Faculty Initiative Overview

FAC U LT Y 2

INITIATIVE

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Dear Friends:

At the 2014 annual meeting of the Belmont Hill Corporation, attendees heard abundant good news. In admissions, program, college opportunities, spirit, facilities, Belmont Hill stands in excellent health. Yet for my part, I chose to speak about the most important resource this school has. Our most important resource is not physical or financial; it is human. While we exist as a school for boys, the lifeblood of the School is the faculty. Alumni do not look back fondly at Belmont Hill because of a building or an endowment: what they remember are their teachers.

And, to be honest, they rarely remember a teacher because of a proof in geometry or a lab experiment in science or a conjugation in Latin or a piece of legislation learned in history. They remember a teacher because he or she pushed them, taught them not only daily lessons but also life lessons, gave them life-long skills and values — and, perhaps most importantly, believed in them.

We have launched our Faculty Initiative to ensure that we can attract, support and retain the best teachers we can find. That goal is simple — and not so simple. To enable a teacher to live and work and thrive in the Boston area requires resources.

We want every teacher to be able to find a reasonable place to live, plan for a family’s future, be sure that, when the time comes, he or she will be able to retire with dignity. Nothing can be more important in assuring our school’s future than to support the men and women who are, in truth, the School.

What do we seek? We want to build our endowment to provide ongoing support for our teachers. We want to raise salaries, to make us competitive with the best schools in America; we want to provide critical benefits, again at competitive levels; we want to make sure our faculty can engage in significant professional growth every year.

We want to have at least one endowed faculty chair for every academic department; we want to provide special support for promising younger faculty. I promise you that this faculty works hard every day: in the classroom, on the field or court or rink in the afternoon, as leaders of our wide array of extra-curricular activities, as advisors, as mentors, as role models. Let’s make sure that we can support these men and women in the way they deserve. After all, what could possibly be more important than the care and education of young people, this next generation?

Faithfully Yours, Richard I. Melvoin Head of School

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the pure joy of teaching

In his 43 years at Belmont Hill, Michael Sherman has seen many changes in the classroom. Always a dynamic math teacher, he cites the use of Smart Boards, graphing calculators, and Excel as vital recent innovations. He also believes that the pressures and expectations of teaching have changed through the years, which makes classroom teaching all the more precious to him. “There are so many other aspects that surround the job: increased parental involvement, school functions and events, not to mention the need for continual professional development. It’s all good, but you’re often pulled in many different directions,” he says. “When I'm talking about derivatives in calculus, for example, those are the moments when I'm reminded each day why I find such joy in teaching.”

The true rewards of teaching remain the same, he says. “It’s the miracle of opening their eyes and watching them make the connections. It’s a very special feeling to give boys the power of an education that will help them throughout their lives.” The next part of the miracle comes years later, when he reconnects with former students and sees the fruits of his labor in their lives. “It is incredibly humbling and rewarding to think that you have helped, in even a small way, to shape the lives of these men.”

Mr. Sherman often uses the word joy when describing his work and how it has enriched his life. “I have run a number of workshops with people who want to become teachers, and I have often heard them say, ‘I’m in an unfulfilling job.’ And I’ve thought just how blessed I feel to have such fulfilling work. I’ve never doubted the importance of it. It’s pure joy.”

a history of excellence Henry B. Sawyer, Jr. '32, teacher of English 1936–1992 "Except for college and several years of distinguished war service in the army, Mr. Sawyer's life at school extended from his arrival in the Second Form in 1924 until his retirement in 1992. Teacher of English, coach of football, hockey and baseball, alumni secretary, affectionate supporter of colleagues and friend of boys, his stewardship shaped the school which he loved more than any other place." – Belmont Hill School Anniversary Album 2

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engagement and reflection Kara Buckley and Jim O’Leary’s American Identity Project is a yearlong, image-driven, experiential project for US History in which students create their own websites to reflect on what it means to be an American across time. The boys collect images of their own choosing, identify and explain each of their choices, and serve as curators of their own unique, period-specific galleries on the changing American identity.

