A Day in the Life

Get a glimpse into the busy lives of Episcopal Academy’s teachers.

Introduction by Mark Luff, Hon.

Very early in my career, then Head of School Jay Crawford frequently quoted Theodore Roosevelt by saying “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

In a world prone to skepticism, distrust, and divisiveness, The Episcopal Academy stands as a bright beacon of genuine care, enduring integrity, and faithful unity, all due to the unwavering commitment of our 300+ faculty and staff members. The daily care they extend to students, parents, and one another lives in every action they take.

Our teachers demonstrate integrity in their enduring professionalism and collegiality. The thrill of collaboration rings out in all three divisions of our school. Our teachers love to collaborate with each other. Such an effort is productive, enjoyable, and unifying. Together or individually, EA teachers work relentlessly to develop the most effective pedagogy possible and find the most powerful ways to engage, support, and inspire students.

Not even COVID-19, a global pandemic, can suppress the intellectual growth and collaborative industry of our faculty. Demonstrating great vision, Episcopal had already established the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), well before COVID hit. Bolstered by CTL, our teachers quickly expanded their expertise in virtual teaching through professional development work. It was not always easy, but the faculty overcame many obstacles, protected the enduring responsibilities of academic excellence at Episcopal, and stood steadfast in their crucial duties as teacher, coach, advisor, and colleague.

Our daily lives are simultaneously exhilarating and exhausting! These seemingly opposite concepts lie at the heart of every EA teacher. Hours of planning a lesson on a new, cutting-edge method reveal utter joy in an effective and engaging classroom lesson. A moving Chapel service about belonging and the countless discussions between an advisor and advisee help to nurture Mind, Body, and Spirit. The one-on-one work between teacher and student during a free period and coach and athlete after dismissal leads to tangible growth and mastery.

While our days are packed and oftentimes extend well beyond the first and last bells, we would not have it any other way. I remain in awe each and every day as I see my colleagues sacrifice their time in order to make a significant impact on the lives of their students. The heart and soul of every teacher happily and dutifully stand at the intersection of Grit Street and Delight Avenue!

We heartily invite you to peek into a day in the life of our amazing teachers, as represented by a few of our D’Ambrosio Fellows.

7:47 A.M.

Ms. Deborah Newnham, Hon. (pictured), Lower School music teacher and band director, works with 4th and 5th grade band members before homeroom begins. She hosts small, individualized lessons and rehearsals before the school day starts on most mornings. “Learning music is like learning a new language,” she explains. “It takes a lot of time and practice, and I try to offer up as much time as I can to help those interested in advancing their musical talent.”

Mr. Mark Luff, Hon., Middle School English teacher, prepares for the day in his classroom. He tries to get all of the classroom technology he will use during his lessons set up before the first bell rings to optimize his instructional time.

Theatre and Dance Department Chair Mr. Dan Clay, Hon. is in the Ridgway Blackbox Theater updating the ticket sales site for the upcoming Domino Club production of Mamma Mia! and setting up for his first period Honors Acting class.

9:23 A.M.

Mr. Larry Henderson (pictured), Middle School history teacher, attends Chapel with students. Chapel continues to serve as a safe place for the community to gather for reflection, celebration, comfort, and inspiration. Middle and Upper School students attend every other day, and Lower School has Chapel once each week. Mr. Henderson enjoys offering a lesson in gospel singing each year, which has become a new, beloved Chapel tradition among students and faculty.

Mr. Quincy Hyson, Hon., 5th grade teacher, sends his homeroom off to art and heads to another class to deliver a social studies lesson. He and Mr. Whitaker Powell, Hon., recently collaborated to incorporate a wider variety of cultures and societies into their social studies curriculum.

Mr. Clay and Upper School English teacher Mr. Chris McCreary, Hon. use a mutual free period to finalize logistics for their upcoming “Writing, Directing, Performing” May Term course. They also touch base with their contacts at Philadelphia Young Playwrights, who will come to campus to host a three-day workshop with the class.

11:04 A.M.

Mrs. Kris Aldridge, Hon., Upper School history teacher, speaks about Christianity in her PreModern History class. All 9th graders complete the full-year course, which focuses on the rise of various civilizations, empires in China, Greece, Persia, and Rome, and the changing times in Asia and Africa during the rise of Islam and in Europe during the Renaissance.

Ms. Newnham just finished setting up the band room for her 4th and 5th grade afternoon instrumental classes and heads to the music room. She and Ms. Jennifer Lee, Lower School music teacher, often tag-team music lessons for the energetic and fidgety PreK students.

