A Fond Farewell – Laurel deserves a Laurel!

27 October 2024Brynn W, Mack ‘25

After eight years at Brentwood, our beloved Head of Athletic Therapy, Laurel Calhoun is moving on to another job beyond our Brentwood bubble. Ms Calhoun, affectionately known around campus as Laurel, has dedicated an enormous amount of time to keeping thousands of Brentwood students healthy and supporting their athletic endeavours during her Brentwood career.

Assistant Athletics Prefect Ruby M, Allard ‘25 expressed that “Laurel and her capabilities will be missed by all student-athletes and we wish her the best in the next chapter of her life.” As the community learns of her departure, we remain in awe of her impact at Brentwood and are immensely grateful for her commitment to the mental and physical well-being of our student body, both past and present.

With every staff departure, our community mourns their absence; as Laurel personally impacted many students’ lives, she reflects on her time at Brentwood, acknowledging “It’s hard to sum up my time at Brentwood in just a few words.” Furthermore, as our community expresses our gratitude towards her, she shares a similar sentiment, “While I’m grateful for all of the opportunities and experiences I’ve had here, what has truly made my eight years at Brentwood so special are the people.

Brentwood is a one-of-a-kind place because of its amazing community, and the connections I’ve made here with students, their families and all of the wonderful staff are what I’ll cherish most.” Isaac R, Whittall ‘25 expresses. “I am incredibly saddened by Laurel’s departure. She was deeply impactful to me as a junior student and even now as a senior.” Her leaving will be grieved.

When I tore my ACL in Gr. 10, Laurel was the one who broke the news to me. She took a significant amount of time out of her day to sit down and comfort me while I processed what was happening. Throughout my recovery, she and the rest of the sports rehabilitation team were constant, supportive presences at a time when I was very much confused and upset about what had happened. I cannot fully express my immense gratitude towards Laurel and her team. Now that I am fully recovered, every time I walk into the Foote Center to practice or compete I am eternally thankful for Laurel’s guidance and commitment to my well-being because I truly would not be where I am today without her.

Ms Scheck, a close colleague of Laurel says “Working with Laurel over the past eight years was a privilege. Her thoroughness, strong work ethic and desire to assist our students were admirable. She always went above and beyond to ensure everyone was looked after. I will miss our partnership in the Briggs Wellness Clinic. We made a great team, making each day feel like we were not at work.” Laurel’s optimistic presence will be missed every day.

Laurel affectionately stated, “Brentwood is a hard place to leave and will always hold a special place in my heart.” To this, I say, Laurel, you will always hold a special place in our hearts and will forever be a valued member of our Brentwood family. As you move on to bigger things, we wish you the best of luck and hope you know how much you have meant to us throughout your Brentwood career.

Brynn W, Mack ‘25

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