“There is so much information to absorb in a survey course such as US History,” Dr. Buckley explains. “How do we maximize retention of critical material so boys can confidently utilize what they learned at Belmont Hill to contribute to historical debates and discussions in their college years and beyond? In an age of rapid-fire facts available on our cell-phones, you might ask: Does retention of historical information really matter? My answer would be a resounding ‘yes.’” Being able to draw from the past—to recall critical events, individuals, theories and ideas— leads to more informed analysis, more astute questions, richer writing, and certainly more interesting conversation.”

Dr. Buckley says it is no surprise that the more students are engaged in the material, the more they will retain. For many students, class discussions facilitate retention; but for others, images trigger memory.

The American Identity Project enables students to consider different perspectives on critical events in our history. For example, the boys create an exhibit on the Civil War in which they display and describe photographs from the battlefields to the home front that best tell the story of the war from the Northern and Southern perspectives.

“It is exciting to see the range of websites across students and across classes,” Dr. Buckley notes. “Although they essentially were completing the same assignment, students’ image choices and written reflections for their galleries resulted in totally unique, informative, and engaging projects.”

She explains that boys who may not excel on a certain type of traditional assessment often shine in the American Identity Project, able to demonstrate their genuine understanding and interpretation of each era through images, captions, and thoughtful analysis.

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the teacher/coach: holding firm

The teacher/coach model has always been at the very heart of Belmont Hill School. Nearly every coach at Belmont Hill is a member of the faculty.

“I think the teacher-coach model is what makes Belmont Hill so special and unique, “ says varsity lacrosse coach Tim Sullivan. “Many of the boys I teach in the classroom I also coach. You really get to know a young man when you work with him in multiple capacities.”

Belmont Hill coaches view the athletic fields as a second classroom, where important life lessons are learned each day. Coaches stress the importance of sportsmanship and how being a good teammate translates to being a good family member and, some day, a good father. In the classroom and on the athletic fields, the importance of character and values are stressed throughout a boy’s time on the Hill.

“We teach boys to play the game the right way, to respect their opponents and represent their school with pride,” Mr. Sullivan states. “Helping a boy to develop and build character is the most important lesson you can teach, because it is a lesson for life.”

a history of excellence Hebert Mattlage, teacher of science and mathematics 1946–1982 "Education is what is left after what has been learned has been forgotten. There are many teachers to be found but only a relative handful of true educators. An educator doesn't teach a subject; he teaches his students. An educator doesn't draw a line between his classroom hours and his outside duties, but looks forward to every contact between himself and his students in as informal an atmosphere as possible."

– 1970 Yearbook tribute 2

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Total Faculty: Male: Female:

73

Faculty with advanced degrees:

52 (71%) 21 (29%)

Master’s degrees: Doctoral degrees:

Student/Teacher Ratio:

75% 44 6

6:1

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Bu ck in gh T am Br N ob le Bel an d Gr e Ro xb u

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Endowed chairs are a way to recognize outstanding faculty and their contributions to the school. Adding endowed chairs will permanently broaden the school’s base, and help secure our compensation structure that is near the top of our peer group. number of endowed faculty chairs

peer school median faculty salaries $120K

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A strong endowment is vital to continue the tradition of great teachers at Belmont Hill. Although the School has made significant strides in growing the endowment in recent years, we remain undercapitalized versus many of our peer schools.

$344M

endowment history

fy ’14 peer school endowment $244M

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’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14

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teaching lessons beyond the classroom Donna David does not teach in a classroom at Belmont Hill, yet hundreds upon hundred of boys at the School have learned important lessons from the work she has driven through the years. Hired as the school nurse in 1980, she happened upon her role as community service director in 1985 when helping a teacher identify local community service opportunities for independent projects. It soon became a passion.

Mrs. David notes that while community service is not a requirement on the Hill, boys do not have to be coaxed to participate. The breadth of the work is astounding. From turkey drives, to blood drives, to a recent diaper drive for a local church, she says the boys initiate the programs and their excitement in participating becomes infectious.

“We do so much in the community, too much to mention, and this work really helps the students to get out of themselves and see the world from different perspectives,” she explains. “When they deliver the meals for Thanksgiving, I tell the boys that this can be awkward and humbling for the recipients, and that they need to be mindful of that. But that experience teaches a great lesson of empathy and compassion. It is life altering.”

