Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/510699
roman connections 38 JEFFREY WINDUS 1966 - 2014 Just before winter break, the Latin community was shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of upper school English teacher and former Freshman Dean Jeff Windus, who was a mentor and friend to many during his 13 years at Latin. Windus died of heart failure at age 48 on December 18. On January 10, nearly 500 students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, parents of alumni, friends and family came together for a memorial service to celebrate Windus' life and his enduring impact on Latin and those who loved him. During the service, Upper School Director Ted Graf recalled some of what he learned from his friend and colleague. e list of lessons says much about the man and teacher Jeff Windus was. Here we share an abbreviated version of Graf 's list. u Listen closely and with an open heart to the students who are on the margins. Make space for them in your life, in your office, in your curriculum, in your approach to teaching. Jeff implored me and all of us to be expansive and inclusive and to be sure those of us who feel most marginalized are welcome. u Pay little or no attention to policies and handbooks, for they are paginated vampires eager to suck the joy from your day. In other words, immerse yourself in the soup of relationships that makes a school a school. u Create a sanctuary and a refuge for yourself and for those who depend on you. Make your spaces comfortable, homey, quirky and welcoming. Make space to receive a student in joy and a student in pain. u When you can get away with it, do something other than attend a well-planned meeting with well-intentioned adults. u Pay close attention to animals for they activate WONDER and APPRECIATON, and they seem not to be burdened by ego as we who walk on two legs. u Read broadly, read widely. Read the bestsellers as decreed by Entertainment Weekly, and read outrageous fantasies. Stop reading a book if you don't like it, and please read A Prayer for Owen Meany. Fearlessly declare one book brilliant and the other trash. u And, finally, teach with love and teach through love. In other words, whether it's language or literature or science or drama or math or history, love it up; love it inside out, so you can convey that love to your students. In Memorium BarBara "Squawck" Selz leBuS '36 on December 1, 2014 ruth Bennett Jordan '42 on March 8, 2014 ann Finnerud Moyer '44 on October 31, 2014 roBert raPP '61 on August 18, 2014 Joyce Fetzer Schutten '64 on February 28, 2015 PhiliP Manker '68 on November 8, 2014 JaMeS adinaMiS '74 on December 14, 2014 JoSh MareMont '88 in February 2015 Faculty member JeFF winduS on December 18, 2014 Roman Connections 38 roman connections