±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Northampton School is welcoming a new member of theÌýAdmissionÌýstaff, with Devin LaSane joining the team as theÌýDirector ofÌýAdmission &ÌýFinancial Aid.Ìý
LaSane comes to ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ with a wealth of experience in preparatory schoolsÌýandÌýadmissions, having workedÌýat several schools in New York City,Ìýmost recently atÌýAllen-Stevenson, aÌýTK-8 all-boys school. She arrives at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏÌýalong withÌýherÌýhusband,ÌýKendall, and two kids.Ìý
Having attended boardingÌýschoolÌýherself—spendingÌýfiveÌýyearsÌýat GrotonÌýSchool—LaSaneÌýbringsÌýanÌýintimateÌýknowledge of whatÌýmakes theÌýboarding schoolÌýexperience unique.Ìý
To help introduce LaSane to the community, we sat down to ask her a few questions:Ìý
Q) Start first by telling us a bit about yourself and your background
DL:ÌýI’mÌýaÌýtrueÌýNewÌýYorker.ÌýI grew up on the Upper East Side before going to boarding school for high school.ÌýI went to Groton, and that was a really pivotal part of my life.ÌýI’mÌýstillÌýextremely closeÌýwithÌýmy friends from GrotonÌýand text daily.ÌýAfter Groton,ÌýI went off to college at Wellesley, andÌýuponÌýgraduating I went back to New York. It wasÌýthere,ÌýthatÌýI started working at a K-12 independent school, Trinity,Ìýand fell in love with teaching and being around children.Ìý
Q) What drew you into pursuing a career in education?
DL: Honestly, I never thought I would be in education! I thought I was going to go to law school. But I graduated from Wellesley in 2008 during the recession, went back home to New York and happened upon teaching because there was a job opening. I did have a stint at Comedy Central’s Business and Legal Affairs Department and got a bit of a taste of what being an entertainment lawyer would be like. But I realized it wasn’t what I ultimately wanted to do, and in fact it helped me realize how much I missed working with kids. So, instead of a law degree, I pursued my master’s in educational leadership.Ìý
Q) When did you first get into admission work?
DL: When I transitioned to Allen-Stevenson. I taught third grade at first, the same grade I had taughtÌýpreviouslyÌýandÌýI really fell in love withÌýboys’Ìýeducation.ÌýIÌýsaw firsthand the impact that a program tailored to boysÌýhad on my students. It was something that IÌýwantedÌýeveryone toÌýknow, andÌýthose conversationsÌýstartÌýin the admissions office.ÌýI’ve been doing admissions work for the last 10 years and have seen the professionÌýchangeÌýas we think about what parents need, what students need, and also how schools evolveÌýamidst these changes.ÌýBeing inÌýadmissionsÌýis about guiding parents, but also helping students navigate this world, too.ÌýÌý
Q) What do you think is important for people to consider when looking at a school like ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ?Ìý
DL: My hope is that education exposes kids to a variety of different things. I think, in this world, we want students toÌýknow how to advocate for themselves—to have those critical thinking skills,ÌýwhichÌýindependent schools do so well.ÌýIt’sÌýnot just, ‘Hey, I’m going to teach youÌýthisÌýand this is how you have to learn it.’ Rather, it’s, ‘I want you toÌýengage in this workÌýalongÌýwith me.’ÌýI think independent schoolsÌýalso really help kids understandÌýmetacognitivelyÌýwho they are as learners.ÌýAnd ifÌýwe’reÌýthinkingÌýspecificallyÌýof aÌýboarding schoolÌýenvironmentÌý,Ìýyou get to seeÌýyour teachersÌýall the time.ÌýThat’sÌýsomethingÌýreally specialÌýbecause the connections and relationships that you build with students in generalÌýisÌýreally foundational—And I thinkÌýthat’sÌýwhat helps students thrive.Ìý
Q) Tell us a bit about how you arrived here at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ; What attracted you to this position?Ìý
DL:ÌýFirst and foremost,ÌýI like how the school thinks of studentsÌýas multi-dimensional beings. I loved that on my tour, the tour guide that showed me around told me she did a ‘couple things’ on campus, and then she listed everything under the sun. That is what I think students should be encouraged to do. And then walking around campus and seeing how the kids were connecting to each other. The fact thatÌýthere’sÌýa noÌýcell phone policy really reminded me of my days at Groton, as we would walk around and say hello to each other. You do make a connection, and in a time where you could very much be anonymous, I loved that there was that littleÌýconnectionÌýhappening here. These are the nuances that peopleÌýdon’tÌýnecessarily realize make a difference in the environment, but they really do. And then, coming from aÌýTK-8ÌýboysÌýschool, I was looking for something similar in the bones of the place—meaningÌýkids that are really engaged in their education, engaged in their extracurriculars. I felt like I wasÌýpicking up onÌýthat at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ as I got to knowÌýitÌýmore and more.Ìý
Q) What something you enjoy about being in an admissions role?
I hope that when families and students sit down withÌýme, thatÌýtheyÌýfind me disarming- thatÌýsome of the nerves and stress dissipate.ÌýÌýI think thatÌýmeeting with admission officersÌýcan feelÌýlikeÌýpeopleÌýhave toÌýbe their perfect self andÌýcan’tÌýshow who they really are.ÌýI wouldÌýlike forÌýpeople to be authenticallyÌýthemselvesÌýwith me and feel comfortable within this setting—I want them to feel like they can not only get to know ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ, but they can get to know me. ÌýThe admissions process should be accessible, becauseÌýit’sÌýa daunting process—IÌýdon’tÌýwant that to be their experience here at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ.ÌýThat’sÌýwhat I enjoy, when folks feel like they can ask those candid questions and can feel comfortable not only with me, but then ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ when they make the transition.Ìý