In 2007, alumnus Miguel Gomez Marshall had the great opportunity to return to his elementary school as Caedmon's health officer.
Over the next five years, Miguel's role expanded as he spearheaded several dynamic innovations for Caedmon, including the genesis of a summer camp, air conditioning units in each classroom, and brand new courtyard and downstairs spaces, among other vital projects. Dr. Marshall is currently a leader in the Health Education team as Director and Consultant for Elevate Health Consulting. Here he reflects on the essentialness of good health in today's schools, reveals what it takes for projects to be successful, and discloses a favorite after school class. Thank you, Miguel, for your many outstanding contributions to Caedmon and for taking the time to visit with us.
In a few sentences, tell us about your position at Elevate Health Consulting and why you believe health and wellness is vital in helping schools be most successful.
When looking at the most newsworthy school issues today, many of them have to do with health and well-being. Prior to the pandemic, the Nation’s K-12 faculty were already burnt-out by being overworked and undercompensated, mental health had become a household term, and staying home while sick was already policy. Nevertheless, many schools still consider the sum of their sexuality classes, SEL (social-emotional learning) programming, physical education, and fringe benefits to be reflective of their overall approach to health and well-being.
What’s so critical about my role with Elevate is that we are providing services that support schools in expanding their conceptualization of school health. When reviewing a school’s health and wellness mission, I serve schools with a multidisciplinary team of subject matter experts who audit a school’s health curriculum, services, and programs to provide realistic recommendations that impact students directly now and in the future.
Many years ago, you came back to Caedmon as a key employee and fulfilled several important roles. How did it feel to work at your old elementary school?
Ha! Great question! As we transition throughout adulthood, many of us begin to see more clearly the issues of the world in which we grew. When we realize some of these issues as problems and flaws, we tend to “go back in time” to try to reconcile what had been happening that we may not have been fully aware of during childhood. Working at Caedmon felt like an opportunity to go back in time, build off of what was really, really good, and discover where the organization needed to improve. Indeed, because I had a such a positive experience as a student, I had very high expectations as an adult—probably too high at times. Interestingly, where I discovered Caedmon falling short, I was provided with the opportunity to participate in improvements—a rare and fortuitous opportunity!
You were instrumental in several big Caedmon projects, such as creating the summer camp and constructing a brand new courtyard. What’s it like to take an idea for something so complex and bring it to completion?
What’s so beautiful about these projects is that my Caedmon education was foundational to accomplishing them. At the time of managing some of these projects, I had just completed a certificate in Advanced Project Management from Stanford. Taking the knowledge and learnings from that course and applying them efficiently to real-life is a special skill, one I am proud to say I practiced frequently at Caedmon. These projects were also a team effort, and if I couldn’t deploy other Caedmon values like the creation of community and the appreciation of diversity, then these projects would not have gotten done in matters of months!
Which subjects most interested you when you were a student at Caedmon and how did they shape your professional pursuits?
Marbelizing Magic! I just loved that afterschool class. In addition to numerous experiences at Caedmon that I may never realize translate into real opportunities, I’d say organization and—again—the ability to learn something quickly and apply it. Unfortunately, the world isn’t always designed for the Caedmon graduate. Many places expect people to work and prove themselves over the course of some years before doing “real work;” a Caedmon experience, however, prepares students to be a bit like the actors in The Matrix movie, upload information, feel learned in it and apply it immediately, with the exception that the Caedmon graduate still thrives off the learning thereafter!
You’ve been a part of two Caedmon eras – the late 20th century as a student and the late 2000s/early 2010s as an administrator. What’s your vision for Caedmon for the remainder of the 2020s and beyond?
My vision would be for Caedmon to remain a vibrant and sought-after formational school in New York City, while at the same time maintaining affordability to diverse groups of people.
