ON THE HORIZON MARIN HORIZON SCHOOL2012–2013 ANNUAL REPORT

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What Have We Been Up To?Letters from: Head of School, Board Chair, and Parent Association President, Board & Parent Association Members

Cover photo: Joel Booth, P.E. and After School Athletics, 4th–8th grades

We Are Grateful Notes from the Development Office, Art Auction highlights, operating budgets and ways to give

200 Years! A look at our deep roots

Donor Listings Thank you to our many generous supporters!

Learning to Present Students learn valuable public speaking and presentation skills throughout the grades

Marin Horizon Alumni Alumni updates, Mums of Alums, Alumni Overnight, 8th Grade and Beyond, Class of 2013

Marin Horizon School believes that every child can grow up to make a difference in the world. Every day, our faculty enthusiastically delivers a top-notch education to children from preschool through middle school in joyful classrooms where academics and character are of equal importance. We do this because we believe the world doesn’t just need smart people. The world needs smart people with the courage to be kind and to stand up for what’s right.

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Dear Marin Horizon Families,

On the minds of many Heads of School across the United States is the topic of tuition pricing and the affordability of independent schools. Last fall, in an article that appeared in Independent School Magazine, entitled “The Independent School Financial Model is Broken, Here’s How We Fix It,” John S. Farber, Head of Old Trail School in Ohio, argued that under current economic conditions, tuition-dependent schools cannot continue to use tuition and fundraising to keep pace with rapidly rising fixed costs such as healthcare. The model is unsustainable because even families who love what these schools do for their children, are fatigued from writing checks for tuition, philanthropic activities and school

events. Farber posits that it is imperative for schools to start generating alternative revenue sources to ensure long-term viability and affordability for a wide range of families.

With the goal of generating increased revenue for the school, we completed one important initiative during the 2012 – 2013 school year and began another. For the better part of the year our Site Committee worked tirelessly to identify a property on Miller Avenue for our Toddler Program. We then worked with The Department of Planning and Building in the City of Mill Valley to secure the necessary permits to upgrade the site to make it suitable for our youngest students. In what is now affectionately known as “The Toddler Cottage,” we can offer a longer program and increased extended day options to our Toddler families. We also gained valuable classroom space for older students on this campus, and increased the number of students per grade in our upper school classes, growing our overall enrollment and revenue.

At the end of last school year, the Board also gave me approval to convene an ad hoc com-mittee to research non-tuition revenue sources for the school. The committee tapped into a wealth of expertise in many areas — entrepreneurial, marketing, legal, green businesses, technology, and human resources — and work began in earnest in the 2013-2014 school year.

As with everything we do, the success of these initiatives required the participation of many in the community. I want to thank each and every parent volunteer and community member for their unwavering support. Every contribution you make matters, whether it is as a Board member, a parent on a Board Committee, or a Parent Association volunteer. Here’s to providing another 36 years and more of the best education Marin County offers; here’s to Marin Horizon School, a place where academics and character are truly classmates.

Warmly,

luis ottley, mba, ed.d.Head of School

Dear Marin Horizon School Community,

Marin Horizon School has long been blessed by trustees who typically serve the school with sleeves rolled up and for maximum six-year terms and beyond. Their dedication and hard work have helped transition the school through many growth periods during its 36-year history.

What does our work look like? At a recent work day, trustees participated in generative and strategic conversation around independent school financial sustainability. Breakout groups discussed price break point, our value proposition, and opportuni-ties for alternative revenue. Our conclusions filter into discussions throughout the year.

In addition to ongoing fiduciary and strategic work, the seven committees of the Board have been actively working on: investing cash reserves wisely; long-range planning for facilities improvements; a strategic plan for supporting diversity, in its broadest definition; and increasing awareness of and interaction with our Homestead Valley neighbors.

Also, last year the Board set the stage to provide substantial additional financial resources that will help Marin Horizon School stay Marin Horizon School for years to come. Specifically, there are three foundations of a Marin Horizon student’s experience we want to fortify and preserve. First, we want to ensure that Marin Horizon will stay attractive to the same caliber of faculty that serve our students so well today. Second, we are committed to maintaining a strong and distinct team teaching model. Finally, we will uphold our mission to stay accessible to a wide socioeconomic range of students and families.

Curious how to become involved in our work? As positions become available, trustees with specific skill sets that match our current strategic initiatives are nominated by our Commit-tee on Trustees. Often nominees have served on one of the Board committees or been active volunteers in other areas of the school community. Our Board leadership should also reflect the diversity we value in our community. In July 2012, we welcomed four new trustees: Craig Croteau, Marsha Dugan, Andrea Elkort and Liz Brown-Lewin.

Together, it is our privilege to work closely with Luis to ensure that Marin Horizon lives its mission. After seven years of service on the Board, I bear witness to many examples of that mission in action, leaving me deeply grateful for the support, commitment, and dedication of parents, teachers, students and neighbors working together.

Gratefully yours,

trigg mcleodChair, Board of TrusteesLivie ’15 and William ’17

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Dear Marin Horizon Families and Friends,

What did the Parent Association achieve during the 2012-2103 school year?

Lots! Last year saw our biggest Wine Tasting & Boutique night in ten years! As we sipped wines from Alan’s Wine Cellar, we shopped from a variety of unique vendors, all there to support Marin Horizon. Thanks to the party planning expertise of Amy Fitzpatrick, it was a great night to mix, mingle and make some purchases! Beyond fundraising, the Parent Association was busy organizing potlucks, field trip chaperones, moms’ and dads’ nights out and, yes, checking for lice. We hosted several commu-nity events: our annual Chili Cook-off & Bingo Night, chaired by

Samira Willson, the Downtown Lunch, Parent Education nights, Dine & Donate dinners, and Grandparents and Special Friends Day, chaired by Nicole McWhorter. And to top it all off, the final touches were put on the first ever school cookbook, What’s for Dinner Tonight? by Rebecca Lien. What a treat!

Marin Horizon’s 35th Birthday celebration and Annual Art Auction a smashing success!

To celebrate Marin Horizon’s 35th year, the Parent Association set a lofty goal of throwing a special birthday party and raising more funds than in previous years, as a birthday gift to the school. We met both our goals because of the hard work, innovation and dedication of our auction Dream Team: Regan McNeill-Ural, Dara Potter and Stacey Silver. Parents, faculty, staff and friends of Marin Horizon donned their best nautical couture for a spec-tacularly beautiful May night at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon. Even the cast of “Gilligan’s Island” made it for the birthday party that was so special, two Gilligans washed ashore! (See page 17 for pictures of the festivities!) Thanks to the efforts of the auction co-chairs, the volunteers, and all of you, our generous school community, the auction raised $165,000, and including their other activities throughout the year, the Parent Association was able to contribute $178,000 to the school’s operating budget, up $43,000 over the previous year. Now that’s a memorable birthday present!

It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve as President of the Parent Association. We truly have a uniquely fabulous school community here at Marin Horizon and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back.

Sincerely,

daniela manningPresident, Parent Association 2011-2013Vivien ’14 and Teddy ’17

2012–2013 Board of Trustees

PRESIDENT Trigg McLeod

HEAD OF SCHOOL Luis Ottley, Ed.D.

VICE PRESIDENTS Gerry Hansen Paul Levitan

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Sally Van Ingen

TREASURER Hunter Hancock

PARENT BOARD LIAISON Daniela Manning

FACULTY MEMBERS Annie Gordon Catherine Hills

PARENT MEMBERS Ted Bayer Liz Brown-Lewin Craig Croteau Marsha Dugan Rob Edington Andrea Elkort Doug Grant Cindy Grijalva Gina Hector Kirk Hobbs Desmond Pollock

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Scott Duyan Head of Presidio Hill SchoolJesse Pearson Chair, Alumni Council (’86)Dana Swisher Alumni Parent

2012–2013 Parent Association Board

PRESIDENT Daniela Manning

DINING FOR DOLLARS Teri Augustine

LOST AND FOUND Janet Coughlin

CLASS PARENTS Bari Cessna

HOSPITALITY Katie Dyos Lizelle Green Nicole McWhorter

WINE TASTING & BOUTIQUE Amy Fitzpatrick

FOOD TRUCK Shari Hansen

COOKBOOK Rebecca Lien

PARENT EDUCATION Daniela Manning

GRANDPARENTS & SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY Nicole McWhorter

ANNUAL ART AUCTION CO-CHAIRS Dara Potter Stacey Silver Regan Ural

TREASURER Kevin Smead

GRAPHIC DESIGN Regan Ural

SPIRIT WEAR Michelle Verloop

CHILI COOK OFF Samira Willson

Of course, we at Marin Horizon couldn’t do what we do so well without the incredible dedication of our Board and Parent Association volunteers. These parents, alumni and community members devoted countless hours and talents to our school and our students, and we are a better organization for it. Thank you!

