Throughout our lives we need coaches, people who will mentor us, inspire us, and help us identify the tools needed for success. From May 2001 when I joined the Sidwell Friends School staff roster, until her retirement this past June, Irene Diamond was my mentor and coach. Even more importantly, Irene was my best friend. So, it was with great ambivalence that I heard the news of Irene’s retirement. I was glad for Irene – how wonderful to be able to spend every day with Tony, the love of her life, and to look at each moment as an opportunity to do something different – go for a walk, travel, read! It sounds like paradise. I was happy for my friend. But, I was also selfishly sad, for I would no longer have Irene at Sidwell.

There are many attributes that I find inspiring about Irene: her commitment to excellence in everything she does, her generosity of spirit, her perpetual positive attitude, and her unconditional ability to listen. But there is more. Irene is analytical, articulate, and calm under pressure – she is a real diplomat.

Irene’s involvement in education started much earlier than her career at Sidwell Friends School. In Pennsylvania, she taught in the Northern District County. She was also a Department Chair and a member of the Middle States evaluation team. In 1969, after her marriage to Tony Diamond, Irene moved to the DC area. Here, she taught in the Maryland public school system while she pursued a Masters in Education at the University of Maryland.

Irene’s Sidwell journey started in 1988 when her sons, Brian and Mark, began attending the 7^th and 5^th grades, respectively. As Irene and Tony had always been strong supporters of public education, Brian and Mark spent their early elementary years at Horace Mann Public School in Washington, DC. However, as the public school system did not offer all that they wanted for their sons - a solid academic program, a commitment to community service, and exposure to athletics, Irene and Tony set out to find the right school fit for their children. Sidwell Friends School proved to be the right place for their children and for their family.

While her sons attended SFS, Irene was very involved in the life of the School. However, her professional background attracted her to the opportunity of being part of the School’s staff. In 1991, she started working part-time in the Head of School’s Office. She then moved to the Personnel Services Department. The last few years, Irene was back in the Head of School’s Office as the Director of Special Programs. In that capacity, Irene managed the School’s master schedule, coordinated the usage of all school meeting spaces, oversaw school-wide mailings, administered the rental program, and organized the Zartman House Meetings for Business and Meetings for Worship.

In January 2005, Irene’s husband retired after a long career at NASA. For much of 2005, those of us close to Irene heard Tony express his wish that Irene would also stop working. This past June, after 15 years of service, Irene retired from Sidwell Friends School.

Irene’s involvement in the School, both as a parent and as a member of the staff, brought her in contact with the entire School community. Her contributions to the School have been many. She is a role model to me and to others, who join me in saluting her service to our School.