Mr. Luff pops into the CTL for help navigating Flocabulary, a software platform that infuses popular music into literacy lessons. “I want to make sure my teaching is relevant and that I’m using innovative tools,” he explains. “The on-demand professional development support and programming that the CTL provides is so unique and really bolsters our effectiveness in the classroom.”

12:46 P.M.

Some 5th graders and Mr. Hyson (pictured) check out the brand-new 3D printer that was donated to their classroom. “I don’t know too much about 3D printing, but I am always willing to learn something new,” shares Mr. Hyson. “I’m excited that I’ll get to learn alongside my students, hopefully showing them that you should always be open to trying new things.”

Mrs. Aldridge grabs a to-go lunch from the Tierney Dining Hall before heading to a Mock Trial Club meeting. She and Ms. Jennifer Maier, Hon. are co-advisors for the club, which competes against other high school teams before a Court of Common Pleas judge each year. Episcopal’s teams have had great success in recent years.

Mr. Henderson coaches his advisory students through some “Win at Social” activities. The program helps kids develop healthy social skills through engaging games. Students gather in their advisory once every eight days to focus on life skills, character development, and teamwork.

1:52 P.M.

Mr. Clay (pictured) assists one of his students with their acting studies. Through the Lilley Advanced Independent Study, a student can work with a teacher to devise their own curriculum, objectives, and projects, which culminates in a dissertation defense-style presentation to academic leaders at the end of the year.

During her free period, Mrs. Aldridge works with a student who asked for some help preparing for an upcoming test. After that, she will work on grading before heading to a discipline committee meeting. “As a history teacher, there is a lot of writing, and it takes a long time to grade,” she shares. “But the time is worth it because I get to see how each student is developing.”

Mr. Luff hangs in the hall, saying goodbye to his Creative Writing elective students and welcoming in his 7th grade English students. The last period of the day can sometimes be challenging, so Mr. Luff plans to use Flocabulary and his trusty grammar hammer to help keep students engaged.

3:14 P.M.

Mr. Henderson and Mr. Luff (pictured) soak up some sun out on the Greenwood Track while they help coach the Middle School track and field teams. Many Middle School runners recorded season-best times and earned medals during the Penn Relays, an indication of continued success for EA’s junior varsity and varsity programs.

Ms. Newnham works with another small group of student musicians in the band room. The group is rehearsing the songs they will perform during the upcoming Lower School Spring Concert in The Carrafiell Family Theater.

Mr. Hyson sits in the Lower School lobby, finalizing details for the distribution of this year’s Lower School yearbooks. He and Assistant Head of Lower School Mrs. Lisa Herbster, Hon. collaborated this year to design a treasured memento packed with photos of fun memories.

4:42 P.M.

Mrs. Aldridge meets up with a few other teachers at Stone Field to cheer on the varsity baseball team. “I love watching our students play sports,” she shares. “And I love getting to chat with our parents on the sidelines and other students who come out to cheer each other on. We really do have the best community at Episcopal!”

Mr. Luff waves to Mrs. Aldridge as he finishes the second lap of his daily, campus-wide run. In addition to the personal benefits exercising brings him, he is modeling health and wellness and the importance of focusing on the Body in Mind, Body, Spirit for all students.

Ms. Newnham logs into her Zoom account to prepare for a virtual music lesson with one of her students. Some students are not able to join the before- or after-school rehearsals, so she offers individual virtual sessions a few nights each week.

6:28 P.M.

Mr. Clay leads a Domino Club Mamma Mia! dress rehearsal (pictured). This school year marks the 50th anniversary of musicals at Episcopal. The program has significantly grown when compared to 1972 when The Agnes Irwin School Glee Club joined forces with Episcopal’s boys in the first production of Oklahoma!

Mr. Hyson walks across the pool deck in the Burke Natatorium and shouts out some words of encouragement to a student during a backstroke lap. As the co-director of Episcopal’s Aquatic Club and a varsity swim and dive assistant coach, he spends a lot of afternoons and evenings in the Dixon Athletic Center.

Mr. Henderson wraps up dinner with his family before spending some evening time grading a recent assessment. He also has to reply to a few parent emails and review his schedule and lesson plans in preparation for another jam-packed school day tomorrow.

At the end of the day, Episcopal’s teachers inspire students not only through their expertise and finely-crafted instruction, but by their dedication and care to the many roles they fill. EA faculty are more than teachers, mentors, and coaches; they are advocates, cheerleaders, role models, and friends. They challenge and nurture EA students to pursue lives of purpose, faith, and integrity, leading by example each and every day.