Faculty Honored in Person at Annual Dinner

Every year at the Annual Faculty & Staff/Board of Trustees Dinner, Winsor honors and celebrates faculty and staff reaching milestone years. This year was extra celebratory as members of faculty, staff, and the Board of Trustees gathered maskless for the first time in two years to pay tribute to those reaching their 20 and 21st-year milestones. 

 

“Winsor is uniquely privileged in having such an extraordinary faculty and staff with such remarkable tenure. At most schools, a few brave souls make it to the 20-year mark. Here, it is fast becoming only the first milestone, and a relatively early one at that,” opened Head of School Sarah Pelmas.  

Ms. Pelmas went on to thank everyone in the room for “the way you challenge our students, and love them, and see them for who they are, messy adolescent years and all, day in and day out. …This is simply the best faculty and staff you can find anywhere, and we are daily blessed by your work.”

Ms. Pelmas also acknowledged additional milestones for the following faculty and staff members: Bob Anderson and Sally Hatcher (25 years); Laura Gregory (35 years); Jennie Skeele (45 years). 

 

The following are extracted from the tributes Ms. Pelmas delivered in recognition of those honored, each thoughtfully crafted from countless pages of accolades, anecdotes, and appreciation shared by members of the Winsor community, both past and present.  

 

Number five of our major commendations from the NEASC accreditation this year reads as follows: Winsor's ability to manage its campus within the city is exemplary. The school understands its reality within the broader community… This is all Karen Geromini. Over the past 10 years since our last accreditation, no one has done more to think about the campus and how it can thrive than Karen. She is, as we all know, an expert on excellence in small packages.

Throughout COVID, Karen has been pragmatic, thoughtful, diligent, and tireless. She has done her research, has pulled together an unbelievable team in Tiffany, Brooke, Adam, and Nurse Sue. And she has steered this school safely through two years of the most challenging times schools have ever seen. 

What I can say is that it has been a true gift being able to go to her, time and again, for problem-solving, wisdom, and honesty. Her integrity, and her love of this community, has made all the difference to this school over the last 20 years, and I couldn’t be more grateful to work with her.

Jen has been a stable, kind, consistent presence in Admissions for applicants and their families, someone who knows Winsor inside and out, and who radiates a kindness that makes students want to spend more time with her. And also helps parents know that their children are in good hands at Winsor. 

You all know her trademark smile, and her laughing way of asking you about something you didn’t realize she was paying attention to. She exudes both personal warmth and consummate professionalism, a combination that is both hard to maintain and rare. Winsor is the first choice for most of the students who apply to be admitted, and I think we have a good sense about why that might be. Jen can support a student with great compassion, while also helping them figure out how to support themselves. She often has the answer, but does not step in to do what she can equip a student to do for themselves. Similarly, when working with families around the deeply sensitive issue of financial aid, she listens and offers support while honoring their individual values and approach to affording this expensive education. People feel better and stronger for having been with Jen.

Pam’s (Pamela Parks McLaurin ’71 P’12) words sum it best: “Jennifer… has always been a strong vocal advocate for her students, a meticulously organized admission professional prepared for each of our seasonal demands, and a powerful representative of this school to the public. It has been an honor to work with her, depend on her, [and] share my life with her.”

 

Our next honoree is all about family. In almost every way you can conceive of it: the family we are born into, the family we grow up and create, the broad family based in faith, and the various families that we join while on our life journey. 

Tiffany arrived here as an energetic 19-year-old, and did every job there was, it seems: she began part-time in security, reception, and general help lifting heavy things (including a few people who were not supposed to be in the building)! The next year, she joined the Athletic department full time in a role that requires juggling and a good sense of humor: she is in charge of equipment and all the details of the world of athletics, from socks to banquets. In other words, we really need to be much more grateful to her—she chases kids down to return their uniforms, helps with every small equipment and facilities detail, gets every name right, and makes sure everything is where it is supposed to be, among other things. She has also taught Zumba classes, and has helped make events very special with her incredible fashion sense by always knowing exactly the right piece of apparel to order!

 

Tiffany is a friendly face in the Athletics department, a team player like no other, and someone whose focus and discipline have transformed the lives of everyone she comes into contact with. Here at Winsor, we are lucky to be part of Tiffany Young’s chosen family—and you know family is forever.