Student Voice: Leaders as Teachers

This article was written by Rapha Jacobson ’30 as part of an Intersession Course, “Writing for Publication,” taught by US English Teacher Tim Donahue.

It’s the final month of Great American Debates, an Upper School elective, and 20 students take their seats. At the smartboard stands not their teacher, but a fellow student. After becoming experts on their chosen topics, students are now pairing up to teach in-depth lessons to the class. The presenters are well-spoken, poised, and confident—qualities their instructor embodies and has clearly passed on. That instructor is Adam Rohdie, whom most know as Head of School. What many don’t know is that he’s also a dedicated classroom teacher and coach.

This scene reflects a larger philosophy at GCDS. When walking around the hallways of Greenwich Country Day School, one feels a strong sense of family among students, teachers, and administrators. An administrator’s involvement in the learning environment, Mr. Rohdie believes, “fosters deeper relationships, more connected relationships,” without compromising respect; it dissolves intimidating hierarchical barriers.

Within a school environment, administrators are the unseen hands that allow the gears to run smoothly. Their job is demanding and requires hard work. However, all of the administrators I spoke with at GCDS were not content with being just administrators; they wanted more—they wanted connection. When Mr. Rohdie first interviewed in 2004, he recalls, “One of the things I said to the hiring committee was that it would be really important for me to both teach and coach in the role of the Head of School, and if they were uncomfortable with that, they ought to pick somebody else.”

Throughout his 22-year tenure, Mr. Rohdie has taught classes in the Upper and Middle School and coached at least one sport each year. His experiences have taught him that effective leadership requires a deep understanding of the inner workings of an organization.

In many instances, teachers and administrators are perceived as two different breeds, one more powerful than the other; however, they serve the same community, and therefore their communication is vital. Ms. Lauren Waller, Upper School Assistant Head of Faculty and Students and English teacher, agrees. In her previous school, there was a massive separation between administrators and faculty. She recalls, “The administrators barely knew the names of all the teachers,” and so she wonders, “How could you possibly be making the most personalized, thoughtful decisions about student discipline, a faculty member’s performance, or anything when you barely know them?”

An administrator’s role is usually behind the scenes, but teaching allows them to stand on the front lines. With teachers and administrators experiencing the same struggles and successes, a healthier school community arises. To experience a teacher’s day-to-day life is crucial: the copy machine is broken, comments are due in a week, my kid is sick and I need to find a sub, I don’t have a lesson plan for this week yet and it’s 9 p.m. on a Sunday night. Mr. Rohdie believes, “It is a way to connect with the faculty to say, while I may be your boss, I am also your colleague.”

With administrators in the classroom, students feel the adults in their community are more approachable. Delfina Roca ’28, who took Mr. Rohdie’s debate seminar, believes, “Administrators, like teachers, want to help and see students succeed, so their relationships should feel similar.” Molly Zeitlin ’28, Delfina’s classmate, describes her relationship with Mr. Rohdie before the class: “I knew who he was, but I felt like I didn’t know him at all.” After taking his class she feels, “I can have a casual conversation with a friendly face in the hallway and am never afraid to ask for help.”

Our GCDS Upper School is filled with administrators who teach. Among others, Dr. Andrew Ruoss, Assistant Head of Academic Programs, teaches Advanced Economics and Engineering. Dr. Chris Winters, Head of the Upper School, teaches 10th-grade Seminar. Mr. Rick Columbo, Assistant Head of Upper School, teaches precalculus. Ms. Stephanie McDonald, Dean of Student Life, teaches Seminar. At GCDS, administrators are collaborative, welcoming, and hard-working. But most importantly, they are teachers.

For Mr. Rohdie, being involved in the learning environment is a self-proclaimed system of checks and balances. Especially at GCDS, where we lean into project-based learning, it is important for administrators to see these innovative techniques in action. He admits, “Every time I am in the classroom, I take away stories, I take away firsthand examples, I get a clear understanding of what we are trying to do.” The student feels more apt to advocate for change and the administrator is more prepared to respond. “That gives me a huge advantage—to see boots on the ground, what’s working and what’s not.”