Being a Grade Chair means juggling multiple tasks. A Grade Chair is a faculty member assigned to a grade and gender who supports the student’s social and educational life and serves as a connector between parents, students, and teachers. From organizing conferences and communicating between teachers, students, and parents, Grade Chairs work tirelessly to ensure our Middle School runs smoothly. All the students adore their Grade Chairs—Susan Mcmillan, David Gale, Robert Cochran, Shazeen Porbanderwala, Catherine Zidow, and Patrick Egan—because they always work hard for their beloved students. Their job includes so much more than what people think the Grade Chairs do.

Grade Chairs have unique views on their favorite part of being a Grade Chair. Cochran, the 7th-grade boys’ Grade Chair, enjoys the boy’s company and working with them. Cochran believes that the 7th graders are a hassle at times, but in the end, he likes being around them. “As frustrating as they can be at times, it’s the kids. Helping them out, working with them,” he says. Just as much as Cochran likes his job, Zidow, the 8th-grade girls’ Grade Chair, finds joy in watching the 8th-grade girls grow. “[I like] seeing what I know about you change and grow.” Both Grade Chairs appreciate the students, whether they are watching them grow or just hanging out with them. 

The Westminster Grade Chairs all had varying motivations to take this Job. Egan, the Grade Chair of the 8th-grade boys, wanted to see a bird’s eye view of the grade. “I was interested in seeing the more holistic picture of students,” he says. A key point of the Grade Chairs’ job lies in their love for guiding and encouraging their students through middle school. Zidow thinks that, although it is a big job, these teachers enjoy taking up this responsibility. “I thought it’s the most visible mentor role that the girls have,” she says. 

Of the different positions, the 6th-grade job in some ways is the biggest because it involves helping with the transition from 5th grade to 6th grade. David Gale took on that job as the 6th-grade boys’ Grade Chair and says he chose it because he wanted to help the 6th graders through their first year of middle school. “I wanted to have that touch point with that 6th-grade class to try and make an impact on their lives at such a crucial time,” he says. The Grade Chairs selected this role because they wanted a new point of view of the Middle School and have a significant role in student support. 

For a Grade Chair, every day is different. Gale says that is why he loves his job. “That’s the great thing about the Grade Chair role. There is no typical day,” he says. Egan believes that conferences are a big part of his job “We’re either doing fall check-ins or annual conferences,” he says. The Grade Chairs’ weeks are full of check-ins in the fall, immediately followed by conferences with students and teachers in the winter and spring. Although Zidow loves her job, she says every day is full to the brim. “I do not stop communicating with people until it’s 3:30,” she says. The teachers’ days go between meetings with other teachers and checking their emails from both parents and kids. But ultimately they love the variety of each day.

While students and teachers focus on their daily classes, Grade Chairs quietly keep the Middle School’s many moving parts in sync. Their role in bridging school and home helps ensure every student is accounted for and supported.