The Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for Girls
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SPRING 2018 O YOU REMEMBER? We know you always will. If you don't want photos from From top: Jeff Miller, Arlyce Seibert and her posse hit the the past to come back to haunt you, it is probably unwise quad, David Watson, Sandy Hertz coaching girls’ lacrosse, to spend your career in a school environment. It is pretty Arlyce Seibert and Tom Burgess flank Honnie McClear, clear that fashions and hairstyles may come and go, but Lillian Bauder, Betsy Clark and Sharon Maher, Claudia the tradition of excellence that has been established at Schuette teaching math at Kingswood, David Watson, Cranbrook Schools has been firmly in place for decades. As Claudia Schuette, Arlyce Seibert, Claudia Schuette in plaid, they retire, we are celebrating the careers of Arlyce Seibert, and lower right, Arlyce Seibert above Jeff Miller. Claudia Schuette, Jeff Miller, Tom Burgess and Sandy Did you get them all? Hertz. They are a part of a strong foundation on which this community will continue to build. n Every Issue 2 President’s Point of View 3 Steward's Table 4 Focus: Cranbrook Kingswood eatures 12 Milestones 16 Celebrating Lifetimes in Education 28 Celebrating a Tradition of Philanthropy Retiring Director of Cranbrook Schools Arlyce M. Seibert. Photo by: Naturally Photography bout Alumni 32 Distinguished Alumnus: Jay Adelson '88 Tradition is published twice a year by the For questions about advancement, 34 Distinguished Alumna: Cranbrook Schools Office of Development contact the Cranbrook Schools Office and Alumni Relations. of Development and Alumni Relations at Jennifer Sibley Clement '78 248.645.3140. Write us at: 36 Alumni Moments Tradition, Cranbrook Schools • PO Box 801 • The Cranbrook signature, crane, and school Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0801 seals are registered trademarks of the 46 Class Notes Cranbrook Educational Community. To reach the Office of Alumni Relations, call 111 In Memoriam 248.645.3132. EDITORIAL BOARD Clay Matthews Director of Communications, Schools Susan Strickland Muskovitz ‘97 Director of Development, Schools Susan Aikens Post ‘78 Director of Alumni Relations, Schools Margi Brown Editorial Assistant Liz Lent ‘89 Features Contributor Ann Merseles Reed ’55 Volunteer Assistant Due to the wide range of photographic Environmental Responsibility sources used to produce Tradition, the Tradition is committed to advancing WOULD YOU PREFER TO READ THE ONLINE reader may experience some inconsistency in Cranbrook’s strategic goal of increasing its photographic quality. While every effort has environmental responsibility. The magazine VERSION OF TRADITION? been made to ensure the best quality images is printed on Amerigloss, which is American To opt out of receiving the paper magazine, please let us know by emailing throughout the magazine, high-end printing made and contains 10% post-consumer waste, Margi Brown at [email protected]. technology may reveal the limits of the source is manufactured with an elemental chlorine- material. free bleaching process, and promotes responsible forest-management practices. RESIDENT’S Point of View dear cranbrook schools’ alumni, President of the Board of Directors at the California Association of Independent Schools. I am confident that he end of our fiscal year this June will draw to Aimeclaire is the right person to lead Cranbrook Schools a close a very special chapter in Cranbrook’s into its second century and elevate our students, faculty rich and compelling history. After 47 years and administration to even greater heights of success and of outstanding service to the Cranbrook accomplishment. TCommunity, our students and the international world of independent schools, Arlyce Seibert, our Director of Events celebrating Arlyce and welcoming Aimeclaire will Schools will be retiring from Cranbrook. take place during the spring and fall of this year. I hope you have the opportunity to join me in these festivities. Beyond her skills as a gifted educator, Arlyce has helped shape the educational system at Cranbrook and beyond In closing, I would like to share a quote from Cranbrook as a thoughtful and talented administrator on a national founder George Booth, "Our schools have been founded and international scale. During her 23 years as Director for the special training of youth; and in the end the of Cranbrook Schools, our school has grown into one of youth they have trained will become their foundation… the largest and most prestigious independent schools in Cranbrook depends in turn upon another foundation the Midwest. According to the recently published NICHE made up of things invisible—that is, of thought, vision, and ratings, Cranbrook is one of the top 10 private k-12 schools ideals.” in the country. Continuing in the Cranbrook Schools tradition, Arlyce One of my favorite parts about working at Cranbrook is that has brought to Cranbrook the brightest of visions and the I have