MARCH 2026 NEWSLETTER | VOLUME 9, ISSUE 2 | | |
A SPRING UPDATE FROM
PETER BECKER '95
| | Head of School Peter Becker '95 highlights two new initiatives to enhance the student experience: advisory groups to support lower mids as they transition to high school and a pilot program pairing upper mids with alumni or community mentors for student-led projects. | | |
ALUMNI WEEKEND IS WHEN
WE ALL COME TOGETHER!
| | We can't wait to welcome you back! Classes ending in 1 & 6 will gather for milestone reunions, but whether it's your reunion year or not, we hope you will join fellow Tafties on campus. | | |
Paul H. Klingenstein '74 to Receive the Horace Dutton Taft Alumni Medal
In recognition of a life and career defined by purpose, service, and dedication to Taft, Paul H. Klingenstein '74 will be honored with the 2026 Horace Dutton Taft Alumni Medal. The award—Taft's highest alumni honor—will be presented during the Old Guard Dinner on Friday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m.
"In my eight years of service on the Horace Dutton Taft Alumni Medal Committee, I am not sure any candidate has embodied the Taft motto more fully than Paul Klingenstein," noted Chair Laura Black Holt '85, P'16,'18. "Not only has he expressed this through his decades-long commitment to our school, but also through his deep commitment to a long list of other educational, environmental, and health-related institutions, foundations, and organizations."
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"Scotty Cup" Alumni Coed Hockey Game
On January 24, Taft alumni and employees laced up their skates and took to the ice in Odden Arena for the annual "Scotty Cup" Hockey Game, played in tribute to Scott W. Richardson '82. The spirited match brought together generations of the Taft community for friendly competition and camaraderie. Click below to enjoy more Scotty Cup photos.
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Stay Connected with
The Papyrus Online
To bring you closer to campus life, The Taft Papyrus is now shared with alumni online, where you can read student reporting as soon as each issue is published. We hope you'll enjoy this direct, immediate view into the daily Taft experience. Click to read the current issue, and be sure to bookmark the page!
| | | SAVE THE DATE: UPCOMING EVENTS | | |
Taft Talks: A Virtual Conversation with Jennifer Wallace About Mattering
Acclaimed journalist, author, and speaker Jennifer Wallace will be at Taft on April 21 to talk about research from her latest book, Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose. In her earlier book, Never Enough, Wallace reported that students in high-achieving environments are at high risk for anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. She also showed that knowing we matter can protect against these risks. Now, in Mattering, Wallace offers key insight into how much we each need to know that we "are valued by others and add value to the world."
As part of this year's speaker series exploring what it means to be human, this conversation invites us to reflect on how we recognize and affirm one another's inherent worth.
You are invited to join Amy Julia Becker '94 and Jennifer Wallace for a Taft Talks virtual conversation on April 21 from 4:00–5:00 p.m. EDT. More details and registration information can be found via the link below. A Zoom link will be shared with all registrants in advance of the event.
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Oscar "Ozzie" Parente Jr. Named Assistant Head of School for Student Life
Taft is pleased to announce the appointment of Oscar "Ozzie" Parente Jr. as Taft's next Assistant Head of School for Student Life, effective July 1, 2026. "A dedicated boarding school educator and long-serving member of the Taft community, Ozzie brings deep experience, strategic insight, and a wholehearted commitment to the development of Taft students," said Head of School Peter Becker '95. "His warmth, emotional intelligence, and steady presence reflect the values that have long defined the Taft community." As Assistant Head of School for Student Life, Parente will serve as a senior leader and architect of the student experience beyond the classroom.
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MLK Week 2026: The Soul of the Civil Rights Movement
Taft's 2026 MLK Week Community Experience was rooted in the arts—in the influence of Black music on the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King gave the movement its words, Dean of Community Justice and Belonging Thomas Allen noted during his MLK Week address, but it was the music—and the musicians—that gave it its soul. Their music, he said, remains a testament to the power of art in the face of injustice.
Exploring the movement through music was an idea that took root when Taft's 2025-26 Legacy 6 Cohort visited Memphis, Tennessee, in the fall. They shared what they learned and felt through an all-school community meeting and through an ambitious, powerful, and interactive living museum experience.
Museum spaces filled Taft's campus with curated performances by Collegium Musicum, Taft’s Jazz Band and Orchestra members, faculty performers, and Taft’s Step Team, each representing musical genres across time. Dr. Todd Craig, an author, educator, and DJ, visited Taft for an exploration of Hip Hop history and culture. A special community dinner and hands-on arts activities rounded out the week. It was an extraordinary experience for the Taft community.
Watch the video above to learn more about Taft's MLK Week, and click below to explore the links between music and history.
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Moon Over Buffalo in the Woodward Black Box Theater
The Woodward Black Box Theater set the stage for a lively production of Moon Over Buffalo, directed by Steffon Gales and brought to life by a talented cast and dedicated theater tech and stagecraft teams. Brimming with high energy, physical comedy, and the delightful chaos of classic farce, the show was a celebration of collaboration and creativity on and off the stage. Click below to enjoy a full gallery of show photos.
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Dance Ensemble Winter Concert
A swan song for our seniors, the Dance Ensemble Winter Concert brought talent, power, emotion, beauty to the Bingham stage. The concert also featured a performance piece by Taft's Dance Ensemble created under the tutelage of Derion Loman, Artistic Associate at the world-renowned dance company, Pilobolus.
Click above to watch the performance or below to view the photo gallery.
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Honoring Those Who Support and Inspire
Through a new initiative called Shirt Off My Back, each senior varsity hockey player honored a community member who supported, guided, or inspired them during their time at Taft. Honorees were invited to the Shirt Off My Back appreciation ceremony, which took place on the ice before a recent game. Players read words of praise and reflection, and presented their mentors and guides with gifts of gratitude—including boys' hockey T-shirts.
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Winter 2025–26 Recap
The winter season concluded with some noteworthy achievements for our athletes. Girls' squash are the New England Class B Champions, defeating Sacred Heart Greenwich 6–1 in the final to secure the title. Girls' skiing also took home some hardware as they placed second in the New England Championships hosted at Pats Peak.
To explore all the team news and photos for Big Red, please click on the links below.
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Taft's Day of Giving is April 23
Thanks to the generosity of the Class of '66, gifts made between March 30 and April 23 will be matched dollar for dollar up to $1M. Make your gift today to help unlock the full match!
Your gift shapes bold futures for generations to come.
Thank you for your support!
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