“It’s important for any institution to have new energy, new vision ... It’s a gift to know Synergy is in good hands.”

Last June, long-time teachers and administrators Tammy Damon and Elena Dillon retired. The Synergy Times checked in with Tammy and Elena this past August to find out more about their plans for retirement and their hopes and dreams for Synergy—where they continue to be active Board members—in the months and years to come.

Since you arrived in New Hampshire, have you had a chance to relax and decompress?

Elena: We have. It’s amazingly beautiful and peaceful here. We

bought bikes and it’s a beautiful place to bike, but it’s hilly—now that we’re biking I realize that’s it’s very hilly!Tammy: We’ve been swimming, biking, walking the dogs. The property next to us is a wildlife preserve, and there is a boardwalk through the wetlands so you can walk right into the preserve. We feel really privileged to be there. Elena: So yes, we’re totally decompressing. So far it feels like a long and leisurely summer, we’ve had relatives visiting the whole time, which has been really nice. But ( Continued on page 2)

In this issue:Interview with Tammy & Elena 1Goodbye Tiff! 5Tribute to Tammy & Elena 6Alumni Reunion 7Re-using Fun withEco-Global Village 8Big Sound! 9 Report from Board of Trustees 10Securing the Promise 11 Annual Report 12

Interview with Tammy and Elena by Connie Matthiessen

1Synergy Times | Fall 2013

The newsletter of Synergy School

Fall 2013

Synergy Times

Tammy Damon & Elena Dillon at 40th Celebration

(Interview, cont’d) it’s just beginning to hit now that we’re retired.

It’s not like, ‘wow, I wish we were there.’ We didn’t leave burned out, but I definitely feel like it’s time to stop working so hard. To be a good teacher, you have to be working most of the time. You wouldn’t want to shirk on any of that, but it does get

tiring. So I don’t miss the volume of work, but I do miss the connections, I miss the people. We talk to Synergy teachers and hear about what they’re doing and it sounds really exciting, but I don’t necessarily want to be there.

Tammy: For me there’s a funny duality. I’m happy to be here, and

I’m also looking forward to seeing how things shake out back at home. It’s about the people. At Synergy, we have a huge number of close connections. By the time we drive home, in early November (in time for the Synergy Board Meeting on November 4th) the new school year will be underway, and it will be a good time to visit.

Elena: We have a big hike planned for next Wednesday, the first day of school at Synergy, which I think is a good thing.

I also think this transition is good for the school. It’s important for any institution to have new energy, new vision. And since I feel really good about all the new teachers and the

administrators, I’m not sitting here worrying about Synergy at all. Tammy: Me either. And what a relief that is. It’s a gift to know that Synergy is in good hands.

When you think about what made you go into teaching in the first place, was the reality of it different than what you imagined? Was it as fulfilling as you’d hoped?

Elena: I think teaching is like parenting: you can’t imagine it ahead of time. And, like parenting, you imagine you’ll be the perfect teacher. You think you will say all the right things, and do a good job every day. And of course you never live up to that ideal.

And like parenting, you can’t imagine, ahead of time, the depth of it. And it would have been very different if I’d ended up at a different school. I feel so privileged to have worked at a place where there are no obstacles to being a great teacher! The depth of the teaching

2 Synergy Times | Fall 2013

“The depth of the teaching experience is unimaginable when you start out. You have no idea how all-encompassing it is.”

experience is unimaginable when you start out. You have no idea how all-encompassing it is. You have no idea the deep relationships you have with kids, and parents, and the teachers you work with. Tammy: I really didn’t plan to be a teacher. I was a history major, and my cousin was working in the Teachers Corps and he encouraged me to join. It was not that I set out to be a teacher. (Although it’s funny, I recently found an essay I wrote in 8th grade. We had to write about our career goals, and I wrote about being a teacher. I’d completely forgotten that.)

Everything in my Teacher Corps training led me to teach in a school like Synergy. Teacher Corps modeled progressive education and little hierarchy. Then I spent two years as a substitute teacher, which I abhorred because you don’t really get to know the kids or the school. So I was so happy to come to Synergy and to land in a place where I could do the kind of teaching I wanted, be the kind of teacher I wanted to be.

I was up for everything and at Synergy I was encouraged to try everything—whether it was finding a new building, or working on the institution’s finances. I taught everything from K to 8th grade, and I loved that. I went down roads I would have never imagined—I could never have done that in a traditional environment. Elena: And it’s because Synergy is a

teacher cooperative. We’re so empowered. When you come down to it, the fact that Synergy is a teacher cooperative is the most important thing; it’s what makes Synergy really work. Everyone there is committed to the school being a teacher cooperative. But it is a unique thing, and today so

Synergy Times | Fall 2013 3

many schools are being turned into businesses, and becoming like mini corporations, and this makes it harder for teachers to have any voice. So that’s what I care most about, when I think about the future of Synergy: the fact that it is a teacher cooperative.Tammy: I agree. It’s like the agreement system; it’s the essential groundwork the school rests on.

