Media Hub

Welcome to Amin Abdul-Malik (college counseling), Pam Boushell (admissions), Sarah Burns (college counseling), Dave Fisher (development), Ann Gazin (US English), Napolean Jones-Henderson (US Art), Emilie Kosoff (US History), Julie Mallory (MS English), Adam Mayer (US math), Beth Rheingold (US English), Charlie Richardson (admissions), and Chris Robinson (MS science, issues). Welcome back to Amber Saunders Sites (LS math) and Michelle Simko Kriebel (US health and wellness).

At their orientation last week, the new folks heard Middle School math teacher Carrie Norry offer the following on McDonogh's mission.

"As I’m sure you know, all independent schools have mission statements that form the core of the school’s personality. I really like McDonogh’s, so I am going to read you each of the three sentences and offer some thoughts about each.

McDonogh School is a community that finds joy in work, in play, and in the discovery and realization of personal potential.

McDonogh is indeed a community; in fact, many refer to the McDonogh family. Before coming to McDonogh, I taught at two other independent schools with similar missions and students. During my first year here, I was repeatedly struck by the absolute commitment, respect, and love that so many of our faculty share for this school. Last year, when Marty McKibbin retired after 47 years at McDonogh, Dave Harley reminded the entire community that we were “standing on the shoulders of giants.” The lifers here have their tales of the old days—Tom Young even donned his old school uniform for an assembly. There is terrific pride wrapped up with the history and traditions of this school.

This first sentence also makes reference to joy. Simply put, people are happy at McDonogh. Students are, for the most part, eager to learn, and the teachers really enjoy what they do. When I spent a day interviewing at McDonogh over three years ago, I walked into Bo Dixon’s office to meet him for the first time. He was on the phone with the Good Humor man, trying to convince him to bring his ice cream truck to campus one spring afternoon. I took this as a good sign. Joy in work, joy in play—these are the things that drive the discovery and realization of our personal potential.

Here is the second of three sentences:

Strong, mutually respectful relationships among and between students and teachers inspire a passion for learning, a dedication to personal integrity, and a commitment to excellence.

These mutually respectful relationships are palpable, both in and outside of the classroom. There are so many unique aspects to McDonogh—the five day boarding program, the large number of faculty, staff, and administration living on campus—which contribute to this sense of family. This sentence also mentions commitment, and I believe that McDonogh is committed to its faculty in many ways. The one way that gets the most press is tuition remission. While this is no doubt a sizable line item in the budget, it is much more than a monetary gesture. It speaks to the heart of what the school believes—that its faculty are more than just teachers, they are mothers and fathers.

Finally, the second sentence makes reference to excellence. Excellence is easy to find at McDonogh. It is in the classrooms, on the stage and on the athletic fields, and I believe that it inspires our kids to be better students, performers, and citizens. It certainly inspires me to be a better teacher. The faculty here is quite motivated, and the school provides the tools for teachers to follow their interests and passions, whether it’s attending a conference or getting a new piece of technology. Here’s a personal story that should drive this point home.

Every teacher fantasizes—that is what the summer is for. Well, I am living proof that at McDonogh, fantasies become realities. My fantasy entailed collecting one million pennies during the course of a school year. I wanted my students to appreciate what one million of something actually looked like. It was completely crazy, but before I knew it, I had the full weight of the McDonogh community behind me. Lower schoolers trekked to the Middle School every Friday with wagons full of pennies in tow. Middle School English teachers hosted an essay contest to determine a rightful charity. Countless students counted the pennies each day in my room. The Upper School donated $2,700 that it had collected for community service. A teacher’s husband offered 100 used water jugs. Larry Johnston spent hours and hours solving logistical issues. The maintenance staff moved the pennies—more than 3 tons—so that everyone could see them. Virtually every member of the McDonogh community played a role in making this fantasy come true.

The final sentence reads as follows:

Embracing diversity of background, culture, and thought, the school builds upon its founder's original mission to provide a life-altering opportunity to develop in its students the will "to do the greatest possible amount of good."

While McDonogh is certainly a college preparatory school with high achieving students, the tone in the Middle School (which I assume is the same in other divisions as well) is clear—doing good is just as, if not more, important than doing well. In today’s fast-paced culture of over-achievement and consumerism, this is a vital message to get across—we truly want our kids to be good people, and we talk about it a lot. I find it telling that we have an honor code, but not an honor roll, in the Middle School.

I’d like to finish with one final thought. While tradition matters at McDonogh, we still look to move forward. This is where you new teachers come in. You are not replacing anyone here. You were hired for your unique blend of skills, talents, and energy. Ask the tough questions. Share your crazy ideas. If I may borrow a line from Ralph Davidson, the head of Greensboro Day School, my alma mater, McDonogh will never be the same because of you."