RE LOG Spring '25

16 Ransom Everglades LOG SPRING 2025 Patrick and Kristen McMahon started the COLA endowment For information on cost-of-living-allowance giving opportunities, please contact Director of Advancement Vicki Carbonell Williamson ’88 at 305 460 8826 or vwilliamson@ransomeverglades.org . Humanities chair Jen Nero and peers in the history and social sciences realm have worked with student entrepreneurs as they prepare projects for the annual Business Plan Challenge, and Bob DuBard and Paul Natland ’02 lead a wildly popular bridge building competition. Associate Head of School John A. King Jr. directs the Bowden fellows humanities research program and Holzman Center of Applied Ethics. Those are just a few highlights; there are countless examples of the dedication and excellence of RE faculty on both campuses. Recruiting and keeping faculty of such a high caliber require attention to detail even beyond the new endowment. School leaders have brainstormed about novel benefits for RE teachers including occasional faculty dinners; yoga, exercise and sailing classes; pickleball games; health and wellness events; and other opportunities. “Our teachers are the foundation of our school,” Rodriguez said. “We have worked to create a culture of care for our faculty, understanding their health and wellbeing, and making sure we provide them with other things that will boost their connection and relationships within the school.” Ransom Everglades teachers shared personal messages on giant cards for the McMahons and have been meeting about other ways to say thank you. Many were willing to share their gratitude and personal stories for this piece. Marie Saint Hilaire, a mathematics and computer science teacher who lives with her two children in Pembroke Pines, said she was “shocked” to learn the amount of the stipend and called it “a generous … and thoughtful recognition of the work we do as teachers.” Added Saint Hilaire: “As a single mom navigating the challenges of rising costs, [the] support means more than words can express. It is helping me manage rising expenses while continuing to provide for my family.” Kate Bloomfield, a history and social sciences teacher, felt anxiety about her future after her rent increased by 50 percent two years ago. “I feel like I can finally breathe,” she said. “It has been a tremendous challenge for me to make ends meet and stay in Miami … I feel an enormous amount of gratitude for this gift.” An English teacher and Middle School Dean of Community Engagement and Multicultural Affairs, Karina Buhler has used her stipend to pay off education costs – she is currently enrolled in a master’s program at Vanderbilt – as well as to defray ever- rising housing expenses. “This support has alleviated financial stress and enabled me to focus on my passion for teaching and supporting our incredible students,” she said. O’Jhonte Armstrong ’17 joined RE as a full-time science teacher this past year. Noting that the cost of everything in Miami “seems to be exceeding the national average,” he said the endowment “has eased the burden and has brought many smiling faces to both campuses.” Miriann Meyeringh is one of them. After earning a law degree from the University of Miami, she worked in the legal field and nonprofit sector. She soon realized, however, that her passion was teaching. After eight years at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Meyeringh felt privileged to join the RE faculty last summer as a history and social sciences teacher. Her husband, proud alumnus Roy Meyeringh ’97 , and sister- in-law, Jessica Meyeringh White ’91 , had raved about the quality of the school and the people connected to it. Now, she understands. “Everyone talks about teachers being heroes and how much they appreciate the work we do,” she said. “The COLA endowment puts into action the words we hear so often and makes us feel truly valued and appreciated. Thank you. Thank you. An ocean of thank yous.” Marie Saint Hilaire, math and computer science teacher