Dear Shipley Family:

Over the years I have had the privilege to announce the appointments of many wonderful educators, people who have made an extraordinary difference in the lives of our students. In this instance I am as excited and privileged as I have ever been as I ask you to join us in welcoming Dr. Usha Balamore as our Assistant Head of Lower School and Director of Character Development.

Over the past twenty years Usha has established herself as the preeminent expert in early education and character development in this region. Having taught Kindergarten at Shipley in the late eighties, she left us to have an illustrious career at Episcopal Academy before becoming Head of School at Gladwyne Montessori in 2003. Bright, passionate, and thoughtful, she earned her doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania and is the co-author of Teaching Goodness: Engaging the Moral and Academic Promise of Young Children.
 
Usha is renowned for integrating character development into all areas of the curriculum and for touching the lives of students, colleagues, and parents everywhere she has been. Maggie Granados, our talented Head of Lower School said upon selecting Usha for the position: “What serendipity that Usha’s career path and The Shipley Lower School are once again intersecting! Usha is a wise, joyful, and compassionate educator who clearly loves children and teaching. I eagerly anticipate working with her as we collaborate to enrich our curriculum so that it challenges, supports, and captivates each student. The Lower School teachers have done wonderful work this year with initiatives in multicultural education and teaching goodness throughout all that we do. With Usha joining us, these endeavors will only be the stronger. That delightful laugh, along with her insightful perceptions and thoughtful contributions will be enthusiastically welcomed by the Lower School faculty and staff.” Maggie, Usha, and our Lower School Faculty will make an incredible team.

As Maggie suggests, Usha’s interest in this job was based on her desire to engage with students and focus specifically on developing curriculum that truly speaks to teaching goodness and to the development of the whole child. “As I contemplate my move to The Shipley School,” Usha said upon accepting the position, “my heart fills with excitement and joy. To work hands-on with children, to develop exciting, meaningful curriculum, and to inspire children to ‘fall in love with goodness’—this is my calling, my passion, my life’s work.”

Each time we are faced with a program or personnel issue, we ask the question: “What is best for the students?” In this instance, even though there were a number of other wonderful candidates, the answer was an easy one: Usha Balamore. To know her is to love her! When she joins us on July 1 she will help us continue our work in character development, PreK-12, so that we can meet the needs of our students and prepare them to be the best possible students and people.

Warmest regards,

Steven S. Piltch
Head of School