Community Voices

Greenwich Academy is a purposeful, joyful, and supportive community whose mission is reflected in our motto, Toward the Building of Character. Every day we see faces full of promise in the GA girls and our complete focus is in helping each one to reach her full potential. The GA experience is best captured by outstanding faculty members inspiring their students to learn, grow, and achieve so that they develop the skills and character to be the leaders of tomorrow. 

MOLLY KING, HEAD OF SCHOOL

We are teaching our students for more than a final exam. We want their classes to take root, and we’re always looking for new ways to do that. Several years ago we started expedition classes, where we have students not only study a topic, whether it's biology or the Civil Rights Movement, but then go on trips that powerfully bring the course material to life. Whether they're doing marine biology at Woods Hole or they're meeting people who were on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement, we want the girls to have an education that feels personal and alive and asks, "What's next?"

TOM SULLIVAN, HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

By the time the girls get to 8th grade, they will have developed their academic skills and a true love of learning, and they will have also learned how to ask great questions and advocate for themselves. Having these skills is incredibly empowering and sets them up to achieve their goals in high school and beyond.

BECKY WALKER, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Schools boil down to the people and our Lower School faculty could not be more dedicated to the craft of teaching. There's not one teacher that I have worked with here in the Lower School who has not changed some element of the curriculum to make it fresh, to make it exciting, and to make it something that the girls want to come to school for, and go home talking about.

JON ROSS-WILEY, HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

I’m sure we all can remember one teacher who made an enormous difference in our lives, someone whose belief in us carried us when our own confidence lagged or who opened up a subject to us in a way we had never imagined. Our goal at GA is for every member of the faculty to be that teacher for some of our students. Teachers here share a belief that great teaching begins with great relationships, and our hope is that through these relationships we will inspire a love of learning and a deep, unshakeable curiosity about the world that will inform our students’ lives forever.  

MARK FEINER, ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Kids have the ability to change the world—I’ve always believed that. And the conversations we’re having here about diversity, equity, and inclusion are the same conversations taking place at other schools in town. One of my goals is to bring together like-minded kids from across the area to work on these meaningful issues. Together we can accomplish so much more and GA is ready to take the lead on this important work.

BOBBY WALKER JR, ASSISTANT HEAD FOR STUDENT & COMMUNITY LIFE

More than anything, I'm impressed that our students and alumnae have confidence in expressing their opinions and are able to articulate them in respectful, clear, and powerful ways. By the time our girls graduate, they have an incredible sense of self at an age when I think many are struggling to figure out their place in the world. Our graduates are ready. They're hungry for what's next. 

NINA HANLON, DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT & FINANCIAL AID

I think of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work as some of the most joyful work on campus because it’s all about helping our students cultivate their identities, lead with empathy, and become advocates for social justice. Our goal is for every individual at Greenwich Academy to feel seen, respected, and loved for all of what makes them who they are. 

AISHA GAWAD, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Our athletics program is a direct manifestation of our motto, Toward the Building of Character. I feel like there’s no better way to learn those lessons than through athletics and PE because every game, practice, and class is about success and failure, and what you learn from that, and how you move forward. 

MARTHA BROUSSEAU, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Our faculty will go to great lengths to support a student in the college process—the depth of care is astonishing to me. There’s an incredible wealth of information here from faculty who know their students well. The stories they share and the strength of those long-standing relationships make it so much easier to do my job as a college counselor. 

REED MINOR,
COLLEGE COUNSELOR
US ENGISH TEACHER
ADVISOR

Dance is even more than a form of artistic expression. Through dance, our students learn spatial awareness, different ways of communicating, teamwork, confidence, and how to overcome obstacles.

GENEVIEVE MIFFLIN ’10,
US & LS DANCE TEACHER
DANCE CORPS DIRECTOR

The expectation and the reality of our department is that everyone is generous with their ideas, time, and resources. There is an incredible degree of collaboration among the faculty and an eagerness to learn, grow, and become better educators. That’s just in the water at GA. 

