Retirements Announced

After 51 years of dedication and commitment, inspiring St. Mark’s littlest Lions, Frank Jordan will retire at the conclusion of this school year. Frank joined St. Mark’s Lower School faculty in 1968 and has taught nearly 2,000 Marksmen, including the sons of many former students. “Mr. J” not only has been an outstanding classroom teacher for the past five decades and has served as Faculty Senior Master, but he has also brought a passion for sports and a genuine commitment to the outdoors. He has forged lifetime friendships with many of his students and has been an inspiration to colleagues across the campus. For the past 25 years, he has led rising fifth graders and their parents to Wyoming each summer to explore the wonders of the Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. Throughout his career, Frank has received many accolades and great recognition, including the John H. Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award, the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award, the St. Mark’s Lower School Teacher of the Year Award, and the Ackerman Character Education Award. In addition, he received the 2008 Marksmen yearbook dedication.

After 35 years as a leader on the St. Mark’s faculty, J.T. Sutcliffe will retire at the conclusion of this school year. Having served as Math Department Chair, Faculty Senior Master, Co-Sponsor of the Junior/Senior rotation, President of Cum Laude, the first holder of the Suzanne and Patrick McGee Family Master Teaching Chair in Mathematics, and so much more, J.T. really has done it all. She has forged important and meaningful relationships with boys for decades and will leave a lasting imprint on this School. Having joined the faculty in 1984, J.T. is beloved by her “fellas” as both an outstanding teacher and a loving class sponsor. She has taught math in both private and public schools for more than 50 years, has been a member of the AP Calculus Test Development Committee and an AP Calculus Exam Leader and continues to serve as a consultant for AP Mathematics. J.T. has been honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award. The 1988 and 2004 Marksmen yearbooks were dedicated to J.T.

After 14 years of dedicated service on the St. Mark’s faculty, Max Wood will also retire next May. A highly skilled artist and classroom teacher, Max has contributed greatly to our Fine Arts programs across the Middle and Upper Schools, emphasizing the fundamentals of color, design, and craftsmanship. Max has taught a wide range of courses including Creative Arts, Drawing and Painting, and Art History, and she is also the mother of U.S. Air Force Captain Edward Wood, a member of St. Mark’s Class of 2008. Max has helped develop boys’ passion for creativity and regularly hosts student displays in the Nearburg Hall Gallery, from striking portraits to masterful technical drawings. On beautiful days, it is common to see Marksmen standing at easels in the Quad painting scenes while Max provides encouraging comments and critiques. Last year’s award-winning Marque literary magazine was dedicated to Max for her significant contributions to Fine Arts at St. Mark’s.

There will be many opportunities for recognition, expressions of gratitude, and celebrations with Frank, J.T., and Max later in the school year. In the meantime, please join me in congratulating and thanking all three of these inspirational teachers for their extraordinary contributions to our School.

Sincerely,

David W. Dini
Eugene Mcdermott Headmaster