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“So many things have changed, but the important aspects have remained intact and are thriving!”

From quirky mimeograph machines to high speed internet, church basement to two campuses, Marin Horizon School has grown with the times in 36 years. But some things have stayed the same and eight of our teach-ers have been with us for 20 years or more. Another nine have been here for 15 years or more! There’s something to be said about a core group of people who help keep us rooted in our beginnings while leaning with us into our future.

“So many things have changed, but the important aspects have remained intact and are thriving!” says Kathleen Hazelton-Leech who clocks in at 36 years – yes, you read that right! Kathleen is one of our founding teachers, and to this day, says, “I just love making children happy, so I try to

do this as often as possible just to see them light up with smiles. That is my joy!”

The deep-seated value that academics and character are of equal importance has been a common thread from our beginnings in 1977, when a small group of parents and teachers came together to open a Montessori preschool. As we grew to ultimately include Toddlers through 8th grade students, our program evolved to incorporate other teach-ing methodologies that fit with our mission.

On the following pages we’ve highlighted the eight teachers who have been with us for 20 years or more. The common thread is that while each came to us for different reasons, they all stayed for the community. And we think that says a lot about who we are!

THE CUMULATIVE TENURE OF THE EIGHT TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH

MARIN HORIZON FOR 20+ YEARS!

STEVIE LEE Director of Diversity & Inclusion

ANDREA LENZI Primary Head Teacher

MAXINE DECOOK Middle School Associate

Teacher

CHANDI HEMAPALA Primary Asstistant Teacher

MARK SHERBURNE Middle School Math Teacher

HARRIET HAYWARD Music Teacher

MO POXON Middle School Science Teacher

CHRIS ELBERS Facilities Manager

ANNIE GORDON 4th/5th Head Teacher

AND THAT’S NOT ALL…THE FOLLOWING FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE BEEN WITH MARIN HORIZON FOR 15+ YEARS!

200Y E A R S

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KATHLEEN HAZELTON-LEECH“It was an awesome beginning, with so much hope, goodwill and energy…” says Kathleen about our founding. A self-described idealist, Kathleen was naturally drawn to the Montessori pedagogy.

When she’s not creating joy in her classroom, Kathleen can be found visiting and entertain-ing friends and family, including her son Connor (’03), a proud Marin Horizon alumnus. She’s also an avid gardener and is especially fond of her butterfly garden where she raises Monarchs and Anise Swallowtails.

When asked what she would be if she wasn’t a Marin Horizon teacher, her answer was: mermaid! Well, we’re glad we’ve been able to keep you on land all these years, Kathleen!

HILLERY JAFFE-URELL“I love that we don’t stay static,” says Hillery, who came to us in 1982 after moving to the area from Oregon. Even though much has changed, “our core philosophy” is still the same, which would explain why her favorite tradition is the Hunger Banquet, an event that helps teach stu-dents empathy and thoughtfulness around the complicated issue of worldwide food insecurity.

Hillery’s two daughters, Devon and Gina both graduated from Marin Horizon in ’01 and ’03. When she’s not at Marin Horizon, Hillery loves to hike, and be outdoors whenever she can. Yoga, reading and cooking also top her list of favorite activities.

Favorite book(s)? Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver for adults and Winnie the Pooh for kids.

BETH ANDERSONBeth came to us when her daughter, Megan (’01), started in Primary. Having recently relocated from her native Southern California, she was especially attracted to the emphasis on critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

Though she started as a parent volunteer in the “library” (which was then in a hallway!), she had a background in teaching and was quickly snatched up as a 4th/5th teacher, then as the Middle School Lead teacher, and finally, as Dean of the Middle School. She has artfully guided hundreds of students through these most essential years and through the high school application process.

One of her favorite Marin Horizon traditions is Moving On, which celebrates and honors each student’s academic and social achievements for the year. It’s no wonder then that she also loves “watching kids grow up throughout the years, watching them come towards the Middle School.”

Head Primary Teacher

LOUIE SHERIDAN“I love it still,” says Louie who came to us first as a Toddler co-teacher when her first daughter was two years old. After a brief hiatus during which she had her 2nd daughter, Louie came back to us to teach Hawks, then became a 1st grade co-teacher, and finally landed in her role as a 2nd/3rd grade head teacher.

“Though teaching about caring for our earth is embedded in our curriculum all year, it always feels wonderful to have a day to celebrate our earth and learn even more from the other classes,” she says about her favorite Marin Horizon tradition, Earth Day. And she herself is an avid gardener, knitter and hiker, though lately, Louie admits, she’s spending more time thinking about her next trip to Portland, OR, to visit her grandson!

2nd/3rd Head Teacher

Y E A R S

Associate Head of School Middle School Dean

Y E A R S Y E A R S

Y E A R S

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LORELEI MORRIS“I can’t imagine having spent my life in any profession other than teaching — it suits me so well. Teachers get to work hard, play hard and learn something new every day. What more could one want?” says Lorelei, who came to Marin Horizon as a 3rd grade team teacher. “I was so excited to join a community that felt so friendly and warm — very much like my own neighborhood.”

While Lorelei loves to read about the natural world, “it’s a favorite way to rejuvenate and renew my spirit,” she also loves to be out in it. “I love to garden, tide-pool, bird watch, fish, and just walk through the beautiful countryside of our Northern California.”

Favorite tradition? The Hunger Banquets, which she helped bring to life in her 3rd grade class her first year.

ANNE PORTER-ROTH“As soon as we walked in, I felt comfortable and at home. I knew it was the right school for Lizzie and our family,” Anne says about her first experience at Marin Horizon. Lizzie, who started as a Hawk, graduated in 2001.

Anne describes Marin Horizon as a place where “I always feel a sense of being valued as a knowledgeable professional, and have the freedom to try out new programs and projects,” like the Green Fashion Show that she helped bring into being five years ago. Working closely with Middle School Fashion Show Co-Chairs, Anne helps guide students as they design and show their original clothing made entirely from recycled materials.

Favorite book(s)? “Too many to mention, but some of my current kid favorites are: Wonder, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, and any-thing by Mo Willems. Some of my own childhood favorites were: Lion by William Pene du Bois, Ferdinand, Harry the Dirty Dog, and Madeleine.”

CATHERINE HILLS“The developing brain is awesome and wondrous and each one is unique,” says Catherine who is “really excited by recent research into the brain” and spends her time wondering, “What exactly is happening when we learn? What can we do to support learning even more?”

Catherine came to us as a substitute teacher for nine weeks in 1991 soon after having finished her credential, and says she “learned more in those nine weeks than the previous two years of training!” Since then, she has gone on to get a Masters in Early Childhood Education Supervision and Leadership.

Her daughter, Josie started in Primary and is in the Class of 2016. Outside of work, Catherine enjoys cooking and riding around town on her pink bike — keep your eyes peeled, you might just see her in Mill Valley!

LYNDSAY YUSKA“Many things have changed since 1985 when I arrived, but what hasn’t changed is that we have a dedicated faculty and staff who devote them-selves to making our students the best that they can be, both academically and emotionally,” says Lyndsay whose own three children, Jolie (’93), Scott (’96) and Bradley (’00), are Marin Horizon alumni. Like so many of our teachers, she came to us first as a parent, then a volunteer, and has shared her talents in almost every corner of our school!

“I feel that every student who leaves Marin Horizon has a sense of themselves and will be able to succeed and make a contribution to our society wherever life leads them. I feel honored to be a part of their lives.” She is especially proud of how the Outdoor Education program has grown over the years, and has fond memories of helping organize and attending the 1st-5th grade camping trips and also of the middle school trips.

