In their own words...
Since my first day as a counselor in the fall of 1986, I have been privileged to witness the courage and strength of our students as they work toward overcoming personal, family, and socioeconomic challenges.
For many of them—and for me—perhaps the most difficult period of our time at PA occurred following the tragic loss of a student who took his own life on campus in February 2000. In the recorded history of Andover, this was the first such event on campus. The loss of this student was devastating to all, and we needed to quickly develop ways to provide support for the entire community as we struggled with our profound grief. We also wished to honor this student’s memory and work toward returning to the normal daily life of school. Of course, how could we ever return to what was normal when such a loss challenges our assumptive world?
Because of the contributions of faculty, administrators, and parents, we were able to weather this crisis and emerged somewhat battered, but whole, and able to go on with life and our tasks as part of this great school.
As I reflect on the various challenging and celebratory events during my 30 years here, I cannot imagine being anywhere else. While I look forward to new adventures, I will miss the energy, caring, and excitement of this wonderful community.