson Hyde '78, Ed Stewart '78, Cheryl Coston Nunez '78, Lisa Maier Dayton '78
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From left to right: Robin Martin '77 and Sue Schell '77
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CountyDate Hits a Home Run!
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By:
Louise Vaughan,
Director of Advancement
Last Saturday night, almost 300 members of the CCDS family banded together at CountryDate 2020 in support of our school.
It was a wonderful night and we are delighted to report that the event raised more than $250,000, the largest amount raised by CountryDate in 15 years….WOW!
Whether you attended the event, offered sponsorship, made a donation, bought raffle tickets, or bid feverishly on silent and live auction items, you helped to make the evening a huge success for our school. The evening took us a giant step toward our annual giving goal and was a significant demonstration of support from so many of you. Thank you!
Among the evening activities, we drew the winners of the CountryDate Raffle, generously sponsored by Matt and Marianne Castrucci and Matt Castrucci Auto Mall of Dayton. Congratulations to our grand prize winner; alumna, Susanna Schwartz '93 and her husband Seth.
On behalf of the faculty, staff and students of Country Day, our sincere thank you to all who participated.
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Next Head of Lower School Announced
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By:
Tony Jaccaci,
Head of School
Mark Morawski's appointment is the culmination of a national and international search that was launched in January. The search committee began the process by reviewing dozens of resumes, from which 11 candidates were identified for Skype interview sessions. The candidate pool was further narrowed to three finalists who interviewed with the search committee and community members, including faculty, staff, students, administrators, parents, trustees, and alumni. Based on their collective input, as well as my conversations with Mark, it was evident that he could ably lead our lower school and advance its legacy for developing minds and building character.
The committee was impressed with Mark’s collaborative leadership experience, his deep understanding of curriculum and assessment, his keen listening skills, his presumption of positive intent, and his highly contagious energy and enthusiasm. Mark is a passionate educator who finds joy in watching young students discover who they are and how they can make a positive difference in the world. His glowing references further confirmed the committee’s confidence in Mark’s ability to advance Country Day’s mission as the school heads toward its centennial year.
With 18 years of school leadership experience, Mark is currently the principal at Birmingham Covington School (BCS), a grade 3-8 public magnet school serving 648 students in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Prior to Mark’s leadership role at BCS, Mark was the principal at Gill Elementary School (K-5) and William Grace Elementary School (K-5), both located in Farmington, MI. Mark is a graduate of Denison University where he earned a bachelor’s degree (BA). He has a master’s in the arts of teaching degree (MAT) from National-Louis University in Chicago and has an education specialist in general administration and supervision (Ed.S) from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Please join us in welcoming Mark and his family to Cincinnati. We are excited to have them join the Country Day community and look forward Mark’s arrival in July.
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By:
Kaki Scheer,
Director of Outdoor Education
Which came first, the CHICKEN or the EGG? This question, and its complex answer, are symbolic of the outdoor education program at Cincinnati Country Day School. Not only because we hatch chickens from eggs in an incubator and host trout from egg to fingerling in an aquarium, but also for its basic premise. What creates a culture of outdoor education at CCDS—the 62 plus acres, the joyous experiential learning environment, Environmental Council, and the community partnerships it maintains?
Our campus is a living laboratory teeming with opportunities for experiential learning and for boosting social emotional wellness. Our students harvest and evaporate maple sap, raise trout, remove invasive species, propagate native plants, collect chicken eggs, and grow food in our gardens. Country Day students have impressive outdoor IQs and know the best place to absorb sunlight on a spring day or which logs are ideal for fort building. They take breaks from their AP classes or college applications by tossing a football or reclining in the Carey Family Amphitheater’s Adirondack chairs. And, of course, they all know the highest hill for sledding on a snowy day—Mount Country Day! For our students, outdoor learning is embedded in the DNA of their education.
As educators we work to discern the best pedagogical practices that prompt civic engagement and action. One driving question is: what comes first, the joy or the hard work? Does discovering native ecosystems drive our students to take up pruning saws to remove invasive honeysuckle? Or, does collecting data in our outdoor spaces fuel the joyous work of restoring the natural environment? Does the experience of tagging a monarch butterfly inspire a conservation research project? Or does research fuel a passion for propagating native plants to increase native habitats that attract butterflies?
While it may be impossible to answer with certainty what came first, the culture of outdoor education or the resources that advance it, we are certain that Country Day’s connection to the natural world is alive and well. Our graduates move into the world deeply rooted in the knowledge that they can walk outside and find joy, experience, and knowledge in all that nature has to offer.
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Head of School's Illustrious Honor
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By:
Cindy Kranz,
Assistant Director of Communications
Congratulations to Cincinnati Country Day Head of School Tony Jaccaci who was elected to The Headmasters Association, a prestigious organization of private and public school leaders.
The association, founded in 1893, brings together secondary school leaders from public and private schools, and day and boarding schools. There are 100 active members, and they met in Durham, North Carolina, where they heard speakers on the theme of International Flux: Instability, Conflict, Security and Alliances.
