Meet Lower School faculty, staff additions

Laurie Drummond steps into the Lower School Counselor role. Laurie is deeply experienced in the world of school counseling, having spent many years in Wilson County Schools. She has a bachelor's degree in social work from Ball State University, earned her master's degree in social work at Indiana University, and worked to earn her the School Counselor Licensure at Middle Tennesee State University. She will lend her capable hand to our ongoing development of the social-emotional learning curriculum and to our understanding of what "best practice" means in the context of the student, teacher, and family support that comes with living in a school community. Her colleagues describe her as someone who anticipates the needs of others, a teambuilder, and a caring and constant presence in times of need. She seeks out ways to be involved and to support others. We look forward to our ongoing exploration of the needs of the residents of Lower School and the articulation of specific programmatic initiatives. Laurie will be with us Monday through Thursday each week.

Rye Daily, his wife, and dogs Grizzly and Moose have arrived in Nashville from Maine. While there he earned his Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and physical education at the University of Maine. He has experience teaching in elementary, middle, and high schools as he traveled among the three in his last posting. He said that one of the things he loved most about that arrangement was seeing whole families as he went among schools. He will add to our physical education faculty in many ways, including in the pool as an experienced aquatics instructor and as a pro at articulating and crafting P.E. curriculum for various ages. He is already a great addition to our community and will lend his hand in coaching roles as well. Your children are going to love him.

Megan Peterson is joining the always amazing second grade team. You might wonder if you've met Megan before, and you have. She was a part of the P.E. faculty group last year while Middle School Athletics Director and P.E. Teacher Lilly Miller was on maternity leave. She quickly knew students' names and could also find her way to the various parts of the school. Those who remember being new know that it not an easy task. Megan earned her Bachelor of Arts in history at William Smith College and Master of Arts in teaching childhood education at Manhattanville College. Megan spent time as a teacher in classrooms across multiple grade levels at Greens Farms Academy and the Stanwich Schools in Connecticut before moving south to Nashville. She's super excited about her new position with second graders.

Felicia Holst is the Assistant Head of Lower School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in public affairs from Columbia College and Master of Arts in elementary education from University of South Carolina. She's spent most of her teaching life in Independent schools where she has taught children from 2-year-olds to second graders. Felicia came to Nashville to help found the Episcopal School of Nashville. I can't think of a better person to help craft the program of a school organized for young-learners from the ground up and her handprint on that school is indelible. I am fortunate that our paths crossed over 10 years ago. As a new division head, I learned much about early literacy and young children from Felicia. She said she has the heart of a teacher and is an experienced-kid-watcher. She joins Christy Plummer in leading the Teaching Assistant group and is hit the ground running.

The person you might interact with most is Annie Stewart. Annie will be the Lower School Administrative Assistant and will work at the desk in the first floor Meacham Gallery. This career is Annie's first foray into an educational setting, and she brings contagious energy and excitement. She is highly organized, a big-picture thinker, a do-er, and action-taker. She's just started the week before school begins, so let's be patient as our office gets up and running.

I am incredibly excited about these new additions to LS and can't wait to see what they have to teach us. They are all – as a group – passionate, compassionate, energetic, and positive, not to mention wicked-funny, so hang onto your hats.