An independent, college preparatory, co-ed, Episcopal Day School serves a community of students in grades 6-12.
Issue link: http://palmertrinityschool.uberflip.com/i/755739
28 W W W. PA L M E R T R I N I T Y. O R G salesman and a housewife, and the oldest of five children – became the only person in his family to graduate with a college degree; something that is not uncommon in South Africa. Empowered by his passion for the education he felt so fortunate to receive, Ashley was always a natural born teacher. Even in the Defense Force, where he served two compulsory years immediately after college graduation, Ashley volunteered to teach instructors on how to be better instructors. His now wife, then named Colleen Hutchison, was one of his students, and after they got married in 1981, he went on to teach at Dawnview High School in Germiston. In 1986, Ashley left Dawnview to become Head of Official Languages at Brakpan High under a man by the name of Alan Kichenbrand, his 10 th grade English teacher at Krugersdorp High School. As Head of School, Ashley looked up to Alan, especially when it came to how excited his superior was about English. "What I loved about Alan is that he made English come alive. It was no longer a subject, but a way to deal with life," Ashley remembers. "It's the same for me now. I believe English is how you live and interact with people." Fast forward to 1993 and Ashley, Colleen, and their three children – Graydon, Kyle, and Erynn – were ready for a new adventure. Ashley's parents and brother were now living in Miami, so they packed their bags, sold their house, and started looking for teaching jobs in South Florida. As luck would have it, in 1994, the newly-merged Palmer Trinity School was looking for an Upper School English teacher, and Ashley could not have been a more perfect fit. "I recall our interview clearly. It was in my office, where the boy's locker room is now," says former PTS Head of School Judy Andrews, who was Upper School Head at the time. "I was impressed with his love for teaching, his respect for students, and his knowledge of English Literature. He had a great sense of humor with an easy laugh. I am sure it was a bit of an adjustment coming to Palmer Trinity School from South Africa, but he never showed that. Teachers don't always realize the impact they have on students. Being able to guide them to become positive members of the society we live in is so important... What I love most about teaching is to see them come back as adults, having made a difference in the world.