Getting to Know the Community and Building Relationships

Head of School Elaine White and Chris White.

Westminster welcomed Elaine White as its ninth head of school July 1.

She and her husband, Chris, and their family relocated to Westminster following Elaine’s 33-year tenure at The Governor’s Academy. While at The Governor’s Academy, she served in a variety of significant leadership positions, including assistant head of school, academic dean, chair of the English Department and interim director of advancement, with some of those responsibilities overlapping.

Elaine earned a B.A. in English from Bates College and an M.A. in English literature from Middlebury College. She knew she wanted to teach at an independent boarding school because she loves the total commitment of adults in the lives of their students. In addition to teaching English, she has served as a coach, advisor and dormitory parent.

Before relocating to Westminster, Chris served as a chiropractor in Rowley, Mass., where he owned his own practice for 27 years. He is a graduate of Bates College, where he completed an interdisciplinary major in biology and psychology, and is a graduate of New York Chiropractic College.

Elaine and Chris, who have been married for 31 years, are the parents of three daughters: Emily is a graduate of Gordon College, Maya is a graduate of College of the Holy Cross and Dani is a freshman at Macalester College.

Elaine and Chris took some time to talk about their careers, their family and their new life at Westminster.

Elaine, where did you grow up?

Elaine: I grew up in a family of seven children in Weymouth,

Mass. My father was the town’s lawyer, his father had been the town’s doctor, my mother was a nurse and their focus was on education. I grew up playing sports and being involved in the life of the town.

What sports did you play?

Elaine: I played baseball and softball. I was actually the first girl to play ice hockey with Weymouth Youth Hockey. I was terrible, but I wanted to play hockey. My father, who was the town counsel, signed me up and was told he could not do that.

He said he would sue the town if they did not let me play since it was after Title IX, and it was the law. I did play, although I had no skill whatsoever.

I also played baseball with the boys in the town league through junior year of high school and softball in high school at Notre Dame Academy in Hingham, Mass., an all-girls school. Softball practice was right after school, and baseball practice would be in the evening after that. In the fall, I played volleyball.

Chris, where did you grow up?

Chris: I grew up in Boonton, N.J. I am the eldest of three and played soccer and lacrosse, and ran track. I attended a public high school and knew nothing about prep schools, although we played a couple of them in sports.

Where did you meet?

Elaine: We met on the second day of our freshman year at Bates

College and became friends. We were taking some of the same classes, including biology and chemistry in the first year, and even some chemistry in the second year. We did not start dating until January of our senior year. Chris: We also overlapped in the sports training rooms and practice schedules.

Did you play sports in college?

Elaine: I played varsity softball as a catcher and dabbled in field hockey in my sophomore and junior years as the junior varsity squad goalie. How I started in that position is funny. In my sophomore year, the junior varsity field hockey team needed a goalie, and a friend’s theory was that I could be a goalie since

I was a softball catcher. I thought this could be fun, and then the varsity goalie got hurt.

The season started with a bunch of the NESCAC schools competing in a jamboree, so the first field hockey game I ever saw, I played in at the varsity level. Luckily, Bates had a really good team with a phenomenal defense in front of me.

Quickly, the varsity goalie got healthy, and I went back to junior varsity and enjoyed it. Chris: I did primarily lacrosse but also soccer.

Were there any other extracurricular activities that stood out during your undergraduate careers?

Elaine: We both were junior advisers and resident coordinators, so we lived in the dormitory. As juniors, we oversaw a pod of freshmen, and as seniors, we were in charge of a group of campus houses. These were leadership positions. As residential coordinators, we were making sure things did not get out of hand and nobody was injured or sick.

What are your three daughters doing?

Chris: Emily, who is the oldest, lives and works at Colonial

Williamsburg. Dani is in her first year at Macalester College. Elaine: And our second daughter, Maya, will probably be on campus more than the other two since she has a job that will leave her schedule open on and off for a week at a time. Maya and Dani grew up playing sports, and Emily has always liked the theater and exploring history activities.

What do you and your family like to do in your free time?

Elaine: We love to travel and be outdoors on the water. The girls really like to tube and water ski. We had a place in Shapleigh,

Maine, for 20 years on a lake.

We are pretty social and tend to have people over to hang out and play cornhole and other backyard games. Chris: I continue to play lacrosse in a competitive over-40 league called Olde New England Lacrosse League with the same group of core guys I have played with for 16 years.

