Page 24 - Priorities #73

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The entire faculty and staff started the school year off with their “Team Tim” hats to show their love and appreciation for their revered leader.
former Board Chair who spoke at the tribute dinner, added that “Tim’s leadership style is very authentic. ...Tim never tried to be someone he wasn’t, but rather spent his energy trying to connect and understand others.” Tim is a listener who truly embodies the Benedictine dictum to “Listen with the ear of your heart.” He has developed such close relationships with scores of Benedictine monks over the decades, at Priory, St. Anselm College, and far beyond. Tim believes, “They’ve put their trust and faith in me to lead the school.” If someone comes to him with an idea, he’ll hear them out, and if it’s a good idea, he’ll make it a reality, another aspect of his creativity.
And what is Tim most proud of besides the Priory campus? Hiring the best people to develop the best programs. The academic curriculum has been designed by Head of Upper School Brian Schlaak alongside the department chairs and professional development team. “We’re right on target to create a school that’s great for kids and where we want to be,” says Tim. In the early years, Priory had a reputation for being the place for boys to receive a strict, structured education, but its reputation as a rigorous college preparatory school has grown steadily, with more students wanting to attend than this small school can admit. Mike Calbert confirms this assessment of the school’s program because he witnessed “a transformation of all three of my boys into mature, thoughtful, caring, intellectually curious adults for which I will be forever grateful to the Priory.
This transformation was a direct result of Tim’s vision and leadership.” Athletic Director Mark Stogner adds, “Tim has been a strong supporter of athletics and has played an important role in helping us to build a competitive middle and high school athletic program that our entire community is very proud of.” Tim, not surprisingly, is quick to point out that these academic and athletic programs are the product of a dedicated, caring, collaborative, smart staff.
Working with the Benedictines has been one of Tim’s greatest joys during his Priory years. Tim arrived when some of the original Founding Monks were still here—Father Egon and Father Christopher specifically—and learned early on about their passion and vision for the campus they loved. Father Martin and Tim forged a friendship that went beyond the many chapel services they led or the trips they took to places as diverse as New Orleans, the Marin headlands, China, Thailand, Korea, Australia, Argentina, or New Jersey. “Working with the monks is at the top of my list” of favorite things about his job, says Tim. “The faith community here has really been a blessing in my life.” The respect and admiration is mutual. Father Martin commented that “I think friendships begin with a certain chemistry that works between people, but it is solidified by working together in the good times and the rough times—in the expected as well as the unexpected. We did a lot together.”
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