John Gifford (N ’86) has served as head of middle school for the past 18 years. While he will continue to be a leader, mentor, and role model at Nobles, he is turning a new chapter—one focused on fostering deeper connections with students in the classroom. Throughout his 34-year tenure, Gifford has held numerous roles, including Co-Director of the Admission Office, Director of the Development Office, and Assistant Head of School. He has also coached middle school football and crew, and taught Spanish, visual arts, and ceramics in both the middle and upper schools.
In 2009, after Jenny Carlson-Pietraszek took a family medical leave, Gifford expected to serve as interim Head of Middle School for just a semester; however, after stepping in, Carlson-Pietraszek endorsed his permanent appointment to the role.“I liked the idea of being one step closer to working with kids, and [working in the middle school] definitely gave me that. I already knew I liked the age group, but I didn’t realize how much until I experienced it. With less self-consciousness, they’re often more real with you, and you witness those ‘epiphany moments’ when a student pieces something together and their mind is blown by what they’re learning. I’ve been revitalized by their imagination and questions, and that’s something I want to hold onto, even if I’m not always working with middle schoolers,” Gifford said.
“I’ve been revitalized by their imagination and questions, and that’s something I want
to hold onto, even if I’m not always
working with middle schoolers.”
Gifford invests in his students’ growth long after they leave the middle school.“It’s incredibly gratifying to see kids trying to figure it out in middle school and then see how they develop over a really short period. That’s always so heartening and so wonderful, because I’m not sure I would have been able to predict that [degree of proficiency] when I was correcting [their] papers in [Class V],” Gifford said.
Regarding Gifford’s leadership, he described two tracks that run during his day-to-day life in Pratt: “There’s dealing with what is happening in the moment, which is helping students academically or through something difficult that can affect their experience here, and there’s the longer-term track which focuses on keeping kids happy [by providing] little moments of joy and pleasure to offset the hard,” Gifford said. Gifford discussed prioritizing creating moments of joy and creativity during stressful times for students through systems like SPARCS (documented acts of kindness and compassion) and Blue and White games.
Despite Gifford’s high-ranking position in the administration, he does not seek credit for his accomplishments; instead, he seeks communal recognition for his colleagues: “There’s a whole team. We have an exceptionally small core of faculty [in] the middle school that I’ve been so privileged to work with. It’s an old and maybe overused adage, but it takes a village, and we have a really good village,” Gifford said.
Charlie Lara McCannon (Class VI) is a member of Gifford’s advisory and spoke to the ease of their relationship. “I met him, and[…] I immediately thought he was super nice, funny, and it was really easy to get along with him[…] Being with him, you know you’re with the head of the middle school, but it doesn’t feel like you have to be on your best behavior [because] he’s open to playfulness and he enjoys actually doing stuff with you. He’s not all work, work, work, because all work and no play makes John a dull boy,” Lara McCannon said.
When asked what he would say to Gifford, Lara McCannon said, “I would say thank you because he’s been with the middle school for so long, and I don’t think it would be the way it is today without him. But also, he’s helped me with so many things. I think I wouldn’t have had as many important experiences if I hadn’t talked to Mr. Gifford. He allows you to be yourself, and he also helps you grow into being yourself.”
“He allows you to be yourself, and he also helps
you grow into being yourself.”
Assistant Head of the Middle School Colette Finley, who will serve as interim head of middle school next year, knows Gifford well. Finley shared a story from their trip to South Africa that, to her, captures his spirit, reflected both in his office, where a tarantula and lizard reside, and beyond. “We finally had some downtime at the safari, and[…] through the bushes, I saw John Gifford frolicking to catch butterflies with a butterfly catcher, and I kept asking myself, ‘What is he doing?’ I think it speaks to his curious and constant learning mindset with all his funny hobbies,” Finley said.
In addition to the numerous memories Finley and Gifford have shared, Finley also discussed his natural ability to lead. “I’ve really learned what it is to be an amazing leader, how to grow a positive culture, how to navigate difficult moments, and how to really have fun. I would also say he has a very creative spirit. That is something I will always take away [from him]. I didn’t realize how lucky I was to be mentored by one of the best educators, [and] I feel incredibly fortunate to [have] learned from him. He has scaffolded [the middle school] in such a purposeful and thoughtful way. I’m very fortunate that I got to work with someone who is such a passionate educator, who does the job so well, and who was willing to invest time in my leadership,” Finley said.
Gifford has blended the entire school’s values of curiosity, respect, playfulness, generosity, and belonging into a smaller mission for the middle school of working hard, being honest, and being good to one another. “We’re educating and graduating the brightest and the best who are going to go and do great things, and if [the desire to care for others is] instilled in them, then it gives me some hope. And I think hope is a powerful and very healthy feeling to have,” Gifford said.
