CMS Alumni News

In-Touch

From Scott Reighard, former Countryside parent: I wanted to update you on how pleased we are with our kids academic progress. Charlie is now a junior at GBS. He is a straight "A" student in all honors classes including Advanced Placement college credit courses. We just got back his SAT scores and he got a perfect 800 on the math section! His total score of 2130 of a possible 2400 (there are 3 sections now) is in the top 6%. This was his first test without any prep courses.

He will take the ACT this weekend. If he keeps up the good work he will have some wonderful college opportunities.

Jackson is a Freshman at GBS and also doing very well. We owe much of their academic success to the excellent foundation they had at countryside.

Many years ago, a lovely family from Ireland enrolled their three children at Countryside. In June, 2006, the oldest daughter, Annemarie, enrolled her daughter, Nordon, at Countryside. Recently, the other two children, Arthur and Grainne (now adults), came to visit their niece and get re-acquainted with their old school. And, it was great to see Nana, Anne, who drove Nordon to school from time to time.

Grainne lives in Seattle where she is working on a Masters in acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

Arthur is a PhD candidate at Harvard who was just awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Nepal.

They reminisced looking at class photos from their years at Countryside and remembering their roles in past Operas. We particularly remember Arthur as Dionysus, the God of wine in the Opera, Persephone. With his red hair and a wreath of olive branches around his head, he was surely notable! They also remembered that Mrs. Delaney was their babysitter! We really LOVE these visits from our former students.

Mr. and Mrs. Kulle recently had dinner with Ed Villa, who graduated from Notre Dame and is now at Loyola Medical School. Although he was accepted at Harvard, he chose Loyola. "It's a great school and I'll be closer to my family".

Former CMS gym and Spanish teacher, Petrea Coelho, wrote: "I sure wish I could be there for the reunion. I would love to see all of the alums. Such good memories of gym shows, dance recitals and operas! Let's see. 2 gym shows really stick out. One was the tribute to the Olympics and the other was the Circus. Actually the 'Lord of the Dance' was memorable as well. Actually, they all were!!!!!! Another fond memory was our production of 'Earth Day'. I still sing that song from time to time. "What I am up to these days? Still tap dancing and swimming. Work? Program coordinator for Newark City Schools Big Brothers Big Sisters. I love it. It gets me back into schools. "Tell all my former students 'Hola!'"

Noah Cohen just graduated from High School and is heading to St. Petersburg, Florida, to Eckerd College where he plans to major in Marine Biology. His interest grew after a trip to the Galapagos Islands. Noah was the dreydl in our first production of Hachma and Mazel. He remembers trips to Camp Henry Horner, and credits Countryside for his desire to learn.

Jacqueline Read was valedictorian of her class at The Willows Academy. She didn't even tell us. We had to read it in the newspaper.