FOLLOWING THE THREAD

BY KELLY SCHAMBERGER

Reprinted from The Hilltopper Magazine, Fall 2024

 

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A human lifetime develops much like the weaving of a rich and beautiful tapestry—foundational wefts embroidered with unifying threads, overall themes, and even a few knots. What is completed piece by piece and stitched in time becomes a valuable record of choices and memories made, life-shaping influences, and selective references to what mattered most.

This past July, Anthony Pisapia officially joined Marshall as our new head of school, and began to add the Hilltopper thread to his already resplendent and nuanced cloth.

THE THREAD of EDUCATION

As the son of a middle school English teacher at a K-12 independent school, Anthony grew up attending class in an environment very similar to Marshall School. He was often the first student to school in the morning and the last student to leave; he counted among his friends many teachers who were excited about the subjects they taught, and who instilled in him an interest and enthusiasm in a wide range of subjects.

Anthony reflected on the impact of growing up surrounded by education, sharing, “My expectations for what a school can be are high because of the school I grew up attending. Everywhere I turned, there were adults looking out for me and ensuring my success, which I realized later, did not happen by accident. It was indicative of a strong school culture focused on students, and strong leadership that supported faculty.” Anthony explained that the school he grew up attending, and the adults who guided his journey, were an incredible gift—one that he is eager to pass on to Marshall School students.

The thread of education runs deep in the Pisapia family. As the great-grandchild of Italian immigrants, Anthony’s belief that anything was possible through education was woven into his family’s fabric. Anything one hoped for could be within grasp through the tools of learning, and Anthony’s father embodied this as a self-taught computer programmer who worked for a global technology development company that pioneered the field of early computerized inventory cash register systems.

Within the stacks of books on computer-programming that his father brought home, Anthony was introduced to the belief that some of the most powerful learning opportunities one can encounter in life are self-directed. He taught himself how to access some of the first Atari games contained on microchips his father brought home from work, discovering that books could take him anywhere he wanted to go, and later, into any college degree program he could dream of. Amongst the briefcase computers, Commodore 64’s, giant floppy disks, and MS-DOS books, Anthony was discovering a passion for learning and technology that would become a common thread throughout his own personal tapestry of interests.

Back at school, Anthony’s teachers were not just great educators, but many also had direct industry experience in the fields for which they taught. He had a chemistry teacher who worked in chemiluminescence, developing some of the first commercial applications of glow sticks. Anthony remembered, “What a neat story for me as a student, to know my teacher had reached the highest heights in science and wanted to come back and teach. Here we were, these kids, with someone whose work directly impacted our lives—and here he was, thinking it was worth his time to teach us.”

As Anthony was beginning to explore the various facets of life he was encountering, he fell in love with the arts and found that his school janitor played guitar and was willing to teach him. The school’s vice principal taught him how to fix cars, and when he bought his first vehicle, a 1963 Ford Falcon convertible, they worked together to bring it back to life. Anthony reflected, “To have educators teaching subjects they are passionate about, even if it’s not directly part of the curriculum, is so important.” This experience helped Anthony develop a vision of a school that was oriented around subjects, projects, and experiences that were equally as exciting to both students and teachers.

As he honed in on his passions, Anthony’s academic journey led him to the University of Delaware, where he studied classical guitar. He explored a number of undergraduate interests, taking on a second major in psychology, and adding coursework in business and entrepreneurship. In applying these experiences to the present, he shared, “I want to build a model for students at Marshall where they can go to college and extract anything they want, that they’re the ones asking their professors the ten extra questions that earn them the opportunity to do interesting research. That was the path I took, and I found some wonderful mentors throughout life.”

One of those mentors appeared in the Psychology Department at his college; Anthony conducted research in the university’s Visual Perception Lab studying how human brains process visual stimuli and music together. “My professor welcomed me into her lab and I was able to do original research on the way music changes our perception of vision. It was an incredibly rich experience. I credit my upbringing and my high school for giving me that courage, and an ability to put myself in a position with adults where I could grab those opportunities when they were presented.”