the opportunity to meet with alums from all different strongest ideals. I hope you will join me in thanking her and classes. I have heard so many wonderful stories about how wishing her all the very best as she begins her next journey. Cranbrook changed their lives in some important way, but I know that she would appreciate receiving a note from one of the most common themes mentioned by alumni you as she departs Cranbrook. Arlyce can be reached at from the 70s, 80s, and 90s is that Arlyce was the best [email protected]. teacher that they ever had. Those of you who know Arlyce can attest to the level of personal attention and care she Please know that you are a valued part of our community has always shown to our students and all of those who work and your continued friendship is so much appreciated. beside or interact with her in some way. Arlyce is a sterling My personal thanks to each of you for all that you do for example, at the highest level, of Cranbrook’s commitment Cranbrook! to serving others. Sincerely, As I’m sure you can imagine, replacing a dynamic and Dominic DiMarco, President inspirational leader like Arylce was no easy task. After Cranbrook Educational Community a national search, I feel extraordinarily fortunate that Cranbrook Schools will welcome Aimeclaire Lambert Roche as the next Director of Cranbrook Schools. Aimeclaire brings to Cranbrook over 30 years of leadership and expertise in education, most recently serving as the head of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California and 2 T EWA R D'S Table n 1997, Arlyce Seibert wrote in the epilogue to costumes, treats, and the Brookside parade. The holiday Ben Snyder’s Once More With Joy, “As the next only came to rest when Arlyce joined the youngest trick-or- millennium looms closer, the future of Cranbrook treaters and their faculty parents at the Senior Cabin. Schools appears strong and vibrant…. A positive tone Iand climate exist in all divisions.” At concerts, musicals, and plays, no vocal, dance, or acting gift was undeserving of critical surrender, no contribution This is a rather modest accounting of what would be a too slight to warrant praise for the ages. Parents and shaping hand in the creation of today’s Cranbrook Schools. grandparents left the PAC confident that the latest To some extent, the incomparable success of her 23-year performance represented a high-water mark not soon to tenure as director of schools can be attributed to her be eclipsed at Cranbrook. Arlyce’s expression of pleasure mastery of so many preparatory roles, from department or astonishment was truly a force of nature. head to division head. More importantly, this task of school- making called for large feats of collaboration, innovation, Arlyce happily gave center stage to emotions at public team formation and consensus-building, gifts that Arlyce leave-takings and end-of-year events. Stories of great possessed in abundance. sacrifice and unswerving loyalty, astonishing reversals and coincidences were always heightened by the element No task, however, more fully revealed Arlyce’s devotion of surprise and the presentation of an aptly chosen gift. to school and place than her love of school ceremony. In Catching of the breath and eyes welling up confirmed a job school ceremony were her moments of purest delight and well done. of purest delightfulness. Arlyce was always fiercely protective of emotion, however. And not by reason of solemnity. On the contrary, it was the Her favorite musical, “Man of La Mancha,” celebrates momentary escape from rigor and routine, the complete a man who casts himself in fevered dreams as a brave embrace of innocence and school family, that she so and embattled knight. Arlyce was exquisitely sensitive loved. The spectacle of the student body in formal dress to the place of romance and honor in adolescent lives. walking to Christ Church Cranbrook always gladdened Nothing tugged at her heartstrings more reliably than the her. Convocation was the setting for her to speak from the sophomore boys whom she taught for many years. No heart about a saga of survival in the wake of a hurricane or evening called upon her genius for praise as did the revue the joys of owning a dog. of special dresses and tuxedoes on prom night. Homecoming provided that hint of permission for hilarity Her supreme joy was watching students being called forth or nuttiness that she savored. The melodrama of Spirit one by one. Recitations of names, special dress codes, Week, Powderpuff, and Homecoming—the color schemes, and elaborations of processional and recessional were the decoration, the mascots, the cider, the whistles, the cherished and guarded. Ring Day, Passage of Leadership, uniforms, the cheers and the Oval—all was welcomed by and Commencement were occasions that mixed the her. sacred and the festive. Ceremony was that moment when honesty bared itself. We came to know that, for Arlyce, As anyone who knows Arlyce will affirm, Halloween there was no treasure greater than honesty.