Mr. Strodel passes the torch after 39 years
Upper School (US) Science Teacher David Strodel ’78 is ending his time as the US freshman class dean after 39 years. He will continue leading the Bivouac freshman orientation program.
“Ever since I went into education, I was motivated to create environments where students and adults could grow,” Mr. Strodel said. “Ninth grade is a foundational year, and creating a safe space for students to land — through advising, Bivouac and close work with families — was a terrific way for me to affect the journeys of many students.”
Last year, Mr. Strodel, US Science Teacher Jenn Gatti and former US Science Teacher Anthony Moccia ’10 served as the freshman class co-deans. Mr. Moccia has left the school to become the principal at the St. Raphael Parish School in Medford. Dr. Gatti will be the freshman dean for the 2025-26 academic year. The school has indicated that it is working on a plan to cover Mr. Moccia’s departure.
“One of the priorities that I have as grade dean is to maintain the level of leadership that Mr. Strodel has shown for so long,” Dr. Gatti said. “This includes clear communication to the grade, consistency in what we expect from our students and what students can expect from us.”
Julia Agudelo ’28 witnessed Mr. Strodel’s leadership last year.
“Mr. Strodel was great. I did notice that he would talk about problems a lot, and that was good. I remember that when he had to give us a talk about gambling, he handled that really well.”
Expanding history’s scope: Dr. Spring charts new course for department
“We want to ensure that all regions of the world are represented meaningfully in our courses, not just the U.S. and Europe,” Upper School (US) History Department Head Stacey Spring said, setting goals for her new role.
Dr. Spring is also considering introducing a sophomore research paper prize, offering more opportunities to prepare for AP World History and revising Global History I and II for the 2026-27 academic year. The department also worked on its digital organization and adaptation to AI, Dr. Spring said.
Following US History Teacher Susan Glazer’s eight years as the department head, Dr. Spring was elected to the position for the start of the 2025-26 academic year. In her new position, Dr. Spring will oversee curriculum planning and supporting faculty. She plans to guide the department toward teaching a more “global perspective” of history, she said.
George Miller ’28 took Dr. Spring’s Global History I class.
“She did a great job of speaking with all of us, figuring out where we were at and what support we needed,” he said.
To ensure a smooth transition, Dr. Glazer began working with Dr. Spring this spring after her election.
“I had begun thinking about changes to the ninth and tenth grade programs, and then Dr. Spring and I discussed those ideas in detail,” Dr. Glazer said. “We’ll likely see a reimagining of the ninth and tenth grade history courses and possibly some new course offerings in the coming years. That’s something I’m very excited to see her take on.”
As the history department head, Dr. Spring will continue teaching AP Comparative Government and Politics and lead a new section of The Making of the Modern Middle East.