Dean of the Lower School Librarian

Y E A R S Y E A R S

Head Teacher, Toddler 2nd/3rd Associate Teacher

Y E A R S Y E A R S

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ducators nationwide talk about the skills children need to succeed in the 21st century, and often tout the significant

benefits of learning and mastering pre-sentation skills, which have always been a cornerstone of a Marin Horizon School education. We hear over and over again that our students are extremely well-prepared and confident public speakers and present-ers in high school and beyond!

Beginning in the Primary program, public speaking is an integral part of the cur-riculum as our preschool students engage in weekly presentations to each other at Sharing Circles. Additionally, each spring during the class play, children learn to memorize dialogue, project their voices and make appropriate eye contact with audience members. The play is often drawn from a folk tale linked to the culture being studied that year, which allows students to incorpo-rate presentation skills into their academic studies. This integration between disci-plines helps keep children interested and more deeply engaged with their learning.

In First Grade, presentation skills are honed with periodic presentations, includ-ing a Readers’ Theater and Authors’ Chair, where each child reads a story they have written and illustrated to an audience of

parents, teachers, and other students. This program marks the culmination of language arts studies for the year, during which chil-dren have typically progressed from writing a single sentence to multiple page stories.

Our 2nd and 3rd grades offer many op-portunities for students to develop their presentation skills as they rotate through a 2-year cycle of studies. For example, for Africa/South America Night (alternating by year), students research and write reports about the various needs of indigenous peoples of East Africa and Peru, which they then present to parents. Children have to know their topic well enough to speak and present their information, and then field unrehearsed questions from parents.

During this event, they also present original folk tales and poetry about the culture, act in a short drama depicting a folk tale, and present a project or song related to the culture. This is the culmination of a long study of these diverse cultures and present-ing the material helps the children solidify their knowledge and understanding of the people and places they have explored. Their poise and depth of understanding never fail to impress their audience, who often comment that they have never seen such young children so comfortable with public presentations.

“I had another “Thank you Marin Horizon” moment during a presentation in English last week. We just finished a unit on education,

and one of our final projects was to create a school from the ground up: characteristics, ideals, classrooms/campus, curriculum, etc.,

and present our final idea to a panel (consisting of the district Superintendent, her assistant, one of our assistant principals, and our

teacher). As a fair portion of my classmates “ummm”ed and “like”d their way through their presentations, I realized just how crisp

my speaking skills were in comparison, likely thanks to having to practice for my culminating project and graduation speech.”

– GREER GUREWITZ, CLASS OF 2011

Another favorite project in 2nd and 3rd grades is the Famous American Biographies presentation, which occurs once in the 2-year cycle. Each student chooses as their subject an influential American from a diverse list of historically significant people. Not only is this the students’ first extensive research project, but they then present their short biography to parents and teachers, dressed as their characters. They learn a great deal about American history and how these people made a dif-ference in American life, as well as another level of presentation skills, increasing their poise and comfort in delivery.

Computers are introduced in earnest in 4th grade and students learn to use programs like PowerPoint and iMovie to enhance their presentation skills. The presentation strand continues in 4th and 5th grades with a variety of in-class presentations in language arts, history, math and sci-ence. For Book of the Month, for example, students read a novel, create a project, and present their findings to their peers every 4–6 weeks throughout the year.

Another favorite 4th–5th project, called Kids Teach, asks students to create les-sons of their own choosing to teach to their classmates, which helps students gain a deep understanding of their subject.

In alternating years, the 4th–5th grades also put on Math and Science nights for parents. While the format is different each year, this is typically an opportunity for students to teach their parents math games or science experiments, demonstrating what they have been working on in class. Having enough familiarity with their subject matter to present to parents in this way demonstrates their ever growing ease with public speak-ing and communications.

Middle School offers many opportunities to strengthen and hone more advanced pre-sentation skills. In each of the three years in the Middle School cycle, there is at least one major project that is turned into a presenta-tion integrating humanities, science and the arts. Typically these projects are considered through the lens of Essential Questions such as, “What is the American voice?” “What is mightier, the pen or the sword?” or “What does it mean to be the Other?”

One highlight of the Middle School cur-riculum, Bloodlines, is an homage to Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, that portrays American life in a New England town. In Bloodlines, students are again assigned an influential character in Ameri-can history, extending the thread from the 2nd & 3rd grade American Biographies project. Each student researches and

HILLERY JAFFE-URELL, ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL AND BETH ANDERSON, MIDDLE SCHOOL DEAN

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creates a scrapbook about the life and times of their character, and writes five different forms of poetry in the voice of their character including ode, rant, free verse, sonnet and pantoumn.

Students then collaborate to transform their individual writing into a group performance, putting their characters in order by theme rather than historical chronology. They are asked to imagine, for example, what Thomas Jefferson might say to Malcolm X and decide how to organize their individual characters based on those conversations. Pairs of charac-ters then write another poem together, linking their unique perspectives on the theme. Finally, students write an introductory and a concluding poem (see poem at left), and Blood-lines culminates with a performance in front of an audience of parents, teachers, peers and friends — a thrilling combination of drama and poetry that highlights their ever-increasing ease and skill at public presenting and their developing critical thinking skills.

The crowning presentation for each Marin Horizon 8th grade student is their gradua-tion speech, which they write using one of the essential questions from their Middle School years as a springboard. Students begin drafting their speeches about three weeks before the big day and work on them with Beth and their faculty mentors. They spend time observing in classrooms, on the playground, and interview-ing staff and faculty to help round out their speeches, which are sometimes serious, some-times funny, always earnest and heartfelt. And in about two minutes, each student tells his or her own Marin Horizon story, an amazing feat.

These speeches never fail to bring down the house, and impress adults with the quality of the students’ words as well as their incredible poise and delivery (and definitely never leave a dry eye!). It is actually no wonder, given how much emphasis has been put on presentation skills and critical thinking throughout their Marin Horizon education.

AN AMERICAN SYMPHONY

DNA tells us we are alikeyet deep inside our constricted cellsfloating in a sea of succulent gelour centers command us to liveeach in our own eraeach in our own rhyme.Our lips vibrateagainst the mouthpieceof the instruments we chooseor are destined to playand history plays outit’s glorious, goriest movements,an American symphony.We take what we have inheritedto make our own sound.We realize there are requirements and techniques.We alter the air stream,extend or shorten the path,learn to make our signalsdark and deep, vibrant and sharp.We polish the brass.See who we are,how our lyrics build and break down a country,shape and reshape what is askew.Fortissimo -We are abrasive before battle,we cry out and clash.Pianisimo -We are mellow roundness,we whisper and mesmerize.We command spaceships,stay true to our passions,push boundaries,create new deals,live our own lives,stalk the corridors of power,break old molds,move beyond what is expected,confront dangers,share observations,define truth,defy injustice,muster legendary courage,preserve sacred ground,take bullets,harness rivers,build the biggest dams,dig deeply,spray pesticides,pivot and persuade,drop bombs,save beauty,herald progress,honor the old ways.Who will write the score?Who will stand above us with genius and grace?Who will direct us to be one harmonious land?The bugle boy blastsa pre-dawn call.Many wake in unison, respond to regulationsand a prescribed routine.Others pull heart and soul from the porch boardsof a humid bayou night.A single riff spins off an alligator’s backlamenting injusticelonging for a better life.We are the settlers and the unsettled.We are the points of departureheading into the chaos of possibilitiesWe are the bloodline that connects the dots.

Bloodlines 2013 Introductory Poem, written by sixth to eighth grade students

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In this issue, we are taking a look back at our 36 years, celebrating those teachers who have been with us for 20 plus years (there are so many!), and taking a good look at what our alumni are up to (lots of great stuff!). Of course, all of the work we do in the Development Office is in support of our students and teachers, so this is an es-pecially poignant issue of On the Horizon.

Also in this issue, you’ll find updates about our strong financial position which we owe to our community support and the diligence and careful stewardship we practice as an institution. You will also find listings of the people who have generously supported us in so many ways.

