Winter View 2008

Winter 2008Winter 2008

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Transition in Trustee LeadershipOn September 28, the Board of Trustees of La Lumiere School unanimously elected Joseph

Gaffigan ’83 as the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Gaffigan succeeds Joseph Linnen ‘84 who served passionately for twelve years and steadfastly lead the School through the retirement of debt, the search and transition to a new headmaster, and the launch of a major capital campaign. Linnen, who is a Principal at Jordan Industries, lives in Chicago with his wife Anne and their twin sons, Colin and Liam. Linnen will step down from the board in June 2008, but will stay on as Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Courageous Vision capital campaign. Gaffigan is in his eleventh year as a trustee and has served as the head of the finance committee. A graduate of Georgetown University, and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, he is President of MFC Financial in Chicago. Joe lives with his wife Jane in Burr Ridge, Illinois along with son JP and daughter Caroline.

Joe Gaffigan ‘83Joe Linnen ‘84

Connie Falcone ‘83is the Director of Finance and Development for Urban Initiatives, a Chicago-area non-profit that provides a health and education soccer program to children in Chicago’s underserved

communities. In addition, Connie is a registered attorney and practiced for three years in a Denver law firm specializing in litigation. Connie holds a Bachelors Degree from Colorado College, a law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Connie currently serves on the Peacebuilders Advisory Board at the Catholic Theological Union and the Service Board of the Midwest Palliative Care Center & Hospice of the North Shore. Connie is married to Dr. Charles Falcone and lives in Wilmette, Illinois with their three children, Kiley, Charlie, and Matthew.L

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John Schirger ‘84is an attorney specializing in business litigation and insurance law, and is now Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel with Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company in Omaha, Nebraska. A 1988 graduate of The

University of Notre Dame, Schirger went on to attend Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska. John and his wife Kathy (Lisson) of Kansas City, Kansas, have been married for seven years, reside in Omaha and are the proud parents of two girls, Elizabeth and Kate. John and Kathy are active in various civic and charitable organizations in their community and are members of Saint Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church.

La Lumiere School is pleased to announce the appointment of two alumni as the newest members of the Board of Trustees.

Inside:

Q & A With the Headmaster pg. 2

Writing Program Update pg. 10

Alumni Notes & Faculty News pg. 17

Q & A with Headmaster Michael Kennedy

page 2 The La Lumiere View

What significant changes have taken place in the last few years?A: As La Lumiere approaches it’s 50th year, we are growing and improving in all areas of school life. We are continuously evaluating our program and personnel to determine if it is the best we can possibly offer our families. We have renovated and added classrooms, we have improved our program, including major upgrades to our writing program, we have added to our outstanding faculty, and we have added students. The efforts of former Headmaster Larry Sullivan, specifically retiring the School’s debt, have allowed us to look forward financially and to continue to address and improve our facilities and programs with enthusiasm, optimism and an eye to excellence.

What can we expect in the next few years?A: As we continue to experience success with the Courageous Vision capital campaign, we will be able to build new facilities to further the excellence we are experiencing in and out of the classroom, while addressing our academic, art and athletic initiatives.

What exactly is the Courageous Vision Campaign?A: The Courageous Vision capital campaign was launched “internally” in September of 2006, and publicly in September of 2007 to raise funds to address our pressing campus needs. The capital campaign is separate from our Annual Fund. This is the most comprehensive fundraising effort the School has ever undertaken. Funds raised have had an immediate and significant impact on our new construction, ongoing renovations, and to support our people and programs. You can read further about the campaign progress on page 4. I can report that we have seen an unprecedented level of generosity

-- both in the number of gifts and total dollars raised -- that is helping us enhance the campus and build our programs. We appreciate the resounding support and look forward with excitement to all that lies ahead.

Can you discuss the current athletic program?A: Athletically, the school is going through some changes, and there is a perceived greater emphasis on athletics at La Lumiere School. In reality, there have been more wholesale changes to the Arts program at La Lumiere than the athletic program, but because of the public nature of a school’s athletic program, it is going to get more attention. We hired a phenomenal Drama director a few years ago and she has done a wonderful job challenging the kids with some great plays and the kids have responded to her. We have also added a full-time Music Director and will bring singing back to campus.

Meanwhile we have addressed our challenges in the athletic department by adding an assistant Director of Athletics, and have invested in the program with new uniforms, added new sports (softball, cross country, lacrosse), hired more coaches, and have approached each season with a fresh perspective with new ideas from Athletic Director Delray Brooks. Mr. Brooks is working with our longtime former AD Chris “Doc Booms” Balawender and we are looking for great things in the years to come from our Athletic Department.

I understand you played two state ranked teams in successive weeks in boys basketball?A: Yes, we may have played one of the toughest schedules in the state this year. It was a great experience for the kids, coaches, and fans. The schedule reinforced my belief of what high school

athletics is all about. An emphasis on sportsmanship, player development, and enjoyment of the game can be more important than overall wins and losses. We competed with the best, but more importantly, we conducted ourselves with class and pride.

Tell us about the changes to the Admissions process?A: In recent years, some significant changes have been implemented in the Admissions process to ensure we are enrolling qualified applicants. We still admit students on a rolling basis, with our first decision round in early February, but now students are held to a tighter timeline. The process has developed to include our own Entrance Exam and more standardized requirements. At all times we keep in mind our School’s ideal school size, the mix of boarding and day students, as well as the needed facilities required to handle optimal student body population.

