Lessons and Impressions

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BrewsterConnections – Fall 2014

LESSONS AND

IMPRESSIONS Mike Cooper reflects on education, his achievements and challenges, and talks about what he will miss most about Brewster.

By Marcia Eldredge

www.brewsteracademy.org

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The reflections weaved throughout this Q&A with Mike Cooper were sent in by alumni who served as president or vice president of the student body (today’s senior prefects) during his tenure.

In your opinion, what have been the most significant changes during your 12 years at Brewster? Technology, particularly how the Internet has flourished.

It has exploded during my time here. I don’t see its impact lessening ... The question is how it will be further leveraged in the development of education policy. Over the last 12 years we have further developed our 1:1 laptop program. We have integrated technology into our PBL curriculum making it a requisite component of student project presentations. We moved toward adding digital arts to our visual arts options so students could take advantage of this growing discipline.

We really are just at the beginning of the advent of how technology has become ubiquitous in our lives when you compare it to say advances in aviation or automotive technology.

What took 50 to 60 years to develop in those industries has taken a fraction of the time in technology. All you have to do is consider cell phones 10 years ago to today’s smart phones …

It’s astounding.

What are you most proud of about your tenure? I think how Brewster is positioned as such a viable, successful educational choice, and the product we offer our students. More and more we are really focusing on application skills to match the content students are learning. We know research tells us that more and more companies want workers Honorary Bobcat of the Week: Mike Cooper knows the importance of taking time for himself. He recently completed his first halfmarathon; daughter Allie also completed the race.

with the know-how to apply their content acquisition. Certainly I’m proud of the emotional literacy program. At the same time we can’t forget the other intelligences. Research, CEOs, and even Department of Labor studies report that the most successful employees are those who have high EQ, who possess the interpersonal and intrapersonal skills and competencies to appropriately respond to individuals and demands of life. Thanks to our EL program, our students have the chance now to get ahead of the curve by learning these skills at a younger age.

Through working closely with Dr. Cooper I learned

In other areas, our admissions are strong. Our fundraising is growing, allowing us more

that good leaders are not made by their title

resources to invest in our students and programs. I’m proud of where we’ve come.

but rather by how they steward those whom they lead. A great leader is one that is willing to get into the trenches, listen to all, seek understanding before solution, work collaboratively toward solutions and above all else

What has been your greatest challenge while serving as head of school for Brewster Academy? Managing expectations with so many constituents to serve – students, faculty, parents, alumni, staff, trustees, our community of Wolfeboro. Everyone has an expectation of what they want. I always have a lot of balls in the air at once. We now live in

command respect by giving it. I, and all those who have

a world of immediate gratification so a big challenge has been managing these expectations.

had the honor of going through the halls of Brewster,

Then there is just managing the day to day that comes at me, the sometimes expected,

owe Dr. Cooper a great deal of gratitude. Whether he

sometimes unexpected.

was cheering on the sidelines with the amazingly gracious and lovely Mrs. Cooper, or making tough, unpopular but necessary decisions, he always did so with the utmost dignity, respect, integrity, and candor.

What lessons from your experience at the college level were you able to apply at Brewster, and what could colleges perhaps take from our program that could add to the experience of college students? I was a college dean of students at an early age and so had to manage a very multi-faceted office and issues at once.

Through these responsibilities I learned a lot about myself, how to manage myself and others

– Farai Chidavaenzi ’04, Johns Hopkins University ’08

early on in my career.

Also, I saw PBL happening and knew this was something that incoming students to college needed to be prepared for. I remember a solar powered car project and watching the involvement of different players, engineering majors, business students, writers and saw

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BrewsterConnections – Fall 2014

What I remember about Dr. Cooper is that he was one of the wisest men I have ever met in my life. His speech encouraged students, leading them to go to the right path of their lives, and always treated every single student with his generosity and kindness. Dr. Cooper was a great leader and also a sagacious father of everyone who graduated from Brewster. Last, I will never forget Dr. and Mrs. Cooper’s homemade brownies they brought to Kimball House with their big happy smile!

