At Homecoming 2025, varsity swimming coach Jeff Scott (center) celebrates on the field with his son Patrick and alumni and former HRA swimmers (standing, left to right) Mitchell Finch ’08, Chase Suttle ’17, Caroline Thatcher ’16, and Peyton Baldwin ’15

Continuing a tradition initiated at Homecoming 2025, Hampton Roads Academy will proudly recognize Navigator varsity teams celebrating landmark anniversaries of conference and state championships at halftime during this year’s Homecoming varsity football game against The Covenant School on Friday, October 23.

The special spotlight embodies the spirit of Homecoming, a time for all Navigators—whenever they attended the Academy—to return to campus and honor the strong relationships and legacy of excellence that have defined the school’s history since it opened its doors in 1959.

Players and coaches from years past will begin gathering on campus at the annual All-Alumni Tailgate at 5:00 pm, gearing up for a 6:30 kickoff. Around 7:00, championship teams will join alumni from all eras and parade onto the field for a salute to their remarkable accomplishments.

The 15 exceptional teams recognized this fall are an embodiment of the long-running record of athletic achievement that has brought distinction to the Academy and continues to this day on the court, on the field, and in the pool.

“I love that recognizing HRA’s championship teams at Homecoming has become a tradition,” said Director of Athletics Laura Stoner. “It’s a meaningful way to reconnect with our alumni, celebrate the Navigators who helped shape HRA’s athletic history, inspire today’s student-athletes, and build pride in what it means to be part of the HRA community.”

Decades of Excellence

Davis Wildman ’77 smacks a home run over the fence during the spring 1977 baseball season

“It’s a wonderful tribute to our Athletics Department over a long period of time that this decade championship anniversary year spans half a century and includes nine different sports,” said Director of Alumni Relations Tommy Yevak ’83, a star player and longtime coach of HRA baseball.

Marking an incredible 50 years since they won the Commonwealth Conference championship in their respective sports are two outstanding 1977 teams. That spring, boys tennis, coached by the late math teacher Col. Robert B. Short, came out on top in all but one of their singles and doubles contests in a four-team conference championship tournament held at Richmond’s Trinity Episcopal School. Meanwhile, Navigator baseball, led by second-year coach Jack Marr, had its strongest season up to that point in HRA history, with an impressive 16-3 record. Also clinching the conference title at Trinity, the baseball team capped off the championship game with an unforgettable grand slam by HRA Athletic Hall of Famer Bill Shelly ’77.

All-Conference golfer and medalist Charles Wentworth ’89 tees off in spring 1987

The spring 1987 golf and girls track teams will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of their championships at Homecoming this year. Under the late great Hal Tayloe, a longtime English teacher as well as a beloved coach, Navigator varsity golf suffered only two losses all season and claimed the TCIS tournament championship title. That same year, coached by the late Larry Knight, girls track posted their fifth consecutive undefeated season, with top honors at the TCIS meet as their crowning achievement.

Three teams spanning all sports seasons will celebrate 30 years since they each won a TCIS tournament championship. In fall 1996, boys soccer, led by longtime coach, history teacher, and Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Alford, notched their third consecutive conference title with a triumphant 2-0 win against Norfolk Academy. Later that school year, both the winter 1997 girls swim team, under Coach of the Year Barbara Schmidt, and the spring 1997 golf team, under Coach Art Burke, won their second straight TCIS championships. Navigator golf was honored to have five players claim medalist positions that season.

Then-seventh grader Taylor Wingo ’12 takes a powerful swing during the varsity girls tennis team’s historic 2006 season

This fall marks the twentieth anniversary of the historic 2006 girls tennis season, during which the team was undefeated, with a perfect 15-0 record, and went on to win the regular-season, TCIS tournament, and state championships. Head Coach Ray Smith, an honorary 2026 All-Alumni Tailgate host, received his well-deserved sixth TCIS Coach of the Year award for his leadership that season. Alongside Smith’s decorated tennis team, HRA will also recognize Coach Jim Lewis’ winter 2006 and winter 2007 boys swim teams for the fourth and fifth in an amazing run of five consecutive TCIS tournament championships.

Rounding out this year’s Homecoming halftime recognitions will be a remarkable five state championship teams celebrating a decade since their memorable wins. HRA will shine a spotlight on the winter 2016 and winter 2017 boys and girls swim teams, all coached by honorary tailgate host Jeff Scott, who still helms the Academy’s varsity swimming program. The boys and girls swim teams notched their respective fifth straight state championships in 2016, followed by their sixth in 2017, both on their way to an unmatched run of seven titles. In 2017, both teams were also TCIS runners-up, with junior Nick Schoenig ’18 named conference MVP. Coach Scott’s four teams will be joined on the field by the state champion spring 2017 boys track team, led by current head coach and Upper School history teacher Chris Joyce, the voice of HRA Athletics.

A Celebration of Talent, Dedication, and Navigator Spirit

Director of Alumni Relations and HRA baseball player and coach Tommy Yevak ’83 reconnects with Barbara Schmidt, who coached the Navigator girls swim team to multiple championships, at the 2025 All-Alumni Tailgate

While it is still a new tradition at HRA, honoring the Academy’s most accomplished teams during Homecoming has already made both alumni and coaches past and present feel more connected to the history of the school and to one another.

“I know that some of these championships only occurred due to some remarkable team and individual performances in clutch situations,” Yevak said. “I love sharing those celebrations with fellow alumni and hearing those stories. As former student-athletes, those are some of the most fabulous moments of our lives.”

“On a personal note,” he added, “it’s very rewarding to be able to say I either have friends from or taught folks from all of these teams. I just wish I had coached one of them!”

As the coach of one of this year’s recognized teams, Smith noted that his enthusiasm for Homecoming extends well beyond gathering with his undefeated, triple-champion girls tennis team. “I’m hoping I’ll see not only players from 2006, but also others who played here,” he said.

Former soccer player Andrew Ross ’98 celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of his team’s 1995 TCIS tournament championship with his old coach, HRA Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Alford

For Smith, the most gratifying aspect of coaching has been watching his athletes, some of whom started on his team as early as the seventh grade, grow into mature, confident young adults with families and successful careers of their own. Every former HRA athlete is a testament to the talent, dedication, and spirit of the Academy’s student body, and Smith looks forward to reconnecting with sporting Navigators from all eras on Friday night and throughout Homecoming weekend.

