Annual Meeting 2024

The Country School community came together on Sept. 19 for the Annual Meeting & Dinner, a night dedicated to celebrating our faculty and staff, reflecting on the state of the school, and doubling down on our mission to celebrate childhood as a valuable phase of life to be lived fully and happily. The event was a powerful moment of connection and a testament to the strength of our shared commitment to nurturing and developing young minds.

Board President Tucker Golden ’90 opened the evening by sharing the exceptional achievements of our recent graduates, highlighting their outstanding placements at top high schools and their leadership roles in those environments. He also expressed his gratitude to parent volunteers for their tireless dedication and thanked the community for its generous participation in the Annual Fund noting that 100% of Trustees, Faculty and staff have supported this year’s annual fund. “The financial outlook of the school is sound and well-stewarded for the future,” said Mr. Golden. “My children and their children will receive as positive an educational experience as I did.”

Head of School Aaron Cooper's speech underscored the school’s unwavering focus on childhood and how this philosophy continues to guide every aspect of our work at Country School. “Above all, for me, it is the unwavering focus NCCS has on childhood and on ensuring that we provide the very best for our children, with no exceptions or qualifications,” said Mr. Cooper. “That we have the best practices, the best curriculum, the best facilities, and the best people for our children—and that we have the resources to continue to elevate them as the world evolves.”

Mr. Cooper further emphasized how essential it is to let children learn through experience, not just instruction. “We believe that children need to experience phenomena—not just be told about them—to learn best. They need to be outside, have the freedom to wonder, the leeway to take some risks, and the time to wrestle and play with new concepts. The more they develop their own learning and discover connections, the better they retain that learning—and the more they will enjoy it.”

Mr. Cooper also addressed the challenges facing children today, particularly the impact of technology and digital connectivity on childhood. “A combination of anxiety, uncertainty, and digital connectivity has put pressure on children—to accelerate and ultimately shrink childhood. We believe there is a better way, and it is in our DNA. We are doubling down on who we are and what we do.”

The evening concluded with a strong call to the community to continue supporting the school, both through active engagement and philanthropy, as we look toward an even brighter future for our students. Together, the Country School community reaffirmed its shared belief in the power of a childhood well-lived and an education that nurtures both academic and emotional growth.

 

Mark Macrides is our Director of Community Engagement, but really a title cannot possibly encapsulate all that he does for NCCS. If his job description were truly representative of all he touches here, it would be several pages long. Mark is quite simply one of the most unique and amazing people I have ever had the good fortune to work with. He is incredibly dedicated to this school and loves it deeply.

He has literally touched thousands of lives in his years here and has had a hand in nearly every detail of every part of the school, large and small. For example, tonight’s centerpieces? Mark went to the woods and found the sticks and helped make the leaves. Tonight’s food? Mark had a say in the menu. The alignment of tables around the room in relation to the speakers? The table settings? The lighting changes? You guessed it—Mark was involved in it all.

Quite frankly, I have found it near impossible to capture the impact Mark has had on the institution and the people here adequately. So, we asked some of those who know Mark best to share stories from their work with him, thoughts on the legacy he will leave, and characteristics that set him apart. I have been overwhelmed by the response. I am so grateful to have been able to read these reflections, as they collectively paint a more complete picture of some of the extraordinary impact Mark Macrides has had on New Canaan Country School. So, in the words of his colleagues, present and past, a very small fraction of what was shared with me:

"Mark was one of the first people at school (along with the Flik and Facilities crews) on the morning of Frogtown Fair, breaking down from Blue and White Night the night before and setting up for the festivities to come. He’s everywhere (and nowhere—I bet no one even saw him at Frogtown Fair) all at once and constantly juggling multiple things. He was also the last to leave after helping the Facilities team put everything away."

"Mark is a true culture carrier. He remembers the stories behind why everything was done the way it was. He knows why certain trees were planted—to shade the classrooms of specific retired teachers—and why the Stevens Building’s low brick wall is shaped in a semi-circle (to protect an unmarked time capsule buried deep below). He can tell you everything about the stone walls that surround our campus and the arrowheads found underneath our soil. He can tell you about the ice harvested from behind the Winter Club and stored in our ice house and about the windmill that used to stand by the Thacher building. A campus tour with Mark is like attending an oral history lesson, full of whimsical details and fascinating asides."

"Mark’s work ethic is unparalleled. Many years ago, a former Head 'banned' him from campus for a week in a well-intentioned but misguided effort to force him to take a vacation. I remember working late one evening and seeing him sneak back under the cover of darkness to do 'just one quick thing.' It didn’t surprise me in the least. The countless hours he has dedicated to the school are simply unmatched. Whenever a former student, parent, faculty, or staff member returns to campus, everyone looks for Mark. He’s a wonderful host and a living link to the past, always making returning guests feel honored and welcome."

"Although he technically has more designated workspaces than anyone else on campus, you’re unlikely to find him in any of them. Mark is always on the move, carrying his trusty backpack and setting up shop wherever inspiration strikes—whether it's in an empty conference room, at a table in the Cafeteria, or on a sofa in one of the school’s many lobbies. Just when you think you've figured out his latest spot, he'll have found a new one."