Another vital aspect to this work is the community service trips Mrs. David organizes with the boys for each Spring Break. From Navajo Nation, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi and New Orleans helping victims to Hurricane Katrina, to Selma, Alabama, she has led students on 13 such journeys. She tells the boys that sometimes the most important thing they can do is listen to the people they help, validate their stories, and understand the enormous challenges they face.

When asked what is most rewarding personally about this work, Mrs. David is briefly moved to tears as she reflects. “Seeing the boys react and really develop a passion for helping people and understanding the importance of it. You plant the seeds and you hope it becomes part of who they are. My joy is seeing the lights go on and their growing realization of the difference they can make in the world.”

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cutting edge science Brain-imaging research on the cerebellum, kidney stains of mice, determining mutant genes in lymphoma, gene therapy, and protein databases: These are just some of the research projects that students of Jared Courtney ’97 explore in his Advanced Science Research course.

Under the direction of Mr. Courtney, students work with professional research scientists at top local universities and hospitals. Offered at only a handful of schools around the country, this course provides students with the opportunity to participate in high-caliber research, mimic their mentors’ quest to apply for grant money by writing a full grant proposal, and enter their research in the INTEL Science Talent Search (STS), the nation’s most prestigious science competition exclusively for high school students who have conducted independent research.

“This class allows talented Belmont Hill science students to conduct research usually reserved for undergraduate college students in the Boston area,” Mr. Courtney explains. “Belmont Hill students are fortunate to have this opportunity.”

a history of excellence Charles Jenney, Jr., teacher of Latin 1927–1981 "The study of Latin will initiate you into a great heritage — not only the study of the language itself, but the knowledge of culture and civilization of Rome will enrich your life and touch upon many other fields of endeavor — art, music, mythology, literature, architecture, and law. Educated people of all nations have studied Latin for two thousands years. Don't you want to be in this number?"

– Charles Jenney, Jr. introduction to the 1984 edition of his First Year Latin.

By 1970, one million of Mr. Jenney's Latin textbooks had been sold.

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living and teaching

the complexity of our world Emeka Ekwelum ’08 has fond recollections of being a Belmont Hill student, and has found it particularly rewarding to now be a third-year faculty member who also serves in the admissions office.

“These roles allow me to better understand and articulate our school’s past, present, and future commitment to diversity, both in the demographic representation of our school body and in our pedagogy.”

As part of that pedagogy, Mr. Ekwelum has brought his own personal touch to his Introduction to African American Studies course. “This course explores blackness from multiple vantage points: historical, sociological, psychological, musical, literary, among others,” he notes.

“Through these lenses, we draw parallels between historical and contemporary issues within and around local and global black communities. Students develop skills to critique and participate in the racial discourses that are happening all around them.”

Mr. Ekwelum says he hopes that the course will help students to understand, accept, and value who they are as friends, sons, brothers, and leaders. He says he believes the course can empower students, but also compel them to invest in their communities as agents of social change, learning how to empathize in ways that quell any proclivity toward devaluing the identities of others.

“It has been a huge honor to serve on a faculty of seasoned and knowledgeable individuals,” Mr. Ekwelum explains. “Having access to their intellect has informed my approach to teaching. I now understand the quality of the education that I received, and I hope to replicate that for my students.

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finding, hiring, and keeping the best

Dean of Faculty Steve Armstrong well knows that building an outstanding faculty does not happen on its own. It involves finding the most talented candidates and determining if they are good matches for Belmont Hill. It means offering an attractive compensation package, and a supportive culture that encourages growth and enrichment. It is also means having an institution that attracts gifted candidates.

“Belmont Hill is a place where many prospective faculty want to teach,” Mr. Armstrong notes. “We have attractive facilities, great resources, strong academics, and success in athletics and the arts, as well as outstanding leadership at all levels.

I’ve not had a candidate who walked away unimpressed. When they get on campus, meet faculty, meet the boys, and get a sense of what this community is about, it feels different to them than most schools.”

Despite all Belmont Hill has to offer, there are challenges to bringing in the best.

