News Staff Reporter
A week before Spring Vacation, faculty members James Stanley and Cathy Shelburne were each offered a spot in the Dean’s Office. Starting next fall, Mr. Stanley will serve as the 4th form Dean (class of ’09) while Ms. Shelburne will temporarily replace Ms. Shea as the 3rd form Dean.
The selection process began earlier in the year, when Mr. Ford informed the faculty of openings in the Dean’s Office. These openings included an additional spot beyond the usual yearly replacements because of Ms. Shea’s sabbatical in the Spring. According to various sources, the position was most likely to be handed to a faculty member who had taught at least three years at Choate and had at least ten years of total teaching experience. With strong support from the Choate community, Mr. Stanley and Ms. Shelburne were willing to apply for the positions. “The support that I have received from Choate students, my teaching colleagues, and the administration, and my relationships with my students, advisees and their families have given me the confidence to serve as dean,” said Ms. Shelburne.
Throughout the whole selection process, Mr. Ford, Dean of Students, carried out the decisions. “After talking with my family, I let him know I was interested and we shared a lengthy discussion about the responsibilities,” says Mr. Stanley. Much of the final phase of the decision process was a collaborative effort. Mr. Ford consulted with an informal committee of faculty as well as senior administrators— Mr. Farrell and Ms. Wallace— to discuss the strength and weaknesses of the favored candidates. Finally, with the approval of Mr. Shanahan, the Headmaster, Ms. Shelburne and Mr. Stanley were elected to serve their first years as Dean at Choate.
According to Mr. Ford, the new deans are qualified by their experience both in the classroom and in other areas. “They both have relative administrative experience and are able to have good connections with the students,” states Mr. Ford.
Ms. Shelburne, in her twenty years of experience in independent schools, has served in numerous capacities, including department chair and leader of various initiatives. In addition, Ms. Shelburne and Ms. Shea have been working together closely in order to prepare for the large task awaiting them next fall.
Mr. Stanley on the other hand, has had past administrative experience as the Form Dean of 3rd and 4th forms at the Kingswood-Oxford School for 4 years. At Choate, Mr. Stanley is currently the Chair of the Faculty Committee and has been the head of Memorial House for three years. Having spent time with the current third form boys this past year, Mr. Stanley will be particularly familiar with them when he becomes their dean next year. “They are a very good group of kids and I am looking forward to seeing them mature for the rest of their Choate careers,” comments Mr. Stanley.
Due to the increased work associated with the role of the Dean, Mr. Stanley will no longer be the head of Memorial House and will turn over the position to fellow house adviser, Mr. Yanelli. As another necessary tradeoff in becoming a Form Dean, Mr. Stanley and Ms. Shelburne will carry a half-time teaching load. As with all other form Deans, their course load from next year on will be reduced to two.
Mr. Stanley currently teaches history and economic courses; however, he will only be able to teach two courses next year. Ms. Shelburne, who has been taking a year off from teaching, will be teaching only two Spanish courses next year.
Since Ms. Shelburne is an interim Dean, it is unknown whether she will stay on as a Dean after Ms. Shea returns. Meanwhile, Mr. Stanley will guide next year’s fourth form until their graduation alongside Mrs. Miller who will be the Dean of fourth form girls. Mrs. Miller is at present the sixth form Dean. The class of 2009 will be the second class she carries to graduation. Picking up a new class of 4th formers after graduation of their previous class is a common practice among form deans. This cycle, however, excludes the third form Deans, who stick with the 3rd form year after year. Nonetheless, whether or not a Form Dean is to serve again is his or her decision and also requires the approval of the senior administrators and Mr. Shanahan. Mr. Stanley says he is willing to try another cycle, but isn’t quite sure how it will be in three years.
Starting next fall, Ms. Shelburne will be moving into Ms. Shea’s office in Memorial House and Mr. Stanley will be moving into Mr. Berghoff’s office in the basement of the Dining Hall.
