The Avonian // FALL 2020
3
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Greetings!
A
fter a long six months without students, I was thrilled to have the boys return to campus in early September and for the Brotherhood to come together again. Each of us at Avon has missed the energy, the camaraderie, and the sense of community the students bring to Avon Old Farms School. Mrs. Riddle is undoubtedly happy to see her campus alive again! With a summer of uncertainty about repopulating our campus, I am pleased to report our hard work and extensive planning has allowed for a safe and successful learning environment for our students. The fall semester presented some challenges with maintaining social distances and wearing masks, but, in true Avon spirit, our students and faculty have risen to the occasion. Students have embraced the flexible style of learning with outdoor classes while our dedicated faculty navigate the balance of teaching in-person and online. COVID-19 restrictions prohibited us from having our traditional October Family Weekend full of activities and sports on campus. Instead, we hosted a virtual Family Week with our guest speakers, Joe Ehrmann and Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Jeffrey Marx, engaging in interactive webinars for our parents and students to share important messages about being a good man in modern society. The boys were able to take a much-needed break from our closed campus and visited relatives for the long weekend before returning for the final five weeks of the
semester, which ended on November 20. It won’t be the festive end to 2020 we are accustomed to—Boar’s Head, Toys for Tots, and the Christmas Classic Hockey Tournament will not dot the December calendar—but there will be modified celebrations reminiscent of these traditions. This past June, we lost a beloved former headmaster, George M. Trautman. We dedicate this issue to George and his family with a special tribute feature on his extraordinary career at Avon and his lasting legacy. George was an important mentor for me as I began my career as an educator 28 years ago. He constantly put his faith in me and provided opportunities that gave me an excellent foundation to become the head of school. This semester, I taught a leadership course for our seniors, and much of the strength, style, and wisdom I shared with the boys comes from my experience working under George’s reign. Avon is fortunate to have had men of excellent character at the helm guiding our school, and in this historic time in our culture, George will always remain an exemplary role model for our young boys. I wish you the very best for a happy and healthy holiday season! Aspirando et perseverando! JIM DETORA P’12
Head of School
