Faces of Greenhill

STEVE BLANCHARD

Steve Blanchard came to Greenhill from Casady School in Oklahoma City in 1971. He held the roles of Middle and Upper School history teacher and track coach before being asked by Head of School Phil Foote to start building a relationship with the Boys Club of Greater Dallas.

Blanchard and another Middle School history teacher, Buddy Steele, spent two years tutoring boys at the club, and building ties with the organization. In 1973, Greenhill started the Independent School Project, offering financial aid to Boys Club students who had an interest in attending the School.

Blanchard eventually moved into the role of Admission Director, tackling the challenges of ensuring that the boys (and the girls from the Girls Club of Dallas) had the support that they needed, from tutoring to transportation, to succeed at Greenhill. Steve left Greenhill in 1992 to continue his career in educational leadership at schools like Augusta Preparatory Day School and Porter-Gaud.

PETER BRIGGS

Peter Briggs was named the third Head of School at Greenhill in the fall of 1992. His eight-year tenure kicked off with the Reach for the Stars capital campaign which funded the new Levy Middle School and Three Chimneys buildings, the renovation and expansion of the Agnich Science Center, and the repurposing of the existing Levy Middle School as the new Fine Arts Building.

Briggs also oversaw changes to division schedules, programmatic and organizational changes that strengthened the authority and accountability of the division heads, and commissioned a committee to standardize the school’s image, which resulted in the first published Graphic Standards and Style Manual for Greenhill.

In the spring of 1999, Briggs announced his retirement and was met by a standing ovation in recognition of his many accomplishments. Greenhill honored Briggs at Homecoming in 2000 by dedicating the Briggs Clock Tower located in the Foote Quadrangle. Briggs passed away on July 25, 2014.

LUCINDA CARTER

Lucinda Carter joined Greenhill School in 1971 and taught Middle School language arts for seven years before assuming the mantle of Head of Middle School, a role she held until her retirement in 2006. In this role, Carter cultivated her gifts as a “teacher of teachers,” nurturing young faculty members in the process of guiding her division to new heights.

Upon her retirement, the Teaching Fellowship Program was officially renamed the Lucinda F. Carter Teaching Fellowship Program (later the Carter Associate Teacher Program) in her honor. Each year, Carter interacts with the Associate Teachers as they launch their teaching careers at Greenhill.

In 1973, Carter and Sheryl Ellis came up with the idea for the student body to perform a musical each year – a tradition that still stands today. In April 1985, Carter instituted “Teacher [later Employee] Recognition Day,” the final gathering of the school’s employees each year – a tradition that continues to this day.

ESTELLE DICKENS

Estelle Dickens arrived at Greenhill in 1960 and quickly established herself as a math specialist, student advocate, testing guru, brain researcher, and parent educator. In 1976, Dickens was named Head of Lower School, a position she held for 14 years, aiming toward her goal of having “the best Lower School in the city.”

She then served as Assistant Head of School, and in later years, Dickens employed her vast experience in leading the school’s learning assistance program.  When she passed away in 2004, she was the longest-serving employee in the school’s history at 44 years.

To honor her contributions to Greenhill, Dickens was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Gold 1 named after her.

CHRISTINE EASTUS

Christine Eastus came to Greenhill in 1970. She quickly earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues, supervisors, and students as she worked to engage all members of the English department from prekindergarten through grade 12, establishing a language arts program that was one of the best in the country. She sponsored the school’s literary magazine, Montage, to national acclaim, and her leadership of the student council empowered Upper Schoolers to take ownership of their school experience and accountability for their learning.

Eastus demanded excellence from her students and worked relentlessly to bring new and diverse voices into the English curriculum. Throughout her time as English Department Chair, Greenhill garnered a national reputation for the rigor and excellence of its writing program. Established upon her retirement from Greenhill in 2005, the Christine Eastus Scholarship Fund provides support to an Upper School student who shows promise in the humanities.

