2 From the Headmaster
4 Achievement
In This Issue
2 From the Headmaster
4 Achievement
Ben Nasse ’ 93 , David Baker ’ 76 , Jim Godbout ’ 80 , Christine ( Babcock ) Blake ’ 91 , Daisy Blake ’ 17 , Jim Trask ’ 80
15 NEASC Update
TA adopts pillars and clarifies its mission
14 Finance
10th annual Thornton Fund Auction , Good Shepherd Parish donation
16 Arts
Carmen ( Cassette ) Johnson ’ 72 , Elizabeth Roy ’ 18
20 Athletics
Michael Laverriere ’ 17 , Nick Bartholomew ’ 17 , Libby Pomerleau ’ 16 , Gary Stevens
22 School Sweethearts
David Verrill ’ 46 , Anna ( Kosta ) Verrill ’ 46
24 International
Mitchell Dehtere ’ 14 , Syed Banoori ’ 13
26 Technology
Jeff Christenbury ’ 03 , Josh Pulsifer ’ 06
28 TAMS
Kindness Matters campaign , Julia Clukey Courage Award
30 TA Treasure
Mary ’ s Walk dedicated to longtime volunteer Ken Janson ’ 72
32 Alumni In The News
Brooks Landry ’ 00 , Jennifer ( Conley ) Burnett ’ 98
33 1811 Society
Steve Cote ’ 64
34 Gatherings / Reunions
36 Class Notes
38 Class Agent Spotlight , Faculty Notes
39 In Memoriam
COVER PHOTO
Benjamin Nasse ’ 93 serves as Director of Technology at Thornton Academy and is a Dorm Parent in Stasio Hall . Under Ben ’ s leadership , Thornton has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School . Read the story on p . 4 . Cover photo by Ben Nasse .
CONTRIBUTORS
Postscripts Editor and Designer Emma Deans loves hearing stories about TA alumni . On the weekends she enjoys reading , walking in the woods , and playing with her golden retriever Annie .
After 11 years in the classroom as a teacher of French , Spanish , Geometry , and Geography , Katy Nicketakis will step into a new role as Associate Director of Marketing and Summer Programming this spring . She is particularly excited to share the stories of Thornton Academy with the world and help others to discover what a great school we have !
Brittany Brown ’ s role is shifting from Development to Communications in her 6 th year at TA . She loves interacting with all demographics of the Thornton community and looks forward to this new venture . In her spare time , she enjoys hand lettering and bringing her dog to the beach with her fiancé .
As a Career Development and Community Outreach Associate , Linda Verville connects students to workforce opportunities and off-campus learning resources . She is a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador , Rotarian , Interact Advisor , and TA Mentor Program Coordinator .
As Director of Development , Lindsay LaPrad Hudnor meets with fascinating people every day who are passionate about Thornton Academy . When she ’ s not in the office , she loves cooking and boating with her family .
As Assistant Director of Development , Krissy Mailman ’ 04 loves to use her journalism background to highlight all of the great things alumni are up to . She serves as an advisor to the Equestrian Club .
Postscripts is published twice a year for the Thornton Academy community by the Communications Office . Please contact communications @ thorntonacademy . org with corrections or story ideas . This issue was designed by Emma Deans . Read the online version at : www . postscriptsalumnimagazine . com .
David Arenstam is Chair of the Technology and New Media Department at TA and also teaches English courses . He published a novel in 2016 called Homecoming : A Soldier ’ s Story of Loyalty , Courage , and Redemption .
3
How
tech guru,
father,
husband,
triathlete,
& creative artist
Ben Nasse ’93
rises to the top
As Director of Technology at
Thornton Academy, Ben Nasse ’93
lives and breathes in a world of
innovation. He’s tasked with keeping
the school not only up-to-date with
the latest hardware and software,
but also with envisioning how
technology transforms learning in
the classroom from a pedagogical
perspective. His dedication garnered
global recognition on November
29, 2016 when representatives from
Apple visited campus to recognize
Thornton Academy as an Apple
Distinguished School. This distinction
is reserved for programs that meet
criteria for innovation, leadership,
4
“I honestly feel like I won the lottery.
I cannot imagine my life going any better.”
fantastic the way you’ve realized the
vision of the one-to-one program and
have taken it beyond hardware by
integrating into the classroom. That
was the dream. That was the vision. I
always tried to communicate [that] this
isn’t a hardware project; it’s a learning
project. You’ve really taken that idea
and realized it in very special ways,
and that’s why you’ve been recognized
by Apple. I still think there are lots
of things we can do to improve and
(L to R): Headmaster Rene
Menard ’88, Amanda Doyle, and
Ben Nasse ’93 with the Apple
Distinguished School recognition.
and educational excellence, while
demonstrating a clear vision of
exemplary learning environments.
