From the Desk of the Head of School- February 24, 2023
Dear Harding Academy Learning Community,
I am writing this afternoon with an update for the 2023-24 school year. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Clare Manning, 4th Grade Social Studies and Kim Usher, 4th Grade Language Arts, will be pursuing new opportunities away from Harding Academy. One of the hallmarks of a Harding Academy experience is how dedicated our faculty and staff are to the mission of our school. When an opportunity arises for our teachers to take on new challenges toward that mission, we are excited to be able to retain excellent faculty in new roles. So, next year we will have some internal moves that will greatly benefit the student experience.
- Katy Stumpf will be moving into the 4th Grade Language Arts position. Katy is currently a 1st Grade teacher here at Harding Academy and has been with the school in a full time capacity since 2016. She has been instrumental in co-developing the 1st grade program, but is also a leader across our strategic plan development, a member of the Head of School Search Committee, a member of our Reimagination of Time project last year, and Assistant Theater Director along with her new grade-level colleague, Grace Wilkinson. We are very excited to have Katy bring her educational experience and expertise to the 4th grade.
- Sara Danielsen who began this year as a long term substitute in 1st Grade for Natalie Sharpstone and has since taken on multiple roles in the Lower School as a full time substitute, will replace Katy Stumpf on the 1st Grade Team. Sara arrived in Nashville this summer from California and has made an immediate and positive impact on the life of the school and the experience of our students. We welcome her to this new role.
Thank you all for being such an engaged part of our learning community. It was great to see so many of you on campus yesterday and today. I want to send out a special thank you to the Harding Parents Association for the Faculty Luncheon they put on for us this afternoon. It was a great treat and we are most grateful to have such a support system in place.
Have a great weekend.
Inspiring The Mind • Nurturing The Spirit