Some of them I played with in college. The league reaches from southern New Hampshire to the Cape, and as far as

Providence, R.I.

Chris, why did you want to become a chiropractor and what have you enjoyed about the profession?

Chris: I was always interested in medicine as a profession. In high school and college, I served on my hometown’s volunteer ambulance squad. In college, I was a premed major and a student athletic trainer. I began to consider chiropractic as an option when I injured my neck lifting an object. I thought about the mechanical injury and realized a mechanical treatment approach made more sense than medication or traction. I responded well when I saw a chiropractor for this injury, and the experience opened my mind to a new direction.

In my letter to patients about our transition to Westminster

I wrote: “I have had the great privilege and honor to help so many of you, and I will always treasure my patients, many of whom I count as friends. One of the wonderful aspects of being a chiropractor is the opportunity to get to know patients on a deeper, more personal level than most other health care providers. I laughed with you, celebrated with you and at times cried with you. Thank you for letting me be part of your lives and trusting me to help you become a healthier you! There is a saying: ‘The greatest compliment a patient can give is the referral of a loved one or friend.’ You complimented me immeasurably, and I thank you gratefully.”

Do you foresee practicing in Connecticut?

Chris: I don’t know, so that is one of the big questions. I will probably at least do some per diem work in some offices that might need someone to fill in while people are away from the office. This is a time for me to reflect and decide what I want to do, and there is no rush. I am on campus full time, and we will figure out what I do. Really, it is about giving me the opportunity to get to know Westminster and the community of Simsbury.

Elaine, what were some of your proudest accomplishments while working at The Governor’s Academy?

Elaine: I am most proud of the way in which I worked collaboratively with colleagues across different departments.

I was young when I started and grew into understanding the importance of collaboration and collegiality. Embracing the role of the team became the center of all of the work that I did, whether it was working with colleagues to coach junior varsity softball or to reinvent the school during COVID. It ranged from the very minor to the major, like ensuring the health and safety of the students in the learning environment.

Another important accomplishment was making pedagogy and methodology — the ways in which people are staying on top of new methods and embracing pedagogy — a part of the hiring of new teachers. In the last 12 to 14 years, those have become important factors in hiring faculty. At independent schools, we used to hire somebody and say, “You can coach this, and you can teach that,” even if they had no experience whatsoever with those things. Now, we are more specialized, but at the same time, still thinking about the way in which someone is going to fit into all aspects of the school’s life: academics, the afternoon program and residential life.

I am also proud of the work I did in helping Governor’s

Academy develop its Seven Essential Skills, which are the foundation from which many of its programs stem. Again, that was tied up with working together in a collaborative fashion to think about what students need and to figure out the ways to best get them to that end.

Teachers in independent schools enjoy a certain degree of autonomy in the classroom, and that is really appealing.

Who doesn’t like to design courses and think carefully about the ways in which they can reach students? But we also can’t work in silos. The reality is that we have to be sharing, talking, processing and creating with colleagues, so we can go back into our classrooms and be the best kind of teacher for the students in that moment.

What is your favorite aspect of boarding school life?

Chris: We really enjoyed our time when we were living in a dormitory, although we have been out of that setting for a long time. In fact, we had an opportunity to move out at one point, but we decided we were not ready to do that and put it off for a year or two. I also really like the community aspect of a boarding school. It is fun getting to know the families on campus, including faculty children and see those children as they grow and have the opportunity to, hopefully, attend the school.

Elaine: My favorite part of this sort of life is the growth over time that we get to see with students as they come in at one place in their life, and we have this opportunity to help them move to an entirely different place. We know that we have a program that will work and have plenty of adults who will help that student grow into that person that we all imagine they could be. I treasure most that there is this opportunity for growth and then celebration for when it happens.

Why did you want to become head of school at Westminster?

Elaine: I really love the philosophy that forms the foundation of all of the work at Westminster. I believe in it. I believe in the school motto, Grit & Grace. I believe in the school values: community, character, balance and involvement. Those six words — grit, grace, community, character, balance and involvement — are all I need to live my life.

And, of course, I want to work at a place that focuses on those things. I was, honestly, truly lucky to have felt pulled to look at Westminster.

Elaine, how would you describe your management style?

