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According to the results of a recent school-wide survey conducted by the Scroll, 92% of Deerfield students believe that there is a hook-up culture on campus. The Student Life Office and the Health Center have both expressed that it is crucial that there is programming to inform students and to promote a dialogue about healthy relationships on campus. As part of an initiative to further this conversation, Deerfield invited a group called Speak About It to come to campus and address topics such as boundaries and consent. Speak About It is a nonprofit that works with high schools and colleges to promote healthy choices in regard to relationships. The group comes highly recommended by peer schools and other faculty, and they have visited Deerfield before as part of the Transition to College workshop for seniors. Health Teacher Margaret Brown, who has seen the group’s work in action, is optimistic about their impact on the campus. “They’re young, they’re energetic, and I think they do a good job connecting with students,” she said. The decision to bring Speak About It was organized by the Gender and Consent Working Group, which consists of Anna Gonzales and the University of Pennsylvania teaching fellows: Marissa Cornelius, Benjamin Grimm, Parker Lawlor, Eliza Mott, Hannah Insuik, Chinyere Odim, and Eliot Sakach. The group was formed in November and works in conjunction with Assistant Head for Student Life Amie Creagh and the Student Life Office to educate the student body on issues revolving around consent and healthy relationships. The group members initially came together to brainstorm the best way to foster necessary conversations around healthy relationships and consent that included all genders. “We don’t have a mission statement; we just meet for lunch, but the main goal was in the long term to try and revamp Deerfield’s approach to teaching consent in a programatic way, over the course of a whole year,” said Philosophy and Religion Teacher Mr. Grimm. “That’s how the group formed. Based on that desire to do more.” Speak About It talked to the students via a special school meeting on Feb 28. Students split into two groups, one consisting of underclassmen, and the other of upperclassmen. This decision was suggested by Speak About it, in an attempt to cater information to each age group by targeting what is most pertinent to them. Ms. Creagh explained “How you message that to a 13-year-old and talk about it is very different than with a 19-year-old. It is important to be philosophically coherent and also simultaneously tailoring how you speak with students to their developmental target.” In the age of the #MeToo movement and the surge of women speaking up about misconduct, the topic of healthy relationships is as important as ever. Deerfield hopes that Speak About It’s impact will help further promote a continuing dialogue on campus.

Five girls stand, their silhouettes stark against a blue backdrop. Trembling, they desperately claw their dresses off their skin and raise them slowly in the air. As the light drops upon them with the last lyrics of the song, they let their dresses fall at their feet. And then they stand, hands clasped, clothed only in nude garments, staring out into the audience. At the Student Choreography Showcase this winter, these five girls made their mark on the Deerfield community with the piece “Body Love,” choreographed by Nick Ortega ‘19 to the song by Mary Lambert, which shares the same name. The song includes lines such as “Love your body the way your mother loved your baby feet,” “Our bodies deserve more than to be war-torn and collateral,” and “My body is home.” Ortega began choreographing the piece last spring, with the intention of shedding light on issues of body image and self-harm that he believed were pertinent to everyone in the community. “I have a younger sister who dances and she’s very self-conscious of her body,” Ortega explained in regards to his inspiration for the piece. “It’s the same with most of us dancers because we always want to create the illusion of perfection on stage. That can be a very physically and mentally draining aspiration to have.” He continued, “I wanted to create a piece where, finally, dancers could be comfortable in their own skin, and not worry about societal pressures to be perfect.” However, Ortega and many others involved, voiced concerns about how the piece could be interpreted in a way that differed from its original intention. “One thing that was brought up was that when the girls took off their dresses and they were ‘nude’ on stage, it could’ve been read as ‘sexual,’” Ortega expressed. “It wasn’t the idea that I was going for.” To rebut these misinformed interpretations, Director of Dance Jennifer Whitcomb said, “The dance was a statement about the vulnerability of the human body rather than its sensuality, and there is power in that vulnerability.” She added, “I love it when I see different sizes and shapes and ethnicities and genders dancing together in unison, and that is the most beautiful thing, because there is no such thing as the right body type for dance.