This is my 44th year at Holland Hall and 51st as an educator. I retired in 2023, but I continue to give back to this community out of a profound sense of gratitude.

As parents, Millie and I desired that our five children be around caring, passionate people.

We wanted folks who knew our child, so that when we began asking questions, there was someone around who could help us find the answers and offer insight into the confusing world of raising adolescents.

In many of our colleagues, we found professionals who espoused the same virtues that we valued and joined us as partners in educating and inculcating those values. All of our children have a strong work ethic, a healthy sense of self-worth, the desire and discipline to accept and complete challenging tasks, and a thirst for knowledge. As adults today, they do indeed lead active, healthy, and fruitful lives in fulfilling careers and relationships.

Why is that?

Because so many in this community encouraged, nurtured, disciplined, and helped them discover and cultivate their individual gifts. Holland Hall challenged them, loved them, laughed with them, pushed them, and asked for their best. This community empowered and equipped all of them to be independent, confident, and well rounded.

No matter how much I personally give back to this community, I can never repay what that means to me. I also want other families to experience what we did – the joy of being surrounded and nurtured by people who care and give sacrificially of themselves in many different ways.

This Saturday is the Holland Hall cross country meet. For the 16th year, I will be helping my son Greg run the meet.

But, I give back in other ways:

• Math support for primarily Middle School kids, but I also help Upper School students if they request it.
• I am the voice of the Dutch for football games and all track meets.
• I am the clock operator for varsity basketball games.
• I help out on the Admissions team.
• I drive buses for sports and other events as requested.
• I usually honor any request outside of these areas. One thing that I am proud of was creating and administering the Staff Award given at the end of each school year. The faculty are certainly worthy of their awards, but the folks who work behind the scenes are just as important and vital to the excellence of this place.

I remain grateful for the possibilities, values, and opportunities that abound in this community. If I can still make a difference for a child, offer my support for the many amazing programs, and work to advance the mission of this place, then I will joyfully continue to serve as I am able, confident in the notion that supporting our Holland Hall family is its own reward.