FA Appoints Two New Board Members: Renee C. Thomas ‘84, and Nicola Soares ‘86

The Fryeburg Academy Board of Trustees has appointed two new board members: Renee C. Thomas ‘84, and Nicola Soares ‘86. Both women hail from Bermuda and spent their Academy years as students in its boarding program.
Renee Thomas ‘84 resides in Bermuda, where she works as an assistant to the director of the Bermudian Government’s Department of Culture. Since 1989, Renee has served at the Department of Culture, formerly known as the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, the agency charged with preserving, celebrating, and educating about Bermuda’s rich cultural heritage, and promoting a shared cultural identity. Following study at Westbrook College in Maine (now the University of New England), Renee graduated from the American Business & Fashion Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“I’m thrilled, honored, and humbled to become a Fryeburg Academy trustee,” Renee said, when asked about her appointment. “I look forward to serving, and I feel that my own experience as an international student will be helpful as the board works with school leadership to plan for the future.”

Nicola “Nikki” Soares ‘86 lives in the Detroit area in Michigan, where she is the president of Kelly Education, the nation’s largest education workforce solutions provider. Nikki is charged with setting the vision, mission, and strategic direction for the education division; in day-to-day work, she directs 400 professionals responsible for recruiting, hiring, and developing a wide range of educators across more than a thousand preK-12 public school districts and private schools. A former teacher herself, Nikki has also held positions with NBC Universal, NBC Learn, and McGraw-Hill Education. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Lynchburg in Virginia. When asked what she hopes to bring to the board of trustees, Nikki said, “The Academy changed the trajectory of my life with its diverse and inclusive educational community, and as a proud alumna of the Academy, I will do all I can in this role to help protect and advance its empowering mission.”

Head of school Erin Mayo welcomed the new appointments: “Renee and Nikki bring further strength and diversity to our school’s governing body-- a very exciting thing! I’ve enjoyed getting to know them both, and especially hearing about their Fryeburg Academy years. Bermuda is a nation from which many students have travelled over the years to enroll at Fryeburg Academy; it’s an important part of school history, and it’s just wonderful to have Bermudian alumnae now on the board.”

Board president Chris Gordon said, “I’m gratified by the Trusteeship Committee’s selection of these talented individuals, and I’m so glad they’ve agreed to serve.”
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List of 5 news stories.

  • Fryeburg Academy Fall 2023-24 Honors/High Honors Roll Recipients Named

    We are pleased to announce the following students who have earned academic recognition at Fryeburg Academy for the Fall of 2023-24:

    HONORS
    Grade 12: (Honors)
    Charlotte Adamus
    Vittoria Bernardini
    Natalie Berry
    Dom Bond
    Jordin Booker
    Owen Burford
    Tori Butters
    Jilyan Byrne
    Lorenzo Catana Vallemani
    Jonah Densmore
    Vitoria Do Espirito Santo Teixeira
    Elle Dooley
    Austin Dorner
    Deniz Eroglu
    Manu Fandos Martinez
    Aidan Flanigan
    Amber Gagnon
    Mia Grandchamp
    Gal Hanan    		Emily Hoosier
    Noah Jacobs
    Emma Keaten
    David Kim
    Joey Kim
    Kardelen Lacinok
    Helena Landry
    Margherita Lassini
    Leo Lee
    Celine Lee
    Ana Maillett
    Moss Marques
    Caroline Masterman
    Asher McKenney
    Ryan Meade
    Natalia Millan Arenas
    Mina Milosevic
    Tommy Morini
    Tasia Nason    		Rachel Pizzo
    Grace Porcaro
    Abby Pratt
    Ashe Rabideau
    Winter Raymond
    Dustin Rhoda
    Gideon Richard
    Leah Rokes
    Margherita Rossi
    Gunnar Saunders
    Louie Shin
    Lamar Smith
    Hunter Tripp
    Tanner Tripp
    Gabby Udoto
    Logan Walton
    Kara Willette
    Connor Williams
    Mary Wing
    Kevin Zhou

  • Academy Students Earn Silver and Bronze at the National FFA Convention

    From October 31 through November 3, five members of the Academy's FFA Chapter (Future Farmers of America) and faculty member Jennifer Solter Jones attended the National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

  • FA's Falls Sports Assembly Honors Student-Athletes

    On Thursday, November 16th, Fryeburg Academy celebrated the fall sports season with its annual fall sports awards assembly held in the Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center. The following student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding performance during the fall 2023-24 season:
     

  • Joseph R. Manning Installed as the Academy's 55th Head of School

    Fryeburg Academy and the Board of Trustees announce the installation of Joseph R. Manning as the Academy’s 55th head of school. The Installation Ceremony was held on Friday, November 3, 2023, with members of the Fryeburg Academy community, the Board of Trustees, and former head of school Erin P. Mayo in attendance as a guest speaker. Manning steps into this new leadership role during the school’s 232nd year, following a long-tenured and successful career at the Academy spanning twenty years of service. 

  • FA Students Earn Letters of Commendation in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program

    Fryeburg Academy seniors Tyler Bartick and Jiwon Choi have earned Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSC) for their performance on the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

Fryeburg Academy

FRYEBURG ACADEMY
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Fryeburg, ME 04037
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admissions@fryeburgacademy.org
Fryeburg Academy is an independent boarding and day school, serving grades 9-12 and postgraduate. We invite you to explore our site and learn how students from around the globe find their place in the world through our exceptional academic, art, and athletic programs.