All the rumors are true.
Head of School Eric Lombardi has chosen a new Upper School Division Head, and her name is Abby Abbott.
As the Assistant Head of Upper School at St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, Connecticut, where she’s been for the past 11 years, Abbott has extensive experience working alongside Upper School faculty to cultivate an Upper School environment that is academically rigorous yet comfortable and collaborative.
“I’m pretty creative, and I love to laugh, and I like to find joy and cheer and a sense of humor in things,” Abbott said.
At St. Luke’s Abbott has spearheaded initiatives centered around belonging, leadership, and academic support on the student-side, as well as growth and renewal for faculty, all while engaging the larger school community.
“I am really reluctant and hesitant to take ideas that work for one community and try and force fit them in a community that I’m just now getting to learn,” Abbott said.
Prior to stepping into her position as Upper School Head, Abbott was the Fellows and Early Career Educators Director at St. Luke’s, where she worked on professional recruitment, development, and performance review. She also taught 9th grade Ancient History and a senior elective titled “Violent Politics: Terrorism, Revolution, and Insurgency in the 20 and the 21st Centuries.” She has coached Varsity and Middle School Volleyball, coached Varsity Speech and Debate, led Mock Trial, and led Model United Nations.
“I think Model UN can be a powerful experience for kids. It helps you think on your feet, helps you collaborate with others with diverse perspectives, and helps you handle the unexpected,” Abbott said, “Plus, many tournaments are held on college campuses so it’s a great way to sneak in a tour as well.”
Abbott also was a department chair and history teacher at the American Overseas School in Rome, Italy; ninth-grade history teacher at Needham Broughton High School in Raleigh, North Carolina; and eighth-grade history, science, Spanish, and art teacher at National Heritage Academies in Durham, North Carolina.
She then spent five years in Rome, Italy, during which time she gained the opportunity to travel throughout the world in a way she had never before thought possible.
She travelled (primarily solo) to former Soviet bloc countries, trekked out to Gori in the Republic of Georgia, listened to an Albanian Journey cover-band sing in former Stalinist Dictator Enver Hoxa’s converted mansion, rode a cargo ship across the Black Sea to see the former Romanov home in Yalta, during which time she explored Crimea and Odessa, and drove a Jeep through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
“I feel like all of these experiences helped bolster a sense of wonder, curiosity, adventure, flexibility, and openness I try to pass on, especially to students,” Abbott said.
Abbott has spoken at a number of conferences, including the National AP Conference, OESIS Beijing, and the Hi-Tech Humanities Conference.
Before her journey as an educator began, Abbott earned her Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science at the University of Michigan. She then earned her Social Studies Teaching Certification at Grand Valley State University, and finally received a Master of Arts in International Diplomacy: Terrorism and Counterterrorism at Norwich University in Vermont.
At FWCD Abbott hopes to work in collaboration with Head of School Eric Lombardi and his team by brainstorming new ideas and strengthening pre-existing policies.
Abbott was the guest of honor when she came to visit FWCD the week before spring break. She spoke with Upper School faculty, met directly with student groups like IDEA and the theater department, and said a brief hello during the Upper School announcements period.
Abbott will also bring her first grade son to join the FWCD community next year.
“I’m curious about everything. I’m curious about the world around me. It’s probably why I like history and why I love architecture. I’m authentically curious about students and their lives today, and how they experience school and the world. I’m so curious about our faculty and how they make magic in their class, and what I can learn from them, and how I can support them,” Abbott said.
