Connections - Spring 2021

CONNECTIONS
JACKSONVILLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE SPRING 2021
TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING

CONTENTS
LETTER FROM THE
HEAD OF SCHOOL
PAGE NO.
2
ALUMNI NOTES
PAGE NO.
3
PA PRESIDENT'S
LETTER
PAGE NO.
4
CHARACTER
EDUCATION
PAGE NO.
8
60TH ANNIVERSARY
PAGE NO.
10
NEW BOARD
MEMBERS
PAGE NO.
12
Pat Walker
Head of School
Tonya Elstein
Director of Education
Deanna Gammon
Director of Business
Jennifer Highsmith
Director of Operations
Krista Pizzi
Director of Admissions
Rebecca Schwam
Director of Advancement
SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
PAGE NO.
5
INTELLECTUAL
EXPLORATION
PAGE NO.
6
ANNUAL GIVING
PAGE NO.
13
DONOR LIST
PAGE NO.
14

LETTER FROM THE
HEAD OF SCHOOL
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE LIFE
As I listened to the Student Council make their proposals for school
improvements, I reflected on the value of a JCDS education. One
committee proposed strategies to include hybrid learners at lunchtime.
Another team plans to create a “Hall of Fame” to highlight the members
of our maintenance staff who help keep our campus safe and beautiful.
A third analyzed class schedules in order to set aside time for an
additional study hall, and the list goes on.
At JCDS, students work together to solve real-world problems. At JCDS,
students develop verbal and written communication skills which
they practice and hone daily. At JCDS, students face challenges with
confidence and thoughtfulness.
As we prepare to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Jacksonville Country
Day School, I look back on the original vision for the school as outlined
by Dr. Richard G. Skinner in 1960. In his letter, we see the inaugural
vision for JCDS with emphasis on such school elements as small class
sizes, imaginative curriculum design, and willingness to change with the
times. Dr. Skinner goes on to emphasize the importance of developing
communication skills and providing athletic program opportunities for
all students.
Then as now, JCDS embraces new curriculum designs that meet the
ever-changing needs of the 21st century student. This can be seen in
many of our instructional offerings such as coding, social-emotional
learning, and Reading and Writing Workshops. Furthermore, JCDS
students develop communication skills in a variety of settings including
through writing, small group teamwork, verbal presentations, and
virtual opportunities.
Then as now, JCDS educates the whole child. We know that families
come to our school from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures.
We seek to celebrate and share what makes us different as well as what
we have in common. Our DEI committee is working hard to enhance this
with initiatives like expanding and diversifying our school library and
planning whole-school book readings to discuss the topics of diversity,
equity, and inclusion at all grade levels. Our school counselor works
closely with teachers to deliver social emotional education, and our
specialist teachers encourage students to discover their passions in art,
music, science, and more.
Then as now, JCDS offers athletic and physical education opportunities
to all students, not just the “superior athletes.” For example, third
graders who are just learning the sport play volleyball alongside
experienced fifth graders. Every child participates in PE and recess
every day. Our PE instructors and coaches teach perseverance
alongside physical fitness and gross motor skills. We know that all
children should have daily opportunities to grow through physical
activities and to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Our Portrait of a Graduate statement sums up our current vision for
the successful education of the whole child at JCDS. A JCDS graduate:
• is prepared for academic success
• approaches challenges with confidence
• communicates thoughtfully and effectively
• acts with compassion and respects others
• leads by example
Our Portrait of a Graduate closely aligns with and expands upon the
purpose for JCDS explained by Dr. Skinner. It reflects the original
vision for the school founded sixty years in the past and paves the
way for an innovative future.
Where might we be sixty years from now? I believe that Jacksonville
Country Day School will still offer a superior whole-child education
that prepares students for success both within the walls of our
campus and beyond. Then as now, we will continue to “change with
the times” to foster academic, social emotional, and communication
skills that will carry our children into the future.
Sincerely,
Pat Walker
Head of School
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2005
2008
2009
Rachel Applegate graduated in Spring of 2020
from Harvard with her Masters in Public Health.
Rachel attended Temple University where she
graduated with a BA in Political Science. She then
went on to serve in Peru as a Peace Corps volunteer
before receiving her masters.
