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Health & Fitness

RCDS Homecoming and Family Field Day 2013

The RCDS community celebrated the beginning of fall with an inaugural Homecoming Celebration on Saturday, September 28, 2013. Parents, alumni, faculty and friends of RCDS kicked off the festivities – literally – with an early morning football game on Warner Field that proved to be a real crowd pleaser and was the first football game of the season for the Gators. The athletic events continued with results as follows:

·      Football vs. Mater Dei Prep – Win, 16-8

·      Girls’ Soccer vs. Red Bank Middle School – Win, 3-2

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·      Boys’ Soccer vs. Red Bank Middle School – Loss, 4-0

·      Alumni Field Hockey Game – Tie

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·      Alumni Soccer Game – Tie

Possibly the most exciting game of the day came from the girls’ soccer team with a last minute goal from eighth grader Kaeli Huesman who had spectators on their feet as she scored the winning goal in the last ten seconds of the game. The boys’ soccer team battled to the end and didn’t give up in their quest for soccer domination. “In the end, whether winning or losing on Saturday, the athletic games provided valuable non-cognitive lessons in resilience, teamwork and ethics in terms of making decisions and taking action based on needs of their teammates. Most of all, our student athletes were thrilled to play on the new Warner Field in front of their friends and family. It was a great day for the entire RCDS community,” said Headmaster Chad Small.

Gator fans were also treated to performances by the band and chorus: the Lower School chorus performed a sweet rendition of “You Can Count on Me” by Bruno Mars and the Upper School boys’ chorus reprised their immensely popular performance of  “Movie Medley.” The RCDS band got the fans going with the ultimate sports tune “We will rock you!” by Queen and added to the overall excitement of the athletic events.

When not on the beautiful grass stands, RCDS Gators of all ages could be found on the grounds outside of Riker Hall enjoying numerous activities that the school’s traditional Family Field Day had to offer. As one of Parent Council’s premiere school-wide events, Family Field Day 2013 offered fall fun for everyone including: a DJ, a magician and balloon artist, face painting, and an airbrushed tattoo booth. The children could also participate in field games including: bat races, hoola-hooping, relays and kickball where everybody got involved. Courtesy of Parent Council, a delicious barbeque lunch was served with an Italian ice truck nearby for snacks, providing a welcome respite from the day’s sights and sounds. In addition, Gator wear and memorabilia items were available for purchase. Both the adults and children enjoyed the gorgeous weather, good food and good times.

“The day’s festivities were open to all who came to RCDS that day, whether it was alumni celebrating their 25th or 50th Reunion, current families, or members of the opposing teams, all were included in a fun day of food, music, games and camaraderie,” remarked Parent Council President Jennifer Steiner Crowell ’88, parent of Caden ’18 and Chloe ’21. Mrs. Crowell also thanked the Family Field Day Committee comprised of Chair Eric Wachtel, parent of Emma ’18 and Ryan ’20, Co-chair Freddy Testa, parent of Asher ’21 and Co-Chair Tim Orr, parent of Maddie ’15, Lily ’16 and Alastair ’20 for their time and attention in making the day such a huge success,” said Mrs. Crowell ’88.  

The day and evening events would not have gone so smoothly if not for the tireless support and diligence of the RCDS maintenance crew Jay Monprode, Jeff Brown and Brian Stolowski.

In keeping with the RCDS commitment to community service, rice and beans were collected in support of Crop Walk.

“This past Saturday’s Homecoming and Family Field Day was a fantastic celebration of the entire RCDS Community. Family Field Day is traditionally a hallmark Parent Council event for our current families that heralds the return to school in the fall. This year, however, was especially significant because it was combined with Homecoming that gave RCDS an opportunity to showcase our talented sports teams and performing arts students, as well as our brand new fields. Parent Council was especially proud to demonstrate that RCDS is a place where everyone is welcome,” added Mrs. Crowell ’88.

This was also a day for RCDS alumni. Former RCDS Gators enjoyed a special luncheon and were given school tours by student ambassadors Maggie Whittemore ’15, Abigail Devine ’15, and Sally Thomas ’15. Later that evening, 75 alumni gathered in Riker Hall and Skirkanich Commons for a welcome back cocktail reception and alumni art exhibit before heading out to organized dinners both off-site and in the RCDS Dining Hall. Visiting alumni ranging from the Class of 1944 to the Class of 2003 also took the opportunity to tour the campus. It was a great trip down memory lane as alumni had the opportunity to tour the school again and share stories about RCDS days gone by.

The Class of 1963 had their Fiftieth Reunion at the home of Tom and Jennifer Hurtt ’85 Mullins, parents of Ginger ’16, Livvy ’18, and Amelia ’22. Mrs. Mullins’s aunt, Robin Pearse-Drance ’63, organized the event and spent the last few months researching and locating her classmates with resounding success as 41 of her classmates were in attendance that evening. “This was such an important milestone reunion for RCDS, and many of these alumni had not seen each other in 50 years!  Robin did an amazing job tracking down alumni and inspiring them to come to the reunion. People came from all across the United States,” said Jessica Goski, Director of Institutional Advancement.

The Class of 1988 enjoyed dinner in the Dining Hall and seeing both the changes to the school over the years and parts of the school that have been preserved. In addition to re-connecting with each other, they had the opportunity to spend time with some of their former teachers including RCDS History Department Chair Thomas Scott, who had many of them in homeroom back in the late eighties. Amazingly, Mr. Scott keeps all of his homework records and was on hand to dole out the much-anticipated Homework Awards to the all grown-up Class of 1988. “It was so funny listening to Mr. Scott, and it brought back many great memories of a special time gone by,” shared Mrs. Crowell ’88.

The Class of 1967 also had dinner in the Dining Room and enjoyed time with each other. Laurie Ellis Bruckmann ’67 organized her classmates and friends from surrounding classes for the cocktail reception and dinner and especially appreciated taking a tour of the “little Brownstone church on the corner” with her mother Joan Ellis ’44 and Headmaster Small.  After the event, on her way back to NYC, Laurie ’67 eloquently remarked on Facebook: “I want to say ‘Dear Family’ because that’s how I feel after our evening together. Those of you not present in person were certainly there in spirit… Though our school is changed physically, it is much the same in spirit. The family atmosphere is evident in the classrooms, the bulletin boards, art, athletic and dining room. Everywhere is a sense of pride and responsibility…The Headmaster gave us a personal tour, and at times I was close to tears because it’s both unnerving and extremely comforting to re-enter one’s childhood, to walk along the halls and remember all the teachers who helped us grow up to be civilized human beings… There were lots of familiar faces, none of whom had changed all that much. The atmosphere was one of easy enjoyment and surprised delight, totally relaxed and fun. It was like coming home.” 

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