“ The overarching message is that our bodies aren’t sexual objects,” Quinn Soucy ’19 added. “They’re a part of us, not anything for anyone else to judge. And we need to become more comfortable with that as well.” Through Mary Lambert’s bold lyrics and powerful message, this piece also highlighted more serious issues of self-love and body image relating to eating disorders and self-harm. Izzy Hamlen ‘20, an audience member who had written an opinion article about disordered eating in the January issue of the Scroll, expressed the impact of the piece in starting a previously disregarded dialogue. “We don’t talk about body image enough at DA because everybody is walking on eggshells around each other,” she said. Catalina Llorente ‘19, who was also in the audience, described how, as a peer counselor, the piece resonated with her. She mentioned that, throughout her years as a peer counselor, many people had come to her with similar issues. “A lot of times, the people that come to me are concerned friends who don’t know how to help their friends, mostly because we don’t talk about it a lot,” Llorente explained. Statistics further prove the prevalence of such issues at Deerfield. According to a recent student-body survey conducted by the Scroll, approximately 1 in 5 girls at Deerfield are struggling or have struggled with an eating disorder. Gigi Deinard ‘20, one of the dancers in the piece, reflected, “‘Body Love’ was the scariest yet most exhilarating piece I’ve performed. It left me possibly the most vulnerable I have ever felt on stage but I was also so proud to be able to convey such a powerful and positive message, one that I know really impacted a lot of people.” “I’d like to think that this piece has put us one step closer to a more inclusive community,” Hamlen continued. “I hope there will be more performances like this so that we can ingrain the idea of loving yourself into the minds of every student at Deerfield.”

70 million dollars. That is the amount of money Lifetime Trustee David Koch has contributed to Deerfield Academy as of 2014 before the installation of the David H. Koch Field House and new athletic complex, according to an interview conducted by The Deerfield Scroll. 1.2 billion dollars. That is the total amount of money Mr. Koch has donated in his life to cancer research, education, medicine, and more, according to the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation. Do I agree with all of Mr. Koch’s political beliefs? No. Do I agree with Mr. Koch’s views on climate change? Absolutely not. Am I incredibly grateful for Mr. Koch? Yes. I would like to preface this article by saying that I, just as the Academy, do not sanction any of Mr. Koch’s political views. Mr. Koch has devoted his life to causes he feels strongly about. Whether I, or any members of our community agree or disagree with these causes does not change the positive impact he has had on this institution. Through his hard work, success, and subsequent philanthropic pursuits, I believe that Mr. Koch is one variation of the “living example of Mr. Boyden’s aspirations,” as stated by former President of the Board of Trustees Philip Greer. In a petition started by Deerfield alumnus Edward H. Plimpton ’70 to remove Mr. Koch’s lifetime trusteeship, Mr. Plimpton states, “His advocacy of libertarian politics is his prerogative, but Deerfield Academy does not need to sanction this perspective which seeks to remove governmental safeguards on the environment.” However, by accepting Mr. Koch’s donations and honoring him as a Lifetime Trustee, Deerfield Academy as an institution is not acknowledging and praising his political views but rather acknowledging and praising his dedication to Deerfield. Mr. Plimpton cites Jane Mayer’s New York Times bestselling book Dark Money in his petition against Mr. Koch. My grandfather gifted me this same book shortly before he passed. For those who have not had the privilege of reading Mayer’s work, it focuses upon people of means, like Mr. Koch, and their role in campaign corruption. My grandfather told me that this corruption is the problem my generation has to solve. This is the problem that will shape our world. He could not have been more ardently opposed to Mr. Koch and his politics. But my grandfather also knew that Mr. Koch was the reason I was receiving such a magnificent education. He knew that Mr. Koch’s generous contributions were going towards educating the next generation of leaders that would tackle pertinent issues that Mr. Koch failed to address. Every day I jump in the cold water of the David H. Koch Natatorium and leave a faster swimmer because of it. Every day I walk through the double doors of the Koch Center and leave slightly more adept at precalculus because of it. Every Sunday I step into the goal on the turf of the David H. Koch Field House and leave a better teammate because of it. Mr. Koch’s generous contributions are the reason we, as Deerfield students, are provided with countless opportunities that will enrich our lives forever. I am who I am today because of Mr. Koch’s contributions and that is irrefutable. Thank you, Mr. Koch.

