FASNY Headmaster Retires - Franco-American School of New York

School Life 3Ju n e 2012Teamwork a Central Theme of Mr. Leonhardt’s TenureContinued From Front PageWhen asked what his biggest obstacles ortoughest decisions were, Mr. Leonhardt said that nodecision was impossible, but rather that there weremany important ones. Some of the most memorable,he said, were launching the Ridgeway project, takingon the lease for the Scarsdale campus, and openingthe 11th and 12th grades, which he said was especiallydifficult given time constraints, the need to convince10th grade students to stay at FASNY, and the processof gaining accreditation from the French government.When asked about his leadership style, everyonepointed to the same word: “teamwork.” Mr. Leonhardtput it humbly, describing himself as “too lazy tobe a micromanager; I’m more of a teamwork guy.” Mr.Peinado said that Mr. Leonhardt “believes in his people,delegates choices, and always works in committees.”He added that the atmosphere Mr. Leonhardtcreated was “non-hierarchical,” in which it was notabout power, but about everyone working together.Mr. Leohardt will certainly be missed. “He’salmost like a father figure to me,” said Debbie. “He’snot just a boss, he’s a friend and a role model.”She fondly recalled how, whentelling a story, Mr. Leonhardt always“takes on every accent that the peoplein the story have, because it could beBrooklyn, or German, or French, andyou’re so engaged in it because he’s sohilarious, and he remembers everythingword for word.”Mr. Zabotin described his relationshipwith Mr. Leonhardt as being“based on open and honest communication,on mutual availability and on trust.Those are also the hallmarks of a goodfriendship, which our relationship hasbecome.” And when asked to describeMr. Leonhardt in a few words, Mr. Peinadosaid: “articulate, funny, intelligent,team-builder, and visionary.”Asked about his vision for FAS-NY, Mr. Leonhardt’s said it “starts withthe new campus. We’d like to expand to“It’ll be different without his famousbowtie or, as Mr. Zabotinputs it, his uncanny ability toquote La Fontaine for any givensituation.”1200 students in the near future.”The tuition will have to stay at the same rate,the curriculum will expand to include more non-nativeFrench speakers, and a new academic track willbe created. Mr. Peinado added that the courses mightbe more diversified through means of having morethan just the French curriculum, which will, in turn,reinforce the international aspect of the school. Somestudents, in fact, might not even need to speak French.He qualified¬ this, though, by saying that the Frenchbaccalaureate still needs to be a focal point.On the transition from Mr. Leonhardt to Mr.Peinado, the former said he believes that there will bevery little to no change. Mr. Peinado said that he is“not looking to go in a different direction,” stating thatComputer Program to Undergo Fundamental ChangeBy Amelia Getahun-Hawkinsthe transition will have a “positive and serene” essenceto it and that he will make sure to keep the school “trueto its mission.”Mr. Zabotin, in a letter he wrote for the Gala,said that Mr. Leonhardt made sure that FASNY did“not let academic excellence come at the expense ofwell-rounded, respectful, and unassuming students,”and, in his interview, he said that Mr. Peinado complimentsthis view of the school with his “holistic approachto pedagogy,” concluding that he was the obviouschoice for the position of Head of the School.Mr. Leonhardt, for his part, doesn’t plan onretiring and sitting on Florida’s sunny beaches just yet;he is waiting for what the future may have in stock.Asked to reflect on his plans, what he’s learnedat FASNY, and what he will miss most, he said that,after his health scare in 2009, he feels not only muchhealthier, but also “much better,” and that his lyingin a hospital bed provided for a lot of perspectiveand insight for the graduation speech he delivered toFASNY’s trailblazing class of 2009. When it comes tolife lessons, he believes that he has “developed a deeperunderstanding of the importance of listeningcarefully; I have learned to be verypatient.” He says that he will certainlymiss, above all, “the people, and the opportunityto work in a bilingual environment.”It seems clear that Mr. Leonhardt’sleadership for the past ten yearshas not just changed an entire school forthe better, but also instilled in FASNYhis own values of professionalism withwarmth, trust with responsibility, andgrowth with stability. It’ll be differentwithout his famous bowtie or, as Mr.Zabotin puts it, his uncanny ability toquote La Fontaine for any given situation,but his legacy remains, and so doeshis sparkling personality. As he led theschool through its largest expansions, sohe leads a new chapter in his life, and wewish him the best.FASNY has offered Computer class for thepast sixteen years but it’s time for a change. Whilethe school plans to use computers more than ever,FASNY has decided, essentially, to cut the class itselfin half.Computer classes will still be into groups ofregular, intermediate and ESL, but they will onlytake place for one semester per year, except for in theninth grade, because those students need a full yearof the class for their Brevet.Why only one semester? Like many independentschools that cut the class entirely, the administrationfeels that one semester is enough forFASNY students to absorb the basics of Computer.However, C-omputer classes are not being entirelystopped because students still need to acquire basiccomputer skills.To make up for the half of the program thatwe miss, computers will be integrated more in regularclasses and students will obtain computer skillsthrough them. For example, high school studentswill learn programming in math class.Many will be disappointed about the shorteningof one of their favorite classes, but the timewill be used during the other semester for StudyHall and elective classes. Also, the administration istrying to put in place a pilot program for studentsusing laptops in class.The one sticking point might be one of thosemost fundamental skills: typing. Since formal computerclasses have been canceled at the lower school,the Larchmont and Mamaroneck administrationwant to make sure that students acquire good typingskills.It’s also a time to ask about First Class—will it be the program of the future? Mr. Peinadosays that the technology department is looking intochanging from First Class to a Google-based mail.Illustration by Zoé Guyot