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MAKING mfs history: de la Torre Installed During Rainy Convocation

The Event

Head of School Julia de la Torre was installed Friday morning as the school's ninth head of school in the "modern era" (post-1920, after the school reconsolidated on one property). The ceremony took place on the oval in front of the school during a light mist.

SET UP

Students, faculty, and the school committee sat on chairs assembled after the morning drop-off. Some Lower School students sat on mats in front of the stairs.

(Photo by Andrew Rowan '19 / MFSWordsWorth Editor-in-Chief)

WELCOME

Director of Marketing and Communications Mike Schlotterbeck kicked off the event and acted as the event emcee.

(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends School)

INVOCATION

Dorthy López, Director of Camden Scholars Program, Math Teacher, and Middle School Diversity Coordinator delivered an invocation.

"We are here to wish blessings on a community that is inspired by the light of everyone. we ask that the light you seek also seeks you as you embark in this endeavor to lead our fine institution."

Lopez also noted that this was a new beginning for the school.

"We pray that you let your light brightly shine as a beacon of hope to inspire the heart and soul of every person touched by Moorestown Friends School.”

(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends School)

REMARKS

Executive Director of the Friends Council on Education Drew Smith spoke to the community about Friends schools.

"the purpose of the school was not to make more quakers or to make the quakers who attended more quakerly, but rather to serve as a school that taught a certain kind of citizenship. a citizenship that honored our differences. a citizenship that produced hearts and minds that were open to learning from others to make society ideal. moorestown friends is CERTAINLY an important part of this rich tradition and i can think of no better person than julia de la torre to lead us at the BEGINNING of our next 330 years. "

(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends School)

REMARKS

Trustee Ivy Brown '89 delivered the history of Moorestown Friends School from the beginning of the 17th century to present day. MFS was founded in 1785.

(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends School)

Head of School Julia de la Torre (right) and Trustee Ivy Brown (left) share an umbrella as they head to a reception in Van Meter Hall after the convocation. (Photo by Andrew Rowan '19 / MFSWordsWorth Editor-in-Chief)

REMARKS

Clerk of the School Committee Barbara Rose Caldwell spoke about the process of finding the next Head of School. Caldwell co-clerked the school's search committee who hired de la Torre.

"after listening to the feedback from community members on the candidates, it was clear that mfs had found its next head, julia de la Torre."

(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends School)

de la torre delivers remarks

Forgoing an umbrella, de la Torre took to the podium to deliver her remarks.

"RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU ARE wet and cold! me too! thank you for being good sports on a very rainy day for what i am increasingly realizing is a pretty big deal."
Via Middle School Director Kimberly Clarkson on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ClarksonMFS/status/1045685617458368512)

de la Torre spoke about her time in Moldova. "I learned from Moldova that family sometimes has nothing to with blood ties at all, but everything to do with reaching out to others, caring about their lives, and wanting to understand them as people," she said. While it's easy to surround yourself with just your MFS family, she challenged the community to meet people who are new to them.

"The school is filled with a wonderful diversity of people just waiting to be met."
"My husband, Patrick, my son, Evan, and I are delighted to join your family this year and for many years to come. Evan keeps asking me for a brother or sister so it looks like I just found him 700."
The newly installed Head of School took a selfie at the end of her remarks. (Via Julia de la Tore / @mfs_fox on Instagram)

(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends School)

GIFTS

de la Torre was presented with gifts from representatives of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools. The parent council also presented a gift.

(Photos by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends School)

THE RAIN

The weather was a big distraction from the convocation, as a steady mist fell on the campus. The temperature during the event hovered between 60ºF and 62ºF.

Many students were in shorts and not prepared with rain coats or jackets.

9th and 10th grade students watch the convocation through the rain. (Photo by Andrew Rowan '19 / MFSWordsWorth Editor-in-Chief)

Teachers who had umbrellas shared them with students.

(Photos by Andrew Rowan '19 / MFSWordsWorth Editor-in-Chief)

Despite having an umbrella, de la Torre chose to forgo using it for much of the event.

(Photo by Andrew Rowan '19 / MFSWordsWorth Editor-in-Chief)

all hail to the red and blue

Conducted by Choral Teacher Steve Weber, MFS Singers and Chamber Choir sang Moorestown Friends' alma mater, All Hail to the Red and Blue. The song was last sung during May Day.

Weber plays piano at the event. (Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends)

(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends)

de la Torre thanked the maintenance crews after the event for packing up the 1,000+ chairs in the rain. (Photo by Andrew Rowan '19 / MFSWordsWorth Editor-in-Chief)

Reaction

Reaction from Upper School students on the event was mixed. Many, like Seniors Michél McFadden and Lauren Cates, enjoyed de la Torre's speech, but felt the rain took away too much from the event.

"It was cold and wet, but i thought the event highlighted what the school was about," said senior evan fenska.
“I thought the speeches were interesting, but the weather made it unbearable,” said junior Rachel Liu.

Meeting for Worship for Business Clerk and Senior Lizzie Cohen presented a gift to de la Torre on behalf of the Upper School.

“It was a really beautiful way to formally integrate Ms. de la Torre into our MFS community, Said Cohen.
(Photo by Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends)

By Andrew Rowan '19

Serena Lin, Esha Nittoor, Andrew Shah, Lizzie Huettl, and Ali Chesnick contributed to this reporting.

Watch Moorestown Friends School's live stream of the event here.

Created By
Andrew Rowan
Appreciate

Credits:

Photos by Andrew Rowan '19 / MFS WordsWorth Editor-in-Chief and Luke Hoheisel / Moorestown Friends.

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