The Andover Board of Trustees convened on campus this past Friday to deliberate on the Head of School candidates and present faculty members with awards for extraordinary teaching.
During their meetings, the Board of Trustees reviewed feedback from all the individuals who interacted with the candidates during their visits. The candidates visited campus three weeks ago and met with the faculty, students and administrators.
The Board also met with the Head of School Search Committee, which consists of numerous trustees and faculty members.
Nancy Jeton, Special Assistant to the Head of School, said, “This was a recap of what their process was. They really drilled down on the two finalists and what the thinking was from the search committee and why these were the two most qualified candidates and the details or their candidacy.”
After discussing the feedback, the Board of Trustees met with each of the candidates individually. The first hour consisted of a formal interview, while the second hour was a more casual opportunity for the Board to get to know the candidates, according to Jeton.
The Board met in a closed conference to discuss the candidates on Saturday morning.
The entire Board of Trustees, which includes Charter and Alumni trustees, was included in the discussions about the two candidates. Members of the Board of Trustees will vote on the new Head of School.
In addition to the Head of School deliberations, the trustees met with instructors and alumni to celebrate Andover faculty members.
Temba Maqubela, Dean of Faculty, and John Rogers, Dean of Studies, awarded seven teaching foundations, or awards given out annually to extraordinary faculty members.
Jerry Hagler, Instructor and Chair of the Biology Department, received the Peter Q. McKee Foundation. Christopher Shaw ’78, Instructor and Chair of the History Department, received the Class of 1945 Foundation.
Patrick Farrell, Instructor and Chair of the Mathematics Department, was awarded the Harris Family Foundation. Peg Harrigan, Instructor of Art, recieved the Zukermann Fellowship for Teaching and Learning.
Leon Holley, Instructor of Biology, received the Samuel Harvey Taylor Teaching Foundation. Greg Wilkin, Instructor of English, was awarded Margaret and Maurice Newton Foundation. Ellen Greenberg, Instructor of Mathematics, was awarded the Abbot Academy Teaching Foundation.
Jeton said that the teaching awards are funded by donors.
Jeton said, “A donor gives an amount of money to the school. The school invests it in an endowment fund, and the income from that is used to celebrate and support a particular faculty member along the lines of the donor’s wishes.”
The teachers who receive a foundation are typically given a stipend to help enrich their curriculum.
“It’s meant really for development to help them be even better teachers. So some people might buy particular materials that they might use in their classroom, they might attend a symposium, they might take a workshop. That’s really what the funds are meant for,” said Jeton.
Harrigan, recipient of the Zukerman Fellowship, will receive a discretionary grant for educational initiatives.
Harrigan said, “The appointment to the Zukerman Fellowship For Teaching and Learning a truly wonderful moment for me. I feel really blessed by the acknowledgement.”
Phillips Academy also awarded Distinguished Service Awards to alumni and parents for their volunteer efforts on behalf of the school. The recipients included members of the Parents of Students of Phillips Academy (PSPA). Elizabeth Artz Beim ’58, P’88, recieved an award for her work on the Board of the Peabody Museum.
Robert Campbell ’66 and Tristin Batchelder Mannion ’82, co-chairs for the Financial Aid Task Force, and Sandra and Michael Terry P’11, co-chairs of PSPA, and George Rider ’51, P’86, were also recognized.