There is still time to register for all Homecoming 2026 events! HRA invites Navigators from across the decades to celebrate our championship teams, tailgate with their fellow graduates, cheer on our football players under the lights, and stick around for an on-campus reunion party on Saturday night. With delectable food, delicious libations, live music by alumni Doug Parsons ’81 and Susannah Hornsby ’01, and enough nostalgia to make 20 years feel like the blink of an eye, this Homecoming will be a weekend no Navigator will soon forget.

To kick off the 2026-2027 school year, Middle School student support specialist and varsity football head coach Rodney Taylor (left) joins Director of the Student Support Center Lisa Thatcher (right) as the SSC expands its services beyond the Upper School

The beginning of the 2026-2027 school year marks a new chapter for Hampton Roads Academy’s Student Support Center (SSC), an invaluable campus resource that empowers student excellence.

Having helped more than 70 Upper Schoolers boost their academic performance and develop personalized strategies for success since it opened its doors last August, the SSC will now expand its services to the Middle School with a slate of executive functioning skills courses for students in Grades 6 through 8, among other resources tailored to the developmental needs of Navigators at this stage of their education.

To provide targeted instruction and mentorship for HRA’s Middle Schoolers, Director of the Student Support Center Lisa Thatcher and Upper School Spanish teacher Noelle Rennolds will be joined by a new member of the SSC faculty, Middle School student support specialist Rodney Taylor, who also serves as head coach of the Navigator varsity football team. Taylor’s arrival coincides with the start of Abigail Whorley’s tenure as Director of Middle School and history teacher Kerry LiBrando’s appointment as Middle School Dean of Students, filling out a leadership team that shares the SSC’s focus on providing students in this division with the skills and confidence they need to excel in Upper School, in college, and beyond.

As Upper Schoolers return to the SSC this fall and Middle Schoolers visit it for the first time, they will step into a space that not only offers a wider range of services, but has also been physically transformed.

A bright, modern space designed around student needs: Thatcher excitedly surveys the transformed SSC

Thanks to generous support from former trustee and past Navigator parent Trip Ferguson ’67 and partnerships with current parents Lee Lockwood (a flooring professional as well as a former trustee) and Ruth Deibler (an interior designer), new carpeting and LED lighting were installed throughout the SSC over the summer. In late August, HRA added tables with whiteboard surfaces, comfortable chairs, and a banquette bench spanning the full length of a wall in room 2113. In the coming years, Thatcher envisions further renovations to optimize the student experience in the facility, including individual study booths and acoustic panels for the walls of the SSC. The director explained that she plans for students’ preferences and needs to guide her innovation within the space.

“The reimagining and ongoing expansion of the Student Support Center reflects the HRA community’s shared commitment to ensuring that all students—at every level—receive the personalized resources they need to achieve their goals and take ownership of their college-preparatory experience,” said Head of School Jay Lasley. “During our Year of Resilience, the SSC will play a critical role in helping our students grow into confident scholars who embrace setbacks as opportunities for improvement.”

Successes in Year One

The SSC is entering its second year with significant momentum on which Thatcher and her team are eager to build.

Though the program was without precedent at HRA, Upper School students and families enthusiastically welcomed the launch of the SSC, with approximately 40% of the entire student body in Grades 9 through 12 using its services and achieving an average GPA increase of 13% in the first year alone.

Pivotal to these impressive outcomes was the staff of six specially trained peer tutors who earned community service credit as they assisted their fellow Upper Schoolers in sessions ranging from 15 minutes to an hour before and after school or during study hall and flex periods. Thatcher delighted in observing older students review an assignment they had completed in one of their classes the year before and “translate it to teen-speak,” meeting tutees where they were.

Two tutors also provided homework help for Lower Schoolers, creating what Thatcher hopes will prove to be the foundation for a more robust interdivisional peer tutoring program. The preexisting Homework Club offered through HRA’s Extended Care Enrichment, the director suggested, could provide a framework for such collaboration as the SSC continues to grow.

Learning strategies for managing work in school and beyond: students practice “juggling” responsibilities during an SSC orientation activity

During the spring 2026 semester, the SSC carried out a successful pilot program with the powerful, research-based educational platform MindPrint Learning. Beginning in January, students already utilizing the Center’s services completed the online MindPrint assessment, generating a personalized profile with insights into how each student learns best and resources to optimize academic performance based on one’s present strengths and areas for improvement.

Among the many promising results the SSC achieved, Thatcher pointed to “the atmosphere that the students have built in the guided study halls” as the most significant success story. Proctored by Thatcher and Rennolds, these study halls helped new Navigators and those attending for “grade recovery” develop valuable organizational skills as they prepared for upcoming assignments and exams. With guidance from educators who provide active mentorship, Thatcher observed, the students “are academically maturing, figuring out how they learn best, and really caring about their results.” Most importantly, they have capitalized on every resource available to them and dispelled any stigma around seeking support.

“That is, hands-down, the greatest thing that could’ve happened in this first year,” Thatcher said.

The SSC director is a firm believer in the motto “What is necessary for a few is good for all.” Other members of the HRA community heartily agree. Assistant Head of School and Director of Upper School Ben Rous has cited the SSC’s guided study halls as a potential model to emulate division-wide. Parents of students whose GPAs have risen above the threshold for “grade recovery” have expressed interest in having their children continue to utilize the SSC’s services, hoping to build on the exceptional benefits they have experienced in the past year. In addition to helping students improve their grades and study habits, the SSC has provided a roadmap for navigating collegiate-level student support resources once they advance to the next stage of their education.

Phase Two: Expanding to the Middle School

Incoming ninth graders complete the MindPrint assessment, generating personalized learner profiles to inform their Upper School studies

For the Upper School, the SSC’s second phase began during this August’s ninth-grade orientation. Launching what Thatcher described as “a much more intensive MindPrint experience,” each member of the incoming freshman class completed the platform’s online assessment and entered the Upper School with an individualized learner profile to inform their study habits for the next four years and beyond. These students will have the opportunity to reinforce crucial learning skills through MindPrint’s BOOST courses during Advisory periods throughout the year, and their teachers will be able to use their profiles to tailor their instruction to the various learning styles represented in the classroom. Within four years, every Upper Schooler will benefit from MindPrint’s unmatched insights and resources.

