Mike McGrievy Named Recipient of Catherine Silver McNamara Award

Old Trail School is proud to announce that Grade 5 Teacher Mike McGrievy has been named the 2025-26 recipient of the Catherine Silver McNamara Award, the school’s highest faculty honor. Head of School Sarah Johnston made the surprise announcement in front of faculty and staff on Thursday afternoon.

In addition to serving as a Grade 5 homeroom teacher, McGrievy teaches math to fourth and fifth grade students. Since joining Old Trail in 2007, he has become a beloved educator known for building strong relationships with students and inspiring confidence in the classroom.

“Mike has been a pillar of the Old Trail School community for nearly 17 years,” Mrs. Johnston said. “In the classroom, he is known for transforming a subject many students dread into one they genuinely enjoy. With an exceptional ability to explain complex concepts in a variety of ways, he makes math both accessible and engaging for every learner. Through this dedication, students not only learn math — they gain confidence in themselves as problem-solvers.”

Before joining Old Trail, McGrievy taught math in Botswana through the U.S. Peace Corps and later in California.

The Catherine Silver McNamara Award is presented annually to an Old Trail faculty member in recognition of outstanding service to student achievement. Nominations are submitted by members of the OTS community, including parents and colleagues, and the recipient is selected by an Awards Committee composed of members of the School’s leadership team, a faculty member with more than 20 years of experience at Old Trail and the previous year’s recipient.

Parent nominations praised McGrievy not only for his teaching excellence but also for the lasting impact he has on students as individuals.

“I am honored to nominate Mr. McGrievy for this award,” one parent wrote. “He continues to be my child’s favorite teacher, and his impact has been truly lasting. Never before had my child felt so seen and valued as she did in his classroom.”

Another parent nominator described McGrievy as “a gifted educator with the ability to encourage students to rise to their full potential.”

“My son is a testament to this,” the parent wrote. “After entering Mike’s fourth grade classroom, his enthusiasm for math was ignited, and that spark has only grown brighter through having him as a fifth grade homeroom teacher.”

Please join us in congratulating Mike on this well-deserved recognition of his dedication and excellence in teaching.

About the Award
The Catherine Silver McNamara Faculty Award was established by the family of Catherine Silver McNamara ’70 following her untimely death in 1983. Through this annual award, Catherine’s family honors her memory by recognizing a member of the Old Trail faculty or administration for outstanding service to student achievement.

The award was established by Catherine’s late father and Old Trail School Trustee Emeritus R. Bruce Silver; her late mother and former Old Trail School librarian Peggy Silver; her sisters, Margie Silver Allen ’68 and Patricia Silver ’72; her husband, Robert McNamara; and her brother-in-law, Peter Allen.

To be eligible, faculty members or administrators must have been employed at Old Trail School for at least three years at the time of nomination and have accepted a commitment to return the following school year. Previous recipients are not eligible for the award.