Kathy’s last PA Graduation Procession – 06/09/2013

August of 1994, Kathy and I drove our Honda Accord up highway 28 from Boston, looking for this place called “Phillips Academy” where she had just been hired as a Physics instructor and house counselor.  From about a half a mile away, we saw the Bell Tower piercing the tree line and said to ourselves, “Well, that must be the town center, the school must be somewhere around here.” We had no idea what she, and by extension, I and our unborn Julian were getting into.

Now, 19 years later, Kathy is processing for the last time with the graduating class of 2013.  By this time next week, we will be settling into our home on Whidbey Island, WA.  Over the intervening years, Kathy has held numerous positions within the PA Science dept, led and acted on several school committee’s, coached in sports teams, and been dorm mother to over 700 girls, mostly juniors in their first year in a private school environment.

PA, for its part, has paid her well, provided more professional challenge than one can cope with, paid for Julian’s tuition at Central Catholic High School, housed our family in comfortable and historic accommodations around the PA campus, and provided a close community of students, staff, and faculty that she treasures deeply.

Our drive up highway 28, and all of the preceding college education, Peace Corps experience, and Kathy’s own will to re-invent herself has produced an amazing career.  It will be interesting to see what is next.

-Jason Pryde, husband and awkward blogger