As the 2023-24 academic year comes to an end, we prepare to say farewell to many beloved faculty members in the Concord Academy community. Among these faculty members is Kem Morehead, a house parent and long-time teacher in the Mathematics Department.
Morehead has spent her last 17 years teaching at CA—16 of those as a Hobson house parent—and is now ready to move onto the next stage of her life, alongside her wife, Kim Crawford, and two dogs, Jedi and Kai. Having lived in Hobson for longer than she has anywhere else, Morehead has a strong affection for the CA community. Throughout her time here, what Morehead has loved the most about teaching CA students is their strong curiosity and willingness to take risks. For Morehead, teaching at CA is more relational than anywhere else because there is not a strong separation between teachers and students.
In particular, as a house parent, Morehead holds a deep fondness for the boarding community. “When this [place] becomes your home, you just make wonderful relationships. When you live in a house with kids, you see them outside of their role as student or athlete and just see them be themselves,” Morehead says.
Some of the fondest memories Morehead made at CA were when she took students on trips with Crawford. Back in 2013, they took students backpacking in the Grand Canyon and spent a week camping on the canyon floor. Morehead recalls that they had hiked through the night because it had been so hot. “The Grand Canyon is our favorite place on Earth,” Morehead says, reflecting on the trip. In addition to their trip to the Grand Canyon, Morehead and Crawford have also taken students backpacking in Yosemite and on visits to animal sanctuaries.
Though planning to retire at the end of this year, Morehead aims to continue her dedication to service, hoping to keep up with her volunteering at animal sanctuaries and participate in turtle rescues in Cape Cod. Additionally, both Morehead and Crawford have a lot of traveling ahead of them, including a trip to the Galapagos Island this June, and backpacking around Mont Blanc in the Alps.
As Morehead’s time at CA comes to an end, we wish her the best of luck as she launches into a new journey!