Author: Milton Academy

By Heidi Vanderbilt-Brown Chief Financial and Operating Officer Last week, Ed Donahue dared me to start this encomium—which represents his 23 years here at Milton as the school’s Controller—with two truths and a lie. “It will be funny…” he said, “and far more interesting to me than the other retirement speeches you’ve already given about me. Everyone else hasn’t heard your other speeches, but I have, and I will know when you are repeating yourself.” If that isn’t characteristic of Ed, I don’t know what is. Blunt as can be but always with a twist of humor… Even if he’s delivering bad news, it at least comes with a joke. And if he can’t think of a good joke for the moment, or if he has something to say that he thinks you might take personally, he’ll end his comment with “but it was said from the heart.” At the same time, numbers are serious business, especially at a school like ours. As a not for profit, we must spend every penny in a way that supports our mission, but not more than that. To that end, Ed knows every single one of the school’s more than 200 endowment funds and how they need to be spent to meet a donor’s requirements. Ed also has a 6th sense if things are not heading in a great direction with our...

By Nick Parnell Director of Facilities Services   Gerry has been at Milton for over 20 years, serving as the school’s in-house plumber on the facilities services team. I would like to take a few minutes to acknowledge Gerry and all he has contributed to Milton. As a licensed plumber, Gerry has overseen the maintenance and repair of the school’s vast array of plumbing systems at Milton, which are old and complex. From troubleshooting sewer line connections to ensuring sufficient hot water from the school’s central plant to adding bottle fillers to making sure all of our bathrooms are operational in academic, athletic, and dorm buildings as well as faculty housing, Gerry was the go-to person. He ensured that the school was in compliance with annual backflow testing requirements; that main drain cleaning occurred annually, and addressed other issues such as the annual infamous grease trap cleaning at the snack bar. His efforts consistently reduced system downtime, which is critical on a 24/7 campus, whether he was called during the workday or the middle of the night. Gerry also served as an advisor on recent and upcoming large building projects. His reviews ensured that the expansion and modernization of the school’s bathrooms and kitchens would include fixtures that would stand the test of time and would avoid potential issues as they were tied into existing systems. Most recently, across...

By Nicole E.C. Colson English Department Chair I have worked at Milton Academy since 2006 and, in that time, I have not been shy about telling people that I root for the Yankees. However, in my 15 years at Milton Academy, I have been reticent to mention my Yankees fan status to one person…and that person is Elaine Apthorp. It’s not that I think that Elaine, a true Red Sox enthusiast, would berate me or belittle my choice. Anyone who knows Elaine knows that is not in her nature. It’s that I would never want Elaine to think less of me. There is no one on this campus that I respect more than Elaine. I find it both humbling and daunting to try to encapsulate her over 20 year career at Milton in a short encomium. Elaine teaches both English and History, two disciplines that require students to engage in close reading and rich, rigorous, written work. Her educational background demonstrates a deep investment in scholarship. After earning a degree in English and Religion from Williams College and a PhD in English Literature from Berkeley, Elaine taught for 13 years at San Jose State, before joining Milton’s faculty in 1999. She approaches her students as young scholars, empowering them to authentically engage with the work before them. Her passion and sensitivity bring out the best in her students and,...