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About Us

Leadership

A Letter from the Head of School

Welcome to Berwick Academy.
 
Thank you for choosing to discover our school through this website. As Berwick’s Head of School, my family and I feel so fortunate to be here on the Hilltop. As you begin to explore this website, I hope what comes across most clearly is the energy, authenticity, and connectedness of our Pre-K through 12 community, and that we are one school, one Berwick.

Now in my fourth year at Berwick, it continues to be apparent that there is something extraordinary happening here. The adults are committed to the students, to each other, and to continual individual growth. The students are engaged and kind, and are able to thrive by following their own individual passions. At the core of the student experience are the remarkable connections between students and teachers – relationships that are forged at Berwick, but often extend beyond graduation.

Founded in 1791, we are the oldest school in Maine, and are guided by our mission of “promoting virtue and useful knowledge among the rising generations.” We appreciate and embrace our role in shaping the values, character, and leadership skills of our students in addition to their academic preparation. And, while we are proud of our history, we are equally excited about our future. Our curricular philosophy focuses on five areas: student-directed learning; building skills as the goal; innovative teaching and cutting-edge curriculum; a commitment to wellness, character education, and public purpose; and building cross-cultural versatility.

Strong college preparation through skills like writing, communication, and critical thinking remain at the forefront of what we do. Our teachers are committed and passionate educators who foster an authentic love of learning. Class sizes are limited, allowing them to give students personalized attention, and those connections give faculty the ability to push them outside of their comfort zones.

After exploring this website, I encourage you to connect with our admission team to learn more about our dynamic community. You can find our admission guide here. I am proud to be a part of this school and I appreciate your interest in learning more about our community. Your Berwick story has just begun!

Sincerely,
Jim Hamilton
Head of School
Amherst College
BA in English
Wesleyan University
MA in Liberal Studies

A graduate of The Roxbury Latin School, Jim credits his independent school experience with transforming his life. He has dedicated his professional career to creating opportunities for students and the advancement of independent schools. Jim began his career at Brooks School as an admissions officer, dorm parent, and coach. He then served as the Director of Admission and Financial Aid at St. George’s School for nine years before returning to Brooks as the Associate Head for External Affairs, a position he held for five years before coming to Berwick. Now in his fourth year, Jim was recently elected to both the Headmasters Association and the Country Day School Headmasters Association. He currently serves on the board at The Roxbury Latin School, The Enrollment Management Association, and The Music Hall.

Board of Trustees

List of 1 items.

  • About the Board

    The Berwick Board of Trustees is currently comprised of 21 members of the community who serve without compensation. There are two ex-officio seats on the Board of Trustees: the president of the Alumni Advisory Board and the president of the Berwick Parent Community (BPC). The Board of Trustees at Berwick, as is the case with similar nonprofit institutions, has three fundamental roles:

    1) To ensure that the mission of the school is being delivered and supported fully
    2) To protect and support the long-term financial viability of the school
    3) To hire and evaluate the Board’s singular employee, the Head of School. No individual Board member is invested with authority to act independently; all decisions regarding policy are voted on by the Board as a whole.

    The Board of Trustees is responsible for the School’s adherence to its mission, the monitoring of its financial wellbeing, and the implementation of the strategic plan. The Board meets four times a year and has the following Standing Committees: Audit, Building and Grounds, Campaign, Committee on Trustees, Executive, Finance/Investment, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), and Strategic Initiatives. Board members sit on one or more of these committees.
    Read More

Board Members

President: Barbara O'Connor
Vice President: Paula Williamson-Reid
Treasurer: James Lawson
Secretary: Jason Kroll
 
Kevin Breen
Mary Ervin
Lesli Friel
Jim Hamilton
Jim Jalbert
Seth Kassels
Eric Katz ’84
Dr. Arul Mahadevan
Suzanne Miller
Jermaine Moore
Clare O'Brien
Nicole Outsen
Catherine L. Stevens Powell ’80
Malcolm Smith III
Rebecca Thompson, ex-officio
Kenneth Lafler '82, ex-officio
Mark Tay, President
Matthew Friel, Treasurer
Eric Katz, ’84 , Secretary
 
Alex Auty
Nina Binnie
Phil Cavanaugh
Jameson French
Kate Glasson
Robert Hoy
James Jalbert
Caroline Levine
Holly Malloy
Peter Martin
Lucas Merrow, ‘81
Susan Noerdlinger
Michael Schafer
Greg Schneider
Fred Siegel
Malcolm Smith
Margaret Talcott
Karen Walsh
Lesli Friel (ex-officio)
Ginger Mathews, ’94 (ex-officio)
 
Mark Tay, President
Matthew Friel, Treasurer
Eric Katz, ’84 , Secretary
 
Alex Auty
Nina Binnie
Phil Cavanaugh
Jameson French
Kate Glasson
Robert Hoy
James Jalbert
Caroline Levine
Holly Malloy
Peter Martin
Lucas Merrow, ‘81
Susan Noerdlinger
Michael Schafer
Greg Schneider
Fred Siegel
Malcolm Smith
Margaret Talcott
Karen Walsh
Lesli Friel (ex-officio)
Ginger Mathews, ’94 (ex-officio)

Meet the Admin Team

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Berwick Academy

31 Academy Street
South Berwick, Maine 03908

Contact:
Admission | 207.384.6300
Main Office | 207.384.2164
Berwick Academy, situated on an 80-acre campus just over one hour north of Boston, serves 600 students, Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Deeply committed to its mission of promoting virtue and useful knowledge, Berwick Academy empowers students to be creative and bold. Berwick strives to graduate alumni who shape their own learning, take risks, ask thoughtful questions, and come to understand and celebrate their authentic selves. 

Find Your Path to Berwick Academy