THE NATION’S OLDEST ON THE WEB: COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL students.pingry.org/ NEWSPAPER record Volume CXLV, Number I October 25, 2019 Everything You Need to Know About the New Head of School When asked about his vision for EVA SCHILLER( V), VICKY Pingry, Mr. Levinson left his response GU (VI), MEGHAN DURKIN open-ended. Rather than only him (V) deciding where Pingry should go in Though the Pingry community has the upcoming years, he thinks that known his name for almost a year now, everyone should have input and “that Mr. Matt Levinson has just begun his the vision question is something we all first academic year as our new Head need to invest in and work on together.” of School. Following a five-month However, he does have a “strategic search and a unanimous vote from the plan focusing on global education, Board of Trustees, Pingry officially student wellbeing, interdisciplinary welcomed its sixteenth Head of School learning… and also to promote teacher on July 1, 2019, succeeding Mr. growth and development.” Nathaniel Conard’s 14-year tenure as His first step is to address student Headmaster. wellbeing with the hopes of helping The role of the Head of School has the community “improve and be long been ambiguous to many Pingry attentive.” So far, he has met with students. Mr. Levinson explains his job peer leaders and teachers, and plans as keeping “everybody focused on the to do some staff training in November. student experience… from myself, to Speaking on the Pingry community, all administration, staff, and teachers,” Mr. Levinson noted that “everyone’s and that “every day is different. There been incredibly welcoming, which has Homecoming Pride Culminates in a Dance to are a lot of interesting challenges that been wonderful.” He has visited classes cross my desk, problems to solve.” He on both campuses and gone to games Remember remarked, “But also, being out in the in order “to get the chance to see the community, being out in classes, being student experience.” What amazed him ZARA JACOB (V) Pingry Credit Union booth or having so it is no wonder that they won the out at games, is really important.” since his arrival was the “long history a chance to meet acclaimed world game.” When asked what drew him to Pingry, of people who invest their lives here. I The high temperatures of the final traveller Denis Belliveau. As the sun fell, Pingry students Mr. Levinson immediately responded, think everyone here is trying to always days of September thankfully began Throughout the afternoon, Pingry’s began to gear up for the Homecoming “the Honor Code was a first appeal… get better, no one’s standing still, which to subside by Saturday, October 5 sports teams competed against a slew dance. The theme, “Storm Area 51”, The trust that’s inherent in having an I love about the community.” on this event-packed day. By 8:30 of other New Jersey high school had decisively won when proposed Honor Code is really meaningful to me.” Mr. Levinson also revealed that the a.m., the Basking Ridge campus was teams, with each game starting in a vote to the student body. It Pingry’s inclusive atmosphere was also process for getting “Shorts Days” swarming with parents of Middle and approximately half an hour after the was based on a popular Internet attractive. “Commitment to diversity begins with students. A student emailed Upper school students for Pingry’s last began. At 2 p.m., girls’ varsity meme: supposedly, if enough people and inclusion is really important to him one evening asking to allow shorts annual Back to School Day, where soccer kicked off the sequence, raided the US Air Force facility, the me, personally and professionally,” he the next day, and by the end of the they sat for ten-minute versions defeating Livingston 5-1. The co–ed government would not be able to says, adding, “I’ve been really struck night, Mr. Levinson had confirmed one. of their children’s classes. There, varsity water polo team, played next, stop all participants from freeing and impressed by Pingry’s diversity “I know,” he says, “on a hot day, when parents could learn about the content winning their match against Saint whatever secrets, particularly aliens, and how it strengthens and enriches there’s no air conditioning, it’s nice to of their children’s courses while also Peter’s Prep 9-6. Varsity football kept there. Student raiders were the community.” be able to wear shorts.” getting to know the teacher. Parents was also victorious against Montclair appropriately dressed in glamorous, Beginning his career teaching both Speaking of air conditioning, will who were new to Pingry also had the Kimberley Academy. Girls’ varsity