A Q&A with Pine Point parent Susie Coleman P’29, ’31, ’34
As we explored the question of What makes a Pine Point education unique? for this year’s ViewPoints magazine, Debra Smith, our Director of Enrollment Management, sat down with a current parent who recently traded the fast-paced streets of New York City for the wide-open spaces of Westerly and Stonington. What Susie discovered in Pine Point is a school that’s more than just an excellent academic institution; it’s a moral compass for her three children. From the year-round learning on our 67-acre campus to the cross-divisional mentorship that happens on our athletic fields, her story illustrates how Pine Point nurtures in children the courage to grow and the integrity to contribute to something larger than themselves.
Q: Could you start by telling us how long your family’s been at Pine Point?
A: Our journey started at Pine Point before we actually came to Pine Point. We lived in New York City with all three of our children, and we have a home in Rhode Island. We were leaving to go back one summer and we thought, wouldn’t it be amazing if we could stay? One of our friends said, “Oh, you have to go and visit Pine Point.”
We came and we visited. Our youngest was three months old. It [Pine Point] was beautiful and amazing, but we couldn’t figure out a way to leave New York. And then COVID happened. We contacted Pine Point and said, “Would you be willing to go through the process of admission?” They were. Both of our boys started in that 2020-2021 year. Our eldest was in first grade, and our middle child was in pre-kindergarten.
It was amazing. They [our children] were outside, and they were supported. Our neighbor, another Pine Point parent, said, “If you think it’s amazing in this COVID year, just wait.” That year solidified with a focus on caring hearts and also a focus on integrity. Teachers know them so well, and they know what they are capable of.
Q: You’ve mentioned the strength of the community. Can you give a specific example of that?
A: I’ll give you a really specific example with our oldest student, who’s in sixth grade. He had a visitor come to his class. I was dropping him off, and there’s a faculty member every day who greets them at the door. They said to my son, “I know that you will be a good steward, and you will make sure that this visiting student feels welcome and feels a part of the community.”
I believe that the academics are incredibly rigorous, and the children are up to the challenge. But this focus on character and the people that they are is such a building block for how they fit into the world. It starts in these small circles and in their schools.
Q: What stands out to you about the way the school handles student growth?
A: Some of my most poignant moments happen in the parent-teacher conferences and the goal-setting conferences. They remind me, as their parent, that I would like to set my own goals. From the age of three, they set these goals. Our middle child, who is in fourth grade now, his goal last year was that he wanted to learn long division. His teachers challenged him and said, “You will learn long division this year. Let’s aspire. What’s something else that you could push yourself to do?”
With our oldest in Middle School, during the conference, he presents to not only his advisor, but to his parents. He’s got to lay out his goals and measure his progress. This accountability in terms of how you measure your progress and your development, but also this independence—those are very, very meaningful things to me.
Q: Coming from New York City, what differences have you noticed in your children?
A: For Tom and me, coming from New York City with our children, a place so dynamic and diverse— Pine Point has taught us that it is all of those things and more. I’ve noticed a difference in their confidence in terms of the ability to access and explore the outdoors. Both of our boys did the Evergreen Trailblazing course, where they were able to carry around shears and cut back a trail. They knew that they could do it—you can be cold and you can be prepared and you can be aware. I think the biggest thing is confidence and an ease.
There was one particularly wonderful moment. We were watching our oldest play ultimate frisbee. There was an older boy, who must have been in eighth or ninth grade, and a fifth grader had thrown a pass that didn’t go the way that he wanted. This ninth grader said to him, “It’s okay, buddy, you’ll get it next time.” That ability to have this cross-section between ages, and that character development and encouragement—they’re all so supportive of each other. That was an unexpected gift.
Q: You frequently attend All School Morning Meeting. How does that impact your family life?
A: The Word of the Week that Diana Owen presents is a compass for our family during the week. Whether that’s one of the core values or something based on the season, it guides us and it unites us. It comes into our home. It comes up at least once or twice a day.
From a very young age, Pine Point guides our children into not only being listeners, but then also to be speakers. It’s very obvious to us that their ability to speak publicly is a direct correlation to Pine Point. Their ability to speak at family functions is a direct correlation to that Monday Morning Meeting. Our children will present to their peers and to their community, and I think that is tremendously valuable to the people that they will become.
Experience the Pine Point Difference
This interview is part of a series featured in the 2025-2026 edition of ViewPoints magazine, exploring the unique pillars of a Pine Point education.
Read More: View a digital edition of ViewPoints or Request a physical copy.
See it in Action: The best way to understand our community is to experience it firsthand. Schedule a personal tour of our Stonington campus.
Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for weekly posts on the Word of the Week and more from our classrooms.