The greatest transformation for the SSC this year, however, will be its expansion into the Middle School. In response to overwhelmingly positive parent feedback on Middle School counselor Ashley Spruill’s fifth-grade course InFOCUS, helping new Middle Schoolers learn how to learn through an exploration of organization systems, conflict resolution, self-advocacy, and resilience, the SSC has introduced similar executive functioning skills classes for Grades 6 through 8.

This year’s offerings, taught by Coach Taylor, include the quarter-long courses School Skills for sixth graders and Level Up for seventh graders, along with the semester-long eighth-grade class My Notebook, pioneered by Thatcher during her time as the Middle School counselor (1996-2020). During his TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) periods, Taylor will also work in the SSC with students with learning accommodations.

Navigators meet with members of the team who will support them through their college-preparatory experience (standing, left to right): Director of College Counseling Elizabeth Cavallari, Upper School counselor Elizabeth Rous, SSC director Thatcher, and Coach Taylor

Taylor, an educator with extensive experience as a middle school teacher and counselor as well as a mentor to student-athletes, helped Thatcher design a curriculum rich in experiential learning, employing games to simulate challenging learning situations and spur reflection on setbacks students might face in their school work within a low-risk environment. Across its Middle School classes, the SSC will introduce students to the reading comprehension improvement application ReadTheory, teach note-taking techniques, and discuss how to keep lockers clean and binders organized.

“The Student Support Center should be a place where students can make mistakes, ask questions, try different strategies, and learn without feeling judged,” Taylor said. “I want students to develop the confidence to approach a challenging assignment, a busy week, or an unexpected problem with a plan rather than feeling overwhelmed. I want them to understand that executive-function skills are learnable skills, not qualities that you either have or don’t have.”

As Taylor joins her team, Thatcher is excited to see him work closely with the Middle School faculty to help students understand how they learn best. “Being able to do that when you’re 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 years old is such a gift,” she said. “And then they’ll build on that as they get into Upper School.”

The Path Ahead

While guided study halls, peer tutoring, and the rollout of MindPrint Learning in the Upper School laid the foundation for the SSC to expand to the Middle School, Thatcher now hopes executive functions courses for sixth through eighth graders will provide a model for similar offerings for older Navigators.

Organization, time management, and the ability to take ownership of one’s own learning are among the most sought-after skills for college and career success. As part of a cohesive college-preparatory experience that begins the moment a student joins the Academy, HRA aims to strengthen these abilities early and reinforce them as students approach graduation.

The SSC will continue to play an important role in this vision as it grows further in years to come. The Center’s team plans to launch their third phase as soon as the 2027-2028 school year, with the addition of a dedicated Lower School reading specialist who will extend the facility’s services to all three of HRA’s divisions.

With Thatcher at the helm, the Student Support Center is poised to become one of the most impactful facets of the Navigator experience. “Her work there is immeasurable,” Lasley said. “I’m so excited to think about the future of this program under her leadership, because we’re just getting started with it. As we remain focused on cutting-edge academic programming for all of our students, we will continue to cultivate opportunities for them to develop academic confidence and resilience.”

HRA Assistant Director of Athletics and award-winning soccer coach Chris Mills huddles up with the varsity boys team on game day

As Hampton Roads Academy’s varsity boys soccer team launches into the fall 2026 season, these talented players could not be in better hands.

During the past school year, soccer coach and Assistant Director of Athletics Chris Mills demonstrated the extraordinary impact that dedicated educators and coaches can have on student-athletes by earning TCIS Coach of the Year honors for both the varsity boys and varsity girls soccer teams. This remarkably rare distinction reflects not only competitive excellence, but also his commitment to developing confident, resilient, and principled young people.

Mills’ twin Coach of the Year awards, for which he was selected by the other coaches in the conference, are a testament to his leadership, integrity, and character across two outstanding seasons.

In fall 2025, he coached Navigator varsity boys soccer to a No. 5 state ranking in their division. Both senior Zachary Busch ’26 and sophomore Bryce Wedding ’28 were awarded All-Conference honors, with Busch going on to earn All-State recognition and commit to play soccer at Emory University’s Oxford College.

A leader and mentor in action: Coach Chris Mills on the pitch

Then, this past spring, varsity girls soccer posted an impressive 9-3-1 regular-season record, achieved a No. 4 state ranking, and advanced to the TCIS semifinals. Three players—sophomores Madison Davis ’28 and Cailynn Monnoyer ’28 and freshman Ainsley Lowe ’29—earned All-Conference honors. The team ultimately advanced as far as the VISAA state semifinals, with both Davis and Lowe achieving All-State recognitions.

According to Director of Athletics Laura Stoner, Mills is “a spectacular coach in every way, not only in his knowledge of the game and the way he prepares the athletes in terms of their skillset, but also how he prepares them strategically to put them in a position to win on game day.”

“The community of coaches he works with, both in the fall and in the spring, respect him for a lot of reasons,” she added—“not only his background and his success rate, but also the quality of character that comes with Chris Mills.”

A Remarkable Coaching Record

Prior to joining HRA, Mills coached at Virginia Wesleyan University for 16 years. His extensive background at the collegiate level made him an immediate asset to HRA when he came aboard as assistant athletic director and boys soccer coach in 2023. In his leadership role, he has proven himself to be an invaluable partner for Stoner, who described him as someone she can trust to deliver consistently exemplary work on behalf of Navigator Athletics. “He is a team player who is ready to jump in and help out with whatever needs to be done at any point in time,” she said.

Indeed, during his time at the Academy, Mills has not shied away from taking on greater responsibility. In spring 2026, after three seasons as head coach of varsity boys soccer, he gladly took the reins of the varsity girls team as well.