Do you worry about diversity at Synergy, both economic and racial, with the rising tuition and the high cost of living in San Francisco?

Elena: This has to do with the demographics of San Francisco and it’s something everyone in the city (Continued on page 4)

“Like the agreement system, Synergy’s teacher cooperative is the essential groundwork the school rests on.”

(Interview, con’t) needs to worry about. The demographics have changed even in the two years since I stopped being admissions director, but the goal of diversity is a school commitment. It doesn’t rest with one person or one group of people. There is a lot of good stewardship from the entire Synergy community. I think the school has to be vigilant on that question, but there is tremendous support for diversity at Synergy, so I’m not worried.

Tammy: I agree. The demographic has changed dramatically in San Francisco over the last 40 years, but I don’t think Synergy is fulfilling its mission any less now than it was then. It’s a core struggle the school has to address. I think it should be in our sights all the time.

Can you talk about your new roles at Synergy going forward?

Elena: I’m looking forward to working on the Synergy Times, and I’m still on the Board. I think we have to see what evolves. Tammy: All my Board work is financial, it’s development, and I really like that. I’m interested in tackling alumni issues, too.

What are your other retirement plans?

Elena: We’ll be running the dogs. Tammy does photography, and she’ll be doing more of that. And I will

have more time to practice clarinet. That’s what’s nice about retirement: to be able to have the time to do the things other things you like, too.

What are you most proud of about your years at Synergy?

Elena: It’s a difficult question to answer because I’m not proud of any one thing that I’ve done; it’s a group

effort. I feel so lucky to have been a teacher at Synergy, and to be a part of the Synergy community. Tammy: Like Elena, I don’t use the word ‘proud’ -- I feel privileged. Synergy helped me find the best of myself and give the best of myself. And the school helps the kids find the best of themselves. It’s been a privilege to be a part of that. Elena: Even the process of leaving has reflected Synergy’s integrity as an institution. It was a four and half year transition. The process had a lot of integrity, and that is also to Synergy’s credit.

Is there anything else you’d like add?

Tammy: To each and every person at Synergy, and in the Synergy community, I just want to say thank you. Thank you parents, students, alumni, teachers, and Synergy staff. Elena: We are so grateful for all we got to do, all the families we got to know, and the kids we got to work with. And now, looking forward, we are so glad that we get to stay connected! Check out Tammy and Elena’s blog to find out more! squamlakejourney.wordpress.com

Squam Lake, New Hampshire

4 Synergy Times | Fall 2013

“Synergy helps the kids find the best of themselves. It’s been a privilege to be a part of that.”

“Don’t wear your flip-flops in the snow!” advised one astute middle school student in the Book of Remembrances and Advice presented to science teacher Tiffany Tai on the last day of school and her last day as a Synergy teacher. Tiff’s partner, Susan, had just accepted a job as Assistant Professor of Educational Studies at Colgate University in the small upstate town of Hamilton, New York.

Along with whimsy, the book is filled with love and deep appreciation for the many insights into science and life Tiff brought to their lives. Silly, serious, and compassionate, Tiff “got” kids and “got” Synergy. As recent graduate Jacob Linde reflected, “Tiff was cool—she’s good at fitting in with kids, but she can be adult-like too.” She was passionate about teaching science and creating curriculum.

Middle school team meetings were held in the science room and we were often treated to her new ideas (and sometimes “interesting” smells). Tiff challenged and

inspired her students in the classroom, at Farm School, camping, backpacking and the snow trip.

Many students have discovered a love of science and the outdoors, and some have carried this into

academic pursuits. Although Tiff was new to classroom teaching when she came to Synergy, she brought an intuitive understanding and interest in children and adolescents that added to and was enriched by Synergy’s approach to teaching. As Tiff said at her celebration, “Synergy has taught me

to be the best teacher that I could be. The supportive staff, the mentoring, kids who want to have conversations about their learning, and families who are really invested all made it a wonderful place to stretch myself as an educator.”

We will miss you, Tiff, and wish you many adventures in Hamilton and beyond. How does Hamilton Farm School East sound?

“Synergy has taught me to be the best teacher that I could be. The staff, the mentoring, the kids, and families all made it a wonderful place to stretch myself as an educator.”

5 Synergy Times | Fall 2013

Goodbye Tiff! by Elena Dillon, Alumna Teacher and Alumna Parent

Madeleine came from Berkeley to celebrate our 40th and to give this tribute. She is passionate about teaching. Upon receiving an MA in Education at Mills College, she taught Literature and Art in Uganda.�

Tammy’s penetrating gaze, earnest and wise, with that characteristic Tammy twinkle as she listens and speaks between thoughtful sips of tea. Elena’s long swirling skirts whip around her as she turns energetically, pen in hand, to demonstrate a concept at the board. 10 years ago, these moments formed my present. 10 years later, today, they’re memories of Synergy schooldays past.

