At the end of Susie Wu’s first year as the director of upper school, she feels sentimental about being the director of middle school, but she wouldn’t change anything if she had the chance.

“I have not regretted it, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t miss middle school,” Wu said. 

Wu’s move to director of upper school has been an exciting reunion for ninth graders who moved to upper school with her. Ninth grader Steven Ratsch said that one of Wu’s good qualities as both the director of middle school and upper school is that she is very friendly.

“I would say she’s definitely not someone scary to approach,” Ratsch said.

Students see her engaging with the community when she stands outside to welcome students onto campus or just saying hello in the hallways. 

“Ms. Wu is a great division director because she is firm, kind, gets to know her students, gets to know families, and teachers respect her. Ms. Wu is fun and loves to attend concerts and games which helps her gain respect from parents and students,” Head of School Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau said.

When talking about the changes in her job between being the director of middle school and the director of upper school, she mentioned that upper school seems to be more serious, especially with the thought of college looming.

“I get to see students start to become more independent because they drive. They’re able to make more decisions. They make more decisions on their own, and their voice and their expression starts to come out,” Wu said.

Wu spoke fondly of the ninth graders she is getting to see grow, mature, and ultimately get to know better.

“This ninth grade class, which was in eighth grade last year, they are special to me in a sense because I spent all three years in middle school with them, and I got to see them through this transition of ninth grade year,” Wu said.