Is There a Doctor in the House?

What’s up, Doc? If you were to pose this question at Brimmer and May, you might hear the following possible answers:

 

MG: True North and space.

KL: Case number X.

TM: Kid energy.

AO: Tempo.

DR: A Man Called Ove.

NR: “Ballon! Ballon!”

ES: The low number Dewey Decimals.

 

 

Admittedly you wouldn’t hear that last response at Brimmer unless a class is watching a Looney Tunes cartoon on YouTube, because, that one is Elmer Fudd, who is not a doctor; I just threw it in because, well, it fits kind of naturally as a response. And while the initial question and the final answer are spoken by cartoon characters, everyone in between is a true and veritable doctor: Ph.D, J.D., Ed.D, Psy.D., D.M.A., etc. and they all practice their “medicine” for our students. They teach!

 

From second grade to AP English and MS Music to Constitutional Law—and throw in Growth Ed—Brimmer’s doctors diagnose, demonstrate, drill, direct, and educate (sorry, I ran out of d-words to complete the alliteration…). Like their compatriots in the ERs and health centers, our doctors analyze test results, operate in a theater, conduct clinics—e.g., in grammar, musical notation, citation, language, mathematics, and law among others—and have outstandingly effective desk side manner. Our doctors are talented.

 

After years in school studying, Dr. Martino works with our second graders on the second floor of McCoy Hall (a clear mnemonic device there, yes?). She teaches her students—everything. No, really, everything! Her degree in Educational Leadership is clearly evident in the classroom where she is an accomplished general practitioner and clearly an educational leader.  

 

Dr. Reese has led the English Department half of the Middle and Upper School Humanities Department for close to two decades, and teaches AP English Language and Composition as well as enticing and profound Advanced Literature and Composition electives; notably, he plays a mean (actually mellifluent) saxophone too. He is an incomparable specialist in literature.

 

It seems a perfect match that a doctor of anthropology, Dr. Gallon, is our Middle School Division Head. He studied culture, teaches culture, and creates culture. As a university student, I double majored in English and Anthropology, so Dr. Gallon always has a place in my heart (and head). He’s clearly a chief of surgery—for critical thinking, organizational skills, and Core Values implants.

 

Dr. Ostergard, DMA—Dr. O! (Sounds a bit like a Bond nemesis, but actually the polar opposite is true here.) They are a DMA, so a Doctor of Massachusetts, yes? No. Dr. O is a Doctor of Musical Arts (but pronounced “otts” here in MA…) They compose, arrange, conduct, and teach in the Middle and Upper School. Dr. O treats our uneducated ossicles to appreciate and understand musical splendor. Thus, they are our resident otologist—I have to ask, could they possibly help cure the tinnitus that sometimes occurs after a rainy day MS lunch?

 

Ken Levine, JD is a doctor lawyer—one may forget what those end-of-the name letters stand for (Juris Doctor) because we don’t put the D-R in front; we put ESQ at the tail, but Doctor of Law it is! Ken uses years of experience in the court room to teach several different semester-length law electives here; his practice has turned into academic dissertation, so he’s kind of a Dr. Lawyer doctor now, a neurologist perhaps?

 

Dr. Danya Ravid, Psy.D takes care of our students. She is our Director of Mental Health Services and PK-8 Counselor. Dr. Ravid is an uber-good listener, partner in problem solving, and thoughtful teacher of the essential skills our students need to be the best people they can be. She is a doctor doctor, so, yeah, we have one of those too—and she’s a teaching doctor par excellence.

 

Nicole Rudolph and Elyse Seltzer are our doctoral candidates. Nicole is the World Languages Department Chair and Elyse is Director of MS/US Library, Supervisor of PK-12 Library Program, DEIB Curriculum Liaison (She does a lot!). While they are Drs.-to-be-named-later, they are currently instructing students in Grades 5 - 12 in French and Global Studies for the former and literacy, library skills, and equity for the latter—and so much more. They are our educator Medico Supremos!

 

The doctors get a shout out here because they did a lot of school before they came to Brimmer to do a lot of school. I respect that, a lot. Overall, Brimmer has an awesome faculty and staff from BAs to Ph.Ds. I know this because I have observed them at work with our students inside and outside of our classrooms. But, just in case a Brimmer guest or a prospective parent or even just your Aunt Sally asks the question—“Is there a Dr. in the House?” The answer is a resounding, Yes! We have more than a half dozen of them, actually, and they are all esteemed and learned members of our excellent faculty. 

 

‘Calling Dr. Martino, Dr. Reese, Dr. Gallon. Dr. Levine. Dr. Ostergard. Dr. Ravid, and Candidate Drs. Rudolph and Seltzer…For students and humanity at Brimmer and May!’

 

*No AI was used to write this article. Maybe I should have used some?