NMH Magazine : Winter 2004

Leading with the Head

Tom Sturtevant came to NMH last summer to become its first-ever associate head of the school. As such, he runs the day-to-day educational program, including academics, residential life, athletics, and extracurricular programs. This March he will step into the position of head of the school, working closely with Richard W. Mueller ’62, who will serve as NMH president. Here Sturtevant talks about life lessons and the value of education.

What drew you to NMH?
First and foremost was the academic program, with its emphasis on meaningful learning. I was impressed with how the school showed 
its commitment to deep academic engagement by adopting the long-block schedule six years ago. I also liked the inspiration of D. L. Moody and how the school continues to draw on that—students here develop character and values as part of their NMH experience. I was drawn by the challenges facing the school.

What do you look for in an independent school?
I look for a rigorous academic program. Students should be put into 
situations where they might experience failure. Of course, independent schools are nurturing places, but young people grow most profoundly when challenged and given the latitude to make mistakes.

What does NMH do best when it comes to educating students?
We very deliberately provide students with a values-laden education—the school has a long, impressive history of this. The curriculum has remarkable breadth and depth, not just in the number of courses, but within each one. The pedagogy focuses on interdisciplinary learning and collaborative teaching, and the courses are highly individualized; there’s nothing generic about them. Students have to bring their whole selves to these courses because nothing less would do. As a result, our graduates are distinctively able to turn their intelligence and competence toward real-world situations.

What’s your version of an ideal faculty member?
When I interview people for faculty positions, they must have both passion and knowledge about their subject. They have to care deeply about kids and derive satisfaction in finding the little mysteries that unfold through learning and teaching.

In two decades of working with adolescents, what consistent needs have you seen?
Fundamentally, young people need relationships with adults. A study came out recently showing that kids who have relationships with more adults are especially resilient. These relationships are the map 
of the world for adolescents. 

Boarding schools provide young people with a community of 
caring adults. We’re like a good old-fashioned neighborhood, but about 67 times bigger.

Describe an event in your life that taught you the value of education.
As a tenth grader at Westminster School, I had to take a required art class. I was taken aback by that—I’d never had to do art before, nor was I interested in it. So I decided not to focus on it. I surprised myself with how well I did in all my other courses, but I got a D in art, which meant I couldn’t get on the honor roll. My art teacher brought me up short, and I had a choice: either I could keep doing things the way I had been or I could bring my whole self to the class. 

I threw myself into that class and discovered I really liked it—and I did well. Although I’m not an artistically talented person by any means, I now have a real interest in the arts. I credit Mr. Cowing at Westminster for opening that world to me.

What essential lesson have you learned as an educator?
I believe that everyone is born with special qualities and potential. The value of education is that it creates self-awareness. It helps students recognize the special qualities within themselves—what they’re here to be and do.

What’s been your best moment since you started at NMH?
Visiting a ninth-grade humanities class taught by Meg Donnelly, where the students performed Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. They sat in a circle and spoke different lines, playing off each other very spontaneously. Afterward Meg asked what part of the exercise had meant the most to them. “We learned the words by heart, not just by memorizing,” they said. That struck me as so symbolic of what NMH is about: a true commitment to deeper learning—learning by heart.