SALLY ESTES

Sally Estes, parent of Risser '83 and Kris '80, served on the Board of Trustees from 1976 to 2012, and served as Board Chair from 1983 to 1986. In the mid-1970s, Sally is credited for starting what is now known as Employee Appreciation, by spearheading an entire Teacher Appreciation Day designed to thank the teachers for their dedication to the students.

More notably, as Board Chair, Sally signed a 99-year land-lease agreement with Trammell Crow Company on January 7, 1985. The lease of the parcel of land adjacent to what is now Midway Road was the culmination of a two-year process where the Land Lease Committee evaluated proposals from a number of firms. The lease gave the School a source of long-term income to bolster the School’s finances, making it more competitive with other schools in town. Later in 1997, Greenhill sold the lease to Cardinal Capital Partners, Inc, which more than doubled the School’s endowment at the time of the sale. Sally’s leadership grounded the School financially, ensuring that it would continue to serve students for years to come.

To honor her contributions to Greenhill, Sally was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Red 7 named after here.

PHIL FOOTE

Philip G. Foote spent 23 years at Greenhill, first serving as Head of Lower School, then Head of Lower and Middle School, and finally assuming the role of Head of School from 1976 to 1992. He advanced Fulton’s vision by growing enrollment from 984 to 1,210, increasing the number of full-time faculty members from 95 to 135, and establishing financial stability for the school by leading the Greenhill Park land-lease initiative which solidified and grew Greenhill’s endowment. He was also known and loved for wearing red-plaid pants and playing the piano during the holidays.

BERNARD FULTON

Helen and Bernard Fulton are the two most well-known founders of Greenhill School. He demonstrated his energy, versatility, and commitment to education in all guises by serving as chairman of the Addison Independent School District's school board for 10 years. In 1950, he became the founding headmaster of Greenhill School.

From 1950 to 1976, Fulton served as the founding headmaster of Greenhill School, where he attracted strong teachers and secured the support of families and board members. He also pioneered the concept of open-space education and the developmental primer program in the Southwest and proved that his vision of independent co-education represented the wave of the future for the region.

When he retired from Greenhill, he was recognized for his unwavering commitment to his vision and for his incessant drive to improve, never allowing the school to rest on its laurels despite its growth (from 62 to 1,002 students) and its solid position as the top coeducational in-dependent school in the area.

HELEN FULTON

Helen and Bernard Fulton are the two most well-known founders of Greenhill School. Described by Estelle Dickens as a “behind the scenes person,” Helen poured herself into the monumental task of carving out a dream from the impossible hardscrabble of the North Texas prairie. From bookkeeping to answering phones to making lunches to substitute work to sewing totebags, no task was too menial for her. 

Though not a trained teacher, Fulton was a keen observer of children and a tireless researcher of educational methods, and it was her initiative that brought the Cuisenaire Rods and the Orton-Gillingham reading program, among other ideas, to Greenhill. She also organized and led the annual Greenhill Summer Studies Abroad Program, a humanities-based summer travel and study experience for Upper School students. But perhaps her overarching achievement lay in her creation of a carpool system that spanned the city and provided the vital means for getting students to and from Greenhill during the early years. Quite simply, without her transportation orchestration – and her daily driving rounds – there would not have been students in the school.

MOLLY FULTON SEELIGSON '60

Molly Fulton Seeligson, daughter of founders Helen and Bernard Fulton, was one of the original 62 Greenhill students. As a student, she was deeply involved in the Greenhill community – she served as head cheerleader, Homecoming queen, and joined myriad clubs, including riding club, bridge club, glee club, student council, and even the youth council for traffic safety.

She earned multiple accolades during her time as a student including the Ronnie Freeman award, DeLay Service to Greenhill award, the Fulton award, and Valedictorian. After Greenhill, she followed in her parents’ footsteps with a career in education. She led The Clear Spring School in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, served as Head of School at the Fulton School, and held the role of Director of The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Through the years, she maintained a strong relationship with Greenhill, volunteering while her son attended the School and serving on the Board of Trustees. In recognition of her longstanding commitment to the School, the Board unanimously voted to bestow her with the unique honor of Life Trustee in May 2015. A few weeks later, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from the Greenhill Alumni Association.

