This June, after 48 years of combined service to Williston, Mark and Monique Conroy will retire from their respective positions. They arrived at Williston in the fall of 2000, with Mark stepping into the roles of Athletic Director and football coach and Monique joining the faculty of the math department. Williston was fortunate to attract this dynamic duo, who, after graduating from Middlebury College, had each already accumulated over ten years of successful teaching, coaching, and athletic direction experience at prep schools in Connecticut and California.
They didn’t know it at the time, but Easthampton was to become a career-defining destination, where their genuine passion and exceptional talent for teaching, guiding, coaching, and supporting teenagers would flourish over the next 24 years.
Mark served as Williston’s head football coach through 2016, finishing with a record of 84-47, including three New England prep bowl appearances. In 2017, Mark was elected to the New England Prep School Football Coaches Association Coaches’ Hall of Fame, recognizing his career devoted to inspiring excellence and modeling leadership for countless young football athletes. Mark also contributed to the basketball program, assisting with the varsity boys and girls teams and serving as the long-time thirds boys coach.
Fielding 30 different sports is no easy feat, which is why Mark acknowledges the dedicated professionals with whom he has served over the years. He is immensely proud of the athletic program at Williston and the quality experience provided to all students, whether aspiring college athletes or novices. During his tenure, notable initiatives included adding ultimate frisbee and girls volleyball, initiating team banquet nights and college commitment ceremonies, establishing a strength coaching program, and enhancing facilities with turf fields, night game lighting, a new tennis facility, and baseball dugouts.
Meanwhile, Monique Conroy was building her own legacy as an outstanding teacher, coach, and advisor. In addition to a 35-year career teaching math, Monique coached girls varsity soccer for 13 years and girls varsity tennis for the past two years. An athlete herself, Monique was recently inducted into The Ethel Walker School Athletic Hall of Fame and previously held the career leading scorer record for Middlebury College varsity women’s soccer. Her passion for athletics has greatly benefited generations of students.
Monique’s notable achievements include advising over 100 students and teaching over 1,000 during her Williston career. She was awarded the Northampton School for Girls Instructorship from 2011 to 2013 in recognition of her outstanding skills as an educator. Her greatest impact was serving on the search committee that hired me as Head of School.
Mark and Monique have dedicated their lives to nurturing the Williston community by serving in nearly every role: advisors, coaches, dorm parents, ambassadors, and mentors. They are also the devoted parents of two alumni – Kristina, Class of 2010, and Kevin, Class of 2012, and the grandparents of future Wildcat Noa Conroy Langwerden, Class of 2042, all of whom are with us today. Their most impressive accomplishment, however, is the way they have supported each other and those around them over their 38-year partnership.
