Retiring Faculty We shared gratitude and goodbyes in June with two outstanding members of Millbrook’s History Department.
MARK CLIZBE 1998-2021 By all accounts, Mark Clizbe brought history to life for students by demanding high-level critical thinking and introspection. As chair of the History Department for the entirety of his 23-year Millbrook tenure, Mr. Clizbe oversaw a dynamic group of faculty, always mindful of the department’s mission. “In our post-observation debriefs,” said Lindsay Peterson, incoming history department chair, “Mark would ask me questions to get me to reflect on my lesson; he did not tell me what to do or how to do it. In this way, Mark was an incredible coach.” Mr. Clizbe also challenged the students in his classes, asking them to connect the ceaseless march of contemporary events to historical precedent and guiding them to formulate and share their insights. Many of Millbrook’s highest achievers have called Mr. Clizbe their most influential teacher, crediting his high expectations with their drive to become engaged learners and thinkers. Along with his sections in U.S. History, Mr. Clizbe’s senior history electives—Dissent and Constitutional Law— were legendary in both scope and depth and always in high demand. Mr. Clizbe wore many hats, as boarding school teachers do, including coach and advisor. His coaching was notorious—for his love of sport and his passion on the basketball court and the baseball field. He was an advisor to many students, caring deeply about their success and always invested in their growth. Since 2014, he also wore the parent hat. Mark and his wife, Martha, chair of Millbrook’s Math Department, raised two “fac brats” and Millbrook graduates, Nathaniel ’21 and Amanda ’17, the latter a graduate of the University of Southern California and the former a freshman at Boston University. Even as he embarks on a new role at an educational non-profit in nearby Amenia, New York, Mr. Clizbe remains a presence at Millbrook. Whether cheering for the volleyball team in Wray Gymnasium or pounding the pavement on School Road, Mr. Clizbe’s enthusiasm for Millbrook endures.
42
Millbrook School
