Packer welcomed over 400 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, family, and friends for a garden party in honor of Dr. Bruce Dennis on May 30.  

The night of celebration began in the Blackburne Library, where the Board of Trustees presented Dr. Dennis with a plaque to be installed in the newly-dedicated Bruce L. Dennis Atelier and Rooftop at the Packer Early Learning Center, which opened in September 2018. 

Guests gathered at twilight in the Garden to give thanks to Packer’s leader. “I have had the privilege of working alongside Bruce,” said Debbie Juantorena P’19, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “I have been awed by his healthy perspective, his calm, and his sense of self. He has taught me the importance of being thoughtful and open-minded and not rushing to judgment.”  

Celebration Committee Chair and Trustee Cynthia Gardstein ’66 IVAc introduced a surprise tribute video honoring “the man of a thousand words — many of them quite amusing.”

Jason Dennis, who shares his father’s affinity for humor, introduced “the man of the hour. The lion in winter. The headmaster's headmaster. Your boss and mine, Dr. Bruce Lawrence Dennis.”

Dr. Dennis then took to the podium. “Teaching in schools has always felt more like a calling than a job to me. It's not just what I do, it's really who I am. So the concept of not doing it anymore is very, very daunting. But despite my excitement on moving on to the next phase of my life, I'm going to miss this place more than I can possibly express.”

He thanked the members of the celebration committee who planned the evening: Trustees Stacy Blain P’18, P’21, P’25, Mimi Somerby P’17, P’19, Hillary Ripley P’18, and Lisa Lambert P’22, P’25; Director of Development Sara Shulman; Director of Communications Karin Storm Wood; and Manager of Special Events Shriya Bhargava-Sears, who orchestrated the “incredible party.”

“Being celebrated like this with [my wife] Barbara and Jason is going to be a memory that I will treasure forever. Serving as Packer's ninth head of school for these last 15 years has been the honor of a lifetime,” he said. “I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.” 

Photo highlights are below. Enjoy the complete photo set by Raoul Brown at Packer Communications on Flickr.

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