20 questions with Aquita Winslow

Where are you from? 

I was born and raised in Northern California. Both my children [daughter Avery and son Aaron] live in Los Angeles and most of my friends are still in LA, so it feels like home. But eventually Andover will feel more like home. I just have to give it more time—and get used to shoveling snow! 

What did you want to be when you grew up? 

A lawyer. Funny thing is, when I was growing up, I always worked in libraries—my elementary school library, middle school library, and my college library—but it never occurred to me to be a librarian. I still went to law school because I’m stubborn like that. 

What inspired your shift from lawyer to librarian? 

I was meant to be a librarian. I was the kid who always had a book in hand. Libraries were my second home. It was a student who inspired me to become a school librarian. She was also a library kid who would come in every day, and I’d help her find books. One day she said to me, “I’m so glad you’re here.” Then it clicked. I started realizing that is what education is about—making spaces and experiences better for students. 

What is one of your hidden talents? 

I’m a very good singer. 

Who are your favorite authors? 

There are so many! I’m a huge Stephen King fan, N.K. Jemisin, Deborah Harkness, R.F. Kuang, and Naomi Novik, to name a few. 

What is your motto? 

To thine own self be true. 

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? 

Really and exactly. 

How do you unwind? 

Another secret thing about me, which nobody believes, is that I am an introvert. I do all my talking during the day so I don’t have to talk at night. That’s when I recharge my battery. I quilt. I do a lot of reading. And I hang out with my cats, Jameson and Little Man—they are highly entertaining.  

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 

Raising two kids. I’m very proud of them. They’re good people. 

Is there anything you wish you were better at? 

I’m a terrible camper. But I respect camping as an educational tool. At my previous job in California [Polytechnic School in Pasadena], the entire upper school would go on a camping trip every September. It was important and necessary to go out there and make the best of it, and especially to help the kids feel comfortable, safe, and have fun.  

What scares you? 

I’m a good swimmer, but when it comes to snorkeling at night—which can be a really beautiful experience—yeah, I’m not doing that. 

What movie do you never get tired of watching? 

In my past life I must have been a perpetual teenage boy. I love the first Transformers movie, and I’m a huge fan of Godzilla. 

What is your favorite spot on campus? 

CAMD, of course, but I also love visiting Rabbit Pond. It’s amazing how many rabbits there are around here. So cute! 

What is your favorite dish at Paresky? 

The Italian sausage bar with pasta and cheese and fried onions. You can choose pesto or marinara with it. 

What would students be surprised to learn about you? 

I’m a big fan of standup comedy. Dave Chappelle is one of my favorites. 

If you could sit in on one class for a day, which would you choose? 

It’s tough to have to choose between the English department and the theatre department, but I’ll go with theatre, because the thought of performing live theatre terrifies me. I love watching people get up in front of the world and act. 

How do you think the times we’re living in are shaping the educational or teaching experience? 

Social media is more than just a driving factor for students, it’s like an appendage for them. We must learn new ways of teaching students who are getting a lot of their belief systems from spaces that are only giving them snippets of information. How do you disrupt that way of learning? I think it’s hard to do, but teachers are focused on finding those pathways to provide deep, authentic learning to students in the age of 24/7 media, when information is coming at them from several places and is not always easy to fact check.  

What is something you have learned—or taught—in the past year that you especially value? 

One thing I value, and that I want kids to value, is knowing how to use your own voice. Feeling powerful enough to speak for yourself—or if you can’t speak for yourself, to know who to talk to and who can speak for you—is an important skillset that we must teach. That is something I have engaged with faculty and students on, and I believe it’s vital that students are not afraid to tell us how we can help them. 

What small details about Andover could tell a larger story about its students or teachers, and its culture? 

Whether it’s a “munch”—when cluster deans put out snacks for kids on Wednesday nights so they have time to hang out with each other—or meeting in smaller groups with faculty and students around campus, there’s a utilization of space in a way that I think is telling of what this institution means. Also, there’s a cemetery on campus behind my office. I’d never seen anything like that before. But it makes sense now. People are very invested in Andover, so much so that some never want to leave. 

What are you looking forward to this year? 

Developing deeper relationships with people and just becoming more ingrained in the community.