14 minute read
Farewell, Brett
“I was proud of you and I wanted you to know.”
The impact of these eleven words spoke volumes across longtime faculty member Brett Vianney’s freshman English I classroom. His students had impressed him during class on an admissions revisit day, and it was important to him to recognize their efforts. This thoughtfulness and simple acknowledgement of his gratitude embodies Brett as a teacher, coach, colleague, mentor, family member, and friend—and perfectly articulates how he has built a forty-two-year career encouraging and mentoring students at Suffield Academy.
Brett first found himself on Suffield’s campus in the fall of 1966 as a new freshman. He grew up as one of four children in Milford, Connecticut during the baby boom, and when his local high school was put on academic probation because of overcrowding, Brett’s parents were prompted to look into prep schools for their children. Brett’s older brother went to Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and when it was time for Brett to decide he narrowed his top two choices down to Westminster School and Suffield Academy. As so many things are, his final decision was influenced by connections. Brett was at his grandparents’ house one day, as was their friend Dudley Rockwell, and Dudley mentioned that his son David was working at Suffield Academy. That fact, plus the recent addition of the pool and the wrestling room at Suffield, made up Brett’s mind. And in one of those “it’s a small world” moments, David Rockwell [“Rocky”] became Brett’s freshman dorm parent in Bissell House.
Teacher, coach, advisor, friend… Brett Vianney is the reason why prep schools succeed and their graduates flourish. On behalf of the decades of students who were fortunate to know Mr. Vianney, thank you. [Todd Wilson ’83]
Mr. Vianney was a father away from home to me. His leadership—a masterful recipe of wisdom, love, and humility—imbued me with a spirit of determination. I knew he was in my corner, urging me forward, confident of the outcome. When I felt defeated, his intense gaze and slight nod communicated his absolute conviction I would prevail. It was Mr. Vianney’s love, mentorship, and confidence in my potential that propelled me to the unimaginable. [Gavin Clough ’98]
I will always look back on your classes as some of the most memorable of my Suffield career. [Ali Walsh ’15] I can confidently say that Brett Vianney was not only the best teacher I’ve ever had, but also one of the best people I’ve met. The care and support he gave to every single one of his students made him a role model, someone wise I could go to with any kind of question and get an answer. He was always optimistic about life and found beauty in every little moment. I try to carry that same optimism through my first year of college. He has made such a positive impact on Suffield Academy. [Reece Apgar ’21]
Mr. Vianney has a way of making everyone feel welcome, and reminding us that we deserve to be in the arena. Throughout my four years as a Tiger he encouraged me to take risks by throwing javelin, discus, and shot put. As a freshman I placed last at New England’s for shot put, but as a senior, through Coach’s high standards and support, I broke our school record and went home a New England Champion. I’m 28 now, and it’s a day we’ll cherish forever. [Taylor Peucker ’11] I am forever grateful for the level of support that you provided me during my time in and out of your classroom. [Abby Blyler ’12]
I always enjoy my visits to Suffield, but the Reunion and celebration of Brett was a special treat. I always enjoy my visits to Suffield, but the Reunion and celebration of Brett was a special treat. Mr. Vianney, aka. Bad Brett, and I go back a long way. Young Mr. Vianney earned his Bad Brett moniker the old-fashioned way: by doing unto others often. His brothers of “the row”—Jungle Jim, Hard Howard, and Chuckles Callahan—anchored a team of like-minded playmates: Proud Peter, Lean Lee, Slick Mick, Nasty Ned, Crusher Kim, Pugnacious Paul, and Sanguine Sandy. The pomp and show of wrestling belies a rather serious journey into an unambiguous, unforgiving experience that challenges one’s physical and mental toughness; it’s a drama played out alone in the center of a mat, one-on-one, for all to see. Brett had a great attitude and embraced challenge with his trademark energy and enthusiasm. He was a ferocious competitor; smart, tough, and fearless, always on the attack, fighting the good fight, grateful for the opportunity, and at peace with the outcome, he always did his best. I understood as I grew to know Brett that he was hard-wired to be positive and upbeat with good intentions, qualities that have served him and so many others well. During Brett's hiatus from Suffield, I regularly cited him for “best practices” in wrestling and life. A wonderful husband and father, a gifted teacher, mentor, and coach, a true son of Suffield Academy, Bad Brett morphed into Mr. Vianney and his legacy speaks for itself. Punto finale. Buono Fortuna, Coach [Frank Peraino]
Brett had an excellent experience as a student at Suffield. Though he was a self-proclaimed “classic underachiever,” he felt supported by wonderful teachers and coaches throughout the years. He found his senior English teacher Mason Nye to be the most phenomenal English teacher he’d ever had—a true role model for Brett’s future career. Brett said, “He just exuded passion and was animated in front of the classroom and made me fall in love with poetry and literature.” After Suffield, Brett completed his undergraduate degree at University of Connecticut and began a managerial role in an optical laboratory in New York after graduation. It wasn’t until his ten-year reunion in 1980 that he thought about returning to Suffield as a teacher— and it just so happened there was an opening in the English department. Days later, Brett interviewed with Headmaster Ken Lindfors and was hired to begin in the fall of 1980.
