Before her four years at Deerfield Academy, Health Teacher Margaret Brown taught at an independent school in Greensboro, North Carolina. There, Dr. Brown performed a myriad of duties, such as teaching science for a portion of her time there. In Greensboro, she mainly served as a college counselor and later went on to be named a dean, meaning she was responsible for both col- lege counseling and discipline.
Health classes have been a part of the Academy’s curriculum for years, but was previously only required as a tenth-grade term-long class. However, when Dr. Brown was hired in the fall of 2018, she was brought in with the goal of eventually expanding the health syllabus to a four-year program, allowing students to take Health at every grade level. Her first year was spent getting to know the campus and community. In the beginning of her second year, she helped implement weekly ninth-grade health classes, which have remained for the past three years.
Dr. Brown enjoys working with adolescents and finds it rewarding. In addition to teaching Health, she also coaches Girl’s Varsity Volleyball during Fall. When Dr. Brown is not encouraging her athletes on the court or engaging students in conversations about mental and physical wellness, she may be found on the first floor of Pocumtuck dormitory. If you find yourself near Pocumtuck on one of their feed nights, you just might be lucky enough to enjoy some of Dr. Brown’s homemade baked goods.
Caroline Hoff ’22 has known Dr. Brown for all four years of her Deerfield career, as the two arrived in the same year. Their first real interaction was during Hoff’s sophomore health class. The time Dr. Brown and Hoff spent together during health classes motivated Hoff’s decision to request Dr. Brown as her advisor for her last two years at the Academy.
Especially with Dr. Brown as her hall resident this past year, Hoff has found Dr. Brown to be somewhat of a mother figure for her. Hoff describes Dr. Brown as being very good at understanding and listening. She recounted
times when, noticing Dr. Brown’s keen understanding and listening skills, her friends have gone to Dr. Brown for guidance even though she was not their advisor. Hoff explained, “I have just watched [Dr. Brown] talk to them and treat them the same way she does me, so I know she treats everyone with that caring attitude.”
Dr. Brown is also known for her love of baking and bring- ing treats to students. “If you tell [Dr. Brown] you’re hungry, she’ll even offer to bake for you and I don’t think anyone at Deer- field really does that.” Hoff said.
Dr. Brown has appreciated being a part of the Deerfield community while raising her three young sons. She has enjoyed seeing her kids find people they connect with on and around campus for the past four years.