Miss Porter’s School

Mr. Quinn attended Westminster School and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in political science at Amherst College, where he played hockey and served as a team captain. Mr. Quinn has taught, coached, and worked in residential life at several different independent schools in the both United States and abroad. His teaching experience includes work at Avon Old Farms, Trinity Catholic High School, Seoul International School, and Westminster School. Most recently Mr. Quinn has served as the Assistant Head of Upper School at the University School of Milwaukee (WI) and as the Head of Upper School at the Tatnall School (DE).  He earned his master’s degree in education from Harvard University. Mr. Quinn has written a number of articles in prominent educational journals and is the author of the book “On Grades and Grading: Supporting Student Learning through a more Transparent and Purposeful Use of Grades” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013).

 

Mr. Quinn lives on campus with his wife and their two children. He is Porter’s Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty, and he also teaches English and philosophy, coaches lacrosse, and serves as an advisor. 

Ms. Watkin graduated from Lafayette College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in mathematics; the topic of her honors thesis was genetic algorithms. After graduation, she was employed as an actuary in the Hartford area before beginning her math teaching career at Kent School in Kent, CT, where she also served as a dorm head, technical director of the theater program, and Assistant Dean of Students. Ms. Watkin moved to Farmington in 2010 to join the mathematics department at Miss Porter's School; she also teaches AIS Research Methods and has served as the Academic Dean. Ms. Watkin earned her M.S.Ed. in School Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, where her culminating research project was on the developmental outcomes for students who engage in participatory research. She has been a presenter at the National Association of Independent Schools and the National Coalition of Girls' Schools on the topic of engaging students in research in order to inform school change. She is extensively involved in the school's ongoing reaccreditation work with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and with the Association's efforts to include student voice in the accreditation process for all schools. She is the proud holder of the Nancy Klingenstein Simpkins '73 Teaching Chair.

Ms. Watkin lives in the Village of Farmington with her husband and two children. She enjoys reading, meditation, and needlework and other crafts.