After ten years of teaching, conducting and holding together the SPA band and orchestra programs, Director of Bands Randy Reid is retiring. Since 2015, Reid has directed both the middle and upper school bands, led the orchestra woodwinds and taught countless students wanting to be involved in music.

Reid didn’t come to SPA with a plan to stay long. Hired initially as a one-semester sabbatical replacement, he filled in for former band director Bill Mason. Then another opening emerged, and he stepped in again, part-time at first, then full-time.

Before SPA, Reid had been a stay-at-home parent for nearly a decade, played trumpet in community bands and previously taught music at Mounds Park Academy. But it was at SPA where he fully returned to directing, known for his familiar presence in the music wing.

His start in music wasn’t about ambition; it was about connection: “I was a mediocre trumpet player, and I didn’t have a whole lot of friends. And then I started making friends in my high school band … and I realized through just goofing around on my instrument with my friends, that if I actually practiced a little bit, I got a lot better,” Reid said.

“I wanted to be that person who could open doors for kids who had that same feeling.”

At SPA, Reid made that philosophy a reality with his ensembles.

“My goal was mostly just wanting to … be that person that facilitates kids sort of finding their place … discovering aspects of music that they might not have discovered on their own,” he said.

One of Reid’s most lasting contributions was turning the spring jazz concert into the now-beloved cabaret.

“The spring concert was just like an ordinary concert … just jazz … and there wasn’t a huge audience so I thought it would be much better if we got everybody on stage with some snacks and a glass of water at the tables and have [just] the difference in atmosphere,” Reid said.

He also expanded what music at SPA could sound like, whether through jazz fusion standards or cinematic pieces like his arrangement of the “Wonder Woman” theme for full orchestra, a favorite of his.

“It’s a very aggressive piece … that was kind of fun because I think it sort of stretched the orchestra’s idea of what an orchestra could sound like,” he said.

As for the future, Reid’s hopes are simple: “I hope that there isn’t any step back. It’s kind of natural if a student is sort of on the fence about whether they’ll continue or not, they might use the fact that the band director is changing as an excuse,” he said.

“I want the program to stay at least as strong as it was, and if it can get stronger, that’s even better … I would like to be able to come back next year or the year after, come listen to a concert and think, ‘Oh, those guys are good.’”

Ten years may not sound like a lifetime, but in a school, it’s long enough to leave a lasting imprint on students who passed through the band room under his teaching. Reid was there, ready, thoughtful and always listening.

WORLDWIDE WISDOM. History teacher Scott Telfer challenges his World History II class with some primary sources. Having taught in a British International School in China, Telfer has lots of experience teaching in different environments and subjects. (Juan Miguel Adams)

Scott Telfer’s career path took a turn after a conversation in 2001.

“My wife pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re not very happy,’” he said. “And I said, ‘Yeah, you’re right.’ She told me I needed to either find a way to be happy in law or do something that makes me happy.” Telfer didn’t hesitate to move into education; that conversation marked the beginning of his transition from the legal world to the classroom.

Telfer’s interest in teaching wasn’t entirely new. He came from a family of teachers, with his father teaching eighth grade, and his uncles and aunts teaching high school. As a child, he considered both law and teaching as potential careers. He chose law first but found the practice unfulfilling.

“The way their practice of law was, at least at that time, it was all about maximum billing and less focused on really helping your clients, and that was not a good fit for me,” Telfer said. Though he doesn’t regret his time in law, Telfer knew he needed a change.

Shortly after switching into education, Telfer and his family moved to China, where his wife worked with 3M. He taught a range of subjects, including math and English, at a British International School. After returning to the U.S. in October 2020, his previous role, training teachers, was eliminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Telfer then reached out to SPA.

He began at SPA as a full-time assistant and later transitioned into an English teaching role. Within a year, his role expanded to include long-term substitute teaching and, eventually, history classes.

Telfer’s teaching philosophy has been shaped by his experiences both in the U.S. and abroad. Having taught in Texas, China and at SPA, he’s seen the wide variation in educational environments.

He found the difference between the rigid curriculum in Texas, focused heavily on standardized testing, and the more flexible, student-driven approaches he encountered in both the British School in China and here.

“The biggest difference I saw was how much latitude I had in teaching, compared to my time in Texas,” he said. “Here, teaching is more adaptable to students’ needs and interests, which is better suited for a learning environment.”

Critical thinking is also at the heart of Telfer’s teaching style. He encourages students to think independently and challenges them to engage with the material.

Telfer aimed to promote a space where students felt comfortable challenging his views. “I love it when students argue with me. That’s the best way to learn … when students feel comfortable disagreeing and discussing different perspectives,” he said.

While Telfer’s career has been marked by leadership roles and recognition, such as being named Teacher of the Month in Texas, he considers his most significant achievement the decision to leave law behind. “I do not for a second regret it … teaching has truly been much more fulfilling for me,” Telfer said.

Looking ahead, Telfer hopes SPA will continue to prioritize a balanced approach to education. “I hope SPA stays true to its mission of teaching students to think for themselves … It’s important to challenge students, not just teach them what to think,” he said. For Telfer, teaching at SPA has been the ideal way to conclude his career.

US Math Teacher Ethan Somes is leaving after four years of teaching in the math department. Somes taught Geometry and taught in the middle school as well, teaching Math to eighth graders. They were also the faculty advisor for the student affinity group Rainbow Connection and organizer/chaperone for the annual Q-Quest, run by the Minnesota School Outreach Coalition.

Always up for a moment of connection, Somes is known for attending sporting events in support of advisees and competed on the winning faculty Quiz Bowl team.

In the “Meet the New Teachers” article from 2021, Somes said “I think math is just like… the blueprint of the universe. It explains everything in such a perfect, beautiful way,” they said.

Somes declined to be interviewed for departing teachers story.