New Faculty Positions Enhance Student Support

The addition of ODA alumna Emma Henson ‘15 to direct the Writing Center has raised the bar for student support in the area of writing across the curriculum. Ms. Henson directed the writing center at her college, gaining valuable skills which she plans to pass on to our students. “Working in the writing center gave me new understanding on how to communicate on a different level,” she said. “You learn to approach language in a scientific way, as a means of communication versus just learning the rules of English.” In addition to assisting students in the writing process and reinforcing core skills being taught in our classrooms, Ms. Henson joined the College Counseling Office in our ICS classes, helping seniors complete their college essays and applications.

Carolyn Keber has returned to ODA to direct the Math Center after teaching in England for several years. Ms. Keber’s primary responsibility is to support students in all areas of math curriculum. “I enjoy making connections with my students and want to empower them to change their mindset about math,” said Ms. Keber. She will collect data on the math center’s usage, analyzing particular areas of need and helping us strategically think about our overall math program and its effectiveness. Ms. Keber will also explore additional ways we can support students preparing for standardized tests.

John Delgado ‘15, another ODA graduate, has been working with Upper School faculty to identify projects to which he can lend support, as well as making himself available to students in the STEM Center for assistance. He has a wide range of fabricating and engineering skills, including woodworking, electrical, metal work, and programming. “I will act as a resource for the students,” said Mr. Delgado. “I want ‘making’ to be approachable, and for students to see that their ideas are possible to build. I want to sharpen their problem solving skills and help them find solutions to ‘how can I create this?’” Mr. Delgado is currently in the process of setting up a new Maker Space in the Arts Building which will be an important resource for students who want to build, engineer, and program.

We look forward to watching as these new professionals work with our students during the school year. At ODA, we are firmly committed to program excellence, and are prepared to inspire our students to excel.