Images of blackface, Native American caricatures, a Ku Klux Klan reference, and other offensive symbols were recently found to be present in Deerfield Pocumtuck yearbooks from the 1940s through the late 1970s. In light of a national reckoning about the past frequency of blackface in high school and college yearbooks, the Scroll examined almost 100 yearbooks ranging from the 1920s to the present in order to gain insight into Deerfield’s own history and student culture. Most of the images used in the yearbooks display a vibrant boarding school culture with students hard at work in the classroom, on the sports field and in a variety of clubs and extracurricular activities. Rules around drugs and alcohol were considerably more lenient— photos often show students posing with beer bottles or other alcoholic beverages. But several images of blackface stood out from the other images. One instance from 1948 depicts a man standing in a striped prison uniform. Two more images are from 1949, labeled as photographs from the production You Can’t Take It With You. The actor in blackface is presumably playing Donald, a handyman for a 1930s New York City family. An image in 1951 depicts an actor dressed as Abraham Lincoln standing over a man and woman in blackface, who are both on their knees. The final image of a student wearing blackface is in 1952, in the “Student Life” section of the yearbook. It shows a grinning man tipping his hat. Then, in 1960, four boys are seen at a “Kennel Klub Klan” meeting, which the Scroll understands to be a KKK reference. And in 1977, an image shows a large group of boys posing around what appears to be a Jim Crow figurine. “I found these pictures revolting and disheartening to view,” said Chris Ransom ’19, a head of the Deerfield Black Student Alliance. “Ignorance is never justified; however, the time period prevents me from being surprised.” Blackface gained prominence during the 19th century in minstrel shows during which performers would put paint or shoe polish on their faces in order to caricature black people. The practice continued throughout the 20th century and has waned sharply since the 1950s, but has not disappeared. A recent USA Today investigation found over 200 examples of racist material in a review of over 900 yearbooks from colleges across the nation. And as recently as the early 2000s, Jimmy Kimmel wore blackface on a TV skit while imitating basketball player Karl Malone. Due to the age of the yearbooks and the low resolution of the photos, the Scroll did not identify any of the individuals depicted. There were also multiple instances of students dressing as Native Americans. An image in 1954 depicts a man speaking on stage while dressed in redface with a war bonnet. “It’s a form of bullying and continued colonialism,” said Kaelene Spang ’19, head of the Native American Cultural Alliance, about the photo. “As a Native American, when I see stuff like that, it hurts my self-esteem.” Spang called the redface “cultural appropriation,” saying the war bonnet and tradition of face painting are sacred parts of Native American culture. In another set of images from 1950, a mass of students are dressed up as Native Americans from head to toe. There is a long history of Deerfield Academy and the town participating together in a pageant reenactment of the Deerfield Massacre, the 1704 raid during which French and Native American forces attacked the English settlement in Deerfield, killing 47 villagers. “It’s a ham-handed, buffoonish way for the Deerfield students back then to connect themselves with the history of the area, and specifically with the raid of 1704,” said Science Teacher Dennis Cullinane, who is the faculty advisor of the Native American Cultural Alliance. One McAlister 2 hall photo from 1972 shows a group of boys piled on top of a mass grave in the Albany Road graveyard with fake arrow injuries. Perhaps most shockingly, a faculty member poses next to them with a bow and a shovel, and is labeled as “Ghoul” in the caption. “I think my skin would crawl if I personally tried to walk into a graveyard with a shovel, even if pretending to perform such a disrespectful deed,” Dr. Cullinane added. In addition to the photographs, the 1952 and 1960 yearbooks also included cartoons of colonists fleeing from caricatured Native Americans, who are shooting at them with bow and arrow. “From Deerfield, it’s kind of surprising,” Spang said. “You would think Deerfield is the place where there’s not any cultural appropriation. This year, I’ve also experienced some racism, which I was very surprised by as well.” No instances of blackface or redface were found in any yearbooks after the 1970s. “The lesson to take away from these photos is that we can’t alter the past; however, we can use this to shape Deerfield’s future,” Ransom said.