Girls varsity star Madison Davis ’28 takes a corner kick

In addition to his duties at HRA, Mills has served as head coach of the semi-professional Virginia Beach United soccer club for the past three years. He has had a transformational impact on the program, recruiting talented players, helping attract the third-largest crowd in league history, and leading his team to its first-ever playoff appearance. “The opportunity to coach at all different levels and different age groups is fun and enjoyable,” Mills said, and he has drawn on lessons from both his collegiate and his USL League Two coaching to cultivate winning varsity teams.

HRA student-athletes have attributed his success as a coach to his strategic flexibility and his talent for motivating players. “His greatest strengths are his ability to stay calm in the moment and uplift the team,” said girls soccer standout Davis, who credits Mills with helping her secure a commitment to play for the University of Alabama as a rising junior this past summer.

“One thing about Coach Mills that really resonates with you when you play under his leadership,” said Busch, a boys soccer team captain in his senior year, “is the immense belief he has in both the team and each individual player.” This faith, the recent graduate said, inspired his team to give their all in their first game of the fall 2025 season against the formidable First Flight High School and fight “tooth and nail” to a 2-1 victory, followed by a series of wins that carried them to the state quarterfinals.

Shaping Better Players and Better Leaders

For his own part, Mills hastened to give credit to his “high-level players,” like Busch and Davis, who stepped up as leaders on their respective teams.

The prospect of receiving two Coach of the Year awards in one school year was never on Mills’ radar. Ever humble despite his accomplishments, he remarked, “I just want to make sure I put the players in a good position to be successful and also have a positive experience.”

This reaction came as no surprise to Stoner. “As competitive as he is, he always makes sure to maintain a ‘better athlete, better person’ approach to what he does,” the athletic director said. “He creates a positive team culture wherever he goes.”

A proud Coach Mills celebrates with senior Zachary Busch ’26 at his May 2026 collegiate soccer commitment ceremony

As Mills explained, this culture begins with meaningful connections between players and their coach. “I think one of the biggest things is the relationships that you build with your athletes,” he said. “If they know that you as a coach care about them as more than just an athlete, then they’re willing to work harder for you to be successful.”

Close connections with students, moreover, provide a model for how players ought to comport themselves and relate to their teammates.

Coach Mills “helped shape me into a leader,” Busch said. “He emphasized the importance of rallying the team and setting the standard, especially on a team with many underclassmen looking to seniors for guidance.”

Through meaningful relationships, high expectations, and unwavering encouragement, Coach Mills continues to help students discover confidence, resilience, and leadership that extend well beyond the pitch. As he begins a new season of varsity soccer coaching, his investment in young people reflects the very best of an HRA education, an experience made possible by a community that believes in providing exceptional opportunities for every Navigator.

This story originally appeared in the summer 2026 edition of the Navigator Impact Magazine. To stay up to date on the game schedule for varsity soccer and other sports, check the Navigator Athletics calendar.

Incoming HRA varsity wrestling head coach and program coordinator Eric Thompson

For the first time in the history of its athletics program, Hampton Roads Academy will offer varsity wrestling during the winter 2026-2027 season. The brand-new team will compete within the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS) and, at the state level, through the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA).

Leading varsity wrestling, as both head coach and program coordinator, will be Eric Thompson, father of rising sophomore Lainey Thompson ’29 as well as an experienced wrestler and coach.

As a student-athlete in the mid-1990s, Eric Thompson set the Hampton High School wrestling match win record, with an impressive 131 career victories and only eight losses. He was a two-time undefeated AAA high school wrestling state champion and won multiple Virginia state freestyle championships, twice earning High School All-America honors. He went on to wrestle at the collegiate level at Virginia Tech, where he received a full athletic scholarship.

Since graduating, Thompson has helped young people discover a love of the sport and hone their abilities as the head wrestling coach at Christiansburg Middle School, the head assistant coach at Poquoson High School, and a coach for the Peninsula Wrestling Association.

“Eric Thompson is the perfect leader for this new athletic offering,” said HRA Director of Athletics Laura Stoner. “As a successful wrestler himself and an experienced coach in the local area, he knows the sport and the competition well. Just as importantly, as the parent of a three-sport HRA Upper School student-athlete, he is very familiar with HRA and HRA Athletics—our vision, our goals, and our standards. We look forward to partnering with Eric as we build a standout wrestling program.”

The introduction of HRA’s wrestling team follows the addition of varsity indoor track to the school’s slate of athletic offerings last winter. Both expansions to Navigator Athletics reflect the Academy’s commitment to providing enhanced opportunities for student-athletes to compete at a high level and develop crucial skills with applications far beyond their chosen sports.

“We are thrilled to add wrestling as a varsity winter sport,” said Head of School Jay Lasley. “Wrestlers typically are disciplined, resilient, and dedicated student-athletes—character traits we hold in the highest esteem here at Hampton Roads Academy—and I am confident adding this sport will enable us to continue to attract top-shelf student athletes and families from around the Peninsula to HRA.”

With a deep understanding of the benefits of participating in wrestling at the high school level, Thompson leapt at the opportunity to build the new program from the ground up. “Everyone who wrestles will turn out to be a better human being on the other side,” said the coach, also an accomplished real estate broker who attributes his successes throughout life to the qualities he cultivated as a wrestler.

“Wrestling is like no other sport in the world,” he explained. “It is basically chess on your feet. You must be able to think and react quickly while being exhausted from a relentless pace.”

As he prepares to assume his new role, Thompson noted that his main goal is “to instill confidence and the many lessons I have learned through the sport of wrestling to a new generation. Hopefully, over time, we can build a program that everyone is proud to support.”

This story was also featured on 13NewsNow.com and DailyPress.com and in the Virginian-Pilot.

Merle Henkel, incoming Director of Finance and Operations at HRA

Hampton Roads Academy is excited to welcome Merle Henkel, who will be joining the school’s Senior Leadership Team as Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) effective July 1, 2026. Currently serving as DFO at The Cooper School, a private K-8 institution in Charleston, South Carolina, Henkel comes to his new position with decades of experience in commercial finance as well as independent school administration.

A native of the Tidewater region, Henkel built a career in the commercial banking industry in Norfolk and Richmond before transitioning into the educational sector. During his more than 28 years in banking, he worked for two decades in senior management and twice served as president and CEO of community banks. He also established an extensive background in the nonprofit world, fundraising on behalf of Wake Forest University and St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, chairing the boards of the Virginia chapters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the National Kidney Foundation, and serving a number of other charities.