Our applicant pool is taking good shape for next year, and we will likely again make tough decisions on the student files for 50 available spaces. Our commitment to a full enrollment of 165-170 students has guided our strategic planning for the program and campus improvements. We think this size allows us to sustain important traditions and the culture of our school community, yet it enables us to provide significant depth in our curriculum and extracurricular programming.

The School’s Catholicity is a topic of much discussion, what is the official stance?A: The founders had an idea that La Lumiere would not exceed a particular size, and that it would always be a Catholic School, as it was founded. Over the years – with the cycles of Faculty, Trustees, Administration, and

The La Lumiere View page 3

makeup of the student body – this has been either a dormant issue or a hot topic. My responsibility is to carry out the mission of the founders. What we offer is similar to many other Catholic schools, though we are not acknowledged by the Diocese. Though independent in our governance and our curriculum, we remain faithful to our Catholic heritage.

We enjoy the freedom to design and implement the School’s mission, curriculum, and religious education. Our independence also allows the School to be more effective and efficient in all aspects of school management including the hiring and financing practices. We likely wouldn’t have the faculty we have if we were restricted by the Diocese as they have particular pay scales that schools must adhere to, as well as a proscribed curriculum. La Lumiere teaches religion classes, rooted in the Catholic faith such as Old and New Testament. In addition, exposure to faith can be found in our Community Service Program, periodic Mass on campus, an optional periodic prayer service. Daily expectations from the student body rooted in kindness, caring, honesty, and integrity are all characteristics that have defined La Lumiere and our Catholic foundation. We enjoy our independence and also accept the lack of support for not being a Diocesan school, as many families are looking for a more “Catholic” School.

Graduates and parents of La Lumiere students generally feel faith played a part in their child’s education. On the other hand, colleges and universities, both Catholic and public, do not put much weight on the number of religion courses a student takes in high school, but rather how they do in all the courses they take.

If the Diocese does not “oversee” the School, who does?

A: In addition to the Board of Trustees making policy and strategic decisions on the academic, financial, and advancement programs, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), which is part of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), accredits La Lumiere School. La Lumiere is independent in its governance, curriculum design and development, and hiring practices. The School is evaluated on every aspect of its educational services every seven years by a visiting team of educators from its peer ISACS schools such as the Sacred Heart Schools, University of Chicago Lab Schools, The Cranbrook Schools, and Lake Forest Academy. La Lumiere is also accredited by the North Central Association (NCA), the governing organization for secondary and higher education for institutions such as The University of Notre Dame, Valparaiso University, Loyola University (Chicago) and DePauw University to name a few. Additionally, La Lumiere is not officially accredited by the State of Indiana, nor does it need to be. Colleges do not expect it of us. The School does not take state funding or follow state curriculum or hiring practices, restrictions or guidelines, such as participating in ISTEP testing. While there are no major disadvantages to state accreditation, there are some significant advantages to being independent.

When will the Chief Justice come back and visit?A: Whenever his schedule allows. I have had the honor of meeting with him twice in the past three years, and his humility is evident. He said he would like to return to campus to address the student body. Though the demands on his time are great, I know that his La Lumiere experience was a good one. Personally, I would like his children to see the campus.

Is it true that the “Weekly Paper” Writing Program has been eliminated?A: Yes and No. What has been phased out is when papers are due, which traditionally was on Sunday night. What has been added is an emphasis on the quality of writing over the quantity of writing. While it may seem like less writing is taking place without the weekly paper schedule, students are writing as much -- if not more -- than before. Changes to our writing program have been met with some apprehension, concern and misinformation. There was much discernment, discussion and debate, but the changes are improvements on an already good program. As is the case in all industries and organizations, if a program is not being improved upon, it is not serving our constituents. The Chair of our English department addresses the changes on page 10 in this edition of The View.

What is being done to better prepare students for college?A: Our goal is to provide an engaging and meaningful educational program while always staying centered on college preparation. Our faculty has started mapping our curriculum by examining the content and progression of courses. They are looking at curriculum components related to the material, assessment, and evaluation, as well as the sequence of course offerings. Additional information about college counseling will be forthcoming in our next publication.

As an Alum, how can I get involved again with La Lumiere?A: Come back to campus to attend our school events or share your story in chapel or in the classroom. Host a living room chat in your home for prospective families. Send us your news of engagements, new additions and promotions to [email protected]. We want to hear from you.

PRIORIT Y ONE Life Safety IssuesStatus: $1.6 M funded and near completionThis priority addresses life-safety, deferred and preventive maintenance issues by renovating and re-pairing current facilities. All lake dorms were renovated during the summer of 2006, and renovations and upgrades to classrooms and faculty residences were completed in the summer of 2007.

PRIORIT Y T WO AcademicsStatus: $1.2 M funded and project commenced July 2007Strengthening the quality of learning at La Lumiere School, this priority provided for additional classrooms, science and music labs, faculty offices and tutorial space in the Academic building. It also provides for curriculum development and the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty needed to teach this curriculum--both of which are integral to becoming the Midwest’s premier inde-pendent boarding and day school.

114 Donors to Date;$3.8 Million Committed


As part of its annual Parents & Alumni Weekend, La Lumiere School publicly announced its historic Courageous Vision capital campaign during a ceremony on Friday, September 28 at Sand Creek Coun-try Club in Chesterton, Indiana.

