departments: spotlight
Faculty and staff making a difference Stuart Whitcomb, Director of WMA Middle School by bill wells , Director of Student Promotion The Wilbraham & Monson Academy Middle School has been a special place for decades. Under the guidance of new Director Stuart Whitcomb, the Middle School will undoubtedly continue to be a great place. “We are doing great things in the Middle School, and we have found ways to enhance what we are already doing so well . . . and then some,” Mr. Whitcomb said. Mr. Whitcomb took over for Charlie D’Avanzo, who served as the Middle School Director for 10 years. As he got deeper into the 2014–2015 academic year, where he spent every day in the Middle School, Mr. Whitcomb started to map out what skills he wanted the Grade 6–8 students to learn and/or work on going forward: emotional health, a growth mindset and design thinking. When he attended a professional development conference in Portugal in July, which included the teaching theory of Social and Emotional Learning, his map came together. “Social Emotional Learning teaches about human emotion and explores the connections between human beings that lead to positive relationships, and improved outcomes,” Mr. Whitcomb explained. “In education, the study of SEL has led researchers to valuable conclusions regarding children and the connection between personal relationships, self-efficacy and school performance. Further research has determined SEL is as valuable when those same skills are addressed in adult educators. “Surprisingly, much of the recent research has been done working with educators as well as students, and that the best results were found in schools where the teachers had been given instruction in SEL.” Mr. Whitcomb, who began teaching at WMA in 2001, is a graduate of Earlham College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
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Assistant Director of Admission Marjorie Weeks and Director of WMA Middle School Stuart Whitcomb
Marjorie Weeks, Assistant Director of Admission by mary sparago ’17 Marjorie Weeks, who previously worked at Wilbraham & Monson Academy from 1996–2006, returned to WMA in July as Assistant Director of Admission. Supporting new Middle School Director Stuart Whitcomb, Mrs. Weeks’ job is focused on Grade 6–8 admission. “I’m very excited to work with Stuart and assist him in any way, but also help him build his identity in the new school year,” Mrs. Weeks said. “This also gives me an opportunity to focus on one area of my strengths, which is people skills. I have the ability to build relationships. Hopefully,
I can use those relationships from my other life here, in the alumni world, to bring in those new generations of kids.” Previously at WMA, Mrs. Weeks served as the Director of Student Activities and School Events, Director of Alumni and Parent Relations, and was an assistant in the Admission Office. Prior to rejoining the Academy, Mrs. Weeks worked as the Director of School Advancement at Academy Hill School in Springfield. “Being at the Academy feels like I’m home,” Weeks said. “It’s really good to be back.”