Penguin
PROFILES
Deborah Harmon
30 Years of Supporting Students
“
We continue to learn more every day about how the brain works and that research has to be part of your thinking to best meet the needs of each individual student.
”
— Deborah (Nyberg) Harmon
A
t this point, Cushing Academy is as much a part of
The field of academic support has changed a lot since Deb
Deb Nyberg Harmon’s life as she is of it. Since coming
began teaching. “When I first started, the concept of ADHD was
here in 1992, Deb met her husband of 22 years (Donald
still new and lots of people questioned whether it was a true
Harmon, a Cushing athletic trainer) and has raised two
issue,” she said. “Now teachers, parents, and students have a
children (Harry ’21 and Jane ’22) while living on campus. Deb has
greater awareness of the spectrum of learning and the value
served as a dorm parent; coached soccer, lacrosse, and tennis; and
of understanding where an individual falls on that spectrum,
helped to establish student life traditions such as the All-School
depending on what they are trying to learn.” Because the field
Handshake and the Team Cushing event that evolved into the
is constantly changing, Deb is grateful that Cushing Academy
Dorm Olympics. And as a teacher in the English and Academic
has supported professional development; she has attended
Support departments, Deb has helped numerous students unlock
conferences, heard expert speakers, and recently completed a
their potential. “The best part of my job is watching students grow
certification in neurodiversity through Landmark College in
and find success,” Deb said. She often hears from alumni with
Vermont. “One of the great things about Cushing is that I’ve
updates—weddings, babies, going to grad school, and launching
always been encouraged to stay on top of current trends in the
careers as engineers, teachers, artists and entrepreneurs. “I feel
field,” she said. “We continue to learn more every day about how
very proud of where my students have gone in their lives.”
the brain works and that research has to be part of your thinking to best meet the needs of each individual student.”
Deb was attracted to Cushing because of the school’s philosophy of meeting students where they are, and she describes being an
Other fond memories from over the years include coaching Varsity
Academic Support teacher as being a coach. “I often work with
Girls' Soccer when they won the 1999 New England championship
students who have academic scars,” she explained. “I work on
and watching her children grow up and find their own success as
building trust so that students know we’re in this together. My
Cushing students. Deb recently received a holiday card from an
question for each student is: How can I support you in succeeding?
alumnus who remembered babysitting for Deb’s children and had
Helping students figure that out is very fulfilling.” She often
now become a mother herself. “She sent a photo of her baby and
works with students throughout their entire time in the Academic
remarked on how my children are now entering the college years,”
Support program, meeting almost daily throughout the school
Deb said. “That’s the kind of long-lasting relationship that we
year. “I grow very close with parents as well as students,” Deb said,
build with students here.”
“because a student’s learning differences may have been a struggle for the whole family. Parents are so appreciative that we are all on the same team.”
WINTER 2022
9
