Kent Schools Welcomes New Trustees

Kent School is honored to welcome two new Trustees to the Board of Trustees who began their terms in July.

First, Michelle Johnson is pleased to return to the Kent School campus where she is a past parent of Shelby Billups ’12. Michelle is currently a member of the faculty at Washington College in the School of Education and is the Elementary Education Field Experience Coordinator. She also teaches pedagogical methods and her practice focuses on bringing content to the forefront of instruction in a standards-based environment. She is also a content writer for TNTP, formerly The New Teacher Project, where she develops training modules for alternative teacher preparation tracks. Presently, she is working on a Chesapeake Heartland cross-curricular project engaging teachers in developing content based on the program archive.

In addition to serving as the Elementary Education Field Experience Coordinator, Michelle is also the Teacher Certification Administrator, and she lectures in education. Michelle placed Amanda Mickle, Grade 7/8 Language Arts teacher at Kent School when Amanda was a college senior.

Michelle also teaches courses at Washington College in diversity and inclusion, clinical field experiences, and teaching internships. She recently co authored a research study – No Size Fits All A New Program of Choice for American Public Schools without Vouchers, Anthem Press, 2020

Michelle holds a B.S. from Syracuse University and an M.Ed from the University of Maryland, College Park. She has been an elementary education teacher and possesses extensive curriculum writing experience. She is also a MD State Teacher Education Program Reviewer.

Michelle is a member of the Board of Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s and oversees the curriculum development each summer.

Patricia Kirby is also joining the Board. Pat has extensive Board experience. She is the former secretary and advancement committee member of the Board of Trustees for Cheverus High School in Portland, ME, a member of the Advisory committee for Cheverus High School Capital Campaign, a previous board member and vice chair of Notre Dame Preparatory School Board, past member of Loyola Blakefield Board, and current member of Maryvale School Board. Pat has chaired the Kent School Development Committee for the past year.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Pat is a graduate of Notre Dame Preparatory School. She has a B.A. in Social Psychology from the University of MD, College Park, and an M.S. in Criminology from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Pat holds a Ph.D. in Sociology: Justice, Law and Society from The American University in Washington, D.C.

Pat is a former Baltimore City Adult Parole and Probation Agent, Boston Juvenile Probation Agent, Baltimore City Police Officer, Baltimore Homicide Detective, FBI Special Agent and an FBI Criminal Profiler and Forensic Psychologist who started working for the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit in 1979. She interviewed serial killers for five years as a criminal profiler before her boss introduced her to Thomas Harris, whom she said asked her a lot of questions. So much so, that she became the inspiration for Clarice Starling in his book Silence of the Lambs, which was later made into a film starring Jody Foster.

Pat is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Notre Dame University in Baltimore and the University of Baltimore. She is President and managing partner of Friendship Realty Corporation, a commercial real estate venture located in Linthicum, MD.

Pat has extensive Board experience. She is the former secretary and advancement committee member of the Board of Trustees for Cheverus High School in Portland, ME, a member of the Advisory committee for Cheverus High School Capital Campaign, a previous board member and vice chair of Notre Dame Preparatory School Board, past member of Loyola Blakefield Board, and current member of Maryvale School Board. Pat has chaired the Kent School Development Committee for the past year.

Pat and her husband Peter Thayer live in Chestertown.

Judie Willock Named Trustee Emeritus
After decades of invaluable service to Kent School in a variety of roles, Judie Willock announced her resignation from Kent School’s Board of Trustees. Judie is the parent of two Kent School graduates, Jill Caron ‘83 and Susan Willock ‘85 and more recently, the grandparent of two graduates, Sarah Caron ‘15 and Jamie Caron ‘13. After a recommendation by the Committee on Trustees, the full Board, by unanimous vote, named Judie a Trustee Emeritus. The Trustee Emeritus role is reserved for a select group of Kent School leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to the School that goes above and beyond a typical Trustee role.

Kent School, located on the bank of the Chester River in historic Chestertown, MD, is an independent day school serving children from Preschool through Grade Eight. Kent School’s mission is to guide students in realizing their potential for academic, artistic, athletic, and moral excellence. The School’s family-oriented, supportive, student-centered environment fosters the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and our diverse world. Kent School admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

For more information visit www.kentschool.org, call 410-778- 4100 ext. 110 or email admissions@kentschool.org

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