The Courageous Vision capital campaign is the current fundraising effort for La Lumiere School, a school just forty-four years young. The capital brought in by this campaign will be used to support scholarships, new academic buildings to go along with expanded academic programs, improvements to campus facilities, enhance-ments to the arts and athletic programs and their facilities and an expanded student activities center, as well as other improve-ments currently in progress.

"Second only to its founding, today is perhaps the most important day in the school’s history,” said Headmaster Michael Kennedy during the ceremony. Kennedy went on to say that La Lumiere, currently enjoying its highest enrollment of 170, is working to raise $6.5 million for capital needs and an additional $5 million for an endowment. We have identified facility and program needs of approximately $6 million, which would add new academic space including state-of-the-art science labs, a new athletic complex, expanded diningfacilities and continued hiring of outstand-ing educators. Although our needs total $11.5 million, our goal in the short term is to raise additional funds to immedi-ately address the addition to our academic center, and to continue to invest in our people, which is a sound investment in our program.

"The capital campaign has actually been in an active phase for the last twelve months," Kennedy said. “A year ago September we hosted a small reception at the Chicago home of Gretchen and Jay Jordan. Since that time it has moved into the public phase and now La Lumiere will be aggres-sively promoting the campaign and openly encouraging people across the country to contribute. We will be successful in achiev-ing our goal,” Kennedy said. To date, La Lumiere has raised over $3.8 million. “The monies we continue to raise through this visionary campaign will help to ensure

A complete report of campaign donors will be published in late Spring 2008

PRIORIT Y THREE Student LifeStatus: Goal of $1 M

This priority will address and improve student life: by creating campus green spaces; creating and adding gathering space for all-school events; and handling increases in enrollment through the

renovation and expansion of kitchen and dining area and the student lounge.

that La Lumiere continues to be an out-standing educational institution with the highest standards of educational excellence and where one hundred percent of its gradu-ates go on to higher education in colleges and universities all over the country.”

Joseph Linnen, Class of 1984, is Co-Chair-man of the campaign and former Chair-man of the Board of Trustees. He said, “La Lumiere is experiencing tremendous positive momentum in all aspects of the school.” Echoing Kennedy’s sentiments, he went on to say that the Courageous Vision campaign is “the most significant undertak-ing since the school’s founding in 1963. La Lumiere has never been stronger and now with the monetary ability to provide the kind of facilities that match the excel-lence of our academic programs already in place, La Lumiere is well positioned to be the premiere boarding and day school in the Midwest. With the success of the cam-paign, the school will only continue getting stronger. Mark Leyden, Class of 1977, Trustee and Co-Chairman of the campaign said during the September 28 ceremony, “I am excited about being able to help La Lumiere in this campaign. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to make an impact on our school – to give something back, first to the institu-tion itself and then to its founders who gave everything to us through their vision, their pioneering spirit and their belief in something better.” With Kennedy at the helm and a renewed vision in place, “the school is gathering unprecedented momen-tum and energy that will enable La Lumiere to become the premiere boarding and day school in the Midwest.

“If you haven’t seen the campus recently, its beauty will captivate you. What compelled these gentlemen to found a school in the woods of Indiana, I don’t know,” said Ken-nedy. “But it is now my responsibility to uphold their vision. There is work to be done to achieve the goals of the campaign but ‘many hands make light work’. We are fortunate to have the community and ca-maraderie that exists amongst our students, parents, faculty and alumni. This reminds us of what is most important to us – our students and the future of their education.”

PRIORIT Y FOUR Residential LifeStatus: Goal of $1.4 M

This priority will enhance and coordinate staffing to enable full usage of facilities and support a healthy boarding population. It will create a residential environment attractive to boarding students

and faculty members by renovating existing housing or building new where appropriate.

PRIORIT Y FIVE AthleticsStatus: Goal of $1.3 M

Advancing an athletic program committed to excellence, this priority will provide for both coaching and player development by dedicating necessary resources to raise the competitiveness of the entire

athletic program. Facilities will be enhanced by building new tennis courts, adding an all-weather track, providing new locker rooms, upgrading the weight room and renovating the gym.

PRIORIT Y SIX EndowmentStatus: Goal of $5 M

To relieve the School’s operating budget and secure long-term goals, this priority will build a solid institutional endowment. The endowment will enable La Lumiere School to: establish scholarship funds to attract quality students and maintain socio-economic diversity; create endowed chairs to

retain and attract quality faculty; support the maintenance of facilities and grounds; provide funding for athletics, including equipment and programming; support extra-curricular and co-curricular

student activities; and create a technology fund for academic and administrative support.



Scene on CampusNe w Fa c u lt y & St a f f

For the last eight years, Peter Campbell has been Director of

College Counseling at the York School in Monterrey, CA. Prior to his work at York, Pete was an Adjunct Lecturer of English at several colleges in the Cleveland area. Pete teaches English 12 and replaces Johanna Miller as our Director of College Counseling. He is quite familiar with the La Lumiere community as he was College Counselor, coach and teacher here from 1993-1997. He received his undergraduate degree from The Citadel, a Masters Degree from Ithaca College, and his PhD. in English from the University of Notre Dame. Pete and his wife Marie and two sons reside in La Porte.

