PCA Employees Receive Granite State Christian Schools Association Awards

Matthew Dunphy, Upper School History and English Teacher – The Timothy Award

The Timothy Award recognizes a master educator, near the early career stage, who has already demonstrated excellence in advancing Christian schooling. Although Matthew is only in his second year of teaching, he has demonstrated excellence as an educator by developing relationships with students, fostering curiosity and growth, adapting his teaching to meet the needs of his students, and by supporting students at co-curricular events. His willingness to create and deploy a C.S. Lewis Lit/Bible class–the first of its kind for PCA–is a hallmark of Matthew’s positive, eternal impact at PCA. Matthew Dunphy models flexibility and adaptability in a positive, life-giving way. He has consistently taken on extra tasks and stepped up when help was needed. Furthermore, he always did so with joy and without the expectation of something returned. He has been a role model to our students on what passionate and
joyful work looks like, and he has become an important carrier of the Christian faith with skin on, serving as a role model for new and seasoned educators.

In his first year, which is full of learning new tasks and adjusting to a new culture, he has excelled in joining our mission and having an eternal impact. Matthew’s work goes beyond the students. As a 1st year student, he utilized his studies at Gordon Conwell to create many recordings used for staff devotions, which demonstrates another area of his going above and beyond. Additionally, he clearly takes special effort to present himself well – nearly always having a jacket and even a red bow tie when processing for graduation. He grasps the importance of presence, and ministers to all by “showing up.” He is a regular at extra-curricular activities in support of our students, demonstrating that they are “cared for” by the PCA faculty outside of the academic realm as a whole person. Matthew has helped to chaperone numerous student life events and is a staple at sporting/fine arts events. Matthew has done all of this while teaching with excellence as a first-year teacher and already with an outstanding start to his second we, PCA, are so proud of Matthew Dunphy and grateful for his recognition via the GSCSA’s 2023 Timothy Award.

Kathy Towle, Administrative Assistant to the Head of School – The Barnabus Award

The Barnabus Award recognizes exceptional support and encouragement given in the cause of Christian schooling. Kathy Towle is a gifted encourager who puts her encouragement into action. Over the last several years she served as the Activities Coordinator in the Upper School, bringing vibrancy and enthusiasm to the school community, organizing engaging and meaningful activities for students. She mentored and inspired the student government leaders to take ownership and lead effectively as they organized and ran events and fundraisers for their peers. Without Kathy coming alongside and mentoring them, and in many cases doing the work with them, these students would not have learned not only what to do, but how to embody the Spirit in the process.

Because of her exceptional touch with people and complex tasks, Kathy was asked to serve as the Administrative Assistant to our Head of School. In this capacity, she further demonstrates exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, playing a crucial role in the smooth functioning of the school’s administrative processes. Her ability to multitask and handle responsibilities with grace and efficiency makes her an invaluable asset to the school’s core leadership team. But, most significantly, she is an encourager
and inspirer. She is an amazing prayer warrior, seen many times in the halls, praying alone or with others, before faculty, staff, and students arrive. She reaches out to people, listens to them, and helps them see their important role in our community. When you are around Kathy Towle, you sense life and the Spirit of the Lord that gives life.