Administrative Team:
Eric Dustman trekked across the United States with 6 children and Philip Theodosopolous in an RV. They had a great time showing the children the expansive midwest as they stopped here and there to see exciting sights along the way. Their last stop delivered the Theodosopolous family to their new home in San Francisco.
Jeff Groh hiked part of the Appalachian Trail with his friend for a few days and vacationed with his wife and son for a relaxing week of naps, diaper changes and lovely hikes by the lake.
Beth Barton vacationed at Niagara on the Lake in Ontario and had a wonderful time with gorgeous weather. They went bicycling, wine tasting, antique shopping and enjoyed the spa and amenities of the Prince of Wales Hotel. They didn’t spot the Prince of Wales this time, but perhaps on another vacation…
Yance Pyle worked with parent volunteers and Eric Dustman to prepare the facilities for the coming year. He also enjoyed a weekend in Pittsburgh with family.
Ann Baumgardner and her family enjoyed gardening this summer. They made strawberry jam and homemade pickles and picked 80 pounds of blueberries for their freezer. Let’s hope the power doesn’t go out!
Cuisine Team:
Audrey Cobb worked in the Summer Program and hosted visiting family members. She also helped out with her friend’s farm and is doing lots of roller skating in preparation for roller derby tryouts.
Ryonen Ignatius entertained house guests for a month and was tickled to show off Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s light show performance in Washington Park. Ryonen’s women’s softball team had a consistent season at their Monday night games at Triple Creek. Although they consistently lost, they also consistently had a great time!
Preprimary Staff:
Beth Tracy-Kaliski went to Key West and to Englewood Beach, Florida with her family for an extended stay. She also tutored some children this summer.
Jennifer Frank ended up making great family vacations out of the kids’ travel adventures. First they were off to Myrtle Beach for daughter Emily’s dance competition and then to New York City where Emily studied at Joffrey’s Ballet while the rest of the family ran around the subways of NYC enjoying all that the city had to offer. Husband David and son Ethan have embarked on a motorcycle building project while daughter Olive serves a “foster mom” to a needy dog. Jennifer is excited to get back to her work with the children as they explore all the new spaces at The New School.
Sarah Streitman is interning in the North 3-6 classroom this fall. She spent a month in Ireland with a college class and later with her family as they toured the area and listened to the beautiful music of Ireland.
Margaret Kellar vacationed in the Dominican Republic, went to a Kellar family reunion and caught up on renovation projects around the house. Her children went to Michigan for a bit and Margaret held down the fort at home where she enjoyed some quiet time as well.
Lydia Neiheisel took care of her 4-year-old niece, a new baby and her own 3-year-old daughter and has gotten good at whispering, “Shhh the baby’s sleeping!” She and her family spent a lovely week in Michigan with family.
Debbie Weinstein had a calm and relaxing summer with mother at 92, in good health. Debbie and Sandy were able to refinish their hardwood floors and utilize the 2nd half of their 2-family while all the dust settled. Debbie set up a sewing studio in her home this summer and pushed the pedal to the floor as she sped through one sewing project after another.
Kimmie Kim worked during TNSM’s Summer Program and enjoyed hosting her parents as they visited this summer. They took a family vacation to Michigan.
Robby Lewis released a CD with his band and played a lot of music this summer. He also spent time at the family cottage in Michigan.
Lower Elementary Staff:
Kristen Rammel and her family visited relatives in Michigan this summer. They also visited Santa’s workshop in upstate New York, toured the Crayola factory, stopped by Niagara Falls and tasted Hershey’s kisses on their chocolate factory tour in Hershey, PA. Swimming at Coney Island kept everyone cool while home in Cincinnati.
Kira Hinkle volunteered her time to build bunk beds, and help with other building projects for the Oglala Lakota Indians at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation near Rapid City. Kira also chaperoned a community service trip to the 9th Ward in New Orleans where she and others helped restore some of the damaged homes that remain these many years after Hurricane Katrina.
Mary Ohlinger-Pray went to lake Superior for 2 weeks with the grandkids. Her children are pursuing their interests in the arts with Christopher working on a novel in Cincinnati, Lauren doing films in Cleveland, Allan moving to NYC for his music, and Catherine teaching at Sands Montessori in a 6-9 classroom. Mary’s husband Ken Pray is designing Kroger stores and helped facilitate the Artsworks mural in North Avondale on Reading Road.
Colleen Blumer worked in the summer program at TNSM and really enjoyed Parky’s Farm with the kids. Colleen spent the rest of the summer with friends, worked on home improvement projects, spent a lovely weekend in Chicago, read a lot of biology and worked on fiber art projects. She also enjoyed kayaking and when tired and lazy, enjoyed the much easier ride on a pontoon boat with friends. Colleen and Gabe’s sons Brendan and Alex spent a week at the Whitacre’s farm in Maine with longtime New School family friends.
Upper Elementary Staff:
Laura Slanker enjoyed a vacation in Bermuda and had a wonderful time teaching Montessori training with Ceara this summer.
Nancy Buchman hiked, biked and is learning to play the violin. She is also polishing up her Spanish and is planning where she’ll go on her next vacation.
Ceara Comstock enjoyed Cincinnati as a tourist as she and the kids took in the sights around the area. Ceara also enjoyed her time teaching Montessori teachers this summer.
Jeff Groh – see above in Administrative Team
The Arts Staff:
Jeanne Speier had a very busy summer kayaking on the New River in West Virginia and in Asheville, North Carolina. She also taught Balinese dance to children in St. Louis at the Katherine Dunham Dance Seminar and taught Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance with art teacher Robin Hartmann at Kennedy Heights Art Center. Jeanne spent 2 weeks in Florida and spotted a Roseate Spoonbill which was an unexpected “pink” highlight to her trip!
Robin Hartmann worked this summer with art camps at TNSM and is really looking forward to the new school year in the Enrichment Center. She enjoyed creating zombie costumes with the kids at the Thriller camp with Jeanne Speier where they all learned the dance moves to Michael Jackson’s iconic song. Robin visited the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and was treated to the biggest lightning storm and rainfall she’s ever experienced. Thanks to daughter Leah’s great map-reading skills and the local pizza joint’s advice, they were able to locate their nontraditional hotel lodgings in a refurbished college dormitory off the “Google Grid.” Leave it to a pizza delivery crew to know every inch of America and Canada.
Andrea Rosenthal Warnken visited family, hosted friends from out of town, read and read, went to lots of concerts, and did scads of fun things with her girls. It was a restorative and wonderful summer!
Ximena Flores is our new elementary Spanish teacher who is busy preparing for her daughter’s wedding. She is entertaining 10 out-of-town guests in their home and is very pleased to join The New School family.
Karen Titsworth went on a “stay-cation” where she enjoyed a quiet summer with her 19-year-old daughter. They attended a family reunion in Lawrenceburg, Indiana with 250 relatives.
Brendan Blumer spent most of his summer making music with 3 of the bands he’s a member of. His group Jazz Renaissance played at the Season Good Park. He’s in a band with fellow teacher Robby Lewis called LZRPNY where they had a party at 50 West to celebrate the release of their new CD. He plays African drums with Baoku Moses and is a member of a rock band called Hue. One of his bands will be playing at the MidPoint Music Festival this fall.
Johnnye White enjoyed a quiet summer at home. She reported that her sister Marie is well enough now to train for the Jingle Bell Run for the Arthritis Foundation. Johnnye is pleased to begin her 45th year of teaching children.