School Annual Report

C O N T E N T S

1 A Letter from the Head of School

3 A Message from the Board Chair

4 Who’s New in 2009

6 Distinguished Alumnus 2009

8 Retired Faculty

Isidore Newman Society

9 Commencement and College Report

12 Academic and Citizenship Awards 2009

14 Outstanding Faculty 2009

16 Special Events on Campus

18 Newman Parents Association

and the Dads Club

22 Giving 2008-2009

46 Breakthrough

NewJazzSchool

A LETTER FROMTHE HEADOF SCHOOLIIT IS SUCH A PRIVILEGE for me to work at Newman. Here I am surrounded

by faculty and staff dedicated to the School’s excellence; students committed to learning

both inside and outside the classroom; parents devoted to giving their time, talents and

treasures to the School, and alumni loyal to Newman despite the passing of years or

intervening miles.

Newman is an excellent school, and the accomplishments of the 2008-09 school year

demonstrated it in so many ways. The Class of 2009, more than 30 percent of whom

were finalists for the National Merit Scholarship, has left us for an impressive array

of schools (see page 11).

We introduced several new academic programs in the 2008-09 school year. We

challenged our lower schoolers with new curricula, Singapore Math and the Lucy

Calkins Writing Program. A new course, Cultural Geography, was introduced to eighth

graders, in which they explore the important relationship between physical geography

and cultural development. In the Upper School, all freshmen enrolled in a writing

course that addressed everything from essays to lab reports. The senior Capstone course

brought in renowned speakers including David Brooks, James Carville, Richard

Heinberg and U.S. Representative Joseph Cao.

We had great successes on our playing fields and on stage last year. Our boys’ soccer

team won the state championship, the 77th state championships for the School. Girls’

soccer and volleyball reached the semifinals of the state championship, and boys’ cross

country finished first in the district for the 13th straight year. In the arts, our students

put on wonderful productions of The Laramie Project and Godspell in the Henson

Auditorium, and Valmont Courtyard transformed into the English countryside for A

Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Reynolds Ryan Gallery was filled with outstanding

art that attracted people from around New Orleans.

While we enjoy our successes, in order to remain excellent, a school like Newman

must always be looking forward. This fall, we hosted an accreditation team of 21

educators from the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. Over the

previous year, we reflected on our practices in a comprehensive self study, and

we are moving forward with our findings and the committee’s recommendations

to continue our path to preeminence.

The support of our alumni, parents, grandparents and friends helps us reach our

goal of providing students with the programs, faculty, spaces and support to fulfill

their potential. I am grateful to all those who help Newman be a great school.

Sincerely,

T.J. Locke

Head of School

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIRDDEAR FRIENDS,

I recently began my third and final year as chair of Newman’s Board of Governors. It hastruly been a privilege to serve in this position. I have enjoyed working with Head of School,T.J. Locke, and the other board members who are committed not only to preserving the excellence of a Newman education, but also to doing everything we can to ensure that the School will continue to grow and flourish for future generations.

I am pleased to report that, notwithstanding the economic downturn that the country hasexperienced, the generosity of the Newman community has not wavered. This past year,Newman families, alumni and friends donated more than $1.1 million to the Annual Fund,a vital resource for the School’s operations and for enhancing the quality of the educationprovided to our students. I sincerely thank all of our donors for their support and their willingness to contribute the necessary funds to help Newman’s students reach their highest potential.

Schools have not been immune from the impact of our weakened economy. In that respect, the board has been working with the administration to examine the budget closelyto reduce expenditures in areas that will not interfere with the quality of the educationalexperience at Newman. We spent the majority of time at the Board of Governors’ retreatthis fall strategically dealing with these financial issues and making decisions that willallow the School to overcome them. During these discussions, however, we remainedsteadfast in our commitment to attract and to retain the most talented faculty for our students. The board fully understands that what has made Newman a great school for more than a century, and what will continue to make it excel, are its outstanding and extremely dedicated and hardworking teachers and coaches.

