Stag Symposium

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 2, Episode 7. Publication date 12/2/2024

Stag Symposium’s guest this episode is Fr. James. Join us as Fr. James reflects on the influences in his life and his time at DeMatha. While he has spent 28 years in ministry to the school, he has seen so many developments since he joined the faculty in 1975. 

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 20th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 44th year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 2, Episode 6. Publication date 11/18/2024

Stag Symposium’s guest this episode is Bill McGregor. Bill McGregor has spent 45 years at DeMatha and his impact on generations of students, athletes, and colleagues is immeasurable. Bill talks about Buck Offutt, Morgan Wootten, and John Moylan and what he learned from them. His passion for teaching and his deeply-held faith in education to improve the trajectory of a young person’s life comes through in every story and reflection. Bill also relates a great story of how he got into teaching accidentally. His real strengths as a teacher and coach come from his intentionality.

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 20th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 44th year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated many different clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 2, Episode 5. Publication date 11/4/2024

Stag Symposium’s guest this episode is Angela Woods. Angela is in her 3rd year teaching math at DeMatha. She has taught for 11 years all together and she tells us about her experiences teaching hard-to-reach students and the importance of faith and spirituality to getting her into teaching. Mike and Dan both get a chance to learn about “Beyblade”--a club that Angela moderates–and the importance of co-curriculars to student development.

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 20th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 44th year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 2, Episode 4.

Publication date 10/21/2024

Stag Symposium’s guest this episode is Paul Davies. Paul’s 27 years at DeMatha have seen him teach every level of Spanish. He served for many years as moderator of the National Honor Society and has coordinated and directed at least 15 trips abroad. His expertise at the language is such that he has been called upon to settle a disputed point between two native speakers. Paul reflects on the importance of travel, on creating and noticing your surroundings, and on learning from colleagues. 

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 20th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 44th year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 2, Episode 3.

Publication date 10/7/2024

Stag Symposium’s guest this episode is Homer Twigg. Homer has served DeMatha as a Theology teacher at all levels but his specialty is teaching Ethics to juniors. Homer has a deep knowledge of hip-hop that students are often shocked to discover–and then he uses that in class. He has a particular fascination with technology and artificial intelligence and some of his most challenging units with his students are on this topic. We spend time talking about Dante’s Purgatory and the way Homer uses that in class and the projects that the text has inspired. Homer moderates the exceptionally active Chess Club and runs a Chess Camp each summer.

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 20th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 44th year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 2, Episode 2. Publication date 9/23/2024

Stag Symposium’s guest this episode is Sam Haller. Sam has served DeMatha brilliantly as a teacher at all levels from below-grade readers to Advanced Placement students. He has coached freshman football, directed our new teacher orientation program, chaired the English department, coordinated our strategic plan, and he serves as Assistant Principal. Sam is now a DeMatha parent and is in his 20th year here; he is currently a graduate student at Harvard. Sam joins us to talk about travel, how he thinks about working with teachers, and what kinds of things he looks forward to in the next few years.

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 20th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 44th year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 2, Episode 1. Publication date 9/9/2024

The new season of Stag Symposium opens with an interview with Neal Murphy whose 40 year career at DeMatha has seen him teach thousands of students in math, coach hundreds more in basketball, and work with dozens of students in the computer center. Neal’s influence as a colleague is incalculable and he shares ideas about influences on him, the ways to reach reluctant learners, and how he came to be at DeMatha.

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 20th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 44th year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected]) 

Show Notes Season 1, Episode 14. Drop date 6/10/2024

The podcast wraps up its first season with Mike and Dan reflecting on through-lines that we saw in the range of guests. Some of those through lines include: passion, curiosity, a sense of mission, and humor. There is a sense of gratitude and wonder at the range of teaching and, in plans for next season, the hosts hope to interview people from across the spectrum of DeMatha life. The podcast takes a break for the summer and will return on September 9–coincidentally the anniversary of the school’s opening in 1946.

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 19th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 42nd year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected])

Show Notes Season 1, Episode 13. Drop date 5/27/2024

Guest: Mr. William Clark is completing his 40th year at DeMatha and is stepping away from his duties as Assistant Principal which he has performed brilliantly for the past 27 years. He will be staying on to teach Advanced Placement French and to assist in all manner of things. Bill talks about his own desire to adopt more technology in the classroom, his vision of how the school works, and his own journey as an educator. Bill also tells us about a couple of favorite movies!

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 19th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 42nd year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.

Stag Symposium ([email protected])

Show Notes Season 1, Episode 12. Drop date 5/13/2024

Guest: Fr. Damian Anuszewski is in his 5oth year at DeMatha. He has interacted with students and families as a teacher, a minister, a team chaplain, the Rector, the Emcee at numerous celebrations, the Department Chair and in countless other ways. Fr. D reflects on those who influenced him and how he sees the role of DeMatha in the lives of the young men he works with. We discuss humor and the need to keep growing as a teacher. 

Music: Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter” as played by the DeMatha Wind Ensemble.

Host Biographies: Mr. Michael Ptomey is in his 19th year teaching. A DeMatha grad, class of ’98, he has taught English, Social Studies, and is currently the Chair of the Theology department. Mike has coached lacrosse and moderated clubs; he has won numerous awards for his teaching.

Dr. Daniel McMahon is in his 42nd year of teaching and serves as principal at DeMatha. Dan teaches World Literature and has coached basketball and softball and has moderated numerous clubs. He is a DeMatha grad, class of ’76.