Dec 1, 2020 | Opinion
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By Sydney Stovall (VI) The last time I expected the name “John Adams” to pose any relevance to my life was at 3:00 PM on May 15th, 2020. As I submitted my AP U.S. History exam, a wave of relief flooded over me. For the time being, the 18th-century terms and events that I had previously drilled into my brain faded away; obsolete words became distant memories in an instant. Flash forward two months, my daily routine is now consumed with virtual conversations, some light reading, and, of course, a whole lot of binge-worthy TV. Unlike Avatar and the infamous Tiger King, my favorite quarantine obsession is not one that many would consider a trending topic. As my summer came to a close, I reverted back to my past self, accumulated the last embers of my burnt-out APUSH mind, and proceeded to watch the John Adams miniseries.
Although the show mainly served as a supplement to my class’s first unit on the American Revolution, it was drastically different from the more traditional history documentaries we often watched in class. Even from the perspective of an APUSH-student, I could tell that the John Adams miniseries had a lot to offer to both a history student and a person who appreciates good television. The acting, the set design, and the cinematography in the show really interested me both as an actress and a performer on stage. It represented history in a way that depicted characters as complex, relatable human beings, not just individuals defined by a textbook.
The show outlines the founding of America through John Adams’ perspective. Viewers observe the fiery nature of John coupled with the calming yet powerful demeanor of his wife, Abigail. Thomas Jefferson maintains his composed charm, while Alexander Hamilton commands the treasury with fierce confidence. The show begins with the Boston Massacre, an event that sparked a series of protests, conventions, and ultimately, a revolution. For many Americans, that night was the culmination of years of British suppression and unequal representation. People of all ages and occupations banded together to demand justice.
The events following the Boston Massacre show stark similarities to our nation’s response to the racial injustices that occurred this past summer. While Black Lives Matter is certainly not a new topic, our nation’s attention to anti-Black sentiments erupted like never before, and much of this surge in social consciousness is attributed to protests. Much like the Boston Massacre, for many Americans, the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery were breaking points after years of injustice.
Perhaps one of the most jarring scenes in the first episode depicts the brutal tar and feathering of tax collector John Malcolm. While there is clearly no justification for the terrorization of an individual, these moments of heightened energy accurately reflect the anger many Americans felt. To be compelled to inflict brutality on an individual clearly conveys one’s urgency and determination to demand justice. We as Americans idolize these figures as true patriots who place freedom and justice over all else, engaging in potentially dangerous actions as a means to implement change. However, changes and often contradicts itself depending on the underlying circumstances. Although the Black Lives Matter protests and the Revolutionary war-era protests are both rooted in the fight for equality, the former is deemed as controversial to many Americans. The rioting and looting exhibited during the BLM protests is deemed unpatriotic, yet the violence committed by the angry civilians of the 18th century is acknowledged as the pinnacle of American’s fight for freedom.
The right to protest is ingrained within our country’s DNA. By giving us the agency to improve our nation, protests allow us to form a more intimate relationship with our surrounding environment. The strength to demand change and place oneself into a cause greater than their own existence gives America its power. Shouldn’t we uphold these same ideals to all individuals? Or will America’s cherished values remain applicable to a select few?
Nov 11, 2020 | Investigative
By Zoe Wang (V) By the middle of March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic sent schools and educators into a frenzy. Phil Murphy, the Governor of New Jersey, announced that all public and private schools were to be immediately closed to prevent the virus’s spread. The safety of students and staff were of the highest priority. Following the state’s orders, Pingry closed its doors to the community during spring break, and plans to commence remote learning ensued. After Pingry’s shift to remote learning, the question remained: what will school look like in September?
In July, the administration announced Pingry’s plan to resume school in the fall, titled “Pingry Anywhere.” As Head of School Matt Levinson stated, “The philosophy of Pingry Anywhere is to be able to provide education from anywhere.” Pingry Anywhere is a flexible education model that integrates in-person and online learning to accommodate students learning on campus and at home.
The plan meticulously considered all factors that make up a student’s typical school day at Pingry and implemented necessary precautions and safety measures. Every morning before arriving on campus, everyone must complete a pre-screen form that asks for your temperature, if you have any of the COVID symptoms, or if you have traveled outside of the state recently. At each school entrance, everyone’s temperature is checked to ensure that it is below 99.9°F.
