Thetford Academy
May 2011

Machu Pichu    

In April  sixteen TA students and six adults

travelled to Peru to visit Machu Picchu and experience a different culture.  

 

Alumni Snapshots     

May 2011    
 
 
ALUMNI SNAPSHOTS
 
In this issue aluma Erin Boyd '05 shares her life post-TA.  Several of our beloved faculty members are making big changes: David McGinn is leaving for a position at St. Johnsbury Academy; Torrelee Fisher-Sass steps into the role as Interim Head of School. Kelly Welsh Ellis will be in Cambodia this summer working with Teachers Across Borders, and Joe Deffner is spending two years teaching in Japan.  Not to be missed is the new sidebar, "Panther Cubs."

2011 Reunion Planning is in the works for a number of classes; look to our side bar for more information. Also included is a schedule of events for Alumni Day sponsored by the Thetford Academy Alumni Association (TAAA). This year's list of TAAA Book Donations is below as well. As always, you can test your campus knowledge with TA Trivia. We're looking for more volunteers, too; we always are interested in hearing from alumni with stories to tell for our Alumni Bio column.

If you would like more information about Thetford Academy activities or to be featured in Snapshots, please contact Wendy Cole, TA Alumni Liaison, at [email protected].

 ALUMNA BIO: ERIN BOYD   CLASS OF 2005

 

 

Erin Boyd

 

Erin Boyd is a 2005 alumna of Thetford Academy, and she currently lives in New Orleans. After graduating from TA, she continued her education at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. She chose Wheaton because, "Coming from a small community at TA, I thought Wheaton was a good fit." While at Wheaton she studied anthropology and took the opportunity to study abroad in Auckland, New Zealand, for a semester, where she was able pursue her field of study and to learn more about Pacific Islanders and the Maori culture. 

 

"Studying abroad deeply set a personal goal of traveling and experiencing as many different places as possible," says Erin.  She also used an educational stipend to travel to the Galapagos Islands in the summer of 2008 and work on an environmental reserve. She professes that this was "another amazing experience and it connected me more to my passion for the environment and doing nonprofit work."

 

Upon researching AmeriCorps for her post-graduate employment, Erin discovered the National Civilian Conservation Corps (NCCC) and decided to submit her application to become a Corps member. NCCC,a team based 10-month federal service program, has multiple campuses across the country; and she was placed in Denver in the Southwest Region campus. Erin did four projects in her 10 month stint with AmeriCorps: she worked at the Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock,  the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity on the construction site, Big Bend National Park in West Texas doing trail work, and the Denver Broncos Boys and Girls Club running summer programs.

 

"I was only in New Orleans working for Habitat for two months while in NCCC, and I knew there was more I wanted to do and experience in the city and in construction." Erin decided to apply for a yearlong AmeriCorps position doing construction management. She decided to focus on New Orleans "because the city is so interesting and different than anywhere else in the US." Of her experiences in New Orleans, she declares, "I love working on the construction site because of the all the wonderful volunteers you get to meet. I have met people from all across the country with such diverse lives and pasts."

 

Erin believes that Thetford Academy was a great environment in which to learn and feels that all of her teachers were caring and passionate about teaching. She is grateful that the fun of learning was instilled in her. "Being in NHS and on Student Council allowed me to take leadership roles at a young age, which in turn  primed me for my college and recent leadership roles."

 

Erin returned to Thetford for her 5 year reunion in June of 2010 to play wiffle ball with Fred Tefft on the softball field and get a tour of the new TA buildings. "The TA campus continues to be beautiful and whenever I visit I feel so lucky that I got to grow up in such a picturesque and caring environment."

 

Of the future, Erin says, "I'm not sure what is next for me.  I'm looking at jobs in Denver, North and South Carolina, New Orleans and Boston. I'm trying to do another year of AmeriCorps. I'm looking for jobs that are related to the food, agriculture and children. I'm really interested in the farm to school movement."

DAVID McGINN STEPS DOWN
 
After 17 years as a Panther, Interim Head of School David McGinn is leaving Thetford Academy to become the Director of Athletics at St. Johnsbury Academy. He and his wife Marci will relocate to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont in June before he begins his new position on July 1.

