Our Wildwood, Volume 54

IN MEMORIAM A Special Tribute

Remembering Michele and Rob Reiner

Jeanne Fauci (P. ‘93, ‘07), Director of Communications and Wildwood Outreach Center (1999-2008) by Lyle Poncher (P. ‘97, ‘11), Board Chair (1994-2001), Board of Trustees (1991-2023) Colleen Pundyk (P. ‘98), Board of Trustees (1991-1999), Director of Advancement (1998-2015)

As Wildwood’s Board Chair and Vice Chair in the late 1990s, we first came to know Rob and Michele as engaged parents during a pivotal moment in the school’s history—when Wildwood began exploring the bold idea of expanding from a K–6 elementary school to a K–12 institution. As we reflect on their many contributions, we are struck by how fully they embodied the qualities we hope to see in Wildwood graduates who are curious, ask probing questions, and listen deeply. From the inception, as part of a small focus group, Michele posed thoughtful questions about how a secondary program would preserve the warmth, intimacy, and sense of belonging that defined the elementary school. Her questions helped strengthen the foundation of the future Wildwood K–12, and as time went on, she became one of its most committed advocates. After the Board voted to establish the secondary school, we knew the vision was ambitious. We were imagining a school at the forefront of progressive American secondary education—not an “industrial model” built on memorization and compliance, but one grounded in inquiry, creativity, and intellectual courage. To bring that dream to life required not only conviction but significant resources. And it required a leadership gift. At a pivotal lunch, we shared our hopes with Rob and Michele and asked them to consider a foundational contribution. Michele hesitated. Rob gently placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “It’s OK.” Then he turned to us and said, “We’ll do it.” That moment, which manifested in Wildwood’s first $1M gift, changed everything. Their commitment inspired others and helped transform an idea into a project—and ultimately into a school. Before the secondary school even opened its doors, Rob also agreed to narrate the film that introduced the vision to our community and to prospective parents. With characteristic humility and conviction, he lent both his voice and credibility to a school that existed only as a dream. It was a bold endorsement, and it mattered. Rob and Michele’s generosity extended far beyond financial support. They participated in planning sessions, pushed our thinking, and helped shape the intellectual and physical design of the program. They acted not only for their own children, but with a broader vision of what this school could mean for generations of students. Their legacy lives on in every Wildwood graduate who benefits from the K–12 education they helped make possible.

In 1998, Rob lent his talent to this promotional video for the middle and upper school. Scan the QR code for a glimpse at our past, with a vision that still resonates today.

OWW SPRING 2026

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