In college, Nancy Anderson-Bruno, Grade 10 Dean and Upper School English Teacher, had her heart set on becoming a sports journalist. But after a tutoring job at Hardy Elementary, Nancy knew she had to be a teacher.
“Tutoring changed me,” said Nancy. “After a few sessions of working with kids, I knew I had to double major so I could explore a career as an educator, as well as a journalist.”
After working many years in the San Diego School District, Nancy came to Parker as a journalism and English teacher in 2003. Now starting her 15th year at Parker, students have continued to be the center of her teaching. To elevate her commitment to student success and to serve as a mentor through the age of adolescence, Nancy became the Grade 10 Dean in 2010.
“As a grade level dean, I can support the kids academically, socially, emotionally, and everything in between. I see my role as an advocate for the kids and that is why I love what I do.”
In the Upper School, grade level deans serve as a primary source of support for students, providing guidance in course selection, monitoring academic progress, and being the first point of contact when a student needs it emotionally.
“Kids (of all ages) are curious, happy, confused, innocent, bold, and positive, and they’re looking to us (teachers, coaches, adults) and trusting us to guide them and educate them through the blur of adolescence.”
Being there for her students is Nancy’s priority. She serves as the advisor to Parker’s award-winning Scribe magazine. She has coached golf and cheer, anything that would keep her around the positive energy of her students.
As a grade level dean, I can support the kids academically, socially, emotionally, and everything in between. I see my role as an advocate for the kids and that is why I love what I do.
“I love the kids because they have the best energy; they make me a better person, they inspire me, they make me laugh, they keep me humble, and they challenge me…they are a daily reminder that life is good!”
Since 2003, Nancy has seen Parker undergo some serious changes. Buildings have come down and others have gone up. Staff and student populations have grown. The introduction of new technology has improved opportunities to teach and learn, while also creating a pressure of constant access that faculty and students alike have had to learn to navigate. Student support has increased tremendously, and our College Counseling and Learning Center staff are better able to help students achieve success at Parker and beyond now more than ever.
Some things, though, never change. The high quality of Parker’s programs and faculty’s love for their students have always been the backbone of the School. Dedication and support from families continue to make events meaningful for all involved, and important traditions like float building and the family-friendly booths at Homecoming have survived the test of time.
For Nancy, Parker means family, from the students in her classes to her own kids. She was proud to watch her stepdaughter Rachel graduate on Lancer Lawn in 2016, and she fondly remembers walking her son to his Junior Kindergarten class in 2011, with “his little face and little legs and big smile…he instantly felt at ease.”
“So much of what we do every day is not ‘photo worthy’ or easy to translate into words,” says Nancy. “Every year when I see the parents watching their children walk across the stage [at Commencement], I am reminded of that day I dropped off Jake at JK. I trusted/trust Parker to care for the most precious human in my life, and so does EVERY single family that sends their kids here; they trust me, us, to care for, nurture, guide and educate their most precious humans.”
Now in Grade 6, her son Jake serves as a “daily reminder to do [her] absolute best every day for every student who walks onto our Campus and into [her] room.”
Her students would tell you that she’s doing exactly that.