Fifteen years ago, Henkel made his first foray into independent schools when he accepted a position as Director of Business Operations and Development and later Interim Head of School at Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Virginia. After a three-year stint as Director of Finance and Operations at The Gregory School in Tucson, Arizona, he joined Trinity Presbyterian School, a K-12 college-preparatory school in Montgomery, Alabama, serving again as both DFO and Interim Head of School. During his tenure at Trinity, he deftly rose to the challenge of leading the school through the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Henkel briefly retired to Florida in 2023 to be near his son’s family. Soon, however, he found that he was, in his own words, “not so sure the retired life is for me.” When his son relocated to Richmond, Henkel embraced the opportunity to work around students once more and accepted his current role at The Cooper School, where he served for nine months during the last school year as Interim Head as well as DFO.

For Henkel, HRA is a natural next step, allowing him to return to Virginia, live closer to his grandchildren, and apply what he has learned over a long career in the energizing new environment of a larger school.

“With his incredible depth of experience in finance and administration in independent schools, Merle is unquestionably the right person to lead our Business Office and advance the educational mission of Hampton Roads Academy,” said Head of School Jay Lasley. “I am thrilled to have him on board.”

Henkel’s guiding ideals, the incoming DFO explained, are “openness, transparency, and a service mentality.” In his new position, he looks forward to collaborating with team members across departments to determine budgets that will best support the needs of HRA and of every Navigator.

His aim, he said, is to “provide financial and operational leadership that allows faculty to teach and students to thrive without distraction.” Accordingly, he plans to spend his first 90 days “doing a lot of observing and asking questions” to understand how he can best serve the school and the families who entrust their children’s education to HRA.

As Henkel prepares to take the helm of the Business Office, the Academy expresses deep gratitude for its former Director of Finance, Randi Helpinstill, as well as Director of Advancement Courtney Gardner ’85, who has served since September 2025 as Interim DFO. Both have demonstrated remarkable dedication to HRA and contributed indispensably to the stewardship and modernization of the school’s finances and day-to-day operations. HRA has full confidence that Henkel will carry on this outstanding record of service as he leads the Business Office into its next chapter.

Executive Chef Uwe Schluszas (second from left) and Sous Chef Jesse Rowe serve up mouthwatering meatball hoagies in the Mary and Larry Pope Dining Hall

On March 26, 2026, Hampton Roads Academy marked half a million meals served in the Mary and Larry Pope Dining Hall since the state-of-the-art facility opened its doors in January 2020. This remarkable figure includes only lunches that students have enjoyed on regular school days. If one adds the many special events that the dining hall team also caters and the daily lunches served throughout the summer camp season, the total is even more incredible.

In honor of this historic achievement, from March 23 through 27, Executive Chef Uwe Schluszas prepared favorites from the initial weeks of lunch service in the dining hall—elevated offerings that, he recalled, caught parents by surprise in those early days. Now, they have become the norm.

The week’s menu included beef and vegetarian chili with all the fixings, chicken pot pie on a cheddar biscuit, roasted pork loin with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans, stuffed peppers, and a grilled chicken flatbread topped with tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and arugula. As a special treat, students enjoyed an assortment of snacks, including cookies, muffins, and yogurt, as the school crossed the 500,000 meal mark on Thursday.

The celebratory week was a tribute not only to Schluszas, who has helmed the dining hall from its inception, but to the entire hardworking staff that makes a consistently exceptional dining experience possible. The school extends its heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to Sous Chef Jesse Rowe, line cooks Melinda Calloway, Tiny Liverman, and Quiseam Perry, and facilities team members Tony Lawrence, Jr., and Shymil Robinson. Thanks are also due to facilities coordinator India Getchell, who was instrumental in helping launch the dining hall’s operations as a member of the team at the time of its opening.

When quantified, the dining hall’s output over the past six years is staggering. According to Schluszas, half a million lunches translate into 28,800 pounds of broccoli, 51,200 pounds of bananas, 230,400 apples, nearly 12 tons of cheese and yogurt, more than 28 tons of meat, and 18,600 gallons of milk and chocolate milk—a volume roughly equivalent to the average residential swimming pool.

But the contribution of Schluszas’ team to the HRA community cannot be measured in pounds and gallons alone.

“The milestone of half a million lunches served really puts into perspective what an incredible impact Chef Uwe has on our school, day in and day out,” said Head of School Jay Lasley. “Nutritious meals right here on campus make it possible for our students to learn as much as they can and for our faculty and staff to do their best work. Our lunch program is second to none and an understated, yet remarkable, part of daily life at HRA.”

Crowning a Distinguished Career

Chef Uwe and Chef Jesse slice up a delicious pork loin for an elevated lunch as HRA celebrates half a million meals

2026 represents a landmark year not only for the Pope Dining Hall, but also for Schluszas himself. On June 26, HRA’s executive chef will mark 50 years since he started in the culinary field as an apprentice.

Originally from Germany, Schluszas has worked in kitchens in Switzerland, England, Bermuda, Texas, Georgia, and finally Virginia. Before joining the Academy in August 2019, he served for 19 years at the Kingsmill Resort, mainly as a pastry chef.

When Peter Mertz, who preceded Lasley as Head of School (2011-2023), asked him why he chose to leave the resort after such a long tenure, Schluszas replied, “My last years are not about money. They need to matter.”

HRA, he explained, has given him the freedom to explore his full range of culinary talents and introduce young people to international dishes that have inspired him throughout his globe-trotting career.

“I’d rather have a kid ask me what’s for lunch than a bride tell me, ‘It was a great wedding cake,’” the chef said. “There is no agenda with our students. They tell you if they like it, and they tell you if they don’t, and that’s the end of the story. If they like it, then we do it again. If they don’t, we don’t. It’s that simple.”

A Commitment to Quality, Choice, and Discovery

Schluszas insists that lunch should be an occasion for students to enjoy wholesome, restaurant-caliber food prepared with the highest-quality ingredients and discover a new favorite that they would not encounter in any ordinary cafeteria.