Of note, we once again set a new bench-mark in annual giving, raising $378,000. I would like to extend my huge thanks and gratitude to Rob Edington and Andrea Elkort for co-chairing the Horizon Fund and for being so dogged in their desire to reach our goal, and so supportive of the Development Office as we did it!

Further thanks go to Daniela Manning, who as Parent Association President set the bar for community engagement, and always managed to keep us all on our toes! And of course, no year would be complete without our annual art auction, deftly co-chaired by Dara Potter, Stacey Silver and Regal Ural. Together they raised $165,000 and made our Fund-a-Need dreams of an Adventure Bus a reality.

Over the next few pages, you’ll find in- formation about our finances, as well as the names of the many generous donors who choose to support our students and programs.

Please join me in thanking them — we couldn’t do what we do without you!

Thank you!

lyla maxDirector of Development

WE ARE grateful!

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AUCTION highlightsThe 2013 Annual Art Auction also cel-ebrated Marin Horizon’s 35th birthday and was a nautically-themed night to remember at the Corinthian Club in Tiburon! Our three Auction Chairs, Dara Potter, Stacey Silver and Regan Ural, deftly sailed us into the sunset, raising over $165,000 in support of teacher salaries, professional development, and tuition assistance.

Dara, Stacey and Regan (see photo, top left) pulled together a beautifully-designed event, from the blue and white striped logo and fun photo booth, to the signature cocktails (the Dark & Stormy and the Seabreeze of course!) and a deli-cious dinner. Guests got to look out over the sparkling Bay as they bid on the silent auction. Later, the Live Auction and Fund-

a-Need spurred some healthy competition and in the end, helped make the evening a rousing success. Our new Adventure Bus is taking students to exciting places and making school outings so much easier for the staff and children alike.

In 2013, we introduced a Corporate and Family Sponsorship opportunity and thanks to the many friends and families who participated, we raised $17,500!

Of course, we have to thank the 50+ volunteers who supported the chairs. We had every skill set represented — overall management, design, branding, business development, finance, event planning, video production, you name it. We couldn’t be any more grateful!

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The Horizon Fund is the foundation of Marin Horizon School’s yearly fundraising efforts. It supports the things that make our school exceptional — deeply dedicated master teachers who continue to hone their craft each year through professional development; rigorous academics taught in a nurturing, joyful atmosphere; personal-ized learning that allows teachers to meet each child at their level; Outdoor Educa-tion opportunities, and an emphasis on the environment, social values, and commu-nity. Every child benefits from the Horizon Fund, and we are deeply grateful to the many members of our community who choose to support it and our commitment to top-notch academics and character-building.

How Can I Make My Gift?

Gifts of Cash/Check/ Credit CardsContributions made by cash, check or credit card are tax deductible in the year the donation is given. Please make checks payable to Marin Horizon School. To make a safe, secure online donation with your credit card, please visit www.marinhorizon.org and click on the Donate Now link, or contact Lyla Max at 415.388.8408, ext. 230 or lmax@marinhorizon.org.

In-Kind GiftsDonating a tangible asset that can be used by the school will also garner you a chari-table deduction equal to the value of the asset’s fair market value

Gifts of SecuritiesGifts of appreciated securities offer donors several benefits. First, you pay no capital gains on the increased value of the securi-ties. Second, you are entitled to a tax deduc-tion based on the fair market value of the securities on the date the gift is made.

Matching GiftsMany employers sponsor matching gift pro-grams and will match charitable contribu-tions made by their employees. If you work for a company that matches gifts, you can double or triple the value of your contribu-tion! Your company’s name will be listed in On The Horizon, and you will be recognized for the value of your gift, plus the match.

Planned GivingThe Marin Horizon School Development Office can be a resource for your planned giving by providing information on estate planning and tax and income benefits for a variety of planned gifts. Please inform us if you have included us in your will.

SUPPORTING MARIN HORIZON ways to give

MARIN HORIZON STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES School Year 2012-2013

“We give out of gratitude and commitment: gratitude for what our children get every day they walk through the doors of Marin Horizon and commitment to the continued success and future of our school community.”ANDREA AND DANIEL ELKORT

This issue of On the Horizon was produced by Marin Horizon School’s Development Office and includes all gifts received between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013. In preparing this report, every effort was made to ensure that all information is accurate and complete.

If there is an omission or an error in spelling, please accept our apology and notify Lyla Max, lmax@marinhorizon.org.

REVENUE Amount Percent

Tuition & Fees $6,894,180 97%Daycare, Enrichment, LSP 385,915 5%Investment Income 92,034 1%Summer Camp 127,836 2%Fund Raising 599,198 8%Other Income 25,309 0%Less Tuition Assistance -1,049,398 -15%

Total Revenue, Support & Transfers 7,075,074 100%

EXPENSES Amount Percent

Personnel $4,548,723 66%Plant & Transportation 588,532 9%Program 346,257 5%Operations & Overhead 505,577 7%Loan/Mortgage Costs 396,219 6% Depreciation 489,508 7%

Total Operating Expenses 6,874,816 100%

Daycare, Enrichment, LSP Fund Raising

Investment Income Other Income

Summer Camp Tuition & Fees

Plant & Transport Operations & Overhead

Program Loan/Mortgage Costs

Personnel

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2012–2013Horizon Fund Participation

PARENT GIVING Parents give to Marin Hori-zon School in important and diverse ways. They contrib-ute their time and expertise, and generously support the Horizon Fund. All contribu-tions directly benefit our students, and we are deeply grateful to our families for their hours of commitment to our school. Thank you for making Marin Horizon a philanthropic priority. Below is the list of donors to the 2012–2013 Horizon Fund campaign.

FOUNDER$10K+

Anonymous (3)Nina and Christopher BuchbinderLee KranefussThe Schow Foundation

BENEFACTOR$5K–$9,999

Beth and Neil CherryAndrea and Daniel ElkortNina FrankReed E. Maltzman and Jennifer GosselinLizelle and Martin GreenDyer Grote and Rob EdingtonColleen and Hunter HancockGerry HansenKristine JaegerRebecca and Christopher LienTrigg and Bill McLeodDara and Scott PotterSusan Sakmar and Kirk HobbsCatherine and Greg SternMarina and Alan TerpinsKathryn Van Dyke and Doug GrantSally and Bill Van IngenSusan and Christopher Yates

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE$2,500–$4,999

Sarah Chao and Chris DowningJennifer and Craig CroteauCate Elsten and Art BeemanNancy and Jarom FawsonMr. and Mrs. John GambsAllison and David GeislerLouisa and Andrew GlogerDiana and Scott GreenstoneStephen JaegerLauren and Paul LevitanNatalie and Richard LogginsJennifer and Daniel MelloSuzanne Passalacqua and Peter GobosTeresa and Desmond PollockTatem and Morgan ReadCatherine and Stephen SimonSarah Slaymaker and Ryan SteverMona and Mark SteinbergRegan and Timothy UralAnnie Williams and Harry ShulmanSamira and Nicholas Willson

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE$1K–$2,499

Abby Adlerman and Brian PlatterAnonymousJohn BakerSusan BakerHannelore Barnes and Bruce PflaumAlletta and Ted BayerBarbara BrownJanet Brown-Lewin and Elizabeth Brown-LewinJoanne Chan and James KramerMary and Todd ClydeAnn Cummings and Bill KissingerSuzanne DiBianca-Lieser and Ted LieserFiona Dulbecco and David ZeltserKatrina and Jamie DyosAlisa and William EganMegan and John EsreyLynne Frame and Richard HoskinsWendy and Alexander FraserBrad FrazeeGianna FrazeeLivia and Mutahar GlasgowAmy Hershman and Richard PattersonPaige and Dave HirschkopShelly and Brett HortonKeith KallweitErica and Jeremy KellyAmy Keroes and Jeffrey FisherKatherine and Aron KnickerbockerSue Kreusch and Kevin SmeadSnezana and Thomas Larsen

