News Detail
REPA presents $280,000 check for financial aid
Outgoing Ransom Everglades Parents' Association President Laura Roberts and President-elect Laurie McWilliams presented Head of School Penny Townsend with a check for $280,000 to support RE financial aid during a May 18 breakfast in honor of dozens of parent volunteers. "This is huge," Townsend said. "We couldn't do what we do without this help."
REPA raised the bulk of that donation through its 32nd-annual auction in February, which required the help of some 100 parent volunteers and drew nearly 500 people to the gymnasium for a New Orleans-themed Jazz Fest.
Townsend recognized Roberts; REPA's executive committee and committee chairs; Annual Giving Chair Amy Steinhour and the individual-grade chairs during the breakfast at the dining hall. She noted that Ransom Everglades cannot fund all of its programs and sustain its need-blind financial aid policy on tuition payments alone.
She congratulated the 12th-grade fund-raising team for achieving 99-percent family participation – the highest-level of participation in five years.
She noted that the annual fund is slightly ahead of last year's pace with donations so far at $2,381,013. Last year's figure at this time: $2,296,211.
"And," she said, "we're still going."
Townsend called each volunteer by name, urging each to stand and be recognized, and she also thanked Jody Crosland, RE's parent relations coordinator. Special recognition was reserved for Steinhour, Roberts, Bonnie Seipp and 2015-2016 Volunteer of the Year Joanne Meagher.
Townsend praised Steinhour for her leadership, and Seipp for opening her home to an Australian exchange student for the school year. She noted that, under Roberts, more than 75 percent of Ransom Everglades parents had gotten involved in the school through REPA events.
"We celebrate and thank each and every one of you," Townsend said. "You do the big things, the little things, and everything in between. We teach our children, over and over, the importance of putting more into the world than they take from it. And then you, as parents, model that philosophy every day."
Townsend called Meagher "a tireless force... who makes a significant difference in the life of our school."
Meagher, who got involved in REPA seven years ago, reflected on her time as a volunteer and thanked Ransom Everglades for allowing its parent volunteers to work on the Upper School campus in a full-fledged office – an entire building, actually (best known to students for the bottomless jar of candy on Crosland's desk).
Meagher speculated that she spent more hours at the REPA office than her own home on quite a few days this past school year, and praised Crosland for her cheery presence and open door.
"What a wonderful testament to how our school values parent participation," Meagher said. "We're able to strengthen the bond between the school and parents and – as parents get to know one another – the partnership with the school increases."
At the end of the breakfast, the 2016-2017 REPA Executive Committee was installed.
Here's a list of the 2015-2016 volunteer team
Executive Committee
President – Laura Roberts
President Elect – Laurie McWilliams
Vice President Upper School – Vivian Duyos
Vice President Middle School – Cherie Cole
Vice President Communications – Isabel McBrayer
Vice President Councils – Shelly Dimitrijevic
Vice President RE Pals – Ely Jelke
Vice President Website Administration – Joanne Meagher
Secretary – Susan Shapiro
Treasurer – Karla Mihm
Assistant Treasurer – David Scharlin ’80
Fund Raiser Chair – Bonnie Seipp
Member-At-Large – Elisa Carrera-Justiz
Member-At-Large – JoAnne Civantos
Member-At-Large – Gail Dotson
Member-At-Large – Kerin McCarthy Fredman
Member-At-Large – Tracy Moret ’88
Member-At-Large – Lana Stricker
Member-At-Large – Abby Zanarini
Past President – Nancy Halula
