FEATURES
5
SJSREVIEW.COM I SEPTEMBER 17, 2014
AIMING HIGH
Amley artfully oversees campus-wide changes
H
by Oliver Ruhl
ollis Amley knew a thing or two about SJS long before she decided to apply for the job. “I first heard about St. John’s from a college friend during an art history class,” Amley said. Amley rediscovered the school almost by accident, originally applying for a position at a different Houston school. “My cousin, who lives in Houston, told me about an available leadership position in town, and the timing was right, so I decided to throw my hat in the ring,” Amley said. Amley considered looking around for other positions in Houston but ultimately decided against it. “The agency conducting the search for St. John’s contacted me about the St. John’s opening about a week later,” Amley said. “The opportunity found me, I suppose.” Amley initially admired the school because of the inherent civic focus of the Mission Statement. “St. John’s feels a lot like an East Coast school, particularly with the quad and the architectural style, which makes me feel at home,” Amley said. “After meeting teachers and students, as well as sitting in on classes, I knew St. John’s was a good fit.” Amley is ready to take on all her responsibilities as the new Head of Upper School, including shepherding the school through construction and the potential demographic growth as the Upper School grows by 100 students over the next four years. “I love conducting change, and I think change is something that you can do well or poorly,” Amley said. “I want St. John’s to go
ANNA CAUTHORN
Art in motion Hollis Amley discusses Discobolus, a Greek statue of a discus thrower, in her senior art history class. As Upper School Head, Amley will usher the school through the ongoing construction process.
through the growing pains as gracefully as possible so we can become an even stronger school at the end of it all.” Not only does Amley guide the school, she also teaches an art history class despite admitting to having hated museums as a kid. “My parents were always lovers of the arts, but often when we visited a museum, it felt like we were trying to conquer it,” Amley said. “When I was little, I always associated art with sore feet.” A high school humanities class with a focus on art history changed her perspective. “I felt like I had put on glasses. The details and narratives of paintings started to make sense,” Amley said. Amley has worked not only at coed schools but also at The Browning
School in New York City, an all-boys college preparatory school. “A boys’ school is a lot louder,” Amley said. “I remember arriving to school early every day so I could gradually get used to the noise every morning as students filtered in” Amley introduced a history of art class at Browning and took students on field trips to nearby museums. “We were right next to Museum Mile, so a lot of times we would take a quick field trip to look at the art we were studying and then go back in time for the students’ next class.” Teaching at a boys’ school nuanced Amley’s approach to teaching. “I was able to see a broader spectrum of masculinity as they reacted to the classroom curriculum, which is often not seen when the opposite gender is in the room. I also began
to present my course information in the ways which seemed to get the boys’ attention–I incorporated more photographs, maps, charts, graphs and visual resources,” she said. Amley enjoys spending her free moments traveling, cooking and spending time with her three nephews, who live in Houston. “I can only make a mean stick-figure, so cooking is one way I can express myself artistically,” she said. Amley has a passion for discovering new cities. “I love figuring it all out, everything from traffic and routes to meeting new people and learning the dynamics of a school,” Amley said. Amley looks forward not only to spending time in the city but also working with a new group of students. “The students at St. John’s do not take it for granted that they are at this school–they are appreciative of having the opportunity to learn here. The faculty are renowned leaders in their fields, and the students know and understand the weight of that.” Although Amley values the many extracurricular opportunities offered at SJS, she urges students to relish the little joys of each day. “Students can do a lot of different things, but it’s okay to just enjoy learning and enjoy the school.” For Amley, striking a balance between tradition and change in the upcoming years is essential. “I want to lead in such a way that respects the tradition while also accommodating the inevitable changes, physically and demographically.” The most significant new change will come in the form of the Student Center, which, according to Amley, “will create a new, strong cohesion in the student body, particularly after a year of construction and the inevitable disruption that accompanies it.” New in Town Head of Upper School Hollis Amley greets juniors Phoebe Myers and Alex Ainbinder as she adjusts to her surroundings.
JARED MARGOLIS