Shelly and David LonginottiJacqui Lopez-Wyman and Matt WymanMarrie and Tom LyonsAshley and Elvin MacDonaldClaudia Mahecha Allen and Robert AllenChristine Makuch-Simpson and John SimpsonYukako and Atsushi MatsuoNicole and Andrew McWhorterStephen MinusElizabeth and Michael MooneyAndrea Newell and Paul HoweAnne and Dean Ornish, M.D.Hanna and Greg OstroffLuis Ottley and Carrie EaglesMichiko Otani and Stanley MillerSharon Portnoy and Mark DanzigMary Russell and Nicholas OustThe Scherr FamilyJade and Charles SchoenhoeftStacey Silver and Jonathan YollesTodd SpeeceRobin and Geoffrey StrawbridgeMolly West and Charles SlaughterAnthony ZanzeDenise Zanze

CONTRIBUTOR$500–$999

Anonymous (2)Helena Chaye and Key ShinDarby and Tim DouglasHolly DownesDiana Farrell and Scott PearsonKim Gallelli and David BrownJohanna and Michael GridleyCindy Grijalva and Sandra StoneBonnie and Bill HoppinMarlis and Kjartan JansenSuji Kong and Matthew BennettSonia Lee and Alan M. GrumetSoYoung Mack and Michael NashSusannah MalekDaniela and Michael ManningWilliam and Kathryn MassaraRich MautererJesse PearsonBeth and Jonathan RutchikSusannah and Pete SearsonJoannie SternDana and Jeff SwisherGloria and Mark ThomasMichelle Verloop and Robert AhearnRavee Vorachard and Steven PughTalley and Paul WebbTiana Wimmer and Warren LeidenSally Xu-Plants and J. Daniel Plants

FRIENDUP TO $499

Beth and Dain AndersonAnonymousChristine Armstrong and Lou DanglesTeri Augustine and Edward NattenbergMalcom and Jane BakerChris BakerCara and Christopher BardeJennifer and Guy Bar-NahumMinh and Joshua BarrowSoraya Betterton and Brian UreyKaren Boezi and Jack CorselloSharman BonusThe Boorman FamilyJoel BoothAshleigh BrodySusanne and Paul CarekJoanie Cayton and Tony VidalBari and Sean CessnaKristen and Louis CommessoAlecia Cotton-Davies and Andrew DaviesRachel Courtney and Sean ReillyAngelique CraneyLauren Cuthbert and David RobinsonHeyward and Dana HareMaxine De CookRenee DeCurtisCharlie DenbyKitty DesmondFaybeth DiamondMarcello DiazDebbie DickerKyle DonohoeLaura DugganMichael Duncan and Thomas RichardBrenda and Scott DuyanMeg and Steve EdelsonChristopher ElbersAnjuli EliasAngie EvansKaren FournierKerrilyn GarmaConstance, Paul and Ashley GoldsmithAnnie GordonRobert and Frances GrantJunnitta GreenNancy GreenfieldMilton and Alejandrina GrijalvaSusan Guadagno and Al TommeiPamela and Mark HadfieldHarriet HaywardKathleen Hazelton-LeechGina and Byron HectorChandi HemapalaCatherine Hills and Audrey BordenKim HoppinMs. Rosemarie Hoskins

Lori Howard and Gregory WolffKay and Bob HoweVictoria and Jeremy Huerta-MillerHillery Jaffe-UrellSarah JanoffDanielle and David JarvieNeil JonesRachel KelleyJulie King and Don AbramsonAsher King AbramsonMr. Dennis KnickerbockerAngella and Erik KriensAmy KronbergToshiko and Eijun KujoCori Ladd and Michael BeermanEmily and Jamie LandJennifer LeCoqNatalie and Ted LeeAndrea LenziSuzanne Leon and Dan SmileyHilary LeveyMeg and Jeremy LevieKristin and Todd LorenzChristina Mace Turner and Alex TurnerVeronica March-Lee and Stevie LeeLyla Max and Thomas PaffelSharon and Stephen MayoAdele MazeMichelle and Michael McCullochDavid MelnickEmily Porter MerrimanElizabeth Burke MerrimanVictor Morales and Sharon HalpernLorelei MorrisKiren Niederberger and Jim HanrettyPatti and George OliverStacy PaskoCelimene and Alvaro PastorJacqui Pearson LongMaria and Joe PennyRick PimentelLys and Robert PlotkinAnne Porter-RothMaureen PoxonJade ProsperoDiane and James ReedLucy and Delane RobertsLaura RocheClaudia Rodriguez and David JohnsonAmy and Stephen RosenthalMimi Rowe and Chris RodzewiczCheng SaechaoMary Sample-MattosLisa and John ScarsellaAlison and Yair SchersCatherine SchoenMark SherburneLois SheridanAnna ShubeauKathryn Sill

Mariko Smiley and Sarn OliverColleen SmithJennifer SpielbergKathryn and Steve StarkeJessica SteinbergTenisha TateKarin Taylor and Steve HermanosMichael ThompsonAimee and Robert WestbrookCarla WilkinsKaren WoodallRachel Wynn and Van WilshireLyndsay YuskaLiam and Tom Zito

ALUMNI AND ALUMNI FAMILY GIVINGWe are grateful to the many alumni families whose continued support of our programs is especially meaningful to Marin Horizon and underscores a lasting connection to the commu-nity. We are proud to have an active community of former families whose deep bonds to each other and our school remain important long after they have moved on from Marin Horizon. Many heartfelt thanks to the alumni families listed below who participated in the Horizon Fund.

ALUMNI FAMILIES

Beth and Dain AndersonMalcom and Jane BakerKristen and Louis CommessoAlecia Cotton-Davies and Andrew DaviesFaybeth DiamondMeg and Steve EdelsonChristopher ElbersDiana Farrell and Scott PearsonPaul and Constance GoldsmithAnnie GordonKathleen Hazelton-LeechLori Howard and Gregory WolffHillery Jaffe-UrellSarah JanoffJulie King and Don AbramsonAsher King Abramson

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RESTRICTED GIVINGMarin Horizon occasionally receives gifts that reflect a special interest of the donor and are restricted to a specific purpose. These gifts enrich the school’s programs by providing items over and above those funded through the operat-ing budget. However, as these gifts are not available to support annual opera-tions, they are not consid-ered contributions to the Horizon Fund and thus are listed separately.

CAPITAL DEPOSITSAt the end of every school year, families of graduat-ing students and families leaving the school are given the option of donat-ing their Capital Deposit back to Marin Horizon. In 2013, these gifts were once again designated to the Endowment, which is a permanently restricted fund that supports the school in perpetuity, and allows us to ensure the future of our programs. We are grate-ful to the following parents who generously participated in this program.

Barb FrenchAlletta and Ted BayerNina and Chris BuchbinderSteve MinusMeme and Peter ScherrMolly West and Charles SlaughterSusan Kreusch and Kevin Smead

8TH GRADE CLASS GIFTThe families of the Class of 2013 made a legacy gift of playground equipment for the new Toddler Cottage. Thank you!

AnonymousAlletta and Ted BayerMelissa and Dennis CroweBeatrice and Kevin DufficyKaren FournierLynne Frame and Richard HoskinsNasimiyu GreenErica and Jeremy KellySharon Lange-KallweitCatherine and Greg Stern

FUND-A-NEEDThe 2013 Fund-a-Need supported the purchase of an Adventure Bus that allows our students to get places they never could before! This smaller, 25 passenger bus, can take an entire class, or a more intimate group, and helps us take the burden off of par-ent volunteer drivers. Plus, it’s just fun to ride!