JOE GONZALES

Joseph Gonzales served Greenhill from 1965 to 2000, holding multiple roles, the most notable of which was the role of Assistant Head for Diversity Programs. While Greenhill has a history of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Gonzales’ appointment to this position in 1992 marked the School’s first leadership position focused on this growing area of importance.

Under Gonzales’ leadership, Greenhill established policies and programs that created the foundation for our current equity and inclusion work. To honor his contributions to Greenhill, Gonzales was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Green 4 named after him.

SCOTT GRIGGS

Scott Griggs’ led Greenhill as Head of School for 18 years. Known for his commitment to the School’s mission, Griggs enhanced campus facilities with the building of the Philip G. Foote Lower School, Child Development Center, Korenvaes Upper School expansion, Maalouf and Frankel Fields, and the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center.

Griggs had a steadfast commitment to equity and inclusion, a strong connection to all employees on campus, and a desire to achieve excellence in all Greenhill programs. His vision and leadership brought Bernard Fulton’s vision into the 21st century.

RICHARD HALL

Richard “Dick” Hall, a former Dallas Tornado soccer player, was hired to lead Greenhill’s soccer program in 1970. He quickly got to work establishing a winning soccer program from Middle School to varsity teams. In the 1981-1982 season, Greenhill’s boys soccer team won its first SPC Championship, sparking a run of seven consecutive titles. By the end of the winning streak, Greenhill’s soccer program was the envy of SPC and an elite program among Dallas’ public schools.

Hall was named Greenhill’s Athletic Director in 1980, which was a little unusual for the time since the conference at that time was primarily run by football coaches. Hall wanted to support all sports equally and successfully increased the profile of girls’ sports programs at Greenhill and in the SPC as a whole. Hall served as the boys soccer coach until 2010. Under his direction, Greenhill won more than 500 games and 15 SPC conference titles. In 2010, he was inducted into the Southwest Preparatory Conference Hall of Fame.

To honor his contributions to Greenhill, Hall was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Gold 12 named after him.

LEE HARK

Lee J. Hark joined Greenhill as the fifth Head of School in July 2018. His commitment to excellence, his philosophy of education that aspires to help students become the best versions of themselves, and his keen sense of humor have enabled him to have a tremendous impact on Greenhill during his tenure.

His leadership has transformed the campus with the opening of the Rosa O. Valdes STEM + Innovation Center, the renovated Levy Middle School building, the updated Philip G. Foote Quadrangle, and the forthcoming athletics facilities enhancements, including a new Athletics Performance Center.

He has also overseen the creation of the School’s Design + Innovation program, the first of its kind in the region, connecting students with companies to help solve real world problems.

WES KITTLEMAN

Wes Kittleman joined Greenhill in 1961 and held the roles of business manager, math teacher, math department chair, Summer School Director, Director of Admission, and head varsity tennis coach during his 22-year tenure. Kittleman and his wife Jane were named honorary alumni by the Alumni Association in 1995.

During the 2019-2020 school year, Johnny Chilton ‘78 and his wife Alexandra established the Wes Kittleman Impact Award to recognize an outstanding member of the teaching faculty in Upper School who is known for excellence and dedication in their positive and transformational impact on students.

To honor his contributions to Greenhill, Kittleman was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Blue 1 named after him.

HELEN MISURA

Helen Misura became one of the 12 founding faculty members of Greenhill School when Bernard Fulton asked her to join the new venture as the first Head of Lower School in 1950, a position she held until her retirement in 1969. Misura oversaw the expansion of the Lower School, which doubled the number of sections for each grade level in 1960. She also helped ensure continuity between the Preschool and Lower School programs when Preschool was officially added as a separate division in the 60s.