Lunch has been redesigned so that Form III and IV students eat in the Hyde and Watson Gym, while Form V and VI students remain in the Engel Dining Hall. Additionally, all meals are pre-packaged, with plexiglass dividers at every table to minimize the risk of contact while eating. One of the most significant changes, however, is how classrooms now look. There are plexiglass barriers between every desk and TVs in every classroom for those opting to learn remotely. To encourage students to go outside for some fresh air, Adirondack chairs and tents have also been installed at the back of the school so students can interact with each other or take a “breather.”
After the first month of school concluded, COVID-19 testing began rolling out. The non-invasive antigen test is saliva-based and uses pool-testing. Along with wearing the mandatory masks and face shields, testing provides community members with another cautionary measure. The test results will allow the affected individuals to quarantine and contact tracing procedures will follow while mitigating others’ risk at school.
The efforts of several individuals at Pingry who have put in countless hours to make the students and faculty’s daily lives seem as ‘normal’ as possible are extremely appreciated by the community, as we truly are lucky to be able to go back in-person.
Like Pingry, Newark Academy has instituted similar protocols such as a daily COVID-19 questionnaire to complete before entering the campus, increased cleaning of high-touch surfaces throughout the day, and social distancing procedures. The key differences lie in the flexibility of attending school and testing. Pingry allows students and families to decide daily where they will be attending in-person or remote learning. Newark Academy also gives students the option to shift to remote education; however, they must wait until designated transition times to return to in-person learning. Unlike Pingry, Newark Academy has not yet announced plans to implement COVID-19 testing. This additional measure is beneficial for Pingry in keeping the community safe and campus open for as long as possible.
As a Pingry community member, everyone is expected to uphold the Community Pledge and follow all of the contact tracing and quarantine protocols. It truly is commendable what a great job the faculty and staff have done to bring the students back on campus to a thriving environment filled with exceptional learning.
Nov 11, 2020 | Brian Li ('22), Summer Experiences
After witnessing the far-reaching and debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our communities, a group of Pingry students, public school students, and I looked on anxiously, wondering if anything could be done to help alleviate this dire situation. With virtually all schools going remote during the pandemic, many students did not receive the same quality of education that they usually would have, stunting their learning and putting them at a disadvantage compared to their peers. We wanted to help such students continue to learn and enrich them with knowledge that could benefit them down the road.
Thus, STEMinPlace was born: a group of high schoolers who wanted to help the community during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing high-quality, free, interactive, and fun learning opportunities for middle schoolers. “STEMinPlace started as just an idea; I knew I had the goal of teaching middle schoolers these STEM topics, but I wasn’t sure how to get there,” founder Ryan Arrazcaeta (V) stated. After forming a team and creating our website (steminplace.com), we decided on a structure for our program that would effectively educate our students and set us apart from similar organizations. By offering six STEM courses––Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Astronomy, Genetics, and Game Theory, we hoped to provide students with various courses that they could choose from, stimulating their interest and potentially sparking a passion for a subject that they were previously unaware of. In addition, we invited guest speakers every week to demonstrate how these topics apply in the real world.
While the structure of our program was coming to fruition, we were worried about raising awareness. Finding enough students for a fledgling organization seemed nearly impossible. We reached out to family and friends to spread the word, unsure if we would even have 10 students. One day, to our surprise, we checked the responses to our signup form and saw over 100 registrations and counting. This shock quickly turned to horror as we were initially overwhelmed by this sudden influx of students. Nevertheless, we adjusted our curricula, prepared for a much more exciting than we previously imagined, and with our combined teamwork, successfully taught just short of 1000 students over the course of six weeks.
Our classes and commitment to education were much appreciated by our students and their families. In part, we continued to receive more signups because of students and parents recommending our program to others. They also expressed their gratitude by commenting on our program. One said, “Volunteer high school kids pulled off remote learning better than the paid professionals at my kids’ private school. What more can I say? Amazing.” Several parents offered donations, but we asked them to donate to other organizations with similar missions, namely the “I Have a Dream” Foundation, Teaching Matters, and the Michael Aymar Foundation.