Abby Adlerman and Brian PlatterJennifer and Guy Bar-NahumHanne Barnes and Bruce PflaumMinh and Joshua BarrowTed and Alletta BayerSharman BonusElizabeth and Janet Brown-LewinMegan Bryan and Peter LisskaNina and Christopher BuchbinderBari and Sean CessnaBeth and Neil CherrySuzanne DiBianca Lieser and Ted LieserMarsha and Tom DuganKatie and Jamie DyosAndrea and Daniel ElkortWendy and Alexander FraserAllison and David GeislerLivia and Mutahar GlasgowJennifer Gosselin and Reed Maltzman

Lizelle and Martin GreenCindy Grijalva and Sandra StoneDyer Grote and Rob EdingtonColleen and Hunter HanccockShari and Bjarne HansenKristine JaegerElizabeth and Kirt JorgensonMira Kim and Darren MalvinJohanna Kleppe and Stephen SchneidermanSuji Kong and Matthew BennettKim Kouri and Mark SherburneLauren and Andrew KowalSusan Kreusch and Kevin SmeadEmily and Jamie LandSonia Lee and Al GrumetLauren and Paul LevitanRebecca and Christopher LienNatalie and Dick LogginsJacqui Lopez-Wyman and Matt WymanChristine Makuch-Simpson and John SimpsonDaniela and Mike ManningTrigg and Bill McLeodNicole and Andrew McWhorterElizabeth and Michael MooneyAndrea Newell and Paul HoweLuis Ottley and Carrie EaglesStacy PaskoSuzanne PassalacquaJesse and Amy PearsonDara and Scott PotterTatem and Morgan ReadSarnia and Derek RobsonMimi Rowe and Chris RodzewiczMary Russell and Nicholas OustBeth and Jon RutchikSusan Sakmar and Kirk HobbsStacey Silver and Jon YollesMona and Mark SteinbergCatherine and Greg SternRobin and Geoff StrawbridgeTenisha TateMarina and Alan TerpinsRegan and Tim UralKathryn Van Dyke and Doug GrantMolly West and Chuck SlaughterAnnie Williams and Harry ShulmanSamira and Nick WillsonTiana Wimmer and Warren Leiden

Kristin and Todd LorenzYukako and Atsushi MatsuoMichelle and Michael McCullochJesse PearsonJacqui Pearson LongAnne Porter-RothMaureen Poxon and Alex KlineDiane and James ReedThe Schow FoundationMark SherburneAnna ShubeauKathryn and Steve StarkeJessica SteinbergDana and Jeff SwisherCarla Wilkins

CURRENT AND FORMER GRANDPARENT GIVINGWe are grateful to the many grandparents, who live near and far, who generously support the Horizon Fund!

GRANDPARENTS & FRIENDS

AnonymousBarbara Brown Walker Brown-Lewin ’16 Noah Brown-Lewin ’22 Alden Brown-Lewin ’22Angelique Craney Alex Pasko ’15, Benjamin Pasko ’17Mr. and Mrs. John Gambs Charlie Knickerbocker ’22 Sara Knickerbocker ’24Mr. and Mrs. Robert Grant Liam Grant ’15 Emily ’19Nancy Greenfield Alonzo Hare ’20 Adriano Hare ’23Mr. and Mrs. Milton Grijalva Aidan Stone-Grijalva ’16 Liam Stone-Grijalva ’19Bonnie and Bill Hoppin Will Hoppin ’14 Griffin Hoppin ’18Ms. Rosemarie Hoskins Alex Hoskins-Frame ’13Kay and Bob Howe Taylor Howe ’20Neil Jones Livie McLeod ’15 William McLeod ’17Mr. Dennis Knickerbocker Charlie Knickerbocker ’22 Sara Knickerbocker ’24

Toshiko and Eijun Kujo Kaia Land ’21 Max Land ’19William and Kathryn Massara Katherine Elkort ’14 Chloe Elkort ’17David Melnick Elianna Bar-Nahum ’20Mrs. Elizabeth Merriman Elsa Merriman ’22Victor Morales and Sharon Halpern Alexandra Stone ’11 Natasha Stone ’17Maria and Joe Penny Andrew Penny ’24 Noah Penny ’21Rick Pimentel Daniel Jaeger ’18 Audrey Jaeger ’21Todd SpeeceJoannie Stern Lily Stern ’13 Eva Stern ’17Michael Thompson

FACULTY & STAFF

Beth and Dain AndersonChris BakerSharman BonusJoel BoothAshleigh BrodyKristen and Louis CommessoHeyward Hare and Dana Dacus-HareMaxine De CookRenee DeCurtisCharlie DenbyMs. Kitty DesmondMarcello DiazDebbie DickerKyle DonohoeLaura DugganCarrie Eagles and Luis OttleyChristopher ElbersAnjuli EliasAngie EvansAnnie GordonSusan Guadagno and Al TommeiHarriet HaywardKathleen Hazelton-LeechChandi HemapalaCatherine Hills and Audrey BordenVictoria Huerta-Miller and Jeremy MillerHillery Jaffe-UrellRachel KelleyAmy KronbergAndrea LenziHilary LeveyKristin and Todd LorenzVeronica March-Lee and Stevie Lee

Lyla Max and Thomas PaffelAdele MazeMichelle and Michael McCullochLorelei MorrisAnne Porter-RothMaureen PoxonLucy RobertsCheng SaechaoMary Sample-MattosLisa and John ScarsellaAlison and Yair SchersMark SherburneLois SheridanAnna ShubeauKathryn SillColleen SmithJennifer SpielbergKathryn and Steve StarkeCarla WilkinsKaren WoodallLyndsay Yuska

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, DONOR ADVISED FUNDS & MATCHING GIFTS

American Endowment FoundationAutodesk Matching Gifts Program - USABlackrock Matching Gift ProgramCapital Group CompaniesElectronic Arts OutrEAch ProgramFidelity Foundation Matching Gifts to Education ProgramFidelity Charitable Gift FundGap Foundation Matching Gift ProgramGoldman, Sachs & Co Matching Gift ProgramHanley FoundationHawthorn PNC Family WealthThe Herbert Simon Family FoundationJewish Community Endowment FundMarin Community FoundationMarsh & McLennan Companies Matching Gifts ProgramMCM FoundationMorgan Stanley Smith Barney Global Impact Funding Trust, IncR.S. Evans Foundation, Inc.Salesforce FoundationSan Francisco FoundationThe Schow FoundationSchwab Charitable FundSpringcreek FoundationUnited Way of the Bay AreaWoodbury Foundation

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“We give so that Marin Horizon can continue to give. Over the last 12 years, we have seen Marin Horizon’s faculty and staff contribute so much to so many children and families. We want this cycle to continue so that we all benefit from kids who are taught to be smart, courageous and kind.”ABBY ADLERMAN & BRIAN PLATTER

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“We give as an expression of our gratitude for the amazing teachers, students, and parents in our Marin Horizon community. In return we have received the gift of well educated, eloquent, and thoughtful children who, we are confident, will utilize their Marin Horizon education to make an impactful contribution to society.”DIANA AND SCOTT GREENSTONE

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ALUMNISANDHYA KRIPALANI (’96)

When asked to name one thing she learned at Marin Horizon that really stuck with her, Sandhya

says, “Idioms. It sounds funny, but when learning about politics, in fifth grade with Beth, we held an election and learned all about various idioms through acting them out literally. For example, “throwing your hat in the ring,” or “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” or “putting your foot in your mouth.” I find when I use these phrases now, I still remember those lessons, and the meaning is so much more vibrant for me.

Sandhya went on to Tamalpais High School, got a BA in Political Science at UC Berkeley and then a JD, with a Specialization with Distinction in Intellectual Property Law at Golden Gate University School of Law. While she is currently working in litigation, she hopes to focus more on intellectual property law in the coming years. She is also the lead contributor to www.caviarblog.com where she is able to combine her love of fine food and cooking, and use her writing and pho-tography skills.

Her favorite memories from Marin Horizon are going to camp or on other educational and outdoor trips. Outdoor education in the form of hiking, naturalist instruction, ropes courses, river rafting, and exposure to wild animals was an incredibly unique experience. “While at camp, tall tales about Coyote the Trickster from our beloved Clare Lennon are among my all-time favorite memories.” Sandhya’s favorite tradition was Earth Day, “a celebration not only of the earth, recycling and green ideas, but also a celebration of culture and an opportunity for

kids to share their ethnic and cultural heri-tage through wearing traditional clothing.”

AUSTIN BROWN (’98)

“There are so many meaningful memo-ries that stayed with me from Marin Horizon. My favorites were from the field trips we took. I took

it for granted then, but those trips were amazing opportunities. One was in 8th grade, on an old sailboat in North Beach where we did an overnight simulation of a sailing trip, in which we were the boat’s crew. It was here that I learned where starboard, port, the stern and the bow are on a boat. We took three or four hour shifts in three groups, watching the ship through the night. I loved the idea of being awake at 4 a.m. with my classmates because we were supposed to be. It was cold and windy and tough to stay alert, but the vibe of travelling back in time on the boat and the memory of staring out at the neon Ghirardelli sign is etched in my memory.”