STRANDS BEGIN to WEAVE

During college, Anthony began teaching guitar and voice lessons to middle school and high school students, ultimately opening his own music school and launching his career as a teacher.

He then incorporated another strand from his upbringing as he found his way into a technology-focused nonprofit called NPower PA, which was an organization founded by Microsoft to help nonprofits with technology. There, he founded ITWorks, a technology education program for young adults who had just graduated from high school but were not yet headed to college. Anthony shared, “Some of my students found themselves in incredibly hard positions in life, but… they were all brilliant and had incredible potential. ITWorks was training them in technology in ways that they could then get a career and build a life—acting as a bridge between high school and career, filling in the gaps, and helping them move forward in powerful ways.”

Anthony later co-founded Zip Code Wilmington, an education program centered around teaching software development and coding. This program served a broad spectrum of learners and helped place graduates in coding positions at companies such as Amazon, Bank of America, Capital One, and JPMorgan Chase.

Over time, Anthony helped build NPower PA into Tech Impact, a global nonprofit that helps other nonprofits around the world overcome technology challenges, ensuring that technology remained available and accessible for these organizations that needed it most. As associate executive director, Anthony grew Tech Impact from a nascent nonprofit serving 30 organizations in Philadelphia, to one that now serves thousands of organizations around the world. The programs he created have gone on to graduate thousands of students.

Anthony’s work in tech education eventually wove his path back into K-12 independent education. He realized that if he could reach students at younger ages, they could become even more capable, confident, and able to accomplish incredible things by the time they were ready for college or the workforce. He began working for Tower Hill School, the highest-ranked independent school in Delaware and one of the top 50 independent day schools in the United States.

In his role as chief innovation and information officer, Anthony focused on how they, as a very traditional school, could innovate curriculum and become more connected to the world beyond school walls. He spent time as interim chief financial officer, assistant head of school for academics, and then associate head of school. With the belief that budget drives programming, he aimed to put priorities in the right places, do the things the school said they were going to do, and commit necessary dollars toward those ends.

Unsurprisingly, Anthony built a computer science program at Tower Hill. He also developed the Teaching Learning Center, a place inside the school where students could learn how to learn and receive support to do their very best work. He explained, “In the Center, students discover new things about themselves—how they learn and how they think.”

By the time he left Tower Hill, the school was on solid financial footings and had, as importantly, found an identity. Anthony shared, “Teachers and staff—the whole school really—became better at articulating what they did for kids, the impact they were having on young learners, who their students were, and what they were going to be able to do for their lives. The result was that we could help far more students succeed than anyone had thought possible.”

Today, the school is at its highest enrollment ever, 865 students, and has cemented a position as one of the top schools in the country.

THE LAYERED CANVAS of INDEPENDENT EDUCATION

One of the most valuable skills in leadership is the ability to lead by example. Because Anthony understood the impact of lifelong learning and always building on one’s knowledge, he was also continuing his own education at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a master’s degree in education with a concentration in independent school leadership. The program was taught by leaders in the independent school community, as well as authors and education researchers. He discovered and assimilated an incredible breadth of knowledge about what independent schools like Marshall are capable of, and how they are meant to lead education forward in their communities.

“Independent schools are designed to be different from public schools," continued Anthony. "When you look back in history, they were the first schools that were established in the United States, pre-dating public education by 250 years. They took a blank canvas and created the mold for what we know of as education… and did it in really powerful ways. The graduates went on to lead the country, lead their communities, and be at the forefront of developments in science and math. Our task as the only independent school in Duluth is to be that for our community.”

Independent schools have a unique opportunity and strategic positioning to do what is right for students and help them achieve outstanding results. Benefits such as small class sizes, academic freedom for teachers, exemption from standardized curriculum, flexibility to reach and benefit many different kinds of learners, space to take kids on a wide range of learning journeys, and access for students to do independent research. Our students here at Marshall can take on the kinds of projects most don’t encounter until college, and have room to explore varied interests, ignite new passions, follow their own unique threads, and engage with teachers and peers in deep, meaningful ways.

