What’s New on the Hill: July 2025
Reflections from Head of School Derek Krein that set
the table for the year ahead
In late Fall 2024, we asked Tilton School faculty to read 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People — David Yeager’s research-informed masterpiece as the summer read in advance of the 2025-26 school year.
If you’re a Tilton alum — whether from the Class of 2024 or 50+ years back — and you read Yeager’s book, you’d likely say: “YES — that sounds like my Tilton faculty!”
The research affirms what Tilton School has done unsurpassed for generations: We know, support, and challenge our students (and their families) to go beyond what they thought possible. Our graduates leave not only college-ready, but citizen-ready, and life-ready.
Reading it has been energizing—and honestly, Professor Yeager could have done his research at Tilton!
With the lessons from 10-25 in mind, members of Team Tilton met this week to craft this year’s Advisory groups!
Then…I listened to this fantastic episode of the New England Basketball Journal podcast featuring our Head Girls Basketball Coach, Tara Brisson.
This team won the inaugural NEPSAC AAA Championship, and she was deservingly named AAA Coach of the Year. Her focus was not on wins and losses, but on processes, learning, and collaboration. As I listened, I thought: She could’ve co-authored 10 to 25! So, too, could the coaches of our Boys Varsity Hockey teams, our Entrepreneurship faculty, our performing and fine arts faculty, the Student Government affiliates, and many, many others across campus.
All these programs combine high expectations with the kind of purpose-driven support young people need to build real confidence by doing hard things well. We are learning everywhere, all the time, 24/7 in this community…and have a lot of fun doing it.
At Tilton School, we have citizen-student-athletes and artists who in all areas of their student and community experience choose to show up and engage fully. From electric School Meetings in the Chapel to the best community dinners in our Dining Commons, this place continues to amaze and inspire me. Our talented and dynamic faculty and staff expertly create the conditions for incredible individual and collective student outcomes.
While I’ve learned to never wish days away, as I listened to this podcast I was reminded— again — of how proud I am to serve Tilton School and to work alongside our students, families, faculty, alums, and trustees. I am so excited for the students to hurry up and get back to the Hill so we can get going on 2025-26!!!
Roll Rams!
More News and Notes
Summer Camps Visit the Hill
It’s been a busy summer for the Tilton School campus, as we’ve played host for a number of summer camps. Our longtime partner Highland Mountain returned for another year with their summer mountain biking camp, as did the Maine Arts Camp, who called Tilton home for the first time last summer. We also welcomed the Kendall Betts Horn Camps for a few weeks in June, which brought our performance arts spaces (and classrooms!) alive with music.
New Faculty and Staff Officially Join Team Tilton
Much more to come as we welcome our newest team members, but we are thrilled that several newcomers to the Hill officially began their tenure on July 1!
Whitaker Willocks – Assistant Head of School
Erika Adams – Director of Student Engagement, Girls Varsity Hockey Head Coach
Payton Crowley ’20 – CAA Instructor, Varsity Softball Head Coach
Benjamin Diller – Social Sciences Faculty, Boys Varsity Soccer Head Coach
Ruben Delrosario – Boys Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach
Cassaundra Dunbridge – CAA Instuctor
Jewel Angle – Social Sciences Faculty
Anna Pedreschi – English Faculty
Elizabeth Weston – Spanish Faculty
Nicole Havey ’03 – Executive Assistant to the Board of Trustees and Head of School
We also want to congratulate some returning faculty members who have shifted into new roles!
Connor Compton – Director of Academics and Student Growth
Phil LaCasse – Director of Athletics
Summer Professional Development
Several of our faculty are currently in the Science of Learning and School Leadership Summer Academy — a flagship event of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) — while many others are taking part in their “Neuroteach Global” micro courses. Nearly half of our faculty members will have engaged with the CTTL this summer, taking part in their Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) research and science to, “elevate teacher quality, student achievement, and the whole child’s school experience.” We will continue to know, support, and challenge as we learn to do hard things well!