lot of names were being thrown around. I felt really good when I could finally give directions to someone else,” she jokes. Another Cate newbie, Craig Bouma, understands. As a veteran teacher (he just finished a nineteen-year stint at Loyola High School in Los Angeles) and newly appointed chair of the Science Department, he was baffled whenever he heard about events that were being held in “the jail” – which turned out to be the J.L, or Johnson Library. Finding its way this fall, and with family members in tow in many cases—is a bumper crop of new teachers. With the June retirement of long-time pillars of the Cate community like Ross Robins, Peter and Mary Arango, and Bob Bonning, the
Craig Bouma, the new science department chair, brings nearly two decades of teaching experience with him to Cate.
administration needed to spend the better part of a year interviewing, selecting, and
climate. “I love it here already, but not as
bringing on board a host of new teachers
really everyone on campus. It’s a huge bonus
much as I will in December and January,”
who could contribute profoundly to the
for the whole community.”
she notes cheerfully. (See the following
academic and extra-curricular realms.
pages for the details and bona fides of all the
Along the way, everyone seemed aware that
silently and vocally noting the differences
new faculty members.)
between Cate and their former employers,
there were some enormous shoes to fill,
This summer, the task of welcoming
While the new additions are both
Adegbile picked up on one striking change
acknowledges Headmaster Ben Williams.
and preparing this especially large new
Consequently, “We worked really hard to
right away. “Coming from a major city, I was
group fell to Cate’s administration. Extra
make sure that this would be a group of
completely accustomed to people being on
days were added to the orientation schedule,
teachers that everyone will remember,” he
their phones all the time. It’s so different
and mentors worked hard to smooth out
notes, “because everyone sure remembers
here, and much more about personal
everyone’s transition to Cate – and to the
the ones who just left.”
connections and interactions. I like the
town of Carpinteria. And the process has
message in that; it says, ‘Be present fully and
Stevenson School in Pebble Beach) heard
continued into the fall. In the days before
California calling her back, and is now
be fully engaged.’ I’m loving the fact that I,
Family Weekend, members of the Steering
finding Cate a wonderful place for her and
too, am becoming better in that regard.”
Committee met with the new teachers to
her family. Also loving her new location is
fill them in on what was to come—and on
long-time French teacher, world traveler,
member of the Cate faculty is a bit like
just what to expect from the families of
and diversity advocate Zohara Zamor, who
being a freshman, and sometimes feels
their students and advisees.
like drinking from a fire hose. “I have two
Among the other initiates: art teacher Joy Doyle, formerly an elementary school teacher from Chicago and also a graphic designer; Humanities and English teacher Alicia Hammond, who has spent a good part of her life either attending or teaching in boarding schools. Her most recent post was the Dublin School in New Hampshire, but Hammond (a graduate of Robert Louis
came from the Nichols School in Buffalo
“We’re fortunate to have an amazing
All in all, relates Yeung, being a new
advisees who are freshmen, and there are
to join the Foreign Languages Department.
group this year,” says Assistant Headmaster
Neither the intense start-of-year orientation
some days when I feel just like them. But
Jay Dorion. “Our new faculty members
nor the many subsequent festivities have
overall it’s been a great experience and I feel
represent a host of different backgrounds
worn her down – nor have the jokes about
so supported by the group I came in with.
and experiences. This is an infusion of talent
her former home and its radically different
There’s strength in numbers.”
we all benefit from—teachers, students,
-SK W W W . C A TE . O R G
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