Reflections 2009:Reflections v4 - Manlius Pebble Hill School

The local MPH alumni in the class of‘78 get together from time to time, and Ilook forward to seeing you all at the nextgathering soon. No worries! (It’s theAussies favorite saying and I love it!).Cheers, Cindy TurnerMPH School Class of 1979Class AgentPhilip Rothschild ’797 Drumlins TerraceSyracuse, NY 13224E-mail: philrot@twcny.rr.comLaurie Halse Anderson’79 was a 2008National Book Award Finalist for YoungPeople’s Literature this past Novemberfor her recent novel “Chains.” An articleabout her newest book appears onpage 17.Ms. Halse Anderson’s earlier novels forteens and young adults have wonnumerous awards. In 2008, she receivedthe ALAN award for outstandingcontributions to the field of adolescentliterature. To learn more about her, visither website at www.writerlady.com.Maryellen (Songster) Berry ’79 wasnamed division head (grades 2-6) at theTrinity School in Atlanta, Georgia.Sharon (Glazier) Hochstein ’79 will bereceiving tenure as an instructor in theSUNY system and is consulting with anacculturation program for immigrants,teaching ESL. Her son, Yoni, attends theUniversity of Rochester and worked inManlius Pebble Hill’s Summer Programslast year.Mike Jachles ’79 now works in thepublic information office with theBroward County Sherriff’s Office afterspending 14 years in broadcasting withNBC. He lives in Coral Springs, Fla., andhe says he does not miss the snow. Mikewould love to hear from his classmatesat siren941@aol.com.Dougal McKinley ’79 has been married21 years, has two kids and works as aschool counselor in the Knox CountySchool District in Kentucky. He can bee-mailed at mckinleyd@k12tn.net.Wendy (Wayne) Mishara ’79 is still atthe Public Defenders Office as directorof the immigration impact unit. She hastwo daughters, ages 7 and 11, and livesoutside of Boston.Chuck Parmentier ’79 is now directorof personnel at the New York StateDepartment of Parks, Recreation andHistoric Preservation. His e-mailaddress ischuck.parmentier@yahoo.com.Melanie (Lape) Pitts ’79 reports, “Mykids are older and so am I.”Mary Beth Vercillo ’79 notes with somebemusement that she is now anassistant principal at a Catholic schoolin Dallas, imposing discipline instead ofbeing on the receiving end. She is also areading specialist working with dyslexicchildren, as well as a full timekindergarten teacher. After years in therestaurant business, she discovered anaffinity for working with kids and saysthat she loves her job. Her e-mail ismvercillo@yahoo.comKris (Bortle) Zawacki ’79 has a newjob and new house. After years as acorporate consultant, she is now theassistant director of Public Works inWaterford, Conn.Donald G. Miller ’79 is now a tenuredassociate professor of entomology atChico State in California and reports arenewed sense of vigor. He is helping towrite a paper on the mating systems insalmon and another on Gall Waspecology.1980sMPH School Class of 1980Class AgentPaula Hawkins ’80Unit 4914APO, AA 34037E-mail: skaneateleslake@yahoo.comPaula Hawkins ’80, Class Agent, wrotethis letter to her classmates… Greetings,Class of 1980! One more year to goAlumniNotesuntil our 30threunion... I hope wecan have a biggathering back oncampus next June!John and JenniferSutliff marked a bigmilestone this last yearwith their 25th wedding anniversary!They celebrated with a dream cruise inthe Caribbean. Remember John’sperformances in “Little Mary Sunshine”and “Where’s Charley?” Happily, heremains active in community theaterand most recently played the boss in“How to Succeed in Business WithoutReally Trying.” John is working at theKnolls Atomic Power Lab; Jen keepsbusy in the school libraries; daughterSarah is now at Wagner College; andAndrew is already a high school junior.My family and I are finishing up ourthree years in Caracas. It’s been afascinating time to be in Venezuela – aconstitutional amendment abolishingterm limits was just approved, soPresident Hugo Chavez will be able torun for reelection in 2012 – but we willnot miss the periodic shortages offoodstuffs and basic supplies. (We’veseen cycles of shortages of milk,chicken, eggs, paper towels, and coffee –I took that one personally – but it’s thecurrent absence of toilet paper from thegrocery store shelves that seems mostabsurd.)Our children, Seamus and Cordelia,have enjoyed their years at theinternational school here. I like theschool so much that I spend all of mydays there, too – working in the library(like you, Jen!), doing PTA work,coordinating a Latin American literaturebook group, running a monthlySaturday Story Time program, andorganizing book fairs and book swapsand the like.We head back to the States for one yearin D.C. before going on to Greece forDan’s next assignment at EmbassyAthens in the summer of 2010. Wehope to make it to that reunion nextJune... but in the meantime, drop me aline at skaneateleslake@yahoo.com andlet me know how you’re doing!MPH REFLECTIONS 2009 31