Rev. James R. Flynn, O.S.A., Head of School at Malvern Prep, has announced the appointment of Kevin P. Whitney to the newly-created position of Dean of Curriculum.

 

Mr. Whitney has been a member of the Malvern faculty since 2003.  Presently, he is the school’s Scheduler, chair of the Computer Science department, and an assistant varsity football coach. In 2011, he was Co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Sub-Committee for Curriculum. Mr. Whitney was Dean of Students from 2007 until 2010 and Assistant Dean of Students from 2005 until 2007. He graduated from LaSalle University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Computer Science. He will complete his Master’s Degree in Instructional Leadership from Neumann University in July of 2012.

 

In this new position, Mr. Whitney will assess and improve, within the context of the school’s mission, the overall quality of education in our classrooms by serving as a leader for the instructional program and the implementation of the school’s “21st century” strategic initiatives. He will evaluate and assist Department Chairs and teachers with the planning and implementation of contemporary, research-based educational practices that will enhance both teaching and learning. These include the development of an interdisciplinary curriculum and the use of teacher methodologies related to inquiry-based learning, effective all-boys educational practices, and the use of technology in the classroom. Mr. Whitney will be tasked with working with the faculty to align the curriculum with the ever-changing requirements of the school’s target colleges and universities. We recently caught up with Dean Whitney to ask him about his plans for the curriculum...

 

Q: What are you most excited about working on in this new role?
A: Far and away, the thing that most excites me about this new position is the opportunity to work directly with Malvern’s faculty. Our teachers have a long-standing tradition for being experts in their subject areas and understanding how to best teach young men. Be it 8 or 38 years of experience, our teachers strive to be the best that they can be and I know for sure that many are excited about taking this leap into the “21st Century.”  Just the other day, a colleague pulled me aside to share a success that he had with integrating technology into his classroom: he had replaced his traditional, written book report with having students create digital storyboards and animations. This is just one example of many that I encounter on a regular basis.

 

Q: What are some of your goals in this new job?
A: As I oversee and manage the curriculum, my initial goals will be to establish systems and structures that guarantee that the faculty continues to be a part of the curriculum decision-making process, providing them with all of the resources they need to enhance teaching and learning in their classrooms. Once these systems are in place, we will work together to ensure that our course offerings, teaching methods, and professional development program are aligned so that we can maintain our rigorous academic program, while incorporating the “21st Century” global and digital skills as called for in the Strategic Plan.

 

Q: How can Malvern enhance the curriculum regarding global education?
A: Christian Talbot addressed the faculty last week and stated that one of the primary goals for the school moving into the future will be to become a leader among private, Catholic schools in providing global education. Going forward, we will: incorporate global learning objectives in all academic disciplines; “connect the dots” between our curriculum and service learning programs; utilize digital technologies to extend our classrooms beyond the school walls.