Juan Ramos, Mathematics Department
Member of the Faculty, 1998–2015
Imagining Milton Academy, Wolcott House and the math department without Juan Ramos is difficult.
Always flexible and happy to teach what the department needed, Juan taught courses across the math curriculum. Students found his straightforward approach reassuring and his explanations clear, even when they were trying to master the most difficult ideas. More recently, Juan centered his work in the Skills Center, helping budding mathematicians at every level. There too, students greatly appreciated his clarity and willingness to help them understand an idea. Instead of getting frustrated, Juan looked for another way to approach or grasp a concept. He could use his knowledge of the physical sciences to help demonstrate a math skill, and those connections helped everything make sense for many students.
Juan coached many young athletes since he arrived here in 1998, helping them develop skills. During my first year at Milton, I joined Juan to coach varsity girls’ basketball. He had the latest technology that allowed us to track shots, so during games I was clicking away, noting which shots were taken, and from what part of the court. That experience was a fun way to start my time at Milton, and Juan was a great coach to follow. Over the years, he has worked most closely with basketball and soccer players, and he continues to coach teams around the state. We will always remember Juan on a field or a court, encouraging players and helping them to improve their game.
Juan finishes his long and devoted, 17-year tenure at Wolcott House with a group of junior advisees who have flourished already. Juan made it seem easy to hold the line when teenagers tried hard to bend the rules! The boys appreciated his role as an advisor, mentor and math tutor, and he was a vital presence. All the Wolcott House staff will miss the Ramoses as he and Mary Jo head off to enjoy family and western Massachusetts.
As you and Mary Jo depart, we bid a bittersweet farewell. We will miss you, but we are also secretly envious of what is ahead for you: frequent trips to see your grandchildren, travels to places on a long-held list, and relaxation. We hope you will keep us up to date about where life takes you. Thank you so much for the time, energy, love and caring you put into so many aspects of your life at Milton. We will miss you, Juan.
by Heather Sugrue
Mathematics Department Chair