CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FACULTY AND STAFF ON THE MOVE
Q&A WITH TOM RANKIN
After 12 years at Cathedral, Tom has moved to St. Louis to be closer to his and his wife’s families. In his time at the School, Tom has served as our Technology Coordinator as well as the Lower School and 5th Grade Science Teacher.
R&G: Which colleagues made the biggest impact on you? TR: Michael Vietmeier “V” was one of my closest friends over the years and I learned so much by coaching with him early on and seeing how he built genuine relationships with his students and players. I really strived to emulate that kind of community in my teaching and coaching. Of course, there were so many others that had an impact on me as well, and in many ways, every teacher I ever worked with made an impact. R&G: What would you do if you weren’t at CSB? TR: It’s hard to imagine not being an educator in some way but perhaps working in National Parks or something involving music would be pretty cool. R&G: What was your favorite lunch menu item? PO: The chicken curry! R&G: What was your favorite CSB activity or event? PO: I loved Outdoor Ed and have many great memories from those trips. I also had a lot of fun playing music for the Fall Bash over the years as part of the band Uncle Riffkin. R&G: What is next for you? PO: I’ll be teaching science at New City School in St Louis, and starting a new chapter there with my wife and son.
Red&Gold: When did you start working at CSB? Tom Rankin: I started in the 2010-2011 school year. R&G: What were you doing before you began teaching here? TR: I started my teaching career at Stuart Hall as an associate teacher for 4 years, and I also worked at Mountain Camp near Lake Tahoe and in SF. R&G: How many years did you work at CSB? TR: 12 years R&G: What roles did you have at CSB? TR: I began as a technology teacher and tech support specialist. I also coached soccer, basketball, golf, and the multi-sport season we did during 2021. Later I helped run our maker space and in 2017 I became the K-4 science teacher for 4 years and then the 5th-grade science teacher for my last year. R&G: Do you remember what your first day was like? TR: I was nervous and I remember feeling somewhat lost trying to get around the school. When someone told me we ate lunch in the “crypt” I thought they were joking too! R&G: What did you like best about working at CSB? TR: The people! There were so many smart and funny people throughout the school community and I always felt like I was in the presence of great teachers who cared a lot about their craft and supporting their students. I also had the unique experience of working with many grades in my different roles and I always felt like I knew everyone a little bit and that was special.
WINTER 2023 • RED & GOLD | 41
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