This is Home

What Cannon Means to Me

by Sarah Leonard ’23

#THISISHOME

I’ve driven into Cannon’s familiar tree-lined drive most mornings for the past six years. First as a passenger in my parents’ car throughout Middle School, and now as a driver in eleventh grade. Each time I drive by the maroon brick buildings and white columns, similar thoughts fill my mind about how grateful I am for the people and opportunities Cannon has brought me.

My first memories of Cannon are in the classroom. I remember Mrs. Northrup’s science class in seventh grade and the transformative learning experiences she led. From experiments in the lab to dissections, I was motivated to learn due to Mrs. Northrup’s passion for teaching. I remember debating Supreme Court cases in Mr. Cooke’s history class. I found my love for English in Mr. Smith’s ninth grade English class, where we discussed the philosophical themes in books that we read. I learned to enjoy learning purely for the sake of learning. I believe that Cannon has made me a critical thinker and has given me a desire to understand more about the world around me.

While the academics at Cannon have prepared me very well to apply and attend college soon, more importantly, the curriculum has equipped me with the social and emotional skills I need to thrive in the world.

At the time, I couldn’t appreciate the long written reflections I had to write during Middle School. In retrospect, I see how those activities have shaped me into the purpose-driven and intentional student that I am. Additionally, I have learned so much about myself as a student and person through the Clifton StrengthsFinder and personality tests that I’ve done in high school. Reflecting on the purpose of each of my experiences at Cannon has enabled me to understand the “why” behind the classes and extracurricular activities I engage in. Knowing my purpose motivates me to work harder and hopefully reach my full potential.

My teachers value my personal well-being and health far more than they value me for my grade in their class. This is something I have really appreciated. As I’ve grown up alongside my peers, I have gone through significant life events like graduating eighth grade, learning how to drive, and beginning the college search process. I’ve had many difficult days at school, but I’ve always felt supported. There was never a doubt in my mind that someone on the other side of the door was happy to see me. The advisory system has also allowed me to have an automatic community of peers, and an advisor who encourages me and desires to see me thrive.

Another thing that I am so grateful for are all of the opportunities that I’ve been exposed to while attending Cannon. There is something for everyone here, and a hobby or club for every interest. I even started my own creative writing club to find a community of writers and continue enjoying my passion for fiction writing. I participate in a team of students called the Peer Support Team that learns about mental illness and how to support our peers as we all navigate life challenges. I have attended leadership lunches learning from successful members of the community about topics ranging from how to sustain lifelong friendships to the importance of grit. Cannon has enabled me with the opportunity to participate in seasons of volleyball, swimming, and track. I’ve made friends with students across all grade levels and teachers in many different departments. The last six years, I have been able to hone my passions and learn more about what interests me on a personal, academic, and athletic level. I have noticed that Cannon fosters a community of students eager to get involved.

Although I always strive to work hard at school, there have been many opportunities for fun both in and outside the classroom. I always enjoy events like House Games and Project Wrap-In, but there are also moments of laughter within my classes every day. I love having the ability to have discussions with my friends during collaborative classes. I think that one of the things that enables me to thrive in school is being able to have some fun and lighten up in between the sometimes very challenging course work.

Cannon has really begun to feel like home to me because of the relationships I’ve made, the classes I’ve become passionate about, and the extracurriculars I’ve been able to participate in that enrich my life. With the education I’ve received and the core values I’ve adopted, I know that I am prepared for whatever my future holds!

Aubrey and Spot at the JrK Teddy Bear Picnic, 2010

Aubrey today, as a junior at Cannon School

Treasured Traditions: Why Cannon is Home

by Aubrey Haas ’23

In my household, one of my favorite Christmastime traditions includes an ornament pickle. Each year, right before Christmas dinner, my grandfather hides the ornament around the house for our family members to find. When we find the pickle, we choose a prize, whether it be a toy for my younger brothers or a gift card for my aunts and uncles. Without the yearly excitement of this tradition, it truly would not feel like Christmas to me or my family.

