Wye River Upper School is proud to announce and celebrate the remarkable contributions and unwavering dedication of Alexa Seip as she concludes her tenure of eight years as the esteemed Board Chair. Throughout her remarkable leadership, Mrs. Seip has played a pivotal role in shaping the school’s growth, guiding it toward new heights of excellence in education.
Under Mrs. Seip’s visionary guidance, Wye River Upper School has achieved remarkable milestones and established itself as a leading institution, providing an exceptional educational experience for students who learn differently. Throughout her tenure, she has championed the school’s mission to empower students with diverse learning profiles to reach their full potential and succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.
During her eight-year term as Board Chair, Mrs. Seip has shaped the school’s strategic vision and has played a key role in developing critical partnerships with local businesses and organizations. She has fostered a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, enabling the school to adapt and evolve in an ever-changing educational landscape. Her strategic vision and commitment to excellence have paved the way for transformative initiatives that have positively impacted the lives of countless students.
Alexa Seip
Under Mrs. Seip’s leadership, the school has experienced significant financial growth and academic advancements. In concert with the other dedicated board members and staff, Mrs. Seip has positioned Wye River Upper School as a beacon of excellence and a model for other educational institutions through her intentional finance, education, and community engagement initiatives.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Mrs. Seip has inspired and guided staff and fellow board members alike. Her commitment to the mission and values of Wye River Upper School has been truly remarkable, setting the standard for others to follow.
After eight years of dedicated service, Mrs. Seip passes the torch to Nicole “Nikki” Williams. The legacy Mrs. Seip leaves behind will continue to shape the future of Wye River Upper School, serving as a testament to her outstanding leadership, dedication, and unwavering belief in the potential of every student.
Wye River Upper School extends its deepest gratitude to Alexa Seip for her phenomenal service, commitment, and passion throughout her tenure as Board Chair. Her contributions have had a profound and lasting impact on the school and the lives of its students, and her legacy will forever be cherished.
If you would like to donate to our Annual Fund to honor Mrs. Seip’s profound leadership, please do not hesitate.
About Wye River Upper School: Wye River Upper School, located in Centerville, MD, is a premier independent preparatory 8th – 12th-grade school dedicated to serving bright students who learn differently. Through individualized instruction, comprehensive support, and a nurturing community, the school empowers students with learning differences to achieve their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally. Wye River Upper School is recognized for its commitment to providing an inclusive environment fostering growth, resilience, and success.
Chrissy Aull says
Alexa was drawn to the Mission of Wye River Upper School from her first phone call twenty years ago. She has remained committed to the school’s success ever since. First as a friend of the school, then as a Trustee, concluding with an eight year stint as Chair, Alexa generously shared her experience and deep understanding of what is required to sustain an independent school. Leading by example, her many dear friends and family felt her passion and joined her in support of the school and its’ mission. Alexa’s tenure included a successful capital campaign, enabling the school to purchase, renovate and reside in the Centreville National Guard Armory. Her impact on the success of a tiny but mighty non-profit is remarkable and permanent. The students and families who rewrote their own stories at WRUS are the winners. It was an adventure and a privilege to work with Alexa. I look forward to her continued friendship. I know the school will miss her.
Reed Fawell 3 says
I knew nothing about Wye River Upper School until reading this article. Given the fact that I have lived with dyslexia and ADHD over the past 70+ years, I read carefully the material on the school’s website. I was mightily impressed on many counts. For example, the school’s philosophy of teaching and learning:
“Twelve Demonstrations of Learning
1. Write a cogent and persuasive opinion piece on a matter of public importance.
2. Declaim with passion and from memory a passage that is meaningful — of one’s own or from the culture’s literature or history.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of long and short term personal goals addressing such areas as finances, time management, self-advocacy, personal and social skills, occupational plans, health and wellness strategies and recognition of the impact of their learning differences.
4. Complete and critique personal performance in an internship or experiential learning.
5. Produce or perform an original or challenging work of art.
6. Construct and program a robot capable of performing a difficult physical task.
7. Exercise leadership and articulate the strengths used to be a leader.
8. Use statistics and/or logic, to assess whether or not a statement by a public figure is demonstrably true.
9. Assess media coverage of a global event from various cultural/national perspectives.
10. Describe a breakthrough for a team on which you served and to which you contributed to overcoming a human-created obstacle in order for the team to be successful.
11. Demonstrate a commitment to creating a more sustainable future with means that are measurable.
12. Identify a community need and demonstrate your role in meeting it.”
Given my lifetime of experience, I know a fair amount the needs of kids who learn differently. This school is obviously on top of its game and plays a critically important and vital role in the education of its students, giving them precious gifts that unfortunately are very short supply most everywhere else. Those kids are very fortunate to have such a place. And, if the school’s 2O year past be prologue, the school will have a great future indeed.
Dave Wheelan says
I join Mr. Fawell in both applauding the mission and existence of the Wye River Upper School. I was fortunate to be diagnosed with dyslexia in the 6th grade in 1967 thanks to attending Winnetka, IL’s nationally recognized progressive public school system.
This early indicator that I learned differently was not some flag for my school principal to send me to some “opportunity room” in the basement of my school, but instead opened the door of programs and activities that encouraged those learning differences to flourish.
In my case, I was allowed to use the school’s pioneering closed-circuit television network to create a news and arts weekly series. And for two years, part of my school day was to write, produce, and host a program that became newsworthy in its ability to attract exclusive interviews with the likes of Chicago Bears QB Virgil Carter and noted Chicagoland politicians. It is of no insignificant that 50 years later, this experience directly impacted my founding the Spy Newspapers in 2009.
That early opportunity to not only experience learning differently but to have the satisfaction of accomplishment so early in life established a level of confidence that changed the trajectory of my life forever.
Needless to say, even with the blessings of having private schools like Wye River on the Mid-Shore, it is saddening to note that this chance to learn differently remains exclusive for most children and their families.
Al Sikes says
Mastery!