Change in Leadership Positions: A Teamwork Process

“Every adult on this campus is a teacher,” is a quote from Head of School John Austin that the new Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs Brian Hamilton holds dear.

From teaching history full-time to taking on new leadership roles in the Academic Affairs Office, Mr. Hamilton’s experience at the Academy consistently adhered to the definition of being a teacher and educator, a feeling related by many other faculty members.

This semester, the Academy has seen major faculty shifts in response to the large turnover from the last school year. A total of 27 new faculty members have joined the Academy for the upcoming year. Senior members undertake leadership roles in addition to existing teaching positions.

Previously a teacher in the History and Social Science Department, Mr. Hamilton defined times in the classroom and in the Academic Affairs Office as two “challenging” dimensions.

One aspect of the challenge happens in the history classroom. Mr. Hamilton devotes himself to teaching and learning simultaneously. “I’m still a student.”, he said, describing the subject of history itself as “an endless cascade of questions and answers that beg more questions and you end up kind of buried. The more you learn, the more you don't know.”

Always learning, Mr. Hamilton encountered his second challenge of how to be a good teacher and find a work-life balance. Fortunately, many mentors at the Academy reached out to help. Recalling a busy time when he received support from Athletic Director Bob Howe, Mr. Hamilton said, “I remember [him], in my first year. ... He could tell that I was about to fall over. And he just walked into the room, and he closed my laptop and he [said] ‘I got this, go home to your family.’ And I'll never forget that.”

Similarly, the new Dean of Residential Life and 10th Grade Class Dean Lina Al Samawi mentioned how she appreciated learning from female leaders. “Ms. Creagh [is], from day one, someone I even remember from my interview. She’s been absolutely supportive … Working also with Ms. Brown, the three of us in that office … that, for me, is so special.” 

Mr. Hamilton noted how he aspires to pass on the kindness he received from more experienced faculty by welcoming newer faculty members. “I was feeling seen and supported by everyone. And so when I look out at the 29 new folks and my colleagues this year, I try to think about ways that I can help,” he said.

To this end, Mr. Hamilton worked with the Academic Affairs Office on devising a new project meant to create mentorships between new and more experienced teachers within each department. The program involves teachers visiting the classes of others and coming up with suggestions for improvement. “Department chairs pop into your classroom for 15 minutes. … Every year all of our new teachers and a third of our returning teachers have worked with their department chairs across the year as a mentor, ” Mr. Hamilton explained.

Shifts in positions not only facilitated communication between newer and more experienced teachers, but also among faculty members of all expertise across campus. Mr. Hamilton said, “The job asks me to be working in and offering advice and support in areas of the program that are new to me.” He mentioned that he now works “with the technician for our labs and … Dr. Pfitzer with the music adjuncts, whom I had no contact with before.”

Interactions with more adults and students spawn new views and ideas of bolstering the Academy for the faculty. Campus leaders shared how their new position gave them a different perspective on student life. Ms. Samawi shared, “[As a class dean], you actually look at their academics, you look at their mental well-being, … their involvement in the school beyond the classroom … it appeals to me to think about the student experience as a whole.”

In order to better understand the experience of all students, Mr. Hamilton stressed the importance of seeing each student as a separate entity, each with their own unique educational journey. “We need to be flexible and responsive to that and serve them well as individuals,” he said.

Assuming new leadership positions opened up new opportunities for faculty members to meet more people and gain new perspectives on the campus. Yet, this shift did not change teachers’ visions on their careers and what being an educator means to them. Mr. Hamilton described his educational career as “challenging, humbling, and thrilling,” three words that have not changed since the start of his journey as a teacher.

To both Ms. Samawi and Mr. Hamilton, the change in position provided them another opportunity to continue their mission as a teacher and contributor to education, aiming to support the student body in all ways. This process, in the end, concerns constant learning, as Ms. Samawi put it, “If you’re in the field of education, you’re a learner for life.”