Talk about living in shadows.
Not only has The Linsly School graduated national, regional, and local leaders, but also there’s a Board of Trustees chalk full of successful alumni, a 30-foot statue of The Aviator on campus, and a past 30-year headmaster whose development office is across the parking lot from the Head of School’s office in Banes Hall.
So, Justin Zimmerman – you guessed it, Linsly’s Head of School – is surrounded by legend, history, expectation, and accomplishment on a campus where each student, staff member, and educator has a different idea of what the private school is supposed to be other than a nurturing home of shared knowledge that works for some but not all.
The Linsly School, established in 1814 thanks to Noah Linsly’s wish to establish a school in Wheeling that operated under the Lancastrian principle, or with “mutual instruction” that required older students teaching the school’s youngest pupils. The system still exists today thanks to the school’s “prefect” system, a form of student government, sure, but it also is the students’ collective way of making Linsly a place they can be proud of.
Heavy stuff, right? And a lot to be responsible for, too, huh?
But Zimmerman, a DIII hockey player during his college days in Wisconsin, served as the Dean of Studies and Student Life at Western Reserve Academy just south of Cleveland. That’s where he learned today’s young people both in and out of the classroom, and why Linsly’s Board of Trustees brought him to Wheeling and, most importantly, Leatherwood Lane, in 2014.
And the Head of School must be doing something very, very right, because, when LEDE News had the opportunity to sit down with former headmaster Reno Diorio in November, Diorio did say, “Linsly is very lucky to have Justin Zimmerman in this position.”
He shoots and scores!!
Which class/subject did you have the most issues in high school?
I attended elementary and middle school at a small, rural high school in Wisconsin and then began high school at a highly competitive boarding school in Indiana. I was an average student there who did well because I worked hard. That was pretty much true in all subject areas, but mathematics was always the hardest. Perhaps I was behind when I got to high school, but I figured out how to ask questions and get help when I needed it. My hard work paid off, though, as I tested out of all but one math class required for my science major in college.
Which area of the Linsly campus is your favorite?
This is a hard question because the campus is so nice and such a great place to live. In the morning, there is nothing better than standing at the front entrance of Banes Hall and greeting the students as they come to school. They are smiling, friendly, and eager to see their classmates and start their day. Perhaps the most inspiring and mesmerizing place on campus is the second-floor studio art room in the Williams Visual Arts Center. Most people have no idea what this space looks like, and I am in awe every time I stand in the center of the room and look at all the amazing artwork. In the evening, I love standing on the home sidelines of the football field or baseball/softball field and watching a game as the creek flows and the sun sets over the hills.
How does your alma mater, Culver Academies, compare with The Linsly School?
My wife and I were attracted to The Linsly School because of the similar missions of each institution. Both are college prep, have strong academic programs, focus on character development, and have a long and proud history of developing well-rounded alumni.
The Linsly School is a more intimate family-like community. Because Linsly is a smaller school than Culver, students develop deep and meaningful relationships with adults, and all students have opportunities to participate in many different areas of school life. I think students at both schools develop great friendships with their peers, but I am incredibly proud of how our Linsly teachers connect with their students in and out of the classroom.
Which superhero is your all-time favorite?
If I’m being completely honest, I can’t answer this question in the traditional sense. I don’t think I ever saw a Marvel movie or cartoon as a kid. What I can tell you is I had a Walter Payton and Wayne Gretzky poster on my bedroom wall. Those were my superheroes. My dad was a high school football coach, and I grew up on the sidelines watching his practices and games, so I always thought I would play football, but then I found hockey. Growing up in Wisconsin, it’s not surprising that my dream was to play in college and then the NHL. No one was better or more popular than Wayne Gretzky when I was a kid.
Why Linsly?
As a Linsly parent recently shared, “I know as a parent, watching my son wake up full of energy and eager to attend a school he loves fills my heart. Knowing my son is cared for and his teachers are holding him accountable provides comfort to me, as a parent, knowing he is being prepared daily for his future even in the 5th grade.”
There is nothing more important than a child’s education, and we know it is the community, culture, and expectations that impact the overall experience a child has in school. At Linsly, we set the conditions and create an environment where every student is known, appreciated, and cared for. We teach students how to learn in impactful and meaningful ways that will stick with them throughout their life, long beyond high school and college. We know students learn best through experiences, and we create an environment where every student is challenged yet supported, and where they learn by doing.
Participation is required for one to gain confidence and develop critical life skills. Learning in an environment where engagement in the classroom and in co-curriculars is expected, encouraged, and supported, helps to provide critical experiences that lead to learning, growth, and maturation. By design, Linsly challenges every student in some capacity, and that is what prepares them for life.
Life is hard, and there is no more important time to begin preparing children for this reality than when they are in our care, and we can guide, mentor, and support them through these moments.