On January 27, two Deerfield wrestlers, Angela Osei-Ampadu ’21 and Anne Duong ’22, travelled to Andover to participate in the annual Phillips Academy Girls Wrestling Tournament. As the only two female wrestlers representing Deerfield, the girls achieved an impressive 11th place finish out of 29 teams competing at the tournament. Specifically, sophomore Angela Osei-Ampadu placed second in her weight class while ninth-grader Anne Duong placed 5th in her division. Assistant Wrestling Coach Mark Teutsch, praised the two girls’ persistent attitudes and tenacious mindsets with regards to competing in a male-dominated sport. He shared, “Osei-Ampadu and Duong are wrestlers who share the character of promoting peace through quiet confidence of internal strength. This year, Osei-Ampadu and Duong have been trailblazers, as have other female wrestlers, by regularly competing against males, facing gender imbalances of anatomy and musculature that are regulated and advantaged by testosterone.” Wrestling is, however, a co-ed sport, and the girls emerged from the season with a great sense of accomplishment. Osei-Ampadu commented, “In the regular season I wrestle mostly boys and it is very difficult to do well against them. Though we are the same weight, boys just tend to be stronger, but my team and coaches push me to put in my best effort during practice.” At the beginning of the season, Assistant Wrestling Coach Dan Houston introduced the idea of attending an all-girls tournament at Andover to compete on a more level playing field. Both girls accepted in a heartbeat and went on to represent Deerfield exceptionally well. Competing in a minimum of three matches each, both wrestlers prevailed through hardship. Osei-Ampadu recounted her experience saying, “It was difficult having to wrestle three matches in a day. It was also discouraging when I lost my second match, which was the champion- ship match. However, Anne, my coach Mr. Teutsch, and captain Brian Shin, were all super supportive and helped me get back into the right mindset for my final match where I was competing for the second place medal.” Wrestling Captain Brian Shin ’19, who was also present at the wrestling tournament, complimented the girls on their perseverance and fearlessness saying, “It is commendable to witness these two young girls go into a male-dominated sport at such a young age. It was very brave of them to enter the tournament by themselves. Wrestling with some of the best girls in New England certainly makes it more daunting.” All in all, the 2019 Phil- lips Academy Girls Wrestling Tournament was rewarding for Osei-Ampadu and Duong, allowing them to gain experience and confidence while competing on a level playing field. Both athletes performed exceptionally well and represented Deerfield with class and character.

On Feb 5, Gita Trelease published her debut novel , an “escape into a fantasy world,” as Ms. Trelease put it. Ms. Trelease, member of the Deerfield community since 2005 and spouse of Art Teacher Tim Trelease, immigrated to the United States from Sweden at the age of 5, and recognized that this time in her life sparked a love of reading, which then spiraled into a love of writing. “Books were a way for me to understand American culture,” she said, “Books were really important to me and, because I read so much, I decided I wanted to try to do that for myself.” Ms. Trelease described her historical fantasy genre as very enjoyable to write, saying “I get to research and explore this whole world, and build it up.” In , magic meets reality. The streets of Paris are swirling with magic and adventure in the critical time of the French Revolution. In the center of it all is Camille Durbonne, the novel’s young protagonist. She is equipped with magic, however she despises her powers. When smallpox hits, Camille is left alone, impoverished, to lead herself and her sister through the hardships of the French Revolution. She is able to use her powers to transform metal scraps into coins to help her family, but in the face of desperation, she uses dark magic to transform herself into a noble woman to visit the Palace of Versailles. This deed, however, comes at a great cost. Ms. Trelease described her own connection to this specific story, saying, “On a personal level, I moved to Paris after I graduated from college and promptly fell in love with the city and its history. I’ve been wanting to set a story there for a long time.” She explained how people typically think of the French Revolution in terms of its last year, the bloodiest and most violent part. However, she strived to create a milder setting in the first years of the event, which she described as “a morally gray time, when high ideals warred with prejudice.” Upon reflection of her first publication, Trelease described herself as lucky. “It has to do with what’s happening in the market and my agent liked the writing, so all those things had to come together,” she explained. Ms. Trelease said she was fortunate both that she had writing partners who contributed to the revision process and that she was able to find an agent who had been publicly searching for a novel set during the French Revolution. “You just don’t know, because it’s such an incredibly difficult industry and there are so many gatekeepers,” she said. “You need to get an agent, and the agent needs to send it out to editors, and so there are so many huge hurdles that are out of your control but all you can do is write the best book that you can write.” Trelease encourages students who are interested in pursuing writing to do three things: read, write, and share. “We have this vision for ourselves, and we’re always hopefully getting closer to that vision,” she commented. “And when you feel like you’re ready, be willing to get your work out there.” is available through FlatIron Books in bookstores across the nation.