STEMinPlace has also been an enriching experience for our team. We learned how to run an organization, developed valuable leadership and educational skills, and for some of us, gained a passion for teaching and community service. Connor Chen (V) discovered that he “thoroughly enjoyed teaching others about topics that [he] knew a lot about and realized that sharing [his] knowledge with others is very gratifying. [He] also learned how management works behind the scenes and gained valuable experience in how to run a program with a motivated team to work alongside [him].” We hope we helped our communities in any way possible and provided students with an education that they will never forget.
Nov 11, 2020 | Investigative
By Jessica Lin (VI) Pingry’s various research programs are one of the school’s greatest strengths. From the renowned Pingry Research Exhibit to the newly added Humanities Independent Research Team (HIRT), our programs are rapidly developing and expanding. We investigated three well-known schools around the area with whom to compare research programs and see how we can potentially improve. These schools are Stuyvesant, a New York public magnet school; Hotchkiss, a Connecticut private boarding school; and Lawrenceville, a New Jersey private day/boarding school. For the purposes of this article, a research program is defined as a school-offered extracurricular program whose main focus is to conduct scientific research to further new understandings in that field. Therefore, this investigation aims to cover research clubs and programs rather than any research based classes.
Research Publications
Beginning with Stuyvesant, we gathered information from their website and found that the school research club runs a science magazine called SIGMA, similar to the Pingry Community Research Journal (PCR). It is organized into four separate departments: layout, annotations, which summarizes articles to make them more comprehensible to the general public, creative works, which focuses on producing the content for the publication, and processing/revisions. Based on SIGMA’s departmental organization, one takeaway is that some form of annotations might also prove useful in PCR issues. Adding short summaries and definitions for scientific terms would expand the audience of PCR to the whole student body, rather than just those who are knowledgeable in STEM. However, a criticism of SIGMA’s structure is that a separate role for annotations would divide the researcher from their work; it would be more efficient to have each researcher define their own terms, since they’re the most knowledgeable in that subject area. The combination of the researcher and annotator roles is also more suitable for Pingry based on our smaller student body compared to Stuyvesant.
Stuyvesant also runs a publication called Nucleus which focuses on prevalent issues and developments in chemistry and physics. Many of the Pingry research programs are centered in biology research, so broadening the scope to different science subjects would benefit Pingry students as well.
After conducting online research and searching through the Hotchkiss and Lawrenceville school websites, we were unable to find a research publication or journal that they run.
Program Variability
According to the Stuyvesant curriculum and student insight from their school newspaper, Stuyvesant appears to be more STEM-centered than Pingry; this orientation is reflected in the spread of their research programs, as they lack any equivalent to Pingry’s HIRT. However, one strength is their Stuyvesant Research Mentoring Program (SRMP), which pairs upperclassmen with underclassmen who are interested in scientific research. The goal is for the more experienced upperclassmen to “help aspiring student researchers develop their scientific interest and enable them to get a foothold in the research world,” according to the SRMP website. While Pingry offers various tutoring programs in core subjects like Math and English, a research-specific mentoring program could help expose new high school students to the vast range of research opportunities that can initially be overwhelming. Because many Pingry research programs only accept students in Forms IV through VI, such a mentoring program could help students engage in science research and help them develop essential skills, such as how to read research articles or how to design a lab. This type of program could also help bring the student community together.
Lawrenceville provides more opportunities than Stuyvesant to delve into humanities, such as the University of Pennsylvania’s School Participatory Action Research Collaborative (SPARC), where UPenn graduate students and faculty collaborate with a number of independent schools, including Lawrenceville, to “improve school culture, policy, and practice,” based on their website description. Their research focuses on how issues such as gender, relationships, and identity present themselves at Lawrenceville. Finding a way for Pingry to join SPARC would add greatly to the humanities research department, which HIRT is currently bearing the brunt of. Although we have strong programs at Pingry that cover similar topics, such as the newly formed Pingry Allyship Collective (PAC), a research-based program like SPARC could benefit and pair well with PAC, integrating diversity and inclusion with scientific data specific to our school.