Past President – Kathy Simko
Past President – Lori Harvey
Past President – Jill Meland ’80
Committee Chairs
All Sports Booster Club – Nancy Halula, Elisa Carrera-Justiz, Kathy Simko
Auction – Bonnie Seipp, Sarah Poses
REPA Book Club – Susan Glass, Lisa Turner, Kris Wenzel
REPA Book Club MS – Debbie Love, Elvira Farinas, Andrea Weintraub
By-Laws – Allison Freeland
College Tour – JoAnne Civantos, Ann Hutchinson
Faculty Friends US – Katie Lane Arriola, Tania Moralejo, Olga Suarez
Faculty Friends MS – Grey Bryan, Cindy Munroe
Fine Arts Council US – Lucy Danon
Fine Arts Council MS – Jennifer Buttrick
FSA Luncheon – Gloria Abinader, Shelly Dimitrijevic, Susie Hannan, Susan Sclar
Grade Events US –Gaby Lori Harvey, Fiona Morcos
Grade Events MS – Liz Fitzpatrick, Jane Gold, Carrie Wiesenfeld
Holiday Event US – Jennifer Archer, Violeta de Perla, Kendra Malloy
Holiday Event MS – Melissa Buckner, Keri Touby
Hospitality – Alina Murphy, Monica Schatz
Library US – Liz Turner, Chris Irigoyen
Library MS – Debbie Love
Middle School Picnic – Mari Campano, Adriana Perez
Multicultural Day MS – Cherie Cole, Kendra Malloy, Abby Zanarini
Parent Ambassadors – Gloria Abinader, Sandy Dan
Parent Network US – Julie Gagnon Mistele, Katie Petros
Parent Network MS – David Scharlin ’80
Public Relations – Isabel McBrayer
Scholastic Endeavors Council – Pamela Berkowsky
Senior Send-Off – Stacy Bolduc, Elise Gerrard, Lisa Mendelson, Latie Petros
Senior Ice Cream Party – Elisa Carrera-Justiz, JuliAnne McDowell
Used Book Exchange – Sarita Baigorri, Gina Bruce, Isabel McBrayer, Adriana Ruan
Annual Giving Volunteers 2015-2016
Annual Giving Chair – Amy Steinhour
Grade Chairs
Sixth Grade – Lisette Suarez Stancioff ’86
Seventh Grade – Allison Holly
Eighth Grade – JoAnne Civantos
Ninth Grade – Ashley Cusack ’85
Tenth Grade – Lydia Touzet
Eleventh Grade – Adrienne Pardo
Twelfth Grade – Alexis Summer Angel and Suzanne Richard Meltzer ’89
Back
Townsend recognized Roberts; REPA's executive committee and committee chairs; Annual Giving Chair Amy Steinhour and the individual-grade chairs during the breakfast at the dining hall. She noted that Ransom Everglades cannot fund all of its programs and sustain its need-blind financial aid policy on tuition payments alone.
She congratulated the 12th-grade fund-raising team for achieving 99-percent family participation – the highest-level of participation in five years.
She noted that the annual fund is slightly ahead of last year's pace with donations so far at $2,381,013. Last year's figure at this time: $2,296,211.
"And," she said, "we're still going."
Townsend called each volunteer by name, urging each to stand and be recognized, and she also thanked Jody Crosland, RE's parent relations coordinator. Special recognition was reserved for Steinhour, Roberts, Bonnie Seipp and 2015-2016 Volunteer of the Year Joanne Meagher.
Townsend praised Steinhour for her leadership, and Seipp for opening her home to an Australian exchange student for the school year. She noted that, under Roberts, more than 75 percent of Ransom Everglades parents had gotten involved in the school through REPA events.
"We celebrate and thank each and every one of you," Townsend said. "You do the big things, the little things, and everything in between. We teach our children, over and over, the importance of putting more into the world than they take from it. And then you, as parents, model that philosophy every day."
Townsend called Meagher "a tireless force... who makes a significant difference in the life of our school."
Meagher, who got involved in REPA seven years ago, reflected on her time as a volunteer and thanked Ransom Everglades for allowing its parent volunteers to work on the Upper School campus in a full-fledged office – an entire building, actually (best known to students for the bottomless jar of candy on Crosland's desk).
