Subject: Providence Day Memories
From: Ted Dickson <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 19:26:57 +0000

Dear Providence Day Alumni,

It’s hard to believe, but I began teaching at Providence Day nearly 25 years ago. I’ve seen many first days of school, Commencements, bus photos, and been on many field trips during my time at PD. I’ve had the opportunity to see the school from different perspectives – first as a teacher and coach, then as a parent, and now as a parent of alumni with my last Charger student graduating in June.

Campus looked a little different when I started in the fall of 1991. We are fortunate that our facilities have been able to grow and change along with our increased enrollment. The changes continue with the exciting plans for a new academic building on campus, which also means I’ll (finally) be moving from my current location in the West Wing!

In 1995, I helped coin the slogan “Silver Memories and Golden Dreams” for our PDS 25th Anniversary celebration, and now I have many fond silver memories of my 25 years – Click here or scroll down to read only a few.

I hope you look back on your time at PDS as fondly as I do – and that you have your own collection of memories. I’ve been surrounded by wonderful colleagues and students, and value the legacy you left from your time as a student. I ask that as you reflect on your PD memories you will consider joining me in making an annual gift to the school this fiscal year (100% of faculty have pledged their support!). Alumni have been challenged to reach a giving participation goal of 25%, and if this goal is met the school will receive a $25,000 challenge gift from six alumni and alumni parents. This is a wonderful opportunity for the Providence Day community. Alumni participation is currently at 14.5%, and we need 270 more alumni donors to achieve this goal. A gift of any size counts as participation!

The Annual Fund has helped pay for me to attend national history conferences, enabling me to make the connections that led to me being involved in revising the AP US History course for the entire country – which was an exciting project!

To make your gift today, visit www.providenceday.org/makeagift or text “chargers” to 243725 to easily make your gift by phone.

Thank you for considering your support. Go Chargers!

Ted Dickson
History Department Chair

I remember…

• When our offense on middle school soccer was kicking the ball long for Andrew Burquest (before he switched to football);

• Coaching fun JV Basketball teams, including playing two games on the same day, Andrew Stark at the top of the diamond press and Clay Nunley getting his only T ever.  Two of those JV players now work at PDS – Ben Hovis in 4th Grade and Lee Tappy who has just been named as the new Middle School Dean of Students (that will be a surprise to his teammates!);

• Watching state championship teams featuring players like Reggie Love, Grant Porter, the Edwards twins, Ben Huffman, Tiffany Mitchell, Lauren Lucas, and Will Black (with a dramatic game-tying homerun!) – and both of this year’s basketball teams;

• Watching Clay Nunley as a college coach, Pip Woodson playing at UNCC, and Tiffany Mitchell, Jatarie White, Kelly Johnson, Laura Barefoot, and Reggie Love, et alia, on TV (and touring the White House with Reggie);

• Coaching rec soccer with PDS assistants that included Erin Reading, Tyler Blackwell, Grant Porter and Thomas King;

• Being on stage with Trey Sartin and Liz Maples in the Music Man, as well as performing in Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, and Anything Goes (this year); as well as singing with many of you in the Upper School Chorus;

• Coaching the 6th grade rec teams – girls and boys;

• Hanging out with my advisees on and off campus;

• Traveling with students to The Hague International Model United Nations and being especially proud of our delegation representing Bosnia-Herzegovina;

• Playing in the traveling pep band at away football games with Michael Fox and Tom Colt – and others – and enjoying the PDS Band’s performances;

• Celebrating Morehead Scholars and National Merit Finalists and college admittances (especially for the 500+ students for whom I have written college recommendations)

• Grilling burgers at home football games;

• Admiring the work of our many talented visual artists such as Meredith Johnson, Olivia Tiberio, Jessica Reynolds, Andrew Leitch, Scott Sattizahn, Patrick Atkinson, and Sloane Snyder;

• Watching great debates in the Jackson Game;

• Climbing on the rocks at Little Round Top;

• Dancing at almost every prom – in many different locations;

• Fixing bikes on the Cape Cod Bike Trail – and hanging our at the beach;

• Seeing CNN coverage of Donny Banks and Sarah Thorpe during the presidential campaign;

• Attending two national party conventions with PDS students (through Kids Voting);

• Watching our own three children grow with the school and head off to college after their own bus photo;

• Learning from colleagues like Patsy Steimer, Ben Topham, Kristina Brockmeier, Roy Garrison and Chris Wallace;

• Hearing from alums who are pursuing graduate studies in History and the Social Sciences like Lena Skalaban, Scott Dixon, David Walker, and Elizabeth Scholz;

• Talking teaching with former students who are now teachers;

• Opening time capsule at reunions with Lisa Shaul Thompson, David Thompson, and Caron Kelly;

• Enjoying listening to the jazz band at many Prohibition Parties….

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