Facilities
All three schools meet a similar lab equipment standard to that of Pingry, as they all have DNA testing equipment, robotics labs, and some form of a lab space to conduct biological research. However, one unique asset of Hotchkiss is their observatory for stargazing. The on-campus Hotchkiss Observatory boasts a 20 inch telescope and enables students to research stellar activities through the student-led Astronomy Club. Hotchkiss states that their rural geographical location in Salisbury CT gives them access to clear skies at night, so it’s undetermined as to whether Pingry would be able to build one in our current location, not to mention the costs of constructing one. However, it could add another layer to the diversity of Pingry research programs.
Conclusions
Based on the schools we investigated, we can conclude that Pingry stands as a top-tier research program among other local high-level schools. The most meaningful and realistic improvement Pingry should consider is adding a program similar to UPenn’s SPARC: one that focuses on the role that gender, race, or any other identifiers play in the school community. We should utilize humanities research to develop an empirical understanding of diversity and equality in our school, so we can then work with other existing initiatives, like PAC, with the goal of improving our school culture. This program would also bolster the humanities research department, which is currently significantly smaller than the STEM department. Whether these ideas are ultimately implemented or not, research remains a vital part of high school education. Research teaches students how to explore and think for themselves, so it’s crucial that Pingry continues to build upon these valuable programs.
Nov 11, 2020 | Mirika Jambudi, School News, Sidebar News
By Mirika Jambudi (IV)
In place of traditional class trips this year, each form in the Upper School had a special orientation day the week before school started. These orientations started with briefings on Pingry’s new safety procedures and were followed by a team bonding activity centered on diversity and inclusion.
Afterwards, students spent time with their advisory groups and reconnected as a grade in the new Pingry “Student Village” tents. Spikeball nets and ping pong tables were also set up, such that students were able to mingle with each other outdoors in a safe and distanced manner.
Traditionally, Form III students would go on an overnight retreat in Pennsylvania with their peer leaders to bond as a grade. However, this year, they stayed on campus at Pingry, participating in back-to-school safety procedures and spending time with their peer groups. “Despite the unusual circumstances, [the] peer leaders did try to make it a fun day for us all, with activities like UNO, icebreakers, and Jeopardy,” Divya Subramanian (III) said.
The way the Pingry community has adapted during these times is an example of our resilience and commitment to the Honor Code. The administration and students put in a lot of effort to ensure that the events ran smoothly and everyone stayed safe. Even though orientations and class trips were not the typical experiences students have had in the past, students could still catch up with other members of their grade while also having some time to relax and enjoy the last week of summer before the start of school.
Nov 11, 2020 | Mirika Jambudi, School News, Sidebar News
By Mirika Jambudi (IV) On Wednesday, September 30, the Upper School gathered together in Hauser and over Zoom to celebrate student achievements and exceptional academic effort in the 2019-2020 school year.
The ceremony started with recognizing the Form VI students who were distinguished for their scores on last year’s PSAT/NMSQT exam by the National Merit Scholarship Program. This year, thirty-three Pingry students were named National Merit Commended Students, a significant increase from last year. A total of fifteen seniors were recognized as National Merit Semifinalists, allowing them the chance to advance in the selection process and potentially become finalists in the spring. These seniors were Noah Bergam, Joseph Castagno, Monica Chan, Zara Jacob, Rhea Kapur, Aneesh Karuppur, Dean Koenig, Jemma Kushen, Julian Lee, Justin Li, Guanyun Liang, Helen Liu, Katherine Overdeck, Eva Schiller, and Avidan Shah.
Following these distinctions, Upper School Director, Ms. Chatterji, presented the Citizenship Prize, which is given to one student in each grade who best represents the Honor Code’s spirit. Afterward, the Faculty Prize was awarded to students who showed dedication and commitment to their school work during the past academic school year. Finally, the Scholarship Prize was awarded to the student(s) with the highest GPA in each grade.
Next, seniors excelling in math and science were recognized with awards from the respective department. The Rensselaer Mathematics and Science Award and the Whitlock Prize for Math were among some of the awards given.