“Who am I in competition with?” he said. “It’s not the McDonald’s of the world.” While most schools operate under the assumption that young palates crave only a narrow range of flavors and thus offer such familiar choices as hamburgers, pizza, and chicken nuggets nearly every week, Schluszas crafts his menus based on his confidence that novelty will resonate with students. Even in HRA’s Lower School, he observed, students leap at options like chicken tikka masala, embracing the opportunity to try new dishes.

A hearty meal for a historic milestone: pork loin drizzled with onion gravy, served with mashed potatoes and savory green beans

Between inspired daily hot meal offerings, a salad bar with 23 items, a deli station, and fresh fruit and yogurt, the dining hall provides a stunning array of options to explore. Schluszas explained that he wants students to lean into their curiosity and experiment at lunchtime each day.

The chef commented that he never tires of seeing students sample foods that are completely new to them—or hearing from parents who report that their children asked for meals at home that they had discovered through one of his lunches.

“When we make a new item, and they come back for seconds, I’m doing a happy dance in the kitchen,” Schluszas said. For him, there is no clearer sign that “we hit it.”

Of the myriad of dishes he serves, from Italian pasta and meatballs and English fish and chips to Caribbean pollo guisado and Chinese pork lo mein, Schluszas cannot pick a single favorite. However, he noted, the meals he loves to cook all incorporate a variety of textures, exciting tastes, fresh ingredients, and plenty of color.

Gratitude and Pride

In addition to daily lunch service, Schluszas consistently looks forward to the many HRA community events for which he prepares scrumptious pastries, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, and unforgettable meals, from the Tidewater Table & Auction and faculty holiday happy hours to the Homecoming alumni reunion party and the biannual Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast. After all, he commented, a special meal makes for a special occasion.

A comfort classic with rave reviews: Chef Uwe’s delectable chicken pot pie on a cheddar biscuit

Still, for the executive chef, there is no greater joy than experiencing than the gratitude of students on an ordinary school day. The most gratifying moments, he said, are when students compliment his lunches during a chance encounter in the hallway or write him an unsolicited thank-you note.

“You can’t beat that, because you know it’s an honest response,” he remarked with a smile.

As Schluszas’ team approached the 500,000-meal milestone, students’ honest—and incredibly enthusiastic—reviews rolled it.

“My favorite has to be when Chef makes the tomato soup and grilled cheese,” said eighth grader Madeleine Wells ’30.

According to junior Aaron Carlson ’27, “Chef makes a mean jambalaya. That’s my favorite meal here.”

“Chicken pot pie,” said senior Luke James ’26—“that has to take the cake!”

Humbled and delighted by his celebratory reception during his time at HRA, Schluszas could come to only one conclusion: “I should’ve done this years ago!”

Incoming HRA varsity football Head Coach Rodney Taylor

Hampton Roads Academy is thrilled to announce that award-winning coach, educator, and counselor Rodney Taylor will take the helm of the school’s varsity football program ahead of the fall 2026 season.

Coach Taylor’s appointment comes as the Academy’s revitalized varsity football team enters its second year back on the field following a seven-year hiatus. With over 20 years of coaching experience and a proven record of building competitive and student-centered football programs, Taylor is well-equipped to lead HRA’s Navigators into their next chapter.

“He is the right leader to elevate Navigator Football and inspire our student-athletes to demonstrate strong character, disciplined effort, respect, and pride, both on and off the field, as we continue building a successful program,” said Director of Athletics Laura Stoner.

Most recently, Taylor served as Head Football Coach at Menchville High School in Newport News, where he transformed a team that had previously won three games or fewer for 17 straight years into a winning program with five playoff appearances across Taylor’s seven seasons with the school, including playoff victories in 2021 and 2022. As a testament to his immediate success leading his team on the gridiron and cultivating players who excelled academically and personally as well as athletically, Taylor was honored with the 2019-2020 Peninsula District Coach of the Year award in his first year at Menchville.

Taylor’s leadership had a similarly transformative impact in his prior role as junior-varsity head coach across town at Heritage High School. Arriving to a football team that had just gone 0-10 in its last season, Taylor improved his program’s record each year, culminating in an incredible undefeated season in 2013.

Coach Taylor on the field at Menchville High School

As he prepares to build on his remarkable momentum as a coach at HRA, Taylor said, “I’m most looking forward to watching our players come together as a team and seeing their growth from day one of camp to that first kickoff in the fall. The excitement of Friday nights, competing together, and representing Hampton Roads Academy with pride is something special. I’m also excited about laying the foundation for long-term success, setting standards, building confidence, and creating memories that these young men will carry well beyond the season.”

In addition to his work on the field, Taylor will join HRA’s faculty as a Middle and Upper School learning specialist. In this position, he will contribute invaluably to the programming of the Academy’s new Student Support Center (SSC) as it expands its services beyond the Upper School to the Middle School.

Taylor will draw on an impressive background as an educator. As a counselor at Homer L. Hines Middle School, he effectively ensured students’ readiness for high school and laid a foundation for success in college and careers through data-driven support tailored to each learner’s individual needs. During his previous tenure at Enterprise Academy, Taylor’s dedication to mentorship, leadership, and fostering positive relationships with students earned him the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year award. His talents as a teacher and counselor will equip him to empower excellence for students at all levels in the SSC.

According to Head of School Jay Lasley, “Rodney Taylor will be an asset to Hampton Roads Academy both on the field and in the classroom. With his emphasis on character, accountability, and personal growth, he deeply understands the synergy between academic and athletic success, particularly at an independent school.”

“We are deeply grateful to our previous head football coach, HRA alumnus Dave Legg ’80, who skillfully stewarded the team through its transition from JV to varsity,” Lasley added. “I cannot wait to see Coach Taylor take this program to the next level in the fall.”

Navigator Football is excited for its next chapter with Coach Taylor at the helm

This story was also featured on WYDaily.com, DailyPress.com , the Virginian-Pilot, and MSN.

Cozy in their pajamas for Winter Story Day, members of the Safety Patrol are the first students to greet Director of Lower School Susanne Swain ’78 after her campout

Susanne Swain ’78, Director of Lower School at Hampton Roads Academy, spent the chilly night of Monday, February 9, outside in a tent on campus to mark her students’ successful completion of the division’s annual Reading Challenge.