And what days those were, on that Middle School ship, with the two of you, our co-captains, at the helm. We sailed, sailed, and sailed on, traveling to amazing and wondrous places, both real and imagined: Mesopotamia and Sumer, the roots of civilization… Tikal and Palenque, where we breathed life into ancient ruins and made them our own… our Literary Logs, where we explored the various and intersecting worlds of

the novels we were reading… to Farm School to welcome in the harvest…

For you two though, it was never a matter of merely surviving yet another year of teaching us; it was about learning, discovering, asking

questions, getting to know each of us as individuals in the world in addition to knowing us as students. You infused our learning spaces, those both inside and outside of the classroom, with countless moments of joy and meaning along the way… and although these moments are long past, they have become an integral part of who I am.

You have touched more lives than you could have ever imagined. Your teaching, guidance, enthusiasm, sense of community, love and support does not end with each new batch of

graduating students, nor does it end now that you are moving on. All of this is passed from person to person, rippling through our communities, causing us to pause to think a little deeper, laugh a little harder, imagine

more freely, create more wildly, question more thoughtfully, and continue to learn and grow throughout our lives. Thank you for the incredible energy, intelligence and heart you have brought to Synergy and to the world. While your presence will be missed, it will never be forgotten… it is part of the school now: Elena’s contagious laughter ringing through the hallways. Tammy’s affectionate familiar phrase drifting in through classroom windows on a breeze: “You guys.”

“Thank you for the incredible energy, intelligence and heart you have brought to Synergy and to the world.”

6 Synergy Times | Fall 2013

Tribute to Tammy and Elena by Madeleine Anderson, Alumna, Class of 2003

Alums performing at the 40th Celebration Madeleine Anderson ’03

It must be some kind of world record! On a beautiful afternoon in April, over 100 Synergy student, parent and staff alumni from the 70s and 80s gathered to reconnect and celebrate Synergy’s 40th anniversary. Eighteen of our original twenty-five students responded to our invitation to celebrate! How many other elementary schools can boast about so many students returning after so many years to visit and pay tribute

to the people, place, and times that made a difference in their childhood?

Reaching out across the years was co-founder, Jill Goffstein Stocks, and former teachers, Lynne White and Pat Tokunaga, through Facebook and phone calls. The

warm and inviting home of Synergy alumni parents, Paul and Judy Minton, was the perfect gathering place. Hugs were given and received as laughter and memories filled the house. People came from as far away as New York, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Alumni reminisced about old times while poring over yearbooks and watching a slideshow of over 200 Synergy photos taken between 1973 and 1989.

Castro Street alumni remembered classes in the midst of construction that transformed an old diaper service into a new and vibrant space, P.E. and lunch at Douglass Park, morning meetings, International Stuffy Days, and International Trading Days.  There were fond

memories of hanging out in the library loft at the end of the school day to hear the reading of “Treasure Island”, and voting down Joseph’s monthly proposal for “Wear Your Underpants On The Outside” Day.

Grove Street alumni laughed remembering Midnight Madness adventures and snow or camping trip memories and were still arguing over who got the better bargain at International Trading Day. Memories included Halloween parades, lunches at Alamo Square, swimming at Hamilton Pool, and taking BART on field trips.  They hold dear their recollections of Farm School and are proud the tradition continues.

Yes, there were many zany memories, but those Synergy students-turned-adults also shared an unforgettable education in an environment that fostered curiosity, critical thinking and a love of discovery.   View photos from reunion online here:www.synergyphotos.smugmug.com/Alumnipassword: bestpics

“Snow trips, Midnight Madness ... we are proud the traditions continue!”

7Synergy Times | Fall 2013

Alumni Reunion: Celebrating 40 Years of Synergyby Jill Goffstein Stocks, Co-Founder

Alumni Reunion hosted at the Minton’s home Synergy t-shirt from the 1970’s

As I walked through the non-profit creative reuse center known as SCRAP on an overcast Monday morning, I wondered: how is this year’s Global Village going to be different from years past? In this project, which originated from an extended hands-on math lesson, the Sunroom builds an entire village, originally called Sunville, in the classroom. I started asking myself questions: What will be the new

locations we will study? What should this class of excited second and third grade learners take away from studying different parts of the world and their natural resources and traditions?

As I sifted through the fake plastic trees, first generation iPod covers,

and pieces of wood it started to become clear. Why couldn’t Global Village be a completely ‘reused’ project? I had just finished a science workshop with an emphasis on reducing carbon emissions at the California Academy of Sciences, and Synergy was seriously looking into becoming a solar school. Yes, it was becoming clearer—why not create an eco-Global Village this year? It made sense.

