A chat with our new Associate Head of School, Mrs. Keough

By Chip Genung ’25

​This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Associate Head of School Mrs. Keough and to have an insightful conversation about her first year in that new position.
 
My first question was about how Mrs. Keough is settling into her new job, and what she enjoys the most on a day-to-day basis. She said that she is settling in well, but, as expected, she is very busy. Her favorite part is the problem-solving involved in the job, stating, “Each day is a new challenge.” As a problem pops up, she gets to find a solution and to take the issue off of someone else’s hands, which she really enjoys.
 
I then asked her about what some of her short-term goals are in this new role. One major point she highlighted is her endeavor to make the pacing better for the students and faculty in terms of the calendar. She recognized the inefficiency of having special schedules so often and decided to simplify the way the calendar is organized. She stated that because the school has evolved in her time here, it is important that our schedule evolves with it. She also emphasized the importance of being mindful for the students when it comes to these changes.
 
When asking about her long-term goals, she stated that she has both personal and school goals in her position as Associate Head of School. First, she stated that her personal goal is to “get to know the school inside and out,” as she puts it. She wants to discover everything there is to know, so she can become more confident in every aspect of school life. Her long-term goal for the school is to “work towards what really matters: community and how we treat each other.” She wants to emphasize the importance of engagement as a method to improve our community. We all miss Mr. de Kanter, but we are in good hands with Mrs. Keough as our new Associate Head of School.