Kevin Munoz began working at the White House as
Asst. Press Secretary in January for the Biden-Harris
team. After graduating from Vanderbilt University,
Kevin began his political work at SS+K. He then
served as Regional Press Secretary and Nevada
Press Secretary for the Biden for President primary
campaign. After his work in Nevada, he returned to
Florida as Florida Press Secretary for the Biden for President campaign.
Rachel Schwam graduated Phi Beta Kappa from
Wake Forest University in May 2019 with a BA
in Spanish. Upon graduation, she moved to the
Washington DC area and has been working at
Deloitte Consulting LLP in the Government &
Public Services practice. Rachel also recently began
volunteering at Edu-Futuro (Arlington, VA) as a
bilingual tutor for middle school students. Rachel enjoys FaceTiming
with her family, baking, riding her Peloton, going on walks through the
city, and planning trips she can take once traveling is safe again!
2010
David Podvia graduated in 2020 from the University
of North Florida with a degree in political science. He
currently works as the District Legislative Assistant for
Representative Clay Yarborough (District 12) of the
Florida House of Representatives. He has previously
interned with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S.
House of Representatives member John Rutherford.
2014
2015
ALUMNI NOTES
PREPARED FOR SUCCESS
Austin Sams is currently in his senior year at
Hampton University where he will earn a bachelor’s
degree in Political Science and Leadership Studies.
He is currently the Student Government Association
President. He has volunteered for many political
organizations, including Hillary for America and the
Florida Democratic Party.
Paul Fouts was recently selected as one of this
year’s National Merit Scholarship finalists. He will be
graduating from Episcopal this spring.
Yash Gupta was selected as one of the 2020 National
Merit Scholarship semifinalists. He will be graduating
from Bolles this spring.
Justin O’Leary was featured in an article in Vogue
magazine about first-time voters. The article
highlighted the emotions young, first-time voters
were feeling during the 2020 election.
Mila Kavalieros was honored by the Florida Times-
Union with a high school sports award for female
volleyball player. Mila was part of the first volleyball
team at JCDS, with her mom, Lisa, serving as a coach!
2011
Alexis TerKonda is currently interning with JCDS as a
digital marketing intern where she helped put together
this edition of Connections. She will be graduating
from the University of North Florida in April with her
BBA in marketing. She will continue her education in a
full-time MBA program at Chapman University with a
concentration in entertainment management.
Abby Pham is in her last undergraduate semester
at the University of Florida. After graduation in May,
she will be moving to Seattle to work for Microsoft
as a software engineer. She virtually interned with
Microsoft as a software engineer last summer and
is excited to be returning to the company!
CJ Tremble has committed to play football at Penn.
He will be graduating in May from Episcopal School of
Jacksonville.
Gunner Borree has committed to play baseball at
Brown University. He will be graduating from Bolles
in May.
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PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
I became a JCDS parent in 2002, and have been since then with all of my 5 children, Hannah, Ben, Luke, Jude, & Norah. Over the
past 19 years we have seen many changes on campus and in curriculum, though nothing could have prepared us for the changes that
began in the Spring of 2020. The global pandemic of COVID-19 caused our school to transition from in-person to virtual learning as
we adapted to an unprecedented set of challenges. Without students and faculty on campus, all of our planned Parents’ Association
events were understandably cancelled. Our spring semester went forward without our 60th Anniversary gala, Spring Fling, Teacher
Appreciation Luncheon, Field Day, and many highly anticipated grade-level field trips. Collectively, we hoped and prayed that we
would be back to our normal routine by Fall 2020.
Thankfully, after extensive planning and preparation, and with the tireless dedication of our faculty and staff, we were able to resume
in-person learning in a safe and thoughtful environment, though we maintained optional virtual learning in order to accommodate
all of our families. However, while our children were able to return to campus, parents were not, due to COVID safety protocols. This
posed quite a challenge for the Parents’ Association, whose main purpose is to organize on-campus events and coordinate volunteers.
Fortunately, through thoughtful planning and collective collaboration between PA committee members and JCDS administration, we
were able to replace our on-campus events with creative virtual options.