 

Mr. McGinn has filled many roles during his tenure at TA; he has served as Dean of Students, Althletic Director, and Assistant Head of School, before becoming the Interim Head in July 2010.  Although accomplished in the role of Administrator, he is most comfortable on the athletic field or in the gymnasium, and his new full-time position as Athletic Director in St. Johnsbury will allow him to return to the area he loves most--athletics.

 

Torrelee Fisher-Sass, currently the Director of Special Education and the Dean of Student Services, has been appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve as Interim Head of School for the 2011-2012 school year.  The Board believes her leadership in the coming year will be invaluable as the Academy continues the implementation of new, increased graduation standards and welcomes international students to the campus.

 

We say goodbye to an old and trusted friend--who better can lead a Panther cheer at the Barre auditorium??  We wish both Mr. McGinn and his wife Marci the best as they continue their journey and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their commitment and dedication to Thetford Academy over the past 17 years. 

 

At the same time, we welcome Ms. Fisher-Sass to her new role as Interim Head of School.  We look forward to a productive year in 2011-2012, and we know she'll rise to the challenge of guiding us into the future.

ALUMNI DAY 2011

 

Alumni Day this year is being held on June 11, and there will be plenty of activities.  Please join us in Anderson Hall to catch up with old friends and see all the new changes at Thetford Academy.

 

     4:30-5:30 pm   Campus Tours

     4:30-6:00 pm   Silent Auction sales

     5:00-6:00 pm   Social Hour

     6:00-7:00 pm   Dinner. . .followed by

                                           pot luck dessert

     7:00-8:00 pm   TAAA Annual Meeting

     8:00-11:00 pm  Dance. . .featuring the

                                           Odell/Walker Band

 

(Please note:  There is a charge for the dinner and dance.  Contact Jessica Eaton at 802-333-9491 for more information.)

 

It is never too late to get together! If you would like help planning your 2011 class reunion or are thinking ahead to 2012, email [email protected] or call the Alumni Office at 802-785-2600.

 

A GRANT for KELLY WELSH ELLIS

 

 Kelly Welsh Ellis

 

Kelly Welsh Ellis, a history and psychology teacher at Thetford Academy, has been selected to receive a 2011 grant award from the Rural School and Community Trust to pursue her fellowship project as a volunteer teacher this summer with Teachers Across Borders (TAB) in Cambodia, and to travel in-country to learn firsthand about the impacts of colonialism, war and genocide.  According to Kelly, Cambodian teachers are playing a critical role in helping their nation to recover from genocide, but they are resource-poor.  For many of these teachers, this summer's TAB program will be the only professional development program they'll ever attend.  For Kelly, the opportunity to participate in this important work is both thrilling and humbling.  She will get to work with teachers from throughout the U.S., Australia and Europe, and Cambodian translators, to develop meaningful lessons that attendees can take back to their schools, and will have an opportunity to get to know Cambodia while it is still coming to terms with the genocide of 1975-1979.  In a small way, she will get to take part in the rebuilding process, Kelly considers herself very lucky to have this opportunity.

 

TAAA BOOK DONATIONS
 
Every year the Thetford Academy Alumni Association (TAAA) donates books to the Academy library in memory of graduates who have passed away.  This year books are being given in the memory of the following folks:
  
  Robert L. Bacon '39
  Ruth George Brooks '41
  Frederick Ladd '42
  Wendell I. Pixley '43
  Wilmer D. Rhodes '44
  Leona Paige Foote '46
  Denning D. Sutherland '48
  Franklin Godfrey '53
  Keith Eaton '61
  Raymond Moore '63
  Steven Ladd '66
  Gregory Durkee '69
  Patricia Olsen Holden '70
  Daniel Bojorquez '75
  Warren Andrew Carpenter '02
  Benjamin Hebb '02
  
Apologies if we have missed any of our departed alumni.  Please contact Wendy Cole at [email protected] with additional information.
  
