At the end of the school year, Rachael Jennings, Dean of Faculty, will leave for the Shipley School, while English faculty member Becca Burnett will be promoted to serve as the new Dean of Faculty. Ms. Jennings will become the Dean of Students at Shipley and explore her work in restorative practices.
Ms. Jennings previously worked in a student-facing role as an Associate Dean of Students/Director of Equity, Justice, and Belonging at The Dublin School in New Hampshire before coming to GA. She finds great meaning in her work with students; however, sometimes, students find themselves in difficult situations. Ms. Jennings’s focus is on restorative practices rather than traditional punishment.
Restorative practice is a big framework, and restorative justice can be part of it,” Ms. Jennings said. “If you take a restorative approach to building a community, it’s really about doing things with other people instead of for or to other people. How schools respond to any behavior that violates community agreements can be restorative in approach, focused on growth. It’s not a what as much as a how.”
Over the years, her work has helped build GA’s sense of community that promotes belonging. As she moves into her next chapter, she recounts her favorite parts of GA: the people and the abilities of the GA community.
“The people are my favorite part. That’s what makes it bittersweet. I love conversations in New Faculty meetings, department head meetings and Professional Learning Communities, the moments of collaboration where we can have a moment of real joy and laughter,” Ms. Jennings said.
“I’ll miss the meaningful problem-solving and strategizing we’ve done, not only around teaching and learning, but around having honest, brave conversations and around building pathways for collective efficacy.” Ms. Jennings said.
“I’ll miss the moments with my Wellness class when there’s something you totally didn’t expect, that surprises you, that’s organic. These moments show how deeply we—faculty and students—shape each other’s experience.”
Jennings will be moving to the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr. There, she will become the new Dean of Students, Associate Head of Upper School for Student Life and continue to refine restorative practices and culture-building with students and faculty.
Ms. Burnett, English teacher and former English Department Head, will be stepping into the role of Dean of Faculty. Ms. Burnett will continue to teach her English classes while also adopting the important duties of her new position.
In addition to teaching English, Mrs. Burnett led the English Department from 2013-2023, during which time she oversaw the development of a new curriculum and hired and mentored many new teachers. She has also served as an Instructional Coach to the literature teachers in our Curriculum Partnership Program with Capital Normal University High School in Beijing and an Instructional Technology Coach for Upper School faculty, as well as supporting new faculty and co-facilitating the Department Heads group during transitions in Upper School leadership.
“I’m excited for the opportunity because I have been a member of the faculty for 21 years now,” Ms. Burnett said. “I know the school and my colleagues very well. I have been involved in lots of different aspects of faculty life and culture on campus, including mentoring new faculty in previous years.
“In the last few years, I’ve served as the Instructional Technology Coach for the faculty, so I’ve already been able to help teachers grow professionally and develop through OneNote and Canvas.”
Ms. Burnett enjoys onboarding new faculty and creating a faculty culture. Faculty culture is also important in creating a better learning experience for the students as they navigate through Upper School by enhancing the collective efficacy of faculty.
“The collective efficacy of faculty is when faculty members feel connected to one another while engaging in a common goal,” Ms. Burnett said. “There is a lot of research that supports that [collective efficacy] is one of the single best predictors of student outcomes.”
The Dean of Faculty plays a huge role in student and faculty life that many don’t see, and having great behind-the-scenes workers is vital to creating the best GA possible.