On February 29 third to twelfth grade students filed into the Heller B. Auditorium for a Monday MX for the first of a string of alumni visits. After, the Lower School had to cancel their field trip to the Rainforest Cafe after a visit from alum and zoologist Julian Kerbis (‘70) left the entire LS traumatized.

Kerbis engaged his audience with stories about his travels around Africa, studying animals and working with other zoologists, all aided with spectacular shots of his trips. It was slide 71 of 106 that featured an image of a gorilla head in a red bowl filled with blood, the eyes still open, its hair still glossy. The image was projected larger than life on all five screens in the auditorium. The slide also included a picture of a skinned leopard that Kerbis had skinned himself.  

Screams could be heard from every corner, tears rolled down cheeks, eyes were squeezed shut. The Lower Schoolers lost it. 911 needed to be called after gym teacher Terry Davis fainted from.

Kerbis attempted to continue but all attention was on the shrieks of every student from Junior Kindergarten to third grade. Lower School principal Kimeri Swanson-Beck tried to calm the students afterwards by reading a story. Swanson-Beck realized afterwards that reading “Goodnight Gorilla” was not the best choice. No one touched the sloppy joes that were served in the cafeteria later that day.

Swanson-Beck declared that the day of the field trip was now being replaced with a discussion with a visiting grief counselor after all five counselors at Parker failed to comfort the students. Head of school Dan Frank said, “Grief counselors will be primarily working with the Lower School,” however in the wake of the trauma he also shared, “They will also be available to all students and faculty as well.” With Kerbis still at large, the school has notified the Lincoln Park Zoo, and the primate and large cat houses are now at high security.