Teaching was a new frontier for Brett and there was certainly trial and error in his early days. He recalls that at first he gave his students the answers to his questions too easily—but today he loves exploring for answers with his students. His passion for teaching is clear in many ways: in his desire to read work that resonates with his students, like adding The Poet X and The House on the Cerulean Sea to their curriculum over the past couple of years; in his excitement about new technology available in the classroom, where they can go on virtual tours of museums and hotels from the stories they’re reading [like The Count of Monte Cristo]; in his enthusiasm for working with his students each day. He says, “I get up in the morning, I can’t wait to see the students.” He’s been able to work with a variety of ages across his tenure, from his enthusiastic and goofy freshmen to his sophomore Honors class, where he loves helping to move students on as writers and thinkers, to postgraduates, who he’s been working with each fall for the last decade. Brett has had the unique experience of seeing Suffield evolve across five decades in his different roles here. He’s so impressed with the campus now, and tells prospective students and parents, “You are here at the end of a plan, and you are reaping the benefit of a decade of beautifying this campus.” He has watched expansion happen, from the addition of two turf
fields and the ropes course to the renovation of the science building and Memorial Hall to watching the infirmary become the Tremaine Visual Arts Center and how the Performing Arts Center used to be maintenance, just to name a few. He’s watched athletics change, from increasing options for students including non-competitive activities, to the ebb and flow in popularity of certain sports like wrestling.
When thinking about the highlights of his time at Suffield, he laughs and tells a story about being asked this question many years ago and getting in trouble when his answer was not immediately “meeting my wife.” His friendships with other faculty members like Dave Godin [who started teaching at Suffield the same year as Brett] and Andy Lowe have been immensely important to him. And the feeling is mutual. Dave Godin says, “Brett is one of the most caring, thoughtful, honest human beings I have ever met. He is the consummate educator who takes pride in developing both writing skills and an appreciation for literature in each and every student. Whether it is in his coaching or his teaching, Brett is always ‘The Student.’ He is always looking at different approaches to teaching the readings in his PG Literature class. At the same time he keeps up with trends and techniques used in track, in particular those techniques used in throwing the javelin, discus, and shot put. In both teaching and coaching, Brett assesses his approach and adjusts his delivery to fit the times and his students or athletes. Having both started our educational careers here at Suffield Academy in the fall of 1980, Brett and I became close friends from the start. I can say I have been blessed to have such a wonderful friend for the past 42 years.” Brett is grateful for his relationship with the Suffield community and says, “It’s a beautiful world, it’s an idyllic world, and it’s special.” He’s helped keep this community beautiful himself, mowing lawns, creating the cross-country trails, and helping maintain the walking trails on Suffield’s property. He says, “If I noticed something needed to be done, and I could do it, I would do it. I feel really invested in the school, and proud of the school.”
Retirement is well-earned, but Brett won’t be going far. His wife, Molly Vianney [history department] will continue working here for several more years. Brett and Molly met at Suffield after she began teaching history and coaching field hockey and lacrosse here after graduating from Smith College in 1988. They were married on March 13, 1993, in the middle of the blizzard of the century. Not long after, they had their first daughter Grace in 1994 and then Caroline in 1995. “And that was the beginning of our life together,” says Brett.
