Faculty Member Wins Amherst College Teaching Prize

At Parker’s Commencement activities in June, Upper School English teacher Matt Laufer was not present for the first time in more than 12 years. However, it wasn’t because he had suddenly developed an aversion to the Heller Auditorium; he was receiving Amherst College’s Phebe and Zephaniah Swift Moore Teaching Award at the school’s pandemic-delayed Commencement for the Class of 2020. 

Amherst created the prize, named after the school’s first president of Amherst and his wife, in 1997 to recognize teachers who challenge, inspire and moved members of each year’s graduating class.

An obvious question is, “How can a high school teacher win a college teaching award?” The answer is that these teachers were nominated by their former students. Laufer explained that Emma Swislow ’16 nominated him and “I won—on nothing but the strength of her recommendation!”

Parker is very proud of Laufer and hopes the community will join the school in congratulating him on this tremendous achievement that speaks to his vast impact on his students—during their time at Parker and beyond.