Celebrating Time Well Spent at Collegiate

Today, their family, friends, and colleagues celebrated their careers at a ceremony in the Sharp Academic Commons. Now, let’s spend a moment with each of them.            

 

Twenty-three years ago, Cindy Douglass was teaching English at Thomas Dale High School in Chester, quite a commute from her West End home.

As she was scouting around for other possibilities, her friend Robb Rilee shared an observation about her own experience on North Mooreland Road.

 

“She told me that Collegiate is a place that values teachers,” Cindy recalled. “She said that faculty development is very strong.”

 

Curious, Cindy applied and interviewed with (head of school) Rob Hershey, who gave similar insight.

 

“He said, ‘We hire self-starters,’” she said. “I took that to mean that Collegiate is a place for people with ideas, energy, and passion.”

 

Over the years, Cindy has been a valued English department colleague, department chair, and advocate for her Upper School students. She’s been described as “a seeker, initiator, and innovator.” Case in point, she’s helped develop numerous elective offerings including American Mosaic, Madness in Literature, and Modern World Literature, the latter of which incorporated an email and Schoology dialogue with author Kota Neelima in India.

 

Over her 23 years, students and colleagues have come and gone and much has changed, but what has endured is the sentiment that attracted her to Collegiate in the first place.

 

“Collegiate,” she said, “has been a remarkable place to work.”

 

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A 1983 Collegiate graduate, Amanda Surgner returned to her alma mater in 1994 as associate director of admission after serving in the same role at Hollins College while her husband Brandt attended law school at Washington & Lee.

 

“I sent my résumé to Rob Hershey not knowing that (director of admission) Betsy Lecky had just decided to retire,” Amanda said. “I got really lucky.”

 

Two years later, Amanda became admission director and in 2012 became vice-president of advancement, which includes admission, development, and marketing, all the while serving as an Upper School student advisor. Amanda has always had a feel for the pulse of the Collegiate, and she has always modeled the humility and integrity that has been part of the school’s culture since Day One.

 

“I’ve received more from this place than I’ve given as far as relationships with unbelievable colleagues and terrific families,” she said. “I’ve been part of something so much bigger than myself. Collegiate has truly been a home away from home.”

 

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For 21 years, Larry King has brightened the halls of Collegiate’s Middle School in more ways than one.

 

On one hand, he’s the member of the housekeeping department whose responsibility is to maintain Flippen Hall and perform a host of other duties that help keep the building looking as spic-and-span as a facility housing close to 600 people could possibly look.

 

On the other, he’s a goodwill ambassador whose ebullient personality, constant smile, and unfailingly optimistic outlook on life have earned him a legion of admirers.

 

“Larry has developed great relationships with the students, faculty and staff,” said Scott Carson, director of facilities management and construction. “He greats you with a robust ‘Hey, (insert his nickname for you here), how ya doing?’ He takes an interest in how your day is going and has the ability to turn frowns into smiles.”

 

What has the experience meant?

 

“Everything,” Larry said. “Everything. The teachers and kids have made 21 years possible. I’ll never forget you guys. Couldn’t ask for anything better.”

 

How would he like to be remembered?

 

“As the person I am,” he said. “A friendly, happy-go-lucky guy. Didn’t mind working.”

 

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Sallie Tinney has dedicated her 41 years of teaching to instilling an enjoyment and excitement for reading to elementary school students.

 

“I really love to teach children to read,” she said. “My mom was a children’s librarian, and, like her, I love helping children become lifelong readers.”

 

Sallie, who previously taught at the University of Maryland Lab School and St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School in Washington, DC, came to Richmond when her daughter Paige Tinney-Reed (also a Collegiate teacher) and her family moved to Central Virginia.

 

During her 16 years on North Mooreland Road, Sallie has, among many duties, chaired the Lower School social studies committee, directed the 1^st Grade play, and advocated for the stewardship of the environment. She’s received the Brinkley Grant and the Alumni Grant (twice) and is a recipient of the Martha Schwarz Award.

 

“I love my colleagues, of course,” she said, “and I love the children. I feel like every day I learn as much from the children as they learn from me. I’m delighted to see the kindnesses that children show to each other and to their teachers.”

 

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Liz Clayton, who came to Collegiate in 2011, is actually retiring for the second time.

 

Her first career ended 20 years ago when she stepped down from her position with Honeywell where she was engineering manager of chemical plants in both Richmond and South Carolina.

 

After several years as a stay-at-home mom after her son David was born, she

began doing volunteer work and ultimately accepted a position teaching computer in the Chesterfield County School system.

 

At Collegiate, she’s used her training and skills to (among many other accomplishments) develop, implement, and teach the Lower School technology and engineering curriculum which includes such components as coding, robotics, and children’s engineering.

 

“Collegiate has given me the opportunity to grow and explore my passion,” she said. “Where else would I have been given basically a blank slate to create a program and the support to implement it?”

                           -- Weldon Bradshaw