KELLY
KRENZEN '84

Kelly Krenzen ’84 has served as a nurse for 32 years and spent the last 12 years or so sharing her experience as a nurse at Marshall School. As a member of Marshall’s Sustainers Society, Kelly also takes the opportunity to give back in another way.

“I feel it is important to not just donate but to support something that has meaning to you. Giving to Marshall is personal,” Kelly said. “My father, my three sisters, and my husband and I all graduated from Cathedral as well as my three children. Our family has seen the school dynamics change quite a bit over the years. Change can be difficult to watch but it is usually good and that is how we choose to view all the newness at Marshall. This school is not the same in many ways but what is exactly the same and resonates the most for our family is the genuine commitment of the faculty. Faculty and coaches still call us by our first names. My children don’t hesitate to stop in to see a former teacher. It says somethingwhen my daughter reached out to her 8th grade English teacher for a Bar exam reference; I would say a connection was made there. (Thank you Lori Durant!) The people in this community have continued to support our family as our children moved on.”

Kelly continued, “I see these connections happening every day now that we are back in school. The sincere effort to connect is apparent as I listen to the teachers move through the halls with the students. Experiences are different this year and I am confident they will never be forgotten: watching outdoor classroom spaces pop up everywhere possible and 30 bikers heading out with three teachers, all wearing masks. The memories and traditions are different but we will all remember being here and who was with us.”

About this very different school year, Kelly said, “Being back in class shows our resilience, strength, and commitment of our families, our staff and our faculty. We are trusting each other to be honest, stay healthy, and be understanding of others as we move through these few months. As nurses tend to do, Meg Weber and I have prepared ourselves for the worst-case scenario, but the students, parents, and faculty have been incredible while following the ever-changing expectations we have asked of them. It’s not forever and we all just need to do our best.”