High Point Eagles Come Home to Roost
An Unprecedented Year for Faculty and Alumni Families
“It is these wonderful memories that make me look back fondly on my time at HPA. As I walk around campus with my own children, I am reminded of how much fun it was to be young and feel so connected to the people around me.”—Mosey Nuccio Dunn (Class of ’98)
The campus of High Point Academy is teeming with legacy children and children of faculty and staff members this year. Mrs. Kris Haines, Assistant Head of School, reports that currently fifteen children represent faculty and staff families, and four of those children come from parents who are not just faculty but also alumni of the school.
Sometimes the children come first and then the faculty and staff members follow. Mrs. Cheryl Stern, Director of Development, and her daughter Ramona are a case in point. Cheryl says, “We actually chose High Point for Ramona long before I started working here. She has been here since kindergarten, and I was hired during her 2nd grade year. We chose it because we truly fell in love with the place. Then I convinced them to hire me.” Another three years later, Ramona is thriving in the fifth grade and her mom is an integral part of the school community.
HPA’s Visual Arts and Design teacher Zach Davis notes, “I feel so fortunate to have my son here at High Point. I know and respect my colleagues on so many levels, and the opportunity for Juan to learn and grow surrounded by such a talented and nurturing group is something that I am truly grateful for. Allowing teachers and their children to be integrated into the HPA community in such a way creates a balance and synergy that I believe benefits every participant. When Juan and I step onto campus each morning, we are stepping into our home away from home!”
Seven-year-old Juan summed up his experience perfectly: “The best part about going to school with my dad is when Eagle’s Nest is open. I can go and get a dollar from him so I can buy a popsicle!”
The Dohlen family has all the bases covered. Mom Tori Dohlen is a valued 2nd grade teacher at the school, Dad Greg graduated from High Point in 1979, and Jackson is a flourishing fourth grader. Tori says, “My (late) mother-in-law always spoke so fondly of High Point Academy. We chose HPA for our son because it has such a strong community. We also love the student to teacher ratio at the school. The smaller class sizes really help teachers meet students where they are in all ways—academically, socially, and emotionally.” She continues, “My husband still spontaneously runs into HPA alumni. The common theme among them seems to be the number of friends who appreciate the solid educational foundation they received, and how well they were prepared for high school.”
This year more than two dozen legacy attendees—those whose parents are HPA alumni—round out the class rosters. Their parents have stayed in touch with their Eagle roots over the years and have returned to continue a proud tradition. Some alumni have multiple children at the school, spanning several grades. They proudly point out what the school meant to them as students and why High Point is such a good fit for their own children, a testament to the staying power of Eagle Spirit.
John (Andy) Sinclair—class of 2000—notes, “I really did have a great experience at High Point, and I feel so fortunate to be able to send Heather and Will there now—and, hopefully, Elizabeth in a couple of years. I’d be delighted to tell people about it.” He continues: “I’m currently an assistant professor in the government department at Claremont McKenna College. I teach courses in American politics and public policy; my research focuses on political reform. I met my wife, Elissa Gysi, when we were both students at CMC. She’s presently a partner at Hill Farrer, a law firm in Los Angeles. We now live two blocks away from where I grew up.”
In a nod to his past as a first generation Eagle, Andy says, “Outside of work I’m still mostly interested in football and board games. My hair still sticks up at odd angles, although thanks to Heather, William, and Elizabeth, some of it is grayer than it was. So, some things change, but not too many.”
“Our daughter Meera Hudson is seven years old and in Mrs. Dohlen’s class. She started High Point in kindergarten. She’s a smart, sweet, funny, and caring kid,” says alum Suparna Jain (class of ’97). She continues, “While I only attended High Point from 5th through 8th grade, my experience was a positive one, and I immediately thought of it when we were looking for a school for Meera. The great teachers and loving community I experienced influenced my thinking. I wanted our daughter to have a similar experience and environment as she started her elementary school education.” Suparna adds, “To date, Meera has had amazing teachers and is making wonderful friends. She has a love for learning and coming to school that has no doubt been a result of the teachers and welcoming community at HPA.” (See Suparna’s Alumni Spotlight .)
Mosey Nuccio Dunn, one of three Nuccio family members who attended High Point in the 90s and 2000s, has returned with her children in tow. “We have three children. They are 9, 7, and 4 years old. My two daughters are students at High Point in 3rd and 1st grade. I have really enjoyed seeing them flourish in a school of which I have many fond memories. While the school has changed, the sense of community stays the same.” (See Mosey’s Alumni Spotlight.)
One current parent at High Point attended the school for just the elementary grades. Chris Mang (grades 2-5) explains, “My brother and I both went to HPA and had great experiences. Ultimately it was the family culture and down-to-earth people and values that HPA represented. Our school admission visits and interviews last year further cemented what my parents and I had originally loved about HPA. We wanted a sense of community and family.”
“I enjoyed my own years at High Point. I loved the sense of family and personal attention to the students. I always remember feeling safe and that someone was there to help if needed. To this day, I am still friends with one of my old classmates, Mike Mulhall, and we still take family trips together. I remember my mom praising HPA for how they taught spelling and reading.”
Chris’s own children were foremost in his decision to come to High Point: “Callista (Age 6) and Penelope (Age 4) are great sisters to each other. Besides the typical sisterly quarrels, they are very compassionate and caring towards one another. Callista loves to teach her little sister all the things she learns at High Point, as they will often role play ‘teacher-student’. They are currently obsessed with Taylor Swift songs and love taking dance classes. Callista has shown curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and loves to do homework, even prioritizing it before she plays. The parent and teacher interactions and feedback have also been great. We feel connected to the teacher and see how each student is personally looked after.” He concludes, “So far our expectations have definitely been met. I like the close-knit family relationships we’ve built with other families at HPA. We’ve built ourselves a little community of friends we trust with our kids. Everyone genuinely wants to help each other. It’s rare to find friends who respect and treat your kids like their own.”