“We’re still competing with some outstanding schools for top-end teachers,” Mr. Armstrong explains. “Boston is an expensive place to buy or rent, and we often see that as a factor in the final stages of hiring.

There are many challenges our faculty face, including childcare costs, school, and eventually college expenses. We compensate well, and I think that helps in getting strong candidates.”

The faculty is the heart of the school, and attracting and retaining the highest quality teaching is always a priority. “Our faculty are happy to be here. They enjoy the boys and almost universally agree it’s the highlight of the job,” Mr. Armstrong states. “It’s vital that we maintain a culture in which the best want to come here, and also can afford to stay here.”

a history of excellence John H. Funk, teacher of french 1942–1982 "Mr. Funk, all 6'3" of French fashion, British discipline, and American moralism, was rather intimidating to all of us at first. In the eyes of forty ill-disciplined, chatty First Formers, he was an institution personified — commander, king and cardinal of Middle School. He led us and molded us. All who passed through the Middle School were truly his children." – yearbook tribute 2

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21st century education Dean of Studies Michael Grant believes that over the last two decades the seismic changes in our world have fundamentally altered the very meaning of what it is to be well educated. Thus Belmont Hill’s program needs to adapt in order to reflect the skills, values, and knowledge that will bring students success in college, career, and community in the 21st century.

“While in many ways our school has never been stronger, we need to take steps now to ensure that we maintain that standard of excellence to another generation of families,” Mr. Grant explains. The goal has been a comprehensive and strategic plan that encompasses not only curriculum, but also the infrastructure of the school itself.

With the new Melvoin Academic Center—complete with its own innovation lab—a new academic schedule, and continued investment in state-of-the-art technology, Mr. Grant believes that faculty at Belmont Hill are well equipped to innovate and restructure the curriculum toward what a 21st century student requires. This has led to a Conceptual Physics course based in STEAM methodology, senior electives using experiential learning, and a faculty-wide focus on more problem solving and critical thinking.

This process has led to a melding of tradition and innovation, blending so much of what has been great about Belmont Hill for so many years with fascinating new techniques, lessons, and courses. As Mr. Grant remarked, “We hope our boys leave here with an in-depth knowledge of a wide variety of disciplines plus strong character and leadership skills, just as they always have. We also hope they graduate well equipped with the attributes that are in high demand in the 21st century world.

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Naming Opportunities - Faculty Funds gift of Head of School’s Chair Dean of Faculty Chair Department Chair Faculty Chair To honor a distinguished faculty member for his or her excellence and dedication to Belmont Hill Junior Faculty Chair Faculty Lifelong Learning Fund To support faculty with professional development initiatives, including advanced degree study and independent research

$10,000,000 $5,000,000 $3,500,000 $2,500,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000

Faculty Technology Fund To provide hands-on technology in the classroom

$500,000

Faculty Summer Study and Travel Fund To provide teachers with summer professional growth opportunities

$250,000

Faculty Chairs Endowed chairs make powerful statements both about the faculty and to the faculty. They remind us all that our teachers are at the heart of the mission of Belmont Hill. They signal that the men and women who choose this profession deserve great dignity.

They also provide teachers with public recognition and honor, something not seen often enough in our society.

Donors make all this possible, even as they help build the school's endowment, thereby strengthening Belmont Hill's long-term future.

Currently there are five faculty chairs at Belmont Hill Thomas R. Fuss chair in Science Trustee Chair in Mathematics Byrnes Family Chair in the Humanities Darling Family Chair in Humanities Drucker Family Faculty Chair

➢➢ Faculty Chairs honor specific teachers ➢➢ Faculty Chairs are highlighted in the at Belmont Hill for terms of five years.

School's Annual Report each year and plaques commemorating their ➢➢ Faculty honorees address students Chair are prominently displayed in the at a school meeting in the Hamilton Morse building and Alumni House.

Chapel at the beginning of their terms, and donors are invited

➢➢ Faculty honorees receive an annual stipend and are invited to special events throughout the year.

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BELMONT HILL SCHOOL

2 350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478-2662 617.484.4410 | www.belmonthill.org