The Park Parent April-May 2013 - The Park School

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Linda Knight, continued from page 1her life partner, Betsey Greenman.Upon returning to the United States, she accepted a jobteaching P.E. at The Park School. Over the course of her 40years on Goddard Ave., Linda has taught literally thousands ofstudents – from four-year-olds on balance beams to Grade VIjuggling classes. Linda is always measured and kind, and expectsevery student to make his or her best effort. On Linda’s very firstday in September 1973, she insisted that all the girls wear socks toP.E. “I remember that the girls complained vehemently about meand this requirement to Margo Smith, who was Assistant Head atthe time.” But Linda would not yield, and at the year-end athleticsaward ceremony, she received a bottle of champagne as a thankyou from the Grade IX girls, who had come to love and acceptMs. Knight.Socks were not the only change Linda brought to the P.E.curriculum. First, she and the department determined that theboys and girls would have co-ed classes – after all, it was 1973,the era of equal rights for women! In the spirit of equality, sheadded a Morris stick dance to May Day so boys could participate,too. By her second year, Linda had become the head of theP. E. Department. She took a fresh look at the pedagogy and skilldevelopment that students would encounter during their years atPark. Linda’s philosophy was to separate the essence of physicaleducation and athletics. “They really have two separate goals,”she explains. “P.E. is all about introducing kids to a wide arrayof activities and skills and encouraging them to participate. Wewant students to enjoy being active for life!” After-school sportsat the middle school level provide children a competitive experience,specialization, and choice, but they’re not for everyone.Linda notes that the athletic landscape has changed dramaticallyin 40 years. “The School only had 350 students when I arrived,”she says, “and there really weren’t any town sports to speak of, soeveryone supported the Park teams with gusto. Gymnastics werehuge in the 70s and 80s, and more than 100 kids participated in aSaturday gymnastics program that we ran.”Over time, Linda gravitated away from coaching and devotedmore of her time to teaching. “While I spent many years coachinggirls’ basketball, lacrosse, and field hockey, and co-ed gymnastics,I always had a passion for getting kids active and helping thosewith lesser skills succeed.”Since 1990, Linda Knight has also been synonymous withPark’s Internship in Teaching Program. Former Headmaster BobHurlbut started the program over 40 years ago with the intentionof letting well-educated young people try out teaching in anelementary school. “Most established internship programs werein high schools, and most had a required grad school component,”Linda explains. “Bob’s hope was to let recent college graduatesdiscover how much fun and rewarding teaching Park-agedstudents could be.” Under her leadership, Linda has endeavoredto maintain the original spirit of the Intern Program. “Bringingseven or eight bright, well-educated individuals to experienceteaching at Park every year is exhilarating,” she says. “And it’sincredibly rewarding to see so many former interns thrive as membersof the faculty,” recalling Melody Bartlett, Dorothea Black,Peter Bown, LaToya Downing-Peltier, Tracy Duliban, DanEberle, Kyra Fries, Liesl Gilman, Meg Lloyd, Paul Newmark,Jessica Niebuhr, Christian Porter, Jen Riley, Sarah Rose, RituSingh, Paul Toussaint, and Leah Walters among her protégés.Other former interns are making their mark on education acrossthe country – from Brendan Largay, head of Meadowbrook’smiddle school, to Ronnie Codrington, who assumed the helm ofthe Evergreen School in Seattle this year.“I’ve had the opportunity to wear many hats at Park,” Lindareflects, “which has allowed me to develop talents I didn’t evenknow I had. At Park, you don’t get pigeon-holed into your subjectarea.” Linda served on the first Faculty Compensation Committee,and in 1995, Linda coordinated the School’s AISNE re-accreditation,which proved to be a wonderful professional challengeAn exuberant Linda Knight has inspired and led students in a varietyof roles at Parkfor her. She has also served as a secondary school counselor, thedirector of scheduling, and as the head advisor for Grade VIIincluding leading the very first four-day class camping trip to Mt.Monadnock in 1975, known as Project REASON.While Linda knows she will miss both her students andcolleagues at Park, she is excited to jump into an active retirementwith Betsey. They are planning on more time in the garden,community service, and visiting family and friends. This summer,the outdoor lovers will begin splitting the year between theirsummer cottage in Port Clyde, Maine, and their off-season homein Orleans on Cape Cod. They are also planning to travel aroundthe U.S. to National Parks, and to Australia, New Zealand, andSwitzerland where they can enjoy walking and hiking. Bon voyageand bon chance, Linda, please stay in touch!The Park Parent // PAGE 8
