Statira “Star” Simmons Wall ’08 a Laker for Life
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The Laker FALL 2020 Statira “Star” Simmons Wall ’08 A Laker for Life 1 | LAKER Table of Contents EDITORS Shellie Javier Kala Montoya 3 16 FROM THE TOP 3: THINGS I LEARNED GRAPHIC DESIGNER HEAD OF SCHOOL DURING “SAFER AT HOME” John Ritter PHOTOGRAPHY Shellie Javier Kala Montoya Ross Monagle 4 17 PRINTER HAWK HILL GRADUATION Thomas Press (Waukesha, Wis.) HAPPENINGS RECAP BOARD OF TRUSTEES Adam Rix, President John Griner, Vice President Martin Ditkof, Secretary Greg Ploch ’80, Treasurer 6 18 McKenna Bryant ’95 Scott Gass FACULTY FEATURE: SENIOR Alex Inman REBECCA TIFFANY SPOTLIGHT Amy LaMacchia Holly Myhre ’95 John O’Horo Joan Shafer Margaret Tackes Paul Verdu 9 20 HAWK HILL ALUMNI The Laker is published by University Lake HISTORY NEWS School. It is mailed free of charge, twice a year, to alumni and friends of the school. To update your address or share comments and ideas: Email: [email protected] Call: 262-367-6011 12 22 FEATURE: STAR SIMMONS WALL ’08 LAKERS Write: Advancement Office, A LAKER FOR LIFE WE’VE LOST University Lake School, P.O. Box 290, Hartland, WI 53029 2 | LAKER Photo by Ross Monagle I hope this edition of The FromLaker finds you and theyours safe Headand healthy during thisof pandemic. School We have faced so many challenges this year, but we will not be deterred from moving forward. As a school, we continue to look ahead through the lens of our strategic planning so that our best days are ahead of us. With winter coming soon, I am reminded of a beautiful Wisconsin winter day in January of 2020. With the fresh snow brilliantly accenting tree boughs and defining sidewalks and driveways, the ULS community gathered on Visioning Day to structure the goals and strategies of the Soaring Beyond Brilliance Strategic Plan. Leading up to Visioning Day, the steering committee often discussed aligning the plan with current strengths, as well as our rich history. This sentiment was echoed by a Visioning Day participant who commented that the discussions and outcomes seemed grounded in the school’s history. As we begin year one of the strategic plan, I see numerous themes that align well with our history: • Our vision of empowering students to lead and thrive in a global community aligns with the heritage of welcoming foreign exchange students. They were an important part of the first classes, and remain so today. I think the importance of the foreign exchange students to the early days of the school is best demonstrated by stories about ULS students selling lightbulbs door-to-door in those very early years to support the program. • One of our strategies is to optimize experiential learning outdoors. Our new open-air classroom, the Hawk and Eagle Nest, reminds me of stories I have heard of a former outdoor classroom that offered Lakers the opportunity to learn amongst the trees. The current Nest is immersed in the woods with a view of the nearby field. • There are dual themes: the value of faculty and the importance of place. The role of faculty is so critical to the ULS experience. The connection between student and teacher at ULS is something so unique, that alums who come back to visit often speak of the memories they have and the role of the faculty in setting their path through life thanks to the caring nature of our faculty. Alumni also often speak of the bucolic nature of learning and growing amidst forest, prairie and fields. Our strategic plan recognizes the unique importance of people and place, and encourages these critical aspects of our school to evolve and develop for future generations of students. We recently celebrated Founder’s Day on November 13. Today, our legacy and rich traditions continue. They may be reimagined in the midst of this pandemic, but the same community spirit lives on. New families stand with founding families in support of the ULS mission to deliver an incomparable education. Through our strategic plan, we will ensure that ULS will carry on and even get better through the coming years. Once a Laker, always a Laker. Timothy Horner Interim Head of School Head of Administration FALL 2020 | 3 1 2 Here W.2e Grow ULS Online Auction Support the ongoing growth of our students, teachers and school at the ULS online auction. 3 Hawk Hill Happenings 1 Due to the pandemic, the spring certainly brought run. After a great year of athletic and service learning challenges to all in the ULS community. With safety in competitions, the results are in … EAGLES WIN! mind, we moved our annual Spring Fundraiser to an online platform. While nothing can replace the community and 3 We are happy to report that the Hawk and Eagle Nest camaraderie of being together, our Lakers still rose to the outdoor classroom is complete. Thanks to philanthropic challenge and helped raise more than $47,000 in support donations, this hideaway in the woods is the perfect spot of the annual Laker Fund, student programs and teacher for outdoor learning. professional development through our Here We Grow online auction. Thank you to everyone who made this possible. 