SARAH MALIAKEL ’06,
US ENGLISH TEACHER
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIR
ADVISOR

I love teaching computer science and engineering and I think I’m also a role model for the girls. Yes, girls can code, even older girls can code. We can all do it because it's really just problem-solving and about looking at the world and at life in a creative way. My goal is to develop their skills, interest, and confidence in these fields.

MARIANA KEELS,
MS COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING TEACHER
GROUP VI ADVISOR

Whether or not you’re interested in theater, and whether or not you are comfortable being on stage, public speaking is something that will be required of every one of our students through their education and careers. I’m helping the girls work on these skills now, teaching them to get comfortable with standing up in front of an audience and speaking. 

KC MORSE ’11,
MS DRAMA TEACHER
GROUP VIII ADVISOR
MS DEI ADVISOR
MS STUDENT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ADVISOR
MS AMBASSADORS CO-LEADER

Maybe my favorite part of my work is the tangible impact. Every day, students leave my classroom having learned something they didn't know when they walked in. And by the end of the year, they've acquired a whole new body of knowledge. That kind of transformation happens every year, but it's still unbelievable to see.

ANDREW ARAMINI,
US MATH TEACHER
ADVISOR
JV BASKETBALL COACH

I teach creative problem-solving. Whether the work happens in the film studio, the art room, or the E&D lab, there is rarely a single answer to the challenges or the prompts I give my students. I tell them that the more questions they ask me about the prompt, the more they are limiting their possible solutions. I try to keep kids in a kind of creative gray zone, that gets them collaborating with each other and thinking broadly.

SEAN LAHEY, 
VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT CHAIR
US FILM & ART TEACHER
GROUP IX ADVISOR
VARSITY VOLLEYBALL COACH

As advisors, we are the ultimate advocates for the girls our advisory. I am the adult who is there to know her as a student and as a person, to challenge her, to teach her to self-advocate, and to help clear a path when needed. My advisory and I are a team and I know I play a crucial role in making her experience the best it can be. 

PAUL JAQUIERY,
GROUP VIII HISTORY TEACHER
GROUP VIII TEAM LEADER
GROUP VIII ADVISOR
MS SOFTBALL COACH

I love teaching the GA girls because they are game for any new adventure or idea. Their excitement is contagious and I can take any topic in any direction in response to their interest and enthusiasm. Recently, one of my classes was especially interested in how a microscope works. After studying their parts and how they function, they were each able to build their own microscope in the Engineering & Design Lab. How cool is that?

ABBY KATZ,
LOWER SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER

Someone recently asked me to pinpoint the hallmark of the fourth-grade year. My response was that the entire year is a hallmark experience. We spend the year pulling together everything the girls have learned in the Lower School, and we increase our expectations of them in preparation for Middle School. And they are ready! Being the leaders of the Lower School is a big responsibility which they take seriously. We talk extensively about the school’s motto, Toward the Building of Character, what it means, and how it is essential to being a good leader.

STEPHANIE SEIDEL, GROUP IV HEAD TEACHER

As the junior class dean, I manage everything from field trips to walking the girls through the gateway of the college process. In the Upper School, advisors stays with their advisory for all four years allowing deep relationships to form between the advisor and the girls, and among the girls themselves. Deans maintain their role in a particular grade and build up a nuanced knowledge of that year of the high school experience. For example, in junior year spring, the girls and their families begin the college process, they are taking AP exams, and they are running for school-wide offices. Having gone through the process year after year, I’m in a great position to guide and advise the girls through the year.

KENT MOTLAND, UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER
GROUP XI DEAN and ADVISOR

In Group VIII, I teach them about the skeletal system so they have an understanding of the key features of joints, bones, ligaments, tendons, and how all these components work together. Then, using tools and inspiration from the Engineering & Design Lab, I will have the girls design and 3D print their own prosthetics. Through this process the girls gain firsthand experience in the functionality of the human body. They learn that individuals have unique body mechanics, and the girls have to find creative ways of adjusting and customizing their prosthetics.

