Behind the Scenes with Mrs. Fick

“I was a student in high school who struggled with reading comprehension; never an official diagnosis, but it was a struggle.” Most people probably wouldn’t expect this to be said by Jemicy’s Director of Education, Mrs. Fick. Mrs. Fick plays a vital role in the functioning of Jemicy’s academic program, even though most of the work takes place behind the scenes. Her efforts as the Director of Education and as an advocate for students create an evermore welcome and supportive environment. 

Since 1999, Mrs. Fick has been a core member of Jemicy’s faculty, going from teaching skills in the English department to becoming the Learning Specialist for the upper school and, lastly, the Director of Education. Yet if we look past that, she has always shown her passion for teaching throughout her career. Mrs. Fick earned her Master’s in Education, leading her to work with students who struggle with language-based learning differences. During an interview with Mrs. Fick, she mentioned how as someone who had struggled with learning in the past, having some fantastic teachers inspired her to go into Education and help students with learning differences, leading her to become the influential person she is today. 

Starting off working at a Baltimore city school from 1996 to 1997, Mrs. Fick decided to further her career by attending graduate school at Loyola from 1997 to 1999. Soon after graduate school, she began working at Valley Academy until it merged with Jemicy in the early 2000s, where she has worked ever since. Mrs. Fick has always proved to be a valuable asset to Jemicy as a friend and mentor. As the director of education, she is responsible for all aspects of Jemiciy’s academic program. She works to create individual schedules for students and teachers or works with the department heads to develop the curriculum. Mrs. Fick stated, “We are learning from their alums who go off to college and come back and say, ‘these are some things that I really think would be great to be in the program to help the students as they go through school and transition to college.” Showcasing that when a change is needed, not only are the faculty and students involved, but also the previous graduates. She later states, “All of our programs are research-based, so there’s always new research coming out.” This shows Jemicy’s dedication to enhancing the curriculum and teaching methods used in class.

Besides spending her time at Jemicy working with students, Mrs. Fick also enjoys spending her time reading. She expressed that her favorite author is Colleen Hoover. Alongside that, she spends her free time volunteering at the Cool Kids Campaign with pediatric cancer patients and also at the Ronald McDonald house. Even in and out of school she strives to support others regardless of the situation.

We all know Mrs. Fick as the director of education and teacher who strives to “work with students and watch them grow in their educational journey.” Meanwhile, behind the scenes, she continues to improve Jemicy as a whole while consistently embodying Jemicy’s credo; respect, investment, integrity, and responsibility.