After Marin Horizon, Austin went to Marin Catholic for 3 years before transferring to Tam High so he could finish his senior year with the friends he grew up with in Sausalito. A few years later, he moved to Vancouver where he got his AA, but decided the weather wasn’t for him so moved back to the Bay Area where he continued to study journalism.

For the past four years, Austin has been involved in the Buddhist scene here in the Bay Area. “It’s a lifelong journey that’s transformed my life,” he says of the experi-ence. For the last year, he has been working with his mother, who is a novelist, on social media and digital book publishing.

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ALEX SCHMITZ (’98)

“I remember learning conflict resolu-tion, problem solving techniques and the importance of being a good listener...which I still use to this day, especially in my line of work,” says Alex, who is a Financial Planner and partner of a five-person team at JPMor-gan Securities in San Francisco.

After graduating, Alex went to The Branson School, on to The University of Colorado at Boulder where he majored in Finance, and finally to New York University where he pursued advanced course work in Financial Planning at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Soon after, he passed the exam and requirements to become a Certified Financial Planner.

Alex remembers that he “had a special bond with then teacher Claire Lennon who I re-member was always there for me when I had a question, would put me in my place if I acted up and always brightened up the room with her presence and outlook on life. I was very sad to learn a few years ago that she passed away, but I am grateful for the time I was able to spend with her. I also remem-ber being a staple on the black top playing basketball for hours on end with some of my classmates.”

“I always loved the school’s unique gather-ings and celebrations like Earth Day, MLK Day, and the Walkathon charity event. These types of gatherings instilled in me an appreciation for the value of community service and embracing diversity.”

GILLIAN KINNEAR (’99)

Gillian is currently living and work-ing just north of Santa Barbara in cattle country. For the last 6 years,

she has been teaching English as a Second Language,coaching girls’ soccer, and running

the equestrian program at Midland School.

“Outside of that I work training horses and teaching therapeutic riding lessons. My favorite place to work with both horses and riders is out on the 3,000 acres of trails the school owns. There is something to be said for the learning that goes on outside of the classroom. Outside of work, I devote my life to my two dogs (a jack russell Queensland/ and an Australian Shepard), two cats and one horse (an arabian), and my boyfriend of three years.”

CAREY SMITH-MARCHI (’01)

After Marin Hori-zon, Carey attended The Urban School and Emory Univer-sity in Atlanta. She now lives in Deca-

tur, GA where she gets to occasionally hike the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is currently pursuing an MBA with a concentration in organizations and management at the Goizueta Business School at Emory. In her free time, Carey coaches softball at Emory as well as in the local community. “Marin Horizon taught me the importance of wor-thy intent in all actions and relationships,” says Carey, whose favorite memories are Camp Gualala and her morning commute with Lorelei!

SABINE BERGMANN (’02)

“Looking back, I see how dynamic and inter-active learning was at Marin Horizon. I have memories of wearing giant papier-mâché masks and marching on stilts in Earth Day parades, of writing fictional accounts of life in ancient Rome, of sewing a Kimono. I felt like I was using all of my senses in class and that learning was a group activity. That kind of learning laid a strong foundation of creativity, curiosity and compassion that proved very useful for my studies and work later on.

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ALUMNIAfter Marin Horizon, I went on to The Branson School and then Stanford Uni-versity. In 2008, I moved to Cochabamba, Bolivia and spent a summer interviewing indigenous subsistence farmers. It was an experience that changed my life and led me to join the Peace Corps, where I lived in a coastal migrant-worker shanty-town in the Dominican Republic. After two years in the shanty-town I stayed in the country to work for Peace Corps developing sites for incoming volunteers in the North, spending most of my time traveling by motorcycle to remote farming communities or the forgot-ten neighborhoods of giant cities. I left in January 2014, and now I’m back in CA, looking for the next adventure!

BAILEY DOUGLASS (’02)

Bailey went on to Convent of the Sacred Heart High School and then University of Puget Sound. “I realized the benefit of small classes at Marin Horizon and stuck with it,” she says.

“There were only six girls in my class and I am fortunate to have stayed in touch with most of them. It was often a struggle, but as a result, these women and I have this shared experience that very few other people can relate to. Of course I have great memories of the trips that we took and the special projects we did, but looking back, I think my memories and continued experience with these very special relationships are the most important.”

Bailey is currently an Operations Generalist at Airware, a startup based in San Francisco that makes platforms for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). “Beth Anderson taught me how to form a thoughtful and concise writ-ten argument, which is a skill that helped me immeasurably in high school and college, and which I use all the time at work today.”

In her free time, Bailey is the Membership Director of Spinsters of San Francisco, a local social and professional group for

young professional women. “I encourage Marin Horizon alumnae to reach out to me if they are interested in joining.” She is also president of the San Francisco Alpha Phi alumnae chapter.

CAMILLE ROSE SCHMIDT (’02)

Camille graduated from Marin Horizon School and attended Marin Catholic where she was on Dean’s List and

in Honors and AP Classes. She then went to the University of San Diego, where she majored in Communications and Political Science. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City and pursued internships in fashion and public relations. While there, she began writing her Vogue- and Harper’s Bazaar-sponsored blog, Dressed and Edu-cated. (It’s currently under construction and will re-release this Spring.)

Upon returning to San Francisco, she continued to intern in public relations and began volunteering with many organiza-tions including Spinsters of San Francisco and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Last year, Camille started her own public rela-tions firm Camille Schmidt Public Relations (CamilleSchmidtPR.com) that specializes in Fashion and Lifestyle media coverage and social media. Camille also freelances for Marin Horizon Parent, Amy Cunha’s PR firm Big Picture PR.

Like many alumni, one of Camille’s favorite memories of Marin Horizon is “Camp Gualala and all of the leadership opportuni-ties we had as children. I think it helped to form me as responsible adult, leader and business owner.” She goes on to say, “while I was not a fan of magic circles during my nine years at Marin Horizon, I think con-flict resolution and open communication helps me in everyday life. I decided to study

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Communications and Political Science in college, and I know that a lot of problems and miscommunications between people and world powers could be avoided if people spent a little more time in magic circles.”

PAIGE KENDALL (’04)

Paige attended Tam-alpais High School where she rowed for four years, and went on to row on the Women’s Rowing Team at

University of California at Davis, where she got her degree in Nutrition Science with an emphasis in biochemistry. She currently works at University of California San Francisco as a research assistant and phlebotomist for a breast cancer clinical care and research project called the Athena Breast Health Network, and will be starting medical school in the fall of 2014.

Her favorite Marin Horizon tradition is Earth Day, and when asked what she learned at Marin Horizon that she still uses, she said, “the importance and necessity for compas-

SPOTLIGHT ON: NICK DIETZ (’04) “One of my favorite traditions at Marin Horizon is the Oxfam Hunger Banquet, when the school comes together for a simulation to learn about the issue of world hunger. On this day, students are asked not to bring a lunch and are divided at random to represent different countries of the world — and eat a meal proportional to the country’s standard of living. I remember my first Oxfam experience as a 3rd grader sitting on the floor with most of my peers to represent the country of India. We were all given a piece of toast and water for lunch

that day while we watched the select and lucky few who represented the United States sit comfortably at a table eating Stefano’s pizza with a large soda. Of course, there are few things more enviable for a 3rd grader than watching someone else eat pizza in front of you, and thus a brilliant way to depict the meaning of injustice and inequality. The annual Oxfam tradition is a great illustration of Marin Horizon’s multi-modal learning environment, which highlights global issues in a way that caters to a child’s understanding and appreciation for mature perspectives.”

After Marin Horizon, Nick attended Stuart Hall High School where he was co-editor of the school newspaper as a sophomore and started early in student government, ultimately being elected Student Body President his senior year. He then attended UCLA where he majored in Psychobiology to follow his passions of human psychology and science. Currently, he is working as a clinical project coordinator at the UCLA Department of Psychoneuroimmunology conduct-ing psychiatric interviews in the hospital, while applying to medical schools.

