On November 1, 2018 over 90 guests returned to 100 East End Avenue for “Back to School!” an annual evening of classes taught by Chapin faculty.
Each alumna in attendance became a student for the night by pre-selecting from six wide-ranging offerings including “Civil Discourse and Political Debate” taught by English and history teacher Avi Gurland-Blaker; “You Can’t Say That! (Yes, You Can): An Exploration of the First Amendment” taught by history teacher Esther Krell; “Drawing in Color” taught by art teacher Duane Neil; “Handbell Ensemble” taught by Coordinator of Music Program Patricia Norchi; “The Mathematics of Change” taught by Head of Upper School Mathematics Lauren Riva; and “Cultivating Empathy” taught by drama teacher and Lower School Arts Integrator Sarah Bellantoni and Director of Academic Program Ilana Pergam ’86. In addition to these captivating classes, alumnae also had the option to instead hear Class 12 students discuss their impressive individual study projects in a presentation moderated by dance teacher and Upper School Arts Integrator Sarah Rutledge.
After an hour of inquiry and discovery, the classes were dismissed and the alumnae gathered together for a lively reception – complete with a photo booth and Chapin’s famous brownies – around the Berendsen Room. Smiles and laughter abounded as the women mingled with the evening’s teachers and compared notes about the various classes. The alumnae present truly seemed to enjoy this hands-on snapshot of what our students experience at Chapin today.
Browse photos from the event below: