Carolyn J. “Skipper” Van Newkirk, Ed.D., the former Lower School principal of Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, died on Aug. 10 at the age of 87.
Van Newkirk was the BT Lower School principal from 1982 until her retirement in 2009, concluding an educational career that spanned over 40 years.
Known for her leadership, kindness and exceptional patience with staff and students, Van Newkirk was a highly respected figure in the community.
“She really did love the children and loved education, loved reaching them all and teaching them all. And she trained teachers, as well. She was just an extraordinary human being,” said Dr. Zipora Schorr, the former director of education at BT and a longtime colleague of Van Newkirk.
Van Newkirk was born on Sept. 22, 1937, in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, to her parents Albert and Thelma Harris.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from West Chester State Teachers College and a doctorate in Education Administration from William and Mary College.
Schorr said that Van Newkirk was someone who believed in “lifelong learning” and that teachers could become better by being part of a community of practice and learning.
Schorr added that Van Newkirk taught the teachers and led by example with her patience, understanding and compassion in her interactions with the students.
“It was an honor and a highlight of my career to be a teacher under her administration. She was kind, bright, wise, articulate and an elegant person who was full of grace in every way. I cannot recall ever a time that she lost her temper. She was a model of derech eretz and a wonderful leader of the BT Lower School faculty. Her impact will continue to be felt upon the lives of many,” Mindy Dickler, a former BT Lower School teacher, wrote on Van Newkirk’s obituary memory board.
Schorr said that Van Newkirk’s commitment to lifelong learning extended to her activities outside of the BT campus, notably with Van Newkirk earning her private pilot’s license at the age of 50.
Schorr said it’s not common for a middle-aged woman to get a pilot’s license, and it showcased Van Newkirk’s attitude of reaching for the stars.
“She set herself that goal and she reached it. And to me, that’s really symbolic of her entire life. Nothing got in her way, and she felt anything was possible. She felt that for herself and she felt that for children. I think that’s what she modeled, that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, if you put your energies towards it,” Schorr said.
Outside of Beth Tfiloh, Van Newkirk lived in York, Pennsylvania, and was highly involved with aviation in the area as a member of the Ninety-Nines Inc. International Organization of Women Pilots. She competed in 25 aviation races, according to her obituary.
PennLive.com reported that Van Newkirk also held a speed record for hitting 153 mph in her Cessna 182 during the 2012 Air Race Classic.
Van Newkirk helped write a history of female aviators for the Ninety-Nines and was an involved member of that community. Van Newkirk also served on the board of directors of the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority.
Dr. Van Newkirk is survived by a son, David C. Van Newkirk, of Dover, Delaware; a daughter, Lauri L. Altman, and her husband Philip, of Belcamp, Maryland; one grandson, Jess, and two granddaughters, Nicole and Sydney.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Thelma Harris; her husband, Jack C. Van Newkirk, Ph.D.; and her brother, Albert S. Harris.