As per tradition, Mr. Levinson and Dr. Dinkins went on to present the College Book Awards. Each award is given to a senior class member who best meets the selection criteria provided by the particular college. Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Mount Holyoke, Penn, Princeton, Smith, Wellesley, Williams, and Yale were represented this year.
On behalf of the English Department, Dr. Dickerson announced the winners of the annual Justin Society writing contest. Students submitted their entries last spring, which the English Department then reviewed. Writers and poets from each grade received awards for their creative writing, poetry, memoir, and more.
The annual Fall Awards ceremony is a celebration within the Pingry community of student achievement, excellence, and honor. It serves to recognize the efforts that every individual puts into school every day. The Pingry community looks forward to another year of student achievement and hard work, and congratulates all the students honored at the ceremony.
Nov 10, 2020 | Andrew Wong, COVID-19, Front Page News, School News
By Andrew Wong (V) As a tumultuous 2019-2020 school year came to an end this past June, and the COVID-19 pandemic stretched into yet another month, many members of the Pingry community were questioning if in-person learning would be possible in September. With teachers, administrators, and students desperately wanting to go back to school, Pingry Anywhere, the framework to try and facilitate school in the era of COVID-19, was created. The goal of the project was simple: get Pingry safely back in session this fall. However, it was less clear at first how this would be done. Head of School Mr. Levinson underscored the complexity of the task, summing up how Pingry Anywhere needed to “strategically [align] all dimensions of the School, from teaching and learning to technology to operations and facilities.” A leadership team, consisting of various teachers, administrators, and outside consultants, overseen by Mr. Levinson himself, was formed to manage this Herculean endeavor.
Throughout the summer, Pingry was transformed into a construction site, as facilities staff worked daily to install plexiglass safety barriers, set up massive outdoor tents, and convert the Hyde-Watson gym into a massive cafeteria. Student volunteers and faculty members spent countless hours packaging and distributing thousands of face masks and shields for the entire Pingry community. Meanwhile, the tech team installed speakers, microphones, cameras, and TV monitors in the classrooms to facilitate Pingry’s new hybrid learning model. Teachers rewrote their curricula to make sure that their plans for the year could handle both in-person and remote environments.
After a great summer-long effort, Pingry Anywhere was ready to be unveiled to the community. On September 14th, Pingry students walked back into campus to begin a school year like no other. Each student was required to fill out a pre-screening form before arriving on campus, wear a mask and shield, and try their best to spread out. Classes were hybrid, with some students joining via Zoom from home. After so many months of preparation, Mr. Levinson said of the occasion, “it was just so uplifting and gratifying to see months of planning come to fruition to bring our community back together.” Students were also extremely happy to be back.
“It was by far the oddest school day I’ve ever had,” said Dean Koenig (VI). “Seeing hundreds of faces in the same building for the first time in months, I thought there was no way in-person learning would last more than a few weeks.” While many students and faculty were initially doubtful about how long Pingry Anywhere would last, the new hybrid model proved to be extremely successful and resilient, in even the face of an uptick of local COVID-19 cases. Daily information on the spread of the virus was provided via the Pingry Anywhere Dashboard, and the addition of weekly pooled COVID testing provided by Mirimus Labs has helped to further ensure student safety.
Now almost two months into the new hybrid model of learning, Pingry Anywhere has proven to be a reliable system for learning during the COVID-19 era. As Mr. Levinson stated, Pingry Anywhere has “strengthened the sense of belonging that students feel as part of the Pingry community and has allowed us to come up with new ways of delivering on our promise of excellence.” Mr. Fahey, director of Pingry’s Health and Wellness Task Force, agreed, speculating on how “maybe the future of Pingry Anywhere is the future of education!” In the weeks that lie ahead, the limits of Pingry Anywhere will most definitely be tested, as the nation prepares for a possible winter spike in COVID-19 cases. Nonetheless, thanks to the flexibility of Pingry Anywhere, regardless of what happens, Pingry students and faculty can be assured that they will be well-protected, and the school will adjust to whatever circumstances arise.
Nov 10, 2020 | New Faculty
By Kyra Li (V) This year, Mr. Carl Frye joins Pingry as the Assistant Director of Summer and Auxiliary Programs; she will facilitate programs such as before and aftercare, the Big Blue Summer organization, and enrichment activities in the Lower School. Additionally, Mr. Frye is a coach for the Varsity and Middle School football teams.