Classroom families had already brought in 60 half gallon milk and juice cartons which would serve as the homes and monuments for the projects. So, SCRAP items like packing materials, old folder bindings, small boxes and even tree bark became part of the 2013

version of Global Village. Materials that would usually be thrown away or recycled would now become a child-created social studies learning tool. Paint, papier mâché, hot glue, imagination, team work and elbow grease also helped the process, but the basis of every element of the huge village was that it was primarily reused, recycled, and eco-friendly.

The village was created with kids working in groups of four or five. After we had created versions of ourselves out of dough, made plans for what we wanted to create in each section, and learned about each part of the world, we made sure to create opportunities for kids to play with and enjoy their hard work—just not during math or writing time!

We also included field trips to help reinforce the customs, ways of life and experiences in the parts of the world we were studying. We learned from some excellent docents at the de Young Museum, the Asian Art (continued on page 9)

“Every element of the village was reused, recycyled, and eco-friendly.”

8 Synergy Times | Fall 2013

Re-using Fun with Eco-Global Village by Jesse Kitses, Sunroom Teacher

9Synergy Times | Fall 2013

( Global Village, continued) Museum and the Museum of the African Diaspora. The class was engaged and energized in these big, metropolitan museums - asking questions and listening intently!

When the Global Village was finished, we invited parents in to see raised homes from Phuket, Thailand; Colonial Style homes from Paraty, Brazil; and even tree bark homes from the Northern Territory of Australia! Monuments like the Chichen Itza pyramid from the Mayan Village; Mount Agou from Togo, Africa; and even St. Marks square from our new section, Venice, Italy were on display—all made from reused materials.

Before children formally presented their work on the six areas of Global Village, parents walked around to hear what the kids had to say about the small slice of life they had created. Explanations like, “Here we’ve made clay pacas which are rodents that can swim and only live in South America,” and “The roof of these traditional Togolese Earthen castles have been

made from packing materials” or, “This traditional temple from Thailand is a sacred place and all stray animals are welcome as one day someone may be reincarnated as an animal!” rang out in the crowded room. Seeing the kids so enthusiastic about their project and passing that energy on to their families makes doing the project all the more worthwhile.

The final day of the project, when we take the village down, is an especially exciting day for the kids. We hold a drawing and all the monuments from each section of the project are sent home. Names are pulled from a hat—and the class knows not everyone will be taking home an extra souvenir that day—but the spirit, cheers and smiles on their faces as each name is pulled from the hat, and a child comes up to take home a recycled treasure, is priceless. .

The Big Room at Synergy received some much-needed sound upgrade this summer. A new state-of-the-art speaker system was installed for use during music classes, performances and events.

The six wall-mounted speakers and sub-woofer now give the room a rich, melodic sound. During classes and school events, the instant-on wireless microphone allows for clear communication. A wireless connection also allows computer or smart phones to stream music or recordings. Mahala Bundy, Synergy music teacher, said, “Our last pair of stereo speakers from a garage sale died about ten years ago.  It is incredible to finally have great sound in the room.” This important upgrade is the result of  generous parent support. The 2012 Synergy Annual Auction Fund-a-Need campaign raised  more than $3,000 for the performing arts at Synergy.

Our thanks to Jeff Cross, Synergy parent and audiophile, who helped design and build out this project. Kudos also to electrician Tom Tillinghast for his expert wiring of this system. Longer term plans include a screen and projection system, and ceiling mounted microphones.

by Russ Curtis, Director of Technology

Big Sound!

Cross-age Water in Our World art project

Last year, Synergy School celebrated 40 years of cooperative teaching and progressive learning. This year, we open our next chapter with some new teachers, some new students, and energy generated by looking back with pride. Synergy’s Board of Trustees embarks on the fifth and final year of its strategic plan, which addresses eight priority areas - program, diversity, ecological sustainability, financial sustainability, non-tuition revenue, communications, collective leadership, and work/life balance for the staff.

Much progress was made last year. In an on-going assessment of the educational program, teachers recommended and the board agreed to add or increase several positions. Middle school students will now have a full time teacher for both history and language arts. In addition, the art teacher position was increased to four full days a week and the learning specialist position to full time. The board also

approved the hiring of a director of technology because of the integral role of technology in supporting program and communications.

Synergy reached an important milestone this past spring in its goal to be a model green school. Solar panels were installed in March and are now generating nearly 100% of our energy needs.

As careful stewards of Synergy’s financial health, trustees approved the refinancing of the school’s mortgage loan, lowering its interest rate from 6.6% to 4%. The board also purchased the triangle shaped building adjacent to the south yard at a below market price and now controls the southeast corner of the lot. For now the building will be held as an investment.

