Because of many changes in faculty entering the 2023-2025 school year, all new deans were introduced to each of the Upper School grades. Ninth grade dean Abid Shakoor, tenth grade dean Eric Schnepf, eleventh grade dean Jean Castellano, and twelfth grade dean Tomasz Rzeczycki, all started off the school year excited to begin their new roles.
Mr. Shakoor, who previously took on the role of temporary sixth grade dean during Middle School humanities teacher Angharad Rebholz’s maternity leave, was excited to take on another dean position this school year. He stated that his favorite part of being a dean is “getting to know the students, their different characters, and the variety of different things they bring to the school.” He particularly enjoys seeing each individual student shine in their own respective ways. Mr. Shakoor’s devotion to the ninth grade class is clear, as he mentioned his “open door policy, where students can come see [him] anytime.”
Along with teaching economics and health, coaching the Upper School baseball team, and overseeing the weight room, Mr. Schnepf is also leading the tenth grade at PDS this year. As dean, Mr. Schnepf hopes to “help [the] students and be their advocates, assisting with the day to day workflow, staying organized, and communicating with teachers and peers.” He described the tenth grade class as “energetic, social, and fun,” and is excited to watch them grow over the next three years.
A beloved member of the Upper School History department, Ms. Castellano is thrilled to be taking on a dean position this year. She emphasized the all-encompassing nature of a dean’s role, and said that the position “focuses not only on community norms but also student well-being, both individually and as a class, and community events.” Ms. Castellano’s favorite parts of being a dean include “getting to interact with students outside of the classroom, and discussing their activities outside of school or in other academic areas.”
Although he only has one year with the twelfth, Dr. Rzeczycki is excited to serve as dean for the class. He noted that being a dean “keeps [him] energized,” and that he enjoys the “balance between being a dean and teaching music, as he’s able to connect with students as dean” and “disconnect [himself] with something [he] enjoys doing when teaching music.” He hopes that after this year, the 12th graders “will be able to look back and see that the school prepared them for their futures, and feel security when entering college.”
Despite being new to their respective roles, all four of the new PDS Upper School deans are enthusiastic about their new positions, and they are eager to see what the rest of this year brings for them and their students.
