One hundred fifty Septembers; one and a half centuries; 15 decades. However you look at it, the sum total of years dedicated to teaching at Nobles—shared among only four retiring faculty members—is impressive.
As such tenures in schools become increasingly rare, the Nobles community is especially grateful for their decades of devotion to the school they called home for so long. The hallways of Shattuck echo from the void left by the departure of faculty members Don Allard, Mark Harrington, Tilesy Harrington, and Alden Mauck, but the good news is that they were up to something along the way. All four teachers—educators at the top of their craft and school people to the core—discreetly eased the transition for the community well before they left, mentoring the next generation of teachers with each interaction, lesson plans shared subtly and selflessly along the way to ease the inevitability of change upon their departure.
The thing about great teachers is that they are often the most humble people in the room. So when certain chapters—or great careers—come to an end and the honoring and celebrating begin, the spotlight is often the last thing they want. Allard, the Harringtons, and Mauck became educators because it is simply who they are—not for plaudits or praise, but for the kids and the collegiality. While they may be reluctant to stand in it, we shine that spotlight—one last time—on these four deeply devoted educators and their decades of dedication to Nobles.
Mark Harrington
Wise Mentor, Witty Storyteller
Each school year, the “Noblest” teacher, or the longest-tenured teacher at Nobles, speaks at Assembly. This year, Mark Harrington began his talk by explaining just how uncomfortable the task—and the title—made him feel. Of course, there was grammar involved. “It’s a superlative adjective,” he quipped about his title, “and I’ve never really thought of myself as a superlative adjective. Last year, I suggested I be called ‘the one who must be heard.’ I like that.”

Tilesy Harrington
Teacher of Teachers, Advocate for Equity
During her junior year at Harvard, with a triple major in chemistry, math, and physics, Tilesy (Rivera) Harrington did something that would alter her plan to attend medical school and become a doctor like her father—she tutored local kids in math and Spanish at a school in Central Square in Cambridge, Mass. The schedule allowed for frequent breaks, during which Harrington would play basketball with the kids and get to know them. Energized by the experience, she began to change her course of study. Two years later, 20-year-old Harrington, nowthe longest-serving female faculty member in Nobles’ history, taught her first class at Nobles as one of 13 female faculty members and the first female faculty of color.

Alden Mauck
Eternal Student , Humble Mentor
Being selected as the faculty speaker at a major school event is among the highest compliments a teacher can get—and English department faculty Alden Mauck earned this praise more than once during his time at Nobles. At the 2004 graduation, Mauck shared a story about trading his second-hand Ford Maverick for a fashionable ‘62 Corvette. “Every now and then,” he said, “someone would walk past my ‘Vette with a look of profound sadness and say, ‘I used to have a ‘Vette, a ‘62. I had to sell it. Whatever you do, never sell that car.’”

Don Allard
Multifaceted Educator, Team Player
When middle school history faculty member Don Allard announced his retirement, Assistant Head of School and Head of Middle School John Gifford asked if he would speak at the step-up ceremony, held each spring to celebrate Class V students as they move on to the upper school. “It is a significant moment in my life as well,” said Allard, as he addressed the “fifthies.” “Together, we will venture into new and uncertain times and face challenges. The best piece of advice I can give you is to pick a good partner. For the past 27 years at Nobles, I have been surrounded by wonderful partners. The next chapter will offer you many opportunities to pick good partners and craft new relationships that can be built on kindness, empathy, and equity. Pick partners who will treat you with respect and, in turn, value these positive relationships and nurture these good friendships.”
