Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Dr. Colin Mort
After ten years at St. George’s School in Newport, Rhode Island, new English teacher Dr. Colin Mort was drawn to Choate by the “openness and diversity” of the community. Teaching Introduction to Literature, The Art of the Essay, and Introduction to Creative Writing this term, he appreciates how easily he can converse with students whose diverse passions reach beyond the English Department.
In the classroom, Dr. Mort looks forward to sharing different cultures with his students through literature. “It’s fun when someone’s reading about a place or a time they knew nothing about,” he said.
Dr. Mort also hopes to help each of his students develop their own perspective and voice. Though this goal was complicated by the transition to online classes, Dr. Mort remains optimistic. The highlight of his first few weeks were moments when he was able to connect with everyone in a class. “On Zoom, anytime I can get the entire class smiling, I feel like I’ve done something very significant, just because of the technological intermediate intermediary,” he said.
In addition to teaching English, Dr. Mort will be advising in Mead and coaching Boys’ and Girls’ Squash. He lives on campus with his wife and three children.
— Kate Bailey ’22
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Ms. Amanda Gilbride
Though she has yet to meet most of the Choate community in person, Ms. Amanda Gilbride, a new member of the Language Department, has seen that Choate students are “engaged and eager to learn.”
She said, “There is a community among the students and also a level of respect among each other.”
Ms. Gildbride’s goal for her Chinese 300 class is to get her students reading signs and infographics and listening to the news in Chinese.
To contend with students’ lack of textbooks, Ms. Gilbride has relied on teaching current events for her classes. One of her teaching methods is providing Chinese “in context,” which has taken the form of encouraging students to discuss their passions in Chinese.
Before arriving at Choate, Ms. Gilbride was a Teaching Assistant at Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, Calif. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Chinese from Indiana University, where, as part of the Chinese Flagship program, she spent a year abroad in China.
She also has a master’s degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language from the Middlebury Institute. She will coach field hockey and advise in Nichols House.
— Pranav Pendri ’22
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Dr. Rachel Myers
Joining the campus as Choate’s new Director of Equity & Inclusion, Dr. Rachel Myers expressed that this year’s national protests over police brutality and systemic inequality has left no doubt that now is the time to act and push for social justice, including on the Choate campus.
Though the challenges ahead are complex, Dr. Myers believes that the solution lies in upholding the School’s values of compassion, integrity, and respect — even when nobody is watching.
“If you really want to be here, and you really feel like this is your place, live out the mission and values,” she said. “It’s that simple.”
Dr. Myers wants every student to be comfortable “coming as their full selves,” no matter how they identify.
It was heartbreaking for her to read the stories — she reads everything posted on student-run social media accounts such as @BlackatChoate — of students’ negative or painful experiences.
Dr. Myers joins Choate from The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., where she was the school’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion and a teacher in the English department. She currently resides on campus in McBee House with her partner and son.
— Kate Bailey ’22
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Rev. Aaron Rathbun
Before coming to Choate, Rev. Aaron Rathbun attended Yale Univeresity, taught at Sacred Heart University, and was a pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in New Haven. At Sacred Heart, he taught “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition,” combining the works of intellectuals throughout history with the gospel.
At Choate, Rev. Rathbun will serve as both the Leader of Spiritual Life and the instructor of several courses such as World Religions and Philosophy. As an avid gamer, he is very excited to be involved in the E-Sports and gaming clubs on campus as well.
Rev. Rathbun notes the role of spirituality in our lives. As students begin to explore deeper questions in high school, he suggests asking, “How can [spiritual life] be a tool in my toolbox for having these conversations?”
Rev. Rathbun is looking forward to moving to the Choate campus with his spouse and four children.
— Michael Korvyakov ’23
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Dr. Jesse Gleason
Spanish teacher Dr. Jesse Gleason is no stranger to Choate, having taught at Choate Summer Programs. Alongside her husband, who also teaches Spanish, she is excited to be back with the Choate community, which she feels is “welcoming, inclusive and filled with people who are goal driven and all have a set of values.”
In addition to teaching at Choate, Dr. Gleason is an Assistant Professor of World Language Education and Coordinator of the World Language Teacher Certification Program at Southern Connecticut State University.
After years spent in Chile, she has lived by the phrase “Todo con calma,” which roughly translates to “all calm.” Reminding her to do everything with ease and to take time for herself, the phrase is very comforting to her, especially now.
Dr. Gleason, who lives on campus, is also a yoga teacher and can be found on walks and playing with her kids. She is looking forward to meeting her students in person.
— Tobi Oyinloye ’22
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Ms. Brianne Ellis
This year the Admission Office is welcoming a new Associate Director of Admissions who will have a focus on multicultural recruitment: Ms. Brianne Ellis.