Elaine: I come back to being a collaborator. I like a team with a variety of voices. I like people to voice their opinion, I like

to tap their expertise, and I like to work as a team to then figure out the direction in which we should head. I surround myself with people who believe in the same things that I do, people who have passion for education and enjoy working with students. It is a veritable brain trust at Westminster. I find it easy to be myself and to work with colleagues and collaborate in ways that best serve the students and the school.

How have you been getting to know Westminster?

Chris: We have done grill nights and held receptions at Pratt House, and we have attended school events on and off campus where we have had an opportunity to meet people on a real social side of things. I plan to participate in family-style lunches at the table with Elaine. I will also be helping to coach junior varsity lacrosse in the spring. And I enjoy meeting people while walking the dog or eating meals in the dining hall. Elaine: We would love to do some spontaneous trips with students such as hiking on a Sunday or going to a museum.

We also like having students over to Pratt House. There is a new student art gallery in Pratt House in the first floor living room and some overflow into the library where student artwork is now hanging. We thought that since Pratt House is the school’s house, it would be wonderful to be able to celebrate the talent of the students and see their artwork hung every day there. It also gives students a reason to come by and see their work or parents an opportunity to see their child’s work in another space in addition to Baxter Gallery and in

Fearn Hall.

What about getting to know Simsbury and Hartford?

Elaine: With respect to Hartford, I am sitting on the Board of

Directors of Hartford Youth Scholars, which is a terrific entry into Hartford and the really good work of that foundation.

Chris and I will end up throwing ourselves into volunteer work like Loaves and Fishes and taking advantage of that connection and serving meals. It will be interesting to get to know the local area and perhaps find some interests. I would not be surprised if Chris finds himself a local lacrosse team to play on. There will be things that unfold, for sure. But again, right now, the priority is making sure that we are making all the connections and learning about the school and the community. Chris: We have done some driving around Simsbury, West

Hartford and Hartford and are looking forward to walking, biking and hiking on many of the local trails and visiting the many parks.

How was your transition from The Governor’s Academy to Westminster?

Elaine: My transition was remarkable and that started with my predecessor, Bill Philip, at the helm. He made sure I had access to everyone and provided me with extensive information.

He was supportive of making sure that I had everything I needed to make the shift. I would go up against any new head of school in this country this year and say I had the best transition to my school because of the access and the support of everybody. Chris: And Jenny Philip was wonderful, too. She did a video tour of Pratt House before we moved in, so we could share it with the girls, and they could start to sense what it would be like living there. It seems not so big, but it certainly made us feel very welcome.

Another one of the things Elaine has talked about as one of the positives that came out of all the Zoom meetings earlier this year was the fact that soon after her appointment, she was able to attend many Westminster meetings virtually. In January, it was five to 10 meetings, and it grew exponentially over six months.

Elaine: I also had the opportunity to speak with every member of the Board of Trustees before officially starting July 1, and they have all gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, to offer help and to show support. Chair of the Board Brad

Raymond ’85 has led the way in that, and from the beginning, my interactions with Brad and Mary Peck ’90, who were co-chairs of the search committee, made me want to work for these two people because they were so engaging and supportive, even during the time when I was interviewing. And that has continued. Brad and I talked regularly over the course of the transition period and continue to do so, and he has been a wonderful support and teacher. He has taught me quite a few things and is a partner in the work that we need to do together.

I also had great talks with emeritus trustees Bill Egan ’64, and former Board of Trustees chairs John Armour ’76 and Tread Mink ’77. It gave me a chance to learn about the work they did and the way in which they continue to be engaged with the school. They provided wonderful advice and are positively delightful people who understand their role on the big team.

In addition, I had conversations with alumni, former faculty and both former heads of school. These were opportunities that helped form a good foundation for me.

Is there anything about Westminster that has surprised you since arriving on campus?

Elaine: The lightning strikes! We had two within three weeks that affected Pratt House. In fact, the second one struck a tree in the backyard of Pratt and threw shrapnel everywhere, causing some minor damage to the house, but really more damage to electrical systems.

But overall, I don’t think there have been any substantive surprises. I think if anything is surprising, it is that it is so good. It has panned out very much like people said it would.

When I was first appointed, people came out of the woodwork, saying, “Oh my gosh, you’re going to love Simsbury,

Westminster is awesome and the people there are incredible.”

