Grey Simpson will join the Darlington Community this fall as dean of students, director of summer programs and assistant football coach.
“Much of my philosophy as an educator is rooted in the concepts of discipline and integrity,” Simpson said. “I believe in the idea of a positive self-fulfilling prophecy in which if you set a standard (no matter how high or out of reach it may seem initially) young people will work to reach those expectations. If you lower your expectations as an educator, you should not be frustrated when your students or athletes do not perform at an acceptable level. The classroom (or dorm or athletic venue) is a special place, and teachers (or dorm parents or coaches) should be able to do their job to the best of their ability without distractions.”
Simpson holds a B.A. in Chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University.
“I entered education directly out of college, but was not sure at that point if I was going to make it my career,” Simpson said. “I went to a liberal arts college (Holy Cross) and had taken and enjoyed the two education classes they offered. I also knew I wanted to get involved in coaching because athletics had been such an important part of my life. I would say the ‘passion’ developed in my first job at a large public school in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. I was immediately drawn to the ability that I had to have a positive influence on the life of children. Whether in the classroom, on the athletic fields or, later, as an administrator, that role has always been a special one for me.”
In his 16 years as an educator, Simpson has worked at three different institutions and coached 21 seasons in football, basketball, and track and field.
Most recently, he was director of summer programs, director of student activities, and assistant dean of student life at The Hill School in Pottstown, Penn., where he also taught chemistry and coached football and basketball.
He said that he and his family are looking forward to their move to Rome and to joining the Darlington Community. He and his wife, Laura, have three children, Jake ('20), Taylor ('22) and Greyson ('27).
“We have been blown away with how helpful and nice everyone has been, and we think that this will be a great move for our family," Simpson said. "I look forward to meeting all of my new colleagues, building relationships with the students, and finding the places where I can best support the great work that is happening at Darlington!”
Note: Simpson replaces Leanne Mann as director of summer programs so that she can focus on being the full-time director of operations for Coosa Junior Golf Academy and Coosa International Tennis Academy.
