WELCOME TO FRIENDS
READY FOR HIS CLOSE-UP: Jay Golon is Friends’ new Middle School Principal
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eated in his office amid smiling photos of his toddler son Jamie and wife Devra, Friends new Middle School Principal Jay Golon feels very much at home. Or at least he will feel at home, once the students arrive. It’s August and Golon is antsy for the pitter patter of pre-teen feet. “I can hardly wait to have them back,” he says, beaming, his 6'3" frame concealed behind his desk. Golon has spent his professional career in middle schools, most recently at The Dalton School in Manhattan, where since 2008 he has served as a history teacher, house advisor, department chair and, for the past five years, assistant director for curriculum and teaching and also dean of students. Additionally, he’s held teaching, coaching and administrative positions at Trevor Day School in Manhattan and The Epiphany School in Dorchester, Mass. Since joining the Friends community, Golon has immersed himself in School culture, listening to parents and teachers’ stories about why they chose Friends, and learning about their hopes for the school year — for their children and for him. Pulling a spiral-bound notebook from his desk, he reads aloud a few pearls from these informal conversations. “One parent said ‘there’s a sense of safety in risk taking here.’ Another one shared that the faculty is ‘an incredible mix of wisdom plus experience plus openness to growth plus excitement for kids.’ That’s really nice.” An alumnus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s School Leadership Program, Golon earned a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where he double-majored in American studies and theater. “What I realize now about my theater background is that it was more an education in how to be an effective community member than it was about actually performing. In schools, as in the theater, you have a group of people coming together, bringing very different talents, different expertise to ultimately put out a certain product. In theater, it’s a show. In schools, it’s a class, or a trip or a team,” he says. Golon is admittedly biased when asked what draws him to this age group. “Middle school sees the greatest developmental range in the shortest amount of time, and that makes for an interesting and challenging learning environment. Also”, he adds, “as my colleagues will attest, middle schoolers are stunningly honest. At least once a day, usually more, I laugh from my soul because of something a kid does, or says. For me that’s one of the most wonderful restorative things ever.” While he’s new to Quaker education Golon readily sees its parallels to 21st century pedagogy, particularly the use of guided questioning in the classroom by trusting expert adults. “I have a deep and abiding love for creating a challenging and innovative academic journey, but I’m also someone who very much believes that if we’re not putting equal energy into developing excellent people then we’re not doing our job right.” Doing so depends on building healthy relationships, with the students, the faculty and the families. “It’s so important,” he stresses. “We have a strong program and a ton of caring adults here, but the rough patches of middle school from a developmental point are just built in. This is hard work we do, but I’m really excited to be here.” FS F RI E N DS SCHOOL |
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