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.

BRAD HART 2011 - 2021

After many successful years in the world of finance, Brad Hart came to Millbrook to teach. History Department Chair Mark Clizbe had not an ounce of skepticism about the career-changer from Wall Street. “Brad did want a lifestyle change, and he did want to feel that he was making a difference. He also wanted to work,” said Mr. Clizbe. “He was changing careers, not down-shifting.”

Like any educator, Mr. Hart’s desire to connect with kids and make a difference was strong; less commonly, his embrace of the sometimes unglamorous aspects of the job demonstrated his commitment to being a professional teacher.

Mr. Hart not only embraced the realities and challenges of classroom teaching but engaged fully with the demands made of boarding school faculty members. He served as an advisor, dorm supervisor, and activity leader and coached soccer, golf, and lacrosse. Mr. Hart’s U.S. History and Modern World History classrooms were lively, and his economics courses were eye-opening and uniquely informed by his own experiences in banking and finance.

Among his many success stories, Mr. Hart and his wife, Susan, served as surrogate parents to Ousseni Bouda ’19 during his time at Millbrook, and they continue to advise and support him at Stanford University. While Mr. Hart’s relationship with Ousseni is extraordinary, it is only one example of his impact on countless Millbrook students. In the words of Mark Clizbe: “To connect with kids is to confront them, make demands of them, tolerate and even appreciate their annoying habits. It’s to be present in their lives over the long haul.” Brad Hart certainly connected with Millbrook students, and their lives were better for it.