Through part of her work with admissions, Ms. Ellis organizes meetings with prospective and current Choate families living in her jurisdiction of Ohio, Florida, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Puerto Rico, Africa, and the Caribbean. In Africa, she works with the Gakio-Walton Scholar Program to encourage more African students to apply to Choate. She describes her role in admissions as “looking for and actively recruiting diverse students to come to Choate.” She is also working on a fly-in program to help students from underprivileged backgrounds and will serve as an adviser to the Mixed Heritage Association.
In addition to studying in South Africa, Honduras, Israel, and Argentina, Ms. Ellis received her B.A. from Williams Smith College, and her M.S.Ed from the University of Miami. She was previously an Associate Director of Admissions at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She feels that, at Choate, she will interact more directly with students. “I live on campus, I get to advise in Library, and be the adviser for a club on campus,” she said.
Ms. Ellis said that, since the beginning of her time at Choate, everyone has been gracious in offering themselves as resources to her for adjusting to a virtual setting. She currently lives in Faculty Circle.
— Pranav Pendri ’22
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Mr. Gene Wie
With more than 17 years of teaching experience, Mr. Gene Wie is Choate’s new Instrumental Ensembles Director. Before coming to Choate, Mr. Wie was a vocal instructor at the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa. He was also a professional singer and voice coach.
Acknowledging the long tenure and influence of Mr. Phil Ventre, Choate’s former director of the Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble, Mr. Wie noted that “these are very big shoes to fill.” Still, he is full of passion and thrilled to have joined Choate. He is trying to find creative ways for his students to play together when they cannot physically gather to practice. One of his current initiatives has been a system of virtual sight reading. Before class, Mr. Wie posts the sheet music to the ensemble’s Canvas page. During each rehearsal, he plays the piece’s orchestral backing track over Zoom while students play along on their instruments with their microphones muted.
Mr. Wie expressed that he loves the boarding-school environment. Already feeling at home within the Choate community, he is striving to form strong bonds with his students despite the virtual nature of learning so far.
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Wie loves to bike, which he is very excited to get back to. Mr. Wie now lives on campus with his partner and two children.
— Tobi Oyinloye ’22
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Mr. Patrick Durbin
Mr. Patrick Durbin, Choate’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), has been overseeing budgets, financial transactions, the facilities office, community safety, and risk management for the School since he took over the position from Mr. Rick Saltz on July 1.
Though he often doesn’t interact with Choate students during his job’s day-to-day schedule, Mr. Durbin looks forward to working with students in other ways; he is a dorm adviser in Atwater and would like to help advise a club as well. Mr. Durbin played volleyball in college and expressed that he could see himself coaching in the near future. “I want to be a resource to students as I’m a resource to faculty,” said Mr. Durbin.
Before Choate, Mr. Durbin was the CFO of Georgetown University’s College of Arts and Sciences in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, he was the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Senior Director of Finance and Administration at Georgetown. Mr. Durbin said that “the scope of the role here, at Choate, is broader,” and he more actively works with departments such as Facilities and Community Safety. The renovation of Hill House and other future construction projects, for example, have all fallen under his supervision at Choate.
Mr. Durbin lives with his family in the 1956 House, and his office is in Ruutz-Rees with the rest of the financial office. He has four children, whom he loves to go on bike rides with. Mr. Durbin received both his B.S. in Human Science and his M.B.A. from Georgetown.
— Pranav Pendri ’22
Photo courtesy of Le’ah Griggs
Ms. Le’ah Griggs
Ms. Le’ah Griggs is a new teacher in the Language Department. She is remotely teaching Spanish 250 and 401 at Choate, while she also teaches at the East Cooper Montessori School in Charleston, S.C., where she currently resides. In the classroom, she goes by the names “Professora Le’ah” or “Senorita Le’ah.”
Outside of the classroom, Ms. Griggs is an avid musician, playing the piano, ukulele, and clarinet, in addition to singing. At Choate, she will also be teaching private piano lessons remotely.
When asked what brought her to Choate, she said, “It seems like a very nice environment — both the students and faculty. I love how diverse and global the School is and how dedicated the faculty and staff are to making sure that people feel welcome and included.” Students, she said, “have been great, and they’re super mtivated to learn.”
— Michael Korvyakov ’23
Photo courtesy of the Choate Directory
Mr. Will Gilyard
Think you’ve had a busy start to the school year? Try being a new form dean. Mr. Will Gilyard ’98, who also serves as an Alumni Engagement Associate, has had individual meetings with more than 110 of his new fourth form deanees. Though it might sound overwhelming, for Mr. Gilyard, getting to know each of his students has been “awesome.”
Although Mr. Gilyard is still getting to know current students, the School itself is a familiar place: he is a Choate graduate. It’s something that makes him a great fit for his ancillary role in the alumni office, where he is currently planning, an incredible reunion experience while considering the added challenge of doing it all virtually.
Mr. Gilyard returns to Choate after ten years of working at Kingswood Oxford School — a day school in West Hartford, Conn. — as the Dean of Students and a form dean. He lives in Berry House with his wife and two sons.
— Kate Bailey ’22