As winter unfolds on the Deerfield campus, students race around campus with boots on, hoping to avoid cold feet. Whether it’s your lab partner in chemistry class or the person in line in the Koch cafe, you can’t seem to escape this reality. When choosing what brands of boots to buy, Deerfield students are often divided between the “Tims,” Timberlands, or the “Duck,” Bean Boots. While the boots may differ in quality, they both demand a hefty price; many Deerfield students are lucky to be privileged enough to engage in such a debate. Ever since Sidney Swartz unveiled the Timberlands in 1973, the boots have become an international sensation with celebrities such as Jay-Z, Kanye West and Ri- hanna sporting the golden boots. With its one-of-a-kind craftsman- ship and renowned quality, Timberlands have swept Deerfield culture off its feet. Even the famed Deerfield Step Team has endorsed these boots. You can hear rhythmic Timberland beats echo in the East Gym on any Friday night. These performers dance with finesse and style. While Timberlands took off, Leon Leonwood Bean, an American entrepreneur, was busy scheming a design for his new L.L. Bean boots in Maine. Originally selling his boots to hunters, Leon rapidly expanded his clientele as his light-weight, waterproof boots gained traction around the world. Now, Bean Boots can be seen as staples in many people’s wardrobes. This frenzy has made its way down to the Pioneer Valley. Now, even Deerfield students are mesmerized by the boot’s beauty and versatility in the New England wilderness. Renowned Deerfield Step Team Dancer Joshua Oduro ’21 presentsed his case, “The Timberlands are so clean, so iconic, and so versatile. And just the other day, I accidentally stubbed my toe on a chair and I felt nothing.” In addition to its protective shell, it also provides irreplaceable acoustics for our basketball team. As varsity basketball player Quinton Quirrenbach ’19 observes, “The step team has provided an incredible atmosphere at our games. Honestly, sometimes I even find myself dancing to the beat. It really gets the juice flowing in the gym.” Not only the Timberlands protect your vulnerable pinky toes, they also provide a second-to- none environment; but some people disagree. Bean boot enthusiast Patrick McKee ’20 commented, “I cannot name a footwear that is more superior than the Bean Boot. They come in a variety of heights so you can always dress for the occasion. Additionally, it is easy to tuck your pants into the the boots to go through any terrain. They are classic prep school style.” Moreover, senior Mia Burch ’19 recounts her experience of buying a pair of her own, “I was brows- ing a shop in New York one day and I realized Bean Boots were significantly cheaper than the Timberlands! Not only this, the sales- person even guaranteed me a one year return policy if I wasn’t satisfied. Simply the best, or nothing at all.” This debate has taken over dorm feeds, class discussions, and even sit-down conversations and students have even announced school-wide polls during these meals. Students cannot seem to get enough of the shoes. Yet the age-old question remains unanswered: Timberlands or Bean Boots? However, whether judging the quality of a boot by its style, comfort, support, durability or return policy, it’s important to note that every design has its own upsides and downsides. Both the Timberlands and the Bean Boots are unique in their own standards, and whichever you choose will ultimately be the right decision.

Jackson Pitcher ’19 is always striving to do better on and off the court. Having participated in three varsity level sports throughout his time at Deerfield, Pitcher continuously challenges himself athletically. Above that, Pitcher distinguishes himself as a diligent student in the classroom and active member in the community, as he commonly engages in local events. Pitcher grew up in Deerfield, Massachusetts, where both of his parents have been dedicated faculty members for almost thirty years, and his father, Mr. Conrad Pitcher, has been a coach of the boys varsity basketball team for nearly fifteen years. Pitcher recalls having loved the game from an early age, saying, “My interest in [basketball] started from the day I was born, and I have to blame my dad for that. When I was really young, I used to be a regular at practices and games.” Pitcher’s first word just so happened to be “ball,” proving that basketball runs in the Pitcher family blood. His naturally tall stature al- lowed him to have an early ad- vantage over his competition. Pitcher soon was able to play basketball with his younger brother, Bennett Pitcher ’21. Recounting the countless times he played with his younger brother, Pitcher shared, “I had the most fun playing out in the driveway with my brother Bennett, who is one of the most influential people to the development of my game.” Upon matriculating at Deerfield, Pitcher immediately became a tri-varsity athlete in soccer, basketball, and crew