Together, we hosted a virtual pizza-making party and Bingo night, a Charcuterie & Cocktail hour for parents, and numerous gradelevel
parties hosted by classroom parents that included a pumpkin carving and costume contest, pumpkin pie making with Chef Jim,
cookie decorating, popcorn & pajama parties, and many more fun virtual gatherings. We love the Zoom Room!
Our Teacher Appreciation Committee outdid themselves with making our faculty feel appreciated through providing takeout lunches,
smoothies, coffee & doughnuts, Valentine cupcakes, and decorating the campus with gratitude for Thanksgiving. We’ve had record
attendance for our monthly PA meetings via Zoom and most recently hosted a conversation with Dr. Wendy Mogel, accomplished PhD
psychologist and New York Times best-selling author of The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, The Blessing of a B minus, and Voice Lessons
for Parents.
This Spring, we’re looking forward to our first ever Virtual Book Fair and celebrating the 60th Anniversary of JCDS in virtual format.
The children will enjoy a field day and plans are in the works for a safe option to Spring Fling. Has this year been easy? No. Has it been
challenging? Yes. But at JCDS we know that challenges are what make life interesting, and overcoming them is what helps us grow.
It has been my absolute pleasure and honor to serve as your PA President this year, and I am overwhelmingly grateful for my amazing
committee members and wonderfully supportive administration and faculty, without whom none of what we accomplished this year
could have been possible. I look forward with optimism to the 2021-2022 school year and encourage all of our parents to support the
PA with your time and talents. Our children are only little for a little while, so let’s embrace the words of Dr. Wendy Mogel and “Stay
enchanted with their enchantment.”
Holly Kobrin
President
JCDS Parents’ Association, 2020-21
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COVID-19
REAFFIRMING OUR MISSION:
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
A fundamental part of the mission of Jacksonville Country Day School
(JCDS) is teaching students the importance of social responsibility. This
can be seen from our community’s participation in collecting for local
food drives, making inspirational cards for Feeding NE Florida food banks,
donating books to Books-A-Go-Go, and pop-tab collections for the Ronald
McDonald House, to name a few.
service, and she undoubtedly attributes her
daughter’s actions during the pandemic to the social
responsibility that JCDS teaches their students."
Giving back is something that JCDS students, families, faculty and staff are
no strangers to, so when COVID-19 altered daily life in Jacksonville, our
community rose to the challenge. Students, parents, and alumni put their
social responsibility commitment into action to help combat the pandemic
in a range of ways, from working on the front lines to using their hobbies
as a way to give back. At JCDS, we are extremely proud to have members of
our community help fight COVID-19 from various angles.
Dr. Samir Midani, parent to Adam and
Lily and Division Chief of the Pediatric
Infectious Diseases Clinic at Nemours
Children’s Hospital, explained, “as a
frontline worker, [COVID19] was scary
because it was unknown.” As time went
on and COVID-19 progressed, Dr. Midani
said he came to realize, “it takes a whole
community to take care of this virus. We are
all one small village. It takes all of us [and]
people have to come together during this time and take care of each other”
The idea of working as a community to help beat this virus was something
that Dr. Midani noticed from the beginning and is extremely grateful for.
During the time when PPE was short and put doctors at a very real risk of
being exposed to the virus, Dr. Midani said, “we had a lot of people making
masks and it was wonderful.”
Masks quickly became very
necessary, yet very hard to find
during the beginning of the
pandemic. 4th grade student
Neily Mallini saw this need
and decided to put her love for
sewing to use for a good cause.
Neily’s mother, Kerry, discussed
her involvement, “she found a way to do
something she loves that helped others and made the situation lighter
for herself.” Neily’s masks first went to local healthcare workers at Baptist
Hospital and then to friends and neighbors. Kerry explained that, “Neily
is in student government at JCDS so she is very exposed to community
David Cohen, father of JCDS third grader, Abe,
decided to get creative and use what he already
had around him to help fight COVID-19. Owner
of full-scale, organic distillery, Manifest Distillery,
David decided to shift his production from spirits
to hand sanitizer. “We started to hear about the
industry pivot around February or March because
of the shortage [of hand sanitizer] and by the
end of March we realized it was a much bigger
issue than expected.” In the beginning, Manifest
Distillery sold their hand sanitizer solely to nursing
homes and hospitals, but soon expanded to first
responder institutions and government agencies,
and finally the public. David explained that his son
Abe currently thinks, “it’s really cool that his dad
makes hand sanitizer,” but knows in the future he
will fully understand the bigger
picture of stepping up for your
community in a time of need.
