The Dunham School has been a part of Neil Weiner’s life for decades. His father worked there in the 1980s. Weiner attended Dunham in elementary school. Now, he is following in his dad’s footsteps as he starts his eighth year as athletic director and head football coach.
“I always tell people there is a spirit on campus that you can really feel,” Weiner said of Dunham, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. “It’s rare to find people who want to strive for excellence and are authentic, but also show a lot of grace and try to help walk you through life and encourage you.”
Amanda McIlwain, Dunham’s Head of Upper School, has felt that spirit for the 20-plus years she has worked on campus. It’s a family affair, as her husband is a Dunham alumnus and also works at the school as a teacher and coach, and her daughters are students there.
“God has ordained the school from its inception,” McIlwain said. “The people make a place, and we are blessed to have people who love each other and buy into the mission of educating minds and hearts for Christ. It’s high academics, dynamite athletics and beautiful fine arts, all wrapped in the bow of Christian faith.”
When Mary Theriot joined the Dunham staff in 1999, she immediately noticed and embraced that difference. Now the Dunham Head of Middle School, Theriot makes it a point to know every middle school student’s name and most of their parents’ names as well.
“I want to be on a first-name basis with all of them because I see this as a partnership between home and school,” Theriot said. “I’m very cognizant of the fact that families choose us. We consider that a privilege and we don’t want to waste a single day of instruction in a student’s life. It all starts with having those relationships between the teachers, the teachers and students, and the teachers with the parents.”
At Dunham, the mission has always been to provide students with the opportunity for a college preparatory education set in the framework of Christian education and example. That framework includes caring for the whole student by focusing on their academic, spiritual, physical and emotional needs.
“The nature of the school is open and welcoming. I think that creates a very genuine environment that families appreciate and value,” said Lisa Murray, Dunham’s Fine Arts Chair. “The students are nurtured in every facet of their life. The faculty takes a personal approach to knowing the students, and the students feel that 100 percent.”
Focus on student growth drives innovation
Steve Eagleton, Dunham’s Head of School, said faculty and administrators always seek to enhance students’ education and experience. One way this has occurred is through Dunham’s adoption of the Harkness method, which calls for students to have deep discussions with classmates and teachers about a topic, rather than a teacher lecturing and students taking notes. It’s been a particularly good match at Dunham, which Eagleton said is “small by design” and keeps class sizes to around 14 students.
“The students are allowed to share their ideas and opinions and find their voice,” Eagleton said. “They learn how to collaborate, how to listen and understand, and how to question and use reasoning.”
At Dunham, each student has an individual education plan that addresses their unique learning styles and needs. Some may be on a gifted track and earn college credits while in high school. Others receive additional support if they struggle in certain areas.
“We believe every child has gifts and talents. It’s a matter of helping the child discover their unique gifting,” Eagleton said. “They may need help to get to that next level, and we are able to provide that.”
In addition, Eagleton said Dunham has enhanced its work to help students find the right college. Beginning when a student is in seventh grade, staff members help students choose appropriate courses, plan campus visits and navigate the application process. The result has been Dunham graduates entering elite college programs across the world, including the UCLA film school, the Syracuse digital media program, medieval studies programs in St. Andrew’s University in Scotland and Ivy League schools.
“The world has opened up to our students,” Eagleton said. “Our college placement statistics are right up there with the best independent schools. I don’t think a lot of people understand that this 40-year-old Christian school in Baton Rouge is having that much impact.”
Dunham has also embraced technology on campus, Eagleton said. A seven-time Apple Distinguished School, Dunham has a unique partnership with Apple Inc., that allows the school to beta test new products and use the latest technology in the classroom. This has led to more creativity and collaboration among students.
“Technology challenges students to discover their creative gifts and talents rather than just consume information; they become producers and designers,” Eagleton said. “We train them for the future and encourage them to become leaders. Education is constantly changing, and we have embraced that change.”
McIlwain noted that even as Dunham has innovated in technology and academics, it has never lost sight of its core values.
“We’ve still kept those relationships and understand the importance of them,” she said. “We’ve never compromised, and I think that is what sets our school apart.”
Keeping faith and family at the forefront
When a new faculty member joins The Dunham School, Deedra LaPlace explains that they are now at a place where Christ is at the center of everything.
“I always tell new teachers that this is a vocation, not a job,” said LaPlace, Dunham’s Head of Lower School and Dean of Faculty. “We are educating students not only for the present, but we are investing in their lives for eternity.”
LaPlace said Dunham has several ways to help all faculty, but especially new teachers, be a part of the school’s mission, including a mentorship program and veteran teachers meeting with new staff each month to discuss how to integrate a Christian worldview into their lessons.
“It’s very unifying for the faculty and it’s very beneficial for us all to understand what the mission is and what we are called to teach our students, both in the classroom and in informal settings,” LaPlace said.
McIlwain said each Dunham staff member sees their role as a ministry and is committed to embedding faith in every situation.
“The people here see teaching and coaching and the arts as their avenue to share their faith,” she said. “That’s the basis of the relationships, which are the cornerstone of what we do. We teach awesome math, English and history, but the way we do it makes it special. There are so many students who come back or stay in touch not only because they feel like they received a great education, but because of the care and concern the faculty always showed.”
Murray said all Dunham faculty and administrators model Christian behavior in every interaction, whether it’s a classroom lesson, an extracurricular activity, a social event or working through problems.
“Prayer is very present and is at the root of the Dunham experience,” she said. “I think it is responsible for our ability to feel comfortable and secure in how we interact. Dunham is full of kind, caring, respectful people, and I think prayer has a lot to do with that.”
Looking Ahead
Even in a milestone anniversary year, Dunham isn’t resting on its laurels. Eagleton said administrators have recently completed a strategic plan for the next five years that includes upgrading facilities and adding more staff in areas of need.
“In the last few years, we added more counseling staff because we’ve seen more of a demand,” he said. “We know students still need social and emotional support, so that’s an area we are really focused upon.”
LaPlace added that Dunham hopes to expand its early childhood program. This year, the school has classes for two-year-olds for the first time, with tentative plans to expand those classes in the future. The students can then transition into Dunham’s existing Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 programs.
“It’s about serving parents,” LaPlace said. “There are so many families where both parents are working and need child care, but they are looking for a more academic experience. I think more people understand the need to begin educating children even at a very young age.”
Other administrators are excited about building on Dunham’s strong traditions in areas such as arts and sports. Weiner is already seeing talented players in football, baseball, volleyball and more.
“When I look at the success we have in front of us, I’m most excited that we have people here who want to do things the right way,” Weiner said. “They want to honor the game and have respect for their opponents. They really want their work in athletics to be representative of their faith.”
McIlwain said all of that work is helping Dunham continue to build a legacy of faith and excellence that will only grow in the future.
“It’s really exciting to see the kids we are producing become leaders in our community,” she said. “I can think of so many graduates who have gone on to do amazing things, and I know we’ve got more of them coming. Our alumni base is growing like crazy and more people are wanting to stay connected because of those relationships they have built here.”
The Dunham School is located at 11111 Roy Emerson Drive in Baton Rouge. For more information, visit www.dunhamschool.org or call 225-767-7097.