With both the position of principal and head of school in limbo, the school has opted to have familiar faces fill both positions in the interim. As we return to campus after a turbulent two years, Anthony Marro will fill the role of interim principal. I recently sat down with him to ask a few questions.
Marro began working at Fieldston as a health teacher and coach, eventually becoming a dean and now the interim principal. He has worked with the class of ‘22 throughout their journey in high school. However, as Marro takes on the responsibility of running the upper school this year, Vincent Drybala will take over as the dean for our graduating class.
Marro has been at Fieldston for 12 years and says that it’s an incredibly special school. He says that our school “hasn’t even maximized our potential yet.” He explained that Fieldston is a school in which he feels comfortable being himself, and thinks that teachers truly care about their students’ academic and emotional wellbeing.
He also acknowledged that many parts of what make our school amazing were taken away last year, and says that he’s looking forward to being back on campus this year. As we come back to in-person school, Marro is excited to see students interacting outside of class and said, “…the greatest joy is seeing students connected when they’re not in class, hanging out on the quad, talking to a teacher in an off period, having a conversation during lunch. To me, that social
engagement is vital, that is a curriculum that’s really important and we need to continue to cultivate.”
Going into this year, Marro wants to make sure that all current initiatives continue running smoothly. He notes curriculum changes and Adler requirements as important initiatives that require sustained work. The past few years have also brought along concerns about race at Fieldston. A key part of the principal search process involved our DEI team, and many students have raised issues with the administration’s handling of recent events. Marro emphasized the importance of communication and listening going forward and also said that all of SOCM’s demands are either met or in progress. Despite this, a number of incidents in the past few years have led to more scrutiny of the Fieldston administration. Press and the Fieldston community have tied these scandals to the administration turnover, though the problems go deeper than the administration. Concerns have been raised about the way our community functions and the environment the leadership creates.
When talking about the general environment at Fieldston, Marro said, “I really believe in a culture of belonging and a culture of empathy, and love, quite frankly.” He added that every individual has a responsibility to the space around them and to the energy they exude in that space; emphasizing that listening and asking questions are vital to creating spaces that are open and welcoming.
We look forward to seeing Marro as our principal this year!