The board has been busy on a number of other fronts over the past year. A real estate taskforce is working on how to best utilize the strategic properties adjacent to the campus thatthe School has acquired over the years. We also are finalizing the transfer of the endowmentfunds to the Isidore Newman School Foundation, which was established to better protectthese critical assets. We are continuing to work with a consultant in designing a masterplan for the future of our campus. And, during the past year, Browning Associates, withwhom we have been consulting on fundraising and governance issues, conducted an attitudinal and feasibility study which involved interviews with approximately fifty membersof the Newman community, including alumni, parents, former parents and board members.We recently received the final report containing the results of this study and the perceptionsand information discerned during the interviews. We are using this data to establish goalsand to prioritize projects for raising funds.

Please be assured that, as the board continually attempts to take steps to make Newman an even better institution, we will always keep in mind the values, traditions and high standards that have defined the School throughout its storied history.

I again want to express my appreciation to everyone who contributed to the School in2008-09. It is imperative that Newman continues to nurture the growth of citizens andleaders, the kind of young adults who will possess the skills needed to find success in anyendeavor. Your generosity helps us to accomplish this mission. It has been an honor toserve as the chair of the Board of Governors of a school with so many committed and supportive faculty members, administrators, parents, alumni, grandparents and friends who are dedicated to preserving and enriching the educational experience of each child and to pushing Newman to an ever-brighter future.

Sincerely,

Irving J. Warshauer ‘68Chair, Board of Governors

4 2008-2009 Annual Report

WHO’S NEW IN 2009 Newman has the honor this fall of welcoming five new members to the Board of Governors.

George S. Greenberg, Ph.D., returns to the Board as the Jewish Children’s Regional Service representative.Greenberg is a psychotherapist working with individuals, children, adolescents, couples families, groupsand organizations in private practice. He is the founder and director of the Brief Therapy Center and Family Therapy Institute of Greater New Orleans, LLC, and was director of the Child and Adolescent Program at DePaul Hospital in New Orleans. He is married to Kitty Greenberg, who retired from Newmanin 2008 after more than 35 years as a teacher, administrator and advisor.

Monica Weil Kalozdi is vice-president and co-owner of Kalencom, an international, multifaceted manufacturing company which specializes in jewelry packaging products and infant accessories as wellas a lifestyle product line. Born in Colombia, South America, to a German father and an Americanmother, Kalozdi came to New Orleans to attend Loyola University, from which she graduated cum laudewith a degree in economics. Kalozdi is actively involved in Teen Life Counts, a suicide prevention programthrough Jewish Family Services, and she is a member of the New Orleans Women's Professional Counciland JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association). Kalozdi is also a mountain climber, and in 2006she completed the seven summits, climbing the highest mountain on every continent – including MountEverest. Monica and her husband Jeno are the parents of Jeno “Kicker” ’04, David ’07 and Hannah ’14.

Laura Fox Politz is a nurse practitioner with a specialty in adolescent health, and she was formerly onstaff at Tulane University’s Health Center. Politz has been an active volunteer at Newman as well as atgreater New Orleans community organizations. Her volunteer service includes a term as president of theJunior League of New Orleans, being a board member of Second Harvest Food Bank, and chairing theSugar Plum Ball, a benefit for Children’s Hospital. Politz holds a bachelor of arts from Southern MethodistUniversity and a master of science in nursing from Vanderbilt University. She and her husband Paul arethe parents of Ashton ’15, Anna ’17 and Wade ’20.

Britton Sanderford is an engineer, inventor and entrepreneur who holds over 80 patents and patentspending. Sanderford currently serves as chief technology officer of Sensus, an international company providing technologies and services to help utilities measure, manage and control distributed resources.Sanderford is responsible for Sensus technology related activities worldwide. He holds a bachelor of science in engineering from Louisiana State University. He and his wife Sheila are the parents of Brice’07, Shelby ’10, Spencer ’13 and Bergen ’17.

Peter Sperling is a partner at Frilot L.L.C., where he leads the firm’s Medical Malpractice & Healthcaresection. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and was named one of the Best Lawyersin America for medical malpractice law for three consecutive years. Sperling is active in several community organizations, including serving on the board of directors of the Jewish Community Center,Southern Eyebank and the Anti-Defamation League. Sperling holds a bachelor of arts from Vanderbilt University, and he received his J.D. from Tulane University. He and his wife Vicky have four children, Andrew ’11, Elliot ’15, Frances ’17 and Olivia ’20.

George S. Greenberg, Ph.D.

