For the past three decades, Scott Gonzalez has tried just about everything on campus.
In 1995, Gonzalez joined the school community as an English instructor and Community Service coordinator, and despite the fact that it isn’t on his official 30 years timeline, he used to help scout and announce for athletic programs.
When the school was in need, Gonzalez stepped in three times to lead as the interim Assistant Head of Upper School and interim Head of Upper School, even assisting as interim chaplain twice—not to mention serving as the Dean of Campus for 11 years.
But throughout all these roles, Gonzalez kept his focus on the classroom. Whether he was teaching eighth-grade humanities or sophomore English, he found his greatest joy in seeing students challenge ideas and bring fresh perspectives.
“One of my mantras was learning is serious fun,” Gonzalez said. “It’s serious, but you’ve got to have fun with it.”
For Gonzalez, seeing his students excel, including the colleagues he’s had the privilege of mentoring, will be what he misses the most.
“It’s been really rewarding to be able to try my best to mentor young teachers and then watch students grow up,” Gonzalez said. “I’ll have them in eighth grade and then junior year, and all of a sudden they’ve exploded into superstars.”
As Gonzalez prepares for retirement, he hopes to be remembered for one thing.
“If anybody remembers me, I hope that they’ll think that I really wanted the best for them,” Gonzalez said. “I hope that they thought that I was trying to be honest and fair while pushing them as hard as I could.” 

Walking through the door to piano instructor Angela Hendricks’s office, hundreds of trinkets line the wall. There are some pictures of her family, an array of posters and a large bookcase filled with countless sheets of music.
But what stands out most is a mess of pencil markings next to the doorframe. Each one has a line or a name.
“When boys go into the fifth grade, one day they walk through the door and I can visually see that they grew,” Hendricks said. “At that point, I mark them (on the wall) and then again every few months.”
Since becoming a full-time piano teacher in 2006, she’s mentored hundreds of boys throughout their music careers. Her favorite part of teaching is watching her students grow into young men and growing alongside them on each of their journeys.
But after 20 years of teaching, Hendricks feels ready to take a step back. Between her students, beach home in North Carolina and three grandchildren arriving in the fall, Hendricks looks forward to having her hands soon full with family, travel and the tunes to lighten the mood.

In 2003, Suzanne Townsend wasn’t looking for a change, but when she saw the job opportunities, a mechanism in her mind immediately clicked.
In her 22 years working on campus, Townsend helped guide the school toward long-term financial sustainability and expanded accessibility. She’s been with the school through thick and thin, from the centennial celebration, to the tornado, COVID-19 and the building of the Zierk Athletic Center.
But more than just her achievements, she hopes she’ll be remembered for her warm presence and unwavering belief in the community.
“I hope people feel like I was approachable and helpful,” Townsend said, “and that it came across that I really, really love this place.”
Now, as she enters retirement, Townsend looks forward to traveling with her husband, slowing down and staying close to the school she’s helped shape — a place, she believes is defined by unity.
“We are one St. Mark’s. One community,” Townsend said. “That unity is what makes us ‘St. Mark’s Strong.’”

After 41 years of shaping young minds at the school, David Baker is retiring.
Over the decades, he’s nearly done everything: coached Upper School tennis, golf and Middle School baseball, led admissions, sponsored eighth grade and helped steer the school in the right direction.
The varying perspectives that each of these positions offered shaped his idea of the school brotherhood — one rooted in connection, diversity and thought.
As he steps away from the school, Baker’s resume is full, but his legacy reaches far beyond trophies or titles.
“We really are trying to save the world — one graduating class at a time,” Baker said. “That’s always been our mission. Our school is truly a family”
Though he’s done nearly everything, Baker said there are things he wishes he’d experienced — like the iconic Pecos trip.
“I taught summer debate camps at Dartmouth for 16 summers, so I was never able to go on the Pecos trip,” Baker said. “That’s the one thing I wish I had done.”
Despite never making it to the Pecos, Baker’s journey here was more than enough. As for what’s next — he looks forward to giving golf, travel and personal projects his undivided attention.

When Thomas Eckel came to the school five years ago during the height of COVID-19, he came to revamp the school’s Information Technology (IT) program to create ease and comfort for both students and faculty.
Eckel immediately began working to enhance the technology that was used around campus, whether it be upgrading rooms and projectors or helping with the brand-new technology used in the Zierk Athletic Complex.
“We upgraded five classrooms last summer and are planning to upgrade 12 more this summer,” said Eckel. “Last summer was just a proof of concept to make sure our ideas were sound.”
Although Eckel has only been here a short time, his impact on the school and community has been profound. He plans on enjoying all of his free time while still remaining available for the IT team if it needs any assistance.
“I’m going to try and enjoy retirement,” Eckel said. “I’ve got my sixth grandchild due in September, so I’ll spend more time with my grandkids and my wife. We’re pretty active between tennis, pickleball and skiing in the winter.”