Smith

Those who have had the pleasure of knowing Latin teacher Smith during this school year at Masters speak of how she’s not just an amazing teacher, but an amazing person. In the words of Jonathan Karpinos, the head of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, “She’s really, really kind and caring as a person.” 

Karpinos said, “She’s really generous with her fellow teachers in terms of sharing resources, sharing ideas, and looking for ways to help the other teachers in the language department. I can think of a number of small things she’s done that come from a place of kindness and care for her fellow teachers. It’s been great to get to work with her.”

Smith found out about Masters during her time teaching at The Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood, NJ. “It was a feeder school to Masters,” Smith said, “so I knew a little bit about this school from the students who were applying to Masters, and then they’d come back and talk about their experience, so that was quite nice.”

Smith’s favorite part of Masters is the students. “I’ve loved getting to know all of you and I think the kind of knowledge I will take away is that having that vulnerability (of being able to talk and have a connection with my students) is a precious thing to have,” she said. “Students have been super patient through all of this craziness with remote and concurrent and in-face and whatever kind of learning happens to be, and so it’s really nice to work with a group of students who are so positive and take things as they come to them. And they’ve been good to me as a new teacher,” Smith continued.

Smith recognizes that this school year has been difficult for both students and teachers due to COVID-19 as well as the loss of a beloved member of the community. “There has been real patience and kindness from the students and from colleagues with me as I’ve been new and trying to figure things out, and that’s been a real gift,” she said. The patience, kindness, and strength that this school has will stay with Smith even after her departure from Masters.