Our new 9th grade English teacher is Bryan Bradbury, who also happens to be quite familiar with the La Lumiere community, having moved out here when Rachel Anne Bradbury was hired last year. Bryan made the move from the Niles Community School system where he was employed for the last seven years. Mr. Bradbury has been teaching for over 15 years, and earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University. He earned his teaching certificate from University of New Mexico and is presently working towards his Masters Degree at Middlebury College's esteemed Bread Loaf School of English.

Theresa Spingler joined our staff as Librarian. Theresa is a very familiar face in the La Lumiere community, as she begins her third year on campus with her husband, Academic Dean,

Kevin Spingler. A graduate of Rutgers University with a B.S. in Biology and Education, she went on to earn her Masters Degree from Dallas Baptist University. Theresa has taught for over 14 years, most recently at Victory Christian in Valparaiso.

Stacey Lingle, originally from Wheaton, Illinois, is a recent graduate of Wheaton College. She joined the La Lumiere faculty as teacher of Old and New Testament. Stacey majored in English and Secondary Education and recently did student teaching at Wheaton Warrenville South. Stacey was a varsity member of the Wheaton College Track & Field team, where she specialized in pole vaulting. She and her husband, Mr. Will Lingle, reside in lower Decio House.

Terrence Shrader joined our community from a position at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and teaches Music as well as initiating our Choral groups. Mr. Shrader was living in New Orleans last year and moved to Chicago after Hurricane Katrina. He worked at Tulane University as an Adjunct Professor in Music as well as Resident Advisor in the dormitories. He also held a position at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Mr. Shrader received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and a Masters of Fine Arts from Tulane University. Mr. Shrader lives in Becket House.

Phillip Keck joined us directly from a teaching position at the Museum of Science and Industry, where he served

as Concept Development Coordinator and Education Facilitator. Prior to his position in Chicago, Phil was a Lab Technician in the microbiology lab at New Mexico Technology University. Phil joined our Science department teaching Biology. He received his B.S. in Biology from New Mexico Technology University. Mr. Keck resides on campus in Becket House.

Maria Grieshaber recently moved to the La Lumiere School community from Florida where she served as the Director of the Annual Fund and Communications for Montverde Academy. Maria has served in Development and Institutional Advancement roles for over nine years at the Independent School and college level. A product of Independent School education in Saudi Arabia and England, Maria returned to the United States and received a B.A. from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. While at La Lumiere School, Maria will serve as the Director of Development and Communications.

Casey Barry Allen ‘86 recently joined our La Lumiere staff in the Development Office. Casey is the alumni relations and special events coordinator. Casey received a B.A. from University of Dayton in Ohio. Casey is married with two children and resides in Duneland Beach, Indiana. Casey and her husband John own and operate The Treehouse restaurant in Michigan City.


School Store: New Athletic Clothing Show your support for La Lumiere school in your community.Over 20 items are available in our school store online at www.lalumiere.org

Fitness Center Upgrades


Headmaster Michael Kennedy spent the end of October in

Asia with The Association of Boarding Schools attending school fairs in Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul. He visited with alumni in each city and attended a reception planned in Seoul with our Korean Parents Association. As you saw in our La Lumiere Magazine, La Lumiere’s campus stretches well beyond the 155 acres on Wilhelm Road.

South Shore Poster CommissionedLa Lumiere School announces the commission of a campus painting in the “South Shore” style, La Lumiere School – Near the South Shore Line.

Created by local Long Beach artist Connie Kassal, the poster captures

the bucolic setting of La Lumiere’s campus and evokes the unique character of the School community in educating students in character, scholarship and faith. The painting depicts students in a diverse community, descending the stairway to success on La Lumiere’s campus with Moore House and the academic campus in the distance. Hand of God, an original sculpture by Swedish artist, Carl Milles, is illustrated in an inset towering over La Lumiere’s lower campus.

Visit our web site at www.lalumiere.org for information about how to purchase a printed poster of the painting.

Photos : Top left:In Tokyo with Jacob Shoop ‘98, Michael Kennedy, Aki Enomoto ‘95 Top right: In Beijing with Rory Quirk ‘00 Middle: Korean Parents AssociationBottom left: Mr. Won Geun Park and Mrs. Seung Hee Yoo (Association President, parents of Jungjoon ‘07 and Min ‘09) Bottom Right: Parents Association members

Destination: Asia


Upcoming Events

April 4Taste of La Lumiere

May 3Annual Spring Event Run for the Roses

May 22 & 23Graduation Mass, Senior Dinner & 41st Commencement

September 12Alumni Reunion Weekend & Golf Outing

October 10 &11Parents Weekend

Run for A Night a t the Races for La Lumiere Schoo l May 3 , 2008

the RosesInspired by the Kentucky Derby, this year’s event will have the traditional charm of the Derby experience. Assorted hats, Derby cuisine, and naturally, race track action, will highlight the evening’s festivities as our community comes together to support La Lumiere School in this very important fundraising event.

The proceeds of this event will benefit the faculty of La Lumiere School. It is the people at the head of the classroom, on the playing fields and in the dormitories that have the greatest impact on our student’s experience.

For more information contact Casey Allen ‘86 at 219.326.7450 or register on line: www.lalumiere.org

Save the DateWe are just over half-way through the fiscal year. In the face of

our ongoing solicitation efforts for the Courageous Vision capital campaign, the 2007-2008 Annual Fund is ahead of last year’s total dollar amount of contributions received to date. Please help us increase our percentages this year.