When asked how I associate #THISISHOME with Cannon, I immediately thought of our school’s traditions. As a lifer, Cannon has quickly become home, with many traditions since Junior Kindergarten. One of my first memories at Cannon was the JrK Teddy Bear Picnic. Every year, Junior Kindergarteners bring in their favorite stuffed animals to be rewarded with a special award from the Head of School. This event was so special to me. I remember bringing a tiny dalmation stuffed animal named Spot, and I was so proud after he received “The Cutest” award from Mr. Gossage. Recently, the Cannon Instagram posted pictures in honor of the event, and as I looked through the pictures, it reminded me of how much I loved and looked forward to that day.

Another treasured tradition I experienced throughout my time in Lower School was Gold and Maroon Day. Every year, the Lower School is divided into two teams as students participate in games such as baton-relays and tug of war. This was always a favorite among my class; we would spend hours preparing decorations, posters, and face paint for the day. One of my favorite parts of Gold and Maroon Day throughout the years was that at the end of the day, parents were called to compete in their own game of tug of war. Even if we may have been competitive throughout the events, we all would come together in excitement for our parents to participate.

Lastly, one of my most beloved Cannon traditions is the infamous Project Wrap-In: a tradition I have experienced for the past thirteen years. On this day, JrK through twelfth graders bring in presents to wrap together and give to numerous charities. Whether I was a Junior Kindergartener wrapping presents with my Senior Buddy, or a sophomore wrapping presents with my advisory, I have always loved getting in the Christmas spirit and giving back to the community.

Like my family’s pickle, these traditions and experiences truly make our community home, whether experiencing them as a junior kindergartener or a junior. Not only are these traditions fun and unforgettable experiences, but they also have the ability to bring our community together, as a class and as a school.

Mrs. Julie Reulbach

by Skylar Couture ’23

When I was asked what made Cannon feel like home, I thought of the teachers. And there was one teacher who immediately came to mind, Mrs. Julie Reulbach. She has been at Cannon School since August 2014, teaching math in the Upper School. This year, she teaches AP Calculus AB and in the past has taught Geometry, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Precalculus. In addition to teaching math, Mrs. Reulbach is an advisor for a group of girls who will be graduating in 2022. Mrs. Reulbach is an integral part of the Cannon community and makes Cannon feel like a home for so many students, including myself.

Q: What inspired you to be a teacher, and to teach math specifically?

A: I had terrible math teachers up until my junior year in high school. In my junior and senior years I had an amazing teacher for precalculus and AP Calculus.

Her name was actually Mrs. Miracle!

She spent time with me before and after school catching me up during my junior year, since my previous math teachers were so terrible and I started out behind in precalculus. She helped me not only understand math but start to love math.

She really cared about me, and all of her students.

Q: What drew you to Cannon?

A: I wanted a K-12 school so my three boys could be at the same school. A friend told me that she had heard good things about

Cannon. I loved the look of the campus.

Q: What or who made you feel welcome when you came to Cannon?

A: Mrs. Laura Huffman. She was also a freshman advisor with me my first year. She took me under her wing on the freshman trip, as I had not been an advisor before and she was an amazing advisor.

Q: What is your favorite memory at Cannon?

A: Definitely the Disney trip with the senior class. The seniors are an amazing group of students, and that made the trip especially enjoyable. I also loved going to Disney with the team of educators that I went with. They are all so easygoing, positive, and professional, and some of my dearest friends.

Q: Your advisory is about to graduate.

What has been the most rewarding part of being an advisor?

A: I love being an advisor and it has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job. I have three boys at home, so it is wonderful to get to connect with amazing young women. They are like the daughters that I always wanted but never had! I love that we are with the same ladies for four years, as we really get to know each other. I love giving them advice, helping them make decisions about classes and pushing them to do what I know they are capable of. But most of all, it is just so much fun talking with them and hanging out with them.

