Adrianne Finley Odell as 7th Head of School

By Julia Fox

On Friday, April 14, Moravian Academy’s seventh Head of School, Adrianne Finley Odell, accepted the charge of the Board of Trustees during her Installation Ceremony.

The day was as much a celebration of Adrianne Finley Odell and the historic milestone her appointment marks for our school as it was a celebration of our unified community. From the interlude to the recessional, the ceremony was buoyed by musical performances from more than 300 students playing in the Merle-Smith Campus, Middle School, and All-School Orchestras, the MA Ringers, Swain and Downtown Choruses and combined Orff Ensemble, All-School Chorus, and Pep Band.

Murals featuring the handprints of our early childhood students hung above the stage in the Athletic and Wellness Center. Ms. Finley Odell would sit upon a Lego chair comprised of 9,600 pieces, made by Downtown and Swain students.

Upon accepting the charge from Board Chair Chris Weiler P ‘18 and Vice Chair Lori Schoeneman P ‘25, 28 to serve our school faithfully, Adrianne Finley Odell was presented the key. Alicia Gordon ‘24, Krish Gupta ‘24, Olivia Laible-Warner ‘27, Wenlan

Zhao ‘32, JJ Kim ‘27, and Lily Richardson ‘32 gifted Adrianne Finley Odell with special charms, each one symbolic of one of our three campuses.

In her response, Ms. Finley Odell shared her immense gratitude for the many people who helped to make the event a success before expressing pride in the progressive history of our school and excitement in the possibilities of our future. Just like our students, Moravian Academy sets out to answer the questions: Who am I and who can I become?

“We know our destiny relies on people like them who have been a part of our legacy for hundreds of years. The Moravian of tomorrow depends on the people here in this room, both adults and students who will graduate from our school and go on to do remarkable things. As we look ahead to the future, one that is complicated by the rise in exponential technology, the effects of climate change, mental health challenges, and the inability of our leaders to engage in civil discourse, I believe that Moravian Academy can take a leadership role among schools to contribute to a transformation in how we approach these important issues with young people.”

— Adrianne Finley Odell

During my visit to the Academy, I was thrilled to experience the warmth of the community. I was humbled by the tireless work and commitment of the faculty over the last several years of pandemic and transition, and energized by the forwardthinking teaching and learning that I saw in classrooms and campus spaces. I was impressed by the insightful questions of the students and compelled by their hopes for an even more connected, inclusive, and engaged student body. The parents that I met are eager to partner, learn, and contribute to the future of the school.

— Rachel Wright, Ed.D.

Rachel Wright, Ed.D., Joins Moravian Academy as Director of the Merle-Smith Campus

By Adrianne Finley Odell

After six years as Director of the Merle-Smith Campus, having made a wide-ranging impact to the benefit of our students, faculty, and staff, Dylan Deal departs Moravian Academy to serve St. Mark’s Cathedral School, a co-ed, preschool to 8th grade Episcopal School in Shreveport, LA, as its next head of school. Please join us in welcoming his successor, Rachel Wright Ed.D.

Rachel Wright Ed.D., will be joining Moravian Academy as our Director of Merle-Smith Campus for the 2023-24 school year, effective July 1. Rachel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Development Sociology with a minor in Education from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her Doctorate in Education: Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University by completing her capstone thesis entitled “Leadership Development in Independent Schools.”

Rachel launched her teaching career as a Teach for America corps member in Philadelphia before moving to Florida to serve as a math teacher at Ft. Lauderdale Preparatory School. When Rachel returned to the northeast, she joined Cheshire Academy, a boarding/day school for grades 9-12 in Cheshire, Connecticut, where she has served for 12 years. Throughout her tenure, Rachel has taught mathematics courses from algebra to International Baccalaureate, served on the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation steering committee, chaired the Math and Computer Science Department, served as the Dean of Teaching and Learning, and ended her time at Cheshire as the Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs.

On a personal level, Rachel is a lifelong learner, an avid reader, and an active choral singer. She and her partner, Nathan, have three school-aged children, with whom they enjoy hikes in the woods, decorating the house for holidays, visiting extended family, and watching Doctor Who.