DR. COURTNEY SPADA, GROUP VIII SCIENCE TEACHER
GA HEALTH & WELLNESS DEPARTMENT
PEDIATRICIAN

What has kept me here all these years is that my job is always changing and doesn't feel the same year to year. I also have the pleasure of getting to watch the girls grow. Many of the seniors that I'm teaching in Madrigals, Gospel Choir, or in the musical, I have taught since they were in fifth grade. I really enjoy connecting with them again in Upper School. Very often I end up having a different relationship with them. It's really special, and not something that happens everywhere or for every teacher.

ERICA MCCANTS,
DIRECTOR OF THE MADRIGALS, BEL CANTO & GOSPEL CHOIR
GROUP V MUSIC TEACHER
MUSICAL DIRECTOR, US MUSICAL

My favorite part of the job is getting to know the kids. It’s why I got in to teaching. And as an English teacher, advisor, and coach, I get to know the girls in many different ways. In class I see a more serious side of the girls, and I love watching them make connections between their own lives and the literature we are studying. In advisory, I see the girls in a more low-key environment and enjoy hearing about their day and what’s on their minds. As a coach, it’s thrilling to see the girls compete, work as a team, and persevere.

ELAINE THURMAN, 
GROUP VII ENGLISH TEACHER and ADVISOR
GROUP VII/VIII BOOK CLUB ADVISOR
MS FIELD HOCKEY and LACROSSE COACH

I feel like sixth grade is my wheelhouse. By Group VI, teaching history is very much about teaching the girls to become analytical thinkers, and how to present their ideas both orally and in writing. The girls are old enough that we can dig into really complex topics, and I feel in some ways, like I’m inviting them into the world of adulthood. They kind of know what World War II is, but they don't really know, and they are so enthusiastic to learn. 

LISA ANCONA,
GROUP VI HISTORY TEACHER
GROUP VI TEAM LEADER
GROUP VI ADVISOR
 

The change that happens in the Group I year is quite incredible. In first grade, we get little kindergarteners coming to us and in one year they become readers, their math gets better, and they become better writers because they have the foundation that CC has taught them. They become so much more independent. That is one of our major focuses in Group I, to make the girls more independent. By the time they go to Group II, they're completely different kids. It’s so exciting to be a part of that transformation.

PARINAZ PAHLAVI, GROUP I HEAD TEACHER

We told the advisor for our STEM club that we wanted to learn more about CRISPR, a gene editing tool, not expecting the technology to be available to us. She made it happen and we’ve been working in the lab using CRISPR on bacteria. 

SARAH, GROUP XI

The teachers at GA really, really care about how you are doing and are always there to help you. They want you to succeed.

PERRY, GROUP VII

Students here are unafraid to pursue an interest whether that means starting a club, running for a leadership position, or asking a teacher for guidance. This is an environment where students are supported and encouraged to follow their passions.

MIA, GROUP XII

The best part of GA is the teachers—they make learning so much fun. 

SABRINA, GROUP IV

Each grade in the Middle School gives you the skills you need to be ready for the following year. In 7th grade we’ve been working on how to take notes, to review our work, to make flashcards, and different study methods—now I feel ready for 8th grade. 

GRACE, GROUP VIII

Going to robotics Worlds has been the absolute highlight of my middle school experience. Our team had a rough season but we worked really hard in the Engineering & Design Lab every day before the final qualifying competition and we won the Excellence Award that got us a spot at Worlds! 

BEKAH, GROUP VIII

My favorite tradition is Charter Day—GA’s birthday celebration. My mom is an alum and she sings the happy birthday song with me every year. I love that you can mention Charter Day to any alum and it would make them smile, it would be a happy memory. 

CAROLINE, GROUP IV

My daughter joined GA in Group V and the Middle School team seamlessly integrated her, both socially and academically. They honed in on the type of student and person she is, and properly engage and challenge her. She was understood as an individual from the outset and the school continues to evaluate and help navigate her academic, extracurricular, and social worlds—and she’s an incredibly happy middle schooler because of their efforts.

ANNIE TEILLON, GROUP VII PARENT

GA allows each girl to pursue her interests and just as important, the girls are encouraged to try new things that may be out of their comfort zones to discover new interests. And the girls know that the faculty is there to support them all the way.