As for what he has planned next, Brett hopes to spend time with his parents, who are 94 and 96; he loves outdoor activities like sailing, kayaking, and hiking and would love to spend time doing them with his brother in Branford, as well as getting together with his siblings as a group; he and Molly will continue to spend time in the Ogunquit area of Maine and do more traveling [they have traveled to Hawaii, Bermuda, Sanibel Island, and Salt Lake City
I want to personally thank you for being such an inspiring English teacher. You helped me realize that I can achieve more than I believe. [Lohen Parchment ’12]
He was the smile and kind word when there did not seem to be one around…he was the teacher who saw the strength in each of us even when we did not. He was the teacher who always had the bad dad joke ready when one was needed. Mr. Vianney was the teacher that represents Suffield—he understood us and made us all better. [Oren Leff ’89] Both Mr. and Mrs. Vianney were my favorite faculty members at Suffield with their clear dedication to us students, love of what they taught, and interest in their students’ lives beyond the classroom or riflery range. I am eternally grateful to have had Mr. Vianney during such a formative period of my life and wish him the absolute best in retirement. He should leave with pride knowing his efforts and care were not lost on those that he interacted with in any capacity while at Suffield. [Matt Tolosky ’10]
I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me. You have helped me in so many ways, especially as a writer and as an athlete. [Christian Wilkins ’15] I am one of the many former Suffield Academy students who can look back and thank “Mr. Vianney” for their love of literature and confidence in writing. For me, that started when he used to read Nancy Drew books to me before bed when I was five and continued ten years later when he broke down complicated and rewarding works like Othello to my sophomore English class. I am so proud of my dad’s forty-two-year career at Suffield Academy and so honored to share part of that journey with him. [Grace Vianney ’12]
Mr. Vianney was first my teacher and then my coach, and the entire time he was one of my favorite mentors at Suffield. Mr. Vianney was always so kind and helpful, especially while sharing his wisdom and adventurous stories. You could always count on him to have a positive energy that was quite infectious. But one of the best things about him was how much he cared. He is so passionate about his job and it was amazing to be one of his students and see it. [Tori Tryon ’18] What made Mr. Vianney so special goes beyond his incredible teaching skills. He brought forth a positive attitude and warmhearted spirit that made everyone so happy to be in his class. He truly cares about his students and wants them to succeed and flourish in the classroom. [Caroline Walsh ’20]
Mr. Vianney is an excellent steward of Suffield Academy. “V” was influential to myself and the Class of ’87 for his teaching, coaching, and mentoring. Connecting with V regularly on campus visits over 35 years since graduation is always a highlight. He takes personal interest in the lives and experiences of all current and former students which is unique, appreciated, and indicative of the school’s mission. Thank you, V, for all that you have done to nurture and support me and the Suffield Academy community; you have changed lives. [Nancy Brooks ’87]
over the last few years]; and he will spend more time with Grace, who lives in Salt Lake City working for an HMO, and Caroline, who lives in Suffield and works at the Tiger Den. For he and Molly, Brett says, “We’re just finding ourselves now in a wonderful time in our lives.”
Fittingly, Brett received Suffield’s 2022 Alumni Leadership Award. At the ceremony Dean of Academics & Faculty Sara Yeager and Head of School Charlie Cahn both spoke about Brett as a Suffield student and faculty member. Sara said, “Brett Vianney is a man of infinite kindness, wisdom, and Tiger pride. Simply noting his forty-two-year teaching commitment to Suffield demonstrates his selfless devotion to young people. Most impressive is that he’s always thinking of others and how he can make our community a better place.” Charlie spoke about Brett’s years as a Suffield student, where he had great success on the wrestling team, and about how Brett offered Charlie his first job at Suffield in the English department. He said, “Simply put, Brett’s dedicated, encouraging, and inspirational teaching profoundly impacted many, many Suffield Academy students. As a faculty member, he has made a historic, truly significant impact on the school and on the lives of others.”
After accepting the award Brett took to the podium to speak about how he found his niche as a Suffield Academy student as a wrestler, a proctor, and as both an English and geology student. Upon returning to Suffield, he said, “During the 1980s I discovered how much I truly loved being a teacher, sharing my passion and knowledge with my students. It is the comments I have received from students, and even their parents, sometimes during the year, sometimes right after graduation, and sometimes years later telling me how I impacted their lives... It has been a very, very special lifetime.” The Suffield Academy community was thrilled to further celebrate Brett’s monumental career at the 2022 Alumni Reunion in October. d