The board will move forward this year on several fronts of the strategic plan. A major focus will be including a deepening of our commitment to diversity of all kinds.

10 Synergy Times | Fall 2013

Class of 2013

This year’s eighth grade class was accepted to a wide range of public,

parochial, charter and independent high schools. Our graduates can now be found at:

The Bay School

Drew School

Gateway High School

Lowell High School

Ruth Asawa School of the Arts

Sacred Heart Cathedral School

St. Ignatius High School

San Francisco Waldorf High School

The Urban School of San Francisco

Class of 2009

Congratulations to Synergy’s 2009 graduates as they head off to

their futures! Our alumni will matriculate at the following

schools:

Bryn Mawr College

DePauw University

Emerson College

Evergreen College

Oberlin University

Pitzer College

San Francisco State University

Sonoma State

University of Arizona

University of British Columbia

University of California Los Angeles

University of Montana

Yale University

Synergy Summer Counselors & Alums at Dolores Park

Report from the Board of Trustees by Cynthia Louie, Board Secretary

Alumni News

11Synergy Times | Fall 2013

Securing the Promise Endowment Campaign by Ronan Dunlop, Parent Co-Chair of Securing the Promise

“Hey - we’re going to raise money for our endowment!”

“Wow - we have an endowment, who knew? Cool. What’s an endowment?”

“Ok, I get it. However, you know it’s 2009, right?! The economy is in the toilet and we’re clinging to the edge of the bowl!”

“All right, I’ll give, I love Synergy! I’m happy to. Hey, can I skip my Annual Fund gift this year?”

“Uh… no… Annual Fund supports the operating budget. We need that too!”

“Oh, we know - actually, our endowment has shrunk down to $1.6 million, so we need you to give more than ever.”

“It’s like a savings account.”

Thank you

Five years ago, Synergy embarked on a campaign to increase its endowment; a daunting endeavor on so many levels that it borders on the comic. The following dramatization is a summary of the last five years of hand-wringing, cajoling, educating, eye-batting and pleading.

Here we are today and we’ve raised our endowment to $3.1 million. Our community rocks. We achieved the impossible, during trying times. So many people gave in different ways and on behalf of Synergy—THANK YOU all!

Of course, if you still wish to give to the endowment campaign we’d be delighted and extremely appreciative.

“Why not raise money for a gym? We want a gym!”

Synergy Synergy Community

Donate Online to Securing the Promise

& Annual Fund

www.synergyschool.org/giving

UpcomingHere are the schedule highlights for the quarter. For a more detailed schedule, please see our calendar at www.synergyschool.org/calendar

December January February

8Book Fair at Books Inc

6First Day After Winter Break

5All School Ice Skating

11Holiday Caroling at St. FrancisLutheran Church

11

All School Cleanup

8-148th Grade Trip to Costa Rica

19Holiday Concert & Sing Along

23-244/5 Plays

21Rainbow & Sunroom Plays

“Yeah, we know, but costs are increasing all around us. And the bigger our endowment, the more interest we make, which helps keep Synergy accessible and supports our hands-on program.”

Synergy School Annual Report 2012-13

Synergy Times | Winter 20138

Financial Report

RevenueTuition & Fees 3,031,248Giving 526,863Endowment Allocations

100,000

Interest Income 9,000Total 3,667,111

ExpensesSalaries & Benefits 2,110,071

Program 582,477

Operating 200,000Financial Aid 674,111Total 3,566,659

GivingSecuring the Promise 194,618Annual Fund 156,000Auction 109,705CSF Beach Clean-up 29,850Hurwitz Scholarship 24,775Scrip/Other 11,915

Total 526,863

Salaries & BenefitsProgramOperatingFinancial Aid

Revenue Expenses

Giving

Fiscal Year September 1, 2012 - August 31, 2013

Ways to Give to Synergy SchoolSynergy School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by the law. Donations are accepted in the following ways:

Mail your donation to:Development OfficeSynergy School1387 Valencia StSan Francisco, CA 94110

Donate online or download a pledge cardat www.synergyschool.org/giving.Gifts of appreciated securities are gladly accepted. For more information, please contact Liz McDonald at 415 567-6177 or liz@synergyschool.org

Many employers have a matching gift program that allows an employee’s gift to be matched by 1:1. Ask your employer about their matching gift guidelines.

For more information about including Synergy School in your estate plans, please contact Liz McDonald.

