Beloved former head passed away August 27 after a battle with cancer
It is with great sadness that we share that former Cheshire Academy Head of School Dr. Jerry Larson, of Bristol, RI, has passed away after battling cancer. Larson was Head of School from 1999-2004 and returned as Interim Head for two more years from 2012-2014. Larson’s tenure was marked by increased enrollment, strong student academic achievement, and a student-centered approach.
Larson’s legacy lives on in Cheshire Academy’s curriculum and programming. “Under Jerry’s leadership, the campus saw numerous construction projects come to life, and we continue to stress the importance of student-centered teaching, which was formalized under the CASCLE program,” said Head of School Julie M. Anderson P’19,’23. “We are sending our deepest condolences to his wife, Cheryl, and son, Nicholas.”
CASCLE, or Cheshire Academy Student Centered Learning Environment – which was made possible by a major gift from E. Hadley Stuart ’37 and Brett Stuart ’68 and the Stuart Family Foundation in 2001 – was an innovative educational program enhancing the “student-centered learning environment” that has long been a unique strength of the school. Larson’s CASCLE initiative provided a range of faculty training, curriculum development programs, strategic planning processes, and effectiveness-measurement efforts to support the “whole student” in their intellectual, physical, social, and moral development.
Upon its formation, Larson stated, “At the core of Cheshire Academy’s mission is the belief that the true measure of a school lies in the quality of character of the people within the school.” He emphasized that “teachable moments” to help students grow guided by “caring and knowledgeable adults” happen in a variety of contexts, from the dormitory to the playing field, to the dining hall, and beyond.
Upon his return as interim head of school in 2012, Larson said he was looking forward to “leading Cheshire Academy forward as a community that focuses on character, education, and realizing the untapped potential in each student.”
Condolences and remembrances have poured in from the many students and colleagues impacted by Larson’s leadership, with many noting his care, advocacy, mentorship, and humor. Some mentioned learning the importance of the Eight Pillars of Bowden Hall – respect, responsibility, civility, citizenship, caring, morality, trustworthiness, and fairness; while others reminisced fondly about the morning rallying cry of “I’m alive, I’m alert, I – feel – great!” to set the tone for each day; or “the fish” – a stuffed animal that doubled as an impromptu “microphone” to engage students at morning meeting. This fun activity was borne out of the “FISH! Philosophy” based on the book Fish: A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen C. Lundin, which had been assigned as faculty reading. Grounded in the culture of Pike Place Fish Co. in Seattle, Larson took on the philosophy that is said to strengthen trust, teamwork, and engagement.
After his time at Cheshire Academy, Larson leveraged the wisdom gained through years working in academic environments as a managing partner and head of school search consultant at Educational Directions in Portsmouth, RI. Larson earned his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire, MBA from New Hampshire College, and an Ed.D. from Boston University. He began his independent school career at Phillips Exeter Academy, and after time at the collegiate level, moved on to Tabor Academy, where he wore a number of administrative hats in addition to being a faculty member and coach: residential dean, development officer, and director of athletics. He was previously a board member of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools, Forman School, and Winchendon School. Interested in broadening his educational experience into the international sector, Larson also spent two years as director of education and student care for ASPIRE Academy in Doha, Qatar.
In addition to CASCLE’s longstanding community benefits, Cheshire Academy’s students continue to grow under Larson’s legacy through the Rizzolo-Larson Venture Grant. Established by Ruth Cook and the Rizzolo family in honor of Dr. Jerry Larson, the fund supports opportunities for student enrichment through experiential learning. Each year, grant recipients carry out innovative summer projects of high merit that are unique, exciting, and demonstrate “outside the box” classroom learning. In Larson’s own words in the Spring/Summer 2013 issue of the Magazine of Cheshire Academy: “The ‘Cheshire experience’ is…a rich array of experiences and opportunities to expand the horizons of our students and expose them to new ways of being responsible members of a community.
“To me, Cheshire Academy is all about making a difference in the lives of our students, their families, our teachers, and our community,” he reflected.
Dr. Larson did just that.
We will share with the community once we are made aware of any arrangements.
