The end of the school year is a season marked by final exams, the promise of summer, and the inevitable goodbyes that come with change. This spring, Concord Academy bids a bittersweet farewell to one of our beloved English teachers, Zora Woodsum.
Woodsum joined CA in 2020 as a Wilcox Fellow, beginning her teaching career during the height of the pandemic. The Wilcox Fellow program supports early-career teachers from underrepresented groups through mentorship and a reduced course load.“I like kids and I like talking about books. Becoming an English teacher made the most sense. I’m not organized enough to be a librarian,” Woodsum explained. Over the past four years, Woodsum has taught every grade level: guiding students through dystopias in her class, Imaginary Worlds; the personal essay in the Creative Nonfiction elective; and some of her favorite texts—Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Great Gatsby, and The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, whose work she finds particularly exciting to teach.
Woodsum has taught students how to develop a compelling argument and spot an analepsis from a mile away. Her joy in reading is infectious; she often pauses to read a line aloud just because, as Woodsum puts it, “Some of the lines are just so good.” “Having English with Zora has been a great privilege. She’s taught me to think from new perspectives and to value differences of opinion,” said Maria Eduarda Costa ’28, one of Woodsum’s ninth grade students this year.
Outside of the classroom, Woodsum has brought the same enthusiasm to life at CA. She recalls performing at the adult Coffee House and delivering her chapel in the fall of 2023 as particularly definitive moments during her time at CA. In addition to her teaching, Woodsum has served as an advisor and a faculty advisor to the Women of Color Alliance (WOCA) and The Scallion, CA’s satirical newspaper. She also spent three years interviewing prospective students for the Admissions Office and has chaperoned two school trips. Her involvement has undoubtedly left a meaningful and indelible impact on the CA community. When asked what she would miss most, Woodsum replied: “[I will miss] my amazing, talented, generous colleagues—many of whom I consider close friends and co-conspirators.”
Next fall, Woodsum will head to Dana Hall in Wellesley, MA, to teach ninth and tenth grade English. While we are excited for what lies ahead, it is hard to imagine future CA students not experiencing the unique and inspiring environment of her classroom—spotting a “slay” on their Google Doc, admiring her brightly colored outfits, or feeling the humor, warmth, and support she brings to every discussion.
Woodsum’s presence at CA has left a meaningful imprint on the community. Through her thoughtful approach to literature and her genuine engagement with students and colleagues alike, she helped shape a classroom culture grounded in curiosity, care, and mutual respect. Whether through thoughtful feedback or the energy she brought to each day, she built connections that extended beyond the classroom. CA will not be the same without her. Needless to say, Zora Woodsum will be dearly missed!