To kick off the spring 2026 semester, Swain set a goal for the Lower School student body to read for a collective 100,000 minutes over four weeks, from January 9 to February 6. The rules were simple: Each evening, students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 4 were to record the time they spent reading for pleasure—not for homework or other curricular activities—either independently or, in the case of the youngest students, with their parents. If the Lower Schoolers met the challenge, Swain promised to reward them by camping out in the heart of winter.

The Lower School director knew her goal was ambitious but achievable. Sure enough, the students rose to the occasion and surpassed their target by far, logging an outstanding 126,859 minutes of reading. True to her word, Swain gathered her warmest pajamas and blankets and prepared for a cold night.

Like the First Grade-Senior Buddies program, Swain explained, the yearly Lower School Reading Challenge and the stunt that follows help to inspire a lifelong love of reading among young Navigators by introducing a fun twist on a mentally stimulating activity.

As the students are challenged to engage in reading outside of course materials, she said, “we hope that they are picking up a book and getting engrossed in it—maybe a different genre or something they haven’t tried before—and that it sparks that interest.”

A Partnership with Lower School Families

Mrs. Swain warms up after a cold February night outdoors

An annual tradition since 2015, the Reading Challenge grew out of the Lower School faculty’s interest in “foster[ing] a partnership between the school and our parents” to stimulate students’ excitement about reading, Swain noted.

Though reading beyond textbooks and worksheets is already part of the Lower School curriculum, she acknowledged that “we have students that are eager and read every night, and we have some students that are less enthralled.” Asking families to sign off on their children’s pleasure reading each evening for a month reinforces the importance of this learning and enrichment opportunity by providing consistent but supportive accountability.

For the youngest students—namely kindergarteners, junior kindergarteners, and pre-kindergarteners, who are just learning to read or developing pre-reading skills—Swain expressed her hope that the Reading Challenge would provide an occasion for “time that the family sets aside in the evening to start that good habit of nightly reading and to foster that sense of the importance of loving a story.”

“It’s as much to encourage our parents as it is to encourage our students,” she said.

A Challenge that Goes Both Ways

In addition to enlisting families as cheerleaders for young readers, the Reading Challenge also aims to help students find the motivation to read within themselves by promising an amusing reward for reaching the target number of minutes.

Though the students exceeded Swain’s expectations this winter, there have been a few years when they have fallen short of her goal, she recalled. The prize she offers is “not a given,” she said. “They really do have to earn the minutes.”

Students gather around Mrs. Swain as she reads a seasonally themed book for Winter Story Day

For years, Swain’s reward for the students was to climb up on the roof of the school. This time, however, she decided to change things up by moving the culmination of the Reading Challenge to an earlier date, coinciding with the Lower School’s annual Winter Story Day on February 10. In so doing, she challenged herself to earn the cozy pleasures of that beloved tradition.

The night before the students came to school snug in their pajamas, Swain slept outdoors on HRA’s campus. Lower Schoolers wished her well with such encouraging notes as “Scared is normal,” “We’re always near,” and “You are so brave and unstoppable.”

The following morning, as she warmed herself inside the building, she welcomed the students to an indoor campsite in the Lower School Commons, mirroring the one where she had spent the previous evening. The students gathered there by grade level around a makeshift “bonfire” for a winter-themed story, read by the Lower School director, before enjoying a cup of hot chocolate.

“I am so proud of the children for achieving the goal for the 2026 Reading Challenge,” Swain said. “Although it was a frosty night, I’m happy to say that I survived the campout and enjoyed my time reading with the students during Winter Story Day.”

Abigail Whorley, incoming Director of Middle School at HRA

Hampton Roads Academy is excited to announce that Abigail Whorley has been appointed as Director of Middle School beginning July 1, 2026. With more than a decade of teaching, administration, and educational consulting experience in independent schools, Whorley is a proven leader with an outstanding record of curricular innovation.

Holding a BA in government from William & Mary and an MBA from the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business, Whorley comes to HRA from St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, an all-girls institution at the forefront of independent education since 1890, where she currently serves as Middle School Dean of Students and chair of the Religion Department.

In this dual role, she has demonstrated exceptional skill in guiding division-wide programming, supporting faculty professional development, establishing open lines of communication with families, and promoting success in the classroom through student-centered teaching and academic advising. She also oversees St. Catherine’s Middle School Honor and Conduct System with an emphasis on equity and personal growth, principles that resonate with HRA’s own values and dedication to cultivating ethical leaders.

“I am grateful to Head of School Jay Lasley, the search committee, and the Board for the opportunity to join Hampton Roads Academy as Director of Middle School,” Whorley said. “What excites me most about HRA is the warmth of the Navigator community and its deep commitment to supporting students during these important years. My approach to middle school leadership is grounded in strong relationships and high expectations, with a focus on helping students grow in confidence, curiosity, and responsibility. I look forward to partnering with faculty and families to ensure that every student feels known, supported, and challenged to do their best work.”

With her commitment to collaboration, fostering a culture of respect and belonging, and shaping students into resilient and self-assured lifelong learners, Whorley is an ideal steward for the Middle School’s mission of building Navigators’ independence and equipping them to excel in Upper School and beyond.

“I am thrilled to welcome Abigail Whorley to HRA,” Lasley said. “I am confident that her vision, her depth of experience, and her investment in meeting the needs of every student will make our community stronger and make the Academy an even more exceptional place to learn. With her at the helm of the crucial middle chapter of the Navigator journey, our students will have a bright future ahead of them.”

As Whorley prepares to assume her new role, HRA extends its profound thanks to Interim Director of Middle School Karen Gillespie, as well as Lisa Thatcher, who served as Middle School director before taking on her current position as Director of the Student Support Center in fall 2025. Both have done an exceptional job, setting a high standard for leadership in the Middle School. HRA is confident that Whorley will continue this tradition of excellence and have a transformative impact on the school.

Middle and Upper School choir director Marshall Severin

Hampton Roads Academy’s performing arts faculty members are not only outstanding educators, but also active and gifted practitioners of their crafts.

