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Upper School,” he remarked. One especially rewarding partnership was the creation of Post-Prom, an event organized and run by the PA on campus immediately following the prom, with activities and games for the students. “I’m really proud of the Post-Prom event, as it signaled a significant cultural shift at PDS. It has since become a great way to help keep our students safe and provide them with a fun event after the prom.” As Head of the Upper School, Carlton has helped hire and appoint much of the faculty, department chairs, and deans and, in the process, establish many strong relationships. Through the years, Carlton has shown his dedication to the faculty by helping to establish faculty awards, such as the Bogle, Whitlock, and Rosenberg Awards, which support faculty professional development and are presented at the end of the year. The Upper School faculty is also deeply dedicated to Carlton, as evidenced by the murmurs of emotion in the faculty and staff meeting when his retirement was announced. Once the shock of the announcement wore off, a standing ovation concluded the meeting—a true testament to Carlton’s leadership. At this point, it’s striking to note that Carlton has helped lead and shepherd more than 1,500 Princeton Day School graduates to become alumni. “I have continued to keep students at the center of what is important and what matters. Through teaching and coaching over the years, I have remained connected to the students on a day-to-day basis, which is key,” he remarked. He went on, “It has been gratifying to witness the exceptionally strong college admission results, knowing that we are educating PDS students for success in and beyond college.”
traditions Exactly how many PDS traditions has Carlton Tucker had a hand in establishing? There is the beloved Halloween Parade (Carlton himself donning some of the most memorable costumes—note the photos below), which used to be the Halloween Challenge before his tenure. The Band Barbecue morphed into a revitalized Upper School participation in Blue & White Day. Class Days became Community Service Days, as a way to focus on the world outside of campus. And then there are the traditions that Carlton created especially for seniors, such as the Lifer’s Dinner and the Baccalaureate Dinner, both
highly anticipated and memorable events. In addition, Princeton Day School’s several and highly lauded lecture series, including the Anne Rothrock Lecture Series, the Moll Lecture Series, and the Pioneers in Science Series, were established during Carlton’s tenure and have brought some remarkable scholars and scientists to the school (including Nobel Prize winner Sir James Black, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, and NASA Engineer Adam Steltzner, to name a few). Carlton remarked, “Through our events, lectures, and assemblies, I wanted to offer something thoughtful, sensitive, and even sometimes provocative to our students. My commitment has always been to both the academic and affective education.”
next up: “the bing & tuck express” “I’m really looking forward to the next chapter of my life,” said Carlton. He has always known that he wanted to give back to Princeton Day School for what he describes as a “wonderful career opportunity,” and has always been interested in reconnecting alums to their alma mater. An idea came to him recently: “I’ve always been a fan of the Bob Hope & Bing Crosby ‘On the Road’ movies, so I’ve asked my friend Sandy Bing to join me and go on the road for PDS.” Partnering with Head of School Paul Stellato, Director of Advancement Kathy Schulte, and Director of Alumni Relations Tracey Gates, Carlton will travel to regional alumni gatherings and other alumni events with Sandy Bing, beloved former longtime Head of the Upper School and twice Interim Head of School at PDS. “Sandy and I together cover most of PDS’s history!” laughed Carlton. “It will be a great way to stay connected to the School, see former students and advisees, and remind people what an amazing place Princeton Day School is,” he said. “It is also a wonderful way to make sure that PDS continues to progress and move into the future.” What will Carlton Tucker miss the most? “I’ll miss the daily interaction with the kids, the faculty, parents, and colleagues.” He went on, “Princeton Day School provides such great opportunities for students and great support to teachers. Each day has been completely different and I’ve enjoyed every one.”