ACADEMIC
HIGHLIGHTS
LEFT TO RIGHT: HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL DR. JACOB DIBBERT, ACTING MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD CARRIE WHITNEY, AND HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL MARK TAYLOR.
Meet the Division Heads Bancroft’s Divisional Leadership Team has two familiar faces and one new to the Bancroft community joining new Head of School Stephanie Luebbers this year. The team is leaning into a school model which highlights cross-divisional connections, innovative teaching, and active learning. Meet the three people that are driving the Bancroft curriculum forward in 2023-24. Mark Taylor, Head of Upper School Mark Taylor became Head of Upper School in 2020. Now in his 18th year of service on Shore Drive, Mark has worked for Bancroft as an English Teacher, Tennis and Soccer Coach, and Director of Community Engagement. Having worn many hats during his tenure, as well as being a Bancroft parent to Helen Taylor ’26, Mark is able to bring multiple vantage points to his current role. “I’ve been able to look at things from several different perspectives over the past three years, including some from my time as a faculty member, as well as the Director of Community Engagement when I was looking beyond our work at Bancroft. I’ve found this combination both rewarding and instructional, since I am con20
stantly reflecting on how I approach each situation, instead of focusing on only one way to do things.” As he looks to the future of the Upper School, Mark envisions continued growth of inquiry based learning with the strength of his excellent faculty and engaged students. He is also excited about what is being built school-wide with his counterparts from the Middle and Lower School. “Working with the other divisions, we in the Upper School will be further defining our guiding principles and best practices for teaching and learning. Areas for us to focus on include assessment for learning, differentiated instruction, and of course inquiry. Our faculty have been invaluable in developing important definitions, including the beginning stages of ‘a portrait of a graduate’ in which we identify the most important traits and characteristics of a Bancroft student. I have been inspired and helped by feedback from alumni when they return to campus and tell us they feel very well-prepared to communicate confidently, self advocate, and become engaged in their communities. Those ideas have been essential points of navigation for our work here.”
