Our team is an eclectic group with divergent backgrounds and histories. We all believe deeply in the value of progressive education and enjoy seeing its positive impact for Putney students every day. To learn more about why we love Putney, read on!
Students serve on our admission committee and help shape the future Putney School community.
Why do you love working at Putney?
Working at Putney is akin to being at the most exciting port city in the world (ironic, given that we are surrounded by mountains!) There are so many personal and collective journeys happening at any given moment. Myriad metaphorical ships headed off in any number of directions, or returning from exciting explorations to share new discoveries, or conversations and planning sessions around the next terra incognita. To be a meaningful part of these journeys is constantly invigorating — a breath of salt air to the soul.
How do you continue to be a lifelong learner?
Right now my ongoing learning is being driven by my kids. I grew up in New Hampshire, but never learned to downhill ski. This past winter I was able to learn alongside my 8 year old (who quickly outpaced me) and couldn’t have hoped for a more enthusiastic and forgiving learning partner. My four year old is doing something similar with me in terms of swimming and diving — it is far less daunting to learn a skill as an adult when you have your very own “hype-kid” companion!
What’s your favorite place and/or season on campus?
The trails that lead to the far corners of Putney’s 600 acres have, for years, been a constant source of calm and joy for me. We have a large dog who looks like a wolf but has the temperament of a kitten. Fall rambles with him to the Stone Hut, or down to Green Mountain Orchards and the Moon Bridge and meeting the occasional fellow rambler are forever entwined with my experience of and love for Putney.
Why do you love working at Putney?
Being a part of transformative spaces that center the growth of young people is incredibly rewarding. I love the work of admissions here as students begin to imagine what is possible. There is a thoughtfulness to understand students as whole people and best serve families that is a pleasure to be a part of. I enjoy the challenge.
How do you continue to be a lifelong learner?
My personal work as a theater director and educator is a lifelong sandbox of exploring new ideas and developing skills. I love collaborating with others as we chase stories to share on-stage. Every production brings its own demands, obstacles, and revelatory confrontations to move through together. I particularly love facilitating young people’s discovery of themselves and their craft through theatre arts. It inspires and teaches me – and guides me in all my other activities.
What’s your favorite place and/or season on campus?
Fall is always a stunning season in Southern Vermont but it’s that first return of cooler breezes in the late summer that I’ve fallen in love with here at Putney. That exciting first promise of fall is all the more tasty in this beautiful setting.
Why do you love working at Putney?
This is a place where the classroom is truly everywhere and where student empowerment is engrained into every fiber of campus. I get to be part of a team of amazing people who help students find that this place is theirs. “Helping,” for me, is a way of being, and it’s where my name derives from! “Cody” comes from an Irish surname, Ó Cuidighthigh, which means “of a helpful person.” This community is where everyone contributes, and it’s incredibly special to be a small part of that.
How do you continue to be a lifelong learner?
The more you connect with others and learn their stories, the more you’ll learn about yourself and the world you inhabit! I love learning about what other people find important to them or what interests them. It’s a good jumping off point for me to do my own research and to try something new. Reading books has come back into my life in a really wonderful way, and I look forward to hearing about others’ favorite books and getting recommendations for my (evergrowing) reading list. If you haven’t yet read We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, that’s been one of my favorites this past year.
What’s your favorite place and/or season on campus?
My favorite place is (no surprise to those who know me) the horse barn. I’ve always loved animals of all kinds, especially horses. I grew up riding horses, competed in hunt seat equitation around New England and in Florida, and now I’m happily training in dressage! Getting to be part of a community with horses on-campus has become a must-have for me. For my favorite season on campus, I have a deep love for spring. While it’s muddy and often cannot commit to what kind of cold it will be, when that first really warm day comes, it’s the best. Plus, I find hot chocolate tastes best in early spring when we’re all more than ready for it to be warm again.
Why do you love working at Putney?
I was faculty at Putney for five years in the math and science departments. I loved the academic freedom to design my own curriculum and encouraged students to do the same. The moment when a student would get excited about an independent project or project week was always the best part of the day.
How do you continue to be a lifelong learner?
I remain active by setting ambitious long-term goals. One is to ride my bike 50 miles in all 50 states. This has been a wonderful way to understand our country better and see places I would never have seen otherwise. Another current goal centers around birding the local area. I hope to see as many bird species in Windham County (the county where Putney is) as possible. This has connected me to the local birding community, inspiring me to offer an ornithology class in the spring. It also connected our school to the MOTUS collaboration and the construction of the radio telemetry tower on campus. I’ve found that my large goals lead to unexpected opportunities.
What’s your favorite place and/or season on campus?
Despite my wife’s confusion, my perfect day is 18 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny with skis on my feet. I look forward to skiing each winter and am excited to introduce my son to skiing on Putney’s trails and Brattleboro’s tow rope this year.
Why do you love working at Putney?
What brought me to Vermont is an intentional experiential learning community on a hill with gorgeous views. I can remember the first time I drove up to Putney and turned around in the parking lot to take in this view, thinking I had to learn more about this school. The community building and showing up daily for this community is why I’m excited to be joining the Putney Team.
How do you continue to be a lifelong learner?
I am a firm believer in you “learn something new everyday.” But, I noticed that you only really start believing that when you make a conscious, intentional note of that “thing” that was learned. I have tried to practice that mantra for the past few years and can see a difference in my gratitude for knowledge and learning that wasn’t there before. Now, I also make sure that I maintain my various language skills, making sure to note new vocabulary I pick up. I’m always up for learning a new language as well!
What is your favorite place and/or season on campus?
I’m partial to late summer/early fall on campus. My birthday is in October and I love those days that are t-shirt weather during the day and then cold(er) at night. I’ve heard someone call it “swimming and sweatshirt weather” before. As to my favorite spot, I would have to say the performance halls of Putney are the best, because they were the first spots on campus I got to visit. I’m looking forward to exploring more though soon.
Thank you for your interest in The Putney School! We have a thoughtful application process that aims to uncover your creative and intellectual passions and your character. The students who
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Students from more than 30 nations around the world are represented at The Putney School. Most years, about 20 percent of students come from outside the U.S., contributing to a
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We look for driven, creative students who want to take advantage of their intellectual freedom and autonomy both in the classroom and across their experience of our school. Putney is
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