Rebecca Plona

Anyone who has spent time in the office of Rebecca Plona P’26, the director of academic growth at Miss Porter’s School, is familiar with its “elephant chairs” eclectic-looking seats in which countless students have sought guidance on their academic and life choices.

“These chairs have seen tears, they’ve seen laughter. They’ve been the place where I have helped students work on their college applications, where students tell me about their successes and their setbacks,” says Plona, who leads the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Hamilton building, which also houses the English and History departments.

The center encompasses services that support the academic success of students: the Q Lab (for math help), the Writing Center and the Language Lab. Students also turn to Plona for help with improving their study skills, setting and achieving goals, managing their time and organizing their schedules.

Plona also ensures Porter’s is accessible to students with disabilities. She trains teachers in universal design for learning, a framework emphasizing flexible educational practices, so they can offer such students tailored adaptations, e.g., extra time to complete an assessment or have a lecture recorded. She has enabled Porter’s to successfully accommodate a student and her service dog and a student who uses a cochlear implant to hear.

“So many strategies that are good for individuals with disabilities are good for all learners,” says Plona, who also teaches the course Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar Psychology: Brain, Mind and Society, Porter’s most popular non-requisite course. “I’m really proud of how we have blended accessibility with a very rigorous academic program at Porter’s.”

A member of the Farmington family since 2013, Plona lives on campus with her children, Olive Plona and Emma Peterson ’26, and their two rescue dogs, a black Labrador mix and a blue Lacy. She is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys kayaking and paddleboarding, and an avid reader who always has a contemporary fiction book on the go.

For Plona, the rewards of working at Porter’s lie in the bonds she forms with students as she helps them discover and develop their resilience and independence.

“The most heartwarming thing is that students have given me their trust. They want to succeed at Porter’s. They know they’re capable of thriving. Sometimes they’re not entirely certain exactly how to go about it,” she says. “We’re trying to promote the idea of efficacy ‘I can do it.’ It’s so critically important for students to develop a sense of security in their skill sets.”

Where students meet with me to share about their academic and personal triumphs and trials.

02 NOTES FROM STUDENTS

I keep these notes of thanks from students, they are special to me.

03 PUP LOVE

Two rescue dogs, Max, a black Labrador mix and Mia, a blue Lacy, are cherished members of the family.

04 GIFTS OF ART

It’s always touching when students give me gifts as a thank you.

05 STAYING CURRENT

Consuming books on topics such as neuroscience, race and emotions helps with bringing an up-to-date perspective to work practices.