Make your tax-deductible contribution by June 30, 2008 to:

La Lumiere SchoolP.O. Box 5005

La Porte, IN 46352

Annual Fund

Thank you for your feedback on our most recent issue of the

La Lumiere Magazine. Although we couldn’t include everyone in the publication, we are still very interested in everyone’s story and the events that have shaped your life since your time here on campus.

Please take the time to keep in touch with us, so that we can help keep you in touch with your classmates. Send your notes and news to: [email protected]

NEXT ISSUE: Fall 2008 will focus on La Lumiere Leaders. Submit your stories or those of fellow alumni in positions of leadership.

LA LUMIEREMAGAZINE

FALL 2007

La Lumiere Around the World

Unrestricted Annual Fund Summary

Total Donors 167 Total Contributions $167,290

Restricted Annual Fund Summary

Total Donors 6 Total Contributions $68,895

* As of January 31, 2008

Writing Program


Rachel Anne BradburyChairperson, English Department

When changes take place at La Lumiere, if they didn’t get

noticed or alumni and parents just accepted things as they are presented, I would be worried. But instead, our growth, our campus improvements, and changes to the academic program such as the writing program -- have been met with some skepticism and reservations.

During the 2005-06 school year, the English Department and Administration started the discussion of whether the writing program, as we knew it, was the best it could be. We operate on the belief that we owe it to our students to provide the best possible teachers, programs, and services to prepare them for college and for life. When we discussed changes, many of our teachers and parents were concerned about moving away from the “schedule” and the consistency and comfort that the weekly paper offered. Not knowing what was next caused angst among students, teachers, and

parents. But we concluded the schedule provided only that: comfort and consistency.

Our findings confirmed that our kids were learning to write, learning to write in short time periods (Sunday evenings), and learning to write better than their peers. We also had anecdotal information that most, if not all, of our graduates were well prepared for college writing. I still love to hear the stories of college professors impressed by the writing of our graduates.

But our findings also confirmed that we weren’t seeing marked progress from year to year; there were inconsistencies across disciplines even as we promoted our cross-curricular program; that we were focusing on quantity not quality; that our PSAT scores were not improving enough from year to year in key areas such as critical reading and writing; and the number of papers teachers had to grade far exceeded the

time they had to put quality time into them.

As a product of the writing program in the 80s, as a teacher assigning and grading these weekly papers in the 90s, and in this century as Headmaster responsible for making sure La Lumiere strives for excellence always, I am confident these changes are ones that will produce excellent writers, critical thinkers, passionate readers and inspired learners.

The excerpt below provides some insight to the pedagogical and philosophical ideologies of the English Department whom I have the utmost confidence and faith in to develop and implement the necessary changes. Are we writing as much? Yes. Are we writing weekly wedded to a schedule? No. Will our students be better off in the long run? I am confident they will.

Whether we are doctors or lawyers, bankers or teachers, consultants

or architects, to be at the top of our field, we need to be strong writers. While these goals and professions may be far off to a high school student, it is never too early to start working toward the future. And, to get to any of these professions, students must first get into and then get through college. So, whether our goals are long-term or short-term, few things make them more attainable than the ability to write well.

The La Lumiere English Department has made writing Priority One. The English courses are designed to develop strong and independent readers, writ-ers and thinkers. In order to accom-plish this goal, we deal extensively in the study of literature, grammar and vocabulary, with an overall emphasis on

writing. The study of vocabulary, gram-mar and syntax helps students under-stand what to write, and how to write it in order to be best understood. We’ve also made sure that there is a challenging and rigorous reading pro-gram in place: it is a tried and true fact that good readers make good writers, so we also emphasize the importance of in-class discussions over the reading assignments. Such discussions are one of the most useful tools for students in conceiving and composing strong analytical work and allow for an ex-change of ideas, clarification of facts and themes, and a chance for students to test out theories and interesting topics for further analysis.

In order to ensure that we are continu-ing to do our best as teachers, the Eng-lish Department spent the first quarter

of this school year developing a curricu-lum map for our writing program. We present writing as a process, beginning with personal narrative and literary analysis. On occasion, only a thesis statement or a single body paragraph may be due at a time. This allows us to isolate the components of the paper, giving attention to the make-up of the entire piece, not just the completion of it. And every year, the intensity and complexity of writing grows.

So, for future politicians, professors, and pathologists we, as an English depart-ment, are working to provide a constant, consistent, and challenging education in reading and writing in order to help every La Lumiere student achieve their goals.


Traditions: Early Practice

Test for the BestLa Lumiere Entrance Exam

Admission Office Update

Though the entire student population has risen to 170 and can no longer fit in the dorms on campus, the experience of “Early Practice” is alive and well at

La Lumiere. The purpose of student orientation remains the same: to provide new and old students alike a chance to get to know each other prior to classes starting. Social opportunities, double athletic practices and student-life sessions dominate the first 2 weeks of school beginning in mid-August, just as they did across the decades.

A new tradition we started this year, was dividing students into intramural teams named for the four previous headmasters: Moore, Webster, Bunting and Sullivan. These teams have remained in an intramural competition throughout the academic year. High-Ropes and Low-Ropes course work and other outdoor leadership activities build confidence and camaraderie among all the Forms. The ever-popular ‘slip and slide’ from the base of God’s Hand and swim in La Lumiere Lake still provide much-needed rejuvenation from all the orientation activities.

