On Tuesday, June 1, after opening the final assembly of the year with a preview of the assembly’s agenda, Head of School Scott Wiggins offered his customary farewells to faculty leaving the school.
Farewells to Faculty
Henry Horne, he said, is a “larger-than-life personality with a hearty laugh and broad smile.” The native of New Jersey “derives a genuine sense of joy from his work” and approaches that work with a purpose: “He sets out each day to make a tangible difference in the lives of students.” Mr. Wiggins applauded Mr. Horne for knowing each and every student and for his “ability to balance being a leading voice for the standards of behavior we expect to see from our students.” Mr. Horne departs after five years on the faculty because of a decision to consolidate the two assistant head positions.
Mr. Wiggins described Ben Oldham, who leaves after two years as director of technical theatre due to his position being eliminated, as “enthusiastic, passionate, energetic, [and] creative.” Noting that Mr. Oldham embodies the commitment it takes to be an exemplary boarding school teacher, he added this: “Ben is one of the most positive people I know—a ‘can do’ guy.” Ben and Lia will be starting a children’s theater in Oklahoma City, Ben’s hometown.
Jeff Good was saluted for a calm, steady approach to his responsibilities as a teacher, his effortless ability to connect with students, and for inspiriting collegiality among his peers. “His passions for both education and theater have combined to make him an outstanding leader of our Ninth Grade Program,” he said, adding, “He truly understands how to lead students to become more and more capable of thinking for themselves.” A resident of Spaulding Hall this year, Mr. Good will join his wife, Amy, a former LA faculty member, and their children in Hanover, N.H., when he begins teaching at Cardigan Mountain School.
“Eileen Keever epitomizes what it means to be a triple-threat teacher who has a genuine passion for working and living in a boarding school community.” Describing the four-year history teacher as having “connected extremely well with her students in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in the dormitory,” he expressed his gratitude that Ms. Keever delayed attending law school to teach and coach at LA for one more year. “Eileen has dedicated herself to molding our adolescent girls into confident young women.” Following her marriage to former history teacher Neil Somers, Ms. Keever will enter law school in Philadelphia.
Mr. Wiggins noted that Robert “Campy” Campolieto retires after 40 years of teaching science and living at LA. “Campy has given his all to LA, in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in the residential program. As one of a few faculty members who has witnessed the school evolve and grow during the tenures of three heads, he has earned some well deserved rest.” He and his wife, Pam, will leave behind their faculty housing on Academy Way and expect to settle into their home on the Cape while spending winter months near Tampa, Florida.
Eli Durmer and Jessica Pine were praised for immediately settling into life in Dr. Greene and teaching in the Ninth Grade Program (science and humanities, respectively) after leaving a boarding school in Arizona. As coaches, Eli was especially committed to the ski team, and Jess to basketball and the fledgling track program. Both did heavy lifting in the residential life program and proved themselves as capable triple-threat individuals who enjoyed participating in all aspects of school life.” Jess and Eli, who he said have dreamed of teaching overseas, are leaving LA to teach at The Leysin American School, a co-ed boarding school in Switzerland.
Mr. Wiggins began his tribute of ESL Director Karen Bowley by making note of her dedication to working with LA’s international students over the past eight years. “No matter the hour of the day, Ms. Bowley has always made herself available to her charges, and they have greatly appreciated and admired her for this.” He went on to explain how the entire school has benefited from her work as a co-founder of the Cultural Coffeehouse Series. Mrs. Bowley will next serve as the ESL director at Marianapolis Prep, located in Thompson, Conn.
Referring to Brooke Whitney as “an extraordinary athlete in her own right,” Mr. Wiggins said that the associate director of athletics had dedicated herself to the coaching profession and to promoting athletics as an integral part of the LA experience. “She has inspired each of her players to think about sport as something greater than the individual,” he said. As a hockey coach who is dedicated to the sport, her athletes, and their success, Ms. Whitney “has always gone that extra mile for her players,” said Mr. Wiggins. Ms. Whitney leaves as a result of a restructuring in the athletic department.