– Marshall Lee ’10, currently serving his country in the South Korean military

Mike and Andrea host the annual dinner to celebrate Lifers.

I remember competing in the New England field hockey finals, and Dr. Cooper came down to Boston the collaborative effort firsthand and how each of those players relied on the knowledge of the other “experts” for the whole success of the project. Because of the collaboration, I knew that interpersonal and intrapersonal skills were as important as the knowledge each student brought to a project. When I came to Brewster, I knew it was a direction we needed to move in.

Your tenure and influence as head of school will leave a lasting impression on Brewster students and alumni. What lasting impression have

to watch us win. I always remember him being at our games and loved that he was so involved with supporting the Brewster athletic teams.

– Jolie Wehrung ’11, Pennsylvania State University ’15

Brewster students and alumni left on you? One of the things that I like most about education, and probably why I stayed with it as a career is that, education is a two-way street.

The importance to being open to learning from others as much as you expect them to learn

may have had while he or she was a student. I’ve also been inspired by conversations I’ve had with PGs because they come here already having graduated from high school, but they know they have another year of growing to do before heading to college and at first that can be hard for them. Many I’ve spoken with later on talk about how important that year of growth and maturation was for them and of the impact they had on other students because of their unique place in the student body. Hearing about their transformation is always inspiring.

What do you enjoy most about meeting with Brewster alumni? Hearing their stories. Whether they were here 50 years ago or five years ago. Some things just don’t change, like the impact that teachers, coaches, and dorm parents can have on students. Those relationships are what resonate most with alumni. They may not remember much about their

Words to live by?

Whatever you do, do it with passion, commitment, and love.

Favorite place anywhere?

A place in Maine where I fish; it’s off the grid and I unwind and reflect … it’s just an awesome place … what Sigurd Olson would call my listening point.

Favorite Esta meal?

Tomlettes. Sunday morning brunch is made special with Tom Kelliher’s made to order omelets.

pre-calculus course but they remember the teacher who made time (and maybe even cookies) in the late evening to help them master a problem. The times and challenges that today’s teens face may be different than those of teens 30 years ago but as a collective group that

Favorite place on campus?

Down by the water

spans decades they remember the life lessons and who took the time to teach them.

What’s on your playlist?

Did you know?

from you … I’m always struck by what an alumnus/a remembers about a conversation we

What advice would you give your 25-year-old self about building a career?

There’s a lot on my playlist, but ones that are played

Get out there and push yourself. Take on opportunities to learn something new. Don’t think

the most are probably something by The Allman

that all you can do is what you were hired to do or what is expected of you. Be the employee

Brothers and Stevie Ray Vaughan … and usually loud!

who shows up with solutions not just problems. Be willing to get your hands dirty. Be a team

www.brewsteracademy.org

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Mike with some members of the student leadership team on opening day.

player. These things will do more to catapult your career. As a result of taking on a variety of tasks as the dean of students, I became incredibly versatile and colleagues saw the value in

Dr. Cooper taught me that to be an effective leader,

that and that I could handle more … and in the end got more responsibilities and challenges

one must develop superb listening skills. Dr. Cooper

tossed my way.

always seemed to fully understand a problem before acting, which I believe served him well during his tenure as head of school. Since graduating from Brewster, I have attempted to follow Dr. Cooper’s lead by approaching problems in a more thoughtful, measured way.

You and Andrea are a real team. What advice do you have for building a true partnership? Andrea gave up a long-term career when we came here. She kept an open attitude about where she might fit best and what contributions she could bring to this community. After my first year when I saw that the yearbook could use some guidance, I thought of Andrea, her creativity, and her ability to relate to students. It turned out to be a good fit. I’m envious because she gets to have more contact with students and can really get to know them in a way that I can’t. By herself she has made a name for her work with the

– Weston Sager ’05, Dartmouth College ’09,

yearbook and for her baking prowess. When we go to the dorms to say hello, meet students in

Northwestern University School of Law ’15

their space, and of course bring delicious baked goods that she makes, you can see the joy on the students’ faces when we arrive … or rather, when she arrives! I guess as far as advice, it’s important to make sure the person closest to you is happy and that you continue to support each other in whatever endeavor you choose to pursue.