Securing the Promise Annual FundAuction CSF Beach Clean-upHurwitz Scholarship Scrip/Other

Tuition & FeesGivingEndowment AllocationsInterest Income

Securing the Promise37%

Auction21%

Annual Fund30%

Tuition & Fees83%

Giving14%

Salaries & Benefits59%

Program16%

Financial Aid19%

Program16%

5%6%

Annie and Diego AguirreNancy and Keith AndingDaniel Angel & Kevin SouzaAnonymous (4)Tanya BakerMarilyn Bancel & Rik MyslewskiJana BarberSandy Barra & Pete DardisCheryl Barth & Tom McCurdieValerie Barth & Peter WileyKathy Bella & John HarrisLaura and Emmett BergmanSogolon Best & Nicole BranchCarolyn BrownMahala Bundy & Steve Heminger

Molly Burke & Mike Valan Joan Campagna & Alan Markle

Vincent Campasano & Harris MeyerRobert Carr & Andrea LoPintoChristina Castillo & David SchottChevron Humankind Matching Gift ProgramZoe Alexandra ChingClorox Company FoundationDanielle Conrad & Hemant ShahRussell Curtis & Mark RussellKatherine CzesakTammy Damon & Elena DillonSusanne and Joseph DeRisiDeirdre Devine & Al IndelicatoRonan and Patty DunlopErica and Jim DyquistoDavid Emanuel & Maria WamsleyDr. C. Garrison & Ann FathmanConsuelo Faust-Anderson & Thor AndersonAlan Fleming & Claudia RomeroLeslie Fleming & Kevin WilcockAna Fletes & Gregor BerkowitzRita FranklinDavid GastJill Goffstein StocksAnnelise Goldberg & Aaron RolandCat Gratz & Tim BarrittGlenn GreenbergDonna Guyot JohnsonAmelia Guyot-NagelIris Guyot-NagelAmie Haiz & Eric WilsonFran Hegeler & Bruce PrescottSarah Holcombe & Eric WeaverValentina Imbeni & Andrew IoannouRea InglesisFaye and Dereck JonesJesse Kitses

Sharon and Bob KolbrenerKim and Max KrummelCarolyn KruseMitchell Laufer & Michael DadarioRichard Lawler & Eliza RobertsonBecky and Bruce LeightonLeslee & Lewis LeveyAlexis LimberakisPaul Linde & Laurie SchultzCynthia Louie & Frni BeyerEbony and Raymond ManionVicky MauleonElizabeth McDonald & Tom SicurellaAlison Kim & Christiane MedinaNatham MelladoRuss Messing & Arlene NaschkeWilma MessingIlsa and Tony MillerJudy and Paul MintonMelanie MooreRuth and Ed MortensonElizabeth Murdock & Paul CortCarey Myslewski & Katy YanNisha Nanda & Peter MonksMike and Penney OdellAndrea Palash & Jessica WatsonGreg Pennington & Linda Parker Carole PertofskyJoan PettijohnRobert Redlinger & Michelle HechtDiane RobbinsTeresa and Carlos RodriguezJason RohwerAnne Rosenthal & Maggie JonesRio Roth-BarreiroJessica RoybalAnne Salsbury & Jules SteimnitzRisa SandlerRobert SchmittPaul SchumerLois Scott & Bernie ChodenAlys & Dan ShinShonni Silverberg & John ShapiroJane and Tom SingerChristopher SlagleRob Tan & Richard SmithSonya and Melvin SmithLissa Soep & Chas EdwardsMohan SrinivasTiffany TaiEdward and Heather TaylorSteven TerleckiLisa Thorpe & Jack DowlingShannon Thyne & Christopher Benitez

Candice and Russell TillittJoseph TimonerePat Tokunaga & Jeff MoadSamantha Tripodi & Matt RolandsonJill and John WalshDavid WangJulia Ward & Adam SavageWendy WerbyKevin White & Annamarie FaroCarolyn Wilson Koerschen & William NewHelen WoodJinoos Yazdany & Arash AnoshiravaniDiane Zacher & Howard Gelman

13Synergy Times | Fall 2013

Securing the Promise 40th Anniversary Campaign Synergy School Annual Report 2012 - 2013

Gifts and Pledges to the Campaign

In honor of Tammy Damon & Elena Dillon

Cheryl Barth & Tom McCurdieMolly Burke & Mike ValanDavid GastKatrina and Michael KrantzMarcia & John KreidlerAlexis LimberakisCarey Myslewski & Katy YanCarole S. PertofskyRio Roth-BarreiroAnne Salsbury & Jules SteimnitzLisa Thorpe & Jack DowlingHelen WoodCarolyn Wilson Koerschen & William NewDiane Zacher & Howard Gelman

In honor of Russ Messing & Arlene Naschke

Nancy and Keith AndingNoel and Terry HeftyLeslee and Lewis Levey

Jane and Tom SingerJill and John Walsh

Consuela Faust & Thor Anderson in honor of Madeleine and Thea AndersonAlison Kim & Christiane Medina in honor of Isa & GabrielSusan Mizner in honor of Tanya BakerRuth and Ed Mortenson in honor of Rolf, Aline & Anabella Jonathan Palash-Mizner in honor of Tanya BakerCarole Pertofsky in honor of Russ, Katherine & JillDiane Robbins in memory of Charles RobbinsRobert Schmitt in honor of Elizabeth Russell & Russ Curtis