Monica Weil Kalozdi

Laura Fox Politz

Peter Sperling

Britton Sanderford

Newman’s communications are a little “greener” as alumna Erin O’Brien ’98 takes the reins as the director of communications.

O’Brien replaces Anne Konigsmark, who leaves the position after twoyears to return to the classroom as an upper school English teacher.

O’Brien came to Newman in 2006 to join the technology department.During her first year, she took on many communications tasks, includingwriting and producing Campus Connection, writing push pages and handling advertising for admissions and for camps. In the summer of2007, Erin became web coordinator, which provided her with skills that

will be critical as we continue to make more of our communications web-based.

Much of what the director of communications does is celebrate the School. It would be hard tofind a bigger fan of Newman than Erin. She has lent her enthusiasm and her know-how to manyschool endeavors – she has coached cheerleading, served as booster club sponsor, chaperonedtrips and lent her graphic design skills to departments all over the School.

O’Brien holds a bachelor of arts from Louisiana State University, majoring in public relationswith a minor in business.

B

DISTINGUISHEDALUMNUS 2009

Bryan Batt moved a full house of friends and family to tears and laughter when he accepted the AlumniAssociation’s 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award at an event in April.

Batt is an award-winning actor currently playing Salvatore Romano on AMC’s hit show, “Mad Men,” andhe is the owner of the local high-end design shop Hazelnut. Batt said he was proud and humbled by thislovely acknowledgment from the institution that gave him so much.

Kitty Greenberg, former head of Newman’s drama department, introduced Batt, as did his childhoodfriend and classmate Leann Opotowsky Moses ‘81.

Being in the third grade play made Batt want to be an actor, he told the crowd of friends, fellow alumniand family gathered in the Krohn Foyer outside Henson Auditorium. “The play was ‘Twas the Night beforeChristmas,’ he said. “And I was Rudolph. Only there is no Rudolph in ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ Butmy mom worked up this wonderful number with tap shoes, and my nose lit up and at one point I wasdoing a handstand upside down.” The audience went wild, and Batt was hooked.

“Whenever I think of Newman, I have these warm, wonderful memories,” Batt said. “Was it perfect? No.But that’s not what education is about. You fall down, you learn. But what I did learn at Newman is thatfailure is not an option. You have to keep on trying. You can’t give up. And civic activism was born in mehere. We were taught at an early age to give back to your community.”

He finished by saying, “I can’t believe you’re giving an award to someone who is just living a happy life.”

He thanked his teachers, including Warreene Dart, Mrs. Plotkin, Mr. Guillot and A.J. andMichael Guma. “And thank you to Coach Fitz and Coach Hecker, who were so kind to me though I showed no ability whatsoever. And to Kitty Greenberg, who really did stop me in a hallway and said, ‘I saw you perform as a kid and I know you want to try out for my play so why don’t you.’ At Newman, teachers are out there looking to say the right

thing at the right time.”

Finally, he said of his time at Newman, “I found my life’s friends here and my life’s passion.”

Batt graduated from Tulane University and took to the Broadway boardsshortly thereafter. He has appeared in leading and principal roles in nineBroadway shows and numerous Off Broadway productions including LaCage Aux Folles, Beauty and the Beast, Seussical the Musical, SunsetBoulevard, Saturday Night Fever, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Cats, and Starlight Express.Off Broadway credits include Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back

Tom Cianfichi and Bryan Batt ‘81

2008-2009 Annual Report 7

NOMINATIONS FOR THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS 2009

Please take the time to nominate an alumnus whom you feel is worthy of recognition. The nominee must:

3 Be a living graduate of the Isidore Newman School, no earlier than 20 years prior to the current nominating year

3 Have made significant contributions in their specific fields of endeavor and taken a vigorous leadership role in their community

3 Have brought honor to the School through their achievements, both professionally and in the community

3 Have exhibited loyalty and dedication to the School

3 Exemplify the type of graduate Newman strives to produce

3 Not be a current member of the Newman Alumni Association Board, Board of Governors and/or Selection Committee

Please submit the nominee’s name, class year, and a written letter explaining how this personmeets the above criteria by February 1, 2010.