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REAFFIRMING OUR MISSION:
INTELLECTUAL EXPLORATION
HOPE CHEST
Jacksonville Country Day School provides students
with opportunities to make change as they prepare to
become tomorrow‘s leaders. In conjunction with this
practice, 4th-grade students study American history
through the lens of “liberty and justice for all” while
exploring the meaning of the Constitution of the
United States and the Bill of Rights. Students then
learn how America has transformed over time and the
key historical events that propelled progress.
For example, our students recently read the novel
The Hope Chest, which tells a story of hope and
perseverance during the American suffragist
movement. While reading this book, students applied
knowledge about the Bill of Rights to identify themes
of equity and justice for people of different ages,
genders, races, nationalities, classes, and belief
systems. They also experienced the era from a multitude of character
perspectives.
In addition, during this unit, students sketched and then sculpted reliefs
depicting a symbolic story about their dreams, and placed these images
along the perimeter of clay “hope chests” they designed. Later, to the
delight of students, the unit culminated with students sporting yellow
roses like the protagonists in the novel the Hope Chest, since yellow
roses were a symbol of the Suffragette movement.
Ms. Alexander, the fourth-grade language arts teacher,
explained, “By reading The Hope Chest, students
learned to recognize injustice and inequality, practice
empathy, and learn ways that they can change the
world for the better.”
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REAFFIRMING OUR MISSION:
INTELLECTUAL EXPLORATION
REFLECTIONS ON THE HOPE CHEST
BY JACKSONVILLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL STUDENT, MACKENNA S.
When I first began this book, I didn’t think I would like it. But I was wrong,
so very wrong. As soon as I started reading it more and really digging
deep into symbols, signposts, and more, I was able to reach an amazing
understanding of this incredible book. This book has taught me things
I would never have learned without this book. One, I learned so much
about the actual historical event that happened! Learning about Women’s
suffrage made me have a whole new perspective on the world and how
many women faced many challenges. One of my favorite characters,
Myrtle, shows how confidence and bravery are important when it comes to
people judging you for what you look like. Myrtle was an African American,
but she didn’t let anyone push her around and make her upset. She held
her head up high, and these character traits make Myrtle such a very
likable character.
Also, when I was reading through this book, I saw that the main character,
Violet, transformed into this whole new person. It was like at first she
was a tiny caterpillar that was naive, shy, always obeying no matter what.
But then, she goes through this metamorphosis, turning into a beautiful
butterfly in the end. By the end, she is wearing the colors of courage, and
for sure not letting mean adults boss her around and telling her what to be
or who to be.
I’d have to say the biggest thing I’ve learned throughout The Hope Chest, is
that you are in charge of your own self, how courageous you are, how much
you let people make an impact on you, how you
decide yourself on who you want to be, and the fact
that you are in control of whether or not you give
up. Countless times we see many characters taking
these humongous leaps of faith to get to their goal
in their end, because of all the hope that they have.
If they have to jump off a train to get to their goal,
they will most definitely do it. And that’s because of
their amazing hope.
This book is certainly one I will never, I say
never, forget. It is a book that makes you cry,
laugh, surprisingly say, “Wow!”, rejoice, and feel
indescribable happiness, joy, and triumph. I
remember the day in class when Mrs. Alexander
had gotten the whole class yellow roses to pin
to ourselves because that was the day when we
read a chapter when the women won the right to
vote. It was the happiest day ever. Without this
book, I most certainly would not have learned the
true meaning of friendship, teamwork, courage,
authenticity, and overall, hope for the future, the
present, and forever and ever.
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REAFFIRMING OUR MISSION:
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
This was from a lesson on stress reduction, reflecting
on what is in your head and what is on your heart
Hybrid students connecting through a game called, "Connections",
a social emotional learning version of UNO
All over the country the 2020 - 2021 school year has presented unique
challenges and stressors. These challenges have impacted students,
parents, teachers, administrators, and all who are part of a school
community.