Meagher speculated that she spent more hours at the REPA office than her own home on quite a few days this past school year, and praised Crosland for her cheery presence and open door.
"What a wonderful testament to how our school values parent participation," Meagher said. "We're able to strengthen the bond between the school and parents and – as parents get to know one another – the partnership with the school increases."
At the end of the breakfast, the 2016-2017 REPA Executive Committee was installed.
Here's a list of the 2015-2016 volunteer team
Executive Committee
President – Laura Roberts
President Elect – Laurie McWilliams
Vice President Upper School – Vivian Duyos
Vice President Middle School – Cherie Cole
Vice President Communications – Isabel McBrayer
Vice President Councils – Shelly Dimitrijevic
Vice President RE Pals – Ely Jelke
Vice President Website Administration – Joanne Meagher
Secretary – Susan Shapiro
Treasurer – Karla Mihm
Assistant Treasurer – David Scharlin ’80
Fund Raiser Chair – Bonnie Seipp
Member-At-Large – Elisa Carrera-Justiz
Member-At-Large – JoAnne Civantos
Member-At-Large – Gail Dotson
Member-At-Large – Kerin McCarthy Fredman
Member-At-Large – Tracy Moret ’88
Member-At-Large – Lana Stricker
Member-At-Large – Abby Zanarini
Past President – Nancy Halula
Past President – Kathy Simko
Past President – Lori Harvey
Past President – Jill Meland ’80
Committee Chairs
All Sports Booster Club – Nancy Halula, Elisa Carrera-Justiz, Kathy Simko
Auction – Bonnie Seipp, Sarah Poses
REPA Book Club – Susan Glass, Lisa Turner, Kris Wenzel
REPA Book Club MS – Debbie Love, Elvira Farinas, Andrea Weintraub
By-Laws – Allison Freeland
College Tour – JoAnne Civantos, Ann Hutchinson
Faculty Friends US – Katie Lane Arriola, Tania Moralejo, Olga Suarez
Faculty Friends MS – Grey Bryan, Cindy Munroe
Fine Arts Council US – Lucy Danon
Fine Arts Council MS – Jennifer Buttrick
FSA Luncheon – Gloria Abinader, Shelly Dimitrijevic, Susie Hannan, Susan Sclar
Grade Events US –Gaby Lori Harvey, Fiona Morcos
Grade Events MS – Liz Fitzpatrick, Jane Gold, Carrie Wiesenfeld
Holiday Event US – Jennifer Archer, Violeta de Perla, Kendra Malloy
Holiday Event MS – Melissa Buckner, Keri Touby
Hospitality – Alina Murphy, Monica Schatz
Library US – Liz Turner, Chris Irigoyen
Library MS – Debbie Love
Middle School Picnic – Mari Campano, Adriana Perez
Multicultural Day MS – Cherie Cole, Kendra Malloy, Abby Zanarini
Parent Ambassadors – Gloria Abinader, Sandy Dan
Parent Network US – Julie Gagnon Mistele, Katie Petros
Parent Network MS – David Scharlin ’80
Public Relations – Isabel McBrayer
Scholastic Endeavors Council – Pamela Berkowsky
Senior Send-Off – Stacy Bolduc, Elise Gerrard, Lisa Mendelson, Latie Petros
Senior Ice Cream Party – Elisa Carrera-Justiz, JuliAnne McDowell
Used Book Exchange – Sarita Baigorri, Gina Bruce, Isabel McBrayer, Adriana Ruan
Annual Giving Volunteers 2015-2016
Annual Giving Chair – Amy Steinhour
Grade Chairs
Sixth Grade – Lisette Suarez Stancioff ’86
Seventh Grade – Allison Holly
Eighth Grade – JoAnne Civantos
Ninth Grade – Ashley Cusack ’85
Tenth Grade – Lydia Touzet
Eleventh Grade – Adrienne Pardo
Twelfth Grade – Alexis Summer Angel and Suzanne Richard Meltzer ’89
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.