Ellen Boiselle ’85

What does your background look like? What is your connection to Groton School? 

I entered Groton in 1981 as a third former. The education I received — inside and outside the classroom — and the friendships I made during my time at Groton have had a profound impact on my life and continue to be part of who I am today. After graduation, I received a BA at Yale, an MA at Columbia, and eventually a Ph.D. in Child Development at Tufts. I devoted a number of years to teaching in the classroom and consulting in elementary schools before transitioning to clinical work in the Learning Disabilities Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, where I now serve as  Associate Director.

I very much enjoyed and valued my time as a student at Groton.  More recently, over the course of the last seven years, I have had the opportunity to visit the school frequently and to connect with current students there, including 3 of my godchildren (Daisy Fey, Eliza Lord, Annie Fey) and their friends. I have also spent time visiting with dear friends of mine from college —  Peter Fry and Gretchen Hummon and their three children. 

During these visits, I have come to appreciate just how much Groton has evolved over the years, especially under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Maqubela.  Their focus on diversity and inclusion is vital to the mission of the school and to its relevance as a secondary school in the 21st century.  In many ways, the things I valued most about my experience as a student remain the same — including the focus on community and the salience of rigorous academic inquiry. But, importantly, the Groton of today looks and feels different – when I walk around campus, I see students from around the world; I see a more vibrant music and performing arts program; I see that student leadership is diverse; I see the Groton of today reflected in photographs on the walls around the schoolhouse; and the schoolhouse itself is larger, brighter, and better equipped to serve the needs of faculty and students.  

Are there any changes you are trying to push forward for Groton?

My job as a trustee is to work collaboratively with other trustees and the Maqubelas to safeguard the school’s educational mission, to ensure its fiscal health, and to help the school to continue to evolve.  I have a particular interest in promoting mental health, child development, and teaching/learning, and I am hopeful that my expertise in those areas will be valuable to the school and its students. More broadly, however,  I am dedicated to ensuring that Groton continues to critically examine how it can best fulfill its mission.  

What are your thoughts on how Groton has reacted to the BLM movement along with the ongoing racial crisis especially during these past few months? 

The Maqubelas and the Board of Trustees have been and remain dedicated to addressing structural racism and promoting greater diversity, equity and inclusion on campus.  The BLM movement serves as an important inflection point for students, faculty, alumni, staff, and members of the Board to redouble efforts to address issues of racism and injustice (on and off campus) across all aspects of Groton – curriculum, dorm life, alumni, etc.  This work has been and remains a priority.

What are your thoughts on how Groton is handling the opening of their campus with COVID-19? Do you believe there is a better way for us to go about school perhaps more safely? 

Simply stated, I am impressed by the way in which Groton is handling the opening of the campus during these challenging times. Dr. Winkler (also a new board member), Dr. Grace Park, and I had the privilege of periodically consulting with school leadership over the course of the summer about the complexities of bringing students back to campus in September.  I can say that all three of us were struck both by the enormity of the task and the dedication of faculty and staff to carefully consider the various options and to safeguard the health and wellbeing of all students, faculty, and staff.  I greatly appreciate that Mr. Anderson, Ms. Leggat, Ms. Harlan, Mr. O’Donnell,  Mr. Gracey, Dr. Allende, Ms. O’Neil-Britt, Ms. Machan, and countless (or countful!) others have worked tirelessly and exhaustively through the summer to consider all options and to craft the plan that is currently in place.   

Alfred Winkler ’85, P’23

What is your background and connection to Groton School? 

I grew up in Queens, New York,  and came to Groton through “A Better Chance”, a program that places qualifying students of color in prep schools. My wife and I are physicians who practice in New York City. We have two children, Camille, who is in 5th grade, and Samuel, who is a 4th former at Groton.

Are there any changes you are trying to push forward or wish to see for Groton?

I would like to see the school continue to extend its commitment to a racially and socioeconomically heterogeneous group of students. Greater diversity in the student body leads to greater diversity in thought and point of view, which can only further enrich the experience of being at Groton. 

What are your thoughts on how Groton has reacted to the BLM movement along with the ongoing racial crisis especially during these past few months? 

I think Groton has responded in a way that is more meaningful than many of its peer schools. This is a particularly tumultuous time in the history of this country, but it is clearly an inflection point where a lot more progress can be made in a short period of time. I think the school leadership has shown that it takes BLM seriously and will continue to engage in both dialogue and meaningful/durable change.

What are your thoughts on how Groton is handling the opening of their campus with COVID-19? Do you believe there is a better way for us to go about school perhaps more safely? 

I am incredibly proud of the school. I was fortunate to be part of an advisory group that met virtually with Mr. Maqubela and the faculty charged with figuring out what was the best way to move forward with school this year. There was an incredible amount of work done by both the faculty and staff that went into making the school environment as safe as it is today. The proof is in the many hundreds of negative COVID tests thus far. It is a testament to the strength and the will of the Groton School Community, as well as the sacrifices big, and small the entire community has made.