Collegiate Honors Faculty and Staff for Exemplifying the Values and Ideals of Teaching

8/28/2023

Collegiate is pleased to honor the recipients of this year’s Craigie Award.

Established in 1996 by the family of Beese Craigie, a former 4th Grade teacher and Board Chair at Collegiate, this fund rewards a Lower School teacher who exemplifies the values and ideals of teaching at Collegiate.

The following are selected remarks made by Head of Lower School Debbie Miller at the Opening of School Meeting, held August 2023, in recognition of the Lower School Craigie Award recipient.

Great Lower School teachers have the gift of connecting with students, supporting their needs and providing extension and challenges in wonderful ways. This year’s recipient exemplifies this statement every day of the school year. Throughout the school day, she models the learning process and encourages her students to do their very best academically as well as be their best selves. Our award recipient embodies the School’s commitment to shaping the whole child through her teaching practices and relationships with her students.

In the Lower School, this teacher nurtures rich, collaborative relationships with her colleagues, who in turn consider her a trusted and loyal team member. As a former team leader, she consistently focused on what was best for the students and teachers in her grade level. She is a problem-solver and one who looks for the good in everyone and every situation.

Our recipient has a strong desire to do her best professionally and personally, and you will find her getting to school very early every day to prepare and focus on the needs of the day. Please join me in congratulating Maria Pettit, the winner of the 2023 Craigie Endowment for Teaching Excellence.

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The following are selected remarks made by Head of Middle School Jeff Dunnington at the Opening of School Meeting, held August 2023, in recognition of the Middle School Craigie Award recipient.

Bob Dylan sang, “May your hands always be busy. May your feet always be swift. May you have a strong foundation when the winds of change shift.” Our 2023 Middle School Craigie Award winner has been busy and swift, with an unwavering foundation, since he started his career at Collegiate in August 2001. Possessing an unwavering commitment to education, he fosters a love for language and literature in each of his students.

On the basketball court and baseball diamond, his cool and calm demeanor as a coach stabilizes athletes and coaches alike. Knowing that, specifically in the Middle School — “there are many here among us, who feel that life is but a joke” — Nathan Goodwyn is a grounding force who can lighten a room with his humor, dive deep into a heavy text, motivate a basketball or baseball team or dazzle with his guitar and heart-felt singing of an old folk song.

An excellent teacher and thoughtful colleague, please join me in congratulating Nathan Goodwyn, our Middle School Craigie Award winner.

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