"The goal of the organization is to share best practices in independent education and to form collaborative relationships to help strengthen independent education. It also provides opportunities for networking," Jaccaci said.
Jaccaci expects his experiences with the association will help inform and enhance his work at Country Day. He acquired ideas for the school's CCD
Speaks
program and continued to hear about the importance of student and faculty wellness. That topic was discussed at length, and he'll share that information with the Board of Trustees.
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Cincinnati Country Day School girls basketball team are district champions, the first time in school history! With a dominant 56-46 win over Mechanicsburg High School, the girls raised their first District Championship trophy in front of a packed gym. The season came to an end Saturday, March 7 at the Regional Semi Finals vs Fort Loramie High School.
CCDS girls basketball was ranked first in the Cincinnati Division IV bracket. The 24-2 record is the best in the Miami Valley Conference (MVC). Kamryn Jordan '21, leads the MVC in scoring and field goal percentage. Averaging 18.3 points per game and shooting an astonishing 66% from the floor. Daisy McClean '22 is ranked forth in the MVC rebounding, averaging 1.8 boards per game. Other accomplishments included Sabrina DelBello '21 joining the 1000 point club and Head Coach John Snell recording his 300th career win.
"They don’t stop playing," said Coach Snell. "We have been down in a few games and the girls keep going and believe they can win."
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The girls basketball team displays their District Championship trophy after a commanding win.
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Kamryn Jordan '21 drives to the basket and finishes with the strong layup.
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Alumni Updates and Class Notes
Class Notes is a great way for alumni to share personal and professional news, reflections, commentary, and photographs through our Connections magazine. We have added a page to the Cincinnati Country Day School website where you can update information and submit class notes.
Click here
to get started!
Please submit class notes by May 1, 2020 for Summer Connections Magazine
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The Country Day Fund (CDF) needs your help to fill up the bucket!
The Country Day Fund is imperative to the school's operating budget, providing the extra margin of excellence not afforded by tuition. It is the cornerstone of fundraising revenue that supports core activities, program enrichment, and school development.
The CDF is just shy of
$100,000
away from it's goal of $920,000, each gift will help us fill our CDF bucket. We need the entire CCDS community to spread the word and make a donation. Consider a gift and fill the bucket!
All donors will be recognized in our 2019/20 Annual Report. Join fellow class members in supporting your alma mater!
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Student Spotlight
Natalie de Beer is a senior at CCDS and serves as the Student Body President of student council. She aspires to major in business, journalism, or English comparative literature. "After I finish my undergraduate, I intend to get a law degree and work in criminal justice," said Natalie.
Her favorite class is English with Mrs. Dunn. "I enjoy analyzing, discussing, and writing about different novels," said Natalie. "Building empathy with characters and situations inside of the books, and making a connection to real life is what made me fall in love with the subject. My favorite book throughout my time at CCDS is
Tale of Two Cities
, by Charles Dickens."
"The best part about Cincinnati Country Day School is that it fosters an environment where people who are different can become close friends. Through an array of classes, sports, and clubs, I have been able to get to know people with vastly different perspectives and backgrounds."
"Taking advantage of the various opportunities at CCDS, and the fact that students truly can “do it all”, is what I am most proud of at CCDS, because it has introduced me to my best friends."
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Accelerating Alumna
Annabel Forman is a 2019 graduate of CCDS and played the role of the principal vocalist in Mickey and the Wondrous Book in Hong Kong Disneyland Park.
She enrolled in CCDS because of the community."I wanted a school that would understand that learning is an individualized process and every student is unique. When I shadowed Country Day, what immediately stood out to me was how the teachers encouraged the students to form their own ideas and opinions rather than adopting somebody else's."
Country Day allowed Annabel to grow as a person. "Most schools stick you behind a single desk and give you little free time during your day. CCDS gives you a lot of freedom and flexibility. I chose to use that time wisely and it allowed me to make strides in my life and and career that I would not have been able to accomplish at a traditional school."
She credits the impact the phenomenal teachers had on her life and stressed how the faculty allowed her to become her own person. Annabel works five days a week, sometimes more. The show runs four to seven times a day. Cincinnati Country Day School is proud of Annabel and her amazing performances that put smiles on the faces of so many!
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CCDS Skates, hosted by the Parents' Association welcomed families to lace up their skates at the Indian Hill Winter Club on Presidents Day
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Sabrina DelBello '21 joined the 1000 point club as a junior.
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Country Day students competed at the 2020 Piqua Science Olympiad Invitational
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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee musical presented by upper school cast and crew
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The 2019 State Champion girls soccer team received their rings.
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Eight new members joined CCDS's Cum Laude Chapter.
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Left to right, Roman Duty '01, Brett Smith 01, Tim Dunn, Noah Allen '01, Matt Cohen '01 join Tim and Pat (not pictured) Dunn celebrating a wonderful teaching and coaching career.
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Fourth grade students took a field trip to the Freedom Center.
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