New Faculty Take the Winding Trail to Thacher

The steps that lead to joining the teaching faculty or administration at a school like Thacher involve exactly what you might expect: an application, tour, and interview, the arrival and introduction to classroom, offices, or sports field, and finally, with the start of professional meetings and of school itself, immersion. “Getting your feet wet” here, though, happens between that arrival and full on-campus orientation in a different body of water five hours' drive and a few miles from the trailhead away—the stream running through Golden Trout Camp and one of the Cottonwood Lakes, or High, Long, Lucky, or Hidden Lake, also in The Basin. It’s a special initiation, for sure—at altitudes of 10,000 feet and more, backpacking along trails can take your breath away not only because of the views busting out when you crest the knob of a mountainside. But the wilderness week—new faculty camping with the Director of the Outdoor Program, the Dean of Faculty, the Head of School, and other veteran teachers—solidifies the Thacher ethos in a way time spent in the man-made world would not.

And it cements bonds among all those new to the ranks—just as a similar trek does two weeks later for the new 9^th graders. Says new Director of Development Brandon Doyle, “Thacher is very fortunate to have the Golden Trout Camp. I enjoyed the new faculty orientation trip learning The Banquet Song and Domine [the School’s grace sung before banquet meals and some formal dinners] on the trails and around the campfire. Not long after, I was hiking and camping along the Kern River with Pete Fagan and an exceptional group of students—a highlight of my first few weeks.”

May there be precious few lowlights along these new folks’ ways!

Pictured, left to right:

Dana Vancisin—Thacher Fellow in the Horse Program and in Photography

A freshly minted graduate of Colby College (Maine) with a double major in Classical Civilization and Art, Dana came to campus straight from her summer employment as a wrangler at a Colorado ranch. She’s a long-time horse lover and accomplished rider, both English and western; she understands the college preparatory world, having attended the oldest boarding school in the country—The Governor’s Academy in Byfield, Mass. Just as importantly, she knows her way around all sorts of outdoor activities, most of which she learned and mastered in her native Massachusetts: orienteering, running, hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, cycling, climbing, and backpacking. A new “ing” in her professional life will be advising (9th grade girls in Casa)—as well as teaching. Dana lives in the lower Handball Court Apartment, just above the Centennial Amphitheatre. Dana’s response to how her cross-country move and acclimation have been focuses on “how wonderful and helpful everyone in the Thacher community has been.” She goes on, “People have really gone above and beyond to help me get settled and to find my stride here. I’m doing more and more each day with our freshman riding group [which Cam Schryver is sharing with Dana], and I feel like I am beginning to get the hang of the Horse Program here at Thacher.”

Kayla Elliott—Thacher Fellow in Mathematics

Kayla’s way to our gates was paved initially by a connection with two influential Resident Assistants in her Williams College (Mass.) dorm—Whitney Livermore CdeP 2004 and Associate Director of Admission Aaron Mieszczanski—who were sure that the Kayla-Thacher match would be made in Shangri-la. So far, so true. As a high schooler, Kayla attended Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island, where she played field hockey and lacrosse, and began to zero in on a keen interest in and aptitude for math. She went on to major in mathematics and statistics (though she loves music, squash, and writing, too)—a useful springboard to her teaching Math I, Math III, and Multi-Variable Calculus here. Come winter, she will coach soccer, and lacrosse in the spring. Kayla’s apartment is in Los Padres, the sophomore boys’ dorm—which is where she is serving as an advisor. (Talk about immersion!)

Tony Franco—College Counseling Office Assistant

While not precisely new to Thacher (he arrived last year to serve as an assistant coach in the football program, as well as to work as a PE teacher at Monica Ros School), Tony has become a member of the College Counseling staff since we first introduced him last year. Tony lives in the second-floor faculty apartment in Upper School, where he advises junior and senior boys, and, lucky for our teams, he continues to work on the gridiron—with the outside linebackers and fullbacks on the varsity and with the JV defense.

Patty Atkinson—Director of Academic Support Services

As an educator in local public and private schools for two decades, Patty is both well-known and much lauded: she has won both the Ventura County Math Council’s Outstanding Math Educator award and Matilija JHS’s Teacher of the Year honor. Patty earned her BA in psychology from Lewis and Clark College and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Cal Lutheran University. Although she does not live on campus, she knows that Life at Thacher is far more 24/7 than 9-to-5—and she’s clearly committed to the concept.

Liz Witmer—Thacher Fellow in Theater

Like the other three fine Fellows, Liz is just a few months out of college—specifically Lafayette (Penn.), where she graduated with a BA in English and, for her four years there, called the theater home. (Her Senior Thesis was entitled Challenging an Academic Community: Directing David Mamet’s Oleanna.) As a high school student, Liz spent a year at Happy Valley School (now Besant Hill), but graduated from the Visual Arts and Design Academy—a school-with-in-a-school at Santa Barbara High. She has coached various sports (softball, tennis, soccer, football) and has played volleyball and soccer—both areas in which she will do some assistant coaching here at Thacher. Liz is living in the south end apartment of The Courts, working with students and Drama Director Sandy Jensen in the Milligan Center for the Performing Arts, and sitting in on English 2 classes.

Liz no doubt speaks for all when, in a breathless email (“Sorry I didn’t get back to you right away--another busy day at Thacher!”), she wrote, "After I came back from rehearsal last night, I once again found myself thoroughly impressed by the students who go to this school. It amazes me to think I just saw these same kids an hour ago acing their serves on the volleyball court. I have learned that there’s little down time for the students here at Thacher—[which] means the same for the faculty (and new interns). But truthfully, I can’t say I have looked for this down time too much, since every day at Thacher has been a new adventure. Can’t wait to see what is in store today!"

As senior faculty member (and Director of Studies) Peter Robinson has been heard to say, "Every day's a holiday when you're doin' what you love!"