February 6, 2012
Dear Parents,
In times of transition, it is natural to reflect upon the people in our lives who have significantly impacted our charted course. When I think about my personal educational and professional path, I acknowledge the valuable support from many intelligent and judicious people who challenged me along the way. During formative experiences, people like my high school soccer coach, Mr. C., instilled in me the belief that, “If you stop getting better, you stop being good.” I see this creed in action every day at Nashoba Brooks, and I am energized by the opportunity to serve as the next Head of School for a community committed to continuous improvement.
In the coming months of 2012, our Nashoba Brooks School community will continue to reflect on the past while we purposefully chart the course for our school’s future. Thanks to Kay’s two decades of leadership and the collective efforts of the community, the groundwork has been carefully laid, and our school is poised and prepared for the upcoming months of transition. Before any more time passes, I want to update you on some of the exciting developments of this work—a new administrative structure for the Middle School, a full-time Diversity Coordinator, and additional access to counseling for students and families.
After careful analysis, we have adopted a new model for the Middle School administrative structure that will take effect on July 1, 2012. It will enrich the educational experience and the support we offer to students, parents, faculty, and staff. The current Assistant Head of School responsibilities will now be divided among three deans–a Dean of Students, a Dean of Faculty and an Academic Dean. Having a separate Dean to focus on each of these essential areas will ensure better breadth and depth of our program initiatives, and will provide valuable opportunities for faculty growth and professional development. Following completion of the application and interview process, the following Dean appointments have been made:
Lucy Douglass will assume the role of Dean of Students, and will be responsible for monitoring the overall middle school student experience at Nashoba Brooks. Lucy is a graduate of St. Lawrence University and holds a Master’s degree in Middle School Education from Lesley University. Throughout her seventeen years of experience as a teacher, advisor, and coach, she has combined proven best practice with current research to support students’ learning needs. Lucy will serve as the primary administrative contact for middle school families with regard to issues such as scheduling, tutoring, curriculum, and assessments.
As Dean of Faculty, Patti Murphy will manage the overall experience for faculty at Nashoba Brooks, coordinating recruitment and orientation for new faculty members, planning faculty meetings, and supporting professional development. Patti has demonstrated her outstanding management skills as a Team Leader and homeroom teacher. Drawing on her vast and varied teaching experience, creativity, and exceptional ability to lead and motivate diverse groups, Patti is able to move new ideas and initiatives from concept to completion with great success.
Sue Wurster will serve as the Academic Dean. Throughout Sue’s extensive career, she has created truly transformative learning experiences. Students who have worked with her in Humanities class, on the yearbook, or in Forensics, see in themselves limitless possibilities for learning, growth, and making a difference in this world. Sue exemplifies a commitment to personal excellence. As the Academic Dean, Sue will oversee curriculum development and evaluation as well as data collection and analysis to support our ongoing commitment to continuous learning and quality of program.
Our faculty is at the very core of our strength as a school, and we are delighted to have these talented and dedicated teachers in these new roles.
To reinforce this new structure and to ensure the success of our many ambitious goals for our students, faculty, and program, we are simultaneously launching a Teaching Fellowship program. Each Dean will be paired with a Teaching Fellow, who will assume one half of the Dean’s teaching responsibilities and assist with coaching, advising, and student activities. The Teaching Fellows have not yet been selected, but the candidate pool is terrific, and we will announce the Fellows as soon as we are able.
While these transitions occur in the Middle School administrative structure, there are no plans to alter the structure of the Lower School administration. Penny Jennings will continue to oversee all aspects of the Lower School academic program, providing support and guidance for students, families, and members of the faculty in Preschool through Grade 3.
Much of what makes the Nashoba Brooks learning experience exceptional is our commitment to community, character, confidence, and the underlying core value that connects them—diversity. We realize that all learning is enhanced by a myriad of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, and to support our ongoing commitment to diversity, we are currently searching for a full-time Diversity Coordinator. This newly expanded role will continue to serve as a resource for students, parents and faculty, providing support for curriculum development, learning opportunities, and community outreach. Additionally, the Diversity Coordinator will introduce a new program for Spanish language integration in Preschool through Grade 1.
We also know that in order to learn, our students need to have a sense of overall well-being. In an effort to augment the social-emotional support provided for Nashoba Brooks students, we are adding a full-time Counselor to complement Dr. Jane Greenstein’s work as Consulting Psychologist. As with the Fellows and the Diversity Coordinator, the search for this role is underway and we will keep you informed.
Over the course of the last year, we have also initiated a number of key projects to ensure the breadth and depth of our program. Among these many initiatives has been the close review of our curriculum, with focus on 21st century learning and skills; a revision of the world language program to allow students to study both Latin and Spanish; a shift toward more formative use of assessments to guide classroom instruction; an enhanced connection between our field trips and our curriculum; and a commitment to differentiated instruction. This is an ambitious agenda for any school, but we are committed to maintaining quality and momentum as we move ahead.
Your commitment to the school, your care for this community, and your dedication to ensuring a healthy future for your children fuels that momentum. Clearly, the collective wisdom of the Nashoba Brooks parents is a great strength for our school, and as we prepare for the transitions ahead, it is important to keep our lines of communication open. In the spirit of collaboration, I hope to hear your perspectives and answer any questions regarding new initiatives, projects, roles, and services during two informal coffees before school this spring. On the morning of March 28, we will focus most of the conversation on the Lower School; on April 24, the focus will be on the Middle School. Please feel free to attend either or both conversations, as I welcome the opportunity to see you and hear your thoughts.
In the months and years ahead, I look forward to continued collaboration with this exceptional community of learners—our gifted faculty and staff, our enthusiastic students, and you, our welcoming, caring parents—as we build upon the tradition of excellence that distinguishes Nashoba Brooks.
Sincerely,
Danielle B. Heard
Head Elect