Page 26 - Baltimore Fishbowl - 2017 School Guide

Dyson Ehrhardt
The
Master
Class
Honoring those who have served 20 or more years
By Muffy Fenwick
he hallmark of a successful school
is embracing change while adhering to the
traditions of its founding. Often, these traditions come in the form of long-standing faculty members. For many area schools, these faculty “lifers” are the link to the school’s past and the anchor in its future.
This is certainly true at Gilman School, which reports that 20 percent of its faculty has taught at the school for 20 or more years. Of this group, 12 teachers have been at the school for 30 to 44 years. Gilman graduates John Xanders, class of 1977, and Brooks Matthews, class of 1987, returned to their alma mater and have served the school for a combined 66 years. Both embrace the school’s teacher- coach model, serving in both the classroom and the athletic field. Xanders, affectionately known to his students as “Mr. X,” has taught in the lower school and coached wrestling for 34 years. In his tenure, he has seen five former students return to Gilman as teachers.
As an upper school history and varsity lacrosse coach, Matthews has also mentored former students and players, often shepherding them to college programs and welcoming them back to campus as young faculty members.
Johnnie Foreman is another long-time faculty member. Currently the director of community and diversity, he has served many roles in his 32 years at Gilman. In 2015, an alumnus established the Johnnie L. Foreman, Jr. Faculty Fellowship. Assistant Head Bartley Griffith, Jr. explains:
Jimmy Currie
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