LAUREN GRACE, GROUP XI & GROUP IX PARENT

GA has so many caring, bright, and dedicated teachers. The teachers are fully committed to educating the students. As part of their teaching, they give the girls a sense of empowerment, which is critical. They’ve inspired my daughter’s passion for learning in and outside of the classroom, on the athletic fields, and through community service. To have such passionate and supportive teachers in your daughter’s life is just extraordinary.

KRISTY HARTEVELDT, GROUP XII PARENT

In addition to all the academics, GA is a school that teaches the girls lessons of character—about kindness, friendship, empathy, resilience. It’s so wonderful to see my daughters come home and put those lessons into practice. 

CORINNE JAMES MENACHO ’93, GROUP V & GROUP II PARENT

They say the third time's a charm. We applied 3 times for admission to GA. One would ask why? As parents you want to afford your children the best education and overall opportunities available. We were confident that GA was that place and since then it has proven to be true. Our daughter is growing academically, socially, and athletically—thanks to GA. We can see GA is preparing a path for our daughter to succeed in life as a well-rounded, strong, confident leader. 

CHERYL HURNS, GROUP VIII PARENT

It’s difficult to separate what I can attribute to my mom’s excellent parenting and to GA’s amazing community and education. One thing for sure is that I always grew up thinking about how I could change the world. I absolutely felt empowered, important, and prepared for anything.

AMANDA FULLER ’05

GA provided an environment in which I felt comfortable to be myself, and it transformed me into a strong, independent woman.

CARINE BONNIST ’02

During college and after college, I realized very quickly that the education I received at Greenwich Academy would be my most valuable asset. During my time at GA, I was encouraged by all of my teachers to research things I was curious about and to think critically. I never went to film school in the conventional sense so I’ve had to teach myself a lot of random stuff. I now “get” that it’s really easy to teach yourself when you’ve had fantastic teachers. 

FLORA BIRNBAUM ’07

I appreciated all the ways that GA fostered community and family spirit, from processing for assemblies, to mid-morning snack afterwards (no matter how old you were), to serving lunch family style, to all the clubs and teams. All designed "toward the building of character" and a recognition that there is a place for everyone at the table. There was no question in my mind or in the mind of any of my classmates that we could do anything we set our minds to if we were willing to work.

JULIA MALLOY-GOOD ’70

When I made the decision to pursue medical school as an older nontraditional student who had not taken science classes since high school, I was confident that my GA education would carry me through. I am now starting my second year of medical school and I could not be happier with my career change. A GA education gives you the foundation to take any path, no matter how wind-y, to your future career.

MARLISE PIERRE-WRIGHT ’08

Greenwich Academy gave me the tools to live a difficult life. What I learned from the Academy is that something that is always growing makes me happy. You have to have the courage to nurture your passion and it’s a lot easier if that’s nurtured in a place like Greenwich Academy.

SUE HOLME DRAMM ’59

I am well aware how rare the teachers at GA were. Finding adults who allow students to be unique while achieving their potential is huge. The sports were another part. I wasn’t sporty and my parents didn’t have sports on their radar, but at GA you try sports. They convinced me that lacrosse was my sport and I played all the way through college. It’s on my resume and when I went for my interview at my current firm, it was noted by the managing partner. Team sports are such good training for corporate America—from working as a team player to learning to lose. My most favorite part of my GA experience, however, is the friendships. I literally speak to someone from GA at least once a day. My children refer to my GA friends’ children as their Connecticut cousins. I feel pretty lucky.

AMANDA GREENSPON ’96

I would not be where I am today if not for GA. Being surrounded by like-minded women who made you feel like you could do anything if you put your mind to it gave me the courage and strength to take on the challenges of being a female CEO in a male-dominated industry.

STEPHANIE BENEDETTO ’98

As much as I still have left to learn about myself and experience in the world, there is not a moment that goes by that I doubt my experience at GA informs the woman that I am today. The confidence I have in my abilities, the courage I portray when I take risks and bet on myself, and the constant yearning to learn and empower others through that learning is all because of my GA experience. I will never take my experience for granted and I think every day about ways I can give back and continue the GA legacy.

JESS GREEN ’11