both his freshman and sophomore years. Unfortunately, he ran into a predicament his junior year as he had to choose between crew or playing spring basketball in order to pursue his goals of playing collegiate basketball. Ultimately, Jackson chose spring basketball. Reflecting on his decision, Pitcher shared, “My goal growing up was always just to play for Deerfield, as this place has been my home my whole life and I’ve always been Deerfield’s teams’ biggest fan.” When asked about his most valuable lesson learned from his four years, Pitcher expressed, “Other than to not challenge my dad’s/coach’s judgement, I’ve learned to have a certain mentality while playing defense. If you believe you can guard anyone, you will be able to guard anyone.” Currently, Pitcher is a captain for two varsity sports: varsity soccer and varsity basketball. His goal remains the same on both teams— to lead and inspire his teammates. As first-year teammate and co-captain of the basketball team Jackson Selvala ‘19 shared, “He comes to practice early every day to put up shots. He has this awesome ‘looking to get better’ attitude which is super beneficial to the team and to himself as a player… He’s the ideal team- mate that every team wants. Discussing the type of legacy he wants to leave, Pitcher shared, “I pride myself on my hard work. I would rather be remembered for my work ethic rather than my successes on and off the playing fields. I do not want to be remembered only as an athlete, I feel I have a lot more to give other than points and goals.” Pitcher’s leadership and attitude can best be described by teammate and co-captain Jackson Selvala ’19. Selvala spoke to Pitcher’s character saying, “He’s willing to do anything to win. He always makes the hustle plays whether it be grabbing offensive re- bounds, or diving for loose balls before the other team gets them.” Selvala added, “He’s a fantastic shooter who can quickly change the momentum of the game. Jackson is definitely someone I want walking onto the court with me every game.” But what bonds teammates more than athleticism, is respect for another’s character. Selvala concludes by stating, “Off the court, he always has a smile on his face and brightens the mood of any room he walks into. Also, he has a rigorous course load showing his skills in the class- room.”Pitcher says he is pumped to play collegiate basketball at Middlebury next year. After watching many NESCAC basketball games when he was little, Pitcher says, “It really is a dream come true.”

During Long Winter Weekend, the Deerfield Academy Orchestra took a trip down to New York City to learn and perform in a city full of music. This trip was designed for the musicians not only to perform on world-renowned stages but to develop unity as an orchestra. The musicians had exciting musical opportunities throughout their trip. Upon their arrival in the city, the musicians were welcomed by the Metropolitan Opera. After watching world-class musicians, the orchestra rehearsed three pieces with the Brooklyn High School Orchestra: Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and Terry Riley’s improvisational minimalist masterpiece In C. After some free time in the city, the musicians enjoyed a performance by the acclaimed Juilliard Orchestra. The next day, members of the DA Orchestra experienced what it means to “busk,” playing impromptu in the streets. The group spent a majority of the morning busking at Union Station, performing instruments ranging from the violin to the recorder. They then played at the newly constructed Oculus at the World Trade Center with the Brooklyn High School Orchestra. Finally, they concluded that day by watching a performance of the St. Olaf Orchestra led by the world-famous violinist Sarah Chang. On the third day of the trip, the musicians went to the Museum of Modern Art and watched the NYC ballet perform. Throughout the afternoon, Deerfield musicians spent time working with professional musicians. The resident chamber ensemble at Carnegie Hall, “Decoda”, gave the musicians a master class. Irvin Li ‘20 commented, “The master class provided me with a different perspective to see my music as well as practice.” To end the day, they also spent time hanging around and skating in Bryant Park that evening. All in all, the objective of the trip was not only to improve as musicians but also to bond as a group. Director of Chamber Music and Orchestra Thomas Bergeron said that this was one of the most meaningful trips for him as a musician. Mr. Bergeron went on to say that, “It was special traveling and performing in New York City, the musical center of the universe, with my students.” In the future, Mr. Bergeron hopes that he can travel internationally with the orchestra as well. He shared, “As musicians, it is important to go beyond our own stage. Even from going to New York City, we were able to expand our knowledge by performing with other musicians from drastically different backgrounds and life experiences.”

