Portrait Gallery: Alumnae & Faculty
As
part of our 30th Anniversary celebration, Montrose is featuring a series of
alumnae and faculty portraits. Visit us again soon for new additions to our
gallery.
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For
Sonia Daly Belcher ‘94, Bentley College '98 there was often little difference between
dreaming of her next big idea and seeing it realized. Whether she set her
sights on making the basketball team or founding a school, she never saw an
obstacle that, with God’s help, she couldn’t overcome. READ MORE |
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Kylie
Cameron Burr '08, Hamilton College '12 entered grade six at Montrose sure that she
was not only the shortest, but also probably the quietest person in the
whole school. She graduated seven years later, taller but still undeniably
quiet, having touched all at Montrose with her gentle, idealistic
leadership. READ MORE |
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To
her Montrose classmates, Aimee Alcarez Cowan ’93, Thomas
More College of Liberal Arts '97, Tufts University MA was the kind
of friend found in a storybook: spirited, kind and loyal. Beth Graham ‘93
recalls Aimee as the “Anne of Green Gables to my Diana Barry. A skinny,
freckled, red head who told me we were going to be such good friends. The
smile on her face was so wide and open. Who wouldn’t take to her so
quickly?” READ MORE |
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“Whenever
you mention Lu Daher’s name to veteran faculty or classmates, they smile
with amusement and affection. They remember a shy and awkward middle school
student who developed into a memorable and gracious young woman with
incredible flair,” said Karen Bohlin, Head of Montrose School. Lu Daher
'03, MIT '08 arrived at Montrose “fresh off the playground” as a sixth grade
student with little understanding of the impact that Montrose would have on
her life. READ MORE |
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“Montrose
prepared me for college in so many ways,” says Sarah Hills ’07,
UMASS '11,
an honors student at UMASS Dartmouth. She received a full scholarship for
her studies, an award she attributes to her preparation at Montrose, adding,
“I wouldn’t have been able to achieve that if I had gone anywhere else.” READ MORE |
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Dary
Jacob '05 entered Montrose as a shy and gentle eleven year
old in the fall of 1998. She grew into a young woman who always set her
sights high, both literally and figuratively. An outdoor enthusiast, Dary
participated in numerous hiking, biking, and canoeing trips culminating in a
1,000 mile bike ride through Nova Scotia and a 100-mile hike to the top of
Mt. Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian trail. Reflecting on
that ascent, she wrote, “I realized that I have spent too much time looking
at the top of the mountain and not enough time enjoying the sides of it.”
READ MORE |
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Faculty
Portrait: Patti Keefe remembers attending a parenting course in
1975, discussing the need for education that addressed both their children’s
intellectual and spiritual needs. Several parents from that seminar imagined
and, in 1979, founded Montrose School. Mrs. Keefe, her husband John, and
their family have been woven into the fabric of Montrose ever since. READ MORE |
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Nina
Kilroy ‘01, Johnson & Wales University '05 bravely fought cancer until she was called to heaven on
November 11, 2009. The memory of her strength continues to inspire those who
knew her. As a student, Nina graced the Montrose community with her
indomitable spirit. Small in size and often a quiet presence in her class,
she had a knack for making noise at just the right moment. Her powerful
message, with its petite messenger and her impeccable timing, always made an
impression on her classmates. READ MORE |
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When
Lauren Noble Marshall ’99, Duke University '03 arrived as a sixth-grader at Montrose
School, she encountered the environment she had hungered for. Early school
experience had taught her that intelligence and creativity were burdens, not
strengths. Enter sixth grade English teacher, Mrs. McKinney. A disciplined
grammarian and lover of literature, she respected Lauren’s talents and
challenged her to develop them fully. Finally, Lauren found a place where
she could be herself. READ MORE |
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At
Montrose, students and faculty knew Stacey Ochs McGovern ‘92,
Framingham State College '96, Lesley University MA
as a spirited young woman who was committed to academics, writing and
dancing. Now, married to Jim McGovern and the mother of three children –
Will, eight; Nolan, six; and Michaela, three – Stacey serves as the lead
teacher at Holliston Christian Preschool. She is a two-time nominee for
Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and a sought-after motivational speaker at
churches, schools and conferences throughout New England. READ MORE |
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Faculty
Portrait: As a young mother and teacher, Mrs. Heather McKinney
encountered Montrose School in the way that many people find a place they
didn’t realize they were seeking: first as a possibility and soon as a home.
For twenty-three years she has graced the halls and classrooms of Montrose
with her rigorous teaching, her quiet leadership, and her kind wisdom,
forming a generation of young women. READ MORE |
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A
talented student of science with an aversion for the humanities,
Nichole Mercier ’94, Clark University '98, University of MA Medical
School, PhD '05 never imagined she would win the senior class book
award in English. Learning to see herself as an award-winning student
instead of a reluctant reader was just one of many self-discoveries Nichole
made at Montrose. READ MORE |
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Faculty
Portrait: It is hard to believe that Mary Jane Rice
considered retail as her profession in her early twenties, after graduating
Wellesley College with a BS in economics. Now, with years of experience as a
classroom teacher and administrator and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree
from Boston University, Ms. Rice is a beloved veteran faculty member in the
Montrose English, Theology and Philosophy departments. One graduate extols,
“Mary Jane is the mission. Every lesson, every activity, every day is done
with faith, character and vision in mind.” READ MORE |
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Sarah Smith ‘03, Notre Dame University '07, Tulane University School of Medicine arrived at Montrose in the fall of eighth grade, not at all sure she wanted to attend an all-girls school. In fact, she was quite sure that she did not want to attend an all-girls school. But with her gracious nature, natural poise and confidence, Sarah quickly made friends and grew to love the school. Her teachers were impressed with her maturity and found her wise beyond her years. She now finds herself advocating single-sex education and telling her friends about her experience at Montrose. She found that the “community of friends and teachers really encourage you to do your best by challenging you not only in your academic life, but also in your personal life.” READ MORE |