By Lacey Chenault

The Balcomb family.

After five memorable years as an Upper School math teacher, Hallie Balcomb is leaving Collegiate after the end of this school year. She’s moving on from geometry and pre-calculus, back to her hometown of Gorham, Maine.

When asked what she will miss most about Collegiate, Balcomb replied that she loves that she can “walk down the hall and say ‘Hi’ to people that I recognize,” and being able to “follow along people’s journeys.” She sees Collegiate as a community, a quality she will miss. She thinks Collegiate is a distinct place compared to most other schools. Through coaching Cub volleyball, she had the opportunity to coach some of the students she has now when they were in Middle School, and she’s experienced them growing up. Collegiate has allowed her to get to know her future students and create a bond with them before they step into her classroom, an opportunity you can not find at every school.

“This year, watching the preview of Les Misérables” has been one of Balcomb’s favorite memories at Collegiate. She enjoyed being able to see the crowd’s reaction during the preview in an Upper School Assembly. Along with that, what was special to her about this moment was the connection that she had with the characters, which made this experience more unforgettable for her. Many of Balcomb’s favorite memories from her years at Collegiate have come from Upper School Assemblies. She enjoys hearing all of the Senior Speeches and how each one is unique to that one person. She also enjoys watching the dance and musical performances in Oates Theater, which allow her to see a student differently outside the classroom.

Balcomb’s family farm in Maine.

Balcomb is leaving for two reasons: “one is to be closer to my parents, to help them navigate challenges and joys, and the other is that my son gets to grow up near the family farm where I grew up.” Balcomb struggled with her decision to leave Collegiate and the Richmond area, because she has a great support system here, but as much as she loves Virginia, it is better for her family to relocate to Maine. She says leaving will be “bittersweet.” She wants her son to experience the farm, just as many generations before her have. Her son will be the ninth generation to live there. The farm used to be a dairy farm but has since converted to growing mainly vegetables.

Before teaching at Collegiate, Balcomb taught at Saint James School, a boarding school in rural Maryland. She started teaching there right after she graduation from Bates College. She soon moved to Thaden School, a school in northwest Arkansas that had just opened. She and her family eventually wanted to move to Richmond to be closer to family and friends. Balcomb asked around about what was a rewarding place to teach at and very quickly discovered Collegiate. When first hearing about Collegiate, she described it to be a “school [whose] reputation is very far-reaching.” Once Balcomb moved to Richmond and saw Collegiate, she was then drawn to teach here because she could “clearly see that all the teachers cared deeply for their students,” and she wanted to be a part of that experience.

When talking to students about Balcomb, they describe her classroom environment as a safe place where they feel confident expressing their opinions. Hannah de Witt (‘27) said that Balcomb is “really patient with her students, and is always glad to help explain the material differently.” 

Having had geometry class with Balcomb, I can agree that she loves to help her students and does not give up on them easily. Having Balcomb as a math teacher has taught me how to not give up and that it is alright to be wrong in the classroom sometimes. She loves to hear our opinions in class, even when they are incorrect. Balcomb makes learning math enjoyable by playing team games, with students hoping to win something from the prize bucket. Audrey Tichenor (‘27) also described her to be “ a very compassionate teacher, as she always makes time to assist me in class. She constantly cares about my success, and loves to see me grow as a student. I very much enjoy her class, and love her style of teaching!” 

All photos courtesy of Hallie Balcomb.