alien-themed attire. middle and high school students, Mr. Pingry ever get it? “That’s a big opportunity to tour the campus. field hockey was unfortunately “I really liked the Area 51 theme Levinson has stepped into many roles question I’m hearing; lots of people Following their simulated school defeated by Bridgewater Raritan, because of how uniquely relevant it within school communities, whether want to talk about that, but I don’t have day, parents joined others in the losing 0-2. The second water polo is to 2019,” says Anjali Kapoor (VI). that be coaching sports or serving as a an answer to that yet. It could happen. Pingry community for a bountiful fall game, this time with Pingry’s co–ed She states that students would be able dean of students. He believes that his I don’t know when, but I know it’s lunch. The spread included barbecue, junior varsity team, also won 9-6. The to look back at this particular dance experience allows him to “understand something that people, especially in the Italian food, and cider, but the dessert last two matches by the boys’ soccer and “remember how this was the everything that goes into running a big 90-degree weather, are very interested was particularly exquisite. To gear team ended in stunning victories; at year that millions of people signed organization like Pingry.” in.” Perhaps someday. up for the upcoming autumn season, about 4 p.m., the boys’ junior varsity up to storm Area 51 in search of Despite his extensive experience Mr. Levison concluded, “I would guests dined on apple cobbler, soccer team prevented Princeton Day aliens.” Alison Lee agrees: “yes, with education, he confessed that in just like to say I’ve been so impressed pumpkin spice mousse, and apple from scoring a single goal, winning outer space has been done before, high school, he was not always “as with the students in this school. The cider doughnuts. Another tent offered 9-0. Boys’ varsity soccer did the but I think what was unique about engaged as [he] should’ve or could engagement in the classes that I’ve spirited goodies, such as car stickers, same, beating Princeton Day with a this year was that we took a current have been, but something just kind seen, from kindergarten all the way t-shirts, and blue-beaded necklaces score of 6-0. event as our theme… Honestly, I feel of kicked in senior year and a couple through 12th grade, makes it clear in preparation for the upcoming “[The girls’ varsity soccer players] like it might even be the best theme teachers really inspired [him].” During that the kids here really like learning sports games. Visitors were able are a formidable team,” says Alison that we’ve had so far because of its his time at Pingry so far, he has noticed and want to learn, and the teachers are to participate in other activities Lee (VI). “Their finesse and uniqueness to our time.” “how much [the teachers] are inspiring really invested in making that happen.” as well, such as checking out the teamwork is absolutely astonishing, to you all.” Inside the Record Opinions School News Merit Diplomacy and Pingry’s Economy of Gender Neutral Bathroom (p. 11) Accolades (p. 2) Form Trips (p. 14-15) Teacher-Student Communication: A Divided Exchange (p. 4) New Faculty (pp. 8-11) Summer Experiences Comics, Crosswords, and a fresh new look! Wong on Hong Kong (p. 6) Photo Credits: Pingry Communications 2 THE PINGRY RECORD COMMENTARY OCTOBER 25, 2019 Merit Diplomacy and Pingry’s What I really think of the Economy of Accolades Honor Code at Pingry of student leadership is not the game anxious feeling of watching and NOAH BERGAM (V) ZARA JACOB (V) lives, in our academic lives, and of direct merit I thought it was. waiting for that reward. in our extracurriculars. Are we all There are issues that everyone In the spring of last year, some I wouldn’t go so far to say it’s a Now your mistakes are visible. impeccable Pingry students that have agrees are violations of the Honor friends and I became obsessed with bloodbath, zero sum-game, but there’s Now you have to know why you upheld the contract we so earnestly Code: bullying, vandalism, racism, an online game called Diplomacy. certainly an element of transaction, have the position you have, and why signed on the first Friday of the sexism, and so on and so forth. If In this wonderfully irritating game, and therefore diplomacy, you have to others should follow you. You need school year? any such disrespectful actions are each player owns a certain pre-WWI master. Complex transactions of time legitimacy to hold on to what you No, we are not. I know that I am committed, we unanimously cite European country, and, move by and energy for club tenure and awards.