, Synergy embarked on a campaign to

In Honor/Memory Gifts

Kevin White & Annamarie Faro

Synergy School Annual Report 2012 - 2013

Board of Trustees ParentsAnonymous

Norma and Frank Alvarez

Daniel Angel & Kevin Souza

Danielle Beaumont

Kathy Bella & John Harris

Laura and Emmett Bergman

Jenny Bitner & Adam Souzis

Kathy Brennessel

Chiyomi Brent

Carolyn Brown

Ellen Bruno

Tamika Bryant

Patricia and Julio Caballero

Leticia Calderon & Alejandro Palacios

Laura Cashion & Michael Hunter

Alisa and Darrick Clayton

Susa Coffey & Caroline Hill

Danny Coward & Bill Blum

Katherine and Jeff Cross

Sienna Dalton

Hilary and Ron Davis

Tiffany Delloue & Kyle Macdonald

Susanne and Joseph DeRisi

Alison and Ivan Donohue

Colleen Donovan

Pavlina Eccless & Dar Greenberg

Ana Fletes & Gregor Berkowitz

James and Caitlin Freeman

Bianca Galladora

Barbara Gallios & Richard Woo

Kathleen Gear & John Jemerin

Carla Gomez & Sandy Feinland

Joe Gonzales

Beth Grady& Kyle Brutschy

Cat Gratz & Tim Barritt

Sara Hasson

J. Daniell Hebert

Jill and Rem Hoffmann

Sarah Holcombe & Eric Weaver

Brenda and Andrew Hopewell

Brisdell Hunte & Chris Doyle

Joanne and Brian Jennings

Jennifer Kanenaga

Katrina and Michael Krantz

Kim and Max Krummel

Celeste Langille & Brian Gaffney

Joanne Lee & Ascanio Piomelli

Tamsin Levy & Livier Bejinez

Alexis Limberakis

Heather Lubeck & Chad Gorman

Constance Matthiessen

Darya Mead & Douglas Crawford

Ilsa and Tony Miller

Zoe Mullery

Elizabeth Murdock & Paul Cort

Nisha Nanda & Peter Monks

Clare and Abner Nolan

Kathryn and Ed Osawa

Sumi Paik & Alejandro Gutierrez

Andrea Palash & Jessica Watson

Aline Pereira & Rolf Mortenson

Maggie Perkins

Lisa Pooley & Rebecca Barmore

Elisha Prather

Kim and Dan Rangel

Cynthia Rickert & Michie Wong

Maria Rogers Pascual & Josh Karliner

Derek Rosenfield & Jenna Schott

Anne Rosenthal & Maggie Jones

Jessica Roybal

Tara Rye

Risa Sandler

Paul Schumer

Danya and Con Shegoleff

Alys & Dan Shin

Elizabeth Silver

Catherine Singstad & Seth Dickerman

Lissa Soep & Chas Edwards

Dunja and Jeffrey Solari

Jackie Sung & Josh Polsky

Rob Tan & Richard Smith

Shannon Thyne & Christopher Benitez

Candice and Russell Tillitt

Frances White & Steve Oddo

Clare Whitlam

Tanichya and Nat Wongprasert

Jinoos Yazdany & Arash Anoshiravani

Synergy Times | Fall 201314

Annie and Diego Aguirre

Tanya Baker

Jana Barber

Sandy Barra & Pete Dardis

Sogolon Best & Nicole BranchMahala Bundy & Steve Heminger

Vincent Campasano & Harris Meyer

Katherine Czesak

Tammy Damon & Elena Dillon

Patty & Ronan DunlopDavid Emanuel & Maria Wamsley

Leslie Fleming & Kevin Wilcock

Rita Franklin

Jill Goffstein Stocks

Amie Haiz & Eric WilsonRobert Redlinger & Michele Hecht

Valentina Imbeni & Andrew Ioannou

Rea Inglesis

Jesse Kitses

Carolyn KruseCynthia Louie & Frni Beyer

Michael Magnuson & Rachel Heit

Ebony & Raymond Manion

Vicky Mauleon

Elizabeth McDonald & Tom SicurellaNatham Mellado

Russ Messing & Arlene Naschke

Judy & Paul Minton

Joan Pettijohn

Richard Lawler & Eliza RobertsonTeresa & Carlos Rodriguez

Laurel Schultz & Paul Linde

Tiffany Tai

Pat Tokunaga & Jeff Moad

Julia Ward & Adam Savage

Gifts to the Annual Fund

We are grateful for the generosity of our donors who helped to raise $156,000 for the Synergy Annual Fund in 2012-13. Thank you for your support.