Peter Nilsson was appointed as the third Head of School for King’s Academy in Jordan. He was previously an English teacher and Director of Research, Innovation, and Outreach at Deerfield and is currently on sabbatical. This appointment was officially announced on January 31, 2019. He will succeed Dr. John Austin, who is returning to the United States to serve as the new Head of School at Deerfield Academy. Mr. Nilsson arrived at Deerfield in 2000 to teach English but took a four year hiatus in order to pursue music in New York City. He has taught courses on Paradise Lost, intersections of literature and science, New England poetry, digital humanities, and how form shapes content in literature. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Nilsson manages the “Educator’s Notebook,” a site that collects and shares news related to education from around the world. He also is the Founder and Executive Director of the Athena Project, a nonprofit dedicated to resource sharing, collaboration, and professional development. King’s Academy’s trustees sought to find a visionary leader for their school and said, “We wanted an energetic thought- leader … as eager to keep learning as to take action.” The search process for this position, which began in late August of last year, was conducted by King’s trustees and Carney Sandoe and Associates, an appointed educational consulting firm. Referring to the potential of Deerfield having had a role in King’s search process, Head of School Margarita Curtis stated, “Deerfield does not play a role in selecting leadership for any other school, nor was I involved personally in the selection process, but if one of our employees applies for a position, we do provide references, upon request.” Mr. Nilsson was taken by surprise when he first received an email from Carney Sandoe, which informed him that he had been recommended as a candidate for the position. “I hadn’t been actively engaged in a search—my time on sabbatical had been focused on developing Athena, an education nonprofit, and when I received the email, I read it out loud to my wife in shock,” he said. He ultimately applied for the job because he realized, “This is a unique opportunity, and opportunity sometimes only knocks once.” After he had submitted his application, he was informed that he was a semifinalist, and then completed a Skype interview with King’s full search committee. Then, when he heard back that he was a finalist, he flew to King’s for a week in December. He heard the outcome in January. Mr. Nilsson had many factors to consider before he made the decision to accept the position. He said, “I thought about what it would mean for family and for our careers. … I found an inspiring group of deeply committed people and an opportunity to apply myself in schools in a new way.” As he researched, Mr. Nilsson also mentioned how he began to realize geopolitically how important and admirable Jordan is as a country. He elaborated, “Jordan is an extraordinary nation, a bastion of stability in a destabilized region, and my few direct experiences in Jordan are filled with generous and caring people.” Despite the historical and cultural bonds between Deerfield and King’s Academy, Dr. Curtis clarified that Deerfield and King’s do not have any formal affiliation. Nonetheless, HRM King Abdullah II did ask Dr. Curtis’ predecessor Eric Widmer ’57 to serve as King’s first head of school, and Mr. Nilsson’s appointment further enhances this relationship. Dr. Curtis added that Deerfield and King’s have additionally exchanged several students, faculty, and even chefs. While Deerfield and King’s share a connection, the community at King’s is different and unique. Aside from the sit-down meals and circular teaching tables, many traditions at King’s diverge from traditions at Deerfield. “While King’s was inspired by experiences at Deerfield and shares many traits, it’s important to remember that it lives in a different context, with a different student body composition, a different faculty, and many different traditions,” said Mr. Nilsson. “My role is not to further bring Deerfield to King’s, but to listen and to learn from the people who have been living and breathing King’s particular mission.” Dr. Curtis advised, “Deerfield is over 200 years old, whereas King’s has just celebrated its tenth anniversary. The difference in age between the two schools—and the vastly divergent cultural contexts in which each operates—are just two major factors that would influence the attributes required for effective leadership.” However, Dr. Curtis had full faith in Mr. Nilsson’s capabilities, saying, “Mr. Nilsson is a talented, dedicated educator and has an innovative, entrepreneurial mindset that’s well suited to a new school dedicated to excellence.” “Being a Head of School isn’t easy,” she said, “But Mr. Nilsson’s skillset—and his positive, optimistic disposition—will serve him well!” “This appointment is humbling,” said Mr. Nilsson. “The more one reads about Jordan’s role in the region, and about King’s Academy’s role in Jordan, the more clear and profound the responsibility of the Head of School. Taking on this role— and moving one’s family and life, especially from a place and a community that we love—was not an easy decision, but one that was made easier by the singular and inspired vision for the school ahead.”

