Sarah Ladner Apollo is the newly appointed program coordinator at Winthrop House. Apollo has taught math at Winthrop House for eleven years and is looking forward to having Winthrop move onto the BHS campus later this year. During high school, Apollo was extremely studious and ended up being the valedictorian; Apollo also enjoys reading, cooking, and baking in her free time, especially when the treats are sweet and ridiculous.

Can you talk a little also about Winthrop, like in general, for readers who aren’t familiar with the program?

So Winthrop House is a therapeutic program. It’s a much smaller space for students who are not able to succeed in the larger environment of Brookline high school and who need a little bit more support while they’re going through their classes. I am part special ed administrator, part Dean, part guidance counselor, part program support, part instructional leader with the staff. So lots of little roles all rolled into one.

Are you looking forward to anything specifically for this year in this new role?

I’m really excited that Wintrop House is slated to move on to the BHS campus, into the 22 Tappan building after the first semester. And I’m really excited for our program to be part of the larger Brookline high family and for our students to have more ability to take part in everything that BHS has to offer.

What is one of your favorite memories from that part in your life?

When I was a senior in high school, I had the chance to go on a class trip to France. and we spent time in south of France and then in Paris. And I had never been out of the country before. I’d never been on an airplane before. My world definitely broadened at that point. And I decided to leave the state. I grew up in Maine, left the state to go to college and I ended up studying abroad and now I live in a totally different place. So pretty significant.

How did you spend your summer? What was your favorite memory from it?

I have a five-year-old now was almost five at the time and definitely had some fun moments with her. We had a little family vacation up on lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and just had a blast, swimming and eating some s’mores and getting away from the city for a little while.

Is there anything else about you that you want the student body to know about you?

I think that — this isn’t so much about me, it’s about my program — but I feel pretty passionately about this. Winthrop house is a tremendous support for a lot of students at Brookline high. And our students are not often seen as part of the community and they really find a home with us. And I think that Winthrop House plays an incredibly important role in supporting the mental health and emotional support for all students at Brookline high. And I’m excited for us to be part of that and a little bit more part of that once we’re on campus than we ever have been.