The Riverdale Community Says Goodbye to Mr. Thomas Taylor
Most Upper School students probably associate Mr. Taylor with Riverdale as the Head of Upper School. However, Mr. Taylor began his journey as a falcon decades ago, in 2004, as a physics teacher and a tennis coach. Even with a 7-year hiatus from 2013 to 2020, the Riverdale community has maintained a positive relationship with him, and we are heartbroken about his bittersweet departure. Therefore, we, The Riverdale Review, wanted to honor him by compiling interviews with three of his closest colleagues into an article that will commemorate his time at RCS.
Mr. Taylor’s approachability and easygoing nature do not only apply to students but also reverberate throughout the faculty. Assistant Head of Upper School Ms. Julie Choi remarked that when she met Mr. Taylor for the first time, “he was incredibly enthusiastic [and] energetic” and had an “effusive personality.” Assistant to the Head of Upper School Ms. Alexandra Martinez echoed Ms. Choi’s sentiment: “he has this way about himself that makes you feel comfortable asking questions and having a conversation with him.” These characteristics are evident whenever Mr. Taylor is addressing the student body during assembly. Even in a crowd of hundreds, he is able to relate to every member of the Riverdale community and make them feel heard and appreciated.
Each interviewee gave pointed examples of how Mr. Taylor was a source of light in their trying and stressful days. Ms. Choi described, “It is fun, working with him. It is hard to say that about people you work closely with for a long amount of time.” Additionally, Ms. Stokes spoke of a deans’ retreat she joined Mr. Taylor on in August. The retreat was an opportunity not only to work but to come together as administrators. Ms. Stokes highlighted it as her favorite memory with Mr. Taylor, and it really speaks to his desire to form a close-knit community that can rely on each other in hard times.
The interviewees also spoke about the playful side of his personality. Ms. Martinez, for example, cited his endearing tendency of singing and dancing around his office space, and Ms. Choi jokes about how he is always accusing her of stealing the coffee cups from his office. Even in his role as Head of Upper School, Mr. Taylor is devoted to his personal relationships and making each person in his life feel valued. These qualities, as well as Mr. Taylor’s larger impact, will be greatly missed by Ms. Choi, Ms. Stokes, Ms. Martinez, and the rest of the Riverdale community.
When asked what they wanted their farewell message to Mr. Taylor to be, the interviewees all had to take a moment and contemplate how to answer such a loaded question in so little time. It is not easy to say goodbye to someone who has had as large of a positive presence as Mr. Taylor. Their answers were reflective of Mr. Taylor’s kind, focused, and hardworking nature. Ms. Choi said, “Enjoy it, savor it...also I want him to know how much he will be missed.” Ms. Martinez advised him to “remember to stop and breathe, remember to slow down.”
Mr. Taylor embodies the behavior and values that have been at the forefront of the Riverdale community for as long as I can remember. I have been a student at Riverdale for 13 years now, and I remain impressed with the personability of the administration. A large portion of this can be attributed to Mr. Taylor and his relationships with the Upper School students. He consistently makes the extra effort and knows every student’s name so he can say hi to them individually in the hallways. This sense of kindness that Mr. Taylor gave Riverdale as the Head of Upper School was much needed when he returned in the midst of a global pandemic.
Mr. Taylor, we cannot say thank you enough! Your witty sense of humor, innate desire to support those around you, and constant dedication to the Riverdale community will forever be missed. We are so excited for you and all of the amazing things that you are going to do at Paideia—please come back to visit soon!
