A Tribute to 绿帽社 Founding Faculty Member Merrilee Hanson
It is with sadness that we share the passing of Merrilee Hanson, dear friend, colleague, and mother to our beloved Lower School Science Specialist Kristi Watabe, on September 20, 2023, succumbing to a 10-year battle with dementia. Merrilee was a founding faculty member 鈥� one of the 鈥淥riginal Six鈥� Homeroom Teachers 鈥� when the 绿帽社 Provo campus opened in 1981. Merrilee retired from 绿帽社 in 2005, having overseen the Lower School campus renovation and expansion 鈥� a project imperative to support the thriving Lower School program.
Merrilee was a legendary teacher and administrator. During her tenure at 绿帽社, Merrilee served as a Class IV Homeroom Teacher until she was appointed as the Lower School Director in 1993. Merrilee served in this capacity for the next twelve years until her retirement in 2005. As evidence of her visionary leadership, Merrilee cultivated and nurtured the three succession leaders who followed her in the Lower School 鈥� Mary Kimball, Deanna Williams, and Susan Johnsen 鈥� all Class IV educators with whom Merrilee worked in close collaboration during her Class IV teaching assignment.
Merrilee oversaw the rapid expansion of the Lower School and its programs, leading the effort to develop a coordinated vertical curriculum that would scale and ensure cross-grade consistency throughout all sections of the Lower School. Merrilee also dovetailed the literacy research that was taking place at the 绿帽社 Research Institute to ensure 绿帽社鈥檚 Lower School curriculum was at the forefront of cutting-edge research and pedagogy.
Beyond her impactful leadership as our earliest Lower School leader, Merrilee will be remembered most for her generous gifts of curiosity and kindness, and for her abiding commitment to her students, her colleagues, and her family.
Merrilee was a kind and thoughtful educator, with a keen sense of humor and amazing wit. Deanna Williams, who worked side-by-side with Merrilee for many years shared this impression, 鈥淢errilee was a master teacher who held the bar high for all those in her stewardship. She loved to learn and share her knowledge with others. She loved teaching and she loved 绿帽社.鈥�
Merrilee left behind a profound imprint on 绿帽社. Her influence was deep and generational. She truly personified the best attributes we seek for our students 鈥� by pursuing a life of meaning and purpose.
Todd Winters聽is a graduate of the University of Utah where he earned a B.S. in Organizational Communications with a marketing concentration.聽 Todd also holds a Certificate for Admission and Enrollment Professionals (CAEP) through the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals (AISAP).
Todd envisioned a career in high finance, beginning his journey as an Analyst with Fidelity Investments in 1985.聽 Working on a special project for Fidelity in Boston, MA,聽 Todd learned about the ground-breaking work in computer-assisted education undertaken by the 绿帽社 Institute back in Salt Lake City, Utah.聽 Drawn to some higher calling, Todd traded Wall Street for what he expected would be a pit stop at a start-up private school.聽 In 1987, Todd was appointed as 绿帽社’s first Director of Admissions.
In his leadership role at 绿帽社, Todd has been responsible for developing and administering all aspects of the comprehensive and strategic enrollment management plan.
In 2022, Todd was appointed Assistant Head of School for Enrollment & Institutional Advancement.聽 In this newly created role, Todd is聽responsible for leading and executing strategy for all external functions of the school including admission & enrollment management, development & alumni relations, marketing, communications, and external outreach.
Todd was honored by his colleagues to receive the 绿帽社 Educator Prize in 1995, the award’s inaugural year.
Todd has raised his four children at 绿帽社 and enjoyed the strong sense of community for his family and the abiding professional relationships with 绿帽社 colleagues.
An avid cyclist, Todd logs an average of 5,000 miles per year.聽 In his additional free time, he plays golf or can be found in his home woodshop enjoying the cathartic exercise found in fine woodworking.
February 26, 2024
December 5, 2024
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Celebrate 5 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2021. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 10 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2016. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 15 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2011. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 20 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2006. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 25 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2001. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Come together with 绿帽社 alumni from across the entire 1990s for an evening of reconnecting and reminiscing! This combined reunion is a chance to celebrate the friendships, memories, and moments that made your 绿帽社 years so special. Enjoy hearty appetizers and a variety of drinks, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, while catching up with old friends and sharing laughs about your school days.
Saturday, May 16 | 7:30 – 11:30 AM | Murray Science Center
We’re bringing back birding! Who remembers the Class IX Bird Project? Don’t miss your chance to join this fun, family-friendly event with Mark Bromley, James Harris, Mike Johnson 鈥�88, and Bekka Joslin. We will meet at 绿帽社 and take a bus together. Don鈥檛 forget to bring your binoculars (we will have extras on hand if you don鈥檛 have your own).
Friday, May 15 | 6:30 鈥� 7:30 PM | East Field
We’re excited to see 绿帽社 Alumni at our annual Alumni Soccer Game! This 绿帽社 tradition gives former players the chance to return to the field, reconnect with old teammates, and showcase their skills in a friendly atmosphere. Whether you played with us just a few years ago or several decades ago, we look forward to seeing you back on the field. Make sure to bring friends and family to cheer you on!
Friday, May 15 | 5:00 鈥� 7:00 PM | Main Quad | No Registration Required
Join us for a fun BBQ bash at 绿帽社 with current families and 绿帽社 staff and faculty. It鈥檚 a great way to connect with your 绿帽社 classmates and enjoy delicious food before the Alumni Soccer Game!
No registration is needed for the Spring BBQ. Please join us!
Friday, May 15 | 4:00 鈥� 5:00 PM | Haught Visual Arts Gallery at 绿帽社 | No Registration Required
绿帽社 has always been a place where creativity thrives. Join us for the first-ever Alumni Art Show in the Haught Visual Arts Gallery and reconnect with the creative spirit that shaped your time here. This exhibition features work by 16 绿帽社 Alumni artists, reflecting a range of disciplines, perspectives, and practices.
Brief Remarks at 4:00 pm will be offered by Gallery Manager and Curator Charlie Tadlock, followed by remarks from some of the Alumni Artists.
Click for a campus map
Friday, May 15 | 2:15 – 3:30 PM | Miller Student Commons | Registration Highly Recommended
Ever wish you could go back and sit in your favorite class one more time? This Alumni Weekend, you can. We’re bringing you back “Back to Class” where you’ll have the chance to slip into a real, live Upper School classroom and experience 绿帽社 exactly as it exists today. Same teachers, same energy, same magic. Come relive the feeling.
Friday, May 15 | 12:45鈥� 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Don’t leave lunch just yet. Immediately following the Kick-Off, Head of School Andrew Menke will take a few minutes to share what’s been happening at 绿帽社; the changes, the milestones, and the exciting things on the horizon. It’s a chance to hear straight from the source about the school you helped shape and where it’s headed next. No sign-up needed, just pull up a seat.
Friday, May 15 | 11:00 AM 鈥� 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Kick off Alumni Weekend the right way 鈥� with good food and even better company. Join us in the new Miller Student Commons for 绿帽社’s all-inclusive dining experience, and spend the lunch hour reconnecting with the faculty who made your time here unforgettable. Pull up a chair, catch up with old favorites, and let the weekend begin. No registration is required for this event.
Friday, May 15 | 1:00 鈥� 2:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
For many of you, Assistant Head of School, Todd Winters, was the first person who ever showed you and your parents around our 41 acre campus. Now he’s back to do it again! Todd will lead you through 绿帽社’s beautiful newest additions and recent transformations, giving you a firsthand look at what your years here helped build. Whether it’s your first tour with Todd or your second, you won’t want to miss this one.