It has been a bittersweet year, preparing to say goodbye to Darlington. I’ve enjoyed my 20 years here. As the founder of the strings program, it has been personal, not just a “job.” So much has changed for me, in that as the program grew, I had to grow. I am not the same person that first arrived here in 2006. I really didn’t know what surprises and challenges were in store for me when we began.
I first hatched the idea of a string program for Darlington when my two children at the time reached school age. I knew a family friend, Clinton Schaum, teacher and soccer coach extraordinaire, taught here at one time and had high praise for Darlington. I made arrangements to visit campus with Emmie and Lewie, and even as my feet touched the pavement in the parking lot at Thornwood, I knew this was where I wanted my children to go to school. We visited classrooms, and watched a presentation called the Marriage of Q and U. All of the activities that children are able to participate in at this wonderful school! I wanted that for us. Thus began our family’s journey here.
I noticed there was no string program. I approached Mrs. Diane Lumpkin, and pitched the idea of starting one and she was all in instantly. We began that first year with 13 students she recruited, most of who continued through Upper School. Throughout all these years, administration has been excited, supportive, and proud, that we have a thriving string program at our school.
As I prepare to pack up all the adorable cards, artwork and little gifts that students have given me, I am touched that I was given this opportunity to try and impact Darlington’s students with a love of music making, and we had pretty good time doing it.
I’d like to take a moment to thank all the wonderful people that I’ve been privileged to rub shoulders with these past few decades. This faculty is the best, this administration never stops, and my colleagues, especially my co-worker Jennifer Bagby, have been a mainstay and a support system unmatched in any environment I’ve ever worked in. Our school families are committed to quality education and support this school’s mission wholeheartedly. Thank you all for contributing to my life in such a huge way. I’ll miss you, and all the wonderful students that gather here every day to Learn with Passion, Act with Integrity, and Serve with Respect.
