Many people have noticed a new face around campus, Mr. Coleman Weibley, who has stepped into Hill’s “Dean of Students” position. 

Stepping into Weibley’s office, you are met with a warm atmosphere. His desk and walls are decorated with many trinkets and memorabilia, and you feel instantly welcomed into the comfortable space.

Weibley narrated with a smile how he made the move to Hill with his wife and three younger daughters, Parker, age 5, Quincey, age 3, and a 7-month-old named Georgia. His wife works as an autistic support teacher at the Edgewood School in Pottstown. In addition to his role in the dean’s office, he is teaching AP Economics with Mr. Ari Baum, Mr. Michael Leisure, and Ms. Helen Qiu, is a dean on duty, and will be working with the swim team in the winter.

 Weilbley first came to Hill this summer, feeling attracted to The Hill’s “priority on community,” and how intrinsically tied it is to the school culture, with family nights, family-style meals, and seated meals. He came from his previous position at Mercersburg, meaning he was already familiar with The Hill and its reputation. “I wasn’t feeling any pressure to leave Mercersburg, but I  was just at a place where I wanted to continue to grow as a school leader. Hill has a strong reputation.” Weibley notes key similarities and differences between his experiences at both schools, “Hill is probably a little more strict in terms of certain policies, but in other ways, they are very much the same. I’m learning the new systems, and, while on paper, it might feel really different, I’m going through it and realizing it’s actually very similar.”

Weibley explains his role and responsibilities as Dean of Students, “I oversee the dean’s office and work closely with the Dean of Community Life, Mrs. Eccleston, to manage the student experience and school community and culture. In this role, we focus on student accountability, conduct, and whereabouts.”

“I think a lot of the time people think of the Dean of Students, they think strictly discipline and consequences. I’m really hoping that, much like everyone who has done this job before me, to shift that mindset a bit so that people realize we’re here just to make sure everyone has a great experience and feels like they belong.” He is using his first year at Hill as a time to learn about the school to implement new things in the future while still referencing the experiences he is bringing with him from his previous school.

Weilbley comments on the new cell phone policy as a person in an administrative role, “I was hired into the policy, so I wasn’t really a part of the behind-the-scenes, Weibley said. “However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.” 

“At the core, it’s more about learning how to live with and without your phones. I think students are really buying into it and are seeing the healthy effects of it.” 

Viviann Zvarick ‘28 speaks on her experience of having Weibley as a co-adviser.

 “Most people would expect the Dean of Students to be scary or intimidating, but Mr. Weibley is none of those attributes, Zvarick said. “In my experience, having Mr. Weibley as one of my advisors has been beneficial. He easily gets along with everyone in my advisory, and is lighthearted and a pleasant company.” 

She finds that she relates to him on the experience of arriving at Hill.

“Having an advisor who is also new to The Hill School can make things feel a little less daunting,” Zvarick said. “ Walking through the school year with someone who is also new to the community helps make me feel at ease. A trusted advisor will guide, lead, and help students when they need it, and Mr. Weibley is a prime example of that.”