Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Taylor, McBride Committed to SMS Residential Life Program
St. Margaret's new dormitory heads, Karen McBride and Kate Taylor, are the brawn behind the theme of this year's residential life program: "Building a stronger community."
(l. to r.) Latane Hall dormitory head, Kate Rucker Penn Taylor, stands with Anderton House dorm head, Karen McBride, on the porch of St. Margaret's Hall, Tuesday, October 19, 1999.
Last year, members of St. Margaret's faculty, administration, and Board of Governors examined the role of dormitory faculty and re-structured the residential life program to accommodate two full-time dormitory heads for both Latane Hall and Anderton House dormitories. This new system along with the dormitory faculty's "building a stronger community" motto reflects the goal of the school and demonstrates the need for a more unified and cohesive boarding program.
Kate Taylor, a 1983 graduate of St. Margaret's School, joins Karen McBride as the dormitory heads of Latane Hall and Anderton House dormitories, respectively. McBride, a graduate of St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Newport News, received her B.A. in psychology from The College of William & Mary in 1996. Taylor attended St. Mary's College in Raleigh, NC for two years followed by two years at The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where she earned her B.A. in 1987.
Taylor and McBride's primary responsibilities are to serve as a liaison between Dean of Students Roxanne Zazzaro, dormitory faculty, and student prefects to solidify a strong and cohesive residential life program. With an overall goal to improve dormitory life, the new system has purposefully not assigned McBride or Taylor teaching duties. In addition, other dormitory faculty now have a reduced teaching load.
Taylor and McBride also plan weekly residential meetings with Zazzaro. These meetings have focused on various aspects of living together in a residential community; further topics may include self-esteem, stress reduction, life skills, and healthy eating.
"Building a stronger community is the crux of what we are trying to do with our residential life program," McBride says. "Kate and I both stand behind our jobs 100 percent. We understand that to accomplish this goal it will require active members who want to lead by example." "And that is exactly what we are here to do," adds Taylor.