In addition to understanding the resounding benefits, Anthony also understands the challenges independent schools face. As is true with all independent schools, not just Marshall, the cost of education is not covered by tuition alone, and philanthropy is an incredibly important part of ensuring that such a rich educational opportunity remains affordable. Inspiring families to bring their children to our school, and helping them see and understand the breadth of experiences available that aren’t found elsewhere, are ongoing responsibilities of our staff and faculty.

The school has to BE the kind of school that can provide those experiences and fulfill those promises. With his experience and understanding, Anthony aims to ensure that Marshall School is THAT school for families from Duluth and beyond.

HILLTOPPER FIBERS in a FOUNDATIONAL FABRIC

Marshall’s Board of Trustees and Head of School Search Committee chose Anthony following a five-month thorough and public search that brought forth qualified candidates from around the world. The pool was narrowed to three top finalists who visited campus last spring to engage with students, faculty, staff, and parents. From that group, both the Search Committee and Board of Trustees unanimously agreed that Anthony’s experience matched, and exceeded, the desired qualifications for Marshall’s next head of school.

“We are so excited to welcome Anthony, his wife Allison, and their three children into the Marshall School and Duluth communities,” said Laura Mullen ’97, board member and Search Committee co-chair. “Anthony is an exceptional educator and leader, and we look forward to watching his leadership flourish alongside our talented and dedicated faculty and staff for our beloved school on the hill. His love of education is apparent, his business and financial acumen is a massive asset to our community, and his deep background in technology learnings will help guide Marshall School into the modern landscape with ease. Marshall School exists to prepare our K-12 students not only for exceptional outcomes in college and their work life, but also to create the leaders and thinkers of our future. Anthony is a renaissance man with many interests and talents beyond the classroom, which is a great example for our students as they find where their interests lie in the openness of Marshall’s co-curricular offerings, creating the framework for a holistic life well lived. We can’t wait for students, faculty, staff, and the whole of the Duluth community to get to know Anthony and his family in the coming year and beyond.”

With several months at Marshall now under his belt, Anthony is focused on our families. He explained, “My thoughts are on: How do we create a fulfilling life for our students? How do we make sure they have every opportunity in front of them that they want to grab? We’re ensuring that they’re ready, they’re prepared… their skills are where they need to be so that they could go through any college program and be ready for that program, go on to any graduate school and be prepared for that, too. It all starts here—kindergarten, first grade, second grade—it starts in middle school where we’re teaching them how to learn, and how to organize themselves so they can be very capable students. By the time they get to upper school, they can take on project work and learnings that are sometimes beyond what they will see in college. Those skills are there because we put them there. They are prepared for the rest of their lives, and how much more powerful will they be throughout their lives because of that foundation?”

In his office, full of cozy seating and soft lighting, two large bookcases are filled with books and objects hinting toward both past and present. As Anthony begins to weave Hilltopper history, traditions, values, and future plans into the tapestry of his own life, he brings an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit to the mix—with a thread weaving between what has been, and what will come.

He approaches the future with a pragmatic aim, “Our students are facing challenges that we never dreamed we’d face in our lifetime, and that pace of change is only increasing. We have to model that lifelong commitment to learning for them, prepare them for things we’ve never seen, and that we may never see. They will be ready for it.” Just as Anthony’s vice principal equipped him with tools to fix a car, he sees that Marshall is equipping students with tools for whatever comes their way. 

Over the coming years, Anthony aims to capitalize on the treasures already existing within Marshall’s walls, and to remind our current and future students that they are always Hilltoppers and can follow their threads back; they leave here with an incredible network of alumni, connections they’ve made in the Twin Ports business community through independent studies and internships, and a place in Duluth to always call home. They have wonderful teachers encouraging them to have wonderful lives, and they are part of a community far wider and more vast than they could imagine. And he notes, “They will also have a head of school who is committed to their success throughout their lives. As I said on Back to School Night this year, I will always be your head of school.”

 

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From all of us at Marshall, welcome Anthony!