The majority of independent schools in the United States

utilize an entrance exam to assist in the admissions process. Many schools use tests such as the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) or Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) to assess their applicants’ potential for success. While these tests are useful, La Lumiere School was interested in finding a test that worked in conjunction with our own curriculum and would better predict success in our unique college preparatory school. In the fall of 2005 the La Lumiere Entrance Exam (LLEE) was introduced as a requirement to the admissions process. The LLEE, designed by current faculty members, was created to serve the admissions office, the academic office, and the applicant to La Lumiere School. Since its inception in November of

2005 the LLEE has tested nearly 160 students and awarded eleven merit-based scholarships. By introducing the LLEE, La Lumiere formalized the process for awarding exceptional students scholarships ranging from $250 to half of the tuition. The La Lumiere CommUNITY merit-based scholarships, in cooperation with the Unity Foundation of La Porte County, recognize students who excel in one of the following areas: leadership, scholar-athletics or arts, humanities, and personal character. Merit-based scholarships are awarded for four years and demonstrate La Lumiere’s interest in recruiting the most well-rounded scholars.

The LLEE is also a resource for the academic office as students are placed in classes for the upcoming school year. The math department at La Lumiere School reviews the math portion of the LLEE for each incoming Third Form

student and places them in Algebra I, Algebra II, or Geometry. If the student’s performance demonstrates that they are qualified for Algebra I the student is invited to participate in La Lumiere’s summer math enrichment course known as Root Camp. Root Camp is a three week long math intensive course aimed at preparing the student to enter their first year at La Lumiere School in Algebra II, thus allowing the student to take higher level Calculus courses by their senior year.

The LLEE marks La Lumiere’s commitment to not only recruiting and enrolling the most talented students, but also providing them the most challenging college preparatory curriculum. Each year the LLEE is reviewed to insure that the highest standards are being met by the incoming Third Form students. If you have any questions regarding the LLEE please contact the Admissions Office.


Laker Society students ready to help golfers Parents Pat ‘76 and Brenda Kleihege and Bill Zegers ‘75

Ned Costello ‘81, John Rumely ‘69, Former Trustee Fran Jones, and Parent Jim Aaron

Ryan McKinley’95, Dan Walsh ‘95, Joe Marfise ‘95 and George Demos ‘95

Dan Merrion ‘84, Mark Hull ‘81, Patrick Kennedy and Mitch Gaffigan ‘81

Parents Jim Kaminski, Mike Nygren, Wes Francis, and Jim Nagle

Drew Danik, Joe Gaffigan ‘83, Joe Linnen ‘84 and Andy Vear ‘84

Headmaster Michael Kennedy and Andy Vanderboegh ‘88

Parents Jack Caplice, Frank Meyer, Howard Westbrook and Dan Welsh

Annual Golf OutingSand Creek Country Club September 28, 2007


Campaign Kick Off

Headmaster Michael Kennedy Betsy Kennedy, Dick and Helen Sandin, James Kennedy (seated)

Joe Linnen ‘84

Maureen Moore Vear ‘83 presents the class award to David Wood ‘77

Mary Ellen Meier Spelger ‘87, “Dr.” Kirkby and Kelly Keefe ‘87

Diane Whitlow Smith ‘87, Brigid Conybeare Britton ‘87 and Dana Weninger Whiting ‘87

Members of the Class of 1977 Liz and Rich Whitlow ‘85, Headmaster Kennedy and Peter Crowe ‘85


Parents & Alumni Weekend


Traditional Bonfire


In Memory Sadly we report the passing of the following members of the La Lumiere community:

Vincent P. Sparrow of Lake Forest, IL July 2007Former Trustee, father of Peter ’76 , Geoffrey ‘78 and grandfather to Benjamin class of ‘08.

Jim Thomas of South Bend, IN September 19, 2007Faculty 1989-1998. Jim had a full career as an educator. He served as an Assistant Headmaster at Culver Academy, and finished his service here as a beloved chemistry teacher.

Tom Tarnow of La Porte, IN September 24, 2007Father of Kelly ’07 and Lauren ‘05.

Dr. Charles Kealy Liddell of Michigan City, IN October 2007Father of Ned ‘72 and Rob ‘75.

Lee Brockway of Michigan City, IN December 16, 2007Father of Dave ’86 and husband of Mary, La Lumiere’s Librarian from 1984 to 1993.

Lisa Moore Edwards of VA, formerly of La Porte, IN January 2008 Daughter of founding Headmaster, James R. and Billie Moore.

For almost 40 years graduates of La Lumiere School have applied ideas discovered in the classroom or on the field to accomplish extraordinary

things in life.

The Laker Alumni Award is a new honor to be given annually to La Lumiere graduates who have displayed notable leadership in their professional careers or in a charitable endeavor. We encourage members of the La Lumiere community to send nominations for individuals who embody these ideals: •Someonewhohasmadeanotableimpactinaprofessionorina charitable endeavor •Someonewhoseleadershipachievementsmaytakeplaceina profession or in a voluntary organization

Nominations may be submitted by calling the development office at (219) 326-7450 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Recipients of the Laker Alumni Award are recognized for their ability to make a significant, lasting and positive impact on the world. It is our hope in acknowledging these extraordinary alumni that students will feel inspired to make the most of their La Lumiere experience and always aspire to achieve.

The first Laker Alumni Award will be given at Alumni Weekend, September 12, 2008.