At Jacksonville Country Day School these include the obvious changes of
everyone wearing masks, keeping social distance, and parents not being
able to join on campus. There are also the indirect challenges that include
uncertainty around the course of the school year, students not being
able to spend time with friends from other classes, the responsibility of
maintaining their health, and the typical emotions of development now
compounded with the stress in their global and local environments, to
name a few. In fact, as the mission statement of Jacksonville Country Day
School states, we are preparing students for a productive and healthy
lifetime of learning, and key to meeting our mission is making certain that
we are deliberate in our efforts to include social emotional learning as an
integral part of our school’s curriculum.
The community of JCDS has reflected, adjusted, and grown to support
our students even more during this time. We are proud to share these
continued initiatives such as: 7 Mindsets, Conscious Discipline, and social
emotional learning provided by the teachers and our school counselor.
Each morning, classes begin with a Morning Meeting
where students have meaningful connections with
their classmates to begin their day. This also provides
the students with safe and creative ways to socialize
with their peers. The school counselor, Liz McNairy,
continues to be a resource for students to talk about
the things that are bothering them, even if those
things are not related to school or schoolwork.
This year we have created new opportunities for
children to feel supported through expanded
offerings such as the Team Lead teacher position and
the addition of our Enhancement Class for 5th and
6th graders. These serve as an integrated approach
for our students to receive an education that includes
social and emotional learning to prepare them
for their future. The Team Lead position is filled by
master teachers who are not only trained to teach
academic skills but also have the expertise to support
children socially and emotionally. Their goal is to help
students strive to do their best while at the same time
navigating the unique stressors they face. Teresa Gore,
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REAFFIRMING OUR MISSION:
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Students exercising Executive Function Skills at their lockers where they show organization.
Enhancement Teacher, provides a variety of lessons intended to help our
5th and 6th grade students increase life skills that will help them target
their emotions and enhance their academics.
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
has documented more than two decades of research demonstrating that
education which promotes social and emotional learning gets results.
These results include improved rates with student achievement, health,
classroom management, and the prevention of youth problem behaviors.
So what do the students have to say about their experience with Social
Emotional Learning? Read on for some comments from our 5th and 6th
grade students.
(the pronoun, “they” has been used to keep the students’ comments
anonymous).
“I learned I was an introvert.” This quote was taken from a student who
explained that they used to think that something was wrong with them
because they weren't outgoing like some of their peers but now they know
what an introvert is and that nothing is wrong with them.
“This class is changing me.” This particular student was reflecting on their
experience of understanding a classmate who was having a bad day. They
further explained that in the beginning of the year they would have never
noticed or thought about it.
“The skills that I learn in your class are ones I will
use the rest of my life. The interview skills that you
taught me were so helpful… The administrators
asked the same questions that you told me to expect,
so I was well prepared because of you!” This quote
comes from a student describing the joy of knowing
all the answers to interview questions for their next
steps after JCDS.
Aside from these quotes, the 5th and 6th grade
students have shared that they are having so much
fun learning about themselves. They love learning
about their personality, their strengths, their impact
in the community, and more.
Just as CASEL has shown in the past 20 years of their
research, we too are finding that social emotional
learning is beneficial for our students. In addition
to mental health benefits, it has also been reported
that behavior incidences have been lower this year
than in years passed. This finding also aligns with
the national research being completed.
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60 TH ANNIVERSARY:
LEGACY OF LEARNING
“My most anxious moment was when
the [water bottle] chandelier in the art
room was flipped over and hung. I was
worried that it would come apart after
having worked on it for months!”
— Shaw Lane
“There are many schools of fish in the ocean, but a JCDS shark is what I’ll always be. I have
23 years of happy memories working as a Kindergarten teacher at JCDS. My classroom
was filled with laughter, cheers, ABC’s and 123’s. A strong academic foundation ensures
life’s success and enrichment. For those 23 years JCDS became my extended family. I
enjoyed collaborating with a fantastic pre-primary team and primary colleagues. We
shared a passion and a mission to enrich the future lives of JCDS students. Being on the
faculty was an incredible privilege.”
— Lana Bourdon
"JCDS was the very best place for both of my children to begin their educational journey.
