CampusNews
New Upper School Principal Named
Dan Alig
ATL 2.0:
Dan Alig, currently at St. John’s School in Houston, Texas, has been named Lovett’s new Upper School principal for 2013–14. Bill Dunkel, the current principal, will be retiring from that role at the end of this school year—his 15th at Lovett and his 39th year as a teacher and school leader. Alig’s appointment comes after a national search—one that brought Alig back to the city in which he started his career. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Alig went on to receive both his B.A. and M.A. in English literature from Emory University. He then spent three years at Emory as an admission counselor before beginning his 13-year stint at St. John’s. There, he has taught English and held numerous roles, including college
counselor, dean of students, department chair, admission associate, advisor, and coach. “I’ve cut my teeth at a school steeped in tradition and a tad wary of innovation,” says Alig. “I’m eager to explore a school equally steeped in tradition but practiced in innovation. Like most independent schools across the country, Lovett faces challenges— financial, social, curricular, global. Unlike many independent schools across the country, Lovett faces these challenges head-on. I’m impressed.” Dan’s wife, Jenine, is an experienced “school person” as well, having served for 14 years as a college counselor and dean at Kinkaid School, also in Houston. They have a son, Harrison, almost 3.
The Lovett School and The Westminster Schools have joined forces to develop a new summer school course designed to inspire students to take an active role in our city. ATL 2.0 teaches by experience, problem solving, the integration of studies, and a commitment to public service. Through engagement with civic leaders, expeditions to a broad spectrum of Atlanta neighborhoods, and the examination of a range of essays and books about contemporary urban life, students in ATL 2.0 will work to identify the problems in our city, research potential solutions to those problems, and ultimately propose said solutions to a representative panel composed of Atlanta’s leaders in areas such as government,
business, education, law, medicine, and the arts. Selection for the course was competitive and by application. When asked to respond to the essay question, Why are you interested in taking this course?, one student responded, “I think a diverse city is the perfect classroom. There are so many things to learn that cannot be taught in a building.” The theme of this, the initial year of ATL 2.0, is “Beauty, Community, and the Public Space.” Costs for the course have been fully underwritten, enabling the students to take the class and earn academic credit for free.
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