Laker Alumni Award

40th: Class of 1968 Class Agent: Jim Flannery

30th: Class of 1978 Class Agent Needed!

20th : Class of 1988 Class Agent: Andy Vanderboegh

10th : Class of 1998 Class Agent: Kathryn Uryga

To find out more information or to volunteer to help organize

your reunion please contact:

Casey Allen’86 at 219.326.7450 or

[email protected]

R EU N I O N S


Faculty News Kevin Spingler, Academic Dean at La Lumiere School was selected by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) to receive an NAIS Fellowship for Aspiring School Heads. The fellowship supports the professional development of independent school administrators who have shown significant leadership ability. Through intensive programming, mentoring, and specialized projects, NAIS Fellows develop their leadership capacities and study the major issues facing independent schools today. The program prepares these individuals to take on future leadership roles in education. Spingler is one of 36 Fellows for 2007-08. The 22 men and 14 women hail from NAIS member schools in 21 states.

Alumni News & Notes1 9 6 8 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Jim Flannery2 classmates donated to the Annual Fund James Flannery: Still alive and kicking

1 9 6 9Class Agent: John Rumely3 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 0Class Agent: Jim DeMartini2 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 1Class Agent: John Angsman2 classmate donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 2Class Agent: Kevin Nolan2 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 3 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Needed0 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 4Class Agent: Needed1 classmate donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 5Class Agent: William Dye1 classmate donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 6Class Agent: Guy Lenardo4 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 7Class Agent: Tom Hostetler9 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 8 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Needed5 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 7 9Class Agent: Needed4 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 8 0Class Agent: Tim Kleihege0 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 8 1Class Agent: Meg Linnen Caplice3 classmates donated to the Annual FundMichael Ganz: Michael is living in Chesterton, Indiana. He just recently decided to try his hand in the restaurant business with the purchase of The Country Lounge in Hobart, Indiana. The Country Lounge is a 70 year old establishment known for their steaks and perch and is near the intersection of 65 and Ridge Road in Hobart. Michael also just returned from 30 days of hunting on an African Safari in Tanzania.

Mike Osterman: Mike is proud to announce his engagement to Charlotte Ripberger. Charlotte is a designer in New York City for Diane Von

Furstenberg, but is moving to Chicago after the wedding where Mike is a Vice President at Smith Barney. The wedding is planned for April 26, 2008.

James Salanty: James and his family moved to Lake Bluff a year ago and love being able to walk to the beach, village market or town square where there is always something going on. The schools are much smaller, 100 kids in each grade, and the staff is great. All the kids are doing well. Dylan (5th grade), Mitchell (4th grade), Victoria (3rd grade) and Grant (pre-school). Stacy is working part time at Village Church of Gurnee, directing 30 volunteer leaders for the MOMS program, Making Our Mothering Significant, which is a bible study of more than 100 women. I celebrated 15 years with TAP Pharmaceuticals this year and continue to enjoy leading a Sales team of 250 very talented individuals.

Jim Zegers: Jim lives in Georgia and has two daughters.

1 9 8 2Class Agent: Mary Beth Marske Nixon1 classmate donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 8 3 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Connie Devers Falcone4 classmates donated to the Annual FundMaureen Moore Vear: Mo Vear recently completed her Masters in Writing in Chicago and moved with her husband Andy Vear ’84 and their two boys Danny (5) and Mark (3) to


Chesterton, Indiana. They enjoyed reconnecting with the La Lumiere Community at parent’s weekend last fall. It seems Danny is anxious to get back to Mommy and Daddy’s high school because, “they have bouncys to jump in and candy to eat on the athletic fields.”

1 9 8 4Class Agent: Andy Vear3 classmates donated to the Annual Fund


1 9 8 6Class Agent: Mike Larkin3 classmates donated to the Annual FundLen Jennings: Len recently treated the La Lumiere community to a presentation about making career decisions, acting with integrity, and how the values and character he developed at La Lumiere were relevant and significant twenty years later. His insightful and humorous presentation allowed us to take a step back and offered us perspective to our daily activities. Len now lives in Fort Myers, FL., where he is the news anchor for the ABC affiliate.

Michael Larkin: Michael and his bride of 15 years, Francie are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary on safari in Africa. They hired a first grade teacher to watch their three children, and off they went to Tanzania to follow the migration of the wildebeast for two adventurous weeks. Mike and his family live in Evanston, Illinois where Mike coaches 5th grade boys basketball, and in his free time he works in

Chicago for Vertis Communication.

1 9 8 7Class Agent: Dana Weninger Whiting2 classmates donated to the Annual FundDana Weninger Whiting: We had a wonderful 20th reunion weekend at the end of September. Eight of our class returned from far and wide to participate in the La Lumiere festivities. Brigid (Conybeare) Britton came from Seattle, Stephanie (Carlstead) Chavira and her husband flew in from Colorado. Stacy (Smith) Carlstead and her husband drove out from the Chicago area. Kelly Keefe arrived from Phoenix, Mary Ellen (Maier) Spelger was back from Guam, Diane (Whitlow) Smith from San Francisco, Dana (Weninger) Whiting from Tampa and Andy Sperling and his wife Diane from Michigan City. The beautiful, early fall weather allowed all of us to walk leisurely around the campus surrounded by autumn foliage and the familiar cheers of a football game. Twenty years later, the campus retains its charm and uniqueness. The members of our class were able to reminisce, as well as update each other on the many events in our lives that have occurred since our high school days. To all of you that were not able to be at the event, I hope to see you at an upcoming reunion weekend…. It’s definitely worth the effort!

