From the Head of School
Celebrating Our Community EDITOR Amanda Mahnke Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications
CONTRIBUTORS Samantha Amadio Marketing & Communications Specialist
Megan Boyle Flinn ’87 Contributing Writer
Shelly Hillman Marketing & Communications Storyteller
Alison Monzo Director of Programs, Center for the Advancement of Girls
Brooke Norrett Corr Director of Alumnae Relations ’95
DESIGN Melodee Dill Stephens PHOTOGRAPHY Samantha Amadio Douglas Benedict / Academic Images Shelly Hillman Amanda Mahnke Donna Meyer Jim Roese THE AGNES IRWIN SCHOOL Ithan Avenue and Conestoga Road Rosemont, PA 19010-1042 agnesirwin.org Grades PreK–4 Tel: 610-801-1340 Grades 5–12 Tel: 610-801-1869 FRONT COVER Head of School Sally Keidel drives a gator around the Lower School loop as students and faculty cheer on Mr. Wigs Frank, honoring his 36 years of teaching and mentorship at Agnes Irwin. Mrs. Keidel, upper schoolers, and even some faculty donned khakis, blue shirts, and ties (along with some wigs!) to celebrate Mr. Frank, who retired at the end of the school year. Learn more on page 35.
Welcome to the Summer 2021 issue of Agnes Irwin Magazine. Every school year is special, but this year even more so. What began as a year filled with uncertainty and a commitment to in-person learning ended with the celebration of important milestones and beloved traditions. My heart was filled with joy watching May Fair dances, a reimagined Medieval Night, and a class dance for the 8th graders celebrating their Middle School closing ceremonies. We held a beautiful Commencement for our special seniors. The 151st Class of 2021 kicked off the school’s second sesquicentennial this past year with resilience and a can-do spirit. It was not the year they imagined, but they filled us with hope and optimism with their leadership, positivity, and flexibility. We bid farewell in June to some extraordinary retiring educators who collectively served The Agnes Irwin School for 105 years. Their dedication and passion for teaching leaves a legacy to inspire the talented new faculty and administrators who begin their AIS journey this summer. Among them is Joy Prince, a teacher-leader with over 30 years of experience who joins us from the Atlanta Girls’ School as Upper School Director. Joining her is Nico Washington, Chief Financial Officer, Allison Price, Director of Enrollment Management, and Jubin Kwon, Director of Marketing and Communications. Our new administrators arrive on a campus buzzing with excitement about the 20212022 school year. Lower School math teachers are implementing a forward-thinking curriculum designed to expand language through mathematical mindsets. Also set to launch this fall is a new Middle School schedule, one that is intentional about balancing the developmental needs of middle school girls with the challenge of our academic program. And with 18 new course offerings in the Upper School for 2021-22, including Asian Studies, Confronting Bias, Working Toward Equity, and Engineering 2: Smart Systems & Applications, there is something new to explore for every girl. Until then, please enjoy the remaining weeks of summer and take some time to recharge. We look forward to welcoming our new families and new faculty and staff, as well as greeting alumnae and parents back on campus as we gradually return to hosting in-person events once again. We are fortunate to count all of you in our community, and we have missed having you here. The privilege of welcoming you back to campus will make the 2021-2022 school year all the more sweet.
Sally B. Keidel
SUMMER 2021 AGNESIRWIN.ORG
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