The environment created by the teachers at JCDS allowed my children to develop a
lifelong love of learning and exploration. It prepared them for the challenges they would
meet throughout their lives and helped them develop their own sense of character and
commitment to improving the world around them. As an educator at JCDS, I enjoyed
providing a place where my students could learn and develop in a close and supportive
community committed to developing the whole child."
— Jill Abel, P'06, P'10
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60TH ANNIVERSARY:
LEGACY OF LEARNING
"JCDS gave me the building blocks that have allowed me to engage in a lifelong
learning process long after my time there. For example, today, I read for pleasure
about subjects that were introduced to me for the first time as a young student
at JCDS. Most importantly, I learned a code of morals that I apply to my everyday
life in my community.”
— Aaron Abel, Class of 2010
During my 8 years at JCDS, I was
introduced to lifelong friends that I
am still close with to this day.”
— Brooke Matey, Class of 2010
“My favorite experience in my 10
year run as a JCDS Board Member,
and a couple years as Board Chair,
was getting to know and work
closely with our extraordinary Head
of School, Pat Walker. She truly is
the heart and soul of JCDS and the
school is very fortunate to have her
at the helm. I miss you Pat!"
— Rick Anderson, P'14, P'16
“We are thankful for JCDS for not only the outstanding education and preparation it provided our kids
but also welcoming us to Jacksonville and becoming the core of our community. While serving on the
Board, I was surprised to discover just how forward looking and enduring the founding vision of the
school was and remains: Superior teaching, small class size, and an emphasis on enrichment activities.
Faculty were selected for their creativity and willingness to change with the times. And a curriculum
emphasizing verbal and written communication skills, critical thinking, and a variety of enrichment
activities, including physical fitness and athletics.”
— Jeff Kellmanson, P'11, P'13
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NEW BOARD MEMBERS 2021
Rick Friedman
Rick Friedman is a past member of the
JCDS Board of Trustees (2008-2017).
He and his wife, Beverly, have one child,
Amanda, a 2013 graduate of JCDS. Rick
is a partner in Paradigm Commercial
Capital, LLC, a private commercial real
estate lender and development company. His outside interests
include golf, fitness, and spending quality time with his family,
especially traveling to new places.
Keri Morales
Keri Morales is the former Vice President
of Compliance at Goldman Sachs, where
she worked in the New York City office of
the Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Division managing a global team. She
holds a B.A. in Psychology from The
College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Keri and
her husband Ed have five children, three of whom currently
attend JCDS and one who is a recent graduate. Keri is active in
the JCDS community and has a passion for serving the local
community through her church, Christ Church East, PCA. Keri
enjoys running on the beach, exploring, volunteering, and
spending time with her family.
Amanda Baggett
Amanda Baggett is an attorney at
Baggett Law, a personal injury law firm
owned by Amanda and her husband,
Matt. Amanda grew up outside of
Atlanta in Marietta, Georgia. She
attended the University of Georgia,
where she earned a degree in advertising in 2000. From
there she earned her law degree at Mercer University in
2003. Amanda and Matt have four children at JCDS. As a
family, they enjoy traveling, fishing, and exploring the area’s
beaches and parks.
John Wright
John Wright is the former Chief
Operating Officer and current Board
Member for Southeastern Aluminum
Products, a national manufacturer of
shower enclosures. John and his wife
Angie have two daughters, Sara (27)
and Olivia (13), and a beautiful granddaughter, Marlee (3).
John is a graduate of Jacksonville Country Day School, along
with Olivia, and enjoys boating, fishing, and spending time
with his girls.
Steve Goodfriend
Steve Goodfriend and his wife Heather
have two children, Ellie and Kallan.
Ellie graduated from JCDS in 2018 and
Kallan is currently in third grade. Steven
is a practicing Emergency Physician
at Orange Park Medical Center and its
affiliated Free Standing Emergency Departments. He also serves
as the Emergency Department Medical Director at these sites.
He is the Immediate Past Chief of Staff at Orange Park Medical
Center. In addition, Steve is a System Medical Director for
TeamHealth and supports several hospitals in the southeastern
region of the United States.
