Cincinnati Country Day School
May 2021 Alumni Journal
New Stadium Breaks Ground
Dear Country Day Alumni and Families,

Friday, May 14 marked a historic day at Country Day. We officially broke ground on our stadium renovation project. It was a beautiful day and an exciting event.
Many of our donors helped break ground. Pictured left to right: Alan Falkingham, Andrew Cohen, Ariella Cohen '01, Brian Bortz '87, Laura Bortz, Tina DiSanto, Michael DiSanto, Jessica Cicchinelli, Christopher Cicchinelli, Christopher Hildebrant, Susana Hildebrant, Jason Jurgensen '95, Daphne Jurgensen, Woody Taft '87, Jennifer Taft, Regina Gray, and Dereck Gray.
When we return to school in August, we will have a multi-sport synthetic turf field, a six-lane track, home stand for 530 spectators with an integrated press box, visitor bleachers for 130 spectators, modern LED lighting and sound system, digital display scoreboard, remodeled athletic entryway with seating and outdoor learning spaces, remodeled lower school play area with a resurfaced playground, and extensive re-landscaping to replace dying trees and invasive plant species with native trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses.
Pictured left to right: Trustees, David Briggs '83, Joel Brant '87, and Robert Zimmerman '98, Head of School Anthony Jaccaci, and Director of Advancement Louise Vaughan.

What an incredible improvement to an already incredible school! This facility is one of the reasons why we will be even better coming out of this pandemic. Next year, we are not returning to normal, we are returning to strength!

This project would not be possible without the commitment of our five lead donors – the Bortz, Cicchinelli, DiSanto, Hildebrant, and Jurgensen - Alf families – and the generous families who have since joined them to make this project a reality. They have given one hundred percent commitment to give us this momentum. These families represent the current generation that is ready to bring our school forward into strength, and I am grateful for their vision and support.
I also invite you to follow along with this project. On Fridays, we will post field update videos on our website and share them on our Facebook page, Also on our website, you can view the groundbreaking ceremony video and pictures as well as read about our environmental commitment, which was maintained in every decision regarding the stadium renovation.
I cannot wait to watch this project unfold throughout the coming weeks.

Sincerely,
Tony Jaccaci
Head of School
Thank You for Joining the FORCE on Giving Day!
Your support on Giving Day was out of this world! In 24 hours, our Country Day community came together and raised over $150,000, revealing our faculty Jedi.
We are deeply grateful to you – our devoted community – for giving so generously to support our school.
 
For those who have yet to make a gift to the Country Day Fund, please know our fundraising efforts are still in progress! We are close to our $1,000,000 target for the year and your support will make the difference. Every gift counts!
College Commitments
Congratulations to the Class of 2021 as they continue their educational journey at the following colleges and universities.
American University
Barnard College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Carleton College
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Florida Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Hampton University
Harvey Mudd College
Heidelberg University
High Point University
Indiana University-Bloomington
Kenyon College
Lehigh University
Loyola University Chicago
McGill University
Miami University-Oxford
Morehead State University
Northeastern University
Oberlin College
Ohio State University
Ohio University
Purdue University
Reed College
Ringling College of Art and Design
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Saint Louis University
Santa Clara University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Spelman College
The University of Alabama
The University of Tampa
Tufts University
University of California-San Diego
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Dayton
University of Denver
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Kansas
University of Kentucky
University of Miami
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
Vanderbilt University
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St Louis
Wellesley College
Williams College
Xavier University
Homecoming and Reunion Weekend October 1-3, 2021
We plan to celebrate reunion year classes ending in ’1 and ’6 on campus. In addition, we welcome classes '0 and '5 who were unable to celebrate their reunions last year to join. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months. If you would like to plan your reunion, please contact Giles DeCourcy at 513-979-0283. (Pictured: Class of 1971 celebrating their 40th reunion in 2011.)
Eleven Student-Athletes Commit to College Athletics
Signing Day is a great tradition at Cincinnati Country Day School and this year we recognized 11 student-athletes and their commitment to participate in athletics at the collegiate level.  
“I’m not a fan of any one team but I am a fan of all of you,” said Dennis Coyle, athletics director. “The rigorous academic expectation here at Country Day balanced with your dedication to your sport has prepared you to succeed at the next level. I know you will work hard, you will be successful, and you will be missed. The support you have from me, your coaches, and the school will be with you always. We know you will continue to be extraordinary on the field and in life.”  

Congratulations to all our student-athletes:

  • RT Adkins: Heidelberg University – Basketball
  • Nora Brant: Williams – Squash
  • Reese Carlow: McGill University – Soccer
  • Marley Cox: Oberlin College – Basketball and Lacrosse
  • Sabrina DelBello: Washington University St. Louis – Basketball
  • Michael Noack: Rose Hulman Institute of Technology – Football
  • Sophie O’Brien: University of Cincinnati – Lacrosse
  • Eliza Osborn: Florida Institute of Technology – Rowing
  • Sam Pettengill: Hamilton College – Golf
  • Grace Ramirez: Kenyon College – Swimming
  • Jenna Setters: Morehead State University – Soccer 
Arts Hall of Fame Inducts Honorary Class
To celebrate Cincinnati Country Day School’s strong and vibrant tradition in the arts, former Country Day students and community members will be recognized for their contributions in the fine, musical, performing, and literary arts in the CCDS Arts Hall of Fame.