 
IN THIS ISSUE
Alumna Bio: Erin Boyd '05
David McGinn Steps Down
Alumni Day 2011
A Grant for Kelly Welsh Ellis
TAAA Book Donations
Joe Deffner Heads to Japan

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 2011 REUNIONS
  
               Class of 1961
Saturday, June 11
Pearl Keene's house
12:00 noon-3:45 pm 
Pearl Austin Keene
  
  
Class of 1963
Saturday, July 16
Union Village Dam
12:00 noon-4:00 pm
Stewart George
Donna Phelps Durkee

 

 

Class of 1971
Saturday, June 11
TA Alumni Room
2:30-6:00 pm
Jim LaMontagne
Colleen King
  
  
Class of 1981
Saturday, June 11
Tim & Raelyn Ulman's house
12:00 noon-????
Jessica Robinson Eaton
Cheryl Ducharme McKinley  [email protected]
  


 

Class of 1986

Saturday, June 11

Thetford Academy

Tracy Borst

  [email protected]

  802-296-1997

 

 

Class of 1991 

Sunday, August 14

TA Cafe

11:00 am-3:00 pm

Steve Watson

  [email protected]

  802-229-1179

 

 

Class of 2001

Saturday, July 2 

Thetford Academy

3:30 pm-????

Zoe Hack Keller

 [email protected]

Dave Young

  [email protected]

 

 

Class of 2006

  We need you!

 

 

 

 

 TA TRIVIA  

 

The March 2011 Trivia Answer: Alice R. Adams wriote the song "Thetford We Revere Thee" for Founders' Day 1946. 


The May 2011 Trivia question:

In what year were electric lights installed at Thetford Academy? 
1.  1909  
2.  1918
3.  1923

Send us your answer with your US mail address.  We will pick a winner to receive a special prize from the Alumni Office. 

 

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Spring Choral Concert

Sunday, June 5

5:00 pm

Martha Jane Rich Theater

in Anderson Hall

 

 

Baccalaureate 

Sunday, June 5

7:00 pm

First Congregational Church of Thetford 

 

 

Graduation 2011  

 Friday, June 10

6:30 pm

Academy Lawn

 

 

Alumni Day 

Saturday, June 11

Campus Tours  4:30 pm

Social Hour  5:00 pm

Banquet  6:00 pm

TAAA Annual Meeting 7:00 pm 

Dance  8:00 pm

Anderson Hall

 

 

 

 


IN MEMORIAM
  
'53  Franklin Godfrey
5/7/2011 
  
Former Faculty Member
Herbert Reininger
5/11/2011


 

 

 

PANTHER CUBS

 

 

Brooklyn Daly Chaffee born 1/30/11 

Molly Dugan-Sullivan '01 and Eric Chaffee

 

Isaac Peters born  2/19/11 

Crystal Cyr '08 and Loius Peters '08

 

Arabella Gretchen Boyd born  3/1/2011 

Joshua Boyd '03 and Johanna Boyd

 

Benjamin Thurston Barton born  3/6/2011 

Stacy Thurston Barton '99 and Brock Barton

 

Parker Timothy Eastman  born 4/2/2011

Jolin Maclay Eastman '01 and Tim Eastman '99

 

William Sutton Aldrich  born 5/3/2011 

Belinda Clarke Aldrich '95 and Pete Aldrich

 

Eleanor Annalise Pushee born 5/10/11

Sarah Hauger '93 and Scott Pushee

 

Connor James Abraham born 5/11/11

Andrea Goodrich Abraham '00 and Michael Abraham

JOE DEFFNER HEADS TO JAPAN 

 

Joe DeffnerJoe Deffner, a beloved English and social studies faculty member, will be on a two-year leave of absence from Thetford Academy, beginning with the 2011-2012 school year.  While Joe has told athletic director Jade Huntington that the sojurn to Japan is really an extended recruiting trip to bring Japan's top runners into the TA cross-country program, he expects that he will actually have to do some teeaching as well.  He is excited by the challenge of teaching middle school English in Japan, especially when some of his students will be ESL students.  His family--wife Sarah and sons, Owen (age 10) and Eamon (age 9)--is excited by the dual challenges of living in a city and in a non-Western culture.

 

Joe also looks forward to having his sons attending the same school where he will be teaching, Fukuoka International School in Fukuoka, Japan.  He is presently at work devising ways to embarrass his children when father and sons pass each other in the hallway.  

  
Wendy Cole
Alumni Liaison
Thetford Academy