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Patrick Connolly, Upper School English
When did you join the BA community?
I first arrived to BA back in the fall of '92. I was in grad school at UNH and needed to find an internship to complete my degree. A friend of mine put me in contact with Dan Rapoza, then the AD, and he told me he could easily find some coaching duties, but we would then need to find some academic work. I interviewed with both Booker Nevius in the Upper School and Terry Dogget in the Middle School. When the doors opened in the fall, I was working for Jonathan Witherbee, the new director of the MS.
In what capacity do you interact with students?
Like most teachers, my interactions vary quite a bit: teacher, college counselor (formerly), 2-3 season coach, and I've employed more than 20 of them over the years for my painting company. In some cases, I've also been able to have them act as assistant coaches for the soccer team: Jed Mettee, Chris Barnhorst, Chris Boulton, Trestan Matel.
Why did you choose BA?
BA might have chosen me in some sense. After my year of interning, I was fortunate to get involved in many areas - coaching, teaching, advising, chaperoning, running clubs, house sitting, you name it. With the departure of a math teacher in the fall of '93, I was offered a full time position. I chose to stay on, because I really felt I had found a home (for 2-3 weeks I secretly lived in the coaches' room on the couch when between apartments). Like many people in their young 20s, I had moved multiple times in a short period, trying to find one thing or another. BA provided me stability, great friends, a rewarding sense of purpose, (a bit of income), and an environment I was really proud to be part of. It always intrigued me just how accepting the community was, and still is.
What is your favorite thing about BA?
Many years ago, perhaps in the early 2000s, I recall reading a journal entry from Chloe Green during the Thoreau Project. She was musing about some of the new things she was doing during the week-long experience and in it, she penned the line, "never be afraid to be a beginner." I've written this down on an index card an it remains on my desk at home. Although, I wish I would follow her sage advice more frequently, it serves as a reminder to loosen up, to try on some new ideas, and not be afraid to make mistakes. In many ways, BA is a two-way street where the students match wisdom with the teachers and where the school offers a supportive environment that allows teachers to grow. In the time, I've been here, BA has allowed me to grow as a teacher - moving from the middle to upper schools; moving within the English department, assuming different positions and developing new classes - and grow the soccer program by allowing me to take trips, expand our schedule, and run summer programs.
What is one thing you think prospective families should know when considering BA?
Berwick is a competitive and challenging place, and while that may cause some personal struggles, dings in confidence, etc., which are all part and parcel of these types of environments, the administration, teachers, coaches, counselors, and staff are all mindful of the ultimate objective: to stretch young people into healthy young adults.
Back
I first arrived to BA back in the fall of '92. I was in grad school at UNH and needed to find an internship to complete my degree. A friend of mine put me in contact with Dan Rapoza, then the AD, and he told me he could easily find some coaching duties, but we would then need to find some academic work. I interviewed with both Booker Nevius in the Upper School and Terry Dogget in the Middle School. When the doors opened in the fall, I was working for Jonathan Witherbee, the new director of the MS.
In what capacity do you interact with students?
Like most teachers, my interactions vary quite a bit: teacher, college counselor (formerly), 2-3 season coach, and I've employed more than 20 of them over the years for my painting company. In some cases, I've also been able to have them act as assistant coaches for the soccer team: Jed Mettee, Chris Barnhorst, Chris Boulton, Trestan Matel.
Why did you choose BA?
BA might have chosen me in some sense. After my year of interning, I was fortunate to get involved in many areas - coaching, teaching, advising, chaperoning, running clubs, house sitting, you name it. With the departure of a math teacher in the fall of '93, I was offered a full time position. I chose to stay on, because I really felt I had found a home (for 2-3 weeks I secretly lived in the coaches' room on the couch when between apartments). Like many people in their young 20s, I had moved multiple times in a short period, trying to find one thing or another. BA provided me stability, great friends, a rewarding sense of purpose, (a bit of income), and an environment I was really proud to be part of. It always intrigued me just how accepting the community was, and still is.
What is your favorite thing about BA?
Many years ago, perhaps in the early 2000s, I recall reading a journal entry from Chloe Green during the Thoreau Project. She was musing about some of the new things she was doing during the week-long experience and in it, she penned the line, "never be afraid to be a beginner." I've written this down on an index card an it remains on my desk at home. Although, I wish I would follow her sage advice more frequently, it serves as a reminder to loosen up, to try on some new ideas, and not be afraid to make mistakes. In many ways, BA is a two-way street where the students match wisdom with the teachers and where the school offers a supportive environment that allows teachers to grow. In the time, I've been here, BA has allowed me to grow as a teacher - moving from the middle to upper schools; moving within the English department, assuming different positions and developing new classes - and grow the soccer program by allowing me to take trips, expand our schedule, and run summer programs.
What is one thing you think prospective families should know when considering BA?
Berwick is a competitive and challenging place, and while that may cause some personal struggles, dings in confidence, etc., which are all part and parcel of these types of environments, the administration, teachers, coaches, counselors, and staff are all mindful of the ultimate objective: to stretch young people into healthy young adults.
Berwick Academy
31 Academy Street
South Berwick, Maine 03908
Contact:
Admission | 207.384.6300
Main Office | 207.384.2164
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 520 students, Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 and Postgraduates. Berwick students are from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and several countries. 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.
