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make the book Conjugial Love more relevant to our girls. We know that
many of our girls come with a complicated past and we want them to
know that the Lord loves them and is merciful; that they can have good,
healthy relationships; and that there is always hope.
• We have started an initiative called Values in Action and are partnering
with The Growth Opportunity Center. This initiative came in response
to concern about bullying in our schools. It is not a punitive program in
nature but through self-reflection and self-examination it is designed to
make our students and faculty better, more caring human beings. This,
too, is an initiative by both schools.
I have been privileged to work with a dedicated group of people who
believe in New Church education. Coming to work has been easy as what we
do is so inspiring.
I have received a wonderful education at the Girls School and I know that
it will guide me as I enter this new phase of my life.
SHAWN AND AILEEN H. SYNNESVEDT
Shawn and Aileen have been “institutions
of the institution” for more than 35 years.
They have been the heart and soul of the
Academy Secondary Schools athletic
program, perpetuating the legacy of such
legends as Stan Ebert and Ron Nelson.
They graduated together in the Class of
1977, married in 1980 and have raised five
sons, while devoting much of their lives to
the Academy and Bryn Athyn community.
Shawn graduated from Trenton State College (now the College of New
Jersey) in 1982 with a BS in Health and Physical Education and Recreation,
and earned a Master’s from Arcadia University in 1998.
He was a Stuart Hall houseparent (with Aileen) from 1979-84 and 198993, and has been teaching at the Academy since 1980 – first as a long-term
sub in Health and Physical Education and full-time teacher since 1988. For
the past 12 years he has been Athletic Director for the Secondary Schools, and
between 2008 and 2010 was Cross Campus Athletic Director, including Bryn
Athyn College.
He has also been a long-time assistant and head coach, including cross
country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, soccer and football. His 1995
baseball team won the Friends Schools Championship.
Among many of his special services, he headed the Wounded Warrior
Softball Team Host Committee, chaired the Pennsylvania Independent
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