Peter Rapelye

PROFILES IN EDUCATION

Candace Braun

Name: Peter Rapelye
School: Pennington School
Years in Education: 32 years
Current Position: Head of Middle School
Education: bachelor's degree in political science and history, University of Rhode Island; master's in international relations, London School of Economics
Most Memorable Book: The Guns of August, by Barbara Tuchman
Person You Admire: "My wife [Janet Rapelye, dean of admission at Princeton University]. I'm a huge fan of hers, for all she's done with her life. I admire my children tremendously, as well. My youngest daughter is a commander in the Coast Guard; I admire what she's done with her life."

Any educator with a passion for learning and teaching can find a way to reach a child, said Peter Rapelye, head of the middle school at the Pennington School: "I think you can take any group of kids, no matter what their background, and if you have something you want to share with them and it's a passion of yours, you can get it through to them. I think that is the same for students 30 years ago and today."

Mr. Rapelye left his post as head of the upper school at Dedham Country Day School in Massachusetts two years ago when his wife, Janet, was hired as the dean of admission at Princeton University. They moved to Princeton, and soon after he was hired by Pennington. Now he is about to become the new headmaster of the Princeton Junior School, where Headmistress Juliana McIntyre is retiring after 21 years. He will assume his new post in July.

The challenges and opportunities offered by his new school remind him of his experience at Dedham Country Day School: "It has the same kind of atmosphere and sense of community. PJS is a very young school with a wonderful spirit. I love the mission, the values, the spirt of the community; all those things played into my decision to take the job."

Choosing Education

After graduating from college, Mr. Rapelye had considered a career in the diplomatic service. However, he soon turned to education, holding posts as a history teacher at The Gunnery School in Connecticut; as a history teacher and assistant director of admissions at the Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island, his home state; and as chair of the history department and director of athletics at the Holderness School in New Hampshire.

"I've always enjoyed working with young people," said Mr. Rapelye, adding that he has also enjoyed giving tennis lessons to students over the years.

Always an athlete, he played varsity football, ice hockey, and tennis in high school, and has coached all three sports at several of the schools where he has worked. At present, he is the coach of the middle school's football team at Pennington.

Mr. Rapelye has also always made sure to stay involved as an educator wherever he has worked, even when holding an administrative position.

"I've always been in the classroom; I've never left it," he said, adding that he has taught American, European, and Asian history over the years. He currently teaches history at Pennington.

While he hasn't made arrangements yet to teach a class at the Princeton Junior School, he said he hopes to find a way to do so again: "I think all administrators should teach. It's a great way to keep your aura in the classroom and your contact with the students."

His favorite classroom experience has been exposing his students to the reality of historical events, and helping them make connections between what they learn in class and hear on the news.

"They become thoroughly engaged....To me, that's the most memorable experience I've had with students," he said, adding that students have come back to him after graduating and recalled what they had learned under his direction.

Mr. Rapelye also enjoys taking students on historical trips that relate to classroom lessons, and will be taking his history class to Washington D.C. and Gettysburg at the end of May.

His Interests

Mr. Rapelye enjoys golf, boating, fishing, mountain biking, and traveling. In 2001, he and his wife toured Northern Europe on a travel grant, visiting historic sites and museums to study the resistance movement during World War II.

Another interest of the educator's is community service; he was the program director for Habitat for Humanity at the Holderness School. He also enjoys reading biographies in his free time, his favorite being Joseph Ellis's His Excellency, a biography of George Washington.

When considering what issues are confronting education today, Mr. Rapelye mentioned the role of parents: "When a family has two working parents they oftentimes don't have as much time to spend with their children. It's not necessarily their fault, but it has forced the schools to pick up a lot of the teaching outside the classroom, such as behavioral issues and values. I think the schools are taking on more than they had to 30 years ago," he said.

As both an administrator and teacher, Mr. Rapelye said he understands how important it is to make sure teachers are involved in important educational decisions within the school.

"These are the men and women who dedicate themselves every day to bringing out the individual talents and aspirations of each student. They are the ones entrusted with shaping the lives of young people in the classroom, on the playing fields, and in the wider community."

To nominate an educator for the Profile Series in Education, contact Candace Braun.