Upper School says goodbye to departing faculty
Leaving faculty members reflect on their time at the school
Whether you have taken AP Human Geography, been placed in his United States History class, attended a practice of Speech and Debate Club, or simply just walked by the history office, you’ve probably exchanged a smile or a friendly “hello” with Upper School (US) History Teacher Steele Sternberg. Mr. Sternberg will be leaving the US in June to teach at the Noble and Greenough School.
Mr. Sternberg came to the US from the Hackley School, a private school in upstate New York, to be closer to his now wife, a librarian at Nobles. He joined the History Department during the 2020-21 school year.
Beyond teaching, Mr. Sternberg has led a reaccreditation committee, served as an advisor to a group he will “really, really miss,” acted as a Senior Spring Project mentor, facilitated workshops on creating effective and interesting field trips, and led the school’s debate team.
The students have made Mr. Sternberg’s time at the US rewarding, he said.
“You, the students, you’re by far the hardest thing to leave. You guys are just interesting. You’re motivated. You come from cool backgrounds. You aren’t the normal sort of private school kid. That is by far and away my favorite thing about this place.”
He said he has found a supportive environment of teachers and colleagues here.
“There’s way fewer teachers here who phone it in than other schools. Everyone here really tries hard every day to do a good job. In general, that has been very positive for my professional development.”
The best compliment Mr. Sternberg has ever received about his teaching came from a former student, he said.
“Caroline White ’23 said, ‘You know, Mr. Sternberg, the thing that makes your classes so great is that [they] end up feeling like a community.’ That felt very good.”
Mr. Sternberg will continue to teach U.S. History as well as a World History class similar to the US’s Case Studies course while at Nobles.
US Head of College Counseling Amy Selinger has done it all over her 20 years at the school. She co-founded the Marina Keegan ’08 Fellowship, was a member of the Senior Grade Team and the Senior Spring Project Committee, served as a faculty representative on the Board of Trustees, taught history, and coached Middle School lacrosse.
“It’s hard to identify what memories are my favorites because I feel like I have so many different memories,” Ms. Selinger said. “I’ll take away, in terms of memories, moments where laughter and joy were present, moments of triumph big and small. Like an advisee, who reported to me that they spoke up in a class discussion where it was really scary, or somebody who got into a college, or who landed a role in the play, or who had a great summer job experience, or even graduates who report back that something amazing has happened, and there’s a seed of something that we planted together. Those are the things that my memories have in common.”
She will also miss her colleagues, she said.
“A great thing about working at BB&N is that we’re on a team. I never feel alone like I’m trying to do anything by myself,” she said. “The fact that you can walk into a building and know that you have people on your side who will push you, listen to you, cheer for you, give you grief, and all those are wonderful things.”
Next year, Ms. Selinger will return to Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts, where she previously worked.
“I talk to students a lot about how sometimes when you’re walking toward something, you might feel uncomfortable and the newness of it might feel scary, or like you’re taking a risk, and that’s where growth happens: when you’re trying something new. So, for me, after 20 years, I feel like changing it up might be a good thing for me.”
She is excited about the variety of her role at Lawrence Academy, she said.
“As an empty nester, I’ll have time again to do college counseling, which I love, teach a section of history, which I love, and coach basketball, which I also love. I’m taking a step away from the administration side of things that will allow me time to do those things that I’m really excited about.”
Agnes Voligny first joined the US community as a math teacher in the fall of 2019. Since then, Ms. Voligny has done a little bit of everything: acted as a US advisor, a member of the US Service Learning Team, a member of the Senior Grade Team, and the faculty advisor to the Asian American Student Alliance (AASA).
Reflecting on her time at the US, Ms. Voligny has enjoyed seeing her advisees grow both as scholars and as people and watching AASA deepen their impact on student life. She is grateful for the camaraderie and support from her colleagues in Room 162.
To Ms. Voligny, it’s the collaboration between students and teachers that has made her time at the US great, she said.
“I know that BB&N students are smart, motivated, and ambitious. As a teacher, I realize the talent, hard work, dedication, creativity and compassion of my colleagues. Together, we make this a special community.”
Ms. Voligny has high praises for the communities she has been a part of, including the rest of the US Service Learning Team for their “can-do” attitude and the Senior Grade Team for their tireless efforts towards senior graduation.
She said she hopes to have left a lasting impact on the US community.
“I hope my students know that I cared about each of them and am grateful for the relationships we built. I hope my colleagues know that I admire them and the work they do to help each student grow.”
Ms. Voligny looks forward to spending more time with her parents in Thailand and to her future adventures, wherever they may be.
On other campuses...
How long have you been at BB&N?
I started teaching at BB&N in September of 2008, which makes this my 16th year.
What has been your favorite part of working at BB&N?
There isn’t one particular favorite memory I could think of, but my favorite experiences at BB&N are the moments when I connect with students through something I’ve taught, whether it clicks for them academically or we connect outside the classroom. These connections create a genuine sense of belonging that is meaningful both for me as a teacher and for the students involved. When a student grasps what they’re learning, they feel more connected to the material, which enhances their sense of belonging as a student. These authentic connections are what make teaching so rewarding, and I am proud to have created opportunities in my classroom that made a lasting impact on so many of my students.
How long have you been at BB&N?
I joined the intern program at the Lower School in the fall of 1985 and a year later was hired to teach second grade. I taught second grade for four years before moving to fourth grade where I stayed most of my time at BB&N. Seven years ago, I accepted a position as the math specialist for first and second grades.
What has been your favorite part of working at BB&N?
My favorite part of working at BB&N has been being a part of the community. I have had the opportunity to learn from many talented colleagues and to work with wonderful kids and their families.
What’s one specific memory that feels special or noteworthy from your time here?
One of the highlights of working at BB&N was collaborating with Lynda Dugas when we created the immigration curriculum for the fourth grade. A favorite aspect of that work was exploring Chinatown together and creating an annual field trip to the neighborhood for our classes.
Any exciting retirement plans?
I’ll be living full time in Provincetown with my husband, Michael, and we plan to take a few months each year to travel to places in the world we haven’t seen yet and return to some of our favorite spots.