All-School Closing Ceremony Joyfully Concludes 2017-2018 School Year

St. Margaret’s closed the book on another successful school year at a festive all-school closing ceremony in Pasternack Field House on Wednesday. The ceremony was the final chapter of a year filled with academic achievement and memorable moments on the stage, on the field and in the community.

“This end of the year Closing Ceremony marks the conclusion of the 2017-2018 school year,” Head of School Will Moseley said. “While there are still some very important events remaining on the calendar this week, today marks the final time that St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, as we currently know it, will gather together.

 

“Next year the Class of 2019 will occupy the places of honor as the leaders of the school. The Class of 2022 will move from the Middle to the Upper School, the Class of 2025 will move from the Lower School to the Middle School, and the Class of 2033 will enroll in our Preschool.”

 

The student body erupted in applause as Mr. Moseley recognized the Class of 2018, officially graduating this weekend and joining more than 2,000 St. Margaret’s alumni. He also recognized Danielle Drislane and Parker Ryan, who will be the volunteer class agents of the Class of 2018 and partner with the alumni relations office and the Tartan Alumni Association to ensure their classmates’ connection to St. Margaret’s remains strong.

 

Senior Matt Josephs was honored with the David G. Boyle Lifetime Service Award, given to a lifetime Tartan whose service and dedication to the school best reflects the extraordinary contributions of the late David Boyle, former Upper School principal and associate head of school who worked at St. Margaret’s from 1980 to 2012 and passed away in November 2017. Marilynn Boyle, David’s wife and St. Margaret’s Faculty Emeritus, joined Mr. Moseley in presenting the award.

 

The ceremony also recognized the achievements of faculty and staff, some retiring, others celebrating anniversaries. A Faculty Emeritus honor, the highest honor St. Margaret’s gives a member of the faculty or staff, was given to Preschool teacher Penny Tacquard, who is retiring after 32 years at St. Margaret’s.

Mrs. Tacquard received an emeritus certificate as well as the traditional emeritus gift of a college chair with the St. Margaret’s crest and her years of service engraved on it.

The ceremony ended with an inspired singing of the alma mater, as students filed out of Pasternack with another school year in the books.

Retiring
Penny Tacquard, ECDC (32 years)
Marta Austin, Middle School (21 years)
Nicki Yokota, Arts (20 years)
Jerry Dahm, Transportation (13 years)
Stella Osborne, Transporation (9 years)

25 Year Anniversary
Mike Allison, Middle School

20 Year Anniversary
Jill Fincher, Athletics
Amanda Hudson, Middle School
Lisa Mers, ECDC
Rocky Parker, Upper School
Rosario Valdez, Accounting

15 Year Anniversary
Patty Canright, Nurse/Health Office
Chris Carbajal, Arts
Rosemary DeSa, Library
John Mellard, Accounting

10 Year Anniversary
Lindsay Eres, Upper School
Katie Harris, Middle School
Andrew Johnson, Upper School
Eva Kammerer, After School/Club
Jennifer Perez, Communications
Victor Uribe, Maintenance

5 Year Anniversary
Jessie Akers, Lower School
Simon Fellowes, Upper School
Melissa Fisher, Library
Erika Higgins, Lower School
Carilan Hill, Middle School
Mark James, Maintenance
Kimberly Kim, Upper School
Carrie Kuhn, Copy Center
Will Moseley, Head of School
Tupper Spring, Lower School
Jesse Standlea, Arts
Karen Tomlinson, Accounting