Nominations can be sent to [email protected] or Isidore Newman School, Attention Alumni Office 1903 Jefferson Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115

and Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act. Batt ismost proud of originating the role of Darius in PaulRudnick's groundbreaking comedy, Jeffrey, in bothNew York and Los Angeles. He won the DramaDesk Award for his performance and recreated therole opposite Patrick Stewart in the Hollywood filmadaptation. Recently Batt was named "Vocalist ofthe Year" by Back Stage magazine for his New Yorkone man show.

Batt’s series “Mad Men” is a runaway hit: It has received 6 Emmys, 3 Golden Globes, the Peabody,and numerous Writing and Director's Guild awards.In January, Batt received the coveted Screen ActorsGuild award for Best Ensemble Acting in a Drama Series.

In 2003, Batt and his partner of 20 years, Tom Cianfichi, opened Hazelnut, a nationally noted fine giftsand home furnishings store in New Orleans. The Magazine Street store and his award-winning fabric design, "New Orleans Toile," have been featured in numerous publications including The New YorkTimes, House Beautiful, Southern Accents, Town & Country and InStyle. After Katrina, a portion of allsales of the signature fabric raised funds for Second Harvest Food Bank, where Batt's lifetime friend andNewman classmate Leann Moses '81 served as board chair. Hazelnut's other causes include Children'sHospital, The Human Rights Campaign, Save the Oaks and The Anti Defamation League.

Since Katrina, Batt has hosted, performed and appeared in countless fundraisers and philanthropic eventsboth in New York and New Orleans benefiting Newman, Habitat for Humanity, the Contemporary ArtsCenter, LA-SPCA, Preservation Resource Center, New Orleans Museum of Art, Friends of City Park, YaYaand many more. In 2005, just weeks after returning from evacuation, he founded Magazine Street Retail Relief, now a much-anticipated yearly event, in an effort to jump-start commerce for local merchants.

Batt has worked tirelessly for causes dearest to his heart. For the last 15 years he has been a major force in raising millions for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids; locally he sits on the boards of Le Petit Theatredu Vieux Carre and N.O. Aids Task Force.

Other Honors include OUT magazine's "Artist of the Year," Human Rights Campaign's "Equality Award,"and Gambit's Big Easy Award "Entertainer of the Year."

Leann Moses ‘81 and Merritt Lane ‘79

Bryan Batt ‘81, Gayle Batt and Jay Batt ‘78

Members of the Class of ‘81

T.J. Locke, Virginia Rufin ‘54 and Diana Lewis ‘55

Kitty Greenberg, Jep Epstein ‘80 and Ed Graf

8 2008-2009 Annual Report

The Isidore Newman Society is a recognition society that honors alumni, parents, grandparents, formerparents and friends of Newman who have expressed their commitment to the mission of the School bynaming Isidore Newman School as a beneficiary or planned gift. Gifts to the Isidore Newman Society will keep on giving in perpetuity, ensuring that future generations will benefit from a Newman education.

If you have already provided for Newman in your will or estate plans and would like to be recognized as a member of the Isidore Newman Society, or should you wish to be an unpublished or anonymousmember, please contact Gwathmey Gomila, Advancement Officer, at 504.896.6371 or [email protected].

AnonymousPaul M. Batiza George Bechtel*Theodore Neal Boden James P. Boldrick Philip deV Claverie Moise W. Dennery*Clifford F. Favrot, Jr.Melanie Pulitzer Feldman*Louis Y. Fishman L. A. Fowler, Jr.Frank Friedler, Jr.*Judithanne Brandau Fuentes Leslie Rubin Graf H. Chandler Elliott Trust Van Eaton Hart*

ISIDORE NEWMAN SOCIETY

RETIRED FACULTY

Mrs. Joseph Haspel, Jr.Robert C. Hills*James M. HugerHyslop Shannon Foundation Jerome M. Jacobs Leslie Rosenthal Jacobs Scott B. Jacobs Benson A. Kansas*Brian Kaplan Charles Keller III*Herman S. Kohlmeyer, Jr.Lawrence S. Kullman Stephen B. Lemann*Herbert Morton*Judie Oudt J. Michael Pereira

Sabrina Forman PilantNicholas J. Polites Vada O. Reynolds*Karlem Riess*David M. Rubenstein Selma Bauer Simon*Vivian Smith*David L. Stone*Dorothy L. Tarver Bernard Titche, Jr.*Gene L. Usdin*Andrew C. Villere*Donald R. Wellford Charles D. Zucker

*deceased

Anne Abbrecht ‘67, Tony Reginelli, Donald Klos and Suzanne Schneidau

Jane Meneray and Matthew Miller

At the end of the 2008-09 school year, we celebrated the retirement of two beloved faculty members,chemistry teacher Jane Meneray and English and photography teacher Suzanne Schneidau.