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ANNUAL GIVING
SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE
YOU EMPOWER FACULTY — TO EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION
Because of you, passionate teachers are teaching coding to early learners and providing opportunities to utilize designed
thinking, ensuring that new generations of engineers, artists, scientists, and teachers are prepared for the world in which
they will live.
YOU ENRICH EXPERIENCES — FOR ALL WHO ATTEND JACKSONVILLE COUNTRY DAY
Because of you, our JCDS Sharks have an opportunity to explore foreign language, develop a love of the arts, and be
physically active on a daily basis. Thanks to your ongoing support of the JCDS Fund, we are able to provide upgrades across
our campus to enrich our students’ experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
YOU HELP STUDENTS — FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS
Because of you, our exceptional students are well prepared upon graduation to be successful in middle school and beyond.
By supporting our school through your unrestricted giving, you make sure that our curriculum is cutting edge.
HERE'S HOW YOU CONTRIBUTED TO
JACKSONVILLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL IN 2019-2020
OUR JCDS FUND RAISED
$155,500
THANK YOU
FOR GIVING
100%
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
100%
FACULTY AND STAFF
33
FIRST-TIME DONORS TO JCDS FUND
$43,000
OUR MAJOR GIFT OPPORTUNITIES RAISED
for the completion of the renovations to our Center for Learning,
Innovation and Collaboration (including our Tech Studio, Science Lab,
Production Studio and Library as well as our Dining Room)
JCDS CARES
OUR FAMILIES CONTRIBUTED $20,000 TO SUPPORT
FAMILIES IN NEED BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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JCDS FUND 2019-20
DONOR LIST
Educator Circle
($8,000.00 +)
Rajeeb and Sher-Lu Das
Ruple and Gina Galani
Rebecca and Steven Goldwasser
Nikolaos and Lisa Kavalieros
Paul Saunders
Founders Circle
($5,000.00+)
Amanda and Matt Baggett
Kirsten and Joshua Martino
Saunders & Company
Brenda and William Schilling
Ameeth and Asmitha Vedre
Pat and James Walker
Wells Fargo Matching Gifts
Gregory and Amy Wong
Southside Circle
($2,500.00+)
Assurance Dimensions
Bank of America Charitable
Foundation Employee Program
Bono's of North Florida
Rex and Barbara Groves
Dr. Jason and Faith Meier
Holly and Craig Kobrin
Elizabeth Misner
Jason Misner
Nemours Children's Health System
Mark and Leah Preston
Jeffrey and Christine Rosen
Carrie Saunders
Michael and Mishayla Schmidt
Michael and Lauren Setzer
Justin and Paige Terry
Ullmann Brown Financial Group
Hongliang and Yu Wei
Benefactor Circle
($1,250.00+)
Baggett Law Firm
Vincent and Tahia Barre
Holly Brooks
Heather and Lou Fouts
Michael and Crystal Freed
Heather and Steven Goodfriend
Graybar Electric
Jeffrey Hartman
Jennifer Highsmith
Home Team Restaurant Grp/Willie Jewell's
Old School Bar-B-Q
David Kight
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Owens
Beaches Orthodontics - Dr. Shreena Patel
Olga Tron and Alex Chugay
Jill and Matt Ward
Head of School Circle
($500.00+)
Michael and Jill Abel
Jacklyn Bennett
Peter Blumeyer
Katie Bono
Melanie and Greg Boree
Bradbury Family Charitable
Foundation
Nancy and Michael Cleaveland
Virginia and Jim Dickert
Arend and Kareen Dorsett
Christa Pepitone and Jamie Edwards
Darsi and Marc Edwards
Tonya and Andew Elstein
Mr. Jerome Fletcher
Stephanie Font and Edgardo Agrait
Danielle and Gregory Frey
Deanna and Gary Gammon
Brendan and Austin Haney
Harden & Associates Foundation
Johnson and Johnson Family of
