Fall 2005 PDF - Milton Academy

New Roles for Milton Faculty MembersRichard G. HardyUpper School PrincipalRobin Robertson announced tothe faculty and students thisspring that Rick Hardy, chair ofthe English department, hadaccepted the invitation tobecome principal of the UpperSchool. The position wasappealing to Rick because of theopportunity, he said “to workclosely with a lively, bright studentbody and a talented, committedfaculty.”Rick has taught English for 24years, 22 years as a member ofMilton’s English department.Rick’s teaching has spannedGrade 7 to Class I, and he hasincorporated a love of acting anddirecting that was spawned ingraduate school at Brown withMilton students and faculty. Rickassumed the role of Englishdepartment chair in 1999.Rick’s long experience as ateacher, his leadership of thedepartment, and his service, in2000–2001, as interim UpperSchool principal, have preparedhim well “to help the faculty beinvolved effectively in decisionsthat affect the learning environment—theexperiences studentsshould have and the competenciesthey should develop.”During the coming year Rick,for instance, will guide theUpper School through a decisionabout scheduling, the identificationof the next athletic director,continued progress toward newlearning centers in science andvisual art, and an Academy-wideproject aimed at making sureour values are explicit andexpressed in student experience.During his years at Milton, hehas been a house head inFaulkner, and with his wife, Del,a member of the house facultyin Goodwin. He has coachedgirls’ JV softball, boys’ JV baseballand boys’ 4th soccer. Rick,his wife, Del, and their children,Aidan (Class I) and Owen(Grade 8) live on campus.As Robin Robertson said to facultymembers at the time ofRick’s appointment, “I am confidentthat under his leadership,we will continue to addressthoughtfully the issues importantto our future. As we work inthe Upper School to improve ouruse of time, enhance our athleticprograms and build two newacademic buildings, Rick’s capabilitieswill serve all of us well.Please join me in congratulatinghim.”Rick HardyDavid BallAcademic DeanDavid B. Ball, Milton AcademyClass of 1988, assumed the positionof academic dean this summer.David returned to Milton in1999 to join the history department,after six years on the facultyat the Montgomery Academyin Montgomery, Alabama.There, David taught UnitedStates history and coached thedebate team; ultimately, heserved as Montgomery Academy’shistory department chair,and that experience sparked aninterest in administrative work.At Milton, David taught economics,a course that had steadilygained enrollment over the lastseveral years. In addition, Davidparticipated with other membersof the department in developingand teaching Milton’s groundbreakingtwo-year course,launched in 2002—The UnitedStates in the Modern World. In2005, David served as interimchair of the History department.As in Montgomery, Davidcoached Milton’s debaters forfour years.Pursuing his interest in issuesthat were institutional in scopeand impact, David served on twotrustee committees—the BudgetCommittee and the EnrollmentCommittee. The position of academicdean held particularappeal for David, as it will allowhim to consider those broaderissues even as he focuses on theintellectual growth of MiltonDavid Ball ’88students. “What happens in theclassroom, in the lab, and inthe library defines Milton as avibrant educational community,”David notes. “The energy andtalent here make Milton a greatplace to learn, and it’s a privilegeto share in the good work thatour students and teachers do.”He was a member of theDiscipline Committee, andserved on the Senior ProjectCommittee.After Milton, David attendedPrinceton, where he earned abachelor’s degree, and DukeUniversity, where he earned amaster’s degree in history.63 Milton Magazine