It came from all different constituents, including parents at The

Governor’s Academy. Some of them had gone to Westminster, and some were friends who had lived in Simsbury or visited.

The way in which this group in northeastern Massachusetts was very happy for us, but also knew so much of the area

and Westminster, reinforced everything that we have come to understand is true. It is a wonderful community. The school is just so sure and steady and caring. Chris: The fact we can joke about the lightning strikes being the biggest surprise says it all. We even had a couple of students and alumni stop by and introduce themselves over the summer. Elaine: They were excited about my coming in and for the school. They were so very genuine in their interest. Honestly, we had a great time coming right in.

Elaine, what do you view as the most important responsibilities as head of school?

Elaine: I am always thinking about the safety of the students, and I absolutely want to make sure that their experience is topnotch. And I know that is the case as I look at our academics, athletics, arts and community service programs.

There is so much that is really good at Westminster. I am also always thinking about what is in the best interest of the school in moving it forward. Those are my two focal points. And there are certainly initiatives and concerns that grow out of those two, but those are the two pieces that I think about every single day.

What are your initial priorities?

Elaine: During this first year, I hope I will have an opportunity to get to know the community, to listen, to see how things are done, to come to better understand its essence, and to build relationships with colleagues and students. Creating that foundation is an important part of this first year. I also want to get out and meet with parents and alumni.

As I look more toward the future, we need to start thinking about the next strategic plan for the school that will come early in my tenure. It takes about 18 months to create a good strategic plan, and it requires that we tap a variety of voices for all different kinds of input. It will start to spell out the priorities that will drive our work and significantly influence the next capital campaign. It is going to give us a framework going forward for the next 10 years.

I think, in part, Westminster has done so well because it has been clear about what it intended to create. The school has worked with people in all different capacities — faculty, parents and alumni — in order to achieve its goals and that is really important for forward momentum. We have to be able to do that again.

We also will need to keep an eye on what is happening in the day-to-day life of the school, in the community and in the growing understanding of brain science and the way in which it affects learning.

Another significant part of the work ahead will be the way in which Westminster continues to commit itself to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. There has been good work done already and good work that is planned moving forward.

Have you found any urgent issues facing Westminster?

Elaine: Bill Philip left Westminster in terrific shape. There is nothing broken. I am so lucky to be able to come in and have the time to build relationships and get to know the school better because there are not any fires to put out. While

Westminster is in such a great space, there are lots of schools that are not.

One of the things I did this past summer was attend the

New Heads Institute held by the National Association of

Independent Schools (NAIS), where I met different people who were talking about the situations they inherited. I stayed quiet because I felt so good about the way in which I had just been welcomed into Westminster and the way in which everybody on the team is pointed in the same direction. I could not check any of those boxes of concern that other people were talking about and that is really because of the wonderful work of the people in the school community.

How has the pandemic reshaped Westminster?

Elaine: Not only did we have a whole new set of students come in this year, but we have a significant number of students who came to Westminster for the first time last year during a pandemic. And even though Westminster did a fabulous job of bringing as many students onto campus as possible and providing them with as many programs as possible, it was still an incredibly challenging year. We are in the third academic year of a pandemic, so almost our entire student body has not had a normal year on campus.

The COVID Task Force continues to meet weekly, and remains nimble to figure out multiple plans to address any challenges and make sure that students are safe and healthy, and having the kind of experience that they really want, which includes socializing, playing sports, being onstage and learning in the classroom. The challenge of the pandemic for schools has been the way in which sands underneath our feet are shifting.

There are some changes that we made due to the pandemic that we would like to continue, and at the same time, there are some traditional programs and activities we have restored.

We are just starting to think about the impact of the pandemic on the learning needs of students and the ways in which that could influence changes in our curriculum moving forward.

You have talked about coming back to community this year at Westminster. What do you mean by that?

Elaine: While the start of this school year was shaped by the pandemic, we have put ourselves in a position with a fully vaccinated school community to make community be the focus of our work. We can talk about all facets of why we do what we do: Why do we have family-style lunch? Why do we have an afternoon program? What is the value of the dormitory experience? Why Grit & Grace? How do I show my Grit & Grace as this year unfolds? It matters for each one of us — students, faculty, staff — to be thinking about the ways in which we take on that responsibility for being in community.

