Nearly the entire school gathered in the MAC this Thursday for our third all-school assembly of the year. Coming together in community is always a special time for Rams, and this event was no different. We celebrated milestone anniversaries for faculty and staff, gave out the Rivinus and Duncan Awards, and Head of School Jay Rainey shared the results of his now annual pop culture character trivia contest. Everyone enjoyed music courtesy of our talented Middle and Upper School band members, and a performance of the MICDS Alma Mater by our senior chamber choir members, conducted by Matlynne Hardy-Lyles ’23.
Milestone Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following faculty and staff who are celebrating big anniversaries this year!
40 Years
- Mary Russell, Admissions
30 Years
- Duane Biggerstaff, Maintenance
25 Years
- Melissa Sharp, Environmental Services
- Jen Schuckman, Head of Middle School
- Josh Smith, Athletics Director
Note: All three 25-year recipients received MICDS rocking chairs for this anniversary!
20 Years
- Donald Thomas, Environmental Services
- Andrea Ostlund, Middle School Library Assistant
15 Years
- Samantha White, Assistant to Head of Upper School
- Ginny Otto, Lower School Teacher
- Rachel Tourais, Upper School Teacher
- Carla Federman, JK-12 History Department Chair and Upper School Teacher
- Erin Hamill, Director of Global Learning & Upper School Community Service
- Andy Kay, Middle School Teacher
- Chris Militello, Middle School Teacher
- Amy Scheer, Head of Lower School
- Stacie Schneider, Lower School Teacher
- Karen Wildman, College Counseling
- Aaron Elliott, Upper School Library Assistant
- Lily Childs, Upper School Teacher
10 Years
- John Lohman, Maintenance
- Tim White, Security
- Justin Little, Upper School Teacher
- Callie Bambenek, Middle School Teacher
- Emily Farfan, Middle School Teacher
- Earl Macam, College Counseling
- Brian Rueckert, Upper School Teacher & Registrar
Mr. Rainey also recognized the recipients of the Duncan and Rivinus Awards. The Duncan Award is given to a teacher as voted on by the eighth-grade students each year. Likewise, the Rivinus Award is voted on by the senior class.
Callie Bambenek won the Duncan Award, and Mr. Rainey offered these remarks:
“Ms. Bambenek understands what it means for students to be seen and heard and sets that example for everyone around her. Fostering personal growth is always her true north, and her students thrive in the comfort of the learning environment that she creates and sustains.
In her classroom, students and advisees can count on a consistent and nurturing experience with a big splash of humor and fun – the ultimate combination for middle schoolers! Her students know that they are secure under her guidance, not only because she respects them, but because she insists that they respect one another as they learn and grow together.
As the founding Director of ASAP, Ms. Bambenek has also implemented a much-needed support system for 7th and 8th graders who benefit from structure and guidance after school. Always a team player, always a student advocate, she lives and breathes our MICDS mission and inspires others to do the same, ensuring that our community is healthy and happy. Thank you for all that you do, Ms. Bambenek.”
Melanie Moody won the Rivinus Award. Mr. Rainey presented it to her and said:
For more than ten years, Mrs. Moody has been a mainstay in the Upper School Math Department and is a constant, calming, and supportive presence for students and colleagues alike. Although it is sometimes difficult to see her through the forest of Baby Yoda figurines that have taken over her cubby (plush and plastic, large and small, all gifts of endearment from students and advisees), I promise Mrs. Moody is there, as she is always among the first to arrive to school in the morning and often one of the last to leave.
Mrs. Moody is relentless in her willingness to assist others, often without even having to be asked. She will drop anything to help a student work through math equations or talk through a challenging social situation. She is unfailingly committed to supporting everyone around her. She is equally magnanimous with her time for colleagues, always willing to cover a class or help plan an activity for advisory. She gives of her time to support Upper School student activities, attends almost every school dance, helps organize Camp Wyman trips, and even finds time to coach JV girls basketball.
Mrs. Moody cares deeply about the MICDS community and is a very deserving recipient of the Rivinus Award. Thank you for all that you do for our community, Mrs. Moody
Congratulations to Callie Bambenek and Melanie Moody, and congratulations to all our milestone employees!
Click through this PDF to see slides with photos.
Want to see how the students did with their pop culture character trivia quiz from Mr. Rainey? Click through this PDF to check out how the competition went, and to see which class won some doughnuts as a prize!