Marion Phillips, following her four years at LA, is leaving to pursue and all-expenses-paid Ph.D. in French at the University of California, Berkeley. “One doesn’t get full-ride scholarships unless one is incredibly talented,” he said, noting that her students “have had the opportunity to be taught by a gifted educator with a remarkably kind and self-deprecating personality.” Mr. Wiggins expressed his hope that the outgoing dorm parent in Lawrence House might return to resume teaching at LA as Dr. Phillips.
Beth Penney, also leaving after four years, “has given much to her NGP students and has been influential in helping the NGP curriculum evolve in a very deliberate and meaningful way,” Mr. Wiggins said in praise of the science teacher whose love of the outdoors and passion for sustainability have been contagious. “She has opened the minds of her students and colleagues in helping LA to become more energy-efficient and environmentally conscious. I cannot thank her enough for starting us down that important path.” In her final year, Ms. Penney served as LA’s coordinator of sustainability initiatives. Next year, she will do consulting in public schools of her native New Hampshire.
Blair Barnes, whom Mr. Wiggins described as “a versatile French and Spanish teacher for the past three years,” has also served as a dorm parent in Prescott House and was saluted as a passionate coach of girls’ soccer and basketball. “He has always placed high expectations on his students and himself. From his experiences as both a public and independent school educator at the secondary school level, Blair has demonstrated that he is capable of connecting with students of various abilities.” Following what Mr. Wiggins called a “commendable job” at Lawrence Academy, Blair moves with his wife, Rose, and their two children to live and work at The Hill School in Pottstown, Penn.
Christie Beveridge, according to Mr. Wiggins, “was an instant hit with students and faculty alike when she began teaching at LA [in the spring of 2007] as a sabbatical substitute for Mark Haman.” During her time at LA, he said, “Ms. Beveridge’s creativity and love of writing have been truly inspiring to her students. They have benefited both from her clear expectations and her kind and caring demeanor.” Next year, Ms. Beveridge will be teaching at the Vermont Commons School, an independent day school in Burlington, Vt.
Stacey Low, who worked for two years with Ms. Margraf as a co-director of residential life before taking on the post by herself this past year, “has worked tirelessly during her time at LA to bring excellence to the residential program and to build investment in this important component of school life. From keeping track of the whereabouts of boarders on weekends and vacations to inculcating best practices in running and supervising our dorms to beginning the crafting of a residential curriculum, Ms. Low has brought the residential program a long way.” Stacey is taking time off to care for her two young children.
In closing, Mr. Wiggins saluted Caroline Grinnell, a teacher of French who returned to school for a master’s degree to add the teaching of English as a Second Language to her growing list of responsibilities. “Ms. Grinnell co-founded and handed off to others the Cultural Coffeehouse Series, and most recently, she single handedly coordinated the school’s community service initiatives this past year.” Next year, she will join the faculty at the International School of Boston, a French-English bilingual independent day school in Cambridge for students in grades K–12.
Sabbaticals
Mr. Wiggins announced that an endowment fund at LA supports term-long sabbaticals for two members of the faculty each year. Next year’s recipients are Arts Chair Stephen Peisch and School Counselor Holly Steward. Both faculty members will spend their spring term on sabbatical.
Alumni Faculty Appreciation Award
Next to speak at the podium, following a brief introduction by Mr. Wiggins and a description of the services performed by class agents by Mr. Moore, assistant head of school, on the nature of class agents, was Kevin McDonald ’70. Mr. McDonald, who is the outgoing president of the Alumni Council and the father of Grady ’10, was introduced as an exemplary class agent who has guided his class each year to unparalleled rates of participation in Annual Fund giving (70%).
In his brief remarks, Mr. McDonald explained to the student body what the alumni body already know—that this year’s vote expressing gratitude for a teacher’s long-lasting influence on so many students went in favor of George Peabody, who retired in 2001 after nearly 40 years of service to Lawrence Academy. In noting that all students who pass into the ranks of the alumni will have their chance to honor a teacher in the same way, Mr. McDonald joined the community in applause for Mr. Peabody, who had received the award during Reunion 2010, held in early May. Mr. Peabody and his late wife, Kathy, after whom the Kathy Peabody Award is named, raised three children who graduated from Lawrence, Paige ’84, Mark ’86, and Beth ’88.