As a sophomore transfer student from Ohio, I did not know anybody upon arriving at Brewster. In my

How do you achieve a work-life balance with a job that has high demands

first week at Brewster, Dr. Cooper hosted an open

on your time? It’s not easy. You have to make time. For example, I began training for my

house for students to come and get to know both him

first half marathon last spring. During my training this summer I had a little more time than

as well as other students, and seeing as I knew neither it seemed like a great idea. In retrospect, it was one of my most memorable nights at Brewster. Timid at first, I was

I do now to focus on it. Once school started, I really had to force myself to make time in my schedule to keep up the training. It wasn’t easy. When I first started at Brewster I told Susan [my secretary] to try and keep Wednesday and Saturday afternoons open so that I could be out supporting our students in their games. I’ve always made an effort to get out there, and

somewhat reserved to socialize. Dr. Cooper approached

I can say I usually do make it around Bobcat Nation as much as possible on game days. I’ve

me and introduced himself, and I immediately was less

also learned the benefit of mini vacations. Just getting off campus for two or three days to

tense and more inclined to let myself open up. He made

decompress so I can come back with renewed energy and purpose. When you don’t take the

me feel a sense of being welcome that led me to meet

time to back away a little, you start to lose perspective and you become less effective. So, as

some of my best friends [that] I still keep in touch with today. It was during this conversation that I truly realized

difficult as it can be, making time for myself is crucial.

What Brewster activities or traditions have you enjoyed the most and

that I had found a place that I could call home for the next

which will you miss the most? I really am going to miss seeing students expressing

three years.

their talents, and that extends from the playing fields to the stage. I will miss that a lot. I really like Moving Up Day and the traditions that go with this special ceremony. There are

– Evan Cohn ’12, Bentley University ’16

the honors and awards given out but beyond that it’s a day to celebrate all of our students and their progress … moving up, moving forward, and being proud of what they have

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BrewsterConnections – Fall 2014

accomplished. After I dismiss the seniors and postgraduates for the last time, it’s neat to see all the other classes get really excited as they literally move up in their seats and into the next chapter of their time here. Also, I can’t leave out that special feeling and witnessing all the expressions as a Head’s Holiday is announced. For one fleeting moment I get to be the hero on campus.

We know that you are a big James Collins (Good to Great) proponent. What do you see as the path for Brewster’s future greatness to be focused on and why? Taking what’s now happening at school and further refining it. Collins’ admonition is worth remembering, that the greatest threat to great is good … that you can’t rest on your laurels or success, that you have to keep pushing forward. Collins talks about understanding and knowing what we are passionate about, along with knowing what do we want to be the best in the world at. As a school, I think we need to keep understanding the answers to these questions while remaining true to our core mission and values. We don’t have all the answers and if we thought we did, then we wouldn’t be moving forward. Hopefully the school will continue focusing on the way education should be and evolving this as proven best practices

Mike Cooper presents Rachel Berman ’06 an award at the Class of 2006 Commencement.

guide us.

What will you do on July 1, 2015? Breathe. Take some time to reflect. I certainly have

During his first couple years as head of school, I was

[professional] things I want to do that I’m still deciding upon. There is only so much fishing

impressed by Dr. Cooper’s eagerness to get to

and golf I can do.

know us as students and the different parts of our lives at Brewster – to sit in during academic classes, attend sporting and theater events, and participate in dorm meetings (and Mrs. Cooper’s snacks were always welcome!)

As the class vice president during my senior year, Z and I would have weekly meetings with Dr. Cooper and the academic deans. I appreciated that Dr. Cooper would use us to bounce ideas off of and listen to our opinions. Although accepting the changes we as students wanted was not as easy as a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ I feel like Dr. Cooper always tried to look at the issue from all angles, understand our perspective, and create a compromise when possible.

– Rachel Berman ’06, University of Colorado Skaggs Mike at a Brewster trustee appreciation luncheon with Board of Trustees Chair Dan Mudge (on the left) and Treasurer Roy Ballentine (center).

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences ‘12

the way

education

should be www.brewsteracademy.org

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