Before coming to Pingry, Mr. Frye received his business degree from Regina Salve University, where he also played on their football team as the running back. Through playing sports, Mr. Frye realized his passion and love for working with children. After graduating, he managed youth sports organizations for 15 years; in 2007, he founded DownTown Giants Youth Sports, an organization based in Manhattan. Before coming to Pingry, Mr. Frye was also the Westlake Football Academy President in Austin, Texas.
Although this is his first official year at Pingry, Mr. Frye was first hired as a resident coach a year ago by Director of Athletics and Community Wellness Ms. Carter Abbott, and he coached three different sports. He discovered Pingry through a referral he received from another Pingry alumnus and former faculty member. He served as a substitute, as the Big Blue Summer Camp Director, and finally, started his role as Assistant Director of Summer and Auxiliary Programs.
In his free time, Mr. Frye enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, Myla, and having barbecues.
When asked about his experience at Pingry thus far, he said that he has “absolutely loved Pingry.” He “found that the community has welcomed [him] with open arms,” and he has made many great friends. For this upcoming school year, his goals include helping the football team complete the season with a winning record, contributing to the Pingry environment, and helping rent out the school facilities.
Nov 10, 2020 | New Faculty
By Katherine Xie (V) This school year, Dr. Julie O’Rourke joins the faculty as an academic and social-emotional specialist, assisting with coordinating and developing the health and wellness programs at Pingry.
Dr. O’Rourke received her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Drew University and then attended Boston University, where she received her Master’s and Ph.D. in psychology.
Before coming to Pingry, she worked at the Peck School in Morristown while also running her private psychology practice in Summit. Dr. O’Rourke also did consultations at schools and often taught at parent or teacher training workshops, where she was able to spread knowledge about how “wellness, the brain, and emotions work from a scientific perspective.”
Dr. O’Rourke also enjoys being a part of the federal emergency response team, where she works with first responders as a psychologist. She says that these experiences have greatly inspired her and that she is “glad to be working in a high school once again” with teens.
She has “loved being at Pingry so far” and is excited to meet more of the Pingry community. That ties into her goal, as she wants to “get to know as many members I can––especially being a new person to the community.”
In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family and enjoys cheering on her two sons at their sports games. Over the past 15 years, Dr. O’Rourke’s family has also housed over 50 rescue dogs until their adoption. She likes to be active outdoors, through gardening or walking. On-campus, Dr. O’Rourke is looking forward to spending time out at the farm and exploring the Pingry wood trails, and encourages everyone to get outside, too!
Nov 10, 2020 | New Faculty
By Allen Wu (V) This year, Pingry welcomes Ms. Denise Lionetti ’85 to the Language Department as a Spanish teacher for fourth and fifth grade.
Ms. Lionetti is no stranger to the Pingry community, as she was part of the Pingry graduating class of 1985. Here, she first cultivated her love for “other cultures and learning languages” and received the “best gift” of her life: being able to participate in a summer abroad program in Spain. Ms. Lionetti studied Italian at Rutgers University, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts and spent a year abroad in Florence, Italy.
Before returning to Pingry as a teacher, Ms. Lionetti served as a department chair and an advisor at the Seabury Hall School in Maui, Hawaii. There, she taught everything from Spanish 1 to AP Spanish. She left for a brief sabbatical and worked as an educational tour director in Italy before returning to Seabury Hall.
In May of last year, Ms. Lionetti remotely substituted in the Pingry Lower School. She cites this experience as one of the primary reasons as to why she “fell in love with the Pingry Lower School community.” This year, Ms. Lionetti is joining the school as a full-time faculty member. When asked about her experience as a Pingry teacher, Ms. Lionetti said that she’s had an enjoyable experience so far. “I am deeply moved by the resilience and dedication of everyone around me and feel incredibly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community.”
She is also happy to see how the school has grown and changed over the years, citing the addition of 3D printers and world languages to the Lower School as examples. Ms. Lionetti also expressed her interest in becoming more involved in Pingry’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and is glad to see how involved students have become.