The highest award in the Lower School was named after Misura – the Helen Misura Award honors the fourth-grade students who best exemplify the qualities of scholarship, citizenship, sportsmanship, and leadership.

To honor her contributions to Greenhill, Misura was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Blue 6 named after her.

LAVONDA MONK

Lavonda Monk joined the Greenhill community in 1965. She began her career as a bus driver, picking up kids from all over Dallas in the morning and dropping them back at their homes every afternoon. Not long after her arrival, Monk was asked to help out in the Business Office between her morning and evening drives.

When Greenhill eliminated its bus service, Monk took over the bookstore operations. She had a genuine interest in students and alumni and always remembered everyone. In 1990, she was named an Honorary Alumna of Greenhill School.

To honor her contributions to Greenhill, Monk was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Blue 4 named after her.

TOM PERRYMAN

Tom Perryman originally came to Greenhill in 1967 at the age of three and graduated in 1981. He came back to Greenhill and has served his alma mater as a sixth grade English teacher, coach, Head of Lower School, Director of Admission, and currently serves as the Associate Head of School for Mission, Community, and Culture. He coached over 30 seasons of football and baseball at various levels and is the play-by-play announcer at Friday night football games. Since 1991, Perryman has taught Upper School English courses on various subjects including Southwestern literature, the literature of human rights in the United States, and urban studies.

Perryman was instrumental in creating the Faculty Leaders program, is the co-founder and director of the Lucinda F. Carter Teaching Fellow program, and created the Legends program. He also started the Founders Day assembly – an annual tradition when the entire school comes together to celebrate the individuals and ideals upon which Greenhill has been built. Perryman wrote From Humble Beginnings (2001) with his brother David ’83, documenting the first 50 years of Greenhill School with great care and detail.

LORENE RICHARDSON

Lorene Richardson, the longest tenured employee in Greenhill history, began working in the cafeteria in 1967. She became the food services manager in 1973, a position she held for 40 years, spending her days ensuring the Greenhill community was well fed.

Richardson retired in 2013 after 46 years at Greenhill. She was the first person to be named an Honorary Alumna by the Greenhill Alumni Association in 1988, and a Heart of the Hill legacy group (Gold 5) was named in her honor in 2011.

SALLY ROSENBERG

Sally Rosenberg started at Greenhill in 1994 as the School’s first Director of Community Service and Service Learning. Under her direction, the School’s community service program grew to encompass every student on campus. In Preschool through Middle School, students engage in grade-level or division-wide projects, and in Upper School, students have required community service hours each year.

Sally retired at the end of the 2016-2017 school year after 24 years, and at that time the Teichman Family named the office in her honor: The Sally Rosenberg Service Learning and Community Service Office.

To honor her contributions to Greenhill, Rosenberg was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Blue 12 named after her.

JENNIE STUCK

Bernard Fulton hired Jennie Stuck to teach reading at Texas Country Day School in the 1940s. When he embarked upon his new project – founding Greenhill School – she signed on immediately. She joined Greenhill as a reading specialist and left no stone unturned when it came to learning new techniques for reading instruction, becoming nationally renowned as a reading expert.

Stuck was Greenhill’s first Director of Summer School and administered Greenhill’s admissions and in-house standardized testing. She was instrumental in improving the academic strength of Greenhill’s student population in the first decade of the School.

To honor her contributions to Greenhill, Stuck was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero, having Green 1 named after her.

RHEA WOLFRAM

After being hired by Bernard Fulton in 1972 as a college counselor, Rhea Wolfram was determined to change the way Greenhill families approached college decisions and the way universities and the community viewed Greenhill. She played a pivotal role in elevating Greenhill’s reputation in Dallas and the nation.

Wolfram claimed her greatest contribution to the Dallas private school community was talking St. Mark’s and Hockaday into collaborating on the first independent school college fair in Dallas. The inaugural venture was hosted at Greenhill in 1973. To honor her contributions to Greenhill, Wolfram was recognized as a Heart of the Hill Hero in 2019, having group Gold 10 named after her.