the ST. MARK’S SCHOOL OF TEXAS DALLAS, TEXAS
remarker
VOLUME 65, NUMBER 1 SEPTEMBER 28, 2018
School shootings. Inappropriate relationships. Questionable conduct. Gray areas abound when talking about a school’s responsibility in protecting its students.
safe KEEPING US
In light of the Exeter allegations, editor Kamal Mamdani and managing editors Parker Davis, Lyle Ochs and Sahit Dendekuri investigate. Page 7 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Adnan Khan, Parker Davis
Paul Hoehn named to Leonard N. ‘Doc’ Nelson Alumni Master Teaching Chair by Sam Goldfarb illing the position vacated by chemistry instructor Jon Valasek’s retirement, Paul Hoehn has been appointed to the position of Leonard N. “Doc” Nelson Alumni Master Teaching Chair. After a nationwide search, Headmaster David Dini selected Hoehn for the position, recognizing Hoehn’s devotion to the student body and natural mentorship of Marksmen and other teachers alike. Science Department Chair Fletcher Carron also played a critical role in the selection process. “When a master teacher retires, there is both an opening on the faculty and a vacant master teaching chair,” Carron said. “In these cases, the school performs a national search, even when there are ualified candidates on campus, and the internal candidates are included in that
F
search.” Beyond statements of interest, résumés and interviews, each applicant also taught a demonstration class. But a master teacher’s skill set extends far beyond the classroom. “[Hoehn] is equally comfortable running planetarium shows, engineering with microprocessors, performing chemistry demonstrations and making his own fireworks,” Carron said. “Mr. Hoehn is forever learning Paul Hoehn new things and Master Teacher sharing his talents and knowledge with colleagues and students.” That variety is one of Hoehn’s favorite things about his work here. He will continue to teach both Upper and Middle School
classes in the physical sciences, where he has more leeway to change the course to fit the needs of his students. “In my applied chemistry class last year, we talked more about nuclear energy than I had in the past, because we had some guys that were really interested,” Hoehn said. “The new position will continue to allow me to teach to my strengths and interests not just in chemistry, but maybe astronomy and geology in the future as well.” Hoehn’s impact and involvement around campus break through the walls of the classroom. At each year’s holiday party, he dons his inimitable vest, coattails and top hat as he joins the brass section on trombone. He also helps lead the Middle School Quiz Bowl team and plans to ramp up the Make Club even further with new
capabilities of the Winn Science Center. “I’m so glad we’ll be able to get to go play in there,” Hoehn said. “I can’t decide if I feel more like a kid getting ready to go to the toy store or a kid getting ready to open presents on Christmas — though it’s certainly more of an occasion than just going to the toy store!” He knows that the new center is just one step of continuing to bring the sciences here to the cutting edge and to bring the students here the best opportunities possible. “This new building’s designed for the next 50 years, so there’s going to be things that we use it for that we haven’t even thought up,” Hoehn said. “But having more guys comfortable with prototyping, designing, engineering, coding, collaborating making cool stuff that’s just some of the things we’ll be able to do.”