Latricia Phillips Retirement Announcement
Dear Harding Academy Community,
I am writing today to announce that Latricia Phillips, Director of Educational Planning and Testing, will be retiring at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Latricia arrived at Harding Academy in 1980 as a substitute teacher for all grade levels. She joined the faculty in 1983 as a reading teacher and admissions associate; and in 1985, moved into a full time role as the school’s Reading Specialist while serving on the Admissions Committee and Head Coach of the Cheerleading team. Over the next thirty-five years, Latricia would go on to create a legacy defined by expertise, compassion, and humor, embodying the school’s mission of educating and inspiring young people to become thoughtful, creative, lifelong learners and self-disciplined, responsible, caring citizens.
In a career that has spanned the tenures of six of the seven Heads of School at Harding Academy, Latricia demonstrated a commitment to her students that defined her approach to education. She has always put the students’ experience first. As the school’s only Reading Specialist for many years and an educator focused on the learning needs of the children who entered Harding Academy, Latricia developed systems that not only helped identify students who would be successful at Harding, but also programming that helped support those students in their journey through the school. Since the beginning, Latricia has been one of the first to arrive on campus each day and one of the last to leave - often working with those students who need a little extra - whether it be time, encouragement, or nurturing.
Over the course of her career, she has been recognized by a wide variety of institutions and associations for her commitment to her craft. The accolades are numerous, but worth highlighting here: In 1986 she was recognized by The Roundtable in support of Peabody School of Education at Vanderbilt University. Latricia was a finalist for the HCA Teacher Awards in 1992. She was asked to serve as Secretary for the Tennessee Council for Learning Disabilities, and in 2002 received the CLD’s Award for Outstanding Teaching in Learning Disabilities. Latricia also served as a regional representative and then the president of the Tennessee International Dyslexia Association Board. She proudly chaired two SAIS accreditation visits to Harding Academy and helped to establish the first Time To Rise camp at Harding Children's Cross Road in partnership with the Junior League. Perhaps more importantly, she has been recognized by families and colleagues as a mentor and role model in her approach to students. One teacher wrote, “Each one of her students received a double portion of what for most teachers are the two hardest areas to master - persistence to each child’s individual goal and the patience to lovingly exhort each child to that goal.”
Harding Academy has been tremendously fortunate to benefit from Latricia’s commitment to the school and the numerous families her work has impacted. As the year continues, we look forward to the many ways we will celebrate her legacy and thank her for all she has done for our school. Please join me in congratulating Latricia Phillips on an incredible career as an educator.
Sincerely,
Dave
Inspiring The Mind • Nurturing The Spirit