Familiar Faces in New Roles

Tom Guden ’96 At RL we are blessed to attract and retain a remarkable cadre of effective, dedicated school people. The school’s generalist philosophy extends to our demanding preferences for faculty to make material differences wherever they are working. Such outsized commitment and impact characterizes these three men. Tom Guden ’96 came back to Alma Mater in 2006 in order to be the school’s Director of Admission, to teach Classics, and to coach hockey and baseball. After seven years of catalytic service in the admission post, Tom was ready, willing, and able to take on the Director of Development position. His work on behalf of the school’s fundraising and alumni affairs has been peerless, and, thanks to Tom’s leadership of a team of professionals and volunteers, we will be able to continue to benefit from a unique financial model. This year, Tom has taken on the expanded role of Assistant Headmaster for Advancement.

Andy Chappell In 1997, Andy Chappell arrived at RL in order to teach Latin and Greek, coach baseball, and, initially, to coach football. Over the years, Andy’s versatility as athlete and scholar has allowed him to coach soccer, to serve as Chair of the Classics Department, and to serve also as Classmaster at various times for Classes V, III, and II. Andy followed in Tom’s footsteps as Director of Admission, continuing to expand the applicant base to nearly 500 candidates a year, and to continue to modernize the way in which we did business. Like Tom, Andy proved to be a compelling and welcoming ambassador for the school. Five years ago, Andy was appointed Director of Studies and Strategic Initiatives, a post that has allowed him to influence the curriculum of the school, our teachers’ pedagogy, and the thoughtful coordination of our program. Andy has also been the founding director of our Penn Fellows Program and the major domo behind expansion of RL’s summer programs and facilities use. This past year, he shared in responsibilities normally assumed by the Dean of Faculty. This year Andy has taken on the new role of Assistant Headmaster for Program.

Mike Pojman Mike Pojman, now in his 41st year at the school, has been named RL’s first Associate Headmaster, thanks to his leadership in a number of areas over a number of years. Mike has done it all. His distinctive touch has been felt as Assistant Headmaster for 22 years, in chemistry and English classes; as a longtime Class I Classmaster; former Director of Studies; the school’s scheduler; founder and leader of the Ave Atque Vale Society and a number of other service initiatives; moderator of Tripod and Yearbook; reliable chaperon of 38 Glee Club tours; chaperon of dances and proms; school photographer….and the list goes on and on. Mike is the poster child for generalism. All he does, he does well, always with the boys’ best interests at heart. //