CA Magazine

Winter 2022

FEATURES

On Leadership and Transformation: Meet CA’s Incoming Head of School Henry Fairfax

Henry Fairfax will usher in Concord Academy’s second century as our 11th head of school. The more this mission-driven leader learned about CA during the head of school search process, the more he felt in alignment with CA’s mission and realized his own journey had uniquely positioned him to lead Concord Academy. “Our work in education is to be transformational, not transactional,” Fairfax says.

For the Love of Water

CA alumnae/i are fighting to protect an indispensable natural resource and are appreciating it in new ways. An environmental hydrogeologist, Alex Pugh ’95 has been monitoring water and working to mitigate contaminants in Maine for decades. Kate Hudson ’66 has dedicated her nearly 40-year career in environmental law to defending U.S. waterways. Elena Berg ’91 teaches environmental science at the American University of Paris. To better understand the bottled water industry and sustainability, she trained as a water sommelier.

ALUMNAE/I STORIES

SpaceX Engineer Matthieu Labaudinière ’11 Explores New Frontiers

A development engineer at SpaceX, Matthieu Labaudinire ’11 is working on the aerospace company’s Dragon program, designing spacecraft that take crews to the International Space Station and function as a steppingstone to the creation of a Mars-bound craft.

CA’s 2021 Joan Shaw Herman Award Honors Two Alumnae Who Champion Children’s Health

In June, CA honored physicians Leslie Davidson ’66 and Ingrid Walker-Descartes ’91 with the 2021 Joan Shaw Herman Award for Distinguished Service for their contributions to child protection, health, and advocacy. It was the first time two alumnae/i received the award in the same year. Each gave a virtual presentation about working across sectors to help disadvantaged and vulnerable children.

CAMPUS STORIES

Music Meets Science

Musical Instrument Design is cross-listed in the Performing Arts Department and the Science Department and is co-taught by music teacher Nate Tucker and physics teacher Max Hall, providing an opportunity for interdisciplinary engagement.

Extending Grace

For Grant Hightower, director of community and equity at Concord Academy, common trust is
indispensable to striving for equity.

9th Grade Essential Questions

How do you learn? What are you learning about yourself? What are you learning in community? Introduced during CA’s orientation for new students, these essential questions are part of a framework that is helping 9th graders learn the skills they need to flourish at Concord Academy.

Ashton Mota ’23 Speaks at the White House

Ashton Mota ’23 had the opportunity of a lifetime this summer. Through the GenderCool Project, he spoke at the White House, alongside President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in honor of Pride Month.

With His Family, Camden Francis ’22 is Fighting Food Insecurity

Together with his younger brother, Colton, Camden Francis ’22 founded a nonprofit called Beyond the Crisis to fight food insecurity, connecting with other organizations in a regional effort to mitigate hunger in Massachusetts.

CENTENNIAL

Come Celebrate With Us

Beginning in April 2022, with our Centennial Days of Service and Sustainability, and continuing throughout Concord Academy’s 2022–23 academic year, we will illuminate our history, honor our mission, and celebrate the values and traditions that have animated our school for a century. Through events and many other experiences, CA’s Centennial will be unique to our culture and will joyfully look ahead to CA’s second century. We can’t wait to gather with students, alumnae/i, parents, faculty, staff, and friends from every era during these Centennial festivities. Learn more about Centennial events.

CA Celebrates 100th Birthday with Centennial Days of Service and Sustainability

On April 22 and 23, the CA community united in honor of Concord Academy’s 100th birthday. On this historic occasion, the Centennial Days of Service and Sustainability involved listening, learning, and taking action. The celebration extended beyond campus to include alumnae/i, parents, and friends of the school. Together over these two days, CA community members made a difference for others, and for our planet, in support of the commitment in CA’s mission to build a more just and sustainable future.

Ed Rafferty highlights the history of sustainability during all-school assembly

History teacher Ed Rafferty addressed the CA community during the “100 Years of Sustainability” assembly with a talk titled “Tales Along a Crooked Road: Place, Home, and Humility in Environmental History.”

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

The Utopias Expo: CA History Class Explores American Utopian Movements in an Interactive Community Event

On December 2, students in Kim Frederick’s American Utopias history course transformed the SHAC atrium into an expo for 19th-century utopian communities. Drawing on extensive historical research and honing their presentation skills, they engaged a large audience during this immersive event.

Environmental Symposium: Ben Stumpf ’88 Encourages All to Bring Their Strengths to the Climate Justice Movement

Gretchen Roorbach, CA science teacher and organizer of the Environmental Symposium, introduced the third and final speaker in the lecture series as one of her environmental role models. Her colleague Ben Stumpf ’88 has been teaching computer science, film, and graphic design at Concord Academy for nearly 20 years and has been involved with the climate movement for almost as long.

2021 Joan Shaw Herman Award Recipient Dr. Leslie Davidson ’66 Speaks About Service and Public Health with CA Students

Throughout her professional and academic career, physician Leslie Davidson ’66 has focused on meeting communities’ needs. “You have to be linked to the population of the community you are serving,” Davison said during a talk she gave at Concord Academy on November 12.

Contact Us

Write to the editor:
magazine@concordacademy.org