by TISH MELTON
As the school year comes to a close, it’s important to reflect on those who have had positive impacts on our Chadwick experience.
This year’s Departing Faculty and Staff Class of 2023 includes, alphabetically: Meg Bailey, Middle and Upper School English teacher; Ivan Baltazar, maintenance and grounds team member; Ken Cowan, Middle and Upper School Media Arts teacher; Jolie Hughes, associate teacher in the Village School; Qian Kang, sixth- through 12th-grade Chinese teacher; Miguel Lopez, Director of Facilities Management and Planning; Bruce Poch, Executive Director of College Counseling; Rowena Potter, Accounts Receivable Specialist; Tom Sheppard, Interim Head of School; Nina Swan, Village and Middle School Spanish teacher; Jeannette Webber, Test Coordinator; Mark Wiedenmann, Director of the Upper School; Jake Williamson, English Department Chair; Jordan Wong, Extended Day Manager; Kimberly Wood, Interim Theater Instructor; Anna Yamada-Hall, STEM Support Manager, and Dillon Yamada-Hall, STEM and robotics teacher.
When asked about her favorite Chadwick memory, Bailey, who is retiring, recalled one of the first graduations that she attended as a teacher.
“The student body president wrote a note to every senior and put it under their chair, and that to me is so Chadwick,” she said.
Webber shares a similar sentiment as Bailey, and urges members of the Chadwick community to take in every small detail of their experiences.
“Listen. Almost every day, I hear something funny that makes me laugh or something from which I learn as a way to give back, or something that brings me joy,” she says. Webber’s helpfulness and positive spirit throughout the stress of the testing season was not taken for granted, and the relationships she has made with her colleagues are long-lasting.
“I have worked in this office among the kindest, most compassionate and thoughtful people imprinting on me in many positive ways, and I have grown as a person,” Webber said.
Cowan, who became Chadwick’s Media Arts teacher in 2020, reflected on the growth that he has seen in his students. “It’s an honor to connect with students over the course of multiple years and see their growth—see them growing at different stages of their development.”
Stepping down from his 30-year run as Upper School Director, and entering the Chadwick development office for alumni, Wiedenmann is a legend among his history students and the entire Chadwick community.
An avid believer that the Core Competencies are necessary in life after high school, Wiedenmann gives advice to his students based on Chadwick’s Mission Statement.
“The most important parts of the Mission Statement are ‘exemplary character’ and ‘self-knowledge.’
“There is a profound pressure on students today, given what’s going on in college admissions, to become extrinsically motivated and lose what they are truly interested in,” Wiedenmann said.
When asked what he will miss most about his position, “Wieds” responded: “The kids. The best part of my day is in class; the power never attracted me at all, it’s working with kids.”
Wiedenmann’s passion for teaching has left a mark on both his faculty colleagues and students. He will be missed by the entire Chadwick community, but he’ll still be on campus next year for all of your history and healthy beverage queries.
Sheppard, who has served as Chadwick Interim Head of School for the past two years, will become the new Head of School at University Liggett School (K-12) in Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
“I’ve felt welcomed in a way that I hope is true for every new Chadwick student or employee. The experience doesn’t play out that way for newcomers at all schools, so I’ve known that in Chadwick I found a very, very special place,” he said.
All of the departing faculty and staff members will no doubt continue to impact others. Their time at Chadwick was deeply appreciated, and the Chadwick community will miss them dearly.
Said Sheppard: “Never take for granted the many things there are to appreciate about Chadwick. There are so many powerful aspects to the Chadwick community that make it a remarkable place to spend your most formative years as a student or to follow your professional passions as an educator.”
The Mainsheet 