Mr. Steve Moll, Interim Dean of Students, is set to take his next step at Germantown Academy, moving to become permanent Dean of Students beginning in September of the 2025-26 school year.
After joining GA in the fall of 2013, Mr. Moll began his journey as a part-time math teacher and quickly became involved in athletics, coaching both winter and spring track, as well as football. The following year, he became full-time faculty while continuing his coaching commitments, eventually serving as Washington House Head for five years before stepping into his most recent role of Interim Dean of Students.
“I was very interested in growing passionately,” Mr. Moll said. “And the role really spoke to me in terms of working with students on a larger aspect.”
In Mr. Moll’s daily schedule, he has regular meetings with House Heads, faculty and the administrative team to address student concerns, plan future school improvements, events and more.
From 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., his set schedule is also unpredictable, handling emergency situations and unexpected tasks that arise spontaneously, whether it be with a student or teacher. In his frequent meetings, Mr. Moll balances big-picture thinking with logic and practicality.
“He’s good at looking at something from a 5,000-foot view and seeing how something might play out,” Ms. Allison Rader, Upper School Math Teacher and Roberts House Head, said. “He provides the other side of it while also being incredibly realistic about expectations and the next phase of a project.”
Mr. Moll has made it a priority to consider the perspectives of the student body through meetings with the Student Government Association (SGA) alongside the faculty body through faculty meetings. These meetings enable Mr. Moll to consider the diverse perspectives of the school before leading the school through key decisions that will impact the community.
“As a leader, you really need to kind of look internally and figure out where’s the growth edge that I need to work on,” Mr. Moll said. “Once I know that, I can address that by thinking outside the box.”
It was not simply his unique leadership style that defined Mr. Moll as Interim Dean of Students. As an administrator of the Upper School, Mr. Moll was also instrumental in promoting restorative practices whenever students made mistakes.
“Anytime there’s an instance where someone has kind of missed the mark, I’m thinking, how can we learn and grow from this so we don’t repeat this mistake,” Mr. Moll said. “My hope is that in these practices, you can leave the office knowing that I support you, I care about you, and I want you to learn and grow from this.”
Mr. Moll aims to continue this style of discipline, hoping that students will leave his office as more reflective and responsible individuals.
“The real shame is when you don’t get called out on a mistake, you’re not held accountable, and you’re not learning and growing from it,” Mr. Moll said.
Now that his role as permanent Dean of Students is official, Mr. Moll hopes to introduce some new goals and plans for the upcoming school year, including his wish to better inform and communicate with the school community.
“We have so many different online platforms,” Mr. Moll said. “The question is really on how we can make sure students and faculty are aware of things that go on during the session.”
Mr. Moll also recognizes that students are unable to use their cellphones in the hallways to stay updated on school events and schedule changes due to the new Cell Phone Policy. As a result, Mr. Moll also hopes to utilize TV screens and posters to serve as an effective substitute for students walking from class to class in the hallways.
As he begins this next chapter as permanent Dean of Students, Mr. Moll remains focused on growth, communication and building a stronger school community where students feel heard, supported, and empowered to learn from every experience.