David Lawton, continued from page 1in raising Jared with his wife, Carole, David worked part time atthe Fessenden School teaching music classes and giving privatepiano lessons.He joined the Park faculty in 1977, and incorporated a greateremphasis on Orff instruments into the Kodaly-based curriculumwhile serving as Music Department Head. In that time, Davidhad the great pleasure to work with Lynn Weber and Mary KayBurton, two remarkable music teachers and inspiring colleagues.After teaching music to 4- through 15-year-olds, David realized,“I knew I loved teaching but I had serious doubts about remaininga music specialist.” Then, a Park parent, Brad Taylor, offeredDavid a chance to step away from teaching and try his hand atsales in the mail order division of his fine stringed instrumentcompany. “For a year and a half, I sold string instrumentaccessories: cases, chin rests, and the like. In the end, I realizedthat I was missing my work with kids, but I wasn’t missing beingMusic, chess, and Middle Division students have marked DavidLawton’s success at Parka music teacher.”In 1982, David returned to Park to serve as an intern withGrade II teacher Becky Beardsley Deptula. “I owe her a hugeamount. Becky gave me the encouragement and confidence Ineeded to become a classroom teacher. Getting to focus on 16students, as opposed to the dozens of students taught by a musicspecialist, really appealed to me.” The next year, thanks to thefaith and encouragement from Headmaster Bob Hurlbut andLower School Division Head Janet Spaulding, as well as GradeV teacher Ruth Williams, David found himself in his own thirdgrade classroom, where he remained for the next 16 years! “Iloved the neighborhoods unit, taking classes into the NorthEnd, Chinatown, and conducting interviews with shopkeepersin Brookline Village,” David recalls. “Working along sideFACULTY FAREWELLSsome terrific Grade III colleagues – Comfort Halsey Cope, LizBliss, Ann Kopp, Mary Heard, and Ann Steinberg – I helpeddevelop our year-long Native American studies unit. It was agreat opportunity to deepen my own knowledge in this area andinspired mytravels to theAmericanSouthwest.”“Parkfinds waysto keep usre-chargedand excitedabout whatwe’re doing,”David says.During thefirst fewyears as a classroom teacher, David pursued another degree inthe evenings, a master’s in elementary education from UMassBoston. Because he has always enjoyed math, David served as theMath Curriculum Coordinator for K-V. Along the way, Davidco-chaired the Multicultural Committee for many years, was anactive member of the faculty Book Club, and started Park’s ChessClub. “I jumped up to Grade V for a couple of years, then movedto Grade IV in 2001, joining my wonderful colleagues Lucy Robband Ann Steinberg.” Grade IV’s Greek Studies program has beena particular favorite, especially after enrolling with Ted Wells in‘The Examined Life: Hellenic Studies in the Schools’, a course atBrandeis led by experts from area colleges and culminating in atwo-week study tour of Greece.“Teaching can be an energy-sapping endeavor,” David admits.“I’ve learned to set some limits and find ways to replenish, oftenwith music. My sabbatical year was renewing in exactly that way –just the right mix of travel and music.” David’s sabbatical in 1994offered him a chance to return to chamber music, connecting withclarinetist Peter McKinney and viola player Vivian Nash. Theyhave been playing chamber music together on Tuesday nightsever since.The Lawtons are already planning how they will spend someof their newfound time. David’s wife, Carole, retired six years agoand is looking forward to traveling with David during those timesof the year previously restricted by the academic calendar. Trips tothe National Parks look especially appealing in the off seasons. Ofcourse, they will be able to visit their son Jared, his wife Shandi,and their year-old grandson Ollie in New York City more often.There will also be more time for community service. But you canbet that David will reserve the lion’s share of his retirement hoursfor making music!APRIL-MAY 2013 // PAGE 9
Page 1 and 2: APRIL - MAY 2013The Park Parentin t
Page 3 and 4: Diversity at Park: A 20-Year Perspe
Page 5 and 6: tions raised as part of our Park21
Page 7: Park ReflectionsBY MIRA LEVITT, Act
Page 11 and 12: FACULTY INNOVATIONFACULTY INNOVATIO
Page 13: P.A. CORNERCommunity Service Commit

The Park Parent April-May 2013 - The Park School

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