Ben explained, “Apple came to us,
recognizing that we were fulfilling
many of their goals and asked, ‘Would
you consider applying?’”
Thornton launched a one-to-one
iPad program in the fall of 2014 to
equip students and staff with the tools
necessary for success in a 21 st century
learning environment, strategically
aligning professional development
and curriculum objectives. Now in the
third year of deployment, all students
in grades 8—12 are issued an iPad
Mannequin Challenge went viral on
the Internet earlier this academic year,
Ben grabbed his camera and filmed
students in his campus apartment as
they appeared to be “frozen” while
decorating an elaborate Christmas
tree, strumming a guitar, snacking on
cookies, and laughing with friends. It’s
just one small example of the caring
environment the Nasses provide. “I
cannot overstate how transformational
the Residential Life program has
That’s what differentiates Thornton
from other boarding schools—there’s
a commitment to family life. Many
of the dorm parents have their own
children.” With four daughters of his
own, Ben is well versed in parenting.
Harper (age 11) and Emerson (age
9) are at Burns School, Scout ’22 is a
student at Thornton Academy Middle
School, and Isabella Rosado ’11 resides
in Rhode Island, is married, and has a
baby boy. “I honestly feel like I won the
Ben’s daughters (L to R): Emerson ’26,
Isabella ’11, Scout ’22, and Harper ’24
mini, while all students in grades 6
and 7 are issued an 11-inch MacBook
Air. Faculty members receive iPad
devices and 13-inch MacBook laptops.
From interactive foreign language
quizzes to statistical applications for
physics experiments to movie-making
programs used to interpret the texts
of Shakespeare, teachers and students
alike are discovering new possibilities
for synthesizing content.
Senator Angus S. King, Jr., who first
proposed a one-to-one technology
program through The Maine Learning
Technology Initiative in 2000 as
Governor of Maine, said, “It’s really
The IT Department is responsible for
hardware (tablets, computers, printers,
phones, copiers, security cameras, and their
infrastructure), software (applications like
Microsoft), and services (including Moodle,
Gmail, eBackpack, and PowerSchool). Ben
is a member of the International Society of
Technology and Education (ISTE) and attends
their annual conference where the industry’s
best practices, standards, and goals are shared.
He maintains relationships with vendors
so that they are people he can trust—for
example, he has known Apple Representative
Tara Maker “since Day 1” of the initiative.
In the photo at left, Ben discusses Thornton’s
program to visiting educators during the Apple
School Visit in November 2016. The bins are
used for organizing all iPad devices.
build on the potential that technology
gives us in our classrooms and you’re
leading the way in Maine.”
Beyond overseeing technology at
Thornton, Ben is involved in nearly
all aspects of campus life. He and
his wife Jodi serve as Dorm Parents
in Stasio Hall, which welcomes girls
from countries across the world,
including Poland, Ukraine, Rwanda,
Italy, Spain, Vietnam, China, Hong
Kong, Korea, and Turkey. When the
been to Thornton Academy. The
students are kind, polite, and they
take their studies seriously,” said �&V��F��27B��fV�&W"�F��&�F�আV�BF�Rf�'7B��V���FW&�F������V��&WV����6VRvR3U���v��6�&V�6�Bv2�V��F������B�V'Gv&֖�rW�W&�V�6R�F�P���FW&�F����7GVFV�G2( �6VRF��&�F��2F�V�"6V6��B���R�F�W6R&R��G0�v�F�v����FRF���W"WfW'�F�f� ��V'2�F�W�FƲ&�WB��rF�W�֗70��B�&�WBF�R7G&��rfVVƖ�r�bf֖ǒ�5D�%�%�T��DT�2���D�2%�T��DT�2b�54RdԔŐ���GFW'���6���B��v��RגƖfRv���p��&WGFW"�( �6�B&V��v���R7GVFV�BBF��&�F���&V���VB6�66W"�6W'f��r26F�আ�26V��"�V"�v2�V�&W"�`�7GVFV�B6�V�6����BF������FW&W7@�����7F�'��BV�vƗ6�6�W'6W2��P�F�7F��7Fǒ&V�V�&W'27&VF��rf�FV�&�WB6F6�W"��F�R'�Rf�"Ff�@�'Vfb( �26�72�W6��rd�26�W&F�@�6�V�BVF�B'�W6���rF�R7F'B�@�7F�'WGF��������rfVGW&R@�P