The staff at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School announces three new faces to the SAS team in the fall.
The newest addition in the Science Department is Mr. Joe Mahler, the new physics teacher. Mr. Mahler, who will also be the head coach of cross country, has more than 20 years of teaching experience ranging from middle school to university classrooms. The schools at which he has taught include James Madison University, St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Va., Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC and, most recently, at Sayre School in Lexington, Ky.
He is a graduate of UNC Charlotte, and he earned his master of education from Walden University. Mr. Mahler has been the recipient of the Short Award for Excellence in Teaching Math and Science at Sayre School and he also earned the Outstanding Physics Teacher distinction from The Virginia Association of Science Teachers. He was a Division I athlete in college, and he has coached cross country and track at both the middle and high school levels. Mr. Mahler and his family have spent a lot of time in Sewanee
over the years. His mother-in-law is Mary Priestley, curator of the Sewanee Herbarium. "We are thrilled that he’s bringing his many gifts and incredible experience to the Mountain this fall," officials said.
Mr. Tim Wallace is both a new member of the SAS Humanities Department and the new girls varsity soccer head coach. Mr. Wallace has more than 25 years of experience as a teacher, coach and administrator at Grace St. Luke’s School, Harpeth Hall and, most recently, at The Ensworth School, where he has spent the past 20 years serving as a history, English, art, and speech teacher, chair of the History Department, head of the middle school and a coach at various levels in soccer, track and basketball. He did his undergraduate work at Kenyon College, and he earned his master’s degree in secondary social studies education from Vanderbilt University. "Mr. Wallace is a great school man, and he is bringing a wealth of experience to SAS," officials said.
The new dean of students is Mr. John Phillips. Mr. Phillips earned his B.A. in history from Wake Forest University, an M.A. in history from the University of Florida and an M.Phil. from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland in international relations and economics. For the past four years, Mr. Phillips has served as the associate head of school at The Phelps School in Malvern, Pa. He has also been the dean of academics and the director of residential life at San Domenico School in San Anselmo, Ca., the director of middle and upper schools at New York Military Academy in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY, the dean of students at Westtown School in Westtown, Pa., the dean of students at The Kinkaid School in Houston, Tx. and a history teacher at Poughkeepsie Day School in Poughkeepsie, NY. Mr. Phillips has also spent the past 23 years teaching a six-week American Constitutional Law Summer Seminar at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. "He too is an outstanding school man, and we are looking forward to him being a part of this wonderful community," officials said.