NA NEWS
THE END OF AN ERA:
CAROL SPOONER | 33 YEARS
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fter 33 years of service to Newark Academy, Carol Spooner is retiring from her role as Upper School Counselor and Health
Teacher. Carol has always put students first — offering quiet support, deep empathy and tireless advocacy — while intentionally staying out of the spotlight so the students could shine. Her influence at NA has reached far beyond counseling. During her tenure, Carol designed and led the Upper School advisor and peer leader programs, served as Health Department Chair and created the program’s curriculum, helped shape various school policies, served on multiple task forces and search committees and provided training to faculty and staff. She also coached varsity volleyball and lacrosse as Upper School Counselor Carol Spooner (third from left) with long-time colleagues: Director of College Counseling Kerry Winiarski, Sixth Grade Science Teacher Deb Tavares and Upper School English Teacher Alex Mahoney.
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well as Middle School field hockey, tennis and basketball for a combined 61 unbroken seasons at NA. Carol has been the quiet glue holding so many parts of Newark Academy together, and her calming presence, wisdom and heart will be deeply missed.
“It has been my honor and pleasure to know Carol for the past 20 years. As the School Counselor, she consistently demonstrated best practices in all she did. What many may not realize is how deeply she contributed behind the scenes — fostering harmony among colleagues and serving as a compassionate sounding board for so many. Carol is kind, supportive and steadfast — a trusted confidante, a loyal friend and an exemplary professional. Her presence has made a lasting impact on both staff and students alike. Her retirement marks the end of an era, and she will be deeply missed by all.”
“Carol Spooner’s legacy at NA is all around us. She created our current advisory program, our peer-mentoring and peer-leadership programs and much of our Health and Physical Education curriculum. She tirelessly showed up and supported all areas of the students’ experience from coaching sports, chaperoning Capstone overnights and co-leading service and Immersion trips. Not everyone knows this, but one of the delights of Carol’s leadership as School Counselor includes the witty poetry and creative way she began and ended each school year for the advisors. Carol is, in many ways, irreplaceable as she is famous for her incredible recall of institutional knowledge matched with her steady leadership, sharp wit and attention to detail. Carol has served Newark Academy with integrity and strength. It is an honor — an honor for all of us — to have worked with her.”
— Stacey Clark, Learning Specialist
— Kirsti Morin, Middle School Counselor
LUMEN
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SPRING 2025