Saying Goodbye to Beloved Faculty
By Holland Swan ‘24
Aline Garcia-Rubio left, Dave Whitson center, and Bob Sauer left.
Courtesy of Catlin Gabel Veracross.
As school winds down and summer approaches, change is a natural consequence of this time of year. At the end of the 2024 school year, we will be saying goodbye to not just one, but three beloved faculty members who have helped make the proud and inclusive Catlin Gabel School (CGS) community what it is today.
Aline Garcia-Rubio is joining our sister school, Oregon Episcopal School (OES), as the Associate Head of School. After 13 years as the director of the Palma Scholars program, Dave Whitson is preparing himself to walk across the United States. Bob Sauer is retiring and plans to travel to various parts of Europe on an elaborate trip after 23 years with CGS.
Junior Brittney Haldorsen and I had the pleasure of talking to each individual before their departure. In the process, we gained insight into their reasons for leaving, some of their favorite memories from over the years, and their hopes and dreams for the future.
What drew you to CGS in the first place? When and why did you start working here?
Garcia-Rubio:
“I was a student at CGS for my junior year of high school. First, I started tutoring and subbing [at CGS.] Then I was asked to do a long-term sub. I was a subbing for a teacher for a whole year at the Honors Biology Classroom. The more I got into that, the more I liked it, and then I was offered a permanent position… I was a [science] teacher for a few years, and then a curriculum leader, and then I was a department chair. Then in 2012, I became the dean of students and assistant head. I've been the upper school head for seven years.”
Whitson:
“Yeah, [I wanted to teach at an] independent school… I was in public school through eighth grade and then a Catlin-esque school for high school, so I understand the culture well. I wanted to find an independent school to teach at, and Portland has two. I think this is my 13th year at Catlin. I've been here a long time, since about 2011.”
Sauer:
“I'm here because of Carol Ponganis (Pongi) who taught in the middle school for many years. She and I started at Cleveland High School back in the mid-80s. Pongi contacted me [about this job many years ago, but I turned it down. And then a few years later] she said, the position's open again. So I followed up on it, and I've been here for 23 years now.”
What are some of your top moments from over the years? Are there specific moments/highlights that stand out?
Garcia-Rubio:
“Some of the Global Trips stand out to me. They provide amazing opportunities to connect with students in an immersive way and allow you to get to know each other and be learners alongside [one another.] I’ve taken students to Botswana, and Cuba with Chris Mateer. [Alongside this,] I really enjoy working with the upper school faculty.”
Whitson:
“[There have been] some great moments in C&C over the years… I think one of the fun things is getting to spend four years with people and seeing how that group takes shape over time. [Also,] the first year that Patrick and I created the new version of Modern World. Going through that process with him and seeing it come together and how it fit into CGS was satisfying from a curriculum development perspective.”
Sauer:
“All the extracurriculars that are possible to get involved with. SkiBus has been wonderful. I've really liked doing that with Kathy Sloan and a bunch of other people… [Also,] getting involved in the Elana Gold Project has been a highlight for me. It's a lot of work getting it going, but once it gets underway each summer, it's just a great experience… [And] Global Ed, wow, that's been fantastic too. I've gone on as many of those as I can.”
What will you miss most about Catlin?
Whitson:
“It's really hard to avoid the cheesy, cliched answer, which is just about the relationships [I’ve formed] in the community. But it's the truth, and I’ve tried to immerse myself in this place… it’s not just working hard in the classroom, but coming to games, plays, the things that are happening at the school… getting to know the students and their families.”
Sauer:
“I'm going to miss the students the most. I’m really impressed with their dedication, enthusiasm for learning, and willingness to work hard to get it. They're very fun to interact with, and I’m hoping I can continue that, [even though I’m] not going to see them on a daily basis.”
What do you wish was different about Catlin or something we could improve?
Garcia-Rubio:
“I think the muscle we had to connect outside our usual groups has weakened [since the pandemic. During that time,] we weren’t interacting with each other and we got used to not doing that. So, instead of going out of our way to have casual conversations with people we don't typically interact with, we’ll [mainly] interact with the group of humans we feel most comfortable with. This then causes community limitations, and we now have a weakened network of relationships that we need to strengthen.”
Whitson:
“I don't think we've come back from COVID… I think that when the day ends, we go off in different directions. There's still a high level of insularity, a degree to which people don't turn out for things and don’t show up for each other. Until we get there and start to recognize that the value of [CGS] comes from being together and being there for each other in all of those moments, we're missing out on some things.”
Sauer:
“It's very easy to add new things but difficult to let old things go… It feels like things at CGS just get busier and busier and busier, [which] can build up the levels of stress pretty high [and can make it] hard to keep functioning at the highest levels that one might want to under those conditions.”
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Sauer:
“I hope to keep involved with some of the activities at Catlin. I'll keep my bus certification going, for example. I'll be on trips and on Ski Bus, and maybe other Outdoor Education trips as well.”
Garcia-Rubio:
“I'm grieving leaving Catlin Gable. Every day I see people and I'm like, ‘I really like these humans!’ and I like working with the students and the faculty. But alongside this, some of my departure is [driven by the desire] to be uncomfortable, because I think that's when we grow… I'm excited, I'm anticipating a new job with genuine joy, and I'm deeply grateful to this school. But also, I'm sad about it and a little scared - [I have] a whole bunch of emotions and I honestly hope to stay connected. And maybe there'll be opportunities for direct collaboration [between CGS and OES] due to my transfer!”
On Behalf of the Catlin Gabel community, we bid you farewell and best of luck in your future endeavors.
Video compilation and creation by Erin Chow ‘25 and Vishaka Priyan ‘26