On January 31, Ms. Madeline Perkins retired from Choate after dedicating 40 years to the School. Throughout her career, Ms. Perkins has taken on various roles in the Choate community: she started as a part-time interior designer, worked with the Choate Icahn Scholars Program, and spent her last years on campus as the third form deans’ assistant. No matter the job, one thing remained consistent: Ms. Perkins’s love and dedication to the community.
“I hope that I have helped Choate students navigate their way through this wonderful school in a positive, nurturing way,” Ms. Perkins said. “I’ve always felt more [like a] mother than [an] assistant, giving hugs and encouragement along their journey.”
As Dean of Students Mr. Michael Velez ’00 said at School Meeting on January 28, “While Ms. Perkins’s roles at Choate changed over the years, what always mattered to her most were her family and you –– the students, faculty, and staff who made up this community for the past four decades.”
Mr. Velez first met and grew close with Ms. Perkins in the fall of 2005 when he was living in Memorial House, the old location of the third form deans’ offices. “Particularly last year when I was serving as one of the third form deans, [we would have] a lot of casual conversations, talking about things other than our jobs. I think in a lot of ways, Choate was an extended family for her, and I think she applied the same care to her responsibilities at Choate as she did to her family.”
Mr. John Ford, who worked closely with Ms. Perkins as a former Third Form Dean, agreed that Ms. Perkins took great care in her work. “She just did everything so neatly — she dotted every i and crossed every t. She was just so thorough with everything and saw every detail,” he said. “She was terrific to work with. We just made a good team.”
Third Form Dean Ms. Emily Osterhout said, “In the short time that I worked with Ms. Perkins, it was obvious through her stories and experiences here — everything that she’s seen and all the people she’s met — that people see her as a kind heart, really and truly caring for other people. I think she invested herself in others’ lives, and they became her family. She was always such a huge help to me, being new in the deans’ office. She did little things like that, and I’m going to miss that,” said Ms. Osterhout.
Ms. Fran O’Donoghue recalled of her own time working with Ms. Perkins: “She was always very nice, happy, and friendly. She never seemed to have a bad thing to say about anything or anyone, and she was always very professional whether we were dealing with a tough situation or something where we didn’t really know how it would turn out. She always had a positive attitude towards it, and she always knew if we worked together, we could solve any problem.”
Going into her retirement, Ms. Perkins plans to travel with her family, spending time at her house by the shore and on her boat: “And, as far as transitioning goes, I am so looking forward to spending more time with my grandchildren Kaya, London, and Camden; children Carrie, Derrick, and Timothy; and husband Perk. A cruise awaits us all on the horizon!”
“I shall miss Choate greatly — that’s a given,” Ms. Perkins said. “I’ve made so many friends here and have met so many special people, students, faculty, and parents alike. I’ve loved my time here.”