Deerfield has stepped up efforts to protect students from phishing. As an email about the topic to the Deerfield faculty explained, phishing “is a form of fraud in which an attacker masquerades as a reputable entity or person in email or other communication channels.” “We’re worried about phishing because [it] is really on the uprise right now,” said Director of Information and Technology Services Kimberley Butz. The issue of cyber-security at Deerfield extends beyond phishing, though, and ITS aims to help students protect themselves and their devices. “[The school uses] Palo ALTo firewall technology, one of the leading providers in the world for networking technology,” Ms. Butz explained. “All of [Deerfield’s] networking traffic either coming in or going out to the internet, and most of the traffic going around campus as well, goes through those firewalls.” The system was incorporated eighteen months ago and updates several times a day. It will likely continue to be used for the next three to four years. Since the majority of Deerfield systems use the same account, this protection is necessary. Banking or health information are the only things that are not stored on the system, as the financial office and health center use a different, more secure system. Ms. Butz also said that there is higher protection for certain faculty, implemented through both software and hardware. She said that the staff with the highest level of access do not use Macs, they use Windows machines. She said, ”It is actually a little bit easier to control the security that way.” The documents of these staff members are also encrypted. DAInfo went through a change recently, in response to the concern for protection. Previously, there was the option for people with access to DAInfo to download and print out the student roster, which could then be shared separately. The feature was removed this year to protect students’ information. “[We’re] constantly reviewing what people have access to and weighing the balance of what people need to know versus what they would like to know,” said Ms. Butz. Ms. Butz added that she would like to ask students how much information they believe should be shared on DAInfo. She said, “If there are students who think we are sharing more than we should be, I’d … like to hear that.” Ms. Butz gave some final pieces of advice on how to protect yourself: “Make sure you have a complex password …change your password frequently as is reasonable… never let anyone else, including parents, use your account…stay really alert for phishing messages, [and] be careful of what you share on social media.”

Deerfield students and faculty alike gathered in the Field House on Sunday, February 17th to celebrate the life of former Deerfield community member Lindsay Crosby who passed away this past summer due to complications from the birth of her third child. Ms. Crosby graduated from Springfield College in 2008 where she competed on both the soccer and lacrosse teams. She took her passion for lacrosse with her as she pursued a career in coaching. During her career, she worked with athletes at Amherst College, The Bement School, Deerfield Academy, and, most recently, as Head Varsity Lacrosse Coach at The Westminster School. Ms. Crosby had a lasting impact on lacrosse in Western Massachusetts and beyond, and it was only fitting to hold an event that will further this impact. Roughly 50 children ranging in age from three to fourteen were joined by current Deerfield lacrosse players and their coaches for a fun-filled afternoon of lacrosse. The boys and girls were split up and then divided by age and Deerfield athletes ran various stations. These drills ranged anywhere from “Duck, Duck, Goose” to 3v3 scrimmages. Girls Varsity Lacrosse Captain Bailey Cheetham ‘19 spoke to the positive atmosphere, saying, “The clinic was super fun for everyone involved. The kids were having a great time learning some basics and just playing around.” The clinic follows lots of support for the Crosby family. A Go-FundMe page was started back in July to help Ms. Crosby’s husband, former Deerfield advancement officer Evan Crosby, and their three children in this difficult time, and has since raised over $360,000. All proceeds from the clinic went to the Crosby family, who joined the Deerfield community on Sunday for the event. Head Varsity Lacrosse Coach Allison DiNardo organized the event and said, “The event was a team effort, and a lot of people stepped up to advertise the clinic and ensure that things ran smoothly. From advertising assistance and flier design to registration table help, so many Deerfield community members pitched in to show their support. Most importantly, varsity members of the boys and girls lacrosse teams showed up in huge numbers to coach the clinic and offer their support. They brought outstanding energy and made the event so much fun for everyone.” Science Teacher and long-time Deerfield community member Toby Emerson has been personally touched by Ms. Crosby as she coached his daughter when she attended the Bement School. He spoke to her outstanding contributions to the sport saying, “She is hands-down one of the best coaches I have ever been around. Demanding, caring, knowledgeable… You name, she had it!” Mae Emerson ‘19 first learned how to play lacrosse under Ms. Crosby’s guidance at The Bement School. Emerson will now be continuing her lacrosse career in the NESCAC at Connecticut College. This is something Emerson does not think would be possible with- out Ms. Crosby: “Ms. Crosby was one of the most influential coaches I’ve ever had. Being my first lacrosse coach, she showed me how great the game of lacrosse is. Hopefully, all the girls she impacted can keep her incredible legacy going.”