4 minute read
Retirements
Sally Waller
For almost two decades, Sally Waller has served as a dedicated Ignatian educator. In Sally’s own words, teaching at Loyola was her dream job after spending the first half of her career in banking.
Sally spent her time on campus wearing many different hats, but no matter what she did, she did it with care and compassion for her students and colleagues. She spent the majority of her time at Loyola teaching middle school English, but also taught classes in theology. Sally’s students knew that when they walked into her classroom, whether in the modest rooms of Sheridan Hall and the Knott Hall fishbowl, or in our brand-new Saint Ignatius Hall, they were there to learn.
Sally shared her extensive knowledge with countless students, whether it was demonstrating her love of books like The Outsiders and The Diary of Anne Frank, or entertaining them with the wonders of English phonics, grammar, and spelling. Many of our Dons first developed their passion for writing and literature under her guidance.
Her love for running has also been ever-present as an assistant coach to the middle school cross country and track programs. She would proudly wear her MIAA Cross Country Championship jackets with the firm understanding that many of our Dons do not get there without first discovering their passion for running in our middle school. While there is sadness in saying goodbye to our friend, we are secure in the knowledge that this is not goodbye, but farewell. Sally will continue to be a presence around Blakefield in the future, but for now will enjoy the well-earned reward of additional time with her husband, Jim, and her sons, Jamie ’10, Conor ’12, and Keene ’12. Knowing how well she fills her time, Sally will somehow find a way to squeeze an eighth day in a week to fill her busy retirement—one that will likely include travel and guaranteed to feature many more miles of running.
John O’Hara ’96
Middle School Principal
Terry Levering
He paced back and forth in the front of the room, his arms folded behind his back. The students in front of him argued passionately with each other, as was often the case in that government class.
He paused every now and then. “Hold on a second,” he would interject. “Listen carefully to the argument that’s being made.” After a moment of silence, the discussion—now less heated and more respectful— would resume.
What an honor it was to have had Terry Levering as a teacher. His knowledge of content matter was extensive, and he taught courses in both government and military history. His ability to take on multiple perspectives was uncanny. Just when we thought we had figured out his political leanings, he would challenge us to consider another point of view. Even-keeled, passionate, and professional, Terry was one of the best teachers I had at Loyola.
The attributes that made him a master teacher also served him well as Assistant Principal for Academics, a role in which he served for thirteen years. Terry was a reliable and steady presence during his tenure, guiding the academic council and ensuring that Loyola’s academic policies and practices fostered a rigorous and fair intellectual environment. He became known to students, counselors, and teachers as a trustworthy advocate—someone who would listen intently and make decisions with integrity, fairness, and compassion.
Terry’s final mission at Loyola was to establish an Academic Support Center. As our first Academic Support Coordinator, Terry worked with individual students to help them build successful academic habits. Students who struggled academically might learn how to take better notes, how to manage their time more effectively, or how to study more productively. The Academic Support Center has now become an invaluable resource to our student body. Terry’s passion for education carries forward in a rich legacy here at Loyola—in the American Experience class that he designed nearly three decades ago, in the policies he co-wrote with the student Integritas Committee, and in the Academic Support Center that he shepherded into existence. His legacy continues in the thousands of students, faculty, and administrators whose lives he has inspired.
