Please confirm... did Sidwell's Head of School Tom Farquhar and NPS Jim Neill come from Bullis

[Anonymous]

My child is already very happy at another very well known school on this board... so I'm just trying to refresh my memory.

I understand that Sidwell's new (as of Fall 2009) Head of School tom Farquhar previously was the Head of School at Bullis. Now, I vaguely remember learning when I met NPS's very impressive Head of School Jim Neill that he attended Bullis. Is this correct? If not, what other local school did Mr. Neill attend? The educational piece only information I can find on Mr. Neill's on the NPS website is that he went to Harvard. However, I am curious.

Thanks in advance!

If my memory is correct (and I"m not sure it is) then I find it impressive that the Bullis school would have such an impressive administrative team and alumni. Makes you think twice about the school.

And, honestly, I find it impressive on Bullis's part that their former head of school was chosen at Sidwell. Usually, when one of the leading schools in the area loses it's headmaster there is a nationwide search. Clearly Bullis must be doing something right... and I hope this continues with the new head.

Again, I have NOTHING to do with any of the schools mentioned above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is already very happy at another very well known school on this board... so I'm just trying to refresh my memory.

I understand that Sidwell's new (as of Fall 2009) Head of School tom Farquhar previously was the Head of School at Bullis. Now, I vaguely remember learning when I met NPS's very impressive Head of School Jim Neill that he attended Bullis. Is this correct? If not, what other local school did Mr. Neill attend? The educational piece only information I can find on Mr. Neill's on the NPS website is that he went to Harvard. However, I am curious.

Thanks in advance!

If my memory is correct (and I"m not sure it is) then I find it impressive that the Bullis school would have such an impressive administrative team and alumni. Makes you think twice about the school.

And, honestly, I find it impressive on Bullis's part that their former head of school was chosen at Sidwell. Usually, when one of the leading schools in the area loses it's headmaster there is a nationwide search. Clearly Bullis must be doing something right... and I hope this continues with the new head.

Again, I have NOTHING to do with any of the schools mentioned above.

Tom Farquar was a teacher and administrator at Sidwell a while ago, before he was head at Bullis. When Bruce Stewart (previous head at Sidwell) announced he was retiring, Tom Farquar was asked to apply for the job (or so I have heard), although they did also do a nationwide search. He did, but said he had to complete his contract at Bullis, so Sidwell has an interim head this year.

Don't know about the NPS head.

[Anonymous]

OP here. My kids attend two of the Cathedral Schools - and we are very happy there... so I am merely an observer.

Clearly Mr. Farquar was impressive during his past tenure at SFS and was equally effective (perhaps more so at Bullis which has more to prove).

I'm interested in learning if Mr. Neill also came from a Bullis background. Or am I just imagining this connection? I went through the admissions process several years ago and thought I was told that Mr. Neill had attended Bullis. But, my memory could be incorrect. Either way, he stood out.

[Anonymous]

How are Tom Farquar and Annie Farquar of Maret related?

[Anonymous]

yes - and their close relatives all went to the cathedral schools/are currently enrolled there.

[Anonymous]

How are they related? Husband/wife or brother/sister?

[Anonymous]

Not married, her husband teaches at Maret.

[Anonymous]

Jim Neill from NPS was the valedictorian of his class at Gonzaga before going to Harvard. I don't recall him saying anything about Bullis at the Open House. But everyone who meets him seems to think he's really impressive - including me and my husband.

I also recall he worked for Patrick Moynihan for a while before teaching at St. Alban's and Georgetown Visitation - and a school in California - I think!

[Anonymous]

Jim Neil taught English and coached soccer in the St. Albans Upper School before leaving to go back to school. He eventually ended up at NPS. Jim is one of many former STA teachers who have gone on to be administrators at Independent Schools around the country.

Peter Barrett, Headmaster of St. Patricks, taught fourth grade and lower school English for many years at STA. Henry Smyth, Upper School Head of St. Pat's, taught lower school history at STA. Fred Chandler, who taught lower school english at STA for 11 years, is in his third year as Head of the Middle School at St. Anne's-Belfield in Charlottesville. Mason Lecky, former history teacher and admissions director at STA is the new Headmaster of St. Andrews Episcopal School in New Orleans. Andy Rodin, who was the admissions director before Mason and former STA teacher himself, is the current Headmaster of the Friends School in Dartmouth, Mass. Ann Wolcott, who taught for 15 years in the STA lower school is the Middle School Director of St. Stephens Episcopal School in Bradenton, Fl. At one time, Ann and Peter taught fourth grade (C Form) together. Peter, Ann, and Fred all held the same position at STA: Lower School Director of Studies. And going back a few years, Tom Hudnut, President of Harvard-Westlake School in LA started his teaching career at STA.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I am soooo sorry.... my memory was incorrect! I confused Gonzaga for Bullis. I don't know how. My fault - my apologies. However, it is interesting to learn about all the inter-school connections!!

