Today at the morning assembly, Mr. MacKay announced to the school that Jennifer and David Wade, who quickly became an appreciated part of the John Bapst family, will be leaving for Austin, Texas at the end of the school year.

It’s with regret for what John Bapst is losing, but also with a shared sense of anticipation on their behalf, that I thank Jennifer and David Wade for their work this year at John Bapst.

A year ago, via Skype, I remember meeting a husband and wife who worked for the American School in Switzerland, a beautiful and somewhat historic boarding school near the border with Italy. Actually, the school’s setting sounded so idyllic that I wondered why anyone would leave, but no place is perfect.

So about Jennifer and David: one was Canadian; one was a Texan. One was a leader among houseparents in a dormitory of over 50 students, and one had been teaching English, including AP English, for many years. David was a technology whiz with a background in theater and film. They had two children, and I remember being told that their kids were “mascots” on campus – everybody loved Chloe and Griffin.

Fast forward to today, and it’s my job to thank the Wades for their contributions this year and wish them well in the future as they focus on an important decision. David, with more than ten years of teaching under his belt in New York City and Switzerland, two bachelor’s degrees in English and Theater and Dance from UT-Austin, and a master’s from the City College of New York, can certainly find his way around the English classroom. Still, I’d like to think that a few years from now we’ll be sitting in a movie theater and, when the credits appear, I’ll see “Screenplay by David Wade” roll across the screen. The world of writing is both very competitive and changing fast, but it’s important to follow your dreams while you’re full of youthful energy. Good luck, David.

Fast forward to next year, and I hope Jennifer will have found a job that allows her to continue to combine her residential life experience with science teaching. There are never enough hours in the day for faculty who live in dorms, but she has a generous, caring spirit and has much to offer her next school. She also worked in New York City schools for five years, has two bachelor’s degrees from Waterloo and Western Ontario, and has experience in ESL, so Jenn certainly has a promising career in education ahead of her.

Please join me in thanking Jennifer and David Wade for their work at John Bapst and in wishing them all the best for the future.

– Mr. MacKay