Another interest has been exploring the intersection of business and science. In 2012, Nick worked for a start-up called the Business of Science Center, which aims to transition intellectual property from universities to private industry. “I learned about the commercialization process of medical devices, diagnostics, and therapeutics, worked alongside faculty inventors, and filed my own provisional patent on a neurofeedback device I conceptualized. I am also working on two research papers at the moment that 1) investigate the effects of meditation on the brain and 2) review a deep brain stimulation device in partnership with USC’s Alfred Mann Institute of biomedical engineering . Both papers will be submitted for publication this spring.”

Nick is hoping to attend medical school this fall, to fulfill his dream of “maximizing my service and impact to society through healing and innovation.”

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ALUMNIsion and empathy. And the utility of papier-mâché, from our wonderful art teacher, Jay.”

MORGAN BYCE (’05)

An MBA is on the horizon for Morgan, who went to Marin Academy and Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD where she majored in Applied Mathematics and Statistics and minored in Economics, Psychology, and Business.

“I have a lot of great memories from Gualala, including river walks, the Andy Goldsworthy art projects, and Claire Len-non leading the campfire. I was a total math geek, so Mark Sherburne’s classes were al-ways fun. I came back to do my high school capstone experience with Mark, as an assistant math teacher. I also loved getting Beth points in social studies for my work — I still cash those in and have her take me to lunch or ice cream.

My favorite tradition is the Rube Goldberg project. The fights, the failures, and the triumphs cannot be matched.

I still use a lot of the things I learned at Marin Horizon. We learned about the Egyp-tian gods in 4th grade, and when I took an Egyptian Mythology class in college, I was surprised how much I remembered.”

JULIA PICKEL (’11)

“One of my favorite memories from Marin Horizon is the Rube Goldberg project. One of my favorite Marin Hori-zon traditions is

the Earth day celebration, and particularly the green fashion show,” says Julia who is currently a junior at Marin Academy. She is doubling in foreign language, studying both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, pursues flute and musical theater, and is a Girl Scout. Additionally, this year in the Marin

County Mock Trial competition, she won the award for best defense witness.

HAYLEY MARCH (’12)

Hayley is a sopho-more at San Marin High School and is the goalie for the Varsity water polo team. She made

honorable mention for Marin County Athletic League and plays all year long through Marin Aquatics. She was on the 16U A team that played in the Junior Olympics in Southern California last summer. Here’s the clincher — she had never played water polo in her life when she entered 9th grade, but was willing to give it a try! Thanks to Joel, Stevie and Charlie!

If you’ve got an adventure to share, an updated address, news about college, career, family, or anything you think we’d like to hear, or if you’re interested in becoming a class captain or joining the Alumni Council, please contact Bev Boorman at bboorman@marinhorizon.org or 415.388.8408 ext. 234. See page 19 for more information about giving.

Alumni CouncilJesse Pearson (‘86), ChairBev BoormanAshley GoldsmithSusan SchowRobin StrawbridgeDana Swisher

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Students from the class of 2012 gather for an overnight reunion.

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ALUMNI OVERNIGHT

On Saturday, April 20th, 2013, Annie Gordon, Joel Booth and I joined 17 alumni from the Class of 2012 for an alumni over-night reunion at a private camping spot in Tomales Bay, generously donated by the Swisher Family (Henry ‘07, Peter ‘10, and Kate ‘12). After a fun ride on the Adventure Bus, we spent the day hiking, paddle board-ing, making dinner and reminiscing.

The entire trip was a wonderful reminder of how strong our Marin Horizon bonds are, but there was one subtle, yet moving, moment that stands out in my memory. It took place at the campfire after Nick fin-ished telling a classic joke that the class had requested, after Leo and Nick finished rap-ping and after Aidan and Preston finished strumming the guitar.

The s’mores had been consumed and Joel, Annie and I made eye contact as if to say, “I think it’s time to lead them in the direction of their sleeping bags.” But before could

make our move, a few of the girls said, “It’s time for a circle.” Everyone fell in and proceeded to participate in a classic Marin Horizon acknowledgement circle: each student offering someone an acknowledge-ment and then sharing a favorite moment of the day. We simply stood back and listened.

An acknowledgement circle is an integral part of our Middle School trip experience, but this one was special, as it was initiated by the kids themselves. It was a very au-thentic and warm moment, student-driven and meaningful. When the last words were shared, the campfire embers died down, and everyone headed towards their sleeping bags. A night to remember.

MUMS OF ALUMSOn Sunday March 23, 2013, a group of about 30 Mums of Alums gathered for a lovely brunch at Piatti to reminisce and catch up. We had mums of alums from as far back as

1986 and as recent as last year – what a great tribute to Marin Horizon’s 36-year history!Clockwise from top: 1) Catherine Cox, Christine Armstrong, Mona Steinberg, Kathy Williams 2) Kay MacNamara, Kathleen Hazelton-Leech, Jacqui Pearson Long 3) Annie Gordon, Mona Steinberg 4) Laura Merlo, Dana Swisher 5) Michaela Abrams, Mona Steinberg 6) Devi Brown, Lyndsay Yuska

CHRIS BAKER, ENVIRONMENTAL & OUTDOOR EDUCATION

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Eighth grade is a transitional and transformative year. For many of our students who are getting ready to move from their day-to-day life at Marin Horizon, this is the last in a 12 year experience! Even for those who

have not been here since their Toddler year, it can be a bittersweet time – our students form strong bonds with each other and though they’re certainly ready to spread their wings and fly away, they will always be Marin Horizon students.

This year, we asked Lily Stern (pictured above) to give some insights about what it was like to be an 8th grader at Marin Horizon, and what new experiences 9th grade at Drew School has brought. We’re pretty proud and amazed by her answers!

What was your favorite part of 8th grade?

My favorite part of the 8th grade was the camping trip to Lake Tahoe in the first two weeks of school. We were gone for a week, relying on only ourselves and our guides for meals, water, map-reading, tent as-sembly, campfire setup and entertainment and anything in-between. The trip forced us to be responsible and watch out for ourselves and others around us.

Fondest memory of Marin Horizon School?

The campfires! On the Outdoor Ed trips and also at Redwood Glen every year.

Most challenging part of 8th grade?

Avoiding senioritis. My whole grade expe-rienced it and it was always a challenge to remind ourselves to be engaged and appreciate our last year at Marin Horizon.

Describe your experience of the high school application process. Was it hard? Scary? Stressful? Fun? Did you like the process?

I enjoyed the application process! I visited five schools and applied to three. Visiting and learning about all of the other schools near and far was eye opening. I loved see-ing all of the different options I had. All of the schools I visited were very different from each other and from Marin Horizon.

What were you most concerned about in going into 9th grade?

I was worried about the new environ-ment. Drew School is in San Francisco and although I had spent time in the city before school started I wasn’t familiar with the city itself or the people.

In what ways did Marin Horizon prepare you for 9th grade?

Marin Horizon taught me to be indepen-dent, responsible, and reliable. Those three traits are all incredibly important for a successful 9th grade and also a successful high school career.

How was your transition into 9th grade? And how is 9th grade now that you’ve been there for more than half a year?

The transition was much easier than expected. I love my new school and even in the first week of school I felt very

EIGHTH GRADE and beyond

Branson School

Drew School

Marin Catholic

Marin Academy

Redwood High School

San Francisco University High School

San Rafael High School

Tamalpais High School

The Bay School

The Marin School

The Urban School

EIGHTH GRADE CLASS OF 2013

comfortable and included at it. Being confident in the school itself and your de-cision to spend the next four years of your life there makes all the difference when it comes to transitioning from middle to high school. Seven months into high school I am still loving it!

Anything else you want us to know about being a Marin Horizon 8th grader and getting into high school?

It’s very cliché, but be yourself. The schools can tell when you are trying to impress them with things you are not genuinely interested in. Don’t fake any-thing! And also do not get too hung up on one school. Drew was not my first choice during the application process and now I could not imagine myself anywhere else.

We are proud of our graduates and the choices they and their families made for their high school education. We wish you all the best of luck and hope that you stay in touch!

305 Montford Avenue Mill Valley California 94941 415 388 8408 www.marinhorizon.org