4 You might notice a fresh look to this edition of The Laker. Learn more about our recent rebranding in our Hawk Hill 2 The annual Spring Field Day looked a bit different this History piece on page 9. year — we went virtual! Students from all divisions had a great time getting outside to participate in a number of 5 We are excited to welcome two new coaches to the ULS minute-to-win-it-style challenges, as well as a timed 1-mile family this fall. After playing a key role as an assistant 4 | LAKER 4 5 6 coach, Izabelle Quadracci ’14 will now take over as the 6 On June 13, we welcomed our 59th graduating class, the new varsity women’s field hockey head coach. As a player, Class of 2020, into the alumni community. This was a Quadracci was a four-year varsity performer for the Lakers particularly special class who had to deal with a less-than-ideal and served as team captain during her senior year. She close to their chapter at ULS. The graduation ceremony attended camps for four years and played for the Lake was held outdoors on a clear June night on the Michels Country Select Field Hockey team during her high school Campus Green. While these bright, kind and talented career. We are also happy to welcome Ben Hall as the new individuals are spread out across the country for college, varsity men’s soccer head coach. Coach Hall’s previous they will always have a home on Hawk Hill. Congratulations experiences include coaching the freshman, JV and varsity (B-F, L-R) Aiden Gustafson, Lucas Mazza, Jameson Cavin, at Brookfield East High School and The University School Samuel Rix, Aaron Kresse, Nick Gmur, Cory Muehlmeier, of Milwaukee. Coach Hall also has extensive experience Joe Gehl, Xin (Gloria) Gao, Sihan (Vicky) Zhao, Sophia Rusch, coaching on the club level for Lake Country United, Elm Rachel Soley, Liliana Guadagno, Molly Carlson, Elyse Horner, Grove Soccer Club, and most recently as an Academy Kate Hall, Emma Anthony, Cheng (Summer) Yang. Coach for the Bavarian Soccer Club. FALL 2020 | 5 Faculty Feature REBECCA TIFFANY AFTER TEACHING IN THE LOWER SCHOOL FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, REBECCA TIFFANY IS EXCITED TO TAKE ON A NEW ROLE AS OUR DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT. THANKS TO THE SOARING BEYOND BRILLIANCE STRATEGIC PLAN, ULS CREATED THIS POSITION. REBECCA HAS TWO CHILDREN WHO ATTEND ULS, ALLY AND NATHAN. 6 | LAKER Q: Did you always want to be a teacher? A: Ever since I was young I wanted to be a teacher. It was my 1st grade teacher who stuck with me throughout the years, and I always loved being around kids through babysitting and working in daycares. I always knew I wanted to teach and be with young children. Q: How did your career lead you to teaching at ULS? A: I grew up in Iowa, graduated there, and then moved to Wisconsin where I taught K-8 Spanish as my first teaching job at Prince of Peace in Milwaukee. Then I taught 1st grade in Waterford for two years before getting married and moving out to Delaware. In Delaware, I taught K-8 Spanish for two years in a parochial school and then high school Spanish in the public schools for three years. We moved back to Wisconsin so our children could be with our family, and I was once again looking for a teaching position. I wanted to return to teaching elementary. I’ve been at ULS for eight years now, and have taught 2nd grade, middle school Spanish and 1st grade. Q: What will you be doing as our new Director of Curriculum & Assessment? A: I will guide, support and organize the school’s curriculum, I love to be outdoors. I keep a garden every summer and I love professional development programming, and all areas of to camp. I’m a musician who likes to play piano and I used to assessment. I am also staff leader of the Education Committee, sing in church choirs, though I have been out of practice now chair of the Student Services Committee, and chair of the that I have children. I have played both indoor and sand ISACS accreditation process. recreational volleyball for years, as well as helped out my son’s baseball teams. I love sports, too! Q: What excites you most about this new role? Q: What is your dream for ULS? A: I am very excited to assist in providing professional support to the faculty and staff, as well as coordinate all aspects of the A: My dream for ULS is to maintain that close community feel rigorous curriculum found at ULS so it can be cohesive, yet while providing and receiving the best education we can.