On behalf of our Board of Trustees and former Executive Director John Kerney, I write to you today to share the sad news that our good friend and former trustee Jerry Larson recently passed away after a tough, accelerated battle with cancer. The entire Winchendon community extends our deepest sympathy to Jerry’s wife, Cheryl, and their son, Nicholas.
A lifelong educator, Jerry elevated scores of students and schools. His career spanned New England (Phillips Exeter Academy, Tabor Academy, and Cheshire Academy) and even brought him to Doha, Qatar. Ultimately, Jerry leveraged his immense experience in independent school leadership as managing partner and head of school search consultant for the esteemed firm, Educational Directions. He was a valued member of our Board from 2015 to 2023. On a personal and professional level, I am incredibly grateful for Jerry’s enormous contributions to The Winchendon School, and the mentorship and guidance that he provided both me and John Kerney over the years.
Jerry always looked for ways to make high school education better and more meaningful. At Winchendon, he was an early proponent of ColLABs, Service Learning, and the opening of the NYC campus, among many other initiatives. Perhaps more importantly, Jerry always brought any discussion, even those regarding the most complex of policy decisions, back to the heart of the matter: he kept us centered in our mission and reminded us that our work is rooted in the service of our students. For those of you who also had the good fortune to know Jerry over the years, you can attest to the passion, perspective, and zeal that he brought to his work in education.
The Winchendon School will continue to honor Jerry by pushing ourselves to provide the best learning experience that we can and, as Jerry would appreciate, to have a great time while doing so. The Dr. Jerry Larson Prizes For Innovation in Secondary Education, provided last spring with the support of our Board of Trustees, celebrates the innovative leadership of our colleagues. The Larson Prizes are intended to empower and inspire faculty members who have a demonstrated track record of innovating and collaborating on professional development. The first recipients of the award (Jill Cote, Marcantonio Frushell, and Bernard Lipat) consistently look for creative ways to engage a broad range of learners.
Jerry’s legacy will live on in their work and in the hearts and minds of our entire community: faculty, staff, and students alike. To read more about Jerry’s life and legacy, please click here.
Respectfully,
Sean Duncan
Head of School and Executive Director
The Winchendon School
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