Outside of the classroom, Ms. Lionetti has a longstanding passion for Cuban-style salsa dancing. During her time as an entrepreneur, Ms. Lionetti even held week-long salsa workshops for several public schools in Maui.
Overall, Ms. Lionetti is looking forward to an exciting school year, despite all of the challenges it has presented: “It’s really an amazing feeling to see what we are capable of in the face of adversity.”
Nov 10, 2020 | New Faculty
By Allen Wu (V) This year, Pingry welcomes Mr. Seth Goodwin to the Visual Arts department. He teaches Clay 1, Clay 2, and Sculpture, as well as serves as the faculty advisor of the new Pingry fishing club.
Mr. Goodwin first attended Radford University, after which he moved to New Jersey and attended Kean University for his undergraduate degree. There, he graduated with a B.F.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in sculpture. Mr. Goodwin then completed his M.F.A. in Sculpture at Montclair State University.
Before joining Pingry, Mr. Goodwin had acquired teaching experience from a variety of schools. After graduating from Montclair State University, Mr. Goodwin went on to teach at Montclair State University and Kean University for 15 years. During the day, he also worked as the senior preparator for the Newark Museum, where he designed and managed the building of exhibits. For the last two years, Mr. Goodwin has taken on a similar role at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
When asked about his motivations for becoming a teacher, Mr. Goodwin said that his father was also an art teacher and served as an inspiration for him. “I think that having so many great teachers through my schooling really solidified the idea of becoming a teacher for me. Once I was half-way through my undergrad, that was it. I knew what I wanted to do.”
As for why Mr. Goodwin wanted to join Pingry, he remarked that he likes the unique opportunities that Pingry provides its students. “There are a lot of colleges out there that don’t have anything as good as this studio.” Mr. Goodwin also particularly enjoys working with the students in the studio. “The students that have been in clay for a couple of years are really eager to make things. I think they are really enjoying the process and I feed off of that.” So far, Mr. Goodwin feels that he has been “greeted with open arms” by the Pingry community.
During this school year, Pingry has faced many challenges due to the pandemic. Art classes in particular have been impacted due to their hands-on nature. “I think that especially clay is a really difficult course to teach and for students to take because it is very dependent on things in the studio,” Mr. Goodwin said. To deal with this particular challenge, he has sent kits of clay and tools home with students. Through some experimentation and resourcefulness, he found that take-home half-sized potters’ wheels work well in creating small pots.
Mr. Goodwin continues to make art outside of the classroom, primarily working on sculptures, sculptural furniture, and woodworking. Besides art, Mr. Goodwin also enjoys kayaking, mountain biking, and doing other outdoor activities with his nine-year-old son.
Nov 10, 2020 | New Faculty
By Evan Wen (IV) The Pingry counseling department is excited to welcome a new counselor for both high school and middle school students, Ms. Maurisa Thomas.
Before coming to Pingry, Ms. Thomas received a Bachelor’s Degree in history and secondary education at The College of New Jersey before working as a high school history teacher. After this, Ms. Thomas realized she wanted a different connection with her students and decided to go back to college for a master’s degree. At the New Jersey City University, she received a Master’s Degree in mental health and school counseling. She then returned to The College of New Jersey to receive a post-master’s degree. Upon completing her education, Ms. Thomas interned and spent four years as a public middle school counselor.
At Pingry, Ms. Thomas will be teaching Wellness 7, a course that focuses on social interactions with peers as well as physical and mental wellness. In addition to teaching this course and counseling, Ms. Thomas is interested in getting to know students better and will be visiting advisory groups along with Dr. Rosen.
So far, Ms. Thomas has enjoyed being able to work with a large group of students from both the upper and middle schools. Her goals for the year are to break the mental health stigma and reach out more. In addition, she plans on getting to know the culture and community by attending events such as the Fall Play and sports games. Outside of life at Pingry, Ms. Thomas enjoys listening to music, reading leisurely, comedy shows, nature, and all around “enjoying life.”
“Don’t be afraid to visit me,” she said. “You don’t need to have a big mental health challenge. If you just need someone to talk to you can always visit me.”