This holiday season, Middle and Upper School choir director Marshall Severin will showcase his vocal and acting talents by returning to his beloved role of Jacob Marley in Virginia Musical Theatre’s (VMT) production of A Christmas Carol, a musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic by composer Chip Gallagher and librettist Jeff Meredith.

The heartwarming retelling of a holiday favorite, produced in partnership with the Governor’s School for the Arts, will run December 5-7 at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach. Complete with beautifully crafted costumes and sets, enhanced by special effects, and backed by a full orchestra, the musical will provide fun and memorable entertainment for all ages.

This upcoming production marks Severin’s fifth collaboration with VMT, his fourth time performing with the company in A Christmas Carol, and his third time portraying Marley, the ghostly business partner who haunts the conscience of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. December’s run of performances will reunite Severin with VMT for his first fully staged production since 2018, when he performed alongside Broadway stars Tiffany Haas and Constantine Maroulis in the musical Jekyll & Hyde.

“I love working with this group,” Severin said. From writer/director Gallagher to stage managers and music directors, he explained, VMT consistently assembles exceptionally skilled professionals to work on its shows, and he looks forward to “reconnecting with a great team.”

Coming Full-Circle during the Christmas Season

Severin pours his heart into rehearsal for A Christmas Carol

For Severin, performing in A Christmas Carol is more than simply a rewarding artistic experience. His connection to the work runs deep.

Dickens’ novella, he said, is “one of my favorite stories by one of my favorite authors.” Since he was a child, his family has maintained an annual Christmas Eve tradition of getting together to watch the 1984 film version of A Christmas Carol, starring George C. Scott as Scrooge and Frank Finlay as Marley. Now, Severin typically sings at churches on Christmas Eve, but he still participates in the tradition by listening to the audio of the film in his car on the way to his performances.

Severin noted that he particularly relishes the opportunity to step into the role of Marley, with such powerful lines as “Business! Mankind was my business!” Like no other character, he explained, Marley has a way of articulating how “we all have a responsibility to each other.”

Severin haunts Ebenezer Scrooge as Jacob Marley. Photo credit: David A. Beloff

According to Severin, Marley’s unique appeal also stems from the spooky edge the ghost brings to an uplifting story. “It’s so fun to play the scary guy,” he said, adding that VMT’s phenomenal set design perfectly accentuates Marley’s eerie appearance. The last time he performed this role, Severin recalled, his then-six-year-old nephew was so frightened by his costume and makeup that he would not get close to his uncle for a photograph backstage.

In addition to VMT’s high technical standards, Severin is excited about the company’s partnership with the Governor’s School for the Arts, which will allow him to work alongside high school students in the ensemble.  “As a teacher, it’s so rewarding to see young actors and actresses getting a taste of what it’s like to be in a professional production,” he said.

An Exceptional Outlet for a Seasoned Performer

Acting with a cast that includes students will take Severin back to his roots as a performer. Deeply committed to musical theatre in high school, he went on to study music at Christopher Newport University. During his time as an undergraduate, he successfully auditioned for his first professional production, Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff, with Virginia Opera in Norfolk.

Beyond such opportunities as his collaborations with VMT, Severin’s career since he graduated from college in 2012 has focused more on music than acting, starting with a position that the Virginia Chorale offered him based on his impressive vocal performances alongside the company’s business manager, his classmate at CNU. The 2025-2026 season marks his thirteenth consecutive year performing at least one concert with the Virginia Chorale. He currently serves as a mentor for the company’s Young Singers Project (YSP) for high school vocalists, with whom he will sing in YSP’s January 25, 2026, concert at Virginia Wesleyan University.

While he has remained active with the Virginia Chorale and other professional choirs, Severin, now in his third year as a teacher at HRA, has somewhat scaled back his professional performing. This has allowed him not only to spend more time with his family, but also to devote as much energy as possible to facilitating exciting community performances for HRA’s talented actors and vocalists, with whom he has traveled to conferences, a cappella competitions, theatre festivals, and more. “These students are so amazing,” the choir director said, “and I don’t want the students to miss out on opportunities while I’m doing professional work.”

Working alongside HRA’s “awesome” Director of Theatre, Kate Goddin, to stage school plays and musicals, Severin said, has provided him a refreshing outlet for exploring his “theatrical side.” Now, in A Christmas Carol, he will return to the stage himself, combining the musicianship that has defined his career with the acting skills he has honed since he was a student himself.

A Model for Budding Singers and Actors

Stunning set design brings Severin’s eerie scenes as Marley to life in Virginia Musical Theatre’s 2016 production of A Christmas Carol. Photo credit: David A. Beloff

During his upcoming stint as Jacob Marley, Severin will not only share his talents with the wider Hampton Roads community, but also demonstrate to his students at HRA what success as a working performer looks like—and inspire them to envision similar futures for themselves.

According to Severin, the greatest assets for students seeking to build careers in the performing arts are not technical abilities, but rather habits of professionalism and work ethic that are too often overlooked.

His most basic piece of advice is to be flexible and take every chance to work on stage. “The more you can do, the more likely you are to find a place for yourself,” he said. Aspiring actors should be true to themselves, but “you want to have as many opportunities as you can.”

Perhaps even more important is a lesson Severin learned from his onetime costar Tiffany Haas: “There’s no reason to hire someone you don’t like working with, because there are so many talented people out there.” From being dependable to maintaining a positive attitude, he explained, creating an enjoyable experience for one’s fellow performers can open doors in a business where “it’s hard to get in the door.”

“Being a pleasure to work with is one of the most important skills,” he said.

Fortunately, “that’s one of the things our Performing Arts Department at HRA does really well,” he added. “The kids here understand that, if it’s not enjoyable, it’s not worth doing it. They work hard to be kind to each other, to be gracious to each other, to help each other out.” This, above all, is what Severin strives to model for his students every day, in the classroom and behind the curtain.

All members of the Navigator community are encouraged to support this beloved member of our faculty as he takes the stage at the Sandler Center. Tickets for A Christmas Carol are available now.

Heartwarming holiday fun for the whole family: the cast of A Christmas Carol in last year’s production. Photo credit: Rosalind Boyle