"I am ALWAYS amazed and in awe of how Mark single-handedly transforms the Grace House Lobby overnight at the start of each school year into a new, fabulous, and informative archival display."

"As an artist, Mark is incredibly creative and often sees things differently. He’s a great strategic partner in that way. He is often able to propose new approaches to solving a problem."

"He has given so much of himself to this school and our community, but I think his most significant legacy will be through the children he has taught. He has shown them that they are capable of creating beauty in this world. From the early grade of kindergarten, he teaches these children that they can take discarded objects—trash as the rest of us see it—and they have the power to see it differently and make it into art. I think that’s pretty powerful."

"At the beginning of the Covid pivot to online teaching I needed to deal with a serious family crisis. Mark stepped in, without hesitation, and made sure that I was able to direct all of my attention to what I needed to take care of at the time. He reassured me when I was concerned and made the transition appear seamless, although I know it took a tremendous amount of extra work at an already stressful time. I am forever grateful to him for that."

Finally, two more:

"I've always given 100% to my job, but after working with Mark, I want to give 200%."

"Mark has been a beacon of wisdom, kindness, inspiration, and historical guidance, touching the lives of countless students, families, and colleagues. His influence extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the very fabric of what makes Country School a special place."

So, congratulations on 40 amazing years, Mark. It is an honor and a pleasure to work alongside you. Thank you for being the consummate partner, friend, confidante, and go-to person. And don’t worry, I promise I will not ban you from campus.

 

These Faculty Chairs recognize exemplary teaching as defined by Engaging and inspiring students, creating a curriculum to reach all learners, and demonstrating a commitment to ongoing professional development. The awards were made possible by the generosity of three Country School families and the recipients were nominated by their peers.

Marshall, class of 2004, has been an Upper School history and English teacher for the past nine years and is currently our history/social studies program coordinator.

Colleagues comment that Marshall is “a fantastic teacher who cares deeply about his students and is adored by them, he makes content engaging and relevant for a wide range of learners, he partners beautifully with families, and is an incredibly thoughtful and collaborative colleague.”  

They share that Marshall unpacks history like a true storyteller, he is very knowledgeable, he brings history to life, he captivates students’ minds and pushes their critical thinking skills and that during mock interviews, many students share that Marshall has been their favorite teacher.

As a colleague, Marshall is always willing to lend a hand, partnering with others to develop new programs like the American Forum and the 9th grade Community Action Project capstone. He has a great sense of humor and a personality to which others are drawn.  

Cyndi, our early childhood science teacher, has been at NCCS for 27 years.  She also has amongst the deepest roots at NCCS: her father, as a young boy of 12, approached the dairy farmers who were on this land and requested to be their milk delivery boy. He lived his entire life within a few short steps of campus and was a local historian par excellence. Even Mark Macrides likely learned something about the history of this place from him

Cyndi’s colleagues share that “She constantly impresses me with her quiet but effective leadership with our students. She is like the Mother Goose of the Thacher building. She calmly gathers her students together to experience an informative and exciting science lesson. The oo’s and aah’s that float through her classes are indicative of her ability to captivate her young students’ attention. 

In addition to her amazing work with our students, she also manages the well being of all of our finned, furry, and feathered friends on campus. Her care with our students and with our animals is impressive and is felt all the way through the School.”

Many families share that their children regularly come home to report what they learned in science with the family, such is the way that Cyndi captivates students’ attention with her teaching style and her genuine love of nature and science. 

Cyndi’s chill, never ruffled;  quiet, yet firm way draws students in, and her work behind the scenes to make sure science is also happening in the classrooms other than hers - like getting all the materials to raise the butterflies, ensures that students leave the Thatcher building with a deep understanding of - and usually a love for - the building blocks of science. And, of course, she is the engine behind one of the hallmarks of the Thatcher year - the incubating and raising of chicks.

Mollie has been a mainstay in our first grade for 18 years.  In that time, she also taught for 14 years in our Horizons Summer program. 

Her colleagues share that, “Mollie is a talented teacher who provides each student with what they need at the critical ages/stages in first grade. She holds high standards that her students meet and grow towards. 

She advocates for students that need extra support or intervention, always with examples of exemplary differentiation that are happening each day in her room. Mollie is willing and excited to try new curriculum and structures as a collaborative colleague.”

 

Warm, loving, and caring, Mollie is a great mentor for students and teachers alike.  She is incredibly proud of the progress of her students - she will often show up at Head of Lower School and Early Childhood Meaghan Mallin’s office with a student who has accomplished something special to share that achievement with Meaghan.  And as proud as the student is of their accomplishment, it is Mollie’s face, lit up with pride, and often accompanied by tears in her eyes, that underscores how genuine her commitment to her students is.

Mollie is also an exceptional mentor teacher to her apprentices - they go far because of her; she develops a special relationship with them,  In fact, several of her former apprentices are now thriving here as lead teachers, and it is common for Mollie’s apprentice teachers to credit Mollie in particular with helping launch them. Such is Mollie’s skill, professionalism, and commitment to everyone’s growth that she has a transformational impact on not just her students but also on other teachers.