Jane Meneray, chair of the science department, retired after 28 very involved years at Newman. Mrs.Meneray encouraged students to find the beauty and simplicity in science that she appreciated. Shewanted to keep the department and its students on the cutting edge of science curriculum and new technologies in the labs, such as teaching a genetics class long before other high schools offered the subject. With her high expectations and rigorous standards, she inspired her students to pursue careers in medicine and biology. In extracurricular activities, Mrs. Meneray conveyed her passions for a numberof causes. Early in her tenure, she shared her love of the outdoors with students in the Wilderness Club.Committed to helping others, Mrs. Meneray was the longtime sponsor of ACTIONS, Newman’s serviceclub, and during Wonder Week took students to build houses with Habitat for Humanity. Recent yearsfound her working with the Quiz Bowl team. Her son Gene graduated from Newman in 1991, and herhusband Bill would often dress up to play the part of Charles Darwin for Darwin Day. An artist at heart,Mrs. Meneray would return from summers at their family’s cabin in Washington State with sketches of the nearby mountains and talk about retiring there. Now, having settled there permanently, perhaps she is still wearing her trademark lab coat.

Suzanne Schneidau would greet colleagues by saying, “Hello, wonderful person,” and she opened herfirst class by saying, “Good morning, my darlings.” For 28 years, Mrs. Schneidau graced Newman’s students and faculty with her own special enthusiasm, expertise, experience, and, most of all, her deepand abiding affection for all living things, for life itself in all its tangled and mangled forms. Mrs. Schneidaubegan teaching middle school English and photography at Newman in 1982, and in 2006 moved toupper school English. She served as the faculty sponsor for the Pioneer and held the William B. WisdomChair of English. She had a strong presence each year as the organizer and supporter of Arts Week. During her tenure here, professional development opportunities led her to rediscover poetry, ultimatelyleading her to earn her master of fine arts at Vermont College and become a poet herself. Both of hersons, Stanton ’93 and Rodger ’87, graduated from Newman. She left indelible marks on many Greenieswho journeyed through these halls and will be remembered by the special relationships she shared withher students, who loved her dearly.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal spoke at Newman’s 101st commencement ceremony on May 27, 2009.Jindal encouraged the graduates to be critical thinkers, to seek truth, to avoid greed and to dream big. Healso recommended getting involved in the political process…and flossing, which got big laughs.

“Remember the compliments you get and forget the insults,” he said, admitting that he himself sometimesstruggles with this piece of life advice. And he warned: “You will never gain enough success, money orpower to scratch the itch and make you stop wanting more.”

Bobby Jindal was elected Governor of Louisiana on October 20, 2007. He is the youngest current governor in the United States and the first Indian American governor in U.S. history.

Jindal was born in Baton Rouge on June 10, 1971. He graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1988and went on to attend Brown University, where he graduated with honors in biology and public policy.Following his graduation from Brown, he attended Oxford University in England as a Rhodes Scholar.

In 1994, Jindal went to work for McKinsey and Company as a consultant for Fortune 500 companies before entering public service. In 1996, he was appointed Secretary of the Louisiana Department ofHealth and Hospitals (DHH). President George W. Bush then appointed Jindal to serve as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2001. He resigned from the positionin 2003 to return to Louisiana and run for elected office for the first time. In that race, Kathleen Blanconarrowly defeated Jindal to become governor.

In 2004, Jindal was elected to Congress representing the First District of Louisiana. In his first term, hepassed a number of notable pieces of legislation and played an instrumental role in Louisiana's recoveryfrom Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Jindal was re-elected to Congress in 2006.

As governor, Jindal has fought for ethics reform, tax reform and changes to the state’s health care, education and transportation systems. He has also worked tirelessly to eliminate the bureaucratic red tape that has slowed hurricane recoveries.

COMMENCEMENT

2008-2009 Annual Report 9