Ms. Emma Coffin
“I had so much fun traveling to Tanzania with Ms. Coffin. I’m so sad that other Deerfield students won’t get to experience her goofy, bright, caring personality.”
— Mae Emerson ’19
“Hall resident, Chem. teacher, coach, BFF, and Bandit’s owner, Ms. Coffin truly did it all…We promise to keep the hall clean for you Coff Coff!!!! #rollmac3forever&always”
— Mac 3 (2017-18)
Ms. Julie Graves
“Ms. Graves uses a process-based appraoch to Calculus that encourages us to focus on the journey towards finding an answer rather than the answer itself. Although I certainly struggled in Calculus sometimes this year, I’m grateful to have had a teacher as supportive and accommodating as Ms. Graves.”
— Sarah Jane O’Connor ’18
Ms. Maria Hernandez
“I loved Ms. Hernandez as my math teacher over the last year! Her bubbly personality and passion for math always energizes the classroom, and it’s evident that she truly enjoys teaching the subject to students! It’s also clear that she cares for her students—one time she brought in brownies right before exams! I will definitely miss doing modeling problems and listening to her clear and concise explanations of calculus concepts next year!”
—Thomas Song ’19
Dr. Christina Kopp
“Dr. Kopp’s enthusiam for history and love for teaching has made me love my history class this year. She guides her students through each lesson by encouraging independent discovery, not mere lectures. On top of her abundance of knowledge and passion, her goal was to engage all of her students and make the whole learning experience a useful and enlightening one. We will remember Dr. Kopp for her humble spirit and persistent efforts to better our skills as historians and to push us to our full potential as learners.”
— Morgane Dackiw ’19
Ms. Sonja O’Donnell
“As my teacher, club affiliate, and intellectual advisor, Ms. O’D has played an extremely important role in my four years at Deerfield. She has inspired me to stand up for my convictions and pushed me to take risks. I could not be more grateful for the guidance and wisdom she has imparted. In her time at Deerfield, she has stood as a beacon of intellectual curiosity and activism. Deerfield will not be the same without her.”
— Lily Louis ’18
Mr. Khizar Hussain
“It has been a great couple of years having Mr. Hussain as a computer science teacher. The support and guidance he has given to his students was unparalleled. We will miss him next year. Good luck on your PhD, Mr. Hussain!”
—Valerie Hetherington ’19
“Although only knowing him for one year, it is safe to say that Mr. Hussain has made a huge impact on me. Not only does he have a vast knowledge of computer science, but he is willing to work one-on-one with his students to provide extra guidance. His teaching is the perfect combination of funny and serious, and he makes me excited to come to class each day. I know for certain that we will all miss him next year as he continues to make an impact in the world.”
— Kimberly Stafford ’19
Mr. Andy Harcourt
“Words fail to describe Mr. Harcourt’s awesomeness. To call him a masterful teacher would be an understatement; to say that he knows exactly how to explain things fails to account for the impressive number of relevant stories he has for every topic. Who else can so elegantly digress from a lesson on chaperonin proteins to a story about chaperoning Deerfield dances in the days of yore? What other teacher would have offered us the opportunity to embrace our inner sage grouse as we experienced the glory of a lek? Mr. Harcourt is quick to laugh, able to empathize, and clearly cares deeply about what he teaches and the people he teaches to. I am really grateful to have been his student in his last year here — Deerfield will be a different place without him.”
— Misha Fan ’18
Ms. Kristin Loftus
“Ms. Loftus is the perfect balance of a teacher, a friend, a role model, and a mom. My favorite memory with Mrs. Loftus was when she made us a three-course plated meal for advisory. It was a great bonding moment for the whole advisory, and although small, it is a moment that I will never forget.”
—Micajah Stude ’19
“My favorite memory of Ms. Loftus is the day after I found out I got the Peer Counselor role. She was at my JV lacrosse game, and afterwards she came up to me, gave me a huge hug and welcomed me to the family. She’s such a welcoming person, and I admire her attitude and devotion to the students at this school.
—Jill O’Connor ’19
Mr. William Speer
“As the boys varsity tennis coach, Mr. Speer constantly scours the web looking for new drills to help us improve our game. He is truly dedicated to our success as well as the success of the program and his efforts as the coach day in and day out help display this dedication. I can honestly say that there is no one I would rather have as my coach than Mr. Speer. His humility, kindness, and the respect he shows for opponents, as well as us players, is something all coaches should take from him. Whether it’s the witty hashtags he comes up with for our team twitter, the Pulitzer prize worthy write-ups he composes after every match, or just his simple but wise advice he bestows upon us players, I know that Mr. Speer will be dearly missed and that he will always have a place in the hearts of all his students, players, and peers.”
— Matthew Wuyan ’18
Ms. Adaire Robinson
“At the beginning of the year, Ms. Robinson told my seventh period acting class that we would become so close by the end of our two terms together. Everyone looked at each other with doubt clouding their eyes and wondered how this could be possible. Fast forward past memories of laughing uncontrollably and leaning into discomfort, and we are at the end of our winter term. Right before class, I learned that a boy that I knew from home had just passed away. When we did our daily highs and lows, I just wanted to lift that off my chest and share with my ensemble. That is not something that I would normally share with any other teacher or class. Ms. Robinson made everyone stand up, and we did a cinnamon bun hug where all of my classmates wrapped around me and gave me a hug. I felt so supported and loved.”
— Samara Cummings ’20