• Print
close

Departing Faculty: Mrs. Kaplan

After ten full years serving in Belmont Hill’s Art Department, Mrs. Kaplan has made the difficult decision of moving on from Belmont Hill School to the Fay School. Even though she has made precious memories on this campus, she wants to work with a younger student body (3rd grade to 6th grade) and in a Co-Ed environment. She has led numerous classes during her extensive time here, including Form I art, ceramics, advanced ceramics, drawing and painting, and advanced drawing and painting. Mrs. Kaplan has been invaluable to the academic side of campus. She also serves as a Form I advisor, runs the Landau Gallery, helps with set construction for theater productions, and runs the Art Club. 

Mrs. Kaplan’s favorite part about Belmont Hill was that every year some students would come to her class claiming they did not like art, but by the end of the quarter, they loved the class and felt like they had accomplished a lot in it, saying “I can’t believe I just made this.” Besides trying to make her students the best artists they can be, Mrs. Kaplan also cherishes the opportunity to foster a calming and safe environment where her students can feel relaxed and just sing along to the music and have an escape from Belmont Hill’s rigorous academics.

Mrs. Kaplan will most miss when her students feel successful and make art pieces all on their own, even if they thought they doubted themselves. She will also miss her role in the Performing Arts program when a production fully comes together, and she can watch the happiness of all the kids as all their hard work comes to fruition. 

Mrs. Kaplan wants her legacy at this school to be for students to try something new, find joy in it, and gain a newfound appreciation for the arts. While leaving Belmont Hill itself is challenging, she will no longer be able to work with her husband in a program they both built together. In the end, Mrs. Kaplan is excited about where she is going but sad to leave a program that she has created as a place to be comfortable in who you are and be creative. The Panel wishes Mrs. Kaplan the best of luck in her new ventures and hopes she will come back to visit from time to time.

 

Story Page