Nov 10, 2020 | New Faculty
By Max Watzky (IV) This fall, Pingry welcomed Mr. Eric Bulakites to the Middle and Upper School language departments. He will be teaching French 1B in the Middle School, as well as French 2 and French Film in the Upper School.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in French and Sociology from Georgetown University, Mr. Bulakites went on to do graduate studies in French at Johns Hopkins University. While earning his undergraduate degree, Mr. Bulakites studied abroad in Paris for two semesters; although Mr. Bulakites was already interested in French film and culture before university, his time in Paris was what “ultimately convinced [him] to become a French teacher.”
Before coming to Pingry, Mr. Bulakites taught English to French students and served as a high school theater and elementary school teacher in Washington, D.C. Mr. Bulakites enjoys Pingry’s “small class sizes and flex time,” which he explains has “[helped] him get to know [his] students better.” He hopes to “help [his] students engage with material outside of the classroom,” and he emphasized the importance of using media to help students gain a fuller understanding of the language and culture. This year, Mr. Bulakites’ main goal is to “get involved with Pingry’s clubs and athletics;” however, in the future, Mr. Bualakites also hopes to “organize a French medical class, maybe with some help from the Science department.”
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Bulakites enjoys the outdoors and is eager to help with environmental sustainability efforts and organizations at Pingry, such as the Middle School Green Group. Mr. Bulakites’ experience and passion for French will undoubtedly prove valuable for the community, and we wish him the best of luck this year!
Nov 10, 2020 | New Faculty, Uncategorized
By Mehr Takakr (III) Mrs. Stephenson is new to Pingry this year as the associate athletic director on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team. She will be the first athletic representative on the DEI Board, and her role will be to include more student/athlete perspective on decisions about the school.
Mrs. Stephenson received a Bachelors of Science in Sports Management from Delaware State University, and later attended DeVos Sport Business Management Program at the University of Central Florida to get her MBA and Masters in Sports Business Management. Before arriving at Pingry, Mrs. Stephenson also worked for the NFL in the player engagement department. There, she helped athletes determine what they wanted to do after their athletic career and guided them through the next steps to take. She also helped out with college athletics and worked at the Birmingham Crossplex.
Mrs. Stephenson grew up in Maryland and has family in New Jersey. She “loves being so close to home…which is one of the many things I love about this job.” She also enjoys working with younger people again and being able to impact their lives directly.
So far, she already loves Pingry and its “college-like” environment, noting that “it brings [her] back to when [she] was in college.” Moving forward, Mrs. Stephenson’s most important goals for this year include acclimating to the school and ensuring that students have the best experience possible. She is also helping to layout a framework through the DEI to ensure that all different types of people are included in athletics.
Nov 10, 2020 | Eva Schiller, New Faculty
By Eva Schiller (VI) The Pingry College Counseling Office is thrilled to welcome Cynthia Santiago to their team!
Mrs. Santiago graduated from Muhlenberg College in 2001, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She later joined the Muhlenberg Admissions staff, where she served as Senior Associate Director of Admissions and Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment.
When asked what inspired her to switch to college counseling at Pingry, Mrs. Santiago explained, “I recruited for Muhlenberg at Pingry. I always loved my time coming here and held in high regard the students that I would meet here. So when it came time to think about leaving admissions, it was important for me to find a place that had a good community, and Pingry fit that bill!”
Now a few months in, Mrs. Santiago has made herself an integral part of the community. In addition to co-advising with Mrs. Morales of the Admissions Office, she has gotten involved with Pingry’s Latinex Affinity Group. “I’m open to any other opportunities!” she added, smiling. In the coming weeks, she hopes to “get to know as much as possible,” despite the various challenges that COVID-19 is posing.
When she’s not at Pingry, Mrs. Santiago has plenty of hobbies to keep her busy. “I crochet, and if I’m not doing that, I also spend time with my family,” she remarks. “I’ve got two little ones, and we do bike riding, hiking, and other outdoor activities as much as we can.”
Describing her experience thus far, she exclaimed, “I love it! It’s been great! Everyone is so friendly and very welcoming, and I love that I’m part of the community.” She would also like to remind the student body one last thing: “My door is always open!” Welcome to Pingry, Mrs. Santiago! We wish you the best.
