The halls of Beaver were filled with conversation and laughter as alumni came together for Reunion 2025 on Friday, May 2. In addition to reconnecting with fellow alumni, attendees also had a chance to celebrate faculty members Debi Ellman and Jon Greenberg as well as this year’s BVR Alumni Award recipient, John Weltman ’75.
The day kicked off with a Golden Graduates Luncheon in Bradley Hall, providing classes who have celebrated their 50th Reunion a chance to reconnect. A special emphasis was placed on the classes of 1975 (celebrating their 50th reunion), 1970 (celebrating their 55th reunion class), and 1965 (celebrating their 60th reunion). Head of School Kim Samson addressed the group, calling on any volunteers to share stories about the Beaver teachers that made lasting impacts on their lives.
Alumni had a chance to step back into the classroom during a “Learn Like a BVR Student” session in the afternoon. Director of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Kader Adjout invited attendees to sit in on his Philosophy class, encouraging them to work with students to solve ethical dilemmas. Alumni and students debated solutions, shared their work, and even found time to discuss Beaver in between.
Later in the day, Kim Samson sat down with alumni to dive deeper into all things Beaver. Samson answered questions, discussed her work as Head of School, and listened as alumni reminisced about their time at Beaver. The conversation not only highlighted the ways Beaver has evolved as an institution, it also revealed how it has maintained its core values throughout the years.
SpringFest–an annual event celebrating Beaver student athletes–kicked off at 4:00 p.m. on the Upper Field. Reunion attendees were invited to join the festivities outside, shopping at a pop-up Beaver swag store and grabbing a bite to eat at a Roxy’s Grilled Cheese food truck. As two varsity lacrosse games against Concord Academy played out, alumni mingled with faculty, staff, parents, and community members.
More alumni arrived for an All Alumni Reception in the evening. Attendees gathered in Bradley Hall to enjoy dinner, drinks, and reconnecting with friends. Director of Middle School Tiffany Smith and Middle School English Teacher Kathleen Kosberg took the podium to honor Middle School Humanities Teacher Jon Greenberg as he embarks on his next chapter. The pair humorously imagined a Netflix series covering Greenberg’s time at Beaver, touching on all of the quirks and strengths that has made him a staple of the Beaver community. Director of Upper School Lisa Brown and Director of Academic Services Lesley Colognesi were up next, celebrating the retirement of Associate Director of College Counseling and Upper School English Teacher Debi Ellman. In a “retirement recommendation” letter, Ellman’s peers and family discussed the joyous impact she has had on Beaver.
When it came time to hand out the BVR Alumni Award, all eyes were on recipient John Weltman ’75. Weltman– a commercial litigation attorney and founder of Circle Surrogacy, a global leader in the field of surrogate parenting–took to the podium to express his gratitude for Beaver. Weltman shared the importance of following one’s passions and detailed how he built a career that continues to excite him. In a surprise twist, other members of the class of 1975 joined Weltman around a piano to perform a song from You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, with lyrics rewritten to parody life at Beaver.
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