Q: I am amazed by the energy you radiate; how do you stay so positive?

A: I absolutely love teaching more than anything. So, I think that when you get to do what you love everyday it makes you very happy! It gives me great joy to help students understand math, which can be such a difficult subject in high school. Most students come to me not liking math at all, so I try to make it fun and entertaining to ease the pain, lol! I also hope that I can help some students love math, or at least realize that they ARE good at math, and not hate it so much! Math can be a roadblock in college, and I do not want any of my students’ future plans to be derailed by a math class in college.

Q: I understand that you are involved in teaching outside of Cannon. Can you tell me more about that?

A: Yes! Outside of Cannon I teach math teachers how to teach math. I write a blog for math teachers called “I

Speak Math” where I share my lessons and ideas. I go to other schools and run professional development sessions and present at conferences to give instructions, tips and hints at how to teach math. I also do webinars, and I have been a keynote speaker at several conferences. When I give a keynote speech I try to encourage other teachers.

Teaching math can be a tough job, as so many students do not like math. So I try to inspire them and let them know that they are doing a great job and that they “are enough."

I also teach other math teachers how to effectively use Desmos in their classes. I am going to New Orleans in February to give a presentation on Desmos at NCTM.

Mrs. Reulbach poses with her advisory in 2019

#THISISHOME

Mr. Mike Hoffman

by Ainsley Edmiston ’23

Q: How many years have you been at Cannon?

A: This is my twenty-fourth year at Cannon, and I have always taught eighth grade. My first few years I taught all humanities (language arts, Latin, and history – which has varied from American history to geography and cultures, back to US history again).

Q: Describe yourself in 5 words or less.

A: Energetic, challenging, compassionate, empathetic.

Q: I know a huge change during your time here was moving the eighth grade from the Outback to the new building. Can you describe this change?

A: I was in the Outback for twelve years (before that I was in a room that is now part of the locker rooms in the gym!), so it was quite a change to be back in “the main building.”

My new room is on the second floor; the first time in my thirty-two year teaching career that I have not been on the ground floor! Mrs. Huffman calls my room the “Executive

Suite” since I’m upstairs with a corner view. I have four giant windows looking out on Coddle Creek and The

Mill and athletic fields. All that said, the best thing is the environment it gives the students. It is a bright, pleasant space with lots of room for movement, which, as you know, we do often.

Q: What makes Cannon feel like home to you?

A: Cannon feels like home to me because we are a community in the true sense of the word. We look out for each other. We challenge each other to be our best selves. We celebrate each others accomplishments. We learn why we believe the way we do, while at the same time trying to understand other points of view. We try to separate our knowledge and intellect from our feelings, while acknowledging both. For the most part, I believe we succeed at these, but it is a continuing challenge.

Q: What excites you most about teaching?

A: I’ve said this many times, but the BEST part about teaching is witnessing the “aha” moment when a student, or students, “get it.” Often we are well into a time period or an event, and I can figuratively see a light bulb go off in their heads and their eyes widen. It’s still an exciting moment even when it happens multiple times a year over many years.

Q: How do your students inspire you?

A: My students inspire me with their ability to persevere.

Their eighth-grade year is not their easiest, but most students push themselves to accomplishments they may not have thought possible. This is not just one or two students, but most.

Q: Do you have any teaching philosophies?

A: Our Middle School social studies department lives by the philosophy that our goal is to teach students to read, think, and write like historians. This approach, I think, brings history alive for students and prepares them to study and learn from history as they grow up. I also think we all learn more when we can talk about our learning, so discussions in both small and large groups are important in my classroom.

Mrs. Laura Huffman

by Aubrey Haas ’23

When asked who helped make Cannon feel more like #THISISHOME for her, intern Aubrey Haas '23 immediately thought of Mrs. Laura Huffman, Upper School history teacher. Mrs. Huffman taught Aubrey her freshman and sophomore year,and has been teaching at Cannon since 2006.

