Horace Mann - Spring 2010 - (Page 37)

News of the School news of the school | HOR ACE MANN SCHOOL JOURNAL Celebrating Stephen Singer: Horace Mann’s Legendary College Counselor, “Graduates” But Will Stay Close to School art Catskill comedian, part Tolstoy, with a little bit of legendary sports writer Jimmy Cannon thrown in, it’s no wonder that Horace Mann School Director of College Counseling Stephen (Steve) Singer commands audiences whenever he addresses a group of fellow college guidance counselors—or a group of parents—anxious to hear his thoughts on the college application process. A legend himself in the world of college counseling, for his quick wit, of course, but mainly for his incisive ability to hone in on which college is best suited to which student, Singer insists that he was never the draw when colleagues came to listen to him speak at conferences. “People wanted to hear about our students, because the undergraduate admissions officers and the other college counselors all knew about Horace Mann and how amazing the students are,” he said. That’s why, when Singer announced, in November 2009, that he planned to retire from 25 years of serving Horace Mann following the current school year, he quickly amended his plans to include the hope of not leaving HM completely. Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly was just as quick to assure the HM community that Steve Singer will continue to be a part of Horace Mann. As Dr. Kelly and Upper Division Head Dr. David Schiller wrote in a letter to the community announcing Singer’s planned retirement, “Fortunately for us, this is not a good-bye. Mr. Singer will spend the 2010-2011 academic year pursuing some of his many and varied interests and will return to our campus from time to time to lend his guidance and good counsel to our community. In the fall of 2011, Steve will assume new duties as a part-time teacher and will serve as an administrator in the area of alumni relations.” Addressing a meeting of parents of 11th graders who came to Horace Mann in January for their first meeting on the P way toward the college application process Dr. Kelly added, “The expertise that Steve Singer has gained throughout his time at Horace Mann, and in his work before that, is not something we would want to give up. His dedication to the School is also something we greatly value as well. Steve Singer has been an advocate for our students, and an integral part of the fabric of Horace Mann.” Thus, for starters, Singer will stay on at Horace Mann through August 2010, during the transition of staff in the College Counseling department. Then, Singer plans to take a year off to catch up on some of the living he’s missed, not able to pursue his many interests, including theater and music, during the years he put 200 percent of his energy into his work on behalf of HM students. After he suffered a fall in March 2010 that resulted in a broken leg, Singer has added a recuperative period to his schedule. But, after that, he hopes to return to the School part time to pursue one of his greatest passions: teaching classic Russian literature as he did here some years ago with, as Dr. Kelly and Dr. Schiller said, “a sharp analytical voice.” Best of all Steve Singer will dedicate his teaching to a population to whom he has become devoted—the students of Horace Mann. “When I started working and teaching here, it astonished me how much the students knew, how smart they were. I felt like I hit the jackpot,” Singer said. “That’s one reason I’ve always tried to do the best I can for them. Frankly, I don’t know if I can work as hard as I always did. During the application season this is an around-the-clock job. When the applications are done for one class, it’s time to start with the next class. The College Counseling Department has a wonderful crew on board now, with Associate Director Tom Katzenbach, and Assistant Directors Amber Long and Beth Pili. They are much better at all the computer-based technological things college applications require today. Horace Mann has been around since 1887. It will go on for a long time after I leave. I’m 66 years old, and I don’t have the energy level to do the homework that’s required for this job. I never felt this way before. It used to be as natural as breathing. But now it takes a conscious effort just because of my advancing age. I’m starting to get too tired to do my best for the students.” “Doing (his) best for the students” included more than the critical role Singer played for nearly three decades of Horace Mann alumni. It also meant the college counselor’s involvement with every aspect of student life at Horace Mann. As Dr. Kelly and Dr. Schiller wrote, “The entire Horace Mann community Horace Mann Magazine Spring 2010 37 Sam Sonenshine/HM Record Photography Editor

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Horace Mann - Spring 2010

Horace Mann - Spring 2010
Contents
Letters
Greetings from Dr. Tom Kelly
Greetings from Melissa Parento
Toward a Sustainable School, and a Sustainable Society
News of the School
Alumni Council Corner
Alumni News
Bookshelf
Class Notes
Memorials
Philanthropy and You

Horace Mann - Spring 2010