By Jake Wieseneck ’14, News Editor

Over the last few years, Newark Academy has made significant changes to its curriculum, technology, and campus to meet the challenges of modern education.  First, in 2007, the school embarked on a Master Plan to redesign and expand its already “top of the line campus” which will soon become a reality. In 2009, the Immersion Program was added to the graduation requirement to provide students with the opportunity to explore the global community. Today, the faculty leadership is also making changes to build on its strong foundation for the future. These changes, many of which deal with a the induction of new individuals to faculty leadership positions, will allow new perspectives and ideas to emerge.  As of the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, the Arts, English and Humanities departments will all have new department heads. In addition, the school will have a new interim International Baccalaureate Coordinator.

In the Arts Department, Mr. Jacoby will be stepping aside from his role as Department Chair after 25 years of service. Jacoby feels that during his time as chair the arts have become a more important part of the Newark Academy experience. The Arts Program is now an attractive draw for prospective NA students. In the last 25 years Jacoby’s department has expanded tremendously, inhabiting its own wing of the building, adding a full time professional Jazz instructor to the faculty, and building a large dance program. In the years to come, the department will continue to grow and develop in the hands of its new chair, Ms. Brodie. Brodie and Jacoby both arrived at NA in 1982.  She has a plethora of experience as an arts educator and is clearly capable of leading the Arts Department. According to Ms. Brodie, “It’s the challenge of the chairman to give the faculty guidance, as everyone in the department wants to do something fresh, and I want to provide them with the support and encouragement to continue to grow professionally.” Brodie also has “fresh” ideas for art students in the form of courses that the department will begin offering next year. These new courses include a film and digital media class and a Middle School elective of Technical Theater, a class that will teach students “how the show runs.” To put it simply, as Mr. Jacoby stated, “the Arts Department is in great hands.”

In the English Department, Mr. Stourton will hand the reins over to Mr. Scerra after leading the department for nine years. Stourton will spend the next school year in Italy. As he put it: “Mr. Scerra will do a beautiful job advocating for the English department, just as he has done in so many aspects of school life already.  He embodies the Renaissance concept of sprezzatura.  He just needs to work on the accent to have it all.” Additionally, Humanities Department chair Mr. Hawk will take Stourton’s place as IB coordinator. Stourton stated that while he is away, “Mr. Hawk is the obvious choice for IB Coordinator.” In the Humanities department, Mr. Vinikoor will take control. Vinikoor is excited for the future of the department as he stated, “I hope to build upon the strength that Mr. Hawk built during his tenure.” He is looking forward to a good year working with a range of faculty from Mr. Parlin, who has served over 50 years, to Mr. Morelli, who has just completed his first.

These transitions of power will become a more common occurrence in the years to come. From now on, department heads will serve a minimum term of five years and a maximum of ten before stepping down. As there will often be changes of leadership Mr. Stourton says it “gives (everyone) a wonderful opportunity to shine.” The new system will build on the work of these legends, but bring new faces and ideas into leadership positions around the school, and will enable the academy to maintain the upstanding level of academic excellence that makes it such a high quality institution.