On July 1, 2021, Collins began her new role as Principal of the Upper School at St. Paul Academy and Summit School (SPA). Her job includes overseeing all aspects of the Upper School program, from supervising and evaluating faculty work to helping set goals for her team of administrators. As the 2021 school year continues, Collins hopes to establish a strong sense of community at SPA, especially following the months of hybrid schooling.

SPA’s Upper School Academic Dean of four years, Tom Anderson, is one of the faculty members working with Collins on a day-to-day basis.

“One of us is usually in the others’ office two or three times a day,” Anderson said with a smile. Their work together requires both long and short term strategizing over plans for the school. So far, they’ve been focused on dealing with questions among the faculty and creating the Academic Program and Policy Committee—a program aimed at gathering teachers to talk about methods of growth, development, and change in SPA’s academic program.

“She really is someone who wants to help teachers grow to meet their potential,” Anderson said, calling Collins a “teacher of teachers.” He admires her hard work in trying to create conditions in which teachers can “grow and can think of themselves as striving to be something that they may not yet be.”

According to Collins, her experience in both pedagogy and relationship building acquired as a teacher translates over to her new leadership job at SPA. Both positions involve working between students, faculty members, and administrators in order to make decisions that satisfy the collective needs of the community. Following her tenure at Parker, Collins said she “know[s] the ins and outs, the timeframes, and that there’s always room for another conversation. You just have to do the very best you can.” Being able to connect with SPA, especially over their shared experience teaching online, has also helped her transition into the new school.

In his note to the SPA community announcing the appointment, Head of School Bryn Roberts noted Collins’ “deep understanding of the world of Upper School, whether talking about students, the opportunities and challenges for the faculty, the significance of our diversity work, or the concerns and needs of the parent community.” 

Anderson also touched on his appreciation of Collins’ teaching experience, saying that “she does not seem like a first year principal. What makes me most confident about working with her in the future is that every time something a little bit hard comes up, she’s asking the right questions.” Anderson looks forward to continuing his work with Collins.

In addition to the difficulties that come with accomplishing everything in one day that she wants to get done, the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 still remains a challenging part of her job. Having conversations in order to alleviate worries among the community has become a routine task. Collins also has to help work through disagreements surrounding the school’s health protocols. Despite these challenges, her love for the work holds steadfast.

“I love working in high school so much, even on hard days with challenging conversations with a colleague or parent, or figuring out challenging scheduling logistics,” she said. 

Collins’ passion for her new position also makes the complex family situation worth it. With her husband, the Associate Dean of Leadership Development at the Booth School of Business, still living back in Evanston, weekends are spent making the commute to see each other. Because her daughters are either in or graduated from college, Collins said “it makes the situation a lot more doable.”

Collins also misses her second home in Chicago: Parker.

“I am and will always consider myself a progressive educator, without a doubt and Parker is the place where that piece of my identity was truly realized,” she said. “I miss my colleagues a lot, and I think Parker students are phenomenal thinkers, writers, actors, and athletes.”

The Parker community misses her too. “Even though Parker is different without Ms. Collins, I know she is doing something she loves,” former-advisee senior Minnie Dennis said. “I definitely miss her and I hope she is enjoying her new job.”

As she gets accustomed to the new environment, Collins said she is loving her time at SPA.

“I’m really starting to get to know many of the students,” she said, later mentioning her conversation earlier that day with the cross country team after practice. “I really really like my team— they’re fantastic. It’s always a real gift to enjoy and feel satisfaction about the people that you’re working with.”