John Schmick '97 began his teaching career at Gilman in 2002. After three years of teaching, coaching, and advising, he moved to St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Virginia. At St. Christopher's, Mr. Schmick worked in the middle school. In 2013, he returned to Gilman where he currently serves as an English teacher, advisor, and Dean of Student Life. He helps to advise the Student Council, oversees the club program, organizes the ninth grade Outward Bound expedition, and works with the Living Classrooms Foundation.

Q&A

What inspired you to become a teacher?
Throughout my life, I have been blessed to be surrounded by dedicated mentors who invested a lot in my personal growth. My father, a career educator, is a large reason why I became a teacher. I hope to serve my students with the same dedication and grace that I was shown as a young man.

What do you enjoy about teaching at Gilman?
The Upper School years are a time where a boy's intellectual curiosity is helping to shape his sense of identity. Gilman is very blessed to be in a position where we can offer a wide variety of experiences to enrich our students' education. These experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom, are formative, especially when they are overseen by a group of adults who love and care for their students.

What is your best teaching moment?
My favorite moments as a teacher are when I am able to have meaningful conversation with a student. I love it when a boy comes to my office to discuss an assignment or an initiative he wants to lead and the conversation naturally meanders into other topics that are on his mind. Those connections are why I love being a teacher.

People may not know…
I live on campus with Kate, my wife, who teaches in the Lower School. My sons, Johnny and Bo, are Gilman students, and my daughter, Anne Miller, is a student at Calvert. We have a crazy yellow lab named Sunny, and a mellow beta fish named Hank.