Palmer Trinity School

V A L E R I E B L A T T N E R ' 1 0 WHAT DO YOU TEACH/DO AT PTS? I am the Administrative Assistant to the Academic Team and to the Associate Head of Academics. I also covered the Yearbook class for part of the school year. WHAT ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL'S CULTURE OR VALUES DO YOU FIND MOST ENDURING OR MEANINGFUL, BOTH AS A STUDENT AND NOW AS A FACULTY/STAFF MEMBER? Joining PTS in ninth grade, I did not fully understand the depth of the community I was soon to be a part of. Drawn in by its strong sense of unity, every member dedicates themselves fully, both in and out of school, 100% of the time. Aside from the strong sense of community, the school instilled in me a lasting commitment to global citizenship and international understanding. It is one thing to travel the world, but it is another thing to understand the world we are traveling in. Every class emphasized issues beyond the classroom. One of my favorite memories was in my freshman English class. The teacher had us set our internet homepage to an international news source, a lesson I still apply today. WHY DID YOU COME BACK TO PTS TO WORK? Short answer, because I love PTS. This school created a foundation that allowed me to do anything I set my mind to while creating some of the best memories of an amazing high school experience. I wanted to join as a member of the staff in hopes of adding to current and future Falcons experiences as those had influenced me. HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR ROLES AS AN ALUM AND A MEMBER OF THE FACULTY/ STAFF? DO YOU FIND ANY CHALLENGES OR ADVANTAGES IN THIS DUAL ROLE? Being involved with PTS on a daily basis has prompted me to want to be more involved on the alumni side. Regrettably, I was not an active alum, but I met two of my best friends in highschool. Being on campus encourages me to seek out more alumni gatherings and reconnect with fellow alumni. FINALLY, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AS BOTH AN ALUM AND A CURRENT MEMBER OF THE PTS COMMUNITY? Looking back at my time as a student, I took many of the opportunities and knowledge for granted. Under Mr. Roberts' leadership, the school has grown tremendously. I'm excited to see its future with such a great leader. I'm honored to be part of the team contributing to its success. WHY DID YOU COME BACK TO PTS TO WORK? I have always hoped to return to PTS. It is truly a wonderful place to work and I hope to be here for many years to come. HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR ROLES AS AN ALUM AND A MEMBER OF THE FACULTY/STAFF? DO YOU FIND ANY CHALLENGES OR ADVANTAGES IN THIS DUAL ROLE? Being an alumna has had a positive impact on my experience as a faculty member. Returning to PTS felt like coming home and it has allowed me to establish meaningful connections with students because I have walked in their shoes. FINALLY, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AS BOTH AN ALUM AND A CURRENT MEMBER OF THE PTS COMMUNITY? Here's a secret, the famous chocolate chip cookies may not be served during lunchtime anymore, but they are usually served at faculty meetings. 65

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