Honoring Rob Knight

Written by Joe Mohr, Woodshop Teacher

In woodshop at the end of every class, Mr. Knight or I say, “It’s time to ‘reset’.” We say that because no child (or adult?) likes to hear, “It’s time to clean up!” To reset is to put the woodshop back the way it was when you got here; to reset the room to its previous state. It’s our least favorite time of class because it’s typically the only time we hear moaning and groaning in the woodshop. That’s not because the students don’t want to reset (or clean up), it’s because they want to stay in the woodshop. The act of working deliberately with your hands on something that interests you is one of the most important things a person can experience. Kids today lack the opportunity; they do not lack the desire or ability. Kids. Love. Woodshop.

When I started here at Community School nine years ago I quickly learned another reason why kids love woodshop— Rob Knight. What I got to experience for the past nine school years, and what students at Community School get to experience for a span of seven school years (if they join Community by SK) is a unique gift. Just as the opportunity to work slowly and deliberately with our hands is becoming an increasingly rare act, it is also increasingly rare to find a teacher (male nonetheless) who is so kind, calm, and patient with EVERY SINGLE CHILD. I aspire to be that way and fortunately for me, I had the best example of “that way” for almost 2000 school days. Mr. Knight has time for every kid on any day. He listens and lets kids lead discussions, he interjects only when he feels it’s needed, and he uses humor at appropriate times, all while demonstrating a pervasive calmness and patience.

Mr. Knight is also an amazing husband and father, woodworker, artist, musician, music lover, friend, maker, breaker, helper, cook, camper, hiker, biker, colleague, environmentalist, storyteller, gardener, and grandfather. I am blessed to have spent so much time with Rob Knight, and even though he is retiring after more than a quarter century at Community, his influence will live on here in the woodshop. I know I’ll stay in touch and continue to learn from him, and I’ll always do my best to share all that I learned with future students. Rob Knight was a gift. The kids know it. Those of us who got to work closely with him know it. This article was written with the hope that the rest of you know it. Community is losing a true gift.

To reset is to put the woodshop back the way it was. Mr. Knight cannot reset the woodshop, or the school. It’ll never be back the way it was. Because of Rob Knight, Community School will always be a much better place.

Thank you for 26 years, Mr. Knight. You will be missed.

Alumni Spotlight: Meredith Benson ’04

Meredith Benson graduated from Community School in 2004. Her mother, Donna, graduated in 1966 and is a Community School Life Member. Meredith’s three older siblings are also alumni of the school. In the fall of 2022, Meredith returned to Community while training Skipper, our school therapy dog. Learn more about Meredith and the training process in the article below.

When thinking back to her favorite memories as a student, Meredith said, “It’s very hard to pinpoint one. I enjoyed the ongoing experience of shop class. I would love to do that now as an adult. The Jungle Escape in P.E. was another highlight.” Meredith also recalled lessons learned at Community. “I remember when I was doing homework or preparing for a test, my dad would always say, ‘The work you are doing now will be useful for the rest of your life, so learn it well.’ Everything I learned, starting with basic grammar and math; those are the foundations that I use daily in my small business. Community’s core curriculum has carried me through every part of my life so far.”

Meredith highlighted the impact of leadership development at Community, as well. Leadership training starts in Community’s earliest grades through a combination of public speaking and learning how to interact with others, and opportunities culminate in sixth grade when students carry out a variety of responsibilities around the school, such as raising the school flag each day and helping serve lunch tables. “I remember looking forward to responsibilities as a

Written by Jennifer Thomas

younger student,” she shared. “I saw my older siblings and their friends in those roles, and it instilled a desire to take them on myself. This gave me a lot of confidence going into secondary school.” Meredith went on to John Burroughs School, followed by a boarding school in Virginia where she played field hockey and enjoyed a similar focus on leadership development.