Mr. McDonald reported on the annual Alumni Council challenge to the senior class to reach 100% participation in making a gift to the Annual Fund. Because the Class of 2010 met that challenge, the Alumni Council will donate $600 to the senior class gift to the school. “Why does the council do this? We want you as seniors to embrace this tradition of supporting LA as you move forward to college, career, and beyond,” Mr. McDonald said. By meeting the challenge and pledging similar support for the following four years, the Class of 2010 “has not only shown its appreciation for their time at Lawrence, but they are also demonstrating to future classes the importance of maintaining a strong and vibrant LA well into the future.”
Finally, after Mr. McDonald presided over an exchange on stage between the outgoing and incoming tri-presidents that extended that challenge to the Class of 2011, he invited all seniors to the Senior Breakfast to be hosted the next morning by the Alumni Council.
Departmental Chair for Excellence in Teaching
Each year, Mr. Wiggins presents the Departmental Chair for Excellence in Teaching Award to a member of the teaching faculty. After receiving recognition and a stipend, the teacher is called on to do a presentation the following year on pedagogy or his or her field of expertise. This year’s recipient is Brian Feigenbaum, director of dance and a teacher of history.
“Artist, athlete, performer, intellectual, attorney—each of these words could be used to describe this year’s recipient of the Departmental Award for Excellence in Teaching. But only the word “teacher” fully describes this individual,” Mr. Wiggins began. “Whether in the studio, the classroom, the nation’s capital, or wherever he happens to be standing, this educator challenges students and colleagues alike to question everything, to consider the larger context, to examine alternative possibilities, and to give serious consideration to how we might live differently—more intentionally.”
Mr. Wiggins went on to declare, “Brian Feigenbaum is the type of teacher who inspires students to think for themselves. Brian takes his students seriously and believes they have the capacity to bring about change.” He calls on students to delve below the surface of things and challenges them to “commit to something larger than themselves.”
Before concluding his remarks and saluting Brian for being “fully present with his students,” Mr. Wiggins said, “Students often remark that Brain changed their lives. I believe he would say he did not change them so much as he asked them to wake up.”
Remarks by the Head of School
In reflecting on how to describe this academic year, Mr. Wiggins said that his answer changes depending on what he recalls. Watching the powder puff football games—which the students themselves had organized—as well as the sportsmanship and camaraderie on display, he sees “the joy of engaging in a common enterprise” and says to himself, “That’s Lawrence Academy.” On the other hand, having to address the problem of stealing on campus causes him to take a step back and say, “This is not what Lawrence Academy is supposed to be.” The prom and Senior Beach Day showed him teenagers acting in exemplary fashion—the marks of a successful year. The choices made by a student that resulted in his expulsion revealed something quite different.
Mr. Wiggins challenged students to take a more active stance when they see behavior that “drives the community downhill.” He reminded them that the school mission statement calls on them to act for the common good, and he pledged to do more in the upcoming year to make that part of the mission come alive on campus. “We owe it to you,” he said, “to equip you with the skills, confidence, and ability to do the right thing in this world. I say, as the year comes to a close, that we have done a lot of ‘right things,’ but we have a long way to go. …We will begin next year with a new sense of purpose and excitement, and I’m looking forward to it.”
The Senior Bird Walk: Where’s Waldo, With Names
The year’s final assembly ended with a surprise reading by Dr. Mark Haman. In gratitude for the seniors having dedicated the yearbook to Doc, he read aloud a work of fiction he composed for the occasion—a work featuring an imaginary “bird walk” for seniors led by Karen Bowley and Jerry Wooding (the faculty’s most expert ornithologist). No one who knows Doc Haman would be surprised to learn that he embedded in his work of fiction the name of each and every senior—in a pun.
As this reporter lacks the skill necessary to do such a reading justice, he is happy to make an audio recording available to those readers who wish to become listeners—and, then, adoring fans of the witty storyteller and occasional purveyor of Doc’s Doggie Treats.
The Senior Bird Walk
