Jean M. St. Pierre was a legendary teacher and mentor, and beloved member of the Academy’s faculty from 1963-2004 (Abbot Academy 1963-1973, Phillips Academy 1973-2004). Jean chaired the English Department at both Abbot and Phillips Academies and served as interim chair of the Phillips Academy’s Theatre Department. In 2004, Jean received the McKeen Award, an award given to a PA community member who best exemplifies “inspired and dedicated leadership in education.” At the award ceremony, Diane Moore, director of the Brace Center for Gender Studies, described Jean with these words: “the most significant thing about [Ms. St. Pierre] is her generosity of spirit and pervasive kindness, [her] unrelenting hope about education itself, and about the power of education to transform people.”

Born in August of 1937, Jean was a resident of Harwich Port, Massachusetts at the time of her passing. A funeral Mass was held in West Harwich this past August. Jean’s ashes were then interred in the Chapel cemetery garth.

Jean will always be remembered in the hearts of her students and colleagues as well as on campus. Behind Bulfinch Hall, there is the “St. Pierre Outdoor Classroom” where classes meet to discuss and share their classwork. Additionally, the Abbot Academy Association donated funds in 2004 to create the Jean St. Pierre Scholarship Fund at Phillips Academy. These funds support students from New England, with a preference for a student from Jean’s hometown of Lowell. For more information, please contact Grace Curley ’81 at gcurley@andover.edu.