Meredith has always been drawn to animals; specifically, dogs. “Anybody from Community and any other part of my life who has known me for five minutes,” she shared, “knows I am drawn to dogs more than the average person. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work with them in some capacity.” Meredith began her dog training career observing and shadowing established trainers around the country. After receiving her B.A. in Sociology from DePauw University, she furthered her dog-specific knowledge while studying and training at a professional K9 training school.

She currently serves as owner and head trainer at K9 Help You, which provides customized dog training and K9 services. “I work to bring a more formal program into institutions or an individual’s life,” she explained. “I have Tater Tot as a service dog, and he has been life changing for me. Once I personally experienced that, I knew I had to give it to as many people as I could.” In addition to training dogs, Meredith breeds Golden Retrievers. In the fall of 2021, she had two litters of puppies available and reached out to Community’s Director of Advancement, Kathleen Kelly, to see if any families were interested in buying one. Coincidentally, Kathleen had just spoken to our Head of School, Bob Cooke, about the potential for a school therapy dog. The conversation evolved from there.

Opposite page: Meredith and Skipper during the training process at Community School. This page: Skipper greeting students in the hallway and during morning carpool.

Enter Skipper. Skipper is a Portuguese Water Dog and Poodle mix and belongs to Ellen Noel, a co-lead teacher in First South. Ellen explained that before Covid, Bob had mentioned the idea of having a school dog, and she offered to try it out with her family dog, Rocky, or to host a new dog. The conversation paused during Covid, but when teachers had the opportunity to brainstorm wishes that would make an impact on the school for Community’s Winter Wishes gala in 2022, she brought the idea up again. Her new dog, Skipper, seemed like the perfect candidate; he didn’t shed and was about to turn two, which is an ideal time for training. As she started to discuss the idea with Kathleen and Bob, Meredith reached out about the Golden puppies, and everything came together.

Meredith trained Skipper in Colorado for several months in the summer and fall of 2022. “The training process evolves,” she shared. “It starts with me getting to know the dog; I always value building that bond and relationship.” While finishing training at Community, Meredith enjoyed ‘reliving’ the school, seeing former teachers, and hearing about some of the traditions still in place. “It was surreal and exciting for me,” she said, “because I think that’s a big part of what makes Community unique. It has such a heartwarming, nostalgic feel for so many alumni. I sort of felt like I was back at home.” Meredith also enjoyed Community’s handler team who worked with her virtually and in person. She was incredibly impressed with their work ethic and commitment to the program. “They were wonderful to work with and had me laughing the entire time. I am honored that they chose to work with me and K9 Help You. They really lit a spark in me to keep doing work with therapy dogs.”

When asked about the benefits of a therapy dog, Meredith recalled the times she brought her family dog to Community for show and tell. “At the time, I didn’t know the science behind the positive effects, but as I got older and researched the benefits, I learned it can do different things for different students, like boost their serotonin levels and provide a grounding experience for those with test anxiety.” Meredith explained that having a dog as a tactile aid helps anxious students redirect what they are thinking about. This regulates their parasympathetic nervous system and leaves them in a better position to take a test.

A therapy dog can also help students who are in a different place socially. “It’s a different form of communication and interaction,” Meredith said. “Therapy dogs can help students feel better and have more confidence. They are a resource that teachers can add to their toolbox.” During the training process, many teachers came up to Meredith privately to share their excitement about how Skipper would help certain students. Ellen has seen the benefits firsthand this year. “When he comes to First South,” she said, “he knows exactly who to sit next to. He’s very good at sensing when people are upset or need support. Kids will immediately calm down and start smiling or laughing when they are with Skipper. Even his presence at morning carpool and around the school makes people happy.”

Thank you to Meredith and to every donor who made the wish of having a school therapy dog possible. Skipper is the perfect companion for our students and staff, and we are grateful that he allowed us to reconnect with Meredith.

Meredith regularly comes to St. Louis to train and welcomes new clients for training or those interested in exceptional Golden Retrievers: “My roots are in St. Louis, and I’ll keep coming back!”