Janella Brand - Holy Innocents' Episcopal School

Feature
From Janella
On young children:
“They are so honest and untouched – what
they are to be, they’re now becoming. And it’s
such a wonderful opportunity to be a part of
the becoming.”
Luckily, the right person was in place
to make that happen. Dorothy Sullivan
immediately recognized how the
temperament and insight of Jenny’s mom
Ginny Lewis and Gracie Northcutt
share time with Janella.
would be successful in the classroom.
“Janella and Lee were very supportive
parents,” remembers Dorothy, “which kind
of starts the process of what we do and how
we do it. She is so calming and gracious
and slow to anger or criticize. She’s very
centered and stable with a great deal of
sweetness and a supportive nature about
her. That was very apparent from the first
time I met her.”
And it has been apparent to every mom,
dad and colleague Janella has worked with
ever since. As Associate Head of School
Rick Betts says, “Everybody who comes in
contact with her comes away with a good
feeling, a warm feeling. Even if it was a
difficult conversation about a controversial
subject, she has a way of calming the
waters every time.”
A Soft Touch
When speaking of Janella, many people
at HIES mention the same things – her
caring, calm and nurturing way; her ability
to defuse tension; her levelheadedness as
Principal of the Alan A. Lewis Pre-School.
But Janella didn’t come to Holy Innocents’
as a principal; she was hired as a 2nd grade
Emily Menay
teacher. And for the first 19 years of her
tenure, that was her role.
Dorothy Sullivan tells a story that sheds
light on her friend’s teaching skills. “One
of the things that can be hard on the
administration of the Lower School is that
parents request teachers, and of course,
you can’t always accommodate. One year I
had 39 parents want Janella as their child’s
teacher. I thought it was a great honor for
Janella that half of the whole community
wanted her as their teacher – I’m sure the
other half did too, but didn’t think to request
it.”
Ms. Heather Hahn ‘91 is one of a number
of current Pre-School teachers who had
Janella both as a 2nd grade teacher and
now as a principal. “It’s taken me awhile to
be able to call her ‘Janella’ – I still want to
call her ‘Mrs. Brand,’” says Heather. “She’s
always been a mentor of mine. Even when I
left here after 8th grade, I would come back
and visit Mrs. Brand. She really believed in
the kids that she taught. She believed that
we could do anything, could accomplish
anything. And she still believes that.”
Out of the classroom
Janella’s 20th year at our school, 1996-97,
was her first in a new position. “She was
the first assistant principal ever at Holy
Innocents’,” remembers Dorothy Sullivan.
“It’s a job that involves a lot of discipline.
Typically, discipline in Lower School is
because of physical action – pushing or
hitting or something – and it’s difficult for
most people to keep emotions out of it. But
From Dorothy Sullivan
“(Janella) always put writing – not
handwriting, but composition – at the very
front of the fire. She wanted every 2nd
grader to start that process of learning to
write and enjoy expressing themselves.
She would publish their works and bring in
visiting writers. It was the strongest – and, I
think it was to her the most important – part
of her program. And it worked beautifully.
And we got a lot of good writers out of that
2nd grade program due to her work.”
she was so fair and so patient with those
children, trying to teach them ways of doing
things that would keep them out of trouble.
She never stopped teaching.”
Janella remembers her time as Assistant
Principal quite fondly. “I just loved being
Assistant Principal because I knew the
children. Part of my responsibility was to
discipline them and everyone thought,
‘oh well that’s just the world’s worst thing,
you’re going to hate that.’ But it turned out
to be quite a blessing, because I knew the
students – I’d taught them in 2nd grade –
and I could sort of tailor-make whatever we
needed as far as discipline.”
The role was short-lived, however,
because in 1998, the new Alan A. Lewis
Pre-School needed the right person to serve
as Principal. “I don’t think there was even
a consideration of doing a search,” says
Dorothy Sullivan. “Sue Groesbeck just said
‘I want Janella to do this,’ and everyone
agreed. Really, there was no reason to look
for anyone else.”
It almost didn’t happen, though. “When
they offered me the job here in Pre-School,”
says Janella, “I almost didn’t take it, because
I loved what I was doing so much in the
Lower School. If I had not taken this job,
though, I would have missed one of life’s
greatest blessings. It is just so rewarding to
be around these very young children and to
be a part of it and see how it all starts out.”
Those blessings go both ways, though,
because it’s hard to imagine the Pre-School
without Janella, either. As Rick Betts says,
“Janella is one of those people who comes
to personify an institution – she is the Alan A.
Lewis Pre-School. They’re synonymous. “
In typical fashion, however, Janella
deflects all credit for the sterling reputation
of the Pre-School. “The support we get from
our parents is really the reason we’ve had
such success here. When a student realizes
that his parents and teachers are working
together, it develops a sense of respect and
adds importance to the lessons and school
environment,” she says. “And it allows us,
as teachers, to nurture in a different way – a
more personal way – which results in more
opportunities and more teachable moments.”
Graduation
Feature
The next school year will be the first
since Gerald Ford was president without
either Dorothy Sullivan or Janella Brand
on campus. Some people are, of course,
concerned about what that means, exactly.
“On the one hand, it’s been a beautiful
experience to work with both Janella and
Dorothy. But for the school to lose both
of them – that’s 60 years of HI experience
leaving,” says Kirk Duncan. “And that’s
tough for any organization – you’re never
going to replace that. But what they’ve
added here will always be here. They’ve
created the Holy Innocents’ atmosphere
and lived the philosophy. And those things
– the intangibles that make our school so
special – will forever bear their imprint. Long
after the rest of us have moved on, Dorothy
and Janella’s influence on this school will
continue. And thank goodness for that.”
From Rick Betts
“A key piece of what she does is parent
education. Particularly when the Pre-School
student is the oldest child in the family – you
know kids don’t come with instructions
– and that Pre-School age, the first time
the student leaves the nest, there’s some
anxiety. And Janella has spent a great
deal of time and effort helping parents to
understand the developmental stages of
children and what are proper expectations.”
To the Members of the Holy Innocents’ Community
I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you and my affection for you. During my many years here I have been blessed to be
a part of this fine school. I will greatly miss the connections I have made with students, parents, colleagues and friends. You have touched my
life in a wonderful way. I could recount pages of examples and stories of which you are a part. I have always felt supported by this strong faith
community. My fond memories will serve to bolster and sustain me as I move into the next chapter of my life.
The soul is healed by being with children. - Fyodor Dostoevsky
Left: Corinne Bicknese, Olivia Stockert, My Bui,Janella Brand and Left to Right: Caroline Nick, Gia Cullens, Chase Pelletieri, Henry Reams
24 | torchbearer Spring 2008 torchbearer Spring 2008 | 25
Thank you,
Mat Campbell