St. Margaret’s Closes School Year With Virtual All-School Closing Ceremony

The ceremony reflected on achievements and accomplishments of the school and its students during an unusual and challenging school year. 
During a virtual ceremony via Zoom, St. Margaret’s celebrated the completion of its 40th anniversary school year with an All-School Closing Ceremony that reflected on achievements and accomplishments of the school and its students during an unusual and challenging school year. 
 
“I see you, and I wish that I could be with you,” Head of School Will Moseley said. “Today marks the final time that St. Margaret’s Episcopal School as we know it will gather together. Virtually as it is, but still together.”
 
Mr. Moseley recognized the Class of 2020, which will be honored virtually this week as they officially graduate on Saturday, and with an on-campus Commencement ceremony planned for August 15.
 
Several important Closing Ceremony traditions carried on in the virtual environment. Senior Shaudeh Farjami was honored with the David G. Boyle Lifetime Service Award, given to a lifetime Tartan student whose service and dedication to the school best reflects the extraordinary contributions of the late David Boyle, former Associate Head of School, Upper School Principal and Faculty Emeritus who worked at St. Margaret’s from 1980 to 2012.
 
Established last year with the retirement of 40-year founding faculty member and Faculty Emeritus Susan Remsberg, Mr. Moseley presented the first ever Susan A. Remsberg Award to Middle School Principal Jeannine Clarke. The award is given annually to a member of the St. Margaret’s professional community for outstanding contributions and significant impact on the school community, exemplifying a profound commitment to St. Margaret’s mission and core values in the past year or recent years.
 
He also introduced Shaudeh Farjami and Brayden Windes, members of the Class of 2020 who will serve as alumni class agents in the coming years by partnering with the alumni relations office as members of the Tartan Alumni Association to ensure their classmates’ connection to St. Margaret’s remains strong.
 
The ceremony also recognized the achievements of faculty and staff, some retiring, others celebrating milestone anniversaries. The Emeritus honor this year was opened to staff as well as faculty for the first time for a special St. Margaret’s retiree. Emeritus is the highest honor St. Margaret’s bestows a member of the professional community, and it was awarded to two retiring members of the professional community: Upper School history teacher Diane Adamson, who is retiring after 30 years of service to St. Margaret’s; and Upper School Registrar Jan Connon, who is retiring after 33 years.
 
Both Mrs. Adamson and Mrs. Connon received an emeritus certificate as well as the traditional emeritus gift of a college chair with the St. Margaret’s crest and engraved with their respective years of service.
 
The ceremony also featured prayers by the St. Margaret’s chaplains, a musical rendition of “Happy All the Time” recorded by Early Childhood School students, and a singing of the alma mater by performing arts faculty.

“As we take our much-deserved summer break, we do so at a time of unrest in our nation,” Mr. Moseley said. “As we face a global pandemic and a community of citizens who are hurting on many fronts, let us pray for new breakthroughs and understanding in the coming weeks and months. For compassion and empathy. For healing and peace, and for equity and justice for all, for our friends and neighbors and for all of God’s people who are loved and valued unconditionally.”

Congratulations to the professional community members listed below for achieving St. Margaret’s milestone anniversaries of service:

Faculty Emeritus (Retiring)

Diane Adamson, Upper School (30 years)
Jan Connon, Upper School (33 years)

Retiring
Carol Keith, Health Center (20 years)

20 Year Anniversary

Jeremy Dailey, School Counselor
Rob Lakeman, Middle School
Rian Otto, Middle School
Hope Petrozzi, Early Childhood School
Blake Reemtsma, Upper School
Darcy Rice, The Arts
 
15 Year Anniversary
Pete Clark, Upper School
Eric Harrington, Middle School
Leigha Long, Wee Tartans
Kim Quon, Campus Services

10 Year Anniversary

Stefani Baker, Technology
Theresa Bouchard, Upper School
Dana Freeman, Security
The Reverend Earl Gibson, Church
Edmund Herlihy, Upper School
Esther Hsu, Upper School
Phoebe Larson, Admission
Daniel Miranda Gonzales, Buildings & Grounds
Mick Vollmer, Lower School
Amy Warren, College Counseling
Kristina Wright, Lower School
 
5 Year Anniversary
Rachel Beauchene, Lower School
Owen Beitner, Middle School
Patrick Bendzick, Athletics
Andrea Chou, Upper School
Kathleen Clasen, Lower School Extensions
Victor Cota, Equity and Inclusion
Tracy Engel, St. Margaret’s Church
Jillian Gray, Alumni Relations
Heather Harney, Student Services
Caryl Hostetter, Human Resources
Alexandra Jennings, Upper School
Spencer Keane, The Arts
Dareon Keetch, Security
Karen McCollum, Admission
Monica Quiroga, Wee Tartans
Ashley Ricart, Middle School
Corinne Samskey, Middle School
Cheri Santora, Advancement
Meredith Schumacher, Upper School
Terri Shams, Business Office
Noelle Snavely, The Arts
Thomas Spellmire, Upper School
Rachel Stephens, Lower School
Bryan Sullivan, Upper School
 
 
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An Independent Preschool Through Grade 12 College-Preparatory Day School in Orange County California

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St. Margaret's Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational, admission, financial aid, hiring and athletic policies or in other school-administered programs.