The inaugural class has been announced and we will celebrate in person during the 2021-22 school year.
William "Bill" Messer '66

  • U.S.-based curator, critic, and photographer. Messer has curated over 100 exhibitions in over 40 countries.
  • Created the Country Day Upper School Fine Art program with faculty member Phyllis Pierce.
  • Donated a gift to CCDS to enable the creation of the space now known as the William Messer ’66 Fine Art Gallery in the upper school.
  • Established an upper school award for photography - the William Messer ’66 Award.
Phyllis Pierce

  • Longtime Country Day art faculty member.
  • With the help of a student, Bill Messer ’66, Pierce first established the Upper School Arts Program in 1962
Robert "Rob" Shetterly '65

  • Portrait artist based in the United States.
  • Best known for his portrait series, “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” a collection of portraits of iconic American figures. Pieces from the collection tour across the U.S. in museums, galleries, and libraries.
  • Wrote and illustrated a book entitled “Americans Who Tell the Truth” and was noted by nonprofit Children's Book Council listed it among the "2006 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People."
Rising Star: Kellen Pomeranz '07

  • A producer/songwriter based in New York.
  • Won a Grammy Award in 2021 for cowriting and producing of John Legend’s album “Bigger Love,” which won the Grammy as best R&B album of the year.
  • Co-penned the song “Velvet,” which was selected by Adam Levine to be performed on The Voice Season 7 Finale and reached #3 on iTunes after its release by finalist Chris Jamison (Republic Records).
Congratulations to these alumni who have contributed so much to the world of art. We have many other amazing alumni who will be honored every year.
Last Call for 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!
Student Spotlight
Celie Hudson ’21 exemplifies what it means to harness the full potential of a Cincinnati Country Day School education. She is a resident of Indian Hill and her two older sisters Sophie ’17 and Isabelle ’15, and mother Lauren Hannan Shafer ’84, all graduated from CCDS. In her 14 years at Country Day, she has taken full advantage of the opportunities to better not only herself, but her classmates, and the school.  
She served on student council as vice president this year and was class president the past two years. “Student council taught me great communication, organization, and team management skills,” said Hudson. “It made me comfortable speaking in front of groups of people and implementing ideas and turning them into actions.”

Her favorite faculty members are Mr. Merle Black and Mr. Gregory Faulhaber. “Mr. Black has such a unique way of teaching,” said Hudson. “I have never experienced anything like it. He brings all aspects of the world into his lessons. Art, music, books, and a plethora of the culture of history that leads to a comprehensive view of how we look at the world. Mr. Faulhaber is so caring and has every student’s best interest at heart. He can tell if you’re struggling and works with you to make sure you succeed.”
Celie was also involved in theater and sports during her time at CCDS. “I loved being involved in the musicals; they were so much fun and a great way to meet other students in other grades.” In addition, she was on the tennis and rowing teams. “I will miss the fun games we used to play at the end of practice when the JV and varsity teams would come together and do an activity as a large group.” Celie helped revamp the cheer team as well. “I encouraged my friends to get together and cheer for football and basketball. Cheer used to only have three to four people. This year we recruited nine members and had so much fun!”

Celie will be attending college at Tufts University where she plans to double major in cognitive brain sciences and child study in human development. She intends to study how media, literature, and television consumption affect child development. She also plans to minor in some form of arts.

“As this year wraps up, I have been thinking about how much I am going to miss Country Day,” said Hudson. “This is my family away from my family. I know every person, their middle name, their sibling, and even their favorite food. I love being surrounded by the people I have grown up with. My grade gets along so well, and I will miss them all so much. I know when I leave here it won’t be like that anymore.”

Celie was recognized by the American Jewish Committee Cincinnati for her outstanding community service and was a finalist for this year’s Simon Lazarus Jr., Human Relations Award. Read more by clicking here.  
Faculty Feature
As students are dropped off in front of Lower School, often the first face they see in carline is Steve Conner. Known for his signature hat tip and contagious smile, Steve has been a physical education teacher and coach at Country Day for 31 years. 
A 1988 graduate of Miami University (Ohio), Steve started his career as a sports editor for the Lebanon Western Star newspaper. In 1990 a phone call with then Head of School John Raushenbush would lead Steve to Country Day. “John asked if I could coach gymnastics,” said Conner. “It was like it was meant to be! I had a gymnastics background and taught 101 classes in college. After several interviews, he asked me to join the staff at Country Day and three decades later I’m still here!” 

“I love coaching, but I am a physical education teacher first,” said Conner. “It’s important to know how the body works and functions and base your programs off that knowledge. I use the strategies from my PE programs and integrate those into my coaching to harness the full potential of our student-athletes.”
In addition to his physical education responsibilities across three divisions, he coaches middle school football in the fall, middle and upper school gymnastics in the winter, and middle and upper school track and field in the spring.  

“It always sounds cliché but there is more to sports than just winning,” said Conner. “Getting our student-athletes to understand failure and how to overcome it is just as important. Dealing with difficulties is part of life but working with the student-athletes to have the right mindset and tools to bounce back is the rewarding part of coaching.” 
 
Steve’s love for Country Day extends beyond his experience coaching and teaching.  

“Country Day is a special place; it’s a close community, and I’m thankful to be a part of it. My job is so rewarding because I get to be part of the whole school and every division. I get to experience the students’ entire journey and guide them from children to adults. That is what makes Country Day such a special place – we are a family!” 
Pictures of the Month
Faculty and Staff enjoyed a week full of Hawaiian surprises including goodie bags, smoothie truck, and a luau, hosted by the Parent's Association.
Third base coach Tim Dunn coached his final baseball game for Country Day.
Senior Michael Noack '21 was selected to the Cincinnati East vs. West All-Star Football Game.
Senior Kamryn Jordan ' 21 received the Larosa's Most Valuable Player Award for her basketball achievements.
The beehives on campus were cleaned and honey was collected to share with lower school students.
Middle school students did their part on Earth Day, walking the 62 acres of campus and picking up garbage.
Students put on their rain boots and enjoyed outdoor activities no matter the weather.
Makerspace traveled to 7th-grade math class to kick off a roller coaster design competition.