Faculty Fellows Program Launches

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

In order to reopen this fall, Nightingale leadership recognized the need to account for a variety of new health and safety protocols. Whether it be creating new classroom space to accommodate social distancing regulations, or managing new virtual spaces where students now meet, it became clear early in the planning process that the Schoolhouse would need additional support to meet these challenges.

Nightingale is often referred to as “a school for life”, as alumnae are often proud to maintain an ongoing relationship with the school well beyond their graduation date. With that in mind, Nightingale reached out to alumnae from the classes of 2006 through 2016 in order to gauge their interest in supporting Nightingale’s reopening efforts. Unsurprisingly, a number of these young alumnae expressed an interest in pursuing a career in education and responded enthusiastically. After vetting candidates through a formal application process, the Faculty Fellows program was born.

In total, fourteen Faculty Fellows were hired (twelve young alumnae along with two friends of Nightingale) to support the school this year. They are led by Damaris Maclean ’97 who oversees the Faculty Fellows program and manages the group’s day-to-day responsibilities. Some are partnered with a lead teacher in the Lower School, while others are partnered with a teacher who may be teaching from home so as to serve as the in-person presence for the students in the classroom. Their daily tasks also involve assisting with morning check-ins, tracking down book orders, coordinating lunch needs, and enforcing social distancing requirements, to name a few.

Nightingale has already benefited greatly from the Faculty Fellows, who have already become part of the fabric of the school. “These young people are terrific, and bring their own expertise and experiences to the classroom,” says associate head of school Claire du Nouy. “It is our hope that in return for their great work, they can benefit from a behind-the-scenes look at managing a classroom and operating a school, with our fantastic faculty and staff mentoring them along the way.”

The 2020-2021 Faculty Fellows: Jenny Peissis ’06; Emily Cohn ’11; Holly Hutcheson ’11; Sophia Jenkins ’14; Jazmyn Blackburn ’15; Margot Corper ’15; Yacine Niang ’15; Chloe Norford ’15; Julia Levine ’16; Daphne Sellin ’16; Bryn Wolgemuth ’16; Kat Hickey; Schyuler Van Amson; Zachary Brida

Pictured: A Faculty Fellow assisting with morning arrivals during the first week of school.