And the Award Goes to… Seawolf Faculty

As we focus on our student’s successes as they strive toward fulfilling Tabor’s mission, there are others among us who bring our mission to life through their own pursuit of lifelong learning and high standards of achievement: Our faculty and staff.

This spring during a virtual faculty meeting, we took some time to recognize three incredible individuals. While it was odd not to have the full school present, and to “clap” with microphones muted, it was still heartwarming to recognize some of the excellence of our faculty.

Jesse Hawley, Drama 

How do you produce a musical during a pandemic? That question is so daunting that most schools might cancel their annual Musical production. But Drama Teacher and Musical Director Jesse Hawley was not deterred. She faced the challenge full steam ahead and alongside Musical Director Tian Zhou and Choreographer Janine Hart, worked through complicated logistics to ensure that “Covid Cabaret” was a huge success!  Dr. Zhou notes that Jesse pulled together a cast and crew of 40 in-person and remote students and worked tirelessly on this year’s musical—a revue of 14 songs from different musicals, with the theme of “coming together”.

Julie Przybyszewski, Director of Health Services

Much of Tabor’s success this past year is due to Julie’s commitment to keeping our faculty, staff and students safe during Covid. Colleague Pam Nadeau praised Julie’s hard work, “This person, at full force, took on the task of handling the intricate challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her main objective has and always will be to keep our students and every single one of us safe. Julie P. may be petite in stature, but she has stayed strong, though I do know that she must feel the weight of our community's health on her shoulders.” And Miranda Laperle stated the obvious, “A school does not exist without the people in it, and Julie and her team made sure that we could be here together. That is something we are all incredibly grateful for knowing that the remote periods caused so much isolation.”

Kenny Ackerman, Spanish 

If you swing by the Travis Roy Rink on a given night in the winter, chances are you will hear the thumping of music, the carving of ice skates, and the sound of laughter from the student-athletes of the Tabor Hockey League. Andrew McCain said, “We are nominating Kenny for all he does at Tabor but more specifically for his work with hundreds of students through THL over the years. Ask anyone who has participated in THL and they will tell you it is one of the best things they did at Tabor. Period.” Kenny’s leadership and tenacity create a safe, fun, and inclusive platform for students to try something new. In a community dedicated to positive student experiences, THL has delivered year in and year out.

Framed photos along with the full citations read will be displayed in the Atrium of the Math/Science Wing of the Academic Center to honor the commitment, dedication, and skill of these individuals. 

Congratulations to the 2021 Seawolf Faculty Award winners!