Companies
Karen Johnson
Jeffrey and Mary Kellmanson
Stephen and Chanda Kuehn
Ryan and Leah MacClellan
Jud and Kerry Mallini
Lauralyn and Jack Marshall
Lara and Ryan Mattina
Jason and Elizabeth Misner
Veronica and Shahriar Nabizadeh
Geoff and Krista Neilson
Paul and Lisa Ottendorf
Krista and David Pizzi
Ashutosh and Sala Pradhan
Mrs. Brenda Preston
Nathan and Larua Renstrom
Rebecca and Brian Schwam
Rebekah and Andrew Selevan
Jazzie and Arne Sippens
Asja and Jon Tebeau
Daniel and Teresa Yip
Benefactor Circle
($375.00+)
Justine and David Jeans
Blue & Gold Circle
($125.00+)
Anonymous
Nia Ali
Venugopal and Elizabeth Bathala
Heather and Manny Berkley
Denise Bibeault
Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation
U.S. Matching Gifts Program
Terrell and Michelle Frey
Joseph and Tiffany Gumino
Lori and Eric Hall
Colleen Hemingway
Laurie Incles
Karen and Andrew Kaunitz
Clinton Keller
Deborah and Frank Kovacs
Amy Kucsak
Jenny and Aaron Latta
Byoung and Carolyn Lee
Keith and Tonua Lozowski
Lori and Robert Merrill
Doug Milne
Keri and Edgar Morales
Kristen and Brett Nagy
Neha and Tathagat Narula
Ian Nyquist
Pioneer Equipment Company
C. Michael Porter
Kara and Patrick Riley
Christine and Shane Silver
Andrew and Keri Steckler
Charles and Heidi Taylor
Jane and Tracy Thompson
John and Renee Thompson
Susie Toomer
Beatriz and Claudio Varella
Friends Circle
($1.00+)
Pippa Alexander
Michel and Suzette Allen
Monica and Eric Ash
Cynthia Ball
Diane Balotin
Manisha and Manish Bansal
Darlene Batteh
Abha Bhor
Kathryn Braswell
Sarah Brinson
Deborah Cannington
Martha Caplan
Vijaya Chalamalasetty
Carolin and Mark Conmy
John Conmy
Karen Connelly
Jennifer and Steve Currie
Lindsay Curry
Rosemary Ennis
Thomas Evans
Alli Flores
Teresa and Ken Gore
Ashleigh Gray
Ashley and Bryan Hassel
Nancy Hockenbery
Richard Horvath
Katie and Andrew Howard
William and Ashley Howard
Shannon Johnson
Dona Kenny
Cristina and Robert Knodel
Gabbie and Jason Kramer
Kathryn and Jake Krawiec
Cynthia and Steve Leonard
Iliana Leonard
Todd Link
Carol and Mark Madow
Ravindra and Karishma Maharaj
Abbey and Harold Matthews
Christina and Donald Maurer
Kerrie McConaha
Courtney and Brooks McCormick
Tejal and Charles McLeod
Meghan McVicker
Melissa and Thomas Melba
Sabrina Miller
Leigh Anne and William Milne
Susie Montgomery
Hildy and Bryan Neel
Kevin and Erica Neu
Jill and Nicholas New
Leif and Morgan Noren
Michelle and Ravi Pande
Brian and Kristen Petrine
Doug and Pamela Postell
Lindsey Powell
Marianna and Lev Rejanovinshi
Beth and Ty Roberts
Marti Robinson
Mary Beth and Gregory Robinson
David Sandlin
Tricia and Chad Senesac
Carole Senn
Ilicia and Scott Shugarman
Kamryn St. Thomas
Chrystal Staples
Laurie Stayer
Kristin and Brian Szallay
Kathy Thompsen
Lindsey and Drew Upchurch
Krista Van Tassell
Emily Vasquez
Adriann Wade
Codi Wellesley
Darlene Young
Erica and Mark Zematis
List current as of Feb 21, 2021. We apologize for any errors or missing data.
14
WWW.JDCS.COM | SPRING 2021

10063 Baymeadows Road
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
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Jacksonville, FL.
Permit No. 954
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FOR THIS EDITION OF CONNECTIONS:
Pippa Alexander, 4th grade Language Arts teacher | Holly Kobrin, President, Parents' Association
Liz McNairy, School Counselor | McKenna S., JCDS student | Rebecca Schwam, Director of Advancement
Alexis TerKonda, Digital Marketing Intern, Class of 2010 | Pat Walker, Head of School
BUSINESS COUNCIL MEMBERS
Thank you to our Business Council members. The faculty, staff, and students of JCDS truly appreciate their support!