FWIW. As many know, Beauvoir Head of School Paula Carreiro is married to GDS Head of School Peter Branch.... but did you know that Paula's Daughter-in-law teaches at Sidwell Friends.

Reminder... We have such wonderful academic leadership in this city embraces education before rivalry. Let's celebrate our academic community!!! We are all within in one degree of one another. I hope families remember this now - during this time of admission - all of these schools have relationships with each other - so forget about the big whatever and remember we are all family. I truly hope future applicants keep this in mind and look beyond Big vs. Little - because "little" one day maybe big (or at least open a door to big) the next!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jim Neil taught English and coached soccer in the St. Albans Upper School before leaving to go back to school. He eventually ended up at NPS. Jim is one of many former STA teachers who have gone on to be administrators at Independent Schools around the country.

Peter Barrett, Headmaster of St. Patricks, taught fourth grade and lower school English for many years at STA. Henry Smyth, Upper School Head of St. Pat's, taught lower school history at STA. Fred Chandler, who taught lower school english at STA for 11 years, is in his third year as Head of the Middle School at St. Anne's-Belfield in Charlottesville. Mason Lecky, former history teacher and admissions director at STA is the new Headmaster of St. Andrews Episcopal School in New Orleans. Andy Rodin, who was the admissions director before Mason and former STA teacher himself, is the current Headmaster of the Friends School in Dartmouth, Mass. Ann Wolcott, who taught for 15 years in the STA lower school is the Middle School Director of St. Stephens Episcopal School in Bradenton, Fl. At one time, Ann and Peter taught fourth grade (C Form) together. Peter, Ann, and Fred all held the same position at STA: Lower School Director of Studies. And going back a few years, Tom Hudnut, President of Harvard-Westlake School in LA started his teaching career at STA.

True. How long did it take you to compile your lists????

But the OP just asked if Jim Neill and Tom Farquhar attended Bullis. Which you didn't answer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jim Neil taught English and coached soccer in the St. Albans Upper School before leaving to go back to school. He eventually ended up at NPS. Jim is one of many former STA teachers who have gone on to be administrators at Independent Schools around the country.

Peter Barrett, Headmaster of St. Patricks, taught fourth grade and lower school English for many years at STA. Henry Smyth, Upper School Head of St. Pat's, taught lower school history at STA. Fred Chandler, who taught lower school english at STA for 11 years, is in his third year as Head of the Middle School at St. Anne's-Belfield in Charlottesville. Mason Lecky, former history teacher and admissions director at STA is the new Headmaster of St. Andrews Episcopal School in New Orleans. Andy Rodin, who was the admissions director before Mason and former STA teacher himself, is the current Headmaster of the Friends School in Dartmouth, Mass. Ann Wolcott, who taught for 15 years in the STA lower school is the Middle School Director of St. Stephens Episcopal School in Bradenton, Fl. At one time, Ann and Peter taught fourth grade (C Form) together. Peter, Ann, and Fred all held the same position at STA: Lower School Director of Studies. And going back a few years, Tom Hudnut, President of Harvard-Westlake School in LA started his teaching career at STA.

Don't forget tom Hudnut was Head of school at Norwood for many years before he moved on to Harvard-Westlake. And his wife Deedie was a Beauvoir teacher and now is head of admissions at Harvard-Westlake's primary feeder Center for Early Education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is already very happy at another very well known school on this board... so I'm just trying to refresh my memory.

I understand that Sidwell's new (as of Fall 2009) Head of School tom Farquhar previously was the Head of School at Bullis. Now, I vaguely remember learning when I met NPS's very impressive Head of School Jim Neill that he attended Bullis. Is this correct? If not, what other local school did Mr. Neill attend? The educational piece only information I can find on Mr. Neill's on the NPS website is that he went to Harvard. However, I am curious.

Thanks in advance!

If my memory is correct (and I"m not sure it is) then I find it impressive that the Bullis school would have such an impressive administrative team and alumni. Makes you think twice about the school.

And, honestly, I find it impressive on Bullis's part that their former head of school was chosen at Sidwell. Usually, when one of the leading schools in the area loses it's headmaster there is a nationwide search. Clearly Bullis must be doing something right... and I hope this continues with the new head.

Again, I have NOTHING to do with any of the schools mentioned above.

Yes, Bullis is doing a lot that's right, and, as a Sidwell parent, I fervently hope that Tom Fahrquar will re-create that at SFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, Bullis is doing a lot that's right, and, as a Sidwell parent, I fervently hope that Tom Fahrquar will re-create that at SFS.

Interesting comment. Sounds very exciting that Mr. Fahrquar is returning to the Sidwell. Can you elaborate what you mean by "re-create?" What needs to be fixed at Sidwell and how do you hope Fahrquar can restore and bring new life into the school's current system?

[Anonymous]

I hope he restores a sense of balance to a school that has become an academic pressure-cooker. Additionally, I hope he can shore up Sidwell's foundation of Quaker values.