Synergy School Annual Report 2012 - 2013

Synergy Times | Fall 2013 15

Staff & Former StaffDeirdre Devine and Al IndelicatoDoug and Mona Kim-BrownCharmaine Stavedahl & Bruce JancinCarolyn Wilson Koerschen and William New

Alumni & Alumni ParentsIan Fratar '80

Elé Howell '12

Janet Arnesty & John Good

Valerie Barth & Peter Wiley

Sara Bartholomew & Peter Good

Judith Beaumont

Carol and Michael Blecker

Staci Boden '80 & Alex Gologorsky

Robert Carr & Andrea LoPinto

Susan Caston

Alice Chan

Debbie and Steve Dells

Krista Farey & Vishwanath Lingappa

Ian Fratar '80

Estella Habal & Hilton Obenzinger

Elé Howell '12

Heidi Howell

Gail Fratar Kessler

Paul Linde & Laurie Schultz

Linda Marietta

Anne Whiteside & Jonathan McCurdy

Jessica and Eric Metoyer

Renata and Alex Miller

Pamela Robinson & Fred Paul

JoAnn Triolo

Tracy Wong

Diane Zacher & Howard Gelman

Grandparents and FriendsAnonymousFrances BowesVija BurgelisKatherine CarrollPatricia S. DinnerDr. C. Garrison and Ann FathmanGeorge and Anne GradySteve Grand-JeanGlenn Greenberg

Noel and Terry HeftyBeverly HinesTara and Chris HumeEllen JoyClaire KoerschenL.H. LindeAlan MarkleBonnie MacKenzie & Art TresslerTessa McDonaldRichard MeadJake MessingAli Naschke-MessingMonica OpderbeckMr. John S. OsterweisSaul Rosenfield & Rob MarksJohn Schulz, D.D.S.Shonni Silverberg & John ShapiroLydia Wegman and Robert CantwellCarolyn Zecca Ferris

Foundations & CorporationsApple

Art.com Inc.

Clorox Company Foundation

Dolby Match Program

Echo Springs Transition Study Center, Inc.

Google Matching Gift Program

Genentech Givingstation

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Onecause

Oracle Corporation

St. Francis Lutheran Church

Schools Mentoring and Resource Team

The Swig Foundation

Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign

Zephyr Real Estate

Donors who made gifts to the school between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013 are listed in this annual report. We have tried to provide accurate and complete information for this report. Our apologies for any names omitted or listed incorrectly. Please contact the Director of Development, Liz McDonald, to correct any records.

Thank you for your generous support!

Thank you to the parents of the class of 2013 for directing their class gift of $2053 to the Endowment.This tradition started with the class of 2008 and has continued every year as the Eighth Grade Class Gift at graduation. Their gift will be a part of Synergy forever and help provide the Synergy experience for generations of students and their families.

Class of 2013 Gift to the Endowment

In Honor/Memory GiftsRuta Allen in honor of Annabel & Sanders TillittVija Burgelis in honor of Evan MillerKatherine Carroll in memory of Wilma MessingSusan Caston in memory of Michael SchweizerPatricia S. Dinner in honor of Steve Grand-JeanSara Hasson in memory of Wendy SierraNoel & Terry Hefty in honor of Russ Messing & Arlene NaschkeHeidi Howell in honor of all Synergy staff and teachersL.H. Linde in memory of Marcella B. LindeBonnie Mackenzie and Art Tressler in memory of Gladys Alice MackenzieArline & Leonard Mallimson in honor of Elon MallimsonJake Messing in honor of Russ Messing and Arlene NaschkeMary Nee in memory of Harriet DamonThe Swig Foundation in honor of Steve Grand-Jean

Carolyn Zecca Ferris in honor of Steve Grand-Jean

The Annual Fund helps to bridge the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating a student at Synergy School for a full year.The support we receive from our community of parents, friends, alumni and grandparents helps Synergy to maintain the strength of our program while keeping our tuition affordable and offering financial aid more than a third of our community.

Every gift counts. Donate online at www.synergyschool.org/giving

If you have any questions about donations, please contact Liz McDonald, Director of Development, at liz@synergyschool.org.

Thank you for your support!

Synergy Annual Fund

The mission of Synergy School is to provide a quality education by empowering children to flourish academically, to blossom as individuals, and to become self-confident, creative learners.

Synergy School was founded in 1973 and is a non-profit teacher cooperative, wherein students, parents, and teachers cooperate together to further a rewarding education for each child. We are a vibrant, diverse community with 190 students in kindergarten through eighth grade located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Synergy Times is published twice a year by the Development Office of Synergy School. Feedback and story ideas are welcome.Editors: Jenna Schott, Liz McDonaldPhotography: Russ Curtis, Annie Aguirre

Every Gift Counts

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