What Teachers Have to Say
Dick Peller, math department chair
1. NMH students are best typified as down-to-earth kids who benefit from the many cultures represented. As a math teacher, I enjoy working with kids who are grateful to be here, who appreciate the sacrifice that their parents go through to keep them here, and who become loyal alumni and friends.
2. Teachers here are not constrained by statewide regulations, but are free to help craft a curriculum that best fits our students' needs. NMH has been an innovator in many areas, most recently in technology and our block-schedule system.
3. NMH allows the opportunity to live and work in a beautiful part of the world, in which the natural environment is cherished and preserved.
2. Teachers here are not constrained by statewide regulations, but are free to help craft a curriculum that best fits our students' needs. NMH has been an innovator in many areas, most recently in technology and our block-schedule system.
3. NMH allows the opportunity to live and work in a beautiful part of the world, in which the natural environment is cherished and preserved.
Becca Leslie, science teacher
An NMH student is an empowered student. Every member of this community has a voice that is respected and celebrated. Students from all over the world convene on campus to share their voices with caring faculty and staff in academic, artistic, and athletic arenas. However, this teamwork is not limited to the traditional school niches, but extends into every aspect of our lives at the school. Students, faculty and staff work together as they plan international journeys, debate the merits of renewable energy technologies in new school buildings, run programs for local shelters, or work to raise money and awareness for injustices experienced far from campus. The moment you arrive on campus, friendly faces of the NMH community pull you into exciting, life-changing opportunities.
Gary Partenheimer, religious studies and philosophy teacher
My top three reasons to choose NMH:
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There’s a place for everyone to be themselves, and you don’t have to “fit the mold” to thrive here.
- Diversity of students, faculty, programs, and opportunities; we really do honor and value individuals where they are, and invite them to be part of a larger whole.
- Natural beauty of the setting; we should never take for granted this gift of being surrounded by stunning vistas in four seasons, especially as we learn to face intractable global problems.
Philip Calabria, visual arts department chair
- The quality of the faculty and faculty members’ commitment to teaching
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The new Rhodes Arts Center
- A student here is a known entity—taught, counseled, befriended, and nurtured.
Vaughn Allen, religious studies and philosophy department chair
While there are many excellent reasons to choose NMH, I believe that three top reasons are:
While there are many excellent reasons to choose NMH, I believe that three top reasons are:
- NMH provides care and support for every student.
- It has a “non-preppy,” unpretentious culture that lets students feel comfortable being who they are.
- The school is committed to various outreach programs and teaches students to care for communities and people in need. In this way, NMH helps its students grow into mature, responsible adults committed to social justice and bettering society.
Peter Jenkins, English teacher and director of college counseling
NMH draws students who are willing: They are willing to take chances (say, by trying a new sport or having a roommate from a foreign land) and to be open-minded—about new perspectives, about ways to see themselves in the world, about students and adults who choose to be different. NMH draws students who are able: They are able to work hard, to be resilient, to sustain themselves and their friends. NMH draws students who are unafraid: They speak their minds and care deeply about causes that are both global and local. They are unafraid to confront behaviors that they deem unacceptable, to try a Korean dish during International Carnival, to try out for the school play.
Jeanne Rees, former math teacher
NMH is a community in every sense of the word. The relationships between adults and students are very strong. Students feel comfortable sharing difficult experiences with adults, because they know they will not be judged but given the support and advice they seek. Ask an NMH student to name three adults who are important to them, and you will not only get three names, but a long, loving explanation about the moments in their shared experiences that were significant.
Ted DesMaisons, religious studies teacher
Students who want to explore the many facets of their selves—and who want to find more facets than they ever knew existed—will find great opportunities to do so at NMH. You can see this value when you notice that the faculty here are so multitalented. Any dining hall conversation might uncover a hidden talent. “I didn’t know you spoke Spanish.” “You led wilderness trips?” “I never would have guessed you were a chess champion.” In that way, each teacher here represents a kaleidoscope of potential reflection and refraction for students.
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