Andy Sperling: Andy and his wife, Diane are expecting a baby May 2008.

1 9 8 8 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Andy Vanderboegh3 classmates donated to the Annual FundKatie Griffin Wilson: Katie lives in Long Beach, Indiana with her husband Steve and their two daughters Molly (7) and Maeve (6). Katie and her husband Steve both own and operate Wilson Construction, a large contracting company that has built many beautiful homes and condominiums in the Long Beach, IN and New Buffalo, MI areas. Katie is also pursuing her love for art and works out of her studio at home.

Katie said,”her brothers are all doing well, Jason ’87 is in Chicago, Austin ’88 lives with his family close by and Chris ’88 is living in New York City.”

1 9 8 9Class Agent: Needed2 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 9 0Class Agent: Merribeth Rose Rhodes0 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 9 1Class Agent: Christiaan Corthier2 classmates donated to the Annual FundChristiaan Corthier: Christiaan just earned his Life Underwriting Training Council Fellowship L.U.T.C.F, which is a professional designation in the life insurance and financial services.

1 9 9 2Class Agent: Jeremy Kredlo0 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 9 3 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Carrie Chalik Crandall1 classmate donated to the Annual FundCarrie Chalik Crandall: Carrie has some exciting news, she got married on October 30, 2007. She and her husband, Roger Crandall, have two daughters, Kylee, (4) and Alyssa (7). Carrie is a Marketing Specialist for Borgess Health, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1 9 9 4Class Agent: Keith Krause1 classmate donated to the Annual FundKeith Krause: This past summer Keith


and six other crew members sailed on their boat Vytis in the 2007 Race to Mackinac. They won the Mackinac Cup Trophy, which is awarded to the top finisher in fleet for the race, a highly prestigious accomplishment.

John Rose: John and Keith Krause ’94 are going to be traveling in Europe this summer between June13th and July 9th. They would love to get in touch with any alumni who may be overseas during that time as well and welcome an e-mail to [email protected].

1 9 9 5Class Agent: Needed1 classmate donated to the Annual FundMatt Elias: Matt was engaged to Laura Sandy in Aruba last November and will be married this September in Chicago. Matt has been working at a Chicago-based IT services firm for the last seven years and recently resigned to direct more attention to a software company he founded. His company developed a web-based application which provides centralized sales and management tools for owners and operators of advertising space.

1 9 9 6Class Agent: Shannon Kohlhepp0 classmates donated to the Annual FundJacqueline Leonard: Jacqui is living in Michiana, Michigan where she bought a house a couple of years ago. She is getting her Masters in Social Work at The University of Indiana and in her free time she is having lots of fun

substitute teaching in the local schools.

1 9 9 7Class Agent: Colleen Quirk Morrison0 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

1 9 9 8 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Kathy Uryga1 classmate donated to the Annual FundBob Hannon: Bob recently got engaged.

1 9 9 9Class Agent: Nick Adams1 classmate donated to the Annual FundTessa Wardrip: Tessa resides in Palatine, IL with husband Tom, 1 dog Hudson and 2 cats Diesel and Hailey.

Albert Lan: Albert majored in marketing at Indiana University Bloomington, but decided to follow his desire in visual arts, and switched to graphic design after his sophomore year. He later interned at Hirons & Company, the largest advertising firm in Indiana, and was offered a position as a graphic designer after graduating from college in 2004. However, he decided to return home to Taiwan, and worked as a freelancer for a couple of years. Combining what he had learned in the business school with his expertise in graphic design, Albert now runs a small, yet successful web design company, Albert Lan Design, and has been awarded numerous times by some of the

most recognized organizations such as Yahoo Taiwan. To see more of Albert’s work go to: www.albertlan.com

2 0 0 0Class Agent: Natalie Hock2 classmates donated to the Annual Fund

2 0 0 1Class Agent Needed1 classmate donated to the Annual FundMichael Landini: Mike was married October 14, 2006. He was married in Santiago, Chile, the home town of his bride, Monserrat. Mike and Monserrat are now living in Chicago where Mike is a car salesman for Volkswagen at the Auto Barn of Evanston.

2 0 0 2Class Agent: Devon Brennan1 classmate donated to the Annual FundBrittany Probasco: Brittany graduated from Indiana University in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and minor in Business. She is living in Chicago and working at Whittman Hart, an interactive advertising agency located in the city. Her current position is Account Executive and her clients include Harley Davidson, Sears, Swiss Army, Mountain Dew, and many more. Brittany said, "she still keeps in touch with a lot of her LaLu friends, Devon Brennan, Amanda Cummings, Tom McTigue, Mike Landini, Caitlin Bolton and Bo Bourke, all live in the city as well.”

2 0 0 3 R E U N I O N Y E A RClass Agent: Tia Hardesty1 classmate donated to the Annual Fund

2 0 0 4Class Agent: Sarah Tristano3 classmates donated to the Annual Fund


2 0 0 6Class Agent: Kristin Reed0 classmates donated to the Annual Fund


Alumni Reunion Weekend

& Golf OutingSeptember 2008

Upcoming Events...dates & information on page 9

A Night at the Races for La Lumiere School May 2008

the Roses

Parents Weekend

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Winter View 2008