Ten years ago, Wye River Upper School moved into a new home at The Centreville Armory. The Armory, built in 1926, held an important place in Centreville’s military and social history, yet it had fallen into disrepair. Fortunately for all of us, the Board of Trustees recognized the potential of the Armory, and thanks to a lot of love and generosity, Wye River Upper School opened its doors in Centreville in 2014.
Today, visitors to our campus ascend several steps up to the school’s main entrance. In reflecting on our first 10 years at the Armory, we thought it fitting to shed some light on the plaques and milestones that visitors encounter between the sidewalk and the lobby.
1.
Did you know that the school’s tagline: “...because not all great minds think alike” is actually trademarked? The founders of the school, Chrissy Aull and Patricia McGlannan, felt so passionately about this statement and how it aligns with the school’s mission that they wanted to preserve it for future generations of our students.
Chrissy Aull served as the Head of School from its very first day and for 18 more years. Her dedication to the school and its students shone through every day: from teaching classes to sleeping on the gym floor during overnight events to driving for 16 hours on a field trip.
2.
Alexa Seip felt drawn to Wye River Upper School after she read an article in the newspaper about our remarkable school, and just knew in her heart that her expertise would serve it well. Alexa Seip has been a long-standing supporter of Wye River Upper School and served for eight years as Board Chair.
3.
A focal point of the lobby are the wide stairs that lead to second-story classrooms and offices. These steps were built with exquisite care by Stoney Duffey. At the time of the Armory’s restoration, Mr. Duffey served on the Building Committee of the Board of Trustees.
On settlement day, the Trustees and Ms. Aull gave Mr. Duffey a key to the building so that he could keep a close eye on construction–such was the level of his devotion to the new school. One day, the old asbestos tiles were removed from the treads of these steps, which rendered them unusable. Tape blocked off access to upstairs.
About a week later, Ms. Aull arrived at school one morning to find brand new treads installed on the steps! Mr. Duffey had quietly taken on the job of restoring these stairs on his own. True to Mr. Duffey’s humble nature, there is no plaque here and not a single photo exists of the work in progress. Mr. Duffey’s commitment to Wye River Upper School continues to this day–he has served for many years on the board and currently holds the position of Vice-Chair.
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