The Student Life Office is pleased to share that crew coach Lauren Peal will take on the role of head of Regester House this fall, replacing longtime Head of House Caroline (Peek) Blaylock (’91).
“After talking with many qualified people, were delighted to find the ideal candidate right here on our campus,” said Matthew Peer, director of student life. “I have been extremely impressed by Lauren’s desire and passion to make a difference in the lives of students. When she talks about the highlights of her teaching and coaching career, she often describes the one-on-one conversations that she has had with students and their families as well as the potential to impact their lives and develop lasting relationships.”
Peal, who is the wife of Upper School history teacher Matthew Peal, holds a B.S. in Biology from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., and is certified in CPR and First Aid. She has seven years of experience in education, serving most recently as a seventh-grade science teacher at The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Fla. She also spent four years serving as a residential advisor for the Exploration Intermediate Program in Wellesley, Mass. In this role, she supervised two female residence halls.
“The thing that excites me most is the chance to get to know and develop relationships with these wonderful young ladies,” Peal said. “I hope to encourage them, challenge them, and support them in all they do. I also relish the opportunity to be part of a community that has been so welcoming to me and my family. This is such a unique and special position and I couldn’t be happier.”
The Peals and their children, A.J. and Abby, already live in Regester House and have enjoyed getting to know its residents this fall.
“I am pleased that Lauren will have the opportunity to further bond with the girls this spring, and to learn from Caroline Blaylock’s decade of experience in how to provide an exceptional living environment for our female resident students,” Peer said. “Let me also take this opportunity to recognize Caroline, who has been an integral part of the Darlington Community for most of her life. We will truly miss her sense of pride in this community, her love for adventure and her passion for making a difference in the lives of young people. The connections and friendships she has made with our students and their families will last a lifetime. Thankfully, she and her family plan to stay in Rome and we hope to see her at Darlington events on a regular basis.”
A 1991 alumna, Blaylock has been a head of house for more than a decade. She will be leaving Darlington to take on a new role as wellness administrator at Floyd Medical Center, where she will be responsible for conducting health risk assessments and assisting 2,500 employees with a structured wellness plan, including diet, nutrition and exercise. As a person who has always thrived in an active environment, Blaylock said she is very excited about the opportunity to develop professionally by assisting people in making healthy lifestyle changes.
“Since 2002, my family and I have had the incredible opportunity to directly impact the lives of so many young women from all over the world,” Blaylock said. “Eric and I are blessed to have been able to raise our boys in an environment where they have the opportunity to integrate with students of different ethnicities, religions and cultures. The relationships we have cultivated with our students and resident families have become lifelong friendships we will cherish. I will miss the late-night discussions, family dinners, house retreats and things like spontaneous water battles in the dorm. But I know that I am leaving the girls in very good hands.”
