A native of Vancouver, BC, Stacy and his family moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2021. Before joining Aspen Country Day School, he was on the faculty at the Bush School, a K-12 independent school, in Seattle. Stacy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Curriculum with a focus on History and Physical Education from University of Victoria in British Columbia and also earned a Washington State Professional Certification and an educator certificate from the Colorado State Board of Education. He brings deep experience at the middle and high school levels along with a significant background in experiential education, outdoor education, and global studies.
Which ACDS core value is most meaningful to you, and why?
Perseverance. There are events and challenges in life that are difficult…even unpleasant. That is not a reason to avoid the discomfort. The physical or emotional toll is worth paying. One is strengthened by pushing through and surviving these hardships…we endure, we gain self-confidence, we know that we are not fragile and defeated so easily.
What makes a student’s experience at ACDS distinctive from other schools?
Outdoor Education. We have an amazing Outdoor Education team that makes our fall, winter, and spring trips such a formative and powerful experience for students and faculty. While I’ve taught at schools that provided similar opportunities, none made outdoor education quite the pillar it is at ACDS. The chance to build relationships in a context other than the classroom allows for a more nuanced understanding of our students and provides a connection that outlasts the time we have together at Aspen Country Day.
Bucket-list travel destination?
While I have travelled to forty-two different countries, I still have 153 left to see.
What led you to a career in education?
Throughout my life I have had, and met, a handful of teachers that challenged me to think critically about the world and human behavior. They helped me to realize that people and their views are complex…never an abstraction. Canadian/American, liberal/conservative, pro-life/pro-choice…these are all oversimplified labels that do not capture the evolving intricacies of each individual. Teaching students to evaluate actions and information to form their own opinions and to go out into the world with a sense of wonder and curiosity seemed to me to be a noble path to take. Also…the vacation time doesn’t hurt.
Hidden talent or special skill?
I have cat-like reflexes when something falls off a table.
