Letter From the Editor

TEACH

My mother was convinced I would be a teacher—English to be specific. I always loved to read and write, and as a child I would often pretend to be a teacher. My “classroom” was in the cellar, with stuffed animals and dolls set up around me. I taught lessons using a wooden pointer stick my dad gave me (likely just an old dowel he wasn’t using) and wrote on a giant slate chalkboard that he screwed to the wall. In addition to educating my toys, I also relished being able to share things I learned with my parents and sister, “teaching” them what I knew.

Thanks to the influential people in my life, including my parents, the value of education was instilled in me early on. I knew that college, and eventually a master’s degree, would be in my future but I didn’t expect to work in education. A typical young adult, I “rebelled” against my mother, insisting that I’d never be an English teacher. It wasn’t until I met with my former head of school one afternoon during my sophomore year of college that I realized I might want to work in education. He told me that he thought private schools, like the one I attended, would be where I might excel. One January-term internship later, which I spent with their communications office, I was hooked.

Now, here at Tabor after more than 20 years working in independent schools across the nation, I can say that I’ve spent time in two different administrative departments, lived in a dorm, and even taught middle and high school classes (digital art, public speaking, and journalism). While my time in the classroom was brief—and never as an English teacher like my mother predicted—I did find my niche in schools working in marketing and communications.

There’s something special about a career at a school. We get to watch students enter as adolescents, seeking experience and knowledge, and then we see them graduate as young adults, ready for whatever life brings them. After they head off to their next endeavors, my job allows me to stay connected as they celebrate milestones in their personal lives and advancements in their careers. It is rewarding to know that schools like Tabor make an impact on our students’ lives, shaping who they are today.

When we decided to do an issue dedicated to education, the possibilities were endless. There are so many incredible stories that we could tell about Tabor’s history, people, and programs. We have done our best to represent as much of Tabor as possible in this issue, but we couldn’t possibly cover all aspects of this stellar School by the Sea.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy these stories about Tabor’s past, the exciting advancements taking place now, and learn about our alums who have also found careers within the enriching field of education.