Were it not for statistics, Valerie Greaud doesn’t know if she would have found her way to George School. A statistician at heart with a penchant for working with students, a career pivot and class observation at George School in 2003 happened to coincide at a time when the math department was looking to establish a statistics program. Bill Enos, the math department head at the time, hired her… and she’s glad he did.

Her background in statistics, psychometrics and psychology has been invaluable during her time at George School. Before teaching here, she earned her PhD from Johns Hopkins University in quantitative psychology, worked as a statistician for Educational Testing Services (ETS) and served as an assistant professor in the psychology department and School of Education at Syracuse University. But she knew she wanted to teach high school students and show them that math extends beyond the classroom.

“The thing I like about teaching statistics,” Valerie shared, is that “it’s an applied math subject: We use principles and theories of statistical mathematics and apply them to real-world situations.”

Math did not always come easily to Valerie, and she keeps this in mind when teaching her students. “I know what it’s like to have math be hard,” she said. “That gives me an extra dimension as a teacher to know there’s a path for all students to find success.”

This empathy extends to Valerie’s other work at George School. In addition to her role as a math teacher, she has also worked in Orton Dormitory as a dorm head and parent, led weekly local service trips, served as a leader on service trips to New Orleans (2012) and Mississippi (2018) — which she led with her daughter Emma ’09 — been the co-op supervisor on campus and provides academic and study skills support for students in the Learning Center.

Each of these roles have connected Valerie with students and the community in meaningful ways that support Quaker values.

“No one thing gets done alone,” she said. Specifically with co-op, Valerie shares the importance of uplifting work that is not always visible but is essential in the George School community. Whether helping in the dining hall or cleaning classrooms, co-op is a learning experience for students that extends beyond work ethic and focuses on the Quaker philosophy of community. It fosters equity and an appreciation of the way each member contributes to sustaining the community of George School, in both noticeable and quiet ways.

When asked about her work in the Learning Center, Valerie lights up. She values the one-on-one attention students receive in the space, the small-group work and the connections with students that are different from a traditional classroom setting. The fulfillment Valerie feels from her time in the Learning Center is evident. There, students “come to see us as somebody on their side to partner with them, to help them walk their journey of success and to find out what they’re capable of doing.”

Valerie added that the support students receive in the Learning Center coalesces well with George School’s holistic approach to cultivating an appreciation of lifelong learning.

“Students can seek support, they can seek help, they can ask questions, they can say ‘this is hard,’ and somebody will be there to support them,” she said.

For Valerie, teaching and modeling for students the importance of using their voices, advocating for themselves and working together leads to growth.

“What brings me the most joy,” Valerie shared, “is the opportunity to build relationships with students and help guide them during a pivotal point in their lives. They learn that they can do things they might not have thought they could do.”