By: Reka Keller, Director of Communications and Marketing

EDITOR’S NOTE Since the original writing of this article, we were deeply saddened by the death of Marion Beckett Rhode. We have chosen to share this piece as originally written, in honor of her life and legacy.

Each community is a sum of its parts, and the one Green Hedges has cultivated over time is filled with fondness, joy, and a wealth of memories. Among the most cherished threads in this tapestry are our former faculty members. Each year, the hallowed halls of Kilmer Hall welcome back these familiar faces—teachers and administrators who stop by to visit a friend, catch up with current staff, or witness the new lessons unfolding in our classrooms. Some visits are planned—such as this past summer, when former teacher and Assistant Head of School Marion Beckett Rhode was invited to speak during our opening Faculty & Staff Meeting—while others arrive with delightful spontaneity, like the bright smile of former math teacher Syamala Chenulu as she makes her way to Kilmer House to say hello, or the warm embrace of longtime Montessori–Grade 2 teacher Sherry Dart as she shares her latest run-in with a Green Hedges alum in the wilds of Vienna. Whether expected or unexpected, these visits always remind us that once a Dragon, always a Dragon.

During our opening meetings in August—a time when all faculty and staff return before students to prepare for the year ahead—Marion arrived, as she always does, more than 15 minutes early. She spent her first moments back on campus moving through classrooms, greeting familiar faces, and introducing herself to the new ones she didn’t yet know. When she stepped to the front of the Multipurpose Room, remarking with a smile on how much it still resembled the space she knew as the Assistant Head of School, she looked out over a room of curious faces, eager to hear the stories that have shaped Green Hedges across generations. Marion opened by rooting us in the school’s founding principles, anchored in the “morals, ethics, and standards not found in the then-segregated school systems,” guiding us across nearly 85 years of history. She highlighted enduring themes that still define our educational philosophy today, such as “slowing down to wonder, to explore, and to appreciate.” Marion most importantly reminded us of Green Hedges’ foundational role as the first interracial school in Virginia and of Frances and Kenton Kilmer’s work to create the Patrick Henry Library in Vienna, one of the first desegregated libraries of its kind. Many traditions that meant so much to her—the Halloween Parade, Openings, and Closings—still thrive in our community today. Marion concluded by reflecting on our schoolwide theme of rooted in wonder, reminding us that “every student needs to feel, see, hear, touch, and taste wonder and awe in every aspect of life. Green Hedges does this—and helps students to learn the truth of everything, especially as we go further and further into a world dominated by AI.” 

Another beloved former faculty member, Sherry Dart, is a familiar presence in our halls. Sherry fondly recalls her first experience with Green Hedges when, at 33 years old, she had already taught at 10 schools across the country due to her husband’s career as a reporter. Having recently arrived in Vienna with her young son, Sherry, who had familiarity with early-childhood education, sought out a school for her family. Kathleen Battaglia, the Green Hedges Head of School at the time, welcomed them with open arms and, during the mid-year tour, told Sherry her son was welcome to stay the morning if he enjoyed the program. After a morning of play and exploration, Kathleen returned Sherry’s son to her with a single question posed to the young boy, “Do you have any questions for me?” This moment cemented Green Hedges as a place that put students at the center of its work, from Sherry’s perspective. 

Soon thereafter, Sherry began her many years of teaching at Green Hedges. She often described it as the type of place that “met the children where they are and brought them along,” referring to students as a part of the greater garden of Green Hedges. This idea of belonging was important to Sherry during her time as a teacher, and she refers to her time with students as “watering the seeds of wonder.” As we spoke about her time, Sherry paused, thoughtfully tapping her chin before sharing that her favorite part of teaching were the quiet moments in-between lessons. Sherry reflected on a particularly special moment to her when she had been reading Charlotte’s Web to her Grade 2 students and, during a scene where the rat Templeton referred to the fair as a rat’s paradise, one student raised her tiny hand and thoughtfully remarked, “Green Hedges is a people’s paradise.” 

This spirit of helping students feel “seen and known,” as Kathleen Battaglia once put it, is the thread uniting generations of educators like Sherry Dart, Marion Beckett, and so many former faculty members who shaped our school. After our conversation, Sherry walked the halls, peeking into classrooms and greeting teachers she met along the way. Before leaving, she shared, “I believe that teachers are still looking for the good in students here today, and that is what makes Green Hedges the best place.”

Read More about Green Hedges in our recent issue of Clippings