"In the two years I had her as a teacher, it was clear to me her commitment and passion for not only her subject, but also her students," said Aubrey.

"Going to her class each day, I looked forward to her kindness; I knew I could always go to her if I had any questions or needed help. Mrs. Huffman truly encompasses our theme, #THISISHOME, by her understanding and dedication to her community and students."

Audrey created this Q&A with Mrs. Huffman in hope that others could learn more about her.

Q: What or who inspired you to become a teacher?

A: My mother always told me not to have any regrets, and to try anything I might remotely be interested in, so I did. When I graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Institute of Film and Television with a degree in Dramatic Writing, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.

I worked in higher ed, as a Congressional Intern, as a journalist, and I taught playwriting and screenwriting.

I really liked that, so decided to go back and get my master’s degree at UNC-Charlotte after I moved to

NC, During that time, I worked for an engineering firm (how I met my husband), for the Department of Social

Services, as a freelance writer (I eventually became an education columnist for The Charlotte Observer once

I began teaching) and I even managed a rock band! By the time I earned my MA, I tried teaching high school history. I was 30 years old and had never had a job lasting more than 2.5 years. This is my 22nd year in the classroom. As for a person, I had a magical 9th grade social studies teacher, for a class called Afro-Asian Culture Studies, Mr. Vincent Rosa. He loved teaching, and loved his subject, and loved his students, and I aspire to be like him.

Q: What excites you the most about teaching?

A: I love being able to help students understand the world around them by examining what came before and got us here, making those connections, and having a lot of fun doing it!

Q: Do you have a teaching philosophy you live by?

A: Kindness is everything. The teachers students remember are the ones who treated them poorly (I had a sixth grade teacher who told me I was so stupid I’d never make it through junior high) and those who treated them with kindness and respect, grace and humor, as the precious beings they are (like Mr. Rosa), I know which one I want to be.

Q: What has been your favorite part of the

Cannon community beyond the classroom?

A: Being a Cannon parent! My son, Carter, has been at Cannon since JrK, so I’ve also got to experience everything from the Teddy Bear Picnic to holiday concerts to high school football games, since he’s a coaching intern. It’s been such a gift to also have that aspect of my experience at Cannon.

Q: On the first day of your class, you introduced us to the expression “Trust the Huff.” What is the meaning behind this phrase?

A: One of my former Cannon students, Davis Nelson '16, came up with that mantra when I was still teaching AP

Euro. On the surface level, I think it means that I know what I’m doing, and to listen to my suggestions for help/ improvement. On a deeper level, to me it means that students can trust me because I trust them. We’re all learners together!

Q. How long have you been at Cannon, and in what roles?

A. This is my twenty-second year at Cannon. I started as a science and math teacher, moved into the Dean of

Seventh and Eighth Grade role in 2008 when I continued to teach math, and I became the Head of Middle School in 2014.

Q. What made you want to become a Head of School?

A. I felt that I had more to offer the Middle School than I could as a dean, so I applied as an internal candidate for the role when my predecessor and mentor, Matt Rush, left to become a head of school. I was ready for the next challenge, I loved the school and didn’t want to leave, and

I wanted an opportunity to work with all of the amazing faculty members, not just those on my teams. It has been a wild ride, a fun challenge, and a growth opportunity in so many ways.

Q. What is the most important lesson your students have taught you?

A. Middle School students have a way of giving honest feedback that helps you grow. I have learned that listening to what kids are saying—and truly hearing them—makes me a better educator. I learn so much from one-on-one conversations with our amazing Middle School students.

Q. Do you have a favorite memory from your time here?

A. I have so many memories, but the most special one was the dedication of the Hoffman Riley court in January of 2019. A team of eighth grade students worked together to make that event one of the most memorable and touching events I have ever been part of at Cannon. The smiles and surprise on the faces of Mr. Hoffman and Mr. Riley are embedded in my heart forever.