And coming out of a pandemic means reengaging by putting down the phone, stepping away from Zoom, and being helpful, supportive and engaged. It means thinking about who we are, who we are with our character and how who we are shows itself within this community: Am I holding doors? Am I looking up and saying hello to people? Am I hanging out in the dining hall and sitting with a variety of people? Am I watching games and attending Dramat performances?

These are things for everyone in our community to consider. If we say we are a community, then we have to think about this kind of involvement. I know students were really excited about coming back this fall, and I think, in particular, members of the Sixth Form have been giving us momentum with their enthusiasm and involvement. Certainly, the younger students are looking up to the Sixth Formers and getting their cues about what is entailed in living in community at Westminster.

Is there special meaning for you in being the first female head of school for Westminster?

Elaine: It is something I have thought a lot about, and it is wonderful that the 50th anniversary of coeducation is in conjunction with my first year as a female head of school. And that is serendipitous, but what does it mean? In some ways, it means nothing because this is a school that for the past 50 years has been welcoming women and young girls, and including them as part of the community. In so many ways, it is nothing because the same work is moving forward, whether a male or female sits in this position. And that is great to be able to say. It does not matter whether I am male or female in this role. It is about the work moving forward and doing that work together.

But at the same time, to be first in anything sends another message about that next step in inclusion. To think that women can be the head of something and lead is an important message about inclusion. It is the first time that Westminster has been able to send that message in this particular role, and I think that is important.

I do not think the school thought twice about the fact that they were hiring a woman. That was not the intent. It just happened. And again, that is such a positive. But it does encourage us, not just in terms of gender, but in so many different areas of diversity, to think about ways in which Westminster, as it moves into the future, will look different from what it looked like in 1888 in Dobbs Ferry or in 1940 in Simsbury.

Why is it important for Westminster to celebrate its 50th anniversary of coeducation this academic year? Elaine: First, it is a historical moment in the life of the school.

And, again, it is important to celebrate it because it is an example of inclusivity, change and the school’s commitment to evolve. I think of the women who came and taught on the faculty and about the faculty wives before the move toward coeducation. Those faculty wives dedicated their life to the school and helping the boys who went to Westminster to grow.

Celebrating coeducation also celebrates those women and brings their history to the front.

Also, there has been significant change, even over the last 50 years, with the ways in which young women have found their voice and their strength at Westminster. Westminster is far different in 2022 than it was in 1972. There is such value in celebrating that growth and thinking about what will another 50 years bring. What will we say then?

Following the successful conclusion of the Soar Together Campaign, how do you hope members of the Westminster community will continue to support the school philanthropically?

Elaine: We want to continue that momentum, although it will be different for a while because we are not currently involved in a major comprehensive campaign. There will certainly be initiatives that we move forward with that will rely on the generosity of donors, and those initiatives are important.

Philanthropy is always about making the school stronger and creating a foundation for our students, so as they move on after graduation, they are in a position to succeed academically, socially and emotionally in their life. The continued success of

The Westminster Fund remains paramount in affording these opportunities.

There is incredible dedication and commitment to this school from faculty, staff, alumni and parents. Because we all take pride in the work at Westminster and the growth of the students, I know we will continue to experience philanthropy that will help Westminster grow and meet new goals.

How do you intend to be engaged with the larger Westminster community of alumni and parents around the U.S. and the world?

Elaine: We intend to start that engagement this academic year, although the pandemic will have some control over that. But as much as I am able, I will be at the receptions we hold in different cities and am looking forward to attending some admissions events, too. We will continue to use Zoom for some hybrid events.

And maybe there will be some travel next summer to Asia.

Let us see what happens. There are numerous events planned for the second semester that will bring people onto campus such as the Williams Hill Society Dinner to celebrate the 50th anniversary of coeducation and a mega reunion in June.

I will do some travel this year, but my primary space will be on campus. Again, it is really important that I spend time on campus and get to know the community.

What are some of the major issues facing independent schools right now?

Elaine: One of the significant issues facing independent schools is affordability and trying to continue to attract a wide variety of people to this sort of education. We know the value of the education and the pandemic helped us to understand even better the importance of the work that we do and the kind of attention that we can provide for students as they mature, which is central to their education, their citizenship and their character. The cost of that work is challenging, and we have to continue to think about ways in which to make this education affordable for more people.

Another challenge for independent schools is helping our students understand the world they are inheriting and helping them build their character and accept the responsibility to be living in that world and addressing its challenges.