Q. In your opinion, what makes Cannon a

community? Why does it feel like #THISISHOME?

A. I love that I can get to know kids in JrK and then see them walk across our graduation stage as seniors. We truly watch young people grow up and go out into the world, and it is even more special that we get to see them come back to visit, volunteer, or be a parent here (that’s crazy!).

Q. Why is Cannon home to you?

A. I love my work, and I love spending time on this campus with our incredible faculty, students, and families.

Our students are loved as if they are our own, and my colleagues are always here to support me. Like any

“home,” there are tough times and challenges, but working through those together makes it all that much more sweet.

Mrs. Carla Moyer

#THISISHOME

Mr. Stuart Coale has been at Cannon for fifteen years—as a Lower School Substitute and interim PE Teacher for one year, a Second Grade Assistant for one year, and a First Grade Assistant for 13 years.

Q: What made you want to go into education?

A: After staying home with my sons for several years, I realized how much I enjoy teaching young students.

Q: Your two sons are Cannon alumni.

What do you remember most fondly about your time here with them?

A: My sons, Austin ’16 and Alex ’18 were “Lifers” at Cannon.

Working at Cannon while they were here, I felt intimately connected to their educational journey. I especially enjoyed being able to attend their academic, music, and sports events during the day.

Mr. Stuart Coale

Q: What is your favorite part about working with first grade?

A: I love being a part of my students’ first grade year and the significant progress they make in reading, math, and interacting with others.

Q: In your opinion, what makes Cannon a

community? Why does it feel like #THISISHOME?

A: What makes Cannon a community is we are a fellowship of students, families, faculty, and staff, striving to provide our students with an excellent education and develop their character through following our core values of courage, teamwork, respect, integrity, passion, and kindness. This feels like home because of the love and support we give each other and the core values we share.

Q: Why is Cannon home to you?

A: Cannon is home to me because I believe in our mission and our core values, and I think of my colleagues and students as family.

#THISISHOME

#THISISHOME

Mrs. Suzanne Howard

Q: How long have you been at

Cannon and in what capacity?

A: This is my nineteenth year at Cannon. I began as an

Administrative Assistant in the front office, helping in whatever capacity was needed. It wasn’t too long before we needed more help on the “business” side and purchasing and helping with budgets became part of my duties. My position hasn’t changed that much over the years. Some responsibilities have been added, some moved to other departments as we have grown.

Q: You are certainly a person who makes this place feel like home for others! Do you have a favorite memory from your time here?

A: What a sweet thing to say! One of my favorite memories involved a former student. I was sitting with him in the lobby waiting on Mom who was running late. After chatting a bit, he looked up at me and said very sincerely,

“I wish you were younger so you could be in my class.” My heart melted. And of course, the now infamous falling

Christmas tree!

Q: Tell us about what your typical day looks like.

A: There is nothing typical about a day at Cannon! We start with the students coming in and saying hello, all so excited to be here. I’ll get attendance started, handle parent calls and direct questions to the right people. Greeting parents and vendors, being sure they get signed in properly, and that they know where to go. (I love telling people where to go, LOL!) Most of the day is just being ready for anything and everything, and making sure things get done. Just helping wherever help is needed.

Q: What is your favorite Cannon tradition?

A: Ooh. So many! But graduation is at the top of the list.

I’ve only missed two in nineteen years.

Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of being here for so many years?

A: Gosh, the relationships with my coworkers, staff, and faculty. The best of the best. And knowing that parents trust us with their children every day. It makes me so proud.

But watching these young men and women get that diploma! Especially the Lifers. I’ve watched them grow up, from Jrk meltdowns and Lower School silliness to tween/teen emotions in Middle School, to finding themselves in Upper School. I hope they all felt that we made a difference in their life while at Cannon. That we were there for them. Whether we took them a forgotten lunch or gym bag, reminded them to ride the bus, or printed that report for them minutes before class. We just did whatever was needed. And maybe they’ll remember and do the same in someone else’s life.